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Desire and the Deep Blue Sea
(Love Unscripted #1)
by
They're pretending. Until they aren't.
Thomas McKinney has never wanted a woman the way he wants Callie Adesso. Since she started working alongside him at the Colonial Marysburg Research Library, he's spent his desk shifts fumbling pencils, tripping over his own feet, and struggling to remember both the Dewey Decimal System and the existence of her inconvenient boyfrie ...more
Thomas McKinney has never wanted a woman the way he wants Callie Adesso. Since she started working alongside him at the Colonial Marysburg Research Library, he's spent his desk shifts fumbling pencils, tripping over his own feet, and struggling to remember both the Dewey Decimal System and the existence of her inconvenient boyfrie ...more
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Kindle Edition, 142 pages
Published
July 18th 2019
by Hussies & Harpies Press
(first published July 14th 2019)
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Showing 1-30
Start your review of Desire and the Deep Blue Sea (Love Unscripted, #1)
This book is "advertised" today as being on "sale" for 2.99. I bought it for ordinary price on November 23rd 2019. And guess what? I paid 2.99 for it then.
Original review:
Ugh, read like super cheesy fanfiction
...more
Original review:
Ugh, read like super cheesy fanfiction
...more
This is even shorter than the listed 133 pages because a preview kicks in right around 80%. So this is very short and probably over priced for the length. And for the quality, too, frankly.
All of the real action is in the past. That's when the two initially got to know each other. And when Callie started freezing him out because certain work habits annoyed her. And we eventually learn that's when he fell for her. So all we really get is a bit of a coming to understanding and a setback that would ...more
All of the real action is in the past. That's when the two initially got to know each other. And when Callie started freezing him out because certain work habits annoyed her. And we eventually learn that's when he fell for her. So all we really get is a bit of a coming to understanding and a setback that would ...more
Wow, Olivia Dade really is on a roll. Another terrific release hot on the heels of the cracking Teach Me (and with another terrific cover as well).
This is a really sweet story. Heroine with anxiety gets on a reality TV show to score a free Caribbean beach holiday, but ends up bringing her really annoying coworker for Reasons, just go with it. The great thing here is Thomas isn't the usual Annoying Romance Hero (ie smirking borderline sexual harasser). He's extremely focused and basically oblivi ...more
This is a really sweet story. Heroine with anxiety gets on a reality TV show to score a free Caribbean beach holiday, but ends up bringing her really annoying coworker for Reasons, just go with it. The great thing here is Thomas isn't the usual Annoying Romance Hero (ie smirking borderline sexual harasser). He's extremely focused and basically oblivi ...more
The Good
-Mad skills by Ms. Dade to take a novella length romance, something that is NOT easy to do well, and make it sing. Pacing is critical and the time flew by while reading. It’s not a long story, it left me wanting more, and best of all? There wasn’t a time where I was watching the clock or ready to put it down. I read it late one night (ok, super early morning because I just stayed up), and I regret nothing.
-I was so impressed with the way she established the personal relationship and cent ...more
I love romance novellas, I love fake-dating stories, and for some reason, I REALLY enjoy reading stories set in the context of reality TV shows. So in other words, it was an absolute given that I would enjoy this story about a stressed-out librarian who has to fake a romantic relationship with her most annoying co-worker in order to keep her place on a reality TV show about the very best island resorts...
