Smitten by the Brit (Sometimes in Love, #2)

by Melonie Johnson

Bonnie Blythe has modeled her life after her favorite books. If only her fiance would get on the same page and agree to a wedding date.

She’s not at all bitter that her best friend is getting married to a man she’s known for less than a year, and Bonnie most definitely isn’t thinking about the best man to be, Theo Wharton. It’s just whenever she talks with the blue-eyed Brit, sparks fly.

When a shocking reveal ends Bonnie’s engagement, she accepts a summer teaching job at Cambridge - only an hour away from Theo. Bonnie isn’t ready for a new relationship, but the chemistry between her and Theo is impossible to ignore. But Theo’s been hiding the truth about his identity; will Bonnie be able to weather the plot twist and grab the happily ever after of her dreams?

• ISBN13: 9781250193056
• Publish Date: 1 June 2019 (first published 28 May 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 4 April 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: St Martin's Press
• Imprint: St. Martin's Paperbacks
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 384
• Language: English
• URL: http://melia.co.uk/page/detail/?k=9781250193056

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

They met a year ago, when Bonnie and her friends were touring Europe, and neither had forgotten the encounter. Fast forward, and things were finally lining up for Bonnie and Theo. Bonnie had ended her engagement, and was taking a summer teaching position at Cambridge putting her in close proximity to Theo. It seemed the universe was doing its part to get these two together, but would they be able to overcome their personal obstacles?

I was itching for these two to get together since they first shared the page in Getting Hot with the Scot. I instantly loved them, and the ease they enjoyed with one another plus the banter between them, was indication enough that they belonged with one another. Johnson gave them some major obstacles to tackle in this story, but I never stopped rooting for them.

Bonnie was nursing a broken heart. She had been betrayed by someone she thought would be her forever, and Theo had to work hard and be patient with her, as she processed her emotions regarding that failed relationship. She had also been with her ex since she was eight years old, and the trepidation and fear she had about exploring something with a new man was understandable, and yet another keeping them apart.

Then we had Theo, who was faced with Austen level drama. He was a duke in need of a large influx of cash to save his ancestral home. This was one of the more stressful plots for me, because though I understood why, I just couldn't understand Theo being deprived his shot at true love. I was repeatedly angry with his mother, even though I knew all would be well in the end.

Both Theo and Bonnie had been putting their wants and needs on hold for the sake of others. Bonnie let her dreams go to the wayside, because she was busy supporting her ex-finacee's academic pursuits. While Theo was being forced to choose between marriage for love and marriage for obligation. It was so satisfying to see them start to make choices that were for themselves.

Once again, Johnson peppered the story with many fun and wonderful things. Among the things I loved:

• I am all about female friendships, and it was great being with all five of the Sometimes in Love women again. I got to know a bit more about the other three women, plus I got to catch up with Cassie.

• I loved Logan's family in the first book, so it was great to return to Scotland and spend a little time with them again, but I also adored Theo's sister, Tabby. She was fun and fabulous and one of the few, who wanted to see Theo find his happy.

• Theo took Bonnie on the most wonderful dates. They were all so fun and different. Each one had me looking forward to the next.

• Johnson did such a good job incorporating Bonnie's love of literature into the story. The quotes and references were all so well placed, and only added to my enjoyment.

This book had great characters, a hero and heroine I loved rooting for, spectacular scenery, humor, heat, and just the right amount of drama for my liking. Once again, Johnson delivered a fun and fabulous romance, that had me laughing, swooning, and smiling.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[stacey_is_sassy]

A Hero any mother would love…

I know there will be a LOT of readers who will absolutely LOVE Theodore, the sixteenth Duke of Emberton. No, this is not a historical romance, it’s contemporary, but we do get to hang out with the upper-crust for a little while. I have to take a step back in reviewing this one because good old Theo does absolutely nothing for me. I didn’t even get a heart flutter, goofy smile and not one skerrick of a contented sigh passed my lips. So, while I thought this was a good story and I was thoroughly entertained, Theo just wasn’t for me. I wonder if you’ll be able to work out why the Duke of Emberton didn’t float my boat…

I was fortunate enough to meet Bonnie and Theo when I read Melonie Johnson’s debut romance, Getting Hot with the Scot. Bonnie, at the time, was engaged to her childhood sweetheart, Gabe, and was looking forward to setting a date for her wedding. Now, I wasn’t feeling overly confident that this date was going to get set, to be honest. I know for a fact, that if I was away from hubby even before he was my hubby we would be communicating every day and numerous times. I did not get that vibe at all. When Bonnie (while still engaged) met Theo, there were sparks flying. Bonnie, being the good girl that she is, ignored those sparks and returned home to the loving arms of her fiancé.

Bonnie shouldn’t have ignored those sparks because Gabe, the douchewaffle, didn’t ignore the sparks flying back at home.

Theo has a lot of family obligations and a duty to see his family line succeed. Unfortunately, the Emberton estates are verging on the brink of bankruptcy and it’s up to him to fill the coffers. What better way than to marry himself off to the highest bidder. He knows that’s what he has to do (as his Mama tells him often) but he also knows that a marriage match like that will probably not involve love. When Theo meets Bonnie sparks fly when he is absolutely enthralled with her red-haired, freckled beauty. If only Bonnie was a millionaire heiress with a good family name.

There was a lot about Bonnie that resonated with me. Her love of Shakespeare and Austen, scribbling down her thoughts and finding comfort surrounded by books, were things I could relate to. There were also things that I couldn’t relate to as well. She was just a wee bit timid, innocent and shy, especially when it comes to meeting blokes. Bonnie had been with Gabe since they were teenagers and had never kissed another man. I can’t even comprehend not having a comparison of good against bad. How would you know you’ve got a good egg if you haven’t dealt with a rotten egg first? I think, Bonnie knew from the first meeting that Theo was the best kind of egg for her.

Theo is the most well-mannered, polite and thoughtful gentleman that I’ve met (in the romance reading world) in a long, long time. He’s not demanding, bossy or arrogant. Theo walks you to the door, places a kiss on your cheek, and wishes you sweet dreams. Kind gestures, thoughtful dates and sweet surprises are exactly what you should expect when dating Theo. He’s the perfect gentleman.

Now, even though Theo was not the perfect hero for me, I did enjoy my time Smitten by the Brit. Seeing the sights, catching up with friends and meeting Theo’s very cool sister, Tabitha, made this a very entertaining read.

BUT

The one thing that did leave me a little frustrated (besides the fact that Theo doesn’t float my boat) was that Bonnie and Theo’s relationship doesn’t really start to come together until the very last pages. Theo’s family obligations and Bonnie’s break up leave them with many obstacles to overcome before they can even attempt a relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I knew they were meant for each other from their very first meeting, it just took them a wee while to catch up to me. We’re not left hanging for some sexy times either, it’s just that these knuckleheads took their bloody time to get to the real connection.

So, did you guess why Theo didn’t float my boat? I’ll give you a hint…

He’s not demanding, bossy or arrogant.

This book will be perfect for a lot of readers because Theo is a sweet, thoughtful and caring hero who uses his manners A LOT. Bonnie will appeal to a lot of readers because she's just like one of us. I highly recommend Smitten by the Brit and will not hesitate to read more from Melonie Johnson in the future.

Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.

[chymerra]

I was interested in reading Smitten by the Brit. The sparks that Bonnie and Theo had in Getting Hot with the Scot was amazing. But, since Bonnie was engaged and Theo was a gentleman, they didn’t do anything about it. So, yes, I was interested in the book. I needed to know if they got together.

The plot for Smitten by the Brit was pretty straightforward. Bonnie walks in on her fiancee having sex with another woman on her bed. Devastated, she decides to take a summer job teaching in England. Where Theo is. The more Bonnie hangs out with Theo, the more she starts falling for him. Is it a rebound? Or is what she’s feeling for Theo the real thing?

I liked Bonnie. She was one of the more relatable characters that I have read in awhile. I liked that she was quirky, loved Shakespeare, and loved to read. She was a sweet girl in this book.

Theo annoyed me but I liked him. He was between a rock and a hard place the entire book. I wish that he grew a backbone sooner than later.

Bonnie and Theo’s relationship was a huge focal point of the book. I mean, it is a romance novel about them. I loved that the author didn’t have Bonnie fall heads over heels for Theo right after her break up with Gabe. It wouldn’t have sat right with me. Instead, she was an emotional mess. She was dealing with the baggage of Gabe cheating on her (and blaming her for it, flipping tool!!). That baggage had to be dealt with in order for her to move onto Theo. In that sense, the book did go slowly. Which I didn’t mind, weirdly enough. But, once she arrived in England, their relationship sped up. And that was months after her breakup with Gabe.

The sexual attraction and sexual tension carried over from Getting Hot with the Scot. I loved it. I haven’t read a book where the sexual tension between secondary characters were carried over as flawlessly as it did in this one. The author did a fantastic job of building it up and keeping it up. For the entire book. Loved it. Each sex scene was explosive. Each sex scene was fantastic.

I also liked the humor in Smitten by the Brit. From the beginning, I was giggling at the one liners that Bonnie, Ana, Sadie, Delaney, and Cassie had. The whole scene with Ana showing Bonnie how to give a blowjob on a popsicle was hilarious.

As much as I liked the book and its characters, there were some parts of it I didn’t like. I couldn’t stand Theo’s mother. Talk about a controlling, cold woman. She was rude to Bonnie. She had absolute control over Theo. She left a bad taste in my mouth. I also didn’t like how Bonnie refused to talk to Cassie about her feelings. I understood why she didn’t want to talk to Cassie. But, she should have been honest with her.

The end of the book was fantastic. I am not going to get into it. I will say this. It was the perfect ending for this book!!

[Cocktails and Books]

I really wanted to like this one, but it fell short for me. Couldn't connect with the characters.

[Molly J(Cover To Cover Cafe)]

This was a really fast, good read for me! The characters were well developed, and the plot line kept me hooked until I reached the end. This is definitely worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up to the author for creating a book that is sure to be a hit with all romance lovers! Well done!