I love Roni Loren’s books so I was pretty excited to read Yes & I Love You! This book is different than her previous series as it is has less angst and it is more of a rom com. This story is sweet, sexy and fun.

Hollyn hides behind her persona as Miz Poppy, a reviewer of New Orlean’s nightlife. Although, she is famous, nobody knows that she is just a girl who is shy and anxious about her Tourette sundrome. When her boss demands a reveal of her real face, she is stuck. Enter Jasper…

Jasper is an aspiring actor who tries to find his break in his career. When Hollyn accepts some of his improv lessons, he finds her reveal as his perfect opportunity to be more famous.

These two are delightful together. The author depicts really well Hollyn’s difficulties with her anxiety disorder and I loved how much she came out of her shell. She does not let it define her and she overcomes every obstacle.She is the star of the book. Jasper is adorable. He is a aloof, funny and easygoing.

Their relationship is naturally progressed but the author could have skipped the love triangle thing with Holly’s best friend. It made me uneasy and I felt sorry for all of them. Also, Jasper felt cute in the beginning but towards the end he was a little weak. He made the wrong choices and if I were Hollyn I would not be so forgiving. I wanted to fight more for her.

If you like romantic comedies, then this story might be for you! It has unique characters, an interesting setting and secondary characters that shine!

Absolutely freaking amazing!!! I adored this book. From the loveable main character Hollyn, to the sweetheart love interest Jasper - I loved the two of them from the very first time they met.

This story is so well written, I loved being in the cool modern office space, with the new and modern jobs. I really enjoyed the storyline and getting to know all the surrounding characters.

Here's hoping we get to watch Cal, Andi, or Michelle fall in love next!

Do you love Christina Lauren or the Kiss Quotient? Then this one is for you!!!

This is the first book I read my Roni Loren, and I have to admit that the blurb of the book wouldn't normally entice me to read this book. However, I wanted to try something different and decided to give it a chance. I am happy I did because I really enjoyed the characters and plot. The story was refreshing and I loved the main characters Hollyn and Jasper. Hollyn has Tourette's and social anxiety. She writes entertainment columns under the pen name Miz Poppy. However, her anxiety goes through the roof when her boss announces that he wants her to reveal herself and start presenting her columns on video. Jasper is a very social and outgoing actor in an improv group, and is going to start giving improv classes at the same office Hollyn works.

I loved how these two met and the development of their relationship was great. When Jasper finds out that Hollyn is Miz Poppy he wants to make a deal with her. He can teach her the tricks of improv, help her loosen up and move through her fear of being in front of a camera. And she can help him by reviewing his improv group to get him noticed by a bigger audience. They are both very attracted to each other and when feelings get involved things can get complicated. I loved the interaction between Hollyn and Jasper, they had amazing chemistry and were a great match. I really enjoyed seeing Hollyn loosen up and be more comfortable around him. The development of their relationship had a great pacing, and I really liked the writing style of the author. Yes & I Love You was a great contemporary romance. I look forward to reading more books Roni Loren.

Loved his book! Highly recommend.
It wasn't the traditional girl has no confidence and keeps those feelings hidden and acts like a deer in headlights. I have no more patience for those... It's finally a story about a woman who says what she wants, what she feels, and realizes that confidence is the sexiest attribute you can have. She owns it!
Loved the writing style, I have a new author to follow and get excited about!

I picked this one up from Netgalley since it was a read now, sounded interesting, and I have read other books by this publisher. It was a cute read even if I didn’t fully feel invested in the story.

Hollyn has tourettes and social anxiety. One way she is trying to cope with her social anxiety is by renting an office space so she can work on her reviews that she publishes under Miz Poppy and no one knows what she looks like.

I liked the rep in this book because I definitely haven’t read about a main character with tourettes. Social anxiety is one I have read before but I still like seeing it because I can relate to it.

Besides the social anxiety, it was a bit hard to fully connect to Hollyn or the other characters. I don’t think there is anything wrong with them and still liked reading about them.

