Hello! I’m here to review an advanced copy of a romance novel that just so happens to be a sequel to a book I’ve already reviewed here on my blog. **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources. You can also visit the description of this video by booktuber Jess Owens, which has links to several additional resources about global events.**
Back in May of 2020, I won a copy RomeAntically Challenged by Marina Adair on BookishFirst, which is an adult romance that follows the story of Anh, who moved to Rome, Rhode Island to escape her never-ending cascade of failed relationships and Emmitt, a photojournalist recovering from an injury and wanting to be more of a presence in his daughter’s life. When I heard there was going to be a sequel, titled Hopeless Romantic following Levi, Emmitt’s best friend, I immediately put in on my TBR. I also entered into a Goodreads giveaway for an early copy, and was incredibly surprised when I got an email saying I’d won. I guess this is a lucky streak for me (and I hope it continues). It was such a joy getting to revisit these characters, and I loved seeing Levi and Beckett finally get their chance for a happy ending. (I will say I was a little disappointed that a play on the word “rome” was not included in this title, but I digress).
Beckett Hayes has found it hard to keep a normal job due to her position as a caregiver, so she starts her own personal concierge service, Consider it Done. That leaves plenty of time for rushing home whenever needed and training emotional support animals to be paired with their person in her small town Rome, Rhode Island. She’s never really had time for dating, at least seriously, but she does fit flirting with the bartender, Levi Rhodes, into her busy schedule, even if she has to bring some of her trainees along for emotional support. Levi had his sights on setting sail away from Rhode Island sixteen years ago, but returned home when his father’s death and his sister’s unexpected pregnancy were more important than following his own dreams. Now, running the family marina and bar doesn’t leave him much time for socializing. Well, except for conversations with Beckett, ensuring she gets home alright during a storm, and making an exception for her getting takeout for her service from his bar. Both Levi and Beckett have rough pasts, and family dynamics they’re afraid the other won’t understand, but after being the ones to help other in need maybe they can find solice in each other, and let themselves enjoy something that makes them happy for once.
I’ve just come to love the way Marina Adair writes her characters and gives them so much depth within her romances. Beckitt has been in a parental role in her family ever since her mother abandoned them when she was a child. She had to grow up understanding that her father, who has Asperger’s [although this language is outdated, it is what is used on page], and her brother, who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, will always need her closer to home than other people her age. She’s even a bit ashamed that she still lives at home, in her childhood bedroom, and avoids getting rides from Levi several times in order to spare herself the embarrassment. Levi will also do anything to help his family. He put his sailing scholarship on hold and returned home without a second thought when things took a turn. He took charge of the family marina and bar, and became a full-time uncle until her sister married. And now, with his sister’s unexpected death, he has to parcel out his own feelings while being the shoulder for his brother-in-law, his niece, and his mother to lean on in their grief. Beckett and Levi both feel, at times, they’ve put their own lives on hold in order to be there for those they love most. And while that itself is a powerful act of love, it doesn’t leave much room for their own happiness. Together, they realize that maybe wanting something good for yourself isn’t selfish. Their banter is great, and I loved Beckett’s support animal cohorts who she would bring to Levi’s bar in order to give her confidence and talking points (honestly, the rooster stole the show for me from page 1). It was lovely getting to see Emmitt and Anh (and how they manipulate some situations so Levi and Beckett can spend more time together), along with Gray and Paisley – I really do love the characters in this series. My only gripe was I believed the conflict took place too close to the end and was resolved too quickly, and we didn’t get to see equal amounts of interal conflict for Levi and Beckett before the final resolution occurred.
While ASD is not my experience, I felt the representation of both individuals with the disorder and those who are caretakers was done with care. I would personlly recommend checking out some own voices reviews if you’d like further information on it. *And I will note that there is a preface at the beginning, thanking organizations for the work they do to bring awareness to autism and assist those living with it. One of the organizations mentioned (at least in my advanced review copy) is Autism Speaks, which, from my research, has done harm to the autism community. Again, I will recommend you to do your own research on the matter, and come to your own conclusion, it’s just something I would like to mention and bring attention to.*
And that’s a wrap on book two on the When in Rome series. I found both books so far incredibly enjoyable and heartfelt, and getting to see Emmitt and Anh find each other, and Levi and Beckett comes together, has been such a delight. I do hope that we get a book for Gray, because after everything he’s been through, he deserves a happily ever after of his own (in his own time, when he’s ready). Also, according to the book’s Goodreads page, a portion of the royalities will benefit The Organization for Autism Research, which is an organization whose mission is to use science to address the social, educational, and treatment concerns of self-advocates, parents, autism professionals, and caregivers. The organization is also founded and led by parents and grand-parents of children with autism. You can visit their site here to learn more. Hopeless Romantic is set to release on January 26th, 2021 (which is the day this post goes live, if I finish writing it), so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday, and if you’re in the mood for a small town romance, I highly recommend giving this series a try. *Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher, Kensington Books, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find Hopeless Romantic:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Marina Adair’s site
Kensington Publishing
Thoughts About Things 