Book Review: Just for Show by Jae

Just for Show

Author: Jae
Publisher: Ylva Publishing (February 21, 2018)
Paperback, 312 pages
Goodreads     |     Amazon

Summary
What happens when an overachieving psychologist with OCD tendencies and an impulsive, out-of-work actress start a fake relationship?

Claire Renshaw thought she had it all: a successful career as a couples therapist, a publishing contract for her self-help book, and a happy relationship. But her perfect world falls apart when her fiancée calls off their engagement. Because of that, even her book deal might be off the table. After all, readers don’t want relationship advice from someone who can’t even make her own relationship work.

So Claire sets out to hire herself a fake fiancée.

Lana Henderson, the actress who shows up to audition for the role, is not exactly Claire’s ideal woman. Her frankness and the messes she leaves everywhere drive Claire up the wall. At least she won’t fall in love with someone like Lana.

But soon, Lana starts to win her over with her big heart, tickle fights, and—gasp!—carbs after six. The longer they pretend to be a love-struck couple, the less fake their kisses feel and the more the lines between reality and role begin to blur.

Once the book contract is signed, will they walk away or is their relationship no longer just for show?

A lesbian romance where role-playing has never been so irresistible.

Book Review: The Boyfriend Game by Stella Starling

The Boyfriend Game

Author: Stella Starling
Series: #BOYFRIENDSBYBLOVED, book 1
Publisher: ? (July 24, 2018)
Kindle edition, 302 pages (Kindle Unlimited)
Goodreads     |     Amazon

Summary
Fake boyfriends for a week? Yes, please. 

Carter Olson never expected he’d get a chance to date his older brother’s best friend, Rip Taylor.
Wished for it? Yes.
Fantasized about it? Possibly too much.
But ever thought it would actually happen? Not in a million years, since Rip is straight. But even if it’s just to try and win a gay game show, having Rip for a boyfriend—even a temporary/pretend one—is still the best thing to happen to Carter in... well, ever.
Especially because Rip’s so good at it.
Amazingly good, actually.
So good that Carter starts to hope that maybe it won’t have to end once the show’s over…

If there are two things Rip Taylor lives for, they’re having fun and being there for his friends, so a trip to Vegas to help surprise his best friend’s girlfriend with a big, flashy proposal sounds awesome. And even more fun? His bestie's plan to try and win some prize money for the wedding by signing the two of them up as contestants on the The Boyfriend Game.
The game show is sponsored by the gay dating app bLoved, and Rip is all in. He may be straight, but he's never been narrow, and when circumstances (a.k.a. a best friend who can't hold his tequila) mean that little Carter Olson gets roped into being Rip's fake boyfriend instead, that’s almost better… because who wouldn’t be able to be a convincing boyfriend to Carter?
After all, Carter’s hella sweet.
Kind of adorable, actually.
And really, really easy to get into character with…

Winning The Boyfriend Game? Rip and Carter have it in the bag.

The Boyfriend Game is a gay romance novel of approximately 75,000 words that contains some confusion about tops and bottoms, a straight guy who realizes he isn’t, an ice cube that melts much too fast, and the kind of luck that can only be found in Vegas. Every Stella Starling romance takes place in the same interconnected, contemporary world. The Boyfriend Game is a standalone book with cameos from other Stella Starling stories, a #boyfriendsbybLoved spinoff that takes place around the time of the epilogue from Ready For Love (Book One of the Semper Fi series). 

Blog Tour: The New Year Boyfriend by Zoey Gong (Review, Excerpt, Giveaway)

At 27, Winnie is on the verge of becoming an old maid. And she’s just fine with that. In medical school and studying for admission to an exclusive training program, Winnie just needs a few more years to get her life in order before she can even think about getting married.

But her mother has other plans.

Winnie’s mother orders her to return home for Chinese New Year to meet a young man she is sure Winnie will agree to marry if she only meets him. But Winnie won’t let anything—even her overbearing mother—stand in the way of her own goals and dreams. So she does the one thing she is sure will get her mother off her back—she hires a New Year boyfriend.

Kai’s life is a wreck. Working two jobs to help pay for his mother’s cancer treatments, Kai has no time for family, fun, or love. But when he sees a job advertisement for posing as a New Year boyfriend, he can’t pass up the opportunity for some quick and easy cash.

