An adorkable teacher plays Cinderella, with a handsome app developer as her fairy godmother, when she needs a date to her high school reunion.She might know lots about arithmetic, but this teacher needs to go back to school for love. Haleigh Parde has built a happy life. It just doesn’t happen to include any romantic relationships. While she might be fine with that, it’s all anyone can talk about … anyone can talk about on her high school reunion’s message board. Especially with her ex leading the charge and stirring the pot.
Wanting to shut them up once and for all, Haleigh sets out to get a date for her reunion. Only she’s rusty. Very rusty. So she enlists the date of a handsome dating app developer. A very handsome dating app developer.
With her determination, and his tutelage, Haleigh sets out to land the perfect day. Only, he might be closer than either of them ever imagined.
From the award-winning author of Playing House and Let It Be Me, Counting on You is romantic women’s fiction about what happens when you take a chance on yourself and love to make your own happily ever after.
Why Readers love Counting on You:
“A refreshing, romantic comedy, with characters and a story readers will come back to over and over again.” – InD’Tale Magazine RONE Award Nominee
“A sweet, heartwarming romantic story of two unlikely individuals not looking for love.” – Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal – Romantic Comedy Winner
“Watching Haleigh transform took the prize for me, with serious character evolution that many of us can easily recognize, and identify with.” – Chick Lit Central
“It was such a fun read. I loved watching the relationship grow and develop.” – Cindy’s Love of Books
“One of my favourite things about Chapman’s books is she always creates characters I could be friends with and their worlds could easily be mine.” – Books Etc.
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What starts as a lighthearted approach to the familiar “desperately need a date to my high school reunion” trope develops into so much more.
While I’d still count it as a romantic comedy, it also tackles some more serious topics and weaves them seamlessly into the story.
All in all, I enjoyed getting to know (and falling in love) with Haleigh and Ian and their Amarillo Sour posse, their story truly warmed my nerdy little heart.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series – helloooooo, professor! 🙂
4.5/5 stars
Haleigh needs help finding a date to her High School reunion. Ian is about to launch an amazing dating app. Can they help each other and find love? good audiobook
I just adored this book. What a wonderful world Laura Chapman has created! I just wanted to hang out with all the characters and watch as the relationship unfolds between Haleigh and Ian. Both characters are realistically flawed, and each is so nice, funny, smart, so endearing that you can’t help but smile as they find themselves falling for one another. I am so looking forward to diving into the next Amarillo Sour book!!!!!!!!! I highly recommend this book!
I liked the story line for this book it was unique in a lot of ways. It was also a very sweet and clean romance. Haleigh’s 10 year high school reunion is coming up. She doesn’t want to go but after her ex-boyfriend broke up with her at the beginning of college and claimed she was crazy as his excuse her entire class will know that if she doesn’t show up it is because of embarrassment and humiliation. Now her coworkers are encouraging her to find a date for the reunion. The problem is that Haleigh hasn’t dated since she broke up with her ex all those years ago. One thing leads to another and Haleigh gets roped into beta testing an online dating app, she will give her account of using the app and going on 12 first date from beginning to end the app developer, Ian. In return for Haleigh’s help Ian will give her dating advise and if she doesn’t find someone to attend the reunion with her, Ian will go as her date. What could go wrong. Of course after spending so much time together and getting close, they realize that maybe they don’t need the app after all.
What I didn’t like was that both Haleigh and Ian are such pushovers. Everyone walks all over them, and does what they want without any retaliation from either one. The only time they do push back is at each other, which causes a big blow up and misunderstanding. Glad they finally found their backbones even if it wasn’t till the very end.
#AudiobookObsession
AudiobookObsession
This was definitely a clean and sweet romance. I like the two main characters but hate how the reunion feels immature. The plot was different and fun. I like that she needs help but seems odd that she hasn’t dated in 10 years. That’s a pretty high number. The narrator did a great job portraying perfect voices for the characters. Good performance.