...until, of course, they're not really faking any more. ;)
I love the moment when Callie is ...more
...until, of course, they're not really faking any more. ;)
I love the moment when Callie is ...more
I've only just discovered Olivia Dade (thank you, Therese!), but she has that quickly become a favorite author of mine. I am very much behind on reading, but the minute this showed up on my Kindle I knew I had to pick it up. Desire and the Deep Blue Sea was just the most precious book. It was sweet, romantic, and had really good rep of what it is like to live with anxiety. Just before she is set to go on a couples reality TV show set in the Caribbean, Callie and her boyfriend break-up. She enlis ...more
4.5 stars, rounding up
I stayed up all night to finish this wonderful novella in one sitting because it made me smile so much. There is a lot to love about this story but here are the highlights for me:
-The heroine, Callie, is a librarian who has anxiety and the anxiety rep in this was so good. Like, for example, the way her anxiety manifested itself sometimes as a belief that she was “too much” and the assumption she was bothering other people with her behavior really rang true to me as a person ...more
I stayed up all night to finish this wonderful novella in one sitting because it made me smile so much. There is a lot to love about this story but here are the highlights for me:
-The heroine, Callie, is a librarian who has anxiety and the anxiety rep in this was so good. Like, for example, the way her anxiety manifested itself sometimes as a belief that she was “too much” and the assumption she was bothering other people with her behavior really rang true to me as a person ...more
This was a cute one-- I liked a lot of the ideas in it, but thought the execution was somewhat uneven. Still, it hit the spot for me, as I'm a sucker for a fake relationship & a hero-in-pursuit trope
...more
Desire and the Deep Blue Sea by Olivia Dade is a sexy and fun novella that explores real life challenges that affect relationships and how important communication is on the path to a happy ever after.
Callie can’t stand her librarian co-worker Thomas. Even though they got along well when he first started and he’s kind and friendly, his work habits have contributed to a lot of stress in her life, increased her anxiety levels and generally made her miserable. On top of that, she recently broke up w ...more
Callie can’t stand her librarian co-worker Thomas. Even though they got along well when he first started and he’s kind and friendly, his work habits have contributed to a lot of stress in her life, increased her anxiety levels and generally made her miserable. On top of that, she recently broke up w ...more
This was interesting. I liked it, and I liked that both the hero and the heroine had to work to effectively communicate with the other. The heroine had completely legitimate grievances with the hero's behavior at work, even if what he was doing was mostly inadvertent. And I liked that once they actually talked about them, she was completely direct with him about the nature of the problem and what needed to be done to solve it.
I didn't love that she hid how much she thought she disliked him when ...more
I didn't love that she hid how much she thought she disliked him when ...more
2019 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo: Beach on the Cover
Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Du9lTAL...
🏖Desire and the Deep Blue Sea by Olivia Dade🏖
*
*
His thesis statement was simple, but it was powerful. Just five short words.
I could make you happy.
*
*
*
I’m not a fan of the term “beach read,” mostly because 1) I never go to the beach and 2) people should be able to read whatever they want on a beach, so technically everything is a beach read. However, I realized while reading Desire and the ...more
Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Du9lTAL...
🏖Desire and the Deep Blue Sea by Olivia Dade🏖
*
*
His thesis statement was simple, but it was powerful. Just five short words.
I could make you happy.
*
*
*
I’m not a fan of the term “beach read,” mostly because 1) I never go to the beach and 2) people should be able to read whatever they want on a beach, so technically everything is a beach read. However, I realized while reading Desire and the ...more
*A copy was provided by the author for free in exchange for an honest review*
This a light fluffy quick easy read. All good things by the way. I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters. They aren't perfect but its just enough to make them interesting. Callie is a bit of a mess but it's so relatable. I love that she's not insecure over her body, normally that's a journey in any book with a fat character but here it's not even ever an issue. It's so refreshing. Thomas is a cute guy who doesn't re ...more
This a light fluffy quick easy read. All good things by the way. I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters. They aren't perfect but its just enough to make them interesting. Callie is a bit of a mess but it's so relatable. I love that she's not insecure over her body, normally that's a journey in any book with a fat character but here it's not even ever an issue. It's so refreshing. Thomas is a cute guy who doesn't re ...more
Aug 18, 2019
Xan West
added it
I think I want to reread this before reviewing, but I want to mention that I loved the fat rep & anxiety rep.
Sooooo maybe this'll change if I "get over my mad" but ... I'm 75% in and I think I'm done.
I ranted a bit to Wendy ...
Here's the thing - I get everyone was excited that this one was anxiety rep and fat rep and a "cinnamon roll" hero. (I still don't like that term...)
