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Princesses of Silicon Valley #1
Meet Me in Silicon Valley
Meet Juliette Cole, she’s just arrived back to Silicon Valley after three heartbreaking months following her grad school love to London. Moving in with childhood friend turned blond bombshell she gets introduced to Cassie’s crazy over the top lifestyle. Taking a job at a Silicon Valley startup she learns that work is more than just hoodies and free gourmet food. Thankfully she has The Princesses, her close group of girlfriends from college who all went as princesses to a Halloween party their freshman year.
They don’t call San Jose- Man Jose for nothing. Juliette’s heart is not lonely for long. Swimming before work she sees a guy with the most amazing six pack get out of the pool. Now she has a new quest – to meet him. While playing soccer she gets knocked out by an opposing player. The player’s hot doctor brother helps her to the sidelines then starts texting her. As things start heating up in Juliette’s personal life she now has two guys vying for her attention. Who will it be sexy swimmer Zach or hot Dr. Nate?
Author Motivation:
When I sat down to write my series I created characters I liked. I wanted the women to be smart, have their heads on strait, be part of a group of supportive friends, and have a positive relationship with their family. I wanted the guys to be the men you really want to meet -- good guys, who work hard, and treat women with respect.
For the first two books I depart from the typical Romance plot where the two main characters are absorbed with each other and have a misunderstanding during the mid point lull. I have Juliette starting a new job and being involved with her strong group of friends. I alternate chapters with four distinct threads - work, roommate, friends, men. Each thread has it's own drama. Of course the romance thread is the most important. In the first book she meets two guys, the second book she dates two guys, and the third book is a traditional Romance - it's all fun and steamy with Juliette and the man she chose.
They don’t call San Jose- Man Jose for nothing. Juliette’s heart is not lonely for long. Swimming before work she sees a guy with the most amazing six pack get out of the pool. Now she has a new quest – to meet him. While playing soccer she gets knocked out by an opposing player. The player’s hot doctor brother helps her to the sidelines then starts texting her. As things start heating up in Juliette’s personal life she now has two guys vying for her attention. Who will it be sexy swimmer Zach or hot Dr. Nate?
Author Motivation:
When I sat down to write my series I created characters I liked. I wanted the women to be smart, have their heads on strait, be part of a group of supportive friends, and have a positive relationship with their family. I wanted the guys to be the men you really want to meet -- good guys, who work hard, and treat women with respect.
For the first two books I depart from the typical Romance plot where the two main characters are absorbed with each other and have a misunderstanding during the mid point lull. I have Juliette starting a new job and being involved with her strong group of friends. I alternate chapters with four distinct threads - work, roommate, friends, men. Each thread has it's own drama. Of course the romance thread is the most important. In the first book she meets two guys, the second book she dates two guys, and the third book is a traditional Romance - it's all fun and steamy with Juliette and the man she chose.
152 pages, ebook
First published September 7, 2014
38 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Anita Claire
25 books54 followersBe sure to follow me on BookBub since I use this site to announce any sales, pre-order alerts, and R2R requests for my books: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anita...
Work Stuff -- I've spent many years working high-tech in Silicon Valley at both large companies and start-ups. This has given me plenty of war stories and a rich understanding of how things work in the valley. I use this as a backdrop to my stories.
Family Stuff -- I'm a mom of a wonderful teenage daughter.
Book Stuff --
Coaching my daughter's soccer team was the inspiration for the Princess series. I watched all these wonderful girls and imagined what they would be like in ten years.
The Prince stories were inspired by all the single 30-somethings I know who are all working hard and still looking for that someone special.
The Reunion series was motivated by me going back to my high school reunion. The love stories are all from my imagination but many of the interactions were real.
Background Stuff --
Most of my stories take place in Silicon Valley. Not only do I live in Silicon Valley but I find it a unique and dynamic place with lots of smart people who work really hard. It also has its own culture I rarely find correctly represented in our media. I think most people who write about Silicon Valley have never worked at a Silicon Valley high-tech company. In other words, they really don't understand why it is the way that it is, they just write about the manifestations of what they see. I hope my books are a fun and an under-the-cover look, at high-tech Silicon Valley-style.
When I was looking for a second location for my stories, I wanted a place that would be different from Silicon Valley. That's why I chose Western New York -- where I grew up. I liked that it was three thousand miles away so the weather was different, the land was different, and it has a very different economic base.
Why I write --
A few years ago I had a cardiac arrest, spent four days in a coma, and lost ten days of my memory. With my damaged heart, I spent the rest of the year laying on my couch trying to get oxygen to my muscles and reading ... a lot. I found I liked books that have a first-person narrative, are relationship-driven and have a happy ending. These three characteristics were in all romance novels.
My Niche --
What I didn't see in most of the romance books was intelligent women with non-traditional jobs, a strong group of friends, and a loving relationship with their families. Since I have no desire to try to fix a broken man or date an unrepentant bad boy I found the typical romance men to be unappealing. That doesn't mean my hero's don't have issues. It's just their issues can be solved by opening up and falling in love with a great woman.
Where I get my ideas --
I got my idea for my books from life. My first series “The Princesses” is about 20-something men and women who live in Silicon Valley and are transitioning from college to full adulthood. For my second series, “The Princes”, I aged the protagonists up so they are dealing with issues people in their 30's face. With my third series “Reunion” I felt the issues and lifestyle of adults in their late thirties were universal and the stories did not need to be tied to Silicon Valley.
Work Stuff -- I've spent many years working high-tech in Silicon Valley at both large companies and start-ups. This has given me plenty of war stories and a rich understanding of how things work in the valley. I use this as a backdrop to my stories.
Family Stuff -- I'm a mom of a wonderful teenage daughter.
Book Stuff --
Coaching my daughter's soccer team was the inspiration for the Princess series. I watched all these wonderful girls and imagined what they would be like in ten years.
The Prince stories were inspired by all the single 30-somethings I know who are all working hard and still looking for that someone special.
The Reunion series was motivated by me going back to my high school reunion. The love stories are all from my imagination but many of the interactions were real.
Background Stuff --
Most of my stories take place in Silicon Valley. Not only do I live in Silicon Valley but I find it a unique and dynamic place with lots of smart people who work really hard. It also has its own culture I rarely find correctly represented in our media. I think most people who write about Silicon Valley have never worked at a Silicon Valley high-tech company. In other words, they really don't understand why it is the way that it is, they just write about the manifestations of what they see. I hope my books are a fun and an under-the-cover look, at high-tech Silicon Valley-style.
When I was looking for a second location for my stories, I wanted a place that would be different from Silicon Valley. That's why I chose Western New York -- where I grew up. I liked that it was three thousand miles away so the weather was different, the land was different, and it has a very different economic base.
Why I write --
A few years ago I had a cardiac arrest, spent four days in a coma, and lost ten days of my memory. With my damaged heart, I spent the rest of the year laying on my couch trying to get oxygen to my muscles and reading ... a lot. I found I liked books that have a first-person narrative, are relationship-driven and have a happy ending. These three characteristics were in all romance novels.
My Niche --
What I didn't see in most of the romance books was intelligent women with non-traditional jobs, a strong group of friends, and a loving relationship with their families. Since I have no desire to try to fix a broken man or date an unrepentant bad boy I found the typical romance men to be unappealing. That doesn't mean my hero's don't have issues. It's just their issues can be solved by opening up and falling in love with a great woman.
Where I get my ideas --
I got my idea for my books from life. My first series “The Princesses” is about 20-something men and women who live in Silicon Valley and are transitioning from college to full adulthood. For my second series, “The Princes”, I aged the protagonists up so they are dealing with issues people in their 30's face. With my third series “Reunion” I felt the issues and lifestyle of adults in their late thirties were universal and the stories did not need to be tied to Silicon Valley.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 8, 2018
RE-READ - READ2REVIEW
~~3 stars~~
10/5/15 – The author made changes after hearing the same complaints in reviews. I was gifted a copy of the revised version in exchange for a READ2REVIEW. This was originally a part of a trilogy but it was shorten into one book. I was able to re-read up to 54% but found that I felt pretty much the same the second time reading it. Though the trilogy was compiled into one book I still felt that the focus was on the progression of the wrong guy. Positives of the revision: There wasn’t that much unnecessary detailed information with the engineering talk.
ORIGINAL REVIEW POSTED AUGUST 24, 2015
~~2.75 HEARTS~~
This had a lot of unnecessary DETAILED information. One, being the engineering talks between Juliette and her father. What’s really ironic is, I actually work for an engineering company and when they went into detail on how to solve an issue about why the program wasn’t working correctly, it just bored me to sleep. I also felt like I had to work harder to remember all the characters. The author had to supply a character chart because there were so many characters. I believe the chart had a total of 31 characters. Good thing the author gives a little description of them most of the time when characters are introduced into the scene. It felt all so cumbersome at times.
In Book 1 – Meet me in Silicon Valley, you get to meet Juliette. She moved to London to be with Stephan, a man she thought was the one. Once they returned to his homeland, Stephan changed. He wasn’t the guy Juliette knew and loved in California. She felt like an outcast, like she didn’t belong in his world anymore. With her visa expiring soon she makes a decision to move back to California and rooms with her childhood best friend, Cassie. So, fresh out of a semi-serious relationship Juliette is ready to move on and get back into the dating game. I really don’t like Cassie. She’s a bit stuck-up and a gold digger that’s not really a true friend if you ask me. What kind of friend goes after the guy you like just to be spiteful? One thing I did have an issue with was the unrealistic amount of activities Juliette was involved in. Who has time to to be on a swim team, soccer, run every morning, be a fencing trainer, have a social life and work a full time job? I'm probably leaving out a few activities she's involved in but you get the picture.
Juliette as been admiring Abs Guy, one of her fellow swim mates, from a distance. She fantasizes about him and doesn't have the courage to make small talk to ask him his name. When an opportunity comes up for her to socialize with her teammates she finally gets the chance to introduce herself. Well around this same time we met Nate, the doctor. She gets the wind knocked out of her while playing soccer and Nate is there to see to her injuries. A little flirting ensues and now Juliette is in a bit of a pickle. She now has two guys that she's interested in that's interested in her also but doesn't know which one to pick.
The book does pick up a little a the end and YES it ends with a cliffhanger. Overall this book did bore me with all the unnecessary detailed information of things I just couldn't comprehend.
Copy generously gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review
~~3 stars~~
10/5/15 – The author made changes after hearing the same complaints in reviews. I was gifted a copy of the revised version in exchange for a READ2REVIEW. This was originally a part of a trilogy but it was shorten into one book. I was able to re-read up to 54% but found that I felt pretty much the same the second time reading it. Though the trilogy was compiled into one book I still felt that the focus was on the progression of the wrong guy. Positives of the revision: There wasn’t that much unnecessary detailed information with the engineering talk.
ORIGINAL REVIEW POSTED AUGUST 24, 2015
~~2.75 HEARTS~~
This had a lot of unnecessary DETAILED information. One, being the engineering talks between Juliette and her father. What’s really ironic is, I actually work for an engineering company and when they went into detail on how to solve an issue about why the program wasn’t working correctly, it just bored me to sleep. I also felt like I had to work harder to remember all the characters. The author had to supply a character chart because there were so many characters. I believe the chart had a total of 31 characters. Good thing the author gives a little description of them most of the time when characters are introduced into the scene. It felt all so cumbersome at times.
In Book 1 – Meet me in Silicon Valley, you get to meet Juliette. She moved to London to be with Stephan, a man she thought was the one. Once they returned to his homeland, Stephan changed. He wasn’t the guy Juliette knew and loved in California. She felt like an outcast, like she didn’t belong in his world anymore. With her visa expiring soon she makes a decision to move back to California and rooms with her childhood best friend, Cassie. So, fresh out of a semi-serious relationship Juliette is ready to move on and get back into the dating game. I really don’t like Cassie. She’s a bit stuck-up and a gold digger that’s not really a true friend if you ask me. What kind of friend goes after the guy you like just to be spiteful? One thing I did have an issue with was the unrealistic amount of activities Juliette was involved in. Who has time to to be on a swim team, soccer, run every morning, be a fencing trainer, have a social life and work a full time job? I'm probably leaving out a few activities she's involved in but you get the picture.
Juliette as been admiring Abs Guy, one of her fellow swim mates, from a distance. She fantasizes about him and doesn't have the courage to make small talk to ask him his name. When an opportunity comes up for her to socialize with her teammates she finally gets the chance to introduce herself. Well around this same time we met Nate, the doctor. She gets the wind knocked out of her while playing soccer and Nate is there to see to her injuries. A little flirting ensues and now Juliette is in a bit of a pickle. She now has two guys that she's interested in that's interested in her also but doesn't know which one to pick.
The book does pick up a little a the end and YES it ends with a cliffhanger. Overall this book did bore me with all the unnecessary detailed information of things I just couldn't comprehend.
Copy generously gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review
February 11, 2016
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
After months of no dating, what’s a girl to do when the two guys she meets in the same week show interest in her?
Juliette Cole does competitive swimming every morning. She finds the swimmer in Lane 8 physically gorgeous and refers to him as “Abs Guy”. Quite the sports enthusiast, she also finds "Doc" quite appealing when he renders first aid to her after a soccer mishap. Juliette isn’t a one-night stand kinda girl. After her last serious relationship ended, she’s looking for long-term. In a lightly-knitted triangle, you’ll find some laughter, sassy dialogue, and learn which one of the hunks wins her heart!
Although both the story and the characters showed a lot of potential, I just didn’t feel much construction or depth to either. The storyline - especially in regards to the romance - felt rushed from beginning to end. I would have preferred a lot less engineering/work related details which became monotonous and boring to having much more focus directed to the central characters and the relationship building. The triangle didn’t hold much angst or ill-will towards any side. Pretty much irrelevant with little emphasis placed on it from the beginning to an abrupt ending in less than 10-15 words of parting. Too much of the story was left hanging and many characters simply vanished into thin air with no resolve. Perhaps these oversights will be resolved in Nate’s book, but nothing gave any indication or hint to that being the case.
There were too many unnecessary edits that could easily have been picked up by a good proofreader. One prime example is that Zach with an "h" became Zack with a "k" more than several times throughout the book.
Quick and easy contemporary read – didn’t love or hate. Just okay.
[NOTE: This is a re-edited version that was originally the Juliette Trilogy comprised of Meet Me in Silicon Valley, Kiss Me in Silicon Valley and Be with Me in Silicon Valley.]
After months of no dating, what’s a girl to do when the two guys she meets in the same week show interest in her?
Juliette Cole does competitive swimming every morning. She finds the swimmer in Lane 8 physically gorgeous and refers to him as “Abs Guy”. Quite the sports enthusiast, she also finds "Doc" quite appealing when he renders first aid to her after a soccer mishap. Juliette isn’t a one-night stand kinda girl. After her last serious relationship ended, she’s looking for long-term. In a lightly-knitted triangle, you’ll find some laughter, sassy dialogue, and learn which one of the hunks wins her heart!
Although both the story and the characters showed a lot of potential, I just didn’t feel much construction or depth to either. The storyline - especially in regards to the romance - felt rushed from beginning to end. I would have preferred a lot less engineering/work related details which became monotonous and boring to having much more focus directed to the central characters and the relationship building. The triangle didn’t hold much angst or ill-will towards any side. Pretty much irrelevant with little emphasis placed on it from the beginning to an abrupt ending in less than 10-15 words of parting. Too much of the story was left hanging and many characters simply vanished into thin air with no resolve. Perhaps these oversights will be resolved in Nate’s book, but nothing gave any indication or hint to that being the case.
There were too many unnecessary edits that could easily have been picked up by a good proofreader. One prime example is that Zach with an "h" became Zack with a "k" more than several times throughout the book.
Quick and easy contemporary read – didn’t love or hate. Just okay.
[NOTE: This is a re-edited version that was originally the Juliette Trilogy comprised of Meet Me in Silicon Valley, Kiss Me in Silicon Valley and Be with Me in Silicon Valley.]
August 30, 2015
This a story about a geeky girl who lives in Silicon Valley. Highly competitive engineering field. She's is working hard to stay in a men dominant field. At the same time she's trying to keep up with her busy social and love life.
At first I had a very hard time keeping up with the characters. I was overwhelmed and had to take a picture of the characters at the beginning of the book. I had a good time reading about Juliette and her love interest. I liked Zach Nate and Grey. I was intrigued on who she was going to end up with.
By the second book I was hooked and very invested in most characters. Kevin Amanda Sean kelly Jennifer, of course Zach and Cassie. Oh I liked Sam and Meredith too. :). I finished the second book and the third book was filled with many many love scenes. ;)
I did love the witty geeky people in this series. I found myself laughing in many parts. I would love to read more about some of the other characters.
I did have several question after the trilogy was over....
But other then that, it was a fun read!
Copy provided by author.
At first I had a very hard time keeping up with the characters. I was overwhelmed and had to take a picture of the characters at the beginning of the book. I had a good time reading about Juliette and her love interest. I liked Zach Nate and Grey. I was intrigued on who she was going to end up with.
By the second book I was hooked and very invested in most characters. Kevin Amanda Sean kelly Jennifer, of course Zach and Cassie. Oh I liked Sam and Meredith too. :). I finished the second book and the third book was filled with many many love scenes. ;)
I did love the witty geeky people in this series. I found myself laughing in many parts. I would love to read more about some of the other characters.
I did have several question after the trilogy was over....
But other then that, it was a fun read!
Copy provided by author.
March 15, 2019
3 1/2 stars
This is the first book in the Princesses of Silicon Valley trilogy.
The main character, Juliette Cole, is a recent graduate who has begun working as an engineer at a tech firm. She is getting over a disappointing break-up with the help of her trusted and loyal friends, otherwise known as the 'seven princesses'. The story focuses on her day-to-day experiences, her various relationships, workplace issues and politics, as well as her hopes (and rather spicy fantasies) regarding two potential love interests, Zach and Nate.
At first, I wasn't sure what to make of the overall style of this tale which seems to straddle the line between contemporary romance and new adult romance (but without the typical angst involved). It also took me a little while to wrap my head around the numerous characters and keep them all straight. (The author provides an appendix at the end of the book to help out with that.)
