Isn't It Romantic?

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With Love, From Cold World by Alicia Thompson
Published by Berkley on August 1, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn't on it--yet somehow he's become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.

Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that's always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it's ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it's a fun place to work, even if "fun" isn't exactly Lauren's middle name.

Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World--whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn't know how to enjoy herself, he's surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn't serious about anything, she's surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.

As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.

I adored Love in the Time of Serial Killers and was chomping at the bit to read more from Thompson. I can attest to the fact that she was no one-hit-wonder for me as I greatly enjoyed spending time in Cold World.

There's something special about quirky workplaces. They tend to be filled with great characters and provide the perfect backdrop for fun hijinks. Cold World was an attraction in Florida where one could enjoy cold and cold adjacent things - ice skating, hot cocoa, a snow globe. It sounded like that type of kitschy place that would be irresistible, but most of all, it was a welcoming place.

Asa was the son of a preacher who was not too pleased to learn that Asa had a boyfriend. Banished from his family home, he found a safe place to land at Cold World and was still working there a decade later. He was the heart and soul of this institution and loved by all, though he had been unable to win over Lauren.

Lauren also had a tough past. Due to her mother's struggles with addiction, she entered the foster care system where she learned to protect her heart and keep people at arm's length. The best part of this story, for me, was watching Asa and Lauren warm to each other. He slowly won his way into her heart, and it made me so happy that they now had each other as they made their way in, let's face it, this cold world.

Their romance was definitely front and center for me, but I also adored getting to know Asa's housemates. They were a fun and supportive group. They not only had each other's backs, they were so welcoming and fully embraced Lauren who never really had that level of connection in her life. 

Overall, this was a warm and wonderful feel-good romance. The characters, the setting, and that early injection of Christmas combined to put a whole lot of sunshine in my heart.

*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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Breaking All the Rules by Amy Andrews
Published by Entangled: Amara on January 24, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Sometimes you gotta toss your whole life into a burning dumpster to find what’s most important...

Beatrice Archer has always done everything she’s supposed to —worked her ass off, ignored her non-existent personal life, and kept her mouth shut. Now she’s over it. The rat race, respectability…the underwire bras. She’s taking her life back. Starting with moving to Nowhere, Colorado to live life on her own terms.

Now Bea gives exactly zero forks. Beer for breakfast. Sugar for everything else. Baggy sweats and soft cotton undies FTW. Then a much younger and delightfully attractive cop is called to deal with her flagrant disregard for appropriate clothing outside the local diner (some folks just don’t appreciate bunny slippers) and Bea realizes there’s something missing from her little decathlon of decadence…and he might be the guy to help her out.

When it comes to breaking rules, Officer Austin Cooper is surprisingly eager to assist. He’s charming, a little bit cowboy, and a whole lot sexy. But Bea’s about to discover that breaking the rules has consequences. And all of the cherry pies in Colorado can’t save her from what’s coming…

Bea had spent her life living by all the rules - her grandmother's rules, her father's rules, the workplace rules. All this rule following had not helped Bea get the things she desired, and therefore, she was done living her life according to everyone else's rules. After throwing a dart, she found her way to Creedence, Colorado and was lucky enough to find a strapping young small town cop who was willing to help her break all the rules.

This book was a lot of fun. There were so many laugh out loud moments, and I adored both Austin and Bea. I thought they made a great pair. There was a bit of an age gap, but Austin seemed quite grown up for a man his age. He was solid in the way Bea needed him to be as she finally started living her life by her own rules. I had a great time with these two and was thrilled with the path they were taking. As if Bea's shenanigans were not enough, Andrews filled Creedence with great characters. I loved meeting them all and thought they brought a little some extra to the story. 

Overall, I adored the message of making your own rules, and the idea that it's never too late to find your path. Being part of Bea's journey was tremendous fun, but also very fulfilling, and I was proud of her for taking those chances to make the life she wanted and deserved. 

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