For this romance reader, a new Lauren Blakely novel is like a breath of fresh air. I read a great deal, and while contemporary romance and romantic comedies are generally my favorites, I read many different genres and tropes of romantic fiction. Sometimes it’s a light and breezy read, sometimes it’s a dark and stormy one, and occasionally an emotionally turbulent story will find its way onto my Kindle. I can always count on a Blakely novel to bring me back to center, though, with an amusing plot, a sexy romance between a couple I can’t help but adore and a healthy dose of humor, and it’s precisely that consistency in her storytelling that brings me back to her work time and time again.
Blakely’s painstaking attention detail is my favorite part of her writing, though. Those little details that make two people a couple – the inside jokes, the ways in which they celebrate and acknowledge their budding romance and their love, and the things they do and say and the meaningful places they go. She masterfully blends all these things so vividly and creatively, resulting in a rich love story that not only the captivates the reader but also draws them right into the story. The thoughtfulness she pours into this element of developing her stories always translates into a thoroughly charming reading experience that never fails to endear her characters in the hearts and minds of her readers.
"He holds out a hand. I take it."
Blakely’s spin on the boyfriend-for-hire trope in The Real Deal was witty, romantic, clever and so very sexy! Theo is gorgeous, smart, and a guy with a colorful past who really wants to leave that part of his life behind him. April was a successful, confident, sexy heroine, who just so happened to be on a dating diet when she hired Theo to play the part of her boyfriend at her family reunion. I loved her sassy nature and how effortlessly she just got Theo. Their whip-quick banter was entertaining and natural, and it was one of the things that made this couple’s whirlwind romance so believable. They were just so perfectly in sync.
"This is what it feels like to fall in love."
My heart thumped excitedly, and my face practically ached from grinning as I read patiently while Theo and April danced around each other, trying to figure out what was real and what was part of the act. That delicious build-up, that should-we-could-we-what-are-we-doing-here back-and-forth is something Blakely does exceptionally well, and it was fantastically executed in The Real Deal. I was tapping my Kindle furiously as I gobbled this book up in anticipation of that delicious moment when they would finally give in to that attraction, those feelings and the sizzling chemistry between them. Blakely did not disappoint—that explosively sexy moment was well worth the wait!
"...it turned into something more. It turned into the real deal."
The Real Deal was exactly what I hope for when I pick up a novel by Lauren Blakely. I adored these characters, I loved their story, and this book ticked off all my boxes for the perfect romcom. I smiled and swooned through every page, hoping right along with April and Theo for the chance to see this romance blossom. The Real Deal by Lauren Blakely get five smooches from me!
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...my affection for Theo and April's story grew more with each page.
Oh where do I begin? I have to admit, while I enjoyed The Real Deal, I didn't truly love it until somewhere around the midway mark and then my affection for Theo and April's story grew more with each page. Perhaps because it is written for a different publisher, but there was a subtle difference in this book than previous Lauren Blakely books that I've read and it sort of made me miss the signature writing style that I've come to adore. However, I did find the groove and once we got to the burn portion of this delicious slow burn, I was fully on board (it helps that one of the first sexy time scenes we get is reminiscent of one of my all time favorite scenes in one of my all time favorite books, A Court of Mist and Fury). I loved all of the characters and all of the relationships (familial, platonic, romantic, and otherwise) featured in the book - but since such a big part of April and Theo's characters involved them being emotionally detached, I found it hard to bond with them until they succumbed to their feelings for each other. That being said, I truly did love their story and look forward to seeing more in this style from the author. One of my favorite parts, however, is an allusion to one of her previous works - though this delightful Easter egg didn't make an appearance until very late in the book (and if you aren't familiar with Blakely's works you may just miss it), it truly enhanced the whole reading experience for me. 5 out of 5 wine glasses.
