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Hearts and Crafts #1
Made with Love- Glück selbstgemacht (Heart and Crafts 1)
Egal, ob Partydeko, Blumenarrangements oder Kinderpartys – es gibt kein Projekt, das Anne Edmond nicht mit ihrer Klebepistole und etwas Kreativität in den Griff bekommt. Nur in Sachen Männer ist die alleinerziehende Mutter eine totale Niete. Bestes Beispiel: Mike Everett! In seiner Gegenwart bekommt sie den Mund einfach nicht auf. Doch Mike ist kein Mann, der so leicht aufgibt. Fest entschlossen, die hübsche Dekoqueen für sich zu gewinnen, lässt er seinen Charme spielen und startet einen verführerischen Eroberungsfeldzug …
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2015
8 people are currently reading
922 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Michaels
11 books85 followersNicole resides in a small town outside of Kansas City with her husband and three sons. When she isn't writing, she's a wedding and portrait photographer, loves to cook, read, and watch historical dramas or documentaries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
March 6, 2015
Overall rating: 4.5 "Perfect" stars!
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with om/ow:
Intimacy with om/ow:
Any ow/om interactions at all:
HEA:
My review:
After catching her husband cheating on her, Anne decides it's time to start fresh. She moves to her own nice house where she raises her little girl, Claire with the help of her mom, Marie and also her ex husband - who gets Claire every other weekend. Anne has extreme low self esteem because she is now in her early 30's, curvy and single. Finding her husband cheating on her was extremely heart breaking even though their marriage was on the rocks. I think anyone would take a hit to their ego from that situation. So when she meets Mike Everette, Claire's best friend Bailey's uncle, she doesn't know how to act when he starts flirting with her and paying her all kinds of attention. Mike also is very nervous around Anne because he thinks she is too good for him, but he can't stay away.
I really really enjoyed this book! I loved how it wasn't just Anne who felt self conscious of her progressing relationship with Mike, it was also Mike feeling the same way. It is nice having the man pining over the woman sometimes. I felt like this book had very little angst or drama. The only drama was a simple misunderstanding and honestly, if I was Anne, I wouldn't have jumped the gun like that. It really wasn't fair to Mike. Although, I would much prefer this sort of drama/angst than other types that I have read about LOL.
I even found myself laughing a few times during this book as well AND I had a smile on my face quite a few times. I thought that Mike was just fantastic with both his niece, Bailey and Anne's daughter Claire. It was such a sweet sweet story and I loved the side characters. I ALSO loved the fact that the hero did not seem like a man whore at all. That is always a plus.
Quotes:
"Well my goodness, sweetie, I'm sorry. I obviously should have called to see if you'd have company at eight a.m. on the Sabbath ." LOL!!!
I would put more quotes, but I feel like they would spoil a few things - I'll just end with the fact that Mike is just too damn thoughtful and sweet! This is a good story for anyone who enjoys single parent romances! :)
Thanks for the REC Mandy! :)
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with om/ow:
Intimacy with om/ow:
Any ow/om interactions at all:
HEA:
My review:
After catching her husband cheating on her, Anne decides it's time to start fresh. She moves to her own nice house where she raises her little girl, Claire with the help of her mom, Marie and also her ex husband - who gets Claire every other weekend. Anne has extreme low self esteem because she is now in her early 30's, curvy and single. Finding her husband cheating on her was extremely heart breaking even though their marriage was on the rocks. I think anyone would take a hit to their ego from that situation. So when she meets Mike Everette, Claire's best friend Bailey's uncle, she doesn't know how to act when he starts flirting with her and paying her all kinds of attention. Mike also is very nervous around Anne because he thinks she is too good for him, but he can't stay away.
I really really enjoyed this book! I loved how it wasn't just Anne who felt self conscious of her progressing relationship with Mike, it was also Mike feeling the same way. It is nice having the man pining over the woman sometimes. I felt like this book had very little angst or drama. The only drama was a simple misunderstanding and honestly, if I was Anne, I wouldn't have jumped the gun like that. It really wasn't fair to Mike. Although, I would much prefer this sort of drama/angst than other types that I have read about LOL.
I even found myself laughing a few times during this book as well AND I had a smile on my face quite a few times. I thought that Mike was just fantastic with both his niece, Bailey and Anne's daughter Claire. It was such a sweet sweet story and I loved the side characters. I ALSO loved the fact that the hero did not seem like a man whore at all. That is always a plus.
Quotes:
"Well my goodness, sweetie, I'm sorry. I obviously should have called to see if you'd have company at eight a.m. on the Sabbath ." LOL!!!
I would put more quotes, but I feel like they would spoil a few things - I'll just end with the fact that Mike is just too damn thoughtful and sweet! This is a good story for anyone who enjoys single parent romances! :)
Thanks for the REC Mandy! :)
June 6, 2016
4 - "I've thought about you every day since I met you." Stars!
Start Me Up was an absolutely brilliant beginning to the Hearts and Crafts Series. I loved Anne and Mike. Their chemistry and the story development in general set off at a steady and enjoyable pace. Anne’s daughter Claire added a little light relief, and her friends and co-bloggers on My Perfect Little Life Callie and Lindsey offered great scope for their future books.
I love a series, set in and around a small community and Nicole Michaels has provided the perfect opener for plenty of more books in the future, with a wealth of characters and places around town that can be incorporated along the way.
”We’ll call it even once I’ve seen you naked.”
Callie is up next in Win Me Over, and I am looking forward to seeing where her story takes me.
Start Me Up was an absolutely brilliant beginning to the Hearts and Crafts Series. I loved Anne and Mike. Their chemistry and the story development in general set off at a steady and enjoyable pace. Anne’s daughter Claire added a little light relief, and her friends and co-bloggers on My Perfect Little Life Callie and Lindsey offered great scope for their future books.
I love a series, set in and around a small community and Nicole Michaels has provided the perfect opener for plenty of more books in the future, with a wealth of characters and places around town that can be incorporated along the way.
”We’ll call it even once I’ve seen you naked.”
Callie is up next in Win Me Over, and I am looking forward to seeing where her story takes me.
October 25, 2015
There are no words to describe how much I loved this book! Anne is a single mom who runs a blog My Perfect Little Life with her two best friends. She plans parties, her friend Callie is a baker and her friend Lindsey re-purposes old furniture. Her blog is extremely popular and provides for her and her daughter. Anne's daughter Claire is best friends with Mike's niece. When Mike drops his niece off at Claire's birthday party, he meets Anne and instantly attracted to her and her curves. The chemistry between Mike and Anne was pretty amazing. Anne is 3 years older than Mike and she doesn't have the best confidence. Mike is so hot and he wants Anne, but not just for sex. I LOVE Mike! He is the ultimate book boyfriend! He's sweet and he's hot with a bit of a dirty mouth and a good heart, I'm bumping him up to the top 5 on my book boyfriend list. He is so patient and wonderful. The writing of this story is fantastic, I couldn't put this book down once I started and I was so sad that it was over but I'm so excited the side characters are also getting books! I was so in love with this story that in the middle of reading, I stopped to look up this author so I can buy every book she's ever written, that's seriously how good this book is. This book was so wonderful, I'm adding it to my list of top favorites of 2015 so far and also my all-time favorites list! I can't wait to read more by this author. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance!
On a side note - when on this authors webpage, I followed the link to her pinterest and low and behold it is the My Perfect Little Life blog pinterest! I was in complete heaven! If you love this book, check out the pinterest page!
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
On a side note - when on this authors webpage, I followed the link to her pinterest and low and behold it is the My Perfect Little Life blog pinterest! I was in complete heaven! If you love this book, check out the pinterest page!
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
October 21, 2018
This was such a wonderful contemporary with great characters, sexy, fun & passionate and had a voice I really adored. The heroine is a divorcee raising her daughter when she runs into the three years younger hero at her daughter's birthday party. At first the heroine comes across as this talented, put-together, good at everything personality but underneath she also has several insecurities after a divorce. The hero is young and fancy-free who is knocked for a loop by his attraction to a single mom. I liked everything in this, the pace, the storyline, the smoking-hot scenes!
February 27, 2015
2.5 stars
****Full Review****
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Mike thought he would just drop his niece off at her friend's birthday party but when a living breathing goddess opens the door he decides to brave the pink explosion inside and stay a while. The goddess, Anne, sees herself more as a slightly too heavy, on the wrong side of 30, and with the added bonus of being a single mom, not exactly a prime catch. Their attraction is immediate and neither can ignore it but Anne's self-esteem issues and Mike's former womanizing ways threaten to derail the relationship they are trying to get going.
I have to say, the beginning of this book was extremely hard to get into, however, once you get past the insta-lust Mike has towards Anne, the obligatory catty women, cliché gay male friend, and tough female friend, it gets better around the 32% mark as Mike and Anne start to be together. The story really focuses on Mike and Anne living their lives while trying to make a go at a romantic relationship; there is an angst wrench thrown into the mix towards the end that involves scorned/jealous women. I hesitate to call this a character driven story though; Mike and Anne aren't completely developed or flushed out characters. Anne is so gorgeous but just doesn't realize it! All she can see about herself is the extra weight and how she failed at marriage. These are definitely issues that affect women but the character development was very surface level. Along with Anne and her adoption story, Mike lost his parents at a very young age and seemed to have a difficult past but once again I couldn't get absorbed into the essence of his character as the writing didn't delve deep enough.
This story works best when Anne and Mike are together and interacting with all the excitement and nervousness of a new relationship. Mike was charming and did feel real (he goes way too over the top with how perfect Anne is) in the story, the cool, calm, ease, and let's face it, adorable way he interacts with Anne's daughter is pretty sigh worthy. For the calm tone of the story I was impressed with their sex scenes, nothing over the top but definitely have some heat to them. Mike can't keep his hands off of Anne and it leads to some public adventures that were fun to read about.
If Mike's insta-lust had been toned down a smidge and the author had thrown out the check list of what is typically in a contemporary romance, I think the good writing showcasing Anne and Mike's relationship could have shown through more. On a side note, I would also like to mention that Mike's job is fixing up and restoring old cars, so it was fun to read some car porn. It's not focused on a lot but it was a great fun addition, especially when he didn't want to get busy on a car he was restoring because of denting :) It's a mellow, fairly quick read that if you are looking for a story that has a well written charming single guy dating a single mother with daughter involved in the interaction, then this could trip your trigger.
****Full Review****
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Mike thought he would just drop his niece off at her friend's birthday party but when a living breathing goddess opens the door he decides to brave the pink explosion inside and stay a while. The goddess, Anne, sees herself more as a slightly too heavy, on the wrong side of 30, and with the added bonus of being a single mom, not exactly a prime catch. Their attraction is immediate and neither can ignore it but Anne's self-esteem issues and Mike's former womanizing ways threaten to derail the relationship they are trying to get going.
I have to say, the beginning of this book was extremely hard to get into, however, once you get past the insta-lust Mike has towards Anne, the obligatory catty women, cliché gay male friend, and tough female friend, it gets better around the 32% mark as Mike and Anne start to be together. The story really focuses on Mike and Anne living their lives while trying to make a go at a romantic relationship; there is an angst wrench thrown into the mix towards the end that involves scorned/jealous women. I hesitate to call this a character driven story though; Mike and Anne aren't completely developed or flushed out characters. Anne is so gorgeous but just doesn't realize it! All she can see about herself is the extra weight and how she failed at marriage. These are definitely issues that affect women but the character development was very surface level. Along with Anne and her adoption story, Mike lost his parents at a very young age and seemed to have a difficult past but once again I couldn't get absorbed into the essence of his character as the writing didn't delve deep enough.
This story works best when Anne and Mike are together and interacting with all the excitement and nervousness of a new relationship. Mike was charming and did feel real (he goes way too over the top with how perfect Anne is) in the story, the cool, calm, ease, and let's face it, adorable way he interacts with Anne's daughter is pretty sigh worthy. For the calm tone of the story I was impressed with their sex scenes, nothing over the top but definitely have some heat to them. Mike can't keep his hands off of Anne and it leads to some public adventures that were fun to read about.
If Mike's insta-lust had been toned down a smidge and the author had thrown out the check list of what is typically in a contemporary romance, I think the good writing showcasing Anne and Mike's relationship could have shown through more. On a side note, I would also like to mention that Mike's job is fixing up and restoring old cars, so it was fun to read some car porn. It's not focused on a lot but it was a great fun addition, especially when he didn't want to get busy on a car he was restoring because of denting :) It's a mellow, fairly quick read that if you are looking for a story that has a well written charming single guy dating a single mother with daughter involved in the interaction, then this could trip your trigger.
March 7, 2015
4.5
This is such a feel good book. Not extremely complicate, just a nice love story about two extremely likeable characters.
Mike is such a stand-up guy. He initially comes off as a commitment phobic playboy but all that changes when he meets the right woman. The one that makes him want more than just sex. As soon as he met Anne, he knew she was it for him. Sure, he was in denial initially, what guy in a romance novel isn’t? But once he made up his mind that he wanted her, and only her, he went after her to show her that she was it for him. That’s not to say that there weren’t issues, because they were, but there was never a moment when I doubted Mike’s love for Anne. I also need to say that I loved the way Mike was with Anne’s daughter Claire. He was so sweet and he just clicked with her immediately.
I really liked Anne and I loved how much her blog meant to her. I love it when author add stuff like that in their books. My biggest complaint about Anne was that it took her forever to talk to Mike about her blog. It was a huge part of her life and she didn’t share about it or tell him about it. I get that she had lingering doubts and issues related to her ex and his complaints about the blog, but Mike was always 100% supportive.
The biggest issue with the characters is that they never actually talked about their relationship. Yes, there were a few times when something was said, but the characters were never 100% clear with each other as to the status of their relationship and what they wanted out of it. Consequently, there were some misunderstandings, hurt feelings and confusion as to where they actually stood with each other. They didn’t finally talk, clearing the air about their personal issues until 96%.
The one other issue…the age difference. There really wasn’t one. She was 32, he was 29. That’s not that big. But with the way Anne kept going on about it, you would have thought she were 10 years older than Mike. There was no issue. It’s not like Mike was out every night partying or like he wasn’t up for being the man Anne needed him to be. That was all he wanted. He had a stable job in owning his own business, he was close with his family and he’d overcome his past mistakes. Heck, I want a Mike of my own!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed. I can’t wait to read more from the author and I hope to read books about Anne’s blog friends. :)
This is such a feel good book. Not extremely complicate, just a nice love story about two extremely likeable characters.
Mike is such a stand-up guy. He initially comes off as a commitment phobic playboy but all that changes when he meets the right woman. The one that makes him want more than just sex. As soon as he met Anne, he knew she was it for him. Sure, he was in denial initially, what guy in a romance novel isn’t? But once he made up his mind that he wanted her, and only her, he went after her to show her that she was it for him. That’s not to say that there weren’t issues, because they were, but there was never a moment when I doubted Mike’s love for Anne. I also need to say that I loved the way Mike was with Anne’s daughter Claire. He was so sweet and he just clicked with her immediately.
I really liked Anne and I loved how much her blog meant to her. I love it when author add stuff like that in their books. My biggest complaint about Anne was that it took her forever to talk to Mike about her blog. It was a huge part of her life and she didn’t share about it or tell him about it. I get that she had lingering doubts and issues related to her ex and his complaints about the blog, but Mike was always 100% supportive.
The biggest issue with the characters is that they never actually talked about their relationship. Yes, there were a few times when something was said, but the characters were never 100% clear with each other as to the status of their relationship and what they wanted out of it. Consequently, there were some misunderstandings, hurt feelings and confusion as to where they actually stood with each other. They didn’t finally talk, clearing the air about their personal issues until 96%.
The one other issue…the age difference. There really wasn’t one. She was 32, he was 29. That’s not that big. But with the way Anne kept going on about it, you would have thought she were 10 years older than Mike. There was no issue. It’s not like Mike was out every night partying or like he wasn’t up for being the man Anne needed him to be. That was all he wanted. He had a stable job in owning his own business, he was close with his family and he’d overcome his past mistakes. Heck, I want a Mike of my own!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed. I can’t wait to read more from the author and I hope to read books about Anne’s blog friends. :)
no-dnf-zzz-avoid
August 8, 2015DNF...H meets h and is really attracted to her. h asks him out but H blows it off ( he thinks h looks like someone looking for something serious) and goes on a HOT DATE a few hours later fully intending to sleep with OW. Ugh.
Plus I'm not a fan of h's with low self-esteem like this one - drives me nuts being in their head!!!
Plus I'm not a fan of h's with low self-esteem like this one - drives me nuts being in their head!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf-stopped-reading
January 11, 2015DNF at 30%
For a woman who keeps saying how grown up she is, she sure is acting childish. I tried.
For a woman who keeps saying how grown up she is, she sure is acting childish. I tried.
March 5, 2015
FTC: I received this book for free from the NetGalley, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
While I was making my way through Start Me Up, I aimed a few not-so-pleasant thought’s Anne and Mike’s way. They both had a lack of confidence in themselves that did a god job of complicating their relationship a whole helluva lot more than any other outside force could. Did I like these two characters? Yes, I liked them very much ... eventually. In the beginning, Mike is so insecure about his “blue-collar job” (dude you restore classic cars for rich old guys, not sure I classify that as blue-collar no matter how much grease is involved) that he wound up feeding Anne’s age and weight insecurities when he continued to reject her – even though he was the one who started the heavy flirting first! I swear, peer-pressured teenagers have self-confidence than these two.
The Better
Thankfully, they both really do improve as the book goes on – we’ll call it some subtle character growth – and I warmed up to them enough to eventually love them. It makes me so glad I didn’t give up on Start Me Up because the book became a fun ride close to halfway in.
I confess that in the past couple of months I have been falling away from adult romances, but I am slowly forcing myself to come back to them. I realize that I limit them myself enough just sticking to the romance genre, so I’m making it my mission to not limit myself to one age group or sub-genre. I don’t want to miss out on great books but I sometimes get stuck in one genre when I know how much I enjoy them. Change causes me anxiety, so I tend to be more stubborn about branching out, but I am trying to correct that issue (and hopefully without some Xanax), which is why I asked the publisher for the opportunity to review.
One of my missions is to accept more review requests this year and reach out to more publishers whom offer books that I know I could potentially enjoy. By reaching out to St. Martin, I received the opportunity to read and review Start Me Up. While it is no means my favorite story of the year, it turned out to be surprisingly fun to read regardless of the few problems I had with the characters. Start Me Up is the perfect fluffy book to read in-between those emotional roller coasters that leave us dazed and confused.
While I was making my way through Start Me Up, I aimed a few not-so-pleasant thought’s Anne and Mike’s way. They both had a lack of confidence in themselves that did a god job of complicating their relationship a whole helluva lot more than any other outside force could. Did I like these two characters? Yes, I liked them very much ... eventually. In the beginning, Mike is so insecure about his “blue-collar job” (dude you restore classic cars for rich old guys, not sure I classify that as blue-collar no matter how much grease is involved) that he wound up feeding Anne’s age and weight insecurities when he continued to reject her – even though he was the one who started the heavy flirting first! I swear, peer-pressured teenagers have self-confidence than these two.
The Better
Thankfully, they both really do improve as the book goes on – we’ll call it some subtle character growth – and I warmed up to them enough to eventually love them. It makes me so glad I didn’t give up on Start Me Up because the book became a fun ride close to halfway in.
Mike becomes more confident about himself and eventually he knows that Anne and he would be good together, no matter how different they are or how much “classier” she is than he. Once he gets over his silly self-doubt, he becomes this hottie with a dirty mouth and a talent for naughty shenanigans that had me fanning my face and Anne fanning her … well. Not only is he sexy, but he’s so cute with Anne’s kid and his niece. He would make such a good dad. ❤
I was attracted to Anne from the get go, even while I was rolling my eyes at her. She’s a crafty, DIY kinda gal whom owns a successful “mommy blog” as she calls it. She uses her crafty ways to plan parties (mostly for kids), decorate her house and do special things for those around her, especially her kid. It makes my heart sing because, well, blogger. And I love crafty stuff too, so of course I connected with the lady. We could be great friends if she weren't a fictional person.
All-in-all, I enjoyed Start Me Up far more than I expected I would. There was even some naughty public displays of affection. *wiggles eyebrows* I plan to continue the Hearts and Crafts series when the next title, Win Me Over comes out and will keep up hope that it only gets better from here. I recommend this book to fans of Contemporary Romance looking for a fluffy story to sigh over. I guarantee much sighing indeed!
If you enjoyed this review, please consider up voting it on Amazon. ❤ Thank you!
This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger
May 27, 2015
Start Me Up (Hearts and Crafts #1) by Nicole Michaels is exactly what I enjoy in a contemporary romance. The main couple is adorable sexy, and the plot held my interest until the very end. Anne and Mike have great chemistry right from the start, although they seem to come from different worlds. But they mesh so well together, and actually go through a nice type of courtship before jumping in to bed together. Their romance is really great, and Nicole can sure write some steamy love scenes, including one scene before Anne and Mike get to the main event, where he does some under the skirt action to Anne with his hand at a public event that was sexy and perfect because Mike is quite the giver! I love giving heroes! Mike is now one of my favorite book boyfriends of 2015.
Anne is a divorced mother of a six-year-old, Claire. She’s a party planner who runs a successful blog, which is better known as a mommy blog. She has a close group of friends who also help her with her parties and such. She meets “Uncle Mike” (Claire calls him that throughout the book) when she answers the door to invite her daughter Claire’s friend in. Uncle Mike is a mechanic in town. He’s all about fixing cars, getting his hands dirty and drinking beer. His niece is good friends with Claire. He’s doing his sister a favor by dropping her off at the birthday party. The moment Anne answers her door, Mike is smitten, even though Anne looks like Suzy Homemaker to him. She’s perfect in his eyes, from her hair, to her clothes, and her decorations (although there is an abundance of pink). Mike decides to stay instead of leaving like he had planned.
Mike oozed hotness for Anne. She finds the younger man (there’s only a 5 year age difference between them) very attractive, and gets her motor running in a way her ex-husband never could. But she knows she and Mike are total opposites and it would never work out between them. But both can’t stop thinking about one another, and go out of their way to see one another. Anne tempts Mike with baked goods to see him again. Her recommends her incredible party planning skills to a client of his. Their friends and family think Anne and Mike would be perfect together, so they give each other a shot. Mike romances Anne, and he’s not afraid to share his feelings and personal life with her. But Anne holds back about herself, especially the popularity of her blog, because her blog and career was one of the reasons her marriage ended (or so she believes). Mike is falling fast for Anne and wants her to be open and honest with him, proving he’s a good guy who loves her as she is because she’s his Miss Perfect.
Nicole has a hit with Start Me Up. I enjoyed everything about this book. The characters are very engaging and loveable(I can’t wait to read Anne’s friends’ stories). Things work so well because Anne and Mike get to know one another and build a connection, which becomes very passionate. No skimping on the love scenes here. Mike also loves Anne’s independence and how dedicated she is to her career. He treats her like his equal in every way. There was some unneeded drama toward the end with a woman Mike almost dated before he met Anne, but it’s resolved in a satisfactory manner. Also Anne feel she is too chubby and old for Mike, but states her ex-husband is hot and young, even though he’s the same age as her, which is in their early 30’s. Anne’s concern about being too old and a divorced mother, who has curves, was a little annoying. But Mike was there to prove her wrong.
For all your contemporary romance needs, Nicole Michael is the one to watch. This one gets my seal of approval.
Anne is a divorced mother of a six-year-old, Claire. She’s a party planner who runs a successful blog, which is better known as a mommy blog. She has a close group of friends who also help her with her parties and such. She meets “Uncle Mike” (Claire calls him that throughout the book) when she answers the door to invite her daughter Claire’s friend in. Uncle Mike is a mechanic in town. He’s all about fixing cars, getting his hands dirty and drinking beer. His niece is good friends with Claire. He’s doing his sister a favor by dropping her off at the birthday party. The moment Anne answers her door, Mike is smitten, even though Anne looks like Suzy Homemaker to him. She’s perfect in his eyes, from her hair, to her clothes, and her decorations (although there is an abundance of pink). Mike decides to stay instead of leaving like he had planned.
Mike oozed hotness for Anne. She finds the younger man (there’s only a 5 year age difference between them) very attractive, and gets her motor running in a way her ex-husband never could. But she knows she and Mike are total opposites and it would never work out between them. But both can’t stop thinking about one another, and go out of their way to see one another. Anne tempts Mike with baked goods to see him again. Her recommends her incredible party planning skills to a client of his. Their friends and family think Anne and Mike would be perfect together, so they give each other a shot. Mike romances Anne, and he’s not afraid to share his feelings and personal life with her. But Anne holds back about herself, especially the popularity of her blog, because her blog and career was one of the reasons her marriage ended (or so she believes). Mike is falling fast for Anne and wants her to be open and honest with him, proving he’s a good guy who loves her as she is because she’s his Miss Perfect.
Nicole has a hit with Start Me Up. I enjoyed everything about this book. The characters are very engaging and loveable(I can’t wait to read Anne’s friends’ stories). Things work so well because Anne and Mike get to know one another and build a connection, which becomes very passionate. No skimping on the love scenes here. Mike also loves Anne’s independence and how dedicated she is to her career. He treats her like his equal in every way. There was some unneeded drama toward the end with a woman Mike almost dated before he met Anne, but it’s resolved in a satisfactory manner. Also Anne feel she is too chubby and old for Mike, but states her ex-husband is hot and young, even though he’s the same age as her, which is in their early 30’s. Anne’s concern about being too old and a divorced mother, who has curves, was a little annoying. But Mike was there to prove her wrong.
For all your contemporary romance needs, Nicole Michael is the one to watch. This one gets my seal of approval.
March 11, 2015
On one hand, I liked the idea of Anne being slightly older than Mike (she is 32, while Mike is 29). I thought this story was cute and it didn't overburdened with angst. Anne had a body image issue in the beginning but Mike clearly thought she looked perfect. I would like to see Mike connected with Anne's daughter, Claire, a little bit more.
On the other hand, I couldn't really say that I love this book either. I think this is just a case in which I didn't really connected with the characters nor the story, that I felt indifferent about it. I did wish that the problem near the end, wasn't driven by female 'villain' though.
So, 3-stars because it was just okay. Unfortunately, I wasn't invested enough with the secondary characters to stick with this series.
On the other hand, I couldn't really say that I love this book either. I think this is just a case in which I didn't really connected with the characters nor the story, that I felt indifferent about it. I did wish that the problem near the end, wasn't driven by female 'villain' though.
So, 3-stars because it was just okay. Unfortunately, I wasn't invested enough with the secondary characters to stick with this series.
July 16, 2015
Nothing beats coming across a great book written by a new to me author. This is one of those times. It's wonderfully written and has a great group of characters. I am hoping this is the beginning of a series because a couple of the secondary characters definitely need their own story. I definitely recommend this book to everyone.
February 16, 2015
This book was exactly what I needed. It's a "feel good" book.
Anne Edmond is having her daughter's birthday party when she meets "Uncle Mike".
Mike Everett is dropping her niece to the party when Anne opens the door. Suddenly, Mike is not in a hurry to leave. He finds himself staying longer than necessary in order to get to know Anne better.
Anne is divorced, she works as a party planner and has a blog she co-writes with two other friends. Her blog is very popular but it was one of the reason's her ex-husband used to divorce her.
For her, letting someone into her heart is difficult but Mike, a mechanic with a great body and tattoos is making her rethink her non-dating status.
I loved this book. Mike was a down to earth guy who didn't want to play games. He was a sweet alpha and just the right kind of hero. He was loyal to his family, a good friend, sexy and a great uncle.
Anne had some self-image issues but not enough to deter me from liking the book.
I love their banter and their hot scenes together.
As for the secondary characters, I can't wait for them to get their own books.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
March 26, 2015
I've found an author to add to my favorites list!!
Uncle Mike is so cute and sweet and sexy. Damn. I need to find me one of him.
I absolutely adored how they meet and that Anne kept calling him "Uncle Mike". Mike was just the sweetest thing calling Anne "Perfect." I'm in love!
Marie, Anne's mom, was just a hoot and a half. I think she was more into Mike than Anne was! Marie was totally #TeamUncleMike.
My only issue was with Anne not sharing her blog. I guess I just didn't fully understand why she didn't share it with Mike. And when she finally did, she kind of went off on him but it was because she didn't fully explain how involved with the blog she was.
The epilogue was super cute. Mike and Claire are just the cutest together. I wouldn't mind another book or a novella with them all (and maybe some more... babies!!)
I'm looking forward to Callie's book next but I wish Derek's was the book coming out next cause I am more than ready for that baby!!! :)
A little more at... Start Me Up Review
"You have a wicked mouth, Anne. Makes me wonder what else it can do."
Uncle Mike is so cute and sweet and sexy. Damn. I need to find me one of him.
I absolutely adored how they meet and that Anne kept calling him "Uncle Mike". Mike was just the sweetest thing calling Anne "Perfect." I'm in love!
Marie, Anne's mom, was just a hoot and a half. I think she was more into Mike than Anne was! Marie was totally #TeamUncleMike.
"So Micahel Everett, may I assume that since I've already seen you half naked, and my daughter has seen ... more than half..."
My only issue was with Anne not sharing her blog. I guess I just didn't fully understand why she didn't share it with Mike. And when she finally did, she kind of went off on him but it was because she didn't fully explain how involved with the blog she was.
The epilogue was super cute. Mike and Claire are just the cutest together. I wouldn't mind another book or a novella with them all (and maybe some more... babies!!)
I'm looking forward to Callie's book next but I wish Derek's was the book coming out next cause I am more than ready for that baby!!! :)
A little more at... Start Me Up Review
July 26, 2017
Lot of sweet (and sweets ;p) and a little bit of spice.
Driving his niece at her friend's birthday party, Mike Everett meet the mom and fall straight away in love with her. Anne feels the attraction between them and ask, after the day, if he wants to go with her and her daughter to the park. That's when the hero's niece announce they can't because her uncle already got a date tonight. Anne is embarrassed. Self-conscious and insecure, she never do the first moves, but there was something just too charming about the man. With her two best friends, she write a daily blog about her life and her professional parties planning.
Mike just can't get the curvy and sexy Anne out of his mind. He's gonna have to work hard to convince the heroine to give him a chance. Not because he's not a great guy, but because she lack self-confidence and think she's out of his league and she can't believe he would want to be with a woman like her when he can have anyone he wants. Even when things begin to become more serious between them, she still have doubts and hold back from him. But Mike is not a man who give up easily and when he decided that Anne is the one that he wants, there was no coming back for him.
Can I just say how much I loved the hero ! He's pretty determined to win the heroine's heart, but he did it with consideration and patience. He was so kind and understanding. He was naturally comforting, soothing and supportive and each time he said something to reassure her, I felt it was not empty words. But more than anything, I like that he respected his woman. He took their relationship seriously right from the star but he understood she needed time to be ready about opening her heart, and he gave it to her. I liked how thoughtful and mature he was about it, while being playful and naughty at the same time ;p
There was a good mix of commun ground and surprise. While I enjoyed the little twist about the person trying to cause prejudice to the heroine, it was a bit hard to believe in. Some people could find Anne's lack of confidence annoying but I think it was well balanced. I liked how the author choose to portray the good side of the social networks (but yeah, in real life that would have been different). And Anne's posse, talk about great friends ! If I didn't want to read the next book already, Callie's supporting gesture would have convince me. And let's not forget Anne's funny and flirty seventy adoptive mother. I hope to see her again in the next book.
"What's a bachelorhood, Grandma Ree?"
"It's a horrible disease that makes nice boys lonely and malnourished."
Driving his niece at her friend's birthday party, Mike Everett meet the mom and fall straight away in love with her. Anne feels the attraction between them and ask, after the day, if he wants to go with her and her daughter to the park. That's when the hero's niece announce they can't because her uncle already got a date tonight. Anne is embarrassed. Self-conscious and insecure, she never do the first moves, but there was something just too charming about the man. With her two best friends, she write a daily blog about her life and her professional parties planning.
