Series: Want You #2
Published: August 4, 2020
Source: Berkley Books and Edelweiss
3.75 stars
Gabi was at a crossroads in her career. When an opportunity
for her dream job fell into her lap, she knew she was qualified, but she needed to
polish her look. She cringed at the thought of asking Nolan Lund, her boss’s brother, for
help, but he was a total fashion plate with style for days. They agreed to trade a
favor for a favor and these two pseudo-enemies were off and running.
It was a nice switch to have a female in the athlete role
in this sports romance. Gabi was an incredibly talented hockey player but circumstances had her coaching kids and refereeing part-time to support herself. Being dumped
by her boyfriend was yet another kick to her confidence. Nolan was also having
something of a career crisis. Feeling the need to prove his worth within the
family business, Nolan was under-appreciated and left out of the
decision-making process at the office. I enjoyed the way Gabi and Nolan were
able to be themselves with each other, without pressure or expectations, something
they both needed. Their verbal sparring was so funny and I really liked the
slow-burn aspect of their relationship.
I will say that it was tricky at times to keep track of
the vast Lund family. During business meetings and family gatherings, when so many members of the
family were present, I kind of gave up trying to keep track of all the
relationships and their roles in the company. Overall, Want You to Want Me was
a fun, opposites attract romance with main characters that were easy to like
and pull for.
Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #1
Published: March 27, 2007
Source: Purchased
3.25 stars
Melinda spontaneously decided to relocate to a small town
for a fresh start after the death of her husband. A rocky start had her ready
to turn right back around but the appearance of an abandoned baby kept her in
Virgin River. Mel was a tricky character for me. She was a dedicated nurse and
mid-wife and it was obvious she took her role seriously. But I also found her,
initially at least, to be judgmental of the people in Virgin River. As if their
desire for small town life was a character flaw. She also made some decisions
that seemed completely out of place with a professional nurse with years of experience, and those decisions placed her firmly in the too-stupid-to-live category at times.
The saving grace here was Jack. The owner of the town
bar/restaurant was a prince among men. He was a good man through and through -
sometimes too good to be true, but I didn’t even care. He had made a place for
himself in the small town and was always willing to get involved and lend a
hand. I loved how unreservedly he cared
for Melinda and wanted her to be happy.
I read Virgin River in conjunction with Maureen’s BooksBook Club and, while it wasn’t something I would have picked up on my own, it
was still an enjoyable read and it was fun to discuss it with the group.
HAVE YOU READ EITHER OF THESE BOOKS?
