Book Review - Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia

My Review

Love Felt Like This is the story of Beverly and Griffin.  Beverly is a sunny puppeteer.  Griffin is a gruff musician who is a single dad to a two year old daughter, Ava.  They come together, unexpectedly, over work and discover they work surprisingly well together.  Griffin travels to Beverly's small North Carolina mountain hometown with his daughter.  They stay with Beverly's family so he can work on some children's songs for the TV show she is working to revive;  Griffin also is working on original music after a long writing block.  They begin to connect personally, despite many obstacles.  What happens next is their story.

I wanted to read Love Felt Like This because I loved the author's If It Makes You Happy last year.  The characters in this story sounded appealing and unique.

I am now putting Julie Olivia on my list of authors that I always look for.  I have absolutely loved her last two novels.  Love Felt Like This is such a fresh and utterly original love story.  Beverly and Griffin felt so real.  Their story is warm and sincere.  They meet while working on their respective careers - which are both in a challenging place.  A relationship is the last thing either of them is looking for.  

Olivia had a long and difficult relationship with her high school sweetheart turned musician.  Griffin's priorities are getting his songwriting back on track and taking care of his young daughter.  I loved the friendship that sparks first between them, with sparks they both resist.  These are characters I genuinely liked.  Olivia's work was fascinating;  I have to say I've never read a book about a puppeteer before, especially with a lot of behind the scenes work details.  I also really loved her family, who are an important part of this story.  (And Pudge the Basset Hound!)

I enthusiastically recommend Love Felt Like This for anyone who wants to enjoy a heartfelt back and forth love story between two quirky and likable characters.  Five stars!

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Company and Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book.