Tag: contemporary romance

REVIEW: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

REVIEW: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Olive has known Ethan for a couple years now, since her twin Ami started dating his brother, Dane. She’s never particularly liked Ethan. There’s usually a simmering hostility between them.

When Ami and Dane plan their wedding, Olive and Ethan are right there, maid of honor and best man. And while Olive considers herself a bad luck magnet, Ami is the opposite. She loves entering sweepstakes and contests, and she often wins. In fact, most of the wedding – and the 10 day honeymoon in Maui – are things Ami has won.

Olive and Ethan are the only two people at the wedding who don’t partake of the seafood buffet at the reception. Therefore, they are the only two who do NOT get food poisoning. Since the honeymoon trip is a contest prize, there is no way for Ami to postpone the trip. So she begs Olive to take her place and enjoy the vacation. And Ethan is going, too. Now Olive has to pretend to be married to her nemesis in romantic Hawaii. How is she going to pull that off?

Review

This is laugh-out-loud hilarious, at least for the first half of the book. It’s an absolute delight. Olive completely cracked me up – so brash and honest. It’s fantastic. I love a story that makes me laugh.

This would be perfect as a Hallmark movie. You’ve got the enemies-to-lovers situation as well as a fake relationship, two of my favorite romance tropes. And if you have a story where people have to hide who they really are, there’s always a moment where things fall apart. When that happens, the humor of the story pulls back and leaves room for other emotions. And this book hits those emotions just right.

Through everything – the snarky, hilarious beginning, the blossoming romance, and the dumpster fire when everything falls apart – Olive shines. I loved her. She tries to learn from her mistakes. She’s honest to the point of almost blowing their cover multiple times. And she evaluates and stands by her instincts, even when they cost her almost everything. While the whole story is a treat, I stayed with this one because of Olive. Don’t miss her story! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

REVIEW: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Tate was 18, she and her grandmother left their small town behind for a couple weeks and flew to London. While she was there, Tate met Sam who was there with his grandfather. Every evening, Tate and Sam would hang out in the hotel garden, talking. After a few nights, Tate shared her biggest secret.

Tate’s parents had been actors in LA. Her father was especially well known. When her mother had had enough of his infidelity, they left town. It was national news – Ian Bishop’s wife and daughter “disappeared.” Where did they go? What were they doing now? Tate kept the news mostly to herself and never pursued a relationship with her father. Her mom and grandmother told her to never tell another person.

As Tate and Sam spent more time together in London they grew closer. Their friendship became more and more romantic, and their relationship turned physical. Then suddenly, one morning, Sam was gone. In his place were crowds of reporters who suddenly knew her true identity. And all the secrets she shared with Sam were in every tabloid and newspaper.

Fourteen years later, as Tate is getting read to star in her seventh feature film, the first she is making with her father, Sam unexpectedly comes back into her life.

Review

I enjoyed this. I was surprised – and pleased – with how much time was devoted to the first part of the story. Expecting something much shorter, I found the extended focus really gave me a lot of time to get to know the characters. The London betrayal had a bigger emotional punch because I was invested in both characters.

I would have loved to know more of what Tate did in the 14 year gap, but I was happy with how the authors conveyed an older, more mature Tate. The reunion was obviously coming, but Tate’s shock was perfect. I was drawn into all the emotions Tate was working through on the set of the movie – with Sam, with her father, with her acting career, with the character she was playing, etc. Not only does she have the anger and hurt from Sam’s betrayal and the shock of his appearance, but she is also self-conscious about her career. Is she ready for this kind of role? And her relationship with her father is easily as complex as the one with Sam. All of these pieces kept me turning pages.

This is a solid romance with fascinating characters in an interesting situation. If you are a fan of contemporary romance or the authors’ other work, be sure to check this one out. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½