It’s cliché, I know, but Matthew Ellis is the epitome of the perfect book boyfriend. I never stood a chance.
Of course, he has no idea I’ve been in love with him since I was a teenager. So, when I decided to randomly show up on his doorstep on a Friday night… Let’s just say, it wasn’t my smartest move.
In my defense, I wasn’t in my right mind. I’d just found out someone was stalking me in the most horrific way, and I didn’t have anywhere else to go.
I tried my hardest to keep my feelings a secret, but there was no way I could be in close proximity to my childhood crush and not flirt a little. What I wasn’t prepared for was Matthew flirting in return. There was no holding back after that.
There were just two problems to our happily ever after: my overly protective brother who would not be happy we lied to him and my stalker who was hell-bent on making me his, no matter what.
As the second book in the Metamorphosis series, Blindsided was fast paced, entertaining and suspenseful. Matthew was Tilly’s childhood crush, her brother’s best friend, and her safe place. When a stalker threatens her in her own home, she takes the next flight to Greensboro to stay with the one person, outside her family, she can trust to keep her safe.
I loved the relationship between Matthew and Tilly. I love how it developed and I loved how they both had to come to terms with their feelings. Matthew was a bit of a playboy so he had to come to terms with wanting to be around the same person constantly and the fact that it was his best friend’s little sister. Tilly had to acknowledge to herself that her childhood crush had become so much more. She now knew Matthew on a deeper level and realized her initial crush had only grown as she got to know Matthew better.
Of course because they kept their relationship a secret from Des, Tilly’s brother, the main conflict was with him. It was the one thing I didn’t like about the plot. For someone who claimed to love and support his sister so wholeheartedly and who only trusted his best friend to keep her safe, I thought his reaction to them being together was a little out of character for him. Especially with how long he was holding his grudge against both Tilly and Matthew.
Despite my minor chagrin about Des, this book was great as a whole. I loved the idea of Tilly finding her second career and not just giving up her modeling career to be with Matthew. I loved both Matthew and Tilly’s families and their relationships with them. The suspense was very on point and I found it extremely intense. It was the perfect climax for the book.
A brother’s best friend romance you don’t want to miss!
Blindsided is the second book in the Metamorphosis series, a standalone within a series but I suggest to read Catalyst the first book to get a glimpse into the main characters in this story. This book brings us the story of Tilly and Matthew. Matthew is Tilly’s brother best friend, he is a successful businessman, kind and charismatic but with a bit of a player fame, at least that’s until he starts noticing Tilly when circumstances bring them together, slowly changing the way he sees the future. Tilly on her parts is a successful model, kind and honest, who is starting to yearn for something else in her life, and while she’s figuring out, circumstances put her and Matthew(her childhood crush) under then same roof, making Tilly’s crush on Matthew slowly shift into something more. Their relationship evolves from a crush to something deeper and stronger but they are both weary of the consequences their new found relationship might bring, and adding a crazy stalker to the mix it will only complicate things more. If you are looking for small town, childhood crush, brother’s best friend, forced proximity secret relation romance with just a smidge of suspense to keep the intrigue through the book you need to read Blindsided. A somewhat fast pace comfort read that will immerse you into a charming universe. I truly enjoyed Tilly and Matthew’s story and I loved the little glimpses that we got from Ellie and Adam (from Catalyst) throughout the book and I love the camaraderie the Ellis siblings share. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
I don’t really know how to start this review, but I can say that I really enjoyed the book so much that it left me speechless!
I would say that I love the part when they are exchanging texts when they are apart. I don’t know why, but the way they communicate is just so cute. 🥰
The story begins when Tilly finds out that she has a stalker. At that moment, because she doesn’t have anywhere else to go, she turns to her brother’s best friend, Matthew. That’s right; this book has the brother’s best friend trope!
Matthew, or Matty as Tilly likes to call him, is a golden retriever character, and you simply cannot just love him; if you try to hate him, you can’t.
Another thing that I really like is the part when they exchange book recommendations. It really made me jealous; I want that type of relationship with my boyfriend! 😂
I don’t want to spoil the whole story; I just want to point out that the dynamic and the relationship between the two of them are just so fascinating. And the fact that there isn’t a third act breakup in the book? Love!
In the end, I want to conclude this review with the fact that you will love the book from the first chapter, love at first sight, as the saying goes. ❤️
I could not put this one down! This romance had a bit of suspense in it and I absolutely loved it. It didn’t shy away from spice either. This is my first book by Shelby, but it definitely made not be the last. This is the second book in a series, but it works great as a standalone. In fact, reading this one first just makes me want to go back and read the first one right away. I absolutely adored the characters and want to read more about every single one of them.
❤️Tropes❤️ 💋 Friends to Lovers 💋 Brother’s Best Friend 💋 Forced Proximity
Tilly has been a model for a long time, but she is exhausted by all the constant chaos. After a shoot she comes home to find a rose and an envelope full of pictures on the bed. Of her. Sleeping. In her bed. Unfortunately not a high priority for the NYPD, she doesn’t feel safe in her own home. Her brother is out of the country and her parents are on a vacation that she doesn’t want to pull them from. She doesn’t ask herself why she flies back to her hometown and camps out with her brother’s best friend. She knows. He makes her feel safe and protected. At least until she has to leave on another trip for a photoshoot.
Thank you to Literally Yours PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
Matthew (aka Matty) + Tilly (aka Pretty Girl) I knew going in I was going to love this one... What's not to love... Brother' best friend, small town and a some suspense. yes please!
Tilly, a model in New York discovers she has a stalker. Matthew, her brother’s best friend / teenage crush ends up offering her a safe place to stay until her stalker is found. You see where this is going right???? Hello forced/close proximity! Oh how I instantly loved these two and their effortless relationship and humorous and flirty banter. So many moments between these two had me giggling and/or swooning..... How Matthew downloaded the romance books she was reading and would text her about them (so funny). How when he was expecting he would drive to a specific supermarket to buy all the healthy foods she likes (swoon). This man really is the perfect blend of protective, sexy, sweet and swoon-worthy! I enjoyed the little updates on the MC's for Book 1, Adam & Ellie. And.... getting glimpses on what's to come in future books. I'm definitely hoping Tilly's brother Des gets a book in the future. I loved him and then he acted like a man child (haha) so has a little redeeming to do (I have no doubt he will). Another Great Read that I highly recommend! Book 3 here I come.....
I am a sucker for a "Brother's Best Friend" book, and that's what you get with Blindsided. Tilly is like a lot of girls who grew up with an older brother... and let's just say Matthew is kinda hot... But it's more than just a crush, which they discover when they're both living under one roof.
While I didn't initially love the pace of the book (I felt it moved too fast, not letting you get a feel for who the characters really were or how their relationship really developed), it slowed down part way through, and I found myself invested in their relationship, as well as the outside forces such as her brother and her stalker.
In the end, I found myself wanting more. More details about how Tilly and Matthew became such good friends (prior to to hooking up) as well as a deeper look at her relationship with her brother. It's clear they're very close, but I want to know more.
Overall, this is a good book. And i really enjoyed the story. It you like a fast-paced, spicy book with a little danger, I definitely recommend Blindsided.
Tilly is a professional model. One day she comes home to pictures of herself sleeping that was taken by someone else. The stalker scares her but with her brother Des being out of town with his hockey team she jumps on a plane and goes to the only other person she can think of to keep her safe.
Matthew co-owns a sporting goods store with his brother Adam. He is surprised one night when his best friend’s sister knocks on his door. He is determined to keep Tilly safe.
My thoughts:
I enjoyed Blindsided. I like Gunter’s writing style and story telling.
I kept trying to guess who the possible stalker was or if there was even a stalker. I thought it was possible her agent was doing it for some reason because that’s typically how it goes. I was wrong and like that I was wrong. A book is boring if you can figure out completely before the end.
I liked the chemistry between Matthew and Tilly. It was done very well. I will definitely read more from Shelby Gunter.
Thank you Literary Yours PR and Shelby Gunter for the complimentary copy of Blindsided.
Blindsided is Book 2 in the Metamorphosis series by Shelby Gunter. This second book is a brother’s best friend romance trope with a little suspense thrown in. Tilly is a model in New York who has a stalker and Matthew Ellis is her brother’s best friend who offers her a place to stay, when she wants to escape her agonizing and stressful situation.
Shelby Gunter does an excellent job of developing her characters and moving her plot forward so that you are invested in them and what is going on. I loved the glimpses we got of Adam & Ellie’s continued romance from book 1: Catalyst, and I love the way she teases the story of the sibling to come in the next installment of the series :) Those Ellis siblings are a hoot and I can’t wait to read the next book about Carter!
This book is perfect for you if you love small town, brother’s best friend, childhood crush, forced proximity and secret relationship! Add in a suspenseful stalker and you’ve got an intriguing suspense romance book on your hands!! I highly recommend you read this book!!
Blindsided: A Brother's Best Friend Romance (The Metamorphosis Series Book 2) by Shelby Gunter. This book can be read as a standalone.
Tilly finds herself on the doorstep of her brother’s best friend Matthew who she has always had a crush on to get away from her stalker.
Blindsided is entertaining from beginning to the end. Matthew is so caring and attentive. Tilly and Matthew have good chemistry. There are a good amount of spicy scenes. The side characters have great banter. It was great catching up with the characters of the previous book Catalyst and seeing a few characters from Shelby’s other series.
I hope Desmond can get a book in the future, I do love hockey/sports romance. The epilogue has a major faux pax in my opinion, but thankfully it’s only fictional and the characters had permission. It just took me by surprise.
Blindsided is a good mix of sweet and spicy. This book is well paced. A fun easy low angst read.
Talia is a top model in NYC and quite frankly chasing her dream. Until one day, she gets the scare of her life when a sta1ker turns her world upside down. She shows up at the only place she can think of, her brother's best friend, Matthew's house. He promises her safety, but can't promise that he won't fall for Talia the more time they spend together.
This was such a good story that mixed in some romantic suspense. I loved how Matty was able to break his playboy status and found the girl that can make him switch it all up. I love the chemistry between these two characters, because their crushes were long over due! The ending was perfect with that HEA! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 beautiful swoony stars.
I absolutely loved Matthew & Tilly together. Their flirty banter was so cute, and they had such a genuine connection.
I couldn't put this book down. It had me hooked from the first chapter, and as soon as Matthew & Tilly started interacting, I couldn't get enough of them.
The plot line with Tilly's stalker was just the right amount of suspense/drama to keep you intrigued.
The one thing that annoyed me was Des' (Tilly's brother) reaction to M&T's relationship. I mean... they're grown ass adults. It was a bit much for me for him to react that way, but I understood it helped the plot line flow. I just think it's wild when adult characters act like teenagers. But also... men in real life do that... so I get it LOL
This was my first book of Shelby's but I definitely want to read more by her! I liked all of the side characters, and look forward to reading their stories.
4⭐ 2.5🌶️ Tropes: Romantic Suspense, Brothers Best Friend, Stalker, Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity
✨ Small Town Romance ✨ Childhood Crush ✨ Brother's best friend
Tilly and Matthew
When something brings the lives of Tilly and Matthew together, both start seeing their futures in a new way. With living under the same roof as her childhood crush and her brother's best friend Matthew, Tilly's crush turns now into something more. Matthew begins to see his future differently, now with Tilly nearby, he realizes he wants more than his life as it is. When their forced proximity slowly turns into something else, something more, both see that it might be not so easy. Her brother, her stalker etc. A model, desiring something more in life. A businessman, wanting more than the life he just lives. Secrets and suspense make this story fascinating.
