A review by so_many_books
Paper Roses by Lily Morton

emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I have mixed thoughts about his book. On the one hand, fake marriage/ marriage of convenience is my favourite trope, and I like the situations it created in this book. On the other hand, the forced proximity was a little bit too convenient, and I didn't really  feel the angst it created. A little more pining would have been nice.

Jed and Artie's story is a fun one. Jed runs Confetti Hearts, a wedding planning business he took over after his husband passed away. And Artie is his much younger assistant. They both harbour a crush on the other, Artie is aware of it, but Jed isn't.
When Artie's inheritance has a marriage clause, Jed quickly jumps to help him. Even if all the boundaries are blurred.

As I mentioned, I really like marriage of convenience, and Jed's heart was in the right place when he offered. His feelings for Artie are already very protective, but he's still grieving his late husband, and he's in massive denial.
Artie's a different story, though. He's been in love with Jed for years, and he desperately tries to protect his heart.
Their physical connection is off the charts, but it meant the pining that I usually love in fake dating stories was not really there. It was overpowered by their attraction.
Additionally, the way Jed's grief was handled was weird. From the very beginning, he's in this massive pain, not ready to ever love again. And yet, by the end, his story kinda changed contradicting all that was said before.

However, even though the book is not perfect, it was pretty entertaining, and the emotional parts were well written. I listened to the audibook that added an extra layer of awesomeness! I really enjoyed the whole experience.

Accept and close

By using The StoryGraph, you agree to our use of cookies.
We use a small number of cookies to provide you with a great experience.

Find out more