The Grumpy Side of Paradise

Love in Paradise Valley #1

by Brittany Larsen

Paradise is supposed to be a short-term stop. Until Thor shows up. Okay, not the real Thor. But replace the hammer with a dog who won’t stop barking, and Adam Thomsen is definitely long-haired Thor’s doppelganger. Too bad for me, he’s decided I’m the villain in his story. Too bad for him, his scowl is no match for my super-powered positivity. It’s a good thing, too, because we have to work together rehabbing a home in Paradise Valley—an assignment that, if I get right, will launch my career in a big way. So I just have to play nice with my grouchy contractor. Even if he never smiles. And wishes I wasn’t here. And disagrees with me about practically everything, including the whole reason I’m in Paradise in the first place. I’m convinced Adam is the last man on earth I should fall for. The obstacle keeping me from all my dreams. But then I hear him sing. And he finds me antlers. (Long story.) And suddenly, somehow, he’s everything I’ve ever wanted even if we do still disagree. Unfortunately, there’s more on the line than just my job. Friendships, family relationships, and a town full of history are all at risk. I want to believe I can have it all, but this is paradise, and my name is EVE. Odds are, I’m headed for banishment. And this time, Adam isn’t coming with me. The first book in the Love in Paradise Valley series, The Grumpy Side of Paradise is a closed door, sweet romantic comedy with kisses and banter hot enough to sizzle without any spice.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Clean Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2023

About the author

Brittany Larsen is the author of fourteen full-length and three novella-length sweet romantic comedies, plus a couple more historical romance novellas set in the Old West. Brittany’s stories range across time and place, but they’re always about one thing: connection. They’re guaranteed to make you laugh and maybe even tear up a little.

Born and raised in Idaho, Brittany has spent the past twenty years (maybe more) living the California dream… If that dream includes wearing sweatpants all day and gorging herself on red Australian licorice–Australia’s second-best export (Chris Hemsworth being the obvious first). When not writing, she teaches hot yoga, walks her dog, and takes naps. Her sweater-sporting, mini Aussi-doodle, Bo, is her favorite writing companion. But her favorite people are her husband and three daughters.

Reviews

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a small town, grumpy/sunshine romcom then look no further because The Grumpy Side of Paradise is a must read! I adored this book and devoured it in nearly one sitting. And even though there are some heavy moments in the novel I found it to be everything I enjoy in a romcom. Fleshed out characters, amazing secondary characters and friends, a well thought out back story that relates to the characters attitudes and outlook, and a precious small town that I could picture myself living in. I’m also a big fan of anything that deals with home renovations (unless I’m doing them myself) so this one was perfect for me.

This is the first book I’ve had the pleasure of reading from Brittany Larsen, and I’m excited to read more in the near future! I’ve already added a few of her previous releases to my tbr!

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Sarah Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adam was a true grump with a soft heart. My weakness in a romance! Living with a lingering heartbreak, which also left a complicated relationship with his twin brother, I enjoyed his backstory. It was really heartfelt.

I did find it slow paced at times, but overall this was a cute small town, grumpy + sunshine romance. Evie is temporarily in Paradise, Idaho to help a friend with a renovation project. Adam being the owner of a construction company, a talented chef, AND a musician, there were all sorts of sweet encounters between them.

I enjoyed the balance between Adam and Evie, both helping each other through some internal conflicts and anger. And the Thomsen brothers (along with sister Britta) were such a fun crew! Looking forward to seeing more of Bear especially!

(heat level: kissing only)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Emily Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Grumpy Side of Paradise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Author: Brittany Larsen
GR: 4.28

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from Brittany Larsen, so grateful to be part of her ARC team, and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This was such a delightful read. It was funny, swoony, and just perfect for a small town setting. Eve is headed to Paradise to rehab a house with her best friend to launch her career due to some recent setbacks. Short term assignment. She does not have time to fall in love and it will offset her plan for her future. Enter Adam, very grumpy, suffering from his own personal loss. They have to work together to make this project work since he is the ‘only’ construction company in town. Will they be able to work together to rehab the house? While rehabbing the house, do they fall in love? You will have to read to see!!

This is the first book in a new series, Love in Paradise Valley. This follows a few tropes, my personal favorites: enemies to friends to lovers, grumpy v. sunshine, and small town. The story is narrated in a dual narration by both Eve and Adam (I just love the names for the town). Eve is fiercely independent, strong, compassionate, and very positive. Adam is standoffish, grumpy, while still compassionate and kind. The characters were well fleshed out with witty banter, chemistry, engaging, and wonderful supporting characters. The detail to the backstories and creating the tone of the book was so well done that I felt like I was there in Paradise. The author’s writing style was complex, creative, swoony, humorous, and just brilliant.

I know this series will be fantastic and cannot wait for the second installment in the series with Georgina and Zach’s story (scheduled release 1/1/24). Paradise Valley is so picturesque and I loved escaping to this small town while reading Eve and Adam’s story. I really connected with the characters and loved the flow/pace of the story. I highly recommend picking up this book and trying some of Larsen’s backstories. (Creekville Kisses Too series was also wonderful). Go pick up today. Available on KU!
🏷
.
.
#whatimreading #booklover #bookworm #bookpic #bookstagram #fiction #booksoninstagram #reviewer #bookfriends #bookrecs #goodreads #bookishgirl #2023bookgoals #bookpost #Book-Reviews #romance #romcom #paradise #smalltown #indieauthor #grumpyvssunshine #enemiestolovers #thegrumpysideofparadise #brittanylarsen

[Brit’s Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a book by Brittany and I absolutely loved it! I’ve never highlighted a book so much! I couldn’t stop laughing either 😂. I loved the tension and instant attraction Adam felt towards Evie but didn’t want to act on it at first. All of the interactions with his family were so fun and I’m excited to see them more in this series. Rosie is the cutest and I loved how Evie bonded with her. If I write any more it’ll just be spoilers 😂. Trust me, this is a wonderful book and you’ll enjoy the read. I can’t wait to read the next one!

[Hayley Gallant · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

**"My dad isn't totally wrong about the uselessness of staying mad, but I don't think I believe anymore that anger doesn't fix anything. Maybe sometimes it helps fix things if we're willing to let it go once we've let it out. There's no use letting it out on a leash, only to be pulled back in and used over and over."

Such a sweet read!

This was a small town, grumpy x sunshine, closed door, sweet romance with no spice. It has adorable and relatable characters and flows so well! I absolutely love that this Thomsen family just owns so much of this town and how the whole community works together to keep the town running during the off-season.

It had a great representation of how trauma can mentally and physically affect someone and had supportive characters that really shine a light on how important communication is.

Great read, and I highly suggest it if it sounds like something you would be interested in!

I look forward to reading the next one in the series 🤗

""I think, Adam Thomsen," she says finally. "That you've got a pretty big heart under that grump exterior."
Out of habit, I scowl. I'm not good at taking a compliment.
"Does Mr. Grouchy not want anyone to know he's a nice guy?" she says in that voice people use for babies and puppies. I hate that voice.
"You ready to help me or not?" I hop down from the foundation to the ground.
"He's just a big softie, isn't he?" Evie keeps up with the voice.
"So what if I am? Is that so bad? I growl. I'm tempted to let her jump down by herself. Instead, I reach up and help her down, holding her hand longer than I need to. I don't know why. Maybe I miss the way a woman's hand feels in mine. Evie shakes her head, her eyes locked on mine.
"No. There's nothing bad about it at all." Her voice is normal now, if a little soft. I let go of her hand, but my eyes had trouble leaving hers. She looks at me like she can see who I really am. Maybe who I really want to be."

[Nicky W. (Bookstacks_and_Coffeecups) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This was a sweet enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine romance with a lot of depth. I was surprised because I did expect it to be more romantic comedy then it was as it was quite serious but it was very enjoyable nonetheless and made me excited for the next book.

Things I loved: The fictional town of Paradise is exactly the small town vibes I love in a book (and in real life)
- Hot Twins
-All the food descriptions made me so hungry
-I love the premise of a good home Reno story
- The layup for Zach and Georgia’s story


Things that I wasn’t as crazy about (my personal opinion you may love these things!)

-felt like it took a while to get started
-a lot of miscommunication (valid reason is given for this but it’s just not something I enjoy)
-I love grumpy MMC but Adam was actually kind of mean for a while and more miserable all the time.
-Actual shouting/fighting between Adam and his Brother Zach (if I had been Evie that whole scene would have been a huge red flag for me iykyk)

Overall I did enjoy this book. It was my first by the author and I’m looking forward to the next one in the series. Thank you to author Brittany Larsen for the advance read copy and the chance to leave an honest review.

[Kim Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book! Give me all the enemies to lovers tropes!!

I loved Evie and her sunshiny, positive personality! I even loved Adam, despite his grumpy exterior, he was such a good guy! It was fun to have him have an identical twin that caused some confusion for Evie at first! The whole Thomsen family was awesome—I loved how they all worked together and helped each other out with their ailing mom and their family businesses. And Paradise seemed like such a perfectly picturesque little town!

Can’t wait to read about Zach and Georgia!!

[Tabassum Irin (whatirinreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨The Grumpy Side of Paradise✨ Name another grumpy-sunshine book with a cuter title. I'll wait.

Read if you want a perfect blend of When In Rome by Sarah Adams + Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score 🫶

This is the first book that I've read by Brittany Larsen and it won't definitely be the last! (especially because this book is the first in a series yaay! 🥳) Many thanks to the author for the review copy!

Adam and Evie were so adorable together! The grumpy-sunshine dynamic worked so perfectly for them. 🩷 And the banter was so on point! It was hilarious, quirky and the perfect addition to this small town romance. Both of the characters had their own past struggles and trauma to deal with, and I appreciated how the author incorporated those topics into the plotline.
AND ADAM IS A ROMANCE READER. AND HE KNOWS - ✨THE TROPES✨

The support characters OH. MY. GOSH. Adam's family and siblings were the best! It was adorable to see how they were rooting for Adam and Evie to be together. :') 🥺 The renovation and TV show plot were really fascinating to read about as well. The book also have the cutest little dog. Can we ask for anything more?!

My only complaint from the book was the slow pacing at around the 40-50 percent mark. Other than that, The Grumpy Side of Paradise was absolutely delightful! 💜

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Evie is given an opportunity to refurbish an old house, she jumps at the chance to quit her job in New York and head to Paradise, Idaho.
Adam is still hurting from having his bride leave him on his wedding day. He tries to cover his pain by keeping busy with work.
Evie is quite surprised by the beauty of Paradise and how handsome a set of twins are.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

I want to thank the author, Brittany Larsen, for an early copy of The Grumpy Side of Paradise.

The Grumpy Side of Paradise is a grumpy/sunshine romance; the main characters are Adam and Evie. The story goes back and forth between his point of view and her point of view. Usually, I don’t like multiple points of view, but theirs fit this story nicely. I am new to romance, so the Grumpy/Sunshine trope was interesting. I loved how Evie is Ms. Sunshine and helped Adam out of his Mr. Grumpy shell. I hope to read more about them in future books.
Brittany Larsen wrote a great storyline, and I enjoyed the characters.

I definitely recommend this book!

[Lisa Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet romance is filled with charm and heartwarming moments. Adam is recovering from his recent abandonment at the altar and Evie is the breath of fresh air he didn't know he needed. Evie is getting the occupational break she needs and is the sunshine to Adam's storm clouds. Together they create something beautiful and fall in love along the way. I enjoyed meeting all the characters in this novel and I'm so glad there are more stories coming. I can't wait to read Adam's twin Zach and Georgia's love story. Did I mention the twins look like the Hemsworth brothers??

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

i kinda had expectations that were not met....it felt soooo slow in so many ways i didn't found any of the characters charming or fun but it was overall cute i guess

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Eliza Heim]

Lots of making out in this one, if that’s your vibe! Headline synopsis: woman rediscovers her faith (?) while learning to (a) get angry and (b) build houses.

[Sara Kauffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

[Salomé · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes. this had everything a grumpy x sunshine small town romance should have. and the guy can sing without it being the cringiest scene you’ve ever read? marvellous, sign me up.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie's best friend Georgia, a fellow interior designer, has just been offered her own show on HGTV and needs an assistant. She'd like it to be Evie, but the network has someone else in mind. Before they make a final hiring decision, Georgia convinces her new bosses to let her and Evie do a small project to show how well they work together: restoring the house she inherited in the small town of Paradise, Idaho, near the Utah border. It's a risk for Evie because it means quitting her boring but safe job in New York, but the payoff would be worth it; if they're successful, not only will she land the job as Georgia's assistant, they'll also have the funds they need to rehab the rest of the property Georgia inherited, the Little Copenhagen Resort.

Meanwhile, Georgia's childhood friend Adam recently moved back to Paradise after several years in New York City, where he trained as a chef. He's taken over his mother's restaurant, the Garden of Eatin', but since they don't make enough of a profit for him to support himself, he's also decided to start his own construction company. When Georgia hires Adam's company to do the renovations, he and Evie quickly find themselves at odds, though the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore. Could Evie's sunshine be what grumpy Adam needs to chase his clouds away?

I loved this story so much! Adam and Evie were endearing protagonists, the conflict between them was real and relatable, and I couldn't help liking and rooting for both of them despite their opposing viewpoints. Adam's grumpiness was understandable given everything he was dealing with, but he was a good guy at heart. I especially loved that he secretly read romance novels to learn how to do better in relationships. As for Evie, I related with her tendency to hold back from expressing her true feelings because she was the person who was supposed to make everyone else happy. Like Evie, I had to learn not to keep my feelings bottled up, and I really appreciated the book's message in this regard.

