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No Regrets
Once upon a time he was her brother's best friend. He taught her to put the worm on the hook. He let her follow them around. But they grew up and he broke her heart when she needed him the most.
Now he's back and he owns half of her business. And he wants a chance to redeem himself.
Can she trust him with her family's legacy and her heart
Now he's back and he owns half of her business. And he wants a chance to redeem himself.
Can she trust him with her family's legacy and her heart
294 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2023
32 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Jenelle
38 books274 followersI write steamy small town romance (Willow Creek series), paranormal romantasy (Sons & Daughters of Lir) and Victorian era historical romance (Wainwright Sisters) with heat and heart.
I'm a 2X HOLT Award Winning Author (2023, No Regrets- Best First Book; 2025, No Excuses - Best Short Contemporary) who's had characters begging me to tell their love story since I was thirteen years old. I'm finally letting them have a voice.
I wrote my first story, about a giant who befriended a lady bug when I was in the second grade.
I live on a peaceful farm with my spouse and love nothing more than sitting on my porch with a glass of wine and plotting.
You can subscribe to my newsletter via my author website, ANDREAJENELLEROMANCE at https://andreajenelleromance.com/ or see what I'm up to on Instagram and TikTok via my handle @authorandreajenelle
I'm a 2X HOLT Award Winning Author (2023, No Regrets- Best First Book; 2025, No Excuses - Best Short Contemporary) who's had characters begging me to tell their love story since I was thirteen years old. I'm finally letting them have a voice.
I wrote my first story, about a giant who befriended a lady bug when I was in the second grade.
I live on a peaceful farm with my spouse and love nothing more than sitting on my porch with a glass of wine and plotting.
You can subscribe to my newsletter via my author website, ANDREAJENELLEROMANCE at https://andreajenelleromance.com/ or see what I'm up to on Instagram and TikTok via my handle @authorandreajenelle
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 4, 2024
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (I felt like they gave in to each other pretty easily each time and there wasn’t a lot of tension build up)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (hard to tell on audio for me!)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately in the prologue
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to the audiobook (won in a giveaway from the author – thank you!!!!)
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is book 1 of Jenelle’s Willow Creek series.
Basic plot:
Taren finds out her brother sold his half of the business to her enemy and prior high school tormentor...
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- small town setting – Willow Creek
- childhood friends
- enemies to lovers
- brother’s best friend
- workplace romance-ish – the hero buys out half her business and they must work together
- second chance
- heroine runs an orchard and makes cider
- celibate heroine
- skinny dipping
- higher steam – 5-ish scenes
Ages:
- heroine is about 33, hero is 35
First line: Taken from audio – probably butchered 😅
He was a praying mantis, all gangly awkward arms and legs and pointing elbows, a lean, supple wolfish shadow of a boy.
My thoughts:
This is my first book by Jenelle and I definitely am eager to try more! I liked the small town romance here and really enjoyed the steamy scenes – they had some great banter and an emotional pull I liked.
But I did have a few issues with this one – I struggled with their initial relationship a bit. They were childhood friends, but then in high school, the hero turns pure jerk. I didn’t really get why he was SO mean to her in high school. It’s kind of addressed and acknowledged, I guess I just wanted to feel the reason more? Because we walk in on the story at this point, I didn’t get the build up for it.
And after our initial set up, I really didn’t understand why he left without telling her. I still feel unsettled about that. It just felt like I was getting a bit of whiplash from the hero in the beginning and it was hard for me to recover from. They were best friends, then he was a jerk in high school, then he loved her, then he left. And when he returns, he works the whole book to prove to her he would do the right thing, but I was just left with this niggling doubt in their relationship that maybe I wouldn’t have forgiven him like she did.
Still, very excited to read more from Jenelle! She definitely has a writing style I like. These tropes weren’t my favorite and that’s just a me thing :)
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This was my first!
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: This is my first by Jenelle, so this one 😄
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (I felt like they gave in to each other pretty easily each time and there wasn’t a lot of tension build up)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (hard to tell on audio for me!)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately in the prologue
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to the audiobook (won in a giveaway from the author – thank you!!!!)
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is book 1 of Jenelle’s Willow Creek series.
Basic plot:
Taren finds out her brother sold his half of the business to her enemy and prior high school tormentor...
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- small town setting – Willow Creek
- childhood friends
- enemies to lovers
- brother’s best friend
- workplace romance-ish – the hero buys out half her business and they must work together
- second chance
- heroine runs an orchard and makes cider
- celibate heroine
- skinny dipping
- higher steam – 5-ish scenes
Ages:
- heroine is about 33, hero is 35
First line: Taken from audio – probably butchered 😅
He was a praying mantis, all gangly awkward arms and legs and pointing elbows, a lean, supple wolfish shadow of a boy.
My thoughts:
This is my first book by Jenelle and I definitely am eager to try more! I liked the small town romance here and really enjoyed the steamy scenes – they had some great banter and an emotional pull I liked.
But I did have a few issues with this one – I struggled with their initial relationship a bit. They were childhood friends, but then in high school, the hero turns pure jerk. I didn’t really get why he was SO mean to her in high school. It’s kind of addressed and acknowledged, I guess I just wanted to feel the reason more? Because we walk in on the story at this point, I didn’t get the build up for it.
And after our initial set up, I really didn’t understand why he left without telling her. I still feel unsettled about that. It just felt like I was getting a bit of whiplash from the hero in the beginning and it was hard for me to recover from. They were best friends, then he was a jerk in high school, then he loved her, then he left. And when he returns, he works the whole book to prove to her he would do the right thing, but I was just left with this niggling doubt in their relationship that maybe I wouldn’t have forgiven him like she did.
Still, very excited to read more from Jenelle! She definitely has a writing style I like. These tropes weren’t my favorite and that’s just a me thing :)
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This was my first!
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: This is my first by Jenelle, so this one 😄
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
May 16, 2023
Reread May 2023 - still in love with this novel!
Holy Smolder!
