Ellie has a bad habit of picking the wrong man; a cheating ex-boyfriend, a mild-mannered foot fetishist, and let’s not forget about the hillbilly with the impolite hard-on. But when Sam James, the oh-so-hot bad boy Ellie has sworn to stay away from, keeps turning up like a bad penny, she’s going to need more than her psychic senses to see what’s coming her way.
I received a copy of the book for an honest review.
What does happy taste like? Could taste like a seedy bar where the love lorn go to knock one back. Could taste like a sexy garage owner with tight jeans. Could taste like a sassy, slightly delusional gal looking for Mr Right. Or it could taste like lickable body powder. That's a good possibility. However, I have the definitive taste of happy. Happy tastes like finding a great new author with feisty characters and a giggle in your vodka tea sense of humor.
Eliie is looking for love but not really expecting to find it. Kind of like being the youngest kid at the Easter Egg Hunt, you know there is no way you are getting the golden egg. You just hope the moms make the big kids share their chocolate with you. She has this sense, this premonition of break ups about to happen. She calls it alarm bells and a psychic ability. She senses something is off with her boyfriend, Tim. Turns out she was right and whats off are his pants as he is doing the neighbor on Ellie's leather couch.
It's during these times a girl may find herself watching Love Actually on a loop, spraying bottled whipped cream directly into her mouth, and living in a pair of dingy sweatpants.
Fortunately for Ellie she has her best friend, Luanne to help her get over it and move on.
All you need isa shower, a push up bra, and a smile.
Such good advice in so many situations.
Sam is a hot, motorcycle riding, garage owner. Sam is charming and sweet. The problem? He's a man and Ellie has sworn off men. Sam takes his time to get to know her and tries to convince her take a chance. He woos her in the garage, in a bar, in the back seat of a car. He understand Ellie is like a the bunny in the backyard that must be approached with caution.
"Be careful, Ellie." "I'm trying to be", I say
Before Ellie and Sam can even think about a happily ever after, they must get through the crappy right now. Her ex who will not go away. His ex who pops up. Both of them are quick to jump to conclusions. OMG....they make Conclusion Jumping into an Olympic sport. Can they trust each other and themselves?
...it's that love is really about having faith. Faith in yourself, faith in others, and faith that when all is said and done, it'll be worth it.
I have faith. Faith that you will enjoy this book with its funny, quirky characters. Faith that Ms Hemmer is a new name in Rom Com writing. And faith that the next book will be out soon. Now that tastes like happy.
Ellie believes she is a relationship psychic, she can sense her boyfriend is pulling away but when she finds him sleeping with her neighbor she believes love is tainted. She doesn't expect to meet Sam right away and is weary of getting re-involved with another man but she feels like Sam might be the one. Will her instincts prove correct or will she screw up what they are building because of her fear about getting her heart broken?
This was fun, had some really humorous moments. I liked the secondary characters a lot and look forward to their stories. Ellie is a girl who is scared about relationships, I liked how her story unfolded and her relationship fear was believable. Sam is swoon worthy, I thought he had the right amount of charisma and alpha male.
My friend and most valued critique partner has come out with one of the only books I've read that truly made me laugh out loud. Not just lol or LOL, but physical, rolling laughter. Her personality really comes out in her writing. If you like romantic comedy, you MUST check out this author!
Very sweet and funny romantic comedy, it was the perfect read for our book club.
What does a girl do when she has the ability to hear warning bells inside her head about the man she is in a relationship with? This was Ellie's curse, anytime she was dating someone she could tell when they were about to cheat on her, so she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop when things were going great for her in the love department. Right after she found her boyfriend Tim doing "Suzi" the neighbor inside their apartment in their very expensive Ethan Allen couch nonetheless, she decides she is finally done with men, at least the sexy, dark and mysterious kind she usually goes for. Enters- Sam, who has all of those adjectives and a motorcycle *squeals - Jackpot!!!! Now Ellie is being chase by her remorseful (Not so much) Ex, and sexy Sam; add also his Ex-girlfriend to the mix and we get a crazy combination of mischief, misunderstandings and romance.
Although this was a very sexy and hilarious book, I got annoyed by the heroine in more than occasion, her wishy-washy personality was more than I could take, and if I'm being honest I didn't like the epilogue at all. I was expecting a bit more insight into the future of Ellie and Sam and her very coveted HEA.
Overall I liked it and would recommend it to everybody looking for a sugar glazed story.
I want to share some of my favorite lines in this book:
* "If you can't drink when your heart's been broken, then when the hell can you drink?"
* "Asking him to come to a family wedding so soon. Do you think that's moving too fast? Only if it's a surprise wedding and he's the groom."
*"Prince Charming? Ha! More like Prince Cheats-A-Lot."
*"Because the first time I saw you, you took my breath away, and it wasn't until I walked into that bar three weeks ago that I felt like I could breath again."
Great writing style, I will definitely be on the look-out for more books from this author.
When I met Emily Hemmer at the RT Convention this year, I immediately gravitated towards her. She's this beautiful blonde woman with a vivacious laugh. And she's freaking hilarious. Like laugh out loud funny. She's smart, confident and such a humble woman. But enough about her. So she has this book, yeah? And she's told me she was self-publishing it and I saw her cover and I immediately knew she was the RIGHT type of self-published author. The kind that takes her time with the story, finds a great editor, great cover artist and takes pride in her work. So when she offered to let me read it before she published it...I jumped at the chance. I always get kind of nervous when writer friends ask me to read their novels because, well, what if I hate it? But I'm telling you... I did not hate this novel. Not even a little bit. Not at all. I loved it.
First of all, I realize after reading this book how much I miss funny romance novels. I spend a lot of my time reading dystopians or darker type novels and sometimes it's nice to be able to just laugh while you're falling in love. This was like one of those books where you digest a phrase and then you start busting up. Think Jen Lancaster but less snark and meanness. What I really loved was the characters. Ellie is the type of girl you can see yourself being friends with. She's got this way about herself that is just so relatable. I can see a little bit of Ellie in every girl. And Sam James. Oooh my word. Sam James. He's the quintessential sexy fictional character. I can totally see why Ellie thinks he's magical. But it's not just the main characters that are developed so well, the minor characters are also hilarious. I especially fell in love with Luanne and Amber. HILARIOUS. Not only are the characters great, but the premise is so much fun. Ellie thinks she is psychic because every time she's near a man who will break her heart she hears warning bells. (Don't you wish this were a real thing?! I could have used that when I was dating). I loved that Emily didn't go over the top with the ability...she included it just enough to be a fresh and unique take on a romance novel. Okay, so you see that drink on the cover? There's a reason for it. Whiskey and Tea. It's in the novel and it makes you want to be sitting on a front porch drinking it. Really there was so much more to this novel than I can accurately describe here, so you should just read it yourself!
The Break-Up Psychic is a wonderfully written story about a girl who is tired of heartbreak, tired of being let down and just trying to figure out how the hell to silence those damn bells. If you're looking for a romantic comedy that will have you on rolling on your ass with laughter...you NEED to pick this one up!
The Break-Up Psychic sounded kind of cute when I read the description, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a certain thing and when you read a description it's like "oh, that's it!" In my opinion, the title doesn't fit because there's no psychic activity going on, it's more like intuition. I guess psychic sounds better!
Ellie is fun and flawed. She's got daddy issues that affects her relationship intuition and ability to trust. She is very suspicious and always listening for "psychic" powers to warn her that a guy isn't on the level. She can "spot a breakup coming days, even weeks ahead of time" — it's a feeling. Lately, she's been getting that feeling about Tim, her current boyfriend. He hasn't done anything demonstrably terrible but he's been buying a lot of flowers and lacks interest in foreplay, sending red flags.
Unfortunately for Ellie, the signs are accurate, and she walks in on a rather heated er, interaction between Tim and the neighbor. Ellie is quick to call it quits but Tim wants another shot. The idiot mansplains that her suspicions drove him away. According to him, he made a mistake, but it was her lack of trust and paranoia that pushed him towards another woman Wrong is wrong, but trust is an important part of any relationship. Ellie seems to fling her suspicions at guys, which causes problems. Obviously, being overly suspicious doesn't make it okay for anyone to cheat, there are other ways to deal with the problem!
Ellie is jaded but she still wants a happily ever after, who doesn't? She thinks going for a different kind of guy might be the answer. No more bad boys, just stable and boring guys. That should be easy, right? Ha! Soon after vowing to take a different path, she meets bad boy, Sam James. People warn her not to get involved with this guy. She tries to stay away from him, but after she meets him she starts seeing him everywhere. Plus, he is really hot so even though she made a vow, she doesn't really want to stay away. BUT, she doesn't know if she can trust him.
There were some things that bugged me:
-It wasn't exactly instalove, but it was quick. I know that sometimes people fall in love fast and sometimes that works out. It wasn't completely unbelievable in this story, but it's still a little annoying. -One thing it seems like most romance books have is a "if you want me to stop, I need to know right now," line. This always bugs me because sure, it's uncomfortable if guys are ready and have to stop but who cares? If at any point during any kind of interaction a person decides they need to stop, it's time to stop! So maybe the guys should say something like "It would be really nice to know if you want to stop now, but if at any point you need or want to stop, let me know. I'm a human being and I respect you so if you need to stop, it will be fine." I know the characters aren't trying to be jerks, but there's always time to stop, guy who was enamored with her from the beginning!
Things I enjoyed:
-Hilarious bad dates -Funny moments in general -Ellie has some great friends that look out for her. -Seriously steamy love scenes -Ellie makes realistic mistakes and works through her issues -I actually really liked that Ellie didn't have a negative body image. She seems pretty confident about her body and happy with herself. I don't mind reading about people with confidence issues or body image problems (and I can relate to them) but it was a nice change.
There was some cheesiness but it is a romance novel so that's pretty much a given. I'd recommend it to someone wanting a hot, sweet, and funny contemporary read! Give a new author a shot!
As posted on The Smutty Kitty reviewed by KittyKelly
4 out of 5 Licks
One of my dear friends introduced me to Emily and said I had to read her book. I know if she recommends it that it must be good. So I started the book about an hour before I usually go to bed. Several hours later and way past my bed time I finished the book. I seriously couldn't stop reading it. I had to know what was going to happen. I fell instantly in love with Sam. He got her out of some pretty uncomfortable situations on more than one occasion. He was so funny and so willing to put up with her semi-crazy life. I found myself laughing out loud so many times while reading this book. It's a good thing my husband is a heavy sleeper or I would have been banished to the living room to finish reading. lol There were a few times when I felt like the story was dragging a bit, but the humor would kick in and the story would pick right back up. There is some serious sexing in this book as well so if that's what you are looking for you will find that too! I can't wait for more from Emily and hopefully more in this series!
What a G-R-E-A-T read!! (read the book-the spelling thing will make more sense to you) We all have our own neuroses. We try to control them but from time to time they can get away from us. That's why a good support system is crucial!! You need those friends and family members who can give it to you straight - because man oh man the truth can be painful sometimes! I loved this book and the characters and their interactions with each other and the POV that came from Ellie and constant turmoil within herself to heed the 'warning bells' but also make sure that she reaches for her HEA.
Best passage from the book: "but isn't faith built on trust? How do I know I can trust him?" I (Ellie)ask, desperate for his answer. "You got it backward, darlin'", he (Hart) states, facing the bar and his empty glass. "It's faith that comes first. Trust is earned. Faith is given." Onto the next book in the series!!
The Break-up Psychic is a humorous contemporary romance that will have you rooting for the heroine like she is one of your friends. You see her making mistakes but you know there is no way you are going to be able to talk her out of making them. You just hope for once the mistakes work in her favor. The author has mastered the art of women's relationships and how they differ depending on who are you. How women tend to over analyze in order to protect themselves and it usually ends up blowing up in their face anyway. This is a great summer vacation read that balances women's relationships and the challenges of finding your happily ever after. I'm looking forward to future releases from this author.
I won this book through Goodreads, and you may be skeptical about the five star rating, but it is exactly what it deserves! Emily Hemmer has a way of captivating the reader with dialogue that's not too old for the young adults, or too young for the older readers. Her connection between the characters was well-thought. I fell in love with the characters, and this book! I've already lent it to a co-worker. If you doubt my words, read it for yourself, but let me warn you I almost was late for work more than once because I was lounging near the pool reading this! Delightful, Emily. I can't wait to read more of your work!
This was a fun, lighthearted romance that I read in one day. The author has a unique voice that I really enjoyed, and the supporting characters are just that - characters! They made this straightforward story a lot of fun to read. I loved the chapter with Ellery/Celery and had tears in my eyes from laughing through that blind date. Sam is a super sexy character and Hemmer is not afraid to bring the heat to this story! It's a quick read for a summer weekend, highly recommended.
This book gave me the giggles starting on page one. So fun and light-hearted even when there were undertones of heartbreak. Ellie and her friends were very entertaining but it was Sam James that stole the show. OMG could he be any more perfect?? I loved every word that guy uttered. Talk about swoon!
Ellie's journey is totally relateable, very well written and I may have shed a tear or two. A beautiful romance that will sweep you away! Go ahead and read it!
I haven't read a full on romance story in a long time. This was a cute read.... I thought the characters were great, and they had some funny conversations and funny personalities.
I'm surprised that I enjoyed this love story as much as I did. Why, because there was a lot of dumb girly melodrama. How could there not be with a silly young girl with a recent ex-boyfriend, and a sweet young man with an ex-fiancé that there was a lot of chatter about. So, obviously the ex-fiancé was going to be re-appearing at some point. Drama, Drama Drama!
But, the one line comic relief situations was enough to keep me reading. Plus, the coupling as told in this story was extremely enjoyable...
Best Line In a Scene: Amber’s voice rings out, “She’s not here, Tim. I think she went to her support group meeting for Ex-Girlfriends of Assholes.”
This was a fast read but stories where there are two men going after the lady and it's obvious which one the lady should be interested in (but not obvious to the main character until the end) sort of annoy me. There were a few side characters that I wouldn't mind getting to know better.
Emily Hemmer, you are freaking hilarious. Case in point:
I admit there’re always little clues before the big break, but it’s more a feeling I have. It’s something in my gut that says, ‘Get out the chocolate and Jane Austen – this one’s going to be a doozey.’
Four times last week I came home to fresh flowers. Every girl knows receiving flowers once in a while means, “I love you,” and getting them four times in one week means, “Sorry I screwed my secretary.”
It’s making me crazy. I feel like I’m turning into Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction. I’m one flower delivery shy of making rabbit stew for dinner and practicing holding my breath under water.
I know the breakup’s coming, and I know somewhere nearby, there’s a big-boob bimbo getting all of my good foreplay.
And oh yeah, that’s just in the first FIVE PAGES!!!
Ellie has a self-proclaimed “gift”. She knows when a relationship isn’t going to work. Not just others relationships, but hers as well. She hears “sirens” go off when it becomes clear that a relationship is not going to make it. A lot of times, this really can be a gift, but she is not always one to listen to her own alarm bells. Ellie doesn’t have the best luck with men and her latest break up has left her unable to trust them. She swears off her “type”, the bad boy, until she meets Sam, the owner of a local auto repair garage. Ellie is wounded and Sam has secrets, not always the recipe for the basis of a successful relationship.
In addition to being genuinely funny, the characters are quirky and the chemistry is hot! As Ellie and Sam’s relationship picks up speed, it gets downright steamy! Ms. Hemmer is great at bringing a touch of “real life” to the romance novel, because let’s be honest, sometimes sex and relationships can be not only funny, but awkward as well.
I liked seeing how Ellie was able to reclaim some of her self-worth after her break up with her ex. Ellie has a lot of self-doubt, mostly because she comes from a working class background. Her ex, the cheater, is well to do. Ellie never felt as though she really was a part of his world. She truly changes over the course of events as she learns from her mistakes and sees things for what they really are. It is seeing the dynamic between her, Sam, her co-workers Amber and Brook, that you really get a feel for her personality, and just how much more comfortable she is outside of the relationship of the cheating louse. It is really a refreshing transformation.
I give The Break-Up Psychic 4.5 stars. It was very well written, and was a fast, easy read. I can’t wait until the next installment, the novella Just One. I do hope that we see more of Sam & Ellie in subsequent books. I love their chemistry as a couple and am eager to know how their relationship progresses!
This is a partial review. To read the review in its entirety, please go to kristenbrockmeyer.blogspot.com.
I love romance and I love humor, but it seems like finding a book that combines those two elements effectively is harder than walking a tightrope while wearing flippers and carrying a big suitcase. Either you get a book that’s heavy on the hilarity, but the relationship doesn’t quite ring your bell, or the love story between the main characters is honest and believable but the funny stuff falls flat. I'm happy to say that neither of those were an issue here.
Ellie, The Break-Up Psychic herself, is a likeable character that I can easily picture being friends with. She’s got rotten luck in the man department, and has been burned many times—so many, that when she meets Sam, a sexy, motorcycle-riding mechanic with “bad idea” written all over him, she doesn’t trust her head, her attraction, or the notable lack of psychic alarm bells that usually go off when she’s about to get her heart stomped on again.
Sam and Ellie’s relationship struck me as believable and realistic, perfectly created with complexity and depth. And I almost hesitate to confess this, since it’s never happened before in all the years I’ve been reading romance, but I’d seriously consider Sam for the position of my book boyfriend. In a word? Yum. Plus, the supporting cast, Ellie’s best friend Luanne, coworkers Brooke and Amber (I love Amber – she’s got to be some close relative of my favorite Parks and Recreation character, April Ludgate), and everyone else that shows up throughout this story, are really well-written. No cookie cutter characters here, that’s for sure, even among the secondaries.
And finally, add Emily Hemmer’s unique brand of humor (quirky, surprising, offbeat) into the mix. It’s not just that there are funny scenes that leave you like oh, that situation was hilarious (even though some of them are, like the mysterious teddy bear massacre or the flavored body powder taste-testing)—it’s more like shiny comedic threads are woven throughout the whole story. Kind of like the caramel in Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food. That ice cream would be delicious without it, but add the caramel, and the whole experience is elevated from tasty to BUH-BAMM.
In all? Two thumbs up. I don’t make the promise of a five-star read lightly and The Break-Up Psychic is totally worthy of the rating.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Break-Up Psychic from Oprah Winfrey—I mean, Emily Hemmer, during a Facebook contest. The review was my idea and when I asked permission to post it, I was promptly told to put that sh*t up.
First of all, let me state that this is the second book that I've read by Emily Hemmer, the first being Wynn in Doubt which, if you ask me, is a masterpiece, simply put and no buts about it.
Secondly, this one is very different. What I mean by different is that it's lighter, focused more on the romance part, than an emotional journey, for example or a maturing process.
Thirdly, dimples. It's in the series title, yes? That means there's bound to be a hot guy with dimples. And there is. His name is Sam James and he has one dimple our heroine always has to resist licking. I get her. I mean, when I hear 'dimples'? Commence swooning, melting, sighing. Say what you want, dimples soften even the hardest bastard's face out there.
