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The Trouble with Hating You, Book 2

From the publisher:

On the verge of realizing her dream of being a doctor, Preeti Patel should be ecstatic. But between the stress of her residency, trying to find a job, and managing her traditional, no-boundaries family, Preeti’s anxiety is through the roof. Relationships and love aren’t even an option. Fortunately, Preeti’s finally found a new place to stay . . . only to discover that her new roommate is her ex.

Preeti never quite got over Daniel Thompson. Super-hot, plenty of swagger, amazing cook—the guy is practically perfect. And if it weren’t for their families, there might have been a happily ever after. But it’s hard to keep her sanity and libido in check when the man of her dreams is sleeping mere feet away. Can Preeti and Daniel find a way to stand up and fight for each other one last time . . . before they lose their second chance?

The main theme of this book – besides the romance – is racism. Preeti’s family doesn’t approve of Daniel because he’s Black. Daniel’s family doesn’t approve of Preeti because she comes from a poor background and a different culture. Daniel is part of the 1% and his family runs a hugely successful real estate company. He is expected to take it over, but all he does is fight with his father.

Six years earlier, Preeti was at Daniel’s Harvard graduation when his father, sitting next to her, tells her that if she really loves Daniel, she will leave him and let him find his happiness with his family, that she is no good for him and is destroying his career and his life. Her family isn’t much better; her aunties are toxic, call her a slut and spread all kinds of horrible gossip about Preeti and her family, and her mother ends up having a stress related mild heart attack. Those two events led Preeti to just walk away from Daniel, and she never tells him why.

Six years later, they end up sharing an apartment for a few weeks. Preeti has been matched with a man her family approves of, and they have been texting and talking and sharing family meals for six months. Preeti thinks marrying him will make her parents proud and happy, even though she feels nothing for him. In fact, Preeti has some health issues – she suffers from severe anxiety, touch aversion, and at times those things spiral her into depression. Daniel was the only one who really knows about her issues and how to help her through them. Her fiancé-to-be doesn’t understand why she can’t abide his touch, and thinks she should just get over it.

Despite her health issues, Preeti is fiercely competitive and brilliant, and is in the last few weeks of residency, trying to find a job as a full time doctor. She loves the practice she is with, but there is competition for the one opening they have.

As Preeti and Daniel start spending time together, they both realize they still love one another. There are many setbacks, and it takes Preeti a while to realize that Daniel is willing to forgive her for leaving him and they do find their happily ever after.

This was such a charming, sweet story and I fell in love with these characters. I did realize while reading this that there must have been a book before this one, and sure enough there is – The Trouble with Hating You. I can’t wait to read it, and whatever else Sajni Patel writes next!

9/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FIRST LOVE, TAKE TWO by Sajni Patel. Forever (September 21, 2021). ISBN: 978-1538733363. 336 pages.

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From the publisher:

From the author of Love, Unscripted. . . . They’re perfect for each other. But what happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time—over and over again?

“A modern-day love story with an old-fashioned warmth.”—Debbie Johnson, author of Maybe One Day

Up-and-coming musician Tom thinks he met the love of his life one night a year ago, but thanks to a made-up girlfriend, he’s pretty sure he’s never going to see her again. If it weren’t for the painkillers the doctor had given him for his dislocated shoulder, he could’ve explained what really happened. But now the moment for explanations has gone, so he just keeps writing songs about her in the wild hope that she’ll hear one on the radio and understand.

Jess thinks she met a cheating liar one night a year ago, but much to her chagrin, she can’t seem to stop thinking about him. When she finally decides to take it upon herself to tell Tom’s girlfriend what happened that night, she finds out that the truth isn’t quite what she thought it was. But by then it’s too late—she’s headed to the other side of the world to launch her comedy career.

As the years go by, Tom and Jess are never far from each other’s thoughts. But every time it seems that there might be a way for them to move forward, something else conspires to keep them apart. In life and in love, timing is everything—but will Tom and Jess ever manage to get it right?

This was an interesting concept for a romance. Tom and Jess meet serendipitously on a train, have a fabulous date, and then he ghosts her. It haunts Jess, she really felt like they had a connection. So when she runs into him again, she’s very angry.

Tom offers her a reasonable explanation and she decides to believe him. But this time, she hears from his best friend that he has a girlfriend. Angry again that he lied to her about that, she leaves.

They go back and forth like this for years. Almost too many years, it seemed a little dragged out for me. But eventually, they are both single at the same time and realize that they love one another and that’s the end.

I enjoyed this story but I would have liked to see them together more than was presented. There’s no heat at all here, other than when they fight. I need more than that in a romance. This is a romance of missed opportunities, in more ways then the author probably intended.

9/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PERFECT TIMING by Owen Nicholls. Dell (September 7, 2021). ISBN: 978-1984826893. 384 pages.

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From the publisher:

Charming, hilarious, and emotional…When Sparks Fly is Helena Hunting at her very best!

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.

Hunting has become one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint. Avery and Declan have been best friends since college. Yes, it’s unusual for a man and woman to be best friends without it going anywhere else, but that’s the way it is. When they were in college, Avery was going out with Declan’s best friend, Sam. But after they graduated, they were doing the long-distance thing, and Declan found out Sam was cheating on Avery. He told Avery and everyone in their friends group cut Sam out. Avery and Declan even went on to buy a condo together, and everything is going great. They hang out with the guys, play soccer together, and have a good time. The only fly in the ointment are the “randoms’ that Declan is constantly bringing home.

Declan’s parents have spent their lives fighting and cheating on one another. He has no good role model for what a relationship should look like. He is convinced he is not ever going to be in any kind of committed relationship, so he sticks to his one night stands. They guy makes a good living in finance, and is hot as hell, so no worries there.

Avery’s girl friends convince her to try a dating app and the first guy that shows interest looks like he may be worth meeting. He’s good looking and into sports like she is. Her friends convince her to wear a tight, fitted minidress and heels, and as she is going out for her date, Declan about loses his mind. She looks so hot he feels jealous, so he goes out and picks up a woman that reminds him of Avery. Except they are supposed to leave early the next morning to meet up with some friends and go to a game. Only when Avery tries to get him up, he’s busy with the random. Avery tries to get his keys to his SUV as it’s raining and her tiny car needs tires, but he was too drunk to drive home the previous night so his car isn’t there.

Avery is really pissed off. She lost her parents in a terrible car accident years earlier, and has been afraid to drive ever since, especially when it’s raining. But Declan is of no use and she decides to just go by herself. She’s a nervous wreck driving on the highway in the rain, especially when she sees this pickup truck weaving in and out of traffic. Declan calls to apologize and they are working things out. The next thing you know, she’s in a multi-car pile up which he hears over the speakerphone, but she is not responding.

Turns out she has multiple broken bones and is unconscious for a couple of days. But Declan sticks by her, along with her sisters, until she wakes up. Then they fight over who is going to take care of her. But her sisters have to run their family event business without her for several weeks, and Declan can work remotely from home, so he wins and becomes Avery’s caretaker. It is a lot of work but he feels a lot of guilt, plus he loves her, so it’s not a problem for him. Until he walks in on her trying to masturbate one handed.

It’s pretty obvious where they end up, except Declan has never been in a relationship before. Turns out all their friends were just waiting for the two of them to realize they were in love, but there are a lot of bumps on the road before they can really be together.

I loved these characters and their story; I couldn’t put it down so another one night read for me. I loved it.

9/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WHEN SPARKS FLY by Helena Hunting. St. Martin’s Griffin (September 21, 2021). ISBN: 978-1250624703. 320 pages.

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