I cannot remember the last time I felt compelled to write a review online. But after reading this book, I knew I had to.
Having not read a contemporary romance in quite some time (indulging my love of contemporary romance mainly in made for television movies) this novel and author reminded me why it was once a genre I loved to read. With tropes that savor second chance, brother's best friend, friends to enemies to lovers, and pop culture references that called to my soul. This book had my heart in its grip.
I could have easily devoured it in an entire sitting, but did not want the story to end. Willow Creek is a place that jumps to life from the pages and the characters are people who felt so real that I wished to befriend them. Feeling such a strong connection to the characters, I am now trying to guess who might be the couple to square off for the second book of the series. Rarely do I find myself instantly looking forward to the next book in a contemporary romance series. Often forgetting about the characters/story not only when I've paused reading but soon after finishing the last page. But as I reading, and life got in the way (as it is want to do) the story stayed within my mind forcing me to read it on my kindle app any extra chance I got.
This novel gave me the small town, searching for redemption vibes with all the steam (and crackers). I cannot remember the last time I highlighted so many passages in a novel.
Favourite quotes include:
"A quivering arrow flexing in the wind, following him as if there were a string and pulley unraveling and tightening between us. A quivering arrow I knew I could never dislodge."
"How the sun swept over the sea and him, as I hid my nose in my book, sneaking greedy glances. I think I read the same page fifty-thousand times."
"He whirls me around. 'I hope you mean that. After everything that's happened it's what I want more than anything―to belong somewhere.'"
"'As you know, the plight of fictional characters can give us insight into our own struggles.'"
Stopping myself at four quotes is rather hard to do, which further illustrates how much I enjoyed this book.
*I received a copy of this ARC as a writing buddy beta read book swap, with zero expectations of a written review. As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, I just loved the story so much I couldn't not write something.*
Holy Smolder!
I cannot remember the last time I felt compelled to write a review online. But after reading this book, I knew I had to.
Having not read a contemporary romance in quite some time (indulging my love of contemporary romance mainly in made for television movies) this novel and author reminded me why it was once a genre I loved to read. With tropes that savor second chance, brother's best friend, friends to enemies to lovers, and pop culture references that called to my soul. This book had my heart in its grip.
I could have easily devoured it in an entire sitting, but did not want the story to end. Willow Creek is a place that jumps to life from the pages and the characters are people who felt so real that I wished to befriend them. Feeling such a strong connection to the characters, I am now trying to guess who might be the couple to square off for the second book of the series. Rarely do I find myself instantly looking forward to the next book in a contemporary romance series. Often forgetting about the characters/story not only when I've paused reading but soon after finishing the last page. But as I reading, and life got in the way (as it is want to do) the story stayed within my mind forcing me to read it on my kindle app any extra chance I got.
This novel gave me the small town, searching for redemption vibes with all the steam (and crackers). I cannot remember the last time I highlighted so many passages in a novel.
Favourite quotes include:
"A quivering arrow flexing in the wind, following him as if there were a string and pulley unraveling and tightening between us. A quivering arrow I knew I could never dislodge."
"How the sun swept over the sea and him, as I hid my nose in my book, sneaking greedy glances. I think I read the same page fifty-thousand times."
"He whirls me around. 'I hope you mean that. After everything that's happened it's what I want more than anything―to belong somewhere.'"
"'As you know, the plight of fictional characters can give us insight into our own struggles.'"
Stopping myself at four quotes is rather hard to do, which further illustrates how much I enjoyed this book.
*I received a copy of this ARC as a writing buddy beta read book swap, with zero expectations of a written review. As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, I just loved the story so much I couldn't not write something.*
June 24, 2023
Andrea Jenelle really knows how to pull off an “enemies to lovers”! I feel like it's one of the most complicated tropes. Generally, the characters don't have a valid reason to hate each other, but in “No Regrets” Taren's hatred towards Zane is totally justified and even so, that doesn't prohibit love (and sexual) tension between both characters. Besides that, we can find the small town tropes, second chances, brother's best friends, and a perfect smut. In whole, the plot doesn't leave you a dull moment — it really grabs you and doesn't let you go!
Zane, is an extremely well-developed character in this book. Although, he has his bad-boy side, the author shows us his humanity and the problems he had to face throughout his life, which really touches your heart. Additionally, she shows us a strong and empowered female character, who prioritizes her business, her friends, and fills us with bookish references.
The chemistry that Andrea embodied in "No Regrets" is beyond stunning. For a thoroughly modern romance, it leans towards a poetic style. Marking the characters interactions in a very intimate and romantic way, it delivered an abundant amount of emotions swiftly!
I really recommend this books for all my romance lovers and I can’t wait to read more of Willow Creek.
Zane, is an extremely well-developed character in this book. Although, he has his bad-boy side, the author shows us his humanity and the problems he had to face throughout his life, which really touches your heart. Additionally, she shows us a strong and empowered female character, who prioritizes her business, her friends, and fills us with bookish references.
The chemistry that Andrea embodied in "No Regrets" is beyond stunning. For a thoroughly modern romance, it leans towards a poetic style. Marking the characters interactions in a very intimate and romantic way, it delivered an abundant amount of emotions swiftly!
I really recommend this books for all my romance lovers and I can’t wait to read more of Willow Creek.
June 19, 2023
Ever wonder what it’s like to live,love and care about a small town? This whole book wrapped me in nostalgic hug it brought me back to my roots(to the small town I grew up in) It made me smile,laugh and yearn to go home. It made me remember things like ditching school with my two besties to swim and drink wine coolers😂. I felt all those things and I haven’t even gotten to the plot. The boy next door her brothers best friend (her best friend) she loves him even at 16. She’s his bestfriends little sister forbidden and at the age of 17(that’s very confusing) She truly “sees” him even then but alas circumstances tear them apart. Love takes trust in the end thats what this story is about finding that mutual trust and respect.I won’t say anymore else spoil the wonderful “Second chance story” YOU SHOULD read.
*Keep in mind these are just my thought and personal taste based on my reading style. I also admit I’m very new to “modern romances” so I came in not knowing what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. *
Thinks I liked:
- the strong female connection between Taren and her two bestie. I really love when we have strong female companionship that aren’t at odds with one another(I feel I don’t see this enough in romances)
- The book club (well because I love reading)
- The very spicy intense love scenes (well because 🔥🔥)
Things wished there was more of:
- more Willow Creek descriptions. I would have loved more detail about the town so I could picture it in my mind.(I’m very detail obsessed 🤷♀️) I’m hoping I will get to see this moving into book 2 of the series “No Surrender”
- This follows with the above vein. More details about the towns people.
As I said above I’m relatively new to reading “Modern Romances” (strictly of the past few years Historical Romances). I came in fresh with no expectations it check almost all the boxes (this reader looks for). It engaged me with its plot, love interest but most importantly it made me as a reader “feel”. Which is in at least my opinion most important 😁 I caught myself smiling and laughing (out loud) a lot. It was Akin to being enveloped in a warm hug. From my prospective it’s a solid 4 stars leaning heavily towards 4.5 (but only because I’m super detail oriented when it comes to my reading styles) I would recommended its a worthy buy and read! I’m looking forward to more of Willow Creek!
*Keep in mind these are just my thought and personal taste based on my reading style. I also admit I’m very new to “modern romances” so I came in not knowing what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. *
Thinks I liked:
- the strong female connection between Taren and her two bestie. I really love when we have strong female companionship that aren’t at odds with one another(I feel I don’t see this enough in romances)
- The book club (well because I love reading)
- The very spicy intense love scenes (well because 🔥🔥)
Things wished there was more of:
- more Willow Creek descriptions. I would have loved more detail about the town so I could picture it in my mind.(I’m very detail obsessed 🤷♀️) I’m hoping I will get to see this moving into book 2 of the series “No Surrender”
- This follows with the above vein. More details about the towns people.
As I said above I’m relatively new to reading “Modern Romances” (strictly of the past few years Historical Romances). I came in fresh with no expectations it check almost all the boxes (this reader looks for). It engaged me with its plot, love interest but most importantly it made me as a reader “feel”. Which is in at least my opinion most important 😁 I caught myself smiling and laughing (out loud) a lot. It was Akin to being enveloped in a warm hug. From my prospective it’s a solid 4 stars leaning heavily towards 4.5 (but only because I’m super detail oriented when it comes to my reading styles) I would recommended its a worthy buy and read! I’m looking forward to more of Willow Creek!
July 15, 2022
You’ll have to excuse my late review for this book- I’ve been indisposed the past two months preparing for a move and then the actual move AND mainly It’s taken me soooo long to write a review for No Regrets because- if you’ve read any of my previous reviews you know that’s the sign of how greatly a book has impacted me and yet I can’t seem to find the words to explain just how much. Genuinely- all the feels.
I think the best way to put it (and the one thought at the forefront of my mind) is that if there was a perfect book for me it would be this. If someone were to take all that I love from life and all the parts of me that make me me- the comfort and the values, the child in me that hoped for a great and burning love, and all the little moments I enjoy- it would be No Regrets.
It’s the writing that is profoundly poetic and yet flows with such ease, characters that stole my breath from their very first sentences and made me a part of their story with how strongly they grasped my every thought, a small town with people I cherish like my own family and long to meet in reality, the vivid descriptions of a place I wish immensely to live in, and most of all pages and pages of quotes that set me aflame.
In hopes this explains how much I wholeheartedly loved No Regrets with my all- it was with effortless ease for me to lose myself in the pages of No Regrets- in a sense it felt like coming home to a place I’d long abandoned but still remained true to my old self and my self now. Taren and Zane will forever hold a very special place in my heart and I hope they do for many other readers as well!
I think the best way to put it (and the one thought at the forefront of my mind) is that if there was a perfect book for me it would be this. If someone were to take all that I love from life and all the parts of me that make me me- the comfort and the values, the child in me that hoped for a great and burning love, and all the little moments I enjoy- it would be No Regrets.
It’s the writing that is profoundly poetic and yet flows with such ease, characters that stole my breath from their very first sentences and made me a part of their story with how strongly they grasped my every thought, a small town with people I cherish like my own family and long to meet in reality, the vivid descriptions of a place I wish immensely to live in, and most of all pages and pages of quotes that set me aflame.
In hopes this explains how much I wholeheartedly loved No Regrets with my all- it was with effortless ease for me to lose myself in the pages of No Regrets- in a sense it felt like coming home to a place I’d long abandoned but still remained true to my old self and my self now. Taren and Zane will forever hold a very special place in my heart and I hope they do for many other readers as well!
March 26, 2023
Finally getting around to reading this book, and I'm so happy I chose to read it on a weekend where I could literally read it in one sitting. The main trope themes are some of my favorites, and it's no wonder that Andrea Jenelle has so many fans of this series. Childhood sweethearts with a forbidden love twist since the FMC is the MMC's best friend's little sister, followed by a second chance romance developing from enemies to lovers. So much to enjoy! While I did become frustrated at times with the MMC's behavior (he was a bully to the FMC in high school and didn't really behave much better as an adult), I really appreciated his vulnerability in putting himself out there for possible rejection. They get hot and heavy several times, and with each new encounter, I could see the ties between their two hearts bringing them closer together. It was really sweet. Definitely not a romance you want to miss out on! And luckily, there are many other books in the series already written to enjoy.
**I received a free copy from the author and this is my honest review.**
**I received a free copy from the author and this is my honest review.**
May 23, 2022
High 3’s from me , I enjoyed this journey and am thankful for Andrea letting me read this book early .
It’s a small town , brothers best friends second chance romance. The steam and spice was delivered on point , although those crackers will never be the same for me lol IYKYK . The characters start as friends leaning into bully/ enemies but that was so short for me that once they re met as adults it was more insta love for me , which isn’t my favorite genre . It gave all the small town feels and mega sexy times so definitely give this go if that’s your jam . We didn’t see much of the brother and his interaction was small for me as well . Tons of modern references and classically written , Thanks for this arc Andrea and much love to all your book journeys .
It’s a small town , brothers best friends second chance romance. The steam and spice was delivered on point , although those crackers will never be the same for me lol IYKYK . The characters start as friends leaning into bully/ enemies but that was so short for me that once they re met as adults it was more insta love for me , which isn’t my favorite genre . It gave all the small town feels and mega sexy times so definitely give this go if that’s your jam . We didn’t see much of the brother and his interaction was small for me as well . Tons of modern references and classically written , Thanks for this arc Andrea and much love to all your book journeys .
June 25, 2023
This small town contemporary romance was so delightful! I was nervous because I have generally not liked contemporary romances (only historical romances). However, I really liked the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers journey of Zane and Taren. They had great emotional moments and backstories. It was also quite steamy!! I wish there was a longer ending that explained Zane's decision about his Nana's care. I also would have loved more descriptions about the town and the cidery. Overall, I can't wait to read the rest of the Willow Creek series and possibly explore more contemporary romances!
May 8, 2023
Congrats to Andrea on a cute and sexy book! I really loved Zane and how he was determined to make up for being such an a-hole to Taren. I also really enjoyed how they came together as a couple and business partners.
If you like forced-proximity, workplace romance, childhood friends to enemies to lovers and one hot tub this book is for you!
If you like forced-proximity, workplace romance, childhood friends to enemies to lovers and one hot tub this book is for you!
July 8, 2022
*𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴.*
𝑵𝒐 𝑹𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔
𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝑱𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆
𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎:
Zane
35 Years of Age
𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐄:
Taren
33 Years of Age
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖/𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
Friends to enemies to lovers, brothers best friend, small town romance, pining... this book has it all! It's so cute and so sweet! And don't forget all of that sexual tension. *pulls out knife* This was such a great debut novel from Andrea. The beginning of it sets the tone so well and was such an emotional part for me. Andrea wrote this so well that I couldn't help but cry! It was such a good story about two friends who fall in love early in life and hide it from each other. When they reach high school he changes and instead of friendship he becomes her worst torment. His only way, in his mind, of getting her attention. Which sort of does the opposite. Then we have a time jump, much later in life, and Zane is finally ready to commit. But Taren, sensibly, is unsure and scared to open herself. Thus was definitely a sweet emotional second chance romance. It was so lovely, and I loved it! Love, lovely, loveliness! lol Thank you Andrea for having me on your ARC team and for sending me a copy, and I'm so honored that you mentioned me in your acknowledgements! Thank you! I can't wait for the next book!
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒:
•𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦
🔥🔥🔥/𝟓
•𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐡
❤❤❤❤/𝟓
•𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡
🤣🤣🤣/𝟓
•𝐂𝐫𝐲
💧💧/𝟓
*REVIEW NOTE: All of my reviews vary, but have a general outline/layout. Some are long, and others are short. Meter ratings determine how the book affected me, not the amount of the content within the book. Any books needing content warnings will be noted in my reviews. And any closed-door books (no sexual content) will also be noted in reviews. Five stars from me can sometimes be elusive to receive, but that doesn't mean the book wasn't great. Which is why I write reviews to fully express my thoughts and complete review.
"𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰. 𝘔𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴. 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭! 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵 @𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺_𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵_𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.
𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺."
𝑵𝒐 𝑹𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔
𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝑱𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆
𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎:
Zane
35 Years of Age
𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐄:
Taren
33 Years of Age
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖/𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
Friends to enemies to lovers, brothers best friend, small town romance, pining... this book has it all! It's so cute and so sweet! And don't forget all of that sexual tension. *pulls out knife* This was such a great debut novel from Andrea. The beginning of it sets the tone so well and was such an emotional part for me. Andrea wrote this so well that I couldn't help but cry! It was such a good story about two friends who fall in love early in life and hide it from each other. When they reach high school he changes and instead of friendship he becomes her worst torment. His only way, in his mind, of getting her attention. Which sort of does the opposite. Then we have a time jump, much later in life, and Zane is finally ready to commit. But Taren, sensibly, is unsure and scared to open herself. Thus was definitely a sweet emotional second chance romance. It was so lovely, and I loved it! Love, lovely, loveliness! lol Thank you Andrea for having me on your ARC team and for sending me a copy, and I'm so honored that you mentioned me in your acknowledgements! Thank you! I can't wait for the next book!
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒:
•𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦
🔥🔥🔥/𝟓
•𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐡
❤❤❤❤/𝟓
•𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡
🤣🤣🤣/𝟓
•𝐂𝐫𝐲
💧💧/𝟓
*REVIEW NOTE: All of my reviews vary, but have a general outline/layout. Some are long, and others are short. Meter ratings determine how the book affected me, not the amount of the content within the book. Any books needing content warnings will be noted in my reviews. And any closed-door books (no sexual content) will also be noted in reviews. Five stars from me can sometimes be elusive to receive, but that doesn't mean the book wasn't great. Which is why I write reviews to fully express my thoughts and complete review.
"𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰. 𝘔𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴. 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭! 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵 @𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺_𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵_𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.
𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺."
May 6, 2022
Had me from word one and wouldn’t let me go.
Somewhere between friends to lovers and enemies to lovers, Zane and Taren’s snarky back and forth kept me entertained and engaged. The power plays, the sexual chemistry and the second chance Taren gives Zane gives the story an all in one vibe. Taren’s dream of being a farmer hit very close to home as when I bought my first two apple trees I felt that I had found my true purpose in life. This shared passion kept me very attached to her throughout the story but I felt less so to Zane. I loved their dynamic and how their story was written, my only complaint with the story was how Zane seemed aware of what he was doing when he tormented the young Pipi (Taren) as a teenager and the psychology behind his own actions even as a “messed up” teen. When reading his narration I felt it would have shown more character development if he had no idea why he was being so cruel to his infatuation (AKA Taren) as a teen but then when he comes back 17 years later is THEN aware of his own psychological problems and the reasons behind his actions. It would have been more realistic for me and given me a stronger attachment to HIS character to rival how I felt about Taren’s but otherwise I enjoyed this read and hope to see more from this author in future.
Somewhere between friends to lovers and enemies to lovers, Zane and Taren’s snarky back and forth kept me entertained and engaged. The power plays, the sexual chemistry and the second chance Taren gives Zane gives the story an all in one vibe. Taren’s dream of being a farmer hit very close to home as when I bought my first two apple trees I felt that I had found my true purpose in life. This shared passion kept me very attached to her throughout the story but I felt less so to Zane. I loved their dynamic and how their story was written, my only complaint with the story was how Zane seemed aware of what he was doing when he tormented the young Pipi (Taren) as a teenager and the psychology behind his own actions even as a “messed up” teen. When reading his narration I felt it would have shown more character development if he had no idea why he was being so cruel to his infatuation (AKA Taren) as a teen but then when he comes back 17 years later is THEN aware of his own psychological problems and the reasons behind his actions. It would have been more realistic for me and given me a stronger attachment to HIS character to rival how I felt about Taren’s but otherwise I enjoyed this read and hope to see more from this author in future.
June 21, 2022
Was given an arc by the amazing author Andrea and it is the first arc I ever received! (and yet its taken me far too long to write my review *face palm*)
Thank you Andrea for this arc!
Please note that there are some trigger warnings at the start of this book that you may want to check out just in case (which I missed because I didn't even think to check them as my brain spaced).
This book follows young Miss Taren who wants nothing more than to successfully run her parents cider the way she always dreamed but then her brother goes and derails all her best laid plans by selling his half to his best friend. Complete enemies to lovers vibes here ladies and gentlemen.
Did I happen to read this book in one day basically? Yes. Did I do it on purpose? No. Is it one of those books that you totally can read in one day/one sitting? Yes.
Did it have things I did not like? Of course. Taren was a bit all over the place for me. And I'm sorry but the whole crackers thing.....*shudder* that is one thing I will never understand. IFYKYK
Thank you Andrea for this arc!
Please note that there are some trigger warnings at the start of this book that you may want to check out just in case (which I missed because I didn't even think to check them as my brain spaced).
This book follows young Miss Taren who wants nothing more than to successfully run her parents cider the way she always dreamed but then her brother goes and derails all her best laid plans by selling his half to his best friend. Complete enemies to lovers vibes here ladies and gentlemen.
Did I happen to read this book in one day basically? Yes. Did I do it on purpose? No. Is it one of those books that you totally can read in one day/one sitting? Yes.
Did it have things I did not like? Of course. Taren was a bit all over the place for me. And I'm sorry but the whole crackers thing.....*shudder* that is one thing I will never understand. IFYKYK
November 7, 2023
A great brothers best friend second chance romance!
I loved that the characters are older than 20's. It was refreshing to read about. We had a great back story to fill us in on why Taren and Zane didn't work out in there teens. The story kind of went from this to that at times and confused me. I love a great small town romance and this book gave me that. I also loved that the romance and spice did not take away from the plots storyline. I am a plot girly through and through and this book gave me that.
On to the second book in the series No Surrender to see what happens next with these great characters I just met.
I loved that the characters are older than 20's. It was refreshing to read about. We had a great back story to fill us in on why Taren and Zane didn't work out in there teens. The story kind of went from this to that at times and confused me. I love a great small town romance and this book gave me that. I also loved that the romance and spice did not take away from the plots storyline. I am a plot girly through and through and this book gave me that.
On to the second book in the series No Surrender to see what happens next with these great characters I just met.
July 19, 2022
Andrea’s prose is full of beautiful, descriptive similes and metaphors. Just as one example: “I feel my breathing hitch as I become a willing castaway in the Caribbean blue of his eyes.” How lovely is that phrasing? And it paints a stunning image of the feelings flowing between her characters. The whole book is written in this way and although I don’t consider myself to be someone who consumes a lot of romance books, I’d gladly read more from Andrea. Her prose kept me turning the pages even when I couldn’t really stand the individual characters.
April 11, 2022
"Ninety percent of making your dreams come true is willing them into existence."
rating: 4 stars
A quick read, cute & steamy! Enter hints of enemies to lovers, tragic backstory and instant attraction and you have yourself a very lovely read for this summer! It releases June 17th on Amazon!
I was provided a free copy of this book for proofreading purposes.
January 6, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet romance. Zane and Tarens story is so cute. This step brothers best friend, enemies to lovers small town romance was just the light story I needed to get me out of my reading slump. Just the perfect amount spice to intrigue and keep your attention! I will definitely be reading more from Andrea!
May 27, 2022
Oohh this book was so good! The story of Taren and Zane is a fun and relatable story that I’m positive anyone who grew up in a small town can understand and has seen first hand. The characters are well rounded and the ending was so cute!
Definitely looking forward to the next one!
Definitely looking forward to the next one!
June 12, 2022
This is such a sweet contemporary romance, with a perfect mix of sugar and spice! Taren and Zane’s relationship felt so real and I was instantly invested in them both. If you love a good second chance romance, you should definitely pick this one up!
July 18, 2023
AmAzing!!! Addicting! A book that is hard to put down!!!! Once you start you can’t put down!!! This is a book I will read over and over!! I absolutely loved it!! I loved the banter , the spice, and the emotions! This is a must read!!!
June 23, 2023
I enjoyed this book. A lot of stuff took them away from each other but one decision brought them back together. Andrea is very well known for "Anything but the bed" kind of spice.
November 2, 2023
Yet another fabulous small town, second change romance by Andrea Jenelle. I swear she knows just how to capture your heart in her stories
November 19, 2023
This is a sweet second chance romance that had me swooning. Just enough tension to propel the story but not so much that I want to throttle the MCs. Plenty of spice in this one too!
June 6, 2023
Spoilers below!!
