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portybelle's review against another edition
4.0
Jess first meets Nick after a very traumatic day and a misunderstanding means they part with a very poor opinion of each other. So you can imagine her horror when it turns out he is the head-keeper at East Lothian Wildlife Park where she has been tasked with turning around the fortune of the attraction to avoid closure. It was such fun to read about how they continually clashed while, of course, secretly being so attracted to each other! And it was lovely to see how a tentative truce formed between them as they began to understand each other more. But Jess was keeping quite a major secret from Nick and I was dreading what would happen when it inevitably was revealed!
I am very familiar with the settings of this book and particularly enjoyed reading about areas of Edinburgh and East Lothian which I know so well. By the time I had finished reading about the wildlife park I was almost convinced it was real and that I could go and visit!
There’s an interesting angle in this book relating to the way people with family or caring commitments are treated at work. When Jess’s brother Seth has a stroke at a very young age, she doesn’t hesitate to take on caring responsibilities for him. Her boss is less than accommodating when she wants to work more flexibly and effectively demotes her. As a reader, we can see this is clearly a big mistake as Jess is exceptionally good at what she does. It seemed so unfair and really made me think about how difficult it must be for people who unexpectedly have to take on extra family responsibilities but who still need and want to work.
Just Like That is a lovely book which explores how things can happen which can totally change your life ‘just like that’ whether it’s for better or worse. As well as exploring themes like the importance of ecology and family loyalties and relationships, it’s a beautifully romantic read with a very satisfying ending.
I am very familiar with the settings of this book and particularly enjoyed reading about areas of Edinburgh and East Lothian which I know so well. By the time I had finished reading about the wildlife park I was almost convinced it was real and that I could go and visit!
There’s an interesting angle in this book relating to the way people with family or caring commitments are treated at work. When Jess’s brother Seth has a stroke at a very young age, she doesn’t hesitate to take on caring responsibilities for him. Her boss is less than accommodating when she wants to work more flexibly and effectively demotes her. As a reader, we can see this is clearly a big mistake as Jess is exceptionally good at what she does. It seemed so unfair and really made me think about how difficult it must be for people who unexpectedly have to take on extra family responsibilities but who still need and want to work.
Just Like That is a lovely book which explores how things can happen which can totally change your life ‘just like that’ whether it’s for better or worse. As well as exploring themes like the importance of ecology and family loyalties and relationships, it’s a beautifully romantic read with a very satisfying ending.
readbyme89's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, I adored this book! Right away my heart was in it for Jess,. From having to deal with her brother’s stroke basically alone, to crappy work situation and boss and just feeling out of sorts about life in general.
Enter Nick. The grumpy animal caretaker you can’t help but love.
Oh this book made me giddy. I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers, it’s more of a meet - bad (what do we call the opposite of a meet cute), to misunderstandings, a little prickliness, but then the feelings come. This is a closed door romance, but I was just so in for these two I just wanted to see them figure it out.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Enter Nick. The grumpy animal caretaker you can’t help but love.
Oh this book made me giddy. I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers, it’s more of a meet - bad (what do we call the opposite of a meet cute), to misunderstandings, a little prickliness, but then the feelings come. This is a closed door romance, but I was just so in for these two I just wanted to see them figure it out.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
rimreads13's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the book very much I couldn't put it down which led to me finishing it in one day.
Though I found some parts a bit cringey and could've been left out but that did not take away from the story which is a beautiful one at that.
I do have mixed feelings about Jess I love how selfless caring and intelligent she is, I also understand the struggles she was facing and that her decisions and mistakes were human that being said I simply feel that she's overly judgmental and although the hurt she caused was resolved but that came at a late part of the book it didn't leave much space for character growth (specifically on page).
Nick was a sweetheart although seen as grump by most but he's a soft and feeling person on the inside, and the fact he's that way to protect himself from being hurt again adds a since of relatability to his character.
Overall I enjoyed the book and I would definitely recommend it to a friend, thank you Netgalley and Canelo for this arc.
Though I found some parts a bit cringey and could've been left out but that did not take away from the story which is a beautiful one at that.
I do have mixed feelings about Jess I love how selfless caring and intelligent she is, I also understand the struggles she was facing and that her decisions and mistakes were human that being said I simply feel that she's overly judgmental and although the hurt she caused was resolved but that came at a late part of the book it didn't leave much space for character growth (specifically on page).
Nick was a sweetheart although seen as grump by most but he's a soft and feeling person on the inside, and the fact he's that way to protect himself from being hurt again adds a since of relatability to his character.
Overall I enjoyed the book and I would definitely recommend it to a friend, thank you Netgalley and Canelo for this arc.
fromp's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
thebritishbibliophile_'s review against another edition
4.0
'A lovely return to the world of Nina Kaye. A feel-good, bookish romance that is perfect & wholesome. Simple but satisfying' - The British Bibliophile
*Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an ebook Advanced Readers Copy for me to read and leave an honest review*
I first came by Nina Kaye while picking up One Night in Edinburgh from a local Facebook Marketplace listing. The book's cover captivated me to see what the book was all about--aside from the obviousness on the cover--, and give a new to me author a chance. Unfortunately, the copy sold before I could get my hands on it but I did not despair! I grabbed a copy from Amazon and dove right on in.
One Night in Edinburgh was a pleasant introduction to Nina Kaye, and I just happened to spot an ARC for this read on Net Galley and decided to hop on the opportunity to see if I would like any of her other novels. I'm very pleased to say that I did.
Just Like That is what it says on the tin. Or rather, the tagline. It's a perfectly good feel-good romance that did indeed make me smile. I can't ask for anything more than that out of a romance, in its essence. As much as smut, steam and spice are in equal demand in my reading repertoire, it's good to dip your toes back into the humble, the romanic and the feel-good. I love a book that can make me laugh, but I also love one that can make me smile and I'm so happy that this was the book to do it.
Jess is as real to life as a book character can get. She's taking her job in her stride when life throws one of its massive curveballs and her priorities and commitments have to change. She doesn't think to put herself first, but instead puts the person who needs her the most first which in itself is very admirable. Like in the real world, her boss was not as understanding of her decision. Jess was able to be herself, make mistakes and came across to myself at least, as 'very human'. She wasn't simply written to be a book character full of all the stereotypical things seen in and across many books, her realism is her biggest compliment and Nina did a wonderful job in creating and writing about her.
Nick...oh Nick. He's the grumpy to her sunshine and I can speak for myself and other readers when I say we love book men like Nick. He's all grumpy and gruff on the outside but on the inside? A whole different story. A different side to the man. The fun for both Jess and myself was seeing the development in Nick to show that side TO Jess when he felt comfortable enough to do so. He's not afraid to admit that he wants a baggage-free life--as horrible as that sounds, it's honest--, and he's not going to get that with Jess. Yet, she seems to be the exception to that steadfast rule.
Jess & Nick are your typical not-so-meet-cute couple, and I loved getting to know them both and how they were going to navigate life together after Jess' assignment to the animal park that Nick is the head keeper of. There are pitfalls, speed bumps, times where you want to jump through the page and yell the obvious at a character but in essence, Just Like That was a read you need when you need a pick-me-up when our bookish world--or real--gets too heavy.
Strap yourselves in for a story in the East Lothian Wildlife Park, where it isn't the animals who are the only ones that have claws.
Four stars!
*Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an ebook Advanced Readers Copy for me to read and leave an honest review*
I first came by Nina Kaye while picking up One Night in Edinburgh from a local Facebook Marketplace listing. The book's cover captivated me to see what the book was all about--aside from the obviousness on the cover--, and give a new to me author a chance. Unfortunately, the copy sold before I could get my hands on it but I did not despair! I grabbed a copy from Amazon and dove right on in.
One Night in Edinburgh was a pleasant introduction to Nina Kaye, and I just happened to spot an ARC for this read on Net Galley and decided to hop on the opportunity to see if I would like any of her other novels. I'm very pleased to say that I did.
Just Like That is what it says on the tin. Or rather, the tagline. It's a perfectly good feel-good romance that did indeed make me smile. I can't ask for anything more than that out of a romance, in its essence. As much as smut, steam and spice are in equal demand in my reading repertoire, it's good to dip your toes back into the humble, the romanic and the feel-good. I love a book that can make me laugh, but I also love one that can make me smile and I'm so happy that this was the book to do it.
