The Importance of Being Alice by Katie MacAlister – Review & Giveaway

The Importance of Being Alice
Ainslie Brothers #1
by Katie MacAlister
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository / BAM

Description:
Nothing about Alice Wood’s life is normal right now. Her fiancé, Patrick, called off their wedding and relationship only days before their nonrefundable wedding trip. And though a luxurious European river cruise for one is just what she needs, it’s not what she gets…

Due to a horrible misunderstanding, Alice is now cramped in her “romantic” suite with one of Patrick’s friends. Instead of cruising along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers sipping champagne with the love of her life, she’s navigating the waters with a strange—yet mysteriously handsome—British aristocrat.

An author, Elliot is just looking for some alone time to write. But his stodgy, serious self is about to be sidetracked by a woman who seems to have jumped out of the pages of a fairy tale, one who is determined to shake up his life…and include him in her own happily ever after.

Review:

The Importance of Being Alice by Katie MacAlister is the 1^st book in her new Ainslie Brothers series. When I decided to read this book, I had thought this would be a contemporary romance. However, even though it is in current times, it does have the feel of most historical romances.

Our heroine, Alice Wood, makes a decision after her fiancée calls off the wedding days before. They had bought tickets to a European cruise, and even though the wedding was off, Alice decides to go on her own in the last minute.

We meet our hero, Elliot Ainslie, an British aristocrat, who is also a writer of Spy stories. Elliot writes to bring in money that is needed to keep up the family mansion expenses, renovate, and pay his siblings. With all his interruptions, Elliot needs alone time to write, and when his friend, Patrick offers him the chance to go on a cruise, he jumps at the opportunity to use this for his needed private time.   We all know what happens with best laid plans.

When Alice arrives at her cabin on the cruise ship, she meets her unexpected roommate, Elliot. Both do everything they can to force the other one to leave, but with no other rooms were available. They have no choice but to share the room, and allow each to go their own way. It doesn’t take too long for that to totally change. Elliot is somewhat stuffy, but he is determined to write. Alice is not your typical young lady, who is coming off of a heartbroken experience; she is determined to have fun. Alice is not only is very pretty, she has a very bubbly, quirky, and outgoing personality. It is fun to watch her use her wiles on Elliot to draw him out, and shortly he cannot resist the woman who talks constantly, with witty comments that make him laugh.  

What follows is a fun, sweet, humorous romance that will have you laughing quite a few times. Elliot and Alice made a great couple, and we started rooting for them early on. There were complications, such as her ex trying to woo her back, a female passenger determined to get Elliot for herself; not to mention Elliot’s weird, but fun family always calling him to solve problems, and a mystery that was exciting nearer to the end.

Though I did enjoy the story, I did have somewhat mixed feelings. I thought some of the scenes in the story were a little far-fetched, even if humorous; a few times I found myself annoyed. But overall it was a fun story, nice couple, and an interesting family that will make me want to find out more. If you like a romance that is humorous, quirky, sexy, then this book is perfect for you.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

Katie’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of The Importance of Being Alice to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway runs from January 8 to 12, 2015