Callie What’s a girl to do when she meets a man who claims the heart that she’s already given to someone else? My boyfriend is everything I’ve ever wanted, he’s perfect, but when I met Joe ... I can’t even describe the intensity of my attraction to him. I’d never experienced anything like it before. Since then, it’s become something so much deeper and I’m finding it impossible to ignore what I feel for him. I know I’m already with the man I should be with, yet I want Joe. I can’t seem to get my head and my heart to agree on this. I’m not about to cheat and I won’t just drop the man I love. But what do I do about Joe?
Joe Tattoos, bikes, and women–that’s been my life for the last two years and it suited me just fine. Until the day I swerved to avoid a raggedy old VW bug heading my way, hit the sidewalk, and ended up sprawled on my back. I came around to a pounding headache and the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. Don’t know if it was the effect she had on me, or the accident, but I somehow managed to let her go without exchanging information, more importantly–numbers. Maybe it would’ve been better if things had stayed that way. Maybe then I wouldn’t be caught up in this dilemma. I should do what most guys would do and pursue her, regardless of her being in a relationship. Trust me, it’s tempting. The problem is, I’ve been on the receiving end of a situation similar to this, so I know the hurt I could cause and I don’t think I can do that. But I want Callie. I want her bad.
When Callie and Joe met, neither were prepared for the sequence of events that would follow, or the impact of the choices they would go on to make.
*Adult Contemporary Romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Louise J has always been a daydreamer, but never considered writing a novel until days before typing the first words to IF ONLY, her debut. Joe and Callie (and Gerard) appeared in a dream and her mind has never been her own since then. In the name of research, she has visited parts of the world she never would have dreamed of, and, as a result, has gained some of the most amazing memories. The rest of the time Louise J is trying to be a good wife to the greatest husband she could ever have asked for, and an even better mother to two amazing little girls.
5 Phenomenal, Sexy, Tear inducing, Laughter will be had STARS
Finally, a book I couldn't put down!!!! Sorry had to get my dance on there for a second because I just love love loved this book!
My Joe is Marco Dapper
I really couldnt picture Callie any other way than this: :)
Imagine meeting your soulmate purely by accident. Literally an accident... A car/motorcycle accident to be exact.
That's what happened with Callie and Joe. After that meet, both regretted not getting the others name or information. But Joe wasn't really interested in having a serious relationship, so why couldn't he get this girl outa his head? And Callie already had a serious boyfriend that she not only loved but was really very attracted too. She thought her boyfriend was the guy she was supposed to marry. But if that's the case why does Joe's coffee bean brown eyes keep showing up in her thoughts?
Fast forward about a month later.
Callie wants a tattoo and her nipples pierced. Guess who just so happens to be her tattoo artist? You guessed right, Joe. Joe the guy she can't seem to get off of her mind. Joe is just as shocked by seeing Callie and can't seem to keep his mind on the job. He's constantly thinking of getting her in bed (but shocking himself, he realizes he would want more than that with Callie).
So what do you do when your soulmate already has a boyfriend? Well, Joe decides to wait. He will wait until she's single before he ever makes a move.
The problem with that? Well Callie just assumes Joe doesnt have any feelings for her, so she stays with her boyfriend.
What comes fromt this? Well the two become best friends. Both still have feelings for one another- However both refuse to act. Neither one knows how the other feels.
Again fast forward 7 years later....
Well how can i do this will out giving to much away?
Let's see... Imagine you finally have a chance with your soulmate. You take it and it's just as beautiful as you ever imagined. So you want everything and you want it quickly. What's the use in waiting when you know what you want?
But it just as quickly comes to stop... With something as simple as a knock on the door? Well it shocked me. It shocked Callie and it sure as hell shocked Joe.
My heart broke with Callie and Joe's. I literally felt the ache and I wanted to cry. God, it was horrible.
And it was horrible for about 3 more years :( Can you imagine having your heart feel completely shattered for 3 freakin years? I can and that would just be torturous. And let me tell you, it certainly was to read it.
This book was definitely bittersweet to me. My heart still aches for the time they lost and the tribulations they had to face in their lives... But I also adored how very powerful their love was!
This novel is Steamy. Funny. Heart Breaking. I devoured it. I literally could not put this book down and now all I can do it anxiously wait for the next in the series!!!!
There is not a major cliffhanger but you will be left wondering "well what happens next"
4.5☆ Loved Callie and Joe's journey from the start bang to their end bang!! ;)
This book starts of with a BANG!! Like really a bang, no pun intended. OK That maybe exaggerating it a bit too much.. btw.. Callie and Joe did BANG into each other.. and hence they meet.. He thinks he is dead and a pink haired funky angel is greeting him.. :P The story picks up from there how one event leads to any other, A bit in the middle-start part I did feel the story a bit dragged but yet totally loved the book overall.. LOVED each and every character to the core, like seriously ALL of them.. The all were so refreshing and sweet, accepting and open!
Callie In my head, she is so the chick on the cover.. in every sense as pretty as her! I REALLY liked/loved Callie.. I usually don't like the main female character of the books mostly ever because they usually piss the shit out of me because I would never like to see a girl being that way, spineless or selfish or crap but Callie.. I just couldn't not love her.. She was pretty, thriving on live and just simply amazing, so selfless loving thoughtful would never hurt anyone and rather hurt herself!! But at the same time I was angry at her good qualities too! I mean YOU CAN BE SELFISH once in a while, especially for true love you STUPID GIRL!
Joe Thats his face in my head, with WAYH more tats and a nipple piercing ;) He is hot, caring, considerate, stupid, loving and fucking sexay!! Gosh, I fell in love with him.. but hell boy! you should open your fucking mouth and SPEAK THE FUCK UP & FIGHT FOR YOUR LOVE!!
Dane I loveddddd him! Could totally fall in love with him if it weren't for Joe :P Would so want an adoptive brother like him! ;)) hehe And a bestfriend or a boyfriend like him! :P
Su Asian, funky and totally SWEET! A best friend one would always want!
Loved Saff, Adam and Gerade too!
Tattoos + Bikes + Nipple piercing + Leather + Ripped body = Me jumping someone's bones
Loved the book, there is more to come.. but I think it will continue on one of the other guy's story with their story mixed into it.. Btw, I donno.. got no clue! Lets wait and see! :P
The first chapter was awesome and from there on it went extremely downhill. Around 40% I had to talk myself into reading on and that shouldn't be. I'm not sure I can actually pinpoint what annoyed me so much but I'll try.
I've got no issues with love triangles themselves but really over 10 damn years? Had I been in Joe's place, I would've told Callie "Fuck you." a long time ago. She's the kind of woman that I try to stay far, far away from in real life. And women like her are the reason why I have more male friends than female ones.
She is whiny, bitchy, insecure (even if the author tries to portray her differently) and downright immature and that throughout the WHOLE book. I absolutely can't stand her whiny ass.
From here on out there'll be spoilers - so only read on if you don't care about that:
The way she keeps stringing guys along even though she knows that she loves Joe the most is just wrong. And the reason why she stringed others along instead of going for Joe whom she really wants is even worse. She strings one guy along for seven years just because she thinks that Joe doesn't want a commitment. Reasoning that she loves Nick as well is no goddamn excuse when she keeps repeating that Joe is her soul mate.
Oh and really, even after being friends for 7 years, they actually seem to think that an engagement one day after they FINALLY talk about their feelings is an good idea. And obviously a wedding 6 days later is an even better idea. Meh...
And wouldn't you guess it? At the first sign of trouble (after not even dating for a whole week) Callie runs away as fast as possible - Smart move, really. Woman, you claim the guy is your soul mate and you freak at the FIRST FUCKING sign of trouble and run?! For 3 goddamn years? What the hell is wrong with you?
This didn't work for me, not at all. Not the characters, not the plot, not the writing.
I freaking LOVE these kinds of books, and I totally hate them too.
Because they leave me absolutely emotinally exhausted. Reading this book is like riding a rollercoaster, with ups, downs, and turns. When you´re done you feel slightly dizzy by the ride.
This book was like Thoughtless all over again, with a small touch of Fallen too Far. But instead of cursing Kiera the intire time, you´re cursing all the IF ONLY´S.
And don´t let the cover fool you when you´re starting this. If Only IS NOT, let me tell you, a light hearted romance or whatever. It is seriously emotional and angsty but oh, SO WORTH IT!! Let me tell yo a bit about the hero and heroine:
CALLIE
She has pink hair. SHE HAS PINK HAIR. That was enough to capture my attention. She is 18 years old. Has a boyfriend since 4 months that she consider´s the love of her life. She has a GREAT personality. I instantly liked her. She does what she wants, without caring what other people says. She lives life to fhe fullest. She has a AWSOME best friend in Su.
