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apressler's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This book felt like biting into a cinnamon donut. I loved the setting, the vineyard and the Maine/autumn vibes that radiated from the page.
Monica and Ray were fantastic characters. Ray's character was fully fleshed out from the get go, but we still see a heap of growth from her. Monica, while sometimes her dramatics were unrealistic, was a bit of a professional mess who found a lot of balance with Ray.
I think what pulled my rating back was a) the miscommunication trope that needlessly creates drama for the couple and b) the stitled sex scenes. I found the writing a little jarring at times, and some of the sex was a bit icky (the pubic hair!) rather than sensual. As for the miscommunication trope, it caused so much drama only for it to be dismissed so quickly. It did, however, lead to Ray pulling off the wedding which was SUCH a great passage.
I don't think I would have read this book if it wasn't for KJ Charles's glowing review, but I am really glad I did. I think the author has an excellent handle on storytelling, and I'm keen to dive into more of her books in the future.
This book felt like biting into a cinnamon donut. I loved the setting, the vineyard and the Maine/autumn vibes that radiated from the page.
Monica and Ray were fantastic characters. Ray's character was fully fleshed out from the get go, but we still see a heap of growth from her. Monica, while sometimes her dramatics were unrealistic, was a bit of a professional mess who found a lot of balance with Ray.
I think what pulled my rating back was a) the miscommunication trope that needlessly creates drama for the couple and b) the stitled sex scenes. I found the writing a little jarring at times, and some of the sex was a bit icky (the pubic hair!) rather than sensual. As for the miscommunication trope, it caused so much drama only for it to be dismissed so quickly. It did, however, lead to Ray pulling off the wedding which was SUCH a great passage.
I don't think I would have read this book if it wasn't for KJ Charles's glowing review, but I am really glad I did. I think the author has an excellent handle on storytelling, and I'm keen to dive into more of her books in the future.
rakhya's review against another edition
4.0
Heartwarming and humourous, the perfect read for a quiet afternoon.
If you're anything like me, and love MacLeod's renditions of small town communities and country life, go read this one now!
If you're anything like me, and love MacLeod's renditions of small town communities and country life, go read this one now!
kjanie's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5 stars
This book was an absolute delight! I grew up watching rom-coms and absolutely love the joy and dramatics of it. For me, this book took me right back to that time in my life. It was definitely over the top, the plot was definitely dramatic and not totally realistic, but it was also completely charming and hilarious. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this. I giggled, smiled and got the warm and fuzzies, especially towards the end. If you want to read a great pick-me-up with dynamic and fun characters, then this is definitely a book to turn to.
The romance was also really good in this one, along with the plot. While the plot brought most of the fun, the characters were the heart of the novel. They were thrown together in some of my favourite tropes, like a fake relation and sharing a bed, but the chemistry that came out of it is what kept me engaged. This is a classic opposites-attract book and I absolutely adored the characters together. Despite their faults and their obvious differences, they seemed perfect for each other as well. The chemistry was great, but definitely more on the emotional and abstract side rather than strictly sexual (although there is a great sex scene). What a fantastic romance.
This book was an absolute delight! I grew up watching rom-coms and absolutely love the joy and dramatics of it. For me, this book took me right back to that time in my life. It was definitely over the top, the plot was definitely dramatic and not totally realistic, but it was also completely charming and hilarious. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this. I giggled, smiled and got the warm and fuzzies, especially towards the end. If you want to read a great pick-me-up with dynamic and fun characters, then this is definitely a book to turn to.
The romance was also really good in this one, along with the plot. While the plot brought most of the fun, the characters were the heart of the novel. They were thrown together in some of my favourite tropes, like a fake relation and sharing a bed, but the chemistry that came out of it is what kept me engaged. This is a classic opposites-attract book and I absolutely adored the characters together. Despite their faults and their obvious differences, they seemed perfect for each other as well. The chemistry was great, but definitely more on the emotional and abstract side rather than strictly sexual (although there is a great sex scene). What a fantastic romance.
bookish_slagathor's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
A sweet romance with a gorgeous setting. I loved most of it, except the “drama”, which was unreasonable and my most hated trope: misunderstanding/lack of communication
Still I loved the book and will definitely read more from this author in the future.
