Glow Job by Kristen Bailey

 

4*

Both Ben and Chloe are workaholics in careers they love but which are wearing them down. When Ben inherits his uncle’s Spanish villa, his sisters convince him to host a retreat which turns out to be less than expected (What, no goat yoga?), but much more than Ben and his stressed out first guests could have ever hoped for. Situated on the gorgeous island of Ibiza (which the author describes so beautifully), this friends to lovers romcom had me alternating between envy, because Ben is such a perfect book boyfriend, and hilarity. There is goat-wrangling, tussles with mean girls at a beach party, DIY face masks gone wrong, and startling discoveries at a tucked away beach complete with natural mud baths. There’s also the sweet and steamy budding relationship that any red-blooded fan of the genre will thoroughly enjoy.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted, laugh out loud romance to read this summer, look no further than Kristen Bailey’s Glow Job.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan

 

4*

It was so nice to revisit the Scottish coastal village of Carso and a number of characters from Colgan’s previous books. Once I got used to the British slang and colloquial phrases scattered throughout, I was able to fully immerse myself in this double romance. As with all of Colgan’s books, there’s a big, potentially damaging problem to solve which anyone with even a basic knowledge of finance saw coming a mile away. Luckily, the village came together to make everything right.

Central to the story is the strained relationship between Janey and her daughter Essie who blames her mother for her parents’ divorce rather than her cheating father. It took a considerable amount of growing up for Essie to see the kind, caring woman that everyone else recognizes. I appreciated the mature, slow burn romance between Lowell and Janey and that the smarmy, stuck-up finance bros (including Essie’s (ex) boyfriend) got their comeuppance. Dog lovers will enjoy the subplot of a litter of puppy mutts, too. Recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Avon through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

 

5*

I absolutely loved this book! Lynn Painter has such a talent for infusing her characters’ dialogue with humor. As a result, her books are all feel-good romances that we need with so much wrong going on in the world. In Happily Never After, she employs the fake relationship trope…that isn’t.

Sophie meets Max, a architect/engineer, when he is hired by her best friend and maid of honor to object to her wedding to Stuart on the grounds that he’s cheating. (It’s a side gig he fell into by accident.) Since she didn’t actually love him, she’s able to work out her aggressions by lobbing Twinkies at his car from the balcony of the bridal suite. When Max comes to collect payment, they end up spending hours drinking and talking. A couple of weeks later, he calls out of the blue to remind her of her offer to be the Objectress to his Objector, thus starting a beautiful friendship fueled by “halting a lifetime of misery, one wedding at a time.” When her boss tells her she needs a better work-life balance if she’s going to recommend her for promotion and his father says he can’t retire until his mother is convinced he’s “taken care of” (i.e., in a committed relationship), they play up the “friendship” with cosy photos posted on social media and conveniently-timed FaceTime calls in front of witnesses that hint at a deeper relationship, while stressing they’re just friends. With Max believing in love but avoiding it after a painful break-up (figuring the risk is greater than the reward) and Sophie convinced it doesn’t exist at all (especially after being cheated on in every relationship she’s had), a friends with benefits scenario is awfully tempting. Will they be the exception to the rule and manage to not fall in love?

The chemistry between these two delightful characters is scorching, in large part because of the respect they have for each other, their honest communication, and the laughter and lightness they share. Max is the perfect book boyfriend, and Sophie is a smart, successful businesswoman who actually does manage to find time for a social life. To add even more levity to this delightful story, Painter introduces Larry and Rose, Sophie’s meddling, irreverent, geriatric roommates who move in to help with rent after she kicks Stuart out. They’re like cool, protective grandparents who live to embarrass her but who also dole out sage advice on her love life.

If you’re looking for a convincing, witty, light-hearted romance that doesn’t rely on tired tropes, you’ll love this book. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Would You Rather by Allison Ashley

5*

Beautiful friends-to-lovers romance between childhood friends who first fell in love in college, though tragic circumstances kept them in the friend zone for almost 10 years.

At age 21, just as they’re about to admit their feelings for each other, Mia falls ill while Noah is on a mountain climbing trip with his brother. The events of that tragic weekend led to both of them lying to themselves and each other, saying they want to remain just friends. It isn’t until Mia wins a scholarship to return to school at age 30 (which she is ready to turn down because she needs health insurance through her job) that Noah proposes they get married so she can quit and fulfill her dream of becoming a dietician. It’s inevitable that what starts as a marriage of convenience with a side of insurance fraud will lead to more, especially since they’re sharing a home. The question is, will Mia allow Noah to sacrifice his own dreams to take care of her as her kidney disease worsens and will Noah be able to give up his fear of losing her if it means he can start living life fully again?

The love between Mia and Noah is intense and oh so beautiful. There’s definitely sexual tension, but the love scenes are all fade to black. The emotional baggage these two share is totally understandable, but the willing, albeit misguided, sacrifices they both make are frustrating to read, which is a tribute to author Ashley. There’s a true villain who gets his comeuppance, enviable friendships, role models in their parents’ long marriages, and some insight into what it means to live with a chronic disease. There are definitely tear-jerker moments, but this beautiful love story is worth the tissues. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from MIRA through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.