Cutting Loose
Susan Andersen
379 pages
My Rating: 4/5
Jane thinks nothing can make her lose her coolBut the princess of propriety blows a gasket the night she meets the contractor restoring the Wolcott mansion. Devlin Kavanagh's rugged sex appeal may buckle her knees, but the man is out of control! Jane had to deal with theatrics growing up—she won't tolerate them in someone hired to work on the house she and her two best friends have just inherited.
Dev could renovate the mansion in his sleep. But ever since the prissy owner spotted him jet-lagged, exhausted and hit hard by a couple of welcome-home drinks, she's been on his case. Yet there's something about her. Jane hides behind conservative clothes and a frosty manner, but her seductive blue eyes and leopard-print heels hint at a woman just dying to cut loose!
My Thoughts:
As many of you well know, I have been reading romance/fluff books of late. Though I think my romance kick may be coming to an end, I still have numerous books to review so gear up for some romantic book days.
I branched out a little bit with this book. It was the first time I had read Susan Andersen, and I am pleased to say that I was impressed with her work. She wrote a fun, romantic, not-too-sexual novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Cutting Loose is the first in the Sisterhood Diaries series. It encompasses three best friends who inherit a grand estate from an eccentric elderly lady they befriended when they were children. Each book focuses on one of the women and how they find love (typical considering it's a romance). But what I was impressed with was the was Andersen wrote each character. She reminded me of Nora Roberts and her Bride Quartet series in which she created a "family" and each book followed the family deeper as major changes occurred. Andersen did the same here (and I expect her to continue on in the next two books in the trilogy). She creates a home-like/family setting with each member being the friends. The novel included more than just boy-meets-girl, they-fall-in-love story. It encompassed a background and setting in which you got to know the characters and were rooting for them in the end. Having read many romance novels in a row, I've found that not all authors capture the story beyond the meet-cute and the loving. Andersen did a wonderful job, and she has earned a place on my romance author shelf.
As to the story of Cutting Loose, I truly enjoyed getting to know Jane. She reminded me of myself in some ways, always seeking to have control. She was completely relateable, and I found myself thinking that we could have been friends were she present in real life. I enjoyed watching her begin to recognize her coping mechanisms and learn from her mistakes.
Dev was definitely a great match for Jane, and I loved the family that Andersen placed him in. Big families always fascinate me, and any character that is well-places in one keeps my attention. I would have enjoyed getting to know Dev a little more, as his protests for living in another country away from his family didn't completely fit with his loyalty. I just felt that that particular plot could have been expanded a little more with a positive influence on the character.
All in all, I truly enjoyed this novel. I read it in an afternoon and I was not constantly looking at the percentage on the bottom of my kindle to see where I was. I escaped into the novel and enjoyed the time I was there. I gave the novel a 4/5 because its not a book that gave lasting impressions but it was fun, and I can definitely see myself reading it again when I'm looking for a pleasant afternoon distraction.
Dev could renovate the mansion in his sleep. But ever since the prissy owner spotted him jet-lagged, exhausted and hit hard by a couple of welcome-home drinks, she's been on his case. Yet there's something about her. Jane hides behind conservative clothes and a frosty manner, but her seductive blue eyes and leopard-print heels hint at a woman just dying to cut loose!
My Thoughts:
As many of you well know, I have been reading romance/fluff books of late. Though I think my romance kick may be coming to an end, I still have numerous books to review so gear up for some romantic book days.
I branched out a little bit with this book. It was the first time I had read Susan Andersen, and I am pleased to say that I was impressed with her work. She wrote a fun, romantic, not-too-sexual novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Cutting Loose is the first in the Sisterhood Diaries series. It encompasses three best friends who inherit a grand estate from an eccentric elderly lady they befriended when they were children. Each book focuses on one of the women and how they find love (typical considering it's a romance). But what I was impressed with was the was Andersen wrote each character. She reminded me of Nora Roberts and her Bride Quartet series in which she created a "family" and each book followed the family deeper as major changes occurred. Andersen did the same here (and I expect her to continue on in the next two books in the trilogy). She creates a home-like/family setting with each member being the friends. The novel included more than just boy-meets-girl, they-fall-in-love story. It encompassed a background and setting in which you got to know the characters and were rooting for them in the end. Having read many romance novels in a row, I've found that not all authors capture the story beyond the meet-cute and the loving. Andersen did a wonderful job, and she has earned a place on my romance author shelf.
As to the story of Cutting Loose, I truly enjoyed getting to know Jane. She reminded me of myself in some ways, always seeking to have control. She was completely relateable, and I found myself thinking that we could have been friends were she present in real life. I enjoyed watching her begin to recognize her coping mechanisms and learn from her mistakes.
Dev was definitely a great match for Jane, and I loved the family that Andersen placed him in. Big families always fascinate me, and any character that is well-places in one keeps my attention. I would have enjoyed getting to know Dev a little more, as his protests for living in another country away from his family didn't completely fit with his loyalty. I just felt that that particular plot could have been expanded a little more with a positive influence on the character.
All in all, I truly enjoyed this novel. I read it in an afternoon and I was not constantly looking at the percentage on the bottom of my kindle to see where I was. I escaped into the novel and enjoyed the time I was there. I gave the novel a 4/5 because its not a book that gave lasting impressions but it was fun, and I can definitely see myself reading it again when I'm looking for a pleasant afternoon distraction.
