Loved it!
Romance {open door–two scenes minimal detail}
Soundtrack: Stargazing – Myles Smith
Sometimes, you pick up the right book at the right time, which is precisely what transpired this weekend; after admiring this cover for months, I finally grabbed the book. I wanted a fluffy Hallmark-like romance with a caregiving man, and this delivered on all fronts. Was this a little bit cheesy? Yes, and did it have a forced, very illogical third-act breakup? Yes, and did I still enjoy reading it? Also Yes! While I tend to be harsh when reading any book with questionable communication skills, Easton wrote a sweet, enjoyable, and easily digestible book overall.
Amerie’s life is a bit of a mess: recently fired and dumped, she is struggling to get her career back on track and facing too many bills. Things seem to be looking up when she smacks into Vincent, a handsome astronaut who needs a fake girlfriend in exchange for a rent-free stay in his second bedroom. The more time they spend together, the more the lines between fake and real blur. Predictable but fun, this is a first-person single POV, and at times, I wished we had a male POV for balance. It was refreshing for both characters to have such strong, loving marriages in their parents. It added depth without adding in random trauma.
While this was primarily light, there was some discussion of the difficulties and biases faced by those living with sickle cell disease through Amerie describing life with her chronically ill mom. I think both the pressure she felt not to put an additional burden and the reality of life’s difficulties with sickle cell was well done.
I really felt similar vibes to Bodyguard by Katherine Center, except with minor spice. Thiscould be easily read in an afternoon, and I would suggest it for the next time you need an escape. This is Easton’s debut novel,and I am excited to see what she writes next.