Helpful Score: 3
While I love, love, love Hawaii, have been to every "touristy" island, and wish I could go to break up the winter blues every single year, this book just falls flat in too many ways to even be enjoyable. I read it while 8 months pregnant, and thus unable to board an airplane, hoping it would "take me away" to the gorgeous beaches, golf courses, and heady smell of flowers Hawaii is known for. I also hoped it would be at least as good as Mia King's first confectionary novel, "Good Things."
Instead, I found myself dragged into the negative, snippy, NYC attitude of the main character and the life she finds falling apart around her ears shortly after a move to the Big Island. This woman is so abrasive she puts SoftScrub to shame. Even as she creates a new "ohana" (family) by renting out rooms in her house to women who, WAY too coincidentally, she previously managed to tick off immediately upon her arrival to paradise, you never get a sense that she changes much throughout the novel, despite the personal growth "journey" she's supposed to be on.
Let's just say that anyone who complains this much about living in Hawaii kind of deserves some bad kharma, so sympathizing with the main character becomes a chore and makes reading the book one as well.
Instead, I found myself dragged into the negative, snippy, NYC attitude of the main character and the life she finds falling apart around her ears shortly after a move to the Big Island. This woman is so abrasive she puts SoftScrub to shame. Even as she creates a new "ohana" (family) by renting out rooms in her house to women who, WAY too coincidentally, she previously managed to tick off immediately upon her arrival to paradise, you never get a sense that she changes much throughout the novel, despite the personal growth "journey" she's supposed to be on.
Let's just say that anyone who complains this much about living in Hawaii kind of deserves some bad kharma, so sympathizing with the main character becomes a chore and makes reading the book one as well.
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed the quick read...didn't want to stop reading, but didnt' want it to end either!
Helpful Score: 2
This was a quick, light read with a happy ending. It has potential, but the author does not give us any character development, only incidents. The book cover is deceiving because I don't think the main character ever goes to the beach with her child! To all authors: I love, love, love to read romance novels with the focus on ONE couple only. Do not make me keep track of seven (7) people - give them their own stories.
Great story of hard choices! I've got to get some kava!
This book was a very quick read. I was unsure if I would enjoy it because Marissa, the main character, was extremely eccentric in the beginning. However, throughout the book she transformed by leaps and bounds into a wholesome and down to earth lady and a wonderful wife, mommy, and friend. This book definitely goes to prove that assumptions we make could not be more from the truth. This was my first book by this author and I am looking forward to reading more by her.
Great escape book! Uprooted from NYC, Marissa is plopped down in the Big Island of Hawai'i to switch from busy account manager to stay at home mom. At the end, ever story ties up neatly. As with Mia King's first book Good Things, she's included yummy recipes for food mentioned within the story. If you read light romances, this is one to add to your list.
I liked this book a lot! The characters were entertaining and the people seemed very real. A quick read, with a sweet story. Made me want to move to Hawaii! great recepies at the back of the book too!
This was the first book I read by Mia King! I loved it from the very first page. You will definately not need a bookmark as this book is very hard to put down. I would classify this book as a very empowering book with a nice ending.
