ROMeANTICALLY CHALLENGED: A Perfect RomCom Beach Read (When in Rome, #1)

by Marina Adair

Amazon Best Romance of the Month 
Publishers Marketplace BuzzBooks: ROMANCE 2020-2021 pick
Fresh Fiction Fresh Pick

“Fun, flirty, and fresh!”
—Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author
 
A witty, sexy, and charming story from the New York Times bestselling author of the St. Helena Vineyard series that fans of Emily Henry, Jen DeLuca, and Kate Clayborn will adore.
 
Growing up the lone Asian in a community of WASPs, Annie has always felt out of place.  Her solution?  Start a family of her own. Not easy when every man she’s dated, including her ex-fiancé, finds “his person” right after breaking up with Annie. Even worse than canceling the wedding eight weeks beforehand?  Learning the “other woman” plans to walk down the aisle wearing her wedding gown. New plan—find a fresh, man-free start. Too bad her exit strategy unexpectedly lands her working at a hospital in Rome, Rhode Island, rather than Rome, Italy, and sharing a cabin with a big, brooding, and annoyingly hot male roommate.
 
Home on medical leave after covering a literally explosive story in China, investigative photojournalist Emmitt embarks on his most important assignment—cementing his place in his daughter’s life. Three men and a baby might work in the movies, but with a stepdad and devoted uncle competing for Paisley’s attention, Emmitt has lost his place at the family table. Then there’s the adorably sexy squatter in his cabin, who poses another problem, one he’d very much like to solve up close and personal. But he can’t win—Annie has sworn off men, Paisley’s gone boy crazy, and Emmitt’s estranged father reappears with a secret that changes everything.
 
Annie and Emmitt are about to discover love comes in many forms, and sometimes the best families are the ones we make.

“Phenomenal…I highly recommend picking up a copy if this novel, it will have you crying, laughing and yelling but most of all you will end with a warm happy feeling that comes from reading a first class novel.”
—Harlequin Junkie, Recommended Read
 
“I cannot fully express how in awe I am with Marina Adair’s ability to create such complex and multi-faceted characters. “
—The Lit Buzz

“Marina Adair is a breath of fresh air…Don't miss a word from this magnificent author!” —Darynda Jones, New York Times bestselling author
 
“Fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery will enjoy the modern family dynamic and small-town atmosphere.”
—Booklist
 
“An adorable, fun new contemporary romance series. Delightful.”
—Library Journal

“A hilarious romantic comedy”
—Bookpage
 
“A delight…entertaining, endearing, and realistic.”
—Frolic
 
"A true gem."
—Fresh Fiction

• ISBN10: 1496727665
• ISBN13: 9781496727664
• Publish Date: 28 July 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Kensington Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9781496727664

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Annie fled to Rome in order to put some distance between her and her former fiancee. With her track record being what it was, she had sworn off men. But when the homeowner of her rental, Emmitt, unexpectedly returned, she found herself wanting to make an exception to her no-men rule.

The synopsis for this book compares it to 27 Dresses and Three Men and a Baby, and I had no problem finding those threads in the story, but it was the focus on what-makes-a-family and feeling as if you belong that really stole my heart.

Annie was nursing a bit of a broken heart, and let me tell you, each additional detail made my heart break, more and more. She was always the woman the men dated just before they found their "soulmate", and it was easy to see why she started seeing herself as the problem. She was also dealing with a lifetime of feeling as though she never belonged. She had been adopted as an infant by white parents, and though she knew she was loved, she was always aware of her "otherness" and never quite felt like she fit in anywhere. Her time in Rome was not only filled with romance, but also with a lot of soul searching and trying to figure herself out. I loved seeing her connect with the local Vietnamese community, but I especially liked seeing her connect with Emmitt.

Emmitt was also felt a bit on the outside, and was struggling with finding his place within his family. You see, his family situation was a bit unique. He shared his daughter with two other men, thus the Three Men and a Baby parallel. Emmitt was the fun dad and was often absent due to traveling for his job. The other two were the always-home-dads, who took care of the day-to-day things. Though the arrangement had worked in the past, Emmitt now found himself wanting more. He wanted to be a bigger part of his daughter's life, and he wanted to be seen as someone who could be more than the part-time fun guy. There was a lot more to Emmitt than I gathered from my initial impression and I really grew to love him as he worked to change the perception his family held of him.

It was a rocky start between Emmitt and Annie, when he just showed up unexpectedly. With both of them refusing to vacate the house, they were thrust into one of those forced proximity situations. This produced a LOT of fun antics and laughs, while also resulting in some fantastic tension between Emmitt and Annie. The verbal sparring was so enjoyable, and it filled my heart with joy as that sparring turned to flirting and then to more. It was wonderful watching these two find a place to belong, and I loved that they belonged there together.

This book was a delight! It had the perfect combination of warmth, humor, charm, drama, and heat. I loved the what-makes-a-family angle, and am hoping the other two dads get their own HEAs too.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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