From USA Today bestselling author Christina Hovland comes a single parent, #DateMyCelebrityDad, forced proximity romance. Divorce her Beverly Hills check. Set the neighborhood dumpster on fire with her nightstand buddy… check. Her hunky celebrity chef neighbor rushes to her aid? Sigh. Check mate. Emmaline Eaton is doing her best to avoid the attractive chef, but their daughters just became the bestest of friends. Ethan Greene's culinary show and career are in shambles. He already has too much on his plate trying to figure out the single parent life when his daughter launches a trending hashtag of #DateMyCelebrityDad. Now he’s getting all kinds of unwanted attention, so he calls in a favor from Emmaline. If she could just pretend to be his date until the social media mayhem dies down, that would be fabulous. But when their kids play matchmaker, just how much heat can Ethan and Emmaline handle?
* Originally on preorder as Everything's Fine, Emmaline
Christina Hovland lives her own version of a fairy tale: an artisan chocolatier by day and romance writer by night. Born in Colorado, Christina received a degree in journalism from Colorado State University. Before opening her chocolate company, Christina’s career spanned from the television newsroom to managing an award-winning public relations firm. She’s a recovering overachiever and perfectionist with a love of cupcakes and dinner she doesn’t have to cook herself. A 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, she lives in Colorado with her first-boyfriend-turned-husband, four children, the sweetest dog around, and now Chloe, the wonder pup.
This is a well-written, entertaining, steamy, fast paced, humorous, contemporary romance novel. It has a likable, creative female protagonist, a warm and caring, celebrity male protagonist, sizzling chemistry, a heart-warming romance, a wise best friend, many laugh out loud moments, and a happily ever after ending. I am looking forward to reading Ms. Hovland's next entry in this outstanding new Mile High Heat series with great anticipation. Many thanks to Ms. Hovland, who kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel. This is my honest opinion.
Christina writes such fun books. I am always happy to get a new book from her because I know that I am going to get a fast read that has steam and humor and a quick wit that is going to keep me reading regardless of my mood. This book is no different. This is a fake dating romance between Em and her new neighbor, Ethan. When his daughter creates a viral post about him, he needs a girlfriend in a hurry. Em is the only person he knows who isn't into his celebrity status and after some convincing a faux romance and hijinx both ensue. It's got heart and humor and was just a fun ride.
Two single parents and neighbors (one a former celebrity chef) fake date and find themselves falling in love when their daughters conspire to get them together through some Instagram dating shenanigans. This dual POV romance was the epitome of a romcom, full of hilarious hijinks and a slow burn steamy love story. If you love to laugh and want some feels, definitely pick this quick read up. It was also good on audio narrated by Addison Barnes and Rupert Channing.
Quick listen, contemporary romance of a recently divorced mom of one & a celebrity chef dad of one who find themselves in a mutually beneficial fake dating scheme that leads to more. This was a nice, cozy pallet cleanser for me. Narration was A+ 👏. Loved the dual POV.
Wow The author Christina Hoveland wrote another story out of the ball park . Again another rom com especially at the beginning. Hero is Ethan Heroine is ‘Em How ‘Em and Ethan meet will have you on the floor laughing. Ethan felt a zing all over his body when he meet ‘Em . He even went to far to protect her from her brother. How you ask grab it and see . Ethan has a problem with his daughter. Since Ethan is divorced, Ann , his daughter will do anything to find a mom . Ethan thinks he has her in hand but lol Ann shows Ethan how she’s one step ahead. Em doesn’t know how to feel and do about her attraction to Ethan. Both daughters will do anything to bring both of them together. Do they do it and how . Everyone should get this and fall in love with this new story
Goodreads- wonky all of Monday for me. Messed up my ability to posts my reviews in my app!
Christina Hovland's latest book lured me in with one of the wackiest meet cutes I've read in a long time. A newly single mom, a literal dumpster fire and the hot as hell Aussie running to her rescue in the midnight hour. Blaring sirens and firetrucks with nosy family on board? It Doesn't Have to be This Hard, began with quite an intriguing bang.
Newly divorced Emmaline Eaton is hoping for a fresh start with her sweet, precocious daughter, Fiona. It's a second chance at happiness, since she really didn't get one the first time around. She's back in her hometown hood with her hilarious, forever besties, along with her well meaning family who love her, but really don't 'get her'. Let's not forget that gorgeous, sexy chef in shining armor, Ethan, who lives just up the street!
A Celebrity chef without a show, restauranteur and single dad, Ethan Greene, is hoping to be back in the good graces of his former network soon. In the meantime, his smart as a whip 10 year old daughter, Annie, blows up his entire world with a single social media post when #DateMyCelebrityDad goes viral. Now Ethan is overwhelmed with a shameless crush of Mrs. Celebrity Chef wannabes hiding around every corner, until Emmaline reluctantly steps in as his 'girlfriend' just until the hype dies down.
Their delightful and insightful young daughters have become the best of friends, while stealthily honing their skills as mini matchmakers. Meanwhile, Ethan and Em try NOT to notice the heat that's been building and sizzling between them since that crazy night they met. Feelings grow, lives intertwine and become tangled up so tight, it's hard to remember this is all for show, but their time together is coming to an end, even though it feels so right.
This sweet wallflower meets swoonworthy celebrity-opposites attract- single parents- friends to more story is funny, heartwarming and low on the angst meter, with those secret, sexy times we all love, keeping the spice alive and kicking. Christina Hovland once again delivers a witty, romantic, feel good story with quirky, loveable and endearing characters wiggling their way right into your heart. All the feels and more are guaranteed in It Doesn't Have to be This Hard, book 1 in this Denver based author's new Mile High Heat series.
I received an early copy of this book and it was my pleasure to read and review it.
Eh. This reads like a rough draft. It's not fleshed out enough to really BE a good book. Happens when you don't even have 300 pages to get through.
The romance is hella rushed--mostly because there isn't any actual romancing going on. Just 2 people who insist that they don't want to actually be together, until they're boinking. And then it's just that... boinking. And occasionally breakfast.
Emmaline needs therapy. She's got issues of 'wanting to disappear' and not having any self-worth and doing a job she hates rather than doing what she's good at. She's hugely insecure about... well just about everything. Almost NONE of this is addressed in the plot. It's just there to cause problems and create drama for the 3rd act breakup.
Ethan is a nice guy. He's got ink and he braids hair pretty good and he can cook and he's got an Aussie accent...and that's about it. There's not a TON of substance beyond that. He's not a bad character. But he doesn't have any true substance, either.
The girls are cute, but they read more as a plot device as actual human characters the FMC and MMC are trying to raise. The fact that Emmaline repeatedly doesn't know what to do with her kid when she acts out is alarming. She's not actually parenting the kid at all. There's a few sweet moments between Ethan and Em and the girls here and there, but they don't really amount to anything significant in the grand scheme of things.
Barbie was annoying AF. I don't think I've ever encountered a side character that inspired immediate revulsion quite the way she did.
"You lit a fire with the diddly-do you use on your vagoozlecookie?"
Immediate hatred. I'm super happy that Em has a BFFL, but she's a CARACATURE of a person. Not an actual person. Hot, blonde, big boobs small waist, quirky AF, fucking loaded (family money), child-like who "yay!"s and sing-songs, and doesn't know common phrases like quid pro quo (squid toe quota...fucking really?). I mean?????? The only GOOD thing about this character is that she's not the FMC.
This had potential. It did. But right now, I feel like it should still be post-it notes on a white board, rather than a published work of fiction.
This book. The awkward. The laughs. The trying. The feels. I loved it all. I especially loved Em and Ethan in this adorkable fake relationship single parent romance of all the things. They are real, relatable people (and parents) who have flaws, but are really trying to just do their best as messy humans trying to raise equally messy tiny humans. This book definitely had me snort laughing quite a number of times. In fact, the meet cute at the beginning of the book which involved a vibrator, a dumpster fire, marshmallows and the fire department had me laughing hard enough to cry. This is not only a romcom though, it is just cleverly disguised as one. But the story will also give you all the swoony swoons while also pulling at your heartstrings with all the emotions. Em is a newly divorced single mom who has moved back to her home town and is determined to meet a normal, boring and non-sparkly guy after she settles in. Her new neighbor, single father Ethan, is a celebrity chef wanting to get a new tv show now that things are more settled with his daughter. He is the opposite of what Em is looking for. But a viral post made by Ethan’s daughter has him in need of a fake girlfriend and Em reluctantly agrees to play the part. Neither of the are looking for a relationship but feelings rarely stay in the box we try to keep them in and the journey to their HEA was fun and swoony to read. This well written story was delicious perfection and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, and an engaging storyline. The book was filled with sweet moments, steamy scenes, real life issues, imperfect characters, painful pasts, laughs, messy families, supportive friends, cute pets, and all the swoony love. 4.5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
This is going to be a fantastic series if the other books are anywhere close to being like this one! I had to put the book down a couple of times as some of the scenes and dialogue were almost to the pee your pants territory. OMG Emmaline's (Em) friend, Barbie, was a total hoot (hoping her book is next!!!) I loved her story about pearls. The analogy was spot on! Em was also stitch on her own. Then throw in two children hoping to get their parents together, and you have a very funny story!
Em divorces her husband and returns home to Denver where her firefighter brothers (hoping they also get stories (HINT! HINT!!)) and her parents. Her young daughter (Fiona) is precious. She becomes friends with a slightly older girl just down the street. The antics of these two are just so believable, that I could almost see them doing their thing. The opening scene is one where you can't have any food or drink in your mouth. The laughter is overwhelming. I had to explain to the hubby why I was laughing so hard for tears to appear.
Ethan is adjusting to being a single father to a very internet savvy young girl. She wants a mom and she creates her own hash tag to get one! Cue more laughs.
I adored this story and was so very sad to see it end. I felt like I was on a mini-vacation in Denver along with these "people". The dual POV format is a favorite of mine. Getting into both of the main characters' thoughts really help me to understand and connect with them.
There are a few highly glossed over sexy scenes. Nothing overly graphic. If that bothers you, I would just skip over those.
I highly recommend this story and look forward to the next installment!
Warning - Will cause spontaneous outburst of laughter
A slow burn high heat HEA packed with witty humor that gave my abs the best workout they have had all year One of those stories that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.
The story revolves around the lives of Emily and Luke, two individuals who find themselves at odds when their paths unexpectedly cross.
After a bad breakup that left Em questioning herself and her worth, she has returned to her hometown for a fresh start. Em is determined to conquer life's challenges on her own terms. Except Em has a tendency to get herself into some prickly predicaments ... Which usually required outside assistance I can so relate here lmao
Luke, our charming and charismatic entrepreneur, who is also a single parent just happens upon one of Em's little predicaments Igniting a spark of undeniable chemistry that sets the stage for a series of hilarious and heartwarming encounters.
I absolutely adored these characters they were so relatable Flawed yet lovable The supporting cast is equally well-developed. From Mom and Dad to the siblings And let us not forget the girls who started the whole ball rolling They added so much to the storyline There were moments when the story was predictable but for me, that wasn't an issue I was so invested in their HEA
This was such a delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy. Filled with witty banter, endearing characters, and a healthy dose of humor that will leave you with all the feels.
I absolutely love Emmaline. I fell in love with her after the incident in the beginning. She is a badass for realizing that the life she had was not the one she wanted and taking her daughter somewhere to start fresh. She’s absolutely killing it as a single mom.
Here comes Ethan Greene and his sexy Australian accent. Sigh. Who can resist? Em certainly can’t. Ethan comes with a daughter as well, and their girls are determined to become sisters. I loved reading about the girls scheming behind their backs to get them to come together.
I love how Em realizes that just because someone is in the same situation as she experienced in the past and ended up hating, does not mean it’s going to be the exact same song and dance. Different people make different decisions, and for Ethan Greene, the people he loves come first.
Read this one. You won’t regret it.
I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this wonderful novel!
Another great book from the author! Emmaline just moved back to Denver and on her first night back meets the celebrity chef dad, Ethan, from down the street in a bit of a crazy situation that had me laughing out loud. They enter into a fake relationship after his daughter gets him trending online. It was fun watching their relationship evolve through the book. The other relationships in the book are great as well. I loved her friend Barbie and her stories
Thank you to Ms. Hovland for providing me with an ARC to review.
It Doesn’t Have to be This Hard is book one in the Miles High Heat Series and is the single parent, fake dating, opposites attract, neighbours to lovers romance of Emmaline Eaton and Ethan Greene. Newly divorced Emmaline has moved back to her hometown of Colorado Springs with her daughter Fiona after the glitz and glam of LA lost its sparkle when her marriage broke down. She is hoping that being back with her closest friends that she will be able to heal and find her second chance at happiness. She is also happy to be close to her family again, even if they don’t really get her. Emmaline, dressed in Peppa Pig pyjamas comes face to face with her hot as hell Aussie neighbour when the cheap vibrator she is now regretting buying bursts into flames before she even got her ‘O’ and set the neighbourhood bin on fire. While fighting the flames, the heat is building between her and the hot guy from down under and she feels her luck is turning. Ethan Greene is a celebrity chef who had a highly successful TV show on Nosh Network. These days he is a restauranteur and is the father of a smart and sassy 10-year-old daughter Annie, who wants nothing more than for her father to settle down. After late night meeting the hot, intriguing new neighbour Emmaline when her sex toy set the bin on fire, the last thing he expects is to find Annie setting up an online dating profile for him. Not deterred when forced to delete the profile, Annie blows up her dad’s entire world with a social media post that goes viral with the now trending hashtag #DateMyCelebrityDad. This has every woman in a 20-mile radius dropping by “auditioning” for the role of Mrs Celebrity Chef! Ethan cannot even get any peace at home with a bevy of women dropping by, so with Emmaline’s Fiona and Annie becoming fast friends and spending every spare moment together, Ethan has an idea, Em said the night they met that she owed him, so when she drops by to collect Fiona, he cashes in by asking her to fake date to keep the wolves at bay. Although initially reluctant, Em finally agrees as long as they keep it platonic and it doesn’t impact their daughters, however, what they don’t realise is their daughters, despite their young ages, are plotting and honing their skills as matchmakers. Will their fake relationship transition to something real without impacting their children? The amazingly talented Addison Barnes and Rupert Channing bring these fabulous characters to life, and they do a tremendous job. Ms Barnes’ performance as the newly divorced single Mum Emmaline, whose return to her hometown gets off to a blazing start, with a scorching meet cute with a hot chef from down under who wants nothing more than to get down and dirty with his new fire-starting neighbour was wonderful! Addison’s sweet, lyrical, melodic tone was perfect to breathe life into Emmaline. Mr Channing’s portrayal of the single dad celebrity chef, who calls in a favour from the sexy firestarter next door to keep the women who have been queuing around the block answering the viral post his sassy daughter put out to find him a wife at bay was marvellous. Rupert’s natural Aussie drawl with a raspy undertone perfectly suited swoony chef Ethan. Overall, I loved this audiobook. I’m a sucker for a fake dating romance when it is well written, and Christina Hovland is a seasoned pro at writing intriguing stories with charming characters that have you completely enamoured and captivated from beginning to end. If you love a heart warming story of two neighbours whose lives become entangled with the help of their two daughter who are playing matchmakers behind the scenes, if a sizzling hot meet cute to fan those flames is your thing with loveable characters that will have you swooning and rooting for them, plenty of laughs and a whole lot of spice then this is the book for you.
Fabulous Story & Listen🎧 Heartwarming & Delightful!
It Doesn't Have To Be This Hard Mile High Heat, Book 1 By: Christina Hovland Narrated by: Rupert Channing, Addison Barnes
Christina Hovland pens another fabulous novel, a romantic comedy that grabs captivates your attention from start to end and tugs at your heartstrings, too. That opening scene with the dumpster fire was hilarious, and it was only one of many hilarious scenes. Emmaline Eaton moved back to Colorado with her ten-year-old daughter Fiona, leaving her ex-husband behind in Beverly Hills. She had no interest in him or his world anymore, and preferred to stay out of the limelight. Settling into her new house, just far enough away from her meddling family, but close enough when she needs their help, which is fairly often, since she tends to get herself in to some messes. For example, that fire, but it did bring out her nice looking neighbor, an Aussie with a nice accent, Ethan Greene. And he has a daughter, Annie, the same age as hers and the two hit it off. Annie is trying to play matchmaker to find a girlfriend for her father, and he trended on social media so women are always propositioning him. Emmaline and Ethan hit it off and they team up together to get their parents together, but neither is looking for a relationship. Emmaline is probably the only woman not throwing herself at Ethan, and since he is sick of all the other woman who are he asks her to be her fake girlfriend. She did not want to go there, but after seeing how much he got hassled, she gave in. So the two are in a fake relationship for show only until it isn’t. I loved how everything played out in this book, there is a perfect balance of drama, humor, charm, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. The writing, plotting and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. Christina Hovland, thank you for another wonderfully delightful story and the emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧 📚🎧And for the wonderful narration, Rupert Channing & Addison Barnes are the perfect cast to bring these characters and their story to life. They understood who they were portraying, giving each character a voice that fit their persona and was believable in every role they played. Addison Barnes nailed it as Emmaline, grasping every aspect of her personality, and her young girl's voice was fantastic too. Rupert Channing’s Ethan was spot on too, swoon worthy demeanor, accent and all. Both were fabulous covering the secondary characters’ roles, too. They set the perfect tone for the story, handled the witty dialogue with ease and landed the humor effortlessly. You could hear how much heart they put into their performance capturing all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and enjoyable to listen to. Thank you for another exceptional listen.
Emmaline Eaton left her famous husband because he made her feel as though her only purpose was to make him look good. Now she's moved back to Denver to be near her family. Okay she has a soul-destroying job creating website bio pictures for a real estate firm instead of the fine art career she once dreamed of, but at least its a job. Having been out of the saddle for a while, Em gets herself a battery-operated friend, which promptly catches fire. Terrified that her daughter Fiona will come in and ask awkward questions she throws it in the dumpster outside the house - no surprise she sets that on fire too!
The ruckus introduces her to the celebrity chef next-door, who also has a daughter the same age. Ethan took time out from his TV career when he was given the care of Annie and is now trying to persuade the network to let him come back with a new show.
When Annie posts a shirtless picture of Ethan on his social media with the hashtag DateMyCelebrity Dad it goes viral, but Ethan is drowning in a sea of unwanted attention from women desperate to be become Mrs Ethan Greene, but his agent loves it ... could the solution be to find someone to be his fake girlfriend? Em owes Ethan a favour for trying to take the blame for the dumpster fire so, against her better judgement she agrees to be his fake girlfriend, but it can never be anything more because Em is holding out for a normal guy, she's over famous guys for good. But it seems Fiona and Annie have other plans as they scheme to get their parents together for good.
I liked the basic premise of the novel and I thought Em and Ethan were cute. However, my rating was brought down by what I call the Janet Evanovich factor (you could just as easily call it the Goldie Hawn factor or the Diane Keaton factor) where there is a whole raft of supporting characters who give kooky a bad name. There's Em's parents and brothers (maybe three of them) who seem determined to put her down all the time. Then her plethora of kooky friends Cress, Lauren and Barbie (just typing her name gives me hives), I predict the next book will be about Barbie and Em's brother James BTW. I wouldn't be surprised if each of Em's friends that isn't already married ends up with one of her friends either. Just generally, I think the comedic effect was overdone which spoilt it for me.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
It Doesn't Have to Be This Hard is the first book in Christina Hovland's Mile High Heat series and it is just the kind of fun and entertaining rom-com that I adore from her. This book had previously begun being marketed as Everything's Fine Emmaline which fit in with the style of the books in her Mommy Wars series. There is some cross over from that series with Ethan Greene being the MMC and his friend/agent is Jack from April May Fall- and while both Ethan and Emmaline are single parents it does have a little bit of a different feel than the Mommy Wars so I get the "rebrand" of the story before we ever got it.
Now about this book... when it starts Em's life has a literal dumpster fire and enter in her super kind neighbor who's only downfall is that he's also a sexy Australian celebrity chef trying to get back into the world that Emmaline just desperately left in her rear view. But when Ethan's daughter Annie decides to take to social media to get her dad a girlfriend- given her reluctant friend status as the mom of Annie's new BFF, Fiona, Em finds herself roped into a fake relationship that doesn't feel all that fake.
4.5 ⭐
I had so much fun reading Em and Ethan's story! The chemistry between these two is phenomenal and I just love their fun and awkward flirt banter. Then when they finally reach that breaking point of self-control... well, things get a whole new level of fun 😘🔥 As always with her portrayal of parenthood- I cracked up while relating to them dealing with the mini-teenage attitudes because that seems to have popped up out of my 9 year old daughter too! Ethan is all kinds of swoony-sexiness when it comes to seeing his relationship with Annie. The love is there and they are obviously each other's biggest fans in the sweetest ways. Em's daughter Fiona is adorable too and when these two paired up it was some of the most entertaining moments in the book.
The secondary characters added just another pop of entertainment to this story. I adored Em's friend Barbie- she is unappologetically herself, says whatever is on her mind-albeit sometimes it makes no sense but she also has the biggest heart. Add in the loving yet teasing sibling relationship that Emmaline has with her brothers, especially James since he's the one that gets the most "face time" and I just wanted to immerse myself in this family/friend group.
REVIEW When Illustrator Emmaline Eaton moves home to Denver after her divorce, she's determined to leave celebrity life behind. But one accidental fire later (don't ask), she finds herself helping out neighbour and celebrity chef Ethan Greene by agreeing to be his fake girlfriend when his daughter sends out a viral post asking for a mum. As they get to know each other more, neither can deny their attraction anymore. And with their scheming daughters thrown into the mix, maybe they don't have to. This was a cute story about two single parents finding love. I loved Em from the start. As someone who also often gets herself into embarrassing situations, I could really empathise with her. I also felt for her when she described her past life, and I'm SO glad there wasn't a whole ex-drama added to what is a lovely fake dating romance. Instead, we get to see Em regain her agency, both in her career and her relationship. Ethan was funny. I loved his banter with Em, and how much he clearly loved his daughter. If I have one criticism, it's that I found the Australianisms a little copious at times. I felt like it was verging on Squirt from Finding Nemo occasionally. Still, it didn't stop me from swooning at Ethan's sincerity, and I loved him and Em together. I really enjoyed Emma and Fiona playing Cupid. Both were so well observed, especially their scheming and I really loved the final chapters, especially the 'rescue' and the epilogue. As always with Christina Hovland's books, there were plenty of other fun supporting characters. I would love to see more of Barbie, and I'm really intrigued by Em's firefighter brothers *winks*. It was also fun seeing more of Jack from April May Fall as Ethan's best friend. This was a sweet fake dating romcom with plenty of heart.
🎧AUDIO REVIEW🎧 📚By: Christina Hovland Mile High Heat, Book 1 🎤Narrated by: Addison Barnes & Rupert Channing
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a cute & steamy little romcom. It's fun, light & the perfect audio to listen to by the pool or the beach. Lots of laughs & giggles. Ethan, a handsome celebrity chef, meets his neighbor, Emmaline, in an unfortunate way. Let's just say there's a dumpster fire, marshmallows & a "toy" involved. The Diddly-Do situation ends with the fire department coming to save the day & they meet.
Both Ethan & Em are single parents. Em, recently divorced, moves back to her home town determined to find a normal & lowkey guy. No sparkles wanted. Ethan is the opposite of what Em is looking for. He's looking to make a deal & be on TV with a new cooking show. But a viral post made by Ethan's daughter, forging a campaign to #DateMyCelebrityDad, forces Ethan to propose a fake relationship with Em to avoid having to date.
They agree to this little adorkable relationship & silly, hilarious antics & escapades ensue. Ethan's good looking, can braid hair pretty well, has an accent to melt your pants off & can cook. Is there anything else needed? Their daughters become friends & are looped into the "fake" relationship but there's so much tension between these two that you could cut it with a knife. Ethan is so good at supporting & lifting up Em as she struggles with loss of confidence & not feeling good enough.
Hovland is great at writing a story that has witty dialogue, relatable characters who both grow, & a cute, fun storyline. It's filled with sweet & sappy moments, some steamy scenes, real people who have problems, matchmaking daughters, friends & swoony moments.
Things I loved: 👠Their two daughters become good friends 👠The unfortunate fire scene, I was giggling out loud 👠Two single parents 👠The hashtag #DateMyCelebrityDad 👠Em's best friend, Barbie! More of her please. She was hysterical 👠Em is really good at making rice krispie treats
The narrators were fantastic and perfect for this fun romcom. Rupert Channing was so swoony as the celebrity chef. Why does an accent make everything better? He was terrific & Addison Barnes played Em with a quirky vulnerability that was absolutely charming. These two really made the audio fun.
Hovland has a heartwarming & delightful romcom on her hands. Thanks to @christinahovland & @homecookedbooks for the ALC. It was a real treat to listen to & I look forward to listening more from this fun series! 🤞 crossing fingers it's Barbie's story.
It doesn’t have to be this hard is a single parent, second chance at love, fake dating romance, and the first book in the new mile high heat series.
Undeniably hilarious!
Emmaline Eaton and Ethan Greene first meet while literally standing in front of a dumpster fire that Emmaline accidentally set….which taught her a valuable lesson about not being frugal while purchasing… shall we say self help toys?….Emmaline is recently divorced and moved back to her hometown with her daughter Fiona to be close to family and her utterly delightful best friend. Ethan is a single dad to Annie. He’s a celebrity chef, restaurateur who’s had a bit of a rough patch career wise. The pair end up in a fake relationship after Annie, Ethan’s daughter deciding she wants a new mom, creates a social media post with a hashtag datemycelebritydad that brings Ethan all kinds of unwanted attention. He calls in a favor, asking Em to pretend they are dating until things die down a little. Emmaline is reluctant but agrees. But with two daughters that have become best friends start playing matchmaker, it might only be a matter of time for pretend to become real….
This was such a funny, cute story, and I genuinely enjoyed it from start to finish. The main characters had obvious chemistry, and I really enjoyed their dynamic. The secondary characters were awesome and brought a lot of laugh out loud moments to the story. I loved Fiona and Annie they were adorable, and the story flowed really well.
Rupert Channing and Alison Barnes brought the story to life with their performances. They had such great timing, pace, and distinction for each of the characters. They brought an added level of entertainment to an already entertaining story, and I thought they both did an awesome job.
Overall that’s how this one made me feel entertained. It was funny, charming, and low on drama. it had wonderful characters, some spice and everything nice! A perfect listen to kick of the summer!
Ethan and Em meet over a flaming selfie stick. No, no that kind. THAT kind. The battery-operated kind you don't want your firefighter brother to find when you discard it in a dumpster and watch it burn while your new hot neighbor runs to the rescue.
Talk about a smoking hot meet cute! And wouldn't you know it, both Ethan and Em have young daughters who become fast friends, making it impossible to hide from the handsome, celebrity chef Australian who witnessed her sizzling self-care item get more attention than Em has in years.
But that's not the most embarrassing thing to happen to these two lonely adults. Annie, Ethan's daughter, decides she wants a mom, so she creates a hashtag that brings women from far and wide to be his wife. The propositions get so bad that Ethan begs Em to help him out - pretend to be his girlfriend until the buzz dies down and desperate women stop throwing themselves at him.
It Doesn't Have to Be This Hard takes your classic fake-boyfriend trope and gives it new life. There were definite sparks - literally haha - between Ethan and Em before they ever make the agreement. She's hesitant because her ex-husband ruined the thought of dating someone famous for her, and he's hesitant because he wants to focus on his daughter. They're both genuine, caring adults who want to do what's best for their kids.
There was just the right amount of spice in this book. The first time Ethan mentioned what he wanted to do, a wave of heat slapped me in the face. It was glorious and unexpected. There weren't long, drawn out scenes, but there was some definite bonding that will leave you breathless.
If you like sweet (but still steamy) romantic comedies, you'll love this book!
Thank you, NetGalley and Christina Hovland, for the opportunity to read this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I made the mistake of reading this book during my breaks at work. I then had to explain to all my coworkers why I was choking on my laughter: Ethan and Emmaline and their outlandish family and friends. Take my mistake as your warning that this may not be the best choice of story to read in public Unless, you’ll be doing so around people who are already used to you cackling like a hyena for no reason they can see. (My coworkers don’t know me quite that well yet.) But I digress. You may have been waiting for this book under its original title: “Everything's Fine, Emmaline”. Rest assured that it was well worth the wait, and it’s now spinning out from the original Mommy Wars series with a somewhat expanded cast list. But we haven’t said “goodbye” to all the originals, and you may notice one or two trying to keep Em and Ethan on track. Really, I felt like these two needed all the help they could get. Part of what I love most about fake relationship stories is that you know that no matter how hard the couple in question fights it, there’s going to be real feelings for them to deal with before it’s all over. And that’s where all that help was needed for these two. They’re both a little gun shy about relationships, and just about the whole cast has some pretty heavy emotional baggage to unpack. Yet they do it, showing us that even if life isn’t a cakewalk, it can still be fun – and worth it. Now that we’ve had a chance to meet Em’s besties, I can’t wait to see what stories might be in their futures. I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author through WordSmith Publicity.
It Doesn’t Have To Be This Hard is the first book in Christina Hovland’s all new Mile High Heat series. You know this book is going to be a wild ride when the first chapter is a literal dumpster fire and it’s caused by a bargain brand B.O.B. ( .. a battery operated.. IYKYK) I will admit I didn’t love this one as much as I thought I would. I think it’s partly because this was originally supposed to be part of the Mommy Wars series, so I was expecting more cameos from that group. Also, with Ethan being Australian, his vocab and slang would throw me off. That’s not to say that this wasn’t an enjoyable read. Fake dating and friends to lovers are some of my favorite tropes, and Christina did a fantastic job. Add in Christina’s entertaining laugh out loud romantic comedy awesomeness and hilarious shenanigans and you’ve got a well written romance that will have your cheeks hurting from smiling. This is a very sweet romance with relatable and lovable characters. Emmaline’s awkwardness just makes her such a great FMC and Ethan is the perfect mix of tattooed hottie and lovable dad. Really the stars of this book are Annie and Fiona. Who needs fairy godmothers when you have mischievous matchmaking daughters who will stop at nothing to be sisters? There is swoony romance, steamy scenes that will make you blush, second chances, character growth, and some emotional moments that will bring a tear to your eye. This is a great start to what I’m sure will be a favorite series. I REALLY can’t wait for Barbie to get her own story and Im hoping I figured out who she ends up with. If you’re looking for a sweet and funny romance, definitely pick this one up!
