“Adair just keeps getting better!”—Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author “Lighthearted and humorous…a sweet, satisfying romance.” —Publishers Weekly A Goodreads Most Anticipated Romance of JanuaryAn Amazon Book Review Highly Anticipated Romantic Comedy & Best of the Month SelectionAn Apple Books Best of the Month Selection A funny and delightful story from the New York Times … Selection
An Apple Books Best of the Month Selection
A funny and delightful story from the New York Times bestselling author of the St. Helena Vineyard series that fans of Avery Flynn, Kristan Higgins, and Helena Hunting will love.
Set against the breezy backdrop of coastal Rhode Island, bestselling author Marina Adair’s latest novel asks whether two of a small town’s biggest hearts can learn to put themselves first—in the name of love. . .
As caregiver for her autistic brother, Beckett Hayes knows how meaningful a little extra help can be when life happens. Which is why she runs Consider It Done, a personal concierge service in her small town. Her job also gives her the flexibility to follow her passion, being Rome, Rhode Island’s unofficial special needs advocate, training emotional support companions in her spare time. There’s not much of that, though, and certainly not enough for serious dating. It’s always been family first for Beck. But one unquestionably gorgeous, good-natured man is suddenly a temptation that’s getting tougher to resist . . .
Sixteen years ago, Levi Rhodes was ready to sail off into the sunset—literally. But then his father’s death and his sister’s unexpected pregnancy postponed his sailing scholarship and the adventures he had planned. Running the family marina and bar was the least he could do for his grieving mother. Plus, his niece needed a father-figure. But now that she’s in high school and has her bio-dad in her life, Levi’s wondering if it’s time to get his sea legs under him again. Or he was wondering, until curvy, caring Beck showed up in his bar, and then in his dreams . . .
“Charming…Sweet and sensitive, Hopeless Romantic is a funny romance that gently manages heavy issues.”
—Shelf Awareness
A portion of royalties to benefit The Organization for Autism Research.
Praise for Marina Adair
“Small town sweetness, endearing characters and a unique quirky flair.”
—Carly Phillips, New York Times bestselling author
“Marina Adair is a breath of fresh air. . . . Don’t miss a word from this magnificent author!”
—New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones
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I love Marina Adair’s books! She builds wonderful characters and conflicts and knows just how to reach readers’ hearts!
Love this series so so much. Levi is exactly my favorite kind of hero…the guy who is total competence p0rn, who wades in to help the shero who takes care of everyone and everything else, without having to be asked or told how…because he sees what she needs and gives it. Add in an adorable therapy dog, a diva of a therapy rooster, and a wonderful cast of characters and this one is a winner.
Two hopeless romantics find hope in each other!
With a refreshingly unique way of writing, the author tells a marvelous story that has all the snark and sass of a gaggle of girlfriends dishing all the gossip around the coffee table. The humor and emotions were in perfect balance, making this entire book pure joy to read.
Beck and Levi are both buried under family obligations, yet they can’t resist the pull of their incendiary chemistry. Levi is wonderfully patient with her as she tries to carve out time for a personal life.
I loved the interconnected layers of all the characters and how they supported each other at every turn. Their HEA was the perfect ending to a riveting story. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I was really looking forward to diving back into this series. And seeing Levi paired with Beckett was just another way to get me excited. These two not only have amazing chemistry, they also understand each other in a way nobody else seems to.
Becket seriously broke my heart. She is so giving and caring while never letting anyone give to her or care for her. It’s her way of protecting herself. She doesn’t want to get used to anything that will go away in the long run. Beckett has no faith in much of humanity, and she hasn’t been given many reasons that she should. Now that Annie lives in town and she has started spreading out her friend base (everyone in town knows Beck, but she doesn’t let anyone really know her) she finally starting to see her worth. And see that she lets people, even those that love her dearly, take her for granted and take advantage of her kindness and need to protect everyone.
Levi and Beckett have actually known each other for years. He’s the owner of the most popular bar/restaurant in town, she’s a jack (jill) of all trades who is always out and about, and like I said, everyone knows Beckett. Now that their best friends are together, they’ve gotten to know each other on a more personal level. While Levi was always intrigued by Beck, now he can’t help but flirt and hope for more. But anything with Levi has an expiration date. He’s put off his own dreams long enough. He’s actually more like Beckett than he even realizes. Always the caregiver, always the fixer, always the reliable shoulder. He needs to get out and live his own life instead of living life for his niece, mom, and brother-in-law.
