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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
“Guess I’ll be getting that one-bed trope after all.”
“Collin looks at Winnie like she’s the most beautiful creature he’s ever seen. He’s not wrong. But I want to smack the look off his face anyway.”
“I’m sure she could handle you on her own. But that doesn’t mean she should have to. Leave.”
“and I barely keep myself from breaking into a grin. Jealousy is a look I like a little too much on her. Especially when it’s jealousy involving me. I stay quiet, happy to watch this play out.
“I have never given anyone as much as I give James in this kiss.”
“The voices in the hall build to a fever pitch, and I’m rubbing my head when a singular voice cuts through it all, the only voice I care about hearing.”
Of their own volition, my hands go to my hips. “Don’t you dare get in that truck, James Graham! You’re going to stand there and apologize, maybe grovel a little. Or a lot. The level of grovel is up to you. Then you’ll tell me, not the cat, you love me. Do you understand me?”
James crowds me, running his nose over my cheek, and I barely hold back from diving right into another kiss. “I don’t want anything about you to be temporary, Winnie.”
I step forward and wrap my arms possessively around Winnie’s back. “I don’t want to take one more step toward my future without securing you as a part of it.”
Classic grumpy and sunshine! James might be the grump of all grumps - so much so that I had a hard time liking him at first but he eventually redeems himself. This book has so many swoony moments between James and Winnie, plenty of sweet and fun sibling love in both families and last but not least - references from The Office that I loved. The Prius is silent under 5 mph might be my favorite! I kind of love Tank and think he should get a happily ever after himself. Hint hint wink wink!
Romantic Content: Kisses
Romantic Content: Kisses
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
lighthearted
medium-paced
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
Thanks to @netgalley
& Emma St Clair for this #gifted
E-Advanced Reader Copy of The Bluff.
Meet Winnie, she was hired to assist in making James' brewery launch successful...but more than that she's determined 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 attractive. Or that he lost his mom when he was young, same as me.
The more he pushes her away, the more she's determined to get under his skin. It's certainly a battle of wills! And neither one is backing down..
Except the more time she spends around James, the more she starts to lose the one thing she refuses to give to any man ... her heart.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers & grumpy boss vs sunshine tropes you'll love this rom com! It has witty banter & some lovely romance
& Emma St Clair for this #gifted
E-Advanced Reader Copy of The Bluff.
Meet Winnie, she was hired to assist in making James' brewery launch successful...but more than that she's determined 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 attractive. Or that he lost his mom when he was young, same as me.
The more he pushes her away, the more she's determined to get under his skin. It's certainly a battle of wills! And neither one is backing down..
Except the more time she spends around James, the more she starts to lose the one thing she refuses to give to any man ... her heart.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers & grumpy boss vs sunshine tropes you'll love this rom com! It has witty banter & some lovely romance
Thanks to @netgalley
& Emma St Clair for this #gifted
E-Advanced Reader Copy of The Bluff.
Meet Winnie, she was hired to assist in making James' brewery launch successful...but more than that she's determined 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 attractive. Or that he lost his mom when he was young, same as me.
The more he pushes her away, the more she's determined to get under his skin. It's certainly a battle of wills! And neither one is backing down..
Except the more time she spends around James, the more she starts to lose the one thing she refuses to give to any man ... her heart.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers & grumpy boss vs sunshine tropes you'll love this rom com! It has witty banter & some lovely romance
& Emma St Clair for this #gifted
E-Advanced Reader Copy of The Bluff.
Meet Winnie, she was hired to assist in making James' brewery launch successful...but more than that she's determined 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 attractive. Or that he lost his mom when he was young, same as me.
The more he pushes her away, the more she's determined to get under his skin. It's certainly a battle of wills! And neither one is backing down..
