Atlas Carter was a protector. He was a police officer, had spent years in the Air Force, spent his entire teen years as a volunteer firefighter.
Being a protector was in his blood.
It was his dream.
So when a woman was in a dangerous situation, it was his every instinct to protect her. To shield her. To watch over her. Only, that woman had played him.
She’d set him up.
She’d made sure that he only saw her.
Then, when the real woman who should hold his heart, the sister, comes into his life, he doesn’t see past the hatred of her to know that she’s only trying to protect him in return.
He spends the next year terrorizing the woman who’s supposed to be his. When the dust finally settles, and he can see clearly once again, she’s no longer there waiting for him.
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Pepper was misunderstood and Atlas was an oblivious fool. He remains that way for much of this story, but there was no denying the chemistry between these characters. And when he finally woke up, he dove right in and I became his number one cheerleader!
I loved Pepper immediately and wanted her to only have great things. She had to put up with a lot and I kept thinking there were better ways to live, but my solutions wouldn't have helped this story and I get that. How her sister became a police officer, I'll never know, but it made me laugh uncontrollably.
Seriously? Did the police department not have a competent psych eval? Were the people of their community not discerning or skeptical?
I enjoyed this story so much, even the drama-filled bits that made me chuckle. The feelings were what mattered most and there was no doubt that Atlas and Pepper had those in abundance.
2.5 ⭐️⭐️ THE PLOT: Atlas pretty much says it himself: “I’ll never understand why Ariel didn’t just grab a pen and a piece of paper and tell Eric that Ursula stole her voice.”
Me: I’ll never understand why Pepper didn’t just grab a pen and a piece of paper and tell Atlas that Sage is a sicko.
Pepper: “I have proof,” she immediately replied. “Anything you need. I have proof.”
Rent Free is Pepper and Atlas’s story and boy is it a doozy! The story centres around Pepper’s sister and the psycho she is and how she influences those around her. (We get a lot of backstories from Pepper and her family which I really liked, and it definitely put what they went through into perspective.) Pepper moves to the same town as her sister to tell her some tragic news, but before she can even do that Atlas is in the way being quite cruel to Pepper and using her. He doesn’t believe her from the offset, even though others around him (including his family) are telling him that Pepper’s sister is a psycho!
I did enjoy Atlas finding out the truth about Pepper and what that meant and I liked how forgiven Pepper was, although sometimes she just seemed to accept what people thought because of her sister. Both Atlas and Pepper together just work, even though it takes a little while for them to get their ducks in a row! I do think I would have liked a little bit more drama with the sister but oh well!
As with previous books there are other characters that pop up that really adds to the family feel of this story and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Pepper’s family too. Add in the steam, laughs, seriousness and good times and you’ve got a really good book! I can’t wait to see whose next in the series.
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊
Finally, Atlas and Pepper.. and what a story they have.
Pepper has been through it. In fact, her whole family has because her lunatic sister. I relate to this so much. Living with a manipulative liar is no joke. The sheer exhaustion you feel re explaining things even when you know they likely won't believe you is honestly soul destroying until it makes you numb. Until you keep your circle small because it's easier.
I truly admired Peppers character and how she dealt with life. She was sassy but sweet and loving. She fiercely protected those close to her and would help anyone who needed it. Despite the trauma she lived with and the fact that life has not been kind.. Pepper truly rose above. Also, Pepper and Forest?.. so stinking sweet.
Atlas was frustrating, but honestly, I got it. The guy has had one bad relationship after the next and a friendship with a woman who could manipulate as easy as she breathed. He was overwhelmed with the many changes in his life and grasping on for mercy. So yes, he made mistakes, but he was human. He was kind, and once he realised.. he made amends. Poor man had more than he bargained for on his journey.
Pepper and Atlas had that enemies to lovers chemistry that burnt so bright. It was undeniable, and the more they saw, the more they wanted. The frustration, the anger, the sexual tension... the raw moments where life was stripped back to the bare bones. They just got one another.
Their journey wasn't easy, of course, but it was interesting, to say the least. The side characters only served to add greatness with the many personalities and opinions. The banter and the bickering. The sweet support and the tough love that was needed more than a few times.
Lani never fails. The story is paced perfectly with a little of everything, and the characters grow and develop in a way that's relatable to the reader. The Carter Brothers are serving in the most delicious ways... now bring on the next!
Finally getting Atlas and Pepper’s story! As disclosed from the previous book where Atlas’ brother thought he was into the bakery owner, Atlas was actually looking at Pepper, the sole worker at the bakery. Pepper has relocated to the area because of her sister, who is truly a psychopath, and Atlas is the latest victim that doesn’t know he’s being played. None of the Carters really like the girl, but Atlas has a way of feeling bad and staying in situations, giving others the benefit of the doubt. Atlas hates that he’s attracted to Pepper after knowing who she’s related to, and he’s rather cruel to Pepper, but she sticks it out, hoping that he will come to his senses. Pepper is a very good person and finds herself in various situations because of it. When Atlas finally pulls his head out of his behind and Pepper proves who her sister really is, along with another huge surprise in Atlas’ life, he realizes how wrong he’s actually been and finally lets his true feelings towards her show. I wish we got a little more of what happened with Pepper’s sister in the end, especially after the ending, but I love that LLV gives us a flash into the future of their HEA. I can’t wait for the next Carter brother to fall in love! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Man...I felt for Pepper and most of her family. With a sister like Sage, you really don't need any enemies at all. The stuff Sage pulled was crazy, more so when you see people believing her. At first I wanted Pepper to clue in everyone, especially Atlas, but I realized Pepper's way of letting him see it for himself is better. She never would have won otherwise.
And as bad as Sage was, there was another woman giving her a run for her money for biggest POS. I was so glad that Atlas went on that call, that he discovered what he did and then took/got control of the precious Forest. Sure things were iffy at they found their way, but that boy deserved so much more than what his life had been.
I was stunned when the two women teamed up at the end and their actions. Holy cow that could have gone so much worse! Glad that things worked out for Pepper and Atlas, they get to live their lives happy, while the shrews got what they deserved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Rent Free is another Carter brother story! This time, Atlas meets his match after being duped by her sister. Poor Pepper and her family has been dealing with her psychopathic sister since she was a teen, and sadly, some people fall for her sister's act. Atlas was one of those people.
What Atlas knew of Pepper all came from her sister, Sage, and it was not good. So he hated her on sight. He was rude and dismissive. He couldn't believe how "horrible" Sage's family treated her. Pepper is determined to show him the truth about Sage, even though he has no interest. But, as Pepper begins chipping away at Atlas, he starts to wonder. He also starts to fall for Pepper, despite the fact he initially thought she was a horrible person. This has a great enemies to lovers vibe, but also includes some crazy drama from some truly deranged women. It isn't over the top though-like people actually do this kind of stuff! It was a wild ride and I loved it!
POV: dual 1st Tears: no Trope: hate to love you, dysfunctional family, secret baby Triggers: [spoiler]gaslighting, physical abuse[/spoiler] Series/Standalone: standalone within an interconnected series Cliffhanger: [spoiler]no[/spoiler] HEA: [spoiler]yes[/spoiler]
[rating-report]
King of Nothing by Aurora Rose Reynolds, Pulse by Adriana Locke, Golden Touch by Sarina Bowen...then you will probably like Rent Free!
the h’s sister lies about anything and everything. Just all around bad person. She moved out of town and basically told her family not to call her or she would block them. The h’s mother dies and they try to call the sister but she doesn’t answer. The h made a promise to her mom to try one more time with her sister so she goes to the town the sister is living in. She moves there and works two jobs while there. The sister really could care less the mother died but she became friends with the H because he was a cop and she lied saying she was kidnapped by a serial killer and escaped and he was the one to find her. In actuality the sisters boyfriend beats her up and she used all the damage to lie about being kidnapped. So the h is working at a bakery that’s owned by the H’s sister in law. When he finds out the h is the sister of crazy he’s really mean to her. The h tries to warn him about the sister but he just ignores her. The sister is telling him all sorts of lies like that the h came to rub in that the mother died and she wasn’t invited to the funeral and such. The sister becomes a cop because she ‘wants to help save people’. The H responds to a call of a baby left in a hot car and realizes it’s his baby. His ex is also crazy and he sees the sister and the ex together so he starts opening his eyes a little. The h actually helps him with his son and they have a pretty good relationship going. The sister tries to set the h up as selling drugs and runs her over. Shes like seriously bat shit crazy. he was never with the sister. He just felt responsible for her because he saw that when she was attacked none of her family came to the hospital. He thought she was alone and the black sheep from what he saw and heard.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The fifth book in the Carter Brothers series but my first read from this author and Rent Free is a tale of two sisters who were night and day. Pepper was all sunshine and snark while her arch nemesis Sage was evil personified with the knack of fooling everyone she met into believing she was the victim, in this case Swat team member Atlas Carter who takes an instant dislike to Pepper based on the lies Sage had told him. But the more he confronts Pepper he begins to realise that things aren’t adding up and he starts to look at Sage in a new light, an extremely dangerous thing to do.
