Shopping for a Billionaire Book 1 by Julia Kent

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book – via retail websites. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 2 June 2014
Type: HEA
Genre: Rom-Com, Humor Fiction, Satire
Author: Julia Kent
Read: 29 December 2020
Shelved: 30 December 2020
Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐1/2 (older edition)
while 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐(new edition with bonus scene)

Synopsis

When mystery shopper Shannon Jacoby meets billionaire Declan McCormick with her hand down a toilet in the men’s room of one of his stores, it’s love at first flush in this hilarious new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent.

The Shopping for a Billionaire collection from New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent is a 600+ page, hilarious romantic comedy with heart, heat, and laughs.

This boxed set contains the previously published:
Shopping for a Billionaire 1
Shopping for a Billionaire 2
Shopping for a Billionaire 3
Shopping for a Billionaire 4
Christmas Shopping for a Billionaire

Buy it now!

Add it to your TRB on Goodreads

Review

Shannon Jacoby is a mystery shopper by profession. She loves her work, and it fits in well with her personality of being critical of everything. Her “devices” used in doing her job were very clever – stirrer with a thermometer! She and her good friend, Amanda, works for a secret shopper company – management department.

Declan McCormick is a businessman and is the vice president of marketing for Anterdec, a giant conglomerate that owns real estate, hospitality companies, and restaurants in the city. He is confident and knows how to roll-with-the-punches.

Declan’s attraction to Shannon was not as instant as some might think. Their meeting took place at a men’s toilet with so many hilarious things that I was surprised that their attraction was still evident from their body language. That hilarious moment reminded me of how attraction can be simple, unexpected, and funny at the same time.

Analyzing the book objectively, here are a few points:-

1) 2014 vs. 2019 writing

I have known the author from her “Do-Over” series (I thoroughly enjoyed this series), but I am new to the Shopping for the Billionaire series. I want to point out my previous experience with the author’s work is based on her 2019 books, and comparing Shopping for a Billionaire, an earlier work – I can safely say that her writing styles have evolved so much. I liked how the author has grown. I will assume that she took heed to some of the comments of her readers. Readers can see that there is still room for improvement for the author, which I can vouch for the author’s succeeding books.

2) Single vs. Dual POVs

My past encounters with romcom books would have both main characters’ POV – male and female. In this case, readers will only get Shannon’s POV. It was nice, but I shortchanged in trying to get to know the characters with this decision. The story would have been appreciated better if told from a dual POV. The characters would have connected better with the readers. Generally, a single POV is for mystery/suspense stories, wherein an author will want to add ambiguity to a plot. Readers do not need this in short novelette wherein it ends in a HEA.

Note 1: I did a bit of research and heard that some other editions have Declan’s POV at the end of the book. FYI – I first read the author’s ARC, and it did not have this bonus section. I then revisited the retailers to see if I could hunt the missing POV. I found the elusive “bonus scene” that came out later wherein (thank the Lord that the author wrote based on readers’ advice) at a retailer’s site. This extra POV made a significant difference in my rating. The Bonus Scene takes place at the beginning of Chapter 4 in this book. So, readers, make sure you have this extra scene at the back. Declan’s POV is really good!

3) “Too many internal thoughts, not enough outward happenings*.”

*The author should have used the toilet fiasco as the jumping point to have more things going on between the main characters. Some readers may find the insta-attraction lacking/incomplete within a short time, then ending the book suddenly.

I was okay with the book’s pace (even with the abrupt HEA), but just like the pace, Shannon’s crazy run-on thoughts were fast and exhausting. I did not like how Shannon would run-away with her head and comparisons on situations, but her actions were hardly anything – just a movement here or there. Shannon was the epitome of “calm on the outside but frantic on the inside.” Do not get me wrong – it is a brilliant combination. I love this a lot, especially in explaining herself in a men’s bathroom (that got me bawling over), but in later chapters, I felt Shannon’s head gave out too much information for readers. I do not know if this is a coping mechanism that the author would want to show us, but those were the “let-down’ moments in the book. Good thing, though, that Shannon comes up with these witty retorts to anyone who puts her into these “embarrassing situations.”

Note 2: The author might be trying hard to place humor on Shannon by pulling every current pop references she can in each of the chapters. The descriptions were great but sometimes redundant.

Note 3: I understand that the day Shannon and Declan met was the “turning point” for both of them, which might be why the author described the book in more detail than necessary. Yes, Book 1 is just Day 1 of Shannon and Declan.

4) Character focus and development could be better.

I love the crazy, hilarious supporting characters of Amanda, Marie(Shannon’s mum), and Greg (Shannon’s boss). I realized that I was looking forward more to them and their reactions than Shannons, which is not as good as I discovered. With the single POV, Declan did not have enough “page time” that I would have hoped. He was also an interesting character that I would not mind getting to know better, aside from Shannon’s.

Overall, Shopping for the Billionaire’s Book 1 gives readers a taste of the series’ perspectives and writing styles. It is a cute read with funny characters. Shannon and Declan’s chemistry is sizzling with a dash of humorous antics that will appeal to critical rom-com readers. I chuckled through the scenes as it came. The book is shorter than her other later series offerings.

I would appreciate this book better as a set with the other two novellas, Books 2 and 3, bundled together. The series’ success is evident with 17 books under this series alone for the author! I highly recommend readers to get/read the collection – Volume 1 to get a better feel for the characters as a whole and get a better appreciation for the series.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down

GIVEAWAY ALERT

In celebration of the release of Shopping for a Billionaire collection, a giveaway is being run! Up for grabs is a $25 winner’s choice gift card!

This Blitz-wide giveaway is open internationally. The giveaway ends January 7, 2021 .

Join now with the link below!
Head-on to Rafflecopter here.
Good luck!

January 1, 2021January 3, 2021

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams

Disclosure: All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 1 December 2020
Published by: Berkley
Type: HEA
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Multicultural & Interracial Romance
Author: Denise Williams
Read: 31 December 2020
Shelved: 01 January 2021
Rating: 5 / 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever’s world upside down.

When her flailing department lands on the university’s chopping block, Professor Naya Turner’s friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she’ll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check…almost.

Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she’s flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship—except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career.

Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she’s finally living again.

Review

Reader Disclosure: This book contains violence, abuse, infidelity (mention, not graphic details), and trauma that may trigger some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Naya Turner is a professor specializing in math education at Thurmond University. She is a successful woman and has a Ph.D. She has been focused on work and publishing her work that she didn’t realize the dry-spell has already been three years.

Jake Shaw is a successful businessman and owns/runs his own consulting. He and his company will be working together with Thurmond to help the university maximize its potential. He is separated from his wife for close to a year due to infidelity issues. He is in the process of filing his divorce when he met Naya.

