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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
3.5 stars.
A slightly different feel contemporary romance that I've recently. Slow to start but picks up about 40%. Recommended.
A slightly different feel contemporary romance that I've recently. Slow to start but picks up about 40%. Recommended.
4.5 stars
As I was reading this book the one thing that I found myself consistently enjoying was how the author wrote the story -- her word choices, how she constructs sentences & paragraphs and how well the dialogue (both spoken and internal) worked for the characters. The writing was well textured, intelligent, often humorous and allowed me to fall into and luxuriate in the story.
I have always hated stories where the H/H meet and are so suddenly in love/lust that they obsessing over each others' eyes and lips incessantly. Likewise I tend to stay far away stories that have a fairytale quality where the hero swoops in and sets everything right for the heroine through either mega-bucks or a mega-muscles. This book is none of those things. Mitch and Thea's relationship builds slowly and grows through simple things like conversation, revelation and even necessity.
They are initially thrown together through the shared guardianship of three children whose parents recently died. Thea was best lifelong friends with Gabe (the father) while Matt was best friends with Kate (the mother). They have known each other for years as satellites who orbited the married pair and are known affectionately as 'Uncle Mitch' and 'Aunt Thea' to the kids. However as the book begins Mitch and Thea are testily, and with some hostility, meeting in their lawyers' office trying to figure out how custody should work.
Thea and Mitch are both great characters but I really enjoyed how Thea's character played out and was revealed. With Mitch what see is what you get. He is a political cartoonist who comes from a very stable, loving family. He is funny, irreverent and never met a double entendre he didn't like. His dialogue with Thea and the kids is often peppered with funny asides and witty observations. He is set up as the fun 'uncle' who is way over his head when he has to take physical custody of the kids and yet he gamely tries his best. He hides his fears and uncertainties behind his wisecracks. He's a guy with a capital 'G' sometimes and that means he can be a bit insensitive sometimes. But he's good people under it all.
Thea, otoh, is a deeper pool altogether. While a lot of the book centers on the burgeoning love between her and Mitch and the ways they gel into becoming a unit for the kids, a big bit of the book is also concerned with revealing who Thea is. Her character, past and personality unfolds slowly and the reader gradually begins to understand things that are only hinted at early in the book. I really liked Thea and I think the author sold the character and all her flaws very well without making them seem insurmountable.
The book also contains several great supporting characters including Mitch and Thea's significant others -- Gina and Joel, respectively. When the book begins Thea is engaged to Joel while Mitch is involved with Gina. Both of these characters are thrown for a loop when their partners suddenly find themselves in loco parentis of three young children. It is not something either of them signed up for and both of them struggle with it. To the author's credit she did not vilify either of these two. As a matter of fact they remain part of the book through the end, well after Mitch and Thea are deeply involved. You understand that decent people like Mitch and Thea got involved with people just as decent as themselves. And that former lovers can remain close friends.
The kids were also great, not too cutesy or cloying. Or...shudder...wise beyond their years. They hit the right note for kids who should be five and eleven years old.
One final aspect of the book I liked is that it took place in and around Pittsburgh. The cover suggests some sleepy small town, and while Mitch does live in a older suburb, the flavor of small town living isn't in the book. This isn't to say I hate small towns, it is just that books seem over-saturated with them, so I always notice and LOVE when a book is set in an bigger city. Thea is the head of an advertising agency her family founded. Many of the scenes take place in her workplace so in addition to the domestic drama you get a good, strong sense of Thea's working life as well. There are also key scenes that take place around Pittsburgh as well.
I really, really like this book and hopes this author intends to write more contemporaries.
As I was reading this book the one thing that I found myself consistently enjoying was how the author wrote the story -- her word choices, how she constructs sentences & paragraphs and how well the dialogue (both spoken and internal) worked for the characters. The writing was well textured, intelligent, often humorous and allowed me to fall into and luxuriate in the story.
I have always hated stories where the H/H meet and are so suddenly in love/lust that they obsessing over each others' eyes and lips incessantly. Likewise I tend to stay far away stories that have a fairytale quality where the hero swoops in and sets everything right for the heroine through either mega-bucks or a mega-muscles. This book is none of those things. Mitch and Thea's relationship builds slowly and grows through simple things like conversation, revelation and even necessity.
They are initially thrown together through the shared guardianship of three children whose parents recently died. Thea was best lifelong friends with Gabe (the father) while Matt was best friends with Kate (the mother). They have known each other for years as satellites who orbited the married pair and are known affectionately as 'Uncle Mitch' and 'Aunt Thea' to the kids. However as the book begins Mitch and Thea are testily, and with some hostility, meeting in their lawyers' office trying to figure out how custody should work.
Thea and Mitch are both great characters but I really enjoyed how Thea's character played out and was revealed. With Mitch what see is what you get. He is a political cartoonist who comes from a very stable, loving family. He is funny, irreverent and never met a double entendre he didn't like. His dialogue with Thea and the kids is often peppered with funny asides and witty observations. He is set up as the fun 'uncle' who is way over his head when he has to take physical custody of the kids and yet he gamely tries his best. He hides his fears and uncertainties behind his wisecracks. He's a guy with a capital 'G' sometimes and that means he can be a bit insensitive sometimes. But he's good people under it all.
