Unwilling to show up at her high school reunion desperate and dateless, Kate asks her best friend's brother, handsome Josh Marchant, to pretend to be her fiancée.Josh has always had a soft spot for his sister's friend and happily takes on the role. And as they spend time together, the lines between fact and fiction blur and they're soon struggling to remember it's all just an act. But will the arrival of an unexpected visitor shatter the illusion they've created?
ebook, 208 pages
Published September 16th 2013 by Penguin Books Australia I Destiny Romance
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley for review
Our Review---
Kate has been recently dumped and is expected at her high school reunion... with her "fiance" (never existed in the first place). She's mopey and miserable and doesn't even know if she wants to go but her bestie, Jo, decides it's time for Kate to move forward. Jo does what any best friend would do--she dolls up Kate and hooks her up with a fine fling (just so happens he's Jo's brother, Josh, and Kate's secret high school crush). This is what made me love Jo. She wasn't all "do not date my brother" crazy about it. Very mature, she was...so I loved Jo right away! She was funny and very independent. I honestly can't say if I ever felt that way about Kate! I liked her character, but she killed me!
The first half of this book is dedicated to that night at the reunion--reliving horrors and remembering friends..and making some new memories too. Turns out to be an eventful night for Kate and Josh...seems like she wasn't the only one with a secret crush. As this one time event turns in to a week-long getting to know you session (due to an interesting elevator scene) and by the end of that week things are drastically different than they were at the beginning...and this is what encompasses the last half of the book.
I liked the reunion parts for the simple fact that it was a very good way to set the scene for the story. And for most of it Josh is an absolute saint. Kate again has to battle every insecurity and spends a lot of time inside her own head. Which again made me crazy but on another hand was definitely just her *personality* I guess. Had me banging my head on the wall for her to pull her head out of her rear...lol. Again.
Kate and Josh only slightly annoyed me--mainly because they were too much in their heads and not talking to each other and saying how they felt. And Kate and her "planning"..I thought I was bad..she borders on neurosis. I mean have some f-u-n every once in a while!
They did make a lot of assumptions as to the other's intentions, yeah? I liked the writing and I loved the story and the Aussie-ness of this book...which helped me like it a lot. Kate again, will make you insane, but I never stopped wanting to see where their crazy journey would end!
This is a good, clean read..I could even recommend it to some of my students and not feel awkward about it! Ah, were you waiting for the heat too? No heat, but I loved their entire dynamic and was rooting for them! The casual sex girl is not Kate...but I'm wondering if in the next story if Jo might be!!
Shelley: 3 1/2 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars
About the Author--From her blog!
I am an Australian writer who likes books, baths and baking, coffee, cocktails and craft, family, friends and food… and a good lie in the hammock when the alliteration fails me!
I write contemporary novels about women’s lives – the dramas, the challenges, the joys and the occasional loaded gun – and how they get through them with a sense of humour and a little help from their friends.
Or, put another way, I write fun fiction about fabulous women (and the men they get mixed up with).
If you’d like more info about my books, you’ll find it on the Books page. You’ll find more about me on the About Imelda page. If you want to find me elsewhere on the web, there are links here. And if you want to chat with me about writing, life and all the things that make my world go around, visit my BLOG.
Pull up a beverage, have a look around, make yourself at home. You’re welcome any time!
Thank you for the review, Shelley and Courtney. I LOVED that it is two girlfriends talking about two girlfriends! That really made me smile. I'm glad you enjoyed the book and I promise my next heroine will be less neurotic. ;) I haven't seen your site before, but I'm following you now. Thanks for being reviewers. As a reader and I writer I appreciate it!
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