| Title | : | What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? (Belles of St. Clair #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1640636862 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781640636866 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 349 |
| Publication | : | First published November 12, 2018 |
But instead of discovering her spiritual Nirvana, she’s neck-deep in a floundering business, the locals treat her like a plague victim, and her mom’s suddenly decided to visit––with no end in sight––and keeps coming home with one surprise after the next.
Added to that pot of crazy, the one guy who sets her pulse racing has sworn off women forever. He’s got a Samsonite filled with baggage, but damn he looks good hauling it down the street. And giving her those sexy half-smiles. And tempting her to take him for a test ride.
Soon Paige discovers that reinventing herself takes more than just a change of address and a pithy quote on Instagram. She needs to face the truth about her life, and that’s something she can’t do alone.
What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? (Belles of St. Clair #1) Reviews
-
Oh, this book had everything.
A charming small town with a touching yet sensible BS policy (It does not mean bullshit, trust me), beautifully flawed characters and liberal tidbits of wisdom, thanks to our Dr.Penny Grove (I still vote for Just say NO!).
Witty, poignant, entertaining and will make you yearn for that sense of belongingness. Starting over has never been more fun! -
Paige had her life planned out, or so she thought, until it all fell apart. Paige's way of coping? Self-help books, and the tenth made sense, the advice to start over seeming like what she needed to do. So, she leaves New York and moves to small town St. Clair and takes over a bookstore. All rational moves, right? Unfortunately, her fresh start isn't going so well. The business isn't exactly a gold mine, the locals act as if she's contagious, and her mom visits with no check out date in sight.
The one bright spot, sort of? There's a guy that intrigues her, makes her heart beat faster, and she's curious to see where it leads, except he's on a self-imposed exile where women are concerned, the baggage from his past a heavy burden. The fact he looks sexy as heck while denying their attraction, the sexy smiles he sends her way at odds with that denial, and is it any wonder she wants to get to know him better?
But the part Paige missed in those books? It's called SELF-help for a reason. She needs to work on herself, to see what she wants to change and why and then take the steps necessary to do so. And if she had someone to help her along the way...?
Luke is done with all women, the only female allowed in his life is his daughter from now on. His focus is now only on her, his business, and the songs he writes. And then he meets Paige and finds his conviction isn't as set in stone as he believed. Or maybe it's just that she's the only one who could break it.
Will Luke and Paige help each other heal? Or will their time together prove as temporary as a band-aid, something you deal with quickly to lessen the pain? Is a HEA possible?
One-click now and follow along as two people, both hurt by people they'd let in, must learn to move forward, to let go of their pasts and see if they have a future.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.** -
What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? (Belles of St. Clair Book 1) by Amanda Ashby
https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aXA
Publication Date: November 12, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars
I truly enjoyed this light contemporary romance. Not only were Paige and Luke relatable and likeable, the townspeople were a fun and eclectic group of people that pulled me into their world. I want to live in St. Clair. The story had no earthshattering events or hot and sexy scenes, it was just a feel-good romance that left me smiling. I look forward to revisiting with Belle number two.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle $2.99
https://amzn.to/2SNBFgC -
Not connecting with this one.
-
3.5 More Than Starting Over Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
When women want to get that man out of their hair... the one who led them on and was a big fat was a cheater, they usually do something big... like cut their hair, redo their style or stop eating meat...
When Paige Taylor has that happen to her, she decides to do something more...something bigger. She leaves NYC and the publishing company she worked with, moves across the continent to the small town of St. Clair, Oregon and thinks buying a bookstore will be just the answer. Of course, none of her friends think she will last and it is just a phase.
But no, Paige tells them she is here to stay and will be devoting herself to the shop, making new friends and having no relationships with men. She is done with all of that.
Luke Carmichael is feeling exactly the same way. He is someone who is crazy about his daughter, is a builder for a living, has the talent to stum out a song or two and is committed to being done with women. They sound perfect for each other.
This is a story which has all the elements to make you laugh, pause and think and just feel good. It is part of the new Entangled imprint August which is focused on romances for those older than 30. Well done.
A gifted copy was provided by Entangled LLC/ August Imprint Via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
-
3.5 stars!
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It gave me Gilmore Girls vibes, mainly because of the small town where everyone knows everyone and one of the main characters is named Luke and reminds me of the character with the same name from GG.
