What do you think?
Rate this book
All Mixed Up #2
Mixed Match: All Mixed Up, Book 2
Get ready for an emotional adventure of new chances, choices, and life-altering changes in this high heat mistaken identity, insta-love romance about learning to trust again after heartache.
Sophia Kent used to be a badass knife-wielding chef. Nowadays, she's lucky if she can remember to put on a bra. Between the move to Portland and unpacking boxes, she's glad there's only one name on the title. Unfortunately, at the door there's a gorgeous messenger with a document claiming she's not the rightful owner.
Dead-set on getting his grandmother's house back, real estate investor Everett Monroe is determined to see the thief go down, even if he has to deliver the summons himself. Only, the beautiful mess at the door is charming, sexy—and nothing like the man whose family's been feuding with Everett's for generations.
He doesn't know whether she's a pawn or a player, and she doesn't know he's not just a messenger, so after a few "chance" meetings, when she enlists his help to find a location for her restaurant, he agrees. After all, in thirty days there's going to be a hearing granting him ownership and she'll be long gone. Except, somewhere between sunset mountain hikes, brilliantly lit musical bridges, and picturesque Japanese Gardens, a dangerous attraction weaves its way between the secrets and lies. Forced to confront the truth, Everett must ask himself what good a home is without the one you love to share it with.
Sophia Kent used to be a badass knife-wielding chef. Nowadays, she's lucky if she can remember to put on a bra. Between the move to Portland and unpacking boxes, she's glad there's only one name on the title. Unfortunately, at the door there's a gorgeous messenger with a document claiming she's not the rightful owner.
Dead-set on getting his grandmother's house back, real estate investor Everett Monroe is determined to see the thief go down, even if he has to deliver the summons himself. Only, the beautiful mess at the door is charming, sexy—and nothing like the man whose family's been feuding with Everett's for generations.
He doesn't know whether she's a pawn or a player, and she doesn't know he's not just a messenger, so after a few "chance" meetings, when she enlists his help to find a location for her restaurant, he agrees. After all, in thirty days there's going to be a hearing granting him ownership and she'll be long gone. Except, somewhere between sunset mountain hikes, brilliantly lit musical bridges, and picturesque Japanese Gardens, a dangerous attraction weaves its way between the secrets and lies. Forced to confront the truth, Everett must ask himself what good a home is without the one you love to share it with.
Audible Audio
Published August 28, 2023
17 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
Mia Heintzelman
28 books368 followersThe Wedding Crush releases on June 11th everywhere books are sold!
https://www.miaheintzelman.com/the_we...
Join Mia's ARC Team:
https://www.miaheintzelman.com/arctea...
Subscribe to her newsletter!
https://www.miaheintzelman.com/newsle...
Follow her on Instagram:
http://bit.ly/MiaonIG
https://www.miaheintzelman.com/the_we...
Join Mia's ARC Team:
https://www.miaheintzelman.com/arctea...
Subscribe to her newsletter!
https://www.miaheintzelman.com/newsle...
Follow her on Instagram:
http://bit.ly/MiaonIG
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 1, 2023
this book did nothing but piss me the fuck off lmao
August 21, 2021
Sophia Kent is has moved to Portland from Las Vegas into the house she received in her divorce settlement. She's trying to make a fresh start. And a part of her is trying to prove to her mother and cousin that she can make it on her own. She's a a trained chef with dreams of opening her own restaurant. But right now she's stuck in a rut which consists of plenty of ice cream to go along with her moods and horror movie marathons. Cousin Julie insists she needs to find a new man to get under.
Everett Monroe own's a family real estate business. The Monroe family has had a long standing feud with the Harmon family. His grandmother was tricked out of signing over her home before she died and he's ready to get it back. He's surprised when he meets the woman now residing in his home. Between his instant attraction towards her and his urge to discover her intentions he decides to get close to her. And to get close to her he can't have her discover that he's the man who is trying to take away her home.
It was a little clunky for me at first. Sophia and Everett meet when he's serving her papers at her new home. And they are immediately turned on by each other. Their lust for each other is very much in your face. This story is also dropped Hatfields and McCoys references multiple times and I had already figured out it was that type of story before so I didn't see the need to spell it out again and again.
