My Life in Shambles is an emotional and sexy new standalone contemporary romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Nordic King and The Pact.When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything.They say bad things … everything.
They say bad things happen in threes.
After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can definitely attest to that.
They also say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution.
Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex god was one of Ireland’s top rugby players.
A rugby player with a proposition for me:
Come with him to his tiny hometown of Shambles and pretend to be his fiancé for a few days, just so that his ailing father can have some peace of mind.
It sounded simple enough.
It was anything but.
Not when a town gets up in your business, not when the media hunts you down, not when your past comes back in the picture, not when there are real hearts and feelings at stake.
Not when there are secrets that could break you.
They say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
This is my life in Shambles.
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This was such a beautifully written story, very emotional and really takes a deep look in someones life with disabilities and someones life with a serious medical condition. Both characters a beautifully raw and I felt for them in their own right.
My Life in Shambles follows Valarie, who has just cut lies with her fiance after he cancelled their engagement. She also has just lost her dream job due to cut backs, so she’s at a really low point in her life. Her sisters are going off to Ireland and convince her to go with them to just breath a little and forget the pains of what just happened. There Valarie meets a brooding but lovable man, Padraig. He is going through a life change as well, his whole career and way of living is about to change, along with sad news about his fathers health. Together these two embark on a journey, trying to find their place with what life has handed them as well as in each other.
Valarie is a woman who at a young age was injured and has dealt with the disability her whole life. Her family, though they love her, has not been easy on her. Especially her mother. I had a really hard time with her mother, she was cruel, unloving to me, and I wanted to smack her across the face with how awful she was to everyone. Her daughters all live very different lives but she has these crazy expectations that she pushes them towards, not considering how much her daughters are hurting. But Val is tough, she’s use to her mothers belittling, she takes this trip as a next step and after meeting Padraig, she really opens up and becomes her true self.
Padraig is like a big teddy bear, you just can’t help but love him and feel for him. He’s a rugby star and has been diagnosed with a medical condition that changes. Meeting Val gives him a chance at changing his relationship with his father who is dying, as well as meeting someone who just gets him and not the rugby star. He has a lot of ups and downs, he goes through so many emotions dealing with his father and his condition, while also pulling Val along, who seriously is his angel through it all.
Overall I was a hot mess reading this book, it really pulled at every emotional heart string I have and then some. Halle put so much depth, love and soul into these characters, it wasn’t just about the beautiful romance that evolved but about the journey these characters had to face when reality hit. I loved every flaw they had, every smoking hot scene, every spoken word. It was such a fantastic story and one I didn’t know I needed.
When I started to read this lovely book, I thought the title referred to a life in disarray. Little would I know it was an actual Irish little town. Even so, the lives of both characters were in actual disarray, and getting together is what gave them the resources to overcome their inner conflicts. Together they made an awesome couple, supporting each other. When the author said that the words of this book just flew out of her fingers, I totally believed it, because it just flows, it meshes, and it makes for a total awesome read, in all levels.
It’s coming Christmas Eve and Valerie has lost her fiancée, a place to live, and her job. She arrives to her parents’ home to spend time with her sisters and her judgy mother. Her father is an oasis of acceptance and support, her mother is a harridan who criticizes her weight and her lost chances of having a rich husband. Her sisters judge her on her lack of adventurousness so she takes the plunge and decided to join them on their New Years Eve trip to Ireland. New Years’ motto: say yes to all adventures!
An adventure does appear fast; Val meets rugby player Padraig McCarthy and they have a one-night stand. They meshed so well that they didn’t want to let go, so Padraig invites Val to his hometown Shambles. Padraig is dealing with a sports injury so he has free time, which is convenient, since his father is ill and he needs to spend time with him.
Valerie has inner body issues from a childhood accident; Padraig lost his mother when he was a child and in a way also lost his father because the father turned from him, neglected him. All Padraig wants is his father’s love, acceptance and pride, but his father denied all three, treating him like an inconvenience. In this beautiful, multi-layered and emotional book, we read as Val and Padraig deal with their emotions, shore each other up, deal with family troubles, overcome obstacles and are there for each other. I’ve never seen before such a story of a couple who supports each other as this one, they are so generous of their affection and their time for the other. It’s deeply emotional and angsty, just like I like my books so I savored, enjoyed, and re-read again. I loved everything!
4.5 ‘The pulse of my heart’ Stars!
ARC provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
What a beautiful and emotional love story! Definitely a little bit more on the dramatic and angsty side of Karina’s works, My Life in Shambles is a stunning example of her incredible talent as a romance author. A roller coaster of emotions that will make you fall in love with Padraig and Valerie from the very first page to the last one!
