Isn't It Romantic?

Much Ado About You
Samantha Young
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

The cozy comforts of an English village bookstore open up a world of new possibilities for Evie Starling in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

At thirty-three-years old Evangeline Starling's life in Chicago is missing that special something. And when she's passed over for promotion at work, Evie realizes she needs to make a change. Some time away to regain perspective might be just the thing. In a burst of impulsivity, she plans a holiday in a quaint English village. The holiday package comes with a temporary position at Much Ado About Books, the bookstore located beneath her rental apartment. There's no better dream vacation for the bookish Evie, a life-long Shakespeare lover.

Not only is Evie swept up in running the delightful store as soon as she arrives, she's drawn into the lives, loves and drama of the friendly villagers. Including Roane Robson, the charismatic and sexy farmer who tempts Evie every day with his friendly flirtations. Evie is determined to keep him at bay because a holiday romance can only end in heartbreak, right? But Evie can't deny their connection and longs to trust in her handsome farmer that their whirlwind romance could turn in to the forever kind of love.

After a few major setbacks, Evie needed some distance between her and the wreckage that was her life. When she stumbled upon a vacation package involving a quaint English village and a bookstore, she knew it would be the perfect place for her escape. There, she would shun men, focus on regrouping and figuring out her next-steps. However, a dog and a sexy farmer had her reconsidering her plans. 

I had such a good time reading Evie's story! It was amusing, while also being emotional. I did see "the conflict" coming, and I have to admit, I never seem to be a fan of conflicts in romances, but I was a fan of the resolution and a bunch of other things in this book. 

I found it easy to throw my support behind this pairing. I have no idea how Evie thought she could ever resist Roane. From his physical description to his affable personality, I was pretty much sold immediately on this man. But what really had me hooked, was the things he would say. He was soft and gentle, and he could bring the swoon. He was the opposite of all those men, who had let Evie down in the past, and because of that, I was rooting for these two. 

Another thing, how could I resist getting to spend time in a bookstore with a book lover. I always fall for a bookstore setting, and though we don't spend an inordinate amount of time in said store, I enjoyed all the time I did spend there. I watched Evie brainstorm on improvements for the shop, read some books, and create some displays. It was all fun and tickled my literary fancy. 

I greatly enjoyed these things, but my heart was stolen by the village and its inhabitants. THIS is where I would love to go should I have a personal crisis. I was enchanted by the descriptions of the village and utterly charmed by all the people and their shenanigans. A walk on the beach, a few pints at the Anchor -- I felt quite an attachment to this place and these people and was a bit jealous that Evie was lucky enough to be welcomed into the fold. 

I found myself totally swept away by this story. It wasn't just an escape for Evie, it was a get-away for me as well. The story was packed with wonderful characters, a fabulous setting, and lots of humor and heart. This one hit the snicker-smile-swoon trifecta for me and left me with a much welcomed case of the warm-fuzzies at the end. 

Make Up Break Up
Lily Menon
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Love, romance, second chances, fairy-tale endings…these are the things Annika Dev believes in. Her app, Make Up, has been called the “Google Translate for failing relationships.”

High efficiency break-ups, flashy start-ups, penthouses, fast cars…these are the things Hudson Craft believes in. His app, Break Up, is known as the “Uber for break-ups.” It’s wildly successful—and anathema to Annika’s life philosophy.

Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d gone their separate ways after that summer fling in Las Vegas, never to see each other again. Unfortunately for Annika, Hudson’s moving not just into her office building, but into the office right next to hers. And he’ll be competing at the prestigious EPIC investment pitch contest: A contest Annika needs to win if she wants to keep Make Up afloat. As if it’s not bad enough seeing his irritatingly perfect face on magazine covers when her own business is failing. As if knowing he stole her idea and twisted it into something vile—and monumentally more successful—didn’t already make her stomach churn.

As the two rival app developers clash again and again—and again—Annika finds herself drawn into Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong? Could the creator of Break Up teach her what true love’s really about?

They say, "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," but Annika found out sometimes it doesn't. They met at a week-long convention last year, and Annika thought she would never see Hudson again. That was until he became her new neighbor. Now, Annika, who was in the business of helping couples make up, must fight her attraction to this man, who helps couples break up. 

Though I found the ending quite abrupt and wish I had been able to spend more time with these two as a couple, I did enjoy this book. I will admit, I did not feel that the romance took center stage most of the time, but there were many rom-com moments, which were lots of fun, as well as some steamy and intense ones too. 

I think some people may find Annika a bit intense, but I sort of admired her drive and ambition. She had worked so hard to create Make Up and was so close to having it ready. Due to delays, cashflow was becoming an issue, and she was on the verge of losing it all. I totally understood the importance of her winning the investment contest as it was a make it or break it moment for her. 

This was a hate-to-love romance, which are hit or miss for me, but I was happy with the execution in this book. Sometimes the pranks are too mean or the hate goes on for too long. Here, the pranks here were fun and the pace of Annika's feelings towards Hudson morphing was just right. Hudson's layers were revealed bit by bit, and you could see Annika slowly collecting those pieces and reconstructing her idea of him until she saw the man underneath the slick Break Up veneer. 

I love Menon's work, and this book had a lot of the charm, warmth, and wit I adore in her YA books. I did want more from the ending, but overall, I still enjoyed getting to see these two get their HEA.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Would you vacation in a bookstore?
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