Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
well, this was disappointing. i really loved 'the layover' so i thought this was gonna be up my alley but it just didn't do it for me. i should've dnf'd this since like 30%-40% but i kept pushing through because of the competition but then from the 60% and afterwards it just kept dragging so much.
the characters were so unrelatable and kind of annoying (if they were teenagers i would've understood, BUT GROWN UP ADULTS!!!!???), to me it felt like Jess was supposed to be this "quirky" character and it made me cringe so much, every decision she made was just bad, and c'mon, a grown up adult wearing a tutu ????? pls stop. everyone acted like a child, it felt like it was written by a nun or something. the little spicyness thats in the book feels weird, creepy and overall wrong.
and the ending of the competition ????? it felt like i was reading a parody or watching a cartoon, the epilogue didn't even touch on the conflicts of the story (what happened to ross's cancer, to nikki's addiction???) already the conflicts were badly managed, but not even closing those circles was bad editing.
it was really on surface level, i didn't get to connect with no one and nothing, there was no spark for me, it was just bleh
the characters were so unrelatable and kind of annoying (if they were teenagers i would've understood, BUT GROWN UP ADULTS!!!!???), to me it felt like Jess was supposed to be this "quirky" character and it made me cringe so much, every decision she made was just bad, and c'mon, a grown up adult wearing a tutu ????? pls stop. everyone acted like a child, it felt like it was written by a nun or something. the little spicyness thats in the book feels weird, creepy and overall wrong.
and the ending of the competition ????? it felt like i was reading a parody or watching a cartoon, the epilogue didn't even touch on the conflicts of the story (what happened to ross's cancer, to nikki's addiction???) already the conflicts were badly managed, but not even closing those circles was bad editing.
it was really on surface level, i didn't get to connect with no one and nothing, there was no spark for me, it was just bleh
Dnfed at 25%
I enjoyed the whole small town and game aspect of this story but for some reason the povs were annoying me. Even when the main character was talking about herself, it was still in like third person. I wasn’t liking how so many povs were in the book so far because it made it harder to know who was who. There may have been a reason why the dad and the bully’s POV were in the book but it didn’t
feel like it was going to be a romance story. Too much was happening but not enough for the story if that makes sense. I was really excited for this book because I love small town romance but sadly this one wasn’t it.
I enjoyed the whole small town and game aspect of this story but for some reason the povs were annoying me. Even when the main character was talking about herself, it was still in like third person. I wasn’t liking how so many povs were in the book so far because it made it harder to know who was who. There may have been a reason why the dad and the bully’s POV were in the book but it didn’t
feel like it was going to be a romance story. Too much was happening but not enough for the story if that makes sense. I was really excited for this book because I love small town romance but sadly this one wasn’t it.
The Only Game in Town is a romance, but it's also the story of the small town of Redford, Georgia. When the town's wealthy benefactor Jasper Wilhelm dies, the people of Redford learn that he has planned a game for the town people for the chance to win a ten million dollar inheritance. The story is told from four different viewpoints: Jess, a spunky editor; Ross, her father; Nikki, the one girl in town Jess doesn't get along with; and Carter, the grandson of Jasper Wilhelm. The romance between Jess and Carter is fun and adorable, but the story of the town took center stage for me. It was a heartwarming and satisfying story. Closed door romance, but plenty of innuendo. Would recommend for readers who enjoy small town stories with plenty of fun and games along the way! Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the ARC; all opinions are my own.
Synopsis: The residents of Redford, Georgia are paired up to compete in a series of challenges for a 10 million dollar prize. The catch, the teams are chosen for them and no one is happy with their partner. Jess, a romance book editor, is paired up with her high school bully Nikki while Carter, the grandson of the benefactor is paired up with Bryce. Who will win?
I enjoyed the silly games within the competition, the small town Stars Hollow feel and the four alternating POVs. However, the overall pace of the story was slow, and I did lose interest during multiple occasions. I also found some of the dialogue to be immature (for characters in their mid 20s), and I had tough time getting over the initial bullying scene as it has been years since HS. I would 100% go into this story knowing it leans more towards women’s fiction than a romance. I found the chemistry between Jess and Carter lacking and enjoyed the plot a lot more when I was thinking about the father/ daughter relationship and new friendships.
