On His Paintbrush

A Romantic Comedy (Svensson Brothers Series, Book 2)

De: Alina Jacobs

Narrado por: Alexander Cendese, Samantha Summers

When I first laid eyes on the curvy brunette, she made me a drink then said I made her wet. I couldn't pass up the invitation. I wanted her to paint me like one of her French boys. Before I walked out of her dinky small town cafe, I left my card, all black.

Hazel: I turn weird and awkward around attractive men. I'm a nervous sweater, and when Archer walked into my art cafe that night, he was making me soaking wet. He was stupidly attractive - which caused me to go into excruciating detail about my sweating problem, insult what he had under his fig leaf, and imply I was running a brothel.

My career as an artist was a joke. I was desperately trying to live the #bossbabe life after I couldn't hack it as an artist in New York City and moved back to my small hometown. Now my business is failing. But hey, suffering is inspirational, right?

But then so is Archer. With his model good looks and muscular, tattooed chest, Archer might be the creative, maybe even crazy, idea that I desperately need to save my disaster of a life.

©2019 Alina Jacobs (P)2020 Tantor

Forced myself through it

Ok I originally wrote an earlier review before I was even halfway through the book because I noticed an issue with the readers. But now that I’ve forced myself through the entire book, I wanted to add more.

My first issue still holds true… the guy reading the book sounds like he’s reading it. Not like he’s the character, or engaging with the story. And he doesn’t know how to pause to show changes between different voices/characters so it’s confusing. Plus he reads too fast so you never get a chance to digest what he’s saying. He really detracts from the story.

Additionally the sex parts were cringy to me. Normally I enjoy a good steamy scene. But these were like cheap pornos. I had to fast forward through them. Cheap language and the same descriptor words each time. And they had a major sex scene in every single chapter. Maybe even twice. Maybe some people like that type of sex but to me it’s boring.

Then the main character went from being someone who stumbles over her words and overshares dumb thoughts around cute guys (which was cute), to suddenly being able to say how hot everything makes her and how wet she is. It was just too much of a transition. There wasn’t consistency with her character.

Also I hated how the lead male character always talked about her perky boobs and nipples after saying how much he loved her. As if love was only skin deep. He was very shallow.

I did like the broader storyline so I wanted to see where that went. But I ended up having to fast forward through so much of the book just to get there.

Also I hated the voice that the male reader did for the main character. It made her seem like a dumb bimbo. I really wish they would have chosen a different male reader.

The female reader was pretty good. She managed to carry everything well enough. Too bad she didn’t read the book by herself.

But unfortunately the book was still lacking. If they’d fixed the sex scenes, and how cheap they spoke to each other, and created more emotional dimension, that would have helped. Thank goodness the book was free.

I really wanted more from this book because it had a lot of potential.

Irritating

I cannot stand the H. He and Mckanna really need to be together. Every time she came in the picture, the H had no backbones to get her out of his life. Instead he made it easy for her to manipulate him. He said he didn’t want her but had no problem for her to kiss him even getting back with her. He even thought about taking her out bc shes easy. Like I said, he should’ve ended with her and not Hazel. This became more annoying than enjoyable. I almost gave up so many times but force myself to finish this. The performance was good.

A fun series with great narration

Alina Jacobs writes great RomComs that are very spicy!

On His Paintbrush was unexpectedly heartwarming with a lot of great scenes about our lovably messy Hazel, an art cafe owner in her small hometown in New York, and Archer Svensson, one of the older of the many brothers (if you haven’t read her series before, there’s quite an interesting background with the father and many children), and twin to the main character from book one.

The pair are extremely mis-matched and no one believes this more than Archer’s ex and Hazel’s nemesis, who does her best to split up their budding relationship.

It’s a fun read made better by the great narration by Samantha Summers and Alexander Cendese. They have done the other books in the series and always do a great job.

Be prepared for snort laughing

I really loved this story. It may be my favorite of Alina’s books although I’m still working my way through all of them. The characters were interesting and likable for the most part. There were plenty of times that I wanted to smack some of them upside the head. I did want more comeuppance for McKenna and Merla Vee. They both irritated me. Hazel was talented, funny, and sweet. She drove me up a wall! I yelled at her a lot. There were so many times that I wanted her to just talk to Archer but I also understood her dilemma. To be honest, I would probably react the same way she did. Archer was a big kid a good portion of the time or at least he seemed to want his family and others to think that. In reality, Archer was very smart, talented, and positive. He knew what he wanted and did what he could to make sure that it happened. Archer and Hazel together were fun. Their banter had me cracking up. The romance was sometimes sweet but always steamy. I liked how the story ended. I loved the epilogue “Paint Him”. It was exactly what the story needed. I recommend reading this book.

You can also listen to it and I recommend that you do that as well. The narrators did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. It was wonderful listening to them.

Love this romantic story

This was such a sweet, romantic story. The main characters find each other in a fun way and it ties together in the end. My favorite thing about this book and author is that she brings characters from previous books like the frost brothers and gives you a glimpse at where those characters are now and makes you smile. They come and help the current characters by bringing them up in cool ways. This book had romance, steamy moments but so many funny moments thanks to ida. Starting book 3 now.

fun

fun with love and a big family. really enjoyed the read.look forward to the next story.

Inviting

Corky and amazing. This was a funny and engaging book perfect for audio. To long of a book to read. The second scene were a prefect amount. Still, what is up with hunter and the sister?

Nothing

This book has a crazy amount of explicit sex scenes. So you may not want to play it out loud at the office! The performers were good and the story line was ok but predictable

DID’NT LIKE MUCH

Couldn’t get past the first couple chapters. I usually can last longer in a book trying to give it a chance, but this one seemed too juvenile in the silly innuendos, it got tiresome for me. But for some apparently they like these kinds of silly books. Sorry & Good luck!

Grating: Content, Prose, Performance

Maybe some spoilers? If you care.

The story: drags on and on. Predictable except for the fact that you keep thinking that it’s over and it’s not, and it slogs on. The characters are just unbelievably stereotypical and annoying: a playboy billionaire from a family of all boy, all GORGEOUS cult survivors (?!) raised neglected in a trailer by a vicious father and a neglectful and narcissistic mother. Even the sex is repetitive and predictable.

The prose: The “jokes” are crude humor, seemingly written by a locker room full of middle school boys. “You’re an artist? Want to see My PaInTbRuSh?” type humor. (Not a direct quote… I don’t think? Could be! Not my intention. Just illustrating the vibe.) Ugh. I don’t care how hot a guy is; if he talks to me like this, it’s like the Sahara has come to town.

The narration: There are these. Weird. Pauses every. Where. And not. For dramatic effect. On top. Of this issue. The editor left in some alternate recording options somewhere in the middle! So the narrator says “He caressed my breast. ALT He caressed my breasts.” Nothing sends you into fantasyland like picturing some poor woman in the recording booth talking to herself about breasts. LMAO. And this issue happens a bunch of times.

Pass. Do not smash. I admire you for writing a thousand book series. I could never do what you have done. Also, I did not like this book, and these are my reasons.