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Marin and Blu, a lifetime for two.
Such a cute rhyme for our wedding invitations. Until my wedding day didn’t happen.
I felt sure my life was over, and there was nothing left for me except heartache and loneliness. I had a lot to learn. About life, love, and loss.
When I heard Blu took off on our honeymoon trip by himself, I decided to make an escape as well. I needed to pause my life, take time to heal. Breathe. Laugh. Feel the sun on my skin.
Marin and Blu, boo-hoo.
I wasn’t expecting to meet Slade Sheridan on the heels of losing the false love of my life. He erased my grief and drew a picture-perfect future of us together. I thought I knew love. Turns out, we’d never even met before. Until now.
Blu who?
But when Blu makes a reappearance, my hasty actions threaten to destroy my new love. I know which man is the one for me. I have a new rhyme planned for my life.
Marin Sheridan.
Slade’s the one for me.
Right?
Such a cute rhyme for our wedding invitations. Until my wedding day didn’t happen.
I felt sure my life was over, and there was nothing left for me except heartache and loneliness. I had a lot to learn. About life, love, and loss.
When I heard Blu took off on our honeymoon trip by himself, I decided to make an escape as well. I needed to pause my life, take time to heal. Breathe. Laugh. Feel the sun on my skin.
Marin and Blu, boo-hoo.
I wasn’t expecting to meet Slade Sheridan on the heels of losing the false love of my life. He erased my grief and drew a picture-perfect future of us together. I thought I knew love. Turns out, we’d never even met before. Until now.
Blu who?
But when Blu makes a reappearance, my hasty actions threaten to destroy my new love. I know which man is the one for me. I have a new rhyme planned for my life.
Marin Sheridan.
Slade’s the one for me.
Right?
309 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2023
22 people are currently reading
1233 people want to read
About the author
Taylor Dean
20 books751 followersTaylor Dean/Lee Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up. Taylor has also jumped into the magical world of children’s books as Lee Taylor Dean, making one more dream into a reality.
Connect with Taylor on her website: www.taylordeanbooks.com
Connect with Taylor on her website: www.taylordeanbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 10, 2023
This was an unmitigated mess. Seriously, I read at least half of it just to see what else the author was going to foist on me as a "story". I'm debating about how much detail to go into seeing as I wasted hours just gathering grist for the mill of disdain. And now I feel like I just invented a magic item for my D&D campaign...
So Marin goes from a disaster of a wedding to a small town she loves on the Oregon coast to cry and maybe heal. She meets the cinnamon roll Slade who is literally too good for this world. By which I mean that he is special, author-crafted to be perfect. I mean seriously, his only "flaw" is that he's something of a goof. Okay, fine, he's way too immature for the stated thirty-one years and that was a little jarring, but given Marin's maturity level, he was the perfect fit.
And their romance is functionally over in, like, a week. At which point we get the dumbest reason for not having sex I've ever seen in a contemporary romance. "I was just raised that way" might work if there were something backing it. Like religious faith. Or a witch curse. Or aliens. But everyone who has hormones knows that "I was raised that way" isn't going to carry the load the author has placed on it. And that only gets worse when we meet Marin's parents and her mom is all "we're totally open about sex in this family." And I'm all "wut?" I mean, don't get me wrong. That's more or less exactly like my family. But that's because we are religious and have faith-based reasons to refrain from sex before marriage. So talking about it openly has a defined limitation and boundaries. This does not work in a contemporary family with no reason beyond "tradition" to not do the thing your hormones are screaming for.
And every time Marin enlists Slade to "help me keep my promise to myself", I'm all, "you mean the one you made in church because that's the place that can actually happen?!?"
So what I am saying is that this is exactly the kind of book I invented my "missing faith" tag to apply to. This stupid romance is chaste but only because the author removed the faith it should be based on with a baseball bat.
Which all gets even weirder when we get a random thing that pulls our two protagonists on a trip to Venice for what seems to me to be a lame attempt to draw the book out longer. I mean, by this time, the romance is complete. They're obviously in love, even if the words are only hinted at. So the romance is functionally over. But there's more pages to go before we can call this a book, so off we go on a weird plot to fluff out the book a bit. Oh, and do gondola and hot tub make outs instead of moody coastal make outs.
And fluff out it does. Fortunately, the only dark moment is . . . just as bad as everything else, honestly. It is totally manufactured. And it isn't made better when doing the thing makes you stupid and a little pathetic as well.
And to top off this tragically bad book, we get an epilogue in the first point of view shift of the story. Probably because the most craptastically bad epilogue I have ever read. Probably. I mean, I don't remember every epilogue equally, but I'm pretty sure this is the worst one.
One star for a book I wish I had stopped reading before I gathered all this material for a review. Do yourself a favor and skip this in favor of something better. It won't be hard to find.
A note about Chaste: I think I've beat this dead horse well-enough already. Except to say that our main couple spend a lot of time making out. Seriously. There is a lot of kissing in this story.
So Marin goes from a disaster of a wedding to a small town she loves on the Oregon coast to cry and maybe heal. She meets the cinnamon roll Slade who is literally too good for this world. By which I mean that he is special, author-crafted to be perfect. I mean seriously, his only "flaw" is that he's something of a goof. Okay, fine, he's way too immature for the stated thirty-one years and that was a little jarring, but given Marin's maturity level, he was the perfect fit.
And their romance is functionally over in, like, a week. At which point we get the dumbest reason for not having sex I've ever seen in a contemporary romance. "I was just raised that way" might work if there were something backing it. Like religious faith. Or a witch curse. Or aliens. But everyone who has hormones knows that "I was raised that way" isn't going to carry the load the author has placed on it. And that only gets worse when we meet Marin's parents and her mom is all "we're totally open about sex in this family." And I'm all "wut?" I mean, don't get me wrong. That's more or less exactly like my family. But that's because we are religious and have faith-based reasons to refrain from sex before marriage. So talking about it openly has a defined limitation and boundaries. This does not work in a contemporary family with no reason beyond "tradition" to not do the thing your hormones are screaming for.
