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Perfect Fit #2
Thrown for a Curve
WHEN YOU’RE A big girl
Cherri has often wished she were thin and graceful like a ballerina instead of being a six-foot-tall blonde with curves that require serious caution. Surely a charming Irishman like her new boss Colin, with his throaty brogue and to-die-for bod, would never go for someone like Cherri. Unless maybe he’s looking for the exact opposite of a delicate lass?
there’s more of you to love
When Colin hired Cherri to work in his furniture-restoration shop, he had his eyes, first and foremost, on her artistic talents. But now he can’t help but see Cherri for the lush, spirited beauty that she is…and, soon enough, he finds himself mixing business with pleasure. But Cherri turns out to be more vulnerable than she appears. Is she in need of more than Colin can give? Or could it be that a feeling stronger than lust has him thrown for a curve?
Praise for Sugar Jamison’s Dangerous Curves Ahead
“Dangerous Curves Ahead is laugh out loud funny and super sexy, with unique characters you can't help but love!”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster
Cherri has often wished she were thin and graceful like a ballerina instead of being a six-foot-tall blonde with curves that require serious caution. Surely a charming Irishman like her new boss Colin, with his throaty brogue and to-die-for bod, would never go for someone like Cherri. Unless maybe he’s looking for the exact opposite of a delicate lass?
there’s more of you to love
When Colin hired Cherri to work in his furniture-restoration shop, he had his eyes, first and foremost, on her artistic talents. But now he can’t help but see Cherri for the lush, spirited beauty that she is…and, soon enough, he finds himself mixing business with pleasure. But Cherri turns out to be more vulnerable than she appears. Is she in need of more than Colin can give? Or could it be that a feeling stronger than lust has him thrown for a curve?
Praise for Sugar Jamison’s Dangerous Curves Ahead
“Dangerous Curves Ahead is laugh out loud funny and super sexy, with unique characters you can't help but love!”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 25, 2014
20 people are currently reading
1217 people want to read
About the author
Sugar Jamison
11 books379 followersSugar Jamison is a southern belle trapped in a New Yorker's body. With a love of big hair and high heeled shoes, she spends her day at her very normal day job and night dreaming up sweet but sassy romances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
February 22, 2014
Ugh, I'm so disappointed! This started out so strong and had so many elements that I liked, and then the second half just let me down. I went from happily book-obsessed to mope-reading in a matter of chapters.
And there really are some great things in this book. The characters are really well-drawn. Cherri is everything I've been waiting for in a romance novel heroine. She's six feet tall, she has big feet, a big ass, and she feels ungraceful. She worries about wearing heels around dates because when she does, she dwarfs them. I may not be six feet tall, but I'm not super far from it, and I sympathize. It was nice seeing a heroine who doesn't get asked out much because she's a giantess. It was nice seeing her get a happily-ever-after. Especially since she landed a six foot three Irishman. Lucky girl.
And the book had so much humor at the start! The mental image of Cherri's Ukranian grandmother making her pretty for a party by dressing her in flouncy, beribboned gold taffeta, matching shoes, and a bouffant hairstyle hairsprayed for days will stick with me forever. That scene, specifically Cherri strutting her way into the party and asking her friends if she looked bee-yoo-tiful, was perfectly written and so funny. It was a great setup for a funny and romantic book.
So imagine my surprise when halfway through the book And then top the whole thing off by crafting a relationship where all the conflict stems from a series of Big Misunderstandings. If either of these two had taken two seconds to assure each other that no, their life was not ruined by marriage , the book would have lost about a third of its size.
I'm bummed.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
And there really are some great things in this book. The characters are really well-drawn. Cherri is everything I've been waiting for in a romance novel heroine. She's six feet tall, she has big feet, a big ass, and she feels ungraceful. She worries about wearing heels around dates because when she does, she dwarfs them. I may not be six feet tall, but I'm not super far from it, and I sympathize. It was nice seeing a heroine who doesn't get asked out much because she's a giantess. It was nice seeing her get a happily-ever-after. Especially since she landed a six foot three Irishman. Lucky girl.
And the book had so much humor at the start! The mental image of Cherri's Ukranian grandmother making her pretty for a party by dressing her in flouncy, beribboned gold taffeta, matching shoes, and a bouffant hairstyle hairsprayed for days will stick with me forever. That scene, specifically Cherri strutting her way into the party and asking her friends if she looked bee-yoo-tiful, was perfectly written and so funny. It was a great setup for a funny and romantic book.
So imagine my surprise when halfway through the book And then top the whole thing off by crafting a relationship where all the conflict stems from a series of Big Misunderstandings. If either of these two had taken two seconds to assure each other that no, their life was not ruined by marriage , the book would have lost about a third of its size.
I'm bummed.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
February 11, 2014
I really wanted to like this one, provided by netgalley, I really did, but when it came down to it I just couldn't. I've read both the first in the series Dangerous Curves Ahead, which was entertaining enough, and a little novella Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas: A Perfect Fit Holiday Novella, which was better, but this one really didn't fulfill its promise.
I loved the hero when he appeared in the first book. He was gorgeous, full of life and fun, but with a soulful, serious side too. (I think the heroine also appeared in the first book too, but honestly can't remember. She was clearly unremarkable.) Well, he didn't live up to anything like the promise he suggested as a hero. OK, so he's been a man-whore in his past, OK, so he has issues (which he's largely gotten over TBH), but he comes across as a lost boy, not a man.
Likewise, the heroine has got to be one of the most irritating characters I've read in a while. She does have to deal with a lot of painful emotional stuff, and the poor girl keeps getting it piled on her, but after initially appearing a normal, relatively mature 20-something, she regresses during the book, and all of a sudden we're left with a jealous, uncommunicative, selfish, immature teenager. She just wasn't someone I think the hero would ultimately have stuck around for. Regardless of how physically attractive he found her, there's only so much crap someone can take.
So, what else didn't work for me?
There's a whole posse of irritating friends, who always know the "right" thing to do, are over-protective and present this perfect vision of sisterly friendship. I readily admit that perhaps it's my issue, but when I read a romance I want to read about adult characters, who don't need to rely on others to sort out their lives, as though they were incapable children. I have no problem with them making mistakes or stumbling through, but when the realization comes, I don't want it to come from the all-knowing friend's big fat cakehole!
Ultimately though, I think what really annoyed me most was that the whole plot is premised on misunderstanding over misunderstanding, due to lack of communication and just general stupidity. Why can't the heroine understand that the hero finds her attractive? He thinks you're gorgeous, dear, just deal with it!! Why can't the hero just tell the heroine at least a hint of how he feels instead of saying big fat nothing FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK? The whole book left me feeling so depressed and irritated that while I was reading I was actually asked by someone if I was OK.
The only good thing about this one was the heroine's gran, who is brilliant and has wonderful dialogue. But a gran will only get you so far in a romance, and not very far at that.
1 star. I didn't like it, even though I really wanted to going in.
I loved the hero when he appeared in the first book. He was gorgeous, full of life and fun, but with a soulful, serious side too. (I think the heroine also appeared in the first book too, but honestly can't remember. She was clearly unremarkable.) Well, he didn't live up to anything like the promise he suggested as a hero. OK, so he's been a man-whore in his past, OK, so he has issues (which he's largely gotten over TBH), but he comes across as a lost boy, not a man.
Likewise, the heroine has got to be one of the most irritating characters I've read in a while. She does have to deal with a lot of painful emotional stuff, and the poor girl keeps getting it piled on her, but after initially appearing a normal, relatively mature 20-something, she regresses during the book, and all of a sudden we're left with a jealous, uncommunicative, selfish, immature teenager. She just wasn't someone I think the hero would ultimately have stuck around for. Regardless of how physically attractive he found her, there's only so much crap someone can take.
So, what else didn't work for me?
There's a whole posse of irritating friends, who always know the "right" thing to do, are over-protective and present this perfect vision of sisterly friendship. I readily admit that perhaps it's my issue, but when I read a romance I want to read about adult characters, who don't need to rely on others to sort out their lives, as though they were incapable children. I have no problem with them making mistakes or stumbling through, but when the realization comes, I don't want it to come from the all-knowing friend's big fat cakehole!
Ultimately though, I think what really annoyed me most was that the whole plot is premised on misunderstanding over misunderstanding, due to lack of communication and just general stupidity. Why can't the heroine understand that the hero finds her attractive? He thinks you're gorgeous, dear, just deal with it!! Why can't the hero just tell the heroine at least a hint of how he feels instead of saying big fat nothing FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK? The whole book left me feeling so depressed and irritated that while I was reading I was actually asked by someone if I was OK.
The only good thing about this one was the heroine's gran, who is brilliant and has wonderful dialogue. But a gran will only get you so far in a romance, and not very far at that.
1 star. I didn't like it, even though I really wanted to going in.
April 16, 2017
It has been a very long while since I had read this series, so I missed out on a couple of the nuances of the story, but that really wouldn't have mattered. This book was very annoying to me!
Cherri constantly whined about how unlovable she was, how tall she was, how {insert issue here} she was, as if all she could do was whine. I also hated Colin, and how he was too old for Cherri, as if age actually matters in this day and age! Yet, he didn't approve of anyone Cherri tried to date! I had a hard time believing in their romance, let alone the fact that neither of them didn't think of using protection!
The story was mildly interesting and kept me entertained while I read it, but I just wasn't that impressed with this story. While I considered quitting the series, I do own the rest of it, so I'll finish it at some point, though I will not rush to do so.
Cherri constantly whined about how unlovable she was, how tall she was, how {insert issue here} she was, as if all she could do was whine. I also hated Colin, and how he was too old for Cherri, as if age actually matters in this day and age! Yet, he didn't approve of anyone Cherri tried to date! I had a hard time believing in their romance, let alone the fact that neither of them didn't think of using protection!
The story was mildly interesting and kept me entertained while I read it, but I just wasn't that impressed with this story. While I considered quitting the series, I do own the rest of it, so I'll finish it at some point, though I will not rush to do so.
March 3, 2014
When I requested Thrown for a Curve on NetGalley I was hoping for a light, funny, fast - paced read. The blurb was promising, the cover of the book - brilliant, I really love such covers, full of colours, optimistic and bright, and I have already read one novel by Sugar Jamison which I rather enjoyed.
The book started really good. There was a scene on Cherri's birthday that has me in a fit of giggles. It was so brilliantly written that I have actually seen Cherri and how she looked like, with her hair and dress, dressed so by her grandmother.
But unfortunately, it was only at the beginning and then the matters were going only worse and worse.
First of all the characters. The heroine, Cherri, is a young Ukrainian girl, not our usual skinny type, but a girl with curves, hips and it is great, because usually our heroines doesn't have weight problems. She dreams of being an art - teacher and of painting but she works in her friends' shop with clothes for plus - size women. She's also taking care of her grandmother, who has Alzheimer's. Cherri has also a crush on Colin, who is 12 years older than she is and who belongs to her circle of friends. He is an Irishmen and well, he has a crush as well... on Cherri.
There are some other supporting characters, best friends of Cherri and Colin, Ellie, Belinda and Mike. They appear from time to time in the book, usually as those who always know better and they are all so nice and so sweet to each other that actually I sometimes just felt a little sick.
I had some problems with the characters. Cherri was young, but I think that her age doesn't justify the fact that she never knew what she wanted. Once she wanted to be a teacher, then, when she started the job, she decided, that it's not for her. She could never made up her mind herself, she always needed some advice from her friends. She was so good and meek that it looked already like she is self - sacrificing all the time. And she has seen only obstacles. I missed Cherri from the first scenes of the book.
Colin was older than Cherri but behaving like horny teenager. The only things that I heard from him were "lass", "lad", and "for the sake of the baby". And I have a feeling that he was thinking only about sex.
There is also Baba, Cherri's grandmother. While I understand that she was on old lady, and old ladies are allowed a little more, I couldn't stand that she was so ribald, too direct and too cheeky. Didn't work for me.
The story itself. For me there was actually no story, no plot. I haven't seen any chemistry between Cherri and Colin and I am not sure if I know where did the infatuation came from. They have some kind of history for sure, did I miss it? He doesn't want to be in a relationship with Cherri, but he wants to be in this relationship, he wants to give her a chance to explore life but then he takes everything over. It was the next issue in this book that didn't work for me, Colin and Cherri had some kind of problem and I still don't know what was this problem, again and again, she missed him, he missed her, but they were together, so? And again and again, there was something wrong between them, but they didn't know what it is. And I didn't know it also. There were problems where there shouldn't be any, or in other words, the characters made problems from nothing. They didn't communicate with each other, they didn't tell each other what is wrong, there was not a single adult conversation in the whole story. And I have thought that when I read "for the sake of the baby" again, I'm going to start shouting.
To be honest, I was already so desperate with the writing that I have started to skip some chapters, I have skim - read them. I am really sorry to say that, apart from the first scenes and Rufus the dog, it was not my cup of tea.
I received a copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
The book started really good. There was a scene on Cherri's birthday that has me in a fit of giggles. It was so brilliantly written that I have actually seen Cherri and how she looked like, with her hair and dress, dressed so by her grandmother.
But unfortunately, it was only at the beginning and then the matters were going only worse and worse.
First of all the characters. The heroine, Cherri, is a young Ukrainian girl, not our usual skinny type, but a girl with curves, hips and it is great, because usually our heroines doesn't have weight problems. She dreams of being an art - teacher and of painting but she works in her friends' shop with clothes for plus - size women. She's also taking care of her grandmother, who has Alzheimer's. Cherri has also a crush on Colin, who is 12 years older than she is and who belongs to her circle of friends. He is an Irishmen and well, he has a crush as well... on Cherri.
There are some other supporting characters, best friends of Cherri and Colin, Ellie, Belinda and Mike. They appear from time to time in the book, usually as those who always know better and they are all so nice and so sweet to each other that actually I sometimes just felt a little sick.
