I was really hopeful about this book, I was super excited when I got my wish granted on Netgalley and was granted access.

The characters seemed interesting and the plot/way the characters were introduced seemed nice. The descriptions of New Zealand were beautiful and the discussion of food was also great,

There were just some things that didn't sit right with me: 1. Harper's body image issues and how they magically seemed resolved when Manny accepted her (also as someone who cannot entirely relate to her I felt very uncomfortable with the way she spoke about her body sometimes) 2. Character's comments about how Harper was "different than other girls" (while maybe not using those words they carried the same message) 3. The whole engagement party thing at the end like wtf kind of next-level meddling was that?? 4. The comments that Manny was more like a "woman" because he wanted to do something romantic and references to him being metrosexual for similar things later was very negative and I did not like it at all. 5. The characters were 30 and 40 but really didn't act it tbh.

This was a quick read and I did finish it hoping it would get better but honestly that plot twist with the meddling at the end really ruined it for me tbh. It wasn't the book for me but it wasn't *terrible* so I wouldn't not recommend it because I'm sure some people will really love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own.

Review will be posted on my Instagram on July 20th, 2021

This was a fun sexy story.

I loved the sass between Harper and Manny. I also liked to see the way their relationship evolved.

I kinda felt annoyed that all of the big reveals and drama happened right at the end. And it felt really annoying that the drama happened at all since the main characters were older.

This was a fun follow up to The Boy Toy and I enjoyed getting a glimpse at the characters from that book too.

I was hooked from the start! What a cute story! I enjoyed that this book wasn't 100% predictable, it kept me interested and kept me on my toes for sure. What an enjoyable read!

A cute, fun, quick read intermixed with some major moments of frustration.

Harper Ryland is on a man ban after a horrible breakup. She just wants to become more successful in career as a food stylist. She really hopes that she'll get noticed as a stylist at her best friend's wedding and get the job to kick-start her career. Then one of the groomsmen, Manny Gomes, belittles her work and she decides to get revenge. They run into each other again in New Zealand, where Manny just finished attending a medical conference and Harper is on an important job. Manny saves her from disaster and they end up deciding to see where things might go if they give into their chemistry...

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the short, quick chapters made for an easy read. And I definitely loved the Melbourne/Auckland/Lake Taupo setting. However, during their first introduction, Manny definitely annoyed me with his border-line (or not-so-border-line) sexual harassment of Harper (being a creep isn't the same as being "smooth") and there were interspersed moments of sexism (Manny needs a wife to take care of him, he likes Harper's "healthy appetite for a woman", Manny is "a woman" for wanting to go on a date and not just have sex, etc.). Plus, they should have just communicated!

The Man Ban by Nicola Marsh

Rating: 5/5 Stars

This book was so light-hearted and fun! I really enjoyed reading this book! I appreciated Manny and Harper’s relationship from beginning to end. I also feel like many readers can relate with Harper’s body image issues and this really brings to light how that is not what defines a human. This book kept my attention from start to finish and I’m so glad I was able to read this book!

Summary:
Harper Ryland created a man ban for herself after her previous boyfriend Colin broke her heart. She decides to focus mainly on her up and coming food styling business and put men on the back burner. However, it all changes when she meets Manny Gomes at her best friend’s wedding. A week later at a job Harper was working, Manny was also there on a doctor’s job. When they meet the second time, he offers to help Harper with her biggest food styling event to date. Neither of them were looking for a relationship, but overall, love can conquer anything!

Thank you @NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review in return! #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an Arc of this book.

Harper has sworn off men until she meets Manny at a friend’s wedding. In the beginning I loved their little arguments and the will they/won’t they get together. In the middle of the book I felt their relationship was a little rushed and just focused on their sexual relationship (at time I felt it was a bit to much). I kept pushing through the book and I’m glad I did. The story picked back up and I enjoyed the complicated relationship they had and further character development. Overall it was a good book and I did enjoy the ending!

Unfortunately this was not for me.
The writing felt very juvenile and there was a lot more telling than showing happening.
The relationship was very rushed and characters lacked true depth.
Sad days were had.

It's my first time reading a book by Nicola Marsh, and honestly I really loved the vibes of the book .
It was entertaining ,but I didn't like the characters that much .
The Discussion of Self love , confidence , acceptance and dealing with vitiligo was super important, and I loved the way Marsh talked about such a sensitive topic .

All in all , I would actually recommend this book for romance readers .

Overall, I liked this book and found it engaging. However, I had some issues and questions, which kept this from being a 5 star book for me.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I’ve read a lot of rom-com books and I thought I had read some pretty flirty, steamy banter before but nope, I had not. This book is very heavy on the hilarious and steamy teasing. I might have had to fan myself while blushing more than once while reading this haha. Aside from the cute rom-com plot of this book (2 characters who are trying not to find love - but cant fight it!) I loved that there was a lot of diversity and cultural representation in the book as well, both in the characters, the family dynamics and the food - my gosh the food! The main character also has an auto-immune disease and we watch her struggle both physically and mentally with that. I’d recommend this book to all rom-com lovers who love a steamy romance.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book. All opinions remain my own as always.

Another fantastic multi-cultural read by Nicola Marsh.

Harper Ryland’s self-imposed man ban is about to come crashing down when she attempts to seek revenge on a smart-mouthed groomsman named Manny. The meet-cute moment isn’t one I've seen before, and although a little cheezy and immature on the heroine’s behalf isn’t one I’ll forget any time soon.

Manny is a 40-year-old flirt who is convinced he is never going to get married. With a pushy Grandmother like his, I'm not surprised. But it was the deep-seated emotional baggage that caught me off guard. I just assumed he would be another cocky man whore who has no real excuse for his loose behavior.

This latest book by Nicola Marsh includes a heroine with an autoimmune disease. We get a brief snippet of what Harper has to go through to keep her condition a secret. Although I don’t suffer from a visible illness, I could still relate. There’s nothing worse than being a self-conscious young woman in a brightly lit room about to embark on a sexual experience. Um, turn the lights out, please!

My only gripe, the constant conflict with Manny’s Grandmother. After a while, it became repetitive.

A few more reasons to pick up this book: Steamy scenes. Vacation sex. Indian culture. Age gap.

Thank you, NetGalley, Nicola Marsh, and Berkley. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A highly enjoyable, quick, cute story that left me smiling.This story was fun because the 2 main characters didn’t really have time for a relationship but just couldn’t help loving each other. It was fun.

I adored Nicola Marsh’s previous release, The Boy Toy, and I was so excited to read her next book, it was enough to draw me out of a prolonged NetGalley hiatus--and it was worth it, because this was just the light and fluffy vacation read I wanted. Harper is a food stylist and Manish is an ER doctor, and their meet cute involves a wedding, Manny talking down to Harper about her job, and her retaliating with whipped cream to the face. The banter is silly, bordering on cheesy at times, but when you’re vicariously jetsetting around New Zealand with these two, you’ll allow it.

With regards to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy. On sale July 27, 2021.

The Man Ban introduces us to Harper, a food stylist who’s been on a self-imposed “man ban” for the last year after a terrible breakup. When she meets Manny at her best friend’s wedding, sparks fly, and not in a positive way. Manny’s a successful doctor, but his grandmother is eager to see him married. After all, he’s reached aged forty without the desire to settle down further. When they run into each other on an international trip, the tension, banter, and attraction goes to a whole different level.

I enjoyed the back and forth between these characters, and The Man Ban had plenty of moments that left me laughing out loud. The chemistry between the main characters is incredible, and there’s enough emotional twists and turns to keep me invested in the story. The author’s writing is easy to read and straightforward, which made this a fun summer read.

I haven’t read The Boy Toy, which focuses on two of the side characters that are in The Man Ban, but after reading this one, I’ll be circling back to check that one out. If you’re a fan of reading connected standalones in order, then you may want to check that one out first.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Man Ban follows sexy doctor Manny Gomes and food stylist Harper Ryland as they quickly fall for each other, but struggle to figure out where to fit each other in their crazy lives and future plans.

There was a lot I loved about this book.

-The steam was fantastic and sexual tension started out right away.
-Cultural differences were handled so damn well, where Harper being a white Aussie woman wasn't phased or felt different entering Manny's Anglo-Indian family. Yes, it became a slight issue with his grandmother, but the twist was perfect!
-An older man finding love! We love to see it! Age is but a number.
-Importance of careers for both of them and fitting a relationship into it. Perfection.

Snarky, sassy, comical Harper has met her match in this book by Nicola Marsh. Love often hits when you least expect it and haven’t the time for it. The unlikely pair of Manny and Harper seems to be a match full of fire, but can it work when they are both harboring secrets? A highly enjoyable, quick, cute story that left me smiling.

I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
This story was fun because the 2 main characters didn’t really have time for a relationship but just couldn’t help loving each other. It was fun

Great vacation read!

What happens when you take Harper Ryland who had decided to take a break from dating after the disastrous ending to her last relationship and a serial dating doctor that had dated most of the single hospital staff?

Food stylist Harper Ryland had taken a man ban after the disastrous ending to her last relationship taking the time to build her fledgling business. Harper had donated her talents styling the food plus being a bridesmaid at her friend’s wedding where everybody liked the food except the best man Manish (Manny) Gomes upsetting Harper. But everything changed when they ran into each other in New Zealand leading to Harper and Manny getting to know each other leading to a fake engagement because of his grandmother and later a real relationship.

P.S. I loved Manny’s grandmother Izzy!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am so happy to finally read Manny's story! I fell in love with him in The Boy Toy and am very happy to say that the hype lived up to the story! Manny is an adorable, sexy, rake who falls head over heals for Harper. He has never had a relationship so he has no idea what he is doing, he misses cues all over the place, and he puts himself in completely unlikely situations to be with her. This book was gold. Harper for her part was amazing. She has big secrets, big emotional hurts, and a huge heart. No matter how much she tries to resist Manny, he does not back down and she has to give into her obvious attraction. Their story gave me all the feels.

These two had major chemistry, amazing and super sexy banter, and so much fun!

Some of what to expect in this book:
- M/F romance
- Opposites attract
- enemies to lovers
- fake relationship
- Age gap romance
- multicultural romance

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
This is one of those books that had so much potential but then it got in its own way. I loved the setting and there were some parts that were great. However, many parts felt rushed and I was not convinced that he deserved another chance.