26 May, 2015

#BookReview :: Caught Up in You by Kim Boykin

After attending her baby sister’s destination wedding, Shelby Worthington decides she’s ready to do some husband hunting of her own. The only problem? She’s still insanely attracted to Declan Enright, her high school and college crush. He’s now a wildly successful painter who’s temporarily back in Magnolia Bay, but Declan should be Shelby’s last choice for possible husband material. He didn’t earn the reputation of runaway groom for nothing…

Declan has worked hard to make his mark on the New York art scene and has succeeded at everything he’s ever done…except love. But Declan has come back to the Bay to change that and care for his dying father, even if he’s still never forgiven Declan for leaving the family business. Shelby is determined to steer clear, but while her lips keep saying no, her heart is pounding out yes each time she and Declan are together. While she can’t deny her attraction, Shelby’s convinced that Declan’s track record means he will break her heart. Or has Declan changed for good, and made love worth the risk? 

Goodreads I Amazon

Shelby is the proud owner of a clothing boutique, a cat and enough shoes to set up her own shop. She is happy with her life. But after attending her sister’s wedding, she realizes that something essential is missing from her life and yearns for her own happily ever after. But to find the perfect man, she needs to get over Declan, her high school love, first. She knows full well that trusting Declan would probably mean ending up with a broken heart, yet her heart beats only for him.

Declan left Magnolia Bay as soon as he could and has set up a life for himself in the big city. He is an artist who has managed to make a name for himself both for his work and for leaving multiple fiancés at the altar. With his father’s declining health, Declan decided to come back home to try and mend his relationship with his father who never really forgave him for leaving the family business. A good fifteen years has passed since he graduated high school and moved out, but now that he is back and Shelby is on his radar, will he continue with his track record? Or will he finally settle down?

I love this kind of romance… where the protagonists have known each other for a while and the relationship grows slowly instead of the insta-love. I have to say it though that I could not really root for either of the protagonists. Shelby’s shoe mania was a bit too much for me to handle. Also, while her POV was being narrated, it felt a bit too jumbled and rushed. Declan on the other hand is mostly likeable except for the fact that he seemed to get over his commitment phobia bit too quick when it came to Shelby. I know when it’s the right person, it is easy to settle down… but for someone who has already had three fiancés before, Declan made up his mind a bit to quickly while I expected him to be more cautious this time around. The narration style was overall okay, though the flow of the story felt a bit rushed. 

Overall, an enjoyable romance that I would have enjoyed more if I could have connected to atleast one of the protagonist.



Review Copy received via NetGalley

No comments:

Post a Comment