Say When

Something More #1

by Tara West

COMPLETE SERIES ALERT! ALL SEVEN BOOKS IN THIS FAST BURN ROMANCE SERIES ARE OUTFrom USA Today Bestselling Author, Tara West, WINNER OF THE 2014 EFESTIVAL OF WORDS BEST AUDIO BOOKHe told me to say when, but I can’t. Not with Andrés. It’s so hard to say anything when he’s trailing feather soft kisses down my neck, or when his touch sends hot currents of lust rippling across my skin. Then there’s the way he smiles and offers soft words of encouragement when I’m creating art, almost like he believes I have talent.He’s not like any guy I’ve ever met. Not like my ex-fiancé. Not like my father. He’s got me thinking that maybe we can have something more. More than just lust, degradation, and abuse. And now I’m scared, because that means I’ll have to trust him with more than just my body, but with my heart, too.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Amazon, Ebooks, Fiction

207 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2013

About the author

Tara West writes books about dragons, witches, and handsome heroes while eating chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. She's willing to share her dragons, witches and heroes. Keep your hands off her chocolate.

Tara West's young adult and new adult romances have been Kindle bestsellers. A former high school English teacher, Tara is now a full-time writer and graphic artist. She enjoys spending time with her family, interacting with her fans, and fishing the Texas coast.

Hang out with her on her Facebook fan page at: https://www.facebook.com/tarawestauthor
Keep up with her latest news at: www.tarawest.com
She loves to hear from her readers at: tara@tarawest.com

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me start this review by putting aside any and all notations of this being a typical New Adult novel with all the bells and whistles of problematic cliches that plague this genre to the point where it gets extremely annoying and unrealistic. I think that's important because there are problems with this narrative that somewhat supersede the former, and made it more of a chore to read in other measures for me.

"Say When" by Tara West lacks the art of subtlety or creating tension to build anticipation. The author lays all of the cards out on the table and spells everything to the reader to the point where it's difficult to feel for the character's situations and backgrounds. Even if we're talking about two very flawed protagonists,

21-year old Christina is probably the biggest, brattiest adult you could probably be inside the head of. I'm not kidding, she's so flawed that even when i read through the first few chapters, it was difficult to feel any sympathy for her. She breaks up with her fiance because he's not good in bed and she seems physically repulsed by him. (But considering her put downs, it was difficult to figure why she was engaged to him in the first place.) And then Christina continually seems to downplay her relationship with her "best friend" Karri (I say it in quotes because Christina slut shames, puts her down, and otherwise insults her for a good while in the narrative. It's hard to glean why they're best friends in any measure of the word. Karri's not a likable character - and make no mistake, I hated her with a passion - considering she neglects her young child. But there was really very little to no attempts from the main character to try to better the situation - she just complained constantly.)

When Karri's car breaks down, the two meet a mechanic named Andres, who is described as your stereotypical hot Spanish lover. (He's later noted as Mexican, but goodness this is such a horrible presentation of a Mexican heritage character.). Don't get me wrong, I actually think Andres had potential. He's not the typical, undeveloped angry New Adult alpha male who possesses the female character - he's actually a pretty decent guy with his own scars as a war veteran turned mechanic who wanted to help out the heroine. I actually looked forward to getting in his head a bit more because he was more tolerable and less selfish than Christina. But I hated the fact that his character was pretty much used as a parrot to spell out important plot points and he wasn't really developed beyond calling attention to his and the heroine's problems. It didn't make him feel human, much less more than a cookie cutter character used to infodump. That wasn't cool, and I think the collective narrative suffered for it on his and Christina's behalf.

But even then, Andres's perspective is not frequented as often as Christina. Many times, Christina juxtaposes herself as being "new' versus her "old" self and talking about her transformation to where she calls out the problematic things in her life and ditching her old relationships and deserving better, when really - she doesn't do anything about the complaints she makes in her life. She just puts up with it and doesn't grow or change or feel like she's doing anything but spouting out the mouth and hating on everything around her. This is no fun, nor is it fulfilling to read about, and I couldn't help but be irritated by it through the entire narrative, even when her relationship with Andres grows. It's just...not good.

