Grieving the loss of her mother and the desertion of her long-term girlfriend, Pip Walker merely exists; a financial analyst by day, an emotional eater by night. When the calories begin to stack on, Pip realizes she needs to get out of her rut, regain her fitness and find her mojo. Recently betrayed and reluctant to date, personal trainer Morgan Evans prioritizes self-preservation over allowing herself to love again. Distracted by the return of her emotionally abusive and manipulative brother, Morgan is surprised to find her growing attraction to a new client impossible to ignore. When the two broken-hearted women meet, will they be able to leave their pasts behind, put their trust in one another, and grab hold of the second chance at love they've been offered?
I nearly didn’t read this because of the cover. It looked so..vacuous. I’m not a fan of full-face covers, especially when stock photos are obviously being used.
The actual content is rather forgettable and weird, in it flip-flops between the two MCs and I’m never sure whose head I’m in. They have the exact same voice and friend situation etc. which gets old and boring soon.
The editing needs at least one more pass. There are a lot of Britishisms that need to be taken out for a novel set in the states.
The worst thing is the author is actually really talented and could be producing much better quality and meaningful material than this.
A type of feel good romance written simply with not a lot of "show". I could not really get a grip on who Pip was which was disappointing. The inclusion of many British expressions was sort of humorous as the story took place in, I think, California. Might want to edit those out.
Sometimes love starts off difficult but that is often the deepest love waiting to embrace you.
Pip is struggling with grief and depression. Her "friends" at work tastefully wake her up so she begins to take care of herself. Morgan is the exercise coach who can help. They feel an instant connection but Morgan has an abusive brother who make her appear Moody to Pip. I loved these two struggling but strong women. Maggie while being Morgan's 83 year old client is much more of a friend. I love the encouragement and support she gives Morgan. These three characters make this story so wonderful. All the ups and downs finally lead to a strong love for Morgan and Pip. I was sad to get to the end of the book because I wanted more of their story together. I love their spark and cherish the difficult but loving way the found each other. This is a great story with challenging relationship issues. It is a fun, enjoyable read.
I like Pip and Morgan. Their portrayal is realistic and true to life (imo). Maggie is a hoot, and should have her own book (based on her current interest).
Stay clear of Joe, though. You’ve been warned.
I give 5 stars when I enjoyed reading the story; plausibility exists (as opposed to it never made it through editing); and I can relate to the main characters in some way.
This was a good story. I liked the main characters Pip and Morgan. It’s interesting, I though Pip would be the fragile and vulnerable and Morgan the strong one. Yet, they were the reverse which was a twist. I also enjoyed Maggie. I wish I could have had a grandma like her growing up. Good story.
Another in Ellie Spark Love Stories series. Ellie has been consistent in creating amazing situations with chemistry being off the charts. Morgan and Pip both have serious issues to work through and they find a way to succeed. I look forward to the next book, this is a fun series that I have waited too long to read.
Its a very cute, entertaining book but everything seems to happen in like warp speed... Would've loved if the author developed & expounded on the characters & the narrative more. But it was still an enjoyable read.
Pip Walker is a financial analyst and is single. Morgan Evans is a personal trainer and is single. Both are living in San Francisco, maybe they might meet someone, fall in love and end their loneliness. Follow these two young women in this lesbian romance.
I found Love for Hire to be a refreshing GOOD 4 star read. It is a warm and affectionate story that follows the dreams, hopes and moods of both women. They both have problems from previous lovers and everyday issues both at home and at work. I very quickly developed an empathy for both women and wished them well, hoping a romance between them would get off the ground. Character development was steady and equal between Pip and Morgan, with an easy pace making this light but very pleasant reading.
This is a lesbian romance but it is not an erotic novel. There is no sex taking place between Pip and Morgan, although later on they share a kiss and hold hands! It was the warmth of this story that really impressed me and I feel that it can be enjoyed by everyone. Love for Hire is simply a delightful romance with all the swings of emotion that can happen to all of us. The fact that Pip and Morgan are lesbians in their 30’s should not put anyone off because everyone can fall in love with the right person for them. I am very different to both Pip and Morgan, I am a hetrosexual man, double their age and living in the UK but Love for Hire has that girl next door attraction.
Much fun can be made about how to spot a lesbian with the butch ones quite easy to guess but the femme lesbians a lot harder. Here is a funny quote from Love for Hire that is a lovely tongue in cheek moment between mother and daughter…
Her mother’s eyes widened. “How on earth do you know how to fix a hole in the wall?” “I’m a lesbian, or have you forgotten? Surely, you’ve noticed how many of us are pacing the aisles at Home Depot. We’re experts on all DIY stuff.”
For me, the best part of the book was not reading through descriptive sex scenes and experiencing the angst of developing/pursuing a relationship because of mutual attraction. Body image issues were a good part of the story; especially handling the loss & grief of a parent of lover/girlfriend. I liked the quick read and have already purchased one of the LOVE books. A book that would be an enjoyable read.
I love the characters that Spark creates…although Pip and Morgan are the two main characters in the story, I think Maggie is now definitely one of my favorites. Spark has captured the older woman perfectly, so much that she reminds me of someone I knew. I enjoyed how she stretched the personalities of the principals in her story. Love for Hire is an enjoyable story with witty dialogue. This is the first of this author that I have experienced, and I will definitely be reading more.
I choose that rating because pip and Morgan need too be in each other lives after what is happening with how Morgan brother is abusive too her and threatened her and her family s he needed too be happy instead of being afraid and pip needs too stand up for herself against her colleague like Vanessa and put her in her place and admit that she and Morgan make a great couple.
I really didn't feel like the main two characters had that much of a connection. It seemed like Morgan moved so fast for someone who was so set on not wanting to find anyone new. I also felt like Pip was extremely judgmental. They both have too much shit to work out and by the end it seemed like love was the farthest thing they should be declaring. Also, I don't like how the brother seemed to just get away with his behavior. We don't see any real conclusion for his actions.
Exercise class is a good way to bring two very different people together. Adding a sibling with severe psychological problems brings an unusual element to the story. Unfortunately the ending comes rather abruptly. The sibling is dealt with all too easily and the sudden jump from too complicated to deeply in love isn't quite believable.
I’m a huge fan of the Love... series by Ellie Sparks - her charcters are well developed and multi faceted. The story is light and easy to read and is a typical feel good story with a bit of drama and romance and friendship. I would highly recommend to read this story and to read all the other ones from this series, which are all standalone stories.
Pip gained a few extra pounds through emotional eating. Her mom passed away 6 months ago. In order to regain confidence and lose a those extra pounds, she joins her friend in a Trekker exercise group. Morgan is the personal trainer who is dealing with family issues. Both have recently left their ex-s.
STORY IS OK BUT STILL SOMEWHAT GENERIC AS FAR AS BEING A LESBIAN!
Just not sure which way Ellie is swinging, Lesbian or Straight! Each story seems to differ in the direction it takes and leaves the reader confused as to the character's needs!
Going to read the next book to see if Ellie and I are on the same page or NOT!
I loved this boon. I loved it with the two woman had a bad break up and were going thru a lot but they gave each other a chance and it worked out. I also liked it that there wasn't sex in the book, there was induindos and I like that.
I think the most unrealistic aspect of this book was an established and respected freelancer volunteering her time and services without payment at the drop of a hat. 😜 Otherwise, it's a standard sugar rush of a chaste lesbian romance novel--you get actually what you show up for.
It is always nice to read a story of two people falling in love. I felt the "conflict" was a little inflated but not so much so that I wasn't rooting for Morgan and Pip to find their way to each other. Overall, a nice comforting read that I would recommend.
Romance by the numbers. Although most characters were ok, there was no true development of them and in the end, who really cared what happened with them all. Not me. Disappointing
This is my first book of Ellie Spark and I like the way she describes the characters and their emotional situations. It builds nicely the emotional tension between them but then there is not even one more intense scene. It is a nice story to follow- romantic and cute.