book – Book Dust Magic

Taboo book that was done well: Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas #AgeGap #Romance #Taboo

Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas book cover

Today I want to talk about a book I was always interested in, but for some reason it was never the right time to give it a shot.
I guess the right time came and guys, the book was sooooooooo good.

Birthday Girl was first published on April 15th 2018 and it has 349 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.

I have to stop this. It can’t happen.

Review:

I had a feeling I would like this book, and I was right.
In a matter of fact, this was even better than I expected it to be.

With all the drama surrounding this taboo main theme of the book, with all the characters and their connection it could be compared to Turkish drama (those are pretty popular in my country).

The small town setting gave even more quality. Every character had a sole and purpose. Everyone contributed to the story.

They all were developed pretty well, especially our main character Jordan.
It makes so much sense why she fell for older guy, as she grew up in a household which was anything but healthy.
With her drunk father and mother who left her, she didn’t have a chance to learn what a healthy family looks like, and there came mummy and daddy issues.
It also make sense why she chose violent guys before or why she hang on to a thing that didn’t have a future, as she didn’t have anything else to hang on to.

We could discuss the morality of the story and how Pike wasn’t a good father, even though he and the author herself claimed otherwise.
There is no way in the world his choice wouldn’t leave a mark on his son.

Anyway, the story, with all it’s complexity was well done and wrapped up the best way possible.

Third book in the series? Check! Powerless by Elsie Silver (Chestnut Springs #3) #bookreview #romance #SmallTown

Today I bring you my review for the third book in the series that I am slowly, but surely getting through.
I love this small time romance and although every book can be read as standalone, I think the best reading experience is to read it in order.

Powerless was released on February 10th 2023 and it has 396 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Two childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That’s all this was supposed to be. Afterall, I’ve been living in the friend zone for years now.

But hockey heartthrob Jasper Gervais isn’t looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn’t touching me like one either.

To his fans, he’s the handsome, talented athlete on TV. But to me he’s still the lost boy with sad eyes and a heart of gold.

The man I’ve loved in secret for years.

So when my life falls apart on my wedding day, it only makes sense that he’s the one to swoop in and save me. And when his world comes crashing down around him, I’m there to return the favor.

But the more time we spend alone, the more Jasper doesn’t feel like a friend at all. He feels like everything I’ve ever wanted and thought I could never have.

Our feelings aren’t straight forward though. They twist and turn around the pain of his past and the reality of my present.

Jasper Gervais acts like he wants me.

But after years of turning me away, he’s going to need to prove it.

Review:

This was a good book, a third one from a very good book series, but I had a difficult time to be fully invested into the story, as I couldn’t understand the logic characters from this book were lead by.
Therefore, this was my least favorite book in the series.

I didn’t have problem with main characters Sloane and Jasper, but the side characters.
Who was the least understandable to me were Sloane’s parents: father who would take her awful ex’ side or her mother who was there but it was like she wasn’t there really.
I just couldn’t believe them.

As for the other aspects of the story, I loved the small town all the books take place in. Road trip parts I didn’t enjoy.

Jasper and Sloane’s story is specific and little bit controversial because he got his eyes on her when she was practically illegal, and even though he didn’t act on it, it still felt little uncomfortable to read about it.

Later, when they were older and had beautiful connection, it was hard for me to understand why they didn’t act on their feelings sooner.
I mean, I get that this was a forbidden love (even though I still don’t understand why because Jasper is a catch, he is a sportsman and has money), but they were adults.

Anyway, this was a good fill in book and I am looking forward to read the fourth book in the series.

Another not-so-good book club pick: Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister #bookclub #thriller

After starting on a not so good foot, in the other half of January me and my girls picked another book to read together, and this time we were even less thrilled.
I was excited to read another book by Gillian McAllister as I liked some of her novels in the past, but unfortunately Just Another Missing Person didn’t do it for me.
You can read my review bellow.

This novel was first time published on August 1st 2023 and it has 384 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

22-year-old Olivia has been missing for one day…and counting. She was last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley. And not coming back out again.

Julia, the detective heading up the search for Olivia, thinks she knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But she has no idea just how close to home this case is going to get.

Because the criminal at the heart of the disappearance has something she never expected. His weapon isn’t a gun, or a knife: it’s a secret. Her worst one. And her family’s safety depends on one thing: Julia must NOT find out what happened to Olivia – and must frame somebody else for her murder.

If you find her, you will lose everything. What would you do?

This clever and endlessly surprising thriller is laced with a smart look at family and motherhood, and cements Gillian McAllister as a major talent in the world of suspense and a master of creating ethical dilemmas that show just how murky the distinction between right and wrong can be.

Review:

This was a book club pick for January.
I was excited to read this author again, as I previously loved her other two books, and because in the meantime her career skyrocketed (or so it seems to me).

Unfortunately, reading Just Another Missing Person was not a good choice by me and my friends. Out of five of us, only three of us managed to finish it, and not one of us gave it a rating higher than 2.
So I think in this case it’s a book, not us.

The biggest turn down was the way it was written. Some chapters were written in third person, some in second, with so many characters that it was hard to get into the book.
I couldn’t connect to anyone really, but I didn’t have trouble to judge that mum who threw her son to the wolves and I am still not sure if she was even aware of that.
Since that was the only case when I felt at least something, I will hang on it if anyone ask me how I feel about this book.

Also, I have to mention that the father of a missing girl sounded like a creep and gave me chills. It was like reading from perspective of an adult who is romantically in love with his daughter.

I couldn’t care about the missing girl as the author didn’t do anything to make us connect with her.
The only character I can say I was intrigued about was that young guy who dated the missing girl.

Unfortunately, this was a big let down for me and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

I made a mistake for not picking up Wrong Place, Wrong Time instead, but now, after finishing Just Another Missing Person, I lost the will to give it a try.

So… this was a mess: The Last Word by Taylor Adams #bookreview #thriller

The Last Word by Taylor Adams book cover, William Morrow

As you probably already know, I am a member of a book club where four of us girls (plus from February one guy as a new member) pick a book or two and read it together, while discuss it all along as we read.
2024 didn’t start on a good note, as both books we read in January weren’t that good.

Today I bring you my review for a book that got lot of hype at one point in 2023. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of it, but at least my FOMO was cured.

The Last Word was published on April 25th 2023 and it has 340 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

After posting a negative book review, a woman living in a remote location begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy—or very, very dangerous—in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and Hairpin Bridge.

Emma Carpenter lives in isolation with her golden retriever Laika, house-sitting an old beachfront home on the rainy Washington coast. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deek, and (via text) the house’s owner, Jules.

One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too?

As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of?

Review:

This was a January pick for our book club and unfortunately 2024 didn’t start well.
The Last Word was a mess, and the book we read after this one was even worse.

I would like to say that this novel started promising. The writing style was good, slow but interesting, and it was easy for me to connect with Emma.
She was a loner, clearly suffering with depression after a tragic event in her life.
I could understand why she chose solitude and comfort in this new, boring way of living (if you can call it that).

However, with part 2 being written in a different way, all the connection I had for the story and our MC slowly but surely fell down the drain.

It’s not even about the choices Emma made, it was mainly the writing style.
All of the sudden beautiful prose was replaced with harsh storytelling, with more action that in Terminator movies.
At one point so much was going on that it made puree in my brain, it was too much to handle.
Especially as I didn’t enjoy the story anyway, nor did I like the characters enough.

The closer to the end we were, my connection to the story was less and less there, until it faded completely.

The last few chapters were pure torture and I couldn’t wait to be done with it and move on.
The only reason I decided to finish The Last Word is because my FOMO activated, just like it does every time I take part in buddy reads.

If anyone asks me, this book got more hype then it deserved.

Another Christmas novel I read in January: Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh #Ireland #Christmas #Romance

Yesterday I talked about a wonderful book called Snowed In, and today I decided to tell you about it’s prequel. As I happened to read this first installment in the series after it’s sequel, and my review reflects on that, I decided it would be the best to post my reviews in that order as well.
So here it is…

Holiday Romance is the first book in the Fitzpatrick Christmas series and it was published on September 29th 2022. The book was published by Bookouture and it has 354 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

She’s meant to be catching flights, not catching feelings…

Molly and Andrew are just trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight.

Nothing romantic has ever happened between them: they’re friends and that’s all. But once a year, for the last ten years, Molly has spent seven hours and fifteen minutes sitting next to Andrew on the last flight before Christmas from Chicago to Dublin, drinking terrible airplane wine and catching up on each other’s lives. In spite of all the ways the two friends are different, it’s the holiday tradition neither of them has ever wanted to give up.

Molly isn’t that bothered by Christmas, but—in yet another way they’re total opposites—Andrew is a full-on fanatic for the festive season and she knows how much getting back to Ireland means to him. So, instead of doing the sane thing and just celebrating the holidays together in America, she does the stupid thing. The irrational thing. She vows to get him home. And in time for his mam’s famous Christmas dinner.

The clock is ticking. But Molly always has a plan. And—as long as the highly-specific combination of taxis, planes, boats, and trains all run on time—it can’t possibly go wrong.

What she doesn’t know is that, as the snow falls over the city and over the heads of two friends who are sure they’re not meant to be together, the universe might just have a plan of its own…

Review:

I recently read Snowed In, which is the sequel to this novel that I haven’t read prior, and right after I finished it, I knew I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters I happen’ to like so much. Snowed In was my “book to close the season with”, but it felt like torture waiting until November to read Holiday Romance, so season was longer than planned, because Holiday Romance had to be read ASAP.

The writing style was amazing. Fun and pure escapism in a tiny little book. It’s not a remedy, but I would call it a cure for bad days.
I mean, if you had a bad day, I am sure this book would make it a little better.

What is different with this book when I compare it to Snowed In, this one was written only following one POV, Molly’s, and it was written in first person (my personal preference).

We follow Molly and Andrew, their story being told in two different time frames, one following present and the other following a decade of Molly and Andrew’s travelling to Ireland for Christmases.

It was such a good experience to witness how these two people that knew each other developed their relationship into friendship, and than into romance.

The only thing I had hard time to understand was how Molly, even though she traveled all the way to Ireland to her family, had no problem to ditch them to be with Andrew. Like, wasn’t she out of her mind to be with them??
But than again, when it comes to true love, I guess the need to be with your guy is even bigger than to see your mum or sister who you didn’t see for sooooooo long.

I also want to mention that my favorite person in this book was Andrew’s causin who’s name I already forgot, but his personality will stay with me for (I hope) long.
Chapters with him were the funniest.

In the end, I want to say that Holiday Romance was the perfect book to ’tis the season with, and is example how a good holiday romance should be written.

In January I read this Christmas novel: Snowed In by Catherine Walsh #Christmas #Ireland #romance

My book review for a holiday romance Snowed In by Catherine Walsh.

After the longest pause from blogging, with new year I decided to apply new rules on my little corner of the internet, so I am posting reviews of books I read one moth after I finished the.
In other words, books I read in January will be live in Fabruary. Also, posts will be scheduled for days that are part of the weekend. That way, I won’t stress myself and now when I finally found the way to love the reading the way I did before I started reviewing books, I think I found the way to bring you my reviews in a way that won’t put the pressure on me.
Also, I decided to read only book I want to read in a moment (in other words, I don’t receive review copies anymore).

It is my pleasure to open the season with a book I loved the most this festive season (I didn’t have much luck or will this year when it comes to holidays…

Snowed In was published on November 1st 2023 and it has 384 pages.
It is the second book in the series called Fitzpatrick Christmas.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.

Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas. He doesn’t mind being alone , but he hates his family’s sad eyes and soft tones as they sit around coupled up. Because he’s actually, totally, fine.

So when Megan literally bumps into Christian in a Dublin pub, they come up with a pact to see them through the holiday season. They’re going to be the very best fake dates for each other, ever .

Rules are drawn up, a contract is signed on a wine-stained napkin. They will sit through each other’s family gatherings and be outrageously in love until freed from their annual obligations. After all, it’s only for a few weeks.

But with everyone home for the holidays, two big families to deal with alongside old friends, old flames and old feelings, things are bound to get messy. And when a snowed-in cabin and a little Christmas magic are added to the mix, anything could happen…

A swoonworthy and utterly gorgeous romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud and fall completely in love. Fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Abby Jimenez won’t be able to put this down!

Review:

This holiday season some kind of weird reading slump caught me and I only read 3 festive romances of whom I didn’t particularly like any. So basically, maybe the fact that the books I grabbed were more boring than romantic or funny, my mind decided to go for horrors and thrillers (and I have to stress out I read only a few of them too, as I was in some weird reading slump).

However, the last book I decided to read, the book I decided to close this weak festive season with made up for all those dull stories I read before, and I had a blast reading Megan and Christian’s story.

First of all, I immediately clicked with Catherine Walsh’s writing. It was simple, attention grabbing ,easy to fly through and what I appreciate the most, it was fun.

Reading Walsh’s words felt like having a coffee time with my friend, catching up with all the news in her life. It was a loooooong time since I enjoyed the book in such a comfortable way, so it is not a surprise that I finished the novel in only 2 days (in case you didn’t know, I am a slow reader and if I finish a book in 5 days I tap myself on the back congratulating for such a fast job done).

This is the second book in the series and while it can be read as standalone, it also is continuation on the first book, Holiday romance, as we do get updates on Molly and Andrew, who are main characters of that story. Because updates are not just tell and glimpse, but actual part of the plot, I suggest you all to read the books in Fitzpatrick Christmas in order. I didn’t do it, but I will definitely read Holiday Romance soon.

I got attached to these characters, so having another book with them in it makes me happy.

I enjoyed Snowed in, and loved, loved the characters, but the only thing that took me time to accept was how Megan was portrait as some kind of victim when in reality she was the one who ran away from her wedding, embarrassing her then fiance in front of everyone. With time I accepted her reasons, but still I wasn’t a fan how her ex was portrait as a bad guy.

There are some steamy scenes, but only few, which was just the right dose if anyone asks me.

Overall, this was the best holiday romance I read this year. It was like a hot chocolate on a snowy day and I will definitely read the other book in this series.

The one I wish I liked better: Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins

GIFTED / Today I bring you my review for a novel I read some time ago. I got it via Edelweiss from the publisher and although I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to, I still appreciate the opportunity publisher Atria books gave me.

The book was released on July 11th 2023 and it has 320 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother, Jason. More than that, the two have been devoted best friends since Jason introduced them. To Sienna, Jason can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he’s not perfect, they’ve built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered–his lips sewn shut–the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip swirls.

A few days later, Julia and Sienna’s lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he’s the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond–and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name–the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother’s innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she’s willing to defend her husband.

Review:

I got Thicker Than Water unsolicited from the publisher in an exchange for an honest review.
The premise sounded interesting and I was excited to dive into it.

However, the more I read the less excited I was, as I found myself being bored most of the time.
The story is character driven and I would categorize it as drama more then a thriller.
It had mystery elements, but not once I felt like the characters in the book were in dangeour or like we didn’t know what was going on (or maybe I just didn’t care enough).

I have to phrase the character development, as both main characters, Jules and Sienna were well described and I as a reader had a feeling I got to know them pretty well. They were realistic and I appreciate the way all the things that happened to them affected their personalities, and in the end, both of them changed.

I did enjoy the book but I have to admit I expected more.
In sharp, this is a story about a guy in a coma, two women playing detectives but not once were they in dangeour, and a son, who maybe should be suspicious but not once I found him that way. I just still can’t believe that a son wouldn’t pay a visit to his father in a hospital.

I think the story would work better as a cozy mystery then a thriller.

This book make me crave for more historical romance: Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath @STMRomance #BookLovers #HistoricalRomance

Never Rescue a Rouge by Virginia Heath book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I am happy to bring you my review for a book that awoke my love for historical romances. I always loved to read that genre but for some time I didn’t pick it up for a while, but this book reminded me why I love it. I really needed this in my life and now, thanks to Never Rescue a Rouge I can’t wait to read more. I crave for it.

Never Rescue a Rogue is a second book in The Merriwell Sisters series and it has 368 pages. It will be published on November 8th 2022 by St. Martin’s Griffin. I want to thank their publicist Sara for inviting me to read and review this book via Netgalley.

About the book:

Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain—not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common—the secrets they can’t risk escaping.

When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son’s birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined—and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

Review:

I wasn’t even aware how much I craved historical romance until I started reading this one. Never Rescue a Rogue reminded me how passionate and fun historical romances can be. For that, I am glad because now I crave even more.

This book was pure fun. It isn’t a comedy, don’t get me wrong. Still, Virginia Heath has the way of writing her words that everything, her descriptions, inner monologues and characters’ conversations are so entertaining.
I guess it isn’t a surprise that I flew through this book so fast.

I haven’t read the first book in the series (I would want to) but I didn’t feel like I was missing out. Never Rescue a Rogue can be read as a standalone.
However, all the characters Heath created were great to read about, so it would be a shame not to read their own books. Therefore, I will continue with the series.

My favourite character was Dalton who is the butler. It seems like every scene that had him in it made a book little bit better, brighter.
I also liked Vee who is Diana‘s (main character) younger sister. At times I hope the two of them would get together but I guess we won’t be seeing that movie since Vee is getting her own happily ever after in the next book, and Dalton isn’t the love interest.

As for our main characters in this book, Diana was the character one can look up to.
She loves her independence, her job and she is like a force that is not afraid of anything.
I have to admit I wasn’t head over hills for Giles at first, but I did enjoy seeing the chemistry between them and it was so obvious how Diana’s company does him good.

This is an example how enemies-to-lovers trope can be done, without unnecessarily drama, hate or going too far.
It was all tastsfully done.

4 stars from me and one big recommendation to you guys!

One sunny title: Sunkissed by Kasie West @PRHGlobal #partner #BookReview #Sunkissed

GIFTED / Today I bring you my review for a book that I have read twice already. Once before it was released, and second time recently (read: this summer). I enjoyed it both times which is not surprise since Kasie West is one of my all time favourite authors.

Sunkissed was published on May 4th 2021 by Delacorte Press and it has 304 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Avery has always used music as an escape. But after her best friend betrays her, even her perfectly curated playlists can’t help her forget what happened. To make matters worse, her parents have dragged her and her social-media-obsessed sister to a remote family camp for two months of “fun.” Just when Avery is ready to give up on the summer altogether, she meets Brooks—mysterious, frustratingly charming Brooks—who just happens to be on staff—which means he’s off-limits.

What starts as a disaster turns into . . . something else. As the outside world falls away, Avery embarks on a journey of self-discovery. And when Brooks offers her the chance of a lifetime, she must figure out how far is she willing to go to find out what she wants and who she wants to be.

Review:

Kasie West is my go to author when it comes to ya contemporaries. For years she’s been my favourite and by now I know with her books I can’t go wrong.

Sunkissed was entertaining, fun, fluffy at times and perfect pick to spend a relaxing day with.
I read it twice and enjoyed it both times.

The book was written in first person which made it so easy to flew through. Avery was a good narrator to follow and I have to say, she has good sense of humour.
You know who has even better sense of humour? Her sister. I enjoyed conversations between them and liked their relationship even more than Avery’s and Brooks (who is the love interest).

If you like music and happen to like music making, this story could be the one for you because it features the band and all the things that go along with it: writing, rehearsals, member fights, live gigs…

I wish we got to see more of family camp Avery visited with her family, and if the author decided to include at least one or two camp visitors as well, but overall it was a good book that I would recommend to ya contemporary summer reads.

Book Review: Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey @PRHGlobal #partner #romance

Not like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I bring you my review for a book that I have read some time ago. It is part of the series and my suggestion is to read Waiting for Tom Hanks first. I enjoyed reading Not LIke the Movies so I hope my review will give it some spotlight so more people would give it a chance.

Not Like the Movies was published on July 7th 2020 by Berkley and it has 320 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Chloe Sanderson is an optimist, and not because her life is easy. As the sole caregiver for her father, who has early onset Alzheimer’s, she’s pretty much responsible for everything. She has no time—or interest—in getting swept up in some dazzling romance. Not like her best friend Annie, who literally wrote a rom-com that’s about to premiere in theaters across America…and happens to be inspired by Chloe and Nick Velez, Chloe’s cute but no-nonsense boss.

As the buzz for the movie grows, Chloe reads one too many listicles about why Nick is the perfect man, and now she can’t see him as anything but Reason #2: The Scruffy-Bearded Hunk Who’s Always There When You Need Him. But unlike the romance Annie has written for them, Chloe isn’t so sure her own story will end in a Happily Ever After.

Review:

I got into Not Like the Movie without knowing it was a part of the series. How foolish of me for not doing my research.
When it comes to romance genre, with every book following different main characters, they can usually all be read as standalones.
This one can also be considered as easy to understand on it’s own, to some point, but since main characters from the first book appear more then few times, and it is constantly mentioned what happened in that story, bringing and creating problems for characters in this, second novel, I would suggest to read the first book first.
I felt like I was missing out and it kind of ruined my reading experience.

The story follows a woman who has hots for her boss. And while I usually like that trope (or the idea of it because I haven’t read many books following it) in this novel Chloe acted too unprofessional to me with her constant comments but then when Nick would try something she would be all like “Oh no, we can’t. Bla bla bla, but you still have cute but and strong muscles and also, you smell like an old hot grampa”. Yes, I know.
I guess this is also age gap romance because Chloe had some comments about Nick being old, but it was never stated how old was he.

I didn’t like all the drama and characters finding excuses not to be with each other just so we can rute for them to finally get together.

Chloe’s relationahip with her bestie was also strange and it didn’t sound too healthy.

I could relate to Chloe who took care of her dementing father and having to deal with her absent brother. Their relationship with their mother was so complicated and I totally understand how it would scar them both.

The writing style was solid and the book reads quikly.

I would recommend Not Like the Movie but I would also advice to start with Waiting on Tom Hanks first.