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The Paradise Diaries #1
Dante's Girl
I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.
Until this year.
And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these
1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.
Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?
But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.
My heart just might be crazy.
Until this year.
And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these
1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.
Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?
But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.
My heart just might be crazy.
356 pages, ebook
First published June 22, 2012
41 people are currently reading
3761 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Cole
44 books4,546 followersCourtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist who loves to eat your emotions for breakfast.
She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and that a well-timed smile can save the world.
Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolecreates.com
Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneyc...
She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and that a well-timed smile can save the world.
Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolecreates.com
Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneyc...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
August 22, 2012
I absolutely adored this book! It was an amazing read to add to my summer list! I fell in love with it from the very beginning and I just had to finish it in a few short hours. It swept me away into the world of Dante and Reece and I want to stay on that little island off of Greece forever. This book will have readers swooning within the first few pages when they get a hold of Dante’s wit and Reece’s spitfire attitude!
Cover:
It is so cute! It is a collage of pictures that all make you smile a big, teeth showing smile! First off, they have him in a suit and her in cut offs and a cowboy hat which fits perfectly! Secondly, they have a map of the world and my favorite quote of Reece’s on the cover. Lastly, they have the passport, which I find a very nice touch!
Plot/Writing:
I really enjoyed Dante’s Girl’s plot. It was unexpected at times, and predictable at others, which makes for a great story. I did find some typos, but those were just formatting errors that might’ve been just on my Nook because they were minimal and few and far between. She did a great job writing out the characters and making everything have a sense of believability.
Characters:
Reece was a spitfire. She was a little frightened at the beginning with the plane and all, but want to know what cures that fear? A hot guy named Dante whisking you off! ;) She didn’t lose her personality at all though. She was still head strong and determined to do what she wanted to do, but her motivations were a little skewed toward a handsome 6’3 Caberra prince! I loved Reece and I can’t wait to see a cameo of her, maybe, in the next book!
Okay, how can I describe Dante? Other than the perfect man, I can’t. Sure he could be annoying at moments when he would say his life was ‘complicated.’ Other than that, he had the charm, the looks, the sweetness, the everything that a girl could ever want all rolled into one delicious man. Dante was amazing and I love him so very much!
All in All:
Okay, I got a little creepy there, but I do love Dante’s Girl and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us in the next Paradise Diaries book! Now, does anyone else want Gelato? I sure do!
Cover:
It is so cute! It is a collage of pictures that all make you smile a big, teeth showing smile! First off, they have him in a suit and her in cut offs and a cowboy hat which fits perfectly! Secondly, they have a map of the world and my favorite quote of Reece’s on the cover. Lastly, they have the passport, which I find a very nice touch!
Plot/Writing:
I really enjoyed Dante’s Girl’s plot. It was unexpected at times, and predictable at others, which makes for a great story. I did find some typos, but those were just formatting errors that might’ve been just on my Nook because they were minimal and few and far between. She did a great job writing out the characters and making everything have a sense of believability.
Characters:
Reece was a spitfire. She was a little frightened at the beginning with the plane and all, but want to know what cures that fear? A hot guy named Dante whisking you off! ;) She didn’t lose her personality at all though. She was still head strong and determined to do what she wanted to do, but her motivations were a little skewed toward a handsome 6’3 Caberra prince! I loved Reece and I can’t wait to see a cameo of her, maybe, in the next book!
Okay, how can I describe Dante? Other than the perfect man, I can’t. Sure he could be annoying at moments when he would say his life was ‘complicated.’ Other than that, he had the charm, the looks, the sweetness, the everything that a girl could ever want all rolled into one delicious man. Dante was amazing and I love him so very much!
All in All:
Okay, I got a little creepy there, but I do love Dante’s Girl and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us in the next Paradise Diaries book! Now, does anyone else want Gelato? I sure do!
August 2, 2012
“
Three and a half stars: A sweet, fun summer romance!
Reece inwardly groans as she stares at her disheveled reflection in the glaring fluorescent lighting of the airport bathroom. She is trying to freshen up after a long leg of flying, before she boards the last plane to London. She is set to spend another boring summer with her father in England. Little does she know, her summer is going to be anything but boring. It all begins when she inadvertently bumps into the most handsome boy she has ever seen. He quickly bends over and picks up all the spilled contents of her purse and then gives her a dazzling smile. Can you say, sparkling blue eyes and drop dead gorgeous? After a hurried thank you, Reece quickly heads to the gate, determined not to look back. Then she discovers that he is on her plane, but in first class. As she eases down the aisle, his eyes meet hers and there is definitely some sparks. Reece finds her seat and tries to calm her jangled nerves. She is terrified of flying. She closes her eyes and fervently wishes for a safe flight. Once again, she hears that magical voice. Dante slides in the seat next to her, stating he is bored in first class. Just before take off something goes terribly wrong, a plane next to them is on the run way and on fire! Dante is urged by a group of men that they must deboard the plane immediately. Dante refuses to go without Reece, and she inexplicably follows. Turns out this Dante is not just a hunky boy. He just happens to be the son of the Prime Minister of a small Mediterranean nation. He insists on taking her to London, but unfortunately a volcano eruption is responsible for the catastrophe and all planes are grounded. Reece finds herself flying on a helicopter with this boy. Her summer has suddenly taken a detour. Will Reece lose her heart to this handsome boy who is way out of her league?
What I Liked:
*Dante's Girl is simply a feel good, sweet summer romance that will make you smile. If you are need of a fun, simple story this one is for you. Perfect for whiling away the afternoon in a sunny spot.
*I completely enjoyed both the main characters, Dante and Reece. Reece is an average girl from Kansas, who sees herself as the girl next door, she is attractive but never the knock out who turns heads. So when Dante turns his attention to her she is shocked! Reece is funny and the reader gets to read all of her stream of conscious thoughts as they fly through her head. Her commentary is witty and so fun. I liked that she is insecure and incredulous and apprehensive. Her voice reminds me a bit of Anna from Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss. She is easy to like and she will surely make you smile. Then there is Dante. He is everything any girl would dream of in a boyfriend. He is handsome, charming, polite, kind, funny, considerate and practically perfect. Oh, and he just happens to be the son of a wealthy diplomat. I think most girls would gladly trade places with Reece! Ladies, if you are looking for a book with a swoon worthy boy, you should check out this one.
*The romance in this one starts as an attraction, but it takes its time to slowly build. I don't consider it to be an insta love. All in all it is just a charming little romance.
And The Not So Much:
*I guess my main criticism for this novel is that it is a fairy tale type of story. One that seems very improbably and unrealistic, but hey here's to dreaming. Besides, it is just a sweet little story, even if the likelihood of this happening to an ordinary girl is pretty slim. I guess that is why it makes a good story, one can always dream!
*As much as I loved Dante, he seemed a little too good to be true. This boy is drop dead gorgeous, charming and so considerate. Seriously, do they really make guys like this? Nevertheless, he is an enjoyable character.
*While I enjoyed Reece's funny commentary and her many awkward moments, there were numerous times when she suddenly became emotional and extremely dramatic and I was a bit put off by her crying jags.
Dante's Girl is a fun, quick, fairytale summer romance. Even though the storyline is a bit far fetched, it is a nice book to curl up with when you are looking for a cozy read. Reece is a likable, farm girl who unexpectedly finds herself swept away by an amazing boy. This is a perfect escape book!
Favorite Quotations:
"It is impossible to look hot in the dingy fluorescent light of an airport bathroom."
"He smells like sunshine. And rain. And everything beautiful that I can think of."
"I try to discreetly smooth my hair down. In my head, I envision myself as Chewbaca from Star Wars and wince."
"The clothing that had seemed so sophisticated to travel in this morning now seems like it was hand-made in someone's backwoods shed."
"The feel of his hand distracts me. Strong and warm, it cups my own carefully, like he is holding a delicate flower."
"I have to go from looking like a rumpled farm girl who just woke up to looking like an ultra-glam sexy siren."
"I realize once again that boys are different here. They have manners. Real manners. Not just the "I'll hold the obligatory door for you so I can get into yours pants later" manners like the boys do back home."
"I need to look graceful and cool as I grasp the elegant champagne glass and drink it. Instead, I am hacking like a drunk donkey and I've only had one little sip."
"My heart will soon explode from love for this boy. I know this much is true."
A big thanks to the ladies at Kismet Tours for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own and I received no compensation for this review.
Posted originally @ http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/
Three and a half stars: A sweet, fun summer romance!
Reece inwardly groans as she stares at her disheveled reflection in the glaring fluorescent lighting of the airport bathroom. She is trying to freshen up after a long leg of flying, before she boards the last plane to London. She is set to spend another boring summer with her father in England. Little does she know, her summer is going to be anything but boring. It all begins when she inadvertently bumps into the most handsome boy she has ever seen. He quickly bends over and picks up all the spilled contents of her purse and then gives her a dazzling smile. Can you say, sparkling blue eyes and drop dead gorgeous? After a hurried thank you, Reece quickly heads to the gate, determined not to look back. Then she discovers that he is on her plane, but in first class. As she eases down the aisle, his eyes meet hers and there is definitely some sparks. Reece finds her seat and tries to calm her jangled nerves. She is terrified of flying. She closes her eyes and fervently wishes for a safe flight. Once again, she hears that magical voice. Dante slides in the seat next to her, stating he is bored in first class. Just before take off something goes terribly wrong, a plane next to them is on the run way and on fire! Dante is urged by a group of men that they must deboard the plane immediately. Dante refuses to go without Reece, and she inexplicably follows. Turns out this Dante is not just a hunky boy. He just happens to be the son of the Prime Minister of a small Mediterranean nation. He insists on taking her to London, but unfortunately a volcano eruption is responsible for the catastrophe and all planes are grounded. Reece finds herself flying on a helicopter with this boy. Her summer has suddenly taken a detour. Will Reece lose her heart to this handsome boy who is way out of her league?
What I Liked:
*Dante's Girl is simply a feel good, sweet summer romance that will make you smile. If you are need of a fun, simple story this one is for you. Perfect for whiling away the afternoon in a sunny spot.
*I completely enjoyed both the main characters, Dante and Reece. Reece is an average girl from Kansas, who sees herself as the girl next door, she is attractive but never the knock out who turns heads. So when Dante turns his attention to her she is shocked! Reece is funny and the reader gets to read all of her stream of conscious thoughts as they fly through her head. Her commentary is witty and so fun. I liked that she is insecure and incredulous and apprehensive. Her voice reminds me a bit of Anna from Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss. She is easy to like and she will surely make you smile. Then there is Dante. He is everything any girl would dream of in a boyfriend. He is handsome, charming, polite, kind, funny, considerate and practically perfect. Oh, and he just happens to be the son of a wealthy diplomat. I think most girls would gladly trade places with Reece! Ladies, if you are looking for a book with a swoon worthy boy, you should check out this one.
*The romance in this one starts as an attraction, but it takes its time to slowly build. I don't consider it to be an insta love. All in all it is just a charming little romance.
And The Not So Much:
*I guess my main criticism for this novel is that it is a fairy tale type of story. One that seems very improbably and unrealistic, but hey here's to dreaming. Besides, it is just a sweet little story, even if the likelihood of this happening to an ordinary girl is pretty slim. I guess that is why it makes a good story, one can always dream!
*As much as I loved Dante, he seemed a little too good to be true. This boy is drop dead gorgeous, charming and so considerate. Seriously, do they really make guys like this? Nevertheless, he is an enjoyable character.
*While I enjoyed Reece's funny commentary and her many awkward moments, there were numerous times when she suddenly became emotional and extremely dramatic and I was a bit put off by her crying jags.
Dante's Girl is a fun, quick, fairytale summer romance. Even though the storyline is a bit far fetched, it is a nice book to curl up with when you are looking for a cozy read. Reece is a likable, farm girl who unexpectedly finds herself swept away by an amazing boy. This is a perfect escape book!
Favorite Quotations:
"It is impossible to look hot in the dingy fluorescent light of an airport bathroom."
"He smells like sunshine. And rain. And everything beautiful that I can think of."
"I try to discreetly smooth my hair down. In my head, I envision myself as Chewbaca from Star Wars and wince."
"The clothing that had seemed so sophisticated to travel in this morning now seems like it was hand-made in someone's backwoods shed."
"The feel of his hand distracts me. Strong and warm, it cups my own carefully, like he is holding a delicate flower."
"I have to go from looking like a rumpled farm girl who just woke up to looking like an ultra-glam sexy siren."
"I realize once again that boys are different here. They have manners. Real manners. Not just the "I'll hold the obligatory door for you so I can get into yours pants later" manners like the boys do back home."
"I need to look graceful and cool as I grasp the elegant champagne glass and drink it. Instead, I am hacking like a drunk donkey and I've only had one little sip."
"My heart will soon explode from love for this boy. I know this much is true."
A big thanks to the ladies at Kismet Tours for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own and I received no compensation for this review.
Posted originally @ http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/
April 2, 2013
I found the plot a bit incredulous really. It all seemed far-fetched as did the "love" between Dante and Reece felt like. It seems to me that it's more like infatuation which is expected. When a hot guy literally wading through cash, sweeps you of your feets (albeit using a helicopter), takes you all the way to GREECE and his mansion, you tend to develop a tiny little crush on him. That's what I'd do.
But Reece goes a step further and imagines herself in love with Dante, an impossibly perfect and sensitive guy. In fact she explains the ridiculousness of this much more better than I do with this quote.
"I’ve known him all of two days and I want him completely, utterly and absolutely."
I can believe in love at first sight, but the key word here is 'want'. Want people.
And then the author decided to add in assassination plots, a typical jealous rival who I felt that could have been cut out of cardboard and the whole scenario with Becca and Quinn was unnecessary. This actually distracted and confused me so much, I had to spend the whole evening reading it again.
Other than all that, it was alright.I managed to read my way through it without killing anybody. And even though I found Dante annoyingly perfect, most of the fluff scenes with Reece did cheer me up.
But Reece goes a step further and imagines herself in love with Dante, an impossibly perfect and sensitive guy. In fact she explains the ridiculousness of this much more better than I do with this quote.
"I’ve known him all of two days and I want him completely, utterly and absolutely."
I can believe in love at first sight, but the key word here is 'want'. Want people.
And then the author decided to add in assassination plots, a typical jealous rival who I felt that could have been cut out of cardboard and the whole scenario with Becca and Quinn was unnecessary. This actually distracted and confused me so much, I had to spend the whole evening reading it again.
Other than all that, it was alright.I managed to read my way through it without killing anybody. And even though I found Dante annoyingly perfect, most of the fluff scenes with Reece did cheer me up.
October 4, 2012
For some reason, I was expecting this to be a vampire book, but it wasn't. Dante is basically a prince in his country and when American, Reece, bumps into him at the airport, a connection is formed. She is on her way to visit her dad for the summer in London, but a volcano eruption stops that from happening. So...she ends up in Caberra, at Dante's home.
Likes: I liked watching them fall in love--so complicated and gradual. I also liked knowing that Reece was so normal--thinking things and then saying them, without realizing it; feeling jealous and insecure; trying to find a friend in a strange place. But she wasn't over the top. Dante is such a gentleman--so different from American boys and I can totally see why he had Reece swooning--he had it all--looks, money, manners.
Dislikes: I'm not a fan of teen sex or teen drinking and I teach my kids not to go down those roads. There were a few scenes where you knew that was happening, but there weren't details, but that still bugged me. For those reasons, I wouldn't recommend it as a YA read, even though that's how it's listed. There was also a bit more language than I personally like--not just swear words, but crude Jr High words.
But...I loved the storyline and it was good, fluffy fun.
August 19, 2012
I LOVED THIS SO FREAKIN' MUCH AND DANTE? OMG! I LOVE YOU!
January 15, 2014
3.5
So, I liked this one. I can’t remember who recommend this to me, but I’m glad they did. It was a fun escape. I liked Reece and Dante. I kind of wish this had both their POVs, but it was all from Reece’s perspective. Reece is on her way to London to spend a few weeks with her dad. On her way there she meets Dante and when an emergency happens she finds herself being rescued and swept off to his home. They had a nice love story and it was fun to see it unfold. I wasn’t sure how everything was going to work out since she would have to return to Kansas to finish high school. The story would have made a good new adult book with it taking place her summer before college or something (which also would have made me a little more comfortable with how intimate they become). It was interesting to see how it all plays out though and I look forward to reading Mia’s story next. I liked her.
Overall, it was a nice read. I did have a few niggles (I saw that word on another review and a few time since and just liked the sound of it and had to give it a try). Minor spoilers below.
1. Reece starts the book off by saying her parents wanted a boy and when she came out they decided to stick with the “boy” name they had picked out. I wouldn’t even mention it normally, but she makes such a big deal about her name throughout the book I just had to comment. I’ve personally known more females named Reece than males. It’s one of those unisex names like Tracey or Taylor. I think if the author was going to make such a big deal out of it should have at least been a more manly name.
2. I hated all the swearing. I don’t find it necessary in real life or in books. I also didn’t like that Reece doesn’t normally drink, but here she is drinking wine and champagne. Dante should have been a little more cautious about that and not all the surprised when she gets drunk so easily. Just another thing that could have been left out of the story. I also hated that they “did it.” I’m against premarital sex anyway, but I especially hate it when it’s between teenagers. It was fade to black, but so unnecessary to the story. Neither showed the maturity to take their relationship to that level and they hadn’t known each other that long. Despite all their claims of “love” it’s way too early. They also had no thought of birth control or what would happen if she became pregnant. Just showed a lot of immaturity IMO. Oh, and I thought it was lame how upset he gets when he finds out it was her first time and if he'd known he would have made it special. Even if it wasn't her first time, it was your first time together, shouldn't he have wanted to make it special regardless? Just saying.
3. My biggest complaint though was the attitude towards America. Reece acts almost ashamed to be an American. I can get her being self-conscious about her upbringing compared to Dante’s, I mean who wouldn’t be. I just couldn’t understand her attitude about America in general. I also thought it was a bit overdone about how much everyone there hates Americans. I thought that was ridiculous. I have traveled all over the world and no one has ever treated me rudely or said anything about disliking Americans as much as Reece got in her short time there. I know there are a lot of misconceptions about Americans, but that’s common with everyone (Oh, which reminds me, it was weird how Dante acted like his father was so determined on what Dante should do with his life and implied that it wasn’t like that in America. Duh, a lot of parents are like that. It doesn’t matter what country you live in). Reece just acted like America had nothing to offer. The chick needs to get out and explore America. It’s beautiful. I’ve been to almost all fifty states and each one has so much to offer (even Kansas). We may not have buildings as old as Greece, but we do have history. We also have natural wonders like the Grand Canyon, the Sequoias and the Arches in Utah. Just to name a few. I love America and I’m proud to call it home.
Content: Pretty clean. Premarital sex between teenagers, fade to black. Moderate language and mild violence.
So, I liked this one. I can’t remember who recommend this to me, but I’m glad they did. It was a fun escape. I liked Reece and Dante. I kind of wish this had both their POVs, but it was all from Reece’s perspective. Reece is on her way to London to spend a few weeks with her dad. On her way there she meets Dante and when an emergency happens she finds herself being rescued and swept off to his home. They had a nice love story and it was fun to see it unfold. I wasn’t sure how everything was going to work out since she would have to return to Kansas to finish high school. The story would have made a good new adult book with it taking place her summer before college or something (which also would have made me a little more comfortable with how intimate they become). It was interesting to see how it all plays out though and I look forward to reading Mia’s story next. I liked her.
Overall, it was a nice read. I did have a few niggles (I saw that word on another review and a few time since and just liked the sound of it and had to give it a try). Minor spoilers below.
1. Reece starts the book off by saying her parents wanted a boy and when she came out they decided to stick with the “boy” name they had picked out. I wouldn’t even mention it normally, but she makes such a big deal about her name throughout the book I just had to comment. I’ve personally known more females named Reece than males. It’s one of those unisex names like Tracey or Taylor. I think if the author was going to make such a big deal out of it should have at least been a more manly name.
2. I hated all the swearing. I don’t find it necessary in real life or in books. I also didn’t like that Reece doesn’t normally drink, but here she is drinking wine and champagne. Dante should have been a little more cautious about that and not all the surprised when she gets drunk so easily. Just another thing that could have been left out of the story. I also hated that they “did it.” I’m against premarital sex anyway, but I especially hate it when it’s between teenagers. It was fade to black, but so unnecessary to the story. Neither showed the maturity to take their relationship to that level and they hadn’t known each other that long. Despite all their claims of “love” it’s way too early. They also had no thought of birth control or what would happen if she became pregnant. Just showed a lot of immaturity IMO. Oh, and I thought it was lame how upset he gets when he finds out it was her first time and if he'd known he would have made it special. Even if it wasn't her first time, it was your first time together, shouldn't he have wanted to make it special regardless? Just saying.
3. My biggest complaint though was the attitude towards America. Reece acts almost ashamed to be an American. I can get her being self-conscious about her upbringing compared to Dante’s, I mean who wouldn’t be. I just couldn’t understand her attitude about America in general. I also thought it was a bit overdone about how much everyone there hates Americans. I thought that was ridiculous. I have traveled all over the world and no one has ever treated me rudely or said anything about disliking Americans as much as Reece got in her short time there. I know there are a lot of misconceptions about Americans, but that’s common with everyone (Oh, which reminds me, it was weird how Dante acted like his father was so determined on what Dante should do with his life and implied that it wasn’t like that in America. Duh, a lot of parents are like that. It doesn’t matter what country you live in). Reece just acted like America had nothing to offer. The chick needs to get out and explore America. It’s beautiful. I’ve been to almost all fifty states and each one has so much to offer (even Kansas). We may not have buildings as old as Greece, but we do have history. We also have natural wonders like the Grand Canyon, the Sequoias and the Arches in Utah. Just to name a few. I love America and I’m proud to call it home.
Content: Pretty clean. Premarital sex between teenagers, fade to black. Moderate language and mild violence.
did-not-finish
April 17, 2017
Did not finish the book, hell, I couldn't even sail past chapter 2. There are just too many things wrong with how the book begins (I shudder at the thought of its continuation and worse still, the end). Don't get me wrong, it sounds like an idyllic summer romance with the backdrop of London and Greece, but the guy, Dante, seems plain creepy and the girl, Reece, utterly gullible. How she a) falls for blue eyes as hers meets them, b) is lured to his exotic sounding accent and “mesmerized by the shape of his lips as he moves them”, c) doesn't question him or his moves and quietly strides along wherever he takes (read, commands) her - is she daft or plain ignorant or just busy fangirling over a guy she merely met 20 minutes back? I mean, he is around whenever she opens her bloody eyes! Does she not see stalker tendencies? Talk about the father working for the NSA and not teaching his daughter a thing about body language. I don't mean to pick on the author or her idea, but these 'coincidences' just seem wrong in even romance novels.
The writing oozes chummy - like it is written specifically for teens. Phrases such as sweet baby monkeys, sexy accent coming from Apollo, formula for utter female devastation, etc. irritated me to no end. All in all, I don't think I am going to continue with this book or the series. My 2 cents.
P.S. Can I rate the book 0.2, Goodreads?!
July 4, 2012
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AT READING, EATING AND DREAMING I WAS BLAIR WALDORF
I am going to keep this review short... I wasn't planning on reviewing Dante's Girl. I had planned for this to be a fun beach read that I enjoyed on vacation without reviewing. My vacation reading plan was to read, read, read. I knew if I stopped to take notes and review books that I wouldn't be able to read as many books. In the end, Dante's Girl was such a cute book that I had to share!
I absolutely loved this book. Witty. Hilarious. Entertaining. Precious. Just plain fun.
Dante's Girl is the PERFECT summer beach read. The characters and the storyline were original and refreshing. The main character, Reese, had me CRACKING UP. I absolutely adored her inner monologue. Her character was so real and so down-to-earth. And Dante is a completely swoon-worthy hero! He has everything a girl could want and then some.
I gave Dante's Girl (The Paradise Diaries #1) by Courtney Cole 4 STARS. Dante's Girl is a summer MUST READ for young adults!
-XOXO
READING, EATING AND DREAMING
I am going to keep this review short... I wasn't planning on reviewing Dante's Girl. I had planned for this to be a fun beach read that I enjoyed on vacation without reviewing. My vacation reading plan was to read, read, read. I knew if I stopped to take notes and review books that I wouldn't be able to read as many books. In the end, Dante's Girl was such a cute book that I had to share!
I absolutely loved this book. Witty. Hilarious. Entertaining. Precious. Just plain fun.
Dante's Girl is the PERFECT summer beach read. The characters and the storyline were original and refreshing. The main character, Reese, had me CRACKING UP. I absolutely adored her inner monologue. Her character was so real and so down-to-earth. And Dante is a completely swoon-worthy hero! He has everything a girl could want and then some.
I gave Dante's Girl (The Paradise Diaries #1) by Courtney Cole 4 STARS. Dante's Girl is a summer MUST READ for young adults!
-XOXO
READING, EATING AND DREAMING
November 12, 2014
A totally sweet and heart warming read perfect for any fan of YA contemporary romance.
October 27, 2012
2.5
So one with a brain that actually functions correctly would probably think to just put down a book they didn't enjoy and attempted to read for a period of two months consistently.
But I've always been told I'm not like other people, you know? And I have this thing that if something in a book I hate seems at the very least redeemable, I'll put in effort to continue on to the end. Just cause I like giving things a fair chance. Well, I gave Dante's Girl that chance. Whether or not this book met my expectations, well, you'll just have to read on to find out.
*sighs* Here goes nothing...
So Dante's Girl begins the story of Reece, a teenage girl who is just about to board the plane for her flight to London to visit her father. But she runs into something on the way.
Some very hot thing, in Reece's eyes. Not mine. Just putting that out there.
In fact, Reece runs into the son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise. (Hey, I can't deny how I much I'd love to live in Dante's home.) And because of her close little encounter with Dante, the hot boy Reece crashed into, she finds herself in the midst of a plane hijack, a team of big men also known as security guards, and a love life with a off-limit prince.
One thing that really bothered me was not just Reece, but her declaration of love every. Two. PAGES.
But the worse part is? She even admits she's known Dante a little short of three days when she first announces her undying love for a boy she knows nothing about. Why don't you just pick up a random stranger off the street and ask him to marry you? *shakes head*
What I first set out for in August 2012 was light fun read that I could enjoy and not want to make me fling my NOOK Color against the wall than out the window. But I didn't get that from Dante's Girl. Lasting for over 300 pages, I felt like I wasted two months of my time reading this. I did. But something, or someone, made me want to read on. And believe me, it's far from Reece or Dante. Far from.
But anyway, that someone was Nick. Nick's role brought in mystery, intrigue, and plot. *claps hands* I never thought it'd be possible. Seriously.
I know someone is going to think this review a bit too harsh, and I know Dante's Girl isn't suppose to be more than a fun read. But I'm a reviewer. I have a duty to look at things at all angles. And that includes comparing characters, story, and writing.
And writing was a huge part in the down factor. Repetitive and slightly amateurish, I didn't really appreciate the fact that, "I thought the way his beautiful hair shined in the moonlight was gorgerous. And so I told him that", or something along those lines, was basically found somewhere IN EVERY CHAPTER.
Seriously Reece, did the hot boy mess with your brain so much that you lost all ability to talk using diverse vocabulary? *frustrated anger*
[image error]
Like seriously. You'd think someone her age wouldn't fall for a dude 5 years older than her. It's not right. Nor is fawning over the same boy you just met five minutes ago. Please. There's a reason you were born with a brain. USE IT.
I liked Mia well enough, as I did Gavin. But they were too typical best friend material. The fact that they were awesome wasn't deniable, but they seemed so...common. Like everyone single young adult book has an awesome bestfriend that's so deserves more appreciation. *cough Puck, cough*
And while we're on the track of things that are common, how 'bout we switch things up so that we're talking about stuff that's from from that?
Let's talk Dante.
So Dante is basically everything you'd want your boyfriend to be...probably. Handsome, charming, polite, and sprouts chessy lines like second nature. He also has no problem pretending to dress up as a fake shark to scare the crap out of a girl who fears them. But I have no problem admitting someone like him, and a story like this, won't happen to one out of a million of girls. Scratch that. 99.99% of the female population is more like it. I liked Dante well enough, but his perfection bothered me. I like my characters to be, well, real. And Dante seemed way to far from that. Especially after the ending. I'd love to see any boy I know do that. It was a sweet ending though, that much I'll admit. Sweet and impossible. But I guess that's the point. A hopeless romantic likes to hope.
But what about Reece, our lovely annoying main character?
I didn't like her. Not one bit. Plain and simple. And because crushing on your best friend's boyfriend is so not cool. More reasons explained above since I'm too lazy to re-word them.
But in the end, if you're looking for a break from action and high-fantasy, this just may be the book for you. And for those people who've never eaten gelato before, well boy, aren't you in for a real treat. But me? I think I'm going to take a break from contemporary now. *eyes Splintered and Through the Ever Night* I must physically restrain myself from running to those two books and reading them straight through over and over again, throwing my giant TBR pile out the window. Oh how I wish. How I wish...
P.S: Gelato is amazing. Shrimp is good too. And I don't see why Reece doesn't like it. *grumbles & stomps feet*
An advance copy was provided from the publisher for review via NetGalley. However, all opinions remain honest and my own.
So one with a brain that actually functions correctly would probably think to just put down a book they didn't enjoy and attempted to read for a period of two months consistently.
But I've always been told I'm not like other people, you know? And I have this thing that if something in a book I hate seems at the very least redeemable, I'll put in effort to continue on to the end. Just cause I like giving things a fair chance. Well, I gave Dante's Girl that chance. Whether or not this book met my expectations, well, you'll just have to read on to find out.
*sighs* Here goes nothing...
So Dante's Girl begins the story of Reece, a teenage girl who is just about to board the plane for her flight to London to visit her father. But she runs into something on the way.
Some very hot thing, in Reece's eyes. Not mine. Just putting that out there.
In fact, Reece runs into the son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise. (Hey, I can't deny how I much I'd love to live in Dante's home.) And because of her close little encounter with Dante, the hot boy Reece crashed into, she finds herself in the midst of a plane hijack, a team of big men also known as security guards, and a love life with a off-limit prince.
One thing that really bothered me was not just Reece, but her declaration of love every. Two. PAGES.
But the worse part is? She even admits she's known Dante a little short of three days when she first announces her undying love for a boy she knows nothing about. Why don't you just pick up a random stranger off the street and ask him to marry you? *shakes head*
What I first set out for in August 2012 was light fun read that I could enjoy and not want to make me fling my NOOK Color against the wall than out the window. But I didn't get that from Dante's Girl. Lasting for over 300 pages, I felt like I wasted two months of my time reading this. I did. But something, or someone, made me want to read on. And believe me, it's far from Reece or Dante. Far from.
But anyway, that someone was Nick. Nick's role brought in mystery, intrigue, and plot. *claps hands* I never thought it'd be possible. Seriously.
I know someone is going to think this review a bit too harsh, and I know Dante's Girl isn't suppose to be more than a fun read. But I'm a reviewer. I have a duty to look at things at all angles. And that includes comparing characters, story, and writing.
And writing was a huge part in the down factor. Repetitive and slightly amateurish, I didn't really appreciate the fact that, "I thought the way his beautiful hair shined in the moonlight was gorgerous. And so I told him that", or something along those lines, was basically found somewhere IN EVERY CHAPTER.
Seriously Reece, did the hot boy mess with your brain so much that you lost all ability to talk using diverse vocabulary? *frustrated anger*
[image error]
Like seriously. You'd think someone her age wouldn't fall for a dude 5 years older than her. It's not right. Nor is fawning over the same boy you just met five minutes ago. Please. There's a reason you were born with a brain. USE IT.
I liked Mia well enough, as I did Gavin. But they were too typical best friend material. The fact that they were awesome wasn't deniable, but they seemed so...common. Like everyone single young adult book has an awesome bestfriend that's so deserves more appreciation. *cough Puck, cough*
And while we're on the track of things that are common, how 'bout we switch things up so that we're talking about stuff that's from from that?
Let's talk Dante.
So Dante is basically everything you'd want your boyfriend to be...probably. Handsome, charming, polite, and sprouts chessy lines like second nature. He also has no problem pretending to dress up as a fake shark to scare the crap out of a girl who fears them. But I have no problem admitting someone like him, and a story like this, won't happen to one out of a million of girls. Scratch that. 99.99% of the female population is more like it. I liked Dante well enough, but his perfection bothered me. I like my characters to be, well, real. And Dante seemed way to far from that. Especially after the ending. I'd love to see any boy I know do that. It was a sweet ending though, that much I'll admit. Sweet and impossible. But I guess that's the point. A hopeless romantic likes to hope.
But what about Reece, our lovely annoying main character?
I didn't like her. Not one bit. Plain and simple. And because crushing on your best friend's boyfriend is so not cool. More reasons explained above since I'm too lazy to re-word them.
But in the end, if you're looking for a break from action and high-fantasy, this just may be the book for you. And for those people who've never eaten gelato before, well boy, aren't you in for a real treat. But me? I think I'm going to take a break from contemporary now. *eyes Splintered and Through the Ever Night* I must physically restrain myself from running to those two books and reading them straight through over and over again, throwing my giant TBR pile out the window. Oh how I wish. How I wish...
P.S: Gelato is amazing. Shrimp is good too. And I don't see why Reece doesn't like it. *grumbles & stomps feet*
An advance copy was provided from the publisher for review via NetGalley. However, all opinions remain honest and my own.
Read
October 16, 2012More like 2 1/2 stars, but I'll round up. :)
Sometimes, you just need something light and fluffy. Like cotton candy in book form. And that's what this book is - frothy, funny fluff. Now, this type of book just happens to be one of my favorites, so I've read quite a few. And because of that, I couldn't help comparing this to other (traditionally published) books that I liked better.
I should also say that I don't read many indie books. And if I do, it's unusual that I enjoy them. There are the few exceptions like books published by Entangled or Strange Chemistry, but self-published or small press publications tend to get low ratings from me.
One of the tip-offs that this was an indie was the egregious amount of typos. The book is supposed to be in present tense, but there were a LOT of shifting into past tense that weren't supposed to be there. At first, I skimmed over them, but then they sort of got on my nerves a little bit. It made the book seem unprofessional.
Now, Dante's Girl was definitely cute. I liked the voice of the MC - she was funny and adorable, and I felt like I could definitely "hear" her in the narration. I think that was probably my favorite part of the book because she really felt like a teen girl.
I also loved that the book was set in a foreign (albeit made-up) country. It all felt very Princess Diaries-esque, her meeting this guy that's practically royalty and going to some tiny European country and getting to experience the high life.
I was also a little disappointed with the romance. It was cute, but I didn't feel sparks between the hero and heroine like when I read a Stephanie Perkins book. And I guess Dante just isn't my flavor of YA book boy, but he didn't do anything for me. I liked that he was nice, but he was too perfect. He needed some nerdy thrown in for good measure. :)
Overall, this was quick and very readable. It was just what I was looking for at the time: something fun and easy. I think I'll probably read the second one when it's released since the ebook prices are so cheap, but I'm not sure I'd pay full price for a hardcover version.
Sometimes, you just need something light and fluffy. Like cotton candy in book form. And that's what this book is - frothy, funny fluff. Now, this type of book just happens to be one of my favorites, so I've read quite a few. And because of that, I couldn't help comparing this to other (traditionally published) books that I liked better.
I should also say that I don't read many indie books. And if I do, it's unusual that I enjoy them. There are the few exceptions like books published by Entangled or Strange Chemistry, but self-published or small press publications tend to get low ratings from me.
One of the tip-offs that this was an indie was the egregious amount of typos. The book is supposed to be in present tense, but there were a LOT of shifting into past tense that weren't supposed to be there. At first, I skimmed over them, but then they sort of got on my nerves a little bit. It made the book seem unprofessional.
Now, Dante's Girl was definitely cute. I liked the voice of the MC - she was funny and adorable, and I felt like I could definitely "hear" her in the narration. I think that was probably my favorite part of the book because she really felt like a teen girl.
I also loved that the book was set in a foreign (albeit made-up) country. It all felt very Princess Diaries-esque, her meeting this guy that's practically royalty and going to some tiny European country and getting to experience the high life.
I was also a little disappointed with the romance. It was cute, but I didn't feel sparks between the hero and heroine like when I read a Stephanie Perkins book. And I guess Dante just isn't my flavor of YA book boy, but he didn't do anything for me. I liked that he was nice, but he was too perfect. He needed some nerdy thrown in for good measure. :)
Overall, this was quick and very readable. It was just what I was looking for at the time: something fun and easy. I think I'll probably read the second one when it's released since the ebook prices are so cheap, but I'm not sure I'd pay full price for a hardcover version.
June 30, 2012
What a really cute summer read! I was surfing through Amazon last week and I saw this book..so I decided to check it out and buy it. I am really glad that I did..definitely a nice summer contemporary book!
I'm a huge fan of books with international boys (especially because of the accents!) and the setting of this book was gorgeous! The plot of this book was too sweet and really was a roller coaster ride of emotions. I was definitely cheering for Dante and Reece the moment they met at the airport until the last scene of the book! At points it was a little cheesy..but it didn't matter because I was swept into the romance! This book definitely moved at the right pace..it wasn't too fast or slow! Some parts where a little predictable but I was surprised to find many unexpected scenes that I loved!
I really loved the main character, Reece! She really stayed true to herself and didn't change just because of Dante. She and Dante really complimented each other and were so adorable together! At times Dante was a little bit annoying when he was a little bit shady in his past love life, but once the reader gets past that you can see that he and Reece are perfect! Dante definitely is a dapper and dashing man..and I can see why Reece fell for him.
Overall, I really enjoyed Dante's Girl and I am SO hoping that both characters make an appearance in the next book in the series! This book really is a cute summer romance book and I highly recommend checking it out..especially when you are at the beach.
I'm a huge fan of books with international boys (especially because of the accents!) and the setting of this book was gorgeous! The plot of this book was too sweet and really was a roller coaster ride of emotions. I was definitely cheering for Dante and Reece the moment they met at the airport until the last scene of the book! At points it was a little cheesy..but it didn't matter because I was swept into the romance! This book definitely moved at the right pace..it wasn't too fast or slow! Some parts where a little predictable but I was surprised to find many unexpected scenes that I loved!
I really loved the main character, Reece! She really stayed true to herself and didn't change just because of Dante. She and Dante really complimented each other and were so adorable together! At times Dante was a little bit annoying when he was a little bit shady in his past love life, but once the reader gets past that you can see that he and Reece are perfect! Dante definitely is a dapper and dashing man..and I can see why Reece fell for him.
Overall, I really enjoyed Dante's Girl and I am SO hoping that both characters make an appearance in the next book in the series! This book really is a cute summer romance book and I highly recommend checking it out..especially when you are at the beach.
January 26, 2013
"It doesn't matter that we're different. You're everything I'm not. That's important right? You're assertive when I'm hesitant, and I'm assured where you are afraid. You're strong when I'm weak and I'm hard when you're soft. People who are exactly the same are boring. We're different and I love that. I love you. And that is all that matters."
That's the perfect quote to sum up Dante and Reece.
Dante is a public figure where Reece is a small town country gal. He's trying to break the mold that's his life, to some degree, and Reece is the perfect girl to help him do so. Reece is a great gal and has a good head on her shoulders. She knows how to stand up for herself where as Dante doesn't always know how to. This summer Dante will learn how to stand up for himself, fall in love and make miracles happen for one small town USA loving gal.
This is a sweet YA love story. I appreciated that it was a pretty clean read. I loved the main couple and their good friends. I loved reading the love story that built up between Dante and Reece. I love Mason, he made me laugh. I can't wait to read more about him in book 2: Mia's Heart. I really enjoyed Reece's friendship with Mia and how they bonded.
I think this book had all the perfect elements a cute, sweet love story needs and I enjoyed the small amount of suspense and plot to stir things up as well.
That's the perfect quote to sum up Dante and Reece.
Dante is a public figure where Reece is a small town country gal. He's trying to break the mold that's his life, to some degree, and Reece is the perfect girl to help him do so. Reece is a great gal and has a good head on her shoulders. She knows how to stand up for herself where as Dante doesn't always know how to. This summer Dante will learn how to stand up for himself, fall in love and make miracles happen for one small town USA loving gal.
This is a sweet YA love story. I appreciated that it was a pretty clean read. I loved the main couple and their good friends. I loved reading the love story that built up between Dante and Reece. I love Mason, he made me laugh. I can't wait to read more about him in book 2: Mia's Heart. I really enjoyed Reece's friendship with Mia and how they bonded.
I think this book had all the perfect elements a cute, sweet love story needs and I enjoyed the small amount of suspense and plot to stir things up as well.
June 25, 2012
I was so excited to have finally read Dante's Girl. Thank you Amazon for releasing this early. Wow I am still amazed by this story and still swooning over Dante. This story takes place in such a beautiful country, Caberra, where everything is just gorgeous and perfect. Dante himself is perfect. He definitely knows how to act and always has the right words to say. Reece was such a grounded character and even though she was supposed to have been a boy(this is explained in the book) I think her name is awesome. Reece is the type of girl who could be friends with anyone. Even the secondary characters were cool and funny and were great to meet. There is nothing about Dante's Girl I didn't fall in love with and everyone needs to read it NOW.
August 4, 2012
complicated
dunno why that word sounds funny in my ears now Lol.
i never heard about this book before but i browsed thru internet, voila i found this. accidentally.
right, skip the s*** Lol.
well its a cute love story. another reason why i love contemporary romance nowadays.
reece's life and fate was lucky since the day she bumped into dante *sigh*.
honestly i never read a story that took place in greece. this is the 1st :D
another thing i love most besides dante and nate (yes, nate) was the raining scene.
oooooh i love rain XD *fangirl-ing*.
the ending was perfect. thats so sweet. i screamed, for real Lol.
i hope there will be another story and it better be nate :)
*my role-player for reece and dante will be added soon* :D
dunno why that word sounds funny in my ears now Lol.
i never heard about this book before but i browsed thru internet, voila i found this. accidentally.
right, skip the s*** Lol.
well its a cute love story. another reason why i love contemporary romance nowadays.
reece's life and fate was lucky since the day she bumped into dante *sigh*.
honestly i never read a story that took place in greece. this is the 1st :D
another thing i love most besides dante and nate (yes, nate) was the raining scene.
oooooh i love rain XD *fangirl-ing*.
the ending was perfect. thats so sweet. i screamed, for real Lol.
i hope there will be another story and it better be nate :)
*my role-player for reece and dante will be added soon* :D
August 6, 2012
Looks like I'm the only one who hasn't fallen in love with this book.
I am really disappointed. After reading reviews about this I was so sure I'd fall in love with it, too. But about 10 chapters later I am still not hooked.
For some unknown reason, I just couldn't connect with this book. I do not like Reece, I have not fallen for Dante, and none of the other characters interest me at all. The whole thing just feels unrealistic. The author just couldn't pull off the whole Prince Charming sweeps Girl-Next-Door off her feet thing.
I will probably go back to this book someday, just to see if it gets better. But for now, I gotta put this down. If I'm not hooked after ten chapters, it's probably not a book I would like. This storyline just seemed a little too easy.
I am really disappointed. After reading reviews about this I was so sure I'd fall in love with it, too. But about 10 chapters later I am still not hooked.
For some unknown reason, I just couldn't connect with this book. I do not like Reece, I have not fallen for Dante, and none of the other characters interest me at all. The whole thing just feels unrealistic. The author just couldn't pull off the whole Prince Charming sweeps Girl-Next-Door off her feet thing.
I will probably go back to this book someday, just to see if it gets better. But for now, I gotta put this down. If I'm not hooked after ten chapters, it's probably not a book I would like. This storyline just seemed a little too easy.
June 12, 2013
tak jo, tahle kniha si ty 4 hvězdičky úplně nezaslouží, ale dát jí jenom tři by nebylo ode mě upřímné, jo, je to nablblé a sladké a hodně se tam áchá nad adonisovskou krásou Danteho, ale mě to bavilo, přiznávám se bez mučení, žádná dramata (i když se o jedno autorka pokouší, ale prostě víte, že ten happy end dostanete :)), letní zaláskovaný příběh, trochu přitažený za vlasy, ale co, kdyby člověk pitval Popelku nebo Šípkovou Růženku, bylo by to stejné, takže pokud nejste ve své kůži, je vám trochu smutno, tak po téhle knížce sáhněte, je fajn, nic víc, nic míň
July 30, 2012
Aw aw awwwwwwwww <3
This book is so cheesy and fairytale-ish that I don't know how can I like it, but I like it a lot!
I liked every single character, but what I most liked about this fairytale is that there was no major drama...There was drama, but there was realistic drama.
This book is so cheesy and fairytale-ish that I don't know how can I like it, but I like it a lot!
I liked every single character, but what I most liked about this fairytale is that there was no major drama...There was drama, but there was realistic drama.
June 23, 2016
Would be 500% better if:
- Dante wasn't so perfect in every way to the point where he's dull.
- Reece would stop talking about how perfect he was every other second
- Reece would stop forgiving him in 0.0213 seconds
- Reece would stop talking about Kansas and how they do it "back home" and then getting annoyed when someone says, "You're not in Kansas anymore, Toto."
- There were more opportunities to get to know Nate better
- It wasn't "insta-love"
- Dante wasn't so perfect in every way to the point where he's dull.
- Reece would stop talking about how perfect he was every other second
- Reece would stop forgiving him in 0.0213 seconds
- Reece would stop talking about Kansas and how they do it "back home" and then getting annoyed when someone says, "You're not in Kansas anymore, Toto."
- There were more opportunities to get to know Nate better
- It wasn't "insta-love"
June 27, 2012
I loved this book....I thought it was a wonderful love story with a little suspense in there at the end. This book kept me interested from the first page until the last page.
September 4, 2012
A very cute and sweet love story.
January 1, 2018
Skvělá oddychovka s úžasnými zvraty a pointou. Courtney dokazuje, že každá její kniha je nejen úžasná, ale na kilometry jiná ♥
Hodnocení: 4.5/5*
Hodnocení: 4.5/5*
January 14, 2018
This and other reviews can be found at The Nifty Novels Blog. Check it out!
I have always enjoyed the paranormal books by Courtney Cole that have mixed Greek mythology with stories of eternal love and adventure. Dante's Girl is a completely different type of story. This is a modern young adult contemporary romance without a hint of the paranormal at all. But Courtney has always been able to tell good romantic stories, and that proves to be true in this novel as well. This book tells the story of Reece, a girl from Kansas who travels to stay with her father in London every summer. This year on the way to meet him she literally runs into a young man while on a layover, and, to make a long story short, a friendship is born. Dante ends up on the same flight to London as she is on, but a freak volcano eruption grounds all the flights for several days. No problem because ... it turns out that he is actually the son of the prime minister of a Mediterranean island nation where their elected officials are treated more like royalty. He is taken home an alternative route, and he invites Reece along. They are whisked to his island paradise, and soon Reece is invited to stay for the summer. It is above and beyond anything that her wildest dreams could have imagined for herself. Dante is gorgeous (of course!), but he is also sweet and caring and intelligent -- a perfect potential boyfriend. But he's practically royalty. His life is so different from Reece's. Can this practically work out? Besides, Dante is living a world where expectations have already been set. He is meant to have a certain future, and Reece was never included in those plans. This story is the beginning of the two of these characters trying to figure all of this out. There is sweet romance, but there is also a bit of a mystery and intrigue (although the novel doesn't really focus much on it until a big event occurs toward the end of the book).
What I liked:
I really liked the character of Dante. In some ways he was the typical teenage heartthrob you would find in a book like this -- cute, nice, attentive. But in reality he does have one significant flaw -- his tie to his predetermined plan of life. He has a hard time breaking away from the life that his father (and the rest of his country) have planned for him. So he makes a few hurtful mistakes throughout the book. I really did appreciate that because it gave him some layers to his character that kept him from being a boring place holder within the book.
The whole idea of the story. I have to be honest here and say that this is not a particularly deep story ... but it isn't meant to be. It is meant to be fun and light and sweet and cute and all of those adjectives you might think of to describe a light summer read for young adults. As I read I kept thinking that this book reminded me of The Princess Diaries books -- not so much because of any similarities in plot or tone, but because this story seems like one of those stories that I might have imagined for my life during my daydreams in junior high. Wouldn't it be cool if one day I ran into a "prince" accidentally, and then he fell in love with me, whisking me away to live in his life of paradise? Well, that is exactly what happens to Reece. She was living my dream. And I really liked her story. I admit that I am probably much older than the target audience for this story, but even so, I can appreciate the fun that it is.
This is a quick story to read, and it is apparent that there will be more story to add to the journey of Reece and Dante as a couple. I will be staying along for the ride with this series. If it stays true to the pattern in Courtney's other series, I am sure that I will find that the books will get better and better as the series continues. I recommend this story to those looking for a light, cute summer read this year!
I have always enjoyed the paranormal books by Courtney Cole that have mixed Greek mythology with stories of eternal love and adventure. Dante's Girl is a completely different type of story. This is a modern young adult contemporary romance without a hint of the paranormal at all. But Courtney has always been able to tell good romantic stories, and that proves to be true in this novel as well. This book tells the story of Reece, a girl from Kansas who travels to stay with her father in London every summer. This year on the way to meet him she literally runs into a young man while on a layover, and, to make a long story short, a friendship is born. Dante ends up on the same flight to London as she is on, but a freak volcano eruption grounds all the flights for several days. No problem because ... it turns out that he is actually the son of the prime minister of a Mediterranean island nation where their elected officials are treated more like royalty. He is taken home an alternative route, and he invites Reece along. They are whisked to his island paradise, and soon Reece is invited to stay for the summer. It is above and beyond anything that her wildest dreams could have imagined for herself. Dante is gorgeous (of course!), but he is also sweet and caring and intelligent -- a perfect potential boyfriend. But he's practically royalty. His life is so different from Reece's. Can this practically work out? Besides, Dante is living a world where expectations have already been set. He is meant to have a certain future, and Reece was never included in those plans. This story is the beginning of the two of these characters trying to figure all of this out. There is sweet romance, but there is also a bit of a mystery and intrigue (although the novel doesn't really focus much on it until a big event occurs toward the end of the book).
What I liked:
I really liked the character of Dante. In some ways he was the typical teenage heartthrob you would find in a book like this -- cute, nice, attentive. But in reality he does have one significant flaw -- his tie to his predetermined plan of life. He has a hard time breaking away from the life that his father (and the rest of his country) have planned for him. So he makes a few hurtful mistakes throughout the book. I really did appreciate that because it gave him some layers to his character that kept him from being a boring place holder within the book.
The whole idea of the story. I have to be honest here and say that this is not a particularly deep story ... but it isn't meant to be. It is meant to be fun and light and sweet and cute and all of those adjectives you might think of to describe a light summer read for young adults. As I read I kept thinking that this book reminded me of The Princess Diaries books -- not so much because of any similarities in plot or tone, but because this story seems like one of those stories that I might have imagined for my life during my daydreams in junior high. Wouldn't it be cool if one day I ran into a "prince" accidentally, and then he fell in love with me, whisking me away to live in his life of paradise? Well, that is exactly what happens to Reece. She was living my dream. And I really liked her story. I admit that I am probably much older than the target audience for this story, but even so, I can appreciate the fun that it is.
This is a quick story to read, and it is apparent that there will be more story to add to the journey of Reece and Dante as a couple. I will be staying along for the ride with this series. If it stays true to the pattern in Courtney's other series, I am sure that I will find that the books will get better and better as the series continues. I recommend this story to those looking for a light, cute summer read this year!
July 9, 2012
Thank you to the Kismet Book Tour for the ARC of Dante’s Girl by Courtney Cole. The following review is my own personal opinions, and is in no way influenced by the author or publishing house. Reviewed for Kismet Book Tour and Fic-talk.com.
Dante’s Girl is by one of my favorite authors, and I’ve been waiting for the release of this book ever since I read about it on Cole’s blog. When I finally received it, I couldn’t wait! I knew it would be completely different from anything she’d published before. Dante’s Girl is told from the point of view of Reece, a country girl who spends her summers with her dad overseas, as she encounters some roadblocks in her travel plans at the airport after quite the scary ordeal and finds herself detoured with a handsome fella she literally ran into in the airport. Dante, the son of the Prime Minister of Caberra, takes Reece under his wings when disaster strikes the airport as they’re about to take off.
Without giving the plot away, lets just say that Reece develops a bit of a crush on Dante, and well…he does the same and the story that follows is so light hearted and full of fun that it is truly hard not to love every single minute of it. Reece, who’s invited to stay the summer and work at the olive fields and stay as a guest of the prime minister, is in many ways a fish out of water. But she’s adorable the entire time. The friends she makes along the way are fun, diverse and actually the type of people I would want to be friends with (rare in recent novels I’ve read.)
Dante’s Girl isn’t with out it’s drama though. As Dante and Reece are developing their friendship and getting to know one another, quite innocently, I might add, we meet Elena, who is in a way, betrothed to Dante. Of course, she’s hot stuff and Reece can’t help but feel a little not-so-hot compared to her, but that’s okay. Because Elena is essentially, a hot bag of air, and she definitely comes across as such. I personally can’t imagine Dante and Elena even being friends, and as the story progresses, we learn a bit more about the basics of their relationship, which in the end really seems to help Reece adjust to her feelings for Dante, even though she would probably disagree.
Plot wise, I find Dante’s girl to be just the perfect combination of ups and downs to suit a fun, light hearted read. There was enough drama to keep it from being over the top happy, but not so much that the characters and story line got bogged down with negativity and angst. I found Reece to be absolutely adorable and I’ve already found a few ways to utilize the phrase “sweet baby monkeys” in every day life. Dante…Dante was wonderful. Can I just say how unbelievably ecstatic that in a YA novel that does deal with quite a few YA issues, Dante is a breath of fresh air. He is actually a decent human being. He’s not trying to control Reece, he’s not demanding things of her, he’s not sneaking into her bedroom to watch her sleep or stalking her when she goes shopping, he’s actually concerned for her welfare, but not in a way that makes him into an overbearing ass. He’s actually a good guy. I would totally approve him if I had a daughter who brought him home one day.
As I’ve mentioned, I find the characters to be wonderful. The drama that ensues with the character fits their personalities, it isn’t so heavy that you find yourself wanting to punch everyone in the face and tell them to grow up and it isn’t so cliched that you roll your eyes at everything they say. Combine the plot, the characters, and of course, Cole’s enchanting writing style, and it’s a perfect summer read, in my humble opinion! I can’t wait for the next installment from this series and to see where other characters are taken on an adventure too!
Dante’s Girl is by one of my favorite authors, and I’ve been waiting for the release of this book ever since I read about it on Cole’s blog. When I finally received it, I couldn’t wait! I knew it would be completely different from anything she’d published before. Dante’s Girl is told from the point of view of Reece, a country girl who spends her summers with her dad overseas, as she encounters some roadblocks in her travel plans at the airport after quite the scary ordeal and finds herself detoured with a handsome fella she literally ran into in the airport. Dante, the son of the Prime Minister of Caberra, takes Reece under his wings when disaster strikes the airport as they’re about to take off.
Without giving the plot away, lets just say that Reece develops a bit of a crush on Dante, and well…he does the same and the story that follows is so light hearted and full of fun that it is truly hard not to love every single minute of it. Reece, who’s invited to stay the summer and work at the olive fields and stay as a guest of the prime minister, is in many ways a fish out of water. But she’s adorable the entire time. The friends she makes along the way are fun, diverse and actually the type of people I would want to be friends with (rare in recent novels I’ve read.)
Dante’s Girl isn’t with out it’s drama though. As Dante and Reece are developing their friendship and getting to know one another, quite innocently, I might add, we meet Elena, who is in a way, betrothed to Dante. Of course, she’s hot stuff and Reece can’t help but feel a little not-so-hot compared to her, but that’s okay. Because Elena is essentially, a hot bag of air, and she definitely comes across as such. I personally can’t imagine Dante and Elena even being friends, and as the story progresses, we learn a bit more about the basics of their relationship, which in the end really seems to help Reece adjust to her feelings for Dante, even though she would probably disagree.
Plot wise, I find Dante’s girl to be just the perfect combination of ups and downs to suit a fun, light hearted read. There was enough drama to keep it from being over the top happy, but not so much that the characters and story line got bogged down with negativity and angst. I found Reece to be absolutely adorable and I’ve already found a few ways to utilize the phrase “sweet baby monkeys” in every day life. Dante…Dante was wonderful. Can I just say how unbelievably ecstatic that in a YA novel that does deal with quite a few YA issues, Dante is a breath of fresh air. He is actually a decent human being. He’s not trying to control Reece, he’s not demanding things of her, he’s not sneaking into her bedroom to watch her sleep or stalking her when she goes shopping, he’s actually concerned for her welfare, but not in a way that makes him into an overbearing ass. He’s actually a good guy. I would totally approve him if I had a daughter who brought him home one day.
As I’ve mentioned, I find the characters to be wonderful. The drama that ensues with the character fits their personalities, it isn’t so heavy that you find yourself wanting to punch everyone in the face and tell them to grow up and it isn’t so cliched that you roll your eyes at everything they say. Combine the plot, the characters, and of course, Cole’s enchanting writing style, and it’s a perfect summer read, in my humble opinion! I can’t wait for the next installment from this series and to see where other characters are taken on an adventure too!
September 26, 2012
Warning: Terribly Cute! Proceed with caution or you won't be able to wipe the smile from your face.
I really really liked this book. It's totally adorable. If you are looking for a fluffy, sweet, romantic novel. This is it!
The MC Reece is the cutest ever. I just loved her. She is a Kansas chick with a smart mouth and great sense of humor. She had me laughing so many times.
"Dante shakes his blond bangs out of his eyes and the sun catches every glint of gold in his hair. His legs are long,lean, tanned and muscled and HolyCowThereIsAGod. If I were a man, I would
totally be wolf-whistling right now. But then again, if I were a man, I guess I wouldn’t be wolf-whistling at Dante. I'm such a weirdo."
I’ve missed him more than a PMS’ing woman misses M&M’s.
The plot is a little fantastical but I have no complaints. It's any teen girl's dream.
OK, so Reece is going to London to spend summer with her dad and she meets Dante Giliberti on the airport. And when due to a volcanic eruption she is stranded away from home. Dante takes her to Caberra, a beautiful, exotic and fictional city. (Isn't that always the case?)
Dante is the son of Prime Minister of Caberra and his life is pretty complicated and that results into some miscommunication and drama. The story also has a little mystery, which I loved.
The author, on her website wrote that Dante looks like Alex Pettyfer who is so gorgeous. I mean look at him..... *sighs*
Before I can help it, I scan the rest of him. Sweet Mary. This guy had lucked out in the gene department. Tall, slender, beautiful. Honey colored hair that had natural highlights that could even catch the crappy airport light, broad shoulders, slim hips, long legs. He is tan and golden with a bright, white smile. I am surely staring at Apollo, the god of the sun.”
I have a thing for guys with sexy accents (who doesn't?) and whenever Dante walked into a scene I couldn't control my smile or my heart. Corny, much? I think Reece is rubbing off on me.
And it's not hard to fall in love with him. He is sweet, humble and totally swoon-worthy. These kind of characters are going to make me stay single forever. How will I find a humble billionaire who is also a thorough gentleman, in my college? All the guys here are jerks. :|
So the story tells us that Love is all that matters. It’s all we need. and no matter how different two people are they can still be perfect for each other.
This is my first book by the author and she reminded me of Meg Cabot in some ways. I am really excited about the next book in the series.
Special Thanks to Lakehouse Press and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
I really really liked this book. It's totally adorable. If you are looking for a fluffy, sweet, romantic novel. This is it!
The MC Reece is the cutest ever. I just loved her. She is a Kansas chick with a smart mouth and great sense of humor. She had me laughing so many times.
"Dante shakes his blond bangs out of his eyes and the sun catches every glint of gold in his hair. His legs are long,lean, tanned and muscled and HolyCowThereIsAGod. If I were a man, I would
totally be wolf-whistling right now. But then again, if I were a man, I guess I wouldn’t be wolf-whistling at Dante. I'm such a weirdo."
I’ve missed him more than a PMS’ing woman misses M&M’s.
The plot is a little fantastical but I have no complaints. It's any teen girl's dream.
OK, so Reece is going to London to spend summer with her dad and she meets Dante Giliberti on the airport. And when due to a volcanic eruption she is stranded away from home. Dante takes her to Caberra, a beautiful, exotic and fictional city. (Isn't that always the case?)
Dante is the son of Prime Minister of Caberra and his life is pretty complicated and that results into some miscommunication and drama. The story also has a little mystery, which I loved.
The author, on her website wrote that Dante looks like Alex Pettyfer who is so gorgeous. I mean look at him..... *sighs*
Before I can help it, I scan the rest of him. Sweet Mary. This guy had lucked out in the gene department. Tall, slender, beautiful. Honey colored hair that had natural highlights that could even catch the crappy airport light, broad shoulders, slim hips, long legs. He is tan and golden with a bright, white smile. I am surely staring at Apollo, the god of the sun.”
I have a thing for guys with sexy accents (who doesn't?) and whenever Dante walked into a scene I couldn't control my smile or my heart. Corny, much? I think Reece is rubbing off on me.
And it's not hard to fall in love with him. He is sweet, humble and totally swoon-worthy. These kind of characters are going to make me stay single forever. How will I find a humble billionaire who is also a thorough gentleman, in my college? All the guys here are jerks. :|
So the story tells us that Love is all that matters. It’s all we need. and no matter how different two people are they can still be perfect for each other.
This is my first book by the author and she reminded me of Meg Cabot in some ways. I am really excited about the next book in the series.
Special Thanks to Lakehouse Press and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2012
Reviewed by Meg
Thank you to the Kismet Book Tour for the ARC of Dante’s Girl by Courtney Cole. The following review is my own personal opinions, and is in no way influenced by the author or publishing house.
Dante’s Girl is by one of my favorite authors, and I’ve been waiting for the release of this book ever since I read about it on Cole’s blog. When I finally received it, I couldn’t wait! I knew it would be completely different from anything she’d published before. Dante’s Girl is told from the point of view of Reece, a country girl who spends her summers with her dad overseas, as she encounters some roadblocks in her travel plans at the airport after quite the scary ordeal and finds herself detoured with a handsome fella she literally ran into in the airport. Dante, the son of the Prime Minister of Caberra, takes Reece under his wings when disaster strikes the airport as they’re about to take off.
Without giving the plot away, lets just say that Reece develops a bit of a crush on Dante, and well…he does the same and the story that follows is so light hearted and full of fun that it is truly hard not to love every single minute of it. Reece, who’s invited to stay the summer and work at the olive fields and stay as a guest of the prime minister, is in many ways a fish out of water. But she’s adorable the entire time. The friends she makes along the way are fun, diverse and actually the type of people I would want to be friends with (rare in recent novels I’ve read.)
Dante’s Girl isn’t with out it’s drama though. As Dante and Reece are developing their friendship and getting to know one another, quite innocently, I might add, we meet Elena, who is in a way, betrothed to Dante. Of course, she’s hot stuff and Reece can’t help but feel a little not-so-hot compared to her, but that’s okay. Because Elena is essentially, a hot bag of air, and she definitely comes across as such. I personally can’t imagine Dante and Elena even being friends, and as the story progresses, we learn a bit more about the basics of their relationship, which in the end really seems to help Reece adjust to her feelings for Dante, even though she would probably disagree.
Plot wise, I find Dante’s girl to be just the perfect combination of ups and downs to suit a fun, light hearted read. There was enough drama to keep it from being over the top happy, but not so much that the characters and story line got bogged down with negativity and angst. I found Reece to be absolutely adorable and I’ve already found a few ways to utilize the phrase “sweet baby monkeys” in every day life. Dante…Dante was wonderful. Can I just say how unbelievably ecstatic that in a YA novel that does deal with quite a few YA issues, Dante is a breath of fresh air. He is actually a decent human being. He’s not trying to control Reece, he’s not demanding things of her, he’s not sneaking into her bedroom to watch her sleep or stalking her when she goes shopping, he’s actually concerned for her welfare, but not in a way that makes him into an overbearing ass. He’s actually a good guy. I would totally approve him if I had a daughter who brought him home one day.
As I’ve mentioned, I find the characters to be wonderful. The drama that ensues with the character fits their personalities, it isn’t so heavy that you find yourself wanting to punch everyone in the face and tell them to grow up and it isn’t so cliched that you roll your eyes at everything they say. Combine the plot, the characters, and of course, Cole’s enchanting writing style, and it’s a perfect summer read, in my humble opinion! I can’t wait for the next installment from this series and to see where other characters are taken on an adventure too!
Thank you to the Kismet Book Tour for the ARC of Dante’s Girl by Courtney Cole. The following review is my own personal opinions, and is in no way influenced by the author or publishing house.
Dante’s Girl is by one of my favorite authors, and I’ve been waiting for the release of this book ever since I read about it on Cole’s blog. When I finally received it, I couldn’t wait! I knew it would be completely different from anything she’d published before. Dante’s Girl is told from the point of view of Reece, a country girl who spends her summers with her dad overseas, as she encounters some roadblocks in her travel plans at the airport after quite the scary ordeal and finds herself detoured with a handsome fella she literally ran into in the airport. Dante, the son of the Prime Minister of Caberra, takes Reece under his wings when disaster strikes the airport as they’re about to take off.
Without giving the plot away, lets just say that Reece develops a bit of a crush on Dante, and well…he does the same and the story that follows is so light hearted and full of fun that it is truly hard not to love every single minute of it. Reece, who’s invited to stay the summer and work at the olive fields and stay as a guest of the prime minister, is in many ways a fish out of water. But she’s adorable the entire time. The friends she makes along the way are fun, diverse and actually the type of people I would want to be friends with (rare in recent novels I’ve read.)
Dante’s Girl isn’t with out it’s drama though. As Dante and Reece are developing their friendship and getting to know one another, quite innocently, I might add, we meet Elena, who is in a way, betrothed to Dante. Of course, she’s hot stuff and Reece can’t help but feel a little not-so-hot compared to her, but that’s okay. Because Elena is essentially, a hot bag of air, and she definitely comes across as such. I personally can’t imagine Dante and Elena even being friends, and as the story progresses, we learn a bit more about the basics of their relationship, which in the end really seems to help Reece adjust to her feelings for Dante, even though she would probably disagree.
Plot wise, I find Dante’s girl to be just the perfect combination of ups and downs to suit a fun, light hearted read. There was enough drama to keep it from being over the top happy, but not so much that the characters and story line got bogged down with negativity and angst. I found Reece to be absolutely adorable and I’ve already found a few ways to utilize the phrase “sweet baby monkeys” in every day life. Dante…Dante was wonderful. Can I just say how unbelievably ecstatic that in a YA novel that does deal with quite a few YA issues, Dante is a breath of fresh air. He is actually a decent human being. He’s not trying to control Reece, he’s not demanding things of her, he’s not sneaking into her bedroom to watch her sleep or stalking her when she goes shopping, he’s actually concerned for her welfare, but not in a way that makes him into an overbearing ass. He’s actually a good guy. I would totally approve him if I had a daughter who brought him home one day.
As I’ve mentioned, I find the characters to be wonderful. The drama that ensues with the character fits their personalities, it isn’t so heavy that you find yourself wanting to punch everyone in the face and tell them to grow up and it isn’t so cliched that you roll your eyes at everything they say. Combine the plot, the characters, and of course, Cole’s enchanting writing style, and it’s a perfect summer read, in my humble opinion! I can’t wait for the next installment from this series and to see where other characters are taken on an adventure too!
August 26, 2016
http://katisbooks.tumblr.com/
BOOK: dante's Girl ( The Paradise Diaries #1)
AUTHOR: Courtney Cole
PAGES:356
RATING: ★★★
Blurb:
I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.
Until this year.
And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:
1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.
Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?
But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.
My heart just might be crazy.
My opinion:
“I’m tired of hearing about how complicated your life is. Life is not that complicated. Either you like someone or you don’t. Either you are true to them and your heart or you aren’t. Pretty simple, actually.”
- Reece
Look, I mean it was cute. It really was. But if you're looking for that soul-crushing, totally believeable summer romance...uh take a turn.
Reece, yes a girl with a man's name, is young. I get it. So she's naive. Way too fast forgiving and...just really young.
She's basically falling in love with Dante because of his oh so perfect looks. Yes he's a god-like person and while I really liked him, he's unreal. I mean, nobody is that perfect.
INSTA LOVE. So turn away if you hate that. Because YES, surely after a while they like each other because of personality traits. But you know...ATTRACTION is more in the physical apartment here.
The story focuses on the growing love but there's an action twist so that was good but SO OBVIOUS. Also I love Mia. Mia is a girl who's in that political kids circle and she's great. I think I like her more than Reece. Especially after that accident happens and all Reece can think of is Dante and kind of forgets Mia.
So yes, Mia's book is the next and that's good.
I still give it 3 stars because that was the story I was expecting. I was going for light fluff, overly-perfect guys and that touch of summer feeling.
Looking for that? read it.
★★★ - This book was okay but I felt that there was something missing.
January 1, 2015
"I want more! I want more!" - I've been chanting this after reading this effin' good book. My smile is still plastered on my face and I can't help but still continuously chant this because I really do want more of Dante and Reece and everything that has to do with them and Caberra and Kansas.
(I have a lot of things to say about this book, so behold if this review would be a bit long. :P)
Dante's girl has only been a random pick from Goodreads and since its blurb worked it magic powers on me I decided to give it a shot at reading and booya I never did regret putting time on reading this, in fact I finished it in 4 hours straight of reading (talk about hard-to-put-down books).
Dante and Reece come from two more different backgrounds. Reece is a country girl from Kansas and spends her summer visiting her father in London while Dante is the son of the Prime Minister of a small European country next to Greece. The magic between them starts when they bumped into each other at the Amsterdam airport and that’s when the polite, handsome son of a Prime Minister meets the Cutesy-fierce American country girl.
The book was written in the point of view of Reece and I could definitely assure you that you would love her voice in here. She may come scared and insecure at first but her witty and funny humor would surely envelope you throughout the story. Dante is very polite and is a perfect gentleman. It was really nice seeing him being a real boy whenever he is with Reece.
Oh I haven’t mentioned yet the setting. God. It was splendid. The scenery as to what the story described was enough to make me imagine it vividly. From the historic places, the beach, the cobblestone pathways, it was very Jane Austen for me and it was pretty lovely. And it’s in a European country so it makes it more romantic and stuff like that.
The premise of the story was pretty fascinating. The reason why they've met , the good relationship with everyone and the internship offered but behind the love story and swoony bits of it, there's really more on the story. There are little issues addressed to both Dante and Reece. Everything is just perfect for me up to its ending. And yep, the ending!! It was nice and shocking and frightening, but all is well that's ends well. They're together so what could I ask for? Oh, and I've heard there would be a sequel, but it’s about two other characters, I'm hoping it would still be as good as this and still offer even a teeny-tiny bit of Dante and Reece because I definitely wanted to see more of them!
There's a certain charm to this novel that would surely capture you from the beginning to the end. It was a pretty enchanting novel and everything about this was swoon-worthy so be prepared to smile the whole time you’re reading it. It offers a story with a very good humor, romance and characters. Definitely worth reading!!
Thanks to Lakehouse Press and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.
(I have a lot of things to say about this book, so behold if this review would be a bit long. :P)
Dante's girl has only been a random pick from Goodreads and since its blurb worked it magic powers on me I decided to give it a shot at reading and booya I never did regret putting time on reading this, in fact I finished it in 4 hours straight of reading (talk about hard-to-put-down books).
Dante and Reece come from two more different backgrounds. Reece is a country girl from Kansas and spends her summer visiting her father in London while Dante is the son of the Prime Minister of a small European country next to Greece. The magic between them starts when they bumped into each other at the Amsterdam airport and that’s when the polite, handsome son of a Prime Minister meets the Cutesy-fierce American country girl.
The book was written in the point of view of Reece and I could definitely assure you that you would love her voice in here. She may come scared and insecure at first but her witty and funny humor would surely envelope you throughout the story. Dante is very polite and is a perfect gentleman. It was really nice seeing him being a real boy whenever he is with Reece.
