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A Museum of Literature Romance #2
The Attraction Distraction
From the New York Times bestselling author of Royal Valentine, a second novella in the Museum of Literature romcom series, in which the only thing standing between a single-minded Classics scholar and the literary discovery of a lifetime is her heart.
There is nothing Sarah Novak loves more than a literary adventure. When the director of the Museum of Literature sends Sarah to an uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea to look for a rare artifact from Ancient Greece, Sarah, an expert on the Classics, is all in.
One problem. Nine other scholars are also on the hunt for the artifact, one of whom is Irishman Liam Maguire, Sarah's ex and the man she beat out for the curator position at the museum seven years ago. Liam wants to form an alliance, but Sarah refuses. He broke her heart once before; she's not giving him the chance to do it again.
When a series of mysterious "accidents" befall the scholars one by one, Sarah is forced to rethink her position on her sworn enemy, particularly when Liam saves her life. She agrees to team up with the swoony Irishman, knowing full well that finding the treasure will likely cost her heart.
There is nothing Sarah Novak loves more than a literary adventure. When the director of the Museum of Literature sends Sarah to an uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea to look for a rare artifact from Ancient Greece, Sarah, an expert on the Classics, is all in.
One problem. Nine other scholars are also on the hunt for the artifact, one of whom is Irishman Liam Maguire, Sarah's ex and the man she beat out for the curator position at the museum seven years ago. Liam wants to form an alliance, but Sarah refuses. He broke her heart once before; she's not giving him the chance to do it again.
When a series of mysterious "accidents" befall the scholars one by one, Sarah is forced to rethink her position on her sworn enemy, particularly when Liam saves her life. She agrees to team up with the swoony Irishman, knowing full well that finding the treasure will likely cost her heart.
119 pages, ebook
First published June 7, 2022
82 people are currently reading
1753 people want to read
About the author
Jenn McKinlay
70 books5,248 followersJenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
May 27, 2022
The Attraction Distraction by Jenn McKinlay
A Museum of Literature Romance series book 2. Can be read as a stand-alone. Romantic comedy novella.
A quest for museum curators.
Sarah agrees to search for a hidden artifact on an uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea. She didn’t expect to run into her ex on the trip but he slowly convinces her to give him another chance.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Sara Young. She gives an excellent performance with clean enunciated dialog, and a slight Irish accent for Liam. Emotions we’re easily perceived. I listened at 1.3 for the best speed for a conversation. For reading along I could have gone up to 1.5.
Amusing adventure if improbable. I certainly understood Sarah’s anger but thought Liam’s actins were swoon worthy.
I will look for other series and books by this author. It was delightful.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
A Museum of Literature Romance series book 2. Can be read as a stand-alone. Romantic comedy novella.
A quest for museum curators.
Sarah agrees to search for a hidden artifact on an uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea. She didn’t expect to run into her ex on the trip but he slowly convinces her to give him another chance.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Sara Young. She gives an excellent performance with clean enunciated dialog, and a slight Irish accent for Liam. Emotions we’re easily perceived. I listened at 1.3 for the best speed for a conversation. For reading along I could have gone up to 1.5.
Amusing adventure if improbable. I certainly understood Sarah’s anger but thought Liam’s actins were swoon worthy.
I will look for other series and books by this author. It was delightful.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
November 10, 2022
3.5 stars
A cute romantic comedy story to listen to! The characters went on quite the adventure in a fun setting. The plot had some unpredictable twists and turns. I am all for happy endings, but I couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed with the anticlimactic turns of events at the end. Overall, a clever short story that packed a punch and had a little bit of everything. 😊
A cute romantic comedy story to listen to! The characters went on quite the adventure in a fun setting. The plot had some unpredictable twists and turns. I am all for happy endings, but I couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed with the anticlimactic turns of events at the end. Overall, a clever short story that packed a punch and had a little bit of everything. 😊
August 10, 2022
Would not have finished this if it wasn’t such a short book, still did not enjoy it at all. The food was the only thing I liked, characters were pretty meh, the romance stale af idk wat else to say.
