So Much More

by Dana Wilkerson

Note: This is a closed-door romcom. There are no graphic scenes.

I knew I shouldn’t have done it.

Last month, after I schemed to get my best friend together with her boyfriend, I ended up cuddled on the couch with his brother—platonically, if platonic cuddling is even a thing. (I can attest that it’s not. Well, at least it doesn’t feel like it.) Not only that, but I agreed to keep doing it and to keep it a secret from everyone. At the time, I had no doubts it was a mistake. He and his girlfriend had broken up only days before, and I’d wanted him for a long time. But I did it anyway.

Now here we are five weeks later. My head is on his lap, his fingers are sliding through my hair, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from pulling his lips down to mine. I don’t, because I know he doesn’t want that. How do I know? He told me so when we started this. Plus, if he changed his mind, he’d let me know. The man is not one to hold back.

But then again, neither am I. I’m known for speaking my mind, but in this case I’m not. I’m scared that if I try to take this to another level, he’ll shoot me down. And then where will we be? My best friend is probably going to marry his brother. And we work together. It’s an impossible situation.

Somebody help me!


So Much More is a Throwback RomCom set in the late 1980s. It reads like a contemporary romance with all the tropes, closed-door chemistry, and banter, but the relationship evolves without the use of cell phones or the Internet. Dating was a whole different game in the 80s!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2023

About the author

Dana Wilkerson is the author of the Throwback RomComs series. She has been a professional writer and editor for almost two decades and was the collaborative writer of two non-fiction New York Times best sellers: The Vow: The True Events That Inspired the Movie (Kim and Krickitt Carpenter) and Balancing It All (Candace Cameron Bure).

Dana lives in Oklahoma and enjoys traveling, reading, being an aunt, binge-watching crime shows, and attending Oklahoma City Thunder basketball games.

If you're looking for this author's cozy mystery novels, she publishes those books as D.A. Wilkerson.

Reviews

[Caitlin Gonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of Dana Wilkerson’s Throwback RomCom series is all about Randall Hamilton and Wendy O’Halloran. Friends who have the potential to become more. Wendy, however, is afraid that if she says anything that Randall might not be interested. He’s already admitted to her that he won’t kiss her because he wants to go slow, but how slow is slow?

I love the banter between Randall and Wendy. Everything about them is adorable and meets every requirement for sugary sweetness. I also loved the idea of them being friends and recognizing that there is the potential for more. Going beyond the friendship zone is scary. It's essentially putting your heart on the line and losing someone close to you if it goes wrong.

I also like the new characters and the depth they brought to the story. Some of them aren’t new to readers, as we did meet some in the previous novel. However, this time around those veterans were given more personality. I am interested to know if there will be a third novel, and exactly who that will follow. There were a couple of possibilities that I saw and would be interested to see what happens.

I did feel that I had to take a point off because I struggled with the beginning of the novel. Its established in the first novel, More Than Pen Pals, that Randall and Ash are victims of verbal and mental abuse. It is also established that Randall has YEARS of not very good coping mechanisms. However, when he subconsciously uses one, everyone in his life seem to “pile on” rather aggressively in my opinion. Maybe its because I have my own traumatized male, have been through countless new versus old coping mechanisms, and it is 2023 (not 1988), but each time Randall was told off, I had to stop reading and take deep breathes.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Much More than what I was expecting

I found this book to be unpredictable. I didn’t know how things were going to unfold and the story had lots of twists on the way to the HEA. I love when a book keeps me guessing! I found the title fitting, it’s So Much More than what I was expecting. Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down!
Randall and Wendy develop a secret friendship, sharing inner secrets, and worries. Then they decide to take their relationship past the friend zone but things go lopsided really fast. The book is about self discovery, self worth, and how to deal with a relationship that has a real rocky start while life is also throwing you curve balls. It has drama drama drama while laced with humor and subtle nods to the 80’s throughout.
The story itself has an age gap romance. Both characters had slept around in their lives but decide that they want this relationship to be different and not to get physical like they have with others in the past. That being said it has a closed door / fade to black scene near the end of the book. Details are not given. I didn’t find the kissing overly descriptive.
Rating: PG-13, closed door romance, touches lots of issues, infidelity, daddy issues, trust issues, divorce, sibling drama, etc.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable throwback romcom to be enjoyed by Dana Wilkerson. This is the second book in the series and while you don’t need to read the first book to read this one I would suggest that you do because it does set up Wendy and Randall’s beginning. Plus it gives you greater insight into the side characters of the story, especially Randall’s family which becomes a big part of the plot with this book.

With that said the story does a good job setting up the characters even more as well as bribing in new characters who add depth to Wendy and Randall’s lives. Their characters have important things to work through individually and have a long way to come with relationships are involved.

You’ve got a mix of friends to more with slow burn buildup and falling fast all in one. The references are fun throughout and the banter between these two keeps the entertainment up a notch in the book. Overall this was a fun, heartfelt, emotional, closed door romance that gets readers thinking.

*I received an advanced ecopy from the publisher/author and all opinions are my own.

[Beverly Metzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had forgotten the name of this book until I finished reading it and looked at the cover. The title describes the book accurately. I read the book to be entertained. I received so much more. I anticipated a good romance. It was… and so much more. The “more” is character development done in such a way that I developed a deep connection with the main characters’ hearts. The book is more than a romance. It is about personal growth, love for family, and sacrifice. Read this book for fun and get so much more!

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was thoroughly enjoyable and a great follow-up to More Than Pen Pals! I loved Wendy and Randall in that book, and it was fun to read their story. Friends-to-more is one of my favorite tropes, and this one delivered. I loved how both main characters decided to finally be themselves in this relationship instead of falling into old dating patterns. The 80s references made me smile, once again.

I received an advance copy, and this is my honest review.

[Mystisith · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at chapter 12. The intention behind the story was good (I was a young adult in the 80s & was wondering if the nostalgia would be there...) but it didn't work probably because vanilla + slow burn doesn't do it for me anymore.
Also the story starts in 1988 but we are introduced to the notion of "friends with benefits"... coined in ≈ 1995.

[Amanda Fagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved hearing the playful banter of both main characters as their story played out through the pages. Completely relatable to those of us in the dating pool and a sweet romance that a lot of us want in real life. Great read and hoping for many more books in this throwback rom com series!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one a lot! Wendy is hilarious, and Randall is a sweetheart. When I read the first book in this series I hoped these two would get together and they did. Love the 80s setting and songs mentioned. Recommend!

[Abby Huffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So happy to have Wendy & Randall’s story💜 they’re friends who then realize they want more. I loved how they communicated and worked past the issues they had🙌🏻 great 80s romcom🩷!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF -- Stopped in chapt 5 as I feel as if I have pretty much reread one chapter 5 times with very little new added.

[Bailey Crossley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I struggled to get through this book. It just didn’t have anything behind it. The family conflicts for both characters were interesting but very one dimensional.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Wonderful story