Member Reviews

Such a fun read by Melonie Johnson! I loved Bonnie and Theo and am so happy with their story. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC for my honest review.

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This the second standalone in this series, but I would suggest reading the first book to get the full enjoyment out of this series. And while I liked the first book, Getting Hot with the Scot, I actually loved this book more. Maybe it was having met Theo and Bonnie in the first book, but I think it's more that Theo is that proper British gentleman who has a sexy, saucy side when he's with Bonnie. I loved the dynamic between these two characters -- their banter and personalities complemented each other perfectly. And I love the friendship aspect among the girls in this group -- I hope each of them gets their own book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Cute romance for American readers fascinated with "Britishness". Some of theUK slang seemed a little dated, and I didn't get a sense the author was comfortable with the mindset of people raised to ancient (and fading) titles. Bonnie was a little too Mary Sue at times, but on the other hand, for a cheery summer read, it zips right along.

I think the biggest plus is the female friendships.

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4.5 Stars
Bonnie Blythe is an English professor & engaged to Gabe so her life is on course that is until everything changes. She ends her engagement & takes up an opportunity to lecture at a summer school at Cambridge University. Her best friend Cassie is getting married & the best man is Theo Wharton who is like a romantic hero straight out of a Jane Austen novel. Theo & Bonnie met the previous summer & were attracted to each other but Bonnie was spoken for but now she’s free.
This is the second book in the series & it could be read on its own but it does follow on from the first & if you love series I’d recommend reading in order. Theo was smitten by Bonnie on their first meeting &wants to pursue the budding relationship but he knows his other commitments mean that it can only be a fling. Bonnie has loved Gabe since she was eight so is confused by her attraction to Theo. A well written, page turning lovely romance. The characters have depth & are very likeable, I loved how Theo & Bonnie’s relationship developed from attraction, to friends to lovers, I'm eagerly awaiting more in the series.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

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I think Smitten by the Brit is perfect for classic literary romance lovers wishing for their own duke to sweep them off their feet. I thought I would love this one but sadly for me it was a miss. I am not a huge literary classic reader so all the constant references to Austen novels did little for me. The story didn't excite me and I found myself waiting for it to end. The writing itself was good and the characters were well-developed, I just didn't connect with them. Theo was charming and sweet but I found Bonnie a bit tiring and bland. They have good sexual tension and seemed compatible. Overall, this one just wasn't for me but I can see why others might really enjoy it.

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Smitten by the Brit is the second in Melonie Johnson’s Sometimes in Love series. Bonnie and Theo met in the first book, Getting Hot with the Scot, and this is their story. Bonnie Blythe is an academic who loves Shakespeare and Jane Austen. Theo is the sixteenth Duke of Emberton, a man who is torn between fulfilling his duty and following his heart. This book was not as steamy as the first book, but I appreciated that. Bonnie and Theo’s story is much better told than the previous story. After her previous relationship ends, Bonnie is offered an opportunity in England for the summer where she has time to get to know Theo better. By the end of this book I was just as smitten with Theo as Bonnie was, and I look forward to the next story in this series.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced e-book of Smitten by the Brit. I enjoyed it. #netgalley #smittenbythebrit

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We got a glimpse of Theo and Bonnie's interaction in book 1 and since then I could not wait to get my hands on their story. You knew from the first moment that Theo wanted Bonnie, but as the gentleman he is, he would not act on those feelings since she was engaged. But when the ring comes off and Bonnie is not long tied up, all bets are off.

When we first meet Bonnie she was engaged to her childhood sweetheart, Gabe and was waiting for him to finish school for them to set the date for their wedding. She's been waiting for them to pick the date for years, and now that he's finishing school this summer, its wedding time. Don't want to spoil it but almost a year after Bonnie's trip to Europe where she met Theo, her engagement is over. Gabe was an ***whole, period! With the engagement off and her world turned upside down, she gets a crazy opportunity to teach a summer class in England and she takes it. When Bonnie saw Theo for the first time there was definitely something there, but like I said earlier Bonnie was engaged so those feeling got pushed away, but now with everything going on she allows herself to hangout with him and be friends.

Theo can not stop thinking about Bonnie, but his mom is trying to marry him off to a rich girl to help with the trouble his father put them in. He has grown up and been raised to take over the family lands and to save them from going under. He doesn't want the girls his mom is setting him up with, he wants Bonnie. But on the other hang he knows Bonnie isn't ready for a committed relationship and needs time, so he will do whatever he can to make her happy and be party of her life, even if it friends with benefits for now, because he knew that she is going to be much more to him than just friends.

How will this story end? You have to ready it to find out! I think my favorite part is the ending chapters. Cassie's wedding and the return for Bonnie back to the states.

Received an ARC for my honest review and opinion.

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Smitten by the Brit is the second book in Sometimes In Love series by Melonie Johnson. This series is like the most delicious candy I can't get enough of. It's indulgent, sweet, and romantic. As soon as I finish one book, I want to pick up the next. I liked Cassie and Logan from Getting Hot with the Scot but I loved Bonnie and her sexy Brit, Theo, even more.

Bonnie is an English professor, who teaches Shakespeare and who loves Jane Austen's novels, so this book has a lot of bookish references and the whole story has an Austen-esque feel to it. If you read the first book, you will know who Theo is (otherwise I will not spoil it for you) and their relationship is a little angsty and oh-so swoony. I rooted for them from the first page, and actually even before, when we first met them in Getting Hot with the Scot.

We also get to revisit all the wonderful characters we met in the first book and are introduced to some new and very interesting characters. I particularly loved Theo's sister, Tabitha, and I want her to have her own book! I hope Melonie Johnson keeps writing this series and keeps giving us all the swoons.

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A perfect romance for fans of Austen and Shakespeare!

We met Theo and Bonnie in the previous book, so it's no surprise to find their romance finally getting off the ground. Bonnie's still recovering from her ex-fiance's betrayal so she doesn't trust herself or her feelings, and Theo's torn between what his heart wants and what's best for his family.

This book is a true gem for die-hard bibliophiles, with many references to the works of both Shakespeare and Jane Austen. I absolutely loved the way Bonnie, and to a lesser extent Theo, used their literary knowledge to frame their current situation and feelings without becoming enslaved by the resulting expectations. This book shines on its own as a modern-day romance, and it's every bit as good as those it's modeled after.

As a wonderful bonus we get caught up with Logan and Cassie, too, and get a glimpse into the main characters of the next book in this delightful series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

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Cute and charming. While this one is predictable, it's still a fun read to escape to when life gets a little crazy. I really like Johnson's writing style and humor. I know my library patrons will, too, so I've ordered a few copies.

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After Getting Hot with the Scot, I was a bit hesitant to start with Smitten by the Brit. It's not that I didn't like the story of Cassie and Logan, but it was a bit slow. However, in this second part, Melonie has picked up the pace. Maybe because we already have met Bonnie, Cassis's BFF. And we knew that during the summer holiday in Scotland Bonnie met Logan's best friend Theo. But although Bonnie felt an attraction to the handsome Brit (with dimples!), she knew she had a fiance at home. Had she known that her childhood sweetheart and longtime fiance was screwing around behind her back, maybe she would have acted on her attraction to Theo. But what Bonnie doesn't know is that Theo is a duke. As one of the last non royal dukes in England, Theo feels the pressure of keeping up the good name and heritage of his family. And since his father left them years ago, after having gambled away a lot of the family fortune, ti falls on Theo's shoulders to keep the estate and all of its personnel afloat. Since Theo's mother is all about appearances, she tries to force Theo into a marriage of convenience to secure the future.
So Theo had already resigned to living his life in a loveless marriage, just like his parents. But when Bonnie breaks down in front of Theo after finding Gabe in bed with someone else, Theo is there to take care of her. Having this beautiful redhead in his arms, just feels right. So maybe, Theo should deviate from his mother's wishes and let himself believe in a future full of love. Wonderful read! Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

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Another fun read in the Sometimes in Love series! This time we get the story of Bonnie - Cassie’s best friend from Getting Hot with the Scot. You could certainly read this as a stand-alone - but I think you’ll like it even more if you’ve read that first as we get to see more of Cassie and Logan in this story.

