Cover Image: No Offense

No Offense

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Member Reviews

Molly has found her dream job in Little Bridge Island as the of head of children’s services in the local library. But, her dream soon gets disrupted when a newborn baby is found in the library bathroom. Not only is it distressing to find the poor baby abandoned, it also brings Sheriff John Hartwell to her door. Not only is he infuriating…he’s infuriatingly attractive as well. No man should look that good in a uniform. Especially when he’s being stubborn and unwilling to listen to her advice.

This year, I’ve had a bit of a rocky relationship with contemporary romance. There have certainly been some books in the genre that I have enjoyed but those have been overwhelmed by a slew of titles that have disappointed me. I thought I was very brave *pats self on back* to try out a new to me author, especially one who’s so beloved by so many people. So, what did I think about my first Meg Cabot book? What a lot of fun! It was was cute and funny, a gentle rom com with a lot of heart.

No Offense had a charming small town romance feel to it and was my favourite type of rom com, where instead of the author trying too hard to be funny there’s gentle humour was laced through the book. Although you may never have a big belly laugh you will always have a little grin on your face as you read.

This also had a mild, very mild, enemies to lovers trope. But, it was more like mild-annoyance-and-frustration-with-the-subject-of-my-attraction; calling them enemies was a bit of a stretch. But, watching them bicker was a lot of fun, especially when our grumpy sheriff was so desperately drawn to her…yet frustrated with her amateur sleuthing. Their romance may not have been fireworks and mad passion, but it did have a little heat and combined with the amount of fun I was having I really enjoyed their relationship.

This was actually the second book in the Little Bridge Island series, however, I can attest to to the fact that this can be read as a standalone because I haven’t read the first book – yet – and I didn’t even realise it was part of a series until I looked it up on Goodreads midway through the book. So, if you haven’t read the first book in the series and this one intrigues you, don’t hesitate to pick it up.

This was a light hearted romp that I thoroughly enjoyed, it may have even restored a little of my faith in the contemporary romance genre. If you want something light and quick to read, you won’t go wrong picking this one up.

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No Offense is a fun read with characters you always want to read more about. I hope Meg Cabot continues sharing stories about the people of Little Bridge.

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Since I enjoyed the first book in this series so much, I was excited to read the sequel and actually enjoyed it more. Though the could be because as a librarian, I'm biased towards books that accurately portray the profession while still keeping things fun and entertaining.

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This was the first adult title I've picked up by Meg Cabot and it was a typical fun romantic romp. The two main characters, Molly and John, were likable enough and were able to carry the story sufficiently. The smaller supporting characters brought some delightful and humorous extra flavor to the story as it cruised along as well. John, the town sheriff, and Molly, the new local children's librarian, cross paths as they uncover the mystery of an abandoned baby found in the library bathroom. Inevitably, this will lead to the usual romantic happenings along the way. The setting of Little Bridge Island was quaint and provided a relaxing escape from reality. Did some of the informational details in the story about side characters and town places seem to get thrown in abruptly for the sake of it? Kind of. Considering it's in a book series, I guess the author is trying to connect past and future characters together. Did this community seem too good to be true? Kind of. Sometimes I felt it was described as being super small and quaint while other times it seemed like there were so many establishments being described that it surely had to be a bigger town. But, granted, I didn't pick this book up for the realism. I thought it would be a cute romance with a librarian. And, that's what was given.

Ultimately, this was a cute, cozy romance with some extra spice in the romance department compared to your typical cozy romance in terms of more graphic scenes or references. At least, in my view of the definition of cozy romance. So, if you want a little more spice to your cozy romance reads, you might give this a try. I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars. Quick read, breezy escape from the world, it was alright.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of this book.

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I’ve read enough (DNF @ 82%)

I could’ve continued on since I only had about an hour left for the audio but I’m just so done with the constant back and forth. Also, thank GOD the author didn’t have me swooning over a cop, wouldn’t be very 2020 of me.

The romance *heavily* lacked, there was no angst or even any type of build up. It seemed forced and both characters just don’t do it for me. The cop, or whatever, was a douche, and the heroine’s personality was just “books”. Not in that “omg I feel so seen” type of way, but more in a “omg we get it, stop generalizing a whole damn community”

It does read fast, however, so it has that going for it, and a bit of a mysterious chase (that I will live comfortably not knowing how it ends tbh)

OH WELL

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Meg Cabot continues to write these amazing rom-com novels, and this one does not disappoint. The characters were relatable, it was fast-moving, and the storyline ended happily. Cannot wait to read more in this series.

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Such a cute and fun read! Perfect distraction in life right now. Really enjoyable characters and story and hard to put down!

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I adore Meg Cabot but occasionally I come across one of her books that just isn't for me. This, unfortunately, was one of those books.

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I do not like meg cabot as an adult author. I like her kids book series' but as an adult author it doesn't mesh well with me.

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After Molly Montgomery breaks off her engagement, she leaves the life she knows in Colorado for a dream position as a children’s librarian at the Little Bridge Island Public Library. During an ill-fated cookie decorating program, Molly finds an abandoned baby in the library’s restroom. This brings her face-to-face with recently divorced sheriff, John Hartwell. The two immediately clash over the situation and thus begins their rivalry.

This book is the second book in the Little Bridge Island series, but I would consider it more of a companion novel. Although the book references some events from the previous book, readers don’t need to read No Judgments before reading No Offense.