When it comes to the love interest, Jasper is the opposite of Hollyn. He speaks what is on his mind, sometimes before realizing what he is saying. He is also outgoing. I did like that he helped to bring her out of her shell and worked with her on a level that made her comfortable from the beginning. He does make mistakes from the beginning, but he always tried to make up for them. There were definitely a lot of cute moments between them. Things can also get quite steamy.

There were parts in the plot that kind of lost my interest but I’m not sure why. It’s probably just a me thing.

Overall, it was a good book and one that I think many will enjoy.

[Thank you NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review]

I never expected this book to become one of the best contemporary books I've read so far.

We follow Hollyn Tate, a reviewer who is hiding her identity under the profile of Miz Poppy. She has been hiding for years from people due to her anxiety, but after meeting Jasper Deares, things start to change. Soon, they may need each other: Hollyn doesn't want to lose her job over her awkwardness and anxiety, and Jasper doesn't want Miz Poppy to crush his improv group's reputation when he is trying to get an important theater-related business

This book was a delighting read for me, I loved everything about it, from its characters to the narrative, it was amazing. I really liked reading from the perspective of characters who struggle with disorders such as anxiety Tourette syndrome, ADHD, and from others who have been through abandonment. The author definitely did a great job portraying how people who deal with these conditions cope with life. This book felt so real and fun, I hope more people pick it up and love it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: This book contains strong language and explicit scenes. Recommended age range: 18+

The Tourette syndrome rep is done well.

I love the main characters. The writing is upbeat and mature. Totally enjoyed the unassuming chemistry between the characters.

The story wrapped up well and good.

Thank you, author and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! So fun!!! Felt immediately pulled into the characters and it wasn’t overly cheesy or far fetched as some situational romances can be. Definitely felt engaged and invested in the story, read it in one sitting. Noticed that it’s a #1 of a series, can’t wait to see who the next story is about :)

Everybody knows Miz Poppy, or at least thinks they do. They do not know Hollyn, who writes under the cover of the name Miz Poppy.  She is a bright, witty, and sometimes snarky personality as Miz Poppy, but the real Hollyn is an insecure introvert with Tourettes Syndrome and the nervous facial tics that sometimes accompany this syndrome. When Hollyn learns she has to begin videoing her reviews, revealing her nervous tics to her fans, she knows she can not do it. In steps the sexy barista, Jasper, to save the day.  Yes & I Love You, by Roni Loren, is not the light-hearted book I anticipated, but a deeper view of personal battles and how they affect choices we make. There are a lot of light-hearted parts that keep the story moving and lots of sexual tension and scenes that may be too much for any pearl-clutchers out there.  I found it to be funny with just the right amount of spice for my taste.  Thank you, NetGalley for a free ARC ebook version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A thoughtful and tender story about how hard it can be to express ourselves to others. I love the fact that the main character has a fear of opening up herself based on her health issue. We all have something that gives us pause in relationships, but I cannot image how hard that would be to explain.
#Yes&ILoveYou
#MustRead2021

I loved this book! Struggling people overcoming hardships to triumph is what this story is about. Hollyn is such an introvert that she can barely talk to anyone but is working on putting herself out there. She's attracted to Jasper but can't even look at him, which leads him to think she doesn't like him. Jasper is an improv actor who is also working part-time as a barista in the building Hollyn works in. His career path and love life have been rocky but he's trying to figure out a better future. These two come together and form a messy, sweet, scary, relationship that ends up being wonderful. Highly recommended!

What a sweet story. This is my first by the author but I don’t believe it will be my last. I’m a sucker for romance books that promote self improvement and this one was so uplifting and was really wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A huge thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my ARC and NetGalley. Firstly I had no idea who Roni Loren is but wow what a book.

This is a beautiful swoon-worthy kinda melts an icy heart story that touched on Tourette and my favorite trope of all time. The author developed Characters I instantly fell in love with the cutest banter ever *sigh. Hollyn is a successful writer who is also shy but so lovable and Jasper is a struggling actor who helps Holly (not gonna reveal why) but overall the book is a delight and I recommend it.. I liked how it was easy to read

Based on the cover I was expecting this to be a light and funny read; it wasn't. This book is so much more than that! The characters are flawed (I can't stand when author constantly write their characters into perfection) and deal with real world issues. I love books about characters who have disabilities and the reason is is because you don't see it enough! Roni Loren did a nice job handling them here. This is a sweet novel that hits the emotions. I can't wait to see what she brings us next!

*4.5 stars

I absolutely love Roni Loren's writing style. Her previous series was top notch, and I was wondering where she would take the start of this one - and she delivered! Hollyn was such a unique character - one I related to on an introvert level - but the addition of a main character with Tourette's was new to read for me. It was refreshing and a great lens to tell the story from. Watching her blossom in her career and relationships was great.

And Jasper! He was a great love interest for Hollyn, because even though he was a little lost and confused in his own professional life, he was the perfect person to lift Hollyn up and add the perfect 'improv' into the story.

I loved that this story was set in the entertainment field but in some aspects that don't always get the spotlight. Very excited to see which couple the second story follows... Andi perhaps? Or Fitz? Or both?

Hollyn Tate has garnered a pretty successful following as Miz Poppy, the snappy, vibrant entertainment journalist who has her pulse on the best things to see, do, and eat in New Orleans. Hollyn loves the anonymity of her job, but when her boss unveils plans for Hollyn's column to add a video component to her blog, her social anxiety threatens to upend everything she's worked so hard to achieve.

Jasper Deares has just returned to New Orleans from LA where he left a failed relationship and a stalled acting career. He's anxious to begin performing with his improv group again, that is, if they can forgive him for up and leaving them. But he's confident in this group, that's also why he's determined they make more of themselves than doing gigs once a week in a local bar. But for right now, he's stuck pouring coffee to supplement his income.

Then Jasper meets Hollyn and finds out about her secret identity. A review from Miz Poppy could set his group up for the future. When Jassper offers to help Hollyn with her fears in exchange for putting in a good word for his group, she hesitantly accepts. And as Hollyn begins to fall for Jasper she begins to find her own confidence.

I think this is the first book I've read that features the main character (plus a secondary character) with Tourette's. I can't speak to how well the representation is, seeing as how it's the first book I've read, but for me, I really liked that we get to see Hollyn as so much more than what people typically perceive about her based on her ticks. They don't diminish who she is, yes they fuel many of her insecurities and vulnerabilities, but it's not the whole of who she is. I loved that Jasper immediately sees beyond this and that what he does (improv) can be utilized as a tool to help people with insecurities and anxiety.

For Jasper, he's still dealing with some deep seated emotions on being in the foster care system as a young child because his parents were unable to provide the care for him that he needed due to their various addictions. He still deals with feelings of being left behind and unwanted. Of not being good enough. This has transitioned into his adult life. He loves improv. He credits it with saving his own life, and giving him a sense of purpose when he was younger and didn't really have a path yet. So to see him turn that around over the course of the story as something that can help others, I thought was wonderful.

I liked the perspective. You think of actors and you almost automatically think of the ideal Hollywood superstardom that is the goal of many who go into the profession. But in reality, there are those, like Jasper, who use it as a way to get over their fears and a way to form connections and expressions, and who want to pass this along to others to help. I kind of liked getting the perspective that not everyone is looking for fame and fortune, like Hollyn with Miz Poppy. She's happy within the niche she's created.

I liked the sweetness of Jasper and Hollyn's romance which is a slight departure from Roni Loren's previous series. Seeing them kind of fall into one another when they weren't really looking for anything and going with what they find within each other was nice and easy feeling. It's more of the outside forces that bring the pressure and the conflict and make them take a look at what's really truly important.

If you're looking for a sweet romance with a good neurodiversity rep, I think that Yes & I Love You is perfect.

[Thanks Netgalley for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]
I fell in love with this book!
It's sweet, uplifting, funny and sexy, with two MC that you have to love and a well developed story.
I love Hollyn, she's so lovable... She's the star of the book. Her strength and her constant fight for self improvement are very inspiring and give her depth (and the book too). Jasper is great to but I think he's some kind of catalyzer for Hollyn to grow, his character seems a little weaker than Hollyn.
I liked the rest of characters (actually, almost every character is likable), especially Cal (will he get a book too? I hope so!).
It's my first Roni Loren book and I enjoyed a lot, it's well written and very easy to read. I'm looking forward to keep on reading this series and will definitely read more of Roni Loren.
---------------
Qué estupenda sorpresa ha sido este libro!!! Divertido, sexy, emotivo... A pesar de que me costó un poco entrar en él, cuando lo he hecho ha sido una gozada. Los protagonistas son adorables, especialmente Hollyn, que en ocasiones me ha recordado a Stella, la protagonista de The Kiss Quotient. Me ha enganchado, me ha evadido de la realidad y me ha dejado con una estupenda sensación de buen rollo y la sonrisa en la boca.

Everyone knows Miz Poppy, the vibrant reviewer whose commentary brightens the New Orleans nightlife. But no one knows Hollyn, the real face behind the media star...or the fear that keeps her isolated. When her boss tells her she needs to add video to her blog or lose her job, she's forced to rely on an unexpected source to help her face her fears.
When aspiring actor Jasper Deares finds out the shy woman who orders coffee every day is actually Miz Poppy, he realizes he has a golden opportunity to get the media attention his acting career needs. All he has to do is help Hollyn come out of her shell...and through their growing connection, finally find her voice.

This book was such a nice surprise, I instantly loved Holly’s character, an introverted with Tourettes Syndrome, and she’s determined to face her fears.
Overall this love story was beautiful, sweet, funny and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeepleasemx

It takes a while getting used to Roni Loren's style of writing - effusive, word, sometimes overly dramatic - as 'Yes & I Love You' starts off with some deliberate (if imagined) flair of the painfully introverted Hollyn and the easy misunderstandings she gets into because of the little-understood Tourette Syndrome that she suffers from. 

Count me amongst the ignorant.

Loren navigates disability and how some people fall by the wayside in a story that's done sensitively and with aplomb, where her main characters still walk around with swagger and sass, handling life the best way they can...while finding love along the way. Their challenges are detailed but not weighed down with angst, their behaviour mature and perceptive enough that I knew by the halfway point that I wanted both Hollyn/Jasper to succeed together. 

In short, 'Yes & I Love You' grew on me by leaps and bounds, even if it started out a little hard. From their rocky start to a steamy finish, Hollyn/Jasper somehow roll their way through this with the likes of improv theatre, where the principles are merely saying 'yes' to hard things, and then powering forward with the plays you've got. Life mirroring art and vice versa: it's a lovely parallel that Loren sets up throughout the narrative as her own meta about improvisation and life spills out from time to time in a way that hits both Jasper and Hollyn where it matters most. 

But Loren sets up a hurdle that neither Jasper nor Hollyn can see a way past, and predictably, it becomes the climax that blew me away as I powered through the last half barely taking a breath. I was certain that it was going to be ugly (and perhaps one that was going to get Hollyn and Jasper regressing into teen dramatics), but the fork-in-the-path-type problem that Jasper and Hollyn found themselves in was written in a way that pushed my right buttons so to speak, leaving an ending that simply left me happy as well.

I thought the author's writing was humorous and fun but I felt like the pacing was a bit off. This is a great novel that takes a look at anxiety and how it affects someone (it affects everyone differently). I don't know if I just read this at the wrong time, but I had a hard time really getting into it and loving it. A funny, fun book, that I will revisit later.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!