First thought: This book just didn’t do it for me, the characters were likable but the story just didn’t develop enough for me to connect.
Emmaline is a divorced mom who just moved back to Denver to escape a life where she faded into the background of Hollywood’s elites. She put her dreams on hold and is ready to start over with her daughter and find out who she is. She wants a less complicated normal life where she doesn’t have to give up her dreams. She loves drawing but has never really had the confidence to make it her job.
Ethan is a celebrity chef who lost the spot light when he stepped back to raise his daughter as a single dad. He is trying to get his career back on track, his daughter could care less she just wants him to find a wife. She hacks his social media and post him on the kitchen shirtless with the #datemycelebritydad and it definitely stirs up some interest.
So how do these two meet, well Em moved onto the street where Ethan lives and she accidentally set the streets dumpster on fire. Things moved fast and their daughters were suddenly best friends, oh and they are fake dating!
This is the point I kind of stopped loving this book. The initial story and grab to like the characters was great, but the actual story and development just was lacking for me. It skipped huge chunks and it felt rushed like it was just checking the boxes vs really telling a story.
Overall this book is a quick read that has some really great parts, just don’t set your expectations too high.
This was a fun read filled with unique characters, memorable moments and a lot of heart as Em and Ethan do their best to keep the lines drawn in the fake relationship they find themselves in and fail miserably.
I really liked Em and Ethan both are just good people with good hearts. Em is working on finding a new normal and while doing that, finding who she wants to be. Ethan is looking to get back to what he once had.
Their meet cute was definitely a unique one, and sparks were flying from the start. The more they were around each other, the more obvious it was that they could be something more than just friends. I loved their bantering and how they were honest with each other about what they wanted. Annie and Fiona were a hoot, sometimes a little frightening, but when two tweeners are determined to get what they want…well, you can’t stop that kind of force of nature. The bumps in their journey weren’t a surprise ~ considering where they both were in the their own lives when they met ~ but I like how everything worked out for them in the end.
This was a fun read and I really like the tie in to the Mommy Wars series. As for the supporting cast of characters. Em’s family were awesome. Annie and Fiona were a force and Barbie was a kick in the pants and Cress and Lauren rounded out the crew in the best of ways. I do have a guess at a possible future couple, and it will definitely be one heck of a story if I’m right…but we’ll just have to wait and see.
~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~
It Doesn't Have To Be This Hard is my first book by this author and I loved it. This is a fake dating single parent, rom com that had me fully engrossed from start to finish. The story was entertaining, heartwarming, fast-paced and steamy and had me laughing out loud right from the start, as it follows 2 single parents Ethan and Em who just happen to be neighbors when Em and her daughter move into the area.
Ethan's daughter wants a mom and creates an IG post #DateMyCelebrityDad to get one, which instantly goes viral. With the sudden influx of women wanting to date him, he needs a fake girlfriend. His neighbor Em is the only person who isnt interested in his popular life and ends up agreeing to help him.
I liked these two together and loved seeing the building chemistry between them. Em was such a quirky, endearing character and Ethan was absolutely swoony and I was rooting for these two throughout the story. They were relatable characters with real life issues and I loved how effortlessly they became a blended family inspite of the fake relationship.
This is the 1st book in the Mile High Heat series. It was an enjoyable tale and I would recommend it to romance lovers.
🎧 I listened to the audiobook version of this novel which was narrated by Addison Barnes and Rupert Channing. They gave a wonderful performance and brought out the characters personality and emotions and I loved the accents used. They brought the story to life and I enjoyed listening to them narrate this novel.
This was a fun, lighthearted, and steamy romcom that had me laughing out loud right from the start. Ethan and Emmaline’s meeting was a dumpster fire topped with marshmallows and a fun toy. IYKYK 😂 One of the cutest and funniest meet-cutes EVER!!
Ethan is a celebrity chef and single dad whose daughter wants him to find a wife for him and mother for her. She even creates the hashtag #datemycelebritydad causing havoc in Ethan’s life. Em is recently divorced with a daughter of her own who isn’t interested in becoming entangled with another man. Ethan and Em eventually create a plan to “fake date” in order to help the on slot of all the woman pushing themselves onto Ethan and the fact that he’s hot and she gets meals cooked my chef it seems like a win win. Like do they know that Ethan’s daughter and Em’s daughter, who become fast friends, hatch a plan in secret to hook their parents up.
I had so much fun listening to this book. It had me in fits of laughter throughout the entire thing. The tension, the chemistry, the banter, the smex, and the adorable kids had me continually plugged in to see what was going to happen next. I’m new to both Addison Barnes & Rupert Channing as narrators and really enjoyed both of their voices. They did a fantastic job and made it very distinct doing other voices, I’ve already gone to check out other books they’ve narrated. This was also my first Christina Hovland and I’ve since added more of her books to my TBR/TBL because I enjoyed this one so much.
Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this cute,adorable,quirky and funny book. Two single parents, Two coniving children, And a whole lot of shenanighans and laughs equals an incredible story about Emmaline and Ethan,who embark on a fake relationship....the purpose is to take the heat off Ethan because of his daughters meddling in his love life. But the fakeness becomes more real than either one of them could have imagined. Em is making a fresh start with her daughter after her divorce. Em is a total mess a disaster waiting to happen but she is also strong and determined to make a better life for her and her daughter. Ethan is a celebrity Chef and aslo a single father whose little girl wants him to find someone special in his life. Em is Ethan's new neighbour and he comes to her rescue one time and that is how they officially meet,they get on well and have a connection.Its easy for them to be in a fake relationship. I loved the humour within this story and the funny banter and situations that they find themselves in...both Em and Ethan are wonderful characters because they feel so real and relatable...its shows the struggles and the joy of bringing up children either together or alone. Christina Hovland's words had me captivated right from the start and I was thoroughly entertained throughout this book. It was such a pleasure to read and I enjoyed it very much. A brilliant read. 5 Fabulous Stars.
It Doesn't Have to Be This Hard (Mile High Heat Book 1) by Christina Hovland is about a former celebrity chef Ethan and his neighbor Emmaline whom he meets at a dumpster fire. The meet-cute involves a melted object, a brother firefighter, a child showing up with marshmallows for roasting, and an embarrassed Emmaline when Ethan tries to cover for her faux pas. Emmaline and Ethan both have girls the same age that quickly become BFFs. Ethan's daughter Annie decides to post a shirt-less Ethan picture on IG asking for a wife for her dad and mom. That one post generates lots of wild propositions for Ethan. Ethan asks Emmaline to pretend to be his girlfriend to rid himself of the constant women viding for attention. Emmaline agrees with reluctance wanting nothing to do with any high-profile status due to her ex-husband, who was a celebrity lawyer. Ethan never reveals that he wants back on his tv show, where he is renowned. With meddlesome daughters that try to matchmake Em and Ethan, some trying times vie between "lol" to "OMG NO"! There were some one-line zingers that I laughed so hard I cried, such as "You lit a fire with the diddly-do you use on your vagoozlecookie." (Location 471). I laughed, cried, and couldn't wait to turn the next page while reading this book. It Doesn't Have To Be That Hard is the first book in the Mile High Heat Book Series, and I can't wait to read the upcoming new books.
Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this cute, adorable, quirky and funny book. Two single parents, Two conniving children, And a whole lot of shenanigans and laughs equals an incredible story about Emmaline and Ethan, who embark on a fake relationship....the purpose is to take the heat off Ethan because of his daughters meddling in his love life. But the fakeness becomes more real than either one of them could have imagined. Em is making a fresh start with her daughter after her divorce. Em is a total mess a disaster waiting to happen but she is also strong and determined to make a better life for her and her daughter. Ethan is a celebrity Chef and also a single father whose little girl wants him to find someone special in his life. Em is Ethan's new neighbor and he comes to her rescue one time and that is how they officially meet, they get on well and have a connection. It's easy for them to be in a fake relationship. I loved the humor within this story and the funny banter and situations that they find themselves in...both Em and Ethan are wonderful characters because they feel so real and relatable...its shows the struggles and the joy of bringing up children either together or alone. Christina Hovland's words had me captivated right from the start and I was thoroughly entertained throughout this book. It was such a pleasure to read and I enjoyed it very much. A brilliant read. 5 Fabulous Stars.- Cat W
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS HARD By Christina Hovland
Divorce her Beverly Hills check. Set the neighborhood dumpster on fire with her nightstand buddy… check. Her hunky celebrity chef neighbor rushes to her aid? Sigh. Check mate. Emmaline Eaton is doing her best to avoid the attractive chef, but their daughters just became the bestest of friends. Ethan Greene's culinary show and career are in shambles. He already has too much on his plate trying to figure out the single parent life when his daughter launches a trending hashtag of #DateMyCelebrityDad. Now he’s getting all kinds of unwanted attention, so he calls in a favor from Emmaline. If she could just pretend to be his date until the social media mayhem dies down, that would be fabulous.
😊What i liked -
✔ Fake Dating/Single Parent/ Celebrity Dad/Forced Proximity. ✔ I laughed so much while reading this book. ✔ I am in love with Annie and Fiona. What cute Matchmakers they were. ✔ Emmaline and her puns were hilarious. Her equations with the side characters were too cute. ✔ And slow claps for the first meet. ✔ Ethan was absolutely swoon worthy. ✔ This was one entertainingly cute and hilarious read.
🤔What could have been better -
✔ I loved the MC's together but I found their chemistry lacking.
📚Who Should read :
👶Beginners 💝Romance Lover 💕Single Parent Romance 😎Celebrity Dad Romance
📈My Rating : 4/5
Thank You, Christina Hovland and Wordsmith Publicity, for a copy.