Trable s láskou

by Jules Wake, Klára Krasula (Translator)

Jules Wake, která je známá také pod pseudonymem Julie Caplinová, opět nabízí příběh o lásce, které stojí v cestě spousta překážek. Když Jess potká na zahradní párty Sama, začne to mezi nimi nebezpečně jiskřit. Vzájemné sympatie jsou zřejmé, přesto se zdráhají naplno projevit vzájemnou zamilovanost. V cestě jim totiž stojí influencerka Victoria, která si hráče kriketu nárokuje i potom, co vztah s ní ukončil. Jess ze zkušeností vlastní matky moc dobře ví, jaké trauma může způsobit, když se objeví někdo třetí. Dokud nepochopí poměry ve vlastní rodině, nemůže prožít plnohodnotný vztah. Zaslouží si lásku, když kvůli ní musí ublížit někomu jinému? Jess ani Victoria nechtějí být „tou druhou“, ale „tou první“ může být jenom jedna z nich.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Rom Com, Ebooks, Adult

328 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2024

About the author

Jule Wake's first book, Talk to Me, was published in 2014. Since then, she has written a further eighteen books, with another two in the pipeline. She has sold translation rights to various countries throughout Europe, she's had two best sellers with Covent Garden in the Snow reaching the heady height of No 2 in the Amazon Kindle chart, something she never thought she’d see and The Little Café in Copenhagen becoming a big hit in Sainsbury’s. In January 2021 The Saturday Morning Park Run was her first book to gather over 3,000 reviews on Amazon. Running and romance is a great combination!

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess is a lovely girl. She considerate, and genuinely non-judgemental. She works with victims of domestic abuse at a refuge centre, so it is her deeply held conviction that women should be supportive of each other. Sam is a primary school teacher who works with autistic children. He's also used to taking care of other people's needs first. They are perfect for each other. They really are. Sometimes it just happens that you meet a person who seems to have been made for you. But what if they are already in a long-term relationship or even married? There are lines you just don't cross, however intense your feelings are. If you are the single part of the equation, you quietly walk away. If you are the 'taken' part, you either forget about the spark or start questioning the relationship you are in. This is what Sam does and then...he breaks up with his long-term girlfriend. A month later he asks Jess out. Breakups are often messy. Friends and families often take sides and refuse to see the new girlfriend as anything else, but a fling, or even worse 'the other woman'.

We see the events from Jess's point of view and this is why I started this review by saying what a great person she is. Strong, independent, dignified, and emotionally mature. Jules Wake takes this situation and asks us explore What if 'The Other Woman' was the nicest person imaginable, while the ex ...well, we get an exaggerated version of her behaviour, but let's say, she is having trouble moving on.
I loved the sub-plot of Jess's own family and their history. My heart was breaking when I read what she went through as a child. To what extent does our parents' personal life, with its successes and mistakes influence us? Are we doomed to repeat them or do we choose how to live our lives and how to love freely?

This was a quick and entertaining read, despite all these heavy questions (and I haven't even said anything about the social media and how they sometimes add oil to the bonfire of our past relationships). Recommended to anybody who likes looking at both sides and making their own opinion.

Thank you to NetgGalley, Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources and the publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love is complicated! Jess meets Sam and there is an instant SPARK. The problem is Sam has a girlfriend victoria. But after Jess and Sam’s paths cross a couple more times Sam realizes he cannot get Jess out of his mind and ends his four year relationship with victoria. Jess and Sam start dating, but victoria is not having it. Can love at first sight be true? And can true love truly conquer all?

This was such a great book but I had so many mixed thoughts. Jess and Sam really were perfectly suited for one another and I love them together. At first I felt bad for victoria, I mean no one likes their heart being broken. But then the girl had no shame and was downright evil when it came to Jess. having been both the new girlfriend and ex-girlfriend this book brought back a lot of memories, good and bad. I do have to say though Sam needed to stand up for Jess more and Sam’s mom needed to stop overstepping. there were several awkward moments in this book where I felt so bad for Jess. this was a well told thought provoking Romance that really touched on how all aspects of our lives -our family our jobs are friends- lend to how we are in relationships.

this book in emojis 🍷 🏏 🪂 🏡 🎇

*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[R ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I read this several months ago and I forgot to publish my review so I will not be adding many details since I have forgotten.

I remember really enjoying this. All the characters were fleshed out which is rare in most romance novels. It was at times thought provoking and the love interest was an actual good person with a personality and life outside of being the love interest, and the same goes for the main character. I was at times conflicted about certain things, though I won't mention them here since I don't want to spoil anything. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.

instagram | goodreads

[Erin Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I...have a lot of feelings.

First off, the book is decently written - but its the storyline I have a major problem with. It's pretty common for Romance Novels to be populated with beautiful people, but the constant mention of Jess's beauty, Sam's Beauty and how thin and perfect (gag) Jess is was irritating.

Second, this plot is messy, dramatic and a whole big pile of grey area. Sam and Jess meet at a BBQ and fall instantly (and I mean instantly) in love. Except, Sam has a girlfriend. Which, I mean - he's upfront about right away but they're still texting each other and connecting over social media. Nothing inappropriate but it's definitely toeing the line and doesn't sit well with me. Especially since I'm supposed to be rooting for them, it's just a sketchy lead up.

