Long For

by J.L. Stray

The stick turned blue and I’m pregnant to my best friend’s twin brother.Aiden, or Ace as he’s affectionately called, and I had one night together. That resulted in me being pregnant with his baby. So, I do what any girl would do; I storm into his show and blurt it out the first moment I get.I’ve longed for Aiden Zaks since I was his twin’s little blonde best friend. He never noticed me, at least not the way I noticed him. I longed to be next to him and to be the person who ran into his arms. But that never happened.Not until grief struck the Zaks household. Aiden finds comfort in me, for just one night. But that night changes everything. The stick turns blue and I’m now. carrying his baby. So, I do what any girl would do; I storm his show and blurt it out. The first chance I get.That starts the upheaval of my life. Aiden wants to keep me with him at all times so he can help me with the baby. A reaction I hadn’t expected. The rockstar ladies’ man is ready to be a dad and a family.He wants that more than anything. Question is, do I?

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Forced Proximity

320 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2024

About the author

JL Stray has always enjoyed reading books and writing stories. Finally, she gathered up enough courage to publish one herself. A former Policy Specialist and current Consultant, she spends any extra moment she has writing, outlining and scheming her next book.

Raised in a small town in Pennsylvania, she graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Public Policy. Most days she uses one of those degrees in either her career or dealing with her children.

J.L. lives in that same small town, with her three very active children, who always have her at a diamond, field or court. She is a lover of books, shoes, beaches, and a strong drink.

Reviews

[coffee.and.smut (Ash) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
Book: For Long
Author: J.L Stray
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

This is my very first J.L Stray book ever and I really enjoyed the writing.

I couldn’t put down this book. Aiden and Emma caught me right away in chapter 1. Aiden is Emma’s best friend’s twin brother. She has had a crush on him forever. A one night stand later and she ends up pregnant. He is on tour with his band when she shows up to tell him. He turns into a possessive father and requires her to travel the country in his tour bus with him. She thinks he is only being this way because of the baby, but we later find out his intentions.

I loved this book and wish I would have read the first book in the series.

Thanks The Author agency for the ARC. I really enjoyed the whole story!!

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🎸 Rockstar Romance
🎸 Accidental Pregnancy
🎸 Forced Proximity
🎸 Best Friends Twin Brother

💭 Things we loved - a strong female who doesn’t need a man, an accidental pregnancy, and a male who will do anything to help his baby mama.

💭 Things we didn’t enjoy - single POV (I found myself wanting to know what Aiden was thinking and feeling often), a very rushed ending (I felt like when we got to the best part of the story, it wrapped up so quickly)

💭 Overall, I enjoyed the story, I was invested in the characters and found myself wanting more when it ended.

✨ Thank you the author agency and JL Stray for my e-ARC

[Julie Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a rockstar romance, and I love a strong female; I got both in this book. Add in the surprise pregnancy and a man who takes care of his own, and I could not put the book down.

Aiden is home after the death of his father and gets carried away with his twin sister's best friend. She has had a crush on Aiden for years, but I love her independence. After she breaks the news of her bun in the oven, he invites her on tour. I like the light freakout but would have loved to know what was happening in Aiden's head.

Emma has every intention of telling Aiden her news and returning home. His reaction is not what she expects! She then needs to work through her feelings, and I enjoyed the entire ride. I am excited for the next book!

Thank you to the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

[Dee Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first J.L. Stray read and I really enjoyed it.
It’s the second book in the series, and I recommend reading the first book to get the full experience.
Grief sends rockstar, Aiden (Ace), into the arms of his twin sister’s best friend, Emma. One night of passion leads to a surprise pregnancy. After she tells him, he insists she come on tour with the band & his sister so he can be part of the baby’s life.
An enjoyable read with passion, slow burn steam, romance, some heartbreak and drama, a possessive MMC with hidden sweetness, a FMC with a guarded heart and a lovely HEA.

Thank you to the author and The Author Agency.

[VicReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

After we got a glimpse of their interaction in the first book I was wondering what was going to happen.

After grief rocks Ace's world he finds himself enjoying a night with his sister's best friend. Emma has had a crush on Ace for so long and she finally has a night to enjoy him until that night turn into something more.

She finds out she's pregnant and she goes and tells him. She not expecting the response she got and ends up going on tour with Ace's band.

Ace turns out to be super possessive and in the beginning we are led to believe its because he just found out he's going to be a father but later on we learn its so much more than that.

l really enjoyed their story and can't wait for more!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a rockstar romance! I swear it has to be my favorite trope. That being said that was not the only reason I LOVED this book!

I was a little nervous as it is an accidental pregnancy book but it was done so well! Aiden is so swoony and sweet while still having that sexy rocker side too. It makes my heart flutter!

Emma is a great FMC as well, she has her own independence but is also self aware enough to not be bitchy.

I honestly don’t think there is anything I would change. It’s cute, spicy, hilarious, and just overall a happy read!

I received an advance review copy but this review is my own honest opinions.

[Romancewitham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long For (ARC review)

Thank you to The Author Agency for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I needed a good old surprise pregnancy book, and this did it for me. I truly loved this book and the story. Emma and Aiden had this undeniable chemistry that couldn't let me put the book down. I was so hooked on them, and all I kept needing was more. Emma was wonderful. I loved her smart mouth and the confidence she had. The way she didn't back down on her wants and needs and how her baby would always be a priority to her. A surprise pregnancy is always scary, but to see her handle it so well and knowing from the start what she needed and wanted was admiring. Aiden or Ace truly was perfect. I loved how that man stepped up immediately and wanted to become the best father he could be. He adored Emma, and you could see he would do anything and everything for her. Their moments were so cute and sexy and I loved how protective and supportive they became of each other. The epilogue was freaking perfection!

Book by: J.L. Stray
Tropes:
• Best friend's brother
• Accidental pregnancy
• Rockstar romance
• Forced proximity
• Mutual pining
• Slowburn
• Friends to lovers

My rating: 4,5/5 ⭐️
Spice level: 2/5 🔥

[Natalie Yanez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aiden and Emma's story was a book I couldn't put down. Aiden is her best friend's twin brother. They end up having a one night stand and surprise! She's pregnant with his child. He's on tour with his Rick band Crave when she tells him. Not expecting his reaction to her news. He decides he wants her to join the tour so he can keep an eye on her and the baby, but she isn't sure she's ready for them to be together. She thinks he only wants that because of the baby. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Allie Koval · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
I absolutely loved Aiden and Emma's story. They grew beautifully together during a time neither of them expected.

[Jennifer Leigh (jenjenbookfan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫 is the second book in the Crave series by J.L. Stray, featuring a sweet and spicy accidental pregnancy/rockstar romance for Aiden and Emma. When tragedy strikes, Emma comforts her best friend’s twin brother Aiden. Their one night together left a surprise behind that will change their lives forever. Aiden wants to be a family, but can he convince Emma that he means it?

I went back and read the first book before I started this one, so I was already connected to all the characters and invested in the story. Aiden won my heart and had me swooning with how hard he fought to convince Emma that he was all in with her and the baby. He was the ultimate reformed playboy! I also love a strong, independent FMC like Emma, but I’ll admit I spent way too much of the book frustrated with her. I mean, I felt like Aiden more than proved his intentions, and she continued to question that for way too long. I understand her viewpoint due to her past, and I loved the way the book progressed after they got on the same page, it was just drawn out too long for me. I loved the dynamics of the friends— the banter and the camaraderie was top notch, with a definite found family vibe. I’m definitely intrigued by the setup for Brent’s story! I can’t wait to see how that one plays out!

I received an ARC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶.5

[Sofia Ruiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in J.L. Stray's Crave series and my first book by the author, and now I want more.
Emma and Aiden have known each other all their lives as she is best friends with Aiden's sister.After a tragedy strikes Aiden's family, Emma tries to comfort him and they end up having a night that will change things, and bond them together for life. Aiden wants to start a family with Emma, but he doesn't know if he can convince her that he means it.
I loved how the story developed and how our main characters found their way to be together, how their relationship evolved and they gave each other the opportunity to be together and start a family.
I love Aiden, he's the cutest thing ever, he's romantic, determined, protective, always looking out for Emma and the baby, I loved that he went from being a playboy to a family man and he did it with a big smile.
I really like it when the FMC is independent, and Emma definitely is, however she is also a bit stubborn and at times I was a bit frustrated with her attitude, I mean it's understandable considering her past, but once she and Aiden were on the same page, I liked the development of the story even more.
Now I'm going to read the first book of the saga while waiting for Brent's story which left me very intrigued.
Thanks for the ARC of this book, I enjoyed it very much.

[HeatherDawn the_sarcastic_librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long For is the the second book in The Crave Series. The first book is Lust For, which I had not read but I will be going back to read it. Long For can be read as a stand alone as it fills you in on the important details that happened in the first book. The central story line for both books has twins Audrey and Aiden pairing up with the other sibling's best friend. Aiden's best friend Derek is the lead singer of their band, Crave, and he ends up with Aiden's sister Audrey. Audrey's best friend, Emma has always had a crush on Audrey's twin brother Aiden "Ace" Zaks, the infamous bass playing/back up singer, party boy, rock star. He always knew she had a crush on him but he never really paid much attention to her until one day, when they are young adults, after a traumatic event happens, Aiden seeks comfort from Emma that results in an accidental pregnancy. Emma has had her own traumatic experiences growing up with just her father after her mother abandoned them. She has commitment issues and on top of that, realizes that Aiden's Rock and Roll life style is not suited for bringing up a baby. She goes to him before a concert and literally blurts out that she is pregnant in front of all of his band mates and Audrey. She tells him, she does not want anything from him, that she would raise the baby by herself and would not be a burden or hinderance to him and that he could see the baby whenever his schedule allowed it and that she just felt he had the right to know that he had fathered a child. After the shock of it wears off, Aiden immediately proposes to Emma, which really makes her mad. She just wants her independence and has never really ever planned on getting married after seeing how her parents ended up. Aiden talks her into going on tour with them and she agrees because her BFF Audrey is on the tour bus with her boyfriend, Derek. Aiden is a complete golden retriever, and very attentive to everything that Emma needs, which kind of drives Emma nuts. There is some turmoil as Emma keeps rejecting Aiden, stating that she does not want to be in a relationship, especially one she feels is only because she is pregnant. The book continues from there with some angsty times and a little bit of drama and ends with the cutest HEA. J.L. Stray is a new author to me and I really enjoyed reading this book. I suggest reading the first book of the series, but as previously stated, it's not necessary to this story.

[Only.ever.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
✨Long for✨
The Crave series #2

By J.L. Stray

⭐ 4/5 ❤️ 5/5

✨ Rockstar Romance
✨ Best friend´s brother
✨ Friends to Lovers

Aiden and Emma

This story is about two characters who learn throughout the book to grow up and take responsibility for something that wasn't planned at all.
But both, Aiden and Emma, did a good job and took the reader through a journey of friends becoming lovers and finding out what you really want. Even if you never knew you wanted it.
Emma had a crush on Aiden for a long time. Both have known each other since they were kids, and Aiden´s twin sister is Emma's best friend. Aiden knew about her crush but ignored it.
But one night full of grief makes them weak and turned out into something both got surprised by. And now the tables have somewhat turned. Now Aiden wants Emma by his side, but only to take responsibility. At first.
Only now Emma is hesitant. Is this not the right reason to be together and she is afraid that Aiden will see that after a while and will resent her.
Now Aiden has to convince her that he means it. And indeed has received feelings. But nothing is easy about their situation. A hard fought happy end. But a good one.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long For was a great sweet story. Its follows from J.L. Stray's previous book Lust For, but can be read as a standalone.

In this story we have Emma and Aiden's story, we know about them form LUST FOR. Here we get the background of how they came to be and got to the point of Emma getting pregnant by Aiden.

I loved Emma! She was completely honest and never held on to any false hope, though she did hope for she still fought through. She's a sweet very independent woman who has a bit of trauma from her past. She is sassy and for sure no saint and will make Aiden work to win her!

Aiden on the other hand is known as a man*****! This rock star end up shocking up with his family believes. He is truly has growth and development and such a great man! He is very protective of his twin sister and Emma.

I enjoyed some of the side characters and their banter between this small group of friends. This is definitely a light read.

This book is written in a single POV and sadly we don't get much of Aiden's thought or POV, but it was still great!

(Thank you for my copy of this book! The above are my thoughts! Hope you enjoy! 🖤 )

[Jennifer Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐀𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

This book was such a fun read! We get to see the journey from a girl who never wanted to settle down in fear of abandonment to a woman who meets her soulmate. That soulmate that turns out to be her best friend's twin brother.

I loved the way Aiden was all in from the moment he found out he was going to be a daddy. Protective Papa Bear mode was activated the moment Emma said "I'm pregnant".

Emma was guarded from the very beginning. Her own personal family history led her to believe she was going down the same road. Repeatedly she apologized and made it clear to Aiden she did not want to obligate him to the baby.

What I love the most is that despite the pulling from Emma, Aiden never walked away. Emma sacrificed her independence to join Aiden's band on tour to ensure she was healthy during her pregnancy.

I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a story that shows the true ups and downs to an unexpected pregnancy while struggling with giving up your own freedom and finding comfort in another person.

[Shayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aiden and Emma’s one night of passion changes their entire lives, literally cause it starts them on the road to parenthood. Emma finds out she is pregnant after hooking up with her best friend’s twin brother once and she instantly travels to the rockstar’s concert venue and tells him he’s going to be a dad. She expects him to not be affected by the news but thought he deserved to know, but Aiden shocks Emma by instantly stepping up wanting to be a dad and wanting to be a part of the pregnancy. He asks Emma to follow him on the road for the rest of the tour.

Everyone knows that Emma has ALWAYS had a crush on Aiden so when she turns down his instant marriage proposal after finding out she’s pregnant, everyone is surprised. Emma doesn’t want a marriage out of obligation or guilt, if she’s going to get married she wants it to be based off love. While on the road Aiden tries to prove to her that they can be a family and he falls for her fast as he gets to know her more, eventually even revealing he’s had a secret crush on her for awhile as well.

Challenges arise between the two with Aiden’s playboy past and life surrounded by media but they continue their journey as co-parents.

I love how protective of both Emma and the baby, Aiden is from the very beginning. He caters to Emma’s EVERY need throughout the pregnancy. I also love the found family aspect between the band, Emma and Audrey.

[Betsy Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚: Long For
By: J.L. Stray


Tropes:
👉 Rockstar
👉 Surprise Pregnancy
👉 Best Friend’s Brother



TWs 😟:


Main Takeaway 🏹: Slow Burn that’s worth the wait


Synopsis 📜: After his father dies, Aiden finds comfort with his twin sister’s best friend. Emma has been crushing on Aiden for as long as they can both remember but when the stick turns blue, she does everything she can to protect her heart so their child can have two parents who don’t hate each other. She joins him and his band on tour because he insists on being a part of his child’s life and they learn to love and listen to each other despite their stubborn-ness.


Personal Thoughts 🤔: I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I absolutely love an accidental pregnancy romance. Reading about these two fight their feelings for the sake of their child was full of tension and when they finally snap, these two are fire!


