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sistaharlem's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
rellimreads's review
2.0
DNF at 55%. I really enjoy Rebekah Weatherspoon’s writing, it’s consistently 4 & 5 stars for me, and she has several books I’ve read multiple times - but this is boring. I kept forcing myself to pick it back up hoping *something* would happen. Other than being constantly told - it doesn’t *feel* like there’s anything between Zach & Evie. There’s also a significant amount of *vague* about what’s happened in the past (not in a way that’s explained by Evie’s amnesia) - but in the interactions the other characters have with each other. Zach & Jesse have several odd convos that I guess are designed to create tension or build up to some reveal - it feels forced & unnatural. And tedious.
There’s also an overwhelming number of secondary characters that don’t always seem to serve a purpose or move the story forward.
I might try Sam’s book and this definitely won’t keep me from reading Harbor.
There’s also an overwhelming number of secondary characters that don’t always seem to serve a purpose or move the story forward.
I might try Sam’s book and this definitely won’t keep me from reading Harbor.
scorttarius's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I think this book was so cute. I love how you could tell the love was there before they even started kissing. It was a touch early in the book but I didn’t mind. I don’t like 3rd act breakups. If that’s what you even wanna call it. I’m excited to read the rest in the series!
lesseraliterary's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
she told him to never talk to her again and she’s mad he listened??? and the fact that y’all was spelled wrong 🥴
brittanyreadsbooks's review
2.0
This was an interesting read BUT I had one BIG issue with it. The FMC wakes up without any memory then reconnects with her childhood/early adulthood love who she hasn't seen in 10 years after a falling out. Since she woke up with no memory, to the extent where she did not know herself, of course she doesn't remember him OR the fight they had that led to them not talking for 10 years. BUT she does feel a connection with him. Great so far right? Except then they sleep together BEFORE she gets her memory back. It felt like he was taking advantage of her? Like she woke up with no memory and she ignored you for 10 years over this fight you had. Informing her of the fight in the barest of details does not make it okay for you to sleep with her. Everyone said she wasn't acting quite like herself and yet not everyone is up in arms after they hook up. It was one thing for them to date or make out or whatever but I felt that by sleeping together before she was back to herself was a problem. Especially because she and MMC were like 32. Like I know he knew better and could damn well wait.
I do usually find an issue when characters aren't truthful with each other out BIG important things before sleeping together or when there is not proper communication and this one felt worse. It felt like he had taken advantage of her in a way that he very well shouldn't have.
I do usually find an issue when characters aren't truthful with each other out BIG important things before sleeping together or when there is not proper communication and this one felt worse. It felt like he had taken advantage of her in a way that he very well shouldn't have.
amlibera's review
4.0
Pretty much everything you want in a certain sort of romance - spunky talented heroine with lots of great girlfriends but also amnesia and handsome dude ranch cowboys with a grandmorther who is a cross between Lena Horne and Dianne Carroll. Sexy, charming, luxurious plus family/personal angst and cooking.
jackiehorne's review
3.0
I received a "preview" of this book (the first chapter) via Netgalley; subsequently purchased the full book.
2.5 It was great to see a Black cowboy on the cover, and featured as a protagonist, in Rebekah Weatherspoon's new series. Years ago, Zach Pleasant and Yvonne (Evie) Buchanan (along with Zach's older brother Jesse) grew up together on the Pleasant family's California ranch. Evie (who, like Zach
and his family, is Black) long had a crush on extravert flirt Zach, but Evie's grandmother warned Zach to steer clear, and so Zach never admitted he shared her feelings. The two had a major argument over it (the details of which we aren't privy to) and Evie left, angry, to attend cooking school in Paris.
Flash forward ten years, and Evie is a successful NYC television chef, launched by her win on Supreme Chef (the first Black woman to do so). Evie hasn't seen, or even talked, to Zach in all this time. The novel opens at a party for the show, where a competitor female white chef pushes Evie down the back stairs, which results in a case of romance novel amnesia for Evie. Since Evie's family is all dead, she's listed Jesse as the one to contact in case of emergency; once Jesse hears of her accident (Evie doeesn't remember being pushed), he and Zach rush to NYC, where Zach starts flirting with Evie almost immediately. And since Evie doesn't recall their big fight (or even her past romantic feelings) for Zach, she's open to flirting back, especially once all three return to Big Rock Ranch so that Evie has some time to rest and recuperate.
There's very little tension in the relationship between Evie and Zach, which made for a not-all-that-compelling romance. Fairly early in the book, Evie (even though she has amnesia) says she's interested in sleeping with him, and is just waiting for the doctor to give her an all-clear for sex before she does. And Zach is more than willing too, despite making no effort to fix his previous relationship with Evie. And then they do, and life at the ranch goes on. Nothing really changes or grows in their relationship until Evie's memory returns late in the story, and she remembers the substance of their final argument. Only after this does Zach (with some help from his female cousin) realize what he did wrong before, and learns how not to "fuck up" his relationship with Evie all over again. This last section, which focuses more tightly on Zach and Evie, was the most enjoyable part of the story for me (with the exception of the lovely nutmeg rediscovery scene!)
The focus in this book is more about family dynamics than about life on a ranch (the ranch in question is a luxury resort, not the gritty hard work-type ranch of typical white cowboy novels), or about romance. We meet lots of sequel-bait characters: bad-with-the-ladies older brother Jesse; Evie's roommate Blaire; Pleasant matriarch Miss Leona; Miss Leona's goddaughter Corie; Pleasant cousin Lilah; Evie's nurse Vega; youngest Pleasant brother Sam, an actor like his grandmother. The narrative suggests that some of the minor characters, and even perhaps some of the above-mentioned family members, are queer. The warm family interactions here are the main draw here, not ranching or a strong connection to the land, as is so often the case in conservative white cowboy romances.
This may not bother other readers, but the writing here tripped me up on many occasions, popping me out of the story because I had to work to figure out just what the narrative was saying or because the writing was stylistically clunky (misplaced modifiers, vague pronoun references, repeating words in the same sentence, etc.). When I'm reading for fun, I don't want to have to work! I was also very confused by the opening chapter; the the narrative introduces or mentions 21(!) named characters, and my head was spinning trying to remember who was who, and how they all related to Evie.
Evie as a character is enjoyable, strong and outspoken even while vulnerable because of her injury. It's lovely to see her learning to cook all over again from the matriarch Miss Leona (even though those scenes aren't at all focused on the romance). Zach seems more of an empty character, an idealized smooth-talking charmer without much of his own distinct personality, although the few scenes in the first 2/3 of the book in which Evie and Zach are alone together and bantering are a lot of fun.
2.5 It was great to see a Black cowboy on the cover, and featured as a protagonist, in Rebekah Weatherspoon's new series. Years ago, Zach Pleasant and Yvonne (Evie) Buchanan (along with Zach's older brother Jesse) grew up together on the Pleasant family's California ranch. Evie (who, like Zach
and his family, is Black) long had a crush on extravert flirt Zach, but Evie's grandmother warned Zach to steer clear, and so Zach never admitted he shared her feelings. The two had a major argument over it (the details of which we aren't privy to) and Evie left, angry, to attend cooking school in Paris.
Flash forward ten years, and Evie is a successful NYC television chef, launched by her win on Supreme Chef (the first Black woman to do so). Evie hasn't seen, or even talked, to Zach in all this time. The novel opens at a party for the show, where a competitor female white chef pushes Evie down the back stairs, which results in a case of romance novel amnesia for Evie. Since Evie's family is all dead, she's listed Jesse as the one to contact in case of emergency; once Jesse hears of her accident (Evie doeesn't remember being pushed), he and Zach rush to NYC, where Zach starts flirting with Evie almost immediately. And since Evie doesn't recall their big fight (or even her past romantic feelings) for Zach, she's open to flirting back, especially once all three return to Big Rock Ranch so that Evie has some time to rest and recuperate.
There's very little tension in the relationship between Evie and Zach, which made for a not-all-that-compelling romance. Fairly early in the book, Evie (even though she has amnesia) says she's interested in sleeping with him, and is just waiting for the doctor to give her an all-clear for sex before she does. And Zach is more than willing too, despite making no effort to fix his previous relationship with Evie. And then they do, and life at the ranch goes on. Nothing really changes or grows in their relationship until Evie's memory returns late in the story, and she remembers the substance of their final argument. Only after this does Zach (with some help from his female cousin) realize what he did wrong before, and learns how not to "fuck up" his relationship with Evie all over again. This last section, which focuses more tightly on Zach and Evie, was the most enjoyable part of the story for me (with the exception of the lovely nutmeg rediscovery scene!)
The focus in this book is more about family dynamics than about life on a ranch (the ranch in question is a luxury resort, not the gritty hard work-type ranch of typical white cowboy novels), or about romance. We meet lots of sequel-bait characters: bad-with-the-ladies older brother Jesse; Evie's roommate Blaire; Pleasant matriarch Miss Leona; Miss Leona's goddaughter Corie; Pleasant cousin Lilah; Evie's nurse Vega; youngest Pleasant brother Sam, an actor like his grandmother. The narrative suggests that some of the minor characters, and even perhaps some of the above-mentioned family members, are queer. The warm family interactions here are the main draw here, not ranching or a strong connection to the land, as is so often the case in conservative white cowboy romances.
This may not bother other readers, but the writing here tripped me up on many occasions, popping me out of the story because I had to work to figure out just what the narrative was saying or because the writing was stylistically clunky (misplaced modifiers, vague pronoun references, repeating words in the same sentence, etc.). When I'm reading for fun, I don't want to have to work! I was also very confused by the opening chapter; the the narrative introduces or mentions 21(!) named characters, and my head was spinning trying to remember who was who, and how they all related to Evie.
Evie as a character is enjoyable, strong and outspoken even while vulnerable because of her injury. It's lovely to see her learning to cook all over again from the matriarch Miss Leona (even though those scenes aren't at all focused on the romance). Zach seems more of an empty character, an idealized smooth-talking charmer without much of his own distinct personality, although the few scenes in the first 2/3 of the book in which Evie and Zach are alone together and bantering are a lot of fun.
luizalikesbooks's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I had high expectations for this black cowboy romance series, especially since I’ve read a couple of books by this author and liked them but unfortunately it felt flat for me. Overall the cowboy brothers were fine as hell and gentlemen but all the other aspects of this book for me just lacked complexity which rendered the book at times boring. It’s a shame but I might try reading Jesse‘s book since he seemed like a wonderful character.