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toffishay's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Really cheesy, but you gotta love it for that!
midknytowl's review
1.5
A couple of weeks ago I asked in the Popsugar group for recommendations on a book about a subject I knew nothing about, and someone gave me the asshat answer of Googling and looking at the ratings of books on Goodreads. Of course I can Google, but am trying to have human interaction and get an opinion from people I can have a back and forth with, you butt munch. I also never look at the ratings of a book because nearly every book I've ever looked at is at least a 3 star, if not 3.5. People lean too positive, in my opinion.
This book would be an excellent example, because I'm flabbergasted that it has a 4.2 average. WHAT. I'd give the first story a 2 and the second one a 1.5.
The writing was fine, nothing spectacular, but the stories were pushing my suspension of disbelief so far it broke. Just the coincidences in both of these stories, plus the most instant of instalove. I don't think anyone should read this, but to be respectful of your choice
Okay, story 1 we have a lawyer who is almost partner in her firm in LA, is on vacation in Hawaii, and goes on a helicopter tour with sexy pilot. They crash, luckily walking distance to his friend's middle of nowhere, super luxurious house. They spend maybe 24 hours there, have all the sexy fun times you can have, then get rescued and she goes back to LA. They both realize, of course, that they want to spend the rest of their lives together, but you know, geography isn't in their favor.
She goes back to work, and, lucky her, her boss' mom had a stroke back in Wisconsin, and so she's dissolving the firm to move back there to take care of her. Convenient, no? But wait, the boss made some calls and found this other firm that they had worked with on something, and they want to take her on and make her a partner, yay! But wait, they just so happened to relocate their offices a year ago from LA to Honolulu, like corporate merger law firms are most likely to do. So they can live happily ever after and she still gets to have her career! (Never mind her saying in the beginning of the book how much she loved the hustle and bustle of LA and that she'll probably hate Hawaii when she's been there for more than three days in a luxury spa resort.)
Those coincidences, however, had nothing on the second story.
Mousy woman decides to spend a week in Fiji being a completely different version of herself, sleeping with any and every guy she lays her eyes on. First night trolling the bar, she notices Mr. Sexy Pants. They dance, they practically fuck in the parking lot, then he brings her to his yacht and they do the nasty. They end up spending the whole week together, fall in love, then she disappears back to her mousy life.
Worry not though, they run into each other again! How? Well, luckily, bar hoping overseas the first guy she makes googly eyes at is also American. Actually, he's from her state too. Actually actually, he's from her town too. Actually actually actually, he's the SON of her BOSS, who's set to take over the business in a couple days. You know, she paid for the Fiji trip from winning a small lottery, and I'm just thinking this woman needs to play all the time, because damn can she beat those odds.
Also, because she doesn't want him to know it's her, she wears her mousy clothes, glasses, colored contacts (hazel to brown, oh so different), and oils her hair a bit so it's darker. And he doesn't recognize her! They screwed six ways from Sunday for a week but nope, she reverse She's All That-ed and now that she's got glasses and metaphorical paint covered overalls, he can't tell she's the same woman. For a MONTH.
Then they are just don't talk about it and are awkward in the office for a little bit, to the point where his dad talks to him, basically telling him that obviously he hit on their executive assistant and she turned him down, but she's a great employee and he needs to keep it in his pants because everyone's noticed they're awkward and it's not professional.
So that afternoon they talk a little bit, he gives her his house key, and she moves in that evening. Then the book ends. Which is probably for the best, because your assistant moving in with you the day your dad gave you the sexual harassment speech, I'm sure that's going to go happily ever after, no problem.
This is generally why I don't read contemporary romance, actually. You throw the people in a castle and I can completely buy they're going to want to spend the rest of their lives together 48 hours after meeting. Hell, your life expectancy was barely longer than a cat, and you've found the only other person in the middle ages that bathes regularly and has a mouthful of white teeth. I am here for your instalove.
But contemporary? Nope, you are super horny for each other and that divorce is going to be ugly in three years. The fact these were novellas, which I didn't realize when I got the book, certainly didn't help. (Downside to ebooks.)
I didn't believe it, and the sex wasn't steamy enough to make up for it. 1.5 stars for the set, don't bother.
This book would be an excellent example, because I'm flabbergasted that it has a 4.2 average. WHAT. I'd give the first story a 2 and the second one a 1.5.
The writing was fine, nothing spectacular, but the stories were pushing my suspension of disbelief so far it broke. Just the coincidences in both of these stories, plus the most instant of instalove. I don't think anyone should read this, but to be respectful of your choice
Okay, story 1 we have a lawyer who is almost partner in her firm in LA, is on vacation in Hawaii, and goes on a helicopter tour with sexy pilot. They crash, luckily walking distance to his friend's middle of nowhere, super luxurious house. They spend maybe 24 hours there, have all the sexy fun times you can have, then get rescued and she goes back to LA. They both realize, of course, that they want to spend the rest of their lives together, but you know, geography isn't in their favor.
