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Hot Dutch Daydream
Rom-com lovers and fans of Elise Bryant and Jenna Evans Welch will adore this next summer read from Hot British Boyfriend author Kristy Boyce.
No one has ever accused Sage Cunningham of being easily distracted. She has a plan, and she won't be swayed. She'll spend the summer interning in her mentor's lab in Amsterdam, and then she'll be ready for college. All she needs to do to pay for the summer abroad is agree to serve as the au pair for Dr. Reese's three-year-old.
Sage has it all down to a science, but she doesn't anticipate the surprise arrival of Dr. Reese's teenage son. Ryland is spontaneous, flirty, and impulsive--everything Sage isn't. He's a talented artist, but he's desperately in need of someone to keep him focused. And as nannying proves harder than Sage had expected, it turns out she might need help too.
The two strike a deal. Sage will stop Ryland from going out with a different girl every day, and Ryland will pitch in with his little brother.
Spending the summer stuck together is the perfect way to keep distractions to a minimum. Right?
No one has ever accused Sage Cunningham of being easily distracted. She has a plan, and she won't be swayed. She'll spend the summer interning in her mentor's lab in Amsterdam, and then she'll be ready for college. All she needs to do to pay for the summer abroad is agree to serve as the au pair for Dr. Reese's three-year-old.
Sage has it all down to a science, but she doesn't anticipate the surprise arrival of Dr. Reese's teenage son. Ryland is spontaneous, flirty, and impulsive--everything Sage isn't. He's a talented artist, but he's desperately in need of someone to keep him focused. And as nannying proves harder than Sage had expected, it turns out she might need help too.
The two strike a deal. Sage will stop Ryland from going out with a different girl every day, and Ryland will pitch in with his little brother.
Spending the summer stuck together is the perfect way to keep distractions to a minimum. Right?
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2023
42 people are currently reading
6157 people want to read
About the author
Kristy Boyce
7 books1,444 followersKristy Boyce lives in Columbus, OH and teaches psychology as a senior lecturer at The Ohio State University.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, putting together fairy gardens, or watching happy reality TV (The Great British Bake-Off and So You Think You Can Dance are perennial favorites).
Kristy is the social media coordinator for Central and Southern Ohio SCBWI.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, putting together fairy gardens, or watching happy reality TV (The Great British Bake-Off and So You Think You Can Dance are perennial favorites).
Kristy is the social media coordinator for Central and Southern Ohio SCBWI.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
April 22, 2023
This title is not indicative of the dreamy romance inside. This is a slow burn, opposites attract, coming of age tale. Smart meets art in Amsterdam. Endearing and perfect for summer reading. 📚
Thank you to Harper Teen and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Harper Teen and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2023
bitterballen “deep fried meatballs” noemen is wel heel gewaagd
November 15, 2022
Excellent companion novel to 'Hot British Boyfriend' though readers do not need to read 'HBB' to enjoy this one.
Readers follow hard-working go-getter Sage as she spends the summer in Amsterdam, volunteering in her mentor's lab and preparing a poster for a prestigious conference, while babysitting her mentor's 3-year-old. When her mentor's teenaged son, Ryland, unexpectedly returns home for the summer, Sage is surprised by how distracted she is. Though she tries to concentrate on her daytime babysitting duties and evenings-and-weekends data entry for the lab, Sage soon finds herself appreciating Ryland's help with his brother and his companionship while they each work.
It's lots of fun to watch Sage fall for Ryland, despite her own best efforts. This is a very cute romantic comedy YA Contemporary with easy-to-root for characters and excellent character development. Highly recommended!
#HotDutchDaydream #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
Readers follow hard-working go-getter Sage as she spends the summer in Amsterdam, volunteering in her mentor's lab and preparing a poster for a prestigious conference, while babysitting her mentor's 3-year-old. When her mentor's teenaged son, Ryland, unexpectedly returns home for the summer, Sage is surprised by how distracted she is. Though she tries to concentrate on her daytime babysitting duties and evenings-and-weekends data entry for the lab, Sage soon finds herself appreciating Ryland's help with his brother and his companionship while they each work.
It's lots of fun to watch Sage fall for Ryland, despite her own best efforts. This is a very cute romantic comedy YA Contemporary with easy-to-root for characters and excellent character development. Highly recommended!
