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The Grumpy Devils #2
Diabeł na Hawajach
Wakacje z byłym? To nie brzmi jak dobry pomysł, ale jeśli istnieje idealne miejsce, by spróbować od nowa, to z pewnością są nim słoneczne Hawaje! Zresztą znana wokalistka Drew i tak nie ma w tej chwili lepszego pomysłu na wyjście z życiowego kryzysu. Pakuje więc walizki i wraz ze swoim ekschłopakiem wyrusza na rodzinną wycieczkę.
Tropikalna przygoda szybko zmienia się w prawdziwy tor przeszkód. Drew naprawdę stara się dać Joelowi drugą szansę i przy okazji odwdzięczyć się jego rodzinie za okazaną życzliwość. Okazuje się to jednak szalenie trudne, kiedy na każdym kroku wpada na irytującego starszego brata swojego byłego – Joshuę. Ten nadęty i złośliwy lekarz sprawia, że złamane serce Drew zaczyna bić szybciej. Ale zaraz, zaraz… Przecież to nie z tym Baileyem miała spędzić gorące wakacje…
Tropikalna przygoda szybko zmienia się w prawdziwy tor przeszkód. Drew naprawdę stara się dać Joelowi drugą szansę i przy okazji odwdzięczyć się jego rodzinie za okazaną życzliwość. Okazuje się to jednak szalenie trudne, kiedy na każdym kroku wpada na irytującego starszego brata swojego byłego – Joshuę. Ten nadęty i złośliwy lekarz sprawia, że złamane serce Drew zaczyna bić szybciej. Ale zaraz, zaraz… Przecież to nie z tym Baileyem miała spędzić gorące wakacje…
392 pages, Paperback
Published March 8, 2023
2620 people are currently reading
20790 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth O'Roark
32 books7,595 followersElizabeth O’Roark lives in Washington, DC with her 3 children. After many years spent writing scintillating brochures about amniocentesis and heart surgery, she is thrilled to have found a job that allows her to just make s*** up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,362 reviews
January 27, 2022
I love this authour. Like really love. I’ve read every book by her a million times over. I bookmarked this release in August, and I waited until midnight the night it dropped like it was a limited release. However… I have never been more disappointed and hurt by a book. You see I loved Drew and Josh, a lot. Both characters were well written and the chemistry was A+. So what’s the problem, you ask? Well this book says “Somalia” no less than a hundred times, and each time more disparaging than the last. I’m always a little squeamish any time an authour uses my place of birth and origin as a punchline, it’s always on some white saviour crap. This book though took the cake, who needs a villainous bad guy, when the sinister, scary East African coast looms in the background. I’d give this book a zero if I could, because while Somalia may not be Hawaii, the Somali (not Somalian, Elizabeth) people who live there don’t deserve their country to be written about so callously.
February 13, 2024
5/5 ⭐️ I read this about two years ago and I just remember really loving it so I wanted to reread it and I loved it even more this time around!
And I felt like I was really in Hawaii with them 🤭. This book just made me miss summer 😭. It gave me all the fun summer vibes and the romance was beautiful!
Drew and Josh were total opposites but they were made for each other. Their chemistry was evident since the first page 🥹❤️.
This was just too good. I love the angst of her falling in love with her ex boyfriend’s brother 🤭. Their banter and bickering had me smiling so damn much that my cheeks hurt!
I took my time with this reread because I honestly didn’t want this book to end 🥹.
I loved how attentive Josh was. Drew gets carsick so he always makes sure she has a seat in the front 🥹. He was just so swoony. I adored him.
This was just amazing and I absolutely adored everything about it ❤️.
Original rating ⬇️ (03/2022)
4/5 ⭐️
And I felt like I was really in Hawaii with them 🤭. This book just made me miss summer 😭. It gave me all the fun summer vibes and the romance was beautiful!
Drew and Josh were total opposites but they were made for each other. Their chemistry was evident since the first page 🥹❤️.
This was just too good. I love the angst of her falling in love with her ex boyfriend’s brother 🤭. Their banter and bickering had me smiling so damn much that my cheeks hurt!
I took my time with this reread because I honestly didn’t want this book to end 🥹.
I loved how attentive Josh was. Drew gets carsick so he always makes sure she has a seat in the front 🥹. He was just so swoony. I adored him.
This was just amazing and I absolutely adored everything about it ❤️.
Original rating ⬇️ (03/2022)
4/5 ⭐️
March 7, 2023
Ohh, wow......"The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" is the third book I've read by the author Elizabeth O'Roark. I don't know how she does it, but somehow each time she was able to amaze me more with her recent book than with the previous one. Along with the great writing, its story was also very easy and satisfying. The whole book was light-hearted, yet some parts were quite emotional, which is why I found it more captivating.
What I really loved about the book:
- The witty banter
- The slow getting to know each other
- The building up of trust
- Remarkable Hero
- Ideal ending
And of course, many many thanks to the author for creating my first BOOK-BOYFRIEND. Even though the book is over, I am still very much into Doctor Joshua. Why!? That protective, loyal, kind-hearted guy completely ruined every fictional hero for me.
Anyway, I'm giving the book a 5 star, but I think this kind of enjoyable work deserves more. I would give it more if I could.
What I really loved about the book:
- The witty banter
- The slow getting to know each other
- The building up of trust
- Remarkable Hero
- Ideal ending
And of course, many many thanks to the author for creating my first BOOK-BOYFRIEND. Even though the book is over, I am still very much into Doctor Joshua. Why!? That protective, loyal, kind-hearted guy completely ruined every fictional hero for me.
Anyway, I'm giving the book a 5 star, but I think this kind of enjoyable work deserves more. I would give it more if I could.
October 27, 2022
I really ENJOY Elizabeth o' roarks books. As a Somali, (NOT Somalian * 🙄 ) I should have known it's downhill from there.
Pls, do NOT use struggling nations (Somalia) as part of a story to ONLY speak on the negative stuff without any nuance or knowledge. it's just white savior BS. NO. just NO. 🙄 (why did you not speak to 2-4 Somali people to review this book there are a few Somali reviewers.
Not a mention of the culture, people, cuisines, activities, health concerns, or individual characters.
Somalia was only shown through the lens of violence & poverty. Also, we never saw ANYTHING he did there. I wish I could give it s -4.
Pls, do NOT use struggling nations (Somalia) as part of a story to ONLY speak on the negative stuff without any nuance or knowledge. it's just white savior BS. NO. just NO. 🙄 (why did you not speak to 2-4 Somali people to review this book there are a few Somali reviewers.
Not a mention of the culture, people, cuisines, activities, health concerns, or individual characters.
Somalia was only shown through the lens of violence & poverty. Also, we never saw ANYTHING he did there. I wish I could give it s -4.
June 6, 2024
Update: I talked to another black creator and I decided to give it one star because of the causal racism. The way Somalia and even Hawaii were depicted really had a lot of racist and ignorant undertones which were not addressed or discussed and it’s very disappointing for a book that came out in 2022.
Initial review:
I’m not rating this because it’s the perfect romance book but I really don’t like the way the author talked about Somalia. For some context Josh is a doctor who works in a refugee camp. And that’s okay!! But I don’t know, some comments rubbed me the wrong way, and they really were not necessary. It could have been dealt in a more respectful way I think.
And it’s a SHAME BECAUSE THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL. It was unexpectedly emotional and loving and I just really had a great time. Drew, the female main character needed someone in her corner and Josh was a steady and loving presence for her. Acts of service/ quality time is my love language so I was swooning. I also liked the holiday romance background and actually seeing their relationship playing out on page. Also the fact that Drew was a movie star was pretty cool. I also LOVED her empowerment and working out her childhood trauma.
Ugh I’m so sad that the Somali plot wasn’t handled in a more respectful way.
Initial review:
I’m not rating this because it’s the perfect romance book but I really don’t like the way the author talked about Somalia. For some context Josh is a doctor who works in a refugee camp. And that’s okay!! But I don’t know, some comments rubbed me the wrong way, and they really were not necessary. It could have been dealt in a more respectful way I think.
