lisaluvsliterature's Reviews (4.19k)

Got the gist enough to know if it was a good book or not and didn't. need to read it anymore for the committee.

 I used one of my Audible credits to get this one because I had chosen the second book in the series as my Book of the Month pick a few months ago when it came out. But since I hadn’t read this yet, I decided to go the audiobook route. And I ended up loving this one so much. The male narrator, Zachary Webber (who I got to meet at Book Bonanza 2022), did such a great job at showing the emotion for Daniel that I was in tears a few times at the end of this book as things were looking down for the couple. I was so irritated with Alexis for how she kept not being honest with him, and thinking there was no way they could be together. But I also got it a little as I know I’ve probably passed over a few things that might have been good for me because of feeling the way she did. And when she figured some stuff out at the end, the way she figured it out, yeah, I really got her then. Such a great book and I can’t wait till I can fit book 2 into my reading schedule! 

At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this one, as the characters were not ones I would connect with based on how they behaved at first. But I kept going, because I am a big fan of this author, and in the end I wasn’t disappointed. The chemistry between Ace and Ruby really was more than just physical, even if the way that was the start of their relationship turned me off at first. And it was more than that, they seemed to enjoy each other’s company besides just physically. I liked how she kind of became a good luck charm for him in a way at his practices. I like how he really seemed to kind of “fall” first. It’s nice to once in a while see that happen for the guy in the way it did. 

The whole contract with the bit about not being able to date the football players sucked, but I’m sure there are things like that. I don’t think it is fair. And especially how she was the one to get in trouble and lose her job, but also Ace didn’t sign anything saying he couldn’t date her, so in that perspective it makes sense. But the ending was perfect. The way the whole big drama about that situation happened, or how the drama wasn’t over the top, the way she reacted was perfect and I loved it. She’s actually a bit more mature in how she handled it compared to the woman in the audiobook I’m listening to now! lol

Another fun addition to this series, that I think is now ending according to the author’s note at the end.

This was a cute romance, and I liked so much about it! I loved that the main character, Lily, was a librarian. There was so much about her and why she liked that job that reminded me of myself. I loved her friends and all their differences. The community garden was so neat as well. This made me reminisce about all the times I visited my younger sister when she lived in NYC. Rupert was a great guy as well. The whole trying to get the CEO job, but trying to be co-CEO with his cousin was a new take on that type of story and I really liked it! I liked how even though he had issues with his family, grandfather, father, and them not necessarily agreeing with what he was thinking or wanting to do about saving the garden, they really were there for him and loved him.

At a certain point I got a little tired of all the back and forth, especially Lily with not being sure if she should give him a chance or if he was using her, but I do like the way the author handled those issues in what I felt were some realistic ways. I’ve enjoyed both stories I’ve read by this author this summer, the first one being A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts. 

Hunting’s second generation of the Pucked families has just blown me away! And I have been waiting for BJ’s book since we first met him! the figure skating guy who could fall asleep anywhere in any position with anything going on around him. And let me tell you that BJ did NOT disappoint me at all! I loved him so much! He knew how to treat women, even if he’d only been in casual relationships for the most part in his most recent years, he’d learned from not only his own experiences, but also from what his parents and those other couples we know and loved from the Pucked series just how a real man should treat the one he loves. 

There was so much going on in this book. We even reached a point where I know other stories might have ended. There had been the big dramatic issue, but things had been resolved, and other issues taken care of. But Hunting wasn’t done with the story. And I’m glad she wasn’t. There were so many things for BJ and Winter to deal with in their relationship as well as their lives. And the biggest drama saved for the end, was crazy, and so good! 

I loved these characters so much. I loved how Winter was more the hockey player that we are used to from this author, and that the role was reversed for BJ from his parents in that he was the figure skater. That he was trying to fulfill the dream his mother hadn’t been able to do for herself. I loved how his parents dealt with her when she was staying there and caught them together. I just love the characters Hunting has written so much! Not to mention just how real the whole situation with Winter’s family was. How the things that happened and the way that her mother dealt with them, as well as how even Winter did, I think that was written so well, and so real.

Normally I read an e-galley as part of the author’s review team, but this time I was lucky enough to have time to fit in the audiobook when the opportunity to listen early was offered. The narrators for this were great. Zachary Webber is one of my favorite male narrators, and I love how Andi Arndt can play so many different characters, and so many times I forget that it is her narrating, because I just hear the character she is performing. Another great addition the world of these characters, and I hope we get more, and I will be waiting anxiously for them!

I really enjoyed this author’s first book, and especially the fact that it was set in KCK and also in a suburb of KCMO, places I’ve worked and lived. This second book from her was also a really good one and had a lot of intense moments. I liked the way the story fell into place and how what seemed to be all of a sudden and something out of the ordinary maybe wasn’t quite so much either one of those things. I liked how the connection led to her meeting a boy and then not only was it just a crazy thing that happened, it even kind of turned into a bit of sci-fi in a way with some time travel and thinking about how things might change as the character traveled and what she did or did not do when she went back. I really think this author has some great stories already and will be bringing us more in the future!

 I was blown away by this story. It had so much to it. It was really so emotional, and I even learned so much about Pakistani culture. While there was so much of me thinking about how they shouldn’t do the things they did, or should tell someone or do something, it made sense why they did. And of course it seemed as if maybe their bad choices might be okay, even in if in the end they didn’t quite go that way. It was such a real story, with real emotion and real consequences, etc. I adored the book and am so happy it will be one of the choices possible for the Gateway committee. 

I definitely liked the spreadsheet basis for this, even if I feel like maybe she had a few too many categories, or some that wouldn’t be ones I felt were important. There were a lot of things the characters had to come to terms with for themselves about themselves before things were going to work between the two of them. Both had their own issues with relationships and both were not really trying to find anything new at first. Michael was definitely ready to give it more of a try first, as obvious in his thoughts on their first date. But it was a mistake that he didn’t explain to her about the phone call or why he was late. That was definitely due to his own quiet personality and so made a little bit of sense in why it happened.

Sophie had her own reasons for using the spreadsheet, and we got even more reasons for why she fell into using it like she did as the story went on. We got so much more of the characters’ backgrounds and reasons for behaving like they did as the story went along. And I did really like the characters, as well as the other people in their lives. There were some emotional bits and some funny times as well. And while Sophie was supposedly more of a cat person, I felt like we got more time with Michael’s dogs than we did with her cat.

I enjoyed the story and the characters as I’ve mentioned. I was kind of annoyed with all the protesting to themselves over and over about how it wasn’t going to be anymore than just the 10 dates to prove the spreadsheet worked or didn’t work. Yeah, I know, that’s a romance common thing. But it still irritates me, especially when it seems like the people are being totally oblivious to what is in front of their faces. The story was also a bit long for me at times. But I know again that there was a lot for us to learn about their characters and back story that is probably why it was that way.

Overall a cute story though!

 I started reading this book about 5 years ago, in 2017. And then, I put it down for a while. Picked it back up the following summer and then put it down about the time school started again. Picked it up once in 2020. Picked it up and really read a bunch during 2021, then put it down in the fall again. Read it a little in the summer of 2022, but then didn’t pick it up again till this past year as I began to get ready for my trip to Scotland for an Outlander tour. At that point I was sucked back in. Especially as there was a line that showed up in the current season of the show that was actually from this book. And then there were so many sites in the book that were ones on my tour, so it was neat to be reading about them as I was visiting them, even if I had seen them on the tv show already. Season 2 was not my favorite of all of the tv series, so I guess it makes sense I didn’t want to just devour this. But I am now starting book 3 and hoping I’ll move along much quicker with it! So this only got rated a 4.5 because it took me so long to get through, but that’s kind of my own fault maybe? 

Of course as soon as I started this book I was immediately struck by how good it was. So invested in the characters from the start, as well as laughing, and feeling all the things! I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a big fan of age gap romances, although I am a little more lenient or accepting if the age gap is more brother/sister ages as opposed to father/daughter ages. And this one worked because Hayes was her older brother’s former best friend turned enemy. The reason for the hatred/enemy status was not revealed until later in the book. So I had to just go with something bad had happened when wondering how her family could hate him so much.

As I read though, I just kept thinking to myself about how good all of Quinn’s books are. I’m just blown away every time by the detailed story and all the things she can make you feel. So many scenes that have me rolling with laughter so much I have to put the book down until I can finish. Like when they were discussing insults:

“No one says dick as an insult anymore. Be more clever.”

And then there are scenes that have tears running down my face, like when Hattie is dealing with her sister seeming to give everyone a letter except her, or when her other sister can’t seem to spend any time with her. So many different aspects of emotions. Loving her niece Mac as she deals with the death of her mother and her whole life having been turned upside down. Then there is Hayes and what his family life was like, and of course his adorable meddling grandmother.

Another thing I LOVE about Meghan’s books, can I call her Meghan? It feels weirdly too familiar, but that’s what I’m going with because Quinn sounds too impersonal, lol. Another thing I love is how all her worlds, for the most part, have little Easter eggs placed throughout almost every other story of hers. Like, I’m so excited for this new town that I think we’re going to get more in because she has a map for it, and she mentioned Lovemark movies! And then there are references to my favorite baseball book boyfriend series, love, love, love how she does this!

For me I was a little irritated with what turned into the last act break up, it seemed a little out of character in a way for how things had been going, but as the characters worked through his reasoning for it, I was a little more okay with that. And I was also happy with how it was fixed for the final reunion. Another wonderful story from Meghan Quinn and I can’t wait for more set in Almond Bay, as well as just any other story from her!