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the_bookish_raven's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5 stars (rounded up to 4)
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Southern hospitality turned into hostility when Charlotte Dawson married Jake, the hero of Sunrise Valley. Accused of breaking up his previous relationship, Charlotte had to put up with the constant judgmental looks from the townspeople. However, things got much worse after Jake died, leaving Charlotte alone with their son and her sister. Things change when Charlotte meets Ian, the newest employee at the local grocery store. He doesn’t seem to mind her clumsiness and he’s super attractive. Charlotte starts to consider being in a relationship again, but she struggles to ignore the harsh insults from the townspeople. Not to mention, Ian has secrets of his own, like the fact he’s a famous actor who ran away from Hollywood…
The premise of this book sounded adorable so I couldn’t resist reading it! Charlotte is a widowed young mom, just trying to get by. Unfortunately, the GOLs (gossipy old ladies) won’t leave her alone. I loved Charlotte’s character development; she’s come a long way from playing hide-and-seek in grocery stores! Ian is also a great character and he really helped Charlotte get her life back on track. As much as I loved this adorable duo, there were some things that bothered me. Charlotte is definitely a klutz, but I think it’s a bit overdone in this book. The number of incidents she has is a little excessive. It was also a total insta-love which I’m not completely against but it felt like the characters saw each other for two seconds and fell for each other immediately. Other than that, this was cute and I enjoyed it!
I’d recommend it to rom-com lovers who like fluff with a bit of angst! This is pretty much a clean romance (nothing sexual besides a cheating reference and minimal language) so if you’re a clean romance lover then check this out!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Southern hospitality turned into hostility when Charlotte Dawson married Jake, the hero of Sunrise Valley. Accused of breaking up his previous relationship, Charlotte had to put up with the constant judgmental looks from the townspeople. However, things got much worse after Jake died, leaving Charlotte alone with their son and her sister. Things change when Charlotte meets Ian, the newest employee at the local grocery store. He doesn’t seem to mind her clumsiness and he’s super attractive. Charlotte starts to consider being in a relationship again, but she struggles to ignore the harsh insults from the townspeople. Not to mention, Ian has secrets of his own, like the fact he’s a famous actor who ran away from Hollywood…
The premise of this book sounded adorable so I couldn’t resist reading it! Charlotte is a widowed young mom, just trying to get by. Unfortunately, the GOLs (gossipy old ladies) won’t leave her alone. I loved Charlotte’s character development; she’s come a long way from playing hide-and-seek in grocery stores! Ian is also a great character and he really helped Charlotte get her life back on track. As much as I loved this adorable duo, there were some things that bothered me. Charlotte is definitely a klutz, but I think it’s a bit overdone in this book. The number of incidents she has is a little excessive. It was also a total insta-love which I’m not completely against but it felt like the characters saw each other for two seconds and fell for each other immediately. Other than that, this was cute and I enjoyed it!
I’d recommend it to rom-com lovers who like fluff with a bit of angst! This is pretty much a clean romance (nothing sexual besides a cheating reference and minimal language) so if you’re a clean romance lover then check this out!
pageswithpayten's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and Heather Van Fleet for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
When Hollywood Hunk Ian Tate is dumped at the altar he escapes to his parent’s in the small town of Sunrise Valley for a break before his next movie starts. Ian changes not only his appearance but also his name in order to hide his famous identity. He never planned on meeting Charlotte Dawson, the beautiful and sweet single mother who seems out of place in the Georgia town. Outsider Charlotte Dawson married Sunrise Valley’s most eligible bachelor, upsetting most of the town and creating enemies out of the town’s older population. When he dies of cancer, Charlotte decides to stay in the small town, anyways, despite the daily bullying she endures. Their chemistry is instant and soon Ian’s secret is getting too hard to keep.
I blew through this one, knocking out 60% of the book before I looked up for a snack break. Their chemistry was instant and bot characters were relatable and likeable. The only thing keeping this from being a solid 5 star romance for me, was the sometimes unrealistic “fluff”. I am not a fan of the cheesy, overly sappy romance type in real life or in books so that opinion is 100% a personal one. Granted there wasn’t too much of that in here and if you’re a true romance fan you’ll probably love all of the sweet moments peppered throughout the dialogue!