She goes back to work, and, lucky her, her boss' mom had a stroke back in Wisconsin, and so she's dissolving the firm to move back there to take care of her. Convenient, no? But wait, the boss made some calls and found this other firm that they had worked with on something, and they want to take her on and make her a partner, yay! But wait, they just so happened to relocate their offices a year ago from LA to Honolulu, like corporate merger law firms are most likely to do. So they can live happily ever after and she still gets to have her career! (Never mind her saying in the beginning of the book how much she loved the hustle and bustle of LA and that she'll probably hate Hawaii when she's been there for more than three days in a luxury spa resort.)
Those coincidences, however, had nothing on the second story.
Mousy woman decides to spend a week in Fiji being a completely different version of herself, sleeping with any and every guy she lays her eyes on. First night trolling the bar, she notices Mr. Sexy Pants. They dance, they practically fuck in the parking lot, then he brings her to his yacht and they do the nasty. They end up spending the whole week together, fall in love, then she disappears back to her mousy life.
Worry not though, they run into each other again! How? Well, luckily, bar hoping overseas the first guy she makes googly eyes at is also American. Actually, he's from her state too. Actually actually, he's from her town too. Actually actually actually, he's the SON of her BOSS, who's set to take over the business in a couple days. You know, she paid for the Fiji trip from winning a small lottery, and I'm just thinking this woman needs to play all the time, because damn can she beat those odds.
Also, because she doesn't want him to know it's her, she wears her mousy clothes, glasses, colored contacts (hazel to brown, oh so different), and oils her hair a bit so it's darker. And he doesn't recognize her! They screwed six ways from Sunday for a week but nope, she reverse She's All That-ed and now that she's got glasses and metaphorical paint covered overalls, he can't tell she's the same woman. For a MONTH.
Then they are just don't talk about it and are awkward in the office for a little bit, to the point where his dad talks to him, basically telling him that obviously he hit on their executive assistant and she turned him down, but she's a great employee and he needs to keep it in his pants because everyone's noticed they're awkward and it's not professional.
So that afternoon they talk a little bit, he gives her his house key, and she moves in that evening. Then the book ends. Which is probably for the best, because your assistant moving in with you the day your dad gave you the sexual harassment speech, I'm sure that's going to go happily ever after, no problem.
This is generally why I don't read contemporary romance, actually. You throw the people in a castle and I can completely buy they're going to want to spend the rest of their lives together 48 hours after meeting. Hell, your life expectancy was barely longer than a cat, and you've found the only other person in the middle ages that bathes regularly and has a mouthful of white teeth. I am here for your instalove.
But contemporary? Nope, you are super horny for each other and that divorce is going to be ugly in three years. The fact these were novellas, which I didn't realize when I got the book, certainly didn't help. (Downside to ebooks.)
I didn't believe it, and the sex wasn't steamy enough to make up for it. 1.5 stars for the set, don't bother.
pages_and_procrastination's review
4.0
Anita is a hard working lawyer in LA with a fiance, who's climbing the ladder in New York. Her mom is not her biggest supporter and her dad is pushing her to work. Her boss tells her that she is considering her for partner, but first wants her to take a vacation- to make sure she won't work herself to the ground when she gets to partner. So Anita goes to Hawaii. Relunctantly. She treats it as something to be checked off a to do list and has no plans to actually enjoy it. Then sh meets Steve, the pilot that flies her from the mainland to Hawaii. Then she gets stuck with him.
This is a novella, super short so I won't say more than that.
Guys, I wanted to be mad that so much happened, that it was whirlwind romance that made no sense. I am not a fan of insta-love. Especially in adult romances, I need the build up. I want to see them get to know each other, to see the bonds form.
Well this is a whirlwind romance. It's not a love triangle. It was so much fun, and reinforced my desire to visit Hawaii- not for romance but because it's a beautiful place. Even though this is just a novella, a lot happens. The romance blossoms and grows into something beautiful. It had its share of sizzling hot moments and funny moments. I am so glad that Anita stood up for herself to her mother. I am glad that Anita was a strong character and knew her own mind so she didn't go back to her ex-fiance. I am also glad that Steve wasn't there to add drama or to seemingly sway her decision.
I needed a pick me up from my last read and Ms. Bev delivered!
This is a novella, super short so I won't say more than that.
Guys, I wanted to be mad that so much happened, that it was whirlwind romance that made no sense. I am not a fan of insta-love. Especially in adult romances, I need the build up. I want to see them get to know each other, to see the bonds form.
Well this is a whirlwind romance. It's not a love triangle. It was so much fun, and reinforced my desire to visit Hawaii- not for romance but because it's a beautiful place. Even though this is just a novella, a lot happens. The romance blossoms and grows into something beautiful. It had its share of sizzling hot moments and funny moments. I am so glad that Anita stood up for herself to her mother. I am glad that Anita was a strong character and knew her own mind so she didn't go back to her ex-fiance. I am also glad that Steve wasn't there to add drama or to seemingly sway her decision.
I needed a pick me up from my last read and Ms. Bev delivered!
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