This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce
Wedding planner Avery Crosslin moved away from New York when her heart was broken by her ex-fiance, Brian. Now based in Texas, she and her half-sister, Sofia are busy building their wedding planning service, taking on more lavish events and establishing a reputation for themselves. Avery is happy to see her business thriving and throws every spare minute into her work to make sure it’s a success.
After having her heart broken, Avery is no longer interested in men or relationships, but when she momentarily lets her guard down and has a one-night-stand with Joe Travis, a local photographer and part of the wealthy Travis dynasty, Avery finds herself tangled up in a relationship she didn’t bargain for. Avery must fight her growing feelings for Joe as she’s been hired to plan her most lavish wedding yet and Joe – and relationships in general – will cause nothing but an unwelcome distraction, especially when Avery is given the chance to reach her dream career.
As Brown-Eyed Girl is the first novel I’ve read by Lisa Kleypas, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was quickly drawn into Avery’s story and warmed to her immediately. Avery is a no-nonsense sort of woman who isn’t prone to giving in to her feelings or emotions and I liked that Joe brought out this side to her, giving her a new lease of life. Avery has been hurt in the past and she finds it hard to trust and I think Joe, with his humour, passion and unyielding strive to get what he wants, is the perfect antidote to Avery’s reluctance to enter into any kind of liaison, whether romantic or purely sexual. Joe is quite a character and while I did feel he had moments of overbearing caveman-like tendencies, I liked him and hoped he’d be able to pierce through the wall Avery had built around herself.
I also loved a few of the more background characters, especially Steven, Avery’s assistant. He’s quite camp and can have a pretty caustic tongue, but I thought his relationship with Avery – and Sofia – was brilliant. I also loved the bond between Avery and Sofia. They didn’t grow up together but they’ve grown close as adults as both business partners and sisters. I liked that Sofia had her own storyline going on in the background and I was glad of the outcome. In fact, I would have liked a bit more time to have been dedicated to this storyline as it was quite sweet and could have been explored more.
Brown-Eyed Girl is a fun and often steamy romance that is full of character and wit. It was my first Lisa Kleypas book but I’d be happy to read more in the future.
8/10