Up until a few months ago, Rheo Whitlock had it all. Stability, self-confidence and a safe job as an interpreter for the United Nations… It was the predictable sort of existence she, as a dedicated homebody, had always dreamed of—the security she’d needed thanks to her nomadic #vanlife upbringing. But ever since an unfortunate “hot mic” moment threw her career into a tailspin, she’s been struggling—really struggling—with fear, anxiety and uncertainty. A calculated escape is in order, and Rheo knows just the place: her grandmother’s secluded hideaway in the breathtaking town of Gilmartin. Except she won’t be alone, thanks to a random twist of fate…

Fletcher Wright lives for adrenaline, always chasing the next high. So when he learns he’ll have to share his rental accommodations with Rheo—a stranger, basically—he simply chalks it up to another challenge. It doesn’t hurt that there’s an immediate attraction between them, which neither can explain. Before long, they’re not just sharing a house and new experiences—they’re sharing a bed. But when it’s time for Fletcher to move on to the next adventure, he and Rheo will both have to decide—are they ready to take the biggest risk of all?

Completely loved this! It's a quick, fun read. I loved Rheo, and the chemistry between these two is HOT! This was a little steamier than I expected based on the cover, but that's not a problem for me. Highly enjoyed this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

On a break from work after a meltdown moment, multi-lingual United Nations translator and interpreter Rheo has retreated to her grandmother's home to lick her wounds and decide next steps when an Airbnb renter shows up, claiming his right to stay. Since Rheo never alerted her family about her leave or squatting, she has no choice but to let Fletcher in, least her cover be blown. He's an adventure-seeker and documentarian, staying in Gilmartin (Pacific Northwest) to make day trips to local attractions during a doctor-ordered hiatus from adventuring, to avoid a relapse of chronic fatigue syndrome. Rheo is a homebody who dislikes the outdoors. They couldn't be more unalike, but there is an instant attraction that simmers into a slow burn--well, slow for less than 300 pages.

The novel starts out with a lot of internal monologuing, and I didn't find the way the character described herself to fit her actions. There was so much exposition that I lost interest and DNF, gave it up at 28% complete.

I received a free advance reader's review copy of #LoveInTranslation via #NetGalley courtesy of #Harlequin. This review will post to HLBB on 12/22/2024.

Thank you for this ARC! This book is the definition of opposites attract, so when you learn about Rheo and Fletcher, you may be wondering why they’d be attracted to each other…

The perfect example of opposites attracting - a talented interpreter and a fearless explorer brought to you by Joss Wood...

On the brink of a career disaster, Rheo, a multilingual translator and interpreter has hidden herself away in the Pink House, a place where she thinks she could maintain her perfect-life back and regain her confidence, yet her life is turned more upside down when an attractive explorer, Fletcher, claims to have rented the house to him through her cousin.

Despite their opposite characters, Rheo and Fletcher cannot hide their instant attraction. Rheo is a consummate idealist and perfectionist. Her upbringing, shaped by her parents’ van life and her grandmother, who is her perfect role model, clashes with Fletcher’s adventurous spirit. His purpose in life is dedicated to explore the unexplored area, a life that Rheo hates because of her family.

I loved the way the attraction instantly sparked during their first encounter, and their decision to have an affair added a fun, spicy twist to the story. From hot and spicy moments to entertaining and unexpected situations, this book keeps you hooked.

It’s thanks to Joss Wood for letting me read it. Slow burn that becomes hot and spicy, loads of passion, the plot that flows until I didn’t realize it was over. Joss Wood’s writing kept me hooked from the beginning. If you want a relaxing read with a spicy scene, a pleasing plot and a resolved and happy ever after ending, this is absolutely for you.

Up untila few months ago, Rheo
Whitlock was doing amazing and had
it all. Stability, self-confidence as an
interpreter for the United Nations.. Her
existence was predictable because of the life she lived with her parents. In a van and her parents never had money. Very unfortunate when she decided to express her opinion but her "hot-mic" wasn't turned off " she was told to take a leave. She went to her grandmother's pink house in a secluded area. She lost her confidence. Fate had an idea because Fletcher who was an adrenaline junky because of
everything he went in his childhood,
Rheo learns the house was rented to
Fletcher, a total stranger and he will share his rental accommodations with Rheo.
Immediate attraction between them developed. After a while it was time for Fletcher to move on to the next adventure, and both both have to decide what to do. Rheo is totally afraid of any risky activity because she is very clumsy. They will have to take a chance in love or go their separate way!!
Definitely recommended this book. I read it in a few hours!
Thank you Joss!!!

3.5 stars!

This book was so captivating and I finished it in just one day!!! There was definitely instant attraction, but then it fizzles into a slight slow burn which I am obsessed with. I also loooved the forced proximity and thought the chemistry between the two characters was off the charts. In all, this book was so so good and it had the perfect mix of sweet and spicy moments.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for the arc <3

Okay, so this is a case of never judging a book by its cover!

