Isn't It Romantic? - The Companion Edition

Headliners
Lucy Parker
Series: London Celebrities, #5
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Sparks fly when two feuding TV presenters are thrown together to host a live morning show in Lucy Parker’s latest enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance.

He might be the sexiest man in London, according to his fan site (which he definitely writes himself), but he’s also the most arrogant man she’s ever met.

She might have the longest legs he’s ever seen, but she also has the sharpest tongue.

For years, rival TV presenters Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport have traded barbs on their respective shows. The public can’t get enough of their feud, but after Nick airs Sabrina’s family scandals to all of Britain, the gloves are off. They can barely be in the same room together—but these longtime enemies are about to become the unlikeliest of cohosts.

With their reputations on the rocks, Sabrina and Nick have one last chance to save their careers. If they can resurrect a sinking morning show, they’ll still have a future in television. But with ratings at an all-time low and a Christmas Eve deadline to win back the nation’s favor, the clock is ticking—and someone on their staff doesn’t want them to succeed.

Small mishaps on set start adding up, and Sabrina and Nick find themselves—quelle horreur—working together to hunt down the saboteur…and discovering they might have more in common than they thought. When a fiery encounter is caught on camera, the public is convinced that the reluctant cohosts are secretly lusting after one another.

The public might not be wrong.

Their chemistry has always been explosive, but with hate turning to love, the stakes are rising and everything is on the line. Neither is sure if they can trust these new feelings…or if they’ll still have a job in the New Year.

After a scandal rocked Sabrina's family, and Nick was caught saying some unflattering things about his new boss, the two presenters were in need of an image clean-up. They were given an opportunity to rehabilitate their public persona, as well as save their jobs, by trying to resuscitate an ailing morning show. Would these enemies be able to set aside their feud in order to save their careers?

I was so excited, when I heard Parker was writing a book featuring Nick and Sabrina. I loved these two in The Austen Playbook, and it was no mystery, that underneath that tension, were a lot of sparks. I am so happy, that we took this temporary detour from the stage, because Nick and Sabrina's story was nothing short of brilliant for me.

When people say hate-to-love, we sometimes question that description, but I can tell you, there were a lot of bitter feelings between these two. From their competition as late night presenters to Nick revealing the Carlton family scandal to the world, there was bad blood between these two. Watching the ice slowly melt between them gave me great pleasure. The more time they spent with one another, the more layers they shed. They were able to look beyond the public persona, and really see each other, and I guess, they liked what they saw, because there was understanding, forgiveness, and the formation of an unlikely friendship.

This was not instantaneous, though. It took a while for them to leave those past hurts behind, but once they did, I just could not get enough of this couple. They talked like grown ups, and they shared their concerns with one another. They became each other's person, the one they wanted to rush to, when they had good or bad news. And, gosh darn it! Parker writes the most wonderful heroes. Nick would do all these little things, which were his way of showing how much he cared for Sabrina, even before he fully acknowledged it, and it's the kind of stuff that made me swoon.

Being on the show added a fun element to the story. Parker did a great job capturing all the wacky and wonderful parts of being a morning show host. I think all the disasters these two weathered on set had a lot to do with their blossoming relationship. They began supporting each other and looking out for one another, and though both their careers hinged on this show becoming a success, it was obvious they were motivated by things other than their career goals.

The dog, the kid, the events we attended, Nick's mom, as well as cameos from other London Celebrities all added to my enjoyment of this wonderful book. I really hope Parker continues to expand the world of the London Celebrities, because I never want this series to end.

Almost Just Friends
Jill Shalvis
Series: Wildstone, #4
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: William Marrow
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Wildstone with the touching story of finding your place in the world—and the people who make it home.

Piper Manning’s about as tough as they come, she’s had to be. She raised her siblings and they’ve thankfully flown the coop. All she has to do is finish fixing up the lake house her grandparents left her, sell it, and then she’s free.

When a massive storm hits, she runs into a tall, dark and brooding stranger, Camden Reid. There’s a spark there, one that shocks her. Surprising her further, her sister and brother return, each of them holding their own secrets. The smart move would be for Piper to ignore them all but Cam unleashes emotions deep inside of her that she can’t deny, making her yearn for something she doesn’t understand. And her siblings…well, they need each other.

Only when the secrets come out, it changes everything Piper thinks she knows about her family, herself…and Cam. Can she find a way to outrun the demons? The answer is closer than she thinks—just as the new life she craves may have already begun.

Upon turning 30, Piper decided her "job" raising her siblings was complete. Her brother was off in Arizona with a career, and her sister had almost earned her college degree. Now, Piper would be able to sell her grandparents' property, and begin her own life. However, her siblings' return to Wildstone, and Piper's attraction to the neighbor's son, may force her to alter her plans.

I say this every time, but I am saying it again! I will never NOT want to read a Jill Shalvis book, because plain and simple, her books make me happy. She always packs them with great characters, fantastic romance, and a multitude of feels.

One of the things I have grown to LOVE about this, the Wildstone series, is her focus on family. Each book has featured a pretty special clan, and I got that once again in Almost Just Friends. It was fantastic seeing the Manning family unpack all their baggage, while finding their way to themselves and to each other.

The Manning family members shared an interesting dynamic. After their parents died, Piper, the eldest sibling, was sort of forced to be the de facto parent. She put her siblings' needs before her own, and basically was their mother. I watched her struggle with choosing to abandon her family or her dreams, and the entire situation required Piper to assume a whole new role in her siblings lives. It was time for her to stop being their parent, and start being their sister. It was really beautiful watching these three work through all their issues. They confronted their past, their present, and their future, and they did it together.

I was also treated to not one, but TWO romances, and I am telling you right now, I was delighted by both of them.

Cam and Piper were two wounded people, who did not tend to allow others into their lives. But, for some reason, they were able to open up to one another in a way they couldn't with other people. This lust at first sight attraction quickly turned into something deeper and real, and I was 100% on board with it. The pair were fire together, and watching Cam, slowly, break down Piper's defenses made me really happy, because it was so easy to see how well they fit together.

Now, the other romance was my favorite kind - second chance! I absolutely needed these two to happen. I cannot believe how important it was for me. I was bent on them working through their past, because I saw such a wonderful future for them. Shalvis treated me to so many beautiful and tender moments between these two, and because I can never stop rooting for love, I found myself excited about every small step they took back to each other.

Shalvis did such a beautiful job blending the two romances in with the family drama. It all flowed so well, and, as always, the balance of romance, drama, and humor was perfect. There were many fun moments, accompanied by many touching and heartfelt moments. And, from me, there was laughter, tears, and swoons.

Overall: Another fantastic addition to a series that gets better and better with every book.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite morning show?
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