This is a clean, instant love romance that will work as the perfect palate cleanser after a heavier book!
When Hollywood Hunk Ian Tate is dumped at the altar he escapes to his parent’s in the small town of Sunrise Valley for a break before his next movie starts. Ian changes not only his appearance but also his name in order to hide his famous identity. He never planned on meeting Charlotte Dawson, the beautiful and sweet single mother who seems out of place in the Georgia town. Outsider Charlotte Dawson married Sunrise Valley’s most eligible bachelor, upsetting most of the town and creating enemies out of the town’s older population. When he dies of cancer, Charlotte decides to stay in the small town, anyways, despite the daily bullying she endures. Their chemistry is instant and soon Ian’s secret is getting too hard to keep.
I blew through this one, knocking out 60% of the book before I looked up for a snack break. Their chemistry was instant and bot characters were relatable and likeable. The only thing keeping this from being a solid 5 star romance for me, was the sometimes unrealistic “fluff”. I am not a fan of the cheesy, overly sappy romance type in real life or in books so that opinion is 100% a personal one. Granted there wasn’t too much of that in here and if you’re a true romance fan you’ll probably love all of the sweet moments peppered throughout the dialogue!
This is a clean, instant love romance that will work as the perfect palate cleanser after a heavier book!
umcrystal's review against another edition
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 Stars)
Review:
Charlotte has not had an easy life... her parents were absent, her beloved husband passed away too young, and now she’s just made a fool of herself in front of the new and very cute employee at the grocery store. First, hiding in the liquor aisle when alcohol sales aren’t even open for the day, then rushing out of the shop so quickly that you knock over a DVD rack, then your son pees right on the floor. Definitely not the best day.... or maybe not such a bad day after all. Ian, the new man in town, has definitely taken a liking to Charlotte, despite all of her quirks, and this easy-reading romantic comedy shows just how many quirks Charlotte Dawson really has. Plus, he’s secretly a movie star!
Love in the Aisles is set in small-town Georgia, and as someone who grew up in one of these small towns, I could definitely relate. Everyone is always in your business and nothing is ever a secret for too long. The town characters felt very real to life. Where it fell a little flat for me was the main characters. Charlotte, who has done so much in her life to ensure she’s providing for herself, her sister, and her son, seems to fall apart when approached by anyone in town and turns into nothing but a blushing mess in front of Ian. And I know that Ian is supposed to come across as charming, but he felt a little creepy to me. He was way too familiar with pet names, meeting the family, showing up at her home, it all happened very fast. However, overall the story was cute, the writing was great, and I think most people who love rom-coms will really enjoy Love in the Aisles.
Publishing Information:
Thank you to NetGalley and Heather Van Fleet for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Love in the Aisles will be published on October 13, 2020.
Review:
Charlotte has not had an easy life... her parents were absent, her beloved husband passed away too young, and now she’s just made a fool of herself in front of the new and very cute employee at the grocery store. First, hiding in the liquor aisle when alcohol sales aren’t even open for the day, then rushing out of the shop so quickly that you knock over a DVD rack, then your son pees right on the floor. Definitely not the best day.... or maybe not such a bad day after all. Ian, the new man in town, has definitely taken a liking to Charlotte, despite all of her quirks, and this easy-reading romantic comedy shows just how many quirks Charlotte Dawson really has. Plus, he’s secretly a movie star!
Love in the Aisles is set in small-town Georgia, and as someone who grew up in one of these small towns, I could definitely relate. Everyone is always in your business and nothing is ever a secret for too long. The town characters felt very real to life. Where it fell a little flat for me was the main characters. Charlotte, who has done so much in her life to ensure she’s providing for herself, her sister, and her son, seems to fall apart when approached by anyone in town and turns into nothing but a blushing mess in front of Ian. And I know that Ian is supposed to come across as charming, but he felt a little creepy to me. He was way too familiar with pet names, meeting the family, showing up at her home, it all happened very fast. However, overall the story was cute, the writing was great, and I think most people who love rom-coms will really enjoy Love in the Aisles.
