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Gideon's Cove #3
Somebody to Love
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristan Higgins is back with a hilarious and heartwarming new story about a rich girl who discovers that a little hard work may be just the thing she needs...
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.
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.
425 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 24, 2012
About the author
Kristan Higgins
67 books10.8k followersKristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. If you want to receive a free short story and be notified when Kristan releases a new book, sign up at kristanhiggins.com.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 931 reviews
December 20, 2017
Great story, fabulous setting with fantastic characters....
Parker is a single mom, to a very adorable little boy, and is quite happy being single.... When she loses her trustfund, and life circumstances change, James comes in and helps her out....
Even though James and Parker have a past, at first neither of them necessarily want to make that their future....
I really like the chemistry between them... and I was definitely cheering for them the entire time.....
Even though the plot was somewhat predictable.... the characters were so fantastic and colorful, it made it OK..... They're also were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this book.....
***** this is an old review apologize for sending it through your feed, but I needed to edit it after somebody liked it and I’m on the app! But I do adore this author!💕
Parker is a single mom, to a very adorable little boy, and is quite happy being single.... When she loses her trustfund, and life circumstances change, James comes in and helps her out....
Even though James and Parker have a past, at first neither of them necessarily want to make that their future....
I really like the chemistry between them... and I was definitely cheering for them the entire time.....
Even though the plot was somewhat predictable.... the characters were so fantastic and colorful, it made it OK..... They're also were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this book.....
***** this is an old review apologize for sending it through your feed, but I needed to edit it after somebody liked it and I’m on the app! But I do adore this author!💕
December 20, 2017
Somebody to Love is the third installment in Kristan Higgins's adult contemporary romance series: Gideon's Cove. It's also my least favorite Higgins novel to date. It's not bad. It's just that I was bored and found myself trying extra hard to invest myself in these characters. The Higgins magic was missing in this one (in my opinion), but it was still an enjoyable storyline that was easy to follow. I would never deter anyone from reading a book, especially a Kristan Higgins book, so check it out and see what you think. Lots of readers thoroughly enjoyed this one!
My favorite quote:
"Loving someone can be terrifying. And it's worth it."
Kristan Higgins's Gideon's Cove series includes the following installments as of December 2017:
#1-Catch of the Day
#2-The Next Best Thing
#3-Somebody to Love
My favorite quote:
"Loving someone can be terrifying. And it's worth it."
Kristan Higgins's Gideon's Cove series includes the following installments as of December 2017:
#1-Catch of the Day
#2-The Next Best Thing
#3-Somebody to Love
February 6, 2015
~~~ SPOILERS FOR 'The Next Best Thing' BOOK 2 IN THE SERIES~~~
What a fantastic and beautiful story! I loved it! This is the third book in the Gideon's Cove series and was the best. I remember Parker from The Next Best Thing, and remember really liking her. She was a strong and independent mother to Nick, her son with Ethan, the Mirabelli brother you might remember that ended up with Lucy, his brothers widow. Sounds much more taboo and complicated than it really was. Ethan and Parker had went separate ways before she found out she was pregnant but their relationship stayed close and amicable.
I had always suspected Parker knew Ethan was in love with her best friend, Lucy, since he was 19. She never came out and confessed this to Lucy but it was mentioned readily here in this book. So needless to say, it's best reading this book AFTER The Next Best Thing, and Catch of The Day, since characters from both books make a reappearance.
Anyways, Parker is 35 and happily single...well, maybe not happily, but a conscious choice to be so and as a single mom. She splits custody with Ethan and loves Nick very much. Her best selling children's series, The Holy Rollers, has come to an end and she's now thinking what to do with her life for the first time in over 6 years. It was really funny that the characters from that series had a running commentary in her head, so cute. But devastating news from her wealthy father sees Parker homeless and lacking that trust fund she heavily relied on. Not to mention her fragile and difficult relationship with him. James Cahill, her fathers attorney, has accompanied him to many a family affair. And on that fateful day she learns she has nothing but the clothes on her back, and a mysterious inheritance from her aunt in the form of a home in Gideon's Cove, James is the one to drop the bomb. With her dad off to jail she must now work with James to deal with this house and decide what to do with her life.
This was such a great book! It was told in 3rd person dual pov, something KH has used in her most recent work( The Blue Heron series), and it was wonderful. KH used 1st person pov in most of her earlier work but I love the 3rd person pov much more. It really made a difference being in the head of the male lead, gave a much richer story and made the book flow effortlessly.
James was among my fave KH heroes. He was quietly and secretly in love with Parker, but she held him at arms length and referred to him as 'thing one' as one of her fathers cronies, which made me laugh. There was a twist with these two that I never saw coming. But back to James, sigh. He was thoughtful, considerate, kind, sexy, smart and a younger man! Well. Only by 5 years.
Parker took a long time trusting him and I honestly saw where she was coming from. But as he showed who he truly was I started feeling she was being too hard on him. But the beauty of seeing this man finally reach out to a woman he's admired from afar was a siren call to my heart!
I also loved seeing old characters from the previous books. Maggie and Malone featured here and I'm glad since their story in Catch of The Day ended too quickly. Being back in Gideon's Cove was lovely. I could just picture it and it makes me want to go one day.
But this book while a beautiful romance, was also about family, sacrifice, forgiveness and having the ability to admit we all deserve to be happy, regardless of past transgressions. This is also the last book for me to read in KH's arsenal, *sniff, sniff*. Aside from upcoming releases in The Blue Heron series of course, and any future work by her...okay, it's not so bad then! But she writes so beautifully, so emotionally that I can't help but mourn. Her books are heavy on realistic romance, a colorful and significant secondary cast, and a touching and evocative story that I often find myself lost in.
So my favorite books ever written by her so far are: Just One of The Guys, The Next Best Thing, The Best Man, Waiting on You( both Blue Heron series), My One and Only and of course, this one. She's fantastic and highly recommended if you're looking for more well rounded romance and accompanying story lines that tug the heart strings. Loved it, loved it.
What a fantastic and beautiful story! I loved it! This is the third book in the Gideon's Cove series and was the best. I remember Parker from The Next Best Thing, and remember really liking her. She was a strong and independent mother to Nick, her son with Ethan, the Mirabelli brother you might remember that ended up with Lucy, his brothers widow. Sounds much more taboo and complicated than it really was. Ethan and Parker had went separate ways before she found out she was pregnant but their relationship stayed close and amicable.
I had always suspected Parker knew Ethan was in love with her best friend, Lucy, since he was 19. She never came out and confessed this to Lucy but it was mentioned readily here in this book. So needless to say, it's best reading this book AFTER The Next Best Thing, and Catch of The Day, since characters from both books make a reappearance.
Anyways, Parker is 35 and happily single...well, maybe not happily, but a conscious choice to be so and as a single mom. She splits custody with Ethan and loves Nick very much. Her best selling children's series, The Holy Rollers, has come to an end and she's now thinking what to do with her life for the first time in over 6 years. It was really funny that the characters from that series had a running commentary in her head, so cute. But devastating news from her wealthy father sees Parker homeless and lacking that trust fund she heavily relied on. Not to mention her fragile and difficult relationship with him. James Cahill, her fathers attorney, has accompanied him to many a family affair. And on that fateful day she learns she has nothing but the clothes on her back, and a mysterious inheritance from her aunt in the form of a home in Gideon's Cove, James is the one to drop the bomb. With her dad off to jail she must now work with James to deal with this house and decide what to do with her life.
This was such a great book! It was told in 3rd person dual pov, something KH has used in her most recent work( The Blue Heron series), and it was wonderful. KH used 1st person pov in most of her earlier work but I love the 3rd person pov much more. It really made a difference being in the head of the male lead, gave a much richer story and made the book flow effortlessly.
James was among my fave KH heroes. He was quietly and secretly in love with Parker, but she held him at arms length and referred to him as 'thing one' as one of her fathers cronies, which made me laugh. There was a twist with these two that I never saw coming. But back to James, sigh. He was thoughtful, considerate, kind, sexy, smart and a younger man! Well. Only by 5 years.
Parker took a long time trusting him and I honestly saw where she was coming from. But as he showed who he truly was I started feeling she was being too hard on him. But the beauty of seeing this man finally reach out to a woman he's admired from afar was a siren call to my heart!
I also loved seeing old characters from the previous books. Maggie and Malone featured here and I'm glad since their story in Catch of The Day ended too quickly. Being back in Gideon's Cove was lovely. I could just picture it and it makes me want to go one day.
But this book while a beautiful romance, was also about family, sacrifice, forgiveness and having the ability to admit we all deserve to be happy, regardless of past transgressions. This is also the last book for me to read in KH's arsenal, *sniff, sniff*. Aside from upcoming releases in The Blue Heron series of course, and any future work by her...okay, it's not so bad then! But she writes so beautifully, so emotionally that I can't help but mourn. Her books are heavy on realistic romance, a colorful and significant secondary cast, and a touching and evocative story that I often find myself lost in.
So my favorite books ever written by her so far are: Just One of The Guys, The Next Best Thing, The Best Man, Waiting on You( both Blue Heron series), My One and Only and of course, this one. She's fantastic and highly recommended if you're looking for more well rounded romance and accompanying story lines that tug the heart strings. Loved it, loved it.
July 11, 2017
I absolutely adore Kristan Higgins writing. Somebody To Love is my favorite of the Gideon's Cove series.
I fell in love with both Parker and James from the get go. Parker, a single mom to a sweet little boy Nicky, seemed content with life as it was for them. She did want her happily ever after but her son was her focus right now. But things were about to change for her. Parker soon realized that life was about working hard, being open to love, forgiveness and second chances.
James Cahill has to be one of the BEST leading man in a KH book. Sweet, sexy, a tiny bit alpha and for a good stretch of the book he was sweaty and shirtless. YUM! :) There was so much more to him then what we saw on the surface and as KH slowly peeled away his layers for us, it made for such a wonderful romantic story.
Definitely my all around favorite and I adored the epilogue. ❤
October 17, 2014
Not a review, just a few favorite quotes for myself to remember :D Possibly spoiler-ish...
**************************************
"I'll be at home", he said. "And I'll be thinking of you the whole time."
**************************************
**************************************
"I do want something with you," she said. "But to be honest, I have no idea how to do this. Whatever it is, it's going to be glacier-slow, okay?"
"I like glaciers."
She smiled, and there it was again, that aching pressure in his chest. Love, or a heart attack. Kind of the same thing.
**************************************
**************************************
"Parker," he said, 'always lovely to see you."
**************************************
**************************************
"I'll be at home", he said. "And I'll be thinking of you the whole time."
**************************************
**************************************
"I do want something with you," she said. "But to be honest, I have no idea how to do this. Whatever it is, it's going to be glacier-slow, okay?"
"I like glaciers."
She smiled, and there it was again, that aching pressure in his chest. Love, or a heart attack. Kind of the same thing.
**************************************
**************************************
"Parker," he said, 'always lovely to see you."
**************************************
June 28, 2018
I enjoyed reading this. Sometimes you just need to read a romance novel that is light & free with a few side laughs :)
August 6, 2017
4.5 STARS
March 6, 2017
Original post at One More Page
When I spotted Somebody to Love in Netgalley, I immediately requested it, having enjoyed Until There Was You last year. I wasn't really planning to read this soon, but then I started and got to know Parker (and the Holy Rollers!) and I just couldn't stop. Somebody to Love introduces Parker Harrington Welles, a children's book writer who relies on the trust fund she had and building her world around her one and only son. She is essentially rich, but she didn't really live as a rich girl. Which was fortunate, because when her father got jailed for an insider-trading scheme, Parker is left penniless save for what she had now and a house left to her name by an estranged aunt. Thinking she could easily sell the house for extra money to start again, she was surprised to find that the house was more of a shack and it needs a lot of work. Enter James Cahill, one of her father's lawyers, who was asked to help Parker with whatever she needed. Parker had always been annoyed at James not only because of a shared history, and she really wished he wasn't there...except that he's proven to be helpful in fixing the house. That, and he's looking pretty...well, hot is the only word to describe it.
This is only my second Higgins book but she's slowly becoming my go-to read for anything light and fluffy but not too light and fluffy. I loved Parker for being a writer, and for being an all-around pretty good person despite the fortune she had in her name. Here's a girl focused on her career and her family, and it was a refreshing thing to read. I liked her wit, and I know this is weird, but I liked that she talked to herself because I do the same thing too! 'Talking aloud, the writer's affliction.' So that explains it! :P
I haven't read the other Higgins book set in Gideon's Cove, Maine (Catch of the Day -- which Angie recently reviewed) so I wasn't introduced to this place, but reading it in Somebody to Love was a very lovely experience! The small-town charm, the diner, how everyone knows each other -- I want to go there! Of course, everyone knowing each other isn't always a good thing, but I guess I wouldn't mind if Vin, Maggie and the others are there. My favorite scene in this book is the part where Parker first enters the diner and sees everyone in town there -- for what reason? It's for you to find out. :)
Of course, I can't not mention the romance in this book. I've been getting very lucky with the romance in the books I've been reading -- almost all the books I read lately have this slow-burn romance going for them, and Somebody to Love is no exception. While James and Parker have a history that I wasn't really much of a fan of, the development of their relationship was such a pleasure to read that I can't help but giggling every now and then. I liked that James wasn't just a token hot guy, but a character with his own hang ups and history and had his own story going for him. He's an individual completely different from Parker, and reading their conversations and watching their relationship grow was the best part of the book.
Somebody to Love is definitely a mood-lifter, and it's a great book to read in between serious books or when you just want to be lost in a good romance in a pretty place with interesting neighbors to boot. :) After this, I am definitely getting the two other Higgins books that this was spun from - Catch of the Day and The Next Best Thing. And then I will work my way through the rest of Kristan Higgins' back list. :)
When I spotted Somebody to Love in Netgalley, I immediately requested it, having enjoyed Until There Was You last year. I wasn't really planning to read this soon, but then I started and got to know Parker (and the Holy Rollers!) and I just couldn't stop. Somebody to Love introduces Parker Harrington Welles, a children's book writer who relies on the trust fund she had and building her world around her one and only son. She is essentially rich, but she didn't really live as a rich girl. Which was fortunate, because when her father got jailed for an insider-trading scheme, Parker is left penniless save for what she had now and a house left to her name by an estranged aunt. Thinking she could easily sell the house for extra money to start again, she was surprised to find that the house was more of a shack and it needs a lot of work. Enter James Cahill, one of her father's lawyers, who was asked to help Parker with whatever she needed. Parker had always been annoyed at James not only because of a shared history, and she really wished he wasn't there...except that he's proven to be helpful in fixing the house. That, and he's looking pretty...well, hot is the only word to describe it.
This is only my second Higgins book but she's slowly becoming my go-to read for anything light and fluffy but not too light and fluffy. I loved Parker for being a writer, and for being an all-around pretty good person despite the fortune she had in her name. Here's a girl focused on her career and her family, and it was a refreshing thing to read. I liked her wit, and I know this is weird, but I liked that she talked to herself because I do the same thing too! 'Talking aloud, the writer's affliction.' So that explains it! :P
I haven't read the other Higgins book set in Gideon's Cove, Maine (Catch of the Day -- which Angie recently reviewed) so I wasn't introduced to this place, but reading it in Somebody to Love was a very lovely experience! The small-town charm, the diner, how everyone knows each other -- I want to go there! Of course, everyone knowing each other isn't always a good thing, but I guess I wouldn't mind if Vin, Maggie and the others are there. My favorite scene in this book is the part where Parker first enters the diner and sees everyone in town there -- for what reason? It's for you to find out. :)
Of course, I can't not mention the romance in this book. I've been getting very lucky with the romance in the books I've been reading -- almost all the books I read lately have this slow-burn romance going for them, and Somebody to Love is no exception. While James and Parker have a history that I wasn't really much of a fan of, the development of their relationship was such a pleasure to read that I can't help but giggling every now and then. I liked that James wasn't just a token hot guy, but a character with his own hang ups and history and had his own story going for him. He's an individual completely different from Parker, and reading their conversations and watching their relationship grow was the best part of the book.
Somebody to Love is definitely a mood-lifter, and it's a great book to read in between serious books or when you just want to be lost in a good romance in a pretty place with interesting neighbors to boot. :) After this, I am definitely getting the two other Higgins books that this was spun from - Catch of the Day and The Next Best Thing. And then I will work my way through the rest of Kristan Higgins' back list. :)
July 16, 2017
4.5 stars I stayed away from the Cove WAY TOO LONG! :))
March 21, 2012
It's a sweet cliche love story. But I love it so much.
I think it's the 2nd Higgins book written from 2 POVs, both the hero and the heroin. But since Parker's POV toward James tended to be negative, I think James POV was necessary here. And it worked, he's so adorable, you'll love his voice.
Parker situation was a bit complicated. She's a single mother of 5 yrs old boy, and still well connected to the father, Ethan Mirabelli, who was crazy in love and recently married to Parker's bestfriend, Lucy. Sound familiar? Ethan and Lucy's story was beautifully written in The Next Best Thing. From the previous book we were introduced to Parker Welles, a gorgeous rich woman once had dated Ethan and together they raised Nicky, a beautiful boy of theirs. Both had never married coz Parker knew that Ethan's heart was always for Lucy.
Being the only daughter of a millionaire family she never worried about money. All her works, a very succesful children book called the Holy Rollers, was donated to a charity to save children.
Unfortunatelly, her father goes bankrupt and all her trust fund trusted to her father to be managed was all gone. Now she has no luxury house, no grand money, and no new book inspirations, she has to accept whatever left for her, which is an ugly ruined small house in Maine. Despite a very beautiful ocean view, it need a lot of work. And being no other resource she had to accept James' help to fix the house.
James was her father's attorney she always hated. Her relationship with her father was always cold, so her father's minions always get the same reaction from her. Forced to live together for 3 weeks made her see the real personality of James Cahill.
The setting of the book bring us back to the story of Maggie and Malone from Catch of the Day where we would read further about their sweet relationship.
I love both main characters, Parker and James. Parker is so great, you'll love her from the beginning. Gone down the hill didn't make her complain much. Instead of whining on her losses, she did what she had to do and intended to keep move on. She's willing to learn new things, happy to meet new people and made friends, worked hard to earn a few, even fall in love with the new place she lived far from home.
While James...well..he's so amazing you'll love him instantly. Just read the book.
I think it's the 2nd Higgins book written from 2 POVs, both the hero and the heroin. But since Parker's POV toward James tended to be negative, I think James POV was necessary here. And it worked, he's so adorable, you'll love his voice.
Parker situation was a bit complicated. She's a single mother of 5 yrs old boy, and still well connected to the father, Ethan Mirabelli, who was crazy in love and recently married to Parker's bestfriend, Lucy. Sound familiar? Ethan and Lucy's story was beautifully written in The Next Best Thing. From the previous book we were introduced to Parker Welles, a gorgeous rich woman once had dated Ethan and together they raised Nicky, a beautiful boy of theirs. Both had never married coz Parker knew that Ethan's heart was always for Lucy.
Being the only daughter of a millionaire family she never worried about money. All her works, a very succesful children book called the Holy Rollers, was donated to a charity to save children.
Unfortunatelly, her father goes bankrupt and all her trust fund trusted to her father to be managed was all gone. Now she has no luxury house, no grand money, and no new book inspirations, she has to accept whatever left for her, which is an ugly ruined small house in Maine. Despite a very beautiful ocean view, it need a lot of work. And being no other resource she had to accept James' help to fix the house.
James was her father's attorney she always hated. Her relationship with her father was always cold, so her father's minions always get the same reaction from her. Forced to live together for 3 weeks made her see the real personality of James Cahill.
The setting of the book bring us back to the story of Maggie and Malone from Catch of the Day where we would read further about their sweet relationship.
I love both main characters, Parker and James. Parker is so great, you'll love her from the beginning. Gone down the hill didn't make her complain much. Instead of whining on her losses, she did what she had to do and intended to keep move on. She's willing to learn new things, happy to meet new people and made friends, worked hard to earn a few, even fall in love with the new place she lived far from home.
While James...well..he's so amazing you'll love him instantly. Just read the book.
March 25, 2012
I fell in love all over again
This novel not only revolved around love. It also revolved around friendship, parenthood, forgiveness and second chances.
Parker may not be the perfect writer but she definitely tries hard to be a perfect mother. Her character has been through many patches in life. ..Surely those things would hurt you. Parker soldiered on. She's a fighter. She's the rich-but-not-anymore that i would like to be if this thing happens to me someday. I like her because she's strong and confident. I love how she cares for her son. They have a really good bond here in the book. I would forgive her not-so-good treatment of James at the start of the novel since they eventually become sweet to each other.
James's life hasn't been all hearts and flowers too. He'd been most definitely attracted to Parker from the start, but because of an incident, their relationship has been halted. His character is such a lovable one. I was having a hard time not to pull him out of the book and make him a real man. Oh, the tragedy of having fictional crushes. I honestly love James because of his sweetness. His thoughts are just so sweet it's like eating candies. I wanted to shake Parker at some point but decided not to since of course, i figured she'll realize her mistakes in the end. I hated his parents because .. but anyway, all's well that ends well on that part. I also thought Nicky would not like James until the end, thank God the author is such a genius!! And the grand gesture in the end?? TOTALLY NOT LOST TO ME. I ate it all up.
I am so happy for this happy ending.
This one most definitely is a 5 for me. =)
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC
Since i love this story, this review will also appear on my blog.
HAZE.FAVE.RAVE
This novel not only revolved around love. It also revolved around friendship, parenthood, forgiveness and second chances.
Parker may not be the perfect writer but she definitely tries hard to be a perfect mother. Her character has been through many patches in life. ..Surely those things would hurt you. Parker soldiered on. She's a fighter. She's the rich-but-not-anymore that i would like to be if this thing happens to me someday. I like her because she's strong and confident. I love how she cares for her son. They have a really good bond here in the book. I would forgive her not-so-good treatment of James at the start of the novel since they eventually become sweet to each other.
James's life hasn't been all hearts and flowers too. He'd been most definitely attracted to Parker from the start, but because of an incident, their relationship has been halted. His character is such a lovable one. I was having a hard time not to pull him out of the book and make him a real man. Oh, the tragedy of having fictional crushes. I honestly love James because of his sweetness. His thoughts are just so sweet it's like eating candies. I wanted to shake Parker at some point but decided not to since of course, i figured she'll realize her mistakes in the end. I hated his parents because .. but anyway, all's well that ends well on that part. I also thought Nicky would not like James until the end, thank God the author is such a genius!! And the grand gesture in the end?? TOTALLY NOT LOST TO ME. I ate it all up.
I am so happy for this happy ending.
This one most definitely is a 5 for me. =)
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC
Since i love this story, this review will also appear on my blog.
HAZE.FAVE.RAVE
September 26, 2014
***** My review: 5 breathtaking stars *****
I've never read a book by Kristan Higgins that I didn't like. I simply LOVE this one. SOMEBODY TO LOVE made me get all teary eyed at the end and by the time I read the epilogue I had a few tears running down my cheeks. I'm such a sucker for a great romance. This is definitely one.
This book is pretty long. It's about 425 pages or so. It's every bit worth the read. Ms. Higgins does a fabulous job letting you get to know the characters and how they interact with each other. I found myself laughing so much at what would come out of their mouths.
Here are some of my favorite quotes in the book:
....................................................................
Parker ripped off the jeans, dimly hearing herself shrieking, and ran out of the house, through the grass and right up onto the hood of her car. "Bugger! Bugger! Jeesh!" she yelped. Her jeans were clutched in her hand. What if there were more in there? What if a whole family of rodents was in her jeans right now? She whipped the pants against the car, cracking them against the hood again and again and again, shrieking at the remembered feeling of tiny claws. On her leg. Her skin. On her ass!
"Hey, Parker" came a voice. She kept cracking.
"Parker?"
She looked up, her breath stuttering in and out of her chest.
Thing One. Thing One was here.
"Hi," he said, as if she wasn't murdering her jeans against the hood. "How's it going?"
"There was a mouse in my pants."
He raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Lucky mouse."
....................................................
"So you got this? You can hold down the fort and all?"
"Sure, Vin. You go. Have a great time," Parker smiled at her cousin. She couldn't wait till Vin was gone so she could start cleaning. The shop was filthy.
"Thanks. 'Cause I haven't been laid in God knows how long." She sighed. "That's where I'm going. A sex date. And I cannot wait."
"Thanks for sharing."
"This guy? Knows what he's doing," her cousin continued, squinting appreciatively as she took a long drag on her cigarette, her face contouring into a sea of wrinkles. "Some men, it's just in and out, right? Nawt him."
"That's... that's great."
"Does this little circly thing. Makes me crazy." Lavinia stubbed the cigarette out on her palm, then fished her bra strap from where it had slid down her crepey, mole-encrusted arm. "He might be hairy, God knows, but once you get used to the friction, it's all good."
Parker had never thought of herself as a prude, nope, but damn if she didn't throw up in her mouth a little bit.
"Well, then. Maybe you should get going. Um, traffic and all that." Yes. That fabled traffic of Gideon's Cove, Maine, where once in a while you had to wait four or five seconds to make a left-hand turn onto Elm Street.
"Good point, kid." Lavinia punched Parker on the arm fondly. "Have a good day. And thanks. I'm off to have my orgasms."
........................................................
She went blithely into the house. James continued jamming the crowbar under the shingles, relishing the screech as they tore off.
Then her words sank in.
She couldn't swim in Maine water. It was practically ice-cold. Fifty-two, fifty-five degrees? Maybe? It was high tide, too, so it'd be even colder. he tossed down the pry bar and stomped inside, folded his arms across his sweaty T-shirt and stood outside her door, ready to lecture her.
The the door opened, and he forgot what he was there for.
She was wearing a bikini.
"You want to come?" she asked.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Skin. There was a lot of skin. And...curves. Breasts. Shoulder. Legs. His mouth went dry. She gave him an odd look, the scooped up her hair and secured it with an elastic, and his eyes slid down to her rack, because my God, that was a fantastic-
"I know. Cellulite. I've gained eleven pounds this past year." She stared down at her torso, then sighed. "Oh, well. Maybe I can swim some off. Come on, Beauty." She grabbed a towel and headed through the kitchen.
Her ass was...well, he was unable to summon actual words at the moment, as there was no blood flowing upward. And that scrap of fabric-red fabric- thank you, Jesus. Hard to believe she'd kissed him once, and speaking of hard, she was so beautiful and perfect and luscious, bad enough that he'd had to listen to her shower every morning, and-
But wait, wait, wait.
She couldn't swim in that water.
....................................................
Lucy looked at her hand for a minute, and twisted her wedding ring. "It's just that sometimes, the right guy seems really wrong. And sometimes, it's easier to grab hold of an excuse, because really going for it, putting yourself out there... that's hard. You know that. You saw me through that last year."
Parker conceded the point with a nod.
"So, welcome to the world, Parker. Loving someone can be terrifying." She set her glass down gently. "And it's worth it."
....................................................
Please, please give this a read if you like Contemporary Romance. You'll find yourself smiling and laughing throughout the story. Really. It's that good.
Brava, Ms. Higgins! And thank you for making my heart smile with this story. It is such delight.
I've never read a book by Kristan Higgins that I didn't like. I simply LOVE this one. SOMEBODY TO LOVE made me get all teary eyed at the end and by the time I read the epilogue I had a few tears running down my cheeks. I'm such a sucker for a great romance. This is definitely one.
This book is pretty long. It's about 425 pages or so. It's every bit worth the read. Ms. Higgins does a fabulous job letting you get to know the characters and how they interact with each other. I found myself laughing so much at what would come out of their mouths.
Here are some of my favorite quotes in the book:
....................................................................
Parker ripped off the jeans, dimly hearing herself shrieking, and ran out of the house, through the grass and right up onto the hood of her car. "Bugger! Bugger! Jeesh!" she yelped. Her jeans were clutched in her hand. What if there were more in there? What if a whole family of rodents was in her jeans right now? She whipped the pants against the car, cracking them against the hood again and again and again, shrieking at the remembered feeling of tiny claws. On her leg. Her skin. On her ass!
"Hey, Parker" came a voice. She kept cracking.
"Parker?"
She looked up, her breath stuttering in and out of her chest.
Thing One. Thing One was here.
"Hi," he said, as if she wasn't murdering her jeans against the hood. "How's it going?"
"There was a mouse in my pants."
He raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Lucky mouse."
....................................................
"So you got this? You can hold down the fort and all?"
"Sure, Vin. You go. Have a great time," Parker smiled at her cousin. She couldn't wait till Vin was gone so she could start cleaning. The shop was filthy.
"Thanks. 'Cause I haven't been laid in God knows how long." She sighed. "That's where I'm going. A sex date. And I cannot wait."
"Thanks for sharing."
"This guy? Knows what he's doing," her cousin continued, squinting appreciatively as she took a long drag on her cigarette, her face contouring into a sea of wrinkles. "Some men, it's just in and out, right? Nawt him."
"That's... that's great."
"Does this little circly thing. Makes me crazy." Lavinia stubbed the cigarette out on her palm, then fished her bra strap from where it had slid down her crepey, mole-encrusted arm. "He might be hairy, God knows, but once you get used to the friction, it's all good."
Parker had never thought of herself as a prude, nope, but damn if she didn't throw up in her mouth a little bit.
"Well, then. Maybe you should get going. Um, traffic and all that." Yes. That fabled traffic of Gideon's Cove, Maine, where once in a while you had to wait four or five seconds to make a left-hand turn onto Elm Street.
"Good point, kid." Lavinia punched Parker on the arm fondly. "Have a good day. And thanks. I'm off to have my orgasms."
........................................................
She went blithely into the house. James continued jamming the crowbar under the shingles, relishing the screech as they tore off.
Then her words sank in.
She couldn't swim in Maine water. It was practically ice-cold. Fifty-two, fifty-five degrees? Maybe? It was high tide, too, so it'd be even colder. he tossed down the pry bar and stomped inside, folded his arms across his sweaty T-shirt and stood outside her door, ready to lecture her.
The the door opened, and he forgot what he was there for.
She was wearing a bikini.
"You want to come?" she asked.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Skin. There was a lot of skin. And...curves. Breasts. Shoulder. Legs. His mouth went dry. She gave him an odd look, the scooped up her hair and secured it with an elastic, and his eyes slid down to her rack, because my God, that was a fantastic-
"I know. Cellulite. I've gained eleven pounds this past year." She stared down at her torso, then sighed. "Oh, well. Maybe I can swim some off. Come on, Beauty." She grabbed a towel and headed through the kitchen.
Her ass was...well, he was unable to summon actual words at the moment, as there was no blood flowing upward. And that scrap of fabric-red fabric- thank you, Jesus. Hard to believe she'd kissed him once, and speaking of hard, she was so beautiful and perfect and luscious, bad enough that he'd had to listen to her shower every morning, and-
But wait, wait, wait.
She couldn't swim in that water.
....................................................
Lucy looked at her hand for a minute, and twisted her wedding ring. "It's just that sometimes, the right guy seems really wrong. And sometimes, it's easier to grab hold of an excuse, because really going for it, putting yourself out there... that's hard. You know that. You saw me through that last year."
Parker conceded the point with a nod.
"So, welcome to the world, Parker. Loving someone can be terrifying." She set her glass down gently. "And it's worth it."
....................................................
Please, please give this a read if you like Contemporary Romance. You'll find yourself smiling and laughing throughout the story. Really. It's that good.
Brava, Ms. Higgins! And thank you for making my heart smile with this story. It is such delight.
April 5, 2012
3.5 stars. The first of Higgins' books with recurring characters is follow-up to two others, one of which is my highest rated book by her (Catch of the Day) and one of which I couldn't finish (The Next Best Thing.) Somebody to Love doesn't hit either of these extremes. It's very readable and has its share of humor and romance, but compared to some of Higgins' other work, it was a little lacking.
Parker (who had a child with the hero of The Next Best Thing) is hit with a bombshell: her father has been arrested for insider trading, and her home and trust fund are gone. Since Parker donates the money she earns from writing gawdawful children's books to charity, all she has left is a home in Maine that she's never seen. While her son is vacationing with his father, Parker sets out to renovate and sell the wreck of a house, which is in the friendly town of Gideon's Cove (home of Maggie and Malone from Catch of the Day.) Help comes in the form of her father's lawyer James, known to Parker (incessantly) as "Thing One." The nickname is, we will learn, a way of distancing herself from some uncomfortable history and jealousy.
Parker seemed very sensible and likable in The Next Best Thing, so I was surprised to find her an inconsistent and occasionally obnoxious character. Sometimes she's an upper crust ice princess, other times she's a fluffy chicklit nitwit, and the most essential aspect of her character in terms of the plot is that she's very, very good at holding a grudge. James, a warm and generous man who hides a lot of pain behind a facade of success, is much more appealing; if he has a flaw it's that he puts up with too much crap from Parker.
Somebody to Love runs a lot on repeated themes. Some of these are funny, like the ludicrous children's books Parker writes in her head when upsetting things happen to her: "Once upon a time, there was a baby shark named Swimmy. He asked his mommy, 'Does God still love me, even though I eat the other fishies?' and his mommy said, 'Who cares?' and ate him and Swimmy was delicious." I also enjoyed the frequent internal visitations of her disgustingly cheerful book characters, The Holy Rollers, as in this scene in which Malone has just publicly proposed to Maggie:
"'Oh! We have the warm fuzzles!' the Holy Rollers crowed.
'You sicken me,' Parker thought."
As the book goes on, the imagined Holy Rollers get older and more cynical; one becomes a hoodlum and offers relationship advice while stubbing out cigarettes on his palm. This was fun, but other repetitions, like "Thing One" and the references to "Lady Land" -- a catch-all phrase for Parker's tingly bits -- got pretty old.
Overall, it was an entertaining book, without having much bite or depth. I felt like Higgins was playing it safe in this one -- though considering I DNF'd her most thematically challenging book, I can hardly blame her. I gave it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars -- which seems to be my standard "likable, better than average, contemporary romance" grade.
(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley)
Parker (who had a child with the hero of The Next Best Thing) is hit with a bombshell: her father has been arrested for insider trading, and her home and trust fund are gone. Since Parker donates the money she earns from writing gawdawful children's books to charity, all she has left is a home in Maine that she's never seen. While her son is vacationing with his father, Parker sets out to renovate and sell the wreck of a house, which is in the friendly town of Gideon's Cove (home of Maggie and Malone from Catch of the Day.) Help comes in the form of her father's lawyer James, known to Parker (incessantly) as "Thing One." The nickname is, we will learn, a way of distancing herself from some uncomfortable history and jealousy.
Parker seemed very sensible and likable in The Next Best Thing, so I was surprised to find her an inconsistent and occasionally obnoxious character. Sometimes she's an upper crust ice princess, other times she's a fluffy chicklit nitwit, and the most essential aspect of her character in terms of the plot is that she's very, very good at holding a grudge. James, a warm and generous man who hides a lot of pain behind a facade of success, is much more appealing; if he has a flaw it's that he puts up with too much crap from Parker.
Somebody to Love runs a lot on repeated themes. Some of these are funny, like the ludicrous children's books Parker writes in her head when upsetting things happen to her: "Once upon a time, there was a baby shark named Swimmy. He asked his mommy, 'Does God still love me, even though I eat the other fishies?' and his mommy said, 'Who cares?' and ate him and Swimmy was delicious." I also enjoyed the frequent internal visitations of her disgustingly cheerful book characters, The Holy Rollers, as in this scene in which Malone has just publicly proposed to Maggie:
"'Oh! We have the warm fuzzles!' the Holy Rollers crowed.
'You sicken me,' Parker thought."
As the book goes on, the imagined Holy Rollers get older and more cynical; one becomes a hoodlum and offers relationship advice while stubbing out cigarettes on his palm. This was fun, but other repetitions, like "Thing One" and the references to "Lady Land" -- a catch-all phrase for Parker's tingly bits -- got pretty old.
Overall, it was an entertaining book, without having much bite or depth. I felt like Higgins was playing it safe in this one -- though considering I DNF'd her most thematically challenging book, I can hardly blame her. I gave it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars -- which seems to be my standard "likable, better than average, contemporary romance" grade.
(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley)
July 24, 2013
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins is a HQN publication. This book was released in 2012. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss for an honest review.
This is a follow up the novel "The Next Best Thing". This book can be read as a stand alone, however.
Parker is a single mom to five year old Nicky. She writes children's books for charity. She's a little burned out on the series and is ready to try something else. She has never had to worry about money. But, when her father, Harry, is turned in for insider trading, she finds out she is broke. No trust fund for her or Nicky, no home, no job. The only thing she has is a cottage on the Maine coast. So, with Nicky's father, Ethan, taking him on a vacation for a few weeks, Parker heads off to Maine hoping to 'flip' the cottage and make enough money for her and Nicky to have a fresh start.
When Parker finds the cottage, it's a shock. The house is about to fall down and is pretty much just a shack. Parker doesn't know if she has the money to fix it up. Then her father's attorney, James, arrives offering her help getting the house in shape. Her best friend's advice about having a summer fling keeps coming to mind more and more and James appears to be game.
James has been Harry's attorney and friend for good while. He and Parker have had a few moments between them, but Parker made it clear that there wouldn't be more. James really wants to have a relationship with Parker, but he is holding on to an explosive secret. If Parker were to find out about it, it would ruin his chances with her. Not only that, James has a very difficult family life. Another thing he is very secretive about.
Parker also has a lot on her plate. Her mother is oft married and lives off her many marriages to wealthy men. Parker and her father do not like each other very much. James has often wondered what came between them.
As work on the house gets started, James and Parker grow closer. But, Parker is worried about her son and all the sudden changes in his life. Would her having a relationship be too much for Nicky?
Not only that James and Nicky seem to clash.
Parker handles the turn her life has taken with courage and strength. Her thoughts are often hilarious. She is a good mom and puts Nicky's well being first. But, doesn't Parker deserve some happiness too?
Both Parker and James will have to learn to come to terms with their family issues and the differences and misunderstandings between them before they can hope to have a future. The road is a little rocky, but this was one of the sweetest HEA endings I've ever read. A Solid A.
This is a follow up the novel "The Next Best Thing". This book can be read as a stand alone, however.
Parker is a single mom to five year old Nicky. She writes children's books for charity. She's a little burned out on the series and is ready to try something else. She has never had to worry about money. But, when her father, Harry, is turned in for insider trading, she finds out she is broke. No trust fund for her or Nicky, no home, no job. The only thing she has is a cottage on the Maine coast. So, with Nicky's father, Ethan, taking him on a vacation for a few weeks, Parker heads off to Maine hoping to 'flip' the cottage and make enough money for her and Nicky to have a fresh start.
When Parker finds the cottage, it's a shock. The house is about to fall down and is pretty much just a shack. Parker doesn't know if she has the money to fix it up. Then her father's attorney, James, arrives offering her help getting the house in shape. Her best friend's advice about having a summer fling keeps coming to mind more and more and James appears to be game.
James has been Harry's attorney and friend for good while. He and Parker have had a few moments between them, but Parker made it clear that there wouldn't be more. James really wants to have a relationship with Parker, but he is holding on to an explosive secret. If Parker were to find out about it, it would ruin his chances with her. Not only that, James has a very difficult family life. Another thing he is very secretive about.
Parker also has a lot on her plate. Her mother is oft married and lives off her many marriages to wealthy men. Parker and her father do not like each other very much. James has often wondered what came between them.
As work on the house gets started, James and Parker grow closer. But, Parker is worried about her son and all the sudden changes in his life. Would her having a relationship be too much for Nicky?
Not only that James and Nicky seem to clash.
Parker handles the turn her life has taken with courage and strength. Her thoughts are often hilarious. She is a good mom and puts Nicky's well being first. But, doesn't Parker deserve some happiness too?
Both Parker and James will have to learn to come to terms with their family issues and the differences and misunderstandings between them before they can hope to have a future. The road is a little rocky, but this was one of the sweetest HEA endings I've ever read. A Solid A.
April 26, 2020
Sometimes a bit slow
February 16, 2014
Normally I think Kristan Higgins’ romances are cute, featuring an adorable love interest, but with a highly irritating female protagonist who engages in embarrassing behavior and/or doesn’t know when to shut it. Which is probably why I enjoyed SOMEBODY LIKE YOU as much as I did: there’s no cringe-worthy word vomit! Parker is a sensible, unspoiled, caring, actually desirable female! James is… Thing One. (Okay, no, but seriously, I’m always a little wary of a dual-narrative romance, but James is great in his caring and, well, his normalcy.) Higgins brings us back to the beloved oceanside Maine town of Gideon’s Cove, and we encounter endearing supporting characters both old and new. The wit and humor is as good as ever. With each book of hers, Higgins moves more and more away from her old formula for romance to explore refreshing new situations and characters. Loved it! Can’t wait for more.
August 12, 2015
"The course of true love never did run smooth". Okay, so Kristin Higgins isn't Shakespeare, but if you are looking for a fun, sweet, g-rated romance (difficult to find in the romance genre, trust me on this) she is your girl. You will fall in love with her hero's and heroine's while watching them fall in love. Their friends are people you want to have as friends. Their families are a bit kooky, who doesn't have a few kooky family members (maybe you are the kooky family member)? And you always get the required corny grand gesture that all chick-lit must have. This one is a little less comedic than the others. Her character's a little more damaged, which, in my humble opinion, makes them even easier to love. Do I want to feast on romantic novels? No. But, when I need a treat, when I want to find a beach read, when I want to have a little vacation from life and just feel good, Kristin Higgins does not disappoint me.
Read
May 10, 2014Couldn't finish this one... But yay I'm going back to Judith McNaught's historicals for a REAL dose of intense romance :D
July 17, 2019
Heerlijke feelgood roman. Echt een boek waar je in door wilt lezen.
July 2, 2013
Somebody to Love veers away from the typical Kristan Higgins path - which is both a good and a bad thing. On one hand, it's refreshing to have a protagonist who is a single mom by choice, not by circumstance; who isn't actively pining and seeking her Mr. Right; whose is perfectly happy with her life the way it is. And yet, Parker, the heroine of our tale, is rich. Very rich. In fact, she writes best-selling stories for children and gives all the proceeds to charity because she doesn't need the money. As such, when her father loses all of his - and therefore her and her son's - money, she is forced to spend the summer in Gideon Cove fixing up the shack her aunt left for her and hopefully selling it so she and her son can find a place to live. Into this mix enter James. Or Thing One. James is Parker's father's lawyer, Harry, and as he listens to his boss, Parker is unable to see him as much more than a minion of the father who has never had any time for her. James and Parker have a past, though, one that finds the time to catch up with them when James is sent to help Parker settle into Gideon Cove. Needless to say, with a hot summer, cool water, and past memories, the sparks are sure to fly.
Quite simply, my issue with Somebody to Love is the fact that Kristan Higgins wrote this on a beach with many half-naked men who had great abs. While Parker and James are well-developed, interesting, and mature characters on their own, their romantic development consists of ogling. Which is all fine and dandy the first or even the second time, but after a while even I got tired of reading about the fine and sweaty abs this lawyer had. (Why does he have abs? He's a LAWYER. Is he benching his law books or something?) While Higgins makes you realize why this couple will work for each other, there's a lot of filler tension and drama that does little or nothing for the plot. Also, James is not the most stunning of heroes. Okay, backtrack, I don't mean his abs aren't stunning, because I'm sure they are, but compared to the past Higgins heroes, he simply isn't as memorable. Yeah, he's sweet and him and Parker have that one-night-stand-in-the-past thing going on, not to mention the whole you're-the-bosses-daughter/father's-employer situation, but it all reads a little too bland. Cliche. Boring. I've come to expect vivacious and different characters from Higgins but Parker and James are characters you can find in any romance.
Nevertheless, this was still a solid and engaging read. There are plenty of wonderful moments, forged friendships, and there's nothing quite like Gideon Cove. Also, Malone comes back to steal the show - so much so that you're wondering to yourself, "James who? Abs what?" I loved seeing him, Maggie, and the rest of the Gideon Cove gang back once again. Additionally, Higgins's trademark humor is still present and the inclusion of Parker's son, Nicky, was adorable and the moments with him were heartfelt. Higgins captured the mother-son bond in this perfectly, both the actual affection and also the complications of being a single mother and dating someone new. All in all, Somebody to Love is a quick summer romance, perfect for the weather these days and sure to delight. Just don't expect the same caliber of the first Gideon Cove novel going in.
Quite simply, my issue with Somebody to Love is the fact that Kristan Higgins wrote this on a beach with many half-naked men who had great abs. While Parker and James are well-developed, interesting, and mature characters on their own, their romantic development consists of ogling. Which is all fine and dandy the first or even the second time, but after a while even I got tired of reading about the fine and sweaty abs this lawyer had. (Why does he have abs? He's a LAWYER. Is he benching his law books or something?) While Higgins makes you realize why this couple will work for each other, there's a lot of filler tension and drama that does little or nothing for the plot. Also, James is not the most stunning of heroes. Okay, backtrack, I don't mean his abs aren't stunning, because I'm sure they are, but compared to the past Higgins heroes, he simply isn't as memorable. Yeah, he's sweet and him and Parker have that one-night-stand-in-the-past thing going on, not to mention the whole you're-the-bosses-daughter/father's-employer situation, but it all reads a little too bland. Cliche. Boring. I've come to expect vivacious and different characters from Higgins but Parker and James are characters you can find in any romance.
Nevertheless, this was still a solid and engaging read. There are plenty of wonderful moments, forged friendships, and there's nothing quite like Gideon Cove. Also, Malone comes back to steal the show - so much so that you're wondering to yourself, "James who? Abs what?" I loved seeing him, Maggie, and the rest of the Gideon Cove gang back once again. Additionally, Higgins's trademark humor is still present and the inclusion of Parker's son, Nicky, was adorable and the moments with him were heartfelt. Higgins captured the mother-son bond in this perfectly, both the actual affection and also the complications of being a single mother and dating someone new. All in all, Somebody to Love is a quick summer romance, perfect for the weather these days and sure to delight. Just don't expect the same caliber of the first Gideon Cove novel going in.
November 30, 2018
Nice enemies to friends to lovers/unrequited love story. Single mum and part-time children's author, Parker Welles and her 5 year tyke have hitherto lived a very comfortable life, their futures secured with loaded trust funds courtesy of her father's business acumen, until said acumen turned to insider trading and their fortune came crashing down on them. She is now suddenly responsible for securing the financial future for herself and her son and it definitely doesn't help that she's got a writer's block and and her father's lawyer minion, Thing One aka the delectable but annoying James Cahill, appear once more unwelcomingly to witness her misfortune. Parker's resentment of James runs deep, for he has insinuated himself into his father's life to be his right-hand man, to have gained his attention and even affection that she herself has been deprived of for so many years. James has represented her father not just at business meeting but at many family functions, each occasion only serves to fuel Parker's anger further as it is another reminder of her father's emotional neglect. While Parker stews in her antagonism towards James, he has his own strong emotions to deal with when it comes to Parker. Suffering a case of love at first sight, each spiteful comment from her finds its mark over the years, although he would never be so crass as to wear his heart on his sleeve. Such weakness wouldn't do in the cutthroat business world nor in the upper class milieu they frequented.
They slowly get to know each others while renovating an old house, Parker inherited from a maternal aunt. Barriers erected get removed one by one and past prejudices are replaced by new favourable impressions as they tentatively form a friendship of sorts. Not all their past experiences were antagonistic though, because there was one night of wild passion a few years ago both have a hard time erasing from their memories and boy do they long for another such night.
This another very solidly entertaining book from KH. Her characters are always likeable, the banter is great and the secondary characters (esp the outrageous Cousin Livinia) are quite delightful. A few quibbles such as why her father would hire a new unproven law school graduate did not detract from the pleasant overall reading experience. James did manage the scene with his ex quite poorly, and he could be less appreciative of the physical endowments of his past lovers, although I get that they were more from an aesthetic point of view rather than a sexual appreciation. What I didn't get was why the narrator chose to use a nasal voice to narrate the story. And Jame's voice also got the nasal treatment, although Parker's was thankfully normal.
They slowly get to know each others while renovating an old house, Parker inherited from a maternal aunt. Barriers erected get removed one by one and past prejudices are replaced by new favourable impressions as they tentatively form a friendship of sorts. Not all their past experiences were antagonistic though, because there was one night of wild passion a few years ago both have a hard time erasing from their memories and boy do they long for another such night.
This another very solidly entertaining book from KH. Her characters are always likeable, the banter is great and the secondary characters (esp the outrageous Cousin Livinia) are quite delightful. A few quibbles such as why her father would hire a new unproven law school graduate did not detract from the pleasant overall reading experience. James did manage the scene with his ex quite poorly, and he could be less appreciative of the physical endowments of his past lovers, although I get that they were more from an aesthetic point of view rather than a sexual appreciation. What I didn't get was why the narrator chose to use a nasal voice to narrate the story. And Jame's voice also got the nasal treatment, although Parker's was thankfully normal.
February 23, 2017
We volgen Parker Harrington Welles, een jonge alleenstaande moeder die ondanks het feit dat ze in een gigantisch landhuis woont niet naast haar schoenen loopt. Meer zelfs de opbrengst van haar boeken die gigantisch veel succes hebben heeft ze volledig aan een goed doel geschonken. Diezelfde boeken kan ze zelf niet uitstaan en dat de stroperig zoete personages haar in gedachten toespreken maakt haar helemaal gek. Nu ja, wanneer je in je gedachten gesprekken voert met fictieve personages hoor je volgens vele al snel thuis in de categorie ‘lichtjes’ gestoord.
Ik vond de relatie tussen haar ex-vriend én tevens ook de vader van haar zoontje Nicky heel leuk. In werkelijkheid is het waarschijnlijk niet altijd even makkelijk om zo goed met elkaar overeen te blijven komen wanneer een relatie ten einde loopt maar zij doen het dus wel. Meer zelfs … zijn nieuwe vriendin is haar beste vriendin. Gelukkig maar dat ze hen heeft want haar familie is dan weer iets minder interessant. Een moeder die haar eigen dochter niet goed lijkt te kennen en haar prioriteiten nog niet duidelijk op een rijtje heeft, een vader die enkel genegenheid lijkt te hebben voor zijn maitresses, huisdier, drank én advocaat. De rest van haar familie is trouwens niet veel beter, je hebt alleszins meer kans op een warm onthaal bij The Addams Family.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
Ik vond de relatie tussen haar ex-vriend én tevens ook de vader van haar zoontje Nicky heel leuk. In werkelijkheid is het waarschijnlijk niet altijd even makkelijk om zo goed met elkaar overeen te blijven komen wanneer een relatie ten einde loopt maar zij doen het dus wel. Meer zelfs … zijn nieuwe vriendin is haar beste vriendin. Gelukkig maar dat ze hen heeft want haar familie is dan weer iets minder interessant. Een moeder die haar eigen dochter niet goed lijkt te kennen en haar prioriteiten nog niet duidelijk op een rijtje heeft, een vader die enkel genegenheid lijkt te hebben voor zijn maitresses, huisdier, drank én advocaat. De rest van haar familie is trouwens niet veel beter, je hebt alleszins meer kans op een warm onthaal bij The Addams Family.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
April 4, 2013
I may have given it five stars if I knew ahead of time that this story was connected to two other stories. This is a first for me: both THE NEXT BEST THING and CATCH OF THE DAY should be read before SOMEBODY TO LOVE. But TNBT and COTD can be read alone. Have I confused you yet?
My suggestion: read THE NEXT BEST THING first, then CATCH OF THE DAY and, lastly, SOMEBODY TO LOVE. The stories will make more sense.
My suggestion: read THE NEXT BEST THING first, then CATCH OF THE DAY and, lastly, SOMEBODY TO LOVE. The stories will make more sense.
January 15, 2019
It had many strong points, first of all well chosen characters and humor - as it is in all Higgins' novels.
I am afraid, though, that readers who haven't read first two part of the series can lost a bit of charm of this one. I have read them all and now, I want to read the first part again.
I give it three stars for joy (from reading this story as a standalone) plus one star for Gideon's Cove atmosphere ;-)
I am afraid, though, that readers who haven't read first two part of the series can lost a bit of charm of this one. I have read them all and now, I want to read the first part again.
I give it three stars for joy (from reading this story as a standalone) plus one star for Gideon's Cove atmosphere ;-)
August 20, 2014
5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Loved it! This is my favorite KH read! Parker and James were great characters, and I enjoyed the dual POVs. The romance in this was more prevalent than in some of her other books, and the epilogue was fantastic and sigh-worthy.
I’m just sad that I’ve finished her backlist and have to wait until September for her next book release.
Loved it! This is my favorite KH read! Parker and James were great characters, and I enjoyed the dual POVs. The romance in this was more prevalent than in some of her other books, and the epilogue was fantastic and sigh-worthy.
I’m just sad that I’ve finished her backlist and have to wait until September for her next book release.
August 19, 2012
(meh)
Bought the paperback to read at work.
It was enjoyable enough to keep reading to the end, but never became a special snowflake.
It had all the right pieces. It all fit together. It was well written.
But for some reason, I felt as though I could see the author sitting at the keyboard writing it the whole time I was reading.
Bought the paperback to read at work.
It was enjoyable enough to keep reading to the end, but never became a special snowflake.
It had all the right pieces. It all fit together. It was well written.
But for some reason, I felt as though I could see the author sitting at the keyboard writing it the whole time I was reading.
Read
April 7, 2015Completely delightful! I'm a huge Kristan Higgins' fan and Somebody to Love may be one of my favorites. Kristan's books are all laugh out loud funny as well as full of heart and family and vivid, quirky characters. I recommend!
*This novel is a romance written for the general market.
*This novel is a romance written for the general market.
March 7, 2020
Setelah sekian lama gak ada hero di novel romance yg nyantol di hati gw, baru si James Cahill ini alias Benda Satu yg menggugah kewanitaan gw. Lebay ya... Bodo amat sih.
Jadi kisahnya si James ini sudah terpukau pada Parker Welles, putri bosnya. Perlu diketahui hubungan Parker dan ayahnya sangat buruk sejak Parker memergoki ayahnya berselingkuh dgn pengasuhnya saat Parker berusia 10 thn. Jadi wajar kalau Parker selalu mencurigai James sbg org suruhan ayahnya dan terbersit juga kecemburuan bagaimana James akrab sekali dgn ayahnya, melebihi dirinya sbg anak perempuan ayahnya.
Tapi sejak James dgn tulus membantunya merenovasi rumah (gudang sih lebih tepatnya) di Maine menjadi hunian layak tinggal, Parker jadi jatuh cinta pada James. Namun ada saja halangan yg merintangi Parker utk mempercayai ketulusan James. Mungkin pembaca yg gak pernah mengalami broken home spt Parker akan sulit melihat ini krn gak pernah mengalami rasanya melihat dgn mata kepala sendiri perselingkuhan ayahnya, pengabaian ayahnya sehingga rasanya wajar saja menurut saya Parker utk mencurigai James sbg penjilat ayahnya.
Ada sesi-sesi mengharukan spt saat James come back ke rumah ortunya dan meminta pemaafan dari ortunya. Inilah yg saya sukai dari novel-novel romance org Barat, krn tidak mudah memaafkan spt sinetron/buku novel di Indonesia, jadi rasanya lebih spt kejadian yg realistis. Saya juga suka pada sosok James yg serius dlm menjalani cintanya pada Parker, kesungguhannya dlm mencari Nicky- anak Parker, yg sempat hilang saat dlm asuhannya, maupun kemauannya utk menghadapi ketakutan traumanya atas berenang.
Sosok Parker sendiri tidak sempurna walau dia adalah ibu yg sempurna bagi putranya, Nicky. Hubungannya yg gak beres dgn ayahnya menguak apa yg sebenarnya terjadi. "Kau seperti menunggu orang-orang membuatmu kecewa, Parker." Mungkin kata-kata ini tidak hanya membuat Parker terngiang-ngiang tetapi saya juga. Tidak ada manusia yg sempurna, tidak ada hal yg sempurna, yg penting beranikah kita mengambil resikonya? Just do it.