It was supposed to be strictly a business arrangement. But as Winnie and Kai’s worlds come crashing down around them, their fake relationship might be the only real thing they have left.

About the Book

The New Year Boyfriend
by Zoey Gong
Series
n/a; standalone
Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
Red Empress Publishing
Publication Date
November 20, 2018
Purchase Your Copy Today!  JUST $0.99 THROUGH NOVEMBER 25TH!
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Book Review: The Decoy Date by Mira Lyn Kelly

The Decoy Date

Author: Mira Lyn Kelley

Series: The Wedding Date, book 4

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (December 4, 2018)

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Goodreads     |     Amazon

SummaryFake relationship. Real feelings. Big problems.

Brody O'Donnel doesn't believe in happily-ever-afters—at least, not for himself. But he wants the best for his vivacious, beautiful friend Gwen Danes, and he's tired of watching her pine for a clueless man. Figuring a little bit of jealousy will motivate the guy, Brody proposes a fake relationship. It's an outrageous plan, but Gwen figures there's no harm in it—until they share a passionate kiss she never saw coming.

Suddenly, Gwen's fighting a growing attraction to a man she knows she can't have. After all, he's just faking it...isn't he?

Blog Tour: For The Duke's Eyes Only by Lenora Bell (Review, Teaser, Giveaway, Author Q&A)

If adventure has a name…it must be Lady India Rochester. The intrepid archaeologist possesses a sharp blade and an even sharper knack for uncovering history’s forgotten women. Unfortunately, she has one annoying weakness: the dangerously handsome Duke of Ravenwood. Former best friend. Current enemy. And the man who dared to break her heart.

Daniel Bonds, the Duke of Ravenwood, is a thrill-seeking antiquities hunter who only plays by one rule: Never fall in love. He’s in it for the fortune and glory. At least that’s what he wants the world to think. He’s sworn to hide his tangled web of secrets, especially from the one woman he cares about and will protect at any cost.

But when a priceless relic is stolen from the British Museum, the rivals must align forces. Racing to recover the stolen antiquity and avert an international disaster? All in a day’s work. Avoiding their buried feelings? More and more impossible. For love is about to become the greatest treasure of all. The grand adventure begins…now!

About the Book

For the Duke’s Eyes Only by Lenora Bell
Series School For Dukes (Each book is a standalone story.)
Genre Adult Historical Romance
Publisher Avon Books
Publication Date September 18, 2018
Purchase Your Copy Today!
Amazon | Avon Romance | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iBooks

Book Review: The Real Deal by Lauren Blakely

The Real Deal

Author: Lauren Blakely
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 10, 2018)
337 pages
Goodreads     Amazon

Summary
April Hamilton wants you to know she hasn’t been on GigsforHire since that time she sold her futon after college. She doesn’t even spend that much time online. And even if she did, she would not be looking up personal ads. But going home alone for her family's summer reunion is an invitation for every single relative to butt into her personal life. She simply can’t handle another blind date with the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker from her hometown. So when she finds the GigsforHire ad for a boyfriend-for-hire, she’s ready to pay to play.

Heading Home and Need a Buffer? I’m the REAL DEAL. 

Theo Banks has been running from the past for years. He’s this close to finally settling all his debts, and one more job as a boyfriend-for-hire will do the trick. He’s no gigolo. Please. He’s something of an actor, and he knows how to slip into any role, including pretending to be April’s new beau -- the bad boy with the heart of gold.

Even if it means sleeping in close quarters in that tiny little bed in her parents’ inn. Even if it means spinning tales of a romance that starts to feel all too true. What neither one of them counts on is that amid the egg toss, the arm wrestling, and a fierce game of Lawn Twister that has them tangled up together, they might be feeling the real deal.

She only wanted to show her family once and for all that she had no need to settle down.

He didn’t expect to have the time of his life at her parent’s home.

They didn’t plan on loving every single second of the game.

But can a masterful game of pretend result in true love?