Thea, otoh, is a deeper pool altogether. While a lot of the book centers on the burgeoning love between her and Mitch and the ways they gel into becoming a unit for the kids, a big bit of the book is also concerned with revealing who Thea is. Her character, past and personality unfolds slowly and the reader gradually begins to understand things that are only hinted at early in the book. I really liked Thea and I think the author sold the character and all her flaws very well without making them seem insurmountable.
The book also contains several great supporting characters including Mitch and Thea's significant others -- Gina and Joel, respectively. When the book begins Thea is engaged to Joel while Mitch is involved with Gina. Both of these characters are thrown for a loop when their partners suddenly find themselves in loco parentis of three young children. It is not something either of them signed up for and both of them struggle with it. To the author's credit she did not vilify either of these two. As a matter of fact they remain part of the book through the end, well after Mitch and Thea are deeply involved. You understand that decent people like Mitch and Thea got involved with people just as decent as themselves. And that former lovers can remain close friends.
The kids were also great, not too cutesy or cloying. Or...shudder...wise beyond their years. They hit the right note for kids who should be five and eleven years old.
One final aspect of the book I liked is that it took place in and around Pittsburgh. The cover suggests some sleepy small town, and while Mitch does live in a older suburb, the flavor of small town living isn't in the book. This isn't to say I hate small towns, it is just that books seem over-saturated with them, so I always notice and LOVE when a book is set in an bigger city. Thea is the head of an advertising agency her family founded. Many of the scenes take place in her workplace so in addition to the domestic drama you get a good, strong sense of Thea's working life as well. There are also key scenes that take place around Pittsburgh as well.
I really, really like this book and hopes this author intends to write more contemporaries.
Characters: Ad exec, political cartoonist
World Building: Ad pitch, political awareness, recovery process
Plot: Internal
Sex: Medium
Read another: Yes
Goodman's books are always engaging for me. This one was very internal, but in a compelling way.
World Building: Ad pitch, political awareness, recovery process
Plot: Internal
Sex: Medium
Read another: Yes
Goodman's books are always engaging for me. This one was very internal, but in a compelling way.
With great hesitation I am writing this review. The main characters have moments of unlike-ability but you soon understand their reasons for it. I believe that, at this time, this is Ms. Goodman's only contemporary romance. Written with some darker content it might be hard for some people to enjoy.
With the deaths of their married friends, Mitch Baker and Thea Wyndham are given joint custody of the couple's three children. Thea declines and, naturally, Mitch is upset. He has always had a thing for her and can't understand why she is behaving this way. On the other hand, he has a good support system and has always enjoyed being around the children so his decision is somewhat easier to make.
At the beginning of this story, each is romantically involved with another person. Long story short and trying not to give away spoilers, this couple's relationship grows slowly. If you have read any of my other reviews regarding this author there is no insta-sex but when it finally happens it borders on erotic.
My guess is that those 30 and older would appreciate this romance most. If you have children you will understand better why the main characters have their moments. There is no big misunderstanding but each has a few times where you'd like to say, "Really? You want to leave it like that?" and knock their heads.
I am giving it four stars because of the realism of the subject line. Too often the hero and heroine meet, they have sex, there is the hated 'Big Misunderstanding', yada-yada-yada, they realize they love each other and we have the HEA. You WON'T find that here.
If, after reading this story and you enjoyed it, you may want to look for contemporary romances by Theresa Weir. Her main characters also have depth, are not perfect, there are moments of angst and the hero and heroine have to work for a HEA. In other words, the stories have meat and it is something I like.
With the deaths of their married friends, Mitch Baker and Thea Wyndham are given joint custody of the couple's three children. Thea declines and, naturally, Mitch is upset. He has always had a thing for her and can't understand why she is behaving this way. On the other hand, he has a good support system and has always enjoyed being around the children so his decision is somewhat easier to make.
At the beginning of this story, each is romantically involved with another person. Long story short and trying not to give away spoilers, this couple's relationship grows slowly. If you have read any of my other reviews regarding this author there is no insta-sex but when it finally happens it borders on erotic.
My guess is that those 30 and older would appreciate this romance most. If you have children you will understand better why the main characters have their moments. There is no big misunderstanding but each has a few times where you'd like to say, "Really? You want to leave it like that?" and knock their heads.
I am giving it four stars because of the realism of the subject line. Too often the hero and heroine meet, they have sex, there is the hated 'Big Misunderstanding', yada-yada-yada, they realize they love each other and we have the HEA. You WON'T find that here.
If, after reading this story and you enjoyed it, you may want to look for contemporary romances by Theresa Weir. Her main characters also have depth, are not perfect, there are moments of angst and the hero and heroine have to work for a HEA. In other words, the stories have meat and it is something I like.
I found this book to be dull. I liked the characters and the kids, but just couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. I realize this is Jo Goodman's first contemporary and hopefully her next will have more zing.
Plus, she needs just one to have a heroine who wasn't abused as a child. Just ONCE!
Plus, she needs just one to have a heroine who wasn't abused as a child. Just ONCE!