JOE
22 years old. Totally a badboy who wants a relationship but avoids them. Screws everything with a skirt. Covered in tattoo´s. Is a tattoo artist, oh and did I mention thst he is sex on legs?(I´d love to see his back tattoo, the one at the people almost kissing...it sound so beautiful...)
When Callie and Joe meet with a BOOM the attraction is there immediately. But they are too chicken shit to take eachother´s name and number so they walk away, thinking they will never see eacother again.
Plus, Callie has a boyfriend that she is certain is her soulmste.
But fate has other plans... and when Callie and Joe meet again, THEIR LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME, granted, it takes TIME. But any other life they´re trying to have is doomed from the start, because it´s not with eachother....
This book starts with a BOOM and then we get to know the characters (I really liked that the book was from both Callie´s and Joe´s POV, btw) and then another BOOM and everytime the book started to get a bit boring and predictable, there was a BOOM and you couldn´t read fast enough to see what happens, you curse the turn of events, your palms starts to sweat, your heart´s rasing. I freaking LOVED it. And hated it. But mostly I loved it. A bit of Avoiding Commitment feeling over this book. It was like crack.
If you don´t like to read about the hero/heroine having sex with others then just.....skip those parts, because YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. A little warning though...
And don´t read this book right before you´re gonna sleep, especially not the last part of it...
I wanna shout from the rooftop how much I love Joe and Callie and make everyone read this EXCELLENT book!!>/i> I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW!BADLY!!
I recommend this book to EVERYONE. IF YOU LOVE KELLAN KYLE, YOU WILL LOVE JOE!!
I have 7 words to say after all that... * Deep Breath * I NEED THE NEXT FUCKING BOOK NOW!!! Excuse my use of colourful words but THIS BOOK IS AWESOME! I saw the book and decided to give it and chance and boy am I glad I did!!! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVEEE this book!
Basically, the story is that Callie and Joe met when a traffic accident happened and they practically want to know each other, but neither of them got the other's name or phone number. So one day, when Callie entered a tattoo parlour to get a tattoo, she saw Joe because he's the owner and they had loads of sparks going off!! Problem? Callie has a boyfriend, Nick. And the story goes on.
Firstly, I know what you're thinking, It's another lame ass love triangle where the person would probably cheat and what not. BUT IT'S NOTT!! It not really about the love triangle, more about two people falling in love with each other and giving each other a chance. I didn't know what to expect, but this book probably went past my expectations. And when THAT part came, it was like my heart got torn out of my chest and was being squeezed like crazy! And just when I thought I knew what was gonna happen, BOOM! CHANGE! And THAT made my heart beat freaking fast, clench like its trying to fit in a microscopic box and was being blended into heart juice!! And trust me, after this you'd probably have yourself thinking
"Huh.. Maybe love does always win in the end,"
I loved the characters and I LOVEEE Roman!! GO KING OF AWESOME!! And Callie? How often do you get a heroine with cotton candy hair!?Joe was sweeeetttt and was that bad boy next door!! Dane and Su are just awesome in the best way!! Protective, understanding like the big brothers and sisters I wish I had but can't have because they don't exist :P they're just really awesome friends.
And there I was, happily reading then without realising it..
“This is so not the end! This is our brand new beginning. x”
THAATTT came up :| needless to say, I need the next book soon. Err.. Sooner than later :B
It's just a really amazing book about two people finding each other, falling in love and overcoming obstacles to be together even if its hard and causes the person who's reading their story to try and breath with liquid heart juice. And proving that maybe, MAYBE love overcomes everything :P
What an amazing story about genuine love, but it's not just any old love story.
Just when you feel it's comming to its conclusion, it takes an unexpected twist which I injects even more excitement and suspesion into it.
This book really arouses, yes and I really mean AROUSES all sorts of emotions, humour, fun, longing,anger, horny....yes I said it. The author did a great job of really evoking these emotions in me. I found myself laughing out loud then shouting abuse the next minute.
I was very enaged all the way through and felt every event had its place and was necessary to make to story the masterpiece that it is.
I particularly found the diversity of the characters very refreshing. They are all very likeable & entertaining.
Overall I think Lousie J is an amazing writer that has the ability to pull you into the of the story, so that you actually live the emotions out whilst your reading, PURE TALENT.
"It's a little package of dynamite" .........lol sorry I loved that bit!