Sam dumps his beautiful Instagram influencer girlfriend of 4 years because he's magically fallen in love at first sight with Jess. Cue more mess. A rightfully heartbroken ex who's now painted as the villain and crazy. She shows up at their dates, she vandalizes the protagonists car, she follows her home etc.

I hated all of it. I really truly felt for Victoria (the ex) and hated the "we're just two innocent people in love, how dare she ruin this for us" nonsense from Sam and Jess.

All in all it made me feel icky, and I couldn't get into the storyline at all. Which is too bad because Jess has some interesting family backstory that was promising but ultimately overshadowed by all the annoying and petty drama.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ Heartwarming, Very Entertaining and A Sweet Contemporary Romance

Jess meets Sam at her Aunt and Uncles family bbq.
They originally bond over the fact they are the youngest people at the bbq.
But as they get lost in conversation their instant Spark only intensifies!

Sam is everything she wants in a Man. He's Fun, Kind, Warm, has the same interests, Charismatic, Funny and Incredibly Handsome....but there's just one thing wrong.... He's taken!

Sam has fallen for Jess and he knows it's wrong but he just can't help being drawn to her.
Is it so wrong to want to be friends?..... he has never strayed or even looked at another Woman before Jess... so what makes her so special?


Maybe they are soul mates?... maybe they are just meant to be?

One thing's for certain no one can deny they have a massive SPARK!

I loved both Jess and Sam. They are both pretty special people!
Jess is such an inspiration she works hard to protect and help vulnerable women and their children. Sam works as a Special Educational Teacher. I was desperately willing them both together, despite all the obstacles!
Oh and Sam's Ex Victoria.... wow she's a woman out for revenge!.... as they say never mess with a woman scorned 🙈

The Spark is a Heartwarming, very entertaining and sweet romance.
All of the characters were brilliantly written and sparked a variety of emotions towards them.
This is a story about finding love, overcoming obstacles, self discovery, friendship, family dramas, moving on and taking risks.
If you enjoy Contemporary Romances then you will love The Spark by Jules Wake



Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and One More Chapter for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/1...

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

You’re like a cat on a hot tin roof on roller skates. You’re going to break that chair with all your fidgeting.

I’m about as popular as a fart in a spacesuit right now.

It takes a lot to make me mad but I’m like the Incredible Hulk – except without the green and the muscle: when I go, I go. Unfortunately, that usually does end in tears because when I blow, I end up saying a ton of stuff I regret later and then my ire evaporates, leaving me as limp and pathetic as a deflated balloon.

I teach the reception class. It’s like trying to manage meerkats.

… her nose is so stuck up in the air she’s probably sniffing St Peter’s armpits


My Review:

Lucky me, it was my third-time at-bat and hitting another home run with a delightfully amusing Jules Wake book and I finished up even more enamored with her clever wordplay. I am gradually working my way through the dozen books noted on her Goodreads listing, with the remaining nine proudly residing on my TBR. I adore her witty tales and spunky characters - they beguile and engage me while craftily squeezing my heart.

In addition to a satisfying and entertaining read, Ms. Wake has also provided two fun additions to my Brit Words and Phrases list with shufty – a quick look; and grockle – a derogatory term for tourist, I plan to get a lot of mileage out of both.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t deny the attraction that exists between Jess and Sam. However, in this story, they are plagued by Sam’s ex, who turns out to be a mega Queen B and wants to do everything possible to make their relationship fail. No fun, huh?

There’s nothing too dramatic about this story; it is one hundred per cent romance. Of course, for Sam and Jess, it’s never easy. Throughout the story, both Sam and Jess appear to justify Victoria’s revengeful, hurtful behaviour. Personally, this riled me that the characters themselves were not more riled up and determined to put Victoria in her place! It was saddening to see how Sam’s friends turn away from him, judging his relationship with Jess based on Victoria’s influence. In my opinion, if they were genuine friends, they should have accepted that Sam had moved on.

The relationship is sweet and lovely. I really appreciated the parallels that existed with Jess and her own father. As the story develops, Wake makes these similarities clearer, especially as Jess eventually finds out what really happened in the breakdown of her parents’ marriage. Although it is not easy to like Jess’s mother – she is quite a cold fish – you cannot help but feel sorry for her. I wanted there to be reconciliation between Jess and her mother and I thought this element of the story was quite sad. Wake provides a satisfactory conclusion to this sub-plot and this added to the positivity generally running throughout the novel.

I felt invested in Sam and Jess’s relationship. I wanted them to succeed where others had clearly rejected them. Jess’s employment is all about protecting women, working in a women’s refuge, and I saw how Jess tries to protect her own relationship with Sam – even when things with Victoria were reaching new highs. Like the sub-plot, I think Jess’s work added another dimension to the story so that it was not completely focused on her love for Sam.

This book is set in a scorching summer heat, so it is perfect during these winter months! On the other hand, I think this would be a great beach read because the story unfolds so easily. There isn’t too much depth and sadness in the story, but enough to keep readers interested beyond the romance. Indeed, this is a book that I could easily see on the big screen; if not, I really hope that Wake follows up the story of Sam and Jess – what happens next?

I enjoyed this romantic escapism provided by Wake. It’s a pleasant story that emphasises the importance of staying true to yourself; not letting others dominate your decisions. That, in itself, is as significant as anything.

With thanks to One More Chapter, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jultri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. This book is well-written enough with a likeable heroine who as an impressionable child witnessed first-hand what heartbreak can do to a person after her mother's descent into bleakness and semi-catatonia following her father's exit from their lives. Jess is self-sufficient, financially independent and content enough to plod along as a single woman, leaving all the dating dramas to her cousin/bestie. So when she encountered Sam at a family do, she did not expect to find her love match. That said love match already has a long-term girlfriend did simplify things because Jess has no intention of becoming the OW. They parted but the spark once ignited could not extinguished and so Sam did the decent thing and ended his relationship in order to embark on a potential future with Jess. Except the future still has a lot of baggage from the past and Sam in particular has a helluva problem cutting the ties.

Jess is a sympathetic character, kind and considerate but is no pushover. Sam on the other hand is somewhat spineless forcing Jess to battle for both of them. Why is the name-calling and vitriol targeting Jess when Sam was the one who ditched his girlfriend for her? So, they did not do anything while he was still attached, but he admitted to checking her out physically and liking what he saw. To me, that was unfaithfulness even if he didn't act on it. Victoria's antics were a bit OTT, which is supposed to justify Sam's abandonment.

I did enjoy Jess's backstory and her family interactions. That was done well and Jess at least was all that was honourable. Lovely narration.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart-tugging, sweet, and sincere!

The Spark is an uplifting, engaging tale that takes us to into the lives of Jess and Sam, two people who after feeling an immediate connection when they first meet struggle to navigate all the highs and lows of a relationship plagued by disappointed parents, strained friendships, jeopardized careers and an extremely scorned ex.

The writing is warm and light. The characters are patient, supportive, and compassionate. And the plot is a delightful mix of life, love, family, friendship, chemistry, attraction, heartfelt moments, self-discovery, taking chances, and moving on.

Overall, The Spark is another captivating, tender, satisfying tale by Wake that’s perfect for fans of contemporary romance novels that are brimming with heartache and hope.

Thank you to Jules Wake, HarperCollins UK, and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy in an exchange for an honest review

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Spark was an interesting book. In it, you will meet Jess and Sam. Right from the moment, there was something instantaneous between them. Call it a spark or whatever. It just doesn't end well due to Sam being in a relationship with Victoria. After running into one another a couple of times, Sam decides to break up with Victoria to date Jess.

Honestly, this whole situation was kind of messed up. I mean if one believes in love at first sight.. than yeah - go for it. As for me? Nope, I really don't see that happening. So when Victoria realizes what is happening she is not a huge fan. I mean.. she really didn't like them dating one another. In some ways, I can see why she acted the way she did but I feel like she went a bit too far at times too.

If Jess and Sam were truly in love, then I think Victoria would just have to accept that and move on. She would eventually find someone who felt the same way with her and be happy. I also feel like Sam needed a stronger backbone too. He definitely needed to stand up for his decision and Jess when it came to certain situations. As well as standing up to his mom. It definitely got frustrating when he didn't do a damn thing.

In the end, this was filled with awkward and tense moments but the romance was pretty cute. I'm glad that I got the opportunity to jump into this.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It follows Jess, who meets Sam at her aunt and uncles family barbecue. Jess and Sam hit it off straight away, bond over common interests and can't ignore that there's that instant *spark* between them. The only thing is, Sam has a girlfriend, Victoria... until a month or so later. No boundaries are crossed between Sam and Jess but Victoria doesn't take the break-up very lightly.
Jess is a very likable and lovable main character. She works in a women's refuge center and loves helping others and loves her family and friends. Sam is a teacher at a special needs school for children. He's handsome, adorable and polite even though at times I felt like shaking some sense into him and being like, "DUDE, SORT YOUR CRAZY EX-GF OUT". It would've been nice to see him stand up for Jess a bit more in the beginning of their relationship when it came to Victoria trying to intervene.
The author really rallied home the dislike you should feel towards Victoria who was extremely, obsessively jealous of Jess, and it worked because she was very unlikable no matter how many times I tried to sympathize with her and what it would be like to be in her shoes. But Jess and Sam did nothing wrong so really, there should be no sympathizing to be had. The jealously and obsessive qualities of Victoria at times felt a little forced or over the top and that was just a little bit of annoyance I had.
The story had great sup-plots where it also focused on Jess' feelings towards feeling like 'the other woman', and looking back on her parents fractured relationship growing up and how she coped with that. In a way it was also a family based story.
Overall, it was a great little romance that was easy to read, funny, cute and real, with fleshed out characters that I feel is an underrated romance.

[Darcie Boleyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spark has romance, family drama, hot loving & emotion by the bucketload! This story plucked at every single heartstring.
Jules Wake has captured the intensity of true love & complicated family dynamics. The Spark had me laughing, crying & cheering for Jess and Sam. A wonderful read that fully deserves 5⭐️!

