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Citrus Cove #1
Broken Beginnings
A high heat small town, romantic suspense story from author Clio Evans. You’re Next.
I was in the wrong place at the wrong time—and that moment changed me forever. After walking in on a masked man murdering my neighbor, I went back to the one place I swore I’d never step foot in again. Citrus Cove.
The sleepy town hasn’t changed much, but the people have. Including my old high school bully, Cameron Harlow.
He’s the last person I want to see. He should be the last person I want.
But Cameron Harlow has been dreaming of the day he’d see me again, and wants to set things right. Our history makes me hate him, but he’s sinfully hot, has that sexy southern charm, and calls me sunshine. How can I resist him?
When the danger I’ve been running from shows up in my hometown, Cameron becomes my sole refuge. Someone is watching me. Following me. They want me dead.
From the ashes of our broken beginnings, all we want is our happy ending. But the killer has other ideas and the only way Cam and I have a future together is if we live to see it…
I was in the wrong place at the wrong time—and that moment changed me forever. After walking in on a masked man murdering my neighbor, I went back to the one place I swore I’d never step foot in again. Citrus Cove.
The sleepy town hasn’t changed much, but the people have. Including my old high school bully, Cameron Harlow.
He’s the last person I want to see. He should be the last person I want.
But Cameron Harlow has been dreaming of the day he’d see me again, and wants to set things right. Our history makes me hate him, but he’s sinfully hot, has that sexy southern charm, and calls me sunshine. How can I resist him?
When the danger I’ve been running from shows up in my hometown, Cameron becomes my sole refuge. Someone is watching me. Following me. They want me dead.
From the ashes of our broken beginnings, all we want is our happy ending. But the killer has other ideas and the only way Cam and I have a future together is if we live to see it…
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2024
1022 people are currently reading
7931 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 770 reviews
June 25, 2024
Just wondering how the FMC was always so horny after a near death experience but who am I to judge 😂
Overall good!! It was my first bully romance but it was pretty tame and written well. I would continue the next book in the series 🤍
Overall good!! It was my first bully romance but it was pretty tame and written well. I would continue the next book in the series 🤍
September 11, 2024
If I had one wish, I would use the wish to forget this book ever existed because every time I think of it I just get mad all over again.
Oh god do I have thoughts about this book and very few of them are good.
I have a feeling that the author of this particular book couldn't decide if she wanted to be a 1) romance author, 2) thriller author, or 3) an erotic author, so she combined them all into one clusterfuck and said ta da.
I have said in some of my most recent reviews how hard it seems to be for authors to make the romance a part of the plot and something that furthers it rather than have it just be something that was there. Thats the case for this story again.
Now let's dive into it.
The Romance
The romance of this book was definitely not something I was expecting. Based upon the synopsis of this book I expected a slow burn. The MMC was a bully to the FMC and essentially made her life a living hell for the duration of high school and up until she left for college. Based upon this I expected serious amount of groveling, begging and pleading on behalf of the man. However, it seemed to be the exact opposite. Within a few chapters of the book it would seem like all of their history was forgotten and forgiven and all it took was him ALLOWING her to pour beer over his head like we see in the prologue. There was very few apologies, not certainly close to what I would demand if I were in her shoes, little to no groveling, and a couple of conversational exchanges later and they were straight fucking.
And boyyyyyyyyyy did they fuck. They fucked, it would seem, every other chapter, and especially after major and/or life threatening events. And quite frankly, it was not good fucking, I skipped over almost every scene besides the first like two because it was just so fucking bad. He was supposed to be this dominant man in bed and it wasn't supposed to be expected of him to like such rough stuff, but instead of being dominant and into BDSM, he just gave me the ick because it did not mesh with his personality and how he portrayed himself outside of the bedroom.
This was so far away from a slow burn I would almost deem it an insta love situation, which unless you are writing a smutty novella, I want no part of.
There weresome cute moments shared that I actually really liked, specifically when the MMC is sporting a fresh stab wound in the hospital and high on medication after the surgery and he sees her and calls her his wife. That was super adorable.
The Plot
The plot of this book made no fucking sense. There were so many things going on at one point or another it was extremely hard to follow. However, at the same time it was written so simply that it shouldn't have been that hard to follow. The basic idea of her going back to her home town while she's literally going through the worst experience of her life was a good premise, as was the fact that someone was stalking her and hunting her down.
However, everything else was just a clusterfuck. For starters, she witnesses a murder and instead of telling the police every detail, she hides the fact that she was told she was next. I am so sorry queen, but perhaps that was a stupid move. After she witnesses the murder she leaves town. Fair. She goes all the way back to her home town which she said she would never return to. Fine, I guess. But what really got me was the fact that she so quickly jumped into the small town life, while actively saying she hated the small town life. You cannot mock and ridicule something that you are actively doing without looking like a total douche bag.
Finally after all is said and done and we are about 45% of the way through the book, there is a dead body in her car, and her her car is beaten the fuck up. This dead body came out of nowhere considering how many times the author made sure to let everyone know in no uncertain terms that this small town was not the kind of place people were murdered. And the murdered is later reveled and it was such a silly thing to add because quite frankly, had that specific murder not been there it almost feels as if the book really wouldn't have changed.
The sister subplot was ridiculous. I did not give any shits about this woman. And, again, had she not been in the book I'm not sure there would have been much difference. I had no idea what she gave to the plot line other than a sense of anger because why did she stay with that man. Again, with how close this town was she could have gone to literally anybody and asked for help for her and her kids and anybody would have given it. I am not sure why she chose to stay because again, everyone in the town had seen how her husband acted and it would not have been that hard to get custody of her twin boys. It felt like Sarah was in that relationship just to be in it.
The brother in law was absolutely ridiculous. The hate the brother in law had for the MMC never really got explained in a way that I thought was satisfactory. I still have no idea why the brother in law hated the FMC. Not only was this a ridiculous addition to the plot, but it was so far fetched that it was so easy to guess. And he was a righteous dickhead. He was so mean for no reason, always drunk, and verbally abusive to his children. Anybody in that town could have gotten him arrested.
Now, I will say that the twin brother bit kinda got me. I did not expect a twin brother to come into the mix and quite frankly I fucking hated it. The twin brother bit was literally so out there because
1) The author made it a point to point out time and time again how small and close knit this town was. So the fact that the twin was never discovered is incredibly shocking to me because everybody in that town would know about twins from the nurses and just the mother in general talking about it.
2) Everybody is their own person and it is so fucking sad that the sister couldn't even tell the difference between her husband and brother in law.
3) The evil twin plot line, in my opinion has always been so fucking stupid.
Female Lead
Can a FMC be any stupider than this one was because I don't think she had more than two brain cells and quite frankly she barely rubbed them together to form a good thought.
For example, not telling the police about the fact that the murderer told her she was next.
Thinking that silence from her stalker meant he had lost focus on her and moved on. He followed you to a whole other city and town just to kill you and sent you pictures of yourself. Yeah, he for sure just moved on randomly.
Continuously having sex in public places knowing she is actively being stalked.
It still baffles me that there were three guys obsessed with her in this book because from reading her point of view and being inside her head I can tell you that she's not that fucking great.
I was really confused about this woman for a majority of the book because she was definitely giving unreliable narrator. She goes back and forth multiple times about staying in Citrus Cove with Cam forever. She cannot make up her damn mind.
Male Lead
Cameron, dude, what is going on in your head. I genuinely do not have much to say about Cameron because as a Male Lead he was severely underwhelming.
I would say the only redeeming quality about this man in this book is that he was actually kind of obsessed with Haley. He wanted to spoil her and give her things, he stayed getting on his knees in front of her.
However, I have never seen someone be more dumb than he was when he left her, alone, in his house while she was actively being stalked.
Im so sorry but I would kill my fiancé if he left me alone while I was being stalked and people were dying around me.
And finally, while they are cleaning out the brother in laws house of all the sisters shit this man smells something dead rotting and doesn't think to check on it considering how much he hates the brother in law, the fact that a dead body was discovered, and just the general vibe of what's going on in their life. If I ever smelt something rotting in an aggressive persons basement while someone was actively murdering people, I would be calling the police or someone ASAP.
Last Minute Notes
I really hated that Cameron began calling Haley "Hal" because that is a mans name and I was super confused.
Three seperate chapters in the FMC POV began with "I needed" and that just feels like lazy writing to me.
How many times is this girl going to black out?
All in all, I was obviously not a fan of this book, the characters, the plot, or the writing style. This was just not for me which literally sucks considering I was so excited for it.
Oh god do I have thoughts about this book and very few of them are good.
I have a feeling that the author of this particular book couldn't decide if she wanted to be a 1) romance author, 2) thriller author, or 3) an erotic author, so she combined them all into one clusterfuck and said ta da.
I have said in some of my most recent reviews how hard it seems to be for authors to make the romance a part of the plot and something that furthers it rather than have it just be something that was there. Thats the case for this story again.
Now let's dive into it.
The Romance
The romance of this book was definitely not something I was expecting. Based upon the synopsis of this book I expected a slow burn. The MMC was a bully to the FMC and essentially made her life a living hell for the duration of high school and up until she left for college. Based upon this I expected serious amount of groveling, begging and pleading on behalf of the man. However, it seemed to be the exact opposite. Within a few chapters of the book it would seem like all of their history was forgotten and forgiven and all it took was him ALLOWING her to pour beer over his head like we see in the prologue. There was very few apologies, not certainly close to what I would demand if I were in her shoes, little to no groveling, and a couple of conversational exchanges later and they were straight fucking.
And boyyyyyyyyyy did they fuck. They fucked, it would seem, every other chapter, and especially after major and/or life threatening events. And quite frankly, it was not good fucking, I skipped over almost every scene besides the first like two because it was just so fucking bad. He was supposed to be this dominant man in bed and it wasn't supposed to be expected of him to like such rough stuff, but instead of being dominant and into BDSM, he just gave me the ick because it did not mesh with his personality and how he portrayed himself outside of the bedroom.
This was so far away from a slow burn I would almost deem it an insta love situation, which unless you are writing a smutty novella, I want no part of.
There weresome cute moments shared that I actually really liked, specifically when the MMC is sporting a fresh stab wound in the hospital and high on medication after the surgery and he sees her and calls her his wife. That was super adorable.
The Plot
The plot of this book made no fucking sense. There were so many things going on at one point or another it was extremely hard to follow. However, at the same time it was written so simply that it shouldn't have been that hard to follow. The basic idea of her going back to her home town while she's literally going through the worst experience of her life was a good premise, as was the fact that someone was stalking her and hunting her down.
However, everything else was just a clusterfuck. For starters, she witnesses a murder and instead of telling the police every detail, she hides the fact that she was told she was next. I am so sorry queen, but perhaps that was a stupid move. After she witnesses the murder she leaves town. Fair. She goes all the way back to her home town which she said she would never return to. Fine, I guess. But what really got me was the fact that she so quickly jumped into the small town life, while actively saying she hated the small town life. You cannot mock and ridicule something that you are actively doing without looking like a total douche bag.
Finally after all is said and done and we are about 45% of the way through the book, there is a dead body in her car, and her her car is beaten the fuck up. This dead body came out of nowhere considering how many times the author made sure to let everyone know in no uncertain terms that this small town was not the kind of place people were murdered. And the murdered is later reveled and it was such a silly thing to add because quite frankly, had that specific murder not been there it almost feels as if the book really wouldn't have changed.
The sister subplot was ridiculous. I did not give any shits about this woman. And, again, had she not been in the book I'm not sure there would have been much difference. I had no idea what she gave to the plot line other than a sense of anger because why did she stay with that man. Again, with how close this town was she could have gone to literally anybody and asked for help for her and her kids and anybody would have given it. I am not sure why she chose to stay because again, everyone in the town had seen how her husband acted and it would not have been that hard to get custody of her twin boys. It felt like Sarah was in that relationship just to be in it.
The brother in law was absolutely ridiculous. The hate the brother in law had for the MMC never really got explained in a way that I thought was satisfactory. I still have no idea why the brother in law hated the FMC. Not only was this a ridiculous addition to the plot, but it was so far fetched that it was so easy to guess. And he was a righteous dickhead. He was so mean for no reason, always drunk, and verbally abusive to his children. Anybody in that town could have gotten him arrested.
