I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end! Kate has extracted herself from a relationship that did not work with the help from her favourite self help books written by Viviene Brant. She has read the books so often, she quotes advice to herself while doing anything!

On a weekend away, Kate meets Jonah and they have a "date" while pretending to be newlyweds. Kate produces reality television and starts to produce a pilot for a show where Viv counsels young couples in their relationships. To Kate's surprise, Viv's ex-husband is Jonah and he is vital to the network agreeing to air the show. We follow Kate and Jonah as they travel through their own relationship in many hilarious scenarios! The secondary characters were so endearing! I loved Amy (Kate's best friend and assistant), Jossy (Jonah's sister) and especially Marilyn (a judgemental cat). I hope Amy and Jody each get their own stories!

Tawna Fenske is a new author for me, but I will be looking and reading other books written by her! This book was a great stand-alone and fun read. Highly recommended for fun romance!

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A fantastic, cute romantic-comedy like story about a reality TV - sorry, unscripted television producer who dreams of producing a show about her idol, Viv, counseling couples. Expect that the television executives want Viv's ex-husband in the mix, too. The same ex-husband who Kate unknowingly met and sort of went on a date with a few weeks earlier. It'll be fine. I loved jumping back and forth between Kate and Jonah's POV and I felt like it worked almost seamlessly. The characters were cute and charming and even though the reader feels the tension between Kate loving everything that Viv's written and done for her and starting to fall for Viv's ex-husband, you never hate Vivienne. I appreciated that sense of maturity in regards to past relationships. The secondary characters were perfect in their supporting roles without being overbearing or just thrown in without thought. I loved the twists and turns that Fenske plotted out: enough to keep the reader engaged in story but not so over the top that I was rolling my eyes thinking the characters must not be worth so much trouble. The pacing of them was also pretty perfect, including the ups and downs that the characters felt/behaved. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the ending. I felt like it was rushed (but maybe that was because I rushed reading it because I couldn't stop!). I felt like for the type of characters that had been built up that the ending needed to be a little...more. Longer, maybe? Like more time between some of the events? A little bit more face-to-face time or communication? I'm not sure. But at least there was an adorable epilogue. Overall, I highly recommend picking this one up and reading it, especially if you love chick-flicks, chick-lit, reality TV, shirtless guys, animals, and a well-written, not-too-cheesy romance.
**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

When we first meet Jonah, my thought is that he is a nerdy loner. And I'm not necessarily wrong - but WOW, he is so much more! Kate, traveling on her own, turns out to not be anything like I thought in the first few pages either. All of this in such a good way! Kate and Jonah's story starts great, and gets even better. I'm not a "reality show" fan, but I was hooked on the storyline in the book. I feel like it was a definite behind the scenes view and I loved it.

Viv, the relationship guru and Jossy, Jonah's sister, were such wonderful parts of the story. The shirtless dog walking Jonah does? Fantastic! What a way to promote dog adoption!

This book is just perfection. Just when I feel bored with some of the books I've been reading, I picked this up and BAM! Slump over! Sometimes I forget how well Tawna Fenske can tell a story, and I love the reminder

At the Heart of It
Romantic Comedy/Women’s Fiction
October 3, 2017
Montlake Romance

Reviewed by Kini

I don’t always include blurbs in my reviews any more, but for this review it is necessary.

Love doesn’t stick to the script in this witty romance from USA Today bestselling author Tawna Fenske.

TV producer Kate Geary is in unscripted heaven. She’s piloting a reality series featuring her favorite self-help guru, Dr. Vivienne Brandt. The Dr. Viv—whose nuggets of wisdom helped Kate get through some of her toughest times. Thanks to Dr. Viv, Kate is almost on the verge of figuring everything out. That is, until Jonah Porter, the superhot book nerd Kate just spent an amazing date with, appears at the show’s first meeting.

Jonah did not want to get reeled into a world filled with invasive crews, pushy network execs, and over-the-top drama, but a connection to the story leaves him no choice. Fortunately, Kate—hot, smart, and funny—helps make it bearable. Now they’re both on the verge of violating their contracts as they find themselves sneaking around off set. But the cameras have a way of finding out everyone’s secrets…especially the ones that can break hearts.