While it was not an original concept for a romance novel, it was really cute. I definitely recommend if you love small town/Hallmark-y romances!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! -
Fun, tender and utterly captivating, Amanda Ashby's What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? is guaranteed to give you all the feels!
-
I loves this book! Such sweet characters, a town that rivals Stars Hollow in its delightfulness, and as well as being sweet and romantic, it’s funny too!
-
#HappyPubDay to this gorgeous book! What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is about Paige Taylor, a book publisher from New York City. After discovering that her fiancé is cheating on her, Paige leaves her big city life behind and buys a bookstore in the small town of St. Clair, Oregon, population 2100 (now 2101). Despite the fact that her business is barely breaking even and the locals all treat her like a plague victim, Paige slowly starts finding her feet, with the help of Dr Penny Groves, her favourite self help book author, her new friends Sam and Laney, who own the cafe and florist next door, and hunky, all round good guy Luke Carmichael. Luke is a builder (read: muscly), is a devoted (single) dad, can play the guitar AND sings Taylor Swift (*swoon*). With baggage of his own, Luke has sworn off women, which is good seeing as Paige has sworn off men. But Paige learns that recreating your life is not something that you can do alone, and Luke - and St. Clair - may be just what she needed.
•
I completely adored this book 😍 The characters are lovable, the dialogue is laugh-out-loud hilarious, the story is well paced and Ashby’s writing sparkles on the page. Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls, Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes, this is a witty, adorable story about cake, books and following your heart 💞
•
On a side note, this looks like the first of a series, and I’m really hoping the next books are about Sam and Laney! I’ve always said that if I quit my day job it will be to open a bookstore/florist/cafe because I love books/flowers/coffee so can’t wait to read more about the Belles of St Clair 😊 I also think this would make a super cute movie! I’m thinking maybe the Hemsworth brothers as Jacob and Luke Carmichael??
•
Thank you to @netgalley and @entangled_publishing for this free advance copy in return for a fair and honest review -
I loved it! It's such an adorable story with amazing characters and a small town setting. Paige's life is a mess. She is a people pleaser and needs to learn how to say 'no.' After a bad break-up, she really needs to start over. So she buys a bookshop in a small town and moves away. Everyone thinks that it is just a phase and she will get tired of small-town life soon enough. She doesn't agree. She likes it here. Finally, she has a few things in her life going well. She likes most of the people she meets but it seems that there are those who don't like her. Perhaps because she is an outsider. That's why is determined to fit in and be accepted by everyone around her. Liking Luke is a complication she really doesn't need right now.
Luke has his daughter to think about. He hasn't dated since his wife left them both because she got bored of their town. What if Paige does the same? Gets tired and moves back to her big city? No matter how much he tries to reason with himself though he still feels attracted to her. She is an amazing woman and maybe she will turn out to be different than other people. The only way to find out is to give themselves a chance... at happiness...
It's a really well-written story. It has its funny moments, romantic moments, and some very emotional ones too. I think it is definitely a must read for contemporary romance fans. You really don't want to miss Paige and Luke's story. -
The first in the “Belles of St. Clair” series is an utterly charming small-town romance. I thought that the set-up was a little slow, but once Paige opened the bookstore and started meeting the townspeople, it really took off. The town, like any small town, is filled with quirky characters; my favorites were Smith and Marlon (they reminded me of an old Carol Burnett sketch with Harvey Korman and Tim Conway). In fact, I wish there had been a little more of them. The romance between Luke and Paige is sweet and natural. It was an enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series. These are characters I would not mind visiting again! Thank you to Entangled Publishing (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read a complimentary digital ARC of this book.
-
⇾ 3 stars ⇽
I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley in exchange of honest review. 'What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor?' by Amanda Ashby is a fun and light contemporary reading with a mix of romance and self-finding/helping journey. I think a lot of people can relate to Paige's character, where we want to just take off, leave everything behind and start over. It shows us that every decision has its own risk, even when it looks all sunshine and butterflies at the first glance. A well-paced story and also an enjoyable one! -
This book is set in Oregon. There are lots of Australian words and slang throughout which left me slightly confused at first. But then I found out the author is Australian. I then just pretended the book wasn’t set in Oregon.
Cute plot with the self-help book everyone loves. The town is a little Gilmore Girls-y.
Appreciated these were older characters! -
Fun romantic comedy
On the advice of a bestselling, self-help guru’s book, thirty-something Paige Taylor decides to make a man-free, fresh start far, far away after her well-ordered life in Manhattan is shattered by the trauma of a cheating, longtime boyfriend. However, in the midst of drowning in anger and sadness at her ex’s betrayal, she is not thinking too clearly. As a result, it seems like a good idea to her to plow all her savings, sight unseen, and without any kind of standard property inspection, into a bookstore in St. Clair, a quaint, beachside, tourist destination on the West Coast. Her out-of-character impetuosity lands her in a heap of trouble when she discovers to her dismay that the bookstore is in shambles, and the locals are so unfriendly, she might as well be back in big, bad NYC. Worst of all, her mother has suddenly decided to become another millstone around poor Paige’s neck by moving in with her on what appears to be a permanent basis.
Luke Carmichael, a thirty-something St. Clair local, has also been burned by love and is committed to a woman-free existence. His self-sufficient existence consists of running his successful construction business, raising his young daughter as a single parent, and pursuing his hobby of writing and singing songs.
Unfortunately for their well laid plans of romantic indifference, when Luke and Paige meet, irresistible attraction blows apart their mutual vow to stay safely solo.
This entertaining romantic comedy offers lovably quirky, small-town characters alongside the attractive and sympathetic protagonists, Paige and Luke. Their amusingly rocky road to romance is a pleasure to experience, and the beachside setting in which the story action takes place is a unique and lovely backdrop.
Overall, this book is an excellent addition to the a new Entangled imprint which spotlights romantic protagonists in their thirties.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Setting: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Chick Lit Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars -
What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is a light, fun, feel-good, romantic novel.
Paige Taylor is a self-help guru who has written many books on the topic until, while writing her 10th book, she decides to make radical changes to her life. A few of those changes include moving from New York to a tiny beach side town called St. Clair, Oregon. St. Clair is reminiscent of the town and characters in the show Gilmore Girls (which I love). As Paige faces her demons, will she regret her move to St. Clair? I recommend you read What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor to find out. You’ll love this light, fun read.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
After her carefully ordered world imploded, Paige Taylor cracks up. On her tenth self-help book, it seemed like a good idea at the time to reinvent herself—move from Manhattan to the tiny beachside town of St. Clair—and take over the local bookstore.
But instead of discovering her spiritual Nirvana, she’s neck-deep in a floundering business, the locals treat her like a plague victim, and her mom’s suddenly decided to visit—with no end in sight—and keeps coming home with one surprise after the next.
Added to that pot of crazy, the one guy who sets her pulse racing has sworn off women forever. He’s got a Samsonite filled with baggage, but damn he looks good hauling it down the street. And giving her those sexy half-smiles. And tempting her to take him for a test ride.
Soon Paige discovers that reinventing herself takes more than just a change of address and a pithy quote on Instagram. She needs to face the truth about her life, and that’s something she can’t do alone. -
I love Paige and her determination to change her life.. This book was such a great story of new beginnings.
-
This is an absolutely delightful book. It’s funny, poignant, sad and finally happy! Light happy read.
-
A quick and fun read of a boiler plate book. It's the same plot we've read time and time again--beautiful young woman gets cheated on by her rat fiancé, she runs away (usually to the opposite coast) and opens a book store. (Or bakery or some sort of crafting store.)
Gloriously handsome but broken hero comes into the picture. He gets a more interesting life--he can be a billionaire, a cowboy, pilot, writer, construction company owner (you get the idea) and his trouble is usually that he was once a soldier wounded in battle, a cop who accidentally shot a kid, or an animal trainer. In this case, he's a hunky single dad who has walled up his feelings when his wife left him.
He instantly falls in love with Paige but unwittingly toys with her feelings while he castigates himself for daring to love again.
Oh, woe. Still, like I said, a fun and quick read that burned through a boring, rainy Sunday. -
What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is a slow burn sweet romance.
Meet Paige Taylor, she's a 36 year old woman and she's about to start over. Her friends call her crazy, but she's had enough of her cheating ex and now it's a new life, new town, new business and new everything.
Only nothing is lioke expected. The bookstore she bought unseen is a mess, the town that is now her home isn't very welcoming and her business is failing big time.
And there's the hottie. Luke Carmichael, single dad and contractor, head of neighborhood watch is torn about the towns newest resident. He really, really doesn't want to like her, but Paige is a force to recon with.
I started reading because I liked the cover, but surprise, What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? turned out a great read with a fantastic story, extremely well written and captivated me from page one. I read the book in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. And I know this won't be the last book I'll be reading from this author. The characters and I, we simply clicked from the beginning. I recommend the book and give 5 stars. -
What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is a fabulously fun and entertaining read.
This is the book that will make you laugh, will make you cry and yearn for new beginning as you root for Paige to finally have it all.
After a horrible break up, Paige decides to buy a bookstore in a tiny coastal town and leave Manhattan.
But her new beginning starts off a bit shaky as she tries to make new friendships, save her business and keep her mother in check.
And she has found a perfect guy, but unfortunately he has sworn off women. Regardless, she still goes on fighting the life of her dreams.
Steady paced, funny and with beautiful setting and lovable characters. A feel good book through and through.
Especially hilarious is Paige's inner dialogue and how everything that can go wrong basically does. However many romantic moments compensate for the disasters.
Light and entertaining this is the perfect choice for fans of romance books.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for ARC. All opinions are my own. -
Sounds like heaven to me, relocating and opening a bookstore. But it wasn’t an easy choice for Paige.
Paige has always been a “yes” girl, a pushover and pretty easy going. But after a disastrous relationship, she’s on a journey of self discovery, instead of “yes”, it’s going to be a “no” from Paige. And going to a small town to run a bookshop seems like an ideal solution, Paige intends to reinvent herself, and concentrate on her happiness and wellbeing.
Reading the book, was a lot of fun, so many mishaps and accidents. The internal dialogue she had with herself had me smiling at odd moments.
Her relationship with her mother was a nice touch (that parent who means well, but has no clue) the hostility that the town has for Paige at the beginning (a newcomer is always looked upon with suspicion) the bookshop that Paige pinned her new life on (not that easy to run when it’s not doing to good) and then we have Luke, the banter and chemistry was fun to read.
So will Paige find happiness in St. Clair ? And if not, can I buy her bookstore? 😉
🦋 -
I loved this book!
Paige Taylor needs a change in her life. Inspired by her favorite self-help book Just Say No, she moves from New York City to a small town in Oregon and takes over the local bookstore. There she meets Luke and his daughter Kira who become big parts of her new life.
Amanda Ashby has created a sweet small town filled with quirky and fun characters who care about and look out for each other. The story, of course, follows Paige and Luke's journey, but we get some glimpses into the lives of those around them. There are also a couple characters, Laney and Sam, who are Paige's fellow shop owners that I can't wait to read more about!
I have read some of the author's books before and her writing just keeps getting better and better!
I think you will be charmed by Paige and her journey to happily ever after.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review. -
This is a truly entertaining fun read. Paige is a fantastic character and going on her journey for a fresh start in life was a wild crazy ride. She has a bookstore that is about to go under since the townspeople seem to want nothing to do with her. Adding to her craptastic life, her mother shows up unannounced and is showing no signs of leaving any time soon. Then there is Luke. The only one in town really talking to her. Well growling really. He seems to have more baggage than she does but the chemistry between them is sizzling. Could he be worth the trouble?
I really enjoyed the writing style of this author. She really did a masterful job of helping us understand these characters and enjoying their story. I definitely recommend this book. -
I gave this Book a rating of 5 ✩’s
Title: What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor?
Series: Belles of St. Clair Book 1
Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance, Small town Romance
Author: Amanda Ashby
Format: Kindle Edition
Published on: November 12, 2018
I voluntarily received a Courtesy Copy of this book from AuthorsPal and am choosing to leave a review.
>-< >-< >-< >-< >-<>-< >-< >-< >-< >-< >-< >-< >-<
What I liked/Didn’t Like: This was definitely a feels good warm fuzzies romance. The authors writing made it easy to read while keeping you laughing. I loved the characters in this one and they meshed well together. Overall a darn good read -
*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
This was a cute book, a fun little distraction. The writing was okay, which is how I've found the writing in most books of this type. Lots of clichés. Lots of overused figures of speech. Cheesy at times. It felt very much like the writing of someone who was nowhere near the age of the protagonist and didn't even try to get into the age of a 36-year-old woman (I know this because I am a 36-year-old woman). I could tell the author was not from Oregon (or even the United States), where this book takes place, because of certain words she used ("bonnet" for the hood of a car, "notes" for paper money, "torch" for flashlight, etc.). Don't get me wrong--it wasn't awful (I've read awful). But it wasn't great, and I think the book would have benefited from better writing.
