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A review by aliu6
Two to Tangle by Melissa Brayden
4.0
4 stars
Gabriella Russo's life is good. She lives on a vineyard with her close friends Joey and Madison and does what she loves for a living. Then the construction of what will soon be her own restaurant brings contractor Ryan Jacks into her life. The chemistry between them is delicious, but Ryan is no stranger to the ladies, and Gabriella wonders if it's wise to trust her with her heart.
cw: physical fight, arrest
This is a high quality book, as I've come to expect from Melissa Brayden. It's just missing that extra spice (apologies for the cooking puns). I didn't necessarily feel Gabriella and Ryan's chemistry, even though we were told about it in the book.
The Characters: I really liked Gabriella. She's feisty and passionate, and I was totally crushing on her. Ryan Jacks on the other hand was a bit underwhelming. Maybe I'm just not into "bad girls"? Maybe I was turned off by the name Ryan Jacks. But Ryan's dimple did nothing for me. I liked seeing the side characters from the first book. Joey and Becca were cute, and this book definitely made me see Madison in a whole new light. Now I'm excited for Madison's book.
The Plot: This book mainly followed the construction of Gabriella's restaurant. The pace was slower than I would have liked. I took a large break halfway through the book and picked it back up a month later. That being said, it didn't drag. I just wasn't super interested in the developing romance.
The Romance: The story relies on the converting-the-bad-girl trope, which Melissa Brayden pulls off with a lot of detail and emotion, even if it's somewhat stereotypical.
The Writing: Great, as usual! The only thing that started bothering me part way through the book is the way in which all the characters talk similarly. I don't really know how to describe it, except that it's a mix of goofy and earnest. I don't think I noticed it in Melissa Brayden's previous books, so I wonder if it's just a Tangle Valley thing.
All in all, a solid read. Perhaps not as addictive as I would have liked, but still very sweet.
** I received a free ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Gabriella Russo's life is good. She lives on a vineyard with her close friends Joey and Madison and does what she loves for a living. Then the construction of what will soon be her own restaurant brings contractor Ryan Jacks into her life. The chemistry between them is delicious, but Ryan is no stranger to the ladies, and Gabriella wonders if it's wise to trust her with her heart.
cw: physical fight, arrest
This is a high quality book, as I've come to expect from Melissa Brayden. It's just missing that extra spice (apologies for the cooking puns). I didn't necessarily feel Gabriella and Ryan's chemistry, even though we were told about it in the book.
The Characters: I really liked Gabriella. She's feisty and passionate, and I was totally crushing on her. Ryan Jacks on the other hand was a bit underwhelming. Maybe I'm just not into "bad girls"? Maybe I was turned off by the name Ryan Jacks. But Ryan's dimple did nothing for me. I liked seeing the side characters from the first book. Joey and Becca were cute, and this book definitely made me see Madison in a whole new light.
Spoiler
The love triangle with Madison is what kept things interesting for me in the end, although I knew Madison wouldn't win out in the end.The Plot: This book mainly followed the construction of Gabriella's restaurant. The pace was slower than I would have liked. I took a large break halfway through the book and picked it back up a month later. That being said, it didn't drag. I just wasn't super interested in the developing romance.
The Romance: The story relies on the converting-the-bad-girl trope, which Melissa Brayden pulls off with a lot of detail and emotion, even if it's somewhat stereotypical.
The Writing: Great, as usual! The only thing that started bothering me part way through the book is the way in which all the characters talk similarly. I don't really know how to describe it, except that it's a mix of goofy and earnest. I don't think I noticed it in Melissa Brayden's previous books, so I wonder if it's just a Tangle Valley thing.
All in all, a solid read. Perhaps not as addictive as I would have liked, but still very sweet.
** I received a free ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.