Book Review: Three Day Fiancée (Animal Attraction #2) by Marissa Clarke

Three Day Fiancée

Author: Marissa Clarke
Series: Animal Attraction, Book 2
Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck
Expected Publication: May 14, 2018

Goodreads  Amazon

Summary: Helicopter pilot Taylor Blankenship’s time schedule is maxed out. Between his job, his one-hundred and fifty pound slobbering mess of a dog, and his matchmaking grandmother, he has no time for anyone or anything-especially a woman. If only there were a way to get Grams to back down.

The job of New York City dog walker suits Caitlin Ramos perfectly while she preps for her CPA exam—steady, scheduled, and requiring very little human interaction; a huge seller since she’s still on the mend from a toxic relationship. Men suck. Especially her bossy hot client with the Saint Bernard that thinks it’s a lap dog. No way will she go for his plan to pretend they’re engaged to get his grandmother off his case. Down, boy.

Offered a bargain she can’t refuse, Caitlin finds herself playing the part of fiancée to Taylor. Fortunately, it’s only for three days. All she has to do is fake a relationship with Mr. Bossy Pants in front of his entire family, survive a fierce game of truth or dare with an unscrupulous pair of octogenarians, endure a one-on-one round of Twister with Taylor, and not lose her heart to a guy who turns out to be a lot more than she’d bargained for.

Rating: 5 stars

Review: I was in a book slump and had already picked up and rejected several books; then I picked up Three Day Fiancée and didn't put it down until I'd finished it. From the moment Caitlin and Taylor meet, their relationship is pure romantic comedy gold. As with any book that focuses on the pretend engagement trope, the plot requires a certain suspension of disbelief, but isn't some element of the fantastic what you want out our your rom-coms? (Because it's definitely what I want out of mine.) And from Caitlyn's no good, horribly, very bad day she's having when she meets Taylor; to the scavenger hunt and games of truth or dare at Grams' anniversary weekend party; to the zany antics at the Animal Attraction's first annual pet shelter fundraiser ball, this book sure delivers!

Caitlin is a great leading lady, and it's amazing how real she is being strong, sexy, and funny and at the same time so damaged and vulnerable because of the scars of her past. And Taylor. *Dreamy sigh* I think Fiona says it best: "Right… Nobody likes a guy who treats his dog like a family member and adores his grandmother and little sister." Taylor is just swoon worthy, and I love how patient he is with Caitlin's steam trunk of baggage. I fell in love with Taylor's family every bit as hard as I fell in love with the main characters, which made for a really enjoyable read. They're all so fun, and I found myself grinning like a moron through pretty much this entire book.

This is the second book in the Animal Attraction series, but can be read as a stand alone. There aren't spoilers for the first book, Dear Jane , as far as I could tell, though Jane is a side-character in this book. I assume the third book will be about the third founder of Animal Attraction, the painfully shy Fiona, and I can NOT wait to read that. It also has mention of or brief appearances by the characters from an earlier series, the Anderson Brothers: Sleeping with the Boss (Anderson Brothers #1) , Neighbors with Benefits (Anderson Brothers #2) , and Chance of a Lifetime . Upon finishing this book I immediately went and bought all four of these books, and I think that says more about how amazing Three Day Fiancée was than any review ever can. ;)

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (The Embraced #3) by Kerrelyn Sparks

Rating: 4 Stars

 

Expected publication: March 27th 2018 by St Martins Press
Summary: Gwennore has a talent. An Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it, she’s a valuable asset to her people. But when the kidnapping of a young girl thrusts Gwennore into the very heart of the realm of the dragons, she discovers not only a place of power and magic, but also a haunted land, plagued by an ancient curse that all but ensures extinction to the royal family. But when she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko, they strike a bargain—save the country from its cursed illness, and he will return the kidnapped girl. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

Silas has no way of curing the family he’s loyally served for years. But when a beautiful elf, long considered the enemy of the dragons, comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to passion and desire in a way he’s never felt before. But can he trust a sworn enemy to save the very existence he holds dear? And can their love survive those that threaten to tear them apart?
(from Goodreads)

Review: This is outside my normal romance genres I typically read, and I had a hard time figuring out which tags to use. Paranormal romance? Supernatural powers? Usually when I use these tags they're in more of a contemporary fiction kind of setting, not a medieval-ish fantasy, but at the same time they sort of fit? The tags I am sure of are romance, fantasy, and dragons!