Loved this cute small town romance! I also loved that it was a second chance for Taren and Zane to finally be together.
Some things I wasn’t crazy about:
- I think it’s sooo cute that Zane has a nickname for Taren and calls her “Pippi” because of her red hair…but I don’t love that he never ever calls her by her real name (even during sex). I know that it’s a term of endearment for him, but I can’t fully get over it😂😂
- I wish they expanded more on Zane’s parents…what happened to them? I know the dad money laundered, but is he or the mom still alive? If so, what’s going on with them and the case?
-I completely get having a crush and being mean to them, and I know that Zane had a horrible home life so that defiantly added to his ruthless behavior toward Taren in high school, but I felt like he just went too far. When he told her that her parents wouldn’t be proud of her it actually broke my heart. I just felt like the words coming out of his mouth were too strong and terrible for her to even consider kissing him the day of her parents funeral.
Some things I LOVED:
- I thought it was SO cute that Taren owned a Cider Mill. I was living for the small town vibe and the cute apple cider lingo. All the fun flavors she talked about and the knowledge that she had made me want to drink apple cider or to go apple picking so many times while reading this.
- Love love love that they worked together. This made it so much more intimate and made the sex scenes so much more fun too!
- I love how chill Zane was…when Taren poured crushed up crackers on his bed to live out her fantasy he went along with it, while so many people would be confused/ annoyed bc of the mess.
- Their dance in the margarita place was adorable 🥺 I love that they felt like they were the only people in the restaurant.
- I loved the friendship between Sarah, Emma, and Taren. Sarah and Emma always had Taren’s back and it was nice to see how protective they were of her.
- Also, it was sooo fun that Emma owned a cupcake shop! Again, living for these small town vibes.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a small town/ second chance romance. I received this copy as per being part of Andrea’s ARC team and I’m so so grateful :) Thank you so much Andrea!! (Also in no way was I required to write this review, or give a certain rating…this was all heartfelt💗)
Loved this cute small town romance! I also loved that it was a second chance for Taren and Zane to finally be together.
Some things I wasn’t crazy about:
- I think it’s sooo cute that Zane has a nickname for Taren and calls her “Pippi” because of her red hair…but I don’t love that he never ever calls her by her real name (even during sex). I know that it’s a term of endearment for him, but I can’t fully get over it😂😂
- I wish they expanded more on Zane’s parents…what happened to them? I know the dad money laundered, but is he or the mom still alive? If so, what’s going on with them and the case?
-I completely get having a crush and being mean to them, and I know that Zane had a horrible home life so that defiantly added to his ruthless behavior toward Taren in high school, but I felt like he just went too far. When he told her that her parents wouldn’t be proud of her it actually broke my heart. I just felt like the words coming out of his mouth were too strong and terrible for her to even consider kissing him the day of her parents funeral.
Some things I LOVED:
- I thought it was SO cute that Taren owned a Cider Mill. I was living for the small town vibe and the cute apple cider lingo. All the fun flavors she talked about and the knowledge that she had made me want to drink apple cider or to go apple picking so many times while reading this.
- Love love love that they worked together. This made it so much more intimate and made the sex scenes so much more fun too!
- I love how chill Zane was…when Taren poured crushed up crackers on his bed to live out her fantasy he went along with it, while so many people would be confused/ annoyed bc of the mess.
- Their dance in the margarita place was adorable 🥺 I love that they felt like they were the only people in the restaurant.
- I loved the friendship between Sarah, Emma, and Taren. Sarah and Emma always had Taren’s back and it was nice to see how protective they were of her.
- Also, it was sooo fun that Emma owned a cupcake shop! Again, living for these small town vibes.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a small town/ second chance romance. I received this copy as per being part of Andrea’s ARC team and I’m so so grateful :) Thank you so much Andrea!! (Also in no way was I required to write this review, or give a certain rating…this was all heartfelt💗)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2023
3 stars. I was gifted this book for the holidays and read it as part of a buddy read. I didn’t love it, but I also didn’t hate it. Let’s start with what I didn’t enjoy. There was no plot. Like, at all. Ok, yes. There was sort of a plot. But not enough of one to keep me interested. As much as I enjoy character centered romances and stories, I still need a plot. Or I need significant character growth/ development, which also didn’t happen. Parts of this felt unnecessarily dramatic. Basically, every other chapter, the couple went from being together to being apart back to being together. It was a lot to keep track of, and sometimes, I feel like points of contention in a previous chapter were rectified without the reader being informed about it. There was a lot of sex. And I’m not sure I bought the pair having any chemistry beyond the physical. That said, this is a super steamy book when considering the amount of steamy scenes it contains compared to other content. So fans of open door romances might really enjoy this one. However, there was one scene that I thought was a joke, but I guess the heroine had a fantasy of spreading crackers on a mattress and having sex on top of it. Idk why that would be sexy or fantasy inducing. I thought it was super odd. Are crackers sexy? Idk, saltines kind of just make me thirsty? Anyhow, that didn’t work for me.
What I did like: the other sex scenes, though maybe too plentiful, were well written. The main couple def had a palpable sexual tension, so I think the author did a good job of crafting that. And even though I didn’t care for the story itself, I thought the writing was good. The author def had a poetic or lyrical style in some parts, and I really appreciated her skill at describing a scene.
Ultimately, I feel like for me, since I’ve read so much contemporary romance, this didn’t do much to stand out. Like I said, it’s not bad, but it just wasn’t for me. If you like a small town, second chance, contemporary romance with a lot of steam, you may really enjoy this. And I can see why people have given this 5 stars. It’s also available on kindle unlimited which is always a nice bonus.
What I did like: the other sex scenes, though maybe too plentiful, were well written. The main couple def had a palpable sexual tension, so I think the author did a good job of crafting that. And even though I didn’t care for the story itself, I thought the writing was good. The author def had a poetic or lyrical style in some parts, and I really appreciated her skill at describing a scene.
Ultimately, I feel like for me, since I’ve read so much contemporary romance, this didn’t do much to stand out. Like I said, it’s not bad, but it just wasn’t for me. If you like a small town, second chance, contemporary romance with a lot of steam, you may really enjoy this. And I can see why people have given this 5 stars. It’s also available on kindle unlimited which is always a nice bonus.
June 30, 2023
I received an audio copy from Andrea to review with my honest opinion. I am reviewing both audio and physical books.
This was Andrea’s debut novel and Book 1 in the Willow Creek Series. I really enjoyed this story. The love and adoration that Zane and Taren have for each other as teens is hidden behind his tough guy attitude because she’s his best friend’s little sister. They don’t want to break the barrier of friendship, but feel deeply for each other. When Zane is forced to leave, he does so without a goodbye to Taren and she is devastated. 17 years later and the hurt and grief over losing him is still fresh. Zane doesn’t give up though and strives to show her that he is genuine and did not want to leave, and has thought about her every day. They have flirty banter, saucy moments, and when the spice hits, man is it hot! They begin with a “physical only” relationship, but that soon turns into having to come to terms with the fact that neither of them are over the feelings they once had and when they finally open up to that, it’s beautiful! Zane is a cinnamon roll who is dealing with his feelings towards his father and upbringing and his grandmother whose health is declining. Taren is sassy and has put on a brave face since a family tragedy and has kept her heart guarded. Zane is able to break down (and break into) her walls. He’s everything she’s ever wanted and never knew she needed. She’s his rock and his home.
As for narration, Griffin was spot on for Zane! He gave emotion and I was drawn into his POV. I could listen to him for hours and even listened to parts on repeat! However, I did not connect with Savannah though as Taren. I didn’t get the same feelings during her POV and her narration kept pulling me out of the story. I thought over the course of the book, it would change, but unfortunately, did not. If I had only listened and not had read the book as well, I may not had enjoyed it as much.
I can’t wait for more of these characters!
This was Andrea’s debut novel and Book 1 in the Willow Creek Series. I really enjoyed this story. The love and adoration that Zane and Taren have for each other as teens is hidden behind his tough guy attitude because she’s his best friend’s little sister. They don’t want to break the barrier of friendship, but feel deeply for each other. When Zane is forced to leave, he does so without a goodbye to Taren and she is devastated. 17 years later and the hurt and grief over losing him is still fresh. Zane doesn’t give up though and strives to show her that he is genuine and did not want to leave, and has thought about her every day. They have flirty banter, saucy moments, and when the spice hits, man is it hot! They begin with a “physical only” relationship, but that soon turns into having to come to terms with the fact that neither of them are over the feelings they once had and when they finally open up to that, it’s beautiful! Zane is a cinnamon roll who is dealing with his feelings towards his father and upbringing and his grandmother whose health is declining. Taren is sassy and has put on a brave face since a family tragedy and has kept her heart guarded. Zane is able to break down (and break into) her walls. He’s everything she’s ever wanted and never knew she needed. She’s his rock and his home.
As for narration, Griffin was spot on for Zane! He gave emotion and I was drawn into his POV. I could listen to him for hours and even listened to parts on repeat! However, I did not connect with Savannah though as Taren. I didn’t get the same feelings during her POV and her narration kept pulling me out of the story. I thought over the course of the book, it would change, but unfortunately, did not. If I had only listened and not had read the book as well, I may not had enjoyed it as much.
I can’t wait for more of these characters!
December 17, 2022
I’m new to small town romance, im so grateful to Andrea for recommending one of hers & im so honoured and touched by it!
And what can i say i’m a new fan of hers & SMALL TOWN ROMANCE is now my jam!
My favourite parts,
🍷Best friend’s brother trope (eventhough we dont really see Trevor that much, but cant wait to see weather he & Emma are gonna be a thing!)
🍷 Frenemies to Lovers (only small town romance knows how to do this right! )
🍷Dirty Talker MMC & FMC pure gold (Facetime 💥)
🍷the whole town invested in their romance ( this has got to be my favourite part, especially one of the town ladies asking Zane to join book club)
🍷 Zane can moves, like in & out of bed & dancefloor
🍷Love that they discussed green energy, sustainability
🍷 Emma & Sarah (love Taren’s friendship with them is what girlfriends should be & each of the girl’s job, i think i love Sarah more, i hope her books brings all the feels, cos u can feel her book will be my favourite)
🍷 i love the element of losing one’s parents, dealing with Alzheimer was discussed in a manner that is honest & done right!
The only thing, i had issue of Taren’s stubbornness, i was like COME ON….this guy is saying all the right things, give him a chance already!!!! But once she decided, its okay to just have some FUN, the twice desk 💥 and that one scene of broken desk, crumbs in the bed, 🚿 , are Marvellous!
Read this if you want a wholesome Small Town Romance, with cute townspeople, amazing girlfriends and real life issues done right ✅!
Thanks Andrea for recommending your books, im so invested in your series, can i have more, pretty please 🥺 👉👈!!!
And what can i say i’m a new fan of hers & SMALL TOWN ROMANCE is now my jam!
My favourite parts,
🍷Best friend’s brother trope (eventhough we dont really see Trevor that much, but cant wait to see weather he & Emma are gonna be a thing!)
🍷 Frenemies to Lovers (only small town romance knows how to do this right! )
🍷Dirty Talker MMC & FMC pure gold (Facetime 💥)
🍷the whole town invested in their romance ( this has got to be my favourite part, especially one of the town ladies asking Zane to join book club)
🍷 Zane can moves, like in & out of bed & dancefloor
🍷Love that they discussed green energy, sustainability
🍷 Emma & Sarah (love Taren’s friendship with them is what girlfriends should be & each of the girl’s job, i think i love Sarah more, i hope her books brings all the feels, cos u can feel her book will be my favourite)
🍷 i love the element of losing one’s parents, dealing with Alzheimer was discussed in a manner that is honest & done right!