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

From their first meeting it is rather obvious that Jess and Sam are scarily in tune with each other, they literally clicked instantly.

However Sam at the time had a girlfriend, and so it took a while, and for him to realise he can't get Jess out of his head, to dump Victoria and then as he is a good guy waits a month before even contacting Jess again.

Although their connection is key to the book there is so much more to it than their relationship. We have a psycho ex to deal with.

Then there is Jess' rather important job that she has that adds a new dimension to the depth of the book. Oh and various family rifts to work through too!

It's a really fun book on the whole, and a pleasure to read. I would happily fight Jess for Sam, as he is my sort of guy. Hating Victoria became a fun past time while I was reading this, as she really is desperate and despicable and I kept wanting her to leave the happy couple alone.

It's a really enjoyable story from Jules Wake, and I feel this would make a wonderful movie. I could picture it so easily as a film, or possibly even a play.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

[Sandy Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book drew me in from the very first page and I couldn't put it down.

I loved the depiction of the initial attraction - the spark - and then how that transcended the physical connection between these two characters and became love. This is a deep dive into the complexities of all relationships, not just romantic, and I loved how well the author explored family dynamics and friendship as much as the romance.

At the core is Jess' journey and this was so well written. I loved how she discovered her inner strength and how to 'wield it' with compassion, and how she remained true to herself and her values, yet let herself be vulnerable.

Thoughtful, truthful, heartbreaking, funny, and heartwarming. A must read.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the acknowledgements that end this lovely book, the author tells us how she completely fell in love with Jess and Sam, her two main characters, and hopes that her readers will too. Well, I can’t speak for all her readers, but my goodness, I most certainly did – and I thought this book, while perhaps not quite (and certainly not always) the funny romantic comedy you might be expecting, was simply wonderful.

In terms of story, it’s a relatively simple one – Jess and Sam meet at a party, and the attraction is instant and powerful. Although they both feel the same, nothing can come of it – Sam is in a four-year relationship with Victoria, and after seeing the devastating effect on her mother of her father’s departure eighteen years ago when he fell in love with another, there’s no way she wants to be the one who breaks up a relationship and inflicts that pain on someone else.

But – through social media, which is really cleverly used throughout the book – she discovers Sam has ended his relationship, and their way is clear. And so begins a relationship so full of love and passion that it fills your heart with joy – until it becomes very clear that Victoria has no intention of walking away, instead doing all she can (with a rather disturbing edge of obsession) to win Sam back.

The romance in this book is just stunning – entirely believable, all-consuming, love of a depth and intensity incredibly well described. The small details are wonderful – like many others I loved the use of the Lego image (you need to read the book…), and small details like the shared smiles and touches entirely melted my heart.

The book is told through Jess’ voice – it makes it very easy to identify with her, to experience the intensity of her emotions, to share her fears and doubts…. and it certainly makes it easy to love her, and feel the depth of love that she’s been so fortunate to find.

The supporting cast is wonderful too – Jess’s close relationship with her aunt and uncle, her very difficult one with her bitter and twisted mother (with those awkward mother-daughter dance steps), her supportive friends (who also add much of the humour so well laced through the book). And then there’s Victoria – and I really did like the way that despite her extreme reactions and her atrocious behaviour it’s often difficult not to feel some sympathy for her (well, for a while at least – until she goes a little too far).

The back story of Jess’s upbringing and the events that shaped her are well played in too, with some clever mirroring when her attempts to build some bridges and put that hurt to rest are played into the story. The work she does too provides an extra dimension, and a very well handled one – and I really enjoyed the family Cornish wedding, a nice bit of lighter relief from the emotional turmoil. I’ll say no more, this book is one you need to experience for yourself – but I will just say that its ending is one of those wonderful moments you will never forget, heartbreaking, joyous, tear-filled and quite gloriously uplifting.

Yes, I loved the characters very much indeed – and this was such a special book, an emotional love story that moved me really deeply, broke my heart and then made it sing. Quite superb – and very highly recommended to all.

[Lucy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me this ARC to review.

This is my first Jules Wake read and certainly will not be my last, what a breath of fresh air this was!

I was totally engrossed is Jess and Sam they both fit together like Lego.
Sam ends his relationship with Victoria to be with Jess, of course Victoria is just not going to accept they are over so will do anything to get Sam back.

This is not your kind of boy meets girl love story and I really felt the connection between them and enjoyed reading this one.

I have already added Morning Park Run to my reading list and looking foward to more from Jules in the future.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

DNF at 16%

I wish I could happily continue on reading this, but I physically can't bring myself to. I was staring at it unable to read and then skimmed until the end of the chapter. I just can't read it. Jess is whiny, Sam is annoying, and I just can't bear reading it. I hope someone ends up loving this book, but I just can't make myself read it.

[Emma Patcas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I genuinely cannot believe I read this whole rubbish book.

