<i>RomeAntically Challenged</i> is a sweet love story, filled with emotion and great banter. It gets bonus points for attempting to tackle some more complex issues, but doesn't quite execute well enough to pull it out of the "it was a good book" pile.

Annie Walsh's dream wedding is about to take place. Her venue, her dress, her menu, her music, her groom... but not her. Finding herself in a habit of finding "the one" only to discover that she was their "practice one" Annie has had enough of men. Swearing them off, she signs off on a new Physicians Assistant job in Rome - Rome, Rhode Island that is - and with the help of her new boss finds an AirBnB to reside in for her tenure. Imagine her surprise when a brooding male unexpectedly lets himself in.

Emmitt Bradley, investigative photojournalist, is on medical leave after being caught in an explosion overseas. Imagine <i>his</i> surprise when he comes home and finds out that his home has been rented out to a hot woman who has sworn off men. But Emmitt has other issues, too. His teenage daughter Paisley is being a teenager. Paisley's step-father and uncle are vying for her attention. And there's something Emmitt's estranged father is keeping from him.

In terms of romantic tropes - <i>RomeAntically Challenged</i> is forced proximity that leads to a low-key hate to love situation. It has great flirty banter, solid character growth, and a good dash of brooding.

There is <b>a lot</b> going on in this book as the characters battle different things. Annie is a Vietnamese adoptee who has never felt like she belonged in the white neighborhood she grew up - or the community of Vietnamese women she finds in Rome. Annie also has a complex relationship with her parents (see: the fact that her mother is planning on attending the wedding that should be Annies but isn't, insists Annie attend as well and doesn't see any issues with this) and her ex (who still thinks their best friends). Emmitt didn't know he had a daughter until Paisley was a few years old - already with a devoted uncle (who spends the first few of Paisley's years as a stand-in father) and a stepfather. Now a teenager living through the death of her mother, Emmitt is struggling to figure out where he fits in the scheme of Paisley's life.

I loved that this story tried to tackle some of these more complicated issues of belonging and it gave it so much potential! However, I felt like there was just too much going on to really give any of these issues room to breathe.

When all was said and done it was a fun beachy kind of read that I would definitely recommend to contemporary romance fans!

Where to start...Marina Adair is a MASTER with combing words and emotions! You’re laughing one minute with Annie and Emmitt’s banter, then totally crushed because Emmitt is sooo lost. The despair is palatable. Like Annie, he doesn’t feel as though he belongs in his own family. He is loved, but feels as though he’s on the outside looking in. Annie, having been adopted at birth, also KNEW she was loved—although not always supported by her parents. She just didn’t know how and where she fit in. She was Vietnamese raised by white parents. When she was around other Vietnamese, she was treated as though she didn’t belong. She spoke, knew very little of her native language or dishes and was considered too Americanized. But she didn’t quite fit in with other American girls either. Annie was also unlucky in love. She always ended up choosing the guys who found their “soulmates” immediately after or while she was dating them. She longed for a feeling of belonging and only wanted someone to love the real her—without her changing who she was. So, Annie accepts a position to work in a hospital in Rome—thinking it’s Rome, Italy. Its’ not! But what she finds there may be all she ever dreamed of and more...

Emmitt, an investigative photojournalist, was the “fun, cool dad”. He was always leaving for the next “big” story, until he was almost killed while on assignment. Forced to take time off, Emmitt returns to his hometown of Rome, Rhode Island. There he finds, who he believes is a squatter, a woman living in his home. Come to find out, his family rented out his home without his knowledge. Emmitt doesn’t have the heart to evict Annie, so he decides to make her life miserable in hopes that she’ll willingly leave. The more Emmitt gets to know Annie, the more fascinated he is with her. Sure, he’d like to sleep with her, but he finds he truly enjoys her company.

Loved, loved, loved this story! Very realistic and relatable. Emotions were all over the place. I’m a nurse and loved how the charge nurse stood up for Annie, then accepted her into her little group while still giving her a hard time. Emmitt and Chloe’s banter, Emmitt placing the recliner in front of her bedroom door...hilarious! I loved and hated Paisley’s surly attitude—very much in line with a true teenager who’s suffered great loss. The Three Men and a Baby (teenager) parallel was seen throughout the story. The “daily” dads were pretty tough on Emmitt, but they were also scared of losing Paisley. I also enjoyed reading Annie’s perspective on adoption as my nephews were adopted from birth. Highly enjoyable story! I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

I’m sorry this was not for me, mostly because I didn’t care for neither of the main characters. I did not care how the female lead was a bit of a doormat but more importantly the male lead was frustrating. He wanted to be dad of the year but could not wait to get back to assignment after an injury grounds him, yet his daughter just lost her mom. I could not stand it and DNF at about 30%. I do appreciate the opportunity and thank the publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Annie moves to a new place to step away from a broken engagement and ends up with a forced roommate in an Airbnb rental. Sparks start off with their first meet itself but due to her bitter experience with a horrible ex-fiance, she doesn't want to tangle herself in anything. The roommate Emmitt, just returned from China after an assignment gone crazy and is also dealing with other issues within his own family. Can they stay away from each other?

Also Annie was actually adopted from Vietnam and was raised by white parents. This brought in refreshing change in heroines found in regular rom-coms. When such people have confusion with their identities and the way they are treated by some jerks is really portrayed nicely. It fits into two romance tropes - enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Overall, a fun, cute rom-com which is perfect for a summer read.

I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it just didn’t totally work for me. I liked the premise behind the novel, Three Men and A Baby meets 27 Dresses mash up. Annie has been through several relationships where she is the one the men date before they meet the one. But, this most recent one was a spectacular breakup, which led to her moving to Rome, Rhode Island. She moves into a new rental (think AirBnb), and to her surprise, the original owner, Emmitt, shows up. Emmitt is a photojournalist, who travels the world doing daring activities to get the shot. He’s also a father to a teenage daughter, who is raised by his daughter’s stepfather. This is where the Three Men and a Baby feel came in, and it was done well. I felt like both characters grew a lot through the book. But, while their character journeys were significant, I didn’t connect to the romance at all. It was so focused on each of them separately, that there were little exchanges between them. The pace was all over the place as well. It was super slow in the beginning, but then the end was wrapped up so quickly. I wanted to like this one so badly, but it was just okay for me in the end.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ROMeANTICALLY CHALLENGED was a quick, lighthearted read. I enjoyed the enemy to lovers relationship between the characters. I also enjoyed that both Annie and Emmitt had their own challenges to work through in their own lives. It's only once they stand up and make change in their own lives that they can really make what they have WORK! Both Annie and Emmitt have careers that are interesting and well written in by Marina Adair. I quite enjoyed reading about the Photo Journalist journey and the Nurse Practitioner in a new hospital. I will look forward to future books by this Author.

Annie (she prefers her Vietnamese name, Anh Nhi) and Emmet (pronouncing it the American way is fine) seem like an unlikely pairing in the beginning of this book, but I was rooting for them the whole time. In a setup reminiscent of Beth O’Leary’s The Flat Share, Annie is renting Emmet’s cabin in Rome, Rhode Island, after calling off her wedding and uprooting her life to get away from her former Connecticut home. But things hit a snag when Emmet returns home unexpectedly early from China after being injured while working there. The spark between these two from the first night they meet is inevitable, but there’s a lot for them to unpack in this short story. First, Annie is trying to recover from her split with her former fiancee, who has stolen her wedding date, venue, AND her dress for the wedding with his new bride-to-be. She also grapples with being an American-raised Vietnamese woman when she befriends-- but struggles to relate to-- some other Vietnamese women in her tiny new town. And Emmet-- where to begin? He’s got women waiting throughout all of Rome for his return, and has a complicated family life since he’s one of three dads to his biological daughter, Paisley. But don’t mention his own dad to Emmet-- that topic is not up for discussion. This was a fun and flirty story that made for a quick and enjoyable read, but like so many books I’ve read these days, it was over too soon. I love character development and the buildup of tension in romcoms like this, but I also want to see what happens after the main characters kiss and make up! After all, who doesn’t love a happy ending, especially when it is so well-deserved by the main characters? If you’re looking for spoilers you won’t find any here-- pick up a copy of Romantically Yours, out now!

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, Did not finish.

Ugh. The blurb sounded so cute, but the love interest was such an ass, I really couldn't get in to the book. There were tons of distracting errors too. It was all too annoying for me, so I just moved on to the next book on my reading list.

Adorable and fun, this book is perfect for someone looking for an escapist read during a trying time.

I love a book with good banter, and Romeantically Challenged does not disappoint. The two main characters, Annie and Emmit, are strong yet flawed and have a realistic chemistry. Even though the story will have you laughing it also has depth and brings up many real life hardships, such as adoption, grief, and mixed families. My favorite part was the 3 dad’s raising a teenage girl. Sometimes it takes a village! I can’t wait for Levi and Beckett’s story in the next book in the When in Room series. I highly recommend this book to all Contemporary Romance fans.

