Reviews: Straight Up Irish & Cinderella and the Geek

Straight Up Irish by Magan Vernon
Release Date: February 19, 2018
Publisher: Entangled: Embrace
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Source: ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Add to Goodreads!
Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Kobo 

I need a wife if I want to help save my family’s billion-dollar pub empire. There’s just one problem: I never plan on marrying. So, I need someone who understands that this is just another business deal. I don’t do commitments. And my brother’s executive assistant, Fallon Smith, fits that bill. 

Fallon needs help with her grandmother’s expenses, and her pretending to be my fake wife is a way we can make that happen. She’s not my biggest fan, but we can help each other and then go our separate ways. That she’s beautiful and I enjoy spending time with her–doesn’t matter. When all of this is done, she’s heading home to America, and I’ve got a company to run.

A fake wedding and a whole lot of whiskey. What could go wrong?

Review:

I've been dying to read Straight Up Irish ever since I first heard about it! I mean, a billion-dollar pub empire, a marriage clause, and a fake wedding? My interest was one hundred percent piqued. 

The result? Straight Up Irish is so good! It's laugh-out-loud funny and sexy enough to make you melt. I was swooning all the way through. 

There are so many aspects that made this book lovable; however, my favorite is the characters. 

Connor is the ultimate player. He flirts like there's no tomorrow; his only worry is about having a good time; and the only thing dirtier than his mouth is his mind. One part of me felt like I shouldn't like him. I mean, he went through women like someone goes through paper towels, but I loved him nonetheless. There was just something so charming about him - I could definitely see why all the girls would be hot after him. The most surprising thing about Connor, however, was how generous he was. He went so far to help Fallon out - buying her a new cell phone, furnishing her apartment, sending his grandma gifts. I couldn't believe how big his heart was. Plus, it was always fun to see how much his heart came out when Fallon was involved. 

Fallon is sassy, determined, and beyond kind. Her dedication to her family, particularly her grandmother, was so incredibly sweet yet heartbreaking. I couldn't believe how much she would put on the line so that her grandmother would be comfortable and happy. Additionally, I liked that Fallon didn't take trash from anyone. She called Connor out better than anyone else - some of the lines she used were beyond perfect! Connor definitely met his match with Fallon, and let me tell you nothing was the same after that. 

The romance is smokin' hot. There's not much I love more than a fake romance and that definitely applied here. It was fun to see Connor and Fallon come together - unwilling on Fallon's part yet willing on Connor's. It also didn't hurt that Magan did a fantastic job of building up the sexual tension. Gosh, there were so many times I thought they were FINALLY going to get together only to be proven wrong. I wasn't even mad because when it finally did happen it made my heart leap. 

Additionally, I loved the addition of the secondary characters. Fallan's grandmother and best friend as well as Connor's brothers were so lovable, and I enjoyed what they brought to the table. I'm hoping for a Fallon's best friend and one of Connor's brothers to hook up next....I don't know if it will happen, but a girl can dream, right? 

Last but not least: the setting! I didn't realize that Straight Up Irish was set in Ireland at first, but I was so happy when I pieced it together. Magan's descriptions were vivid and drool-worthy. My desire to go to Ireland is at all time high. 

Overall, Straight Up Irish is straight up excellent (sorry I couldn't resist!). I was so sad to see it end, but knowing that we have two more books to look forward to made it hurt a little less. 

4 stars!!

Cinderella and the Geek by Christina Phillips
Release Date: February 19, 2018
Publisher: Entangled: Embrace
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Source: ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Add to Goodreads!
Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Indiebound

From Christina Phillips a sexy, new romance with a hero you won’t forget…

I'm not looking for love or a Happily-Ever-After because I know how that ends. I just need to concentrate on my degree and look after myself. But there's something about my boss, Harry, I can't resist. It's crazy since he's so hot and smart it should be illegal. 

And then, just like Cinderella, I have my night at the ball and a midnight kiss, and for a week all my sexy daydreams come true. That fake date changes my life in a way I could never imagine. It turns out, Harry wants me too. 

But I’m off to pursue my dreams, and he’s taking his business to the next level. There’s no way this fairytale has a happy ending, but that doesn’t keep me from wishing for it.

Review:

Cinderella and the Geek wasn't on my radar until I stumbled upon it in an Entangled email, but as soon as I saw the tagline and read the synopsis, I knew it was the book for me. I love Cinderella-esque books, especially when they involve a fake date turned real. Luckily, Cinderella and the Geek was a charming romance, perfect for anyone who has ever dreamed of a picture perfect evening. 

Cinderella and the Geek introduces Alice and Harry. They're co-workers and friends, but they each have one big secret: they wish they could be more than just friends. Alice is sweet, nerdy, and a hopeless romantic. I loved how awkward she could be, especially when it came to flirting and boys and relationships in general, because not only did it give me a been-there-done-that feeling but it also brought out the determined side of Alice, one that was gun-ho about getting what she wanted no matter how cringe-worthy it may be. Harry, on the other hand, is slightly clueless yet oh-so-adorable. I loved how passionate he was about his company. I also liked how close he was to his family. Yes, they had their troubles, but at the end of the day they were a good bunch. Out of the two, Harry is the more timid. He knows he likes Alice, but he's so nervous when it comes to pursuing her. There were so many times I was thinking, come on, Harry, just admit your feelings already. 

Cinderella and the Geek's plot mainly focuses on Alice and Harry's developing romance, Harry's company, and Alice's college plans. I found all story lines to be interesting. The romance was probably my favorite out of the bunch to follow. It was sweet yet awkward. Sometimes I cringed (but not in a bad way, in an oh-my-god-this-is-so-real-it-hurts way) and sometimes I swooned. I especially appreciated that Christina made Alice and Harry's first romantic encounter not perfect. So many times in romance books we see these flawless romance scenes - no one does or says anything embarrassing, everything flows perfectly - but here we got the awkwardness on full blast, and it was so refreshing! I want more "realness" in my romance! I did have one problem with Alice and Harry, however, and that was their lack of communication. Yes, it was a romance, and yes, there's always some miscommunication to be found, but there were so many times where one's feelings were hurt in an instance where all they had to do was ask a simple question. It got to be a bit much. Going along with this, I also thought Alice was a bit immature at times, especially at first. I'm all for being a hopeless romantic, but sometimes life isn't like the movies. 

Regardless, I still found Cinderella and the Geek to be yet another great romance by Entangled. I look forward to seeing what British Bad boy is featured next! 

3.5 stars!!