Book Review
Year Of Living Blonde by Andrea Simonne
Book 1: Sweet Life in Seattle Series
Publisher: Liebe Publishing
Publication Date: February 27, 2015
Format: eBook - 432 pages
Kindle - 4469 KB
ASIN: B00RO1Z6YI
Genre: Contemporary Romance
BUY THE BOOK: Year Of Living Blonde
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Book Description:
Plain-Jane bakery owner Natalie Anderson has always followed the recipe for a safe life. When her husband dumps her for a seductive older woman, it’s time to throw out that recipe and start from scratch. She cooks up a plan to transform herself from mousy brown to sexy blonde. Meanwhile, she’s trying to expand her Seattle bakery, La Dolce Vita, but runs into an obstacle in the form of her irritatingly handsome landlord.
Astronomer Anthony Novello’s good looks and charm usually guarantees him a free pass with women, though that’s not the case with his new tenant, Natalie. Plain, plump, and persnickety—he’s never met a woman more annoying. But when Anthony returns from a telescope observing run, he makes a discovery of the non-celestial kind. Natalie has changed. He’s amazed to find himself attracted to her. Sparks fly as he tries to convince her there’s more to him than meets the eye.
However, when Natalie’s ex-husband decides to win her back, she’s forced to choose. Is her year of living blonde over? Or is this the start of a new and much sweeter life….
Book Excerpt:
Natalie grins. “And what is this I hear about my cookies in Hawaii?”
Anthony rolls his eyes in mock exasperation. “All right, I admit it. I took a dozen with to Mauna Kea.”
“I’m honored.”
“You should be. It was right after you called me an asshole and I didn’t want go back into the bakery, so I had to ask Maya to buy them for me.”
Natalie shifts uncomfortably. “I apologized for that. Should I apologize again?”
“It can’t hurt.”
“I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t say anything, just puts new coordinates into his telescope’s keypad.
“Can I ask you something?” she asks.
“Sure.”
She bites her lip. “Why do you like me?”
Anthony continues what he’s doing, a smile playing around the edges of his mouth. “What makes you think I like you?”
“Because you invited me here tonight. What is it you see in me, exactly?”
“I don’t know.” He attaches the keypad back to the telescope. “In truth, I’ve wondered about it myself.”
“What kind of answer is that?”
Anthony chuckles. “I’m just being honest. You’re not exactly easy to get along with.”
“I’m not sure why I’m always giving you such a hard time.”
“I am.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s because you’re into me.”
Natalie’s face grows warm. “No, I’m not.”
His hand is still on the telescope. He gazes over at her. “Yeah, you are.”
“I’m not.”
Anthony lets go and moves closer. She can smell him again, his woodsy soap. He’s taller than her and she has to look up at him.
“I’m not into you,” she insists, though her pulse quickens.
Their eyes meet. He’s so near now, she can see the dark fringe of his lashes. The stubble of his beard. She shivers with anticipation.
“Yeah, you are, but it’s okay,” he says softly, leaning close, “because I’m into you, too.”
And then he kisses her. Natalie is dizzy with shock.
Anthony is kissing me!
Anthony rolls his eyes in mock exasperation. “All right, I admit it. I took a dozen with to Mauna Kea.”
“I’m honored.”
“You should be. It was right after you called me an asshole and I didn’t want go back into the bakery, so I had to ask Maya to buy them for me.”
Natalie shifts uncomfortably. “I apologized for that. Should I apologize again?”
“It can’t hurt.”
“I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t say anything, just puts new coordinates into his telescope’s keypad.
“Can I ask you something?” she asks.
“Sure.”
She bites her lip. “Why do you like me?”
Anthony continues what he’s doing, a smile playing around the edges of his mouth. “What makes you think I like you?”
“Because you invited me here tonight. What is it you see in me, exactly?”
“I don’t know.” He attaches the keypad back to the telescope. “In truth, I’ve wondered about it myself.”
“What kind of answer is that?”
Anthony chuckles. “I’m just being honest. You’re not exactly easy to get along with.”
“I’m not sure why I’m always giving you such a hard time.”
“I am.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s because you’re into me.”
Natalie’s face grows warm. “No, I’m not.”
His hand is still on the telescope. He gazes over at her. “Yeah, you are.”
“I’m not.”
Anthony lets go and moves closer. She can smell him again, his woodsy soap. He’s taller than her and she has to look up at him.
“I’m not into you,” she insists, though her pulse quickens.
Their eyes meet. He’s so near now, she can see the dark fringe of his lashes. The stubble of his beard. She shivers with anticipation.
“Yeah, you are, but it’s okay,” he says softly, leaning close, “because I’m into you, too.”
And then he kisses her. Natalie is dizzy with shock.
Anthony is kissing me!
My Book Review:
In Year Of Living Blonde, author Andrea Simone weaves an entertaining romantic tale set in Seattle that follows Natalie Anderson's year long journey of self-discovery.
What's a girl to do when her husband dumps her for an older woman? After Natalie's husband dumps her for an older woman, she decides to transform herself from a dumpy, plain, mousy brown haired woman into a sexy blonde woman whose ready to restart her life. While concentrating on expanding her bakery, La Dolce Vita, Natalie has an obstacle standing in her way, Anthony Novello, her handsome landlord ... that is until he notices Natalie's transformation, and an unexpected attraction develops between them. And just when Natalie thinks her new start can't get any more sweeter, her ex-husband is back in the picture to complicate things because he wants Natalie back, leaving her heart in a dilemma.
I couldn't help but get caught up in Natalie's story. I loved how she didn't give up after her husband left her. I admired her determination to pick up the pieces, transform herself, and restart her life on her own terms. I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Natalie and Anthony, especially their humorous banter and undeniable attraction. I found myself cheering them on, especially when Natalie's ex-husband reappears and throws a monkey wrench into their lives, when he makes it known that he is going to fight to win back Natalie's heart. The story is filled with enough drama, humor, emotion, and romance that easily keeps the reader engaged and wondering which man would win Natalie's heart.
With a realistic cast of characters; witty dialogue and dramatic interactions; a rich description of Seattle and its local landmarks; and an entertaining romantic storyline that engages the reader to follow along; Year Of Living Blonde is an enjoyable story about a woman's year long journey of self-discovery and search for true love and happiness.
Year Of Living Blonde is the first book in the Sweet Life in Seattle Series.
RATING: 4 STARS
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