It takes nothing less than a fateful natural disaster to throw two opposites together in a ground-shakingly charming short story by the New York Times bestselling author of Drunk on Love.
This Valentine’s Day, Daisy Murray has her heart set on binge-watching rom-coms. Instead, an earthquake traps her inside a bakery with its impossibly rude and insufferably handsome owner and head baker. They already have a history: she’s always smiled, he’s always scowled. Where better to finally get to know each other than amid the disaster? Then again, they have no choice. Besides, it could have its sweet, undeniable, and unpredictable perks.
| Title: | Drop, Cover and Hold On |
| Author: | Jasmine Guillory |
| Series: | Improbable Meet-Cute Book 4 |
| Pages: | 40 |
| Category / Genre(s): | Contemporary |
| Trope(s): | Unrequited Love Insta Love |
| Point of View: | Third Person, Past Tense |
| Location: | California, USA |
| HEA: | ✔️ |
| Release Date: | 23 January, 2024 |
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An absolute treat
I’ll be honest – I wasn’t going to write a review for this story as I’m just reading and enjoying all the short tales in the multi-author Improbable Meet-Cute series. But when I finished it, feeling all glowy and as gooey as one of Harris’s delicious confections, and realised it had a really low overall rating, I just had to say my piece.
This book was an absolute treat. Part of the Improbable Meet-Cute series, the books are irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. This is the fourth book in the series but of those I’ve read so far, there is no connection between the stories other than the theme.
Our story is about Daisy and told completely from her viewpoint (but in third person). It’s Valentine’s Day and being single, she’s planning for a night in with all her favourite treats and some romcom viewing. Unfortunately, her favourite treats come from the newly opened bakery right by her apartment. Too bad the deliciously hot owner/baker hates her and she’s vowed never to enter his shop again. After this last time. But just as she crosses his threshold, an earthquake hits and shakes her in ways she never saw coming. (Sorry – of course I’m going to pun!)
“…this 40 page short story was a treat…”
If you didn’t know our heroine’s name then you could guess shed’ be called Daisy. She’s sweet, kind and so likeable. She knows that Harris doesn’t like her but just really wants his delicious treats. She also doesn’t really understand why he doesn’t like her which ruffles Daisy a wee bit.
Once we get to know Harris, we see that his growly demeanour is a little bit just who he is – but a lot because he likes Daisy and doesn’t know how to express himself. Think Mr Darcy being all grumbly and stern with Lizzie because he’s a little bit shy to go along with all that alpha. I do love a grump – even more so when the grump is to hide his feelings.
I note that some people to umbrage with the fact that our couple get ready to get it on too soon. Didn’t bother me in any way. Go get some. And the fact that they did so right after an earthquake. Since I have never experienced an earthquake and hope never to, I had no issue with this, either. Perhaps if you’ve been in one, you might have different feelings. I don’t know.
This is the first time that I’ve read a story from Jasmine Guillory and it definitely won’t be my last. I loved her style, I loved her characters and this 40 page short story was a treat definitely worth 5 stars.
Jasmine Guillory is a New York Times bestselling author of novels including The Wedding Date, the Reese’s Book Club selection The Proposal, and Drunk on Love. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time, and she is a frequent book contributor on The Today Show. She lives in Oakland, California.
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Improbable Meet-Cute Series:
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