It’s true. I’m not what most people would call “pretty” and, well, high school was rough. Fast forward ten years and life is good… league.
But then he kisses me. And we totally forget the room, the crowd, everything.
Then he tells everyone we’ve been dating for months.
Soon everything starts to feel too real, from adorable fights over “necessary” tools to fix my broken porch to surviving a free-for-all dinner with his six siblings to picking up where our last kiss left off.
But there’s something he’s not telling me about why he’s really hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it has to do with my mob-connected brothers.
Because this is not a make-over story, and Cinderella is only a fairy tale…
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Gina Luca… business owner…wedding planner…granddaughter to a criminal… is not what people would call pretty…so when she finds herself on a kiss cam being snogged by the dark and rule abiding Ford Hartigan she knows she’s the butt of someone’s joke again… with two semi dodgy brothers who are well known for their criminal activities, she is well aware that being caught leaving Ford’s hotel room by aforementioned brothers will pan out…what she doesn’t expect is an unexpected house guest and a heart filled with feels.
Ford Hartigan…the odd man out…the cop in a family of firefighters… the serious one…the stickler for the rules… the marshmellow and my Lordy…my new book boyfriend!!
He has plans and goals and focus…to achieve what he wants… to be the best he can be… so why is he so mixed up and breaking rules over a wedding planner? Why and how does she make him want more?
First read by this author and first in series.
From the very first page I knew this book was gonna be great. I love stories of ugly ducklings and big gruff marshmallow men.. they make my book pimping heart happy…. and this book made me very very happy.
As mentioned, Ford Hartigan has now been welcomed in to Bubbles The Book Pimps Book Boyfriend reverse harem of fame… because HE IS JUST THAT GREAT! ( big brother Frankie better watch out because I think he’s gonna have a spot there too!! ) I loved how ridgid and regulatory Ford was, it was fantastic to see him have to learn to become flexible. It was such a pleasure to see how Gina got under his skin and in his heart.
I adored Gina, I felt her pain, embarrassment and shame… she was the embodiment of every woman in the world who sees, lives and breathes their flaws and are their own harshest critics…I thought it fantastic that despite those criticisms she would not change for anyone… even herself. Because at the end of the day even in books peoples are arseholes… a nose is a nose and stuff anyone who critises someone else based on their nose.
The message was clear, beautiful and an honest one… don’t change for anyone, our so-called ‘imperfections and flaws’ are what make us unique.. the world would be a pretty boring place if we all looked the same… which is why we don’t!
Filled with wonderful heart warming moments, funny moments and smokingly HAWT moments…. this book was fantastic and I enjoyed every page. I especially enjoyed the secondary cast members ( AHEM FRANKIE ) and I cannot wait for the next book and will have my eyes peeled looking for it.
A very enjoyable read. Avery Flynn doesn’t disappoint.
Have to say, it was a bit confusing at first. But once I set myself up to read it properly, I got it and it got GOOD! The whole butterface thing used to bother me, a lot, but this book made it ok. Gina is that girl, the one that everyone loves to be friends with, but not one man was in love with her. Until, the KissCam at the wedding! When sparks fly for the wedding planner, you know things are going to be funny, whitty and laughable! Throw in some low level mobster brothers and a hot-AF cop and the book just gets going and going until you realize it is over. WHAT???? Knowing that this is a series and we will get more from Gina and Ford in the coming books is great. Frankie and Lucy are up next, cannot wait!
Bold and funny, Butterface delivered the hot romantic comedy as promised, but also struck a real-life chord with how hard the struggle often is to not be one of the “beautiful” people or fit into the societal norm.
It was hard not to fall in love with Gina. Despite being made fun of and being the butt of many a practical joke, she’s strong, driven, and smart, and she’s not afraid to use any of those traits to get what she wants to build a fulfilling life and career. She’s not convinced that she’ll ever find someone to love her just for her, so she’s convinced herself that love isn’t important – she has her family and her friends, and that will be enough.
Even though Gina sees Ford as one of the beautiful people, he’s carrying around his own baggage that makes him feel less. He’s got his own insecurities and is certainly a bit inept when it comes to social interactions, but he’s kind and fair, and, something that also serves him well as a detective, he knows better than to just look at the surface of something, he knows you need to look further to get a true picture of something…or someone.
Watching these two struggle to come together elicited all sorts of emotions. There was some great dialogue between the two – making me laugh out loud as well as sigh. It was also frustrating to watch Ford stumble over words and not be able to communicate his feelings and to see Gina’s heart breaking.
