BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting
"Hunting puts her own sexy spin on the classic fairy-tale" - Booklist
Starry-Eyed Love, an all-new laugh out loud romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and all the feels from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is available now!
Charming, hilarious, and emotional, Starry-Eyed Love is Helena Hunting at her very best!
Having just broken up with her boyfriend, London Spark is not in the mood to be hit on. Especially not when she’s out celebrating her single status with her sisters. So when a very attractive man pays for their drinks and then slips her his number, she passes it right back to him with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. As the business administrator for their family’s event hotel, the Spark House, London has more important things to worry about, like bringing in new clientele.
As luck would have it, a multi-million-dollar company calls a few months later asking for a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and London is eager to prove to her sisters, and herself, that she can land this deal. Just when she thinks she has nailed her presentation, the company’s CEO, Jackson Holt, walks in and inserts himself into the meeting. Not only that, but he also happens to be the same guy she turned down at the bar a few months ago.
As they begin to spend more time together, their working relationship blossoms into something more. It isn’t until their professional entanglements are finally over, that London and Jackson are finally ready to take the next step in their relationship. But between Jackson’s secretive past and London’s struggle with her sisters, London must question where she really stands - not just with Jackson, but with the Spark House, too.
Caroline's Review 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was an easy, enjoyable read.
"A small smile forms as his gaze moves over my face. I feel it like a gentle caress and heat travels through my veins."
London Spark has just split from her boyfriend when a gorgeous stranger approaches her in a bar. Even though she struggles to take her eyes off him, she declines his invitation to go out on a date. Fast forward three months, the same gorgeous stranger turns out to be the CEO of the company that's offering the family business, Spark House, an opportunity of a lifetime. The buzz is still there between them, but now they're working together, which makes them off-limits to each other.
"That woman looks at you like you're the north star and you look at her like she's your favorite dessert."
This was a delightful read. I loved how Jackson Holt and London met again, and how taken he was with her. I enjoyed their banter and the directness between them. London could be bold, as well as anxious. She was a sweet mix of confidence and awkward uncertainty. Jackson was full of mixed messages, but he was adorable in his cluelessness. This was a slow-burn romance and even though they were very taken with each other, there were a couple of scenes between them where I felt a lack of chemistry between them - possibly due to a lack of spontaneity. For a successful businessman full of charisma, Jackson was quite a tentative guy, at times. He wasn't particularly alpha and I would have liked him to have taken charge a bit more in some situations. Other than that, this was a solid read from an author I always enjoy reading.
My stomach does a flip-flop as our server moves on to another table and the hot guy slides across the bench seat and rises. He’s tall, must be over six feet, and lean. Broad shoulders that taper down to a narrow waist. I glance at his feet and notice his scuffed running shoes.
He rolls his shoulders back and crosses over to our table. He nods to my sisters, but doesn’t really look at them, his eyes on me. Now that he’s right in front of me, I notice they’re a deep mossy-green color, reminding me of a Colorado forest. “Hi.” A slow smile forms as his gaze moves over my face.
I feel it like a gentle caress and heat travels through my veins. It’s an unexpected reaction, so my own “hi” comes out rather breathily. “Thank you for the drinks and the food. You really didn’t need to do that.”
His grin widens, showing off perfectly straight, white teeth. “Well, I wanted to make a good impression, and have an excuse to come over and talk to you.”
Harley squeezes my leg under the table. I don’t risk looking at her because I’m sure she’s smiling like a loon.
“You certainly did that. Make a good impression, I mean.” Why am I so awkward right now? And why does it feel like this man is sucking all the oxygen out of the room and turning my brain cells into mush?
That gets me another smile. “I wanted to apologize if it seemed like I was staring. I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable.”
I touch my fingers to my lips and resist the urge to play with my hair, but just barely. Why does this man make me feel like a starry-eyed high school girl? “You haven’t made me uncomfortable.”
“Good. That’s very good.” His tongue drags across his bottom lip. “I just needed to tell you that from across the room, you were beyond stunning, but up close.” He lets out a low whistle. “You are an absolute work of art.”
I fight with my eyebrows not to rise. This guy has all the lines. “Oh, really?” I lace my fingers together and set my chin on them. “The kind of art you might hang in your living room?”
“Bedroom, actually.”
I laugh. I can’t decide if this guy is too smooth for his own good. Or mine. I have to wonder how many times he’s dropped these lines on other women and they’ve ended up in his bed as a result.
“That sound is music to my ears,” he says, his white-toothed smile still in place. “I knew I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t come over here and at least say hello.” He slides a small piece of paper across the table, roughly the size of a business card. “I’m going to leave my number, and maybe if you’re interested, I can take you out for a drink, or dinner, or a hot air balloon ride.”
I can see exactly where this will go if I take that card from him. And while getting into bed with a random, attractive man might be fun, I know it’s not the right thing for me. Before I can really consider what I’m doing, or fully absorb the last part, I put a hand out to stop him. “I’m very flattered, but I have to be honest with you. I won’t call you. I have a boyfriend.” The lie tastes sour on my tongue. Although, had it been three days earlier, it would have been the truth.
Avery does some kind of cough-choke thing, and I kick her under the table and get Harley on the back swing.
His smile falters for a moment, but he doesn’t break eye contact. “That’s disappointing, but unsurprising. I didn’t see a ring, so I’d hoped maybe luck was on my side.” He tips his head to the side. “Is it serious?”
“Pardon me?”
“You and this boyfriend, are you two serious?”
This guy is unbelievable. “And if we are?”
“Hmm.” He withdraws his hand and slips the paper in his pocket. “I’d hate for karma to pass judgment on me and get in the way of our future together, so I’m just going to hope I run into you again when you’re single. Have a lovely night, ladies.” He nods to my sisters and gives me one final lingering glance before he winks. “Thank you for existing.”
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
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