When a great lover of romance books meets a hater of romance books…

Synopsis

Two enemies. One fake-dating romance. Unexpected fireworks.

My ex cheated on me with my sister. 

Now they’re both coming to my brother’s wedding in Spain.

Which means I need a fake date. Fast.

The last person I expect to volunteer is Ben—the infuriatingly handsome playboy and property developer I’ve been forced to work with to open the Romance Library’s dreamy readers’ retreat in small seaside town, Sunshine Bay.

And the man who hates romance novels.

I should say no, but I’m desperate.

It’s only for one weekend.

How bad could it be?

Except when Ben impresses my family, then charms his way into my knickers, everything changes.

My dry spell? A distant memory.

That writer’s block? Gone.

Ben becomes the unexpected muse for my debut novel and I know I’m in trouble.

He’s leaving town soon, so falling for him would be a disaster.

Especially when our relationship was supposed to be fake.

Unfortunately, my heart has other ideas…

A steamy, dual POV romance novel featuring:

• Fake-dating romance

• Enemies-to-lovers romance

• Forced proximity

• Only one bed

• Destination romance

• Small-town romance

• Workplace romance

• Library setting

• Book lovers

• Spicy scenes

• A guaranteed happily ever after

Perfect for readers who love funny, spicy romance novels with hilarious banter, a swoony hero and bookish heroine. Also ideal for fans of The Spanish Love Deception, The Hating Game and Book Lovers.

https://mybook.to/TheRomcomWriter

My review

Not only is Sarah a huge lover of romance books, but her big dream is to write one too. After facing the biggest betrayal of the people that should love her the most, Sarah is ready to have a fresh start, with the help of her best friends, who are running the Romance Library in Sunshine Bay. However, her journey to Sunshine Bay couldn’t start any worse, as she sees the biggest hater of romance books there. Sarah understands that not everybody loves the same genre, but what that stranger says on the train is so unrespectful that even upon her arrival in Sunshine Bay she is still fuming. And then she learns that the same man is no one else but Ben Eaves, brother of Theo, owner of the Romance Library and in a loving relationship with Jess, Sarah’s BFF. How can her friends allow Ben to help out with the library, when he is so against everything it stands for? Yet after some time passes, Ben for sure shows his worth. And when Sarah is in need of a fake date at her own brother’s wedding, Ben surprises everyone by offering his help. Once in Spain, Sarah and Ben find themselves unable to deny the attraction that is simmering between them. However, even once back home and the closer they are getting, Ben’s plan is to leave Sunshine Bay once his work is done. So how will this romance end for the biggest romcom lover and the biggest romcom hater?

So, where to start with this review… Okay, I will start by saying that having read several books and series of this wonderful author, and that with each book/series I fall more and more with her writing talents and the wonderful stories she writes! Just when I think that I cannot devour any of her books any more or faster, she makes me fall into the non – stop – reading – trap all over again!

I don’t know if I am speaking for every booklover like me, but whenever the main character is a bookaholic, and especially with romcoms, I am immediately hooked and I immediately love him/her!

So of course I absolutely adored Sarah from the very start! Her passion for books is so palpable from every page and I admired her wanting to give writing her own romance a shot. It is easy to read a book, but writing one yourself, that cannot be easy, otherwise everyone would be writing bestsellers, right?

What I do have to admit, is that I found it a bit strange how easily Sarah decided to make the move to Sunshine Bay. As I am very rooted to my own home, I cannot see myself packing up and leave the place I used to call home. However, the moment I got to know her background, I could understand her motivations even better. Even if working in the Romance Library would be already enough of motivation 😊.

Sarah is also the kind of person that wouldn’t hesitate to help her friends and loved ones out. She doesn’t hesitate one moment to help out Jess and Theo, and even when they ask her to work together with Ben, she puts her own thoughts aside, for her friends.

I understand that not everyone shares the same opinions and thoughts, that is just normal. And I can for sure understand Sarah’s fury upon hearing Ben’s conversation where he just trashes out about romance books. But I also have to say, that it wasn’t Ben’s brightest idea to say such things out loud, in public, whether he means it or not. 

It needs to be said, Ben isn’t just against romance books, but he also doesn’t believe in love (anymore). And it saddened me to read that, because everyone should believe in love and its power…

Sarah and Ben couldn’t be more opposites than they are in this book, and of course that means that they are clashing several times. And those clashes for sure were funny to read, especially when Sarah is tasked with making Ben read romance books, in order to change his mind 😊.

But the greatest bits were where Sarah and Ben are actually getting along. Even if they don’t always share the same thoughts, together they have the best ideas to improve the Romance Library. And they slowly see that in fact there are many things they *do* have in common.

And I was smiling when Sarah realizes that Ben is in fact a great guy, despite him not believing in love. Because Ben shows his amazing character in so many different ways. Not only when he suggests to accompany Sarah to the destination wedding of her brother, but we see his gentle, caring character also when Sarah is going through that painful time of the month. Doesn’t every woman wants to be pampered like Ben is pampering Sarah???

And then there is Spain, where things truly take a different turn for this pair. What starts as a supportive role for Ben, shifts into a fake – date, trying to fool everyone and show how passionately in love Sarah and Ben are with each other. I have to say, on a sidenote, I truly despised Sarah’s sister and Sarah’s ex. I just cannot understand how you can just be like that…

But in Spain everyone sees what Sarah and Ben aren’t seeing themselves yet. And seeing them realizing that what they are feelings goes beyond, was just an ‘aaaw – moment’ for us readers. Of course sparks fly around since that moment and I wasn’t sorry for it! 😊

I have had several laughs in this book too. Obviously the clashing between Sarah and Ben is one reason. But the main laughs came from reading how all the ‘typical tropes’ were being ridiculed by Ben, like the enemies – to – friends, the fake – date, the only – one – bed,… And yet then suddenly…

Now, of course things don’t go completely straightforward, as both Sarah and Ben have been terribly hurt and scarred in the past. And that pain and those scars make them not truly really understand their feelings and emotions, nor do that pain and those scars give them the courage to admit and speak out about what they are feeling.

It was absolutely amazing how the amazing author that Olivia Spring is, is able to show us all these cliché tropes, and have a little laugh about them, yet shows us that at the most unexpected moments and ways, well, clichés are created for a reason! But Olivia also perfectly pinpoints the struggles that people are facing. How a love that broke you, can hold you back from experiencing the greatest feelings and emotions that love can bring with it.

This was a wonderful story, as it gave me all the emotions I expected. But it also gave me so much more, as I truly connected with all the great characters, I felt everything they were going through in my bones. And like I said, I just devoured this book. I don’t think it would be even possible to read it more and faster than I already did!

Olivia Spring shows with this book once again what a talented author she is. I don’t think that she will ever be able to write a book that I won’t love or devour! 😊