Jess is as real to life as a book character can get. She's taking her job in her stride when life throws one of its massive curveballs and her priorities and commitments have to change. She doesn't think to put herself first, but instead puts the person who needs her the most first which in itself is very admirable. Like in the real world, her boss was not as understanding of her decision. Jess was able to be herself, make mistakes and came across to myself at least, as 'very human'. She wasn't simply written to be a book character full of all the stereotypical things seen in and across many books, her realism is her biggest compliment and Nina did a wonderful job in creating and writing about her.
Nick...oh Nick. He's the grumpy to her sunshine and I can speak for myself and other readers when I say we love book men like Nick. He's all grumpy and gruff on the outside but on the inside? A whole different story. A different side to the man. The fun for both Jess and myself was seeing the development in Nick to show that side TO Jess when he felt comfortable enough to do so. He's not afraid to admit that he wants a baggage-free life--as horrible as that sounds, it's honest--, and he's not going to get that with Jess. Yet, she seems to be the exception to that steadfast rule.
Jess & Nick are your typical not-so-meet-cute couple, and I loved getting to know them both and how they were going to navigate life together after Jess' assignment to the animal park that Nick is the head keeper of. There are pitfalls, speed bumps, times where you want to jump through the page and yell the obvious at a character but in essence, Just Like That was a read you need when you need a pick-me-up when our bookish world--or real--gets too heavy.
Strap yourselves in for a story in the East Lothian Wildlife Park, where it isn't the animals who are the only ones that have claws.
Four stars!
catreader18's review against another edition
5.0
This is the perfect book to cheer you up when you are having a rough day. It can take your mind off of everything else and transform your surroundings into the book. Jess and Nick fall perfectly into the enemies to lovers troupe. Jess is struggling to balance life and work when she takes on an event at a little known zoo. It turns out the zoo is exactly what Jess needs. What I loved most about this book was no matter how my day was going I knew it would get better when I picked up this book. I highly recommend this book for a wonderful romcom.
reading_with_my_doodle's review against another edition
5.0
✨BOOK REVIEW✨
Just Like That
By Nina Kaye
Release Date: 6/1/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Review:
LOVED! This book was just fabulous. I loved the dynamic between Jess and Nick, Jess and Seth, and the whole East Lothian Wildlife Park staff! Rana was a wonderful side-character
Just Like That
By Nina Kaye
Release Date: 6/1/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Review:
LOVED! This book was just fabulous. I loved the dynamic between Jess and Nick, Jess and Seth, and the whole East Lothian Wildlife Park staff! Rana was a wonderful side-character
shelfindulgentbookworm's review against another edition
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
shelves_by_sim's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Jess has always focused on her career, she's a killer events manager and she's brilliant at her job. She rakes in and oversees most of the company's major accounts and because of this, her boss is willing to give her a raise and the lead on all big events - he knows she's being headhunted and will do anything to keep her.
But when Seth, her brother, suffers an unexpected stroke and her parents throw money at the problem instead of getting on a plane to take care of their son, Jess takes full responsibility of Seth and his recovery. She needs to scale back on her work and asks if she is able to cut her hours back in order to help Seth through his recovery. She promises him that she can keep her clients and put in just as much work from home but her boss refuses, he gives her the three day week she asked for but instead of her promotion, she gets handed small accounts that don't require much effort.
When she is sent to help Lothian Wildlife Park out of bankruptcy, she is furious and doesn't understand why an events manager would be needed for such a job instead of a publicist. But when she runs into Nick, it becomes a whole lot more complicated. There is animosity between the two from a small misunderstanding and she finds it impossibly hard to work with him. But as the park becomes a second home to her and the team become family, Nick becomes something more. The only problem is, he wants uncomplicated and her life is anything but.
My thoughts:
This was such a cute and cozy read. I loved it and I finished it so quickly. Nick is definitely the grumpy guy and with Jess being the driven, career-focussed type, you wouldn't guess that they would match, but they do and they do it so well. I loved all the little animals that were in the story, the dynamic of the park team was so great and I absolutely loved some of the side characters. It wasn't an overly complicated story, it was short and simple but so, so sweet 🖤
But when Seth, her brother, suffers an unexpected stroke and her parents throw money at the problem instead of getting on a plane to take care of their son, Jess takes full responsibility of Seth and his recovery. She needs to scale back on her work and asks if she is able to cut her hours back in order to help Seth through his recovery. She promises him that she can keep her clients and put in just as much work from home but her boss refuses, he gives her the three day week she asked for but instead of her promotion, she gets handed small accounts that don't require much effort.
When she is sent to help Lothian Wildlife Park out of bankruptcy, she is furious and doesn't understand why an events manager would be needed for such a job instead of a publicist. But when she runs into Nick, it becomes a whole lot more complicated. There is animosity between the two from a small misunderstanding and she finds it impossibly hard to work with him. But as the park becomes a second home to her and the team become family, Nick becomes something more. The only problem is, he wants uncomplicated and her life is anything but.
My thoughts:
This was such a cute and cozy read. I loved it and I finished it so quickly. Nick is definitely the grumpy guy and with Jess being the driven, career-focussed type, you wouldn't guess that they would match, but they do and they do it so well. I loved all the little animals that were in the story, the dynamic of the park team was so great and I absolutely loved some of the side characters. It wasn't an overly complicated story, it was short and simple but so, so sweet 🖤
plainjane_readss's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I was immediately sold when I read the synopsis of this book and was hoping for a cute romance with a teeny tiny bit of angst regarding a certain trope, but unfortunately, it was somewhat of a lackluster reading experience😬
Jess is on top of her game at work as an events manager and is headed for a promotion, but an unexpected call puts the breaks on her good streak.
Her brother has suffered a stroke that has caused neurological impairment... and from the synopsis, it's stated that she steps up to be his carer. But honestly, she was hardly "taking care" of him. Maybe it's meant to be between the pages, but it's made to sound like it's going to put such strain on her daily routine, yet it had hardly any impact apart from the plot tension.
While her brother is being cared for by day - by a hired professional - she has a new project to tackle - an animal park in need of funds. This is also where she meets Nick again, which she didn't have the best first interaction with.
Their work environment did absolutely nothing for me. 133 pages in, and they were still having tiffs with conversations that were sooo stale and boring.
The chemistry was incredibly lacking between Nick and Jess overall, and I just got so annoyed with Jess' attitude 🤦🏻♀️ i also just didn't get her reasoning for withholding the truth from Nick and the crew...
And speaking of Nick, I wanted to love him - there just weren't anything meaningful revealed to truly hook me. Sadly, none of the characters did it for me in the end.
There was also a side character who was so creepy/cringy wanting to push Jess to get it on with Nick🤨
I tried really hard not to critique it so much, but I ultimately wanted more from the story, and the premise held so much potential. It did read pretty fast, at least😅
I guess it could be a decent read if you can overlook the finer details and lack of deep connections, but you'll enjoy it if you're only in it for the HEA.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me :(
a huge thank you to @jonathanballpublishers for the #gifted review copy - all opinions are my own!
Jess is on top of her game at work as an events manager and is headed for a promotion, but an unexpected call puts the breaks on her good streak.
Her brother has suffered a stroke that has caused neurological impairment... and from the synopsis, it's stated that she steps up to be his carer. But honestly, she was hardly "taking care" of him. Maybe it's meant to be between the pages, but it's made to sound like it's going to put such strain on her daily routine, yet it had hardly any impact apart from the plot tension.
While her brother is being cared for by day - by a hired professional - she has a new project to tackle - an animal park in need of funds. This is also where she meets Nick again, which she didn't have the best first interaction with.
Their work environment did absolutely nothing for me. 133 pages in, and they were still having tiffs with conversations that were sooo stale and boring.
The chemistry was incredibly lacking between Nick and Jess overall, and I just got so annoyed with Jess' attitude 🤦🏻♀️ i also just didn't get her reasoning for withholding the truth from Nick and the crew...
And speaking of Nick, I wanted to love him - there just weren't anything meaningful revealed to truly hook me. Sadly, none of the characters did it for me in the end.
There was also a side character who was so creepy/cringy wanting to push Jess to get it on with Nick🤨
I tried really hard not to critique it so much, but I ultimately wanted more from the story, and the premise held so much potential. It did read pretty fast, at least😅
I guess it could be a decent read if you can overlook the finer details and lack of deep connections, but you'll enjoy it if you're only in it for the HEA.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me :(
a huge thank you to @jonathanballpublishers for the #gifted review copy - all opinions are my own!