Thursday, October 24, 2019

Isn't It Romantic?

The Bromance Book Club
Lyssa Kay Adams
Series: Bromance Book Club, #1
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.
Gavin loved his wife. He was IN LOVE with his wife, but after finding out she had been lying about their sex life, he erected a wall between them. When she asked for a divorce, he realized the error of his ways, and wanted to fight for his marriage. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, he began courting his wife, but was he too late?

I love romance, and read a plethora of romance books, but we don't get too many involving a husband and a wife trying to reignite their relationship. That was something I really enjoyed about The Bromance Book Club. I am always sad to hear, when a marriage ends, and therefore, was wholeheartedly behind Gavin's quest to win back Thea's heart.

I was also a big fan of how he went about the task. I mean, using a romance novel as a how-to guide was fantastic! As a romance lover, I abhor how the genre is constantly ridiculed. This book celebrates romance books, and actually highlights how wonderful they really are. Adams wove passages from The Book Club's selection into the story, and the placement was brilliant. They either guided Gavin in his attempt to woo his wife or helped him understand his mistakes.  I enjoyed moving in and out of the story, and was impressed with how well these passages meshed with Gavin and Thea's tale.

When this story began, this marriage was very broken, though, it was difficult to understand why. I mean, it did seem like Gavin let his bruised ego get the most of him, but there was more to that story, and there was a LOT more to Thea's side of the story too. The issues seemed small, but they were complicated, and the way Adams revealed the whole situation, bit by bit, made the naked truth land with a greater impact. My heart broke for both of them, though, I felt like Thea could have spoken up a bit sooner. Whatever the obstacles, I loved seeing these two slowly work their way back to each other. Each relit flame gave me hope, and the payoff was so big.

Yes, the romance was lovely, but the bromance was fantastic! What a fun group Adams assembled for us. I always enjoy seeing manly men sharing their feelings and affirming their love and adoration for the women in their lives. Their friendship and support of each other was a thing of beauty, while their interactions were great sources of hilarity.

I had the BEST time reading this book! It equal parts fun and touching, and I am overjoyed that we will be gifted with more Bromance books.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

The Simple Wild
K.A. Tucker
Series: Wild, #1
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Atria Books
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
City girl Calla Fletcher attempts to reconnect with her estranged father, and unwittingly finds herself torn between her desire to return to the bustle of Toronto and a budding relationship with a rugged Alaskan pilot in this masterful new romance from acclaimed author K.A. Tucker.

Calla Fletcher was two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when her father reaches out to inform her that his days are numbered, Calla knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.

She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this new subarctic environment, Jonah—the quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.

Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. As time passes, she unexpectedly finds herself forming a bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago.

It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.
She left Alaska, and her father, 24 years ago, but after learning her father was ill, and after some soul searching, she returned in an effort to connect with her him once again.

When I first read the synopsis, I thought this was going to be a full-on romance. Don't get me wrong, there was a strong romantic element, but this leaned more towards women's fiction for me. The story was really Calla's. She seemed to be at a standstill in her life. She had lost her job, shed her boyfriend, and wasn't sure what her next step would be. She seemed to be unfulfilled in many areas of her life, and Alaska was a place for her to escape. A place where she could sort through her emotions, while also trying to make peace with her past. Watching her evolve was an amazing treat, and I have to thank Tucker for allowing me to take this journey with her. It was heartfelt and moving, and I was really pleased with all she accomplished.

Aside from Calla and her part of the story, I adored being in Alaska. I had cruised through there several years ago, and was captivated by the beauty of that state. Tucker did a great job sharing that part with us, as well as giving us a glimpse into how they live out there. I really appreciated getting that peek into their daily life, and also the respectful way it was presented to me.

This book was packed with characters, who won a place in my heart. Agnes was a beautiful human, whose love saw no boundaries. I could feel her warmth radiating off the page every time she entered a scene. And, Simon, Calla's step dad, was another star in my eyes. It was quite a situation he was in, but he handled it with so much grace.

And, then, there was Jonah. I have a special place in my heart for grumpy heroes, and Jonah definitely fit that bill. From their first interaction, I knew he and Calla would eventually catch fire, and when then did! Oh, boy! They were white hot. But, it wasn't just about the chemistry, he really pushed her to be the best version of herself, while still loving all the parts of her, and they complemented each other well.

However, Calla wasn't supposed to fall for the Viking Sky Cowboy. I sort of loved, that Tucker set Calla up in a situation similar to her parents. It was almost like history repeating itself.

So, yeah, I went through the crying part, and then another crying part, and then the ending happened, which was amazing, and made me really happy, and now, I am eagerly waiting the sequel, because I cannot wait to continue this story.

Overall: A touching and beautiful story about forgiveness, connection, and love containing the perfect blend of humor, romance, and drama, which left me constantly switching between happy and sad tears.


Which do you prefer: city or country?
Let us know in the comments!

35 comments:

  1. I keep hearing about The Bromance Book Club, so I'm happy to see you also enjoyed it! The Simple Wild has been on my TBR for awhile, but I haven't had a chance to read it. 5/5 makes me think I should hurry up and grab it. :) Lovely reviews, Sam!

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. I also love the idea of using a romance novel as a how-to guide, so I'm thrilled you pointed that out!

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    2. The premise of Bromance is what made me want to read it, but the characters definitely kept me there. I am really excited about this series. And, The Simple Wild was worthy of every rave it earned, in my opinion. It was the perfect blend of women's fiction, romances, and feels. I actually bought that book, full price (which is saying a LOT), and I will say, it more than met my expectations.

