Jayne Denker

It’s Probably You (published as Hedging Your Bets in the US market) is an engaging enemies-to-lovers/opposites-attract small town romance novel by Jayne Denker.

When part of her prized garden is accidentally destroyed by her new neighbour, Gillian Pritchard is not in the mood to make nice, even though her friends, and her inner Bette Davis, are quick to remind of her that handsome, eligible men aren’t thick on the ground in Willow Cove. It’s something Gillian is well aware of given the string of disastrous dates she’s endured since her divorce, but she’s sure Noah West would only be another disappointment.

Noah is baffled by Gillian’s refusal to forgive and forget his mistake. He’s tried to apologise, he even bought her a gnome for her precious garden, but Gillian seems determined to think the worst of him. When Noah is blackmailed into thwarting Gillian’s plans to win Willow Cove’s annual garden competition he is expecting her to declare war, but instead she offers to make peace in the face of a common enemy, and suddenly their relationship seems starts to blossom.

There was a lot I enjoyed in It’s Probably You. The buildup of the relationship between Gillian and Noah is entertaining, their banter is often witty, and the tension of their attraction comes across well, despite this being a closed door romance.

I appreciate a mature romcom heroine, and I liked Gillian from the moment of her introduction, she’s smart, sassy, and self confident. I was generally happy with the way in which Gillian was represented as a curvy woman, though perhaps Denker stresses the size ≠ health a little too often, unintentionally implying that Gillian is the ‘right’ kind of fat. I absolutely empathise with Gillian’s issues with Louise though, I’ve met one or two women just like her.
Noah is an attractive hero and clearly a good guy. He’s a little lost after the end of his relationship and not really sure what to do with himself, which generates sympathy.

There are some lovely scenes in It’s Probably You, Noah being bailed up by the older ladies in the neighbourhood under the guise of a welcome was a favourite, as was his awkward introduction to Gillian’s protective friends. The list of Gillian’s dating disasters made me cringe and laugh.

Sweet, cute and funny, It’s Probably You is a light-hearted, easy read.… (plus d'informations)

This was a sweet, very cozy, closed-door romance. Gillian is a pharmacist who loves competitive gardening. Noah is her hot but cantankerous new neighbor.

There was no deep dive into characters, but it was entertaining. I especially appreciated that Noah actually confessed to Gillian about his deal with the evil Ms. March. Too often when reading romance, I find myself yelling (in my head), “just tell her/him, already!

If you’re looking for a cozy distraction, this one is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin's Griffin for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.… (plus d'informations)

The Rom-Com Agenda has a great premise for a story – the hero learns from romantic comedies how to be a great hero while his guide falls in love with him. It’s a great idea but the execution fell flat for me. Perhaps it’s that I didn’t connect with Eli or I haven’t watched many of the movies that Eli and Leah watch.

Eli proposes to his relatively new girlfriend just as she’s about to go overseas on a sabbatical. She refuses and Eli is left heartbroken, clueless to what he’s done. Months later, he’s still lost and pining for Veronica. Enter Leah, who just happens to be working everywhere when Eli’s sister and her friends drag him in for a top to toe makeover. Leah’s secrets are two fold – she’s taking on any job to get out of the small town after she’s sorted her late foster mother’s effects and she heard Eli’s proposal to Veronica in secret. Still, Leah can’t help but enjoy Eli’s company. As she’s brought into the plan to make Eli into the leading man that nobody, not even Veronica, can resist, she finds that she really looks forward to his friendship – and possibly more.

I really enjoyed Leah’s character and personal growth throughout the novel. She’s the sort of person that you want to have as a friend. Eli, however, just didn’t do it for me. He was far too stuck on Veronica for the majority of the novel and it dragged. I thought the finale when he meets Veronica again to be hilarious – it’s so over the top – but maybe I wasn’t laughing with him, but at him. (Sorry). It took that kind of dramatic shaking up (again – it happened in the opening of the novel) for Eli to see all he had going for him. I would have liked to see less of Eli mooning over Veronica and more of his transition to romance with Leah as it just seemed to drag. The slow burn had me looking for fast forward at times and I did skim over sections. Perhaps this was why I found it difficult at times to distinguish between Eli’s sister Jenna and their friends, even though they had their quirks (one had coloured hair, another was a gym junkie).

I also found that the writing, while technically proficient, lacked ‘sparkle’. By this, I mean that X-factor that lifts the characters, setting and plot off the page and into your head and heart. The dialogue and descriptions were fine and there was plenty of detail, but they just didn’t spark the connection with my heart. Perhaps this is a case of it’s not the book, it’s me.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book. My review is honest.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com… (plus d'informations)