This book surprised me in a really good way. Adair writes complicated strangers-turned lovers in this romance. Emmitt doesn’t believe he deserves a permanent address and Anh doesn’t feel like she fits in anywhere and according to her love life, she is only good at finding her boyfriends their one true loves.

The push and pull in this romance is sweet, occasionally spicy, and a whole lot of yearning for these two people to heal themselves so they can accept the love in front of them. I appreciated how vulnerable the hero was and how strong the heroine was.

I was sold on this book from the first page and I can’t wait to read more in the Rome world.

I had gotten to read an excerpt of Romeantically Challenged and really enjoyed the first few chapters, so I couldn't wait to read the rest. Annie was feisty, funny and I couldn't wait to read more about her journey.

Annie had been engaged, but her fiance left her for another woman. On top of everything else, he's using their wedding venue to plan his wedding to his new fiance. Annie is determined to get away from that life and moves to Rome. Not Rome, Italy but rather Rome, Rhode Island.

This is where she meets Emmitt. Emmitt and Annie hilariously meet when Annie finds out that the house she's renting belongs to Emmitt and he's back in town. Emmitt has been overseas as a photojournalist, but a recent injury has forced him to come back home.

I thought Marina Adair's writing style was really great, but I wasn't feeling the emotional connection between Annie and Emmitt. It almost felt like there were too many story lines happening with Emmitt reconnecting with his teenage daughter, his injury and then Annie reconnecting with her Vietnamese heritage. Emmit and Annie's love story felt almost more of an afterthought and it didn't feel as well developed as I would have liked.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick read that was fun and witty on the surface, and with a lot of murky depth to it. The main characters were well-drawn, and especially the heroine was immensely likeable. Yes, there were points where I despaired of the male race, but as the story unwound, these points were diminished by the personality and the vulnerability of the men involved The author did a great job of slowly unfolding the backstory, and bringing it to bear in the current goings-on - particulary in terms of the murky depths and truths about identity, self-worth and relationships. Highly recommended!

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my review. I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read & review this book.

This was an interesting diversion from the other books I have been reading (thrillers, suspense), but I felt like the summary of the book didn't really match the book. The summary seems light and flirty, I guess, but there are some odd and dark moments in this books. Maybe it's because my age and lifestyle vary drastically from the main character, but I really had a hard time believing some of the choices she made.

This was my first by this author, and I would try her again. But hope they fix that summary to match a bit more before it goes to print!

This is a lovely story of finding where you belong in the world. The heroine, Annie, was adopted in Vietnam as a baby. Her adoptive parents are both white. While they have no problem with her being interested in her Vietnamese culture, the fact that they are both white means that they couldn't teach her the language or culture at home. And the way she looks means she never totally fit in with the white culture of the neighborhood she grew up in. Nearing thirty, she has never really felt that she fit in anywhere. She has always hoped to fit in somewhere by "finding her person" as her beloved grandparents did. After a string of relationships that resulted in her being practically left at the alter, she ends up in Rome, RI, in a rented cottage while she works temporarily at a local hospital. When the owner of the cottage returns from an overseas work assignment earlier than expected, sparks fly. She also makes two new best friends who always have her back, and one of them introduces her to the local Vietnamese community where she can finally learn the language and the culture of her birth family. Between the friends, the Vietnamese community, and the special man Annie may find the place she truly belongs in the world. Highly recommended.

"If I do, we'll have a roommate agreement drawn up and it will state 'No Kissing' right at the top."
"We'll need to be clear," he said. "No kissing you? Or you can't kiss me? I'm unsure how I feel about that. It's not really fair if you kiss me but I can't kiss you."

Annie has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. She's temporarily living in Rome, RI and renting a house. Apparently, the owner has returned without notice and thinks he is going to be staying in his house. She wanted to get away from things that had been going wrong in her life. Meeting a tall, dark, handsome and complicated man was not in her plans.

Emmitt has returned unannounced and unexpected. When his finds that his friend has rented out his house, it's definitely a surprise. Turns out, a pleasant surprise. Emmitt wants to reconnect with his daughter while he's in town recuperating from an accident. He has a lot on his plate, but he doesn't mind adding getting to know Annie. Attachment is not his thing. But everything seems to be changing.

