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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
This is more love, less steam than Rebekah's other books. A lil' more steam would not have hurt, but this is a fairly short read. I liked the characters and could envision the ranch.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fair, but not as high-octane as I expect from a true romance.
New York celebrity chef Evie Buchanan takes a tumble down stairs and the head injury that results leaves her with near-complete amnesia, except for dreams of a strange cowboy. When her assistant looks into her recovery it appears that Evie's only family is the Pleasant family who own and operate a luxury dude ranch in Southern California. When the Pleasant brothers turn up in NY to get Evie, she quickly realizes the younger Pleasant brother Zach is the man she's been dreaming about. It turns out that they had a thing when they were younger but haven't spoken for ten years. Through Evie's recovery the two grow closer, but will their new relationship survive the return of Evie's memory.
This was ok, and it took me a while to realize what put me off about it. Evie is largely a blank state throughout: something that's explicitly commented on after she regains her memory when someone realizes that she has done so within seconds of speaking to her. "You were talking a little like a polite cyborg before." Yes, she was. And while I felt sympathy for her, it was more because there was someone there before and now there clearly wasn't.
Additionally, learning about Evie's past and the various triumphs and tragedies in it, is all somewhat blunted by the absence of emotional reaction. As you'd expect with an amnesia case, it's like learning about someone else.
Once the romance gets going the story is actually much more about Zach Pleasant and the journey he needs to go on, than it is about Evie's recovery. Which makes it tough when the majority of the book is from Evie's perspective.
Overall, I thought this was only ok, and I've read better from this author.
This was ok, and it took me a while to realize what put me off about it. Evie is largely a blank state throughout: something that's explicitly commented on after she regains her memory when someone realizes that she has done so within seconds of speaking to her. "You were talking a little like a polite cyborg before." Yes, she was. And while I felt sympathy for her, it was more because there was someone there before and now there clearly wasn't.
Additionally, learning about Evie's past and the various triumphs and tragedies in it, is all somewhat blunted by the absence of emotional reaction. As you'd expect with an amnesia case, it's like learning about someone else.
Once the romance gets going the story is actually much more about Zach Pleasant and the journey he needs to go on, than it is about Evie's recovery. Which makes it tough when the majority of the book is from Evie's perspective.
Overall, I thought this was only ok, and I've read better from this author.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Soothing, fluffy contemporary. Amnesia, second chance, ranch romance. Sometimes with an amnesia story, I feel like there's a deception going on, but the character with a memory of the past didn't sugar coat it.
I loved the amnesia trope but really liked that she forgets everything. Not just some people or places but all her skills and even what sex is like. The speed of the relationship from stranger to sex seemed a bit rapid but the couple are adorable so any excuse to get them together. Have already preordered the sequel!
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content
Evie is a famous chef that has forgotten everything about her past. Zach is running a dude ranch and can't wait to see Evie again. Will they be able to rekindle a relationship that was lost so many years ago?
So, you may ask, what happens when a cowboy and a chef meet again ten years later? In my opinion, it was a hot mess. The book was mostly a "meh" for me. The premise and characters didn't impress me in the slightest. I had a lot of confusion when it came to pacing and characters. For example, I was confused at why Evie's friends all were encouraging her to have sex with Zach when she was still recovering from massive head trauma. I would hope my friends would try and help me get to reacquaint myself with people. Uncovering who pushed Evie felt very flat for me. Essentially, I wanted more than I got. I may check out Jesse's story when it gets published because I found him to be one of the better characters in the book.
So, you may ask, what happens when a cowboy and a chef meet again ten years later? In my opinion, it was a hot mess. The book was mostly a "meh" for me. The premise and characters didn't impress me in the slightest. I had a lot of confusion when it came to pacing and characters. For example, I was confused at why Evie's friends all were encouraging her to have sex with Zach when she was still recovering from massive head trauma. I would hope my friends would try and help me get to reacquaint myself with people. Uncovering who pushed Evie felt very flat for me. Essentially, I wanted more than I got. I may check out Jesse's story when it gets published because I found him to be one of the better characters in the book.
Agency and personality
Ok yeah, this is a sweet little romance with unrequited love and amnesia.
But it’s also about how our memories make us who we are, what our trauma and repressed pain affect our lives, and how broken our conversations can be when we try to tell people how to do their own lives.
You know. Lighthearted stuff.
RW is really coming into her own with these that she’s written since Rafe.
Ok yeah, this is a sweet little romance with unrequited love and amnesia.
But it’s also about how our memories make us who we are, what our trauma and repressed pain affect our lives, and how broken our conversations can be when we try to tell people how to do their own lives.
You know. Lighthearted stuff.
RW is really coming into her own with these that she’s written since Rafe.