Lisa Brown RobertsRecensioner

This book read like YA, but it got an adult-like vibe as well. I truly enjoy it, especially because I love Dallas, the perfect nerdy but hot guy, like Clark Kent haha :D What annoyed me a bit is Vivian's stubbornness even when everything is so clear, but it's overall a lovable book.

Trigger warning: Attempted rape scene.

I like the story a bit more in this sequel. I also love the heroine more. BUT I can't rate it higher! Why? Because, weren't there 3 of them in book 1? Vivian's best friend who's great at drawing? Remember her? Why isn't she around? I would have liked to at least know why she isn't in the picture at all, but wasn't even mentioned. Am I missing something? Did she move away in the first book?

*I got this book for review from the publisher*

I really loved this book. I normally a sucker for books set around a internship or in a office and this book fit this bill. I also love books with crew of characters they you learn more about the course of the book. I really loved all the main characters in this story. I found Laurel to be a character after my own heart. I loved her and felt like I could "be" her and I really just loved following her. This book was such a fun read but also a more emotional read. I just was so impressed by it. I will def be checking our more stuff by this author. This book was also had a romance that made me swoon and this book just put a smile on my face!

I really did enjoy this read. I loved the focus on a book lovers life so much. I also really liked how this book was duel POV story and grew to love both characters. I thought the way the chapters were set up was harder to see who's head you were in, but I really did enjoy the characters. I also liked how this book had a nice cast of side character and would def go and read the other books in this series. I loved the setting of the book store and loved the romanced in this book. This book def had some predicable moments but overall i found the pacing to be not as strong and there was not enough tension in this book to keep me reading all the time. But i did enjoy it!

*I got this book for review from the publisher*

I really loved this book. I normally a sucker for books set around a internship or in a office and this book fit this bill. I also love books with crew of characters they you learn more about the course of the book. I really loved all the main characters in this story. I found Laurel to be a character after my own heart. I loved her and felt like I could "be" her and I really just loved following her. This book was such a fun read but also a more emotional read. I just was so impressed by it. I will def be checking our more stuff by this author. This book was also had a romance that made me swoon and this book just put a smile on my face!

I really did enjoy this read. I loved the focus on a book lovers life so much. I also really liked how this book was duel POV story and grew to love both characters. I thought the way the chapters were set up was harder to see who's head you were in, but I really did enjoy the characters. I also liked how this book had a nice cast of side character and would def go and read the other books in this series. I loved the setting of the book store and loved the romanced in this book. This book def had some predicable moments but overall i found the pacing to be not as strong and there was not enough tension in this book to keep me reading all the time. But i did enjoy it!

Book lover Amy, seeks to win a contest to meet her favorite author by completing a series of challenges, and requests help from her long time crush and "surf god", Toff.

This book is adorable, touching on themes of love, redemption, and courage and perseverance. The characters are fun, flirty, spunky, sassy, and relatable. I found myself feeling a roller coaster of emotions as I read this story. Both main and secondary characters were well developed and had excellent banter.

This book is perfect for anyone looking a fun, sweet story about a girl who loves books and a boy who loves to surf. This novel would be great for anyone wanting to try reading a romance novel or anyone that loves a good clean romance.

FROM LIBRO.FM: Shy bookworm Amy McIntyre is about to compete for the chance to interview her favorite author, who hasn't spoken to the press in years. The only way to win is to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight, but that level of confidence has never come easy.

The solution? A competition coach. The problem? The best person for the job is the guy she's secretly crushing on...local surfer celebrity Toff Nichols.

He's a player. He's a heartthrob. He makes her forget basic things, like how to breathe. How can she feel any confidence around him?

To her surprise, Toff agrees to help. And he's an excellent teacher. Amy feels braver - maybe even brave enough to admit her feelings for him. When their late night practices become less about coaching and more about making out, Amy's newfound confidence wavers.

But does Toff really like her or is this just another lesson?

This is a super cute fake dating romance between a popular surfer/golden boy and a bookish introverted girl. A fluffy read (see CWs below) but I wish it had been shorter. There wasn’t enough conflict to drive the plot for 400 pages.


Content Warnings: Past: parental death from cancer, surfing injury

Amy McIntyre is serious about the three social media challenges she must complete in order to win a contest in which she could get to meet her favorite author of all time. She is so serious that she asks he long time crush, surf champion Toff Nichols to be her coach and teach her how to become a winner. With each challenge she completes, Amy feels more and more brave, and she credits Toff with helping her find her inner swagger. But as she and Toff spend more and more time together, Amy begins to wonder if Toff is feeling more for her than she thought he ever would. Now she just has to figure out how to make him see it.

The Bookworm Crush is an excellent sequel to The Replacement Crush. We see through Toff's antics and bravado to his inner insecurities about his father's impending marriage to Rose, his future as a surfer, and his growing feelings for Amy. At the same time, Amy's developing confidence and independence get stronger and more pronounced as she begins to see herself as Toff does. My only reservation about this book is that the physical relationship between Toff and Amy seems to happen a little too quickly for two high school students who are still not sure of how they feel about each other, but overall, The Bookworm Crush is a sweet YA romance with strong themes of female empowerment and facing one's fears.

Vivian Galdi ends her summer being dumped by the boy she thought she was in love with, so as school starts, she nurses a broken heart and a bruised ego. She decides that it is time to take a more logical approach to finding a boyfriend and calls on the most logical character she knows for help, Mr. Spock from Star Trek. At the same time, Vivian meets Dallas, the new boy at school who begins helping set up a database for her mother at their bookstore. Dallas meets all of the requirements Vivian has set for Operation Replacement Crush except that she is much too attracted to him, so even though he is the one she wants to be with most, she can't stand the thought of getting her heart broken again.

The Replacement Crush is an entertaining YA romance that uses quotes from Star Trek episodes and movies at the beginning of each chapter. Also, Vivian often converses with the voice of Mr. Spock in her head, adding another amusing element to the story. For the most part, the first half of the book sets up this idea of making a list of criteria and then following it, while searching for a partner very well. However, the last half of the book gets a bit excessive with the drama and includes events that seem over the top, but overall, The Replacement Crush is an enjoyable YA romance that the target audience should really enjoy.

audio (10.5 hours) fiction/rom-com (bookstore geek teams up with surfing hunk to win an author visit contest)

I got a few hours into this--it's ok. Lots and lots of book/pop-culture references, if that's your thing.

Would recommend instead: Nicola Yoon's Instructions for Dancing. The female lead is also a great reader of romance novels, but the interaction between the main couple is a lot cuter.

I picked up the audiobook through the Scribd app. Once again started this book during the house's weekly cleaning and continued while doing a couple of errands outside the house.
The Bookworm Crush is a rom-com story of an introverted bookworm and an extroverted surfer and how their relationship flourishes. I loved both the main and secondary characters. The reference to popular books throughout the narrative was very impressive.
The Bookworm Crush is a sweet YA rom-com story. I enjoyed it and looking forward to picking up other books by Lisa Brown Roberts.

When Vivian is burned by a summer fling with her long-time crush, Jake, she decides to get over him with a replacement crush – someone who won’t take her heart and stomp all over it. The key to her master plan is to choose someone who she doesn’t feel any romantic feelings for. By playing it safe with guys that she’s comfortable with, there’s no way her heart can be broken, right? And then she meets the new guy in town, Dallas.

I really enjoyed the instant chemistry between Viv and Dallas, especially after their awkward meeting where he overheard a conversation that Viv was having with her best friend, Jaz (a conversation that no one should have been hearing). And when he eventually finds out about the list and teases her with it, it’s one of my favorite parts of the book. Honestly, Dallas was my favorite in the book. He was just this great guy, with his own sort-of mysterious new guy aura, and he knew how to play it cool when he needed to. He was also able to call out Viv on her flaws in her plan, but didn’t try to force her to stop it.

As mentioned, Viv did have her flaws, but most of the characters do, and the best ones usually do in any novel. What I really loved about Viv though was that she’s pretty relatable, and a bookworm/book blogger (so, yeah, very relatable!). She definitely showed off her nerdy side and wasn’t ashamed about it like some high school kids are and I think it was that side of her that really won me over to like her as the MC.

Overall, this was a pretty cute book. There’s a bit of drama, but they’re teenagers, so it’s bound to happen. And yes, we do get a small look at Viv’s book blog in the story, which made my nerd heart happy. I would definitely recommend this one!

The Bookworm Crush is such an adorable, light read and I was practically all smiles the entire time that I was reading it. It’s the spin-off of The Replacement Crush that focuses on Amy and Toff, but this book can be read as a stand-alone. You don’t need to read The Replacement Crush first. I personally planned to, but it didn’t work out that way. Though that book just jumped to the top of my TBR!

Amy is a shy bookworm who is presented with a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime chance to interview her favorite romance author (who hasn’t done any public event in twenty years). However, the only way she can really win this thing is to step into the spotlight and that takes a certain level of swagger that Amy just doesn’t have. So she enlists the help of Toff, the local surf stud, to help her come out of her shell so she can win this contest.

I knew I liked Amy and Toff right from the start of the book, as well as their friends and family. The banter and nicknames they all have for each other had me either gushing or laughing – especially Amy’s family. The teens are, of course, dealing with their own side drama as the story goes on that adds to why they act the way they do, and some of it leads to Toff being so dang sweet to his dad and future step-mom that it brought tears to my eyes.

One thing that some readers might find annoying is the amount of references to other books and pop culture in this book. I didn’t mind it too much, but it did seem a little excessive at times. I was pleased that I knew all the references, but if someone who doesn’t know them were to read this, they might get annoyed. Otherwise this book is great. It reads so easily, the story plays out swimmingly, and honestly this book is too adorable to not pick up and love!

If you’re looking for a cute, romance to take you out of the craziness we’re dealing with in the real world, then you need to pick up this book as soon as possible!

It is impossible not to fall in love with How (not) to Fall in Love. This charming young adult novel is a beautifully written coming of age story that teaches some important life lessons without angst or drama. With a delightful cast of characters, a realistic plot and a sweet romance, it is a refreshing story that is full of heart and Lisa Brown Roberts avoids the typical storylines of this genre which makes it an absolutely outstanding read.

The backbone, heart and soul of this terrific gem of a book is Darcy Covington. From a rich and privileged background, she is seventeen and completely unprepared for the downward spiral her life is about to take. Losing her car is just the beginning of the many changes awaiting her and her pampered mother after her motivational speaker dad skips town and leaves his family and his company in financial ruin. Darcy's estranged uncle Charlie reaches out to her and offers her the emotional support she needs to weather the storm. Through him, Darcy finds an unexpected support system in Lucas Martinez, her uncle's über hot repairman and Liz, the owner of the cozy coffee shop near Charlie's store.

In the beginning, Darcy is rather shy, timid and content to blend into the background. A bit socially awkward, she is tongue tied and clumsy around good looking young men. When her mom falls apart after her dad disappears, Darcy steps out of her comfort zone, finds a job and discovers that she is much stronger than she ever imagined. Her transformation from meek school girl to responsible young adult is gradual and easy to believe. Even when things are at their bleakest, Darcy never gives up and she always faces problems head on. Darcy is a true survivor and you can't help but be in her corner throughout the story.

The romance aspect of the storyline is very understated and slow growing. Lucas is a genuinely nice guy, responsible and so sexy that Darcy cannot believe a hottie like him would ever be interested in a girl like her. Darcy is confused by his mixed signals and this uncertainty, along with her family drama, keeps her from acting on her feelings for much of the story. Once Darcy and Lucas decide to admit their feelings for one another, their friendship finally transitions into a very sweet romance.

How (not) to Fall in Love is a very heartwarming novel with a wonderfully realistic storyline. The cast of characters is well developed and appealing despite their flaws. Poignant, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting, this debut novel by Lisa Brown Roberts is exceptional and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.

There are plenty of teen romances written each year. Many are quick, fluffy and enjoyable reads. This one goes a step further. The plot is nicely complicated, the supporting cast interesting and well developed, and the chemistry between Amy and Toff is a joy to follow. The way he relates to her and uses his strengths to pull her out of her lack of self-confidence zone and complete the three challenges necessary to meet her favorite author is deftly done. Both teens are likable and good hearted resulting in a very neat read, one deserving of a place in public and school libraries.

This was a super cute, romantic comedy. I smiled my way through "Spies, Lies and Allies" as Laurel completes a summer job at her father's company, assisting four interns competing for a $100 000 college scholarship. I loved the interns, Lexie and Trish. They were quirky, fun and a great group of teenagers. Despite their differences, I liked how they all developed close bonds and strong friendships, especially between Laurel and Trish.

Laurel was a great protagonist. Even though her father was the CO of a successful company, she was self-deprecating, dorky and down-to-earth. I also loved that she was such a die-hard "Star Wars" fan, along with her father, who was a wonderful dad and employer. Carlos, however, was my favourite. He was such a sweetie, even though the insta-love between he and Laurel was annoying. His family was also terrific, especially young Chris.

"Spies, Lies and Allies" was a refreshing read with a lot going for it, even the shocking dad jokes that had me cringing. A heart-warming read.½

OMG, so cute!

I really enjoyed the story of Laurel's possible summer-job-from-hell. Laurel's a total daddy's girl but his workaholic tendencies have had her missing him lately (her older sister being away at college hasn't helped either) so she's nagged him relentlessly until he agrees to let her work at his company as an intern assistant for the summer. It's not quite the job she thinks it's going to be, but their family motto is "Kristoffs never quit" so she soldiers on.

Her BFF's family drama, a work mystery, interns that she doesn't quite fit in with, and adult employees who may or may not have an issue with the boss's daughter getting a "cushy job" often have Laurel questioning her choices, but her love of Star Wars and her role models (strong female heroines in sci-fi film and fiction) keep her going. Throw in a forbidden maybe-romance and some strong 80s pop-culture vibes, and even though Laurel might be having a trying summer, the reader is definitely having a lot of fun :)

Very cute! I can't wait to see what Ms. Roberts has in store for us next.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This was an okay book, such a light read
I actually finished it in one sitting
But it wasn't a great book, the plot was predictable, I could see the plot twist a hunderd pages away
And Trina was actually so annoying at the start, I wanted nothing more than for her part to be over so I can read from Slade's pov
But it had a lot of fluff, and the kids were adorable

All in all it was fun to read, but it's definitely not making it to my favorites list

A light, fun read. It has the very often used and cliche premise of girl and boy "pretend" a relationship in order to make others jealous. But of course this pretending turns into real feelings along the way.
This may have been done over and over in YA, but if done well, it is always fun.

This is for anyone who loves YA contemporary romances, and a light, fun read.

This was a review copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from Entangled Crush via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very enjoyable book. Yep. Enjoyable. Other words I'd use to describe it include pleasurable, pleasant, satisfying, gratifying... etc. You get my drift. To me, this is more of a book that you'd read to pass time. I mean, if you were looking for an intense, thought-provoking book, then this obviously isn't it. But if you were looking for one to read during a rainy day to pass time or while lounging outside in the sun, then this is definitely it.

This was a pretty funny book and, most of the time, the exchanges between the characters left me laughing quietly at 3 am. The characters were amusing and there were hilarious one-liners.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the whole "bad-boy-player-falls-for-good-girl" hype, but I felt like this book gave a slightly different vibe than that. There was the nannying, which was very entertaining to read, and there are tragic secrets from the MC's past to be uncovered. (I love that in books, it's my guilty pleasure.)

Overall, this book was a fun, lighthearted page-turner with amusing characters and witty one-liners. I'd recommend it if you just finished a heavy series and want to take a small break!

Darcy Covington has a perfect life, or as close to perfect as she can get.

Until one day the rug is ripped out from underneath her and her mother.

Darcy's car is repossessed in front of all her classmates and her families private affairs are now page one news. Her Dad's company is going under and he's nowhere to be found. Meanwhile her Mother is too busy drinking herself into oblivion to care that their house is being foreclosed on.

Left with nothing but the company of her dog Darcy realizes without help her and her mother are going to be living out on the street.

With no one else to turn to Darcy reaches out to her Uncle whom she lost touch with years ago. When Uncle Charlie reenters Darcy's life he brings with him a handful of colorful characters, each one changing Darcy's perspective about what's happening to her and how she's to deal with it.

I'm not going to lie, I was about 1/4 of the way into this book and I almost DNF it. I hated Darcy and her mother, I didn't care about what was happening to them or how they were going to get through it. I felt nothing towards this book but dislike and disinterest.

Just when I had had enough I forced myself to read one more chapter, then, I told myself, I could give up and pick a new book.

And I am so glad I read that one chapter.

There was a turning point in the book, one very minor and one that I can't even pinpoint now thinking back on it, but it was like I was reading a whole new book.

Darcy was now relatable and likable, even funny and sarcastic and instead of her drunk mother and rude classmates she was now surrounded by this slew of wonderful people. Charlie and Liz and of course Lucas.

This book grew on me and that's a very rare occurrence for me. I usually either hate a book or love it, from the first couple of chapters I know where I stand. But this book was a journey, one that needed to be navigated in a certain way in order to get to the perfect ending, and I'm glad I stuck around for that.

This is a debut book for Lisa and I'm very excited to see what else she has up her sleeve!

Until next time,
Ginger

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review.
My review is my honest opinion.