Isn't It Romantic?

You Deserve Each Other 
Sarah Hogel
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Putnam
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.

Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.

Naomi couldn't do it anymore! She could not pretend to be the perfect woman and fiancee, and she could NOT see herself married to Nicholas Rose, who she maybe only loved about 20%. So, she set out on a mission to make him call off the engagement, as she didn't want to look like the villain. Somewhere along the way, however, they both rediscovered themselves and their love for one another.

My first impression of Naomi was favorable. I liked her snark, but as the pranks escalated, I was worried. I thought this was going to be one of those gotcha-romances. You know, the ones that don't end in an HEA, but I persisted, and it really paid off.

I will admit, I was laughing a LOT as I read this book, but there were times I winced at how cruel Naomi and Nicholas were to each other. That is why, for me, this story picked up once they started shedding some of their shiny veneer, and started being real, with each other and themselves. They were almost reborn in the rubble of their picture perfect farce of a relationship, and what emerged was better and stronger than what they were before.

I keep hearing things about Naomi being unlikable. UGHHHHHH! She had reasons for this, and I had no problem accepting them. This was a form of self-protection, which she was aware of and tried to battle, and I guess that's why I was ok with it. I felt as if Nicholas came around a lot quicker, though. He would make these small, and misconstrued, gestures, which were terribly sweet.  He was also more open and honest with Naomi, than she was with him, and it made me wish for some of the chapters to be told from his point of view. I was able to gain a lot of insight into what Naomi was feeling, but I Nicholas was not as transparent. I feel like I may have melted had I been let into his head, and that is something I would totally be onboard for.

Like I said, the book was a lot of fun, and that fun was augmented by some great supporting characters. The Junk Store crew were a fabulous bunch, and I really did have a fantastic time with them. I also really liked how they fit into the storyline, and provided some rather wonderful surprises. The ending was an utter delight, too. It had me smiling my face off, and shedding happy tears.

I definitely understand everyone making The Hating Game comparisons, because I found myself making them too. It was similar, but different. So, if The Hating Game, War of the Roses, and lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers is your jam, I believe you would enjoy this book. You may cringe in the beginning, but I predict you will be smiling at the end.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Instacrush
Kate Meader
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Series: Rebel Rookies, #2
Publisher: Kate Meader LLC
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Theo Kershaw is the luckiest guy alive.

Roaring back from a life-threatening injury, he has the world at his skates as defenseman for his new team, the Chicago Rebels. Everyone adores his big personality, his on-ice talent, and his killer smile. Everyone but his prickly neighbor - or so he thinks. One chilly Christmas Eve, Theo will learn that maybe the girl next door isn't such a hater after all ...

Elle Butler is the most embarrassing person on the planet.

How else can the ex-military-now-bartender explain her crush on the hot jock who lives across the hall? True, he has gorgeous green eyes and perfect cheekbones, but the filter between his brain and too-sexy mouth is permanently malfunctioning. Yet she can't stop checking out his Instagram antics or sneaking looks at him when he's in her bar. So. Mortifying. Running from a past filled with damning secrets, Elle's determined that this guilty pleasure remains buried in her deepest fantasies.

Because she couldn't possibly indulge with the Theo Kershaw or make a mistake that draws attention to her under-the-radar life. And she especially couldn't be a mom to a pro-athlete's baby ... could she?

I fell in love with Theo in the previous Rebel Rookies book, and was so excited to get to know him better. If I were writing a "wanted" ad describing Theo, it would go something like this:

In search of an adorable goofball, who has fought his way back from devastating health issues. He must be sweet and big hearted, able cook, and adore his grandma. He should be willing to give his time and money to charitable causes, and be able steal my heart with his devilish grin. 

Seriously, every minute on-page with Theo was a treat. Each new facet of his personality and his life, that Meader revealed to me, made me love him more and more. So, yeah, I guess I should order my jacket, because I am definitely ready to be one of "Theo's Tarts".

Obviously, I loved the hero of this story, but I was also a fan of the pairing. The two were so different from each other, but they were fantastic together. Chemistry, banter, heat -- it was all there, but there was so much more to their relationship.

Both Theo and Elle had family issues, which made it difficult for them to trust people. Though Theo was raised by his loving grandmother, he still ached from his mother's rejection. Elle's family was very complicated. Because of the "family business", she could never trust them or their motivations, and this made it difficult for her to open up to others, and form solid connections. It was wonderful seeing Theo barrel through those layers to find something real with Elle, first as a friend, and then as more.

And, then there was the surprise baby. I guess it wasn't such a huge surprise for us, since it's part of the synopsis, but it was a surprise for Elle and Theo. It was very sweet watching Theo claim his role of future dad. He was supportive and doted on Elle, as she struggled with her reservations about motherhood and her future. Watching this tough as nails and very guarded women turn to mush was a thing of beauty. Seeing her making new connections, and accepting that she could be part of this found family was even better, and it warmed my heart.

You know what else I loved? How much time I got to spend with the Chase sisters and the rest of the Chicago Rebels family. Meader gave them such a big role in this book, AND there were quite a few new and interesting developments for some of them. That was a special treat for me!

My overall experience with this book was fantastic. I don't know how Meader will create a hero more lovable than Theo, but I am looking forward to the next Rebel Rookie book.

Which trope do you prefer: 
hate-to-love or surprise baby?
Let us know in the comments!