Summary
Kate is a graduate student, studying Shakespeare and writing the dissertation for her PhD. When she catches her fiancé with another woman, her world is turned completely upside down.
Her friends come to her rescue, and she finds an amazing, rent-controlled apartment with “Princess Barbie,” Ari. In exchange for some cooking and cleaning, Kate gets a great apartment and a rent she can swing while she nurses the wounds of her broken relationship and finish her degree.
Kate was not counting on Ari’s brother, Gabe, to be part of her new life. At first, his middle of the night phone calls for his absent sister are an annoyance. But over time, Kate looks forward to talking to Gabe. His voice is sexy, and he truly seems to listen to her. He takes her work on Shakespeare seriously. As an actor, Gabe can use Kate’s help preparing an audition monologue. Gabe quickly becomes a bigger part of Kate’s life than she ever imagined.
Review
This was so fun! It’s a quick, romantic story of Kate’s evolution with a backdrop of Shakespearean references. Readers don’t have to know the references to enjoy the story.
Kate’s transformation is my favorite part of the story. She’s so unsure of herself at the start of the book that she’s in a long term relationship she doesn’t even enjoy. While she is devastated by her fiancé’s unfaithfulness, it is exactly what she needs to course-correct her own life. Throughout the book, people try to change Kate, usually for her own good. But Kate has to find her own way, her own style, and her own voice if she is going to feel confident in her own life.
We don’t get a lot from the other characters in this except Gabe. The rest generally serve to move Kate and Gabe forward. And I was satisfied with that. I really enjoyed this and would read other things from this author (some language, trigger warning for suicide).
Thanks to Netgalley and Season Publishing for an electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review.