Sarah MonzonNicole: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (Sewing in SoCal)

How is it possible that each new book released in the Sewing in SoCal series by Sarah Monzon is even better than the one before it?When I read the second book, Jocelyn, I couldn’t wait to read book three. Sarah Monzon added in the perfect teaser for the relationship we as readers would be witness to, the feisty, tug-of-war between Nicole Applegate and Dr. Drew Bauer.When I first opened my copy of Nicole, I admit I was a little apprehensive. What if this relationship didn’t work the way I had expected it to? What if Nicole was too hard to like? But as I read, my apprehension disappeared.Nicole is a very passionate woman who has many obstacles to overcome. She is a divorced mom of an eight-year-old girl, Sierra, a hairstylist (she’s the one who accidentally turned Molly’s hair pink in the first book), a vegan, and a firm supporter of the causes close to her (and there are many). She has a great heart, but for the longest time, she came across as uptight.Ah, but add Drew into the mix, and it becomes a fun show to watch. Drew is a caring man, a doctor who makes special visits to “his girl” in the pediatric oncology unit during his breaks, and the co-coach of the football team his nephews and Nicole’s daughter play for. He also loves to push Nicole’s buttons and does it rather well. All in good fun, of course, and with no malicious intent.Read the book to see what this is all aboutI enjoyed watching the push-and-pull, the back-and-forth, between these two characters, each with their own baggage to overcome. They came across as genuine, people you would want to be friends with. Even if Nicole could get exhausting, Drew would be there to lighten the mood.I appreciated the way Sierra was written into the story, and how both Nicole and Drew thought about her before making any decision to pursue a relationship. I also loved the change in Sierra throughout the book, and how she was all for Drew dating her mom. Sierra herself is a strong-willed little girl, one who learns to have fun thanks to her coach.And who can forget the Sewing in SoCal girls? Once again their diverse personalities come together to form the perfect group, still planning for, and then sharing in, Molly and Ben’s wedding (if you haven’t read the first book, Molly, read it). In Nicole, this group of gals who meet every Wednesday for sewing and mocktails begins to change as the lives of the women change. I’m interested in seeing what happens with them in the books to come.Speaking of the books to come, Amanda is next, and once again, Sarah Monzon threw in a teaser. I want to know what is going on with Amanda! Guess I’ll have to wait and see.I highly recommend this book, the whole series, in fact. If you love a great romantic comedy, especially those without the frustrating “I think they think or did this, so I’m going to get mad and isolate from them without asking them if it’s true,” then this is the book for you.

Like every genre, romance has its hits and misses.My first thought when I started reading Nicole by Sarah Monzon was "Oh, thank goodness, this is a good one." That initial observation soon changed to "This is great!" It didn't take long to read since it pre-empted a large portion of my sleep schedule.The FMC is a curvy single mom of an eight-year-old girl. She has a great job and a slew of close friends as well as a passionate intensity for God's creation and social justice. But, her passion has become a way of closing herself off. Even with Drew, a handsome doctor and the new football coach of her daughter's team, her seriousness gives way to a prickly attitude more often than not.Add to that her self-consciousness over her pear-shaped figure and she knows she can chase an unworthy man away with a few harsh statements about the environment rather than letting him point out her perceived physical flaws.But Drew doesn't see her shape as flawed. In his mind, she's as gorgeous as a 1950s pinup fantasy girl, but with the added benefits of flesh-and-blood beauty mixed with a generous dollop of intelligence and passion. He sees that she's a fantastic mom and a loving friend. There's only one thing he'd change about her...he wants to show her how to have fun.Great book!

These friends are sometimes of the “who needs enemies” variety as they share their opinions. They are also of the “make your own family” variety. Loved Drew. Nothing seemed to knock him off his chosen course. His pursuit of Nicole and Sierra was precious. Loved it!

Single supermom Nicole is too busy trying to save the planet to need a man to save her. In fact, she has little use or time for men in general, especially a cocky charmer like Dr. Drew Bauer. Drew may be a physician, but he delights in plaguing Nicole with his devil-may-care attitude and infecting every conversation with his flippant humor. But once she gets to know the real Drew, she finds he may be integral to healing her heart after all.With sharp banter soon followed by heart-fluttering attraction, there is enough spark and sizzle between Nicole and Drew to constitute a renewable energy source. Of course, fireworks are a staple in the romcom world, but the same can’t always be said of mutual respect and true connection. But as she did with the first two books in the Sewing in SoCal series, Sarah Monzon threads an unexpectedly deep romance in Nicole, one that sees the heroine and hero unite on a spiritual and emotional level and not just a superficial one.Nicole is a fun and endearing story with characters who will charm their way into the reader’s heart. I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed Nicole and Drew's story. I loved that Drew was willing to woo Nicole and show her that she's special. I really appreciated the direction the author took when Nicole went to the hospital to see Drew. I won't ruin the story but she went in a different direction than most authors, thank goodness. I hate books that waste a lot of time on a misunderstanding.

I'm not typically a huge fan of enemies to lovers stories because the tension between the characters and the constant arguing is too much for me. They just seem to fight until they randomly fall in love. And while Nicole and Drew definitely sparred verbally quite a bit, it was done in a way that didn't drive me crazy because I could really feel the chemistry looming below. It was so obvious that Drew cared for Nicole and her daughter so he wasn't poking at her just to annoy her but to show her it was okay for them to have more fun. While Nicole didn't completely give up on her beliefs and passions, she did learn she could also have fun and enjoy life a little more.

A fairly quick read. Kind of leaves the reader wanting a bit more to the story. Some good fun included.

Beautiful, fun and engaging. All things associated with this author. If you are looking for a fun, clean read with pockets of deep faith messages, look no further. I can't wait for the next in the series.

I love the entire Sewing in SoCal series so far. This book happens to be my favourite and I love the diversity in characters of this series as well! Great read!

Nicole by Satah Monzon is a romantic comedy and the third book in the Sewing in SoCal series. Although it's part of a series, it can be read as a standalone novel, which is what I did. The story is sweet and heartwarming yet charmingly sexy with an "enemies to lovers" trope. I love Nicole as a character because not only is she witty and gorgeous, she's also a great mom to her kid. Drew is charming and dashing, but I love how he's still down to earth and still has a mysterious air about him.The plot of this book is basic and follows a very general romance novel plot line; however, the way in which it is written is what gives it its subtle uniqueness because the author manages to make us fall in love with her characters and care for them while still keeping us engaged in what's going on.While there were still some very sappy moments that made me cringe once in a while, overall, the vibe of the book is enough to make you overlook it if you're someone who's too harsh on romance novels.It's one of those books that you can finish in one sitting and still feel emotionally satisfied at the end. Overall, it's a book that's absolutely perfect for romance lovers out there who love plots that make you giddy.🦄🦄🦄Rated 8/10Melina L.

While this book had some good messages (not body shaming others, taking care of the environment), I can’t say I enjoyed it that much. There was more pop culture references, mild innuendos, and detailed notice of physical characteristics than I felt comfortable with. Not a bad story, just not for me. :)