Voilà une histoire bien mignonne, même pour quelqu'un qui n'est pas fan des comédies romantiques. Kensington est un personnage très attachant. ( )

Calling all Chick Lit and RomCom fans .. are you a hopeless sucker for true love romance stories and iconic romantic comedy movies? If so, then boy do I have a must read book for you!

In her debut novel, Love Like The Movies, author Victoria Van Tiem weaves a wonderful romantic comedy that will melt your heart.

Twenty-nine year old Kensington Shaw is a creative director at a prominent ad agency, who recently became engaged to Bradley Connors, but there is something missing. A romantic comedy fanatic at heart, she longs to have a passionate love just like in the movies. Kensington's world turns upside down when her ex-boyfriend Shane Bennett, the one who broke her heart years ago when he dumped her and returned home to Britain, suddenly shows up at her ad agency as a new client. Determined to win back her heart, Shane challenges Kensington to live out ten romantic comedy movie moments with him, and he'll sign with her agency. What's a girl to do when she has to choose between two guys: the guy her family loves or the one that provides a love like the movies?

Love Like The Movies is a delightful romantic comedy that gave me a warm fuzzy feeling, okay so I'm a unabashed romantic at heart, but seriously this was a sweet story filled with romance and humor that easily kept me following along as Kensington struggled with deciding which guy would win her heart. The twists and turns keeps the reader on their toes wondering who will Kensington choose until the very satisfying conclusion.

The best part of the book for me was reliving fond memories from the references of ten classic romantic comedy movies that made up a big part of my teens and early adulthood. Seriously, I was captivated by Kensington and Shane's re-enactment of these classic and timeless romantic comedies: Sleepless in Seattle, Pretty Woman, Bridget Jones's Diary, 27 Dresses, Dirty Dancing, Sixteen Candles, Love Actually, Say Anything, You've Got Mail, and My Best Friend's Wedding. I was swept away to my happy place by these movie references, they left me sighing with a silly grin on my face. Who wouldn't want to find love just like in the Hollywood movies?

If you're looking for a little escape into the wonderful world of romance and fun with a touch of humor, than Love Like The Movies is the perfect guilty pleasure, you can thank me later.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/03/love-like-movies-by-victoria-v... ( )

Kensington Shaw has everything a girl could want; a successful career, a close group of friends, a fiance that her parents approve of, and a sparkling engagement ring. But whenever an ex-boyfriend sends her a friend request on Facebook, Kensington's world begins to spin out of control. She's faced with accepting the life her family wants for her and the life she wants for herself.

I loved this book. With Valentine's Day nearing, I read this book, and it was the perfect fit. Usually, I am skeptical about books with a love triangle. Victoria does it flawlessly, and I identified with Kensington's struggle. I can picture this book being turned into a movie.

There are a quite a few characters, but I never felt confused on remembering who was who and how they fit into the story. Each character had their own voice and motivations. Kensington is a very fun character to read her internal monologue. And Victoria offers characters that are easy to dislike. You immediately sympathize with the protagonists struggles. The relationships that Kensington experiences are amazing. The romance in the book is not overdone and unbelievable.

I stayed up way too late with this book, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The plot flows so well that you just have to keep reading to figure out the next twist in the plot. Victoria's wit comes across at the perfect moments. I woke up my boyfriend and our cat several times laughing at this book. It's the perfect guilty pleasure read. I would suggest it to any fan of Sophie Kinsella and Jane Green.

One last note, I adored the inclusion of the timeless rom-coms. It was such a nice touch, and I felt like it tied the book together perfectly. I cannot wait to see more from Victoria Van Tiem.

**I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author and/or publisher! ( )