Perry Goodwood is a stylist for a talent agency and is quite good at his job. So the challenge of tracking down the estranged brother of a group of attractive young men to get him camera-ready and bring him back to London doesn't seem like it should be much of a problem. But after he learns he's going to have to go to rural Scotland, he's not quite so sure. Greg Ventura left his family and their life behind as soon as he could. He never truly fit in with them, and the fame and the limelight were things he never wanted. He's settled into his new life, and he's instantly resentful that they would send someone like Perry to try to get him to come back and participate in one of their schemes. Perry is convinced he can break through Greg's rough exterior and convince him to stop running from his past. Greg will hear Perry out, though he has no intention of agreeing, simply so he can send him back on his way. But humans are not simple creatures...not simple at all...

This was an interesting read. Very much on the light side of things with little real angst and some predictable elements to the plot. But I found it entertaining, and there were certainly some moments that made me smile as I read it. Worth a read. ( )

Absolutely adorable retelling of the Ugly Duckling story. This had the perfect balance of gentle comedy and romance. There are some lovely observations of modern behaviour and celebrity. But it's the relationship development and gruff Greg's growth that are perfectly done.
I got to the end and wasn't ready to let this story go. ( )

Absolutely adorable retelling of the Ugly Duckling story. This had the perfect balance of gentle comedy and romance. There are some lovely observations of modern behaviour and celebrity. But it's the relationship development and gruff Greg's growth that are perfectly done.
I got to the end and wasn't ready to let this story go. ( )

The tale of the ‘Ugly Duckling’ has fascinated me as long as I can remember. It combines the idea of a second chance (on a personal basis) with discovering who you really are a little later in life than your contemporaries – and both of those are wonderful tropes, at least in my opinion. In ‘Romancing the Ugly Duckling’, Clare London has taken the well-known children’s story of duck-to-swan-fame, added in elements of city mouse/country mouse, and braided those strands into a wonderfully entertaining, deeply touching, and very emotionally satisfying modern-day romance. Of course, as she usually does, she also adds a little personal twist to the plot – and that made this novel just that much more special to me. A big part of my enchantment came from the sense of humor Clare magically weaves into the telling throughout – I couldn’t help but laugh out loud more than once.

The story begins with, as it accurately states in the blurb, “ambitious fashionista” Perry receiving the assignment of his dreams – or so he thinks until he meets the object of his makeover-to-be: hermit-for life and one of five brothers, Greg. Perry may have expected a few issues, since he is told that Greg is in “hiding”, but the very metrosexual, city-raised guy really has no idea what an immense challenge he is facing. He thinks it will be a simple matter of a couple of new outfits, a haircut, a manicure, and some make-up to ensure Greg fits in and portrays the right image on the reality show his brothers desperately need him for to obtain a lucrative TV deal. Once Perry arrives on the island and meets Greg, however, the sheer insurmountability of the task quickly becomes obvious. I am convinced that, were Perry a lesser man, he would have turned around and run straight back to London at that point.

Greg really is one of a kind. Has his own ideas about what’s right and wrong, and I immediately liked him for that reason alone. But Greg has also suffered quite a bit, so his “seclusion” has a more serious undertone and, even though he certainly needs no one to speak for him, his history and what he has been through brought out my protective side. He enjoys his loneliness, has some rather not-so-fond memories of his brothers, and sees no reason whatsoever to travel to London. But Perry is like a force of nature and, as different as they are, Greg can’t help but be captivated by the whirlwind who so badly wants him to fulfill his potential on TV.

Perry and Greg would never have met under normal circumstances. And as difficult as some of the situations are that they get into, there is a basic attraction between them that is stronger than any of the obstacles Fate throws at them. It’s a close call more than once, but Clare managed to keep me thinking it might just work. So I kept reading, turning the pages as fast as I could because I wanted to know what revelation was “around the next corner” in their evolving relationship. Absolutely marvelous.

Greg’s four brothers with their joking around and fraternal infighting, Perry’s insufferable, meddling, egotistical boss, and several of the villagers who have accepted Greg as one of their own also deserve a special mention. All these characters brought the story to life and added not just color but some real depth to Perry and Greg’s adventures. The main settings of the story – London and a secluded island in the Scottish Highlands – could not have been more different, just like Perry and Greg - yet Clare managed to make both feel real and brought them to life to the point where they added a special flavor to the proceedings.

If you like stories about slick city guys falling for gruff country men, if you want to watch a personality transformation – or two - take place before your very eyes, and if you’re looking for a read that is as funny and entertaining as it is thought-provoking and touching, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. All I can say is “Bravo, Clare. Could I have some more stories like ‘Romancing the Ugly Duckling’ and ‘Romancing the Wrong Twin’, please?”


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )

The Ventura brothers - or at least the four who haven't shunned the spotlight - are angling for a reality television show to help keep the money flowing. The only problem is that the producers want ALL of the brothers on the show, including Greg, who has gone mostly recluse on an isolated island in Scotland. So they enlist Perry Goodwood (lol sorry, I'm childish as fuck, I can't help but laugh at his last name a little bit) to not only find their wayward brother, but make him over and convince him to appear on the television show. Perry sets out to do just that - but as he spends time with Greg and the people of North Uist, he begins to realize that maybe Greg is just fine as he is.

I can always count on Dreamspun Desires to satisfy the ever-difficult-to-please "I want to read a book that's sweet and fluffy, with maybe a little bit of angst, but not TOO much angst, and also just have a happy happy ending" itch. Haha. And this book definitely fits the bill. There's a little bit of angst (Greg thinks he's ugly as fuck because his brothers relentlessly bullied him for being "ugly" growing up, which is why he has practically nothing to do with them now; also, Perry had a bad relationship prior to meeting Greg), but it's not overwhelming (okay, okay, so I like overwhelming angst sometimes - but not ALL the time ;) ). Basically, this book is like eating cotton candy, except it's less fattening and more satisfying (and I don't have to worry about whether the sugar is vegan when it comes to a shmoopy book!).

I also didn't realize that this was the second book in the series; I read this as a stand alone and it worked out fine (I don't think the people in the first book in the series were even mentioned in this book? If they were, I didn't notice.). In fact, I'll probably be reading the first book in the series sometime this year, because I already own it and this book was a good read. ( )