Oh I haven’t mentioned yet the setting. God. It was splendid. The scenery as to what the story described was enough to make me imagine it vividly. From the historic places, the beach, the cobblestone pathways, it was very Jane Austen for me and it was pretty lovely. And it’s in a European country so it makes it more romantic and stuff like that.
The premise of the story was pretty fascinating. The reason why they've met , the good relationship with everyone and the internship offered but behind the love story and swoony bits of it, there's really more on the story. There are little issues addressed to both Dante and Reece. Everything is just perfect for me up to its ending. And yep, the ending!! It was nice and shocking and frightening, but all is well that's ends well. They're together so what could I ask for? Oh, and I've heard there would be a sequel, but it’s about two other characters, I'm hoping it would still be as good as this and still offer even a teeny-tiny bit of Dante and Reece because I definitely wanted to see more of them!
There's a certain charm to this novel that would surely capture you from the beginning to the end. It was a pretty enchanting novel and everything about this was swoon-worthy so be prepared to smile the whole time you’re reading it. It offers a story with a very good humor, romance and characters. Definitely worth reading!!
Thanks to Lakehouse Press and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.
July 10, 2012
Procurement
Kismet Blog Touring
My Grade
Plot: 5
Setting: 6
Writing: 5
Originality: 5
Characters: 5
Romance: 6
Overall: 32/30! A+++++ Super sweet romance in paradise!
Title/Cover Bonus: 5
Overall
An incredibly sweet contemporary romance set in the perfect paradise with the perfect Prince Charming ever.
Trailer
None at time of review.
First Line
It is impossible to look hot in the dingy fluorescent light of an airport bathroom.
Most Memorable Scene
There are a lot of swoon worthy scenes but I think I enjoyed the night of their first kiss the most. especially the trick that Casanova Gavin pulls!
Plot
I loved everything about the plot. The reason why Reece meets Dante, their traveling issues, the internship, and the fact that everything is perfect. Also, I loved the hidden mystery that made this just a bit more than a contemporary romance.
Setting
Oh sweet baby monkeys! The scenery is to die for. Caberra is a made up island country off the coast of Greece. It's beautiful with stunning beaches and ocean fronts. Cobblestone walkways, snorkeling, yachts, palaces, olive groves and so much more!
Writing
Told from Reece's point of view. Reece is a different kind of girl. She really lets it all out. I loved her inner dialogue and how she was so truthful with everyone. I would have loved to seen some of it from Dante's perspective but I was so very pleased with Reece's narration.
Originality
A true contemporary romance centered around an incredibly charming young man and a farm girl lady. It was a mash-up of two completely different cultures but it overcame the differences that only true love can do. A complete must read and perfect for the summer time!
Characters
Oh, these two main characters are truly spectacular! Reece is a Kansas farm girl detoured on her way to London for the summer with her dad. She meets the impossibly charming Dante in the airport. They click together as perfectly as velcro and really never let go. They are the perfect pair. I loved each of them and found them to be real and perfectly perfect in just about every aspect!
Elena, Mia, Nate, Vincent, Becca, Quinn and Gavin are some supporting characters we meet.
Romance
Dude. There's so much romance it's sickening, but in an awesomely good way! It was painful for me to stop reading it was so good.
Title/Cover Bonus
An awesome cover! And while the title is fitting it's kinda spoilery. Of course we know they'll get together but it seems kind of redundant or something to call it that.
I'm interested in seeing what the next title will be. Guess we'll have to wait to find out!
Ending
Dude, the ending had me on the edge of my seat!! It was shocking and frightening. I couldn't wait to see exactly happened. I can say that I want the next book to be centered around Reece and Dante but I've heard the sequel is about two other characters! I'm hoping it includes snippets of them any way!
Series
This is book one so another book is expected! I can't wait for it!
Kismet Blog Touring
My Grade
Plot: 5
Setting: 6
Writing: 5
Originality: 5
Characters: 5
Romance: 6
Overall: 32/30! A+++++ Super sweet romance in paradise!
Title/Cover Bonus: 5
Overall
An incredibly sweet contemporary romance set in the perfect paradise with the perfect Prince Charming ever.
Trailer
None at time of review.
First Line
It is impossible to look hot in the dingy fluorescent light of an airport bathroom.
Most Memorable Scene
There are a lot of swoon worthy scenes but I think I enjoyed the night of their first kiss the most. especially the trick that Casanova Gavin pulls!
Plot
I loved everything about the plot. The reason why Reece meets Dante, their traveling issues, the internship, and the fact that everything is perfect. Also, I loved the hidden mystery that made this just a bit more than a contemporary romance.
Setting
Oh sweet baby monkeys! The scenery is to die for. Caberra is a made up island country off the coast of Greece. It's beautiful with stunning beaches and ocean fronts. Cobblestone walkways, snorkeling, yachts, palaces, olive groves and so much more!
Writing
Told from Reece's point of view. Reece is a different kind of girl. She really lets it all out. I loved her inner dialogue and how she was so truthful with everyone. I would have loved to seen some of it from Dante's perspective but I was so very pleased with Reece's narration.
Originality
A true contemporary romance centered around an incredibly charming young man and a farm girl lady. It was a mash-up of two completely different cultures but it overcame the differences that only true love can do. A complete must read and perfect for the summer time!
Characters
Oh, these two main characters are truly spectacular! Reece is a Kansas farm girl detoured on her way to London for the summer with her dad. She meets the impossibly charming Dante in the airport. They click together as perfectly as velcro and really never let go. They are the perfect pair. I loved each of them and found them to be real and perfectly perfect in just about every aspect!
Elena, Mia, Nate, Vincent, Becca, Quinn and Gavin are some supporting characters we meet.
Romance
Dude. There's so much romance it's sickening, but in an awesomely good way! It was painful for me to stop reading it was so good.
Title/Cover Bonus
An awesome cover! And while the title is fitting it's kinda spoilery. Of course we know they'll get together but it seems kind of redundant or something to call it that.
I'm interested in seeing what the next title will be. Guess we'll have to wait to find out!
Ending
Dude, the ending had me on the edge of my seat!! It was shocking and frightening. I couldn't wait to see exactly happened. I can say that I want the next book to be centered around Reece and Dante but I've heard the sequel is about two other characters! I'm hoping it includes snippets of them any way!
Series
This is book one so another book is expected! I can't wait for it!
August 12, 2012
This book is incredibly adorable and perfect for the summer! A teenage love story is never boring or out of style especially Cole's 'Dante's Girl'.
Reece, a cowgirl from Kansas visits her father who lives in London every summer. However, things are a little different this time. She runs into a devastatingly beautiful guy in the airport and again on the plane to London. But things go wrong during takeoff and she is forced to go along with the man she just met, Dante, who appears to be a very important person. Everything happens so quickly and all of the sudden she is already in the beautiful island of Caberra, with the gorgeous Dante, in an ancient Old Palace that serves as an official residence of the Prime Minister. Yes, the Prime Minister. Dante is the only son of Dimitri Giliberti, the multimillionaire who is the world-leading exporter of olive products and a leader of a country. It is completely surreal. Reece will be staying in the Old Palace with Dante until the airport reopens. During a course of one summer, she makes new friends, gets into a fight with her best friend Becca who is half-a-world away from her, goes through many dangerous events and finally fall in love..
I love the whole concept of the story, the cute young summer love that turns out to be more than just a fling. Dante is the dashing prince in the shinning armor that every girl including me wishes upon the stars to meet and fall in love with. He is a sensitive and affectionate guy who surprisingly not a rich jerk, and even if he is caged by his father's expectation, he is willing to take the chances and fight for who he loves (which is so romantic!). Reece, on the other hand, is a funny and down-to-earth girl next door who drop pennies into the right wishing well. Somehow, I thought I was not going to like her character at first but it changed somewhere when she had a fight with her best friend and didn't let it fully affect her summer, this makes her character not only independent in some sense but strong. When she sees Elena kisses Dante, she fearlessly confronts him and clears the air, instead of crying herself to sleep and act all mad and annoying without an explanation like a baby. There is this one part that I really feel for her, when she can't seem to hold it in anymore. When she realized that she's all alone in a foreign country heartbroken by the Prime Minister's son who is not brave enough to stand up for her and himself. She cried. In the rain. I just felt so into it. There was no one she can turn to, not her friends not her family. She cried, raindrops stream down her face and mascara dried her cheeks. But another spoilers, this book did have an amazing happy ending, and I am a BIG FAN of happy endings, so yes this book is a great great read for those hopeless romantic girls out there who is not only bored but need some book to help cheer up the mood from a disappointing summer.
Reece, a cowgirl from Kansas visits her father who lives in London every summer. However, things are a little different this time. She runs into a devastatingly beautiful guy in the airport and again on the plane to London. But things go wrong during takeoff and she is forced to go along with the man she just met, Dante, who appears to be a very important person. Everything happens so quickly and all of the sudden she is already in the beautiful island of Caberra, with the gorgeous Dante, in an ancient Old Palace that serves as an official residence of the Prime Minister. Yes, the Prime Minister. Dante is the only son of Dimitri Giliberti, the multimillionaire who is the world-leading exporter of olive products and a leader of a country. It is completely surreal. Reece will be staying in the Old Palace with Dante until the airport reopens. During a course of one summer, she makes new friends, gets into a fight with her best friend Becca who is half-a-world away from her, goes through many dangerous events and finally fall in love..
I love the whole concept of the story, the cute young summer love that turns out to be more than just a fling. Dante is the dashing prince in the shinning armor that every girl including me wishes upon the stars to meet and fall in love with. He is a sensitive and affectionate guy who surprisingly not a rich jerk, and even if he is caged by his father's expectation, he is willing to take the chances and fight for who he loves (which is so romantic!). Reece, on the other hand, is a funny and down-to-earth girl next door who drop pennies into the right wishing well. Somehow, I thought I was not going to like her character at first but it changed somewhere when she had a fight with her best friend and didn't let it fully affect her summer, this makes her character not only independent in some sense but strong. When she sees Elena kisses Dante, she fearlessly confronts him and clears the air, instead of crying herself to sleep and act all mad and annoying without an explanation like a baby. There is this one part that I really feel for her, when she can't seem to hold it in anymore. When she realized that she's all alone in a foreign country heartbroken by the Prime Minister's son who is not brave enough to stand up for her and himself. She cried. In the rain. I just felt so into it. There was no one she can turn to, not her friends not her family. She cried, raindrops stream down her face and mascara dried her cheeks. But another spoilers, this book did have an amazing happy ending, and I am a BIG FAN of happy endings, so yes this book is a great great read for those hopeless romantic girls out there who is not only bored but need some book to help cheer up the mood from a disappointing summer.
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