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emilygigs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
beckymmoe's review against another edition
3.0
This one had such a strong start--the bookmobile librarian and the geeky IT guy who have all kinds of sexual tension going on, both believing that they can't be together (he's the brother of one of her best friends and younger than her; she doesn't want/have time for a relationship) competing against each other for department of the year at the library...at the beginning, this was all kinds of fun. It was a bit frustrating that Con was so dead set against any kind of a relationship beyond the purely physical, but Sam put his all behind changing her mind on that point, and it was great to see him bring her around to the idea. Oh, the presents he leaves for her--made me melt every. Single. Time. He plays hockey, and she cheers him on using hockey terms that are perfectly valid but manage to sound totally dirty at the same time :) So fun.
But...
The major conflict in their relationship changed everything for me. First, it took them 80% of the book for them to figure out what their conflict was...I really have a hard time believing that they would have gotten to the point that they did without having the talk that they clearly needed to have before committing to a future together, but they didn't. They actively avoided it, both just assuming what they wanted to believe about the other until they couldn't believe it anymore. Then they broke up. Then they reconsidered, and of course got back together in the end--with another really big
BUT...
It was really hard to buy the way this whole issue was resolved. One person completely turned around on their position, thanks to a single conversation and the events of a weekend, and the other person...didn't. They pretty much said, "Yeah, I suppose I could possibly, maybe change my mind eventually in the far distant future, but I strongly doubt it." As much as I had wanted them together early on (and there were more awesome gifts involved in the reconciliation!) the way they managed it in the end left me unconvinced that they really should be together, which made me sad.
Still, I love the idea of a series built around public librarians. How awesome is this? I'll definitely try some of the other books in this series--the one excerpted at the end, book 4 [b:Ready to Fall|27208570|Ready to Fall (Lovestruck Librarians, #4)|Olivia Dade|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1458569683s/27208570.jpg|47250290], looks cute--in the hopes that this one was a one-off. The series characters all work together and are friendly with each other, and so the MCs of the other books were in and out of the pages of this one. Not having read the other books yet, I wasn't familiar with their stories but still enjoyed seeing their relationships here with Con, Sam, and each other--as a standalone, it worked okay; those who have read the other books, though, will definitely enjoy seeing the stories of those librarians continue here.
Rating: 3 stars / C
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
But...
The major conflict in their relationship changed everything for me. First, it took them 80% of the book for them to figure out what their conflict was...I really have a hard time believing that they would have gotten to the point that they did without having the talk that they clearly needed to have before committing to a future together, but they didn't. They actively avoided it, both just assuming what they wanted to believe about the other until they couldn't believe it anymore. Then they broke up. Then they reconsidered, and of course got back together in the end--with another really big
BUT...
It was really hard to buy the way this whole issue was resolved. One person completely turned around on their position, thanks to a single conversation and the events of a weekend, and the other person...didn't. They pretty much said, "Yeah, I suppose I could possibly, maybe change my mind eventually in the far distant future, but I strongly doubt it." As much as I had wanted them together early on (and there were more awesome gifts involved in the reconciliation!) the way they managed it in the end left me unconvinced that they really should be together, which made me sad.
Still, I love the idea of a series built around public librarians. How awesome is this? I'll definitely try some of the other books in this series--the one excerpted at the end, book 4 [b:Ready to Fall|27208570|Ready to Fall (Lovestruck Librarians, #4)|Olivia Dade|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1458569683s/27208570.jpg|47250290], looks cute--in the hopes that this one was a one-off. The series characters all work together and are friendly with each other, and so the MCs of the other books were in and out of the pages of this one. Not having read the other books yet, I wasn't familiar with their stories but still enjoyed seeing their relationships here with Con, Sam, and each other--as a standalone, it worked okay; those who have read the other books, though, will definitely enjoy seeing the stories of those librarians continue here.
Rating: 3 stars / C
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
conniejoy529's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a little confused about the order of the books in this series, Goodreads says this is book 5, but amazon says its book 3. Anyway I enjoyed this book as well as the others in this series. This one had the heaviest subject matter in my opinion and I'm not sure I could believe the ending if it had been with real people I know. But this is a romance novel and some suspension of disbelief is necessary. Anyway, once again I really like the characters in this book. I feel like Dade's characters are always just regular good people who are relatable, which for me is a great thing. The humor was great and I especially loved Con's constant misuse of simile and metaphor.
kiwicoral's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 breath-of-fresh-air stars.
