Rent to Be is about the messy life of Isla. This girl is honestly a mess. I did not particularly like some aspects of this story. The fake dating was fun! (Wish there was more). I felt like I was reading a lot of composing about her life without Isla doing anything to help her situation. The story just fell flat. The family dynamic was super toxic (which I understand) and also the relationship between Cade and Isla.

3/5 stars

Interestingly, there were parts of this book that felt like 5 stars to me, yet parts that I was just frustrated with. To me, a late 20's woman who STILL wonders what she's doing with her life, Isla's confusion and frustration over having her MBA yet feeling uninspired and being at the mercy of loan companies is freaking relatable. It's relatable to many readers having a family who makes jokes at your expense but its "your fault you get upset". The tough part about the book is that....sometimes Isla just feels frustrating. On plot alone, I would rate this 4.5 starts. But some personal aspects of the characters, Cade included, are tough to read and get along with. I do also think the ending and epilogue felt incredibly rushed and VERY out of place.

Yet I feel like more stories need to be told about how the world thinks that going to college and getting your MBA is this magic fix.

*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and my reviews are completely my own*

Rent to Be is about Isla, a down-on-her-luck twenty-something who begins a housesitting business by accident, which she intends to keep a secret from her family. The only person who knows her secret is Cade, her brother's best friend. And in return, she agrees to pose as his girlfriend in work events to boost his image.

This novel features two of the tropes I typically enjoy in romance: sibling's best friend and fake dating. I really liked the chemistry between Isla and Cade especially because they grew up together and have a lot of shared history. I also loved how the friendship between Isla and Neeta developed, proving that yes, it's possible to make lasting friendships as an adult.

However, I found Isla's financial and career struggles to be so repetitive throughout the novel, where it seemed like every time she faced a challenge, there'd be a long paragraph about people her age drowning in debt or life being just generally unfair. It's great that the story dealt with these topics, but I felt like it went overboard at times. I also found the storyline about her parents lacking, since it plays a significant part in her decision-making at the start of the story.

Overall, it was an okay read for me. I really enjoyed some parts of it but struggled to connect with the main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really connected with Isla and Cade, and I absolutely loved the inclusion of Neeta’s character. The drama with the parents, particularly with the father’s injury, felt very underdeveloped and frankly not pivotal to the story. Outside of that, I did enjoy this novel- it was a quick, effortless read that had many relatable themes. I also enjoyed that Hartl did not fixate on Cade’s decision to not drink alcohol, and that she normalized the choice and that it was due to family trauma. I was surprised, but pleased to see no conversation happen between Cade and his mother.

I read this book in one sitting and It was good. The story of Cade and Isla was interesting to follow and had some of my favorite tropes. I expected that the main focus would be on their situation when they had to live together, but it was not. They had fake dating but I needed more. I needed more time that they spent together to understand them better and see their relationships. They were very cute, but It was too fast to be realistic.

I liked the fact that they were childhood friends and shared common memories. Isla was not able to pay for her apartment and she needed to find another place. I think it is a really critical modern problem about life, money, and decisions that people have to make, and sometimes they are so difficult.  I like the author’s writing style and how the author describes the setting. And another key moment is the relationship with her parents. I felt her emotions and why she thought that way, why she did not want to ask them for help. Also, I liked some of Isla's character traits and some of them were absolutely annoying. But I liked how her character developed throughout the storyline. Overall, this book has pros and cons like life has. This book tells you that it is very significant to find the person that will love you with all your flaws.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book. It has everything I love in a romance novel. It was hilarious, adorable, with just the right amount of spice. The main character was so relatable. The writing style was super enjoyable; not too wordy, with a good amount of dialogue. Isla is a lovable, yet chaotic human trying to find her way into the world and enters quite the interesting journey with such an unexpected person. Whenever I picked up this book I could not stop laughing or smiling. Overall it was a fantastic book and I cannot wait to purchase the final copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Very cute rom-com! I flew through this book! It was a fun and quick read that I couldn’t put down!

Isla is over educated and can’t find a job. She finds herself homeless so she decides she will stay at her brothers place since he’s out of town for a month. When she gets there, she finds her brothers best friend, Cade staying there as well. She starts housesitting to help with debt and having a place to stay and Cade sees her lounging by a pool at a mansion one day.
Cade and Isla strike a deal. He will keep Isla's secret from her family if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at his company's corporate events. Simple enough until feelings become obvious.

Isla and Cade were relatable characters with great chemistry. I loved reading about their childhood past and then watching their relationship grow!

This book had some hilarious scenes, a little spice, and was overall a really enjoyable read!

📘: Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl
🗓 Pub Date: August 15, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Sonia Hartl, and Alcove Press for this ARC!

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

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

I loved this book.

Really, I did.

No ifs or buts.

This story follows Isla (what a cool name) as she is trying to dig herself out of some financial trouble by house-sitting and her childhood friend Cade, who knows her secret and promises to keep it - if she pretends to be his girlfriend at his work events.

Pros:
1. Both these characters are flawed - but you still root for them
2. Friends to lovers trope
3. Delves into issues not often spoken about - student debt, emotionally abusive parents

Cons:
1. I hate to say this, i really do - but the Epilogue felt a teensy bit flat for me. But it's a really small con, i promise

Read this book - fall in love with these characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book.

3.75 stars, rounded up.

A cute, quick read with just the right amount of spice. I started off unsure of whether I would like the book or not because let me tell you, I did not like Isla at all for the first few chapters. I am so glad I kept going though because her character development really came through (even though I still wanted to grab her by the shoulders, shake her, and yell at her to stop being so stubborn/to make better decisions until the end haha).

I loved the flashbacks to Cade and Isla's childhood. Seeing how they grew up together added more to the story. I love a good enemies to lovers trope and I felt like this one did it well without it being too forced like some can be.

The only reason I didn't give this a full 4 stars was because the whole miscommunication to add drama plot points is just so overdone and takes away from the story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mein Leseerlebnis

Das Buchcover ist toll und der Klappentext hörte sich frisch sowie spannend an, daher habe ich zugegriffen und mich aufs Lesen der Liebesgeschichte gefreut.

Den Einstieg in den Roman fand ich dann auch einnehmend und gut. Isla befindet sich in einer miesen Situation und ich fand die Momente, in denen sie systemkritisch ist, wirklich erfrischend. Ich habe zunächst gerne mehr über ihr Leben erfahren.

Doch je länger die Geschichte andauerte umso klarer wurde für mich, dass ich die Charaktere insgesamt ganz nett, aber nicht komplett überzeugend und faszinierend fand. Gerade Cade und Islas Bruder wirkten auf mich nicht lebendig genug .

Der Verlauf der Liebesgeschichte war ok und nett, konnte mich aber auch nicht komplett überzeugen. Beim Lesen war ich selten voll emotional involviert.

Die Geschichte um Islas Eltern wirkte auf mich gerade im letzten Viertel zu konstruiert. Sie sollte wohl Spannung in die Geschichte bringen, fühlte sich aber eher wie ein Störfaktor an, über den ich gestolpert bin.

Alles in allem ließ sich das Buch gut lesen, hat auf mich mit Ausnahme des ersten Viertels aber einen eher blassen Eindruck hinterlassen.

🖤🖤🖤

Für wen?

Schaut euch den Klappentext und die Leseprobe an. Spricht euch beides an, spricht nichts gegen das Lesen. Solltet ihr die Charaktere insgesamt faszinierender finden als ich, könnte der Liebesroman für euch gut funktionieren.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

An okay book. Easy reading - perfect for the beach or your morning commute.

"According to some millionaire (because it was always some millionaire), I coud've had a house of my own by now if I had just quit eating avocado toast."
This quote explains perfectly why this book is not for everyone.
If you are looking for a nice, funny romance you are not going to find it here; the story between the main characters is enjoyable, but not the best I've read so far, their actions (or better, Isla's actions) are often annoying and childish.
So why give it 4 stars you'll wonder. That's because this book just hit me right in the feels, not for the romance, but for everything that goes on all around that.
Being a millennial in this world is not easy, we have to survive with minimum wage while the price for everyhing just increases, having to decide which is the right choice between keeping struggling or asking for our parent's help (if we can); that while everyone reminds you that "at your age I already had a house and 5 kids", feeling hopeless because you can't even afford to pay rent for a room, let alone an entire appartment.
If then like Isla you grew up with someone that with the "I'm just joking" kept reminding you every mistake you made, asking for help is pretty much impossible, until it's just unevitable.
So yeah, if you want a look on how the life of pretty much everyone in that age range is going this is the perfect book, you have the hard truth sugarcoated with a really cutesy romance.

With all that said, the writing style was very fluid, and reminded me a lot of Tessa Bailey's style; the romance could be improved, maybe adding some more "fake girlfriend" moments, but in the end I really liked it.

I loved Cade!! He was sweet and charming and just seemed to have so much fun whenever he was with Isla. But I didn't love that you never really see Isla at her dead end entry level job even though it's referenced alot.

Overall, this was a really cute romcom with just the right amount of spice to give you all the warm and fuzzies!! Put aside an entire day to read it as once you start you won't want to stop!!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

This was such a delight to read! From the first chapters Isla leaped off the page as a warm, headstrong character with a lot of spunk. The destitution straight after College due to crippling loans, lack of a good job and just life curve balls are handled matter of factly but at times with much needed humour. Isla running into Cade in her brother's apartment was such a hilarious scene with those tense undercurrents that always leave you wanting more.

I loved Cade too as someone who never really felt like he fit in anywhere but was safe with Seb and Isla. The complexity of his situation in trying to keep a sense of family that he loves and yet taking chances is done really well here.

The relationship Isla has with her parents could have been explained a bit more for me, maybe slightly more animosity shown. For at least half the book I wondered why she couldn’t feel comfortable enough to ask for help really from anyone. That is a smaller point in what was a well written, light and fun ‘friends to lovers’ story. Isla and Cade are characters you will want to meet!

I am thankful to #NetGalley and Alcove Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Sonia Hartl now joins Tessa Bailey on my “must read” list 4.25 stars for me.

This book was really sweet! As absolutely GRATING as I found Isla's stubbornness, I loved seeing her growth throughout the novel.

Thank you to Netgalley, Alcove Press and Sonia Hartl for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book, but it fell short for me. While I did enjoy the spice, the storyline did get a bit boring at times.

However, I did manage to finish it as I was interested to find out what happened to Isla.

I loved the idea of this book!! It was super cute but had more potential!! Looking at the cover you think it’ll be a cute rom com and I just feel it wasn’t what I was expecting!! It was a cute fast read but I feel it had more potential! Isla and Cade were cute and loved the characters!! Thanks netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a fun, light-hearted brother's best friend romantic comedy! I love the dynamic between Isla and Cade - their relationship is full of ups and downs and lots of laughs along the way. It's a fun story of hard work, grit, and love - and the reminder to never give up. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for me honest review.

This was an adorable friends to lovers/brother's bestie romance. The only thing missing for me was a little bit more backstory to understand the connection between the two MCs. There was one really good flashback, but based on they relationship, there had to have been a little bit more.

On a personal note, I thought the author did a fantastic job of describing the mess one can find themselves in when they are over educated and still can't find a fulfilling job!

Normally one of my favourite genres, I have been quite disappointed in the contemporary romances I have been reading lately, with no exception being made for this title. While Rent to Be made for quick and easy reading, I didn’t gel with the main characters the way I had hoped and so the whole novel fell flat.

I loved that Cade and Isla had known each other as children and the snippets of shared history throughout the book were lovely – Rainbow Bear – but I kinda just wanted them to grow up. Especially Isla… girlfriend you are not stuck. Fix your attitude and fix your life!

While Cade seemed like a nice enough guy, as the male lead in a romance I wanted him to be more. More dreamy, more steamy…less awkward and WAAAAY less talkative in the bedroom.

I enjoyed the secondary characters probably more than the primary ones, but again wanted more.

The friendship between Isla and Neeta started out in an interesting way but then just faded into the background with the introduction of Isla’s brother. Cade’s bosses, lovely as they were, entered the story as part of the ‘fake dating’ trope just to leave again without any real impact on the story. Isla’s parents also played bit roles but didn’t feel all that connected to the storyline either – their role merely a outlet for Isla’s angst and blame for why she couldn’t get her life together. Again girlfriend…you are a grown up or at least you should be!

All that said, this book might be something that you would enjoy. For me, however, it lacked both dimension and direction, earning it only 2.5 stars (bumped up to three because I don’t know how to do half stars).

With thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.