Review: Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

Ouf, I finally managed to write this review! :) Somebody to Love was a book I definitively wanted to review, but it turned out to be more complex and complicated to put my thoughts together than I expected :) It's interesting how the reviewing process really makes you think and question stuff... And how sometimes, you feel a certain way before the review and another, once it's completed. In any case, I hope you enjoy this review!


Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN Books (Harlequin) in April 2012

After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon's Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father's wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she's not thrilled -- …even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox. Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist's assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn't the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn't the only thing that needs a little TLC….

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Connected to Catch of the Day and The Next Best Thing

The Story: Okay, I haven't been very inspired lately to write synopsis ^_^; So bear with me.

Parker Welles is a single mother and the author of the Holly Rollers, a band of wanna-be angels on skates that started off as a sarcastic comment and became a popular series with children. As she grew up in a wealthy family with a sizable trust fund for herself and her 5 years old son Nicky, Parker has donated all the proceeds to Save the Children. When she finds out that her father has used her and her son's trust fund to cover the losses in an insider-trading scheme, that he's going to jail and that she's basically broke, it becomes imperative for Parker to come up with a new idea for a new series. In the meantime, she plans to go to Gideon's Cove where she inherited a summer house 5 years ago, flip it around and sell it. Except, the summer house is not exactly what she expected and the condition... Luckily for her, her father's attorney - James Cahill aka Thing One - shows up to give her a hand, because he feels responsible for her situation. The two of them have 3 weeks till Nicky's arrival to make the house livable.

James has always had a thing for Parker... and before leaving for Gideon's Cove, Lucy's advice for Parker was a summer fling. Living in such close proximity, perhaps the time is finally right for them to get to know each other better.

My Opinion: My first book by Ms Higgins was her debut novel, Fools Rush In. I ended up being pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed it. Ever since then, I have not looked back, faithfully picking up each new release :) Even when I felt her books were a bit too chick-litty... I like Ms Higgins books because they are fun and breezy to read and she usually has interesting characters :) Not that all of her books worked for me, but I've enjoyed the majority of them and that's what you want from an author right? The fact that she switched to 3rd POV with her last book, Until There Was You, was simply a bonus. So when Somebody to Love showed up in store, there was no doubt I'd be picking it up :)

My first impression of Somebody to Love was that it was an enjoyable read :) There was something about the story and the characters that compelled me to breeze through the book and as a whole, I liked it. However, once I was done and reflected on what I've just read, a few questions and issues popped up.

I'm going to start with the positive aspects of this book :) First, I enjoyed the setting - Gideon's Cove - it was very tranquil and serene. I think it was really the perfect place for Parker to recoup, reassess her life and future. I also liked the secondary characters from Gideon's Cove. They added some colors to the landscape and are good for Parker. For some reason, now that I think about it, it seems like Parker is lonely. Except for Ethan and Lucy, she didn't seem to have friends or someone close enough to confide in. So I think it was good for Parker to meet new people, people that she didn't know when she was rich, so no expectations. Also, I have to say, I liked that we got to re-visit some characters - without them taking over the storyline of course. It's funny because both Catch of the Day and The Next Best Thing weren't my favorite books at all, but to see Maggie, Malone, Ethan and Lucy again, well it was nice.

What really made the book for me though was the hero, James Cahill :) He was just a great guy, a great hero. Oh he wasn't without fault; I mean the way he dealt with the girl he's been occasionally hooking up, as an afterthought, wasn't exemplary ^_^; But it wasn't bad enough to condemn him either... and in the grand scheme of things, it showed us that James was just a guy ^_^; However, as we got to know James better and his background story, my heart just hurt for him and I couldn't help but tear up. I can't imagine going through what James did and live with the burden he has on his shoulders. To never be able to forget and be forgiven... it definitively shaped him, influenced him in his career path. To live with such guilt, you have to be very strong and as a result, I really admire James. I admire him because he did not shy away from the responsibilities. Instead, he endorsed them and did his best... And what really made me sad was the fact that people didn't seem to understand that he suffered. It's not because he came out of the tragedy physically unscathed that he wasn't affected, that he didn't suffer. In that sense, I felt that his family definitively has let him down... Therefore, I hope whoever James would fall in love with would be there to give him the support that he never got... Unfortunately, I don't think Parker is that person ^_^; And that's the crux of my issues with Somebody to Love.

Sigh, when it comes to Parker, I don't know exactly how I feel ^_^; I thought she was a great mother and I really admire her for not marrying Ethan because she was pregnant while knowing he loved someone else. I liked that she didn't settle for less than she deserved when it came to love. That was very brave of her. I also liked that she wasn't bitter about the whole situation with Ethan and Lucy - before and after they got together - and they all had good relationships together, being best friends and all. And while Parker grew up with money and never had to worry about it, she didn't have a spoiled attitude at all. LOL, so sometimes, her reality was a bit skewed and the rich side showed, but most of the time, I felt she was down-to-earth with the right priorities :) My problem with Parker though stems from her behavior/attitude. I can't exactly say she was wrong though. For example her relationship with her father. Parker caught her father cheating with the babysitter and when she told her mother, her father tried to say that Parker didn't see what she saw, that she misunderstood. Ever since, there's been a rift between father and daughter. However, Parker wants a relationship with her father, the father of her childhood... and therefore she is jealous of James and kind of take it out on him. The problem is that Parker's father has no idea what Parker is thinking... He thinks she hates his guts that everything she does is to show him up ^_^; Obviously, Parker's father was at fault... but there's two persons in a relationship. Parker can't just wait forever for him to make the first steps, especially if she wants their relationship to get better... but she kept waiting, blaming him instead of handing him an olive branch. Same thing when Parker and James first hooked up a couple of years before Somebody to Love. She didn't trust James, thought he slept with her to kiss up to her father... When he came after her afterwards, she turned him flat down - and really not kindly ^_^; ... and Parker figured if James really wanted her, he would try again. Lady, they cannot read your mind!! Overall, I felt that Parker waited and expected, but she never gave in these relationships :( It didn't made her a bad heroine, but it didn't make her very likable either. Especially when you consider her attitude towards James who was such a great hero. It simply rubbed me the wrong way, sigh.

I also have a question concerning the romance... Why did James like Parker so much? Why did he want her so much? I get that he was infatuated with her, but physical attraction aside, what was that made her "the one"? I don't think it was ever really addressed during Somebody to Love and in that respect, I felt the romance wasn't developed enough. Quite frankly, I think James deserved better. It was annoying to see that James was there for Parker when she needed someone, but instead of appreciating it, she kept trying to find excuses to sabotage their romance. Yes, she's a mother... but she's also a woman. Using Nicky as a shield... well it was cowardly. I wanted her to have the confidence to really acknowledge her feelings for James and I feel it never really happened. That's why I wished Parker was the one who did the "grand gesture" at the end, the one to go after James. Unfortunately, that didn't happen either. I'll concede that she took the first step, but I'm not satisfied with that. I think James really deserved to be swept off his feet, to be shown how important he is in someone's life.

What else? Well I felt the storyline about Parker being penniless and trying to get back on her feet was a bit  thin. I know that Ms Higgins' focus is usually on the romance and the characters and normally, that's the way I want it. But in this case, well, I felt the romance didn't have enough depth... so I wished there's been a bit more to the storyline. I find that not much happened and I guess it's because a lot of the book was about building the characters. By the way, it's good that Parker is such a generous person... but after what she went through, to donate all the money she makes on the books again, isn't that a bit imprudent? Oh and a word of warning, there is a 5 years old boy in this book and he acts like a 5 years old :P So he's sweet at times, but can be very annoying as well ^_^;

I know reading this review, it sounds like I had a lot of issues with Somebody to Love... and I did. However, it doesn't mean I didn't like this book. As I said, there was something compelling about Somebody to Love and I was really engaged. Perhaps it's because I'm familiar with Ms Higgins writing style... or simply because I was invested in the characters. Anyway, at the end of the day, Somebody to Love was still a very nice read and James was still a great hero :)

My Grade: My first instinct was to give Somebody to Love a B-. As I said, I did enjoy the read... But the more I thought about it and after writing this review, I have to go with a C+. I'm still going to pick up Ms Higgins' next release and I hope I won't have to wait too long for it :)

WEM II: My One and Only by Kristan Higgins and Destiny by Carly Phillips

Yay, second edition of the Week-End's Minis! :) So far, so good! Thank you for everyone who voted!! I was a bit nervous at first, especially since after 8 votes, 4 books were tied!! LOL. When I started the Week-Ends' Minis, I was thinking I'd aim for one to two mini-reviews by post... but 4? That's a bit too much!! In the end, My One and Only by Kristan Higgins and Destiny by Carly Phillips prevailed :)

My reviews are still a bit long for minis, but if I compared them with my review of She Tempts the Duke from yesterday, they are shorter! So it seems to work... and best of all, I'm enjoying this format of reviewing. Guess I'll be sticking with it :)

Enjoy!! And don't forget to vote for the next poll!!


My One and Only by Kristan Higgins

published by HQN Books (Harlequin) in March 2011

Just when she thought she had life and love all figured out…

Divorce attorney Harper James can’t catch a break. Bad enough that she runs into her ex-hubby, Nick, at her sister’s destination wedding, but now, by a cruel twist of fate, she’s being forced to make a cross-country road trip with him. And her almost-fiancé back at home is not likely to be sympathetic.

Harper can’t help that Nick has come blazing back into her life in all of his frustratingly appealing, gorgeous architect glory. But in Nick’s eyes, Harper’s always been the one. If they can only get it right this time, forever might be waiting—just around the bend.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: None

What do you need to know about the storyline? Harper suffers from mother abandonment issues and it pretty much shaped her whole life. She married Nick out of college and they didn't last a year. She's now a successful divorce attorney with a steady boyfriend and is ready to move their relationship to the next level, given that he'll fix some few quirks. Then she gets news that her younger stepsister is walking down the aisle... for a third time. Last thing she expects is for the groom to be Nick's younger half-brother. So Harper and Nick are thrown together which is uncomfortable enough. And somehow, the two of them are stuck together on an impromptu roadtrip... and it's clear Nick still has issues with how things ended.

Why this book? I'm a fan of Ms Higgins. I really enjoy her books and I heard this one was different because the heroine was a bit more cynical and jaded. Definitively did not want to miss it :)

So, my thoughts? I liked that My One and Only was different than Ms Higgins' other novels. Yes, the heroine was more jaded and cynical and it definitively had repercussions on the storyline. There were less funny situations and more serious undertones and overall, it was a very nice change :)

I thought My One and Only started out very slow. It was all about setting up the characters and relationships, then you had the wedding, etc. I have to say, I didn't care much about that part of the book and it's unfortunate it was 1/3 of the book ^_^; My favorite part of the book was the road-trip. I liked that Nick and Harper were stuck together in the car and didn't have a choice to communicate and eventually, work things out. I liked that they were doing something they had planned when they were married :) Other things that I liked was the characters - Nick and Harper and the fact that Harper faced the truth about her mother and resolved her abandonment issues and finally realized who was there for her, who her real mother - the one that cared - was.

While I liked Nick and Harper, I'm not sure that together, they really worked ^_^; I definitively thought it was romantic that Nick has always believed that Harper was the woman of his life. Which woman doesn't want to hear that? At the same time, it was annoying to see that he hasn't let go. That he was still clinging to what happened and still blamed Harper. Harper definitively had responsibilities in how the marriage ended and I agree with Nick that she never had faith in their marriage, never believed that they would make it and at the first sign of trouble, she ran out... but Nick wasn't blameless. She was unhappy and he brushed it off with the excuses that he was building their future. There is no future if there is no present. Also, I felt that Nick pressured Harper into the marriage. She accepted his proposal because she was worried she'd lose him... I don't think Nick was unaware of her doubts and should have given her more time. And then, despite everything that had happened in the past, his resentment, Nick is ready to jump right back in, pick up where they left without any thoughts? It just seemed off to me. Although at the end, I'm happy Harper was the one to do the grand gesture :)

My Grade? C+.  There was a lot to enjoy about this book and I liked that Ms Higgins finally broke the mold. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the romance in this one.


Destiny by Carly Phillips
published by Berkley in January 2012

Nash Barron may be cynical about love, yet even he likes a good wedding. But the only good thing about his brother’s wedding is Kelly Moss. Nash can’t help but admire her confidence and beauty, but he’s forced to keep his distance because getting involved with Kelly could destroy his relationship with his newly discovered half sister, Tess... And Kelly has other reasons for keeping her distance--like the secret she knows Nash will never forgive.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Serendipity series, Book #2

What do you need to know about the storyline? I felt Destiny was less about the obstacles in Nash and Kelly's romance and had everything to do with Nash coming to terms with his anger at his older brother, Ethan. After their parents' deaths in an accident, Ethan was overcome by guilt and abandoned Nash and Dare. As a result, they ended up in foster care... but the worst part was they were separated and Nash ended up in a privileged environment while Dare did not. In addition, he has to compose with his new teenage half-sister Tess, from his father's affair, who doesn't like him much... and he doesn't think hooking up with Tessa's half-sister, Kelly, from her mom's side will endear him to her.

Why this book? I was looking for a good contemporary romance and saw on Goodreads that Holly enjoyed this one.

So, my thoughts? I think the writing was good and I really liked Nash's character. He was basically a really good guy with issues and those were understandable. You cannot blame him being angry with Ethan, because ultimately, Ethan's desertion placed him in a really tough spot. Being taken by a rich couple, but seeing your brother suffer poverty... Not understanding why the couple who's taken you in had such wealth and couldn't take in another boy... There was guilt, resentment, love and gratefulness and Nash had to deal with all those contradictory feelings as best as he could. Then, there's his ex-wife who is Nash best friend and divorced him when her MS got worst because Nash stifled her, but for whom Nash still really cares about. He's hurt by the divorce, but still there to help her out. I think Nash's character had a lot of depth and that made him really interesting. Unfortunately, at times, it also seemed a bit too much of "me, me, me" and I think in that sense, Destiny wasn't very well-balanced. It's almost as if the first half was all about Nash and the second half, Kelly... and Kelly's troubles with her ex-boyfriend wasn't as interesting.

The romance was just okay for me. Overall, my problem is that they fell into bed too quickly to my tastes. I liked that they didn't let the situation concerning Tess hamper their attraction. At the same time, I felt besides physical attraction, they didn't really know each other enough. Also, I'm surprised after her previous relationship, Kelly would go to bed with Nash without having a clearer idea of the future. I just didn't know what these two were looking for. Sex? A meaningful relationship? Let just takes the first step and see where it leads us? I wished they had dated a little, got to know each other a bit better instead of basing the whole relationship on physical attraction.

Finally, two last things that bothered me about this book. The first is Kelly working as a paralegal for Nash's ex-father-in-law and also the lawyer who handled Nash and Dare's foster care situation. Yes, the paperwork that Kelly found involved Nash, but wasn't it a tad unethical to show it to him? The question was raised, but also brushed off too quickly to my tastes. Had it been another guy in Nash's shoes, not dating Kelly, would she have shown him the papers? I'll venture no. The other element didn't really bother me per se, but I thought it was superfluous, was the whole storyline involving Nash's ex-wife. I think Nash had enough issues without an ex-wife and her new romance.

My Grade? C. I simply never really got hooked by Destiny and I think it's more me than the book.

Review: Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

Disclaimer: I've received Until There Was You as an eARC from Netgalley


Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

published by HQN Books (Harlequin) in October 2011

Posey Osterhagen can't complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she's surrounded by her loveable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something's missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking...something like Liam Murphy.

When Posey was sixteen, the bad boy of Bellsford, New Hampshire, broke her heart. But now he's back, sending Posey's traitorous schoolgirl heart into overdrive once again. She should be giving him a wide berth, but it seems fate has other ideas...

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: While the blurb is accurate, it left out some important details. So hopefully, my summary will fill in some blanks :)

Posey Osterhagen's first love was Bellsford's bad boy Liam Murphy; unfortunately, he had eyes only for nice girl Emma Tate. Unbeknownst to him though, Liam broke Posey's heart during prom when he made a very hurtful comment.

Years have gone by and Posey has put it all behind her. At least, that's what she thinks until Liam, who is now a widower, is moving back to Bellsford so his teenage daughter, Nicole, can be closer to her maternal grandparents. For some reasons, the two of them keep running into each other... and soon, Posey finds herself falling for him once again. However, things are complicated as a potential client is dangling an important salvaging contract at Posey and Posey's very demanding cousin, who always made Posey feel inadequate, is coming to town for an extended visit. In all this chaos, Posey must deal with her feelings for Liam, try not to get hurt as last time and not forget that Liam's priority is his daughter.

My Opinion: Before reading Until There Was You, I was a bit wary of the book. First, I was afraid that I was a bit burn-out on Ms Higgins' books because she has a very unique style and when you read many of her books, her heroines and the storylines start to blend together ^_^; Second there was the switch from first to third POV and finally, the so-so reviews that have been popping up on blogland. Perhaps it's because I came in with low expectations, but I ended up enjoying Until There Was You quite a bit :)

Until There Was You is a pretty typical Kristan Higgins book in the sense that readers get a fun and successful heroine with a quirky family, quirky friends and a big dog who is looking for love. While it sounds familiar, Ms Higgins keeps it fresh by varying the details and does a really good job :) The best part of Until There Was You though was the characterization of Posey and Liam. Ms Higgins did a great job at developing and fleshing the H/H so we had complex and flawed characters :) Posey was very likable. I loved that she was happy with her life: loved her job, had great relationships with her family and was surrounded by good friends. I think there's a bit too many down-on-their-luck heroines, heroines that must do something big in order to save their job, heroines that want to prove themselves at the cost of love and/or heroines that are desperate for marriage and children. It is nice to have happy heroines and there definitively should be more of them in romance. While Posey is happy, it does not mean she's not vulnerable. I thought the issues Posey had were different and refreshing - her weight, the evil cousin, etc. It showed different sides of Posey, made her more sympathetic and real. In contrast, Liam was not as likable as Posey, but he was as well developed. I liked that he really loved Emma, but he wasn't blind to the problems in their marriage. I liked that he did not idealize or revile his wife. He was very realistic about it and I thought that was refreshing. I also liked that he was honest - that's always a great quality in an hero. He was also a great father, perhaps a bit over-protective, but it made sense given the circumstances.

The romance was an interesting one. I thought it was a bit uneven as in the beginning, Posey seems to have the impression that Liam does not like her and Liam seems to be a bit freaked out by Posey's stalker-ish manners when they were younger... And Ms Higgins never goes back to these feelings, to work them out or explain them. Instead, she moves forward. I liked that the relationship took time to establish between the two of them as they are different persons. I never had the feeling that Posey fell in love with the "young" Liam or her idealized version of Liam. Also, I loved that Liam realized that he was happy with Posey and what a mistake he did and that nobody around him really nudged him. I wouldn't say the romance in Until There Was You is very romantic, not a lot of "ahhhh" and "ohhhh" - although there is a grand gesture at the end - but everything was resolved in a satisfying manners and I liked it :)

Other things that I enjoyed in this book was Posey's interactions with her family and friends. I loved seeing her hanging out with her best friends (one of them her brother-in-law, Jon). I do wish that we've seen more of her relationship with her brother, Henry. Also, Henry and Jon were a great couple and every time they appear, the mood of the book lightened up :)  I enjoyed the light-hearted scenes: the baseball matches, the prom, the cooking for singles LOL. Ms Higgins really has a talent for blending funny situations with more serious matters and she proves it once again in Until There Was You. There was a lot going on in this book, but in the end, Ms Higgins juggled with everything and Until There Was You turned out to be a well-balanced book.

One of the thing I was most happy about was getting Liam's POV. This book would have never worked otherwise. I think Ms Higgins did a great job at handling the switch from first to third POV. I always felt in the past that her books were more chick-lit because of the first POV and have wished several time that she'd do the switch so it'd be more contemporary romance... and it was :) I hope she will continue in that direction with her future books!

My Grade: B.

Review: All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

Nothing much going on with me. Days are getting colder and darker much earlier - thanks to daylight saving hours. I'm not really happy that it's dark when I get out of work, but I have to admit, waking up is not as difficult :P Boss is gone and so work is a bit more relaxed. I mean, it's busy, but at least, I do things on my own time.

Still haven't gotten my hands on Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb. It's annoying :( I'm debating whether to buy it in e-format or not... and in the end, I voted against it because I have the whole collection in print already. However, I'm thinking of buying new author Kieran Kramer's debut novel, When Harry Met Molly, in e-format... I don't have any of her books in print yet and well, I should start buying more ebooks no? Anyway, I should take a decision soon because  I have a bad case of "I don't know what to read" syndrome and I feel like reading those books. Seriously, I have a room full of books, but it's the books that I don't have that calls to me ^_^; By the way, any good books you've read recently? Chapters/Indigo is having a 25% off promotion this week-end... but I have nothing on my TBB list ^_^;

Now, the review. I'm trying to catch up on my reviews, but the list just keeps getting longer and longer. I don't know how some of you can review everything you read. Seriously, amazing. Today's review is All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins :)


All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

published by HQN Books in July 2010

One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair...

and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol' Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company's new Miss Perfect. If that isn't bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark's attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals... So he's formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it's time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn't shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont's unlikeliest eligible bachelor...

Genre: contemporary romance/chick-lit
Series: none

The Story: I thought the back blurb was a bit misleading, as in Callie's boss, Mark, did not cheat on her which is a good thing :P

Callie Grey has been in love with her boss, Mark Rousseau, ever since she was a teen. She's come back to Georgebury after college and was ecstatic to find a position in his company. For the past few years, she's been waiting for him to notice her and when during a business trip, Mark and Callie become an item, Callie is over the moon, figuring her dreams are about to come true. Unfortunately, after 5 weeks, Mark tells her he needs some space, that he's not ready to commit yet.... and so Callie waits for Mark to be ready. But it all comes to a stop when Mark announces his engagement to the daughter of one of their most important client and that his new fiancée will now be working with them.

Suddenly brought back to reality, Callie takes a good look at her life and her dysfunctional family. She's determined not to end up like her parents (her father cheated on his mother while she was pregnant with her younger brother and her mother still makes him pay, despite the divorce) or her older sister (so scarred by their parents divorce that she's never commit to a man and has decided to be a single mother - adopted two beautiful daughters - and helps women get pregnant without the need of men; she's a fertility doctor) and so decides to take matter into her own hands. However, meeting sensible, eligible bachelors in Georgebury is not easy and how is it that Ian McFarland, the new and very disagreeable veterinarian, is always there to witness her humiliations?

My Opinion: All right, so let's get the biggest issue out of the way first, shall we? I've read all of Ms Higgins' books and reviewed most of them. For the most part, I've enjoyed her books a lot. I like her heroines because they're fun and her heroes because they're yummy :P I do think that her books read more like chick-lit than contemporary romance, but that seems to be Ms Higgins' style and it's something that  you get used to. Sure, I'd wish her books would be more contemporary romance, but it's the way Ms Higgins writes and it seems to work for her... and so, All I Ever Wanted follows the same trend. The problem though is that after 5 books, they are all starting to blend into one another. Ms Higgins has a very distinctive narrative voice that sets her apart from other authors, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, it's the same voice for all of her heroines - which is less good ^_^; Also, all of her books are about women wanting to start a family and thus, finding the significant other. Setting changes, background changes, profession changes... but the basic story doesn't... Setting, background and profession are really important, but ultimately, they don't make the book in my opinion... usually, it's the H/H that does and when they all seem to be the same... it bodes badly for the future. I do feel like Ms Higgins has been trying to mix things up, but the impact wasn't big enough to shake off the similarities to the previous books. It'd be good if Ms Higgins would go big for her next book... Okay, so that's the ongoing complaints I have with Ms Higgins books. Don't get me wrong, I like her books and enjoy them... I'm just not sure how long my enjoyment will continue :(

Hmmm, it seems I started my review with what should be my closing paragraph LOL. Anyway, back to All I Ever Wanted :) I enjoyed the book and personally, I liked it better than The Next Best Thing. I think the main reason was because Callie and the story were just more cheerful. I really enjoyed Callie's joie de vivre and her honesty when it came to her feelings. At first, I was a little put-off by the fact that she was still expecting Mark to come back to her after their five weeks fling. I felt like she was deluding herself and making up nice stories in her mind. There's nothing wrong with dreaming, but you can't treat those dreams as reality. Luckily, Callie didn't clung to those disillusions... and it was more about the crush of a young girl coming true. I like that Callie didn't crumble and she set out to meet the right guy.

Our hero, Ian, was the complete opposite of Callie. He's reserved, not very effusive with his feelings and at times, actually has difficulty to communicate them. As a hero, I thought he was okay. I like the silent type, but he wasn't as likable as Ms Roberts' grumpy heroes. While not as likable, I can't help but think he's a good guy, an admirable one. He knows when he needs help and when to ask for it and what he did for his ex. I have the feeling that he is very loyal to people who he comes to know. The romance between Callie and Ian was okay. It wasn't exactly the "happy-go-lucky heroine thawing out stuff hero" theme that I usually enjoy so much. More something to do with proximity. I think the relationship developed naturally, but I felt it wasn't romantic enough. I liked the fact that the grand gesture at the end came from Callie instead :P

What I did enjoy a lot in this book was Callie's interactions with her family and what a family she has :P LOL and the family business was just a nice touch - a funeral home. I really like the relationship between Callie and her grandfather - I like grumpy old man. I felt so bad for Callie's father... yes, he did a mistake, but to keep paying for it for years and years... I'm not trying to excuse his cheating. There should never be excuses for cheating, seriously... However, it can be forgiven. Perhaps if he had explained what has pushed him earlier... I'm glad that in the end, he exploded and let it all out. Callie's mother and sister, I liked less... but it was nice to see them all interact with each other.

My Grade: B. Not my favorite book by Ms Higgins, but one that I found enjoyable and fun just like its cover :)

Review: The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins

Wow! It was so windy last night, I'm surprised there was still a roof over my head when I woke up this morning! I hate it when we have such strong winds, it's just scary :( Snowstorms, thunderstorms, I don't mind... but strong winds...

It's almost the end of the Vancouver Olympics Games - only 3 days left :( I'm sad. I don't know what I'm going to do after it or actually, what I'm going to watch. Lucky for me, the Tim Horton's Briers is starting on March 6 :P Oh, and I still need to go watch the Percy Jackson movie...

Meanwhile, this week-end, I'm going to be reading, watching the Olympics and helping a friend paint her new condo. Should be fun :) What about you, any plans?

Oh, by the way, I have a review up at Breezing Through :P Ames and I discussed The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins. I really like Ms Higgins's style, unfortunately, this book didn't totally work out for me. Still, I'm looking forward to her next release :) For more details about my thoughts, you can go here.


The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN Books in February 2010

Lucy Lang isn't looking for fireworks...

She's looking for a nice, decent man. Someone who'll mow the lawn, flip chicken on the barbeque, teach their future children to play soccer. But most important... someone who won't inspire the slightest stirring in her heart...or anywhere else. A young widow, Lucy can't risk that kind of loss again. But sharing her life with a cat named Fat Mikey and the Black Widows at the family bakery isn't enough either. So it's goodbye to Ethan, her hot but entirely inappropriate "friend with privileges" and hello to a man she can marry.

Too bad Ethan Mirabelli isn't going anywhere. As far as he's concerned, what she needs might be right under her nose. But can he convince her that the next best thing can really be forever?

Review: Too Good to be True and Kiss of a Demon King

Sigh. Seems like I'm a bit into a funk lately :( Not feeling like blogging or reading much. Part of it is due to Tim Horton's Brier - the man national curling championship... another part is the job... and well, my mood I guess. I'll try to get out of it, but don't be surprised if I'm a bit silent in the next few days - well at least, in my blog.

So let see if I can do this... two-fer review :) These two books don't have much in common except that they've both slipped away from me when it was time to review them. I got both of them before their release date, devoured them and just never got around to review them although I wanted to.

Since my reviews will only add to the praises everyone is lavishing on these two books, it will be somewhat shorter (or at least, that's the intention LOL).


Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN Books in February 2009

When Grace Emerson's ex-fiance starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she's seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone...exactly "unlike" her renegade neighbor Callahan O'Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.

Whoa. No. Callahan O'Shea is not her perfect man Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so...right?

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: Grace Emerson was going to marry Andrew in three weeks... till she caught the glint in his eyes that told her he wasn't completely in love with her... and perhaps, his great love could be another woman... her younger sister, Natalie.

One year later, Grace has given her blessings to Natalie and Andrew to be together. However, she has become the pitiful girl in the family and everyone is trying to encourage her, but it just further annoys her. After her cousin's third wedding, Grace decides it's time to make up a boyfriend so everyone would just stop... and it's not as if she never made up boyfriends - she has experience. However, when Natalie and Andrew announce their engagement...

My Opinion: So I didn't mention Cal in my summary, because this is really Grace's story. Like I said in my previous reviews of her books, I think that Ms Higgins' style is more chick-lit than contemporary romance. Good chick-lit, but chick-lit nonetheless.

As usual, I really like Grace as an heroine. Ms Higgins really has a knack at writing the heroines. There's this confidence in themselves that sets them apart in my opinion. Actually, they're just comfortable in their body and settle in their careers. In addition, since there's no mystery, everything allows Ms Higgins to focus on the relationships, dynamics and interactions and it results in good books.

Okay, I digress. So what I really want to say is I enjoyed Grace's character :) She was fun, brave and strong. Some think that perhaps, she was too nice - giving her blessing to her sister and Andrew. In my opinion, it was well explained and it fit her personality. To Grace, Natalie is very special... and when you love someone, you want them to be happy, even at the price of your own happiness. I liked Grace's interactions with her best friend, her family and Cal :) and LOL, imagining boyfriends isn't so bad :P In Dear Author's review, the reviewer pointed out that all of Ms Higgins heroines are similar and have the same voice. I agree; however, it works well and these heroines are really refreshing :)

There were tons of funny situations in this book :) Starting with Grace's best friend signing them up to a course to find happiness. LOL, when the motivation speaker was speaking to them about the techniques to get people's attention and when he wasn't so sure it would work on a gay man LOL :) Or when Julian had to fake to be Grace's boyfriend and he was stuck in the bathroom's stall. All of Grace's mother's women parts scultures that they had to bring out from the cellar when the mom came up unannounced. Finally, I really love the last quarter of the book, from the moment Grace finally gets together with Cal.

My main complaint about this book was Grace and Cal's relationship. Again, as it is usually the case with Ms Higgins' books, I wanted more of the H/H together. Especially once they became a couple. They were adorable together!! However, I was a bit uncomfortable about Grace's reluctance to get involved with Cal. I'm not totally sure of her reasons... Part of it was prejudices because Cal was a convict... which I thought was unfortunate really. I mean, I understand her position and I guess that I would react the same in real life... but in fiction... I still prefer to believe that Grace thought he wasn't going to be THE guy. Anyway, it doesn't matter much since they do get together at the end and like I said, adorable :)

I really liked how Ms Higgins wrapped things up between Grace and Cal and the three sisters relationships at the end. I'm actually curious to know what happened to Cal's grandfather ^_^; I know, I know... very small details LOL.

My Grade: B. Overall, this was a very good and solid book... However, I do think that Just One of the Guys and Fools Rush In were better :) Also, I'd like for Ms Higgins to try her hand at contemporary... a bit more between the H/H would be greatly appreciated :D



Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
published by Simon & Schuster in January 2009

His Obsession...

Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.

Her Downfall...

Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.

They were never supposed to want each other this much...

With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?

Genre: paranormal romance
Series: Immortals of Dark, Book #7

The Story: Rydstrom Woede is the king of some demon kingdom, but lost his throne to an immortal sorcerer. He along with his younger brother, Cadeon, have been trying to get the kingdom back, but it's not easy to kill someone who can't die. However, his chance has come... Rydstrom is on his way to meet Cadeon whose mission was to exchange the Vassel for a sword that can actually kill the sorcerer... when he is kidnapped by Sabine, the Queen of Illusions, sister of his mortal (immortal) enemy. Sabine has her own agenda though, which would be getting her and her younger sister out from under their brother's thumb... and although Sabine knows that she is supposed to borne Rydstrom's child according to a prophecy... she just wasn't prepared for this mutual passion.
My Opinion: Okay, so the timeline of Kiss of a Demon King actually overlaps with the events in Dark Desires After Dusk and I'm not really a fan of overlapping books, but it actually worked real well for this book. I've been a fan of Rydstrom ever since he appeared in the series, but from the glimpses I caught of Sabine in Dark Desires After Dusk and her effects on Rydstrom, I wasn't sure I would liked her.

Oh boy, was I wrong. I ended up really liking Sabine. She was a very fun character and that, from the beginning of the book :) Sabine really wasn't what I expected. I mean, first she's a sorceress and then, she's Rydstrom's enemy's sister ^_^; I was imagining a wicked, evil heroine and didn't know how she would match Rydstrom. Anyway, long story short, she was a fun character and I liked her :) I'd like if she has shared more with Rydstrom... I liked her loyalty to her younger sister as well :) As for Rydstrom, well he WAS everything I was expecting. I was still uncomfortable about the two brothers' relationship - Rydstrom blaming Cadeon for the loss of the kingdom and Cadeon feeling guilt. Sure, it's adding angst, but in the end, I'm not really satisfied with the resolution of their issue. I guess I would have liked more closing.

What else I didn't like? Hmmm, the first part of the book when Rydstrom was Sabine's prisoner. I thought it was boring, Sabine trying to have sex with Rydstrom to get pregnant. Wasn't really involved in that part. Luckily, it all picked up when the roles were reversed :) That part, me likey. I thought that Sabine showed more of her true face to Rydstrom and they had more interactions. Rydstrom started to learn more about her, he opened more as well.

I felt that this book was a bit more stand-alone in the series and I liked that. It didn't have too much connections to the earlier books. It wasn't sequel baiting either, so that was a plus. I've always felt that Ms Cole's books had a primitive feel to them, but the two last books were a bit smoother and suited more the storylines :) What I don't like though is that there are a lot of paranormal creatures in this series and it's starting to get confusing. The structure of the world building doesn't seem solid... I feel it's very flexible and when you have so many creatures and storylines going on, it'd be better if it was a bit more ground in my opinion.

My Grade: B+. Very fun book. So far, all the books with non-vampires H/H have been more enjoyable to me :) Also , great for Ms Cole to keep this series open so no anticipation and expections for the next H/H.

Review: Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins

One of the books I was looking forward to in August is this release by Kristan Higgins. I was first attracted to Ms Higgins books because she has very cute book cover LOL :) and really enjoyed Fools Rush In. So I was really looking forward to this book, especially since I like the tomboy storyline :)

Dear Author has posted a very good review for Just One of the Guys, very well written... and I probably can't write one as good, but I just wanted to add my two cents :) So here it is.


Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN books in August 2008

Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be…

So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers.While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys...

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: Chastity was raised in a male-dominated family with her father, 4 brothers and 1 honorary brother, all working as firefighters, paramedics and the likes. With such a family, she can't help being a tomboy, i.e. loud, competitive and strong, just as she can't change her tall, Amazonian physic strengthened by her hobby, rowing. After having work in the city, Chastity is coming back to her hometown to settle down.

Along with her mother who has divorced Chastity's father one year ago and has decreed she was ready to date, Chastity starts her search for the perfect man... and she finds him. Unfortunately, Chastity can't forget her first love, the man she'll never get - Trevor Meade, one of her best friends and honorary brother...

My Opinion: First, the heroine's full name is Chastity Virginia O'Neill, LOL :) Ouch, but I can't help but chuckle, LOL :) All right, so that's out of the way... what about the actual characters and storyline? I really, really enjoyed this book. I really like the O'Neill clan and the relationships.

Chastity isn't as tomboyish as we are led to believe in the synopsis. True, she doesn't have a fragile, small physic and her attitude can be tomboyish at times, but between her ears and personality-wise, she is feminine and doesn't think of herself as a guy... What I liked about Chastity is her confidence. She never thought one second that she was unattractive (well except when her boyfriend dumps her, but that's understandable) and she's independent and strong in her opinions. I really like how assured of herself she is and never doubts her abilities. The fact that she's not lost and know what she wants and where she is going in her life is also refreshing :)

The whole book focuses on Chastity, her relationships and her journey. It was enjoyable and not at all predictable. The dynamics of the family are quite entertaining, especially with divorced parents and her mother starting to date again. There was a nice balance between the focus of the book, Chastity, and the apparition of her family. As expected, with 4 brothers, Chastity has a large family; but I thought Ms Higgins handled it well. The family doesn't overshadow Chastity, but at the same time, is not forgotten. There's also quite a cast of secondary characters such as Chastity's co-workers, but Ms Higgins never get side-tracked and characters introduced seemed to be justified.

I also really liked Chastity's honesty in her feelings. Yes, she is looking for the perfect man and she found him... and she tried really hard to build a life with him, but at the same time, she can't forget Trevor. Personally, I would have like to read more about Trevor, go deeper in his characterization and his thoughts while Chastity was looking and dating Mr. Perfect. I think it would have been very interesting and added a bit more to the book; however, the book is writing from Chastity's point of view. Nonetheless, we get some very emotional scenes from Trevor, so I'll have to be satisfied with that.

*Spoilers ahead*

My favorite scenes of the book have to be the ones which were critical to Chastity and Trevor relationship. I really liked the scene where Chastity confronts Trevor about his feelings and how he doesn't dare be with her because he fears losing his family... Trevor replies that it's her he is afraid to lose. Very emotional... unfortunately, Trevor is a bit stupid in my opinion. At this point, after two one-night stands, you can't say to your childhood/best friend that you want to forget what happened and remain friends... especially when you know she loves you. Trevor was afriad to lose her, but as soon as he rejected her again, he lost her anyway. In my opinion, since both loved each other, he should have given the relationship a try because their relationship would never had gone back to what it was before.

My heart broke for Chastity when she announced her engagement with Mr. Perfect and Elaina, Chastity's best friend and sister-in-law, asks Chastity if she's sure and if she told Trevor yet.

"Don't mess this up, querida. Get over Trevor, querida."

"Okay! Yes, so I said that!" she (Elaina) snaps. "Big deal, you know? Chas, are you happy?"

"Yes!" I insist. "I - definitively!" My jaws clenched. "Elaina," I say, and my voice is now a harsh whisper. "This is the best I'm going to do. He's a good guy. We'll be very content together. He loves me. I love him. Okay? Please don't say anything else."

"Okay," she says. She starts to say something, then pauses.

"What, Lainey?" I ask. My head is killing me, and we haven't had dinner, and I'm starving and just want to go home and curl up with Buttercup.

"Have you told Trevor?" she whispers.

"He knows," I say, turning away. I pretend to fix my hair in the mirror, but I can see Elaina's worried eyes reflected back at me.

"What did he say?" she asks.

"He's all for it." I turn back to look directly in her face. "I told him I loved him and he said to stay with Ryan." My face contorts.

"Shit," she says. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, honey. It's okay."

Who wouldn't hurt for Chas after this scene? What is she to do? Live the rest of her life lonely? I have to say though, I'm really glad at the happy ending and I'm happy Trevor learned from other's mistake.

*End of spoilers*

My only complaint about this book is the same as with Fools Rush In. It's hard to say whether this book is really straight contemporary romance or more chick-lit. The feeling for chick-lit is very strong and personally, I would have preferred for it to be romance-y. However, after reading 3 books by this author, I have to come to the conclusion that this is Ms Higgins style and I should get used to it :)

My Grade: B+. This book is very good and people should give it a try :) You'll understand why Ms Higgins is a RITA winner :)

TBR Day: Finding Mary Blaine and Fools Rush In

As you all know, I'm in the middle of re-shelving my books (yes, still) and so I've been going through the books, deciding which ones to keep, which ones to give away... As a result, I've been reading quite a lot out of my TBR pile (hurrah!), rediscovering what I had in it LOL :) So for this month's challenge, you get two reviews :)

ps. for those who are wondering, I haven't gone to the bookstore yet. One more day... one more day, but it's the most difficult because I have to pick up my sister in downtown. It's like a mantra: want book, but cannot go. Must wait till sale.


Finding Mary Blaine by Jodi Thomas
published by Mira in August 2004

Prominent attorney’s wife killed in bombing

The morning’s newspaper headline leaves Blaine reeling. Only a few hours ago she’d dragged herself dazed and bleeding from the smoking rubble, but it might as well have been a lifetime ago -- because now the world believes she is dead.

Before Blaine can reach her husband, the bomber strikes again. With terrifying clarity she realizes he’s bent on wiping out the witnesses to his crime -- and she’s one of them. Without money and ID she becomes Mary Blaine, hiding in a homeless shelter, knowing it’s to dangerous to go home.

Meanwhile, her husband, Mark, realizes his carefully managed life is beginning to crumble. After years of taking Blaine for granted, he finally grasps how nothing -- not even a promising career in politics -- is worth it without her by his side. Desperately he searches for anyone who was with Blaine just prior to the blast. But instead, he finds something -- someone -- much more important.

Genre: romantic suspense, contemporary
Series: none

The Story: Blaine and Mark fell in love during college and married. Years later, Mark is an attorney who is soon going to run for congressman. Blaine and Mark still love each other very much, but their relationship is at a stillpoint. One day, Blaine goes to a public health clinic, knowing that whatever the result is, it's going to change their life... Before she can talk to Mark, the clinic is bombed... After realizing the attack was aimed at her in order to hurt Mark, Blaine decides to hide in order to protect Mark. Meanwhile, Mark is realizing how much he's been taking Blaine for granted and how much he needs her.

My Opinion: This was a good book. Sure, there are some 'huh' parts and I don't agree with all the choices Blaine made, but it was nonetheless a good book. I like that Blaine and Mark were married from the beginning and that they were still in love. It's not that their relationship was without problem, but yes, they were still deeply in love and care for each other. I think that what happened to Blaine and Mark's marriage is something that could happen to everyone. It's just so easy to fall into a routine and then you start to justify why you work so hard. Mark was taking Blaine for granted and not paying her enough attention... and he regretted it so deeply when he thought that Blaine was dead. I like the changes it brought on him and how deeply affected he was... The scene where he heard that there was a bombing and Blaine was probably stuck there as a witness and he had to join her to help her out, because she doesn't do well in crowd... and then discovering that she was "dead." That scene was really poignant and sad. Definitively one of my favorite.

Do I think Blaine should have tried harder to contact her husband, absolutely. However, she didn't and there's nothing I can do to change it, right? The book focus on how Blaine does to survive and under the circumstances, she did well. The only part nagging me a bit is that she wasn't active enough into solving the mystery... if the bomber didn't reappear, how long would she have continued the life as 'Mary Blaine'?

Something else that was refreshing is that you don't get to see the villain's POV at all. I thought that was nice. Instead, you follow Blaine and Mark as they each try to survive and do something. It's definitively make Finding Mary Blaine different than most romantic suspense out there. It's actually not that much of a suspense, but at the same time, the romance was a bit weak since Mark and Blaine spend most of the book separate. It's hard to categorize this book. Still I enjoyed it, because you want to know what's going to happen. You want to know if Mark will find Blaine, what Blaine will do... Both main characters were interesting, strong and appealing. This book would have miserably failed if the characters weren't good, but they were and they kept me reading. I have to admit I would have liked for the author to add an epilogue at the end, for better closure.

My Grade: B. I like how this book is different than most romantic suspense. I love the main characters and seriously, there's nothing better than having the hero realized how much the heroine means to him and to see him get a second chance to cherish her.



Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins
published by HQN books in November 2006

Rewarding job as a local doctor on Cape Cod? Check. Cute cottage of her very own? Check. Adorable puppy suitable for walks past attractive locals? Check! All she needs is for golden boy and former crush Joe Carpenter to notice her, and Millie will be set.

But perfection isn't as easy as it looks--especially when Sam Nickerson, a local policeman, is so distracting. Sure, he needs a friend after being dumped by Millie's fortune-hunting sister, but does she really need to enjoy his company that much? He is definitely not part of her master plan. But maybe it's time for Millie to start a new list…

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: The back blurb is a pretty good summary, so I'm not going to try to write another one...

My Opinion: This was a great book and I really enjoyed it. Of course, I would have enjoyed it better if there's been more sex LOL :) As it was, the book was quite tame, a few kisses and non-descriptive sex, which gave Fools Rush In a chick-lit feel.

Ms Higgins definitively wrote a winner heroine with Millie. Not only was she great, but she kind of remind me of myself... except the part where she used to stalk and 'accidentally' run into her crush - Joe Carpenter. I didn't have a crush to stalk :P Millie is a good person and level-headed. She loves her family, especially her nephew and has a good relationship with her brother-in-law. She also has very good friends and loves being a family doctor. She comes back to Cape Cod with the intention of making Joe Carpenter notice her and her plan is to loose some weight and getting a better wardrobe. The only dark cloud in her life is her sister, Tracy. Tracy and Millie don't have a good relationship, part of it is due to Tracy selfishness and another part is jealousy between them, Tracy being the pretty one and Millie, the smart one. It doesn't help that Tracy cheated on Sam with a rich New Jerseyite which was the catalyst for the divorce. Let's say that Millie (and the rest of the family) doesn't approve of Tracy's cheating and asking for divorce.

I liked Millie because she was real and normal. She's not a tough or kick-butt cop ,or someone with a dark past, or someone overly klutzy or goody. She's just a girl coming back home after years of school to start her 'adult life' and find love. Ms Higgins did a good job not falling into a stereotype or over-exaggerating some character traits. Actually, the whole book feels real and normal... like how Millie idealized Joe and then realized he's not what she made him to be in her mind. What helps is the pace of the story. I was happy while reading it, because it wasn't too fast. Everything happens in its own time and I think the book spans a couple of months. I liked how it took time for Joe to notice Millie and even more time for Millie and Sam to realize their feelings. It helped that nobody fell in bed together too fast.

What put me off reading this book for so long is the fact that Sam is Millie's ex-brother-in-law. That's a weird relationship; however, it was really well handled. What I like is that Millie and Sam started off the book as very good friends. There's a 6-7 years gap between Sam and Millie and Sam has been her brother-in-law since she was 12 and so, there's a bit of hero worship in their friendship. I like that neither of them were in love with each other before or at the time of the divorce. Instead, it happened gradually after they started spending time together, without either realizing it... The great thing is that Ms Higgins was able to make it feel very natural and rational, so it wasn't out of the blues. I especially love knowing at which moment each character realized they were in love with each other :)

What I like most? Just seeing Millie interact with her entourage... her trying to matchmake Sam and her best friend (I would have done that), hanging out with Sam to cheer him up... helping her nephew with his college application and etc. Speaking of nephew... Danny is 17 years old and thank you Ms Higgins for making up a normal, regular teenager. It was really a nice change. Danny was such a sweet and loving boy... not an angry teenager who hates everyone and so on. No, he was mature and understanding :P

The only thing that I hated is that Tracy wasn't put in her place. There was a scene between Tracy and Millie at the end of the book where Millie tried, but I still feel that Tracy had the upper hand in the argument. I would have liked for Millie's parents to side with her openly and tear away Tracy's facade and make her realize how selfish she's been all those years. Also, I would have liked to see more scenes of Millie and Sam as a couple :P

My Grade: B+. It's a fun and real book and I'm definitively looking forward to read more of Ms Higgins book.

ps - Ames, the dog was cute :P Especially when he tried to jump Sam's leg LOL :)