His Semi-Charmed Life

How ironic is it that one conversation when they were kids affected both Penny and Diego's life so drastically. Years later they still live by the life lessons they learned.
Penny could be bitter by the raw deal life handed her, instead she's giving back to people in need. I really like her idea of corporate gardening. What a nice idea.
Diego is your common boy from the wrong side of the tracks, says screw you to the doubters and becomes a millionaire. It's Penny who steals the show for me.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

She's nine, boyo. Chill.

Yikes, a restaurant fire is bad.

But the gearhead is probably happier, Diego.

Silk trousers? Who are you right now?

Is it wrong that I've heard that song a million times, and never knew the name of it?

Luke Evans being gay ruined the fantasy for me.

So she let him drive on the way back? I guess he sobered up.

Yeesh. When does she sleep?

Paranoia is not attractive, man.

Mr. London has the nerve to blame Penny for her parents' mistakes, yet he's sleeping with his secretary? What a hypocrite!

Sounds like if anyone needs a merger, it's London's employees.

"Doxxed" is not a word, millenials.

They both sound really lonely.

Jay and Courtney, sittin' in a tree...

He couldn't write her a note? Men!

He can be sweet when he wants to.

I hope Ramos doesn't give himself an ulcer running the company.

I loved this book! It's very different from the author's usual books, but just as well done. In this novel, two children have an encounter that has a profound effect on each of their lives, despite that encounter being the last time they saw each other. Then, many years later, they are once more thrown together, with neither aware of the way they changed the other. I loved this premise and loved the way it was done.

This is an engaging and entertaining contemporary romance, with just enough reality to make it feel real. I felt invested in the characters and cared about their story. I loved that Penny was a strong woman that met life on her own terms and made the best out of the hand she was dealt by life. Diego is just as strong, yet very caring and totally swoon worthy.

If you haven't yet read one of the author's books, you've been missing out. She is on my must read authors' list. This is a wonderful book that should be at the top of your tbr.

His Semi Charmed Life started out really good. I knew coming in, it would be similar to a "second chance" novel and I'm really into those. I liked this book and while the characters had chemistry, I felt it was all so rushed. There wasn't really a "second chance" because Penny was 9 when she met Diego. The way they intertwined their lives based on them initially meeting, and having a really scornful conversation, was really cool. I do wish that their background of how they came to be was touched on more or at least had gone more in depth. Overall, this was a good book and I would definitely purchase for myself or a friend.

I have read a couple of the Camp Firefly Falls stories , and hoped this one would be another sweet, thoughtful story . It did not disappoint me.
Diego and Penny met at the Camp Firefly Falls almost 20 years ago. She was a 9 year old child of a privilege family with a child’s innocence view of life. Diego was 15, working as a counselor and from a blue collar family with issues. Not only was he going through his teenage rebellion, but also had a lot of attitude. Somehow, each others parting words in the short exchange they had, one in which Diego was rather cruel to Penny, made an everlasting impression in them and influenced what they had become as adults.
Their paths cross again as they return to the camp. Penny to help the owners when a “retreat” is being held and also to present to the group her farming plan and Diego with the hopes a business expansion with his competitor.
Amazing how well developed were the characters and the plot , considering it’s a short book. Only a talented author can accomplish that deed.
I can see a series in the Billionaire Breakfast Club. Wonder if there will be one in the future.
I was gifted this copy by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Diego Ramos has started from the bottom and rose to the top by one thing alone: hard work.  Inspired by an argument he had when he was a camp counselor with a summer camper has set his life on a path of success.  Now he is set to merge his company with a huge and successful company that will make him a billionaire; his dream.  The only hurdle left before the merge is a company retreat at a familiar place: Camp Firefly Falls.

Penny is finally back, many years later, at Camp Firefly Falls.  A place that holds many great summer memories-and a bad one.  However, even the bad memory of an interaction with a camp counselor years ago was good in that it gave her advantaged childhood some perspective.  Not everyone has food to eat.  Now she is determined to get her thesis, urban gardens for corporate offices that donate the food that grows to charity, into reality.  She is set to pitch the idea at a corporate retreat at Camp Firefly Falls.  This could be the opportunity to get her idea off of the ground.  Little does she know that history is going to be waiting for her when she gets there, in more ways than one. 

I have been fortunate to have had access to other books by Lisa Hughey in the past.  Those books were differently themed in that those previous books had plots about special agents and intense action.  That being said, I enjoyed the difference! It really speaks to Lisa Hughey's talent and skill to be able to write so strongly in multiple genres.  This book flowed just as well as the previous books and the characters developed just as strongly.  I found this book very difficult to put down and the pace is very quick.

Although this was the 11th book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.  I am very interested in the characters that were mentioned in the book, particularly those in the Billionaire Breakfast Club, and I hope to be able to go back and read the other books in the series to find out their stories.  I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy steamy romance, car repair, underdogs,  farming, the attraction of opposites, and who enjoy reading about summer camp life.  Although I myself have never been to summer camp, I was still able to enjoy the setting. 

