If someone had told me a few months ago that an author would publish a book about tennis I would not only read but also enjoy, I'm not sure I would have believed it. (I like sports romances, but tennis? Not generally my thing.) Surprisingly enough, debut author Ashley R. King managed to do exactly that, and so impressively that I was honestly shocked when I learned that this was her first novel. "Painting the Lines" was charming, funny, and sweet, and I found it very easy to root for main characters Amalie and Julian both individually and as a couple. I recommend this endearing enemies-to-lovers romance for all fans of contemporary romance, sports romance, and romantic comedy, and will definitely be watching to see what Ashley R. King writes next.
About "Painting the Lines"
Amalie Warner wants another shot to prove that she can be a successful writer. After hitting the bestseller’s list nine years ago, she’s lost her spark. Feeling pressure from her father to leave her writing behind and to work for her family’s lucrative hotel business, she’s desperate to find inspiration for her next big idea, something that challenges and excites her, something real.
Enter Julian Smoke, a failed tennis player making a dream run for the US Open. After a chance meeting at a bar, Amalie hates him instantly. He’s cocky and arrogant, but Amalie knows his story could be her big break. Could he be more?
Everyone knows that in tennis, love means zero, but these two are about to change that.
Perfect for fans of The Hating Game and Wimbledon.
My Review
I enjoyed Ashley R. King's "Painting the Lines," a charming, funny, and sweet story featuring likeable, well-developed characters and a well-crafted enemies-to-lovers romance. Even when they supposedly disliked each other, main characters Amalie and Julian couldn't hide the undercurrent of attraction between them. I couldn't wait for them to stop fighting it and finally act on their feelings. Their witty, flirtatious banter was a lot of fun and made me laugh out loud more than once, and I found it very easy to root for them, both individually and as a couple, as they pursued their respective dreams of renewed success as a novelist and reaching the U.S. Open.
The book's secondary characters, particularly Julian's coach Paul and Amalie's best friend Romina, who served as Julian's trainer, were also wonderful and added a tremendous amount of depth and humor to the narrative.
Neither Paul nor Romina were easy on Julian, but they gave him exactly the push he needed
to get his head back in the game and be ready to win. Paul seemed to be well on the way to his own HEA by the end of this book, but I hope we will see Romina again in the next book of the series!
I recommend this story for all fans of contemporary romance, sports romance, and romantic comedy, and will certainly be watching to see what Ashley R. King writes next.
I recommend this story for all fans of contemporary romance, sports romance, and romantic comedy, and will certainly be watching to see what Ashley R. King writes next.
*Review copy provided by the author via InkSlingerPR. All opinions expressed are my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments make my day! While I do not expect everyone to agree with my point of view, please note that I reserve the right to delete any nasty or uncharitable messages, as well as spam. Open discussion is welcome and appreciated, but personal attacks are not. Thanks for understanding and have a nice day. :-)