Monday, July 15, 2024

Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham (Review)

Series: Skymar #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Released: May 14, 2024
358 pages
About the Book:

Dear Reader,

My name is Luke Edgewood, and there are few things in life that I require. Mainly black coffee. And flannel. And lots of solitude. And my dogs, Chewy and Indie. What I don’t need is romance, so I have no plans to change my thirty-year-old bachelor status anytime soon.

But my youngest sister thinks that by accepting a short-term construction job in the small European country of Skymar, I’m going to follow along in her footsteps and discover my own romantic adventure. Nope. Bah humbug. The End. This time, her rom-com-movie senses are totally wrong.

Or maybe not. Because I’ve met a Grace Kelly look-alike who is annoying . . . until she isn’t. But she is impossible. As in, nothing can happen between us because she is a literal princess. Even though that’s easy to forget when we’re working together to restore a castle-like orphanage in a secluded mountain town and “forced proximity” includes a small closet, a secret one-hundred-year-old journal, and the tactile memory of an off-limits royal in my arms.

Basically, the whole situation has turned into an ooey gooey magical snow globe of romantic tropes complete with cute kids and an actual ball. Now, even my sentences are starting to sound like mush. Ugh. Send high levels of testosterone my way—I’m going to need it.

Loyally,

Luke


My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐


3.5 rounded up to 4.

While I really enjoyed the character of Luke, seeing a romance develop and his interactions with his sisters, the hallmark references and the fact that all the movie troupes were included became too much after a while. This felt like it could have been a Hallmark movie itself and not being a fan of those myself it had just a bit too much cheesiness for me. If it had incorporated less of the movielike troupes I think I would have enjoyed this more. Once Princess Diaries 2 was referenced that was all I could picture this relationship as. I connected with Luke but felt like I didn't get to know the character of Ellie that much. It felt like she was an only child at times, but it was referenced that she had siblings. I did enjoy her text conversations with her friend, but wondered why they didn't interact in person. I realize this is fiction but the ending left me wondering how practical the conclusion would be in a few years down the road. I did laugh a lot throughout and enjoyed the faith elements that were included.

(I received a copy of this book from a friend; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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