Can you find love just like in the movies?

Synopsis

Do movie romances ever happen in real life…?

Frankie doesn’t believe in true love. As relationships expert at popular magazine Stylife, she has learnt that dating disasters are far more common than happy ever afters.

So when she is tasked to find out if meet cutes can work in real life she is up for the challenge – but whether it’s being a damsel in distress with a flat tyre, or spilling coffee over a stranger, she isn’t convinced this can really lead to love.

But little does Frankie know that the ultimate meet cute opportunity is just around the corner. As she is whisked off her feet (all in the name of her work project of course…) perhaps true love isn’t just for the movies after all…?

My review

Writing in the popular magazine Stylife as a relation expert, you would think that Frankie would have found her happy ever after.
But the opposite is true, her list of disaster dates is longer than her successes.
And when her job is at risk, she needs a new view on how finding love. And that is how her new task is to find out if meet cutes is only a fantasy in movies, or if they can work in real life.
However, the more she plays damsel in distress, the more disastrous everything ends…
That is until an unexpected opportunity arises, and takes her to Hawaii, with Max, who works in the same building as Frankie.
But Max has his own reasons to take Frankie on a holiday with him…
Will Frankie succeed in finding her Meet Cute in Hawaii? Or is true love closer than she thinks?

I knew even before I started reading just one word in this book, that I would love it. And all because of this amazing author!
Reading the blurb, I had a kind of story in mind, where main character would have disastrous dates, one after the other and then unexpectedly finds love closer than she thought.
Well, it wasn’t that kind of story, but made that a lesser story? Absolutely not, on the contrary, it made it even a better story than thought!

There were many things I liked in this book, like how the story takes a whole different direction, the obvious but still great to read how they get there ending and the mandatory misunderstandings.
But also the main characters, Frankie and Max stole a piece of my heart.

Frankie is best described as a real girl. She is so recognizable and relatable. She has a job that she perhaps doesn’t love doing, but it gives her stability. As at many work places, she doesn’t get along with everyone, but her colleagues she truly likes, are more than just colleagues!
She shares a place with other people, but doesn’t get along with everyone and she is saving for her own place.
And more recognizable for me, she gets herself in awkward situations! That is also how she meets Max the first time.

Max… isn’t he full of surprises! I liked him from the first moment I read about him. He is just such a nice, kind and funny man!
The first interactions with Frankie were so hilarious! He could easily get a grumpy attitude, but he takes things so lightly and with a laugh, because he knows how miniscule the disasters are in a bigger scale.
The banter was so great to read!
His suggestion to take Frankie on a holiday to Hawaii made me frown my eyebrows, because who right in their mind would invite a complete stranger? And who right in their mind would accept?

When his own reasons were revealed, I felt a bit angry in Frankie’s place, because that is just not done. But again, I could forgive Max a lot!
And when his background is revealed, I was even a bit flabbergasted! I didn’t see that one coming, because I saw him so ‘normal’!
But slowly we see also his baggage, because no matter how easy he could have had it all, his past wasn’t a walk in the park. Ex – girlfriend still in the picture, an uncle having the same age but still behaves like a child, the never ending competition with his own brother… Max had it all!

I loved every bit of this story, like I said before, this was the perfect feel – good, romantic, escapism book!
I melted seeing how Frankie and Max bonded in Hawaii, also put their forces together, and seeing how sparks are slowly starting but then fly around!
But Max’ family, especially his parents, put a big smile on my face. While sometimes they may seem obnoxious, in the end they have their heart at the right place and protect their loved ones!

Yes, of course, with both characters having their own reasons for taking this trip, and Frankie not being totally honest about it, has to come out. But the way Frankie then goes to make amends, shows us that, even if not always clear for everyone, she has her priorities right.

This was the perfect story to lift my mood, which was a little bit down. Again Portia MacIntosh delivered a great, lovely story. And because something is not what you expected, does that not mean that I didn’t fall in love with it.
A story with lovely and recognizable characters, a dream worthy setting, and the hope that finding love, with or without the Meet Cute Method, is always there.

This author stole with her books and her characters my heart, and can she please write any quicker her new books? Because I surely will be reading them!