This was an amazing story about personal growth and friendship, with romance sprinkled in, which is an absolute favorite of mine. I adored Fran and Juliette, honestly could've done with more of Juliette, and their growth throughout the book. The romance was the only part I had any issues with. I'm not a fan of insta-love, and while it took until the end of the book for them to get together, Fran and Evan very clearly had an unrealistically fast connection. Evan seemed TOO perfect which, combined with the insta-love, did not allow me to connect to him as a love interest. However, I still loved the book and will be recommending it! I'll update with my full review & link when I post on IG.

This was cute, but I found myself skimming a little bit. It was an easy read, which I am a fan of! I wish that we had gotten to know Evan a little bit more - maybe by switching view points? That would have been cool.

This is such a fun Cinderella story! Fran Cooper is in a rut - her relationship with her fiancee Stew is stagnant, and after a series of temp jobs, she's out of work. When a great opportunity comes around to be the assistant to a celebrity client for 5 days, she jumps on it. Before she knows it, Fran is on a yacht in Italy working for pop star Juliette, on her way to perform at the Crystal Ball.

After a wild night with the mercurial Juliette, Fran gets stranded on Panarea, the island that hosts the infamous, exclusive Crystal Ball. It's there that she finds her Prince Charming, Evan, and they agree not to exchange last names or personal information.

Fran is fantastically self-deprecating, funny, and caring. If I have one complaint about this book it's that she stayed with Stew for way too long! There were several points through the first section of the book that I thought he should be kicked to the curb, and in the end, it was a much friendlier break up than I thought Stew deserved.

This book is a great, funny, quirky, and over-the-top rom-com.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On a Night Like This is my first book by Lindsey Kelk, yet she’s been on my radar for years now! I’ve been intrigued by her Heart series for quite some time, and some of her other titles look really cute as well. When the opportunity arose for me to review On a Night Like This, which I quickly learned is a modern-day Cinderella retelling, I jumped at the chance and came away with a new favorite! On a Night Like This is magical and sweet, funny in places, filled with friendship and romance, and center around a woman who chooses to believe in magic.

1. Fran Cooper is such a relatable character. I immediately empathized with her and, to some extent, understood what she was going through. She’s a bit self-deprecating and she’s stuck in a life she doesn’t really want to be living. She sacrificed her dreams and her career to move where her fiancé, Stew, wanted to live and has been out of work for a long time because of it. The fact that it wasn’t even worth it because Stew majorly sucks doesn’t make it any better, but she’s with him because she doesn’t know who she is without him. Christmas is coming, and Fran is willing to take nearly any job, even a temporary one, so she calls up her employment agency contact to see if they have anything available since they last spoke. Things move quickly, and before she knows it she’s signed an NDA and is swept off to London for an interview and an immediate job offer. A quick hop, skip, and a jump later and she’s aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean as the assistant to a pop star named Juliette. She can’t believe the crazy changes that have happened in her life. Before, she was living with her cheating, deadbeat fiancé and now she’s wearing designer clothes, and traveling in style to the Crystal Ball, which is the event of the year.

2. This yacht sounds pretty amazing, and I love it when books include travel. Especially if the journey is by water. Fran’s room sound stunning, the outdoor decks are heated so you don’t even need a coat outside in November, and the food sounds pretty delicious. It’s a dream!

3. Juliette appears to be your typical spoiled celebrity who has the world handed to her and it’s still not enough, but she’s not. She and Fran spend a night drinking and having fun on the yacht, and you see a very vulnerable side of Juliette. Fran has always prided herself on remaining professional, but she lets that slip and I enjoyed the friendship that blooms from this. I really liked Juliette. She’s misunderstood, lonely, and so very human. She also has this zest for life and very playful personality. She wiggled her way into my heart, even though I did want to smack her a couple times.

4. For reasons I won’t spoil, Fran finds herself stranded on Panarea (the Italian island where the Crystal Ball takes place) alone without her personal phone, identification, or even a change of clothes. She finds an ally in a woman named Rachel, who helps her choose a designer gown, get ready, and sneak into the Crystal Ball for a once in a lifetime opportunity. This ball is opulent and mysterious and extravagant. It takes up the bottom two floors and outdoor space of the exclusive resort there. It has a ballroom, stage, jewelry boutique, cinema, outdoor carnival, live entertainment, and a charity auction among other things. I loved reading the descriptions of the ball itself, but also the clothes the guests were wearing, the outdoor gardens, and the other scenery around Panarea.

5. While at the ball Fran stumbles across Evan for the second time (their first meeting earlier on was hilarious). He’s a total sexy dreamboat, with a successful livelihood and the sweetest, most caring personality. He’s straight out a fairytale! Their attraction is more than magnetic, but since Fran is engaged they decide to share no personal information with each other and just hang out together as friends. This is not even close to Evan’s first ball, so he shows her around and tries to make sure she has the most fun possible. I had so much fun reading about everything they did!

6. All the supporting characters are amazing! I mentioned Rachel already, but Fran’s best friend, Jess, is wonderful too. She’s very supportive and subtly nudges Fran to do what’s best for herself. There’s also Sarah, the person who hired Fran as Juliette’s assistant. I really liked her a lot, even though she’s a bit firm and cold sometimes.

7. I know cheating stories are often dealbreakers for readers, so I think it’s important that I mention this. I am not kidding when I say that Evan and Fran hang out together as friends. There is no infidelity.

8. Fran’s personal journey of changing her life and crafting the life she wants is center stage, whereas the romantic elements are more understated. And I loved it. As Fran talks to Juliette, Evan, Jess, and even Rachel about her life they all, in separate conversations, say things that make her realize she wants more. They help her realize she deserves more. The life she always thought she would live begins to fall apart at the seams. This journey to happiness filled me with hope and optimism for my own future.

9. The romance that is there is intoxicating. Every Cinderella story needs a happily ever after, and this one gets a beautiful one that had me swooning.

I wholeheartedly recommend On a Night Like This. It was everything I needed from a book. It felt like a warm, magical hig and it made me smile so many times. I will definitely not be waiting any longer before diving into Lindsey Kelk’s other books!

This was a cute, coming-of-age story that had some romance thrown in. Frannie, after a series of missteps in her new job, learns to stand up for herself and be true to who she is meant to be. I loved that she could laugh at herself and bounce back after a few setbacks. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the over-the-top ball but there was nothing really distinguishing this story. Still, I enjoy Lindsey Kelk's writing and will definitely read other books by her.

This is a super cute Cinderella type story! Fran is a very relatable character and the story line had many hilarious moments! I found myself cracking up throughout the book. I loved getting a sneak peak inside the lavish world of celebrities and seeing how Fran interacts in her new environment as she's figuring out what she wants in life. Plus, throw a love story on top of that and you've got On a Night Like This!

A Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk is a Cinderella story for the 21st Century. I have always loved a modern twist on an old fairy tale. This touching and delightful romance novel fits the bill perfectly. Fran is always putting others before herself, in her personal and her professional life. She has put her desires on the back burner for years. When the job opportunity of a lifetime lands in her lap, she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately, things don’t exactly work out as planned and Fran ends up having a “Cinderella” night. Throughout the story, Fran awakens to the possibility that her life could be more. She was the character you wanted to see find her happily ever after.

The complicated characters in the story were interesting and very relatable. Juliette, the spoiled diva who really was just a normal girl who needed a friend. Evan, the rich guy who is different and doesn’t want to be what his dad expects. Stew, the complacent fiancé who finds it easier to settle and sweep things under the rug. Each had their own issues that fit the storyline well. While a few events seemed a little far-fetched, they worked with the fairy tale vibe.

This was my first Lindsey Kelk novel, and I look forward to reading more of her writing. This was an excellent read. I recommend it especially if you love a good happily ever after! It was a 5 out of 5 stars for me!

 

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollinsPublishers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

I received this light and wonderful novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The twist on the common Cinderella legend was interesting and the settings were fun. The chemistry between Evan and Francesca is

A decent read, but not one I'd necessarily recommend.

Fran is stuck in a slump. Her relationship with her fiance isn't what it used to be, she needs a job, and she doesn't feel like she belongs in the life she's in. Enter mysterious job opportunity: she scores an interview for a 5-day assistant gig to a VIP celebrity. After signing the necessary NDAs and going through the interview, Fran finds herself on a flight to Italy to act as assistant to Juliette, a mega popstar. The week that follows changes her life.

Unfortunately, the story was a bit jumbled and didn't seem to have a clear direction. Though the book is billed as a romance, the love interest is not introduced until halfway through the book, and even then it feels hasty and fleeting. Ultimately, I don't regret reading this book, but it isn't something I would pick up again.

I really tried to like this book and kept reading to give it a chance but I was more than a quarter through the book and she still had not met the love interest spoken about in the synopsis. I also found parts of it would be sexualized that didn't need to be like a bathroom and a big bed. I couldn't finish.
#onalikethis #netgalley

This book is so much fun. There can be two ways to associate the title as Fran experiences two very different and yet life-changing nights in one very unique trip. It all starts when Fran decides to take a last minute assistant job for super VIP, Juliette. Before she knows it, she has left behind her small-town life, with a fiancé that she doesn't seem to connect with any longer and a lack of job aspects that leaves her wanting, for a week on a yacht off the coast of Italy. Now Fran is the center of a Lindsey Kelk novel, so a hilarious romp ensues and yet Fran also manages to learn a lot about herself along the way.

One of my favorite parts about this book is the friendships that Fran has and develops. In one night on the yacht, she goes through a bonding experience with Juliette in an ultimate girl night. While things do go a bit rocky there, she also has her best friend Jess and the start of a working relationship with Sarah, who hired Fran for the job. Plus a brief encounter with a makeup artist who ends up being Fran's biggest cheerleader in a long time. This women supporting women throughout the book is so refreshing to see and really spoke to something in this military spouse who moves every few years and has a hard time making friends.

And then there is Evan. At first I was getting a bit annoyed at how long he takes to show up despite really enjoying the interactions between Fran and Juliette. But let me tell you, he is worth the wait. He's smart and sexy and really trying to decide who he wants to be - just knowing that it's not his dad. His support of Fran and consistent show of respect for her and what she wants was heartwarming. Plus, these are Lindsey Kelk characters so the banter is spot on and had me laughing throughout.

Truly, this book is one to get you out of any bad mood. There is friendship, romance, and a story of deciding what you want and then going for it. On a Night Like This is a true rom-com that I highly recommend.

[thank you to the publisher for the free book] •

“Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is acting assistant to a celebrity, on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and en route to a tiny Italian island and the glittering Crystal Ball, along with the world’s rich and famous. When she – quite literally – bumps into a handsome American called Evan, a man able to keep his cool in the face of chaos, the magic really begins.”

This was a really creative Cinderella story. The nods to the original were creative but subtle. I enjoyed the writing style and the pace of the story. It was an easy one to pick up and read here and there over a few days. It is a retelling I would definitely recommend!

🥰 liked || 💗 low steam
🤟light, funny, sweet
📚Modern day Cinderella retellings
🎶On a Night Like This by Dave Barnes
📖 ‘But it feels like a fairy tale and I have to live in the real world. We have very different lives, things like this don't happen to people like me.' Evan shook his head gently and looked at me
with liquid eyes. 'Francesca,' he said, reaching across the table. 'It's happening to someone like you right now.'

My Review : If you are looking for a light-hearted chick lit romantic comedy type story then you might want to get your hands on this one. The plot centers around Fran, a personal assistant, who finds herself working for a celebrity with a mission to get her to .. wait for it ... a BALL. She feels stuck in life, and this is the perfect opportunity for her to get away. Fran is a very likable character, at times she focuses more on other people than on herself, centering everything she does on her relationship with her long term fiancee. There are times when scenarios like this feel a bit forced, since you are meant to hate the current love interest and instead fall for the new one and cheer for them to get together. I don't want to give too much away but the start of the book is a bit slow, but i think it does it so that we are able to understand the dynamics in Fran and Stew (her fiance) relationship. This allows the reader to understand how their relationship has deteriorated and to fully know why Stew is meant to be hated.  The main events of the book center around a new job opportunity that Fran gets, which allows her the chance to see her life from a different perspective and realize that she deserves more than what her fiancée gives her.  The story is very Cinderella- like so of course there is another love interest that is presented later on in the story. Like I mentioned before the start of the book is a bit slow but it does pick up as the story goes on. There wasn't any part of the book that I felt like the story was just dragging on without end, everything had a purpose.  The other supporting characters Jess,Sarah and Juliette were also well developed. Evan, the love interest, was probably everything that Fran needed to open her eyes and see that Stew was not giving her what she needed. I will say though that even though this is a romance , the main story does not necessarily center around the love story but it also does give focus to the growth that Fran goes through as a person. She's in her 30's so I think that might be why it was easier for me to relate to her and what she was feeling. I think there comes a point where you are complacent with how your life is going especially if you are in a long term relationship which was her case and you feel like you can't just walk away and you make up excuses. She knew that there was something going on with her relationship but she kept ignoring the signs. The ending was a bit predictable, but I was already so invested in the story that I had to finish it and know that the characters for the happily ever after that they deserved. Overall a quick light read that will make you smile. Thank you HarperCollins360 and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC !

A fun and cute story with Cinderella vibes. Fran wants to live a wonderful life and spends one unforgettable night with dreamy Evan. Hoping for a HEA, but so much stands in her way. Stuff keeps going wrong and yet Fran is making real friendships along the way so is it a loss or gain for her? I enjoyed the story and how it was not all romance but a fun adventure, humor and friendship.

Do not sleep on this new book. I am not sure what I expected, but I was very surprised by this one. I found it to be funny and lighthearted. I thoroughly enjoyed the pop culture references that were thrown in occasionally. There truly was not one character in this book that I didn’t enjoy or get kick out of. Fran was so funny with her quick one liners, I also was here for work ethic. Evan was just chefs kiss 😍. Juliette was so not what I expected, and she didn’t disappoint.

4 stars

I have never read anything by Lindsey Kelk before, but I am convinced that she is a literary alchemist.

The oddly specific sub-genre of British-written women's fiction has been hit or miss for me over the past few years due to heroines pushing the limits of quirkiness, stale tropes being recycled over and over again, and romantic couples that clearly should not end up together. When I started On A Night Like This, I realized that the book could eventually fall into those traps and braced myself for potential disappointment. However, Kelk's humorous voice and keen eye for character transformed this book in my eyes from a potential pumpkin into a beautiful princess (get it, because it's a Cinderella retelling?).

I thoroughly enjoyed getting a look at celebrity life through the eyes of Fran and while I still thought that the romance is left on the back burner a bit too long, the misadventures that she has along the way to learning some life lessons are so entertaining that it more than made up for it. I look forward to taking a look at Kelk's backlist and waiting for whatever she comes up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This book definitely captured the Cinderella vibes. It was a sweet book and I enjoyed reading it! I did think it was a little cliche, but I guess that's to be expected with a Cinderella story.

This was a DNF for me; I probably made it about half way through. Though I liked LIndsey Kelk's other books, I couldn't really get into this one. The main character was hard to root for and the celebrity she worked for seemed liked a caricature of what people would assume celebrities are like.

I loved this book. It's kind of a Cinderella retelling. It's modern, funny, romantic. Fran is stuck in a rut, in her career and relationship. She's been with the same man for 12 years. They aren't happy anymore. She gets the opportunity to be swept away to another country for as a celebrity's assistant so she takes it. She was previously a corporate assistant. She finds herself in new fancy places. This book was fun and whimsical. She meets a tall dark and handsome man, Evan. Evan makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Yet Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart, and their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever. So so good! Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

Y’ALL. If I could give this book a million stars I 100% would!! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it definitely did not disappoint!! I absolutely ~inhaled~ this and was so sad when it was over because I didn’t want it to end! (I also stayed up way too late reading but I could not stop!)

This book is so fun, deeply romantic and absolutely HILARIOUS (you should see both the state of my kindle highlights and the looks I got while cackling through this, in public). It’s also one of the most British books I’ve ever read. I’m so glad I read a kindle copy so I could look things up!

This book is such a good time and I’m so, so glad to have read it!! Lindsey Kelk never disappoints!! If you’re a fellow romcom lover, I HIGHLY recommend this one!!! But. This is also so much more than a romcom. It’s a delightful tale about learning to love yourself and be who you are, not who others decide you should be. Love, love, love this book!! I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy for my shelves!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins 360 for allowing me to read this one in exchange for an honest review! It was an absolute treat!!