Now, I will say that the twin brother bit kinda got me. I did not expect a twin brother to come into the mix and quite frankly I fucking hated it. The twin brother bit was literally so out there because
1) The author made it a point to point out time and time again how small and close knit this town was. So the fact that the twin was never discovered is incredibly shocking to me because everybody in that town would know about twins from the nurses and just the mother in general talking about it.
2) Everybody is their own person and it is so fucking sad that the sister couldn't even tell the difference between her husband and brother in law.
3) The evil twin plot line, in my opinion has always been so fucking stupid.
Female Lead
Can a FMC be any stupider than this one was because I don't think she had more than two brain cells and quite frankly she barely rubbed them together to form a good thought.
For example, not telling the police about the fact that the murderer told her she was next.
Thinking that silence from her stalker meant he had lost focus on her and moved on. He followed you to a whole other city and town just to kill you and sent you pictures of yourself. Yeah, he for sure just moved on randomly.
Continuously having sex in public places knowing she is actively being stalked.
It still baffles me that there were three guys obsessed with her in this book because from reading her point of view and being inside her head I can tell you that she's not that fucking great.
I was really confused about this woman for a majority of the book because she was definitely giving unreliable narrator. She goes back and forth multiple times about staying in Citrus Cove with Cam forever. She cannot make up her damn mind.
Male Lead
Cameron, dude, what is going on in your head. I genuinely do not have much to say about Cameron because as a Male Lead he was severely underwhelming.
I would say the only redeeming quality about this man in this book is that he was actually kind of obsessed with Haley. He wanted to spoil her and give her things, he stayed getting on his knees in front of her.
However, I have never seen someone be more dumb than he was when he left her, alone, in his house while she was actively being stalked.
Im so sorry but I would kill my fiancé if he left me alone while I was being stalked and people were dying around me.
And finally, while they are cleaning out the brother in laws house of all the sisters shit this man smells something dead rotting and doesn't think to check on it considering how much he hates the brother in law, the fact that a dead body was discovered, and just the general vibe of what's going on in their life. If I ever smelt something rotting in an aggressive persons basement while someone was actively murdering people, I would be calling the police or someone ASAP.
Last Minute Notes
I really hated that Cameron began calling Haley "Hal" because that is a mans name and I was super confused.
Three seperate chapters in the FMC POV began with "I needed" and that just feels like lazy writing to me.
How many times is this girl going to black out?
All in all, I was obviously not a fan of this book, the characters, the plot, or the writing style. This was just not for me which literally sucks considering I was so excited for it.
March 29, 2025
I'm used to Clio Evans writing about monsters so this was a genuine shock to me. This was great. The mystery suspense trope now has to be one of my favourites.
There's a scene here with a pillow......🤭🚶🏾♀️🤣
Definitely reading the second book ♥️🌸
There's a scene here with a pillow......🤭🚶🏾♀️🤣
Definitely reading the second book ♥️🌸
dnf
September 1, 2025Dnf at 39%
Issa no from me dawg.
Issa no from me dawg.
July 22, 2024
It’s like a cute hallmark movie directed by tubi. It’s so perfect😩🫶🏽.
June 7, 2024
It's been a while since I read Clio's book, and I'm saying I really enjoyed this book.
Haley doesn't like the small town vibes because of how small it can be, and her top reason we'll Cameron her bully since she stepped foot in this town. He hates her, and she never knows why. And it's harsh what he said in the beginning. I'm glad she didn't back down and punched him. Wish we saw a little more in the past between them?? But yeah, we then skip to the present time.
Hal has a name for herself with her writing and Traveling but she has a problem. A killer wants her dead. So she's back home to a place she never wanted to come back to. Now the town is cute. The folks are sweet. It did confuse me why she didn't keep in contact with anyone. I felt bad for her sister and her nephews, whom she really only talked to on the phone.
Her and Cam meeting again was funny, and I wish he had groveled more during his. I'm sorry, time. It went 0 to 100 fast between them. I'm also glad she wasn't petty on. I hate him. Plus, the killer is in town hunting her down. Lord, so much is happening and the SPICE!!! LORD, IT WAS JUICY!!
😈😈😈
And a cast of side characters. I'm excited for Emma and Hunter. There is already a hate relationship in that. Sarah and Colt..and Sammy? Idk how that shall happen with all that went down.
No ow/om drama, no cheating, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5
Slowinsta
Pinning
Parental suicide (off page)
Murder
Bullying
Exhibition
Praise kink
Tiny spit play
Cnc
No condom
Anal sex
Hea
Haley doesn't like the small town vibes because of how small it can be, and her top reason we'll Cameron her bully since she stepped foot in this town. He hates her, and she never knows why. And it's harsh what he said in the beginning. I'm glad she didn't back down and punched him. Wish we saw a little more in the past between them?? But yeah, we then skip to the present time.
Hal has a name for herself with her writing and Traveling but she has a problem. A killer wants her dead. So she's back home to a place she never wanted to come back to. Now the town is cute. The folks are sweet. It did confuse me why she didn't keep in contact with anyone. I felt bad for her sister and her nephews, whom she really only talked to on the phone.
Her and Cam meeting again was funny, and I wish he had groveled more during his. I'm sorry, time. It went 0 to 100 fast between them. I'm also glad she wasn't petty on. I hate him. Plus, the killer is in town hunting her down. Lord, so much is happening and the SPICE!!! LORD, IT WAS JUICY!!
😈😈😈
And a cast of side characters. I'm excited for Emma and Hunter. There is already a hate relationship in that. Sarah and Colt..and Sammy? Idk how that shall happen with all that went down.
No ow/om drama, no cheating, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5
Slowinsta
Pinning
Parental suicide (off page)
Murder
Bullying
Exhibition
Praise kink
Tiny spit play
Cnc
No condom
Anal sex
Hea
June 20, 2024
Great idea, Horrible execution
August 19, 2024
Esto fue TRAUMÁTICO. El romance está súper mal desarrollado, el misterio parece copiado de La Rosa De Guadalupe y el spice es…TERRORÍFICO. Fue adictivo pero no lo recomiendo.