Read if you like:
-Quirky characters
-Friendly banter
-Small town romances
-Competitions
I enjoyed the silly games within the competition, the small town Stars Hollow feel and the four alternating POVs. However, the overall pace of the story was slow, and I did lose interest during multiple occasions. I also found some of the dialogue to be immature (for characters in their mid 20s), and I had tough time getting over the initial bullying scene as it has been years since HS. I would 100% go into this story knowing it leans more towards women’s fiction than a romance. I found the chemistry between Jess and Carter lacking and enjoyed the plot a lot more when I was thinking about the father/ daughter relationship and new friendships.
Read if you like:
-Quirky characters
-Friendly banter
-Small town romances
-Competitions
3.5 Stars Overall
While this book is in the romance genre, it's so much more than that. Told from multiple points of view, it's more a book about the charm of a small town, of finding comfort in home, that building a family isn't only by blood, and that wasting time on petty feuds accomplishes nothing.
The romance is actually secondary in this one, and for me, it works. Jess Reid grew up in Redford with just her dad, who is also her best friend. When the town benefactor, Jasper Wilhelm, dies suddenly, he leaves one final request for the Redford - everyone is paired up and two lucky townspeople can compete to win 5 million dollars each.
In town for the funeral, and forced to take part in the competition, is Jasper's grandson, Carter Barclay, a buttoned-up financial advisor. Jess is everything Carter isn't used to. She's open and honest and lots of fun. Carter is guarded, and careful and unsure of what healthy relationships should look like. Lots of great, quirky characters and some really fun moments.
While this book is in the romance genre, it's so much more than that. Told from multiple points of view, it's more a book about the charm of a small town, of finding comfort in home, that building a family isn't only by blood, and that wasting time on petty feuds accomplishes nothing.
The romance is actually secondary in this one, and for me, it works. Jess Reid grew up in Redford with just her dad, who is also her best friend. When the town benefactor, Jasper Wilhelm, dies suddenly, he leaves one final request for the Redford - everyone is paired up and two lucky townspeople can compete to win 5 million dollars each.
In town for the funeral, and forced to take part in the competition, is Jasper's grandson, Carter Barclay, a buttoned-up financial advisor. Jess is everything Carter isn't used to. She's open and honest and lots of fun. Carter is guarded, and careful and unsure of what healthy relationships should look like. Lots of great, quirky characters and some really fun moments.
DNF at 22%. Silly premise, annoying characters. I have too many books on my TBR to stick with this one.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was cute but some of the characters really annoyed me. I loved that the town people had to participate in some ridiculous games in order to win 10 million dollars. I chuckled really hard at what they had to do at the end of the hike challenge. It was extremely comical.
This book felt much more lighthearted than some of Lacie Waldon’s other books so that aspect of the story made it much more enjoyable for me. However, some of the characters like Nikki and Lexi were awful. I couldn’t stand them. I know Nikki had some redeeming qualities, but I just couldn’t get behind her mild redemption throughout the story. She was kind of terrible.
Jess and Carter were adorable though. I loved the two of them and honestly just couldn’t help it. Their friendship turned romance was so cute and wholesome. My heart was thriving on it. This book is also a closed-door romance for anyone out there who favors these kinds of romances!
Overall, it was a cute read with some characters that bothered me, but I still enjoyed the main plotline of the challenges and the town-wide game for a prize! It was cute.
This book took me awhile to commit to and finish. I don’t mind a cutesy rom com and don’t consider myself snobby when it comes to reading. If I’m entertained or swept up or transported or even amused the book has served its purpose. There’s plenty of room for easy or trashy or lite on my bookshelf. That said, I found myself struggling to pick this up and frustrated while reading. The main character, Jess, is a book editor, which felt ironic because it seemed this book needed one (who maybe wasn’t as nice and accepting as Jess). The characters, while somewhat charming at times, were one dimensional and over the top and the biggest barrier to me in reading. I don’t know why the author wouldn’t let anyone laugh, they always tried to cover it with a cough, and this was repeated literally every time someone thought about laughing. On the surface this felt like a love letter to a small town, but also kind of like a love letter from someone who is only interested in their vision of who you are and not the actual, deep complexities.