I tried with it, but ultimately, this book did not rise above its cliches or do anything to make me want to sympathize/empathize with the characters. And when you have a narrative like that, it won't recover. The style and development of the narrative could've used so much more work to at least make the presentation of these problematic characters a little more tolerable.

Overall score: 0.5/5 stars

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.

[Patrycja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another summer read for those who enjoy simple romance stories filled with steaminess. Say When is short, nice and sweet story about instant attraction and blossoming relationship. Tara West done a good job in creating pleasant read for those who don’t need a lot of drama or have big expectations.

Say When is a great and pleasurable way to spend boring evening, unfortunately NA addicts who know the drill in this genre can be a little bit disappointed by simple plot or quick progress.

Christina is Jack fiancée. His rich, spoiled and dumb. But being a daughter of woman who wants Jack’s money, Christina feel forced into relationship, that has no future. The day of her twenty-first birthday is a disaster. She breaks up with Jack and has a fight with her best friend, who’s a druggie and slut. So when she meets Andres, she only wants to forget about everything and have wonderful night filled with orgasms and passion. Something her relationship with Jack lacked of.

Fantastic One night stand with Latin stud quickly changes into something more.


But Andres has his own demons, that make him alienated and recluse.
Together they want to alternated their life and for the first time just fight for happiness.



Overall, nice but ordinary story, that has plot holes and is a little bit predictable. For my taste Say When is a little bit sugared up and has boring moments. I could use some humor or amusing characters. Let’s hope the story will nicely progress in the future.

Say When is a book for fans of pleasant, summer romances, especially if a reader is fantasying about hot Latin men with nice six pack and chocolate eyes.

[Mikky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at:
Nocturnal Predators Reviews

I am a total sucker for books with abused turned strong heroines. With that being said, I can't really say I enjoyed this book very much. It wasn't so bad that I was being dragged through the novel, but it was so good that I was speed reading to get to the end. It was just average.

This book didn't focus on the emotional part of the abuse. When the story is introduced Cristina has already gone through the "transformation" from abused victim to strong I-will-kick-you-in-the-balls-if-you-mess-with-me attitude. It would have been better had the story began a little earlier in Cristina's life.

The stinking rich fiancé (Jackson) was a b*tch to read about. The words used by Cristina to describe him had me laughing hysterically.

"He looks like a child on the verge of a tantrum."

Everything Andrés was, Jackson wasn't. On the contrary to Jackson, Andrés was charming, caring and deserving of affection. He was also mexican (which was a huge problem with Cristina's mother) and had a great personality. Andrés was just amazing to read about.

Cristina's mother (AKA The Spitting Cobra - Thanks to Karri for that nickname) was a selfish, racist, prejudiced, cold hearted woman. She stood there while Cristina was being abused and did nothing. She even had the audacity to say that she was the one with the pain and guilt. She even insists on Cristina marrying a rich, annoying and snobbish guy.

Karri really surprised me in the end. The twist the author put there totally threw me for a loop. I just wasn't expecting that. Which was a really good surprise.

The only problem I had with this novel was the way Cristina kept insisting on comparing Andrés with Jackson. Hun, there's just no way to compare a good, kind hearted man to a rich snob who as his daddy to bank him for the rest of his life. So move on already.

Favorite Quotes:

"The spitting cobra is waiting for me at the door with her fangs unsheathed."

"He hates how they always call him a hero, especially when he doesn't feel like one. Heroes are supposed to save the day and get the girl."

"Keep your eyes on the prize."

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Um, so, I really did not like this book. At all. The main character, Christina, is so fucking irritating. Basically every single thing she said or did or thought annoyed me to no end. She's selfish and bratty and I was meant to feel bad for her because of her situation, but I just couldn't summon up any sympathy for her whatsoever.

She didn't have a good thing to say about her supposed best friend Karri. She totally put her down throughout the whole story. Don't get me wrong, Karri isn't a good person in any way, shape or form but Christina was meant to be her best friend? And she justified remaining friends with Karri because of how she stuck by her when times were tough and didn't judge her and blah blah blah. Well fair enough, but Christina seems to think of herself as some kind of saint because she looks out for Karri's neglected son and sticks by this "horny slut bag" - yep, she did refer to Karri as that at one point. She once mentioned how nice Karri's mother is and how she didn't deserve a mother like that; that Karri should have a horrible mother like her own. Yeah, that's the kind of stuff you think about your best friend.

Christina also broke it off with her fiancé and didn't really give any reasons as to why apart from his "fart breath" and how he had a tiny penis. Okay then...

I could probably go on and on about the many things that annoy me regarding Christina but I won't. Another thing that annoyed me was the whole instant attraction thing between her and the guy. It wasn't instalove, thank god, but it was still pretty unrealistic. Give it some buildup, ya know? It isn't a race to get the characters to fall in love as quickly as possible. There doesn't have to be some special connection or bond forming right away, as soon as the two people meet.

I didn't finish this book anyway. I stopped around halfway through, or just under that. It got to the stage where I just didn't care about what was going to happen. I still don't care. Maybe this book turned out to be fucking incredible at some point after I stopped reading. I tried to like this book but I couldn't take it seriously.

[Bèbè ✦ RANT ✦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

”I don’t hear the music. I don’t see the people I know must be staring at us. All I hear, all I feel, is him. That’s when I lean up and whisper into his ear. “You told me to say when, right?”

“Right.” His answer is a throaty growl.

“When.”

Say When is a very deep romance novel that tells a story about two broken people trying to love and forget their demons.

Christina is engaged with a man who her mother wants to marry. He has the power and the money and all she needs to do now is set the date for the wedding. But she cannot stand him and the thought of making love to him makes her sick. She finally is able to break it off with him and calls her friend to leave him with his nasty fart-breaths. Accidently running into a hot Latino makes her blood boil and maybe this new Christina can do something she never done before – a one night stand. But this one night stand end up something more and she might fall for someone she does not deserve.

After Andres came back from Afghanistan, his nightmares are not ending. Meeting Christina and spending the night with her stopped the nightmares for one night and he needs to find out if there is something more than just one night. But even if she is different, he can’t stop wondering if he is not good for her.

The first 30% of the book were FREAKING AMAZING!!! There was so much humor and I loved Christina! I just thought it was so hilarious how she left her fiancé and how her night turned out. But as the book went on, I didn’t have that connection that I originally had. I would want to see more of Andres POV because his was way more interesting than Christina’s was.

Otherwise I really liked the writing but the second part of the book felt abandoned. Even though there were a lot of emotions involved between the characters, the way it was written was very disconnected and dead.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

Say When is the first book that I have read by Tara West. It is her first New Adult novel and for the most part I enjoyed the book. I did have a few problems with the story, but this was definitely a promising foray into the NA genre. I really loved the cover of this book, and I think that was what really drew me in and made me want to read this story.

Christina is engaged to Jackson, and has pretty much been a doormat when it comes to him and her mom. After finally growing tired of putting up with them basically running her life, she decides to finally stand up for herself. After dumping Jackson, she goes out with a friend and meets Andres. Andres instantly attracts her and she finds herself wanting to be with him regardless of the fact that they are strangers. She goes home with him and they both realize that the physical connection is beyond anything that either one of them have ever felt before. As they begin to spend more time together they both question whether or not the relationship has a chance to be anything more than just sex. Both have issues from the past that have left them a little damaged and they begin to see that they might be able to not only have a relationship together, but that they can possibly heal each other along the way.

I liked Andres. He was sexy and extremely sweet from the start. I think he was the perfect person for Christina. He really seemed to be exactly what she needed, and instead of running her life like her mom and Jackson had done, he encouraged her to do things for herself. I at times really liked Christina and then at other times I didn't understand her at all. For someone who has been really hurt in the past and stated that she had some trust issues the relationship with Andres progressed at an almost alarming rate. She goes home with him the first night they meet right after breaking up with her fiance and she ends up getting a job working for him and his family almost immediately. The relationship seemed pretty rushed to me and for someone who had been through a past like hers, it just seemed completely out of character. I did love Christina's dedication to Tyler, her friend Karri's son. She was always concerned with his well being and went out of her way to help out when it came to him. I also really loved seeing her grow over the course of the book. Despite the inconsistencies with Christina's personality, I did enjoy this story. The scenes between Andres and Christina were very hot and the sex was very well done. I saw their chemistry from the very first time they met, but it would have been nice if the relationship didn't feel so rushed.

