She Was Mine First

by M. Robinson

He’s a determined billionaire used to getting what he wants, and she’s prepared to marry the wrong man to prove to them she’s moved on. But neither of them is ready to let go of the past…

A small-town, friends to lovers, second chance romance from Wall Street Journal & USA Bestselling Author M. Robinson

Being the man of honor in my best friend Rosie’s wedding wouldn’t be such a big deal…
If I wasn’t in love with her.
But I won’t turn her down. No matter how much it’ll tear my heart out to watch her walk down
the aisle toward another man.
It should have been us—from friends to lovers and back again. But after college, I was so busy
building my empire that I let her slip through my fingers. She was my first. And once she
realizes he’s the wrong one for her…
I’ll be her last.

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Second Chance, Romance, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary, Billionaire Romance, Contemporary Romance

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2023

About the author

M. Robinson is the Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling Author crowned as the “Queen of Angst” by readers around the world. Dive into her visionary world that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and leave you wanting more. She writes everything from contemporary to suspense romance and is best known for her novel, El Diablo.

When M isn’t in the cave writing her next epic love story, you will find her shopping and living on a boat in Florida with her real life pirate, her lobster, her husband Bossman. Sipping on Starbucks and hanging out with their two dogs, a German shepherd mix and a gordito Wheaten Terrier reading a good book. Or spending time with her family, who she is extremely close with.

Above all, M loves her readers more than anything and loves to connect with them! She is on all social media platforms @authormrobinson but you will find her in her happy place the most. Her VIP Reader Group on Facebook or her second favorite happy place, Instagram.

Stay connected!

Reviews

[Paula (on hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, hell no! I should have payed close attention to the title to give me a clue! This is pure 💩. Lol.

From age 5 to 18, the MCs have a perfect relationship. One where they is deep love, affection, devotion & committed to each other. They shared their first kiss, lost their virginity to one another and said ILY's. They were supposed to be each other's "person".

But after that, it is one pile of horse 💩. NOTHING, and I mean nothing about this can be called a romance because not only do they spend the next 10-12 yrs sleeping around with OP but heroine falls in love with OM whom she has and on/off relationship for 10 yrs and plans to marry in the present. While Hero waits around for her and never stops loving her, he also becomes a manwhore. There was one scene in which heroine asks him how many women he slept with and is constantly riding his ass to get serious about someone instead of just fucking them and he replies that he fucks about 2 different women per month which she calculates is over 10 + women!

Then we also have a scene where after heroine breaks up with BF on one of their on/off moments, she goes to Hero's place and lets herself in only to find him sleeping naked with OW.

This was pretty much a DNF for me but I did skim to the end and it really sucked. While hero waits around for her and constantly tells her she is the one for him & that he loves her, she constantly pushes him in favor of the OM - and still hero comes back for more of her shite. So yeah, this is for dump pile.



NOTE: Spoilers in comments! Do not read this review if you do not want spoilers!

[✶ ✶ Hummingbird ✶ ✶]

❌❌❌❌❌❌❌AVOID

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

They sleep with OP
she has a relationship with OM
she finds him in bed with OW
HEs been in luuurve with her the whole time 🤦🏻‍♀️

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 - ⭐️⭐️

Our lips devoured each other as if we were both making a memory. I wish I could describe the intensity I felt with her in my arms. Only I couldn’t even do it justice. I couldn’t put into words what I felt in my heart.

Well... that was frustrating.

I was looking forward to a friends-to-lovers romance with a second chance and plenty of angst.

It felt like the characters haven't grown up since they were 16 and this whole miscommunication and dancing around each other for decades left me frustrated.

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: friends to lovers, second chance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥

She Was Mine First is a super angsty, best friends to lovers to best friends to he steals her from another man that will have your emotions all over the place 😳. Livvy and Ethan have a lifetime of firsts together that link them forever, even when they're apart. The story is well written and is fast paced. Quite the ride if you're willing to jump on!

⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be spoilers

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again @mrobinsonauthor made me breathless until the end of this book. Be prepared to not being able to come up for air until the last page. This is utterly addictive, all consuming and heart filling. My heart is completely full of love for Ethan and Livvy, I am OBSESSED with them. The spice was spicing, the banter and the angst were all on point. 

The way these 2 love each other from such an early age but don't quite realize it, was beautiful. How the author started from the beginning when they were kids, to tweens, to teens and to adults was perfect, I just couldn't help falling in love with them from the start. They never truly let each other go and to see them get their HEA was amazing. How Ethan just wanted her to be happy, always putting her first, I need me an Ethan. I also loved the growth of Livvy's father and his ultimate realization.

I swooned so hard during so many moments, it was so beautifully written, the way they expressed their love, what they said to each other was just perfection. It was a beautiful love story that evolved through each stage of life. Amazingly well done, I loved it so much !

I was so consumed by this book I did not come up once for air, it was that good !

If you're looking for a beautiful spicy love story between best friends with a HEA and no third act breakup, this is it !

✨️Thank you to @authormrobinson & @wildfiremarketingsolutions my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet & romantic friends-to-lovers-to-friends-to-forever romance.

She Was Mine First is one of Monica's more sweet and swoony romance stories.

Told from both POVs, readers get to vicariously live through Ethan and Livvy as their love for one another goes from friendship to more.

I truly loved how Monica wrote this story and allowed these two characters to grow as individuals and yet still always found their way back to one another.

Readers will go through the rollercoaster of emotions that these two go through. I couldn't put this book down once I started it.

She Was Mine First is a perfect romance read.

[Capt. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! Some good OM drama. So so tired of the out of hand OW drama in books. I say, let girls have their stupid romantic sexy moments with OM 💅🏽…. Now I say that but goddamn Livvy (the FMC) was fucking annoying and stupid!

She changes her mind more than I change my current reading. Homegirl basically has to have someone to tell her what’s up! If not her parents, then it’s Beau or could be Ethan. Like girl STAND UP! She tells us she’s this fierce, independent woman but she’s the entire opposite of it. I wished authors would learn to write “independent women” properly 😭

Like at her wedding with Beau; after all her speech about letting Ethan go THEN NEXT CHAPTER she was begging Ethan to TELL HER NOT TO MARRY BEAU because fuckin bitch is too idiotic to function to even decide that and I love Ethan’s response on here, essentially telling her that it is HER DECISION TO MAKE not his and that she’s fuckin stupid and to get a fuckin grip because she’s embarrassing (okay the last part he did not say but I wished he said it 🤧) It’s so fuckin basic that I wanted to push Livvy on top of a cliff because after that she was acting so goddamn dramatic that I wished she had a lobotomy 🤗

When all is said and done I’m still giving it 4 stars because sometimes a girl deserves an OM drama in books and a full novel to be too stupid to balance the disgusting OW dramas 🌚

[ReadaholicDeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen of Angst is back! I can’t say enough about my love for this story, but at a loss for words to describe my thoughts. I devoured it and wasn’t ready for it to end! That first chapter had me in a chokehold and I could not put it down.

Ethan and Livvy go through so much. My angsty heart was captured!! The progression of the story is beautiful and captures every emotion and monumental moment in sequence and spans 20 years of friendship, love, and heartbreak. Ethan and Livvy’s story is both beautiful and painful.

Written in dual first-person, we get both Ethan and Livvy’s points of view, but Ethan owned this book. I can’t even describe my love for him. He works so hard to be the man he thinks he needs to be for Livvy and sacrifices so much along the way for her happiness. He never wavers and stands back to be the support she needs over anything else, even if this means she marries another man.

This beautiful and touching book tells the story of real, honest, and unconditional love and friendship. It’s a roller coaster of emotions and worth the ride!! Ethan and Livvy get the beautiful HEA they deserve!!

[Shelly hammett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell hard for Ethan Carter and how he loved and treated Livvy his best friend and eventually the only girl to matter for him. From their first kiss to prom night and beyond I was so invested in their story of friendship and love.
This book deserves to be a ten star rating!!!
I didn’t care for how Livvy’s dad treated Ethan just because he was from a family that didn’t have money. I love that this story was set to the backdrop of Charleston,SC.
I love that Ethan’s uncle and Livvy’s Mom supported their friendship.
I thought that Beau was a pompous spoiled jerk and he didn’t deserve Livvy. Her father was happy with Livvy and Beau, because of his status and family name. But, in the end I was happy that Livvy’s father finally gave Ethan a chance and got to know him

[Siham · Rating 3 out of 5]

OM drama is always superior to OW
We are tired of women fighting over men 😒

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4 / 5 Stars

POV : Dual

Cliffhanger : None

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 5/10

Heat Rating : 5/10

Overall Opinion :
It's been a while since I have read M. Robinson. She used to be my favorite author but her recent reads have felt all recycled and repeated. All of them are second chances with the same themes , that I am kind of bored with lmao.

She does provide good angst , which is why I picked this one up , hoping for a change and something new but again it seemed the same to me. I could not complete this one and if you are a fan of second chances then I would recommend this one but I certainly hope she comes with something new. I love her mafia romances so freaking much , and I hope she comes up with something like that omg. Looking forward to more dark romance books from her!

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[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of this and Ethan was a wonderful hero, but there was a lot that wasn’t working for me. I really didn’t like Livvy. For most of the book I felt that Ethan deserved better. There was too much focus on her and Beau and the time jump at the end seemed ridiculous to me. Not bad, but nothing special either.

