The Do Over

The Do Over #1

by A.L. Zaun

Life doesn’t look like it’s supposed to for Dani Ruiz, a hopeless romantic. After a painful and sudden break-up with Rick Marin, Dani hides away from reality, retreating to a world of fiction where she prefers book boyfriends over the hassles of a relationship.

Almost two years later, Dani’s friends are tired of watching her in a holding pattern, so they stage an intervention, forcing her back into the real world of dating.

Unexpectedly, Dani meets Liam Lucas, a down-to-earth firefighter. He might be the person to show her she’s still worth something. Dani’s hesitant to trust her heart with another man, but their instant and electric chemistry is something she can’t deny.

As Dani starts to believe that she’s found her real-life book boyfriend, Rick decides that he’ll go to any lengths to get her back. Seeing Rick as a changed man makes Dani question everything.

Can Dani trust her patched-up heart with Liam?
Or has Rick transformed into the man she’s always wanted?

Written from various points of views, The Do Over is a story of second chances and new beginnings.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Love, Humor

492 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2013

About the author

A.L. Zaun graduated from Florida International University with a degree in English Literature when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and cellphones were the size of a brick. Her impressive degree did absolutely nothing for her professional endeavors in health care management but did stir her imagination and opened up the world of books in a new way.

Armed with a large bottle of Diet Pepsi and a multi-pack of Extra Sugar-Free gum, A.L. Zaun spends her evenings bringing to life the characters that dominate her thoughts and interrupt her sleep.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars !!!!


At first I was afraid, I was petrified
I kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights just thinking how you’ve done me wrong
And I grew strong, I learned how to get along

*** cue on the THEME MUSIC LET'S GO Ladies TEAM I WILL SURVIVE ❤❤❤

meet Rick


"Cariño, this isn't working for me. We're just too different."
"Daniela, no llores. Please stop crying. I haven't earned your tears"

I knew I'd been kissing a frog for the past year, but I had faith that he'd turn into a prince. He had so much potential, and our connection was electric and intense. We were a match made in dysfunctional Heaven.

Daniela


"You and that kindle. It's like you're having a love affair with your damn books"

Well, first of all, reading is a very healthy hobby. It's great exercise for the brain. I enjoy it and I'm not hurting anyone. Second of all, I know my book-boyfriend distractions are silly. But one thing is true. Not one of them broke my heart.



uhhhh NOT REALLY, she has her nose buried in her 3 kindles and off fantasizing about the PERFECT LOVE, PERFECT MAN....come one ladies been there, done that . She was going through a 2 year dry spell when her friends decided to do a KINDLE-INTERVENTION if any of you try this with me...watch your back lol DON'T JUDGE !!

****❤****
And you’ll see me with somebody NEW
I'm not that stupid little person still in love with you.
And so you thought you’d just drop by and you expect me to be free,
But now I'm saving all my lovin' for someone who's lovin' me
****❤****

Meet Liam ...the someone NEW .....let me give him a formal intro : Meet Lieutenant Liam Lucas firefighter ---swooonnnnn----

"We're done here, but I'd really love to hear about the book that has you in knots. Maybe we could go grab coffee at the Starbucks around the corner, so you could fill me in?"


LIAM LUCAS made me do several swoon-faints he was amazing !!!!!


❤*❤*❤
Oh now go, walk out the door.
Just turn around now, you're not welcome anymore.
Weren't you the one who tried to break me with desire?
Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die?
❤*❤*❤

NOPE ......Rick decides he wants Dani back. Enter lots of drama !!!! Rick stages "chance encounters" and assumes the mission of getting her back. Meanwhile, Dani is falling for Liam. When she starts to innocently yet secretly, see Rick in a non-random manner.... things get a little sticky. There is no physical cheating but......I think there's an emotional affair going on here and sucked me into the vortex of HELL. It was painful but ......TEAM LIAM....of yeah, he was an expert on putting out fires! **fans self **

Liam~ "This isn't one of your novels. I'm not some book boyfriend who can overlook everything in the name of love. We can't ride off into the sunset like nothing happened. I'm a real man. This, my heart, it beats for you. I was ready to kill today because of you. i love you with everything I am. My love for you isn't in question here."

Today might have changed how you think and feel about him, but it doesn't change the fact that you questioned us. You doubted your feelings for me. You didn't pick me. I can't be your default. You need to love me the way I love you. I deserve that. We deserve that. I love you enough to give you what you need. I hope you come back to me.

❤

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS! Love triangles are not my thing but I was still able to enjoy this story. I thank Liam for that, he was worth it!

My Dani:

My Liam:

My Rick:


Dani is a romantic. So when her ideals about love are crashed and her heart is broken by her boyfriend Rick, she closes up. Besides sex, their relationship was far from ideal but she feels betrayed and decides not to open up to any man again. Now, couple of years later, Dani is 28 years, working as a nurse but she still hasn't nursed her broken heart. Until Liam comes into the picture.

Liam is firefighter, he is good at his job and he takes pride in what he is doing. When he meets Dani for the first time, he is mesmerized by her and wants to get to know her better immediately. I felt in love with Liam. He was sweet, caring, extremely attractive, mature, admirable, gentle... I could go on and on. He was really great person in general and Dani had no other choice than to fall for him very quickly.

However, later Rick appears back in the game. He is arrogant, sleazy but gorgeous and charismatic with ability to persuade people to do what he wants. I did not like him. At all. When he decides that he wants Dani back, all the drama and dirty fighting for Dani's heart starts...

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the style of writing in this book. It felt personal, familial and very intriguing. Also, I loved the idea with triple point of view. It was very original to see the story unfold from Dani's, Liam's and Rick's POV and since I am not fan of love triangles at all, it made story bearable for me and it is saying a lot!

I had love/hate relationship with Dani. She was trully awesome at the beginning. But later on she was getting on my nerves with her constant insecurities, never giving Liam benefit of the doubt (even though he was nothing but amazing all the time) but forgiving Rick so easily. By the end of the book I was really pissed with her naivety, stupidity and all the bad things that happened to her were her doing so I could not even bring myself to feel sorry for her.

Fortunatelly there was Liam who kind of saved this book for me. All the parts he was included were perfect, chemistry between him and Dani was working on 100% and their first meeting was one of the best I have ever read about. However, love triangle ruined it all for me. It was the main feature of this book and those who know me are aware of how much I despise love triangles.

Would I recommend this book? Answer is yes, it was nicely written story with very interesting and smart use of triple POV. It was just my dislike of love triangle that didn't allow me to enjoy it completely.

*Copy provided by author as an exchange for honest review*

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please excuse the massive curse words that are going to fill this review...


WHAT THEE FUCK!

I have only had one other read, where I loathed the MC so much, that I wanted to hunt the author down and kick her in her damn throat.

Sweet baby Jesus... please forgive me!

This was the epitome of whiney bitch. I was really hoping that Liam would drop kick Dani's ass to the curb and she would have been so destroyed that she ended up drunk and wrecked her car or something equally as horrible.

What a selfish C.ant U.nderstand N.ormal T.hinking sorry excuse of a woman.

Obviously I'm pissed...even after a few days of stewing and at least 3 books later, I still hate the bitch.

with that said, maybe the author did what she intended and evoked pure hatred outta me. this read scored high marks all around from others, I haven't taken the time to read other reviews BC frankly I don't give a shit and I'd probably get pissed off more if they were on Dani's side.

the plot was good...a little too predictable. the chemistry between Dani and Liam was over the top cheesey! the over abundance of gushing proclamation of undying love was so saccharin sweet that I think I may need to go to the dentist and be checked for cavities.

The MC's friends were OK. a nice comedic relief amongst all the crap.

For all my fellow GR friends who tend to follow and like the same genres as I do.... PASS!! Trust me. You will want to scratch your damn eyeballs out.

And this was me taming this review waaaaay down.

[Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one started well. I liked Dani a lot - until I didn't, and then I really really didn't like her.

I loved Liam. Again, until I didn't. He ended up being perhaps just a little TOO perfect.

Rick- I hated him, until I didn't. I never LIKED him, but I think he was the most interesting character.

I liked the three POV's. It was a "love-triangle" that I could live with but I was frustrated by the Insta love as usual. I got why Dani still had conflicted feelings about Rick (I mean, let's be honest here, who hasn't had the fantasy of the guy who broke your heart coming back and begging for a second chance). I think more than Dani I had issues with Liam's reaction to the whole situation It's not so much that he forgave her, but damn man, she DIDN'T choose you, and frankly I think you let her off way too easily. I'm still unclear about how she "fought" for the relationship.

Overall, an good concept with great beginning, but the ending just didn't feel as satisfying as I was hoping for. I will check out more from this author in the future.

[Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dani Ruiz had fallen in love with Rick Marin. He was the complicated guy looking for a good girl to inspire him to settle down. She was the good girl looking for a challenge and she had fallen for him – hard. They were a dysfunctional match made in heaven.

But with five words he broke her heart - “Carino,” this isn’t working for me”

Despite kissing a frog for a year hoping that the frog would turn into that prince it didn’t happen for Dani. Rick Marin was an arrogant, spoiled and had an opinion on everything and was one of the worlds biggest a$$holes .

So what do you do when the love of your life utters these words……………….you do what any respectable woman does – you turn to your Kindle for comfort.

Two years on and the Kindle was her life, her happy ever after. Dani lost herself in the stories, the characters pain and the longing. Books never let a girl down. The heroine always had two guys fighting over her. Real life didn’t have that drama. It just had heartbreak and thanks to Rick Marin, Dani was on a self imposed dry spell…………………………………..until she met Liam.

Attending a CPR class, she was engrossed in her story until a voice said in her ear “I’m a jealous fool, and I don’t share. Do you mind putting your Kindle away?” He leaned closer – “Name?” “Daniella Ruiz” she stammered and at that moment Dani was pulled back into the real world.

Everything is going perfect for Dani and Liam until Rick comes back.

This book was not just good, it was a great funny read with a realistic story and characters that are real. Any girl who owns a Kindle and suffers from kindle OCD will love this.

You will fall in love with Liam and hope that HEA happens for him and Dani.

I hope AL continues with the characters. It just can’t stop there as even at the end I felt sorry for the antagonists – they were so bad they were good. So give me more AL. I want it!

[Cari Sury (Girl+Book Love Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**See more of my reviews at www.girlbooklove.com!

Two words- love triangle. But don’t let that scare you away! This book is my most favorite love triangle ever!

This is how love triangles typically work-

Girl and Boy A are in love. Boy A is a douche and leaves her or somehow does Girl wrong. Girl meets Boy B and he’s perfect. Boy B treats girl with respect and he an all-around good guy. Girl has nagging doubt and is still drawn to Boy A despite him being, like mentioned before, a douche. Girl is stupid and doesn’t appreciate Boy B. Readers lose all respect for Girl when she leaves Boy B to be with Boy A. (prime example- Twilight. Why in the world would she choose the vampire over the werewolf? If she had picked Taylor Lautner she could’ve stayed a human, gone to college, had cute little pup babies, stayed human, the lists goes on.)

Ok, back to The Do Over. In this book, Boy B wins! (Good guys across the world rejoice!!) Dani and Liam are perfect together. They meet at a CPR training class. She is a nurse and he’s a fireman. (sexy, right?) They have immediate chemistry and despite Liam letting her get away without having exchanged phone numbers, fate brings them back together later that night. Liam pursues her with all he’s got and pretty rocks my (and Dani’s) socks off. Dani hasn’t had a relationship since Boy A, henceforth known as Rick, and putting her heart on the line isn’t easy. Liam wipes away most of those fears and everything would have been perfect if Rick wasn’t a douche. But Rick is a douche. Rick sees Dani out the same night that Liam gets her number. He sees her happy and dancing with Liam and he’s jealous, he wants her back. So Rick goes on a mission to win her back by being a better guy. (Does anyone else see the irony of “being a better guy” all while trying to get Dani to leave her boyfriend and pretty being a “bad guy”?!?) Let’s just say that things get sticky and for a moment you get a little nervous…but the ending makes all the anxiety worth it! Hooray!

I really enjoyed the writing and the characters in this book. They were charming, funny and relatable. I loved that Dani was addicted to her Kindle, because hello!! we are too! …and as much as I didn’t like Rick, I’m still excited about reading his book next! Maybe there’s hope for him yet!

My Liam and Dani-




I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Vixster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I wasn't sure if this was my kind of read, I was hoping for and angsy love triangle but it didn't play out like I expected. After Dani and Ricks split she threw herself into her books (the kindle ref's were on the money and so funny) I was lol so many times throughout.
When she met Liam and engaged in a relationship I wasn't so keen on him, don't get me wrong he was hot!!! (But like he said himself, he can be a sap) Im not one for romantic males but some of the things he said had me gushing.
When Rick first met Madison I took a dislike to her instantly......their arrangement/friendship just seemed weird and rushed at the time but it made sense the more I read and she really grew on me.
Without giving the story away I thought it was a slow starter but gradually had me hook line and sinker!!! I was gutted to find out this wasn't a stand alone and need to wait till the end of the year for the next instilation. I can't wait!!!!

[Tessamari ♥Many Waters...♥ ~ Sweet Spot Book Blog]

**SIGH**

I LOVE LIAM. He is such a great Hero, but even he couldn't stop the inevitable. I got to about 60% and it felt like I was at a stand still. Nothing was happening and I was losing interest. This had so much potential too. The love triangle was good and the jealousy the ex experienced was awesome to read (cuz let's face it, we all want our exes to suffer). But all that wasn't enough. I might come back to this later, so we'll see.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very fortunate to beta read this book and fell in love with it from the beginning. The book starts off with Dani and Rick in a romance that is full of passion from the beginning. When Rick decides he doesn’t want a relationship anymore, Dani is devastated and gives up on finding the right man. When fate puts Dani and fire fighter Liam together in a CPR class they have an instant attraction. When Liam fails to make his move they again meet up at another chance meeting. Liam it’s going to let her go twice. Rick on the other hand decides he messed up big with Dani and will do anything to win her back. He recruits the spitfire man eater Maddy to help him. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Rick and Maddy. She doesn’t put up with Rick’s crap and tell him exactly how things need to be if he is going to win Dani back. I sooo loved Dani’s character! She is a fellow bookworm and loves her romance books, especially Professor Emerson! Go team Kindle as she would say! Liam has a heart of gold and treats Dani like the queens she is but will Rick’s plan to win her back get in the way of Liam and Dani’s HEA??? This book has it all, laughter, great chemistry between characters, romance, a wonderful supporting cast of friends, and hello a fire fighter! This is an AMAZING book for A.L Zaun’s first published work! Love it big time!

[Ashley Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was me after reading The Do Over (at 12:30 this morning):









Will review closer to blog tour date :D

[Autumn Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Do Over had me sucked into the lives of Dani, Liam, and Rick pretty quickly. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about what was going to happen with this trio. While there are three players involved, it didn't really feel feel like a love triangle to me. Each character brought something unique to the story and I really did like them all.

I'll start with Dani. I liked Dani. I could relate to her book obsession for sure! Dani has had her heart broken in the past and I could understand where her vulnerability stemmed from. And as a woman, I can relate to certain insecurities. However, it was tiring hearing her constantly needed affirmation from Liam. Luckily for her, Liam was a fantastic and extremely patient guy.

Liam made the book for me. The book is told from Dani, Liam, and Rick's POV's, but I looked the most forward to Liam's scenes. Liam is the kind of guy every girl dreams of marrying. He's a firefighter, he's loyal, dedicated, and certainly romantic. Did I mention sexy?? Yep, he's definitely sexy. While he's all this and more, what I loved the most was how he treated Dani with love and respect. He really was the perfect guy.

Urgh...Rick. He's Dani's ex who's decided he wants to win her back. Rick broke Dani's heart. After they had been together for a year and living together half that time, he decided that they wouldn't 'work'. So, he sent her packing. Now, almost two years later he runs into her in a bar and decides he made a mistake. I don't think so! I felt a pretty passionate dislike for Rick throughout the book. HOWEVER, he made me laugh at times. Weird, I know, but trust me...he does have a certain appeal. Plus, as the story progressed, you start to see him in a bit of a different light.

Even though I had my issues with Rick, I'd like to see a book about him. I think there is potential for some good things to happen for Rick and a certain someone. I'd also like to see a book about Candace. I liked her, a lot. Maybe a Candace/Wyatt pairing? Macy is another friend of Dani's and I liked her too, but she got on my nerves a bit. However, I think she'd make a good story too.

I have to briefly mention that one of my favorite book boyfriends is mentioned in this book. Cole Murphy from the Darkness Series by Claire Contreras is mentioned in this book and I literally squeed! I was so excited!!! I love Cole! SO. MUCH. Ok, moment over.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Do Over. It's a story about opening your heart to love again and learning how to have a healthy relationship. At least, that's what I took from it. I liked the characters and the overall plot. The length was a bit long though. I am impressed that this is Zaun's debut novel. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author. If you're looking for a a steamy, dramatic love story, check this one out!

Quotes:
~She drove me insane, turned me on, and there was nothing more that I wanted than to be with her. From the moment I saw her till probably the day I took my last breath, desire would burn for her.-Loc 3011

~"Fight for me, Dani. Fight for us. Don't hide on beaches or in books. God dammit, give a shit and fight for what matters to you."-Loc 7461

~"I love you with everything I am. Let me be your happily ever after. Marry me and be my wife."-Loc 7754

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

The Do Over was sweet, sexy, romantic, and hot! I love a book that can be all those things at the same time!

This is the story of Dani, a sweetheart of a girl, who had her heart broken by Rick, and has spent almost 2 years trying to recover from it. She has turned to reading and now only has romantic feelings for her "book boyfriends". She doesn't think any man can match up to the fictional characters that she reads about. Her 2 best friends, Macy and Candace, finally have a Kindle intervention and tell her that she needs to get out in the real world and start dating again.

Here enters handsome firefighter Lieutenant Liam Lucas (sigh...), who she meets at a CPR class that he's teaching. They have intense sexually chemistry from the moment they meet!

He bent over closer and leaned close to my ear. His unshaved face brushed against my neck as he whispered, "I'm a jealous fool and I don't share."

There's a little bit of a problem though, when her ex Rick sees her at a night club one night and decides that he wants Dani back. Oh, and have I mentioned that he's at the night club with Liam? Yep, this is where it gets really complicated - so Dani likes Liam, Liam likes Dani, and Rick likes Dani.

What's different about this though, is that it's a Love Triangle where not all the players know about each other. Rick has somehow managed to wrangle himself into the group of friends that Liam hangs out with. The problem is that Liam doesn't know that he's Dani's ex, and Rick uses this to his advantage to get the inside scoop on their relationship. Rick also enlists the help of Madison, the manager at a local bar, to help him re-invent himself so that Dani will take him back. They have a complex love-hate relationship that is also interesting to watch.

All the characters in this book were really well developed and I liked them all, but strangely, my favorite was Rick. He's a douchebag. No, he's a fucking douchebag. He is one of the most arrogant characters I have ever read. He has no redeeming qualities at all. What would make Dani fall for him in the first place is beyond me. He has a dirty mouth and a dirty mind, and thinks he's God's gift to women, but I loved reading about it!

I liked so many things about this book, but primarily that the story is told from the perspective of Dani, Liam and Rick. It doesn't get any better than that! We get into the heads of all 3 characters and I loved it. Even though I hated Rick, I actually loved reading from his perspective the most. Also, the sex and sexual tension was smokin' hot and there was lots of it. The chemistry between Liam and Dani had my heart palpitating and my skin on fire ;) I can't believe this is the Author's first novel. She did an amazing job and I can't wait to read more from her! Kudos A.L. Zaun! <3

ARC kindly provided by the Author for an honest review.

Review posted at Love Between the Sheets
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[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so glad for friends that help me through the book - my little Champion rocks.

I'm not a fan of a triangle - but the triple POV writing was pretty kick ass.

Hel-Lo! Firefighter in the house!!! Liam is off the charts on fire!

And a character that loves her Kindle like I do - hell yes!

[Fred]

I think I can't wait!

[Lauren ♥ Inked in Chapters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowza! A.L Zaun’s The Do Over is one steamy read. I was blessed enough to receive an ARC of this heart warmingly sexy book and when I say blessed, I mean blessed. I think this may be one of my new favorites. This author definitely hit a home run with her debut novel.

Daniela (Dani) Ruiz was cruelly dumped by her boyfriend of a year. She thought he was it, you know – the one. It turns out that Rick Marin was nothing more than a self-centered piece of trash. It’s now a year and a half later and Dani is still letting the break-up and Rick’s stupidity rule her life. She lives her life through her kindle. She has read so many books that her friends actually stage an intervention. (To be honest, I’m surprised mine haven’t done that for me…Ha!) Daniela is afraid to give her heart away again; this time the heartbreak might just be enough to shatter her completely.

Liam Lucas is sex on a stick. No, really! He’s a lieutenant with the local fire department and just happens to be teaching the CPR class Dani is attending. Sparks fly, but it isn’t until they meet again at a local club that the fire truly ignites.

"For the first time in a very long time, I felt hopeful and a little turned on. Okay, a lot turned on."

There is just one teeny tiny little problem, Rick spots Dani at the club, too, and he’s determined to win her back no matter the cost.

First off, Dani is probably the most relatable character in existence. Well, for me anyway. She’s a complete book nerd. She even talks about her book boyfriends. I mean come on, how could you not love her? She has a very hard time giving all of herself over to Liam because of the pain Rick has inflicted on her life. When Rick starts sniffing around Dani again he confuses her even more. He’s eating clean, running, doing yoga and even volunteering at a local soup kitchen. That’s not the Rick that Dani remembers. Can people really change that drastically?

Rick … What can I say about this man? He’s flat out disgusting. He objectifies women, acts as if their sole purpose in life is to bring him instant gratification. Well, I guess he likes to bring them some too. Maybe he’s not completely selfish… Nah, he is. At the same time, the man is sexy as hell. The things he says to some of the women in the book… *sigh* I’m telling you, I was fanning myself. It was h-o-t.

“You two are a lost cause. Let me dumb this down for you.” Liam rolled his eyes. “She has to matter to you more than your dick does.”

Liam is Mr. Perfect. He’s sweet and understanding. The love that he shows to Dani makes him completely swoon-worthy. Who wouldn’t want a hunky fire fighter with a heart of gold?! You’d have to be stupid to pass that one up.

"I barely knew her, but it was like I’d known her my whole life. It was her eyes and her smile. It was the way she tilted her head to the side and bit her lower lip. The way she walked down to the front of the classroom. It was the way she felt in my arms. It was the way her hair smelled and how her perfume lingered on my shirt. It was the way she flirted. She was smart, sassy and sexy as hell."

Dani has two gorgeous men fighting over her and she has to make a choice. Will she choose Liam or Rick? You’ll just have to read and find out! She can’t have both and I CANNOT wait to find out what happens to the guy who doesn’t get the girl. I’m so tempted to say more, but I don’t want to ruin the book for you. Honestly, this is a must read!

[Toski Covey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read a great book, it takes a day or two to let it all sink
in enough to be able to talk about it. The Do Over was def one of "those" books. I was sucked in from chapter one and this book didn't let go until you finished every.single.word.

This is a story of a girl Dani, who dates a guy total D-bag named Rick. A year into their relationship he decides it just isn't working for him anymore and kicks her to the curb. Dani is left brokenhearted and turns to her friends, her kindle, and her book boyfriends for two years to heal her broken heart. Her friends eventually stage an intervention because she has no life, no man, and isn't living in reality but in "book life." Dani is 100% Team Kindle and plans to NEVER fall in love again.

Enter Liam Lucas.. First off, I think I have an obsession with man names with the same beginning initial and last initial. Liam Lucas rings in my ears and heart like Kellan Kyle, so immediately I LOVE him. (KK is always forever and ever #1 so ALL boys are rated on a Kellan Kyle scale.) Dani being a nurse has to take her CPR training and the old instructor can't make it so Lieutenant Liam Lucas fills in. He's a firefighter, blonde hair, gruff, and the most beautiful man she has ever laid eyes on. They have an immediate connection but she leaves without him getting her number so she knows she will never see Liam again.

Then fate steps in.

They end up seeing each other again out and from there their relationship blossoms into one we read about in our romance novels. Liam is a TRUE life book boyfriend. She falls so head over heels in love with him- you know he is her soul mate. Then, Rick steps back in wanting her back and has completely changed his ways into the man she always wanted. Or so he says- but how can she ever trust him?

This book left me all like "OH yea, oh my - did THAT just happen, Noooooooooo, you are KIDDING ME, I hate you d-bag, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING????, and then back to awwwww, swooooooon, and tears." It has it all- angst, love triangle, romance, STEAM thru the roof. Chapter 29- I NEED A MINUTE. I was...speechless.

To rate this book a 5 is seriously an understatement. It is AMAZING. I would give it 10 stars. Definitely one of my favorites of the year. It grabbed me, sucked me in, chewed me up, spit me out and I LOVED every single minute of it. I fell in love with EVERY character. Yes, even d-bag Rick will win you over by the end.

LOVED every word, ever minute spent reading was not enough, and can not wait to read the next one..

[Kelsey's Korner Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started off absolutely loving this book, I wanted to kiss A.L.Zaun for bringing me out of my funk. The writing style was perfect for my liking, I loved the undercurrent of humour which came across in even the saddest of moments. It was so good to meet Dani the girl with a kindle addiction (Team Kindle). Come between Dani and her kindle and she will kill you, this made me laugh so much because I related to the way she felt. I actually wanted to scream and shout THAT'S ME THAT'S ME. The thing is I'm not quite sure if I really liked her. She was a bit of a closed book, she had her guard up and sometimes I felt like others suffered because of that. This was all part of the story and you soon find out why she's like this.

The sex in this book was pretty intense, and I felt the intensity deep in my bones and deep in my thighs. It wasn't just sex it was passion. I don't give storyline's away in my reviews I pretty much go into a book blind and that's how I tend to review so I'm not going to talk about the plot "much". Basically it's about love being lost and trying to gain it back, but the way it's done is pretty damn nasty!

I have a love hate relationship with Rick Marin. I loved the flirty confident vocal side to him, the way he made me smile and especially the way he talked to himself under his breath. But he was a total dick and a selfish swine.

I started to get a little confused halfway through but that's what I like in my books, I had no idea where it was taking me. I loved Madison, to me she was the strong one, knew what she wanted and went for it but underneath the tough cookie she was actually soft in the middle. Look forward to seeing more of her in the next book. Liam was gorgeous, every woman's dream. Dani's friends were cool, the sex and the city kind of feel friends and I loved the banter between them all.

This is quite a vanilla book to me because I tend to like dark reads but I put myself in my vanilla friends shoes and rode with it. I know that anyone who loves romance will love it, because there's plenty of romance. There's also that doubt in your mind all the time wondering how this will turn out, as there's also angst. It's a pretty unique story and I take my hat off to A.L for going there and the way she writes from the alternative PoV's was excellent. She speaks to you from every individual and her writing style was creative and captivating.

4stars

I'm already onto the next book as I really need to know how it's going to end up!!

[Katie(babs) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible, horrible read.

This is the type of book that should have never been published as is. it's the type of book that is eye rolling and where you want to throw it against the wall it's such a bad read.

Basically Dani, the heroine is bumped by Rick, the hot to trot, sexually obsessed jerk because he felt the need to be a free agent because she's the type of woman who is marriage material, never mind that she is explosive in bed. Dani is heartbroken and tries to move on and then meets the too good to be true firefighter, Liam, who we never really see in action at his job. Rick sees Dani at a club 2 years later and decides he wants her back and will try and win her from Liam who Dani is falling for.

Everything about this story should have worked, but the writing is very poor and needs a total rehaul with everything from the plot to the characters. We are given 3 POVs, from Dani, the Kindle obsessed reading addict, to Rick and then to Liam. The authors can't write a male POV for anything. Rick comes across as unrealistic in his thoughts and personality. When he sees Dani after 2 years, he goes off in his head about how much he wants her in a very graphic way that had me gagging. Rick is portrayed as deeply chauvinistic and misogynistic to the max. He comes across as very cartoonish. Liam is very dry and ho hum in his portrayal. He loves to call Dani "baby" every other sentence. I think the work "baby" was used over 100 times. His connection with Dani, or attraction has this been there, done that feel to it. The sex between them is nothing to be in awe of and is written in a very stale way. There's more sex than actual plot and doesn't really bring anything appealing to this story as a whole.

There is nothing deep in these pages and the characters are wallpaper

A big pass on this.

More at Booklikes: http://katiebabs.booklikes.com/post/7...

[Jessica Hull · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a lot of great things about this book. There were a lot of reasons to like it... But in the grand scheme of things, it just flopped. It didn't flow smoothly for me. Typically an author has a plan for her characters and the reader is directed down a certain path. This book lacked a path. It's called The Do Over, right? And Dani is the main character. Yet it's smooth sailing for her and Liam, while Rick is the one with all this angst and drama around him. In any good typical love triangle, you may have a preference about who she'll pick, but at some point it's obvious who she should be with. There was never any real question here... it was obvious Liam wasn't going to suddenly become a cheater or an abuser. He was always the better option. But then you have this relationship that is so obviously building between Rick and Madison... But they're not the main characters here!! This isn't their book! I just didn't get it. I couldn't really embrace any of these characters. The Madison and Rick drama overshadowed the love triangle that should have been central to this book. And therefore, Dani got lost in it.

I also thought the constant book boyfriend references was over the top. Dani's attachment to her Kindle and her characters... I get that. Totally. It's me. But incorporating it into every conversation, especially in the middle of what was supposed to be a seriously heated argument just made for cheesy unrealistic dialogue between characters.

So much potential here but it just didn't work for me.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a clean read for Ana and I'm so glad she gave me the opportunity! She did an amazing job this book is fantastic. Daniela was so easy for me to relate to it made it so easy to stay into the book. She has her crazed book addiction and takes her Kindle with her everywhere, which I admit I do too lol. Her friends are absolutely hilarious they are the type that everyone wants and wants to keep forever. They're part of you. Oh Liam, What can I really say about Liam but HOT DAMN he is sexy!! Liam has sexy, confident, protective, and oh so loving down to a T. He has topped my BBF charts and he will be hard to beat. Another note, Rick and I have a love/hate relationship. He screws up yes, but I couldn't help have a soft heart later. I'm rambling a little sorry. Ana wrote a book that is funny, sad, emotional and full of promise. It's a beautiful story and one to definitely reread time and time again.

Daniela gets her heart broken and locks it up. One night out changes her life, the sexy firefighter Liam Lucas. As her past comes crumbling back Daniela needs to make a choice and pray its the right one.

[Melanie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book and Wow!!! My mind feeling were all over the place! I felt like I could relate to Dani with her "hiding" from the world in her kindle world with her book boyfriends. Then her friends staged an intervention to get her out in the dating world again, even though her heart was broken almost 2 years before. Rick really did a number on her heart and it is hard for her to put herself out there and not think the same thing will happen in the next relationship. The connection she has from the moment she met Liem, woke her heart up but it was still in the "cautious" lane for a while. Throughout the book she struggled with her feeling with Liem and couldn't get past what happened with Rick only because he kept popping up trying to "reinvent" himself into what she said wanted him to be. There were some things left hanging in the air. When it is published, I think they will be explained but still leave you wanting more. Her friends are the best and left me wanting to know their story as well. It was a story told of heartbreak, learning to trust again and opening your eyes to new and better things.

[Flavs is Mrs David Gandy♥~♥’ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my word. I loved this book
I loved Dani. (sort of thinking I am a bit like her, except for the whole being torn between two men)
But I have to say Liam was just the best. He took care of her, and made her believe that someone can love her for her and not be a douchebag (YES RICK YOU!!!)
I don't even want to say anything about RICK, cause he is not worth my time to talk about him!!
Really just wanted to punch him in the face right through the book.

Happy/Anxious/Romantic book! Loved it

[Paula (Poll) Conway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh a sweet read , some funny moments .

[Zoe Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years ago, Dani had her heartbroken by her boyfriend. As painful as it was, she decided then that doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of relationships anymore. Her kindle and book boyfriends will always be there for her.

Two years later and her best friends are staging an intervention to get Dani out of her funk and back into the real world. Back into the world of dating and not holding out for her book boyfriend to be real. She needs a REAL man, not a fictional one.

Hunky fire-fighter, Liam may be just the guy. Subbing a CPR class that Dani has to attend, their chemistry is instant and they both feel something for one another the second they meet. But can Dani put aside her two year old broken heart and patch it up enough to trust her heart with Liam?

And what is going to happen when Rick decides he wants Dani back and will do whatever he can to make her his again?

If you love love triangles, then The Do-over is for you. This is utter love trianglely and to be honest I am not a fan of LT. But I did feel all the emotions. The anger, the heartbreak, the laughter, the tears. I got frustrated at the characters, at what was happening. It took me a while to decide what to give this book, because I liked the first half but then I just got so angry and annoyed at the second half. I suppose that’s what A.L Zaun possibly wanted? To extract these emotions from us, and of course it’s a LT so it’s going to make us angry. The smoking hot fire-fighter who wears his heart on his sleeve or the conniving ex boyfriend who wants her back despite breaking her heart and messing her up for others?

I started off really liking Dani. She is a book worm like me. Her kindle is her baby. She has book boyfriends; she gets emotional like me when reading a book. At one point I thought she WAS me.

She was a strong character, even though she wallowed in self-pity and hide behind books for a while. It wasn’t until her friends kicked her butt that she kind of changed. Attending a CPR class, she meets Liam and something clicks inside of her. Its like shes been set free and can feel again. She’s definitely attracted to him and it’s all she can talk about when she meets up with her friends. Thank god fate interferes and she gets to meet him again at the club they go to that night. Dani is funny, shes flirty, she knows what she wants and she is passionate too. She loves Liam with everything, it’s clear to see but she still has insecure moments, especially when she bumps into her Ex – Rick one morning. He brings up all these old feelings and shes scared that Liam is going to break her heart. That is not the case at all, because Dani is the one who messes everything up. I’m not going to tell you how, but throughout the second half of the book, Dani really started to piss me off. I hated reading about her, reading her uhm’s and Ahh’s, hated what she was doing, thinking it was okay. NO, she really annoyed me and my Twitter followers had all my tweets about her during the day. I was completely happy when one ‘friend’ Maddy – told her she wasn’t in love with Liam, just using him to get back with Rick– and Dani began to get upset over it. I wanted to high-five Maddy so much.

When everything went tits up, she hid behind her books again. It seemed her way to close out the outside world and just focus on the fairytale world. But what she did to win Liam back was actually pretty great and I applaud her for it. He definitely had thought about how important he was to her and for her to give up that one thing, well well done to her.

Liam was the best. No kidding now. Before I started reading this book, I put a pic on Twitter of a sexy fire-fighter and then when we learned Liam’s occupation, I was like “Mind reaaaader” so that fire-fighter picture became Liam to me! He is the sweetest, cutest, more amazing guy ever. As soon as he saw Dani, he just knew he had this instant attraction to her. He wanted to get to know her. And the more time they spent together, the more he fell in love with Dani. It was beautiful to see a guy love a girl so much and want to see her all the time, and take her out and love her like she should. When Dani kept having freak-outs, he was there for her, telling her that he wasn’t going anywhere, that he wasn’t her ex. He understood her insecurities and tried to help her through them

He was romantic, wore his heart on his sleeve and when everything happened near the end, oh my heart when out to him. He was hurting badly, but needed time to think things through. He had been through so much in his life, from his personal life to his job and he had shared everything with Dani, so to be hurt that badly by her, dear god, I wanted to jump in my kindle and hug him tight.

There is a HEA thank the god, because I would have been having a tantrum is there wasn’t. It is a cute ending though but I still couldn’t forgive Dani for what she did. She pretty much pissed me off a lot hahah. But that is just me.

Rick is a character that you love to hate and hate to love. I went from hating him and liking him and feeling sorry for him. I hated that he wanted Dani back; that he manipulated her for so long, making her doubt everything. But then I loved his friendship with Maddy – who obviously harboured feelings for Rick. She made him change so Dani could see the new him, but I think in some ways she was changing him for her, for him to see her and to love her instead of Dani. I loved Maddy and felt so sorry for her having to see the guy she likes try to win his ex back. That must have killed her.

The Do-Over left me with an unanswered question which I’m hoping there will be a second book or even a novella? Did Rick and Maddy get together? What the hell happened with these two because they were kind of just left hanging. With no answer about what happened, if Rick found her etc. PLEASE let me know, its’ been bugging the hell out of me!

Other than the whole love triangle, it is a good book. But I have no patience for love triangles, they just annoy me and I get irritated reading about them. I’ve tried to keep this review both positive and honest, and this is me being honest. It’s a good book, but not for me despite there being scenes that I loved. But everyone feels different about books so don’t take my word on it, you may enjoy it!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Do Over" is AL Zaun's debut novel and she knocked it out of the park. I give this book a 5 star rating. AL Zaun did an AMAZING job captivating me from the first chapter until the very last page. "The Do Over" is a book that had my stomach in knots with the anticipating of what was to come. At one point I was begging the author to just tell me how it ended, because I didn’t think my heart could handle anymore…

"The Do Over" is a story about a girl named Daniela Ruiz (Dani) who was in love with her boyfriend, Rick Marin, until one day he broke her heart.

"I fell in love with him. He was a complicated guy who was looking for the good girl who would inspire him to settle down, and I was the good girl looking for a challenge. I wanted a project, and he was more than willing to oblige. We were a match made in dysfunction heaven, and it worked perfectly for us."

After the break up, Dani went into a depression for almost two years. She lost in herself in her stories on her kindle. She figured if she couldn't live the fairy tale love story, she might as well read about them. Her friends stage an intervention to get Dani back in the dating scene and away from her kindle and her "book boyfriends".

"Hi, I'm Dani and I am a kindle-holic and I hoard eBooks."

I cracked up when I read this line. We all LOVE our books!! I, myself think at times I need an intervention for my book obsession. Anyway…

Dani arrives at the training class for CPR, expecting to see the Captain of the Miami Dade County Fire Department; instead out of the corner of her eye she sees is a tall, very muscular HOTTIE with dirty blond cropped short hair and the bluest eyes she's ever seen. This hottie would be Lieutenant Liam Lucas of the Miami Dade County Fire Department Technical Team. Liam was covering for the Captain and would be conducting the CPR training that day. Dani is already certified in CPR, so rather than paying attention she is engrossed in yet another one of her love stories on her kindle and having a book meltdown when Liam approaches her desk.

"I'm a jealous fool and I don't share. Mind putting it away?"

Dani and Liam are immediately attracted to each other. It was the first time Dani actually noticed someone since her break up with Rick. Liam decides to have a little fun with Dani and calls on her to come up to the front of the class to practice her CPR on the dummy. While Dani had her hands on the dummy, he laid his hands over hers and pushed down on the dummy making sure she applied the right amount of pressure and he whispered in her ear, "Make sure it's deep and hard and steady. Yeah that's right, you're doing it perfectly.'" Liam just about caused a 5 alarm fire in Dani's panties…. "Someone call a code blue. I wouldn't mind him administering CPR on me."

Dani and Liam didn't exchange phone numbers that day, but they happen to run into each other at a night club, when Dani's two best friends drag her out for a girls night out. Liam is immediately drawn to Dani like a moth to a flame, and will not let the night end until he gets her phone number.

Once Dani and Liam connect, the chemistry between Dani and Liam is completely off the charts. The only problem is, Dani is very insecure with herself. As their relationship progresses, Liam constantly has to reassure Dani of his feelings for her. After having her heart broken in the past, she is scared to open her heart to Liam.

"Rick broke me. Liam can shatter me. It's just a matter of time."

Liam was a reminder that there was still of lot of life and love for her in her life. Dani needed to let go of the bitterness left behind by Rick Marin and make room in her heart for what could be... Could that be Liam Lucas?? Is Dani so broken from Rick, that she'll push Liam away?

Liam is a total sweetheart. I think he should be cloned so everyone can have a version of Liam. Liam has a past as well, but he ready to love again. Liam is falling for Dani and falling hard.

"I won't share you. Plain and simple. Don't lie or cheat. If you're looking for deal breakers, there they are. I can always work with the truth."

Now lets discuss Rick Marin. While Dani was at the club with her friends, Rick spots her from across the room. Dani has no idea that Rick is even at the club. Rick likes what he sees. Rick wants Dani and he will stop at nothing to get her back. Rick sets out to win Dani back. He will manipulate any situation and anyone that gets in his way. Rick begins to make a habit to running into Dani. She thinks their sudden run ins are a coincidence, little does she know that every move Rick does is calculated.

Dani always underestimated men. She wanted to believe the good in people and trust their intentions. She is very naive when it comes to men. What would Dani do if Rick wanted her back? Would Dani give Rick "A Do Over"? Will Rick always be a douche? Can Rick really change? Does Rick want to change for himself or just to get Dani back?

Does one need to say goodbye to their past before they can move on with their future?

Lines are crossed… Relationships are put the test. Will Dani and Liam survive?

I absolutely LOVED this book. I can only hope that we will see more of these characters in the future. I was definitely left wanting more!! Job well done!

I received an ARC from the author for my honest review.

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[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
"Hi, I'm Dani and I am a Kindle-holic and I hoard eBooks."

Dani's heart was crushed by her selfish jerk of a live in boyfriend Rick and was sent scurrying into the land of her kindle and book boyfriends. A couple of years later, fate intervenes and she meets Liam. A hot firefighter with a heart of gold.

Someone call a code blue. I wouldn't mind at all having him administer CPR on ME.

For the most part I liked Dani. She was smart, sweet, and kind. But she is guarded and terrified of getting hurt again. I wanted to smack her sometimes as she made poor choices . You would think a girl who reads so many books would see she is falling into some of the love triangle plot traps.

"I know he's a good guy. The type I can easily fall in love with and dream about making babies with. He's perfect...Rick broke me. Liam can shatter me. It's just a matter of time."

Liam was just perfect. He was truly sexy, swoony, sweet, and an all around perfect book boyfriend type. He was not afraid to share his feelings or of commitment. He had a sense of humor, respected her, and put her first.

This man in a few short months had taught me to feel, to laugh, and to live. He was everything I had ever dreamed of and wanted in a man. He was patient and kind, loving and gentle. He was passionate and so attentive to all of my needs. He was amazingly handsome on the inside and out.

"...this is yours. I love that you read your books. But the truth is I'll never be able to compete with your book boyfriends I'll never be that Professor character. And even as much as I'll continue to serenade you, I will not become one of those rock star book guys. I'm just me, but I'm yours. All of me is yours. My heart, everything, all of it, yours..."

Now Rick is another story. Oh, how this man irritated me. Of course, we were supposed to dislike him at the beginning. He was an arrogant, selfish prick who broke her heart. But as time passed, he realized his mistake and decided he wanted her back. And he kind of became more of a dual personality: The jerk who just wants her back and will manipulate the situation to win AND a new better Rick who begins to realize that if he really cared about her then he should want her to be truly happy. And his whole crazy, hot and cold friendship pseudo relationship with Madison also helps change him even if he does not realize it at the time. So at times, I found myself almost liking Rick. But I was TEAM LIAM all the way!

Rick became my book boyfriend in the flesh. The asshole who reinvented himself for the girl. He was funny, attentive, edgy and sexy as hell. But like with all my other book boyfriends, I could turn off my Kindle and go on with my life unaffected. The only problem was that things started changing, and I didn't even realize it before it was too late. During those stolen moments with him, I was transported to another time. I felt as though the clock was turned back. The only difference was that Rick evolved into the man I had dreamed he could be instead of the one he had been. Going back there was dangerous.

There is heartbreak, romance, secrets, lies, manipulation, angst, and drama. It made me mad, frustrated, sad, laugh, and happy at various times. Their friends added comic relief. They had interventions and busted on them and also tried to protect them. But there was so much going on behind the scenes that most were unaware of. I adored Liam and Dani together. But I just kept waiting for it all to come crashing down.

Daniela is playing with fire and you know someone is going to get burned. Will she choose the new perfect love or be reeled in by her first love that has changed and become the man she wanted him to be?

"Don't leave us on a cliffhanger. I can barely tolerate those in books. I don't know if I can survive one with you."

I enjoyed this book. It was not as short as some of the books being put out and it felt like a complete story. However she definitely left room for a spin-off book about some of the other characters and their future relationships. She gave us multiple points of view so we could see what all of them were thinking and were feeling.

Thanks to A.L. Zaun for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Will be posted at Reviews by Tammy and Kim.

[Ena May - Swoon Worthy Books/Enticing Journey Book Promotions · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ½ swoon worthy stars

“Fight for me, Dani. Fight for us. Don’t hide on beaches or in books. God damnit, give a shit and fight for what matters to you.”

Wow oh Wow! I was in serious book hangover before I picked this book up and it got me hook line and sinker! Great triangle love story about living in the past or moving on with your future. I laughed, swooned, cringed, cussed, screamed, awed, got frustrated, and pissed off while reading this book.

Dani is a very strong character lead. She is bright, funny, passionate, and beautiful. After having her heart broken by her first love, Rick, she wallows in self pity for quit sometime. Living in a fairytale world of her romance novels she forgets reality real while and lives her life in her kindle. After an intervention with her 2 best friends, Candace and Macy, she decides it’s time to stop living in the past and move on with her future and maybe even open her heart again to love.

Liam Lucas is your everyday boy next door. Liam is a firefighter; he romantic, sexy, strong, and very swoon worthy. The moment he met Dani at a CPR class he was instructing, he knew there was something different about her. Something he had to know more about. He wanted to give Dani all the fantasies she reads about in her “books” and then some. I would marry him and have his babies in a heartbeat.

“Make sure it’s deep, and hard, and steady. Yeah, that’s right, you’re doing it perfectly.”

Rick (the douche of an ex) breaks Dani’s heart and leaves her with questions unanswered. He proceeds to live is life to the fullest with as many women he can bring home and have in his bed. After running into Dani over a year after her break-up he suddenly has a change of heart. (yah right) He admits to breaking her heart and making a huge mistake of letting her go and will stop at nothing to win her back.

“But it’s just not working for me. You know, the sex is great. It’s probably the best I’ve ever had and that’s saying a lot. I’ve had great sex before. Sex with you is really amazing. But, it’s just not happening for me. I want it to be. You’re perfect on paper. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. But Carino, it’s just not here.”

There are a few side characters that played a major role in this novel and I loved them all. Candace and Macy, the best friends, are very concerned when it comes to Dani and her heart and only wants her to be happy (not with Rick). Candace is like the momma hen in the relationship and Macy is the ditzy one but the 3 of them make quit a pair.

“You and that Kindle. It’s like you’re having a love affair with your damn books.”

Madison, the bartender/yoga junkie/health extrodinaire, is FEISTY! I love her! She doesn’t take bullshit and will put you in your place in a heartbeat. Even though I hated Rick with a passion, I loved her and the role she played in this story. I started feeling for her because I could tell what she really wanted and what she felt like she had to do, she was torn. I wanted to reach into my kindle and slap the piss out of Rick! Ugh didn’t like him at all!

“Love is an illusion. We see what we want to see until the reflection changes.”

I think the development of the story was great. I didn’t understand the whole love triangle thing in the beginning because it was clear who Dani’s heart belonged too but then that little “what if” showed its ugly head and she became confused about her feelings and emotions. I wanted to smack her clear across her face many times and tell her to WAKE UP! Ana did a wonderful job developing the characters in the book to where we got to know each of them in great detail. I was very passionate about all the characters almost as if I was in the book and personally knew them, that’s how great this writing was.

I don’t want to give much away about this one because I think the reader needs to experience it for themselves. I liked how throughout the book you got to see the story unfold from 3 POV’s, Dani, Liam, and Rick! Great debut novel by a very talented author. Can’t wait to see what A.L. Zaun has for us next! The Do Over makes my top 5 reads of 2012 and I have read A LOT! Great job Ana!!

[Abby A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say that the only reason that this book didn't get 1 star is because I absolutely loved the hero, Liam. He was worth a whole star just on his own. Why? Simply, because if you were looking for a near perfect book (or real-life) boyfriend, he'd fit the bill. From the very beginning, he did everything right when it came to his relationship with Dani, the heroine of this book.

Then there's Dani. I get that a past boyfriend broke her heart. I get that she was having trouble getting over it to the point that she had to have constant mental pet talks with herself saying that "Liam is not Rick. Liam is not Rick." But I just found her to be a bit neurotic and also selfish.

In all facets of their life as they got closer together, it seemed that Liam was the one always making concessions for her. Liam was constantly reassuring her and making her sure that she's okay. I'd say that Liam was definitely all "give" and Dani all "take". He tries to show her that he loves her in many different ways, although to be honest, I have no clue what he sees in her.

In return, after a not so accidental meeting, Dani "innocently" starts hanging out with Rick on Saturdays after brunch with girlfriends. Of course (with sarcasm), nothing is going on, but old feelings do start emerging. While she loves Liam, so she says, it's hard not to feel the same attraction to Rick, especially since he's "transformed" into a better man then when they were together.

The feelings become stoked to the point that when Rick and Dani were at a night club, she almost gave him to having sex with him, although in the end, she didn't. Even if she did walk away, I'm definitely not a fan of Dani.

While this is going on, Rick's POV is also scattered throughout the book. His POV starts after spotting Dani at a nightclub, suddenly, he realized that he loved and wanted her back. This is two years after he cruelly broke up with her.

This part seems so manufactured. There didn't seem to be any indication or past references that Rick was pining for Dani; yet, suddenly, he wants her? He goes so far as to find Madison, a friend of a friend, to teach him how to woo Dani back.

Other than not liking Dani too much, I also didn't really like how Rick was incorporated into this book. In short, the book gives him too much real estate. A lot of his POV has to do with Madison "teaching" him how to be a better man so that he could win Dani back, even if Dani is supposedly happy with someone else. After awhile, Rick and Madison seem to start building a friendship although with a whole lot of sexual attraction/tension thrown in.

But isn't this story supposed to be about Liam and Dani primarily with Rick only around to serve as tension to the relationship? Why is there so much devoted to Rick and Madison? I would think if a real love triangle was going to be put into a play, it should be about the three people involved where all the cards are on the table eventually. That way, there's time for the three of them to come to some kind of resolution.

Instead, you have Dani hiding the fact that she has been hanging out with Rick from Liam. Rick has started hanging out with Liam with a mutual friend with Liam having no idea who Rick is. It all just seems so shady.

It all comes to head eventually when Dani finally admits to seeing Rick towards the end of the book. Liam is upset and rightly so and as a result they break up. Of course, they eventually work it out and get back together, but Liam definitely deserved better.

[Lauren at Live Read and Breathe Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Source: eARC for Honest Review from Author

This book was totally what I needed. I had just put a book down with a DNF and I needed something to hook me in. This book swallowed me in probably due to Dani's kindle and book boyfriend obsession which I also have. :)



First we have Daniela (Dani) who has had her heart ripped out too many times so falls into the safe land of fiction. Well until her friends give her a well needed intervention

Enter Liam one smoking hot fireman who also has a guarded heart but sees the potential in Dani

Re-Enter Rick or I like to call him Douchenozzle (I bet you can't guess that I may be Team Liam). Rick realizes that his life is pretty empty and is only filled with sex, booze and partying. He starts to regret his decison of tossing Dani to the curb and wants her back and will due ANYTHING to get her.

Liam and Dani have a great connection and Liam's love is so sweet and supportive and all encompassing.



"...I'm just me, but I'm yours. All of me is yours. My heart, everything, all of it, yours...I love you, Daniela Ruiz."

It is amazing what our subconscious will due to protect our hearts after we have been hurt. For Dani she gets in denial and sees things with rose colored glasses. This tends to confuse her reality which ends up kicking her in the ass but she gets a harsh bitch slap of reality and is finally able to see something that was so beautiful and so perfect, which was right in front of her the whole time. It wasn't until Dani realized that she deserved this reality that she was able to truly except it.



"This isn't one of your novels. I'm not some book boyfriend who overlooks everything in the name of love, and we ride off into the sunset like nothing happened."

This dose of reality is exactly what Dani needed to fight for what she deserves and what she needs and wants.



Super Cute story and Can't wait to read the next one. I am not sure if it will be a contunation of this story or a book featuring Macy or Candace or Madison.



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[Felecia Hickman- amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had my emotions all over the place from one chapter to the next. I went from aww this is so sweet to WTF I want to kill this asshole. The one constant in this book is my HATRED of Rick Marin.......... Rick is a self absorbed asshole from the prologue on I wanted to castrate this guy . He's just a despicable person. What he did to Dani was the worst god he had no heart. She made him eat his words in the end. His plan was just evil I have no respect for that man. I really don't know what else to say about this guy with out ruining the book for others . As for your helper Madison you are a evil bitch just devious. Get off your high horse and realize your a woman not a arrogant man act like a lady for Christ sakes . Your help with his plan is unforgivable (not sure how I feel about your book ) . Enough about the evil ones.
Daniella :you are a special woman who loved with her heart body and soul and was destroyed by a playboy with no heart. You fell into your books ( which reading the description of your addiction I see myself and my fellow "book babes" but I'm so ok with that) . Fate stepped in and placed your prince in your face literally " I'm a jealous fool,and i don't share. Mind putting that away". That CPR class was so HOT I thought I was going to melt . You started your journey back to yourself that day . You turned down coffee because "chicks before dicks" lmao I cracked up . But fate stood right back on and you seem him again that night it was meant to be. You fell hard and fast but not completely and being all heart that you are you allowed yourself to be manipulated again. He made question your loyalties even tho in your heart you knew where you should be . It almost destroyed your HEA. I learned from this you fight for what you want and deserve and you deserved Liam. ( although I wanted to murder you when you destroyed him ).
Liam: there's really not much to say about you because you are perfect. You are passionate , loyal , tender, over protective and so Alpha Male when needed, you my friend are the complete package. You have away with words that made my heart flutter. There were so many parts that I highlighted about you. The way you spoke to Dani was just amazing . You had a heartbreaking secret. So glad you met you "season" she taught you how to love properly heart ache / loss makes you appreciate everything you have.( I speak from experience) When you told Dani she was your "forever " I loved you even more. The way you brought her books into the way you spoke to her was so cute. Especially when you asked to be her Happily ever after.
This book really did a number on my heart I'm so happy with the ending. The Emotional turmoil I went thru to get there was intense but worth it. I would still love to castrate Rick although I think in the next book he's going to get a taste if his own medicine . That's the only reason I'm looking forward to reading it. Madison is a bitch and Rick is a asshole and throw Alex in there this should be a crazy book.
I would love to see a Macy and Chris book