“People like you don’t fall in love with people like me.”Meet Holly Hughes, a moderately successful teen advice columnist living in a studio apartment on the Upper East Side with her boyfriend Stephen. She has it all, but at the ripe age of thirty-one, she wants more. She wants to be married, she wants a family, and she’s going to have it all with Stephen. At least, that’s what she thought, until … least, that’s what she thought, until Stephen announces he’s gay, and the domino effect of unfortunate events begins. She soon finds herself unemployed, single, and living in her sister’s house on Long Island, working as her niece’s babysitter for less than minimum wage. She’s pretty certain she’s destined to live in the Land of Mediocrity forever.
And then, her niece runs face-first into a tall, handsome man at the bookstore.
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Holly Freakin’ Hughes is an HFN title about acceptance, feeling good enough, and the reality that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
NOTE: This book contains some strong language and sexual situations. Age discretion is advised.
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I freakin’ loved this book. While I like it when an h puts on her big girl pants and moves on from heartache, there is something to be said for watching someone pulls themselves together a piece at a time. That’s exactly what happens here. Holly has devastating changes in her life and has no choice but to move forward. Brandon has been where Holly is and understands in a way few others can.
The characters in this novel were whole and three dimensional. There were several side characters that were so adorable. The town with its residents seemed to be a character as well. I’ll admit, Holly was a little much at times. I almost chucked my kindle across the room in chapter 27/28 but I got through it! This HEA story is getting a sequel and I’m signed up and waiting for news!
I didn’t finish it. There were way too many holes in the plot.
Loved this book! Characters were great and enjoyed the story line.
Trust and honesty, both are important in a relationship. Our main characters have to learn this to move forward in their lives.
Totally enjoyed this book!
Didn’t make it through the prolog – I’m no prude, but the language was so bad it made me really, really dislike both characters in that part of the book. If I don’t like the characters I don’t waste my time on the book. If you find constant – and I do mean constant – F bombs, skip it.
I enjoyed reading it but had a little trouble with Holly not realizing who Brandon really was with hanging out in a bookstore in his hometown and her close friend and family didn’t know/tell her either . Hard to believe Reade’s didn’t have his books displayed prominently.
This was a fast fun read, I was rooting for Holly all the way!
Loved this book. Can’t wait for the next installment in their story.
Fun and interesting, though a bit too long.
This was a fun, witty and entertaining book, fast read with good story line.
Such a great and lovely read!
I think this line simply describes what happened too the main characters: “I realized, had I believed in love at first sight, I had just fallen face first into it.” And so the story begins. It has funny, hilarious moments, great banter and fantastic characters. It is sweet, romantic, just the book that makes you feel better and makes you see the world with more optimism. We just need to allow ourselves to be worth what’s waiting for us.
I can’t wait to read more of Brandon and Molly.
This book is easy to read and entertaining. Holly and Brandon, have a lovely relationship. Each have had their knocks and both are a little unsure of their worth. Enjoyed their journey to a HEA.
For the first time in a long time, I’m at a loss as to what to say. I review a lot of books. I rarely have a problem finding a few short sentences to write. But I’m stumped. I’m out of superlatives and flummoxed.
Five stars isn’t enough. The writing is perfection. The characters are brilliant. The storyline is so meta, it opened up a whole world of existential questioning for me. Not what one expects from a contemporary romance, but nevertheless.
Thank Seshat there is more Kelsey Kingsley work out there for me to blow my mind with.
4.75 Stars
Five years ago Brandon’s fiancée left him. They were together for 11 years. But back then, at a time when his books were finally becoming successful, she just couldn’t handle it anymore. She wanted to be the famous author in this relationship.
Holly kind of lives through the same thing now. She’s just been un-fiancéd by Stephen. He told her he can’t marry her because he’s …. gay.
Holly leaves NYC to move back home to Long Island; into her sister’s house, to take care of her little niece. Because, yup, she also kind of lost her job together with her fiancé!
That little Long Island town is also Brandon’s hometown – and he’s just back from a 3-month-long book-tour.
The little book store in town is where they meet for the first time….
But can a woman who was just left by the love of her life, start something real and everlasting with a guy who stopped believing in love a long time ago?
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH HOLLY & BRANDON?
WILL THERE BE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!!!
I loved this book!
I had no idea what to expect. I had never heard of this author before!
This book goes straight to the heart somehow. No idea what I mean by that.
You start reading and you immediately fall in love with Holly and Brandon and you want them to end up together one day soon.
While reading it I felt like I was sitting in that little coffee shop in that little Long Island book store watching the Holly and Brandon show play out live in front of me. I sooo need to see this on Netflix or the big screen one day.
This book is full of love, disappointment, fun, laughter, fear …. but most of all HOPE!
I loved every second of it!
Of course it’s not all insta we-meet-and-get-married between Holly and Brandon. They quickly become real good friends, but both are not really ready for something serious. But for Brandon that might change pretty quickly – he’s been single for much longer. Now he just has to wait for Holly to get all her rebound stuff done, before he can tell her how he feels. And also, it might be good to finally tell her who he really is – because she has no idea he’s a superstar author!
HOLLY FREAKIN’ HUGHES was such a beautiful love story! A very emotional and hopeful friends to lovers to forever ever after romance with lots of adorable and funny and just perfect moments! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Brandon – this one is MINE!
if I had to find some tiny little things I didn’t like? Hm, maybe just that it wasn’t sexy enough for my tastes. And the whole romance between Holly and Brandon wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more of just the two of them. But it was more of a Holly-has-to-find-herself-first kind of thing. Which is totally understandable, she’s only been single for a few months! I still loooved it, but I wanted more couple time! And also, Holly’s reaction to who Brandon really is was way too exaggerated. And then she didn’t even try to apologize or talk for a month.
BUT, I still loved the book very much!!!!! And also – best thing ever: THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 2 MORE BOOKS ABOUT THOSE TWO!!! Kelsey is busy writing book #2 – but don’t worry, this is a total standalone with a happy end!!
Great one-liners! This book is a perfect summer read!
Brandon Freakin’ Davis!
This was a good story. When Brandon and Holly first meet, there’s a connection that forms and blossoms into a friendship that’s beautiful, fun, endearing, and just perfect. Brandon is definitely book boyfriend material–saying all the right things, not afraid to speak up and tell Holly how amazing she is, or ready to offer an encouraging word. Still, fear stops Brandon from admitting out loud that Holly had stolen his heart from the moment they met:
“Since the day we met, she had haunted my mind with the memory of her smile, whispering to me like a restless ghost. The sadness hidden in the golden flecks of her eyes begged for a reason to smile more often, cried for a reason to sparkle in the magical way they did when she laughed. God, to be the man to make sure she never stopped having a reason to smile …”
It frustrated me to no end when he friend-zoned her. Ugh!
I thought Holly was sweet, witty, and freakin’ amazing. . . that is until she started making crazy decisions–a meaningless relationship with Ben, overreacting about the “secrecy” surrounding Brandon’s-B. Davis’s-celebrity status. I thought she’d lost her mind for minute. She seemed to become desperate in her attempt to not be lonely, and there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her.
However, Brandon is the one who truly won me over in this story.
“You can do everything you possibly can to make yourself invisible to everyone else, but my eyes will always find you and I will always see the most breathtakingly gorgeous woman I will ever look at for the rest of my life.”
Talk about double swoon! My heart absolutely broke for him when Holly so foolishly walked away from him. But I guess it’s a good thing Brandon finally realized that he wasn’t willing to let her go, huh?
Sweet, funny, and full of heart
I found myself relating to Holly more than I care to admit. She isn’t full of herself or overly confident and Brandon, oh my gracious, I freakin my have a heart hard on for him. Esther, Holly’s neighbor, is secondary character perfection! This little old lady and her filthy mouth had me wishing I had my own Esther! Great read!
I really enjoyed this book and these characters.
Best Rom-Com Of The Year!
What a fun page turner! This novel was a joy from start to finish. The plot was wonderful! The characters and emotions were realistic. I especially enjoyed the neighbor, Esther. This would make a great movie – sure to be a hit!