Review By Veronica
Just Say Yes is a fun, lighthearted rom-com that you will want to read again and again.
Favourite Quote:
‘I can, but you have a funny way of thanking people.’
‘Excuse me? I most certainly do not.’
‘Ah, yes, you do. You ever read any Jane Austen?”
‘Of course. Have you?
‘Of course,’ he shot back. ‘You know when Darcy asks Elizabeth to marry him the first time, then mentions her terrible connections and recites a laundry list of objections?”
‘Yes.’
‘Your thank you was kind of like that.’
‘Oh, it was not.’
Lorcan didn’t answer, just looked down at me with those eyes, and that face and a ridiculously sexy curve of a smile.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Wedding planner Madeleine lives in a picture-perfect thatched cottage, in a picture-perfect English country village.
There’s only one problem – dream cottages take a lot of work, and with a leaking roof, and not enough money to pay for it, what Maddie needs now is a big wedding to plan.
So she’s delighted when she takes on the wedding of Californian heiress Peyton, to all-round good guy Patrick. She’s less delighted to find out that she’s going to have help – from the admittedly gorgeous, but equally maddening, tall, dark and handsome best man Lorcan.
The wedding is set to take place in a castle in rural Ireland, and so, in no time, Maddie and Lorcan are on their way to Ballalee. Life hasn’t always been easy for Maddie, and work has become her refuge. But soon the warmth and humour of Lorcan’s Irish family and friends start to chip away at Maddie’s walls. And as the big day approaches, it might be time for Maddie to focus less on her clients’ love life and more on her own…
Maxine has become one of my favourite rom-com writers. When I think I couldn’t like her writing more, she comes out with a new book that completely charms the romantic socks right off my feet. I literally devoured, Just Say Yes in one sitting. Did I have a book hangover afterwards? Yes, I did. Was it worth it? Hell, yes, it was. For those who haven’t read one of Maxine’s books before, I always think of her books as charming romances without all that “cheesiness.” Her stories are fun and romantic, with delightful, quirky characters who often have surprising depth.
Now, let’s talk about Just Say Yes and why I found it so darn amazing. First, this book’s setting is split between a quaint English cottage community and Ballalee, a rural village in Ireland (with a castle in it, of course). Maxine’s lush and vivid descriptions of both places made me feel like I was there. I loved going to Ireland (which was a first for me) and exploring its beautiful countryside with Lorcan and Madeline. Both settings have that small community feel to them, where everyone knows everyone else’s business, which can sometimes be a bad thing. But that sense of community and coming together was woven throughout the story and added to its charm.
It was really easy to get engrossed in this story. It felt like the world around me had just disappeared, and all I cared about was reading this love story between Madeline and Lorcan. I always enjoy Maxine’s books because they have a fun and interesting plot, and she throws in enough drama to keep me entertained. The dialogue in this book is smart and witty. There are plenty of easy, breezy, fun moments between the characters that will leave you smiling. And between those lighter moments are conversations that touch upon more challenging topics, such as losing a loved one and dealing with grief.
Madeline is one of my favourite romance heroines that Maxine has created. I loved her need to organize and colour code everything, something I wish I could do in my life. It was a charming characteristic and something Lorcan constantly teased her about. Madeline is used to being self-reliant and never having anyone take care of her. The reasons for this are explained in the book, but I’m not going to spoil them for you. Madeline is not used to anyone trying to get past those walls she built around her heart. It was sweet and heartwarming watching her interact with the villagers of Ballalee. Then there is Lorcan, who gave me those warm, fluttery feelings in my stomach. Maxine knows how to create those book boyfriends that leave you feeling oh so swoony. Lorcan is sweet, charming, funny, and caring. Underneath those rugged Irish good looks is someone dealing with his emotional baggage and trying to figure out how to move past it.
As you can imagine, I LOVED Madeline and Lorcan as a couple. They have this wonderful opposites attract, slow burn feel to their relationship. There are plenty of witty and teasing moments between these two that are often fueled because their personalities are so different. The slow burn part of their relationship stems from the fact that Madeline doesn’t have relationships with work clients, which means that for most of this book, you get this glorious build-up of their relationship. There are plenty of swoony moments that tease that romantic relationship line without crossing it. I devoured every moment of it and couldn’t get enough.
If you are looking for a book that will leave you feeling happy and very satisfied, then you need to pick up Just Say Yes.
Thank you, Boldwood Books, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
