Outstanding book!

Just wanted to mention that I haven’t actually seen the movie that this story is described as a twist on. Though maybe I should look it up…


This is my favorite kind of story: characters I wish I could meet (if they were real) with complicated emotional lives that they manage to battle through and learn from. Add in some adorable little kids and pets, and it’s just perfect. Ms. Adair has written that exact thing; she makes it realistic and alive and really funny. Now that I’ve reviewed, I’ll definitely go read it again - maybe in print or audio, if that’s available.

Full disclosure: I received an advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

🌊👙Book Review:
Title: Situationship
Author: Marina Adair
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3 stars

Just imagine the sandy beaches of the Pacific Cove, California. Then imagine seeing your teenage crush there after a heartbreaking end to your marriage. Add in your 4 year old twin daughters and an out of control dog!

Teagan Bianchi is living that life. She has just returned back home after losing almost everything caused by her gambling addicted ex-husband. Teagan has inherited her family home with the hopes of starting up her own bakery. Unexpectedly, she finds her estranged sister, Harley, already bunkering down. Add in the hot guy next door, Colin, who used to be Teagan's crush back in her teenage years. Was this move worth it? This book is about second chances and finding love again. 💜

Published: October 25th, 2022

Thank you, @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Okay, I promised an honest review!

This was the first or second book NetGalley was kind enough to allow me to download. I think that was over a year ago. Well today I finally finished it. Usually I would not have worked at a book this long but I felt I must..

It was your typical girl and boy are young and in love, but both want different things so they go their own ways. Years later she’s back with twins, a horrible ex husband and a sister she doesn’t connect with. He’s still there with a troubled teenager and a horrible ex wife.

I’ll use the word again typical.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to share in your program.

Adair's narrative about two messy single parents was hilarious. Ex-spouses of Teagan and Colin are both narcissists. They are single parents to three children: Poppy and Lily, aged 4, and Maddie, a willful teenager. Perhaps it's because I've never been in their shoes that I find their on-again, off-again romance when they first started pining on each other in high school to be so tedious. Throughout the novel, I felt animosity toward Harley and Maddie. At the end of the story, Teagan makes a series of poor decisions that threaten to damage her friendship with Colin. The story paints her as pragmatic and clever, despite her good intentions. Time jumps occur when she thinks about Harley and wonders if she has matured. Harley exhibits inconsistency as a person. She transforms into a caring, helpful member of the family. A fantasy unfolds when she runs away on a guy who is too wonderful to her because she is terrified of commitment. He continues to pursue her despite her refusal to answer his texts or reveal her whereabouts. The setting and plot work for those seeking a love tale not centered on twentysomethings, but they didn't do anything for me.

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC for an honest review.

3.5 STARS
This was a light hearted read that focused on romance and the rebuilding of a realtionhsip between sisters. I adored the small town beach sitting. The girls were delightful, and I think most moms identify with Tegan about raising kiddos. The romance was okay but nothing spectacular. I have been reading Adair for years and she is always a solid author.

This book wasn't for me. The dialogue was cringey at times. The relationships felt forced and awkward. Not real. I see that a lot of readers liked this and I am in the minority, so check it out if you think its for you.

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

loved this book and was hooked on it. after reading the Marina other books had to get this one. so happy i was able to be able to read this awesome book. get it today.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Kensington books for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Marina Adair needs to write more books! Loved this second chance romance - the twin toddlers and crazy dog made this story extra fun. Some parts of this story made me want to shake Teagan but loved how this story wrapped up.

Teagan is back to her family home with her four year old twin after her divorce. Upon arrival, she found her younger sister already living in the house and her first love Colin is staying next door. Colin too have problems or his own. His teenage daughter is giving him trouble and also his boss who focus more on monetary value instead of helping out the animal in needs.

It is a story about family relationship and second chances in love. Love reading how Teagan found her footing and rebuilding her life as a single parent. The characters are well developed and the story of each of the character are easily relatable. I enjoyed watching both Teagan and Collin reconnect and fall in love all over again.

*review post scheduled to be posted on 5/2/23*

This is a good book. Harley was one of my favorites and I was so glad that things worked out well for her. Good characters and a nice story with a happily ever after.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
While I enjoyed this book, I felt it was a little slower paced for my taste. However, it was a very well written book and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a romcom x women fiction read.

I loved reading this one. I just love this kind of books.
4 stars read for me. I love this author snd her writing style.
Thanks to netgally for this arc.

This was my first book by Marian Adair and was so sweet. I loved the sibling relationship arc and the second chance romance aspects of the story that were perfectly written. The humour was great and the story had all the cozy feels of a solid romance novel. I loved how the author kept things light and the pacing of the story didn’t drag. I especially loved that the main characters were older and had pasts.

The title of this book hooked me in because who doesn't love a good situationship? But honestly I didn't stay hooked after that. I read the whole book but I wasn't super invested and didn't care too much one way or the other what the end result was.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

The Situationship was such a sweet story. I immediately connected with Teagan and her story as a single mom. Teagan’s second chance with her teenage love, Collin, showed that anything was possible. Along the way, we are entertained by Teagan’s dog’s crazy antics. We also watch Teagan try to heal a rocky relationship with her sister. This was a great, heartwarming read.

Heartwarming second chance romance filled with witty and engaging charters, intriguing story line, witty banter, heart racing twists and undeniable slow burning passion. Really enjoyed this emotional and exciting journey about starting over again!

I love a second chance storyline and there are multiple ones here to enjoy. Teagen is in need of a second chance and a safe place to land after the divorce from her husband has left her financially devastated. The light at the end of the tunnel is the home her beloved grandmother left her and the hope to reopen a bakery to support herself and her 4 yr twin girls. At the end of the multiple days long drive (and isn’t any drive with 4 yr olds long even if just a block?) she finds her sort of estranged sister basically squatting in her house. Neither of them anticipated seeing the other. Add in a giant dog named GF (garbage disposal), a handsome neighbor turning out to be her high school sweetheart who is dealing with his own things. It’s a wonderful read as they all figure things out. Its funny, emotional, silly as they all figure it out separately and together. A nice addition to the series.

"You going to climb down that trellis?"
"You going to be waiting on the beach for me?"
"Hell, yes."
Trying to play it cool, she shrugged. "Then, I guess I'll see you at midnight."

Teenage Colin was a force to be reckoned with. Adult Colin?? Beyond irresistible.

Teagan returning to her hometown after her divorce is a huge change. Her sister is squatting at her house, she's living next door to her high school sweetheart and she has her hands full with her twin daughters. Oh, she's also trying to revive her family's bakery.

Colin has been through a bitter divorce, is raising a headstrong teenaged daughter and now, seeing Teagan again - is setting off all sorts of warning bells. As well as bringing up some long buried feelings.

I love this story by Marina Adair! The characters are wonderful and I love a second chance romance!

I expected so much more from this book.

First of all, I think I should start off by saying that maybe “women’s fiction” is not for me. It’s different to romance or rom-coms, etc. It just feels like there isn’t enough romance in the story until about 65% in. It feels like Teagan and Colin barely interacted with each other. Not to mention how much second hand embarrassment I felt during their steamy scenes. The fact that the author referred to orgasms as “cocktails”, had me cringing. The metaphors were just not it. The steamy scenes were actually good if you look past that fact and the fact that it mentions, and I quote, “his thumb teased her pleasure button”. EWWWW.

Also, was Harvey’s POV necessary? I don’t think so. I feel like it takes away from the romance between Teagan and Colin by adding in Harvey’s POV. I understand that she has her own issues with her childhood that impacts her adult relationships, and that she has things to resolve with her sister, but that could be addressed in a follow up book.
I feel like a sequel about Harvey, 1) allows more intimacy for Teagan and Colin in Situationship, 2) allows the relationship between Bryan and Harvey to have more depth, and the same for the sisters resolving their issues, and 3) to form deeper connections with all the characters.

Now to address the pacing and flow of the story. It all just felt wrong. The writing and pacing felt disjointed, and like there were gaps in the storytelling. Some chapters picked up immediately where the previous left off, and others I could even tell how much time had passed. At times, it just didn’t feel like the chapters flowed into each other well.

One another note, I firmly believe that if a book has multiple POVs that each chapter should be headed with whose POV it is. This book did not deliver on that.

The only things that made this book worth a 2.5 stars, which I think is generous, is that it was a single parent romance (these have my heart), and that some of the scenes were cute.