Oh this was soooo good! A second chance, friends to lovers romance between the mayor's son who's now a decorated Navy SEAL, and the gi ***4.25 Stars***
Oh this was soooo good! A second chance, friends to lovers romance between the mayor's son who's now a decorated Navy SEAL, and the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who's back to coach the high school's basketball team after a very successful pro-basketball career.
What did I love about this book the most? THE PINING!! Oh the pining was delicious.
Jamie's loved Charlie since high school and now that they're all grown up, he's come back to town to finally take his chance and fight for the woman he loves.
"I want you always, forever, in my bed, in my life, in my heart. I will never stop wanting you. I accepted that a long time ago."
Charlie has always had feelings for Jamie, the boy who came down to the other side of town to play some one-on-one basketball with her on the dingy court between their houses. Charlie grew up watching her mom depend on men for all her needs, including her self-worth, and she refused to turn into that...so she kept Jamie at a distance. But seeing him again after so long...
She wanted. She wanted with the desperation of the girl she'd been, and with the knowledge and passion of the woman she'd become.
But those fears still linger. She looks at her mom and sees everything she doesn't want to be. She's worked so hard to make something of herself. But, Jamie has always had a piece of her heart...and now being around him again, he's slowly taking more and more.
"Charlie. Look at me."
Her heart climbed into her throat as she obeyed, swamped with swirling emotion. Desire. Vulnerability. Fear. Joy. She looked at him, both desperately afraid he would see what she felt, understand it, and just as desperately afraid he wouldn't.
For only being novella length, this book packed a punch....both emotionally and erotically. Anne Calhoun can write some erotically charged sex scenes that are equal parts passion and intimacy. Jamie and Charlie set my kindle on fire.
The only disappointment I have is the ending. It's a very tentative HFN. Do I feel like these two will stay together? Yes. Do I feel like it won't be easy? Yes. With Jamie still being on active duty, their future is uncertain and the long distance will be tough.
I wish the book would have ended with at least a little bit of a concrete plan for these two. Dropping the mic on just the promise of giving their relationship a shot feels so incomplete.
I haven't seen who the MC's are later in the series, but I'm hoping that Jamie's brother (the town cop) gets a book! I really liked him....and I'm also hoping we'd get a glimpse of Jamie and Charlie in there too.
Merged review:
***4.25 Stars***
Oh this was soooo good! A second chance, friends to lovers romance between the mayor's son who's now a decorated Navy SEAL, and the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who's back to coach the high school's basketball team after a very successful pro-basketball career.
What did I love about this book the most? THE PINING!! Oh the pining was delicious.
Jamie's loved Charlie since high school and now that they're all grown up, he's come back to town to finally take his chance and fight for the woman he loves.
"I want you always, forever, in my bed, in my life, in my heart. I will never stop wanting you. I accepted that a long time ago."
Charlie has always had feelings for Jamie, the boy who came down to the other side of town to play some one-on-one basketball with her on the dingy court between their houses. Charlie grew up watching her mom depend on men for all her needs, including her self-worth, and she refused to turn into that...so she kept Jamie at a distance. But seeing him again after so long...
She wanted. She wanted with the desperation of the girl she'd been, and with the knowledge and passion of the woman she'd become.
But those fears still linger. She looks at her mom and sees everything she doesn't want to be. She's worked so hard to make something of herself. But, Jamie has always had a piece of her heart...and now being around him again, he's slowly taking more and more.
"Charlie. Look at me."
Her heart climbed into her throat as she obeyed, swamped with swirling emotion. Desire. Vulnerability. Fear. Joy. She looked at him, both desperately afraid he would see what she felt, understand it, and just as desperately afraid he wouldn't.
For only being novella length, this book packed a punch....both emotionally and erotically. Anne Calhoun can write some erotically charged sex scenes that are equal parts passion and intimacy. Jamie and Charlie set my kindle on fire.
The only disappointment I have is the ending. It's a very tentative HFN. Do I feel like these two will stay together? Yes. Do I feel like it won't be easy? Yes. With Jamie still being on active duty, their future is uncertain and the long distance will be tough.
I wish the book would have ended with at least a little bit of a concrete plan for these two. Dropping the mic on just the promise of giving their relationship a shot feels so incomplete.
I haven't seen who the MC's are later in the series, but I'm hoping that Jamie's brother (the town cop) gets a book! I really liked him....and I'm also hoping we'd get a glimpse of Jamie and Charlie in there too....more
This book is another great addition to The Edens series and Devney Perry's addicting writing kept me glued to the page. I love anytime ***3.75 Stars***
This book is another great addition to The Edens series and Devney Perry's addicting writing kept me glued to the page. I love anytime I get to be in Quincy and with the Edens family.
While I loved Jasper and Eloise together, and I'm always here for a fake relationship trope, these two didn’t quite give me what I was expecting. The flame was there, but Jasper and Eloise had the potential for an inferno.
And for everything he poured into that searing kiss, I sent it right back. The thunder to his lightning.
We were a storm.
Two souls lost in the pouring rain.
I think all the time jumps took away the relationship and plot development I needed. Jasper and Eloise were great, but they could have been amazing.
Also, the inclusion of the whole Blaze situation doesn't quite sit right with me. It was unnecessary. Completely. That whole plot line didn't add anything to the story and felt completely out of place and gruesome for no reason....more
There's such an easy readability to Devney Perry's writing. She keeps you invested and turning the pages.
While I love this series, thi ***3.5 Stars***
There's such an easy readability to Devney Perry's writing. She keeps you invested and turning the pages.
While I love this series, this book is the weakest for me so far. I liked it, but not as much as I wanted.
For me, I need two things in a second chance romance. First, to believe in the couple's love the first time around. Here, I got that . . . kinda(ish). I believed Talia and Foster had loved each other, I just didn't fully buy into the soul deep depth of their love. I think I needed more of their past. A flashback. More memories. Something.
And second, I need the reason for their separation to be believable and valid. Something for me to sink my teeth into as to why the heartbreak happened. Here? The reasoning felt flimsy and weak. Underdeveloped and kind of cliched.
With the build up of Foster finally admitting everything to Talia, I was expected somethig more. Instead, when I got the full story, I let out a loud Seriously? I didn't buy it. I didn't feel the whole "we had no other choice" reasoning was enough. I don't know if it was added to give the story some edge, but it didn't work for me.
Also, as others have metioned, I think Talia forgave Foster too easily.
So even though I enjoyed this, I think it'll probably end up being fairly forgettable in the scope of the whole series.
But let me tell ya . . . the set up for Jasper and Eloise. HERE. FOR. IT....more
I lived, laughed, loved my Saturday away with this book. Another tally on the friends to lovers supremacy scoreboard.
"You're t
***4.25 Stars***
I lived, laughed, loved my Saturday away with this book. Another tally on the friends to lovers supremacy scoreboard.
"You're the least scary thing in my life. You're not just tattooed on my skin. You're branded on my heart. Woven into the fiber of my being. The most constant and reassuring person in my life. When I close my eyes, I see you. When you're away from me, I dream about you. When I need someone to lean on, you are always there for me. God. You've loved me when I haven't even been able to love myself."
This series has been all over my feed for months and I finally decided to cave and see what all the ch ***4.25 Stars***
Alright, Ms. Silver. I see you.
This series has been all over my feed for months and I finally decided to cave and see what all the chatter is about. Well, let me tell you, the chatter is deserved!
This was a fun, sweet, heartwarming romance that I really liked.
A rough around the edges cowboy, a city princess (who's really not a princess at all), some great banter, scene stealing secondary characters, and a sweet romance had me glued to the pages.
This was also hotter than I was expecting, which no complaints as I'm usually YES, SHOW ME THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE SHEETS, but I have to say that Rhett's dirty talk was a little bit jarring and felt kind of out of place. I guess I just figured that since the rest of the story was sweet it wouldn't get that dirty in the bedroom?