And every time Marin enlists Slade to "help me keep my promise to myself", I'm all, "you mean the one you made in church because that's the place that can actually happen?!?"
So what I am saying is that this is exactly the kind of book I invented my "missing faith" tag to apply to. This stupid romance is chaste but only because the author removed the faith it should be based on with a baseball bat.
Which all gets even weirder when we get a random thing that pulls our two protagonists on a trip to Venice for what seems to me to be a lame attempt to draw the book out longer. I mean, by this time, the romance is complete. They're obviously in love, even if the words are only hinted at. So the romance is functionally over. But there's more pages to go before we can call this a book, so off we go on a weird plot to fluff out the book a bit. Oh, and do gondola and hot tub make outs instead of moody coastal make outs.
And fluff out it does. Fortunately, the only dark moment is . . . just as bad as everything else, honestly. It is totally manufactured. And it isn't made better when doing the thing makes you stupid and a little pathetic as well.
And to top off this tragically bad book, we get an epilogue in the first point of view shift of the story. Probably because the most craptastically bad epilogue I have ever read. Probably. I mean, I don't remember every epilogue equally, but I'm pretty sure this is the worst one.
One star for a book I wish I had stopped reading before I gathered all this material for a review. Do yourself a favor and skip this in favor of something better. It won't be hard to find.
A note about Chaste: I think I've beat this dead horse well-enough already. Except to say that our main couple spend a lot of time making out. Seriously. There is a lot of kissing in this story.
August 30, 2023
It's been a long time since I read something original that didn't have the standard rinse & repeat theme and while this may not be for everyone because it's a clean romance (no sex at all) and slow burn, to me it was still enjoyable but I never like to recommend anything to my GR friends because everyone has different tastes and you never know what one person likes, another may not so you have been warned.
This is a story about a heroine who thought she knew what love was - until she didn't and found the one for her that was meant to be.
Marin was set to marry her fiancée Blu but on their wedding day he flies the coop and gives her a Dear John (or is it Jane?) letter about how he is so sorry but he can't marry her because of some childhood trauma (stupid excuse if you ask me) and that he doesn't believe in marriage, yada yada. OM goes on their honeymoon alone to "think" leaving Marin devastated & heartbroken.
She decides to get away herself and ends up meeting a guy called Slade who is the epitome of what a book Hero should be. This Hero was amazing. The way he loved, supported her and was patient with her was perfection. He was a nice guy/normal Joe type character who halleluiah was not a Manho and fell fast & hard for Marin.
In turn, Marin fell for him too but she needed to mend her heart first to give it to him whole & carefree. This is what the story is about. Learning to accept what you can't change, letting go and finding what true love is. Marin thought she loved Blu but found Slade was her true heart. I loved these two together.
There is humor here too which I love and the POV of the douche ex at the end who regretted leaving Marin. He realized what he had and could have had with Marin but he saw he was too late and wanted her to be happy. While I was not fond of him, I liked that author inserted his POV at the end because it's very rare we ever read about an ex's regret and comeuppance.
Anyway, this IMO was a good one for me but it is does have very little romance and that may be a problem for some folks. It's more about discovering one self, friendship, learning to let go and finding "The One" that we were meant to be with.
This is a story about a heroine who thought she knew what love was - until she didn't and found the one for her that was meant to be.
Marin was set to marry her fiancée Blu but on their wedding day he flies the coop and gives her a Dear John (or is it Jane?) letter about how he is so sorry but he can't marry her because of some childhood trauma (stupid excuse if you ask me) and that he doesn't believe in marriage, yada yada. OM goes on their honeymoon alone to "think" leaving Marin devastated & heartbroken.
She decides to get away herself and ends up meeting a guy called Slade who is the epitome of what a book Hero should be. This Hero was amazing. The way he loved, supported her and was patient with her was perfection. He was a nice guy/normal Joe type character who halleluiah was not a Manho and fell fast & hard for Marin.
In turn, Marin fell for him too but she needed to mend her heart first to give it to him whole & carefree. This is what the story is about. Learning to accept what you can't change, letting go and finding what true love is. Marin thought she loved Blu but found Slade was her true heart. I loved these two together.
There is humor here too which I love and the POV of the douche ex at the end who regretted leaving Marin. He realized what he had and could have had with Marin but he saw he was too late and wanted her to be happy. While I was not fond of him, I liked that author inserted his POV at the end because it's very rare we ever read about an ex's regret and comeuppance.
Anyway, this IMO was a good one for me but it is does have very little romance and that may be a problem for some folks. It's more about discovering one self, friendship, learning to let go and finding "The One" that we were meant to be with.
August 31, 2023
Life definitely has its ups and downs. Joy and Happiness that warrant celebration. Sorrow and heartache that warrant grieving and healing. I absolutely loved how Taylor Dean took those true aspects of life and showed how we need time to PAUSE. That moments come and they are hard and emotionally overpowering sometimes, and physically draining, and mentally debilitating. But it is good and okay to hit pause and take time to breathe, cry, mourn, and just be, with no expectations on yourself. Sometimes that is the only way to truly heal and not cause those feelings and emotions to be bottled up and never be felt. I love that, even though these moments can be extremely hard, we are given reminders to hold loved ones close and take time to see the things that truly bring us joy and contentment. Especially the older that I get and the more moments of life that I experience, I've learned to savor all the moments and stages and seasons. That is what brings true joy!
Marin, oh Marin, how my heart ached for you in this book. Especially at the beginning of your journey. But the support you had was beautiful. And their encouraging you to take time to think and breathe and heal was wonderful. We all need a support system like that!
I'm so glad Slade was there for you! He didn't know you were coming but there he was, ever the gentleman and understanding person that he is. I love how these two met. The gentleness and even the humor that was present was perfect. It brought hope to Marin's life that through the hard and ugly, there's goodness.