The world building is really interesting, with people born on one of the two lunar eclipses each year being granted special powers. It makes for a very eclectic cast of characters, as everyone has a different sort of power. It's also got shifters and dragons and a war with the elves. What's not to love?

Gwennore, our leading lady, has the ability to touch a person on one of their pulse points and get a reading for their state of health, and is able to know what, if anything, is wrong with them. It bugs me that the blurb for this book describes her as "An Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it, she’s a valuable asset to her people." Her power is sensing the illness, and she's learned about herbs and things to heal but she doesn't have healing powers.

I really enjoyed Silas, aka General Gorgeous. Some of the things he said had me laughing out loud, especially in his banter with Gwen. ("Rejected again.") I love me a tall, dark and handsome man who is strong with a sense of humor.

This is the third book in The Embraced series and it can be read as a stand alone... sort of. Let me clarify: There are five adopted/foster sisters, and each book focuses on one of the sisters and her love interest. The romantic plot as well as the plot involving the sister in question's love interest is resolved within the book, but there is also a larger overarching plot that reaching across the books. I read this book without reading the first two in the series and enjoyed it, but I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I'd read books one and two first. There is enough backstory given that you can put it together and the story works, but it would be better with all the pieces. There are also DEFINITELY spoilers for the first two books. I'm going to suggest you read this series in order if you can (and if the plots for the first two books look interesting to you!) If for some reason you only read romances about dragons, you can sure read this as a stand alone and skip the first two books.   

Blog Tour: The Trouble With True Love by Laura Lee Guhrke (Teaser, Review, Givewaway)

Dear Lady Truelove, I am a girl of noble family, but I am painfully shy, especially in my encounters with those of the opposite sex . . .

For Clara Deverill, standing in for the real Lady Truelove means dispensing advice on problems she herself has never managed to overcome. There’s nothing for it but to retreat to a tearoom and hope inspiration strikes between scones. It doesn’t—until Clara overhears a rake waxing eloquent on the art of “honorable” jilting. The cad may look like an Adonis, but he’s about to find himself on the wrong side of Lady Truelove.

Rex Galbraith is an heir with no plans to produce a spare. He flirts with the minimum number of eligible young ladies to humor his matchmaking aunt, but Clara is the first to ever catch his roving eye. When he realizes that Clara—as Lady Truelove—has used his advice as newspaper fodder, he’s infuriated. But when he’s forced into a secret alliance with her, he realizes he’s got a much bigger problem—because Clara is upending everything Rex thought he knew about women—and about himself. . .

About the Book

The Trouble With True Loveby Laura Lee Guhrke
Seriesn/a; standalone
GenreAdult
Historical Romance
PublisherAvon Books
Publication DateJanuary 30, 2018
Amazon  |  Avon Romance  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Google Play  |  iBooks

My Review

This is the second in the series, and you really should probably read the first book, The Truth About Love and Dukes, before reading this one. You can likely get away with not reading it if you really don't wish to, but it will explain Clara's relationship with her sisters in law as well as her family's history in relation to the ton.

I love that Clara is shy and that she's not classically beautiful, but that when Rex sees her smile that first time it just slays him. I saw the plot set up coming when she's sitting there trying to figure out how to advise these letters to Lady Truelove about how to get noticed by someone, when she has the same problem, and then overhears this suave rake giving his friend lady advice. Still, the way they got there was interesting. And I love that Rex is really such a gentleman, despite being labeled a rake. His mother sure is something else, though!

This is a fun, light read. I love the banter between Clara and Rex, and love the way he helps her, as she puts it, bloom. His advice to the shy is to laugh at yourself, let yourself be vulnerable and go ahead and admit to people that you're rather shy. Basically try to put others at ease around you and make them feel good about themselves, and everyone will love you. Clara doesn't magically transform into a beautiful swan to become the bell of the ball. Instead she works hard to overcome her shyness and gradually grows her own confidence, both in the ton as well as the rest of her life. They both have some great personal growth, but Clara especially. I also appreciate that Ms. Guhrke lets Clara's desire be to be a wife and mother - and that's OK, that's part of feminism too!

The only bit I didn't like was the scene at the wedding. I feel like Rex could have handled that better, and it just fell rather flat for the big scene it was supposed to be. It irked be enough that I knocked a full star off my rating. The ending matters, it can't just... fizzle.

