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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
I think that I can give this book a hearty 1.5 ⭐️. I do believe that I’m not the best person for the job of rating contemporary romance novels for two main reasons: 1. I don’t read many of them 2. I like even fewer than I read. That being said, beyond not preferring the genre, I felt that a lot happened really quickly, even while nothing was happening at all. There were rushed details and prolonged scenes that weren’t moving the story along. This just wasn’t the move for me.
I really enjoyed this :) Not the typical romance with the perfect characters. Something a little different in that the female MC, Gina Luca was not pretty/gorgeous/perfect. I loved that Avery Flynn went in this direction because let's face it, not everyone is supermodel perfect. So here's a romance book where the heroine is paired with the drop dead gorgeous cop. Most unlikely pairing ever. Flynn did a good job with addressing the bullying (both past and present) and also the daily realities that someone like Gina would face from strangers who immediately judge and assume based on appearances.
Over and beyond that I just loved the Hartigans. I would highly recommend reading the Harbor City series as it gives a nice introduction to this series. Laugh out moments, a real, big and honest family that are there for each other. Loved the banter and the camaraderie amongst the siblings and look forward to reading their books.
Over and beyond that I just loved the Hartigans. I would highly recommend reading the Harbor City series as it gives a nice introduction to this series. Laugh out moments, a real, big and honest family that are there for each other. Loved the banter and the camaraderie amongst the siblings and look forward to reading their books.
This was free with audible plus! I’ve never read something by only Avery Flynn. I loved Back in the Burbs by her and Tracey Wolf so I was pretty pumped for this one!
Your heart really went out to Gina. People really were such assholes. But she was a strong one. And I loved her relationship with her brothers!
Ford was your typical grouchy hero. He felt himself drawn to Gina and is pretty stubborn about it for the majority of the book. Classic denial lol.
But Ford was a book crush for the majority. Sometimes we’re a little iffy, but for me he had the right intentions far in the back of his mind even if he wasn’t admitting it.
I loved how Gina realized she needed to love herself first!
Your heart really went out to Gina. People really were such assholes. But she was a strong one. And I loved her relationship with her brothers!
Ford was your typical grouchy hero. He felt himself drawn to Gina and is pretty stubborn about it for the majority of the book. Classic denial lol.
But Ford was a book crush for the majority. Sometimes we’re a little iffy, but for me he had the right intentions far in the back of his mind even if he wasn’t admitting it.
I loved how Gina realized she needed to love herself first!
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my second Avery Flynn novel, and I did enjoy this one more than the hockey one I read previously, but this book just didn't deliver like I was hoping.
Honestly, I was pretty into about half of the book. The start of this story was framed very similarly to one of my favorite author's style, Jennifer Crusie. Crusie is known for her rompy murder mysteries with wild antics. I really thought that's what I was going to get and it was going to be great. Buuuutttt, there were bumps. The 'intrigue' built up at the beginning of the book was dropped like hot potatoes once it did it's job in getting the MCs close (super disappointing) and from there the story was a kinda boring will they/won't they relationship guessing game. Add in the eyerolls for "what it means to be a cop" and the whole thing became a disappointment.
Like other reviewers, I had a hard time listening (I did the audio) to Gina's ongoing personal tear down of her looks. I get it, it's a really big part of your anxieties, social interactions, and insecurities. SO YOU OBVIOUSLY AREN'T OVER IT IN ADULTHOOD AND NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT IT. Like girl, go to therapy. Talk to a counselor. Find a support group. YOU'RE CLEARLY STILL HUNG UP ON THIS ISSUE. The worst part was that the author decided to just throw away all Gina's past trauma and character building in the epilogue by saying she just got over it eventually. I'm sorry, but that's really not how self hatred works. That's actually called burying your issues and it's V unhealthy. Rant over.
The steamy scenes were fine, if a little vanilla. I was expecting more scenes like the outdoor one, since this is a 'hook up' storyline. Since these are available through my Audible library for free, I will try the second book featuring Ford's funny firefighter brother. But I'm not gonna hold my breathe that the mental health and self worth sections will improve.
Honestly, I was pretty into about half of the book. The start of this story was framed very similarly to one of my favorite author's style, Jennifer Crusie. Crusie is known for her rompy murder mysteries with wild antics. I really thought that's what I was going to get and it was going to be great. Buuuutttt, there were bumps. The 'intrigue' built up at the beginning of the book was dropped like hot potatoes once it did it's job in getting the MCs close (super disappointing) and from there the story was a kinda boring will they/won't they relationship guessing game. Add in the eyerolls for "what it means to be a cop" and the whole thing became a disappointment.
