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📚 THE GRUMP WHO STOLE SUMMER 📚 Is a full-length standalone, enemies to lovers second chance romance. Told in dual POV. Flits from Past to Present.

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➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

This was one of my most highly anticipated books, I love when this author delves into this genre, as I’m not into fantasy which she’s been dipping her toes into lately so I was excited to jump into this one as it felt like coming home from being away for so long. And she didn't disappoint!!

You can't help but feel those butterflies fluttering as they swooned over the asshole that is Smith, he was cold and distant, damaged and a hermit but boy did he pull on my heart strings. And the perfect person to pull him out of the darkness was our heroine Alice.

Charles Smith was darkness molded by angelic hands,
every piece of him living perfection,
a beauty unrivalled but engulfed with too much trauma to tame.

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With a few too many indiscretions under her belt twenty-one year old Alice and the privileged life she'd become accustomed to had swiftly been taken away from her with conditions.

A curfew and a job where she will be volunteering at a bookshop per her mother's request wasn't the worst of it. Those she could handle. But what she couldn't handle was who she clapped eyes on. The grumpy devil himself. The one person who broke her heart, three years later she's still reeling from the aftershock of not being able to put it behind her.

The last time I'd seen him, I'd been a wallowing angry mess.
I'd shared my heartache with him.
He'd shared his whiskey and cigarettes with me.

As per usual in true Ella form she weaved her magic bringing me a slow burn with an attitude of heat, the only thing that I would've changed was the ending, I wanted to stay in that happy bubble a wee bit longer as I felt like it had been too rushed.

I think incorporating an *Epilogue* would've rounded things off nicely. Or maybe it was me that didn't want to say goodbye to these two characters.

Michelle Claypot_Reads

2,511 reviews61 followers

January 30, 2022

I finished this awesomeness at around 3am. Well worth the lack of sleep I am operating on today. I knew going in I was getting angst - I mean it’s Ella Fields, so obviously, but I’d somehow forgotten just how much her angst hurts. In the very best way.

The hero in this one gave me heart eyes. He’s the perfect shade of grumpy recluse I adore and he gave me those delicious squirmy feels in my belly on one page and then punched me hard in the chest on the next. He’s not playing at being complicated, he just is.

And the heroine, well I’m more than a smidge obsessed with her. She’s got a subtle strength that I love in my characters. No need for OTT tough girl behaviour and shouting about her bad assedness, when she can just show us with her actions.

I loved the exploration of vulnerability, sexuality and friendship in this story. The chemistry in this one was a living thing. Fans face just thinking about it!🔥🔥 Add in a book store, a gasp out loud plot twist and seriously witty humour and I was a very happy reader! Absolutely FLOVED it!!

Ticked all my boxes

Mature NA Angst ✔️
LGBTQ+ themes ✔️
Damaged anti-hero ✔️
First kisses ✔️
Bad decisions ✔️
Cute nicknames ✔️
Character growth ✔️
Sexy times that are just gah! ✔️
A bookstore I want to visit ✔️

So if any of the above is your cat nip then TGWSS is for you?

Beta read

Isabella. R

1,007 reviews2,177 followers

angsty-af blue-collar-lumberjacks contemporary-romance

5 You Cower To No Man Stars ⭐

It’s not very often I stumble across a book by an author I’ve never tried (even if I'm the last to the party) and find it totally captivating. I literally read two pages and returned it to KU so I could buy it. I was hooked!

Apart from the writing that instantly clicked; I was a total sucker for Alice and Smith. Authors can only dream of writing perfectly flawed characters and yet Ella Fields effortlessly nailed it with these two.

He was nothing like anyone I’d ever met, and I knew, gazing up at him at that moment, that I’d never encounter another soul like his.

The Grump Who Stole Summer featured a simple plot of the popular rich girl and the weirdo/secretly hot guy that appear in many New Adult romances. But don't mistake this for some bullshit bully romance where you question your sanity. Both Alice and Smith had substance and that's what made it grand.

It's a tale of two young adults that don't trust nor love easily. Essentially Alice and Smith find themselves outcasts. It's probably why they initially gravitate towards each other. Their friendship is prickly and complicated. The minute they catch feelings it's over. Fleeting and painful.

