✰ ✰ ✰ 1/2

Meg Cabot was one of my go-to authors when I was younger and having the opportunity to read her adult romance novels had me positively giddy! No Judgements was the first to make the list after its hype last year. While it wasn’t the best romance novel of the past decade it was still delightfully fun to read! For those who want to be whisked away in a chick-lit haze, this is the book for you!

When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker. (Goodreads).

There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this book. First and foremost were the characters, well most of the characters, and their love of Little Bridge Island. You know when you watch one of those tv soaps that has a small beach town where everyone knows everyone (I’m looking at you Home and Away….)

Well that was the background for this book. It was cute, quaint and entirely filled with small-town drama. In other words: I wanted to move their immediately! If you’re a fan of well developed settings and character backstories then this is the book of your dreams. I could imagine Little Bridge vividly and was achingly sad that I couldn’t up and leave Down Under for it!

The main characters, Bree and Drew were fun to follow and for the most part their relationship developed with a swift but realistic pace (when considering imminent death was a strong possibility due to the hurricane approaching). People do all sorts of unusual things when they’re in danger. Okay, so it wasn’t actually that realistic but I’ll forgive the author for it because it was still highly entertaining.

What really let this book down though was Drew’s flatness as a character and the book’s sudden ending. I just couldn’t seem to connect much with him and overall this made a significant impact on my rating. If I was rating this book on Bree and Little Bridge alone? It would be an easy 4 stars. When considering the suddenness of the ending after all the build up? I was left slightly disappointed and wanting more. Such a cute book deserves more than a lacklustre and rushed HEA ending.

That said, I still really enjoyed this book and think others will too. It was a fun, flirty read that’s perfect for Meg Cabot and chick-lit fans!

Jen