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Lost Boys #1
Mr. Imperfect
It takes a funeral to drag bad boy Christian Kelly back to his rural New Zealand hometown. He'd do just about anything to blow out of town for the last time. And never see Kezia Rose again. His first love. And the only woman he'd ever hurt. But when they find out Kezia's going to lose her family's century-old hotel, Christian genuinely wants to help. Except Kezia won't let him. And neither will her grandmother—according to the last will and testament and a long-forgotten IOU he'd given the dear, exasperating old woman. So, what next? If the will says he can't buy out the hotel, he'll just have to turn it around by the end of the month. And maybe by then Kezia will understand why he left…and why being near her is breaking his heart all over again.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
617 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Karina Bliss
49 books238 followersNew Zealander Karina Bliss has written a biography for a rock star, swapped identities with her twin, raised three orphaned children with her ex husband, worn a cow costume to a Bachelor and Spinster ball, considered marriage for the sake of a baby, and been mayor of a small town.
Oh wait, that’s her characters.
Outside her imagination, she’s always been a professional writer, first as a travel journalist and then as a romance author. Her deeply held convictions include: love conquers all; yoga pants are daywear; and what a woman really wants is a man who cleans. Unfortunately, she does not live with one, (nor indeed has raised one). Please buy her books so she can pay for one.
She has also swum with sharks. They were very small. Babies, really. But still count.
Career highlights have included being the first Australasian to win a Golden Heart from the Romance Writers of America. Her debut, Mr Imperfect, won a Romantic Book of the Year Award in Australia, and her first self-published title, RISE, a rock star romance also finaled.
Other books in the Rock Solid series are FALL, PLAY and (coming soon), RESURRECTION.
Find out more and sign up to her newsletter at www.karinabliss.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarinaBlissA...
Twitter @BlissKarina
Email: karina@karinabliss.com
Oh wait, that’s her characters.
Outside her imagination, she’s always been a professional writer, first as a travel journalist and then as a romance author. Her deeply held convictions include: love conquers all; yoga pants are daywear; and what a woman really wants is a man who cleans. Unfortunately, she does not live with one, (nor indeed has raised one). Please buy her books so she can pay for one.
She has also swum with sharks. They were very small. Babies, really. But still count.
Career highlights have included being the first Australasian to win a Golden Heart from the Romance Writers of America. Her debut, Mr Imperfect, won a Romantic Book of the Year Award in Australia, and her first self-published title, RISE, a rock star romance also finaled.
Other books in the Rock Solid series are FALL, PLAY and (coming soon), RESURRECTION.
Find out more and sign up to her newsletter at www.karinabliss.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarinaBlissA...
Twitter @BlissKarina
Email: karina@karinabliss.com
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October 17, 2020
R A T I N G: 5 perfect stars for Mr. Imperfect!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Hi, honey,” he said grimly. “I’m home.”
“So,” he said, “the gloves are off at last.”
‘Mr. Imperfect’ by Karina Bliss is Christian Kelly’s and Kezia Rose’s story of forsaken teenage love, a resentful separation and dealing with all that lay unsaid when their paths divided during a shaping moment in both of their lives. Once teenage lovers, now intolerable challengers vying for the upper hand after an unfortunate loss brings these aged apart sweethearts together on very uncertain terms. Set in New Zealand, brought back to his hometown after 14 successful years of building his career, millionaire Christian Kelly is back to pay his respects to a woman whose love rivaled only that of the same he had for Kezia Rose. Christian has no intention of crossing any wires with his bitter past - one of the reasons he bid good-riddance all those years ago, but it’s his affection for Kezia’s grandmother that brings his feet back to the older pastures of his home town.
‘Beholden to one woman, then. Muriel Medina Rose. A surrogate mother to a motherless boy-when he’d let her. Which hadn’t been as often as she would have liked.’
‘There were shadows under those intensely blue eyes, she noticed, and shadows in them.’
Kezia Rose never thought she’d face the handsome, arbitrary young love of her life who took off one night with thoughtless intent. But here he is, Christian Kelly, with his fancy Ferrari, stylish suits and cool, arrogant eyes. And Kezia feels …nothing of the love she had for him. Only a relentless desire to see him out of town and out of her life before he can cause any more disruption. Both are resentfully civil to each other, their interchanges laden with undercurrents of bitterness and friction with the intentions of keeping a healthy distance. The quicker Kezia sees the back of Christian, the quicker she can move on with her life. And the quicker Christian speeds away in his fancy car, the faster he can leave all that he hates in his past where it should stay. Because although time and space are decent managers that present an illusion of all’s well that can’t be seen, there are just some things that can’t be forgiven.
“Yes…Come home, Christian. Swap the penthouse for a farmhouse, the Bentley for a tractor and your tourism empire for a pitchfork. I believe there are at least three single women for you to date.”
“Do you count yourself, Kez? If so, we’ll have to drop that number back to two. I never date the same woman twice.”
“And I never repeat the same mistake twice.”
Regrettably for this hardened loner, Christian is stuck in this small town, bound by an old IOU and expected to help Kezia regain her inheritance. And just like that, brash Christian is stuck with the only woman who ever broke his heart, leaving him emotionally stunted for all who came after. And Kezia Rose is left to deal with the thoughtless, opinionated man who abandoned their love on an impulsive whim. As obstinately uneager as they both are and restless to get this arrangement over with, keeping a respectable distance for business’s sake isn’t as easy as it sounds when ghosts of the past sit in a long line between them.
“You still let duty drive you.” There was a critical note in his voice that stung.
“Better than still evading responsibility.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
‘He’d amputated sentiment from his life when he’d left Waterview, yet all day he’d been plagued by phantom pains.’
Kezia is the responsibility to Christian’s unmindfulness, and Christian is the wild bad boy to Kezia’s good-girl sensibility, and the carelessness to her compassionate nature. Opposites these two are, but they are both embroiled in shared history that became a darkening turning point for them, leaving them both longing and fractured in some way, reflected in the way they both live their lives. And also shared in their inability to openly trust and open their hearts. Kezia and Christian have different drives but shared the passion of first love. An impasse was reached 14 years ago, and it seems the same one may be waiting for them now. Christian wanted to leave. Kezia wanted to stay. They both wanted each other, but unspoken choices split them down the middle.
‘Kezia had a sense of resting in the eye of a storm.’
‘In a world that had been reduced to black and white he had given her a test of loyalty. And she had failed.’
I’ve desperately been wanting to give out some five stars this year, and just when I least expected that I would, here comes ‘Mr. Imperfect’ to show me what I was missing! I haven’t read any work from Karina Bliss, but if all her books are written in such an all-around engaging, well-structured, poignant way, I’ll be more than happy to read more. What a great cast of characters from the hardened, emotionally unreachable Christian, to the guarded, well-meaning Kez, to the small town, well-rounded folk who create a real sense of honest, crony atmosphere. What I also really appreciated was Joe’s coinciding story of recovering alcoholic and how it nicely pieced itself into this story, presenting another face of an alcoholics will and highlighting the possibility that sobriety can be won.
“I don’t go to dark places, Kez. Not even for you.”
“Even if I could help you light them?”
‘Mr. Imperfect’ is a story about two strong-willed people who gave up on love when their first experience of it was blemished with shades of pain and mistrust. From what I’ve seen so far Bliss writes strong character profiles for all of her characters, strong chemistry - both negative and positive - between Kezia and Christian that felt believable and genuine in every scene, and every act. With angsty conflict, point scoring, power plays and attempts to gain the upper hand, Christian’s and Kezia’s story is one that expresses hurt through hostile civility, but soon to come hopeful understanding.
‘Her accuracy didn’t bother him; the hope implied by her words did. “I’m not a miracle worker, Kez.”
Her mouth softened into a wry smile. “There’s your first miracle.”
He raised a brow in inquiry.
“I just admitted I want your advice.
“No, the miracle would be if you took it.”
Christian is a natural suppressor, one who doesn’t have the best outlook on life in general. A thick-skinned man of his own mind who walks his own path. Kezia is equally guarded, self-sacrificing and takes care of her own. They are the kind of couple almost made not to work. She’s a nurturer who leans on virtue to keep her stable. He’s too autonomous to admit any kind of weakness. It’s like a continual battle of wills, but ironically they are both fleeing and fighting the same things: honesty belief, and trust, with each other and themselves. Ironic how they’re compatibly fractured on the inside but clash so deliberately.
“Life might have branded you a loner, Christian, but it’s your choice to stay that way.”
His eyes narrowed. “Says someone who only feels safe when she’s in credit on some emotional balance sheet…”
It’s not often that I’ll come across original prose in the contemporary romance genre, but Mr. Imperfect shatters that construct. The prose is creative, engaging, measured, and touchingly recites a story that gives strong prevalence to it’s characters, their struggles and the story. I was engaged from the opening scene to the last word, from Christian’s peculiar funeral sentimentality to what secrets really drove them away from each other, to an adorable little boy called John Jason. With sorrowful content that grabbed at my tears, with funny bits of dialogue that made me smile there was a lot to love about Mr. Imperfect . So thank you Karina Bliss for leaving me with bleary eyes and shadowed bags under them.
“You know, you forgive other people anything-yourself nothing.” Marion sounded annoyed. “Have you ever thought how condescending it is that my forgiveness counts for less than yours?”
With themes of sacrifice, grief, heartbreak, trust and incontestable passion this wholesome story is a must read, if not for the technically sound writing and brilliantly executed characterisation, then for a battle of mulish will that may break hearts or propel trust. It really is a question of whether the heavy baggage between Kezia and Christian is light enough to carry on both of their shoulders.
After scrolling through some reviews I realised that the feedback is a fairly mixed bag, and I was surprised that this story didn’t delight people as much as it did me, but for those of you who haven’t read this and do enjoy the contemporary romance genre of second chance romance, I’d definitely give this one a try. Apart from the layering of muddled emotions and reasons in this story which were hard to follow because there were so many flying around, and an ending that felt a bit too abrupt, I couldn’t find any fault with story. Well done, Miss. Bliss!
“You moved out?”
Kez stabbed at her bacon. “No, time stopped the day you left.”
His blue eyes glinted across the table. “That sound patronizing?”
“Very.”
A fortifying, wholesome tale between two people who have a chance to offer each other more than bestowal of bitterness if they can open their hearts farther than doubtful belief. Is love still idly sitting there subduedly under layers of unforgivable past and personal pains? Are Kezia and Christian rationalising decisions so they don’t have to face an unwelcome reality? Has rationalising decisions only made them believe their own lies? Will they strain for the upper hand at considerable costs? Or can an amicable understanding be reached when the past has a hurtful hold over them. Is the past just meant to stay in the past along with lost love?