As a librarian, I wanted to point out a couple of issues I had with the book. First, Molly’s title in this book is Children’s Media Specialist. This may be different in Florida, but where I live, the Media Specialist title means that the librarian works in a school library, not a public library. Molly’s job title would be Children’s Librarian, Head of Youth Services, or something of that nature. Second, while it is also true that many librarians have MLS/MLIS degrees, states have different standards for libraries of different sizes. A final complaint I would like to address with the librarian representation is Molly’s social media usage. After the residents of Little Bridge Island start to discuss the situation with the abandoned baby on the island’s Facebook gossip page, Molly sees it as her right and responsibility to comment on the rumors. She even goes far enough to name the baby Aphrodite. To me, that is completely unprofessional. Patrons have a right to privacy, even if they are infants. It is one thing to involve local authorities when problems arise, but participating in Facebook discourse crosses a line.

I also felt like the love interest, John, could be a bit of a misogynist at times. The chapters alternate between Molly and John’s perspectives and it’s hard to see how the two fell in love at all. They had zero chemistry and were forced together to fit the plot. The enemies-to-lovers trope is one that I enjoy, but I didn’t feel like it was executed well in this book. The same trope wasn’t executed particularly well in No Judgments, either.

This book is a quick and easy read, but these elements simply didn’t work for me. I still love so many of Meg Cabot’s other books that I will always give them a shot, but I think I am done with the Little Bridge Island series.

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No Offense by Meg Cabot is part of a wonderful series. However, this novel can be read alone. The story is about a new children's librarian and the small-town sheriff sharing a strong attraction to each other. But they are on opposite grounds and they butt heads. I loved following them as they dealt with the mystery laid in their hands while trying to handle their blossoming romance. Funny, quirky, and engaging this was a fun read. A contemporary romance that held all the right elements. Overall, Molly and John are charming characters who lured me deeper into their story.

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This was a really sweet meet cute story. I love any story where the main character is a librarian, and this one is no exception. When Molly finds an abandoned baby in her library's restroom, she has to call sheriff John to come investigate. What starts as some argumentative tension between the two because of differing philosophies, turns into a sweet love story with a "saves the day" happy ending. A quick fun read, and one that I would recommend!

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This was a cute, quick listen. I didn't realize that this book was a sequel (well, in the same series) as No Judgements, and it really didn't feel the same as No Judgements did.
I thought it was cute, and as someone who works in a library (and is always wearing a cardigan...) it was relatable in a sense.

Though I have never found an abandoned baby in the bathroom. Can't relate to that.

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Another addition to the author's Little Bridge Island series, No Offense is a romance book with a little mystery sprinkled in. While the relationship between Children's Librarian, Molly Montgomery, and Sherriff, John Hartwell, is fairly predictable with it's rough start and then mad dash into love, the mysteries of the High School Thief, abandoned baby, and a rough and tumble group called "The Sunshine Kids" helps give the story some meat and provide enough conflict for our main characters to develop and learn more about each other and what matters. A good light romance that keeps the pages turning and provides a satisfactory happy ending.

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No Offense by Meg Cabot is exactly what I was hoping for in this quirky romantic mystery. Small town children's librarian Molly meets Sheriff John when she discovers a baby in the library bathroom. While this is technically part of a series, this can be read as a standalone novel. The characters are somewhat stereotypical, but that's precisely what made it so much fun. Meg Cabot is definitely an author I just pick up the book without bothering to read the description because a good time is guaranteed.

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This is the second book in the Little Bridge Island series by Meg Cabot, but can definitely be read as a stand alone book, which is what I did. Molly has just become the children’s librarian on Little Bridge Island and is quickly becoming charmed by her new surroundings. Then, she finds a baby in the library bathroom. The sheriff is called in. John, the sheriff, has just returned to town to take on the role of sheriff. The mystery behind the abandoned baby causes the two to grow closer. It’s a cute and cozy read that has a happy ending that force you to smile.

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Meg Cabot’s writing is always fun to read, even when she’s dealing with intense topics like tiny babies being abandoned in public library bathrooms. The librarian who discovers said baby (Molly) strikes up a tentative if strained friendship with the town sheriff (John) as she tries to get information about the baby’s identity from him. Their attraction builds while they unravel the mystery as Molly gets acclimated to life on Little Bridge Island.

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I don't know if it's just me, but I CANNOT stand repeated phrases in a book that is not a picture book. In this particular book, we heard about John's sinewy arms and Molly's large, dark eyes a million times. And a couple of times John thought that her eyes were even bigger and darker than last time. I just kept picturing the demons from Supernatural.
Overall, this was not a very good book. It was cheesy and forgettable. The only thing that somewhat saved it for me was the fact that she was a children's librarian.

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I enjoyed this book! It was perfect for my mood and the Covid-weariness. A small town on an island librarian and sheriff clash over how to find a thief, and then on what to do with the thief once found. They also clash on what to do about a new mother and abandoned baby. The characters are fun and complex but not so much that it took away from this being a quick and easy read - just the right thing to cleanse my reading palette in these heavy times.

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This book was delightful! The premise was very unusual and I appreciated the way the book had a librarian heroine. Meg Cabot never disappoints! However, I do think that this book is less funny/light than some of Meg Cabot's other offerings. I find myself returning to Boy Meets Girl, and The Boy Next Door over and over again because of the light, fluffy humor that puts me in a bubbly mood. This book is a little bit less funny, while still being very squarely a romantic comedy.
I particularly appreciated the way the heroine thinks about the male protagonist, thinking things like "I'd like to see what he looks like under that uniform" etc. I found these statements unusual and then realized that's because so many romances cast the female lead as uncertain or hesitant about love or sexuality. Meg Cabot has given us a heroine who knows what she wants and hopes for it clearly, just the way male characters are usually written. While it's jarring at first, on more reflection it's refreshing.

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