Book: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

★★★/★★★★★

“You fall in and out of love, but when you really love someone...it's forever.”

 Can You Keep A Secret? was my first book of Sophie Kinsella and I fell so in love with it. I adored the story so much that it took me weeks to get over it. Then a few months later I picked up I've Got Your Number and the same thing happened. By then I was sure that I'll love everything Kinsella will write. A couple of months ago I picked up my third Sophie Kinsella book, Wedding Night, and with my past experiences with her books I thought I'll enjoy this one too. Don't get me wrong, Wedding Night was fun and fluffy but unlike CYKAS and IGYN, it wasn't everything I expected. 

Lottie has been waiting for her boyfriend Richard to propose to her ever since and when Richard finally starts dropping hints, Lottie can't contain her excitement anymore. The night the proposal is supposed to happen, Lottie is very nervous and happy at the same time. But to her surprise, no proposal happened and Richard actually has no plans for them whatsoever. Now, Lottie is known to make rash decisions every time she's upset or things don't go the way she wants them to, so when the proposal didn't happen, her sister Fliss is so sure she'll do something stupid or something she'll regret in the future. True enough, after Richard broke her heart, Lottie decides to meet with her ex boyfriend Ben after she gets a call from him. They have dinner and right then and there decided they want to get married. Then it's Fliss' time to make Lottie see clear, to make her realize that marrying her ex boyfriend from 15 years ago won't make her forget about Richard.

“Men who want to get married propose. You don’t need to read the signs. They propose and that’s the sign.”

I loved Lottie and Fliss! They were adorable and the two of them together was hilarious. It's just that sometimes I didn't understand the decisions/choices Lottie made. And I get why Fliss did those disastrous things but I don't know, it's out of character. The other characters were fine but I didn't like Ben for some reasons. The whole story was fine, I was laughing most of the time and sometimes can't help but pity Lottie and Ben for how unlucky they were. 

Overall I did enjoy the book though there were instances it felt flat for me. It's hilarious, fluffy and it's a little different from the other Sophie Kinsella books I've read but it's still good.

Book: Chocolate Shoes and Wdding Blues by Trisha Ashley

★★★/★★★★★

“When you were a little girl you wanted to run the shop when you grow up and find the right Cinderella shoes, as you called them, for every bride.”

I'm a big fan of a good chick lit and I can say I enjoyed Tansy Poole's story. Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues was my first book of Trisha Ashley and the first time I saw the cover I was sold. The words chocolates and wedding, not to mention shoes, were enough to make me buy this book.

The story follows Tansy Poole's story when she inherits her Aunt Nan's shoe shop in Sticklepond. She lives with her fiance Justin in London but with their relationship going downside, Tansy decides to stay in Sticklepond and think things through while managing her new shop. Enters an old friend/first love, Ivo Hawksley, who transfers to the cottage next to Tansy's shop to mend his broken heart after the death of his wife.

It's been a fun read and the story is a bit predictable but you won't help but love the characters. I especially liked Tansy and Aunt Nan's relationship. They were so close my heart broke when Aunt Nan passed away. The bond between people in their town is also admirable. They look out for each other and support each other in everything. I didn't like Justin and Tansy's stepsisters all throughout and Ivo was a little annoying a first but I grew to like him in the end.

Overall it's a good read, there were repetitions of sentences and a lot of exclamation marks but still, I enjoyed the whole book.

Book: Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan

★★★★/★★★★★

“I'm a glass half-full sort of person. That's not a crime. You see the bad in people, but I see the good. And I do believe there is good in most people.”

Miracle on 5th Avenue was my first Sarah Morgan book and it didn't disappoint. I actually planned on reading this one last Christmas but since I was kinda busy with other things, I moved reading it until now. I'm also thinking of picking up the first two books in the series since I like Morgan's writing a lot. Maybe some time soon when I find time. 

The story centers around Eva who runs an event and concierge business, Urban Genie, with her two best friends, Frank and Paige. Their business covers organizing events to walking dogs to decorating an apartment for Christmas. That's what happens when one of their clients, Mitzy, asks Eva to decorate her grandson's apartment who is away in Vermont, or so they thought. Eva, ever professional and so fond of Mitzy, wholeheartedly agrees thinking that no one is occupying the apartment and she can do her job undisturbed. Little did she know that there's a surprise waiting not only for Mitzy's grandson, Lucas Blade, but also for her. 

“I'm starting to understand why you don't date much. You're a hopeless romantic and you're waiting for Prince Charming?” The faint hint of humor needled her, even though she was used to being teased for her rose-tinted view on life.

“No, but even you have to agree Prince Charming is a more appealing character than Jack the Ripper.”

I'm a big fan of Christmas romance that's why I enjoyed this book a lot. I adore Eva so much she makes me want to fall in love! With Lucas Blade! Anyway, I think the characters are what I love most in this book. Eva is a hopeless romantic who always looks at the bright side of life. She's kind and sweet and she's the type of friend who never whines. After the death of her grandmother, she tries to live up everything she'd taught her, even being the sunshine in everyone's life even though sometimes she feels like crying. Lucas, on the other hand, believes that you can only love once. We all know he's wrong but he's so stubborn and his walls are all up. He's the exact opposite of Eva, always brooding and writes mystery/horror novel.

Now that they are in a situation they both didn't want but don't have a choice, they decided to just mind their own business. Eva will decorate Lucas's apartment while Lucas writes his book. But having writer's block, the last ting Lucas needs is a singing Eva in his kitchen whose cooking always distracts him! But soon he realizes that Eva is actually the solution to his writer's block.

I like Eva a lot and her personality is very admirable. She's so positive in everything, always seeing the good side of things. I also like her best friends Frankie and Paige. Throughout the book we get to read a little about them and from it I can already tell that I'm going to love them as much as I loved Eva! Mitzy also warmed my heart. She's so sweet and cares so much for both Lucas and Eva.

“Lucas was right. Love wasn't a fairy tale. It was messy and painful.”

Despite being opposites, Eva and Lucas found something in each other. After the death of his wife, Lucas chose to distance himself from others, keeping his pain to himself. He never thought that one Christmas, a woman will walk into his apartment, will put a giant Christmas tree inside and make him fall in love again. No, he never thought that Eva's singing and cooking will get through his icy personality. But he doesn't want to hurt Eva so he tries to push her away even though all he wants to do is pull her closer to him. Eva, on the other hand, knew what she's getting into when she starts feeling something for Lucas. She's honest so she never hides her feelings but what can she do when Lucas can't do the same? She really wants to be what her grandmother wanted her to be, to be the sunshine not the rain, but love hurts and Lucas is an ass.

I think everything in this book is perfect. The characters, the plot, the writing style and the snow! There are only two seasons here in our country; summer and rainy, so we don't get snow that's why I love reading about them. I think snow makes Christmas more magical and more romantic! Anyhow, I really enjoy this book. If you want a fun, Christmas romance with endearing characters, this one is for you.

Book: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

★★★¹⁄₂/★★★★★

“If this were a Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie,” Lincoln said, “I'd just kiss you, probably in the middle of a sentence. That would fix everything.”

I really think this book is cute. It's my third Rainbow Rowell book and like the first two (Fangirl and Eleanor & Park), I enjoyed it. Even before picking this book up, I'd been hearing a lot of buzz about it from my online friends and having it recommended to me several times, I decided to finally give it a go. It was just right that I did because I was totally entertained by this book. And honestly, I like Rowell's writing style and Eleanor & Park was surely a good read for me.

So, Attachments is about Lincoln who works at The Courier, a newspaper company that pays him to monitor its employees' e-mail accounts for inappropriate usage. In short, he's being paid to read the employees' e-mails. Lincoln doesn't really like it, he feels guilty for reading the e-mails but a job is a job. And if only he knew that 'internet security officer' really meant 'reading other people's e-mails' then he shouldn't have accepted the job in the first place. But there he is, reading and flagging everyone who writes rude, dirty or what-not contents to each other. He's close to finding a new job but when Beth and Jennifer start to entertain him with their bizarre e-mail exchange, he suddenly looks forward to doing his work every night. He also knew he has to flag them but since they seem nice and their conversations are harmless, he doesn't. And soon, Lincoln finds himself falling for Beth.

Have I told you that this book is cute? It is! I loved Beth and Jennifer's e-mail exchange and Lincoln is a charming one! Throughout the book we get to see Lincoln's life, working as the IT guy, having no social life except playing Dungeons & Dragons on Saturdays with a bunch of guys he knew ever since, having no girlfriend since Sam (which was years years ago!) and having to live with his mother which his sister, Eve, thinks is ridiculous. I know it sounds like Lincoln is a loser but he's more than that. Maybe he's a little lost, not knowing what he really wants to do in life, but he's trying and making small steps one at a time. And I loved that he gets to finally move on from his first love Sam after so many years because Sam didn't really deserve him. And he deserved someone better! Like Beth?

Beth and Jennifer are both fun characters. We get to know them through their exchange of e-mails, talking about everything under the sun. They're lively, quirky and they don't care whether they get flagged or not for writing some not-work-related stuff in their e-mails! They talk about their work, Beth's boyfriend, Jennifer's husband, movies, cute guys, their families and at some point about their personal problems. It actually reminds me of the e-mails/chats I send with my friends and makes me realize how embarrassing it must be if someone other than us reads them! Because we all talk about some stuff with our friends, right? :D

From: Beth Fremont
To: Jennifer Scribner-Snyder
Sent: Wed, 09/22/1999 2:38PM
Subject: Roo-ah-rooo-ahhh.
Roo-ah-rooo-ahhh.

{{Jennifer to Beth}} What's that?

{{Beth to Jennifer}} It's the Cute Guy Alarm.

{{Jennifer to Beth}} It sounds like a bird.

{{Beth to Jennifer}} There's a cute guy working here.

{{Jennifer to Beth}} No, there isn't. 

{{Beth to Jennifer}} I know, that was my first response, too. I thought he must have come in from the outside, a repairman, perhaps, or a consultant. That's why I waited for two confirmed sightings before sounding the Cute Guy Alarm.

 Aside from the cute stories of our characters, I also love the mention of some 90's movies and that Beth is actually a film critic! The movie references are so cute that it suddenly made me miss watching good 90's romantic movies! The family aspect is also present in this book and it was nice to see that Lincoln and his mother somehow get to work out their relationship in the end. And, there are a bunch of good secondary characters in this book. Eve, Lincoln's sister, is one of my favorites and also Justin! I don't know what, but there's just something about Justin that I really like! Lol. Doris is also a sweet heart. She works at The Courier with Lincoln and somehow she and Lincoln become friends. They share foods with each other spend breaks together. 

Well, other than that, this book is a fun read! And if you like light, fun, and lovely stories, this one is for you! Not at all cheesy but really cute! :)

From: Beth Fremont
To: Jennifer Scribner-Snyder
Sent: Thurs, 09/30/1999 3:42 PM
Subject: If you were Superman …

…and you could choose any alter ego you wanted, why the hell would you choose to spend your Clark Kent hours—which already suck because you have to wear glasses and you can’t fly—at a newspaper?

Why not pose as a wealthy playboy like Batman? Or the leader of a small but important nation like Black Panther?

Why would you choose to spend your days on deadline, making crap money, dealing with terminally crabby editors?

 

{{Jennifer to Beth}} I thought we agreed not to swear in e-mails.

{{Beth to Jennifer}} We agreed that it would probably be a good idea to stop swearing in e-mails.

{{Jennifer to Beth}} Still thinking about Lois Lane?

{{Beth to Jennifer}} Sort of. I mean, I get why Lois Lane went to journalism school. I know her type. Wants to make a difference, wants to uncover great truths. Nosy. But Clark Kent …why not Clark Kent, sexy TV weatherman? Or Clark Kent, mayor of Cincinnati?

{{Jennifer to Beth}} Aren’t you missing the point? Clark Kent doesn’t want to be famous. He doesn’t want people to look at him. If they really look at him, they’d see that he’s just Superman with glasses.

Plus, he needs to be someplace like a newsroom, where he’s the first to hear big news. He can’t afford to read “Joker attacks moon” the next day in the newspaper.

{{Beth to Jennifer}} You make an excellent point. Especially for someone who doesn’t know that Superman never fights the Joker.

Book: Autumn Leaves: Chick-lit Anthology by Samantha Bond, Carla Caruso, Laura Greaves, Georgina Penny, Katie Spain,

★★★★/★★★★★

Leaving Princess Kate by Samantha Bond

"She is excited, like a little kid and the bits aren't just adding up. Dread is building like a rock in my gut. Tanya is naked in our bedroom and my girlfriend isn't acting like she's about to dump me."

I think Leaving Princess Kate is the story some of us might have already experienced before. The story of having a beautiful relationship with someone but one text or email or misunderstanding ruined everything. This first story in this chick-lit anthology by 6 of Australias's chick-lit authors tells us that sometimes we just need to trust the one we love and though we might doubt them at times, we must not lose faith in the love we have for them.

Mark knew the moment he laid eyes on Kate that if he worked hard, then Kate would be a part of his life. He was out in a bar one night with his workmates when he saw Kate, all beautiful and playful with her friends. He stole glances at her and he knew Kate was doing the same. From then on, Mark made sure that he always catch Kate at the bar everytime. Soon enough, with a bit of courage and maybe a couple of beers, Mark decided to be a man and walked towards Kate and kissed her. It was when he knew that Kate was feeling the same. After some time, they saw a beautiful townhouse, one Kate really loved, and realized it was where they wanted to build a life together. For a year everything was fine and easy and hot until Mark saw a text message in Kate's phone. He knew he wasn't supposed to see it but unfortunately he did. Since then he started to suspect Kate which eventually led to his foul moods.

I know it's just normal for a couple to fight once in a while, it's healthy they say, and you can't really control your partner but I think all you could do, if you really love him/her, is to trust him/her. Because loving someone means trusting them. I knew Mark wanted to believe that Kate was still that girl who loved him but after that incident of reading her messages, he knew she had broken his trust. It was hard for him, it took everything in him but if only he trusted Kate enough, if only he trusted Kate to still be that girl he fell in love with and if only he waited.

Stolen Kisses by Carla Caruso

Finally, Misty cleared her throat. "You know, Katy Perry's doing her first tour date in Adelaide next month. I could ask to cover it and put in a request for you." She shrugged, her mouth twisting. "We could take it from there. See what happens."

On her last day of covering the story of the band The Stolen, on their show in Adelaide, Misty Welbourne could only wish for time to drag on for so long. She wasn't so excited when she was first assigned with this assignment but as she spent the last eight days with Jesse Ramage, freelance photographer, she suddenly wished for an extra time with him. Jesse, as a freelancer, didn't have much of a choice but to take this assignment. He wasn't quite thrilled about following some rock band on their show but with Misty along with him, he realized that it wasn't bad at all.

A cute, spontaneous, blooming romance from Carla Caruso about a writer and a photographer who found themselves enjoying each other's company and would rather get to know each other better than actually covering the band they were supposed to cover. A fast and charming read of a blooming relationship that will surely make you smile.

Run To You by Laura Greaves

"This marathon is supposed to be my catarthis, my phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes moment. It's not supposed to be a first date."

When Melissa Burnley decided to run for the New York Marathon, it was to prove her ex that she wasn't indecisive, that she can commit to something and see it until the end. And so it was a cold November and she was running (away from her ex) along with 50,000 other participants including Mr. Polar Bear who happened to decide he wanted to become her running partner. What a not so good beginning turned into a heartwarming talk and run between Melissa and a man she named Mr. Polar Bear.

Run to You was probably my favorite among the six stories. Melissa and Mr.Polar Bear started off as strangers but somehow along the marathon they got to know each other a little. At first, Mr. Polar bear was too fussy for Melissa but when she heard his story she somehow soften to him. And who hasn't fancied a firefighter anyway? Melissa also didn't want to tell her story but what's the harm of telling your story to someone you wouldn't see again?

It was a beautiful story of moving on and letting yourself heal after an awful relationship. I actually wanted to read more but unfortunately it was only a short story. And his name was Brooks, by the way.
 

 Rebound by Georgina Penny

"Come by the station tomorrow and I'll give you the details
"Why not now?
"Because I like to see you pissed off."

As if losing her job wasn't quite enough, Samantha Plimpton had to be dumped by her boyfriend, ex, of two years so he could have a fling with a new girl. To make things worse, Samantha was also back living, temporarily, with her OCD mother who liked keeping the house as it used to be, like Samantha was still in highschool, until she can find a new job and so she can pay for a new place to live in. Enter Police Officer Craig Lawson, Samantha's nemesis, who unexpectedly offered his house in exchange of Samantha keeping the lawn green and the garden watered. Having no intention of staying another day inside her mom's house, Samantha grabbed the offer and found herself 'okay' with Craig's company.

I've read a lot of stories like this one with the girl and the guy always bickering but turned out they actually liked each other. Because sometimes it was easier to tease someone than actually admitting that you like them. (Sounds like YA, I know!) And Samantha was just too busy hating Craig that she wasn't able to get the hints Craig was giving.

Just Friends by Katie Spain

"I'm not sure why but that day he chose me as his 'girl' and over schnitzel, salad and a love of vino we vowed to tackle life on our new turf together. We skipped straight to best-mate status without a second thought."

Nathan was the man of her dreams. Too bad she wasn't the man of Nathan's dreams. They agreed that by thirty if they weren't still married then they would marry each other then have a baby (or babies). Everyone around them can tell that they loved each other more than best friends loved each other but what can she do when Nathan liked men more than he liked her?

This story wasn't what I expected it to be but it was lovely and heartbreaking at the same time. Nathan was adorable and he was probably my favorite character out of all the stories. It's just that it was too sad that she can't have Nathan all to herself because Nathan wanted to marry the man of his dreams, one day, even if he was already married to her. And I loved that Teenage Dream by Katy Perry part!

Deluge by Sandy Vaile

"Autumn would no longer be a sign of loss. Now it was a new beginning."

Carly Shaw had no choice but to leave Cockatoo Flat to find a high paying job so she could pay the debts her father left them. When she left she didn't only leave her mother behind but she also had to end things with the love of her life, Elliot Fraser, who took the break up the hard way. Now that she was back to look after her sick mother, Elliot still seemed mad at her for leaving but when her mother, Jean, decided to play matchmaker, Carly had to at least indulge her mother for wanting to see her daughter get married.

I always love stories about second chances because everyone deserves a second chance, right? This last story by Sandy Vaile was about Samantha giving up her chance at love for the sake of saving her family from debts. Because sometimes life decided we only get to choose one between love and family and most of the time we choose family over love which is unfair but life is a bitch like that. But hey, that's the reason why we have second chances right? And third and fourth and who's to say we don't get a fifth chance?

Overall, I enjoyed this collection of short stories! My favorite was Run To You but each was lovely in its own way. Hope you enjoy it too! :)