I had so many feelings regarding Handle with Care by Nina Croft. I had just finished reading The Bad Girl and the Baby by Croft and felt encouraged by her writing to pick up this book, however I felt completely underwhelmed and annoyed by this story.
The accidental baby storyline would have been fine if the characters weren’t severely insecure. Neither Emily nor Tanner feels good enough for the other person the entire novel, and it got so bad, that as the reader, I felt neither person should be in a relationship with anyone other than a professional therapist. It was a continual loop of these thoughts of insecurity the whole novel, from beginning to finish.
Also, for a book to be set in Virginia, United States, the language needed to have fit the characters placement. While I’m into international slang (I love me some BBC) the jargon was decidedly British. No person born and raised in the US would have used the term “smart” or “smartly” in regards to a stylish outfit. In fact, I am surprised an editor didn’t catch these errors.
The book started out energetic, with quick dialogue and physical heat, and then fizzled with the sour attitudes of it’s main characters, Emily and Tanner shortly thereafter.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc copy of this book for my honest review. This was my first book by this author and it was a great start to a new series. Tanner has had in rough growing up: no mom, town drunk for a dad and then a tragic accident and jail time. Luckily Tanner met a new good friend in Josh while he was in jail who helped “heal” him but by no means was he not jaded upon release. Never did he think good girl Emily would fall for him but after a night together they find out that their fling had some long lasting effects. While the beginning was quick I really liked how they let their relationship grow, slowly but not without some underlying heat. Both have scars from their early years but luckily they heal and grow together. My only complaint was that Emily tried too hard to be perfect but I guess that’s due to her tough past too. Anyway I really recommend this book which balances heat and a real relationship. I can’t wait for more from this series. Definitely a must buy.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The main reason why I requested this book from NetGalley, other than the pretty cover, was the whole accidental pregnancy premise, which is one of my favorite topes if done right. And I enjoyed the book, there were a lot of good parts to it but I also think that it could have been better. I mean, I felt that the story had a kind of depressing, gloomy vibe to it and it clashed with what I expected. I also need to mention that I have a thing with synopsis’s that tell too much about a book, and this one is a prime example of it. I just don’t like them much because they take away from the shock and surprise factor of the book and the synopsis of Handle with care pretty much summed up everything noteworthy happening in the plot.
The writing is great for the most part, I easily got into the story despite the fact that I usually prefer first person narrations over third person ones but in this case the author handled it exceptionally well. Maybe one of the best I read lately. Also the story is told from 4 POVs and basically it is two stories combined. First we got Tanner and Emily with a main plotline and the spotlight on them then there are Mimi and Josh, basically two secondary, supportive characters whom have their own plot line but also give a lot to Emily and Tanners too.
Personally, I think I would have loved Tanner and Emily if they stayed true to their real personality but both of them fallen prey to the town gossip and other people perception of them. They both made a lot of assumptions and couldn’t really communicate what they really felt and this complicated an otherwise simple and even sweet partnership into something that almost destroyed both of them.
Tanner is the town resident bad boy who made some mistakes when he was young but it was all due to the prejudice the people of Sadler Cove treated him with for something he didn’t have a say in. Yes, yes he was dealt a bad hand in life but instead of trying to be himself he became bitter and decided to act as others thought he should act. His bitterness and antagonistic nature towards the people in town caused a lot of trouble for him and Emily. When in truth, he is a sweet, caring and hard-working individual with a lot to give. I liked him but he also drove me mad with his stupid outburst that most of the time simply didn’t make any sense.
Emily was sweet and good and sensible. She always did the right thing but deep down she had a fierce and adventurous nature which Tanner had a habit to coax out of her. Really they were really great together until it was just the two of them. When the perception of others came into the picture they just jumbled up things. Communication, people, communication! Everything would have been so much easier if they were honest about their feelings and what they were thinking instead of blurting out things that they thought the other wanted to hear. It is just so stupid and frustrating.
The connection between them was undeniable from the beginning and they had some pretty spicy and steamy moments between them but their romance was more about getting to know each other than the physical stuff.
Then there was Mimi and Josh side of things which overall gave something to the story, but personally, I didn’t really care about it, sorry but it just the truth.

It was a great one time read and I’m glad that I gave it a chance.

Tanner doesn't care what the towns people think of him. Good or bad, no skin off his back. He does however care what his family and Emily think of him. He has his priorities straight if you ask me. Emily is forced to worry about how people view her. Her job is on the line if they believe her to be immoral.
Handle With Care, is a great contemporary romance that is pretty humorous.

I found this to book to be a fun summer read. So fun in fact, that I got through it in one sitting.

While I really liked the characters Tanner and Emily, I found their initial encounter a bit out of character for them. I know Emily was trying to be adventurous, I don't believe the character the author created would have talked to Tanner that way or told him such personal information. However, without that moment, the book wouldn't exist, so I guess I can accept the moment.

Personally, I found myself getting a bit of a crush on Tanner as well! The way the author described him, he sounded a bit like Jax from Sons of Anarchy (without all the illegal drug running and murder).

I liked the alternating perspectives throughout the book, both those of Tanner and Emily, as well as Mimi and Josh (while you don't get their full story, you get enough to balance out the book). Looking inside both the male and female character gives you much more insight into the relationship and why each of the characters struggled.

Speaking of struggles, the inner turmoil Tanner struggles with does get a bit redundant throughout the course of the book. Once you hear the same issue worded almost exactly the same way a few times, you really want him to move on.

Loved this book! Tanner is the sexy bad boy from the town drunk that even spent a couple years in prison, before returning to his home town to start a business with his brothers. Convinced the town hates him, he does everything possible to live up (or is it down?) to their expectations. Emily is the good girl, the sensible girl that is a first grade teacher, but who fantasizes about the bad boy....until it's no longer a fantasy.

I loved the characters and especially loved Tanner....if you like a bad boy, he is very swoon-worthy. The characters have a depth that made them feel real. The author created a wonderful story that engaged me from the first page and kept me hooked until the very last page.

If you enjoy contemporary romance with a side of bad, you will love this book. The author is on my must read authors' list and, if you're a fan of the genre, should probably be on yours as well.

I am not sure about this book. There were some good bits, some realistic conversations but the Hero got on my nerves with his hang ups.
He didn't feel he was good enough for her and it felt like he kept reverting back to it. I ended up skimming a bit so it was okay but not one i'd re-read.