I liked reading about them spending time with each other while Sophia got familiarized with Portland like the farmer' market trip and hiking dates . And I liked how Sophia also built a friendship with Everett's sister, Zora. Everett has Zora and his friend Mike to support him and help him understand his growing feelings.
Now where this book shined was in the sex scenes. The first one especially is so hot. They're driving in a car and Sophia decides she's ready to risk it all. It's a race to get to an area they can pull over at before they crash because they can't keep their hands off each other.
I'm very conflicted about this one because while I started to like Everett and Sophia together; their entire relationship is built on a lie. She doesn't even know his first and last name! But at the same time he loved his grandmother and was fighting to get back what was stolen from her. And he does try and support Sofia when he realizes she's not like the Harmons. I just couldn't get completely invested in them. I'll probably read the next book in the series because I really liked Zora.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
Everett Monroe own's a family real estate business. The Monroe family has had a long standing feud with the Harmon family. His grandmother was tricked out of signing over her home before she died and he's ready to get it back. He's surprised when he meets the woman now residing in his home. Between his instant attraction towards her and his urge to discover her intentions he decides to get close to her. And to get close to her he can't have her discover that he's the man who is trying to take away her home.
It was a little clunky for me at first. Sophia and Everett meet when he's serving her papers at her new home. And they are immediately turned on by each other. Their lust for each other is very much in your face. This story is also dropped Hatfields and McCoys references multiple times and I had already figured out it was that type of story before so I didn't see the need to spell it out again and again.
I liked reading about them spending time with each other while Sophia got familiarized with Portland like the farmer' market trip and hiking dates . And I liked how Sophia also built a friendship with Everett's sister, Zora. Everett has Zora and his friend Mike to support him and help him understand his growing feelings.
Now where this book shined was in the sex scenes. The first one especially is so hot. They're driving in a car and Sophia decides she's ready to risk it all. It's a race to get to an area they can pull over at before they crash because they can't keep their hands off each other.
I'm very conflicted about this one because while I started to like Everett and Sophia together; their entire relationship is built on a lie. She doesn't even know his first and last name! But at the same time he loved his grandmother and was fighting to get back what was stolen from her. And he does try and support Sofia when he realizes she's not like the Harmons. I just couldn't get completely invested in them. I'll probably read the next book in the series because I really liked Zora.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
January 23, 2023
I did not like Everett one bit, and his chemistry with Sophia felt strained and just wierd. Zora was adorable and interesing, very wise.
2.5 stars.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
2.5 stars.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
November 23, 2019
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Honey Magnolia PR and Levi Lynn Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
I’m a romance novel newbie, and I so appreciate Honey Magnolia PR giving us the heat level immediately when they let us know about the book. So I kind of knew what I was getting into when I signed up for it – even though I totally was in shock when I got accepted to read this one. I mean the level was “sensual” and I don’t think that was the highest level from some of the other ones that I saw. But I still wasn’t anticipating some immediate pokey pokey things upon first sight!
This was basically Sophia and Everett when they first saw each other – even though Everett was there to serve her papers because his family freaking hates her ex-husband’s family, and while the papers were meant for him, they ended up going to her. So… yeah that was pretty funny but sucked at the same time.
I was honestly already rooting for Sophia from the beginning of the novel because she was at the end of her divorce and was going to start a new life away from her old one. I was super proud of her for wanting to clean the slate already, even though her mom didn’t want her to leave what she was already used to. I mean, do you know how hard it is to actually take action to put yourself in a completely strange setting and somehow survive and boss up? That’s exactly what Sophia was about to do, and it didn’t even seem like she was afraid! I know she was though, and I feel like she put on a semi brave face, but I don’t know what I would do if I were in her shoes.
I also couldn’t help but feel bad for Everett too. I understand wanting to get revenge on a family that just messed up your whole life, and that’s really what he wanted to do when he first met Sophia. It wasn’t directed to her, and I don’t think he was really expecting her to have cut off all ties from her ex and his family, but that whole thing was pretty much a failure for him because he wasn’t able to make the EX feel like the crappy person that he is.
So while I was totally not prepared for the inner man talk of Everett basically getting turned on by Sophia and her braless boobies – she was in her own house, I don’t even blame a girl for that – I thought that this was such an interesting introduction to Heintzelman’s novels. I’ll have to check out the first book in this series, and I’m curious to see what comes out next!
