Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on Feb 3, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
College rivals become workplace frenemies-turned-lovers in this warm, sexy contemporary romance from New York Times bestseller Jill Shalvis. First, they were rivals… Now they're stuck with each other…
Retired hockey player Caleb Colburn needs this construction project to prove himself in the family business, but he also needs to recover from the injury that ended his pro career. Too bad Emma Sumner, architect liaison and Caleb's college nemesis, is back in town and assigned to the project. They're going to have to see each other almost every day. Which means once again she'll make his life a living hell.
As for Emma, her job is on the line with this big project, made all the more challenging by the project manager. Caleb was the one who had snagged the scholarship she'd desperately needed to stay in college. She's been living hand to mouth ever since and has no intention of ever forgiving the man.
But the beautiful historic building they're renovating is exactly the kind of project that they both love best. Their surprising common ground and a burning mutual attraction start bringing them closer and closer to a potentially explosive mistake. And that's even before the secrets come out…
Caleb Colburn was a rising hockey star which was cut short by an injury, and he was forced to pivot taking a position at Colburn Construction. He was excited about his new project which would allow him to show he could handle more responsibility until he learned that the new liaison was none other than his college nemesis Emma Sumner. But Emma had changed, and now, Caleb was working hard to prove himself worthy as part of the family business, and he was working even harder to prove to Emma that he was worthy of her heart.
A Shalvis book is ALWAYS a delight! It was wonderful to be back in the slightly chaotic but always bursting with love world of the Colburns. This time around, the focus was on middle brother Caleb. He was put on a pedestal for his sports prowess, but he was not just a buff body and a pretty face. Caleb was a gifted architect with so many layers, and he was willing to put in the work to make others recognized these qualities.
He was shocked to learn that Emma would now be working on the project with him. Though Emma perceived Caleb as her rival, he saw her as a someone who pushed him to be his best in college. He looked forward to their verbal sparring, being challenged by her, and he still found her irresistible. But Emma carried a lot of scars from her past and found it difficult to trust. That would be the biggest challenge for Caleb. Their shared history was something I really loved, and I was happy they were able to clear up a few thing from their past because these two had great chemistry and made a fantastic team.
Though each of these books can be read as a stand alone, I like that Shavis continued with the mystery element from the last book. Once again, the job sites were being vandalized, and the questions of who and why still loomed. I am also curious to get some answer about that as well as finally getting the full scoop on Hazel and Tucker. I can only assume their story is next, and maybe then, Kiera can get an HEA???? (Can you hear me, Jill?)
Overall, this was another hit for me, and I will never tire of the warm and humorous stories Shalvis writes! A great romance plus so much fabulous family time had me laughing and feeling the feels. I had a stupendous time cheering for Caleb and Emma, and I cannot wait to return to this world.
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on Jan 13, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
Miss Congeniality meets The Bachelor in this action-packed rom-com debut about an investigative journalist who sneaks onto reality TV only to fall for the wrong guy.
Georgia Rose is not going on the hit reality dating show Love Shack to find love. She’s there to write a killer exposé on the producers, which will guarantee the journalism job of her dreams. But when Georgia’s unforgettable one-night stand from the year before, country singer Rhett Auburn, steps into the Malibu mansion as the season’s new host, all of her carefully crafted plans unravel.
Caught up in the drama of backstabbing contestants, producer blackmail, and death-defying dates, Georgia must keep her identity—and history with Rhett—a secret. Despite the lies between them, it isn’t long before Georgia and Rhett’s heated behind-the-scenes moments start to feel more genuine than the romance Georgia’s faking for the cameras. But with her assignment unfinished and the executive producer on her tail, a second chance with Rhett could be her riskiest move of all.
Hoping to turn her freelance career in a permanent position, Georgia goes undercover on a reality dating show in order to expose the unscrupulous practices of its producers. What she doesn't expect is to find herself face-to-face with "the one", a one-night-stand who really made an impression on her.
This book definitely had all the elements that make me watch reality TV. There was drama, subterfuge, backstabbing, romance, outlandish challenges, and even friendship. The story was fast-paced and took some interesting turns while making me laugh a lot.
What I enjoyed most were the scenes shared by Rhett and Georgia. I liked them together, and I DON'T CARE! I love the idea of "the one", and that Rhett and Georgia were getting their second chance to see if what they felt was as meaningful as they thought.
Though the game show bits were quite entertaining, I did wish I got to see Rhett and Georgia's relationship get more time. Regardless, I still had a good time watching it all play out, and I found the ending to be quite adorable. Overall, this was a fun debut that should delight all the reality TV fans out there.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
Let us know in the comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment