#vacationromance #oppositesattract #ultimatebeachread #grumpysunshine #banter #romcom
How to Honeymoon Alone, a sexy romantic comedy featuring a feisty heroine and a grumpy hero from Olivia Hayle is out now!
A paradise island. Two strangers. The attraction they never saw coming…
When Eden dumped her cheating ex before the wedding, the last thing she expected was to go on their tropical honeymoon alone. But with no refunds possible, she packs her budget guidebook and broken heart, and sets off.
She plans to relax on the beach, swim in the ocean, and drink cocktails until she feels like herself again… or falls over. Whichever comes first. What she’s not expecting is the brusque, handsome stranger who sits down at her table on the first night.
Philip Meyer is a grumpy workaholic, and so irritatingly cynical that it makes her forget she’s grieving just to prove him wrong about the world. The two have nothing in common… except trying to forget who they’ve left behind.
The luxury resort isn’t too big, and fate soon pushes them together again. And again. Catamaran cruises and midnight swims give way to late night room service and whispered nothings. Maybe opposites really do attract.
But every vacation has to end, even the very best ones… Can these two opposites make it last?
This steamy romantic comedy is the perfect summer read! Great for fans of The Love Hypothesis or Beach Read, it involves a feisty heroine and the grumpy hero who reluctantly (but inevitably) falls for her charms…
My Thoughts:
If you’ve read romance for any length of time, you’ve probably stumbled upon several books that feature a vacation romance. Trust me. I’ve read them too. Not to say anything is wrong with them, but I am here to say that Olivia Hayle blows all of them out of the water with this book!
She resets the bar quite higher for the future of vacation romcoms! Eden and Phillip are fun characters, each with their own endearing quirks and laugh-out-loud moments. Phillip has an incredibly dry sense of humor and it’s nice to see that quality for a change. Eden is sweet, has such a big heart, and although a bit on the reserved side, she allows herself to grow, calling it her vacation-self. Phillip gives her the safety and security to open up what she seems to have previously hidden from the world. In doing so, he opens up in his own unique way.
This is my number one pick for beach reads this summer! It’s fun, spunky, and the banter between these two is soooooooo worth waiting for the moment. I caught myself smiling the entire time I was reading!
I received a complimentary ARC for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Check out a special excerpt from How to Honeymoon Alone!
“Good evening,” a smiling host says. “Do you have a reservation for tonight?”
“I don’t, no. I can see that you’re pretty busy. Is there a space for one?”
“Just one?”
“Yes.” I can feel myself shrink.
“Let me check…” He looks down at the screen and taps it a few times. “We do seem to have a table available. You’ll get our last one of the night!”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Thank you.”
Next to me, a man clears his throat. “There you are,” he says to me. “Sorry, I’m late. Table for two, actually.”
I stare up at the stranger.
His head of dark-brown hair towers over me by a few inches, and he’s wearing a white button-down. He’s also watching me meaningfully.
“That’s not a problem,” the host says, grabbing another menu. “Right this way.”
He turns and sets off through the packed restaurant. I remain locked in a staring contest with the intrusive stranger.
He raises an eyebrow. “Share the last table?” he asks and motions for us to start moving.
I’m too stunned to do anything but follow the host obediently through the restaurant. He leads us to a two-top right next to the boardwalk and the soft waves. There’s a single lit candle on it, it’s flame flickering in the light breeze.
“Here you are,” the host chirps and sets the menus down. “Your waiter will be over soon to take your drink orders.”
And just like that, I’m left staring at the tall stranger in front of me. He pulls out a chair and sits as if he hasn’t just stolen it. There’s a hint of stubble along his sharp jaw. He looks closed-off and a bit predatory like he spends much time getting his way just as he is right now.
“Excuse me,” I say. “What was that?”
“Maybe I just wanted to get to know you,” he says.
Judging by his lack of accent, he’s American, too. I cast a meaningful look around the crowded restaurant. “No, you wanted a table in a full restaurant.”
“Nothing escapes you.” He nods to the chair in front of him. “Have a seat.”
“You know, I studied karate for seven years, and I always carry pepper spray. Not to mention we’re in public.”
“Consider me warned,” he says and opens his menu. “They do good fish here, I’ve heard.”
I finally sit down, my movements slow. “Yes. It’s in the name.”
He gives a low hum. I look down at my menu, but the words bleed together on the page. At least his sudden arrival means I don’t need to think twice about what the other guests may be thinking, seeing me here alone.
Across the table, he flips a page of his menu. “Dinner is on me as a thank you,” he says. “Choose whatever you want. And no need to worry about awkward small talk, if you’re not in the mood. I have some emails I need to take care of.”
I look at him. “You’re going to work?”
He keeps his eyes trained on the menu. “Would you rather we talk about nothing important just to fill the silence?”
“Wow. I… just wow.”
He looks up with a faint frown. “What?”
“I don’t think anyone’s ever spoken to me like you have.”
“Right. I can be direct.”
“No, really?” I ask. Sarcasm drips from my words.
He puts the menu down, and it looks like it pains him. “I’m sorry about crashing your evening. Is it okay with you? Say no, and I’ll leave, no questions asked.”
“It’s okay,” I hear myself saying because, if nothing else, this is a story to tell Becky about. “I’m just… surprised.”
He nods like that’s that and returns to his menu.
The silence stretches between us. I read my menu without taking in the words and sneak looks at him. I haven’t spoken to a man who wasn’t my family member, a co-worker, or a friend’s husband since Caleb and I ended our engagement.
He leans forward, a lock of dark hair falling over his forehead. A heavy watch on his wrist reflects the flickering candle on the table.
“What are you having?” I finally ask him.
He closes the menu with a snap. “The steak.”
“The steak,” I repeat. “At a restaurant famous for its fish? On an island in the middle of the sea? You do know that swordfish is famous in Barbados?”
“Yes.”
“I think I’m having the locally sourced marlin.”
He makes that low humming sound again and reaches into the pocket of his slacks. He pulls out a phone and puts it on the tabletop. “I don’t want to be rude,” he says, “but I really do need to answer a few emails.”
“You’re working on your vacation?”
His eyes are already on the screen. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you just order room service?” I ask.
He doesn’t look up at me, but he seems to tense up at my question. “My room wasn’t properly cleaned when I arrived. They’re fixing it now.”
“Oh.” That seems… odd at a five-star resort, but okay, then. I entertain myself by reading through the dessert menu, and then the wine list. My eyes graze over the impossible prices of the glass to the bottle. Between mine and Caleb’s salaries, this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Staying at the Winter Resort was always going to be a stretch. When I sat down to cancel the honeymoon and learned about the cancellation fees, we’d have to pay for the flights and the deposit we’d lose on the standard double at the resort… well. Caleb already took the wedding from me, and I’ll be damned if he takes my lifelong dream vacation, too.
Read this meet cute romance today!
Exclusively on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited!
