A Novel by Poppy St. James, August 2021.
* An e-ARC was provided by Booksprout and the author for an honest review.
Beauty and the Brit by Poppy St. James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
BEAUTY AND THE BRIT by Poppy St. James is the story of Camryn Palmer and Sterling Quinn, characters first introduced in the author’s recent release, ROMANCING HIS RIVAL. Sterling just found out that his great-grandfather left him an inheritance of millions of dollars. The catch? He has to marry in six months or lose the money. As a family lawyer, he’s guided several clients through contentious divorces and has seen the distress caused when a marriage dissolves. And he remembers the sadness and stress he and his mom suffered when his dad left. But he needs the money so he can give his ailing mother a better life. His uncle decides to give him a push and hires a PR firm to help Sterling find a wife.
Camryn is the PR rep that will play matchmaker for Sterling. She’s the best friend and employee of Olivia, who is married to Noah, Sterling’s best friend. So she and Sterling already know each other. She’s not too excited about the assignment, especially since Sterling’s a player. But the bonus she’ll get if Sterling gets married in time will pay off the almost $10,000 her last boyfriend charged to her credit cards before leaving her high and dry and with all the bills.
PROS:
1. Though Camryn and Sterling are attracted to each other, the romance plays out over time.
2. Both main characters are imperfect, excel in their professions, and care about their actions.
3. The arranged marriage angle is a common trope, but the author has given it a unique spin.
4. All of the characters are well written.
5. The pacing is good with no lagging scenes.
6. Written in first person with chapters mostly alternating between H and h points of view.
CONS:
1. The ending is a little abrupt, with the H’s thoughts about the h’s actions being a bit rushed.
2. It’s written in present tense, which isn’t a favorite of mine, but the author writes it really well.
SUMMARY:
BEAUTY AND THE BRIT is a delightful, lighthearted story with well-written characters, good pacing, and a unique twist to arranged marriage romances. If you like character-driven stories or just want an enjoyable beach read, this is the perfect book for you.
If You Like This, You Might Like:
SECOND CHANCE SUMMER and ROMANCING HIS RIVAL by Poppy St. James, WEDDINGS IN THE CITY by Alina Jacobs, OXFORD NOVELS and THE CENTRAL PARK PACT SERIES by Lauren Layne, FBI/US ATTORNEY SERIES by Julie James, MATCH ME IF YOU CAN by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, THE HATING GAME and SECOND FIRST IMPRESSIONS by Sally Thorne
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