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Billy and Me
Billy and Me
Giovanna Fletcher | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a very, very different genre than I usually read. It was romantic and contemporary and kind of cliche and gross. But I will admit that it was written well.

Despite the gooey topics, this book was easy to sit and read through. The writing was good, though some of the speech didn't feel particularly authentic. My main problem was how cliche this was. A young woman who loves classic literature andworks in a tea shop meets a movie star without realising who he is and falls in love... Yeah, it's kind of a stereotypical romance. I hate this sort of thing. It's tacky and just ugh. But there was more to it than just the romance, which was very good. Sophie had her own issues to deal with, stemming from childhood grief and caring for her mother. It even had a really tragic moment toward the end, that didn't involve the actor - Billy - much at all.

As I mentioned above, the language wasn't always particularly fluid. It sometimes felt like Fletcher was trying too hard to make it more romantic and emotional. Billy was pretty much 'perfect' and extremely romantic, probably extremely unrealistically so. He was likeable, still, just not very realistic.

Sophie herself was a bit... not annoying, but she's not my favourite protagonist ever. She was trying too hard to be unique and strong and independent and it just irritated me. I get what Fletcher was going for (I think) but I just didn't love Sophie that much at all.

Like most other contemporary novels (not that I've actually read many of them), Sophie's life comes together perfectly at the end. Well, not quite perfectly, but the ending was sickly sweet. But I'm a bit of a cynic. You might like this more than me.

Despite the genre and gross cutesy lovey stuff, I think this deserves 3.5 stars. The writing was good and I did actually enjoy reading it.
  
Fever (Songbird #1)
Fever (Songbird #1)
Melissa Pearl | 2014 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the story of Ella, a character who loves Jazz but has absolutely no backbone to speak of. She is a people pleaser as she is afraid of them leaving her. Now, normally, a character like Ella would have me screaming at my Kindle to "grow a spine!" However, something about Ella drew me in. Perhaps it was the occasional glimpses of who she could be, given the right circumstances and encouragement.

Cole starts off as a bit of a player but soon falls for his 'shower girl'. The two of them not knowing who they were but in constant contact was amusing. Cole changes his mind from being a player to having an unknown girl be 'the one' for him but that is the only thing that is rushed. It progresses slowly and naturally between Cole and Ella.

David, I felt sorry for. He's really not the right guy for Ella but he was there when she needed him so he's not really the bad guy of the show either. He doesn't see Ella or consider her wants but then she doesn't open her mouth either so it's not all his fault.

This was a very well-written contemporary romance between two college students as they learn who they are, what they want and how to go about getting it. I loved the ending with Ella (no spoilers) - I thought it absolutely perfect and was so happy to see it happen.

If you have read any other of Melissa Pearl's books, then you already know you are in for a treat. If you haven't - and you like new adult contemporary romance - then I can recommend you start with this one.
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 11, 2016