Ellie, our heroine, has based her love life on what she'd learned from her mother, mainly that men were S-C-U-M. They'd make you fall in love with them and then, one day, they'd vamoose, leaving you brokenhearted. After all, Ellie saw her mom experience this when her father walked out on them for her twenty-three-year-old teacher. She's created this imaginary gift of hers, as a defense mechanism, against heartbreak. And as a precaution, really. Just when she'd be on the verge of falling for a guy, she'd hear the ding, ding, ding and she'd hightail it, but somehow, managing to blame to boyfriend for it.
Granted, her being cheated on by Tim is not her fault. Him being a bastard is his own fault. But almost screwing it up with Sam James? Yup, her fault.
There were times when I kinda wanted to smack Ellie upside the head, to snap her out of it but other than that, I really liked the book. I loved the side characters, Luanne, her BFF and Amanda, the crazy Goth chick she worked with. Laughed my ass off at the date scene, which from disaster went to something hoo-boy hot. I found myself either smiling, chuckling or laughing at certain parts. So, 4 1/2 lickable-dimpled stars for it.
Here's Luanne imparting her wisdom: "Come on, don't be a baby. If you can't drink when your heart's been broken then when the hell can you drink?"
And Sam James proving how lovable, sexy, sweet he is: "Ellie girl, I would love the opportunity to bring pleasure to you." <--- You don't say no to that!
Ellie has a bad habit of picking the wrong man; a cheating ex-boyfriend, a mild-mannered foot fetishist, and let’s not forget about the hillbilly with the impolite hard-on. But when Sam James, the oh-so-hot bad boy Ellie has sworn to stay away from, keeps turning up like a bad penny, she’s going to need more than her psychic senses to see what’s coming her way.
What a G-R-E-A-T read!! (read the book-the spelling thing will make more sense to you) We all have our own neuroses. We try to control them but from time to time they can get away from us. That's why a good support system is crucial!! You need those friends and family members who can give it to you straight - because man oh man the truth can be painful sometimes! I loved this book and the characters and their interactions with each other and the POV that came from Ellie and constant turmoil within herself to heed the 'warning bells' but also make sure that she reaches for her HEA.
I look forward to exploring the lives of the secondary characters as well! Ms Hemmer built an excellent cast of supporting characters that I can see leading us on a merry ride in future books!
Best passage from the book: "but isn't faith built on trust? How do I know I can trust him?" I (Ellie)ask, desperate for his answer. "You got it backward, darlin'", he (Hart) states, facing the bar and his empty glass. "It's faith that comes first. Trust is earned. Faith is given." Onto the next book in the series, Plus None (it's available now)!!
The Break-Up-Psychic is a Romantic Comedy. I love a book that literally has me laughing out loud. I had many such opportunities as I read this novel. The main heroine is Ellie. She believes she has the psychic alarm warning bells to alert her when a man is going to break her heart. At the start of her story, she hears the bells as she returns to her apartment she shares with her boyfriend, Tim. Sure enough,the bells were right, he is caught with a neighbor, in the act. Ellie turns to her best friend, Luanne, for support and a place to stay. Comedy central, there with her friend. She works at a bath shop, with the owner, Brooke, who is described in ways that made me giggle. Co-worker, Amber, well, let me just say, she was a scary wise cracking, friend. There are many great quotes that came from their interactions. Enter Sam. Our gorgeous man, is immediately attracted to Ellie. She of course is hurt from Tim. She listens loudly for her alarms. The story of their experiences were heart warming, and relatable. I found it enjoyable how Emily Hemmer wrote the references to pop culture and all things I just laughed over. Her quick wit made for a fun read. I for one am always happy when characters I have enjoyed spending time with, get their HEA. I am looking forward to more of her writings, as I found her writing strong and entertaining.
A lighthearted romance novel about letting go and seeking love. Delightful!
This book follows the basic romantic comedy premise of a young girl down on love finding love when she least expects it. The main character's personality, due to Emily Hemmer's strong writing skills, jumps off the page even if the story is predictable. In contrast to many books in this genre, the main character, Ellie, is bright and vivacious. She's a girl you would want to be friends with. I think may female readers will identify with Ellie's go-get-'em attitude even when things don't seem to go her way.