Tour Wide Giveaway

To celebrate the release of THE TROUBLE WITH TRUE LOVE, we’re giving away two paperback copies of THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE AND DUKES by Laura Lee Guhrke!

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. Two winners will each receive a paperback copy of The Truth About Love and Dukes by Laura Lee Guhrke.  This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance.  Giveaway ends 2/20/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address.  Duplicates will be deleted.  CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

About Laura Lee Guhrke

Author bioLaura Lee Guhrke spent seven years in advertising, had a successful catering business, and managed a construction company before she decided writing novels was more fun. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Laura has penned over twenty historical romances. Her books have received many award nominations, and she is the recipient of romance fiction’s highest honor: the Romance Writers of America RITA Award. She lives in the Northwest with her husband (or, as she calls him, her very own romance hero), along with two diva cats and a Golden Retriever happy to be their slave. Laura loves hearing from readers, and you can contact her via her website: www.lauraleeguhrke.com.

Author Links

    

This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.

Book Review: The Trouble with True Love (Dear Lady Truelove #2) by Laura Lee Guhrke

Rating: 4 Stars

Expected publication: January 30th 2018 by Avon
Summary: Dear Lady Truelove,

I am a girl of noble family, but I am painfully shy, especially in my encounters with those of the opposite sex . . .

For Clara Deverill, standing in for the real Lady Truelove means dispensing advice on problems she herself has never managed to overcome. There’s nothing for it but to retreat to a tearoom and hope inspiration strikes between scones. It doesn’t—until Clara overhears a rake waxing eloquent on the art of “honorable” jilting. The cad may look like an Adonis, but he’s about to find himself on the wrong side of Lady Truelove.

Rex Galbraith is an heir with no plans to produce a spare. He flirts with the minimum number of eligible young ladies to humor his matchmaking aunt, but Clara is the first to ever catch his roving eye. When he realizes that Clara—as Lady Truelove—has used his advice as newspaper fodder, he’s infuriated. But when he’s forced into a secret alliance with her, he realizes he’s got a much bigger problem—because Clara is upending everything Rex thought he knew about women—and about himself...
(from Goodreads)

Review: This is the second in the series, and you really should probably read the first book, The Truth About Love and Dukes, before reading this one. You can likely get away with not reading it if you really don't wish to, but it will explain Clara's relationship with her sisters in law as well as her family's history in relation to the ton.

I love that Clara is shy and that she's not classically beautiful, but that when Rex sees her smile that first time it just slays him. I saw the plot set up coming when she's sitting there trying to figure out how to advise these letters to Lady Truelove about how to get noticed by someone, when she has the same problem, and then overhears this suave rake giving his friend lady advice. Still, the way they got there was interesting. And I love that Rex is really such a gentleman, despite being labeled a rake. His mother sure is something else, though!

This is a fun, light read. I love the banter between Clara and Rex, and love the way he helps her, as she puts it, bloom. His advice to the shy is to laugh at yourself, let yourself be vulnerable and go ahead and admit to people that you're rather shy. Basically try to put others at ease around you and make them feel good about themselves, and everyone will love you. Clara doesn't magically transform into a beautiful swan to become the bell of the ball. Instead she works hard to overcome her shyness and gradually grows her own confidence, both in the ton as well as the rest of her life. They both have some great personal growth, but Clara especially. I also appreciate that Ms. Guhrke lets Clara's desire be to be a wife and mother - and that's OK, that's part of feminism too!

The only bit I didn't like was the scene at the wedding. I feel like Rex could have handled that better, and it just fell rather flat for the big scene it was supposed to be. It irked be enough that I knocked a full star off my rating. The ending matters, it can't just... fizzle.

*I received a free digital ARC of this book from Edelweiss+ and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: I Will: A Christmas Novella (Capitol Theatre #2.5) by Lisa Kleypas

Book Review: I Will: A Christmas Novella (Capitol Theatre #2.5) by Lisa Kleypas

Rating: 3.5 Stars

 

Published December 13th 2016 by Avon Impulse (first published October 11th 2016)

Summary: Andrew, Lord Drake, has been cut out of his father’s will because of his dissolute manner of living. To be reinstated, Andrew decides to pretend that he has changed his wicked ways.