There are so many funny moments that keep this book well rounded with all of the emotions and ups and downs. I loved it! And they didn't feel forced, they were so naturally added into the raw and tender moments. I had tears one moment and laughter the next. Honestly all the feels for this one!
The cast of characters were fabulous. I loved the people surrounding Slade, his family and friends. They were delightful and the way they supported each other made me stop and think about my friends and family and how grateful I am to have them in my life.
There are so many things I want to say about this book. So many moments I want to tell you about. But I really don't want to spoil anything. Go read it and then we can talk about it all!
From the beach/coastal town to the gorgeous descriptions of Venice, I was all in for these settings! I'm very familiar with the coastal town this book was set in and wanted to go back right away and experience it all!!! And Venice, definitely on my bucket list of places to visit!
This beautiful story will have you laughing, cheering, crying, possibly wanting to smack some sense into a character (but not), and turning the pages as quickly as you can. And that ending!!! Definitely some happy sighs and swooning going on!!!
Content: There are several kisses throughout the book, some mild and some moments where the characters make out but nothing further. Slade is a gentleman and Marin won't have intimate relations outside of marriage. There are some mild innuendos. There is mention of an off page affair that happened in the past with secondary characters. Overall, even with this content I would consider it a clean PG-13 rating. I would let my older teenagers (18+) read it.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
Marin, oh Marin, how my heart ached for you in this book. Especially at the beginning of your journey. But the support you had was beautiful. And their encouraging you to take time to think and breathe and heal was wonderful. We all need a support system like that!
I'm so glad Slade was there for you! He didn't know you were coming but there he was, ever the gentleman and understanding person that he is. I love how these two met. The gentleness and even the humor that was present was perfect. It brought hope to Marin's life that through the hard and ugly, there's goodness.
There are so many funny moments that keep this book well rounded with all of the emotions and ups and downs. I loved it! And they didn't feel forced, they were so naturally added into the raw and tender moments. I had tears one moment and laughter the next. Honestly all the feels for this one!
The cast of characters were fabulous. I loved the people surrounding Slade, his family and friends. They were delightful and the way they supported each other made me stop and think about my friends and family and how grateful I am to have them in my life.
There are so many things I want to say about this book. So many moments I want to tell you about. But I really don't want to spoil anything. Go read it and then we can talk about it all!
From the beach/coastal town to the gorgeous descriptions of Venice, I was all in for these settings! I'm very familiar with the coastal town this book was set in and wanted to go back right away and experience it all!!! And Venice, definitely on my bucket list of places to visit!
This beautiful story will have you laughing, cheering, crying, possibly wanting to smack some sense into a character (but not), and turning the pages as quickly as you can. And that ending!!! Definitely some happy sighs and swooning going on!!!
Content: There are several kisses throughout the book, some mild and some moments where the characters make out but nothing further. Slade is a gentleman and Marin won't have intimate relations outside of marriage. There are some mild innuendos. There is mention of an off page affair that happened in the past with secondary characters. Overall, even with this content I would consider it a clean PG-13 rating. I would let my older teenagers (18+) read it.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
August 25, 2023
Left at the altar, Marin escapes to a cozy and familiar seaside Oregon town to piece her life back together. An unforeseen incident leaves her at a bed and breakfast and her life drastically changes.
"My life is irrevocably changed. Yet the waves still continue to crash on the surf, and the earth is still turning on its axis. The sun is still desperately trying to peek through the clouds. The world moves on. Everything remains in working order. Except me. I'm broken. In recovery mode. In a reboot cycle. Desperately trying to restart."
I've missed Taylor Dean and love the new characters she created. Slade is the most gorgeous person, inside and out, and I fell head-over-heels for him. Marin completes him perfectly and together, I just couldn't get enough. They're magical and comforting, sweet and swoony.
I feel like the story was almost told in three acts and each one implanted deep into my heart. There's the hurt, a trip to Italy, and finally the recovery. I was invested and felt every moment of angst, hope, love, and each instance of happiness, sadness, and contentment. I loved it all, even the twists and turns, and I'm excited to see a hint of a new series.
Content: mild+ romance (off page affair, swoony kissing, mild innuendo)
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*
"My life is irrevocably changed. Yet the waves still continue to crash on the surf, and the earth is still turning on its axis. The sun is still desperately trying to peek through the clouds. The world moves on. Everything remains in working order. Except me. I'm broken. In recovery mode. In a reboot cycle. Desperately trying to restart."
I've missed Taylor Dean and love the new characters she created. Slade is the most gorgeous person, inside and out, and I fell head-over-heels for him. Marin completes him perfectly and together, I just couldn't get enough. They're magical and comforting, sweet and swoony.
I feel like the story was almost told in three acts and each one implanted deep into my heart. There's the hurt, a trip to Italy, and finally the recovery. I was invested and felt every moment of angst, hope, love, and each instance of happiness, sadness, and contentment. I loved it all, even the twists and turns, and I'm excited to see a hint of a new series.
Content: mild+ romance (off page affair, swoony kissing, mild innuendo)
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*
August 12, 2023
This book reminded me of why I adore Taylor Dean’s writing! I’m so glad she’s able to write again. I have missed her!
This book is a masterpiece! Just like a painting is created stroke by stroke. The picture, the emotions, the story is built line upon line. Completely immersing you in the emotions and lives of the characters.
Marin is all of us at one time or another, floundering after a huge upset. Slade is the perfect book boyfriend. So kind, helpful and loving right from the start. Sparks fly. Love begins.
I don’t want to spoil the story. Just know you need to read this book! You’ll be glad you did. Now just let me sit back and soak in all the feelings. Aaaaahhhhh! Perfection!
This book is a masterpiece! Just like a painting is created stroke by stroke. The picture, the emotions, the story is built line upon line. Completely immersing you in the emotions and lives of the characters.