There was a strong vein of humour running though this book which surprised me as, from the blurb, I had been expecting a much darker read. There was still a lot of drama which you’d expect with a villain as crazy as Sage is especially as she connived against her sister which only escalated as Atlas and Pepper’s relationship developed. Their dialogue was fabulous as Pepper met his initial hatred with quips and humour, not giving an inch, much to his bemusement. I also loved Atlas’ relationship with his family, the love they had was more than obvious and their antics were a fantastic source of amusement. The overall story was well written - I loved the chapter headings that were like passing comments between characters - engaged my interest from the start. The characters were all well rounded…. well except for Sage who was simply mad, bad, and extremely dangerous to know but after finishing Rent Free, I have added the rest of the series to my TBR list.
Police officer Atlas Carter was immediately attracted to Pepper Solomon the moment he met her. he had plans to ask her out until her sister, Sage got to him and spun a twisted web of lies where Pepper was concerned turning him against Pepper.
Pepper only moved to Dallas, Tx as a promise to her dying mother to make amends with Sage. Everyone knew it would lead to nothing and Sage had not changed her wicked ways. She knew Atlas was his one, but his blind loyalty and animosity towards her was a tough pill to swallow until the day he realizes his mistake. Now he needs Pepper, she is his life line and she is willing to help him but only as friends, can Atlas fix what he broke and convince Pepper to give him a chance?
Several twists and turns in this one. Really enjoyed this and I liked the chemistry between Atlas and Pepper. Another wonderful read in this series.
Shut up! I am addicted to all books by Lani Lynn Vale including this book and the entire Carter Brothers series. Just wow.
This book instantly captivated me and kept me on the edge of my seat. The emotions and TENSION. THE TENSION. Wow. The tension and angst between the two main characters really sold this book. There are the enemies to lovers emotions/moments which had me grinning like a fool and wanting to devour every word like I hadn't eaten in days. I craved every moment the two main characters were together and those moments didn't disappoint.
I really loved Atlas and Pepper. Of course, the Carter Brothers are all delicious and Atlas is no different. He's a police/SWAT officer, alpha male who is still respectful and sweet...when he wants to be. And then there's Pepper who had a rough upbringing, read the book to know why, but she still is independent, sassy and can hold her own. Also, she had a heart of gold.
The plot will keep you guessing and while moving the story forward quickly...I couldn’t help but read this book in a couple hours.
Alright. I am ready for the next book. I CAN'T GET ENOUGH.
Really enjoyed this authors writing. I was drawn to this book first even though it’s the 5th one in this series but I’ll eventually read all of the Carter brothers books.
Both main characters were likable and fun to read, Pepper more than Atlas because Atlas was a dick at first lol
Good riddance to Sage but I wish we knew what happened to her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
We got hints in the last book about this couple. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Through the first part of this story I really just want to smack Atlas Carter for being so blind. Pepper Solomon yes she’s related to Coke from a previous series. This whole family lived through unbelievable things. There are some major shocking revaluations that come to light. A fantastic HEA!!
Pepper grew up being literally tortured by her sister, Sage. We've caught glimpses of Sage & her BS throughout the series, but she hides her true insanity so well, most of the Carters generally ignore it.
Unfortunately, for a lot of this time, Atlas blindly believes her about how PEPPER is the mean one, so even tho he likes Pepper right away, he continues to hold the grudge. Normally, this would make me not like him at all, but he's written so well that I understand his thought process - he's still a jerk, but for what he thinks are the right reasons. 😄
Anyway, I hate that he struggles, bc I ADORE Pepper! She is a BA!! She's constantly trying to save ppl from Sage, while not letting it take over her life. And despite growing up that way, her heart is so generous & she's still a sweetheart. Yes. Pepper is a BA sweetheart!