So My Life in Shambles is Karina’s newest standalone release and, as I said, it is a little bit more intense in terms of drama and emotions (which I am not complaining!). Valerie Stephens did not expect to share a passionate and adventurous one night stand with Irish rugby star Padraig McCarthy and even more, a night that changes their lives forever. Padraig and Valerie share a beautiful connection and that is what makes them turn it to a fake engagement in front of the people Padraig loves. But these two cannot stop themselves to saying yes to more adventures together and they fall in love.
It takes a moment to change someone.
Sometimes it just takes a kiss.
I know this before it happens.
I loved how this couple shares their vulnerabilities to each other and that makes them stronger. Yes, this Irish hunk of a man will melt your insides with his gorgeous soul and his sexy AF body. The chemistry between Padraig and Valerie is smoking hawt and that makes their heartbreaking relationship even better. Not everything is hearts and flowers, the lives of these two people are actually in shambles but you’ll see how together they will fight for their loved ones and the relationship they are building. Gah, these two are so intense, steamy and oh-so-sweet! I loved them together and their ups and downs as a couple. Karina did a fantastic job with this one and I am so glad Padraig and Valerie found each other.
“There ye are, darlin’.”
“Here I am,” she says, smiling sweetly at me.
“Tell me you love me and I’ll tell you I love you more.”
Therefore, my rating for My Life in Shambles is 4.5 STARS. This story is a moving, romantic and adventurous romance that will make you think and inspire you to take chances when you least expect them. I loved the plot, all the characters, the passionate chemistry between Padraig and Valerie and that beautiful ending! Karina Halle’s writing style just works so well for me and I really enjoyed all the feels this novel gave me. Highly recommend reading this emotional and sexy love story!
I don’t think that I was prepared for this. Okay, I know I wasn’t prepared for this.
I know that you all are probably tired of hearing me raving about yet another one of Karina’s books. But I’m not going to stop anytime soon, so deal with it.
I had imagined a girl going on a trip to Ireland and falling in love with an Irishman. And if you look at the big picture, that is exactly what it was. But it was also so much more than that. So, so much more.
I know that you all are probably tired of hearing me raving about yet another one of Karina’s books. But I’m not going to stop anytime soon, so deal with it.
Before we get into this even further, do you know how to pronounce Padraig? No? I didn’t either. Actually I still don’t. I just read it as it’s spelled. So, you can too, unless you want to actually google this. Karina explains it in the book, but that wasn’t that helpful to me, maybe because I’m Swedish.
Okay, so let’s get in to THIS.
So, at first I was like: HELL YES, IRELAND. I’ve always wanted to go there, maybe meet a handsome Irishman myself (sorry hubs) but in truth it’s all about the accent. And I don’t like beer or whiskey, so maybe not?
Val, who is our leading lady, on the other hand seems to like both beer and whiskey which bodes well for the future, me thinks.
I really like Val(erie) as a character. I can relate to her. She has insecurities, she’s not skinny, (though she’s not fat no matter what other people say!), she’s a writer and she’s had her heart broken a few times. I think that Val and I would be friends, if she existed in real life.
What about Padraig? Well, OK. He is not only hot, but he’s got personality as well. He has a past that haunts him just like anyone else. And sometimes I miss that in books. Men are just human sex machines with anger issues. Padraig is not like that. Padraig is so much more, it’s hard to put my finger on what it is about him. But he is the kind of handsome Irishman that I would have liked to met if I ever went to Ireland (again, sorry hubs) when I was single.
How no one ever referred to Padraig as Paddy is beyond me. Or maybe I just missed it. I don’t know. I’d definitely call him Paddy if I ever met him, since I can’t pronounce Padraig anyway
Val and Padraig together is OTP. I am not kidding. It’s been a while (years) since I referred to a couple as OTP but Val and Padraig are. These two are so good together. It’s like they were made for each other. Their soul purpose on this earth was to meet and live happily ever after. I wish that everyone get to experience love like this in their lifetime. It’s epic is what it is.
This book deals with a lot of tough subjects such as low self esteem, body complexes, illness and loss. I actually cried, a few times, while reading this. And while it was sad it was also quite funny. I laughed, out loud.
I stayed up until 1AM reading this, which in hindsight wasn’t clever because I was really tired when I had to get up to work the next morning, but it was totally worth it.
