Release Week Review: Audiobook Review of Curves for Days by Laura Moher
Curves for Days
Series: Big Love from Galway #1
Author: Laura Moher
Narrators:
Paul Bellantoni
Michelle Price
Published: August 22, 2023
Audiobook: 10 hours 23 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: August 11-16, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4.5 stars
Audiobook Description:
Rose Barnes has got curves for days—and to Angus Drummond, the big, bearded contractor working on her new house, she’s the perfect thorn in his side. Little does she know Angus is perturbed on a daily basis by his attraction to this cheery, smart-ass woman with her sunshiny enthusiasm, her kindness, and her beautiful body.
Angus feels he has a debt to pay to the world and doesn’t deserve love until he pays it. Best to keep his mind on his work and his hands to himself. But the more Rose sees of Angus’s gruff, honorable thoughtfulness, and the more rusty laughter she surprises from him, the more she wants him too.
As their unlikely friendship becomes love, antagonism turns to partnership, and Rose’s house becomes a home. But Rose is keeping a secret that could blow up everything with Angus, and sure enough, it comes to light at the worst possible time…
Jessica’s Review:
This was a book that is 1000% written for me! I adored it nearly completely and identified with the FMC (female main character) Rose. Rose is plus sized and this is just a feel-good book with a great deal of body positivity and women of all sizes need that!
Rose is extremely relatable (I think any woman who is of a larger size in any end will identify with her). She is also friendly and helpful, and some women will love that she has a mouth on her and will use any and all the expletives she feels she needs, intended or not! She has a quarter jar and puts a quarter in it every time an expletive is said. She would be a rich woman if that jar was full but…. This isn’t a spoiler as it is mentioned in the first few lines of the novel, Rose actually is rich due to a winning $80 million lottery ticket left to her!
Due to her circumstances Rose has trust issues and a past with a traumatic experience, she finds herself in Galway, North Carolina and decides to start over there. She meets Angus who is Mr. Grumpy who ends up working on her new-to-her house. We have the sweet and grumpy trope here! This book is a slow burn with some steam to it! And dang, it was steamy enough for me! It was probably a level 2 of 5 for the steamy scenes. I don’t think I would be much steam-wise for the serious romance reader, but we do have open bedroom scenes.
I really enjoyed the growth of the relationship between Angus and Rose. Even though he is grumpy he is also a Mr. Softy at heart. They both have issues that have to be worked out. Curves for Days is a bit deceptive with the cover as there are many serious issues brought up, and this would be the trigger warnings:
Body Shaming
Rape
Veterans’ issues including PTSD and suicide
The veteran’s issues that Angus deals with and his work with veteran’s is very important and going in I had no idea this was going to be a romance with serious issues throughout. These issues that veterans experience and are unable to get help are really brought to the forefront of this book. Our veterans’ really need so much more done for them than what is done now. Bravo to Moher for bringing attention to this.
The only thing I didn’t really like was the given ‘third act conflict where I was becoming less of an Angus fan. I am totally #TeamRose and adore her! By the end of the novel, I was very happy!
Both Paul Bellantoni and Michelle Price did a fantastic job with their narrations as Angus and Rose. They really brought both of those characters to life for me. And I really liked Bellantoni’s voice!
I really enjoyed this first in the series and look forward to the next book that comes… Next April! It seems so far away now, but will be here before I know it!
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me an alc (advanced listening copy) to listen to and review. I really enjoyed this one!