She’s the town pariah. He doesn’t give a damn.In Ruth Kabbah’s world, comic books are king, silence is golden, and human contact is a pesky distraction. She doesn’t like people, which works out just fine, because the people in this small town don’t like her. The exception to that rule? Evan Miller, her way-too-charming next-door neighbour… tattooed muscle on the outside—and a big, cuddly teddy bear beneath. He’s used to coaxing prickly people from their shells, but he’s never met a woman quite like Ruth. Blunt, sarcastic, and secretly sad, she’s his exact opposite. She’s also his deepest desire.
Soon, Evan’s steady patience and smouldering smiles are melting Ruth’s reserve. But when small-town gossip from her past begins to poison her future, she’s forced to make a choice. Should she trust Evan completely? Or is her heart safest alone?
Please be aware: this book contains mentions of intimate partner violence that could trigger certain audiences.
The Ravenswood Series
#1: A Girl Like Her
#1.5: Damaged Goods
#2: Untouchable
#3: That Kind of Guy
more
A strong contender for best contemporary of 2018 and it’s only March. God I loved this book. It’s got a hero who is just kind, considerate, consensual, reasonable, can cook. A heroine who’s prickly and angry and allowed to be. A lovely family even if they’re hilarious pains in their own way (the mother’s one POV sequence is gleeful). A joyously life-enhancing plot, a bad guy who is bad without overshadowing the book, a love that heals people in the way happiness does, ie it helps Ruth be more confident to fix the things that need fixing and open herself to happiness.
Also, Ruth is a wonderful heroine on the autistic spectrum (and that isn’t what the book’s about) who’s fat (and it’s not about that either). Ruth’s issues are getting over an abusive relationship and the social fallout. Everything else is just what she’s like as a person.
Favourite line: when Evan is working out how to approach Ruth and failing: “It wasn’t a solution, but then Ruth wasn’t a problem.” Purr.
And it’s all written with Hibbert’s lovely exuberant confidence and humour so it whips along gorgeously, and there are two more books and I so want Ruth’s sister to get the hot best friend. Cannot wait.
Some days, you just want a cinnamon roll hero who’s hot as hell but takes CARE of you, right? In every way, shape or form. If this is one of those days, then for Pete’s sake, go get this book right now. I, like Ruth, feel very taken care of. *mops brow.”
Ratings (out of 5)
Chemistry:
Heat:
Humor:
Some things you may not know about me: I can’t wear clothes with “big seams.” I don’t process auditory information or facial expressions all that well and get exhausted by social interaction very easily. I struggle with many executive functions. I’m a woman on the autism spectrum. And, importantly, over the weekend I read Talia Hibbert’s fantastic A Girl Like Her, the first romance novel I’ve ever read about a woman on the spectrum. And I almost cried. A lot.
Ruth Kabbah is an introverted comic book nerd and town pariah (for somewhat mysterious reasons) and she DEFINITELY is not interested in the Captain America-lookalike who just moved in next door. She definitely doesn’t need his gorgeous eyes looking all tempting while he offers to bring her some food (she doesn’t really cook. At all) or his sculpted muscles being all bulge-y while he offers to help her out or his voice being all sexy when he mentions how he used to be a comic fan. Yeah… she doesn’t need that. Except she does. A lot.
Ruth is on the spectrum. But that doesn’t mean that, for all of her complaining and glowering and prickliness, she doesn’t want some companionship from someone who might actually deserve her. And it certainly doesn’t mean she never has needs that involve sexy naked times. Ruth is a real person. A real grown up woman with real feelings and desires and fears and needs. She’s not a cartoon. And Evan (the Cap doppelgänger) never treats her like one. To him, Ruth is interesting, spirited, intelligent, and crazy sexy.
A Girl Like Her is a steamy, charming, witty contemporary romance and I’m SO glad it came across my Instagram feed.I’ll def be reading the rest of the Ravenswood series and, note to Ms. Hibbert, can we PLEASE get a Patience story?
Hibbert’s forthcoming romance, Get A Life Chloe Brown, is about a woman with chronic illness (something I also struggle with and have written about because yes, people who are chronically ill also still want to and DO have sex) and I CANNOT WAIT.
An unusual heroine (Austistic) and a really, really nice guy makes for a great romance.
Fantastic #ownvoices romance that showcases a smart, witty style and a heartwarming story of unapologetic main characters and family.
I don’t know what else there is to say except, go read this book. Now. Hibbert has a way with words, of putting you in her characters world and making you never want to leave. You want them to be your best friends, just as you will Hibbert. She and this book are a breath of fresh air and a must read.
For romance which makes you think about people, not paperdolls, the Ravenswood series is the series to read. Not because they’re easy, but because they are challenging AND sexy. There are no “Mary Sue’s” in this series. The women in the Ravenswood series are difficult. Their situation are complex, and uncomfortable. Hibbert’s smart prose and compassionate, romantic sensibility makes both the novels page-turners. Seriously great writing imo. I’m calling these pieces literature.
What a great book! Let me list everything I loved:
– it’s an interracial romance
– the fact that he was white and she was black was NEVER an issue for ANY character in the book
– the hero was an alpha but never a jerk to the heroine; he always treated her with respect
– the heroine loved comic books
– the hero was a blacksmith (this is a unique profession in a romance world full of military men, bikers, Dukes, athletes and highlanders)
– the heroine has autism
– this is never an issue with the hero and it is not ever spoken of like a problem
– the relationship between sisters is explored
– emotional abuse in a romantic relationship is talked about
– the heroine overcomes this and chooses to be confidant and not let it rule her life any longer
– the hero can cook and is a genuinely thoughtful man when it comes to the needs of those around him
– the sexy stuff was steam-EEEE!
– while the hero and heroine are very physically attracted to each other, they don’t jump into bed together
– the hero understands that the heroine is “fragile” and takes the time to get to know her (Not just her body)
– the hero is the first to admit he’s in love and he never denies his feelings, even to himself
Honestly, I could make a longer list but I’ll stop it there! The only thing I didn’t like is the way that the author spelled the word pajamas. She spelled it pyjamas. I don’t know if that’s the way it’s spelled in England (where the book is set and the author is british), but it threw me everytime I saw the word. (Which was a lot because Ruth lives in pajamas)
And I honestly wanted it to be longer! I felt like this could have gone on for a fee more chapters! I would have loved to see the proposal, but I was really happy with the epilogue!
If you like contemporary romance and you like diversity in your books, you should read this one!
I just finished the Ravenwood series and Talia Hibbert is my new favorite author. I’m moving on to her Brown sisters books now.
This. Book. WAS. BRILLIANT!! Loved it so much!! I loved Ruth, in all her prickly, off putting glory. I loved Evan, who is totally a do-gooder who is new to town and doesn’t understand that Ruth is a social pariah. Add in Ruth’s eccentricity and autism, and she’s sure to run Evan off with no problem, right?
Ruth and Evan are small town greatness
Ravenswood is quite the small town with everybody in everyone’s business. The rumor mill is working overtime when it comes to Ruth. This was definitely a different take on a small town romance and I really enjoyed it! Evan was the sweetest guy and was perfectly made for Ruth with her gruff exterior. Their courtship was great and I loved every time she kicked him out. Looking forward to the next book!
forthcoming
A definite keeper.
Ruth Kabbah is the girl in town that everyone knows, everyone looks down on, and everyone talks about and not in a good way. When she meets Evan, she does not realize he is her neighbor and believes he is just another town boy passing judgement, especially when she sees who he is with. However, Evan is anything but and he finds himself curious about Ruth. She is gruff, blunt and unique. Can the girl who is labeled as the wrong side of track find a person who sees beyond the fodder?
This was entertaining. I liked Ruth a lot and you know there is a story there that will unfold. I thought Evan was the epitome of patience and I liked the way he interacted with Ruth. Great read.
It’s rare that I find myself in love with both a heroine and hero. Usually, one pulls in me more than the other. But not in this book. In this book, social pariah Ruth’s honesty and vulnerability drew me in as strongly as basically-Captain-America Evan’s kindness and consideration. Put them together and you get an absolute gem of a book. A complete pleasure to read. The chemistry was brilliantly done, as was the slow journey to trust and emotional connection. Another hit by Talia (which goes without saying, but I’m still saying it.)
This book blew me away and then some. First, I loved that Ruth is autistic and that this is #ownvoices. She was a fascinating character and I loved the insights into how her mind worked. I also loved her passion for comics and all of her nerdy characteristics. She was so fierce and it was pure joy to watch her slowly lower her guard around Evan and start to heal from her past. Second, Evan is a magical unicorn of a man and I wish I could clone him. He’s the kind of man who makes meals for his neighbor and his friend and cannot help but be a nurturing caregiver. This can get him into trouble because he’s not as good at taking care of himself. But that’s where Ruth came in because she was able to look out for him too. The plot slowly unraveled its revelations about the characters and it was so perfectly timed. The character growth was tremendous as well. I loved how Evan was able to persistently and consistently be there for Ruth, respecting her boundaries but also biding his time to win her trust. Watching Ruth fall for him was everything.
CW: past partner violence
4.5!!!!!!!
I absolutely fell in love with Ruth. I didn’t know how much I was going to love her when I first began this book, but I did. Witty, outspoken, heartbroken, nervous and sometimes you see her autism shine through. She was a character that embodied a little bit of all of us. A little more likeable as well since she wasn’t’ one of those perfect rail thin girls with the best set of boobs and derriere you’d ever seen. (Not that I hate those characters, not at all, just this made her seem more real). Perhaps a little more outspoken than I am personally, but I loved her for it, she was perfect. Can I be her please?
Ethan was the perfect match for Ruth. Patient, kind, loving, assertive and attentive. A real dream of a male. He was what every woman wants. Ruth, the lucky wench gets to have him though. He was such a sweet and kindhearted guy there wasn’t anything you couldn’t love about him.
There wasn’t an overly amount of drama in this story, and I’m thankful for it. Just two people learning each other and falling madly in love. Of course there were rocks, but not skyscrapers of problems to weed through. Just enough to pull your heartstrings and keep you yearning for more. Loved it Loved it! This was my introductory book into this authors mind, and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.