The Falling for Summer series continues with Phoenix and Holland, and I had so much fun listening to this on audio! Huge thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts.

This is my first book by Gracie Ruth Mitchell, and I found myself really enjoying the story, plot, and characters. Holland finds herself in unlucky circumstances (an empty bank account thanks to a purchase of a human-sized dog bed that ended up being a scam.. and let's be honest, we all want one of those human-sized dog beds!), and Phoenix finds himself in a sticky situation himself (his grandmother is making him get married in order to inherit the family business). However, these two and their history runs much deeper than silly little pranks and overbearing brother's best friends... and I love their history! It became such an important part of the story!

Phoenix was an interesting mmc, pretty gruff and dismissive, but by the end, his snark and Holland's sass were a perfect pair. They had some many other complementary traits. He pulls out the "my wife" line at the perfect time, she tells him she'll STAY with impeccable timing, and the rest, they say, is history.

There was depth to this story that I loved, and it went beyond a silly little beach read. But it would be great to read at the beach, too! It's closed door, but with lots of chemistry and some of my favorite tropes!

Out now!

This is art of the falling for summer series. I'm reading them in random order! When I see it on NetGallye im requesting them. But whats fun about this series they all take part in the same island town but are written by other authors so you get the fun summer beach read from all different authors!


This is a fun enemies to lover beach romance and the sass and banter they have is great! And even after they fall they never lose the banter and sass they have to each other!

This is another perfect summer read to read in summer. What was great there wasn't a 3rd act breakup but PLENTY of Drama! which again love!!!

Read them in order or go in blind like I do and just pick them up in any order (so far) to enjoy the chaos!

Thank You NetGalley for this Audio Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Beauty and the Beach follows Phoenix Parker a rich and practical business man who needs a wife fast in order to secure his chances to inherit the family business and that's where Holland comes into play. Holland and Phoenix have rarely gotten along and find themselves in funny and tricky circumstances. Brother's best friend, marriage of convenience and rivals to lovers all rolled into one! Count me in!

I enjoyed the crazy dynamic that his family played in their relationship as well as the depth this story had. The past trauma they shared shaped so much of their relationship and who they are I loved seeing it play out. The one thing I did not like about this book is that their feud at the beginning felt childish and a little unrealistic. That being said I loved the way they realized that even though they were childish and their feud didn't make a lot of sense when you hear about their backstory it made it a little more clear. But a lot of times with romances like this the attraction is clear to everyone but them for a while and I did love that element of the story.

I would recommend this to anyone looking to add a quick beachy romance to their TBR this summer! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

This sounded adorable and like a terrific light fun listen/read. Marriage of convenience, enemies to more, opposites attract, younger sister of late BFF who he promised to look after and take care of, but can’t stand as she drives him crazy or does she? So many adorable tropes in one book. That is the basis of the story, but it didn’t resonate with me. Mostly because I didn’t particularly find anything likable about Phoenix, the MMC until very late in the book. In my opinion he came off as supercilious, pompous and a big bully who used his size to intimidate and control Holland. She was a bit naive and immature, but was trying to do the right thing for her family and a decent person with a good sense of self and humor. According to his incredibly manipulative twisted grandma, whomever is to inherit the company must be married. She uses her will, health and company to torture everyone in the family and they all go along with it. So again and again she changes her will to make them dance to her tune seemingly out of spite and for her own amusement. She rules with an iron fist and expensive lawyer. So they marry with a contract and payout. Do they eventually get together for a nice HEA and epilogue, absolutely, but the road there left me the icks. Yet having read the other reviews, I started over and listened to again letting go of my original thoughts and find the sweet and lightness, but nope. So weird for me as I’ve read quite a few of this authors books and not had this experience perviously. This one was okay, just not my favorite by this author. I’ve read others in the series and enjoyed them.

I loved it at the start. I loved the marriage of convenience and the chemistry you can feel between the characters. But the last 25% felt really rushed. I'm glad there wasn't a third act breakup!
I would round up to a 3.5

I was swept away in this engaging romcom audiobook! The audio was done with two narrators for the two POVs and the narrators’ voices felt really fitting for the characters.

This book was a mix of humor, depth, swoon, and heartwarming moments. It was an enemies to lovers type trope, but for reasons that felt more plausible than just surface dislike. I found it so satisfying to watch the walls slowly break down between two people who had a complicated past to untangle. There were so many great small moments that built all together.

This book is part of the multi-author Falling For Summer series with an overlapping location and characters, but the story can completely be understood on its own as well.

Steam level is kissing.

Gracie Ruth Mitchell brought the humor and blended the comedy, angst, and past trauma so beautifully with this one; I truly enjoyed reading Beauty and the Beach and definitely recommend it. This was a super fun read for me. I laughed at the enemies to lovers pranks and over the top moments Mitchell crafted so well between Phoenix and Holland. I about died from happiness with their nick names, and yeah, they thought they hated each other, but their chemistry was so freaking strong, it was just popping off the pages for me. I couldn't wait until they both stopped denying it.
I always enjoy when an author can pull off a believable marriage of convenience in a contemporary setting and Mitchell did just that. Phoenix's family was crazy and I love how Holland's circumstances allowed for things to feel plausible. I couldn't get enough of their sparks; it was as good as watching the 4th of July fireworks on Sunset Harbor. I was impressed with the actual comedy moments that make this a romcom, but how the author also included some serious shared trauma between Holland and Phoenix that they both had to work through individually and acknowledge as a couple. It was just a really good read and one I will pick up again.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book. The dual narrators were perfect for both Holland and Phoenix and I found myself not wanting to stop or pause the book as it was just a good book to listen to. They captured the vibes of the story and characters and made it feel so immersive. I recommend the audiobook version. It's one of my favorite audiobooks this summer.
I received an advance listening copy of this novel from Netgalley and Dreamscape Media. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a clean romance with some mild innuendo. There is a prior death of a sibling before the book begins.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book! This was exactly what fun summer romance should be and I really should the narrators chosen for each point of view. This was a quick and fun read and did the marriage of convenience trope really well. Though it was mostly lighthearted and fun, there was some depth in the backstory that I appreciated as it made the characters seems like real people. I'd recommend it to anyone who I looking for a fun beach read!

“If you kiss me right now, everything will change, and we won't be able to go back." He pauses before going on. "We'll sleep in the same bed. I'll call you sweetheart instead of Amsterdam. We'll argue when you use my nice razor to shave your legs…And I will love you, Holland, because every single emotion you make me feel is intense. There will be no crushes or infatuations." …."If you kiss me now..." he says, trailing off as his gaze darts over my face. Then he shakes his head. "If you kiss me now, you're mine."

Read if you like:
* Contemporary Marriage of Convenience
* Enemies to Lovers
* Brother's Best Friend
* One Bed
* Snarky Banter
* Protective MMC
* Sizzling Chemistry

Beauty and the Beach is a surprisingly deep and tender marriage of convenience story.

This book takes enemies to lovers to a whole new level. I love how Holland and Phoenix antagonize each other outwardly, but when it counts they 100% have each others backs, oftentimes in ways the other doesn't realize.

The way that the author balances the humor and the grief is masterful. The use of flashbacks to give us pieces of their shared history and trauma is genius. It allows the author to feed us the information we need at the time while allowing the story to unfold on its own.

I loved the catching glimpses of characters and situations from the other books in the series from a different perspective. The way they are all tied together is so fun.

Favorites:
* Snarky Nicknames
* Flashbacks
* Wyatt
* Scam purchase
* Photoshoot
* The way the bird names seem to reflect how Holland is feeling about any given situation
* "I will only ever be the little spoon."
* First Kiss (and all the others)
* Wedding day funeral attire
* Surprise wedding gift
* Epilogue

I was able to simultaneously read and listen to this book and the narrators were on point. They were very emotive, sounded age appropriate, and had really good pacing. It was really easy to get lost in the story while listening.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This one was so so good. I usually expect enemies to lovers in a romcom to not actually hate each other, but the pranks? The mutual irritation? LOVE THIS. And their shared history is so interesting as a backdrop to why they dislike each other.

Some quick hits:

🦩 Marriage of Convenience
🦩 Nicknames
🦩 Tension
🦩 “MY WIFE”
🦩 smoking kisses!
🦩 Just one bed
🦩 He’s so protective
🦩 She is so sweet

I really loved this book so much. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators are fantastic at all speeds. She captured the FMC well, and his voice is great. I loved it, definitely read it!



TW/CW: Kisses that are pretty steamy; past trauma-car accident, death of family member- past described on page; controlling family members;

From the opening scene to the very last page, I was hooked and laughing so hard.

“Mavis Butterfield was now requiring that her inheritor be legally and lawfully wed. So I did the only thing I could do: I set out to find a wife…until Mavis’s death do us part.”

I’ve been awaiting Holland’s story and it didn’t disappoint. Phoenix is hoping to inherit his crazy grandma’s company and now needs a wife and who better than his mortal enemy and best friend’s little sister? The banter in this enemies-to-love swept me off my feet but it was the marriage of convenience, thanks to a human-sized dog bed, that really solidified my love for this book.

This author has a way of developing characters full of life and wit that I adore. The nicknames had me laughing and wondering what would be next and the angry revenge kisses were oh, so swoony. They say the closest emotion to hate is love and it was very apparent from the intense sparks flying around that this saying is true.

Although a romcom, there are some deeper, slightly heavy topics that pop up, but it was a beautiful experience to watch these two navigate them. From the trickery involving one bed to the photo shoot and the storm, I devoured every word and couldn’t get enough.

This book, and actually the whole series, has a cemented place in my heart.

This is a fun story and has some very satisfying moments. Some are tender and some are more putting wrongs to right. Really part of what I'm going to write on here is going to sound contradictory but it is, in fact, truth. I am not a fan of conflict, thus enemies to love is not a fav trope for me. If you love that trope and I know so many people do, then you ought to love this book. The conflict lasted for over half of the story which is too long for my personal tastes but some of it was pretty funny. But for a person who dislikes conflict so much, I have to say that I really enjoy it when a villain type character gets what's coming to him/her. It is a form of conflict and yet that type of conflict I love. I hate it when bad people get away with bad things. Think Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life. Drives me crazy that he doesn't get caught for keeping that $8000 and his toadie is even worse for not stepping up with the truth. I get great satisfaction in someone standing up to the "bad guy". And I really enjoyed that moment in this book. So satisfying.

Like I said, the enemies part of this relationship lasted a really long time. A lot of it really had more to do with other things that had tainted their relationship in the past than anything else. I enjoyed the sigh of relief when their relationship began to turn and they began to be nice to each other. I think they began to be able to see the other clearly which in turn changed how they felt about the other. And when the love shows through, it is sweet. They still enjoy teasing each other but it isn't mean spirited. Some parts of the story obviously avoided things that I dislike in a book, like them falling in love wasn't prevented or marred by refusing to have a conversation that would have cleared up everything in a few minutes. They do talk about things. I think the author kept the story moving at a good pace and used wise practices. Good job developing the story.

What I still wanted more about was what happened to his grandmother's business or is she still alive at the epilogue? Did it go to the awful cousin? And were there no repercussions for the house break in?

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators did a good job with the dual narration. Well done.

This was an enjoyable story.

Sex: implied marital relations
Language: no
Violence: no
*I received a complimentary audiobook through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

This is part of a delightful, clean beachy series. There are characters that overlap each book, but each could be read as a standalone. I have read three or four of the other books in the series and enjoyed them. They are all easy romcoms set on a small island. This book I was able to listen to the audiobook version and the narrators did a good job with the story. There was something about this story that didn’t resonate with me. I felt like Phoenix was a little too gruff and a bit chauvinistic Holland on the other hand was quite immature. I’m not sure what the age difference of the two were, but it definitely showed. I like the storyline of fake marriage and how they were able to find their true feelings for each other, but I just really did not connect with the characters. I do appreciate it as a clean romance, I am sure many others will disagree with me so I encourage you to read it for yourself and hopefully you’ll love it. I’m giving the 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beauty and the Beach
by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Narrated by Rylee Kuberra; John Rogers

I received an ARC of this audiobook through Netgalley.

This is a heart wrenching dramedy romance.

There is one scene that may trigger some people where a woman is put over a man’s shoulder without her permission. Nothing beyond that happens. I just wanted to assure you of that up front. I think the book would have been better without that scene, but that’s is left to the author’s discretion.

Phoenix is a serious man with a serious demeanor and outlook at all times. He is pushy, self-assured, honest, blunt, and more than rough around the edges.

Holland is a free-spirited woman with a pocket of sunshine and a pocket of arsenic - not literally, but figuratively. She is happy with a serious side of snark, which she unleashes almost solely on Phoenix.

They have a shared past which includes a car accident they were in and survived, but Holland’s brother, Trevor (Phoenix’s best friend) did not.

Due to a crazy matriarch grandmother that owns a thriving business and is holding the inheritance of the company over her family’s heads, Phoenix and Holland get contractually married.

This is a romance, but it will also make you cry. It is entirely worth the listen!

ALC Review

Beauty and the Beach by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Series: Falling for Summer bk 5
Genre: Sweet Island Rom-Com
Audio Release Date: July 17, 2024
Narrators: Rylee Kuberra & John Rogers
Indie published

My Favorite Parts:
Hair salon
Rich MMC
Hilarious nicknames
A funny proposal
Overcoming grief
Marriage of Convenience
Enemies to more
That moment in his office 😳
Their wedding photos shoot😂
Their wedding clothes 🤪🤣🤣
The dream/nightmare
Nicknames

Thoughts:
This was my first Falling for Summer novel and first modern marriage of convenience and oh my gosh, mixed with enemies to more makes for a book full of tension, hilarious banter, and moments that will have you trying to decide which side to root for. Lol!
By the end, you want to root for both.
This book had me grieving for the characters, laughing out loud, hating his family sometimes, falling in love with Sunset Harbor, and swooning so hard by the end.

Holland and Phoenix hate each other! And for good reason, but you have to read the book to find out why. Their banter and chemistry is so hot and sizzling! Their pranks on each other are some of the funniest I’ve read in books. Hmmm…gives me some ideas. 🤔Lol!
Their nicknames will have you gasping, laughing, cringing, and by the end sighing and swooning.
This one is definitely a new favorite and I had so much fun visiting Sunset Harbor for the first time.

Oh my goodness, you will come to hate Phoenix’s grandma. She is a piece of work, let me tell you! 🤮

The audio was excellent! I love dual pov with male and female doing each respective POV. I have listened to other Rylee K. and John R. narrated books and they might be my favorite dual narrator team. They did such a great job on this one! Highly recommend the audio and this book!

I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from the publisher from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own.

Content Warning: mild discussion/thoughts about menstruation, tampons, and pads (not in a gross way), implied s*x, lingerie (not on a person)

Trigger Warning: death of family member (past), car accident (past), parent separation (past), working through grief (present)

I read this book and immediately requested the audiobook so that I could reread it literally the very next week. The narration was fantastic and I just ADORE this story so stinking much! I am thrilled to have it in all three formats—and I’m totally getting my bookstahusband to listen to it with me too.

The day I finished reading it the first time my husband had actually pulled the movie, The Proposal, up to watch. As we fast forwarded through a couple scenes I realized that this book has some of the best vibes from that movie, but like ten times better, AND without any questionable content. So, just putting that out there for any fans of that movie.

This book is laugh out loud hilarious with the best banter and pranking between these two who think they are enemies, but really, they’re not at all—and watching them discover that is just bliss.
There are some deep themes to this story too, and they are done just beautifully—in true Gracie fashion. I laughed so much, I cried, and I swooned a ridiculous amount in this amazing marriage of convenience story.

The marriage of convenience of Phoenix and Holland

He’s the absolute worst. She’s the most infuriating. The two can’t stand each other, but also can’t stop thinking about one another.

From playing petty pranks to suddenly getting married so Phoenix can inherit the family business and Holland can help her family out.

Sparks fly between these two as they try to convince Phoenix’s family that the marriage is real and the two are in fact madly in love.

Can they pull the fake marriage off? Can the two admit they have feelings for each other?

Brace yourself for laugh out loud moments, the sparkiest first kiss, family drama and the tender moments.

Rylee Kuberra and John Rogers deliver another great performance. The dual voicing adds to the already stellar story.

Rating: 4.5/5

I loved this one! It was a great marriage of convenience that really put the ENEMIES in enemies to lovers. The banter between Phoenix and Holland was off the charts, especially in the beginning, and I loved their various nicknames to bug each other.

Grief was a big part of this story and I loved how that shared loss brought them together. Phoenix was so caring and thoughtful as he helps Holland work through her guilt. So many sweet moments.

The audiobook narration is done really well. Highly recommend!

Content: kissing

Beauty and the Beach is part of the Falling for Summer series but it will work just fine as a standalone. The story takes place on the fictional island of Sunset Harbor, off Florida’s coast.

Beauty and the Beach follows Holland and Phoenix on a fantastic enemies-to-lovers journey. As the story plays out, both Holland and Phoenix realize maybe they were not enemies after all.

This is a story I should hate from a moral standpoint. The plot is dark and messed up but I still loved it. The premise is that Phoenix’s grandma is on her deathbed and she will only let someone who is married take control of the family company after she passes. Holland needs money so they get married as a business deal with plans to split after Phoenix’s grandma passes. For a lack of better words, how shitty is that?

Even with that premise I could not help but fall in love with the story and the characters. I love all the nicknames Phoenix and Holland call each other. They both have a tragic shared past and I like how it was a drip feed of information finding out what happened.

Just like Beachy Keen, this is the perfect book to read while relaxing on a beach this summer.

This was such a a fun, fresh book for summer. I absolutely loved the fun banter and the character development. It was such a fun summer audio.