Meet Cute

Meet Cute is one of my most anticipated reads of 2019 and Helena Hunting didn't disappoint! It was emotional, poignant, and heartfelt, but also sweet and hilarious at times. It isn't quite the cutesy romcom that the cover depicts, but those elements are certainly there and fans of Hunting will still see her trademark wit and sense of humor. This story was part enemies to lovers, part second chance, and a whole lot about family. Daxton (Dax) and his relationship with his younger sister, Emme, is central to the entire book and though there is romantic love, there's also love between siblings and friends. Dax and Kailyn have a complicated past, made even more convoluted by the tragedy that throws them together. As they reconnect, both are able to see the other in a new light. Old feelings come to the surface, while they try to maintain professionalism and consider the feelings of everyone involved. It was a realistic and honest conflict that they faced. I loved how they helped each other not only heal, but also move forward. I admired Kailyn's commitment to her pro bono work and how she was able to hold her own not only in her job, but also with Dax. Several times, she took him down a peg and showed not only her intellect but also her quick wit. Dax respected her for it and so did I. Things wrapped up quickly in the end and I did feel that the "villain" of the story was pretty predictable. I wish Dax would have heard Kailyn out before filling in all the blanks himself, but the epilogue more than made up for it! It left me with a huge smile on my face and was the perfect way to bring the story full circle. *I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

AudioBook Review: Stars: Overall 4 Narration 4 Story 4 They called this a romantic comedy to ‘fit’ it into a box: but like much of Hunting’s work, a box is not quite big enough to contain it. Far different and slower paced than others I’ve listened to or read from her, one thing is sure to hold true: characters and their issues will be, after a bit of fluffy introduction, solidly drawn and deceptively complex. And the same holds true for Kailyn and Daxton: first meeting in law school where the two have a meet cute that sets everyone of Kailyn’s teenaged fangirl hormones alight. Daxton was a teen star (think 90210) and while he’d managed to escape that minefield of stardom while remaining a reasonable human being – he’s now struggling with grief and the loss of his parents and the unexpected responsibility of his little sister (just 13) who needs him more than ever. Kailyn is really solid and smart, with none of the ‘fake modesty’ in her skills or brains. Her history of being an adopted child has left her with a strong sense of compassion and the ability to see ‘beyond’ the superficial – and she’s generally good-natured, determined and just geeky enough to be interesting and funny. These two have a fairly solid relationship after the initial awkwardness in the reunite is past, and the trust building between them, the incorporation of Daxton’s little sister Emme, and Kailyn’s management of the teen’s expected angst and questions are lovely and allow us moments to see the trio as a little family. Of course, there has to be a villain in the mix – and her OTT interference was pretty obvious and allowed the moment to pass without a total breakdown in the budding relationship. But seriously people…. C O M M U N I C A T I O N – it’s kind of necessary in a relationship. Narration for this story is provided by Holly Warren and Aaron Sin - and most of Hunting’s books are narrated with couples – each taking the feminine or masculine voices and points of view. What works here is the sense that the characters of Kailyn and Daxton are as voiced, allowing for the emotions, complexities and connection in their relationship to be portrayed. There was no overreach to ‘steer’ listeners toward any particular emotion, nor were there particular ‘leading’ moments into moments of impact. Even with a fairly predictable plot that didn’t contain any great twists or surprises, the story was engaging and felt plausible when one discounted the often ‘Keystone Cops-like’ moments of planned disruption. Solidly presenting the ‘cuteness’ that I love from Hunting’s stories while still holding my attention and providing a lovely epilogue for a ‘where are they now’ moment with the three – the story was well worth the listen. I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Hachette Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I listened to this on audio book over several days and LOVED it. From the beginning when Kailyn Flowers is walking across campus on the way to class and is crashed into by the formidable Daxton Hughes and she has a total meltdown because it turns out he was her childhood crush as he was a childhood star on her favorite TV show. After all that, she turns up at class and the only seat left ends up next to Dax. They spend the next few years in law school together challenging each other and now years later Dax and his parents are in Kailyn's office needing her help to set up a trust. She is not pleased as she does not have good feelings for Dax but he is thrilled to see her again. A few weeks later his parents are killed in an auto crash and he is devastated but has to step up when he has to take care of his 13-year-old sister. After the funeral he seeks out Kailyn for answers on the trust and for guidance and one thing leads to another and she is appointed conservator for Emma. This brings them all in close quarters and feelings are jumbled and confusing on all fronts. Their aunt is suing for custody and Emma is spiraling in anxiety. Through all this Dax and Kailyn are slowly finding their way. This was a well thought out story and listening to it had me laughing and gasping for them. I definitely recommend this one!