And the hero is great - he's soft, and incredibly attentive and caring. (Almost to an unreal degree...) But apparently supposedly he's also an asshole. Inconsiderate etc at work. I didn't feel those two were reconciled.
Which also ...more
I ranted a bit to Wendy ...
Here's the thing - I get everyone was excited that this one was anxiety rep and fat rep and a "cinnamon roll" hero. (I still don't like that term...)
And the hero is great - he's soft, and incredibly attentive and caring. (Almost to an unreal degree...) But apparently supposedly he's also an asshole. Inconsiderate etc at work. I didn't feel those two were reconciled.
Which also ...more
An arc was generously provided by the author. The review is all mine.
Well, this was an absolute delight. Callie and Thomas, coworkers, who used to be friends until they suddenly stopped (for reasons the book does a fantastic job of laying out) end up on a tropical paradise island vacation as part of a reality show. The catch? They have to pretend to be in a relationship.
I loved both of these characters. Callie, with her anxiety which was shown, at least in my opinion, in a very real and accurate ...more
Well, this was an absolute delight. Callie and Thomas, coworkers, who used to be friends until they suddenly stopped (for reasons the book does a fantastic job of laying out) end up on a tropical paradise island vacation as part of a reality show. The catch? They have to pretend to be in a relationship.
I loved both of these characters. Callie, with her anxiety which was shown, at least in my opinion, in a very real and accurate ...more
After reading "Teach Me" by the same author, I went in expecting a bit more depth and plot development than this... I don't even know where to start, so I'll make bullet points.
* The heroine is, apparently, plus sized (though it doesn't say so explicitly, which sometimes makes it confusing to understand) and suffers from an anxiety disorder (though not about her body/size --not very believable in my opinion. I'm not saying she has to be insecure about her body, but come on, who isn't or hasn't ...more
* The heroine is, apparently, plus sized (though it doesn't say so explicitly, which sometimes makes it confusing to understand) and suffers from an anxiety disorder (though not about her body/size --not very believable in my opinion. I'm not saying she has to be insecure about her body, but come on, who isn't or hasn't ...more
Yes for the fat heroine that likes herself and doesn't bemoan her size.
But, I didn't realize how short it was going to be! Wish it had been longer to really explore the relationship, as the book basically spans 5 days. ...more
But, I didn't realize how short it was going to be! Wish it had been longer to really explore the relationship, as the book basically spans 5 days. ...more
This was so quick, that I’m not clear if it’s a novella or not. It is utterly charming. Thomas can come off a bit obsessed but he’s so sincere and gentle, that it’s not creepy but rather lovesick. I’m not sure the reality show added all that much, and it could have given them a bit of conflict to give this story a little more depth, but overall this was a super cute read
This was such a cute read. It was short and sweet and exactly what I needed.
Callie breaks up with her boyfriend right before she is due to go on a reality TV show where couples go on a romantic trip to three islands in the Caribbean before being treated to a luxury break when they choose their favourite. She really needs the holiday after the stress of starting a new job, the frustration of working with a coworker who seems to more of a hinderance than a help, and she needed the break after the ...more
Callie breaks up with her boyfriend right before she is due to go on a reality TV show where couples go on a romantic trip to three islands in the Caribbean before being treated to a luxury break when they choose their favourite. She really needs the holiday after the stress of starting a new job, the frustration of working with a coworker who seems to more of a hinderance than a help, and she needed the break after the ...more
Oct 21, 2019
Jessica
added it
It's cute! It's a short novella, and I wish it were longer. But I really appreciate the way it shows that two people can have fundamentally different perspectives on the same events. That's not like, news. That's how humanity works, pretty much? But a lot of time in fiction, the perspectives are shown in ways that don't make sense, or where one side is implausible. Thomas is oblivious and frustrating, but the way that he reacts when he realizes how awful and difficult he has been, with serious p
...more
This was a quick fun spicy read. Callie has recently broken up with her boyfriend and invites her coworker, Thomas on an island trip she won for a reality show. While together the two can’t escape the chemistry between them. However at the start of the story Callie complains about hating Thomas which seems very confusing and the subsequent issues that causes seem forced. This isn’t the first book I’ve read by Dade and I appreciate the characters she creates. Overall this is an easy read in a fun
...more
A gentle read featuring two librarians fake dating their way through an all-expenses paid trip to Caribbean resorts ... on camera. This is great if you're looking for two adults who communicate what they want to each other.
