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triciamaeve's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
muretski's review against another edition
4.0
When I started this book, I really thought that this is about her life being in shambles, literally. As I read, Shambles is a tiny town in Ireland. It really is a tearjerker. It digs deep into your heart and soul. If you dig romantic drama, this is the book for you. I can’t say much of what this is about, because it will give you major spoilers. In general, I will just say that this is about fighting for what you really feel and need to do for someone you love, no matter what happens. You don’t leave your loved ones because of a devastating secret that will ruin him for the rest of his life. You can just treat it as a challenge to point you to another direction so you can live a more meaningful life full of love, happiness and acceptance.
dstone31's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
wri316's review against another edition
5.0
What a love story! This was truly a great romance. I loved the story I loved the characters, I loved everything about this book.
Valerie has lost her fiancé, her home, and her job all around Christmas. Her sisters are going on a trip to Dublin and she had no plans to go originally. Now she might as well go and see what happens.
Padraig Is Rugby player with a bunch of problems of his own. He finds out that a concussion might be more than a concussion. He also finds out that his father is dying of cancer. All he wants to do is go someplace and have a drink and not be bothered by anybody.
And then the two meet. Everything goes on from there.
This is not an Insta love. It’s fake fiancé and I’m all about fake fiancé. Author Karina Halle does it well. There’s hot, smutty sexy time (during which Padraig shows all of his alpha maleness and uses very naughty language) and there are also sweet romantic times. Karina Develops these characters so well. They are so believable! I really enjoyed the story
Valerie has lost her fiancé, her home, and her job all around Christmas. Her sisters are going on a trip to Dublin and she had no plans to go originally. Now she might as well go and see what happens.
Padraig Is Rugby player with a bunch of problems of his own. He finds out that a concussion might be more than a concussion. He also finds out that his father is dying of cancer. All he wants to do is go someplace and have a drink and not be bothered by anybody.
And then the two meet. Everything goes on from there.
This is not an Insta love. It’s fake fiancé and I’m all about fake fiancé. Author Karina Halle does it well. There’s hot, smutty sexy time (during which Padraig shows all of his alpha maleness and uses very naughty language) and there are also sweet romantic times. Karina Develops these characters so well. They are so believable! I really enjoyed the story
evarano's review against another edition
1.0
Here’s what I didn’t like about this, this is a long and rambly review.
I love a curvy FMC, but it’s hard when she’s super insecure, especially when you have a “sex god” athlete, super strong and sexy MMC. It’s nice that he loves her body, but not nice that she almost sees herself as lesser because of this perceived disparity between them. The part where they’re getting pap shots taken and she sucks in her stomach and looks back on the photos and criticizes her chin and stomach, like I get it’s realistic but it was just sad. Especially because he never faced any type of insecurity similar to that, his were all apart of an illness he had no control over.
The FMC just blabbered on about feeling like she had no friends, didn’t fit it, and it was her personality, then it was her disability, then it was her trying to hard and not feeling beautiful, then she’s okay with her body when she’s telling her parents off, it’s almost incoherent, you can’t have it both ways!!!
Obviously this is a super unrealistic storyline, but the part I couldn’t get over is that she was legitimately engaged, planning on spending her life with someone two weeks before? And somehow she’s over that enough to go on with something new? I couldn’t by that.
For me personally, I don’t like the horrible family or parent plot in books, can you imagine being in an accident as a child and your mother making comments about your weight? Cruel and disgusting.
The whole idea of the MMC needing her to be a fiancé instead of a girlfriend just doesn’t make sense. Gail was so awful, the whole lying storyline was so dumb and unnecessary. I also didn’t like the bird storyline I found it boring and not meaningful in the way it was supposed to be.
I think I hated this book. The longer it went in the worse it got. I can’t stand storylines with the idea that a woman who met a man four weeks ago, four freaking weeks ago, is now commuted to a lifetime of taking care of them while they battle a chronic illness and they’re totally okay with that because they’re in love? The woman has to take care of the man, deal with the mood swings, the meanness and pushing her away after four weeks? No.
I can’t understand how the family, especially the mother can be so cruel, and the striping down scene to her underwear in front of her parents? I was cringing so hard. And then all of these issues that have been haunting the FMC for her whole life are solved and forgiven in ONE conversation. Give me a break.
The pulse of my heart thing and how funny the Major was were the only redeeming parts of this. But they’re so minor it doesn’t even matter, I wish I DNF this. I thought the spice was good until you get descriptions like slapping tits, make me like an animal, beautiful cock, the savage beast that I am, drunk me just wants to get laid like the horndog I am, pawing away at him like a dog in heat… I’m sorry but gross. I was laughing and soooo embarrassed at how awful this writing is.
I had this book on my want to read for so long and I loved the premise of it, it has so many aspects I like, but the execution is sooooo poor. The chapters are so long, the writing is awful, it’s a sad story that’s unbearably unrealistic with lacking chemistry between the main characters.
I love a curvy FMC, but it’s hard when she’s super insecure, especially when you have a “sex god” athlete, super strong and sexy MMC. It’s nice that he loves her body, but not nice that she almost sees herself as lesser because of this perceived disparity between them. The part where they’re getting pap shots taken and she sucks in her stomach and looks back on the photos and criticizes her chin and stomach, like I get it’s realistic but it was just sad. Especially because he never faced any type of insecurity similar to that, his were all apart of an illness he had no control over.
