This was a really cute romance. I highly enjoyed this story. This may be the first novel I have read by Jaci Burton but it won't be my last! Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!

This didn't do it for me. I felt the story and characters were both ridiculous, and there was zero depth to it, which made me zero invested in it. The only reason I finished and rate this 2 stars is because I flew through the book thanks to the great writing style. But this is not a book I can recommend, unfortunately.

An entertaining lighthearted story perfect for vacation reading. 
Recently divorced mother of two Natalie is enjoying the freedom to be herself after so many years of being repressed by her ex-husband.  Her sister's brother-in-law Eugene, young, handsome, single stirs her libido and she's ready to exercise her sexual freedom with an affair.  
Eugene is intrigued by Natalie and soon falls in love with her two children and the family's newly acquired pet.  His persistence and charm will finally wear Natalie down especially since he seems to be in the right place to come to her help when she needs it.
Natalie is an interior designer, and he hires her to help him with his newly acquired house which just happens to be in her neighborhood. Eugene is really not ready to settle down and Natalie is definitely not, but fate has a way of working things out when true love is concerned.  I thoroughly enjoyed this entirely predictable, fun, slightly younger guy romance.

Eugene and Natalie are different than a lot of romance characters. Natalie is a really good designer and Eugene has found success building video games. He is fun, interested in her children, her brother-in-law's brother and really into Natalie. She likes him but worries about her recently being divorced, his younger age, his happily bachelor status. Can these two find happiness? What challenges must they overcome?

While the story was interesting enough, the characters failed to grab me in this book. Natalie and Eugene were likable but their relationship didn't woo me. Natalie's ex-husband starts out being a stereotypical jerk then changed course and turned out ok but there was no real aha moment where he changed. I did like that Natalie was won over by Eugene's persistent and sweet pursuit and that he respected her career supporting her 100%..

The progression of the story was good and there were enough stressors between these two to test their relationship. That made the story more fun to read.

I liked the book but wanted just a little bit more - more interesting characters, more intense situations, more tension.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I always count on Jaci Burton for fun characters with lots of chemistry. Eugene and Natalie didn't work on paper, but did in reality. The conflict/climax was a little underwhelming, but overall an enjoyable story.

Natalie, an interior designer, is finally settled with her 2 kids after her divorce. She’s not interested in dating until she meets Eugene, a handsome video game designer whose older brother lives with Natalie’s sister.
Eugene checks all of Natalie’s boxes, and he loves her kids. However, Natalie can’t get past their age difference, Eugene is younger and Natalie has mixed feelings about his age. However, their chemistry is off the charts and he makes her, and her kids, very happy.

This is a cute read that I recommend, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of a this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed Linc and Hazel's book, Housebroke and was curious about what the author had planned for Linc's brother, Eugene. At the time I had no idea that plan included Hazel's (then married) sister, Natalie. However, once Natalie and Eugene hit the page in Designs on You and their chemistry was obvious, I was totally on board. Eugene was a sweetheart and Natalie deserved a happy, fulfilling relationship on equal footing after exiting her toxic marriage.

One of the traits that I most enjoyed about Eugene was his respect and support of Natalie in all facets of her life. I loved how he lifted her up time after time, how he respected her design opinions and her parenting decisions, and especially how determined he was to do special things just for her. So different from her ex-husband. I also loved Eugene's relationship with her children. His scenes with them were among my favorites in the book.

Natalie had a more significant growth arc. Her ex did a real number on her self esteem and some of the emotional baggage that exited her marriage with her spilled over onto her relationship with Eugene. I cheered her on as she continued to pursue the career she was denied during her marriage. I appreciated how hard she worked to ensure her children were happy and had a healthy, loving relationship with their father, even if she wasn't his biggest fan. But she had a lot of growing to do when it came to a healthy work/family/relationship balance in her life. She continued to evolve and eventually reached a point where I felt like she and Eugene could finally meet on equal footing and create a happy, loving, and long-lasting family together.

One of the facets of this story that didn't work for me was the emphasis on the age difference between Natalie and Eugene, in particular from Natalie's perspective. It's used as justification for a number of her opinions/decisions throughout the book. So how big is this huge age gap that has an almost 34-year-old woman treating a successful, financially-secure, sexy, committed man like a teenager who doesn't know his own mind? Three years. Three. Years. I understand the need for conflict, and if Eugene had been, say, ten years younger it would have made sense but the almost non-stop emphasis on three years being insurmountable threw me out of the story more than it drew me in.

While there were a couple issues that detracted from my overall enjoyment of Designs on You, for the most part it was a satisfying read with multi-faceted characters I could root for, endearing kids, adorable dogs, relatable family dynamics, and a hard-won happy ending. It can stand on its own but for a better understanding of all characters and their backgrounds, I would recommend reading Housebroke first.

ARC received from publisher
Fair and unbiased review

The h is a divorced mother of two. She meets the H , who is her sister’s fiancé’s brother She is hesitant to get involved with him because he is younger and she has children. She gets to know him better and sees how he interacts with her children, and decides to take a chance with him.
I got an ARC from net galley

I feel bad giving this 2⭐️ but I genuinely disliked both main characters and their problems..

The 5 year age gap was brought up A LOT by her that I’m not sure why she even continued seeing him. Their whole relationship was just bizarre.

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review with my honest opinion.*

Jaci Burton is a one click author for me and I LOVE her sports romances but for some reason, I didn’t love this one that much. I found myself…really bored? I liked the idea of it more than the execution, unfortunately.

Designs on You by Jaci Burton was a fun-filled contemporary romance with many different storylines tying everything together. Eugene and Natalie took center stage; it was a rollicking good time.

Eugene and Natalie have a five-year age gap, and Eugene’s brother is engaged to Natalie’s sister. What could possibly go wrong? Natalie has two kids and an ex to contend with, but they both add flavor to the tale. There are some steamy moments, sometimes in inappropriate locations. Burton paints a vivid description of the surroundings, making me feel like I was there.

There are a few unexpected moments and several laugh-out-loud moments. As with many romcoms, communication issues are at the forefront but are eventually resolved through love and patience. Watching the couple get to know each other on several levels was fun. There is closure and a chance for a happily ever after, but the book ended abruptly for me, and an epilogue would have been welcomed.

Designs on You is a contemporary romance set in Florida with very likable characters. Sit back with a cold drink and see what high jinks Eugene and Natalie get up to!

The review has been posted on NovelsAlive.

Designs on You by Jaci Burton is a sweet romantic novel. We meet Natalie Parker, who is divorced, with two young children, (7year old Cammie and 4year old Christopher); her and her ex-husband share custody of the children. Natalie has a job doing interior design, as she works with another woman and loves her job. Her sister asks her to help design her new home, where she lives with Linc: as well as a number of sheltering dogs.
At dinner in her sister’s Hazel house, she meets Linc’s younger brother Eugene, who is a few years younger than Natalie. At first Natalie wants nothing to do with Eugene, as she feels he is too young for her; but Eugene finally persuades her to agree to a date. Natalie finds herself fighting off her attraction to Eugene, as he is determined to win her over, especially with the sparks between them, giving in to their instant chemistry. Natalie worries about the age difference between them, and Eugene, not caring about the short difference age, finds himself falling deeply in love with Natalie.
Eugene has Linc fixing up his new house, and he convinces Natalie to do the interior design. She agrees and they slowly add all new furniture and designs, making both very happy, as their feelings start getting serious.
I really like the romance between Natlie and Eugene, despite worry about their age difference. Eugene was great with Natalie’s kids, and was always there for her when needed. The kids were great, and I loved their new adopted dog, Grizelda. Their romance escalated, especially when her ex-husband had the kids for the weekend, and they would spend time together, with the heat between them sizzling. I also like the relationship between Hazel and Linc, as they were living together, and the four of them spent lots of time together.

Natalie was determined to break things up with Eugene, since she thought he was better off finding someone closer to his age; but she finds it difficult, as she knows she loves him. Eugene is loved by his brother, by Natalie’s children, as well as Hazel and their mother. Natalie realizes that she is running out of reasons to leave, as she is the only person holding her back.
Designs on You is a sweet heartwarming romance, with a terrific couple that are destined to be together. Designs on You is so very well written by Jaci Burton. I really enjoyed this book. I suggest you read Designs on You.

Interior designer Natalie Parker has had enough of men and feeling like she's not heard or appreciated. This divorcee has two adorable children and a resurrected career. Though with children around which makes life hectic she's able to get some me time in without her husband's demands anymore.
Yeah, she's an interior designer and can't resist the chance to pop over to her sisters and look at her backyard of her new house and give a few tips on decorating and styling it. Not counting on seeing the most gorgeous man alive there, Eugene the brother of her sister's boyfriend.
Telling herself she's not getting involved in another relationship is like telling the grass not to grow. Shortly after meeting the book takes on an instalove theme between the characters Eugene and Natalie. Things get spicy pretty quickly, but the book does have some substance to it. It's a feel-good fun book, not one to be taken seriously but a great relaxation book when you don't want a heavy read. The relationship goes through its ups and downs, some growing pains and some things that need ironed out. I loved the addition of the two children and how much page time they had in book and how they were made to feel like important characters.
A book I enjoyed a lot.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I was really looking forward to Natalie's story. We meet both her and Eugene in Housebroken as they are brother and sister of the main characters in that book. When you first meet Natalie, she is going through an unhappy marriage that has made her both stressed and a bit of a bitch. You understand with all she's going through, but she wasn't always likeable. You also meet Eugene and think of him as kind of a playboy.

What I love about meeting characters in prior books is that until you are reading their story you don't really know who they are. You learn how Natalie's crappy marriage really pulled her under and caused her to feel like she wasn't anything more than a mom and wife. Her husband didn't really respect her and treated her like she was less than. I liked seeing a happy Natalie. She is a hardworking mom who loves her kids and family.

You also learn much more about Eugene. Turns out he's a workaholic who often gets lost in his job. You also see how much responsibility he has at his job. He seemed kind of carefree a man that lived for the next party but really, he's not like that at all. He's a very hardworking guy who cares about those around him.

I really enjoyed the story and watching Natalie and Eugene fall in love. I liked how sweet he is to her kids and her. They work together even if it took them a while to figure that out. I did feel at times Natalie worried about too much. She seemed to be taking her feelings from her first marriage and mixing it with this relationship. They are two different men and her relationship with each of them will be different.

You don't have to read Housebroken first because neither book is considered part of a series, but I will say that you meet these characters in it and the characters from that book play a big part in this one. I'd read them in order just to enjoy them more.

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Natalie and Eugene are both designers. She is an interior designer and he is a video game designer. She is a divorced mom trying to get her life on track and he is her sister’s, boyfriend’s younger brother. Natalie keeps coming up with reasons why Eugene isn’t any good for her but the only thing standing in her way is herself. This was a fun one with a good cast of characters.
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Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book. These opinions are my own.

Natalie is a single mom who has recently started pursuing a career as an interior designer. Linc is her sister's boyfriend's brother, so they are thrown together a lot. When he buys a new house, he asks her to assist with the design.

This was a sweet, low angst romance. There's lots of magical travel that made me wistful for similar getaways. And there are great interactions with her two children. I enjoyed reading about his roller coaster design and would love the opportunity to ride the roller coaster. And of course, I loved all the many dogs.

This was a pleasant book that took me to another place for a bit.

Rounded up to 4 stars

When newly divorced Natalie finds herself agreeing to decorate her sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s new place, she’s thrilled to have a new project. What she’s not so thrilled about is Eugene and the attraction they share. While she does not want to get into another relationship, there’s no harm in a little fun. There’s no denying that Eugene’s enamored by Natalie and more than ready for a good time but he has to convince her he’s in for more than just a little fun.

I always enjoy Jaci Burton’s books so I knew that I was in for a good time but I was a bit worried as Natalie wasn’t a favorite of mine in the previous book. Thankfully, she’s changed in this one.

Natalie’s been through some things and she’s trying to figured out who she is and what direction she’s taking with her life. She’s starting a new career, healing things with her sister and mother, and trying raise two young children on her own. She’s also determined not to enter into another relationship. Natalie has a lot of fight and determination in her and, while it’s not a bad thing, it seems to interfere with her happiness at times.

Eugene’s easy to like, which surprised me given his job as a video game designer. I’ve known a few game designers who have been very immature so I wasn’t expecting a lot of maturity from Eugene, so I was pleasantly surprised at how adult he was and how eager he was to enter into a relationship with a single parent. He’s just a fun, charming, family-first guy but I don’t feel that we really go to know Eugene down to his core.

There’s no denying there was chemistry from the start and they fit perfectly into each other lives but Natalie was cautious, which I understood. What I struggled with was how much Natalie was in her own head. Every time something great would happen between the two of them, Natalie would start an inner monologue of why they wouldn’t work. She also made too big a deal out of the fact he was younger than her but it was only 5 years, which I don’t feel is a major difference. I also found the conflict lacking, as it could have been settle with a conversation, which is something I’ve noticed in several of her romances.

I’m on the fence about rating this one. I think I’m going to settle on a 3.5. While I liked this one, I don’t feel that it was a romance but rather a women’s lit with a side of romance due to all the issues Natalie was going through. I also feel like too much of book took place in Natalie’s head.

Overall, I do recommend this one. I enjoyed it but it did have its issues.

Cute story. I didn't realize that it was connected to a previous story I read by her called Housebroke but since I enjoyed that one I am not sad about it. Short chapters, which I like, and realistic plot lines.

Overall 4 stars

I like the cute rom-com cover on this book, but it’s not a rom-com. The book is a low-angst escape.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

The premise sounded fun and I wanted to like this one. But everything was just PERFECT and HAPPY and there was zero tension, ever. It was basically just a book about what they ate for every meal. I found the FMC to be kind of annoying. She complained about her ex all the time and while he may have been a bad partner for her, he really did seem to be a dad who was trying to do better. She was also really hung up on the “major age gap” between her and the new love interest, Eugene. It was a three year age gap, which at one point, the FMC tried to say it was almost a 5 year difference. But if you’re looking for light, fluffy, with no conflict, this is a book for you.
2 stars.