I received an eARC of ROMeANTICALLY CHALLENGED by Marina Adair from Kensington Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
5 stars!!! I was pleasantly surprised to read this. Annie and Emmitt's journey is entertaining and the banter is quite amusing! Do yourself a favor and read this rom-com. You won't be disappointed!

The book has a slow introduction of characters giving you an opportunity to learn them. It did take me a bit to catch on to liking them though.

You have Anh, Annie, an adopted Vietnamese, here in America, who is in a heartbreaking break up and needs to escape from her world from to get a fresh start.
She relocates to Rome Rhode Island for her fresh start, although she really wanted Rome Italy. She is renting and available house to wake up finding the owner, Emmit, inside.
Emmit is a photographer that had to end a trip sooner than expected not realizing his Airbnb has been rented out. With this, they decided they could live together as roommates and make an agreement.

From here you have an exciting ride of all the characters. Gray, a doctor and the step-dad, Levi an uncle who was believed to be the father, Emmit the biological dad, Paisley, the daughter, Les, the grandpa and friends.

The flirting between Annie and Emmit will keep your attention and asking yourself questions and wonder if they will ever make the next move. The banter between them and the heartwarming moments will keep this book in your hands. The emotions will give you a ride.
The only thing I was slightly disappointed in was being very detailed on some characters and very little details on others giving questions of why there were even mentioned, unless it's giving you a taste of characters coming in upcoming books in the series.
I gave it 4 stars and want to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an review the book.

This was a wonderful book and I recommend to romance fans. Annie (Anh Nhi) is a Vietnamese woman who was adopted by two white parents in the US -her struggle to feel like she "fits" in was a thought provoking part of the book. Emmitt, is struggling to find his place with his teenage daughter - whom he "shares" with her step-dad and uncle. The author did a great job at drawing me into their struggles and giving me understanding of each of their struggles. The chemistry between the two characters was clever, funny and sweet.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was torn between 3 and 4 stars and would give 3.5 stars, if possible; however, I just love Marina Adair so I am rounding up to 4 stars. I loved Annie’s character, she was kind-hearted, talented at her job, fearless and a good friend. I also enjoyed seeing an adopted character represented, especially with Asian heritage. Two of my close friends growing up were both adopted, a boy from Korea and a girl from China, both raised in predominantly white communities. It was refreshing to see a character like my friends in a romance. This story was a little more about Annie’s love interest and his issues than about her...it was sort of like reading two stories in one. I like my romances with a little more adult relationship and a little less family-drama, but alas, it was a good introduction to a cute town with loving people. I am very eager for Levi’s story and Gray’s story...I think those both will likely be more my speed. But as always, Marina Adair wrote a sweet story, with heart, and characters you’d like to be friends with. I can’t to read more about this lovely group of Dads.

I received a copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

What a charming read! Delightful beach reading. An adorable chick-lit style romance.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Really loved this sexy, fun and action packed adventure filled with engaging and heartwarming charters, witty dialog, exciting twists and emotionally thrilling turns. Was a fun and highly entertaining read from beginning to end and so had to put down.

Romeantically Challenged follows Annie Walsh, a physician's assistant who needs a fresh start. She decides to take a job at a hospital in Rome, Rhode Island - not the Italian city she had envisioned. Committing to a man-free diet becomes more complicated when the hot owner of the cabin she's renting returns home from a photojournalism assignment in China earlier than expected.

For me, Romeantically Challenged features the age-old conundrum I struggle with when it comes to romance novels - too much substance and not enough character depth. I appreciated the fact that the book delved into Annie's story as a Vietnamese girl adopted as a baby by an American couple. At the end of the book, Adair said it was written for her own adopted daughter. I would have loved if she'd delved deeper into this storyline and her struggle to fit in - it would have been sufficient and interesting enough in my opinion. Instead, the book begins with her discovering her ex-fiance is marrying his new bride on what was supposed to be their wedding day at their wedding venue.

But wait, there's more, as Romeantically Challenged is also told from Emmitt's perspective (the sexy/annoying roommate). His overwhelming amount of storylines included a dangerous accident while on assignment in China; his estranged relationship with his (unbeknownst to him) sick dad; his commitment issues; and his relationship with his teenage daughter whose mother died four months earlier. Not to mention the Three Men and a Baby aspect, as his daughter lives with her stepdad Gray and her uncle is also a big presence in her life. I really wanted to enjoy Romeantically Challenged but there was just way too much going on.

Romeantically Challenged is that book world unicorn - a romance novel with an utterly believable cast of characters, a plot that flows seamlessly, and sex scenes that don't seem just plain ridiculous. So keep looking, those unicorns are out there!

My favorite scene: Annie (who actually prefers Anh but is too much of a pushover to say so) goes to an invite-only bake-your-best-Vietnamese dish potluck dinner. She brings her mother's "blue ribbon" matzo ball soup and tries to pass it off as a Vietnamese dish. Everyone else is speaking Vietnamese, they are puzzled to find that she, raised by adoptive Caucasian parents, doesn't, and she ends up sitting in a corner, humiliated and left out.

The characters had more layers than puff pastry. This was a wonderful book. I would not hesitate to recommend it to my friends.

I received an ARC from Kensington Books and NetGalley. I wasn't required to write a positive review & opinions are my own. FTC 16 CFR, Pt 255: Guides Concerning Endorsements &Testimonials in Advertising.

Spoilers: 🚨🚨🚨 This was a great book it had me in all my emotions. One minute I was angry, then happy, sad, and then right back angry. It had everything. Clark was a real piece of crap and very manipulative just because he knew Anh was a good person and so was her parents. Annie (Anh) girl I wish she’d grown a backbone and cursed him out one good time, I know I did it at least twice. He deserved it and more the nerve to get married on her Grandparents anniversary what?! NO! I was pissed at Gray and Levi a bit at first also Paisley, and the mom like come on seriously. Emmitt was a better man than most. I honestly see why when couples divorce they also divorce the children because being a mixed family is hard and when one person dies it makes it even tougher to navigate boundaries. I give the man props for sticking it out and trying to work through all of it even though he was going through his own troubles. He and Annie they made one absolutely funny pair. I was dying laughing at them. Throughout she helped him grow so much. He did tick me off at the end though with the sticky note stunt but he made up for it and I’m not sure I would’ve forgiven him so easily but hey to each their own. I’m glad they found their happy place. I’m glad Anh Nhi found her place (I like this one name better than Annie) and the three dads all got their sh*t together.

"Do you know kale is food for people who don't know how to smile? It's scientifically proven"
Romeantically Challenged by Marina Adair was honestly a surprising read, from the blurb and I was expecting a cutesy beach read and what I got was a fun yet emotional read that explores 2 people’s attempts to find their place in the world. 

Anh Nhi (Annie) Walsh has had her world turned upside down when her fiancé shockingly calls off their wedding and within weeks has announced that he is getting married to another woman.  She takes the opportunity to make possibly her first ever impulsive decision and make the temporary move to Rome, Rhode Island to escape the hospital she and her now ex-fiance work at together.  Her peaceful stay is interrupted when the owner of her airbnb suddenly returns home unannounced and decides that invading her(his) space is a great way to keep his mind off of his own issues.

Emmitt is struggling with the fact that while he is a father, he is not the father figure in his daughter’s life. And to make matters worse, her step-father Gray is actually a great guy and the stable presence she needs after the sudden and tragic passing of her mother. Emmitt was always the fun dad that showed up when his work schedule allowed, and now that his daughter is older and dealing with such a tremendous loss he doesn’t know where he fits in her life. His unexpected tenant tests him in a way no other woman ever has and helps him face the reality that teenage girls are a creature all their own who must be handled with care.  



I cannot fully express how in awe I am with Marina Adair’s ability to create such complex and multi-faceted characters.  Rather than settle with the external and obvious challenges for each person she takes it further and delves deep into their backstories to make them feel real.  Emmitt in particular is a great example of how people are not just their reputation or past. Is he a player? Is he a deadbeat dad?  Is he a workaholic?  Or is he an insecure father who isn’t sure he has a place in his daughters life?  Or Is he a man who makes no promises because he was raised not to count on anyone?  Maybe he’s all or none of them on any given day, but Marina Adair goes the extra mile with each character to fully explore their complete story.  

But with this all of that said, this is a romance after all so let’s get to the good stuff.  The chemistry between Emmitt and Anh Nhi was all but explosive upon their first meeting, but neither of them were in a place to act on it which just means the tension gets to build and build.  They begin as accidental roommates and as their story develops they end up being the friend the other needs during their difficult individual self-discoveries.As they start to realize what is growing between them their reluctance to take it where the reader is BEGGING for it go leaves a deliciously frustrating slow-burn, but trust me, it all pays off in the end.
If you are wanting a sweet read, that will give you some opportunities to cry, just a little, this is an amazing choice!