May 12, 2022
One of my toxic reading traits is that I will request literally any audiobook on NetGalley that looks even kind of good. Worked out for me this time! This was really cute. The narrator was good. Honestly a lot more happened than I expected out of a 3-4 hour novella. It’s a good blend of plot line and romance. Closed door romance. Release date is 6/7, definitely worth a quick listen if you’re in the mood for a quick light story. Thanks Dreamscape & NetGalley for the advance copy of the audiobook!
July 11, 2022
The Attraction Distraction was a really cute romcom to jump into. I really enjoyed getting to know Sarah and Liam throughout their little adventure. Of course, like always, I wish that the book was a bit longer. Mostly because things felt a bit rushed here and there.
Other than that, I did like the drama and scavenger hunt for a rare artifact. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the romance brewing between these two wasn't hard to like either. Not sure if we will get another book or not, but if we do - please be a bit longer so I can enjoy it more!
Other than that, I did like the drama and scavenger hunt for a rare artifact. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the romance brewing between these two wasn't hard to like either. Not sure if we will get another book or not, but if we do - please be a bit longer so I can enjoy it more!
April 18, 2025
2.5 stars
It was okay, fun but nothing exceptional I will remember a week from now. The writing was good and breezy, and I loved the voice of the main character. But a few points I want to make:
- from the moment he's introduced (like, from the first line that comes out of his mouth) the love interest is way too cheesy,
- halfway through the quest starts getting kind of ridiculous,
- the villain is comically the stereotypical villain from Disney movies,
- the romance went from 0 to 100.
I listened to the audiobook and I really loved the narrator, except she did a Scottish accent for Liam instead of an Irish one and that made me laugh a little. Halfway through I decided I would ignore the text and believe him Scottish (which I much prefer tbh lol) and that worked 😂
It was okay, fun but nothing exceptional I will remember a week from now. The writing was good and breezy, and I loved the voice of the main character. But a few points I want to make:
- from the moment he's introduced (like, from the first line that comes out of his mouth) the love interest is way too cheesy,
- halfway through the quest starts getting kind of ridiculous,
- the villain is comically the stereotypical villain from Disney movies,
- the romance went from 0 to 100.
I listened to the audiobook and I really loved the narrator, except she did a Scottish accent for Liam instead of an Irish one and that made me laugh a little. Halfway through I decided I would ignore the text and believe him Scottish (which I much prefer tbh lol) and that worked 😂
May 14, 2022
What a fun adventure!
This was a quick book that has some romance components to it and a quest too. A trip to Greece to retrieve an artifact was really a contest to see which scholor could get to it first. This was like a light version of "The Hunger Games" since scholors kept dropping out because of accidents.
The romance was definitely kindled out of a forced/awkward situation since Sara and Liam were exes and happened to be there for the same purpose. Risk and near death always brings people closer together, right?
This book was just overall fun! The narrator was entertaining and I think did a good job helping bring out the characters through her voice.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.
This was a quick book that has some romance components to it and a quest too. A trip to Greece to retrieve an artifact was really a contest to see which scholor could get to it first. This was like a light version of "The Hunger Games" since scholors kept dropping out because of accidents.
The romance was definitely kindled out of a forced/awkward situation since Sara and Liam were exes and happened to be there for the same purpose. Risk and near death always brings people closer together, right?
This book was just overall fun! The narrator was entertaining and I think did a good job helping bring out the characters through her voice.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.
July 8, 2022
What do you say when your boss asks you to go on an adventure in Greece to try to find evidence that the events of the Iliad and Odyssey really took place as Homer told them? HECK YEAH! Sarah Novak, a classics scholar and curator at the Museum of Literature in New York and lifelong fan of Ancient Greek literature is eager to travel to Greece even if it means being dumped on an island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, even if it means competing with her colleagues from other institutions in a Survivor style competition for a rare artifact that may or may not exist. However, Sarah soon learns the scholars are expected to team up and one person she is NOT going to team up with - professionally or otherwise - is Liam Maguire. Been there done that, had the broken heart to prove it. Sarah is determined to avoid Liam's flirtations and team up with her friend Ren from Japan. However, a mysterious accident takes Ren out of the competition before it even begins. Surely it was a silly accident right? Ren doesn't think so! Then a number of other unusual incidents occur and Liam is convinced they're in danger. If Sarah is going to survive this trip with her her career. life AND her heart in tact, she'll have to use all her wits and that means most definitely avoiding Liam!
This novella is much better than the first one. I love the Museum of Literature and want to work there. The trip through special collections made me laugh. (It's not actually like that, really! Dust, mold, boxes full of pests -YES; mysterious yellow mist and a nasty smell? Probably not.) Right away I was on board with Sarah's quest, at least until I heard "uninhabited island" and "camping out" and "supply drop." PASS! I'll go to Bath instead. The chance to prove the events in Homer's poems, gods and all, is tempting but not worth my safety, health or sanity. Sexy Irishman not withstanding. I loved learning about the Ancient Greek style of dress. Who knew they wore colors?! The description of the island was magical. I felt like I was there in the heat with the bugs, the wild landscape and the hot springs. It sounds amazing- if you like that sort of thing. The little mystery seemed obvious at first but I didn't expect the twist at the end! I thought the twist would be something else. The romance wasn't bad. The love scene is clean and comes at the right moment. I rolled my eyes a few times during the story but overall I enjoyed it.
I like Sarah and can relate to her passion for literature and her drive to succeed. I'm impressed she learned Ancient Greek just to read the epics in their original language. I also relate to her tenacity if that quest was to find a lost Jane Austen manuscript, I'd be on the next plane to London. I don't do hot tropical locations or Survivor so I appreciate her willingness to go along with whatever plan was cooking without even knowing about it. Her survival skills are relatively minimal though! The story was a bit repetitive at times as Sarah felt the need to remind herself and the reader, more than once, she survived her broken heart by throwing herself into her work.
Liam is a handsome, buff, Irishman. I think he's full of Blarney and don't trust him. After all, he broke Sarah's heart 6 years ago and ghosted her after she was offered the job at the Museum of Literature- a job they were both after. I'm immune to the charms of European and Irish men but Sarah knew Liam VERY well and he now has a more mature body that is hard to ignore. His flirtations never cross the line but I find is annoying how he keeps calling Sarah an Irish term of endearment and continues to annoy her after she asks him to stop and tries ignoring him. Does he expect her to pick up where they left off?! Not after he ghosted her, nope, not happening. Then I got to know Liam better and liked him a little bit more. I still think he needs to grovel more and flirt less though. I know Jenn McKinlay isn't Irish but it's obvious in Liam's speech. He uses American slang and Irish slang. Pissed means drunk in Ireland and the UK. If I know that, chances are the reader will too. The editor should have caught that.
Billionaire Elias Sarver is the one who set up the quest. Little seems known about him. I want to know why he's hiring scholars to find proof the Trojan War was real. What is the purpose? Why so mysterious? Why bring in all the scholars at once? Why does it have to be a Survivor style quest? The novella format doesn't allow the story to get that deep. Nor does it allow the reader to get to know most of the other scholars. Ren Matsuda from Japan, Sarah's friend, sounds like fun and her go-to partner in crime person. They shared a memorable moment in Tokyo once and can't live it down. Would Ren lie about being pushed? He seems very open and honest so I don't think so.
First on my list to push off a cliff would be Mark Pettier. He's sexist and condescending towards his wife. I gasped "Oh no he didn't!" and was ready to push him off the cliff. Sarah basically has the same reaction but knows how to behave and mind her own business. He embarrassed Kelly and I for one would have invited her to team up for some WOMAN POWER and show that sexist jerk who has the brains in the family. Kelly is just as accomplished as her husband according to "everyone." Next person I want to get bit by a viper is Cyrus. He's nasty. He works for a private collector who hides his treasures away from the public eye. That's not right but it was up to Mr. Sarver who to invite and he chose Cyrus. It's not like jobs in the field are easy to get. A curator may not have a shot at a job at an institution but collecting for a wealthy person pays the bills. Cyrus doesn't have to be so nasty about it. Obviously he's the one behind Ren's accident and all other incidents. That seems like the least likely way to get a full-time job to me. Sure the wealthy dude probably pays more but what if he loses his money/changes his collecting scope/decides to fire you for whatever reason? For Sarah, finding this ancient artifact is personal and professional. She's passionate about Greek literature but she also wants to keep the job she loves and worked hard for. For Cyrus, it's personal in the sense of power, glory and fortune. He is clearly a villain!
This would be a fun story to read in the winter when it's cold. I cranked my a/c down so it wasn't so bad but if you're already hot, you'll only get warmer reading this!
I'm eager for the final story in the trilogy. Will Claire finally meet her match?
This novella is much better than the first one. I love the Museum of Literature and want to work there. The trip through special collections made me laugh. (It's not actually like that, really! Dust, mold, boxes full of pests -YES; mysterious yellow mist and a nasty smell? Probably not.) Right away I was on board with Sarah's quest, at least until I heard "uninhabited island" and "camping out" and "supply drop." PASS! I'll go to Bath instead. The chance to prove the events in Homer's poems, gods and all, is tempting but not worth my safety, health or sanity. Sexy Irishman not withstanding. I loved learning about the Ancient Greek style of dress. Who knew they wore colors?! The description of the island was magical. I felt like I was there in the heat with the bugs, the wild landscape and the hot springs. It sounds amazing- if you like that sort of thing. The little mystery seemed obvious at first but I didn't expect the twist at the end! I thought the twist would be something else. The romance wasn't bad. The love scene is clean and comes at the right moment. I rolled my eyes a few times during the story but overall I enjoyed it.
I like Sarah and can relate to her passion for literature and her drive to succeed. I'm impressed she learned Ancient Greek just to read the epics in their original language. I also relate to her tenacity if that quest was to find a lost Jane Austen manuscript, I'd be on the next plane to London. I don't do hot tropical locations or Survivor so I appreciate her willingness to go along with whatever plan was cooking without even knowing about it. Her survival skills are relatively minimal though! The story was a bit repetitive at times as Sarah felt the need to remind herself and the reader, more than once, she survived her broken heart by throwing herself into her work.
Liam is a handsome, buff, Irishman. I think he's full of Blarney and don't trust him. After all, he broke Sarah's heart 6 years ago and ghosted her after she was offered the job at the Museum of Literature- a job they were both after. I'm immune to the charms of European and Irish men but Sarah knew Liam VERY well and he now has a more mature body that is hard to ignore. His flirtations never cross the line but I find is annoying how he keeps calling Sarah an Irish term of endearment and continues to annoy her after she asks him to stop and tries ignoring him. Does he expect her to pick up where they left off?! Not after he ghosted her, nope, not happening. Then I got to know Liam better and liked him a little bit more. I still think he needs to grovel more and flirt less though. I know Jenn McKinlay isn't Irish but it's obvious in Liam's speech. He uses American slang and Irish slang. Pissed means drunk in Ireland and the UK. If I know that, chances are the reader will too. The editor should have caught that.
Billionaire Elias Sarver is the one who set up the quest. Little seems known about him. I want to know why he's hiring scholars to find proof the Trojan War was real. What is the purpose? Why so mysterious? Why bring in all the scholars at once? Why does it have to be a Survivor style quest? The novella format doesn't allow the story to get that deep. Nor does it allow the reader to get to know most of the other scholars. Ren Matsuda from Japan, Sarah's friend, sounds like fun and her go-to partner in crime person. They shared a memorable moment in Tokyo once and can't live it down. Would Ren lie about being pushed? He seems very open and honest so I don't think so.
First on my list to push off a cliff would be Mark Pettier. He's sexist and condescending towards his wife. I gasped "Oh no he didn't!" and was ready to push him off the cliff. Sarah basically has the same reaction but knows how to behave and mind her own business. He embarrassed Kelly and I for one would have invited her to team up for some WOMAN POWER and show that sexist jerk who has the brains in the family. Kelly is just as accomplished as her husband according to "everyone." Next person I want to get bit by a viper is Cyrus. He's nasty. He works for a private collector who hides his treasures away from the public eye. That's not right but it was up to Mr. Sarver who to invite and he chose Cyrus. It's not like jobs in the field are easy to get. A curator may not have a shot at a job at an institution but collecting for a wealthy person pays the bills. Cyrus doesn't have to be so nasty about it. Obviously he's the one behind Ren's accident and all other incidents. That seems like the least likely way to get a full-time job to me. Sure the wealthy dude probably pays more but what if he loses his money/changes his collecting scope/decides to fire you for whatever reason? For Sarah, finding this ancient artifact is personal and professional. She's passionate about Greek literature but she also wants to keep the job she loves and worked hard for. For Cyrus, it's personal in the sense of power, glory and fortune. He is clearly a villain!
This would be a fun story to read in the winter when it's cold. I cranked my a/c down so it wasn't so bad but if you're already hot, you'll only get warmer reading this!
I'm eager for the final story in the trilogy. Will Claire finally meet her match?
November 23, 2022
I am a huge, HUGE fan of Jenn McKinlay's cozy mysteries. And I enjoyed her last full-length romance novel, Wait For It. But this novella trilogy about the Museum of Literature... leaves something to be desired. Much like the first book, it was a bit to whirlwind. The female lead goes from hating the male lead's guts, fighting for her life, and searching for buried treasure, to screwing his brains out. Not exactly the smartest move... maybe just wait 24 hours until you've had some time to think and are out of harm's way. I listened to half this book on audio and read the other half, and I think I enjoyed reading it more; I just didn't love the narrator.
It's still a fun read and McKinlay's books are always a wonderful ode to book lovers, with lots of fun references and Easter eggs. So if you can get this one from the library, it's a quick read that may be worth your time, but I can't necessarily say it's worth your money. But don't mind me dropping $25 for the hardback edition of her latest cozy mystery...
3 stars - 5/10
It's still a fun read and McKinlay's books are always a wonderful ode to book lovers, with lots of fun references and Easter eggs. So if you can get this one from the library, it's a quick read that may be worth your time, but I can't necessarily say it's worth your money. But don't mind me dropping $25 for the hardback edition of her latest cozy mystery...
3 stars - 5/10
July 7, 2022
This was not as good as the first novella. It felt like I was thrown into the middle of a book and I wasn't as engaged as I wanted to be.
June 13, 2022
this was such a cute fun story with a little bit of love and an adventure
Loved where it took us, to the Greek Isles
Sarah and Liam had a past relationship which ended badly to say the least ( so there is history here) and now they are both on this same adventure project
So they end up finding more that just lost artifacts
This is book 2 of a series, so looks like I am gonna have to see what else this author hs written and get my hands on it
so the only bad thing about this book (audiobook) was that it was too short, there was so much more we needed lol
The narrator was perfect for this book loved her voices, her accents, how she had everyone sounds as they should,. such a great job
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me have an advanced copy audiobook to listen to. These are my own views and opinions about this book.
Loved where it took us, to the Greek Isles
Sarah and Liam had a past relationship which ended badly to say the least ( so there is history here) and now they are both on this same adventure project
So they end up finding more that just lost artifacts
This is book 2 of a series, so looks like I am gonna have to see what else this author hs written and get my hands on it
so the only bad thing about this book (audiobook) was that it was too short, there was so much more we needed lol
The narrator was perfect for this book loved her voices, her accents, how she had everyone sounds as they should,. such a great job
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me have an advanced copy audiobook to listen to. These are my own views and opinions about this book.
June 5, 2024
Meh. Džiaugiausi tiesiog, kad trumpa istorija, ir suklausiau greitai. Nors jeigu būtų ilgesnė, gal būtų buvę įdomiau?🤔 dabar manęs visiškai neįtikino veikėjai🙈
June 10, 2022
A cute rom com with a slash of danger that just may help two ex's find their second chance. I loved the characters and the plot was fun. It's a short story, but the story has quality meat on it's bones so is worth the listen. The narrator did a good job of bringing the plot and characters to life and made the book an entertaining listen. I'm enjoying this series and look forward to more!
Read
May 14, 2022I'm really loving this new Museum of Literature romance series by Jenn McKinlay!! This second chance at love, forced proximity, dual perspective love story, features Sarah Novik, who gets sent to a remote Greek island to search for a hidden literary treasure. Along the way she reunites with her lost love, Liam, the man who broke her heart and ghosted her years ago. These two team up trying to find a lost artifact and find love along the way. Great on audio, this is a fun novella perfect for fans of Something Wilder by Christina Lauren. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC!
May 13, 2022
3.5
Short, sweet, and had an actual plot. Was there a fair amount of cliche cheese? Yes. However, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I appreciate that the main character is intelligent, sensitive, and tenacious. My only wish was that we got to see more of her personality as a curator besides it having to do with her relationship with Liam.
Overall, the story did exactly what the author set out to accomplish. A nice, easy read with a few scenes of surprise excitement.
Short, sweet, and had an actual plot. Was there a fair amount of cliche cheese? Yes. However, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I appreciate that the main character is intelligent, sensitive, and tenacious. My only wish was that we got to see more of her personality as a curator besides it having to do with her relationship with Liam.
Overall, the story did exactly what the author set out to accomplish. A nice, easy read with a few scenes of surprise excitement.
August 15, 2023
so post-earthquake fuck they lowkey murdered 2 people? oh and aphrodite came to her in a dream 😪
May 16, 2022
Sarah Novak, a Classics scholar, is sent to an uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea to find an ancient artifact from Ancient Greece. Though, she’s not the only one on the hunt, 9 other scholars are also searching for this mysterious item that could prove the Trojan War really happened. Liam Maguire, Sarah’s ex she hasn’t seen in 7 years, is among this group. It seems like a simple competition to find the artifact, until strange “accidents” begin to occur and Sarah enters into an unlikely alliance as she tries to get off the island unharmed.
A fun-fast paced adventure with forced proximity, a second-chance romance, and high stakes. The characters are funny and charming, and the story is perfect for fans of Greek mythology (aka me). Its a quick and light-hearted story that is perfect to get you out of a reading slump or refresh between series if you don’t know what to read — either way, read it! The narrator for the audiobook was excellent and I loved getting to hear the different accents with the characters too!
Thank you for Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy of the audiobook for my honest review.
Fav Quote: “Sweet Aphrodite on a clam shell”
A fun-fast paced adventure with forced proximity, a second-chance romance, and high stakes. The characters are funny and charming, and the story is perfect for fans of Greek mythology (aka me). Its a quick and light-hearted story that is perfect to get you out of a reading slump or refresh between series if you don’t know what to read — either way, read it! The narrator for the audiobook was excellent and I loved getting to hear the different accents with the characters too!
Thank you for Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy of the audiobook for my honest review.
Fav Quote: “Sweet Aphrodite on a clam shell”
May 13, 2022
This was a quick Greek adventure where two exes compete to find an ancient artifact. The premise wasn’t bad, but to me the characters were lacking some substance and I found it hard to connect with them. The narrator was alright, but her accents I thought were poor. I do appreciate the advanced listen, and am a fan of Jenn McKinlay’s books.
June 10, 2022
OMG!!! this book is literally the perfect combination of books and adventure. Think Indiana Jones meets national treasure.
I'm not really into greek mythology but this book made it so fun and interesting. Oddly enough I started with the second book in the series and it was totally fine! Gonna continue with the series over the summer!
I'm not really into greek mythology but this book made it so fun and interesting. Oddly enough I started with the second book in the series and it was totally fine! Gonna continue with the series over the summer!
February 1, 2023
When a love interest withholds information, effectively making a life altering decision for the other person <<<<<
Also, the audiobook was really wack because the love interest was supposed to be Irish, and the narrator was very clearly doing a Scottish accent 🥲
Also, the audiobook was really wack because the love interest was supposed to be Irish, and the narrator was very clearly doing a Scottish accent 🥲
May 25, 2022
Did I grab this audio from @netgalley because of the cute cover? Yes, yes I did. And no regrets! I was pleasantly surprised at what a fantastic adventure-romance this novella was! I was kinda excited to learn it was a novella because my May reading didn’t start out too great. I loved how I was able to easily listen to it in one day. I’m typically hesitant with novellas because they always seem rushed and insta-lovey to me. With this book, having the second chance trope helped alleviate any insta-love feeling for me. Was the adventure part a little dramatic and over the top? Yeah, I think it was. But was it an easy, enjoyable quick read? Yep! It was the perfect length, and some laughable moments with twists & turns along the way.
The Attraction Distraction comes out 6/7! Thank you @dreamscapemedia and @netgalley for the gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review
The Attraction Distraction comes out 6/7! Thank you @dreamscapemedia and @netgalley for the gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review
June 9, 2022
Very heavy on the plot. Not as much romance as I would've liked.
February 15, 2023
Gave me Indiana Jones vibes and was so fun, but I wish it was longer!
January 23, 2024
3/5 stars, listened as an audiobook. Short read, good novella. Enjoyed this one a little bit more than the first of the series. Loved the Irish accent haha.
June 5, 2022
Cute (short & sweet) romance mystery story!
May 22, 2022
Sarah Novak is sent to an uninhabited private Greek island by her museum. The owner of the island gathers together nine other scholars with the challenge to find a rare historical artifact he believes to be there. Who ever finds it will get the artifact for their museum. It is a career making search of a lifetime. One of the other hunters is Liam Maguire. He and Sarah lived together seven years ago until he left her after she got the museum position they both sought. Someone isn’t playing fair and is taking out the competition as they race for the artifact.
I think this is a really good set up for a full length book but it is too much for a novella. The other players are almost nondescript. When the first few leave the competition I didn’t know enough about them to care. I think it would have increased the tension if Sarah didn’t know if she could trust Liam but he is with her early when an “accident” happens so she knows he isn’t behind it. The set up seems too implausible. The man who owns the island is going to share in ownership with the museum and he is the only way off the island. It doesn’t seem likely that eliminating all the competition and making it look like accidents without raising suspicion is probable. I did like the back story for Sarah and Liam.
The author writes cozy mystery books which fits this closed door, second chance romance. There isn’t time to develop side characters or a sense of mystery. I listened to the audio book and Sara Young performs the material well. I guess the novella would be under 150 pages to read but I couldn’t verify but the audio book is just over three hours. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review. (2.5 stars)
I think this is a really good set up for a full length book but it is too much for a novella. The other players are almost nondescript. When the first few leave the competition I didn’t know enough about them to care. I think it would have increased the tension if Sarah didn’t know if she could trust Liam but he is with her early when an “accident” happens so she knows he isn’t behind it. The set up seems too implausible. The man who owns the island is going to share in ownership with the museum and he is the only way off the island. It doesn’t seem likely that eliminating all the competition and making it look like accidents without raising suspicion is probable. I did like the back story for Sarah and Liam.
The author writes cozy mystery books which fits this closed door, second chance romance. There isn’t time to develop side characters or a sense of mystery. I listened to the audio book and Sara Young performs the material well. I guess the novella would be under 150 pages to read but I couldn’t verify but the audio book is just over three hours. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review. (2.5 stars)
May 11, 2022
I love books set in different countries, especially Greece, it holds a special place in my heart. Sarah and Liam are off on a literary adventure to find some special artifacts, but it's too bad that Sarah can't stand Liam after leaving her without word 7 years ago. He was her one and only and thought she was the same for him, but it's clear that he had other ideas when she won the job that they both were competing for.
Well, she won't let him get to her now. While they are viing for the same artifacts, people are getting hurt and it's quite possible the only way they will survive this voyage will be if they work together. Liam isn't letting Sarah out of his sight, he has a lot to atone for and wants to make things right and explain what happened all those years ago.
I knew tha there had to be more than Sarah's perception of what happened and I am so happy that they were able to work through their issues. I loved him, he never gave up on them. This was a fun adventure and I loved the banter between these two.
Thank you to Dreamscape, Jenn McKinlay and Netgalley for an early audio review copy.
Well, she won't let him get to her now. While they are viing for the same artifacts, people are getting hurt and it's quite possible the only way they will survive this voyage will be if they work together. Liam isn't letting Sarah out of his sight, he has a lot to atone for and wants to make things right and explain what happened all those years ago.
I knew tha there had to be more than Sarah's perception of what happened and I am so happy that they were able to work through their issues. I loved him, he never gave up on them. This was a fun adventure and I loved the banter between these two.
Thank you to Dreamscape, Jenn McKinlay and Netgalley for an early audio review copy.
May 26, 2022
2.75/5⭐️
Sarah is sent by the museum she works for to an island to search for an important artifact. People from other museums around the world are racing to find the artifact first, including her Irish ex-boyfriend that broke her heart in grad school.
This fell flat for me. It was a novella, but I feel like it shouldn’t have been. There was a lot going on in such a short amount of time and it felt very rushed. I feel like if it was longer the plot could have gotten the necessary time to develop. There wasn’t enough character development for me in the short length of the book, I didn’t feel attached to the characters at all. In addition to the lack of character development with the main characters, the side characters were underdeveloped as well. The villain reveal was so underwhelming, with the lack of scenes with that character, I barely even know who it was.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book. I think the plot and characters had potential, but it was too short and rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah is sent by the museum she works for to an island to search for an important artifact. People from other museums around the world are racing to find the artifact first, including her Irish ex-boyfriend that broke her heart in grad school.
This fell flat for me. It was a novella, but I feel like it shouldn’t have been. There was a lot going on in such a short amount of time and it felt very rushed. I feel like if it was longer the plot could have gotten the necessary time to develop. There wasn’t enough character development for me in the short length of the book, I didn’t feel attached to the characters at all. In addition to the lack of character development with the main characters, the side characters were underdeveloped as well. The villain reveal was so underwhelming, with the lack of scenes with that character, I barely even know who it was.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book. I think the plot and characters had potential, but it was too short and rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2022
Book 85 of 2022
I really love the idea of these Museum of Literature Romance novellas. I love everything about the museum and the idea of history and literature and being a curator and all of those things. I have the same complains for @JennMcKinlay that I had from the first book in the series -- I want more! I love the idea of going on an adventure to secure some artifacts all Indiana Jones style. But be warned, this cover is very deceiving for the actual content of the book. Also, there is room for so much more. I liked this characters, but because they have a history AND this is a novella, I feel like I only got 1/4 of what I could have actually been given. There was a lot of room here to fill in the details and simply give me more overall, and I would have enjoyed it. Did I like this quick little read? Of course. But I have to rank it low because I just want more when I am done, but trust me, I will keep picking up the novellas in the series if more are written.
Rating -- three stars
Format -- audiobook
I really love the idea of these Museum of Literature Romance novellas. I love everything about the museum and the idea of history and literature and being a curator and all of those things. I have the same complains for @JennMcKinlay that I had from the first book in the series -- I want more! I love the idea of going on an adventure to secure some artifacts all Indiana Jones style. But be warned, this cover is very deceiving for the actual content of the book. Also, there is room for so much more. I liked this characters, but because they have a history AND this is a novella, I feel like I only got 1/4 of what I could have actually been given. There was a lot of room here to fill in the details and simply give me more overall, and I would have enjoyed it. Did I like this quick little read? Of course. But I have to rank it low because I just want more when I am done, but trust me, I will keep picking up the novellas in the series if more are written.
Rating -- three stars
Format -- audiobook
May 15, 2022
This was a little Novella, only 3 hours long audiobook and it was so cute! We have Sarah, who works for the library and is told she is chosen to go on an adventure to a Greek island to look for a long-lost artifact and if she finds it the library will get to profit off it. Sarah was a likeable main character, and strong willed. And then we Liam, a Scottish ex-boyfriend of Sarah who up and left her 7 years ago when she got the job at the library over him. Sarah is all filled with hate and dread when she sees him on the plane to Greece is determined not to let him in her heart again, but he has other plans for the women he once loved. This was also a fast-paced novel for being so short, it did not skimp on the story part at all! It had old flames reuniting, adventure, a villain, and Greek mythology which is something I really love! The narrator did a good job especially the Scottish accent! Thank you Netgally and Dream scape Media for a copy of this audio book for a review.
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