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Happily Inc #3
Familie ist, wenn man trotzdem liebt
Man nennt ihn den Drachen, aber Natalie Kaleta traut sich in seine Höhle. Die junge Galerie-Assistentin sollte eigentlich nur einige Kunstwerke bei Ronan Mitchell abholen. Nun verbringt sie jedoch das Wochenende bei dem für seine Launen bekannten, attraktiven Künstler, da ihr Wagen einen Abhang hinuntergerutscht ist. Tatsächlich ein Glück für beide, denn sie verbringen sehr genussvolle Nächte … Aber Natalie träumt von einem Mann und eigenen Kindern. Ronan dagegen zuckt schon bei dem Wort »Familie« zurück. Ob Natalie den Drachen zähmen kann?
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2018
2126 people are currently reading
5131 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mallery
862 books15.5k followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 771 reviews
November 8, 2025
Mallery vividly and artistically paints a picture with words. Why Not Tonight is an endearing romance between a highly temperamental and haunted male artist, Ronan, and an optimistic, take it as it comes struggling female artist, Natalie. I really found myself enjoying this story so much that I did a re-read, a few weeks apart, and loved that I caught more details Mallery added to the Happily Inc. world. Feel good, emotionally connecting plot that will pull you right in.
I received this ARC copy of Why Not Tonight from HARLEQUIN - HQN. This is my honest and voluntary review. Why Not Tonight is set for publication September 18, 2018.
I received this ARC copy of Why Not Tonight from HARLEQUIN - HQN. This is my honest and voluntary review. Why Not Tonight is set for publication September 18, 2018.
August 29, 2018
I’ve been waiting for Ronan’s story since we first met him and I was eager to get to this one.
I’ve liked Natalie from the start and I thought her happiness was a perfect match for Ronan’s brooding. She’s sunny and sassy and doesn’t take any shit. He’s stoic and cloudy and quiet. Together they had some sweet chemistry and playful banter.
Plot wise it was fairly satisfying. I would have liked to see more of them together. It felt like they were in the same space, but separate for a lot of the story. The conflict wasn’t too bad and didn’t last long. I am curious to know if there’s an epilogue because the last chapter of my e-arc was a repeat of a previous chapter. And let me assure you, it was insanely disappointing.
Overall, it was a great story. Of course I would have liked a bit more because I’m greedy, but it was worth the wait.
**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I’ve liked Natalie from the start and I thought her happiness was a perfect match for Ronan’s brooding. She’s sunny and sassy and doesn’t take any shit. He’s stoic and cloudy and quiet. Together they had some sweet chemistry and playful banter.
Plot wise it was fairly satisfying. I would have liked to see more of them together. It felt like they were in the same space, but separate for a lot of the story. The conflict wasn’t too bad and didn’t last long. I am curious to know if there’s an epilogue because the last chapter of my e-arc was a repeat of a previous chapter. And let me assure you, it was insanely disappointing.
Overall, it was a great story. Of course I would have liked a bit more because I’m greedy, but it was worth the wait.
**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**
September 18, 2018
Why Not Tonight is a wonderful addition to the Happily Inc series and a story of rediscovering your heart’s passion and love for life. Ronan Mitchell moved to Happily Inc after finding out he was the illegitimate son of his father’s affair and needed to strike out on his own. He and his brothers share a studio next to a gallery along with mix media artist Natalie Katela. Natalie is worried that Ronan has lost his passion for his art and wants to help find it again. Ever optimistic Natalie finds herself stranded for a few days after a savage rainstorm wipes out the roads and her car. Tentatively they tiptoe around each other and find their easy banter a way to relax for Ronan to think about his art again.
It’s a story of family; the one we are born with and the one we create for ourselves, and how those ties are fragile. Natalie has no blood family of her own but she has created one with the friends she’s made in town. They support her and show her the love as good friends. What she longs for is a family of her own with a husband and children. Ronan isn’t exactly Mr. Forever but he can be Mr. Right Now, until the right one comes along. What started out as casual slowly turned into caring and she fell in love with him. Ronan had a difficult childhood and after discovering his illegitimacy his world turned upside and he left his family behind. He had a hard time reconciling his place with them and how his mother Elaine could lie to him all these years. Natalie didn’t understand how he could be so adamant opposed about his mother’s feelings and actions when she would die to have someone care that much. It took a long time for Ronan to reconcile his feelings for Elaine and it took Natalie leaving him to figure it out.
I love a story when it shows a deeper quality beyond a couple’s path to romance. Not only did Ronan have to find his passion again for his art but to figure out how to live with the family again. Natalie was an easy character to fall in love with because of her great attitude and look on life. She had an epiphany herself when she had a scare to make her realize that she needs to be more responsible for her health and well-being. Overall it was a great read and Ms. Mallery has done it again. She’s created a memorable story with depth, humor, poignancy and romance.
April 30, 2019
Natalie Kaleta is prepared to do anything to help look after the artists at the gallery where she works. This often means she has less time to devote to her own art, but she needs her job to pay the bills. Sometimes even that is a struggle. So when someone needs to go and check in on brooding artist Ronan Mitchell, it is left to Natalie. The trip to his mountain home in a downpour sets several events in motion that have an effect on her life. Ronan has his share of issues many of which relate to his family situation, which is why he ended up in the town of Happily Inc. Happily Inc, (yes that really is the name of the town,) is a town with a focus on theme weddings. As you’d expect, since this is a romance, an attraction develops between Natalie and Ronan, but it seems there are too many obstacles in the way, including Ronan’s own relational hang ups and history.
Natalie, despite the heartache she carries with her after the death of her mother, is one of the most upbeat characters you could ever wish to meet. She is quirky, fun, creative and above all positive, always looking for the good most of the time. She is an endearing character. Ronan shows some caring characteristics but is largely self-focused. At least that’s the way it seems much of the time. I was right with Natalie when she gives him an absolute tongue lashing, given all he has and all she doesn’t. Way to go girl! This totally non crafty person, loved most of the descriptions of various types of art from glass work to mixed media, origami and a whole heap of other creative activates. Sometimes though the themed weddings on cartoon and movie characters and the amount of effort put into the one day, got to me a bit. Just don’t understand that sort of fuss. Surely more focus should be on the marriage and making it work than on the one day. But that’s a personal view.
After two very tension filled books, all I wanted was an easy light read. This was a great contrast and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if at times I couldn’t quite see what Natalie saw in Ronan. I did think Elaine, mother of the Mitchell family was similar to Natalie in that she was able to take a negative and turn it into a positive. I spent a bit of time feeling sorry for Elaine and annoyed with Ronan for his treatment of her, which goes to show how involved I was with these characters. I have not read the first two books in this series and it didn’t matter a bit. I was quickly drawn into the engaging read. It was just the light release I needed, though it does raise some interesting issues about parenting, secrets and family relationships.
Natalie, despite the heartache she carries with her after the death of her mother, is one of the most upbeat characters you could ever wish to meet. She is quirky, fun, creative and above all positive, always looking for the good most of the time. She is an endearing character. Ronan shows some caring characteristics but is largely self-focused. At least that’s the way it seems much of the time. I was right with Natalie when she gives him an absolute tongue lashing, given all he has and all she doesn’t. Way to go girl! This totally non crafty person, loved most of the descriptions of various types of art from glass work to mixed media, origami and a whole heap of other creative activates. Sometimes though the themed weddings on cartoon and movie characters and the amount of effort put into the one day, got to me a bit. Just don’t understand that sort of fuss. Surely more focus should be on the marriage and making it work than on the one day. But that’s a personal view.
After two very tension filled books, all I wanted was an easy light read. This was a great contrast and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if at times I couldn’t quite see what Natalie saw in Ronan. I did think Elaine, mother of the Mitchell family was similar to Natalie in that she was able to take a negative and turn it into a positive. I spent a bit of time feeling sorry for Elaine and annoyed with Ronan for his treatment of her, which goes to show how involved I was with these characters. I have not read the first two books in this series and it didn’t matter a bit. I was quickly drawn into the engaging read. It was just the light release I needed, though it does raise some interesting issues about parenting, secrets and family relationships.
December 31, 2018
WHY NOT TONIGHT
(Happily Inc: #3)
Written by Susan Mallery
(Narrated by Tanya Eby)
2018; HQN Books (384 Pages)
(Audio length: 7 hours and 52 minutes)
Genre: fiction, series, romance, contemporary, small town, weddings
Rating: 3.5 STARS
Book three features Natalie, who works at the art gallery in town and is an artist herself (paper) and Ronan Mitchell, an artist in glass. Ronan has been brooding over a family secret and has escaped to his home in the mountain. When Natalie goes to check on him she trapped there due to a mudslide. The whole story is not about being trapped together so it flowed a bit better. I liked the chemistry between Natalie and Ronan and the story line of family secrets coming to a bit of an ending. I am definitely enjoying these on audio.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
My Novelesque Blog
(Happily Inc: #3)
Written by Susan Mallery
(Narrated by Tanya Eby)
2018; HQN Books (384 Pages)
(Audio length: 7 hours and 52 minutes)
Genre: fiction, series, romance, contemporary, small town, weddings
Rating: 3.5 STARS
Book three features Natalie, who works at the art gallery in town and is an artist herself (paper) and Ronan Mitchell, an artist in glass. Ronan has been brooding over a family secret and has escaped to his home in the mountain. When Natalie goes to check on him she trapped there due to a mudslide. The whole story is not about being trapped together so it flowed a bit better. I liked the chemistry between Natalie and Ronan and the story line of family secrets coming to a bit of an ending. I am definitely enjoying these on audio.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
My Novelesque Blog
September 27, 2018
Great book! I hope she continues this series :)
September 30, 2018
Nobody does romance as well as Susan Mallery. Her ability to create characters to populate her worlds is beyond compare. Each time I visit one of her towns, I want to spend time with the people who live there. The situations her main characters face always are so very believable. I simply love her work.
November 14, 2018
I have been waiting for Ronan's story since he first appeared in the Fool's Gold books, and I was not disappointed. Ronan is a brilliant glass artist. He is also brooding, angry, and terribly confused. In a previous book, Ronan discovered that he is not his brother Mathias's twin. He is the product of one of his father's affairs, which has made him question everything about himself. He has pulled away from everyone - his brothers, his father (I don't blame him there), and the woman he thought was his mother (that does bother me). He's so angry that he's been lied to all his life that he has allowed that anger to affect every part of his life. He's finally reached a point where he realizes that he misses the relationship he had with his brothers, but he doesn't know how to fix it. They miss him too, and it's that worry for him that sends Natalie up the mountain to check on him.
Natalie is a fellow artist as well as the gallery owner's assistant. She is one of those people who can find the good in almost anything. I loved the description of her as curvy, feisty, and that she wears glasses, which added to the realism of her character. She is also a wee bit stubborn, which is what sent her up the mountain in bad weather in a car that was inadequate for the conditions. It was no wonder that she ended up on his doorstep muddy, wet, and spitting mad.
I loved the development of Natalie and Ronan's relationship. Natalie has had a crush on Ronan but has kept it under control. An engagement gone bad has left her unwilling to risk her heart again, even though she wants a family of her own. Her conversations with her friends over the "baby app" are funny and heartbreaking at the same time. When she gets stuck on the mountain with Ronan, she discovers a whole new side of the brooding artist. I ached a little for Ronan because he was so surprised that anyone was worried enough about him to check on him. I loved how easy he found it to bring her into his house and his life. It turned out that he'd been crushing on her a bit, too. I loved those couple of days that they had together. Natalie's cheerfulness threw some light into the dark corners of Ronan's life, and I loved seeing a lighter side of Ronan emerge. I especially enjoyed the paper airplane scene. There are also some pretty strong sparks flying between them. Though it was frustrating for Natalie, I quite liked Ronan's refusal to take advantage of those sparks while she was "trapped" in his house. He certainly made up for it later.
When they agreed to have a fling, with the understanding that emotions would not be involved, I had to laugh. It was clear to me that Natalie was already well down the road to loving Ronan. I loved watching them together. With Natalie in his life, Ronan lost a lot of his broodiness, and his creative side began to re-emerge. With both of them being artists, there was no feeling of neglect when one or the other was caught up in their creative process. There were some very sweet scenes showing Ronan's support and encouragement of Natalie. When they were together, Natalie seemed to be consistently tuned into Ronan's moods. Because of her lack of family, Natalie really wants Ronan to reconcile with his. She takes every opportunity to point out to him how lucky he is to have the family that he does. I loved seeing how she brought Ronan and his brothers back together, using an art project as the reason. The more time they spent together, the deeper their feelings grew, though each one tried desperately to deny it. I ached for Natalie when she got up the courage to tell Ronan how she felt, only to have him run. Ronan is terrified that his problems would suck the life out of her, just as his father tended to do to others, so he'd rather push her away than see that happen. But when Ronan faced a crisis, Natalie was the one he turned to. The ending was intensely emotional, as Ronan was finally able to lay his fears to rest. I loved his big moment at the end. It was sweet, romantic, and beautiful.
