Review: Real Kind of Love by Sara Rider (Books & Brews #1)
Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Barclay Publicity.
I've had Sara Rider's Perfect Play series waiting for me on my tablet for more than a year, but my introduction to her writing is by way of Real Kind of Love, the first novel in her new Books & Brews series. Audiobook narrator Clementine Cox is a constant presence at the Holy Grale, the bar where she once worked and was summarily fired at three years ago. Jake Donovan never fails to notice her presence, but the shy and quiet woman sitting on the same stool each time she's there doesn't really engage in much conversation. That doesn't stop him from offering his help when Clem's sisters assume he's the hot boyfriend she's mentioned to them. Since no such boyfriend actually exists, Jake steps in, even if it'll mean having to spend time with Clem's rather rambunctious and competitive family for a few days. It'll give Jake time to keep his distance from his ex-fiancée and it'll get Clem's family to quit getting on her to date the random men they throw her way. Clem and Jake will need to convince her family they're a couple, but will either of them need much convincing to cross the line and give in to falling in love?
This was an enjoyable read, one with some definite lighthearted moments--a lot of which were courtesy of Clem's nosy but well-meaning family. The whole "fake relationship" trope has been done more times than I'd care to count, and that's why it takes that extra bit of something special to set a book apart. This series starter had some pluses to it, especially when it came to its cast of characters, led by Clem and Jake. These two were easy to like and really easy to want to cheer on as they figured out a way to get to some sort of happy ending. Then there were Jake's friends, the brother-sister duo of Eli and Julia Hardin who were also part of the Holy Grale, plus Clem's family. There wasn't a whole lot of drama concerning Jake's ex as well, which I found so utterly refreshing because how many times have readers come across that in a story like this one? While the whole outing with the fake couple and Clem's family only occurs over a number of days, it never felt that way. If anything, I had to remind myself it was only days instead of months. An easygoing and adorable love story, Real Kind of Love gets four stars. ♥
This was an enjoyable read, one with some definite lighthearted moments--a lot of which were courtesy of Clem's nosy but well-meaning family. The whole "fake relationship" trope has been done more times than I'd care to count, and that's why it takes that extra bit of something special to set a book apart. This series starter had some pluses to it, especially when it came to its cast of characters, led by Clem and Jake. These two were easy to like and really easy to want to cheer on as they figured out a way to get to some sort of happy ending. Then there were Jake's friends, the brother-sister duo of Eli and Julia Hardin who were also part of the Holy Grale, plus Clem's family. There wasn't a whole lot of drama concerning Jake's ex as well, which I found so utterly refreshing because how many times have readers come across that in a story like this one? While the whole outing with the fake couple and Clem's family only occurs over a number of days, it never felt that way. If anything, I had to remind myself it was only days instead of months. An easygoing and adorable love story, Real Kind of Love gets four stars. ♥
Date Read: 07 June 2018
Learn more about Sara Rider.
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