Release Blitz + Review: "Not What I Expected" by Jewel E. Ann

I am incredibly excited to take part in celebrating today's release of author Jewel E. Ann's latest standalone novel, "Not What I Expected." It was the first book I've ever read by this author, but it's safe to say that it will not be the last! I absolutely loved this funny, sweet, sometimes poignant story and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and women's fiction.

 

It's been a while since I signed up to review this book, so I had completely forgotten what it was supposed to be about by the time I started reading. I'm happy it worked out this way because the story was able to take me completely by surprise and really live up to its title. As it turned out, this book was not the traditional romance I was expecting, although the love story was an important component. Female lead character Elsie's efforts to figure out who she was outside of her marriage and motherhood were equally important, and actually the aspect of the story I enjoyed the most.

I really appreciated that Elsie was a mature protagonist who had some life experience because it made her incredibly relatable. Elsie had been married, her children were all nearly grown, and she was struggling to figure out her next steps as she prepared to move into a new phase of her life. She certainly never planned on starting an affair with rival shopkeeper Kael, but she found herself unable to resist the pull of attraction between them. Their banter was a ton of fun, and even though there were quite a few obstacles in their way, I found it easy to root for them to find happiness together, whether that was within a traditional relationship or not. 

Overall, "Not What I Expected" was a tremendously compelling story, and I had a difficult time putting it down once I started reading. I look forward to checking out more of this author's work soon.

 

*Review copy provided by the author via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

  

About "Not What I Expected"

Not What I Expected by Jewel E. Ann is now live!

Are humans meant to mate for life?

After four kids and an unfortunate but fateful end to her twenty-two-year marriage, Elsie Smith meets the new guy in town.

Kael Hendricks is ... a little younger, a lot sexy, and too confident for his own good. He also doesn't believe in marriage and all that goes with it.

And ...

He's just opened a new business that threatens the livelihood of Elsie's family's store--just in time for the holidays.

The problem?

There's an undeniable attraction that leads to out of control situations, a loss of inhibitions, and a lot of small town gossip.

As Elsie tries to redefine herself and convince her family she isn't having a midlife crisis, she's forced to answer the biggest question of all ...

Can she love an enemy who will never surrender?