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ksprezza's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. Good story, predictable...like most contemporaries. I loved all the characters except for Darcy's parents. Super fast read.
leonarkr's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful protagonist and a fun, realistic plight as young Darcy goes from riches to (stylish) rags. I can't wait for Lisa Brown Roberts to write another novel. :)
storyteller86's review against another edition
5.0
Seventeen-year-old Darcy Covington never had to worry about money or where her next shopping spree was coming from. Even her dog ate gourmet. Then one day, Darcy’s car is repossessed from the parking lot of her elite private school. As her father’s business hit the skids, Dad didn’t just skip town, he bailed on his family.
Fortunately, Darcy’s uncle owns a thrift shop where she can hide out from the world. There’s also Lucas, the wickedly hot fix-it guy she can’t stop crushing on, even if she’s not sure they’ll ever get out of the friend zone.
But it’s here among the colorful characters of her uncle’s world that Darcy begins to see something more in herself… if she has the courage to follow it.
Heartfelt story about family, love and changes. Did you ever come across a book that when you picked it up you knew it was the one you would enjoy? How (Not) To Fall In Love was that story for me. The second I came across the book and read the summary, I was addicted, and that is the books that you won’t get out of your mind even when you reach the ending. I had read few debut authors this past year but How (Not) To Fall In Love was one of my favorites out of all others that I came across so far. What I enjoyed about this particular novel was that it wasn’t just about romance, it had a lot about family and the way it was written, it felt real. The situation that Darcy was dealing with is one I can see happening in real life. A type of books that will keep the reader attention that’s for sure.
Darcy: Have you ever came across a character that you can’t help but love? Darcy was that character for me from the beginning of the book to the end. That’s one tough character, she had deal with so much, her father disappearance, her mother’s drinking. A teen shouldn’t have to deal with something like that, especially not on her own. I don’t think she would made it as far as she did, not without her uncle and of course not without Lucas. I believe if it wasn’t for support that they gave her, she wouldn’t made it as far as she did, she would had a breakdown long before she actually did. It’s clear how much Darcy cared about her father, despite the situation that he left them in when he left. I loved that she wouldn’t give up, not till she found him and made sure that he was okay. How can you not love a character like that? By end of the book I loved her more. She was one of characters who changed most by the end of book.
Of course how can you not love Lucas and Darcy together? Any reader can see that there is tension and a connection between two of characters right from start, just the way that two of them acted around each other. At first I couldn’t actually tell what Lucas though of her, I had feeling that he was sure that she was a spoiled rich girl. As book progressed I saw the signs that Lucas considered her more than friend, which he grew to care about her. I loved that their relationship didn’t go fast like most of novels that I have read tend to be. Lucas & Darcy’s relationship had time to develop and that made it feel more realistic. I was rooting for the two of them all through the book, I wanted for them to be together. Lucas was there for her through it all. I love the family aspect of it as well. It was an emotional story but worth every single page.
Fortunately, Darcy’s uncle owns a thrift shop where she can hide out from the world. There’s also Lucas, the wickedly hot fix-it guy she can’t stop crushing on, even if she’s not sure they’ll ever get out of the friend zone.
But it’s here among the colorful characters of her uncle’s world that Darcy begins to see something more in herself… if she has the courage to follow it.
Heartfelt story about family, love and changes. Did you ever come across a book that when you picked it up you knew it was the one you would enjoy? How (Not) To Fall In Love was that story for me. The second I came across the book and read the summary, I was addicted, and that is the books that you won’t get out of your mind even when you reach the ending. I had read few debut authors this past year but How (Not) To Fall In Love was one of my favorites out of all others that I came across so far. What I enjoyed about this particular novel was that it wasn’t just about romance, it had a lot about family and the way it was written, it felt real. The situation that Darcy was dealing with is one I can see happening in real life. A type of books that will keep the reader attention that’s for sure.
Darcy: Have you ever came across a character that you can’t help but love? Darcy was that character for me from the beginning of the book to the end. That’s one tough character, she had deal with so much, her father disappearance, her mother’s drinking. A teen shouldn’t have to deal with something like that, especially not on her own. I don’t think she would made it as far as she did, not without her uncle and of course not without Lucas. I believe if it wasn’t for support that they gave her, she wouldn’t made it as far as she did, she would had a breakdown long before she actually did. It’s clear how much Darcy cared about her father, despite the situation that he left them in when he left. I loved that she wouldn’t give up, not till she found him and made sure that he was okay. How can you not love a character like that? By end of the book I loved her more. She was one of characters who changed most by the end of book.
Of course how can you not love Lucas and Darcy together? Any reader can see that there is tension and a connection between two of characters right from start, just the way that two of them acted around each other. At first I couldn’t actually tell what Lucas though of her, I had feeling that he was sure that she was a spoiled rich girl. As book progressed I saw the signs that Lucas considered her more than friend, which he grew to care about her. I loved that their relationship didn’t go fast like most of novels that I have read tend to be. Lucas & Darcy’s relationship had time to develop and that made it feel more realistic. I was rooting for the two of them all through the book, I wanted for them to be together. Lucas was there for her through it all. I love the family aspect of it as well. It was an emotional story but worth every single page.
javalenciaph's review
5.0
Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
How (Not) to Fall in Love is a young adult (YA) novel and the debut release of author Lisa Brown Roberts. The blurb got to me as I was reading it on NetGalley but when I started reading this book, whatever preconceived notions I had (spoiled rich girl and her family suddenly find themselves poor and she has to adjust to life on the other side of the fence, learning valuable lessons along the way) were swept away. The main female character isn't what you expect her to be and the story goes above and beyond expectation.
Darcy Covington is seventeen, studies in an exclusive private school, and lives a more than comfortable life with her parents. On the day her car is suddenly towed out of the school parking lot, her life begins to tilt off its axis. Her father has run off, his business on the precarious edge of failure, and her mother is coping with the aid of a bottle or more of wine. She's ridiculed by her classmates in school, leaving only her best friend Sal and Sal's boyfriend Mark to be her sources of support...until her Uncle Charlie calls.
Darcy hasn't seen her Uncle Charlie since her father decided he didn't want his hippie brother being an influence in Darcy's life. Still, Charlie would send Darcy birthday packages that included a figurine pepper shaker and a birthday card with the drawn salt shake partner every year. She's kept every single one, remembering her uncle as a kind man. When he reaches out to her and invites her to come to his thrift shop, she hesitates because her car has been repossessed, but Charlie offers the driving services of Lucas.
Lucas Martinez is Charlie's all-around repair guy in the thrift shop and when Darcy first meets him, she immediately notices how good looking he is. Her dog Toby experiences insta-love and follows Lucas around like the lovesick dog that he was. Lucas has his own quiet assumptions regarding Darcy but when he realizes the predicament she and her mother are in, he begins to see her in a new light. Darcy's crush on him grows but she tamps down on it when she meets Heather, the one girl she always sees with Lucas.
As the weeks turn into months, Darcy goes through a range of emotions regarding what her father has done, how her mother has clocked out, and what she needs to do in order to pick their family up from the rock bottom that they've hit. In the process, Darcy begins to see a side of herself that she never thought she had. She becomes more courageous and finds a self-confidence that had always been missing. She refuses to be a pushover and doesn't want to be steamrolled in the scandal their family is left with.
While dealing with all the stress of her family and home life, Darcy learns to rely on those who are more than willing to give her the support she needs. Aside from Sal and Mark, Darcy's bond with her Uncle Charlie grows as she spends more time with him, and she becomes close to her boss at the coffee shop, Liz. And let's not forget Lucas. ^.^ Darcy and Lucas form a true and close friendship but Darcy is so busy believing that Lucas doesn't see her as anything more to realize just how wrong she may actually be.
Through it all, Darcy refuses to give up hope that she will be able to figure out where here father is at. She tries to piece together where he's headed based on where she knows he's been at. But if and when she finds him, is she still hoping to return to the luxurious life she once enjoyed or is fully embracing the life she now has, one that's filled with new people who love and accept her for who she really is and one that has her opening her eyes to the newly evolved Darcy that's ready to face up to the challenges of her life?
I loved, loved, LOVED this book! Yes, I know I'm not the target audience for a YA novel but I'm a firm believer that you can appreciate a book of any genre, regardless of whether the book was written specifically with someone like you in mind, if it's well-written. This gem of a book most certainly proves that the author has the writing chops to deliver a wonderful story about self-discovery, family, and first love. This is just Lisa Brown Roberts' first novel and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
Darcy as the lead character was inspiring and the development was one that was neither rushed nor forced. You could see the growth pains she was going through as she was confronted by one thing after another and had to decide whether she would fight or flee. Her relationship with the people around her, especially with Lucas, made her even more endearing and there aren't enough words to describe how great a character Lucas was. Perfect first book boyfriend (BBF) material for all female YA readers out there.
I appreciated that the book was a clean romance, i.e. there's no sex in it, mainly because I've noticed a lot of books that are labeled as "YA" but have the main characters having sex, sometimes steamy enough sex that you end up wondering if the book's crossed over to new adult (NA) or women's fiction. Hey, I'm all for romance novels with sex in them but this was refreshing and a pleasant change of pace for the genre. How could I not fall for How (Not) to Fall in Love?! It gets five stars and is on my list of 2015 favorites. ♥
Release Date: 03 February 2015
How (Not) to Fall in Love is a young adult (YA) novel and the debut release of author Lisa Brown Roberts. The blurb got to me as I was reading it on NetGalley but when I started reading this book, whatever preconceived notions I had (spoiled rich girl and her family suddenly find themselves poor and she has to adjust to life on the other side of the fence, learning valuable lessons along the way) were swept away. The main female character isn't what you expect her to be and the story goes above and beyond expectation.
Darcy Covington is seventeen, studies in an exclusive private school, and lives a more than comfortable life with her parents. On the day her car is suddenly towed out of the school parking lot, her life begins to tilt off its axis. Her father has run off, his business on the precarious edge of failure, and her mother is coping with the aid of a bottle or more of wine. She's ridiculed by her classmates in school, leaving only her best friend Sal and Sal's boyfriend Mark to be her sources of support...until her Uncle Charlie calls.
Darcy hasn't seen her Uncle Charlie since her father decided he didn't want his hippie brother being an influence in Darcy's life. Still, Charlie would send Darcy birthday packages that included a figurine pepper shaker and a birthday card with the drawn salt shake partner every year. She's kept every single one, remembering her uncle as a kind man. When he reaches out to her and invites her to come to his thrift shop, she hesitates because her car has been repossessed, but Charlie offers the driving services of Lucas.
Lucas Martinez is Charlie's all-around repair guy in the thrift shop and when Darcy first meets him, she immediately notices how good looking he is. Her dog Toby experiences insta-love and follows Lucas around like the lovesick dog that he was. Lucas has his own quiet assumptions regarding Darcy but when he realizes the predicament she and her mother are in, he begins to see her in a new light. Darcy's crush on him grows but she tamps down on it when she meets Heather, the one girl she always sees with Lucas.
As the weeks turn into months, Darcy goes through a range of emotions regarding what her father has done, how her mother has clocked out, and what she needs to do in order to pick their family up from the rock bottom that they've hit. In the process, Darcy begins to see a side of herself that she never thought she had. She becomes more courageous and finds a self-confidence that had always been missing. She refuses to be a pushover and doesn't want to be steamrolled in the scandal their family is left with.
While dealing with all the stress of her family and home life, Darcy learns to rely on those who are more than willing to give her the support she needs. Aside from Sal and Mark, Darcy's bond with her Uncle Charlie grows as she spends more time with him, and she becomes close to her boss at the coffee shop, Liz. And let's not forget Lucas. ^.^ Darcy and Lucas form a true and close friendship but Darcy is so busy believing that Lucas doesn't see her as anything more to realize just how wrong she may actually be.
Through it all, Darcy refuses to give up hope that she will be able to figure out where here father is at. She tries to piece together where he's headed based on where she knows he's been at. But if and when she finds him, is she still hoping to return to the luxurious life she once enjoyed or is fully embracing the life she now has, one that's filled with new people who love and accept her for who she really is and one that has her opening her eyes to the newly evolved Darcy that's ready to face up to the challenges of her life?
I loved, loved, LOVED this book! Yes, I know I'm not the target audience for a YA novel but I'm a firm believer that you can appreciate a book of any genre, regardless of whether the book was written specifically with someone like you in mind, if it's well-written. This gem of a book most certainly proves that the author has the writing chops to deliver a wonderful story about self-discovery, family, and first love. This is just Lisa Brown Roberts' first novel and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
Darcy as the lead character was inspiring and the development was one that was neither rushed nor forced. You could see the growth pains she was going through as she was confronted by one thing after another and had to decide whether she would fight or flee. Her relationship with the people around her, especially with Lucas, made her even more endearing and there aren't enough words to describe how great a character Lucas was. Perfect first book boyfriend (BBF) material for all female YA readers out there.
I appreciated that the book was a clean romance, i.e. there's no sex in it, mainly because I've noticed a lot of books that are labeled as "YA" but have the main characters having sex, sometimes steamy enough sex that you end up wondering if the book's crossed over to new adult (NA) or women's fiction. Hey, I'm all for romance novels with sex in them but this was refreshing and a pleasant change of pace for the genre. How could I not fall for How (Not) to Fall in Love?! It gets five stars and is on my list of 2015 favorites. ♥
Release Date: 03 February 2015
bluebeereads's review against another edition
4.0
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
How (not) to Fall in Love is a very sweet and touching story about love, family, friendship, courage and finding yourself when your life is all but perfect. I really, really enjoyed this book!
How (not) to Fall in Love is about Darcy. Her dad is a semi-famous motivational speaker and when he disappears, abandoning his family while his business collapses, Darcy and her mom are left to pick up the pieces. Darcy turns to her dad's brother, who runs a thrift shop, to sell her jewelry for some much-needed cash. There in the street of her uncle's thrift shop, Darcy finds more than she thought she was looking for. She starts working in the coffee shop across the street owned by a sweet woman named Liz and becomes friends with the hot fix-it guy named Lucas, who works at her uncle's shop.
Although this was not a five-star book for me, I did love it! It's a really good story! Is it the most original one? Maybe not, but it's really hard to come up with something completely new in this genre and it's still original on some levels. Is it predictable? On some parts, maybe. Did it bother me? No, not at all! Like I said, I really enjoyed reading this book. I think the thing that kept me from giving it five stars is that I expected something more towards the ending.
Spoiler
I was waiting for a confrontation between Darcy and her dad, or more or a resolution, but I didn't really feel like I got that. I just wanted a bit more from the ending.I loved Darcy! She has so much courage, she's so strong! If I were in her shoes, I would've broken down completely I think. But she kept going and I admire her for that! I didn't expect her to be as relatable as she was. I mean, how could I not like a girl who loves Harry Potter as much as I do? It's impossible. I also loved Charlie, Liz and Pickles. I wasn't really fond of Sal and her mom at first. I didn't like how her mom just drowned herself in her sorrows and didn't do anything to get out of the mess like Darcy did. Also, I kind of hate her dad for abandoning them. I loved Lucas. Of course I did.
How (not) to Fall in Love is a very heartwarming and inspirational book, perfect to read on a lazy afternoon. I recommend it to fans of YA Contemporary. Well, maybe if you're not, still try it. It might just change your mind on the genre.
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog
rachd24's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not mentally present today, AT ALL, because I started this book yesterday evening wanting something contemporary and fluffy following on from reading a couple of "heavy" books in a row. Well. This book certainly started out that way, but there was so much more substance here than I was expecting and I found myself staying up past 2am to finish it because I could not leave that story unfinished!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, I am IN LOVE with our leading man Lucas, like so much it hurts, and even though I loved the bones of this book, it did leave single little me rather depressed before bedtime! Really surprised by this read and glad I read it.
Check out the full review here:
https://confessionsofabookgeek.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/review-how-not-to-fall-in-love/
I participated in the blog tour for this book. This does not affect my opinions of the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, I am IN LOVE with our leading man Lucas, like so much it hurts, and even though I loved the bones of this book, it did leave single little me rather depressed before bedtime! Really surprised by this read and glad I read it.
Check out the full review here:
https://confessionsofabookgeek.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/review-how-not-to-fall-in-love/
I participated in the blog tour for this book. This does not affect my opinions of the novel.
talya_'s review against another edition
1.0
This whole book was a big pile of blah. Maybe one star is a bit harsh but there really wasn't anything about the book that warrants more. It's not horrible, it's just...nothing. It evoked no emotions, it didn't hold my attention, there were no great characters and the plot was boring. The book is completely forgettable to say the least.
trid_for_kicks's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the book, liked the main character and how she finds herself in adversity.
But.
A few things annoyed me.
But.
A few things annoyed me.
Spoiler
For example: the cliched "he's so hot, so he couldn't possibly be interested in me" thing that's going on for the entire book, even though it's obvious that he's crazy about her. Another example: I don't get the title. It's called "how not to fall in love", but she falls in love, and that's it. There's nothing in there about how she fell in love with the wrong person, or in the wrong way, she just falls for him, and he falls for her, and they live happily ever after, more or less. It's confusing and misleading. And, finally, the story arc seems to end when she's got her boyfriend, and her mom's not drinking anymore, and they move to a new house--that's where any normal book would seem to end. But then the story is brought back, because she needs to go rescue her dad. It makes sense, her family isn't complete with him gone, and she couldn't very well leave on a rescue mission before she knew her mom was going to be okay. But it just feels like the book settles down for a nice, happy ending, and then picks up again. I don't know how I would have done it better, it's just, there it is.dannimaxwellbabcock's review against another edition
5.0
(I was given an E-copy of this book from Entangled Teen to read and give an honest review, full review will be on my channel. Thank you Entangled Teen.)
I went into this book expecting a cutesy classic YA fluffy lighthearted contemporary that would give me the feels. But to my surprise, it was all of that and even more. I really loved this book, and I really recommend it for anyone looking for something like My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I use the .5 star rating, so though it says 5 stars, it's more like 4.5 stars. There will be a video review on my channel for this soon.
I went into this book expecting a cutesy classic YA fluffy lighthearted contemporary that would give me the feels. But to my surprise, it was all of that and even more. I really loved this book, and I really recommend it for anyone looking for something like My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I use the .5 star rating, so though it says 5 stars, it's more like 4.5 stars. There will be a video review on my channel for this soon.
jaimejustreadsromance's review against another edition
4.0
*This is a true YA novel AKA it's clean and I would allow my 15 year-old daughter to read it.
This is a great coming of age romance that approached first love, family and life in general in a realistic, tangible way. It was sweet, without being overly sappy. It's was sad, without being depressing. The writing was great and it made me feel the story rather than just read it.
I enjoyed every aspect of this story other than the fact that the heroine is nearly 18 but only a junior in high school and the hero is a second year college student. They seemed to be at the same maturity level and Darcy is turning 18 very soon, but I wish that she was finishing her senior year in high school rather than her junior year. It wasn't enough to ruin the story for me though.
I will be recommending this to my daughter ASAP.
*I received an ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review
This is a great coming of age romance that approached first love, family and life in general in a realistic, tangible way. It was sweet, without being overly sappy. It's was sad, without being depressing. The writing was great and it made me feel the story rather than just read it.
I enjoyed every aspect of this story other than the fact that the heroine is nearly 18 but only a junior in high school and the hero is a second year college student. They seemed to be at the same maturity level and Darcy is turning 18 very soon, but I wish that she was finishing her senior year in high school rather than her junior year. It wasn't enough to ruin the story for me though.
I will be recommending this to my daughter ASAP.
*I received an ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review