The FMC just blabbered on about feeling like she had no friends, didn’t fit it, and it was her personality, then it was her disability, then it was her trying to hard and not feeling beautiful, then she’s okay with her body when she’s telling her parents off, it’s almost incoherent, you can’t have it both ways!!!
Obviously this is a super unrealistic storyline, but the part I couldn’t get over is that she was legitimately engaged, planning on spending her life with someone two weeks before? And somehow she’s over that enough to go on with something new? I couldn’t by that.
For me personally, I don’t like the horrible family or parent plot in books, can you imagine being in an accident as a child and your mother making comments about your weight? Cruel and disgusting.
The whole idea of the MMC needing her to be a fiancé instead of a girlfriend just doesn’t make sense. Gail was so awful, the whole lying storyline was so dumb and unnecessary. I also didn’t like the bird storyline I found it boring and not meaningful in the way it was supposed to be.
I think I hated this book. The longer it went in the worse it got. I can’t stand storylines with the idea that a woman who met a man four weeks ago, four freaking weeks ago, is now commuted to a lifetime of taking care of them while they battle a chronic illness and they’re totally okay with that because they’re in love? The woman has to take care of the man, deal with the mood swings, the meanness and pushing her away after four weeks? No.
I can’t understand how the family, especially the mother can be so cruel, and the striping down scene to her underwear in front of her parents? I was cringing so hard. And then all of these issues that have been haunting the FMC for her whole life are solved and forgiven in ONE conversation. Give me a break.
The pulse of my heart thing and how funny the Major was were the only redeeming parts of this. But they’re so minor it doesn’t even matter, I wish I DNF this. I thought the spice was good until you get descriptions like slapping tits, make me like an animal, beautiful cock, the savage beast that I am, drunk me just wants to get laid like the horndog I am, pawing away at him like a dog in heat… I’m sorry but gross. I was laughing and soooo embarrassed at how awful this writing is.
I had this book on my want to read for so long and I loved the premise of it, it has so many aspects I like, but the execution is sooooo poor. The chapters are so long, the writing is awful, it’s a sad story that’s unbearably unrealistic with lacking chemistry between the main characters.
courtney_saba's review against another edition
4.0
What is it about Irish men that makes them so damn compelling?
This was good. I loved the build-up of Padraig and Valerie's relationship. Lots of chemistry. Their first time together was hot as hell. Fake fiance trope was good. I wish there was a bit more tension, but I was satisfied with the relationship progression and the eventual confession of lying to everyone.
I really also apreciated the maturity in their relationship. There wasn't any miscommunication, OW or OM drama, cheating, or big blow ups/fights. So it made the story a little more realistic.
This is more of a comment than a complaint because it has to do with my own preferences and likes than really any story flaws. I thought this book had too many horrible things happening to the characters. Valerie: no job, no place to live, no significant other. Padraig: his own health problems, family losses, and his dad dying. Maybe it was also that there just wasn't a lot of tension. I am a tension lover, and the only tension was at the beginning of the story. Yes, this is a romance and love story, but it was also centered around a lot of grief and death. I don't have a problem with these themes, especially since I know them very well in my own life, but I wasn't prepared for it and I really just wanted a love story and that's all. If only the book had followed the vibes of the beginning 100ish pages. Yes, Shambles was interesting and I really liked Nan, but ultimately it just wasn't for me. Classic case of it's me, not you. I gave this book 4 stars though, so it's not a huge issue, regardless.
Overall, I liked this book. I would not re-read it, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Irish accents and men, mature characters and relationships, and can endure the grief that permeated all of the pages. It did have a HEA. So that's a plus.
Happy reading, Goodreads fiends.
This was good. I loved the build-up of Padraig and Valerie's relationship. Lots of chemistry. Their first time together was hot as hell. Fake fiance trope was good. I wish there was a bit more tension, but I was satisfied with the relationship progression and the eventual confession of lying to everyone.
I really also apreciated the maturity in their relationship. There wasn't any miscommunication, OW or OM drama, cheating, or big blow ups/fights. So it made the story a little more realistic.
This is more of a comment than a complaint because it has to do with my own preferences and likes than really any story flaws. I thought this book had too many horrible things happening to the characters. Valerie: no job, no place to live, no significant other. Padraig: his own health problems, family losses, and his dad dying. Maybe it was also that there just wasn't a lot of tension. I am a tension lover, and the only tension was at the beginning of the story. Yes, this is a romance and love story, but it was also centered around a lot of grief and death. I don't have a problem with these themes, especially since I know them very well in my own life, but I wasn't prepared for it and I really just wanted a love story and that's all. If only the book had followed the vibes of the beginning 100ish pages. Yes, Shambles was interesting and I really liked Nan, but ultimately it just wasn't for me. Classic case of it's me, not you. I gave this book 4 stars though, so it's not a huge issue, regardless.
Overall, I liked this book. I would not re-read it, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Irish accents and men, mature characters and relationships, and can endure the grief that permeated all of the pages. It did have a HEA. So that's a plus.
Happy reading, Goodreads fiends.
astrodish's review against another edition
3.0
I'm giving this three stars but it could be two and a half. It was fine for what I was expecting . I liked a lot about this novel. And I think it did a good job of dealing with an illness and grief and it not just going away because the main couple was in love . It was a uphill battle and even if it was a little insta love I could look past it because I was entertained the whole way through
mariaxo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0