↓↓ Tilly is a model and after years in the business she finds that she has a stalker that has upped their game and she has become afraid to be in NYC. She ends up going back to her hometown to her brothers best friend, Matt.
Matt is the CFO of a business he co-owns with his brother. He is a known player…. until Tilly comes crashing into his life when he least expects it.
Tilly has always had a crush on Matt and things begin to progress between the two. They really have great chemistry and as the book ended I felt like I wanted more!
𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤 / 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝔼𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥 🌸 Big brother's best friend 🌸 Secret relationship 🌸 Childhood crush 🌸 Forced proximity 🌸 No third act breakup 🌸 Suspense 🌸 Small Town
Tilly has been in love with her brother’s best friend, Matthew, for years but knows they could never had an actual relationship. Tilly’s world gets turned upside down when she finds out she is getting stalked. In order for her to be safe she leaves NYC and wounds up on Matthew’s doorstep. Will Tilly’s stalker find her, will she be able to keep her feelings toward Matthew a secret, does Matthew feel the same way?
This is my first book by Gunter and I enjoyed it so much! This book has everything I love; romance, suspense, spice. I did find Tilly’s interaction with the stalker very predictable but the identity of the stalker shocked me. This book is part of the Metamorphosis series but can be read as a stand alone—which is what I did. Although, after reading “Blindsided” I will definitely read the first book “Catalyst.”
If you like brother's best friend, forbidden romance, some spice, and a scary stalker....this book is for you.
Tilly is a model in the height of her career, when she finds that she is being stalked by someone. That this person took pictures of her sleeping in her bed. She is scared to be alone, and her brother is travelling with his hockey team, so she goes to the one other person she can think of who will make her feel safe: Matthew, her brother's best friend, and the man she has had a crush on for years and years. Their relationship evolves from friends to lovers, and they start evolves from there.
I really liked this book. I was entranced by the chemistry between Tilly and Matthew, and was on edge at the end, when something shocking happens involving the stalker. I would give this book a 4.25/5 stars.
A stalker pushes model Tilly back to her hometown…and into the arms of her Brother’s best friend, Matthew(“Matty”).
I’m a true sucker for the brother’s best friend trope & Shelby Gunter delivered in all the best ways. Is there heat? Yes. Are the feelings rooted in a deep, long-time crush? Yes. Are they able to stay away once the dam is open?! Nope!
Despite initial storyline of a stalker after the FMC, I will say that this was a decently low angst, well paced easy read. I really appreciated that the MCs didn’t make their attraction&feelings to one another a bigger issue — they felt it, they acknowledged it, & they embraced it. So refreshing for this type of trope.
Thank you to Shelby Gunter and Literally Yours PR for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Blindsided is the second in the Metamorphosis series. It is a standalone and can be read by itself, but I would recommend that you read the first book to get a feel for the world and get comfortable with the characters. As they do play a part in book two.
This book was a great read, I really enjoyed the chemistry between Matthew and Tilly. Matthew is a bit of a playboy and typically the my brother’s best friend isn’t my favorite trope but it really worked for this book!!! Their story kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. Great, quick read!!
I absolutely loved the story of Tilly and Matty! Their chemistry is completely undeniable and instant. The ease that exists between them is so effortless. The way Shelby writes is everything I want in a book and more. Her story is so easy to follow and read. I could not put the book down. I did not want it to end, either. The best part, was that the outcome was something that was completely unpredictable, which I love. This was a romance novel that had a bit of a twist and I thoroughly appreciated that. Oh, and did I mention the spice? Let me just tell you.... Be prepared! You'll be having dreams about Matty!
I received an ARC of this book, and my review is entirely my own.
I love a brother's best friend and this is a good one. There is just enough drama to keep the story interesting on that front. It's a bit fast paced which makes sense because it's a short book but I wished we had just a little more time to sink into the relationship between Tilly and Matthew. I love the siblings together and feel their love for each other. I wish the suspense related to Tilly's stalker went a little deeper but it still added enough intrigue and angst to be enjoyable. This can be read as a standalone but I did find myself wishing I'd read the first one a couple times so I'd recommend doing so if you have the chance.
This is the second book in this series, and this is Matthew and Tilly’s story. Tilly has loved her overprotective brothers’ best friend Matthew since she was a teenager. When Tilly finds herself the target of a stalker, she finds herself on Matthew’s doorstep. The chemistry between these two is undeniable, but what will happen when her brother finds out? This is a well written story which has family, friendships, intrigue, a tad angst, suspense, secrets, close proximity, humor, witty banter, romance, and love, which leads to an entertaining, fun, and steamy addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
This book was so so good! I love a good brother's best friend with little sister and this one definitely delivered. Tilly has had a mad crush on Matthew since they were teens but knew it could never be. Her brother is overprotective when it comes to the guys she dates. She's a famous model now and has herself in a situation, which in comes Matthew. She needs a place to crash and while there, they get along amazingly well and enjoy each other company. The Mario Kart parts were fun and some of the best parts in the book. I loved both Tilly and Matthew so much! They were a great couple and have some serious chemistry!
Blindsided is a brother’s best friend romance that will get you swept up into the pages. Tilly has always had a crush on Matthew. Once she needs a safe place to stay due to a stalker, she shows up on his doorstep. Matthew gladly helps Tilly out and they start to get closer. Both are afraid to make a move because of her brother but soon that is not enough to keep them a part. I loved how Matthew changed his player ways and that was not the focus. And Tilly was so down to earth. Their romance was so sweet and they had amazing chemistry.
This was a good and enjoyable romance book. You’ve got a little bit of angst due to the FMC having a stalker, but the romance aspect of the story between our two MCs really takes the cake in this book. I love how Tilly and Matty’s relationship wasn’t made into an overly complicated, high drama type of romance. Too many times for me the brother’s best friend trope is too stressful and dramatic. I feel like their romance happens very organically. The chemistry has always been there, and now forced proximity is causing them to realize it. Overall this was a great brother’s best friend trope!
This is a brother's best friend, childhood crush, small town, and forced proximity romance but I love these tropes. Tilly is a model who has a crush on her brother's best friend and Matthew is a successful businessman. She finds out that she has a stalker and decides to flee New York for home. She ends up staying with Matthew. They start hooking up in secret, but then her brother finds out. Of course he isn't happy at first, but he sees that Matthew is in love with his sister. I really enjoyed reading this book and can't wait for the next one in the series.
This is the second book in the series, now I have to read the first one!
This is about Tilly and Matthew, he is her brothers best friend and her childhood crush. She is a model land he is a successful businessman. He is a player and she is so busy with her modelling career for men. Well when a stalker becomes obsessed with her and leaves her apartment trashed, her brother makes her stay with Matthew to be safe until further notice. Things get quickly heated and things might need to change!
This was a good one, I want to read Catalyst and I can't wait for more from this series. This is a brothers best friend, which I love, but this is grown adults not new ones which made it even better. Matthew and Tilly were so good. I couldn't put this down. The chemistry was great and it was well written
*Brothers Best Friend *Secret Relationship *Stalker
This was a really good book. I couldn't put it down. If you like brothers best friend suspense then you should read this one!! I will defiantly be reading more by Shelby.
I love a brother’s best friend romance, but with actual adults who don’t play games, it’s even better. There’s obvious chemistry right off the bat for these two single, hot people. Throw in a damsel in distress, with a playboy who has a heart of gold, you’re just asking for sparks to fly, and they do! Dual POV with a HEA. No miscommunication. No third breakup. Tons of steam. A slight thriller vibe adds to the fun of the story. In the meantime Matthew & Tilly strike up a friendship as adults which grows into more. The dialogue between the two was at times funny, especially the text messages. It helped to keep the story fresh. Love to see what happens with book three.