Tuesday 8 December 2009

Review: Kissing Games of the World - Sandi Khan Shelton


Genre: Fiction
Pages: 400
Published: 2008

If there's one point that Jamie McClintock and Nate Goddard can agree upon, it's that love is overrated. Jamie doesn't have time for it. Nate doesn't need it. And they certainly don't want it from each other.

Jamie, a struggling free-spirited artist, is a devoted single mother who hasn't been in a serious relationship since her boyfriend abandoned her after their son was born. Nate, a charismatic jet-setting salesman, is widowed and estranged from his father and five-year-old son, Christopher. Jamie would rather glue glitter to pinecones than go out on a date. Nate spends most of his nights wooing his clients. Then one afternoon Nate's father drops dead of a heart attack. In that moment, their highly guarded worlds collide.

When Nate shows up at his childhood home to settle the estate and reclaim his son, he discovers that Jamie has been living in the Connecticut farmhouse as his father's roommate. Mistrustful of each other's motives, Nate and Jamie bicker about everything from children's nicknames to Jamie's fashion choices to Nate's home renovation methods. It doesn't help that Christopher prefers Jamie to his absentee father.  But after the funeral, Nate and Jamie begin to see each other in a more forgiving light. And both begin to realize they don't know as much about love as they thought. Still wounded by past heartbreak and sorrow, can they learn to trust each other and open their hearts?
 
 
This was a wonderful book. It had this easy, slow pace, like drinking ice tea on the porch a nice summerday. I am not saying it was like that all the time. Oh no, it had ups and downs and I wanted to kick someone. But the language was like that.

They all had issues. Jamie had man issues, she was overprotective of her son, but that was understandable since he had asthma. But she did not let anyone get close really. She had let Harris though. Then there is Nate who had severe father issues. These two clashed at once. He did not like to find her in his old home, and he was thinking she had slept with his dad. She saw him as he was, a harsh idiot sometimes. Those were also the times I wanted to give him a kick. He was certainly not nice, but yes, issues. The only two that had some hope and seemed normal were the kids. Oh they were lovely, talked all the time and saw truth. The author did a wonderful job with everyone really. People do have issues.

This is not a romance, it is a book about loss, finding yourself, hope and love. These two people really deserve to be loved. Nate does have a fiancee' but does he love her, or does he just need someone there. It is not like he meets her a lot either. Jaime is a single mum with a minimum lovelife. Her sister tries to get her to date but to no avail. Then these two meet, harsh words, but passion underneath, and slowly something starts to build up. Something that could get torn down any minute.

This book grabs a hold of you, and you keep reading, while sitting on that porch. The language flows easily. There is no I either hate or love these characters, no grey zones. They all had flaws, they were human, and yes they did and said stupid things. But she made it easy to still like them, and love some. And yes get angry at some too of course.

I can't remember who talked about it, but it was about titles in books, and I found this one here. It fitted  Nate perfectly.

This book did have some underlying sexual tension and sparkling romance wanting to get through. I enjoyed their awkward dance and waited for them to see the light. They were meant to be, but the road there seemed rocky to say the least.
 
It was a book with many layers, and I did enjoy them all. To see life go by in their lives as they struggles with their new roles. I was pleasantly surprised.


Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: A nice, simple yet beautiful cover that fits the tone of the book.
Reason 4 Reading: Review copy from the publisher
Final thoughts: A sweet, and nice read.
 

30 comments:

  1. I truly enjoy books that have multi-layers...this sounds really intriguing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have a porch Blodeuedd? Sitting there and reading provides such a romantic image *sigh*
    This sounds like a nice, sweet read.
    Thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Staci,
    I was a nice book, I liked the pace of it. For me it was just the pace I needed at thsi time.

    Janna,
    Lol, nope I can't say I have so I imagined my parents ;) I wished I could have read it there, instead of inside while it is grey and cold outside

    ReplyDelete
  4. A book about hope and finding yourself - I need this.
    Thanks for such a telling review. I think I'm going to love this book.

    ReplyDelete
  5. yeah, I know what you mean. It's cold and grey here too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This one sounds sweet..I've been joying these types of books lately.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love how you describe the book as drinking iced tea. I know EXACTLY what you mean!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I read this last winter and enjoyed it very much. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    I remember exchanging emails with the author for a few days - she is so very sweet.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely Review B.

    Wonderful analogy with respect to "drinking ice tea on the porch on a nice summerday".

    I really like the cover art for this book by the way.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Best
    L

    ReplyDelete
  10. Damn you damn you damn you... lol! Now this is a book I am interested in. I know I know... no hussy moments, but even us hussy's need a rest every once in a while. Your review is great! I love the way this book sounds!
    I hope you had a great day and have a wonderful tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Brizmus,
    Sometimes it is just so hard to explain an author so had to be creative :)

    Janna,
    It sucks right, oh, I long for the sun! No one is meant to suffer through the Finnish darkness, especially since the sun has been hiding behind clouds the few hours it is up now

    Mandi
    Always nice to try something new. I needed a slowish book

    ReplyDelete
  12. Aarti,
    I am glad you got my point :D I just kept thinking hard how to describe her way of writing and how I felt and then I came up with this.

    Mari
    She is, oh lovely :) I do like sweet authors that take time from the busy schedule.

    Lea,
    I was lost for words yesterday, good to know a good analogy works :)
    And yes really beautiful cover art, so simple and nice

    ReplyDelete
  13. Cecile,
    Lol, yes no hussy moments, but as you say, gotta rest that hussy now and again. Poor thing will be all hussied out, lol, is that even the right way to say it.

    have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just wanted to let you know I have an award for you over at my blog. If your blog is award free or you choose not to participate, no worries - just my way of saying I enjoy your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you :D Oh I do accept them, I love them. But I may not always pass them on, once in a while I have a huge post, but then if I get another one that is the same, I might not pass it on.

    But I do have met some nice bloggers lately ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi!

    I love the way you describe the language of the book in this review-- "...like drinking ice tea on the porch a nice summerday"

    Glad you were pleasantly surprised!

    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks like Kissing Games of the World was a lovely read for you. Many layers in a book usually give you something to think about after you've finished reading it. Glad you enjoyed it. Nice review. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Sassy,
    Thanks :) I am glad you liked it. I sure was, one never knows what to expect. I knew it to be good, but I did not know how.

    Donna,
    It sure was. It was one of those books that ws just right right now. Just what I needed

    ReplyDelete
  19. Aw, looks fun and relaxing--LOVE the cover.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Actually, I fell in love with the title. I'm glad to see the book is wonderful, too.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sadako,
    It sure is lovely, and it fits the book very good.

    Carol,
    It has a wonderful title, I think that might have been what first got my attention too

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oohhh! this sounds good! I'll have to check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Lori,
    Aye a nice book, flowed very well and I do love that

    ReplyDelete
  24. Had to comment on your logo above - love the Father Christmas Hat! LOL Very festive!

    Sassy
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. This sounds like character driven novel with well developed characters. To me that is sometimes more important than the actual plot.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sassy,
    Lol, it sure turned out great, not like the tiny present. But gotta bring the xmas mood :D

    DC,
    So true, I too need developed characters, and you could relate to these

    ReplyDelete
  27. This one sound like my kinda easy read - I love when multiple story line run together, especially when the author pushes the book thorugh the characters..

    Nate sounds wonderful...

    E.h>

    ReplyDelete
  28. EH
    He was, and then he wasn't. He was bit of an ass at once, but I understood why, and I loved how he slowly came to understand where his heart lay

    ReplyDelete
  29. This sounds like such a heart warming true-to-life story Blodeuedd. I really like flawed people but that you still get to like them, speaks of true human nature IMO :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Leontine
    I liked that too about this one, cos we all have flaws, and I could like them with their flaws

    ReplyDelete

Contributors

Copyright © 2008-2020 Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell All Rights Reserved. Proudly powered by Blogger

  © Blogger template Starry by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008 Modified by Lea

Back to TOP