And it’s a SHAME BECAUSE THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL. It was unexpectedly emotional and loving and I just really had a great time. Drew, the female main character needed someone in her corner and Josh was a steady and loving presence for her. Acts of service/ quality time is my love language so I was swooning. I also liked the holiday romance background and actually seeing their relationship playing out on page. Also the fact that Drew was a movie star was pretty cool. I also LOVED her empowerment and working out her childhood trauma.
Ugh I’m so sad that the Somali plot wasn’t handled in a more respectful way.
January 22, 2022
Before I even begin to attempt this review, I just. need someone to answer this question: why didn't anyone tell me about this author before??? Did you want to keep her all for yourself and leave me out in the cold and not ever let me get the chance to experience her books??!! I feel so betrayed right now!! Well you know what? I found her all on my own and I have no intentions of ever letting her go.
Pop star Drew has been in the media for all the wrong reasons for the past few weeks now and she needs a break. Going on vacation with your ex boyfriend to try and fix things along with his family, is not the best idea in the world but what could possibly go wrong? EVERYTHING!!.
When a bump in the road prevents her ex from traveling for a few days, Drew is forced to deal with his family alone for the time being and that includes his rude older brother who wants nothing to do with her. But what happens when as the days get longer, fury glances turns into heated stares and a friendship turns into something much more?
Aside from some of the things that I didn't really agree with what the heroine did, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself starting to read a little bit slower as I got towards the end and I desperately wanted a long epilogue. These characters were messy and selfish at times but there was something at the heart of it and you held on to that knowledge because you knew it was going to be worth it.
If you’re looking for a slow burn forbidden romance, I highly recommend you go with this one.
May 19, 2022
The slowest burn out of all 3 Devil Books, but so worth it in the end.
These two had such a different vibe. They were so good for each other and you could absolutely tell from the beginning.
This is definitely a feel good, summer vibes, Hawaii dreams book and it gave me "Just go With It" feels (one of my favorite Adam Sandler and Jen Anniston movies, one of my favorite comedy movies period)
Though we do not deal with any fake dating here. Hollywood singer and superstar Drew falls for her boyfriend's brother - a beautiful, intelligent, sexy doctor - while on a trip to Hawaii with HIS family.
This book is yet another proof Elizabeth O'Roark can do no wrong and she will never, ever write a bad book.
Such a feel good, emotional story. It's also hilarious, their banter was adorable and every time they would have solo moments and deep conversations during that trip, they would feel like a very secret, precious, delicate moment. All their moments together were so filled with tension and longing that, as a reader, I would catch myself holding my breath while I waited for their next moves.
Is he going to admit his feelings first? Is she? The double POV in this is absolutely fantastic, and watching their hate and annoyance evolve into a sweet and intense friendship, then to passion was delicious.
I treasured every second of this slow burn. If you want something easy, that reads fast, that will get you giddy and give you all the romantic vibes of falling in love in Hawaii... this is it. It honestly doesn't get better than this.
Emotional, delicate, deliciously slow, torturous and overall an amazing time. Like eating a very cold watermelon in the summer, like having lemon curd on your favorite brioche bun, like sunbathing with your favorite book while you hear the ocean waves. Every cozy, warm, yummy feeling possible.
The only reason I didn't give this a full five stars was because I had already read book 1 and 3 since I got an advanced reader's copy, and out of all 3 couples - A Deal with The Devil and The Devil You Know win in the excitement scale. This was more of a slow ride.
March 5, 2024
One of my favorite books of the year. THE ANGST is unmatched. Are you kidding me??? He's her ex's brother and they hate each other, but then they fall SO DEEPLY in love, but their lives just won't let them be together. I literally stayed up all night reading this because I had to know what would happen next. A new favorite and definitely for fans of angsty romances!
March 8, 2022
4 Stars
Overall Opinion: I enjoyed this so much more than I expected! The title sucks though tbh. I don’t get where it even comes from…maybe I missed something 🤔. In the excess of enemies to lovers books out there right now, I thought this was successful in working with the trope in a non-annoying way. It didn’t cross that line into bullying or have some cruel behavior that was never explained. I liked the development of a friendship that turned into more. I will complain about the ending though. I was bummed that they resolve their conflict and then we get a jump ahead epilogue that gives us some closure but not nearly enough. Why not let us experience them as an outed couple and navigating their new lives together?! Otherwise, I did like this.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Drew and Josh’s story. Drew’s ex asks her for another chance with a trip to Hawaii. Only he doesn’t show up and she is stuck with his family instead. His brother, Josh, doesn’t hide how he feels about her but the more they get thrown together, the more they see through the other’s exterior and start to become friends. Feelings start to develop, there is some family and personal drama, and some sexy times…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Drew and Josh’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove:No, more like hate-to-friends-to-more
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Josh. I really liked him. I liked how protective and caring he was. He did mess up, but I felt like he did well in owning his mistake (even if I would’ve liked a little more grovel).
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Drew. I liked her. I appreciated how she was soft on the inside of her hard exterior.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a cute place with some good jump ahead closure but not nearly enough for me. We don’t get any time with them as an outed couple to see what that looks like. I really wanted to see them get what I call a HEA while this was just a HFN ending for me .
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Overall Opinion: I enjoyed this so much more than I expected! The title sucks though tbh. I don’t get where it even comes from…maybe I missed something 🤔. In the excess of enemies to lovers books out there right now, I thought this was successful in working with the trope in a non-annoying way. It didn’t cross that line into bullying or have some cruel behavior that was never explained. I liked the development of a friendship that turned into more. I will complain about the ending though. I was bummed that they resolve their conflict and then we get a jump ahead epilogue that gives us some closure but not nearly enough. Why not let us experience them as an outed couple and navigating their new lives together?! Otherwise, I did like this.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Drew and Josh’s story. Drew’s ex asks her for another chance with a trip to Hawaii. Only he doesn’t show up and she is stuck with his family instead. His brother, Josh, doesn’t hide how he feels about her but the more they get thrown together, the more they see through the other’s exterior and start to become friends. Feelings start to develop, there is some family and personal drama, and some sexy times…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Drew and Josh’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove:No, more like hate-to-friends-to-more
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Josh. I really liked him. I liked how protective and caring he was. He did mess up, but I felt like he did well in owning his mistake (even if I would’ve liked a little more grovel).
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Drew. I liked her. I appreciated how she was soft on the inside of her hard exterior.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a cute place with some good jump ahead closure but not nearly enough for me. We don’t get any time with them as an outed couple to see what that looks like. I really wanted to see them get what I call a HEA while this was just a HFN ending for me .
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
August 1, 2023
i’ve never given a book 1 star, purely because it’s always felt a little too mean. but boy, this provoked my anger in a different way
no matter how much i enjoyed drew & josh’s relationship, i can’t ignore the harmful depiction of my country in this book. the horrific jokes about children?? besides the fact that this author has done absolutely no research on somalia, it reeks of racism.
i’m so disappointed because i really enjoy reading elizabeth o’roark’s books, but the fact that it was written in 2022 makes it even worse.
it makes me so angry & hurt to read such bullshit from someone who has clearly never been to Africa, someone who clearly has a warped and exaggerated perception of what it feels like to live in this beautiful country based off the shit she’s seen in the media.
also what’s with the french?? absolutely no one speaks french in somalia because guess what!! the french didn’t colonise us.
p.s. somalian is not a word
no matter how much i enjoyed drew & josh’s relationship, i can’t ignore the harmful depiction of my country in this book. the horrific jokes about children?? besides the fact that this author has done absolutely no research on somalia, it reeks of racism.
i’m so disappointed because i really enjoy reading elizabeth o’roark’s books, but the fact that it was written in 2022 makes it even worse.
it makes me so angry & hurt to read such bullshit from someone who has clearly never been to Africa, someone who clearly has a warped and exaggerated perception of what it feels like to live in this beautiful country based off the shit she’s seen in the media.
also what’s with the french?? absolutely no one speaks french in somalia because guess what!! the french didn’t colonise us.
p.s. somalian is not a word
November 5, 2023
4/5
The author definitely has some hot doctor kink, now I have too.
The author definitely has some hot doctor kink, now I have too.
January 6, 2023
Here we go again… how not to write about Africa.
This book is bad. It should serve as an yet another example of what Binyavanga meant on how to *not* write about Africa. The contempt and disdain for Somalia is hard to take throughout the book.
The character Josh, is a caricature of the burdened white man with the weight of shot and starving children on his shoulders. Yes. Both drought and civil strife. Seriously. Like, choose a struggle! The book has casual racism in it with statements like: “I’d barely have time to date in Somalia even if it was possible…” unapologetically in the book. Substitute “Ukraine” for “Somalia “ to see just how messed up the attitudes of the character are.
Unfortunately, Josh is also someone that I, and other Africans immediately recognizes. He’s one of the legion of volunteers who come into the country, and divide the population into “white saviors” and the rest of the population- an undifferentiated mass of poverty and disease stricken people that only exist as patients in emergency medical procedures.
This book is bad. The racialized othering of Somalis, the use of the country as a very negative backdrop to showcase the hero’s virtue made for a tough read.
And finally, editing fail. Josh was in an IDP camp. Not a refugee camp!!!
June 3, 2022
Had to DNF this book at 13% because one of the jokes was very weird and uncomfortable.
November 4, 2024
₊‧.°.⋆ 3.5 stars ⋆.°.‧₊
➴ possible spoilers ahead!
at first, i had mixed feelings about this book because the characters and the situation felt a bit shallow to me. but by the end, i was completely hooked! i ended up enjoying it way more than i expected. the layout of the story, the pacing of their journey, and the development of their romantic connection really stood out. i loved watching their friendship blossom into something deeper. elizabeth o'roark has a real talent for creating characters who, despite their flaws or tough situations, feel so engaging and relatable.
that said, i have to admit i was a bit let down by the ending. after they resolved their conflict, we jumped straight to an epilogue that gave some closure but felt like it was missing something. i wish we could’ve seen them navigating life as an openly out couple. still, aside from that, i genuinely enjoyed this book.
⋆౨ৎ˚ drew.
drew's life was a lot more complicated and burdensome than i expected. honestly, there were about five different people i wanted her to slap throughout the book. but even with all that, she was a character i connected with on so many levels. i loved how her tough exterior hid this soft, vulnerable side. as the story went on, i felt every bit of her pain, from the weight of her secrets to the small and big ways she’d been hurt. there were moments i just wanted to shake her for some of her choices. i was frustrated by how she handled her career and how she struggled to stand up for herself, even though it made sense for her character and past. but when she finally found her voice, i couldn’t help but cheer her on.
⋆౨ৎ˚ josh.
i really liked josh. his protective, caring nature totally won me over, and i loved how he was always looking out for drew. even though he made some mistakes along the way, he didn’t try to hide them or make excuses, which made him feel so genuine. honestly, a little more groveling wouldn’t have hurt, but i still appreciated that he stepped up when it mattered. he’s the definition of someone who falls hard and fast; from the very first moment, he was completely smitten and wasn’t shy about showing it. his openness and loyalty made him so easy to root for.
⋆౨ৎ˚ josh and drew.
josh and drew totally sucked me in, and i was hooked on every heartfelt moment they shared. every time they’d say, “tell me something real,” it felt like my heart was breaking right there with them. their connection was so raw and honest, it just made me love them even more. the banter between them was easily my favorite part of the book; these two were never boring for a second, and their back-and-forth kept me turning the pages. josh couldn’t stand seeing drew treated badly, and i loved how fiercely protective he was, always stepping up when she needed him. the tension between them got pretty intense, and while i totally got where josh’s fears were coming from, it still hurt seeing how it impacted drew. i was just rooting for them the whole time, hoping they’d push through everything and really open up to each other.
ᡣ𐭩 .ᐟ all in all, i got so wrapped up in this book that i couldn’t put it down. i especially loved the glimpses of characters from both the past and future of the series.
——— ˗ˋ ୨ 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ୧ ˊ˗ ———
❥ “sometimes, it’s easier to hate something than admit you’re just pissed off you’ll never have it.”
❥ “because anything that thrills you will hurt that much more when it’s lost.”
❥ “one day i’ll merely say i watched the sunset here, but i probably won’t remember the way josh made me laugh. i won’t remember him saying tell me something real, as if what i said and what i felt and what i thought actually mattered.”
❥ “because the worst things they say about me aren’t nearly as bad as the things i say about myself.”
⋆.𐙚 ˚pre-read
started on november 2, 2024
⤷ had a great time with the first, so it’s on to the next in the series!🫶🏻
➴ possible spoilers ahead!
at first, i had mixed feelings about this book because the characters and the situation felt a bit shallow to me. but by the end, i was completely hooked! i ended up enjoying it way more than i expected. the layout of the story, the pacing of their journey, and the development of their romantic connection really stood out. i loved watching their friendship blossom into something deeper. elizabeth o'roark has a real talent for creating characters who, despite their flaws or tough situations, feel so engaging and relatable.
that said, i have to admit i was a bit let down by the ending. after they resolved their conflict, we jumped straight to an epilogue that gave some closure but felt like it was missing something. i wish we could’ve seen them navigating life as an openly out couple. still, aside from that, i genuinely enjoyed this book.
⋆౨ৎ˚ drew.
drew's life was a lot more complicated and burdensome than i expected. honestly, there were about five different people i wanted her to slap throughout the book. but even with all that, she was a character i connected with on so many levels. i loved how her tough exterior hid this soft, vulnerable side. as the story went on, i felt every bit of her pain, from the weight of her secrets to the small and big ways she’d been hurt. there were moments i just wanted to shake her for some of her choices. i was frustrated by how she handled her career and how she struggled to stand up for herself, even though it made sense for her character and past. but when she finally found her voice, i couldn’t help but cheer her on.
⋆౨ৎ˚ josh.
i really liked josh. his protective, caring nature totally won me over, and i loved how he was always looking out for drew. even though he made some mistakes along the way, he didn’t try to hide them or make excuses, which made him feel so genuine. honestly, a little more groveling wouldn’t have hurt, but i still appreciated that he stepped up when it mattered. he’s the definition of someone who falls hard and fast; from the very first moment, he was completely smitten and wasn’t shy about showing it. his openness and loyalty made him so easy to root for.
⋆౨ৎ˚ josh and drew.
josh and drew totally sucked me in, and i was hooked on every heartfelt moment they shared. every time they’d say, “tell me something real,” it felt like my heart was breaking right there with them. their connection was so raw and honest, it just made me love them even more. the banter between them was easily my favorite part of the book; these two were never boring for a second, and their back-and-forth kept me turning the pages. josh couldn’t stand seeing drew treated badly, and i loved how fiercely protective he was, always stepping up when she needed him. the tension between them got pretty intense, and while i totally got where josh’s fears were coming from, it still hurt seeing how it impacted drew. i was just rooting for them the whole time, hoping they’d push through everything and really open up to each other.
ᡣ𐭩 .ᐟ all in all, i got so wrapped up in this book that i couldn’t put it down. i especially loved the glimpses of characters from both the past and future of the series.
——— ˗ˋ ୨ 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ୧ ˊ˗ ———
❥ “sometimes, it’s easier to hate something than admit you’re just pissed off you’ll never have it.”
❥ “because anything that thrills you will hurt that much more when it’s lost.”
❥ “one day i’ll merely say i watched the sunset here, but i probably won’t remember the way josh made me laugh. i won’t remember him saying tell me something real, as if what i said and what i felt and what i thought actually mattered.”
❥ “because the worst things they say about me aren’t nearly as bad as the things i say about myself.”
⋆.𐙚 ˚pre-read
started on november 2, 2024
⤷ had a great time with the first, so it’s on to the next in the series!🫶🏻
November 8, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
I had a really great time with this one. I thought the vacation aspect made for a really fun setting and I really liked how fast paced the whole thing was. There were so many fun scenes and moments which made me keep wanting to flip the page and overall it was just a very solid, enjoyable read.
I connected with the characters right away and really enjoyed the dynamic they had - at first they couldn’t stand each other, then they became friends while secretly lusting after one another, and then they couldn’t hold themselves back anymore and finally went for it despite the odd circumstances surrounding their situation… [literal dot dot dot] …happily ever after. —— I thought they had great banter, great chemistry, and a good amount of backstory to make them both extremely unique and different - yet somehow also be perfect for each other.
The only reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is because my interest did slowly dwindle once the story moved away from the vacation portion of the book… and I’m also not sure if I was extremely obsessed with Drew - I think she just wasn’t my type of person… but she was still a really solid main character and I enjoyed reading about the complex things she was going through/dealing with… so I think it was just a me thing.
I seriously don’t have much to say about this one because all around the board it was just a very well written book. It did what it wanted to do, and it did it well.
I had a really great time with this one. I thought the vacation aspect made for a really fun setting and I really liked how fast paced the whole thing was. There were so many fun scenes and moments which made me keep wanting to flip the page and overall it was just a very solid, enjoyable read.
I connected with the characters right away and really enjoyed the dynamic they had - at first they couldn’t stand each other, then they became friends while secretly lusting after one another, and then they couldn’t hold themselves back anymore and finally went for it despite the odd circumstances surrounding their situation… [literal dot dot dot] …happily ever after. —— I thought they had great banter, great chemistry, and a good amount of backstory to make them both extremely unique and different - yet somehow also be perfect for each other.
The only reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is because my interest did slowly dwindle once the story moved away from the vacation portion of the book… and I’m also not sure if I was extremely obsessed with Drew - I think she just wasn’t my type of person… but she was still a really solid main character and I enjoyed reading about the complex things she was going through/dealing with… so I think it was just a me thing.
I seriously don’t have much to say about this one because all around the board it was just a very well written book. It did what it wanted to do, and it did it well.
August 6, 2022
4 stars
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite troupes and this was a good one. It has things in it I don’t love, but I still was willing to give it a try after reading and enjoying the first book and I’m glad I did!
Drew doesn’t like Josh but she’s stuck on vacation with him. The vacation was my favorite part of the story. I loved watching them bicker and banter and then become friends. Josh was my favorite thing about this book. How much he cared about Drew. I loved them together. I do wish .
I’ve read five of Elizabeth O’Roark’s books this year and three have been big hits for me. I’m excited to read the next book in this series!
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite troupes and this was a good one. It has things in it I don’t love, but I still was willing to give it a try after reading and enjoying the first book and I’m glad I did!
Drew doesn’t like Josh but she’s stuck on vacation with him. The vacation was my favorite part of the story. I loved watching them bicker and banter and then become friends. Josh was my favorite thing about this book. How much he cared about Drew. I loved them together. I do wish .
I’ve read five of Elizabeth O’Roark’s books this year and three have been big hits for me. I’m excited to read the next book in this series!
Audio book source:
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Samantha Brentmoor & Lee Samuels
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 9h 28m
April 20, 2022
5 Stars
Gahhhhh someone give me a Josh please 🙏 this series is on a roll🔥
Safety:
Ow drama- hero's ex-fling is on vacation with them (he didn't invite her), and he has to stay in the same bedroom as her, he sleeps on the couch and nothing happens between them. He has no feelings towards her.
Om drama- heroine's ex-bf/bf? Goes on the vacation for the last few days, they kiss and hang out, but nothing else and heroine breaks up with him after the vacation. He does cause secrecy/drama only because they don't want him to know, but that's it.
No cheating
No virgins
Celibate during seperation/loyal
Gahhhhh someone give me a Josh please 🙏 this series is on a roll🔥
Safety:
Ow drama- hero's ex-fling is on vacation with them (he didn't invite her), and he has to stay in the same bedroom as her, he sleeps on the couch and nothing happens between them. He has no feelings towards her.
Om drama- heroine's ex-bf/bf? Goes on the vacation for the last few days, they kiss and hang out, but nothing else and heroine breaks up with him after the vacation. He does cause secrecy/drama only because they don't want him to know, but that's it.
No cheating
No virgins
Celibate during seperation/loyal
July 1, 2022
**3.5 Stars**
This book started out so amazingly and sadly slowly fizzled out for me. The first half or 65% had me completely enraptured. The banter and chemistry between Josh and Drew was making me smile and giddy. Him being a grump and at the same time protective was so good. I reveled every minute of it. Their slowly evolving and budding friendship worked together beautifully. I was just on a high.
Sadly the last 30-35% was not what I expected. The Hawaiian trip had done wonders for Drew and I had hoped she’d put her foot down and found her voice when it came to her work. Sadly it took the rest of the story for her to do so. The communication could’ve been better between Drew, Josh and his family. So it was definitely a minor let down that the story went that route.
Still the first half of the story was superb and I’m pretty certain I’ll read Ben’s book. The foundation has already been laid. Overall a great and enjoyable story thanks to the first half.
3.5 Stars
This book started out so amazingly and sadly slowly fizzled out for me. The first half or 65% had me completely enraptured. The banter and chemistry between Josh and Drew was making me smile and giddy. Him being a grump and at the same time protective was so good. I reveled every minute of it. Their slowly evolving and budding friendship worked together beautifully. I was just on a high.
Sadly the last 30-35% was not what I expected. The Hawaiian trip had done wonders for Drew and I had hoped she’d put her foot down and found her voice when it came to her work. Sadly it took the rest of the story for her to do so. The communication could’ve been better between Drew, Josh and his family. So it was definitely a minor let down that the story went that route.
Still the first half of the story was superb and I’m pretty certain I’ll read Ben’s book. The foundation has already been laid. Overall a great and enjoyable story thanks to the first half.
3.5 Stars
October 15, 2023
4.5 stars
These characters were messy and complicated and they reached into my chest and squeezed my heart so hard. I devoured this book over a Saturday morning and kept apologizing to my family because I just couldn't walk away. Definitely a lovely case of right book, right time!
Drew (h) is a famous pop star whose life has taken its toll on her. She's a bit chaotic, sometimes filterless and inappropriately funny, and surprisingly endearing. I wanted to wrap her in a hug and I was kind of shocked that I immediately liked her as much as I did. Josh (H) is a doctor who's rejected everything remotely like his father so he works in a refugee camp in Somalia. He's Drew's ex's brother and their past meetings have been tense and frictiony. It was easier to like Josh despite his sometimes assholish ways because he was also paying attention to the small details about Drew and was protective and considerate when he wasn't needling her. Both characters are stuck together on this bizarre and dramatic family trip (Drew had agreed to give her ex another chance but he ends up jailed in another country) and their personal lives are each a tangle of intense feelings.
While Josh and Drew start the book exchanging barbs and banter and not thinking well of the other, their forced proximity lends itself to secret truths being revealed and a better understanding of each other's character. The vacation chapters are filled with interesting scenes in Hawaii and reluctant bonding (at first). There are heavy moments throughout the book though (I listed some of the triggers below) so please be mindful of those. Written in first person, dual POV. Tiny bits of ow and om drama as H's mother has invited H's ex-fling along the trip too and she doesn't like h and then, h's ex wants her back. Nothing happens between the h and H til it's made clear that things are over with the ex and the most she exchanges on page with the ex is a kiss. Neither are virgins and it was said it had been a while for the H (he hadn't been with the ex-fling for a year I think).
I really loved how the book was laid out and the pacing of their trip and the development of their romantic connection. I had a lot of strong emotions throughout the book with the pain of Drew's secrets and past and then how often she was hurt in big and little ways. Josh was horrified over how Drew was treated and I loved how he wanted to care for her. The steamy times between them had a great intimate feel to them, though this is a slow burn so you have to lean into the sexual tension slowly being ratcheted up before you get the payoff. Unfortunately once Drew and Josh do begin pursuing their chemistry, they're caught in their other obligations of work and secrecy of their relationship, as well as what a relationship between them could become.
The conflict between them is painful to read and while I completely understood where Josh was coming from and his fears about the situation, my heart ached for Drew. I did want to shake her a bit though because of her position. I was also frustrated with her when it came to her professional life and how little she stood up for herself, even if it fit her character and what she had experienced. Once that finally changed though, I cheered. What brings Drew and Josh back together is pretty dramatic and how she took control there was awesome and he didn't let me down, Josh grabbed that opportunity to claim her with both hands.
The ending is HFN and even though it's plain that they're in love and happy together, with some updates on the changes their lives have undergone, I was left wanting more. So I downloaded the bonus epilogue and unfortunately it also had more messiness and high emotions when I was hoping for more warmth and fuzzy sweetness. But Drew and Josh overcome and prove that their love is absolutely theirs. I definitely don't think this book is for all of my friends but the author's writing is very strong and she's not afraid to write imperfect characters finding that swoon worthy love.
Trigger warnings: recollections of violence against a child, toxic family dynamics, mental health rep, mentions of substance abuse, mentions of a loved one's suicide, mentions of danger of violence in a war torn area, mention of a parent with cancer
These characters were messy and complicated and they reached into my chest and squeezed my heart so hard. I devoured this book over a Saturday morning and kept apologizing to my family because I just couldn't walk away. Definitely a lovely case of right book, right time!
Drew (h) is a famous pop star whose life has taken its toll on her. She's a bit chaotic, sometimes filterless and inappropriately funny, and surprisingly endearing. I wanted to wrap her in a hug and I was kind of shocked that I immediately liked her as much as I did. Josh (H) is a doctor who's rejected everything remotely like his father so he works in a refugee camp in Somalia. He's Drew's ex's brother and their past meetings have been tense and frictiony. It was easier to like Josh despite his sometimes assholish ways because he was also paying attention to the small details about Drew and was protective and considerate when he wasn't needling her. Both characters are stuck together on this bizarre and dramatic family trip (Drew had agreed to give her ex another chance but he ends up jailed in another country) and their personal lives are each a tangle of intense feelings.
While Josh and Drew start the book exchanging barbs and banter and not thinking well of the other, their forced proximity lends itself to secret truths being revealed and a better understanding of each other's character. The vacation chapters are filled with interesting scenes in Hawaii and reluctant bonding (at first). There are heavy moments throughout the book though (I listed some of the triggers below) so please be mindful of those. Written in first person, dual POV. Tiny bits of ow and om drama as H's mother has invited H's ex-fling along the trip too and she doesn't like h and then, h's ex wants her back. Nothing happens between the h and H til it's made clear that things are over with the ex and the most she exchanges on page with the ex is a kiss. Neither are virgins and it was said it had been a while for the H (he hadn't been with the ex-fling for a year I think).
I really loved how the book was laid out and the pacing of their trip and the development of their romantic connection. I had a lot of strong emotions throughout the book with the pain of Drew's secrets and past and then how often she was hurt in big and little ways. Josh was horrified over how Drew was treated and I loved how he wanted to care for her. The steamy times between them had a great intimate feel to them, though this is a slow burn so you have to lean into the sexual tension slowly being ratcheted up before you get the payoff. Unfortunately once Drew and Josh do begin pursuing their chemistry, they're caught in their other obligations of work and secrecy of their relationship, as well as what a relationship between them could become.
The conflict between them is painful to read and while I completely understood where Josh was coming from and his fears about the situation, my heart ached for Drew. I did want to shake her a bit though because of her position. I was also frustrated with her when it came to her professional life and how little she stood up for herself, even if it fit her character and what she had experienced. Once that finally changed though, I cheered. What brings Drew and Josh back together is pretty dramatic and how she took control there was awesome and he didn't let me down, Josh grabbed that opportunity to claim her with both hands.
The ending is HFN and even though it's plain that they're in love and happy together, with some updates on the changes their lives have undergone, I was left wanting more. So I downloaded the bonus epilogue and unfortunately it also had more messiness and high emotions when I was hoping for more warmth and fuzzy sweetness. But Drew and Josh overcome and prove that their love is absolutely theirs. I definitely don't think this book is for all of my friends but the author's writing is very strong and she's not afraid to write imperfect characters finding that swoon worthy love.
Trigger warnings: recollections of violence against a child, toxic family dynamics, mental health rep, mentions of substance abuse, mentions of a loved one's suicide, mentions of danger of violence in a war torn area, mention of a parent with cancer
June 26, 2022
i too would ditch my boyfriend for his hot brother if he were anything like josh bailey 🥰
November 16, 2022
Sorry but this book wasn't for me. I dropped it at Chapter 9.
Why I need to drop it
* I got awfully bored. Too bored, indeed. My time is more precious than my money.
* I didn't like Drew. She is a total mess. And I didn't like that she was OK with being in a relationship with Six, who body shamed her and didn't show her enough attention, love or care. I don't like women who don't have self respect and who don't know their own value.
* As for Josh, well, I didn't care about him either. Maybe I haven't read enough to like him.
* I didn't feel it. I didn't feel the attraction between Drew and Josh.
* I never got over the double dipping thing. Before starting the book, I thought maybe I could but nope, it was hard for me to accept Josh and Drew together, after Drew being with his brother Six.
* I never had fun. Usually, I like this writer's humor. Book 1 had hilarious banter, for example. However, in this book, I couldn't laugh at any jokes - on the contrary, they got on my nerves. Nothing was fun or funny for me up until the part where I dropped the book.
And what's with the OBSESSION about stealing SILVER?
Well, I know once Josh said to his mum that she’d better lock up the family silver until Drew was gone and Drew hears it. And she never forgets it. What disturbed me MOST is that she doesn't let us forget it, either. She always mentions about it.
When I decided to drop the book at Chapter 9, it had already been mentioned about nearly 10 times. Therefore, out of curiosity, I searched for the word "silver" and found out that this "stealing silver" issue is repeated 17 times in the book. 17 TIMES! Wow!
He turns to the statuesque blonde behind him. “Sloane, you remember Drew,” he says, dropping my name like I’m the girl who poisoned the town well…or wanted to steal the family SILVER, which he apparently believes.
***
I stare at her. She cannot be telling me I’m stuck on vacation with a retirement-aged couple I’ve met once, plus two people I loathe—one of whom suggested to his mother, when he thought I was out of earshot, that she’d better lock up the family SILVER until I was gone.
***
My jaw tightens. I didn’t ask him if he’d finished high school. I didn’t suggest to my mother that he might steal the SILVER.
***
I leave him standing outside, staring at Diamond Head as if it’s done something to him. I picture him mentally crafting a list of things he hates:
1. Drew
2. Threats to Mother’s SILVER
3. Dormant volcanoes
4. Drew, again
***
"I’ll give you one guess what Joshua said. First thing out of his mouth.”
“Don’t steal the SILVER?” She’s heard, obviously, about the first time I met him. Her soft giggle lightens my mood just a little.
***
I kick off one flip-flop and dig my toes into the grass. Even the Halekulani’s grass is quieter and more elegant than anyone else’s. “He would have, I’m certain, if they’d traveled here with it. And seriously, why is SILVER still a thing? It’s something people put in their mouths. If I don’t want a diamond you’ve put in your mouth, I sure as shit don’t want metal you’ve put in your mouth."
***
"But anyway…no, he did not bring up the SILVER. He said You’re sweating, the way someone else might say You’re bleeding. Like…it was a thing decent people don’t do.”
***
Take her outside and she can’t regulate her temperature. Aside from stealing people’s SILVER, what does she do well?
***
Is he worried I’m out prowling, getting ready to steal SILVER from someone’s one-bedroom condo?
***
Drew, I can’t breathe, he’d say.
I know, I’d reply. All part of my long-range plan to steal your SILVER.
***
And then I laugh. Joshua is still a fucking asshole. If he hadn’t made the comment about the SILVER, I’d probably want to be his friend anyway.
***
"This is Josh, who also accused me of potentially stealing their SILVER, Tali.”
She laughs. “You are never going to let that go, are you? Cut him some slack. Maybe Six’s previous girlfriend stole the SILVER.
***
He smacks his forehead. “Jesus, no. The one thing that could make this whole shitshow worse is abject pity from you of all people.”
And there we have it. Just that fast, he’s back to being an asshole.
I laugh, the sound so sharp and bitter even the birds startle. “Right,” I reply. “The girl so pathetic she might steal the SILVER. Pity from her would be a new low, wouldn’t it?”
***
“I heard you. Last summer. You were complaining about how I wasn’t good enough, and then you told your mother to keep an eye on the SILVER. Don’t try to talk your way out of it either. There’s really not much room for interpretation in a statement like that.”
***
We watch the waves lap against the shore for a moment. I’m going to try to get over the SILVER thing. It probably wouldn’t have bothered me so much in the first place if I hadn’t spent so many years subject to Richard’s tantrums and accusations.
***
He meets my gaze for only a moment, then his eyes fall closed. “The night we met? The shit I said about you stealing the SILVER? I was just pissed off and jealous."
Oh well, finally problem solved, he was jealous and that's why he said that!
RATING
You are advised to read the reviews of readers who have read it all because I have given up my hopes about it at early stages - at 20% or something like that.
Some readers might think that I shouldn't have rated it. Well, I if I paid a book and thought I would like it but then I couldn't stand it, then I rate it. That's how I always do it.
Why I need to drop it
* I got awfully bored. Too bored, indeed. My time is more precious than my money.
* I didn't like Drew. She is a total mess. And I didn't like that she was OK with being in a relationship with Six, who body shamed her and didn't show her enough attention, love or care. I don't like women who don't have self respect and who don't know their own value.
* As for Josh, well, I didn't care about him either. Maybe I haven't read enough to like him.
* I didn't feel it. I didn't feel the attraction between Drew and Josh.
* I never got over the double dipping thing. Before starting the book, I thought maybe I could but nope, it was hard for me to accept Josh and Drew together, after Drew being with his brother Six.
* I never had fun. Usually, I like this writer's humor. Book 1 had hilarious banter, for example. However, in this book, I couldn't laugh at any jokes - on the contrary, they got on my nerves. Nothing was fun or funny for me up until the part where I dropped the book.
And what's with the OBSESSION about stealing SILVER?
Well, I know once Josh said to his mum that she’d better lock up the family silver until Drew was gone and Drew hears it. And she never forgets it. What disturbed me MOST is that she doesn't let us forget it, either. She always mentions about it.
When I decided to drop the book at Chapter 9, it had already been mentioned about nearly 10 times. Therefore, out of curiosity, I searched for the word "silver" and found out that this "stealing silver" issue is repeated 17 times in the book. 17 TIMES! Wow!
He turns to the statuesque blonde behind him. “Sloane, you remember Drew,” he says, dropping my name like I’m the girl who poisoned the town well…or wanted to steal the family SILVER, which he apparently believes.
***
I stare at her. She cannot be telling me I’m stuck on vacation with a retirement-aged couple I’ve met once, plus two people I loathe—one of whom suggested to his mother, when he thought I was out of earshot, that she’d better lock up the family SILVER until I was gone.
***
My jaw tightens. I didn’t ask him if he’d finished high school. I didn’t suggest to my mother that he might steal the SILVER.
***
I leave him standing outside, staring at Diamond Head as if it’s done something to him. I picture him mentally crafting a list of things he hates:
1. Drew
2. Threats to Mother’s SILVER
3. Dormant volcanoes
4. Drew, again
***
"I’ll give you one guess what Joshua said. First thing out of his mouth.”
“Don’t steal the SILVER?” She’s heard, obviously, about the first time I met him. Her soft giggle lightens my mood just a little.
***
I kick off one flip-flop and dig my toes into the grass. Even the Halekulani’s grass is quieter and more elegant than anyone else’s. “He would have, I’m certain, if they’d traveled here with it. And seriously, why is SILVER still a thing? It’s something people put in their mouths. If I don’t want a diamond you’ve put in your mouth, I sure as shit don’t want metal you’ve put in your mouth."
***
"But anyway…no, he did not bring up the SILVER. He said You’re sweating, the way someone else might say You’re bleeding. Like…it was a thing decent people don’t do.”
***
Take her outside and she can’t regulate her temperature. Aside from stealing people’s SILVER, what does she do well?
***
Is he worried I’m out prowling, getting ready to steal SILVER from someone’s one-bedroom condo?
***
Drew, I can’t breathe, he’d say.
I know, I’d reply. All part of my long-range plan to steal your SILVER.
***
And then I laugh. Joshua is still a fucking asshole. If he hadn’t made the comment about the SILVER, I’d probably want to be his friend anyway.
***
"This is Josh, who also accused me of potentially stealing their SILVER, Tali.”
She laughs. “You are never going to let that go, are you? Cut him some slack. Maybe Six’s previous girlfriend stole the SILVER.
***
He smacks his forehead. “Jesus, no. The one thing that could make this whole shitshow worse is abject pity from you of all people.”
And there we have it. Just that fast, he’s back to being an asshole.
I laugh, the sound so sharp and bitter even the birds startle. “Right,” I reply. “The girl so pathetic she might steal the SILVER. Pity from her would be a new low, wouldn’t it?”
***
“I heard you. Last summer. You were complaining about how I wasn’t good enough, and then you told your mother to keep an eye on the SILVER. Don’t try to talk your way out of it either. There’s really not much room for interpretation in a statement like that.”
***
We watch the waves lap against the shore for a moment. I’m going to try to get over the SILVER thing. It probably wouldn’t have bothered me so much in the first place if I hadn’t spent so many years subject to Richard’s tantrums and accusations.
***
He meets my gaze for only a moment, then his eyes fall closed. “The night we met? The shit I said about you stealing the SILVER? I was just pissed off and jealous."
Oh well, finally problem solved, he was jealous and that's why he said that!
RATING
You are advised to read the reviews of readers who have read it all because I have given up my hopes about it at early stages - at 20% or something like that.
Some readers might think that I shouldn't have rated it. Well, I if I paid a book and thought I would like it but then I couldn't stand it, then I rate it. That's how I always do it.
dnf
March 8, 2022I want to bawl right now, I literally marked my calendar for the release of this book and I've never felt this crushingly disappointed.
I disregarded the fact that this has the brother sharing trope which is more of a miss at times than a hit for me. I don't mind much if the ex brother is dead (weird logic I know😂😭)
I love Elizabeth O' Roark, recced her book The deal with the Devil for months to everyone after I first read but damn this one didn't fascinate me at all
Firstly, I am sorry but I found Drew's jokes about Josh working in Somalia extremely distasteful. She needed a lot of growing up to do.
“You could post pictures of Somalia,” I suggest. “Here’s a pretty sunset. Here’s a child with a gunshot wound.”
This was so insensitive and I felt so repulsed that I couldn't continue on forward. Maybe I'm being too sensitive... But how the hell can you expect me to like Drew after this??!!?😐😶
I disregarded the fact that this has the brother sharing trope which is more of a miss at times than a hit for me. I don't mind much if the ex brother is dead (weird logic I know😂😭)
I love Elizabeth O' Roark, recced her book The deal with the Devil for months to everyone after I first read but damn this one didn't fascinate me at all
Firstly, I am sorry but I found Drew's jokes about Josh working in Somalia extremely distasteful. She needed a lot of growing up to do.
“You could post pictures of Somalia,” I suggest. “Here’s a pretty sunset. Here’s a child with a gunshot wound.”
This was so insensitive and I felt so repulsed that I couldn't continue on forward. Maybe I'm being too sensitive... But how the hell can you expect me to like Drew after this??!!?😐😶
March 20, 2023
The Devil and the DeepBlue Sea is charming. The trope of enemy turns to lover always a favorite of mine. Josh is the perfect grumpy hero and Drew is just sweet.
Their relationship turns into lover ib such slow and sweet story. The banter is good. The characters developed together with the story. Miss O'Roark is not disappointing her readers. She gives more depth into the plot.
Overall a very good book.
4 stars
Their relationship turns into lover ib such slow and sweet story. The banter is good. The characters developed together with the story. Miss O'Roark is not disappointing her readers. She gives more depth into the plot.
Overall a very good book.
4 stars
April 12, 2023
Elizabeth O'Roark, you want me dead.
🌊𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛 𝗢'𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗞🌊
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰/🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙻𝚂 #𝟸 (𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙲𝙰𝙽 𝙱𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙴)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙲𝙺-𝙻𝙸𝚃 - 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
𝙷𝙰𝚃𝙴 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 - 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 - 𝙴𝚇 𝙱𝙾𝚈𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳'𝚂 𝙱𝚁𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 - 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙾𝚄𝚂 𝙿𝙾𝙿𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚡𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚈 𝙳𝙾𝙲𝚃𝙾𝚁 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝚄𝙽𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 - 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙲𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙼𝙸𝚃𝚈 - 𝙾𝙽𝙻𝚈 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚃 - 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝚄𝙲𝚃𝙰𝙽𝚃 𝙹𝙾𝙶𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚃𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝙼𝙼𝙲 - 𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/𝟱
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/𝟱
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜📜/𝟱
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀💀/𝟱 (𝙳𝚁𝚄𝙶 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝙵𝙰𝚃 𝚂𝙷𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝚃𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿𝚂 - 𝙿𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚃𝚈 - 𝚆𝙰𝚁 (𝙱𝙾𝙼𝙱𝙸𝙽𝙶) 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝙳 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙽𝚃𝚁𝚈 - 𝙰𝚂𝙷𝚃𝙼𝙰 - 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 𝙰𝚃𝚃𝙰𝙲𝙺𝚂 - 𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴𝚁 - 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙻𝙳 𝙿𝙷𝚈𝚂𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝚂𝚄𝙸𝙲𝙸𝙳𝙴 - 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂 - 𝙿𝙾𝙿𝚄𝙻𝙰𝚁𝙸𝚃𝚈 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚂𝚄𝚁𝙴)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🔥🔥🔥/𝟱 (𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙿𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝚂𝙴𝚇)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🚒🚒🚒/𝟱 (𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚃𝚈 𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙳 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 💣💣/𝟱
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙳𝚁𝚄𝙶 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝚂𝙴𝙼𝙸 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙸𝚃 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻🌻🌻½/𝟱 (𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚄𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙻 𝟽𝟶%)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/𝟱
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔½/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ✔️ (𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙰𝙻𝚂𝙾 𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙰)
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙿𝚃𝚂𝙳 - 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 - 𝚂𝚄𝚁𝚅𝙸𝚅𝙾𝚁 𝙶𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚃 - 𝙶𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙵 - 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙸𝚂 𝙰𝚂𝙷𝚃𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙲
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤🖤/𝟱 (𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝙾 𝙼𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙱𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁!)
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙳𝙰𝙼𝙽𝙴𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝚈𝙾𝚄 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
At this point I'd read anything this woman writes and will forever be thankful I ended up finding out about her works, even if it was on accident.
Having read book 3 first, I already knew what fate had in store for Josh and Drew, but I didn't expect their journey to happiness to be so intricate and bittersweet.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved both main characters as much as I've loved the previous main pairings.
I fangirled so hard over the dual pov O'Roark blessed us with and, not gonna lie, I'm a bit sad she didn't stick to this formula with The Devil You Know.
Drew's character reminded me a little of Daisy Jones, from Daisy Jones & The Six, but I can't say Josh being the opposite of Billy Dunne wasn't appreciated.
Overall, this was another successful read. Not that I was having doubts, to be honest.
I'm starting to think O'Roark can't write a bad thing and I'm totally here for it.
Next Devil, please!
(Lyr & Lila, this is for you, in particular: the model on the cover's name is Xavi Cortes :P)
🌊𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛 𝗢'𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗞🌊
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰/🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙻𝚂 #𝟸 (𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙲𝙰𝙽 𝙱𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙴)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙲𝙺-𝙻𝙸𝚃 - 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
𝙷𝙰𝚃𝙴 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 - 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 - 𝙴𝚇 𝙱𝙾𝚈𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳'𝚂 𝙱𝚁𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 - 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙾𝚄𝚂 𝙿𝙾𝙿𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚡𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚈 𝙳𝙾𝙲𝚃𝙾𝚁 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝚄𝙽𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 - 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙲𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙼𝙸𝚃𝚈 - 𝙾𝙽𝙻𝚈 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚃 - 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝚄𝙲𝚃𝙰𝙽𝚃 𝙹𝙾𝙶𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚃𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝙼𝙼𝙲 - 𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/𝟱
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/𝟱
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜📜/𝟱
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀💀/𝟱 (𝙳𝚁𝚄𝙶 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝙵𝙰𝚃 𝚂𝙷𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝚃𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿𝚂 - 𝙿𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚃𝚈 - 𝚆𝙰𝚁 (𝙱𝙾𝙼𝙱𝙸𝙽𝙶) 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝙳 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙽𝚃𝚁𝚈 - 𝙰𝚂𝙷𝚃𝙼𝙰 - 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 𝙰𝚃𝚃𝙰𝙲𝙺𝚂 - 𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴𝚁 - 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙻𝙳 𝙿𝙷𝚈𝚂𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝚂𝚄𝙸𝙲𝙸𝙳𝙴 - 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂 - 𝙿𝙾𝙿𝚄𝙻𝙰𝚁𝙸𝚃𝚈 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚂𝚄𝚁𝙴)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🔥🔥🔥/𝟱 (𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙿𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝚂𝙴𝚇)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🚒🚒🚒/𝟱 (𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚃𝚈 𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙳 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 💣💣/𝟱
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙳𝚁𝚄𝙶 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝚂𝙴𝙼𝙸 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙸𝚃 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻🌻🌻½/𝟱 (𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚄𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙻 𝟽𝟶%)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/𝟱
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔½/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ✔️ (𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙰𝙻𝚂𝙾 𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙰)
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙿𝚃𝚂𝙳 - 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 - 𝚂𝚄𝚁𝚅𝙸𝚅𝙾𝚁 𝙶𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚃 - 𝙶𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙵 - 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙸𝚂 𝙰𝚂𝙷𝚃𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙲
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤🖤/𝟱 (𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝙾 𝙼𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙱𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁!)
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙳𝙰𝙼𝙽𝙴𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝚈𝙾𝚄 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
At this point I'd read anything this woman writes and will forever be thankful I ended up finding out about her works, even if it was on accident.
Having read book 3 first, I already knew what fate had in store for Josh and Drew, but I didn't expect their journey to happiness to be so intricate and bittersweet.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved both main characters as much as I've loved the previous main pairings.
I fangirled so hard over the dual pov O'Roark blessed us with and, not gonna lie, I'm a bit sad she didn't stick to this formula with The Devil You Know.
Drew's character reminded me a little of Daisy Jones, from Daisy Jones & The Six, but I can't say Josh being the opposite of Billy Dunne wasn't appreciated.
Overall, this was another successful read. Not that I was having doubts, to be honest.
I'm starting to think O'Roark can't write a bad thing and I'm totally here for it.
Next Devil, please!
(Lyr & Lila, this is for you, in particular: the model on the cover's name is Xavi Cortes :P)
December 23, 2024
Wtf I just read the first book and I wanna DNF this one so bad. The references to Somalia are just insulting at this point. I hate when authors use my country as a punchline in their books. I’m on page 43 and Somalia has been mentioned an abnormal amount. One part even says “shouldn’t you suffer a little bit more to serve all your starving Somalians” EXCUSE MEEEE. No research was done and it made me so uncomfortable. This just gave off casual racism & the fact it had to go through so many people and was still published is insane.
August 25, 2023
racist much?
December 28, 2022
** One of my Top 20 of 2022 Picks on www.JeevesReads.com! **
Easiest 5-star rating I've given in awhile - I absolutely loved it! This was nothing like I was expecting and everything I wanted all at once; an unpredictable, bingeable ride that had me turning the pages all day long. I loved the chemistry between these two, and I love peeling back their layers bit by bit to discover the complexity that laid beneath. As with the fantastic A Deal with the Devil, these broken characters fit together perfectly. This easily reads as a standalone, but also fleshes out some of the characters that were introduced in the first book. And if I was a little worried about the brother-swapping element in the blurb (okay, I was definitely worried), my fears were quickly extinguished. This did not feel like a love triangle at all; there's a clear winner from the start, and the forbidden element just made this more devourable.
The story follows Drew, a pop star who is a bit of a mess. If you read A Deal with the Devil (definitely not required reading), you'll know that she's been in a toxic on-again/off-again relationship with a musician, Six. While Drew knows that Six isn't a knight in shining armor, at least she knows what she's getting with him - and her complicated past makes that the desirable option. Though the two called it quits months ago, Six has asked for another chance, so Drew agrees to go on vacation with him. Little does she know that it's a family vacation, one that includes Six's parents and brother - the buttoned-up doctor who seems to hate Drew. Josh is the complete opposite of his brother, a cold, emotionless guy who sounds perfect on paper. Well, perfect for someone who isn't a hot mess like Drew. But as the two spend more time together, Drew realizes that Josh might not be an unfeeling robot after all.
So I'll address the brother-swapping, since you're probably wondering about it. I was good with it. Drew broke up with Six months ago, and he's clearly no good for her. Yes, he wants her back, but she isn't so sure that's a great idea. They haven't been together in quite awhile, though they're stuck in limbo on the trip, and he doesn't deserve Drew, quite honestly. I'd probably be interested in reading his love story, but he's going to need to clean up his act first. Josh, on the other hand, I LOVED. The man is no devil, and I loved him more and more as the story progressed. He's kind and supportive, loving and loyal, and everything that Drew never knew she needed in her life. It was really refreshing to have the heroine be the one who is such a walking disaster, and I also loved her character the more we got to know her. This story unraveled in a way that I wasn't expecting at all, and the unpredictability paired with the great chemistry had me hooked the whole way through. I devoured it in one sitting, and I was swooning by the end. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this forbidden romance.
Easiest 5-star rating I've given in awhile - I absolutely loved it! This was nothing like I was expecting and everything I wanted all at once; an unpredictable, bingeable ride that had me turning the pages all day long. I loved the chemistry between these two, and I love peeling back their layers bit by bit to discover the complexity that laid beneath. As with the fantastic A Deal with the Devil, these broken characters fit together perfectly. This easily reads as a standalone, but also fleshes out some of the characters that were introduced in the first book. And if I was a little worried about the brother-swapping element in the blurb (okay, I was definitely worried), my fears were quickly extinguished. This did not feel like a love triangle at all; there's a clear winner from the start, and the forbidden element just made this more devourable.
The story follows Drew, a pop star who is a bit of a mess. If you read A Deal with the Devil (definitely not required reading), you'll know that she's been in a toxic on-again/off-again relationship with a musician, Six. While Drew knows that Six isn't a knight in shining armor, at least she knows what she's getting with him - and her complicated past makes that the desirable option. Though the two called it quits months ago, Six has asked for another chance, so Drew agrees to go on vacation with him. Little does she know that it's a family vacation, one that includes Six's parents and brother - the buttoned-up doctor who seems to hate Drew. Josh is the complete opposite of his brother, a cold, emotionless guy who sounds perfect on paper. Well, perfect for someone who isn't a hot mess like Drew. But as the two spend more time together, Drew realizes that Josh might not be an unfeeling robot after all.
So I'll address the brother-swapping, since you're probably wondering about it. I was good with it. Drew broke up with Six months ago, and he's clearly no good for her. Yes, he wants her back, but she isn't so sure that's a great idea. They haven't been together in quite awhile, though they're stuck in limbo on the trip, and he doesn't deserve Drew, quite honestly. I'd probably be interested in reading his love story, but he's going to need to clean up his act first. Josh, on the other hand, I LOVED. The man is no devil, and I loved him more and more as the story progressed. He's kind and supportive, loving and loyal, and everything that Drew never knew she needed in her life. It was really refreshing to have the heroine be the one who is such a walking disaster, and I also loved her character the more we got to know her. This story unraveled in a way that I wasn't expecting at all, and the unpredictability paired with the great chemistry had me hooked the whole way through. I devoured it in one sitting, and I was swooning by the end. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this forbidden romance.
February 13, 2022
“You’re kind of a keeper, Joshua Bailey.”
He definitely is a keeper❤
This book was surprisingly so sweet and endearing. I loved Josh as a character. Very selfless caring and kind. Although when he meets with the heroine, there is so much animosity between them. Enemies turned to lovers.
Drew is a singer, who is dating Six, another musician. They are on and off throughout their dating history.. and yet so toxic together. He and so many people in her life always criticize and bring her down, that she never realizes how weak she really was until she meets Josh.
"I’ve been letting a lot of people walk on me for a very long time, because the worst things they say about me aren’t nearly as bad as the things I say about myself."
She meets Josh, Six's brother, and starts falling for his kindness and ability to see her for who she is. He was her biggest strength in finding herself and I absolutely loved that about him.
”You deserve someone who worships the ground you walk on, Drew. Someone you can lean on. Who cares more about your happiness than his own.”
Their biggest obstacle is that he is the brother of her complicated ex. They endure many hurdles thrown their way to find their way to each other's hearts. ❤
"She’s at the center of every room for you. She’s the center of every conversation. She’s all you can see."
What was so endearing about the book, is that I got to watch Drew grow as a person, to defend herself and not allow other's to manipulate her. But I also loved Josh as a character. So supportive, and so loving towards her, that he always brought the best out of her. He was so sweet. 💕 this book contains no cheating.
Rating 5 stars 🌟
"I love that you came here to see me"
"...It didn’t feel like a choice,” he says, I couldn’t fucking stay away.”❤
He definitely is a keeper❤
This book was surprisingly so sweet and endearing. I loved Josh as a character. Very selfless caring and kind. Although when he meets with the heroine, there is so much animosity between them. Enemies turned to lovers.
Drew is a singer, who is dating Six, another musician. They are on and off throughout their dating history.. and yet so toxic together. He and so many people in her life always criticize and bring her down, that she never realizes how weak she really was until she meets Josh.
"I’ve been letting a lot of people walk on me for a very long time, because the worst things they say about me aren’t nearly as bad as the things I say about myself."
She meets Josh, Six's brother, and starts falling for his kindness and ability to see her for who she is. He was her biggest strength in finding herself and I absolutely loved that about him.
”You deserve someone who worships the ground you walk on, Drew. Someone you can lean on. Who cares more about your happiness than his own.”
Their biggest obstacle is that he is the brother of her complicated ex. They endure many hurdles thrown their way to find their way to each other's hearts. ❤
"She’s at the center of every room for you. She’s the center of every conversation. She’s all you can see."
What was so endearing about the book, is that I got to watch Drew grow as a person, to defend herself and not allow other's to manipulate her. But I also loved Josh as a character. So supportive, and so loving towards her, that he always brought the best out of her. He was so sweet. 💕 this book contains no cheating.
Rating 5 stars 🌟
"I love that you came here to see me"
"...It didn’t feel like a choice,” he says, I couldn’t fucking stay away.”❤
July 26, 2022
the joke about the toddlers creeped me out and made me uncomfortable. dnf @ 13%
December 2, 2022
**** 4.5 stars ****
I didn't like Drew in the first book, so I thought twice about reading this story.
The author, however, pulled this off beautifully, fleshing out a girl I could empathize with easily.
I came for the banter and the laugh, thinking it would follow the recipe from book #1, but the tone was different. It was more emotional and packed more angst and depth, two things I am a sucker for.
Absolutely loved the protective Dr Joshua! *swoon*
And also the delicious and credible slow-burn pace.
Jumping straight into #3!
So happy they are all available on KU. 🥰
I didn't like Drew in the first book, so I thought twice about reading this story.
The author, however, pulled this off beautifully, fleshing out a girl I could empathize with easily.
I came for the banter and the laugh, thinking it would follow the recipe from book #1, but the tone was different. It was more emotional and packed more angst and depth, two things I am a sucker for.
Absolutely loved the protective Dr Joshua! *swoon*
And also the delicious and credible slow-burn pace.
Jumping straight into #3!
So happy they are all available on KU. 🥰
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