Title: S’more to Lose
Author: Beth Merlin
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Ink Monster LLC
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Release Date: December 5, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Four years after her life-changing summer, Gigi Goldstein thinks saying goodbye to Camp Chinooka means saying hello to a brand new life. Now faced with a second chance at her career, she is filled with more hope than she’s felt in a long time. Her design house is taking the fashion world by storm, even attracting notice of Victoria Ellicott, the fashionable British socialite who just happens to be engaged to the future king of England. When Gigi is chosen to design the royal wedding dress in London, she is forced to confront her ex-fiancé, Perry Gillman, now a successful composer with a hit show on the West End.
But when Gigi learns Perry’s been dating Victoria’s sister, who rivals her in looks, style and sophistication, Gigi can’t help but feel inadequate in everything. Her world begins to crumble as she develops a creative block so debilitating, she fears that a wedding dress of royal proportions is never going to happen. Even a budding relationship with the handsome, wealthy, and rich Viscount of Satterley can’t make her forget about Perry and her inability to get over him. As the world gears up for the wedding of the century, Gigi is on the brink of buckling under the immense pressure of the uncertainties of her future and failures of her past.
Will she be able overcome her creative paralysis to design the dress of Victoria’s dreams, or will she break down now that she has even s’more to lose?
Review:
I’m so excited to be reviewing this book today! I loved it.
This one is even better than the first book. The characters are more developed and have a of history together. I’m also a little biased because I love everything British, so this story was perfect for me!
The beginning is unexpected since usually in the sequel to a romance, the main couple has gotten together. Though Gigi and Perry were together at the end of One S’more Summer, they have broken up now. I liked this unconventional way to begin a sequel.
I loved the way that the things that have happened in the last four years were told gradually. Everything, including Gigi and Perry’s breakup, was woven into conversations so it didn’t break up the narrative. This was a great way to fill us in on what’s happened in their lives without delaying the story.
I also liked the way things were like real life but slightly different. They talk about Top Designer a lot, which is just like Project Runway. Also Victoria and Prince Alexander are very much like Prince William and Kate. But there was some real pop culture in the story, because Gigi loves Downton Abbey. These little additions were so funny throughout the story.
I loved this story! I can’t wait to see where the story goes in the third book.
About the Author:
Beth Merlin has a BA from The George Washington University where she minored in Creative Writing and a JD from New York Law School. She’s a native New Yorker who loves anything Broadway, rom-coms, her daughter Hadley, and a good maxi dress. She was introduced to her husband through a friend she met at sleepaway camp and considers the eight summers she spent there to be some of the most formative of her life. One S’more Summer is Beth’s debut novel.
Author links:
https://twitter.com/bethmerlin80
http://www.bethmerlin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bethfmerlin/
Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
S’more to Lose Prize Pack
December 4th
–Smada’s Book Smack >> Guest post
–Booked J >> Review
–Two Ends of the Pen >> Interview
–Lisa Loves Literature >> Review
–Viviana MacKade >> Top 10 List
–Meghan’s Mindless Mutterings: Reviews & Giveaways >> Review
December 5th
–The Eeny Meanie Neen >> Review
–Mythical Books >> Guest post
–To Be Read >> Review
December 6th
–blogs and coffee >> Guest post
–ChickLit Club >> Interview
–The Phantom Paragrapher >> Review
–Rainy Days and Pajamas >> Excerpt
December 7th
–The Avid Reader >> Excerpt
–Jill Jemmett >> Review
–Brittany’s Book Blog >> Excerpt
–Just Books >> Top 10 List
December 8th
–A British Bookworm’s Blog >> Review
–Dreamland Teenage Fantasy >> Review
–Becky on Books >> Interview
–Fiona Reads and FoodSpots >> Review
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for letting me participate in this blog tour.
Jill's Book Blog 
Thanks for hosting today, Jill! Glad you liked it! 🙂
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I’m always on the fence about reading sequels because, you know, with movies it doesn’t quite turn out right. Your review of the second in this series, however, has me curious. Maybe I’ll check out this book soon!
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I agree. But this series really good. The romance is cute and it’s also funny too.
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