Bonnie loves books and reading - and I love all the references again. While Cassie was all about romances, Bonnie loves classics - specifically Shakespeare and Austen. When she finds real life becoming more like an Austen novel, she learns it isn’t necessarily what she imagined. I really enjoyed this story - making me want some delicious gingerbread and time in a cafe with a journal...and a duke.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

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This one was not for me. The writing style was fine and the characters were likable it just had too much raunch and not enough romance for me. There are plenty of people who enjoy ones like this I personally just prefer less steamy romance reads or I feel like I'm just reading basically erotica.

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I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Smitten By The Brit is the second book in Melonie Johnson’s delightful new series Sometimes in Love.
I do think you should read the first book before reading this one. The heroine Bonnie Blythe is an English professor with red hair and and a fondness for Anne of Green Gables, Jane Austen and Shakespeare so except for the professor part basically my fictional alter ego, well that and she’s much sweeter than I will ever be. The Hero is Theo Wharton, Sixteen Duke of Emberton and he is all that is charming and doing his very best to rescue the dukedom from financial ruin. His mother has decided he must marry for money and is setting him up with dates who are likely heiresses. There is a lovely long slow burn over the two books, interspersed with humour and wonderful supporting characters as well as well developed relationships between the characters. If you are looking for a story that will leave you thinking maybe fairytales do come true I think this is the perfect book for you. Medium Steam. Publishing Date May 28, 2019. #NetGalley #MelonieJohnson #SmittenByTheBrit #SometimesInLove #StMartinsPress #StMartinsPaperbacks

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We met Bonnie Blythe in Getting Hot with the Scot...she is Cassie's best friend. Bonnie is engaged to Gabe whom she has been with for over 10 years. She is patiently waiting for Gabe to finish his PhD, which will finally happen in a few more weeks so she can move on with her perfectly planned life. When Bonnie walks in on the shock of her life, she has had enough and abruptly ends her engagement. Not knowing what to do, Bonnie leaves her apartment and heads to the Waldorf to spend the night. While at the hotel, Bonnie runs into the handsome British friend of Cassie's fiance whom she met last summer in Europe and was attracted to but she was engaged. Theo Wharton cannot believe his luck because he has been smitten by Bonnie since her first met her and he is more than happy when Bonnie wants to spend some time with him.

When Bonnie is offered a summer teaching job in London she jumps at the chance so she can get away from her life for a while and maybe while she is there she can have a little fun with Theo. As Bonnie and Theo spend more time together things get pretty serious. Just when her life looks perfect, a major revelation is found out and Bonnie does was she tends to do....run back to Chicago this time.

Theo is tired of having to run his life for his family and his title. When he finally decides for once he is going after what he wants he realizes that he has to make a huge, major effort to win back the woman he loves.

I just loved this story. These characters are such fun and so colorful and you can't help but root for them to get their happy ending. It was such a fun ride Bonnie and Theo went on but it was really worth it!

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Bonnie and her friends are so much fun. Bonnie is at a party and runs into Theo (the Brit). She hasn't seen him for a while, but still feels that attraction. She can't have that, she has a fiancée. She decides to leave the party early and hopes her fiancée will be home. He is home, but not alone. She finds out her fiancée has been cheating on her for months. When a teaching opportunity in England comes up, she decides to take it. Instead of planning her wedding, she is helping with her friend's wedding, which will take place in Scotland. While in England, Theo and Bonnie spend a lot of time together and Bonnie starts to imagine what it would be like to stay with Theo. Theo does too, but he knows that he must think of his family first and the family coffers need to be refilled. The only way to do that is for Theo to marry a wealthy woman. His heart wants Bonnie, but he thinks he has to do the right thing by his family. What can he do?

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i am not 100% sure how i feel about this one. i keep going back and forth.

i quite enjoyed the first in this series. the pacing was a bit odd in places, but overall it was cute. i expected the same from this one, especially because of the hints we get of the chemistry between theo and bonnie in the first one. but it kinda fell flat for me. now, i don't know if it is because i read 2 amazing books last week and since then everything has fallen flat, or if this really did fall flat on its own.

first off, the whole cheating thing, ok, fine, got it, need to get rid of Gabe. but how quickly she kisses Theo just seemed a bit bizarre to me. i was like, whoa, slow down. because they seemed to get started rather quickly, i never got the build up or felt the connection between them. they start up, stall, get together. again, it was paced a bit oddly for my liking. i do wish Gabe had gotten some sort of comeuppance though.

as for the characters, i liked them both but didn't love either of them. i liked theo's thoughts about bonnie, but couldn't relate to how he acted with his mum. i got frustrated with bonnie not wanting theo's help or whatever, but i got frustrated with theo getting frustrated with bonnie. it was weird. i thought the conflict at the end with the ring and the overhearing the conversation was a little bit come on now, but whatever.

i did love the austen + anne of green gables references. i am an austen fan but new to anne of green gables (reading the 3rd now). i am not a shakespeare fan at all. so i didn't care about or really like those references, so maybe people who aren't austen/anne fans won't like those references. it's hard with things like that. though i can't believe a bookworm like bonnie wouldn't read HP!

the british-isms were fun and all, but felt a bit much. especially the word dodgy. i've never seen or heard people use it the way it was used a couple times in this book, though i'm australian, not british, so what do i know. (i do know earl grey is f*cking disgusting, though).

i sound like i hated this one and i really really really did not. it was cute and fun and passed the time well enough. it just didn't blow me away. that could be me, that could be the book. i have the next one ready to go and i'm excited for it. i do think other people will enjoy this series so overall i do recommend.

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This was sugary sweet with some fun angst and growth thrown in the mix. There was a lot of just purely fun romance in this story. The characters, although somewhat predictable, are easy to relate to in a myriad of ways. The chemistry, for me personally, was a bit lacking. There's not a lot of pure passion or yearning in the romance but rather a passion and yearning for bettering themselves individually and understanding who they are and what they ultimately want. However, the sweetness of Theo's gentlemanly ways coupled with Bonnie's naivety was cute.

I didn't realized this book was the second of a series until I started reading it but can definitely be read as a complete stand alone. Melonie Johnson's third person POV writing gets overburdened at times with phrases I didn't know (like some british'isms, I'm assuming, apparent in Bonnie's chapters that were ill fitting for example) and clunky sentence structure but there are really great parts that flow nicely too. Overall, Smitten by the Brit is what I like to call a good beach read, lovely for a day to escape into sweet romance.

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Smitten by the Brit by Melonie Johnson is the second book in her Sometimes in Love series. Once again this author delivered a fun, fresh treat to her readers. The two main characters are both very likeable. Theo is so much fun to read about with his very proper, honorable behavior which somehow slips when he starts kissing Bonnie. Many of the characters from the previous book make appearances in this one which is a bonus. I really enjoy Melonie Johnson's writing style and I look forward to her next book in this series.

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This is the second book in Johnson's new Sometimes in Love series and I have to tell you I'm really enjoying this series so far. The two books I've read so far have been well-written with characters you want to know more about.

I will admit I love character-driven series and I think this series is like that. It's all about them. I love that part. Up this time it's Bonnie's and Theo's turn. You met both in Getting Hot for the Scot. In that story, you knew there was something there between them. But since Bonnie was engaged neither acted on it.

Happily, Bonnie's life blew up (yes, I said happily. She deserved her prince or in this case Duke) her fiance turned out to be a jerk and she's now better off without him. I feel in a way she wasn't all in with him at all. That's why it was so easy to move on. I just don't think she wanted to admit it wasn't right for the both of them.

I loved Theo. He is such a great guy who wants to do his best for everyone including his pain in the butt mother. But even with wanting the best for others he wants to marry for happiness, not money and connections like his mother wants. Isn't he wonderful!!!

I was glad when Bonnie took the job in England and moved on with her life. She deserved to be happy and live. She's made her life revolve around the jerk and the man could care less what she did for him.

I felt helping her friend set up her wedding was the best thing she could have done. She needed to see what it was like when two people really loved each other.

These two are so cute and fun together and you really enjoy their ride. I was so glad that I read their story. I kinda want to know more about Theo's sisters. They are screaming out for their own books. Hell, I need more of Theo's mother. Ha!

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