The only thing, i had issue of Taren’s stubbornness, i was like COME ON….this guy is saying all the right things, give him a chance already!!!! But once she decided, its okay to just have some FUN, the twice desk 💥 and that one scene of broken desk, crumbs in the bed, 🚿 , are Marvellous!
Read this if you want a wholesome Small Town Romance, with cute townspeople, amazing girlfriends and real life issues done right ✅!
Thanks Andrea for recommending your books, im so invested in your series, can i have more, pretty please 🥺 👉👈!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2023
“A quivering arrow flexing in the wind, following him as if there were a string and pulley unravelling and tightening between us. A quivering arrow I knew I could never dislodge.”
Honestly my recently acquired love of romance reads has only been strengthened by this book! Brother’s best friend, second chance romance and enemies to lovers, my trope needs were met. The tension, the fully fleshed out characters, the trauma that both characters have experienced, finding their way back to each other. My heart melts at this story of Taren and Zane.
“As you know, the plight of fictional characters can give us insight into our own struggles.”
And Andrea’s writing. Wow. It is so intensely poetic- each sentence connected to the next and I fell in love with the her writing. It was as though every word had been handpicked to create a book that just flowed. It is descriptive and the similes and language help to situate you within the small town, amongst each of the characters.
I adore the Willow Creek series by Andrea and the reviews for the next two books will be posted imminently. Tropes that you constantly want to return to, characters who are relatable and male protagonists who are more than swoon worthy. This is definitely a romance series you will want to pick up!
Honestly my recently acquired love of romance reads has only been strengthened by this book! Brother’s best friend, second chance romance and enemies to lovers, my trope needs were met. The tension, the fully fleshed out characters, the trauma that both characters have experienced, finding their way back to each other. My heart melts at this story of Taren and Zane.
“As you know, the plight of fictional characters can give us insight into our own struggles.”
And Andrea’s writing. Wow. It is so intensely poetic- each sentence connected to the next and I fell in love with the her writing. It was as though every word had been handpicked to create a book that just flowed. It is descriptive and the similes and language help to situate you within the small town, amongst each of the characters.
I adore the Willow Creek series by Andrea and the reviews for the next two books will be posted imminently. Tropes that you constantly want to return to, characters who are relatable and male protagonists who are more than swoon worthy. This is definitely a romance series you will want to pick up!
June 16, 2023
You know when they say to not judge a book by its cover. Well this was it for me and that would of been such a big mistake on my part. This book was super sweet! It had been a while that I've read small town trope and this book reminded me why I loved them so much. Don't get me wrong, at the beginning I was so upset with the time lapse and how long it took Zane to get his act together and realize how big he messed up but at the same time I get it, both of them needed time to grow up and be the best of themselves. I love Taren so much. Smart and Ms. Take no crap from anyone attitude! She speaks her mind and has no issue telling it how it is. The book had me smiling and giggling the whole time and O.M.G the spicy in this book. Let me just tell you I was not prepare for the dirty mouth both of this characters had going on!!! One of the chapters involved a book club with the peeps from the town and boy it was hilarious. And chapter 21 was hottttt.
Mrs. Andrea I cant tell you enough how much I enjoyed Zane and Tarens story and I will never again will I make the same mistake by judging a book by its cover! Cant wait to dive into the next book.
Mrs. Andrea I cant tell you enough how much I enjoyed Zane and Tarens story and I will never again will I make the same mistake by judging a book by its cover! Cant wait to dive into the next book.
January 2, 2025
I had no right to be tearing up the way I did at the end of this book. This was such a sweet romance that went from brothers best friends, to enemies, to office romance, to small town romance, to second chance. It had it all. I read a lot of dark stuff and this was such a great change of pace!! This book really gave me fall type vibes. Zane is so charming. The taking care of his sick grandmother was such a sweet touch to the caring side of his personality. And that FaceTime video call had no right being as hot as it was. The spice and the banter between these two was amazing.The only thing that took away from the story for me a little bit was after a certain point in the story, I was wondering what else was supposed to happen. It seemed liked everything that needed to happen did and there was no where to go from there. But none the less, it was a great story. I enjoyed it. I absolutely love Andrea Jenelle's writing style. I plan to read every single one of her books. I definitely recommend giving this book a read if you're looking of something on the lighter side. Also, thanks for Zane's Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipe. Definitely giving that a try.
June 29, 2023
🤍Book/Audiobook Review 🤍
📖No Regrets By Andrea Jenelle📖
Narrated By Griffin Puatu and Savannah Thomas
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
My Thoughts~ I started the the book itself first and then added the audio later but let me tell you this combination was TOP TEIR. I loved the book so much. The story between these two, the SPICE 🥵 the perfect second chance. I loved how the author wrote the characters and the town of willow creek it definitely opens things up for the rest of the series that I am so darn excited to read.
The audio Oh MY I loved the narrator’s there voices I felt fit the characters perfectly and boy when it got to those spicy scenes you should make sure you have a whole jug of water ready the chemistry between these two could have had that cidery up in flames.
I felt like I was in the town getting to know the people and surroundings while experiencing what Taren and Zane were going through.
Let me just say this set the tone for the whole series and with 4 more books in it I’m SO ready to dive into the next book.
Chiefs kiss Andrea well done 💕
📖No Regrets By Andrea Jenelle📖
Narrated By Griffin Puatu and Savannah Thomas
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
My Thoughts~ I started the the book itself first and then added the audio later but let me tell you this combination was TOP TEIR. I loved the book so much. The story between these two, the SPICE 🥵 the perfect second chance. I loved how the author wrote the characters and the town of willow creek it definitely opens things up for the rest of the series that I am so darn excited to read.
The audio Oh MY I loved the narrator’s there voices I felt fit the characters perfectly and boy when it got to those spicy scenes you should make sure you have a whole jug of water ready the chemistry between these two could have had that cidery up in flames.
I felt like I was in the town getting to know the people and surroundings while experiencing what Taren and Zane were going through.
Let me just say this set the tone for the whole series and with 4 more books in it I’m SO ready to dive into the next book.
Chiefs kiss Andrea well done 💕
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