Once I was further into the book, I found myself either interested in or enjoying Juliette's perspective re: her interactions with her beautiful and self-absorbed roommate, her various friends (who have their own share of issues and offer lots of advice and gossip), as well as Zach, the hot guy on her swim team, and Nate, the doctor she meets (after getting hurt on the soccer field) and flirts with via text.
This story has a realistic, slice-of-life tone. There isn't really a strong conflict in this book that compels the reader to push on, other than being curious or intrigued by the characters and daily events themselves, as well as wondering who Juliette will choose to be with in the romance department, in the long run.
This is a light and sometimes funny read that focuses on the lives and relationships of women in their twenties and also sets things up for future books about the other Princesses. This may appeal to those readers who might enjoy an NA read without the intense drama.
*** A copy of this book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in the Princesses of Silicon Valley trilogy.
The main character, Juliette Cole, is a recent graduate who has begun working as an engineer at a tech firm. She is getting over a disappointing break-up with the help of her trusted and loyal friends, otherwise known as the 'seven princesses'. The story focuses on her day-to-day experiences, her various relationships, workplace issues and politics, as well as her hopes (and rather spicy fantasies) regarding two potential love interests, Zach and Nate.
At first, I wasn't sure what to make of the overall style of this tale which seems to straddle the line between contemporary romance and new adult romance (but without the typical angst involved). It also took me a little while to wrap my head around the numerous characters and keep them all straight. (The author provides an appendix at the end of the book to help out with that.)
Once I was further into the book, I found myself either interested in or enjoying Juliette's perspective re: her interactions with her beautiful and self-absorbed roommate, her various friends (who have their own share of issues and offer lots of advice and gossip), as well as Zach, the hot guy on her swim team, and Nate, the doctor she meets (after getting hurt on the soccer field) and flirts with via text.
This story has a realistic, slice-of-life tone. There isn't really a strong conflict in this book that compels the reader to push on, other than being curious or intrigued by the characters and daily events themselves, as well as wondering who Juliette will choose to be with in the romance department, in the long run.
This is a light and sometimes funny read that focuses on the lives and relationships of women in their twenties and also sets things up for future books about the other Princesses. This may appeal to those readers who might enjoy an NA read without the intense drama.
*** A copy of this book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2014
I received a copy of the eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is a refreshing New Adult fiction where the female protagonist is not dysfunctional and pining over the bad boy. Juliette Cole has recently graduated and is working as an engineer in Silicon Valley. She is recovering from a break up but is determined to move forward. And she meets two potential boyfriend candidates—Zach and Dr. Nate. Both men appear to be attracted in her.
The novel introduces the reader to Juliette’s world. She has a strong support system including but not limited to her parents and her ‘Princess’ girlfriends. It is clear that she is focused, ambitious, confident and comfortable in her own skin. Her life is full and interesting. She is likeable and real. The short chapters move the story along quickly and the author draws the reader into Juliette’s world.
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is book 1 in the Princesses of Silicon Valley series. Looking forward to book 2. Juliette’s journey is just beginning and it is getting complicated. Will she make a choice between Zach and Dr. Nate? A most enjoyable read.
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is a refreshing New Adult fiction where the female protagonist is not dysfunctional and pining over the bad boy. Juliette Cole has recently graduated and is working as an engineer in Silicon Valley. She is recovering from a break up but is determined to move forward. And she meets two potential boyfriend candidates—Zach and Dr. Nate. Both men appear to be attracted in her.
The novel introduces the reader to Juliette’s world. She has a strong support system including but not limited to her parents and her ‘Princess’ girlfriends. It is clear that she is focused, ambitious, confident and comfortable in her own skin. Her life is full and interesting. She is likeable and real. The short chapters move the story along quickly and the author draws the reader into Juliette’s world.
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is book 1 in the Princesses of Silicon Valley series. Looking forward to book 2. Juliette’s journey is just beginning and it is getting complicated. Will she make a choice between Zach and Dr. Nate? A most enjoyable read.
January 14, 2015
Right from the start we jump into a hot dream that Juliette was having of Zach aka Abs Guy. I found Juliette to be an interesting character. She was a new graduate engineer who's just beginning work at a tech firm while exploring her attraction to two men who are opposite of each other. Zach the hot swimmer was an engineer and Dr Nate who is fun and cute is also serious guy. What's a girl to do?
I thought this was a fun and quick book to read and enjoyed it and give it 3.5 stars.
I thought this was a fun and quick book to read and enjoyed it and give it 3.5 stars.
December 19, 2014
Terrible. Seriously, what is this book about? No clue. She likes two guys. Sort of. What did she do with these two guys for 200-odd pages? No idea. The chapter titles actually tell you what the ENTIRE chapter is about (ie: Swim Team Happy Hour - they get drinks. 13 - Soccer Game: She plays in a soccer game; 19 - Swimming on Saturday: She goes swimming). Moving on.
April 14, 2017
I have recently been looking to read a broader variety of genres, as I generally stick to fantasy and a little YA, when I stumbled upon Anita Claire's Princesses of Silicon Valley series. I was intrigued by the provided short description and the very beautiful cover (I know, I'm not supposed to "judge a book by its cover," but I admit that I do). Although at first I wasn't sure about what to expect, I can definitely say I am glad I took the time to read this.
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is the first installment of the series and it follows the life of Juliette Cole, who recently finished graduate school and broke up with her jerk of a boyfriend, for whom she moved to London. She moves to Silicon Valley, gets an analytical engineering position at a technology company and lives in a condo with her friend Cassie, who comes off as shallow and money hungry, but has her likable moments as well.
There are SO many great things about this book that I want to talk about, so I am just going to jump in and list off a few. As we all know, many of today's literature has female characters that are whiny, wimpy, and are often so dependent on their romantic relationship that they cannot focus on anything else. However, this book breaks many of those norms. Claire wrote a female protagonist who is intelligent, who holds a plausible just-out-of-college work position (I think this one was very important to mention as many of today's books paint an unrealistic just of out college career), she is ordinary (no super powers or paranormal boyfriends), she deals with problems that ordinary people deal with, and she has the support of a great group of female friends who are also women that you are likely to meet and be friends with in real life.
I would also like to mention that even though the story of the girl having to choose between two guys (who are by the way both super HOT!) isn't unique, I thought that Claire had a great approach to it. She made Juliette conscious of the fact that these relationships aren't just a game, someone can get hurt. She wrote the dilemma in a manner that would happen in real life to a real, regular girl, and made sure that it wasn't a cliche like so many books out there!
I thought that this book was very well written and edited. Claire's writing has a great flow to it, it's easy to read without using juvenile language. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series! I would definitely recommend this book for someone who enjoys fiction and romance. I will note that there is some mature content that not all audiences may be comfortable with.
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is the first installment of the series and it follows the life of Juliette Cole, who recently finished graduate school and broke up with her jerk of a boyfriend, for whom she moved to London. She moves to Silicon Valley, gets an analytical engineering position at a technology company and lives in a condo with her friend Cassie, who comes off as shallow and money hungry, but has her likable moments as well.
There are SO many great things about this book that I want to talk about, so I am just going to jump in and list off a few. As we all know, many of today's literature has female characters that are whiny, wimpy, and are often so dependent on their romantic relationship that they cannot focus on anything else. However, this book breaks many of those norms. Claire wrote a female protagonist who is intelligent, who holds a plausible just-out-of-college work position (I think this one was very important to mention as many of today's books paint an unrealistic just of out college career), she is ordinary (no super powers or paranormal boyfriends), she deals with problems that ordinary people deal with, and she has the support of a great group of female friends who are also women that you are likely to meet and be friends with in real life.
I would also like to mention that even though the story of the girl having to choose between two guys (who are by the way both super HOT!) isn't unique, I thought that Claire had a great approach to it. She made Juliette conscious of the fact that these relationships aren't just a game, someone can get hurt. She wrote the dilemma in a manner that would happen in real life to a real, regular girl, and made sure that it wasn't a cliche like so many books out there!
I thought that this book was very well written and edited. Claire's writing has a great flow to it, it's easy to read without using juvenile language. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series! I would definitely recommend this book for someone who enjoys fiction and romance. I will note that there is some mature content that not all audiences may be comfortable with.
August 5, 2015
This was a very easy read and an extremely fun one. It was a really well written book with an interesting storyline and very likeable characters that made it easy to fall in love with the story. In short I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next in the series.
The main character is Juliette, a young lady who has finished university and has moved home to live with a friend from high school. Her and friends from university who now work at the same company call themselves the princesses based upon their likeness to Disney princesses. The book centres on Juliette’s life and how she is managing being back at home with her friends after a summer in England with her now ex-boyfriend. As Juliette becomes emotionally attached to not one but two new characters in this book, it is a learning character for her who is usually the shy wallflower type. I loved the main character due to how she is written, like she could very easily be a real life person and that her characteristics made her very likeable.
The secondary characters include Cassie, The Princesses, Zach and Nate. Cassie is the friend from high school although there is bad blood there involving a boy Juliette had a crush on and Cassie stole away, the two in this book are living together showing readers two people from completely opposite end of the scales with opposite personalities. The princesses are Juliette’s friends from university; they are called the princesses due to their likeness to Disney characters including Princess Jasmine, Mulan, Snow White and Merida. There are a lot of different characters included in the group of people referred to as the princesses however they all seem to have similar characteristics. They all seem to be very loud and willing to talk about their sexual experiences, almost the opposite to Juliette. Zach is a character also known as abs guy, he is a swimmer in the same place as Juliette and first comes to the reader’s attention in a sexy dream Juliette is having; the two characters go on to have a date. Nate is a doctor who attends to Juliette after an injury in a sporting game; the two characters go on to sext each other pictures of their bodies and then go on a date.
The storyline and pacing are superb leaving us with a cliff-hanger and desperate to know which of the two guys Juliette is involved with is going to contact her. The storyline I thought was very original and extremely fun to read and the pacing gave us a great intro into the characters and then brought us on a journey with them.
I loved this book, 5 stars.
The main character is Juliette, a young lady who has finished university and has moved home to live with a friend from high school. Her and friends from university who now work at the same company call themselves the princesses based upon their likeness to Disney princesses. The book centres on Juliette’s life and how she is managing being back at home with her friends after a summer in England with her now ex-boyfriend. As Juliette becomes emotionally attached to not one but two new characters in this book, it is a learning character for her who is usually the shy wallflower type. I loved the main character due to how she is written, like she could very easily be a real life person and that her characteristics made her very likeable.
The secondary characters include Cassie, The Princesses, Zach and Nate. Cassie is the friend from high school although there is bad blood there involving a boy Juliette had a crush on and Cassie stole away, the two in this book are living together showing readers two people from completely opposite end of the scales with opposite personalities. The princesses are Juliette’s friends from university; they are called the princesses due to their likeness to Disney characters including Princess Jasmine, Mulan, Snow White and Merida. There are a lot of different characters included in the group of people referred to as the princesses however they all seem to have similar characteristics. They all seem to be very loud and willing to talk about their sexual experiences, almost the opposite to Juliette. Zach is a character also known as abs guy, he is a swimmer in the same place as Juliette and first comes to the reader’s attention in a sexy dream Juliette is having; the two characters go on to have a date. Nate is a doctor who attends to Juliette after an injury in a sporting game; the two characters go on to sext each other pictures of their bodies and then go on a date.
The storyline and pacing are superb leaving us with a cliff-hanger and desperate to know which of the two guys Juliette is involved with is going to contact her. The storyline I thought was very original and extremely fun to read and the pacing gave us a great intro into the characters and then brought us on a journey with them.
I loved this book, 5 stars.
August 17, 2015
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is book one of the Princess Trilogy Princesses of Silicon Valley by Anita Claire. It is slightly erotic at least in the narrator’s dreams. The book is narrated by Juliette.
Juliette is an engineer who is working for a company in the Silicon Valley of California. She is just beginning so is down the ladder a ways. She is very good at her job and when she has problems, she discusses them in a cryptic manner with her father who is also an engineer. She speaks in hypothetical situations and does not talk about specific projects she is working on. When she gives a possible solution to the problem they are having at work, she is rudely shut down by the engineers she is working under. What is she going to do?
Juliette’s dating and love life is suffering. She had just broken up with her boyfriend of two years and was wondering what to do now. She was not the flirty sort of girl and in fact was shy around men. She sees a gorgeous looking man when she is at swim team practice. She doesn’t know who he is so she calls him the Abs man. His name is Zach. When she was playing in a soccer game one weekend, she was put in as a substitute. She is knocked down by a collision with another player and is looked at by that player’s brother, a doctor specializing in orthopedics. She begins a long distance phone relationship with him. He is in Minneapolis where he is finishing his residency.
Going from being dumped to having two suitors and having to choose between them is daunting enough; but to add the problems at work and the problems with her roommate Cassie, Juliette is in trouble.
Juliette is an engineer who is working for a company in the Silicon Valley of California. She is just beginning so is down the ladder a ways. She is very good at her job and when she has problems, she discusses them in a cryptic manner with her father who is also an engineer. She speaks in hypothetical situations and does not talk about specific projects she is working on. When she gives a possible solution to the problem they are having at work, she is rudely shut down by the engineers she is working under. What is she going to do?
Juliette’s dating and love life is suffering. She had just broken up with her boyfriend of two years and was wondering what to do now. She was not the flirty sort of girl and in fact was shy around men. She sees a gorgeous looking man when she is at swim team practice. She doesn’t know who he is so she calls him the Abs man. His name is Zach. When she was playing in a soccer game one weekend, she was put in as a substitute. She is knocked down by a collision with another player and is looked at by that player’s brother, a doctor specializing in orthopedics. She begins a long distance phone relationship with him. He is in Minneapolis where he is finishing his residency.
Going from being dumped to having two suitors and having to choose between them is daunting enough; but to add the problems at work and the problems with her roommate Cassie, Juliette is in trouble.
January 1, 2015
Meet Me in Silicon Valley by Anita Claire is indeed the best read ever. Readers will find themselves immersed into a world filled with dashing yet charming characters that pop to life. The main character, Juliette Cole, is a character unlike any other. She is one that all readers can relate to. We all the glorious and rich lifestyle. And Juliette Cole has it all. She moves back to Silicon Valley where she follows her grad school love. But with her new girlfriends, her job, and hot men everywhere, Juliette Cole is the new it. But how does a woman choose between two irrevocably hot sexy men. Either one could be her man. Choosing between Dr. Nate or the Zach the swimmer will be the toughest choice ever. Will Juliette make the right decision? Who will she choose? Follow her and her friends on this once in a lifetime adventure.
I found Anita Claire’s novel to be stunning and smoking hot. Her characters create an alluring net catching every reader’s attention. Then there is the well-written plot that is just as catchy as the amazing characters. I would recommend this novel to all readers out there. Anita Claire’s brilliant story will capture you like no other series. That is right! Readers beware of being hooked, Meet Me in Silicon Valley is the first book in this sexy hot steamy trilogy. Anita Claire definitely knows what her readers want in a romance novel. She dishes out only the best of the best characters and plot that every reader will fall in love with. Overall, I rate this novel a five out of five stars.
I found Anita Claire’s novel to be stunning and smoking hot. Her characters create an alluring net catching every reader’s attention. Then there is the well-written plot that is just as catchy as the amazing characters. I would recommend this novel to all readers out there. Anita Claire’s brilliant story will capture you like no other series. That is right! Readers beware of being hooked, Meet Me in Silicon Valley is the first book in this sexy hot steamy trilogy. Anita Claire definitely knows what her readers want in a romance novel. She dishes out only the best of the best characters and plot that every reader will fall in love with. Overall, I rate this novel a five out of five stars.
November 16, 2014
*Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is the first in a series of books that examines the lives of 7 college friends as they begin their adult lives. The first trilogy is about Juliette, a newly graduated engineer who has begun work in a Silicon Valley tech firm. We get an up-close look at Juliette's daily life as she adjusts to her first real job, and a new roommate. I loved that Juliette is a non-typical heroine, an athletic young woman working in a traditionally male field. I also liked the in-depth exploration of her character that the author gives us. We don't really have a hero in this first book, as Juliette is exploring her attraction to 2 "cute guys". Although I haven't read them, I'm assuming that this is the beginning of the story arc, and that it's continued in the subsequent 2 books.
Unfortunately, I didn't really connect with the characters in this book. It's been a long time since I was in my early twenties, and I just found I couldn't relate to the issues they were dealing with. I'd recommend this one for those who enjoy a New Adult read.
3 ★
Meet Me in Silicon Valley is the first in a series of books that examines the lives of 7 college friends as they begin their adult lives. The first trilogy is about Juliette, a newly graduated engineer who has begun work in a Silicon Valley tech firm. We get an up-close look at Juliette's daily life as she adjusts to her first real job, and a new roommate. I loved that Juliette is a non-typical heroine, an athletic young woman working in a traditionally male field. I also liked the in-depth exploration of her character that the author gives us. We don't really have a hero in this first book, as Juliette is exploring her attraction to 2 "cute guys". Although I haven't read them, I'm assuming that this is the beginning of the story arc, and that it's continued in the subsequent 2 books.
Unfortunately, I didn't really connect with the characters in this book. It's been a long time since I was in my early twenties, and I just found I couldn't relate to the issues they were dealing with. I'd recommend this one for those who enjoy a New Adult read.
3 ★
December 7, 2015
This was originally three separate books (Meet Me, Kiss Me, Be With Me) that have been re-worked and re-edited to make one more appealing story.
This story is about Juliette, Gray, Noah, Zach, and the rest of the princesses that were Juliette's college friends.
Juliette has gone from quiet engineer regrouping from her breakup with a long time boyfriend to almost another person entirely and she doesn't know how to handle it. Nate, Zach and Gray are the three guys in her life. Gray is a longtime friend that has secretly had a crush on Juliette, Nate is a Doctor that she met when his sister took a block shot at her in a soccer game, and Zach the swimming adonis that she has crushed on since she saw him at swim practice one day. Three men, all contenders, but she is having a hard time deciding what to do. Well, Gray is a friend...not a boyfriend and the other two, yep both boyfriend material. Her inner self has talks about what she is doing and its pretty funny, it reminds me of the angel on one shoulder while the devil is on the other and they are both telling you different things to do.
***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review***
This story is about Juliette, Gray, Noah, Zach, and the rest of the princesses that were Juliette's college friends.
Juliette has gone from quiet engineer regrouping from her breakup with a long time boyfriend to almost another person entirely and she doesn't know how to handle it. Nate, Zach and Gray are the three guys in her life. Gray is a longtime friend that has secretly had a crush on Juliette, Nate is a Doctor that she met when his sister took a block shot at her in a soccer game, and Zach the swimming adonis that she has crushed on since she saw him at swim practice one day. Three men, all contenders, but she is having a hard time deciding what to do. Well, Gray is a friend...not a boyfriend and the other two, yep both boyfriend material. Her inner self has talks about what she is doing and its pretty funny, it reminds me of the angel on one shoulder while the devil is on the other and they are both telling you different things to do.
***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review***
November 20, 2014
The Princesses of Silicon Valley - Book 1
This book starts off with an x-rated dream! Juliette, an engineer who works with computers, is starting a new job at a place like Google. She is surrounded by geeky and strange men. But she swims almost everyday and has fantasies at night about the sexy abs guy from the pool. It takes awhile but she learns the guy's name but only after her girlfriends bother her about it. She also reconnects with Gray, a man from her childhood.
Juliette is a very busy woman. She plays soccer with her friend Isabelle and gets mowed down by a player from the opposing team. She meets Dr. Nate Lombard. Is Juliette open to meeting a man? Has she gotten over her relationship with Stephan?
To be honest, I was a bit bored by this story. Nothing really happened until the end, then it was over - get book two. There are a lot of college friends. There are friends from swimming and then her roommate. Just too many characters. No real focus.
This book starts off with an x-rated dream! Juliette, an engineer who works with computers, is starting a new job at a place like Google. She is surrounded by geeky and strange men. But she swims almost everyday and has fantasies at night about the sexy abs guy from the pool. It takes awhile but she learns the guy's name but only after her girlfriends bother her about it. She also reconnects with Gray, a man from her childhood.
Juliette is a very busy woman. She plays soccer with her friend Isabelle and gets mowed down by a player from the opposing team. She meets Dr. Nate Lombard. Is Juliette open to meeting a man? Has she gotten over her relationship with Stephan?
To be honest, I was a bit bored by this story. Nothing really happened until the end, then it was over - get book two. There are a lot of college friends. There are friends from swimming and then her roommate. Just too many characters. No real focus.
August 17, 2015
Dang it! I got tricked and carried away by the opening scene. Left me hot and bothered hahaha. This book was a wonderful read. At first, I thought this book had too many characters for a romance story. But as I read on, I got the hang of all of them and I really appreciated how each character was developed. It's nice to read a book with so many diverse cultures and personalities. This book was a good introduction to all these 'princesses' who I'm sure are going to get their own stories. Although at first glance, Cassie seemed like a very shallow character. But later on I realized she was actually an insanely interesting girl. She also had her own struggles and was also just trying to survive the best way she could. Plus she made Juliette's life a little exciting. I really liked the events related to the game which Cassie and Julliete went to. And the prank text she sent to Nate was funny too. Ok, Zach and Nate were really hot! Lucky Julliete.
December 10, 2014
Juliette Cole is an interesting character. Fresh from her London internship, she decides to move in with her wild, crazy, very beautiful and vain childhood friend. She get a great engineer job and have to prove she has brains along with the beauty. She keeps busy with her collective sport activities. Coming from a bad breakup, she feels uncertain. So when a guy from her morning swimming asked her out. Then an another guy from her soccer game texts her. She is ready to burst. She only had two relationship experience. Now she has two guys interested in her. I love the princesses. They can keep the consultation amusing. This is a great start of the series.
August 11, 2015
I received a copy of the eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Very interesting story. In the beginning there are a lot of characters that I was happy that I did read the brief history of each character. Juliette Cole is an engineer and works with geeks. She was doing an internship in London and left her boyfriend and returned to her hometown. She's living with her high maintenance friend Cassie. Juliette is having a fantasy dreams with an abs guy from her swim club. She meets a series doctor and becomes torn to who she should choose. A funny romantic story. Keeps you going. Loved it.
Very interesting story. In the beginning there are a lot of characters that I was happy that I did read the brief history of each character. Juliette Cole is an engineer and works with geeks. She was doing an internship in London and left her boyfriend and returned to her hometown. She's living with her high maintenance friend Cassie. Juliette is having a fantasy dreams with an abs guy from her swim club. She meets a series doctor and becomes torn to who she should choose. A funny romantic story. Keeps you going. Loved it.
December 26, 2014
Good book to start a series with. After this one the rest of the series is now on my to read list as they are still coming out. It was an easy read more real life than fantasy love story so you can relate. It stopped at a perfect spot that makes you accelerate the next in the series to your next in cue to read.
August 10, 2015
I enjoyed this book. Juliette is an intelligent, sporty young woman who is very close with her college friends. She has the hots for a sexy swimmer known as 'Abs Guy' until she learns his name. I liked that the characters have a past that we slowly learn through their dialogue and Juliette's inner thoughts. This book is funny and sexy and leaves you craving the next book!
August 23, 2015
I can not believe I have not read this yet. It was definitely a book I enjoyed reading. I received an Arc for an Honest Review and I am looking forward to reading the next book. I am hooked and curious to see how this story line unfolds.
March 9, 2015
An overabundance of characters, telling, not showing, and weird stylistic choices that take the reader out of the story (dancing around the names of Bay Area sports team, example: people are 'San Francisco baseball fans' instead of 'Giants fans'and Juliette goes to a football game at Levi's Stadium and never calls the team the 49ers. THERE IS NO OTHER PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM THAT PLAYS THERE), not to mention the boring perfect heroine Juliette.
Oh Juliette and your overwhelming love of Pandora (seriously, you can't say Giants but she can mention she's listening to her 'favorite Pandora channel' 3 times and her Pandora channel gets changed once. Do you work for Pandora or something Anita? You could say music, or playlist or streaming service, but no, it had to be 'favorite Pandora channel.') You are too perfect for your own good. She rides horses, teaches fencing, swims, plays on a soccer team, hangs with everyone in Silicone Valley, has a great relationship with her parents, has a good solid job with perks, and a magical perfect home she lives in with a friend. Anytime there's any sort of conflict in her life (there's not really much, so BORING) her friends or family are right there to support her and give her advice. She has so many side character friends they need an appendix. Most of her friends are from college and are collectively known as 'The Princesses' because of they went as, get this, PRINCESSES for Halloween! I know! Super original and I'm sure NO OTHER groups of friends did this on their campus. They even still all call each other by the character they were dressed as. A RIOT! Or would be, since this is Juliette's book she calls them by name and they all call her Snow ('cause she went as Snow White, GET IT!? GET IT!?) You will never want to see the word Princesses again after reading it 45 times in this book. At 172 pages, that means's you'll be seeing it roughly every 4 pages. Besides The Princesses, she has her work buddies, fitness buddies, and her two chosen dating partners Zach and Nate.
Zach is a super nice engineer who has amazing abs and is a computer engineer like Juliette. They meet during morning swim club and Juliette wouldn't mind getting to know him and his abs a little better... Then she meets Nate, who saves the day when Juliette is knocked out at her soccer game. I hate him with a fiery passion and am pretty sure that he's the one she ends up with since he has an entire book written about him. That's just my speculation since I haven't read any of the other books, but I like to think it's a pretty safe bet. I despise him because of why he's decided on orthopedics, "...frankly, I'd rather be dealing with patients that are using their body and working out. I don't want to spend my day with people that are old and dying, or ones that don't take care of themselves." Yikes. Nate, I don't know if you've heard, but PLENTY of people that work out abuse their bodies as well. Wouldn't being a doctor for people that, "...don't take care of themselves...." be a prime opportunity to turn their lives around with your caring nature and excellent advice? No? Here's this for a news flash as well, death is kind of a part of life. Icky. I know.
Maybe Nate ends up with Cassie, Juliette's shallow ex-best friend and now housemate. Cassie is a spoiled recently divorced brat who has loud sex with a football player that plays in Levi's stadium (see, I can avoid team names too!) and owns the house they live in due to her grandmother willing it to her. Cassie deliberately dated boys that Juliette was interested in high school and is a jerk. Juliette is living with her because Cassie is interesting, and the house is in a great location. You know what, dogs are interesting too, and don't try date guys you like just because they can. Location doesn't outweigh fake friends, just saying.
The best part of the book is Juliette at work, even though the author has such stereotypical characters as co-workers, Juliette TELLS you how stereotypical they are. Even with that, I love the co-worker dynamic and the conflict that happens. It's actually interesting. The worst part is the princesses. There's just too many to keep track of, you don't get to know any of them really, except Juliette, obviously. Don't even tell me about how I'll get to know them in the other books, that's just lazy. Make me want to know about the other women. All off them only seem to talk about men and have the same conversation about one of the princesses and the guy she's dating all the time. Also, since the author didn't see or hear about Guardians of the Galaxy before deciding the guy would be named Rocket, I instantly tack Raccoon on to the end every time. Thank you for that bit of unintentional amusement.
