Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
I would call this ebook-worthy.
Grumpy x sunshine, and a "tired of city-living" plotline.
3/5 on spice, and I'd give it a 3.5/5
It was a solid read for one of the first few romance books I've read in 2023. Being a "tired of city-living" plotline, I really enjoyed Scotland's setting rather than the middle of Montana or some rural part of New York.
I loved Ruby's awkwardness and her ability to connect with people (though these are essential points of being a "sunshine" character). Her lists were adorable, and even the switching between numbers and letters. However, her sudden love of painting felt like it was dropped in to give her more character. The letters between her and Brochan also felt like there were put in to add some more fluff to their budding romance.
Brochan fell a little flat as a romantic interest. I do feel like this book centered more around Ruby's self-discovery than romance, but I think their romance was adorable nonetheless.
I think there could have been a little bit more of a climax to the story. A lot of early build-ups that kind of led to a somewhat disappointing climax, and the story's pace was quite fast, in my opinion. I actually enjoyed Grace and Ruby's relationship a little more than Brochan and Ruby's.
Overall, the book was pretty decent, though. The spicy scenes were pretty satisfactory. The scenes were worthy of the screen tilt and lowered brightness but not quite the level of hiding in the corner.
I want to note that Rochelle Bilow wrote a memoir strikingly similar to the plotline of this book. Once I learned that, I felt a bit odd reading the spicy parts of the book...
Grumpy x sunshine, and a "tired of city-living" plotline.
3/5 on spice, and I'd give it a 3.5/5
It was a solid read for one of the first few romance books I've read in 2023. Being a "tired of city-living" plotline, I really enjoyed Scotland's setting rather than the middle of Montana or some rural part of New York.
I loved Ruby's awkwardness and her ability to connect with people (though these are essential points of being a "sunshine" character). Her lists were adorable, and even the switching between numbers and letters. However, her sudden love of painting felt like it was dropped in to give her more character. The letters between her and Brochan also felt like there were put in to add some more fluff to their budding romance.
Brochan fell a little flat as a romantic interest. I do feel like this book centered more around Ruby's self-discovery than romance, but I think their romance was adorable nonetheless.
I think there could have been a little bit more of a climax to the story. A lot of early build-ups that kind of led to a somewhat disappointing climax, and the story's pace was quite fast, in my opinion. I actually enjoyed Grace and Ruby's relationship a little more than Brochan and Ruby's.
Overall, the book was pretty decent, though. The spicy scenes were pretty satisfactory. The scenes were worthy of the screen tilt and lowered brightness but not quite the level of hiding in the corner.
I want to note that Rochelle Bilow wrote a memoir strikingly similar to the plotline of this book. Once I learned that, I felt a bit odd reading the spicy parts of the book...
This book has been...fine? While I was listening to it, I would get into it and let going for a while, but I rarely felt like listening to it otherwise. Two days of choosing to listen to music while driving instead, including one day with three hours of driving, basically just showed me I don't care.
The twists and mysteries up to this point have been extremely predictable. Ruby just got less likable to me as the time went on, and considering I questioned her right away when she landed after a long international trip, noticed how much she stank, and did not immediately shower, she didn't start high up. (I mean she put on a sweater in her gross smell, slept in it, then put it on the next day after showering. Girl no.)
Seriously though, her deciding to keep the big secret and justifications for it were so stupid I stopped reading. She should stay single and he should find better.
Also they just had their first kiss and I have no idea why it took that long. Maybe the author was trying to go for they keep getting interrupted but it was done in a way I wasn't even sure he was in to her for most of what I read.
Positives, I liked that they were both in their mid-thirties and she had casual sex prior to moving to Scotland. Tinder dates where you end up having disappointing sex is a nice touch of realism I enjoy in a contemporary. Also the narration was good. I cringed a bit at the Scottish accents, but I just finished listening to three highland romances that were narrated by a scotswoman. I think if that wasn't the case the accents would be fine.
The twists and mysteries up to this point have been extremely predictable. Ruby just got less likable to me as the time went on, and considering I questioned her right away when she landed after a long international trip, noticed how much she stank, and did not immediately shower, she didn't start high up. (I mean she put on a sweater in her gross smell, slept in it, then put it on the next day after showering. Girl no.)
Seriously though, her deciding to keep the big secret and justifications for it were so stupid I stopped reading. She should stay single and he should find better.
Also they just had their first kiss and I have no idea why it took that long. Maybe the author was trying to go for they keep getting interrupted but it was done in a way I wasn't even sure he was in to her for most of what I read.
Positives, I liked that they were both in their mid-thirties and she had casual sex prior to moving to Scotland. Tinder dates where you end up having disappointing sex is a nice touch of realism I enjoy in a contemporary. Also the narration was good. I cringed a bit at the Scottish accents, but I just finished listening to three highland romances that were narrated by a scotswoman. I think if that wasn't the case the accents would be fine.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Finally, a romance about someone over the age of thirty. (It’s got found family and cooking and whisky and epistolary sections and you’ll have a great time when you read it!)