Circling Back To You by Julie Tieu
My DNF’ing of this book came from a place of ‘no time to waste’. I picked this up during a pretty busy time in my life and I just couldn’t justify reading something I wasn’t enjoying. I did get around halfway through though, but the fact that I can’t really remember what happened in that half speaks for itself. I don’t remember anything problematic happening, I just don’t think this book is for me. Which is a huge shame as it was one I was really looking forward to reading. Can’t win them all I suppose.
Synopsis: Cadence Lim has transformed from behind-the-scenes number cruncher to an integral part of the sales team at Prism Realty. But despite moving up the corporate ladder, her complicated relationship with her estranged elderly father weighs heavily and she can’t seem to shake the desire for a new beginning.
At least Cadence can always lean on her favorite co-worker and co-conspirator, Matt Escanilla. A top broker with an unsuccessful love life, the forever single Matt is constantly being nagged by his loving Filipino family to settle down.
Their relationship takes a turn when a business trip lands them both in their hometown and Matt enlists Cadence as a pretend girlfriend for a family gathering. The new after-hours setting forces the two friends to see each other in a new light, and their previously buried feelings rise quickly to the surface. When competing promotions threaten to separate Cadence and Matt, these office besties must work together to round up their ambitions and families to pursue their overdue romance.
Not in a Million Years by Sophie Ranald
This is genuinely one of the most frustrating and potentially worst books I’ve ever read. I seriously did not hold back in my review of this book, I especially love the intro to the review, which I’ve re-read to refresh my mind on what I thought of this book: “Do not believe the part of this book’s marketing and synopsis that says it’s “A totally hilarious and feel-good enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy”. Drug addiction, toxic friendships and relationships are by no means “totally hilarious”. I couldn’t even make it 25% into this book before getting bored and sick of the awful characters.”
I was on a real rampage of DNF’ing books around the time I picked this up, so I really didn’t want to add it to that pile but it was painful to read. For some reason the main character Kate hates a guy, who I think I remember being pretty decent. Whereas her best friend is the one that steamrolls into people’s lives and leaves destruction behind with no guilt whatsoever.
I’m all for an enemies to lovers romance but this book gave you no reason why they should hate or love each other. I didn’t expect to get the whole picture in 25% of the book, but what you did get just wasn’t enough to make me want to continue reading.
Synopsis: Chronically single Kate is winning at life. She’s finally saved enough to live alone in her dream home, she has a great group of friends, and she has – at last – perfected the ultimate chocolate cake. So what if her love life is dead on arrival? Forget sex, she can make a sponge that would blow your socks off.
Aside from her romantic dry spell (is it still a ‘spell’ if it’s been years…?!), everything is going according to plan. But when she finds out one of her oldest friends Andy is travelling abroad and needs her help, she knows she’ll have to drop everything and fly out to him.
Only problem is, Daniel, the mutual friend she blames for Andy’s wild lifestyle, is coming with her. It’s the first holiday abroad she’s been able to afford in years, and she has to spend it with him?!
But when Daniel and Kate arrive, they soon find themselves having the unexpected romantic holiday of a lifetime. Swimming in crystal clear waters, sharing delicious meals and exploring beautiful local villages… It would all be perfect, if only they weren’t with each other.
And as the days pass, and more than one waiter mistakes her and Daniel for a honeymooning couple, Kate has to remind herself that there’s a reason she stayed single all these years. But as she sips her dry Martini and watches Daniel’s toned body dive into the pool, she wonders if it’s possible to have the perfect holiday with a man you hate… Or if maybe Daniel isn’t so bad after all?
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