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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
lighthearted
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
It took me a long time to finish this book, which isn’t typical. But I kind of know why. It’s because of James. There were so many things about his character that I saw in myself. The crowds that ratchet up nerves and irritation and anxiousness. The control freak nature. The grumpiness (I may be outwardly cheerful but my inner baseline is hard side-eye). The tough time trusting. A lot of things hit me in my gut because that is exactly how I’d act. The urge to torpedo your happiness and set your life on fire. It really hit me when Winnie and his family showed him the joke websites without saying they were jokes and he reacted EXACTLY how I would have (inside. Because women can’t blow up publicly. But that’s a side issue. Anyway)
I loved book one and found it really funny. But this one drop kicked me in all the places I try to protect. But seeing James fight through his issues and Winnie understand how he reacts and see them work together to understanding and trust to get their HEA was really really great. 4.5 stars.
I loved book one and found it really funny. But this one drop kicked me in all the places I try to protect. But seeing James fight through his issues and Winnie understand how he reacts and see them work together to understanding and trust to get their HEA was really really great. 4.5 stars.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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:
Yes
Synopsis:
I won't be winning any employee of the year awards. But only because my boss is the grumpy boss to end all grumpy bosses. Did I mention he doesn't trust me to do my job?
Challenge accepted.
Not only am I going to help James launch a successful brewery, but I'm going to find out what makes him tick ... and what makes him go boom.
All this has nothing to do with the fact that the man is unbearably, unfairly, unignorably (is that a word?) attractive. Or that he lost his mom when he was young, same as me.
The more he pushes me away, the more I'm pulled into his orbit. It's a battle of stubborn wills, and I don't plan to concede anytime soon.
Except the more time I spend around James Graham, the more I start to lose the one thing I refuse to give to any man ... my heart.
Challenge accepted.
Not only am I going to help James launch a successful brewery, but I'm going to find out what makes him tick ... and what makes him go boom.
All this has nothing to do with the fact that the man is unbearably, unfairly, unignorably (is that a word?) attractive. Or that he lost his mom when he was young, same as me.
The more he pushes me away, the more I'm pulled into his orbit. It's a battle of stubborn wills, and I don't plan to concede anytime soon.
Except the more time I spend around James Graham, the more I start to lose the one thing I refuse to give to any man ... my heart.
Features:
💗Family trauma
💗Small town
💗Sizzle but no spice
💗Grumpy/Sunshine
Review:
Clowns, one bed trope, and LOTS of growling/grunting. That is what The bluff has to offer. Emma St. Clair for me never misses. And this book is no exception. One thing that I would have loved to see was more from Val in the beginning. Or opinions from her friends. But St. Clair made it work!
Some of my favorite scenes included, the seed, the cat Winnie had to catch, balloons in unmentionable shapes, smelly hotel rooms, and couch beds.
Read time: 4 days
Emoji to describe: 🤡🏍️🌱🐱💍
⭐️: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Quotes:
“ It has to be a good guess, it HAS to, because if Winnie has learned to read me, I’m totally sunk- and I don’t mean in the game.”
“I’m sure she could handle you on her own. But that doesn’t mean she should have to. Leave,”
funny
lighthearted
medium-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:
Yes
This story did not disappoint - more small town, found family adorableness. Banter and sparks between James and Winnie. I absolutely loved it. I cried with laughter and with feels. I’m already desperate for more stories of Sheet Cake and the Grahams! I don’t know how I’ll survive the wait til the next book!!!!
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
The bluff by Emma St Clair and the second book in the Graham brothers sweet romcom series. It’s got some of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine and is a closed door workplace romance with kissing only.
James may come off as cold and detached, the opposite of a people person. As an introvert myself I get that feeling off being overwhelmed to an extent. Although he’s an extreme case, very impulsive and irrational when he’s overstimulated. But I like the idea that a certain person can make it more bearable, help him work thru that anxiety.
“you can’t control everything. You have to take the risk. You have to try. Even if sometimes you lose”
Winnie is also great, a strong female MC that keep surprising me throughout the book.
Other than that I also loved the pop culture references about The office. The cat mission, the Graham’s family dynamics and the epilogue is just amazing. Even though it’s part of a series it can be read as a stand-alone which is what I did, but I’ll have to go back and read the first one because this is just so good!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me a copy to review.
James may come off as cold and detached, the opposite of a people person. As an introvert myself I get that feeling off being overwhelmed to an extent. Although he’s an extreme case, very impulsive and irrational when he’s overstimulated. But I like the idea that a certain person can make it more bearable, help him work thru that anxiety.
“you can’t control everything. You have to take the risk. You have to try. Even if sometimes you lose”
Winnie is also great, a strong female MC that keep surprising me throughout the book.
Other than that I also loved the pop culture references about The office. The cat mission, the Graham’s family dynamics and the epilogue is just amazing. Even though it’s part of a series it can be read as a stand-alone which is what I did, but I’ll have to go back and read the first one because this is just so good!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me a copy to review.
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes