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Taber Tigers #2
I Blame the Alcohol
STELLA I’m not saying kissing the lacrosse captain was a bad idea, but it definitely wasn’t my best. To make things worse, my brother invited my gym buddy-turned-make-out partner to stay at our house over winter break. So now we are stuck together for the next 3 weeks with nothing but the top reason why we can’t be together keeping us company.
CODY If I can make it through this break without my mentor’s younger sister kicking me in the nuts, I will be overjoyed. That stubborn firecracker has become more of a distraction lately, and after that kiss, I knew I had to pump the breaks. Everything about our friendship borders on the edge of control, and right now, I’m flailing over the edge. One tiny push and I’ll be done for.
CODY If I can make it through this break without my mentor’s younger sister kicking me in the nuts, I will be overjoyed. That stubborn firecracker has become more of a distraction lately, and after that kiss, I knew I had to pump the breaks. Everything about our friendship borders on the edge of control, and right now, I’m flailing over the edge. One tiny push and I’ll be done for.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2023
5 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Jade Everhart
6 books23 followersJade Everhart writes heart-warming romances with flawed characters and laugh-out-loud banter. When she's not using her own terrible meet-cutes as inspiration for her next novel, Jade spends her time listening to loud music and tearing up dance floors from the prairies of Southern Alberta to the glistening beaches of Miami.
Jade loves to hear from her readers - connect with her on Instagram @authorjade_everhart.
Jade loves to hear from her readers - connect with her on Instagram @authorjade_everhart.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 27, 2023
4.5 Stars! Engaging, angsty, and sassy!
I Blame the Alcohol is a sweet, steamy college romance featuring the hunky, outgoing Cody, who is finding it harder and harder to keep from falling for his mentor’s younger sister, and the intelligent, feisty Stella, who knows what she wants she just needs to figure out how to get it.
The writing is honest and lighthearted. The characters are scarred, kind, and endearing. And the plot is an alluring blend of friendship, family, drama, emotion, attraction, heat, insecurities, self-discovery, happiness, taking chances, awkward moments, college antics, witty banter, and budding romance.
Overall, I Blame the Alcohol is a spirited, passionate, swoon-worthy addition to the Taber Tiger series by Everhart that will leave fans of New Adult novels delightfully satisfied and definitely hoping for more.
I Blame the Alcohol is a sweet, steamy college romance featuring the hunky, outgoing Cody, who is finding it harder and harder to keep from falling for his mentor’s younger sister, and the intelligent, feisty Stella, who knows what she wants she just needs to figure out how to get it.
The writing is honest and lighthearted. The characters are scarred, kind, and endearing. And the plot is an alluring blend of friendship, family, drama, emotion, attraction, heat, insecurities, self-discovery, happiness, taking chances, awkward moments, college antics, witty banter, and budding romance.
Overall, I Blame the Alcohol is a spirited, passionate, swoon-worthy addition to the Taber Tiger series by Everhart that will leave fans of New Adult novels delightfully satisfied and definitely hoping for more.
November 19, 2023
Another amazing novel by Jade Everhart! This book will have you laughing out loud at the hilarious and relatable characters. I didn't think I could love a couple more than Wes and Lou, but Stella and Cody are giving them a run for their money! Also the Wes and Lou cameos were EVERYTHING!! This novel does not disappoint, and I can't wait for the 3rd book to come out!!
August 20, 2024
“It doesn’t matter if we’re up at the crack of dawn every day for the rest of our lives. As long as we’re together, I’m happy.”
—
Rating: 4✨
Smut: 🌶️ (this is a great book if you’re looking to get into smutty romances as there are some smut scenes but they also “fade to black”)
—
Jade Everhart’s debut novel was already good, but book 2 in her Taber U series was GREAT😍
Two gym goers who can’t stop bickering end up realizing how much better life is when they go at it together.
I love nothing more than a man who knows his girl & how best to communicate with her. This man is Cody Ellsworth. The way he pushes Stella out of her comfort zone in the most encouraging way possible was such a beautiful aspect to this book. He was perfect for her and I love how she kept Cody on his toes. I meaaaan his thoughtfulness is iconic and the teasing he gets from Stella for said thoughtfulness was such a nice touch because you know she secretly loves it 🥹
Stella is also a QUEEN and is easily my favourite female character in this series, so far. She’s a baddie and she knows it but there are also layers of insecurities and vulnerabilities to her which make her so relatable. Her growth also felt realistic and well built up.
As for the two together, the build up was fantastic and once they did get together, I liked that they were all in & there was no third act breakup hehe. Not only that, but they had real conservations about concerns making the relationship work & making time to see each other. This made the story feel that much more authentic!
Lastly, having already read book 3, I really appreciated the glimpses we got of Mo and how Jade furthered the storyline with Jonathan and Stel & Mo’s mom.
Overall, I am so happy I went back to read books 1 and 2! This series is a must read and I can’t wait for book 4 now 😍
If you love:
💪 Brother’s bestfriend (mentee)
💪 Sports / gym romance
💪 Interconnected standalones
💪 Hurt x comfort
💪 Trauma & healing
Then this one is for you♥️
—
Rating: 4✨
Smut: 🌶️ (this is a great book if you’re looking to get into smutty romances as there are some smut scenes but they also “fade to black”)
—
Jade Everhart’s debut novel was already good, but book 2 in her Taber U series was GREAT😍
Two gym goers who can’t stop bickering end up realizing how much better life is when they go at it together.
I love nothing more than a man who knows his girl & how best to communicate with her. This man is Cody Ellsworth. The way he pushes Stella out of her comfort zone in the most encouraging way possible was such a beautiful aspect to this book. He was perfect for her and I love how she kept Cody on his toes. I meaaaan his thoughtfulness is iconic and the teasing he gets from Stella for said thoughtfulness was such a nice touch because you know she secretly loves it 🥹
Stella is also a QUEEN and is easily my favourite female character in this series, so far. She’s a baddie and she knows it but there are also layers of insecurities and vulnerabilities to her which make her so relatable. Her growth also felt realistic and well built up.
As for the two together, the build up was fantastic and once they did get together, I liked that they were all in & there was no third act breakup hehe. Not only that, but they had real conservations about concerns making the relationship work & making time to see each other. This made the story feel that much more authentic!
Lastly, having already read book 3, I really appreciated the glimpses we got of Mo and how Jade furthered the storyline with Jonathan and Stel & Mo’s mom.
Overall, I am so happy I went back to read books 1 and 2! This series is a must read and I can’t wait for book 4 now 😍
If you love:
💪 Brother’s bestfriend (mentee)
💪 Sports / gym romance
💪 Interconnected standalones
💪 Hurt x comfort
💪 Trauma & healing
Then this one is for you♥️
April 13, 2024
I adore wholesome romances that remind me what it was like to be in college and that's exactly what this one did.
We first saw Cody and Stella in Book 1: I Blame The Dimples. Stella is Lou's roommate and Cody is the captain of the lacrosse team.
Cody first lays eyes on Stella while they are working out at the gym but never talks to her. The next time he sees her, she's being introduced to him as his mentor's sister. Cody and Stella form a kind of friendship even though there is definitely chemistry between them. However, Cody deems Stella off limits and is unwilling to cross that line.
Lines begin to blur when the playful flirting becomes more intense, a stolen moment leads to a kiss and Cody ends up spending the holidays with Stella and her brother/mentor.
I loved the tension and chemistry between Cody and Stella. Stella is a little spitfire who does her best to live life to the fullest. Cody is like a broody cinnamon roll. He's got caveman qualities, only when it comes to Stella, but at his core, he is a big softie for her.
🌶️🌶️
Tropes/themes
✨mentor's/ex teammates younger sister
✨gym gurus
✨mental health rep
✨grief
✨forced proximity
✨Team captain
✨playful banter
We first saw Cody and Stella in Book 1: I Blame The Dimples. Stella is Lou's roommate and Cody is the captain of the lacrosse team.
Cody first lays eyes on Stella while they are working out at the gym but never talks to her. The next time he sees her, she's being introduced to him as his mentor's sister. Cody and Stella form a kind of friendship even though there is definitely chemistry between them. However, Cody deems Stella off limits and is unwilling to cross that line.
Lines begin to blur when the playful flirting becomes more intense, a stolen moment leads to a kiss and Cody ends up spending the holidays with Stella and her brother/mentor.
I loved the tension and chemistry between Cody and Stella. Stella is a little spitfire who does her best to live life to the fullest. Cody is like a broody cinnamon roll. He's got caveman qualities, only when it comes to Stella, but at his core, he is a big softie for her.
🌶️🌶️
Tropes/themes
✨mentor's/ex teammates younger sister
✨gym gurus
✨mental health rep
✨grief
✨forced proximity
✨Team captain
✨playful banter
January 24, 2024
I've never read any lacrosse romance before, so this is refreshing and cute. The banters are what i enjoyed the most, the friendship and the flow are good too. I crave more family dynamics between the two leads and probably more in-depth conversation unraveling their pasts and their feelings though.
Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable read 💜
Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable read 💜
August 30, 2024
This was such a good romance book. It felt very natural and the found family in here is just chefs kiss. This whole series deserves a golden star
November 3, 2025
Love the book! You need to come over and sign them for me :)
June 18, 2024
Forbidden fruit is always sweeter right? That what Cody and Stella were for each other. They both are were strong and mature for their age young people. Both of them love challenging one another in different way but they also found peaceful and safe place in their relationships. Stella deserves respect and admiration for how she found strength and new ways to deal with her trauma and change her behavior. Cody was able to decide for himself what best for himself and pursue the things that mark for him. It was interesting to read about development of this two characters and see how friend group were binding even closer.
October 26, 2025
This is a beautiful, deeply satisfying story that I loved so much. It's a perfect blend of lightheartedness and just enough angst, making it a refreshing and instantly satisfying change of pace from darker romance or high fantasy.
The story drops us right into an awkward situation: Stella finds herself stuck for three weeks over winter break with Cody, the college lacrosse captain who went from gym buddy to make-out partner—and is now staying at her house, thanks to her brother. Everything about their connection is on the edge of control, and Cody knows one wrong move will send him spiraling over the edge.
Cody is absolutely top-tier. I was genuinely blown away by how supportive and mature he is, especially in how he helps Stella start to process and work through her mom's death. I especially loved seeing Stella's strength and resilience shine as she finds the courage for that emotional growth—it's truly amazing to watch. The romance is a bit of a slow burn, but it is so worth it once the tension finally breaks! The romance is a bit of a slow burn, but it is so worth it once the tension finally breaks! We meet these two in I Blame the Dimples and you just know they are meant to be!
Jade has a talent for writing amazing characters that are both interesting and incredibly relatable.
The story is engaging, and I particularly enjoyed the peek into the demanding work that goes into being the captain of a sports team. And as a bonus, I loved still seeing glimpses of Wes and Lou from the previous book! I binged this entire book in one sitting and was immediately amped to dive into the next one.
Troupes: brother’s friend, college romance, sports romance, mental health rep,
Spice 3/5
Plot 5/5
Pace 5/5
Character Personality 5/5
Character Growth 5/5
Writing Style 5/5
World Building 5/5
The story drops us right into an awkward situation: Stella finds herself stuck for three weeks over winter break with Cody, the college lacrosse captain who went from gym buddy to make-out partner—and is now staying at her house, thanks to her brother. Everything about their connection is on the edge of control, and Cody knows one wrong move will send him spiraling over the edge.
Cody is absolutely top-tier. I was genuinely blown away by how supportive and mature he is, especially in how he helps Stella start to process and work through her mom's death. I especially loved seeing Stella's strength and resilience shine as she finds the courage for that emotional growth—it's truly amazing to watch. The romance is a bit of a slow burn, but it is so worth it once the tension finally breaks! The romance is a bit of a slow burn, but it is so worth it once the tension finally breaks! We meet these two in I Blame the Dimples and you just know they are meant to be!
Jade has a talent for writing amazing characters that are both interesting and incredibly relatable.
The story is engaging, and I particularly enjoyed the peek into the demanding work that goes into being the captain of a sports team. And as a bonus, I loved still seeing glimpses of Wes and Lou from the previous book! I binged this entire book in one sitting and was immediately amped to dive into the next one.
Troupes: brother’s friend, college romance, sports romance, mental health rep,
Spice 3/5
Plot 5/5
Pace 5/5
Character Personality 5/5
Character Growth 5/5
Writing Style 5/5
World Building 5/5
January 9, 2024
Cody first notices a beautiful and feisty girl at the gym. As he trys to find her again, he sees her at a lacrosse game - it turns out she is the sister of Cody’s mentor! Mo has asked Cody to look after Stella which doesn’t go down well with her.
As they form a friendship, Mo asks them to spend Winter Break with him - 3 weeks full of snowsports and trying to keep their hands to themselves infront of Stella’s brother….
I loved this 2nd book of the Taber Tigers series - thank you @authorjade_everhart for the snowsport scene 😍⛷️
As they form a friendship, Mo asks them to spend Winter Break with him - 3 weeks full of snowsports and trying to keep their hands to themselves infront of Stella’s brother….
I loved this 2nd book of the Taber Tigers series - thank you @authorjade_everhart for the snowsport scene 😍⛷️
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews