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Harmony Bay #1
Ditched
Holly has her whole life mapped out. It’s simple, really. She just needs to finish her degree in journalism, marry Collin—her high school sweetheart—and live happily ever after.
Max has had a crush on his friend Holly since he moved to town four years ago. He’s been dreading her wedding since she first sent him a text telling him the news. He's dreading it so much, in fact, that he's decided to move back to his hometown in California immediately following the ceremony.
He never thought that a change of plan would include taking Holly with him, showing her that sometimes the happily ever after you really want, is the one you never knew you were looking for.
Max has had a crush on his friend Holly since he moved to town four years ago. He’s been dreading her wedding since she first sent him a text telling him the news. He's dreading it so much, in fact, that he's decided to move back to his hometown in California immediately following the ceremony.
He never thought that a change of plan would include taking Holly with him, showing her that sometimes the happily ever after you really want, is the one you never knew you were looking for.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2013
29 people are currently reading
765 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 24, 2013
Amity Hope did a wonderful job with this sweet story. It was very well written. I actually really enjoyed her story telling and I loved all of the characters.
My only wish is that it would have been hotter. The story definitely lead you to it, the angst was there. I think this book would explode if it left it's G-ish level. Please...sex it up!!
Holly’s life has been mapped out for her by her parents. Holly likes to do the right thing and please those around her. She has known Collin since she was a toddler. Their parents have dreamed of them getting married so when it was time to date and plan for her future Collin was at the center of it.
This story takes a reader from her bachelorette party night where we are introduced to Max…how I loved Max! A reader can pick up the subtle hints that he may like her as more than a friend throughout the story.
When Holly catches her finance with another woman…her perfect mapped out world falls apart.
Holly is torn…her family and Collin’s wants to carry on with the wedding and her friends think it’s a good wake up call. Holly does go ahead with the wedding. Guests have flown in, gifts have arrived and the hardcore press is put on her.
Max had planned on leaving California and his secret crush after the ceremony. When Holly runs past him at the church, he rescues her once again. They set off to his grandparents’ condo on the beach in Harmony Bay.
I loved how realistic Holly and Max’s friendship blossomed into so much more. Holly gets her head on straight and slowly starts to see her friend in a different light.
All is well until his brother Mike drops the bomb on her:
"It's about time you two figure this dating crap out," he said as fell into the chair across from me. "He's been whining about you for years."
"We're not..." I hit a mental wall. "Wait What?"
"You and Max, you know?" He treated me to an obnoxious waggling of the eyebrows. "It's about damn time. Leave it to my brother to fall in love with the one girl who is completely off limits."
I enjoyed how Holly and Max’s relationship transformed to more, it was completely believable.
What happens when the summer ends?
Will Holly stand up to her family?
Will she give Collin another chance?
Will she break Max’s heart?
I would definitely recommend Ditched it’s a well done, fun, sweet read!!!
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"And Holly? I love you."
April 2, 2016
3.5 Stars
A really sweet story, with likeable, well characterized characters, that left me with a smile on my face.
This is truly a YA contemporary romance, and I could see that the author really tried to stay focused on the "YA" aspect of it...because this could have turned into the "new adult scene" really quickly; and for once I wouldn't have minded.
* I know! I even surprised myself* o_O
Maybe because of the characters maturity, I think that a new adult approach would have had a stable groundwork to establish its foundations.
(o_O I know!)
So yes, this was probably the first time in my life, in which I wished that a story would turn out into the new adult territory.
*completely baffled*
The characters may be nineteen, but since one had been on the edge of getting married _in fact, she was even being pushed into it by her mother! _ I really had no problem with how things worked out...namely the run away from home aspect of the thing, and the: yeah, I am just going to spend the holidays with my best friend, who is a guy, and whom has had a big crush on me for a couple of years now...not that I am aware of that...thing!
* despite my clumsy presentation, this was actually well developed on paper....so ignore me!*
In fact, I think that regarding that aspect, I have the feeling that this story will be better appreciated by the somewhat older crowd _thirty..ish maybe _ who has moved on from stories with alpha males characters, and soap operas hot messes, and who just want something sweet without being overburden by the characters idiocy and giant doses of uncontrolled teen angst.
______________
Yes, I am describing myself.
This is not a book full of drama, with emotions and hormones going rampant all over the place.
This is a quiet story, that for me became believable, exactly because of the fact that the author gave the characters time to move on...
I found this story extremely engaging because of the romance between Max and Holly, who behaved _mostly_ as sensible people, _probably older than their actual age _ giving us a sweet and cute story of friends turned into "lovers".
Not exactly "lovers"...more like sweethearts.
In fact this is the type of story that could easily be adapted to the movies, as that type of story that you watch on a Sunday matinée.
Something that you already know how it is going to end, but that despite that _ or maybe because of that _ you just let yourself go with the flow.
So yes, apparently this was my cup of tea, which means that I am looking forward in the reading the following novella, "Always", that also features Max and Holly, and which apparently is only available through Amazon.
Lovely... o_O
Now off to find a paperback edition of this...
*hum, "whom" to annoy? Bookdepository, or Wook bookstore....probably both!*
May 1, 2013
I am honestly baffled by the how this story is not a perfect 5 star. It was the perfect love story from start to finish, beautifully written, entertaining, and very relatable. Holly is the perfect daughter and friend, always agreeable, with a life plan already set in place from a very young age. She is engaged to Collin whom she’s known all her life. Max is the best friend, one that we all wish we had; always supportive, a shoulder to cry on, AND with a big crush on Holly. When things don’t go according to her plan, Holly once again turns to her best friend for comfort and Max is more than happy to help. You will fall in love with Max and Holly and their amazing journey. It was nice to read a book as fresh and clean as Ditched. Also make sure to check out Twisted!!!
April 24, 2013
Cute and sweet. It is young adult not new adult so the lovey dovey stuff was pretty tame (as it should be for YA). I loved the setting. Had several comical moments. Even the drama was kept light. At the start Holly didn't make the best choices but she was under a lot of pressure. Of course she came around before too long.
I was glad Holly didn't spend time waffling over Collin. I was worried it would be drug out but it wasn't. Once she was off with Max Collin was out of the picture. Really liked the friendship with Holly and Max. Would definitely recommend. I also really liked Lanna.
As always I enjoy books by this author.
I was glad Holly didn't spend time waffling over Collin. I was worried it would be drug out but it wasn't. Once she was off with Max Collin was out of the picture. Really liked the friendship with Holly and Max. Would definitely recommend. I also really liked Lanna.
As always I enjoy books by this author.
July 12, 2014
You can read this and other reviews at Madison Says
2.5 Stars
Holly has a plan. A path has been set and her goals are within reach. She’s set to marry her longtime boyfriend, Collin in just a few short days. Her life is perfect… That is until she walks in on her fiancé doing the horizontal tango with some chick rocking hideous white cowboy boots adorned with rhinestones. Ick. Now everything has gone to hell in a hand basket. Did I mention that she’s ONLY 19?
Once her parents got wind of what happened you would think they’d be on her side; they’d run down the street yelling to the masses what a pile of cow crap Collin is, right? Didn’t exactly happen that way. Her parental units did the exact opposite! They tried to push her into marrying Collin anyway. Who does that to their kid? I’m gonna call the bad parenting card on this duo. Oh, and did I mention that Collin’s parents were pressuring her as well? Shitty parents all around.
Holly, being the wonderful daughter that she is, decides to go through with the wedding. Well, not entirely. You see, at the last moment some additional information is revealed and instead of a honeymoon destination, Holly finds herself cruising down the highway with her best friend Max. Destination? California.
I thought I was done crying for the day. I was wrong. The tears poured down in a gush. I tried to say something to Lanna but only managed to emit a strangled gasping sound.
Max has been in love with Holly since he moved to town 4 or 5 years ago. He never intended for her to find out and when he learned she was engaged to Collin he made plans to move back home to California right after her wedding. He just couldn’t stay around to watch the woman he loves begin a life with someone else. He never intended to make his feelings for her known, but now he just might get his chance.
He let out a sigh, stepped back, asked if I was hungry and the moment was over. I stood there, wishing it wasn’t. Because my head figured out, right then, what I think my heart had known for a while now.
I had such high hopes for Ditched. I read a bunch of raving reviews and they all said that it was a wonderful, engaging story that should easily have 5 of 5 stars…blah blah blah. You get the picture. I feel duped! While the story was decent, I just felt like it dragged…on…for…forever. The writing was pleasant enough, I just couldn’t move past the pace. I wanted to reach into the pages, pick up both Holly and Max with my thumb and pointer finger, drop them into a room together and lock the door until they got everything out on the table. I’m one of those people who believe men and women can be “just friends.” I’ve had and still have plenty of male friends that are just that – friends. So, I guess I can kind of see why Holly never even considered that Max had feelings for her. Ugh, I dunno. It is 3 days later and I’m still aggravated that it took so long into the book for the two of them to get their heads out of their tookuses. Oh, and don’t get me started on the fact that she was willing to marry a guy who just cheated on her…in front of her.
It’s a sweet YA read. Really it is. I just didn’t connect with it. I feel so bad in saying that. I wanted to love it. I just didn’t. And that’s the beauty of an opinion. Yours may differ from mine when you read this book and if it does, that’s absolutely wonderful! I just have a hard time telling you to spend your hard earned money on it.
2.5 Stars
Holly has a plan. A path has been set and her goals are within reach. She’s set to marry her longtime boyfriend, Collin in just a few short days. Her life is perfect… That is until she walks in on her fiancé doing the horizontal tango with some chick rocking hideous white cowboy boots adorned with rhinestones. Ick. Now everything has gone to hell in a hand basket. Did I mention that she’s ONLY 19?
Once her parents got wind of what happened you would think they’d be on her side; they’d run down the street yelling to the masses what a pile of cow crap Collin is, right? Didn’t exactly happen that way. Her parental units did the exact opposite! They tried to push her into marrying Collin anyway. Who does that to their kid? I’m gonna call the bad parenting card on this duo. Oh, and did I mention that Collin’s parents were pressuring her as well? Shitty parents all around.
Holly, being the wonderful daughter that she is, decides to go through with the wedding. Well, not entirely. You see, at the last moment some additional information is revealed and instead of a honeymoon destination, Holly finds herself cruising down the highway with her best friend Max. Destination? California.
I thought I was done crying for the day. I was wrong. The tears poured down in a gush. I tried to say something to Lanna but only managed to emit a strangled gasping sound.
Max has been in love with Holly since he moved to town 4 or 5 years ago. He never intended for her to find out and when he learned she was engaged to Collin he made plans to move back home to California right after her wedding. He just couldn’t stay around to watch the woman he loves begin a life with someone else. He never intended to make his feelings for her known, but now he just might get his chance.
He let out a sigh, stepped back, asked if I was hungry and the moment was over. I stood there, wishing it wasn’t. Because my head figured out, right then, what I think my heart had known for a while now.
I had such high hopes for Ditched. I read a bunch of raving reviews and they all said that it was a wonderful, engaging story that should easily have 5 of 5 stars…blah blah blah. You get the picture. I feel duped! While the story was decent, I just felt like it dragged…on…for…forever. The writing was pleasant enough, I just couldn’t move past the pace. I wanted to reach into the pages, pick up both Holly and Max with my thumb and pointer finger, drop them into a room together and lock the door until they got everything out on the table. I’m one of those people who believe men and women can be “just friends.” I’ve had and still have plenty of male friends that are just that – friends. So, I guess I can kind of see why Holly never even considered that Max had feelings for her. Ugh, I dunno. It is 3 days later and I’m still aggravated that it took so long into the book for the two of them to get their heads out of their tookuses. Oh, and don’t get me started on the fact that she was willing to marry a guy who just cheated on her…in front of her.
It’s a sweet YA read. Really it is. I just didn’t connect with it. I feel so bad in saying that. I wanted to love it. I just didn’t. And that’s the beauty of an opinion. Yours may differ from mine when you read this book and if it does, that’s absolutely wonderful! I just have a hard time telling you to spend your hard earned money on it.
November 25, 2014
Holly's life is all planned out from finishing college to marrying her high school sweetheart everything should be perfect. When she stops by her fiance's house after her bachelorette party she finds her fiancé home and not alone but with another woman. Instead of calling it off the wedding Holly lets her mom and his mom bully her into going through with the wedding. However after walking down the aisle she sees the girl who happened to be with Collin. Knowing she can’t marry him she calls of f the wedding thanks to Max with the perfect excuse to get out of town for a while.
A few weeks in sunny California sound like the perfect way to figure out what she wants to do and getting away from the backlash of the wedding with her best friend can’t be all bad. After the long drive across the country things are looking up for Holly shes settled into life at the beach house and is seeing Max as more than just a friend and when Mike his older brother spells out that he’s been in love with her for years everything changes. Even though she’s getting over Collin she’s learning that it was never meant to be with him but Max is exactly what she wants. Will she be able to make it work with Max or end up rushing home to Collin when he has an accident?
I like Holly she reminds me of the girl next door who has a good heart just maybe takes Max for granted at first. As the book progresses and she gets out on her own I found myself really connecting with her. I love that she’s crafty making her own jewelry which is something I do myself. I loved Max he’s just a good guy who hasn’t had the chance to win over Holly’s heart but of course getting her away from her old life is the prefect chance at love.
I picked up Ditched as a kindle freebie a long time ago but never seemed to get around to it which seems to be a trend for me. I really loved the idea of a sweet romance between best friends finding love and I think that the author did a tasteful job creating a clean romance between the two that doesn’t come off as re-bound like. I found Ditched to be a sweet romance which is also clean so anyone can enjoy it the relationship between Holly and Max is adorable. I enjoyed the story it was quick paced and fun hard to put down because I was curious to see what would happen to Holly next. Overall it's a light hearted romance which is perfect for a lazy afternoon. I’m a sucker for a happy ever after and Ditched doesn't disappoint.
A few weeks in sunny California sound like the perfect way to figure out what she wants to do and getting away from the backlash of the wedding with her best friend can’t be all bad. After the long drive across the country things are looking up for Holly shes settled into life at the beach house and is seeing Max as more than just a friend and when Mike his older brother spells out that he’s been in love with her for years everything changes. Even though she’s getting over Collin she’s learning that it was never meant to be with him but Max is exactly what she wants. Will she be able to make it work with Max or end up rushing home to Collin when he has an accident?
I like Holly she reminds me of the girl next door who has a good heart just maybe takes Max for granted at first. As the book progresses and she gets out on her own I found myself really connecting with her. I love that she’s crafty making her own jewelry which is something I do myself. I loved Max he’s just a good guy who hasn’t had the chance to win over Holly’s heart but of course getting her away from her old life is the prefect chance at love.
I picked up Ditched as a kindle freebie a long time ago but never seemed to get around to it which seems to be a trend for me. I really loved the idea of a sweet romance between best friends finding love and I think that the author did a tasteful job creating a clean romance between the two that doesn’t come off as re-bound like. I found Ditched to be a sweet romance which is also clean so anyone can enjoy it the relationship between Holly and Max is adorable. I enjoyed the story it was quick paced and fun hard to put down because I was curious to see what would happen to Holly next. Overall it's a light hearted romance which is perfect for a lazy afternoon. I’m a sucker for a happy ever after and Ditched doesn't disappoint.
June 2, 2013
3.5 Sweet stars i>
Just like the cover of this book which was something that caught my eye, the story was very sweet. Holly is a nineteen year old girl, that has her future neatly mapped out for her, she's getting ready to marry her high school sweetheart, finish college, build a house and have lots of babies. So at the end of the night of her bacherolette party,after all the fun, she decides to go to her fiancé's house, unfortunately she walks in on him having sex with a girl that wears bedazzled white cowboy boots ( yeah, I know what you are thinking) after learning what a cheating bastard she was about to marry, she tries to call off the wedding, but since her parents are best friends with her fiancé's folks they are not having it, so they put pressure on Holly to just go ahead with the wedding plans and figure out the rest later, she agrees but right when she's at the isle, she realizes she can't do it and runs for the hills (atta girl!! I was cheering so loud while reading this scene) Even though Holly's parents are very old fashion, since they had her later in life, she has the most wonderful friends, and then there is her best friend Max. Max is the handsome and sweet boy, that has always been there for her, without failure he's had her back through everything, but soon he's leaving to California to run his family winery. After the whole wedding debacle, Holly needs to get away and figure out for herself what is it that she really wants, instead of doing what she always does,pleasing everyone else. Max comes to the rescue, AGAIN!, and offers to take Holly with him to California for a couple of weeks so she can get things in order. The friendship between them is very easy and they really get each other, and day after day they start to develop deeper feelings, and thats when the fun begins. The author did a great job at keeping me interested through out the story, the characters are extremely likable, she was also wonderful at describing all the beautiful settings, when they were on the road trip, I truly felt like I was in the car with Max and Holly traveling around the country. The story is very PG, and I wish there was a bit more spice, but regardless I really enjoyed it, and I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking to read a sugary love story.
Just like the cover of this book which was something that caught my eye, the story was very sweet. Holly is a nineteen year old girl, that has her future neatly mapped out for her, she's getting ready to marry her high school sweetheart, finish college, build a house and have lots of babies. So at the end of the night of her bacherolette party,after all the fun, she decides to go to her fiancé's house, unfortunately she walks in on him having sex with a girl that wears bedazzled white cowboy boots ( yeah, I know what you are thinking) after learning what a cheating bastard she was about to marry, she tries to call off the wedding, but since her parents are best friends with her fiancé's folks they are not having it, so they put pressure on Holly to just go ahead with the wedding plans and figure out the rest later, she agrees but right when she's at the isle, she realizes she can't do it and runs for the hills (atta girl!! I was cheering so loud while reading this scene) Even though Holly's parents are very old fashion, since they had her later in life, she has the most wonderful friends, and then there is her best friend Max. Max is the handsome and sweet boy, that has always been there for her, without failure he's had her back through everything, but soon he's leaving to California to run his family winery. After the whole wedding debacle, Holly needs to get away and figure out for herself what is it that she really wants, instead of doing what she always does,pleasing everyone else. Max comes to the rescue, AGAIN!, and offers to take Holly with him to California for a couple of weeks so she can get things in order. The friendship between them is very easy and they really get each other, and day after day they start to develop deeper feelings, and thats when the fun begins. The author did a great job at keeping me interested through out the story, the characters are extremely likable, she was also wonderful at describing all the beautiful settings, when they were on the road trip, I truly felt like I was in the car with Max and Holly traveling around the country. The story is very PG, and I wish there was a bit more spice, but regardless I really enjoyed it, and I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking to read a sugary love story.
December 31, 2016
The title and cover work for this book pretty much tells you the basis of this story. By the time you have the synopsis you have everything you need to decide whether it's the book for you. It is what you expect and it was an enjoyable read.
Ditched is about a girl who leaves her future husband at the altar. Holly had her whole life planned out. She was going to marry her childhood sweetheart, get a degree in journalism and live happily ever after. This was everything she thought she ever wanted but when her future husband throws a spanner in the works her hand is forced in another direction.
Max has been in love with Holly since forever. He has watched her on and off relationship with Colin follow it's rocky path for years hoping he would eventually get his chance to prove he could offer her so much more but when she ounces her engagement he thinks it's all over. He decides it time to find a fresh start. When Holly discovers the truth about Colin she decides to leave town with Max. Now he has Holly all to himself. He has to work out if he can make her see he might just be the one for her. This book is a standalone novel however it says it's a two part story. It has no cliffhanger. Both are available for kindle unlimited so it would be free to read the next instalment however I don't think it's essential and the next book has a lot less pages.
4.5 stars out of 5. If you like the sound of the synopsis, then this is the book for you. This is a sweet story. It is a clean read however in this case I think a few more details may have added to the romance.
Ditched is about a girl who leaves her future husband at the altar. Holly had her whole life planned out. She was going to marry her childhood sweetheart, get a degree in journalism and live happily ever after. This was everything she thought she ever wanted but when her future husband throws a spanner in the works her hand is forced in another direction.
Max has been in love with Holly since forever. He has watched her on and off relationship with Colin follow it's rocky path for years hoping he would eventually get his chance to prove he could offer her so much more but when she ounces her engagement he thinks it's all over. He decides it time to find a fresh start. When Holly discovers the truth about Colin she decides to leave town with Max. Now he has Holly all to himself. He has to work out if he can make her see he might just be the one for her. This book is a standalone novel however it says it's a two part story. It has no cliffhanger. Both are available for kindle unlimited so it would be free to read the next instalment however I don't think it's essential and the next book has a lot less pages.
4.5 stars out of 5. If you like the sound of the synopsis, then this is the book for you. This is a sweet story. It is a clean read however in this case I think a few more details may have added to the romance.
April 24, 2013
At first Holly had me mad I was like oh heck no girl and than somewhere in there she come up with a back bone and decided to live her life for her you go girl...lol I loved Max from the get go the hell with whats his face lol I loved this book it had me so emotional I was yelling at Holly...lol how dare her family treat her like that though
January 8, 2015
Fun Read
This is another great book by Amity Hope. Her writing style flows so well. I loved the characters and really couldn't put this book down. I had to find out what happened with Holly and Max. I can't wait to check out more books by this author. I highly recommend this book you will definitely enjoy all the characters and the story line.
This is another great book by Amity Hope. Her writing style flows so well. I loved the characters and really couldn't put this book down. I had to find out what happened with Holly and Max. I can't wait to check out more books by this author. I highly recommend this book you will definitely enjoy all the characters and the story line.
June 2, 2015
Super cute
August 28, 2015
If you don't need graphic descriptions of hot, drippy, sweaty sex, then this romance is for you.
The title of the book is misleading and is reinforced by the cover, which gives the impression that Holly had been ditched. That isn't even close to what the book is about. IMHO, the book should have been titled "BETRAYED".
*****CAUTION - - SPOILERS FOLLOW*****
Holly is scheduled to marry Collin tomorrow, but her girls night out/bachelorette party has come to a bad end when the designated driver can't find her key's when they leave the club where the had been partying. The four girls only available call for help goes out to Max, a man who has been friends with the girls for the past four years.
Max takes the girls home or to their apartments and takes Holly to her fiances house. There is a strange car in the drive, but even though she's puzzled, she goes on in. When she gets into the house, she hears the unmistaken sounds of fornication. She thinks it is her fiances roommate. As she heads down the hall to the bedrooms she realizes the sounds are eminating from her fiance's room.
Courageous and a little frantic, she throws open the door, hits the lights and there he is. Her SOB fiance is banging away at someone.
At this point, I thought someone had gone mad. Holly's parents, Collins parents and Collin claim it's a last "boys will be boys" incident and nothing to cancel the wedding over. Browbeaten, Holly tries to go on with the wedding. As she is walked down the aisle to stand next to Collin, she notices the footware from the previous night, looks up and recognizes the girl as the girlfriend of Collins brother. Holly loses it and lets the church full of people know that her slug fiance had had sex with his brothers girlfriend the previous night. The shock of who had been doing the reclined Cha cha cha with her fiance the night before breaks the browbeaten shackles and she leaves the church.
Rescued by her best friend and Max, she is crazy to leave town. She goes to California with Max, where he is going to be learning the wine-making business from his grandparents.
Holly's life starts getting better immediately, arriving at the little beach house just at sundown over the Pacific. I'm very familiar with Pacific sundowns and was not surprised that Holly was totally blown away by what she saw.
This little romance has its bumps and bruises, but it ends the way it should.
A quick 2 1/2 hour read, I recommend it, even though some people will be left wanting a more blow-by-blow (pun intended) description of hot sex.
The title of the book is misleading and is reinforced by the cover, which gives the impression that Holly had been ditched. That isn't even close to what the book is about. IMHO, the book should have been titled "BETRAYED".
*****CAUTION - - SPOILERS FOLLOW*****
Holly is scheduled to marry Collin tomorrow, but her girls night out/bachelorette party has come to a bad end when the designated driver can't find her key's when they leave the club where the had been partying. The four girls only available call for help goes out to Max, a man who has been friends with the girls for the past four years.
Max takes the girls home or to their apartments and takes Holly to her fiances house. There is a strange car in the drive, but even though she's puzzled, she goes on in. When she gets into the house, she hears the unmistaken sounds of fornication. She thinks it is her fiances roommate. As she heads down the hall to the bedrooms she realizes the sounds are eminating from her fiance's room.
Courageous and a little frantic, she throws open the door, hits the lights and there he is. Her SOB fiance is banging away at someone.
At this point, I thought someone had gone mad. Holly's parents, Collins parents and Collin claim it's a last "boys will be boys" incident and nothing to cancel the wedding over. Browbeaten, Holly tries to go on with the wedding. As she is walked down the aisle to stand next to Collin, she notices the footware from the previous night, looks up and recognizes the girl as the girlfriend of Collins brother. Holly loses it and lets the church full of people know that her slug fiance had had sex with his brothers girlfriend the previous night. The shock of who had been doing the reclined Cha cha cha with her fiance the night before breaks the browbeaten shackles and she leaves the church.
Rescued by her best friend and Max, she is crazy to leave town. She goes to California with Max, where he is going to be learning the wine-making business from his grandparents.
Holly's life starts getting better immediately, arriving at the little beach house just at sundown over the Pacific. I'm very familiar with Pacific sundowns and was not surprised that Holly was totally blown away by what she saw.
This little romance has its bumps and bruises, but it ends the way it should.
A quick 2 1/2 hour read, I recommend it, even though some people will be left wanting a more blow-by-blow (pun intended) description of hot sex.
April 23, 2014
I liked this book from beginning to end. One thing I always look for in a book is character growth, and Holly definitely experiences it here. I love how she gets stronger throughout the book and can begin to see how she's been manipulated her whole life. I don't really think her parents meant to manipulate her, but everyone just fell into this groove. I think so many times we do just fall into a groove and we don't take a step back and ask ourselves what we really want. Making changes is within our own power! It's sad that for Holly, change had to come as the result of something heartbreaking, but she could have let it ruin her, and she didn't. I think this is only the beginning for Holly. And Max. One of my all time favorite male characters. Just the right amount of vulnerability mixed in his character to make him seem tough instead of weak, if that makes sense. Like, he's hurting but he just deals. All in all, I'm glad I read this book and will definitely read more from Amity Hope.
May 30, 2013
Okay fine, I'm a believer. Amity Hope really is that good. I'll admit I went into this book fully expecting all of the five star reviews that gushed and gushed to be huge exaggerations but I was wrong. Hope took a story that sounded like it would be just okay and turned it into a complete must-read, can't-put-down, have-to-wake-up-at-4:45-for-a-super-busy-day-but-still-reading-at-3:30 kind of book. I was totally in love with the characters, setting, pace, and well, pretty much everything. One thing though that I really loved was that the conclusion was not rushed but it also didn't drag and wasn't overly indulgent but still made me feel happy. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't know what would happen from the very beginning but I really enjoyed the journey. Way to go Amity Hope. I'll be checking out your other books for sure.
May 3, 2015
I have a hard time rating this one. It was really good and such a sweet story. In places, I could tell she was being descriptive of her surroundings. That's great and sometimes it's overdone. It's hard to find a happy medium. I get that being a fellow writer. I actually enjoyed the description and cleanliness. What I had a little hard time with was it never went anywhere. I wanted to push it along and I was frustrated to not get what I wanted or needed as a reader. I needed or wanted closure. Sure they were young but did they marry, did they just live together? Nothing, I was left with nothing as an invested reader. I still enjoyed it and it was sweet I just needed something.
October 12, 2013
pretty slow start and at times I skimmed chapters, as it drifted off on to pointless things. Characters I found bland and basic, It could have had better story lines at times I found parts boring. It does have a nice ending though
June 8, 2013
Sweet story and I love that is was clean! There are so many books out there that aren't. It is always refreshing to read a good story and not have all the smut! Thanks Amity!
July 19, 2018
This was just what the doctor ordered! A super cute, super sweet (think sugary sweet peeps) friends to lovers (or sweethearts) YA. I've been slogging through some heavier, more emotionally engaging books of late and after picking them up only to put them down an hour later and getting no further, I realised I needed a palate cleanse. And what better way to do that than to pile on the sugar as high as possible with Holly and Max?
And Holly, if Max goes 'missing' again, you wont find him locked in my bedroom. I solemnly swear. Never has a YA character encouraged my kidnapping wishes as much as Max. He's just... perfect. And he's the kind of guy one needs to have in mind as the standard all the while knowing mere mortals will never quite achieve that level of perfect-ness but still holding on to it just the same. And I promise I'd never try to sacrifice him like you did Holly, girl.
And Holly, all I can say is thank goodness you found your backbone quickly girl bc your parents and the Rat Bastard's parents had my eye twitching for a while.
Also, thank goodness for Lanna and Mike bc, well Holly would be manipulated within an inch of her life for the rest of her life if not for Lanna's interference.
But this was so sweet, I immediately picked up both Always and Burned, which will act as buffers for my other books, one for now, one for later.
And Holly, if Max goes 'missing' again, you wont find him locked in my bedroom. I solemnly swear. Never has a YA character encouraged my kidnapping wishes as much as Max. He's just... perfect. And he's the kind of guy one needs to have in mind as the standard all the while knowing mere mortals will never quite achieve that level of perfect-ness but still holding on to it just the same. And I promise I'd never try to sacrifice him like you did Holly, girl.
And Holly, all I can say is thank goodness you found your backbone quickly girl bc your parents and the Rat Bastard's parents had my eye twitching for a while.
Also, thank goodness for Lanna and Mike bc, well Holly would be manipulated within an inch of her life for the rest of her life if not for Lanna's interference.
But this was so sweet, I immediately picked up both Always and Burned, which will act as buffers for my other books, one for now, one for later.
December 1, 2018
This story was so damn adorable! I actually picked it up to read because I was trying to figure out a book about a bride that ran. This bride definitely ran, but wasn't the book I had been looking for. It was a pleasant surprise though! I became hooked very quickly!
So when we first meet Holly and her friends I was like, hmmmm, i'm missing something. I LOVED that they didn't outright say things, we really had to think. Then we got the big bomb dropped on us and I was DUMBFOUNDED! The way everyone treated Holly (except for Lanna and Max) was horrific! If my parents ever wanted me to stay in the asinine situation they wanted her to say in I'd smack every one of them in the damn face. So, Holly didn't actually slap them in the face, BUT figuratively SHE TOTALLY DID! IT WAS EPIC!!!!! Enough about these asshats... Lanna and Max totally had her back! I LOVED that Lanna was trying to play matchmaker too.
Max is the best guy! I loved that he helped sweep Holly off her feet and take her away from the wreckage. The way he treated her on this trip, like she was a princess, it was so adorable. I love how he didn't really walk around on egg shells like some people, but he made her live her life. I also adore how slowly she realized who Max really was. When the lightbulb went off, after WAY TOO MUCH influence, I WAS SO EXCITED! The best part though? It wasn't always sunshine and rainbows! It was real. I love that about books. I love how Holly really kept getting put through the hanger, hell even Max was! It wasn't just an easy, quick HEA, and that was the best part.
I'm super curious to see how their relationships buds and even more curious to see what ends up happening with Lanna in the next book!
So when we first meet Holly and her friends I was like, hmmmm, i'm missing something. I LOVED that they didn't outright say things, we really had to think. Then we got the big bomb dropped on us and I was DUMBFOUNDED! The way everyone treated Holly (except for Lanna and Max) was horrific! If my parents ever wanted me to stay in the asinine situation they wanted her to say in I'd smack every one of them in the damn face. So, Holly didn't actually slap them in the face, BUT figuratively SHE TOTALLY DID! IT WAS EPIC!!!!! Enough about these asshats... Lanna and Max totally had her back! I LOVED that Lanna was trying to play matchmaker too.
Max is the best guy! I loved that he helped sweep Holly off her feet and take her away from the wreckage. The way he treated her on this trip, like she was a princess, it was so adorable. I love how he didn't really walk around on egg shells like some people, but he made her live her life. I also adore how slowly she realized who Max really was. When the lightbulb went off, after WAY TOO MUCH influence, I WAS SO EXCITED! The best part though? It wasn't always sunshine and rainbows! It was real. I love that about books. I love how Holly really kept getting put through the hanger, hell even Max was! It wasn't just an easy, quick HEA, and that was the best part.
I'm super curious to see how their relationships buds and even more curious to see what ends up happening with Lanna in the next book!
February 5, 2017
Good read
What can I say. Finding that all you have been looking for is right in front of you. Please read.
What can I say. Finding that all you have been looking for is right in front of you. Please read.
April 30, 2019
1.75 stars.
May 4, 2013
I LOVED this book, honestly loved it.
Throughout the entire book, you can feel Max's pain, even though it wasnt from his perspective. When reading what Max's brother had to say to Hollie, I truly felt that Hollie had been a complete bitch to him, never trying to understand his feelings, leading him on even when she didnt recognize it for the previous 2-3 years since they had met.
If you had to ask me my opinion of her parents, I don't know exactly what I could say to you, cause I had mixed feelings, I liked her dad, he encouraged and supported her, however, I felt that he needed to grow some balls at the beginning of the book as he let his wife belittle Hollies feelings, SHE IGNORED THE FACT HE HAD CHEATED ON HER DEAUGHTER FOR FUCK SAKE, if that was my mom, she wouldnt be pushing me to marry someone for "appearances" sake 2 days after finding him shagging she would be kicking his stupid sorry ass.
How fucking ridiculous, I hate those types of snobby bitches, I know her mother loved her and all as we see at the end, but the way she treated her throughout the book was absolutely pathetic: Horrific parenting, you let your kids make their own mistakes, but you dont lead them to make them for the benefit of yourself.
I love Max, what a cutie, he was so sweet, when Hollie tried to set him up with that psycho I wanted to facepalm so badly, he was okay about it though, he was genuine, sweet, kind and respectful all the way through, even when she was crying about her dick sucker of an ex.
Anyway, so they move away to Max's grandparents vineyard for the summer, Hollie not knowing how long she will stay....So....How long will she end up staying?
Eh, Cant fill you in on that bit, that would be cheating you out of reading it yourself.
Summary:
Characters:
Love Max - what a fucking cutie.
Hollie - Mixed feelings, she was nice but a bit of a dumbass.
Hollies Parents - excuse me while I shake my fist at the computer. Assholes.
Max's brother - THANK FUCK SOMEONE SPEAKS SENSE!
Max's grandparents - How freaking sweet was his granny, I love her :D
Storyline: It was pretty good, I liked the way it played out, it was interesting and well thought through.
Writing Style: I had never read an Amity Hope book before but I thought this book was fluent, interesting and there wasnt a whole load of grammatical or spelling errors for me to complain about.
Steamy, Sexy, Please-dear-god-let-me-rub-my-body-on-you-ness: there wasnt much of that in this book to be quite honest, it was fairly steam-less so it would be fit for people age 15+ in my opinion.
Throughout the entire book, you can feel Max's pain, even though it wasnt from his perspective. When reading what Max's brother had to say to Hollie, I truly felt that Hollie had been a complete bitch to him, never trying to understand his feelings, leading him on even when she didnt recognize it for the previous 2-3 years since they had met.
If you had to ask me my opinion of her parents, I don't know exactly what I could say to you, cause I had mixed feelings, I liked her dad, he encouraged and supported her, however, I felt that he needed to grow some balls at the beginning of the book as he let his wife belittle Hollies feelings, SHE IGNORED THE FACT HE HAD CHEATED ON HER DEAUGHTER FOR FUCK SAKE, if that was my mom, she wouldnt be pushing me to marry someone for "appearances" sake 2 days after finding him shagging she would be kicking his stupid sorry ass.
How fucking ridiculous, I hate those types of snobby bitches, I know her mother loved her and all as we see at the end, but the way she treated her throughout the book was absolutely pathetic: Horrific parenting, you let your kids make their own mistakes, but you dont lead them to make them for the benefit of yourself.
I love Max, what a cutie, he was so sweet, when Hollie tried to set him up with that psycho I wanted to facepalm so badly, he was okay about it though, he was genuine, sweet, kind and respectful all the way through, even when she was crying about her dick sucker of an ex.
Anyway, so they move away to Max's grandparents vineyard for the summer, Hollie not knowing how long she will stay....So....How long will she end up staying?
Eh, Cant fill you in on that bit, that would be cheating you out of reading it yourself.
Summary:
Characters:
Love Max - what a fucking cutie.
Hollie - Mixed feelings, she was nice but a bit of a dumbass.
Hollies Parents - excuse me while I shake my fist at the computer. Assholes.
Max's brother - THANK FUCK SOMEONE SPEAKS SENSE!
Max's grandparents - How freaking sweet was his granny, I love her :D
Storyline: It was pretty good, I liked the way it played out, it was interesting and well thought through.
Writing Style: I had never read an Amity Hope book before but I thought this book was fluent, interesting and there wasnt a whole load of grammatical or spelling errors for me to complain about.
Steamy, Sexy, Please-dear-god-let-me-rub-my-body-on-you-ness: there wasnt much of that in this book to be quite honest, it was fairly steam-less so it would be fit for people age 15+ in my opinion.
February 27, 2015
At first I thought due to the cover that the girl had been ditched from a prom date, but once I got into the book I learnt that it was in fact a Wedding dress she is sitting in. Ditched, though it has all the makings of a New Adult novel, to me this was more of a teen novel. Holly is having the night of her life at her bacherolette party, but of course like most things - all good things have to come to an end, so she gets her best friend Max to drop her off at her fiance Chris's house. Though what Holly walks into wasn't something she ever suspected , her fiance Chris is cheating on her with some girl in cowboy boots. Heartbroken and confused, Holly decides to call the wedding off but her family and Chris's talk her into postponing the wedding instead. Fast forward to the day of the wedding and there in the front row is the girl with the cowboy boots and Holly and the wedding party will be shocked to discover who she is. Holly rushes out and hitches a ride with Max, he is headed to his grandparent's vineyard for the Summer to work before college starts. As the two of them start spending some extra time together, we wonder whether Max's love that he has for Holly will be reciprocated ? Will Holly be able to finally see that her "true love" has been in front of her this whole entire time ? Or will she continue to be clueless and try and set Max up on a few dates with girls around the smalltown ? Ditched is a HEA story that has the ideal of waking up and smelling the roses and seeing what's been in front of you the whole entire time and that something maybe the one thing you need in order to complete your life.
May 19, 2013
I just need to get this statement out of the way:
AMITY HOPE I HEART YOU BIG TIME!!!
I have yet to read a book of Amity's that I don't gush over. This one is no different!
5.0 stars out of 5.0 stars
This was just a great book. Holly and Collin have known each other forever and have been dating just as long. They were getting married very soon. She was going to get the happily ever after and her life was going to be perfect. Max was good friends with Holly and he was heading back to his hometown in California. He was trying to forget about the love he had for her.
Yep, that did not happen, at all! Actually, the opposite happened. Holly left Collin at the alter and ran off with Max to California. Holly's whole life has change in a matter of time. Holly is really unsure of what to do because all she knows is Collin and her parents.
Thankfully Max is there to help her learn that she is not just what her parents say she is. She grows while in California; however, she is not the brightest light bulb when it comes to the "hints" that Max is throwing out to her.
I just love Max. He is a great guy and truly cares about Holly. He is there for her whenever she needs him. Though, to me, it seems like she take advantage of him sometimes. Let me explain, he is there every, single time she needs him, but she doesn't catch any of his hints on his feelings to her.
This is a really good love story and I would recommend it!!
AMITY HOPE I HEART YOU BIG TIME!!!
I have yet to read a book of Amity's that I don't gush over. This one is no different!
5.0 stars out of 5.0 stars
This was just a great book. Holly and Collin have known each other forever and have been dating just as long. They were getting married very soon. She was going to get the happily ever after and her life was going to be perfect. Max was good friends with Holly and he was heading back to his hometown in California. He was trying to forget about the love he had for her.
Yep, that did not happen, at all! Actually, the opposite happened. Holly left Collin at the alter and ran off with Max to California. Holly's whole life has change in a matter of time. Holly is really unsure of what to do because all she knows is Collin and her parents.