“Our history is heartbreaking.”
“Our future doesn’t have to be.”
“I’m country. You’re city.”
“We’ll have the best of both worlds.”
“I want a man with no shadows. You live in them.”
“I’ll buy sunblock.”
Colour me silly, colour me overwhelmed, but colour me heart-warmed because I loved this story of mishandled opportunity and second chance romance. Due to secrets untold, Kezia and Christian were left to mourn a miscommunicated loss, both coloured skeptical in some way, but theirs is also a story that requires self-reflection and a good, long look in the mirror to see what reflects back. Good intentions are baseless to Christian, he’s too autonomous to care, and apart from his career success Kezia doesn’t see him more than a man of little matter. A while collared do-gooder she is, but do Kezia’s personal roadblocks have more to do with her than Christian? It’s a battle of wills to see who can peel the layers faster while patching up holes in others. When secrets come out though, will love be enough, or will they reach the same stalemate that severed them years ago? And are their drives too different to negate bad consequences? Perhaps all they need is some vulnerability…easier said than done.
“Sorry, I don’t usually shoot at the cavalry.”
“More like the Lone Ranger.”
Satirical, eye-watering, enthralling, a wash of agitated love overridden by painful history. It’s not very often that I’ll read a nuanced story of romance with sub-plots as well structured, well-played, and poignant as ‘Mr. Imperfect’. Some things are too far gone to come back from, but it will take a line of unnatural communication for Kezia and Christian to offset this mess. Let’s see if they put those strong wills to some good use. With absorbing protagonists, it’s hard not to get swept up in this story.
“I guess it’s a measure of how much you love him that he has to meet your standards.”
“And a measure of how much he loves you,” Joe added, “that he tries.”
Trigger Warning: A lot of adult themes are in this book. Some swearing, mild-moderate sex scenes, alcoholism, mentions of previous child abuse and miscarriage.
Some concerns:
Twitter I Blog I Instagram
“Hi, honey,” he said grimly. “I’m home.”
“So,” he said, “the gloves are off at last.”
‘Mr. Imperfect’ by Karina Bliss is Christian Kelly’s and Kezia Rose’s story of forsaken teenage love, a resentful separation and dealing with all that lay unsaid when their paths divided during a shaping moment in both of their lives. Once teenage lovers, now intolerable challengers vying for the upper hand after an unfortunate loss brings these aged apart sweethearts together on very uncertain terms. Set in New Zealand, brought back to his hometown after 14 successful years of building his career, millionaire Christian Kelly is back to pay his respects to a woman whose love rivaled only that of the same he had for Kezia Rose. Christian has no intention of crossing any wires with his bitter past - one of the reasons he bid good-riddance all those years ago, but it’s his affection for Kezia’s grandmother that brings his feet back to the older pastures of his home town.
‘Beholden to one woman, then. Muriel Medina Rose. A surrogate mother to a motherless boy-when he’d let her. Which hadn’t been as often as she would have liked.’
‘There were shadows under those intensely blue eyes, she noticed, and shadows in them.’
Kezia Rose never thought she’d face the handsome, arbitrary young love of her life who took off one night with thoughtless intent. But here he is, Christian Kelly, with his fancy Ferrari, stylish suits and cool, arrogant eyes. And Kezia feels …nothing of the love she had for him. Only a relentless desire to see him out of town and out of her life before he can cause any more disruption. Both are resentfully civil to each other, their interchanges laden with undercurrents of bitterness and friction with the intentions of keeping a healthy distance. The quicker Kezia sees the back of Christian, the quicker she can move on with her life. And the quicker Christian speeds away in his fancy car, the faster he can leave all that he hates in his past where it should stay. Because although time and space are decent managers that present an illusion of all’s well that can’t be seen, there are just some things that can’t be forgiven.
“Yes…Come home, Christian. Swap the penthouse for a farmhouse, the Bentley for a tractor and your tourism empire for a pitchfork. I believe there are at least three single women for you to date.”
“Do you count yourself, Kez? If so, we’ll have to drop that number back to two. I never date the same woman twice.”
“And I never repeat the same mistake twice.”
Regrettably for this hardened loner, Christian is stuck in this small town, bound by an old IOU and expected to help Kezia regain her inheritance. And just like that, brash Christian is stuck with the only woman who ever broke his heart, leaving him emotionally stunted for all who came after. And Kezia Rose is left to deal with the thoughtless, opinionated man who abandoned their love on an impulsive whim. As obstinately uneager as they both are and restless to get this arrangement over with, keeping a respectable distance for business’s sake isn’t as easy as it sounds when ghosts of the past sit in a long line between them.
“You still let duty drive you.” There was a critical note in his voice that stung.
“Better than still evading responsibility.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
‘He’d amputated sentiment from his life when he’d left Waterview, yet all day he’d been plagued by phantom pains.’
Kezia is the responsibility to Christian’s unmindfulness, and Christian is the wild bad boy to Kezia’s good-girl sensibility, and the carelessness to her compassionate nature. Opposites these two are, but they are both embroiled in shared history that became a darkening turning point for them, leaving them both longing and fractured in some way, reflected in the way they both live their lives. And also shared in their inability to openly trust and open their hearts. Kezia and Christian have different drives but shared the passion of first love. An impasse was reached 14 years ago, and it seems the same one may be waiting for them now. Christian wanted to leave. Kezia wanted to stay. They both wanted each other, but unspoken choices split them down the middle.
‘Kezia had a sense of resting in the eye of a storm.’
‘In a world that had been reduced to black and white he had given her a test of loyalty. And she had failed.’
I’ve desperately been wanting to give out some five stars this year, and just when I least expected that I would, here comes ‘Mr. Imperfect’ to show me what I was missing! I haven’t read any work from Karina Bliss, but if all her books are written in such an all-around engaging, well-structured, poignant way, I’ll be more than happy to read more. What a great cast of characters from the hardened, emotionally unreachable Christian, to the guarded, well-meaning Kez, to the small town, well-rounded folk who create a real sense of honest, crony atmosphere. What I also really appreciated was Joe’s coinciding story of recovering alcoholic and how it nicely pieced itself into this story, presenting another face of an alcoholics will and highlighting the possibility that sobriety can be won.
“I don’t go to dark places, Kez. Not even for you.”
“Even if I could help you light them?”
‘Mr. Imperfect’ is a story about two strong-willed people who gave up on love when their first experience of it was blemished with shades of pain and mistrust. From what I’ve seen so far Bliss writes strong character profiles for all of her characters, strong chemistry - both negative and positive - between Kezia and Christian that felt believable and genuine in every scene, and every act. With angsty conflict, point scoring, power plays and attempts to gain the upper hand, Christian’s and Kezia’s story is one that expresses hurt through hostile civility, but soon to come hopeful understanding.
‘Her accuracy didn’t bother him; the hope implied by her words did. “I’m not a miracle worker, Kez.”
Her mouth softened into a wry smile. “There’s your first miracle.”
He raised a brow in inquiry.
“I just admitted I want your advice.
“No, the miracle would be if you took it.”
Christian is a natural suppressor, one who doesn’t have the best outlook on life in general. A thick-skinned man of his own mind who walks his own path. Kezia is equally guarded, self-sacrificing and takes care of her own. They are the kind of couple almost made not to work. She’s a nurturer who leans on virtue to keep her stable. He’s too autonomous to admit any kind of weakness. It’s like a continual battle of wills, but ironically they are both fleeing and fighting the same things: honesty belief, and trust, with each other and themselves. Ironic how they’re compatibly fractured on the inside but clash so deliberately.
“Life might have branded you a loner, Christian, but it’s your choice to stay that way.”
His eyes narrowed. “Says someone who only feels safe when she’s in credit on some emotional balance sheet…”
It’s not often that I’ll come across original prose in the contemporary romance genre, but Mr. Imperfect shatters that construct. The prose is creative, engaging, measured, and touchingly recites a story that gives strong prevalence to it’s characters, their struggles and the story. I was engaged from the opening scene to the last word, from Christian’s peculiar funeral sentimentality to what secrets really drove them away from each other, to an adorable little boy called John Jason. With sorrowful content that grabbed at my tears, with funny bits of dialogue that made me smile there was a lot to love about Mr. Imperfect . So thank you Karina Bliss for leaving me with bleary eyes and shadowed bags under them.
“You know, you forgive other people anything-yourself nothing.” Marion sounded annoyed. “Have you ever thought how condescending it is that my forgiveness counts for less than yours?”
With themes of sacrifice, grief, heartbreak, trust and incontestable passion this wholesome story is a must read, if not for the technically sound writing and brilliantly executed characterisation, then for a battle of mulish will that may break hearts or propel trust. It really is a question of whether the heavy baggage between Kezia and Christian is light enough to carry on both of their shoulders.
After scrolling through some reviews I realised that the feedback is a fairly mixed bag, and I was surprised that this story didn’t delight people as much as it did me, but for those of you who haven’t read this and do enjoy the contemporary romance genre of second chance romance, I’d definitely give this one a try. Apart from the layering of muddled emotions and reasons in this story which were hard to follow because there were so many flying around, and an ending that felt a bit too abrupt, I couldn’t find any fault with story. Well done, Miss. Bliss!
“You moved out?”
Kez stabbed at her bacon. “No, time stopped the day you left.”
His blue eyes glinted across the table. “That sound patronizing?”
“Very.”
A fortifying, wholesome tale between two people who have a chance to offer each other more than bestowal of bitterness if they can open their hearts farther than doubtful belief. Is love still idly sitting there subduedly under layers of unforgivable past and personal pains? Are Kezia and Christian rationalising decisions so they don’t have to face an unwelcome reality? Has rationalising decisions only made them believe their own lies? Will they strain for the upper hand at considerable costs? Or can an amicable understanding be reached when the past has a hurtful hold over them. Is the past just meant to stay in the past along with lost love?
“Our history is heartbreaking.”
“Our future doesn’t have to be.”
“I’m country. You’re city.”
“We’ll have the best of both worlds.”
“I want a man with no shadows. You live in them.”
“I’ll buy sunblock.”
Colour me silly, colour me overwhelmed, but colour me heart-warmed because I loved this story of mishandled opportunity and second chance romance. Due to secrets untold, Kezia and Christian were left to mourn a miscommunicated loss, both coloured skeptical in some way, but theirs is also a story that requires self-reflection and a good, long look in the mirror to see what reflects back. Good intentions are baseless to Christian, he’s too autonomous to care, and apart from his career success Kezia doesn’t see him more than a man of little matter. A while collared do-gooder she is, but do Kezia’s personal roadblocks have more to do with her than Christian? It’s a battle of wills to see who can peel the layers faster while patching up holes in others. When secrets come out though, will love be enough, or will they reach the same stalemate that severed them years ago? And are their drives too different to negate bad consequences? Perhaps all they need is some vulnerability…easier said than done.
“Sorry, I don’t usually shoot at the cavalry.”
“More like the Lone Ranger.”
Satirical, eye-watering, enthralling, a wash of agitated love overridden by painful history. It’s not very often that I’ll read a nuanced story of romance with sub-plots as well structured, well-played, and poignant as ‘Mr. Imperfect’. Some things are too far gone to come back from, but it will take a line of unnatural communication for Kezia and Christian to offset this mess. Let’s see if they put those strong wills to some good use. With absorbing protagonists, it’s hard not to get swept up in this story.
“I guess it’s a measure of how much you love him that he has to meet your standards.”
“And a measure of how much he loves you,” Joe added, “that he tries.”
Trigger Warning: A lot of adult themes are in this book. Some swearing, mild-moderate sex scenes, alcoholism, mentions of previous child abuse and miscarriage.
Some concerns:
Twitter I Blog I Instagram
life-is-too-short
September 8, 202025% DNF. The plot feels too messy for me right now.
November 17, 2018
Another great book form Karina Bliss.
Christian & Kezia had had a rough time when they were teenagers, and they weren't mature enough to deal with everything that life threw at them. 15 years later they are much better equipped to fight and win. I like both of them, the only thing that I minded was their pride, but they did manage to come to terms with each other (eventually).
I love Christian's friends Luke & Jordan, and their friendship, the way that even they are manly men they actually talked about feelings . They were so sweet with Kezia, when she was a wee bit druk :). I will be reading their books.
The one star deduction is for all the arguments between the h/h, and because I have issues with the reunited plots. We all have plots that work for us, and those that simply don't...
Christian & Kezia had had a rough time when they were teenagers, and they weren't mature enough to deal with everything that life threw at them. 15 years later they are much better equipped to fight and win. I like both of them, the only thing that I minded was their pride, but they did manage to come to terms with each other (eventually).
I love Christian's friends Luke & Jordan, and their friendship, the way that even they are manly men they actually talked about feelings . They were so sweet with Kezia, when she was a wee bit druk :). I will be reading their books.
The one star deduction is for all the arguments between the h/h, and because I have issues with the reunited plots. We all have plots that work for us, and those that simply don't...
May 7, 2011
So far, i have liked Karina Bliss`s engaging writing. This just didnt work for me.. From the premise to its characters, all i wanted to do was to shake them senseless!!
However, i give her credit for some poignant POV`s that the characters showcased.
I had my self set on reading the trilogy.. so here i go..
However, i give her credit for some poignant POV`s that the characters showcased.
I had my self set on reading the trilogy.. so here i go..
May 22, 2020
Did not finish. Gave up after the author returned to the pov of the guy who hit then abandoned his wife.
Gave the feeling she was going to reunite them... so nope dnf.
Gave the feeling she was going to reunite them... so nope dnf.
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January 8, 2022
Kezia Rose inherits a ramshackle hotel and pub from her grandmother, unfortunately it is run-down, practically falling down, mortgaged to the hilt and on the verge of bankruptcy. At her funeral bad boy Christian Kelly comes back to town, Kezia's childhood sweetheart, he loved Muriel Rose like his own grandmother but is horrified when her will spells out the dire financial straits the hotel is in but forbids him from gifting/ lending/ paying the money required, instead she demands that Christian stay and help Kezia come up with a plan to reverse the hotel's fortunes.
I'll be honest, there was so much angst in this book it was tiring. Christian and Kezia both bear a grudge, and feel like the wronged party, over the way their romance ended. In fact, they have both in their own ways being living their lives ever since in a kind of holding pattern. Being forced together brings out all the pain from the past, uncovers secrets and bares emotions. By the end the only person I liked was Roland the rat.
Overall, I would classify this as kitchen sink angst (ie the author has thrown in everything but the kitchen sink), alcoholism, orphans, MIA parents, abuse, neglect, gambling (and those are the ones which don't give away key plot devices!).
I really liked Karina Bliss' Special Forces series but so far I'm not so keen on the Lost Boys.
I'll be honest, there was so much angst in this book it was tiring. Christian and Kezia both bear a grudge, and feel like the wronged party, over the way their romance ended. In fact, they have both in their own ways being living their lives ever since in a kind of holding pattern. Being forced together brings out all the pain from the past, uncovers secrets and bares emotions. By the end the only person I liked was Roland the rat.
Overall, I would classify this as kitchen sink angst (ie the author has thrown in everything but the kitchen sink), alcoholism, orphans, MIA parents, abuse, neglect, gambling (and those are the ones which don't give away key plot devices!).
I really liked Karina Bliss' Special Forces series but so far I'm not so keen on the Lost Boys.
August 4, 2018
I even like when old ladies make ridiculous stipulations in their will. Except I didn't see why anybody should do what she asked. In fact, following her final wishes would actually make the situation worse. She asks Christian to help with restoring the rundown hotel business she gave to her granddaughter. BUT he can not help financially, just advise. If he does not pour any money in, the granddaughter loses the business. If he does, we don't really know what would happen (would she lose the business? Wait...). The premise is flawed. And many of the smaller plots in the book are the same way and brushed over. There is a glimpse of Ms. Bliss great writing and dialogue, but there are also too many components to the story and it is all over the place.
August 10, 2019
Usually love this author but DNFed 12% in because of three things -
The first is boundaries. The heroine holds out her hand to shake politely because she’s not comfortable with getting any closer than required with the hero due to bad memories, but he ignores her hand and grabs her for a hug. A while later in the same meeting, she’s very upset by something, bursts into tears and clearly and firmly orders the hero to leave the room so she can be alone. He ignores this reasonable request and stays in the room ‘watching over her’ for a lengthy amount of time. I felt a bit nauseous at the idea of a former lover who I don’t trust staying in the room against my request when I’m feeling intensely vulnerable. Yuck.
The second is overly gendered roles. She is a broke schoolteacher with no love life, no business sense and a soft heart for the rural townspeople. He has become a millionaire in only 14 years (including college) despite no family backing, owns 4 flashy sports cars and dates pin up calendar models. He is coming in to rescue her inherited business, a small hotel. Honestly, why not just paint them pink and blue and be done with it?
As a successful businessperson myself I loathe the hot young male millionaire vs broke, unbusinessy woman trope. It’s sexist, as are story lines where men are more sexual than women. And it denigrates women’s real talents (businesses founded by women are more likely to be profitable than those founded by men.)
Thirdly, the author has just used the ‘mother died early of cancer’ backstory to give the hero some emotional depth. I’m sick of the legions of dead mothers in romance and dead women at the service of men’s stories is a trope that is overused in multiple genres and should stop.
This is too sexist for me. I’m wondering if this is what sells in the author’s country? She’s not usually this bad.
The first is boundaries. The heroine holds out her hand to shake politely because she’s not comfortable with getting any closer than required with the hero due to bad memories, but he ignores her hand and grabs her for a hug. A while later in the same meeting, she’s very upset by something, bursts into tears and clearly and firmly orders the hero to leave the room so she can be alone. He ignores this reasonable request and stays in the room ‘watching over her’ for a lengthy amount of time. I felt a bit nauseous at the idea of a former lover who I don’t trust staying in the room against my request when I’m feeling intensely vulnerable. Yuck.
The second is overly gendered roles. She is a broke schoolteacher with no love life, no business sense and a soft heart for the rural townspeople. He has become a millionaire in only 14 years (including college) despite no family backing, owns 4 flashy sports cars and dates pin up calendar models. He is coming in to rescue her inherited business, a small hotel. Honestly, why not just paint them pink and blue and be done with it?
As a successful businessperson myself I loathe the hot young male millionaire vs broke, unbusinessy woman trope. It’s sexist, as are story lines where men are more sexual than women. And it denigrates women’s real talents (businesses founded by women are more likely to be profitable than those founded by men.)
Thirdly, the author has just used the ‘mother died early of cancer’ backstory to give the hero some emotional depth. I’m sick of the legions of dead mothers in romance and dead women at the service of men’s stories is a trope that is overused in multiple genres and should stop.
This is too sexist for me. I’m wondering if this is what sells in the author’s country? She’s not usually this bad.
August 5, 2016
Bad boy, multimillionaire, Christian Kelly returns to his rural hometown for the funeral of Muriel Rose, who was a surrogate grandmother to him as a lonely youth. Kezia Rose, Muriel's granddaughter and Christian's high school sweetheart has inherited the rundown century old family hotel. Muriel's will calls in an IOU from Christian and requires him to help Kezia save the hotel but he cannot buy her out. As they try to salvage the hotel they find more and more debts. They also have personal issues like opposite personalities, youthful secrets and resentment from the way they parted. All this ends up being resolved in an average series romance conclusion. This took place in New Zealand, with recognizable names for cities but it could have been set anywhere. There was a general lack of description for locale, basically just rural versus city. I would have liked more of a feel of the place.
December 29, 2019
Loved it!
The push and pull of physical attraction versus dislike was so good. Denying their love has caused Christian and Kezia terrible heartache. Their good girl, bad boy, story is terribly addictive.
The push and pull of physical attraction versus dislike was so good. Denying their love has caused Christian and Kezia terrible heartache. Their good girl, bad boy, story is terribly addictive.
August 29, 2019
DNF (50%)
This isn't awful but I just can't get interested in the characters and the setting.
This isn't awful but I just can't get interested in the characters and the setting.
August 30, 2019
bored quickly..
January 30, 2020
Absolutely awful. Disjointed and at times down right confusing.
Not recommended.
Not recommended.
May 15, 2023
2.75 stars, rounded to 3
This one was a good story, but it felt unpolished. I think that part of the reason is because this was likely her first published book. I got this one as free download on my kindle app in 2018 - but that was actually a re-issue of the original 2006 book.
What I liked:
💚 The MCs had good chemistry. Kezia & Christian were high school sweethearts when Christian leaves town in a hurry and Kezia can't/won't go. When Kezia's grandmother dies, Christian returns for the funeral (as he was loved and cared for by the grandmother, too) and ends up, through the usual conditions in the will (insert eyeroll), working with Kezia to revive the local hotel that the grandmother ran.
💚 I liked the setting - New Zealand - it's a bucket list destination and it still sounds pretty nice. Even for a visit.
💚 Christian was smokin' hot. His blue eyes are described as "blue as heaven, knowing as hell." Yum. He has made his way with his college friends and now runs their joint travel adventure company. BTW, the friends are also hotties and I'm fairly certain they will be returning in the subsequent novels in this series.
What I didn't care for:
💔 There were quite a few typos ("bought you up" for "brought you up" or "stem admonitions" for ?stern?) and some weird wordings ("...always suspected the best in people"...for me, I expect the best of people. Suspect seems to convey a lack of honesty and authenticity). Especially in a re-issue, I would have thought that these, mostly minor details, would have been taken care of.
💔 There were a lot of contrived situations and things that seemed unlikely to occur.
💔 Kezia is a hugely frustrating character. She's too much of a martyr - EVERYONE's needs come before hers. Yes, I get that her parents were self-righteous idiots. But she spent most of her high school years with her grandmother - who seems the opposite of those idiots. Although the grandmother had her own issues, she was still a huge improvement.
💔 The entire scenario with the will (and the solution) was utterly nonsensical. Christian can't use his money to help Kezia with the hotel, but apparently can
💔 Ending seemed lacking - I don't know if I just wanted a little more closure or an epilogue or something else. It was sweet but rushed and incomplete.
Overall, it was okay. I liked it well enough that I might continue with the series if I can get it through the library or a used book site. But as I said, just a little unpolished.
Quote I liked:
Being human is an imperfect business.
This one was a good story, but it felt unpolished. I think that part of the reason is because this was likely her first published book. I got this one as free download on my kindle app in 2018 - but that was actually a re-issue of the original 2006 book.
What I liked:
💚 The MCs had good chemistry. Kezia & Christian were high school sweethearts when Christian leaves town in a hurry and Kezia can't/won't go. When Kezia's grandmother dies, Christian returns for the funeral (as he was loved and cared for by the grandmother, too) and ends up, through the usual conditions in the will (insert eyeroll), working with Kezia to revive the local hotel that the grandmother ran.
💚 I liked the setting - New Zealand - it's a bucket list destination and it still sounds pretty nice. Even for a visit.
💚 Christian was smokin' hot. His blue eyes are described as "blue as heaven, knowing as hell." Yum. He has made his way with his college friends and now runs their joint travel adventure company. BTW, the friends are also hotties and I'm fairly certain they will be returning in the subsequent novels in this series.
What I didn't care for:
💔 There were quite a few typos ("bought you up" for "brought you up" or "stem admonitions" for ?stern?) and some weird wordings ("...always suspected the best in people"...for me, I expect the best of people. Suspect seems to convey a lack of honesty and authenticity). Especially in a re-issue, I would have thought that these, mostly minor details, would have been taken care of.
💔 There were a lot of contrived situations and things that seemed unlikely to occur.
💔 Kezia is a hugely frustrating character. She's too much of a martyr - EVERYONE's needs come before hers. Yes, I get that her parents were self-righteous idiots. But she spent most of her high school years with her grandmother - who seems the opposite of those idiots. Although the grandmother had her own issues, she was still a huge improvement.
💔 The entire scenario with the will (and the solution) was utterly nonsensical. Christian can't use his money to help Kezia with the hotel, but apparently can
💔 Ending seemed lacking - I don't know if I just wanted a little more closure or an epilogue or something else. It was sweet but rushed and incomplete.
Overall, it was okay. I liked it well enough that I might continue with the series if I can get it through the library or a used book site. But as I said, just a little unpolished.
Quote I liked:
Being human is an imperfect business.
January 8, 2024
I have read another series by Karina Bliss before and enjoyed it enough that when the opportunity to read an ARC came up for another series of hers, I decided to do it. Though the story had a lot of great elements that pulled me into reading it, I will admit getting through the beginning was a bit tough. I was tempted to put it down, but something drove me to keep going. In the end, I was glad to stick with it, but for the majority of the story I wanted to shake the characters and tell them both to stop being so stubborn! There was definitely a bit of a slow burn between the main characters, Christian and Kezia. However, with their complicated pasts, it made total sense why it was so hard for them to make up and get back together again. This story dealt with what happens when hearts are broken, and that when trust is shattered. But there is hope as well. Hope that one can let go of the past and let yourself be vulnerable to someone else. Hope that love will triumph the bad and that you take a chance and fight for it when it is real. And it wasn't just their story but for them but some side characters as well. Despite wanting to shake Christian and Kezia and tell them to let go of their pride, their banter and chemistry was entertaining and the introduction of Christian's friends, definitely tempts me to read their stories (seeing as the next two books follows them). If you like her work, then I believe giving this story a chance is worth it.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
June 19, 2019
This one was a bit slow and dry up until the last 3 chapters or so. Christian comes back for a funeral only to find out that his ex-girlfriend's grandmother had over mortgaged the hotel she owned and left to her granddaughter upon her death. Christian wants to help out financially, but as per the will, cannot. Kezia and Christian have to try and find a way to get out of debt thanks to her grandmother.
I'm really getting tired of the over martyred female main character. I understand not wanting to stand in anyone's way in order for them to reach their dreams, but Kezia takes it upon herself to feel guilt over everything, to the point that you are continually rolling your eyes when she does it yet again. The one part I did like, were Christian's friends and their dynamic with each other. I was laughing when they were around.
I'm really getting tired of the over martyred female main character. I understand not wanting to stand in anyone's way in order for them to reach their dreams, but Kezia takes it upon herself to feel guilt over everything, to the point that you are continually rolling your eyes when she does it yet again. The one part I did like, were Christian's friends and their dynamic with each other. I was laughing when they were around.
