Review: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

“When life gives you lemons, you get right back on the saddle.”

– Ashley Elston

Release Date: October 1, 2019

Thank you to Disney Book Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel!

Synopsis

Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship. Cue devastation.

Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents’ house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That’s when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.

When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she’s started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.

This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever… or is it?


Review

Sophia has an amazing winter break planned for herself. Her parents are going out of town to visit her pregnant sister and she’s going to stay with her Nonna at night but hang out with her boyfriend, Griffen, at her house alone during the day. Sounds like a solid plan right? But then Sophia overhears her boyfriend telling his friend how disappointed he is that she stayed behind and how he had wanted the break to be a “trial run” break-up. 

Disappointment has a name and it is Griffen. Determined to pull her out of her slump, Nonna and the rest of Sophie’s extended family decide to each select a day during her break to set her up on a blind date with a guy of their choice leading up to NYE. Her family is an eccentric bunch and Sophie is definitely nervous but this might be just the thing she needs to help her have some fun and bring her back into the family fold. 

10 Blind Dates was a quick and cute read. I read the synopsis and knew that I needed to read it immediately. While the main focus of the book is obviously romance, friendship along with family and relationships were also strong themes of this book. I loved Sophie’s relationship with her sister Margot and just how close and supportive they were of each other. The Fab Four of Sophie, neighbor Wes, cousin Olivia and cousin Charlie were also quite the read. They were so fun, pushing the envelope/thinking outside of the box and had such a solid friendship with each other. The family was so supportive and eccentric that I fell in love with them. I felt like a part of the family while reading.

I laughed so many times while reading this because of the crazy date betting going on and some of the bad dates poor Sophie had to go on. The blind dates were such a crazy concept but now I wish it was something I could do. They really helped Sophie find herself again and she met some nice guys who she had fun with. Definitely stealing some of those date ideas, except for maybe the second date and third to last date set up by the Evil Jo’s. Even through all the date madness though, Sophie finds her way back to her family and old friendships. I love who she ends up with, but it was predictable.

10 Blind Dates will be my most recommended winter break read I feel like and will be added to my favorite rom-com list. While the ending was predictable, it didn’t make the journey any less fun. The Fab Four stole my heart and I can’t wait for everyone else to get ahold of this one. I’m so glad I was able to get an advanced copy of this book and please check it out when it is released!

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