Book Review: Unexpectedly Mine by Erin Hawkins

youngcreativepress

4 hours ago

Synopsis:

Emma

Since the man I thought I would be walking down the aisle with broke up with me, I’ve been focused on my business.

As the designer of Emma Belle Bridal Gowns, headlining the Blushing Bride Convention in Las Vegas has been the highlight of my year. And the legendary editor of The Dress magazine wants to feature me in their upcoming issue?

A dream come true.

And it’s my birthday! Nothing can get me down…except maybe my ex’s engagement splashed across social media.

What’s a girl to do other than drink a truck load of champagne and see a male revue show?

When a dancer pulls me up on stage, the chemistry between us is undeniable.

Forget holy matrimony, I’m going to lower my expectations for one night.

One night that just may last forever.

Griffin

One last night…

After twelve years raising my baby sister, Sophie, and dancing for Las Vegas’s top male revue in order to pay bills and ensure she graduates college, I’m ready to hang up my tearaway pants and start a new life.

My intentions were to protect Emma, a captivating and tipsy woman at the show, from doing something she regrets. With chemistry neither of us can deny, the night takes an unexpected turn and we find ourselves waking up married.

It happens. We’ll correct our mistakes and move on.

But with a viral wedding video, our nuptials end up on Page Six, and Emma needs me in New York to play the part of doting new husband for a career-boosting interview.

I’ll play the part, do what she asks, then we’ll part ways.

Emma’s smart, enchanting and beautiful…and completely unexpected.

But right now, I have nothing to offer a woman like her, let alone forever.

Review:

I’ve been putting off writing the review for Unexpectedly Mine for weeks now as I’m honestly not sure what I’d even comment on. I read this book in such short bursts over a couple of weeks so most of what happened hasn’t even registered in my brain.

Anything that makes a reference to Legally Blonde gets extra points so when Emma thinks she is being proposed to but is actually being broken up with the following line is perfect: “It was an Elle Woods, Legally Blonde, moment.”. Luckily she finds her Emmett in the end, no one wants a Warner.

When I say Griffin is one of the most ‘man written by a woman’ characters I’ve ever read I’m not being over the top. This guy gave so much to Emma while wanting nothing in return and honestly, that made him my favourite male main character of this series so far. Emma takes a while to figure this out herself: “I’ve been concerned about making him fit into the mold that I thought the perfect husband would be, but he doesn’t need to fit. He is the mold.” but when the penny drops she’s so far gone for him. It’s pretty sweet.

It was so refreshing to read a story that had the male main character be the one that has been celibate for a long time. I feel like so often in romance books the women are usually virgins or inexperienced so this was a really nice change.

The miscommunication in Unexpectedly Mine did get quite annoying as the stakes of them deciding they want to be together were very low. There was literally no reason why they couldn’t be open about how they feel. If the other person didn’t feel the same, that would literally be fine – they live in completely different states and would never need to talk again. Anyway, all of this did provide this great quote that I feel like a lot of people can relate to: “Truth be told, I’m tired of it all. Dating. Love. Giving someone your heart just so they can hand it back to you with scars and bruises. Hearts should be like vacation rentals and require a damage deposit for use. Must return in original condition.” Emma was a bit overdramatic sometimes but she did think she was going to get engaged but was instead broken up with. Plus her ex-boyfriend got engaged to a different woman like a month later, so keep up the angst Emma – I’ll let you off this time.

This is a very short and all over the place review, but I did enjoy Unexpectedly Mine. I know what I’m in for when I pick up an Erin Hawkins book and they’re always entertaining. I wish my reading experience of this book was a little less erratic so I could review it properly, but life said no.