I enjoyed this story. Annie and Emmitt make a great pair!

This was a really fun read, especially during a time when humor and some light-hearted reading should be enjoyed. I would say that this book also approached some sensitive topics of how it is to be a minority, raised by white parents. But the way that she was able to navigate through and be stronger because of it, was such a joy to experience.

I also appreciate how both of Annie and Emmitt were able to show their flaws, and embrace how they could grow within themselves and through one another. I would say that their relationship was fun, but definitely a little awkward at moments. Overall, this was a good book!

Thank you Netgalley and Marina Adair for allowing me to enjoy this one!

A wonderfully relatable Vietnamese woman who was raised by white parents in suburbia not only feels alone, but she feels shorted. Her last few relationships had ended just in time for the men to meet the loves of their lives- the last one still taking advantage of her wedding arrangements with his new bride. On her very lowest day, when she thinks she is literally completely alone, the sexiest man you can imagine walks in on her and is actually amused by her screaming at him. In the end, she gets poetic justice when the commitment-phobe of the town falls in love with her.

The short of it is that I was up past my bedtime with tears streaming down my face.

A enjoyable romance with some common stumbling blocks to forever love, I love how the author gently guides the reader to a deeper understanding of cultures meshing. Our main character is a Vietnamese professional adopted by an American couple. We experience characters evolve throughout – to a satisfactory conclusion.

I read an excerpt of Romeantically Challenged in Net Galley’s digital edition of Buzz Books 2020: Romance and was intrigued to finish it so I requested and was granted the full digital version. Digital copy provided by NetGalley. Thank you!

Such a great book! A little bit of a tearjerker, lots of humor and some wonderful insights into what internationally adopted children deal with emotionally. A lot of “feels” in this book-makes you remember we all have issues and need to be kind & thoughtful. Don’t miss this one!

This is such a fun read during the whole Covid quarantine! Delightful sweet and fast pace. I like how the MC - both the female and male lead are flawed in their own way. And they lean onto each other for inspiration and growth. The secondary characters are so funny - especially the men bonding. First time reading the author and definitely worth looking into her other books. I do say the storyline is typical rom com but the dialogue makes it enjoyable.

I loved this book! Anh Mhi “Annie” Walsh was born in Vietnam and adopted by her white American parents. She never quite felt that she fit in with the predominantly white community she grew up in, nor did she feel at ease with a group of Vietnamese woman from work. She is an in-between. She is at a turning point in her life, when she inadvertently becomes roommates with Photojournalist Emmitt Bradley. Both Annie and Emmitt are lost soles who are dealing with a lot of changes. This story has great characters, a few laughs and some tears. I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Marina Adair is my go-to for humor, heart and beautifully written books. This book was all of those things! This author is an automatic buy so you can imagine how excited I was to receive an ARC from Netgalley. (Thank you thank you thank you!!)

Poor Annie, the heroine, she always seems to run into bad luck. Her ex and his new fiancé stole her wedding venue and her wedding date. Then, the jerk invites her to the wedding. I loved her relationship with her new “roommate” Emmitt. He’s a guys guy, and I love that in my male heroes. They have to feel real to me. I loved the chemistry and differences between these two characters from the very beginning. The unique twist of three straight men parenting a teen was a huge thumbs up. I loved the uniqueness of this book, yet I still got the same heartwarming romance I always get from Marina! Bring on more from Rome, RI.

Annie is a physicians assistant that gets dumped by her fiancé by text, him stating that he’s realized that he’s not the marrying type. Then, mere months later she sees on a social media post that he’s getting married to ‘the one’. After this she needs to escape, so she takes a temp PA position, in Rome, Rome, Rhode Island that is. She’s vowed to give up men, and focus on herself, but then is surprised when the owner of the house she’s rents comes home early. And there is a spark between a them. Both are set against getting involved, but can’t fight their attention.