For those who may be triggered or offended: there are several graphic sexual scenes, explicit foul language, and infidelity.

Please note:  an electronic copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher (Red Adept Publishing) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

His Semi-Charmed Life is sweet, a little sexy, and charming. Diego was an angry 15 year old when a conversation at their summer camp with spoiled little rich girl, 9 year old Penny, changed the course of his life. 17 years later they're both back at the camp, only their situations are reversed. He's now the successful, wealthy one, running a classic car restoration company, and she's a farmer and founder of a non-profit trying to pitch her idea of installing small farms at corporations to reduce the stress of their employees.

When they meet again, there's an instant sort of recognition between the two, not mention a zing of electric attraction. Once Penny hears Diego's name, she remembers him as the 15 year old boy who set her to rights, let her know that her little world was just that, little, and it broadened her narrow horizons. Diego didn't recognize Penny per se, but he felt as if there were something about her that called to him. As they come to realize just who they are to each other, they give into the attraction, and it seems as if a charming little romance just might happen for them. But, the merger that Diego is so set on completing could be derailed once his potential partner realizes who Penny is, or rather, who her family is, and just how much her family had hurt his. Will Diego charge forward with his intended goal, even though it means hurting Penny and not sticking up for her to his potential partner? Or will he realize that what he really needs is right under his nose?

His Semi-Charmed Life is a great start to a potential new series. Penny and Diego are realistic, charming characters, especially Penny, and their chemistry is sexy! If charming, sweet and sexy are your thing, be sure to read His Semi-Charmed Life, you will not regret it.

"There's a whole world of people who don't have food to eat at night, don't wear shoes without holes. And don't get new cars. " "Turn a negative into a positive." Who knew that with one conversation at summer camp, Diego & Penny would impact each other's lives far into the future. Fast forward seventeen years. Penny is back at Camp Firefly Falls but not as a camper this time. In exchange for helping out with a corporate retreat, she's given the chance to talk to the corporate sponsors about her nonprofit FEED Together. What Penny doesn't know is that the corporate sponsor is Diego.

Diego left the summer camp & spent the next several years learning how to fix cars & ended up specializing in restoring classics. Now he's looking to merge his company in with another one for a lot of money & to decrease his workload. His cousin set up the corporate retreat so the workers for the two organizations could start some team building. Diego couldn't believe it when he saw Penny there.

I really enjoyed this story. The character of Penny was developed to be strong, sexy & sympathetic. She had to overcome the trauma & humiliation of her parents actions & their desertion. Diego has overcome his poor beginnings & has proven he is strong, dependable, & dedicated. These characters were well thought out, well defined & realistic. The supporting characters & the interactions with them added depth to the storylines. This was a really good story that is a great addition to the Camp Firefly Falls series but can easily be read as a standalone. The setting is the same in each story, as are the owners of the camp & a few others but you aren't lost in the storyline if this is the first one you've read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Red Adept for providing me with a copy of this book. I really loved this story.

It was a sweet, interesting portrayal of reality and people's different conceptions of the world. Penny and Diego met when she was 9 and he was 15 at Camp Firefly Falls and then had a pretty eye opening argument that changed the course of their lives.

His harsh words at the time opened up Penny's privileged world to the reality that not everyone was as lucky as her. While Penny's words to Diego encouraged and awoken an ambitious side in him.

I really loved Penny and her feisty, determined side that didn't change when they were reunited 17 years later. She became an independent hardworking business owner that wouldn't compromise her morals or ideals for anyone.

A truly warm uplifting story. I can't wait to read other books by this author :)

I really liked this book a super addition to the series.If you are looking for a great second chance romance give this a go,it is well written with likable characters that you cannot help but like.A super read would recommend to all.I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Penny and Diego are interesting characters with a history- they once got in an argument at summer camp and that led to their adult successes. Even when Diego acts a bit like a jerk, They are two who you can respect and care for as the events play out in the book.

This is a good light hearted romance with no great surprises.
A good read on vacation.

His Semi-Charmed Life is book 11 in the Camp Firefly Falls series. How is this the first I've encountered the series? Luckily the novel stood alone well. I think. however, based on my enjoyment of Semi-Charmed, this Lisa Hughey series will go on my list. Having read o\another series from Lisa, I was prepared for the witty dialogue and fast paced story. I appreciated her take on the second-chance-at-love trope. The hero and heroine had a meet cute at camp years before the book takes place. It's fun, flirty, sexy and extremely satisfying. I would compare Lisa's writing to Jill Shalvis or Kate Canterbary.

What a story about one meeting when these two where young and met for the first time at the camp, he was poor and she was rich.Now their lives have reversed but they both in their own way remember that day that has changed their lives. This book is now in my wish list I will be buying I want to re-read it.Their meeting this time will change their life's again. This Author draws you into her book and will not let go until the last page, it is so well done that you feel like you are watching the story. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.