Weight Expectations

de M.E. Carter (2019) - Smartypants Romance

Résumé : Rian Thompson thought she joined the gym to get healthy. Little did she know she was about to add hundred and ninety pounds of swoonworthy abdominal muscles and arrogance to her life.

Every day in Rians’s life follows a predictable pattern, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s got a nice job, a nice place to live, and a nice family – even if they are a little wedding-zilla-ish at the moment.

She doesn’t need anything spectacular to be happy. She just needs to get healthy – mentally, physically. . . and maybe spiritually if that happens. But she’ll settle for two out of three until her sister finally gets hitched.

Carlos Davies thought his life was perfect. Little did he know it was about to be turned upside down by a woman who is not his type.

In Carlos’s mind, his life is damn near perfect. He’s got a great job, a great place to live, and a great stash of pick up lines that always work. It has occurred to him that maybe no one actually takes him all that seriously. But with these bulging biceps and thick, dark hair, does that even matter since he’s never sleeping alone?


J'ai eu un peu plus de mal à entrer dans ce roman, pendant une bonne moitié j'ai trouvé qu'il se passait pas grand chose, que c'était long, que les deux héros mettaient trop de temps avant de se rencontrer et à interagir ensemble... la personnalité de Rian ne m'intéressait pas et Carlos ne me faisait ni chaud ni froid. A vrai dire, pendant cette partie, c'est plus les persos secondaires qui m'intéressaient xD

et puis alors tout tourne autour de la salle de sport, et la vie perso et pro qui s'organise en fonction de quand sont les séances de cardio, j'avoue que je suis pas du tout dans l'esprit "les altères c'est la vie". alors même si pour Rian, c'est pour des raisons de santé, ça n'empêche que l'histoire se passe dans un "monde" qui me passionne pas du tout...

après, dans la 2e partie du roman, Rian et Carlos sont enfin en mode séduction ce qui a rattrapé mon avis. ils ont une bonne alchimie ensemble, et Carlos se révèle parfait dans sa la façon dont il aborde ses nouveaux sentiments pour Rian.

une chose qui m'a titillé quand même, j'ai trouvé que ce roman était un peu trop lisse dans le politiquement correct et que l'auteur hésitait à écrire les choses clairement. Rian est décrite, dès le début, comme obèse, et pour prévenir d'éventuels problèmes de santé elle doit changer certaines habitudes (manger plus sain, faire du sport) mais pas forcément dans une optique "perte de poids".

Quand Carlos rencontre Rian, il est attiré et ça le surprend car elle est pas du tout "le genre auquel il s'intéresse à la base" lui qui est habitué aux aventures d'un soir, et ça il se le répète plusieurs fois et toujours formulé pareil. sauf que le lecteur a bien compris que Carlos parle du physique comme critère premier pour aller aborder une femme... mais il se l'avoue même pas à lui-même dans ses monologues internes, alors que ça ne l'aurait pas forcément fait passer pour un plouc. Ce qui est dommage, car Carlos change, il évolue, il comprend que Rian l'attire pour des raisons plus profondes et plus sérieuses et il ne veut pas laisser passer la chance d'avoir trouvé sa moitié (voilà pourquoi j'ai mis qu'il était parfait ^^). de plus, il n'hésite pas à mettre au défis les gens qui doutent de ses sentiments car ils jugent Rian sur son physique. mais pareil, c'est écrit de façon détournée, on le comprend, mais c'est pas dit clairement...

je pense que je roman aurait été beaucoup mieux si l'auteur avait osé être plus directe dans certaines scènes, quitte à avoir des personnages ayant des préjugés au départ : la qualité principale de Carlos c'est qu'il se remet en question, et c'est bien :)

this novel was a bit difficult for me to get into, for the first half not much happened, I though that it was long, that the two heroes took too long before meeting each other and interact together... Rian's personality did not interest me and Carlos was irrelevant to me. In fact, during this part, it's the secondary characters that interested me more xD

Also everything revolves around the gym, the personal and professional life of the characters is organized according to the cardio sessions, I admit that I'm not at all in the spirit "barbells are life". so even if for Rian, it's for health reasons, that does not prevent that the story happens in a "world" which does not fascinate me at all...

later, in the second part of the novel, Rian and Carlos are finally seducting each other which has leveled up my opinion of the book. they have good chemistry together, and Carlos is perfect in how he approach his new feelings for Rian.

a thing that tickled me anyway, I found that this novel was a little too smooth in the politically correct and that the author hesitated to write things clearly. Rian is described, from the beginning, as obese, and to prevent possible health problems she must change certain habits (eat healthier, do sports) but not necessarily in a "weight loss" perspective.

When Carlos meets Rian, he is attracted and it surprises him because she is not at all "the kind that he likes", he who is used to one night stands, he repeats it several times and always with the same wordings. except that the reader has understood that Carlos speaks about physical appearance as the first criterion to go to a woman... but he does not even admit it to himself in his internal monologues, even if it would not necessarily have him pass for a asshole. This is a pity because Carlos changes, he evolves, he understands that Rian attracts him for deeper and more serious reasons and he does not want to miss the chance to have found his partner (that's why I wrote that he was perfect ^^). moreover, he does not hesitate to challenge people who doubt his feelings because they judge Rian on her physique. but here too, this is written in a roundabout way, we understand, but it is not the rights words...

I think that it would have been much better novel if the author had dared to be more direct in certain scenes, even if the characters would have had prejudices at the beginning : the main quality of Carlos is that he questions himself, and it's good :)

****

Connect with M.E. Carter
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ly7Fu3
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzBqdQ
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k4SZCf
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2k1O4Sx
Website: https://www.authormecarter.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Code of Conduct

d'April White (2019) - Smartypants Romance

Résumé : There are three things you need to know about Shane P.I.
1) P.I. is not her last name, it’s her job title,
2) Her specialty is catching cheaters, and
3) She’s a superhuman – kind of.

Gabriel is a security expert for Cipher Security, and a former UN Peacekeeper with a fierce protective streak that finds its focus on the beautiful P.I.

Their attraction is like an elephant in a room full of breakable things, and figuring out how to trust each other with their hearts, and maybe their lives, is the most fragile thing of all.

'Code of Conduct' is a full-length contemporary romantic suspense, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Cipher Security series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.


2e roman des Smartypants Romance lu en ARC, toujours sans avoir lu aucun livre de cette auteur avant, et encore une qu'il faudra découvrir car elle a le sens du suspense pour son intrigue et crée une tension entre les héros qui fait péter la température xD

dès le début elle nous achève avec l'héroïne, Shane, qui compare Gabriel à un Idris Elba jeune, donc voilà 1er chapitre et c'est foutu : Gabriel a la voix d'Idris dedans ma tête, en plus il est british, vraiment, tu nous aides pas April là... et en plus, on a DAN THE SECURITY MAN ♥

Outre le couinage intensif que ce roman procure, on a une vraie alchimie entre Shane et Gabriel, ça fait des étincelles (voir un feu d'artifice) à chaque interaction, mais les deux ayant d'abord une relation professionnelle, ils ont une enquête à mener avant de se jeter l'un sur l'autre. Ils sont tous les deux conscients de leur attraction respective mais comme il y a un méchant à arrêter, ils ont pas forcément l'occasion rêvée pour prendre 5 min à eux... jusqu'à... ben *wiggly eyebrows*

Gabriel et Shane sont tous les deux des personnages forts, dans le sens où ils ne se laissent pas abattre par leur blessures du passé : ils ont tous les deux vécu des évènements traumatisant et en garde des séquelles physique (pour Shane, qui est amputée) ou psychologiques (pour Gabriel, qui a du faire un choix terrible alors qu'il était casque-bleu au Nigéria), ils ont décidé d'avancer. Ils sont parfaits l'un pour l'autre ♥

cette série ravira les fan de romantic suspense, et si mon intuition a raison pour les candidats d'un futur tome 2, ça va encore être chaud bouillant xD

2nd novel of the Smartypants Romance read in ARC, without having read any book of this author before too, and still one that I will have to read because she has the sense of suspense for her intrigue and she creates a tension between the heroes which makes the temperature rise xD

from the beginning she kills us with the heroine, Shane, who compares Gabriel to a young Idris Elba, so 1st chapter and we're doomed : Gabriel has the voice of Idris in my head, besides he is British, really you do not help us April... and we have DAN THE SECURITY MAN gaaah ♥

In addition to the intensive squealing that this novel provides, we have a real alchemy between Shane and Gabriel, it makes sparks (or a firework) at each interaction, but the two are having a professional relationship, they have an investigation to lead before throwing one on each other. They are both aware of their respective attraction but as there is a villain to stop, they do not necessarily have the opportunity to take 5 minutes to kiss... until ... well * wiggly eyebrows *

Gabriel and Shane are both strong characters, in the sense that they do not let their wounds of the past get them down : as they both experienced traumatic events and physical damage (for Shane, who is amputated) or psychological (for Gabriel, who had to make a terrible choice while he was a UN peacekeeper in Nigeria), they decided to move forward. They are perfect for each other ♥

this series will delight fans of romantic suspense, and if my intuition is right for the candidates of a future volume 2, it will still be hot xD

***

Connect with April
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2lyxY3g
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2ly75wn
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k4SdVR
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2k6tCzY
Website: https://aprilwhitebooks.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK
Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Baking Me Crazy

de Karla Sorensen (2019)

Résumé : I'm Levi Buchanan, and until five years ago, I thought the legend of my family's curse was a load of crazy, Southern nonsense. No curse can make you fall in love at first sight. No curse can force a true, deep, passionate, all-consuming love that will haunt you all the days of your life.

Then I met Jocelyn Abernathy and I realized how completely wrong I was.

The problem is, Jocelyn guards her feelings like well-armed soldier. She's the most beautiful, stubborn, infuriating woman I've ever met. Every time she talks, I want to kiss the living daylights out of her. But I can't. Because when we met, she didn't need true love. She needed a best friend. And that's what I've been to her... for five years.

But when Jocelyn meets a handsome stranger her first day working at Donner Bakery and she lets him buy her a dill pickle cupcake, I realize with ominous regret that I may have missed my window with my best friend. If I can't get her to see past our friendship, my new curse may be to watch the love of my life move on with someone else.


J’ai lu ce livre en ARC. Je ne connaissais pas cette auteur avant, le principe des Smartypants Romance est une série de romance qui se passage dans l’univers créé par Penny Reid, j’ai beaucoup aimé sa façon d’écrire et je pense me pencher sur elle (quand j’aurais le temps xD)

Ça doit être aussi la 2e fois que je lis une romance avec l’un des héros en situation de handicap (ici l’héroïne est en fauteuil). Pas que je cherche ce critère dans mes choix de lecture, mais ça n’arrive pas souvent de tomber sur ces perso quand on sélectionne des livres à lire au hasard.

La romance est toute mimi, c’est du « friends to lovers », les héros se connaissent depuis plusieurs années, ils sont les meilleurs amis. mais Levi est fou amoureux de Joss depuis le tout premier jour et il n’a jamais rien dit. Il va donc devoir se bouger un peu s’il ne veut pas que Joss lui échappe ^^

Joss n’est pas hyper sociable, elle a toujours eu du mal à s’ouvrir aux autres et compte sur une mains ses amis proches, Levi en number one. Cependant, commencer un nouveau job à la pâtisserie (de Jennifer !) va l’aider à sortir de sa zone de confort et à vouloir des choses jusque là enfouies... et bizarrement la place de Levi nécessite une upgrade xD

J’ai couiné, et pas seulement parce qu’on voit Cletus xD c’est une très belle découverte, Levi et Joss sont mignons, le traitement du handicap de Joss ne tombe jamais dans le cliché. On sent que l’auteur s’est bien entourée pour que la description du quotidien de Joss soit proche d’une réalité. Je recommande vivement !

I read this book in ARC. I didn’t know this author before, the idea with Smartypants Romance is a series of romance that take place in the universe created by Penny Reid, I loved her writing and I think I will look at her books (when I have the time xD)

It‘s also be the second time that I read a romance with one of the heroes with disabilities (here the heroine is in wheelchair). Not that I seek this in my reading choices, but it doesn’t happen often to meet these characters when I select books to read at random.

The romance is very cute, it's "friends to lovers", the heroes have known each other for several years, they are best friends. but Levi is crazy about Joss since the very first day he met her and he never said anything. So he'll have to make a move a bit faster if he does not want Joss to escape ^^

Joss is not hyper sociable, she has always had trouble opening up to others and relies on close friends, and Levi is the number one. However, starting a new job at the bakery shop (Jennifer’s !) will help her get out of her comfort zone and wanting things that were previously buried... and strangely Levi's place in her life requires an upgrade xD

I swooned, and not only because we see Cletus xD this book is a great discovery, Levi and Joss are cute, the treatment of Joss’s disability never falls into a cliché. We feel that the author has done her researchs so that the description of Joss's daily life is close to a reality. I highly recommand this book !

Download your copy today !
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2kwvT7z
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2ku8Pq7
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BakingMeCrazy
Nook: http://bit.ly/2lEMEh0
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lU7066
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2klKiUj
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2k0ZaqL
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ku91Wg

Connect with Karla
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2lU6xAS
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2khRSPL
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k0Yp0T
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2lBNuez
Website: http://www.karlasorensen.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK
Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/