Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.

I enjoyed this one but it wasn’t anything spectacular. I feel like with “forced proximity” tropes you have to have something unqiue in your plot and this one felt very familiar. Still a good read but not at the top of my list.

This is a forced proximity, best friend’s brother romance novel. I didn’t feel like I have the right to rate this because I almost DNFed this. I tried to like it, even fully read it up to around the 30ish mark. But after that, I felt like the story just dragged on without any relevant happenings. I just skimmed through the pages until the end to see what the ending would look like only because I was curious who had breast cancer and I thought it was going to be a sad ending. I don’t know but I was really hoping someone would die just so I could feel something, anything even if it was sadness, from this book. But was still disappointed up to the very last page.

#bookreview || La Vie en Rose (Life in Pink) by Lydia Michaels

▪︎Star rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
▪︎Spicyness: 🌶🌶🌶

"𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓭𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯-𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝔂. 𝓗𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯. 𝓑𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱."

Thank you netgalley and Lydia Michaels for this opportunity.

When I came upon this book, I expected enemies-to-lovers, non-stop bantering, and an overload of spicyness, but I was wrong.

It's an enemies-to-lovers/best friend-brother romance, alright, but what I didn't expect is that this story is going to have me laughing my ass out and making me blubbering mess in the middle of the night at the same time.

This book is a story of love, loyalty, true friendship, pain, second chances, having faith, and above all, hope.

This is my first time reading a book written by Lydia Michaels and I've definitely become an instant fan.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Emma and Riley. Emma and Riley are roommates. Emma just has broken up with her boyfriend, Riley wants to make her feel better. He starts dating her. He falls in love with her. She loves him. She finds a lump in her breast. She has cancer. Riley gives all the support to help her fight cancer. They get married.

Riley and Emma’s story starts out as the typical friends to lovers. He is her best friend’s brother, and the three of them share an apartment in NYC. After Emma is unceremoniously dumped by her fiancé, she and Riley grow a lot closer while Rarity is out of town. Emma and her struggles with her life and what she deals with. It’s a story about overcoming obstacles that one never intends to deal with in their lifetime. It’s about hope and friendship. Everything falls into place and the relationship between Riley and Emma is the happily ever after.

Riley and Emma have just started a blossoming relationship when their lives are turned upside down. The story is told in three parts- the new love, the life changing event, and the journey to healing. This is a very raw and emotional book, with many endearing moments as well as laugh out loud scenes. Rarity is another well written character of this story and there is family drama that complicates all their lives. Lydia Michael’s definitely did her research with this book and her words are heartfelt and will resonate with me for a long time. Brian Callanan is a great narrator for this captivating story.

A two star read. I felt myself not interested in continuing to read. I lost interest very quickly after a few chapter in. DNF.

**************************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.****************************************

Loved reading the engaging and captivating story. While Emma is trying to get over her broken heart, Riley stays by her side as a friend, but Riley's friendship soon turns to attraction for Emma. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, full of heartbreak, courage, friendship, and romance, and a riveting must read love story.

Emma Sanders has always dreamt of being a bride and all its fripperies. Yet when her fiancé leaves her behind for another women, so fades her dreams and with them, she falters – badly. Yet, Riley Lockhart is determined to save Emma from her pain, sticking by her through her ups and downs. Emma has lived with Rarity and Rarity’s brother, Riley, but she has never been friends with him. As their relationship grows, which is cleverly explored by using dual points of view, they Ito overcome any issues between them with an openness that can often be lost, in a romance novel. Riley is exactly what Emma needs as she faces considerable challenges, provides support, strength and depth of character. I also felt that the character of Rarity, demonstrated what a true friendship looked like. She was honest when she needed to be but listened when it was the right time to do so. A great read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book will build you up then wring you so dry, it will feel like you have no substance left. Emma, the brave and stoic heroine, inadvertently discovered there was a spark smoldering between her and her long-time roommate Riley .In less than no time the spark incredibly flared into a full blown inferno, and they couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Miss Michaels' skillful use of words painted such a beautiful relationship that had Riley seeming like a sort of unicorn among men. My only wish was that less time and details were attributed to the painful interlude in Emma's life as it made the heart ache too long and too hard, I was so ready for it to be over. This was a very emotive and mostly realistic novel that demonstrated that there are still caring, loving and genuine people in the world who will profess to stand by you and keep their promises. This was love without borders or conditions, sorely lacking in a lot of relationships and families. I highly recommend this as one book not to be missed but keep the tissues on hand. Thanks to Netgalley for this touching ARC to review.

Emma Sanders has always dreamt of being a bride and falling madly, passionately in love. Then reality set in and life made Emma take off her rose colored glasses. Riley Lockhart is all charm. When he steps in to help Emma with her heartache, he finds himself wanting more.

I thought this story was beautifully written. I love the characters and the plot.

The writing style wasn’t for me. To heavy on the “I’m a man and girly stuff is gross” tropes. I skimmed it a bit and it just wasn’t my thing.

TW: cancer

This book has some awesome highs and terribly gut-wrenching lows. Emma Sanders has dreamed of that perfect wedding and is planning it down to the last detail... until the groom drops the bomb, he's in love with someone else. Devastated, she decides to be the new her, the better her, and life truly opens up with the possibilities.
Riley Lockhart comes from money, but you'd never know it from looking at him. He's effortlessly laid back and doesn't take things too seriously. He is ill prepared for the aftermath of "the breakup" but determined to show Emma that life will go on.
They find themselves drawn to each other, and the best friends brother trope comes out to play. And when the unexpected happens, we see how the family you choose can be the strongest support you will ever need. But this story is so much deeper and grittier than that. Hold onto your pearls and grab the tissues because this book shows a truly honest look at dealing with scary life alterings topics.

I really greatfull meet Lydia Michaels through Netgalley. I love how she write, i cant stop laugh and smiling, also gooey and swoon.. what happend between Riley and Emma was make me jealous.

Emma know Riley forever, he is her BFF older brother. Riley never think about Emma as a woman, she just her sister friend. One big break up make them closer and getting know each other deeply. They fight, laugh, spend time together, support each other, comunicate their feeling.

"...Emma, I’ll take it back. I don’t love you. Most days you make me crazy and I want to throw you off a skyscraper, but I’d race to the street and catch you before you hit the ground, because deep down I know I can’t live without you, but that’s not necessarily love. I mean, when good things happen and you’re not around, sure, I wish you were there, but that’s normal. And some days I look at you and think you’re cuter than a pigmy marmoset, but that’s just my dirty lust. Blah!”

What a declare of love!!

Ofcourse their story not always flower and rainbow, there were hard time when Riley need attention, Emma being stubborn and insecurity. What i love more about this author is her ability to make 10 chapters so bright and lovely and then drop to zero depression. I didnt see this coming, i should know when see the cover and the title *cryingg*

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#LaVieenRose #LydiaMichaels #ValentinePR #NetGalley #ARC

SPOILER ALERT: I'll be talking about major plot points not disclosed in the synopsis.

Almost DNF this one at the beginning due to the whole "you're a girly girl, so you're annoying, but my sister thinks like a guy, so she's awesome" thing going on. But after 15% or so things got better. I liked that the conflict of the book wasn't related to the main relationship and focused on the female protagonist's journey. Her relationship with both the male protagonist and her best friend had some weird moments but still was the highest point in the story. The cancer twist was a bit out of the blue and it dragged on for too long, even though it was approached in an interesting way. The dialogue's witty at most times and imature at the remaining. It's an OK book if you're up for more than you bargained for.

My thanks to Lydia Michaels and NetGalley for this edition in exchange for an honest review.

Life ain't always beautiful. From emotional to inspirational, count on Lydia Michaels to tackle the hard stuff with grace and hope. La Vie En Rose is a tale of two hearts that touches the soul and mind.

This seems like such a gorgeous book! So excited to read, review, acquire and promote it. Will be sharing full review and thoughts, but I love books that revolve around weddings Rikeybseems like a great character as well. I love a love interest that has all the qualities, but doesn’t come across as full of himself. Beautiful cover as well. I don’t know why I thought of Emily in Aoaris when I saw it.

Emma Sanders has always dreamt of being a bride, wearing fancy gowns, pretty pearls, and—of course—falling madly in love. Then life happened. Finding herself one fiancé short of her happily ever after, she leaves the fairytales behind. Some days are simply too perilous for pink gowns and pearls.



Riley Lockhart is the sort of man who can make a woman lower her gaze with only a smile. That he doesn’t realize his charm makes him all the more enchanting. Determined to save Emma the pain of her breakup, he steps in as a friend, but soon finds himself wanting more.



She was just a girl, but she somehow winds up being the strongest woman he’s ever known. Losing her is not an option and when life can’t be tied neatly in a pretty little bow, he holds tight to all that he loves most in this world—his Emma. His hero.



Sometimes the greatest scars are worn on the inside.