vera_allbookedup's reviews
1878 reviews

Being alone and being lonely are two different things. Ivy has watched her brothers find everlasting love. To stave off the loneliness, Ivy tries out new things and when something happens to her one night, Marco is the one who helps her. Marco's her brother Cooper's best friend so he's always been off limits. But there's so much chemistry and attraction between them. Being around Marco keeps those feelings of loneliness away. They get along well, they share their deepest secrets, they keep it real while keeping their relationship a secret. When Cooper finds out, it becomes a true test of putting your money where your mouth is. This is when we find out if Marco was being true to Ivy or just finessing her with words. Kit Swann and CJ Mission did an amazing job narrating this story. Ivy and Marco came to life. I heard the emotions and the nuances in the narrators' voices that made the story that much more enjoyable.

I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this review.

I should have known based on my reaction to book 1 that this book would tug at my heartstrings. Eve is the feistiest of the Jacobson sisters. She's a rebel, headstrong, and fiercely independent, but she's held back by the fact that as long as she lives at home, she has to follow her parents' rules. Not to mention dad is the town's preacher. Then Kyle Collins and his son Josh move next door. Kyle is a high school Math teacher. If Eve was his student, he would have all kinds of trouble on his hands. Kyle is 10 years older than her, but Eve is far ahead when it comes to the things she's experienced over the years but yet still immature in some ways. However, her way of dealing with adversity and big feelings is to drown it in alcohol. Just when things have begun with them, they seem to have ended. It was truly and emotional journey and one I don't think anyone thought would end on a happy note. 

"We fall in love with our hearts, not with our brains."

This is so true for Kyle and Eve. They overcame so much to be together. 

I can count on the author to make me experience a wide range of emotions while reading one of her books. The characters are complex, their experiences are varied, and the storylines full of twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge until the very end. 

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

Their first meeting ended up with Stella running over Hudson’s crutches in book 1. Not a great first impression. But no worries because the attraction is still there. Stella ends up renting an apartment in the same duplex that Hudson lives in. They share a kitchen and somehow agree to a secret friends with benefits arrangement. They break ground rule number one the first night. Oh boy! As we get to know these characters, it’s evident why Stella needs stability. Her mom moved them around a lot chasing love with all the wrong people. Hudson’s childhood wasn’t the greatest, which lands him in juvy. They’re not looking for forever but somehow still catch feelings. In the midst of figuring out just what they’re doing, Stella discovers an older half brother. It’s awkward at first but they seem to get the hang of being related. Stella just doesn’t need the big brother protectiveness, especially when he warns Hudson not to hurt her. Hudson and Stella are so fiercely independent. Neither knows what relationships should be like or how to navigate the love stuff. I like how they were able to find their forever after while not having to sacrifice parts of themselves that make them who they are. 

I can’t describe just how much I love this small town and its people. No one is a stranger. Newcomers are quickly welcomed into the fold. There’s great banter among the characters and they’ve managed to cobble together a family of kind and supportive people. 

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review. 

How have I not read/listened to a book by this author?!?! That changes now. The Way We Score is a second chance, sports, accidental pregnancy, found family romance. I love a good second chance romance. Liv and Garrett have loved each other since high school, but life got in the way. Now she's signed papers to divorce her philandering husband and ends up in her hometown to help her mother. She runs into Garrett at a mutual friend's wedding. One thing led to another and a few weeks later, two pink lines change everything. Here she thought she couldn't get pregnant and one night with Garrett changes all that. Garrett is ecstatic! This is his chance to make Liv his again. What follows is the relatable and realistic journey to changing course, melding lives, and getting ready for a baby while figuring out their relationship. Samantha Brentmoor and Patrick Zeller were amazing narrators. Their talented voices gave the characters and their story life. I felt like I was watching a movie.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

Law Man and Chaos. Tooth hugs and podcasts. Grumpy and sunshine in the small town of Shady Cove. Everyone was wary of Ridley Sawyer. She was a stranger in this small town. Nothing gets small towners to clam up faster than an interloper asking questions. But Ridley soon gets the townspeople to warm up to her. Only she could befriend the bartender, members of the local motorcycle club, and the one person they protect the most, Emerson Sinclair. It was Emerson's story that brought Ridley to Shady Cove. Ridley feels very strongly that Emerson's case linked to 23 other cases she's looked into. What Ridley keeps close to her vest is her link to these cases. Sheriff Colter Brooks, Emerson's brother and fiercest protector, doesn't like the fact that Ridley is resurrecting this case. Sure, he looks over the investigation files at least once a year, but he's law enforcement. Yet when Ridley needs looking after and a place to stay, Colt is just as protective of her as he is of his loved ones and friends. 

Oh the banter between Ridley and Colt! They had me laughing out loud too many times to count! Then there's the townspeople who slowly warmed up to Ridley because how could you not like this gentle, friendly soul? I think what drew Ridely and Colt together was more than attraction; it was the recognition that they were carrying guilt around, that they both had grief so similar. Lots of healing happened in Shady Cove. I will venture to say that without Ridley rolling into town in her van with her cat Tater, her podcast, and her determination, Emerson's case would have stayed cold. And like every other time I read a book by the author, my suspicions of the perpetrator were so off base! This perp...downright diabolical! 

The narrators, Andi Arndt and Sebastian York… chef’s kiss! They brought this story to life and gave it the right amount of mystery and love.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.