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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I've had this on my TBR for a hot minute. I knew it'd be right up my alley, but these books are Amazon/Kindle only and I'm a Kobo girl. Eventually I caved, and I loved it! Met my expectations for sure. I'm an elder millennial who grew up in a rural area that things took a while to get to trend-wise, so in a lot of cultural ways I identify more with Gen X; this is particularly true of things like music. The writing and editing were good, the characters were realistic, the complications and considerations were real. I'll be fleshing out this review at some point, but for now, I was very happy with this book and immediately jumped to the second in the series ([b:Lips Like Sugar|208692656|Lips Like Sugar (Bluebird Basin, #2)|Jess K. Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1708120094l/208692656._SY75_.jpg|201359676]). Adding [a:Jess K. Hardy|20509782|Jess K. Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1670912261p2/20509782.jpg] to my auto-TBR list for gen X romance, right along with [a:Cathy Yardley|6777|Cathy Yardley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1284900222p2/6777.jpg]!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
I’m a GenXer myself, so when one of you lovely people recommended a romance featuring beautiful people of my generation, I went to KU so fast. I was not disappointed. This book is sweet, funny, sexy, and heartwarming.
✨It’s about overcoming internal and external battles. Please know several characters including the MMC are dealing with addiction.
Madigan oversees a sober living house and strikes up a deal with Blue Bird Basin for the men to work the ski season there. It’s a win for Ashley because Blue Bird is deeply in debt and in need of a miracle to keep the ski hill afloat.
What she doesn’t count on is for her attraction to Madigan to morph into tender feelings and intense sexy times. They are a couple that does communicate…mostly.
Anyway, I loved this quick, fun read with mature characters (meaning, old like me).
✨It’s about overcoming internal and external battles. Please know several characters including the MMC are dealing with addiction.
Madigan oversees a sober living house and strikes up a deal with Blue Bird Basin for the men to work the ski season there. It’s a win for Ashley because Blue Bird is deeply in debt and in need of a miracle to keep the ski hill afloat.
What she doesn’t count on is for her attraction to Madigan to morph into tender feelings and intense sexy times. They are a couple that does communicate…mostly.
Anyway, I loved this quick, fun read with mature characters (meaning, old like me).
I appreciate a romance between two Gen X characters so much, and I just adored the tension and the building romance between Ashley and Madigan. This was the perfect amount of two adults with some of their life together and some not, but they've lived a life. Neither of them is naive to believe that this love will solve their real problems or that their love won't complicate (good and bad) everything currently happening in their lives.
Their paths cross when Ashley needs workers as she's taken over running her family's ski resort mountain, and Madigan needs jobs for the men who live at the recovery adult group home he runs. It was wonderful to see how their romance awoke neglected parts of themselves and to face some of their fears about getting into relationships based on previous relationships, romantic, and sexual experiences.
The newness of the other men's recovery sets a good background for discussing Madigan's recovery without having him relapse or go into extensive flashbacks. Ashley can also go a little out of her comfort zone when running the business, which wasn't wholly her mother's shenanigans. Likewise, the concert "saved" the mountain for Ashley and her family, but it also gave Madigan back a little something he'd taken out of his life.
I appreciated how we saw complex mother-daughter relationships with Ashely and Maude Alice and Ashley and her daughter. The moms each learn how their daughters must be their own humans and when they need motherly advice.
When Maude Alice gets lost in the snow, of course, the dog finds her, but I thought for sure they'd test her for drugs and find she'd eaten a bunch of weed pie. That whole villain turn was apparent but choreographed perfectly.
The push-and-pull of Madigan and Ashley romantically and sexually was so well done. They recognized a lot in each other that past partners or experiences hadn't fulfilled while acknowledging that relationships are hard work, but the great ones are worth it.
I cannot wait to read more romances from Hardy.
Their paths cross when Ashley needs workers as she's taken over running her family's ski resort mountain, and Madigan needs jobs for the men who live at the recovery adult group home he runs. It was wonderful to see how their romance awoke neglected parts of themselves and to face some of their fears about getting into relationships based on previous relationships, romantic, and sexual experiences.
The newness of the other men's recovery sets a good background for discussing Madigan's recovery without having him relapse or go into extensive flashbacks. Ashley can also go a little out of her comfort zone when running the business, which wasn't wholly her mother's shenanigans. Likewise, the concert "saved" the mountain for Ashley and her family, but it also gave Madigan back a little something he'd taken out of his life.
I appreciated how we saw complex mother-daughter relationships with Ashely and Maude Alice and Ashley and her daughter. The moms each learn how their daughters must be their own humans and when they need motherly advice.
When Maude Alice gets lost in the snow, of course, the dog finds her, but I thought for sure they'd test her for drugs and find she'd eaten a bunch of weed pie. That whole villain turn was apparent but choreographed perfectly.
The push-and-pull of Madigan and Ashley romantically and sexually was so well done. They recognized a lot in each other that past partners or experiences hadn't fulfilled while acknowledging that relationships are hard work, but the great ones are worth it.
I cannot wait to read more romances from Hardy.
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
“… I’ve gotta admit, it’s pretty strange to finally meet the woman you wrote a love song about thirty years after you wrote it.” ♥️♥️♥️
From comical ski lessons, to the invention of snowga, Ashley and Madigan’s beautiful love story is filled with laughter, found-family, and a large dose of spice. The only love that could have rivaled Ashley and Madigan’s journey together was the addition of a lovesick St. Bernard rescue dog named Murphy, who turned out to be particularly good at his job after all.
“Come As You Are” was delightful, emotional, satisfying, and real—touching on some heavy topics with honesty and integrity. Now that I’ve completely fallen in love with Bluebird Basin and all the heartwarming characters who live there, I’m looking forward to reading more by Jess K Hardy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
From comical ski lessons, to the invention of snowga, Ashley and Madigan’s beautiful love story is filled with laughter, found-family, and a large dose of spice. The only love that could have rivaled Ashley and Madigan’s journey together was the addition of a lovesick St. Bernard rescue dog named Murphy, who turned out to be particularly good at his job after all.
“Come As You Are” was delightful, emotional, satisfying, and real—touching on some heavy topics with honesty and integrity. Now that I’ve completely fallen in love with Bluebird Basin and all the heartwarming characters who live there, I’m looking forward to reading more by Jess K Hardy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Pinkity Publishing for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Come As You Are features Ashley, a 46 year old divorced ski hill owner trying to save her deceased father's beloved business from a corporate takeover headed by her slimy ex-husband, and Madigan, a 53 year old former rock star, heroin addict and now leader of a sober living house.
When her bookkeeping shows the accounts are short, Ashley takes a chance on Madigan's community of recovering addicts and employs them at her ski hill for a reduced rate. This puts her in forced proximity with the complex,vulnerable Madigan and soon, Ashley can't seem to keep away even though she knows her business is her first priority. Madigan equally feels he must stay away and keep his men his first priority, but slowly the two build on their emotional connection.
This book is achingly raw in all ways. There are themes of grief, recovering addiction, and self-forgiveness that resonate throughout the novel. I loved the leads, but I also loved the side characters including the men working on the hill and their past stories, Ashley's daughter and her mother. I also loved reading about main characters falling in love that are older than we typically see in the genre.
Overall, this is a spicy, yet heartfelt rom-com that lovers of the genre will enjoy. Be sure to pick it up. I certainly will be picking up Jess K Hardy's next book.
Come As You Are features Ashley, a 46 year old divorced ski hill owner trying to save her deceased father's beloved business from a corporate takeover headed by her slimy ex-husband, and Madigan, a 53 year old former rock star, heroin addict and now leader of a sober living house.
When her bookkeeping shows the accounts are short, Ashley takes a chance on Madigan's community of recovering addicts and employs them at her ski hill for a reduced rate. This puts her in forced proximity with the complex,vulnerable Madigan and soon, Ashley can't seem to keep away even though she knows her business is her first priority. Madigan equally feels he must stay away and keep his men his first priority, but slowly the two build on their emotional connection.
This book is achingly raw in all ways. There are themes of grief, recovering addiction, and self-forgiveness that resonate throughout the novel. I loved the leads, but I also loved the side characters including the men working on the hill and their past stories, Ashley's daughter and her mother. I also loved reading about main characters falling in love that are older than we typically see in the genre.
Overall, this is a spicy, yet heartfelt rom-com that lovers of the genre will enjoy. Be sure to pick it up. I certainly will be picking up Jess K Hardy's next book.
I honestly just loved this read.
After reading nonstop emotional atomic bombs in March, I needed something sweet and steamy to cleanse my palate. Come As You Are exceeded my expectations.
1. I love a Gen X romance. Something about older characters just hits me in the heart. I love the references and how much of their life has already been written.
2. I LOVED that the MMC runs a transitional house for ex-cons and addicts. Holy shit this was such a wonderful addition to the storyline that also tugged at my heartstrings.
3. Great love story. Their chemistry was amazing, and the spice was spicing without being gratuitous.
After reading nonstop emotional atomic bombs in March, I needed something sweet and steamy to cleanse my palate. Come As You Are exceeded my expectations.
1. I love a Gen X romance. Something about older characters just hits me in the heart. I love the references and how much of their life has already been written.
2. I LOVED that the MMC runs a transitional house for ex-cons and addicts. Holy shit this was such a wonderful addition to the storyline that also tugged at my heartstrings.
3. Great love story. Their chemistry was amazing, and the spice was spicing without being gratuitous.