Island Romance Beach Reads Boxed Set: A romantic comedy bundle with 6 full-length beach read romance novels

Three and a half stars. The books in this collection can be read as standalones but the transition from one to the next makes for each story easier to follow. I’ve done a brief reason for my opinions on these stories but overall the guys are all super laid back and each of the “girls” has somewhat different issues so they are not overly repetitive. **** Getting Lei’d is the first one and it had my attention from the start I liked Roxy and Kai from the beginning and loved the character of the grandmother, Baggy. *** Cruising for Love features Rosie and Andrew on a reality TV show. She comes across as not very smart and his character is just flat. ***Island Hopping picks up on Lizzie who was involved in Roxy’s problem in the first book. I didn’t dislike her but I can’t say I really liked her either. Shay’s story is too similar to Kai’s from the first book so reading them together removes some of the “mystery” about Shay. *** Diary: Fern took me a bit to get into. I almost stopped reading it. Fern was just weird and Mac’s behavior didn’t always make sense. But I did want to know how they got to their HEA. ****Diary: Marina was pretty good from the start. She is much more down to earth than her friends and I thought Gus was a real sweetheart. There is a sweet little twist at the end. ****Diary: Trixie was interesting because of her twin issues. She is much more mature than she appears and Diego is another wonderful guy. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

Getting Lei'd I thoroughly enjoyed this and would have happily kept reading if it was even longer. I adore romantic comedies. The more outrageously laugh-out-loud they are, the more I love them. And this book is one of the funniest things I’ve read all year. Straitlaced Roxy is a misfit in her mostly zany, definitely quirky, family. Kai’s an enigma; a strong silent type who’s keeping his secrets close to the vest. Watching as Kai and Roxy fell in love was utterly adorable. And the cast of eccentric secondary characters stole the show. There are even a few of the supporting cast I would love to see in stories of their own. Cruising for Love Reality TV is my guilty pleasure. After reading this book, I feel extra guilty about it now. I love a second chance, so I was particularly excited to see one of those hiding in Ruthie’s story. This book is filled with twists, surprises, and lots of funny moments. Unfortunately, it’s also got a heavy Mean Girl vibe that I wasn’t really a fan of. However, I adore the way the story wraps up – it’s perfectly Ruthie. Island Hopping This book starts out looking like a simple case of opposites attract, but Lizzie and Shay’s story is a little more involved than merely the driven Type-A city girl meets the laid-back surfer. Their misadventures are filled with snark and spice, and they show us Murphy’s Law hard at work. At the end of this trilogy I’m left wondering if the author has a bit of a vindictive streak with how ruthlessly she wields the question: “so what really is the absolute worst that could happen?” There are some seriously creative possibilities in answer to that question in here. I kind of hope we get to come back and visit these characters again sometime in the future. Fern I found this book very difficult to read. I understand that the diary format of the book necessitates a different style of writing than usual fiction, but this was too simplistic for my tastes. I also couldn’t get past the fact that this middle-aged woman sounds like an especially neurotic tween-aged girl. It gets better, but I felt like it was an uphill battle getting there. Marina Even though Fern’s book drove me completely mental, I am utterly charmed by Marina’s. Maybe it’s because I have more points of similarity so that I could better connect with Marina. Maybe it was as simple as Marina didn’t behave like a neurotic tween-ager. Whatever it was, watching Marina and Gus fall in love with one another made my heart sigh in happiness. Trixie Much like Trixie’s favorite snack, this story was light fluffy. Though there were also the crunchy bits that kept it interesting and didn’t let it get too sweet. I was pretty sure from what the previous two books had said about her, that there would be a lot more to Trixie than just the dumb blonde stereotype she often played to. She’s complex and vulnerable, but also a bit of a goofball. I loved seeing her fall in love with the right man and figure out how to make it work long term. And, reading this book right now, made TP hoarding comment particularly funny. I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

This boxed set has something for everyone and what's even better is that they are all in one place for convenience. If you like stories that will take you away to exotic places with alpha delicious guys, this set is for you. The stories are endearing, well written with characters that you can identify with through their drama. I loved every single story in this set and just so you know, you are going to want to read them over again. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.