The first 80% of this was good. The heroine was delightfully foul mouthed, good at her job and a good friend. The hero was a very sexy geek, and their fights and banter to try and distract from their mutual attraction were hilarious. We got good depth of character for both. The hero was an awesome and supportive partner, and together they are dynamite. You could see them both changing for the better, because of each other.
But what really made this book stand out was the climax and ending.It is so rare to have a heroine who doesn't want children and then doesn't change her mind because of twue wuv. Yes, I know that women can change their mind, but so many romance novels with women who start off not wanting kids are then converted with the power of the hero's magic penis.
In this book, Con is so sure she didn't want kids that she got sterilised ages before she met Sam (let's not even get into how difficult it is for women in their 20s to find a doctor in the US who is willing to do this). When she finds out Sam wants kids, she does the hard but right thing of letting him go, because she knows she won't change her mind and wants him to have what he wants. Instead of the breakup depression making the heroine question her choice, the hero is the one who actually has to figure out what family means to him. He decides that his chosen family is already fulfilling. It is so nice that children are not considered the be all, end all for a happy ending for this couple.
Why not five stars? The supporting cast was difficult to keep track of. Now this is number five in a series, so if I had read it in order, it probably wouldn't have mattered. But it was difficult as a new reader.
The first 80% of this was good. The heroine was delightfully foul mouthed, good at her job and a good friend. The hero was a very sexy geek, and their fights and banter to try and distract from their mutual attraction were hilarious. We got good depth of character for both. The hero was an awesome and supportive partner, and together they are dynamite. You could see them both changing for the better, because of each other.
But what really made this book stand out was the climax and ending.
In this book, Con is so sure she didn't want kids that she got sterilised ages before she met Sam (let's not even get into how difficult it is for women in their 20s to find a doctor in the US who is willing to do this). When she finds out Sam wants kids, she does the hard but right thing of letting him go, because she knows she won't change her mind and wants him to have what he wants. Instead of the breakup depression making the heroine question her choice, the hero is the one who actually has to figure out what family means to him. He decides that his chosen family is already fulfilling. It is so nice that children are not considered the be all, end all for a happy ending for this couple.
Why not five stars? The supporting cast was difficult to keep track of. Now this is number five in a series, so if I had read it in order, it probably wouldn't have mattered. But it was difficult as a new reader.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
I like almost any type of book set in a library. This one met my expectations - fun, humorous and a good happily ever after. I have to wonder about the boss's socks and how they play in other volumes of this series.
goodbyepuckpie's review against another edition
5.0
I really like this, I like that they communicate and have a real dilemma/conflict that isn’t caused by stupidity or malice; it’s a genuine no bad guys set up and I really appreciate that. Also Sam is delightful. And the bit where Con goes to his hockey game was superb on so many levels. (*I* want to date Petra and/or her sister, ftr, I hope one of them gets a book later (and that there are lesbians))
(I always hope there are lesbians)
I am really not doing it justice in this review, it is overall super great and as ever, listen to booksandjoe’s recs.
(I always hope there are lesbians)
I am really not doing it justice in this review, it is overall super great and as ever, listen to booksandjoe’s recs.
poisonivy70's review against another edition
5.0
-Excellent writing. I’ve never read anything by Ms. Dade before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. Loved the idea of Constance Chen, who runs the library’s bookmobile like a well oiled machine, and Sam Wolcott, her friend Penny’s half-brother and general pain in her buttocks. Which simply masks their UST, but as you may have guessed, romance happens. Ms. Dade’s writing flowed really well, this ‘verse has characters, lead and supporting, that are diverse and well drawn. Loved that.
-Loved the whole crew of friends: Speaking of love, this fantastically diverse group of friends are more like family and I adored that. One of the things that really stood out was the banter and the genuine friendships. Each friend (who are hero/heroines from earlier books) really brought something to the table when they got together. I love seeing that kind of camaraderie in romances, because it really fleshes out a story, giving them a chance to exist within a more realistic setting, as opposed to having their relationship exist in a vacuum. Time alone can be fun, but the best romances have a balance of both.
-Part of ongoing series, but works as standalone: For those concerned about reading a series in order, this is the fifth book in the Lovestruck Librarians series. I didn’t know that when I picked it up, but it did not affect my enjoyment at all. If anything, it left me more intrigued than feeling as if I’m missing something.
-Con’s a (head) strong heroine: Con is used to taking care of everyone around her - her family, friends and all of her patrons at the bookmobile. She’s dedicated her life to raising her siblings, to the detriment of her own personal wants and needs. She’s a heroine who has a legitimate reason for her desire to not become romantically involved with anyone. Her ability to mangle most metaphors, her straightforward, no-nonsense personality is one that I could connect to and I respected her no games approach. She shoulders alot of burdens on her slim shoulders and does not suffer fools gladly. She’s not a cuddly heroine, but that does not mean that she isn’t nurturing or supportive. Far from it. She is one that I admire for her commitment to her convictions, her complexity and her fierceness. This is mildly spoiler-ish, but I have to say how refreshing it is to read a romance where the heroine isn’t climbing the walls to become a mom and has realistic reasons for that.
-Sam is such a good beta hero: I could say that this is almost a twist on gender stereotypes within romances. Sam moved to Niceville in an attempt to be closer to his only living relative, his sister Penny. Sam has been alone and lonely, and his desire for love and a big family are ones that are usually consigned to heroines in romances, so I really appreciated seeing his desires and the reasons for them. Sam is a classic example of a hot beta hero, whose protective and supportive love is just what Con needs to let her guards down. When his backstory unfolds, it makes perfect sense as to why he is tireless in his dedication to lightening her burdens, not adding to them and I think they are incredibly well matched.
-Unusual turn in the last quarter of the book: the setup is there, and you’ll get (more than) an inkling as to what the big obstacle will be for Con and Sam. There is a reliance on deliberate misunderstandings between these two (some time is condensed for the sake of pacing, and these are important discussions that should have happened). However, this takes what’s a fairly lighthearted read a bit deeper into the emotional weeds. This isn’t a bad thing, and I want to say that I respect Ms. Dade taking a chance and not relying on the usual HEA tropes. This is a specific HEA for these two characters and I loved that it discussed a serious issue and yet allowed them to realize what is most important to them.
The Bottom Line 4.5 stars
A delight to read from a new-to-me author, I really liked it. With strong friendships and an atypical HEA which I truly appreciated, I think this is a series worth getting to know and I’m about to go out and get the earlier books. If you’re into contemporary romances, you should check this out.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
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harmony's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the gender swapping in this story! Con is a woman who knows what she wants: a new hammer, for her bun to stay put, and booty calls with no strings attached. If only men didn't get so sentimental and attached all the time! Sam is just the opposite. He wants commitment, love, and a big family. They have great chemistry and I adored the way Con learned to be a little vulnerable without having to change who she was. This is mid series, but I'm new to the series and never felt lost.
mloza's review against another edition
3.0
Okay so I loved the dynamic between the main characters! I loved that Constance doesn’t want her man to be another chore because that’s absolutely my life motto. Your partner should make life easier for you.
The baby/no baby storyline... well.. I think that’s my struggle with this series in general. Every book has characters with legitimate realistic conflicts that seem hard to reconcile. Wanting vs. not wanting kids? That’s huge. Moving or not moving? Also huge. And I think it’s hard to feel completely sure that Sam truly is okay with not having kids in the end. However, I appreciate that he did at least take the time to think about it. I don’t know. It’s just such a realistic thing.
The baby/no baby storyline... well.. I think that’s my struggle with this series in general. Every book has characters with legitimate realistic conflicts that seem hard to reconcile. Wanting vs. not wanting kids? That’s huge. Moving or not moving? Also huge. And I think it’s hard to feel completely sure that Sam truly is okay with not having kids in the end. However, I appreciate that he did at least take the time to think about it. I don’t know. It’s just such a realistic thing.
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