One thing that did bother me a bit more than I thought it would was the very bad behavior of Ford’s colleagues when it came to Gina’s looks. She may not have been beautiful in the classic sense, but it really made me very angry to hear them continually make comments about her looks. And I kind of wish that Ford would have found a way to set them straight – he never really confronted them, just kind of talked around their comments. I’m sure things like this happen in real life more often than I would like to believe, but I would like to think more people would stand up to people like that rather than just ignore that type of commentary. So, kudos to the author for eliciting such strong feelings in me – well played, or should I say written!
This is the first book in a new series, The Hartigans, that is set in the same Harbor City world as many other books by this author, so it was fun to see a little bit of a crossover between series. The Hartigan family seems to be filled with fun, colorful characters that are going to provide some great stories for future books in this series, and I can’t wait to dive into those when they are available.
This author is one that I know will not disappoint when I pick up one of her books. Guaranteed to deliver romance, steam, and some laugh out loud moments, Butterface is definitely worth adding to your TBR list!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book I received from the publisher from NetGalley.
Gina Luca is a wedding planner and it’s her job to make sure every client’s wedding runs smoothly and according to plan, but she begins to feel like she is losing control when her current clients families and friends hijack the kiss cam and turn it on her and the stranger beside her. They are expecting a kiss, but somewhere in the back of Gina’s mind all she can think about are her days of being bullied in high school, and it makes her want to flee the situation immediately. But before she can the hunk beside her grabs onto her and plants one on her, and the man definitely knows how to kiss, he rocks her world! She knows she is out of his league, but she can’t help but get a little wrapped up in the chemistry around her, if only it weren’t one sided…
While at a friends wedding Ford Hartigan locks lips with the beautiful wedding planner, and as soon as his lips hit hers he feels the sparks, but she doesn’t seem to want to embrace them, and tries to shy away from him. But he is a determined man, and when he wants something he goes after it, even if it comes with complications, and Gina has some serious hang-ups he can’t even begin to understand… but lucky for her he is a patient man!
Between the pages of Butterface you will be hit with moments that melt your heart, moments that will have your tearing up, and moments that will leave you blushing, it’s an unforgettable literary ride! It wasn’t to hard to attach myself to these wonderful characters, they pulled me right into their world and made me feel right at home, had me feeling every emotion right along with them, and cheering them through every rough patch too! I must say it is one of my favorites from this author to date, she scored some serious points with this one, by tackling a tough subject and giving it a new light, one that I connected with, understood, found quite easily to embrace, and took inspiration from! I highly recommend you pick this one up, there is so much to love about it; the characters are amazing, the story line well crafted, and the message it passes on will leave you inspired!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am leaving my honest opinion.
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this wonderful, snarky, and funny book, Butterface by Avery Flynn, the first book in her Hartigan series. This book had me on an emotional journey, reminding me of my own experiences of not fitting in nor being accepted while growing up. Gina Luca knows she is far from beautiful with her oversize nose and bug-like eyes, despite having a killer body. Being put on a wedding Kiss Cam with one of the hottest guys there brings back all those old humiliations. The kiss cam guy is Ford, the only Hartigan male not become a firefighter, but a cop for the city of Waterbury. Gina believes that Ford is out of her league despite the heart stopping kiss they shared. When Gina finds the body of her missing grandfather, Ford stays with Gina to “keep her safe,” but he is actually checking out her mob-connected brothers. The more time they spend together the more it feels like a real relationship. Ford not only helps Gina with the renovation work on her house but takes her to dinner with his folks and six siblings. Gina is smart and questions Ford’s true reasons for hanging around because every time she turns around, she is once again reminded of who her lack of beauty. What’s going to happen when Ford figures out he loves Gina and can’t live without her? Will Gina be able to accept his apology and love?
I loved how Gina accepted, if not loved, who she is and did not want to change her looks; even with plastic surgery. There was so much more to Ford than his good looks. He was a driven, rule following guy who loved his family and put up with a lot of ribbing and practical jokes. Ford also had a sense of fairness and was compassionate, especially toward Gina. This book was filled with sarcasm, laughs, snark, and even some sexy scenes that made me wish it never ended.
Ms. Flynn wrote a wonderful and hysterical story which drew me in as well as into the lives of her characters, making me forget the world around me. I had trouble putting this book down, turning page after page, not letting go until I turned the last page, still wanting more and really looking forward to the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Sweet fun read. I instantly connected with Gina and how her insecurities effect her. Loved how Ford and Gina brought out the best in each other. Ford’s family are a hilarious addition to story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
By turns heartfelt, funny, and of course sexy, Butterface is the perfect rom-com. Loved every minute!