Dear Cupid is the type of book that will give you the warm fuzzies, as well as give you a few chuckles as you read. This is a near perfect contemporary romance about a heroine getting a shot at a second chance at love, and at love with a guy who enjoys everything life has to offer. The hero pushes her to have fun and not worry about things. I found myself having a blast reading Dear Cupid because Julie has written two great characters in Kate and Michael.Kate is a divorced mother with a 5 year old son who has asthma. Her ex-husband isn't in the picture that much since he's all about work and having his own life on his own terms, which means no wife or son to take up his time. Kate is barely making ends meet as a romance columnist called Dear Cupid. She has a meeting with the owner of the on-line magazine, who tells Kate that she needs to spice up her advice or her column will be cancelled. Kate would be devastated because she loves giving advice, but doesn't want to lie to her fans. Not everything is rainbows and roses in the romance department for every couple. Kate's love life is stale, which she thinks might be the main reason her column is the same way. While she is waiting to board her plane home, she spot a handsome man wearing a Hawaiian shirt. She pretends to spill her purse as she passes him. She does a little flirty, which he responds to, but she doesn't go much further than that. By the time she gets on her flight, Michael, the man she flirted with is very interested in her. But then she gives him the cold shoulder and ignores him. He's confused b her sudden change of heart, but fate intervenes because he has a business card she forgot to grab, and it has her name on it. He knows how to reach her.Kate's friend runs a Wife for Hire, a business that helps people who are too busy to run errands or taking care of their house. Kate accepts a job for a male client, who when Kate meets is in for a big surprise because it's Mike. He tells Kate he needs someone to help him find a wife since he's so busy working as a consultant for various movie productions, creating special effects and the life for sci-fi movies. His plan is a little underhanded and sneaky because he's not really looking for a wife. He just wants Kate in his life, but he doesn't tell her that. He plays it off so well that she falls for it, even allowing her to redecorate his bachelor pad house.Mike is very appealing, but Kate has other more important things to worry about. She is always stressing, while Mike is more laid back, even though his work keeps him busy and he's on call. They both start to bond, and even form a friendship, which Mike hopes will grow into something more, and possibly permanent.Dear Cupid is uber sweet and predictable, but that doesn't take away from the reading pleasure as Kate and Mike fall in love with one another. Mike knows how to deal with stress a lot better than Kate, who feels like the world is against her. Mike comes into Kate's life at the perfect time because other than her son and her column, she doesn't have much to look forward to. Some may find Kate annoying after a while, but Mike is there to even things out. He's a great counterpart to Kate, and they have great chemistry together.The romance factor here has limited sensuality with one or two full blown love scenes that are more in the PG-13 range, so this would be a good read for teens. The outcome is very satisfactory, especially when it comes to Kate's column and her decision about Mike and his role in her life. The ending is the complete HEA any fan of romance would want.For a feel good story, do check Dear Cupid out.More at Booklikes: http://katiebabs.booklikes.com/post/1...
This is the second book I've read by Julie Orloton, and while they're a little predictable, and they tend to be a little scattered, I enjoy them. They're perfect for when I want a quick, easy read.This one revolved around Kate, a romance advice columnist who has allowed a less-than-great marriage and the ensuing divorce turn her bitter and her column into mostly an exercise in man-bashing. After a warning from her boss, she decides that the only way to get her writerly mojo back is to find a random guy at the airport, flirt with him shamelessly, then walk off. Imagine her surprise, when, due to a set of completely random circumstances and coincidences, she ends up working for him through a company she doesn't even work for, called Wife for Hire.Mike Cameron is a movie animation specialist who spends most of his internal monologues, and there are a lot, lamenting the fact that at 38, he doesn't have a wife or kids yet. In fact, while Kate is flirting with him at the airport, one of the first things he notices about her us how perfect her breasts are. For breastfeeding. Which was a bit creepy. He can't forget about her, even after she quickly blows him off, so he manages to track her down after their flight lands. He convinces her friend, who owns Wife for Hire to let him hire Kate. Who doesn't work there. To help him find a wife. While not telling her that the only wife he wants is her.Kate and Mike are the redeeming qualities of this book. I really liked both of them. Who hasn't been treated like crap by an ex and ended up a little bitter and wary after that? We've all been there. And Kate has a son to think about as well, so she's extra cautious. And I liked that Mike seemed to genuinely get that, after Kate decided to actually talk to him about it, and give her the time and space she needed. And he did it without doing that romance-novel-hero/douche move where he says he understands and will give her the time and space she needs while trying to soulfully kiss the doubts away. He actually gave her some time and space to get her head together.I'll be reading more of Orloton's books and I recommend them. Don't think about the actual story too much, just enjoy the characters, which she really does have a knack for creating.
What do You think about Dear Cupid (2014)?
I enjoyed this one. It was a fun, silly, quirky, colorful read. It had moments of absurdity but it worked for me somewhat. The writing was great and was the strongest trait of the book. Pacing and dialog were both very good too. I was sucked into this story and even though it was predictable in some aspects it was still a fun "escaper" for me.The characters were alright, but Kate was very annoying and that, unfortunately in a round-about way, reflected on the whole cast. While I tried to like her, I just couldn't get past some issues that bothered me on a personal level. Mainly with the choices she makes in raising her son. By the time the conflict starts gathering steam, she hit the TSTL territory for me. Also my dislike for her eclipsed any feelings I may have had for the others. The rest of the cast was just kind of… there. Even Mike was just average.I also had trouble buying into the romance. I couldn't believe someone would go to the lengths that Mike did to be with Kate after a 2 minute or so initial meeting. And nothing is shown to prove there's anything besides a physical attraction between the two. Overall though, I was happy with this book. It had just the right amount of humor and pace that kept me turning the pages. Along with the smexy times! :p This book is a perfect, mindless "beach" read. It worked well for me to read during the crazy holiday season.
—Tina
I thought the basis of this story was great, but a little out there in terms of reality. I don't think anyone could be as stupid as Kate. Here she has this great guy, who is obviously interested in her, and wants to marry her- in fact can't think of anything else. And he's really sweet.. and she keeps turning him down. It didn't make sense to me. Not only that, but he has an incredible job and can take care of her and her son (not only can, but actually WANTS to take care of them). I just didn't
—Highland-dreamer
This cover does elude to the pretty elaborate sex scenes in this book. I just skipped them, because based on the cover, I was not expecting that at all. the first one is about 44% into the book (says my kindle). All of them are easy to skip, just go to the end of the chapter, and it will be over.The story was cute. I really with the main character would have had more self esteem a little earlier in the book, I just got a little tired of her putting herself down all the time. Overall, I loved the main love interest. It was just a fun book, that the sex scenes didn't add anything to it. (or they could have just been closed door scenes)The funny thing is, this is the second book in a week that was like that with the sex scenes that I have read. I will have to pick more carefully next time.
—Klgrissom