#AudiobookObsessionReviewer
As soon as I heard about this book I was curious about it, when it got discounted in price I finally took the chance and bought a copy. Counting on You sounded like a fun romance and when that was exactly the type of read I was looking for I picked it up. I had a fun time reading this book, the writing style is smooth and well done and I quickly got invested in these characters.
Hailey is a math teacher who’s still single and has no urge to chance it, but then her high school reunion is coming up, her ex is spreading rumors and she decided she needs a date for the reunion. One of her friends helps her set up a date and when that date doesn’t go as well she runs into app developed Ian who wants her help testing his online dating app and that way she can find a date for her reunion.
I have to admit I didn’t really care for the whole finding a date for the reunion plot line, I wish Hailey would’ve just ignored what they thought of her and didn’t let it get to her. But having said that I thought it did make sense and I understood that she did let it get to her. And I really liked how the reunion was handled in the end and it shows how much Hailey had changed throughout the course of the book. I liked the whole twist with her falling for the guy who was helping her find a date. Te matchmaker turning out to be her perfect match.
Ian and Hailey were both likable characters. I liked how they both cared about their work a lot and had jobs they enjoyed, they had some common interest and they just meshed well together. From their first meeting and the banter it’s obvious they are good for each other. They don’t think of each other as a potential love interest for a bit, but it’s fun to slowly see the idea pop-up and then grow into something more. The way Ian cared about Hailey and helped her with her dating was so sweet.
I liked their romance, they had some fun banter and I liked how they both grow to care about each other and are also understanding of the other. The only part of the romance I didn’t like was the bit of drama/ conflict that was added at the end, I felt it wasn’t in character and it felt added just for the sake of drama. But besides that small part I thought the romance was well done, I liked how it developed and how these two communicated and were there for each other. The epilogue was great too and I also liked how the reunion plot line got resolved.
There are also some likable side characters and I am looking forward to book 2, which will be the professor’s story. I am looking forward to learn more about him and see who catches his heart. The bar Armarillo Sour played a big role in the story as well, it was the setting for a lot of scenes and I liked how the author creates a feel for the bar and its atmosphere.
To summarize: If you’re in the mood for a fun romance read I would recommend this one. This was a fun romantic read and the type of book I was in the mood for. I liked Haley and Ian, they’re both likeable characters and I enjoyed getting to know them. I liked how they met while Ian was helping Hailey date and slowly they grow to feel something for each other. They made for a great couple. I also liked the bar Armarillo Sour and the atmosphere it had, it was the setting for a lot of scenes in the book. All in all I had fun reading this book and plan to read some of the author’s other books too and am looking forward to book 2 in this series.
Audiobook Review: Counting on You (Amarillo Sour) by Laura Chapman (Author), Rebecca Hansen (Narrator)
The first time around I was charmed. The second time around I was emotional. The third time I fell in love. Laura Chapman makes every time feel like a new experience. Counting on You is hard to put down, no matter how many times I read or listen to it. Less than perfect proved to be the perfect match for the romantic in me. I loved it.
The dreaded high school reunion is coming up. Haleigh can’t go and face the ex who dumped her… but what if she can find a date? Never mind the fact she hasn’t dated in almost 10 years…
Ian has led his company in the development of a new dating app. They just need a good beta test and testimonial to present to the potential investors…
Can a mutually beneficial agreement be arranged between Haleigh and Ian, or will they get more than they bargained for?
Counting on you is a clean, sweet story with lovable, realistic characters. Rebecca Hansen’s narration was well done.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
Counting on You is full of very likable and entertaining characters. I loved every minute that I spent in Haleigh’s world and in the Amarillo Sour bar. Once again, Laura has created a wonderful story that grabbed me from the first chapter. I was totally immersed in the story line and enjoyed watching Haleigh and Ian work through the dating app issues, and their own issues. I always feel so comfortable with her characters and I love reading about their lives.
Also, I’m so excited that this is only the first book in Laura’s new Amarillo Sour series. There are so many other interesting characters in this book and I can’t wait to learn their stories.