“Tara Sivec delivers another amazing book with The Simple Life! This is romcom at its finest!” – FMR Book GrindBrooklyn Manning thought her life was perfect in every way, until it crumbled down around her and turned into a dumpster fire. With her pride wounded and her tail tucked between her legs, she leaves New York and goes back to her tiny hometown of White Timber, Montana. No more …
No more twenty-four-hour taco trucks, no more shopping at the best designer stores within walking distance, no more giving taxi drivers the finger when they angrily honk at her. She didn’t think it could get any worse. But then Clint Hastings walked into the room and insulted her.
Her arch nemesis from high school is no longer a nerdy computer whiz, masturbating to pictures in PC World magazine in his free time (allegedly). He’s grown up to be a hot-as-hell cowboy, and she has no other choice but to be a smart ass right back to him. After all, it’s what they do. It’s what they’ve always done, and twelve years apart hasn’t changed anything.
Only this time, getting under each other’s skin is a hell of a lot more fun than it used to be.
A standalone romantic comedy with a lot of heart
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Brooke had the perfect life in New York. She had the perfect job, life and boyfriend. That is until her boyfriend’s wife shows up and knocks her out and pictures laying with her panties showing are everywhere now. Now, she needs to go back to the one place she’d never go back. After a few weeks, she finds a job as a nanny. This is a good temp job for her except two things. 1. She hates kids 2. The father of these kids is her childhood nemesis, Clint. Since she is stuck she might as well make do and try to survive the children and her building attraction to Clint. When childhood misunderstandings and past hurts finally get cleared up where does that finally leave them? Can Brooke really come home and forget about her perfect life in New York?
This is simply one of the sweetest, sexiest and funny books you will read this fall. Brooke is definitely not a loveable character in the beginning. Her haughty manner and better than everyone else attitude really turns you against her. Clint is arrogant, rude and spiteful. As their story develops and their relationship with each other and Clint’s girls they really become characters that you love. Tara Sivec does a phenomenal job building up the sexual tension between the two of them. When they finally kiss its just as sexy as any sex scene. Along with Clint and Brooke are the unforgettable friends and family that don’t forget anything because it is a small town. If you are looking for your next great love story for your fall cozy up and read days, then look no further.
Brooklyn busted out of small town Montana after graduating high school and never looked back. She moved to New York and lived out her dream for twelve years until circumstances forced her to return home. Upon doing so, she discovered that her lifelong nemesis (aka the hot nerd she’d never admit having feelings for) is all grown up too, and looking Mighty fine! They maintain their insult-hurlings relationship for quite some time after she is back in town, but then after she becomes the nanny for his two precocious young girls, relationships start forming and soon everyone is in danger of losing themselves to new emotions.
This book had so much sarcasm and sexiness and laughter that it was just about the perfect mix for me! I love a good enemies to friends to…lovers (??!) book. All the characters were well-done and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one!
This book was so good!! I loved every minute of it. This was funny and sweet and cute just so mug of what I love about Tara’s writing.
Brooklyn is the It Girl she works hard and patty’s hard she knows all of the hottest spots to visit in NYC. She worked hard to get where she is. Leaving her small town of Montana to be someone and succeed in the hardest city in the world.
Sometimes life throws you a curve ball or a fist to the face in her case. Coming back to the sticks and trying to figure out what her next move is she accepts a job that changes more of her than she ever thought possible.
Will a sexy cow boy change her mind about the city that never sleeps.
I loved this book and the sweet story this is a must read! I can’t wait to make the recipes in the back I was going to google them but they are there!!
Growing up in a small town, you find yourself dreaming of a future of ‘what could be’. Brooklyn was one such dreamer. Leaving that tiny town after high school was the best thing that happened to Brooklyn. That dream was quickly becoming a reality. Brooklyn is now writing for one of the biggest magazines in the country, attending the most desired parties, and has a boyfriend that others envy. From the outside, it all appears to the public that Brooklyn has it all. Or does she???
A revelation that is unexpected and explosive will change Brooklyn’s entire world. The job, boyfriend, and all the many party invites vanished in the blink of an eye. With her world crumbling around her, Brooklyn heads to the one place that can offer a reprieve from the turmoil brewing in New York. Montana offers Brooklyn a chance to regroup after having her life fall into shambles, while having a chance to spend time with her father and figure out where things go from here.
