Adult Assembly Required is a laugh-out-loud addictive rom-com read.
“As you know, the best way to get over someone..”
Nina interrupted her, waving one hand and putting the other over her ear. “Don’t say it, you know I hate—”
Polly ignored her. “Is to get under someone else.”
Nina made a furball sound.Â
“There is so much wrong with that I don’t know where to begin.”Â
Poly shook her head. “No, it’s probably true. I’ve proved it. The best cure for a sad heart is a—”
“No,” said Nina.
“Happy vagina.”
“Stop.”
“I’ve got more.”
“Please don’t.”
When Laura Costello moves to Los Angeles, trying to escape an overprotective family and the haunting memories of a terrible accident, she doesn’t expect to be homeless after a week. (She’s pretty sure she didn’t start that fire — right?) She also doesn’t expect to find herself adopted by a rogue bookseller, installed in a lovely but completely illegal boarding house, or challenged to save a losing trivia team from ignominy…but that’s what happens. Add a regretful landlady, a gorgeous housemate and an ex-boyfriend determined to put himself back in the running and you’ll see why Laura isn’t really sure she’s cut out for this adulting thing. Luckily for her, her new friends Nina, Polly and Impossibly Handsome Bob aren’t sure either, but maybe if they put their heads (and hearts) together they’ll be able to make it work for them.
Gosh, I forgot how much I love Abbi’s writing and storytelling abilities. I fell head over heels in love with The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, so you could only imagine how excited I was when we were offered an ARC of Adult Assembly Required. All I have to say is that Abbi once again swept me off my feet with her writing. It’s such a fun and delightful read. I was sad that I had read it so quickly; I wanted to make it last longer. Adult Assembly Required picks up a few months after The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and focuses on Laura, who has just moved to LA. You don’t have to have read Nina’s book to understand and enjoy this book since this story focuses mostly on Laura. However, I would highly recommend reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill because it is absolutely fantastic.
ALL the characters in this book are just so damn fabulous. They are all so unique, quirky, and have great backstories. They add so much richness to the story and are what make Abbi’s books stand out so much for me. Fans of Nina’s book will be thrilled to see many characters from that book make an appearance in this book. I was so excited that Polly got more time in the spotlight in this book, she was such a fun character, and it was great to spend more time with her. I really enjoyed how Abbi fluidly changed the POV throughout the story. The majority of the book is told from Laura’s POV, but the rest of it is told from an assortment of other characters’ POVs. Abbi has this magical ability to change the POV at just the right moment and with such ease that everything just flows perfectly.
I just adored the boarding house that Laura found herself living in. I loved that mismatched collection of people (and pets) living there. Everyone in that house was so different, and I loved watching them interact with each other. They act like a family of sorts; they embrace each other’s differences, support each other, and give each other the push they may need. The pets are funny and adorable and add that extra charm to the story.
The romance between Laura and Bob has a slow-burn roommate feel to it. These two are just so sweet, and I enjoyed that slower pace their relationship had. It helped to build that chemistry and foundation between the two of them. They were both so shy and nervous around each other, and it just made my heart go pitter-patter when they would spend time with each other.
Adult Assembly Required is a fun, delightful romance with a cast of characters you will never forget.
Thank you, Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
