So, This Is Love - Softcover

Andreen, Tracy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593525418 ISBN 13: 9780593525418

Verlag: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2023

Inhaltsangabe

A Hallmark-esque romance as told by a Hallmark romance movie writer! The sequel to So, This Is Christmas, now in gorgeous paperback!

Finley and Arthur are back at boarding school and neither quite knows where the other stands—are they couple? Are they not a couple? What does one magical Christmas Eve kiss in Oklahoma mean for their relationship status? This confusion isn't helped by the re-entry of old enemies into their school lives, especially ones that may or may not be crushing on Arthur. Finley is at a loss when navigating the complexities of her new (maybe) relationship, which could very well turn into love. . . if she doesn't blow it.

So, This Is Love is a perfect read for the Valentine's Day season, or for anyone looking for a delightful romantic comedy that has just a dash of drama. Once again, Tracy Andreen has proven that no one writes a holiday rom-com like her.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Tracy Andreen was born in Southern California but raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in journalism and professional writing then promptly moved to Los Angeles, where she spent many years in the world of film development, employed at Amblin/DreamWorks and Mandalay Pictures, among others.
She began her paid writing career when she took it upon herself to revise some properties in development at Mandalay and ultimately left that side of the film world to pursue writing full time. Since then she has written twenty-four movies for the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, and UPtv, which have been seen by millions of people and earned her mother's approval.

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One

Last Halloween

I regretted my decision immediately.

As I stood in the open front doorway of the Airbnb two-story mini-mansion rented by my classmate Bronwyn, I saw my new schoolmates dressed in attire that rivaled something out of a Hollywood costume party and I felt the plunge of dread.

They were audacious.

And impressive.

And I . . . was not.

I had come dressed as a burglar. Which was an outfit that required all the creativity of grabbing black jeans, a black turtleneck, black boots, black knit cap and gloves, and a five-dollar felt mask I'd ordered from Amazon so I could go low-key cheap for this event.

Which I had.

What I hadn't even done was grab a pillowcase stuffed with fake cash, because I only have two and they're both floral-which kind of throws off the whole "burglar" vibe-and I hadn't wanted anything to happen because Target didn't carry that set anymore.

It wasn't that I didn't care I had finally been invited to one of Bronwyn Campbell's famous parties, because I did.

A lot.

I also hadn't wanted to look like I cared. I mean, what if I'd shown up in some insanely elaborate costume-like, say, the throne from Game of Thrones-only to find myself faced with a sea of snobby expressions as my costume-free classmates sneered at my faux pas because dressing up for Halloween was for children and we were upperclassmen at the prestigious Barrington Academy. That meant we were not children. Even if I was still a few weeks shy of turning sixteen.

So, I'd fallen back on the tried-and-true strategy of "don't look like you're trying too hard," which had always served me well in the past.

Not tonight.

Because these people were dressed like they were at the freakin' Met Gala.

And I was one felt mask away from wearing an outfit already in my normal rotation.

Major miscalculation.

Not that anyone noticed.

No one paid me more than the most cursory glance before they returned to whatever it was they were doing, even if they weren't doing anything.

Was that a good thing? TBD.

My stomach roiled slightly and my second regrettable decision of the evening-sneaking a tiny bottle of pinot grigio from my roommate Thea's curiously impressive airplane wine collection, which she kept in the square fridge tucked in her closet-started to make its presence known.

She'd told me the first week of school that I could have one if I wanted, so technically it wasn't sneaking. In the ensuing weeks since then the subject had never been raised again and our interactions had dwindled to polite greetings on the rare occasions we encountered each other, so I couldn't be 100 percent certain. But I really wanted a dose of liquid courage before coming.

So, I grabbed one.

I'd only been at the Connecticut prep school since June, but my attention had been so firmly on trying not to fail any of my classes, both over the summer and now in the fall, that I hadn't made socializing a priority.

As a result, five months in, I didn't really have any friends, and I had to admit, I was more than a little lonely. Tonight was supposed to be my attempt to change that. After all, I'd received an emailed invite from Bronwyn, which was a first.

People didn't say "no" to Bronwyn.

At least not that I'd been able to witness.

She was the daughter of a wealthy real estate mogul, and she considered herself an aspiring beauty influencer with, as she liked to remind people, over twelve thousand followers. "And counting!"

I, on the other hand, last posted on Instagram two months ago. About my breakfast. It got four likes, including my mom's.

Sweat was starting to break out across my chest as my heart thundered with anxiety.

My eyes darted around the expansive living room, not quite sure where to land because there was so much going on. Noise from the deafening music. Smoke from a variety of cigarettes, some legal.

And the costumes. Oof.

I spied Josie Sutton in a shiny gold flapper dress with fringe galore, a headband, and a long cigarette holder drunkenly chatting with my mostly MIA roommate, Thea, and her boyfriend, Beaux, who were dressed like Claire and Jamie from Outlander. That astronaut costume sported by Gaines Alder looked potentially authentic, and, oh, God. I think Landon Sinclaire really was dressed like the throne from Game of Thrones.

What was I thinking? I felt like a child attempting to migrate to the adult's table.

If I turned around right now and left, no one would know I'd ever come. I could give the whole "be more social" thing a try another time, when there was less pressure.

Like graduation.

"Hello, Finley."

I spun in the direction of whoever'd said my name and found myself face-to-face with-

I squinted.

"Arthur?"

At least, I think it was Arthur Chakrabarti Watercress? Unlike many of our other classmates, Arthur was dressed more sedately in a formfitting tuxedo that likely cost a pretty penny, his inky-dark hair tightly slicked back to the point of shining, giving him a very different vibe than I was used to seeing in our two shared classes or around our campus.

"Bond," he replied, utterly deadpan. An unlit cigarette dangled from his pouty lips and the faint scent of wine wafted off him, which surprised me. I'd never considered him to be the party type. More studious, like me. Then again, we were both at a party and I was already feeling the effects of the tiny bottle of wine, so I was in no position to judge.

"What?" I shouted in confusion above the thumpy music.

He pointed at himself and repeated, "James Bond. The Sean Connery version. From Dr. No, specifically. All others are imitations."

I almost rolled my eyes. What a dork.

Although, now that I allowed a second glance, he actually looked kinda-

"Arthur! There you are!"

He and I turned in synch and my stomach dropped because Queen Bronwyn herself was descending on us like a pterosaur in a perfect recreation of the Lily James version of Cinderella, right down to the blonde wig over her gorgeous auburn hair and post-Fairy Godmother transformation blue dress.

Damn. She looked fantastic.

And she barely flicked a glance in my direction because her focus was securely on Arthur.

She handed him a chilled martini glass with a clear liquid and a curly slice of lemon peel at the bottom.

"Shaken, not stirred," she said, smiling broadly. "As requested."

I arched a brow. What service. Which was curious, because Arthur was hardly the social butterfly. At least that I'd observed. Not that I kept track of his comings and goings, because I didn't.

But now I had to wonder: Was something going on between them?

Last I'd heard, Bronwyn was together with some guy named Prescott, who was at Mayo Prep in Upstate New York, and the only reason I knew that personal tidbit about her was because she managed to work it into every third conversation I'd ever overheard her have. ("Prescott tells me he won't go to Lancaster Mountain to ski anymore, not since he's been to the ski resorts in New York." "Prescott sent me this box of candy from Belgium. Isn't it amazing?" "Prescott met Drake! At his concert! He sent me a selfie!")

"Many thanks," Arthur said, taking the glass from her. "Cheers." He took a sip. Nodded. "That's quite excellent." His crisp English accent lent an air of authenticity to his would-be Bond persona.

Bronwyn's smile grew coquettish. "Prescott says I make the best vodka martinis."

Ah. There he was. Good ol' Prescott.

Arthur turned to me, held up the glass. "Do you want to try a sip?" he asked, and if he hadn't been looking directly at me, I would have assumed he meant someone else....

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2023
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0593525418
• ISBN 13: 9780593525418
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 368
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Deutschland