Thank you to Helena Hunting and her team for the advance reader copy of I Could Be Yours.
I adored I Could Be Yours! Helena has written a book that feels like a celebration of the world she has built in both the Toronto Terror and Tilton U series. While also writing the perfect entry into her work, and all the wonderful banter, swoon, and hijinks that come with it. This is a standout summer read, a perfect story of the grumpy best man falling for the sunshine maid of honour.
I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.
The best man ghosted me six years ago after kissing me, and now I have to plan every wedding event under the sun with him.
Nate Stiles is the definition of serious.
Furrowed brow? Check.
Rain cloud personality? Double check.
I shouldn’t be thinking about the fact that our kiss was the best one of my life right now. I should be planning the bachelorette party of the millennium.
I shouldn’t be wondering when Nate became such a good dancer after we got roped into salsa lessons with the happy couple. I should be mentally ticking off boxes on my bridal checklists.
I shouldn’t be wondering what it would be like if I didn’t hate Nate Stiles. I should be holding strong against a man who doesn’t believe in love.
My name is Essie Lovelock. I am a reformed love obsessed fairytale fanatic and I’m determined to be the best maid of honor my best friend could ever have.
And I am absolutely not going to fall for the best man.
standalone grumpy/sunshine, second chance romance.
Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
- Characters: From the minute Essie walked on the page in If You Hate Me, as Beatrix’s best friend, I wanted to be in her head. It did not disappoint, I loved her strength and the way she loved love. As the type-A organized person in my friend group, I admired those traits in Essie, as she is relatable to those of us who are the planners of the group. Nate, as a character, really surprised me as I did not know what to expect from the grumpy non-hockey player surrounded by hockey player friends. It was a refreshing change, especially to see him cheer on Tristan, his brother and the hero in If You Hate Me. For Nate to see how he navigated his childhood traumas, or lack of truly tackling this head-on, the best romance novels do not just show growth in a relationship, but in the characters as well. I have already mentioned Beatrix and Tristan, but this book is truly an homage to the whole team and the Badass Babe Brigade, who are part of the story for all the wedding festivities. I love all these characters so much, it was wonderful to check in on them, and so romantic to read Trix’s and Tristan’s beautiful wedding. I will admit every time a cucumber was mentioned, I could not help but chuckle, it felt so relatable that your friends would find out cause we all talk, but then also never let you live it down.
- Setting: Toronto and a destination wedding! This book features a few more settings than some of the Toronto Terror books have had in the past. Of course, Toronto plays a role, but I also loved the buck and doe in cottage country, a Vegas bachelor/bachelorette, and the wedding in Aruba. I loved how Canadian the buck and doe of it all was, and that throughout this series of books, Helena has made her Canadian and Ontario roots shine. The destination wedding was to die for! If you are travelling to a tropical island, make this your read while you lie on the beach!
- Pacing: I always just devour these books. Helena did an amazing job balancing the lead-up to the wedding, the wedding itself, and the fallout from the wedding. Nothing felt rushed, and the relationship’s history and current trajectory were paced perfectly.
- Romance: Nate and Essie’s second-chance romance was swoony, sweet, sexy, and everything in between. I loved how their relationship grew out of a competitive streak to see who could contribute more in their wedding roles. This is a top tear book for banter. I did find it a bit frustrating that Nate was struggling to just tell Essie how he felt, but I also understand, as I alluded above, he had to work on himself before ever being ready to give his heart fully to her. It is what we love most about second chance romance, that the characters are meant to be together, and the universe is giving them another chance in a better time.
- Spice: Delicious spice as always! So many of the scenes are playful, and the secretive nature kept me on the edge of my seat, for when was the rest of the world going to catch them in the act? I also loved the twist on the ‘he’s pierced’ trope; not just Essie, but Helena always surprises.
I Could Be Yours is 4.75/5 stars
You can pick up the story here.
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Thank you again to Helena and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
