Review: Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London

Definitely, Maybe in Love

Author: Ophelia London
Purchase: Amazon | B&N
Goodreads

Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment. Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published. Spring swears she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.

“Whatever it takes,” however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.

Henry is Spring's only hope at publication, but he's also the über-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring’s polar opposite. Too bad she can't help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically. As they work on her thesis, Spring finds there's more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters…but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in? Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride.

*a copy was provided through NetGalley for review purposes*

I finished reading this last night as I was sitting in the chair rocking my baby boy. He hasn't been feeling well and I was awake and dying to finish the story to see what happens to Spring and Henry. My final thought? I NEED MORE HENRY EDWARD KNIGHTLY... the third.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a love story about two people who are polar opposites with one big thing in common: they are both very opinionated. Spring Honeycutt is an environmentalist and she looks the part. Her style is very low maintenance. She's afraid that if she looks too materialistic no one will take her seriously about her major and she's very defensive about both. Henry Knightly is rich, privileged and studying to be a lawyer, and he just so happens to be the only person on campus who can help Spring with her thesis. The only thing standing in Springs way is the fact that she can't stand the guy. He pushes her buttons in a way that no one else can and gets completely under her skin. Yet she's still incredibly attracted to him.

Thus begins a romance where both parties run hot and cold constantly, always misunderstanding situations and words that are said. Springs past has left her vulnerable, naive and guarded in a way that makes her insecure so that when Henry seems cold, she flips out and instantly gets on the defensive. Their communication skills were great in all areas except for where it concerned their relationship and the people closest to them. They were always misinterpreting the others actions, causing a lot of heartbreak that could have been avoided if only they had just been open with each other. This should have been a huge turn off, but all of this was mixed with really amazing moments between the two where they truly get to know each other, mostly through debating and egging each other on. Henry more so than Spring because she was always getting fired up about the issues she cared about with such simple statements from Henry. I enjoyed those scenes the most, along with the romantic scenes.

I had forgotten about the whole "modern take on Pride and Prejudice" thing until a reread the premise when I put it on this post, and that was when it hit me that it is incredibly like Pride and Prejudice. It's been a while since I've read the book by Jane Austen, but I remember enough to see the parallels between the two. The first time Spring and Henry meet, he is utterly uninterested and Spring overhears him talking to his friend (who just so happens to have a thing for her best friend Julia) about her and how she was just a tree-hugging hippy and completely unattractive. But the more time they spend together, the more they both realize they've fallen madly in love yet neither can seem to express it. I truly fell for Henry right along with Spring and I would definitely read more about these two if there were ever a sequel *hint hint HINT*

Spring did get on my nerves a few times because of her insecurities and tendencies to jump to conclusions, but I could also understand where she was coming from so it didn't bother me to the point of ruining the book for me. I also didn't like her name in the beginning but it definitely grew on me, as did she at the end of the book when she finally lets her guard down and has faith not only in herself but in Henry.

I just love when books leave me feeling high on love and this one does just that. Definitely, Maybe in Love is a wonderful retelling of one of my favorite classic novels. If you love Pride and Prejudice, you will definitely enjoy this one.

I rate this book:

Author

About Ophelia London

Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she's lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE, ABBY ROAD, the Perfect Kisses series including: PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE, and "FALLING FOR HER SOLDIER" (coming Jan 2014). Visit her at www.ophelialondon.com. But don't call when The Vampire Diaries is on.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Favorite Quotes

*These quotes were taken from the review copy and may or may not appear in the finished edition*

"You've got a finance degree, you come from money and drive a sports car. You voted Republican, didn't you?"

His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Is that a crime?"

"I wish," I muttered, turning to a clean pages of my notebook.

That should be my next rule: no hanging around guys who smell like heaven.

"I'm just messing with you. Calm down. You look like you're about to stroke out."

"I might need you to check my vitals in a minute." I was only half kidding.