Like other reviewers, I had a hard time listening (I did the audio) to Gina's ongoing personal tear down of her looks. I get it, it's a really big part of your anxieties, social interactions, and insecurities. SO YOU OBVIOUSLY AREN'T OVER IT IN ADULTHOOD AND NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT IT. Like girl, go to therapy. Talk to a counselor. Find a support group. YOU'RE CLEARLY STILL HUNG UP ON THIS ISSUE. The worst part was that the author decided to just throw away all Gina's past trauma and character building in the epilogue by saying she just got over it eventually. I'm sorry, but that's really not how self hatred works. That's actually called burying your issues and it's V unhealthy. Rant over.
The steamy scenes were fine, if a little vanilla. I was expecting more scenes like the outdoor one, since this is a 'hook up' storyline. Since these are available through my Audible library for free, I will try the second book featuring Ford's funny firefighter brother. But I'm not gonna hold my breathe that the mental health and self worth sections will improve.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death
Lots of internal dialog of the female main character talking down to herself and disparaging her looks. Death of grandparent discussed.
funny
lighthearted
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
Kids are mean and trauma sucks
Very similar to the other book in this series (I read book 2 first). I wish I hadn't read them so close together. Ford's reasoning to stay at her place was weak, her brothers weren't even high level in the syndicate he was investigating. While I can buy that he loved her, I think it was more physical on her part.
Very similar to the other book in this series (I read book 2 first). I wish I hadn't read them so close together. Ford's reasoning to stay at her place was weak, her brothers weren't even high level in the syndicate he was investigating. While I can buy that he loved her, I think it was more physical on her part.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the chick-lit, rom-com type of book I've been wanting and haven't been able to find until now. I adore the drama and relations of everyone in the book. It was also great to have a main female character who didn't look like basically every other pretty girl you always read about. She has a unique look and a huge nose, but the man still finds her beautiful. It is a great example of beauty being in the eye of the beholder and just because you come from a questionable family, doesn't mean that you are like them.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gina Luca is a wedding planner, she is also related to the Esposito family of mobsters, her grandfather was Big Nose Tommy who disappeared 20 years ago. She has become accustomed to the fact that she has inherited her grandad's nose as well as his Victorian house and she is comfortable with who she is, until a wedding cam catches her and one of the sexiest police detectives at Waterbury Police Department, Ford Hartigan. Ford is a by-the-book kind of guy, a rule-follower, the only thing he ever did outside the lines was to become a police officer instead of a fireman like the rest of his family.
Ford is attracted to the curvy, sexy wedding planner but he could never date someone related to organised crime, Gina's brothers are known to skirting the edges of criminality and he can't be associated with that kind of thing. Until his captain orders him to get closer to Gina in order to find out if her brothers are involved in a big drugs shipment expected to arrive soon. His bog opportunity when Gina discovers what seems to be her Grandad Tommy's remains in her house and Ford moves in 'for her own safety'.
Attracted to a woman who might be involved in criminality, Ford is torn between doing his job and falling for Gina. On her side, Gina knows a hottie like Ford isn't interested in her, she just can't quite work out what his angle is. Ever since she was labelled Butterface (good body, but her face!) Gina has known she's been hit by the ugly stick. So we've got a by-the-books cop lying to a woman with non-existent self-esteem.
This was a fun read, I liked Gina and Ford, and Ford's big noisy family. There's house renovations and cannoli and family dinners and insensitive jerks and bitchy women. A lovely funny romance.
Ford is attracted to the curvy, sexy wedding planner but he could never date someone related to organised crime, Gina's brothers are known to skirting the edges of criminality and he can't be associated with that kind of thing. Until his captain orders him to get closer to Gina in order to find out if her brothers are involved in a big drugs shipment expected to arrive soon. His bog opportunity when Gina discovers what seems to be her Grandad Tommy's remains in her house and Ford moves in 'for her own safety'.
Attracted to a woman who might be involved in criminality, Ford is torn between doing his job and falling for Gina. On her side, Gina knows a hottie like Ford isn't interested in her, she just can't quite work out what his angle is. Ever since she was labelled Butterface (good body, but her face!) Gina has known she's been hit by the ugly stick. So we've got a by-the-books cop lying to a woman with non-existent self-esteem.
This was a fun read, I liked Gina and Ford, and Ford's big noisy family. There's house renovations and cannoli and family dinners and insensitive jerks and bitchy women. A lovely funny romance.
Got sick of constantly being told how ugly the main character is.