Anyway, obviously I enjoyed this story & love this family & the dynamics we see throughout the series. I also love anytime a certain bratvaesque portion of the family gets page time... 😉
I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, secrets, pain, and heartbreak.
If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first. The Fool (Welcome to the Circus, #7) – This is the sister’s book (Keene Day & Ande Carter) No Cap (Carter Brothers, #1) I Can't Even (Carter Brothers, #2) Thirst Trap (Carter Brothers, #3) Clap Back (Carter Brothers, #4)
This is Pepper and Atlas’s story. Atlas is friends with Pepper’s sister. When something happened to the sister and none of her family came around, he disliked her whole family, The sister told him all kinds of stories about her family so he would keep hating them. When Pepper comes to town he is super mean to her and takes her sister’s side in everything. What he does not realize is that Pepper is the good one. It takes him a while to realize what is happening. Even though he was mad about things he heard about Pepper he was still falling for her. But when the whole truth comes out will Pepper want him after he was so very mean to her? Or can they move forward with a future together?
Pepper promised her mother on her deathbed, so now she's moved to where her sister lives, so she can fulfill that promise. Once again, though, Sage is being the psycho she is, and she's got a protector in Atlas, so Pepper's going to find her life even more difficult than usual. Too bad Atlas is so intent on protecting Sage, because he's caught her eye, even knowing she can't have him.
Atlas has a protector tendency. Unfortunately, it means he doesn't always see people or situations clearly. Such is the case with his latest friendship with Sage, the woman he rescued. But then along comes a sassy woman who gets under his skin and is forcing him to question everyone and everything. It's not possible Pepper's right about her sister, is it? And it's certainly not possible he's falling in love with the woman who drives him crazy, is it?
I love Pepper! She's got sassy, feisty, and has this huge heart and she put everyone else's needs before her own. I wanted to smack Atlas a time or three at first, because he just couldn't see Sage for who she really was, even though his friends and coworkers were telling him, along with Pepper, that she wasn't who he thought. But given his backstory, I could sort of understand. I love enemies to lovers, so this one hit that snarky, witty vibe perfectly, plus all the fiery chemistry - I couldn't stop reading! Now I'm really excited to read Gable's story next, Time to Bounce.
ARC provided by Give Me Books Promotions for an honest review.
I was really looking forward to see how Vale would redeem Elliette. 🫠 The last book DID hint that 'Rent Free' was going to be about her and Atlas.... so what happened??
Oh. My. God!! it's easily one of the top 5 books of this year. Totally unique storyline, sorted-sensible characters and witty banter makes it UNFORGETTABLE, MUST READ book ASAP. I'm ashamed to say I'd waited this long to sample Lani's work *what was I thinking**. BUT....but now that I have, I'm addicted. Her writing style is simple but her words hooked into me from page one. A tale of two sisters, completely opposite in nature and demeanour. Sage Solomon is a demon spawn from hell, has been from the day she was born.
"She was a pathological liar. She was an attention seeker. She also went out of her way to make everyone look bad—or at least worse than her."