I had some problems with the characters. Cherri was young, but I think that her age doesn't justify the fact that she never knew what she wanted. Once she wanted to be a teacher, then, when she started the job, she decided, that it's not for her. She could never made up her mind herself, she always needed some advice from her friends. She was so good and meek that it looked already like she is self - sacrificing all the time. And she has seen only obstacles. I missed Cherri from the first scenes of the book.
Colin was older than Cherri but behaving like horny teenager. The only things that I heard from him were "lass", "lad", and "for the sake of the baby". And I have a feeling that he was thinking only about sex.
There is also Baba, Cherri's grandmother. While I understand that she was on old lady, and old ladies are allowed a little more, I couldn't stand that she was so ribald, too direct and too cheeky. Didn't work for me.
The story itself. For me there was actually no story, no plot. I haven't seen any chemistry between Cherri and Colin and I am not sure if I know where did the infatuation came from. They have some kind of history for sure, did I miss it? He doesn't want to be in a relationship with Cherri, but he wants to be in this relationship, he wants to give her a chance to explore life but then he takes everything over. It was the next issue in this book that didn't work for me, Colin and Cherri had some kind of problem and I still don't know what was this problem, again and again, she missed him, he missed her, but they were together, so? And again and again, there was something wrong between them, but they didn't know what it is. And I didn't know it also. There were problems where there shouldn't be any, or in other words, the characters made problems from nothing. They didn't communicate with each other, they didn't tell each other what is wrong, there was not a single adult conversation in the whole story. And I have thought that when I read "for the sake of the baby" again, I'm going to start shouting.
To be honest, I was already so desperate with the writing that I have started to skip some chapters, I have skim - read them. I am really sorry to say that, apart from the first scenes and Rufus the dog, it was not my cup of tea.
I received a copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
March 28, 2015
Meh. This is too high on my angst and melodrama scale. The book is fine if that's what you like. As is always the case when there's melodrama, most problems could have been solved by a clear conversation. Colin took tall, dark, and silent to extremes and although he knew he said the wrong thing, due to the silent thing he never tried to correct himself and say the right thing. Thus the melodrama ensues. Cherri was a bit of a doormat.
My advice is to read the blurbs in other reviews because I have a lower tolerance for this type of novel than most.
My advice is to read the blurbs in other reviews because I have a lower tolerance for this type of novel than most.
February 7, 2014
When I received this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Paperback, I was looking forward to reading it. Charlotte (Cherri) Rudy is six feet of Ukrainian girl, living with her funny, snarky Ukrainian grandmother in a tumbledown house in a college town. Only twenty-two, Cherri was dropped off by her mother at age eight on her grandmother, lovingly known as Baba and her grandfather Peter. Though there was little money, there was great love, and after Peter’s death, Baba and Cherri area a quirky family unit of their own, supporting and loving one another. How cool is that? Add in good, quirky friends and this sounded like something I could curl up with and truly enjoy.
A day and a good sleep later, and I am still trying to figure out just where that truck came from that tore through the storyline, leaving devastation in it’s wake.
Don’t get me wrong, there should absolutely be tension in a storyline, but I believe this is where I was left at the end of the book bemoaning the fact that these were a few hours of my life that I will never get back. Cherri is only twenty-two, but she is very mature for her age in a lot of ways. She has cared for her grandmother, whose failing health is a constant concern, along with a failing home, and a career as a elementary school art teacher that she cannot attempt because of all her responsibilities. A powerful artist in her own right, she is tough, yes, but she has never even been on a date before, much less spent time with men. Being six-feet tall and curvy, though not fat, she is insecure, seeing as how her impression of what women should be is tiny, petite, and ‘modelesque’. From the first of the book, I loved Cherri and wanted to hug her every other page or so.
Enter the love interest, an Irish import, and best friend and past college roomie of Mike, her best friend Ellis’ husband. Colin O’Connell, a woman-loving, Irish accented powerhouse of “unabashed male beauty” who will, as Mike puts it, “screw anything that isn’t tied down.”
And, yes, here is where everything falls apart. Colin is, to be blunt, a male slut with the emotional intelligence of a randy 15-year-old. I know, I know, for some reason women like to read about ‘taming the bad boy’ and all that crap. (Hey, do you know how many places that penis has been? Euuuu!) Fine, fine, we won’t go there. However, to take that bad boy thing and give it a spoiled, self-centered mindset on top of everything, then dump him on a sweet, wonderful girl like Cherri . . . and then drag her through a metaphorical knothole backwards until her sense of self-esteem and self-worth is flushed down the (also metaphorical) crapper, isn’t sexy or charming or anything other than emotional abuse. Come on, the first thing that you hear him say, in his mind of course, upon their meeting at her twenty-second birthday party, is “She wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the word.” And yet, he is dying to get in her pants?
And Jamison heaps on the emotional abuse in spades. When the inevitable “oops” pregnancy happens during the ‘taking the virgin’ scene, Colin handles it in the worst possible way, causing Cherri even more emotional torture, stripping away more layers of her self esteem, and proving to her once again that she is ugly and undesirable, both inside and out. It broke my heart for Cherri. And the thing is, so many things in the book could have been worked out, and a much better story written, had there been even one adult conversation. Instead, Cherri is forced to suffer through agonizing emotional trauma while her idiot boyfriend once again acts like a 15-year old with a martyr complex. I didn’t find the emotional torture to be sexy or appealing. Instead, I found it to be not only cliché but mean spirited and emotionally cruel.
One thing I did admire about the story (I know, one of the few things, right?) was how Jamison brings into the light just how pitiless it is for some people to have children – children they can neither love nor care for. The pain it causes not only for the children themselves, but also for the family members that are left behind to care for the unwanted children. Being dumped as unwanted and, in their minds, unworthy of love brings on a lot of the emotional difficulties suffered by both characters. This, and the fact that Cherri was such a strong, loveable character, garnered an extra star for the book.
You may disagree with me, and feel that the whole ‘bad boy goes good’ thing is right up your alley. The emotional torture Cherri is subjected to by said emotionally crippled bad boy may be perfectly fine with you, and you may find this to be a five-star read. My opinions are my own, but, in my opinion, the book was, in a word, overwrought and a waste of my valuable reading time. Which is a shame.
I received this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Paperback Press in return for an honest review. Again, all opinions are my own.
A day and a good sleep later, and I am still trying to figure out just where that truck came from that tore through the storyline, leaving devastation in it’s wake.
Don’t get me wrong, there should absolutely be tension in a storyline, but I believe this is where I was left at the end of the book bemoaning the fact that these were a few hours of my life that I will never get back. Cherri is only twenty-two, but she is very mature for her age in a lot of ways. She has cared for her grandmother, whose failing health is a constant concern, along with a failing home, and a career as a elementary school art teacher that she cannot attempt because of all her responsibilities. A powerful artist in her own right, she is tough, yes, but she has never even been on a date before, much less spent time with men. Being six-feet tall and curvy, though not fat, she is insecure, seeing as how her impression of what women should be is tiny, petite, and ‘modelesque’. From the first of the book, I loved Cherri and wanted to hug her every other page or so.