Read
May 21, 2025yk how insane i feel as a hardcore bully romance hater to say “but wait why wasnt there more bullying”??? this man made “her life hell” so much so she ran out of town the second she graduated and when she came back she forgave him immediately 😭 no groveling other than money being spent 😭 just pretty words 😭 (ill give it to cam though he backed up those words with actions)
i wish i went into this not knowing he was supposed to be this big bad bully bc he is such a golden retriever and ALL i can focus on is how insta love they were and questioning why the fuck theyre so horny all the time 😭
this was a dnf, mainly bc im bored and id like to get to the fun in book 2 instead of 50% more of banging, “i was a dick to you but its only ever been you” and zero survival skills from haley. so i shall be skipping to find out who the killer is after i post this 😋
i wish i went into this not knowing he was supposed to be this big bad bully bc he is such a golden retriever and ALL i can focus on is how insta love they were and questioning why the fuck theyre so horny all the time 😭
this was a dnf, mainly bc im bored and id like to get to the fun in book 2 instead of 50% more of banging, “i was a dick to you but its only ever been you” and zero survival skills from haley. so i shall be skipping to find out who the killer is after i post this 😋
June 5, 2025
Типова історія ворогів дитинства у маленькому містечку, між якими спалахнула пристрасть та потужні романтичні почуття. І це справді було гаряче. Уявіть: Лаурочка Павлов чи Елсі Сільвер, тільки з набагато сексуальнішими та гріховними сценами. Мням.
Мені зайшло, що був швидкий розвиток стосунків головних героїв без всіляких «бути чи не бути». Дорослі люди: хочуть одне одного — кажуть це напряму. Атлішна.
Гарячий великий чоловік, який має характер дикуна в ліжку і готовий повзати перед жінкою на колінах, цілуючи землю, по якій вона ходить. І незалежна та успішна головна героїня, яка вирішує довіритися чоловіку через його вчинки.
І, звісно, що ще може зробити історію насиченішою, ніж якась таємнича загадка сталкера-вбивці, який чомусь зациклився на головній героїні. Такий екшон, ви шоооо.
Як то кажуть вестерни: апрув💕 З нетерпінням вже хочу почитати історію про Сару, Кольта та Семмі😏
November 9, 2024
2.5 stars
Sweet I started off loving it and then as the book went on the holes started to emerge. Motivations didn't make sense, especially from the Big Bad.
For bullying that cruel, it needed more grovel than a couple of expensive dresses. And the reason for the bullying in the first place was flimsy and did not justify that level from literally day one.
I just had trouble connecting with anyone because I didn't believe any of them.
Sweet I started off loving it and then as the book went on the holes started to emerge. Motivations didn't make sense, especially from the Big Bad.
For bullying that cruel, it needed more grovel than a couple of expensive dresses. And the reason for the bullying in the first place was flimsy and did not justify that level from literally day one.
I just had trouble connecting with anyone because I didn't believe any of them.
June 7, 2024
Had to DNF this shit 🙂 Haley aggravated me why r u forgiving this man straight off the bat maybe I’m just more petty 😔
Sarah is one heck of a sister hate her 🤡🤡🤡🤡honestly I hate everyone in this dingy town all of them were mad annoying even Honey 😀
Sarah is one heck of a sister hate her 🤡🤡🤡🤡honestly I hate everyone in this dingy town all of them were mad annoying even Honey 😀
June 11, 2025
4/5
Maybe 3.8/5
What we have? Girl Heily returns to Citcus Cove after witnessed murder of her neightbour and as we know Citrus is small city where everyone knows each other and helps. It's great plus. And of course she met Cameron, her ex bully (don't worry it wasn't dark rom bully, he was like school mean boy) who visited therapy and now he changed. Plus he has small business Wine and Cider and now he's not mean boy but sexy young man who is ready to change his past.
When I opened that book I knew what I expect - Clio Evans - green flags, a lot of spice and ineteresting plot. Usually it was with monsters, so seeing her in terms of small towm humans were unusual and I'm definetely gonna continue that series.
Romantic moments were good. I like that trope when ex bully ready to apologise and going on his knees for her (literally) just for forgiveness. I like how their relationships about desire and they discuss their kinks. They definetely not a slow burn couple
Also we have that suspence. I mean killer aka stalker is here. And I was pleasantly surprised with who it was. It was good.
💖💖
So, it was good book. Not the best suspence of all suspence, but i had good time, I relaxed, I enjoyed their cute moments. One minus - there were a little too much spice for me. But again, it was good written, Clio Evans knew how to write smutty time. And I have question to Hailey. Like girl,
Almost forgot
🅣🅡🅞🅟🅔🅢
- small town
- ex bully
- stalker (not in romantic way)
- boss/employee
-no 3rd act breakup
- he falls first
🅢🅟🅘🅒🅨 🅒🅗🅐🅟🅣🅔🅡🅢: 13-14, 18, 20-21, 23, 28, 30
⠀⠀:¨ ·.· ¨:
⠀⠀ `· . 𐙚
Maybe 3.8/5
What we have? Girl Heily returns to Citcus Cove after witnessed murder of her neightbour and as we know Citrus is small city where everyone knows each other and helps. It's great plus. And of course she met Cameron, her ex bully (don't worry it wasn't dark rom bully, he was like school mean boy) who visited therapy and now he changed. Plus he has small business Wine and Cider and now he's not mean boy but sexy young man who is ready to change his past.
When I opened that book I knew what I expect - Clio Evans - green flags, a lot of spice and ineteresting plot. Usually it was with monsters, so seeing her in terms of small towm humans were unusual and I'm definetely gonna continue that series.
Romantic moments were good. I like that trope when ex bully ready to apologise and going on his knees for her (literally) just for forgiveness. I like how their relationships about desire and they discuss their kinks. They definetely not a slow burn couple
Also we have that suspence. I mean killer aka stalker is here. And I was pleasantly surprised with who it was. It was good.