This isn't a genre I read often. Once or twice a year, I find a I need a book like this to brighten my dark young adult dystopian and adult historical fiction reading ways. With Charlaine Harris bringing the Sookie Stackhouse series to an end, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on Emily Hemmer for when I need lighter reading fare.
Ellie is in a relationship that she felt was going wonderfully, until she starts hearing alarm bells in her head. It isn't long after she hears the bells that she catches her boyfriend with the downstairs neighbor. Ellie is really hurt, and after a night of drinking vodka-laced iced-tea with her best friend that she decides to give up her type, bad boys. After she makes this vow, she meets Sam James the personification of her type, motorcycle driving mechanic! With Sam she finds herself free of alarm bells which makes her doubt herself, especially when people keep telling her that she should stay away from him. Sam is persistent and it takes a lot of will power for Ellie to stay away from him. Find out what happens with Ellie and Sam in The Break-Up Psychic!!
This book is amazing! The characters are very real and you find yourself wanting to punch some of the jerks that she dates, Tim especially! I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good laugh with their romance. You should read this book!! :)
I love to laugh, and Emily Hemmer is hilarious! I knew this from her Facebook statuses, but I was still happily surprised when I read this book! Within the first few paragraphs I was laughing out loud, and I thought to myself, "Yes! This is going to be good!!" And I was right!!
The Break-Up Psychic is a funny, sweet, and sexy read - perfect for lightening your heart in between the super-angsty books that tear us to shreds when we read them! The writing is strong, and the editing is superb - worlds above many other independently published books! Thank you Ms. Hemmer - such a relief to read without a mental red pen in my hand!!
Ellie is a completely likable main character - and she is so funny - I love her internal monologue! And Sam James *sigh* is just a lovely balance of confidence, sexiness, and thoughtfulness! Throw in a funny and supportive best friend, and some wacky (possibly deranged) co-workers, a detestable Ex, and a tortured, wise old barfly, and you have a great cast!!
This is definitely recommended for poolside reading...or fireside! :-)
I read this series a little bit out of order...reading #1.5 and #2 before this one which is #1. But, it didn't matter much. While the stories are slightly connected you wouldn't really miss anything by reading them in the order I did. True to Emily Hemmer's writing style in the other two books, this book was hilarious while at the same time heart breaking. Both Sam and Ellie have had bad records in the relationship department. While Sam seems receptive of a relationship, Ellie is a lot slower to trust both Sam and her own feelings. But, persistence pays off in a big way for Sam, he and Ellie are great together. I love the characters of Luanne (Ellie's best friend), Brook (Ellie's boss), Amber (Ellie's friend/coworker) and Hart (Sam's Great Uncle) and would love to see more of all of them! Amber was a bit of a surprise to me after having met her for the first time in the second book. I'd really like to see if anything happens with Luanne and Jason. Loved the book, it was fast paced and heart warming. Never a dull moment.
I've been reading more Indie authors lately. Not many of them impress me and I never really laugh out loud, but I did with this book! Multiple times! It is very well written and the author managed to maintain a great balance of realism and humor that appealed to my ornery side. Aside from the humor, I found the relationship between Sam and Elle extremely sweet with just the right amount of heat for this genre (hot!) I love persistent heroes and Sam is quite swoon-worthy. Elle and her caution bells are hilarious. She's a girl you can easily identify with but want to kick in the rear a few times (stuff you wish your friends had done for you!) The side characters are a hoot and add that unique ingredient to an already yummy read! I really connected with this one and definitely recommend for anyone wanting to take a break from angst and emotional drama. Worth every penny. Can't wait to read more from this author!
EEEEEP!!! This book was so adorable. I liked the characters especially Sam "PLEASE-TAKE-ME" James! It was definitely different but sometimes a bit too cliché. I liked the idea of the book and how the author wrote it.