Enter the love interest, an Irish import, and best friend and past college roomie of Mike, her best friend Ellis’ husband. Colin O’Connell, a woman-loving, Irish accented powerhouse of “unabashed male beauty” who will, as Mike puts it, “screw anything that isn’t tied down.”
And, yes, here is where everything falls apart. Colin is, to be blunt, a male slut with the emotional intelligence of a randy 15-year-old. I know, I know, for some reason women like to read about ‘taming the bad boy’ and all that crap. (Hey, do you know how many places that penis has been? Euuuu!) Fine, fine, we won’t go there. However, to take that bad boy thing and give it a spoiled, self-centered mindset on top of everything, then dump him on a sweet, wonderful girl like Cherri . . . and then drag her through a metaphorical knothole backwards until her sense of self-esteem and self-worth is flushed down the (also metaphorical) crapper, isn’t sexy or charming or anything other than emotional abuse. Come on, the first thing that you hear him say, in his mind of course, upon their meeting at her twenty-second birthday party, is “She wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the word.” And yet, he is dying to get in her pants?
And Jamison heaps on the emotional abuse in spades. When the inevitable “oops” pregnancy happens during the ‘taking the virgin’ scene, Colin handles it in the worst possible way, causing Cherri even more emotional torture, stripping away more layers of her self esteem, and proving to her once again that she is ugly and undesirable, both inside and out. It broke my heart for Cherri. And the thing is, so many things in the book could have been worked out, and a much better story written, had there been even one adult conversation. Instead, Cherri is forced to suffer through agonizing emotional trauma while her idiot boyfriend once again acts like a 15-year old with a martyr complex. I didn’t find the emotional torture to be sexy or appealing. Instead, I found it to be not only cliché but mean spirited and emotionally cruel.
One thing I did admire about the story (I know, one of the few things, right?) was how Jamison brings into the light just how pitiless it is for some people to have children – children they can neither love nor care for. The pain it causes not only for the children themselves, but also for the family members that are left behind to care for the unwanted children. Being dumped as unwanted and, in their minds, unworthy of love brings on a lot of the emotional difficulties suffered by both characters. This, and the fact that Cherri was such a strong, loveable character, garnered an extra star for the book.
You may disagree with me, and feel that the whole ‘bad boy goes good’ thing is right up your alley. The emotional torture Cherri is subjected to by said emotionally crippled bad boy may be perfectly fine with you, and you may find this to be a five-star read. My opinions are my own, but, in my opinion, the book was, in a word, overwrought and a waste of my valuable reading time. Which is a shame.
I received this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Paperback Press in return for an honest review. Again, all opinions are my own.
March 26, 2014
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2014/03...
I start every book I pick up hoping to love it, but it’s a sad fact that some stories just aren’t going to be a good (never mind perfect) fit. Such was the case for me with Thrown for a Curve . I went into the second Perfect Fit novel hoping for a fun, sassy read in the vein of the first novel, Dangerous Curves Ahead, and came out disappointed.
Thrown for a Curve follows Cherri and Colin on their rocky road to happily ever after. Cherri is a young artist who wants to be a teacher, but I felt I never really got a solid grip on her personality aside from that. She’s sprightly in the beginning of the story and I enjoyed that, along with her love for her grandmother and her not-so-hidden insecurities. Unfortunately, in the second half of Thrown for a Curve Cherri does a one-eighty, devolving into someone unrecognizable and, ultimately, frustrating. Her mood swings gave me whiplash (and hormones don’t cover it, I’m sorry to say) and I really lost respect for her when she failed to simply open her mouth and talk to Colin about her problems. Not to mention my irritation with the entire plotline involving her becoming a teacher. I don’t presume to be knowledgeable about New York teaching credential programs, but one would think Cherri would have to spend at least 30 seconds in a classroom before she’s given a teaching position. As it only takes her that long to decide she hates her “dream job” and not much longer than that to quit, I really questioned her maturity, which was sad considering author Sugar Jamison had spent the whole book working to prove that Cherri was mature for her age. Colin, in turn, is a handsome Irishman (don’t worry about remembering that, it’ll be referenced multiple times per chapter) whose past has left him with issues when it comes to women. He makes mistakes with Cherri and also regresses as the book goes on, but I was able to understand where he was coming from slightly better, even if I didn’t agree with his actions and wanted to shake him.
I do want to stress that I liked Cherri and Colin for the first half of the book, even though I felt things moved incredibly slowly. Unfortunately, when the action picked up the story derailed. I won’t spoil what happened, but I will say that a lot of Colin and Cherri’s problems could have been solved if they’d simply had honest conversations with one another where each spoke and truly listened to one another. The drama felt manufactured and there were a few other seemingly random moments thrown in at the end to “test” Colin and Cherri’s relationship which didn’t help.
I finished Thrown for a Curve feeling disappointed and unsure if I want to read the third book in the series, which is a pity, as I liked both the first Perfect Fit book and the novella “Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas.” Fans of Dangerous Curves Ahead should be pleased that Mike and Ellis appear and are instrumental in making Cherri and Colin’s relationship work. There’s a satisfying epilogue in Thrown for a Curve which ends the book on a positive note and reminded me of what I generally like about Ms. Jamison’s writing.
Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I start every book I pick up hoping to love it, but it’s a sad fact that some stories just aren’t going to be a good (never mind perfect) fit. Such was the case for me with Thrown for a Curve . I went into the second Perfect Fit novel hoping for a fun, sassy read in the vein of the first novel, Dangerous Curves Ahead, and came out disappointed.
Thrown for a Curve follows Cherri and Colin on their rocky road to happily ever after. Cherri is a young artist who wants to be a teacher, but I felt I never really got a solid grip on her personality aside from that. She’s sprightly in the beginning of the story and I enjoyed that, along with her love for her grandmother and her not-so-hidden insecurities. Unfortunately, in the second half of Thrown for a Curve Cherri does a one-eighty, devolving into someone unrecognizable and, ultimately, frustrating. Her mood swings gave me whiplash (and hormones don’t cover it, I’m sorry to say) and I really lost respect for her when she failed to simply open her mouth and talk to Colin about her problems. Not to mention my irritation with the entire plotline involving her becoming a teacher. I don’t presume to be knowledgeable about New York teaching credential programs, but one would think Cherri would have to spend at least 30 seconds in a classroom before she’s given a teaching position. As it only takes her that long to decide she hates her “dream job” and not much longer than that to quit, I really questioned her maturity, which was sad considering author Sugar Jamison had spent the whole book working to prove that Cherri was mature for her age. Colin, in turn, is a handsome Irishman (don’t worry about remembering that, it’ll be referenced multiple times per chapter) whose past has left him with issues when it comes to women. He makes mistakes with Cherri and also regresses as the book goes on, but I was able to understand where he was coming from slightly better, even if I didn’t agree with his actions and wanted to shake him.
I do want to stress that I liked Cherri and Colin for the first half of the book, even though I felt things moved incredibly slowly. Unfortunately, when the action picked up the story derailed. I won’t spoil what happened, but I will say that a lot of Colin and Cherri’s problems could have been solved if they’d simply had honest conversations with one another where each spoke and truly listened to one another. The drama felt manufactured and there were a few other seemingly random moments thrown in at the end to “test” Colin and Cherri’s relationship which didn’t help.
I finished Thrown for a Curve feeling disappointed and unsure if I want to read the third book in the series, which is a pity, as I liked both the first Perfect Fit book and the novella “Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas.” Fans of Dangerous Curves Ahead should be pleased that Mike and Ellis appear and are instrumental in making Cherri and Colin’s relationship work. There’s a satisfying epilogue in Thrown for a Curve which ends the book on a positive note and reminded me of what I generally like about Ms. Jamison’s writing.
Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
October 1, 2016
Well, this book is pretty good. Even though it's very slow and there are simply too much going on, I adore the romance between Colin and Cherri. Colin's such a gentleman and he sure could be hesitant sometimes and that's quite annoying. But overall I enjoyed this book so much!
I didn't know it's a book two! Haha, if I know I'd totally read Ellis's book first. Look forward to complete this series!
I didn't know it's a book two! Haha, if I know I'd totally read Ellis's book first. Look forward to complete this series!
March 2, 2014
Colin is so frustrating I don't know how Cherri can endure him. But I liked the story very much , among the things because exults the family value. One story romantic and nice , a enjoyable read.
March 2, 2014
I read Sugar Jamison novella for the Perfect Fit series back in December and I really enjoyed it. It was my first taste of the authors writing and I knew I will be eager to try her next novel. So when Thrown for a Curve appeared in my netgalley I was so super excited! I dug into this book the first chance I got.
Cherri is six-foot-tall blond with curves. She wishes she was smaller, slimmer and a lot more graceful. The last thing she expects was for someone like the handsome Irishman that is now her boss to go for a woman like her.
Colin has dealt with his share of heart-breaks with women. A man who has slept around with far too many women then he could remember is now feeling a bit lonely. He hired Cherri to work in his restoration business for her beautiful paintings, but is finding it quiet hard to keep his eyes or hands off of her.
This really was an interesting story. It had a lot going on from page one, and the pacing varied throughout the book but not once did I find myself slipping away. It kept my interest until the very last chapter! Cherri's grandmother was Ukrainian, so of course being from the country myself I found it very endearing contribution to the book and it made the first part of the story a lot of fun for me. It had me giggling and comparing my own grandparent's experience.
Jamison really does have her way with words, creating characters that are both likable and real. Cherri is quiet a bit younger then Colin and both of them do come with their own issues and none of them are perfect. Yes, there are some communication issues and a lot of understanding but since their situation was kind of original to them, I understood where the frustration came from. I found myself constantly flipping back and forth between the two characters, taking both of their sites heh. I loved the humor in this book as well and how it weaved to some of the harder topics in the story. The second half of the book was quiet more different, dealing with a situation that got the two of them working on a marriage that neither of them seemed ready for.
I also really enjoyed how real Cherri was, it is always refreshing to read about women with curves and men who love them for who they are inside and out.
I found myself rooting for Cherri and Colin all the way and was rewarded with a very cute ending. I will be looking forward to more of Sugar's books in the future. I like how it turned into a read I wasn't quiet expecting, but the humor and the drama really worked in this case!
Source: I got a copy of this book from the publicist through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Cherri is six-foot-tall blond with curves. She wishes she was smaller, slimmer and a lot more graceful. The last thing she expects was for someone like the handsome Irishman that is now her boss to go for a woman like her.
Colin has dealt with his share of heart-breaks with women. A man who has slept around with far too many women then he could remember is now feeling a bit lonely. He hired Cherri to work in his restoration business for her beautiful paintings, but is finding it quiet hard to keep his eyes or hands off of her.
This really was an interesting story. It had a lot going on from page one, and the pacing varied throughout the book but not once did I find myself slipping away. It kept my interest until the very last chapter! Cherri's grandmother was Ukrainian, so of course being from the country myself I found it very endearing contribution to the book and it made the first part of the story a lot of fun for me. It had me giggling and comparing my own grandparent's experience.
Jamison really does have her way with words, creating characters that are both likable and real. Cherri is quiet a bit younger then Colin and both of them do come with their own issues and none of them are perfect. Yes, there are some communication issues and a lot of understanding but since their situation was kind of original to them, I understood where the frustration came from. I found myself constantly flipping back and forth between the two characters, taking both of their sites heh. I loved the humor in this book as well and how it weaved to some of the harder topics in the story. The second half of the book was quiet more different, dealing with a situation that got the two of them working on a marriage that neither of them seemed ready for.
I also really enjoyed how real Cherri was, it is always refreshing to read about women with curves and men who love them for who they are inside and out.
I found myself rooting for Cherri and Colin all the way and was rewarded with a very cute ending. I will be looking forward to more of Sugar's books in the future. I like how it turned into a read I wasn't quiet expecting, but the humor and the drama really worked in this case!
Source: I got a copy of this book from the publicist through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
February 28, 2014
I doubt I can convey how much I enjoyed reading this book! It made me cry, made me laugh, made me happy, made me sad. Most of all it made me very glad to have discovered Sugar Jamison's books. The great story packed with fun quirky characters is one that will stay with me for a very long time, and when it begins to fade I will read it again! You have a new fan Ms. Jamison.
dnf
December 14, 2021DNF at 65%, so no star rating. Never have I read a book that crashed so hard from 5 stars down to zero. At the start I was so relieved to have found something sweet and funny after a few awful picks. I thought I might have found a new fav author. Nope. I will warn you that this book takes a few dramatic turns halfway through that I was not anticipating. If you have triggers, I would suggest that you look into this book a bit before reading, because IMO, it gets really depressing.
Don't go thinking that the first half is fine though. It's not. This part is frustrating a depressing too. Cherri is overworked, broke, abused, and sinking into despair. The only person to help her at all? Her jerk of a romantic interest Colin. I didn't read the first book, but her friend group (who I assume are the focus of other books in the series) just yell at her EVERY TIME they find out that she's been hiding troubles from them. "Hey, we could have helped if you told us!" They give her a hug.... and then never give her any help. The problems have not gone away. The author just needs COLIN to be the only one to help her.
Colin is a mess. He keeps telling himself for the first half that he can't be with her, so every ten pages or so he hangs out with her, kisses her cheek or forehead, flirts, reminds himself he doesn't want her, and then says something cruel. She, as someone who is 22 AND HAS NEVER EVEN HAD A DATE BEFORE, assumes that he thinks she's ugly, because she's tall and thick. So many reviews on here talk about how he is so nice, and she is a whiny bitch. What? What book were you reading? Why wouldn't she assume that he finds her unattractive the way everyone else on the planet seems to have done? He is a confounding manchild who never talks about his real feelings with the woman he is into. At one point, he laughs off the sexual assault she experiences on her first-ever date with another guy (granted, she didn't tell him any of the really important points, which was immensely frustrating, but he knew that she was sobbing and trying to escape.) He laughs at her "innocence" and says he doesn't blame the guy for wanting to have sex with her, because she was wearing a short dress. Yeesh. 🤢
The book is also repetative to the extreme and frustrating to read. And when I say it's repetative, I mean it's so bad, that I don't think there were proofreaders or an editor. We get it Colin, you think she is "innocent", "warm", and "creamy". Yes, yes, we know that you don't want to be just like your dad, chasing girls in your 50's. You've already thought this exact thing 4 times already. It's just padding.
Then comes the hard turn, which I am going to SPOIL BELOW, because Colin and her friends are garbage people and I have to talk about what really made me drop this book:
REAL SPOILERS:
SO, she has sex with him. She tells him she is a virgin, and NO ONE brings up contraception. They both go completely stupid to make the plot advance.
He feels obligated to help her out with her Baba, who has dementia and has been physically attacking her. It is out of control. What are they going to do about Baba? The author kills her off. That was completely unexepected, as she was the best character in the book. Cherri falls deeper into depression, because she was out complaining about how Baba was holding her back from all of her career/life goals while Baba was dying at home. She also finds out she's pregnant a couple of weeks into her grieving.
This pregnancy was the part that made me want to throw the book. Just like we didn't talk about contraception, there is NO consideration that she get an abortion. Not even a throw away line about how she doesn't believe in it to explain why she goes through with this mess. Her friends only talk to Colin, not her. They encourage him to propose to her until she says yes, even though she has refused him twice. The friends are awful and I can't imagine wanting to read books about them. Cherri is even more depressed, because the guy she loves wants her baby and not her. Because he feels obligated to take care of her, because no one else will. He repeatedly yells at her for harming his baby by not eating. He treats her as a host for his child. Cherri feels trapped because she is going immediately from taking care of a sick grandparent to taking care of a baby she doesn't want. "When will I live my life for me?" Colin never takes her on a date, never says "I love you". He batters her into marrying him in a rush (why did it have to be in 2 weeks, so his own father couldn't make the wedding? No reason other than drama.) She's depressed, and he IS MAD AT HER FOR HER VALID FEELINGS. He takes out anger at his dad on her, he says terrible things to her. He is worried that she doesn't cry over her Baba, but then mad she can't just get over it when she does cry. It's a nightmare. I feel so sorry for her. I got to their first sex scene as a married couple when she starts bawling and begging him for forgiveness, and I wanted to punch someone.
I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. The real happy ending would be Cherri getting an abortion, taking that perfect out of town job she was offered, and moving away from these terrible people.
Don't go thinking that the first half is fine though. It's not. This part is frustrating a depressing too. Cherri is overworked, broke, abused, and sinking into despair. The only person to help her at all? Her jerk of a romantic interest Colin. I didn't read the first book, but her friend group (who I assume are the focus of other books in the series) just yell at her EVERY TIME they find out that she's been hiding troubles from them. "Hey, we could have helped if you told us!" They give her a hug.... and then never give her any help. The problems have not gone away. The author just needs COLIN to be the only one to help her.
Colin is a mess. He keeps telling himself for the first half that he can't be with her, so every ten pages or so he hangs out with her, kisses her cheek or forehead, flirts, reminds himself he doesn't want her, and then says something cruel. She, as someone who is 22 AND HAS NEVER EVEN HAD A DATE BEFORE, assumes that he thinks she's ugly, because she's tall and thick. So many reviews on here talk about how he is so nice, and she is a whiny bitch. What? What book were you reading? Why wouldn't she assume that he finds her unattractive the way everyone else on the planet seems to have done? He is a confounding manchild who never talks about his real feelings with the woman he is into. At one point, he laughs off the sexual assault she experiences on her first-ever date with another guy (granted, she didn't tell him any of the really important points, which was immensely frustrating, but he knew that she was sobbing and trying to escape.) He laughs at her "innocence" and says he doesn't blame the guy for wanting to have sex with her, because she was wearing a short dress. Yeesh. 🤢
The book is also repetative to the extreme and frustrating to read. And when I say it's repetative, I mean it's so bad, that I don't think there were proofreaders or an editor. We get it Colin, you think she is "innocent", "warm", and "creamy". Yes, yes, we know that you don't want to be just like your dad, chasing girls in your 50's. You've already thought this exact thing 4 times already. It's just padding.
Then comes the hard turn, which I am going to SPOIL BELOW, because Colin and her friends are garbage people and I have to talk about what really made me drop this book:
REAL SPOILERS:
SO, she has sex with him. She tells him she is a virgin, and NO ONE brings up contraception. They both go completely stupid to make the plot advance.
He feels obligated to help her out with her Baba, who has dementia and has been physically attacking her. It is out of control. What are they going to do about Baba? The author kills her off. That was completely unexepected, as she was the best character in the book. Cherri falls deeper into depression, because she was out complaining about how Baba was holding her back from all of her career/life goals while Baba was dying at home. She also finds out she's pregnant a couple of weeks into her grieving.
This pregnancy was the part that made me want to throw the book. Just like we didn't talk about contraception, there is NO consideration that she get an abortion. Not even a throw away line about how she doesn't believe in it to explain why she goes through with this mess. Her friends only talk to Colin, not her. They encourage him to propose to her until she says yes, even though she has refused him twice. The friends are awful and I can't imagine wanting to read books about them. Cherri is even more depressed, because the guy she loves wants her baby and not her. Because he feels obligated to take care of her, because no one else will. He repeatedly yells at her for harming his baby by not eating. He treats her as a host for his child. Cherri feels trapped because she is going immediately from taking care of a sick grandparent to taking care of a baby she doesn't want. "When will I live my life for me?" Colin never takes her on a date, never says "I love you". He batters her into marrying him in a rush (why did it have to be in 2 weeks, so his own father couldn't make the wedding? No reason other than drama.) She's depressed, and he IS MAD AT HER FOR HER VALID FEELINGS. He takes out anger at his dad on her, he says terrible things to her. He is worried that she doesn't cry over her Baba, but then mad she can't just get over it when she does cry. It's a nightmare. I feel so sorry for her. I got to their first sex scene as a married couple when she starts bawling and begging him for forgiveness, and I wanted to punch someone.
I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. The real happy ending would be Cherri getting an abortion, taking that perfect out of town job she was offered, and moving away from these terrible people.
February 5, 2017
Another winner! I'm loving this series and Sugar Jamison is fantastic.
May 3, 2022
Not a detailed review, just thoughts I had while reading this:
- Really did not like this book. Not only was the story too long and filled with unnecessary twists, both hero and heroine are so unlikeable! I remember Cherri and Colin were decent characters from the 1st Perfect Fit book, but here in book 2 they are unrecognisable! Previously Cherri was portrayed as this shy artsy dork, but here with Colin she's all sassy and provocative. She says she knows nothing abt Colin and wants to get to know him better, I certainly didn't think she would attempt to do that by asking him various uncomfortable sex-related questions. Her character is just all over the place. On the one hand, she supposedly has all these self-esteem issues abt being a giant, but on the other hand she flirts with and proposition a hot guy like Colin repeatedly without a problem. We're told she's supposed to be mature for her age, and her friends all swear she's not naive, but she's been having sex repeatedly without contraceptives and it just never once occurred to her that she could get pregnant?! How is that not naive. Cherri's also in her own head a lot, whining abt everything, obsessing abt Colin's ex when he already made it so clear he was not into that.