💖💖
So, it was good book. Not the best suspence of all suspence, but i had good time, I relaxed, I enjoyed their cute moments. One minus - there were a little too much spice for me. But again, it was good written, Clio Evans knew how to write smutty time. And I have question to Hailey. Like girl,
Almost forgot
🅣🅡🅞🅟🅔🅢
- small town
- ex bully
- stalker (not in romantic way)
- boss/employee
-no 3rd act breakup
- he falls first
🅢🅟🅘🅒🅨 🅒🅗🅐🅟🅣🅔🅡🅢: 13-14, 18, 20-21, 23, 28, 30
⠀⠀:¨ ·.· ¨:
⠀⠀ `· . 𐙚
June 4, 2024
I loved this book in its first iteration, and I loved it even more in this more fleshed out version!
Broken Beginnings is everything I imagine when I say I want a SPICY small-town romance:
- childhood enemies to lovers
- GROVEL
- suspense b plot
- breeding, praise, degradation
- no 3rd act breakup
- he 😪 in her mouth
Honestly Clio Evans can do no wrong. I can't wait to see what comes next in Citrus Cove and I hope this series is a long one bc I never want to leave.
Broken Beginnings is everything I imagine when I say I want a SPICY small-town romance:
- childhood enemies to lovers
- GROVEL
- suspense b plot
- breeding, praise, degradation
- no 3rd act breakup
- he 😪 in her mouth
Honestly Clio Evans can do no wrong. I can't wait to see what comes next in Citrus Cove and I hope this series is a long one bc I never want to leave.
June 4, 2024
this book has everything I love: small town, second chances, groveling, and a dash of suspense.
haley’s on the run. and she runs right back to the small town she said she’d never return to. and there is Cameron, her high school bully who is ON HIS KNEES (literally and figuratively) for her. Cameron is down bad and I love him so much.
this book literally had me kicking my feet and gasping. the suspense plot line had my head spinning so much. and the mortal peril?? pls it was so good.
i loved how haley and cam came together. he’s protective and supportive and did i mention the groveling? bc wow did i love that.
thank you so much greys promotions and clio for an arc! it’s out now 💖
read if you like
✨ small town romances
✨ romantic suspense
✨ fmc on the run
✨ protector mmc
✨ groveling and second chances
haley’s on the run. and she runs right back to the small town she said she’d never return to. and there is Cameron, her high school bully who is ON HIS KNEES (literally and figuratively) for her. Cameron is down bad and I love him so much.
this book literally had me kicking my feet and gasping. the suspense plot line had my head spinning so much. and the mortal peril?? pls it was so good.
i loved how haley and cam came together. he’s protective and supportive and did i mention the groveling? bc wow did i love that.
thank you so much greys promotions and clio for an arc! it’s out now 💖
read if you like
✨ small town romances
✨ romantic suspense
✨ fmc on the run
✨ protector mmc
✨ groveling and second chances
May 23, 2024
Broken Beginnings was just as amazing as the first time I read it and deserves all the stars! A small town romance that you’ll fall in love with! Haley’s life growing up wasn’t always easy and she yearned for the day she could leave it all behind and build a life outside of the restraints of the small town of Citrus Cove. When the day came to spread her wings and fly, she left her family and the boy that made her life hell. Leaving her broken pieces behind may have been easy but the thing about a past is it never truly leaves us and will always shape who we become.
Years later after experiencing a traumatic event that leaves her chilled to the soul, she returns home where things have changed. Home to the family that she left behind. Home to the boy who bullied her and is now a man changed. A man she very much would like to explore new things with.
Cameron has always felt strongly for Haley but always said and did the wrong things when it concerned her. When Haley shows back up in town…well he knows he’d do anything to forge a new path for them.
But danger has followed Haley and only time will tell if they’ll make it out together.
Haley was a stubborn and sassy heroine with a backbone of steel. But beneath that capable and take charge attitude, she was also a woman looking for connection and intimacy. Letting Cameron melt that icy exterior on her heart softened her in the best way and I loved seeing that vulnerability shine through. She was witty and brilliant and not afraid to ask for what she needed.
Cameron, despite his initial mistakes, was a brilliantly constructed alpha male. A good dominant…without a controlling aspect. The type of dominant that makes people feel safe, not smothered. He was in control without being controlling. Cameron was also sweet and passionate and when they got together, it was FIRE. Their chemistry was incredible🥵🥵. No one writes smut like Clio and if you've read her monster romances then YOU KNOW.
I not only loved the romance and secondary characters but also the suspenseful element to this story. It was a perfect balance of romance and thrilling angst. I laughed, I cried and I swooned. It kept me on the edge of my seat while also giving me all the feels seeing Cameron and Haley rise from their broken beginnings. It was beautiful and their affection and love shined through the pages even in the face of murder and mayhem. I highly recommend giving this story a try!
ARC provided by Grey's Promotions for an honest review.
Years later after experiencing a traumatic event that leaves her chilled to the soul, she returns home where things have changed. Home to the family that she left behind. Home to the boy who bullied her and is now a man changed. A man she very much would like to explore new things with.
Cameron has always felt strongly for Haley but always said and did the wrong things when it concerned her. When Haley shows back up in town…well he knows he’d do anything to forge a new path for them.
“…I’d realized two things.
One, Haley was meant to be mine.
Two, I was going to spend every waking moment showing her that I was meant to be hers.”
But danger has followed Haley and only time will tell if they’ll make it out together.
Haley was a stubborn and sassy heroine with a backbone of steel. But beneath that capable and take charge attitude, she was also a woman looking for connection and intimacy. Letting Cameron melt that icy exterior on her heart softened her in the best way and I loved seeing that vulnerability shine through. She was witty and brilliant and not afraid to ask for what she needed.
“Cameron Harlow, I need you to fuck my pussy and breed me like I’m your own personal slut. I want you to spank me so that when I sit at Honey’s table in the morning, I know that ache is because of you. I need you to fuck me, Cam.”
Cameron, despite his initial mistakes, was a brilliantly constructed alpha male. A good dominant…without a controlling aspect. The type of dominant that makes people feel safe, not smothered. He was in control without being controlling. Cameron was also sweet and passionate and when they got together, it was FIRE. Their chemistry was incredible🥵🥵. No one writes smut like Clio and if you've read her monster romances then YOU KNOW.
“You’re so wet for me, aren’t you darlin’? You like being spanked and having your hair pulled? If there is a god, they made you just for me.”
I not only loved the romance and secondary characters but also the suspenseful element to this story. It was a perfect balance of romance and thrilling angst. I laughed, I cried and I swooned. It kept me on the edge of my seat while also giving me all the feels seeing Cameron and Haley rise from their broken beginnings. It was beautiful and their affection and love shined through the pages even in the face of murder and mayhem. I highly recommend giving this story a try!
“I do want you. I want you like a garden wants the sun. When I see you, I can’t see anything else…”
ARC provided by Grey's Promotions for an honest review.
June 1, 2024
Very compelling and steamy!
This book caught me by surprise. I was hoping it would be a thrilling little Small Town Romance and I really think it delivered.
I love seeing a childhood bully make good and genuinely feel remorse for how they treated someone. I have personal experience with now being friends with a childhood tormentor.. and it is fun to remind them now and then how they picked on me. Yet now we are great friends and I was even an attendant at their wedding. Haha! Life is strange.
My point being. I do believe it is possible, especially when the type of cruelty or teasing was not actually evil. Just misplaced and hurtful but nothing Cam can't come back from. I believe in second chances and it led to some delicious groveling.
This was also very... caliente! Shall we say. I was happily surprised by some of the intensity.
This wasn't a perfect slam dunk as I didn't completely connect with the mystery and whodunit aspects. But nothing like some danger to bring people together.
I Look forward to more stories in Citrus Grove.
4 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
TW: violence, murder, abuse (not hero)
Kink CW: spitting, butt play, cum play, degradation, CNC
*Thank you to Grey's Promo and the author for an ARC of this title*
This book caught me by surprise. I was hoping it would be a thrilling little Small Town Romance and I really think it delivered.
I love seeing a childhood bully make good and genuinely feel remorse for how they treated someone. I have personal experience with now being friends with a childhood tormentor.. and it is fun to remind them now and then how they picked on me. Yet now we are great friends and I was even an attendant at their wedding. Haha! Life is strange.
My point being. I do believe it is possible, especially when the type of cruelty or teasing was not actually evil. Just misplaced and hurtful but nothing Cam can't come back from. I believe in second chances and it led to some delicious groveling.
This was also very... caliente! Shall we say. I was happily surprised by some of the intensity.
This wasn't a perfect slam dunk as I didn't completely connect with the mystery and whodunit aspects. But nothing like some danger to bring people together.
I Look forward to more stories in Citrus Grove.
4 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
TW: violence, murder, abuse (not hero)
Kink CW: spitting, butt play, cum play, degradation, CNC
*Thank you to Grey's Promo and the author for an ARC of this title*
June 14, 2024
This book felt like it was written by AI.
August 27, 2024
Broken Beginnings is a small town, romantic suspense and I loved this one so much! It had such a good blend of small town life, history between the couple, the romance, as well as intense suspense/mystery elements that I was here for!
Haley left Citrus Cove, Texas behind after graduating high school and she swore to never return. She’s now a successful travel writer who gets to live out her dream of always traveling and writing travel articles for a well-known international magazine. But now she’s returning back to the small town after witnessing a murder in her apartment building and becoming a possible next target for the killer.
We see in the prologue how life was rough for Haley and her sister Sarah growing up, their dad left and their mother died so the girls were raised by their grandmother. Haley’s highschool bully was Cameron Harlow and we see just how cruel he was to her in the prologue. But now it’s 12 years later and Cam is wanting to make amends and apologize for the awful ways he treated her in the past!
I was obsessed with Cameron and Haley together. He was absolutely a bully to her growing up but I loved how much he realizes and acknowledges how awful he was and how much he wants to make amends over it all. His family owns a local farm and vineyard and he opened up a winery to go along with it, Haley starts working there while she’s in town so we get lots of close proximity! The suspense elements were also done really well and added a lot to the story and plot! I just loved everything about this read and devoured it in a day! All the small town fun: a family oak tree, tinted windows, tailgates, picnics! So excited with the next books to come in this series for characters we met, the next one is a single mom MMF!
CW (provided by author): parental suicide (off page but mentioned), witnessing a murder, bullying, stalking, CNC, assault, guns, violence
Haley left Citrus Cove, Texas behind after graduating high school and she swore to never return. She’s now a successful travel writer who gets to live out her dream of always traveling and writing travel articles for a well-known international magazine. But now she’s returning back to the small town after witnessing a murder in her apartment building and becoming a possible next target for the killer.
We see in the prologue how life was rough for Haley and her sister Sarah growing up, their dad left and their mother died so the girls were raised by their grandmother. Haley’s highschool bully was Cameron Harlow and we see just how cruel he was to her in the prologue. But now it’s 12 years later and Cam is wanting to make amends and apologize for the awful ways he treated her in the past!
I was obsessed with Cameron and Haley together. He was absolutely a bully to her growing up but I loved how much he realizes and acknowledges how awful he was and how much he wants to make amends over it all. His family owns a local farm and vineyard and he opened up a winery to go along with it, Haley starts working there while she’s in town so we get lots of close proximity! The suspense elements were also done really well and added a lot to the story and plot! I just loved everything about this read and devoured it in a day! All the small town fun: a family oak tree, tinted windows, tailgates, picnics! So excited with the next books to come in this series for characters we met, the next one is a single mom MMF!
CW (provided by author): parental suicide (off page but mentioned), witnessing a murder, bullying, stalking, CNC, assault, guns, violence
April 9, 2025
Para mí, no lo catalogaria como tal un Romance Cowboy porque no es en lo que centra el libro, es más como un libro de suspenso, Romance 🤔
Me costó un poco conectar con Cameron (no entendí su odio hacia Haley, porqué tanto resentimiento) pero poco a poco me fue cayendo bien.
Haley eres muy fuerte, aguantaste mucho, yo jamás hubiera vuelto ni perdonado jaja
No entendí a Sarah, me cayó mal.
Para ser un pueblo pequeño y chismoso, le quedó grande el asesino, eh.