This book seriously got on my nerves. How many ways can one screw up a relationship? Let us count the ways... 1) Staying in a relationship with a someone who is not "the right one". 2) Making assumptions about what others want and not asking. 3) Not sharing your feelings or communicating in any way about said feelings. 4) Running from your fears. 5) Settling for less than because being with the right person is too hard. 6) Not accepting that other peoples lives change and sometimes they have no choice in that matter. 7) NOT COMMUNICATING...AGAIN!
Oh the angst!
Ok, so this was one big cluster fu*k of mistakes. If Only is an apt title. It drove me insane. I know some people liked it but I just couldn't buy into it and I kept waiting for this angst to work itself out only to be frustrated again.
Callie:
Callie was so cute and sweet and I loved her. She had it all a hot motocross boyfriend and wonderful relationship and love. But she had no idea what "love" really was. Not until a fateful day when she crossed paths with Joe.
Joe:
Joe is a an enigma. He is a super-sweet good boy in a bad boy persona. Yes, he loves women. No, he doesn't want a relationship. But...if the right girl came along, maybe, just maybe he would change his mind. I wanted to like Joe. He was HOT and he was a tattoo artist. I just wanted to smack him upside the head.
This book made me want to pull my hair out!
I found myself skimming past seemingly unrelated and unimportant parts to got to the good parts. They were few and far between for me. I am so sorry to those of you who loved this book. It was just ok for me. There were LOTS of details that could have been skipped, they did not add to the story, only detracted from it. The lack of communication and naivete of both main characters made me feel like they were thirteen and not twenty-somethings.
I got that they grew and grew up but still...come on. 3 stars for me.
I had to wait a few days to write this review because my thoughts after reading the book were all over the place.
First off, let me just say I wasn't sure if I should read the book, because I don't really like books about cheating and love triangles (it just hits too close to home, if you know what I mean). BUT this is not one of those books. The story is actually pretty deep and quite sad. I really liked ALL the characters, especially Callie. I loved that she had pink hair, pierced nipples and tattoos, which isn't at all common in YA/NA books. I loved Joe also, but this isn't what I want to talk about in this review.
Let me just say that even though I love to read romance, I don't really see myself in going through the same things as the characters in the books. I have no problem in connecting to the characters if the writing is good, but this book… wow… I actually see myself in feeling like this…
Loving someone, but not being able to be with them because the timing is wrong or something's always getting in the way or not being able to tell the persong you love that you love them, beause you're just afraid of rejection. Ring a bell? I'm pretty sure everyone goes through at least one of those things.
This book contains ALL of them. My heart was aching the entire time throughout reading the book. I was so mad at the author at times, because I kept thinking haven't they been through enough already? Hasn't enough time passed and they should be together already?! I kept counting the years and hoping that this would be the year that they would get together. But NO. Time just kept passing and life kept getting in the way of love.
Finishing the book, I was left with bittersweet emotions. I guess everything worked out in the end, but for so many people in the world it doesn't… and that just breaks my heart. Life just isn't fair. How can someone you love be so close, yet so far away at the same time? So, yeah. Read the book, dunno what else to say. I loved it and I'll definitely never forget it, no matter how many books I read.
The first time Callie Meets Joe is when she runs him off the road with her car. She's 18 and he's 22. After that first meeting neither can quite get the other out of their head. Then Callie walks into the tattoo parlour where Joe works with his brother Adam. Joe is ecstatic to see Callie again, he's determined to pursue her but she has a steady boyfriend. She's not a cheater, and he doesn't steal other mens women. Neither realise how the other one feels so it's friendship.
This is a first read for me by this author. I initially thought that this was going to be just another tattooed bad boy story, but it's much more than that. The story spans a 10 year time period. I have to say right off that there were times that this story got me very frustrated, particularly with Callie. Although I did like her as a character it was just that she was a bit of a ditherer at times. Joe was a great character as well but again he had his annoying moments. This story is quite emotional at times. I liked the way the author kept Callie's boyfriend Nick in the background much of the time this helped me not to feel too conflicted about him. There are a whole cast of side characters who were very well fleshed out and not just there to make up the numbers. I did feel the ending need more, perhaps an epilogue. I believe that this is the authors debut. It's a fine first effort.
4.5 Stars....A lot of wasted time, and Callie made me super cranky for a while, but still...I couldn't stop reading! Well written, sexy, fun...very enjoyable....FULL REVIEW TO COME...
Luego de pensarlo por dias, literal dias, aca estoy. Este fue un libro diria yo muy largo, y lo leí ya que leí la sinopsis y me llamó la atención, luego seguí con mis asuntos y la cuestión vino a mi mente de la nada, y fue un esfuerzo tremendo recordar el nombre del libro. Y por alguna extraña razón tenía que leerlo. Además la portada es hermosa!
Joe y Callie se conocen en circunstancias bien especiales, y ella tiene novio, él enseguida cae por ella, pero ella, piensa en su novio, poco a poco, va surgiendo algo, que comienza como amistad y sigue así por bastante, hasta conseguir lo que merecían ambos.
Me gusto Joe para mi fue el personaje del libro, él es leal, buen amigo, y respetuoso. El sabe lo que es esperar y no dañar a alguien más. Es trabajador y un mujeriego, pero la verdad me gustan esos personajes disolutos, que luego cambian, o no necesariamente que cambien. LOL.
Callie es agradable e inteligente, pero ella fue difícil, fue ambigua, dudosa, y creo que fue quien más equivocaciones cometió, y por puro placer creo yo. Sin embargo madura a través de la historia.
Todo el grupo de amigos me encanto, cada uno aportó algo y se que hay libros de los demás, pero aún no es para mí. Me gustaron las escenas de sexo, los diálogos entre Joe y Callie esa dinamica, de amigos y ese amor a fuego lento, literal, es libro es bien extenso.
El puntaje la verdad es por Joe, su alegría y su fe en todo momento, por esa capacidad de amar sin medida, y no niego que la narración estuvo muy linda. Es una historia cuya pretensión posiblemente es dejar la lección de que el amor, esta donde menos lo esperas, que cambias a través del tiempo, y que los amigos son para siempre a pesar de cualquier cosa. Aun no comprendo mi razón para leer la historia, algun día lo sabre, pero sin duda lo disfrute.
3.5 Stars If Only is the perfect title for this book. The crux of the story is based on choices and regrets of said choices. I blitzed through this book very quickly because I wanted to know where it was headed and quickly grew to love the characters. I definitely didn't see several twists coming and was taken by surprise a few times. Along with those surprises were heartbreaking revelations.
This book could easily be considered a 5 star read by others; I wanted it to be for me. I enjoyed the author’s writing, the world she created and loved all of the characters. My rating is completely personal and based on my own frustrations with the way the story unfolded. Trust me; there were parts I loved and savored. The story kept me pulled in and I wanted to root for the characters. But, the last 40% had me feeling extremely frustrated, sad and angry by the constant obstacles being thrown at our hero and heroine. There were several points where I had to put my kindle down and take a break because it was simply too much angst. But, honestly it was the poor choices and lack of communication that was a killer for me. I have said in many of my reviews that "time wasted" (we're talking LOTS of time) story themes are not a favorite of mine. I get so focused on the "what if" and "what could have been" that it takes away from the present/future happiness for me - add in miscommunications and I start to get angry.
I am not opposed to angst; in fact, some of my favorite reads have been full of it. And, possibly I am looking at this all wrong; maybe I should focus on the fact that I must have been overly invested in the characters and storyline which means it was great read. In the end, the angst overshadowed any form of happiness I could feel about the final scenes.
Bottom line: There will be more books in the series and I will definitely read the next one when it is released.
This is the second book my wife has forced me to read. After an unsuccessful Fifty Shades recommendation by her; I didn't have much faith in her, but how wrong was I. This book started like all the other romance books "I love you, I love you too. Let's run away and live in a cabin in the woods and raise a perfect family". Bullshit! Then it changed and what a change it was, drama, unexpected change and a flipping difficult path (slightly reminiscent of 24)If more romance books were like this, then maybe I'd consider reading them more often. So well done Louise J. It may not be Contact or Mission to Mars, but I was gripped.
I found Callie really annoying and even in the end immature (considering how far the book had moved in time).
I also wasn't keen on the actual writing style. I had no issues it being told from 2 different characters POV in fact I felt this worked but I just didn't like the flow I guess.
The story is ok, it's a quickish read (2 sittings) and was cheap on amazon kindle book store, just don't expect earth moving materiel ( Except the sex scenes and thoughts which had me laughing out loud!!)
La verdad que "If only"... es un titulo exacto para este libro....Nunca sentí tanta frustración por una situación....pero si no era por una cosa era por otra....y seguian pasando los años... Joe....uff que hombreton Sexy.... y siempre amando a Callie. Y Callie, que mujer más complicada....y encima en el momento que él más la necesitaba, lo dejo solo con todo....y encima por añosssssssss...como se entiende??.. Bueno, auqnue me hicieron sufrir....al final...simpre gana el amor no?.... despues de como 10 años....jejejej....
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was not your run of the mill type contemporary romance, it was full of endearing characters and a lovely story. Very emotional and colourfully brought to life, I was totally hooked by the writing style of Louise J and I look forward to the next book in the series.
WOW , This book was Recommended to me By JoJo - JJJ (Jo Anna) and let me just say I will ALWAYS take her recommendations . This BOOK was AMAZING .
Callie What’s a girl to do when she meets a man who claims the heart that she’s already given to someone else? My boyfriend is everything I’ve ever wanted, he’s perfect, but when I met Joe ... I can’t even describe the intensity of my attraction to him. I’d never experienced anything like it before. Since then, it’s become something so much deeper and I’m finding it impossible to ignore what I feel for him. I know I’m already with the man I should be with, yet I want Joe. I can’t seem to get my head and my heart to agree on this. I’m not about to cheat and I won’t just drop the man I love. But what do I do about Joe?
Joe Tattoos, bikes and women – that’s been my life for the last two years and it suited me just fine. Until the day I swerved to avoid a raggedy old VW Bug heading my way, hit the sidewalk, and ended up sprawled on my back. I came around to a pounding headache and the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. Don’t know if it was the effect she had on me, or the accident, but I somehow managed to let her go without exchanging information, more importantly numbers. Maybe it would’ve been better if things had stayed that way. Maybe then I wouldn’t be caught up in this dilemma. I should do what most guys would do and pursue her, regardless of her being in a relationship. Trust me, it’s tempting. The problem is, I’ve been on the receiving end of a situation similar to this, so I know the hurt I could cause and I don’t think I can do that. But I want Callie. I want her bad.
When Callie and Joe met, neither were prepared for the sequence of events that would follow, or the impact of the choices they would go on to make.
Callie , What an awesome Character , She truly was amazing through this whole book .
what do you do when you have a boyfriend and all of a sudden a man walks into your life by accident and your heart skips a beat ?? You get to know this man and still stay faithful to your BF and become almost best friends with a man for over 7 yrs before you realize your heart knows best and you finally end things with the BF ... Then you finally find that the man you had feelings for for the last 7 yrs is feeling the same way you have been but would not step in because you had a boyfriend ..
You finally lay all your feelings out there and finally become a couple only to have everything ripped apart in a matter of days .. How to you deal with the major blow that is thrown at you both ?? You walk away to figure out if you can handle the situation thrown at you and then you end up being gone for 3 more yrs away from each other because of circumstances and etc.
10 yrs total and you finally realize your heart belongs with one person and one person only ... and it is HELL time for it all to be right with the way it is suppose to be . You need your soul mate ...
Joe I loved in this book , he was so caring,loving, macho, tattooed and totally sexy . his handling of the situations around him I had the upmost respect for the man truly I did ..
I know I rambled on with this review but without giving alot away I had to do it this way .
If you have not read this Book YOU MUST read it .. This is what TRUE SOUL MATES look like 100%
"If Only" is the perfect title for this book full of choices and regret of said choices. It's about two soul-mates who are absolutely meant to be and belong together- this can be seen already in the first few pages - but they can't see themselves as those with which the other would be happy. This leads to a lot of wasted time and dammit - I hate wasting time. This also leads to heartbreak which is even worse because it seems so unnecessary in the first place. Because if one of them had the guts to make a move this would have never happened to the two of them...
I enjoyed the author's writing and while reading I grew to love the characters - and not only the two main ones but the whole 'gang'. Loved the friendship they all shared, especially the one between Callie and Su.
As in the beginning I wasn't expecting this terrible kind of heartbreaking revelations and the heartache that happened to be thrown at Callie and Joe... and I can't bring myself to be okay with it because it is frustrating and almost makes me angry that they could have avoided all the pain so easily . There were parts in this book I loved and savored and wanted to read all over again, but there always was 'wasted time' in the back of my mind hovering over both of their heads and hearts like a sword of Damocles to finally kill them slowly - like they say, love kills slowly... ;) Furthermore there were some points in this book where I really had to stop reading because their fate of not being with the one you love most was more than I could bear - because I knew what they didn't: that the feeling was mutual. And I had to force myself to read through the part after this life-changing revelation stood at their doorstep
I really hated the lack of communication and poor choices which are what led to all their problems and I can't help but couldn't fully enjoy and be contend with the final scene....
But bottom-line: I have to agree with Callie, that the time apart was needed and - as it led her to getting to know an awesome person - not totally wasted. Knowing how it hurts to live apart, they will now appreciate and protect their love with all they have.
And there are more books to come where I'm hoping to getting more information about these two amazing characters and maybe reading about their so much deserved 'happily ever after' in a way I can enjoy more than this books ending.
3.75 stars for "If only" and the love story of Callie and Joe...
Things are a little fucked up right now, but the fact still remains you love each other. Don't let anything get in the way of that. We don't get forever, right? You two have already missed out a lot of time.
I LOVED this book. It gave me everything I look for and MORE. The cover hooked me first, then the synopsis. I'm so glad I found this book and I CAN'T WAIT for the second - when the heck is it out!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed every single bit! I was hit with the unexpected quite a few times. On the outside this may sound like so many other books, but this was so different. I was pulled through a range of emotions; one minute smiling, the next I was LOL, the next my heart ached (more than once). The characters are great, so likeable.Joe was AWESOME!!! Callie was AWESOME!!! The secondary characters were AWESOME!!! And HOTTTTT! This was a very sexy read, but it didn't detract from the story. The sexual tension and the chemistry was exactly what I like between characters, but the emotions ran deep.
I HIGHLY recommend this book!
This goes down as one of my favourites. In fact, I'm going to read it again now. I WANT THE SECOND BOOK!!!
I can't stop thinking about these characters. I want more. P.S. I REALLY LOVE DANE. Can he please have a book!!!
I can not believe this is the writers first book you would think its in a long line of them. When i started reading this i never put it down i read the whole book in less then a day, i laughed,cried with sadness and happiness its just amazing i was hooked from the start right to the end. I fell in love with the main characters as well as the rest, i soooo want to be in a group of friends like this and everyone needs a best friend like su. I felt like i was callie and feeling all her emotions and so glad as joe is fucking hot,knowing that callie is a sexy little baby cake im feeling to sex myself up more often and maybe even get my nipples pierced :) This book is sexy,romantic,sex,funny,sad,angry its not just another boring romantic book theres so much more to it, its just brilliant and writen so well i will most definitely be looking out for this new and exciting author louise j.
A big 5 stars for If Only! I loved it. It was incredibly easy to love all the characters in this book. The secondary characters play an essential role in the storyline and I thoroughly enjoyed the strong friendship group which developed throughout the book. The author did evoke an array of emotions in me and I found myself physically feeling every heartbreak felt by Callie and Joe. Warning, reading this may frustrate you. On several occasions I wanted to scream at both Callie and Joe for not conveying their feelings to each other. However, the frustration is totally worth it. A big thanks to JoJo for the recommendation! Awesome read!
Omg when I say I loved this book I mean I haven't read a book that I loved this much since Thoughtless and Effortless by SC Stephens, the relationship between Joe and Callie will stay with you for a lifetime and will most definitely encourage you to start living your life in the NOW !!! And can I just say I looooove Dane I want and need more of him please !!! A special shout out to Liz Gunderson who recommended this book you rock girl !!!
Yeah I liked the book. But it had a little too much wasted time between the two. Seven years is ridiculous and than three more after that. It was alittle excessive. They should have figured it out sooner. Also she needed to get over herself she cause more time and problems than necessary. The minute she kept taking breaks with nick should have made them at least kiss or anything. Like I said too much wasted time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I can't do it! Maybe I will come back to it later. But I just can't read this whole book and they never get together till the end. That's what I gather. It seems like everything goes against them being together and it goes on for years. I don't think my heart can handle it. I did give it a good try. Maybe I'll come back to it later.
OMG what a roller coaster. This was an excruciating journey for joe and Callie. I love the closeness and involvement with their group of friends thru out the story. I can't wait for the next book :).
Took me a while to get into the story seemed immature writing in parts. Joe is deliciously hot tattooists and falls for Callie at first meet. 10 years of trying to be together with all the obstacles in their way. Sweet romantic story.
Took me a while to get into this book. The story spanned over time so in the beginning it was YA like and further on NA. I have to admit after the half way mark I was gripped and didn't go to sleep till I finished it. Good read but not great for me 3.5/4*