A small flirt at a bar turned everything for Naya and Jake. Unknowing Naya and Jake, their encounter will get more complicated by possible conflicts of interest, jealous partners, and insecurities from each of their pasts.

It is a wonder how a successful woman like Naya could still be single, right? She is work-driven and is afraid of relationships. Naya stayed away from men for more than three years after a disastrous relationship, which she did not come out “unscathed.”

“People are imperfect, so relationships will always have flaws.”
— How to Fail at Flirting, Denise Williams

How to Fail in Flirting is told from Naya’s POV only. I am generally impartial to single POV for rom-com books since not many are successful in making me want to connect to both main characters, but I am glad I was wrong with this generalization. I did not mind the single POV, and it made it even better since the focus is on Naya, her predicament with work, and her trauma. The writing is spot-on and appropriate. I felt that the author had given Naya’s culture and background the respect it deserves for someone who wants “her volume louder.” I connected with her better, but I also took Jake’s side, even without him expressing his thoughts to me, through his action and words. It was refreshing and enjoyable.

I relished the flirting scenes between Naya and Jake. I was looking forward to this each time – either through text or phone. Both modes gave such lightheartedness that their joys were infectious! For both of them being new at flirting, they seem to be “in-tune” with each other and understood each other’s quirky and cheesy jokes. It was fun to watch and add to that – their magnetic attraction. Explosive with it comes in the bedroom! Although there were some things Naya did not dare to tell Jake until it’s too late – I love how they somehow tried their best to tell each other their “truths.” I am also happy that Jake later discovered why and realized what was going on inside Naya’s head, given her past.

I love the author “shedding light” on abuse. No matter how much one loves another – violence, shaming, and guilt are NEVER part of a loving relationship. Abuse can happen to anyone, and it doesn’t mean that smart and successful people would not “stumble” to these situations. The author proved this in this book and discussed Naya’s plight with all the signs of the violence, recovery and the toxicity of her past. The author described the experiences with care and respect for those who may know or can see themselves or others in the same case.

“Sometimes things that seem dumb, stupid, even dangerous at the time – hell things that most certainly are dumb, stupid and dangerous – sometimes they work out. And sometimes those bad decisions? They end up being the most important decisions we ever made. Especially when you have a good head on your shoulders to begin with.”
— How to Fail at Flirting, Denise Williams

Overall, I highly recommend this captivating read. It will grab you to connect with Naya and Jake, make you want to find out what happened to Naya’s past, and seek justice as Naya finds her “voice.” There are scary parts, but you will also see Naya surprise herself and rise to the occasion and quash her abuser. The ending is even better than how I imagined it to be – Naya had to work hard and long to get herself “fix.” I appreciate how the author gives readers hope, healing, and HEA with this book.

When Jake told me I mattered, I wanted to be the person who deserved those words.
— How to Fail at Flirting, Denise Williams

About the Author

Denise Williams wrote her first book in the 2nd grade. I Hate You and its sequel, I Still Hate You, featured a tough, funny heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter, and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write. After penning those early works, she finished second grade and eventually earned a PhD.

A diversity trainer and co-creator of a women’s empowerment group, she is dedicated to developing flawed, multidimensional characters who struggle with those issues impacting real women. After growing up a military brat around the world and across the country, Denise now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, and two ornery shih-tzus who think they own the house.
Denise was a 2019 Romance Writers of America ® Golden Heart Finalist and How to Fail at Flirting is her debut novel.

December 6, 2020December 5, 2020

New Release: Revenge Cake by Skyler Mason

Black Heart Reviews – “What a journey into mental health and self-awareness, this was! It’s rare to find a romance that deals with the issues Revenge Cake does and often when you do, it isn’t executed well.”

Published on: December 6, 2020
Type: standalone, HEA
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Skyler Mason
Cover Design: Cover Couture

Synopsis

I didn’t want to fall in love with Logan, an infamous relationship slut.
He fell in love too easy for it to ever be real.
And I refused to end up just one more crazy ex-girlfriend.
But he used his self-deprecating charm to wear me down, and I let myself fall.
Even though I was afraid he’d abandon me once he learned about my anxiety disorder.
And that’s exactly what he did.
He shattered my heart into a million pieces, and now it’s time for him to pay.
Revenge never tasted so sweet.
But I have to be careful.
I can’t get too close.
I can’t let myself fall in love with him again.

I’ve never loved anyone more than Leilani, the fiercest woman I’ve ever met.
But I can’t let her break my heart for the second time.
I won’t survive it.
If we’re going to be together after college, she needs to handle her addiction to anxiety pills.
She can’t do that if I’m around to enable her.
And that’s exactly why I had to leave.
But one look into those severe brown eyes and I’m transported back to the night we met.
The night I fell in love with her.
I know I have to stay away.
But I miss her.
And what’s the harm in just one look?

Ellie (Goodreads) – “What we get is an angsty, gut wrenching book that will leave you emotionally exhausted, but in a good way.”

About the Author

Skyler Mason is a romance novel reader first and foremost. Her books feature strong heroines who sometimes make their heroes cry, but only because they deserve it. After all, if romance isn’t angsty, is it even worth it?

Hosted by Enticing Journey Book Promotions

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020

The Best of Us (Love in Isolation #2) by Kennedy Fox

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 01 December 2020
Type: standalone, HEA
Genre: Holiday Romance Fiction
Author: Kennedy Fox
Read: 28 November 2020
Shelved: 30 November 2020
Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars

Synopsis

What happens when the biggest blizzard of the year hits and you’re trapped in a cabin with your best friend’s brother? You take every opportunity to spend time together and make him fall in love with you.

The Best of Us is a best friend’s brother, opposites attract, and snowed-in together standalone romance.

Check out the Love in Isolation series for the other supporting character stories that will surely keep you warm and cozy this season!

Review

Kendall Montgomery is a fun-loving and bubbly best friend and maid of honor of Cami, who needed Kendall’s help to “deck-out” Cami’s family cabin for her honeymoon. Kendall is all game for it and is the perfect candidate for the task since she knows what Cami likes and wants. She did not expect to do it with Ryan, Eli’s best man, and Cami’s older brother, who hates and sees her only as an “entitled” best friend of his sister.

Ryan St James is an emergency doctor and is the best man of Eli, Cami’s husband. He tolerates Kendall for Cami’s sake but finds Kendall like any of the high-maintenance, privileged kids he detested. He chose to live a more modest life (even if he also was born into wealth) and wanted to make a difference in helping others versus partying like his friends.

The Best of Us is an enemies-turned-lovers rom-com that made my belly ached from the feisty and quick-wit banter. It might be a simple story at first, but there are so many layers these two characters showed in a few chapters. Being isolated from the rest of the world in a snowed-in cabin, Kendall and Ryan started shedding their layers was a looked forward thing.

Being isolated from the rest of the world in a snowed-in cabin, Kendall and Ryan started shedding their layers was a looked forward thing. There were so many misconceptions they have between each other that it was surprising that they tolerated each other because of Cami.

Ryan and Kendall’s strained friendship is due to Ryan’s preconceived notion that Kendall is a high-maintenance, shallow person, which is the total opposite! She is far from that notion, and I was happy to see Kendall took a stand when they started talking.

This book is my second encounter to review Kennedy Fox’s books. The first was from an anthology series with a duology.
The dynamic duo always amazes me on how they make simple plotlines and characters complex and thought-provoking paired with a lot of steamy scenes rolled into one. There is a lot since what else can two physically charged individuals with the hots for each other do at a secluded cabin?!?!
Everything in that cabin was hot hot hot that it kept Ryan and Kendall (and me) warm during the snowstorm/quarantine.

Happy to report that I liked how the series is shaping for the series. Kendall and Ryan’s characters have enough depth and layers to make me like them. They make me want to know them more as I realize that both are similar in many ways as they learn further:-
1) They want to be more than their family names.
2) They wanted to be better versions of themselves to the world, and
3) They want to be there for their partners, whoever they ended up to be. Kendall and Ryan are honest characters who avoid hurting people as much as possible.

The plot thickens later in the book when Ryan’s past comes back unexpectedly and out of his control because he is too much of a good guy. This part got things a bit exciting and later required him to “fight” for what he feels is worth the long wait, only after a nudge from a good friend.

A small comment on the Best of Us, I would have appreciated the book more if Kendall and Ryan’s separate lives were dealt with and discussed, like Kendall’s new endeavor or even Ryan’s “issues.” However, I understand that the authors may want to focus on only the main character’s relationship. Some “rushed” scenes glean over parts that I believe would have made the characters more developed, especially Ryan’s end.

**There is a small mention of mental health that may be a trigger for some readers. Take this as a warning.

In summary, if you want to read about emphatic, in-denial characters, slow-build, and well-developed plotlines with a lot of steamy scenes – Best of Us is it! It will make you feel warm all over with the side of humanity with Kendall and Ryan’s big hearts!

I also highly recommend the series since the other supporting characters in the story are as exciting and hilarious as Kendall and Ryan!

About the Author Duo:

Brooke Cumberland & Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up to write under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of Hallmark movies & overpriced coffee. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make you blush and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

Connect with Kennedy Fox:

November 30, 2020November 30, 2020

His Build (Jewel Lakes #2) by Claire Wilder (with bonus review)

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 06 November 2020
Published by: Amazon Digital Services
Type: standalone, HEA
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance Comedy
Author: Claire Wilder
Read: 25 November 2020
Shelved: 26 November 2020
Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Get it here:
Amazon | Bookbub | Goodreads

Start the Jewel Lake S eries today!

Synopsis

What’s the harm in a quick fling?

Graydon Mitchell doesn’t do love. Love means opening yourself up to pain, and Graydon’s had enough of that for one lifetime. All he wants to do is build beautiful homes in Jewel Lakes County and retreat to his lakefront cabin at the end of the day.

Lucy Fulham doesn’t do love either. As a New York City designer-turned-life coach, she’s busy executing her perfect life plan, which explicitly excludes relationships. Lucy knows what she wants, and it’s not getting her dreams stifled by building her life around a man the way her mom did.

But when one of Lucy’s favorite clients begs her to fill in on the interior design of his new lakehouse up in Jewel Lakes County, New York, she’s suddenly put in extremely close proximity with Graydon, the house’s skilled and way-too-sexy builder.

They’ve only got six weeks together, but there’s no denying the attraction. Graydon and Lucy are so hot for each other they’re liable to burn a hole through the framing.

A fling should get things out of their system, right? Or will these two relationship-phobes build themselves into a corner they can’t run away from?

Review

Graydon Mitchell owns Grayscale Residential Contracting, a construction company specializing in building and renovating cabin houses in the area of Jewel Lakes. His specialty to detail and professional work ethics edge his company from his competition and ensure a steady business stream.

Lucy Fulham had a significant career change and is expanding this new endeavor – but with this career, change comes costs to do right by her clients. She has bills to pay. She was getting desperate in her “goal” that she was open to going back to her past work as a special request from a dear friend/mentor and a lucrative offer that she could not refuse.

Note: Alfred Jones, mentioned in Book 1 of the series, is back! I love Alfred to bits, even if he was so stubborn in Book 1. He left in a bind with his Lake Shore house in renovations. His previous designer bailed out on him and enlisted (begged) for Lucy’s help. **Read Her Property to learn more about Alfred Jones and another new couple after this book to get the full story on that.

The attraction was a “banging” one. The revelation was an expected one that made me laugh when the truth came out on Lucy’s end – when she caught a glimpse of Graydon!

It’s not as “shocking” as what happened in Book 1 but funnier. Lucy and Graydon’s first meeting had Graydon try to come to Lucy’s rescue, which he did not need to but was “massively” appreciated by Lucy to see him closely.

Both characters know they are broken and miserable, even after discovering that there could be “more.” They would rather have something temporary than go through the hurt.

Let her take the lead, and maybe this won’t go too far.
–– Graydon, His Build

Lucy’s past is a semi-traumatic one, especially in dealing with the men in her life. She has come a long way in trying to be the opposite of how she saw women treated in her work industry. Although she has gotten more confident each day, she still has lingering issues based on her these experiences. She learned to curb her insecurities but at the cost of shunning men on any personal level. She looks at relationships in a more casual approach than finding anything more profound in the relationship department.

Graydon’s had enough hurt in the past to last him a lifetime, so he also, like Lucy, has giving dating a no-go and would rather have a “friends-with-benefits” outlook instead. He knows that anything he cared about will eventually leave, so he would instead not place his heart in that type of pain ever again.

How Lucy and Graydon can even propose a “casual agreement” with such a powerful attraction boggles my mind! It is taking a toll on both characters’ (and my) sanity! Yes, readers – this is NOT an insta-love type of romance. I believe it’s a slow-build but beautiful unraveling type of affair. The attraction is only one part of the “chemistry” shared by Graydon and Lucy. There is a maturity and growth for both characters as the story progressed that I enjoyed seeing bloom.

How Graydon and Lucy navigate through their “true feelings” is a cute (and sometimes frustrating) process. They may both excel in their professional life but fumble clumsily in the personal life department, especially between each other. It was as if they have never really seen each other beyond “colleagues” until now. I was snickering as both went “analytical mode” whenever one wanted to ask the other one out, even if it’s to shop for furniture.

I appreciate the author’s take on second chances and a different setting for a city girl like Lucy. It brings back how laid back things can be and how we should look at relationships. We should see “finding someone” should be – that things shouldn’t be difficult. It should organically happen; else, it is NOT the right person for you. In the end, both main characters needed to forgive themselves for being able to move to something better for each other. It was a very humbling thing to see them set aside the preconceived thoughts that harm and hurt them even before anything happened.

The specific pieces she had picked out with Graydon. It was as if by deciding she was going to sever the personal relationship they had, some part of her wanted desperately t leave a piece of them in Barkely Falls.
— Lucy, His Build

Overall, His Build is a highly recommended read for those who love slow-burning love and sweet characters! It reminds me of what we all look for in LOVE. The simpler meaning of being safe, protected and contented. The slow-building up of emotions and “meeting-of-the-minds” between Lucy and Graydon was powerful and made an impression that they were looking for a deeper relationship than just the physical, even if they were trying their best to deny this. They came together, effortlessly, and held on to each other to heal and find redemption. They are each other’s “home” without knowing it. Finding someone who you would be able to come home to as someone who will have your back and keep you safe is what this book is all about. The characters are more developed, and you see a better progression in the story’s thought and flow.

BONUS REVIEW

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 25 October 2020
Type: standalone novella, HEA
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance Comedy
Author: Claire Wilder
Read and Shelved: 24 November 2020
Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Get it here:
Amazon | Bookbub | Goodreads

Synopsis

Can you be in love with a woman you’ve never met?

Logan Malachy is a man of simple pleasures. He loves a mug of piping hot coffee on his porch. The curl of wood under his plane as he slides it along a fresh piece of lumber.

 A woman he’s never actually met. And can never have.

Ophelia Bradley’s favorite client is the gruff, sexy carpenter she speaks with on the phone every day. Talking to Logan is easy—they’re basically best friends. But that’s all they can ever be.

The chemistry between them is easy to resist…so long as they stay on the phone.

Can you be in love with a woman you’ve never met?

Logan is a literal dream! Sweaty, sounded woodworker who makes dreamy bookshelves and is full of longing – Angela, Goodreads reviewer

Logan came across as a lovely guy – not to mention HOT – with a good heart and a real sense of what was right. – Bella Settarra, author of The Men of Moone Mountain series

A little bit of angst and a little bit of steam wrapped up in a short, sweet, swoony romance. Perfect for a pick-me-up or afternoon read. – Coffee and the Bibliophile

Author’s Note

Touching Wood is a standalone steamy short read prequel to the Jewel Lakes Series.

One-click if you love slow burn friends to lovers romance stories with Pam & Jim (The Office) vibes, but hot.

Review

Ophelia Bradley works as an independent dispatch service for the building trades around Jewel Lakes County. She is smart, friendly, and patient. The latter because of her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Rick – who she keeps “waiting” to grow-up.

Logan Malachy is the sole owner of a popular carpentry business. His business has grown in demand throughout the years and had to get someone to help him, even as simple as scheduling meetings and answering calls, which is why he hired Ophelia. Who knew that he would not even meet her in-person until years later when both of them are in a better place.

Touching Wood is told from the first-person POV – Logan, and Ophelia. Both, Ophelia and Loga, have kept their “orbits separate” due to their professional capacity to each other but an important job that hits closer to home brings Ophelia and Logan’s orbits colliding until it could no longer be separate. What happens, in the end, is something that should maybe have happened earlier but the slow-burn approach, forlorn-love makes the book organic and real. It is a funny, light read that readers will get a taste of Wilder’s writing style. It has a good plot with a blind-date/phone-pal approach. This is the second book I have read for Wilder – the first is Her Property. Touching Wood is the prologue/novella to the Jewel Lake Series and is beginning to get good traction as one of the catchy rom-com series coming from this upcoming author.

About the Author

Hey! I’m Claire.

And there are two things you should know about me right off the bat:
I LAKES
and
I LOVE!
(Would it be weird to get that on a t-shirt?)

Okay, I love a lot of other stuff (my husband, my kids, my creaky old house, mancandy, chocolate, wine….I could go on).

But those two are HUGE–they’re the reason I write the books I write!

First, Lakes.

I am a wee bit obsessed with lakes. I grew up on a lake in Ontario, Canada, and practically lived in or on the water all year round.
Swimming and dock-diving in the summer.
Ice skating ’til it hurt in the winter (literally. Chill blains are the WORST!).
I moved away from the lake when was ten and spent the rest of my childhood growing up in a major city.
But the lake is in my blood. There’s just something about being by the quiet stillness of a contained body of water that’s just…magic.
Just like the characters in my books, I’m a city girl now, yearning for a life closer to nature. For now, I’ll keep saving lake pictures and writing about them like I’m still there.

More Importantly, Love.

The other thing about me is I love…LOVE. All parts of it: the thrill, the warm-hearted comfort of it, the closeness, the connection. I believe in love wholeheartedly!
BUT. When it comes to romantic love, I’m a little picky. The kind of love I love (is this getting confusing yet?) is sweet AND sexy, cozy AND hot.
But above all, I believe true love must be formed on a basis of mutual respect. That’s why I write books about REAL women and the sexy AF men who love them. Jewel Lakes men are never manipulative. They never make you feel bad about yourself. They’re always sexy and they ALWAYS treat you right.

What Else?

I love movies in extremes: I love it when they scare the pants off me (The Woman in Black); make me cry my face off (Steel Magnolias); OR make me laugh ’til my sides hurt (Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates).
My favorite-ever food that I can’t cook is eggplant parmesan (though many dishes are close seconds–and I share lots of amazing recipes from foodies in my books in my newsletter). I also love a big ‘ol Costco hot dog (lol).
I’m married to an amazing guy (Mr. Wilder) who is a movie lover (seriously ask him anything) and have three kids who drive me nuts but I wouldn’t trade them for all the sun and stars.
When I’m not writing steamy lakeside romance novels (and the occasional sweet & sexy short story), I’m either reading, riding my e-bike (don’t knock it ’til you try it!) taking long walks by the ocean (which I consider a giant lake) or in the trees.
Thanks again for stopping by–be sure to check out my books page for all the latest info on my existing and upcoming work.

November 22, 2020November 22, 2020

A Cinderella Story (The Best Draft #1) by E.K. Woodcock

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 3 April 2020
Type: standalone, series, HEA
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Humor
Author: Ebru Kartal
Pages: Kindle Edition, 289 pages
Read: 18 November 2020
Shelved: 19 November 2020
Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Get it here:

Amazon | Bookbub | Goodreads

Synopsis

With the magical feeling of Christmas around her, will Skylar find her Prince Charming?

When her mother gifts her a psychic reading on her twenty-sixth birthday, Skylar O’Conner’s jaded outlook has her bored before she even steps inside. However, the psychic touches on things even Skylar hasn’t admitted to herself, and the whole experience sticks with her—especially when she finds an abandoned purple rainboot at the mall later that day.

Since his wife died two years ago, Carter Montgomery’s entire world has centered around his daughter Everly. At this point in his life, he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to move on. And then a blonde with curly hair and emerald eyes waltzes into his life and awakens desires he thought no longer existed.

Neither Skylar nor Carter are prepared for what fate has in store for them, yet the pull toward one another is undeniable. But when a simple gift causes a horrible misunderstanding, Carter pulls back out of fear the scars on his heart still cut too deep.

Will pain from the past deny them the chance of a beautiful future?

Review

Skylar O’Conner is a special events coordinator of a non-profit company. She has been unhappy with her current position status, even if she does not have any work problems. After a peculiar visit to her mother’s psychic, Aubrey told Skylar that she was at a “crossroads” and had to decide what she wants to do to take control of it. Her “reading” gave a lot of vague details on how to do this. But Skylar leaped and decided that it was “time.” Good thing, too, because that is how she ended up meeting Carter in the process.

Carter Montgomery is a widower and a single parent to a lovely three-year-old daughter, Everly. He works in the construction business and tries his best to balance being an owner and a parent. His mother helps him out with Everly as he also copes with the loss of his wife.

Skylar and Carter narrate the book from each of their perspectives. The story’s pace is smooth and easy. Their chance meeting was a cute one and was a reverse Cinderella story that tugged my heart. It all turned into a comedy when they bumped into each other the second time around while in preparation for a “would-be’ third meeting had me laughing my head off. I did not see that “list” coming.

I love how easy and relatable the characters are. They have their issues, but both characters are realistic, especially with a child.

It talks all about finding love, second chances, and keeping positive all rolled into a feel-good Christmas book. Of course, there is the expected conflict, all based on misunderstanding and “not-getting-the-whole picture,” which surprised me. Because I thought Carter was a mature man, but with so many unresolved issues in the past, he still has a bit of a way to go.

I appreciated seeing how Skylar left to believe in herself with her mom and Aubrey’s guidance. Even though things hurt at first, Skylar still was patient enough to thread through the pain of loss and come out a better person. She did trust herself, and that is what I wanted to point out to readers – she believed and “claimed it,” then things started to look up for her!

A Cinderella Story is one of the easiest and “go-with-the-flow” reads as of date. I enjoyed the balance between the funny, snickering moments to the hurtful, misunderstanding parts offered in the book. It is a great read to put everyone in the season of giving, love, and healing.

Meet E.K. Woodcock

Ebru Kartal is a book blogger turned into an author. She currently has a couple of books out in the wild and is working on many others.
When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, blogging, or running after her gang of hooligans at home. Ebru lives in Cochrane, Alberta with her two lovely children and husband.
She was born in a land called “Turkey” and became Canadian in May 2015. She loves to travel and hopes to travel the world one day.

November 18, 2020November 16, 2020

Blog Tour One Last Time by Roxie Noir

Seth Loveless has been my weakness since I was sixteen years old.

One Last Time, an all-new second chance romance with all the feels from Roxie Noir, is available now!

Synopsis

Two years ago, I moved back to my hometown. I started a business, bought a house, took up yoga, and went on hiatus from dating. Life is good.

If I never had to see Seth, it would be perfect.

After all, my history with my ex-boyfriend is anything but simple. It’s taken us years, but we’ve finally learned to live in the same town without killing each other.

Is there an elaborate set of rules governing our every casual interaction?

Yes.

Do I still think dirty, off-limits thoughts every single time I see him buying apples at the grocery store?

Of course. I’m only human, and Seth and I are practically experts at the two F’s: fighting, and…

…sleeping together.

Still, we’re managing just fine.

And then?

He shows up at my sister’s wedding. The man looks like pure sex in a suit, handsome as the devil himself and twice as charming.

Worse, he claims he’s my date.

We flirt.

We dance.

We break every one of our carefully-crafted rules, and we… should stop.

Too bad I’m having the time of my life.

I know I should end it. After all the heartbreak, hurt, and anger we can’t be more than enemies.

But Seth asks me for one more night.

Just one night.

Then, we’re back to being virtual strangers to each other.

I know I should turn him down.

I know this ends with my heart shattered into a million pieces.

I know lunacy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

But I’ve always been bad at resisting a weakness.

One Last Time is a standalone romantic comedy and the final book in the Loveless Brothers series.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon | Amazon Worldwide
Add One Last Time to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2ELsZ9h

Excerpt

Delilah takes one more drink straight from the bottle..

“It’s a clockwork heart,” she says. “My stepmom still doesn’t know because it’s a giant tattoo right on my chest, and I think it might give her a stroke.”

A memory taps at me, floats into my brain: Delilah, holding a fruit basket at my front door, pulling her shirt to cover gauze.

“Seems like she’s about to know if I figured it out,” I say, taking the bottle back.

“She’s got better things to do right now,” Delilah says, shrugging.

I take a drink.

“Than stare at your tits?” I ask. “Like what?”

Right here, right now, I cannot think of a better pastime to save my life.

“I thought we were friends, Seth.”

“It’s a friendly stare,” I say, but I lift my eyes to her face. “Friends can’t look at tattoos?”

Suddenly the lights in the hall dip low, until they’re almost out, then slowly brighten. When they stop, they’re dimmer than they were before.

“How long have you had it?” I ask.

It’s so quiet in this hallway that I think I can hear the old house settling, each individual wooden slat shifting a millimeter down.

“Two years and change,” she says quietly, her eyes meeting mine.

My hand drifts to her waist, and she moves into me. A tiny, almost imperceptible movement, amplified until her warmth under my hand is all I can feel.

I can feel her breathing under my fingers. I can feel her heart beat, thumping away, and I force myself not to read into the timeline or into the tattoo.

Instead I lean into her, again. My face against hers, again, the feeling that my bones are dissolving at her nearness, the feeling that I’ve forgotten how to breathe.

“Do you have anything new?” she asks, her voice nearly a whisper.

“No tattoos,” I say, and I keep tracing the flowers on the lace with my fingertips, pressing into her soft flesh, and she puts her hand on my chest, her thumb sliding between the buttons on my shirt. I don’t know if it’s an accident or not, but either way, she doesn’t move it back.

“I did something stupid and got a new scar. It’s on my shoulder, I’ll show you if you want.”

Delilah gasps, the tiniest, slightest gasp.

“Right now?” she murmurs.

“Unless you’d rather see it later.”

Now her hand is on the tie that she loosened earlier, the lightest pressure pulling against the back of my neck.

“What else?” she asks.

“That’s all.”

“Two years and nothing else has changed?”

I haven’t been with anyone else. I haven’t even kissed anyone else, not since the last time we were together, not since she moved back to town.

Before, when she was hundreds of miles away, I could push her from my mind. I could forget about her for hours at a time.

Now, that’s impossible.

“Two years, three months, and sixteen days,” I say, my voice rough and raw with the truth, and there’s a pull at the back of my neck as she pulls at my tie and finally, finally, I kiss her.

I feel like a stadium when the lights go out. Like a concert hall when the orchestra stops tuning and suddenly plays the first note of a symphony. The background noise stops and the note swells, shifts, breaks into harmony.

This is all there is.

About Roxie

I love writing sexy, alpha men and the headstrong women they fall for.

My weaknesses include: beards, whiskey, nice abs with treasure trails, sarcasm, cats, prowess in the kitchen, prowess in the bedroom, forearm tattoos, and gummi bears.

I live in California with my very own sexy, bearded, whiskey-loving husband and two hell-raising cats.

Connect with Roxie
Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub
Join her reader group The Roxettes here
Stay up to date with Roxie by joining her mailing list here

September 11, 2020September 11, 2020

Playing House (Uptown Book 1) by Ruby Lang

Published on: 12 August 2019
Published by: Carina Press
Type: standalone, series, HEA
Author: Ruby Lang
Read: 09 September 2020
Shelved: 09 September 2020
Get here: Amazon USA
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Romance blossoms between two city planners posing as newlyweds in this first in a bright new series by acclaimed author Ruby Lang.

The last thing Oliver Huang expects to see on the historic Mount Morris home tour is longtime acquaintance Fay Liu bustling up and kissing him hello. He’s happy to playact being a couple to save her from a pushy admirer. Fay’s beautiful, successful and smart, and if he’s being honest, Oliver has always had a bit of a thing for her.

Maybe more than a bit.

Geeking out over architectural details is Oliver and Fay’s shared love language, and soon they’re touring pricey real estate across Upper Manhattan as the terribly faux but terribly charming couple Darling and Olly.

For the first time since being laid off from the job he loved, Oliver has something to look forward to. And for the first time since her divorce, Fay’s having fun.

Somewhere between the light-filled living rooms and spacious closets they’ve explored, this faux relationship just may have sparked some very real feelings. For Oliver and Fay, home truly is where their hearts are.

Fay Liu and Oliver Huang are both urban planners that ended up at an open house one day. Ironically, they do know each other but only from mutual friends. Fay had to ask Oliver a favor of posing as her boyfriend to discourage a zealous admirer at one of the open house events that they both were coincidentally in attendance. In the end, they continued the “relationship” further as the days went into “playing house-hunting expeditions” that later complicates things when Oliver had to keep something from Fay.

The humor was good! Each banter between Oliver and Fay made me snicker because they really were “in-sync” and understood each other well. There was an ease in how they got together, aside from the attraction. Their “pretend relationship” was fun and really put both of them at ease in their love and passion for architecture and Harlem.

The POV is on an alternating first-person perspective. The internal dialogues are positive and fun. There were some talk on self-doubt on Oliver and sad flashbacks for Fay that makes readers understand that these are not perfect characters and have their own flaws that they later discovered do not define them for who they are to each other.

I love the “slow-growing” chemistry of Oliver and Fay. Both characters knew each other from their occupation and mutual friends so they got to hang out way back. There were never on “each other’s radar” until they bumped into each other at the open house. It was only by continuing with the “relationship” that they slowly moved from just friends to something “more” –> admiration turns to attraction. This is refreshing for me with the many “insta-love” stories going about. The story reminds me of a very good “high school reunion” wherein Fay and Oliver had to go through a lot in the past, to know what they want for themselves by then. They both learned how to not “settle” just because of peer/family pressure.

There is a sense of maturity with Fay. Her character is all about being honest after being a relationship that seemed “fake” based on her past experience. She is cautious but seems to be taking a chance with Oliver as she remembers the person he was when they hung out together at one point. It was cute and really puts her in a great mindset to look into something with Oliver versus the many other men that she had come across after her divorce. Fay was having fun with Oliver as they explored her neighborhood and each other. She started to be comfortable with her life and sharing it with Oliver.

Being with Fay hasn’t simply made him enjoy again – it showed that life was enjoyable. And that was how he knew Fay cared; she didn’t do things for no reason – it was something he loved about her, about getting to know her.
— Oliver on Fay, Playing House

Oliver is a curious man. He showed me a dichotomy to his personality. On one hand, he seems to exude insecurity in the lack of a stable 9-5 job but on the other side, he is happy with the lifestyle that came as a freelance urban planning consultant. The balance is precarious to the point that he had doubts about how telling Fay his “secret” since Fay also instilled that there would be no talk of work between them.

I can understand if you are disappointed in me, and maybe it’s the best for both of us if I just end this conversation here. I’m sorry. The one thing I wish is that it had worked out between us because…well, I’m sorry none of it did.
— Oliver, Playing House

Fay’s unexpected yet pleasant reunion with Oliver forced him to realize what he wanted in the end. He had everything he needed – family, work, and Fay – without having other people’s “approval”. He had learned to trust himself and Fay in the end. I am always a fan of rational, ‘level-headed’ characters who shape the story for a wonderful experience to readers.

I want to mention that I love how Oliver’s mother’s voiced out about wanting to move back to her old neighborhood after a year of giving it a try as per her children’s advice. There was so much depth to what she said that it showed readers that “the grass may not be greener on the other side”. It’s okay to go back or tell people that you made a wrong decision about something. It is okay to change your mind after realizing it was a mistake. I really related to what she said in the end and humbly acknowledged that Oliver was right.

You never did one thing I wanted for you. Everyone says you are my kindest child. But you are quiet but stubborn. It is a slow strength. Sometimes I don’t recognize your qualities because they’re so different from what i know.
— Oliver’s mom, Playing House

I highly recommend the book! It is a short book but packed with lots of cute scenes, and architectural history that will enlighten readers. I appreciate the subtle hints of Chinese culture infused in between from Oliver’s mother’s mannerisms to Oliver’s rice cooker philosophy. It is an adorable story about second chances and deeper connections through shared interests.

About Ruby

Ruby Lang is the author of the acclaimed Practice Perfect series and the Uptown series. Her alter ego, Mindy Hung, wrote about romance novels (among other things) for The Toast. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Walrus, Bitch, and other fine venues. She enjoys running (slowly), reading (quickly), and ice cream (at any speed). She lives in New York with a small child and a medium-sized husband.

The Good Stuff
I was born in Vancouver, Canada, and raised in Winnipeg. When I was younger, I wanted to be fast-talking journalist Hildy Johnson from His Girl Friday but lacked verbal speed (and the ability to look good in hats) so I became a hatless and hapless editor instead. I have a scar on my leg from zipping down a banister in fifth grade. I also once slid down the escalator banister at the Westin Emerald Plaza in San Diego but sustained no lasting damage—except perhaps to my dignity.

August 16, 2020August 16, 2020

Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop by Isabella Louise Anderson

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 17 January 2017
Type: standalone, HEA
Author: Isabella Louise Anderson
Read: 14 August 2020
Shelved: 15 August 2020
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Buy Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop here: Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo
Add Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop on your Goodreads list.

Blurb:
As the owner of a successful florist shop, Khloe Harper trusts her instincts. She has a strong bond with her family and friends, but after being betrayed by her last love, she’s kept herself at arms’ length from romance. When dashing entertainment attorney Derek Thomas walks into her store, Khloe’s interest is piqued. What at first seems like a business relationship quickly turns into romance, and Derek slowly plucks away the petals she’s been hiding behind. Just as Khloe lets down her guard, she discovers that Derek may not be worthy of her love after all.

Frumpy Connie Albright has a faux fascination with an imaginary man named Walt, thinking that by sending herself flowers from him she’ll feel less out-of-place with the “mean girls” she works with. When she comes face to face with her possible prince charming and thinking she might have a happy ending, when a truth is revealed, she wonders if she’ll ever have a Cinderella story.

A recently widowed senior, Gabby Lewis, isn’t ready to give up on love—which means releasing herself from survivor’s guilt and taking a chance on finding happiness and companionship again. After signing up for an online dating site for senior citizens, much to her surprise, she’s matched with Harry, an energetic and loving man, who quickly eases himself into her heart. Will Gabby take the leap of falling in love again, knowing it’s possible to have two loves of her life?

As each woman’s story develops through flowers and cards sent from Khloe’s shop during the Fall months, they begin to learn that love can only truly blossom when you trust your heart.

Khloe is a 31-year-old, red-head flower shop owner. She prides herself on working hard and finally owning her own business after working six years in the flower industry. She is an only child so her parents, who had her later in their lives, have been slowly pressuring her to start looking for a good man to marry and give them grandkids to enjoy. The problem is that a Khloe is not ready for any sort of “relationship” after a disappointing breakup with her ex-boyfriend, who betrayed her trust. She still has to recover from the hurt associated with the mere mention of her ex’s name…until a tall dark man, Derek Thomas, entered her shop.

Gabriella “Gabby” Lewis is a 65-year old widow who had to cope with her husband’s loss after finding him splayed in their kitchen and died a few days later. She is an active member of the church she and her deceased husband, Charlie, are part of. She keeps herself busy with a Scrabble group from church. On one of the Scrabble games, online dating was mentioned and piqued Gabby’s interest. She created an online account and started her own adventure of knowing if love will be on her side, the second time around. She later gets a message from Harry Hoffman who reaches out to her online profile to get-to-know her.

Connie “Con” Albright is a tall and a bit on the frumpy side with glasses, who works as a medical data entry job with a degree in marketing. She started with the job since she was still in college in the hopes that she would enjoy it and meet new people but it seems that she may like the work but she hasn’t made a lot of friends. She found out also that she was known as the “ugly girl who wore tacky sweaters” in the office. As a way to change things up, she found a way to make her the center of attention at her workplace – by creating an imaginary boyfriend, Walt, who sends her flowers at work…flower arrangements from Khloe’s Flower Shop. She later plans an even bigger plan than just flower deliveries to the office.

The book talks about three women and their stories individually and how it also weaves through each other’s lives. Each of these characters intersects through Khloe’s Flower Shop. Themes were: the possibility of “two loves” in one’s life, giving one’s self a chance to be vulnerable to emotions and love, and being brave.

I enjoyed learning each one of these characters and what shaped them to be who they are in the beginning:-
1.) Khloe’s discovery of her long-time boyfriend’s infidelity that span longer than she knew, shattered her world and left her broken beyond repair;
2.) Gabby’s sudden loss of her husband from a heart attack within a few days; and
3.) Con’s unexpected loss of her whole family from a devastating car accident that left her “empty” and alone.
Each of them is started to evolve as they start taking charge of their lives…allowing them to open themselves up to other people who care a lot about them. They start being brave and confident to show the world what they are still capable of – to love and be loved.

There were some pretty “high” parts but there are also some pretty “low” ones that will make readers sad and a bit angry on why Isabella would allow these awful things to happen to her beloved characters, but there is a true purpose of enlightenment that goes through those “low parts” which will help the characters ‘snap-out’ of their stagnant state and “do something” for themselves than just be in status quo.

Ultimately, these women found the strength to “grab” their HEA by learning to trust their hearts, minds, and being honest about their feelings of insecurity or love. Some had friends to help them through while some, had to find the resilience to push onwards since she had only herself as a supporter. Either way, they are strong, courageous women slowly matured/developed into better, deeper versions of themselves for the world to see.

I was really pleasantly surprised in the end on how Isabella weaved the stories to converge wherein, although the three characters seem to be connected but in the “best friends” way but had the commonality of Khloe’s flowers and cards to let them know that they have someone on their side, even for Khloe who had her flower business to blame for meeting Derek. It’s a wonderful heartfelt story that reviewers like me do not encounter too often based on the books that fall to my lap. Readers will come out happy and very satisfied that there is Someone out there for everyone.

Just because the past didn’t turn out like you wanted it to, doesn’t mean your future can’t be better than you’ve imagined.
— Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop

I highly recommend this book to adults young and old that are willing to see the beauty of what comes out of self-reinvention and self-acceptance after disappointments, tragedy, and the possibility of find love in a world that first thought of as cruel.

About the Author

GET IN TOUCH

Isabella Louise Anderson grew up with a book in her hand, and to this day nothing has changed. She focuses her time on featuring other writers on her blog, Chick Lit Goddess, along with organizing Goddess Book Tours, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
She lives in Dallas with her husband, enjoys spicy Mexican food, margaritas, gin on the rocks (with a splash of lime). She loves spending time with family and friends and cheering on the Texas Rangers. Not only is Isabella an author, she’s also a Scentsy consultant and hoarder.
Isabella is the author of The Right Design and Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop. Her short story, “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe,” was featured in Simon & Fig’s Christmas anthology, Merry & Bright. She’s currently working on another book.

July 20, 2020October 19, 2020

Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

Published: 1 January 2019
Published by: HarperCollins
Type: Stand-alone, no cliffhanger
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Read : 10 February 2020 / 19 July 2020
Shelved : 11 February 2020 / 20 July 2020
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (edited from 4 stars)

Get the book: Amazon | Kobo | Audioble

Synopsis

Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to rise again…

If there’s one thing worse than being fired from the grottiest restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else.

Reeling from the indignity of a double dumping on the same day, Georgina snatches at the next job that she’s offered – barmaid in a newly opened pub, which just so happens to run by the boy she fell in love with at school: Lucas McCarthy. And whereas Georgina (voted Most Likely to Succeed in her school yearbook) has done nothing but dead-end jobs in the last twelve years, Lucas has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but also has turned into an actual grown-up with a business and a dog along the way.

Meeting Lucas again not only throws Georgina’s rackety present into sharp relief, but also brings a dark secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows the truth about what happened on the last day of school, and why she’s allowed it to chase her all these years

Review

Georgina/Georgia Horspool is a creative, smart, witty and was voted the most likely to succeed in high school but things happened on the way to university that handicapped her from becoming a writer. She dropped out of university when her father passed away and her relationship with her mother was cordial at best. She worked a few waiting staff jobs to fund herself and Jammy, her pet turtle. She worked as a waitress at a restaurant until her untimely termination then unexpectedly got hired to work at an event in a new pub that Lucas, the boy she dated back in high school who she disappointed, is a co-owner to.

I’m finding my irrelevance hard to accept because there’s nothing I’ve ever trusted more in my life than that first flush of how I felt about him. It was pure heady instinct, I never had to question it for a second. But if Lucas didn’t feel it too, if I could be so utterly wrong about this reciprocation, I can never trust my judgement again. If that wasn’t two people falling in love, then what the hell is this?
— Georgia’s thoughts, Don’t You Forget About me

Lucas McCarthy is the co-owner of the Wicker that Georgina later worked at. He and Georgia used to be classmates and even dated in secret during their last year in high school. He moved back to Dublin to help with the family business of owning pubs. He and his brother Devlin took over the business after their father passed away and expanded to Sheffield, the hometown of Georgia, their hometown. He initially didn’t acknowledge of knowing Georgia since he was hurt early on in their secret relationship in high school.

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
— Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Previous review : ~~I have to admit even after re-reading this book for the second time, that I had a tough time reading through the first few chapters and had to push myself to get through the book.~~

Firstly, after re-visiting the book again, I didn’t need much push/motivation in trying to finish it compared to the first time. I understood better where I needed to focus on and where my first apprehension was coming from all the bad luck / drama Georgina runs into – unemployment due to her bad boss, infidelity of her boyfriend (to someone quite close) and her family running her crazy.

**Word of warning: the language written can get a bit overwhelming since there is a lot of British slang and colloquial words that I threw me off at times. Just be patient and understand that the reward will come in the end as long as you stick to it.

I enjoyed all the 70s, 80s, and 90s references. I appreciate the flashbacks in a really uplifting era when things were a lot simpler – from Elvis to Blondie to Matrix. The backstory flashbacks were good and a great segway when the previous scene was heavy. It is well written and the humor that came with the flashbacks made me snicker often, especially the one when she and Robin were in the hallway after finding him in a compromising position with Lou as he and his neighbor bantered away. It was priceless!

I had a grand time getting to know the supporting characters in the book. They are as colorful as they come…from Nana Hoggs, Cleo, Rav, Jo, Ester, Patsy (Georgia’s mom) and even Robin. These characters really made me connect and feel for Georgia and supported her in their own way.
Nana Hoggs is a pure comic relief with her ‘don’t care’ attitude that I think Georgia can learn a thing or two for her view in life and dealing with people. I really cheered on when she spoke up with regards to Geoffrey being a pig at the dinner table.
Patsy and Ester might seem like the evil ones but keep reading on. I will find that all three are protecting each other in the best way that they know how. I’m saddened to hear that the family’s secret affected them all even after Georgia and Ester’s father’s death. The heart-to-heart talk Georgia had with her mom was so sad but they did work things out and mended the relationship.
Rav, Cleo and Jo are wonderful pals to help Georgia find her way to her HEF. I think it’s important to mention that it was Rav who referred her to a wonderful counselor, Fay, that helped Georgia through hard times in her life that even her friends and family didn’t know happened to her. There were so many secrets between each other that it wasn’t healthy anymore. Her counseling sessions help her in many moments in the book, where Georgia would recall sayings and advice of Fay that I realized are very important to her decisions in the end.

“It’s like aggressive hygge. Celebrate how great you are and what a nice time you have by yourself. Refuse to partake in the self-loathing we’re virtually commanded to, in this sick society.”
— Clem, Don’t You Forget About Me

Robin, the villain ex, is a horrible person but a needed one to push Georgia in the end. I can’t believe the things that do come out of his mouth and his fingers (when he texts). It’s just all wrong to have him be with someone like Georgia (or any girl for the matter) in the first place. I wanted to kick his sorry a** to the curb so many times that I cannot understand how he can be successful with his ‘ego’ towards life and women in general. Georgia had to play ‘dirty’ and did well in the end by putting him in his place.
I also like Milo, her nephew, even if he couldn’t be bothered but the drawing he gave her and was emphatic with her plight is cute enough to win me over.

I didn’t realize how brave and strong Georgina started to become throughout the book when she tries so much to please everyone around here at the cost of suffering for it. She has taken on so many things – in and out of the family house (i.e. trying to hold a job while finding a way back to writing). Inside the family, she’s trying her best to keep her deceased father’s secret that in the end drove a wedge between her and her mom and still keeping her sanity with limited funds. On the outside, she has to work closely with Lucas, who seems to not remember her and want nothing to do with her, while keeping a big secret that somehow ended their relationship from him.

I love the comic relief of the ‘open-mic’ themes which became a healing exercise for Georgia and later on, for Lucas (even if he doesn’t want to admit it) because he got to know her more in her writing and sharing sessions. It doesn’t help that Robin was there to share their memories (most not good and pathetic) to try to win Georgia back but all in all, it was a cathartic experience for all. The break between Robin and Georgia was crazy and descriptive enough that I felt I was there and felt so shocked as Georgia but I’m happy that it turned out that way else it would be a he-said-she-said. With the break and participating for “open mic”, it pushed her to open herself up to writing her experiences and later found the voice to be braver than she’s ever been.

I love how Mhairi ties it all in the end:
1) how love and forgiveness still reigned true to any good story,
2) second chances can happen, we just needed time to grow, and
3) the truth, no matter how late, will always heal everyone, making everything even better the second time around.

Mhairi McFarlane was born in Falkirk, Scotland in 1976. She went to school in Nottingham, studied English Literature at Manchester University and then returned to Nottingham to delight its citizens with her journalism. After roles as trainee reporter, reporter, feature writer and columnist, she realised she’d climbed to the very top of the mountain at the Nottingham Post and at age 31 decided to write a novel. Some very skint years followed, during which she thought she might’ve made a huge mistake.
Her debut novel, the romantic comedy You Had Me At Hello, was an instant hit upon being published in December 2012. It’s since become HarperCollins’ best selling ebook to date, has been translated into 16 languages and is being developed as a major feature film, with Mhairi writing the screenplay. The follow up, Here’s Looking At You, was published in December 2013 and made the Sunday Times Bestseller list.
Mhairi’s first hardback title for HarperFiction, It’s Not Me, It’s You, is published on November 6^th2014.
She’s currently working on her fourth novel, adapting You Had Me At Hello for screen and developing a comedy-drama script for television.

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