Except the more time she spends around James, the more she starts to lose the one thing she refuses to give to any man ... her heart.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers & grumpy boss vs sunshine tropes you'll love this rom com! It has witty banter & some lovely romance
4.5 stars
Grump/sunshine and enemies to lovers tropes are two favorites and Emma St. Clair really delivers the perfect balance in this second book in the Graham Brothers series. It’s an engaging romcom with plenty of humor, sweet romance, and those heartfelt moments that really tug at your heartstrings. While the first book in the series is still my favorite, I loved James’ and Winnie’s story and returning to the quirky town of Sheet Cake, Texas. As always, there’s an animal involved and one-eyed cat or OC is all feisty adorableness.
With the world renowned sheet cake festival looming around the corner, James is trying to get his brewery up and running, but taking all the responsibility on himself. He’s hired Winnie to help develop the website and social media aspects, but she has the talent for so much more. What happens when these two butt heads over everything from feral cats to the ins and outs of the Dark Horse Brewery? Can this boss and temp really work together? Sparks definitely fly between them with a pretty intense attraction.
James is the grumpy hero you really want to love. He struggles with social anxiety, letting his guard down, self doubt, and trusting others. He’s definitely not a people person, though he cares deeply for those he loves. He comes across as stern and grumpy. Winnie is his total opposite. She’s bubbly, got a 50’s chic style going on, and is brilliant at deciphering others and their needs. She’s the yin to James’ yang. But Winnie has her own quirks, she desperately seeks others’ approval and since she’s so good at deciphering others’ needs and potential, she can push too hard. I loved the way she was able to see past James’ grumpy exterior to the caring person underneath.
There were several moments in this story that brought me to tears. I could relate in small ways to James. It’s easy to hide in the shadows and hard to put yourself out there. The author does a fabulous job letting the reader see inside James’ head and knowing how difficult expressing himself can be. I could also relate to first child syndrome where you feel responsible for everything.
I loved Winnie’s personality. She doesn’t let James walk all over her, but at the same time, she understands his varying levels of grumpiness and really “gets” him. I loved the pool & elevator scenes, sharing a room, the Graham family dynamics, Feastivus, and the tiny seed James carries with him. James’ family and Chevy are great side characters in this one and it was fun catching up with them. I also enjoyed new character Kyoko and look forward to getting to know her better. I’m excited to read Val and Chevy’s story!
Highly recommend to romcom and contemporary fans! Though it’s the second book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. There’s some mild innuendo and passionate kissing. Thanks to the author for the advanced complimentary copy. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
Grump/sunshine and enemies to lovers tropes are two favorites and Emma St. Clair really delivers the perfect balance in this second book in the Graham Brothers series. It’s an engaging romcom with plenty of humor, sweet romance, and those heartfelt moments that really tug at your heartstrings. While the first book in the series is still my favorite, I loved James’ and Winnie’s story and returning to the quirky town of Sheet Cake, Texas. As always, there’s an animal involved and one-eyed cat or OC is all feisty adorableness.
With the world renowned sheet cake festival looming around the corner, James is trying to get his brewery up and running, but taking all the responsibility on himself. He’s hired Winnie to help develop the website and social media aspects, but she has the talent for so much more. What happens when these two butt heads over everything from feral cats to the ins and outs of the Dark Horse Brewery? Can this boss and temp really work together? Sparks definitely fly between them with a pretty intense attraction.
James is the grumpy hero you really want to love. He struggles with social anxiety, letting his guard down, self doubt, and trusting others. He’s definitely not a people person, though he cares deeply for those he loves. He comes across as stern and grumpy. Winnie is his total opposite. She’s bubbly, got a 50’s chic style going on, and is brilliant at deciphering others and their needs. She’s the yin to James’ yang. But Winnie has her own quirks, she desperately seeks others’ approval and since she’s so good at deciphering others’ needs and potential, she can push too hard. I loved the way she was able to see past James’ grumpy exterior to the caring person underneath.
There were several moments in this story that brought me to tears. I could relate in small ways to James. It’s easy to hide in the shadows and hard to put yourself out there. The author does a fabulous job letting the reader see inside James’ head and knowing how difficult expressing himself can be. I could also relate to first child syndrome where you feel responsible for everything.
I loved Winnie’s personality. She doesn’t let James walk all over her, but at the same time, she understands his varying levels of grumpiness and really “gets” him. I loved the pool & elevator scenes, sharing a room, the Graham family dynamics, Feastivus, and the tiny seed James carries with him. James’ family and Chevy are great side characters in this one and it was fun catching up with them. I also enjoyed new character Kyoko and look forward to getting to know her better. I’m excited to read Val and Chevy’s story!
Highly recommend to romcom and contemporary fans! Though it’s the second book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. There’s some mild innuendo and passionate kissing. Thanks to the author for the advanced complimentary copy. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
Can Emma St. Clair write a bad book? No. No, she cannot.
This book was everything I had hoped for and more! I absolutely loved the banter between James and Winnie...even when James's response was only a grunt or a growl, Winnie just kept giving it to him. Their dynamics are really fun to watch and they balanced each other out so perfectly!
Also, I fall a little more in love with Sheet Cake and the Grahams every time I read a book featuring them. I loved seeing more of Chevy and can't wait for his and Val's book!! Getting to see glimpses of Lindy, Pat, and JoJo made this book so much sweeter.
I will say that the first half of this book while having the full-on banter, doesn't have as much slapstick comedy as some of the Love Cliche books. But...it comes. And when it does...you'll be laughing so hard.
Also, Harper talking to James? It was a beautiful moment of family supporting and taking care of one another. There's just so much I could say about this book, but you know...spoilers.
Five stars. Clean. Closed-door. Chemistry for days. Grand gestures (as much as grumbly James can do). Cats. Turkeys. Dogs. Grumpy boss. HEA. Family pranks. And so much more!
This book was everything I had hoped for and more! I absolutely loved the banter between James and Winnie...even when James's response was only a grunt or a growl, Winnie just kept giving it to him. Their dynamics are really fun to watch and they balanced each other out so perfectly!
Also, I fall a little more in love with Sheet Cake and the Grahams every time I read a book featuring them. I loved seeing more of Chevy and can't wait for his and Val's book!! Getting to see glimpses of Lindy, Pat, and JoJo made this book so much sweeter.
I will say that the first half of this book while having the full-on banter, doesn't have as much slapstick comedy as some of the Love Cliche books. But...it comes. And when it does...you'll be laughing so hard.
Also, Harper talking to James? It was a beautiful moment of family supporting and taking care of one another. There's just so much I could say about this book, but you know...spoilers.
Five stars. Clean. Closed-door. Chemistry for days. Grand gestures (as much as grumbly James can do). Cats. Turkeys. Dogs. Grumpy boss. HEA. Family pranks. And so much more!
The Bluff by Emma St. Clair
Emma St. Clair does it again in this hilarious ROM COM that takes us back to Sheet Cake Texas with all of our favorite characters.
James Graham is the eldest of the Graham brothers and feels the weight of the world on his shoulders. So, what if he is a little grumpy, at least he gets things done.
Winnie is gifted at what she does but is down on her luck. She takes a temporary job helping James launch his Brewery, only he doesn’t trust her to do her job.
There is so much push and pull in this book, get ready to be kept on your toes.
Things I loved:
-The cats
-The town Thanksgiving
-The beards and flannels
-brotherly “what are your intentions with my sister?” talk
Content Warning: mild language, sexual innuendo, closed door romance
Emma St. Clair does it again in this hilarious ROM COM that takes us back to Sheet Cake Texas with all of our favorite characters.
James Graham is the eldest of the Graham brothers and feels the weight of the world on his shoulders. So, what if he is a little grumpy, at least he gets things done.
Winnie is gifted at what she does but is down on her luck. She takes a temporary job helping James launch his Brewery, only he doesn’t trust her to do her job.
There is so much push and pull in this book, get ready to be kept on your toes.
Things I loved:
-The cats
-The town Thanksgiving
-The beards and flannels
-brotherly “what are your intentions with my sister?” talk
Content Warning: mild language, sexual innuendo, closed door romance