Wait? What am I saying? Did I just imply this book is too hot? I don't know what I'm talking about. Ignore me. Someone come take my temperature.
Basically, read the book.
I’m excited to continue the series with Heartless, because I'm here for the grumpy brother (who's also a single dad) and the scene stealing sassy best friend to get their ranching groove on....more
WOW!! This book had me in its clutches for the last 24 hours. One of my favorite reads of 2021! I'm o ***5 Stars***
Hello book hangover, my old friend.
WOW!! This book had me in its clutches for the last 24 hours. One of my favorite reads of 2021! I'm obsessed!
I wanted them to see perfection. I ached for it in the deep, dark core of me: to be so good I left other people in the dust. It wasn't an endearing thing to admit, so I'd never told anyone, save a therapist, once. She'd asked if I thought it was possible to be perfect, and I'd amended that I didn't need to be perfect, per se, as long as I was the best.
Six friends. A 10 year college reunion. An unsolved murder. And so many secrets. Told in both past and present, I was glued to the pages from the beginning. The moment we flashed back to when this group of friends met, I was in.
And I think I knew, even then, that it would never get better than this. I think some part of me could sense - even here in our triumph, in our wild, perfect beginning - the small seeds of our destruction.
That's it. That's all I have to say about the plot.
You're gonna get a group of flawed characters, so many interconnected relationships, secrets, betrayal, jealousy, and lies.
Ashley Winstead NAILED the college vibe. I was transported to my college days in a heartbeat.
"Or course college felt extreme. You had infinite freedom and almost no responsibility. Nothing was fixed - you had your whole life ahead of you, and it could go anywhere. You had best friends you spent every minute with, so you were never alone."
Told primarily from Jessica's point of view, her insecurities and longing to belong and be seen are a palpable thing. She's deeply flawed, but relatable.
But even though this was told primarly from Jessica's POV, I was just as invested in every member of this group of friends. Yes, I wanted to know who killed Heather, but I was also intrigued by all the friendship dynamics and interpersonal drama and conflict.
This group was MESSY. I gobbled it up.
I swear these are the hardest reviews to write.
What can you say to someone to get them to pick up a book you were absolutely absorbed in? That even after reading, you can't stop thinking about? That had characters that were so well developed and fleshed out, you swear you know them?
Whatever you need said, pretend it's written here and GO READ THIS BOOK!!!...more
Why can’t I just like the books that everyone else likes?!?
[image]
This is my first book in this series, and by this author, and ***3 Stars (Barely)***
Why can’t I just like the books that everyone else likes?!?
[image]
This is my first book in this series, and by this author, and since this is a (mostly) loved series, I'm just gonna hit you with the highs and lows.
Things I Liked:
** Obviously, the male friendships. I loved their unconditional support. At the drop of a hat they were there for the good, the bad, and the smelly (if you know, you know).
** The message that it's okay for guys to be vulnerable, emotional, and affectionate. There were a few parts where things veered into the preachy, but overall, I loved how open the guys were with their feelings.
** The humor. Humor is hard in books. Everyone has different tastes, and tone can by hard to convey in writing . . . but there were quite a few moments where I genuinely laughed out loud. I'm looking at you shower scene with little butt (again . . . if you know, you know).
** The writing. Even if the story didn't work for me, it's clear that Lyssa Kay Adams is a talented writer.
Aaaaaand that ends the "Let's look at the positives" part of this review.
What I Didn't Like:
** If you're going to use the friends-to-lovers trope, you have to actually establish a friendship between the main characters. And here, it completely fell flat. Having Vlad and Elena have the same nationality does not a friendship make. Sure, the author gave us barely there crumbs of what their life was like in Russia before the marriage, but it was NOWHERE enough to establish any type of connection. Elena cooking all of Vlad's favorite foods just shows me that she knows what his favorite foods are and how to cook them. I felt no real chemistry between them.
** Two words . . . Miscommunication and Assumptions. That is the ENTIRE foundation of Vlad and Elena's marriage. These two don't talk about ANYTHING.
** The book within a book plot device. Like I said, this is my first book in this series so I don't know if this is a thing or just something included in this book, but it got on my nerves. For the guys to be discussing the beats of a romance book and then the author mirroring those actions with the main couple was a weird sort of breaking of the fourth wall that I didn't like. For the guys to be sitting around a table talking about "at this point in the book, So and So would be digging deeper to realize why they had this fear and why it was keeping them from the other person," only for Vlad to have some big epiphany 5 pages later.
** What the hell was up with the Cheese Man? I 10000000% did not understand this whole thing with the underground, black market cheese situation. Was this meant to be taken seriously or some weird HAHA about people's addiction to cheese?
** The suspense element with Elena'a father and his disappearance. Really brought the book down and took away from the overall feel of the book. How are you going to have a heartwarming, funny scene one minute and then 10 pages later you're talking about sex trafficking? This also adds to my confusion about Elena's supposed "passion" for journalism. It was just brought up when some conflict was needed. A central, yet completely underdeveloped, part of her character arc.
So, there you have it. My high hopes for this book were dashed by poor execution. But will that keep me from picking up another book by this author? Nope!
*********************************************** Before Reading:
Friends to lovers + Marriage of Convenience
Bat signal activated! Two of my favorite tropes!...more
If you're thinking of picking this up to read, I have one piece of advice for you...CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE!
This book is absolutely imposs ***4.25 Stars***
If you're thinking of picking this up to read, I have one piece of advice for you...CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE!
This book is absolutely impossible to put down.
The story unfolds in both the present and the past. Rachel is covering the rape trial in Neapolis, while also trying to figure out what really happened to Jenny Stills 25 years ago. In the past, Hannah (Jenny's little sister), tells the story of what was going on in Jenny's life leading up to that dreadful night. And interspersed among all of that are episodes of the latest season of Rachel's podcast.
You cannot stop turning the page. The pacing, momentum, progression of the story keeps pulling you forward as you make your way to the two big events...the night Jenny died and the verdict in the current rape trial.
As you can tell from the synopsis, the book deals with sexual assault and can be difficult to read at times. So, make sure you're in the right mindset for this type of story.
I did figure out everything before it was revealed, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book at all. I was still glued to the pages waiting to see how it all played out.
What kept me from giving this a full 5 stars, is that I found certain things unbelievable. For instance, call me a pessimist, but I can't see people spilling their guts with such ease to a random stranger who shows up out of nowhere with a random question about something that happened 25 years ago. People were giving her really good leads with a simple "Hi, I'm Rachel. Can you tell me what you know about Jenny Stills."
Also, I feel the ending is a bit rushed with the resolution of things and some other important after-effects felt glossed over. I would have liked more.
But, I'll tell you one thing, I'll be recommending this book to anyone and everyone that loves a good mystery book. This is hands down my favorite mystery/thriller I've read this year!...more
My jaw hurts from smiling through most of this book. It's like You've Got Mail(ish) but for the youngsters.
[image]
This was sweet and cut ***4 Stars***
My jaw hurts from smiling through most of this book. It's like You've Got Mail(ish) but for the youngsters.
[image]
This was sweet and cute, but definitely touches on some serious subject matters as well, so a heads up on that. Content warning for drug addiction and stalking/harassment.
I really loved Bailey and Porter and their honest and open conversations melted my heart and made me smile. They both have family tragedies in their past, and the way they opened up to each other was just, I know I sound like a parrot, but it was so sweet.
[image]
The miscommunication trope was the perfect touch of angst that wasn't blown out of proportion or dragged out for the sake of conflict. Thank you for that, Ms. Bennett.
This book completely gave me the first love butterflies and it was all wrapped up in awesome small surfer town during the summer vibes.
The thing about being trapped in a room with five other people, a bomb, and a syringe of lethal poison is that at some point, s
***3.5 Stars***
The thing about being trapped in a room with five other people, a bomb, and a syringe of lethal poison is that at some point, shit’s going down. No matter how frantically you claw at rationality, how desperately you cling to common decency, you eventually give in to your basic instinct to survive.
HOLY HELL how do I rate and review this? This book was impossible to put down, but I’m completely disappointed with the ending. WTF do I do with that?
But let’s start from the beginning.
The Breakfast Club meets SAW.
The queen bee, star athlete, valedictorian, stoner, loner, and music geek are trapped in a room with a syringe filled with poison and a bomb ticking down from 1 hour. They have ONE HOUR to decide who gets the lethal dose or the bomb goes off and they all die.
Told from Amber’s (the music geek) point of view, we watch panic set in as thoughts go from “this is a prank” to “whose life is expendable.”
The story also goes back and forth between past and present and we’re shown how all six of the attendees are interconnected…and we quickly realize that they all have one common denominator…Amber.
I figured things out pretty early, even though the author provides some twists and turns to keep you guessing about who may be behind the game. I’d change my mind for a few short pages, but eventually I always settled back on my initial guess.
The whole time while reading, you’re building towards two things: (one) the past and present merging, and (two) that clock counting down and a decision being made.
Unfortunately, when we reach the big climax, it felt like a letdown. The edge-of-your-seat intensity that we got while watching these characters scramble to find reason for murder, fizzled in the final pages.
For how high the stakes were and what ended up actually going down, the resolution and explanation was unbelievably casual.
This was the perfect bow to top off the end of the series.
Each extended epilogue left a huge smile on my face. And I love that each coup ***4 Stars***
This was the perfect bow to top off the end of the series.
Each extended epilogue left a huge smile on my face. And I love that each couple's ending was true to their relationship. Not everyone needs marriage and/or kids.
I'm gonna miss this series, these characters, and this chosen family.
I really liked this. Equal parts sweet and hot. The potential for the drama llama to trample all over this book was fairly high, but I'm ***4 Stars***
I really liked this. Equal parts sweet and hot. The potential for the drama llama to trample all over this book was fairly high, but I'm ever so thankful to Eden Finley for keeping that bitch locked up.
Both guys are dealing with some heartache and are at a crossroads in their careers, but they came out the other side filling that emptiness and loneliness they felt with unconditional support, lots of humor and snark, and whole hell of a lot of passion and love. ...more
Second....how would I describe this book? ESPN meets House Hunters and they have a slow burn romance ***4 Stars***
First off....LOOK AT THAT COVER!!!!!
Second....how would I describe this book? ESPN meets House Hunters and they have a slow burn romance baby!
Jamie Wesley is a new to me author, and I loved this first taste of her work! Definitely checking out her backlist!
This was a low angst, sweet and sexy story about two characters that I absolutely loved!
Carter's got an ego that he doesn't mind throwing around, and Gabby certainly doesn't mind putting him in his place.
The two have some past issues to get over, Gabby never wants to be seen as a gold-digger, and Carter is a bit of a commitment-phobe. But the way they play off each other is great!
The banter is fun and flirty and I really appreciate that neither Gabby nor Carter sling their insecurities at each other. They get where each is coming from and lift each other up and support each other.
And let me tell you, while the banter is fun and flirty....the sexy times are hot and passionate. These two burn up the sheets...and Gabby's buttons pay the price.
If you're looking for a great, low angst read with the right combination of sweet and sexy...this is the book for you!
I can't wait for more in these series. I've definitely fallen in love with the Jones Boys!...more
"You're so worth the risk. You're worth everything."
This book hit the friends to lovers spot! It gave me so many things that ***4 Stars***
"You're so worth the risk. You're worth everything."
This book hit the friends to lovers spot! It gave me so many things that I love about the trope, plus so much more!
[image] The already established history and connection. Miller and Talon have been friends since college, and from sharing women to sharing dreams, these two are meant to be in each other's lives.
[image] The secret pining. It's my kryptonite! I love it and gobble it up and I got it here from Miller with just the right amount of feels.
[image] Evaluation and experimentation. Talon needs to take a step back and evaluate his feelings for Miller and whether they've evolved over time or if his connection to his best friend has always been something more...something he hasn't paid attention to until now. And then, the terrific experimentation of those feelings!
[image] A wonderful cast of secondary characters. I love this cast of characters and the family they've become. And Maddox definitely stole the show anytime he offered his sage advice. He's come so far from his book and I've seriously missed his sense of humor.
If you're looking for an addicting read with endearing characters and a great friends to lovers story set against a NFL backdrop....this is the book for you!...more
If you're looking for a romance, keep on looking. However, if you're looking for an introduction to yoga, yoga poses, yoga breathing, yog ***2 Stars***
If you're looking for a romance, keep on looking. However, if you're looking for an introduction to yoga, yoga poses, yoga breathing, yoga terminology, yoga techniques, yoga benefits...basically all things yoga, than here's the book for you.
What little we get of the MC's actually interacting is mostly spent with them dancing around each other. And then in the final chapter, BOOM....switch flipped, gratuitous sex scene, let's date, the end. ...more
I read this as part of my "Get Your Shit Together and Read What's on Your Bookshelves!" project.
[image]
I picked this up at a book signin ***3 Stars***
I read this as part of my "Get Your Shit Together and Read What's on Your Bookshelves!" project.
[image]
I picked this up at a book signing I went to 3 or 4 years ago when I was reading almost solely romance. This was a popular author at the time that I'd never read, and New Adult was all the rage so bye bye money, hello new book.
Played was quick and entertaining. Nothing really special. Cookie cutter characters and formulaic romance. Everyone felt very surface level and one dimensional. My favorite thing about the book is the relationship between Ara and her roommate, Fleur. I love a good supportive, always keeping it real, female friendship.
One less book on the shelf, and one more book in the donation bin. ...more
I really liked this and read it almost in a single sitting!! Grump/sunshine and opposites attract(ish). Zeke and Violet may have been opp ***4 Stars***
I really liked this and read it almost in a single sitting!! Grump/sunshine and opposites attract(ish). Zeke and Violet may have been opposites when it came to their demeanor, but they were more alike than not when it came to their lonely childhoods.
He's never had to say it with words; Zeke Daniels gets me. Looks past all my imperfections and sees that deep down inside, we're kindred.
We bear similar scars.
Zeke is a douchebag, no question about that, but what becomes clear to Violet is that it's a defense mechanism. The little peeks she gets when Zeke forgets to have his walls up are enough for her to want to try a friendship with him.
Zeke is intrigued by Violet. She may look sweet and meek, but there's a backbone in her that isn't afraid to stand up to him and dish his shit right back.
I loved the evolution of their relationship and how Violet's patience softens Zeke's rough edges. I love how they understood, but never pitied, each other's histories. Zeke's parents have basically neglected him his entire life, wanting to travel and live life rather than raise a child, and Violet lost both her parents to a drunk driving accident when she was very young.
I feel like this book is more Zeke's story than Violet's, so I wish we had a little bit more about her, but I loved her strength and how she wouldn't let her circumstances overshadow the good things in her life. She may not have had a family growing up, but she made her own family with friends and I love how much she appreciated everything she did have.
The romance was sweet and romantic. When Zeke and Violet were alone together you could see their walls would come down because they felt safe and comfortable around each other.
"I always thought your eyes were incredible." Her husky voice is quiet, whispering, heavy with sleep. Has my black heart skipping a beat. Heat rises in my chest as she lavishes attention on me in the dark. "They're the best part of you."
"No. They're not," I whisper back, her fingers still bestowing tingles on my skin.
"They're not?"
"No." Not even close. "The best part of me is you, Violet."
Overall, a book that I'm glad I randomly picked up at a signing a few years ago. This is my first Sara Ney book, and I definitely plan on checking out more of her stuff.
I read this as part of my "Get Your Shit Together and Read What's on Your Bookshelves!" project.
Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read**
>
Books:
athletes
(87)
Loading...
