Tag: Kerry Winfrey

REVIEW: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

REVIEW: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Laurel never planned on lying. Yes, her life was in total disarray. And she desperately needed a job. But she clearly stated in her interview that she ran social media for Meadow Rose Farm. Her boss made the assumption that it was her farm. But when she could have corrected him, she didn’t.

She *really* needed that job.

And so far it’s worked out. Her twin sister, Holly, and her husband, Darius, do own the farm. So Laurel writes her pieces about what HOLLY does – just in first person.

But now her boss has invited himself to Christmas Eve Eve at the farm. And while Holly is happy to help with the subterfuge for Laurel’s sake, she’s not willing to sacrifice Darius to the cause. So they’ve invited Max Beckett to play Laurel’s husband. Too bad she hates the man.

Review

This absolutely has those Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. And I was here for it! This was so fun to read! I adore fake relationship stories – although the “be my date to all the things so my relatives leave me alone” style usually involves less outright lying than this did. But I loved Laurel and her whole family. And Max was my favorite sort of grump – you know there’s depth there. The “sunshine” just has to slow down and give him a chance.

Yes, the inevitable disaster was as painful as you can imagine. But the resolution was also all I had hoped for. I can’t recommend this highly enough. This should appeal to Hallmark fans, grumpy/sunshine fans, fake relationship fans, fans of the author’s other books, as well as everyday romantic comedy fans. Do not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

REVIEW: Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Chloe feels like she’s in quicksand while everyone else’s life clicks along.

Take her best friend for instance. Annie’s written a screenplay – inspired by Chloe and her hot boss – that’s been turned into a major movie (Waiting for Tom Hanks – ♥♥♥♥). She’s fallen in love with an actual movie star, and they’re getting married. Chloe doesn’t understand half of what Annie does for her job, but it has her winging her way to one coast or the other on a regular basis.

In contrast, Chloe still lives in their home town in Ohio. She works in a coffee shop and rents a garage apartment from Annie’s uncle. She dropped out of college, so now she is taking classes online so she can do something with her life besides pour coffee. And she’s got her dad in an assisted living facility for his Alzheimer’s.

It feels like at this point in her life, she should have more to show for her time and energy. She’s run ragged taking care of everything and everyone. And she has no time for romance even if everyone is convinced she and Nick belong together like in some rom-com. Rom-coms aren’t real. And Chloe is all about real life. In fact, she sometimes has more of it than she feels she can handle.

Review

I loved this! Chloe is a character I could really identify with. She feels very real. She’s carrying real burdens. Yet she tries to maintain a sunny disposition. She’s so aware of her own pain in some ways, it makes her aware of the pain of others. And she wants to be the spot of sunshine for those folks on their dark days.

Yet while there are ways Chloe is super self-aware, there are other places where she doesn’t see her own limits. She is so self-protective, she feels she has to do everything – perfectly – all on her own. She’s afraid if she stops being so helpful and accommodating that people will abandon her. Or, if she asks someone else to do something, they will not follow through. And she has good reason for feeling that way!

But all of this personal stuff going on for Chloe never bogs down the story. This is FUNNY! I laughed so much in this one. The characters are a hoot! And Chloe and Nick’s chemistry is terrific. He’s a fascinating contrast for her in some ways – and he’s refreshing in his thoughtfulness and stability.

Fans of book one – Waiting for Tom Hanks – should absolutely check this out and get Chloe and Nick’s full story plus an epilogue of sorts for Annie and Drew as Chloe and Nick’s story plays out. I don’t think you have to read these books in order to enjoy them, but it helps as they build on one another. Fans of romantic comedies – both the movie ones and the book ones – should not miss this story! This book releases next week, July 7, 2020.  (Language, mostly off-page sex, LGBTQ+ – Bisexual character(s) as well as gay and lesbian characters/relationships)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½