October 20, 2022
LostBoys1 4.5 ⭐️
Christian Kelly cries at funerals, to his dismay and embarrassment, but at least he has shades for this one. He has come home to remember the elderly woman who accepted his IOU for helping him stay at home with an abusive father rather than thrown on the mercies of the foster system. But that is only one of the secrets being hoarded in this story.
Kezia Rose is scrambling to hold onto the only security in her life - Nana’s hotel. But that panic is so buried in do-goodership, that she can’t see she is drowning. The child of missionaries, who value aiding the second world, she was sent home to Nana when she failed them by contracting an hemorrhagic disease. They didn’t even bring her home, but sent her.
There are lots of hard truths that get unearthed in this story. Not all of them get addressed, but the major ones get aired; and that’s all one can ask of life lessons. Good writing.
Christian Kelly cries at funerals, to his dismay and embarrassment, but at least he has shades for this one. He has come home to remember the elderly woman who accepted his IOU for helping him stay at home with an abusive father rather than thrown on the mercies of the foster system. But that is only one of the secrets being hoarded in this story.
Kezia Rose is scrambling to hold onto the only security in her life - Nana’s hotel. But that panic is so buried in do-goodership, that she can’t see she is drowning. The child of missionaries, who value aiding the second world, she was sent home to Nana when she failed them by contracting an hemorrhagic disease. They didn’t even bring her home, but sent her.
There are lots of hard truths that get unearthed in this story. Not all of them get addressed, but the major ones get aired; and that’s all one can ask of life lessons. Good writing.
September 2, 2019
I grabbed this book, seeing it's set in New Zealand. Nothing pisses me off more than reading a book set in my home country with US spelling. Color vs colour. Check book vs cheque book, tires vs tyres, etc, etc. Why do that? Would a US author use NZ/Brit spelling? I doubt it.
Gripe aside, this story is reasonably engaging. However, it suffers from some head-hopping and way too much angst for this reader.
Gripe aside, this story is reasonably engaging. However, it suffers from some head-hopping and way too much angst for this reader.
September 12, 2019
This read was just meh for me. The Matchmaker from beyond the grave trope fell a little flat for me, because it was wrapped up in so many other tropes that I don't particularly enjoy. This one was just a fail for me. I didn't enjoy either character, and some of the things that happened were WAY TOO FAR from the realm of reality for me to enjoy, since this is a contemporary novel.
Someone else may have better luck with this story than me, but this one was just a fail for my reading tastes.
Someone else may have better luck with this story than me, but this one was just a fail for my reading tastes.
May 21, 2021
How was that hotel in business before she inherited it? It sounded like a total dump in the middle of nowhere. I liked the drama with her best friend. It gave more depth to the story. Both of the main characters got over their hangups pretty fast at the end. I didn't like how she was driving recklessly through town, especially without knowing where the guy was. She should have trusted him enough to wait for him to come back.
August 14, 2019
It was okay, but I almost gave up reading the story.
The characters were well developed, but for some reason I didn't like them much. They often seemed to have a drink in their hand and mostly seemed angry. The heroine seemed to love the hero against her will. I liked the interactions with the little boy the best. He added some humor to the story.
The characters were well developed, but for some reason I didn't like them much. They often seemed to have a drink in their hand and mostly seemed angry. The heroine seemed to love the hero against her will. I liked the interactions with the little boy the best. He added some humor to the story.
August 12, 2019
Sweet and fun to read
This book was a fantastic. The story was fantastic.Christian &Kezia kept you guessing what they were going to do next. It took a long time,but they got everything straightened out with a happy ending.
This book was a fantastic. The story was fantastic.Christian &Kezia kept you guessing what they were going to do next. It took a long time,but they got everything straightened out with a happy ending.
August 13, 2019
Good romance about people and how your past influences your future
I enjoyed the storyline. Very good dialogue. The right amount of romance and sex. The stories of the main characters were well-written and interesting. The book drew me in and made me keep reading.
I enjoyed the storyline. Very good dialogue. The right amount of romance and sex. The stories of the main characters were well-written and interesting. The book drew me in and made me keep reading.
September 13, 2019
Mr imperfect list boys 1
A good read for people who are in to the series recommend highly can't wait for the next one of the series a really enjoyable read but quick shaping up to be a enjoyable series must read the next one of the series
A good read for people who are in to the series recommend highly can't wait for the next one of the series a really enjoyable read but quick shaping up to be a enjoyable series must read the next one of the series
December 26, 2019
I really liked both the main characters. Her flaw of always fixing everyone's problems started to really grate on me until I recognised myself. Very much a hit and miss romance with lots of twists and turns to get to the ending. No hint of disappointment.
February 13, 2021
Good read
Enjoyable read and liked all the characters, however felt that kezias character wavered a lot to the point i found her annoying. One minute with a backbone then just gave in to everyone. That said good romance but had so much more potential. Off to read the next book.
Enjoyable read and liked all the characters, however felt that kezias character wavered a lot to the point i found her annoying. One minute with a backbone then just gave in to everyone. That said good romance but had so much more potential. Off to read the next book.
August 10, 2019
I love all of the angst and guilt and pining! For some reason this romance was more compelling than I thought it would be. I basically finished it in a day. Quick read, good characters.
August 11, 2019
Entertaining
This story was sad and funny and a bit too dragged out but I liked the dialogue. If either character had not been so stubborn...
This story was sad and funny and a bit too dragged out but I liked the dialogue. If either character had not been so stubborn...
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