sharondblk's review
5.0
So much fun! This book is a lovely ride from start to finish. All the Darling Bay books are just darling, and this is no exception. The characters are interesting and feel real. The thing keeping them apart feels genuine and is not forced or overplayed, and the ended left a smile on my face for days.
If you like the Darling bay books, you'll love this. If you haven't read them yet, you are in for a treat. This can be a stand-alone, but characters from the other books do pop up and it was such a pleasure to visit with them again.
I was given an ARC from Rachael Herron in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Rachael - mainly for writing this joyful book.
If you like the Darling bay books, you'll love this. If you haven't read them yet, you are in for a treat. This can be a stand-alone, but characters from the other books do pop up and it was such a pleasure to visit with them again.
I was given an ARC from Rachael Herron in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Rachael - mainly for writing this joyful book.
jen286's review
2.0
I am usually a huge fan of Rachael Herron, love all of her books I have read, but for some reason this one didn't work for me. I don't know if it was that I was tired and not really in the right mood or if it is just not the story for me. Either way it makes me sad that I didn't love it. Oh well, I am still looking forward to her next book. **some spoilers ahead! Proceed at your own risk!**
This is the story of Zora and Jake. Zora and Jake who used to date in high school until something happened and they broke up. Something that broke both of their hearts. Jake thinks about how Zora broke his heart and Zora thinks about how Jake broke hers. Now...Jake seems like a great guy. Friendly to everyone, everyone loves him, he helps out when he can, he is an all around good person. So I was really curious what happened back then especially since Zora references many times how her hurt her. He did something that hurt her and now that they are thrown back together again she is not sure she can deal with being hurt by him again like he did back then. So it seems like Jake did something. Maybe something stupid because he was young and whatnot, but I was hoping it wasn't something lame and he didn't really do anything. Well...it turns out it was so lame and I yelled at Zora so much. Because Jake didn't do anything. He didn't even know what was going on because she didn't tell him and he is not psychic. And then she broke up with him after he did nothing because he deserves better and she made decisions for him because he is not his own person and can't make up his own mind. I hate that. Hate it hate it hate it. Let the other person know what is going on and give them the chance to decide for themselves. Because honestly? Jake would have been amazing I am sure of it. He loved her. He is a great guy. If she would have let him he would have been right by her side every step of the way and they would have figured everything out together. But instead she is all poor me, he hurt me even though I am the one who did everything and kept him out and he didn't even know poor me. Ugh I hated her.
Zora really wasn't much better for the rest of the book so even if what happened in the past didn't annoy the begeezus out of me I still wouldn't have enjoyed the book overall. She is so insecure and lame and put words in Jake's mouth that he never said!! Like they are going to be on this TV show together (Jake has been on it a few seasons, fix up a house and date a girl who is buying the house he is fixing up and Zora needs help buying a house so easy peasy it should work). Well Jake doesn't want Zora to feel pressured so she has to do it so he says this. He comments on how he doesn't want to make her do this especially since they just ambushed her and she takes that to be he will do anything to get out of this because he hates her. Which made NO sense. He was obviously very worried about her and her wellbeing and didn't want to make her do something she didn't want to do. So she grated on my nerves. I hate poor me whiny people when they are the ones making everything bad for themseleves. Like she doesn't believe Jake when he says he loves her, she thinks he only thinks he loves her but she loves him so this will never work. UGH!! She was sooooo annoying!!
So yeah this book didn't work for me. I really didn't like Zora, she is the kind of character I am not a fan of. Oh well, hopefully the next one by this author is better.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book for voluntary review consideration
This is the story of Zora and Jake. Zora and Jake who used to date in high school until something happened and they broke up. Something that broke both of their hearts. Jake thinks about how Zora broke his heart and Zora thinks about how Jake broke hers. Now...Jake seems like a great guy. Friendly to everyone, everyone loves him, he helps out when he can, he is an all around good person. So I was really curious what happened back then especially since Zora references many times how her hurt her. He did something that hurt her and now that they are thrown back together again she is not sure she can deal with being hurt by him again like he did back then. So it seems like Jake did something. Maybe something stupid because he was young and whatnot, but I was hoping it wasn't something lame and he didn't really do anything. Well...it turns out it was so lame and I yelled at Zora so much. Because Jake didn't do anything. He didn't even know what was going on because she didn't tell him and he is not psychic. And then she broke up with him after he did nothing because he deserves better and she made decisions for him because he is not his own person and can't make up his own mind. I hate that. Hate it hate it hate it. Let the other person know what is going on and give them the chance to decide for themselves. Because honestly? Jake would have been amazing I am sure of it. He loved her. He is a great guy. If she would have let him he would have been right by her side every step of the way and they would have figured everything out together. But instead she is all poor me, he hurt me even though I am the one who did everything and kept him out and he didn't even know poor me. Ugh I hated her.
Zora really wasn't much better for the rest of the book so even if what happened in the past didn't annoy the begeezus out of me I still wouldn't have enjoyed the book overall. She is so insecure and lame and put words in Jake's mouth that he never said!! Like they are going to be on this TV show together (Jake has been on it a few seasons, fix up a house and date a girl who is buying the house he is fixing up and Zora needs help buying a house so easy peasy it should work). Well Jake doesn't want Zora to feel pressured so she has to do it so he says this. He comments on how he doesn't want to make her do this especially since they just ambushed her and she takes that to be he will do anything to get out of this because he hates her. Which made NO sense. He was obviously very worried about her and her wellbeing and didn't want to make her do something she didn't want to do. So she grated on my nerves. I hate poor me whiny people when they are the ones making everything bad for themseleves. Like she doesn't believe Jake when he says he loves her, she thinks he only thinks he loves her but she loves him so this will never work. UGH!! She was sooooo annoying!!
So yeah this book didn't work for me. I really didn't like Zora, she is the kind of character I am not a fan of. Oh well, hopefully the next one by this author is better.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book for voluntary review consideration
finallywakingup's review
3.0
I received a preview copy of this book in exchange for a review.
It was an enjoyable and very quick read, however I found the plot a little rushed and felt that some of the earlier characters were acting out of character (for want of a better phrase) and were pushing events forward even though it didn't fit with how they'd acted in the past.
Rachael does write a good romance though, I've enjoyed reading the all, I just wish this one had involved a little more conversation and time to develop rather than it all occurring so fast.
It was an enjoyable and very quick read, however I found the plot a little rushed and felt that some of the earlier characters were acting out of character (for want of a better phrase) and were pushing events forward even though it didn't fit with how they'd acted in the past.
Rachael does write a good romance though, I've enjoyed reading the all, I just wish this one had involved a little more conversation and time to develop rather than it all occurring so fast.
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