Libby Hubscher

Funny and salty, warm and therapeutic, If You Ask Me is such a sweet second novel from Libby Hubscher. This is a story about finding in life what feeds the fire of your soul, even if it means walking through a few fires to get to that point, to cross that line.

Lines are something that Violet—the hot-mess, self-help advice columnist—knows a lot about. Falling in line, toeing the line, and playing by other people’s rules of perfection is a hard habit to break for our narrator, and despite the fear of being scorched, she desperately wants to cross that line, to be vulnerable, inviting people into the furnace of her pain instead of white-knuckling it on her own.

There’s so much to love about this book. Here are a few that hooked me:
… (mer)

About the Book:
This book is about sisters named Marin and Sadie Cole, Marin being the safe sister and Sadie being the absolute opposite. But how could Marin take any risks after taking risks killed their mother. Marin didn’t know how Sadie was able to do it until Saba. When a sister trip goes horribly wrong Marin finds herself trapped alone and without any of her things on an island called Saba. What's the only thing that could make it worse? Sharing it with a man who “stole” her sister's spot on this trip, Lucas Tsi. But will this actually be the worst trip for Marin or will it finally be her breakthrough on living her life to the fullest.

Review:
This book made me feel so many emotions. I really related to Marin in being the sister that has never been a risk taker. I think it is a book about self development, learning to love, growing, and the power of family. As someone who has sisters, it makes you think twice about what you have and how not to take life for granted. The romance in this book was definitely a slow burn, which isn’t always my favorite, but it was beautiful. I knocked it down to four stars only for that reason because I feel I didn’t quite care for the love interest. The thing I loved most about this book is the definition of family. Throughout this book you see Marin struggle to grow out of her shell and with the help from people around the island you get to see her blossom. I would say if you are looking for a hot romance book this may not be your forte, but if you want to read a beautiful book about growth and relationships and overcoming your fears, this is one of the best ones I have read!… (mer)

Sophie Doyle has lost her job as trainer for the Boston Red Sox because she followed her beliefs. Now she is forced to take a temporary job at a boarding school for the arts, where she is surprised to discover that her three roommates are all men. She gets along well with two of her roommates, but the third, Jonas Voss, can't seem to stand her, especially after she tries to play the piano that is situated in her room. However, Sophie is determined to win Jonas over and makes it her mission to find something that will make him like her.

Play for Me is an entertaining rom-com with likable, realistic characters. The protagonists have emotional backstories that add to their development. The plot, while somewhat predictable, is cute but also laced with real world problems, such as Parkinson's disease and abuse. The supporting characters add more layers to the book because each one of them has a major impact on the main characters and their story arcs. For some reason, I found it difficult to connect with the characters, but overall, Play for Me is a very enjoyable romance.… (mer)