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  2. Both of these books sound like great reads. I have The Bromance Club for review and am looking forward to the bromance, and humor, especially after reading your review. The Simple Wild sounds like such a touching and emotional read! Wonderful Reviews Sam :)

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. Read it!!! With every review I read, I get more and more excited about Bromance. It just delighted me, and I cannot wait for more.

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  3. not a genre i usually jump all over, but sometimes this type of book is refreshing and fun to read
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. This is my go-to genre, and I was excited to find in a row, that was so amazing.

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  4. I really loved the Bromance Book Club. It was way more serious than I thought it was going to be even though it was fun too.

    I liked The Simple Wild but I wasn't blown away as much as everyone else was. I was very invested in the father/daughter dynamic though because Calla's whole story was similar to what I went through with my own father.

    Karen @ For What It's worth

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    1. I feel like I related to Calla in a big way, and maybe that is why I loved her story so much.

      I agree, Bromance was more serious than I anticipated, but it was a beautiful exploration of their marriage woes and how much they loved each other.

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  5. Great reviews!! I'm hoping to read The Bromance Book Club soon.

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    1. I hope you love it! I am definitely pushing this one.

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  6. These both sound fabulous! I have seen that people are loving The Bromance Book Club but I didn't realize it was about a couple trying to get that spark back. I am definitely going to have to read that one!

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    1. I have read a few married couple romances, but they are in the minority. It's realistic to see couples struggling in their marriages, but it's inspiring to see them trying to work it out. I am a fan of these books.

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  7. I keep hearing amazing things about Bromance Club. I have got to read it soon. I really loved Into the Wild, it made me laugh and cry.

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    1. Yes. I agree. You need to read Bromance. Go. Do it now! 😝
      I am so hyped for the second Wild book. Like you, I laughed and cried and just related so hard to Calla. Loved it!

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  8. I've actually heard really good things about The Simple Wild and I've been curious about it for awhile. Your review definitely makes me want to pick it up sooner! I lived in Alaska for four years and I don't think I've read anything about it soon!

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    1. All the fabulous reviews for The Simple Wild drove me to buy the book, and I am happy I finally read it. Wow! You lived in Alaska? It's such a different way of life from what I know. This book really takes a look at how they live there. You might enjoy reading about those parts.

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  9. You make me want to read Bromance Book Club. Great review!

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    1. I have exactly zero regrets when it comes to Bromance. It was a fun and emotion ride, and I can't wait to take it again when the next book comes out.

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  10. You always find such great books! These would be nice ones to curl up with:)

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    1. They made me feel a lot, and overall, made me really happy

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  11. I'm so happy you loved The Simple Wild! It's one of my favorites this year. It has an upcoming sequel by the way and the author just revealed the cover.

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    1. It really was as good as everyone said, and I KNOW! I knew about the sequel and saw the cover. It probably was a good push for me to finally read the book as well. I hope it will focus more on the romance. I want to get to know Calla+Jonah more.

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  12. Oh, I loved your review for The Bromance Book Club. I love the double layer of a romance book being about using a romance book to win romance. I love that so much! And I am all for the winning back of Thea's heart as well. This just sounds too cute. I also really like that we have the male character persuing the romance. I read one KA Tucker book once and absolutely loved it, but have yet to read more by her. Your review for Simple Wild reminded me that I need to do that DD:

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    1. It's one of the few times, that I actually enjoyed a book within a book, and I think it's because it tied into the overall story so well.

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  13. So glad you enjoyed both of these books. I'm glad you finally read The Simple Wild, it was well worth the read and the many, many tissues I got through because that book killed my emotions. I have no doubt the sequel will do the same but I cannot wait to read it. As for The Bromance Book Club, I didn't realise it was a bout a husband winning back his wife (I swear I thought I'd read the synopsis but I obviously forget it straight after) and that is something we don't see much of in romance. It sounds like an excellent book and a refreshingly different one which makes me all the more excited to read.

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    1. I think I read two books in a row with a parent with lung cancer, which is how we almost lost my father. So, that ratcheted up the emotions even more for me. Bromance was a nice entry into the romance genre, and for exactly that reason - we don't see a ton of husband-wife romances.

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  14. The Bromance Book Club was such a fun read! The concept is just genius. I too felt like Thea needed to speak up and take more responsibility and also that she seemed to jump the gun on divorce. I'm glad they were able to work it out!

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    1. I did struggle a little with Thea, but understood her a little better as we learned the root of her issues. Loved seeing those two work it out.

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  15. Yay, I'm so glad to see The Bromance Book Club was a win for you too. I had so much fun reading that book and I can't wait to see what the second book will be about. A Simple Wild is one I'd really like to read as well since I enjoyed my first Tucker read so much.

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    1. The second book is Braden's!!! I cannot wait for that.

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  16. People are really loving The Bromance Book club! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    I've never read a KA Tucker... It's shocking really. She's been on my radar for YEARS. Since 10 Tiny Breaths. I just haven't had the urge to read her. I'm definitely tempted by The Simple Wild though!

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    1. Bromance was really, really good. Perfect combination of hilarious and heartfelt. I liked my first Tucker book, Say You Still Loved Me, but I LOVED The Simple Wild. Believe it or not, I actually paid full price for the ebook, because I read so many raves, and my library doesn't get Tucker's titles. It was well worth the $8

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