Thankfully Max is there to help her learn that she is not just what her parents say she is. She grows while in California; however, she is not the brightest light bulb when it comes to the "hints" that Max is throwing out to her.
I just love Max. He is a great guy and truly cares about Holly. He is there for her whenever she needs him. Though, to me, it seems like she take advantage of him sometimes. Let me explain, he is there every, single time she needs him, but she doesn't catch any of his hints on his feelings to her.
This is a really good love story and I would recommend it!!
September 21, 2014
Holly steht kurz vor ihrer Hochzeit mit ihrem Freund aus Kindheitstagen nachdem sie ihr erstes Jahr am Collegen hinter sich gebracht hat. Die zwei sind zusammen aufgewachsen, er soll die Firma ihres Vaters übernehmen und alle sind glücklich. Da erwischt sie ihn zwei Tage vor der Hochzeit mit einer anderen. Druck von den Eltern führt dazu, dass Holly tatsächlich zum Altar schreitet. Allerdings erkennt sie in der ersten Reihe der Gäste die Frau, mit der ihr Bräutigam sie betrogen hat: die Freundin seines Bruders. Sie schmeisst Strauß und Hochzeit hin und rennt.
Ihr bester Freund Max hilft ihr bei der Flucht und ihre Freundin überzeugt sie, dass sie mit Max gleich weiter 'fliehen' soll, denn der ist auf dem Weg nach Californien, um dort das Weingut seiner Großeltern zu übernehmen.
Amity Hope schreibt solide Geschichten mit dem gewissen Touch an Drama. So auch diese. Es macht Spaß Holly zu beobachten, wie sie sich langsam von den Eltern löst und auf eigenen Beinen steht. Wenn man älter ist, vergisst man manchmal, wie schwierig es war, damals seinen eigenen Weg zu finden und nicht den Erwartungen der Familie oder der Gesellschaft zu entsprechen, weil es erst einmal einfacher ist. Aber am Ende lohnt es sich, den eigenen Weg zu gehen... auch für Holly.
Ihr bester Freund Max hilft ihr bei der Flucht und ihre Freundin überzeugt sie, dass sie mit Max gleich weiter 'fliehen' soll, denn der ist auf dem Weg nach Californien, um dort das Weingut seiner Großeltern zu übernehmen.
Amity Hope schreibt solide Geschichten mit dem gewissen Touch an Drama. So auch diese. Es macht Spaß Holly zu beobachten, wie sie sich langsam von den Eltern löst und auf eigenen Beinen steht. Wenn man älter ist, vergisst man manchmal, wie schwierig es war, damals seinen eigenen Weg zu finden und nicht den Erwartungen der Familie oder der Gesellschaft zu entsprechen, weil es erst einmal einfacher ist. Aber am Ende lohnt es sich, den eigenen Weg zu gehen... auch für Holly.
December 2, 2013
When you read the synopsis of this book, you get the sense that you know exactly how this book is going to end. Well, at least I did, but that didn't stop me from reading it. It was a very well written book and you automatically fell in love with the characters. There is one part that I laughed so hard at. It's when Max takes Holly to the nature forest or whatever it was and she thinks that there is cougars. OMG! I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. I had to literally put my Kindle down. let my laughing subside, wipe away the tears, and continue to read...only to start laughing even harder the further I read. I couldn't believe how funny it was. I really enjoyed the book and all the characters in it. I am looking forward to reading more by the author.
May 17, 2013
i wanted max to myself from the very beginning, he is the kind of guy i would love to have. I really liked the flow of this book. i also liked how she was slowly starting to fall for him BEFORE she found out that Max liked her, and not just all of a sudden be in love with him. a few things that i didn't like about the book was how fast it flew by. the first half took forever and then she found out he liked her and all of a sudden it was done. i also didn't like how he wasn't the one who told her, every one else did.Not once did he say 'i've had a crush on you for years'. all in all i say A+.
December 16, 2013
Ditched was a nice, sweet teen romance. Once we got past the initial wedding drama, not much else happened. Max was a sweet guy, Holly seemed a bit dim in not realizing his feelings for her sooner. Really, four years?
My biggest issue with the book was after Holly and Max returned to Chamberlain. Holly told her parents that she was staying in California, and she and Collin finally had their first face to face conversation since the wedding. Unfortunately, the author just chose to tell us these conversations happened, we weren't privy to the actual conversations! Big letdown.
My biggest issue with the book was after Holly and Max returned to Chamberlain. Holly told her parents that she was staying in California, and she and Collin finally had their first face to face conversation since the wedding. Unfortunately, the author just chose to tell us these conversations happened, we weren't privy to the actual conversations! Big letdown.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2015
On of my absolute favorites!
I absolutely love this book! I was so engrossed in reading about Holly and Collin. And then what happened with Holly and Max. There were a couple of times I just wanted to reach through this imaginary book and slap the parent upside their heads. Sometimes parents have good intentions but the parents just got on my nerves! All in all....I love love this book! It's one of my absolute favorites and I would read it over and over again. I can't wait to get the next book Always (a Ditched novella). I want to see what happens next. :)
I absolutely love this book! I was so engrossed in reading about Holly and Collin. And then what happened with Holly and Max. There were a couple of times I just wanted to reach through this imaginary book and slap the parent upside their heads. Sometimes parents have good intentions but the parents just got on my nerves! All in all....I love love this book! It's one of my absolute favorites and I would read it over and over again. I can't wait to get the next book Always (a Ditched novella). I want to see what happens next. :)
April 23, 2013
i had hoped that it would be a good one after reading the summary but all my hopes were dashed...the herione, Holly kept moping abt her cheating ex halfway through the book n that was all i needed to hate this book and if it wasn't enough, she had to be told that our hero was in love with her...i mean seriously!!! after everything the guy did for u...n to make matters worse there were no intimate scenes...no smexiness...all pg-13ish...i feel cheated now...lol
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