My Life in Shambles is an emotional and sexy new standalone contemporary romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Nordic King and The Pact.When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything.They say bad things … everything.
They say bad things happen in threes.
After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can definitely attest to that.
They also say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution.
Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex god was one of Ireland’s top rugby players.
A rugby player with a proposition for me:
Come with him to his tiny hometown of Shambles and pretend to be his fiancé for a few days, just so that his ailing father can have some peace of mind.
It sounded simple enough.
It was anything but.
Not when a town gets up in your business, not when the media hunts you down, not when your past comes back in the picture, not when there are real hearts and feelings at stake.
Not when there are secrets that could break you.
They say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
This is my life in Shambles.
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This book takes you on a journey that allows you to see the important things in life. There are so many things that we take for granted, and this book had a way of of bringing that to light.
Valerie is such an emotional and physically strong character. The things she has had to endure throughout her lifetime have made her who she is today. She may not always stand up for herself, but she doesn’t let the negative determine her life.
Padraig was such a gentle giant. Behind that broody exterior, was such a broken, loyal man who just wanted people to see his worth. His feelings and journey broke my heart, and yet her persevered.
These two together were phenomenal. Their story unfolded naturally and you could feel the connection and emotions coming off the pages. No matter what was thrown at these two, they took it in stride and tried to tackle it as a team.
-An Arc was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
I love Karina’s writing and have heard that this is very emotional and sexy, with a lot of emphasis on family, grief, acceptance, and making amends. Hot new release!
“Tell me you love me.
Tell me you love me and I’ll tell you I love you more.”
I’m packing and moving to Shambles. Right in this moment. Karina Halle wrote such a beautiful story that there’s nothing left for me besides set off on my own adventure. Thanks to this book, I want to say YES to all new chances and opportunities with the hope that my own journey will end with such a beautiful happy ending as in Val and Padraig’s case. My Life in Shambles is filled with emotions from the first page up to the last. The characters of this story are among the most wonderful ones I’ve ever met. Their road to happiness is bumpy but also full of hope and feelings.
Broken engagement? Check.
Losing apartment? Check.
Losing job? Check.
That’s what happened to Valerie Stephens practically in one moment. That is why, as a New Year’s resolution, she decided to start saying YES. Yes for new opportunities and adventures. And the first adventure is a trip to Ireland with her sisters, where on a New Year’s night she meets a mysterious hunk of a man, who swept her off her feet. One night stand with handsome Padraig McCarthy is her another yes. But after hot and steamy night Padraig has an offer for her… Come with him to the small town where this rugby player comes from and pretend to be his fiancée for a while to make his dying father happy in his last moments. What could go wrong? As it turns out, a lot. Especially when very true feelings bloom during this fake engagement.
I love every single word contained in this book. I absorbed it all at one sitting and I truly regret that it has to end. Valerie’s adventure turned out to be exactly what the girl needed and deserved. After the misfortune that happened to her in her childhood, subsequent attacks from peers and a mother who constantly criticized her, Val met a man who had loved her genuinely and unconditionally. The same applies to Padraig. This man experienced his own amount of loss and pain. He’s also struggling with new difficulties that fate throw at him. But the love of a woman like Valerie, even though unexpected, becomes the meaning of his life and pushes him to overcome obstacles.
Karina Halle beautifully showed that even in a hopeless situation you can change your life for the better. New and unexpected possibilities may turn out to be something wonderful if you’ll push the fear aside and decide to take a chance. My Life in Shambles is one of my favorite this year’s reads. I will definitely get back to this story more than once.
Highly recommend!
“My Life in Shambles” had me hooked from page 1 and I willingly sacrificed precious sleep to keep reading Valerie and Padraig’s story.
Padraig and Valerie were both incredibly realistic, well-developed characters, and my heart broke for them so many times over the course of the story. I particularly admired Valerie’s strength and courage in tackling the many challenges that came her and Padraig’s way. If I lost my job, fiance, and apartment all in the span of a few days, I don’t think I would be able to get out of bed, much less take off on a trip to Ireland and contemplate saying yes to new adventures, but Valerie did that and so much more. She had such a big heart, and in spite of the problems she knew were waiting for her back in New York, she completely dedicated herself to taking care of Padraig and his family.
