This was really enjoyable! While technically it was nothing new, I was sucked into the story and really enhoyed myself. Definitely one to recommend if you're looking for a quick read!

Adorable and fiesty heroine meets sad/Mr. Rochester type and love blooms! Actually this book did remind me of Jane Eyre, but more from the romance between the fierce man and the soft-hearted heroine. I loved their chemistry and romance!!! The beginning was a little slow, but the second half of the novel was my favorite. I thoroughly enjoyed the zany and funny activities. Great romance and fun will they or won't they suspense until they get together.

This was such a fun read. Perfect for a beach or pool day. Loved the witty banter and the chemistry. A little cheesy in areas but it felt like it went with the story.

Thoughtfully written contemporary romance novel with characters that are so easy to love and root for throughout.

This was a heavier read than what I was expecting from both the cover and description. I liked it, just not as much as I thought I would since it wasn't what I thought it would be. The main characters were likeable but frustrating, and I felt that the second half of the story was a little rushed. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Traveling With T's Thoughts:

Pretty big fan of Jenn McKinlay’s various cozy mystery series, her women’s fiction, I typically enjoy.

When I read the back cover of Wait for It, I picked up very slight Me Before You vibes. But Wait for It tackles a whole lot more issues and that may be some of its problem. The cover leads you to believe it’s a light and fluffy type read (perfect for days at beach with lots of daiquiri drinks) and actually it is but it does deal with some heavier topics.

What I Liked:

The cover. SO pretty!

The notes between Annabelle and Nick. Cute.

How Nick tries to act one way, but certain characters can get him to show layers.



Bottom line: I liked this book. There was some things that were a bit eye-rolly about (Annabelle’s inability to get to work on time was one) but it was a quick, lightish read that provided a nice buffer between the mystery/thrillers I’ve been reading.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the gifted copy of Wait for It by Jen McKinlay! {partner}

I decided to listen to this on audio as I didn't have a lot of time to read. Unfortunately, I quickly DNF the book. I really enjoyed Annabelle's character and wanted her to succeed at her new role, I thought she had a lot of possibility and could see the future of her character growth. However, I absolutely DESPISED Nick. He was arrogant, misogynistic and very annoying. I didn't want to continue to follow along as the author tried to bring Nik into Annabelle's life - she deserve way more than he had to offer.

Hello,

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title.

While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2023 and beyond.

Laura

I really enjoyed this! I loved the characters and the storyline. The steam was good and I loved the relationship between Nick and Annabelle.

I didn’t love that Annabelle was always late and that’s one of her traits, and the ending kind of made me roll my eyes a little. But it’s a quick and fun read and I’ll definitely pick up more from this author!

raphic designer Annabelle Martin isn’t loving life at the moment. Not quite thirty, she’s already been divorced…twice. When her ex, who she’s remained friends with, tries to propose AGAIN, Annabelle finally sees what others in her life have known forever, she’s in need of a reset. So when her best friend’s invite to come out to Arizona to work at her dream job coincides with her personal blowup, it feels like it’s meant to be.

Upon her arrival, Annabelle discovers her friends have secured a place for her to stay on the property of the rich yet elusive Nick Daire, a landlord with many demands. Annabelle doesn’t mind adhering to said demands so much, but she still has a strong desire to meet the “wizard”. See, Nick never surfaces, communicating exclusively through his staff and meticulously handwritten notes.

Then one day Annabelle and Nick finally meet, Annabelle shocked to find out said landlord is not only young and hot, but uses a wheelchair. So many questions, so little answers. After suffering from a stroke a year prior, Nick has closed himself off to everything and everyone. But upon meeting his feisty tenant, he can’t keep her from getting under his skin. Paralyzed by more than his condition, can Nick take the steps he needs to heal?

Wait for It is an interesting romance. In the first half of the book there is zero face to face interaction between Annabelle and Nick, the storyline relying heavily on their written correspondence and over the fence curiosities. This half, complete with build up, worked for me. When the two finally meet, however, I felt like Nick’s curmudgeon-like demeanor crumbled way too quickly, along with the physical ailments that allegedly held him back. Perhaps if they had met earlier in the story that would have allowed for more meaningful interaction.

Rounding out the plot was Annabelle’s struggle with a work nemesis and Nick’s reconnection with his baby sister. At times the work stuff felt like inflated filler, while Nick’s relationship with his sister also lacked development.

All in all, I wish Wait for It made some things a little more worth waiting for

I liked but didn't adore this one. Nick's POV was hard for me. But overall, I like the premise of this book, and while it wasn't for me, I'll be recommending it to others whom I think will like it and appreciate more than I did!

I'm torn between giving this 2 or 3 stars.. This was pretty much just ok but i recommend if you're looking for something to kill time and liked the premise..

4 stars

Needing a fresh start and to get away from the Boston cold and her ex-husband, Annabelle takes a job working for her best friend in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon arrival her bestie found Annabelle a place to live through her husband in a pool house attached to a mansion with a grumpy landlord. Based on all the cranky notes she receives from her landlord, she assumes he’s a curmudgeonly old man. But she soon finds out Nick is a young man who suffered a strong at 35 and is afraid to leave his home.

I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. The beginning was pretty slow with a lot of exposition about Annabelle’s job and Nick not wanting to leave his home. But it made sense for where the story ended up going the pacing was just off a little bit. I really liked Annabelle as a quirky heroine, except her problem with being late it wasn’t cute but more rude to me. But her love of art, how she handled things at her job and her hijinks were all fun. Nick was a great brooding hero but I honestly think he needed way more therapy than what we saw in the book (and not PT which he had enough of).

Throughout reading I was very invested in what happened to the characters and wanted to know what happened next.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

Everyday I get more obsessed with the grumpy/sunshine trope and Wait For It was just what I needed.

This is the perfect summer read. I mean just look at that cover. You just wanna be there with a book.

Annabelle and Nick our MCs were very relatable. I liked that they had real issues and not just miscommunication (I really hate that trope) like so many novels these days.

Overall I really liked this one and I recommend it if you’re looking for a quick romance.

I look forward to reading more from Jenn Mckinlay in the future.

BOOK REVIEW

BOOK: Wait For It
AUTHOR: Jenn McKinlay
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RATING: 6/10
3 stars

Thank you to @berkleypub @berkleyromance @netgalley for my #gifted advanced copy of WAIT FOR IT, out now!

MY THOUGHTS

I had a seen a lot of mixed reviews for this book which always makes me so intrigued to pick it up! I can honestly say I did not go in with any expectations and instead felt pretty neutral as I started.

I enjoyed the first half-ish, first third maybe. Our twice-divorced female MC moving across the country and renting the guest house of a mysterious wealthy man; the plot had a lot of potential! I was definitely invested in the story.

What didn’t quite work for me was the execution. The side plot of our MC’s work situation at her new job took center stage whereas the love story felt minimized. And I did nottttt like the work plot. The frustration I felt during these parts was borderline unbearable. I did not really like any of the characters, but the female MC was especially unlikable for me (but again, had potential). Like tbh, you’re almost 30 years old and can’t be on time to work A SINGLE DAY? I didn’t love the handling the male MC’s stroke/stroke rehab and mental health. It felt off to me the way it was discussed in the book. Additionally, the attempt to force him to rehabilitate and get better after the stroke despite his decline in mental health by the female MC was causing me to be ill. The whole “i want to fix you” trope wasn’t doing it. There were also some off-putting POC stereotypes in here that made me scratch my head a little, such as “huge black man,” “tall black man” drag queen, latinx couple who were the gardener and housekeeper, etc.). Finally, the ending put me in a downward spiral in a bad way. It felt absurd to me. The two MCs barely knew each other, I would have been very okay with ending it as them finding their footing and growing as a couple. The tying of the story into a bow at the end just didn’t work for me here.

I’ve def seen glowing reviews for this book as well as some a little closer to my own. In hindsight, is 3 stars a little generous? Probably. I had a lot of qualms. But it’s fine.

A fun romance with an endearing heroine getting a new start in Arizona. Enjoyed all the characters and their personal growth.

I liked this SO much more than I was expecting to! The cover got me -- it's adorable -- but the story was so charming and lovely, and I was obsessed with the characters.

This was a cute rom-com that I picked up on a whim. I love the grumpy/sunshine trope and Annabelle and Nick's relationship was a good one. I enjoyed getting both of their POVs throughout the book and the supporting characters were also really fun to read about.

My only gripe is this seemed to cover a lot of issues and some of it could have been more fleshed out, especially the stuff going on in Annabelle's work place.

This wasn't quite a home run for me because I had read several OMG Amazing books recently, but it was perfectly pleasant.

I thought this was a delightful romantic comedy. The story moved along well. Even though I didn't like all of the characters, I just had to keep reading to find out what happens next. I would definitely recommend!