Review: sweet romance but confusing at times
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 9, 2013
Famously Engaged Robyn ThomasThe premise of this book sounded fun - I like a little light-hearted romance sometimes, something light and fluffy and relaxing to read, and this sounded right on the ball. However I found though the storyline was simple the execution of it wasn't. I wasn't entirely sure just why Jake was so interfering, the excuse that Skyla was his half sister didn't really make up for why he was so over the top in his actions - and why on earth Beth let him in when he turned up on her doorstep one evening, he's a total stranger and she lives alone!  Then there's the fact for two days they're almost alone and go around the town,  then his security team turn up and they can't even go in the garden without escort. Yes the engagement had led to media furore, but rather than tone it down they seemed to hype it up - still, I guess without that the story would be a bit flat :)I liked Beth, sweet and friendly and prepared to see good in everyone. Jake I had mixed feelings over to begin, he was affectionate and supportive on one hand and behaved like a jerk at times on others. I understood exactly why Beth was contused over her reactions to him. Then there's the main problem - Brad. I was prepared to dislike him, and like Jake convinced he must still be in love with Beth, but though their relationship still seemed strange to me I understood it once I knew their history. The characters were great and I felt their emotions and that they were "real". Shame the bitch queen interviewer didn't have a larger role - there was an opening here for a good "bad girl/bitch" and she would have been perfect. I do like someone nasty to throw a spanner in a romance - must be my weird side coming out but for me it makes the HEA  so much sweeter.Where the book fell down for me was in the execution of it - I found at times I didn't know who was speaking, or whether they were actually speaking or just thinking. The usual quote marks were often misplaced and I had to re read some text to make sense of what was being said, and who was saying it. Then there was a problem in that where a page break or even new chapter would have helped, the text just ran on. So for example, I'd go from being in a scene where Jake and Beth were talking to one where the action had moved to another place and yet the text simply continued so it took my brain a while to sort out. Had they moved to another room or had the story line simply left them and gone on to what other characters were doing. Simple stuff, but the book would have flowed better for me and I'd have been less confused if that was sorted. It could be simply that this was an arc problem and the final edit is perfect of course.Overall a good fun romance, a bit short on the downsides - the bit that makes you cry,(my weakness, but what makes for a good romance to me is the contrast between happy and sad parts) but plenty of happy spots. I enjoyed reading it but it won't go in my keepers file.Its priced at 2.16 for  466kb - I haven't page info but based on reading time I'd guess at 120-150 pages.Stars: if I'd been less confused about who said what and were we were then it'd be a four star but I'm dropping half a star for that so three and half for this book.