The premise of this book is that Ryan has been in love with Jessie since they were children, but Jessie started dating Hugh when they were still in hiThe premise of this book is that Ryan has been in love with Jessie since they were children, but Jessie started dating Hugh when they were still in high school and feels obligated toward Hugh's family. At their ten year high school reunion, Jessie and Ryan have a moment. This leads to Jessie and Hugh taking a break. When Ryan invites Jessie to the Hamptons for the 4th of July, things really heat up between them. But is it just a physical thing or could it be something real?
Although this was better than the first Yahrah St. John book I tried, I really struggled with the fat shaming surrounding Ryan. There was a lot of value judgment in his looks and what he eats and how he exercises based on how he used to look compared to now. I just didn't love how that was handled. I also ultimately didn't love the relationship between Ryan and Jessie even though there kept being parts of it where I would sink into their story. For me, Ryan was really pushy and I like, sort of understood, but also like... Jessie JUST got out of a decade long relationship, so it didn't seem unreasonable for her to need some time. At the same time, Jessie was so dumb about like, everything? And also, communication really would have helped the two of them figure things out. I also just felt like there were weird dynamics between them but I would have given the book three stars if it had stuck the landing. Unfortunately, I just didn't buy the HEA at all in the end.
(And there's this random storyline thrown in with Jessie's mom and Hugh's dad that was just kind of gross. Idk.)
Anyway, regardless, I like where the overarching series is headed and I'm looking forward to what's going to happen with Black Crescent.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Merged review:
The premise of this book is that Ryan has been in love with Jessie since they were children, but Jessie started dating Hugh when they were still in high school and feels obligated toward Hugh's family. At their ten year high school reunion, Jessie and Ryan have a moment. This leads to Jessie and Hugh taking a break. When Ryan invites Jessie to the Hamptons for the 4th of July, things really heat up between them. But is it just a physical thing or could it be something real?
Although this was better than the first Yahrah St. John book I tried, I really struggled with the fat shaming surrounding Ryan. There was a lot of value judgment in his looks and what he eats and how he exercises based on how he used to look compared to now. I just didn't love how that was handled. I also ultimately didn't love the relationship between Ryan and Jessie even though there kept being parts of it where I would sink into their story. For me, Ryan was really pushy and I like, sort of understood, but also like... Jessie JUST got out of a decade long relationship, so it didn't seem unreasonable for her to need some time. At the same time, Jessie was so dumb about like, everything? And also, communication really would have helped the two of them figure things out. I also just felt like there were weird dynamics between them but I would have given the book three stars if it had stuck the landing. Unfortunately, I just didn't buy the HEA at all in the end.
(And there's this random storyline thrown in with Jessie's mom and Hugh's dad that was just kind of gross. Idk.)
Anyway, regardless, I like where the overarching series is headed and I'm looking forward to what's going to happen with Black Crescent.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book!...more
I stopped reading this book at 56% in because it just wasn't working for me. Usually when I pick up a category romance, it's always a standalone, evenI stopped reading this book at 56% in because it just wasn't working for me. Usually when I pick up a category romance, it's always a standalone, even if it's part of a series. With The Rebel's Return, I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story and it wasn't pieced together particularly well form there. I had trouble following it. And then even once I got past the beginning of the story and started to figure out the overall world-building situation I seemed to be expected to already know, there were more editing issues with continuity that just didn't feel like the book itself was lining up to make sense.
All that said, I'm still grateful to Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this review copy!
Merged review:
I stopped reading this book at 56% in because it just wasn't working for me. Usually when I pick up a category romance, it's always a standalone, even if it's part of a series. With The Rebel's Return, I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story and it wasn't pieced together particularly well form there. I had trouble following it. And then even once I got past the beginning of the story and started to figure out the overall world-building situation I seemed to be expected to already know, there were more editing issues with continuity that just didn't feel like the book itself was lining up to make sense.
All that said, I'm still grateful to Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this review copy!...more
Christmas in Rose Bend features a really fun small town (Rose Bend) going all in for Christmas featuring Nessa, a woman really going through it and alChristmas in Rose Bend features a really fun small town (Rose Bend) going all in for Christmas featuring Nessa, a woman really going through it and also a Grinch, Nessa's half-sister, Ivy, whom she has guardianship over after their father passed away, and Wolf, the lumberjack-esque man with a loving family and some hidden scars/depths. What I love about this book is that Simone really captures the way a small town gossip mill can run (perhaps slightly exaggerated) and how a community can really come together, while showing how sometimes people stay more on the outskirts. It just feels very true to life and the characters all feel like real people, although that one Jenna person does feel a little like a caricature of a mean girl. Anyways, setting that aside, I really like the small town portrayal in this book a lot. All of the events sound super fun and maybe a little over the top, but also, I would vacation in Rose Bend in a heartbeat.
Besides the setting of this book, Simone really crafts an intricate character web here with this intense distance between Nessa and Ivy, who experienced their father completely different from one another. For Ivy, her father was loving and present, whereas for Nessa, her father walked out of her life when she was 12 (I think) and it felt to her like he never really looked back. So the two have a very strained relationship between them. Meanwhile, Ivy warms up to Wolf and the other Dennison's so quickly and she really starts to explore this town and have a ball. Nessa, on the other hand, is a little bit wary. She's convinced that she's going back to Boston at the end of this trip, that she'll return to her job at the ER and hopefully those pesky panic attacks won't come back, and is just hoping she and Ivy can make some in roads. What she wasn't planning for was the way that Wolf keeps breaking down walls between them and there are real feelings there even though there shouldn't be. Wolf is actually dealing with the return of his ex-girlfriend and feels very drawn toward Nessa while his ex-girlfriend's return heralds the very real danger he knows exists for falling for Nessa. He's already been left by one woman who wasn't content to stay in his small town. He's also carrying around some guilt over the death of a friend.
So, basically, what I'm saying is that there are a lot of feelings happening in this book. The sense of community is so strong and there are a lot more stories waiting to be told in this town. I look forward to reading more in the series in the future!
Thanks to Netgalley and HQN for the review copy! I actually listened to this via Hoopla through my library though and would definitely recommend the audiobook, which features the short story, A Kiss to Remember as well.
Merged review:
Christmas in Rose Bend features a really fun small town (Rose Bend) going all in for Christmas featuring Nessa, a woman really going through it and also a Grinch, Nessa's half-sister, Ivy, whom she has guardianship over after their father passed away, and Wolf, the lumberjack-esque man with a loving family and some hidden scars/depths. What I love about this book is that Simone really captures the way a small town gossip mill can run (perhaps slightly exaggerated) and how a community can really come together, while showing how sometimes people stay more on the outskirts. It just feels very true to life and the characters all feel like real people, although that one Jenna person does feel a little like a caricature of a mean girl. Anyways, setting that aside, I really like the small town portrayal in this book a lot. All of the events sound super fun and maybe a little over the top, but also, I would vacation in Rose Bend in a heartbeat.
Besides the setting of this book, Simone really crafts an intricate character web here with this intense distance between Nessa and Ivy, who experienced their father completely different from one another. For Ivy, her father was loving and present, whereas for Nessa, her father walked out of her life when she was 12 (I think) and it felt to her like he never really looked back. So the two have a very strained relationship between them. Meanwhile, Ivy warms up to Wolf and the other Dennison's so quickly and she really starts to explore this town and have a ball. Nessa, on the other hand, is a little bit wary. She's convinced that she's going back to Boston at the end of this trip, that she'll return to her job at the ER and hopefully those pesky panic attacks won't come back, and is just hoping she and Ivy can make some in roads. What she wasn't planning for was the way that Wolf keeps breaking down walls between them and there are real feelings there even though there shouldn't be. Wolf is actually dealing with the return of his ex-girlfriend and feels very drawn toward Nessa while his ex-girlfriend's return heralds the very real danger he knows exists for falling for Nessa. He's already been left by one woman who wasn't content to stay in his small town. He's also carrying around some guilt over the death of a friend.
So, basically, what I'm saying is that there are a lot of feelings happening in this book. The sense of community is so strong and there are a lot more stories waiting to be told in this town. I look forward to reading more in the series in the future!
Thanks to Netgalley and HQN for the review copy! I actually listened to this via Hoopla through my library though and would definitely recommend the audiobook, which features the short story, A Kiss to Remember as well....more
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