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Why I Held Your Hand
Laura Delaney loves her small mountain hometown of North Powell with its quaint charm, stately Victorian homes and surrounding hiking trails. Unfortunately, when it comes to attracting travel dollars, it can no longer compete with the flashy hot springs and ski slopes of nearby competitors.
That’s why she hires a hotshot marketing team to figure out how to inject the old magic back into North Powell’s sagging tourist trade. What she doesn’t expect is for the team to include David Harper. Smart, funny, handsome, and amazing in bed, he’s the perfect man. All she needs to do now is keep their relationship under wraps until the project is over.
But that’s easier said than done when she’s assigned to work with Spence Markham, the company’s offbeat “idea man” and David’s professional nemesis. When Spence suggests hosting a Dickens Festival to revitalize the town’s once-booming holiday season, Laura is thrilled. She’s even more thrilled when Spence falls in love with Powell House, the dilapidated Victorian that Laura hopes to renovate and turn into a town museum. But is Spence falling in love with her as well?
As the Festival nears, Laura’s feelings for both men intensify. Her relationship with David has only gotten better—and hotter—and yet she finds herself counting down the days until she can see Spence again.
Soon, what started as a simple assignment becomes a tale of two possible futures. But which one will Laura choose?
That’s why she hires a hotshot marketing team to figure out how to inject the old magic back into North Powell’s sagging tourist trade. What she doesn’t expect is for the team to include David Harper. Smart, funny, handsome, and amazing in bed, he’s the perfect man. All she needs to do now is keep their relationship under wraps until the project is over.
But that’s easier said than done when she’s assigned to work with Spence Markham, the company’s offbeat “idea man” and David’s professional nemesis. When Spence suggests hosting a Dickens Festival to revitalize the town’s once-booming holiday season, Laura is thrilled. She’s even more thrilled when Spence falls in love with Powell House, the dilapidated Victorian that Laura hopes to renovate and turn into a town museum. But is Spence falling in love with her as well?
As the Festival nears, Laura’s feelings for both men intensify. Her relationship with David has only gotten better—and hotter—and yet she finds herself counting down the days until she can see Spence again.
Soon, what started as a simple assignment becomes a tale of two possible futures. But which one will Laura choose?
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2020
193 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
Augusta Reilly
3 books63 followersBestselling comedy writer Augusta Reilly is a former stand-up comic whose work has been covered by the New York Daily News, The Village Voice, NY1 News, Time Out, The Comedy Bible, and many others. As a comedian, she has performed at multiple venues including The Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, and The New York Comedy Club. Her bestselling comedy, Words on Candy Hearts, reached #1 in Comedy on Amazon UK, #1 in Comedy and Absurdist Fiction in Australia, and #2 in Comedy behind Trevor Noah in the US.
In alternate incarnations, she has been an accountant, a translator, and a prolifically (if not proudly) published pulp fiction author. She is a graduate of McGill University and divides her time between El Paso County, Colorado and Montreal, Quebec.
In alternate incarnations, she has been an accountant, a translator, and a prolifically (if not proudly) published pulp fiction author. She is a graduate of McGill University and divides her time between El Paso County, Colorado and Montreal, Quebec.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
November 23, 2020
*unpopular opinion alert* with bodily functions mentioned
I feel like this romance is behind the times in all the wrong ways. At no point do the characters discuss sexual health (protection, disease, pregnancy) but the main character has unprotected sex with multiple partners in a short time span. No discussion (although a bizarre period of prolonged waiting which is also not discussed.) They ejaculate inside her! In some states this would fit the definition of a violation of consent (where consent has to be a verbal yes!) so I was just.. thrown off. I realize not everyone wants to have to consider details like this in an escape read but it was so glaringly absent compared to most romance I've read from this decade.
Not to mention that one love interest purchased clothing the MC was reluctant to wear "for his enjoyment only" and never introduced her to his mother and we never really know why (I felt his excuses were pretty lame) and the second love interest touches her before they ever establish mutual attraction... yes she is wearing something sexy and alone with him... this is also... not consent! He exhibited so many traits of a controlling, abusive partner and yet she was constantly at the brink of choosing him over the other guy.
The main character also has a short-term memory problem that seems like will just keep going past the end of this book, where the man she is in the room with is the one she's feeling strongest for. At one point I backtracked to the beginning because she was talking about a second man the same way she had talked about the first and I thought there was a mistake. We never see any inner turmoil just like, "Ooh, he's handsome and would be a good father for my children that I'm CLEARLY PLANNING TO HAVE since I have as much unprotected sex as I can get."
Other notes - It was short. The original meetcute scene was confusing but unique. Still not sure why Deborah is texting her about her boobs.
I like to read romance as a break between heavier reads but that concept is giving me pause.
I feel like this romance is behind the times in all the wrong ways. At no point do the characters discuss sexual health (protection, disease, pregnancy) but the main character has unprotected sex with multiple partners in a short time span. No discussion (although a bizarre period of prolonged waiting which is also not discussed.) They ejaculate inside her! In some states this would fit the definition of a violation of consent (where consent has to be a verbal yes!) so I was just.. thrown off. I realize not everyone wants to have to consider details like this in an escape read but it was so glaringly absent compared to most romance I've read from this decade.
Not to mention that one love interest purchased clothing the MC was reluctant to wear "for his enjoyment only" and never introduced her to his mother and we never really know why (I felt his excuses were pretty lame) and the second love interest touches her before they ever establish mutual attraction... yes she is wearing something sexy and alone with him... this is also... not consent! He exhibited so many traits of a controlling, abusive partner and yet she was constantly at the brink of choosing him over the other guy.
The main character also has a short-term memory problem that seems like will just keep going past the end of this book, where the man she is in the room with is the one she's feeling strongest for. At one point I backtracked to the beginning because she was talking about a second man the same way she had talked about the first and I thought there was a mistake. We never see any inner turmoil just like, "Ooh, he's handsome and would be a good father for my children that I'm CLEARLY PLANNING TO HAVE since I have as much unprotected sex as I can get."
Other notes - It was short. The original meetcute scene was confusing but unique. Still not sure why Deborah is texting her about her boobs.
I like to read romance as a break between heavier reads but that concept is giving me pause.
January 21, 2021
I think if you want to write porn, you should write porn. If you want to write charming, small town, character-driven romances, you should write them. But I don’t think these two should be jammed together in the same book. It’s disconcerting.
I wanted to give this book 1 star because I hated the romantic triangle at the heart of the story, but honestly I thought the writing was pretty good, even the porn. For most of the novel, Laura was an enthusiastic participant in extremely energetic sex, the descriptions of which were devoid of that flowery "her mind exploded into prisms of shimmering light" nonsense that cracks me up in other novels. No, these scenes were straightforward, detailed, and almost instructional. I think the author got a bunch of her guy friends together and said things like, "Describe for me the perfect BJ. You know, if it was from a girl you really liked, not some skank you picked up in a bar."
During the brief intermissions when Laura wasn't on her back, knees, or upside down on a chair, she was trying to save her charming Victorian town from going bankrupt. I enjoyed this part of the story, as she worked with a marketing company to come up with ideas to emphasize the unique aspects of the town and draw tourists.
I also enjoyed the non-sexual parts, because the dialogue was witty and the descriptions of being newly in love were engaging. But it bothered me that Laura was falling in love with two guys - who knew each other well - at the same time. She was dishonest with them both and cheating behind their backs. She seemed to be absolutely sure whichever one she was with at the time was the right one, and in fact they were both good guys. I kept expecting that one would turn out to be a liar or cheater or something, but no.
It was frustrating to me that even when the two guys involved found out about her sleazy behavior, each was not only willing to overlook it but seemed to somehow blame himself and absolve Laura. My guess is that was because Laura had huge double-D boobs. I don't say this lightly. Her breasts were mentioned very frequently in the novel, starting with the first scene. They were practically characters in the book and EVEN HAD NAMES (Terry and Tracy. Laura referred to them as 'the twins.')
So anyway, I don't recommend this novel.
I wanted to give this book 1 star because I hated the romantic triangle at the heart of the story, but honestly I thought the writing was pretty good, even the porn. For most of the novel, Laura was an enthusiastic participant in extremely energetic sex, the descriptions of which were devoid of that flowery "her mind exploded into prisms of shimmering light" nonsense that cracks me up in other novels. No, these scenes were straightforward, detailed, and almost instructional. I think the author got a bunch of her guy friends together and said things like, "Describe for me the perfect BJ. You know, if it was from a girl you really liked, not some skank you picked up in a bar."
During the brief intermissions when Laura wasn't on her back, knees, or upside down on a chair, she was trying to save her charming Victorian town from going bankrupt. I enjoyed this part of the story, as she worked with a marketing company to come up with ideas to emphasize the unique aspects of the town and draw tourists.
I also enjoyed the non-sexual parts, because the dialogue was witty and the descriptions of being newly in love were engaging. But it bothered me that Laura was falling in love with two guys - who knew each other well - at the same time. She was dishonest with them both and cheating behind their backs. She seemed to be absolutely sure whichever one she was with at the time was the right one, and in fact they were both good guys. I kept expecting that one would turn out to be a liar or cheater or something, but no.
It was frustrating to me that even when the two guys involved found out about her sleazy behavior, each was not only willing to overlook it but seemed to somehow blame himself and absolve Laura. My guess is that was because Laura had huge double-D boobs. I don't say this lightly. Her breasts were mentioned very frequently in the novel, starting with the first scene. They were practically characters in the book and EVEN HAD NAMES (Terry and Tracy. Laura referred to them as 'the twins.')
So anyway, I don't recommend this novel.
October 23, 2020
This is an enjoyable small town romance between one woman and two men. Laura loves her town, but it can't compete against the neighboring towns that have more to offer. That's where David and Spencer (and James) come in. They work for a marketing firm who is going to help the town of North Powell.
Laura meets David in the opening scene and it is just about the most memorable meet ever! Pretty funny. They soon start dating (secretly) and fall in love. David is a good guy. Cute, smart, and funny. They fall in love. But, while they are in secret (since she is his agency's client), Laura has been working closely with Spencer every week on the marketing campaign. She begins to feel things for him, too. What to do?
I felt for Laura in this book. She is a genuinely nice woman who has met her soulmate while dating a man she loves. She's in a dilemma and doesn't want to hurt either man. I was worried about the conclusion of this story, but it ended up working for me. I really love how the title of the book is worked into the end.
Warning: The cover on this book is not accurate. This is not a cutesy, holiday read. It is not a closed door romance, either. In fact, this is a very open door and spicy romance. (lots of steam,)
Thank you to NetGalley, Get Red PR, and the author for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Laura meets David in the opening scene and it is just about the most memorable meet ever! Pretty funny. They soon start dating (secretly) and fall in love. David is a good guy. Cute, smart, and funny. They fall in love. But, while they are in secret (since she is his agency's client), Laura has been working closely with Spencer every week on the marketing campaign. She begins to feel things for him, too. What to do?
I felt for Laura in this book. She is a genuinely nice woman who has met her soulmate while dating a man she loves. She's in a dilemma and doesn't want to hurt either man. I was worried about the conclusion of this story, but it ended up working for me. I really love how the title of the book is worked into the end.
Warning: The cover on this book is not accurate. This is not a cutesy, holiday read. It is not a closed door romance, either. In fact, this is a very open door and spicy romance. (lots of steam,)
Thank you to NetGalley, Get Red PR, and the author for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 23, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Rhapsodic Press for my eARC copy of "Why I Held Your Hand" in exchange for an honest review.
This book came with a HIGH HEAT warning, and phew - it was much needed. Grab a cool glass of milk, turn down that AC, and get ready - because this book packs some SERIOUS SPICE.
I will say this was one of my favorite reads of the holiday season, even though it wasn't inherently Christmas-y, which is usually my cup of tea. The book begins with small town Laura, who is concerned about the future of their picturesque small town, and enlists the help of a marketing team. Through this team she meets hotshot business man David, and awkward quirky (and TALL TALL) marketing team member Spence. The love triangle ensues, and it is HOT HOT HOT.
I will tell you I blushed, I laughed out loud, and I forced a friend to read along with me so we could discuss *several* scenes. I gave it 5 stars for the unique storyline, the humor, the interesting storyline about the town, and the spice.
Buckle up boo, it's a wild ride.
This book came with a HIGH HEAT warning, and phew - it was much needed. Grab a cool glass of milk, turn down that AC, and get ready - because this book packs some SERIOUS SPICE.
I will say this was one of my favorite reads of the holiday season, even though it wasn't inherently Christmas-y, which is usually my cup of tea. The book begins with small town Laura, who is concerned about the future of their picturesque small town, and enlists the help of a marketing team. Through this team she meets hotshot business man David, and awkward quirky (and TALL TALL) marketing team member Spence. The love triangle ensues, and it is HOT HOT HOT.
I will tell you I blushed, I laughed out loud, and I forced a friend to read along with me so we could discuss *several* scenes. I gave it 5 stars for the unique storyline, the humor, the interesting storyline about the town, and the spice.
Buckle up boo, it's a wild ride.
November 3, 2020
WOOF.
I really did not enjoy this book. It looks and sounds like it's going to be a cute small town romance centered around the restoration of a little town looking to stay economically afloat while surrounded by major, more modern tourist attractions. Um... it is pretty much not that. Where do I even begin?
For starters, I find our main protagonist, Laura, wildly unlikeable and unrealistic. She owns a knitting shop - in this economy? Honey, please. Yet she has her own place, her own car, and is financially independent. And she has plenty of time to volunteer to be on a town council making plans to revitalize the city. If this were real life, she would be driving Uber or hawking Etsy creations every night to make ends meet. Also, she's instantly loved by every man she meets, and no one can stop talking about how beautiful she is. ALSO, she makes some very poor choices, including gaslighting her boyfriend for MONTHS and cheating on him several times. Yikes. Call me old fashioned, but this isn't the cute small town romance that I'm here for. Am I extra grumpy because I despise love triangles and don't think they work particularly well in romances, especially when cheating is involved? Yeah, probably.
Aside from the awful characters in this book, the plot is practically nonexistent, time is a flexible concept, the romance does not work whatsoever, and this book basically just exists to deliver such cringe-worthy sex scenes [yes please PUT ON LINGERIE AND CLEAN YOUR KNITTING SHOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT SO THAT THE GUY YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR BOYFRIEND WITH CAN MAGICALLY SHOW UP AND TALK YOU THROUGH HIS LAME FANTASIES IN THE LEAST SEXY WAY POSSIBLE] that my eyes wanted to crawl out of their sockets and go hide underneath my coffee table until it was all over. Overall, let me reiterate: WOOF.
I really did not enjoy this book. It looks and sounds like it's going to be a cute small town romance centered around the restoration of a little town looking to stay economically afloat while surrounded by major, more modern tourist attractions. Um... it is pretty much not that. Where do I even begin?
For starters, I find our main protagonist, Laura, wildly unlikeable and unrealistic. She owns a knitting shop - in this economy? Honey, please. Yet she has her own place, her own car, and is financially independent. And she has plenty of time to volunteer to be on a town council making plans to revitalize the city. If this were real life, she would be driving Uber or hawking Etsy creations every night to make ends meet. Also, she's instantly loved by every man she meets, and no one can stop talking about how beautiful she is. ALSO, she makes some very poor choices, including gaslighting her boyfriend for MONTHS and cheating on him several times. Yikes. Call me old fashioned, but this isn't the cute small town romance that I'm here for. Am I extra grumpy because I despise love triangles and don't think they work particularly well in romances, especially when cheating is involved? Yeah, probably.
Aside from the awful characters in this book, the plot is practically nonexistent, time is a flexible concept, the romance does not work whatsoever, and this book basically just exists to deliver such cringe-worthy sex scenes [yes please PUT ON LINGERIE AND CLEAN YOUR KNITTING SHOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT SO THAT THE GUY YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR BOYFRIEND WITH CAN MAGICALLY SHOW UP AND TALK YOU THROUGH HIS LAME FANTASIES IN THE LEAST SEXY WAY POSSIBLE] that my eyes wanted to crawl out of their sockets and go hide underneath my coffee table until it was all over. Overall, let me reiterate: WOOF.
November 22, 2020
A fun, swoony, and steamy romance about a small town called North Powell that needs help revitalizing its community. Laura hires a PR firm and ends up falling in love with David and then Spence the marketing genius!
It has everything you expect from an irresistible and unputdownable love triangle romance you will read in a sitting. The characters are enjoyable to read, the small town and saving the small business, the historic Dickensonian festivals, and hot springs were all great to read about.
I thought that the ending was so well done and I am left wanting more. I hope to see more of the other characters get an HEA too. Possibly a sequel?
I highly recommend this super hot romance!
It has everything you expect from an irresistible and unputdownable love triangle romance you will read in a sitting. The characters are enjoyable to read, the small town and saving the small business, the historic Dickensonian festivals, and hot springs were all great to read about.
I thought that the ending was so well done and I am left wanting more. I hope to see more of the other characters get an HEA too. Possibly a sequel?
I highly recommend this super hot romance!
October 23, 2020
Here's an e-book release that will surely get your blood pumping! There's a little sugar & a lot of spice in this fairly short rom-com, available today in e-book form...
'Why I Held Your Hand' is a quick, charming, provocative, & witty rom-com with small-town atmosphere (that worked well for this small-town girl), & enough romance, spice & steam to keep the heat of summer hanging on! (Seriously, you may need to turn the A/C on for this one!) 'Why I Held Your Hand' is available in e-book form.
'Why I Held Your Hand' is a quick, charming, provocative, & witty rom-com with small-town atmosphere (that worked well for this small-town girl), & enough romance, spice & steam to keep the heat of summer hanging on! (Seriously, you may need to turn the A/C on for this one!) 'Why I Held Your Hand' is available in e-book form.
January 8, 2021
From the first chapter I loved this book! VERY STEAMY😳😉 but also so very very cute! I really enjoyed this one and it never had a lull or slow part to it which kept me interested the entire time. I loved all of the characters and they were very well developed! Not really centered around Christmas or the holidays but I still have nothing bad to say about this one. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
October 23, 2020
Why I Held Your Hand is a delightful romcom with a complicated love triangle that I just adored. I mean, what’s better than a love triangle? Maybe a love triangle with 2 men that are adversaries? Well guess what, we’ve got that right here too! I think a love triangle with 2 hot adversarial men, a small tourist town with a quaint vibe, some real charming townspeople, and a woman who is stuck in the middle of it all makes for a sweet story, and Augusta Reilly nailed it with this one.
A quick read, you will find yourself engrossed in this book from the start, and if you like some steam in your romances, you are in the right place. Reilly writes quite authentically about what it’s like to be a single girl on the dating scene, and the price you pay for dating more than one person at a time. Go figure our protagonist would actually LIKE both of these guys and have to make a decision. (It’s hard enough to find just ONE good guy anymore, let alone 2....Lucky Laura)! I really enjoyed this romcom and was quite satisfied in the end, its a fun and stimulating read. I think you will enjoy it too.
I will definitely look for more of Augusta Reilly’s work in the future.
Thank you to @augustareillyb, Rhapsodic Press, @netgalley and @getredpr for my gifted copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion for review.
A quick read, you will find yourself engrossed in this book from the start, and if you like some steam in your romances, you are in the right place. Reilly writes quite authentically about what it’s like to be a single girl on the dating scene, and the price you pay for dating more than one person at a time. Go figure our protagonist would actually LIKE both of these guys and have to make a decision. (It’s hard enough to find just ONE good guy anymore, let alone 2....Lucky Laura)! I really enjoyed this romcom and was quite satisfied in the end, its a fun and stimulating read. I think you will enjoy it too.
I will definitely look for more of Augusta Reilly’s work in the future.
Thank you to @augustareillyb, Rhapsodic Press, @netgalley and @getredpr for my gifted copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion for review.
November 20, 2020
Why I Held Your Hand tells the story of Laura, who lives in the quaint town of North Powell. Laura loves her town, but it is unable to compete with some of the surrounding tourist towns. The town of North Powell is in desperate need of a makeover, or at the very least, something to attract more tourists. She enlists the help of a big time marketing team, which is composed of three main members: James, David, and Spence. All three guys are very different, yet they work well together. Over the course of the novel, Laura falls in love with David, but she also falls in love with Spence. Laura is likeable, and this book deals with the question of what if you meet your soulmate when you're already with someone? I enjoyed following along on Laura's journey, and North Powell's journey as well. One of the things that Spence suggests to revitalize the town and attract tourists is a Charles Dickens Festival. Of course, this made my literary heart so happy. What book lover wouldn't love to attend a Charles Dickens Festival?! This was a quick and entertaining romance story. It took me a little over an hour to read it, so it was definitely a quick read. I appreciated that Laura was genuine; even though she fell in love with two guys, she was honest with both of them, and actually cared about their feelings, making her a decent human being. I was rooting for her and I am glad the book ended the way it did. I don't want to give too much away, but it was an enjoyable read. I thought the cover and label was a little misleading; from the outset, it looks like this is going to be a holiday romance. However, I didn't really get that vibe at all, other than the fact it ended with two of the characters going on a date on New Year's Eve. That would be the only thing I would "change" as far as this book goes. Thank you to the author and Get Red PR for the chance to read a digital copy of this book. My tour date for this book is scheduled in November, so I will post my full review on my Instagram page @readingmama_reviews at that time.
October 23, 2020
Laura’s passion to revive tourism in her beloved, but floundering small town leads her to hire a PR firm. While brainstorming ideas fly, so do the sparks between Laura and David, one of the trio of marketing professionals. But then, things get complicated as she ends up working closely with Spence, the marketing genius.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a romance with a love triangle. Officially a fan! I really liked all of the characters, and the small town storyline. There was a bit of a Gilmore Girls vibe for me in that respect, with a cantankerous town councilperson, emphasis on a small business, rehabbing a historic building, and of course, a town festival.
I did struggle a bit with the way Laura handled her decisions, mainly because there is no bad guy in this story. As much as I liked all of the characters, it was hard to see a good guy get hurt. A true case of the heart wants what it wants! As for the romance, this is a NSFW, open door story so, know that from the start. Overall, I enjoyed this so much that I immediately reached out to the author asking if there will be a sequel!
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a romance with a love triangle. Officially a fan! I really liked all of the characters, and the small town storyline. There was a bit of a Gilmore Girls vibe for me in that respect, with a cantankerous town councilperson, emphasis on a small business, rehabbing a historic building, and of course, a town festival.
I did struggle a bit with the way Laura handled her decisions, mainly because there is no bad guy in this story. As much as I liked all of the characters, it was hard to see a good guy get hurt. A true case of the heart wants what it wants! As for the romance, this is a NSFW, open door story so, know that from the start. Overall, I enjoyed this so much that I immediately reached out to the author asking if there will be a sequel!
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
December 12, 2020
Why I Held Your Hand by Augusta Reilly is an adult contemporary romance set in a small town called North Powell, stately Victorian homes and surrounding hiking trails. Though the cover of the book gives the perfect holiday and Christmas vibes, the book somewhere misses to do the same. Except for the tourist attraction I don't get any Christmas vibes.
Laura Delaney hires a hotshot marketing team to figure out how to inject the old magic back into North Powell’s sagging tourist trade. But she is dating David Harper - Smart, funny, handsome, and amazing in bed, he’s the perfect man. Since this project is all in or all out for the town to survive, she needs to keep her relationship a secret until the project is completed.
At the other side, we see Spence Markham, the company’s offbeat “idea man” and David’s professional nemesis. When Spence suggests hosting a Dickens Festival to revitalize the town’s once-booming holiday season, Laura is thrilled. She’s even more thrilled when Spence falls in love with Powell House, the dilapidated Victorian that Laura hopes to renovate and turn into a town museum.
Laura as a character is very confusing to me. At one chapter she is happy with David Harper and we see their relationship getting better, but immediately in the next chapter we see her longing for Spence Markham. I mean I understand we all get confused at times, but in this story we just keep beating around the bush till the end. But would I want to read something like this? no.
I do not see Laura Delaney as a role model character. Her confusion between the two men in her life just made me felt sad for both David Harper and Spence Markham. It felt she has been lying to both of them as well as herself all the time throughout the story. The sex part and those smoochy thoughts of Laura also gave a very wrong impression of the character.
_____
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher - 'Rhapsodic Press' for the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
Laura Delaney hires a hotshot marketing team to figure out how to inject the old magic back into North Powell’s sagging tourist trade. But she is dating David Harper - Smart, funny, handsome, and amazing in bed, he’s the perfect man. Since this project is all in or all out for the town to survive, she needs to keep her relationship a secret until the project is completed.
At the other side, we see Spence Markham, the company’s offbeat “idea man” and David’s professional nemesis. When Spence suggests hosting a Dickens Festival to revitalize the town’s once-booming holiday season, Laura is thrilled. She’s even more thrilled when Spence falls in love with Powell House, the dilapidated Victorian that Laura hopes to renovate and turn into a town museum.
Laura as a character is very confusing to me. At one chapter she is happy with David Harper and we see their relationship getting better, but immediately in the next chapter we see her longing for Spence Markham. I mean I understand we all get confused at times, but in this story we just keep beating around the bush till the end. But would I want to read something like this? no.
I do not see Laura Delaney as a role model character. Her confusion between the two men in her life just made me felt sad for both David Harper and Spence Markham. It felt she has been lying to both of them as well as herself all the time throughout the story. The sex part and those smoochy thoughts of Laura also gave a very wrong impression of the character.
_____
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher - 'Rhapsodic Press' for the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
November 17, 2020
Well, the title and cartoony cover art are somewhat misleading. There is a LOT more than hand-holding going on in North Powell.
In fact, the really looong and explicit sex scenes (head-scratchingly complex at times, with zero mention of any use of protection) alternating with the saccharine gooeyness of the love story gave me whiplash. Love stories, technically, since this is a love triangle where the heroine is actually in a relationship with one of the guys while entertaining sexual attraction to the other one.
I appreciate some of the bold narrative choices there. It reminded me that romance novels are pretty conservative and have some deeply entrenched, unspoken expectations about the moral uprightness of its heroines (but not necessarily of the heroes, as we all know). Heroines may be sex-positive these days, but outright cheating and having multiple partners is a definite no-no.
The real strength of the story is the banter between the leads, which is a lot of fun. The prose could use some fine-tuning: though I'm no prude I find sex scenes that are all about the sex rather than expressing the relationship to quickly veer into pornographic territory. It's a reminder of how hard those things are to write. Er, excuse me--difficult.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In fact, the really looong and explicit sex scenes (head-scratchingly complex at times, with zero mention of any use of protection) alternating with the saccharine gooeyness of the love story gave me whiplash. Love stories, technically, since this is a love triangle where the heroine is actually in a relationship with one of the guys while entertaining sexual attraction to the other one.
I appreciate some of the bold narrative choices there. It reminded me that romance novels are pretty conservative and have some deeply entrenched, unspoken expectations about the moral uprightness of its heroines (but not necessarily of the heroes, as we all know). Heroines may be sex-positive these days, but outright cheating and having multiple partners is a definite no-no.
The real strength of the story is the banter between the leads, which is a lot of fun. The prose could use some fine-tuning: though I'm no prude I find sex scenes that are all about the sex rather than expressing the relationship to quickly veer into pornographic territory. It's a reminder of how hard those things are to write. Er, excuse me--difficult.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2020
This is a strange book that in a lot of ways feels like it was written awhile back. It’s ahistorical, in a way.
So here’s the thing with choosing between two men stories: for me, there can’t be actual cheating. And there’s cheating in this book. So as much as Laura made the right choice for her, she was still conducting first an emotional and then a physical affair. And that doesn’t make her a bad person in real life, but it’s not what I’m looking for in a romance. Because it’s a plot decide; the book’s not actually concerned with the spurned runner-up. He’s quickly discarded with. So really, it makes it hard to root for any of the characters.
The book is well-written and the plot sips along. But in a “choosing between two men” story, I need to feel emotionally drawn to the characters, and I wasn’t here.
**I was provided with an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review. The opinions are all mine.**
So here’s the thing with choosing between two men stories: for me, there can’t be actual cheating. And there’s cheating in this book. So as much as Laura made the right choice for her, she was still conducting first an emotional and then a physical affair. And that doesn’t make her a bad person in real life, but it’s not what I’m looking for in a romance. Because it’s a plot decide; the book’s not actually concerned with the spurned runner-up. He’s quickly discarded with. So really, it makes it hard to root for any of the characters.
The book is well-written and the plot sips along. But in a “choosing between two men” story, I need to feel emotionally drawn to the characters, and I wasn’t here.
**I was provided with an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review. The opinions are all mine.**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and Rhapsodic Press for the free copy of this book.
I am not a huge love triangle troupe fan. So imagine my surprise when I started to read Why I Held Your Hand by Augusta Reilly. Reilly's take on a love triangle is really well done up until about 60% of the book. Unfortunately, it did not stay that way,
In my true review format, here are my loves of Why I Held Your Hand:
* I love the stark differences between Spence and David's personalities. The relationship between Laura and Spence is a slow burn romance while the relationship between Laura and David is a sudden flame. The correlation between personality types and how each relationship is built makes complete sense.
* It's extremely steamy. No close door scenes here. The more you read, the more intense it gets.
* In a lot of love triangle stories, a character commits some type of unethical act (i.e. cheated or suddenly evil), but In Why I Held Your Hand, the only person who really does anything wrong is Laura. I appreciated that because it adds a tiny element of suspense.
Here are my dislikes:
* The cover of the book gives the impression that this is a holiday book. However, it is not. There is a holiday festival and that's it.
* The reason as to why Laura stuck with one man while clearly in love with the other / while clearly meant to be with the other is dense.
* There is no break up scene or break up talk. It is glossed over at the end.
* The ending felt rushed.
I would recommend Why I Held Your Hand to readers who:
* Love the love triangle troupe
* Love steamy romances
* Are intrigued by which man Laura will choose
I am not a huge love triangle troupe fan. So imagine my surprise when I started to read Why I Held Your Hand by Augusta Reilly. Reilly's take on a love triangle is really well done up until about 60% of the book. Unfortunately, it did not stay that way,
In my true review format, here are my loves of Why I Held Your Hand:
* I love the stark differences between Spence and David's personalities. The relationship between Laura and Spence is a slow burn romance while the relationship between Laura and David is a sudden flame. The correlation between personality types and how each relationship is built makes complete sense.
* It's extremely steamy. No close door scenes here. The more you read, the more intense it gets.
* In a lot of love triangle stories, a character commits some type of unethical act (i.e. cheated or suddenly evil), but In Why I Held Your Hand, the only person who really does anything wrong is Laura. I appreciated that because it adds a tiny element of suspense.
Here are my dislikes:
* The cover of the book gives the impression that this is a holiday book. However, it is not. There is a holiday festival and that's it.
* The reason as to why Laura stuck with one man while clearly in love with the other / while clearly meant to be with the other is dense.
* There is no break up scene or break up talk. It is glossed over at the end.
* The ending felt rushed.
I would recommend Why I Held Your Hand to readers who:
* Love the love triangle troupe
* Love steamy romances
* Are intrigued by which man Laura will choose
November 20, 2020
3.5 rounding down to 3 but this was really a fun and fast read! Featuring a love triangle which I feel like one of the most overlooked tropes out there, this book follows along Laura as she is trying to work out a marketing campaign to benefit her small and overlooked town. With two possible love interests on the team of marketing specialists, she is forced to question her true feelings for both.
This book is a 5 out of 5 on the steam factor. The sex scenes were very graphic but, if you are okay with or a fan of open door romances, this is definitely the book for you. I personally don't mind them but unfortunately, their presence in certain points definitely weakened one of the love interests from my point of view as the reader wasn't as privy to the true emotional connection of the characters, especially in comparison to the other love interest in play. The scenes also seemed to always go on just a bit too long and made me question if the main character of Laura was in it just for the physical companionship or if she was looking for a true life long connection.
Overall, I really rooted for Laura though. She owns her sexuality for sure and, being that she was only supposed to be 27 years old, I think she was a pretty good representation of how a single 27 year old female should be, as well as the fact that she seems to be very responsible and dependable in her every day life. While she may make some questionable actions in her love life, she owns up to her mistakes which I always like seeing in my female protagonists.
I had hoped to be more sold on the "main" relationship in play but, as mentioned above, there just wasn't enough emotional depth provided that would allow me to get behind it more. Overall, I really liked wondering how it would all end up for Laura and the ending was incredibly satisfying. This is a perfect winter read to hunker down with for an afternoon, just prepare for some MAJOR blushworthy scenes! It is also a true example of why Goodreads NEEDS HALF STAR RATINGS!
Many thanks to Get Red PR and the published for my gifted copy in exchange for my honesty.
This book is a 5 out of 5 on the steam factor. The sex scenes were very graphic but, if you are okay with or a fan of open door romances, this is definitely the book for you. I personally don't mind them but unfortunately, their presence in certain points definitely weakened one of the love interests from my point of view as the reader wasn't as privy to the true emotional connection of the characters, especially in comparison to the other love interest in play. The scenes also seemed to always go on just a bit too long and made me question if the main character of Laura was in it just for the physical companionship or if she was looking for a true life long connection.
Overall, I really rooted for Laura though. She owns her sexuality for sure and, being that she was only supposed to be 27 years old, I think she was a pretty good representation of how a single 27 year old female should be, as well as the fact that she seems to be very responsible and dependable in her every day life. While she may make some questionable actions in her love life, she owns up to her mistakes which I always like seeing in my female protagonists.
I had hoped to be more sold on the "main" relationship in play but, as mentioned above, there just wasn't enough emotional depth provided that would allow me to get behind it more. Overall, I really liked wondering how it would all end up for Laura and the ending was incredibly satisfying. This is a perfect winter read to hunker down with for an afternoon, just prepare for some MAJOR blushworthy scenes! It is also a true example of why Goodreads NEEDS HALF STAR RATINGS!
Many thanks to Get Red PR and the published for my gifted copy in exchange for my honesty.
October 20, 2020
This book was great. The setting was perfect. I hated the main character Lauren. I feel like she was annoying and always turned on. Like girl can you keep your stuff in your pants. I didn't like what she did and how she handled the situation. She was such a killer to the vibe I wanted. Everything else was great and it kept me turning the pages. Just Lauren man. I couldn't stand her lol. David should have dumped her and Spence should have walked away. To me she wasn't worth all the trouble.
The town was cute and it deserved a pick me up in business. It would have been nice to include some more townspeople so i could maybe have seen Lauren in a different light. I wanted to like her and she almost had me but than she just got a little too much. Eye roll!!
The sex scenes were awesome and well done but Lauren needed to go lol.
The town was cute and it deserved a pick me up in business. It would have been nice to include some more townspeople so i could maybe have seen Lauren in a different light. I wanted to like her and she almost had me but than she just got a little too much. Eye roll!!
The sex scenes were awesome and well done but Lauren needed to go lol.
December 29, 2020
Holy smokes! I think I need a cigarette!
If you’re looking for a steamy read, look no further. This small town romance novel was not what I was expecting at all. I did not expect this from looking at the cover and reading the synopsis. Do not go into this thinking this is about the holidays because the only thing holiday related is a festival that is happening.
This was a good debut novel by this author. It had its humour parts, along with steamy sex scenes. Multiple partners. And anything in between you can think of. The character development was a bit lacking. And I felt many decisions that were taken within the novel quite questionable.
I was invested in knowing who Laura, our main character was going to pick in the end because you got that right, there was not only one guy in this one, but two mcsteamy worthy opponents.
Overall, I do recommend this book however like mentioned, it is fairly graphic, there are some questionable moral dilemmas but in all a good read. Just not my cup of tea, I give it a 3.5 out of 5.
A special thank you to Netgalley for granting me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for a steamy read, look no further. This small town romance novel was not what I was expecting at all. I did not expect this from looking at the cover and reading the synopsis. Do not go into this thinking this is about the holidays because the only thing holiday related is a festival that is happening.
This was a good debut novel by this author. It had its humour parts, along with steamy sex scenes. Multiple partners. And anything in between you can think of. The character development was a bit lacking. And I felt many decisions that were taken within the novel quite questionable.
I was invested in knowing who Laura, our main character was going to pick in the end because you got that right, there was not only one guy in this one, but two mcsteamy worthy opponents.
Overall, I do recommend this book however like mentioned, it is fairly graphic, there are some questionable moral dilemmas but in all a good read. Just not my cup of tea, I give it a 3.5 out of 5.
A special thank you to Netgalley for granting me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2020
This book should come with a warning label because it is HOT! I finished this book in less than 24 hours with a full time corporate job! It is a quick and fun read that will having you wanting to experience hot springs and an idealistic town like North Powell.
added-it
May 29, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/29/2023)! 🎁
December 27, 2020
It’s weird to not be a fan of books about infidelity, but enjoy a love triangle right?! I feel like the love triangle trope is so rarely used lately, so I enjoyed how well this one was done.
Things I loved:
-This one is S.T.E.A.M.Y. Strongly recommend reading with a fan on standby...wow. Like wow.
-small town vibes, and the storyline of improving the town and it’s businesses
-I truly didn’t know which way the main character was going to go in the love triangle, the author did a good job of making you root for both men
Things that weren’t my favourite:
-I wasn’t a fan of Laura’s (main character) behaviour at times. I appreciated her honesty about her actions, but I do wish she didn’t act on her feelings before being honest with the other guy...but then again, it set up the storyline so I guess it works even though it made me mad at her 😂
-there wasn’t the best safe sex messages in this one, obvious lack of protection and multiple partners
4⭐️ Thanks to Rhapsodic Press & @netgalley for the #gifted copy!
Content warnings: infidelity, recollection of death of a parent
Things I loved:
-This one is S.T.E.A.M.Y. Strongly recommend reading with a fan on standby...wow. Like wow.
-small town vibes, and the storyline of improving the town and it’s businesses
-I truly didn’t know which way the main character was going to go in the love triangle, the author did a good job of making you root for both men
Things that weren’t my favourite:
-I wasn’t a fan of Laura’s (main character) behaviour at times. I appreciated her honesty about her actions, but I do wish she didn’t act on her feelings before being honest with the other guy...but then again, it set up the storyline so I guess it works even though it made me mad at her 😂
-there wasn’t the best safe sex messages in this one, obvious lack of protection and multiple partners
4⭐️ Thanks to Rhapsodic Press & @netgalley for the #gifted copy!
Content warnings: infidelity, recollection of death of a parent
January 20, 2022
This book is for the open minded people. There is a heck of a lot of steam and considering it’s a love triangle, well things are hot 🥵!
With three people there is always going to be one you dislike and that was the case in this story.
Overall good writing and entertaining story. I only wished I read more of these 5 level steam novels more often.
With three people there is always going to be one you dislike and that was the case in this story.
Overall good writing and entertaining story. I only wished I read more of these 5 level steam novels more often.
November 25, 2020
WOOOOAAAHHHHH...!! WHAT DID I JUST READ?!! 🙊😅
That's 👆how you feel, when you read the first paragraph of this book!
And YOU CAN'T HELP RE-READ IT, AT LEAST TWICE! 🙊✨
______
AWESOME book
✨WHY I HELD YOUR HAND
BEAUTIFULLY PENNED by
@augustareillyb
______
💗Genre: Contemporary Romance; ROMANTIC COMEDY; Women Fiction. 🔞
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I LOVED this 📖read!
It came as a FRESH 🍃💦BREATHER in this stressful pandemic.
🍓FUNNY, WITTY, TACTFUL HUMOR WITH A PERFECT DOSE OF LOVE & ROMANCE.
______
✨LAURA DELANEY, 27, single, lives with her 50 year old mom.
She is a beautiful, independent girl who loves her home town, it's people, her mom & is ready to mingle.
She meets a handsome young man, who is perfect, with his looks and emotional compatibility & humour quotient. Sparks fly and they mingle but..then they both start feeling that the bond they shared is gone..there's no anger, hurt or forgiveness needed.. Both move on. What they'd had together was gone & it was never coming back.
In the meanwhile she has already met someone, a colleague of this handsome, perfect man & moves on. Now this 2nd male, is nowhere near perfect but he fits perfectly with her like two peas in a pod! Both of them share mutual love and admiration & respect for each other and their interests. Will this bond, flourish? Is this true love ❤or will it end like the previous one?
One is DAVID HARPER, who lives with his mom and the other is SPENCE MARKHAM. I won't tell, who is who, though!
_______
📖READ this BEAUTIFUL STORY of a NORMAL GIRL, who is LOOKING FOR SOME EXCITEMENT & TRUE LOVE, in her life, amongst other things.
🍓Throughout, YOU WILL SMILE, SMIRK, LAUGH & FEEL SO SO LIGHT!
_______
It also FOCUSES on the LOSS OF A FATHER, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A WIDOW MOM & HER ONLY DAUGHTER, THE RAPPORT & ALSO HAS A BEAUTIFUL, WARM, SMALL TOWN VIBE.
________
21 chapters, 192 pages, it's a FAIRLY QUICK READ.
#justreleased📣 on 23rd Oct. 2020.
Read it for 🆓free on #kindleunlimited !
I read it on @netgalley
That's 👆how you feel, when you read the first paragraph of this book!
And YOU CAN'T HELP RE-READ IT, AT LEAST TWICE! 🙊✨
______
AWESOME book
✨WHY I HELD YOUR HAND
BEAUTIFULLY PENNED by
@augustareillyb
______
💗Genre: Contemporary Romance; ROMANTIC COMEDY; Women Fiction. 🔞
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I LOVED this 📖read!
It came as a FRESH 🍃💦BREATHER in this stressful pandemic.
🍓FUNNY, WITTY, TACTFUL HUMOR WITH A PERFECT DOSE OF LOVE & ROMANCE.
______
✨LAURA DELANEY, 27, single, lives with her 50 year old mom.
She is a beautiful, independent girl who loves her home town, it's people, her mom & is ready to mingle.
She meets a handsome young man, who is perfect, with his looks and emotional compatibility & humour quotient. Sparks fly and they mingle but..then they both start feeling that the bond they shared is gone..there's no anger, hurt or forgiveness needed.. Both move on. What they'd had together was gone & it was never coming back.
In the meanwhile she has already met someone, a colleague of this handsome, perfect man & moves on. Now this 2nd male, is nowhere near perfect but he fits perfectly with her like two peas in a pod! Both of them share mutual love and admiration & respect for each other and their interests. Will this bond, flourish? Is this true love ❤or will it end like the previous one?
One is DAVID HARPER, who lives with his mom and the other is SPENCE MARKHAM. I won't tell, who is who, though!
_______
📖READ this BEAUTIFUL STORY of a NORMAL GIRL, who is LOOKING FOR SOME EXCITEMENT & TRUE LOVE, in her life, amongst other things.
🍓Throughout, YOU WILL SMILE, SMIRK, LAUGH & FEEL SO SO LIGHT!
_______
It also FOCUSES on the LOSS OF A FATHER, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A WIDOW MOM & HER ONLY DAUGHTER, THE RAPPORT & ALSO HAS A BEAUTIFUL, WARM, SMALL TOWN VIBE.
________
21 chapters, 192 pages, it's a FAIRLY QUICK READ.
#justreleased📣 on 23rd Oct. 2020.
Read it for 🆓free on #kindleunlimited !
I read it on @netgalley
July 17, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for a honest review.
What I've just read??
Loved it from the very first paragraph until the last phrase.
It can be one of my favorite rom-com books of the year.
SYNOPSIS
To preserve her beautiful hometown, Laura hires a hotshot marketing team to figure out how to inject the old magic back into North Powell’s sagging tourist trade.
That team includes David Hharper the sweat, handsome and perfect man every woman wants. And they fell for each other in the moment they met.
But not everything is that nice in Laura's life. She is assigned to work with Spence Markham, the most valuable member of the company. And David's nemesis.
The next six months are so hard for Laura. She loves David. And she knows it. But there are some feelings for Spence that she cannot hide.
OPINION
First, I thought this book was about Christmas holidays but no. I was so offended when I realized that the book starts on June and end during December. Anyway, I loved it even if it wasn't during the holidays.
This is the sweetest book I've ever read. It's a beautiful love story about a woman in love with two handsome, gentlemen, funny and good lovers men. It's a love triangle very well developed.
I understand Laura's situation. David is a good lover. He's kind. He cares for her and loves her so much. But Spence is so handsome, funny, silly and so beautiful.
How can she decides?
I recommend so much this love story. It's so funny, easy to read and your gonna fell for these three amazing main characters.
What I've just read??
Loved it from the very first paragraph until the last phrase.
It can be one of my favorite rom-com books of the year.
SYNOPSIS
To preserve her beautiful hometown, Laura hires a hotshot marketing team to figure out how to inject the old magic back into North Powell’s sagging tourist trade.
That team includes David Hharper the sweat, handsome and perfect man every woman wants. And they fell for each other in the moment they met.
But not everything is that nice in Laura's life. She is assigned to work with Spence Markham, the most valuable member of the company. And David's nemesis.
The next six months are so hard for Laura. She loves David. And she knows it. But there are some feelings for Spence that she cannot hide.
OPINION
First, I thought this book was about Christmas holidays but no. I was so offended when I realized that the book starts on June and end during December. Anyway, I loved it even if it wasn't during the holidays.
This is the sweetest book I've ever read. It's a beautiful love story about a woman in love with two handsome, gentlemen, funny and good lovers men. It's a love triangle very well developed.
I understand Laura's situation. David is a good lover. He's kind. He cares for her and loves her so much. But Spence is so handsome, funny, silly and so beautiful.
How can she decides?
I recommend so much this love story. It's so funny, easy to read and your gonna fell for these three amazing main characters.
November 4, 2020
I adored this. I went off the cover and two lines of the blurb and it paid off.
Laura hires a big marketing firm to help boost her little town's appeal and she gets so caught up with witty and handsome David she almost doesn't notice Spence and his immediate awe of her. She and David immediately start a relationship (a little too immediate IMO) while she and Spence start two big projects and get close in their own way.
Reilly did one of my favorite things in books: dropping innocent lines and dialogue that come back to hit you like a bag of bricks toward the end. And I never saw it coming, made me want to reread it as soon as I finished to pick up those clues.
I really appreciate that Reilly did not make it a super obvious choice for Laura, she didn't pit the two men evilly against each other. she didn't write one or the other as the obvious "bad" option, she made Laura's choice real and believable, even relatable. By the end I was full of anticipation and joy and I nearly cried.
Laura hires a big marketing firm to help boost her little town's appeal and she gets so caught up with witty and handsome David she almost doesn't notice Spence and his immediate awe of her. She and David immediately start a relationship (a little too immediate IMO) while she and Spence start two big projects and get close in their own way.
Reilly did one of my favorite things in books: dropping innocent lines and dialogue that come back to hit you like a bag of bricks toward the end. And I never saw it coming, made me want to reread it as soon as I finished to pick up those clues.
I really appreciate that Reilly did not make it a super obvious choice for Laura, she didn't pit the two men evilly against each other. she didn't write one or the other as the obvious "bad" option, she made Laura's choice real and believable, even relatable. By the end I was full of anticipation and joy and I nearly cried.
January 27, 2021
Loved this book
I absolutely loved this book. The story was so sweet and so romantic.
The main character did get on my nerves a little bit because she wasn't sure what she wanted and I honestly thought at one point that this was going to be a threesome book, but she finally got herself together and picked the one that I wanted her to pick. I fell in love with his character as soon as he was introduced. I wonder if other readers are little mad that she didn't end up with the other guy.
Also, I am by no means a prude, I am not particularly conservative, and I enjoy a good sex scene as much as the next person. However, I don't know why but with this particular story the sex scenes felt a little much. I don't know if it's because of the sweetness of the story, or the main character's overall naivete, but I thought the sex scenes could have been less explicit. I'm not taking away any stars from it though. I'm sure I'll reread this at some point in time, I enjoyed it that much.
I absolutely loved this book. The story was so sweet and so romantic.
The main character did get on my nerves a little bit because she wasn't sure what she wanted and I honestly thought at one point that this was going to be a threesome book, but she finally got herself together and picked the one that I wanted her to pick. I fell in love with his character as soon as he was introduced. I wonder if other readers are little mad that she didn't end up with the other guy.
Also, I am by no means a prude, I am not particularly conservative, and I enjoy a good sex scene as much as the next person. However, I don't know why but with this particular story the sex scenes felt a little much. I don't know if it's because of the sweetness of the story, or the main character's overall naivete, but I thought the sex scenes could have been less explicit. I'm not taking away any stars from it though. I'm sure I'll reread this at some point in time, I enjoyed it that much.
December 7, 2020
A relatively shallow read that delved a bit more into the romance spectrum than I expected - we never really got to know the protagonist, Laura, well enough to care which of the 2 men in her life she chooses. To put it bluntly, although she is working diligently to bring tourism back to her small town, she does not come across as nice, caring, compassionate or any of the above.
When the protagonist treats people as disposable and gets everything she ever wanted in the end anyway - it not only rings false, but also leaves me feeling that time was wasted on this particular book. And I have been plenty entertained by books where not-so-good-people come out on top - hello, Gone Girl - but Laura's selfishness seems almost incidental, like the reader was still to believe this was a book about a good person.
With plenty of sweet holiday fare out there for the reading, I would say this is one to skip.
Thank you to Netgalley for this preview.
When the protagonist treats people as disposable and gets everything she ever wanted in the end anyway - it not only rings false, but also leaves me feeling that time was wasted on this particular book. And I have been plenty entertained by books where not-so-good-people come out on top - hello, Gone Girl - but Laura's selfishness seems almost incidental, like the reader was still to believe this was a book about a good person.
With plenty of sweet holiday fare out there for the reading, I would say this is one to skip.
Thank you to Netgalley for this preview.
December 7, 2020
OMG I loved this book! It was so interesting and engaging, and I could not get enough of the characters. The relationships built in this story are organic and real, and I enjoyed getting to the characters so much. I also loved the pacing of the story in general, and the pacing of the relationship developments between the characters. I want more about these characters! The scenery in the book was vivid and beautiful, and I felt like the story and the characters were all really relatable and tangible to the reader. Overall, an excellent read!
November 29, 2020
About the book- Laura loves her hometown of North Powell and wants to bring tourists back to the charming town. She has a small budget but big hopes that KPS Marketing can bring the town success. Along the way, she falls for not one but two men (David and Spence) that are part of KPS, renovates an old home, runs a thriving craft store and has some big decisions to make.
My Thoughts- Reading this book is like eating my favorite sweet and spicy jalapeño kettle chips, The first bite is sweet but then once you savor the chip it’s got quite a bite to it. This book has some steamy scenes and also has wonderfully sweet scenes like when Laura takes Spence on a hike to see the local hot springs and watch the sunset. This was an enjoyable and quick read and my very favorite part is the title… At the very end of the book the title becomes totally clear and I absolutely loved it!
My Thoughts- Reading this book is like eating my favorite sweet and spicy jalapeño kettle chips, The first bite is sweet but then once you savor the chip it’s got quite a bite to it. This book has some steamy scenes and also has wonderfully sweet scenes like when Laura takes Spence on a hike to see the local hot springs and watch the sunset. This was an enjoyable and quick read and my very favorite part is the title… At the very end of the book the title becomes totally clear and I absolutely loved it!
November 24, 2020
The problem with writing a love triangle is that its really hard to make the cheater seem sympathetic and thats the problem here. First of all, don't let the cover fool you. This isn't a romantic comedy nor does it have anything to do with xmas. Secondly, the heroine has sex with her boyfriend and within 24 hours with the other guy, no protection, no talk of sexual health whatsoever. Thirdly she seems to be suffering from some sort of amnesia, whoever is in the room with her is who she is digging. This wasn't terribly written or anything just a whole bunch of problems with the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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