Publishing Information:
Thank you to NetGalley and Heather Van Fleet for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Love in the Aisles will be published on October 13, 2020.
jonetta's review against another edition
3.0
Charlotte Dawson is having a bad day. She shops at Alder Market on Tuesdays specifically to avoid running into Ruby Pearl, the most judgmental of the gossipy old ladies in town and her biggest non-fan. In an effort to avoid the woman, she takes refuge in the liquor section only to run into (literally) the new bag man, Ian Cleary, who is a gorgeous redhead with the most adorable freckles. Despite her klutziness, Charlotte makes as great an impression on Ian as he does to her. Over the next few weeks, these two make a connection between the aisles that has them instantly falling for each other despite their complicated issues. She’s a young widow with a four-year old son and he’s an Oscar winning Hollywood actor secretly hiding out in Sun Valley pretending to be his mother’s nephew.
The bones of this story were highly promising, which is what intrigued me to give it a try. I loved the idea of a romance developing in a grocery market from awkward encounters. Charlotte and Ian were in their late twenties and their wildly differing backgrounds made them potentially interesting characters. Unfortunately, their stories read more like the romance between two high school teens and for that, I'm not the target audience. The dialogue missed the mark completely and their reactions to conflict, especially Charlotte’s, were immature and often tiresome.
The setting for the story is in Georgia and it didn’t miss trading on the most superficial of southern traditions. I’m familiar with them having lived in the South for many years so the references fell flat. Gossipy older women are a staple but the women in this story weren’t charming but downright vicious. A wonderful opportunity for a side angle was missed here, too. Again, I’m the wrong audience as others reviewing the story had better experiences so I’d compare them before making a decision. Because buried among my disappointments were some really good situational issues for two strong, very likable characters who kept me in the story.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
The bones of this story were highly promising, which is what intrigued me to give it a try. I loved the idea of a romance developing in a grocery market from awkward encounters. Charlotte and Ian were in their late twenties and their wildly differing backgrounds made them potentially interesting characters. Unfortunately, their stories read more like the romance between two high school teens and for that, I'm not the target audience. The dialogue missed the mark completely and their reactions to conflict, especially Charlotte’s, were immature and often tiresome.
The setting for the story is in Georgia and it didn’t miss trading on the most superficial of southern traditions. I’m familiar with them having lived in the South for many years so the references fell flat. Gossipy older women are a staple but the women in this story weren’t charming but downright vicious. A wonderful opportunity for a side angle was missed here, too. Again, I’m the wrong audience as others reviewing the story had better experiences so I’d compare them before making a decision. Because buried among my disappointments were some really good situational issues for two strong, very likable characters who kept me in the story.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
kpp1222's review against another edition
4.0
I finally got around to purchasing this book & I loved it! In fact, I devoured it within 4 hours. I found it to be a very easy, romantic read. The main characters were so interesting yet complicated just enough to keep me wanting more. I loved the small town setting and the small town gossip pot stirrers. Who would have thought someone could ever find live in the aisles if the local grocery store. But these two characters did and I'm hoping there is more to their story.
vera_allbookedup's review against another edition
5.0
Klutzy, widowed, waitressing, single mother living in a small town while trying to steer clear of the GOL of Sunrise Valley, Georgia. Ginger-haired, freckled-faced bag man at Adler’s who’s new in town. A series of unfortunate events that involve Charlotte calling attention to herself when all she really wants is to blend in with the woodwork has Ian half in love from the moment they first met.
This book was funny with many laugh out loud moments, cringe-worthy “I can’t believe that happened” moments, and many moments of wanting to tell off those old biddies for Charlotte’s sake. It was worth spending the last half hour of my lunch break reading instead of watching Netflix or mindlessly scrolling instagram.
I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.
This book was funny with many laugh out loud moments, cringe-worthy “I can’t believe that happened” moments, and many moments of wanting to tell off those old biddies for Charlotte’s sake. It was worth spending the last half hour of my lunch break reading instead of watching Netflix or mindlessly scrolling instagram.
I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.
annareadshere's review against another edition
4.0
Oh my god, I loved everything about this book. I sat down to read it and devoured it in a few hours. While a closed-door romance, it made up for all the things that happened behind closed doors.
It’s set in a small town in Georgia, with a single mother who is just trying to make a good life for her kid without being judged and harassed by all the old biddies in town. Charlotte Dawson is doing her best to live a good life after her husband passed away, leaving her alone in this town where she’s not from - but where he was considered a freaking hero! - and dealing with all the locals who are happy to judge and question her motives and every move she makes. Enter the new guy, Ian Cleary. His stepdad owns the grocery store where he’s working as a bag man. But actually, he’s just keeping a low profile and hiding out from Los Angeles and everything that encompasses Hollywood.
Charlotte and Ian have the most entertaining and adorable encounters right from their meet-cute all the way till the end. Of course Ian’s in hiding and he’s completely changed the way he looks, so nobody really connects him to his Hollywood alter-ego. And Charlotte, like any woman standing in front of a hot Hollywood actor, is flustered all the time. She’s either dropping things or crashing into other things and making it really entertaining to watch. Ian, for the most part, is just smitten with Charlotte. Yes, insta-love is the main trope in this book, but you know what makes it not so annoying? Everything else. Their relationship is perfect, because both Ian and Charlotte have these secrets that they’re trying to come to terms with before they let someone else into their lives. That just makes you appreciate their instant attraction.
What was an interesting turn of events was having these old ladies be the bullies instead of women Charlotte’s age. But good god, those women were AWFUL. Every time they appeared, I wanted to punch them. I also mentally encouraged Ian to punch them every time they insulted Charlotte in front of him. Tsk tsk, biddies.
All in all, an easy and romantic read. The two leads were so interesting and slightly complicated. And their relationship just seemed to flow so well. I hope we get to see more about Laila, because she seemed to have something interesting going on on the side!
Thanks to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and the authors for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s set in a small town in Georgia, with a single mother who is just trying to make a good life for her kid without being judged and harassed by all the old biddies in town. Charlotte Dawson is doing her best to live a good life after her husband passed away, leaving her alone in this town where she’s not from - but where he was considered a freaking hero! - and dealing with all the locals who are happy to judge and question her motives and every move she makes. Enter the new guy, Ian Cleary. His stepdad owns the grocery store where he’s working as a bag man. But actually, he’s just keeping a low profile and hiding out from Los Angeles and everything that encompasses Hollywood.
Charlotte and Ian have the most entertaining and adorable encounters right from their meet-cute all the way till the end. Of course Ian’s in hiding and he’s completely changed the way he looks, so nobody really connects him to his Hollywood alter-ego. And Charlotte, like any woman standing in front of a hot Hollywood actor, is flustered all the time. She’s either dropping things or crashing into other things and making it really entertaining to watch. Ian, for the most part, is just smitten with Charlotte. Yes, insta-love is the main trope in this book, but you know what makes it not so annoying? Everything else. Their relationship is perfect, because both Ian and Charlotte have these secrets that they’re trying to come to terms with before they let someone else into their lives. That just makes you appreciate their instant attraction.
What was an interesting turn of events was having these old ladies be the bullies instead of women Charlotte’s age. But good god, those women were AWFUL. Every time they appeared, I wanted to punch them. I also mentally encouraged Ian to punch them every time they insulted Charlotte in front of him. Tsk tsk, biddies.
All in all, an easy and romantic read. The two leads were so interesting and slightly complicated. And their relationship just seemed to flow so well. I hope we get to see more about Laila, because she seemed to have something interesting going on on the side!
Thanks to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and the authors for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
soulwinds's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m going to be honest. This is a teen insta-romance romance pretending to be a pair of twenty-something adults, one of which is a widower with a 4-year old kid. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a cute awkward, whirlwind romance full of mishaps and drama. A perfect fluff read to snuggle up with on a cold and grey day. All you need is a cup of tea and you’re set.
Charlotte is a widowed mother of a 4 year old, working as a waitress. She likes to shop on Tuesdays because she prefers the music played that day and can avoid all the mean old ladies who live in town.
Ian is a Hollywood superstar hiding out in his stepfather's grocery store as he licks his wounds of being left at the alter and tries to find himself...while working as a bag boy. lol
Fate brings him together with Charlotte in the alcohol aisle on a Sunday as she tries to avoid a horrid old lady from town. It's pretty much love at first sight for both of them.
As I said, a fluff read with a happy ending wrapped up with a bow.
I’m going to be honest. This is a teen insta-romance romance pretending to be a pair of twenty-something adults, one of which is a widower with a 4-year old kid. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a cute awkward, whirlwind romance full of mishaps and drama. A perfect fluff read to snuggle up with on a cold and grey day. All you need is a cup of tea and you’re set.
Charlotte is a widowed mother of a 4 year old, working as a waitress. She likes to shop on Tuesdays because she prefers the music played that day and can avoid all the mean old ladies who live in town.
Ian is a Hollywood superstar hiding out in his stepfather's grocery store as he licks his wounds of being left at the alter and tries to find himself...while working as a bag boy. lol
Fate brings him together with Charlotte in the alcohol aisle on a Sunday as she tries to avoid a horrid old lady from town. It's pretty much love at first sight for both of them.
As I said, a fluff read with a happy ending wrapped up with a bow.
twiceuponabook's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really cute love story that got me out of my book slump
I would recommend if you're looking for
-friends to lovers
-small town romance
-celebrity in hiding
-single, widower mother
-flirting with a pineapple
-a heck of a hook of a first kiss
-slow burn
-insta love
-opposites attract
There is very little steam to this book. A completely closed door romance, this book is all about holding hands, and sweet kisses. This is a sweet story of two people finding their second chance in life, in a place that neither expected to end up. My favorite part may have been the secondary characters. Charlotte's ex-mother in law was not her enemy but an ally, same with Ian's step-father. Characters who are usually considered villains. It was a wonderful change of pace.
While I do struggle with insta romances, I appreciated that this book kept on from the insta love moment and grappled with the couple's struggles. I do wish Charlotte had more of a head on moment with the GOLs who were real bullies to me.
There was also clearly more going on with Charlotte's sister so I hope we get another book to see what was going on with her.
Rating: 4
Trigger warnings: bullying, grief, infidelity
This was a really cute love story that got me out of my book slump
I would recommend if you're looking for
-friends to lovers
-small town romance
-celebrity in hiding
-single, widower mother
-flirting with a pineapple
-a heck of a hook of a first kiss
-slow burn
-insta love
-opposites attract
There is very little steam to this book. A completely closed door romance, this book is all about holding hands, and sweet kisses. This is a sweet story of two people finding their second chance in life, in a place that neither expected to end up. My favorite part may have been the secondary characters. Charlotte's ex-mother in law was not her enemy but an ally, same with Ian's step-father. Characters who are usually considered villains. It was a wonderful change of pace.
While I do struggle with insta romances, I appreciated that this book kept on from the insta love moment and grappled with the couple's struggles. I do wish Charlotte had more of a head on moment with the GOLs who were real bullies to me.
There was also clearly more going on with Charlotte's sister so I hope we get another book to see what was going on with her.
Rating: 4
Trigger warnings: bullying, grief, infidelity
whatlaurasreading's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine meeting someone, moving to their town, marrying them, having a child with them, and then dealing with the comments from the community after your spouse dies. Well that is what Charlotte is dealing with. The seniors of the town, are full of opinions. After all, Charlotte married their favorite son, and she "stole" him away from another woman. How dare she!
Charlotte is trying to stay strong though. Although is is also trying to avoid all the people that she can. Going to the grocery store is not something she looks forward to, but it's a necessity. On this trip she meets a the new employee, Ian. Ian has recently moved to the town, and is living under cover. He is a celebrity who was just left at the alter. He needs to heal, and escape his reality. Never did he expect to fall for someone. Yet he isn't fighting it.
I absolutely loved this story, and cannot wait for the next in the series. Charlotte and Ian are adorable. Yes they have their moments where you just want to smack them both upside the head, but such is the way of most rom-com slash hallmark-esque books. (and I love it) Definitely a series I will continue with, and I look forward to reading more from the authors.
*I received an ARC from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for a review.
Charlotte is trying to stay strong though. Although is is also trying to avoid all the people that she can. Going to the grocery store is not something she looks forward to, but it's a necessity. On this trip she meets a the new employee, Ian. Ian has recently moved to the town, and is living under cover. He is a celebrity who was just left at the alter. He needs to heal, and escape his reality. Never did he expect to fall for someone. Yet he isn't fighting it.
I absolutely loved this story, and cannot wait for the next in the series. Charlotte and Ian are adorable. Yes they have their moments where you just want to smack them both upside the head, but such is the way of most rom-com slash hallmark-esque books. (and I love it) Definitely a series I will continue with, and I look forward to reading more from the authors.
*I received an ARC from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for a review.
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