Monday, January 27, 2014

[Review]: "Friends to Lovers"


Friends to Lovers by Christi Barth

Publisher: Carina Press (October 14, 2013) 
Series: Aisle Bound, 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance

As florist and co-owner of a successful Chicago wedding planning business, Daphne Lovell has been there for the happiest days of other people's lives. As for her own life? Well, it's hard to be perfectly happy when you're carrying a torch for your sexy, womanizing and oblivious best friend. So when the lights go out on New Year's Eve, she seizes the opportunity to kiss him senseless.

British expat Gibson Moore has a lot on his plate. The hotel he manages is being bought out, his family is crazy and someone just kissed him in the dark. When the lights go on, he searches the room, trying to find the mystery pair of lips. Only, he never thinks to ask the woman standing by his side. He's shocked when he discovers that Daphne is the woman he's been searching for. But Gib's also eager to act upon the attraction for her he's always fought to ignore.


It takes trust to move from friends to lovers, and as Gib's work situation worsens, he is no longer sure he can risk the friendship he relies on most. It's up to Daphne to convince him that some things are worth fighting for…



Where to Buy*:
More Info:

My Review:





With a title like Friends to Lovers, it's clear what kind of story you will find. Sometimes the best romances come from a friends-to-lovers situation. This was indeed a good romance, a solid story that I very much enjoyed, and left me wanting to read the rest of this series.



From the beginning, I spent a good deal of the book with a smile on my face, from something one of the characters would say, or the way they would interact with each other. It was, in short, a fun romance. But it wasn't all smiles, and it was a bit of a journey for Daphne and Gib to work things out, which I appreciated, as it's not always easy to make the switch from best friends to something more, especially when the hero is a notorious playboy.



The chemistry between these two was great, and I loved the build up. But, sadly, when they did finally make it to the bedroom, some of that heat vanished, and I was a bit disappointed by the sex scene.



I wanted to love Gib. Of course he was handsome, and the fact that he's English, and from a titled family (though he doesn't care about his family or title – long story), only added to his appeal. But he had his ups and downs. The fact that he was such a player left a sour taste in my mouth. And the way he ruined his first date with Daphne by treating her like every other bimbo he's slept with, taking her to the same restaurant, where they basically have the Gib Special that they roll out each time he brings a woman in, only made me want to kick him. Hard and in a very sensitive spot. Also, I just couldn't see why he acted the way he did. He says he thought about her as more than just a friend, but always pushed that feeling away and continued sleeping through the entire city's female population. Then, after just one kiss, he's ready to throw himself into a relationship with Daphne. even if he's not yet willing to admit that it is, in fact, a real relationship he wants from her.



But, I have to admit, he also had his good moments, where I could see why Daphne fell for him. Personally, I'm not sure if I would have fallen for him, and then forgiven him so easily, but oh well.




All in all, Friends to Lovers was a very charming and sweet read. It may not have been perfect, but it was still very enjoyable. I will definitely be continuing this series! If you are looking for a fun romance, where a deep friendship turns into something more, I am confident that you will like this book.


4 STARS! 



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I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Have you read Christi Barth before? Do you enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope? Do you have a favorite book that falls in this category?








Enjoy!


Until Next Time,


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5 comments :

Kame said...

Sounds like a fun book!

The_Book_Queen said...

It definitely was, I finished it quickly and I am very tempted to grab up the rest of the series -- right now!

The_Book_Queen said...

*nods* I'm glad I wasn't the only one who had a problem with him. Totally agree, I was glad she did tell him off after that first date. If she hadn't, and just let him get away with it, I have no doubt I would have thrown the book against the wall.
Enjoy,
TBQ

Anna@herding cats&burning soup said...

LOL I probably would have too. Poor tablet. He gets threats of that often.

Anna@herding cats&burning soup said...

I enjoyed this one too! And yup had the same problems. He was such a manwhore I had a hard time getting over that for a lot of the book even though I did like all the banter and such. That first date was rough though gotta say I was LOVING her over it and how she stood up for herself.