story craft

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: Paperback

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Reasons to love:

-Fake romance
-Small-town love story
-Famous guy meets girl next door
-Professional hockey player
-Spunky grandmother
-Fantastic characters
-Cute setting

Cautions:

This book contains mentions of violence and some family issues. Nothing is spelled out in detail, other than Dallas stepping in to protect Poppy from another hockey player who was way out of line. No punches were exchanged, though. We do hear that he used to fight often, and hearing about his upbringing was heartbreaking. There are a few kisses, but they weren’t described in too much detail; the tabloids suggested more was going on and there were insinuations that certain family members would’ve been okay if something had happened behind closed doors. Really, in every way, though, this was just a sweet book.

Main themes: Shame, regret, friendship, family issues, fame, authenticity

Main characters: Poppy Hart, Dallas Burke, Raya Hart, Eloise Hart, Gram (Sylvia Burke), Mick Hart, Tammy Hart, Margot Richards, Jericho & Monica, Kush & Lisa, Junior and Kari, Kemp, Miguel & Gabi

Favorite quote: “People don’t always let us become who we are. They try to keep us in the box of who we were.”

Review:

I have never had this problem before, friends: I struggled to get through the first few pages because I was laughing so hard tears were blurring the words. I adore Poppy and her internal commentary is by far one of my favorites I’ve read in the romance genre. It’s incredibly rare that I read a book that is strictly designated as “romance.” I usually like fantasy or suspense with a little romance thrown in. But this book, and Courtney Walsh’s writing, surprised me. My Phony Valentine was the perfect light-hearted, tender, sweet-swoony-moment-filled read to break up all the curses of fairytales and heart-pounding suspense.

The characters make this book—I would have followed them around from Loveland to anywhere they decided to go. Poppy, as I’ve said, quickly takes the reader’s heart in her very capable hands and doesn’t let it go even after the book is over. She’s snarky. She’s kind and compassionate. She’s funny. She’s the girl next door, and that girl can cook.

Poppy is the perfect balance to Dallas Burke, professional hockey’s supposed bad boy. But he’s really not, and it doesn’t take long for us to fall almost as in love with him as Poppy does. Almost. Where Poppy is shy and self-deprecating, Dallas encourages her to be bold, confident, and stand up for herself. Where Dallas wants to be tough and is tough on himself, Poppy helps him embrace his tender-hearted side and give himself grace.

Both characters battle shame and regret—and their growing feelings for each other. Of course, we know how these fake relationship stories end, and yet, I think this is the first one where our characters don’t just jump right into the relationship contract. They really think through how it will benefit the other, and when they do decide to go for it, they put terms in their contract that help both remain comfortable. They even acknowledge that this contract is probably a bad idea. But they do it anyway. Because . . . why not? And y’all, the contract itself is a treat. Seriously. I giggled through that too. Especially the last two items on the list.

Then, Courtney tugs on our heartstrings with Dallas’s relationship with Gram and Poppy’s relationship with her dad, Mick, who is hearing impaired. I mention this because one of my favorite moments in the whole book involves sign language. You’ll know it when you get there.

Courtney’s writing was funny and relatable and kept me engaged with the characters. With the first-person perspective, I really felt like I was living these moments with them. I could feel all the feels. I could imagine myself strolling together down the sidewalk of Loveland with my husband during the Festival of Hearts. I hope the other Hart sisters will each get their own stories, but either way, I know this won’t be the last Courtney Walsh book I pick up.

My take:

Love finds you—or hits you all over again—in unexpected ways. Sometimes it’s a chance meeting or revisiting a place where you fell a little more in love and falling in love all over again. Where love finds you, you have to choose how you will meet it—with skepticism and realism or with open eyes and an open heart.