🎧 Listened to Audiobook
🌟 4.5/5
🌶 PG

What you get: Single-mom trope, French men cooking, sort-of forced proximity, he helps her see self-worth, cute moments.

I read this book earlier in the year, but when I found out it was on audio, I just had to listen to it so I could hear Rene's French accent! It was *Chef Kiss*.

The audiobook is full of tension and chemistry. The sizzle between Heather and Rene was intensified by the narrators. Who doesn't love a potential book boyfriend whose main goal is for the FMC to see what an amazing woman is, even if she wouldn't fall for him?

I’m really sorry but the narrators are so bad. I can’t force myself to listen. The accent is so fake, the voices are horrible and annoying. I will try to read this later on, but I can’t listen to it.

He’s So Not My Valentine is the second novel in Savannah Scott’s Sweater Weather series. This is a sweet story of small town barista/coffee shop manager/single mom Heather, who is Tasha’s sister (from the first book in the series.) Rene Dubois, best friend of Tasha’s French husband Pierre, is in a slump and decides to come visit his best friend in Harvest Hollow, NC. While he is a top real estate investor and salesman, he is feeling flat. The three week trip should help him break out of his rut. Spending time with Pierre and his very pregnant wife helps Rene to consider what he has as well as what his life is missing. Rene has always seen himself as a lone wolf. While he enjoys flirting and dating, he never envisioned a permanent relationship or a happily ever after.

Heather gave up the dream of happily ever after when her young husband decided he wasn’t up to parenthood and left her and their young son Nate on their own, not to be seen again. Heather’s position managing the Cataloochee Coffee Shop is enough to support her and Nate, but she dreams of being able to purchase the shop from the owners who are ready to sell and retire completely. With the shop on the market, her future is iffy, but her family has sworn that she will be fine. If only Heather could believe.

Rene begins spending hours in the coffee shop while Pierre and Tasha are working. When two of the full time employees quit on the same day, Rene begins lending a helping hand. Despite an attraction between Heather and Rene, any type of relationship isn’t possible with a time limit hanging over them.

This is such a sweet story. Ms. Scott has developed a lovely small town setting with well drawn characters and a plot that reveals several unexpected twists. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

🎧 Audio Listening Review 🎧 

He's So Not My Valentine - Savannah Scott 

Thank you to @netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book. It's a cute closed door romance. I didn't realise that this book what part of a series but it can be listened/read as a standalone as I did. 

Heather is a single mum that runs a coffee shop and wants nothing to do with Valentine's Day. But when the handsome Frenchman Rene enters town this could be about to change. He doesn't want to settle down but he can't help falling for Heather and he falls hard. 

I really enjoyed how Rene helped Heather see her self worth. There were so laugh out loud moments in the books also.

The narrators did a good job and was a fun, easy listen. The male narrator even had a french accent. 

Jamie x

#hessonotmyvalentine #netgalley #funlisten #arc #tortued_poets_reading_society #alwaysherefortheromance #romance

I was not a massive fan of the narration of this book. The male voice was a little grating and i usually love accents.

It was a really adorable book. I loved how hard Rene worked to get Heather to go out with him even though he isn't staying. I love how accurately the single mom life is portrayed and how sweet Heather is.

If you love cutesy romances this one is for you.

4 stars

I actually really liked this story! I thought it was really cute. Definitely recommend if you love hallmark movie romances! The only thing I didn’t particularly care for while listening to the audiobook was the voice for Nate, this for me was more a personal preference but I feel like it would have been better without trying to do a voice change. Overall I would recommend this book/audiobook!

I absolutely loved this book. It was everything I love about a romcom. Heather and Rene were so cute together. I loved how flirty Rene was with Heather and how it flustered her. The audiobook was done really well. I was able to listen at 2.5-3 and still understand what was being said. I loved that the voices went back and forth depending on the gender.

I may Love Smutty books the most when it comes to Romantic Novels, But all the Books from Savannah Scott have hit me in a way that I Love! They may be only swoony with Kisses and cutesy displays of affection but that is what I love about her books and Audiobooks. And this is one that was wonderful! Rene and Heather were great I Just Loved how he made her the main Female character but bringing her up with encouragement and showing her that she is strong as a woman and a Mother! The Narrators were great as well, even if the French accent for Rene was not the greatest it was still ok to Listen to.

Savannah Scott is a queen when it comes to writing clean romance. I have read/listened to all of her books. So when I had the chance to listen to He's So Not My Valentine, I was so excited. Heather and Rene's story needed to be told, and he will for sure be stealing hearts. (I have to say that this may be my favorite! Which I say after each Savannah Scott book I read)

Thank you NetGalley for He's So Not My Valentine by Savannah Scott

My thoughts as I listened:

* Okay but love his accent
* Aww Heather and Nate
* Rene is SO sincere and tender and sweet and I love it

Basically this was just so cute and so sweet and I was swooning and sighing throughout it all.

Rene is so lovely and Heather is very relatable. I loved watching her open up and accept the love and affection Rene was giving.

If you’re looking for a fun and sweet romance with foreign men and swoony moments this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

While I adored these narrators and thought they were great for the story, I will admit that I couldn’t multitask while listening to this audiobook because of the accent. The accent is definitely needed since Rene is French but it just wasn’t as easy to understand as my normal audiobooks. I just give this warning incase you are like me and normally listen to audiobooks while cleaning or working. But like I said, Rene is French so the accent is necessary to be authentic to the character and when I was able just to sit and relax to listen, I absolutely loved this book.

I thought it was so sweet how Rene acted with Heather and Nate. He treated them with such respect and compassion that you can’t help but fall in love with his character. Heather while being unsure in love is a fierce mom and has always put her child first and I respect that on so many levels. I’m just glad she allowed herself to be Heather and not just Nate’s mom. This was a dual pov, clean romance. While it isn’t technically a series it pairs with the Harvest Hollow books. It can easily be read as a stand alone novel.

The narrators in this audiobook were impressive, bringing depth and emotion to the characters with their performances. Each character was distinct and memorable.

Regarding the story itself, while it had its strengths, I felt there was something missing to fully capture my attention. The plot unfolded well and kept my interest, but I couldn't pinpoint what would have made it more compelling for me.

Overall, the audiobook was enjoyable, thanks to the strong narration and an interesting storyline. However, I believe there was potential for additional elements that could have enhanced the overall experience.

Okay, y’all. I have such mixed feelings about this book. I really, really wanted to like it, but something holds me back.

Heather was just so whiny! Everything was dramatic and Wo is me. There was no real spark between her and Rene, and I didn’t see why he was so drawn to her besides that she was a hard worker (which was also one of her faults). I at least saw some character growth with him, but I there was no arc with her. In the end things worked out because he made all the sacrifices. How did she contribute to their relationship? No idea.

My negative thoughts would normally put this in the two star range, but I think some of my frustration came from the narrators. The male wasn’t horrible. But the female narrator was whiny and piercing to me. So maybe some of my feelings about the character comes from the narrator’s interpretation.

This was clean. No sexy times, but some kissing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ALC Review

This is a cute closed door romance that is the sequel to A Not So Fictional Fall, but can be read as a standalone as I did. Our FMC is Heather and she is a single mom that runs a coffee shop and is anti-Valentines Day. Our MMC Rene is a Frenchman visiting from France and who isn’t planning to settle down and treats everyday as Valentine’s Day. While visiting friends Rene steps in to help Heather and he falls hard for her.

I enjoyed the audiobook. This ALC has two narrators Amanda Friday and Tyler Hyrchuk. The later even had a French accent just like the MMC, so that was fun. Sometimes a little hard to understand at a faster speed.

🩷 Single mom romance
🤍 He helps her see her worth
💜 Laugh out loud
🤍 French book boyfriend
❤️ Kisses only

Quote: “I want to rest in his playful assurance that life isn't meant to be taken so seriously. I want to stare into his gorgeous green eyes and lose myself in his kisses. And all those things would be mine in some other life...”

Thank you to the author Savannah Scott and Net Galley for the advanced copy of the audio book!

Audio Review

Series: References to Sweater Weather series
Genre: Sweet Rom-Com
Romance Level: Closed door 2 (kissing only)
Audio Release Date: May 31, 2024

My favorite parts:
René Dubois-so ooey gooey sweet
Single parent
The date
The Gift
Small gestures
The epilogue

This was my first Savannah Scott book and oh my oh my, why has it take me so long to pick one of her books up? 🤷🏼‍♀️
I am so excited to go back and read Not So Fictional Fall and the rest of Savannah’s backlist!
I had always heard amazing things about her books and they were all correct! I loved every second of this book and the audio was fantastic! Having a narrator with a French accent totally lent itself to a full immersive experience and made Rene even more swoony. Wowee!

Ok, so let’s talk Rene. He comes to the US just for a visit to his best friend and friend’s wife. He does not expect to meet Heather, single-mom, sister to Tasha, his best friend’s wife, and manager at the local coffee shop. When he learns she has had terrible experiences with men and that she feels down on herself because of those experiences, he decides to try to show her that she is worth a lot. Swoony Rene-Frenchman, romantic, kind, thoughtful.

What happens when he loves France and she love the cafe and her small town, not to mention she has a child to raise? Can they figure out this conundrom or will hearts be broken? Read/listen to “He’s So Not My Valentine” by Savannah Scott now available in audio form. Seriously this is one you want to own in audio form. I was dying and fanning myself with how swoony the audio and that French accent was.

Audio Review: This Dual POV audio was amazing. The narrator playing Rene had a French accent (like I said above) and it was just fantastic! Heather's narrator also did a fantastic job! Highly recommend the audio for this book!

I just reviewed the audiobook version of “He’s So Not my Valentine” by Savannah Scott.

I received a free copy of the audio from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content Warning: kisses only at the closed door level 2 (no implied scenes)

Trigger Warnings: Infidelity in marriage (referenced), single parenting

This book is set in Harvest Hollow from the Sweater Weather series and is based on Heather, single mother and manager of Catty Coffee. Ever since finding her husband cheating on her and his subsequent abandonment of her and her son, Heather's given up on love. The upcoming Valentine's holiday is just another day to her. Rene Dubois, renowned flirt and playboy is determined to never settle down, his love is for his family, his job, and his country of France. But lately things have started to feel a bit stale. He misses his best friend Pierre who moved to Harvest Hollow North Carolina and decided to pay him and his pregnant wife a visit. Her sister Heather seems to have a low opinion of him, which hardly ever happens and he's intrigued. He's determined to break her out of her shell, never realizing he'd lose his heart to her in the process. But their lives are oceans apart, how could things ever work out long term?
This was a sweet small town clean romance and i couldn't help but fall for the charming Frenchman and how he built up Heather's confidence in herself every time they talked. His friendship with her son was so cute. Heather is so confident and strong in everything else in her life, she deserves a man like Rene. I really loved this story and the dual narration of the audiobook really brought the characters to life. I listened to it all in one day, just couldn't stop!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

He’s So Not My Valentine by Savannah Scott
Sweater Weather series following A Not So Fictional Fall. Contemporary, closed door romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but the couple from Fictional Fall play prominently in this book.
Heather is the manager of a local coffee shop in Harvest Hollow. Heather’s sister and her French husband also live in the small town. Rene Dubois, a friend of her sister’s new husband, travels from France on holiday to Harvest Hollow and ends up spending quite a bit of time in the coffee shop. He gets to know Heather and her son Nate, more than expected. And while Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated the same in France, Rene decides to treat Heather to a special night out.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook with dual narration by Amanda Friday and Tyler Hyrchuk. The performance is well done with conversations between the characters woven together almost seamlessly. The occasional volume change from a switch isn’t going to be noticeable by the average reader. Tyler’s character is from France, so his accent follows. The child voice he emotes isn’t great, but it’s good enough that you get the idea of age, over and above the text.
I think both did a good job but I personally didn’t care for the french accent. It sounded fake to me but maybe that’s just my untrained ear.
I started at 1.2 and once I was used to the tempo was soon up to my preferred of 1.5.

Heather and Rene are not a “love at first sight” couple. They grow to respect first and appreciate before allowing their feelings to grow. I think the red dress tipped him over an edge. I thought Rene was naive in his “I won’t take her heart” attitude. You don't get to choose for someone else. Fortunately his best friend steps in when needed.
Suave and debonair story aim.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

This audiobook was short, sweet and seasonal (valentines).

You can expect —> single mom, brother in law’s best friend, not looking for love, reformed playboy, crossing oceans, opposites attract, closed door romance

Rene is a lover of his homeland of France and his bachelor lifestyle. But as he watches his best friend fall in love he realizes that maybe he doesn’t love his life as much as he thought he did. A vacation to America to visit his best friend is just what he needs. Only when he gets there, he is reminded that the beautiful Heather is the only woman who doesn’t fall for his charms and yet he cannot stay away from her. They live continents apart but are still drawn together like magnets.

This was not my favorite French accent. But the story itself was great if you can look past that.

3.5/5

This was a cute short story with no unnecessary drama and very low stakes.

Rene is a french man visiting his best friend and his wife in US near valentine’s day. He is known as a charming flirt but is not really a huge fan of the valentines day.

Heather is a single mom who divorced her husband after he cheated on her. Her sister is Rene’s friend’s wife so naturally she will be running into Rene a lot while he is visiting. She hates valentines as well and she is also not a fan of Rene.

Rene is attracted to Heather and wants to make her feel wanted and appreciated so she can be ready to date again. In the process he realises that he has actually fallen for her himself. Heather also sees Rene in a new light and realises that he is actually a very caring and kind person underneath that playboy exterior. Their major issue is the distance. Rene loves France and Heather cannot leave her life behind and move with him.

Like I said the story was cute but predictable. I enjoyed their conversation and Nate’s quirky remarks. I was a huge fan of Pier looking out for Heather. I didn’t really feel any intense chemistry between the two probably because of the insta love. I would’ve enjoyed more banter and tension as well. However, this was supposed to be a short cute novella and I guess it delivered.

Audiobook review: I liked how Tyler narrated his part. His accent was believable and easy to understand. Amanda was not my favourite though. I felt like every sentence ended on an exclamation or some high pitch intensity. I usually listen on 1.5 speed but I had to speed it up to 1.75 since it was a bit too slow for my liking.

*Audiobook ARC provided through NetGalley. My opinions are based solely off of my reading experience*

Review posted on Goodreads on June 28, 2024

Oh how I loved this book! I love anything french! And that might make me a little more critical! This surpassed my expectations! I am so impressed by the authors ability to make it all believable and let's move to Avignon!

As for the narration: I loved the accents of the narrators and would advise to listen in 1.25 at the MOST! His accents is tainted in any speed over that! I loved the story and will listen again!

I absolutely need this book in my library!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy, all thoughts an opinions are my own! Enjoy!