A review by rosielovesreading
That Swoony Feeling by Meghan Quinn
5.0
The final trip back to the idyllic New England town of Port Snow for That Swoony Feeling was bittersweet but I adored every page. Brig and Ruth’s book was full of angst, love, friendship and so stupidly frustrating in the best way. Brig is CLUELESS, and I mean completely unaware of what’s right in front of him.
Brig is the youngest son of Port Snow’s famous Knightly family and for his 21st birthday trip to New Orleans with his brothers, they are all struck with a love curse. Four years later, Brig is still unlucky in love, and as the hopeless romantic of the brothers, has bought into the curse more than his siblings. Having watched all his brothers settle down, he is desperate to find that himself, and what better way than the Summer of Love pen pal programme arranged by one of the town’s meddling elders. Brig signs up automatically, ready to find his soulmate through the art of letter writing.
Ruth has had a crush on Brig for years, her friends know, her customers at her coffee shop Snow Roast know, the whole town knows, except for Brig. Shy and closed off after the loss of her parents, Ruth assumes Brig isn’t interested and has never noticed her. Until she decides to open a tearoom in town, and the only available space to open is next to Brig’s auto shop. Brig offers to show her around, and it’s awkward at first with Ruth unsure of how to act. When her friend signs her up to the programme too, Ruth quickly realises she’s been matched with Brig, but is too scared to tell him, deciding to keep her identity a secret.
Unknowing about their match, Brig inserts himself into her life, deciding they are going to be friends, wanting to know all about her, all the while writing romantic letters to his beloved letter girl through the pen pal programme without realising they’re the same person. Ruth finally begins to act her normal witty self around Brig and their friendship goes from strength to strength, but she can’t help wondering if he’ll ever see her as something more. What will it take for Brig to take the blinders off and open his eyes to what’s been in front of him all along? Or will Ruth decide enough is enough, and if he hasn’t noticed her after becoming closer as friends, it’s time to move on?
So, I’ve said all along that Brig would be knock me off my feet with his humour, charm and personality and I was right, but I really didn’t expect him to be so DENSE. He was like a lovable puppy, clingy and affectionate but so dopey. I really adored his character, but at times I just wanted to knock some sense into him! His relationship with his brothers was so sweet, his love for love was swoon worthy and his romantic gestures were unmatched.
But my favourite heroine has to be Ruth, I loved her character, and at time related to her immensely, especially when she speaks about how it’s easier to keep yourself in a bubble to avoid being hurt. She was witty, feisty and independent. She had the patience of a saint; I don’t know how she didn’t scream at Brig sometimes. Her personality took a while to warm up with people she didn’t know, and my heart broke for why she kept her guard up, she was so used to facing problems alone, but once she let you in, you were in for good.
Brig and Ruth’s friendship was such a good foundation to their relationship. I think in some ways, Ruth’s crush was built on attraction from a far, and the interactions they have over the counter in Snow Roast for a couple of minutes each day. Becoming friends allowed them to really get to know each other and open up, meaning they fell for the real version of each other, even if it took one of them a little bit longer to realise who they were truly falling for.
Once again, the secondary characters, the rest of Knightly family and the towns folk are perfect and round out this series. The meddling, the embarrassment, the rumours just made it so great. But the brothers are hilarious, they are all so different, they balance each other out perfectly and their banter is just brilliant, their group text was as hilarious as ever, I want to be in their family chat! Meghan is known for writing fabulous comedy in her books and these Knightly brothers were no exception.
Overall, That Swoony Feeling is a must read, the town of Port Snow may be small, but they pack a hell of a lot of feelings and drama into their happily ever after’s. I cannot recommend this series, or Meghan's writing, enough.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Brig is the youngest son of Port Snow’s famous Knightly family and for his 21st birthday trip to New Orleans with his brothers, they are all struck with a love curse. Four years later, Brig is still unlucky in love, and as the hopeless romantic of the brothers, has bought into the curse more than his siblings. Having watched all his brothers settle down, he is desperate to find that himself, and what better way than the Summer of Love pen pal programme arranged by one of the town’s meddling elders. Brig signs up automatically, ready to find his soulmate through the art of letter writing.
Ruth has had a crush on Brig for years, her friends know, her customers at her coffee shop Snow Roast know, the whole town knows, except for Brig. Shy and closed off after the loss of her parents, Ruth assumes Brig isn’t interested and has never noticed her. Until she decides to open a tearoom in town, and the only available space to open is next to Brig’s auto shop. Brig offers to show her around, and it’s awkward at first with Ruth unsure of how to act. When her friend signs her up to the programme too, Ruth quickly realises she’s been matched with Brig, but is too scared to tell him, deciding to keep her identity a secret.
Unknowing about their match, Brig inserts himself into her life, deciding they are going to be friends, wanting to know all about her, all the while writing romantic letters to his beloved letter girl through the pen pal programme without realising they’re the same person. Ruth finally begins to act her normal witty self around Brig and their friendship goes from strength to strength, but she can’t help wondering if he’ll ever see her as something more. What will it take for Brig to take the blinders off and open his eyes to what’s been in front of him all along? Or will Ruth decide enough is enough, and if he hasn’t noticed her after becoming closer as friends, it’s time to move on?
So, I’ve said all along that Brig would be knock me off my feet with his humour, charm and personality and I was right, but I really didn’t expect him to be so DENSE. He was like a lovable puppy, clingy and affectionate but so dopey. I really adored his character, but at times I just wanted to knock some sense into him! His relationship with his brothers was so sweet, his love for love was swoon worthy and his romantic gestures were unmatched.
Spoiler
But my fave thing is how he never actually worked any of it out himself, if it was down to Brig, he would never have got his HEA.But my favourite heroine has to be Ruth, I loved her character, and at time related to her immensely, especially when she speaks about how it’s easier to keep yourself in a bubble to avoid being hurt. She was witty, feisty and independent. She had the patience of a saint; I don’t know how she didn’t scream at Brig sometimes. Her personality took a while to warm up with people she didn’t know, and my heart broke for why she kept her guard up, she was so used to facing problems alone, but once she let you in, you were in for good.
Brig and Ruth’s friendship was such a good foundation to their relationship. I think in some ways, Ruth’s crush was built on attraction from a far, and the interactions they have over the counter in Snow Roast for a couple of minutes each day. Becoming friends allowed them to really get to know each other and open up, meaning they fell for the real version of each other, even if it took one of them a little bit longer to realise who they were truly falling for.
Once again, the secondary characters, the rest of Knightly family and the towns folk are perfect and round out this series. The meddling, the embarrassment, the rumours just made it so great. But the brothers are hilarious, they are all so different, they balance each other out perfectly and their banter is just brilliant, their group text was as hilarious as ever, I want to be in their family chat! Meghan is known for writing fabulous comedy in her books and these Knightly brothers were no exception.
Overall, That Swoony Feeling is a must read, the town of Port Snow may be small, but they pack a hell of a lot of feelings and drama into their happily ever after’s. I cannot recommend this series, or Meghan's writing, enough.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*