[Abril Peña · Rating 4 out of 5]

Español
Lo protagonistas se conocen en una comida familiar en casa de los tíos la heroína que han sido como sus papás. Él tiene novia de mucho tiempo y desde el principio se lo dice a lo que ella decide mejor no seguir por ese camino. Pasados unos días él la hace su amiga en FB y ella acepta la solicitud de amistad. Se escriben un poco pero como el tiene novia mejor enfrían las cosas. Unas semanas después ella se entera que él termino con su novia pero no la busca inmediatamente, lo hace un mes después de haber terminado su relación (que nos enteramos después llevaba 4 años pero él aún no le pedía matrimonio ni quería vivir con ella). La relación entre los protagonistas fluye natural, se vuelven novio rapidamente y a las pocas semanas empiezan a vivir juntos. Sin embargo, en todo este tiempo de 5/6 semanas la ex-novia vive buscando la forma de complicarles la vida y acosándolos continuamente. Él me pareció muy blando en muchas ocasiones, pero en un punto casi al 80% del libro le pone un límite.

Hay una escena que él me pareció un pusilánime; están en casa de los papás del él y está la ex-novia. Su mamá continúa manteniendo una relación estrecha con la ex-novia pero en un punto él va por unas bebidas y se tarda más porque se queda platicando con su papá, un tío y la ex-novia. Ella empieza a tocarlo como si siguieran juntos y él no se quita hasta que ve a su novia enfrente de él. Y en vez de presentar a la heroína como su novia deja que ella se presente como una amiga, me pareció una falta de respeto porque después el tío hace un comentario de que ya debería de proponerle matrimonio a la ex (porque obviamente asume que siguen juntos) y nadie lo saca del error. Él en varias ocasiones pone los sentimiento de la ex-novia antes que los de la heroína, y eso me parece algo súper irrespetuoso ¿cómo puedes estar con alguien que no pone tus sentimientos primero? Pero como ella es una mártir, siempre resulta ser ultracomprensiva. (Mehhhhh)

Pero ella también es una mártir por todo lo alto, siempre se pone en segundo lugar y todo el tiempo tiene esta actitud de amante cuando desde el inicio sabemos que ella no propicio la situación. Fue algo que fluyo y él no terminaría su relación de años si hubiera estado enamorado de la otra mujer. A medida que avanza la historia te vas dando cuenta que la ex-novia es super demandante, manipulativa, maliciosa, caprichosa, no es una buena persona. Aparentemente, si después de 4 años él no tenía intenciones de vivir con ella y menos de casarse con ella parece que él estaba en una zona de confort y un tanto obligado también por su circulo social (un pusilánime).

En un punto después de que la ex-novia hizo de las suyas echándole aceite al parabrisas del carro de la heroína (sabemos que fue ella porque después se la topa en la calle de su casa) una amiga de la heroína le dice que levante una queja por acoso ante la policía. Cabe destacar que la heroína trabaja en un lugar que da refugio a víctimas de maltrato doméstico. La amiga le dice que bien sabe que en casos así es necesario ir dejando evidencia por si escalan las cosas. Pero obviamente como ella es una mártir decide no hacerlo.

Al final, la heroína termina con él por todo el acoso que sufren de la ex-novia, pero en realidad nunca la confrontan ni le ponen un alto. Después de unos días ella se da cuenta que cometió un error al terminar su relación y decide regresar con él. Confronta a la ex-novia públicamente (por fin!!!) y tenemos un final feliz. Pero eso pasa en el 10% del libro, el 90% es de la ex-novia acosándolos continuamente. La verdad me gustó el audiolibro, lo disfrute mucho pero si me hubiera gustado que confrontarán antes a la ex-novia y tener un poco más de su final feliz. También hubiera sido bueno ver a la mamá de él hacer un acto de contrición hacia la heroína.
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English

The MCs meet at a family meal at the home of h's aunt and uncle, who have been like her parents. H has a long time girlfriend and from the beginning he tells her so she decides not to go down that road. After a few days H makes h his friend on FB and she accepts the friend request. They write to each other for a while but since H has a girlfriend they cool things down. A few weeks later h finds out that H broke up with his girlfriend but H doesn't look for her immediately. H look for h a month after the end of his relationship (which we find out later had been going on for 4 years but H never asked OW to marry him nor wanted to live with her). The relationship between the MCs flows naturally, they quickly become boyfriend and girlfriend and a few weeks later they start living together. However, in all this time of 5/6 weeks the OW lives looking for ways to complicate their lives and harassing them continuously. H seemed to me very soft on many occasions, but at one point almost 80% of the book H draws a line to OW (about time!).

There is a scene where H seemed to me to be a pushover. MCs and OW they are at H's parents' house. H's mom continues to maintain a close relationship with OW but at one point H goes to get some drinks and it takes him longer because H stays there talking to his dad, uncle and OW. OW starts touching H as if they are still together and H doesn't move until he sees h in front of them. Instead of introducing h as his girlfriend H lets h introduce herself as a friend. I found this behaviour disrespectful because later the uncle makes a comment that H should already propose to the OW (because he obviously assumes they are still together) and no one gets him out of the mistake. H on several occasions puts OW feelings before the h's, and that seems super disrespectful to me. How can you be with someone who doesn't put your feelings first? But since h's a martyr, she always turns out to be ultra sympathetic (Mehhhhh).

h a martyr through and through, she always puts herself second and all the time has this attitude like she was the OW, when from the beginning we know that wasn't like that. Their relationship was somenthing that flowed. H would not have ended his relationship of years if he had been in really in love with the OW. As the story progresses you realize that the OW is super demanding, manipulative, malicious, capricious, bitchy, not a good person. Apparently, if after 4 years H had no intention of living with OW let alone marrying her it seems that H was in a comfort zone and somewhat obligated also by his social circle (a pushover).