I highly recommend "The Grumpy Side of Paradise" for all sweet/closed-door contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Abby Huffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Danish culture throughout the book-with the lifestyle of Hygge and with the food (Ebelskiver are amazing). The puns are as fabulous as you can imagine with the characters being named Adam & Evie, while living in a town called Paradise. Adam is a wonderful grump burned by love and Evie is a ray of sunshine. I love how they fall for each other and how Evie gets even the grumpiest of townspeople to like her. I loved Adam’s family and hope we get more stories about them. Really enjoyed this book!

[Jaycee Weaver]

loved them both!

Such a great rom-com, packed with lighthearted and more serious moments. I love grumpy/sunshine, especially when there’s far more going on under the surface to shape WHY one is grumpy and the other sunny. Ms. Larsen did a great job handling the romance and conflict without resorting to unnecessary drama or frustration to ramp up tension. Can’t wait to read Georgia and Zach’s book!

[Evie!! ౨ৎ˚₊ · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I can think of lots of things, but the thing I want to do most is hold you for as long as you’re in Paradise. I don’t want to waste a minute being mad about things that don’t matter. You’re what matters. More than this town, more than its history, more than a bunch of old houses.”


MAIN CHARACTERS' NAME
Evelyn "Evie" Barton | Adam Thomsen


FEATURES
• Opposite Attract
• Grumpy / Sunshine
• Small town
• Forced Proximity
• Found family
• Enemies to lovers
• Strangers to lovers
• Slow burn


REVIEW
I had high expectation, and based on the reviews I thought I'd love it. Maybe I DID like it, but not love it.

Maybe I'm a BIT annoyed that half of Adam's POV is him comparing Evie to his ex, Dakota. I mean I get it man what she did to you is very fucked up. She left you on the day you both are getting married after having a talk with your twin brother and now you're holding grudge. And fine I guess those time he thinks about Dakota is because she's the only woman he ever loved. I guess men's first love theory is real.

His twin is the opposite of him, and they both had arguments and Dakota left Adam because of him apparently. But that's not what I'm going to talk about, obviously.

Evie is the sunshine, but it's not really giving sunshine to me. I feel like just some stupid banters and flirts but that's it. She's just the type that 'oh im hiding my pain behind my happiness' type girl, which I'm annoyed with.

Man the slow burn is BURNING. which take me off guard. Why? Because half of the chapters aren't needed if they just COMMUNICATE. I hate those miscommunication, I guess in this book it's pretty necessary. Though the third act was absolutely stupid.

Not only I'm ranting about Evie, I'm going to talk about our corny grumpy Adam too. Man, I get it! You hate changes in Paradise and all, but you don't own Paradise! The amount of time I just want to smack the life out of this guy every time he talks about how he hates that all of them is changing Paradise like ugh! We lives for changes man! I get it, you loves the memories and all but you can't expect Paradise to just stay the same with only a thousand of people staying there!

And don't get me started on the enemies. They aren't practically hating on each other anyways! They were mean to each other for like a week! And the timeline in this book is very slow that when I was reading their romance story I was finally happy that they're making progress only to find out it only has been THREE WEEKS.

The moment Adam started opening his mind about letting Evie in made me scream like man stop thinking about your damn first love who left you!
The more time I spend with her, the less I want that to happen. She fits here. Not just in my arms—I could show her how to use a nail gun every day of my life and not get tired of it—but in the whole town. The entire valley, even. Usually, I like things to stay the same, but she’s a change I’d like to be permanent.

Thank god Adam accept the changes and all. Okay but Evie saying he chose Paradise over her really went deep inside me. Because if he chose to not change Paradise, Evie will left. Just like how Dakota chose New York over him, which is a crazy parallel. We're lucky he realises that and immediately regretting his decision for ever thinking to choose Paradise over Evie!

When they both were arguing about that, Dakota came back, I screamt 'GET OUT WOMAN YOU ARENT NEEDED HERE' and I'm so so so gladdd that Adam didn't even think to take her back and instead focus about fixing his problem with Evie. But of course that gentleman of his asked Dakota to sleep in his bed while he takes the couch because he can't let her drive in the middle of the night. And they KISSED the next morning at the driveway and called it 'goodbye kiss' because Adam doesn't want Dakota back, and Evie SAW them. God, Evie you have the patience because if I were you and saw my man kissing his 'ex for decade since they were fifteens' kissing for the last time, I'd leave bruh. It was a small peck but a kiss is A KISS.

Glad that they made up through. Love how Adam is actually a softie inside. My man reads Romance on his Kindle sometimes and doesn't buy paperbacks because he doesn't want anyone to knows it HAHA.

I guess I'm a bit sad to know that deep down, Dakota will always be in Adam's heart as his first love, but that's it. She may be his FIRST love, but Evie is his first LOVE.

I loveee how in bonus chapter that he proposed, he called Evie HIS Paradise.
“Did you think I wouldn’t come back to Paradise?” I ask and press my lips to his cheek. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“I know.” His chest expands with a breath, and he pulls back to look in my eyes. “But wherever you are, that’s where I want to be. That’s my paradise.


OW / OM DRAMA no
CHEATING no
THIRD-ACT BREAKUP Third act but wouldn't call it breakup, just arguments
ENDING HEA──dislike the Epilogue though I didn't really enjoy it.


POV dual / first person POV
SPICE LEVEL 0.6 / 5
RATING 1.5 / 5

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader’s Notes:

– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

– this is told from Evie & Adam’s points of view

– a kiss included a bit of wandering hands under the guy’s shirt

– Adam’s mom has dementia (we don’t actually meet her, just hear her family talk about her)

– it is mentioned that a character lost their spouse & child due to driving drunk (previous event) & is still haunted by it & tends to work buzzed from alcohol

Review:

I loved Evie, Adam, Rosie, and the whole cast of this new series! I can’t wait to see what happens with Zach & Evie’s best friend 👀. I loved how both Evie and Adam had their reasons for wanting to stay away from their feelings for each other and how they would both forget those reasons from time to time. I loved Adam’s family and how they tried to encourage Adam in pursuing Evie (even though some of them did so by purposely trying to make him jealous). I loved that Adam wasn’t afraid to show his sadness and hurt despite looking like a manly man and that he was able to make Evie feel safe to break her happy routine in order to feel her own feelings that she’d kept hidden. Some of my favorite scenes/moments included: Adam’s family members, Adam & Evie seeing each other everywhere (especially when they were avoiding each other), deer shed hunting, their date, the Adam & Eve jokes, and the times they spent together with Rosie.

Summary:

Evie is thinking about finding another job when her best friend practically drops a dream job in her lap – helping her friend update and design homes for a tv show. The only stipulations are: that Evie needs to prove her worth for the job by working on a home with a limited budget for a less than stellar pay and she can’t tell anyone that she might be on the show until the final contracts are signed. Despite the risk, Evie is excited to get to work. But her best friend failed to mention the growly, grumpy man doing most of the physical work involved in the process and his dislike for change to his small town.

Adam’s been harboring a lot of deep hurts after he got left at the altar by the woman he loved. It’s left him less than amicable to certain people, but especially the newcomer in town after he feels something he thought he lost when his wife to be never showed up. Adam can’t understand her constant cheeriness nor the feelings she stirs up inside him, though he is quick to squash anything he is feeling. He knows that Evie isn’t likely to stay in Paradise past the completion of her renovation and his home town is something that he’s not willing to let go of. But despite this, Adam finds himself falling for the one woman he should avoid at all costs. Though when it comes to living in a small town, that’s easier said than done, especially with both of them working on the renovation and having to talk in order to know what they need to do next…

[Alicia (aliciasbooksanctuary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OVERALL STAR RATING: 5/5
CLEAN RATING: 5/5

Hellooooooo Paradise, Idaho! A sweet little town with a Scandinavian vibe. At the heart of it all is the Thompsen family who pretty much own and run every establishment around.

In this story we follow Evie who resides in NYC. She receives a call from her bestie and famous interior designer friend, Georgia, who offers her a “ticket to Paradise”! Georgia is very close to landing a deal with HGTV, but they’ve asked for her to renovate a home in Paradise before a final decision is made. Georgia enlists Evie to be her project sidekick. If green lighted by HGTV, Georgia and Evie can start working on renovations of the entire Little Copenhagen Resort.

Upon arrival in town, Evie meets Adam Thompsen. Easy on the eyes, but very grumpy and VERY reluctant for changes to be made to his beloved Paradise. The fact of the matter is the town is struggling to keep enough business and a little facelift might just be what it needs to survive. Adam hates the idea of bringing in more tourists. What he doesn’t hate is Evie’s piercing blue eyes and positive personality. Behind every grump lies a lot of hurt and a lot of heart. It always takes a special someone to crack their outer shell, and Evie might just be the person to help Adam get out of his grump slump since being left at the altar nearly six months prior.

Did I mention that Adam is a chef AND does construction? He also has a twin brother! 😉 The family dynamic in this book was incredible and felt so authentic. Adam may have been left at the altar, but Evie was ditched by someone in her life as well. The complicated relationship between Evie and her father is a twist that you typically don’t read about in RomComs. There was such a raw and realness to her pain and the “church hurt” that her situation caused. This book was a great combination of funny, sweet and serious.

You’re going to love reading The Grumpy Side of Paradise. And then, you’re really going to crave ebelskivers. LOL I immediately ordered books two and three in paperback and can’t wait to continue reading in this series. There has been an announcement about book four coming soon as well!

For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram at: aliciasbooksanctuary

[Carmela Agatha Enriquez (agathafeelingg.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @brittanylarsen.books for an early copy of The Grumpy Side of Paradise. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

The Grumpy Side of Paradise is a grumpy/sunshine romance about Evie and Adam. Georgia, Evie’s best friend, tells her about a fantastic opportunity for building projects in Paradise, Idaho. To start, they would need to rehab Georgia’s family home that she inherited, but Georgia didn’t mention that Adam will be helping her with the project. Adam is against all new developments in Paradise, even if it helps keep their family’s businesses open with the anticipated influx of tourists once the developments have been finished. He’s grumpy towards Evie during her first few weeks in Paradise, but the more they spend time together with the house rehab, he softens up to Evie; their attraction is undeniable.

Grumpy/Sunshine romantic tropes aren’t exactly my favorite trope, but I do love when the grumpy main character lightens and softens up as the sunshine main character breaks down the grump’s walls. With The Grumpy Side of Paradise, we see Adam – an ultimate jack-of-all-trades guy who’s a chef, owns a construction company, is a musician, and is just an all-around guy – he just recently had his heart broken by the woman he loved most of his life and he’s against the building projects despite the possibility of more income for the town, which is why he was very dismissive of Evie initially. While Evie also has some struggles with her own life, particularly with her family, she remains positive on the outside, hiding her real pain behind the smile. I loved how they are able to learn about forgiveness and moving forward as they got to spend some time together and get to know each other. Despite the short timeline of the story, their attraction felt gradual. While we got to see Adam’s ex return and both have some closure, I would have loved to see Evie have some closure too with her family, especially her father.

This was a fun read and I would definitely recommend checking this one out for some light and fun reading. The supporting characters were a delight as well and I can’t wait to read the upcoming books in this series! Rating this ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. Releases February 15th, 2023!

[clean.reads.corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Paradise!!!

"Big city girl looking to make my small town all sparkly and new is definitely not my type. I know that trope-I've read it a thousand times in my hidden romance novels. It may be my favorite. And I know how it's supposed to end. Girl falls for flannel-wearing boy, gives up big city life, and they both live happily ever after. I call bull."

Read if you like:
* Grumpy/Sunshine
* Small Town
* Dual POV
* Witty Banter/Flirting
* Great Chemistry
* 1st in a New Series (but can be read as a stand alone)

Evie is presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to help her friend Georgia launch a new HGTV type renovation show where they hope to update the small town of Paradise, Idaho and reinvigorate it's economy and tourist trade. As an audition she is sent to Paradise to help restore Georgia's family home. To her surprise, the man hired to assist with the construction side of the project is Adam, a grumpy Chris Hemsworth look-alike who is unaware of the proposed TV project (he thinks they are just fixing up the one home) and is completely against any changes to his beloved Paradise.

Evie radiates pure sunshine and happiness while Adam is all prickles and grumpiness. I love the hidden depth to both of these characters and how Brittany has given them similar past hurts and emotional baggage and yet they developed completely opposite emotional responses to these hurts which are reflected in their personalities. There is no quick fix and no grumpiness for the sake of grumpiness. These characters have been given fully developed character arcs.

Favorites:
* Adam & Evie puns/word play
* The Garden of Eatin'
* Hygge
* Deer shed hunting
* Rosie (and the matching sweaters)
* Adam's Family
* All the quirky side characters
* Adam's singing/guitar playing
* Evie's determination
* The secret stash of romance novels

This is the first book in a new series from Brittany Larsen and I can't wait for more. I love the small town vibe of Paradise and can't wait to return for Georgia and Zach's story!

*I received an ARC of this book from the author, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Grumpy Side of Paradise
Author: Brittany Larsen
Hero/Heroine: Adam & Evie
Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine, Small Town,

TW/CW: Mention of religion, religious references, dysfunctional familial relationships, dementia,

THE GOOD 😀

I think it’s safe to say that I’m on a small town romance kick at the moment. I’ve read so many great ones recently and this one was no exception.

Evie is living in New York and living from pay cheque to pay cheque. When she meets up with her oldest friend, Georgie, she’s made an offer that she really can’t refuse. Asked to help renovate a house in the town of Paradise, Evie sees this as a perfect opportunity to further her career as an interior designer. It’s in Paradise where she meets Adam, ultimate grump and owner of the worlds noisiest dog.

When I say that Adam was the ultimate grump, I’m not even exaggerating. This bloke doesn’t even trust his own siblings, however when you learn of his backstory, you sort of understand why. Didn’t stop me loving his character though. The complete contrast between his and Evie’s character made for some great entertainment, and I loved seeing Evie slowly win him over with her positive, sunny attitude. Even though she was seen as a happy person who never let anything get her down, Evie had an interesting backstory, and I loved seeing her character arc develop throughout the story.

As well as Adam and Evie, I loved all the other characters that were introduced throughout the story, such as Adam’s huge family. Even though Adam had his issues with his brother Zach, you could still see that they were so close knit and relied on each other. Also, the fact that Adam dressed his dog in jumpers, not sure why but I swooned pretty hard at this.

A wonderful, heartwarming romance with great characters, all set in a pretty idyllic sounding small town. It’s a yes from me.

THE BAD ☹️

Not a thing.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this to read. This is my honest review.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Two of my favourite tropes done incredibly well, loved it
STEAM LEVEL: 🔥
STAR RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Manee Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance level: kissing 🔥; innuendo.

This book is amazing! 100% recommend!

Let's start with Adam & his grumpy self. He was super talented😍 It took me a few minutes to get the whole thing, but it was so well played! The names, the plot, everything... it was so clever!

I love their nicknames & the puns😂. Rosie's escape had me laughing so hard 😂. I loved the faith element (not the main aspect). Sometimes we attribute to God the errors of men & that leads us to lose faith. But God never stops loving & seeking us🥺.

The banter & chemistry were everything! The antler shed hunt was a blast! It was so incredible to see the plot developing. Adam was so cute🥺 he had a long way of healing, but he was so willing to try that my heart melted. Also, Evie didn't know how much she would need her own Paradise's experience. I loved seeing them grow & heal in their own way.

This man🔥 the tension he created just hand holding🔥. That first kiss🔥😭 it was so perfect.... as well as all the others that followed 😍.

It was funny because they miscommunicated while communicating 😅. You totally understand their hesitation. I loved their dynamic. To slow down, take time & talk about it when they're ready.

I love how Brittany portrayed Adam's healing process. It was slow, he had ups & downs, hut he was slowly getting there 🦥. I loved seeing him enjoy, little by little, the main essence of Evie.

The Thomsen's are the best💜Seb & Bear are my MVPs😂 they were so funny! Zack & Georgia were the best too!

"She’s invited me in, and I’m going to give her all the space she needs to feel safe." 🥺 Can you read that again? He was just so pure & the softest grump.

I love the epilogue! I'm so excited for the two lovebirds coming next! 🏠You HAVE to read this book!

Favorite scenes:
🦌Antler shed
🍔 Food
☕The hot chocolate
🚧 Construction scenes🔥
❄️THE snow
🏔️Road trip

⚠️TW: abandonment; a few curses; dementia; drinking & car accident while drunk(not MC).

🚧

* I was kindly gifted an ARC from the author. This doesn't influence in any form my review/opinion of the book*

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this first in a new series, following fledgling interior designer Evie as she embarks on a project to renovate the home of her best friend Georgia's grandmother, which she recently inherited. Georgia is an internet famous designer with a pending contract with HGTV, and wants Evie to come on board as her sidekick as she returns to her home town of Paradise, Idaho. The small town survives on tourism in the Summer, but can barely keep businesses open during the off season. The renovation project, if it goes well, would be parlayed into a television series featuring the eventual renovation of the town's defunct Little Copenhagen resort. When Evie is sent ahead to work on Grandma Rose's house, she meets gruff Adam, the contractor/grocery boy/chef/jack of all trades in town, who is vehemently opposed to all development in Paradise. The Adam and Eve jokes write themselves, and naturally his restaurant is called the Garden of Eatin'. Adam was also left at the altar just a few months prior, so is reluctant to open his heart to the perpetually sunny Evie. Seeing Adam's interactions with other townsfolk, Evie realizes that he is really caring and sensitive, despite his prickly demeanor. There was some conflict and miscommunication towards the end of the story when Adam realizes the true scope of Evie's project in Paradise, but not enough to turn into the classic miscommunication trope that frustrates me. There are also some religious/Christian themes to the story, but nothing preachy, more just background information on family members and side characters, so I didn't feel uncomfortable. The epilogue was really cute and set up the second in series, featuring Georgia and Adam's twin brother, Zach, which I'm excited to read next. The title says it all, so this is a perfect read for someone who loves grumpy/sunshine and home renovation themes with a colorful cast of small town characters.

💕 Thank you so much to Brittany Larsen for sending me a copy of The GrumpySide of Paradise to review!

[Readwithtaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie heads to the small town of Paradise to help her best friend renovate her grandmother’s house for potentially securing a bigger TV deal. Adam isn’t a fan, not one bit. In complete opposition to all this outside development this could bring into his beloved hometown. He’s the jack of all trades which makes him the only one there to assist Evie in her little project. Can they manage to work together without killing each other?!

Are you kidding? I ATE THIS UPPP!!

A small town, hilarious banter, and grumpy/sunshine. Oh you were expecting more. That’s what I only needed to say. Trust me on this one. Your heart will be stolen. This is the end of my selling pitch.

Writing style was on point. Not at any point of time, did I feel bored or skimmed across. Brittany has a very gripping smooth way of storytelling that just captures the reader’s attention, not wanting to let go.

Evie and Adam, the complete opposites. Nevertheless, they balanced each other well. Their blossoming story was heartwarming. The romance progressed gradually, slowly, & organically and it was extremely endearing and an absolute joy to read and witness. And let me tell you about the banter. Oh my heart. It was witty. Playful. Hilarious. It will keep you wanting more and more. The Adam, Evie, Paradise pun … well played 😂

They both had their own heartaches and pain to process, work through, & overcome. They didn’t shed away from talking through, being there for one another, healing, and learning to forgive to move forward.

A solid array of supporting characters that I can just sit here and pray that I will get to read their stories. The most surprising one was the dog. So adorable.

This was my first read for Brittany and for sure will not be my last. The minute I sniffed that there is a story brooding between Zach and Georgia and since then, I have not been the same. When??

Many thanks to Brittany for the ARC.

[Katrinalee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie gets a gig renovating an old house in Paradise Valley, a quaint community in southern Idaho. If she does well enough to impress the network, this project will get her a spot on her best friend’s new HGTV show, where they will renovate and develop an old resort in the same town.

Adam has been in a very bad mood ever since his fiancé left him waiting at the altar when his twin brother and his best friend convinced her she didn’t really want to marry Adam and settle in Paradise.

Everywhere she goes, Evie runs into the grumpy Adam, who is just as unhappy with her plans to bring change to Paradise Valley as he is with those who messed up his life. Unfortunately, Adam owns the only construction company in town, so Adam and Evie must work together. Did I mention he looks like Thor?

I love a fun romance that isn’t entirely light. While this story is full of sharp wit, sweet teasing, laugh-out-loud banter, heady kissing scenes, delightful side characters, and perfectly paced chemistry, it also meaningfully explores the idea of forgiveness. Both are learning how to let go of past hurt, so they can live their happily ever after. The only thing this book lacks is inclusion of Britta’s ebelskiver recipe, but that’s ok. I’ve got my mom’s.

A fun moment for me in this story is when Adam and Evie drive to a nearby city to get supplies. They go to lunch at an Indian restaurant in a gas station – Tandoori Oven. This is a real restaurant, and I’ve eaten there! It really has a reputation for being the best place anywhere for good Indian food.

I picked this book to fill a spot on my @closeddoorromance Bingo card – a book with a blue cover. I’m so glad it happens to be the first book in a connected series, Love in Paradise Valley, which can be read in any order, but I think it’s more fun to start at the beginning. I will definitely continue reading this series. I like spending time in Paradise.

[Londi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The spice level was too much for me, despite this being a closed-door "clean" romance. It was more like "cracked door," and not so clean. I ended up skipping several pages. The spice was NOT necessary to the story, and the story lost points because of it. I didn't like the small number of random curse words either; it took away from the impact the story was trying to make.
The story was Hallmark-like, which I find a bit hypocritical since the author made a note to include the character's dislike of Hallmark movies. I would have preferred the Hallmark level of no-spice over this. The spice took away from the story and I wish I had DNFd it. By the end of the book, the author's focus was only on spice and not anything else remotely important. Gross. Ain't nobody need that! I ended up skipping the entire last chapter and reading the epilogue. I'm going to pretend that the epilogue was the last chapter.

There was also a HUGE lack of character growth. I think Hallmark movies have more character growth than this. Just when you thought you would see some amazing growth from the MFC, the subject got changed, and the growth died. There was more character growth from the MMC, but honestly, their "growth" was just raging hormones and the lack of ability to think clearly. I wanted REAL growth and it fell so flat so hard, it was almost a pancake when I was expecting a full-on double-layered cake.

In other words, I won't be reading the next book. If its "spice level" is anything like this was, it's too much and completely unnecessary.

Two stars because there was actually *some* story to this hormonally raged "romance", but honestly, it should have one star with how flat it felt.