So, basically, too many characters, boring content, even the chapter titles are boring, one of the chapters is literately titled, 'Going to Things.' Oh. My. God. 65% percent of the book is technically 'Going to Things.' Why not just title all the chapters 'Going to Things' or 'Doing Stuff?' Also, the term 'Man Jose' wasn't used in the book, which is one of the things I was looking forward to reading and giggling for hours about. I've lived in the area my entire life and no one I know has ever referred to San Jose as Man Jose. Or Moe's Alley as just Moe's, come to think of it, and how did them manage to make it over the hill without 17 having construction, traffic, or an accident? I really wish this book had been more enjoyable to read, I was excited to read about strong women in a setting I'm familiar with, but instead all I could think about was how much this book needed an editor.
PS - In Appendix B Mulan is currently misspelled as Mullen. You'd think the princess alias would be correctly spelled, especially in the appendix, but no such luck.
PPS - It also closed with an annoying cliff-hanger. I don't mind books that leave you wanting to go on to the next book, but it helps by closing one plot point and opening the next, not just making the reader feel like one book was split into 3 to make me by 3 books instead of one (hint, not going to be buying any of the other books in this series, even with the cliff hanger because of my lack of caring as to what happens to them.)
PPPS - I like that Sleeping Beauty wasn't one of the princess friends, I assume that princess character was left open for the readers since this book is such a snooze?
Oh Juliette and your overwhelming love of Pandora (seriously, you can't say Giants but she can mention she's listening to her 'favorite Pandora channel' 3 times and her Pandora channel gets changed once. Do you work for Pandora or something Anita? You could say music, or playlist or streaming service, but no, it had to be 'favorite Pandora channel.') You are too perfect for your own good. She rides horses, teaches fencing, swims, plays on a soccer team, hangs with everyone in Silicone Valley, has a great relationship with her parents, has a good solid job with perks, and a magical perfect home she lives in with a friend. Anytime there's any sort of conflict in her life (there's not really much, so BORING) her friends or family are right there to support her and give her advice. She has so many side character friends they need an appendix. Most of her friends are from college and are collectively known as 'The Princesses' because of they went as, get this, PRINCESSES for Halloween! I know! Super original and I'm sure NO OTHER groups of friends did this on their campus. They even still all call each other by the character they were dressed as. A RIOT! Or would be, since this is Juliette's book she calls them by name and they all call her Snow ('cause she went as Snow White, GET IT!? GET IT!?) You will never want to see the word Princesses again after reading it 45 times in this book. At 172 pages, that means's you'll be seeing it roughly every 4 pages. Besides The Princesses, she has her work buddies, fitness buddies, and her two chosen dating partners Zach and Nate.
Zach is a super nice engineer who has amazing abs and is a computer engineer like Juliette. They meet during morning swim club and Juliette wouldn't mind getting to know him and his abs a little better... Then she meets Nate, who saves the day when Juliette is knocked out at her soccer game. I hate him with a fiery passion and am pretty sure that he's the one she ends up with since he has an entire book written about him. That's just my speculation since I haven't read any of the other books, but I like to think it's a pretty safe bet. I despise him because of why he's decided on orthopedics, "...frankly, I'd rather be dealing with patients that are using their body and working out. I don't want to spend my day with people that are old and dying, or ones that don't take care of themselves." Yikes. Nate, I don't know if you've heard, but PLENTY of people that work out abuse their bodies as well. Wouldn't being a doctor for people that, "...don't take care of themselves...." be a prime opportunity to turn their lives around with your caring nature and excellent advice? No? Here's this for a news flash as well, death is kind of a part of life. Icky. I know.
Maybe Nate ends up with Cassie, Juliette's shallow ex-best friend and now housemate. Cassie is a spoiled recently divorced brat who has loud sex with a football player that plays in Levi's stadium (see, I can avoid team names too!) and owns the house they live in due to her grandmother willing it to her. Cassie deliberately dated boys that Juliette was interested in high school and is a jerk. Juliette is living with her because Cassie is interesting, and the house is in a great location. You know what, dogs are interesting too, and don't try date guys you like just because they can. Location doesn't outweigh fake friends, just saying.
The best part of the book is Juliette at work, even though the author has such stereotypical characters as co-workers, Juliette TELLS you how stereotypical they are. Even with that, I love the co-worker dynamic and the conflict that happens. It's actually interesting. The worst part is the princesses. There's just too many to keep track of, you don't get to know any of them really, except Juliette, obviously. Don't even tell me about how I'll get to know them in the other books, that's just lazy. Make me want to know about the other women. All off them only seem to talk about men and have the same conversation about one of the princesses and the guy she's dating all the time. Also, since the author didn't see or hear about Guardians of the Galaxy before deciding the guy would be named Rocket, I instantly tack Raccoon on to the end every time. Thank you for that bit of unintentional amusement.
So, basically, too many characters, boring content, even the chapter titles are boring, one of the chapters is literately titled, 'Going to Things.' Oh. My. God. 65% percent of the book is technically 'Going to Things.' Why not just title all the chapters 'Going to Things' or 'Doing Stuff?' Also, the term 'Man Jose' wasn't used in the book, which is one of the things I was looking forward to reading and giggling for hours about. I've lived in the area my entire life and no one I know has ever referred to San Jose as Man Jose. Or Moe's Alley as just Moe's, come to think of it, and how did them manage to make it over the hill without 17 having construction, traffic, or an accident? I really wish this book had been more enjoyable to read, I was excited to read about strong women in a setting I'm familiar with, but instead all I could think about was how much this book needed an editor.
PS - In Appendix B Mulan is currently misspelled as Mullen. You'd think the princess alias would be correctly spelled, especially in the appendix, but no such luck.
PPS - It also closed with an annoying cliff-hanger. I don't mind books that leave you wanting to go on to the next book, but it helps by closing one plot point and opening the next, not just making the reader feel like one book was split into 3 to make me by 3 books instead of one (hint, not going to be buying any of the other books in this series, even with the cliff hanger because of my lack of caring as to what happens to them.)
PPPS - I like that Sleeping Beauty wasn't one of the princess friends, I assume that princess character was left open for the readers since this book is such a snooze?
August 6, 2020
Juliette is a young woman who is trying to find her way around dating and her man filled job. She’s one of two new engineers at a high tech company kn Silicon Valley and while she’s trying to deal with the male attitudes at work she finds herself getting involved with two handsome males. One she meets at the swimming pool where she swims and first notices Zach when he gets out of the pool with his toned muscles. The second she meets while playing soccer and gets bowled over by his sister. Nate is a doctor still doing residency because he’s trying to get into a very particular field. Both guys are worth the wait but Juliette has not a clue on which one she should take seriously. But her friends from college, referred to as the Princesses, due to some costumes they donned one Halloween night while in college, help her navigate her way through her last relationship and the new one she’s trying to start.
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January 11, 2016
I'm all for combining trilogies into one more tightly written read, but at more than 500 pages, JULIETTE takes on lengths of epic proportions without the excitement to justify it.
Juliette Cole has a budding career as an engineer, a close group of girlfriends who call themselves the "princesses," and some terrific athletic activities to keep her busy. The one thing she doesn't have is a steady guy, but there's progress to be made there too. Between sexy swimmer Zach, delicious Dr. Nate and suddenly sensual longtime friend Gray, Juliette has a bounty of boy riches and she's stymied as to what to do about it! She's not like her adorably slutty roommate Cassie or some of her love 'em and leave 'em besties…too many options leave her frazzled and freaking. Juliette knows she needs to make a decision on what guy to keep seeing…but who's in a hurry with all the hotness going around!?
JULIETTE is the first book in The Princess of Silicon Valley series, focusing on a group of 7 college girlfriends and their lives. At 510 pages and 82 (albeit sometimes short) chapters, this was a VERY long book, as from what I understand it was originally a trilogy now all rolled into one. And while charmingly amusing, it became too much at about halfway in, as we heard nonstop about every facet of Juliette's day, from teeth-brushing to soccer practice, reality tv watching to chaste-ish kisses with multiple men. I wished that Ms. Claire would just get on with the story already! The sex scenes became surprisingly erotic (when they finally came…pun totally intended), which I enjoyed. I did NOT enjoy Juliette's crazy roommate Cassie, even in her brief yet self-centered role. I had hoped for some drama there, but this whole book was just so damn POLITE and angst-free.
Ultimately, did I like who Juliette chose? I don't know. I kinda wanted her to end up with someone else, but this dude was a good choice as well. That said, I don't think I have it in me to read another story on the couple, as the next book focuses on him/them even more. She just wasn't a very exciting character; she was naïve and rather dull and I had a tough time connecting with her or empathizing with her. The group of girlfriends are interesting as a whole, but I don't think I would want to do another lengthy read like this, there just wasn't enough BAM to hold my interest for that many pages.
Bottom Line: Cute (but long) 20-something read with some sexy sex and amusing chuckles. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Juliette Cole has a budding career as an engineer, a close group of girlfriends who call themselves the "princesses," and some terrific athletic activities to keep her busy. The one thing she doesn't have is a steady guy, but there's progress to be made there too. Between sexy swimmer Zach, delicious Dr. Nate and suddenly sensual longtime friend Gray, Juliette has a bounty of boy riches and she's stymied as to what to do about it! She's not like her adorably slutty roommate Cassie or some of her love 'em and leave 'em besties…too many options leave her frazzled and freaking. Juliette knows she needs to make a decision on what guy to keep seeing…but who's in a hurry with all the hotness going around!?
JULIETTE is the first book in The Princess of Silicon Valley series, focusing on a group of 7 college girlfriends and their lives. At 510 pages and 82 (albeit sometimes short) chapters, this was a VERY long book, as from what I understand it was originally a trilogy now all rolled into one. And while charmingly amusing, it became too much at about halfway in, as we heard nonstop about every facet of Juliette's day, from teeth-brushing to soccer practice, reality tv watching to chaste-ish kisses with multiple men. I wished that Ms. Claire would just get on with the story already! The sex scenes became surprisingly erotic (when they finally came…pun totally intended), which I enjoyed. I did NOT enjoy Juliette's crazy roommate Cassie, even in her brief yet self-centered role. I had hoped for some drama there, but this whole book was just so damn POLITE and angst-free.
Ultimately, did I like who Juliette chose? I don't know. I kinda wanted her to end up with someone else, but this dude was a good choice as well. That said, I don't think I have it in me to read another story on the couple, as the next book focuses on him/them even more. She just wasn't a very exciting character; she was naïve and rather dull and I had a tough time connecting with her or empathizing with her. The group of girlfriends are interesting as a whole, but I don't think I would want to do another lengthy read like this, there just wasn't enough BAM to hold my interest for that many pages.
Bottom Line: Cute (but long) 20-something read with some sexy sex and amusing chuckles. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
August 29, 2015
This review was first posted on my blog
This right here is the first of its kind since no author has never before asked me for a Read2Review. First of all, I'd like to publicly thank the author for granting me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Secondly, I'd like to say that I was very eager to start this one despite the love triangle stuff implied in the blurb (love triangles usually make me turn the other way). And thirdly, I'd like to add that the free copy did not affect my opinion of the book in no way.
All in all, I give this book 2 stars as in it was OK. And that's what it was. I didn't fall in love with the characters and while the writing was good, it still felt as a copy one would send to the editor. There weren't any typos or spelling mistakes or errors like that that I saw, but there was too much background information for me. I didn't actually care about Juliette's other activities regarding fencing, football (the real kind) or horse riding. Swimming I understood, since she met Zach there, but the other three activities (and the chapters about them) didn't seem relevant to me. There are 37 chapters in these 164 pages and truthfully, I didn't really understand why all of them had to be present.
The other flaw I had this book in the end, was the fact that while this book was tagged as romance, I felt that there was actually very little actual romance in it. Was it simply me or there really wasn't much of an interaction between Juliette and Zach or Juliette and Nate and the whole love triangle problems will be presented in the second part? Authors, why are you doing this to your readers? I, personally, don't know a single person who likes their romance novels split into several books, but hey, who knows...
On the plus side, I liked our heroine Juliette as a human being. I felt that Claire managed to portray her as a perfectly normal human being with normal issues such as wanting to date or having some trouble at work.
The second thing I like about this book, is the cover.
But I can't decide whether I like or dislike the princess analogies between Juliette and her friends. On the one hand, it was pretty clever of the author, but on the other hand, it was difficult for me to differentiate the characters even with the cheat-sheet Claire provided in the beginning.
All in all, if you're into sweet contemporary romance, give it a shot if you think you'd be interested.
This right here is the first of its kind since no author has never before asked me for a Read2Review. First of all, I'd like to publicly thank the author for granting me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Secondly, I'd like to say that I was very eager to start this one despite the love triangle stuff implied in the blurb (love triangles usually make me turn the other way). And thirdly, I'd like to add that the free copy did not affect my opinion of the book in no way.
All in all, I give this book 2 stars as in it was OK. And that's what it was. I didn't fall in love with the characters and while the writing was good, it still felt as a copy one would send to the editor. There weren't any typos or spelling mistakes or errors like that that I saw, but there was too much background information for me. I didn't actually care about Juliette's other activities regarding fencing, football (the real kind) or horse riding. Swimming I understood, since she met Zach there, but the other three activities (and the chapters about them) didn't seem relevant to me. There are 37 chapters in these 164 pages and truthfully, I didn't really understand why all of them had to be present.
The other flaw I had this book in the end, was the fact that while this book was tagged as romance, I felt that there was actually very little actual romance in it. Was it simply me or there really wasn't much of an interaction between Juliette and Zach or Juliette and Nate and the whole love triangle problems will be presented in the second part? Authors, why are you doing this to your readers? I, personally, don't know a single person who likes their romance novels split into several books, but hey, who knows...
On the plus side, I liked our heroine Juliette as a human being. I felt that Claire managed to portray her as a perfectly normal human being with normal issues such as wanting to date or having some trouble at work.
The second thing I like about this book, is the cover.
But I can't decide whether I like or dislike the princess analogies between Juliette and her friends. On the one hand, it was pretty clever of the author, but on the other hand, it was difficult for me to differentiate the characters even with the cheat-sheet Claire provided in the beginning.
All in all, if you're into sweet contemporary romance, give it a shot if you think you'd be interested.
February 2, 2015
*received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review*
After finishing this book, it struck me as rather simplistic. The writing style was simplistic, the characters were simplistic, the plot was simplistic. Let me explain: the book started with potential, but it ultimately went nowhere. We start out meeting Juliet and her friends, fresh from college and at their first jobs. And a nameless boy with great abs. So really, it did start out well, despite the facile writing style (the author often used the same way of describing something multiple times, and I even skipped over some of her 'sexy dreams').
Unfortunately, I was waiting for something to happen, something to kick-start the plot . . . and I kept waiting, because there was nothing. Allow me to be clear, there was plenty of content, but the story did not follow freytag's pyramid or the hero's journey in any way. Some stories can get away with it (namely erotica because you aren't exactly reading it for the plot), but . . . there was no beginning, middle, or end. No conflict that filled the reader with angst, no trial for the hero to face.
Much in the same way, I waited for the characters to develop, for them to have dark sides, back stories, anything. You can clearly see where, in places, the author tried to add that, such as but the characters still feel like they are missing something, some spark of life that makes them more real, more relatable. I think that a part of the problem was how unrealistic Juliette herself was. I mean, who is a computer genius and also finds time to play a multitude of sports, while still having an incredible amount of time left over for social gatherings and no flaws what so ever?
Ok, I have finished my rant now, *steps off soap box* hope you found this review helpful, if you bothered to read it :) If you want something similar that is better written, has a plot, and quite a bit of awesome, try the [House of Night] series
After finishing this book, it struck me as rather simplistic. The writing style was simplistic, the characters were simplistic, the plot was simplistic. Let me explain: the book started with potential, but it ultimately went nowhere. We start out meeting Juliet and her friends, fresh from college and at their first jobs. And a nameless boy with great abs. So really, it did start out well, despite the facile writing style (the author often used the same way of describing something multiple times, and I even skipped over some of her 'sexy dreams').
Unfortunately, I was waiting for something to happen, something to kick-start the plot . . . and I kept waiting, because there was nothing. Allow me to be clear, there was plenty of content, but the story did not follow freytag's pyramid or the hero's journey in any way. Some stories can get away with it (namely erotica because you aren't exactly reading it for the plot), but . . . there was no beginning, middle, or end. No conflict that filled the reader with angst, no trial for the hero to face.
Much in the same way, I waited for the characters to develop, for them to have dark sides, back stories, anything. You can clearly see where, in places, the author tried to add that, such as but the characters still feel like they are missing something, some spark of life that makes them more real, more relatable. I think that a part of the problem was how unrealistic Juliette herself was. I mean, who is a computer genius and also finds time to play a multitude of sports, while still having an incredible amount of time left over for social gatherings and no flaws what so ever?
Ok, I have finished my rant now, *steps off soap box* hope you found this review helpful, if you bothered to read it :) If you want something similar that is better written, has a plot, and quite a bit of awesome, try the [House of Night] series
July 12, 2015
I feel like I just stepped off a curb, missing the sidewalk. Meet Me ends quickly, unexpectedly, with a cliffhanger that's so intriguing you've just got to 1-click Kiss Me, the next in this series.
Yes there are plenty of characters in this series, both on the female and male side. Some are groups of friends that go way back, others just from college, some from work, others from sports activities. Pretty realistic if you think about our college or post college days. Despite all the characters to keep up with, the author does a great job of character development.
The pace is slow and steady, almost like a daily journal, but the build happens and we are taken on a journey through Juliette's life, both work, with her family, her friends of old and with new relationships. Admittedly, I'm no techy, but it is interesting to learn about those who play in Silicon Valley. They're definitely a different breed, coming to work in very relaxed logo wear and shorts for the most part. Juliette's a female in a valley over represented with men, and a newby at that, so you can expect the difficulties in proving herself can be quit the challenge.