Pepper Solomon on the other hand is the Good Solomon. Forgiving to a fault, she learns to manouever her life between Sage's lies to escape unscathed with her sanity intact. Thankfully there are lot of good Solomons who corroborate her story and stature. Page has a problem that destroys everyone who comes in contact with her. Case-In-Point - Atlas Carter, the good hearted cop who saves her physically...or so it seems. I won't give away the story anymore because you MUST, MUST read this BRILLIANT book to experience it with fresh eyes and clean mind. The characters grow as the story progresses. There's no juvenile, cheesy misunderstandings cropping up for no reason, there's no misheard-misinterpreted situations. The plot is linear and laid out on full display, which is a fresh approach. It also strengthens the belief and trust in Ms Vale's talent as a seasoned writer. Her humour is high class and some of the finest I've read. Every chapter starts with Secret Thoughts they're Hilarious with rich, witty inner monologue, and also ironically true
"You know what? I’m just gonna say it. Sharks just aren’t eating enough people. —Pepper’s secret thoughts"
I'm seriously in love with Pepper & Atlas and their creator Lani Lynn Vale. Get ready for some serious Fangirling, bordering on obsessive stalking ms vale, because you're now my new favorite author to binge read/listen. 5 stars Everything is figureoutable. Follow me on: Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
This story could have been so much more, but as it was, it was just kind of meh. The main couple (Atlas and Pepper) were just bland as all get out. Atlas hates Pepper from the very first meeting, because of all the lies Sage told him about her sister Pepper. That started out well, but petered off to nothing. The hate Atlas directed towards Pepper died out super fast, you know, because he fell for her instantly. The heroine's sister was a psycho nutjob, but she's the only thing that added a little oomph to this boring story. Sage (the psycho sister) was over the top crazy. She lived to hurt others, especially the others in her family. Didn't matter what family member, she lived to lie about them and hurt them in the very worst of ways. More of her shitty behavior is told in the past than the present though, not exactly experiencing it as it happens. That was a missed opportunity. There were a lot of unanswered questions too. How exactly did this psycho sister and Atlas's ex Emory become friends? We are told that Sage orchestrated everything, but it was never explained how. Why did Emory keep her child a secret from Atlas? And if she neglected this child and wanted nothing to do with him, why was she so pissed when he was taken out of her custody? And at the ending of this story... How did that happen? NOBODY KNOWS. The story has decent bones to it, and the perfect psychopath to cause oodles of drama, but the story had too many plot holes and way too many unanswered questions. ["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
Genre & Tropes : romance contempo x enemies to lovers x single dad x policeman x dramas & angst
ENFIN le tome avec Atlas et Pepper !!
J'avoue j'étais hyper impatiente d'avoir enfin l'histoire d'Atlas car pendant longtemps j'ai cru qu'il allait finir avec Sage, la victime du serial killer ...
SAUF QUE
Sage n'était pas une victime et il s'est révélé qu'elle était bien frappée ! Mais c'est donc avec plaisir que j'ai découvert sa soeur Pepper (qui est de la même famille que Coke Solomon de Ain't Doin' It !!) qui était attachante (le fait qu'elle fasse des perruques pour les gens dans le besoin !) et tellement amusante ! Et j'ai adoré voir Atlas prendre conscience de ses erreurs, se remettre en question et tout faire pour reconquérir Pepper !
Et bien sûr, j'ai adoré tous les dramas avec Sage et Emory ! J'adore la famille et les exs psychotiques xD
Bref, une romance sexy et pleine de rebondissements que j'ai dévoré !
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
FINALLY the book with Atlas and Pepper !!
I have to admit I was really impatient to finally have Atlas' story because for a long time I thought he was going to end up with Sage, the victim of the serial killer ...
BUT
Sage was not a victim and it turned out that she was really crazy ! But it was with pleasure that I discovered her sister Pepper (who is from the same family as Coke Solomon from Ain't Doin' It !!) who was endearing (the fact that she makes wigs for people in need !) and so funny ! And I loved seeing Atlas realize his mistakes, question himself and do everything to win Pepper back !
And of course, I loved all the dramas with Sage and Emory ! I love the psychotic family and exes xD
In short, a sexy romance full of twists and turns that I devoured !
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
This is the story of Pepper and Atlas. Pepper is a girl who has been through way more than anyone should be going though. She has a sister that is making everyone else's life crazy. She manipulates and lies and dealing with that constantly is exhausting. Pepper has learned that you need to keep your circle small and not let just everyone in. She is fierce that's for sure. But she really has a very sweet side and if you are in her inner circle, you're going to be able to depend on her no matter what you need. You are going to fall for this girl. She is a girl you would love to be friends with. Atas ...oh poor Atlas, this man is going to frustrate you to the core. But don't lay the book down because of that reason. He is a super redeemable character. This man had has so many bad relationships and it has ruined him in the worst ways possible. So much so that he isn't even willing to try. The word relationship probably turns this man is a scared little bunny. Add on to it a friendship with a girl who could manipulate the pants off the mannequin. We get to experience the back story a lot in this book. I loved that we got to experience it first hand instead of someone telling you what had happened. I can honestly say that Pepper's sister is a straight up psycho. Atlas has lived through similar things and when Pepper comes to the town she isn't welcomed by him at all. He thinks she had bad intentions but everyone around them is trying their best to get him to see that he is fairly judging Pepper before he gets to know her. Like I said he is very frustrating until he isn't. Can these two get past all of this? If they do, what will happen between them? You have to read and find all that out. However, I really loved reading this book.
Omgggg omg!!! I have been waiting for this book ever since I saw Pepper and Atlas in Auden and Mavens book. This book was the perfect amount of enemies to lovers slow burn romance.
We start of with Pepper who’s sister is an actual psychopath and treats her whole family so so horribly. Sage lies and does everything to make Pepper and her brother’s lives horrible. Basically Sage lies about being kidnapped and gets Atlas to go on her side and manipulates him into thinking that Peppers the bad one for not coming to get her. This makes Atlas think that Pepper is a jerk and he makes himself hate her at first sight even though he’s attracted to her.
So basically they go around each other for a while, both trying not to give in, but eventually Atlas’s control snaps and let’s just say it gets HAWT. This is when he starts to realize that maybe Sage is that bad guy and he’s been trusting the wrong sister.
Once Atlas sees Sage almost attack Pepper he goes crazy and when I say he grovels I mean he GROVELLED. They finally get together and it’s going so good but then he finds out that he has a CHILD. But omg omg was Forest so so cute. He was the most adorable kid and the way he loved Pepper and Atlas so much melted my heart. But here was where Atals went wrong. He was so surprised about Forest and overwhelmed that he said some things he didn’t mean and pushed Pepper away. But when he realizes how bad he did she gets hit by a car and almost dies. This part was so so so good. The way he broke down and was just so in love with her was so good.
I need this book to be made into a movie because I would die if I could watch this. This book is probably one of my favorite of the series. You can’t go wrong with an enemies to lovers.
So so good
4.8/🍼🚙☀️🧁🌶️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I recently finished Rent Free by Lani Lynn Vale, and I have to say, it was a delightful addition to the Carter Brothers series! The story revolves around Atlas Carter, a police officer who finds himself in a complicated situation with Pepper Solomon, the sister of a woman who deceived him.
From the very beginning, I was drawn into the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Atlas and Pepper. The tension was palpable, and Vale did an excellent job of building their relationship amidst misunderstandings and emotional turmoil. I loved how Atlas initially believes he’s chosen the wrong sister, leading to a year of animosity towards Pepper. It made for a compelling setup that kept me turning the pages.
The characters were well-developed and relatable. Atlas embodies the classic alpha male, protective yet flawed, while Pepper shines as a strong, independent woman shaped by her difficult family background. I appreciated how their chemistry evolved throughout the story, making their connection feel genuine and heartfelt.
Vale's writing style kept me engaged, and I found myself laughing and rooting for the characters as they navigated their feelings. However, I did feel that the resolution with Pepper's sister, who serves as a significant source of conflict, could have been more definitive. A stronger confrontation would have added to my overall satisfaction with the ending.
Despite this minor drawback, Rent Free was an entertaining read filled with humor, romance, and character growth. I would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Overall, I’d give it a solid four stars!
First from author. This is a fifth from a series. I got this from a Reddit rec because of the trope. I thought I'd like this book. It has some elements and theme that I'd really go for, especially an evil OW. I'm not sure though why I didn't connect. Despite some drama, the book failed to get to me. Maybe because it lacked the depth, the emotions, the passion that I usually get from some books I connect with. The story was just kind of being told to me, rather than me being there riding along with the book and characters.
This started out well. So I readied myself for a good ride. Then it kind of fell flat. It dragged too. I liked the heroine because she's witty, gives a good banter but then not. Hero, hmm nope. The romance between these two is quite bland. Plot is some kind of all over the place. Well that's what I felt while reading.
Evil sister doesn't even make a consistent character impression on me. Most of her evil deeds are just told not shown. Her character could have added a great potential, if execution is good. Kind of disappointed. I agree with some readers who also didn't connect much with the book, despite unpopular. Also, blurb didn't deliver much.
Overall a fine book, with lots of potential to be really good. I finally felt some kind of connection, somehow felt a kind of a heartwarming feeling that I was looking for, throughout the book in the final chapter. A scene tugged at my heart. Maybe because of some nice family dynamics, and mostly because of heroine's dad's presence in her most important beautiful day, despite his illness. Her wedding. This made me miss so much my late dad.
