Hmmmmmmm, what to say. I’m going to give this a 3.5 rating. I was given the opportunity to read Catch a Wave as an ARC book a few months ago and now I have been given the opportunity to read Resorting to Romance also as an ARC copy. I mentioned in my review of Catch a Wave that I hadn’t read the first two books of the series (and I still haven’t gotten around to it) but that it wasn’t necessary as Catch a Wave truly could be read as a stand alone book. The same doesn’t exactly apply for Resorting to Romance. I really do think you need to at least read Catch a Wave before reading this book as there are a lot of details and plot points that are continuations. While we do have a lot of Ben, Summer, Cam and Reilly in this book, and I would have benefited from reading the first two books of the series to have more background information on them, it’s not mandatory.

As for the story. Savannah is a closed door writer. No problem there as I do enjoy reading these more toned down books occasionally. However, I felt that this book was a VERY SLOW burn. I think Kala and Bodhi’s story was also slow burn but not as slow as this one. I mean, we had to wait until 90% of the book for the to say anything to each other. Any kiss before that was Kai and Mila were all part of the ploy and lie they were portraying. I had been waiting since Catch a Wave for them to get together.

Here we basically have Kai, a retired professional surfer, who now manages the water activities hut on the island of Marbella and older brother of Kailane. He is in his early 30’s and is lonely but not interested in random hook-ups with anyone from the small community on Marbella island. Mila is a single mother who owns an inn or small bed and breakfast on the island. She has a 7 year old son, Noah, and is divorced. Her husband, they were childhood sweethearts, divorced her when she became pregnant because they had agreed they didn’t want children. Kai and Mila became friends when Kai moved to the island and he helps her out with handy work around the inn and is a surrogate uncle to Noah. There has always been a small attraction between the two but either have ever acted upon it. Well, now Mila’s ex-husband is back on the island for business purposes and because he has learned from his mistakes and wants to get to know his son. Mila is scared she may lose her son and that her ex may try to win her back as well. Kai steps in as the fake boyfriend but their real feelings eventually become too strong. They each hold back for fear of what Noah may think and that it may be too many changes in his life all at once.

The premise of the story is cute and understandable. However, I don’t like when stories have a fear of communication or lack of communication trope. The characters automatically assume what others think or want and they end up losing so much time stressing over the potential outcomes of a hypothetical relationship rather than take the leap to experience a real one.

This was the perfect book to take along on my cruise for the days when I could relax and just savor a good story. I especially loved Mila, the character who was dumped by her husband when he learned that she was pregnant. She handled that rejection in an admirable way, is raising a wonderful 7 year old son, and she is running her B&B and all it entails with skill and grace and a little help from her dear friend, Kai. Kai and Mila both wanted to keep their relationship friends only but when Mila’s ex showed up wanting to see his son and possibly rekindle his relationship with Mila, Kai stepped in as Mila’s fake boyfriend to warn him off. It was fun to see how this slow burn romance developed into more. This was my first time to read a book from the Love Trippin’ series; It was such a pleasure that now I want to go back and read the earlier books. Very enjoyable! I received a complimentary copy and this voluntary review contains my honest opinions.

Savannah Scott once again hits it out of park with her newest romance novel: Resorting to Romance. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance featuring one of my favorite tropes: fake dating.

Mila’s husband walked out on her when he found out she was pregnant. Now nearly seven years later she is a single mother doing her best to raise her son Noah. While not exactly totally happy, she’s at least content in her life. She’s running an inn and with Noah as the center of her world, she’s feels her plate is more or less full and has more or less decided romance just isn’t in the cards for her…not at present anyway. But when her husband suddenly shows back up on the island with plans of open a business and wanting to now be a part of Noah’s life…and possibly hers once again, Kai, her best friend, jumps into action, pretending to be her boyfriend, hoping it will get him to back off and leave Mila alone. Of course on a small island like Marbella news travels fast, and soon everyone thinks they are actually dating. And it’s a charade they have to keep up less Mila’s ex find out the truth. In true romance fashion, Mila and Kai are both crazy about each other but are unwilling to admit it to each other nevermind admit it to themselves. This is a heartwarming romance that also touches on serious issues of single motherhood as well as addressing the issue of reintroducing a child to a father he’s never known. While this is the 4th book in the Love Trippin’ series, as with the other books in the series it can be easily read as a stand alone. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Savannah Scott’s Resorting to Romance.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1GO41611NMKBR/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Resorting to Romance was a heartwarming read. The characters are so relatable. I have not read the previous books in the series. In fact, this is my first book by Savannah Scott. But I can tell this is the type of series I love — where we get updates on characters from previous stories in the series. All seem to be delightful individuals, each with their own very unique personality.

Mila is a single mom with a seven year old son, Noah. I love that Mila is a strong woman without seeming hardor unapproachable. I could relate to her wisdom in choosing not to date while raising her son. Noah is delightful and comes across as a typical funny suite boy, his age.

Kai is a somewhat serious, responsible (swoony!) man who has been a close friend of Myla and “unko” to Noah for the past four years.

Mila‘s ex-husband shows up after deserting her seven years ago (after finding out that she is pregnant) and expresses his regrets and his desire to get to know Noah. However, it is also obvious that he hopes to win back Mila.

Kai sees this happening and jumps into the middle of it in his desire to ‘support’ and rescue Mila. However, it slowly dawns on Kai, and on Mila, that there is a much deeper emotion growing — but each of them is unsure of how the other is feeling.

It’s a beautiful, slow burn romance with the most delightful HEA.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley with the request that I submit an honest opinion. Above is indeed, my honest opinion on this book. I highly recommend it.

Love, Love, Love this book so much Kai and Mila are couples goals for sure and how can you not love them together with the dog and kid and an island its pretty great. I love all of her books and this one is no exception

My Favorite in the Series!

This story was absolutely adorable! When Mila’s ex-husband comes back into the picture, wanting a relationship with their son, Kai steps in as a buffer to help her keep Brad from looking for another rekindled relationship. This fake relationship was so sweet because of the years long friendship Mila and Kai already had. I loved every considerate moment, and the way Kai loved her son. He was there for all of the good and the bad. Swoon!

This is the review I posted to my instagram account on July 3, 2024:

What a cute beach town romance read! I loved that I knew exactly what I was getting into. Savannah starts off with letting her readers know what they are getting into and any content they should be aware of. Thank you!!! Resorting to Romance is a sweet single mom fake dating romcom. I was not ready for how loveable all the characters were- especially Chloe and Noah!!! They made me laugh and smile so many times! I haven’t read the entire Love Trippin series and I didn’t feel lost once. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌴Life is full of surprises. Some of them will actually sweep you off your feet. Don’t miss them. They may be standing right in front of you. 🌴

Thank you @victoryeditingngc and @savannahscott_author for a copy of Resorting to Romance.

I truly wanted to like this book more than I did. This is my first book I’ve read by this author. Her writing style didn’t speak to me… often phrases were used like “he looked at me like a man looks at a woman”. The stakes were very low and unrealistic in this fake dating romance.

If you’re looking for a sweet, easy read with little to no stakes, this would be a good fit for you. I wanted a little more substance.

Resorting to Romance is the fourth book in Savannah Scott’s Love Trippin’ series, which takes place on Marbella Island, California. It is a sequel to Are We There Yet?, A Fish Out of Water, and Catch A Wave but can easily be read as a stand-alone. The Marbella Island location was also used in A Not So Fictional Fall. Resorting to Romance is a closed-door friends-to-lovers, fake-dating romantic comedy. The story is told in alternating POV from Mila and Kai.

Mila is the owner of a bed-and-breakfast and a single mother to a seven-year-old son, Noah. Her husband abandoned her when she was pregnant, so her friends and aunts rallied around her. Now her ex-husband has returned to Marbella Island, wanting to re-enter their lives. Fortunately, her best friend, Kai, offers to be her pretend boyfriend to allow her time to figure out what she wants to do about Brad.
All the island residents love Mila, Noah, and Kai, so they encourage their romance. However, Mila is afraid of messing up her friendship with Kai. The journey from friends to more is rocky at times, especially with Brad in the picture. Mila’s aunts add extra humor to the story with their matchmaking antics.

Mila and Kai are more mature than the characters in the earlier Love Trippin’ stories. The realism of the storyline will appeal to readers, who can appreciate Kai’s patience and Mila’s self-determination. The scenes between Noah and Kai are as precious as the ones between Mila and Kai. Resorting to Romance is a must-read closed-door rom-com for 2024.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved this sweet friend's to more fake dating romcom. No Swears, no alcohol, non-descrptive kissing only.

Resorting to Romance is the fourth book in the Love Trippin’ Series, though I read this one as a standalone, I didn’t have any trouble understanding the storyline or the characters. Now I need to go back and read the first 3 books!

Kai is a surf instructor at the local resort and Mila owns an Inn called "Mila's Place". She is a single mom with a spunky 7 year old son, Noah. Her ex-husband left the minute he found out she was pregnant, so she has been raising Noah by herself all this time. Living on a small island, Kai and Mila have been friends for a while, so when Mila's ex-husband comes back in town full of regrets, Kai steps in and pretends that he's Mila's boyfriend and the fake dating begins. Kai and Mila have so much chemistry from the beginning and were so sweet together. He always makes her feel safe, cared for and protected without being over-bearing. Kai is so sweet with Noah too! I loved how Kai always encouraged Noah when he was teaching Noah to surf. It was the sweetest! It was definitely a slower burn... but perfect for these two.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Another great release from Savannah Scott! I’ve just about read all now (just one more Bordeaux and her Sweater Weather title and I’m caught up), and they’re all fantastic. She’s a great author and definitely a “one-click” for me.

I’ve totally enjoyed the whole Road Trippin’ series - all of these characters are so much fun and I love that they all keep appearing throughout the entire series. I’m glad we finally get Kai and Mila’s story. I wasn’t sure how it would come together, but Kai stepping in to pretend to be her new boyfriend when her loser ex husband decided he should finally move back to the island and meet the 7-year old son he abandoned the moment he found out he was going to be a father… yeah, it’s kinda perfect.

Kai and Mila were perfect friends and each had feelings for each other, but they both didn’t want to make the move to more, to ruin their perfect friendship if the other didn’t want it. The appearance of dead-beat Brad was just the right trigger for pushing them together and the fake dating that was only supposed to fool Brad started the island rumor mill machine and ended up causing these friends to have to spend more time fake dating than expected, only hiding the relationship from her son, Noah… who always thought of Kai like an uncle.

This awesome sweet and swoony romcom has the best tropes - my top fave, fake relationship, but also small town, friends to lovers, single mom, hotel workers, and surfer. There’s also all the previous meddling characters we fell in love with before, making many appearances. Another great recommendation from me - if you’re a Scott fan, you’re going to love this one! If you’re a fan of any of the other Sweater Weather authors (or other great sweet and swoony, closed door authors), you’ll definitely want to grab this book!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and this is my honest feedback

This is book four of the Love Trippin’ series. It’s a friends-to-lovers, fake dating, single mom, small-town Rom Com. This was a humorous read with just the right amount of romance. So much is going on in this book that it keeps you turning the pages. Well-developed story line and characters. It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This book has strong, well-developed characters and an interesting story line that keeps you turning the pages. This review is based on an early review copy I was sent by the publisher, but this didn't affect the content of my review that I am voluntarily providing.

Resorting to Romance by Savannah Scott was such a fun read! Single mom, fake dating, and so much heart. It was so sweet, with all the summer vibes, and it had me in my feels.

Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Resorting to Romance by Savannah Scott was written well and I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters.
I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book and I didn't want to put it down! The author captured my attention from the get go.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The ex surfing champs is everyone's favorite. When things get hard for a friend he steps on no questions asked. She has a rule no men allowed in her heart until her son is grown. Things get interesting so rules can change.
This is my first book in the love tripping series. I was expecting a rom- com so when no laugh out loud were present I was dissapointed. However it was a good contemporary romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

Absolutely delightful, laughed so hard. It was perfect! Highly engaging characters, humor, romance, family, funny friends, the three aunts, the dog, and the 7 year old son all made single mom Mila and Kai's story so fun and heartwarming. I highly recommend this fun fake-romance story!

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I was a little disoriented at the beginning of 'Resorting to Romance' by Savannah Scott as this was the first book I've read by this author. When I realized it was a series I understood that background was missing and I felt like I was missing out on inside jokes. I also was confused about the 'island' off of Oxnard that was inhabited and had great surfing beaches. Growing up in California I spent a lot off time at Catalina, but this imaginary island just threw me off. That being said, the relationship development between Mila and Kai was absolutely outstanding. The realization of feelings that eventually overcome (ridiculous in my mind) barriers to truly dating each other were tender and memorable. I am going to go back and read the earlier stories in the series so I can feel more comfortable with the background and try to get a better feel for Marbella.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Resorting to Romance is one of the best slow burn romances I've ever read. Kai and single mom Mila have been best friends for years, and he is "Unko" Kai to her precious son Noah. When the ex husband who abandoned her while she was pregnant with their son shows back up unexpectedly, wanting to reintegrate into their lives, Kai steps up to be Mila's "boyfriend" in order to shield her and buy her time to make decisions about how to proceed.

As they navigate their fake romance in front of all of Marbella Island, Kai realizes that he might have feelings for the woman he has admired as a friend for so long. The crew at the water sports shack weighs in with their usual hilarity, Mila's fairy godmothers (aunts) do a little matchmaking, and Mila's son Noah ultimately gets right to the heart of the matter with the usual straightforwardness of a 7 year old.

Tropes include:
- Island Vibes
- Friends to Lovers
- Small Town Cast of Characters
- Single Mom
- Retired Pro Surfer
- Fake Dating

This story is for all of us who have had our hearts broken, and then found a best friend to help us pick up the pieces. Almost as lovely as the romance thread in this book is the precious island community, who all root for Kai and Mila to realize what everyone else knew all along...that best friends make the best lovers.

Single mom, protective friend turned fake boyfriend, small town vibes, hilarious characters…all this made for a great summer read!