What happens when two geeks who don't know how to be social collide? One can only imagine! Spence has been burned by a woman he was too busy to pay attention to. Colbie is burned by the family she has enabled for far too long. When Colbie falls into the famous make a wish and fall in love fountain, these two fall under the fountain's spell.

In Ms. shalvis's signature style, Spence and Colbie each have issues to overcome, and their mutual attraction grows.

This one gets off to a slow start, but in true fashion, I had a hard time putting it down. I liked that not everyone fits into the family of friends that live in the Pacific Pier building, and Evil Elle makes Colbie feel very unwelcome. That doesn't interfere with the happily ever after, however.

Another thumbs up.

Where to start? I'll start with the issues so I can end on a positive note.

I am a fan of Ms. Balogh. If I was not, I might not have gotten through this one. It started very slowly and for the first three chapters I had no idea who the hero was. I had to go back to read the blurb to find out, and then I was surprised, because of the litany of characters we were introduced to in those first chapters, which I still couldn't keep straight at the end, he was the least likable. Between the courtesy titles and the given names, I was confounded by the ragged relationships between the characters. Avery hides behind affectations, and we don't get much insight into his character until the final chapters, insight which would have made a world of difference earlier on coming from his point of view.

As to the racism comments I've read in reviews - balderdash. A "Chinaman" teaches Avery martial arts. How is that racist?

Because it was Mary Balogh, I stuck with the story and read to the satisfying conclusion. The ending was a bit rushed, could have been spoon fed to us along the journey, but it explained away a world of sins throughout the story. Bullied as a child, Avery finds his way in the world with the aid of his martial arts teacher, who teaches him self-perception influences how others perceive you. Anna is the perfect Cinderella, thrust into a life she could only dream of with poise and grace.

If you're new to Mary Balogh, this is NOT the book to start with. If you're an "on the fence" Mary Balogh fan, skip this one. If you are a fan, stick with this one. It gets better.

Kristan Higgins delivers all the feels. This is a Cinderella story of sorts, with a tough girl wrapped in a small package. Prince Charming is delightfully neurotic, which makes his "God's gift" status more palatable. I had trouble buying into the story in parts, but Kristan's writing always keeps you engaged while she draws well rounded characters that are your best friends before its over. Loved it.

A Cupid statue, a date with nostalgia

Three women get drunk and dance around a (gimmick) Cupid statue in search of love. History and past indiscretions are faced down to look ahead to the future.

A lovely retelling of the marriage of convenience/pretend marriage trope. Julia Quinn has done a beautiful job with the Bridgertons and this prequel is every bit as good.

One small point - I couldn't understand why Lady Margaret didn't inquire into Cecilia's health when they were unable to attend the gathering. As his godmother and certainly a force in his life, for her to remain absent as long as she did felt off to me. In spite of that, I loved this story from start to finish. In fact, I fell in love with Rokesby, and I don't have a lot of book boyfriends, so well done.

Perfectly fun

Well drawn characters, circumstances that spiral out of control. My favorite part was when Mikaela thought she might be "Elliotting" Sam. Smart, more capable than she realizes, she finds her happily ever after with Dr. Eye Candy

A wonderful telling of the Selkie legend. In the style of Nora Roberts, the author writes in something that is likely omniscient third person (lots of POV switches), but I didn't have any difficulty keeping up. I enjoyed the legend, I enjoyed the romance and the small community that banded together to help a stranger, who has distant ties to their island in her past.

For lovers of Gothic romance

Ms. Ridley has fashioned yet another fine Gothic romance. Impossible choices, who is trapped and who seeks sanctuary? The only criticism might be more steam than was absolutely necessary, too much "nippling" and in the end (spoiler alert) she gives him head and they all live happily ever after. A strong story, and I'm not averse to the steamy parts, but Victoria Holt managed to write dozens of Gothics without any.