Jadi kisahnya si James ini sudah terpukau pada Parker Welles, putri bosnya. Perlu diketahui hubungan Parker dan ayahnya sangat buruk sejak Parker memergoki ayahnya berselingkuh dgn pengasuhnya saat Parker berusia 10 thn. Jadi wajar kalau Parker selalu mencurigai James sbg org suruhan ayahnya dan terbersit juga kecemburuan bagaimana James akrab sekali dgn ayahnya, melebihi dirinya sbg anak perempuan ayahnya.
Tapi sejak James dgn tulus membantunya merenovasi rumah (gudang sih lebih tepatnya) di Maine menjadi hunian layak tinggal, Parker jadi jatuh cinta pada James. Namun ada saja halangan yg merintangi Parker utk mempercayai ketulusan James. Mungkin pembaca yg gak pernah mengalami broken home spt Parker akan sulit melihat ini krn gak pernah mengalami rasanya melihat dgn mata kepala sendiri perselingkuhan ayahnya, pengabaian ayahnya sehingga rasanya wajar saja menurut saya Parker utk mencurigai James sbg penjilat ayahnya.
Ada sesi-sesi mengharukan spt saat James come back ke rumah ortunya dan meminta pemaafan dari ortunya. Inilah yg saya sukai dari novel-novel romance org Barat, krn tidak mudah memaafkan spt sinetron/buku novel di Indonesia, jadi rasanya lebih spt kejadian yg realistis. Saya juga suka pada sosok James yg serius dlm menjalani cintanya pada Parker, kesungguhannya dlm mencari Nicky- anak Parker, yg sempat hilang saat dlm asuhannya, maupun kemauannya utk menghadapi ketakutan traumanya atas berenang.
Sosok Parker sendiri tidak sempurna walau dia adalah ibu yg sempurna bagi putranya, Nicky. Hubungannya yg gak beres dgn ayahnya menguak apa yg sebenarnya terjadi. "Kau seperti menunggu orang-orang membuatmu kecewa, Parker." Mungkin kata-kata ini tidak hanya membuat Parker terngiang-ngiang tetapi saya juga. Tidak ada manusia yg sempurna, tidak ada hal yg sempurna, yg penting beranikah kita mengambil resikonya? Just do it.
August 13, 2017
First of all, thank you, Melissa for reading and reviewing Kristan Higgins' books. Usually after reading your reviews, I'll get the books and find myself in awe with them.
If I am not mistaken, you read the second book of the series, hence I got it as well but the third book intrigued me even more so I decided to read it first.
What I loved about this book, let's start with Z...
Z. Parker[h] referred James[H] as Thing 1.
Additional info, James was working for Parker's dad and Parker's dad went everywhere accompanied by two of his employees. Yup,the other person was referred as Thing 2.
y. James,my most favorite Ms.Higgins' male lead. I truly love him[we get his POV] he was accused of destroying his family but instead of being an "I hate life" kinda guy, he did great for himself and cared for one of his family members dearly + he looked really good shirtless with a bonus tool belt.. Yea, I was drooling.
x. Parker and James, their scenes together especially when they acknowledged their feelings towards each other were truly magnificent, I kept on rereading, highlight and stroking the words[hmm, that's kinda weird]
w. Parker was a great mum, a good friend to her son's father and his wife/her best friend. Her scene with the law, that was pretty funny.
v. Nick, Parker's son and his nail gun obsession.
u. James admitted that he was not a fan of kids. When Nick returned to his mother, it was really good to see that James and Nick did not bond immediately, they took their own sweet time to do that.
t. The townsfolks, fantastic people, Err they kept using the word "Ayuh". Can anyone help me with the meaning coz in Malay, Ayuh means c'mon.
I'm eyeing the rotten eggs and tomatoes, Okay2 I'm stepping down and passing the mic to the next person that will convince you to read this book.
If I am not mistaken, you read the second book of the series, hence I got it as well but the third book intrigued me even more so I decided to read it first.
What I loved about this book, let's start with Z...
Z. Parker[h] referred James[H] as Thing 1.
Additional info, James was working for Parker's dad and Parker's dad went everywhere accompanied by two of his employees. Yup,the other person was referred as Thing 2.
y. James,my most favorite Ms.Higgins' male lead. I truly love him[we get his POV] he was accused of destroying his family but instead of being an "I hate life" kinda guy, he did great for himself and cared for one of his family members dearly + he looked really good shirtless with a bonus tool belt.. Yea, I was drooling.
x. Parker and James, their scenes together especially when they acknowledged their feelings towards each other were truly magnificent, I kept on rereading, highlight and stroking the words[hmm, that's kinda weird]
w. Parker was a great mum, a good friend to her son's father and his wife/her best friend. Her scene with the law, that was pretty funny.
v. Nick, Parker's son and his nail gun obsession.
u. James admitted that he was not a fan of kids. When Nick returned to his mother, it was really good to see that James and Nick did not bond immediately, they took their own sweet time to do that.
t. The townsfolks, fantastic people, Err they kept using the word "Ayuh". Can anyone help me with the meaning coz in Malay, Ayuh means c'mon.
I'm eyeing the rotten eggs and tomatoes, Okay2 I'm stepping down and passing the mic to the next person that will convince you to read this book.
February 24, 2016
This was really 3.5 stars for me and for most of the book it was a solid 3. I will try and put to epaper my thoughts about this book. This is probably going to come off more as a rant than a review. I didn't warm to Parker until the last 1/8 of the book and at points of the book I wanted to throw the book against the wall because of her. I thought she was extremely narrow- minded and cold. I fell in love with James from the first and knew that there was a lot more to him that we knew. I couldn't get his attraction to Parker from the first. Even having discovered what the big "deal" was, I still thought that Parker was immature about it. One big thing that bugged me further was the use of Lady land...really??? You can use the word f*%k, but when referring to the female reproductive area we got Lady land...every time.
There were no love scenes, we were led in with a kiss and the next chapter we woke up and boy did we have amazing sex. I wouldn't know, I didn't get any details, you just told me they did. Referring to James to Thing One was demeaning and it got old really fast and only backed up Parker's immaturity at times. She was older than James, but she didn't act like it. Her dad was a jerk and so was his dad and brothers. One refreshing thing was that we were in James's head a bit more than normal for a KH. Once we got his backstory he was even more wonderful as a person and Parker should have got down and groveled at his feet once she got it. We did get a small grovel, but not enough IMO for what she put him through.
What I did love is that I got to read more about my Malone. We get to see him and Maggie get married. That is ok; I am going to allow this just until I can dump my old man and go claim him for myself. A man has needs...I dig it, she can be his foot warmer until I can get there. :-) Same Malone though, a man of few words...ayuh, but damn sexy about it. Diabetics beware the epilogue is super sweet and may put you into sugar shock. Not sure why we had that length on the time, but I guess to allow for what was in the epilogue we needed that. I didn't hate the book, after all I read it in one sitting in a matter of hours, it just wasn't one of my favs. That is my rant and I am sticking to it.
There were no love scenes, we were led in with a kiss and the next chapter we woke up and boy did we have amazing sex. I wouldn't know, I didn't get any details, you just told me they did. Referring to James to Thing One was demeaning and it got old really fast and only backed up Parker's immaturity at times. She was older than James, but she didn't act like it. Her dad was a jerk and so was his dad and brothers. One refreshing thing was that we were in James's head a bit more than normal for a KH. Once we got his backstory he was even more wonderful as a person and Parker should have got down and groveled at his feet once she got it. We did get a small grovel, but not enough IMO for what she put him through.
What I did love is that I got to read more about my Malone. We get to see him and Maggie get married. That is ok; I am going to allow this just until I can dump my old man and go claim him for myself. A man has needs...I dig it, she can be his foot warmer until I can get there. :-) Same Malone though, a man of few words...ayuh, but damn sexy about it. Diabetics beware the epilogue is super sweet and may put you into sugar shock. Not sure why we had that length on the time, but I guess to allow for what was in the epilogue we needed that. I didn't hate the book, after all I read it in one sitting in a matter of hours, it just wasn't one of my favs. That is my rant and I am sticking to it.
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