When I first saw this super cute cover, I initially thought that this was going to be a sweetly tender and cutesy book - oh, boy was I wrong, yes it's sweet, but there is also spice which turns the temperature up a notch,...or ten, yup there's saucy as well as spice!

Slow-burning romances aren't always my catnip, I have nothing against them I just have a very short attention span, LOL! Despite that there is an instant attraction between Rheo and Fletcher, I felt it more to be a slower approach, there are a fair few longing glances and it takes its time, which I think benefits the story and the characters far better, there's no rushing straight to bed for a quick romp, the chemistry builds naturally and the result is a sizzling passionate (and yes quite hot) moment which neither character (or reader) will forget.

I enjoyed the journey and watching Rheo and Fletcher peel back the layers of themselves, it is a story of discovery, learning how to be yourself and finding happiness.

The opening pulled at the heartstrings, and Rheo finds herself in a pretty dark place, she's sunken into a rut and can't seem to find the motivation, or the ability to climb out. She's struggling, emotional with fear and anxiety, her world in her eyes has collapsed around her, her career at the UN is in question and she is far too in the dark to find any source of light to see that all's not as bad as she thinks!

She grabs hold of a lifeline, in the form of running away to the middle of nowhere to her grandmother's cabin in the woods, so to speak, it's a little town called Gilmartin, but hey, still the middle of nowhere.

Hiding away, finding peace amongst the notice of her head is just what she needs, to evaluate life.

But...isn't there always a but?!

This one is a rather fine specimen too!

Fletcher just happens to have rented Rheo's grandmother's house as a bit of a stopgap between his adventures, it's a bit of a twist of fate bringing two as different as can be people together to share one house for a time. Fletcher is a free spirit, chilled out and happy to go along with living at the house, after all, it's not for long. He's an instantly likeable chap and very, very easy on the eye.

Nothing will happen, neither is looking for romance, each has their agenda, one is out for the thrill of life and the other just wants to put her life together, what could go wrong?

Yup, they fall for each other!!

Love in Translation is a wonderful mix of small-town romance with forced proximity, and little opposites attract for added drama; a city girl running from life meets a rugged, rough-around-the-edges adrenaline junkie who makes her heart skip a beat!

I liked how the story flowed, the fun plot and narration kept me engaged, it's a breezy and very enjoyable read the chemistry between the characters sparkled and then turned to red-hot lust, and the ending felt satisfying and fit the story well.

Highly recommended!

Idk what I thought this was going to be, but I am glad I tried it anyway, Such a good novel with lovable characters and well developed plot

I enjoyed this immensely! Travel & romance, sign me up!

I liked the tropes and I think the author did a great job with how they were written. Still felt unique and fresh.

The romance was so cute! Super swoon!

This book was moving very quickly- and not in a good way.
I wasn't enjoying the self depreciating/unintelligent girl comments (i.e. oops silly me, clumsy, stupid me)
I really appreciate the opportunity to have read this- but it was tough for me to get through.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ll start my review by saying I LOVE the forced proximity trope if it’s done right and this was absolutely done right. Fletch and Rheo are two very different people who are forced to spend their vacations in the same rental accommodation. In the style of early 2000s rom coms, along with having the same room, they’re also forced to share a bed together for the duration of their stay. I found that to be one of the reasons I was so interested in this book. What can I say? I like what I like.

Love In Translation was hilariously heartwarming and romantic. I loved how polar opposite the characters were to each other but also seemed to understand each other anyway. The chemistry was intense and with each interaction you could tell exactly where it was heading.

From the moment I began reading I was hooked. Definitely will be ordering this in paperback when it’s released.

On sale 12/24/2024

This is a solid opposites attraction storyline when Fletch and Rheo are unexpectedly staying at the same place while they both have a bit of a reset.

Rheo grew up traveling all over the country in a van with her parents and is just fine with a boring, 9-5 job. Fletch wants nothing to do with boring, preferring to travel all over the world on great adventures.

The story was probably leaning toward ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me but their communication (and his attitude) at the end knocked it down to a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Good book!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Love in Translation to come out December 24, 2024.

This is a forced proximity and opposites attract book. Fletch is an outdoor adventurer who spends the majority of his year on the road filming his adventures and physical challenges; whilst Rheo, the heroine, is an uber steady translator who is incapable of living in the moment and highly resistant to physical activity.

This book has several strengths. The author is unfailing great at writing fresh characters who behave in a contemporary and mature manner and her characters are often rounded and behave with believable emotional intelligence and this is true of Fletch and Rheo, at least with regard to their romance (Rheo is a little irrational with regards to some of her wider family relationships and in respect of her work though). The attraction is written well and jumps off the page with verve and crackle. The storylines do not create the social and economic power imbalances which are often in these genres. The surrounding cast of characters and setting are fun.

There was a significant downside in this book for me; it did a lot of telling but not much showing. This related to the characters: Rheo was described as funny and clever, but this was just not evident in her actions. It related also to the resolution of the central tension in the book of how to resolve Fletch and Rheo very different attitude to how they wanted to live their lives. This was a massive tension and it just was not resolved satisfactorily. The book ended happily (naturally) with them agreeing to be together despite their differences, but in no way showed how that could be; instead they just kind of agreed they would work on it. This was rushed, unbelievable and prevented me being invested in the story and characters. Much of the story was told through the thought processes of the characters and this was particularly so in the beginning of the book, which felt a little slow and overall made it a little like groundhog day

So, very unusually for this author, this was close to a miss for me (in reality a 2.5 stars if I could) but am sure others will love the interesting characters and hot romance.

NB: Book not open for review on Amazon.co.uk and Goodreads yet. Will diarise to do.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is a first by this author but will not be my last! I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

I found myself completely captivated by I Like Second Chances in a Small Town. The dynamic between the outdoorsy man and the city girl was incredibly engaging, with their instant attraction sparking right from the beginning. The way their opposite personalities played off each other kept me eagerly turning the pages, as I was drawn into their world and the tension that brewed between them.

The forced proximity trope added an exciting layer to the story, making their interactions even more intense. The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and while some scenes were quite graphic, it only heightened the depth of their connection. I truly enjoyed every moment of this book and was hooked from start to finish.

This book was pretty good but nothing special. The writing was okay but not great. But the romance was cute!

A fun romp that'll pass the time, with compelling characters, but it ultimately didn't quite speak to me (but I can see it working for many others!).

2⭐
2🌶️

Remember when you were in school and you had to write a report that had to meet a minimum word count, so you over explained and reiterated things just to meet that requirement? That's what reading this felt like.

I was so excited to receive this ARC from NetGalley. I love the concept, I really do- but the execution was lacking. I wanted to be able to say that it was a real page-turner- that I couldn't out it down, but unfortunately, I couldn't stop putting it down. Let's get into it-

✨ Instant Attraction
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Opposites Attract

We have Rheo, our FMC, who I was SO excited about. She's a translator for the UN. As someone who wanted to be a linguist and has studied several languages, I was so excited to see that represented in a romance novel. Unfortunately, that's where my excitement for the character ends. She's not likeable. She's really pretty terrible. She's got an awful personality, doesn't communicate well and jumps to ridiculous conclusions about people.

Partnered with Fletch- hot adventure guy who can't be tied down because he's got mountains to climb and jungles to explore. He's almost equally unlikeable.

The writing is odd and repetitive. It almost feels robotic. The dialogue is all very unnatural. The spice had me grimacing. It wasn't a long book and it managed to feel both rushed and like it was too drawn out. (Like those essays you'd write in school. Remember? Like writing a book report when you only read the Spark Notes.) It lacked real substance.

I usually enjoy a good Insta-love/attraction as a fun, quick read- but the writing in this had me rolling my eyes and saying "are you actually kidding me right now?" to my Kindle at their first kiss.

I wanted so badly to like this book. I put it down several times and came back to it to give it a chance and to make sure it wasn't just me, but I really had to force myself through it. I'm sorry. Really, loved the idea behind it, but again- the execution just isn't there.

Having received this book as an arc from netgalley I greatly enjoyed the novel provided, thanks to Netgalley.

I will admit while I enjoyed this book quite a bit, I did not enjoy the romance until reaching the last few pages. I enjoyed both the characters involved within the romance but as individual characters as throughout the novel I felt like I was being given plenty of reasons why they did not fit together until they found ways to find one another. I think perhaps if there was as much an emotional connection as there was physically I may have enjoyed their romance even more.

With that said, I enjoyed Rheo and Fletcher as the main characters whom faced their internal challenges head on and their background keeping them interesting enough to follow as they found one another and grew within their relationship.

Would I recommend this to other readers? As I am still rating it highly for the character development , I would recommend it for other readers to read and enjoy.

I got distracted by this book.
I literally accomplished nothing today because I was consumed with it.
So, here I am 8 hours later and let me take you on a little journey.
I received this book from NetGalley and the author- thank you, this made my little crazy Monday much more enjoyable. I kept putting it down and telling myself to go do chores, but my Kindle found it's way back into my hand each time. THAT's a sign of a good book, right?..One that makes you forget a rough Monday?

Rheo has also had a rough Monday. In fact, she's a lot of rough Mondays. When we meet her she is running from very tidy little life: her boyfriend, her job at the UN and her home in Brooklyn. Not a metaphysical running, but a literal run to her Grandmother's home in the PNW, which also happens to be pink. This is a quaint little detail that warmed my heart, but back to the journey...

Insert Fletcher, an outdoorsy, rugged character who makes knee jerk decisions. He just might be the exact opposite of Rheo. He's also not too hard on the eyes...
So when Fletch arrives at Grandma's house we get a rather interesting predicament of who exactly is supposed to be there.

The rest is worth the read, and includes some definite spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️ action.

Schedule for release on 12/24/2024, keep your Christmas wishlist open!