Pixels and Paint is a cute romance. Emma doesn’t understand art but is creating a prototype for a self guided art museum tour. Carter is an artist who doesn’t want her prototype to win the bid as he doesn’t want the emotion of the art replaced by technology. Emma asks Carter to teach her how to relate to art as she wants her prototype to win to gain the respect of her artistic family.

This was an enjoyable read. The characters were a bit flat. In the beginning it seems like Carter is just using Emma as inspiration for his art. He doesn’t respect her point of view and just wants to change her so she appreciates art. He doesn’t seem to actually like her. He doesn’t understand her, and it seems like he’d rather change her than understand her. I liked Amy better than Carter but it feels odd that she never talked about her struggles with her family with her closest friends. Her panic to not let her twin sister see what her life is really like seems a bit exaggerated.

With that said, it was cute watching them fall in love and I did enjoy the banter between the characters.

I give this book 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

What an amazing book. I struggled in the beginning but it was well worth the effort to continue. The author reminded me that I need the people around me, I need them to be honest & I need to listen to them. Such an encouragement.

Emma doesn’t understand the life that her mother, aunt, and her twin sister love so much but she loves her family and so she tries to be someone she really isn’t and inadvertently hides herself from them.

Meeting Carter Anderson should be a one-time opportunity but instead she keeps meeting up with him, even though they are definitely at opposite ends, she is with technology, and he is an artist with his medium being painting.

I really liked the relationship between Carter and Emma, and how they bump along as they attempt to get to know each other. Their interactions with each other, friends, and family were endearing. I wasn’t sure if I would like a contemporary setting from Kristi Ann Hunter from her usual historical/regency fare and, while I didn’t think it was amazing, I did really like the character development and that is something I have always enjoyed from Ms. Hunters regency novels, and I think with time they will only get better. Overall, Pixels and Paints was worth my time.

My gratitude to Netgalley and Independent Book Publisher Association. All opinions expressed are mine.

"Pixels and Paint" by Kristi Ann Hunter is a clean contemporary romance that filled me with happiness.

Emma's family has no idea that Emma doesn't love the same things that they do. She's a backend developer who is amazing at her job, but because it "lacks creativity" she never seems good enough in the eyes of her fanshion and design focused family.

Carter is an artist stuck in a rut until he sees Emma pretending to be something she's not, and now she is all he can think about.

Eventually these two come together without any crazy misunderstandings or contrivances. It was really refreshing to see two characters talk and decide that they would like to persue a relationship like adults!

Both characters have something to learn from each other and Emma's growth towards the end of the novel was so satisfying. Both leads have their own flaws and issues that aren't skated over, but both of them work on these things independently rather than because of their relationship.

Overall this was a really satisfying and grown up romance that I really enjoyed.

This book was really adorable. A quick read, but a refreshing one! I loved the true-to-life conversations between the characters and the author’s ability to add in witty jokes here and there. This is the perfect contemporary romance for someone searching for a quick, wholesome, non-spicy book!

While I found the RomCom to be cute, it did not quite align with my personal taste. The story felt a bit slow in the beginning, and there were a few moments that I did not fully enjoy or understand. Additionally, there seemed to be a miscommunication. While I believe that there is an audience that will truly love the story, it, unfortunately, did not resonate with me.

Thank you Netgalley and the Author for the eARC.

Thank you to Kristi Ann Hunter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Pixels and Paint" by Kristi Ann Hunter is a delightful and heartwarming rom-com that takes you on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected love. Emma Trinket, a talented computer programmer, finds herself torn between her family's expectations and her own passions. When she meets Carter Anderson, an artist whose inspiration is waning, their worlds collide in the most unexpected ways. The contrasting interests of the main characters bring a unique dynamic to their relationship, and their gradual transformation from strangers to friends to something more is beautifully portrayed. The author's skillful character development and witty dialogue make the story come alive, drawing you into Emma and Carter's world. As they navigate the challenges of merging their differing worlds, you'll find yourself rooting for their love to triumph. With its clean and Christian undertones, this book is a refreshing and enjoyable read, perfect for fans of contemporary romance. "Pixels and Paint" is a testament to the power of love, art, and finding one's true self.

This was such a fun rom-com! Emma has a twin sister but it's like they are living in separate worlds. I felt a little sad for Emma as she had to change herself and her appearance to fit in with her family. Carter was quite the character as well and it was so interesting to watch Carter and Emma interact. I can't wait for the next book in the series.



Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

This dual-pov book was a sweet one to read. The stark contrasts of the interests of the FMC and MMC brought an interesting dynamic to their relationship. Both Emma and Carter bend for each other and shift to fit. My favorite line from this book was Carter thinking to himself about Emma going from "something interesting to someone essential." *so sweet* I'm not always a fan of the third act break-up and miscommunication tropes so the ending was not as enjoyable as I would have liked. However, Carter finds his mojo for painting again and uses it to communicate to Emma just how much he cares. A good read!

ARC in exchange for a review.
This was a really cute story! Very typical of a cute romance with a cartoon cover, there is absolutely no spice so its great if you are looking for more of a clean-contemporary read. The character development was great and I absolutely loved the way the author handled the progression of their relationship but I will say that the beginning half was veryyy slow moving, as I read more I began enjoying it more.
There were a few moments that I didn't quite enjoy nor understand, some editing is needed as well as I spotted a few spelling errors throughout! Looking forward to seeing what book #2 will entail

I enjoy a chick lit/rom com book to read, if for no other reason, simply to read something that I don’t need to think too much to follow the story etc. This book is that, and more.

I thought the character development was well done. I liked how it wasn’t one character that needed to look at how their issues/world view/upbringing impacted their relationship. I enjoyed the development of Emma and Carter’s relationship that didn’t feel clichéd or forced. I really liked how I could hear Kristi Ann Hunter’s humour come through her writing (I follow her on Instagram, don’t know her personally, and love her sense of humour, faith and perspective that she shares)

This is a fun read, with more layers than the usual offering that this genre usually provides.

Emma Trinket has never met the standards of what she thinks her mom and sister expect her to be. She exists in their world but doesn't feel like she is herself there.

She's a tech geek and the world of art makes no sense to her--which means, of course, that Carter is an artist. She and Carter come to realize that although they work with different materials, they are both creators.

If you want a clean Christian romance then this is the book for you.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC and for the chance to review this book.

A cute story! A good mix of heart and humor. I found it to be a lighthearted read. The storyline wasn’t my absolute favorite, but it was still enjoyable. The characters were well developed and their chemistry was good. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Well, that was just adorable. I loved seeing Emma and Carter go from two people who seemingly don't quite fit one another to friends to even more. Their relationship progression was written so well, and everything about them felt natural and organic. I loved it so much. I'd give five enthusiastic stars just for them. (I also would give five stars for Richie. He was hilarious.)

One thing that didn't quite work for me was when Amy got so upset with Emma to the point of not speaking to her. I didn't totally understand why that happened. Was it because of Emma's choice in clothing? Is that such a huge sin? I really don't know, and it confused me. I don't think it really added anything to the story.

Despite that, I pretty much adored this book. It started out with me wondering how those two opposites would ever work as a couple, but then their relationship growth was written so well that any doubts I'd had at the beginning were totally forgotten. I'd recommend this to any lover of clean contemporary romance that has some really great funny moments along the way. I laughed out loud on numerous occasions.

I did notice some typos in the uncorrected proof, but I'm sure those will he taken care of prior to publication. These included a moment when Emma took off her watch. The word "of" is used instead of "off." At one point, there was also "eever" instead "ever", and "woouldn't" instead of "wouldn't." I do also think a little more tightening and polishing of some sentences throughout would make this book even better.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC and for the opportunity to review this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

3.5 stars. A strong departure from historical fiction. There were a lot of things I liked here- the art, the fashion, and the main characters growth. I didn’t feel very connected to the characters and a lot of the book was slow moving. I’m a little torn over it, so I say 3.5 stars

Pixels and Paint by Kristi Ann Hunter
The main characters in this story are Christian, the version of Christianity that does not believe in sex before marriage. The Christian God, and the Bible make several appearances. I haven't read this author before, and the summary did not paint this as a Christian romance. I didn't have any issue with it, it wasn't heavy handed, but if you don't want to read a Christian romance, move to the next story on your TBR.

Things I am here for:
Women in tech! Emma is at the top of her field, other large firms want to poach her, she has the skills!
Discussions around art, it's meaning, it's ability to pull emotions out of people, why is it so pompous, not actually connecting with art. So much to think about.
Carter bending his rigid rules to bring Emma into his life, into his space.
When in doubt, use the quintessential IT trick, turn it off and turn it back on again.
I adored Emma's internal and external dialogue. Eyes are round little liars, pushing Jason in front of a bicycle, what is this bench made of? Being grud.
All of the side characters were wonderful, Frank, Maddox & Gloria, Jason, Trina, Emma's whole firm. Wonderful!

This is an ARC, so this might not make it into the final draft, but one of my favorite highlights was this:
"Go code a pumpkin or whatever needs to happen to make this fairytale work.”

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

I loved this book so much! The characters became so special to me and I felt like I was in the book with them! I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who will listen!

I would give this book ten stars if I could!!! What a charming and sweet and funny and relatable and interesting book!! I thought Ms Hunters Regency books were my favorite but with her foray into contemporary fiction she knocked it out of the park!!

This book is a departure for the author, Kristi Ann Hunter, into contemporary inspirational fiction from her previously written regency era novels. I think it was a wonderful read with fabulous character development and dialogue. The first half of the book is slow moving but I enjoyed the progression of their relationship from professional interest to more romantic. I had difficulty relating to these two characters and their objections to each others view of art since I can appreciate both views. Although this novel focused on Carter and Emma, I was drawn to Jason and I hope he gets his own story.

A completely satisfying rom-com from Kristi Ann Hunter. An automatic read author for me with her captivating historical novels, this foray into contemporary storytelling captures the true spectrum of her writing talents.

Emma is a quirky, can’t help but love her, mishmash of contradictions. She’s a brilliant computer programmer who just can’t see what all the fuss is regarding art. What could be seen as a difference in interests is actually a web of deceit since her family is immersed in the art world. Oh, and the super handsome guy she’s totally falling for is an artist.

Carter agrees to teach Emma how to appreciate art, or at least understand what all the fuss is all about. Along the way, they each get a glimpse into the other’s world and creative processes. I love the dialogues that come out of this discovery.

I want to tell you what I really loved about this story, but that will take away some of the experience as you read it. I will say, Carter knows how to see Emma and all of her many facets. He appreciates her. He has things to learn, but oh my, he’s quite the romantic.

The supporting characters….Amy, Jason, Trina, Frank, and Carter’s grandparents all bring the right perspectives and personalities to keep the story balanced. It’s funny, emotional, lighthearted, and still managed to squeeze some tears out me. The life lessons that encourage personal and relational growth were actually really powerful.

I absolutely recommend this fresh, contemporary, rom-com to those who enjoy funny, clean, romantic stories that pack an emotional punch and leave your heart satisfied.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.