365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #51

Deserted Island, Dreamy Ex - Nicola Marsh
Mills and Boon RIVA
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263883640




My rating




From the back cover:

"Kristi’s Stranded Diary: Day 1
Being shipwrecked on an idyllic deserted island for reality TV show Stranded sounded blissful. Until I discovered my Man Friday for the week was Jared Malone (aka he-who-broke-my heart!). I mean, of course I’ll be fine. I don’t feel anything for him any more. Female viewers might swoon over Jared’s tanned gorgeousness, but I know he’s just an arrogant, over-muscled heartbreaker! The cameras are rolling, so I’m off to the beach to face Jared. I just hope I look OK in this bikini!"

Another RIVA I know, but they are so good. None of them have scored under 4 stars yet, which is a good thing for me!

The story begins with the the heroine PR whiz Kristi being told by her boss that she will be staring in a documentary based on reality TV, where she will be stranded on a deserted island with a male contestant for a week. Kristi reluctantly agrees knowing it will give her career a boost and the potential prize money will enable her to help out her sister and niece. Then she finds out the male contestant will be ex tennis pro Jared, the hero, whom she had a relationship with many years back that ended with Kristi broken hearted after Jared left. Jared is equally as reluctant to be part of the show but agrees in order to gain publicity for his charity rec centre for inner city kids.
When Kristi and Jared meet again they both act polite towards each other and agree to try and be friends. However once they are left on the deserted island with only each other for company issues relating to their past relationship and break up begin to arise, as well as the fact that they are still very much attracted to one another.

This was a really fun book to read and it had some great elements to it. I really liked the character of Kristi she had real moxy with her snappy dialogue, ambition and style, yet she also had a caring side with a deep desire to love and be loved in return (I didn't like Jared as much). I really loved the inclusion of the characters blog posts and twitter updates while they were on the island. This was interesting as is gave insight into the two characters thoughts and experiences in a more conversational way then the usual internal monologue type narrative allows, it was also very 'now'!
I would have liked to have had more of the actual events on the island included, I was imagining a Lost-meets-The-Apprentice-meets-romcom style story (somebody has to make that show!). I did enjoy the focus on the two characters relationship and their attempt to work through the issues that drove them apart previously and also to work through their own internal issues. Both characters were able to grow and move on, which is something I always like to see in a good romance novel.

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