Padraig was a pretty amazing person too. Despite his reputation as a playboy who was only interested in casual relationships, there was something really sweet and kind about him that came across in the way he was always looking out for Valerie and his family, such as by taking care of his father’s birds when his father could no longer do so. It was easy to see why Valerie fell in love with Padraig so quickly. (I’m sure their amazing chemistry in the bedroom didn’t hurt, either.)
Their path to happiness wasn’t easy, but Valerie and Padraig’s HEA certainly was well-deserved. Overall, “My Life in Shambles” was one of my favorite books so far this year, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
*ARC provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
My Life in Shambles by Karina Halle is the story of Valerie Stephens and Padraig McCarthy.
This tells the story of how Valerie met Padraig after her life changed via her break up with the man she was supposed to marry and then being laid off from her job. So her sister had this great idea of traveling to Ireland to ring in the New Year had her going to Ireland and that is where she met this sexy hot rugby player named Padraig. Their encounter burned up my kindle but then he asked her to pretend to be his faux fiance because someone in his immediate family is very ill. Which requires her to go back with him to his hometown in Ireland…oh my, the feels in this story are real and I was on the edge of my seat dying to know what would happen between these two. Because hello- hot, moment, emotional rollercoaster ride moments, swoon-worthy moments and just plain sweet moments. There is great chemistry between Padraig and Valerie that jump off the pages and spark. Not all the moments are sweet, some were bittersweet and sad but thats what made this a relatable and beautiful story. I loved the setting, the plot, pace and steam level. If you love emotional feels reads, then this is one you must read!!
My Rating: 4.8 stars *********
This is my very first book from Karina Halle and boy do I fell in love not just with her but with the story itself and the main characters.
The writing was sublime and so are the characters.
Reading this evoked so many feelings in me and I’m all for it!
The story line was swoon-y and the emotions the author gives in this book just flows blissfully. You can feel the undeniable chemistry between two main characters and I’m so envious of Valerie for having a man like Padraig all by herself.
The plot pacing went smoothly, with just enough drama and heartbreaking moments you would simply devour because it was written in an emotional and powerful way. Karina Halle’s words packed a powerful punch that just swerves straight to your heart.
All I can say is that Valerie and Padraig’s love story is one you shouldn’t miss! Karina just wrote something in here that makes me want to fall in love again!
First, that beautiful cover! Can we take a minute to appreciate it?….
From the cover to the words in between, Karina Halle took me on an emotional journey full of laughs, family, love, regret and flaws and made me a part of it. I was ready to say yes to a trip to Ireland and meet a rugby player of my own. Add in some crazy dysfunctional family members and I’m all in!
“Playing it safe gets you nowhere and being afraid won’t save you.”
This is a contemporary romance and by all means, that’s exactly what we got. But it’s so much more. It’s a story that starts in Philadelphia and then takes us to Ireland for a whirlwind trip that leaves us full of love, hope, hurt and pain. From the instant connection of two lonely broken souls to saying yes to new adventures, this book had me. It had me feeling it all. I could feel the hope and the love bleeding through the pages. You could feel the wants and the needs of Valerie and Paidrig. Their chemistry was undeniable and I could just taste it. It seemed so real. But that wasn’t it. There was a connection that went further than the physical. It was for one another and for their families. We got to see a love grow not only between these two, but also to see the characters grow by repairing a love they thought was broken. And they were able to do this together with each other’s support. Growing together and building something together even in the midst of pain.
“Everything will change. It takes a moment to change someone…..”
I really admire the writing of Karina Halle and the way she can transport us somewhere and make us feel a part of the story so fiercely. And to include supporting characters that you invest your feelings in almost as much of the main characters. I loved Paidrig’s family at the Inn no matter how dysfunctional they were. And Valerie’s sisters? They made me want to have sisters like that that would support me through anything and push me out of my comfort zone. But most of all, it’s the way I read about the flaws of the characters and see the beauty in them. That’s what keeps me coming back to these books. The beauty in the flaws and being able to find the love in them.
I can tell you about the book or I can tell you to read the book and experience all the emotions. Take the journey that isn’t easy, but is fun, sexy, humorous, emotional, painful and beautiful. You won’t regret the love you’ll find all over this story. It’s an experience. Be prepared to dive in and devour some Irish goodness!
“You’re the pulse of my heart..A tonic to my soul.”
4++ brilliant stars
Incredible!
My Life in Shambles Is breathtakingly beautiful disaster, that will you feeling every emotion straight down to your toes. So, heart-wrenchingly loving, that your mind will be set on autopilot, that you will not even remember where you were when the story end. Well because it will have consumed every factor of your being.
“You’re the pulse of my heart, Valerie. A tonic to my soul.”
Karina leads you into the world of Shambles. Where there is no rhyme or reason. The only thing that will make sense is fate and love. Since it the forefront of this masterpiece! Just be ready to get lost in something so lovely that you may need to take a breath or two! Because Karina Halle is about to rock your world and leave you off kilter! Till can no longer imagine anything but
I have to say this is one the best books of 2019 and Karina Halles best novels ever!
So good! I devoured every single sentence of this book!
I was not ready for the emotional ride I was taken on but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. With this author’s writing style, you feel every single emotion as if you were going through it, not just watching the characters go through it.
I couldn’t get enough of Valerie and Padraig! These characters are so relatable and I fell head over heels for Padraig! He is everything! Valerie is the perfect match for him in every way. I couldn’t help but start cheering for them as soon as they met and I am so in love with their love!
“Tell me you love me. Tell me you love me and I’ll tell you I love you more.”
I’m headed to try to convince my husband that we need to take a trip to Ireland immediately! I love the way this author picked and created such a unique and beautiful setting, in the Irish countryside, for this story.
This is one of my favorite books by this author and if you’re looking for an emotional romance with an amazing setting, and amazing characters, you have to read this one!
Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.
NO SPOILERS!
My Life in Shambles was brimming with heat, heart, humor, emotions, and ALL THE FEELS, and it completely captured my heart! Karina Halle blew me away with this sweet, sexy, swoon-worthy, emotional standalone contemporary romance, and I absolutely loved it!
The storyline and characters stole my heart, and I loved the author’s writing style, as well as the journey she took me on with Padraig and Valerie’s story. Karina Halle excels at writing sexy, emotional love stories that tug at your heartstrings, and My Life in Shambles might be her most emotional novel to date. My Life in Shambles was so much different than I expected, and it led me on a journey I didn’t fully anticipate. I loved Padraig and Valerie with all my heart, and though their story wasn’t easy, I was overjoyed with the conclusion to their unforgettable love story.
My Life in Shambles was another sexy, swoon-worthy, emotional MUST READ romance from Karina Halle, and I would HIGHLY recommend Padraig and Valerie’s story! Karina Halle is my go-to author for steamy, emotional love stories, and I absolutely can’t wait to devour whatever she releases next!
A sexy, emotional, and swoony new release from Karina Halle! Not to mention a drool-worthy Irishman…
This book can best be described as a beautiful experience to read!
Emotional, intense and passionate, the vivid imagery of the story really made it stand on its own!
The title says it all, and if you’re in the mood for a story that pulls at your heartstrings…look no further!
This is my first read by this author and what a book to start my fangirling with!!
Valerie and Padraia’s story is an insta-love attraction that takes a detour and ends up becoming a highly emotional and poignant journey!
Well written with well developed characters, the attention to detail was so strong that even the secondary characters made an impression!
4.5 stars!
My heart is so full after reading My Life in Shambles. The plot is intense, passionate and is so much more than I expected. I’m overwhelmed with love and happiness for Padraig and Valerie. This book is so sweet, romantic and very steamy!! I devoured every word and the engaging storyline consumed me.
Padraig is such a lovable hero with a huge heart. He reeled me in immediately with his dirty mouth and imagining him speaking with that Irish lilt put me right over the edge!! I also loved his caring and vulnerable side. A huge part of him is broken due to his complicated relationship with his father who is terminally ill. Valerie being the kind and good natured person that she is, is the perfect tonic to his soul. Her good natured persona and genuine spirit made for a wonderful heroine. She needed him just as much as he needed her considering she had just been dumped by her fiancée, she lost her home and was just laid off.
I loved their adventure, they healed each other and these two were definitely meant to be together. My Life in Shambles has a lot of heartfelt, emotional (I cried at certain times) and swoon worthy moments (particularly the last chapter and the epilogue). It’s a definite must read!!
Wow! This story is SO good! It’s emotional and charming and tugs at the heartstrings on multiple occasions. Valerie and Padraig felt so real, and human, and strong but vulnerable at the same time.
Karina really did an amazing job of taking the reader on a journey, both emotional and physical, with taking the story from the US to Ireland. A place I have always wanted to visit and find my ancestors. And with the attention to detail that Karina gives to the Irish countryside with her small town of Shambles, I am even more in love with the idea of traveling there myself.
Both Padraig and Valerie deal with some pretty emotional things in this story, and I found myself just wanting to wrap them up and hide them away from everything that was being thrown at them. They face a lot of challenges that had my heart hurting for them. But amidst all that, they really were perfect for each other. The tears I shed along the way were evened out with plenty of smiles too, and let’s not forget the oh so delicious sex!!
There are plenty of secondary characters in this story that are really fun to read about. I loved Nan, the Major and McGavin! And Valerie’s sisters are a hoot too!
I know this is a book I will read multiple times. I just loved Valerie and Padraig!
“What if is fear. Even if is faith….”
This story is gonna give you all the feels! Yet again Ms. Halle has made magic with her words!
This story of Padraig (flove this name…swoon, swoon) and Valerie is going to take your heart for a ride.
The imagery that Ms. Halle writes is amazing, I could see myself in the humble little town of Shambles. I could see myself in the lovely little B & B.
I could also feel the love, the fear and the sorrow in this book! You are going to need a box of tissues handy when you read this story. You are going to be crying tears of sadness and tears of joy! I love when a story gives you the whole gamut of feels, and this story does just that.
I want my own Padraig. He has the heart of a poet and the body of a warrior. His words made me melt into a puddle.
Valerie is an amazing woman. Even with her scars, she is beautiful. Even when those she loves hurts her the most, she perseveres. She is strength and beauty, inside and out.
Get your hands on this story, you will fall in love with it just like I did!
After reading the blurb for My Life in Shambles, I knew this book was going to deliver ALL. The. Feels…that Karina Halle was going to use Valerie and Padraig’s journey to illustrate life’s cruel realities as well as its wondrous adventures…that Valerie’s character and her struggles would speak to readers’ own insecurities, empathizing with her fears and self-image concerns while celebrating with her as she learns to say yes to new experiences – ones that she never thought that she would experience but now can’t imagine living without, even if there seems to be an expiration date to one particular adventure that she’s gone all in
I’m a reader who loves when the title of a story holds significant meaning for its plot line and its characters, and that’s one of the reasons why I was immediately pulled into My Life in Shambles because while Shambles is the name of the small Irish town that Padraig is from and the place that he and Valerie return to in order for Padraig to see his father and to prove to him that Padraig is happy and in love, the fact that the word shambles means a ‘state of total disorder’ and a ‘constant state of confusion’ speaks to the chaotic and uncontrollable circumstances that brought Padraig and Valerie together as well as the disarray their lives become when the lines blur between their pretend feelings and their true feelings for each other, making things between them much more complicated than just the fact that they live in different countries.
Valerie’s life is in shambles due to a broken engagement, a lost job, and the need for a new outlook on life while the maelstrom that Padraig is dealing with stems from a rugby injury that has kept him sidelined longer than it should and an estranged father who Padraig wants to make happy and maybe even make amends with before his father’s illness takes him away. And it’s clear, based on the amount of baggage that Valerie and Padraig are carrying, that they really shouldn’t add anything else to their messy lives, but when a meaningful connection occurs and mutual understanding is apparent, sometimes wading into another person’s chaos just might help them find some light out of the darkness that seems to surround them.
When Valerie and readers first meet Padraig McCarthy, we don’t see him as a star rugby player…well, that’s not entirely true…we all see his stardom by people’s reactions to him…by the way women throw themselves at him…by the way his fans want even a minute of his time. But the sport that has defined him…that has allowed him to live a much different life than the one he lived in Shambles…than the one he ran away from due to difficult memories and a strained relationship with his father doesn’t provide him with the same solace…with the same escape and what that means for him is yet to be determined.
While Padraig and Valerie play the part of an engaged couple, the poignant conversations they have, the intimate moments they share, and the overwhelming feelings that they develop for each other are real, which adds even more confusion and chaos to an already delicate situation with Padraig’s nan and his father. But what it also does is illustrate just how in sync Padraig and Valerie are with one another even though they barely know each other. And let me tell you, the first time they’re together physically…the scene is so damn erotic and sensual, capturing exactly how they’re making each other feel and showing that what’s supposed to be nothing more than a one-night stand is clearly something special and significant.
My Life in Shambles is an amazing read. Padraig and Valerie’s journey is everything I love about contemporary romance. Karina Halle’s words illustrate just how connected she is to her characters and how meaningful their story is to her. And the life lessons that are explored speak to the reality of being human and the need to experience all that life has to offer even if things get messy and the opportunity for heartache and pain can occur because sometimes saying yes can give people exactly what they need…exactly what they need to feel hopeful and loved simply by just be who they’ve always been.
5 Poison Apples
This book was so above and beyond what I thought–what I had hoped!–it would be! I’ve read a lot of Karina Halle’s books, but dare I say that My Life in Shambles is her best work in terms of contemporary romance. To be perfectly honest, I’m not a huge fan of the whole fake relationship trope, but it takes an extraordinary bit of writing for me to sit up, take notice, and get my cynical romance-loving heart fully invested in not just the story but its cast of characters. And that, fellow readers and bookaholics, is exactly what happened with Halle’s latest book offering.
Oh my heart! This book made me laugh and it made me swoon, but it also brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Trust me when I tell you that there is SO much more to this story than just Padraig and Val pretending to be an engaged couple. That’s barely scraping the surface because these two–along with their respective families and the Irish town of Shambles–have one heck of a story to share with readers. There are no huge revelations because readers have a front row seat and experience everything at the same time these two do.
My Life in Shambles was Padraig and Valerie’s love story, but it was also a story of how Val fell in love with the hometown that Padraig was falling in love with once more. This was also a tale about families and how some things are better left SAID then kept simmering inside. I loved the resilience of both Padraig and Val, and while their romance was unconventional, the love they felt for each other was genuine and everlasting–the kind that was worth fighting for and would inspire them through life’s challenges. Two words: Le. Sigh. This snags five-plus stars.
One thing you will want to know about My Life In Shambles is have some tissues ready. My heart oh my heart has gone through so much with this one. You know what it was so worth it. Karina Halle did such a beautiful job bringing you this love story packed filled with emotion and heart. You will fall in love with Padraig and Valerie’s instant emotional love story. Padraig is such an amazing man even as he is dealing with so much. Even when things start to shatter you can’t help but to love Padraig more. You see everything he is going through and just want to be his rock right along with Valerie. Just wait until you meet Nan. You will love her and her ways. Valerie is this amazingly strong woman. Even as her world started to fall apart, you can’t help but love how her sisters push for this adventure of a life time she didn’t see coming in Ireland. Valerie and Padraig heat up your kindle like no one else. They bring out the best in each other. Their relationship may have started one way but while reading this but you can just feel the love between them oozing off the pages. Karina Halle brings you full circle by playing with your heart. She makes you feel like you are apart of the story and the lives of Valerie and Padraig. My heart was so full by the end of My Life in Shambles and I was a weepy mess. To see why you really need to click this one. I seriously couldn’t put it down. Didn’t want to even as my eyes began to blur and the tears rolled down my checks at times. My Life in Shambles is a must read of 2019.
“Tell me you love me and I’ll tell you I love you more.”
Karina Halle touched so many sensitive and relevant issues in a single love story. My Life in Shambles talks about resilience, self respect, self discovery and healing power of true love. Valerie and Padraig’s story was an emotional ride that touched my heart deeply.
Life has knocked down Valerie so many times and it is a miracle that she came back stronger each time. I have so much respect for this talented beautiful woman with a golden heart. She meets Padraig, the Irish star rugby player on a trip to Ireland with her sisters. She was determined to say yes to new adventures and Padraig gave her just the right opportunity. But Padraig is fighting tons of issues himself. His injury. His sick father and their strained bitter relation. And a big dark secret that can destroy everything. And the couple soon feel this soul-numbing connection beyond their initial deal.
Padraig is so much more than a handsome sexy beast. The author put layers of hurt, guilt, shame and desperation in his character. He needs Valerie as much as she needs him to be complete. They are both scarred internally and externally. And the scars make them beautiful. The chemistry was built up slowly and deliciously. I could not hold back my tears while reading last few chapters. It was a beautiful way of bringing everything together. I loved the writing as usual because Karina Halle is always amazing! The plot was full of sweet emotions and angsty drama. The scenic beauty of Ireland and the people were brought to life expertly.
My Life in Shambles by Karina Halle reminded me of the magical power of a great romance. I cried and laughed with Valerie and Padraig. The heartbreaking story of love and life left me with hope and warmth.
Received ARC for Honest Review