#HotDutchDaydream #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
December 20, 2023
If Sage can keep her plans on track, she has it made—a summer in Amsterdam, a prestigious internship, and a bright academic future. And Sage is nothing if not good at keeping her plans on track. But there are complications: first, the internship is a side dish alongside a main of nannying...and second, there's a certain redhead occupying more of Sage's thoughts than she's allowed for, and he's the last person she should be dating.
Hot Dutch Daydream is a follow-up to Hot British Boyfriend, with some overlapping characters and another city to visit. I have an enduring love for YA travel lit, and neither this nor Hot British Boyfriend disappointed. Setting-wise, I'm thrilled that this takes place in a less-traveled place—so much American travel YA takes place in England, France, and Italy, with occasional side trips to Spain or Greece or South Korea. Amsterdam is hardly a backwater place (as the book itself notes, it's a major European city), but it's comparatively rare to see American YA set there. (It is now my fervent wish that Boyce will continue this series with books set in even farther-flung places—how about Warsaw, or Lima, or Ulaanbaatar? You have no idea what I would give for a well-written YA novel set in Ulaanbaatar.)
And character-wise: Sage is a completely different character than Ellie (of "Hot British Boyfriend"), which I also love. Ellie grew on me, but Sage is so wonderfully determined and confident from the get-go—in a way that my teenage self would never have been able to relate to, but my adult self applauds. Also, the loss backstory (Sage had a death in the family a few years prior to the book) is painfully on-point.
I have quibbles, because I always have quibbles: first, although the romance is sweet, I wished we could see a bit more of Sage developing platonic friendships. (If I always have quibbles...I always, always want less romance and more platonic friendship in YA.) And second—although this is such a minor thing—it was kind of surprising that Ryland had never been to Berlin and was worried about the cost of a flight. Travel in Europe is a lot easier, and cheaper, than in the US, and while a bus from Amsterdam to Berlin is not the most fun road trip ever, it's certainly doable (about thirty euros, one-way). Ryland doesn't seem like someone to let a mid-length bus trip deter him from seeing a city that has long been friendly to artists.
Someday I'll learn to pace myself when reading light and very entertaining fiction, but that day is not today. An excellent read for a dreary day when I was wishing for summer.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Hot Dutch Daydream is a follow-up to Hot British Boyfriend, with some overlapping characters and another city to visit. I have an enduring love for YA travel lit, and neither this nor Hot British Boyfriend disappointed. Setting-wise, I'm thrilled that this takes place in a less-traveled place—so much American travel YA takes place in England, France, and Italy, with occasional side trips to Spain or Greece or South Korea. Amsterdam is hardly a backwater place (as the book itself notes, it's a major European city), but it's comparatively rare to see American YA set there. (It is now my fervent wish that Boyce will continue this series with books set in even farther-flung places—how about Warsaw, or Lima, or Ulaanbaatar? You have no idea what I would give for a well-written YA novel set in Ulaanbaatar.)
And character-wise: Sage is a completely different character than Ellie (of "Hot British Boyfriend"), which I also love. Ellie grew on me, but Sage is so wonderfully determined and confident from the get-go—in a way that my teenage self would never have been able to relate to, but my adult self applauds. Also, the loss backstory (Sage had a death in the family a few years prior to the book) is painfully on-point.
I have quibbles, because I always have quibbles: first, although the romance is sweet, I wished we could see a bit more of Sage developing platonic friendships. (If I always have quibbles...I always, always want less romance and more platonic friendship in YA.) And second—although this is such a minor thing—it was kind of surprising that Ryland had never been to Berlin and was worried about the cost of a flight. Travel in Europe is a lot easier, and cheaper, than in the US, and while a bus from Amsterdam to Berlin is not the most fun road trip ever, it's certainly doable (about thirty euros, one-way). Ryland doesn't seem like someone to let a mid-length bus trip deter him from seeing a city that has long been friendly to artists.
Someday I'll learn to pace myself when reading light and very entertaining fiction, but that day is not today. An excellent read for a dreary day when I was wishing for summer.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
November 19, 2025
This is more of a 3.5. It was really cute! But unfortunately not all that memorable. RTC
December 11, 2022
3.5 stars
This is the kind if book you want to curl up with a comfortable blanket and never stop reading. Opposites attract dynamic between Sage and Ryland was truly adorable, reminded me of why I adore YA novels so much.