Paige and Luke were pretty good together. Of course they both had bagged they had to sort through, but that was no surprise. His family was great, though I felt like his daughter, Kira, was at times characterized far younger than her 14 years. She whimpered with trembling lips and practically broke down in tears when Paige couldn't arrange for an author to visit the store, for example. Although the town of St. Clair was a little too perfect, I did appreciate that the stereotypical mean girl didn't end up being a complete stereotype. I also liked the transformation of Paige's relationship with her mother and the understanding they gained of each other.
How it ends:
Note: Some swearing. Several instances of off-page sex. Cheesy. -
I really liked this story; the characters as they were when we first meet them, and how they all are at the end of this book.
Paige decides to start over, so she quits her job, buys a bookstore sight unseen, and move across the country. With her is her latest self help book, Just Say No.
The bookstore is a mess. A chaotic mess. Two of her store owner neighbors welcome her with wine and their own copies of Just Say No. Yet they also fill her in on how the previous owner let the maintenance slide. Paige hadn't counted on having to spend more money, since there isn't much for her to spend after using her savings and getting a mortgage to buy the bookstore..
But another town woman isn't pleased to meet her since she had planned on buying the bookstore and wasn't pleased when Paige outbid her.
Paige tries to make a go of it, trying to fix things with the help of YouTube videos. Unfortunately, she's kind of a klutz.
But Paige is determined to do whatever it takes to stick with her bookstore and show the town she means to be a permanent resident. Her persistence, plus the fact she's a really nice person, pays off and she slowly gains customers. Then she hires a young teen part-time. The father of the teen becomes more of a part of Paige's life, as well as his family.
Paige's mother one day shows up and moves in. She comes and goes, but eventually Paige's mother opens up about why Paige's father was so cold and impersonal toward her.
Rather than giving away more of the story, some quite funny, why not read it for yourself? It's a great book.
I really enjoyed Paige's journey, as well as all the other characters I met -
What an enjoyable book! I can't wait to read more of the "Belles of St. Claire" books and see where the stories go!
After Paige's life implodes, she decides to chuck everything to move from Manhattan to small town Oregon, giving up a life as a publicist for an editor to become the owner of her own little bookstore. Her (mental and emotional) guide is the self-help guru, Dr. Penny Groves, author of Paige's favorite self-help book "Just Say No." I love how she "talks" and "listens" to Dr. Groves, like she's right there giving her advice and pep talks in person.
Paige has a lot to learn about herself and small town living but she jumps right in with both feet, making a place for herself among her new neighbors and making her own little "family" of the Belles of St. Claire owners, something that she felt like she'd always been missing. Sometimes she's an accident waiting to happen, which I found very endearing, and keep her away from ladders, but she's always eager to fit in and make a new life for herself. I admired the way she pushed herself out of her comfort zone, something that isn't normally easy to do.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, which I was more than happy to do since I will definitely read more of this author's work. I loved your book Amanda, thank you for writing it! -
Humor and romance—what could be better?
Paige Taylor runs from her disastrous relationship in New York all the way to a small coastal town in Oregon where she’s bought a bookstore. With her luck, is it any wonder the store is not as advertised when she bought it? She had no way of knowing that the previous owner sold a book or didn’t depending on whether she liked you or thought the book wasn’t too risqué (like romances). None of the books on the shelves were in logical order and some books were stacked behind the shelves. Go figure. Add to all that, she got off on the wrong foot with the local carpenter and advocate of historical preservation when she literally kicked one of her high heels at him. The one thing that’s gone right is meeting Penny, said carpenter’s daughter and the one person who can unravel the mystery that is her shop. What could go wrong? Her mother could come from Boston unannounced and decide to stay with her. Of yeah, and the author of the self-help book, Just Say No, follows Paige around in her imagination, offering all sorts of advice.
I found this book to be charming and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters as well as the plot, and highly recommend it! -
Okay, I'll admit it. I picked this one up because of the cover. But I stayed because of well drawn characters and an engaging and entertaining relationship. It is very much a "lights out" romance, and the occasionally broadly drawn characters and plot points land it squarely in Romantic Comedy land. It is sweet, heartfelt, and has some beautiful messages about finding your own agency and learning to trust and open yourself to human connection. Plus, the heroine has an obsession with a Self-Help book (not that I can identify with that in the least...........)
I am definitely looking forward to spending more time in St. Clair and reading the rest of the series!
