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Insatiable

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Having all of her is the only thing that will satisfy him...

Shawn Griffin and Rachel Cooper have been best friends practically since birth, thanks to their families' close relationship. But for the past few years, Shawn has been fantasizing about getting his best pal in his bed. When she announces she's taking a trip to reconnect with an old lover, Shawn knows the time has come to put up or shut up. If she wants to go to New York City, fine. But he's coming with her.

Rachel doesn't know what to think of Shawn's sudden interest. Determined to live life on her own terms, she refuses to fall right in line with her wealthy family's wish that they get married and have perfect little babies. She just didn't count on how determined her seemingly laid back - and extremely sexy - best friend would become after setting his sights on what he wants. Her, over and over again.

But when tragedy strikes, Rachel begins to wonder if she'll lose not only her lover but her best friend too.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, exhibitionism/sex in public.

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

141 people are currently reading
3300 people want to read

About the author

Cari Quinn

124 books2,153 followers
USA Today bestselling author Cari Quinn grew up wanting to be a singer more than anything else. When she realized she probably wouldn’t be hired as the opening act for the Foo Fighters, she stopped singing and started writing. Now she happily writes about rock stars, MMA fighters, suited heroes, bodyguards and everything in between. And she blasts her music as loud as the neighbors can stand, because hey, she’ll always be a rock star in her own head.

She's also half of the duo Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott, as well as one half of the USA Today bestselling author Taryn Quinn, who writes steamy small town romantic comedies (among other things.)

Visit Cari at www.quinnandelliott.com to sign up for her newsletter and visit the Word Wenches on Facebook, her fun, sexy reader group with Taryn Elliott! https://www.facebook.com/groups/34642...

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
Profile Image for Stephanie.
822 reviews38 followers
July 14, 2011
I stopped at page 94...I disliked Rachel so much that I cannot read anymore of this book. I usually love friends to lovers, but this just did NOT work for me.

Rachel was an immature bitch that wouldn't know a good man if he bit her! As unlikable as she was, Shawn was that likeable. However not enough to keep me reading. Skipped to last page and they lived HEA; too bad Rachel ruined the journey....
Profile Image for MBR.
1,392 reviews364 followers
February 15, 2011
A Solid 5 Star Erotic Contemporary Romance

30 year old Shawn Griffin is an esteemed architect and the only child of the Griffins who own an architecture firm known throughout the West Coast. Born and bred in Calvin Bay of California, Shawn is blessed with surfer good looks, feline green eyes and golden hair from his mother and a laser-like focus and intensity from his CEO father. Shawn’s only regret in life is the fact that he had turned down his best friend’s proposal that they become intimate when she had been 16 years old and curiosity had taken a hold of her that in turn had driven her into another man’s arms. Shawn is a man who is biding his time for the right moment to woo the love of his life into his arms forever, a man who has been infatuated with his childhood friend and best buddy since forever and been in love with her for at least half a dozen years.

28 year old Rachel Cooper is the youngest child of the Coopers who publish the magazine for tony fashionistas in the West Coast. A middle school music teacher, Rachel had met Shawn minutes after entering into this world, thanks to the lifelong friendship between their families. Shawn had become her best girlfriend, regardless of the fact he is a guy, long before she had even realized that being his best friend was what she wanted. Apart from the one time when she had been 16 years old and had found feelings of an alien kind inhabiting her body whenever she had been around Shawn, Rachel had never considered opening up her heart to Shawn in the forever kind of manner until the connection and attraction that has always simmered between them comes right up against her, with no holds-barred when Shawn decides to focus his laser-like intensity on winning her affections.

It is when Rachel decides to go on a no-holds-barred sex vacation to New York and rekindle the flames with her high school boyfriend that all hell breaks loose and Shawn unleashes all his pent up longing and desire to claim Rachel as his. Rachel is as skittish as commitment phobic heroines come and add to the equation her tendency to ALWAYS go against what her parents gently prod her and urge her to do, when Shawn and her getting married and having a couple of beautiful babies is what both their families have always hinted at all their life.

Shawn has his work cut out for him when he follows Rachel to New York and competing with the Harley riding ex-boyfriend of Rachel’s seems to require his undivided attention. With Rachel as skittish as a wild horse that needs taming when it comes to facing the intense nature of the feelings that sweep them both away on a journey of sensual awakening that just lights up the reader’s world in a kaleidescope of colors, Shawn is in it to win and make Rachel face what she has always longed for ever since they had both grown up. When tragedy comes calling, it is then that both Rachel and Shawn needs to decide whether theirs is a love that can weather all storms and come out triumphant in the end.

To find out why this book made my favorites list in the friends-to-lovers trope and how it rocked my world head onto: http://bit.ly/eXilQY
Profile Image for Olga therebelreader.
894 reviews768 followers
March 25, 2015
Insatiable is the beautiful love story of Rachel and Shawn who have been best friends their entire lives.
Their parents have been best friends too, and Shawn and Rachel have always been supportive and caring to each other. Shawn has always been deeply in love with her but has never expressed his true feelings to her. When Rachel’s ex-boyfriend invites her to New York City in order to attend his book premier party, Shawn follows her in order to finally make his move and win her love. It’s now or never!
 photo tumblr_mv72a4iyM71qkzl7oo1_500_zps3jws1hef.gif

Packed with much emotion and sexual tension of the good kind, the story swept me away with the burgeoning of romantic love between best friends. Shawn and Rachel characters are very well written. The fear of losing the person you love that you have grown up with and called best friend forever is nicely portrayed.
The sex scenes are steamy but the author has made them realistic and heartwarming at the same time. I loved the dialogue between the two main characters as it spoke of long time friendship. Best friends to lovers are some of my favorite books to read and Insatiable is no different.

Quote: Their gazes connected, and he fought to pull himself back enough to kiss her once more tenderly. "Mine."
Those dark eyes he'd loved all his life blurred as she arched to take him even deeper. But her mouth remained soft under his. Yielding, pliant. The most delicious surrender he'd ever tasted. "Mine," she echoed, her body quaking against him. Around him.


Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.
Profile Image for Simply Love Book Reviews.
7,046 reviews870 followers
February 16, 2011
WOW!!!! First time I've read this author. I saw a glowing review from a reviewer on my goodreads friends. So good I didn't put it on my TBR, I bought it and started reading it as soon as I got home from work.

The sex is hot, Shawn is SEXY, SWEET and DETERMINED.

What I love about this book is besides the smoking sex, the characters are strong and you get drawn into their emotions. I wanted to cry in frustration for Shawn and I wanted slap Rachel at the same time I totally understood why she was like she was.

I have only read a couple of books published by Loose ID, but I am beginning to see they have some authors that are definitely auto-buy worthy.

Cari Quinn will be a Loose ID auto buy, along with Cherise Sinclair.

Thank you Maldivianbookreviewer for turning me on to this book =)
Profile Image for Mandi.
2,356 reviews733 followers
March 16, 2011
Favorite Quote: “You’re hard!”
He didn’t even have the courtesy to look ashamed. Actually he appeared amused. “You don’t say.”

Shawn and Rachel have been best friends for their entire lives. Their families, both very wealthy have always expected the two of them to end up together, but so far it has just been platonic. Rachel has purposefully led her life away from her family’s money, becoming a middle school music teacher. Shawn on the other hand has taken interest in his father’s building business. They each are content in their lives – at least on the outside. Inside, Shawn has been lusting after Rachel for as long as he can remember. But Rachel, has never considered Shawn anything more than a friend.

Rachel gets invited by her ex-boyfriend to fly across the country to New York City to meet up with him. Rachel is curious to go, even if that means she is just going for a hook-up, but Shawn has had enough. He makes it clear to Rachel he wants her. But Rachel is not ready to handle this news. There is too much to lose of their friendship if romantic feelings get in the way. But Shawn isn’t about to let her get away, and follows her to NYC to prove to her he is the one.

I’ve read several Cari Quinn books and I think Insatiable is my favorite. It might be because it is a full length novel and she has time to give these two great characters a really full story. This is very much a character driven story. Rachel and Shawn both early on admit that there is something more than just friendship between them – although Shawn is ready to move ahead full throttle – while Rachel needs time to analyze everything. I liked the push and pull between them the entire story. Rachel is very much into having sex and exploring the physical side, and while Shawn won’t complain, he also has the quieter, more romantic thoughts running through his head. They kind of reverse roles in the male/female trend and I liked how Rachel acts more like the “male” in the relationship.

I didn’t quite understand Ryan’s role in this book. As an ex of Rachel’s he invites her across the country to see him, even though he is involved with someone else. And Rachel doesn’t act that surprised, or offended. Of course, at the same time she discovers he is not really available, Shawn is hunting her down and seducing her. So I get that her emotions are in turmoil, but I just felt like Ryan was a weak character. I wanted more drama from him.

The last part of the book really takes an emotional swing – and surprised me. I thought the ending plays out really well and romantic.


Insatiable is a cute, romantic contemporary that goes to the top of my Cari Quinn list.


Rating: B
317 reviews27 followers
June 19, 2011
Were I to rate it for its cover,I would have given it 4 stars.I like the cover very much....But it has little to do with the two friends...You would think these two are Shawn and Rachel....Guess again!!

First of all I disliked Rachel.I haven't disliked a character since forever....She really got on my nerves and she should thank her luck I wasn't in Shawns shoes b/c I would have gotten really violent and not in a sexy way....She was being childlish and annoying and many other not flattering adjectives....Not once did she make me feel she deserved Shawn...and the sex scenes???...hmm..so much talking!!!It was like you are in the movies and next to you,there are some people who talk all the time and say things you couldn't care less and you can't focus on the movie and you want to shout to them to at last shut the fuck(pun intended) up....
There are many scenes I didn't like but then my review would get too long ,and I get bored with long reviews myself...

Profile Image for Taryn Elliott.
Author 70 books1,067 followers
February 21, 2011
*sigh*
I just finished this for the what? 3rd time? As a friend and crit partner to this lovely lady I get to read these things before anyone else. But understand this...I always read them one more time after the editors and copyeditors get their hands on them. Right after I get it on my Kindle I crack my knuckles and settle down because I know I won't be going anywhere.

This one was a real treat for me. Some of you may not know that this is actually the very first book in Cari's arsenal. You can say thank you to Rachel and Shawn and Ryan for putting Cari on this path to writing. And while they went through a few different incarnations this was the story that finally told the story as it should have been told.

Sweet, sexy as hell--the elevator scene alone will stay with you for AGES, and chock full of emotion that only Cari can do. It takes a special talent to draw this reader in and punch me in the gut without making my teeth ache from over-sweetness. Schmaltzy is something that's FAR too easy to put into a romance. Cari never does that. Even at her sweetest, there's this knowledge that few writers can capture. Knowing her characters and taking them where THEY need to go, not where the writer(or even where the reader)thinks it should go.

She's taught me that as a writer and most assuredly as a reader.

Read this one.

You won't regret it. Even if you want to strangle Rachel a few times. ;)
Profile Image for PattyPepperpotts.
42 reviews14 followers
October 9, 2011
Not so much that I hated this book, but more like I felt shortchanged with the way the story unfolded. I was looking forward to a story that would have more character development, something that delved deeper into the relationship of the main characters, however, this proved to be one need that would forever remain insatiable for me. Ironic, isn't it?

Sure, it is full of steamy scenes, but at some point, it feels like that was all it was offering. I don't know about the rest of the world but I prefer to have my literature offer more than just a string of hot scenes. No judgement to those who find entertainment this way, well, to each his own.
Profile Image for Tessamari ♥Many Waters...♥ ~ Sweet Spot Book Blog.
1,003 reviews163 followers
February 13, 2012
I got about 60% in and I couldn't go through with it. Rachel, the heroine, was getting on my last nerve. Shawn, our hero, was just too stupid to let it all out. I'm normally a huge fan of long time friends becoming more, but for some reason, this one wasn't cutting it. I found myself skipping pages, just so they can get to the point. Not good. It had so much potential, but, alas, it fell way short.
Profile Image for MaggieReadsRom.
956 reviews117 followers
July 17, 2011
Words cannot describe my mad love for this book! Adored it!


Rating: 10 out of 10 - PERFECT READ!

First line:
She had a choice to make. To go or to stay. To have an incredible adventure or to stay snuggled in the soulless crypt of her comfort zone.

Memorable Scenes:
- Shawn’s skills with handcuffs > clever thinking there ;-)
- Every.Single.Sex.Scene > pages could’ve easily caught fire is all I’m saying! And the best thing is I wouldn’t have noticed as I was enthralled by the sexy, sexy scenes!
- BEYOND MEMORABLE: The elevator scene!!! I never thought I would ever say this but Cari’s elevator smexing scene trumps ANY office smex scene I have ever read! There! I said it!


Rachel Cooper and Shawn Griffin have been best friends forever, since they were in diapers. When Rachel’s contemplating to visit an ex on the other side of the country to have a sexual fling and some closure Shawn surprises her by telling he’s going with her. Shawn’s been in love with Rachel for years and when she tells him his plans he decides enough is enough and now is the time to show her he’s the only man she needs.

Rachel resists taking her relationship with Shawn beyond either friendship or just sex for several reasons. For one, she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship with emotions. Another reason is her natural resistance to doing anything her parents expect from her, her rebellion against her parents so to speak. Third is fear. She has loved once and he hurt her so she shields herself from it as to not risk the chance of getting hurt again. Rachel doesn’t do love, at least that’s what she thinks, but Shawn sneaked up on her and nestled himself in her heart way before she’s ready to admit it.

Shawn and Rachel are very alike. They both compartmentalize things, they’re both stubborn and tenacious. I loved the banter between them. They are very comfortable with each other, which I guess is one of the reasons I love the friends-to-lovers trope so much.

The romance in INSATIABLE was built up excellently. Shawn was quicker in accepting what was between him and Rachel as he’d acknowledged his feelings for her much earlier. And Rachel, though slowly giving into the chemistry and her changing feelings (from close friendship to sexual interest to love), she remains hesitant and doesn’t jump in with both feet. I really liked that Cari Quinn took this road as nothing bothers me more than overnight changes of heart or sudden epiphany moments that make a story feel rushed. Well, there was nothing rushed about INSATIABLE. Thank you for that, Cari!

Cari Quinn’s sex scenes are so awesome I can’t even find appropriate adjectives to describe them or how I feel about them any more. If anyone deserves the title of author of the hottest sex scenes ever, it’s her. But the sexy scenes aren’t what solely attracts me to her books and keep me coming back for more. Her characters, especially her heroes, are terrifically written. The chemistry and dynamics between her characters, their dialogues, their histories and their personalities…All of it comes together perfectly and smoothly and more importantly it works oh so well for me I just drown in the books and don’t want to come up for air.

Cari Quinn hit all my emotional buttons with INSATIABLE. Next to the sizzling scenes there are also emotional moments of doubt and self-recrimination that caused lumps in my throat. It’s known I have a soft spot for books with heat, emotion and humor. INSATIABLE ticked every single one of those boxes for me. And wow, I was totally shaken up at the end of this story. Not only did something unexpected throw me for a loop, the ending also definitely touched a personal reality for me. I was tearing up through the entire last chapter and literally and loudly bawled at Rachel’s speech during a certain event. (Won’t say which event as it will spoil the powerful ending of this story). This last chapter, even knowing there had to be a HEA, had me worried for a while about how this was going to be wrapped up and I must say Ms Quinn hit it out of the ballpark with the end.

I love reading Cari Quinn’s books so much once I start a book of hers I can’t put it down and INSATIABLE definitely was not an exception to that. With INSATIABLE she gave me stuff like himbo, hit-and-run sex and nibblicious butt. Just for that she deserves an extra point for this book.

I don’t think I can come up with any fresh new words to praise Cari Quinn’s writing. I’ve complained about the short length of her stories before and with INSATIABLE this complaint has been completely taken away as I was treated to a well-written rounded story with enough pages and room for more back-story and depth to the characters than in her shorter stories.

There wasn’t a single thing I didn’t like about INSATIABLE. It aroused me, it made me laugh and it made cry. The perfect triad for a perfect read!

Favorite Quotes:
He’d cajoled her to come with him to this thing, but she wasn’t dancing with him. Nope. She preferred to dance with the first himbo who twirled the pretty pink umbrella in her mixed drink. (LOVE LOVE LOVE Cari for introducing me to the word ‘himbo’ here. I laughed out loud, really hard, when I read it. Brilliant!)

His hooded green eyes offered wicked delights his equally naughty lips promised to fulfill, if a woman didn’t exhaust herself on the fantasy before she’d sampled the reality.

Air swept over her fevered skin as he tugged down the zipper, but she didn’t stop him. He’d flipped a switch inside her, and now he kept his finger on the button, playing her expertly.

Then Rachel walked into the room, her short geisha girl outfit revealing a mile and a half of leg, and his muscles locked as if he were a wolf that had just scented its mate.

She’d known Shawn all her life, and until two days ago, she’d believed, perhaps naively, that she understood him better than anyone. She knew what to buy him for his birthday—books on architecture or a gift certificate to his favorite art store, so he could buy his preferred brand of sketch pads and blue pencils —and how to make his favorite kind of peanut butter sandwich, with strawberry jelly and banana on extra-dark toast. But she didn’t know this dangerously tempting man who’d just stared at her as if he wanted to swallow her in one greedy, finger-licking gulp.

“What are you looking for then?”
“What I’ve already found.” He took a breath. Let it out again. “I love you, Rachel.”
When her expression didn’t change, he let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Capital L, Rach. The big kahuna. Not best-pal love, but the I-want-to-eat-tropical-fruit-drizzled-with-honey-off-your-breasts-and-make-love-to-you-all-night kind. Get my drift?”


Profile Image for Danielle.
1,339 reviews51 followers
February 20, 2011
If you want hot, romantic, fun and emotional this is the novella for you. Cari Quinn will take you on the sexiest roller coaster ride of your life when you get sucked into two best friends longing for each other, but who will make the first move?

Shawn Griffin is an architect who was born in California. Not only is Shawn is blessed with good looks, amazing green eyes and golden hair, but his father is the CEO of the company he works for. Shawn happens to have only one regret in life, which is the night he turned down his best friend’s proposal to become intimate. Since he turned her down when she was younger and curious she ended up in another mans arms. Shawn has been in love with Rachel forever and now it is the time to make her his.

Rachel Cooper is a middle school teacher. Rachel met Shawn just minutes after entering into this world, thanks to the lifelong friendship between both families. Shawn had become her best friend. Rachel had never considered opening up her heart to him other then just being friends but lately she has been noticing more about the man in her life who helps with all her problems.

Rachel has been invited to New York by her high school boyfriend. This even has her thinking about rekindling what they once had. The kicker is if Rachel goes so does Shawn because he is ready to claim the woman he is in love with. Shawn will have his work cut out for him when he follows Rachel and tries competing with her ex-boyfriend.

Shawn is definitely swoon worthy. He is sexy, fun, sweet and determined. Rachel is strong and is ready to take on a whole new side of herself on vacation in New York. I don't want to give away to much but when they meet up in New York things tend to get a bit hot!! You might have to fan yourself ladies.

Not only does Quinn have some smoking hot sex scenes, but a wonderful storyline that you can't help but get caught up in. The characters are strong and you cant help but to be drawn to both their emotions. Sometimes I got really really frustrated with Rachel turning him down, I actually wanted to swoop in and take him for myself. *winks* It became clear why she did or said some of the things she did as the story goes on and then you help to feel a connection to her. While on vacation a tragedy happens and now its time for Rachel to pick up the pieces and hopefully she wont loose just her lover and best friend.

I really enjoyed Insatiable very much and I hated to see it end. I wanted more! *pouts* One thing is for sure Quinn will have turning the pages faster and faster. If this is your first Cari Quinn book I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Cari Quinn has set her bar high and I am dying to read what will come next.
Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,887 reviews213 followers
August 13, 2018
Insatiable features Rachel and Shawn, best friends who become lovers. BFs turned lovers is one of my favorite tropes and Cari does it beautifully here. Rachel and Shawn have been tied together since before birth. Their families are best friends, so by nature, they become best friends, too. Shawn has been in love with Rachel for years, probably forever, and the time has finally come for him to claim his best friend as his woman.

I love Shawn. He's sweet and hot, and bound and determined to make Rachel see how in love with her he is. I don't like Rachel, and it's the only reason I can't give Insatiable 5 stars. She is so frustrating, so wishy washy and so indecisive with Shawn that I'm surprised he put up with her as long as he did. Frankly, he could have done a lot better than Rachel. But, Insatiable is well written, angsty and full of steam, so I could put up with a bitchy, indecisive heroine.
Profile Image for JoJo - JJJ (Jo Anna) Janesko.
341 reviews193 followers
April 13, 2012
Rating Clarification 2.5 Stars

This book was just okay for me. The story was alright however I never felt like I completely connected to the characters. They were a bit pretentious for my liking. I just never got into it like I hoped. Maybe it was that I read it over a period of time while I was doing other things. Just didn't work out for me. Oh well on to the next one.
Profile Image for Kjen.
490 reviews35 followers
July 13, 2013
A very excellent read! Lots of couple angst between Shawn and Rachel, but no one got too stupid. I did like how they pretty much faced things quickly without letting each other run too far. The whole best-friends-for-life-turned-lovers was well done.Hotness level was very high but still tasteful. The ending will throw you, then worry you, then delight you...bittersweet but joyous.
Profile Image for Gina.
678 reviews
July 1, 2017
A great friends to lovers story!
Profile Image for Heather in FL.
2,063 reviews
November 17, 2012
Another great feel-good (after angst) story from Ms. Quinn. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite themes, and in this one, they've been friends pretty much since the womb. Their parents are best friends. They're not too far apart in age. Their parents have sort of expected that they'd get together, but so far it hasn't happened. Back in their hormonal years, Rachel had a huge crush on Shawn, but Shawn didn't want to change their relationship. Plus he sort of wanted to sow his wild oats. He knew from way back that he loved her, but hey... he was your typical teenage boy... so Rachel compartmentalized Shawn into the strictly friends category.

But Rachel is going to New York to hopefully hook up with an ex-boyfriend. And Shawn can't stand by and just let that happen. Many fortuitous things happen (i.e. finding someone to take him to the Zenith party instead of crashing it on his own, actually figuring out Rachel's pseudonym in the hotel where she's staying, etc.), but ultimately a lot of it came down to him just knowing Rachel so well. For the most part. He made a couple of missteps along the way.

But I totally could not get into the balcony sex.

So of course there can't be a great story without some tension. I wanted to smack Rachel a couple of times because with how well Shawn knew her, she seemed to not know enough about him for it to occur to her that maybe she should step back and reevaluate why she thinks Shawn is doing this now. I half understood, but jeez... look at the man! He's DYING for you! Do you really think he's go through all this just for a quick vacation fling? Or for some family obligation??

Anyway... very sweet story with a nice HEA. Well... sort of. I mean it was an HEA, but one unexpected event turned it all quite somber. But there was an HEA, so I ended up happy!
Profile Image for Lashuri Chan.
155 reviews25 followers
February 9, 2015
Well this is not what I expected. For the most part, it was great and good. I came across this book sometime last week and was just itching to get it when I got some money. Brought it yesterday and finished it today.

It was not until chapter 15 when I got annoyed and fed up. Honestly too much sex to the point it was annoying and I could not be bothered to take my time and continue reading word for word. I found out this book had only sixteen chapters and for six bucks for kindle? Kind of a rip off really. They rushed through that dinner with their ex dates from the party and had to cram in the suppose tragedy that apparently was suppose to bring them together.

The last two chapters was just too rushed and too fast and I think it was disrespectful what they did at the funeral. She spent all that time running and not wanting to do what everyone predicted what would happen and in two seconds they get engaged with her BC pills being some kind of ring of commitment that now they are getting hitched, they are ready to have a baby?

Why couldn't it end with her just realizing that she loved him and wanted to be with him and finally admitting her feelings? Then maybe having an epilogue at the end or something. But no okay. She was ready quick.

It would have been nice if she had an emotional heart to heart with her ex to tell her about what happened ten years ago after he left her. But no, okay. Leave him in the dark. Introduce this character and show him like three times throughout the book and give him no real purpose. It would have been interesting if he was interested in getting back with her. No no, make him act like an attention seeking teen with an annoying chick on his arm. Gosh! That conversation those four had sounded so fake.

And why they needed to stay in NY is ten days for a party that happened the day after they arrived in town is beyond me. This all should have happened back in Cali.

This book started out on a strong note, but ended pretty flat. A lot of things could have been done differently or written better.
Profile Image for Christi Snow.
Author 69 books738 followers
May 13, 2011
My Review:
This is one of my personal favorite kinds of story lines. Shawn & Rachel have been bf's their entire lives. Their parents have always been best friends and with Shawn and Rachel only 18 months apart in age, they have always been there for each other.

Over the years, they have each considered what it would mean to have a deeper relationship, but neither was willing to risk their friendship by pursuing that avenue. That changes when Rachel's old boyfriend, Ryan, invites her to NYC to attend his book premier party. Ryan has been the one guy over the years that Rachel has loved, but he left to pursue his career and Shawn had to pick up the pieces of Rachel's shattered heart. To Shawn's mind, it is now or never.

This was really an emotional book for me. I really liked both Shawn & Rachel, although their were moments that I wanted to kick both of them. They have such an incredible bond from a lifetime of friendship and you add that to the fact that they are almost as attached to each other's families also. There are really deep ties here that hold them all together.

This is an erotic novel so you have no doubt that they are going to hook up, but the sexual tension leading up to that was sizzling. Really fabulous reading- HOT! And then when they do hook up- Wow! ...but that's when the drama truly begins. There are interferences from the family members, interferences from the ex-boyfriend, interferences from simply doubts and emotions. Like I said, highly emotional, but then something happens to put it all into perspective and the novel ends brilliantly!

I loved, LoVeD, LOVED this one!!!
Profile Image for Jax O.
1,737 reviews131 followers
August 12, 2012
Okay, let me get this off my shoulders and then I can praise this book. I really hated the character Rachel in the beginning. In fact, I didn’t like her until very close to the end. There it felt like she grew up and got her head screwed on tight. But other than this rant, the book was really good.

Shawn is in love with his best friend and she is far from realizing it, so when she goes off to New York to meet up with an old flame, Shawn follows her with the intent on making her feel what he feels. Of course nothing can ever just go right, so as the reader, you will find that you will spend most of the time jumping over life’s hurdles with them. It is totally worth it though. Shawn’s want and love for Rachel supersedes any obstacle and he just barrels through them to get to her. But when they get together….whoa….they get together and you can feel the passion between them; not to mention it was super hot.

So what did I love about this book? Shawn! Everything about him. Also, the steamy scenes that he created. I also really like the idea of the roles being reversed and a guy actually being in love with his best girl friend and not the other way around.

~BookWhisperer Reviewer MC~

Profile Image for B-M .
113 reviews52 followers
October 13, 2012
Shawn loves Rachel but Rachel only sees Shawn as her best friend....Shawn reveals his hand to Rachel......Rachel resists but Shawn persists....they have hot sex, words of love are exchanged, tragedy strikes but love triumphs. 

As far as a plot goes this one is pretty standard and predictable lacking a degree of originality.  

However, I didn't mind this at all.  

Perhaps it was because I am experiencing sadness in my personal life that I just needed a bit of a predictable and comforting adult fairy tale.  Perhaps it resonated with me  because the story had a happy ending, that love triumphed and the good guy got his girl.

I found this story to be filled with hope, desire, friendship and love.  It was filled with all the humanistic characteristics that hits the right spot that keeps you believing in the ideal of love when life whacks you around the knees. 

Perhaps if I read this book at a different time I'd rate it lower because of it's predictability and lack of originality but, for me I read it at just the right time because truly I want to believe that HEA's happen not just in fairy tales and that sometimes we need fairy tales to keep that dream alive.
Profile Image for T..
Author 13 books573 followers
June 27, 2013
This book was a fun, although, at times frustrating read, I was tempted to give it a 3-star rating, but that's only because I wasn't really into the main characters- there was nothing wrong with the story, I just wasn't all that excited about it. There seems to be a spate of books out with the 'you discover you're in love with your best friend' theme (I'm reading three in a row to compare them), This was the hardest one to get through because it went back and forth with the acceptance and rejection of the relationship between Shawn and Rachel. Half-way through the story, quite frankly I saw no reason why the two would get together and I was ready for the book to end. Shawn and Rachel were good friends, she was a new-guy-every-few-months player and enjoyed that free lifestyle, I think Shawn could have done better.
Profile Image for ൠSinful .
246 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2011
I love Cari Quinn. She's one of those authors on insta-buy for me. I enjoyed this one. It was sweet, but it was very romantic and I can't believe I am saying this... but I think it could have been shorter. I did have a point where I got bored and put it down to pick up something with some action and adventure. So pick this one up when you are in the mood for an old fashioned love story romance.

Shawn and Rachel have known each other since birth. Their parents are best friends and the two were raised as closely as brother and sister. At thirty, they are best friends although Shawn is ready to settle down and have more. Rachel isn't too sure. The risk of screwing up the best thing in her life is too great.
Profile Image for Jenny.
1,040 reviews135 followers
April 7, 2015
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Glad it's over.
Honestly, Rachel, our "h" was absolutely the most frustrating, annoying, PITA ever. Why Shawn, our "H", even bothered to pursue her is beyond me.

I get it. They've been best friends for almost 30 years, and you can't help who you love, but Rachel was seriously just super annoying, selfish and infuriating.

It took what happened in the end to shed some light on admitting her feelings for Shawn.

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Profile Image for Caro.
1,776 reviews42 followers
January 28, 2014
This was a pretty good freebie. I liked the plot and the characters. Although through most of the book I wanted to smack 'Rach' upside her head and knock some sense into her, it wasn't in a completely bad way. I loved Shawn and was sympathetic towards him. Definitely worth that. ;) This had emotions, was written well and pulled me in (but not completely submerged), plenty of sparks, good side characters, touching parts, a few steamy scenes and a good sweet ending. This is definitely something I wouldn't mind reading again. Good for snuggling, bubble baths, something to read, passing time or pretty much anytime. Enjoy
Profile Image for Black Butterfly.
2,630 reviews39 followers
July 14, 2013
THIS REMINED ME OF MOVIES I'D SEEN "SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE" "WHEN HARRY MET SALLY", KIND OF SAPPY SERIOUS ROMANTIC COMEDY THING. I LOVE THE DIALOG BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS IT WAS SERIOUS AND HILARIOUS, SOMETIMES BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. NEAR HE END YOU MAY NEED A TISSUE OR TWO. THE SEXY PARTS ARE VERY HOT & STEAMY, ALL IN ALL A VERY GOOD BOOK!
Profile Image for Rosie Siemer.
140 reviews4 followers
September 8, 2016
I really enjoyed this one! In fact, I felt it was a little short and finihed too abruptly. I was left wanting more.
Great romance, great passion, great angst, great humour and GREAT SEX!

What more could we want from a book? :)

To view my blog 'Rosie's Reading' http://rsiemer.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Jo Smith.
695 reviews4 followers
December 11, 2016
Probably the best, best friend romance I have read. Great plot, believable characters, hot sex and lots of twists. Cari Quinn is now on my favourite list.
Profile Image for Sandra Lopez.
Author 3 books348 followers
September 4, 2019
Rachel wants to go to NY to reconnect with an old flame; Shawn has been in love with Rachel since childhood but has always been stuck in the Friend Zone. Refusing to wait forever, he proves he’s more than a friend with some dirty dancing and a scorching kiss.

Shawn is the best—best friend and best boyfriend. What the heck is wrong with Rachel? Still Rachel can’t help but wonder what could have been with Ryan. Sure, he left her, even impregnated her (which Shawn took her to the hospital for btw.) What’s the harm in seeing Ryan again?

Done deal: Rachel goes to NY and Shawn follows her. This then leads to a first night of relentless passion between the two. Friends to Lovers?

This was a pretty nice romance. I’ve always thought that the best relationships are the ones that start off as friends. I loved how Shawn knew and loved everything about Rachel. Of course, the “loving” foreplay could get a little dull, but this was a good “friends to lovers” story.
Profile Image for Elena Johansen.
Author 5 books29 followers
December 17, 2017
While I'm totally on board for best-friends-to-lovers, I do require that my leads have at least basic personalities. Shawn and Rachel are so bland that after reading this I can't tell you a thing about them except that they fight all the time. Neither of them seems to have any traits beyond a propensity to anger, jealousy, and near-constant horniness. And in those traits, they're basically identical, which made this a tiresome read.
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