Overall this story was a very quick read for me. I finished it in one sitting as it was a pretty short read. I will admit I was not a fan of how the author chose to do the switch in point of views between Andres and Christina. Christina's POV was in first person, while Andres' POV was in third person. I found that not only confusing but also it caused the book to almost seem fragmented as it just didn't flow. But even with that being said, the story was interesting enough that I kept reading. Unfortunately the book ends extremely abruptly after a completely rushed conclusion. It seemed as though everything was almost packed into the last chapter, when it could have been a little more developed and smooth but adding a few more pages. I'm hoping that the next book, Say Yes, will give the readers and characters the closure that was missing from this story. Even with the problems I had with this book, I would still recommend giving this story a shot if you are a fan of romance and the New Adult genre.

**ARC provided by Author**

[Chelsea (Starbucks & Books Obsession) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Say When is a quick and easy read but filled with so much intensity at the same time. Christina is shy and timid and she allows the people in her life to dictate what she does. Her mother tells her who to date, her fiancée puts her down and degrades her. Something inside her snaps and she says “Enough!” When she meets Andres she is immediately attracted to him and sees a nice guy in there. However, all the men in her past have left her guarded and unable to fully trust. She sees that Andres is different but can she give him her heart and trust that he won’t break it?

I liked Christina well enough. She definitely grew throughout the book and I love character development so that was a plus. She started out as a timid girl who let everyone walk all over her and she became a strong independent woman who made her own decisions regardless of what others wanted. She was also a good friend to Karri, even though Karri never showed her the same respect. I felt like she maybe fell a little too fast for Andres especially after how guarded she claimed to be from her father’s abuse and Jackson’s treatment of her.

“This is a new me, I want to say to him. I’m not putting up with anyone’s shit any longer. I hold back from unleashing that part of my verbal assault. I wonder if I’ve got the guts to hold him and my mom off forever.”

Andres was a sexy latin mechanic who just came home from Afghanistan. He is struggling with nightmares and internal demons from his time in the war and when he meets Christina, there is something about her that draws him in. He feels this need to know her and after spending a night with her and having no nightmares, he knows there is something special. However, he can see she is guarded and he is afraid of giving his heart to her and having it broken. He is so sweet and caring and I loved his dedication to his friends and family. He took care of Christina and treated her the way she deserved to be treated.

“I never thought a man could be so beautiful, but he’s like a Spanish Adonis.”

Karri and Christina’s mom were both terrible characters. Her mom was absolutely crazy and so caught up on money and appearances that she didn’t care whether or not her daughter was happy. She knew about the abuse Christina suffered but only cared about what people would think. She is a selfish old hag and I was proud of Christina for finally standing up to her. Karri is a whole other disaster. She has been best friends with Christina since the second grade but has made a complete mess of her life. Drugs, random sex, and an illegitimate child; she has really messed up her life but Christina is always there for her. However, Karri was a snotty bitch who took advantage of Christina and I was glad when she finally stood up and told her how it was.

I enjoyed the plot and felt the intensity of what Christina was going through. She was young but had already experienced so much turmoil in her life with her parents and her friendships. Meeting Andres was a breath of fresh air and their intimacy was definitely steamy. I was also surprised by the Karri’s betrayal at the end and didn’t see it coming. However, I wasn’t a big fan of the way the dual POV was written. Christina was in first person and Andres was in third person and that threw me off a little. I also felt like the end was rushed a little. It seemed like there was so much depth in the beginning and middle and then the end lost some of that depth as it was rushed to come to a close.

Overall, Say When was an enjoyable read and I liked the writing and the character development. I could see the changes that Christina went through and the way she became a stronger character. I felt all of the emotions that she and Andres experienced and I look forward to see what the author does with the next book.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed this book. I had just come off reading a book that didn’t really excite me at all. You know how that can bum you out. From page one I was pulled into Christina’s world, the confrontation with her fiancé and his breath that smells like farts, wanting to finally be the strong you, not the weak please everyone you, the best friend with a problem (actually, for a couple of years, I was probably that friend). I completely got her.


My Andrés – AARÓN DÍAZ photo credit

Then in walks Andrés. Tall, dark, and handsome, with some of his own baggage. I could totally take Christina’s place because I’d understand what he was saying as he whispered sweet nothings in Spanish in my ear, but alas, I am not Christina.

I just really loved this book. Romance, drama, excellent writing, characters you care about, what more could you want in a book? Oh. You wanted some hot love scenes? They’re in there too.

I cannot wait for the sequel, Say Yes! The teaser in the back of Say When has me chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. Speaking of that – there isn’t a cliffhanger of an ending here for those who hate that. Yes, there is a sequel, and yes, I want definitely want more, but Tara doesn’t leave you hanging at the end of Say When. You will know how this particular story ends.

I think that is as close as I can get without a spoiler.

Tara just went on my favorite author list and Say When is going on my Perfect Romance and Book Boyfriend shelves.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and honestly, I loved it.

[Alan Nayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. West's novel Say When gives you exactly what the warning warned you about: sure, there is some "hot" language and sizzling sex scenes, but there is so more more! The author has created two main characters that are physically beautiful, ooze sex appeal, yet both have very real vulnerablilities as well. No cookie cutter writing here. The story is well written, fast, and holds yor interest until the very last line. Then you want more. Christina and Andres are characters you want to stay with (especially Christina as I'm a male. lol) and the plot is creative and fun to follow, leaving you guessing as to what will happen next. Lastly, not only is the story poignant, but there are some really funny lines sprinkled between the steamy pages of sex. Makes for a very entertaining combination. Highly recommended for readers of the new adult genre as well as readers who are just looking for a well written love story. Five stars plus!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are no words to express how amazing this book is. However, I will try. Intense romance, trials, conflict, shattered past, and loyalty all in one book. This story is by far Tara's best book. Following Christina and Andrés through their trials and romance had me reading this book in one sitting. I could not put it down. There are no other words good enough to describe this book. I would truly give it more than 5 stars if I could.

[Tracy O’Sing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I just loved this book, once I started it I couldn't put it down..
Loved the characters and storyline.. Although it was a quick read for me it was jam packed with details including laugh out loud moments as well as touching on more emotional aspects.. Add some steamy moments and it made this an awesome read.

No spoilers no repeating the blurb!

The author uses some amazing hilarious phases that I'll be using in the future!
Definitely recommend this book to all romance fans.

[Melissa at My Chaotic Ramblings · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the synopsis, I knew there would be a lot of sex, but I wasn't expecting so much sex and so little plot. From Christina dumping her fiance and hours later sleeping with Andres and Karri the druggy it was all one big jumble for me. I would have loved to have seen more of an actual plot and maybe a bit more conversation between the characters, especially with Karri's reveal at the end!

[Brandie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short read with a great hero. But same ol messed up bitchy girl who thinks it's okay to be a materialistic wench because her mom tells her to be and because her dad abused her. I think I'm over books like this for awhile. I just wasn't in the mood and the girl wasn't likable at all.

[Mills · Rating 1 out of 5]

Starting the new year off with a DNF - I hope this isn't a bad omen!

And I quote "I realise that not only is my friend a slut, she's a stupid slut."

DNFing @ Chapter 3/21 due to the heroine being the biggest fucking brat on the planet, all 105 sorority girl pounds of her (she be like 'omg, my fake ID says I'm 150 pounds and I'm actually 105' as if anyone cares. Honestly, I couldn't care less if she were 550 pounds. So what?). She uses the word "whore" a lot and slut shames basically everyone, but especially her so-called best friend who, frankly, deserves a better friend than her, regardless of her drug addiction or slapdash parenting. Yes, there's the implication of her having been sexually abused, but that is not an open-ended excuse to treat other people like shit.

The final straw was her referring to her "anti-slut protocol". Well done, Ms West. You've successfully made me wish your heroine would just die already and spare the world her sanctimony and tantrums. How romantic. And this book won an award?! It simply boggles the mind.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/24/2021)! 🎁

[Natward1 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish after page 20. I wish I could give negative stars. This is one of the worst books I've ever started. How old is this author anyways? It feels like it was written by a 13 year old boy. I am immediately put off by this lead female and the way the author starts her out on the reader. In the opening scene She's literally puking in the bathroom because she can't stand having sex with her fiancé because, from what the girl says, his breath stinks and he has a tiny dick. Wow. Really author?!. Next we hear this girl throwing a tantrum at her fiancé, throwing food at him and yelling, walking out of the restaurant to get away with him for...well I'm not quite sure. For some reason the author didn't develop the story or their relationship here at all beyond the few comments about the tiny dick and bad breath. She's mad because he chose a restaurant she didn't like on her birthday? I think that's her reason for yelling and throwing food instead of, you know, telling him you don't want to eat there and making him take you somewhere you both like. You know, like a normal person would. I mean, the girl is 21 years old, not 13 like she sounds so far. Would he have told her no and made her go to the restaurant he wanted? I have no idea what so ever. Again, the author failed miserably to develop the story and background and the type of guy he is. As of now, I'm kinda siding with the fiancé. He seems perfectly fine to me. Besides his bad breath and tiny penis (mentioned repeatedly in only 20 pages). So this makes the girl just seem caddy and shallow. She says he's a jerk but why? Why is he a jerk? She sounds like a whiny little brat. If she hates him so much, break up with him. Which she actually does pretty immediately so that's good but wow. She had to throw a fit (and complain about his dick size and breath) about not liking the restaurant before she breaks up with him. Oh she does also add that she doesn't like how he treats her in bed. Here's a thought, maybe you should tell him what you don't like before going ape shit on him. Maybe she did? Hm I wouldn't know because again, the author has done a terrible job at painting a picture of their relationship. Other than the caddy complaints I've heard out of this girls mouth, which I've already mentioned. And the reason she started seeing him in the first place? He was rich. That's the reason she gives. Shallowness judgement on her is reinforced. Yeah she does say her family needs the money but now she's just a user. So yeah I do not like this girl. I read until she meets the actual love interest and can I just tell you it was straight out of romance novel cliche city. The guy is gorgeous of course and she goes into detail monologuing his hotness and then she almost kisses him. Yep, you read that right. He basically says hello and she leans in for a kiss. Wow wow wow. Like I said, was this written by a 13 year old boy?

[Alexia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I got this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review: When we first meet Christina, she is a a doormat. She allows everyone around her to control her life. From her mother to Jackson. She has no say in her own life.That really drove me bananas as I really don't have patience for those who don't stand up for themselves. She has two friends, Grace and Karri. I still don't understand why she is friends with Karri except that she feels terrible for Karri's son Ty and for Karri's sweet natured mother because Karri just won't give up the drugs. Grace is a great friend and I enjoyed watching the threads of friendship be woven into the story.

Watching Christina become more assertive was so awesome to see. Reading about her standing up to her mother and telling her mother everything she had been so afraid to tell her made me so excited. I could see Christina's self confidence rise and my enjoyment of her character grew as well.

Andres was everything that Christina wanted,needed and deserved in a man. He was sweet,gentle & supportive.All things that Christina didn't have in her relationship with Jackson.As my friend Molli would say,he was swoon-worthy.

Normally I cringe at the insta-love and the insta-sex but this just WORKED. Christina needed a guy that was completely different from her father and ex fiancee and Andres gave her that.The sex scenes were extremely hot.It's been awhile since I read something that had the kind of chemistry that Andres and Christina had.Andres gave Christina the courage to assert herself which I loved.

This book gets a 4 star review from me. Mostly because it chronicled Christina's emotional growth which I enjoyed. It's not getting the full 5 stars mainly because I feel it was too short and while it was a good read, I wanted more of it. I am so excited to see where the story goes and I wish it was 2014 already so I could get my hands on the next book.

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received and ARC copy of this book through Netgalley, and as such am wondering if I was provided with the same book as the rest of the review writers for it on Goodreads, because I cannot rate this higher than 1 star.

I am not one for author bashing, and if I give a low review I feel it only fair that I provide constructive reasons as to why I am doing it. I will be honest I only got about 30% through this book before I gave up. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely believe that there is a really good story fighting to get out, but it needs a lot of work.

Firstly, the characters, I didn’t empathise or feel any connection to any of them, several (Karri and Jackson) were just totally abhorrent, Christina’s mother even more so. Maybe that’s the point, but put together it was just too much. Christina, is an abuse survivor, but it’s all very choppy and disjointed at the beginning that you are constantly re-reading to see if you missed something to give it more clarification, maybe a prologue giving a better view of her state of mind etc would help clear this up.

Andres, this is a guy who could quite easily become a well-loved book boyfriend, and it was good to get his POV. What was not good was that it was all written for want of a better description in the style of a school report –

• Andres can’t help but feel guilty over taking his uncles offer.
• Andres only hopes…….
• Andres still doesn’t know if he deserves to be rewarded…

I was honestly expecting to come across “Andres could do better”, I believe if his POV was written in the same style as Christina it would work so much better, it would also help with the flow of the story, as you are alternating between Andres and Christina’s POVs throughout.

I didn’t finish this book, if it does get a much needed re-write I would happily give it another go, but at this time, it’s not for me.

[CeCe · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHAT DID I THINK: 3 out of 5 Stars:
This book had such a great story. Christina is more or less forced to be with a man only because her mother has barely any money left to keep up her “lifestyle” so she forces her only daughter to be with a man who is wealthy.

While out with her best friend on her 21 first birthday (and just having to break up with her fiancé), Christina meets Andres. She decides to spend one incredible night with him. Even though Christina starts to have feelings for Andres, pressures from her mother and doubt make her question everything. Plus, she feels broken from something that happened when she was younger that makes her think she would not be worthy of Andres’ love and admiration.
T
he whole story involving the ex-fiancé, the best friend, the mother, and Andres made for a perfect story. I loved that we got Andres’ POV. However, some parts fell short for me.
The story with the ex-fiancé and the best friend was perfect. However, the relationship with Andres was too insta for me. There was not enough character development for me to believe that Andres would want Christina to stay the following morning with him. All the feelings happened too quickly. I think I know the direction author was trying to go with Andres and Christina, but I think that it was not executed properly. Some parts I felt were told me instead of allowing me to feel what the characters were feeling.

We got a lot of information on Christina and her relationship with her ex-fiance, but all that happened with Andres in the beginning was too quick.
Nonetheless, I think the author had a great idea for a story. I will read another book by her.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara West has done it again! Instead of continuing in the Young Adult genre, she has written this with adults only firmly in mind, and it is HOT.

You have two (young) adults, both of whom have their own issues to deal with and an intense attraction to each other as well. Everything tells them that they shouldn't be a match, but somehow, they just seem to fit. Wonderful!

Christina is a young lady with a dark secret of her own that is not her fault. She allows everyone (read Mother and Fiance!) to tell her what to do, how to dress and how to behave. I'll admit, at this point, she just annoyed me!

Andres has just come back from Afghanistan and is carrying a shed load of guilt with him. I can't really say much more about Andres because I will start drooling. He is strong, sensitive, rocking body and a gentleman too!

There are characters in here that I loathe - the Mother, the Fiance, the 'old' friend, the deceased Father. Tara has written this so well that it is so easy to hate them.

The story of how these two get together, and Christina grows a spine, and how they slowly learn to trust each other is poignant, romantic, steamy and also traumatic. My heart was in my throat at more than one point and I am looking forward to reading 'Say Yes'.

After reading some other reviews, it appears that this is another Marmite book. If you are a fan of Tara West and like her style of writing, then give this a go. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

*** I was lucky enough to be given this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christina aka Teenie has had a hard life and one that no matter how many times she tries to run away from it, she finds herself becoming more and more suffocated as she tries to please everyone until something snaps inside her on her 21st birthday and she realises enough is enough. So that night, she dumps her fiance Jackson and heads out to have fun with her best friend Karrie - this is short-lived when her friend's car blows up as readers will soon discover Karrie - isn't the greatest person in the book and alot can be said and done about her. This night though, will be the night that changes Christina's life for good as that night a stranger by the name of Andres stops to help and sparks fly between the pair. What will follow is two sides of the story as we read that both are battling some pretty hardcore demons but as they will learn that sometimes all you need is to know that someone is there for you and all can be dissolved. I actually quite enjoyed this book as before reading it , I went on Goodreads and noticed quite a few one stars and a bit about incest and I have to admit readers, it was actually a really good book and the whole incest part is a small part of her flashbacks to the sexual abuse she endured when she was younger.

[Nanette Bradford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, hot and steamy is what I love and we got that in this book. Love, sadness, and a big B of a mother. This is definitely a book for a more mature reader due to the graphic sexual encounters so if your under 18 look away.

This was a short read and I found myself checking the pages often. This book had my attention and I was certain I was wrong that it was almost over. I didn't want it to be. Not yet. There was so much more I needed to know. Like if karri made it to rehab ok and if Jackson kept leaving stupid messages on Christina's phone.
Did her mother ever say she was sorry and stop being so selfish. Ah! So many questions. Then there is Andres and his nightmares from being in Afghanistan and loosing his best friend in the war.

I did love Andres. Even though he was messed up and didn't think he deserved happiness he was still a caring person. Especially to Christina. They both helped each other be better. They were both able to feel again.

This was a really touching story and I hope to get a lot of my questions answered in Say Yes.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Tara West has done it again!!! Just when I thought I had read the best of her talents, she writes an even better one.
Christina has had an abusive and horrible childhood. Her mother and fiancé control her whole life. She is a doormat and I wanted to smack her several times until she gets fed up and takes a stand and control of her life. I applauded her when this happened!
In comes Andres (swoon here) a soldier just back from Afghanistan with mental and emotional scars himself. He is a smokin hot Latin who believes he isn't entitled to happiness.
They find each other and sparks fly!! There are sensual and sloth erotic scenes (not for under the age of 18).
I Positively can not wait for the next book!!!!

[Sassy Beta Reading & Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of being a beta reader for Tara (this book twice actually) and let me just say she was so great to work with on both a professional and personal level. I had so much fun working with her it was a pleasure for sure!

Say When is a great new book and I can not wait to see this as a series. Everyone needs a lil Andres in their life :) This story is emotional, funny, and gets you really thinking as well. It talks about possible real life situations which causes conflicting emotions "in a good way I promise"

Take the time to check out "Say When" It's worth it!

[Trista Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Tara did an amazing job developing her characters. Christina is a privileged girl who has grown up allowing others to make decisions for her. After getting rid of her fiancé' and deciding to be spontaneous she meets Andres. Through Andres Christina learns what a real relationship should be like. This is a hot sexy read, but is also deep. Can not wait to read the rest of the books in this series.

[Mick C · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice quick read. Loved the story line of rich girl meets supposedly "poor boy". I really liked the relationship and the friendship that is formed after a supposedly 1 night stand. And I love how the main character decides to be a strong woman and starts living for herself, instead of pleasing everyone else around her. Can't wait to read book #2.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new adult book blew me away. I found it humorous, serious, and sexy all in one book AND it all fit fine! I liked Christina and I loveddddd Andres! These two characters are real you know, they have real issues. Will their baggage be too much for eachother? Psh no. It's a sweet and meaningful romance novel. I can honestly I liked every bit of the book.

[Sláinte Wanderlust · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok so I did not really understand the point of this book.. the lead character Christina had suffered a terrible experience but I didn't understand why that made her such a pushover or why it made her such an awful judge of character. It was a whiney depressing story that i just never got into.

[Elle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hell. No. Pure trash.

[Marja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn! I highly liked this one <3
How messed up can a family be... Damn.
Love Andrés <3