Marin is all of us at one time or another, floundering after a huge upset. Slade is the perfect book boyfriend. So kind, helpful and loving right from the start. Sparks fly. Love begins.
I don’t want to spoil the story. Just know you need to read this book! You’ll be glad you did. Now just let me sit back and soak in all the feelings. Aaaaahhhhh! Perfection!
August 26, 2023
This story gave me all the feels- anxiety, love, hurt, hope, swoon, worry, anger, sadness, laughter; I loved it all. The talented Taylor Dean proved once again why she is one of my favorite authors.
The protagonist, Marin, is left reeling and trying to put her life back together after being left abruptly on her wedding day. Her reactions and feelings are so real and raw, and it was easy to picture her working through her grief and all the changes that came with it. She loves to be in control and have a plan, so when everything is ripped out from underneath her she runs to the one place she always felt happy. This is where Slade finds her, and almost immediately you can feel the sparks fly.
I adored this story! Marin works through her pain and grief, and soon comes to realize all that she did and didn’t know about what it means to love. There were so many swoony moments in this clean romance- my toes were definitely curled in delight! Slade is such a great hero and so good at showing what love is. And their adventure together?! All I can say is now I’m dying to go to Venice.
This is so much more than a sweet love story, and I love how life keeps happening to Marin throughout the book. She doesn’t have everything figured out, but it just makes her so much more real and lovable as a protagonist. Her daily gratitude for the things that bring her joy and happiness really hit home for me. I love how the author makes me think about this book long after I finish. Definitely clear your schedule for this book- it’s a story you won’t want to miss!
**I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
The protagonist, Marin, is left reeling and trying to put her life back together after being left abruptly on her wedding day. Her reactions and feelings are so real and raw, and it was easy to picture her working through her grief and all the changes that came with it. She loves to be in control and have a plan, so when everything is ripped out from underneath her she runs to the one place she always felt happy. This is where Slade finds her, and almost immediately you can feel the sparks fly.
I adored this story! Marin works through her pain and grief, and soon comes to realize all that she did and didn’t know about what it means to love. There were so many swoony moments in this clean romance- my toes were definitely curled in delight! Slade is such a great hero and so good at showing what love is. And their adventure together?! All I can say is now I’m dying to go to Venice.
This is so much more than a sweet love story, and I love how life keeps happening to Marin throughout the book. She doesn’t have everything figured out, but it just makes her so much more real and lovable as a protagonist. Her daily gratitude for the things that bring her joy and happiness really hit home for me. I love how the author makes me think about this book long after I finish. Definitely clear your schedule for this book- it’s a story you won’t want to miss!
**I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
September 24, 2023
Poor Marin! She is blindsided by Blu's sudden abandonment, and encouraged by her support system of family and friends to take some time off for herself to grieve. She breaks down in front of a cute inn- wedding dress, streaked mascara, and all, and is rescued by Slade, who is too good to be true! I appreciated how they took their relationship slowly, keeping in mind the trauma Marin is recovering from. They are so sweet and fun together, and I absolutely loved it as they built a foundation for their romance. Marin feels things so intensely, but as much as Slade helped her heal and experience a different kind of relationship (fun and caring), and she did her best to not bury her emotions about being left at the altar... her resentment towards Blu comes raging back at the most inopportune moment. A lovely angsty romance with a strong supporting cast and amazing setting!
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
August 29, 2023
Let me start by saying how happy I am that Taylor Dean is writing again! And this book was worth the wait. This book has all the raw open emotions that we know and love from her. Marin definitely runs away after a painful and traumatic experience, and pauses her normal life. She meets Slade, with his wacky sense of humor and omgosh, bubble blowing talents. What happens when she unpauses? What about Slade?
Definitely a reread, as all of Taylor Dean's books are. Clean romance. Painful emotions in detail, including treatment for breast cancer, jilted at the altar, learning truths about parentage, and more.
Family is amazing, no matter where you find it. And happiness is found where you are.
Received an ARC to read early, my opinions are my own.
Definitely a reread, as all of Taylor Dean's books are. Clean romance. Painful emotions in detail, including treatment for breast cancer, jilted at the altar, learning truths about parentage, and more.
Family is amazing, no matter where you find it. And happiness is found where you are.
Received an ARC to read early, my opinions are my own.
August 25, 2023
Loved, Loved, Loved it!
November 7, 2023
I absolutely LOVED the first half of the book. Like, LOVED IT. The rest of it was good too, but the first half is where it’s at.
The plot was different than your usual romance. They don’t have any awful communication problems or major obstacles as a 3rd act conflict, at least not really. (One thing about this author that I like is that she doesn’t let stupid miscommunications fester, when the reader is screaming at the characters to talk to each other!) Instead, the plot is propelled by other events. It showcased the depth of their love. However, the plot and also the repetition about waiting and giving themselves more time seemed to slow the momentum, imo. In any case, their love story was SO romantic, and the chemistry was really high. The perspective that the epilogue is written from was clever- it definitely piqued my interest again.
I loved how thoughtful, wise and mature Slade was. He was perfect! Maybe too perfect, but I sure didn’t mind. (His rambling teasing did seem old at times, but Marin loved it so that made it more endearing.)
The writing was great except one small thing- this author sometimes writes dialogue a little too formally with phrases such as, “I think the world of you.” Imagining that coming out of a 30-year old’s mouth just seems clunky and unnatural. Overly formal dialogue pulled me out of the book several times.
But there was also dialogue that was clever and hilarious!! And the writing in other places was engaging:
Quote:
Matteo is deliberately vague, making me wonder what type of words they exchanged. Words of love? Apologies? Possible future plans? Inquiring minds want to know.
Quote:
I think revenge is the emptiest feeling in the world. It achieves nothing except making you feel horrible about yourself. Mission accomplished. I feel like an idiot.
I feel like the author did a good job of handing the “no sex before marriage” stance in a nonjudgmental, natural way. I liked that aspect a lot. Also, loved how the author handled heartbreak and trauma… and revenge and the whole family/marriage-is-a-fulfilling-institution thing. Handled these topics perfectly. I really relate to this author’s characters- she writes the best heroes and heroines.
Overall, a winner! And that chemistry- so good!
Content- No swearing, sex or alcohol/drug abuse.
I read this on KU.
The plot was different than your usual romance. They don’t have any awful communication problems or major obstacles as a 3rd act conflict, at least not really. (One thing about this author that I like is that she doesn’t let stupid miscommunications fester, when the reader is screaming at the characters to talk to each other!) Instead, the plot is propelled by other events. It showcased the depth of their love. However, the plot and also the repetition about waiting and giving themselves more time seemed to slow the momentum, imo. In any case, their love story was SO romantic, and the chemistry was really high. The perspective that the epilogue is written from was clever- it definitely piqued my interest again.
I loved how thoughtful, wise and mature Slade was. He was perfect! Maybe too perfect, but I sure didn’t mind. (His rambling teasing did seem old at times, but Marin loved it so that made it more endearing.)
The writing was great except one small thing- this author sometimes writes dialogue a little too formally with phrases such as, “I think the world of you.” Imagining that coming out of a 30-year old’s mouth just seems clunky and unnatural. Overly formal dialogue pulled me out of the book several times.
But there was also dialogue that was clever and hilarious!! And the writing in other places was engaging:
Quote:
Matteo is deliberately vague, making me wonder what type of words they exchanged. Words of love? Apologies? Possible future plans? Inquiring minds want to know.
Quote:
I think revenge is the emptiest feeling in the world. It achieves nothing except making you feel horrible about yourself. Mission accomplished. I feel like an idiot.
I feel like the author did a good job of handing the “no sex before marriage” stance in a nonjudgmental, natural way. I liked that aspect a lot. Also, loved how the author handled heartbreak and trauma… and revenge and the whole family/marriage-is-a-fulfilling-institution thing. Handled these topics perfectly. I really relate to this author’s characters- she writes the best heroes and heroines.
Overall, a winner! And that chemistry- so good!
Content- No swearing, sex or alcohol/drug abuse.
I read this on KU.
August 29, 2023
I’m going on a limb here and say this deserves a 4 star really but I wasn’t in the right headspace reading it (too tired from a long weekend) and I’m not that generous today because I need some spicy sex scenes in my romances. Clean romances just don’t do it for me and that alone dropped my rating. So while I liked it, I found also that it dragged a lot and bored me with the constant repetitions from heroine of thinking or mentioning her ex in almost every other page and the hurt he caused… I mean, we get it. He hurt her deeply and she is now over him so why the constant mentions? Grrr…!
Other than that, it was a great pallet cleanser from all the nasty ones I read lately and I liked that it had humor and likable MCs. I liked the realistic (somewhat) message of picking oneself up when the chips are down and finding your “One” that is meant to be. I want me a Slade now too. 🤷
“Do you want this to happen, Marin?” he whispers. “If you’re not ready…”
I answer his question with the introspection it deserves. “You’ve chased away my thoughts of…” I don’t want to say his name. He has no right to be here. “…anyone else. The only man I can think of is you. You own my thoughts.”
Slade blinks as though his eyelids are heavy.
“I’m ready and…” Here comes the word I hate—the four-letter word that’s actually seven—but it needs to be said. “…I’m not on the rebound. I don’t want a fling to forget about my life. That’s not the type of relationship I’m looking for.”
“You’re a beautiful person, Marin. Inside and out. I could feel it the first moment I met you,” he whispers, his lips close to mine. It appears neither of us has the ability to speak normally. “I love the way you love. I hated your heartbreak, but it taught me so much about you. When you love, you love deeply. I want someone to love me like that.”
In my mind, I’m raising my hand, yelling, “Me. Me. Oh please, me! Choose me!” I tell my imagination to shut up. I’m enjoying real life right now.
His eyes search, memorizing my face. “From the first second I met you, I saw your vulnerability. You didn’t hide it. I loved that about you. You were so open and honest about your feelings. I could feel your emotions as if they were my own. I actually hurt for you. That’s never happened to me before. I wanted to take away your pain. I wanted to be the one to put a smile on your face. I wanted to know what it would be like to be loved by you.”
---
“I didn’t realize I was the one who loved more when it came to Blu. I’ve heard it said there’s always one person in a relationship who loves more. I don’t want anything of the sort and I refuse to accept it ever again”.
----
His answer is to kiss me with all of the pent-up fire within him. I lean my head back, letting our kiss deepen as I dissolve into him. I bring my arms up, wrapping them around his neck. I love the feel of his arms holding me tight, pulling me to him, so close even air couldn’t fit between us. He doesn’t hold back, instead he unleashes his passion, his kiss telling me what he’s feeling inside. There’s a sensation of bonding, of two souls coming together who’ve been yearning for each other forever. Like I’ve found the other half of me I didn’t know was missing.
Hello, Love. Nice to meet you. I thought I knew you. Turns out, we’ve never even been friends.
“What do you want?” My entire being fills with dread as I await his answer.
“Let’s get this all out in the open, okay? First let me tell you what I don’t want. I don’t want to see you face anymore heartbreak. I don’t want you to put your hopes and dreams on the back burner for me. I don’t want you to feel resentment toward me. And most of all, I don’t want to lose you.”
My breath hitches in my throat. I wasn’t expecting that.
He goes on, his gaze riveted on mine. “What do I want? I’ll tell you, and I won’t hold back. Prepare yourself. I want you to stay here at Sheridan House, and I want to spend every single second possible with you. I want our relationship to become the most important thing to both of us. I want to kiss you every day for the rest of my life. Multiple times a day. I want my future to include you. In essence, I want…you.”
----
“We’ll work together. We’ll do everything together.”
“I like that idea,” he mumbles, as his lips hover over mine. “We’ll do absolutely everything together. If I need a root canal, you’ll grab an ice skate, perform Castaway dental care on yourself, and we’ll go to the dentist appointment side by side. If you’re throwing up, I’ll down some ipecac and pray to the porcelain god with you. We’ll be like Jack and Rose; if you jump, I jump. If we’re floating in a freezing ocean, we’ll figure out how we can both fit on top of the debris. None of that I’ll never let go and then letting go junk. It’ll be great. Love this togetherness stuff. Pinky promise?”
I continue kissing him even though I can’t keep a straight face. “Hard pass.” His humor is warped. Yet I fall for it. Every time.
“What? You slay me. I…”
Safety:
No Cheating
NO OM/OW drama
No intimate scenes with OP
Hero was engaged 1 year prior to OW but mutually broke up & remained friends as they realized they were not meant to be.
Heroine was with OM for 2 years but never slept with him (she was a virgin) as she was saving it for marriage.
PG/Clean romance (no sex at all and not even much groping). Hero is a true gentleman & respectful.
HEA with marriage.
Other than that, it was a great pallet cleanser from all the nasty ones I read lately and I liked that it had humor and likable MCs. I liked the realistic (somewhat) message of picking oneself up when the chips are down and finding your “One” that is meant to be. I want me a Slade now too. 🤷
“Do you want this to happen, Marin?” he whispers. “If you’re not ready…”
I answer his question with the introspection it deserves. “You’ve chased away my thoughts of…” I don’t want to say his name. He has no right to be here. “…anyone else. The only man I can think of is you. You own my thoughts.”
Slade blinks as though his eyelids are heavy.
“I’m ready and…” Here comes the word I hate—the four-letter word that’s actually seven—but it needs to be said. “…I’m not on the rebound. I don’t want a fling to forget about my life. That’s not the type of relationship I’m looking for.”
“You’re a beautiful person, Marin. Inside and out. I could feel it the first moment I met you,” he whispers, his lips close to mine. It appears neither of us has the ability to speak normally. “I love the way you love. I hated your heartbreak, but it taught me so much about you. When you love, you love deeply. I want someone to love me like that.”
In my mind, I’m raising my hand, yelling, “Me. Me. Oh please, me! Choose me!” I tell my imagination to shut up. I’m enjoying real life right now.
His eyes search, memorizing my face. “From the first second I met you, I saw your vulnerability. You didn’t hide it. I loved that about you. You were so open and honest about your feelings. I could feel your emotions as if they were my own. I actually hurt for you. That’s never happened to me before. I wanted to take away your pain. I wanted to be the one to put a smile on your face. I wanted to know what it would be like to be loved by you.”
---
“I didn’t realize I was the one who loved more when it came to Blu. I’ve heard it said there’s always one person in a relationship who loves more. I don’t want anything of the sort and I refuse to accept it ever again”.
----
His answer is to kiss me with all of the pent-up fire within him. I lean my head back, letting our kiss deepen as I dissolve into him. I bring my arms up, wrapping them around his neck. I love the feel of his arms holding me tight, pulling me to him, so close even air couldn’t fit between us. He doesn’t hold back, instead he unleashes his passion, his kiss telling me what he’s feeling inside. There’s a sensation of bonding, of two souls coming together who’ve been yearning for each other forever. Like I’ve found the other half of me I didn’t know was missing.
Hello, Love. Nice to meet you. I thought I knew you. Turns out, we’ve never even been friends.
“What do you want?” My entire being fills with dread as I await his answer.
“Let’s get this all out in the open, okay? First let me tell you what I don’t want. I don’t want to see you face anymore heartbreak. I don’t want you to put your hopes and dreams on the back burner for me. I don’t want you to feel resentment toward me. And most of all, I don’t want to lose you.”
My breath hitches in my throat. I wasn’t expecting that.
He goes on, his gaze riveted on mine. “What do I want? I’ll tell you, and I won’t hold back. Prepare yourself. I want you to stay here at Sheridan House, and I want to spend every single second possible with you. I want our relationship to become the most important thing to both of us. I want to kiss you every day for the rest of my life. Multiple times a day. I want my future to include you. In essence, I want…you.”
----
“We’ll work together. We’ll do everything together.”
“I like that idea,” he mumbles, as his lips hover over mine. “We’ll do absolutely everything together. If I need a root canal, you’ll grab an ice skate, perform Castaway dental care on yourself, and we’ll go to the dentist appointment side by side. If you’re throwing up, I’ll down some ipecac and pray to the porcelain god with you. We’ll be like Jack and Rose; if you jump, I jump. If we’re floating in a freezing ocean, we’ll figure out how we can both fit on top of the debris. None of that I’ll never let go and then letting go junk. It’ll be great. Love this togetherness stuff. Pinky promise?”
I continue kissing him even though I can’t keep a straight face. “Hard pass.” His humor is warped. Yet I fall for it. Every time.
“What? You slay me. I…”
Safety:
No Cheating
NO OM/OW drama
No intimate scenes with OP
Hero was engaged 1 year prior to OW but mutually broke up & remained friends as they realized they were not meant to be.
Heroine was with OM for 2 years but never slept with him (she was a virgin) as she was saving it for marriage.
PG/Clean romance (no sex at all and not even much groping). Hero is a true gentleman & respectful.
HEA with marriage.
September 1, 2023
Taylor Dean always gives me the romance I need! I was swept away from the moment it started til the end! What a beautiful book of all the feels! The writing was smooth and endearing! The swoon was off the charts and I am not joking…the words of love were spell-binding! Enjoy!!
I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily! Thank you!
I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily! Thank you!
June 3, 2025
I’m loving Taylor’s books! So deep and emotional and romantic. Absolutely love them. And I appreciate that they are closed door.
Slade was the sweetest and way more understanding than anyone I’ve ever heard of. I appreciated that he allowed Marin to process all of her emotions and he didn’t get offended. It was such a great example of understanding and communication.
It also reminded me of Letters to Juliet which is one of my favorite movies 🥰
Slade was the sweetest and way more understanding than anyone I’ve ever heard of. I appreciated that he allowed Marin to process all of her emotions and he didn’t get offended. It was such a great example of understanding and communication.
It also reminded me of Letters to Juliet which is one of my favorite movies 🥰
August 26, 2023
I love Taylor Dean's books and am excited for her latest story, "Pause". This is a sweet story that runs the spectrum of emotions. Marin is left at the altar, and is presented with a new person in her life pretty quickly in the story, but I appreciate how the relationship with Slade progressed. Marin wasn't just instantly over Blu and jumped thoughtlessly into a new relationship with hearts and stars in her eyes. Marin let herself feel grief, pain, anger, etc. She took a pause to heal and to find out who she is, what she wants and how she gets there. A true friendship with Slade unfolded and evolved into something beautiful that Marin never could have predicted or foreseen.
Sometimes life throws us some real curveballs, which seems completely unfair, and we are left struggling to figure out how to move on with life with this new wrench in the plans. Sometimes, like with Marin, it leads something wonderful after the struggle, (but that doesn't lessen the frustration and pain it takes to get that point). I love the idea of really living in and soaking up the things around us. I think I want to visit this town in Oregon now. It sounds wonderful and magical. And I need to figure out how to see a bubble artist. Slade is definitely a great mix of swoony and sweetness. Another wonderful story by Taylor Dean that I completely recommend. Can't wait for the next one!
Sometimes life throws us some real curveballs, which seems completely unfair, and we are left struggling to figure out how to move on with life with this new wrench in the plans. Sometimes, like with Marin, it leads something wonderful after the struggle, (but that doesn't lessen the frustration and pain it takes to get that point). I love the idea of really living in and soaking up the things around us. I think I want to visit this town in Oregon now. It sounds wonderful and magical. And I need to figure out how to see a bubble artist. Slade is definitely a great mix of swoony and sweetness. Another wonderful story by Taylor Dean that I completely recommend. Can't wait for the next one!
September 2, 2023
Swoony and Sweet
What a comeback by Taylor Dean! I love her writing and this was no different! It was swoony and poignant with hard hitting truths I underlined.
The epilogue has a unique perspective that brings the story full-circle. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from Taylor Dean!
This was a sweet read, I would rate this PG-13 for swoony kisses and a little innuendo, joking about revoking a "man-card".
What a comeback by Taylor Dean! I love her writing and this was no different! It was swoony and poignant with hard hitting truths I underlined.
The epilogue has a unique perspective that brings the story full-circle. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from Taylor Dean!
This was a sweet read, I would rate this PG-13 for swoony kisses and a little innuendo, joking about revoking a "man-card".
December 1, 2023
Loved the sweet story between Marin and Slade. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of their time in Venice.
Personal rating: PG-13 A little heavier on the romance descriptions than some, but not over the edge.
Personal rating: PG-13 A little heavier on the romance descriptions than some, but not over the edge.
August 27, 2023
Good book!
I enjoyed reading this emotional and fun book, and I am looking forward to reading more books by Taylor Dean!
I enjoyed reading this emotional and fun book, and I am looking forward to reading more books by Taylor Dean!
September 25, 2023
Happiness
What a great book! I love the way the characters live and support each other. No Their loyalty is endless.
What a great book! I love the way the characters live and support each other. No Their loyalty is endless.
December 5, 2023
This is a heart felt story that you can immerse yourself in. Slade is the man every woman would love to have: he's protective, thoughtful, and a hard worker.
August 21, 2023
After a brief pause in life, author Taylor Dean (one of my favorites) is back on the scene. I've really missed her writing and her books so excitement levels are high with this new book, releasing on August 25th!
Do you ever just want a dreamy love story where you get to let out breathy sighs the whole way through because it's just so romantic and sweet? That's pretty much this book. I absolutely loved basking in the growing attractions and love of Slade and Marin. It was, well, dreamy. All the heart eyes, dreamy. Because Slade is DREAMY.
I could gush on and on about Slade but honestly, you should just experience him firsthand. He'll make you smile. And swoon. Marin is one lucky girl to find and experience real love, true love, on the heels of something heartbreaking. Because yeah, there were some moments of sadness, shock and anxiety in this story but mostly, love. And now I want to go to Venice. It's always been on my bucket list.
The whole cast of secondary characters are great. They felt comfortable and familiar the whole way through. It was easy to settle in with this story and stay there, in that dreamy, comfortable state until the end. I loved it. Adored it.
Speaking of the end, it made me excited for the next book, that must come soon! Ooh, I'm SO curious about what is coming next. Blu? Is that you?
Content: Kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Do you ever just want a dreamy love story where you get to let out breathy sighs the whole way through because it's just so romantic and sweet? That's pretty much this book. I absolutely loved basking in the growing attractions and love of Slade and Marin. It was, well, dreamy. All the heart eyes, dreamy. Because Slade is DREAMY.
I could gush on and on about Slade but honestly, you should just experience him firsthand. He'll make you smile. And swoon. Marin is one lucky girl to find and experience real love, true love, on the heels of something heartbreaking. Because yeah, there were some moments of sadness, shock and anxiety in this story but mostly, love. And now I want to go to Venice. It's always been on my bucket list.
The whole cast of secondary characters are great. They felt comfortable and familiar the whole way through. It was easy to settle in with this story and stay there, in that dreamy, comfortable state until the end. I loved it. Adored it.
Speaking of the end, it made me excited for the next book, that must come soon! Ooh, I'm SO curious about what is coming next. Blu? Is that you?
Content: Kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 19, 2023
This romance had one of my favorite heroes ever. Marin has been left at the altar and escapes to Misty Gray, Oregon, thinking her life is over. When her rental breaks down right in front of Sheridan House and she gets out in her wedding dress, windblown hair, and mascara-smeared face, little does she know that her life is about to truly begin when she meets Slade, the owner of the bed and breakfast, who literally rescues her heart. I loved these two characters. They were funny and messy and almost perfect at times. Their romance was very fulfilling to watch bloom throughout the book. The side characters also gave the story even more depth. Joss is a sweetheart and you love and ache for her. Lauren, Slade’s mom who is healing from cancer, is a true hero as well. I loved seeing glimpses into her beautiful mind and learning from her wisdom. Mateo, in Italy (yes, they get there in the middle of the story), is charming, and so is his family. I won’t explain everyone here, just tease you with glimpses of their awesomeness. It’s both a heart-tugging and heart-warming romance that I had trouble putting down. I always love the raw emotion I find in a Taylor Dean book, and this one didn’t disappoint. I loved every second of my journey with Marin and Slade. Highly recommend!
February 16, 2024
I'm struggling with how to rate this one. There were parts I really liked, but others....not so much. The beginning I thought was pretty good, believable and flowed well. As we got to know the characters more, some of the actions seemed very out of touch.
I thought the mc's were both mostly likeable characters, but the fmc was like a yo-yo with her emotions. I understand having confidence issues, especially with what she had recently been through, but it seemed really excessive. I did really like the HEA and the very end was cute.
I received a digital copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I thought the mc's were both mostly likeable characters, but the fmc was like a yo-yo with her emotions. I understand having confidence issues, especially with what she had recently been through, but it seemed really excessive. I did really like the HEA and the very end was cute.
I received a digital copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
August 1, 2024
I downloaded this and only read the blurb. Based on the description, it sounded like Blu would be more of a player in the story than he is. He doesn’t exist in the book except in the epilogue? The blurb doesn’t match the book.
The whole romance with Slade was strange for me. I found it wildly unrealistic that someone can be dumped on their wedding day and basically be ready to marry someone else in a week. There were so many odd moments and so many characters pushing this strange narrative that I kinda thought Slade might turn out to be psycho in some way. And honestly, that would have made this book way more interesting. Most of this book was incredibly boring (I skipped basically the entire trip to Italy). I didn’t want Marin to end up with Blu, but I think this book could be reworked into a thriller and be much, much better.
The whole romance with Slade was strange for me. I found it wildly unrealistic that someone can be dumped on their wedding day and basically be ready to marry someone else in a week. There were so many odd moments and so many characters pushing this strange narrative that I kinda thought Slade might turn out to be psycho in some way. And honestly, that would have made this book way more interesting. Most of this book was incredibly boring (I skipped basically the entire trip to Italy). I didn’t want Marin to end up with Blu, but I think this book could be reworked into a thriller and be much, much better.
August 3, 2023
Once I found Taylor Dean years ago, I quickly consumed every one of her books. Thankfully she was able to unPAUSE her own life and start writing again, PTL! PAUSE is another work of art from start to finish. Marin is so relatable, she didn't jump into love even though she wanted to. Her caution allowed her to make wise decisions and really feel true love for all it's worth. Let's just collectively sigh for Slade and his humor, patience and humongous heart. These two made every other character shine and We were immersed in both Oregon and Italy with rich descriptions and wonderful character development. I'm sad I can't stay at Sheridan House myself and be a part of their family. 5 STARS!!!
September 20, 2023
I won this book in a good reads giveaway. This was story made me remember that sometimes one door is closed but behind the new door is something so much more wonderful and real. I loved the author's writing style and the story was simple and sweet. It was a fast read and the supporting characters were important to the overall flow of the storyline. I like when you get a sense of all the characters and not just the MMC and FMC. The author did a good job with showing how someone can overcome diversity and come out better on the other side. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves the idea of love conquering all and/or love wins in the end.
August 28, 2023
I get that this doesn't equate to cheating and I did like that. However, (and this is a big one for me) it all happened too quick. She was thinking herself in love and about their future marriage and children from the starting line and that just felt disingenuous.
He loves how she loves? Does he love that she is able to fall in love with someone new in the space of a heartbeat? Because I did not.
He loves how she loves? Does he love that she is able to fall in love with someone new in the space of a heartbeat? Because I did not.
October 3, 2023
This is what I liked: Laugh out loud moment with Frankenstein's bride, Oregon coast, Joss, Slade's amazing personality and sense of humor. When you think the story is finished, it takes a whole different turn. Clean.
This is what I didn't like: what in the world! It was so obvious that the author was writing off her vacation to Venice. Really? A local taking them to all the tourist spots? Wikipedia descriptions of all the local attractions? Please
This is what I didn't like: what in the world! It was so obvious that the author was writing off her vacation to Venice. Really? A local taking them to all the tourist spots? Wikipedia descriptions of all the local attractions? Please
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2023
A swoon worthy romance that’s perfect for a quick easy read. It’s full of true love, second chances, hurt, anger, and betrayal. Taylor Dean sure does know how to write toe curling clean love stories that also tackle hard emotions. Would definitely recommend this book along with all her others.
*I received an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review*
*I received an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review*
September 5, 2023
It wasn’t my favourite of her books but I did like it. For me it started off fast, dragged for a bit around the middle, and picked up again. It could also be my frame of mind/mood at the time. Maybe I would’ve rated it 5 stars another day…
September 6, 2023
This is a sweet love lost then found story. Heartfelt and fun. Quick read.
It does feel a little young. Definitely not for seasoned romance readers who expect a little steam. Still, it takes you on a fun, sometimes heartwrenching, trip to love meandering through all the human emotions on it's way.
It does feel a little young. Definitely not for seasoned romance readers who expect a little steam. Still, it takes you on a fun, sometimes heartwrenching, trip to love meandering through all the human emotions on it's way.
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