I went in expecting Life As We Know It in book form, and that’s what I got – so I can’t really complain. Though this was shorter and more surface-level than I was hoping, I did like the overall story and it was easy to binge in one sitting. If you’ve watched the classic rom com movie, then you’ve got a very good idea about how this will all unfold. There weren’t a lot of surprises, but it satisfied that craving for me. Forced proximity, unexpected roommates, opposites attract, best friend’s brother – it’s filled with tropes that work for me, so there was a lot to love about the story. And RVD’s writing has always been bingeable, so this absolutely flew by. But when I got to the end, I couldn’t help but feel like the story just skimmed the surface; there are so many things that are glossed over or underdeveloped, and that left me disappointed. So this sits somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me – I enjoyed it as I was reading, but it didn’t make much of an impression.
The story follows Rip and Colby, two people who have been in each other’s lives for years, but have never gotten along. Colby has been crushing on the perfect, put-together Rip for a long time, but he’s always thought Colby was too much of a disorganized mess to take seriously. The one time they considered crossing the line, it just damaged their relationship even further – so they avoid each other as much as possible. Unfortunately, when Rip’s sister and her husband pass away suddenly, Rip and Colby are left with custody of their two young children. Moving in together and caring for two chaotic kids while grieving the loss of their loved ones changes the entire dynamic between them, and these two total opposites are left to figure out a way forward together.
For a book that revolves around four people who are reeling from the sudden deaths of their loved ones, this does manage to keep a rom com vibe for much of the story. There are certainly a few heavier moments, but the focus is on Rip and Colby learning how to interact with one another. I liked the shared history between them, and how deep their feelings run. That helped in the moments when Rip was being particularly judgmental and unlikable. He redeemed himself by evolving throughout the story, and there were some really cute family moments along the way. That’s probably the book’s biggest strength – two opposites coming together to form a family. I do think that adding a little more emotional weight to the story would’ve made it much stronger, and I also think that the development of Rip and Colby’s relationship could’ve come together in a more satisfying way. It’s the kind of book that gets most things right, but fails to go the extra mile to truly make an impact. I did have fun reading it, and I was excited to have something new from RVD, so it was still a solid experience.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PdxV5G
Blurb:
Life’s Too Short meets The Unhoneymooners in this sparkling, steamy, and swoon-worthy novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken, in which two sworn enemies must share house, home—and maybe their hearts—when they become co-parents after a sudden loss.
Colby’s living her best life: as a popular food blogger, she gets to fulfill her dreams of exploring the globe. But her world comes crashing down when a tragic accident leaves her co-guardian of her best friend’s two adorable children. Not only does she need to put down roots—fast—but she’ll be sharing custody with the one man she can’t stand sharing a continent with, let alone a house.
Accountant-extraordinaire Rip values rules and plans. But when he loses his sister and his best friend and becomes an insta-guardian all in one night, Rip sees his organized life imploding. What he really doesn’t need is his sister’s irresponsible, flighty—albeit kind and gorgeous—best friend making it worse.
Rip doesn’t trust Colby to take their new responsibilities seriously, while Colby can’t believe Rip thinks children will thrive under his rigid control. Yet soon Rip and Colby discover they need each other more than they hate each other. Could it be possible that following their hearts is just what their new little family needs?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PdxV5G
About the Author:
Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 90 books ranging from contemporary romance to paranormal. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable sons, naked cat, and two dogs.
For more information about her books and upcoming events, visit www.RachelVanDykenauthor.com.
You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers https://www.facebook.com/groups/RRRFanClub.
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