So if you’re in need of a sexy, angsty, rollercoaster of a book, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! (Yes, imagine Zara Larsson singing it)
With the perfect blend of heart, heat and humor, Karina Halle’s forte in delivering and narrating such a heartfelt, profoundly emotional and swoon-worthy romance shines through with her newest novel, My Life in Shambles. Filled with all the feels, the kind of romance that will have your skin tingling and your heart fluttering, and emotions so raw they‘ll bring tears to your eyes… this absolute page-turner has completely won me over and earned a spot as one of my ultimate favorites from this author. Padraig and Valerie just owned me right from that very first chapter and never let me go.
“You’re the pulse of my heart, Valerie. A tonic to my soul.”
Karina Halle had me in a complete trance with this one. The second I dove into this story, I couldn’t put it down. Not only did she make me want to jet off to Ireland to hunt down these two beautiful souls, while bringing so much of that gorgeous countryside so vividly to life, but she also made me connect with her characters on a level that will surely stay with me for a long time. They were just so captivatingly real and relatable, you’ll feel every single thing they go through and face in this book.
“Tell me you love me. Tell me you love me and I’ll tell you I love you more.”
Get ready to swoon your heart out, laugh your socks off and fall head over heels in love with Padraig and Valerie. Trust me, My Life in Shambles will hit you hard in the feels and just make you cheer for these two until the end like there’s no tomorrow.
Wow what a ride!
I went into this book knowing it would be excellent because hello, it’s Karina Halle, but she truly undid herself with this one!
My life in Shambles was a deliciously heart wrenching and emotionally draining (in the best way) read.
I felt like I knew each character personally and the scenes were so excellently described that I was able to visualize them without effort.
It was easy to become invested in this story and it’s one I definitely see myself rereading and recommending to others every chance I get!
I have been anxiously awaiting this book since the announcement of it, and it did not disappoint. I loved Valerie. The relationship she had with her sisters, and her empathetic nature, which made her someone I wouldn’t mind calling my friend. Padraig was an incredible hero. Going through a tremendously difficult time in his life, he meets Valerie at the exact time he needs it. This book had it all, and was at times, bittersweet. And let’s not forget the gorgeous cover, which is just the cherry on top of the sundae.
Reviewed by: Clare M.
It’s been awhile since i’ve read such an emotional story and going into this book I just knew that Karina wouldn’t disappoint me, she has such a way of writing stories with so much heart, emotion and depth. My Life In Shambles is such a bittersweet heart wrenching story, it made me laugh, it made me cry and I think that I fell a little in love with Padraig.
Without giving spoilers away it’s a little hard to review this book but be assured that this story will not only please the romance lover in you it will get you to open up a reservoir of emotions and thoughts. You really get to feel a deep sense of love, loss and hope, and to realise that life is short so make the most of it no matter what.
The storytelling and description of Ireland was just perfect, you could almost imagine yourself being there and the way that the characters of Valerie and Padraig were written with so much fire in their personalities and passion that burns between them, you find yourself become so connected to them, that you get so utterly lost in the flow of their love story. This is such a wonderful story which will stay with me for a long time to come. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end.
This book took me back to the beginning when I first started reading Karina’s books with The Pact,The Play and The Offer which were some of my all time favourites from her. It is so awesome to have Karina back writing these amazingly heartfelt stories.
Having been to Ireland I could identify with the amazingly colourful characters portrayed, and of course had to fall totally in love with Padraig (well who wouldn’t fall in love with this hot hunk). Karina is an amazingly talented writer whose descriptions of people and places make you feel that you are actually there watching the story play out.
A brilliant story of two very different people who connect in a bar and don’t want to let each other go. Padraig a very famous Irish rugby player has always wanted his father’s approval and love. Now that his father is dying, he decides to try one last time to make his father proud of him by taking Valerie to meet his family and proposing to her in front of them. Unfortunately the plan backfires making matters worse for everyone, and on top of that Padraig has his own secret that is slowly being revealed to Valerie.
This book will make you smile and cry at the same time, and make you hope that Padraig and Valerie have their happy ever after against all the odds.
Beautiful emotional love story!!!! One night stand that turned into more and it was completely unexpected. This wasn’t your usual one night stand story it was completely different because of the main characters. They were both broken in their own way and from the minute she spent the night with him you knew everything shifted. They became friends and Valerie was there for Padriag in moments when he needed a shoulder and someone to hold his hands. She has her own scars but that doesn’t hold her back from living which is very admirable. These two showed how true love develops and being there for someone in the good, bad, sickness and health. There was little drama and the ending was beautiful which they deserved after some tearful moments.
Karina Halle once again delivers a sexy, emotional, beautiful story that will tug at your heartstrings and give you all of the feels. My Life in Shambles will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. I loved the characters, the location, and the premise…..really everything about this story!
Valerie and Padraig were fabulous together. After a rocky initial meeting, they hit it off and I loved their chemistry. Padraig got Valerie to say “yes” to his adventure and from there, their real connection grew. I loved how both were dedicated to standing by one another no matter the circumstances. With secrets and lies aplenty, these two had to work hard to come out on the other side. Valerie became stronger with every page and truly blossomed. As Padraig’s world started to crumble, Valerie was there to pick up the pieces right along with him. I loved Padraig’s vulnerable side and how he fought through the difficult times to rise above. Halle proved that fate has a way of knowing what we need and making sure that we are in the right place at the right time to experience it!
Halle does a phenomenal job with this emotional love story. Have your tissues ready because you will definitely shed those tears! However, with a HEA ending, Halle gives readers exactly what they crave. Readers will love the stunning backdrop and I couldn’t help reading much of the book in my mind with an Irish accent. I could just picture the rolling hills and the ethereal countryside, seeing it through both Valerie and Padraig’s eyes. Thank you, Karina Halle for taking me on such a beautiful rollercoaster ride. I truly adored my Life in Shambles. 5 stars
My life in shambles by Karina Halle is Five starts doubled.
Karina Halle is hands one of my favorite authors. I was hooked from the blurb.
This book was compelling straight from the first page. I wanted to learn more about Valerie’s story. Valerie’s life is falling apart so her sisters convinced her to go to Ireland with them for an adventure.
Without giving too much away you will fall in love with Valerie as she is cautious with Padraig. You will fall in love with Ireland, Padraig’s Nan and the man himself. You will laugh and cry as you read My Life in Shambles. You will also feel the angst as both Valerie and Padraig go through many emotions on their journey to each other.
My Life in Shambles is the first book by this author that I have had the pleasure of reading. I love following Padraig and Valerie’s story as she emerges from her old life and starts a new one having adventures all by saying yes. I would recommend this book you won’t be disappointed.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was absolutely amazing. It was everything and more. This storyline was amazing and they characters- I love them. Padraig and Val didn’t start their relationship off traditionally but by the end it was real. I like that this story was different and difficult. The male lead wasn’t perfect and his story absolutely had me in tears multiple times and Valerie was so strong. Life kept kicking her and she got up and kept fighting. I loved this book it is a definite reread for me!!!
I really really enjoyed My Life in Shambles; it’s exactly what I love about reading romance–a perfect escape from my fairly routine life.
Valerie our heroine is so relatable to many—she’s hit a rough spot and desperately needs an escape from everything and so she takes it (something we all wish we could do). She takes a chance to do something out of her comfort zone and it pays off—not only with sister bonding in Ireland but finding adventure and love with Padraig. Padraig, our fine specimen of a hero, has his own set of problems he’d like to rectify or escape from and Valerie is just the girl to help him with that.
I love the chemistry of these two. I love their hearts—their compassion and kindness. I love how they treat each other, how they respect each other, and genuinely like each other. I love that the sex scenes are searingly hot. And I love how Karina Halle always shows us a little something about the things people live with and grapple with, things we don’t always realize are as hard or emotional or as challenging as they are, and she does it in a way that rings true.
I just really like everything about Valerie and Padraig and this novel. It’s perfectly constructed—the exposition never felt long or drawn out, the tension and conflict built slowly and subtly, the romance was sweet but not too sweet, there was a good bit of humor, the oh shit moment was not too emotionally scarring, and the HEA was perfect.
I can not recommend this book enough—it’s romantic and fun and emotional and the perfect thing to escape into for a few hours.
My Life in Shambles is gut-wrenching and left me emotionally-drained.
Val and Padraig can easily be one of us, their emotional and psychological scars run deep and are so rooted that superficial fixes won’t work for them. Two people who needed each other, whose mutual support are uplifting and comforting.
I love how these characters are challenged, as life really does. There are no neat bowtie solutions to every story, even in romance. This is one story where life’s curveballs really come at the characters and my well of love is seriously tapped into.
Bravo, Karina Halle, for tackling the hard side of life.
*ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
First of all, this cover! Stunning!
Karina Halle writes stories about life, about happiness and about pain.
She isn’t afraid to let her stories be emotional or angsty.
Her words makes her stories feel so lifelike. So natural, just as if you live in them yourself.
She touched the deepest within, and I simply love it.
When I first started reading this book I got this feeling about Padraig and his troubles.
And I was right, I so hoped I wasn’t because I had this happen in my family too. So extra emotional for me to read.
But when you combine Padraig and Valerie, you get a strong story which gives you hope and dreams.
Valerie has her own issues, had a rough period in her life and she took the chance and it guided her towards new adventures and a new life.
All in all, another must read from Karina Halle.
Valerie’s life is imploding all around her. She’s lost her boyfriend, job and apartment in a short span of time. She decides to get a fresh start by saying yes to new adventures. She never expected to have a one night stand with a hot rugby player named Padraig McCarthy or pretend to be his fiancee so his father can have peace. Things are not so easy when feelings, the past and emotions get all jumbled into the mix. You will need tissues with this story. A wonderful read that I recommend.
Wow! This story blew me away. It’s the perfect blend of heart, heat, and humor. I couldn’t put it down!
Loved it, loved it, loved it!
Damn, I love this cover. And wow, what a read! Karina Halle has delivered a beautifully swoony and emotional love story that is intense, passionate and so, so beautiful! Full of feels, this is not the fun, light romance that I was expecting, it’s dramatic and heartfelt, and I fell in complete love with these characters and their story, and I love this book!
Valerie’s life is imploding around her. Within the space of a week she lost her fiancé, her apartment and her job. Deciding to take an impulsive trip to Ireland with her sisters, she resolves to take the time to figure herself out, explore what she wants, and say ‘yes’ to new opportunities. Her new philosophy is put to the test when she meets the sexy but brooding Padraig.
“Even though there’s a wash of sadness that seems to pass over his dark eyes from time to time, whatever thing he was dealing with earlier seems to have been pushed aside. Maybe I’m distracting him from his problems as much as he seems to be distracting me from mine.
In fact, the last thing on my mind right now is my hot mess of a life. All I can think about is him.”
Padraig is an Irish rugby star who is currently on a break from the game due to injury. He is dealing with a lot and isn’t in the best place emotionally, but when he meets Valerie in a bar, he feels a connection with her and they share an incredible night together talking, laughing and sharing, and yes, the attraction effortlessly leads them into the bedroom where their connection really becomes explosive!
“It takes a moment to change someone.
Sometimes it just takes a kiss.
I know this before it happens.
And when he leans in and the space between us dissolves, and his lips, warm, soft and commanding, meet mine, I know that a simple kiss isn’t so simple at all and nothing will be simple after that.”
There’s something so, so special about these two together. You can feel it! They both recognise it, but they also recognise the difficult position that they are in with Valerie only being in town for a week. Padraig is due to return to his small home town of Shambles to spend time with his dying father, and when he raises the idea of Valerie coming with him – pretending to be his fiancée to give his father the peace of knowing that he’ll be happy and not alone – she follows her heart and agrees.
“I’m not done with her yet. I don’t think I’ll ever be done with her.
Why can’t she stay here for good?
Why can’t this be real?”
It’s a great set-up for a romance, and as fantastic as the developing love story is, there is so much more substance to this story. Both Valerie and Padraig are going through a lot. Their vulnerabilities are heartbreaking, and the strength and support they show to each other is just beautiful. Valerie in particular really shines in this book as the girl struggling to find her place yet living her life to the fullest and embracing every opportunity, and I just loved her! She’s smart, sweet and relatable, and her attitude about her situation and the way she is there for Padraig, throwing herself in whole-heartedly, is incredible.
“Deep down, I know I’m heading for a heartache so severe it might just destroy me once and for all.
And yet, despite the fear, I’m not going to push it away.
Because how lucky would I be to fall in love with this man?
I don’t think many people truly get to do that, even if it’s all a lie in the end.”
And oh, Padraig… *dreamy sigh*. Don’t we all love a big, strong hero who is broody, vulnerable and tormented? And in addition to that bit of sexy goodness, he is totally swoony and such a sweet guy! He’s kind, caring and affectionate and he embraces his feelings for Valerie, not holding back from how much he wants her. And OMG, he is a sexual beast! The sexy time is absolutely steaming, and Padraig’s dirty talk and dirtier moves are sizzling! But it’s the emotion that he feels for her that melted my heart, and I just love him!
“I’m in love with her.
I know that with every damaged inch of my being.
I love her.
She is the pulse of my heart.”
Their love story unfolds in the seaside town of Shambles with a fabulous collection of side characters watching on. Padraig’s family and friends bring so much to the book, and I loved the part they played. And watching Valerie embrace her new setting while she and Padraig explore everything happening between them was gorgeous. It’s easy and natural and the chemistry is fantastic, and I fell in love right alongside them.
“Valerie,” I whisper to her. “Tell me you love me. Tell me you love me, and I’ll tell ye I love you more.”
But so much more than just the love story, there is personal drama in this book. Valerie and Padraig both have issues that they need to address, and I loved watching them find the courage and strength to do that. The character development is really well done and wonderful to see, and it makes this book even more special.
The emotion, the drama and the love story all combine to create a fantastic read, and I loved this one!