[Tamra Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved following Ethan and Livvy. I felt like the story had a great plot and they had a great connection throughout the whole story but I feel it wasn’t as in depth. I did like the story though and thought it was sweet.

[Navss (read.yourbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

M. Robinson's books always feel like a hug. I know that if it's written by her, it'll be sweet, safe, spicy and make me feel good and fall more in love with love♡

Friends to lovers to friends to lovers, it has it all. The past and the present, all is shown, all is felt.

Ethan and Livvy have been friends since Ethan shared his bus seat with her when she was new in town and their connection has just gotten stronger as years have passed.

While reading, I never saw the time and somehow after a few hours I see the problem resolving and the book coming to an end...I'm sad to let them go.. a few or maybe 50 epilogues will be needed before I can let them live their lives without me knowing it.. I NEED THE KIDS, I NEED SOME PETS, I NEED MORE LOVEY SCENES, I NEED AN ETHAN IN MY LIFE

Ethan is whipped (respectfully), absolutely totally 101% in love with Livvy. This book is we seeing Livvy finding her way back to him, sorting her feelings while Ethan being jealous and indirectly petty to the other man in Livvy's life (which was funny because we all knew how she loves Ethan wholly).

“I belonged to her.
She owned me.
Every last part of me was hers.”

There's a difference in their backgrounds and how they've grown up; Livvy with loving parents but a father who might have had her life planned out despite all being in her best of interests, while Ethan having only his uncle and having to prove himself through every hurdle.

You'll feel the yearning, you'll feel the pain, you'll want them to run towards each other screaming "I love you, it's always been you, it'll always BE you".

There's some drama, life coming in the way, everything is realistic with the scares and attraction, the parental pressure, the part of taking descisions on your own, the love, the energy between these two, everything is fantastic and real.

I'm feeling sappy but usgsh these two are so cuteeee and Ethan doesn't exist irl😭😭

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

*beta read*

She Was Mine First is my favorite from M Robinson in a long time! This one hit you hard with all the feels. Ethan and Livvy's friends to lovers romance brings us back to M. Robinson's angst era. Two hearts who went through so much heartbreak and yet ended up together nevertheless..The author doesn't hold back while delivering the pain and you are in for a treat.

So what's different in this friends to lovers is...there was a short time when Ethan and Livvy actually gave into their love and passion but they were too young then, on the verge of new part of life in college and something shocking was a wake up call. And they decided that their friendship is way more important. You feel that throughout years that they actually never stopped loving each other. There was a fine line that they almost crossed many times but their friendship was most precious. Ethan was building his billionaire empire from nothing, never having time to really date and Livvy was in and out of relationship with Beau....who she is going to marry now!! Ethan is the best man and he has limited time to actually make her accept that they are in love.

Ethan is the kind of dreamy swoony book boyfriend I love to read in a romance book. He has grown out of his modest upbringing and transformed into this confident alpha billionaire! But his love for Livvy stays the same. Livvy has been trying to live upto her rich and powerful father’s expectations while also trying to be independent. She is smart and sweet and sassy and Ethan is like her other half. This marriage slowly unfolded to be a disaster as Livvy realises that she cannot go through it because she loves Ethan deeply and also..Beau isn't the one who deserves her. She deserves someone who loves her for herself and not for her family and position. And that's the boy who got under her skin so many years ago. This kind of love stories spanning across years is my favorite as you get to see how they evolve as person and as a couple. The angst of Ethan almost losing Livvy was so beautiful here! I was so relieved when Livvy realised it before it was too late!

[BeerMe_BookClub · Rating 5 out of 5]

She was mine first by @authormrobinson is out now and if you loves bff to lovers romance with all the swoon then you need to go read this !!! Ethan is top tier! This man loved Livvy with everything he had and always put her happiness above all ! We could not get enough of these two 🖤🖤 livvy and Ethan are childhood bffs who are from two different worlds but did not let that stop their friendship! They faced struggles from her family to distance apart and all the struggles trying to find yourself brings but no matter what stage they were in they found a way back to each other !! And when Ethan finally said ok enough it’s my time we couldn’t help but swoon !! Their love story is the perfect mixture of sweet & spicy 🖤🖤 the way Monica wrote their story had such a natural beautiful flow that it felt like we were listening to a friend tell us about their life 🖤 we devoured this book & absolutely loved it !!!

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of twists and turns on this roller coaster ride!

Poor Livvy ended up being a super spicy sandwich between Ethan, her childhood sweetheart, and Beau, the rich creep her father wanted her to marry.

Livvy was a people pleaser, who allowed her wealthy parents, as well as Beau's pushy parents to run over her life and her wedding. In addition, Beau told her his "status" allowed him to sleep with other women and she shouldn't have a problem with it!!!!!!

How could Livvy be so blind, that she could not see, the only man that really loved her and put her interests first?

[Mandy Reads Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reading life has been kind of crappy due to some things my family is going through, and I honestly didn’t think I would be able to get to this book in time. But man, once I started reading I absolutely could not stop besides the occasional sleep and family time. I devoured it.

I adored the bond that Ethan and Livvy had. It was a beautiful friendship that went beyond the lines of friendship. It was a love that broke the barriers of love. They were truly everything to one another in every aspect of their lives. I don’t think I have really read anything like it before.

The story was a unique tale that guided us through the years of Livvy and Ethan and how they became who they were to one another. I lived for each moment they became more and I broke every time they realized the other had moved on. The back and forth absolutely ripped at my heart.

In the end, I was so happy with how this whirlwind, roller coaster of a book concluded. Absolute perfection! My heart couldn’t have loved it anymore than how it played out. 5 heart wrenching stars!

[Pamela Deveze (winesandbooks_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our Queen of Angst Does It AGAIN!

My dear heart was on standby while reading this amazing story.

Livvy and Ethan have been friends for pretty much all their lives. Then they become lovers, after realizing that they are meant for each other. But their paths separated. They stayed best friends. But these feelings they both feel... THE ANGST! OMG!

I have to confess this is the type of FRIENDS TO LOVERS I DO LOVE! I love the angst, the mess... Plus, Ethan is FRGN HOT and my new husband.

Don't miss your chance to love Ethan and Livvy forever!

[Becca Stanfield Vernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two have a beautiful, sweet relationship. Their friendship is so amazing. The way Ethan is always there for Livvy is so precious and perfect. I just hated it took so long for them to get together. I know they have to work through other parts of their lives, but why did it take so long. Also, why was Livvy’s dad trying to mold her into this perfect person he wanted her to be. This book will have you wondering and waiting, then falling in love with Ethan every step of the way.
I recommend this book. Told in dual POV.

[Jessica Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well she did it again. I absolutely love M Robinsons books. This one hit me in a different but amazing way. It was everything I needed in a friends to lovers, angst, childhood love trope. I felt all the feelings while reading their story. I fell in love with Ethan from the first page and felt all his feeling throughout the story. He is a top level book boyfriend and everything him and Livvy go through makes you cheer for a HEA. This was such a good read for me.

[Yolanda McGee~Veronica's Reading Vault · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hopeless romantic in me loved She Was Mine First. Everything about Ethan and Livvy touched me oh so deeply and set my heart on fire. They’ve been best friends since they were kids and have loved each other since that time. But once they blur the lines, things certainly do get interesting and their story took me on so many unexpected twists and turns.

As usual M. Robinson came through with the romance, emotional and heartfelt moments. This book hit every spot and I recommend reading it.

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what love is. My goodness I am at a loss for words because I don’t even know how to fully explain the love that these two had for each other!

Ethan and Livvy have a love that’s built on more than just Lust and looks. They have been best friends since they were kids and through all the trials life has thrown at them they always had each others backs. The love that Ethan has for Livvy is the love every woman deserves. They way he stands beside her and doesn’t ever make her feel like she has to compromise isn’t something you always see. He lets Livvy be Livvy and that’s all he wants. If only Livvy could figure out what it is she truly wants!

This story is going to twist you up and have your heart screaming for mercy because love isn’t easy. It soothes, it builds us up but we first have to allow it too before love can fully be what it needs to be.

I couldn’t put this book down once I started because from the prologue I knew that the journey was going to be unlike anything I had ever experienced.

[Jenny B · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the opening line I was hooked! The Queen of Angst took me on another incredible journey with the read of Ethan and Livvy. I found the characters so easy to attach to and found myself cheering for them and hoping it would all work out since it was a friends to lovers story. Definitely an emotionally cleansing read.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I loved getting to see their entire relationship play out!

LIVVY AND ETHAN HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. NOW THAT THEY ARE OLDER SHE IS MARRYING SOMEONE ELSE. ETHAN WILL DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO MAKE SURE SHE DOESN’T MARRY THE WRONG MAN!

[LianaReads blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, RTC
Arc

[Brittney Thigpen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monica has done it again! This book was the perfect example of “right place, wrong time”. Ethan and Livy had to deal with a lot while growing up that forced them to be without each other for a while but I loved how they were wanting to keep their friendship despite their circumstances. This story had all the right things and, even though it was bittersweet, their HEA was definitely worth it in the end. Ethan is 100% book boyfriend material with his possessiveness plus that mouth on him….yes please!

[Cristina]

Note to self - they were together but separated for 10 years. They obviously were with other people in the meantime.

[Tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/4 Stars

[Briana Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love friends to lovers, almost as much as I like enemies to lovers. And this was such a beautiful, second chance, friends to lovers story.