I read McKinlay’s Wait For It last year and loved it – her layered, complex writing resonated with me, so I was excited to read more from her. Unfortunately, this was a total miss. First, the ENTIRE plot is described in the blurb; every part of the book is spoiled before you even begin. And neither character is likable – the heroine acts like a moody teenager, and the hero’s weak excuses don’t hold up under scrutiny. I didn’t like either of them, and their love story was difficult to root for. I don’t expect a ton of depth in a novella, but this was SUPER cliché and not executed very well. The romance itself flies by, but the overall story drags. It didn’t work for me on any level, which is unfortunate because the foundation of a light and fun royal romance is here – a handsome stranger, a bit of miscommunication, some chemistry. It just didn’t come together in a satisfying way.
Normally, I’d give a few details about the storyline, but the blurb tells you everything there is to know. So let’s skip right to some notes on the audiobook. I enjoyed the female narrator’s voice, which made this an easy and relaxing three-hour listen. The story is single perspective, so the narrator voices every character, and her attempt at European accents left a little to be desired. I had no trouble understanding her or differentiating between the characters though, so that was fine. The story is low angst with no steam, so it’s the perfect listen for a workday. It was over before I knew it, and the overall audio quality is solid.
Kindle version available now / audio coming February 1st
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3r6apOC
Blurb:
Molly Graham doesn’t believe in love at first sight or fairy tales. She’s been burned too many times before. When her best friend, Brianna Cho, challenges her to aim high and go for men who are out of her league, Molly can’t imagine a worse way to spend Valentine’s Day. When she stumbles across a very handsome British professor, Albert George, seeking refuge in her office during the Museum of Literature’s Valentine’s Day gala for the opening of their Austen exhibit, Molly can’t help but be drawn to the fellow introverted academic. Together they ghost out of the event and embark upon a month long love affair. Molly is rethinking her stance on happily ever afters and plans to tell Al how she feels, but he disappears. Afraid something bad has happened, Molly searches for him only to discover there is no Albert George affiliated with the university. She’s been played for a fool!
Molly is devastated. As registrar for the Museum of Literature, she is tasked with a trip to England to return the Jane Austen exhibition materials on loan from the Whitmore Estate in Bath. It’s the only thing she has to look forward to and even this dream trip is a struggle. When she and Brianna arrive at Whitmore Manor, they are introduced to Earl Whitmore and his grandson Lord Insley, or as Molly knows him Albert George. She is shocked and dismayed to discover she has fallen in love with a viscount in line to be an earl. James Albert George Insley Whitmore, called Jamie by his friends and family, arranged for Molly to bring the materials back. He had to leave her unexpectedly, but he hasn’t been able to forget her and he wants to win her back. Molly isn’t having it. She refuses to be taken in twice. Jamie will have to channel his inner Fitzwilliam Darcy to prove to her that love conquers all and win her heart for good.
Kindle version available now / audio coming February 1st
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3r6apOC
About the Author:
Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
Visit her website at: www.jennmckinlay.com
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Facebook: JennMcKinlayAuthor
Instagram: @mckinlayjenn
Twitter: @JennMcKinlay
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