At play we find Juliette still indulges in swimming, most days getting up super early to swim the lanes. Think "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" when Phoebe Cates comes up out of the pool, water dripping ... but with a hottie Juliette dubs Abs Guy. Juliette enjoys this visual almost daily. So that's guy #1.
Guy #2, yes I said two, comes into her now spotty vision when Juliette runs headlong into an inpenetrable soccer player from the opposing team. Enter Nate, Dr. Nate Lombard that is.
Reeling from a relationship that ended rather awkwardly, Juliette now finds herself with two potential suitors. Things ratchet up even more after her prime time exposure. What's a girl to do?
Yes there are plenty of characters in this series, both on the female and male side. Some are groups of friends that go way back, others just from college, some from work, others from sports activities. Pretty realistic if you think about our college or post college days. Despite all the characters to keep up with, the author does a great job of character development.
The pace is slow and steady, almost like a daily journal, but the build happens and we are taken on a journey through Juliette's life, both work, with her family, her friends of old and with new relationships. Admittedly, I'm no techy, but it is interesting to learn about those who play in Silicon Valley. They're definitely a different breed, coming to work in very relaxed logo wear and shorts for the most part. Juliette's a female in a valley over represented with men, and a newby at that, so you can expect the difficulties in proving herself can be quit the challenge.
At play we find Juliette still indulges in swimming, most days getting up super early to swim the lanes. Think "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" when Phoebe Cates comes up out of the pool, water dripping ... but with a hottie Juliette dubs Abs Guy. Juliette enjoys this visual almost daily. So that's guy #1.
Guy #2, yes I said two, comes into her now spotty vision when Juliette runs headlong into an inpenetrable soccer player from the opposing team. Enter Nate, Dr. Nate Lombard that is.
Reeling from a relationship that ended rather awkwardly, Juliette now finds herself with two potential suitors. Things ratchet up even more after her prime time exposure. What's a girl to do?
July 20, 2015
2.5 stars
This is not a bad book, but this is not a read that sparks my interest.
This whole book is essentially the set up. I don't think I'm the best fan of an 150 pages of mostly nothing but Juliette talking about engineering, her friends, hanging out, and guys. From what I read, the only three things I can tell you about Juliette is 1.) She's dorky but tries to hide sometimes 2.) She's athletic 3.) She's conservative in her love life. She isn't a bad character, but I don't find her interesting either.
I can tell the author put a lot of time and thought into her characters and wants to give them a solid representation and moment in the story and I appreciate the effort. I'm okay with lots of characters, but I think this book would have been better off taking some names out and saving them for other stories. I frankly did not bother trying to keep track of her princess friends names because they served no purpose to the plot or story. The chapters towards the later half started to read like an episode of Keeping Up with Kardashians featuring Juliette. Juliette goes swimming, Juliette gets lunch, Juliette talks about Cassie's crazy life, Juliette talks about engineering, Juliette goes swimming, Juliette gets breakfast. The routine was not very interesting to read.
I am not the biggest fan of reading about a girl desperately trying to pick between guys. Especially when she went on ONE DATE with both of them and she's already freaking out about choosing which guy to date already. Calm the fuck down, it takes more than ONE FUCKING DATE.
I'm hoping book 2 will pick up now that the foundation has been laid.
I received a free copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is not a bad book, but this is not a read that sparks my interest.
This whole book is essentially the set up. I don't think I'm the best fan of an 150 pages of mostly nothing but Juliette talking about engineering, her friends, hanging out, and guys. From what I read, the only three things I can tell you about Juliette is 1.) She's dorky but tries to hide sometimes 2.) She's athletic 3.) She's conservative in her love life. She isn't a bad character, but I don't find her interesting either.
I can tell the author put a lot of time and thought into her characters and wants to give them a solid representation and moment in the story and I appreciate the effort. I'm okay with lots of characters, but I think this book would have been better off taking some names out and saving them for other stories. I frankly did not bother trying to keep track of her princess friends names because they served no purpose to the plot or story. The chapters towards the later half started to read like an episode of Keeping Up with Kardashians featuring Juliette. Juliette goes swimming, Juliette gets lunch, Juliette talks about Cassie's crazy life, Juliette talks about engineering, Juliette goes swimming, Juliette gets breakfast. The routine was not very interesting to read.
I am not the biggest fan of reading about a girl desperately trying to pick between guys. Especially when she went on ONE DATE with both of them and she's already freaking out about choosing which guy to date already. Calm the fuck down, it takes more than ONE FUCKING DATE.
I'm hoping book 2 will pick up now that the foundation has been laid.
I received a free copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2015
** Received a free copy from the author in exchange of an honest review **
I have to say I can relate to Juliette and I loved her from the moment she said the studied computer science and does programming and debugging and all that jazz...I mean, that's me! Well, not this reading blogger alter ego that I'm in here, but the other me , that's what I do for a living. Not at Silicon Valley though. I was pretty excited reading all the geeky talk =)
This book is about a girl (Juliette) with a group of friends that call themselves the princesses, and hot guys. There's a story at how they came up with the princesses thing and each of them also has a (Disney) princess name as a nickname. This is really a nice support group, they're really good friends. AND, best of all, is they are pretty smart -geekyish- people.
Juliette is a very occupied person, she works a lot and she exercises a lot. Early in the morning she goes swimming and that's where she meets, well, sees, this hot guy that she calls "Abs guy". She's kind of naïve/shy so she really struggles to get more information about him (even his name).
But she also practices football and during a match she gets injured and that's how she meets Nate, a hot doctor. During the book Juliette tries to decide who she should keep, the hot doctor or the hot abs guy.
It's a nice story, fun and easy read. It's written in a way where you are easily drown on the story and you feel the end comes too soon.
You can find this and other reviews at my blog
I have to say I can relate to Juliette and I loved her from the moment she said the studied computer science and does programming and debugging and all that jazz...I mean, that's me! Well, not this reading blogger alter ego that I'm in here, but the other me , that's what I do for a living. Not at Silicon Valley though. I was pretty excited reading all the geeky talk =)
This book is about a girl (Juliette) with a group of friends that call themselves the princesses, and hot guys. There's a story at how they came up with the princesses thing and each of them also has a (Disney) princess name as a nickname. This is really a nice support group, they're really good friends. AND, best of all, is they are pretty smart -geekyish- people.
Juliette is a very occupied person, she works a lot and she exercises a lot. Early in the morning she goes swimming and that's where she meets, well, sees, this hot guy that she calls "Abs guy". She's kind of naïve/shy so she really struggles to get more information about him (even his name).
But she also practices football and during a match she gets injured and that's how she meets Nate, a hot doctor. During the book Juliette tries to decide who she should keep, the hot doctor or the hot abs guy.
It's a nice story, fun and easy read. It's written in a way where you are easily drown on the story and you feel the end comes too soon.
You can find this and other reviews at my blog
August 21, 2015
This is the first novel in the Juliette Trilogy which is also the first book in the Princesses of Silicon Valley Series.
Juliette is getting back into her life in the Silicon Valley after living with her boyfriend/recent ex in London. She just started a new job as an engineer and dipping her toes into dating again. She has a ton on her plate with working, she also swims, plays soccer and fences along with hanging out with her princess friends from college and crazy roommate, Cassie. Her so called best friend since Kindergarten.
Juliette has one busy life but she found that two different men have peaked her interests. She is not sure if anything will ever come out of it, one is out of town and the other is kind of a mystery as well. She has her many friends to help her figure out her way around this dating two guys thing, if it comes to that. Will one or both step up to the plate?
Ok...the reason why I am giving it three stars is because I didn't connect with Juliette. I think that there was too much going on and needed more focus. I think that both guys could be a good match and the cliffhanger does make me want to find out what happens next so I will finish out the trilogy since I am not a quitter and hoping it flows more with the next books.
Quotes:
“The only thing I really lost out on was my summer. The weather sucks over there. Next time I follow a guy to another country, he’ll be an Australian.”
I’m not that fast, but I am thorough.
“Life, guys, being an adult; it’s not as fun and easy as I thought.”
Juliette is getting back into her life in the Silicon Valley after living with her boyfriend/recent ex in London. She just started a new job as an engineer and dipping her toes into dating again. She has a ton on her plate with working, she also swims, plays soccer and fences along with hanging out with her princess friends from college and crazy roommate, Cassie. Her so called best friend since Kindergarten.
Juliette has one busy life but she found that two different men have peaked her interests. She is not sure if anything will ever come out of it, one is out of town and the other is kind of a mystery as well. She has her many friends to help her figure out her way around this dating two guys thing, if it comes to that. Will one or both step up to the plate?
Ok...the reason why I am giving it three stars is because I didn't connect with Juliette. I think that there was too much going on and needed more focus. I think that both guys could be a good match and the cliffhanger does make me want to find out what happens next so I will finish out the trilogy since I am not a quitter and hoping it flows more with the next books.
Quotes:
“The only thing I really lost out on was my summer. The weather sucks over there. Next time I follow a guy to another country, he’ll be an Australian.”
I’m not that fast, but I am thorough.
“Life, guys, being an adult; it’s not as fun and easy as I thought.”
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