Dear girl with the red scarf,
Love was never meant to be conquered,
you have to surrender to it.
Trust me. After all, I am Mr. Universe.

When the universe conveys a message, you listen.

Olivia Montiano just caught her fiancé cheating. Now she is forced to question what she wants out of life and love. Striving to live up to her father’s unrealistic standards for the past twenty-three years, every decision she has ever made was with her father’s wishes in mind—until she finds mysterious, handwritten letters tucked away in places only meant for her. That’s when she realizes she’s been on the wrong path all along and gives her heart to a guy her father thinks is entirely wrong.

Washed-up abstract artist Nick Montgomery has had quite a few setbacks in life. He’s accustomed to never needing anyone, thinking he’s just fine—until he meets the girl with the red scarf. She’s not his type. But the universe has other ideas. Nick has a secret he’s keeping from her, afraid it will bring their new relationship to a sudden halt.

Will they figure out what the universe holds for them?

3 ‘Ro. Sham.Bo’ Stars.

This is a tough book to rate and for a debut novel the author is off to a good start.

What grabbed me? Well the premise of the heroine in the book receiving notes to help her find herself and to realise what is important in life.

And the Oscar goes to… Olivia Montiano, for Sham of a Life. It was a shame that it had taken her five years to realise it.

Olivia has been living a life she doesn’t want and she is finally coming to the conclusion that it isn’t working. Not. At. All.

Nick Montgomery is a fantastic hero. He has suffered heartache but he has come out stronger than ever before. That is until one encounter changes his life.

Before I crossed the street, I picked up your scarf, placed it back where it belonged. You flinched and looked up at me. Your eyes widened. I knew at that moment I’ve known those eyes a lifetime. No hesitation, no doubt in my mind, I knew you were the one and anything else will ever fall short. Who knows what could have been? You’ve been on my mind ever since. N.M.

This is a slow burn romance not necessarily bad but it is more about the MC in the books navigating themselves through their lives to where they want to be. It is about dreams and aspirations. It shows you what is really important in life. That materialistic things are nothing. That spending time with family and friends is far more important. Love and friendship. Finding yourself and living the life that you want to and not what your parents have envisioned for you.

There are profound moments in the book.

I didn’t connect with Olivia particularly well. She was too careful in her choices and decisions.
I’ve been lucky. My parents have always let me make my own choices in life and I’ve lived with the repercussions of everything. The good, the bad and the ugly. Or maybe I was oblivious about it all.

Maybe we’ll see more of them I feel as if their story isn’t finished yet.

All in all it is a long winded book not with an ending I expected but I still liked it very much. Most certainly an author to watch out for.

I’m going to need something upbeat after this book.