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Falling for Summer
Beauty and the Beach
Phoenix Park is the man I fantasize about...hitting with my car, that is.
He's rich. He's sexy. He's the absolute worst. But after I fall prey to an internet scam and lose every last penny in my account (please don’t ask), it’s Phoenix who swoops in with an offer I can’t refuse. I’ll marry him for the summer so he can inherit the family company from his dying grandmother, and in return, he’ll drop a hefty sum of money into my bank account.
Buy me a pair of sweatpants with GOLD DIGGER across the butt, because I’m just desperate enough to agree.
Our arrangement is only supposed to be for a few months, until Phoenix’s poor grandmother passes. I can pretend for that long. I can stop insulting him long enough to force a few smiles and some lovey-dovey glances. But with every touch we share, with every kiss we fake, I find the walls around my heart beginning to crack—letting in feelings I'm not prepared for.
And when Phoenix’s grandmother makes a miraculous recovery, leaving us stuck indefinitely in this charade of holy matrimony? That’s when I know I’m really in trouble.
He's rich. He's sexy. He's the absolute worst. But after I fall prey to an internet scam and lose every last penny in my account (please don’t ask), it’s Phoenix who swoops in with an offer I can’t refuse. I’ll marry him for the summer so he can inherit the family company from his dying grandmother, and in return, he’ll drop a hefty sum of money into my bank account.
Buy me a pair of sweatpants with GOLD DIGGER across the butt, because I’m just desperate enough to agree.
Our arrangement is only supposed to be for a few months, until Phoenix’s poor grandmother passes. I can pretend for that long. I can stop insulting him long enough to force a few smiles and some lovey-dovey glances. But with every touch we share, with every kiss we fake, I find the walls around my heart beginning to crack—letting in feelings I'm not prepared for.
And when Phoenix’s grandmother makes a miraculous recovery, leaving us stuck indefinitely in this charade of holy matrimony? That’s when I know I’m really in trouble.
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First published July 17, 2024
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About the author
Gracie Ruth Mitchell
19 books830 followersGracie lives in a tiny town in Idaho, where she subsists on a diet of chocolate, romance novels, and kisses from her cute family. She may or may not have a cheesecake addiction, as well as an addiction to scribbling story ideas on whatever flat surfaces happen to be nearby. Clean romance, romantic comedy, and mystery rom coms are her passion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 804 reviews
July 11, 2025
A million percent obsessed, recommend.
I had the most fun reading this on vacation!
This is the kind of enemies to lovers I can support.
Phoenix and Holland have a history. He feels compelled to look out for her but they also drive each other crazy. Pranks ensue. Normally pranks annoy me but the author wrote them SO funny and lighthearted that it was clear the characters cared deeply about each other.
I was very impressed by the writing. It was witty and lighthearted, yes, but also thoughtful in the way she built the storyline and the characters slowly. It was silly but also compelling. Each scene added growth to the plot and the characters.
The characters were just a blast. Normally a character like Holland would annoy me because she did some petty things to annoy Phoenix BUT her actions were totally in line with how the author gave lore to Holland’s backstory. I really like that both Holland and Phoenix’s actions made sense with how the author described their characters and the backstory they both got.
There’s some heartfelt depth too! Grief plays a huge part in both their stories and it was beautifully written.
I loved every page. Highly recommend!
Tropes & Triggers: childhood friends, brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, car accident, death of a sibling, marriage of convenience, crazy controlling billionaire family, no language, some heated kissing, falling asleep in the same bed. Yeah this is loaded!
I had the most fun reading this on vacation!
This is the kind of enemies to lovers I can support.
Phoenix and Holland have a history. He feels compelled to look out for her but they also drive each other crazy. Pranks ensue. Normally pranks annoy me but the author wrote them SO funny and lighthearted that it was clear the characters cared deeply about each other.
I was very impressed by the writing. It was witty and lighthearted, yes, but also thoughtful in the way she built the storyline and the characters slowly. It was silly but also compelling. Each scene added growth to the plot and the characters.
The characters were just a blast. Normally a character like Holland would annoy me because she did some petty things to annoy Phoenix BUT her actions were totally in line with how the author gave lore to Holland’s backstory. I really like that both Holland and Phoenix’s actions made sense with how the author described their characters and the backstory they both got.
There’s some heartfelt depth too! Grief plays a huge part in both their stories and it was beautifully written.
I loved every page. Highly recommend!
Tropes & Triggers: childhood friends, brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, car accident, death of a sibling, marriage of convenience, crazy controlling billionaire family, no language, some heated kissing, falling asleep in the same bed. Yeah this is loaded!
August 31, 2025
4⭐
Genre ~ contemporary romance
Series ~ Falling for Summer
Others in the series ~ Falling for Summer series
Setting ~ Sunset Harbor, an island off the coast of Florida
Publication date ~ July 17, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 324 (p+ 29 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 8 minutes
Narrator ~Rylee Kuberra, John Rogers
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ small town, island life, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, fake marriage, enemies to lovers, dead brothers best friend, dead best friends sister, no steamage
Phoenix & Holland (27) go way back. Her brother was best friends with Phoenix until he died in a car accident when they were in college. Now Holland is desperate for money, so she agrees to marry him for a pretty penny.
I never understood how a fake marriage works when it's for career purposes. Like all of the sudden showing up married is believable to the one that made the demand? The grandmother making the demand was a pretty awful person. I like my grandma's sweet. Anyway, not hard to figure out they'll fall for each other. Enemies to lovers is not my favorite, but I do like when the characters have a history together and these two certainly have a history full of heartbreak, since they were both in the car for the accident. They had great chemistry and that good enemies to lovers banter.
I'm officially done with the series. Overall, they were all pretty cute and I recommend them.
Series notes:
The timeline is the same for each book meaning the characters from other books in the series are in the background, but haven’t necessarily had their story told yet. I like this way of doing things since it doesn’t make it absolutely necessary to read them in order, but it’ll be better if you do.
Narration notes:
They both did a wonderful job.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ contemporary romance
Series ~ Falling for Summer
Others in the series ~ Falling for Summer series
Setting ~ Sunset Harbor, an island off the coast of Florida
Publication date ~ July 17, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 324 (p+ 29 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 8 minutes
Narrator ~Rylee Kuberra, John Rogers
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ small town, island life, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, fake marriage, enemies to lovers, dead brothers best friend, dead best friends sister, no steamage
Phoenix & Holland (27) go way back. Her brother was best friends with Phoenix until he died in a car accident when they were in college. Now Holland is desperate for money, so she agrees to marry him for a pretty penny.
I never understood how a fake marriage works when it's for career purposes. Like all of the sudden showing up married is believable to the one that made the demand? The grandmother making the demand was a pretty awful person. I like my grandma's sweet. Anyway, not hard to figure out they'll fall for each other. Enemies to lovers is not my favorite, but I do like when the characters have a history together and these two certainly have a history full of heartbreak, since they were both in the car for the accident. They had great chemistry and that good enemies to lovers banter.
I'm officially done with the series. Overall, they were all pretty cute and I recommend them.
Series notes:
The timeline is the same for each book meaning the characters from other books in the series are in the background, but haven’t necessarily had their story told yet. I like this way of doing things since it doesn’t make it absolutely necessary to read them in order, but it’ll be better if you do.
Narration notes:
They both did a wonderful job.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
July 20, 2024
To be known. OH TO BE TRULY KNOWN.
THIS BOOK HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD! I am obsessed!
MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE ✅
ENEMIES TO LOVERS ✅
PAST HISTORY ✅
NICKNAMES ✅
MY WIFE ✅✅✅
HE TAKES CARE OF HER ✅
Are you catching my drift?? This book has everything you could possibly want! I implore you — GO FORTH AND FEAST YOUR EYEBALLS ON THIS STORY!
Holland and Phoenix together…firecrackers! Their shared history made their “hate to love” amusing because it was so clear how much space they took up in each other lives. BUT SO GOOD! Because their chemistry was POPPIN’ off the page the entire time!
And as they started to REALIZE they actually might like each other…EEEEKKKK! Que kicking feet and giggling girl!
This book had so much more than romance though! It was trust. It was healing. It was standing up for yourself. It was history. It was just LOVE! (Deeper than romantic love)
Seriously, I loved this book so much! I didn’t even ever use a bookmark. 😅 And stayed up way past my bedtime…WORTH! IT!
5/5 stars
*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
THIS BOOK HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD! I am obsessed!
MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE ✅
ENEMIES TO LOVERS ✅
PAST HISTORY ✅
NICKNAMES ✅
MY WIFE ✅✅✅
HE TAKES CARE OF HER ✅
Are you catching my drift?? This book has everything you could possibly want! I implore you — GO FORTH AND FEAST YOUR EYEBALLS ON THIS STORY!
Holland and Phoenix together…firecrackers! Their shared history made their “hate to love” amusing because it was so clear how much space they took up in each other lives. BUT SO GOOD! Because their chemistry was POPPIN’ off the page the entire time!
And as they started to REALIZE they actually might like each other…EEEEKKKK! Que kicking feet and giggling girl!
This book had so much more than romance though! It was trust. It was healing. It was standing up for yourself. It was history. It was just LOVE! (Deeper than romantic love)
Seriously, I loved this book so much! I didn’t even ever use a bookmark. 😅 And stayed up way past my bedtime…WORTH! IT!
5/5 stars
*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
August 14, 2024
THIS BOOK IS JUST SO MUCH FUN.
I took this on a recent vacation and I had a hard time putting it down.
Marriage of Convenience? check.
Fun Setting? check.
Humorous Nicknames? check.
I Loathe to Love You Banter? check.
Kissing Scenes that were a straight up TEASE? check.
Phoenix and Holland can't stand each other...well that might not totally be the truth, but that's the one they are sticking to. In order to gain his family company inheritance Phoenix proposes marriage to the one person who lives rent free in his brain despite his best tested efforts.
I adored this back and forth banter that never felt vicious to me because each gave as good as they got. There's something to be said in well placed sarcasm humor between another person that makes you feel safe. I loved the back and forth banter...the I know you want me so i'll tease it out of you until you finally admit it kind of vibe.
I love a buttoned up man and Phoenix was a fantastic love interest who played well off of Hollands shenanigans. Gracie makes you goofy grin one page and the next she's woven in added layers of trauma and depth to give these characters a well needed deep dive.
A favorite romance of the summer. delicious and silly and just what I needed.
I took this on a recent vacation and I had a hard time putting it down.
Marriage of Convenience? check.
Fun Setting? check.
Humorous Nicknames? check.
I Loathe to Love You Banter? check.
Kissing Scenes that were a straight up TEASE? check.
Phoenix and Holland can't stand each other...well that might not totally be the truth, but that's the one they are sticking to. In order to gain his family company inheritance Phoenix proposes marriage to the one person who lives rent free in his brain despite his best tested efforts.
I adored this back and forth banter that never felt vicious to me because each gave as good as they got. There's something to be said in well placed sarcasm humor between another person that makes you feel safe. I loved the back and forth banter...the I know you want me so i'll tease it out of you until you finally admit it kind of vibe.
I love a buttoned up man and Phoenix was a fantastic love interest who played well off of Hollands shenanigans. Gracie makes you goofy grin one page and the next she's woven in added layers of trauma and depth to give these characters a well needed deep dive.
A favorite romance of the summer. delicious and silly and just what I needed.
July 25, 2024
To protect his inheritance, "stupidly rich" Phoenix is forced to marry, prompting a reluctant alliance with Holland, his late best friend's sister. In exchange, Holland will receive a much-needed payment to recover from a recent internet scam.
But with a complicated history and shared grief between them, this marriage of convenience was anything but simple. Beneath their playful animosity was such a deep sense of longing and genuine care for each other. The tension!
Phoenix's overt protectiveness over Holland was so charming, but also incredibly heartwarming in its reasoning. Their building romance was a delightful dance of teasing and testing limits, leading to some seriously heated moments and scorching kisses!
The wild antics in Phoenix's family reminded me of The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren. Grandma Mavis doesn't mess around. If you're looking for similar vibes but prefer a closed-door romance (that still sizzles), this would be a fantastic choice!
(heat level: kissing only)
But with a complicated history and shared grief between them, this marriage of convenience was anything but simple. Beneath their playful animosity was such a deep sense of longing and genuine care for each other. The tension!
Phoenix's overt protectiveness over Holland was so charming, but also incredibly heartwarming in its reasoning. Their building romance was a delightful dance of teasing and testing limits, leading to some seriously heated moments and scorching kisses!
The wild antics in Phoenix's family reminded me of The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren. Grandma Mavis doesn't mess around. If you're looking for similar vibes but prefer a closed-door romance (that still sizzles), this would be a fantastic choice!
(heat level: kissing only)
July 11, 2024
Thank you to the author for an eARC.
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
If you need a book that feels like summer, this brought those vibes and the atmosphere I have been craving. This is a GEM. READ IT OKAY.
I have a hard time finding true enemies to lovers in contemporary books. And this DELIVERED. I was obsessed with the snark and banter and all of the nicknames had me hollering. There was this sense that you just KNEW they already loved each other, and getting to see the process of the forced proximity break down those barriers was everything.
There are so many scenes I want to shout about but I also need you to go in blind and trust the moments, because they are MOMENTS. I HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM THAT HUG SCENE. AND I PROBABLY WON’T. Not to mention the kissing scenes lit my kindle on fire.
I liked the level of chaos that was added from Phoenix’s family. I loved the positive therapy rep. I am obsessed with the chemistry between the MC’s (and it’s dual POV too!!). Everything, I loved everything about this book.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: make-outs
- Violence: low
- Content Warnings: an emotionally manipulative grandmother, losing a brother in a car accident
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
If you need a book that feels like summer, this brought those vibes and the atmosphere I have been craving. This is a GEM. READ IT OKAY.
I have a hard time finding true enemies to lovers in contemporary books. And this DELIVERED. I was obsessed with the snark and banter and all of the nicknames had me hollering. There was this sense that you just KNEW they already loved each other, and getting to see the process of the forced proximity break down those barriers was everything.
There are so many scenes I want to shout about but I also need you to go in blind and trust the moments, because they are MOMENTS. I HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM THAT HUG SCENE. AND I PROBABLY WON’T. Not to mention the kissing scenes lit my kindle on fire.
I liked the level of chaos that was added from Phoenix’s family. I loved the positive therapy rep. I am obsessed with the chemistry between the MC’s (and it’s dual POV too!!). Everything, I loved everything about this book.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: make-outs
- Violence: low
- Content Warnings: an emotionally manipulative grandmother, losing a brother in a car accident
July 26, 2024
I’m speechless at how this adorable summer romcom made me laugh, CRY, and fall in love.
A unique marriage of convenience with lovable characters who try so hard not to fall for each other. Phoenix who is a straightforward, masculine guy that acts like an actual real life man! Holland and Phoenix really dislike each other at the beginning but by the end their chemistry is undeniable. Their nicknames and the way they pranked and teased each other was so adorable!!
I switched back and forth between the audio and kindle and I highly recommend both but the audio is so well done. Both narrators did an excellent job!
Gracie Ruth Mitchell is one of my favorite authors because her characters feel so genuine and they behave in quirky silly ways that I love. She’s also not afraid to tackle hard topics. This one included PTSD and grief in a way that brought me to tears. The way she weaves mental health into this story is so perfect and satisfying. My heart needed to hear this story so thank you Gracie Ruth Mitchell!
Fav quotes:
“Despite all his strength, he still needs someone on his side. I will be that person. ‘I’m not leaving you,’ I say in his ear, barely a whisper”
“Something deep in my soul whispers that these tears have been a long time coming—that I’m witnessing the destruction of a dam she built around her broken heart years ago.”
“His voice is reluctant as he continues. ‘I’m not a romantic man, Holland. I don’t buy flowers or write poetry. And I’ve never been shown what a healthy marriage looks like. But you’re mine. I’ll keep you safe; I’ll treat you well.’”
These quotes make this book seem very serious but trust me there was silliness and teasing, pranks and banter and nicknames. That’s what made it so special in my opinion. It was the whole package!
Romance: closed door
A unique marriage of convenience with lovable characters who try so hard not to fall for each other. Phoenix who is a straightforward, masculine guy that acts like an actual real life man! Holland and Phoenix really dislike each other at the beginning but by the end their chemistry is undeniable. Their nicknames and the way they pranked and teased each other was so adorable!!
I switched back and forth between the audio and kindle and I highly recommend both but the audio is so well done. Both narrators did an excellent job!
Gracie Ruth Mitchell is one of my favorite authors because her characters feel so genuine and they behave in quirky silly ways that I love. She’s also not afraid to tackle hard topics. This one included PTSD and grief in a way that brought me to tears. The way she weaves mental health into this story is so perfect and satisfying. My heart needed to hear this story so thank you Gracie Ruth Mitchell!
Fav quotes:
“Despite all his strength, he still needs someone on his side. I will be that person. ‘I’m not leaving you,’ I say in his ear, barely a whisper”
“Something deep in my soul whispers that these tears have been a long time coming—that I’m witnessing the destruction of a dam she built around her broken heart years ago.”
“His voice is reluctant as he continues. ‘I’m not a romantic man, Holland. I don’t buy flowers or write poetry. And I’ve never been shown what a healthy marriage looks like. But you’re mine. I’ll keep you safe; I’ll treat you well.’”
These quotes make this book seem very serious but trust me there was silliness and teasing, pranks and banter and nicknames. That’s what made it so special in my opinion. It was the whole package!
Romance: closed door
July 22, 2024
3⭐️ 1🫑
- Marriage of convenience
- enemies to lovers
- brothers best friend
- billionaire (“stupid rich”) MC
- dual POV
- forced proximity
- nicknames
Audio narration review
I found this to be extremely difficult to finish on audio. The female narrator’s voice for Holland is trying very hard to sound perky and cheery and in turn it makes it nearly impossible to speed up the narration without turning the audio into a high pitched mess.
I typically want one of two things with audio narration.
1. Be such a phenomenal acting performance that I don’t want to speed up the narration.
or
2. Sound normal and not distorted at 1.25-1.5x speed.
This did neither.
For the record I sampled other works by this narrator and they are no where near as high pitch as her voice for Holland. I think adding this “cheery” and high pitched voice for Holland only makes the character present as immature and young. I felt noticeably different about Holland’s character once I switched to reading the print version.
now on to the book itself
This book checks the trope boxes, and if you don’t mind reading a book that feels written to around including tropes this could be fun. To me it felt a little tired and overdone. It is predictable and formulaic to a fault. The MCs felt like caricatures.
There was really nothing wrong with this book but also nothing at all special about this book either.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book (ALC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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- Marriage of convenience
- enemies to lovers
- brothers best friend
- billionaire (“stupid rich”) MC
- dual POV
- forced proximity
- nicknames
Audio narration review
I found this to be extremely difficult to finish on audio. The female narrator’s voice for Holland is trying very hard to sound perky and cheery and in turn it makes it nearly impossible to speed up the narration without turning the audio into a high pitched mess.
I typically want one of two things with audio narration.
1. Be such a phenomenal acting performance that I don’t want to speed up the narration.
or
2. Sound normal and not distorted at 1.25-1.5x speed.
This did neither.
For the record I sampled other works by this narrator and they are no where near as high pitch as her voice for Holland. I think adding this “cheery” and high pitched voice for Holland only makes the character present as immature and young. I felt noticeably different about Holland’s character once I switched to reading the print version.
now on to the book itself
This book checks the trope boxes, and if you don’t mind reading a book that feels written to around including tropes this could be fun. To me it felt a little tired and overdone. It is predictable and formulaic to a fault. The MCs felt like caricatures.
There was really nothing wrong with this book but also nothing at all special about this book either.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book (ALC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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August 15, 2025
I absolutely loved this! It was so cute and I read the whole book in one sitting.
June 8, 2024
SO SWOONY!!!
Phoenix needs a wife - and soon - or his grandma will disinherit him from the family company. In desperation, he turns to his best friend's sister, Holland. They do nothing but argue and she annoys him to no end, but he is out of time and ideas.
Besides, the marriage will only be temporary - he can withstand his growing attraction to her for such a short time.
Thanks to an internet scam and mounting bills, Holland is desperate for money. Which must be the only reason she agrees to marry her biggest enemy. She can't stand him but it's not forever, right?
She just has to ignore the sparks between them and avoid falling in love with her husband...which is hard when he starts looking at her like he is falling in love with her too.
What you'll love:
Enemies to lover
Brother’s best friend
Marriage of convenience
Dual pov
The nicknames
The photo shoot
The storm
healing
crazy grandma
that first kiss
and pretty much every kiss
“My wife”
soooo much chemistry
one bed
connections with the rest of the series
“I want all of you.”
Marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers has got to be the swooniest trope combination EVER. Phoenix and Holland truly could not stand each other but oh my, there was so much tension and chemistry in very single interaction, and that first kiss just about did me in! The pacing of their romance was just right - not too fast, not too slow - and it made the 180 turn in their feelings believable.
This is definitely a romcom but the plot does have some heavier topics and I loved watching Phoenix and Holland learn and grow and heal together. Such a beautiful thing!
This book had me smiling from the first page. So many laughs and sweet moments and the romance was straight up swoony! I could NOT get enough of Phoenix and Holland on page together! This is a sleep-stealing must-read summer romance, my friends. You don't want to miss this one!
I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.
TW: loss of a loved one, dysfunctional family
Phoenix needs a wife - and soon - or his grandma will disinherit him from the family company. In desperation, he turns to his best friend's sister, Holland. They do nothing but argue and she annoys him to no end, but he is out of time and ideas.
Besides, the marriage will only be temporary - he can withstand his growing attraction to her for such a short time.
Thanks to an internet scam and mounting bills, Holland is desperate for money. Which must be the only reason she agrees to marry her biggest enemy. She can't stand him but it's not forever, right?
She just has to ignore the sparks between them and avoid falling in love with her husband...which is hard when he starts looking at her like he is falling in love with her too.
What you'll love:
Enemies to lover
Brother’s best friend
Marriage of convenience
Dual pov
The nicknames
The photo shoot
The storm
healing
crazy grandma
that first kiss
and pretty much every kiss
“My wife”
soooo much chemistry
one bed
connections with the rest of the series
“I want all of you.”
Marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers has got to be the swooniest trope combination EVER. Phoenix and Holland truly could not stand each other but oh my, there was so much tension and chemistry in very single interaction, and that first kiss just about did me in! The pacing of their romance was just right - not too fast, not too slow - and it made the 180 turn in their feelings believable.
This is definitely a romcom but the plot does have some heavier topics and I loved watching Phoenix and Holland learn and grow and heal together. Such a beautiful thing!
This book had me smiling from the first page. So many laughs and sweet moments and the romance was straight up swoony! I could NOT get enough of Phoenix and Holland on page together! This is a sleep-stealing must-read summer romance, my friends. You don't want to miss this one!
I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.
TW: loss of a loved one, dysfunctional family
September 6, 2024
5 stars.
I laughed. I cried. As I read more romcoms I’m slowly figuring out what tropes I enjoy and this book was just *chefs kiss*. It had immediate tension and banter and a tragic backstory for great character depth.
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, marriage of convenience, only one bed, rivals to more, best friends sister
Content: kisses only, past death of brother, toxic family members
I laughed. I cried. As I read more romcoms I’m slowly figuring out what tropes I enjoy and this book was just *chefs kiss*. It had immediate tension and banter and a tragic backstory for great character depth.
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, marriage of convenience, only one bed, rivals to more, best friends sister
Content: kisses only, past death of brother, toxic family members
July 29, 2025
Genre: romcom
Content: makeouts, death of a sibling (past), working through grief (current)
Since I saw the first teaser for this book, I have been DYING to get my hands on it and let me tell you: IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!
Holland and Phoenix do NOT like each other. But when Holland makes a sketchy middle of the night purchase & gets scammed, she needs money. Phoenix just so happens to have that and he also happens to need a (temporary) wife in order to inherit his psychotic grandmother’s company after she dies. Enter: a marriage of convenience.
@authorgracieruth is a MASTER of her craft. She balances hard topics with humor so well. This is hilarious! The antics of these two will have you in stitches; at the same time, their experiences with grief and loss will touch your heart deeply. I loved the therapy rep.
I could say so much more but let this suffice: YOU WON’T REGRET READING THIS BOOK.
Favorite Quotes:
🥊 He looks around quickly, undoubtedly checking if anyone is in earshot, and then he leans closer, caging me in with one hand on the back of my chair and the other on the table in front of me. He smells like leather and mahogany, and I want to punch him in his stupid face.
🧦 "You'll look more than put together," she says. "You'll be gorgeous. You're going to knock Phoenix's socks off." "Oh, no—no no no," I say to her. "No. Phoenix's socks will stay on. We were very clear about that. Everyone's socks will remain on.”
🚿 "Do you always wear that? I figured you were probably more casual at home, or at least in the evenings. Do you sleep in a suit? Shower in a tux?" His eyes glint in the dimly lit hallway as he steps closer to me. "Imagining me in the shower, Amsterdam?" he says, raising one eyebrow. The nerve. "Only when I feel like vomiting," I say sweetly.
😴 She snuggles into my chest, pressing her cheek against my skin as she makes herself more comfortable. "This is a better dream," she says, and her eyes drift closed again. "I like you better in my dreams than I do in real life." I blink down at her, taken aback. "Do you?" "Mmm. You're less annoying." One hand reaches up to rest on my bare chest. "And more shirtless, I guess.”
🔥 “If you kiss me right now, everything will change, and we won't be able to go back." He pauses before going on. "We'll sleep in the same bed. I'll call you sweetheart instead of Amsterdam. We'll argue when you use my nice razor to shave your legs…And I will love you, Holland, because every single emotion you make me feel is intense. There will be no crushes or infatuations." …."If you kiss me now..." he says, trailing off as his gaze darts over my face. Then he shakes his head. "If you kiss me now, you're mine."
😍 "You have two seconds to drop it, you complete menace," he says against my lips then, "or I'm going to-" "What?" I say with a smirk. "Throw me over your shoulder? Pin me to a bookshelf? Put a dead fish in my mailbox?" "Kiss you," he says, grinning; I can feel every word he speaks. "Kiss you first and forever and I swear, Holland, if you use my razor again—" "Sweetheart," I say, pressing the word to his lips. "I like sweetheart." "Sweetheart," he says, his hands on my waist pulling me to the edge of the desk. "Fine."
😂 "Let's try to get some sleep," he says, pulling me closer. "Tomorrow will come soon enough, and you're a monster when you're tired." "Excuse you," I say, but my eyes are already drifting closed. "I am delightful always."
*I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own. No positive review was required.
Content: makeouts, death of a sibling (past), working through grief (current)
Since I saw the first teaser for this book, I have been DYING to get my hands on it and let me tell you: IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!
Holland and Phoenix do NOT like each other. But when Holland makes a sketchy middle of the night purchase & gets scammed, she needs money. Phoenix just so happens to have that and he also happens to need a (temporary) wife in order to inherit his psychotic grandmother’s company after she dies. Enter: a marriage of convenience.
@authorgracieruth is a MASTER of her craft. She balances hard topics with humor so well. This is hilarious! The antics of these two will have you in stitches; at the same time, their experiences with grief and loss will touch your heart deeply. I loved the therapy rep.
I could say so much more but let this suffice: YOU WON’T REGRET READING THIS BOOK.
Favorite Quotes:
🥊 He looks around quickly, undoubtedly checking if anyone is in earshot, and then he leans closer, caging me in with one hand on the back of my chair and the other on the table in front of me. He smells like leather and mahogany, and I want to punch him in his stupid face.
🧦 "You'll look more than put together," she says. "You'll be gorgeous. You're going to knock Phoenix's socks off." "Oh, no—no no no," I say to her. "No. Phoenix's socks will stay on. We were very clear about that. Everyone's socks will remain on.”
🚿 "Do you always wear that? I figured you were probably more casual at home, or at least in the evenings. Do you sleep in a suit? Shower in a tux?" His eyes glint in the dimly lit hallway as he steps closer to me. "Imagining me in the shower, Amsterdam?" he says, raising one eyebrow. The nerve. "Only when I feel like vomiting," I say sweetly.
😴 She snuggles into my chest, pressing her cheek against my skin as she makes herself more comfortable. "This is a better dream," she says, and her eyes drift closed again. "I like you better in my dreams than I do in real life." I blink down at her, taken aback. "Do you?" "Mmm. You're less annoying." One hand reaches up to rest on my bare chest. "And more shirtless, I guess.”
🔥 “If you kiss me right now, everything will change, and we won't be able to go back." He pauses before going on. "We'll sleep in the same bed. I'll call you sweetheart instead of Amsterdam. We'll argue when you use my nice razor to shave your legs…And I will love you, Holland, because every single emotion you make me feel is intense. There will be no crushes or infatuations." …."If you kiss me now..." he says, trailing off as his gaze darts over my face. Then he shakes his head. "If you kiss me now, you're mine."
😍 "You have two seconds to drop it, you complete menace," he says against my lips then, "or I'm going to-" "What?" I say with a smirk. "Throw me over your shoulder? Pin me to a bookshelf? Put a dead fish in my mailbox?" "Kiss you," he says, grinning; I can feel every word he speaks. "Kiss you first and forever and I swear, Holland, if you use my razor again—" "Sweetheart," I say, pressing the word to his lips. "I like sweetheart." "Sweetheart," he says, his hands on my waist pulling me to the edge of the desk. "Fine."
😂 "Let's try to get some sleep," he says, pulling me closer. "Tomorrow will come soon enough, and you're a monster when you're tired." "Excuse you," I say, but my eyes are already drifting closed. "I am delightful always."
*I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own. No positive review was required.
July 14, 2024
Thank you Gracie for trusting me & sending an eARC of this BEAUTIFUL MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE!
I devoured this book! The characters, the setting, THE STORY! You’ll find yourself falling love with a grumpy, suit wearing, m&m connoisseur who just so happens to be more than meets the eye! I LOVED Phoenix Park & the way Gracie wrote him and Holland? STRAIGHT ❤️🔥!
The underlining emotion of this book too felt so authentic & I laughed, cried & just absorbed every morsel of goodness Gracie gave!
It’s one of those true enemies to lovers that is hard to find these days & so many other wonderful tropes are weaved throughout the story, y’all will have to read to find out!
There wasn’t a moment I didn’t love and I can’t wait for yall to fall in love with this book! July 17th can’t come fast enough!
I devoured this book! The characters, the setting, THE STORY! You’ll find yourself falling love with a grumpy, suit wearing, m&m connoisseur who just so happens to be more than meets the eye! I LOVED Phoenix Park & the way Gracie wrote him and Holland? STRAIGHT ❤️🔥!
The underlining emotion of this book too felt so authentic & I laughed, cried & just absorbed every morsel of goodness Gracie gave!
It’s one of those true enemies to lovers that is hard to find these days & so many other wonderful tropes are weaved throughout the story, y’all will have to read to find out!
There wasn’t a moment I didn’t love and I can’t wait for yall to fall in love with this book! July 17th can’t come fast enough!
August 20, 2025
gracie never misses
I'm obsessed with this
I didn't mean to read it all in one day, but I couldn't put it down, lol! I ate up the dynamic of our lead characters (they've got a very sweet "to be loved is to be seen" thing going on under the snark 😂🥹) and the shenanigans they got into had me chuckling aloud more often than not. The conversations about grief were so lovely (and led to the CUTEST comfort scenes 🥹)
The way Gracie does a rom-com just WORKS for me, man. I'm so curious to check out more of the "Falling for Summer" books and learn more about the surrounding Sunset Harbor residents! 5 stars from me!
**content warnings for grief and flashbacks to a traumatic event, some innuendo, and quite a bit of kissing lol
I'm obsessed with this
I didn't mean to read it all in one day, but I couldn't put it down, lol! I ate up the dynamic of our lead characters (they've got a very sweet "to be loved is to be seen" thing going on under the snark 😂🥹) and the shenanigans they got into had me chuckling aloud more often than not. The conversations about grief were so lovely (and led to the CUTEST comfort scenes 🥹)
The way Gracie does a rom-com just WORKS for me, man. I'm so curious to check out more of the "Falling for Summer" books and learn more about the surrounding Sunset Harbor residents! 5 stars from me!
**content warnings for grief and flashbacks to a traumatic event, some innuendo, and quite a bit of kissing lol
July 11, 2025
Y’ALL WHEN I TELL YOU I LOVED THIS BOOK-🤯😍
I read this in one sitting. ONE. With only one bathroom break. I was engrossed, and loving every second of it
This book. This book has all my favorite things: Enemies to lovers? Flippin’ CHECK.😏 Marriage of convenience?!! SIGN ME THE HECK UP🙂↕️ Witty, flirty banter? My love language❤️🔥 Tangible character growth?? Yes plzzzz😌 “she’s mine” protective moments? I’M SAT🤤
The author did a really good job translating enemies-to-lovers to the “real world”; often I don’t think it works as well outside of the fantasy realm of books, but she gave them actual valid reasons to be at odds with each other, and their growth as characters made SENSE which helps the story land so much better!!
There was so much tension that had me blushing🤭🫠 plenty of moments to keep you engaged throughout the whole story (like you didn’t have to wait until the final chapter to get a kiss😘). There were many parts that were genuinely funny that I actually laughed out loud!!! Also, the book was a perfect blend of lighthearted and depth without being too “corny” in my opinion. There were some embarrassing moments of course, but I wasn’t uncomfortable by the quirkiness or have second hand embarrassment like I can get with some fluffy books.
I could go on and on, but honestly all you need to know is that if you love closed door romance with tension, banter, and fun - you’ll adore this book! I honestly think it’s my favorite of the series, which is saying something because EVERY SINGLE ONE of these books has been a hit for me!🤩
I wanna re-read it lol🤪😍
❤️🔥NO SPICE - kisses only
🤬a couple bad words sprinkled in, but mild
I read this in one sitting. ONE. With only one bathroom break. I was engrossed, and loving every second of it
This book. This book has all my favorite things: Enemies to lovers? Flippin’ CHECK.😏 Marriage of convenience?!! SIGN ME THE HECK UP🙂↕️ Witty, flirty banter? My love language❤️🔥 Tangible character growth?? Yes plzzzz😌 “she’s mine” protective moments? I’M SAT🤤
The author did a really good job translating enemies-to-lovers to the “real world”; often I don’t think it works as well outside of the fantasy realm of books, but she gave them actual valid reasons to be at odds with each other, and their growth as characters made SENSE which helps the story land so much better!!
There was so much tension that had me blushing🤭🫠 plenty of moments to keep you engaged throughout the whole story (like you didn’t have to wait until the final chapter to get a kiss😘). There were many parts that were genuinely funny that I actually laughed out loud!!! Also, the book was a perfect blend of lighthearted and depth without being too “corny” in my opinion. There were some embarrassing moments of course, but I wasn’t uncomfortable by the quirkiness or have second hand embarrassment like I can get with some fluffy books.
I could go on and on, but honestly all you need to know is that if you love closed door romance with tension, banter, and fun - you’ll adore this book! I honestly think it’s my favorite of the series, which is saying something because EVERY SINGLE ONE of these books has been a hit for me!🤩
I wanna re-read it lol🤪😍
❤️🔥NO SPICE - kisses only
🤬a couple bad words sprinkled in, but mild
July 20, 2024
'Falling for him is scary...but trying not to fall for him has been torture.'
Enemies-to-more mixed with the marriage of convenience trope. Are you ready for it?
Holland and Phoenix have a steady enemies-to-more vibe in the beginning filled with pranks and doing everything to get under each other’s skin while fighting a physical attraction. This also includes a brother’s best friend trope where our main characters have bonded through a trauma related incident.
Will these two be able to become friends, or something more? You’ll have to read to find out!
I did feel heavier themes through this book, more so than your typical romcom, but I believe that was to possibly up the "beast factor" of our MMC.
If you're up for a Beauty and the Beast, summer beach read and can handle some heavier topics I think you'd enjoy this one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content: death of a loved one (off page, but mentioned throughout), grief, highly dysfunctional family, two implied fade to black intimacy moments between a married couple (nothing descriptive), mention of tongue when kissing, kisses and make outs.
Enemies-to-more mixed with the marriage of convenience trope. Are you ready for it?
Holland and Phoenix have a steady enemies-to-more vibe in the beginning filled with pranks and doing everything to get under each other’s skin while fighting a physical attraction. This also includes a brother’s best friend trope where our main characters have bonded through a trauma related incident.
Will these two be able to become friends, or something more? You’ll have to read to find out!
I did feel heavier themes through this book, more so than your typical romcom, but I believe that was to possibly up the "beast factor" of our MMC.
If you're up for a Beauty and the Beast, summer beach read and can handle some heavier topics I think you'd enjoy this one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content: death of a loved one (off page, but mentioned throughout), grief, highly dysfunctional family, two implied fade to black intimacy moments between a married couple (nothing descriptive), mention of tongue when kissing, kisses and make outs.
August 5, 2025
3.5⭐️ their banter was honestly reallyyy good! i love how they’ve been low key obsessed with each other for a while to the point where they’re basically in a long term relationship lol! they knew everything about each other and i really liked that. i thought this was a really cute summer read (also marriage of convenience trope ate DOWN.) 🫶🎀
August 30, 2024
This was a really great read! I did not want to put it down! The banter is delightful! I thought both characters were so perfect. This is the first marriage of convenience book I’ve read in a long while that I really bought into. I didn’t have to remind myself that “it’s fictional and make-believe so just enjoy the story”. It actually did feel real and I loved the story! I’ve been reading this series in order of how they came out. It’s so cool how they all overlap and how the characters are connected. This one has the least summer vibes and the least amount of connections to the other books. But it’s such a strong plot that it’s not needed and would have bogged it down. Romcom/ marriage of convenience readers, this is a must read!!
July 21, 2024
2.5. If someone talked to one of my friends the way Phoenix talks to Holland, I would stage an intervention.
July 17, 2024
From the opening scene to the very last page, I was hooked and laughing so hard.
“Mavis Butterfield was now requiring that her inheritor be legally and lawfully wed. So I did the only thing I could do: I set out to find a wife…until Mavis’s death do us part.”
I’ve been awaiting Holland’s story and it didn’t disappoint. Phoenix is hoping to inherit his crazy grandma’s company and now needs a wife and who better than his mortal enemy and best friend’s little sister? The banter in this enemies-to-love swept me off my feet but it was the marriage of convenience, thanks to a human-sized dog bed, that really solidified my love for this book.
This author has a way of developing characters full of life and wit that I adore. The nicknames had me laughing and wondering what would be next and the angry revenge kisses were oh, so swoony. They say the closest emotion to hate is love and it was very apparent from the intense sparks flying around that this saying is true.
Although a romcom, there are some deeper, slightly heavy topics that pop up, but it was a beautiful experience to watch these two navigate them. From the trickery involving one bed to the photo shoot and the storm, I devoured every word and couldn’t get enough.
This book, and actually the whole series, has a cemented place in my heart.
Content: Kisses only; off-page death
*I received a complimentary copy from the author and an audio copy through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*
“Mavis Butterfield was now requiring that her inheritor be legally and lawfully wed. So I did the only thing I could do: I set out to find a wife…until Mavis’s death do us part.”
I’ve been awaiting Holland’s story and it didn’t disappoint. Phoenix is hoping to inherit his crazy grandma’s company and now needs a wife and who better than his mortal enemy and best friend’s little sister? The banter in this enemies-to-love swept me off my feet but it was the marriage of convenience, thanks to a human-sized dog bed, that really solidified my love for this book.
This author has a way of developing characters full of life and wit that I adore. The nicknames had me laughing and wondering what would be next and the angry revenge kisses were oh, so swoony. They say the closest emotion to hate is love and it was very apparent from the intense sparks flying around that this saying is true.
Although a romcom, there are some deeper, slightly heavy topics that pop up, but it was a beautiful experience to watch these two navigate them. From the trickery involving one bed to the photo shoot and the storm, I devoured every word and couldn’t get enough.
This book, and actually the whole series, has a cemented place in my heart.
Content: Kisses only; off-page death
*I received a complimentary copy from the author and an audio copy through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*
July 18, 2024
What could I say that hasn’t already been gushed about over this book the last few weeks?? Maybe that
IT’S WORTH THE HYPE!!!!!!!
At this point, my phone keeps autocorrecting the MMC’s name, Pheonix, into caps because it is used to me exclaiming over him now.
It’s got the despite/hate to love happening, backed up by major history between Pheonix and Holland. But here’s the thing. They’re not downright mean. They can’t stand each other, but because of their history and relationships, they deeeeeeeeeeeeep down (like really deep, deeper than deep) care a little about each other. Even if it’s mostly obligatory reasons.
Anyways. Hate to love. Marriage of convenience, yes please! And the tiniest bit of Crazy Rich Asian feel (mostly family and the wealth) which how many of you have seen it? Because I’m forcing Gracie to watch it with me now. I’m totally picturing Henry Golding as Pheonix, and I’m not mad about it.
Friends. Go get this book. The audio is great. It’s also out if that is the medium you prefer to read. You need this book.
*many thanks to the author and to netgalley/dreamscape for the advance copy, thoughts are ALL my own.
IT’S WORTH THE HYPE!!!!!!!
At this point, my phone keeps autocorrecting the MMC’s name, Pheonix, into caps because it is used to me exclaiming over him now.
It’s got the despite/hate to love happening, backed up by major history between Pheonix and Holland. But here’s the thing. They’re not downright mean. They can’t stand each other, but because of their history and relationships, they deeeeeeeeeeeeep down (like really deep, deeper than deep) care a little about each other. Even if it’s mostly obligatory reasons.
Anyways. Hate to love. Marriage of convenience, yes please! And the tiniest bit of Crazy Rich Asian feel (mostly family and the wealth) which how many of you have seen it? Because I’m forcing Gracie to watch it with me now. I’m totally picturing Henry Golding as Pheonix, and I’m not mad about it.
Friends. Go get this book. The audio is great. It’s also out if that is the medium you prefer to read. You need this book.
*many thanks to the author and to netgalley/dreamscape for the advance copy, thoughts are ALL my own.
August 9, 2024
“Falling for him is scary. But trying not to fall for him has been torture.”
* I already love Phoenix 😂
* Oh my gosh these two hahaha
* The kiss ahhhh
* The animosity!
* Not the wearing all black 😅
* Ugh all this tension is going to kill me
* Oh my gosh I’m overheating 🥵
* When you can hate that fiery you can love that fiery
* He’s truly so thoughtful and I just can’t
Okay, THIS BOOK! I could not get enough of it. Phoenix and Holland are incredible. Their rivalry and friendship and tension and passion are just TOO GOOD.
They are both such interesting characters and I loved getting to see them figure out who they were and who they could be together. And once they got together and decided to stay? The sparks be flying!
Plus marriage of convenience? I love when we can sneak that into these contemporary romances!
Do yourself a favor and read it asap. 😍
“Despite all his strength, he still needs someone by his side.”
“Then give it to me… all of it. All of you. I want all of you.”
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
* I already love Phoenix 😂
* Oh my gosh these two hahaha
* The kiss ahhhh
* The animosity!
* Not the wearing all black 😅
* Ugh all this tension is going to kill me
* Oh my gosh I’m overheating 🥵
* When you can hate that fiery you can love that fiery
* He’s truly so thoughtful and I just can’t
Okay, THIS BOOK! I could not get enough of it. Phoenix and Holland are incredible. Their rivalry and friendship and tension and passion are just TOO GOOD.
They are both such interesting characters and I loved getting to see them figure out who they were and who they could be together. And once they got together and decided to stay? The sparks be flying!
Plus marriage of convenience? I love when we can sneak that into these contemporary romances!
Do yourself a favor and read it asap. 😍
“Despite all his strength, he still needs someone by his side.”
“Then give it to me… all of it. All of you. I want all of you.”
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 25, 2024
4.5 stars
So far, my favorite of the series.
So far, my favorite of the series.
July 6, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! The banter, the chemistry, the way they were always there for each other! This is a book I will definitely be rereading for years to come. Their first kiss was perfect! 🔥 🔥 (romcoms are not my favorite genre, so for me to give this 5 stars, you know it’s good!)
The audio was done really well. I enjoyed the narrators a lot.
The audio was done really well. I enjoyed the narrators a lot.
December 29, 2025
4 ★ | 16+
beauty and the beach | gracie ruth mitchell
“And you…you are very beautiful,”
“I thought you said there was nothing appealing about me,” I say.
The corners of his lips twitch and his eye’s flutter closed again. “I lied.”
⇨ 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
Gracie Ruth Mitchell I LOVE you.
her books never disappoint and this one was so good.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was decent. not my fave for sure.
overall another great gracie romcom that made me laugh, tear up, and is now a new obsession!
⇨ 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭
i love the arranged marriage/marriage of convenience trope and gracie wrote it so well!! The plot flowed well and I liked that they caught feelings over a few weeks instead of a few days cause often books can be unrealistic in that regard.
⇨ 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
“If you kiss me now, you’re mine.”
phoenix and holland were adorable together and I loved their chemistry! The banter, sarcasm, and teasing were *chefs kiss*, as well as the more vulnerable moments (the nightmare scenes 🥺)
admittedly, sometimes the kissing scenes were a bit much for me but as always I appreciate gracie for writing romance w/out spice in her novels :)
⇨ 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
honestly, the setting wasn’t super pronounced, and while gracie’s books don’t often have a very prevalent setting, I missed it more in this book than in others. yes it’s mentioned quite a bit that they live on a cute little island in florida (I’m assuming somewhere in the keys) but other than that the setting isnt touched on often which is disappointing because I LOVE me a good beachy, summery setting!
⇨ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
Holland ‘Amsterdam’ Blakely-Park
“this precipice we’ve been dancing on is sharp and jagged and painful. Falling for him is scary. But trying not to fall for him, has been torture.”
Love me a relatable blonde fmc 🙂↕️ its so fun to see myself reflected in those characters
as always in gracie’s books our main character was incredibly funny! But also we have the deeper topic of holland's trauma and grief which were so poignant and written realistically (in my opinion at least, cause i've never lost a sibling)
Phoenix ‘flamingo’ Park
”she sets my blood on fire”
at first I wasnt sure about a mmc named phoenix, cause it just sounded odd to me, but wow now I love him! grumpy x sunshine is my favorite trope so I always fall for the grumps 🫠 he was very sweet and I love how he treated holland. plus his nickname for her—please get me one!!
link to my instagram review:
beauty and the beach
content considerations:
romance: 3/5 (lots of pining/angst, intense makeout sessions and descriptive kisses)
language: 0/5
other: no spice, but there is !!very descriptive kissing!! and sexual jokes, as well as trauma from a sibling's death via car accident
beauty and the beach | gracie ruth mitchell
“And you…you are very beautiful,”
“I thought you said there was nothing appealing about me,” I say.
The corners of his lips twitch and his eye’s flutter closed again. “I lied.”
⇨ 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
Gracie Ruth Mitchell I LOVE you.
her books never disappoint and this one was so good.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was decent. not my fave for sure.
overall another great gracie romcom that made me laugh, tear up, and is now a new obsession!
⇨ 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭
i love the arranged marriage/marriage of convenience trope and gracie wrote it so well!! The plot flowed well and I liked that they caught feelings over a few weeks instead of a few days cause often books can be unrealistic in that regard.
⇨ 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
“If you kiss me now, you’re mine.”
phoenix and holland were adorable together and I loved their chemistry! The banter, sarcasm, and teasing were *chefs kiss*, as well as the more vulnerable moments (the nightmare scenes 🥺)
admittedly, sometimes the kissing scenes were a bit much for me but as always I appreciate gracie for writing romance w/out spice in her novels :)
⇨ 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
honestly, the setting wasn’t super pronounced, and while gracie’s books don’t often have a very prevalent setting, I missed it more in this book than in others. yes it’s mentioned quite a bit that they live on a cute little island in florida (I’m assuming somewhere in the keys) but other than that the setting isnt touched on often which is disappointing because I LOVE me a good beachy, summery setting!
⇨ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
Holland ‘Amsterdam’ Blakely-Park
“this precipice we’ve been dancing on is sharp and jagged and painful. Falling for him is scary. But trying not to fall for him, has been torture.”
Love me a relatable blonde fmc 🙂↕️ its so fun to see myself reflected in those characters
as always in gracie’s books our main character was incredibly funny! But also we have the deeper topic of holland's trauma and grief which were so poignant and written realistically (in my opinion at least, cause i've never lost a sibling)
Phoenix ‘flamingo’ Park
”she sets my blood on fire”
at first I wasnt sure about a mmc named phoenix, cause it just sounded odd to me, but wow now I love him! grumpy x sunshine is my favorite trope so I always fall for the grumps 🫠 he was very sweet and I love how he treated holland. plus his nickname for her—please get me one!!
link to my instagram review:
beauty and the beach
content considerations:
romance: 3/5 (lots of pining/angst, intense makeout sessions and descriptive kisses)
language: 0/5
other: no spice, but there is !!very descriptive kissing!! and sexual jokes, as well as trauma from a sibling's death via car accident
September 14, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
(Upon a reread, a few thoughts have changed…)
Gracie nails the genuine & heartfelt with the comedic & swoony!
Phoenix & Holland were TRUE enemies to lovers in this older brother’s best friend, marriage of convenience rom-com.
I laughed and teared up by turns! The underlying thread of grief & loss gutted me, but it was handled so well. Also, the importance of stepping away from manipulating relationships was spot on.
Seriously stuff aside, THE BANTER! Ha! I was absolutely dying over the nicknames and the pranks. However, I did feel the hating stuff to be over-done and even borderline red-flag at times. Like, if Holland was my in-real-life friend… some strongly worded “girl, I’m not sure about this” would be necessary.
On a personal preference note, some of the kissing was too much for me. It wasn’t inappropriately written, and they are married, just a personal preference thing. :)
ALSO! Wyatt needs a standing ovation because that man is GOLD. He’s a sweetheart & reminded me of a chill Mr. Moseby (iykyk). 😂
(Upon a reread, a few thoughts have changed…)
Gracie nails the genuine & heartfelt with the comedic & swoony!
Phoenix & Holland were TRUE enemies to lovers in this older brother’s best friend, marriage of convenience rom-com.
I laughed and teared up by turns! The underlying thread of grief & loss gutted me, but it was handled so well. Also, the importance of stepping away from manipulating relationships was spot on.
Seriously stuff aside, THE BANTER! Ha! I was absolutely dying over the nicknames and the pranks. However, I did feel the hating stuff to be over-done and even borderline red-flag at times. Like, if Holland was my in-real-life friend… some strongly worded “girl, I’m not sure about this” would be necessary.
On a personal preference note, some of the kissing was too much for me. It wasn’t inappropriately written, and they are married, just a personal preference thing. :)
ALSO! Wyatt needs a standing ovation because that man is GOLD. He’s a sweetheart & reminded me of a chill Mr. Moseby (iykyk). 😂
July 29, 2024
A huge thank you to the author for an ARC of this fantastic, summery, beautiful book. It was utterly bingeable and I read it with a permagrin on my face. True enemies to lovers can be hard to find, but this delivered. Holland and Phoenix have a shared past which binds them in a way neither of them fully understand, and I loved their dynamic. It was chaotic and tension filled and just straight FIRE. I loved every single scene they were together in, these two were soo dynamic and hilarious. Their nickname war is next level. I also adored the sweeter scenes where they got vulnerable and honest, you basically just cannot go wrong with any scene in this book. All the feels and vibes are immaculate. The perfect summer read for someone craving a fiery, incredibly deep romance.
July 23, 2024
•𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐏, 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐘•
Oh my goodness I LOVED this book!! This was actually the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to and I’m in love! The narrators were spot on and literally brought the story to life. I was laughing out loud within the first few chapters, which is always a good sign. This enemies-to-lovers/marriage of convenience trope was written to absolute perfection!
Mavis was the star of the show for sure! The epitome of devious and oh, so cruel, constantly keeping her family on their toes with her constantly changing will and testament as she hovered at death’s door. She was conniving and willing to do anything to get what she wanted. And as Phoenix said, “𝙸’𝚖 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.”
“𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚗.” -Phoenix
“𝙸 𝚐𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙸’𝚖 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠.” -Holland
“𝚁𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚠; 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚌𝚢. ����𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚠𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢.” -Phoenix
Holland is literally so unhinged at times, it’s hilarious. I love how Phoenix can’t help but protect Holland even when he’s overcome with annoyance at her. Their banter kept me highly entertained for the entirety of the book! The ending was perfection ♥️
Hilarity/Favorite Scenes:
🌴the dead fish in the mailbox
🌴toothpaste in the Oreos
🌴arguing over tampons in the grocery line
🌴the human sized dog bed
🌴he’s stupidly hot and stupidly rich
🌴her nicknames for him: toucan, flamingo, titmouse, rooster, canary, dodo bird, fifi, Pelican & a Stork ♥️
🌴his nicknames for her: Amsterdam, spinster ham, gangster glam, hamster slam, dumpster man, Sweetheart ♥️
🌴the wedding photo shoot
🌴grim reaper on their wedding day
🌴the dark closet
🌴honeymoon night courtesy of Mavis
🌴stormy night at the office
🌴all of Wyatt’s scenes
🌴his phone contact name for “her”
🌴the second wedding
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of this story! All opinions are purely my own.
Oh my goodness I LOVED this book!! This was actually the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to and I’m in love! The narrators were spot on and literally brought the story to life. I was laughing out loud within the first few chapters, which is always a good sign. This enemies-to-lovers/marriage of convenience trope was written to absolute perfection!
Mavis was the star of the show for sure! The epitome of devious and oh, so cruel, constantly keeping her family on their toes with her constantly changing will and testament as she hovered at death’s door. She was conniving and willing to do anything to get what she wanted. And as Phoenix said, “𝙸’𝚖 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.”
“𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚗.” -Phoenix
“𝙸 𝚐𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙸’𝚖 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠.” -Holland
“𝚁𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚠; 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚌𝚢. ����𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚠𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢.” -Phoenix
Holland is literally so unhinged at times, it’s hilarious. I love how Phoenix can’t help but protect Holland even when he’s overcome with annoyance at her. Their banter kept me highly entertained for the entirety of the book! The ending was perfection ♥️
Hilarity/Favorite Scenes:
🌴the dead fish in the mailbox
🌴toothpaste in the Oreos
🌴arguing over tampons in the grocery line
🌴the human sized dog bed
🌴he’s stupidly hot and stupidly rich
🌴her nicknames for him: toucan, flamingo, titmouse, rooster, canary, dodo bird, fifi, Pelican & a Stork ♥️
🌴his nicknames for her: Amsterdam, spinster ham, gangster glam, hamster slam, dumpster man, Sweetheart ♥️
🌴the wedding photo shoot
🌴grim reaper on their wedding day
🌴the dark closet
🌴honeymoon night courtesy of Mavis
🌴stormy night at the office
🌴all of Wyatt’s scenes
🌴his phone contact name for “her”
🌴the second wedding
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of this story! All opinions are purely my own.
August 20, 2024
This book was a mood read and it fit the EXACT feeling I was hoping for. It was PERFECTION.
It had a beautiful combination of swoony, fluffy moments mixed with raw, unfiltered emotions. The main characters weren’t annoying or trying too hard. It felt real, but like a romance book. I literally couldn’t ask for anything more.
It was clean, but realistic which I LOVE and it’s something so hard to find. Refreshing, to say the least.
I saw an error and I didn’t even care. That’s saying A LOT coming from me.
New favorite book of 2024.
It had a beautiful combination of swoony, fluffy moments mixed with raw, unfiltered emotions. The main characters weren’t annoying or trying too hard. It felt real, but like a romance book. I literally couldn’t ask for anything more.
It was clean, but realistic which I LOVE and it’s something so hard to find. Refreshing, to say the least.
I saw an error and I didn’t even care. That’s saying A LOT coming from me.
New favorite book of 2024.
August 21, 2024
🔥🔥🔥 this book was fire
My word! The chemistry y'all!!! Beauty and the Beach seriously had some of the BEST chemistry between two main character in a romance novel that I have ever read. Seriously, the book was clean but I felt like their chemistry was lighting the pages on fire!! And it was a modern day marriage of convenience which is seriously my favorite trope ever! I think this helped with the chemistry because they could live together and have more physical moments (again, it's clean so nothing gets raunchy!) and I didn't have to feel weird about it. Their banter and arguing and oh my gosh the kisses. I felt like someone was squeezing my heart inside my chest because all of the emotions! And it wasn't just about the romance, Holland and Phoenix both had some pretty heavy shares trauma that required working through and admitting the need for some professional help. I can't recommend this book enough.
My word! The chemistry y'all!!! Beauty and the Beach seriously had some of the BEST chemistry between two main character in a romance novel that I have ever read. Seriously, the book was clean but I felt like their chemistry was lighting the pages on fire!! And it was a modern day marriage of convenience which is seriously my favorite trope ever! I think this helped with the chemistry because they could live together and have more physical moments (again, it's clean so nothing gets raunchy!) and I didn't have to feel weird about it. Their banter and arguing and oh my gosh the kisses. I felt like someone was squeezing my heart inside my chest because all of the emotions! And it wasn't just about the romance, Holland and Phoenix both had some pretty heavy shares trauma that required working through and admitting the need for some professional help. I can't recommend this book enough.
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