Rumor Has It Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

RUMOR HAS IT
Animal Magnetism #4
Jill Shalvis
Adult Contemporary Romance
304 pages
Berkley
Available now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Special Ops soldier Griffin Reid doesn’t exactly have happy memories of growing up in Sunshine, Idaho. He’s only come back to recover from a war injury, and while he refuses to admit he’s in a weakened state, he finds comfort in the last person he’d expect.

Kate Evans teaches fourth grade science in Sunshine, the place she’s always called home. Dreaming of graduate school and a happily-ever-after, she’s desperate to break out of the monotony of Sunshine. Luckily, a certain sexy man has just come back into her life.

To Griffin, Kate as always been his little sister’s friend, but now he’s finding her to be so much more. As both attempt to forge their paths, they must decide if their passionate connection can turn into something lasting…

MY THOUGHTS
Rumor Has It is an absolute gem of a contemporary romance, filled with sexual tension and romantic sparks galore in addition to humor and charm, starting us off with a smile that never once slips from our faces as Kate and Griffin find their happy ending. Those who haven’t read the first three books in this series (like myself) will have absolutely no trouble settling into the story, Kate and Griffin’s romance something that easily stands on its own, the only thought we have with regard to the books that came before it is the mistake we made in not trying them sooner.

Many times with romances of any genre it’s the hero who is the standout, the one we female readers swoon over and pine for, wishing against all the laws of physics and the universe that the heroine’s shoes might magically fit on our feet so we can slide into them for real in order to bask in the attention of the alpha, beta, nerd, warrior, or any other type of delicious hero. While Griffin is no doubt worthy of an increased heart rate and rapid breathing, it’s Kate who is the highlight of this story; a woman so adorably awkward when she’s nervous that we fall in love with her instantaneously. Where some of us freeze in the presence of a good-looking man or perhaps even run away with all haste, Kate blurts out random and little-known science facts that have us wincing in sympathy for her even as we can’t help but smile at how cute she is.

In addition to her nearly uncontrollable tendency to regurgitate factoids whenever in Griffin’s presence, she is also extraordinarily low key, something we are eternally grateful for as we know with her leading us through this story we’ll never have to worry about dramatic meltdowns or gross overreactions. She’s upfront about what she wants with Griffin and is the first to give voice to her feelings, never really expecting anything from him in return but rather just putting them out there so he knows where she stands. When he fails to communicate (which to his credit isn’t often) or hurts her, instead of trying to hurt him in return or covering her hurt with attitude, she simply states her case about why she thinks he’s making a mistake. She’s never argumentative or confrontational, which is not to say she’s a pushover or a saint in any way, she undeniably has her own flaws, but she handles the murky waters of emotional attachment with far more grace than she does situations that make her nervous.

Overall, Rumor Has It is funny and light-hearted, with enough chemistry between Griffin and Kate to keep us devouring chapter after chapter, ravenous for the addictive happiness we feel whenever they’re together.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Jill:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

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Q+A

As part of the promotional tour for Rumor Has It, Jill answered a variety of questions about romance, writing and of course this newest Animal Magnetism book, but there was one question in particular that jumped out at me and I simply had to share it with all of you. Jill and her husband are eerily similar to Kevin and me if the below conversation between them is any indication. I think we're pretty much the exact same couple ;-)

The interactions shared between you and Alpha Man always entertain; what is a recent “He Said, She Said” between you and Alpha Man that we may not have heard yet?
 
Me: What are you eating?
 
Him (mouth full): Nothing
 
Me: It smells like Oreos.
 
Him: …
 
Me: Are you … eating Oreos? I thought we were out of cookies!!
 
Him: There’s only four left.
 
Me: I need two.
 
Him: I’ll give you one.
 
Me: No! You can’t eat just one cookie!!! There’s a rule!!!
 
Him: Show me the book where this rule lives.

Me: I’LL WRITE YOU THE $%#!#$!@ book, give me a second cookie and no one gets hurt!
 
Him: Is it possible that you need something to go with that cookie?
 
Me: Milk?
 
Him: I was thinking Midol…

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the extraordinarily generous team at Berkley, I have one copy of Rumor Has It to give away on the blog today. To enter, please just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway