Monday, November 11, 2019

Isn't It Romantic?

Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Talia Hibbert
Series: The Brown Sisters
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Avon
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Talia Hibbert, one of contemporary romance’s brightest new stars, delivers a witty, hilarious romantic comedy about a woman who’s tired of being “boring” and recruits her mysterious, sexy neighbor to help her experience new things—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, and Helen Hoang.

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamourous family’s mansion. The next items?

Enjoy a drunken night out.
Ride a motorcycle.
Go camping.
Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
And... do something bad.
But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.

Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…
After a brush with death, or well, a car, Chloe decided that she needed to get a life. What she didn't expect was for her extremely attractive building superintendent to be on board with helping her tick the items off her list. And, she definitely didn't expect for him to worm his way into her heart.

I am a steadfast romance reader. I have read many, many, MANY romance books, and I have to say, I am welcoming Hibbert onto my list of must-read authors, because she delighted me to no end with this book, and I had so much fun tagging along as Chloe and Red attempted to check those items off her list.

I absolutely adored everything about Chloe. Her affection for sparkly pens, her nerdy nature, her wit, her love for Smudge -- all these things endeared her to me, which was why I was so happy that she was able to connect with someone, who cared enough about her to try and understand her needs.

Chloe declared that she had to "get a life", because she had watched so many of her so-called friends abandon her, as she dealt with her fibromyalgia. But, not Red. Red took the time to understand her signs and symptoms. He understood, when she was not physically up to something, and he was ok with the fact that some days would be better than others. That's friendship. That's love. And, I am a big fan of seeing more of the "invisible" illnesses getting some attention in books, because it's a good reminder to those out there, who are lucky enough to not have to deal with such health issues.

Let's talk about Red. He owned my heart from our very first interaction. When he pretended to like his elderly tenant's veggie casserole to protect her feelings, I knew he had a heart of gold. He kept showing this lovely side of himself as well, but he grappled with his unresolved hurt from a previous abusive relationship. When he shared some of the things that woman did to him, I wanted to hunt her down like the dog she was, and give her what for. Because, Red was wonderful, and he deserved better, and you know what? Chloe was better.

I found they formed quite a beautiful union, with each giving so much to the other. Oh, and they were also fire together. Yep. There was not denying the attraction they harbored for each other, and yeah, I think there were some flames jumping off that page.

I thought the best part about this book was Red and Chloe, but it may also be that this was book one in a series. I am beyond happy, that we will be getting more of the Brown family, because this book hit all the right notes for me, and I just want to sit in this world a little longer.

Not the Girl You Marry
Andie J. Christopher
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Rating: out of 5 stars
Goodreads
How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days gets a millennial makeover in this romantic comedy by USA Today bestselling author Andie J. Christopher.

Jack Nolan is a gentleman, a journalist, and unlucky in love. His viral success has pigeon-holed him as the how-to guy for a buzzy, internet media company instead of covering hard-hitting politics. Fed up with his fluffy articles and the app-based dating scene as well, he strikes a deal with his boss to write a final piece de resistance: How to Lose a Girl. Easier said than done when the girl he meets is Hannah Mayfield, and he's not sure he wants her to dump him.

Hannah is an extremely successful event planner who's focused on climbing the career ladder. Her firm is one of the most prestigious in the city, and she's determined to secure her next promotion. But Hannah has a bit of an image problem. She needs to show her boss that she has range, including planning dreaded, romantic weddings. Enter Jack. He’s the perfect man to date for a couple weeks to prove to her boss that she’s not scared of feelings.

Before Jack and Hannah know it, their fake relationship starts to feel all too real—and neither of them can stand to lose each other.
What lengths will people go through for a promotion? He needed to lose a girl. She needed to keep a guy. In this game of mutual "using", they developed real feelings, but would their relationship survive once the truth came out?

This year has been a year of many rom-coms, and I have welcomed them with open arms. I love romance and I love to laugh, so rom-coms fulfill so many of my basic needs as a reader. It didn't take long for me to clearly see the influence of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. But, that's not a bad thing, because I loved that film, and sure enough, I had a great time reading this book.

First and foremost, Christopher gave us a fantastic heroine and fabulous hero. I adored both Jack and Hannah so much. They seemed so put together on the outside, but they were both dealing with some issues and insecurities underneath it all.

Hannah was a pistol. She was a go-getter, and I loved her fire. Her apathy towards love was due to some dismal relationships, and her pain was compounded by her struggle with her personal identity. Every time she brought up an ex-boyfriend, my heart broke for her, because she was wonderful and worthy of so much more. My heart soared, when she started "dating" Jack, because he was one wonderful unicorn of a man.

Jack was handsome and affable. He enjoyed a certain level of professional success, and was known for bending over backwards to please the women in his life, yet these same women had no problem walking away from him, time and time again. Jack talked about his past relationships with a smile on his face, but there was definitely a undercurrent of pain there beneath the smile.

I think I was rooting for these two, because they seemed to connect via their painful pasts, and they just had this ease with each other. They could simply be themselves, and that was ok. They had fire and sparks and banter galore. They were a fantastic match, and I really enjoyed watching real feelings develop between the two.

I was also a big fan of the amazing female friendship Hannah had with her bestie, Sasha. These two were really there for each other, and I loved their dynamic. I was especially excited about the path Christopher set them on towards the end of the book, because it was fun and perfect for them.

But, Jack had a fun bunch of fab friends too. Their interactions were usually quite humorous, but he enjoyed some really deep talks with his friend, who was also a priest. Not only were his friends great, his family was also beyond wonderful. The first time he brought Hannah home put a huge smile on his face. Though this story takes place in Chicago, the men in Jack's family would fit in well with my NYC relatives, and I think catching glimpses of my family members in them simply endeared them to me even more.

I feel like I got what I came here for. I was promised a rom-com a la How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and I got that with a bit of spin and a modern twist.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Do you have a favorite rom-com?
Let us know in the comments!

28 comments:

  1. RED! <3 The love of my life, I tell you that guy! I loved him and Chloe so much. They made for a fantastic pair.

    I was really excited for Not the Girl You Marry but I lasted one WHOLE chapter before I DNFed it. I couldn't stand the love interest and didn't feel like the writing would be for me. I'm glad to hear it delivered what you were hoping it would!

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    1. It seems people Not the Girl is one of those books, that people either love or hate. I am such a rom-com ho, and Christopher had me laughing from the very first chapter. The humor worked for me, and I enjoyed it.

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  2. These both sound good. You gave me some new authors to look forward to!

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    1. I just found out, that Not the Girl You Marry will have a sequel as well.

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  3. they both look good, but that first one really caught my eye. loved the blurb and your review.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. Chloe Brown was so, so good. I am so glad I finally read a Hibbert book.

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  4. Get a Life Chloe Brown just arrived in my Book of the Month box! I'm excited to read it!

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  5. I've seen mixed reviews on Not the Girl You Marry so I'm eh on picking it up. But the rave for Chloe Brown is huge! I seriously need to get it. I'm happy you enjoyed both of these!

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    1. Same, but I liked it. It had a great rom-com feel, and the humor worked for me.

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  6. Chloe Brown sounds wonderful! I almost selected it as my November Book of the Month and after reading your review, I really wish I had.

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    1. Nick gave it a stellar review too. I think Amber liked it too. It hit all the right notes for me. Maybe your library will get it.

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  7. I GOT THE CHLOE BROWN BOOK JUST LAST WEEK AND I'M SO READY TO READ IT!! I haven't read much romance lately (busy and kinda in a slump) so I can't wait to dive back in the genre with this.

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    1. I hope Chloe and Red can get you out of your slump. I had great time with them.

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  8. I already had Talia Hibbert's on my reading list (and I have an ARC copy I need to read!) but your review has totally convinced me. It sounds utterly fantastic, exactly what I need in my life.

    I'm still not sure how i feel about Not The Girl You Marry, it sounds good but I've seen a few more mixed things on that so I'm a little more hesitant to read.

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    1. It seems people are split on their love for Not the Girl You Marry. I had fun reading it, and a lot of people are saying they didn't like the hero, but I liked him.

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  9. I adored Get a Life, Chloe Brown so damn much, so I'm happy to see you praising it. :) I definitely agree - Red and Chloe were amazing characters, and their relationship was beautiful. I just loved the way they were THERE for each other.

    I'm looking forward to Not the Girl You Marry - it sounds so fun, and even though I watched the movie once, years ago, I think I'll enjoy this. Glad to hear that the characters are great here too, and also that there are good friendships. :)

    Great reviews, Sam! :)

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    1. I was surprised how polarized readers were on Not the Girl You Marry. I saw a few negative reviews prior to reading it, so I didn't expect much, but I liked it. I was there for a rom-com and that's what I got.

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  10. Both of these have kind of been on my radar but I haven’t made a move to pick either up yet. I just love the sound of Chloe and she seems like a character I would connect with and pull for. And Red. :) I’ve never been a fan of the fake dating trope so I’m not sure the other one is for me but I’m glad it was such a hit for you!

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    1. Chloe was a phenomenal character, and I liked Hibbert's writing a lot too.

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  11. I have suddenly hearing a lot of brilliant things about Get a Life, Chloe Brown, including your review for it so now I am going to be reading this one for sure! I have it on my wishlist. As for Not the Girl You Marry, it sounds like the fake dating trope comes into play again! I love that we get to see a strong friendship as well though ^.^

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    1. Chloe was fabulous! Hibbert is fabulous. I am really happy I gave it a go, because I found a new romance author for my go-to list

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  12. I will still watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days whenever it's on TV, so I'm really looking forward to Not the Girl You Marry!

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    1. That movie was super fun, and I thought Christopher captured a lot that film in her book.

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  13. Chloe Brown gave me such heartwarming feels, I can't wait to Dani's story (and really hope we get more Chloe and Red).

    (Amber Elise @ Du Livre)

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    1. Hibbert did a nice job getting me to like all the Brown sisters. I already feel really invested in their HEAs. And, I also hope we get updates on Chloe and Red. Most companions do a nice job of that, and I feel like Hibbert will catch us up with them.

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  14. I love Talia Hibbert on Twitter, she seems like good people and I've been meaning to read some of her books for a while. Get A Life Chloe Brown is high on the list and you've made me even more determined that it'll be my first. She's signing at RARE 2020 so I'll be making a beeline to meet her. :)

    I've seen Not The Girl You Marry kicking around lately but I'm not sold on it. The reviews have been pretty mixed...

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    1. Reviews are very mixed for Not the Girl You Marry. Most seem to not like the hero, but I liked him. It fit the rom-com mold, and I enjoyed it.

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