This was fun and I very well done and I will absolutely be picking up more from these author.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the kind if book you want to curl up with a comfortable blanket and never stop reading. Opposites attract dynamic between Sage and Ryland was truly adorable, reminded me of why I adore YA novels so much.
This was fun and I very well done and I will absolutely be picking up more from these author.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2025
did I read this? did I not? I have no idea 😅
January 13, 2025
"Jangan mengorbankan masa depanmu untukku, Sage."
"Bagaimana kalau kaulah masa depanku?"
Actual rating: 4.5⭐️
Demi mewujudkan mimpinya di bidang riset kedokteran, Sage bersedia menjaga Diederik—bocah umur 3 tahun—anak dari kepala riset tempat Sage magang di Amsterdam, Dr. Reese. Sebagai gantinya, Dr. Reese membiayai biaya akomodasi konferensi Sage ke Berlin. Namun, ada satu syarat yang harus Sage lakukan. Yaitu jangan berpacaran dengan Ryland, anak sulung Dr. Reese karena dia tak ingin ada conflict of interest. Tapi, bisakah Sage mengabaikan distraksi yang begitu "daydream" dari seorang cowok belanda?
Aku suka karakter Sage yang khas alpha woman, well-planned, berorientasi kepada riset, cerdas, dan yang pasti dia tahu apa yang dia inginkan dan dia bisa mencapainya. That's the hot girl for me! Sementara Ryland, bagaikan kutub yang berbeda. Anak seni yang punya mimpi besar di bidang seni, namun sering terdistraksi karena anaknya yang easy going, charming, dan friendly. Jadi, dia butuh distraksi yang lebih besar untuk bisa fokus. Dan orang itu adalah Sage.
"Aku butuh ketenangan tanpa interupsi dan kau pada dasarnya merupakan interupsi berjalan."
Dan interupsi berjalan itu menjelma menjadi alasan Sage untuk tidak selalu menggunakan logikanya, tapi ada cinta di sana. Uhuk.
This is really slowburn. Bayangkan kalau kamu menginginkan agenda lovey-dovey dan daydream, kamu harus menunggu di 60% perjalanan cerita. Ya, 60%! Tapi, setelahnya, manisnya gula pun lebih manis Sage dan Ryland, haha.
Saat konflik muncul dapat diatasi dengan baik dan tidak terlalu bertele-tele. Karena Sage mengerti apa maunya. That's my hot girl. Alih-alih Hot Dutch Daydream, mungkin bisa juga Hot American Alpha Girl Sweetheart!
Akhir kata, i loveeeeee this book!! This remind to get your love and dream. Both of them. Not in single one.
Loved 💐
Ps. Diederik, the scene stealer!! 🤏👶 Balita gemas. "Je kust Ryland." Tahu aja anak umur 3 tahun soal ciuman 🤭
"Bagaimana kalau kaulah masa depanku?"
Actual rating: 4.5⭐️
Demi mewujudkan mimpinya di bidang riset kedokteran, Sage bersedia menjaga Diederik—bocah umur 3 tahun—anak dari kepala riset tempat Sage magang di Amsterdam, Dr. Reese. Sebagai gantinya, Dr. Reese membiayai biaya akomodasi konferensi Sage ke Berlin. Namun, ada satu syarat yang harus Sage lakukan. Yaitu jangan berpacaran dengan Ryland, anak sulung Dr. Reese karena dia tak ingin ada conflict of interest. Tapi, bisakah Sage mengabaikan distraksi yang begitu "daydream" dari seorang cowok belanda?
Aku suka karakter Sage yang khas alpha woman, well-planned, berorientasi kepada riset, cerdas, dan yang pasti dia tahu apa yang dia inginkan dan dia bisa mencapainya. That's the hot girl for me! Sementara Ryland, bagaikan kutub yang berbeda. Anak seni yang punya mimpi besar di bidang seni, namun sering terdistraksi karena anaknya yang easy going, charming, dan friendly. Jadi, dia butuh distraksi yang lebih besar untuk bisa fokus. Dan orang itu adalah Sage.
"Aku butuh ketenangan tanpa interupsi dan kau pada dasarnya merupakan interupsi berjalan."
Dan interupsi berjalan itu menjelma menjadi alasan Sage untuk tidak selalu menggunakan logikanya, tapi ada cinta di sana. Uhuk.
This is really slowburn. Bayangkan kalau kamu menginginkan agenda lovey-dovey dan daydream, kamu harus menunggu di 60% perjalanan cerita. Ya, 60%! Tapi, setelahnya, manisnya gula pun lebih manis Sage dan Ryland, haha.
Saat konflik muncul dapat diatasi dengan baik dan tidak terlalu bertele-tele. Karena Sage mengerti apa maunya. That's my hot girl. Alih-alih Hot Dutch Daydream, mungkin bisa juga Hot American Alpha Girl Sweetheart!
Akhir kata, i loveeeeee this book!! This remind to get your love and dream. Both of them. Not in single one.
Loved 💐
Ps. Diederik, the scene stealer!! 🤏👶 Balita gemas. "Je kust Ryland." Tahu aja anak umur 3 tahun soal ciuman 🤭
March 7, 2024
Another cute rom-com!
January 23, 2024
Ryland the cat-loving artist holds my heart. <3 *swoons* I mean, cute guy who loves cats and draws cat butts in his art (cats walking away) and takes Sage to a cat art display and everything… be still my heart. (Am I a cat lady? Yes. Yes I am.)
Also, I’m a big fan of type A, type B ships. It was very cute. Ryland was able to help Sage loosen up, which let’s be honest, she definitely needed. XD Sage was one of my fav characters from the first book, so it was great to see her get her own story.
Also, I’m a big fan of type A, type B ships. It was very cute. Ryland was able to help Sage loosen up, which let’s be honest, she definitely needed. XD Sage was one of my fav characters from the first book, so it was great to see her get her own story.
September 5, 2024
I think I love Kristy Boyce?? I definitely love Ryland?? And honestly, I NEVER would’ve picked this book up for myself based on the title alone lmao but I loved “Dungeons and Drama” and a friend enjoyed this one so I gave it a go. And OMG. It was perfect. Had me swooning. It is YA so if you’re someone who wants spice, this won’t be your cup of tea but it was definitely mine! Plus any book with TRAVEL is pretty much an automatic win for me. Yaaas take me somewhere with cute boys with accents pls
September 22, 2023
stupidest book i’ve ever read
October 3, 2025
I loved this cute romcom between a STEM girl focused on her education and research and a freewheeling Dutch artist who can’t seem to focus on making a career for himself.
I loved Sage in the previous book where she was Ellie’s roommate in England. She’s brilliant, focused and a bit of a stick in the mud for a teenage girl. Ryland is her perfect foil; friendly, outgoing and unable to reach his goals with constant distractions from girls and his friends. Together they are able to break the molds they’ve built for themselves and help each other become their best selves.
The story is light and sweet, which is just what a high school romance should be.
I loved Sage in the previous book where she was Ellie’s roommate in England. She’s brilliant, focused and a bit of a stick in the mud for a teenage girl. Ryland is her perfect foil; friendly, outgoing and unable to reach his goals with constant distractions from girls and his friends. Together they are able to break the molds they’ve built for themselves and help each other become their best selves.
The story is light and sweet, which is just what a high school romance should be.
February 4, 2025
This is a young adult book. Very different from the genres I’ve been reading as of late. It was nice to take a step back and enjoy a wholesome romance.
March 19, 2025
3.5 jakie słodkie 🫠😭
March 5, 2023
*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher HarperTeen for review. Thank you! All thoughts are my own*
Hot Dutch Daydream was a fantastic follow up to Boyce’s debut of Hot British Boyfriend! Although this one can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading HBB before reading this one. I found that I didn’t want to put this one down, and it’s the perfect summer read. I totally wanted to travel somewhere while reading! For fans of smart girls, artistic boys, interesting family dynamics, travel and a slow burn romance, I highly recommend this one!
Sage Cunnigham has always been super focused. Her summer plans include interning in Dr. Reese’s lab in Amsterdam before starting her freshman year of college. Sage agrees to nanny for her mentor’s three-year-old son Diedrick in order to pay for the trip, which includes an important conference in Berlin.
Shortly after her arrival in Amsterdam, Sage is surprised by the unexpected addition of Dr. Reese’s teenage son Ryland. His personality is the exact opposite of hers, he’s flirtatious, spontaneous, and impulsive. He’s an artist who really needs someone to help keep him focused. Nannying is harder than Sage expected it to be, and she feels as though she needs help too.
The pair strikes a deal. Sage will keep Ryland from going out with friends all the time and Ryland will help out with his little brother. They figure that working together will keep distractions away and they’ll both be able to focus. Or will they?
Sage and Ryland are such great characters! I love how Sage is so driven towards her goals, and she doesn’t let anything stand in the way of her dreams. Ryland is such a sweet and supportive character. He really encouraged Sage and got her to open up and also do some fun things while being away from home. They balanced each other out so well! There are some interesting family dynamics that are explored for both characters as well. I also love how we get updates from Sage’s best friends Ellie, Dev, and Huan from HBB and what they’ve been up to.
I think if you loved HBB and/or you’re a romance fan, you would love Hot Dutch Daydream. It’s releasing on April 18, 2023, and I hope you’ll give a try.
Hot Dutch Daydream was a fantastic follow up to Boyce’s debut of Hot British Boyfriend! Although this one can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading HBB before reading this one. I found that I didn’t want to put this one down, and it’s the perfect summer read. I totally wanted to travel somewhere while reading! For fans of smart girls, artistic boys, interesting family dynamics, travel and a slow burn romance, I highly recommend this one!
Sage Cunnigham has always been super focused. Her summer plans include interning in Dr. Reese’s lab in Amsterdam before starting her freshman year of college. Sage agrees to nanny for her mentor’s three-year-old son Diedrick in order to pay for the trip, which includes an important conference in Berlin.
Shortly after her arrival in Amsterdam, Sage is surprised by the unexpected addition of Dr. Reese’s teenage son Ryland. His personality is the exact opposite of hers, he’s flirtatious, spontaneous, and impulsive. He’s an artist who really needs someone to help keep him focused. Nannying is harder than Sage expected it to be, and she feels as though she needs help too.
The pair strikes a deal. Sage will keep Ryland from going out with friends all the time and Ryland will help out with his little brother. They figure that working together will keep distractions away and they’ll both be able to focus. Or will they?
Sage and Ryland are such great characters! I love how Sage is so driven towards her goals, and she doesn’t let anything stand in the way of her dreams. Ryland is such a sweet and supportive character. He really encouraged Sage and got her to open up and also do some fun things while being away from home. They balanced each other out so well! There are some interesting family dynamics that are explored for both characters as well. I also love how we get updates from Sage’s best friends Ellie, Dev, and Huan from HBB and what they’ve been up to.
I think if you loved HBB and/or you’re a romance fan, you would love Hot Dutch Daydream. It’s releasing on April 18, 2023, and I hope you’ll give a try.
June 5, 2023
You will get exactly what you expect from this YA book, a sweet, easy read romance.
Young love, (albeit a little too insta love for my liking with not enough tension build up) the main characters are 18 so it defiantly fits the YA category and the writing style also this age range.
Some of the elements didn't match up to me, like the rate of career progression and high ambition, mixed with the low level of relationship maturity. Im not saying young people can't be ambitious and it bought out some amazing traits for the character but some of the things these 18 year old characters achieve professionally felt somewhat unrealistic.
To me the characters actions professionally, felt more adult but the romance was defiantly a sweet and juvenile YA, this leaves the character arcs a little jumbled. This isn't helped by a mother controlling the characters interactions in a forbidden romance, making it feel more like they are children.
That said, it was so easy to read in one sitting and a beautiful setting for the story.
I loved that Amsterdam and its culture was bought into the spotlight in this book.
Overall a nice clean and light romance read, recommended to those who enjoy travel and true YA.
Thank you to Harper360 for providing me with a copy to review.
Young love, (albeit a little too insta love for my liking with not enough tension build up) the main characters are 18 so it defiantly fits the YA category and the writing style also this age range.
Some of the elements didn't match up to me, like the rate of career progression and high ambition, mixed with the low level of relationship maturity. Im not saying young people can't be ambitious and it bought out some amazing traits for the character but some of the things these 18 year old characters achieve professionally felt somewhat unrealistic.
To me the characters actions professionally, felt more adult but the romance was defiantly a sweet and juvenile YA, this leaves the character arcs a little jumbled. This isn't helped by a mother controlling the characters interactions in a forbidden romance, making it feel more like they are children.
That said, it was so easy to read in one sitting and a beautiful setting for the story.
I loved that Amsterdam and its culture was bought into the spotlight in this book.
Overall a nice clean and light romance read, recommended to those who enjoy travel and true YA.
Thank you to Harper360 for providing me with a copy to review.
