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Her Last First... #2
Gambling on a Gentleman
A society gentleman with a secret. An art expert who can expose him. An attraction neither of them can deny.
Alice Donnelly prefers paintings of medieval people to actual people, and classical art to the nonsense coming from contemporary artists. She also has a healthy disdain for the rich and ignorant who hire her to curate their collections, obsessed with valuing their financial worth without ever understanding the art. But her family depends on her paychecks, and so she reluctantly accepts a commission to assess the collection of one of Britain's most venerable aristocratic families.
When she meets the handsome and charismatic Geoffrey on her flight to London, she makes it clear she's immune to his charms. She has no time for romance. Not when she's starting the biggest job of her career.
Except it turns out that it's Geoffrey's family who has hired her, and now she must spend all her working hours trying not to fall for his charms. But much like a master painting, Geoffrey's layers draw her in against her better judgment.
As Geoffrey's secrets unravel, can Alice trust the privileged aristocrat with an artist's soul to see past her own baggage? Or is she just another way for him to rebel against his family?
Alice Donnelly prefers paintings of medieval people to actual people, and classical art to the nonsense coming from contemporary artists. She also has a healthy disdain for the rich and ignorant who hire her to curate their collections, obsessed with valuing their financial worth without ever understanding the art. But her family depends on her paychecks, and so she reluctantly accepts a commission to assess the collection of one of Britain's most venerable aristocratic families.
When she meets the handsome and charismatic Geoffrey on her flight to London, she makes it clear she's immune to his charms. She has no time for romance. Not when she's starting the biggest job of her career.
Except it turns out that it's Geoffrey's family who has hired her, and now she must spend all her working hours trying not to fall for his charms. But much like a master painting, Geoffrey's layers draw her in against her better judgment.
As Geoffrey's secrets unravel, can Alice trust the privileged aristocrat with an artist's soul to see past her own baggage? Or is she just another way for him to rebel against his family?
165 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2020
82 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
February 2, 2020
Romance, clean; series but stand alone read
Alice and Geoff's story, from their meeting on the London Flight, to their introduction at his family home and there and back again, was a fun, witty, romantic read! Gorgeous settings, and heartfelt, honest characters trying to make things right for themselves and others. The Art collections, the interactions with others, the nobility issues, and of course, Alice's love of art and insight into Geoff's/G's work with the connections she made to the famous painting was so well done. Loved it! I think this is one that will sit with me for a bit.
Alice and Geoff's story, from their meeting on the London Flight, to their introduction at his family home and there and back again, was a fun, witty, romantic read! Gorgeous settings, and heartfelt, honest characters trying to make things right for themselves and others. The Art collections, the interactions with others, the nobility issues, and of course, Alice's love of art and insight into Geoff's/G's work with the connections she made to the famous painting was so well done. Loved it! I think this is one that will sit with me for a bit.
August 31, 2022
First of all, isn't that the cutest cover?? I'm an art major so I enjoyed the plot and details about curating and discovering masterpieces. The setting in England was my fave! I traveled abroad for the first time last summer and now I enjoy books with European settings even more. The meet-cute seemed too coincidental for me, but it made for a fun setup as Alice and Geoffrey embark on restoring his family's financial situation and saving the estate. For some reason the chemistry fell flat for me- I think it had to do with not enough anticipation and romantic tension. There was also more telling than showing when it came to analyzing and reassessing their feelings for each other. Overall it was a pleasant diversion to read and see how the complicated family dynamics throw wrenches into both their relationship and professional goals.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
January 28, 2020
(4.5 stars) - A sure thing!
Geoffrey is a man of the contemporary British aristocracy. Despite financial issues, mainly owing to his dad's profligacy, he's lived a comfortable life of privilege.
Alice is an American & a survivor from the hardscrabble life of picking herself & her family up after the family's farm was lost mainly due to her father's irresponsibility.
The story is really good. Love of medieval art brings them together in an amusing meet-cute.
Alice seems a little too hard at first, which had me worried that I wasn't going to like her much, but turns out she's mostly tough in a good way.
Geoffrey's a swoony level nice guy (his exchanges with Ardis cracked me up), but he was too non-confrontational which made him mushy at times & then squirrelly - frustrating. But then he has an epiphany that despite their differences, he's unwittingly imitating his father.
So Geoffrey was a little frustrating initially - an imperfect hero - but his character grows significantly & realistically before the book is over in a very satisfying arc.
Alice doesn't experience character growth like Geoffrey - she's already been thru the school of hard knocks, & she's resilient as well as self-sufficient. But she has a moment when she has to make a choice, & she's wonderfully intelligent & non-angsty about it. That's when I decided I love her!
Alice has the resiliency, scrappy toughness, & determination that Geoffrey needs; and Geoffrey softens Alice's tough edges. They're a happily-ever-after level fit!
*Clean romance level: passionate kisses, nothing graphic
Geoffrey is a man of the contemporary British aristocracy. Despite financial issues, mainly owing to his dad's profligacy, he's lived a comfortable life of privilege.
Alice is an American & a survivor from the hardscrabble life of picking herself & her family up after the family's farm was lost mainly due to her father's irresponsibility.
The story is really good. Love of medieval art brings them together in an amusing meet-cute.
Alice seems a little too hard at first, which had me worried that I wasn't going to like her much, but turns out she's mostly tough in a good way.
Geoffrey's a swoony level nice guy (his exchanges with Ardis cracked me up), but he was too non-confrontational which made him mushy at times & then squirrelly - frustrating. But then he has an epiphany that despite their differences, he's unwittingly imitating his father.
So Geoffrey was a little frustrating initially - an imperfect hero - but his character grows significantly & realistically before the book is over in a very satisfying arc.
Alice doesn't experience character growth like Geoffrey - she's already been thru the school of hard knocks, & she's resilient as well as self-sufficient. But she has a moment when she has to make a choice, & she's wonderfully intelligent & non-angsty about it. That's when I decided I love her!
Alice has the resiliency, scrappy toughness, & determination that Geoffrey needs; and Geoffrey softens Alice's tough edges. They're a happily-ever-after level fit!
*Clean romance level: passionate kisses, nothing graphic
January 25, 2020
Gambling on a Gentleman is Brenna Jacobs at her finest! Overall, I have enjoyed the ABCs of Love series, but a few of the books have fallen a bit below my expectations. This one however, definitely raised the bar again and kept me interested and excited through the whole story. I read this novel in one afternoon, I just had to know how things between and Alice and Geoffrey were going to work out.
The humor in the novel, even making jokes about feeling like the main character was living out a Hallmark movie plot, was fantastic and I definitely smiled a lot. I like that Geoffrey's modern-day British aristocracy world wasn't perfect. The way his character had to come to terms with reality and deal with it felt real and vulnerable. I also enjoyed that Alice quickly recognized who Geoffrey really was once she started talking to him about the art. It was believable the way they fell so deeply for one another. This is definitely a sweet contemporary romance I would recommend.
The humor in the novel, even making jokes about feeling like the main character was living out a Hallmark movie plot, was fantastic and I definitely smiled a lot. I like that Geoffrey's modern-day British aristocracy world wasn't perfect. The way his character had to come to terms with reality and deal with it felt real and vulnerable. I also enjoyed that Alice quickly recognized who Geoffrey really was once she started talking to him about the art. It was believable the way they fell so deeply for one another. This is definitely a sweet contemporary romance I would recommend.
January 23, 2020
G is for Gratifying
Another gratifying read by author Brenna Jacobs who continues on this ABC dating road with the 7th book in this series. You’ll want to carve out time in your day to read, or if you have to be somewhere on time, make sure you set an alarm. You’ll get caught up in the book and lose track of time! I enjoyed the down to earth characters of Alice and Geoffrey. While from two very different backgrounds, they have a lot in common. Take away the wealth of one, and their families aren’t so very different. When things get tough and Geoffrey could lose it all, will he listen to Alice and the hard things she has to say? Are THEY worth fighting for?
(Quite a few fun facts in the books as well... I didn’t know the story of the River Thames.)
This is my honest review in exchange for an early copy of the book.
Another gratifying read by author Brenna Jacobs who continues on this ABC dating road with the 7th book in this series. You’ll want to carve out time in your day to read, or if you have to be somewhere on time, make sure you set an alarm. You’ll get caught up in the book and lose track of time! I enjoyed the down to earth characters of Alice and Geoffrey. While from two very different backgrounds, they have a lot in common. Take away the wealth of one, and their families aren’t so very different. When things get tough and Geoffrey could lose it all, will he listen to Alice and the hard things she has to say? Are THEY worth fighting for?
(Quite a few fun facts in the books as well... I didn’t know the story of the River Thames.)
This is my honest review in exchange for an early copy of the book.
January 29, 2020
Brenna Jacobs novels are always a fun time. This one is super fun and I like that it's a premise I don't see a lot and delves into some smart art stuff and interesting cultural differences. But also, the characters are fun and easy to cheer for.
January 19, 2022
What a fun read! When a problem arises, learn to stare it in the face, and find a solution. I so loved, this one.
March 25, 2020
I love a good contemporary romance! Brenna Jacobs books are some of my very favorites. You can find all of this series in my what to read next box below. You can’t go wrong with any of them. And they can be read in pretty much any order. What a great thing!
This book starts with Geoffrey on an airplane to England. I loved the first chapter, there were so many things that made me laugh. Geoffrey is used to the finer things in life and he ends up sitting by Alice on the very last row of coach. So FUNNY!
And Alice is not just any random person that he’s sitting by. She happens to be on her way to have an interview in England with Geoffrey and his mom. I loved the way Geoffrey knew who Alice was, but Alice didn’t have any idea who he was. And later in the book things flip-flop to where Alice knows something about Geoffrey that he doesn’t know she knows.
This book made me smile, laugh and forget where I was for a while. I loved that!
I borrowed a copy of Gambling on a Gentleman using my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own.
This book starts with Geoffrey on an airplane to England. I loved the first chapter, there were so many things that made me laugh. Geoffrey is used to the finer things in life and he ends up sitting by Alice on the very last row of coach. So FUNNY!
And Alice is not just any random person that he’s sitting by. She happens to be on her way to have an interview in England with Geoffrey and his mom. I loved the way Geoffrey knew who Alice was, but Alice didn’t have any idea who he was. And later in the book things flip-flop to where Alice knows something about Geoffrey that he doesn’t know she knows.
This book made me smile, laugh and forget where I was for a while. I loved that!
I borrowed a copy of Gambling on a Gentleman using my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own.
January 29, 2021
I always have problems with employer-employee relationships - it's not OK. And though the main characters know it too, they still go ahead with it. Happily Alice had more self-control (kinda) and stopped herself on a couple of times. I liked her more than I liked Geoff. She was honest, a fighter, has been through a lot. Geoffrey was a spoiled privileged guy, although his artistic side made him more sensitive and not such a big snobb. Anyway, it was difficul to get these two together, they were from two very different worlds. And he made some pretty big mistakes. Happily he latter corrected them, which saved the book. But I'm not an insta-love kinda girl. So I had issues with this story. That being said and inspite of all the things that bugged me, I think the author did a fairy good job in this one. At least I could feel the main characters connecting (in the short time they were together).
Narrative: 3rd person following Geoffrey and Alice
Religion: none
Sensuality: clean, only some kissing
Narrative: 3rd person following Geoffrey and Alice
Religion: none
Sensuality: clean, only some kissing
January 28, 2020
I really enjoyed this clean romance story from the imagination of Brenna Jacobs. It features a British royal, Lord Grey aka Geoffrey Grey-Chatsworth who was heir to a title and a huge debt on his family's estate. Geoffrey falls for Alice, an American woman he hired to curate his family's valuable art collection so that his family can turn the estate into a museum to raise money for its upkeep. Everything about the couple's romance felt like it could actually happen in real life and it will make you swoon as you go through the story arc of their first meeting, the excitement of finding a kindred soul, hitting rough patches that amplify their different upbringings, to true love. Sigh. I loved it! You will too! (Heads up to those who are sensitive, there is a little bit of stronger language sprinkled in.) I received an ARC and this is my voluntary and honest review.
January 25, 2020
Thoroughly charming story, from the meet-cute to the gratifying ending.
It was easy for me to fall in love with smart, strong, and capable Alice, a heroine who had learned the hard way to stand up for herself and fight for what's important to her. And it was equally easy to be charmed by kind, funny, and swoon-worthy Geoffrey - even though his occasional waffling (and, of course, him messing up a perfectly good thing) made me sometimes want to shake some sense into him.
Overall, this is a lovely, well-written story of redemption and of hope that made me equally smile and swoon. Although it's not *quite* my favorite of the series (as of today, that's still "Embracing Her Ever After"), it's a close second. :)
It was easy for me to fall in love with smart, strong, and capable Alice, a heroine who had learned the hard way to stand up for herself and fight for what's important to her. And it was equally easy to be charmed by kind, funny, and swoon-worthy Geoffrey - even though his occasional waffling (and, of course, him messing up a perfectly good thing) made me sometimes want to shake some sense into him.
Overall, this is a lovely, well-written story of redemption and of hope that made me equally smile and swoon. Although it's not *quite* my favorite of the series (as of today, that's still "Embracing Her Ever After"), it's a close second. :)
February 13, 2020
As always, Brenna Jacobs created a fun and intriguing love story in her ABC's of love. Geoffrey and Alice have a heart melting meet cute as Geoffrey shows his perfect gentlemanly character in giving up his first class seat for a miserable, motion-sick, pregnant woman. While Alice is skeptical of this intriguing gentleman who takes the seat next to her, she is surprised to find he is the aristocrat she is hoping to work for. Can they work past misconceptions from previous flames and differences in station?
Brenna Jacob wove a captivating story with sweet anticipation of beautiful art work, almost kisses, and moments of heart-stopping romance. She adds in the tender moments of Geoffrey's humbling from wealthy gentleman to every day man with traces of humor written between lines. The reader truly felt both perspectives throughout their tale.
Every installment of Brenna's ABCs of Love makes me swoon with joy as I get to escape into the beauty of her writing. This one is no different.
Brenna Jacob wove a captivating story with sweet anticipation of beautiful art work, almost kisses, and moments of heart-stopping romance. She adds in the tender moments of Geoffrey's humbling from wealthy gentleman to every day man with traces of humor written between lines. The reader truly felt both perspectives throughout their tale.
Every installment of Brenna's ABCs of Love makes me swoon with joy as I get to escape into the beauty of her writing. This one is no different.
June 25, 2021
The quality of writing was great. I loved the meet cute too. Always fun on an airplane. Personally, I liked the book and would recommend it, but I felt like it built this great beginning and sped through the end. It isn't a long book, it's short and sweet, and maybe that is why? But overall it was a cute read. I did like how the main characters were from such different worlds. The stereotypical English gentleman of leisure and the down to earth, hardworking, farming heritage, American woman. I didn't appreciate it probably as much as an art connoisseur would have. I think a lot went over my head in terms of what certain pieces were and why they were so important. That was probably a reason I would give this book a 3.
January 8, 2023
Delve into the world of renaissance art and British aristocracy
What a different premise to have, British blue-blood and a street smart sassy American curator. He was an artist incognito making modern art from throwaway items inspired by 14th century religious art. She was the expert not only savvy enough to spot a fake but a masterpiece rescued from a flea market. There is very much a push and pull between high brow British aristocracy and low income American working class. This was matched in the push/pull of their relationship as Lord B had to decide what was really important and if British stiff upper lip was as important as the blue-bloods made it out to be. Clean and fun.
What a different premise to have, British blue-blood and a street smart sassy American curator. He was an artist incognito making modern art from throwaway items inspired by 14th century religious art. She was the expert not only savvy enough to spot a fake but a masterpiece rescued from a flea market. There is very much a push and pull between high brow British aristocracy and low income American working class. This was matched in the push/pull of their relationship as Lord B had to decide what was really important and if British stiff upper lip was as important as the blue-bloods made it out to be. Clean and fun.
January 30, 2020
Changing a way of life
Light but definitely not funny, except for their first meeting, the life of a Lord and a working girl took an unexpected turn. He learned the hard way that his easy life as an aristocrat came with a price, he could have it all if he just marry his rich girlfriend but Alice, his prospective curator, has shown him another way of live. Falling in love may be easy but to keep it alive may require some sacrifices. Truly delightful ending, maybe the solution to their problems came a little too easy, but a love story needs a happy ending. I'm glad I read it in one sitting.
Light but definitely not funny, except for their first meeting, the life of a Lord and a working girl took an unexpected turn. He learned the hard way that his easy life as an aristocrat came with a price, he could have it all if he just marry his rich girlfriend but Alice, his prospective curator, has shown him another way of live. Falling in love may be easy but to keep it alive may require some sacrifices. Truly delightful ending, maybe the solution to their problems came a little too easy, but a love story needs a happy ending. I'm glad I read it in one sitting.
May 5, 2021
Good story
I really enjoyed the story. It had interesting characters and good relationship development. I love the side characters, The coworkers, it was touching and sweet are they handled Calvin.
The only things I don’t understand are the title, I don’t see any connection to dancing, and I’m not sure what’s going on with this Brianna Jacobs business. Why aren’t these authors just writing these books under their own name instead of a pen name. And does a Brianna exist at all? I mean I know about authors writing under different names but I’ve never seen where their name and a pen name is on the cover at the same time, it’s just weird to me.
I really enjoyed the story. It had interesting characters and good relationship development. I love the side characters, The coworkers, it was touching and sweet are they handled Calvin.
The only things I don’t understand are the title, I don’t see any connection to dancing, and I’m not sure what’s going on with this Brianna Jacobs business. Why aren’t these authors just writing these books under their own name instead of a pen name. And does a Brianna exist at all? I mean I know about authors writing under different names but I’ve never seen where their name and a pen name is on the cover at the same time, it’s just weird to me.
March 17, 2022
Tbh, I really like this one which is why the rating hurts me.
The characters were good. And I do love British royalty. The plot was good. You know that the author researched really well or is really a fan of art from this book.
My only problem with this book was tge cheating part. It may have been a kiss but I'd still consider that cheating. And from a gentleman.
But if you like London and art and books that have royalty in them, this one may be for you. If you don't mind the cheating part and Anna and the French kiss, this one may be okay for you.
Ps: for a romcom, this one stressed me a little bit with all the financial and familial woes.
The characters were good. And I do love British royalty. The plot was good. You know that the author researched really well or is really a fan of art from this book.
My only problem with this book was tge cheating part. It may have been a kiss but I'd still consider that cheating. And from a gentleman.
But if you like London and art and books that have royalty in them, this one may be for you. If you don't mind the cheating part and Anna and the French kiss, this one may be okay for you.
Ps: for a romcom, this one stressed me a little bit with all the financial and familial woes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2022
What a great book! I liked both Alice and Geoff immediately. And that first meet was fun! It led to a great second meet as well. I loved how open they were with each other. Well, other than Geoff's big secret, which wasn't so secret to Alice for very long. I liked the way things worked out for them. I appreciated the fact that Geoff had to make some difficult decisions instead of everything magically working out. I always love it when there is an epilogue! This was a cute one.
Just have to say though, with the title being Her Last First I Love You, I thought it was quite ironic that the characters never actually say "I love you."
Just have to say though, with the title being Her Last First I Love You, I thought it was quite ironic that the characters never actually say "I love you."
July 15, 2025
This is my first Brittany Larsen book I have read. I listened to the audiobook. This is a clean romance novel and it is very sweet. I would equate it to a Hallmark movie in book form. The plot is pretty straightforward and predictable. The character development needed more, in my opinion. At one point I started not to care too much about the main characters. I enjoyed the art theme as well as I thought the meet cute at the beginning was cute. I would say if you are looking for a simple easy romance read that doesn’t require too much emotional involvement from the reader, this would be a good choice.
January 29, 2020
This was a cute story. I was hooked immediately from the introduction of the main characters on the plane. Although their family situations were very different, they both had family related struggles that I felt gave them a connection. They were both good people, and their selfless actions at times in the story endeared them to me. It was a fast read with a happy ending. As far as content there’s mention of infidelity, kissing and I think there was one mild swear word.
*I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
*I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 30, 2020
Overall this book was an enjoyable read and had me turning the pages to see what would happen next. I thought once "hey, this is like a modern regency romance with the gentlman falling for the middle class lady" I think the interactions with the H & h were well done and good dialogue throughout. The ending was nice and nothing was on the nose. I really appreciate the romance is kept clean. This had everything for a nice, fun, relaxing, enjoyable romance: dialogue, characters & development, flow, tension and resolution.
January 31, 2020
I am a new reader to Brenna Jacobs, and I have loved every one I've read, this book is no exception. I was a little concerned with the main theme of the book being about art, and medieval art at that, however I had no trouble following along (and even learned a thing or two.) I thought I had the plot all figured out, but there were some unexpected twists that showed me I had no idea the direction the story was going. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.
I received an ARC for this book, but this is my own opinion of the book.
I received an ARC for this book, but this is my own opinion of the book.
December 30, 2020
I didn't enjoy this one at all. Simply because of the plot devices used. I don't enjoy storylines with infidelity and I don't enjoy plots about spoiled grown men who refuse to help themselves. And this had both. I probably could have stomached the plot of Geoff's inability to make tough choices regarding his family's finances if the added insult of him stringing along a woman he doesn't love for years. I also don't appreciate when characters in books feel okay to do this because they don't feel the same "connection" to their romantic partner as the do the new person in their life. Didn't like this at all.'
I'll continue with a few more installments in this series but mmm.
I'll continue with a few more installments in this series but mmm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2020
What a fun book to read! I started and finished it in one day! The main characters make you smile and the story was a great "Hallmark Movie" plot. What could be better than that? Alice and "G" were characters you liked right away and wondered how their paths would cross. The story line with the artwork was also interesting to me. I loved that it was clean and wholesome, too. I would re-read again for sure. :)
January 30, 2020
I loved this book! I was able to feel more emotion in this book compared to some of the others in this series, and i had a hard time putting it down. I loved the vulnerability that I felt for Geoffrey and for Alice in their different experiences. I loved that this book brought us along by showing us their very different backgrounds and we were able to feel their differences and how they could be helpful to each other too. Highly recommend!
January 31, 2020
Another great one!
I've really been enjoying this series by Brenna Jacobs! This book is another one I really liked. I really liked both of the main characters, Alice and Geoffrey. They were both easy to love and root for and had believable characteristics and shortcomings. I'll definitely keep on reading the rest of the books in this series. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys heartwarming romantic comedies.
I've really been enjoying this series by Brenna Jacobs! This book is another one I really liked. I really liked both of the main characters, Alice and Geoffrey. They were both easy to love and root for and had believable characteristics and shortcomings. I'll definitely keep on reading the rest of the books in this series. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys heartwarming romantic comedies.
February 1, 2020
This book was a sweet & clean romance that kept me interested from start to finish. I enjoyed both of the main characters, & I liked the different perspectives they brought to their relationship & how they forgave one another & worked together to solve their personal & professional problems. I highly recommend this book for a feel-good, entertaining, light & easy read. I received an advanced copy of this book from the author & am giving my honest opinion.
November 29, 2021
This was a disappointment after a promising start. There was a lot of detail about art history in here. I’m interested in that, but it was too much even for me. The bigger problem was that Geoff was not a good hero. He was kissing two women and behaving badly in that regard plus being cowardly and selfish in other ways. He turned himself around, but not before I lost respect. Then all the serious issues were wrapped up quickly in the epilogue.
March 22, 2022
Cute story. However while it moved along at a reasonable pace for the first 3/4 of the book, it totally sped through to the ending. It was like everything is a mess... ok its all better... que the epilogue, that jumps ahead in the timeline and story. And this all happens in just a few pages, where the mess was a slower development the resolve was rushed and brief. Leaving the development a little disappointing.
October 19, 2025
"I am in love with this meet cute! You must read/listen to the story to find out for yourself. I enjoyed every bit of this story. I loved all the art talk. She is an art curator and he is an Earl needing to generate income from the family art collection without selling off the pieces. No Swears or alcohol rarely mention or consumed, and level 1 kisses only.
I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator. She brought the book alive!"
I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator. She brought the book alive!"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews