Title: Happy Singles Day
Author: Ann Marie Walker
Genre: Romance
Published On: January 19, 2021
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: digital
Pages: 240
Synopsis:
Single and proud of it! Oh, oops…
As a Certified Professional Organizer, everything in Paige Parker’s world is as it should be. Perfect apartment, perfect office, perfect life. And now, the perfect vacation planned to honor Singles Day. After all, what’s better than celebrating her pride in being single? Because who needs a man anyway? They have zero taste in quality television, leave the toilet seat up, and sleep with your best friend. No thanks. Her life is fine just the way it is.
As the owner of a now-dormant bed & breakfast, Lucas Croft’s life is simple and quiet. It’s only him and his five-year-old daughter, which is just the way he likes it. Because who needs a woman anyway? They nag you to clean up your stuff, want the toilet seat put down, and expect the dishes to be done the same day the meal is cooked. No thanks. His life is fine just the way it is.
But when Paige books a room that Lucas’ well-intentioned sister listed without his knowledge, their two worlds collide. If they can survive the week together, they just might discover exactly what they’ve both been missing.
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
Happy Singles Day was the refreshing, heart-warming, and fun book I needed at the moment! Well-written with lively characters, I enjoyed this slow-burn romance set in a sleepy beach town during winter.
“Sometimes you just have to eat cake out of the box.”
Ann Marie Walker, Happy Singles Day
Paige, a professional organizer, needs a vacation. When she impulsively books a room for a week at a bed and breakfast, she has no idea that the beautiful rental property hasn’t seen a paying customer in several years. The owner’s sister secretly listed the room knowing her brother, Lucas, needed the money. Since his wife died two years ago, his heart hasn’t been in the business they started together; his full attention has been on raising his five-year old daughter and making it through each day. But he reluctantly knows it’s time to move forward.
When Paige arrives at the inn, she quickly realizes the pictures on the bed and breakfast’s website aren’t quite up to date. Not only is the vision she’d imagined of a relaxing vacation dissolving, she’s greeted by a grumpy—although gorgeous—host who clearly doesn’t want her there. But thanks to a drenching storm, she’s stuck on the island for at least a few days.
In the beginning, I wasn’t loving Lucas. His rude behavior was off-putting, but the author does a good job of explaining his abruptness, building it into his character and illustrating how he’d built walls around himself and his daughter in response to his grief. But by the end of the book, I was a Lucas fan.
Despite the fact that the bulk of the novel takes place during a single week, I was impressed with the author’s ability to make this romance a slow-building one. I enjoyed the localized setting, the stormy weather, the small cast of characters, and the breathing room it created to sit back and let the story happen. And that ending! It could have easily become schmaltzy, but it had me glowing with joy.
This is a perfect cozy-by-the-fire-read to get lost in when you need something hopeful and happy. I would love to see this one become a series, as well. Now I need a book about Lucas’ book-store owning sister!
Thank you to the publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)
Rating:
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About the Author
A Song For A Book
On Bookstagram I created a hashtag for when I include a song that reminds me of the book I’m sharing, #ASongForABook, I thought I’d make it a regular feature on my reviews, too.
Ingrid Michaelson’s “Giving Up” reminded me of Paige’s vocation, as well as the condition of Lucas’ bed and breakfast. Not to mention that Paige and Lucas are giving up on fighting their feelings for one another. 😉
What if we stop having a ball?
What if the paint chips from the wall?
What if there’s always cups in the sink?
Oh what if I’m not what you think I am?
What if our baby comes in after nine?
What it your eyes close before mine?
What if you lose yourself sometimes?
Then I’ll be the one to find you
Safe in my heart
…I am giving up for you, oh
I am giving up for you, oh
I am giving up
Have you already read Happy Singles Day? Will you be adding it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
This sounds fun. Right now, these lighter romances are a great escape from reality. Nice review Dedra.
Yes! And I especially needed it after reading my two previous books, which were more serious. Thanks Carla!
Great review, Dedra! I have this waiting to be read and I was thinking of picking it up the other day actually. I saw a lot of reviews mentioning the same thing as you about Lucas’s character. I hope he doesn’t frustrate me so much that he ruins the book for me! It does look and sound really cute though and I do love a good slow-burn, and now I’m intrigued by this ending ?
I would say to power through the beginning. I was fully committed by about the 40% mark. And it’s a shorter book. I was also a little nervous after reading a few of the more negative early reviews, but I’m happy I stuck with it! <3
This book has been on my radar for a while. Now I am definitely going to read it since you make it sound so interesting. ?
Oh yay!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
I absolutely adored this book. It was very feel-good for me. I did see some DNFs due to Lucas’ early behavior, but like you, I sort of bought into the reasons, and he did change (and it didn’t take forever).
Oh, I’m so happy I’m not alone! You’re absolutely right–it didn’t take long for him to change, and that made it worthwhile. 🙂
This sounds very cosy! Thanks for sharing!
It’s for sure a cosy-read. Especially with the stormy weather! 😉