April 25, 2023
Hot Dutch Daydream is a standalone sequel to Hot British Boyfriend. Even though I haven’t read the other books by Kristy Boyce, this book really spoke to me. First of all, I am Dutch and really like reading books in which the characters visit the Netherlands and also I really love to read rom-coms. This book just seemed like a perfect match for me. What will this book bring?
Find out in my review on my blog Boekensteeg
Find out in my review on my blog Boekensteeg
October 25, 2022
Absolutely delightful!! I'm ready to run away to Amsterdam
April 11, 2023
Quite good! Very cute.
May 22, 2024
3.75/5
Okay I totally misread the cursive on the title, but this book was better than expected. It was a slow burn and super cute. I always get anxiety reading romances because the stupid conflict and miscommunication but the characters in this book were actually normal and didn’t cause me unnecessary stress.
Okay I totally misread the cursive on the title, but this book was better than expected. It was a slow burn and super cute. I always get anxiety reading romances because the stupid conflict and miscommunication but the characters in this book were actually normal and didn’t cause me unnecessary stress.
February 20, 2024
I wanted more out of this book - the backstory was great but there was just no chemistry between the MCs.
November 21, 2024
Guys it was good until they got together…then it was cringey 😬
June 23, 2024
3.5! this was a step up from hot british boyfriend but sometimes sage was a little bit 🤏 unbearable
May 19, 2025
Cute YA rom com.
March 23, 2025
A Brief and To the Point Review of Dutch Daydream
What can I say? 🤷🏽♀️ this was ass.
Okay, I’ll admit: I had an unreasonable hatred towards this book since the first chapter and I’m not sure why. The only reason I picked this up is because I loved the author’s Dungeons & Drama book (it’s actually one of my favorites of 2024), so why did I detest this book and all the characters? Every single character was annoying as shit (especially the main girl and her terrible mentor) and no plot arc developed properly. And that’s not me being dramatic.
The main girl, Sage, was so entitled and irritating that it scared me how much I despised her 🫶🏽. This girl, she’s…such a bitch but so is every other character, so at a certain point it kind of cancels out and just ends with me annoyed. Anyway, Sage. What can I say about her? Her entitlement really shone through with her babysitting (the hellion kid was, again, the only positive) because she spends like one day with this kid and imposes these “ideas” about what this kid should be allowed to do (including not allowing him to just walk instead of being stuffed in a stroller and having to hold herself back from instructing the kid’s FATHER not to play with his own son). Again, what a bitch. It was just weird too and sort of made me uncomfortable.
The only person who annoyed me more than this girl is her so called mentor. Something you might not know about me is that I’ve actually been heavily involved in research during my undergrad years, so I have experience in this and I have to applaud the author for accuracy in that field, which makes sense cuz the author is involved in Psychology. However, this lady, Dr. Reece, pissed me off!! Why did she suck both as a mother and a mentor for both characters involved in this romance? At certain points, it would have been easier to just have her say “I hate my son.” It would have saved me a lot of time, especially since their relationship is never resolved or develops past this. Actually, that’s unfair, their relationship does improve at the end. But does the book show this or even tell us how either character mended their issues? Nope! They just have a better relationship now.
The male lead is just ehhh. His appearance description (embarrassingly enough) reminded me of Chuuya from BSD (sans the height) so that sort of endeared him to me at the start. Unfortunately, he never develops as a character or learns from his mistakes. We just never really ended up clicking. I felt bad about his mother hating him but it annoyed me that he never grows more mature or realistic (at least in terms of romance in his life). I will say that I enjoyed the main girl and the love interest’s platonic relationship a lot more than their bland romance (which felt way too rushed and fake on both sides).
I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the wrong time of year for me to be reading this, but unfortunately, all I’ll remember from this is my unrelenting hatred towards this. Also, I found out Genocide Joe dropped from the presidential race immediately after I finished this book 😝 (American elections are a joke and that’s the only reason for the second star).
What can I say? 🤷🏽♀️ this was ass.
Okay, I’ll admit: I had an unreasonable hatred towards this book since the first chapter and I’m not sure why. The only reason I picked this up is because I loved the author’s Dungeons & Drama book (it’s actually one of my favorites of 2024), so why did I detest this book and all the characters? Every single character was annoying as shit (especially the main girl and her terrible mentor) and no plot arc developed properly. And that’s not me being dramatic.
The main girl, Sage, was so entitled and irritating that it scared me how much I despised her 🫶🏽. This girl, she’s…such a bitch but so is every other character, so at a certain point it kind of cancels out and just ends with me annoyed. Anyway, Sage. What can I say about her? Her entitlement really shone through with her babysitting (the hellion kid was, again, the only positive) because she spends like one day with this kid and imposes these “ideas” about what this kid should be allowed to do (including not allowing him to just walk instead of being stuffed in a stroller and having to hold herself back from instructing the kid’s FATHER not to play with his own son). Again, what a bitch. It was just weird too and sort of made me uncomfortable.
The only person who annoyed me more than this girl is her so called mentor. Something you might not know about me is that I’ve actually been heavily involved in research during my undergrad years, so I have experience in this and I have to applaud the author for accuracy in that field, which makes sense cuz the author is involved in Psychology. However, this lady, Dr. Reece, pissed me off!! Why did she suck both as a mother and a mentor for both characters involved in this romance? At certain points, it would have been easier to just have her say “I hate my son.” It would have saved me a lot of time, especially since their relationship is never resolved or develops past this. Actually, that’s unfair, their relationship does improve at the end. But does the book show this or even tell us how either character mended their issues? Nope! They just have a better relationship now.
The male lead is just ehhh. His appearance description (embarrassingly enough) reminded me of Chuuya from BSD (sans the height) so that sort of endeared him to me at the start. Unfortunately, he never develops as a character or learns from his mistakes. We just never really ended up clicking. I felt bad about his mother hating him but it annoyed me that he never grows more mature or realistic (at least in terms of romance in his life). I will say that I enjoyed the main girl and the love interest’s platonic relationship a lot more than their bland romance (which felt way too rushed and fake on both sides).
I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the wrong time of year for me to be reading this, but unfortunately, all I’ll remember from this is my unrelenting hatred towards this. Also, I found out Genocide Joe dropped from the presidential race immediately after I finished this book 😝 (American elections are a joke and that’s the only reason for the second star).
July 6, 2024
I thought this was supposed to be smut
March 16, 2023
3,5 ⭐️
I received this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sage leaves for Amsterdam during her summer vacation to work as Dr. Reese's nanny.
When Dr. Reese was on leave last fall, Sage was able to work as a research assistant in Dr. Reese's oncology lab, so she grabs this opportunity to work with Dr. Reese again as well, and in exchange for babysitting Dr. Reese youngest son, she gets to go with her to the conference in Berlin.
Dr. Reese's oldest son Ryland unexpectedly turns out to also be home this summer.
Sage absolutely does not want to be distracted from her plans and goals, partly because of what happened to her father. Still, she begins to think about Ryland more and more as they spend more time together, since Sage has promised to help Ryland say no and stop dating. This is so Ryland can work more on art projects.
In the end, Sage has to choose between the goals she had in mind when she came to Amsterdam and where she is now with Ryland. The choice she made I thought was a really good choice, showing that she can still follow the path she had chosen for the future.
It's a fun romance, but I did find the step of them suddenly like each other very quick and abrupt. At times it didn't feel too believable.
I did have to smile every time Ryland would start making another shirt after a comment from Sage.
The development between Sage and her sister Wren was great to read, their bond improved during the summer Sage was in Amsterdam.
Sage's friend Ellie is a lovely person, I would have enjoyed reading more about her. Ryland's friends also make brief appearances.
[EDIT] I just found out that Hot British Boyfriend is about Ellie, so I definitely gonna read that book.
The ending is somewhat abrupt and I would have enjoyed reading more about Sage and Ryland now that Sage is going back to America.
As a Dutch person, this book is fun to read, with many recognizable things that are part of the Netherlands and Amsterdam. Also the Dutch texts in the book definitely completed the story.
Overall it is such a fun read and a nice feel good romance book.
I received this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sage leaves for Amsterdam during her summer vacation to work as Dr. Reese's nanny.
When Dr. Reese was on leave last fall, Sage was able to work as a research assistant in Dr. Reese's oncology lab, so she grabs this opportunity to work with Dr. Reese again as well, and in exchange for babysitting Dr. Reese youngest son, she gets to go with her to the conference in Berlin.
Dr. Reese's oldest son Ryland unexpectedly turns out to also be home this summer.
Sage absolutely does not want to be distracted from her plans and goals, partly because of what happened to her father. Still, she begins to think about Ryland more and more as they spend more time together, since Sage has promised to help Ryland say no and stop dating. This is so Ryland can work more on art projects.
In the end, Sage has to choose between the goals she had in mind when she came to Amsterdam and where she is now with Ryland. The choice she made I thought was a really good choice, showing that she can still follow the path she had chosen for the future.
It's a fun romance, but I did find the step of them suddenly like each other very quick and abrupt. At times it didn't feel too believable.
I did have to smile every time Ryland would start making another shirt after a comment from Sage.
The development between Sage and her sister Wren was great to read, their bond improved during the summer Sage was in Amsterdam.
Sage's friend Ellie is a lovely person, I would have enjoyed reading more about her. Ryland's friends also make brief appearances.
[EDIT] I just found out that Hot British Boyfriend is about Ellie, so I definitely gonna read that book.
The ending is somewhat abrupt and I would have enjoyed reading more about Sage and Ryland now that Sage is going back to America.
As a Dutch person, this book is fun to read, with many recognizable things that are part of the Netherlands and Amsterdam. Also the Dutch texts in the book definitely completed the story.
Overall it is such a fun read and a nice feel good romance book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2023
3,5 ⭐️
First I’d like to thank the author and Harper360 for giving me an eARC to review.
This story follows Sage. She is an undergrad from America. Sage gets the opportunity to got to a conference in Berlin, in exchange she’ll be babysitting Dr. Reese’s (youngest) son Diederik. Sage worked as researcher for Dr. Reese last fall, when she was in England.
Then Dr. Reese her oldest son (Ryland) suddenly appears to be home this summer. Sage is determined she will not get distracted by the sudden change.
Dr. Reese makes clear to both Sage and Ryland that they can’t date, under no circumstances.
Eventually Ryland convinces Sage to make a deal. She will help him focus on his art, so no dates and help him say no more often to friends. While he helps her with Diederik whenever she needs him.
The more time they spend together, the more she realises that her feelings towards Ryland grow.
~~~
Spoiler warning…
~~~
The story was a very fun read. I liked it eventho the romance between the two MC’s seemed to come out of the blue. I mean, you see it coming, but I missed the tension building and maybe a little denial of the feelings towards each other. If that makes sense. Still its a good read and would recommend reading it if you love romance.
As a Dutch person its such a fun read. The mc’s are cute and the things they do in Amsterdam are not all ‘standard’ attractions. Even I had not heard of certain area’s they visit and that’s fascinating to me. Now I might want to visit it..
I would like to read a bonus chapter of a few years after. Is Ryland now living in the USA? What are they up to? What does her family and friends think of Ryland? That’s something I’d like to read as a bonus.
Also I think its a big plus, an author has traveled to a certain place and researched or visited the things mentioned in the story.
First I’d like to thank the author and Harper360 for giving me an eARC to review.
This story follows Sage. She is an undergrad from America. Sage gets the opportunity to got to a conference in Berlin, in exchange she’ll be babysitting Dr. Reese’s (youngest) son Diederik. Sage worked as researcher for Dr. Reese last fall, when she was in England.
Then Dr. Reese her oldest son (Ryland) suddenly appears to be home this summer. Sage is determined she will not get distracted by the sudden change.
Dr. Reese makes clear to both Sage and Ryland that they can’t date, under no circumstances.
Eventually Ryland convinces Sage to make a deal. She will help him focus on his art, so no dates and help him say no more often to friends. While he helps her with Diederik whenever she needs him.
The more time they spend together, the more she realises that her feelings towards Ryland grow.
~~~
Spoiler warning…
~~~
The story was a very fun read. I liked it eventho the romance between the two MC’s seemed to come out of the blue. I mean, you see it coming, but I missed the tension building and maybe a little denial of the feelings towards each other. If that makes sense. Still its a good read and would recommend reading it if you love romance.
As a Dutch person its such a fun read. The mc’s are cute and the things they do in Amsterdam are not all ‘standard’ attractions. Even I had not heard of certain area’s they visit and that’s fascinating to me. Now I might want to visit it..
I would like to read a bonus chapter of a few years after. Is Ryland now living in the USA? What are they up to? What does her family and friends think of Ryland? That’s something I’d like to read as a bonus.
Also I think its a big plus, an author has traveled to a certain place and researched or visited the things mentioned in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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