At one point after the OW poured oil on the windshield of the h's car (we know it was OW because h a moment later runs into her on the street outside h's flat) a friend of the h tells her to file a harassment complaint with the police. It should be noted that h works at a place that shelters victims of domestic abuse. The friend tells h that she knows that in cases like this it is necessary to leave evidence in case things escalate. But obviously, since h's a martyr, she decides not to do so.

In the end, the h breaks up with him because of all the harassment they suffer from OW, but MCs never really confront her or put a stop to it. After a few days h realizes she made a mistake by ending their relationship and decides to go back to H. She confronts OW publicly (finally!!!!) and we have a happy ending. But that happens in the last 10% of the book, 90% is OW continually harassing them. I really liked the audiobook, I enjoyed it a lot but I would have liked to see the OW been confronted sooner and have a little more of MCs happy ending. It would have also been nice to see H's mom grovel to both of them.

[Emily ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cosy warm summer book. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.
Pros:
Jess was a lovely character and I loved her views on certain issues and how she interacted with her family and friends. Her job (as a worker at a women's refuge) made me think about certain things and how we often take the small things for granted.
Sam - awesome character and I liked his charisma and sense of humour.
Shelley - funny and interesting character - she was funny and some of her one liners made me laugh a little. I liked her.

Cons
* maybe it was because I was speed reading but it felt a little stop.starty - that's a really bad way of writing it but the story didn't seem to flow very easily and I got a little bit confused on occasions about dates - I thought a certain event was a few weeks ago but it was written like it was yesterday?! I don't know but that was a little annoying.
* I didn't really see or read about many other side characters - like Shelley and Holly. I would have liked to read more about their interactions with the other characters.
* I felt like the ending was good but could have been better (SPOILER)- I would have liked to see the wedding and how the relationship with Jess and her mum improves as well as seeing how the relationship between Jess and Sam's mum also improves. The ending was a bit abrupt for me personally. (if you can't tell from my previous reviews I find it annoying when the author ends the book suddenly)

[Sophie Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

High 3⭐
I'm usually not a fan of insta love romances and this book is practically the definition of instalove - but in this instance it just worked for me.
I loved both main characters, they were instantly likeable and their relationship was written really well. There is a nice amount of development for the characters including side characters. I think this book is packed full of so many important messages.
My only criticism would be that it got quite repetrative quite quickly so there were times I was a little bored with the story. I would have also liked an epilogue, but that's personal preference. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend to anybody looking for a light, easy read.

[Gerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars

[Skyesmum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh My Goodness!
This author just gets better and better!
I have piles of jobs to do, but I just needed to know how Sam and Jess's story went.
I loved it.
Loved the camaraderie between the couple, their family background, and most of all Jess and Sam.
I cried with laughter throughout, Jules Wake knows how to lift your spirits.
What a fantastic book.

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy and nice read for a lazy Sunday afternoon or on holiday. Sam and Jess meet, fall in love at first sight but Sam has a steady girlfriend, Victoria. Then Sam breaks up with Victoria and tells Jess he liked her, a lot. And Jess like him too.This could be the ending of the story but it isn’t, it’s just the beginning. Because Victoria is determined to make their life a hell.

The writing is good and very English. Words like bloody, blimey and darn are flying around. I like English romcoms and I’ve read a lot of them. Sam and Jess are likable and have passion for their work (Sam is a primary school teacher dedicated to special needs and Jess works for a woman’s refuge). It’s refreshing to read a romcom about two people that are so socially engaged. All the ingredients were there to love this story but somehow I didn’t connect fully to Sam and Jess. Maybe it’s because of the book I read before this one that was so incredible that it still haunts my mind or maybe the story was a bit too predictable for me. Either way if you like a nice romcom, don’t mind a little predictability and are up for an easy and nice story then you should read this one.

I received an ARC from Harper Collins and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Zarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

First of all: this book needs a trigger warning, and thus so will this review!
Mentionings of abuse and mental illness.

Warning number two: this review is long, and ranty and features sarcasm. Just fyi. ;)

I wanted to like this. I thought I liked it, initially. Jess worked at a women's shelter! There were talk of abuse and some kind of feminist vibe that I had high hopes for. The writing is good and the narrator is great but... this book is so goddamn problematic and sickly sweet and just not, imoho, read worthy.

Because, unfortunately, all the promise of the premise (isn't that a mouthful?!) faded pretty much as soon as the lovestory began.

First of all, we have the main characters. They are pretty much perfect human beings. They are gorgeous and charming and smart and lovable and so damn altruistic it makes me vomit a bit in my mouth. Jess works for a women's shelter and never judges anybody or even takes offence to things. Sam is a teacher for special needs kids (again, had high hopes that were squashed) and they absolutely adore him. Obviously. And did I mention that Sam is a regular, cricket playing adonis (his "flaw" is that he wears his hair long. Just to make him more relatable. Blergh.) Jess is a gorgeous woman with a killer bod' and piercing blue eyes.
Oh. And also: they probably have halos too.

Jess' mom is a survivor of life long depression that culminated and got out of control when Jess' dad left. (Spoiler alert: in fact he was the amazeballs person/victim here.)
Sam has a girlfriend, Victoria, who is a gorgeous influencer with tons of money. Sam leaves her for his instalove, Jess. (Spoiler alert: but only after trying SO hard to stay and do right by her, and then he gives it a whoooole month to actually get together with Jess. And then Vic turns psycho. And she IS rich and pretty and popular, so obviously she should just get over it. A month is a super duper long time to accept a breakup and be okay with him moving on. Right...? Le sigh.)

The book proceeds with Vic being a bitch, everybody giving Jess a hard time, and the both of them being saintly.
(There is a fun piece in the middle with aunt Gladys who deserves a book of her own.)

Jess meets her dad and the woman he left them for. (Spoiler alert: they are the victims here, and such amazing people... are you starting to see a pattern here?)

There are logic gaps (I especially hated the ones about the women's shelter). There is instalove. There are downputting mentionings about feminism, and depression is treated like an obstacle with depressed people being impossible to love and generally just difficult people.
Somehow it seems like the book WANTED to portray "the other woman" in a new light, but tried too bloody hard and ended up with a whole new breed of Saints, with Innocent And Misunderstood men beside them.

I thought I would give this 2 stars but the end made me sick.
So no. In case that wasn't obvious... I did NOT like this book.

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would firstly like to say a very big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for very kindly sending me a copy of this book, for my Kindle, in return for an honest review.
This was one of the first books that I had read from this author and I’m really glad that I did because I loved it and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books from her.
The main characters were all lovely and they, along with the situations were all believable and realistic.
It was a wonderful, refreshing read and a great introduction to this author...

[Jo Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I count Jules Wake as one of my favourite authors, and with every new book release that she makes I find that the new book immediately becomes my favourite of her books. This was absolutely no exception. This book had a very different feel to her previous books, I’m not completely sure I would pigeon-hole this book as a rom-com, although there were undoubtedly some funny moments; I absolutely adored the wedding of Great Aunt Gladys, and Gladys herself was a scream!

The story centres around Jess and Sam who upon first meeting, feel a spark between them.

I adored both Jess and Sam from the start, and I found it refreshing that Sam immediately told Jess he couldn’t take things beyond their initial conversation because he had a girlfriend, and Jess immediately took a step back because she would never intentionally break a couple up for her own gain. When Sam does end his relationship with his girlfriend Victoria, he waits a month before contacting Jess. Inadvertently Jess finds herself painted as the ‘other woman’, and finds that people instantly judge her for it, without finding out the whole story from both sides.

This was very much a story of families and friendships, and how people are often quick to judge a situation based entirely on one side of the story. The parallels between Jess and Sam’s beginnings, with Jess’s parents ending are strong, and the parallels consider events from opposite sides of a similar situation. I initially found myself feeling empathetic towards Victoria, Sam’s ex-girlfriend, but my empathy did wane a little when Victoria took matters too far, although I loved that Jess showed so much compassion for the situation Victoria found herself in.

The ending was everything I hoped it would be, and I was left feeling happy, a little tearful (but in a good way!), and desperately not wanting it to end. This book gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling, and having read the acknowledgements at the back of the book, it was clear how much Jules Wake loved her main characters, that love shone from every page and made me love them too.

[Ashley Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to thank Author Jules Wake and NetGalley for giving me a free ebook arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Have you ever been to a gathering or a party and are introduced to someone and things just seem to click? Like you feel like you have known them forever? What would you do if that person was already in a relationship? How would you react when they pick you over their long time partner? This book answer all of these questions and more with a realistic story of two people who find that "spark" in one another and decide to see where it will all lead. I really enjoyed this book! The author did a great job creating characters that I believe many readers can relate to especially when it comes to being the new partner in established relationship which are shared with an ex. I loved how honest Sam was with his feelings and chose to do the right things even when it caused riffs in many of the meaningful relationships with his friends and family. I respected Jess for not running Sam's ex down in front of others when there were times she might have be justified to do so. Jess' relationship with her mother was very raw at times, and I appreciated how much Jess was willing to help her mother comes to terms with the past. Victoria was another kettle of fish all together. I could not help but feel a wide range of emotions for her throughout this book. I hope she finds her HEA! Overall, I really liked this book and believe this is a very mature and healthy look at relationships and how the evolve over time as well as how they impact those around us both for the good and bad. I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Etta (Chonky Books Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you meet your soul mate and you feel that instant spark? This novel sets out to explore how two people meet and feel that connection where they are meant to be, but when life gets in the way, can this spark be enough? The Spark was an easy enough read where I was able to read it within a day. As it is set in England, there are random phrasings that took me a few seconds longer than normal to understand as they aren’t quite the same meanings/uses in the U.S. Two people who are each other’s Lego pieces and just click seamlessly together face many obstacles to be together.