...more
It was a short, sweet novella that I really enjoyed. Olivia is anxious like me, and watching her work through that anxiety was refreshing. Thomas was so sweet. The conflict resolved too easy for me to give it five starts, but that’s to be expected when the book is so short.
Jul 29, 2019
Evy
marked it as to-read
This is about two characters who become friends during their shared shifts staffing the library reference desk. That is all I need to know.
What's Callie to do when she's suddenly single a week before finally getting to take the tropical vacation of her dreams AND be on her favorite reality TV show Island Match? Maybe ask her totally beautiful but totally infuriating coworker Thomas to be her fake boyfriend, even if he's a big part of the reason she needs to get away?
Thomas, in love with Callie ever since she started working with him at the Colonial Marysburg Research Library, jumps at the chance to show her how good they could be t ...more
Thomas, in love with Callie ever since she started working with him at the Colonial Marysburg Research Library, jumps at the chance to show her how good they could be t ...more
What a happy burst of sunshine this book was. I adored it.
Not only DNF'd but returned my Kindle book, which I don't think I've ever done for a non-accidental purchase. Completely loathed the heroine, could not understand how she supposedly suffers from anxiety but is so desperate to travel (?????) out of the country to a popular island tourist destination (???????????) that she will go on national TV (??????????????????) with, initially, a crappy AND boring boyfriend (???????) who mocks her anxiety (@&$@#_@&) or then the hot guy that she hates because
...more
Sweet little book
3.5 stars: This is a sweet little novella full of wonderful human details. I like the way Dade thinks about how two people might fit together. What she comes up with is most often a story of a man who must figure out how to accommodate a strong women. And make no mistake, our heroine here *is* strong, despite character details that would normally indicate the opposite.
My issue is that I’m starting to fear this author I’ve been really enjoying has a limited range of characters s ...more
3.5 stars: This is a sweet little novella full of wonderful human details. I like the way Dade thinks about how two people might fit together. What she comes up with is most often a story of a man who must figure out how to accommodate a strong women. And make no mistake, our heroine here *is* strong, despite character details that would normally indicate the opposite.
My issue is that I’m starting to fear this author I’ve been really enjoying has a limited range of characters s ...more
I. Loved. This. Novella.
It was a literal beach-read for me, and it was perfect.
This is my second Olivia Dade book-- and this time, like last time, I put down the book, pulled up amazon, and pre-ordered the next thing she's releasing. She has a talent for getting right to the core of her characters, cracking them open, and making the reader fall in love. In the least flattering terms, Callie is an anxious mess, and Thomas is obnoxiously oblivious to the way his own idiosyncrasies burden the peopl ...more
It was a literal beach-read for me, and it was perfect.
This is my second Olivia Dade book-- and this time, like last time, I put down the book, pulled up amazon, and pre-ordered the next thing she's releasing. She has a talent for getting right to the core of her characters, cracking them open, and making the reader fall in love. In the least flattering terms, Callie is an anxious mess, and Thomas is obnoxiously oblivious to the way his own idiosyncrasies burden the peopl ...more
This felt like the sketch of a story that no one bothered to add any depth to. The premise was good. The conflict was practically nonexistent and Thomas lacked any real personality. There’s no substance here.
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Olivia Dade grew up an undeniable nerd, prone to ignoring the world around her as she read any book she could find. Her favorites, though, were always, always romances. As an adult, she earned an M.A. in American history and worked in a variety of jobs that required the donning of actual pants: Colonial Williamsburg interpreter, high school teacher, academic tutor, and (of course) librarian. Now,
...more
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