RomeAntically Challenged | Review

Synopsis

Growing up the lone Asian in a community of WASPs, Annie has always felt out of place. Her solution? Start a family of her own. Not easy when every man she’s dated, including her ex-fiancé, finds “his person” right after breaking up with Annie. Even worse than canceling the wedding eight weeks beforehand? Learning the “other woman” plans to walk down the aisle wearing her wedding gown. New plan—find a fresh, man-free start. Too bad her exit strategy unexpectedly lands her working at a hospital in Rome, Rhode Island, rather than Rome, Italy, and sharing a cabin with a big, brooding, and annoyingly hot male roommate.

Home on medical leave after covering a literally explosive story in China, investigative photojournalist Emmitt embarks on his most important assignment—cementing his place in his daughter’s life. Three men and a baby might work in the movies, but with a stepdad and devoted uncle competing for Paisley’s attention, Emmitt has lost his place at the family table. Then there’s the adorably sexy squatter in his cabin, who poses another problem, one he’d very much like to solve up close and personal. But he can’t win—Annie has sworn off men, Paisley’s gone boy crazy, and Emmitt’s estranged father reappears with a secret that changes everything.

Annie and Emmitt are about to discover love comes in many forms, and sometimes the best families are the ones we make.

Review

From page one it was easy to tell this was going to be a book I’d enjoy. The humor, the romance, the emotional triggers-all of it came together to form a wonderful rom-com.

This book was very well-balanced which is perhaps what made this book as enjoyable as it was. The author had the perfect combination of humor and heartache, steam and sentiment. It was all so well balanced that I didn’t feel overly sad or humored, but was able to enjoy a rollercoaster of emotions.

Going along with the whole rollercoaster of emotions thing, this book is very honest with how Annie and Emmitt are feeling about the things happening to them in this book. Emmitt has some insecurities about fatherhood and his role in his daughter’s life that he has to work through. And Annie has a hard time standing up for what she wants and needs in her life. Their thoughts on these things they’re feeling and going through are laid out throughout the book are felt very raw and honest. I was so happy the author chose to explore these emotions and didn’t feel the need to brush their away after one chapter and look over them completely. They were real issues that I’m sure are relatable to many readers.

As well, the characters in this book were fabulous. The two main characters have an enemies-to-lovers relationship that makes things so much fun and very interesting. But there are also the side characters, particularly the other dads, that add so much flair and personality to this book that I feel compelled to read the other books in this series.

My one criticism is that I wish the relationship had felt a little less lustful. About 3/4 of the way through the book, it still felt like Annie and Emmitt were merely lusting after each other instead of falling in love. I wish were could have explored their romantic emotions a little sooner so I could have felt more love and less lust.

Overall, this was a delightful and fun rom-com for the books. When in Rome, buy this book!

Rating

To check out my other reviews, click here. Or to check out more books by Marina Adair, go to her Goodreads profile or visit her website.