While Brooklyn has no plans to make Montana her permanent address again, she does want to spend her time wisely. While looking for something to keep herself occupied, Brooklyn finds herself looking for a job at the local pumpkin patch. This place holds so many memories for Brooklyn. After all, best friends always have your back even when time passes for you both. What Brooklyn didn’t expect was that the job she was inquiring about would revolve around her childhood crush and nemeses…..Clint.
It seems Brooklyn isn’t the only one back in town, and things just became a little murkier where Clint was concerned. Having a job during this transition is a must, but Brooklyn never planned on Clint being a part of the equation. Time tends to soften the perils of your past, but Brooklyn quickly finds out that she hold some unresolved feelings where Clint is concerned. Will Brooklyn’s tattered life lead her towards a future that she never expected?
When Tara Sivec announces that she is releasing a new book, my book senses always go on alert. One thing I have come to count on with Sivec is a reprieve from the typical romance novel, and The Simple Life was no exception. With a story plot that could easily pull you in during the very first chapters, this novel left me bursting with laughter at that antics of the two main characters.
Brooklyn and Clint are defiantly not your typical friends from the past. Each ventured outside of Montana to find a life that they thought would make them happy. What the two found was a world of ups and downs, and paths less traveled. Bringing them full circle and back to the place they once called home. The plot of the novel is full of antics that are sure to keep you engaged, blowing drink from your nose when laughing and smiling from ear to ear. Yep….it is definitely THAT kind of book!!
Seriously – there is nothing better than curling up with a book by Sivec and diving in like it might be your last read of the century. While I had no intentions of reading this novel in one sitting, I did find that my insane boughts of laughter were loud enough to wake everyone in the house at different times of the night. Something that left quite the impression come 6 am when no one wanted to get their day started!!
The simple joys of birthday cakes, cheerleading kicks, and other various moments in Brooklyn and Clint’s lives kept me giggling long after I closed that last chapter. In fact – I believe Cookie Monster might find a new home around here pretty soon!! Simply put – you definitely need to discover what lies between the covers of The Simple Life!! Well done Tara…..well done!
Wow, I loved this book so much! I am still a newbie reader of Tara Sivec but I already knew from what I’ve seen on social media and the one other book I’ve read that she is a great writer of rom-com. This book was definitely that. I am also a huge fan of the small town setting and single parents, especially dads and their little girls. And again this book fits that. I think the main thing about this book that I enjoyed the most was the banter between Brooklyn and Clint.
Ever since they were children all their interactions had resulted in throwing insults at each other.
Now that Brooklyn is back home after a horrible scandal in New York, things have not really changed much between these two. The journey to their HEA was a bit of a slow burn one but full of hilarious antics, sweet moments with Clint’s daughters, some heart-breaking moments and such hot chemistry. When hidden feelings are revealed it was swoon worthy!!
All the secondary characters in this book were all so great! Clint’s two daughters were just too cute! Mia and her love of unicorns, sparkles and sweets and tomboy Grace who initially wanted nothing to do with Brooklyn becomes an integral part of them all becoming a family. Brooklyn’s dad, who I was not too fond of but he too played a significant part in bringing Brooklyn back to Montana. The townspeople and their assistance on Brooklyn and Clint reaching their happy ending was hilarious!
I can’t recommend this book enough! Once I started reading I was hooked and finished it in one sitting.
There is a reason Tara Sivec has been one of my top 3 authors for the last 6 years, and she totally reinforced that position with the perfect Autumn escape. The Simple Life was everything I love about Tara’s writing (and more!) in a small-town setting.
Brooklyn couldn’t wait to get out of her small Montana town and live out her fashion dreams in the Big Apple. She was doing just that, working for a top fashion magazine, going to all the hot parties, rubbing noses with all the stars, and had the perfect boyfriend. But all that disappeared in the blink of an eye, so when she had to go home to take care of her dad, she needed to leave New York. Perfect timing.
I loved her dad! Tara writes the best fathers. When her cantankerous dad couldn’t take much more of Brooklyn at home with him, he arranged for a job for her at the pumpkin farm she grew up playing at. The farm was owned by her best friend Ember’s family, but now it’s run by Ember’s older brother who was Brooklyn’s arch nemesis (that she may have had some fantasies about) growing up. He is back in town as well, a single dad with two daughters, and he has turned the farm into a thriving business. They are so busy he needs a nanny for his girls. Haha, Brooklyn and her Louboutins on a farm with sticky kids was funny as hell!
“Cookie Brooke” and “Cunty Clint” were so freaking hilarious with their childish banter and simmering attraction.
“He’s standing so close that if I take a deep breath, my boobs will bump into his chest. I’d like to insult him like I did yesterday and tell him he smells like shit, but my brain has suddenly gone to mush. He doesn’t smell like horse shit. Not even close.”
They had awesome chemistry.
“This is nothing like my fantasies. I have been masturbating to all the wrong things for years.”
I loved watching Brooklyn lose the New York and grow into country living even though she has every intention of going back as soon as her dad is better. She had fantastic character growth throughout the book.
“I watch the three of them sitting on a blanket, with Grace and Brooklyn’s backs resting against a tree, and Mia curled up in Brooklyn’s lap, with Brooklyn’s chin resting on Mia’s head, and I want to drop to the ground and cry like a baby at how beautiful the sight is.”
Even when they get together, the banter never ends.
“Fighting with you every day for a month has made me happier than getting along with someone else all my life.”
I have so many great quotes highlighted, I had a really hard time with this review because choosing was impossible. I read The Simple Life twice because I didn’t review it right away, so when I went to pull quotes it just pulled me right back in, and I loved it just as much the second time. It is the perfect way to spend a fall afternoon with a cup of pumpkin spice coffee, a blanket, and a big goofy grin on your face. Just keep a tissue handy, because you may shed a few tears as well.
Likes:
•I loved her relationship with Ember, her BFF.
•Her dad!
•The kids were awesome. But Mia and her sugar addiction just cracked me up.
•Brooklyn’s character growth.
•Tara’s snarky one-liners.
•You can kind of feel the real Tara in this book. She grew up with a family pumpkin farm.
•The town bet. lol
•“Princess Truffle Butter”
•Tara’s way of weaving in deep emotion and poignant moments without ever bringing down the tone of the book.
•As always, her side characters are as good as her main ones.
•I read the whole book twice with a goofy grin on my face.
Dislikes:
None.
The Down & Dirty:
Books like The Simple Life are the reason I love reading so much, it was a perfect feel-good Fall indulgence. The Simple Life made me laugh and swoon and smile and just enjoy every single word. It’s got some of my favorite themes: A single dad, enemies-to-lovers, and friend’s big brother, but it was a creative take on all of them. Once again Tara Sivec proved why she has been a top three author of mine for 6+ years. I highly recommend indulging in The Simple Life. You won’t regret it.
Rating: 5 Stars, 4 Heat
The Simple Life is a charming story told with the comedic finesse that only Tara Sivec can pull off!
Once I started The Simple Life I couldn’t put it down, from the knock out prologue to the simple beautiful ending, I adored it and it’s small town charm. Brooklyn and Clint with their banter which was closer related to foreplay than it was the hatred that they pretended to have for each other.
I loved the sense of coming home that we get when Brooklyn gets after falling on her face in New York. She came home to her friends and her father and picked up like she’d never left. The small town and open arm fill of The Simple Life, was charming and I was enchanted by not only Brooklyn’s best friend and her Clint and his daughters, but everyone around town that we met.
Speaking of the townies, the entire town placed bets on when Clint and Brooklyn would finally hook up and everyone telling them when they picked really amped up the funny factor. If you are looking for a hilarious enemies to lovers and a million other tropes, then you need to pick up The Simple Life today!
What a sexy and fun rom-com from a favorite of ours, Tara Sivec. Brooklyn and Clint have a past involving a bit of a high school rivalry. But now that Brooklyn is back in town after losing her job in the big city she’s learning the guy she couldn’t stand years ago has become a MAN.
Hilarity ensues as the two become reacquainted and they learn that they are both very different than they were all those years ago. Their chemistry is intense and this book is beyond sexy.
I really enjoyed Tara’s venture back into the world of rom-com. I look forward to see what she has for us next.
Adorable RomCom! Loved The Simple Life, I just can’t say that enough. Enemies to Lover stories always seem to be my favorite and Tara did it so well.
This book was so much fun to read! While Author Tara Sivec is an extremely talented writer in all genres, no one does romantic comedies quite like she does.
Brooklyn has the rug pulled out from under her after 12 years in New York and returns to her home town of White Timber, Montana for a breather. There she helps her aging father who convinces her to take on a temporary job he set her up with, to help pass the time and make a little money while she’s there. There’s just one detail he left out. The job is as a nanny position for the local pumpkin farmer Clint, who just happens to be her high school nemesis. Hilarity ensues as these two reconnect as adults and try to one up each other with insults even as they get to know each other as adults and warm up to each other. Even when the sparks fly, the ridiculous insults never stop, making for a highly enjoyable read from beginning to end. And we get our happily ever after plus TWO epilogues! I’m a major sucker for epilogues. Having two epilogues is twice as awesome! If you’re looking for a fun and enjoyable book to lighten your mood and make you laugh (and swoon), this is the book for you!
I very generously received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My go to rom com author is none other than Tara Sivec, so when she dropped a bomb just a few short weeks ago that The Simple Life was coming, hell yes!
Brooklyn’s fall from grace in New York City has her back home in Montana and faced with the one person she can’t stand. Her childhood best friend’s brother, Clint. The love hate relationship between Clint and Brooklyn was to die for! Their snarky banter is what I LIVE for in my rom coms!! Everything about this book was hilarious, from Clint and Brooklyn’s relationship, Clint’s two daughters, Brooklyn’s dad, hell, the entire town had me wanting to place bets right along with them!
If you are looking for a hilarious, fun and sexy read, look no further than The Simple Life. I thought Tara hit it out of the park with the Naughty Princess Club but this, this tops them ALL!!
When Brooklyn’s NY life falls apart in a single punch, she moves back home with her dad to a small town in Montana. Once there, she’s not sure what to do with herself, so Dad finds her a job at the local pumpkin farm, run by none other than her bff’s brother, arch-enemy, and long-time crush – Clint Hastings.
Reading the banter and insults between these two takes me back to my very first Tara Sivec book (Seduction and Snacks!). The hilarity, the swoon – it’s all there.
This is a super slow burn, and a raging inferno when they Brooklyn and Clint finally decide to stop fighting, and start admitting their feelings for each other.
“Fighting with you every day for a month has made me happier than getting along with someone else all my life.”
This was a fun read, and one Clint and Brooklyn have moved to the top of my favorite Tara couples. I can say I’ll be re-reading this one over and over again.
Bonus: you get a classic Tara line in the epilogue! True Tara fans will understand
This is The Simple Life by Tara Sivec. Brooklyn gets into some trouble and finds herself back in her childhood home. She and Clint have always had a quirky little friendship. And boy would I love to be a spy just so I could watch Brooklyn and Clint constantly messing with each other. They have some of the best one liners and zingers for each other. It’s very funny! Well, when life throws you into a tailspin, sometimes you have to begin again. Can Brooklyn find her footing? How will Clint fit into the picture? Tara Sivec is definitely one of my favorite authors
The Simple Life is everything I’ve ever wanted or needed from a rom-com. Have you ever read a book that just had you laughing until tears came out of your eyes? A book with excellent banter and explosive chemistry? A book where the characters gave just as good as they got? A book that gave you all the feels and you never saw it coming? For me, that is this book. The Simple Life is hands down one of the best rom-com’s that I’ve read this year.
From the moment I picked up The Simple Life I was HOOKED. I mean completely and utterly sucked into the life of Brooklyn Manning. The things that happened to this woman, I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But, I’d be a liar if I said she didn’t have me laughing my butt off. With her life in shambles, I was excited to see how she would turn things around. And when a unexpected job fell into her lap that had her facing off with her arch nemesis. I just knew I was in for one heck of a ride. And let me tell you, Brooklyn and Clint do not disappoint. I love, love, loved the banter between the two of them. It was just so entertaining. They didn’t hold anything back and I just lived for the moments they were together because I didn’t know what they would say next! And the sparks! OMG, the sparks!! They were everywhere and so palpable. You just knew that if these two were to get over themselves, that they would be dynamite. I loved the push and pull and the flutters they gave my heart. I was swooning all over the place and couldn’t wait to see these two figure things out.
The Simple Life was a terrific read from beginning to end. I easily devoured this book in just a few short hours. It was everything I needed and then some. It was smart. It was funny. The story-line was addicting and kept me on my toes. The characters were real, flawed and just totally stole my heart. This story made me laugh so much, my cheeks still hurt as I’m typing up this review. It had the perfect amount of steam and just the right amount of drama. Simply put this story made me fall totally head over heels and I loved every single moment of it.
I love that Tara Sivec always manages to give us some fun humor in her books even when there is some heartbreak and sadness.
Brooklyn spend her younger life trying to get out of the small town she grew up in. Destined for bigger and better things. She tried that for a while but finds herself back in that small town. Going through this difficult time helps here to realize that she had the things she needed all along, family, friends, caring community. Will these newfound feeling be enough to keep her home or send her running again?
Clint didn’t fit the farm he grew up at as a child but when he moved away for school he soon realized he missed the farm. Circumstances find him raising his two daughters alone, running the family farm, but still missing out on so much. How did he let these thing get away from him. When he sees Brooklyn again for the first time she lights up his life. Their sarcastic banter was what he was missing. As they get closer he finds it harder to keep his distance as he is worried she is going to leave town.
Can they find an HEA with each other? Will his girls scare Brooklyn away or will they help draw her in?
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review
***
The Simple Life is everything you want in a second chance romcom and a bag of chips.
One swoony, handsome computer nerd turned Montana farmer. Check
One smart mouth gorgeous former NYC “It Girl” journalist come home. Check
Two cute kids, one pre-teen with snark and one pre-K with a sugar addiction. Check
One smart mouth curmudgeon father convalescing from heart surgery. Check
One all-knowing motherly housekeeper. Check
A thriving pumpkin farm. Check
The hilarious dialog and storytelling in this book is top notch. I was getting side-eye from my family when I laughed out loud at the smart mouth on Brooklyn’s dad. I completely sympathize with Brooklyn’s need to escape to the city having grown up in a small town like White Timber where everyone knows your business. The city didn’t work out the way she hoped when someone she trusted wasn’t worthy of her time causing a huge public nightmare. Good thing her dad needs a ride home from the hospital after open heart surgery. Lol. That guy. *snort*. It’s tough to go home after loving on her own so a job at her closes childhood friends pumpkin farm sounds perfect to keep her busy. Surprise, it’s run by her her besties older brother Clint having moved home after college himself with his two daughters and no wife. Dun dun dun! The job turns out to be the nanny to his two adorable daughters. The only problem is the snarky comments they’ve thrown at each other their entire lives.
I loved the slow burn leading to a sizzling fire. The kids antics are adorable. Her best friend Ember is every bit as entertaining as Brooklyn and her dad. The townsfolk are a fun part of the story and supply a lot of entertainment. I wish I could visit White Timber.
Brooklyn shows a lot of personal growth and I got my happily ever after. Happy happy happy!
Super Fun!
The Simple Life is simply a great RomCom. It is a small town romance and an enemies to lovers story filled with fun and banter.
Brooklyn is a sassy, snarky, sarcastic treat of a heroine. When things go wrong she just rolls with the punches and moves on.
“No more men for me. Ever. Maybe when I move back to New York I’ll become a nun. I’m not Catholic, but I’m sure they’ll make an exception for me. I look great in black. And I know a few prayers that my dad taught me when I was younger. “Here’s to you. Here’s to me. Friends for life, we’ll always be. But if we find that we disagree, f*** you, here’s to me!”
Actually, I think that’s a toast, but whatever. Catholics drink wine at church, right? It’s fine.”
Clint is Brooklyn’s best friend’s brother, a bit of a nemesis from growing up. He is a single dad with two daughters who are quite the handful!
“Fighting with you every day for a month has made me happier than getting along with someone else all my life.”
The story is populated with so many awesome and fun characters, I didn’t want the story to end. I just want to move to White Timber, Montana and revel in the simple life!!
-5 Stars!-
When I started the prologue of this book, I thought Brooklyn was a vacuous, stuck-up, nightmare. I wasn’t sold on her, but I knew Tara Sivec would deliver and I needed to see Brooklyn be better than my initial impression. I wasn’t disappointed. Her growth arc was terrific, and I was quite happy to see her come to realize that the illusion of something doesn’t always translate when you’re able to look back and take in the full picture impartially. Brooklyn changed, grew, learned a lot about herself, and completely redeemed herself in my eyes.
I loved the snarky, silly mutual harassment Brooklyn and Clint engaged in; especially that it didn’t end once things became more serious and caring between them. Their humor and good-natured ribbing were what made them such a great couple, and I was so happy they didn’t quit in fear of hurting their partner. They were really a wonderful couple and that they could be 100% themselves around each other made their connection that much more special.
For all the humor in The Simple Life, there were also plenty of incredibly poignant moments. Tara Sivec spun some challenging situations into Brooklyn and Clint’s lives with grace and allowed them to grow and learn from them in beautiful, organic ways. I was especially fond of the mirroring of Brooklyn’s childhood with that of Clint’s daughters; it gave them something pivotal to build their relationship on and made their bond stronger than it may have been otherwise.
Tara Sivec is about the only person who I look forward to reading romcoms from. Even when the comedy is a little too on the nose for me, she finds a way to turn it into something smart and relevant to the characters. I love that she weaves heavier subject matter into her romcoms and allows those emotional situations time to breathe and develop without bringing the levity of tempo of the book down.