Review: A Girl Like You by Maria Geraci

From the Publisher:

Every ugly duckling is a swan in waiting...

Emma Frazier is smart, hardworking, and loves her job as a journalist for a Florida lifestyle magazine. Emma knows she’s no great beauty, but she’s pretty certain she has a shot with her handsome new boss, Ben Gallagher—until Emma overhears a mutual acquaintance refer to her as the “ugly friend.” In an effort to reclaim her battered self-esteem, Emma decides to impress Ben at work by promising an exclusive interview with NASCAR legend, Trip Monroe.

Emma and Trip went to high school together and although it’s been fourteen years since they’ve spoken, Emma is certain she can score an interview with the elusive super star. But connecting with Trip turns out to be harder than Emma imagined. Her quest for the interview leads her back to her tiny hometown of Catfish Cove, where old secrets and a new romantic interest shake up Emma’s views on life and teach her that maybe the key to finding true love is as simple as accepting yourself for the person you were always meant to be.

“I have my pride. I might not be a beauty queen, but I too am a person… No matter how plain I might be, I am deserving of love. I refuse to pine after any man.” (from A Girl Like You, page 21)

All girls, it seems, have their fair share of men troubles. For Emma Frazier, attracting her friends’ cast-offs appears to be her lot in life. Until now. With several rather attractive and fit men showing an interest in her, Emma faces a different conundrum. Will she choose Boston Ben, her boss and crush for the past seven months? He is handsome, yet not too handsome, smart, kind to animals, and has a great laugh. But will Emma forget all about her beau from Boston when hometown hottie Nick Alfonso makes his moves? After all, Nick is a cop and cops exude sex appeal, right? Emma struggles with her feelings, refusing to settle for anything less than ardent love. Could one of these dreamboats be the one, or is there someone else who can make Emma’s dreams come true?

Relationship difficulties are not the only troubles for Emma. She needs to land an interview with NASCAR superstar and former classmate, Trip Monroe, for an upcoming edition of Florida!, the magazine where she works. However, how is Emma to do this when Trip refuses any interviews? While digging for nuggets of interesting information on Mr. Monroe from his relatives, Emma ‘s journalistic skills just may uncover more than just Trip’s secrets.

Maria Geraci paints a picture of characters with struggles, each with their own insecurities, hang-ups, and challenges. This is one quality of Geraci’s writing I have come to enjoy. Both male and female characters are so well developed, I could easily picture any of them, and their life circumstances, amongst our current society. At different times I was able to empathize with each of the ladies. Adding to the story’s familiar feel was the narrative voice. Even though Emma used a couple of phrases over and again, her thoughts helped to further develop the plot and engage me.

Even though I enjoy the steamy scenes Geraci has written in some of her other novels, A Girl Like You maintains a romantic feel without all the details, making this a great read for those who want the romance without the hot and heavy scenes. 

***Thursday will bring my A Girl Like You vlog! Don't miss it!***

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Review: Worth the Risk by Robin Bielman

Debut author Robin Bielman has an entertaining read on her hands.

After stepping away from her father’s law firm, Samantha Bennett must prove to herself, and her controlling father, that she can make it on her own, doing what she loves. When a remarkable opportunity to work with one of the largest historic preservation companies comes open, Sam jumps at the bit. This is just the job to prove she has what it takes to make it.

Dean Malloy stepped away from his father’s company, World Heritage, over a year ago to form his own preservation company. Having not spoken to his father in over a year, Dean sees the job opening with his father’s company as a way to further his own company’s renown as well as mend fences with his father.

When Samantha sees Dean again for the first time in five years, her mind is flooded with memories of their summer together in Yosemite. Her feelings are so natural: a mixture of fear and dread mixed with the desire to relive past events. But Dean left Sam with a broken heart and not so much as a look back when he left those years ago. Now he is after the same job…the job she needs. Can Sam forget the past long enough to land this job?

However, Sam is not the only one still nursing a broken heart. Dean’s heart was broken by her betrayal just as much as he broke hers. Dean must keep his focus to secure this job, but can he ignore the temptation Sam is providing as his mind is swimming with sweet memories? What harm can one weekend together do, and what better way to get Sam out of his system for good than one last fling.  Is it worth the risk?

Bielman provides readers with a novella that is a quick, sexy, and enjoyable read. If you are looking for a book that you can devour in an afternoon or while on the beach, may I recommend Worth the Risk?

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