BOOK REVIEW:
The Chatsfield Novella Box Set #3
GONNA PUT THIS HERE: Warning! Spoilers in this review.
I’ve
been reading a lot of PNR and some UF lately, so I decided to take a breather
with a contemp again.
I
chose to stick to a quick read: a box set of e-novellas from Harlequin Presents
(because nothing says relaxation better than glitz and glamour and sexual
tension).
This
particular box set is the 3rd and final set of 3 sets of novellas in
total. And all 15 novellas (5 per box set) actually build on the world of a 8-book
miniseries that released last year from Harlequin called ‘The Chatsfield’
because all the stories revolve around an international hotel chain and the
powerful and wealthy family that owns it.
The
box set had 5 stories that take place at The Chatsfield, a hotel known for its
scandalous going-ons, and considering that I thought it’d be best I approach it
by breaking down the review into parts: 5 mini-reviews (lol as if my reviews
are long anyways) for the 5 novellas in the box set.*
Let’s
start from the beginning then:
New Beginnings at The Chatsfield by Fiona
Harper
This
first story focuses on Sophie, a jilted bride who decides to use her ex-fiance’s
credit card—a gift to plan their wedding—to stay at her dream location for a honeymoon,
The Chatsfield. So she goes off on her honeymoon, Carrie Bradshaw-style, with
her friends/ex-bridesmaid and tries to convince herself to have a good time.
But
she’s having a shitty time. At least until she crashes a wedding and meets Cristian,
our Argentinian hero—Cristian was really interesting. Much more than Sophie,
who although I sympathized with I found really bland as a character. Cristian
wasn’t flashy, and he wasn’t in-your-face Alpha throwing commands at Sophie
left and right. It was all quiet control for him, in a non-creepy way.
There’s
no sex in this one. And though it was a short story, it definitely had the
potential, seeing (err, reading?) the sparks flying everywhere between this
couple. Still because I felt that it was WAY too quick, and both Sophie and
Cristian didn’t seem the type to want a rebound, I was really happy there wasn’t
undercover lovin’…
All
in all, the story was totally plausible compared to some of the off-the-top
stories in the Harlequin Present line.
My
verdict:
✮✮✮✮
✮✮✮✮
(4
scandalous stars)
*
Bollywood Comes to The Chatsfield by Tara
Pammi
Speaking
of over-the-top: the plot of this second one was definitely cray-cray as in a once-in-a-lifetime type scenario.
We
have heroine Tanya Singh who’s recovering from the loss of her husband 12
months ago, and when her friends and family conspire to get her out there in
the world and find some happiness in life (not just love), she meets her
Bollywood crush, John Patel.
Crazy,
right?
Crazier
she ends up with the guy. I mean, he really wants her. He’s abrasive to Tanya at
first because he’s finished settling a divorce and trying to find a way to stay
connected to his daughter, but then he learns that Tanya doesn’t have stars in
her eyes like most women around him do.
So
she’s able to see clearly and then he’s able to see clearly that she’s no
threat to him…oh, and that she’s superhot and he wants her.
This
one is quick…and there’s sex, but because John is who he is and Tanya has to
work out her own situation, get her life going—they decide to take things
slowly and THAT is what makes this novella so worth it.
Really,
this one had the potential to fall apart and be ridiculously clichéd, but Ms.
Pammi made it…believable. And isn’t that what romance (and most fiction) should
hold, some shred of reality even with all the glitz and glamour?
My
verdict:
✮✮✮✮
✮✮✮✮
(4
scandalous stars)
*
Bridesmaid with Benefits by Amy
Andrews
So
this one’s trope revolves around the bridesmaid’s woes. Think Heigl in “27
Dresses”, only not that crazy, and more sex.
The
heroine, Johanna Windsor, is a bridesmaid for the third time—and for the third
time she’s in a room with Ed Sullivan again, her long time school crush and
sorta lover (hence the title). But this time putting her heel down Johanna
decides to not hook-up with Ed after the wedding and reception.
Too
bad Fate—err, their friends conspire against them and book one room for the two
at The Chatsfield where the reception was held.
What
Johanna doesn’t know is that Ed wants love and a family someday, too. I liked
Ed a lot. He was so carefree when he needed to be and though the novella doesn’t
cover his work, I got that sense he had a great balance for work-play in his
life—totally the perfect guy. J
Too
bad I didn’t like Johanna all too much. She was super whiny and real mean to Ed
when he didn’t do anything to her. I mean he even mentions it from his POV just
how much of a ballbuster Johanna could be, especially to him ever since their
high school years through to law school together.
I
really don’t see what he sees in her. And I don’t think that it’s excusable
that she used that attitude as a front for her feelings for Ed.
No,
Johanna, you can’t devour your cake and have it too.
My
verdict:
✮✮✮
(3
scandalous stars)
*
The Sports Star at The Chatsfield by Melanie
Milburne
Tbh
I forget what the heroine, Alice Hammond works as but I’m pretty sure it’s
something “dowdy” (sarcasm) because novella #4 features a girl-next-door type
story. Angus Knight is a football star who is out enjoying the night with his
teammates at The Chatsfield when he chances upon Alice.
Poor
little Alice who’s supposed to be celebrating her birthday with her estranged father,
but who now has the company of Angus and her inexperienced-self shies away from
the prospect of being courted by the sports star…
Okay,
I’ll stop that now.
Cuz
I liked Alice and Angus (hehe, Angus, that name always makes me giggle). These
two were cute! By far the cutest couple yet in the box set. Again it’s
over-the-top, and even though the Alice and Angus do have sex, I still found it
believable. A trustworthy story if someone told me they met their significant
other this way… But it’s also mindlessly happy.
Because
Alice doesn’t want to spend her birthday alone and she deserves fun times with
the sexy Angus, just sayin’. (It doesn’t help that the story is written in
first-person, making it all the more sad that she’s been stood up by her dad on
this day of all days).
Actually
I hated that it was written in first-person. I wanted to know what Angus was
thinking and Alice was sorta annoying
sometimes… She thinks too much, and her thought process was, well let me give
an example:
[…] I jerked back in my chair so
forcefully it almost toppled over backwards. I gripped the arms to rebalance
myself, my heart rate soaring, my cheeks furnace-hot at the thought of everyone
in the bar seeing what I was wearing under my off the peg little black dress. I
said I was sensible but that doesn’t mean I don’t like sexy underwear. Mind
you, I guess there’s not a lot that’s sensible about a hot pink thong, but I
hate VPL (visible panty line) so I always wear a thong under this particular
dress.
Really
frustrating to get through this sort of internal monologue throughout the story.
But that’s my own personal taste.
Also
it was sorta crazy that she accepted (AND FORGAVE?) her father for marrying her
best friend… Oh vey. Gag me with a stick.
My
verdict:
✮✮✮.5
✮✮✮.5
(3.5
scandalous stars)
*
The Real Adam Brightman by Roz
Fayrer
Wrapping
it up is the final novella, and the oddest of the .
Like
if we were playing a game of ‘What doesn’t fit?’ this novella would be it—for
two reasons:
Ms.
Fayrer’s story delves into the world of Adam Brightman, a New York-based media
mogul and well-known playboy who is a canon character in original world of “The
Chatsfield” miniseries. A canon character who never got his own tale…until now,
though it’s still not fully developed…
Leading
me to Reason 2, Adam’s story is not a romance like the other four novellas
presented with their non-canon couples. The story is a personal struggle or a
prelude to something greater…like a longer novel-length chance at his HEA.
So
if you already didn’t figure this out, there is no HEA in this final novella.
Adam is spending the anniversary of a past mistake and he’s confronted by the
least likely of people, his ex-wife, Talia.
They
were supposed to have a baby by now and be one big happy family, but after they
lose the baby, Talia and Adam’s relationship falls apart. But Talia is back and
she’s engaged to another man, and she helps Adam close their chapter so they
can both move on: Talia to her husband (and their pregnancy) and Adam to
confront Jessie Loe, a woman who plays an important part in his redemption of
said past mistake.
And
that’s where the story ends. Adam leaving a message on Jessie’s answering
machine/voice mail and that’s that.
Which
is why I LOVED this story—totally crazy considering I expected romance all
around, not even HEAs but at least HFNs. But the potential in this story is
crazy. (It also helps that I love Jessie Loe! Check her out at The Loedown vlogs).
I
see so much more for this couple…ahhhh!
Thank
God for fanfiction. ;)
My
verdict:
✮✮✮✮✮
(5
scandalous stars)
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