Still I loved the book and will definitely read more from this author in the future.
neridah's review
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
heyspaghetti's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
eyrinreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
judeinthestars's review
5.0
Almost every time I read a book by [a:Miranda MacLeod|14942690|Miranda MacLeod|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1454750655p2/14942690.jpg], I’m surprised that they make me laugh. Maybe it’s time I stop being surprised and embrace the fact that she is funny. If you like romcoms, you’ll love this book. And [a:Lori Prince|7471710|Lori Prince|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is the perfect narrator for it.
It wouldn’t take much effort for Monica to see her girlfriend dumping her as a blessing in disguise. If only said girlfriend, who had agreed to allow Monica to stay in the house they shared (in exchange for rent), hadn’t decided to sell the house without letting Monica know. No wonder Monica isn’t overjoyed when “handy ma’am” Ray arrives to start work in the house. Their first encounter is full of fire, not all of the lusty kind. At first sight, Monica could be mistaken for a princess. She looks and sounds high maintenance, everything Ray tends to run away from. Yet when Monica asks her to pretend to be her girlfriend and visit her dying grandmother with her, Ray surprises both herself and Monica by accepting. Ray and Monica turn out to be so talented at this fake girlfriend gig that Monica’s grandmother rewrites her will: if they get married, they’ll inherit a vineyard and enough money to make a real difference in their lives.
I love a good fauxmance novel, because everything that can go wrong will and because the author has to work even harder to make the falling in love credible. Miranda MacLeod makes even the lack of communication seem unavoidable. While very different, Monica and Ray share two characteristics: they’re stubborn and they’re insecure. Even when it’s obvious to them that the other lusts after them, they can’t believe they would want a real relationship. They spend so much time fighting their growing feelings that they can’t see the other is struggling just as much. It could be annoying but it’s actually very sweet and that’s because the characters are so endearing.
For some reason, for once, I don’t really have the words to explain why I enjoyed this story so much. It’s enchanting. It made me happy, it made me smile, it made me chuckle, it made my heart squeeze then warm up. It was the perfect counterbalance to Must Love Silence by Lucy Bexley, which I was reading at the same time and loved too in a totally different way. Accidental Honeymoon brought back the air Must Love Silence was making it difficult to breathe in. It grounded me, which, for a story set in a vineyard, sounds especially fitting.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
It wouldn’t take much effort for Monica to see her girlfriend dumping her as a blessing in disguise. If only said girlfriend, who had agreed to allow Monica to stay in the house they shared (in exchange for rent), hadn’t decided to sell the house without letting Monica know. No wonder Monica isn’t overjoyed when “handy ma’am” Ray arrives to start work in the house. Their first encounter is full of fire, not all of the lusty kind. At first sight, Monica could be mistaken for a princess. She looks and sounds high maintenance, everything Ray tends to run away from. Yet when Monica asks her to pretend to be her girlfriend and visit her dying grandmother with her, Ray surprises both herself and Monica by accepting. Ray and Monica turn out to be so talented at this fake girlfriend gig that Monica’s grandmother rewrites her will: if they get married, they’ll inherit a vineyard and enough money to make a real difference in their lives.
I love a good fauxmance novel, because everything that can go wrong will and because the author has to work even harder to make the falling in love credible. Miranda MacLeod makes even the lack of communication seem unavoidable. While very different, Monica and Ray share two characteristics: they’re stubborn and they’re insecure. Even when it’s obvious to them that the other lusts after them, they can’t believe they would want a real relationship. They spend so much time fighting their growing feelings that they can’t see the other is struggling just as much. It could be annoying but it’s actually very sweet and that’s because the characters are so endearing.
For some reason, for once, I don’t really have the words to explain why I enjoyed this story so much. It’s enchanting. It made me happy, it made me smile, it made me chuckle, it made my heart squeeze then warm up. It was the perfect counterbalance to Must Love Silence by Lucy Bexley, which I was reading at the same time and loved too in a totally different way. Accidental Honeymoon brought back the air Must Love Silence was making it difficult to breathe in. It grounded me, which, for a story set in a vineyard, sounds especially fitting.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
rekhainbc's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wickedregal's review
4.0
This was a really cute fake relationship trope. The banter between the two leading ladies was hilarious and adorable at times. Though they "hated" each other at the start, once the vineyard came into the picture the dynamics slowly changed over time. I loved the gradualness of everything in regards to the relationship. And the ending (last hour of the book in audio) had me in feels overload and all over the place with eventual tears, because I love a well placed romantic gesture. I really enjoyed this book. It was the first I have ever picked up of Miranda MacLeod's and after reading this I plan on looking into others by her.