Summary

Best-selling romance writer, Darcy Butler, is holding out for perfection in the form of her own carefully-crafted heroes. Once blissfully engaged to be married, Darcy’s post-traumatic commitment phobia is depriving her of the very thing she wants most: her very own happily-ever-after. Now, here she is just six months shy of her thirtieth birthday, and not a Prince Charming in sight.

Successful lawyer, Josh Ryan, is the boy-next-door with a soft spot for the less fortunate, and Darcy’s best friend without benefits. Darcy often comes to him lamenting her love-life, or the lack thereof, whereupon Josh patiently doles out his sage advice. Problem is Josh is in love with Darcy.

But when Darcy finds herself looking into the handsome face of the man who graces the cover of her soon-to-be-released novel, she’s convinced her dreams of perfection have come true. Or have they?

Review

If you’re a woman, then you’ve dreamed of the perfect love with the perfect man. Only the guy you’re with doesn’t quite fit the description. So you think it must be him but did you ever stop to wonder, Could it be me? Now hold that thought right there.

Personally, I blame Disney. That’s why I’m still single waiting for Prince Charming or rather John Smith or any male Disney lead. Of course let’s not leave out Jane Austen’s literary works and modern day romantic comedies where love is tied and wrapped and presented to you all with humor. But I’m losing track of my point here. Do you still have that thought? Good, now think. What did Disney, Jane Austen, and romantic comedies really do?

They made us believe in love but they in no way said their views or ideas were the only way to measure love. My point is, love can come in many ways and forms; and that what we see and read are not the only definitions. So stop looking for perfection ladies. There is no such thing, but the perfect person for you will be your perfect romance. Now if only someone had said something to the heroine of this book.

Darcy Butler is a romance novelist who writes about love all the time. So you’d think she’d be an expert on the subject. But since her heart break from the cheating bastard ex-fiancé Doug, Darcy has been leaving them left and right waiting for her perfect guy to swoop in and whisk her away to happily ever after. If only she knew there was a guy already there, picking up the pieces of her every heartache.

Josh has been in love with Darcy since the first time he laid eyes on her. Only problem, Darcy just sees him as a friend. Of course Josh friend zoned himself after Doug the cheating bastard, just trying to be a supportive friend at the time. But now he is the guy Darcy always runs to vent about her guy problems and she doesn’t see Josh as the guy who could solve all her problems and be the one to love her.

Well no more. While Josh would love to ensure their friendship won’t be jeopardized, he can no longer pretend he isn’t in love with her. Josh is going to tell Darcy how he feels and whatever happens, happens. If she loves, great and they can finally have a life together. But if she doesn’t, he’ll just have to accept only her friendship and finally move on. But no love is triumphant without an obstacle to scale over.

Just as Josh has finally racked up his courage, in comes perfection in all his perfect glory. Dr. Blake Garrett, who also happens to be identical to the hero of Darcy’s latest publishing in progress novel. How can Josh compete with a guy Darcy practically invented herself? He can’t really but Josh isn’t so sure this Dr. Garrett is who he says he is. So before Josh completely throws in the towel, he’s going to make sure it’s a fair fight and find out if this Blake character is legit or not.

Well Darcy couldn’t be any happier. Her dream man was real! He was exactly as she had written him. Maybe even more perfect. He knew all the right things to say, all the right things to do, she was on cloud nine. Well there was this one thing. His kisses weren’t perfect. There was desire and passion but no devotion and need. His kisses were almost just physical, absolutely no emotion involved. Her perfect could not fall short because of some kiss and yet Darcy couldn’t get the thought out of her mind. Still have that thought? Maybe Blake kisses weren’t the problem but Darcy’s ideals of the perfect kiss as well as the perfect man? Was she just wrong about Blake or was Blake wrong for her? How will she ever figure this out?

And what about Josh? Will he discover who Blake truly is? And what if Blake is for real, could he really destroy Darcy’s happiness? But what about his own? Is it time to move on now and avoid hurting Darcy and himself altogether? So many questions, but nowhere near answers or love.

That’s the thing about love, it isn’t all sunshine and roses but it can be achieved with effort and some work. Dreams of Perfection teaches us the true meaning of the word ‘perfection’ and that perfect doesn’t mean without flow, it just means perfect or ideal for us. Dreams of Perfection also helps us understand that just because you label something perfect doesn’t mean it is and vice versa. Most importantly, Dhows us that real love isn’t perfect and that is the way it should be.

Reviewed by Camia Rhode

Print Length: 252 pages
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing (May 5, 2014)

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