Book Review: THE
PERFECT MATCH
Author: Kristan
Higgins
Publisher:
Harlequin HQN
Category:
Contemporary Adult Romance
Release Date:
October 29, 2013
“As I understand, you were in love with a bloke who was clearly
using you for sex and is now marrying your best mate…. you backed the wrong
pony and is now a bit desperate.
Want to get married, prove you’re over the wanker, pop out a couple of
kids while there’s still time… That’s all fine. As for me I need a green card. Not sure about kids just yet, but I say let’s get married
and figure that out later. You’re
female, you’re not old, you’re not ugly.
Sold!”- Tom Barlow
Description
via NetGalley:
What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise?
Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done.
Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind.
In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….
Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done.
Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind.
In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….
My
Summary:
Friends
with benefits, thats what Honor has had with Brogan
for years, hoping that eventually, Brogan would fall in love with her, just as
she has with him. But alas, he not
only turns her down,
he goes and falls in love with her best friend Dana.
So what’s a girl to do? Start a catfight at a bar!
 |
Tom
Barlow, an Englishman looking for a way to stay in
the US, not only gets a prime
seat at the match, he also finds a potential wife. He needs to stay for Charlie, his should-have-been stepson
whom no one seems to want…except Tom… and yet Charlie loathes him. Tom is desperate for a green card
and will do anything, even marry
a stranger.
Honor promises to help Tom. But before the wedding itself, they
decide to live together for compatibility
as well as for the benefit of the INS.
Eventually Honor falls in love with Tom. But what happens when the man you love refuses to believe
he has the capacity to love you back? What if in his heart, he has nothing left
to give?
My
Review:
This is the 2nd book in Kristan Higgins’ Blue Heron series. The first book titled The Best Man was hilarious, the characters were beyond crass and crazy, especially Pru. I’m
happy to say that The Perfect Match is even
better.
All the characters I fell in love with in the previous book are here, so liking it was a
given. However I did not expect
the deep affection I would have for Tom and Honor.
Tom is beyond funny. His English humor,
his play with words, is so hysterical, I found myself snorting and
laughing out loud by myself. Plus
he’s HOT! Higgins’
description reminds me of Tom Hardy in the movie The Warrior, which incidentally is mentioned in the book because Tom
himself is a boxer. Honor is the more serious of the two, yet she’s also fun and sweet, a thirty something whose a bit desperate to start
a family, so much so that her eggs actually speak to her (the
eggs are extra characters in this book).
Plus this book is sexy. Not porn type 50 shades of grey sexy, but sweet yet hot sexy. This has just enough sexy to keep the blood flowing and the story moving.
The other characters I loved were of
course Faith
and Levi (from the 1st book)
whose affection, aka lust, for each other is at an all time high. Goggy and Pops,
Honor’s constantly bickering grandparents can be
annoying at times but they do add humor to everything. Plus there’s Pru, Honor’s sister whose main goal in life it seems is to spice up her marriage (imagine different ways of using ice cream),
embarrass her children, overshare with her brothers in law and
ogle at
Tom. Yes, she is a pistol.
Then there’s Charlie. My heart broke
for the boy. He made me angry but
mostly he
made me sad. I like that this book devoted so much
on him and his relationship with Tom.
Because really, he is the whole point of Tom’s desperation to remain where he is, Simply because he loves his “son”. They broke my
heart and I’m unashamed to say my tears flowed freely at the end.
I like Kristan Higgins. She does not disappoint. Her story telling is essentially flawless. Her characters
are lovable and there’s always a happy ending. I know some people don’t like that predictability, but for people like me who just want to relax, let go and be
happy, her books are the perfect therapy. I am looking forward to the 3rd in the series, which, if I am correct, will be about Jack (Honor’s witty brother) and Jessica (Levi’s
beautiful but misunderstood ex).
Here’s hoping I’m right.
You may visit the author’s site
at:
My reviews of Kristan Higgins’
other books:
All photos have been lifted
from Harlequin.com