I absolutely loved this story. It was sweet, and funny. It was a wonderfully written story about love and family and fitting in. The characters felt real, and you get invested in their lives. I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a sweet love story with a little more to it.

I enjoyed this book so much! The story is so very well written. The characters are well developed. They're real and beautiful, flawed, and relatable. I hope this turns into a series because I would love to see where the story goes for all characters in the book.

Thanks Marina, NetGalley, and Kensington for the chance to read!

ROMeANTICALLY CHALLENGED by Marina Adair

What's there not to love about this story.
Marina Adair has a way of humanizing the characters I'm such a way that you feel like you know them and definitely can relate to them. I love this book from beginning to end, especially the end. It had me hooked with all the little twist along the way. Definitely recommended for romance lovers.

5/5 Stars

Thank you #NetGalley and #kensingtonbooks for this copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a nice lighthearted book. It is the story of a woman who moved to a small town after she was dumped by her fiance. She finds out that she was better off without him. She has the chance to see how she had been treated for years. I did feel like it was repetitive but a nice read. This book would make a good tv show.

I loved this story, accidental Roommates turn lovers. Anh Nhi (or Annie) is looking for a fresh "man free" start in Rome, Rhode Island. It just so happens she is leasing the cabin and the owner, Emmitt returns home on a medical leave not knowing about her lease. They find themselves sharing a cabin with one bed and close quarters. It is funny and sweet. I love their texting and sticky notes. Annie's ex plans to marry using all their plans, won't pay her the money he owes her AND invites her to the wedding! Throw in the Family dynamic of Emmitt, Gray and Levi raising Paisley and that creates more craziness and laughter. I loved this story and would recommend it. I received a copy from Netgalley for my honest review.

An engagement gone awry. An ex-fiancé who is using your venue, your caterer, your just about everything to marry another woman…who he found only weeks after your break-up! You find the most perfect, romantic place to heal…Rome. But…in your haste to get out of town, you realize you’re in Rome, Rhode Island…and broke, since your ex hasn’t returned your half of the deposit from the wedding venue! Thus, begins the saga of Anh Nhi (Annie) Walsh, ER Physician’s Assistant, and the woman who is every man she’s ever dated, ‘almost’ fiancée.

Settling into Rome, Annie has rented the perfect place. Close to work, nice size, all in all, if she must be in Rhode Island, it was OK. Still dealing with her ex and her parents, who still like her ex, she doesn’t need a midnight visitor disturbing her sanity, her luck, and making her throw shoes!

Emmitt Bradley, journalist extraordinaire, is just back from China where he was seriously injured. He’s the owner of the house but didn’t let his buddy know he was coming back, thus Annie is the tenant.

Annie doesn’t feel complete. She’s Vietnamese but doesn’t feel like she ‘fits’ with either her Anglo adoptive parents, or the Vietnamese community. She’s trying her best, but she always feels like the outsider.

Emmitt doesn’t feel complete. He has a child and doesn’t feel like a parent. He’s gone all the time and didn’t know about Paisley until she was five. He’s trying his best, but he always feels like he’s the outsider.

Annie and Emmitt both have problems they need to work out. As they begin to take on each other’s burdens, will they realize that they can be complete together?

The blurb did not match the contents of the book at all, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

After being recently left only months before her wedding, Annie takes a temporary PA position at a hospital in Rome, Rhode Island and rents a cabin from a photojournalist who is away on assignment. Imagine Emmitt's surprise when he is forced to come home early and finds a woman living in his house.

The blurb makes this book sound like it will be a sex-crazed story about two strangers who become lovers when forced to share a space, but this is much more of a story about family and belonging. Emmitt has to learn what it means to be a dad to his 15 year old daughter after she loses her mom only 4 months prior and he wasn't there to help her through it. Annie navigates what it means to be an adopted Vietnamese woman, when she feels like she doesn't belong to the Vietnamese community or the white community in which she grew up. Ultimately they learn how to love each other, but also what it means to be completely loved by someone else.

Thanks to Kensington Publishing Corp., NetGalley, and Marina Adair for an advance copy of the book. It was a surprisingly lovely spring read.