This story follows Lily Greene who lives in Brooklyn, NY and works as an assistant editor for adult non-fiction books in Manhattan. It’s not her dreamThis story follows Lily Greene who lives in Brooklyn, NY and works as an assistant editor for adult non-fiction books in Manhattan. It’s not her dream job, which is to be a children’s editor. This dream came about after reading a fantasy novel she loved by an author who remained relatively unknown until now. Lily can’t believe how fortunate she is when she finally finds a way to contact said author, N.R. Strickland. He’s just as surprised to hear from Lily via the contact form on his newly established website as she is to hear back from him. They begin informally emailing back and forth like pen-pals.
After Lily and Strick’s conversations begin to take on a slightly more intimate tone, they finally arrange a video chat and he ghosts her with some vague, lame reason she doesn’t understand. It’s now five months later and she still hasn’t heard from him. Disappointment and doubts linger in Lily’s mind. Was she even really speaking to the author or had someone catfished her?
Nick is ashamed of a secret he’s kept from Lily so he doesn’t want to get involved with her. When they wind up living in the same building and Strick (aka, Nick) figures out she’s the Lily he was emailing, he doesn’t tell her. When he backs off once he knows her identity she asks him to help her to find a date to her sister Violet’s wedding because she witnessed how he helped his neighbor, Henry, get his girl. What ensues is two people with obvious chemistry who are finding it difficult to stay away from each other even though they’re both determined to do just that.
This book was very entertaining. I really liked Lily. She’s just a girl who loves books and her cat, Tomcat, but feels deficient when in the company of her high-achieving, successful family. Nick’s family on the other hand is a complete train wreck and he struggles with both loving them and wanting to distance himself from them. Nick and Lily are made for each other and watching them get acquainted was a fun ride. When Nick takes Lily on a date and gives her the best surprise ever, he melts my heart.
I truly enjoyed this well developed, creative and realistic story. It was excellently constructed. However, I would have loved it even more if it didn’t have so much gratuitous profanity. I also think a sweeter, less spicy approach to Nick and Lily’s relationship dynamic would have worked much better for me. I guess I’m more of a sweet romance sort of woman. ...more