We begin the story where Jess Harper, a woman in her late twenties who works for a women’s refuge, is attending a party at her aunt and uncle’s house. While out in the garden, she meets the only other attendee her age, Sam Weaverham, a man in his late twenties who is a primary school teacher for kids with special needs and a semi-pro cricket player. The two have an instant spark and their conversation flows seamlessly and they feel super comfortable being around each other. The only issue is that Sam is currently in a long-term relationship (four years) with an influencer named Victoria. To remain faithful to his girlfriend, they agree that they have a connection, but Sam and Jess can’t be together, even as friends. Jess is torn by being in contact with Sam as her family has been broken by having another woman involved. Unfortunately, they run into each other, text, and become Facebook friends and Jess can’t help how she’s feeling for Sam. This dynamic conflicted me as on one hand, I can understand how you would want to stay somewhat connected to your soul mate, but on the other, as Jess has been so damaged by her past “other woman” issues, I could not understand why she refused contact with Sam for a clean break before anything could potentially happen. (It wouldn’t be a story though if she followed the latter.)

As Sam was unable to get over the spark he felt with Jess, he ends his relationship with Victoria and pursues Jess after a little over a month after first meeting. The two of them start to date, but are faced with many obstacles caused mainly by the scorned ex, Victoria. On their first date, Vic shows up outside when the new couple is exiting the restaurant and causes a huge scene. Sam comforts Vic and Jess leaves upset. This initial interaction between the three did not sit as well with me because Sam is the issue. By comforting Victoria, he sets up the expectations that it is okay for her to act out and he is in the wrong and therefore has to comfort her. It eliminates the boundaries and to me is actually what sets off Vic’s determination to break up Jess and Sam in order to win him back. If Sam placed the boundary between him and Victoria initially by reminding her that it’s over and showed her more tough love by walking away with Jess, then it would’ve at least illustrated that Jess was the woman in Sam’s life now.

As this scenario did not happen, Victoria remains in Sam’s life although Sam is frustrated by this. Jess keeps having inner turmoil as she feels bad for Vic and claims that Jess is the other woman that broke them apart and Jess needs to treat Vic kindly and accept everything (even the bad) that Vic does. It sort-of makes sense in a way how people outside the couple can initially believe that Jess is the other woman as Sam did leave Vic to be with Jess, but as some time did pass between one relationship ending and the other beginning along with Jess wasn’t involved with Sam before he broke up with Vic, however, I couldn’t fully get behind this idea. Sam’s family is a main culprit of this as they favor Victoria and just consider Jess a phase before Sam will return to Vic. It’s hard to fully tell as not every detail is shown if Sam had conversations about the end of his relationship with his family or not. If he did, then he really needed to reiterate the story that he is not with Vic and has no desire to go back. If he did not, then he needed to communicate more with his family. Either way, I could not understand Sam’s family as they dismissed Jess without giving her a chance because they favored Vic. Although it was realistic, it was extremely hard to relate to as my family would never remain in contact with an ex (no matter how long the relationship) unless we specifically had a conversation okaying it.

Jess and her mother have a strained relationship after Jess’ dad left to be with another woman. The mother experienced a break-down from the break-up and their relationship is strained from the incident. As Jess feels like the other woman in her relationship with Sam, she finds parallels from her own relationship to her parent’s. Throughout the novel, Jess reflects on her past and present as she starts to explore maybe there is more to the story of her parents then initially met the eye. Throughout this journey, as a reader, you do begin to feel some sympathy for Joan, Jess’ mother, but I think she needed either more therapy or outside help to have it continuously affect her over ten years later. I felt for both Joan and Victoria as it’s heart-breaking when the one you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with leaves and finds happiness with someone else. However, although it’s extremely painful, you’d think that either woman would even think for a second of the positive side. It’s better to break things off, then to be with someone who isn’t fully committed and is possibly thinking of someone else.

Overall, this is a story about dealing with the fallout of past relationships and the start of new ones. No love story is perfect and is worth any obstacle if you are meant to be. Jess and Sam were definitely meant to be as they are both similar personalities and dealt with situations in the same way. They both were super nice and gave people the benefit of the doubt, even when others would not. The novel was very realistic and it was nice to read a story, even if I don’t fully agree with the decisions the characters made along the way. It was well-written and flowed nicely between each chapter. I loved how family and friendships were included as they are affected by our romantic choices and the decisions we make in romance can affect those around us. After reading this story, I’m definitely intrigued to read more as I enjoyed this take on a classic romantic story.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC to read. Opinions expressed are completely my own.**

Check out my other reviews: Chonky Books Review

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jess and Sam meet at a party and immediately start to fall for each other and there is an immediate spark. There is however a problem, Sam already has a girlfriend. This is an exploration of love at first sight, and finding the right person for you.

This was a light hearted romantic fiction read which I enjoyed. It was very easy reading and I flew through it. Jess and Sam are believable characters and I really warmed to Jess. I cringed along with the behaviour of Victoria, and wished Sam would stand up for himself a bit more! It was a little bit predictable in parts but that didn’t stop me enjoying it and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a bit of light hearted easy reading