Review + Giveaway: Not Quite Perfect

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Title: Not Quite Perfect
Author: Catherine Bybee
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Release Date: September 2016
Length: 329 pages
Series?: Not Quite #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Find the book: Goodreads | Amazon

With true love, there’s no such thing as a safe distance.

Mary Kildare knows how to read people. It’s both why she makes a great therapist and why she refuses to trust the average bachelor. Staying fiercely independent has been her primary relationship strategy—until wealthy playboy pilot (and commitmentphobe) Glen Fairchild reappears in her life. After a yearlong teasing tug-of-war, Mary and Glen test the waters of attraction, only to find that their physical chemistry runs deeper than flirtation.

At first, a bicoastal romance suits them both—especially since Glen can swoop in and whisk Mary away on one of his company’s planes. But no matter how close they get, they’re still three thousand miles apart. And when Mary’s life is threatened, Glen realizes the one luxury he doesn’t have is time. Can he close the distance between them before it’s too late?

The Skinny

Mary Kildare is a therapist raised by a nun. She was in and out of foster homes growing up. She has a problem with keeping her mouth shut. She supports her adoptive mother while living her own life and has her best friend right across the street. But with a new baby and some homeowner issues, Mary has to face some changes to her world.

She also finally gives in to Glen Fairchild, friend of friends, after a year and takes him up on a date. What ensues is a whirlwind in the development from commitmentphobe to relationship. Someone, though, has different plans for Mary.

The Players

Mary

Glen

Dakota – Mary’s best friend and new mother

Walt – Dakota’s husband, Glen’s friend

Mary Frances – Mary’s adoptive mother, a former nun

Kent – the new guy that works next door to Mary

The Quote

She cringed. “I was raised by nuns.”

“It’s a wonder – ”

“Oh my God, I forgot to tell you,” Mary interrupted her. “Mary Frances is dating.”

Dakota’s jaw dropped.

“I know! That’s exactly what my reaction was. Dating, Dakota. Like having coffee and pie with a widower.”

“Pie the night before and coffee in the morning kind of dating?”

Mary couldn’t help but wonder if it was her BFF’s influence that had her asking the same question earlier in the week.

The Highs and Lows

Conflict. I knew right away two things were brewing that would be potential problems for Mary. I had picked up on it from the start but was not sure which individual was the root of Mary’s problems.
Nuns. The element of Mary Frances being a nun raises a lot of questions for Mary – what her life was like before she took up the habit, struggling with living a life of freedom and no longer married to the church. There were some interesting things that came up about Mary Frances dating, wearing make up, and other things.
Loss of Parents. Both Mary and Glen have a similar background and I found it odd that Mary so easily dismissed and waved off not having parents, and perhaps because of that, Glen really recognizes that fact and has some introspective moments about it.
Ease of Relationship. Mary and Glen slide so smoothly into a relationship, like they are meant to be with one another.
Luxury. The unrealistic aspect was Glen’s ability to fly every weekend to the opposite coast to take Mary on dates, including a round-the-country date. While this could happen, it is highly improbable and heightens the element of luxury woven throughout the book and apparently the series. It’s a nice little fanatsy to indulge!

The Take-Away

I loved how tight-knit and supportive all the characters were of one another. When Dakota broke her leg and when Mary had her big house issue, everyone pitched in to help.

Recommendation – Buy, Borrow or Skip?

Buy or borrow. I think this is an interesting series with great characters.

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Weekday Brides Series and the Not Quite Series. Bybee lives with her two teenage sons in Southern California.

Find the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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