What do you think?
Rate this book
Accidentally in Love #2
Act Like You Love Me
What would you do for a second chance with your first crush?
Brynn McAdams isn’t the awkward drama geek she was in high school—she’s grown up and confident, or at least she likes to think so. But when her old crush, the impossibly handsome and impossibly unattainable Sawyer Raines, comes back to town to direct her community play, Brynn finds herself determined to be someone other than the girl he doesn’t even recognize. Good thing she’s an excellent actress.
After his bad breakup in NYC, the last thing Sawyer wants is to get involved with another actress. But the glamorous and beautiful Brynn draws him in, even though as her director, he knows she’s off-limits. There’s just something about the woman that feels…familiar. Like home.
As Brynn’s lies start to snowball, she struggles to stop acting and come clean. But what if Sawyer is already falling for the fake Brynn, not the Brynn she truly is?
Brynn McAdams isn’t the awkward drama geek she was in high school—she’s grown up and confident, or at least she likes to think so. But when her old crush, the impossibly handsome and impossibly unattainable Sawyer Raines, comes back to town to direct her community play, Brynn finds herself determined to be someone other than the girl he doesn’t even recognize. Good thing she’s an excellent actress.
After his bad breakup in NYC, the last thing Sawyer wants is to get involved with another actress. But the glamorous and beautiful Brynn draws him in, even though as her director, he knows she’s off-limits. There’s just something about the woman that feels…familiar. Like home.
As Brynn’s lies start to snowball, she struggles to stop acting and come clean. But what if Sawyer is already falling for the fake Brynn, not the Brynn she truly is?
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2013
54 people are currently reading
1357 people want to read
About the author
Cindi Madsen
66 books2,264 followersCindi Madsen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. She loves music and dancing and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She and her family also take their Marvel addiction very seriously, as their one-eyed cat, Agent Fury, and their kitty named Valkyrie can attest.
You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.
Follow her on Twitter @cindimadsen
Find her on FB: Cindi Madsen Books
See her inspiration pins on Pinterest.
You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.
Follow her on Twitter @cindimadsen
Find her on FB: Cindi Madsen Books
See her inspiration pins on Pinterest.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
June 12, 2013
4.5 shining stars!!
I've been incredibly lucky with my run of great books lately, and this one was no exception. Act Like You Love Me was wonderful from beginning to end.
Brynn McAdams was a dork in high school. One of her most embarrassing moment happened during a school play when one of her co-stars stepped on her skirt, thus inadvertently flashing the whole school. Due to this mishap, she would be forever known as McFlasher. Her other most embarrassing moment happened to be with the only boy she has ever pined for in high school, school jock and all around cool guy Sawyer Raines.
Brynn never got over Sawyer's rejection in high school and the fact that people still know her as McFlasher didn't help. So when they meet again, Brynn expected another rejection from him. But to her surprise, he seemed to be interested in her. But here's the catch, Sawyer doesn't remember who she is and has wrongly assumed things about her. Should she tell him the truth about who she was and be rejected again or should she just go with the flow and see where their feelings take them?
I simply adored this book. I know the plot has been done many times before, but as I have always said, if it is done well, then it's still going to work. And for this book it did. Having two relatable characters helped as well. Brynn for all her insecurities was a wonderful character. Her insecurities and the fact that she never felt that magic that she was looking for in her relationships was endearing to me rather than annoying. Maybe because she was a really well written character and her quirks and her sass made her real to me.
It took me longer to warm up to Sawyer but when I did, I was hooked. In spite of the labels attached to him in high school and later on in life, he was just a normal guy dealing with some really shitty situations in his life. I loved his relationship his father who suffered from a debilitating disease which affected his view on love and relationship. He saw his mother struggling with his father's disease and when he was told that he may or may not inherit the same disease changed his views on relationships. He doesn't want to burden anyone with it. In other words, he doesn't want his life to mirror his parents.
He's wrong of course, and it took a lot of convincing to make him change his mind. There were times when I just wanted to shake him and tell him to get his head out of his ass and admit his feelings already. Plus, there is the fact that he made the wrong assumptions about Brynn which almost destroyed their relationship.
Another plus for this book is the funny and witty banter between Brynn and Sawyer. There is also a side romance going on with Brynn's brother Paul and Sawyer's ex-girlfriend in high school. Small town.
And oh, this book is clean. No smut. So if you love smut and can't stand reading a book without it, then this book might not be for me. I was okay with it. I barely even noticed it. And besides, the sexual tension between the two characters more than made up for the missing sex scenes in the book. Enjoy!
*ACR provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.*
I've been incredibly lucky with my run of great books lately, and this one was no exception. Act Like You Love Me was wonderful from beginning to end.
Brynn McAdams was a dork in high school. One of her most embarrassing moment happened during a school play when one of her co-stars stepped on her skirt, thus inadvertently flashing the whole school. Due to this mishap, she would be forever known as McFlasher. Her other most embarrassing moment happened to be with the only boy she has ever pined for in high school, school jock and all around cool guy Sawyer Raines.
Brynn never got over Sawyer's rejection in high school and the fact that people still know her as McFlasher didn't help. So when they meet again, Brynn expected another rejection from him. But to her surprise, he seemed to be interested in her. But here's the catch, Sawyer doesn't remember who she is and has wrongly assumed things about her. Should she tell him the truth about who she was and be rejected again or should she just go with the flow and see where their feelings take them?
I simply adored this book. I know the plot has been done many times before, but as I have always said, if it is done well, then it's still going to work. And for this book it did. Having two relatable characters helped as well. Brynn for all her insecurities was a wonderful character. Her insecurities and the fact that she never felt that magic that she was looking for in her relationships was endearing to me rather than annoying. Maybe because she was a really well written character and her quirks and her sass made her real to me.
It took me longer to warm up to Sawyer but when I did, I was hooked. In spite of the labels attached to him in high school and later on in life, he was just a normal guy dealing with some really shitty situations in his life. I loved his relationship his father who suffered from a debilitating disease which affected his view on love and relationship. He saw his mother struggling with his father's disease and when he was told that he may or may not inherit the same disease changed his views on relationships. He doesn't want to burden anyone with it. In other words, he doesn't want his life to mirror his parents.
He's wrong of course, and it took a lot of convincing to make him change his mind. There were times when I just wanted to shake him and tell him to get his head out of his ass and admit his feelings already. Plus, there is the fact that he made the wrong assumptions about Brynn which almost destroyed their relationship.
Another plus for this book is the funny and witty banter between Brynn and Sawyer. There is also a side romance going on with Brynn's brother Paul and Sawyer's ex-girlfriend in high school. Small town.
And oh, this book is clean. No smut. So if you love smut and can't stand reading a book without it, then this book might not be for me. I was okay with it. I barely even noticed it. And besides, the sexual tension between the two characters more than made up for the missing sex scenes in the book. Enjoy!
*ACR provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.*
June 10, 2013
For as much as the first book in Cindi Madsen's Accidentally in Love series is a friends-to-lovers story, Act Like You Love Me is the opposite. Brynn McAdams may have worshipped Sawyer Raines in high school, but they're hardly friends. As a matter of fact, when Sawyer returns home from NYC to help with the play Brynn's starring in, he doesn't recognize her AT ALL. Still aching a little bit from his past rejection, Brynn decides to play it cool, hide her true identity and be who she thinks Sawyer wants her to be. I mean, she is a talented actress after all. The problem is it doesn't stop with one or two little untruths...pretty soon it's snowballed into something so big there's no going back. For either of them.
I always love Cindi Madsen's quick, witty writing style, and she uses it to her advantage to convey each character's personality through thoughts and words. I feel like I can connect with them and always have a clear understanding of emotions and motives. The nature of this story screams anxiety, and man did I have it. I knew Brynn was getting in too deep in a lot ways; the further involved she & Sawyer got, the more I wanted her to come clean. The suspense and build up to that ultimate moment of truth kept me on edge and when it hit, it was just as tumultuous and rewarding as I expected. By that I mean totally ripped my heart out, stomped on it then wrapped it up in a shiny gold box.
I was glad to see this book included characters from the first book while focusing on a new main couple. I loved Dani and Wes from Falling For Her Fiancé, so I was ecstatic to see them again and enjoyed the way their story entwined with Brynn & Sawyer's. It was fun to piece together the ties between the main characters - Brynn's brother Paul is the jilted guy who loaned Dani & Wes the ring for their fake engagement. That was an AHA! moment for me. I know, I know, it's silly but sometimes when you're reading it's the little things.
While this may be a very sweet romance series, it's not without hot moments. Act Like You Love Me gives you a lot of chemistry between characters and totally gratifying sexual tension. Another thing I give Madsen kudos for is her ability to write tender love scenes- the kissing! - but never leave you feeling unfulfilled. Her use of suggestive language gets the point across nicely without graphic details.
One thing's for sure - I'll be anxiously awaiting the third and final installment in this series. I've heard it features one of the new characters from this story, and I kind of can't wait to see how that works out. I have two words for you: HOT COP. ;)
This review can also be found at www.3chicksafterdark.com.
I always love Cindi Madsen's quick, witty writing style, and she uses it to her advantage to convey each character's personality through thoughts and words. I feel like I can connect with them and always have a clear understanding of emotions and motives. The nature of this story screams anxiety, and man did I have it. I knew Brynn was getting in too deep in a lot ways; the further involved she & Sawyer got, the more I wanted her to come clean. The suspense and build up to that ultimate moment of truth kept me on edge and when it hit, it was just as tumultuous and rewarding as I expected. By that I mean totally ripped my heart out, stomped on it then wrapped it up in a shiny gold box.
I was glad to see this book included characters from the first book while focusing on a new main couple. I loved Dani and Wes from Falling For Her Fiancé, so I was ecstatic to see them again and enjoyed the way their story entwined with Brynn & Sawyer's. It was fun to piece together the ties between the main characters - Brynn's brother Paul is the jilted guy who loaned Dani & Wes the ring for their fake engagement. That was an AHA! moment for me. I know, I know, it's silly but sometimes when you're reading it's the little things.
While this may be a very sweet romance series, it's not without hot moments. Act Like You Love Me gives you a lot of chemistry between characters and totally gratifying sexual tension. Another thing I give Madsen kudos for is her ability to write tender love scenes- the kissing! - but never leave you feeling unfulfilled. Her use of suggestive language gets the point across nicely without graphic details.
One thing's for sure - I'll be anxiously awaiting the third and final installment in this series. I've heard it features one of the new characters from this story, and I kind of can't wait to see how that works out. I have two words for you: HOT COP. ;)
This review can also be found at www.3chicksafterdark.com.
June 22, 2013
4 stars - Loved swooning over Sawyer!
Been a moody reader lately. I was a rebel and read this book instead of what was next on my list. I loved book one, Falling For Her Fiance, and couldn't stand to wait any longer. May just be in the summer loving mood too.
This one is quick. Read it in an evening. I love the premise of this book. Finding your high school crush years later only he doesn't recognize you. Pretty sure that would be the case for me if I ever ran into that guy from my high school years. I can totally see this happening. I will admit that I wished she's come clean before things got so out of hand but then it really wouldn't be a great read, would it.
I like Brynn. She's not your average cookie but she's mostly good with that. She does wish she could get the guy. I don't like pretending to be something your not to get the guy or impress peeps. I am who I am - sorry if that bugs peeps but I live with me...so. What I loved about this book is that even though Brynn tries to pretend or act with Sawyer, he fell for her - the real her. He sees through her acting and I loved that he fell for her.
Totally loved Sawyer. He may have ignored Brynn in high school but he was struggling with some things of his own. What I love is that he really does think about it and wonder if things had been different, would it have changed things? This is a sweet enough romance that teens could read it. They almost need to especially if they struggle socially in high school. Things change when you get older and being perfect doesn't matter as much as it seems to in high school.
Sawyer has become an incredible man. We are all molded by our past. His problems had him resisting commitment but longing for love (not that he realized that). Just love him cause he's normal. There are more of them then the average book boyfriends and it was nice to swoon after him.
The bliss line are always such sweet romance stories and this one was no different. I love that about the bliss line. I'm so often in the mood for these book. If you love a sweet, real story, then pick this one up and give it a few hours. Don't think you'll regret it. - See more at: http://www.stuckinbooks.com/2013/06/a...
Been a moody reader lately. I was a rebel and read this book instead of what was next on my list. I loved book one, Falling For Her Fiance, and couldn't stand to wait any longer. May just be in the summer loving mood too.
This one is quick. Read it in an evening. I love the premise of this book. Finding your high school crush years later only he doesn't recognize you. Pretty sure that would be the case for me if I ever ran into that guy from my high school years. I can totally see this happening. I will admit that I wished she's come clean before things got so out of hand but then it really wouldn't be a great read, would it.
I like Brynn. She's not your average cookie but she's mostly good with that. She does wish she could get the guy. I don't like pretending to be something your not to get the guy or impress peeps. I am who I am - sorry if that bugs peeps but I live with me...so. What I loved about this book is that even though Brynn tries to pretend or act with Sawyer, he fell for her - the real her. He sees through her acting and I loved that he fell for her.
Totally loved Sawyer. He may have ignored Brynn in high school but he was struggling with some things of his own. What I love is that he really does think about it and wonder if things had been different, would it have changed things? This is a sweet enough romance that teens could read it. They almost need to especially if they struggle socially in high school. Things change when you get older and being perfect doesn't matter as much as it seems to in high school.
Sawyer has become an incredible man. We are all molded by our past. His problems had him resisting commitment but longing for love (not that he realized that). Just love him cause he's normal. There are more of them then the average book boyfriends and it was nice to swoon after him.
The bliss line are always such sweet romance stories and this one was no different. I love that about the bliss line. I'm so often in the mood for these book. If you love a sweet, real story, then pick this one up and give it a few hours. Don't think you'll regret it. - See more at: http://www.stuckinbooks.com/2013/06/a...
January 7, 2014
Tried to put this in the 'next pile' but I snuck a peek along with three others and already I can't put it down and my house is a mess as I swap from book to book falling in love at every turn.
Act Like you Love me is killing me because I want to turn one more page ONLY, and then an hour is gone.
Just like Falling for My Fiancé, this book is amazing with tension, hopes, and heart twists as you cheer for the couple to work it out...shout out to Cindi Madsen for making me laugh and fall in love all over again! Brynn and her situation is so funny. I mean, we've all had that crush from high school--the one you wish you could see again--OR NOT...or run from OR lie to, because what if he remembered how you used to be? Hah. In this book, I know also Brynn will get have the happy ending most of us did not have during our high school crush times. If my crush could see me now, he'd say...'yep, still a disaster'. Brynn gets to come back with the winning chips. At least on the outside, and that's where the humor spikes. As an actress she's great holding up her mask but inside, like we all are, she's not so sure. I can't wait to see how this turns out.
Sawyer is awesome, distant, sexy handsome but so attracted to Brynn despite her antics. Love how Cindi's tales just flow so fast, how they are full of great kisses but clean and fade to black so I can pass this one on to my teen daughter next. I end up cracking up and thinking about my own 'what if scenarios' after the chapters are done. I will report at the end...but I'll just say it now. I'm already in love... another Kindle keeper for me.
Act Like you Love me is killing me because I want to turn one more page ONLY, and then an hour is gone.
Just like Falling for My Fiancé, this book is amazing with tension, hopes, and heart twists as you cheer for the couple to work it out...shout out to Cindi Madsen for making me laugh and fall in love all over again! Brynn and her situation is so funny. I mean, we've all had that crush from high school--the one you wish you could see again--OR NOT...or run from OR lie to, because what if he remembered how you used to be? Hah. In this book, I know also Brynn will get have the happy ending most of us did not have during our high school crush times. If my crush could see me now, he'd say...'yep, still a disaster'. Brynn gets to come back with the winning chips. At least on the outside, and that's where the humor spikes. As an actress she's great holding up her mask but inside, like we all are, she's not so sure. I can't wait to see how this turns out.
Sawyer is awesome, distant, sexy handsome but so attracted to Brynn despite her antics. Love how Cindi's tales just flow so fast, how they are full of great kisses but clean and fade to black so I can pass this one on to my teen daughter next. I end up cracking up and thinking about my own 'what if scenarios' after the chapters are done. I will report at the end...but I'll just say it now. I'm already in love... another Kindle keeper for me.
June 15, 2013
I liked this book better than Falling For Her Fiancé - not that I have to compare. I'm an Oscar Wilde freak, so I loved The Importance of Being Earnest woven into the story. :) Another sweet, fun romance with unique characters.
February 19, 2022
Although I found it hard to believe Sawyer didn't recognize Brynn, I enjoyed watching them fall in love. Fun and cute, this one hit the spot.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
June 7, 2013
Reviews: 4 ½ out 5 Stars
Cindi Madsen first came to my attention when I stumbled across her Young Adult novel, All the Broken Pieces. I didn’t realise Act Like You Love Me was a part of a series but it didn’t feel like a second book to me and I don’t think I missed out on anything by not reading the first book, Falling for her Fiancé although I will be grabbing a copy sometime very soon.
From the onset, I found myself really liking our main heroine Brynn McAdams, a lover of drama and working with her brother in her parents bait shop; her quirky habits were endearing and notions about true romance really sweet; but her school years were tough and as a result she is quite wary.
When her high school crush and the boy who shattered her heart, Sawyer Dodd returns to town to renovate his parents old home and take over directing the local production he never expected to meet and slowly fall for Brynn; he has no idea they went to school together and believes certain things about her that just aren’t true and she doesn’t fix up the lies, she goes with the flow to save her heart and to not remember her humiliating senior years of school knowing he is only in town for a few short weeks. I really loved reading about Sawyer, he was smart and charming and I appreciated the way he trusted Brynn despite her evasiveness; they had some really cute moments together.
Madsen’s engaging writing and believable dialogue captured me instantly; I loved the chemistry and banter between Brynn and Sawyer and the way their romance developed. You could see from the onset of the book Sawyer had been hurt so when Brynn’s revelation came out it really hit a sore spot and caused a great deal of pain; I liked the way everything was dealt with and how the characters came together.
The plot is humorous and fun with a great cast of characters, it is a light-hearted read that kept me engrossed from the first to the very last page; you couldn’t help but hope for love and a HEA for this wonderful pair.
Overall, a really cute, entertaining and quirky read. I highly recommend Act Like You Love Me to all fans of contemporary romance and adorable relationships.
Thank-you kindly to Entangled Bliss for the opportunity to read and review Act Like You Love Me.
Cindi Madsen first came to my attention when I stumbled across her Young Adult novel, All the Broken Pieces. I didn’t realise Act Like You Love Me was a part of a series but it didn’t feel like a second book to me and I don’t think I missed out on anything by not reading the first book, Falling for her Fiancé although I will be grabbing a copy sometime very soon.
From the onset, I found myself really liking our main heroine Brynn McAdams, a lover of drama and working with her brother in her parents bait shop; her quirky habits were endearing and notions about true romance really sweet; but her school years were tough and as a result she is quite wary.
When her high school crush and the boy who shattered her heart, Sawyer Dodd returns to town to renovate his parents old home and take over directing the local production he never expected to meet and slowly fall for Brynn; he has no idea they went to school together and believes certain things about her that just aren’t true and she doesn’t fix up the lies, she goes with the flow to save her heart and to not remember her humiliating senior years of school knowing he is only in town for a few short weeks. I really loved reading about Sawyer, he was smart and charming and I appreciated the way he trusted Brynn despite her evasiveness; they had some really cute moments together.
Madsen’s engaging writing and believable dialogue captured me instantly; I loved the chemistry and banter between Brynn and Sawyer and the way their romance developed. You could see from the onset of the book Sawyer had been hurt so when Brynn’s revelation came out it really hit a sore spot and caused a great deal of pain; I liked the way everything was dealt with and how the characters came together.
The plot is humorous and fun with a great cast of characters, it is a light-hearted read that kept me engrossed from the first to the very last page; you couldn’t help but hope for love and a HEA for this wonderful pair.
Overall, a really cute, entertaining and quirky read. I highly recommend Act Like You Love Me to all fans of contemporary romance and adorable relationships.
Thank-you kindly to Entangled Bliss for the opportunity to read and review Act Like You Love Me.
June 13, 2013
Once again, Madsen delivers a witty and sweet romance! I really enjoyed getting to know Brynn and Sawyer. Act Like You Love Me made me laugh and swoon. The perfect recipe for a light-hearted contemporary romance!
Unlike Dani and Wes, Brynn and Sawyer were not friends. Well...they didn't start out that way. They knew each other in high school. Or I should say that Brynn had a huge crush on Sawyer, but he didn't really know who she was in high school. Now, Sawyer's back in town acting as the director for the local town theater production and fixing up his father's lake house to sell. Brynn is an actress, so their paths cross once again. But, Sawyer doesn't recognize Brynn and she doesn't point out who she is either. See...Sawyer is flirting with her and giving her the attention she always wanted, so she's not quite willing to give up the truth. As they spend more time together, the truth becomes harder for Brynn to hide. Also, Sawyer is planning to go back to New York, so their time together is limited.
As you can imagine, once the truth comes out...feelings are hurt and trust is tested. However, the fact remains that Brynn and Sawyer have fallen for each other. So, I think it came down to the simple matter of, was Sawyer willing to throw away his forever over a white lie. Because, I really think that Brynn was just scared to tell him who she was. She had been hurt by him in high school. Granted, he didn't know it, but still. In my mind, the score was even. I did enjoy watching them fall in love. They are a sweet couple.
Overall, I really enjoyed Act Like You Love Me. Like most of the Bliss books I've read, I had a smile on my face the entire time I read this. I look forward to seeing who the next book is about. I have my fingers crossed that it will be the hunky cop! If you enjoy quick, sweet romances, definitely check this one out!
Quote:
"And I randomly break into song, and often quote lines from classic literature and plays in normal conversations."
"I need more culture in my life. Plus, I think it's adorable when you do that." Another brush of his thumb, and her breath grew shallow.-Loc 2915
Unlike Dani and Wes, Brynn and Sawyer were not friends. Well...they didn't start out that way. They knew each other in high school. Or I should say that Brynn had a huge crush on Sawyer, but he didn't really know who she was in high school. Now, Sawyer's back in town acting as the director for the local town theater production and fixing up his father's lake house to sell. Brynn is an actress, so their paths cross once again. But, Sawyer doesn't recognize Brynn and she doesn't point out who she is either. See...Sawyer is flirting with her and giving her the attention she always wanted, so she's not quite willing to give up the truth. As they spend more time together, the truth becomes harder for Brynn to hide. Also, Sawyer is planning to go back to New York, so their time together is limited.
As you can imagine, once the truth comes out...feelings are hurt and trust is tested. However, the fact remains that Brynn and Sawyer have fallen for each other. So, I think it came down to the simple matter of, was Sawyer willing to throw away his forever over a white lie. Because, I really think that Brynn was just scared to tell him who she was. She had been hurt by him in high school. Granted, he didn't know it, but still. In my mind, the score was even. I did enjoy watching them fall in love. They are a sweet couple.
Overall, I really enjoyed Act Like You Love Me. Like most of the Bliss books I've read, I had a smile on my face the entire time I read this. I look forward to seeing who the next book is about. I have my fingers crossed that it will be the hunky cop! If you enjoy quick, sweet romances, definitely check this one out!
Quote:
"And I randomly break into song, and often quote lines from classic literature and plays in normal conversations."
"I need more culture in my life. Plus, I think it's adorable when you do that." Another brush of his thumb, and her breath grew shallow.-Loc 2915
June 10, 2013
I love it when there is a story in a story or in this case a play called “The Importance of Being Earnest”. To be honest, I haven’t seen it but I got enough from the book to know some of it. In it things are built upon some lies. But as in this story, lies always get out of control and it is hard to dig out of the hole that you put yourself in!
Brynn has crushed on Sawyer since high school. She was considered different then. She was in drama club. She dressed differently. She just didn’t quite fit in with the popular people. She tried to ask Sawyer to prom and was rejected. Then even worse, when she went on stage in high school, someone stepped on her skirt and everyone saw her in her underwear! (That happened to me once, except my chair flipped and I was wearing a dress and it flipped over my head! SO SO EMBARRASING) She was called McFlasher after that. She never really got over all that, including him.
She had a better control on her looks and was always smiling now. Then Sawyer came back to town. He came back to fix up his parents dream home, sell it, and go back home to New York. He also got set up to direct a play that Brynn was in. Sawyer doesn’t remember her and Brynn likes it that way. So Brynn lets him believe things about her that aren’t true and it just kept getting worse and worse. . She goes hot and cold on him a lot depending if the conversation hits her past in anyway.
Now that they both like each other, Brynn doesn’t know how to tell him the truth about her. Then Sawyer has/had some issues of his own and so he doesn’t see anything. He had one ex-crazy actress girlfriend who tried to hang on to him hard. He also lost his dad to ALS when he was young which he still hangs onto. Put all that together and you have a catastrophe. Mix it with a lot of humor and quirkiness and you have a cute love story.
What will happen when it all comes to light? How will it all come to light? You will have to read it to find out. But it is so cute and definitely would be a great romantic comedy on the big screen!
June 15, 2013
ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME by Cindi Madsen is a wonderful contemporary romance, available just in time for summer!! This novel will draw you in, hook, line and sinker! Yes, that is a fishing reference, because our heroine works in her family’s bait shop, Bigfish!! Brynn McAdams was an awkward teenager growing up and in love with the dreamy football player, Sawyer Raines. She had a rough time in high school! As a drama geek, she lost her skirt in a school production and earned the dreaded nickname—McFlasher. Well, Brynn has outgrown her awkwardness and is a beautiful, confident woman.
Brynn is starring in a local production and Sawyer Raines, the elusive and dreamy screenwriter, is roped into directing the play. Sawyer doesn’t recognize the hot and sassy Brynn! He thinks that she is an actress from LA and the comedy begins!!!
Brynn is performing the role of a lifetime! Sawyer assumes many things about Brynn and she doesn’t correct him. She even lets the man teach her how to fish! She is the fishing expert, but she doesn’t want to lose her new connection to her childhood love! It becomes a comedy or errors, which Brynn is Sawyer falling in love with?
This is a charming novel about a wonderful woman, afraid of rejection and a man who fears commitment! Brynn is such an engaging heroine, I was rooting for her from the beginning. She is so full of life and love! There are some great secondary characters too! I loved their families, especially their matchmaking mothers! Sawyer has some demons to overcome, due to the death of his father when he was a teen. I won’t tell you the ending, but I was kind of surprised! This is such an engaging story with a great cast of characters. I felt like I lived in their lakeside town! It’s great when an awkward teenager can overcome that insecurity and bloom as an adult!
Brynn is starring in a local production and Sawyer Raines, the elusive and dreamy screenwriter, is roped into directing the play. Sawyer doesn’t recognize the hot and sassy Brynn! He thinks that she is an actress from LA and the comedy begins!!!
Brynn is performing the role of a lifetime! Sawyer assumes many things about Brynn and she doesn’t correct him. She even lets the man teach her how to fish! She is the fishing expert, but she doesn’t want to lose her new connection to her childhood love! It becomes a comedy or errors, which Brynn is Sawyer falling in love with?
This is a charming novel about a wonderful woman, afraid of rejection and a man who fears commitment! Brynn is such an engaging heroine, I was rooting for her from the beginning. She is so full of life and love! There are some great secondary characters too! I loved their families, especially their matchmaking mothers! Sawyer has some demons to overcome, due to the death of his father when he was a teen. I won’t tell you the ending, but I was kind of surprised! This is such an engaging story with a great cast of characters. I felt like I lived in their lakeside town! It’s great when an awkward teenager can overcome that insecurity and bloom as an adult!
June 7, 2013
NOTE: Thanks to Entangled for letting me read this amazing book!
The only other book I've read by Cindi Madsen is All The Broken Pieces. It was so good, that I just had to request to read this one too. To tell you the truth, I'm glad I did, because it definitely didn't disappoint.
Act Like You Love Me is a very light read, full of romance, memories and realistic characters. It had me laughing and crying. There were places I felt extremely overjoyed, and scenes that literally made my heart clench. In other words, it was amazing.
Yeah I know that the story wasn't super unique. There was boy meet girl and they developed an attraction that morphed into love. Nothing new, I know. But it was written and thought out in such a sweet way, it definitely deserves the praise.
I couldn't not feel sympathetic with both Sawyer and Brynn. They'd both had their fair share of complicated high-school lives that had marred them for life. But when they meet again as adults, fate demands a do-over. That do-over, even though there were absolutely no adult scenes, got my blood boiling. I never new that simple kissing can do that to a person, but it did! And I liked it! Which makes me think I should go back and read the other Cindi Madsen books in the Accidentally in Love series.
Oh, and on a minor scale, you'd be surprised by what a mother would do to keep her son close to her! Just get to read the book and you'll see exactly what I mean.
The only other book I've read by Cindi Madsen is All The Broken Pieces. It was so good, that I just had to request to read this one too. To tell you the truth, I'm glad I did, because it definitely didn't disappoint.
Act Like You Love Me is a very light read, full of romance, memories and realistic characters. It had me laughing and crying. There were places I felt extremely overjoyed, and scenes that literally made my heart clench. In other words, it was amazing.
Yeah I know that the story wasn't super unique. There was boy meet girl and they developed an attraction that morphed into love. Nothing new, I know. But it was written and thought out in such a sweet way, it definitely deserves the praise.
I couldn't not feel sympathetic with both Sawyer and Brynn. They'd both had their fair share of complicated high-school lives that had marred them for life. But when they meet again as adults, fate demands a do-over. That do-over, even though there were absolutely no adult scenes, got my blood boiling. I never new that simple kissing can do that to a person, but it did! And I liked it! Which makes me think I should go back and read the other Cindi Madsen books in the Accidentally in Love series.
Oh, and on a minor scale, you'd be surprised by what a mother would do to keep her son close to her! Just get to read the book and you'll see exactly what I mean.
October 3, 2013
ARC provided for an honest review
5 Stars!
I loved this book! It got me hooked from the first minute.
Thanks to “Act like you love me” I didn’t get a lot of sleep for two nights because I just couldn’t put it down anymore.
I loved Brynn. She got really tangled up in all the lies she spun to get around with Sawyer.
Normally I don’t like the plot about someone pretending to be someone else just to impress and gain the love of another person. This book showed that there is still something good to tell about those kind of stories.
Even though I of course didn’t like how Brynn handled things, I still liked her. I could totally get why Sawyer had the hots for her. :D
Moreover the whole book was so funny. Poor Brynn and her High School trauma but the way she handled things and talked about is was just so funny!
Have I mentioned that I loved it?
Not to forget Sawyer… hot, sexy Sawyer. The two of them had great chemistry.
Another thing I want to add is that I didn’t read the first book in the series. However I had no problem following the story or the characters at all. You can read this book first if you like. You won’t have a problem with not understanding something.
I will definitely read the first book, too!
This book was just right in every way. I loved everything about it!!
Great job Cindi Madsen!
5 Stars!
I loved this book! It got me hooked from the first minute.
Thanks to “Act like you love me” I didn’t get a lot of sleep for two nights because I just couldn’t put it down anymore.
I loved Brynn. She got really tangled up in all the lies she spun to get around with Sawyer.
Normally I don’t like the plot about someone pretending to be someone else just to impress and gain the love of another person. This book showed that there is still something good to tell about those kind of stories.
Even though I of course didn’t like how Brynn handled things, I still liked her. I could totally get why Sawyer had the hots for her. :D
Moreover the whole book was so funny. Poor Brynn and her High School trauma but the way she handled things and talked about is was just so funny!
Have I mentioned that I loved it?
Not to forget Sawyer… hot, sexy Sawyer. The two of them had great chemistry.
Another thing I want to add is that I didn’t read the first book in the series. However I had no problem following the story or the characters at all. You can read this book first if you like. You won’t have a problem with not understanding something.
I will definitely read the first book, too!
This book was just right in every way. I loved everything about it!!
Great job Cindi Madsen!
June 13, 2013
Act Like You Love Me was a good example on how people can change over time. In high school Sawyer was the self-absorbed jock and Brynn was a weird theater geek. You also learn about other people (especially bullies) from their high school who have changed for the better.
One of the things I liked about Act Like You Love Me is when it switches POV's you feel that person's POV. At first you hated Sawyer when you read from Brynn's POV because she hated him, and when you read Sawyer's POV you thought Brynn was a brat and didn't like her. It also made you sympathize with whoever's POV you were reading. I don't think I've ever read a book that did that, but as the book goes on their view on each other change so it's not as dramatic of a switch. Anyways, it was a nice change to read.
One thing I hated about the book was I kept reading "Brynn" as "Bryan", so I'd be really confused as to who this new Bryan character was till I reread the sentence. It wasn't really a big deal, I just never realized how much reading the name Brynn could mess me up. ;)
One of the things I liked about Act Like You Love Me is when it switches POV's you feel that person's POV. At first you hated Sawyer when you read from Brynn's POV because she hated him, and when you read Sawyer's POV you thought Brynn was a brat and didn't like her. It also made you sympathize with whoever's POV you were reading. I don't think I've ever read a book that did that, but as the book goes on their view on each other change so it's not as dramatic of a switch. Anyways, it was a nice change to read.
One thing I hated about the book was I kept reading "Brynn" as "Bryan", so I'd be really confused as to who this new Bryan character was till I reread the sentence. It wasn't really a big deal, I just never realized how much reading the name Brynn could mess me up. ;)
June 7, 2013
I started this book late in the evening thinking I could get some reading done while I waited in the car at the train station for my stepdad, with my mom. That way I could kill time and get ahead with some reading. But basically, I kept reading and reading all the way home and well into the night and didn't stop until I finished at 1am. I had to get up super early for work the next day. So yeah, thanks a lot for the nice bags, Cindi.
But really I loved this! Very cute! Brynn was always so very careful around Sawyer and Sawyer was just confused! He wasn't sure what was up with her attitude and figured she was just some prima donna. I couldn't blame him because Brynn was all over the place! Especially since she was trying to be strong and confident but then he would slip past her armor and when she noticed she'd usually try to stop. She was afraid of liking him again and didn't want to see just how Sawyer truly was.
But really I loved this! Very cute! Brynn was always so very careful around Sawyer and Sawyer was just confused! He wasn't sure what was up with her attitude and figured she was just some prima donna. I couldn't blame him because Brynn was all over the place! Especially since she was trying to be strong and confident but then he would slip past her armor and when she noticed she'd usually try to stop. She was afraid of liking him again and didn't want to see just how Sawyer truly was.
May 28, 2013
Act Like You Love Me had me smiling the entire way through.
Brynn is adorable. She's a very real, down-to-earth character that I found very easy to relate to. My high school experiences were nothing like hers but you really felt for her and understood what she went through.
Brynn was the highlight of this book. I felt like if Brynn was a real person that we would be the best of friends. Most book characters are relatively "normal". It's refreshing to find a character that has realistic quirks and personality traits that readers can relate to.
The story was fun and quirky, although I did want to smack Brynn over the head a few times. I also laughed out loud more time than I can count. Overall a great, fast read.
Honest review given due to an ARC given by the publisher.
Brynn is adorable. She's a very real, down-to-earth character that I found very easy to relate to. My high school experiences were nothing like hers but you really felt for her and understood what she went through.
Brynn was the highlight of this book. I felt like if Brynn was a real person that we would be the best of friends. Most book characters are relatively "normal". It's refreshing to find a character that has realistic quirks and personality traits that readers can relate to.
The story was fun and quirky, although I did want to smack Brynn over the head a few times. I also laughed out loud more time than I can count. Overall a great, fast read.
Honest review given due to an ARC given by the publisher.
June 21, 2013
Act Like you Love Me is a great Book.
If you read the first book in this series, you'll totally love this one. We get to see Dani and Wes for a bit.
But most of all you get all the feelings just like you did with Falling...
I loved this book from page one. Brynn makes some bad choices but she lives up to them, and the whole acting thing was really funny to see at times.
And Sawyer is definitively swoon worthy.
Cindi Madsen has the perfect combo for romance, sexy times and funny moments that will hook you from page one.
I loved this.
If you read the first book in this series, you'll totally love this one. We get to see Dani and Wes for a bit.
But most of all you get all the feelings just like you did with Falling...
I loved this book from page one. Brynn makes some bad choices but she lives up to them, and the whole acting thing was really funny to see at times.
And Sawyer is definitively swoon worthy.
Cindi Madsen has the perfect combo for romance, sexy times and funny moments that will hook you from page one.
I loved this.
June 10, 2013
Cindi Madsen's Act Like You Love Me had me from the word go! This was an excellent read and I finished it in one night (ok, stayed up way past my bedtime reading!) Brynn and Sawyer are very well written and totally believable characters, who had a great sexual chemistry between them. Who doesn't remember in vivid, excrutiating detail their first brush-off? Brynn handles it beautifully. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Ms Madsen is definitely on my 'To Buy' list from now on.
June 4, 2013
I liked it!I really,really liked it! I just won an ARC of "Act like you Love me" yesterday and as soon as I started reading it,I couldn't stop.I kept thinking - when is she goind to tell the truth,when is he going to realize who she really was...So yeah,you could say I really liked it! <3
June 22, 2013
*thinks of the book* *goofy smile becomes a semi-permanent part of the face*
July 14, 2014
Another great love story from Cindi. Her books just keep getting better.
June 11, 2013
I can't stop smiling thanks to this book!
June 11, 2013
Such a sweet story! Loved the characters and watching their romance grow and evolve. Brynn is utterly delightful.
July 19, 2018
Bunda da bir sürü yazım hatası vardı... Allah'ım beni mi sınıyorsun yarabbi?
March 22, 2017
Lise yıllarında eziklik psikolojisi yaşamış ve sevdigi erkek tarafindan reddedilmis kızımızın, yıllar sonra sevdigi adamın kasabaya dönmesini ve onu hatirlamamasiyla , yalanlar uzerine kurulan ama aslinda gercek aski bulmalarına yarayan eglenceli bir hikayeydi.
Kızımız oyuncu, oglumuz senarist aradaki diyaloglar da on numara tabi dogal olarak.
Bu yazari diger ciklit kitaplarindan ayıran bir diger ozelligi de karakterleri tavsanlar gibi birlestirip durmamasi :D :D :D
hatta hic oyle sahneler yok diyeyim. Ve bu haliyle cok cok cokk guzel ve eglenceli. Cindi Madsen bu yazara bir göz atın derim ❤
Kızımız oyuncu, oglumuz senarist aradaki diyaloglar da on numara tabi dogal olarak.
Bu yazari diger ciklit kitaplarindan ayıran bir diger ozelligi de karakterleri tavsanlar gibi birlestirip durmamasi :D :D :D
hatta hic oyle sahneler yok diyeyim. Ve bu haliyle cok cok cokk guzel ve eglenceli. Cindi Madsen bu yazara bir göz atın derim ❤
May 25, 2025
This audiobook was only 6:02 hours. I picked it up because I love Cindi Madsen and also wanted to have a short audiobook.
The story was nice but from the beginning it was clear there will be a lot of misunderstanding and a break up in the future. But we do get a happy ending.
It's a kind of second chance romance, because Brynn the heroin asked Sawyer out when she was in highschool but he kind of ignored it. And Brynn was heartbroken. But then Sawer returns to his hometown for a short time and Brynn is working in her parents shop and working in the local theatre. And they meet again...
The story was nice but from the beginning it was clear there will be a lot of misunderstanding and a break up in the future. But we do get a happy ending.
It's a kind of second chance romance, because Brynn the heroin asked Sawyer out when she was in highschool but he kind of ignored it. And Brynn was heartbroken. But then Sawer returns to his hometown for a short time and Brynn is working in her parents shop and working in the local theatre. And they meet again...
June 18, 2013
Brynn McAdams is at the point in her life where she is beginning to wonder if love has passed her by. She's finished college, is helping run the family business, and her main outlet is acting in the local theater productions. Sawyer Raines lives in New York, he writes screenplays, has sold one, and is currently working on another. Home for several weeks to fix up a house his family owned to resale, his aunt talks him into directing the local play after the director has to quit. When Brynn sees Sawyer all her old high-school memories come flooding back to her....memories of when she was a dork, of people laughing at her and being mean to her, and worst of all, the rejection she suffered from her high school crush, who just happened to be Sawyer Raines. Sawyer was the former high school football star, popular, and was always way out of Brynn's league. Granted, Brynn has undergone a total transformation since high school. So much so that Sawyer has no clue who she is, and in fact thinks she is just another actress, and an actress is the last person Sawyer wants to be involved with, especially after his last relationship. Nevertheless, he finds himself very attracted to Brynn. Brynn kind of just goes with it, and let's Sawyer think she is someone she's not, convincing herself that she isn't really lying, he's just assuming and she's letting him. She has no desire to relive the horror of high school again, and he is only here for a short time, right? I mean, she doesn't even like him anymore, does she? Will Brynn be able to pull it off, or will everything blow up in her face if the truth comes out? Is love worth taking a chance on heartbreak and rejection again, or is the past destined to repeat itself?
Cindi Madsen has delivered another entertaining, fun, and heartwarming romance that will put a smile on your face the whole time you are reading the book. I really enjoyed her last book, Falling for Her Fiance, and was looking forward to reading Act Like You Love Me. I liked both Brynn and Sawyer's characters. Both of them have hurtful issues stemming from the past, and Sawyer is not the person Brynn thought he was. There is definitely chemistry there, no matter how much Brynn tries to deny it. I felt bad for Brynn, especially about her high school experience and could sympathize with her. High school is definitely something I would never want to do again, though I never experienced anything like Brynn did. There are a few hot moments, and the romance is really sweet. I loved Entangled Publishing's Bliss books, and in Act Like You Love Me, Cindi Madsen delivered another great lighthearted romance that is entertaining and leaves you with a smile on your face and in your heart.
Quotes:
"Have we met before? You look kind of familiar." She was still beautiful, flawless tan skin, platinum blond hair, and the perfect big-boobs-to-small-waist combo. Like a Barbie on crack. It was so unfair. Couldn't the universe restore some balance? Give her a fat ass or something?
"Guys are like fish. You wave something shiny at them and then once you get your hook in, you yank real hard and reel him in."
Brynn couldn’t help but watch Sawyer as he jumped off the stage. Funny how she’d dreamed of kissing him all the time in high school, but her fantasy wasn’t even close to the real thing. Her heart felt like it’d just been wrung out and shoved back in her chest.
Cindi Madsen has delivered another entertaining, fun, and heartwarming romance that will put a smile on your face the whole time you are reading the book. I really enjoyed her last book, Falling for Her Fiance, and was looking forward to reading Act Like You Love Me. I liked both Brynn and Sawyer's characters. Both of them have hurtful issues stemming from the past, and Sawyer is not the person Brynn thought he was. There is definitely chemistry there, no matter how much Brynn tries to deny it. I felt bad for Brynn, especially about her high school experience and could sympathize with her. High school is definitely something I would never want to do again, though I never experienced anything like Brynn did. There are a few hot moments, and the romance is really sweet. I loved Entangled Publishing's Bliss books, and in Act Like You Love Me, Cindi Madsen delivered another great lighthearted romance that is entertaining and leaves you with a smile on your face and in your heart.
Quotes:
"Have we met before? You look kind of familiar." She was still beautiful, flawless tan skin, platinum blond hair, and the perfect big-boobs-to-small-waist combo. Like a Barbie on crack. It was so unfair. Couldn't the universe restore some balance? Give her a fat ass or something?
"Guys are like fish. You wave something shiny at them and then once you get your hook in, you yank real hard and reel him in."
Brynn couldn’t help but watch Sawyer as he jumped off the stage. Funny how she’d dreamed of kissing him all the time in high school, but her fantasy wasn’t even close to the real thing. Her heart felt like it’d just been wrung out and shoved back in her chest.
June 10, 2013
Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Sometimes I read books that just hit home and Act Like You Love Me is one of those books. I hada friend in high school who was kind of a social misfit and while she didn’t have near this issues that the heroine in this book had I could really understand where she was coming from. The last thing you want when you meet the guy you had a crush on in high school years later is to be remembered as that geeky girl from high school. So Brynn decides to be more interesting and not let on that she knows Sawyer and since she wasn’t even on his radar back then she doesn’t have a problem pulling it off at least for a little while.
Sawyer is back in his hometown to refurbish the lake house his parents bought before his father got sick and passed away. After his screenplay was turned into a movie, he’s had some trouble getting his muse back and hopes the time away from New York will do him some good. His aunt has roped him into directing a play at the community theater where he meets Brynn, a lovely actress who apparently can’t stand him or so he thinks.
Brynn can’t believe her eyes when she runs into Sawyer outside the theater where she has the starring role. When she finds out he’s going to be her new director she decides she really needs to keep her distance but that’s easier said than done when she realizes he’s renovating the house next door to hers.
Boy these two have more issues that People magazine! Sawyer is coming off a bad relationship with an actress who lied to him. Brynn finds herself feeling like her weird girl high school self over and over when she’s around Sawyer. While Sawyer is polite and tries to get to know her Brynn keeps giving him the cold shoulder until one day he steals a kiss. The thing is Sawyer has made some assumptions about her and she hasn’t bothered to correct him and the lies just start to take over and snowball. On top of that both of their mother’s keep trying to set them up with people including each other something neither one wants. Sawyer is determined to leave town again either back to New York or to L.A. and Brynn still feels that Sawyer is way out of her league.
Despite everything, I enjoyed both of these characters a lot. Brynn is funny, quirky, and insightful. I hate that she still has self image problems but I love that her brother and his new girlfriend are good about building her up. Sawyer is complicated and it’s evident he has never gotten over the death of his father and it has messed with his head regarding long term relationships. That along with what his ex did to him makes it easy to understand his hesitancy to pursue another long term relationship.
Act Like You Love Me is a romance pure and simple and while there are some sexy moments there is no sex but the story is so compelling and the build up so delicious, it worked. This is one of those books that will make you laugh, make you scream in frustration, make you cheer, make you cry, and make you glad you love this genre!
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Sometimes I read books that just hit home and Act Like You Love Me is one of those books. I hada friend in high school who was kind of a social misfit and while she didn’t have near this issues that the heroine in this book had I could really understand where she was coming from. The last thing you want when you meet the guy you had a crush on in high school years later is to be remembered as that geeky girl from high school. So Brynn decides to be more interesting and not let on that she knows Sawyer and since she wasn’t even on his radar back then she doesn’t have a problem pulling it off at least for a little while.
Sawyer is back in his hometown to refurbish the lake house his parents bought before his father got sick and passed away. After his screenplay was turned into a movie, he’s had some trouble getting his muse back and hopes the time away from New York will do him some good. His aunt has roped him into directing a play at the community theater where he meets Brynn, a lovely actress who apparently can’t stand him or so he thinks.
Brynn can’t believe her eyes when she runs into Sawyer outside the theater where she has the starring role. When she finds out he’s going to be her new director she decides she really needs to keep her distance but that’s easier said than done when she realizes he’s renovating the house next door to hers.
Boy these two have more issues that People magazine! Sawyer is coming off a bad relationship with an actress who lied to him. Brynn finds herself feeling like her weird girl high school self over and over when she’s around Sawyer. While Sawyer is polite and tries to get to know her Brynn keeps giving him the cold shoulder until one day he steals a kiss. The thing is Sawyer has made some assumptions about her and she hasn’t bothered to correct him and the lies just start to take over and snowball. On top of that both of their mother’s keep trying to set them up with people including each other something neither one wants. Sawyer is determined to leave town again either back to New York or to L.A. and Brynn still feels that Sawyer is way out of her league.
Despite everything, I enjoyed both of these characters a lot. Brynn is funny, quirky, and insightful. I hate that she still has self image problems but I love that her brother and his new girlfriend are good about building her up. Sawyer is complicated and it’s evident he has never gotten over the death of his father and it has messed with his head regarding long term relationships. That along with what his ex did to him makes it easy to understand his hesitancy to pursue another long term relationship.
Act Like You Love Me is a romance pure and simple and while there are some sexy moments there is no sex but the story is so compelling and the build up so delicious, it worked. This is one of those books that will make you laugh, make you scream in frustration, make you cheer, make you cry, and make you glad you love this genre!
June 10, 2013
My 4.5 star review from Guilty Pleasures Book reviews dot com:
Sometimes I read books that just hit home and Act Like You Love Me is one of those books. I had a friend in high school who was kind of a social misfit and while she didn't have near this issues that the heroine in this book had I could really understand where she was coming from. The last thing you want when you meet the guy you had a crush on in high school years later is to be remembered as that geeky girl from high school. So Brynn decides to be more interesting and not let on that she knows Sawyer and since she wasn't even on his radar back then she doesn't have a problem pulling it off at least for a little while.
Sawyer is back in his hometown to refurbish the lake house his parents bought before his father got sick and passed away. After his screenplay was turned into a movie, he's had some trouble getting his muse back and hopes the time away from New York will do him some good. His aunt has roped him into directing a play at the community theater where he meets Brynn, a lovely actress who apparently can't stand him or so he thinks.
Brynn can't believe her eyes when she runs into Sawyer outside the theater where she has the starring role. When she finds out he's going to be her new director she decides she really needs to keep her distance but that's easier said than done when she realizes he's renovating the house next door to hers.
Boy these two have more issues than People magazine! Sawyer is coming off a bad relationship with an actress who lied to him. Brynn finds herself feeling like her weird girl high school self over and over when she's around Sawyer. While Sawyer is polite and tries to get to know her Brynn keeps giving him the cold shoulder until one day he steals a kiss. The thing is Sawyer has made some assumptions about her and she hasn't bothered to correct him and the lies just start to take over and snowball. On top of that both of their mother's keep trying to set them up with people including each other something neither one wants. Sawyer is determined to leave town again either back to New York or to L.A. and Brynn still feels that Sawyer is way out of her league.
Despite everything, I enjoyed both of these characters a lot. Brynn is funny, quirky, and insightful. I hate that she still has self image problems but I love that her brother and his new girlfriend are good about building her up. Sawyer is complicated and it's evident he has never gotten over the death of his father and it has messed with his head regarding long term relationships. That along with what his ex did to him makes it easy to understand his hesitancy to pursue another long term relationship.
Act Like You Love Me is a romance pure and simple and while there are some sexy moments there is no sex but the story is so compelling and the build up so delicious, it worked. This is one of those books that will make you laugh, make you scream in frustration, make you cheer, make you cry, and make you glad you love this genre!
Sometimes I read books that just hit home and Act Like You Love Me is one of those books. I had a friend in high school who was kind of a social misfit and while she didn't have near this issues that the heroine in this book had I could really understand where she was coming from. The last thing you want when you meet the guy you had a crush on in high school years later is to be remembered as that geeky girl from high school. So Brynn decides to be more interesting and not let on that she knows Sawyer and since she wasn't even on his radar back then she doesn't have a problem pulling it off at least for a little while.
Sawyer is back in his hometown to refurbish the lake house his parents bought before his father got sick and passed away. After his screenplay was turned into a movie, he's had some trouble getting his muse back and hopes the time away from New York will do him some good. His aunt has roped him into directing a play at the community theater where he meets Brynn, a lovely actress who apparently can't stand him or so he thinks.
Brynn can't believe her eyes when she runs into Sawyer outside the theater where she has the starring role. When she finds out he's going to be her new director she decides she really needs to keep her distance but that's easier said than done when she realizes he's renovating the house next door to hers.
Boy these two have more issues than People magazine! Sawyer is coming off a bad relationship with an actress who lied to him. Brynn finds herself feeling like her weird girl high school self over and over when she's around Sawyer. While Sawyer is polite and tries to get to know her Brynn keeps giving him the cold shoulder until one day he steals a kiss. The thing is Sawyer has made some assumptions about her and she hasn't bothered to correct him and the lies just start to take over and snowball. On top of that both of their mother's keep trying to set them up with people including each other something neither one wants. Sawyer is determined to leave town again either back to New York or to L.A. and Brynn still feels that Sawyer is way out of her league.
Despite everything, I enjoyed both of these characters a lot. Brynn is funny, quirky, and insightful. I hate that she still has self image problems but I love that her brother and his new girlfriend are good about building her up. Sawyer is complicated and it's evident he has never gotten over the death of his father and it has messed with his head regarding long term relationships. That along with what his ex did to him makes it easy to understand his hesitancy to pursue another long term relationship.
Act Like You Love Me is a romance pure and simple and while there are some sexy moments there is no sex but the story is so compelling and the build up so delicious, it worked. This is one of those books that will make you laugh, make you scream in frustration, make you cheer, make you cry, and make you glad you love this genre!
June 10, 2013
Brynn McAdams is different than the geeky girl she was in high school - a time that she hates to think about since it was so horrible for her. Sawyer Raines was the guy she crushed on back then and it's shocking for her to see him again after all this time. However, he doesn't recognize her or remember her and she doesn't want to remind him. But they start hanging out more and her white lies are going to catch up to her sometime, right?
First of all, I absolutely, completely loved Brynn. She is super quirky and simply hilarious. She has a passion for theater, classic literature and acting -- it's so strong you can see it in everything she does. She is the definition of a hopeless romantic and I loved the way she gushed about the perfect romance and the fact that she collects kissing figurines. I feel like I would love to be her friend in real life and I think we'd really get along! One of the first things that happened that made me think, yes, this character is awesome is when she reenacts a fish love story with rubber fishing lures when she's bored at work. Because how hilarious and awesome is that. AND, she has pet birds named Lancelot and Guinevere.
"It was harder to convince herself she wasn't still an awkward nerd when she was talking to her birds. Birds named for one of her favorite couples -- hey, if they couldn't be together in the stories, at least they could be together in her living room in feathered form, right?" - pg. 19
Yeah, we totally could have been BFFs because I had a fish I named Darnay back in the day because I loved Tale of Two Cities that much.
Anyway, high school was pretty awful for her. She was a drama geek, nerdy and made fun of. Not to mention her crush, Sawyer Raines, crushed her heart. As a result, she thinks she needs to tone down who she is when she sees Sawyer again. She doesn't want to scare him by quoting plays or Shakespeare or being too excited about romantic things. (Which, by the way, her bubbliness about those things and little things in life made me feel excited too! Seriously I love this girl).
So, yes, Sawyer Raines, comes back into town. Living in NYC as a screenwriter, he comes back to town to help fix up the lake house for his mom. Gosh, Sawyer. He is a perfect combination of handsome jock but with a sensitive side; brooding but also funny and fun. I loved him. (Brynn's crush is totally justified). He's had some hard things happen in his past and it makes him wary of staying. Despite his wariness, he comes to really enjoy being with Brynn. And he meshes with her so well! Their interactions were perfect! He also had a few adorable quirks. I mean, who really likes grape soda?
Anyway, I really enjoyed their story. Yes, it's a little typical and you pretty much know what will happen but I still loved reading it because of the characters! Read this if you want a cute love story with incredible characters!
First of all, I absolutely, completely loved Brynn. She is super quirky and simply hilarious. She has a passion for theater, classic literature and acting -- it's so strong you can see it in everything she does. She is the definition of a hopeless romantic and I loved the way she gushed about the perfect romance and the fact that she collects kissing figurines. I feel like I would love to be her friend in real life and I think we'd really get along! One of the first things that happened that made me think, yes, this character is awesome is when she reenacts a fish love story with rubber fishing lures when she's bored at work. Because how hilarious and awesome is that. AND, she has pet birds named Lancelot and Guinevere.
"It was harder to convince herself she wasn't still an awkward nerd when she was talking to her birds. Birds named for one of her favorite couples -- hey, if they couldn't be together in the stories, at least they could be together in her living room in feathered form, right?" - pg. 19
Yeah, we totally could have been BFFs because I had a fish I named Darnay back in the day because I loved Tale of Two Cities that much.
Anyway, high school was pretty awful for her. She was a drama geek, nerdy and made fun of. Not to mention her crush, Sawyer Raines, crushed her heart. As a result, she thinks she needs to tone down who she is when she sees Sawyer again. She doesn't want to scare him by quoting plays or Shakespeare or being too excited about romantic things. (Which, by the way, her bubbliness about those things and little things in life made me feel excited too! Seriously I love this girl).
So, yes, Sawyer Raines, comes back into town. Living in NYC as a screenwriter, he comes back to town to help fix up the lake house for his mom. Gosh, Sawyer. He is a perfect combination of handsome jock but with a sensitive side; brooding but also funny and fun. I loved him. (Brynn's crush is totally justified). He's had some hard things happen in his past and it makes him wary of staying. Despite his wariness, he comes to really enjoy being with Brynn. And he meshes with her so well! Their interactions were perfect! He also had a few adorable quirks. I mean, who really likes grape soda?
Anyway, I really enjoyed their story. Yes, it's a little typical and you pretty much know what will happen but I still loved reading it because of the characters! Read this if you want a cute love story with incredible characters!
August 10, 2013
Source: eARC for Honest Review from Entangled Publishing
Here we have a little tale about...
Brynn. A late bloomer with a geeky past and a grudge that she can't let go.
Now we have Sawyer who was the cool kid in highschool but misunderstood because he didn't let anyone in. So people only saw what they wanted to see.
Now he re-meets Brynn not realizing that he actually already met her.
With the first impression assumptions were made which eventually turned into lies of ommission.
For Brynn she was blinded by her past and couldn't see what was right in front of her.
Sawyer and Brynn start to get closer but both are keeping secrets.
But the truth ALWAYS come out and people get hurt.
But once the truth is out sometimes love can be enough and what we need.
Cute story and I loved seeing Dani and Wes from the Falling For Her Fiance (Book 1). This was a sweet story about love and second chances.
For more reviews, visit Live Read and Breathe
Like us on Facebook Live Read and Breathe Facebook
Follow along with Twitter Live Read and Breathe Twitter
Here we have a little tale about...
Brynn. A late bloomer with a geeky past and a grudge that she can't let go.
Now we have Sawyer who was the cool kid in highschool but misunderstood because he didn't let anyone in. So people only saw what they wanted to see.
Now he re-meets Brynn not realizing that he actually already met her.
With the first impression assumptions were made which eventually turned into lies of ommission.
For Brynn she was blinded by her past and couldn't see what was right in front of her.
Sawyer and Brynn start to get closer but both are keeping secrets.
But the truth ALWAYS come out and people get hurt.
But once the truth is out sometimes love can be enough and what we need.
Cute story and I loved seeing Dani and Wes from the Falling For Her Fiance (Book 1). This was a sweet story about love and second chances.
For more reviews, visit Live Read and Breathe
Like us on Facebook Live Read and Breathe Facebook
Follow along with Twitter Live Read and Breathe Twitter
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews