REVIEW: "Twice Shy" by Sarah Hogle (Contemporary Romance)

TWICE SHY by Sarah Hogle
	Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Genre: Contemporary Romance Publication Date: April 6th, 2021 Standalone: Yes
Description from Publisher:
Can you find real love when you've always got your head in the clouds? Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start. Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn't the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who's as grouchy as he is gorgeous—and it turns out he has very different vision for the property's future. Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley's scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one's comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
Are there words for the wonderfulness of Wesley?? I wasn't entirely sure what to think of him for awhile, but then about 30% in, he came out of his shell and showed that he is sweet, funny, considerate, and charming. His awkwardness and honesty are incredibly endearing, and refreshing even, in a world where too often the alpha male is worshipped. Maybell was quite likeable, too. I had to actually laugh at how she left things with her employer, as I actually left an equally awful job in an eerily similar way (right down to the "friend" assuming I was leaving on a break!). She was a dreamer, with quite the active imagination, and I could also understand her escapism quite well. This is a slow burn, sweet romance with a bit of spice (just enough to showcase their chemistry without pulling you out of the story). Maybell and Wesley are stuck together, as co-inheritors of a large, run-down estate in the middle of nowhere. For awhile, they don't appear to get along especially well, until they start to open up and get to know one another. I adore more realistic (and awkward) romances. Nice guys are my kryptonite. If both are true of you, as well, you will love this one!
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and my 100% own.

About the Author:
Sarah Hogle is a mom of three who enjoys trashy TV and provoking her husband for attention. Her dream is to live in a falling-apart castle in a forest that is probably cursed. Her novels are You Deserve Each Other, Twice Shy, Just Like Magic, and Old Flames and New Fortunes.

REVIEW: "To Sir, With Love" by Lauren Layne (Romantic Comedy)

TO SIR, WITH LOVE by Lauren Layne
	Publisher: Gallery Books Genre: Romantic Comedy Publication Date: June 29th 2021 Standalone: Yes
Categories:
Enemies to Lovers, Alter Ego, Creatives, Digital Meet-Cute, Nice Guy
Other Books by Lauren Layne
Description from Publisher:
Love Is Blind meets You’ve Got Mail in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy following two thirty-somethings who meet on a blind dating app—only to realize that their online chemistry is nothing compared to their offline rivalry. Perpetually cheerful and eager to please, Gracie Cooper strives to make the best out of every situation. So when her father dies just months after a lung cancer diagnosis, she sets aside her dreams of pursuing her passion for art to take over his Midtown Manhattan champagne shop. She soon finds out that the store’s profit margins are being squeezed perilously tight, and complicating matters further, a giant corporation headed by the impossibly handsome, but irritatingly arrogant Sebastian Andrews is proposing a buyout. But Gracie can’t bear the thought of throwing away her father’s dream like she did her own. Overwhelmed and not wanting to admit to her friends or family that she’s having second thoughts about the shop, Gracie seeks advice and solace from someone she’s never met—the faceless “Sir”, with whom she connected on a blind dating app where matches get to know each other through messages and common interests before exchanging real names or photos. But although Gracie finds herself slowly falling for Sir online, she has no idea she’s already met him in real life…and they can’t stand each other.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
I am an absolute sucker for stories where people communicate online/through letters/texts without quite realizing who they are talking to. When I saw that this involved two people falling in love with one another, twice, I had to request it on Netgalley! This is a story of Gracie, a woman who has been running her family's champagne shop basically by herself, with little help from her brother or sister (with all of the pressure of keeping it going and few perks). She quit persuing her dream of being an artist to take it over, making the stress that much harder. The only thing that she really gets to do for herself is create alcohol-inspired art to sell in a section of the shop, hoping to turn more of a profit. A joy in her days is also sending messages with the man she met on a dating app, known only as Sir, who is only a friend since he is in a relationship. Enter Sebastian. Big Box competition looking to buy her family shop out. But she doesn't know that when she meets him on the street... feels a connection... and then meets his gorgeous and friendly girlfriend. It's only later, when he comes into the shop that she realizes who he is. From then, these two butt heads several times, and the banter is a lot of fun. They have fantastic chemistry and you just want them together. Sebastian keeps popping up places, and into the shop, and Gracie can't help but start to actually like the guy. I loved them together, as friends, and the "Sir" part was also a delight. The moment that Sebastian realizes what's happening is pretty cute, as are all of his actions from then on. He's definitely not the alpha male type (anyone who has read my reviews knows the Nice Guy is my favorite!), and you seriously can't help but swoon a bit. He gives advice to Gracie about what to do with her feelings for Sir, and then is just really a sweetheart. This has a very "You've Got Mail" vibe, but I'd say it works well standing on its own.
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and my 100% own.

About the Author: Lauren Layne
Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

REVIEW: "The Accidental Text" by Becky Monson (Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy)

THE ACCIDENTAL TEXT by Becky Monson
	Genre: Rom Com/Contemporary Romance Publication Date: January 6th 2021 Standalone: Yes
Categories:
All the Feels, Sports (leisure adventure sports), Nice Guy
Other Books by Becky Monson
Description from Publisher:
Wrong number. Right guy? Once upon a time, Maggie Cooper lived for adventure. Jumping out of planes was child’s play. Now she can’t even work up the nerve to ask out her coworker. For a bit of self-therapy, she begins to text her recently deceased mother’s phone—the only problem is that the number has been reassigned and for weeks she’s been unknowingly texting a stranger her deepest thoughts and feelings. There have also been some not-so-deep texts, like the ones about her appreciation for her coworker’s butt. When Chase Beckett, the unsuspecting stranger who has more in common with Maggie than he’d like to admit, texts back, Maggie is beyond mortified. But message after message and night after night, Maggie realizes that Chase’s wit, charm, and advice are exactly what the doctor ordered. Is it enough, though, to get her back up in the sky? And what about her heart? Can she risk taking a leap of faith for the man on the other end of her accidental texts?
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
This made me cry!! This is a story about Maggie, who lost her mom, who was also one of her best friends, and is trying to keep herself from falling apart. One of her main coping mechanisms is texting her feelings to her mom's phone. Which is working okay until she realizes that her texts are actually going to a live person who is a complete stranger... A complete stranger who happens to be a guy, who loses his own mother not long after he reveals that Maggie has been texting HIM. They rely on one another for comfort and solidarity, as well as advice and eventually companionship. The way that grief was handled was really, absolutely wonderful. The emotions of every character, even the supporting characters, felt so genuine. It also made me laugh and smile, a lot. The dynamics between Maggie and her siblings, and with Chase and Hannah, also felt very real, and the humor was a nice balance to the heavier emotions. The chemistry between Chase and Maggie was also palpable. I loved them together! They were there in support, as well as to push each other to do what they needed to do. They were just so darn cute! The only thing that I wanted that this didn't have was a bit more sexy times between these two, but, alas, it's a sweet romance. ;)
My Source: I borrowed this using Kindle Unlimited to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Becky Monson
By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't.