Crashing The A-List

 

After four months of unemployment, former book editor Clara Montgomery is still stuck sleeping on her little brother’s ugly couch in Queens. Determined to keep her minuscule savings account intact, she takes a job clearing out abandoned storage units, but is in no way prepared for stumbling upon dead snakes or trying to identify exactly where the perpetual stench of beets is emanating from.

When Clara comes across a unit that was once owned by an escort service, she finds the brothel “résumé” of a younger Caspian Tiddleswich… an astonishingly famous British actor. Her best friend thinks she should sell the gossip to a tabloid to fund her way off the couch from hell, but Clara instead manages to track down Caspian’s contact info, intending to reassure him that her lips are sealed.

Unfortunately, Caspian misinterprets Clara’s attempt at altruism and shows up on her doorstep, accusing her of blackmail. When the paparazzi capture a photo of them together, Caspian’s PR team sees an opportunity to promote his latest film—and if Clara wants to atone for her “crimes,” she’ll have to play along. Pretending to be Caspian’s girlfriend seems like it will be a tolerable, if somewhat daunting, penance… until their fake romance becomes something more than either of them expected. - excerpt from Goodreads

Crashing the A-List from Summer Heacock is a fun and quirky rom-com book. It has really strong and lovable characters and a whole lot of banter. Clara is a sassy women who is sure of herself but caught in a rough situation, you'll see her confidence slowly dropping. Even though hard times are ahead, she has demonstrated much of her strengths and definitely boosted my motivation and outlook in life.  How her best friend compliments and encourages her is also a plus point in the book. Many a times, the dynamics of the duo will spark a lot of fun times, these ladies are lucky to have each other.  

The Good Luck Charm

 

Is it love, or is she just his good luck charm? New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting absolutely delights with this witty and fun standalone contemporary romance.

Lilah isn't sure what hurt worse: the day Ethan left her to focus on his hockey career, or the day he came back eight years later. He might think they can pick up just where they left off, but she's no longer that same girl and never wants to be again.

Ethan Kane wants his glory days back. And that includes having Lilah by his side. With her, he was magic. They were magic. All he has to do is make her see that.

Just when Lilah might finally be ready to let him in, though, she finds out their reunion has nothing to do with her and everything to do with his game. But Ethan's already lost her once, and even if it costs him his career, he'll do anything to keep from losing her again. - excerpt from Goodreads

The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting is a sexy romance book with dual perspective but more on the female's side. I greatly enjoyed how two people who lost in touch, meet again and tries to rebuild the relationship. Although Lilah was hurt badly, it's good to see her give chance and open up her heart again. As for Ethan, reading about his growth in the book made it a motivating factor to keep reading. Together they are fun to read, on their own it propels the story forward. As for the side characters, their interactions with the main characters often creates a realisation for them and also a change of attitude. 

After reading so many rom coms, I would say this is slightly above average. The plot and timeline is not complicated, it runs smoothly and the twists and turns keep your attention in check. I did not feel that this book was boring at any point, but it isn't way to exciting as well. This was not a particularly long read, and things just happens in a couple of months time. 

In summary, you get a quick sexy read which probably takes one weekend to complete. You're bound to have a great time and feel good after this. Romance books are a good pick me up, they never fail to entertain me. I would definitely keep reading books from this author, so far so good and I can't wait to get her latest soon.

The Hating Game

 

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.

2) A person’s undoing

3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth-shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.  - excerpt from Goodreads.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is a romcom that catches you by surprise. It's funny, heartwarming and super duper cutesy. We follow our lead female character's perspective that revolves around her job and her colleague who sits across her. It is only the two of them, fighting/competing in an office war that only seems to be just between themselves. Reading her perspectives and her thoughts, you can tell her personalities shines through, as well as her flaws. Throughout the book, you'll often find yourself shaking your head because of her silliness and delusional behaviour. Although it can be toxic, but it's also those thoughts that drives her actions and making it all way too cute.

American Panda

At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels? - excerpt from Goodreads.

American Panda from Gloria Chao is about growing up too fast and trying to stand up for your dreams. Centered around an American born Asian girl whose parents immigrated from Taiwan, this story is definitely one of its kind in the YA world. I was really happy when I finished this because the author is able to convey a different perspective for other readers who are of different race and backgrounds. Although I'm not an American, I still manage to relate to the character, perhaps it has to do with being Asian. Of course there are many different circumstances when it comes to our rights and situations but the some of the values of a Chinese are always the same, no matter where you are at.

Mei and her family is quite the typical Asian family and whatever stereotypes of Chinese that you can think of, straight A student, must achieve to study and graduate in the medical field, and not believing in the creative arts (because it won't make you money). Through the interactions of Mei with her family, there are often mandarin words or idioms used to describe a situation and I love this part of the book so much, because I know that some expressions are so much easier to express in your own mother tongue. These words also project the expectations and personalities of Mei and her family. 

Prince Charming

Meet Daisy Winters. She's an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair, a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who's nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.

While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince's roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown--and the intriguing Miles--might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself. - excerpt from Goodreads

Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins which was previously titled Royals is a fun summer adventure that happened unexpectedly to a sixteen year old. This was definitely a sweet and fun read as the book is only 296 pages long. I love the characters because you'll get to learn their struggles and experience their growth. How Daisy feels is justifiable as the younger sister and it was such an eye opener for me as the eldest in the family. As for the male character, although the point of view is not his own but you can analyse his behaviour and understand where he comes from. They are not your typical teenagers given the circumstances of their lives, especially for Daisy who is suddenly thrown into the limelight albeit wanting to be unnoticed because of her sister's status. As for the supporting characters, all of them are unique and always bringing out a different side of the heroine and the love interest. I certainly enjoyed Daisy's reaction to those characters.

The plot is simple but unpredictable because who really knows how royal lives are suppose to be, hence making it exciting to read about Daisy's adventure in Scotland. There is nothing overly dramatic about their day to day activities but the author manages to hold on to your attention with tiny surprises here and there. Rachel Hawkins excels in writing stories that are quick page turners that are delightful. Although you might feel that some timeline happened too quickly and you wished there was more to it but spending time writing on side characters might be too draggy and the attention of readers will be gone. By reviewing more I fear that it will be spoilers, so get ready to laugh, swoon a bit and dream a little to the charms of a royal life. I recommend this as a quick summer read, you can definitely finish it in one sitting.

Tweet Cute

A fresh, irresistible rom-com from debut author Emma Lord about the chances we take, the paths life can lead us on, and how love can be found in the opposite place you expected.

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected. - excerpt from Goodreads.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord is about two teenagers that is caught up in the twitter war and little did they know there's more to it at stake than they realise. I like how the story centers around our current digital age, even though I'm not caught up with the Twitter jargons or memes , anything related to the current social media norm, I was not lost in the book. The social media is a unique touch to the story, an aspect that helps bring out a side of the characters. The POV is between Pepper and Jack which is always a fun bit in a rom com setting, both individual have really different struggles that stems from the twitter war. Their actions varies when interacting with others and I love how they slowly grow in family relationships and also discovering a path for their lives. I love it when they interact with each other, it's the motivation for me to keep reading on. Supporting characters kinda influences their reactions and decisions because in a teenager's life, peer pressure is the strongest as well as competition.

Bringing Down the Duke

England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?

Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke.... - excerpt from Goodreads

Bringing down the duke by Evie Dunmore was praised to be the future of historical romance but I did not feel especially fascinated by it. I have read many of books in this genre and the thing that sets it apart from others is the message behind the book. No doubt having an issue to highlight in a fiction is a good move but sometime I just want to immerse myself in a brainless, funny, swoon-worthy story. 

The classic hierarchy, social circles and ranks will always exist in genres like this because that's how that era was built on. Royalty or anyone close to it will always be on top of the social circle. So when our heroine appears to be a nobody and trying her best effort to recruit men to fight for women's right, she had to stumble upon someone who is the most powerful Duke in England. 

Both lead characters are interesting people with interesting past. A good amount of attraction exist because of opposite traits and personalities. Their status itself makes it a trope, someone low class falling in love with someone out of reach. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives from the characters as it focuses on different situations of the story. Sebastian the male lead had really good growth in the book as Annabelle manages to bring out the best in him. As for Annabelle, I would say that circumstances and life lessons truly shapes her, resulting in her actions. The way she acts at times are agreeable, at times you would feel a tad annoyed because there is much stubbornness. 

I would say the plot of this book is driven by events happening in the book, such as a peaceful demonstration, dinner parties and many more. Through these, our characters are tested in many ways even though this is just a romance book. The struggles of a lady in that era and also men who tries to support them are not acceptable in society. Side characters plays a strong part in supporting the leads, some being reasons of actions, some being the "villains" that changes their path.

Overall, this is just an okay book for me as it focuses more on the message the author is trying to share, feminism. I would not comment on this subject because everyone has their own opinions on how to go about this. I am not fascinated by it as many historical romances has always urge the same topic, we woman are not objects for men to parade around and we have strong opinions too. A woman with great personality makes a good wife and also brings out the best in men themselves. So if you're looking for something sweet and sweeps you of your feet, this is not the one for you. You want to read about women empowerment, this is up your alley.

Vengeful

MAGNETO and PROFESSOR X

SUPERMAN and LEX LUTHOR

SDYNEY and SERENA CLARKE

VICTOR VALE and ELI EVER

Great partnerships, now sourced on the vine.

But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush from death, she's finally gained the control she's always sought - and will use her newfound power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She'll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other once more.

With Marcella's rise, new enmities create opportunity - and the stage of Merit will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning. - excerpt from book.

Vengeful by V.E Schwab has been a long awaited sequel to Vicious. I first fell in love with her writing through the first book and has ever since followed her writing career which has yet to disappoint me. This year I started reading her novels again that has been sitting for long time on my shelves. She has always been an auto buy author for me and somehow I had not caught up with her books as I can't bear that bitter sweet feeling of finishing her novels. I am always on awe upon completion, wanting to go back to those emotion rollercoasters. 

There is so much to say about this book but since I write spoiler free reviews, I'll keep it as simple as I can. Starting off with the characters, there are multiple point of views for anyone who is significant in the plot line. You'll get your favourite from the first book, as well as some new main and supportive characters. I was blown away on how epic each characters' power came to be, never the same, never a dull moment. The uniqueness and assortments of powers feels infinite when it comes to the author's imagination, it definitely reminded me of the TV series "Heroes". This does not feel like a copy cat at all if you're thinking of X-men, superheroes of any sorts, a refreshing take on anti-hero. Dark and twisted thoughts that turned into actions is what you'll find in the characters, but if you sympathise with them, you might understand why.

Undercover Bromance

Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction. 

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart... even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned. - excerpt from Goodreads.

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams is the second book in the bromance book club series. Although it's not the continuing story for Gavin and Thea, it's people that have appeared previously. Braden and Liv definitely make a fun combo to read about. Their clashing personalities brings out maybe the worse or probably the best of their current self. In terms of dynamics, these two have more banter and more sass and it's adorable to read about it. Rom-com is at its best, the author has capture my heart as a new favourite. 

The cliches and tropes of a rom-com is definitely present but that's what I want and I loved it. It's not something that happens in real life but it isn't a fairy tale as well. What I meant is that Braden is written like every girl's dream come true yet he is still single. From his yearnings and obviously a secret about his past, you get to the present day Braden, explaining why is he single. Even Liv herself have a little something to hide from the readers. I love it when characters have a mysterious past which slowly unfolds, definitely a good hook me in element. Liv is the type of character that might get on your nerves through her reactions of every situation thrown at her, there will be times of "Why are you doing this??".

Americal Royals

What if America had a royal family?

When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne.

As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America's first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling.

Nobody cares about the spare except when she's breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn't care much about anything, either . . . except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her.

And then there's Samantha's twin, Prince Jefferson. If he'd been born a generation earlier, he would have stood first in line for the throne, but the new laws of succession make him third. Most of America adores their devastatingly handsome prince . . . but two very different girls are vying to capture his heart. - excerpt from Goodreads.

American Royals by Katharine McGee is definitely the first of its kind for me with an alternate reality of having a royal family in America. I am totally not equipped with American history so the only thing I know is that it has a president that voted by the people. Where I am from, we have the same system as Britain, we have the royal family and we have a prime minister. So it was quite refreshing to read about this system in America, an interesting setting for sure. Without getting into details of politics as I am not good in it at all, this book is about people and the life circumstances that made them who they are and what they will become.

It's definitely a story full of drama as you have 4 different perspectives of four different ladies with different statuses. All of their lives are intertwined because of their relationships with one another in a different way. I love how these ladies show so much character even with alternating chapters for all of them. Having several point of views in one same venue is an enjoyment as you get the thoughts and reactions of different girls.

Regretting You

Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike.

Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body.

With warring personalities and conflicting goals, Morgan and Clara find it increasingly difficult to coexist. The only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris—Morgan’s husband, Clara’s father, and the family anchor. But that peace is shattered when Chris is involved in a tragic and questionable accident. The heartbreaking and long-lasting consequences will reach far beyond just Morgan and Clara.

While struggling to rebuild everything that crashed around them, Morgan finds comfort in the last person she expects to, and Clara turns to the one boy she’s been forbidden to see. With each passing day, new secrets, resentment, and misunderstandings make mother and daughter fall further apart. So far apart, it might be impossible for them to ever fall back together. - excerpt from Goodreads.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover is yet another heart-wrenching story, you will find it hard to hold back your tears.  I always have high expectations for this author and again she has not disappointed me. I often thought what else can she write about, what new story this time? Oh my I was so so surprised with this one, it definitely became the new number one for me. The setting of the book is always simple, nothing dramatic at first. Then slowly all those difficult life choices will ease in and then before you know it, the book ended because it is such a great page turner.

With two character's point of view, the author nailed the perspectives of both of them. When one chapter ends for one, the next begins for another. This alternating method is what keeps you gripped into the story because of the wanting to know what happens to them next. Without a doubt, Morgan is the one who shines in the plots because you can help but sympathise with her, to feel her pain and also at the same time to cheer her on. Although some points you would be yelling at her or shaking your head for the decisions she makes, but you'll come to understand why. You would not have expected her reaction to everything that came crashing down on her and yet certain choices are pretty obvious.

The Bromance Book Club

The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife. - excerpt from Goodreads

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams is a witty book addressing real problems of a marriage/relationship. With a sudden change of direction towards the negative side, Gavin is lost for words and doesn't know what to do. Lucky for him, his best buddy has the solution - a book club! I was hooked instantly and could not put down the book because this book has good characters and great plot lines.  The author's writing is simple yet emotions are conveyed strongly. 

I love the point of views of Gavin and Thea throughout the chapters, problems of a marriage definitely stem from something and with their thoughts and reaction you would realise there's truth in it in any relationship. Although I'm quite partial to Gavin because I couldn't agree more that it is frustrating when you don't know what's the problem and how to fix it. At some point I thought Thea was selfish, there's just slight character growth in her compared to Gavin. The interactions drives the story forward and I love it every time the book club gathers. The side characters definitely catches my attention and I hope that I would learn more about their backstories.

The Bride Test

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love. - excerpt from Goodreads

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang continues right after her debut novel, although it's not really a series but the characters are mentioned in the first book.  Here we have Khai and a new addition Esme which builds a very different dynamic. All autistic people are different so expect Khai to differ from Stella very much. Of course certain characteristics are the same else they would not be catogorised as autistic but because of different family backgrounds Khai's understanding of feelings and emotions are special and often noted as an emotionless person. How Khai view himself and other see him is not the same and often misunderstandings stems from it.

With a new leading female, Esme's life and background is something to take note in this book as it's the key story of what the author is trying to show her audience. Inspired by her mother's story, the author created Esme that is somewhat simple at first but learns to adapt and grow with opportunity. I love how Esme is strong yet because of her background she feels inferior in many ways. The impressiveness of this books is how all the characters interact with each other, the reactions to situations that arises when a stranger is just thrown into your life. You get a bit of laughter, sometimes a bit of heartwarming moments through the interactions of family members.  One thing that was not to my satisfaction is I wanted more of the side characters to be involved such as Khai's brother and of course his cousin as well but mostly we get more of Esme interacting with others than Khai.

The plot itself is unexpected given there is a timeline to Esme's stay in the states. Throughout the story, you'll probably try to anticipate if anything will happen between the two and often you will be a little bit surprise and a little bit disappointed as well. I would say the plots are smooth with little flaws but everything feels a bit rush because of the deadline. I would have loved a bit more expand into Khai's and Esme's relationship as some timeline is just rushed over with a mentioned of a week later and what not.

Overall, this is one entertaining book with a good backstory. The alternating POVs from the male and female characters is always refreshing as you get both sides of a story. I love Esme's personality and it certainly compliments Khai. As for Khai, sometimes I don't remember he is autistic and just felt that he is like every other male in the planet. I would not compare both books as characters and plots are different but the excitement I had for the first book is not at the same level. I can easily take a break from this book where else the other one was a strong page turner. I believe this is because the flair and the attraction is not as strong but it is just my own opinion. The last book will be about Khai's brother and this is one book that I am excited as I have been curious of him since the first book.

 

Meet Cute

Kailyn Flowers was always calm and controlled - until she ended up sprawled all over Daxton Hughes, the former actor she totally crushed on as a teenager. In seconds, she became a mortifying fangirl and oddly enough, he didn't run away. Instead, their meet cute led to something she never expected: a friendship. Of course, she never expected him to betray her, either.

Eight years later, Dax needs Kailyn's help. Years of anger towards him haven't exactly left Kailyn inclined to oblige, but she also isn't heartless enough to turn him down. She vows to be friendly, but soon their 'friendly' meetings turn into flirty dinner dates, and Kailyn can feel their chemistry is as explosive as ever. But how can she possibly let down her guard again to a guy who has heartbreak written all over him?  - excerpt from Goodreads.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting is the type of story that can easily turn into a k-drama or a rom-com movie. It's funny, cute and definitely pulls a little at your heart strings. The first thing that caught my attention to purchase this book is without a doubt the cover design but few pages in, it's their personalities that attracted me. The characters starts of being vague without any backstory at first and it slowly unfolds for you to discover who they are. They have really strong personalities yet still have room to grow.  The chemistry between the lead male and female has a lot of tension, push and pull that is very entertaining to read about. The side characters itself gives a good push for them and you can tell that they influence them greatly. I love the banter between Kailyn and Daxton, it is often hilarious and you cannot stop rooting for something to happen between them. It's the type of tension where you'll go please kiss each other already!!! Every interaction between them is the highlight of the book, the parts that keeps turning the pages. When they are on their own thoughts, it can often be graphic and funny.

Open Road Summer

Reagan O'Neill is leaving her rebellious ways behind.

She's finished with her bad-news boyfriends and she's ready to join her best friend Lilah Montgomery on tour. Lilah's a country music superstar, and she's nursing a broken heart of her own. It's the perfect opportunity for a girls-only road trip full of break-up ballads and healing hearts.

But Reagan's vow to live drama-free is tested by the arrival of Matt Finch. He's Lilah's opening act, and his boy-next-door charm is difficult to resist....

Two Best Friends

Two Broken Hearts

One summer that will change Everything - excerpt from book.

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord is a sweet, youthful contemporary novel about a summer road tour for two young girls where one is a superstar, the other is the best friend. This story's perspective is through the eyes of the best friend. She considers herself less than perfect, not a good girl and definitely does not qualify to have a superstar as her best friend. The characters' friendship is explained throughout the book, how strong the bond is and why. Slowly the past of the main character is revealed as well through her thoughts. 

This story is about Reagan reinventing herself, finding her one true self. She is flawed yet beautiful at the same time. The mysterious personality is the cause of something deeper that you would get from reaching the end of the book. The side character Lilah is a very cute and sweet girl that comes with struggles of her own. Reading about Lilah is like an instance of Taylor Swift, although I do not know what kind of person Taylor is but it feels like this character is modeled over her.  I love that this book allow all the characters to grow at the same time. I very much enjoyed reading their adventures and interactions with each other. My favourite page turning quality are scenes which involved the designated male interest of our female lead. Their interactions are quite cheesy at times but that's how young love is. The male interest himself has struggles and you would want to learn more about him, just like Reagan.

In terms of plot, the chapters are named over cities of Lilah's music tour which pushes the story forward with the timeline of it. It's not the type of plot that is too dramatic, just realistic enough for the characters portrayed. I can't really relate to them but their struggles and resolution still touched me. Emery does a great job in narrating their feelings, it is always quite poetic, descriptive that is beautiful and memorable. 

I really loved this book as the author sends across a deep meaning message to the readers through lyrics of songs written by the characters. I always can't wait to read about incidents happening to the lead as I want to know how she would have reacted. If I have to pick a favourite quote from the book it would be difficult because there is just too many. This is the fourth book that I have read from this author and I have not been disappointed, I would definitely recommend this to young adult contemporary lovers. Her writing is just fluid and poetic with good meaning that get you pondering and thinking about life.