- Colin's not an attractive hero to me at all. First of all, that 12-year age gap is disturbing. The author introduced the sleazy vet who was 20 years older than Cherri and clearly that was way gross, but if she was trying to make a point of "See... compared to 20 years, 12 years ain't so bad...", well no. Just NO. None of that was okay. Colin and Cherri were always at different phases of their lives, and it never seemed like they met halfway, it just seemed like Cherri gave up her youth and freedom becoz Colin was ready to settle down, not her. I found Colin to be such an asshole abt Cherri wanting to take that job out of town. Dude impregnated and married a 22-year-old who hadn't even had the chance to explore her options yet, and he had the cheek to say that her trying to find herself was getting in the way of their relationship. The nerve. I also didn't like the way a grown ass man like him couldn't figure out his own feelings without leading on that innocent bystander Carol Jenkins, whom he dated and would have slept with even though he had zero interest in her. He is chauvinistic, and I never like that in my romance heroes.
- The dialogue is really painful to read. All the "lass" and "lad", the multiple references to potatoes, I get it, he's Irish! I find the conversations between the men Mike and Colin also needlessly misogynistic. A lot of "I know it makes me sound like a woman, but I missed you" and "She's got your balls in a grip" etc. Just the over-compensation of machismo in their conversations make it sound so forced and unrealistic.
- The book is way too long, but quite honestly filled with nothing. They're constantly unhappy, but you don't really know why. They're always worried when either is gone for more than 2 hours, but you don't know why since their town is supposedly super safe. They're both waiting for the other to say I love you, but you don't know why neither of them are saying it. The drama in the second half of the book just feels like a whole lot of nothing. I had felt compelled to finish the 3rd book of the series just becoz I like to complete things, but after reading this book, I can't say I'm looking forward to the next one.
- Really did not like this book. Not only was the story too long and filled with unnecessary twists, both hero and heroine are so unlikeable! I remember Cherri and Colin were decent characters from the 1st Perfect Fit book, but here in book 2 they are unrecognisable! Previously Cherri was portrayed as this shy artsy dork, but here with Colin she's all sassy and provocative. She says she knows nothing abt Colin and wants to get to know him better, I certainly didn't think she would attempt to do that by asking him various uncomfortable sex-related questions. Her character is just all over the place. On the one hand, she supposedly has all these self-esteem issues abt being a giant, but on the other hand she flirts with and proposition a hot guy like Colin repeatedly without a problem. We're told she's supposed to be mature for her age, and her friends all swear she's not naive, but she's been having sex repeatedly without contraceptives and it just never once occurred to her that she could get pregnant?! How is that not naive. Cherri's also in her own head a lot, whining abt everything, obsessing abt Colin's ex when he already made it so clear he was not into that.
- Colin's not an attractive hero to me at all. First of all, that 12-year age gap is disturbing. The author introduced the sleazy vet who was 20 years older than Cherri and clearly that was way gross, but if she was trying to make a point of "See... compared to 20 years, 12 years ain't so bad...", well no. Just NO. None of that was okay. Colin and Cherri were always at different phases of their lives, and it never seemed like they met halfway, it just seemed like Cherri gave up her youth and freedom becoz Colin was ready to settle down, not her. I found Colin to be such an asshole abt Cherri wanting to take that job out of town. Dude impregnated and married a 22-year-old who hadn't even had the chance to explore her options yet, and he had the cheek to say that her trying to find herself was getting in the way of their relationship. The nerve. I also didn't like the way a grown ass man like him couldn't figure out his own feelings without leading on that innocent bystander Carol Jenkins, whom he dated and would have slept with even though he had zero interest in her. He is chauvinistic, and I never like that in my romance heroes.
- The dialogue is really painful to read. All the "lass" and "lad", the multiple references to potatoes, I get it, he's Irish! I find the conversations between the men Mike and Colin also needlessly misogynistic. A lot of "I know it makes me sound like a woman, but I missed you" and "She's got your balls in a grip" etc. Just the over-compensation of machismo in their conversations make it sound so forced and unrealistic.
- The book is way too long, but quite honestly filled with nothing. They're constantly unhappy, but you don't really know why. They're always worried when either is gone for more than 2 hours, but you don't know why since their town is supposedly super safe. They're both waiting for the other to say I love you, but you don't know why neither of them are saying it. The drama in the second half of the book just feels like a whole lot of nothing. I had felt compelled to finish the 3rd book of the series just becoz I like to complete things, but after reading this book, I can't say I'm looking forward to the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2017
This book starts out quite good. Then the middle comes along and you can't help but find yourself asking what happened. This romance reminded me of stuff you see in middle school with the constant back and forth of does he really like me? Argh! He dotes on the girl. (I actually had to erase woman because her inexperience with men leaves her with the emotional maturity of a preteen.) It was like a rollercoaster and didn't have a real plot. I don't have much better to say about the male in this book except he did sound super sexy, at least that's what I gathered since Cherri said it countless times throughout the story. While I got a kick out of the grandmother, I have to think that she would never have jumped on board with his emotional baggage. I did enjoy some of this book but after the first half I just found myself wanting to shake the girl! I loved the first book and very much enjoyed the novelette about Dina but I'm hoping that the next book in the series is much better than this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2018
I read this because it was a strong recommendation from a friend. I enjoyed the book overall. I like that the main man is Irish and sweet. His temper does not make me swoon however. I did not appreciate how immature some of both the main characters' thought processes were. At times I felt like they rationalized things like they were teenagers. "Oh they don't really love me...sob, sob, sob". That was frustrating to me. It was like they had zero adult communication skills to explain to the other what was bothering them. I really enjoyed the relationship with the grandma. The silly things she said made me laugh along with her crush on our leading man. Also, I liked our leading lady's personality-so kind and perky. Overall entertaining but nothing to get too overexcited about.
August 26, 2015
Description:
WHEN YOU’RE A big girl
Cherri has often wished she were thin and graceful like a ballerina instead of being a six-foot-tall blonde with curves that require serious caution. Surely a charming Irishman like her new boss Colin, with his throaty brogue and to-die-for bod, would never go for someone like Cherri. Unless maybe he’s looking for the exact opposite of a delicate lass?
there’s more of you to love
When Colin hired Cherri to work in his furniture-restoration shop, he had his eyes, first and foremost, on her artistic talents. But now he can’t help but see Cherri for the lush, spirited beauty that she is…and, soon enough, he finds himself mixing business with pleasure. But Cherri turns out to be more vulnerable than she appears. Is she in need of more than Colin can give? Or could it be that a feeling stronger than lust has him thrown for a curve?
Thoughts:
I really wanted to like this one more. It started out really great with marvelous banter between the two MC's and then everything kinda fell apart in the middle and went for a hopscotch jump into the land of what the fuck.
I liked Cherri when we started. She was well developed, sarcastic, happy, snarky and not the normal skinny...slender, perfect little cheerleader types that most books feature. She's 6 feet tall and has the ass and boobs to make her a knockout. And apparently she doesn't know how attractive she is... and then we get into the clichéd 20 something virgins. I get that boys in grade school were idiots. But my experience is that usually in college there's someone who's interested. (Just annoys me... she wasn't saving herself for love or marriage (that we know of) it just got passed off that NO One in her little Podunk college wanted to get with the big girl. GRRRR!)
Colin was the hot Irish guy and yes I read his dialogue with as close to an Irish accent that I could manage (Thank you Boondock Saints I love you forever!)... He was a broody good guy who was kinda lost since his best mate got married. He's kind of adrift in his early 30s and he just wants a family. He tried to come up with excuses to stay away from Cherri (mostly their 10 year age difference) but yeah that didn't work much. He's been burned bad in the past but to his credit, he gives it a go..
My favorite character was Baba, Cherri's Ukrainian grandmother. SHE was a HOOT! I wanna hang out with that woman, she rocked. She gave everyone shit and took no prisoners. It cracked me up that she called Colin her boyfriend just to push Cherri's buttons.
SO imagine my surprise when BAM!
It completely ruined the fun. I mean after that the book went down hill... on a rollercoaster... with a jet pack strapped to it... with rocket fuel. I mean, I had to slog through over 100 more pages of Cherri basically clinically depressed. I totally get it but it's still no fun to read. Especially when I was literally laughing so hard during the first half of the book that I fell off my bed... TWICE!!!
So then on top of this throw in a marriage that is nothing but a massive chain of misunderstandings. Here's where my hair pulling out began. Cherri as we knew her disappeared and in her place arrived this hormonal, selfish, doubting, mopey, addlebrained little twat. Poor Colin, and most definitely poor reader!
God I wanted to smack the shit out of her.
Okay, I wanted to smack both of them because Colin devolved into this "I am the man, I must provide, take care of you, see to your every need without getting your opinion first" kind of guy. I hate those guys.
So that's why this is really a 2.75 star book ... I wish we could give half and quarter stars ... but we can't. I'm undecided if I am actually going to grab the other two in the series. I don't have much hope for them so probably not going to at this time.
So much potential...
WHEN YOU’RE A big girl
Cherri has often wished she were thin and graceful like a ballerina instead of being a six-foot-tall blonde with curves that require serious caution. Surely a charming Irishman like her new boss Colin, with his throaty brogue and to-die-for bod, would never go for someone like Cherri. Unless maybe he’s looking for the exact opposite of a delicate lass?
there’s more of you to love
When Colin hired Cherri to work in his furniture-restoration shop, he had his eyes, first and foremost, on her artistic talents. But now he can’t help but see Cherri for the lush, spirited beauty that she is…and, soon enough, he finds himself mixing business with pleasure. But Cherri turns out to be more vulnerable than she appears. Is she in need of more than Colin can give? Or could it be that a feeling stronger than lust has him thrown for a curve?
Thoughts:
I really wanted to like this one more. It started out really great with marvelous banter between the two MC's and then everything kinda fell apart in the middle and went for a hopscotch jump into the land of what the fuck.
I liked Cherri when we started. She was well developed, sarcastic, happy, snarky and not the normal skinny...slender, perfect little cheerleader types that most books feature. She's 6 feet tall and has the ass and boobs to make her a knockout. And apparently she doesn't know how attractive she is... and then we get into the clichéd 20 something virgins. I get that boys in grade school were idiots. But my experience is that usually in college there's someone who's interested. (Just annoys me... she wasn't saving herself for love or marriage (that we know of) it just got passed off that NO One in her little Podunk college wanted to get with the big girl. GRRRR!)
Colin was the hot Irish guy and yes I read his dialogue with as close to an Irish accent that I could manage (Thank you Boondock Saints I love you forever!)... He was a broody good guy who was kinda lost since his best mate got married. He's kind of adrift in his early 30s and he just wants a family. He tried to come up with excuses to stay away from Cherri (mostly their 10 year age difference) but yeah that didn't work much. He's been burned bad in the past but to his credit, he gives it a go..
My favorite character was Baba, Cherri's Ukrainian grandmother. SHE was a HOOT! I wanna hang out with that woman, she rocked. She gave everyone shit and took no prisoners. It cracked me up that she called Colin her boyfriend just to push Cherri's buttons.
SO imagine my surprise when BAM!
It completely ruined the fun. I mean after that the book went down hill... on a rollercoaster... with a jet pack strapped to it... with rocket fuel. I mean, I had to slog through over 100 more pages of Cherri basically clinically depressed. I totally get it but it's still no fun to read. Especially when I was literally laughing so hard during the first half of the book that I fell off my bed... TWICE!!!
So then on top of this throw in a marriage that is nothing but a massive chain of misunderstandings. Here's where my hair pulling out began. Cherri as we knew her disappeared and in her place arrived this hormonal, selfish, doubting, mopey, addlebrained little twat. Poor Colin, and most definitely poor reader!
God I wanted to smack the shit out of her.
Okay, I wanted to smack both of them because Colin devolved into this "I am the man, I must provide, take care of you, see to your every need without getting your opinion first" kind of guy. I hate those guys.
So that's why this is really a 2.75 star book ... I wish we could give half and quarter stars ... but we can't. I'm undecided if I am actually going to grab the other two in the series. I don't have much hope for them so probably not going to at this time.
So much potential...
December 26, 2017
The cover is marvelous (high-spirited), the blurb made me imagine thousand and one funny situations, but as the reading progresses, the character once so pleasing becomes whiny and depressing.
A main character with all the different items of the usual heroines (beautiful, short and thin) that ended up losing the purpose for me.
Maybe next time.
3 stars
A main character with all the different items of the usual heroines (beautiful, short and thin) that ended up losing the purpose for me.
Maybe next time.
3 stars
September 1, 2019
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. In my mind, I could hear Colin's Irish brogue, and I really loved the way he spoke to Cherri. These two characters made a cute and sexy couple. The addition of Cherri's grandmother was a special part of the story and she made me laugh throughout the story with her blunt comments and mixed-up idioms. A great sequel to 'Dangerous Curves Ahead'.
February 13, 2018
I loved the characters and the book started off so well. But the second half of the book made me so sad and the story while it has a HEA ending left me down instead of being uplifted. Instead of two broken people healing together, it made it feel like they were more broken.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2019
This book was all over the place, and I didn't feel like the characters of Colin or Cherri were consistent with the first book. I will still read Belinda's book, but I won't bother re-reading this one.
August 18, 2017
Cute and clean
September 17, 2017
This was super fucking good. I LOVED Cherri and Colin's relationship. And that epilogue, though :)
February 3, 2019
Colin and Cherri are such a fun couple. They are great friends and end up being so much more to each other and they don't even realize it.
Read
September 7, 2019Really funny romantic comedy. The main characters were believable and well written. I wish there were more in this series.
Read
September 14, 2019I couldn’t get into this book. DNF
February 17, 2022
I enjoyed all of the books in this series. I definitely love seeing The growth in both of them as people as well as them becoming a couple.
February 21, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
September 11, 2022
Just okay.
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