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A review by romancingthebow
Under the Stars by Laura Pavlov
5.0
This book has everything. I loved every minute I spent reading it.
Under the Stars, is the sort of novel that will stay living in my head long after I've read it. The kind of book that I knew even before finishing it that I would be re-reading it again and heading over to purchase a physical copy.
Right off the bat, Laura Pavlov pulled me in with her sweet and realistic introduction of Georgia. While I've never had an ex steal my car, the post college wondering of what now and the need to assert yourself as an independent adult--especially as the baby of the family--was so relatable and instantly endeared me to her. Then again, this is really no surprise for me when reading any of Mrs. Pavlov's books. Even when writing a character with the level of wealth of Maddox, she never fails to deliver believable, likable characters who her readers instantly fall for and root for.
Georgia is so sweet and the epitome of a sunshine character. She's well liked, kind, has a heart of gold, and never wastes a moment on being someone other than her true, genuine self. Even more, she's not just a flat, unrealistically perfect character. We're shown how her kindness and openhearted spirit is both a winning attribute and a flaw, given laugh out loud moments of her mouth and thoughts running away from her before she can think, and my absolute favorite, is the feisty, sassy attitude she gives Maddox right from the start and how at no point in the story does it ever let up. And the best part, he absolutely loves her lack of filter and sour patch tongue with him:
Then we have Maddox. Has there ever been a more perfect book boyfriend created? I adored his grumpy, surely disposition from the moment we meet him. Sometimes the grumpy one in this trope can be a little much and even unlikable but that was never the case here. Even as Maddox struggles with the evolution of feeling Georgia elicits in him and how it relates to his shattering of his long held practices of dating and further forces him to reevaluate the lens on which he looks at his past through, you never dislike him. In fact, you fall even more for him as each onion like layer of him is revealed. He's grumpy, hard to please, and sometimes a real butt-head--not that Georgia ever lets him get away with that--but he's also so generous, caring, and loving.
As for the overall story, there was such a steady flow to the plot that I found myself reading long after my "one more chapter." It was engaging, driving, believable, and evocative. I found myself laughing, swooning, and crying throughout the whole thing. Even with their instant attraction, their relationship builds at a gradual pace without being achingly slow; the characters go through wonderful, improving growth surmounting everyday struggles that regular, real-world people face; and the angst is low, almost non-existent. Which given the circumstances of the story's final plot line, is truly impressive. It's written in such a way that you empathize and side with both Georgia and Maddox simultaneously, showing the true core of each character and highlighting where they were at the start of the book and how far they've come as you reach the end.
Under the Stars, is hands down the best work in Mrs. Pavlov's growing catalog, showcasing her dominance as a romance writer.
Under the Stars, is the sort of novel that will stay living in my head long after I've read it. The kind of book that I knew even before finishing it that I would be re-reading it again and heading over to purchase a physical copy.
Right off the bat, Laura Pavlov pulled me in with her sweet and realistic introduction of Georgia. While I've never had an ex steal my car, the post college wondering of what now and the need to assert yourself as an independent adult--especially as the baby of the family--was so relatable and instantly endeared me to her. Then again, this is really no surprise for me when reading any of Mrs. Pavlov's books. Even when writing a character with the level of wealth of Maddox, she never fails to deliver believable, likable characters who her readers instantly fall for and root for.
Georgia is so sweet and the epitome of a sunshine character. She's well liked, kind, has a heart of gold, and never wastes a moment on being someone other than her true, genuine self. Even more, she's not just a flat, unrealistically perfect character. We're shown how her kindness and openhearted spirit is both a winning attribute and a flaw, given laugh out loud moments of her mouth and thoughts running away from her before she can think, and my absolute favorite, is the feisty, sassy attitude she gives Maddox right from the start and how at no point in the story does it ever let up. And the best part, he absolutely loves her lack of filter and sour patch tongue with him:
I loved how salty she was with me when she was pure sunshine with everyone else.
Then we have Maddox. Has there ever been a more perfect book boyfriend created? I adored his grumpy, surely disposition from the moment we meet him. Sometimes the grumpy one in this trope can be a little much and even unlikable but that was never the case here. Even as Maddox struggles with the evolution of feeling Georgia elicits in him and how it relates to his shattering of his long held practices of dating and further forces him to reevaluate the lens on which he looks at his past through, you never dislike him. In fact, you fall even more for him as each onion like layer of him is revealed. He's grumpy, hard to please, and sometimes a real butt-head--not that Georgia ever lets him get away with that--but he's also so generous, caring, and loving.
As for the overall story, there was such a steady flow to the plot that I found myself reading long after my "one more chapter." It was engaging, driving, believable, and evocative. I found myself laughing, swooning, and crying throughout the whole thing. Even with their instant attraction, their relationship builds at a gradual pace without being achingly slow; the characters go through wonderful, improving growth surmounting everyday struggles that regular, real-world people face; and the angst is low, almost non-existent. Which given the circumstances of the story's final plot line, is truly impressive. It's written in such a way that you empathize and side with both Georgia and Maddox simultaneously, showing the true core of each character and highlighting where they were at the start of the book and how far they've come as you reach the end.
Under the Stars, is hands down the best work in Mrs. Pavlov's growing catalog, showcasing her dominance as a romance writer.