The big issue in the book was Ronan's reaction to finding out the truth of his birth. I could completely understand the initial shock and the need to get away and process the information. However, I couldn't understand him pushing his brothers away. Even if they are "only" half-brothers, the love, respect, and memories are still there. I liked that they didn't give up on him. I ached for him and his feelings of betrayal from his mom. That was the hardest thing for him to deal with. Once Ronan was involved with Natalie, things began to change because of her. I loved her determination to help him reconcile with his family. She also knew that it couldn't be forced. I loved her creativity in bringing him together with Nick and Mathias. But try as she might, she didn't seem to be able to get through to him when it came to his mom. I found it immensely satisfying when she finally laid into him with her opinion of his attitude. In the end, it was Nick who took the logical course of action to resolve the issue. I loved Ronan's stunned reaction and how it made him reevaluate his own actions. The resolution was intense and emotional.
I also loved the friendships among the women of the story. It's always wonderful to see how the author brings together such diverse personalities in a way that works. They are always there to support each other, professionally or personally, and can be depended on to be brutally honest if required. There were a couple of those moments between Natalie and Silver when Natalie had a decision to make. There were a few hints dropped that make me think that Silver's story is going to be another fantastic installment in the series.
Natalie is a fellow artist as well as the gallery owner's assistant. She is one of those people who can find the good in almost anything. I loved the description of her as curvy, feisty, and that she wears glasses, which added to the realism of her character. She is also a wee bit stubborn, which is what sent her up the mountain in bad weather in a car that was inadequate for the conditions. It was no wonder that she ended up on his doorstep muddy, wet, and spitting mad.
I loved the development of Natalie and Ronan's relationship. Natalie has had a crush on Ronan but has kept it under control. An engagement gone bad has left her unwilling to risk her heart again, even though she wants a family of her own. Her conversations with her friends over the "baby app" are funny and heartbreaking at the same time. When she gets stuck on the mountain with Ronan, she discovers a whole new side of the brooding artist. I ached a little for Ronan because he was so surprised that anyone was worried enough about him to check on him. I loved how easy he found it to bring her into his house and his life. It turned out that he'd been crushing on her a bit, too. I loved those couple of days that they had together. Natalie's cheerfulness threw some light into the dark corners of Ronan's life, and I loved seeing a lighter side of Ronan emerge. I especially enjoyed the paper airplane scene. There are also some pretty strong sparks flying between them. Though it was frustrating for Natalie, I quite liked Ronan's refusal to take advantage of those sparks while she was "trapped" in his house. He certainly made up for it later.
When they agreed to have a fling, with the understanding that emotions would not be involved, I had to laugh. It was clear to me that Natalie was already well down the road to loving Ronan. I loved watching them together. With Natalie in his life, Ronan lost a lot of his broodiness, and his creative side began to re-emerge. With both of them being artists, there was no feeling of neglect when one or the other was caught up in their creative process. There were some very sweet scenes showing Ronan's support and encouragement of Natalie. When they were together, Natalie seemed to be consistently tuned into Ronan's moods. Because of her lack of family, Natalie really wants Ronan to reconcile with his. She takes every opportunity to point out to him how lucky he is to have the family that he does. I loved seeing how she brought Ronan and his brothers back together, using an art project as the reason. The more time they spent together, the deeper their feelings grew, though each one tried desperately to deny it. I ached for Natalie when she got up the courage to tell Ronan how she felt, only to have him run. Ronan is terrified that his problems would suck the life out of her, just as his father tended to do to others, so he'd rather push her away than see that happen. But when Ronan faced a crisis, Natalie was the one he turned to. The ending was intensely emotional, as Ronan was finally able to lay his fears to rest. I loved his big moment at the end. It was sweet, romantic, and beautiful.
The big issue in the book was Ronan's reaction to finding out the truth of his birth. I could completely understand the initial shock and the need to get away and process the information. However, I couldn't understand him pushing his brothers away. Even if they are "only" half-brothers, the love, respect, and memories are still there. I liked that they didn't give up on him. I ached for him and his feelings of betrayal from his mom. That was the hardest thing for him to deal with. Once Ronan was involved with Natalie, things began to change because of her. I loved her determination to help him reconcile with his family. She also knew that it couldn't be forced. I loved her creativity in bringing him together with Nick and Mathias. But try as she might, she didn't seem to be able to get through to him when it came to his mom. I found it immensely satisfying when she finally laid into him with her opinion of his attitude. In the end, it was Nick who took the logical course of action to resolve the issue. I loved Ronan's stunned reaction and how it made him reevaluate his own actions. The resolution was intense and emotional.
I also loved the friendships among the women of the story. It's always wonderful to see how the author brings together such diverse personalities in a way that works. They are always there to support each other, professionally or personally, and can be depended on to be brutally honest if required. There were a couple of those moments between Natalie and Silver when Natalie had a decision to make. There were a few hints dropped that make me think that Silver's story is going to be another fantastic installment in the series.
October 10, 2018
Chipper Natalie, gallery assistant and paper artist, drives up the mountain in a rainstorm to check on a successful artist of the gallery, Ronan, who has not been reachable by text, phone or email for several days. Stranded at his house after a mud slide, she spends time with Ronan and wants to sleep with him but he says no because she is his guest and he doesn't want to feel as though he is taking advantage of her.
This story meandered endlessly from banal to juvenile and back again; I moved from being bored to irritated and back again. Seriously, this woman (she is in her late twenties) keeps calling the "hero" "Mr. Bossy Pants" (or MBP) and making remarks more appropriate for a seven yo instead of 27 yo, eg., "Oh, his face is all mean and scrunchy." Ronan isn't exactly a fine example of maturity and excitement either. Much of the conversation and action were, to me, just boring. I admit I quit 25% through this audiobook because life is too short to read something I find this tiresome. I think that what is coming down the road in this story is , predictably, learning that Natalie has had an unhappy life and that she had to fight to become so chipper and positive. And, Ronon will find this brave and endearing. But I really don't care.
This story meandered endlessly from banal to juvenile and back again; I moved from being bored to irritated and back again. Seriously, this woman (she is in her late twenties) keeps calling the "hero" "Mr. Bossy Pants" (or MBP) and making remarks more appropriate for a seven yo instead of 27 yo, eg., "Oh, his face is all mean and scrunchy." Ronan isn't exactly a fine example of maturity and excitement either. Much of the conversation and action were, to me, just boring. I admit I quit 25% through this audiobook because life is too short to read something I find this tiresome. I think that what is coming down the road in this story is , predictably, learning that Natalie has had an unhappy life and that she had to fight to become so chipper and positive. And, Ronon will find this brave and endearing. But I really don't care.
September 15, 2018
This is the third book in this series. The series has gotten better with each book. I really have grown close to the characters and the town of Happy. The brothers, Mathias, Nick, and Ronan are great. I like that while, each one has been in the spotlight, they are still featured together in some way in the books.
Instantly, I loved Natalie. She had spunk. This spunk is what broke down Ronan's walls and brought him back into the "world". They were so good together. Natalie's joy was so infectious; especially over her new red car. I like Ronan just wanted to keep Natalie happy. While, Ronan had a tough exterior shell, he was still very likeable. The only question you have to ask yourself is "why not tonight" pick up a copy of this book and treat yourself to laughs, love, and engaging characters.
Instantly, I loved Natalie. She had spunk. This spunk is what broke down Ronan's walls and brought him back into the "world". They were so good together. Natalie's joy was so infectious; especially over her new red car. I like Ronan just wanted to keep Natalie happy. While, Ronan had a tough exterior shell, he was still very likeable. The only question you have to ask yourself is "why not tonight" pick up a copy of this book and treat yourself to laughs, love, and engaging characters.
September 23, 2018
I have read all of the books this far in the “happily inc” series and thoroughly enjoyed each one of them. “Why not Tonight” was no exception. The characters and plot simply pulled me in to the story line. The characters came to life once again; and the story was very believable and entertaining. I never close one of Susan Mallery’s books feeling I’ve wasted my time; instead, I close it looking forward to her next one.
December 18, 2019
Susan Mallery writes some fun books. And this series set in a town that somehow revolves around specialty weddings is a lot of fun.
I really liked this one because we finally get to resolve the whole issue with Ronan and his mom. It is a trope in romance fiction that a love of a good woman fixes everything, but it's done well here. I especially liked Natalie's sassy nature.
I really liked this one because we finally get to resolve the whole issue with Ronan and his mom. It is a trope in romance fiction that a love of a good woman fixes everything, but it's done well here. I especially liked Natalie's sassy nature.
February 27, 2024
During a storm, gallery owner Natalie bonds with artist crush Ronan.
This was a light, sweet romance, but Ronan's grumpiness and Natalie mentioning her weight was tiresome. No one wants to hear or think about that while reading haha.
The Mischief Bay series (4 stars) and The Boardwalk Bookshop (4 stars) remain my favorites by this author.
Location: Happily Inc., California
Audiobook
This was a light, sweet romance, but Ronan's grumpiness and Natalie mentioning her weight was tiresome. No one wants to hear or think about that while reading haha.
The Mischief Bay series (4 stars) and The Boardwalk Bookshop (4 stars) remain my favorites by this author.
Location: Happily Inc., California
Audiobook
September 28, 2018
Another mega-adorable addition to the Happily Inc series!
It was sweet and funny and a little heartbreaking.
I just adored Ronan and Natalie.
Natalie is this super happy, always-dancing-in-place-from-the-sheer-joy-of-life kind of person.
And Ronan - he's basically the total opposite.
But they just fit. Perfectly.
It takes him a little while to get over everything in his past - but the reader has an amazing witnessing that journey.
I JUST LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!
If I had to complain about something? It was mayyybe a tiiiny little bit too long. The middle part was a bit slowish - but I still absolutely adored reading it!
♡
♡
♡
September 22, 2018
2.5 stars: Why Not Tonight is the third book in the Happily, Inc series. This one is Ronan and Natalie's story. I have been kind of iffy on this series so far. I'm sad to say this one is my least favorite of the three. Natalie works as an admin assistant in the art gallery in town. She decides to drive her car in a major storm up the mountain to check on Ronan. The weather forces her to stay at his house for a few days. The couple get to know each other a bit better and see a different side of each other.
What frustrates me about this series as well as this book is the lack of chemistry between all of the couples so far. Ronan and Natalie have zero chemistry. Even their friends are surprised when they find out the couple is sleeping together. It's hard to enjoy a romance where there is no chemistry. The HEA was sweet, but not really enough. Ronan and Natalie were also kind of so-so characters. While I liked Natalie's spunk and love of life, she was still kind of annoying. I got tired of the constant reminders of her financial situation and comparing herself to the other more established artists who made more money. Ronan was beyond frustrating in his denial that Elaine was his mom. I felt bad for her and she barely in the book. I still think the man needs some major therapy. I did cheer Natalie on when she called him out on his BS.
It's not a bad book and it wasn't an awful read. I just want more from this series. The next book, Not Quite Over You, comes out next month. It's Silver's story. I'll be reading it, but if that couple isn't any better, then I will probably be calling it a day with this series.
What frustrates me about this series as well as this book is the lack of chemistry between all of the couples so far. Ronan and Natalie have zero chemistry. Even their friends are surprised when they find out the couple is sleeping together. It's hard to enjoy a romance where there is no chemistry. The HEA was sweet, but not really enough. Ronan and Natalie were also kind of so-so characters. While I liked Natalie's spunk and love of life, she was still kind of annoying. I got tired of the constant reminders of her financial situation and comparing herself to the other more established artists who made more money. Ronan was beyond frustrating in his denial that Elaine was his mom. I felt bad for her and she barely in the book. I still think the man needs some major therapy. I did cheer Natalie on when she called him out on his BS.
It's not a bad book and it wasn't an awful read. I just want more from this series. The next book, Not Quite Over You, comes out next month. It's Silver's story. I'll be reading it, but if that couple isn't any better, then I will probably be calling it a day with this series.
August 8, 2018
I’d recently read a couple of dark historical romances back to back. While they were amazing, I felt like I needed a change of scenery. Something contemporary and lighter. Susan Mallery’s newest addition to her Happily Inc series was just the ticket. This one is guaranteed to bring you joy and tug at your heartstrings. If you’re feeling in a rut and looking for a little inspiration, why not try Why Not Tonight?
As part time office manager of Willow Gallery, Natalie Kaleta was responsible for all the local artists. All 3 of them. The Mitchell brothers were Happily Inc’s local brilliant and extremely lucrative talent. At present, Natalie was dealing with the very handsome but brooding and reclusive Ronan Mitchell. She’d noticed his withdrawal and lack of production the last few months. While she was sure he’d see her as an annoyance, she was determined to get him back on track.
While Ronan Mitchell had made quite a living for himself as an artist, lately whatever creativity he’d had was gone. He’d lost his mojo. He’d come to Happily Inc to find himself again. After discovering the truth behind his birth, he felt betrayed and lost. He didn’t know who he was anymore. He’d distanced himself from the only family he’d ever known. When Natalie showed up at his mountain home with her sunny, excited personality, he was grateful for the distraction. And after torrential rains and mudslides left them stranded together, Ronan, who usually preferred to be alone, realized he didn’t want her to leave.
Ronan and Natalie built a friendship in their time alone together. She realized he was more open than she’d thought. In addition to his mad artistic abilities, he had a great sense of humor. Ronan liked Natalie’s zest for life and feisty attitude. Just being near her made him feel better. It was hard to brood when she refused to let him do it. He found himself slowly opening up to her about things he’d not even discussed with his brothers. Even after the storms subsided and she went home, he anticipated spending time with her. The more time he spent with Natalie, the more focused he became. He felt inspired. Not just to work but to spend time with his brothers too. Natalie looked forward to time spent with Ronan as well. He was kind, affectionate, handsome, and talented. She felt connected to him. Things quickly turned from friendship to something more. And when it did, both Ronan and Natalie were torn. Ronan didn’t want the darker spirit he’d cultivated the last few months to destroy Natalie’s optimistic spirit and vivacity. As quickly as she was falling for Ronan, Natalie couldn’t give her heart to someone who didn’t treasure their connection as much as she did. Ronan had already turned his back on his family. Could she trust him not to turn his back on her too?
Natalie and Ronan’s friends considered them to be too opposite for a relationship to work. There were definitely big differences between them. They came from completely different backgrounds. Ronan had taken his well-to-do upbringing for granted while Natalie had struggled for everything she had. Ronan brooded about his family, the secret that had been kept from him, and his fears of being like his father. Natalie had lost the only family she’d ever known but had worked to make the best of her life and find connections with friends. I think it was what they wanted in life and the way they encouraged each other that made those differences not matter so much. They were both artistic and encouraged and supported one another in their crafts. They both wanted to belong to family. Ronan had never really lost his. He just had to figure that out for himself. Though not related by blood, Natalie found she had formed her own family of sorts with her Happily Inc friends.
Ronan and Natalie really were cute together. I loved their teasing, competitiveness, and snarky banter. I found it funny that, even when Ronan was saying it would be temporary, he was cleaning out his closets and drawers for Natalie at his house. He just needed to quit moping and figure things out. Natalie pushed him to do that, and that’s why I loved her character so much. She didn’t back down. She said what she thought. When Ronan was acting like a butthead, she called him on it. He had sunk so far into anger and confusion about his family that he couldn’t find his way out. Natalie brought him back to the land of the living. With her, the dark things in his life didn’t seem so grim, and the good parts of his life were even better.
While I had read and loved the Fool’s Gold series, this was the first I’d read of the Happily Inc series. I was able to read it as a stand-alone but couldn’t help but feel like it would have been even better had I read the first two books in the series. There were so many references to previous happenings with characters that I felt like I wasn’t getting the whole picture. I’ll be sure to catch up before the next book comes out though, because I am definitely intrigued by several of the secondary characters in this book.
It had been a while since I had read Susan Mallery. I’d forgotten just how vibrant and relatable her characters are. I love the wit, warmth, and wisdom I find in her books. If you’re a Fool’s Gold fan, you’ll fall in love with Happily Inc. Like that series, this one is brilliantly written, funny, moving, and sure to make you feel good about life, love, family, and friends, and all the crazy things that come with them.
As part time office manager of Willow Gallery, Natalie Kaleta was responsible for all the local artists. All 3 of them. The Mitchell brothers were Happily Inc’s local brilliant and extremely lucrative talent. At present, Natalie was dealing with the very handsome but brooding and reclusive Ronan Mitchell. She’d noticed his withdrawal and lack of production the last few months. While she was sure he’d see her as an annoyance, she was determined to get him back on track.
While Ronan Mitchell had made quite a living for himself as an artist, lately whatever creativity he’d had was gone. He’d lost his mojo. He’d come to Happily Inc to find himself again. After discovering the truth behind his birth, he felt betrayed and lost. He didn’t know who he was anymore. He’d distanced himself from the only family he’d ever known. When Natalie showed up at his mountain home with her sunny, excited personality, he was grateful for the distraction. And after torrential rains and mudslides left them stranded together, Ronan, who usually preferred to be alone, realized he didn’t want her to leave.
Ronan and Natalie built a friendship in their time alone together. She realized he was more open than she’d thought. In addition to his mad artistic abilities, he had a great sense of humor. Ronan liked Natalie’s zest for life and feisty attitude. Just being near her made him feel better. It was hard to brood when she refused to let him do it. He found himself slowly opening up to her about things he’d not even discussed with his brothers. Even after the storms subsided and she went home, he anticipated spending time with her. The more time he spent with Natalie, the more focused he became. He felt inspired. Not just to work but to spend time with his brothers too. Natalie looked forward to time spent with Ronan as well. He was kind, affectionate, handsome, and talented. She felt connected to him. Things quickly turned from friendship to something more. And when it did, both Ronan and Natalie were torn. Ronan didn’t want the darker spirit he’d cultivated the last few months to destroy Natalie’s optimistic spirit and vivacity. As quickly as she was falling for Ronan, Natalie couldn’t give her heart to someone who didn’t treasure their connection as much as she did. Ronan had already turned his back on his family. Could she trust him not to turn his back on her too?
Natalie and Ronan’s friends considered them to be too opposite for a relationship to work. There were definitely big differences between them. They came from completely different backgrounds. Ronan had taken his well-to-do upbringing for granted while Natalie had struggled for everything she had. Ronan brooded about his family, the secret that had been kept from him, and his fears of being like his father. Natalie had lost the only family she’d ever known but had worked to make the best of her life and find connections with friends. I think it was what they wanted in life and the way they encouraged each other that made those differences not matter so much. They were both artistic and encouraged and supported one another in their crafts. They both wanted to belong to family. Ronan had never really lost his. He just had to figure that out for himself. Though not related by blood, Natalie found she had formed her own family of sorts with her Happily Inc friends.
Ronan and Natalie really were cute together. I loved their teasing, competitiveness, and snarky banter. I found it funny that, even when Ronan was saying it would be temporary, he was cleaning out his closets and drawers for Natalie at his house. He just needed to quit moping and figure things out. Natalie pushed him to do that, and that’s why I loved her character so much. She didn’t back down. She said what she thought. When Ronan was acting like a butthead, she called him on it. He had sunk so far into anger and confusion about his family that he couldn’t find his way out. Natalie brought him back to the land of the living. With her, the dark things in his life didn’t seem so grim, and the good parts of his life were even better.
While I had read and loved the Fool’s Gold series, this was the first I’d read of the Happily Inc series. I was able to read it as a stand-alone but couldn’t help but feel like it would have been even better had I read the first two books in the series. There were so many references to previous happenings with characters that I felt like I wasn’t getting the whole picture. I’ll be sure to catch up before the next book comes out though, because I am definitely intrigued by several of the secondary characters in this book.
It had been a while since I had read Susan Mallery. I’d forgotten just how vibrant and relatable her characters are. I love the wit, warmth, and wisdom I find in her books. If you’re a Fool’s Gold fan, you’ll fall in love with Happily Inc. Like that series, this one is brilliantly written, funny, moving, and sure to make you feel good about life, love, family, and friends, and all the crazy things that come with them.
April 30, 2020
3 stars
This was a cute and light read, with some definite highlights, but overall nothing memorable. Mallery creates very tight series where she creates whole towns that are all interconnected, and her Happily Inc one is tied to popular Fool's Gold series. She does all this very well and reading these books makes me want to abandon my love of big cities and move to a small town lol.
The first three books in this series feature three brothers who all grew up in Fool's Gold (my favorite is the second one, Second Chance Girl ). This book is about Ronan, the quiet-tortured-grouchy brother. I was excited to read his story, because I like that kind of hero and we've seen him in both of the two previous books, so have seen how full-on grouchy and isolated he is. I loved his pairing with Nathalie, who is a positive and outgoing character; they're a good balance and it's a good match (in theory) ... The reality ended up being a bit different.
There was a total lack of chemistry; I felt no spark and their relationship ended up coming off very bland and flat. Also, Nathalie really got on my nerves—it felt like she had this savior complex: from both of their perspectives, it was always about what she was bringing to the relationship and what she was adding to his life; it seemed like the only things that Nathalie appreciated from Ronan, out loud or in her head, was his rockin' hot bod and how rich he was. (To be clear though, she did NOT come off as a gold-digger in any way; that's not what I'm saying). Nathalie was too glorified, while Ronan was too ... not vilified, that's too strong a word, but something along those lines; he was the problem that needed to be fixed.
I also really, really disliked her ranting and raving at Ronan, especially in one scene, that he needed to stop feeling sorry for himself because of what happened with his family (see below on those details). She lists all these other horrible things that could be happening in his life, trying to show how what he's gone through hasn't been bad. I abhor this "pain olympics" that often happens in society, and strongly believe that people have a right to be upset and deeply affected by whatever happens to them—there will ALWAYS be people worse off, there will ALWAYS be people going through supreme dire circumstances, but that in no way lessens that person's pain or its validity. (I'm probably heavily influenced by this because of my experience with mental illness, and the reaction and criticism, along these very same lines, that people suffering from these issues have to deal with). To me, it really felt like Nathalie minimizing and invalidating Ronan's feelings; there were far more supportive ways for her to try and help him see his situation in a different light and finally confront it.
This whole back story of Ronan's was one of the reason's I found him so compelling and was excited about his story. Such a huge twist and how on earth would someone deal with a situation like that, especially given the existing family dynamics and characters? There was a lot of potential for character development and emotional depth with a setup like this. So what happened? A little before Book 1, Ronan's father (who is a supreme egotistical asshole) reveals to him and his four brothers that Elaine, his wife and their mother, is actually not Ronan's mother; he grew up thinking that he and Mathias were fraternal twins, but it turns out their father had an affair and the woman gave birth a few weeks within Elaine giving birth (to Mathias), so when Elaine took Ronan in, she created the story that they were fraternal twins. This has been a shock through Ronan's life and made him feel completely alienated and isolated—and understandably, especially given his father's character (or lack thereof)!!
BOTTOM LINE. Sadly, I have to say that I wouldn't recommend it. I would steer you to Book 2 instead (read my review).
*This review is of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Some changes and/or edits may be made to the final published version.
This was a cute and light read, with some definite highlights, but overall nothing memorable. Mallery creates very tight series where she creates whole towns that are all interconnected, and her Happily Inc one is tied to popular Fool's Gold series. She does all this very well and reading these books makes me want to abandon my love of big cities and move to a small town lol.
The first three books in this series feature three brothers who all grew up in Fool's Gold (my favorite is the second one, Second Chance Girl ). This book is about Ronan, the quiet-tortured-grouchy brother. I was excited to read his story, because I like that kind of hero and we've seen him in both of the two previous books, so have seen how full-on grouchy and isolated he is. I loved his pairing with Nathalie, who is a positive and outgoing character; they're a good balance and it's a good match (in theory) ... The reality ended up being a bit different.
There was a total lack of chemistry; I felt no spark and their relationship ended up coming off very bland and flat. Also, Nathalie really got on my nerves—it felt like she had this savior complex: from both of their perspectives, it was always about what she was bringing to the relationship and what she was adding to his life; it seemed like the only things that Nathalie appreciated from Ronan, out loud or in her head, was his rockin' hot bod and how rich he was. (To be clear though, she did NOT come off as a gold-digger in any way; that's not what I'm saying). Nathalie was too glorified, while Ronan was too ... not vilified, that's too strong a word, but something along those lines; he was the problem that needed to be fixed.
I also really, really disliked her ranting and raving at Ronan, especially in one scene, that he needed to stop feeling sorry for himself because of what happened with his family (see below on those details). She lists all these other horrible things that could be happening in his life, trying to show how what he's gone through hasn't been bad. I abhor this "pain olympics" that often happens in society, and strongly believe that people have a right to be upset and deeply affected by whatever happens to them—there will ALWAYS be people worse off, there will ALWAYS be people going through supreme dire circumstances, but that in no way lessens that person's pain or its validity. (I'm probably heavily influenced by this because of my experience with mental illness, and the reaction and criticism, along these very same lines, that people suffering from these issues have to deal with). To me, it really felt like Nathalie minimizing and invalidating Ronan's feelings; there were far more supportive ways for her to try and help him see his situation in a different light and finally confront it.
This whole back story of Ronan's was one of the reason's I found him so compelling and was excited about his story. Such a huge twist and how on earth would someone deal with a situation like that, especially given the existing family dynamics and characters? There was a lot of potential for character development and emotional depth with a setup like this. So what happened? A little before Book 1, Ronan's father (who is a supreme egotistical asshole) reveals to him and his four brothers that Elaine, his wife and their mother, is actually not Ronan's mother; he grew up thinking that he and Mathias were fraternal twins, but it turns out their father had an affair and the woman gave birth a few weeks within Elaine giving birth (to Mathias), so when Elaine took Ronan in, she created the story that they were fraternal twins. This has been a shock through Ronan's life and made him feel completely alienated and isolated—and understandably, especially given his father's character (or lack thereof)!!
