Monday, November 4, 2013

The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins ~ Review & Giveaway

Now Available

What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise? Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done.

Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373778198?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0373778198&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfect-match-kristan-higgins/1115072823?ean=9780373778195https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17738218-the-perfect-match?from_search=true

 Source:  Received an paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Thoughts:


 
3 stars - Can't resist the sexy accent of Tom Barlow!

My favorite part of this book was Tom Barlow.  He really impressed me.  His devotion to a young man whose mother cheated on him was amazing.  Love can do that to a person - it can motivate you to do a lot of difficult things.  Such is the case with Charlie.  He is sulky, brooding and has the goth thing down.  Nothing Tom does seems to reach him but it doesn't stop him.  He keeps trying.  When he see a little glimmer of hope here and there it motivates him to try harder.  I loved that about him.  Of course, Tom is sexy and charming.  He has gorgeous down.  His accent is adorable and I love his use of "love" and "darlin" all the time.  He wants to make things work out with Honor not only for himself but for her.  But his emotional baggage  runs deeper than he realizes and he holds his heart back.  I cheered for him to let Honor in and was sad every time he withdrew into his pain.

I love situations where couples are forced to be together and are fighting the sparks.  That's what's up with these two.  An arranged marriage for mutual benefits, they are trying to keep it all business.  The shock of the chemistry between them as they play along is always so fun.  I enjoyed that aspect of this book a lot.

I did struggle liking Honor.  She's loved her best friend for years but he only sees her as his best friend - though they do have benefits.  It was pretty clear to me how he felt and I just wanted to shake Honor out of her delusion that it would ever be anything more.  Between that and her baby eggs talking to her all the time - I just didn't like her.  

Speaking of not liking people in this book - Honor's best friend? I wanted to cat fight with her just like Honor did.  She does something that cannot be forgiven by any friend let along your best friend.  And then she has the nerve to expect Honor to apologize for throwing wine in her face.  She deserved more than that.  

This is long book, over 400 pages, with several minor subplots going on.  I might have liked it more with a little less of that.  I had most of them figured out pretty early anyway.  It did read fast though.  I read it in a night.

This is a great contemporary adult romance.  Fun and flirty, I really enjoyed the parts from Tom's POV.  If you enjoy Kristan Higgins or the contemporary romance, then this one is a good choice.



About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA® Award, Kristan lives with her family in a small Connecticut town that boasts a wonderful library, a great agricultural fair, a really good ice-cream stand and not much else. She is the mother of two lovely kids and the wife of a brave firefighter who is also (perhaps more important) a fantastic cook.

Previously a copywriter, Kristan began writing fiction when her children graced her life with simultaneous afternoon naps. Writing, she found, was infinitely more satisfying than folding laundry, and so began her first novel. Kristan holds a B.A. in English from the College of the Holy Cross, which means she can identify dangling participles, quote many great novels and play a mean game of Scrabble.

Kristan is an award-winning baker, devoted fan of the New York Yankees and an avid reader. She and her crew spend as much time as possible at the family home on Cape Cod, where they shiver in the Atlantic, ride bikes, swat horseflies and don’t catch any fish.




https://www.facebook.com/KristanHigginsBookshttps://twitter.com/Kristan_Higginshttp://www.kristanhiggins.com/


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5 comments:

  1. I absolutely hate when the "best friend" is a terrible person and does something unforgivable. It is one of my pet peeves when it comes to books. Great review!

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  2. ugh bad best friends.. why are they best friends then? I read The Best Man, not sure how I really felt about Honor then, but I guess this is another book with minor sub plots. Thought there is still something about Higgins books that I do adore.

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  3. Thank you for the review. I can't wait to read it.

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  4. I wanted to review this, but couldn't fit it in. I love the arranged marriage trope, especially when the couple doesn't annoy me with their fighting.

    I'm glad you liked Tom!

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  5. I need to read this one. Thanks for sharing!

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