I’m a romance novel newbie, and I so appreciate Honey Magnolia PR giving us the heat level immediately when they let us know about the book. So I kind of knew what I was getting into when I signed up for it – even though I totally was in shock when I got accepted to read this one. I mean the level was “sensual” and I don’t think that was the highest level from some of the other ones that I saw. But I still wasn’t anticipating some immediate pokey pokey things upon first sight!
This was basically Sophia and Everett when they first saw each other – even though Everett was there to serve her papers because his family freaking hates her ex-husband’s family, and while the papers were meant for him, they ended up going to her. So… yeah that was pretty funny but sucked at the same time.
I was honestly already rooting for Sophia from the beginning of the novel because she was at the end of her divorce and was going to start a new life away from her old one. I was super proud of her for wanting to clean the slate already, even though her mom didn’t want her to leave what she was already used to. I mean, do you know how hard it is to actually take action to put yourself in a completely strange setting and somehow survive and boss up? That’s exactly what Sophia was about to do, and it didn’t even seem like she was afraid! I know she was though, and I feel like she put on a semi brave face, but I don’t know what I would do if I were in her shoes.
I also couldn’t help but feel bad for Everett too. I understand wanting to get revenge on a family that just messed up your whole life, and that’s really what he wanted to do when he first met Sophia. It wasn’t directed to her, and I don’t think he was really expecting her to have cut off all ties from her ex and his family, but that whole thing was pretty much a failure for him because he wasn’t able to make the EX feel like the crappy person that he is.
So while I was totally not prepared for the inner man talk of Everett basically getting turned on by Sophia and her braless boobies – she was in her own house, I don’t even blame a girl for that – I thought that this was such an interesting introduction to Heintzelman’s novels. I’ll have to check out the first book in this series, and I’m curious to see what comes out next!
November 20, 2019
*Big thank you to NetGalley/Publisher who sent me this book in exchange for an honest review*
This is the first book that I've read from this author and I enjoyed it. It was a decent read meaning that I didn't feel like I had to force myself to read it but also, I did find my attention drifting quite a bit while reading this book. If I had to rate it being either entertaining or boring, I would lean more towards the boring side, unfortunately.
I think the idea of the book was a unique one. I haven't found or read a book with the same plot before so points for being creative. But I also dont think that the book was as developed emotionally as it could have been. I think if there was less time explaining the legalities of how the house in question became, well, a question, and more time spent on the character's development towards each other, it could easily be a four/five-star rating.
This book has potential. I feel like my focus kept falling onto other things was because I didn't feel any sort of emotional connection to any of the characters, especially the main two. It wasn't one of those reads that I devoured or truly believed in.
I would say that if you're looking for a book with an emotional pull, something that will have your heart and your breath and will just... grab at you, this isn't it.
If you're looking for a light read, then definitely read this. It was good, not great and not memorable. Just good. There were a few moments that I laughed out loud and while I didn't feel connected to the characters at all, I did find that Sophia was really damned adorable.
I think if we get a bit more emotionally developed characters, especially if it's a romance book, and that romance can be felt coming off the pages, I'll be reading more of this author. This book has promised so I'm excited to see what she does in the future with her other books.
All in all, the book was good, just not as memorable and emotionally catching as I like my books to be.
This is the first book that I've read from this author and I enjoyed it. It was a decent read meaning that I didn't feel like I had to force myself to read it but also, I did find my attention drifting quite a bit while reading this book. If I had to rate it being either entertaining or boring, I would lean more towards the boring side, unfortunately.
I think the idea of the book was a unique one. I haven't found or read a book with the same plot before so points for being creative. But I also dont think that the book was as developed emotionally as it could have been. I think if there was less time explaining the legalities of how the house in question became, well, a question, and more time spent on the character's development towards each other, it could easily be a four/five-star rating.
This book has potential. I feel like my focus kept falling onto other things was because I didn't feel any sort of emotional connection to any of the characters, especially the main two. It wasn't one of those reads that I devoured or truly believed in.
I would say that if you're looking for a book with an emotional pull, something that will have your heart and your breath and will just... grab at you, this isn't it.
If you're looking for a light read, then definitely read this. It was good, not great and not memorable. Just good. There were a few moments that I laughed out loud and while I didn't feel connected to the characters at all, I did find that Sophia was really damned adorable.