Recommendation ✔️❌: Absolutely, everyone who likes these tropes should read this book!

[Natorious Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve said that I don’t like accidental pregnancy tropes, but I’ve been found out as a liar. The more I read this trope, the more I love it. And this book was no exception. When the MMC goes all in on being a family man, I’m a goner.

Emma has wanted her best friend’s brother since forever, and one night changes everything between them. She’s determined to be a strong independent woman with no help, but Aiden will not hear of it! He’s very possessive and protective of what’s his. He was set on getting the life he wants with his little family.

I loved the sweet and spicy moments throughout this book and how their relationship came together despite the rocky beginning and accidental pregnancy. And the growth they both went through with learning to work together.

Thanks to author J.L. Stray and The Author Agency for the advanced copy of this book.

Ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🎸Rock Star Romance
❤️‍🔥Accidental Pregnancy
🎸Slow Burn
❤️‍🔥Best Friend's Brother
🎸Friends to Lovers

[DarknessLighttt · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐚 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 🐚

4.5 ⭐

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: rockstar, accidental pregnancy, slow burn, best friend's brother, friends to lovers

This book was quite interesting and I really like it. I don't think I've ever read a book with the accidental pregnancy trope where the hero is a rockstar.

Emma always wanted her best friend's brother, and one night changes everything between them. From the moment Aiden finds out he's going to be a dad, he becomes very protective and possessive of Emma, ​​and he's always by her side to give her comfort.

At first it takes them a while until they recognize the strong feelings, but even when they do, mainly Emma, everything becomes even more explosive. I really liked the sweet and spicy moments between them, and how they developed as characters throughout the story.

Thank you J.L. Stray for the opportunity to read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good surprise pregnancy book so when I saw this I wanted to read it immediately.

In this book we meet Aiden (Ace) and Emma. Emma and Aiden give into each other one night when Aiden is going through grief. That one night stand leads to Emma looking down at a test with 2 pink lines.

I adored Aiden! This man could do no wrong (in my eyes). The minute Emma approached him and told him that he would be a father Aiden was all in. While he may have jumped quickly he had good intentions and a heart of gold. I loved his love for the baby and for Emma and all of the wooing he was doing with Emma to show her it "has always been her" and that he is all in with her with the child and with a relationship and future.

I want to say I wish we had Aidens point of view in this book. I found myself getting frustrated with Emma through out the book because no matter how many times Aiden told he was all in and proved his intentions to her she was still questioning everything. I understand Emma's past and why she thinks/feels this way but it was still frustrating.

However, with all that said I would read more from this author and look forward to the next book in this series because I loved all the other characters we met in this book.

Thank you The Authors agency for the ARC

[Éireann S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long For was a best friend’s brother slow burn romance where Emma accidentally gets pregnant after one night with rockstarAiden (the boy she has crushed on since she was a kid). Aiden immediately stepped up to take care of Emma upon finding out about the pregnancy. He went as far as proposing marriage. Though Emma had a crush on Aiden for what seemed like forever she felt he was only looking for the relationship because of the baby. It didn’t matter that every day Aiden showed her how much he cared for her went as far as saying he crushed on her too but didn’t do anything prior because she was his sister’s best friend. It took almost the whole book for Emma to finally realize Aiden’s love for her was for her and not just because she was carrying his child. I loved the slow burn of this book. With each page you were yelling for Emma to open her eyes and she what was right in front of her. It was an adorable love story and highly recommend.

[Flavs is Mrs David Gandy♥~♥’ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.50 Stars

Emma always had a crush on her best friends brother, Aiden the Rockstar.
After they spend one night together, Emma got pregnant. When she tells Aiden, he takes it completely opposite to what she thought he would...

When Aiden learns about Emma carrying his child, he knows he will do the right thing and be there for her and the baby. So he asks her to join him on their travel bus 🤔

I enjoyed the story. Loved that Aiden wasn't just another typical rock star. He really stepped up for Emma. Emma though worked on my nerves 🙄 it's like she couldn't make up her mind at all. Story was good, characters, especially Aiden I enjoyed. Good romance, angst was good and chemistry was hot 🔥

Read on behalf of
Fay's Corner

[Ivy Blacke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma has always loved her best friend's brother. Longing for him and waiting for him to notice her as more than his sister's annoying friend. Then one night he does. He need sher and she wants him.

Aiden is a rock star. Women falling at his feet but after a night with Emma he can't forget her and the incredible night they shared. But now he has a permanent reminder of it. She's pregnant.

He offers her marriage and she says no. She says no to the man she's always wanted, but she doesn't want him to feel trapped and she wants him to love her.

Can two people who've always really loved one another trust that this was truly fate that brought them together, or will Emma let her past run her away from the Ace she could hold forever?

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review
3/5 stars
4/5 spice

Best Friend’s Brother
Rock star
Pregnancy
Surprise pregnancy
He falls harder

This story follows Aiden “Ace” as the bass playing rockstar on tour with his band Crave. He and Emma share a passionate night in a grief filled time that results in two pink lines on a stick.

Emma joins the band on tour, and rides the roller coaster of pregnancy, paparazzi, appointments, and what the heart wants.

I found this book to be enjoyable. Aiden is all in from the beginning, and Emma’s wavering is a bit tiring after a while. I also felt like Aiden’s twin sister and Emma’s best friend Audrey did not support Emma at all, and was not a good best friend.

[K Webz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rock star romance brings all the feelings. When Aiden’s world is turned upside down by the death of his father, he finds comfort in the arms of his sister’s best friend, Emma. She has had the biggest crush on him for years, but when she ends up pregnant and he is ready to jump all in, she is hesitant. Is he doing it because he wants to be with her or does because he feels an obligation?
Aiden ended up being sweet with Emma. Loved this slow burn romance. Though they had that one moment, they didn’t jump into anything once she found out she was pregnant. It took Emma a bit to be convinced his feelings were genuine.

[NinaInkdawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I STATE that as soon as I started this book I was rapt from the story especially for how it is written ...I regretted not having read the first book,,, but I immediately remedied it by taking it at the end ...this book features several tropes but the ones that won me over are rockstar romance ,force d proimit...another thing worth reading this book for is the female protagonist who definitely knows what she wants ...I wish I had the double point of view because I'm curious and I wanted to know what Aiden thought ..When it was over I said in the mind ...nooooooo I want more .Thanks to the author Agency and the author for my arc .
Rating 4.5

[World Of Books 65 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long For, the second book in The Crave series by JL Stray, is a delectable surprise-filled romance that will leave you craving more. With a secret crush, a surprise baby, and a rock star, this must-read will have you hooked from the first page. Get ready for a whirlwind journey as our couple navigates life on the road, sizzling chemistry, and charming banter. Buckle up for a captivating ride that you won’t want to end.

[Chronicles_of_a_book_princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good story about a rockstar and his sisters best friend. They both grew up around one another and the FMC has always had a crush on the MC. The tropes behind the story were good and I liked the surprise pregnancy. The way the MC reacted was cute and he was sweet.

The FMC was good and her taking a stand for herself was nice to see. I liked that she just didn’t go with whatever anyone said. She made her own decisions.

[Laura Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The grammatical and printing errors in this book made it really difficult to read. Also, the writing wasn’t great.

I liked the first book in the series much better. It also had grammar and punctuation problems but the second is on a whole other level.

Won’t be reading the third. Just to hard to get through even though it’s short.

[Queen Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Emma and Aidans story. There was a lot of angst in the beginning but after they worked it out, the story was so smooth and heartwarming. After the events of the first book, the easy things played out in this one made so much sense. I can't wait to read Brent's story next!!