Me costó un poco conectar con Cameron (no entendí su odio hacia Haley, porqué tanto resentimiento) pero poco a poco me fue cayendo bien.
Haley eres muy fuerte, aguantaste mucho, yo jamás hubiera vuelto ni perdonado jaja
No entendí a Sarah, me cayó mal.
Para ser un pueblo pequeño y chismoso, le quedó grande el asesino, eh.
June 6, 2025
Ну що ж, у цій книзі ми отримали приголомшливе поєднання трилера, романтики та непристойності😏🤭
Стосунки між героями розвивалися набагато швидше, ніж мені хотілося б, я очікувала більше драми і ненависті 😅
Бо з самого початку нам розповіли, що Камерон перетворив її життя на суцільне пекло, тому я розраховувала, що вона теж його помучить і так легко не пробачить, але вийшло все навпаки 😒
Мені сподобалося те, як Камерон усвідомив та визнав, яким жахливим він був і як сильно хоче все виправити, буквально "вимолити" у неї прощення (бажано на колінах😈).
Хейлі у нас сильна та незалежна жінка, яка багато чого добилась у житті самостійно. І незважаючи на ситуацію в якій опинилась, вона все витримала і як великий бонус отримала власного і ревнивого красунчика 😏🥰
Книга мені сподобалась, у ній було кохання, багато спайсі сцен (дуже багато😏), прощення, захист і найголовніше - родина та дузі, які вас підтримують. Моя оцінка 4⭐
Стосунки між героями розвивалися набагато швидше, ніж мені хотілося б, я очікувала більше драми і ненависті 😅
Бо з самого початку нам розповіли, що Камерон перетворив її життя на суцільне пекло, тому я розраховувала, що вона теж його помучить і так легко не пробачить, але вийшло все навпаки 😒
Мені сподобалося те, як Камерон усвідомив та визнав, яким жахливим він був і як сильно хоче все виправити, буквально "вимолити" у неї прощення (бажано на колінах😈).
Хейлі у нас сильна та незалежна жінка, яка багато чого добилась у житті самостійно. І незважаючи на ситуацію в якій опинилась, вона все витримала і як великий бонус отримала власного і ревнивого красунчика 😏🥰
Книга мені сподобалась, у ній було кохання, багато спайсі сцен (дуже багато😏), прощення, захист і найголовніше - родина та дузі, які вас підтримують. Моя оцінка 4⭐
July 7, 2025
WHERE IS THE GROVELING ?? They fell in love too quickly for me.
August 5, 2025
PUNTAJE FINAL: 3,5/5⭐️
tremendo plot twist che, si bien no estuve taaan errada con mi teoría, lo que realmente pasó no lo hubiera sacado ni loca, así que por eso le subí de 3 a 3,5
la relación de haley y cameron es linda, pero bastante rápida, pasan de la atracción física a los sentimientos en un pestañeo, literalmente aunque aún así sigue siendo linda. me hubiera gustado que se profundizara más en ambos personajes, siento que se vio poco de ambos (y sus pasados, etc). es un libro entretenido, para pasar el rato que te da mucha intriga mediante avanzas en la trama y una buena introducción de trilogía hacia los siguientes dos libros, recomiendo [reseña completa pronto]
tremendo plot twist che, si bien no estuve taaan errada con mi teoría, lo que realmente pasó no lo hubiera sacado ni loca, así que por eso le subí de 3 a 3,5
la relación de haley y cameron es linda, pero bastante rápida, pasan de la atracción física a los sentimientos en un pestañeo, literalmente aunque aún así sigue siendo linda. me hubiera gustado que se profundizara más en ambos personajes, siento que se vio poco de ambos (y sus pasados, etc). es un libro entretenido, para pasar el rato que te da mucha intriga mediante avanzas en la trama y una buena introducción de trilogía hacia los siguientes dos libros, recomiendo [reseña completa pronto]
July 1, 2024
NO YOU 🫵🏻 STOP READING ROMANTIC SUSPENSE BOOKS
clio you kinda ate with this one? damn.
I expected my typical sussy rom but the spicy levels in this were actually surprising? Damn. I had so much fun reading this.
I also started this at 4AM last night because I have no self discipline and then stayed awake for 2 hours reading the start of this so it's pretty safe to say I got sucked in QUICK. Cam and Haley were cute for the entirety of them acknowledging their feelings. I DID FEEL AS THOUGH it was a little quick but it's okay. I really enjoyed it.
I can't wait for more! YAY
clio you kinda ate with this one? damn.
I expected my typical sussy rom but the spicy levels in this were actually surprising? Damn. I had so much fun reading this.
I also started this at 4AM last night because I have no self discipline and then stayed awake for 2 hours reading the start of this so it's pretty safe to say I got sucked in QUICK. Cam and Haley were cute for the entirety of them acknowledging their feelings. I DID FEEL AS THOUGH it was a little quick but it's okay. I really enjoyed it.
I can't wait for more! YAY
June 27, 2024
2.5⭐️
Estuvo bien pero, hubo veces que me aburrió un poco. Igual también había escenas que se me hacían como muy raras para ser un small town romance, no quedaban con las vibes del libro.
Estuvo bien pero, hubo veces que me aburrió un poco. Igual también había escenas que se me hacían como muy raras para ser un small town romance, no quedaban con las vibes del libro.
May 18, 2025
This spicy mystery-suspense romance ticked all my boxes—small-town setting, second chances, queer representation, found family, grovelling, and serious steamy scenes. It felt like all my bookish dreams rolled into one.
Hailey and Cam’s chemistry was electric. Her strength and fire paired perfectly with his sweet, protective redemption.
The thriller aspect brought real tension, the suspense kept me hooked, and while I guessed the twist long before the reveal, the journey was an absolute thrill.
The romance moved quickly given their shared past, but despite a few convenient plot turns, this is a gripping, spicy, and emotional read well worthy.
Hailey and Cam’s chemistry was electric. Her strength and fire paired perfectly with his sweet, protective redemption.
The thriller aspect brought real tension, the suspense kept me hooked, and while I guessed the twist long before the reveal, the journey was an absolute thrill.
The romance moved quickly given their shared past, but despite a few convenient plot turns, this is a gripping, spicy, and emotional read well worthy.
May 29, 2024
if there is one thing Clio Evans does the best, it’s a consent king and a spicy fucking book. this had both of those!
I can’t wait for the rest of this series and i’m SO interested in the sister’s book because WHAT IS GOING ON THERE!
now normally suspense gives me the most anxiety because i HAVE to know what happens at like all times but i thought i had this figured out but i didn’t. i love Clio’s writing and this is so different than her monster stuff.
now im a pretty safe reader and this was for sure safe for me. no info was really given and they both had sex lives during separation because he liked her but bullied her in high school (the biggest eye roll everrrr 🙄🙄🙄🙄) and she HATED him so they never had anything to do with each other sexually before they met again.
HOWEVERRRRR! the reason this isn’t a full 5 stars is because he was SO MEAN in the prologue. what he said was so fucked up and yes she left and lived her life until the event that brought her back BUT SHE FORGAVE HIM SO FAST!!! like days after seeing him again she’s already in bed with him and he loves her. there is one thing that happens to him that makes me satisfied that karma got her way even if it wasn’t meant to be that. i was praying for his downfall 😂😂😂 he did win me over though i just wished she would have had a backbone for longer than 72 hours 😅 but with spicy scenes this they were, i would have folded in like two hours so i can’t be mad 😂😂😂😂
thank you so much for an arc of this!!!
I can’t wait for the rest of this series and i’m SO interested in the sister’s book because WHAT IS GOING ON THERE!
now normally suspense gives me the most anxiety because i HAVE to know what happens at like all times but i thought i had this figured out but i didn’t. i love Clio’s writing and this is so different than her monster stuff.
now im a pretty safe reader and this was for sure safe for me. no info was really given and they both had sex lives during separation because he liked her but bullied her in high school (the biggest eye roll everrrr 🙄🙄🙄🙄) and she HATED him so they never had anything to do with each other sexually before they met again.
HOWEVERRRRR! the reason this isn’t a full 5 stars is because he was SO MEAN in the prologue. what he said was so fucked up and yes she left and lived her life until the event that brought her back BUT SHE FORGAVE HIM SO FAST!!! like days after seeing him again she’s already in bed with him and he loves her. there is one thing that happens to him that makes me satisfied that karma got her way even if it wasn’t meant to be that. i was praying for his downfall 😂😂😂 he did win me over though i just wished she would have had a backbone for longer than 72 hours 😅 but with spicy scenes this they were, i would have folded in like two hours so i can’t be mad 😂😂😂😂
thank you so much for an arc of this!!!
June 12, 2024
If there was ever an author that I could safely say “I will love whatever you write, in whatever subgenre you write it in” that author would be Clio Evans. They’ve proved over and over that they have the ability to write an incredible romance in any genre. And while up until now, all of those subgenres have been monster related, this human, small town romance is exactly what I expected from Clio. The characters are loveable, their chemistry is sizzling, the suspense is twisty and turny, and overall, Broken Beginnings is a goddamn delight.
I first read this when Clio published it under a different pen name back in the fall. I loved it then and it’s stayed as one of my favourite romantic suspense novels of all time. Clio combines small town swoons with hot AF sex (and kink!) and sprinkles the perfect amount of mystery/suspense. I was so excited to realize that I actually didn’t remember the way the suspense ended and it was such a delightful (is that the right word when it’s about a muderer? 😂) end.
Haley and Cameron are so good together and I love the way he is just grovelling the entire time from his high school indiscretions. It feels like instalove but also like a long time coming? I just really love their dynamic.
I could not recommend this book more! If you’re a small town/romantic suspense fan, you must read Broken Beginnings!
I first read this when Clio published it under a different pen name back in the fall. I loved it then and it’s stayed as one of my favourite romantic suspense novels of all time. Clio combines small town swoons with hot AF sex (and kink!) and sprinkles the perfect amount of mystery/suspense. I was so excited to realize that I actually didn’t remember the way the suspense ended and it was such a delightful (is that the right word when it’s about a muderer? 😂) end.
Haley and Cameron are so good together and I love the way he is just grovelling the entire time from his high school indiscretions. It feels like instalove but also like a long time coming? I just really love their dynamic.
I could not recommend this book more! If you’re a small town/romantic suspense fan, you must read Broken Beginnings!
January 1, 2025
Immediately falling in love with your high school bully (someone who tormented you about your mother’s suicide) upon returning to the small town you grew up in for the first time in twelve years because you were traumatized from witnessing a murder???
Haley needed therapy instead of resorting to avoidant tendencies and throwing herself straight into primal sex the second anything consequential happened.
It’s true when they say hurt people hurt people, but that doesn’t excuse Cameron’s actions or words.
“You’re going to end up just like your mama. Alone and forgotten and dead.”
I can’t root for this relationship when I’ve been given such a sour first impression.
Can people change? Sure. But you’d have to do a lot more fucking grovelling than buying two dresses.
The vast quantity of smut overshadowed both the plot and character development, and actually made the storyline feel so superficial.
Furthermore, having them prioritize cnc sex while a man was literally murdering an innocent woman in the parking lot a few feet away from them was nauseating.
Haley needed therapy instead of resorting to avoidant tendencies and throwing herself straight into primal sex the second anything consequential happened.
It’s true when they say hurt people hurt people, but that doesn’t excuse Cameron’s actions or words.
“You’re going to end up just like your mama. Alone and forgotten and dead.”
I can’t root for this relationship when I’ve been given such a sour first impression.
Can people change? Sure. But you’d have to do a lot more fucking grovelling than buying two dresses.
The vast quantity of smut overshadowed both the plot and character development, and actually made the storyline feel so superficial.
Furthermore, having them prioritize cnc sex while a man was literally murdering an innocent woman in the parking lot a few feet away from them was nauseating.
September 23, 2024
chciałam książki z napięciem, akcją , i dostałam, ale tutaj to aż zbyt dużo scen gdzie cały czas trzeba było ratować, chronić główna bohaterkę TOO MUCH FOR ME. Ale samo rozwiązanie wątku kryminalnego bardzo mi się podobało
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