The book was good, I picked it for the OW drama, BUT I was blindsided by the OW baby trope that popped up out of nowhere in the middle. I HATE this trope, and honestly, if I had known about it, I wouldn't have read the book. While it wasn't her sisters (OW) baby (sister and H never intimate), it was the other OW present baby. And the usual literary magic happened where h was instantly smitten, instantly stepped into the role of mother, instantly excepted the baby of the guy she wasn't even dating, with no thought to what she was giving up or how her life changed. She moved into his house to help him straight away. He was the usual well-behaved, always cute dream baby that makes me think my 2 year olds were possessed by tantrum throwing terrors. His presence was felt through the rest of the book. It felt it became more about these two people co-parenting a baby that wasn't even hers than any romance. Which granted when you have little kids happens in real life, but this is a fictional world where a 2 year old just decided to never wear nappies again. Their relationship could've still been about them and not become all about his boy. IDK, it turned me off. Wish I had known, didn't see it in any reviews I'd read when making my decision if I wanted to read the book, so here you go. It got 4 stars because it was well written, had a good flow. My only gripe is that I didn't like where the story went. But that's a me problem, not the book problem. I've read a few books now by this author, and I like her easy writing style.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After every story, I think that was is my favorite, but then I read the next and then that one is my favorite, lol
Atlas thought that Pepper was a terrible person, for everything she did to her sister. But he didn’t have all the facts, and he definitely listened to the wrong sister. And no matter how much he was attracted to her, things just didn’t add up.
Pepper hasn’t had a good life, since her sister reached her teen years. She went through a terrible time with her and even now as an adult it just didn’t seem like it was getting any better. And when she met Atlas, she knew he was the one she was waiting for, but then she found out he was friends with her sister, and he believed her sister.
But eventually Atlas came to experience the reality of Sage. And he was not prepared for it.
I loved how Pepper was such a good person. And no matter what her sister did to her, she still tried to reach out to her when her mother died. Atlas was such a sweetheart, he just wanted everyone to like him, and believed the good in everyone, so he couldn’t see the terrible person that Sage was. But when he eventually came around, he did everything he could to distance himself from her. The relationship between Pepper and Forest was just too adorable for words. I loved it, loved that this family is so close, and they would do anything for each other.
Loved the story from start to end, and for now Atlas is my favorite 😊
Atlas Carter met Sage on what seemed to be the worst day of her life, having just escaped a serial killer. He’s left wondering why none of her family showed up at the hospital. Now Sage's sister Pepper works at his favorite bakery and he has no problem showing his dislike. But, he can't hide his attraction either.
Pepper Solomon is used to her sister, Sage, ruining her life, but deep down she knows Atlas is supposed to be hers. It's too bad he believes her psychotic sister and all of her lies. But when Atlas’s life changes in a big way, it is Pepper who is there for him. And, he finally realizes he wants it all with her even if she doesn't believe him.
This book has drama all over the place, from page one! Sage is such a great psycho character, willing to go to any length to get what she wants and make others miserable. I loved that Atlas fell hook, line, and sinker for Pepper! He is rotten at picking a good woman, until Pepper, and now it may be too late. I refuse to give things away, but Atlas will have you falling in love with him again and again throughout this book. Pepper is just awesome. The things she has been put through!. She is so resilient and so loyal. I adore her! It was super fun seeing the rest of the Carters as well.
I can't wait for Gable and Athena! I am loving this family and how they love and tease and always have each other's backs. 5 stars
Atlas and Pepper. This is the next book in the Carter Brothers series and had me on the edge of my chair reading it. This family is absolutely amazing, and I love each and every brother. I will have to say that Atlas might just be my favorite. There is just something about this storyline that Lani brings out all of the stops. Atlas has gotten to know Sage Pepper's very disturbed sister since she claims that she was kidnapped. Things have gone on that brings Pepper to town. But when these two first meet it is not a very warm welcome because of the things that Sage has told Atlas about Pepper and her family. But as things go on and happen. Atlas learns the truth. But will it be enough to change his mind about Pepper? Atlas is strong, stubborn and learns something after an incident that no one should have to learn especially that way. This part of the storyline literally broke my heart. But so worth the read. Atlas has to learn how to be a father and with Pepper's help he does just that. But will the feelings he has for Pepper be brushed to the side? This was a very sweet lovable enjoyable mind twisting read. There was suspense and twists and turns. Every single character is enjoyable in this storyline and brings so much to the story. Once again Lani has done an amazing job with the story and the characters and has you feeling like you are right there in the book.