BOTTOM LINE. Sadly, I have to say that I wouldn't recommend it. I would steer you to Book 2 instead (read my review).
*This review is of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Some changes and/or edits may be made to the final published version.
October 2, 2018
3.75
Two artists, a case of opposites attract. One is a positive, talkative woman with a sunny disposition, the other, a semi-recluse man who's also closed off emotionally.
Ronan Mitchell is a notorious creator whose life changed in a matter of seconds when he learned that his mother is not his mother, making his twin Mathias not being his twin. Even now he's still angry and can't forgive the people who lied to him, nor can't he carry on as if nothing had happened. But what begin as a brief stay at Ronan's house, halfway up to the mountain to see how's he doing since they haven't heard from him for a couple of days at the gallery where he work with his brothers and Natalie, will soon become the chance to get to know each other outside of work, to realize they love what they see, what they hear and what they feel when they're together. But can Ronan get rid of all his baggage and let Natalie's light shine on him or is he gonna let anger ruin the best thing that could ever happen to him ?
For me, Why Not Tonight was a case of it's the characters who made the book. Otherwise, I think I might have found it boring. But I adored Natalie, her zest for life, that she was always hopeful and helped the hero get out of his head and his isolation. And the fact that she understood it was not her role to make him change his mind but just to show him an other way to see things. A lot of things about Ronan's history and personality talked to me. It was easy for me to understand how he reacted more emotionally and had trouble acting more rationally.
Two artists, a case of opposites attract. One is a positive, talkative woman with a sunny disposition, the other, a semi-recluse man who's also closed off emotionally.
Ronan Mitchell is a notorious creator whose life changed in a matter of seconds when he learned that his mother is not his mother, making his twin Mathias not being his twin. Even now he's still angry and can't forgive the people who lied to him, nor can't he carry on as if nothing had happened. But what begin as a brief stay at Ronan's house, halfway up to the mountain to see how's he doing since they haven't heard from him for a couple of days at the gallery where he work with his brothers and Natalie, will soon become the chance to get to know each other outside of work, to realize they love what they see, what they hear and what they feel when they're together. But can Ronan get rid of all his baggage and let Natalie's light shine on him or is he gonna let anger ruin the best thing that could ever happen to him ?
For me, Why Not Tonight was a case of it's the characters who made the book. Otherwise, I think I might have found it boring. But I adored Natalie, her zest for life, that she was always hopeful and helped the hero get out of his head and his isolation. And the fact that she understood it was not her role to make him change his mind but just to show him an other way to see things. A lot of things about Ronan's history and personality talked to me. It was easy for me to understand how he reacted more emotionally and had trouble acting more rationally.
June 23, 2018
I love this series and the town of Happily Inc! It is the type of town I'd like to live in if I could.
This book focuses on Natalie and Ronan. I like that Natalie is a curvy girl and for the most part owns and rocks her curves. Ronan has a lot of baggage from finding out that he doesn't know who his biological mother is and that the woman that raised him lied to him about being his mother. I like how his brothers and Natalie don't let him wallow in his misery for long....well not too long, they basically tell him to get over himself.
The romance between these two has their ups and downs, but that is what made it a real romance and not a fairy tale. They support each other but also they have their moments where not everything is sunshine and roses.
A quick fun read when you just want to pretend that nothing is wrong with the world.
This book focuses on Natalie and Ronan. I like that Natalie is a curvy girl and for the most part owns and rocks her curves. Ronan has a lot of baggage from finding out that he doesn't know who his biological mother is and that the woman that raised him lied to him about being his mother. I like how his brothers and Natalie don't let him wallow in his misery for long....well not too long, they basically tell him to get over himself.
The romance between these two has their ups and downs, but that is what made it a real romance and not a fairy tale. They support each other but also they have their moments where not everything is sunshine and roses.
A quick fun read when you just want to pretend that nothing is wrong with the world.
February 18, 2019
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
I'm so glad that I finally got around to reading Why Not Tonight. I've been so busy reading other things that I haven't gotten to this one or the one right after it. I'm a naughty girl.
Let me start off by telling you that Why Not Tonight has my favorite couple ever. I totally loved Ronan and Natalie. Ronan is totally messed up for the big turn in his life. I understand why he feels the way he does, I just know it's time for him to man up and join the real world again.
He so needs someone like Natalie. She isn't at all intimidated by him, or the way he acts. In fact she takes it all in stride.
What I really love about Ronan is how he stands behind Natalie and her art. He could be a snob, the man does make millions for his art, but instead he cheers her on. Right there my heart melted for him.
One of the things the catches my heart about these two are the sweet things they do for each other. Natalie makes these cute origami guys and leaves them all over Ronan's home where he finds them. I love that he takes something she loves doing then tries to copy it with his art of choice. So sweet.
These two just work. He at times has a trouble understanding her, but always wants her to be happy. Again, so sweet. He also lets her lead him back to the living. Something he had trouble doing on his own.
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I'm so glad that I finally got around to reading Why Not Tonight. I've been so busy reading other things that I haven't gotten to this one or the one right after it. I'm a naughty girl.
Let me start off by telling you that Why Not Tonight has my favorite couple ever. I totally loved Ronan and Natalie. Ronan is totally messed up for the big turn in his life. I understand why he feels the way he does, I just know it's time for him to man up and join the real world again.
He so needs someone like Natalie. She isn't at all intimidated by him, or the way he acts. In fact she takes it all in stride.
What I really love about Ronan is how he stands behind Natalie and her art. He could be a snob, the man does make millions for his art, but instead he cheers her on. Right there my heart melted for him.
One of the things the catches my heart about these two are the sweet things they do for each other. Natalie makes these cute origami guys and leaves them all over Ronan's home where he finds them. I love that he takes something she loves doing then tries to copy it with his art of choice. So sweet.
These two just work. He at times has a trouble understanding her, but always wants her to be happy. Again, so sweet. He also lets her lead him back to the living. Something he had trouble doing on his own.
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January 23, 2019
This was more of a 2.5 rating. I like Susan Mallery's books but this series has been hit and miss for me. I'm finding too many of the female characters a little too stupid for my liking. In this one we have Natalie and Ronan. It starts off with them spending the night together due to a storm. Of course things happen. However, Ronan is messed up from his past. Honestly I thought he was being ridiculous about it. Thankfully in the end he becomes better about it.
October 8, 2018
I forget how easy it is to fall into a Susan Mallery story! I missed these characters and so happy to read angsty Ronan’s story. I loved the emotion and the togetherness you get from this series. Well done! I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series!
August 28, 2018
Well...I cried!
This book had ALL THE FEELS!
Ronan is WOWZA and Natalie was just what he needed. I love this series! What a fantastic read!
This book had ALL THE FEELS!
Ronan is WOWZA and Natalie was just what he needed. I love this series! What a fantastic read!
December 31, 2018
Loved this one. So much art in this one. I really admire the author's ability to bring to life the art through amazing descriptions. Looking forward to #4. Here we go...
September 21, 2018
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Yet another great book by Susan Mallery. Really enjoying the new series. Can't wait to read more.
September 27, 2018
I have a love/hate relationship with Susan Mallery novels. Usually it starts out love, love, love, and then something happens, and I want to toss the book aside. When I first started reading her stories, she had the heroine get pregnant at some point, which is always a bad prop for a romance writer to use as far as I’m concerned especially if it happens in more than two…three…four novels. Fortunately with the Happily Inc., she’s left out the props (or at least that one)…so far.
Natalie and Ronan’s story is sweet. Natalie gets stranded at Ronan’s house when a storm hits, which knocks down trees, totals Natalie’s car, and makes the road impassable. Since Ronan has become a bit of a recluse, spending most of his time at his home rather than the gallery/studio where Natalie is part-time office manager, they have never been in each other’s company much. This all changes.
Inspired by Natalie’s cheerful disposition (she’s almost manic pixie, but not quite quirky enough–maybe), Ronan begins to create again. And they fall in love.
But Natalie won’t enter a serious relationship with Ronan because she thinks he throws important relationships away, which she can’t abide because she lost her mother and wishes she’d been able to spend more time with her. Ronan, on the other hand, feels betrayed by the woman he thought was his mother. He doesn’t think that Natalie can understand where he is coming from. All true.
The problem here is that Ronan has multiple opportunities to give the situation some real thought, and it isn’t until he’s practically hit over the head with evidence that he caves. This is a shame because, for the most part, I liked Ronan, but brooding idiot can only be carried on so long before it becomes annoying.
However, that didn’t ruin the novel for me. The scenes that come after Ronan is “hit over the head,” so to speak, are well done. Those combined with the charm of Ronan and Natalie as a couple made this an excellent read. And, as we had in the other novels from this series, there’s a lot going on so the reader is never bored.
While this can be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t advise it. I missed the novella in the series and felt like I’d missed some important information–and that was just the novella.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie and Ronan’s story is sweet. Natalie gets stranded at Ronan’s house when a storm hits, which knocks down trees, totals Natalie’s car, and makes the road impassable. Since Ronan has become a bit of a recluse, spending most of his time at his home rather than the gallery/studio where Natalie is part-time office manager, they have never been in each other’s company much. This all changes.
Inspired by Natalie’s cheerful disposition (she’s almost manic pixie, but not quite quirky enough–maybe), Ronan begins to create again. And they fall in love.
But Natalie won’t enter a serious relationship with Ronan because she thinks he throws important relationships away, which she can’t abide because she lost her mother and wishes she’d been able to spend more time with her. Ronan, on the other hand, feels betrayed by the woman he thought was his mother. He doesn’t think that Natalie can understand where he is coming from. All true.
The problem here is that Ronan has multiple opportunities to give the situation some real thought, and it isn’t until he’s practically hit over the head with evidence that he caves. This is a shame because, for the most part, I liked Ronan, but brooding idiot can only be carried on so long before it becomes annoying.
However, that didn’t ruin the novel for me. The scenes that come after Ronan is “hit over the head,” so to speak, are well done. Those combined with the charm of Ronan and Natalie as a couple made this an excellent read. And, as we had in the other novels from this series, there’s a lot going on so the reader is never bored.
While this can be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t advise it. I missed the novella in the series and felt like I’d missed some important information–and that was just the novella.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2020
I didn’t particularly care for this book.
1. The author missed out on a great opportunity. In the previous 2 books Ronan seemed like a complex character. Yet the author chose to write him, from the very beginning of this book, in the most basic way. So much more could have been done with his character and his journey.
2. I listened as an audiobook as I did with the previous 2 books and thought that she did a good job. Same narrator in this book yet she chose to read Natalie with a munchkin voice. That on top of how ridiculously annoying this character is was like nails on a chalkboard.
3. Ronan and Natalie’s characters were unbelievable and annoying. Add their repetitive inner monologue, and it made this book tough to finish.
** SPOILER **
Why was Ronan so bent on hating the woman who loved and raised him? Why be an ass to his brothers? Seriously??? Made NO sense. Then he talks for 5 minutes with his real mom and NOW all is good? Ridiculous
Natalie wanting to have a baby as a single mom when she keeps harping on how little money she has? Ugh
1. The author missed out on a great opportunity. In the previous 2 books Ronan seemed like a complex character. Yet the author chose to write him, from the very beginning of this book, in the most basic way. So much more could have been done with his character and his journey.
2. I listened as an audiobook as I did with the previous 2 books and thought that she did a good job. Same narrator in this book yet she chose to read Natalie with a munchkin voice. That on top of how ridiculously annoying this character is was like nails on a chalkboard.
3. Ronan and Natalie’s characters were unbelievable and annoying. Add their repetitive inner monologue, and it made this book tough to finish.
** SPOILER **
Why was Ronan so bent on hating the woman who loved and raised him? Why be an ass to his brothers? Seriously??? Made NO sense. Then he talks for 5 minutes with his real mom and NOW all is good? Ridiculous
Natalie wanting to have a baby as a single mom when she keeps harping on how little money she has? Ugh
September 21, 2018
See the full review at HarlequinJunkie.com
Utterly charming and ridiculously fun, Why Not Tonight was another lovely trek back to Happily Inc with a whole new romance to enjoy. Susan Mallery also caught us up with previous characters and gave us some interesting lead ins for upcoming books. (Yay!!)
I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it many times again, but Susan Mallery’s small town romances are one of my literary happy places. There’s just something so realistic about the quirky characters she writes and the lively dialogue that makes me laugh. That was definitely true of Natalie and Ronan. Oh my goodness but they were a riot together. Read More
Utterly charming and ridiculously fun, Why Not Tonight was another lovely trek back to Happily Inc with a whole new romance to enjoy. Susan Mallery also caught us up with previous characters and gave us some interesting lead ins for upcoming books. (Yay!!)
I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it many times again, but Susan Mallery’s small town romances are one of my literary happy places. There’s just something so realistic about the quirky characters she writes and the lively dialogue that makes me laugh. That was definitely true of Natalie and Ronan. Oh my goodness but they were a riot together. Read More
February 15, 2020
Ronan Mitchell
Natalie Kaleta
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4 stars
Listen 9/10/19
Natalie Kaleta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 stars
Listen 9/10/19
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