Stuck with Me

ROMANTIC COMEDY:  Adam has been “offered” a chance to write a non-sports article about a woman he’s never met to determine if happiness and optimism are inherent traits or a choice. Through a fake contest win, Molly is sent on a tropical island getaway. With Adam playing a grouch and insinuating himself into her vacation, he’s out to discover just how far she can be pushed before breaking her happy streak. He never expected to fall for her, and she never expected a grump to actually be a wonderful man underneath.

Set mostly in Mauritius and Australia, readers will be in for a treat as they follow Molly all over paradise, enjoying the scenery, food, and resort-living along with her, and a grumpy Adam. As flamboyant as she is, his determination to not crack a smile will make readers wonder how he does it. Though they fall quickly, it takes a while to smooth the wrinkles out. The dueling first person chapters are a downfall in this tale; in longer chapters, readers could lose track of who is speaking since both voices “sound” exactly alike in tone, syntax and vocabulary. The ending takes too long to happen as unnecessary sub-plots get in the way of resolving things—the main plot is good enough by itself. A tightening up could make this good book into an amazing one. The backgrounds and personalities of Molly and Adam are rich, and worth it for readers looking for a tropical getaway.

Julie York