How to use this Page

Title:  Real Men Don’t break Hearts Author: Coleen Kwan

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Real Men Don’t Break Hearts is a fun, quick read.  It’s about second chances and changing your outlook on life.  Both Ally and Nate learn to forgive and put the past where it belongs – in the past.  They finally take the lessons learned from a few challenging moments in their lives and start to look to the future.  Ally is especially chained to her past, having suffered a heartbreaking and humiliating breakup six years earlier.  Having been burned painfully by her fiancé, she turns her focus on saving her grandmother’s souvenir shop and decides that she’s not ready to trust again.  After being jilted at the alter, and worse, having hated Nate Hardy, her intended’s cousin, deliver the news, she’s not willing to put her heart at risk like that again.

Nate, a delinquent in his younger days, made it big in Sydney, but now he’s looking for something else.  All of his money and fancy toys don’t mean anything to him, and he’s searching for a new direction, and a new purpose, for his life.  He decides it’s time to face his past, as well as make up for some of the poor choices he made when he was younger.  Moving back to Burronga, the small town where he grew up, he reopens his deceased brother’s landscaping business.  Along the way, he is forced to realize that neither he, nor his older brother, were blameless for their poor reputations and the reluctance of some of those in town to welcome him back home.  Especially Ally Griffin.  He’s always thought of her as prissy, but as he gets to know her, he begins to think that he’s judged her unfairly.

I enjoyed how both Ally and Nate are made to reassess their opinions of each other as the story progressed.  Ally is having a hard time making ends meet at the shop, and she’s past due with her rent.  When she discovers that Nate is her new landlord, she’s terrified that he’ll kick her out, causing her to lose both her business and her home, the apartment above the shop.  She also hasn’t forgiven him for destroying her relationship with her ex. She has blamed him for years for being abandoned at the altar, and having to come to terms with her anger and resentment is hard for her.  She has blamed Nate for so much for so long that it’s hard to just let it go.  As she gets to know him better, though, she begins to realize that she misjudged him and that he’s not the cause of her relationship dissolving.

Nate’s attempts to make amends for his past mistakes makes an engaging backstory.  He’s matured and realizes what a turd he was when he was a teen.  He defaced public property, harassed the next door neighbor, and committed petty crimes.  He was on a ruinous path, and now he realizes how lucky he was to be able to put that behind him.  I liked the interactions between Nate and the neighbor and her crabby dog the best, and felt moved by Nate’s attempts to fix the relationship that he and his brother broke.

Real Men Don’t Break Hearts pushed all the right buttons for me.  Enemies to lovers, redemption, and discovering your path in life, one that makes you happy and enriches the person you are, are all themes I love to read about, and Coleen Kwan explores them with compassion and compelling prose. This is the first book I’ve read by her, but it won’t be the last.

Grade: B

Review copy provided by publisher

Kelley Vitollo is the author of Lucky Break, a new release from Entangled Publishing’s recently launched Bliss imprint.  Kelley dropped by the virtual offices to introduce herself, and she brought along a copy of Lucky Break for one of you to win!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Kelley Vitollo] Mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, reader, writer, romantic, sensitive, friendly, emotional, determined, likes fun. Feels very lucky.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Lucky Break?

[Kelley Vitollo] It’s a friend to lovers story about two best friends, who don’t talk for a few years, because Sidney left for Hollywood without saying goodbye. She thought she was following her dreams. Kade knew she was his dream and when Sidney comes home for a short visit, sparks fly, even though they both know it isn’t smart. It’s basically about two people finding their friendship again, falling in love, and discovering who they are and what they want in life.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Kelley Vitollo] The book started with Sidney. I had the first scene of the book in my head. I knew she was a down-on-her-luck actress who had to go home again. Kade grew from there. I wanted a friends to lovers story because my hubby and I were best friends before we fell in love. Once I had Sidney and Kade, the story just grew from there.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Sidney?

[Kelley Vitollo] Determined, confused, loving.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Kade would never have on the menu at Lucky’s?

[Kelley Vitollo] Oh! That is a hard one! Umm… nothing too frilly. Kade is a small town, simple guy, so none of that fancy stuff. Maybe nothing with Hollywood in the title since it’s what he almost lost Sidney to. LOL. Other than that, I think he would be pretty open

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Kade had a theme song, what would it be?

[Kelley Vitollo] Your Everything by Keith Urban

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Sidney’s most prized possession?

[Kelley Vitollo] Probably her antique sewing machine.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Kelley Vitollo] Oh, another good question. I’m a huge fan of Lucy Monroe and Toni Blake. They both write emotional books with men I can’t help but fall in love with.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Kelley Vitollo] I’m really simple when it comes to writing. I’m not one of those authors who has to have music or anything like that. I’m usually writing with Dora the Explorer going in the background, so as long as I have my laptop, I’m good. I do really love writing at the bookstore or coffee house though. I find it relaxing.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Kelley Vitollo] It’s actually a YA novel called, Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. For adults books I recently read Holly Lane by Toni Blake and really enjoyed it. I’m also a huge JR Ward fan.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Kelley Vitollo] Wow. That’s hard. Honestly, I would probably have to say Harry Potter. As a teen, even though I loved writing, I didn’t read much. Harry Potter started my reading again. Then, when I became a stay-a-home mom for the first time, I found romance and immediately fell in love. The first one I picked up was A Soft Place to Fall by Barbara Bretton.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Kelley Vitollo] I’m a huge reader. I have to read every day. I love spending time with my kids and husband. Going to the bookstore, dinner or movies with a friend. I like to scrapbook, though I don’t do it as much as I’d like to.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Kelley Vitollo] I’m on Twitter @KelleyVitollo, at my website http://www.kelleyvitollo.com/ or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kelley-Vitollo/377170388965628

Thank you so much for having me!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Thanks to Kelley and Entangled Publishing, I have  a digital copy of Lucky Break for one of you to win! Just fill in the widget below to enter. Extra entries for following. Open Internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Didn’t win? You can order Lucky Break from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below

Candace Havens is the author of Take It Like A Vamp, a new release under Entangled Publishing’s Covet line.  Candace stopped by the virtual offices for a chat, and she brought along a present! One of you can win a digital copy of Take It Like A Vamp!  Find out how after the interview.

[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Candace Havens] I’m awesome and freaky busy. That’s how my assistant describes me.

[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about Take it Like a Vamp?

[Candace Havens] Nick and Casey are neighbors in a hi-rise condo development that he owns. They’re best friends, who are secretly in love/hots with each other. That friendship develops into something more. There are supernatural councils, nasty witches and a lot of other fun stuff involved that make things tough on the couple. It’s light, fun and I hope it makes you laugh out loud.

[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Candace Havens] My publisher mentioned she needed a vampire book. I told her I don’t write vampires. She said she’d love a friends to lovers story and pow! The whole story was in my head and I started telling her about it. I wrote it in four days.

[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Casey?

[Candace Havens]  Loyal, friendly and curvy.

[Manga Maniac Café] What are three things Nick would never have in his bedroom?

[Candace Havens] Evil witches, bad wine and anyone who wasn’t Casey.

[Manga Maniac Café] If Nick had a theme song, what would it be?

[Candace Havens] In Love With A Girl, by Gavin Degraw

[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Candace Havens] Hmmm. That’s tough. I think books in general and other authors. From Nancy Drew when I was a kid, to Jodi Thomas, one of my early mentors. I’ve been really lucky that way.

[Manga Maniac Café] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Candace Havens] Big bottle of water. Tunes. And my dogs, Harley and Gizmo. I know that’s four, but the dogs are kind of a pair even though one is a Great Dane and the other is a Japanese Chin/Maltese.

[Manga Maniac Café] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Candace Havens] Gosh, I’ve been really lucky with my picks. I guess the last one is Seducing Cinderella by Gina Maxwell. Love her hero in that one.

[Manga Maniac Café] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Candace Havens] Nancy Drew.

[Manga Maniac Café] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Candace Havens]  I covet sleep, but it never happens. I’m always writing. I do write about TV and Film, so that’s fun. Some day, I’d like to take a vacation to Paris where I don’t have to worry about anything except where I want to eat, shop or go next.

[Manga Maniac Café]  How can readers connect with you?

[Candace Havens] I am everywhere. (smile) My website is www.candacehavens.com I’m @candacehavens on Twitte