WINNER N.N. LIGHT BOOK AWARD, BEST ROMCOM; 2020 Kindle Book Awards FINALIST: Romance
Not tonight, Olivia.
Olivia’s ex-husband shut her down so many times before the cheating bastard left her that Olivia lost count. She didn’t realize she’d also lost the ability to banter, interpret body language, or accept that a man could find her desirable. None of that should matter when she leaves for a … of that should matter when she leaves for a two-week training for her new job with the Ranchers, an outdoorsy nonprofit, but when her co-worker adds ‘halter top’ and ‘bikini’ to the official pack list, she has no idea what to expect on this trip.
It certainly wasn’t a perky blonde roommate who thinks their training is like spring break, but with a paycheck. It wasn’t the after-hours hot tub. It absolutely wasn’t the man with a rumble for a laugh who shows up on her flight and introduces himself as the colleague she didn’t know would be her companion for the next two weeks.
When blondie calls dibs on that same colleague, Olivia just wants to stay out of her way, but her colleague has ideas of his own. Ideas which involve Olivia, the hot tub, and shared sips of bourbon.
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Thanks to her cheating ex-husband, Olivia’s lost her mojo. Her flirting gene has flown the coop and can’t seem to read body language, let alone tell when a guy is into her. She hasn’t healed from her ex’s betrayal but maybe it’s time to get back in the dating pool. When she goes on a two-week training boot camp, she meets handsome Adam on the flight. She’s struck mute by his attention and it only gets more awkward when her bouncy blonde roommate calls ‘dibs’ on Adam. The trouble is Olivia really likes him and he thwarts her roommate’s advances to spend more time with her, boring ‘ol Olivia. Can Olivia call dibs on Adam and realize he likes her just as much as she likes him? Or is she reading too much into his signs?
Dibs is unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s a work romance, of sorts, but the couple is ordinary, everyday normal people with foibles and insecurities to work through. The hero and heroine could be you or me. What impressed me was the fact they didn’t jump in the sack right away. They got to know each other first, which gets an extra star in my rating. The characters were well-written and I enjoyed the push & pull as they tried to figure out their attraction. By the time I finished reading, these characters became a part of me. Like I mentioned above, the pacing of Dibs is perfect. The romance moves at a good pace with a few obstacles, mainly their own self-doubts, to overcome. There are a few sub-plots to keep track of, but they added such delightful humor to the overall story. Dibs is a romance everyone can relate to and find a bit of themselves in the story. The hot tub and bourbon scenes make Dibs a must-read. The ending was so sweet, I reread it four times. Yes, I loved it that much. Allison Martine is a gifted writer and while this is my first read by her, it won’t be my last. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. If you love realistic romance, pick up Dibs. If you’re looking for a romance with late twenties characters, pick up Dibs. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
My Rating: 5++ stars
Martine is an amazing storyteller, but where she really excels is character development. The characters in “Dibs” were so alive that I could picture each and every one of them as if I’d met them all in real life. To say that this particular book is a slow burn (a term I’ve only recently discovered) is an understatement — every time you thought the deed was going to happen you had to cool off and wait… and wait… leaving the reader tortured and needing to continue. For those of you who prefer romance novels without the sex scenes, this is definitely the book for you, but don’t let that deter you because this book is just as hot and steamy without them. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in Martine’s Bourbon series!
Both heartwarming and spicy, Dibs is a delightful story about second chances. With relatable characters and witty dialogue, it’s easily on par with Alice Clayton’s cocktail series. I would definitely recommend!
I enjoyed the characters and overall story of this book. Adam and Olivia are sweet characters both navigating life after major heartbreak. I found them both endearing. Several of the other characters were charming and fun too. It’s a sweet story.
My only beefs are that it wasn’t steamy enough for my taste. And, as an Austinite, I don’t think it portrayed the city very accurately. I absolutely laughed out loud at the line about the tourists cosplaying being Texans with there cowboy hats and boots, because that’s EXTREMELY accurate. Austin isn’t some dusty Texas cowtown full of country and western bars. It’s a major city, and it’s only the tourists who dress like cowboys, or hipsters being ironic. Also, I couldn’t imagine why a character like Lorrie Sunkist would pass up a weekend on Sixth Street to rent a bus and drive all the way to San Antonio or Dallas to go to Six Flags. That felt really out of character for her, considering Dirty Sixth is tailor made for a young woman who likes to do body shots.
Overall, an enjoyable read. I’d give it 3.5 stars rounded to 4.