I am head over heels in love with Levi. He is so caring and intuitive. Not just with Beck, but with all of the people in his life. That man was giving me warm-fuzzies on top of butterflies on top of chills. Whether he was teasing and flirting with Beck or helping her in ways nobody ever has before, teaching his niece to drive, or being the most patient son on the planet, Levi was amazing. (I’m not even going to get into my issues with his mom. That rant could go on for way too long.) In other words, the perfect match for Beckett. Seriously, with the love these two give to all of those around them, they could teach most of this world a thing or two and make it a better place.
Now, I do have a small problem with this book. I felt the ending was a bit too rushed. Almost like the author realized her page count and had to wrap things up before she was quite ready. There is definitely a satisfying conclusion to the Beckett/Levi story, but I don’t know if I’m satisfied with other aspects of these character’s lives. Since there is still more story to tell (after all, Gray still needs another HEA) I’m hoping some of the smaller loose ends will be wrapped up in the next book. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a cliffhanger. I just felt there was more to be said.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Beckett is the caregiver for her family when her mother leaves. Beckett thinks her life can’t get any more complicated and then she meets Levi. Levi is in charge of his own family with his mom, sister and his sister’s kid so he has a lot on his plate. Neither is looking for a relationship but sparks fly between them when they first meet. Soon they can’t stay away from each other. Can they manage to be together with everything that they have going on?
This is an amazing story that will tug at your heart strings from beginning to end. Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
Hopeless Romantic
By Marina Adair
Marina Adairs delivers a lovely romantic read that is perfectly balanced between two main characters whose love life had always been put in the backburner – always sacrificing themselves for their families. I absolutely enjoyed this beautiful story that tugged at my heart strings. Beckett and Levi are just so perfect for each other and I loved their characters, their families and their quest for finding love – finally for these selfless people. Completely relatable as a nurse and caregiver when family obligations always takes priority. Amazing read I enjoyed in the When in Rome series.
It’s been a while since I read Marina Adair, and what a treat it was as I get to know the Hopeless Romantics of Rome, Rhode Island.
The first few pages are a witty opening to a story so simple, yet so rich in emotions that brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. Rhodes’s is all set to explore the unchartered territory of love and Hayes is trying to find herself in the busy and hustle of her dysfunctional yet, lovable family dynamics. You throw in Gregory to the equation and you’ve got yourself a rib tickling love story!
Book two of her “When In Rome” series is a definite winner from Marina Adair…the camaraderie among friends is priceless, the unconditional love for your family at the center of this story is pure sentiment and the chemistry between Hayes and Rhodes is the right spark to make “Hopeless Romantic” hopelessly adorable and endearing
Received an ARC from Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.
I normally like Marina Adair but this book seem very negative and downer. There were some hood parts but the negative bantering got long and old.
Oh Marina I so LOVE your books. They make feel all of my emotions and you write about some real life events that could happen to anyone (sort of) but you add humor to it. I can read your books every day and I want everyone else to read them to! They are fantastic! Thank you for writing such a wonderful book!
I loved the portrayal of autism in the book and the strength and love shown by Beck in how she cares for and loves her brother. However, I got a little annoyed with how everyone else’s needs mattered before hers, and how her dad made her be the parent. Also, Levi’s mom is a big red flag for me too, how she sabotages her house and life to make people come care for her. Overall, I had really high hopes for this book and they fell pretty flat.
A solid romance with a zany heroine, a too-hot-to-handle hero, and a strong supporting cast.
Rating: 3.5/5
Hopeless Romantic is the second book in the When in Rome series and does what every good stand alone series installment should do – it draws you in. While there are illusions to the first book throughout, Levi and Beck’s story is extremely engaging and does an excellent job at being its own work. From watching Beck bring Gregory in to the bar, to cringing your way through some of Levi’s more hairbrained moments, Adair’s characters are unapologetically sincere and a delight to read.
However, there were certain plot points in the story that could have been more thought out. I wish we could have seen more of Levi engaging with Thomas before ‘Tommy’ becomes the norm (that whole relationship felt a little rushed) and I really, really had hoped to see more of Paisley throughout. As such a big part of Levi’s life, the teenager felt like the least baked character in the whole book and she truly deserved better. I’m all here for the three-dads plot line, though, and really enjoyed watching Gray, Emmit, and Levi navigate the whims, waning, and wiles of a their teenage star. Maybe Paisley deserves her own book..? (I’d so buy that).
Also, the pacing of the book fell flat at times. Lots of slow burn leading up to the big boom, but very little resolution on the other side. Jeffrey and Beck wouldn’t have resolved their issues as fast as they seem to at the end of the book, and Thomas’ last big adventure was a little jarring.
Overall, I am definitely satisfied with Hopeless Romantic for all that it is. A solid plot, engaging characters, and some seriously tender moments all make the book a fantastic read.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Kennsington. All of the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own
Wonderful series, but then I also really like the author’s Sugar, Ga series too. Strangely the last book that I read, also had a main character that is “on the spectrum”. This one has one character that is autistic, another has Asperger’s and the story explores how the other family members are affected by it. My next door neighbor has a child (now a young adult) with severe Autism and we have seen up close how hard these conditions are on the family members, ripping apart marriages, but also inculcating a sense of kindness, patience and empathy with the siblings. My neighbor has had to take the county school board to court many times to get her child the education that he needs. (She has won, every time).
Beckett Hayes may be a hopeless romantic, but when her mother deserted the family, leaving Beckett and her brother Thomas in the car, while she went into the grocery store and then ran,
she left 16 year old Beckett in charge, to juggle all those responsibilities that she couldn’t or wouldn’t. Beckett found the only way she could handle it all was, to create her own business as a jobber. But there is just so much she can juggle without running herself ragged.
We met Levi in the previous book. He also has put his life on hold for years, He and his father had planned a sailing trip, but then his father died and his mother and sister needed him to run the family business. Then his sister Michelle got pregnant, and she needed to help raise her daughter ….
Levi and Beckett are perfect for each other, if they could learn to every now and then, put their needs first. Read how they learn to do that.
I read an ARC from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
I loved this book I highly recommend it!
I loved this book!!! Love everything that Marina writes. She makes your feel as though your a part of the story yourself.
I really enjoyed this sweet and fun book! There was a lot of seriousness, but lots of laughs, too. These characters, their stories and their town are a lot of fun and I’m ready for the next one!
Marina Adair has once again drawn me into the world of Rome, Rhode Island and I didn’t want this book to end. I was hooked from page one, and I absolutely love these characters, their friendships and romances, and stories.
Beckett has the weight of the world on her shoulders. She lives with her dad and brother and family always comes first. The unpredictability of her schedule led her to start her own business helping train emotional support animals as well as being a concierge and providing services to the town. It leaves Beckett with little time for herself or relationships.
Levi runs the family bar and marina and is planning on taking a six month sailing trip. He is a great uncle and friend, and he is definitely interested in Beckett. I really loved how he supported and understood her. Their attraction was there from the beginning but they were both hesitant to explore it. The build up to them deciding to try a relationship was so well done.
Just like the first book this was an emotional, sweet, and funny read. This is one of the few books that has made me laugh and smile on one page and pulled at my heartstrings the next. I loved getting to follow Levi and Beckett on their way to happily ever after!
This is the second book in the series. It can be read as a standalone, but book one, RomEantically Challenged was also a wonderful read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Marina Adair is always on my “one click” purchase list and she certainly didn’t disappoint with this book. Hopeless Romantic is set in the small town of Rome, Rhode Island and is about Beckett Hayes. Beckett can only be described as a hot mess. She leads a very chaotic and stressful life taking care of both her autistic brother and her very forgetful and slightly less autistic father. She spends her days as a “professional odd jobber” taking such jobs as teaching an emotional support chicken (yes I said chicken) so that she has the flexibility to help out her family. She certainly doesn’t have time to date…or does she? Enter in Levi (Rome’s most unattainable Romeo) with his good looks, flirty attitude, caring heart and general good guy attitude and how could she resist?
I love Levi!! People see him as the bad boy, but deep down he is a total sweetheart that cares deeply. He just doesn’t let people get close enough to know everything that he is carrying under that charming smile.
Beckett is so busy taking care of her family, that she doesn’t have time for love or romance, just a quickie here and there. And other than a very few close friends, she doesn’t let anyone get close enough to her to know what’s going on in and happening in her life.
Levi slowly starts to chip away at the barriers Beckett has around her heart and she slips into his mind and heart seamlessly. But can he handle all the responsibilities that she comes with?
This is a beautifully written story depicting life with Autism, as well as other family challenges.
I love this series! In this installment two overworked, over-responsible people may get their chances for happiness if they can figure out how to delegate more and get others to take up the slack. Levi sacrificed college and his dreams to take over running the family businesses and help raise his niece. Beckett was forced into the role of responsible adult tending to her father’s and brother’s autism issues when her mother bailed. And no, this is not a sad story. There are plenty of laughs, so enjoy! Did I mention there is a service animal chicken?
Thoroughly enjoyed the Hopeless Romantic. Beckett and Levi are both very busy with their jobs and families and little time for romance. Beckett is helping her dad and brother, both on the spectrum of autism. Levi is one of three dads to Paisley. Soon they find themselves together planning a wedding and can’t deny the attraction that they share, but will they follow the rules that they set up?
Great dialogue through out the book. Loved the family dynamics from both families. Well done on the autism spectrum. An added plus is the love of animals through out the story. So many laugh out moments.
This is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. Looking forward to reading the next book.