“Would you go back and change it?”

He sounded choked, on the verge of both tears and laughter as he dropped his forehead to mine and whispered, “Believe me, I’ve spent every fucking day since wishing for nothing else.”

Three years later they're back in each other's orbit. An opportunity to right past wrongs and heal bleeding wounds. This story tugged on my heartstrings and dug it's claws into my psyche. I wanted to cry for Smith and hug Alice for being so much more than initially portrayed. It's been so long since I've been lovestruck by a story!

Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥

884 reviews3,431 followers

January 11, 2022

If you know me at all, chances are I've recommended an Ella Fields novel to you at some point. She is one of my unicorn authors. I'm convinced the woman can't write a bad book, and she writes angst like nobody else. While I love her fantasy stories, her contemporary is what made me fall in love with her writing, so I was thrilled when I heard she was releasing a new one! It features a grumpy ass hero too which is just icing on the cake for me!

With that in mind, you know I jumped on this one as soon as it hit my Kindle! I tried my best to savor it, but it was too hard, okay? I quickly gave up and devoured it like usual. I have zero regrets!

The Grump Who Stole Summer is an enemies to lovers, second chance romance. Through flashbacks, we learn that Smith and Alice's initial romantic relationship began as a friendship of sorts, and watching a young Smith and Alice fall for each other is definitely one of the things I enjoyed most about this book. Smith, a mysterious, broody guy in a leather jacket, meets Alice, a beautiful, heartbroken teenage girl, at one of Alice's sister's summer parties. Everything evolves from there, but like a lot of grumpy heroes, Smith is a broken man. He sabotages his relationship with Alice before it barely even has a chance to begin. As a result, they fall out of touch for years.

Alice has been living her life wild and free very much due to being hurt by people she cared about, mainly Smith and her ex-best friend, Brooklyn. This approach to living gets her into a lot of hot water which leads to Smith being thrust back into her life. Alice doesn't do anything beyond surface level when it comes to relationships, but seeing Smith again makes it impossible to keep deeper feelings from coming into the picture.

Smith is completely shut down emotionally when they meet again. Alice essentially brings him back to life, and he helps her to heal as well. I loved watching Smith and Alice confront their pasts and fall for each other for a second time. They bring out the best parts of one another.

Smith's nickname for Alice was perfection! It's probably one of my favorites I've seen used in a book. Smith's sexual experience and the way his sexual relationship with Alice is described is also unique to any romance I've read before.

There was just one aspect of the story I wish we would have gotten a little more of, but other than that, this book was everything I wanted it to be. I adore the broken, moody, hot mess that is Charles Smith and the rebellious, free spirited Alice Corvall! Their connection is immediate, and the banter and chemistry between them is fantastic! It's obvious they're kindred spirits right from the start.

Overall, The Grump Who Stole Summer is an entertaining read with angst, emotion, and a couple of surprises along the way.

Second chance romance fans, this one's for you!

contemporary romance

Tianna✸loves books✸

1,084 reviews

1-star i-m-nauseous m-he-push-her-away

This books is everything I absolutely hate.
The worst Hero and heroine ever.

The H is a grump alcoholic who owns a bookstore.

“Smith was a loner. Worse than that, he was a hate-filled human with severe resentment toward other humans and things that breathed in general—including himself.”

The h is the worst. She is the typical useless girl who likes having threesome with random people (with a girl involved), her tit flashed all over magazines type of girl.
And yes, the h is bisexual.

The H and h met four years ago.
They bond over alcohol and drugs.
And yes, the h is sad because she liked her bestfriend (a girl), they made out but that friend later lied to everyone that the h kissed her and is in love with her.

The H liked h’s sister.
He didn’t fancy the h at first. He liked the weed she bought.

“I wasn’t interested in her like that, but I was interested in weed and pain, and the chick had plenty of both.”

But eventually they do hook up. Have sex whole night only for the H to ruin it next day by kissing her sister. Of course it was only a show because he was scared of what he was feeling for the h and so he pushes her away.

Four years later, the h gets in trouble when her tits make headlines. Her mother decides to punish her by making her work in a bookstore.

“I’m a wild whore in need of a little taming.”

The bookstore is of course owned by the H.
So a second chance love story in making, you see.
So they meet again. They argue and fight a lot at first.

They have sex a lot.
Lots of misunderstanding keeps coming up.

Some mystery related to H’s mother’s death.
Some jealousy related to the h’s bestfriend (girl), the same one whom the h kissed and liked. The best friend kisses her and wants her now. But the h loves the H, so now she doesn’t want the lesbian relationship. They do decide to remain friends though. The H is of course jealous of the friend kissing the h, but gets over it.
Happily ever after.

The road towards happily ever after is not an easy ride because we have an idiot grump as a hero and a stupid dimwit as a heroine.

Go for this book, if you like druggist and alcoholic main leads and want to feel sorry for them and there stupidities.
I’m out.

nikita

148 reviews66 followers

January 12, 2022

half of the time smith was either messing things up or saying fuck. and yes, i tried my best to keep a count of the number of times smith said fuck and failed but it’s not my fault his personality doesn’t go beyond saying that word in every goddamn sentence. the only thing i liked about this book was alice being bisexual that’s it

Heather Adores Books

1,596 reviews1,860 followers

November 12, 2022

3.5⭐ rounded up for the audiobook.

Featuring ~ dual POV, dual timeline, 20 year old characters, grump/sunshine, friends to enemies to lovers, second chance, excessive alcohol use, excessive swearing

Alice is fresh off a scandal and kicked out of college. Her mom is making her work at the local bookstore. She's an aspiring writer and book lover, so she doesn't put up a fight about it. But when she sees who works there too, she hightails it right out of there because there's no way she can be around the guy that broke her heart 3 years ago. Resigning to her mother's demands, she makes the best of an uncomfortable situation.

Charles, who goes by Smith, co-owns a bookstore with his father. He is one of the grumpiest, grumps I have ever read about. He's rude to customers, smokes in the store, the place is just a disaster and he drinks up a storm. And now he has to work with the girl he pushed away years ago. Think it'll be all sunshine and lollipops? nope.

I love that it was told in dual pov in the present and back 4 years prior when these two first met. Both characters were immature and had a lot of growing up to do and as the story progresses they finally matured. Smith's big secret will both break your heart for him and wonder what the big whoop is.

Okay so I've been known to swear a time or two or 807, but holy moly I've never heard the f word so many times in one book. I wonder if I would have noticed it as much if I read it. It felt like I was hearing it every other paragraph.

Kelsey-Ann O'Dowd and Brian Meslar did a lovely job narrating for 9 hours and 22 minutes, easy to follow along at 2x. One thing about Brian though, his voice does not sound like he's in his 20's, more like 40's maybe, but he definitely gives off the gruff grumpy tones.

This is a friends to enemies to lovers, second chance romance for a couple in their early 20's. I was happy they finally figured out their misunderstandings and got their happily ever after.

*Thanks to OrangeSky Audio, Ella Fields and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook

2022 audio-2022 netgalley-2022

Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕

1,017 reviews1,185 followers

2022-arcs 2022-reads angst

Ella Ella Ella. How could you? I was completely content with just having a girl crush on a heroine that brought out the very best in the story and what did you do? You gave me a moody, grumpy as hell, no manners or care in the world hero and you made me fall for him! With no warning and no reservations, I fell heart first.

Twenty-one year old Alice has had her fair share of ups and downs for the past three and unfortunately some of them were witnessed publicly. Hell bent on cleaning up her image and not bringing anymore unwanted attention to the family, Alice's mom has a new set of ground rules and plans for her daughter. That includes volunteering at a bookstore for the entire summer and having a curfew. How bad can that be? Well you know what they say: the past doesn't always stay in the past and Alice is about to learn that the hard way.

Charles Smith tries to accomplish the same goal everyday and that is to be left alone. Sometimes he succeeds, other times he has no choice but to walk away and go into his own zone. Nonetheless, he has no problem being a mean grump. But when the new volunteer shows up, Smith knows that his once quiet life, is now going to be a loud chaos he never saw coming.

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As I said earlier, I really liked the hero in this one and even though he came across as standoffish with blaring neon lights to stay away, deep down you saw the real person that he was. He was different, vulnerable at times, kind when it mattered and he had his own story that touched you and made you fall for him even more. Now don't get me wrong, I would've loved to have seen some more flashbacks of the past with him and I think that certain things could've been handled better but everything worked out how it was supposed to and I'm happy about that.

If you haven’t read anything from this author yet, I really don't understand you! You want angst? She's got you. Heartache? She's there. Strong heroines and steamy romance? Just pass the popcorn, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride that she's going to take you on. If you're looking for a good slow burn enemies to lovers romance, I highly recommend this one!

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Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾

2,313 reviews13.7k followers

January 16, 2022

3.5 STARS

Did I hurt you?”
“No, but you have ruined me.” He kissed under my jaw. “The score is finally even.”

When I think of angst, Ella Fields immediately comes to mind. The woman has ruined me when it comes to her particular brand of angst. And like the masochist that I am when it comes to her books, I eagerly scream "hurt me" every time she releases a book. I have no shame in my game. She writes an asshole like no other. *dreamy sigh*

Now this one was a bit different and not quite what I expected. It was an enemies to lovers with a twist, but not as rip your hair out angsty as Ella's usual. The story itself took me a bit to get into. The characters, while unique, didn't click with me right away. Though they certainly did grow on me.

Smith is a not just a grump, he's a recluse. He hates everything and everyone, and barely manages to keep his book store afloat because he can't be bothered to smile or be polite to a customer.

Alice is a bit of spoiled princess, though not all is at it seems with her. After going a bit too wild in college and getting caught with her boobs out on display in a paparazzi shot, well, suffice it to say her business mogul mother is non too pleased. Her punishment? A volunteering gig at a local book store. What Alice doesn't realize until she gets there, is that the reclusive grumpy owner and her have a history, and it's not the kind she wants to think about again. Once upon a time, he broke her heart.

These characters, though they come off a bit...strange at first, are incredibly multi layered. Not all is at it seems, and with each new chapter, I found myself growing deeper under their spell. Though the pacing of the book was a bit slower for me, I can't complain too much, because the end more than made up for it. I loved the flashbacks of Smith and Alice interwoven into their present. Smith is still the broken, tortured, and grumpy asshole he was when Alice first met him. But still waters definitely run deep with this man, and when the truth finally gets revealed? DAMN.

I loved that Alice's parents weren't the stereotypical rich a-holes. They loved her and I loved seeing her mother's conniving sweet side come out at the end. The twisty ending definitely made the book for me, though. Right out of a soap opera drama, but damn was it delicious.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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contemporary-romance enemies-to-lovers second-chance

Jennifer

Author 5 books285 followers

January 6, 2022

I didn't want it to end. 😭

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Malene

1,341 reviews758 followers

January 2, 2022

**4.5 Stars**
There’s something special about Ella Fields and contemporary romance. She knows how to pull out all the angst and write flawed and grumpy as fuck heroes. Referring to the title Smith is definitely a grump and doesn’t hide it. Alice is a very privileged young woman but also a rebel and is attracted to the brooding Smith who hates the life Alice comes from. Still they can’t resist one another.

The second chance aspect of the story was very well explored and executed. Alice and Smith’s chemistry was so good as was the banter. A slow but sexy build up between them and it only got better because of Smith and his attitude but also what he was hiding from Alice. Only adding tension to their connection which I couldn’t get enough of. The steam was fabulous and so was the dirty talk.
I got groveling, which is my catnip, and a heroine who just doesn’t bow down to the hero when he screws up.
A few surprises along the way, which I already had figured out, but still great cause it added more angst to the story.

Smith stole Alice’s summer but she stole his heart too. TGWSS was one amazing and entertaining story. Contemporary romance done right!

4.5 Wonderland Stars

I received an ARC

arc dirty-talking-hero na-romance

Natasha

349 reviews615 followers

I didn't know this was a NA🙄

◇second chance romance
◇grumpy/sunshine
◇Bi heroine
◇virgin hero
◇immature childish characters
◇miscommunication

I didn't feel any chemistry or connection between the MC's and i liked them more as friends.

.. the supposed emotional scenes didn't do anything for me.🤷‍♀️

Overall i was so bored and expected more.

Carla

1,659 reviews531 followers

January 13, 2022

This story is so sweet, lovely and beautiful. It’s simple but full of life!
It’s worth the reading.

MELISSA *Mel Reader*

1,396 reviews1,506 followers

January 11, 2022

5 It Would Always Be Him stars!
(ARC provided by author)

Alice Corvall is a 21 yr. old college student, and an heiress from a famous family with an ever-growing empire. When the socialite is yet again making headlines in the gossip magazines she lands herself in hot water. Reputation is everything in her world, so suddenly her life is uprooted as she returns home to Eloise to finish school. Then her fall from grace takes a new turn when she's forced to work with the one man she's never been able to forget.

Smith's entire life changed when he was 14. He was now a loner who didn't like people in general. He had his own issues and demons from his past, and had become a grumpy, broody, mysterious recluse. He exists in his own little bubble, and then she walks into his bookstore and shakes up his safe haven. She's just as stunning, and the energy between them is still electric, but they clash at every turn as darkness and light collide. Being this close to her was torture, but he just had to survive the summer. After three years he still wanted her. Would her existence in his space threaten his peace, and ultimately end in heartbreak, or could this be their time for another chance at love?

-Smith was handsome in that tall, heart-stopping type of way. That dark-haired, green-eyed, bound to be offered a modeling contract at some point no matter the age way. But when he smiled, when he laughed, he was not of this world. He was ethereal- a young god with the power to change every beating heart around him.

-I wanted. A want so pure and suffocating, I wondered if this was the danger people spoke of when it came to falling. A danger so delicate, it was impossible to navigate.

The Grump Who Stole Summer by Ella Fields is an unforgettable standalone, small town, enemies to lovers romance told in dual POV. It's a beautiful, complex love story about forgiveness, second chances, and being vulnerable. It's packed with angst, humor and emotion. This book captured my heart from the start. I loved everything about it! It's one of those stories that will make you feel everything!!! <333

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winnie

373 reviews268 followers

contemporary-romance enemies-to-lovers favorites

so this book had second chance trope AND taylor swift's songs references (my two fav things in books) and yet it just wasn't it for me.

I expected an emotional second chance romance set during summer, with all the late nights, drinks, travels and that, but I just got cringe quotes in smut scenes, two people who just can't talk to each other and all stupid reasons to justify their drama. I had high expectations for this one, I truly did.
The characters aren't lovable, the plot isn't interesting, second chance is my favorite romance trope and yet not even it could save the book for me.

second-chance-romance

Sammie Reads

1,134 reviews183 followers

April 6, 2023

I don’t know if it’s just because this was based in a bookstore, and books about love set in bookstores are my absolute kryptonite, but I freaking LOVED THIS! So much!!! And it was my first Ella Fields book! Don’t mind me, just high on the thrill of finishing a brand new favorite! So…Alice has been a naughty girl at college, racking up, erm…experiences, while her mother collects the news clippings and plans her revenge.

The revenge: being forced to move home at 21 years old, with a curfew, and a brand new job that she will be working at for free in an effort to volunteer her time and do something useful and meaningful this summer…much more meaningful than being caught skinny dipping and having your naked tits showcased in ever gossip magazine in their small town of Eloise, thank you very much!

The kicker? No one said that she would spend the summer working in a decrepit bookstore owned by none other than Smith, The Unmitigated Asshole who broke her heart the summer before college. Oh, and by the way, he drinks like a sailor, smokes like a chimney, and is even more of an asshole than ever. Surprise! Also, he’s completely gorgeous, but that’s neither here nor there.

Alice, or Wonderland to Smith, is everything he remembers and more, and he regrets having pushed her away all those years ago. This was your classic tortured and scarred hero, hurt and guarded heroine, and a match made in angst heaven. I loved these two so so much, they were so raw and so real and so perfect together, scars and attitude and all! And I actually loved Alice’s parents so much! But Smith and Alice…my babies. I cherish them.

Miftahul

376 reviews206 followers

Dnf 70%

This book stole my time and i want it back.

I wanted to like this book so bad and also did for like 5%. The hero and heroine are A MESS. There is no chemistry, no emotional connection ( NONE). Basically they have no connection at all. Idk how their “love” or relationship even started cuz all i saw them was getting drunk, high and argue.

After they meet years later, Hero is still an asshole and keeps arguing with the heroine. Now, i dont have problems with asshole hero as long as they are not annoying. This dude is annoying af, literally this is the first time where a hero annoyed me so much. He is stubborn and is not willing to do anything for the heroine. He literally behaves like a child. The heroine was okay, as long as she was not with the hero. I liked her but also at the same time these two has no connection between them.

The writing didnt have a flow. One moment the hero is being mean to her and then he is like “i want you”. I dont understand how he went from being an asshole to spilling his guts to her. There was NO FLOW.

Oh god what a mess.

Jenny Lovez Bookz

663 reviews151 followers

January 11, 2022

2.5 STARS ......I normally really like Ella Fields' books but this one didn't do it for me. I had such a hard time connecting with the characters, especially the first half of the book. I just did not feel a connection. I also didn't feel like their love story the first time around was strong enough for this to be considered a second chance romance.

The writing seemed different too, like it was trying really hard to be poetic but it didn't flow right. I found it confusing. The whole Brooklyn drama was also way overdone.

I did like some parts, especially when Smith allowed himself to express how he felt about Alice. I found myself enjoying his obsessive behavior towards her. In the end tho, this one didn't really work for me the way I wanted it to.

moretomary

100 reviews8,713 followers

January 5, 2022

3.5 stars.

Even though I enjoyed this story. I found myself not consuming this book at a fast pace. Most of Ella’s books I devour in one sitting. With this one, that was not the case.

With that said. I loved the characters and plot—and I’m simply giving it a 3.5 stars because I didn’t feel the need to finish it quickly.

Talk about a serious grump—such a sour man, just the way I like them. This book hits all the right spots and I can see it becoming hella popular this year.

Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️

820 reviews845 followers

Kelly G (Now Accepting Book Boyfriend Applications)

Stand-alone, Angst, NA, Enemies to Lovers and Second Chance Contemporary Romance……..need I say more? This story ticked all the boxes for me. I always know that this author brings her best angst game and she absolutely delivered in TGWSS.

What I really loved was the depth of emotion in this book. Both Smith and Alice (aka Wonderland) had trauma in their life. Not equal but both leaving a hardship and deep pain in their psyche. But they formed a connection until it was broken and 3 years later, their paths crossed again. And then their real journey started. I loved that the author took it slow. It was filled with emotional highs and lows and great banter. Forgiveness and acceptance being a central part of the story. Smith was grumpy, mean, broody, and damaged and Wonderland was off course, vulnerable but had an inner strength that was perfect for Smith.

I will say that I would have loved a little more. Was the ending rushed, maybe a little or maybe it was just that I wanted a little more Smith and Wonderland and their HEA.

*advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

angsty arc emotional

510 reviews735 followers

January 12, 2022

What does the fact that I really enjoy the miscommunication trope, angsty plots, and asshole characters say about me? is that... is that a red flag?

“I found my end where we began. Heart first, I tumbled into the deep dark I'd once thought would destroyme. And I let it consume me.”

Tropes: second chance romance, forced proximity.

If you've read Ella Fields before, then you already know what you'll find in her books: miscommunication, angst, and flawed characters. This is a warning of sorts.

Alice and Smith have met before and had an instant connection, no matter how different they could be there was something that brought them together... until Smith betrayed her in the worst way. Years later and still with little broken heart, Alice is forced to work in this dilapidated bookstore owned by a hermit –Smith–, so maybe now is the right time to close all those wounds from the past and move on from each other, or not.

There's just something about Ella Fields writing that speaks to your soul and takes you through the full range of emotions together with these characters, so engaging that you can't wait for the next chapter and then you feel a bit empty when you say goodbye to the story. Here we have an early romance cut short, and a chance to finally get it right, but there's also a ton of character development, each with their own baggage that they have to work through to get to the end together. And then there are the characters themselves; they are far from perfect, actually they usually make a lot of mistakes, and that makes them unique and relatable, and seeing their character development makes these stories even more worthy.

These are my favorite kind of books, and as always reading Ella is a pleasure, bye.

1,110 reviews87 followers

2022-read hero-needs-to-be-junk-punched virgin-hero

I think what I liked best about this book was the hint of bisexuality that Alice showed and no one close to her seemed to bat an eye to it! Yeah she had the jerks at school give her a hard time.... but other than that no one cared. Smith was most definitely a grump... and he totally needed to be junk punched! But then you would get a glimpse of some of the swooniness and then he would go right back to jerk mode..... honestly I am totally surprised that Alice didn't get whiplash. There were a couple times where I felt that things seemed a little meshed together so I had to go back a re-read a couple pages, but it was a fairly fast paced book once you got past 20% so it wasn't that big a deal to go back now and then. It was on the lower angst side for an Ella book, so if you are looking for your heart to ache but not get ripped out, this is a good book for you to pick up!

Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Swoon 😍😍😍
Angst 💔💔💔

Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞

2,892 reviews

January 26, 2022

4-4.5 ⭐'s

Smith and Alice meet at her sister's party four years ago and it's totally awkward...and just strange. Smith is the rebel but Alice is making her way there.

We get a lot of back story on them getting to know each other. These chapters intermingle with the present story.

In the present, Alice has gotten in trouble again and this time her mother puts her foot down but in a very sweet way and I LOVED that!

Alice has to volunteer at Smith's book store and it's a mess...literally. Same as Smith unfortunately, but Alice does her best to put things in order. It takes a while for Smith to appreciate it - much like their relationship.

I loved seeing these two work things out especially Smith. However, they have to work through some sticky circumstances and it's not always easy. I felt bad for all the unnecessary hurts.

Luckily, the story ends well. I loved the "note"...sooo sweet and the epilogue wasn't half bad.

read-in-2022

Mia

2,863 reviews1,049 followers

Why would Ella write another second chance romance when nothing is ever going to be Forever and Never.

Linathebookaddict

1,565 reviews407 followers

Ella does it again. She delivered such an amazing second chance /enemies to lovers romance! The book clicked all the boxes for me. Angst, wity banter and a broody hero. Smith sotle my hear, I won't lie. His character as my favorite.
His chemistry with Alice was out of this world.
The author writes amazing heroes and her books are always worth it. I highly recommend this book.

⇝ b ⇝

1,418 reviews62 followers

new-adult second-chance-romance

this was so bad that i cannot believe i've been excited for this book for several months. spoilers bc im too lazy to sensor myself so go forth w. caution. also here's a small apology bc this is not an eloquent review, but me just rambling to explain my disappointment.

ella fields is an author i typically enjoy bc she writes these angst filled stories that don't over do it, yet have you compelled to read on bc the pain is just right. (actually i might be romanticizing the two or three books of her i rated higher than three stars, but that's besides the point). when she writes well, oh boy, does she write well.

*cough* the magnolia cove & gray springs university *cough*

but when it's bad, it's plain 'ol bad. this was no bueno.

it feels like this author is stuck in 2016/17/18, when asshole heroes w. zero personality besides being a pretentious twat were all the rage in romance books... maybe it's just me but i'm bored. you can make your male heroes complex without having them be assholes with zero redeeming qualities.

what we were supposed to get:
- a teenage girl on the verge of graduation meeting a twenty-year-old guy and they become reluctant acquaintances w. some supposed tension
- in the two summers they know one another (it's really like 1 1/2 which is like 3 months of knowing one another max) they get close; "fall for one another"; then something bad happens separating them
- flash forward a few years and they're forced together

what we actually get:
-nearly every alternating chapter was a boring flashback TELLING me their history, rather than SHOWING me
- some bs banter i skimmed
- smith being misanthrope w. major insecurities (totally ok if this point was brought up earlier)
- alice (whose name i literally forgot and i just finished this book) meant to be the sunshine to his grump, yet it wasn't really executed well
- some ow drama with multiple characters for added drama
- i'll be real honest, i can't fully remember the ending bc i skimmed since i was that bored.

Anne OK

4,098 reviews553 followers

July 9, 2022

I think this book was supposed to make me feel -- and I did -- REMORSE! Not what I expected at all. From start to finish an unbalanced and crazy storyline with not one character that I gave two-hoots about. And the dialogue was completely wonkers -- I can't recall one "normal" conversation.

This might be one of those books where you're either going to really go all in and enjoy or not.

2022-reads

Melissa

648 reviews65 followers