Item: A Cosmic Kind of Love
Rating: 2
Author: Chelsea

BOOK REVIEW: A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young

A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Space is the last thing an event planner and an astronaut need in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

When event planner Hallie Goodman receives party-inspiration material from the bride of her latest wedding project, the last thing she expects to find in the files are digital videos from Darcy’s ex-boyfriend. Hallie knows it’s wrong to keep watching these personal videos, but this guy is cute, funny, and an astronaut on the International Space Station to boot. She’s only human. And it’s not long until she starts sending e-mails and video diaries to his discontinued NASA address. Since they’re bouncing back, there’s no way anyone will ever be able to see them...right?

Christopher Ortiz is readjusting to life on earth and being constantly in the shadow of his deceased older brother. When a friend from NASA’s IT department forwards him the e-mails and video messages Hallie has sent, he can’t help but notice how much her sense of humor and pink hair make his heart race.

Separated by screens, Hallie and Chris are falling in love with each other, one transmission at a time. But can they make their star-crossed romance work when they each learn the other’s baggage?

*ARC Provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review*

My whole life I’d done the chasing, the people-pleasing. No one had ever chased me. No one had ever prioritized me the way I was willing to prioritize them.

This poor soul of a book had the unfortunate circumstance of being read in a year where 95% of the time I’ve rated every book 5 stars. That is to say, I’ve had almost a full year of perfection and this book was just not…that.

It was cute, sweet, and a typical romance, but I just never truly got into it fully. I can’t say it was bad, but I can’t say it was extremely well-written either….and, again, I don’t think it was poorly written. This book was just maddeningly average and I didn’t feel much depth and I am honestly scrabbling for what to say. And while I sometimes don’t mind quick romances with a hero I really enjoy (and I really really truly did like him), sometimes it doesn’t work out that I fall as easily for it as I normally would. That is the case here, unfortunately.

A tad too predictable, a bit lacking in side characters I cared about, and just…I didn’t believe it, no matter HOW choked up a few of the hero’s quotes made me. And that’s the part that really stinks is there were some great things mentioned about self-worth and embracing who you are, about loving someone for who they are and not what they DO. There was a lot of good to unpack here, just not a lot to follow it up…and that’s where, unfortunately, the story fell short for me.

So while this book will likely appeal to a lot of people, I just couldn’t fall for it. Maybe a different time, maybe a different place in my life…but I just highly doubt it. If you’re looking for a cute, fun, quick read, then I highly recommend it for that. Otherwise, if you perhaps want more to happen, maybe save this for a rainy day.

View all my reviews

Hero by Samantha Young
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

What does this story teach us? That even if some guy treats you like shit and says you that he doesn’t love you, if you try hard, and harder, and harder – if you’re sure in your heart that he loves you, that he is good… Everything will be good in the end.

Excuse me but that’s FUCKING BULLSHIT.

Of course it works here, of course we have our holly HEA, but in the real life? Not always. We might oppose that it is indeed a romance novel and that they all are all kind of unbelievable, and I can’t deny it. But then, I’ve the right to despise the way a relationship is portrayed and that was the case here. Why? Strangely, not because of the male lead. Of course he has his flaws – I’m coming back to that later – but that’s not what drove me mad. So, why?

Because Alexa is one of the most stupid characters I’ve met for a long time. Basically, her behavior shows everything I can’t stand in female leads. Let’s do a little list, shall we?

▓ How to win some asshole’s love? ▓

▩ Assume responsibility for someone else’s fault, let’s say, your father. Apologize for him. If the guy doesn’t accept your apologies, try again. And again. Because, somehow, you just know he’s wounded and made for you. Because you’re the same, you and him. He just has to fucking realize that!

“I believed I could see past that shield of his – like I could feel the emotion he fought so hard to hide.”
➸ Of course you can. I mean, you’ve known him for, like, almost ten minutes. Of course you can see that. OF. COURSE. Because you just know it.

“I guess it would make me feel better if I could see Caine happy.”
➸ No, that’s not a pet project. That’s not at all pathetic. You can make him happy. OF. COURSE. Because you just know it.

But there’s the problem that he’s acting like a jerk. There’s that. Wait – OMG I’m so stupid!

“I was insulting because I didn’t want to admit I was attracted to you.”
➸ What a fool I’ve been! Of course that’s why. I mean, we’re in 4th grade right? RIGHT?

▩ If you’re falling in love and the guy asks for a fling without any string attached, accept, because you will change his mind. You’re awesome like that.

“He’d never looked at me that way before. There was something in that look. Someting … more.”
➸ No, you’re not delusional. There has to be something more between you. OF. COURSE. Because you just know it.

“Of course, I’d just agreed to a no-string-attached affair with him, so I guessed I shouldn’t hold out for silly little important things like affection.” No you shouldn’t.

“I already wanted more from him and we were only five minutes into our casual fling.”
➸ Look, I’m trying very hard to stay calm here and not yell at you or shake you because I know you’ll make him love you. OF. COURSE. Because you just know it, I know, I KNOW.

▩ If you’re pissed or mad or hurt, don’t forget to say that’s you’re fine. And if you’re feeling overemotional, that’s because you have your periods, that’s not because you’re in a situation that’s messing up with your head. No. Poor you, you’re just a fucking woman.

“Everything is fine.” I shrugged and gently pried my hand from his hold.
“You would tell me otherwise?”
“Of course.” At that bald-faced lie I walked out.”
➸ Of course if you’re feeling hurt by the situation don’t tell him! I mean, guys are clever like that. He will know it. Hmm wait, no, that’s you who knows it. Right? Excuse me, I’ve been confused for a few seconds here. OF. COURSE. Because you just know it, everything is fine, you’re not struggling to hold your tears, and if you are, that’s not at all because you agreed on a fling with the guy you secretly love and who acts with you, well, like a guy on a fling. No, that’s because “there was another part of me that wished my period would fuck off so I could return to my more rational, easygoing self.” Silly me! I forgot! Women are so irrational when they have their periods! How could I forget that?

▩ Even if the guy tells you a ridiculous amount of times that he doesn’t love you, that’s a lie. You just know it. Don’t give up! That’s a test to see if you’re perseverant enough. Life is testing you, but you’re stronger than that!

“Maybe, God, just maybe … I wasn’t the only one falling in love.”
➸ OF. COURSE. Because you just know it.

▩ If you could get physically hurt/wounded in order to show the guy that he loves you, it would be great. I don’t know how, duh. Use a bit of imagination, for Pete’s sake! I’m warning you here, if he’s particularly ~~stubborn~~ hurt by life, it might take several times to win him.

♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ Congratulations! You win the guy! ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩

Now you can live with absolutely perfect sex in your wonderful happily ever after.

Apart from that? We have an asshole as a hero but then, I’m not sure that I can bring myself to resent him for that because come on, everything’s fine, Alexa told you so. Moreover, I found him ridiculously shallow. I didn’t care for him. I don’t know him. Oh, and I almost forgot! A ridiculous mystery that made me roll my eyes!

Of course, there are the hot sex scenes. Yes, there’s that. Too bad it’s not enough to create a good love-story for me.