Category Archives: Phillipa Ashley

Review: Girl vs Earl by Phillipa Ashley

Title: Girl vs Earl by Phillipa Ashley
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 165 pdf pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author

Summary:

When Miranda finds herself fighting for her home, her job and her heart, sleeping with the enemy may not be the best tactic.

With no family of her own, Miranda Marshall has developed a healthy respect – some would say obsession – with other people’s histories. As property manager of a spectacular island castle in Cornwall, she’s made St Merryn’s Mount one of the UK’s most popular heritage attractions. While she may have the castle running like clockwork, Miranda hasn’t bargained on its sexy owner returning to claim his birthright.

Dark, handsome and with a rakish reputation, Jago, the Earl of St Merryn, not only looks like a pirate but is intent on flogging the Mount to a soulless leisure corporation. Miranda faces the battle of her life as she tries to persuade him to face up to his past and continue the St Merryn dynasty. But Jago has his own reasons for jumping ship and when he throws down the gauntlet to Miranda, she’s forced to delve into painful memories she’d much rather keep hidden.

The Review:

Phillipa Ashley’s Girl vs Earl is a entertaining and lively love story that fans of British contemporary romances are sure to enjoy.

The sparks fly from Miranda Marshall and Jago St Merryn’s first meeting. Jago has returned to sell his family legacy but Miranda fights him every step of the way. As if their relationship is not complicated enough, Miranda and Jago share an intense attraction to one another that is virtually impossible to resist.

Miranda and Jago are delightfully developed and quite engaging. They are appealing characters who both carry emotional scars from their respective pasts. They slowly reveal their secrets throughout the course of the novel and their back stories provide them with added depth and interest.

I thoroughly enjoyed the verbal sparring between Miranda and Jago. The scenes where Miranda tries to undermine the sale of St Merryn’s Mount are absolutely priceless and I could not help but giggle at Jago’s obvious frustration.

Girl vs Earl is a light-hearted read that is fast-paced and compelling. The storyline is unique and the characters are realistic and likable. Phillipa Ashley’s exquisite descriptions of St Merryn’s Mount bring the story’s setting vibrantly to life. An overall sweet, sexy and emotional novel that I highly recommend.

2 Comments

Filed under Amazon Digital Services, Contemporary, Girl vs Earl, Phillipa Ashley, Rated B, Review, Romance

Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley

Title: Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

There’s one question a girl should always say yes to…

But Lucy Gibson said no. On national TV. Now she’s hated by nearly everyone.

Fleeing the spotlight’s glare, Lucy holes up in a cottage in the country, where she just might find the right reasons to say yes after all…

The Review:

A lighthearted and easy read, Phillipa Ashley’s Just Say Yes is a vastly entertaining romance with plenty of substance and depth. When her relationship with Nick Laurentis falls apart on national television, Lucy Gibson finds herself splashed all over the tabloid news. Tired of being in the limelight, Lucy and her good friend Fiona escape to Cornwall for a month long holiday. Basking in her anonymity, Lucy enjoys the opportunity to re-evaluate her life and her relationship with Nick. An unwanted attraction to the über sexy (and already taken) Josh Standring proves to be an unexpected complication to Lucy’s already complicated life.

Lucy Gibson is a fabulously flawed but completely sympathetic heroine. Her relationship with Nick is fairly casual with an emphasis on sex so naturally she is stunned when he proposes her to national TV. She is not only suspicious as to why he proposed to her, but she is unsure of what her emotions are for her slightly unreliable boyfriend. I like that she resisted the enormous pressure to accept his proposal and that she took the time to scrutinize her misgivings about her future with him.

Josh Standring is the quintessential bad boy who has cleaned up his act. With a bit of playboy past, he is now in a steady relationship with Sara. With their relationship off to a rocky beginning, he and Lucy share an uneasy friendship. When their friendship turns to desire, Josh must examine his inability to take the next step in his relationship with Sara.

The secondary cast of characters is rather eccentric yet extremely likable. Fiona is utterly delightful and absolutely hilarious. She always supports Lucy even when she thinks Lucy is making the wrong decisions. The other character I absolutely adored is Lucy’s neighbor and best mate Charlie. Their scenes are quirky and laugh out loud funny.

What makes Just Say Yes a truly enjoyable read is the growth of Lucy’s character. She seizes the opportunity to make some much needed changes in her life and finds love where she least expects it. When her relationship with Josh hits a snag, she accepts responsibility for her role in it and she continues to make positive changes in her life.

Just Say Yes is a fast paced novel with an appealing and unique storyline. While the story sometimes goes in a predictable direction, Phillipa Ashley keeps the story fresh with surprising twists and turns. A truly outstanding read that I would recommend to anyone who reads contemporary romances.

4 Comments

Filed under Contemporary, Just Say Yes, Phillipa Ashley, Rated B, Romance, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Landmark