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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
VI KEELAND DOES IT AGAIN! She delivered another heart warming romance with a whole ton of chemistry! This book followed Valentina and Ford. Valentina was a divorcee with a son in college. She was someone who deserved to be happy and be in love after missing it all when through her last few years of marriage and after her divorce. Ford, might just be my new favorite Vi Keeland man! He was younger than Valentina, he is hot, an owner of a company and an amazing older brother to his sister Bella. Seeing him with her was so incredibly cute and makes me wish I had an older brother who cared for me lol. Reading about Ford and Valentina was so much fun. Their chemistry was there from the very beginning and I just couldn't wait for them to get together. The angst in this novel was just perfect and made their chemistry and love worth the wait.
Nov 2020, listened to the audiobook!
Nov 2020, listened to the audiobook!
I picked this up because I was looking for a sexy, engaging palate cleanser of a contemporary romance, and while I read it in a little over a day, it was not at all what I thought it would be.
First off all, there is so much potential here for a story of sexual discovery and individual growth. I mean based on the premise and the cover (which is a lil tacky imo but whatever lol) you’d think this book is a romance novel erring on the side of erotica. But, in fact, what we’re served is a pretty stale, unfortunately predictable love story that lacks any sense of urgency. (Ok I feel a rant coming on, sorry. Stop here if you loved the book).
Tbh, I may not be a fair critic here because Valentina (FMC) is my least favorite type of heroine. A grown woman who’s rabidly insecure and bereft of any real sense of self. She whines constantly about being old and not as attractive, and yet EVERY SINGLE MALE CHARACTER, aside from her bffs husband, hits on her. (Every single one! The “young hot” waiter, the “young hot” yoga instructor, her study buddy, the men at her friend’s bbq, her coworker, her ex-husband. I mean it’s absurd!) She simultaneously acts like she’s a teenage girl and a 65 yr old woman (ie obsessed with age and how she’s “growing old” at 37?!? and yet completely incapable of discerning what she wants and going after it.) This damning combination of traits manifests in a character so wishy washy that I lost count of how many times I screamed the phrase “grow up!” throughout the reading experience. There’s just too much repetitive vacillation.
Her fixation on the MMC being too young for her feels especially ridiculous in light of her childish behavior. I do understand that is part of the point. She had no real chance to grow up because of her teenage pregnancy/marriage, but therein lies the opportunity for us to see some growth and initiative bloom within her. Instead she feels like the exact same person at the end of the book as the one we met at the start. It never feels like she’s taking charge of her life or her happiness. Her initial forays out of her comfort zone are orchestrated by her best friend, and all of the events within the relationship are driven by the MMC. I definitely struggled with Valentina’s chronic passivity.
Her fixation on the MMC being too young for her feels especially ridiculous in light of her childish behavior. I do understand that is part of the point. She had no real chance to grow up because of her teenage pregnancy/marriage, but therein lies the opportunity for us to see some growth and initiative bloom within her. Instead she feels like the exact same person at the end of the book as the one we met at the start. It never feels like she’s taking charge of her life or her happiness. Her initial forays out of her comfort zone are orchestrated by her best friend, and all of the events within the relationship are driven by the MMC. I definitely struggled with Valentina’s chronic passivity.
Now on to Ford (MMC), he’s a bit pushy, but I liked him. Unfortunately, he was forced to carry this book on his back the same way he carried their relationship. I was exhausted for him. And completely oblivious as to what he saw in Valentina other than: hot?
Now all of this rote plot devising and unsalted-saltine-cracker-bland characterization could have been redeemed if there was, at least, a satisfying journey of sexual awakening, BUT NO! It takes well
over half the book for the characters to even kiss. For a woman who only had sex with her husband and later devised a “my turn” list that included a lot of sexual adventure, it’s disappointing (and boring!) that Valentina pretty much just laid there and let Ford do all the work. The book even uses repeated references to anal sex as some symbol that Valentina is going to seek a more exciting sex life, but neither the author nor Valentine have the courage to actually do anything with it! Few sex scenes and the ones we get don’t feel unique, significant, or satisfying.
Overall this is a wild disappointment. It feels like the type of book written for insecure women who want to read self-insert fanfic where they get “the perfect man”. I wasn’t expecting Pulitzer level storytelling, but damn! Go girl, give us nothing.
1.75 stars. all for Ford.
I'm going to tell you right now...
If you are romance reader, Ford is the KING of book boyfriends.
And if you aren't a romance reader, he will make you become one.
This story is what romance is all about. Love doesn't always follow the rules that you set for yourself or that others think you should abide by. It happens when you aren't looking.
I enjoyed the woo-ing, the banter, the texts and just about everything else in the story.
If you are romance reader, Ford is the KING of book boyfriends.
And if you aren't a romance reader, he will make you become one.
This story is what romance is all about. Love doesn't always follow the rules that you set for yourself or that others think you should abide by. It happens when you aren't looking.
I enjoyed the woo-ing, the banter, the texts and just about everything else in the story.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was so good! I loved the characters. The storyline was believable and the love scenes were not smutty, but just the right amount of xxx content, for my liking!
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven't read a Keeland book in years and this one fell flat. I couldn't stand Val. She was very one dimensional to me and if I had to read one more time how "old" she was compared to Ford I was going to throw my Kindle. We are constantly reminded how old she is over the entire book. 37 isn't one step away from being shipped off to a nursing home. For a heroine in her 30s I expected her to be more mature. Ford who was 12 years her junior was more mature for crying out loud!
I liked Ford more than Val but he still wasn't that great in my opinion. I was questioning the entire time what he saw in Val. I also didn't love his chapters. It's like Keeland thought this is how a hot, cool, mid 20 year old dude would act and think but it came across as cringe most of the time
Lastly, I felt like the 2 of them took too long to get together. Val's resistance/excuses were thin at best and I didn't find it believable and then during the 3rd act Ford is the one who flips and is like we can't be together? Lame. The only part of this book I truly enjoyed was the end because I was done reading it
I liked Ford more than Val but he still wasn't that great in my opinion. I was questioning the entire time what he saw in Val. I also didn't love his chapters. It's like Keeland thought this is how a hot, cool, mid 20 year old dude would act and think but it came across as cringe most of the time
Lastly, I felt like the 2 of them took too long to get together. Val's resistance/excuses were thin at best and I didn't find it believable and then during the 3rd act Ford is the one who flips and is like we can't be together? Lame. The only part of this book I truly enjoyed was the end because I was done reading it
I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It had great up and down with the feels but so much more than that. The connection that Ford and Val have was evident from the first message and it continued through out even though Val walked out and vowed to put it behind her. Talk about the irony of it all! But I do love the quick wit and banter through this story as well. I giggled a lot and swooned. I also felt the heartache that Val went through to get where she is. I loved how determined Ford was to get Val on the same page when it comes to age and see that they just fit regardless of that 12 year difference.
As always with a Vi Keeland book, you get a great storyline with some swoon worthy moments and this one does not disappoint at all! Once I started, I could not put it down and I really enjoyed every moment of it!
As always with a Vi Keeland book, you get a great storyline with some swoon worthy moments and this one does not disappoint at all! Once I started, I could not put it down and I really enjoyed every moment of it!
Really liked it. The couple was really great and perfect for each other.
The one thing I didn't like and why it got only 4 stars is that the secondary characters were too much in the background. We can't even get to read about how her son and his sister reacted when they found out, just some info afterwards that they did this and that but it was just an afterthought. So I would have liked to get more details about some stuff. Except that I really liked it
The one thing I didn't like and why it got only 4 stars is that the secondary characters were too much in the background. We can't even get to read about how her son and his sister reacted when they found out, just some info afterwards that they did this and that but it was just an afterthought. So I would have liked to get more details about some stuff. Except that I really liked it
***AVAILABLE NOW***
5 STICKY NOTE CROWNS
Vi Keeland has delivered another charming romance that will sweep readers right off their feet one sticky note at a time. Seriously. Charmed right out of my socks.
Ford might be my FAVORITE Vi Keeland hero. I loved his romantic notions about relationships, the way her pursues Val, and his self awareness. He was confident without being cocky, mature for his age. With all of that, he still had this fun-loving, spontaneous nature to his personality, making him the epitome of fun-loving boyfriend with serious husband vibes. DEAD WHERE I STAND.
Val was a fantastic heroine. There was the possibility of Val falling into scorned divorcee category, but she didn’t. I enjoyed her, and Ford only enhanced the pieces of her I loved.
What really sells me on a Vi Keeland novel is that I almost never see the conflict coming, and yet it still makes sense with the plot she has developed. This could have very easily fallen down the standard older woman/younger man conflict path, but she didn’t. What is even better is that the conflict isn’t out of left field either. Once you get to it, you get to see how she threaded it throughout the story, making her plots refreshing and enjoyable.
All Grown Up was enchanting. Ford and Val own my heart, and this is book will be one of my very favorite Vi Keeland books!
***if you listen to audiobooks, you NEED this one. The narrators were phenomenal.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
5 STICKY NOTE CROWNS
Vi Keeland has delivered another charming romance that will sweep readers right off their feet one sticky note at a time. Seriously. Charmed right out of my socks.
Ford might be my FAVORITE Vi Keeland hero. I loved his romantic notions about relationships, the way her pursues Val, and his self awareness. He was confident without being cocky, mature for his age. With all of that, he still had this fun-loving, spontaneous nature to his personality, making him the epitome of fun-loving boyfriend with serious husband vibes. DEAD WHERE I STAND.
Val was a fantastic heroine. There was the possibility of Val falling into scorned divorcee category, but she didn’t. I enjoyed her, and Ford only enhanced the pieces of her I loved.
What really sells me on a Vi Keeland novel is that I almost never see the conflict coming, and yet it still makes sense with the plot she has developed. This could have very easily fallen down the standard older woman/younger man conflict path, but she didn’t. What is even better is that the conflict isn’t out of left field either. Once you get to it, you get to see how she threaded it throughout the story, making her plots refreshing and enjoyable.
All Grown Up was enchanting. Ford and Val own my heart, and this is book will be one of my very favorite Vi Keeland books!
***if you listen to audiobooks, you NEED this one. The narrators were phenomenal.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
3,5/5
Sam początek książki mi się nie podobał, przyznaję, jednak później nie mogłam się wręcz oderwać tak bardzo wciągnęła mnie ta historia. Czytało się ją przyjemnie I szybko i może było kilka rzeczy, do których mogłabym się przyczepić, ale ogólnie nie było źle.
Sam początek książki mi się nie podobał, przyznaję, jednak później nie mogłam się wręcz oderwać tak bardzo wciągnęła mnie ta historia. Czytało się ją przyjemnie I szybko i może było kilka rzeczy, do których mogłabym się przyczepić, ale ogólnie nie było źle.