As part of his plan, he wants to convince his father that he is courting a respectable woman with the intention of marrying her. The problem is, he doesn’t know any decent women, except for his friend’s spinster sister, Miss Caroline Hargreaves. He blackmails the reluctant Caroline into helping him, and so the charade begins...

(from Goodreads)

 

 

Review: I'm having a hard time rating this one. I really want to rate it 3.5 stars, so I'm being kind and rounding up to 4 stars on Goodreads because it's Christmas. No such forgiveness here on my blog, though!

This is pretty much your typical spinster + rake regency romance, except in this case the spinster is being blackmailed into having a fake relationship with the rake in order to lend him an air of respectability. I liked Andrew more than Caroline, but then I have always had a soft spot for broken things. Andrew wasn't loved enough as a child by his cruel father, and it's rather ruined him. Of course, like most rakes in regency romance, way down deep he has a heart of gold. I did appreciate that Kleypas didn't whitewash over some of Andrew's darker misdeeds - he really does have a very black past. I also liked the slow burn of Caroline and Andrew's building relationship, and how what starts out as a sham becomes much more to them both. I felt like Caroline (whom I have called "Olivia" all through writing this review, and need to keep correcting) didn't have much depth and could have been fleshed out better, but I suppose it is a very short story so some allowances must be made.

There is a bit that was a little squicky and quasi-rapey that I didn't like at all, but it really did show how desperately Caroline felt and made my heart ache for the pair of them (while inwardly cringing at the same time).

It's listed as being #2.5 in the Capitol Theatre series, and it does mention a LOT about other characters that I assume take center stage in the other books. Beware of probable spoilers for earlier books in the series.

 

This novella is available as a stand-alone, and is also included in the anthology A Christmas to Remember.

 

Book Review: Roomies by Christina Lauren

Book Review: Roomies by Christina Lauren

Rating: 4 Stars

 

 

Expected publication: December 5th 2017 by Gallery Books
Summary: Marriages of convenience are so…inconvenient.

Rescued by Calvin McLoughlin from a would-be subway attacker, Holland Bakker pays the brilliant musician back by pulling some of her errand-girl strings and getting him an audition with a big-time musical director. When the tryout goes better than even Holland could have imagined, Calvin is set for a great entry into Broadway—until he admits his student visa has expired and he’s in the country illegally.

Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him. As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway. In the middle of the theatrics and the acting-not-acting, what will it take for Holland and Calvin to realise that they both stopped pretending a long time ago?
(from Goodreads)

Review: This book had a few rough spots, but overall I really liked it. The book is written in the first person present tense from Holland's point of view, which works. Usually I like my romances to give the point of view of both leads, but due to the nature of Holland and Calvin's relationship the single viewpoint works and is the best way to tell the story. I could probably have done without some of Lulu's more crass stories, but I suppose Holland and Calvin felt the same so maybe it's good they were in there.

Holland is a total spaz (and thus I identify with her on some level). I also get what it's like to struggle to find your own identity and feel special when you're surrounded by highly talented, exceptional people. I love her passion for music (and for Calvin), her love of her uncles, and the fact that she was so driven to complete her MFA in creative writing (and I did have to go Google what an MFA is - Master in Fine Arts, for the uninitiated) and then struggled to find her passion/muse/whatever you want to call it once she was out of school and suddenly faced with turning her passion into a career. Holland's relationship with her uncles is also great (love love love Robert and Jeff!) and I appreciated her interactions with her brother Davis as well (who reminds me a little of my own bearded bro).

I love Calvin. He's a hot musician so what's not to love? (haha!) All joking aside, Calvin has a sensitive heart (which he needs to be such a great musician), a sexy Irish accent (which I can hear in my head) and a wonderfully silly way he phrases things sometimes. He does his fair share of stupid boy things, and sometimes does better than other at understanding why Holland is upset about things.

Throughout the book Holland is forced to examine her life, her relationship with (and dependency upon) her uncles, and her relationship with herself. The book is a love story between Holland and Calvin, but it's also a story about Holland discovering who she is and learning to love herself. That element of self-discovery is what makes this an excellent New Adult (NA) novel, and the hunka-hunka-burnin'-love makes it a great contemporary romance.

*I received a free copy of this book from BookishFirst and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.