I think if we get a bit more emotionally developed characters, especially if it's a romance book, and that romance can be felt coming off the pages, I'll be reading more of this author. This book has promised so I'm excited to see what she does in the future with her other books.
All in all, the book was good, just not as memorable and emotionally catching as I like my books to be.
October 13, 2020
First of all, let me tell you; I did not expect the language to be so 'upfront'
It is definitely for adults. I'm not saying it was bad or anything, it just took my by suprise!
It starts of with Sophia busy packing boxes, and the way she tries to curse without using cursewords is amazing. For example 'Sugar-Honey-Iced-Tea' is one of them. She also used things like 'Peachy. Just doggone peachy.' like, how to do even come up with stuff like that haha!
When in Portland Everett knocks at her door and delivers a 'summons'. She thinks he is just the messenger, when in fact he is a bigger part of that story.
They 'excidently' meet a couple of times and the one thing I was frustrated about was THAT HE NEVER TELLS HER WHO HE REALLY IS.
This is all in the synopsis btw, so no spoilers!
In the end I really liked the story. There are a couple of things that I was frustrated about, but that was part of the story so it was intended to be like that.
I later realised that her other book 'Mixed Signals' is about Julie and Nico, who are also in this book, so I will read that one later!
I would recommend this, and I will definitely check out more of Mia Heintzelman in the future!
It is definitely for adults. I'm not saying it was bad or anything, it just took my by suprise!
It starts of with Sophia busy packing boxes, and the way she tries to curse without using cursewords is amazing. For example 'Sugar-Honey-Iced-Tea' is one of them. She also used things like 'Peachy. Just doggone peachy.' like, how to do even come up with stuff like that haha!
When in Portland Everett knocks at her door and delivers a 'summons'. She thinks he is just the messenger, when in fact he is a bigger part of that story.
They 'excidently' meet a couple of times and the one thing I was frustrated about was THAT HE NEVER TELLS HER WHO HE REALLY IS.
This is all in the synopsis btw, so no spoilers!
In the end I really liked the story. There are a couple of things that I was frustrated about, but that was part of the story so it was intended to be like that.
I later realised that her other book 'Mixed Signals' is about Julie and Nico, who are also in this book, so I will read that one later!
I would recommend this, and I will definitely check out more of Mia Heintzelman in the future!
November 26, 2019
Oh man, did I love this book! It was so much fun to read. This genre of book is quite predictable, but it can be fun to read something brainless; if that's what you're looking for, this book is just what you need! It's perfect for a relaxed weekend of reading.
However, the book went too fast in my opinion. It"s a thin book, which makes some storylines to go too fast. I wouldn't have minded to read a 100 pages more, if that means the story and its characters are developed in more depth. I missed that a bit.
I rate it 3 stars, but it's more a 3.5 for me. I had a lot of fun reading it, and it was exactly what I needed at the moment, but it could have been better for sure.
However, the book went too fast in my opinion. It"s a thin book, which makes some storylines to go too fast. I wouldn't have minded to read a 100 pages more, if that means the story and its characters are developed in more depth. I missed that a bit.
I rate it 3 stars, but it's more a 3.5 for me. I had a lot of fun reading it, and it was exactly what I needed at the moment, but it could have been better for sure.
November 29, 2024
2.5 stars.
It was better than the previous one but the romance was still rushed and they get engaged after knowing each other for very little time. It doesn't feel real. I did like the conflict around the ownership of the house, it made for an interesting side plot.
It was better than the previous one but the romance was still rushed and they get engaged after knowing each other for very little time. It doesn't feel real. I did like the conflict around the ownership of the house, it made for an interesting side plot.
December 4, 2019
Sophia Kent is finally divorced from her conniving ex husband and moves into the house she was grated in the divorce. But unknown to her that house comes with drama, when she finds out after moving in. Real Estate Investor is determined to get his ancestor's property back, not knowing who's living in the house. Where will he put his focus on? The house or the woman now in the house.
I didn't know that this was actually book 2 in the series. This book starts off and is very in your face on the sexual side, and if that's not for you, you might want to pass. But other than that, I thought it was an interesting read.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I didn't know that this was actually book 2 in the series. This book starts off and is very in your face on the sexual side, and if that's not for you, you might want to pass. But other than that, I thought it was an interesting read.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 7, 2019
Mia Heintzelman has written a terrific story about a wounded heroine trying to find her own way in the world and a man who can take away everything she's achieved on her own, but hides his secrets until there is no turning back, risking the love they've finally found. This is classic chick-lit with beautiful poetic passages and a hero and heroine you can root for. I highly recommend it.
December 16, 2019
Sophia Kent divorced her husband Austin and moved to Portland, to make a home for herself in the house she got from Austin in the divorce. Then a messenger delivers legal papers that claim Sophia isn't the rightful owner of the house and she's being sued for ownership by Everett Monroe, the grandson of the original owner. Aside from being a successful real estate investor, Everett also happens to be the messenger Sophia is instantly attracted to. And the feeling's mutual. But Everett doesn't know if he can trust the woman who's living in his grandmother's house. So he arranges for a few "chance meetings" with Sophia, to get to know her better. But when they start falling for each other, it becomes more and more difficult to tell Sophia the truth about who he is.
I wish I could've liked this book. I read a lot of romance and I can honestly say that I've never read anything with this kind of premise. Unfortunately, the execution was disappointing. The writing style just didn't work for me. I could connect a little bit to Sophia's grief, but then she immediately went all-in on this relationship with Everett and that's where this story lost me. He is hiding a massive secret from her, and I feel like the book spent more time on showing us how awful he felt about it than on Sophia's anger once she found out the truth. There were several instances where the reader is made to feel sorry for poor little Everett who has had such a hard life so of course he deserves to win back Sophia despite lying about who he is for the entire time she has known him. Not to mention the fact that he had sex with her several times without telling her who he is. Bit rapey.
And let's talk about the sex scenes in this. I don't mind explicit scenes, but at least build up to them. There is literally a chapter in this book where they go from looking at a possible location for her restaurant to Sophia giving Everett a handjob in the car while he's driving. He's constantly hard and she's constantly horny, so the author doesn't see the need to get the reader in the mood for one of those scenes. Which leaves the reader (aka me) time to focus on other things, like how dangerous and idiotic it is to start fiddling with each other while you're driving a car. Is your orgasm really worth the risk of a potentially fatal car crash?
I hated every single character in this. They're either liars, manipulators or doormats. Except Everett's dog Blue. Blue can't help it if their owner is a creepy stalker jackass. Poor little dog...
(I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
I wish I could've liked this book. I read a lot of romance and I can honestly say that I've never read anything with this kind of premise. Unfortunately, the execution was disappointing. The writing style just didn't work for me. I could connect a little bit to Sophia's grief, but then she immediately went all-in on this relationship with Everett and that's where this story lost me. He is hiding a massive secret from her, and I feel like the book spent more time on showing us how awful he felt about it than on Sophia's anger once she found out the truth. There were several instances where the reader is made to feel sorry for poor little Everett who has had such a hard life so of course he deserves to win back Sophia despite lying about who he is for the entire time she has known him. Not to mention the fact that he had sex with her several times without telling her who he is. Bit rapey.
And let's talk about the sex scenes in this. I don't mind explicit scenes, but at least build up to them. There is literally a chapter in this book where they go from looking at a possible location for her restaurant to Sophia giving Everett a handjob in the car while he's driving. He's constantly hard and she's constantly horny, so the author doesn't see the need to get the reader in the mood for one of those scenes. Which leaves the reader (aka me) time to focus on other things, like how dangerous and idiotic it is to start fiddling with each other while you're driving a car. Is your orgasm really worth the risk of a potentially fatal car crash?
I hated every single character in this. They're either liars, manipulators or doormats. Except Everett's dog Blue. Blue can't help it if their owner is a creepy stalker jackass. Poor little dog...
(I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
November 8, 2019
First of all I wanted to thank NetGalley and Levi Lynn Books for this advanced complimentary copy. The following is my true and honest opinion of this book.
Overall I really enjoyed this book despite some flaws. The plot was really good and kept me interested. I liked Mia Heintzelman's writing, she left a lot of questions out in the open right from the beginning that caught my interest like "When does Sophia find out that Everett is the one trying to take her house?", "Did Austin send Everett the divorce papers with the original deed of the house just to destroy Sophia?", "Why did Sophia only want the house from the divorce?", "Did Sophia have a miscarriage?", "Who's Ainsley?". Eventually these all get answered but there's a couple of other ones that are kept unanswered and I think they were important and should've been answered like "What happened with Sophia's dad?" and "What caused Sophia's divorce from Austin?". Yes, I get it Austin is a horrible human being but she fell in love with him at one point and even married the guy so he cannot be all bad, and she did not just fall out of love something or many things triggered it over time. Also there are some instances where I was a bit confused and wasn't sure which point of view the author was writing from along with some grammatical errors but I could see past those and still enjoy the book. I wish the author had also delved more into Sophia's emotional state, there was so much going on with her that could not have been easy to be going through and I think the author could've really dived into it a lot more. Even with it's flaws I loved the story and recommend the book to all my hopeless romantics out there.
Overall I really enjoyed this book despite some flaws. The plot was really good and kept me interested. I liked Mia Heintzelman's writing, she left a lot of questions out in the open right from the beginning that caught my interest like "When does Sophia find out that Everett is the one trying to take her house?", "Did Austin send Everett the divorce papers with the original deed of the house just to destroy Sophia?", "Why did Sophia only want the house from the divorce?", "Did Sophia have a miscarriage?", "Who's Ainsley?". Eventually these all get answered but there's a couple of other ones that are kept unanswered and I think they were important and should've been answered like "What happened with Sophia's dad?" and "What caused Sophia's divorce from Austin?". Yes, I get it Austin is a horrible human being but she fell in love with him at one point and even married the guy so he cannot be all bad, and she did not just fall out of love something or many things triggered it over time. Also there are some instances where I was a bit confused and wasn't sure which point of view the author was writing from along with some grammatical errors but I could see past those and still enjoy the book. I wish the author had also delved more into Sophia's emotional state, there was so much going on with her that could not have been easy to be going through and I think the author could've really dived into it a lot more. Even with it's flaws I loved the story and recommend the book to all my hopeless romantics out there.
November 13, 2019
3.25 stars
I enjoyed this book despite the premise (some people like the “I’m hiding my identity so you can get to know the real me” thing, but I’m not usually one of them).
Sophia Kent is freshly divorced and has uprooted her life to relocate to Portland, occupying her sole settlement from the split, a beautiful family home called Patton Place. She’s ready to settle in, building a new life for herself, and potentially opening a restaurant.
John Everett Monroe is on a quest to regain his family’s stolen property, the very same Patton Place. But from the moment he serves Sophia with the notice that he’s taking her to court over the property, he’s smitten.
While they’re falling in love, Everett is trying to stay one step ahead, and sort out whether Sophia is an innocent bystander in the theft of his demented grandmother’s home.
My biggest complaint about this book is that it left me wanting more showing and less telling. We hear about how awful Sophia’s es-husband is, but we only meet him once and he’s a lukewarm villain. There are no flashbacks to the time when Everett actually lived in Patton Place. I did appreciate the discussion of black homeownership in the Pacific Northwest, and of infertility/pregnancy loss.
Once Sophia figures out who Everett really is (and that he’s trying to take her home away), she’s obviously devastated. In my opinion there was insufficient groveling by the hero at the end, and what he did do (proposing to her after weeks of no contact at her cousin’s wedding reception) was tacky beyond belief.
Cute but not one I would revisit.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I enjoyed this book despite the premise (some people like the “I’m hiding my identity so you can get to know the real me” thing, but I’m not usually one of them).
Sophia Kent is freshly divorced and has uprooted her life to relocate to Portland, occupying her sole settlement from the split, a beautiful family home called Patton Place. She’s ready to settle in, building a new life for herself, and potentially opening a restaurant.
John Everett Monroe is on a quest to regain his family’s stolen property, the very same Patton Place. But from the moment he serves Sophia with the notice that he’s taking her to court over the property, he’s smitten.
While they’re falling in love, Everett is trying to stay one step ahead, and sort out whether Sophia is an innocent bystander in the theft of his demented grandmother’s home.
My biggest complaint about this book is that it left me wanting more showing and less telling. We hear about how awful Sophia’s es-husband is, but we only meet him once and he’s a lukewarm villain. There are no flashbacks to the time when Everett actually lived in Patton Place. I did appreciate the discussion of black homeownership in the Pacific Northwest, and of infertility/pregnancy loss.
Once Sophia figures out who Everett really is (and that he’s trying to take her home away), she’s obviously devastated. In my opinion there was insufficient groveling by the hero at the end, and what he did do (proposing to her after weeks of no contact at her cousin’s wedding reception) was tacky beyond belief.
Cute but not one I would revisit.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2019
* Thank you to NetGalley/Publisher for sending me this ARC for an honest review *
3.5 Stars
Sophia meets Everett while getting served papers informing her she is being sued for the house she recently got out of her divorce from her shady ex husband. Everett (unknowingly to Sophia) is the man suing her for his late grandmother's house that has been in his family for generations. But Everett becomes interested in Sophia's story and in the mix gets caught up with lies, and in enemies to lovers style - falls for Sophia. I thought that this book was cute, and I really enjoyed the fact this was a POC romance. However, I didn't really get the emotional connection I was looking for especially in regards to Sophia and dealing with her grief - even going further into her past and her failed marriage. I wanted to read more on that background on why the marriage ended so that it made a better impact later in the book when her ex becomes a catalyst. Everett and Sophia were adorable, but I felt their romance was rushed too quickly. Overall, I enjoyed the novel but wished the author could've expanded on a few of the emotional issues/plot points.
3.5 Stars
Sophia meets Everett while getting served papers informing her she is being sued for the house she recently got out of her divorce from her shady ex husband. Everett (unknowingly to Sophia) is the man suing her for his late grandmother's house that has been in his family for generations. But Everett becomes interested in Sophia's story and in the mix gets caught up with lies, and in enemies to lovers style - falls for Sophia. I thought that this book was cute, and I really enjoyed the fact this was a POC romance. However, I didn't really get the emotional connection I was looking for especially in regards to Sophia and dealing with her grief - even going further into her past and her failed marriage. I wanted to read more on that background on why the marriage ended so that it made a better impact later in the book when her ex becomes a catalyst. Everett and Sophia were adorable, but I felt their romance was rushed too quickly. Overall, I enjoyed the novel but wished the author could've expanded on a few of the emotional issues/plot points.
December 8, 2019
I received complimentary copies of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It was a very compelling idea, and I got through the first twenty percent really quickly. Soon after that the book fell apart. I couldn’t keep reading, I didn’t finish the novel which hasn’t happened in a while. I didn’t like the writing style and the intimate scenes, were either too much detail or out of the blue and annoying. I thought the characterization was disorganized and the plot was confusing, but that could have been because I had to force myself to read the book, at least once a week. Normally I finish one of these types of novels in two days even with a busy schedule, this book took me a month which is why the review is so late. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book, but if you’re looking for a fantastic novel that has a similar idea, like hate to love, or moving somewhere new and falling in love I’ll post some suggestions on my blog, Theweeklyromance.home.blog, with this review!
It was a very compelling idea, and I got through the first twenty percent really quickly. Soon after that the book fell apart. I couldn’t keep reading, I didn’t finish the novel which hasn’t happened in a while. I didn’t like the writing style and the intimate scenes, were either too much detail or out of the blue and annoying. I thought the characterization was disorganized and the plot was confusing, but that could have been because I had to force myself to read the book, at least once a week. Normally I finish one of these types of novels in two days even with a busy schedule, this book took me a month which is why the review is so late. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book, but if you’re looking for a fantastic novel that has a similar idea, like hate to love, or moving somewhere new and falling in love I’ll post some suggestions on my blog, Theweeklyromance.home.blog, with this review!
Read
August 22, 2022DNF at chapter 2
Okay I know I didn't really give it much of a chance but I'm coming down from a Riordanverse binge and I'm trying to prevent a reading slump.
I'm sure this book is very interesting. In the first chapter, the author did a wonderful job of setting up the background and teasing at the main plot points. However, the instant the mmc meets the fmc it goes south. Tell me why the first thing he sees is that's she's not wearing a bra. And then just stares at her breasts. Cmon now. I might have been able to read past it but a) I'm in a picky mood, and b) I know that the basic plot is "Guy lies about his identity to get to know girl" and I'm just no thank you.
However, I do acknowledge that I am being picky right now so I'm not giving this an official rating. Please have at it.
Okay I know I didn't really give it much of a chance but I'm coming down from a Riordanverse binge and I'm trying to prevent a reading slump.
