I was introduced to Jasmine Guillory on one of my favorite podcasts, Forever35. After listening to her interview, I picked up a copy of her very first book, The Wedding Date. Since then, I have pre-ordered all of her books: The Proposal, The Wedding Party, Royal Holiday and Party of Two.
Last week, I would have told you The Wedding Date was my favorite of all of her stories. But now, I have to say, Party of Two might be my number one!
On the first page, we meet Olivia Monroe (sister of Alexa Monroe, the star of The Wedding Date). Olivia has recently moved from New York to Los Angeles and is staying in hotel while she waits for the keys to her new apartment. At the hotel bar, she has a fun, flirtatious conversation with a gentleman named Max.
Olivia learns later in the evening that her bar companion was none other than Senator Max Powell. Commence freak out! Olivia begins spiraling about crushing on someone in the public eye.
At an event a few days later, Olivia and Max bump into each other and he very boldly asks for her number. Their courtship begins and Olivia is smitten. Quickly.
Of the two of the them, Max is definitely more of a hopeless romantic. I loved this paragraph, describing Max and Olivia's connection. At this moment he had just shared with her why he decided to run for public office, "He looked at her for a second and then looked away. That might have been a little too much honesty. But it was hard not to tell Olivia the truth, when she looked at him like she really cared about what he said. Like she cared about him. He told most of the world the glib, easy answer, but somehow he couldn't do that to her."
As their relationship evolves, Max wants to go public with their status. Olivia is hesitant, especially because she was arrested once as a teenager. She doesn't want that drudged up for her or for Max. As you can imagine, the pressure of being followed by paparazzi takes a toll on the ease of their rapport.
I don't want to give too much away because you should go on this rollercoaster yourself! But I will say, Party of Two will make you want to eat at taco trucks in California, jet off to Hawaii, and find yourself a partner who sends you cake deliveries to make you smile.
If you are looking for a new beach read, I cannot recommend this enough! You don't have to have read any of Guillory's previous books to enjoy this.