See right there is the first line how it says “witty romance”? It is lies, lies I tell you. Okay, that is a slight exaggeration, but this book is definitely more women’s fiction than romance. Here is my new motto- if it has looks like a romance, blurbs like a romance and is priced as a romance, then I expect I book that delivers a story that is a romance. For me, a romance novel is defined as the love story being the central focus of the book. I did not feel that way about this book.

There were so many things that overshadowed the love story. But mainly this book was about a reality TV show where the a therapist and her ex husband work with couples to help them save their marriage. It is an odd premise, but I thought it would work. Kate is the executive producer of the show and Jonah is the ex-husband of the therapist. They originally meet at an unrelated event and then reconnect a month later when they find out each is attached to this project. It is way more complicated than that, but it isn’t worth explaining.

The whole reality TV project took up entirely too much page time. Seriously, I think I am qualified to executive produce a show now, that is how much page time is devoted to the process and the show. It felt like Kate’s growth came as a product of the show and seeing other people behave badly.

Kate has a hero worship thing happening with Dr. Viviene Brandt, the aforementioned therapist, Jonah’s ex, and the star of the show. Viv get WAY too much book time, both in scenes and in Kate and Jonah’s thoughts. I did a search and Viv’s name is mentioned 665 times. That is about half as many as the heroine (1297). Let that sink in, a character who should be secondary is mentioned that many times. It was too much.

There is a weird obsession with beer in this book. The word beer is used 117 times in this book. Seriously. The heroine, Kate, starts loving beer after the hero, Jonah, has her try one. And then that is all they talk about.

Because the premise is based around a reality show, there is some over the top shit that happens. Kate is bound by contracts and end up keeping some secrets that she shouldn’t have and when Jonah found out he was pissed, and deservedly so. It was stupid and predictable and made me not want to finish the book. But I did anyway. I think I kept hoping that it would get better, it never really did.

The sex was sort of on the page, but it was quick and not well written. With that kind of sex, I would have preferred it to have been closed door/fade to black. My kindle isn’t giving me page numbers, but the lead in to their first sexual encounter goes from location 2818-2839. I think they had sex again in the book and it was just as lame.

Although I finished this book, I wasn’t happy about it. It found the couple to have no chemistry, really hard to build chemistry when you spend so much time on beer and the ex-wife. Kate made some bad choices, but in the end it was Jonah making apologies. There is a happy ending, but the only satisfaction I felt was that it was over.

Amazon has it tagged as women’s fiction and romance fiction, in case that matters. I didn’t find this book particularly humorous. Immediately after finishing this book I was ranting about women’s fiction books trying to masquerade as romance books and how much that irritates me. But after some reflection I can't decide if that happened here or if it was just poorly written. Or maybe both. It doesn’t matter. I can not recommend this book and I can never reclaim the time I spent reading it.


Grade: D
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It's refreshing to read a story about "adults" - these are characters who have careers and real life experiences. Books about 20-something billionaires and ingenues are fun to read, but it's nice to be able to relate a little more with the characters every now and again.

Kate and Jonah have some great chemistry and Jonah (please don't call him "Joe") is a wonderful BBF and just all-around great guy. However, it's possible that the cat, Marilyn, might actually have been my favorite character. Although Kate and Jonah's relationship isn't quite "verboten", circumstances are certainly NOT working in their favor.

Funny and sweet, this was a cute read.

So it took me a little while to get going with this book... I pretty much read it in two sittings but they were about two weeks apart! but the really confusing thing is I am not sure what made me stop (or take so long to pick back up) reading this book.

It is a light hearted book about unscripted TV based on Kate's fav self-help guru, Dr Viv, and as it turns out her ex-husband Jonah (the random hot guy Kate met the weekend before she started working towards the show)

It is a good read, but some spark was missing to turn it into the great read it could have been!

A laugh out loud rom com that I could not put down, finished it in one day. Loved Kate and Jonah from their first accidental meeting till their HEA. Their chemistry was off the chart, even thought it was just going to be one kiss, lol. Lots of emotions between friends and family. Loved what Jonah's ultimate goal was for his sister.

This is a book that you can not go wrong with, plenty of romance, animals and many laugh out moments. I highly recommend. Read through kindle unlimited.
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Kind of like reading an R rated Hallmark romance. Predictable, a bit slow and a bit cheesy.

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley*
This is a chick lit comedy in its most pure state: and that's what I loved about it.
It's got both a fluffiness to it, but also a psychological background that called to me.
I found the characters charming and the plot soap- Opera worthy.
Is there something missing?

Kate Geary is a TV producer and she is hoping her next idea for a show takes off. Having read a book from a self-help author she wants to do a show with the author helping couples, like a reality show. The top ex’s like the idea and meeting the author she also agrees, but then she finds out that the husband in the book and her are divorced. She also finds out that about two months before while on vacation they actually meet and spent a weekend together seeing Shakespeare plays together. Now seeing Jonah again she does not equate him to the average Joe as he was in the book. Not wanting to do the show he agrees because of a personal reasons that are explained in the story. Once everything begins the real twist begins Jonah and Kate and their feelings for each other. Like every show there must be drama, and this drama does not go well. Jonah wants to blame everyone but his sister tells him he must look at himself as well. With Jonah once being married to Dr. Vivienne Brandt the author and everything else around him has Kate wondering what to with herself. Whether to continue with the show, or just leave town, so many decisions for her. When you start to come to the end of the book everything takes some nice unexpected turns that I did not see happening but was still in line with the story and it all worked. Overall a good book.

How do you find a way to fall in love when your ex is looking on? Such is the question in Tawna Fenske’s latest At the Heart of It. Part romantic comedy, part women’s fiction, and all heart, this book grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. This is Fenske at her best.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

I'll start by saying that the cute cover in this book was the first thing that caught my attention. Then, I checked the description and thought this would be a fun read.

At The Heart Of It by Tawna Fenske is a contemporary romance centered around a new reality TV show. It is a cute read, though a little boring at times. I think producing TV shows and working on set must be super exciting, but the excitement doesn't exactly translate to the page--at least it didn't here. Some of the dialogue gets into the technicalities of producing a show (including actual terminology), which I thought slowed down the story and took my attention away from the romance and conflict between Jonah and Kate.

I didn't care much for Kate, and Viv (Jonah's ex-wife) was flat out unlikeable. You have a divorced couple giving advice to doomed married couples on how to save their relationship. All right, I thought that was a nice spin to this. But then, you have Viv, who's the famous "Dr" and who seems nice enough, but as you learn more about her you find she's actually selfish with a capital S. I didn't understand Kate's fixation on Viv. She adores to the point she's pretty much memorized every word Viv has ever written and quotes her throughout the book. I thought that was a little out there and painted Kate as insecure, especially when Kate uses quotes from Viv's book while she's in bed with Jonah. That was just weird. It's as though Kate is still finding herself and doesn't know who the hell she is; however, to the readers she's still supposed to be this pretty, clever, funny TV producer.

The only humor I found in this is a shirtless Jonah as he walks the dogs in order to call attention to his sister's animal shelter. Some of his smart ass comebacks were funny too. Overall, the story wasn't what I thought it'd be. Then again, I'm in the minority here because this book is getting rave 5-star reviews. So, perhaps, it just wasn't a book for me.

The authors tone has changed over her past few books but it's for the worse. This book didn't have any of her usual snappy dialogue and LOL moments. I could never get a read on the hero-Author military, nerd, bookstore owner with a bad temper? He was a pushover to all the women in his life. And the heroine had a bad case of hero worship for his ex-wife which didn't seem all that well deserved. This book just never came together for me

4.5 stars...

This book is a complete standalone, written in third person. I loved the characters and the storyline. Kate and Jonah are so quirky and absolutely lovable right from their awkward introduction to one another. There was also a nice little twist that makes it that much more intriguing. The story was heart-warming but still had plenty to make you laugh..

* Early copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Reality TV romances seem to be all the rage at the moment.

Kate Geary is a TV producer, she has pitched the idea of her idol, Dr Vivienne (Viv) Brandt, having a reality TV show in which she helps a different couple each week get over their relationship issues. Kate credits Viv with helping her to see her own relationship issues clearly and is fond of quoting Dr Brandt's wisdom.

Although studio management give the go-ahead for the show, they want to bring Viv's ex-husband 'Average Joe' to help the couples alongside Viv. Joe provided no-nonsense 'bloke-ish' advice as side bars in one of Viv's most successful books.

When the team meet Viv's ex-husband he turns out to be none other than Jonah Porter, the nerdy bookshop owner that Kate met at a B&B four weeks earlier. While Jonah and Viv's divorce was amicable he felt that he was unfairly portrayed as an unsophisticated, uneducated, blue-collar worker - a foil to Viv's intellectual sophistication. However, Kate persuades him that the show would give him the opportunity to show viewers the other side of him, 'the real him' and promises that the show would not try to make him look stupid. He also wants the money to help his sister who lost her leg in a car accident and is struggling to make ends meet at her Animal Shelter.

Kate and Jonah have a connection but it's difficult to maintain between all the stunts being pulled by Viv and the studio bosses and the desire to blindside people on TV to improve ratings. When Kate is told about a plan to blindside Jonah and sworn to secrecy her job and relationship are in conflict.

I really liked Jonah as a character, he was kind and caring, clever and funny and self-aware. I liked Kate, but not as much.

What I liked about this story was that I could see a lot of different ways that this story could have played out and I was kept guessing to the end, the chemistry between Kate and Jonah was palpable, you could feel the heat between them. I also liked the snippets of the filming with the various couples Jonah's down-to-earth take on things.

Another great funny romance from Tawna Fenske.

I've been a fan of Tawna Fenske for a while now, and I'm glad to say that her newest book doesn't disappoint. Her stories can always be counted on for lots of humor and heart. And it was so refreshing to read a story about two mature adults navigating a complicated relationship. There was no need for outlandish drama or shocking revelations, and thankfully not a billionaire, mafioso or MC member in sight. Just really great writing. The main characters are interesting and complex, and the secondary characters made me want to hear more about them. And I have to say that while I was a little hesitant about the storyline (I'm not a fan of reality tv), I was completely won over. And finally, I just have to add that the hero was a complete dream. Sexy, smart, loving and kind-hearted. Plus, he owned a combination book store/cat cafe. And he wore glasses...! Swoon!

Oh, this story! I always enjoy reading Tawna Fenske, but this one..this one pulled be in from the first scene. After a long term relationship ends badly, Kate Geary finds herself away for a weekend at a bed and breakfast, reclaiming the places she loved, but visited with her ex. After running into hot Bookstore owner Jonah Porter, they enjoy a day together full of laughter and fun, and then go their separate ways.

When the TV show she's producing, featuring her idol, Dr. Vivien Brandt, moves her to the pacific northwest, the last thing she expects to learn is that Jonah is "joe". Dr. Viv's ex-husband. And the higher ups in the studio want him to be part of the show.

Jonah and Kate spend weeks doing everything they can to deny the attraction they feel towards each other, but it becomes more difficult each day to remain "just friends." And to add one more complication to the mix, Dr. Viv decides she's starting to have feelings for Jonah again after all of these years.

I found myself rooting hard for Kate and Jonah throughout At the Heart of It, and I highly recommend you pick up or one click your copy today. Jonah is smart, witty, so caring to the people that he loves, that you can't help but fall for him a little yourself while reading this book.

This book was written by Tawna Fenske. Kate Geary is a TV producer. She’s piloting a reality series featuring her favorite self-help guru, Dr. Vivienne Brandt. Thanks to Dr. Viv, Kate is almost on the verge of figuring everything out. That is, until Jonah Porter, the superhot book nerd Kate just spent an amazing date with, appears at the show’s first meeting. Jonah did not want to get reeled into a world filled with invasive crews, pushy network execs, and over-the-top drama, but a connection to the story leaves him no choice. Fortunately, Kate—hot, smart, and funny—helps make it bearable. Now they’re both on the verge of violating their contracts as they find themselves sneaking around off set. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.