Mike just can't get the curvy and sexy Anne out of his mind. He's gonna have to work hard to convince the heroine to give him a chance. Not because he's not a great guy, but because she lack self-confidence and think she's out of his league and she can't believe he would want to be with a woman like her when he can have anyone he wants. Even when things begin to become more serious between them, she still have doubts and hold back from him. But Mike is not a man who give up easily and when he decided that Anne is the one that he wants, there was no coming back for him.
Can I just say how much I loved the hero ! He's pretty determined to win the heroine's heart, but he did it with consideration and patience. He was so kind and understanding. He was naturally comforting, soothing and supportive and each time he said something to reassure her, I felt it was not empty words. But more than anything, I like that he respected his woman. He took their relationship seriously right from the star but he understood she needed time to be ready about opening her heart, and he gave it to her. I liked how thoughtful and mature he was about it, while being playful and naughty at the same time ;p
There was a good mix of commun ground and surprise. While I enjoyed the little twist about the person trying to cause prejudice to the heroine, it was a bit hard to believe in. Some people could find Anne's lack of confidence annoying but I think it was well balanced. I liked how the author choose to portray the good side of the social networks (but yeah, in real life that would have been different). And Anne's posse, talk about great friends ! If I didn't want to read the next book already, Callie's supporting gesture would have convince me. And let's not forget Anne's funny and flirty seventy adoptive mother. I hope to see her again in the next book.
"What's a bachelorhood, Grandma Ree?"
"It's a horrible disease that makes nice boys lonely and malnourished."
August 16, 2018
#1 in the Hearts and Crafts romance series
This was generally OK. The story was fun. Mike is a great hero--strong and kind of alpha, but he's got a soft spot for the women in his life. When he meets Anne at a birthday party that his niece attends, he's smitten. He is working on rebuilding a classic car for a friend's daughter--in hot pink no less--and when their country club party location falls through, he recommends Anne for the job. Anne is a party-planner extraordinaire, as well as a popular blogger. She's warm and loving and really embraces the mommy/crafty persona she is on the blog. But she's extremely insecure, and that's what detracted from the story for me. She is so annoyingly insecure that everyone has to tell her over and over how wonderful she is, but she still decides that things will never work out, things are always going to be tragic, she doesn't deserve anything, blah blah blah. She basically made Mike jump through hoops to convince her that he loves her. And when she made "a mistake" at the local bar and a video was posted, she was over-the-top distressed about it. But when a similar unflattering video of Mike appears, she doesn't even bother to give him the benefit of the doubt and assumes he's a jerk, so she pulls back immediately with no explanation so he doesn't have any idea what she's upset about. If her personality had been a little more fun and outgoing, I would have loved this book. So I will definitely continue with the series from this new-to-me author and will assume that it was just this particular character who didn't work for me. Otherwise, the writing was good, the romance was nice, and the info about blogging and about party-planning added interest to the story. The secondary characters of Anne's fellow bloggers (Cassie and Lindsay) are much more together and interesting, so I know they'll make good lead characters in future books.
This was generally OK. The story was fun. Mike is a great hero--strong and kind of alpha, but he's got a soft spot for the women in his life. When he meets Anne at a birthday party that his niece attends, he's smitten. He is working on rebuilding a classic car for a friend's daughter--in hot pink no less--and when their country club party location falls through, he recommends Anne for the job. Anne is a party-planner extraordinaire, as well as a popular blogger. She's warm and loving and really embraces the mommy/crafty persona she is on the blog. But she's extremely insecure, and that's what detracted from the story for me. She is so annoyingly insecure that everyone has to tell her over and over how wonderful she is, but she still decides that things will never work out, things are always going to be tragic, she doesn't deserve anything, blah blah blah. She basically made Mike jump through hoops to convince her that he loves her. And when she made "a mistake" at the local bar and a video was posted, she was over-the-top distressed about it. But when a similar unflattering video of Mike appears, she doesn't even bother to give him the benefit of the doubt and assumes he's a jerk, so she pulls back immediately with no explanation so he doesn't have any idea what she's upset about. If her personality had been a little more fun and outgoing, I would have loved this book. So I will definitely continue with the series from this new-to-me author and will assume that it was just this particular character who didn't work for me. Otherwise, the writing was good, the romance was nice, and the info about blogging and about party-planning added interest to the story. The secondary characters of Anne's fellow bloggers (Cassie and Lindsay) are much more together and interesting, so I know they'll make good lead characters in future books.
March 1, 2015
3.5 cute stars
Copy received from St Martin's Press via Netgalley for an honest review.
Nicole Michaels is a new-to-me author, and Start Me Up is a cute, if not predictable romance.
Single mum Anne meets sexy mechanic Mike and true love ensues.
While there is nothing new to this story line - boy meets, girl, boy likes girl, boy and girl fall in love, misunderstanding, breakup, boy gets girl back again - I did enjoy it.
At times Anne did annoy me - she was always on about being a mature woman, but she acted so childish at times, I just had to roll my eyes at her antics
Mike is typical alpha going after what he wants, and I think he really makes this book for me.
There are some great secondary characters, especially Anne's friend Callie and her mother Marie.
This is the first in the Hearts and Crafts series, but it is a stand alone.
There are two more books in this series, about Anne's friends Callie and Lindsay, and I will read them when they come out.
Copy received from St Martin's Press via Netgalley for an honest review.
Nicole Michaels is a new-to-me author, and Start Me Up is a cute, if not predictable romance.
Single mum Anne meets sexy mechanic Mike and true love ensues.
While there is nothing new to this story line - boy meets, girl, boy likes girl, boy and girl fall in love, misunderstanding, breakup, boy gets girl back again - I did enjoy it.
At times Anne did annoy me - she was always on about being a mature woman, but she acted so childish at times, I just had to roll my eyes at her antics
Mike is typical alpha going after what he wants, and I think he really makes this book for me.
There are some great secondary characters, especially Anne's friend Callie and her mother Marie.
This is the first in the Hearts and Crafts series, but it is a stand alone.
There are two more books in this series, about Anne's friends Callie and Lindsay, and I will read them when they come out.
February 7, 2015
This book is one of those books that just makes you happy. It was a sweet and romantic read that I thoroughly enjoyed!
The romance in this book was pretty much insta-love. Upon seeing Anne for the first time, Mike started thinking about starting a family and he was pretty much in love with her from the start. That was a little cliche, but Nicole Michaels was able to make it sweet.
Mike was charming and funny. I thoroughly enjoyed his character, and by the end of the book, I was completely in love with him. Some of my favorite scene from this book were scenes that included hilarious banter between Mike and Anne. They had great chemistry, and I found their relationship to be quite adorable.
Anne annoyed me at times in this book. What I did not like about Anne was that she did not seem to take the relationship as seriously as Mike did. I wanted her to be as committed to the serious relationship as Mike was. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick, romantic, and fun read. I was glad that there was little drama in this book. Too much drama can be annoying in a book, and luckily this book was low on the drama. The sexy scenes were super steamy in this book. They were passionate, and I definitely felt the need to fan myself off afterwards!
I really liked the side characters as well, and I hope they get books in the future. I would love to see them develop romantic relationships.
Overall, I really liked this book! This book would be great for anyone looking for a cute romance!
4 / 5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for this book in exchange for an honest review.
The romance in this book was pretty much insta-love. Upon seeing Anne for the first time, Mike started thinking about starting a family and he was pretty much in love with her from the start. That was a little cliche, but Nicole Michaels was able to make it sweet.
Mike was charming and funny. I thoroughly enjoyed his character, and by the end of the book, I was completely in love with him. Some of my favorite scene from this book were scenes that included hilarious banter between Mike and Anne. They had great chemistry, and I found their relationship to be quite adorable.
Anne annoyed me at times in this book. What I did not like about Anne was that she did not seem to take the relationship as seriously as Mike did. I wanted her to be as committed to the serious relationship as Mike was. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick, romantic, and fun read. I was glad that there was little drama in this book. Too much drama can be annoying in a book, and luckily this book was low on the drama. The sexy scenes were super steamy in this book. They were passionate, and I definitely felt the need to fan myself off afterwards!
I really liked the side characters as well, and I hope they get books in the future. I would love to see them develop romantic relationships.
Overall, I really liked this book! This book would be great for anyone looking for a cute romance!
4 / 5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2016
I picked this book up on sale because I was intrigued by the blurb about it, however after reading it, I'm a bit torn. It was ok, worth a rounded up three star rating, but Anne really kept me from enjoying the story fully.
I liked the idea of the blog, but I didn't like how Anne kept trying to hide how much her blog meant to her/how big of a deal it was. I could understand it if she was an intensely private person, but she wasn't, and it seemed like she wanted to have two separate lives: one for the blog and one for reality. She couldn't accept that someone would want those two personas blended into one and it made me not like Anne as much. She also came across as a bit of a control freak, having to make sure everything appeared perfect, despite the fact that the type of perfection she was seeking was an illusion.
Mike was a bit of an alpha hero, but at the same time his turnaround from being a playboy was a little bit unbelievable. I did like his interactions with Clare and Marie, though using his niece Bailey to get close to Anne was a touch underhanded.
All things considered, it was a mildly interesting read. I liked some of the secondary characters a good bit and one even had a bit of mystery about her. I don't know if I would buy the rest of the series...I'm definitely interested in reading it, just didn't like this one well enough to spend the money on it just yet.
I liked the idea of the blog, but I didn't like how Anne kept trying to hide how much her blog meant to her/how big of a deal it was. I could understand it if she was an intensely private person, but she wasn't, and it seemed like she wanted to have two separate lives: one for the blog and one for reality. She couldn't accept that someone would want those two personas blended into one and it made me not like Anne as much. She also came across as a bit of a control freak, having to make sure everything appeared perfect, despite the fact that the type of perfection she was seeking was an illusion.
Mike was a bit of an alpha hero, but at the same time his turnaround from being a playboy was a little bit unbelievable. I did like his interactions with Clare and Marie, though using his niece Bailey to get close to Anne was a touch underhanded.
All things considered, it was a mildly interesting read. I liked some of the secondary characters a good bit and one even had a bit of mystery about her. I don't know if I would buy the rest of the series...I'm definitely interested in reading it, just didn't like this one well enough to spend the money on it just yet.
May 29, 2016
I couldn't wait to read Start Me Up, it sounded so cute. I love the whole idea of the book. In fact, the whole series sounds so good.
I just wish I could say that I loved this story. No, I didn't hate it either. For me it wasn't good or bad. It just was...
Yes, that sounds wishy-washy. I don't know how else to say it. It's not like I didn't like the book but in no means did I love it. I'm not even sure I liked it enough to read another book in the series. It will all depend on if one day I change my mind.
Part of my problem with the story is that I just didn't feel like I really got to know the characters, they felt one-dimensional. At times the way they thought or talked made them sound much younger then they are. She's in her thirties and he's in his late twenties, but they sounded young twenties.
I can forgive a lot in the books I read but the one thing I can't, characters that I don't relate to. It's not like I didn't like them...
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I just wish I could say that I loved this story. No, I didn't hate it either. For me it wasn't good or bad. It just was...
Yes, that sounds wishy-washy. I don't know how else to say it. It's not like I didn't like the book but in no means did I love it. I'm not even sure I liked it enough to read another book in the series. It will all depend on if one day I change my mind.
Part of my problem with the story is that I just didn't feel like I really got to know the characters, they felt one-dimensional. At times the way they thought or talked made them sound much younger then they are. She's in her thirties and he's in his late twenties, but they sounded young twenties.
I can forgive a lot in the books I read but the one thing I can't, characters that I don't relate to. It's not like I didn't like them...
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June 18, 2015
Start Me Up was a sweet book that was a quick read. Mike and Anne meet at her daughter's party and there is an instant attraction on both sides. While the first part of this book took a while to pick up the pace, once the story got into it was a good, solid read. The characters were enjoyable, the banter was fun and the heat was enough to keep everything interesting. While I didn't love all the places this book went, it was a light easy read and I will be sure to check out this author again.
March 25, 2016
4 stars
This was a cute easy read perfect for a Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed the story and the characters, it was a little (almost) Insta-love (not entirely) so if you don't like that kinda thing probably be wary when you start the book. I thought the book moved very fast and I would have liked to see Anne and Mike's relationship from his POV (we only see his thoughts a couple of times) instead of it being only from Anne's POV, but that's my personal preference and I still really enjoyed this book.
This was a cute easy read perfect for a Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed the story and the characters, it was a little (almost) Insta-love (not entirely) so if you don't like that kinda thing probably be wary when you start the book. I thought the book moved very fast and I would have liked to see Anne and Mike's relationship from his POV (we only see his thoughts a couple of times) instead of it being only from Anne's POV, but that's my personal preference and I still really enjoyed this book.
January 16, 2018
"Made with love - Glück selbst gemacht" lag bereits ein gutes Jahr auf meinem SuB. Ich kann nicht mal sagen, warum ich das Buch nicht bereits früher gelesen habe, denn als ich anfing zu lesen hat mich das Buch direkt mit seinem wundervollem Charme eingefangen.
Im Mittelpunkt des Geschehens stehen Anne Edmond, alleinerziehende Mutter, die ihren Lebensunterhalt als Partyplanerin und Bloggerin verdient und in Sachen Männern total unsicher ist und Mike Everett, der nicht nur in Sachen Liebe ein gebranntes Kind ist und sich nun nicht als Mann für eine Beziehung sieht.
Anne und Mike treffen auf einer Kindergeburtstagsfeier aufeinander und man merkt sofort zwischen den beiden stimmt die Chemie. Allerdings stellen die beiden sich zunächst total unbeholfen an, so dass sie zunächst nicht so richtig zueinander finden. Beide hadern immer wieder mit sich und ihren Einstellungen bzw. Befürchtungen.
Insbesondere Anne tut sich schwer damit sich Mike vollkommen zu öffnen, da sie in der Vergangenheit von ihrem Exmann immer ein wenig runtergemacht wurde. Daher ist sie inzwischen total unsicher in sich und ihrem Können und ihren Träumen.
Letztendlich müssen die beiden entscheiden, wie sie ihr Leben zukünftig leben wollen.
Dieser Roman ist geprägt von Gefühlen und Emotionen. Indem Nicole Michaels die Ereignisse mehr oder minder abwechselnd aus der Sichtweise von Anne und Mike schreibt, bekommt man einen umfassenden Einblick in die Geschehnisse und Gedanken der Figuren.
Anne und Mike sind äußerlich betrachtet vollkommen grundverschieden. Beim Lesen stellt man jedoch sehr schnell fest, dass die beiden mehr verbindet, als sie selbst es sich zunächst eingestehen wollen. Beide haben eine schwierige Kindheit überwunden, die sie zu dem gemacht hat, was sie inzwischen sind. Allerdings beeinflussen diese Erlebnisse immer noch ihre jetzigen Entscheidungen und Einstellungen, wodurch sie sich manchmal selbst auf die Füße treten.
Der Schreibstil dieses Romans ist locker, so dass man förmlich durch die Handlung fliegt und ein wenig traurig ist, als es endet.
Natürlich weiß man im Grunde schon, wie dieser Roman endet (es ist halt ein typischer Liebesroman). Jedoch lässt man sich so sehr von den Ereignissen, die innerhalb des Romans geschehen mitreißen, dass dies keine Rolle spielt.
Das Buch wurde zwischenzeitlich auch nochmals unter dem neuen Titel "Made with love - Ein perfektes Stückchen Glück" herausgebracht. Des Weiteren ist im letzten Dezember bereits ein weiterer Roman aus der Reihe "Made with love" mit dem Titel "Nur die Liebe gewinnt" erschienen, welches ich mit Sicherheit auch noch lesen werde, da Nicole Michaels mich mit ihrem Roman in ihren Bann gezogen hat!
Fazit:
"Made with love - Glück selbst gemacht" ist meiner Ansicht nach ein wundervoller Roman, der einem ein wenig Kurzweil bietet. Dieses Buch hat Charme und wirklich tolle Charaktere, die alle Hürden überwunden haben und nun versuchen ein normales Leben zu leben!
Wundervoll geeignet für einen netten Nachmittag auf der Couch! Von mir bekommt dieser Roman in jedem Fall eine unbedingte Leseempfehlung für alle Fans von Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr und Marie Force!
Note: 2+ (💗💗💗💗)
Im Mittelpunkt des Geschehens stehen Anne Edmond, alleinerziehende Mutter, die ihren Lebensunterhalt als Partyplanerin und Bloggerin verdient und in Sachen Männern total unsicher ist und Mike Everett, der nicht nur in Sachen Liebe ein gebranntes Kind ist und sich nun nicht als Mann für eine Beziehung sieht.
Anne und Mike treffen auf einer Kindergeburtstagsfeier aufeinander und man merkt sofort zwischen den beiden stimmt die Chemie. Allerdings stellen die beiden sich zunächst total unbeholfen an, so dass sie zunächst nicht so richtig zueinander finden. Beide hadern immer wieder mit sich und ihren Einstellungen bzw. Befürchtungen.
Insbesondere Anne tut sich schwer damit sich Mike vollkommen zu öffnen, da sie in der Vergangenheit von ihrem Exmann immer ein wenig runtergemacht wurde. Daher ist sie inzwischen total unsicher in sich und ihrem Können und ihren Träumen.
Letztendlich müssen die beiden entscheiden, wie sie ihr Leben zukünftig leben wollen.
Dieser Roman ist geprägt von Gefühlen und Emotionen. Indem Nicole Michaels die Ereignisse mehr oder minder abwechselnd aus der Sichtweise von Anne und Mike schreibt, bekommt man einen umfassenden Einblick in die Geschehnisse und Gedanken der Figuren.
Anne und Mike sind äußerlich betrachtet vollkommen grundverschieden. Beim Lesen stellt man jedoch sehr schnell fest, dass die beiden mehr verbindet, als sie selbst es sich zunächst eingestehen wollen. Beide haben eine schwierige Kindheit überwunden, die sie zu dem gemacht hat, was sie inzwischen sind. Allerdings beeinflussen diese Erlebnisse immer noch ihre jetzigen Entscheidungen und Einstellungen, wodurch sie sich manchmal selbst auf die Füße treten.
Der Schreibstil dieses Romans ist locker, so dass man förmlich durch die Handlung fliegt und ein wenig traurig ist, als es endet.
Natürlich weiß man im Grunde schon, wie dieser Roman endet (es ist halt ein typischer Liebesroman). Jedoch lässt man sich so sehr von den Ereignissen, die innerhalb des Romans geschehen mitreißen, dass dies keine Rolle spielt.
Das Buch wurde zwischenzeitlich auch nochmals unter dem neuen Titel "Made with love - Ein perfektes Stückchen Glück" herausgebracht. Des Weiteren ist im letzten Dezember bereits ein weiterer Roman aus der Reihe "Made with love" mit dem Titel "Nur die Liebe gewinnt" erschienen, welches ich mit Sicherheit auch noch lesen werde, da Nicole Michaels mich mit ihrem Roman in ihren Bann gezogen hat!
Fazit:
"Made with love - Glück selbst gemacht" ist meiner Ansicht nach ein wundervoller Roman, der einem ein wenig Kurzweil bietet. Dieses Buch hat Charme und wirklich tolle Charaktere, die alle Hürden überwunden haben und nun versuchen ein normales Leben zu leben!
Wundervoll geeignet für einen netten Nachmittag auf der Couch! Von mir bekommt dieser Roman in jedem Fall eine unbedingte Leseempfehlung für alle Fans von Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr und Marie Force!
Note: 2+ (💗💗💗💗)
December 28, 2018
as my man Drake would say: we go 0 to 100, real quick
no seriously - less than 50 pages in, 2 hours into meeting our “Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart, and Playboy Playmate” heroine, WHATTTTTTT
I've said this before and I'll say this again. As a person who reads fiction, I know what I'm walking into and I am ready to believe anything - seriously ANYTHING. I know it's fiction and I'm cool with it. Having said that, the author needs to provide some sort of reasoning behind the character's actions.
There's legit such a large disconnect between: description of the protagonist thus far, the actions of the protagonist, and the thoughts of the protagonist.
and in the words of my sweet Ariana: thank you, next.
no seriously - less than 50 pages in, 2 hours into meeting our “Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart, and Playboy Playmate” heroine, WHATTTTTTT
I've said this before and I'll say this again. As a person who reads fiction, I know what I'm walking into and I am ready to believe anything - seriously ANYTHING. I know it's fiction and I'm cool with it. Having said that, the author needs to provide some sort of reasoning behind the character's actions.
There's legit such a large disconnect between: description of the protagonist thus far, the actions of the protagonist, and the thoughts of the protagonist.
and in the words of my sweet Ariana: thank you, next.
April 6, 2018
MEINE AUSGABE HIEß ALLERDINGS: DAß PERFEKTE STÜCKCHEN GLÜCK ...
Zum Buch:
Mike tut seiner Schwester nur einen Gefallen als er seine Nichte zu einem Kindergeburtstag bringt.
Die Mutter des Geburtstagskindes jedoch geht ihm nicht mehr aus dem Kopf. Anne, Anfang dreißig, alleinerziehend und so verdammt perfekt. Anne betreibt einen Blog "Mein perfektes kleiner Leben" in dem sie ihre Partytipps und Basteleien vorstellt. Sie plant auch Kinderpartys.
Mike ist Automechaniker, er restauriert Oldtimer und ist eigentlich immer auf der Suche nach dem nächsten Abenteuer.
Kurzum, die beiden sind völlig verschieden und doch so voneinander faszinirrt ...
Meine Meinung:
Ich finde das Cover jetzt nicht so passend. Das Paar sieht viel zu jung aus, Cover und Klappentext passen nicht zusammen.
Der Schreibstil allerdings ist sehr angenehm zu lesen, es fließt dahin. Onkel Mike mag ich sehr gerne, er ist genauso wie man sich einen männlichen Automechaniker vorstellt.
Die Geschichte ist seicht, aber trotzdem niedlich und auch ein wenig sexy. Genau das richtige Buch für ein paar unbeschwerte Lesestunden.
Ich mochte es sehr gerne und lese mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit auch das nächste Buch, in dem wohl eine von Annes Singlefreundinnen ihren passenden Partner bekommt. Ich glaube, ich weiß auch schon wer (;
Kurzum, es ist ein sehr schön geschriebener Liebesgedönsroman, genau meins (;
Zum Buch:
Mike tut seiner Schwester nur einen Gefallen als er seine Nichte zu einem Kindergeburtstag bringt.
Die Mutter des Geburtstagskindes jedoch geht ihm nicht mehr aus dem Kopf. Anne, Anfang dreißig, alleinerziehend und so verdammt perfekt. Anne betreibt einen Blog "Mein perfektes kleiner Leben" in dem sie ihre Partytipps und Basteleien vorstellt. Sie plant auch Kinderpartys.
Mike ist Automechaniker, er restauriert Oldtimer und ist eigentlich immer auf der Suche nach dem nächsten Abenteuer.
Kurzum, die beiden sind völlig verschieden und doch so voneinander faszinirrt ...
Meine Meinung:
Ich finde das Cover jetzt nicht so passend. Das Paar sieht viel zu jung aus, Cover und Klappentext passen nicht zusammen.
Der Schreibstil allerdings ist sehr angenehm zu lesen, es fließt dahin. Onkel Mike mag ich sehr gerne, er ist genauso wie man sich einen männlichen Automechaniker vorstellt.
Die Geschichte ist seicht, aber trotzdem niedlich und auch ein wenig sexy. Genau das richtige Buch für ein paar unbeschwerte Lesestunden.
Ich mochte es sehr gerne und lese mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit auch das nächste Buch, in dem wohl eine von Annes Singlefreundinnen ihren passenden Partner bekommt. Ich glaube, ich weiß auch schon wer (;
Kurzum, es ist ein sehr schön geschriebener Liebesgedönsroman, genau meins (;
August 9, 2020
Eine wirklich süße Geschichte mit mehr erotischen Szenen als ich vor dem Lesen erwartet hätte. Letzteres war mir teils etwas zu viel und fast schon störend in der Geschichte. Diese war sonst eigentlich recht nett. Es war nichts wirklich besonderes oder fesselndes, aber es war auch nicht unfassbar langweilend.
Es war eine ganz gute Geschichte für zwischendurch mit einem sehr sympathischen männlichen Protagonisten.
Es war eine ganz gute Geschichte für zwischendurch mit einem sehr sympathischen männlichen Protagonisten.
March 1, 2015
Note: This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"This man made her feel things she didn't know were possible. Silly things from songs and movies seemed not so silly anymore. A heart could quicken, a breath could catch, and a few words could make you feel alive. She wanted to feel this, but it was dangerous. He said he wanted to know her, but for how long would that last?"
Is it possible for a reputably perfect single mom and a happily uncommitted man with seemingly nothing much in common to begin what they think is an affair that may very well end up with an unexpected happily ever after?
Thirty-two-year-old Anne Edmond is a woman who is known for her organization and creativity and how she's able to put together parties effortlessly and seamlessly. She even has a popular blog called My Perfect Little Life she shares with two of her closest friends that allows her to provide tips and ideas for her followers as well as update them with her goings-on of her life. But her first priority is her young daughter Claire, leaving her little time for meeting men and engaging in whatever it is couples engage in.
Twenty-nine-year-old Mike Everett has never complained about being single. While he may want to one day settle down and have a family of his own, it hasn't exactly been on his list of priorities as of late. He enjoys owning his own garage and working on cars, especially the classics, and bringing them back to life for his clients. He gets paid a lot of money for the work he does and it's worth every penny and no one's ever complained; the same can possibly be said for the women he's gone out and to bed with.
When Anne opens the door to Bailey Wilson, she automatically assumes the man with her is her dad. He clears that up by saying he's Uncle Mike, which is a good thing because the last thing Anne wants is to be caught crushing on her daughter's best friend's married father. Mike also notices that Anne isn't wearing a wedding ring, making him feel less of a creep lusting over his niece's best friend's married mother.
Anne hasn't been in the dating for so long while Mike's still very much in it. She's pretty sure Mike isn't interested in an older woman with a young child when he has his pick of younger and sexier girls out there. But from the minute Mike lays his eyes on her, there's something about Anne that's captivated him, to the point that he's become somewhat of a cyber stalker, checking her blog on a regular basis.
There's a mutual attraction between Anne and Mike that grows into something neither of them can put a label on. Anne simply can't believe that Mike would want an actual relationship with her, thinking that what they have has an expiry date. On the other hand, Mike recognizes that what he feels for Anne is nothing he's ever experienced before and he's ready and willing to show her what it is he truly wants and needs--her and life together with her and Claire. If only she'd open herself completely to him and the possibility of truly living her perfect little life.
Start Me Up is the first book in the Hearts and Crafts series by author Nicole Michaels and this book had me oohing and aahing, grinning and pouting, and awwing more times than I can count. I loved the story of a slightly older single mom and a slightly younger guy meeting and there's this instant connection between them. On paper, it doesn't seem they have a lot in common: she's a mom, he's, well, an uncle; she's into tablescapes and decorations, he's into engines and detailing; she's into drinks in mason jars with a straw, he's into beer from a bottle. But these are two people who care for the family they have left and the people they hold closest and dearest. They both love Claire and they're both supportive of each other's careers.
However, Anne's marriage and subsequent divorce left her needing to start her life over. Her blog became a lifeline of sorts, with her followers offering her words of support and encouragement during that trying time. Her ex-husband blamed the blog for the demise of their marriage, though one would think his being caught cheating on her was what truly put that final nail in the coffin, and Anne's afraid that Mike will belittle the blog in the same way her ex did. Her insecurities also tend to get the better of her, making her think less of herself even as Mike has nicknamed her "Perfect".
This book has everything going for it: lovingly crafted main characters who appear to be entering new phases in their respective lives and discovering the ins and outs as individuals and as a couple and a beautifully conceived and written story of truly falling in love for the first time and being willing to set aside all the doubts and hesitation. With a well-balanced combination of comedy and drama, Start Me Up is not only a wonderful start to this new series but such an endearing book to curl up to. I read this in one sitting, leaving me with about three hours of sleep before starting a busy day, but the lack of zzzzzs was so worth it. This goes on my list of 2015 favorites and am highly recommending it. Nicely done, Nicole Michaels. You are now on my bookaholic radar. ^.^ Five-plus stars, baby! ♥
Release Date: 03 March 2015
"This man made her feel things she didn't know were possible. Silly things from songs and movies seemed not so silly anymore. A heart could quicken, a breath could catch, and a few words could make you feel alive. She wanted to feel this, but it was dangerous. He said he wanted to know her, but for how long would that last?"
Is it possible for a reputably perfect single mom and a happily uncommitted man with seemingly nothing much in common to begin what they think is an affair that may very well end up with an unexpected happily ever after?
Thirty-two-year-old Anne Edmond is a woman who is known for her organization and creativity and how she's able to put together parties effortlessly and seamlessly. She even has a popular blog called My Perfect Little Life she shares with two of her closest friends that allows her to provide tips and ideas for her followers as well as update them with her goings-on of her life. But her first priority is her young daughter Claire, leaving her little time for meeting men and engaging in whatever it is couples engage in.
Twenty-nine-year-old Mike Everett has never complained about being single. While he may want to one day settle down and have a family of his own, it hasn't exactly been on his list of priorities as of late. He enjoys owning his own garage and working on cars, especially the classics, and bringing them back to life for his clients. He gets paid a lot of money for the work he does and it's worth every penny and no one's ever complained; the same can possibly be said for the women he's gone out and to bed with.
When Anne opens the door to Bailey Wilson, she automatically assumes the man with her is her dad. He clears that up by saying he's Uncle Mike, which is a good thing because the last thing Anne wants is to be caught crushing on her daughter's best friend's married father. Mike also notices that Anne isn't wearing a wedding ring, making him feel less of a creep lusting over his niece's best friend's married mother.
Anne hasn't been in the dating for so long while Mike's still very much in it. She's pretty sure Mike isn't interested in an older woman with a young child when he has his pick of younger and sexier girls out there. But from the minute Mike lays his eyes on her, there's something about Anne that's captivated him, to the point that he's become somewhat of a cyber stalker, checking her blog on a regular basis.
There's a mutual attraction between Anne and Mike that grows into something neither of them can put a label on. Anne simply can't believe that Mike would want an actual relationship with her, thinking that what they have has an expiry date. On the other hand, Mike recognizes that what he feels for Anne is nothing he's ever experienced before and he's ready and willing to show her what it is he truly wants and needs--her and life together with her and Claire. If only she'd open herself completely to him and the possibility of truly living her perfect little life.
Start Me Up is the first book in the Hearts and Crafts series by author Nicole Michaels and this book had me oohing and aahing, grinning and pouting, and awwing more times than I can count. I loved the story of a slightly older single mom and a slightly younger guy meeting and there's this instant connection between them. On paper, it doesn't seem they have a lot in common: she's a mom, he's, well, an uncle; she's into tablescapes and decorations, he's into engines and detailing; she's into drinks in mason jars with a straw, he's into beer from a bottle. But these are two people who care for the family they have left and the people they hold closest and dearest. They both love Claire and they're both supportive of each other's careers.
However, Anne's marriage and subsequent divorce left her needing to start her life over. Her blog became a lifeline of sorts, with her followers offering her words of support and encouragement during that trying time. Her ex-husband blamed the blog for the demise of their marriage, though one would think his being caught cheating on her was what truly put that final nail in the coffin, and Anne's afraid that Mike will belittle the blog in the same way her ex did. Her insecurities also tend to get the better of her, making her think less of herself even as Mike has nicknamed her "Perfect".
This book has everything going for it: lovingly crafted main characters who appear to be entering new phases in their respective lives and discovering the ins and outs as individuals and as a couple and a beautifully conceived and written story of truly falling in love for the first time and being willing to set aside all the doubts and hesitation. With a well-balanced combination of comedy and drama, Start Me Up is not only a wonderful start to this new series but such an endearing book to curl up to. I read this in one sitting, leaving me with about three hours of sleep before starting a busy day, but the lack of zzzzzs was so worth it. This goes on my list of 2015 favorites and am highly recommending it. Nicely done, Nicole Michaels. You are now on my bookaholic radar. ^.^ Five-plus stars, baby! ♥
Release Date: 03 March 2015
July 19, 2017
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads
January 14, 2019
Cute, low-angst romance.
December 5, 2019
Idk why but I wasn't expecting to like this book. I actually loved it, loved the banter, chemistry between the two main characters. Will be looking for this author again.
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