I'm sure this book is very interesting. In the first chapter, the author did a wonderful job of setting up the background and teasing at the main plot points. However, the instant the mmc meets the fmc it goes south. Tell me why the first thing he sees is that's she's not wearing a bra. And then just stares at her breasts. Cmon now. I might have been able to read past it but a) I'm in a picky mood, and b) I know that the basic plot is "Guy lies about his identity to get to know girl" and I'm just no thank you.
However, I do acknowledge that I am being picky right now so I'm not giving this an official rating. Please have at it.
August 25, 2023
DNF
I was gonna try to do this series even after a rough 1st book, But it starts off with the cousin from the last book moving to start over bc she got divorced and oh, side note, she miscarried in the 3rd trimester. Sad, but oh well. Umm excuse me? Why is everyone so worried about her divorce and finding a new man? No one cares that she lost a baby?? And she is described as having a tight little body two months later? Nope. And the cousins have suddenly switched personalities. Julie is the snotty brat and suddenly Sophia is a sweet down to earth girl? Too many inconsistencies.
I was gonna try to do this series even after a rough 1st book, But it starts off with the cousin from the last book moving to start over bc she got divorced and oh, side note, she miscarried in the 3rd trimester. Sad, but oh well. Umm excuse me? Why is everyone so worried about her divorce and finding a new man? No one cares that she lost a baby?? And she is described as having a tight little body two months later? Nope. And the cousins have suddenly switched personalities. Julie is the snotty brat and suddenly Sophia is a sweet down to earth girl? Too many inconsistencies.
Read
October 27, 2023Story started with so much potential. Interesting characters, strong family ties. Great set up for the couple to meet. Half way in and I am disgusted with the male love interest - his inability to fess up to who he is is a complete turn off. I am not anxious to finish the book because the leading lady will inevitably accept his BS so they can live HEA. It is so not realistic! The book is well-written.
December 2, 2019
Thank you for Mixed Match ARC!
For the first 30 pages I wanted to DNF this book so bad. Omg I got bored but I keep going anyway.
Btw wow she end up liking someone pretty fast after she got divorced lol 😂 I can't connect to her sadness and grieved so yeah whatever.
The first time she met Everett there are sexual tension between them and I was like wth stop this lol
For the first 30 pages I wanted to DNF this book so bad. Omg I got bored but I keep going anyway.
Btw wow she end up liking someone pretty fast after she got divorced lol 😂 I can't connect to her sadness and grieved so yeah whatever.
The first time she met Everett there are sexual tension between them and I was like wth stop this lol
September 27, 2022
Hard to stay interested
I found it quite challenging to keep my interest in this book. It was predictable and while some predictions are readable this one was difficult. I borrowed this book twice and struggled the second time hoping it would get better. It didn’t. Glad I’m done.
I found it quite challenging to keep my interest in this book. It was predictable and while some predictions are readable this one was difficult. I borrowed this book twice and struggled the second time hoping it would get better. It didn’t. Glad I’m done.
May 6, 2022
The second one in the series - also 3 5☆s rounded up. I do like that the character Sophia was a strong woman (after a brief stint being weak when with her former husband).
Biggest reason why it's not a solid 4 is because Everett had so many chances to come clean with Sophia...
Biggest reason why it's not a solid 4 is because Everett had so many chances to come clean with Sophia...
January 23, 2024
It was a strange premise for a love story. Overall it was a bit boring. The lust came out of nowhere and felt vulgar at times. It made me skip over the sex scenes. I thought the cousin’s wedding finale was utterly tacky. There was nothing romantic about that!
May 2, 2020
It was okay. An average read. The wedding scene was very over-the-top making me cringe all over.
January 7, 2021
"She could smell his fresh scent, a mix of mint and ocean air."
"She'd gotten a whiff of his clean, minty, ocean scent and a close-up view of the way his clothes clung to his lean, muscular body."
"She'd gotten a whiff of his clean, minty, ocean scent and a close-up view of the way his clothes clung to his lean, muscular body."
October 1, 2023
This is an adult storyline, not for teens. It's about fighting for what you want, dreaming, and starting over.
October 23, 2023
audiobook, 3.25
May 23, 2024
What I learned reading this is that it's okay if a man lies to you and betrays you as long as he lays good pipe.
Nice Pallet cleanser though.
Nice Pallet cleanser though.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews