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The Best Men #2
Der Plan der Liebe
He’s commitment phobic. She believes in happy endings. The twist of fate that binds them is a surprise they never saw coming in a bittersweet romance about instant family—and not-so-instant love.
A decade-old animosity is the only thing Liam Davies and Zoe Valentine have in common. Until their mutual best friends pass away and they’re appointed co-guardians of the trusting couple’s precocious toddler, Mira.
Liam is committed only to professional football. Relationship-wise, he’s even better at defense. Still wrestling with a tough childhood, he’s not cut out to be a father. Why his late best buddy believed in him, Liam has no idea.
An optimistic romantic, Zoe has always dreamed of a fairy-tale life. But even though Liam’s biceps make her dizzy and she can’t stop thinking about his lips on hers, he’s not exactly Prince Charming. With or without that brooding Brit, she is determined to make good on her friends’ last wish.
Forced into a predicament they never expected, Zoe and Liam are discovering things about each other that could scorch through boundaries, warm hearts, and change minds. And best of all, with their shared love for a pint-size surprise like Mira, they might just turn a house into a home.
A decade-old animosity is the only thing Liam Davies and Zoe Valentine have in common. Until their mutual best friends pass away and they’re appointed co-guardians of the trusting couple’s precocious toddler, Mira.
Liam is committed only to professional football. Relationship-wise, he’s even better at defense. Still wrestling with a tough childhood, he’s not cut out to be a father. Why his late best buddy believed in him, Liam has no idea.
An optimistic romantic, Zoe has always dreamed of a fairy-tale life. But even though Liam’s biceps make her dizzy and she can’t stop thinking about his lips on hers, he’s not exactly Prince Charming. With or without that brooding Brit, she is determined to make good on her friends’ last wish.
Forced into a predicament they never expected, Zoe and Liam are discovering things about each other that could scorch through boundaries, warm hearts, and change minds. And best of all, with their shared love for a pint-size surprise like Mira, they might just turn a house into a home.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2024
1766 people are currently reading
7232 people want to read
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July 15, 2024
4.75 stars
I have devoured everything Karla Sorensen has written, and I must confess that 'The Best Of All' has surpassed my expectations, dethroning my previous favorite book by this author. this novel has captivated me with its poignant portrayal of grief and mourning, skillfully woven together with a heartwarming exploration of found family bonds. what struck me most was the clever balance of humor and pathos, as the narrative deftly navigates the challenges of caring for a high-maintenance toddler.
after a decade of animosity, Zoe and Liam, the protagonists, are forced to reconcile when their respective best friends pass away in a tragic car accident, leaving them as co-guardians of their three-year-old daughter. as they explore the complexities of co-parenting, they must also fulfill the final wishes of their late friends, who had entrusted them with the responsibility of raising their child. this moving and emotional journey translates the transformative power of love, forgiveness, and shared parenthood.
Liam embodied the gruff, irascible persona of the male protagonist, perpetually plagued by a cantankerous comportement and a penchant for solitude. his football career consumed him, leaving little room for social niceties or warmth towards others. around Mira, the toddler, his gauche demeanor was evident, with her innocent ears exposed to an unfortunate barrage of profanity.
In stark contrast, Zoe was a gentle soul, a characteristic that I've grown to admire about this author's female protagonists – they're always delightfully imperfect and relatable. her kind-hearted nature shone through in her interactions with everyone, except Liam, whose inexplicable ability to elicit her worst behavior was both astonishing and comical.
the romance in this story unfolded through a slow-burning arc, expertly intertwined with a found family plotline. Liam was the personification of "boy obsessed" trope, consumed by an intense attraction to Zoe from their first encounter. as he struggled to juggle his emotions, he found himself in a complicated web of feelings, while she was trapped in a tumultuous relationship with her fiancé and later on husband. however, as they began single co-parenting, the dynamics shifted, and the tension between them became palpable. the air was charged with an unspoken attraction that lingered beneath the surface.
I appreciated how their romance evolved gradually, juxtaposed with the fiery intensity of their past conflicts. Mira, the toddler, played a significant role in their love story, serving as a catalyst for their emotional growth and deepening the bond between them. the way she connected with both Liam and Zoe was a strong reminder of the power of family and love. their romance was tenderly crafted, narrated like a slow dance, and I found myself swept up in its beauty.
many thanks to netgalley and the author for providing an arc in exchange of an honest review
—————-
a freaking masterpiece 🧎🏽♀️rtc
—————-
this is an anticipated read (got the arc🥂).
the synopsis is giving the movie’s ‘Life as we know it’ vibes. ps: one of my favs.
”It was always her, even when I tried to think about something, someone, anyone else. always Zoe. It would always be Zoe too”
I have devoured everything Karla Sorensen has written, and I must confess that 'The Best Of All' has surpassed my expectations, dethroning my previous favorite book by this author. this novel has captivated me with its poignant portrayal of grief and mourning, skillfully woven together with a heartwarming exploration of found family bonds. what struck me most was the clever balance of humor and pathos, as the narrative deftly navigates the challenges of caring for a high-maintenance toddler.
”it’s hard to be brave when you’re scared witless, isn’t it?”
after a decade of animosity, Zoe and Liam, the protagonists, are forced to reconcile when their respective best friends pass away in a tragic car accident, leaving them as co-guardians of their three-year-old daughter. as they explore the complexities of co-parenting, they must also fulfill the final wishes of their late friends, who had entrusted them with the responsibility of raising their child. this moving and emotional journey translates the transformative power of love, forgiveness, and shared parenthood.
”somehow they both felt like mine. mine to take care of. to protect. and that also meant they were mine to hurt.”
Liam embodied the gruff, irascible persona of the male protagonist, perpetually plagued by a cantankerous comportement and a penchant for solitude. his football career consumed him, leaving little room for social niceties or warmth towards others. around Mira, the toddler, his gauche demeanor was evident, with her innocent ears exposed to an unfortunate barrage of profanity.
“It’s hard to admit when you’ve wasted years of your life on someone who didn’t deserve them,” she said quietly. slowly, she raised a hand and traced the bottom edge of my lip with the pad of her finger. “It’s even worse when you realize the person you want to be with has been in front of you the entire time.”
In stark contrast, Zoe was a gentle soul, a characteristic that I've grown to admire about this author's female protagonists – they're always delightfully imperfect and relatable. her kind-hearted nature shone through in her interactions with everyone, except Liam, whose inexplicable ability to elicit her worst behavior was both astonishing and comical.
”I’m so fucking in love with you,” I whispered. “It’s always been you.”
the romance in this story unfolded through a slow-burning arc, expertly intertwined with a found family plotline. Liam was the personification of "boy obsessed" trope, consumed by an intense attraction to Zoe from their first encounter. as he struggled to juggle his emotions, he found himself in a complicated web of feelings, while she was trapped in a tumultuous relationship with her fiancé and later on husband. however, as they began single co-parenting, the dynamics shifted, and the tension between them became palpable. the air was charged with an unspoken attraction that lingered beneath the surface.
”i couldn’t breathe, not with the sweetness trying to push through my lungs. I felt like Mira was suffocating me with all that pure, innocent love. whatever I felt for Zoe was complicated.”
I appreciated how their romance evolved gradually, juxtaposed with the fiery intensity of their past conflicts. Mira, the toddler, played a significant role in their love story, serving as a catalyst for their emotional growth and deepening the bond between them. the way she connected with both Liam and Zoe was a strong reminder of the power of family and love. their romance was tenderly crafted, narrated like a slow dance, and I found myself swept up in its beauty.
many thanks to netgalley and the author for providing an arc in exchange of an honest review
—————-
a freaking masterpiece 🧎🏽♀️rtc
—————-
this is an anticipated read (got the arc🥂).
the synopsis is giving the movie’s ‘Life as we know it’ vibes. ps: one of my favs.
July 29, 2024
Slow without the burn
This was not my favourite, but the ending was sweet.
There is a tricky balance when writing the two tropes in this book; the slow-burn and the grumpy/sunshine. The grump must have an inner softness, that starts to reveal itself early on to the sunshine character. The slow-burn must build on the attraction and have a push and pull as the story goes. This book seemed to miss that balance. The grump was more asshole and stand-offish for too long and the pace was slow and the burn was non-existent until the last few chapters, then it went warp speed. The beauty of a slow-burn is that the burn starts early and goes on the entire book. This book was more about a man getting over his issues, a newfound family finding its way but the author left out the CHEMISTRY between the couple. The build up started too late and wrapped up too early and too easily.
The bones of this story were good, but the execution didn’t grab me. I did not connect with this how I wanted too. Karla usually pulls my feel out but, though this had cute and sad moments, I wasn’t invested so I didn’t feel much, it was just too slow for too long without any payoff.
Liam had an instant attraction to Zoe in their past and pined for her for ten years. That could have been so GOOD! There was so much more opportunity to dig into his pining for her, he wanted her for ten years but I didn’t FEEL it. We could have really gotten into his head, but we didn’t. He didn’t really show us his feelings until the end, even though we had his perspective about 50% of the time it was mostly just grumping and growling and him going to football practice while avoiding any and all feelings.
I just felt that the ending came abruptly and tied everything up perfectly without really dealing with anything. He has Trauma with a capital T and just let it all go? She had trust issues that disappeared after one bang session? Are we supposed to imagine they will continue to work this stuff out in future? But I want to SEE them work it out ON PAGE.
So the balance on this one was off. The found family part was really cute and the ending was sweet but I don’t really feel satisfied that this couple earned their HEA. This wasn’t the best, despite the title and the series name, speaking of that, I had similar feelings for the first book, where the hero was too much of a jerk and needed deep therapy, and I am extremely sensitive to asshole grown men who don’t get their shit together by the end of the book.
I’m sad now.
Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book.
*****************************
Yay! Got the arc!
I love a co-guardian trope (which is weird because I dislike the single dad trope)
This was not my favourite, but the ending was sweet.
There is a tricky balance when writing the two tropes in this book; the slow-burn and the grumpy/sunshine. The grump must have an inner softness, that starts to reveal itself early on to the sunshine character. The slow-burn must build on the attraction and have a push and pull as the story goes. This book seemed to miss that balance. The grump was more asshole and stand-offish for too long and the pace was slow and the burn was non-existent until the last few chapters, then it went warp speed. The beauty of a slow-burn is that the burn starts early and goes on the entire book. This book was more about a man getting over his issues, a newfound family finding its way but the author left out the CHEMISTRY between the couple. The build up started too late and wrapped up too early and too easily.
The bones of this story were good, but the execution didn’t grab me. I did not connect with this how I wanted too. Karla usually pulls my feel out but, though this had cute and sad moments, I wasn’t invested so I didn’t feel much, it was just too slow for too long without any payoff.
Liam had an instant attraction to Zoe in their past and pined for her for ten years. That could have been so GOOD! There was so much more opportunity to dig into his pining for her, he wanted her for ten years but I didn’t FEEL it. We could have really gotten into his head, but we didn’t. He didn’t really show us his feelings until the end, even though we had his perspective about 50% of the time it was mostly just grumping and growling and him going to football practice while avoiding any and all feelings.
I just felt that the ending came abruptly and tied everything up perfectly without really dealing with anything. He has Trauma with a capital T and just let it all go? She had trust issues that disappeared after one bang session? Are we supposed to imagine they will continue to work this stuff out in future? But I want to SEE them work it out ON PAGE.
So the balance on this one was off. The found family part was really cute and the ending was sweet but I don’t really feel satisfied that this couple earned their HEA. This wasn’t the best, despite the title and the series name, speaking of that, I had similar feelings for the first book, where the hero was too much of a jerk and needed deep therapy, and I am extremely sensitive to asshole grown men who don’t get their shit together by the end of the book.
I’m sad now.
Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book.
*****************************
Yay! Got the arc!
I love a co-guardian trope (which is weird because I dislike the single dad trope)
Want to read
June 27, 2024He’s commitment phobic. She believes in happy endings.
So basically grumpy x sunshine. Perfect, I'm in!
So basically grumpy x sunshine. Perfect, I'm in!
July 19, 2024
Karla knocks it out of the park once again! I'm totally digging where she's taking the Best Men series with these two books. This one really digs into the nitty-gritty of human emotions, but it's balanced so well with humor. It's got everything – laughs, tears, and a slow-burn romance between two people who've been through it all. Liam? Oh man, he's a total keeper! Grumpy on the outside, but a softie on the inside. He and Zoe are like the perfect puzzle pieces, and their back-and-forth is hilarious. Seriously, I couldn't get enough of this book – laughing one minute, tearing up the next, and I loved every minute of it!
Read this if you like:
🦆 Grumpy x sunshine
🦆 Book lover FMC
🦆 Hate to love
🦆 Duck obsessed toddler
🚨🚨 TW: Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse
Read this if you like:
🦆 Grumpy x sunshine
🦆 Book lover FMC
🦆 Hate to love
🦆 Duck obsessed toddler
🚨🚨 TW: Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse
March 22, 2024
A three year old girl just lost her parents. Her Godmother is ready to step in but her Godfather is not. He never wanted a family.
He built his walls up high so no one could ever get near. If no one gets close, no one gets hurt. Liam has always had a thing for Zoey and when he sees she’s about to start crying from exhaustion, he finds himself blurting out that he’s going to help take care of the girl anyway. It wont be easy since Liam needs Zoey to keep on believing that he hates her.
This was so sweet. I loved the kid. I loved Liam. When he hugged Mira for the first time omg.
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
- Frenemies to lovers
- He falls first
- American football player
- 2/5 spice
Tw/Cw: parental loss, parental abuse(past), grief
Liam
My guy was down bad. I almost passed out when he finally gave in to what was happening between him and Zoey. He turned into such a sweetheart. He grew so much as a person and I know he’ll be an amazing dad.
Zoey
I was not a fan of her in the beginning. I felt like she had a bit of a better than thou attitude but it went away I started liking her further in. She was lovely with Mira and I liked how understanding she was with Liam’s hesitations.
If they ever have more children, I want to be one of them. They were just so cute together and with Mira. They are an amazing little family.
I did not like how the first time Liam opened up to Zoey, she went and told others. He told her something he’s never told anyone else about and I don’t care how ”secretive” it was, she should have kept it to herself.
The fire in this slowburn was about to fan out for a bit but returned last second. The sexual tension. I just wanted them to fuck already.
I would’ve liked too see a bit more of them being an actual couple. The ending wasn’t necessarily rushed, but I was missing many sweet moments we could have gotten. I also wanted to see more of Liam’s team and their families toward the end.
Arc review 3.75 stars
He built his walls up high so no one could ever get near. If no one gets close, no one gets hurt. Liam has always had a thing for Zoey and when he sees she’s about to start crying from exhaustion, he finds himself blurting out that he’s going to help take care of the girl anyway. It wont be easy since Liam needs Zoey to keep on believing that he hates her.
This was so sweet. I loved the kid. I loved Liam. When he hugged Mira for the first time omg.
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
- Frenemies to lovers
- He falls first
- American football player
- 2/5 spice
Tw/Cw: parental loss, parental abuse(past), grief
Liam
My guy was down bad. I almost passed out when he finally gave in to what was happening between him and Zoey. He turned into such a sweetheart. He grew so much as a person and I know he’ll be an amazing dad.
Zoey
I was not a fan of her in the beginning. I felt like she had a bit of a better than thou attitude but it went away I started liking her further in. She was lovely with Mira and I liked how understanding she was with Liam’s hesitations.
If they ever have more children, I want to be one of them. They were just so cute together and with Mira. They are an amazing little family.
I did not like how the first time Liam opened up to Zoey, she went and told others. He told her something he’s never told anyone else about and I don’t care how ”secretive” it was, she should have kept it to herself.
The fire in this slowburn was about to fan out for a bit but returned last second. The sexual tension. I just wanted them to fuck already.
I would’ve liked too see a bit more of them being an actual couple. The ending wasn’t necessarily rushed, but I was missing many sweet moments we could have gotten. I also wanted to see more of Liam’s team and their families toward the end.
Arc review 3.75 stars
June 8, 2025
The Best of All is funny, tender and emotional ride. I like both of the main characters. They are so cute together. Mira is also adorable.
Miss Sorensen pulls her magic in her writing. The plot is involving grieving for love on.
4 stars
Miss Sorensen pulls her magic in her writing. The plot is involving grieving for love on.
4 stars
July 8, 2024
If you loved the movie Life as We Know It, you will LOVE Liam and Zoe!!!!
Liam and Zoe can't stand each other. It's clear to the reader that under all that dislike is passion, and it's clear to their best friends as well. So imagine their shock when they are left as co-guardians of their friends' toddler in the wake of their friends' car accident. Liam and Zoe have to turn their life around completely, including getting used to the idea of living together and being parents.
Liam was a hero who grew up guarded after childhood trauma left him afraid of loving anyone. While he doesn't believe he is the best person for Zoe and Mira (the toddler), his actions say otherwise. He is a bear cub who loves hard without knowing he's doing it. Likewise, Zoe has her own demons to face after a divorce that left her feeling shaky about trusting herself to find the right partner again. It's a very slow burn, but Liam and Zoe find what they want and need in each other, and they both deserved it more than anything. Even better, they became the parents their friends knew they would be, and I think that's what made me the most emotional of all!
TROPES: co-guardianship, roommates, sports romance (NFL), "hate/dislike" to love, grumpy/sunshine, she loves romance books
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death/grief; domestic violence (mentioned - not between H/h),
Liam and Zoe can't stand each other. It's clear to the reader that under all that dislike is passion, and it's clear to their best friends as well. So imagine their shock when they are left as co-guardians of their friends' toddler in the wake of their friends' car accident. Liam and Zoe have to turn their life around completely, including getting used to the idea of living together and being parents.
Liam was a hero who grew up guarded after childhood trauma left him afraid of loving anyone. While he doesn't believe he is the best person for Zoe and Mira (the toddler), his actions say otherwise. He is a bear cub who loves hard without knowing he's doing it. Likewise, Zoe has her own demons to face after a divorce that left her feeling shaky about trusting herself to find the right partner again. It's a very slow burn, but Liam and Zoe find what they want and need in each other, and they both deserved it more than anything. Even better, they became the parents their friends knew they would be, and I think that's what made me the most emotional of all!
TROPES: co-guardianship, roommates, sports romance (NFL), "hate/dislike" to love, grumpy/sunshine, she loves romance books
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death/grief; domestic violence (mentioned - not between H/h),
January 26, 2025
Spoilers ahead, 3.5*
This author has me traumatised! I was reading this and looking at my page count every minute dreading the third act breakup 🙄 thankfully that didn't happen here......
We come to Liam and Zoe, another set of people deeply affected by the passing of their best friends Chris and Amie.
Liam has been best friends with Chris for years, they played together and finding out upon his death that he was awarded part guardianship of his friend's daughter came as a shock, one he reacted to badly but as time passes Liam must confront his demons to stand up for little Mira....and the woman he's wanted for years.
Zoe's still reeling from the death of her best friend Amie, her only joy comes from her best friend's daughter Mira. She knew that she may be awarded guardianship over Mira but the last thing she expected was to have to share that responsibility with Chris' best friend who's hated her for years....or has he?
******
Every Hero I've read by this author needed therapy, Liam witnessed abuse by his father to his mother and he struggled for years fearing he'd be just like his dad. Unlike previous MMC's from this author I understood Liam's aversion to therapy, he'd had a bad experience as a child but he still needed help to deal with his feelings and his anger. Thankfully he got that, somewhat.
Liam was an ass in the beginning but thankfully he came around eventually, I absolutely adored him with Mira.
Zoe was a good h, she'd been through a divorce and tried dating but that didn't work out. Finding Liam has liked her for years comes as a shock
Liam cursed more than any other MMC I've ever read, including in front of mira 😑
This is better than book 1 but they only admitted their feelings almost to the very end. We get an entire book with Liam denying his ability to be the man these two needed before he finally comes to his senses. As much as I enjoy this author's writing the ending was rushed because they took so long to act on their feelings.
I love kids in my romances and Mira was adorable, I loved every interaction she had with the mcs though it's so sad she lost her parents at such a young age. Kids in my romances automatically bump my rating up.
I needed an epilogue further out
All in all this was one of the better ones I've tried by this author
*******
No cheating
Non manwhore H
Very grumpy H
h was engaged when they met and married for most of the time they've known each other.
He's wanted her for years
She briefly dated OM after her divorce but didn't have sex with him
Grief as they recover from their friends death
This author has me traumatised! I was reading this and looking at my page count every minute dreading the third act breakup 🙄 thankfully that didn't happen here......
We come to Liam and Zoe, another set of people deeply affected by the passing of their best friends Chris and Amie.
Liam has been best friends with Chris for years, they played together and finding out upon his death that he was awarded part guardianship of his friend's daughter came as a shock, one he reacted to badly but as time passes Liam must confront his demons to stand up for little Mira....and the woman he's wanted for years.
Zoe's still reeling from the death of her best friend Amie, her only joy comes from her best friend's daughter Mira. She knew that she may be awarded guardianship over Mira but the last thing she expected was to have to share that responsibility with Chris' best friend who's hated her for years....or has he?
******
Every Hero I've read by this author needed therapy, Liam witnessed abuse by his father to his mother and he struggled for years fearing he'd be just like his dad. Unlike previous MMC's from this author I understood Liam's aversion to therapy, he'd had a bad experience as a child but he still needed help to deal with his feelings and his anger. Thankfully he got that, somewhat.
Liam was an ass in the beginning but thankfully he came around eventually, I absolutely adored him with Mira.
Zoe was a good h, she'd been through a divorce and tried dating but that didn't work out. Finding Liam has liked her for years comes as a shock
Liam cursed more than any other MMC I've ever read, including in front of mira 😑
This is better than book 1 but they only admitted their feelings almost to the very end. We get an entire book with Liam denying his ability to be the man these two needed before he finally comes to his senses. As much as I enjoy this author's writing the ending was rushed because they took so long to act on their feelings.
I love kids in my romances and Mira was adorable, I loved every interaction she had with the mcs though it's so sad she lost her parents at such a young age. Kids in my romances automatically bump my rating up.
I needed an epilogue further out
All in all this was one of the better ones I've tried by this author
*******
No cheating
Non manwhore H
Very grumpy H
h was engaged when they met and married for most of the time they've known each other.
He's wanted her for years
She briefly dated OM after her divorce but didn't have sex with him
Grief as they recover from their friends death
July 14, 2024
The Best of All, book 2 in the The Best of Men series, continues the grieving process for the group of friends that a deceased couple left behind. In this entry, we see Liam and Zoe becoming the co-guardians to that couple's little girl. I can't even imagine the situation they find themselves in. It is devastating.
I felt for the sweet little Mira, and watching her bring these two lonely souls together. I really found her to be the star of the show and I loved all the page time she got. Their care for her and love for her parents were shown in how they were willing to look past their dislike for each other and give her a great future. There were some moments that just broke my heart.
However, I didn't really connect with Liam and Zoe as a couple until right near the end. I know part of that was the agonizing slow burn but I also just didn't feel as much spark as I wanted to.
There were some great things about this novel, but I was left feeling a bit bereft in the HEA. I wanted more.
3.5 Stars
1.5 on the spice scale
CW: grief
I felt for the sweet little Mira, and watching her bring these two lonely souls together. I really found her to be the star of the show and I loved all the page time she got. Their care for her and love for her parents were shown in how they were willing to look past their dislike for each other and give her a great future. There were some moments that just broke my heart.
However, I didn't really connect with Liam and Zoe as a couple until right near the end. I know part of that was the agonizing slow burn but I also just didn't feel as much spark as I wanted to.
There were some great things about this novel, but I was left feeling a bit bereft in the HEA. I wanted more.
3.5 Stars
1.5 on the spice scale
CW: grief
January 6, 2025
** One of my Top 20 of 2024 Picks on www.JeevesReads.com! **
With a torturous slow burn that finally snaps with the most electric kind of tension, a seriously swoony tortured hero, and a storyline that made my chest ache, this was even better than I expected. I liked the first book in the series, but my complaint was that it didn’t FEEL like one of Sorensen’s books, and this was the exact opposite experience. It had everything that I love about her work, from a focus on the slowly building emotional connection, tender moments, and hearty dose of swoon. I loved watching the dynamic between these two shift as they gradually opened up and got to know each other better. It’s a heavy storyline in a lot of ways, but it’s brightened up by a truly spectacular love story. This is “it’s always been you” done right, and I fell for the hero a little deeper with every layer that was revealed. It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me rub my chest with a burst of feels. This snuck up on me in the best of ways, and ended up being such a powerful romance - I loved it!
The story follows Zoe and Liam, two people who are still reeling from the deaths of mutual friends when their lives are thrown into chaos. Liam’s best friend left a young daughter behind, and for some inextricable reason he left her in the care of both Zoe and Liam - two people who have never gotten along. They’ve clashed from the day they met a decade ago, so becoming co-guardians to a little girl is the last thing either one wants, especially when Liam has always made it clear that he doesn’t want a family. But neither has much choice in the matter, and it’s not long before they’re living together and navigating guardianship. Spending time in close quarters threatens to expose the secret that Liam has been hiding for years - he never truly hated Zoe at all.
I knew from book one in this interconnected series that this storyline was going to be heavy, and it is definitely that. It made my heart ACHE sometimes, and the angst did something to my blood pressure. It’s a super slow burn, but there are these little breadcrumbs along the way that made the whole thing worth it. Liam is a complex character who needs to let down his walls before they have any chance of making it to the other side, and I adored the depth of his feelings. I’m not the biggest fan of “it’s always been you” romances unless the hero took that seriously - and I absolutely believed it here. Liam is a stubborn grump who refused to make his feelings known because of “reasons,” but it was incredibly fulfilling to watch him slowly lower his walls. And when those feelings were finally out in the open? It was the most pulse-pounding intimacy I’ve read in a long time, made even richer by the wait. This far exceeded my expectations, and might be my new favorite from the author.
Audio note: The audio is excellent! Samantha Brentmoor always gives stellar performances, and she was even better than usual here. Liam is British, and her accent for him blended seamlessly with the rest of her narration. As always, Shane East delivered a great performance as the conflicted Brit, infusing a lot of emotion into the story. I think this is the best I’ve heard him as well. At around 10 hours, this was a full-day binge, but I was fully engaged in the story the whole way through. It’s also a very slow burn, so you could probably listen to a good portion of it at the office… as long as you don’t mind tearing up in front of your co-workers, lol. It’s a powerful story, and one that is made even better by the audio. Highly recommended in the format.
With a torturous slow burn that finally snaps with the most electric kind of tension, a seriously swoony tortured hero, and a storyline that made my chest ache, this was even better than I expected. I liked the first book in the series, but my complaint was that it didn’t FEEL like one of Sorensen’s books, and this was the exact opposite experience. It had everything that I love about her work, from a focus on the slowly building emotional connection, tender moments, and hearty dose of swoon. I loved watching the dynamic between these two shift as they gradually opened up and got to know each other better. It’s a heavy storyline in a lot of ways, but it’s brightened up by a truly spectacular love story. This is “it’s always been you” done right, and I fell for the hero a little deeper with every layer that was revealed. It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me rub my chest with a burst of feels. This snuck up on me in the best of ways, and ended up being such a powerful romance - I loved it!
The story follows Zoe and Liam, two people who are still reeling from the deaths of mutual friends when their lives are thrown into chaos. Liam’s best friend left a young daughter behind, and for some inextricable reason he left her in the care of both Zoe and Liam - two people who have never gotten along. They’ve clashed from the day they met a decade ago, so becoming co-guardians to a little girl is the last thing either one wants, especially when Liam has always made it clear that he doesn’t want a family. But neither has much choice in the matter, and it’s not long before they’re living together and navigating guardianship. Spending time in close quarters threatens to expose the secret that Liam has been hiding for years - he never truly hated Zoe at all.
I knew from book one in this interconnected series that this storyline was going to be heavy, and it is definitely that. It made my heart ACHE sometimes, and the angst did something to my blood pressure. It’s a super slow burn, but there are these little breadcrumbs along the way that made the whole thing worth it. Liam is a complex character who needs to let down his walls before they have any chance of making it to the other side, and I adored the depth of his feelings. I’m not the biggest fan of “it’s always been you” romances unless the hero took that seriously - and I absolutely believed it here. Liam is a stubborn grump who refused to make his feelings known because of “reasons,” but it was incredibly fulfilling to watch him slowly lower his walls. And when those feelings were finally out in the open? It was the most pulse-pounding intimacy I’ve read in a long time, made even richer by the wait. This far exceeded my expectations, and might be my new favorite from the author.
Audio note: The audio is excellent! Samantha Brentmoor always gives stellar performances, and she was even better than usual here. Liam is British, and her accent for him blended seamlessly with the rest of her narration. As always, Shane East delivered a great performance as the conflicted Brit, infusing a lot of emotion into the story. I think this is the best I’ve heard him as well. At around 10 hours, this was a full-day binge, but I was fully engaged in the story the whole way through. It’s also a very slow burn, so you could probably listen to a good portion of it at the office… as long as you don’t mind tearing up in front of your co-workers, lol. It’s a powerful story, and one that is made even better by the audio. Highly recommended in the format.
February 26, 2025
Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.8
Spice - 🌶.5
Trope - enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, co-parenting, guardianship, duck-loving kid, he falls first, sports romance, forced proximity, it's always been you, secret pining, HEA
TW- death of best friends, divorce, brief mention of abuse
This book was beautiful from the beginning to the end. There is barely any spice in this book(just a single chapter). People, who don't like to read too spicy/smutty books, this one's for ya!!
Liam was grumpy throughout, and at some point, you won't like it, but trust me, it's worth it because once he got the chance, he was the sweetest (still grumpy) man alive. His way of processing grief was rather violet and even though I could understand his pain it just made him look like an ass. The way he initially responded to the whole guardianship situation was bizarre. However, I loved how he eventually understood Zoe's situation and stepped up. He was just lovely (grumpy but lovely) in all the following scenes. Those tiny gestures and habits he had made him look so adorable and charming. He might have not spoken much but his actions spoke louder than them.
Zoe was a beautiful, strong, and lovely FMC. I loved how she stepped up and immediately took care of Mira once the duty fell on her shoulders. Martha and her friend group were exactly what she needed after bearing such a big loss. They were supportive, understanding, playful, and mature.
Their initial relationship included them bickering, her dealing with his temper tantrums, and him secretly pining for her. Nevertheless, I loved how their relationship transitioned smoothly from enemies to co-parents to lovers. The whole phase was a blessing in disguise, they needed all these years, they needed that push, they needed those moments of doubt, love, and exploration to reach where they were and I was glad to be a part of their journey. I loved how Zoe was so open in their relationship and tried to help him out while simultaneously helping herself as well. The last few chapters were true GEM. OOH, I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF THEM.
Mira was one duck-loving child, and watching her grieve the loss of her parents and crying to sleep, broke my heart. No child deserves that, especially someone so young. I loved those tiny moments where Mira broke Liam's wall and healed something she never broke.
The way both Liam and Zoe handled the situation with their best intentions in mind was one of the best parts of the book. They both might've not been prepared for parenthood but they were the best godparents Mira could ever find. That family therapy session wrecked my heart and then slowly wove it back. OMFG to see Liam in pain, was pure torture. What broke my heart was the fact that Amie and Chris not only played cupid but also subconsciously made two people's lives much happier and prettier. It's just sad that these two didn't get to live their story filled with so much love.
I felt a bunch of emotions while reading this book, and every one of them made me feel alive. This would have been a 5-star read if I had gotten a few more chapters or one/two bonus chapters with their new love-filled life (felt like I was robbed), which may have included their future.
This is one of the most beautiful books I've read in a while.
Highly recommend it.
Overall 4.8/5
Spice - 🌶.5
Trope - enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, co-parenting, guardianship, duck-loving kid, he falls first, sports romance, forced proximity, it's always been you, secret pining, HEA
TW- death of best friends, divorce, brief mention of abuse
This book was beautiful from the beginning to the end. There is barely any spice in this book(just a single chapter). People, who don't like to read too spicy/smutty books, this one's for ya!!
Liam was grumpy throughout, and at some point, you won't like it, but trust me, it's worth it because once he got the chance, he was the sweetest (still grumpy) man alive. His way of processing grief was rather violet and even though I could understand his pain it just made him look like an ass. The way he initially responded to the whole guardianship situation was bizarre. However, I loved how he eventually understood Zoe's situation and stepped up. He was just lovely (grumpy but lovely) in all the following scenes. Those tiny gestures and habits he had made him look so adorable and charming. He might have not spoken much but his actions spoke louder than them.
Zoe was a beautiful, strong, and lovely FMC. I loved how she stepped up and immediately took care of Mira once the duty fell on her shoulders. Martha and her friend group were exactly what she needed after bearing such a big loss. They were supportive, understanding, playful, and mature.
Their initial relationship included them bickering, her dealing with his temper tantrums, and him secretly pining for her. Nevertheless, I loved how their relationship transitioned smoothly from enemies to co-parents to lovers. The whole phase was a blessing in disguise, they needed all these years, they needed that push, they needed those moments of doubt, love, and exploration to reach where they were and I was glad to be a part of their journey. I loved how Zoe was so open in their relationship and tried to help him out while simultaneously helping herself as well. The last few chapters were true GEM. OOH, I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF THEM.
Mira was one duck-loving child, and watching her grieve the loss of her parents and crying to sleep, broke my heart. No child deserves that, especially someone so young. I loved those tiny moments where Mira broke Liam's wall and healed something she never broke.
The way both Liam and Zoe handled the situation with their best intentions in mind was one of the best parts of the book. They both might've not been prepared for parenthood but they were the best godparents Mira could ever find. That family therapy session wrecked my heart and then slowly wove it back. OMFG to see Liam in pain, was pure torture. What broke my heart was the fact that Amie and Chris not only played cupid but also subconsciously made two people's lives much happier and prettier. It's just sad that these two didn't get to live their story filled with so much love.
I felt a bunch of emotions while reading this book, and every one of them made me feel alive. This would have been a 5-star read if I had gotten a few more chapters or one/two bonus chapters with their new love-filled life (felt like I was robbed), which may have included their future.
This is one of the most beautiful books I've read in a while.
Highly recommend it.
Overall 4.8/5
July 22, 2024
I wish this author wrote male characters that endured trauma, both past and present, without becoming boorish assholes. In this second book in the series, Liam is also dealing with the fact that he has been nursing a serious attraction to Zoe for a decade, through her marriage and divorce and new boyfriends, and now finds himself appointed co-guardian to his dead best friend’s child with her, so he dials the assholery up a notch and abandons both without explanation.
If you’re wondering why he didn’t make his move after her divorce, he vowed to never, ever have a family because his dad was an abuser and he was afraid of becoming one. I know, I know, but that kind of overreaction happens in romance novels.
I liked this book quite a bit, more than the first in the series. In spite of Liam’s initial irrational behavior, he did finally step up to the plate and this book delivered a twofer love story, with the more successful of the two being Liam’s developing love for his best friend’s little daughter. That one was a joy to behold, as two-year-old Mira bulldozed through Liam’s defenses like a hot knife through butter. He never had a chance. It took longer for his relationship with Zoe to develop. Too long. Like, 75% of the book too long. It was pretty great when it happened, but the first three quarters of the book were far too lacking in heated moments between them and then I didn’t get to spend enough time with them as a couple before the book ended. The central romance was almost an afterthought.
And we’ve yet to discover what happens when Mira shows up for preschool cursing like a defensive lineman with a bad attitude.
If you’re wondering why he didn’t make his move after her divorce, he vowed to never, ever have a family because his dad was an abuser and he was afraid of becoming one. I know, I know, but that kind of overreaction happens in romance novels.
I liked this book quite a bit, more than the first in the series. In spite of Liam’s initial irrational behavior, he did finally step up to the plate and this book delivered a twofer love story, with the more successful of the two being Liam’s developing love for his best friend’s little daughter. That one was a joy to behold, as two-year-old Mira bulldozed through Liam’s defenses like a hot knife through butter. He never had a chance. It took longer for his relationship with Zoe to develop. Too long. Like, 75% of the book too long. It was pretty great when it happened, but the first three quarters of the book were far too lacking in heated moments between them and then I didn’t get to spend enough time with them as a couple before the book ended. The central romance was almost an afterthought.
And we’ve yet to discover what happens when Mira shows up for preschool cursing like a defensive lineman with a bad attitude.
March 7, 2024
This is a cute romance, and I liked it, but it was lacking a bit for me. It didn’t really pull at the feel a strong connection to either of the characters. But I was happy with how it ended though.
There’s a great bunch of side sold characters, so and I will probably continue with this series.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There’s a great bunch of side sold characters, so and I will probably continue with this series.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2024
I read The Best Laid Plans last year and had loved it. But there was a scene featuring this super brash British linebacker, and a sunshine girl - the the child they were both guardians to - that stuck in my head. So when I got a chance to read their book early and find out more about those characters that drew me in, I jumped at it.
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The Best of All by Karla Sorenson
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: The Best Men character series. Book 2.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book ARC on Kindle.
Courtesy of NetGalley. 🆓 on KU to read & listen.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Contemporary romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Sports (football), grumpy/sunshine, grief journey, forced proximity, he’s loved her all along.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: After losing their best friends in a tragic accident, Zoe and Liam learn that they are both the guardian for the couple’s young daughter, Mira. As they are forced to work together, they’re also forced to confront a decade’s worth of tension between them.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: This book lived up to the hype I had in my head for it.
From the prologue, I was hooked. Karla Sorenson is great at weaving deep emotions into her books, and did an epically good job creating both Zoe and Liam. From the jump I was attached to them, and their inner monologues were so romantic.
This was a slow burn - but done in such a way that I almost enjoyed the tension. Sure I was yelling “JUST KISS HER ALREADY” to my kindle by 70% but the payoff was all worth it.
Man, be careful on this one if you’re sensitive to a grief struggle, though. I cried several times, and I’m still a bit melancholy after finishing.
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 2.5/5 🌶🌶
📝 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲… You don’t have to read The Best Laid Plans first, but I definitely recommend reading both books. It’s such a good story.
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The Best of All by Karla Sorenson
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: The Best Men character series. Book 2.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book ARC on Kindle.
Courtesy of NetGalley. 🆓 on KU to read & listen.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Contemporary romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Sports (football), grumpy/sunshine, grief journey, forced proximity, he’s loved her all along.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: After losing their best friends in a tragic accident, Zoe and Liam learn that they are both the guardian for the couple’s young daughter, Mira. As they are forced to work together, they’re also forced to confront a decade’s worth of tension between them.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: This book lived up to the hype I had in my head for it.
From the prologue, I was hooked. Karla Sorenson is great at weaving deep emotions into her books, and did an epically good job creating both Zoe and Liam. From the jump I was attached to them, and their inner monologues were so romantic.
This was a slow burn - but done in such a way that I almost enjoyed the tension. Sure I was yelling “JUST KISS HER ALREADY” to my kindle by 70% but the payoff was all worth it.
Man, be careful on this one if you’re sensitive to a grief struggle, though. I cried several times, and I’m still a bit melancholy after finishing.
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 2.5/5 🌶🌶
📝 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲… You don’t have to read The Best Laid Plans first, but I definitely recommend reading both books. It’s such a good story.
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
July 29, 2024
Slow and Not Spicy
Same premise as the Katherine Heigel movie with the baby.
Honestly, it took me 3 days to finish, and I dragged myself through the last half of the book.
It moved slow & it was a really sudden progression. No build up for either of them.
****SPOILERS****
He's been in love with her for 10 years and in an effort to avoid acting on his super secret feelings He's kind of a dick to her.
She's divorced and takes on the immediate responsibility of her bestie's baby after a tragic accident leaves the little (accurately portrayed toddler) girl orphaned.
He doesn't contact her for the first two weeks & then finds out they were given joint guardianship and he runs off for two more weeks while he panics.
He comes around, moves into the inherited house next door & falls in love with the kiddo and does little things to take care of FMC.
Then they cohabitate. Then they waffle around for a few more months. Then he hires a swim instructor who's really hot & FMC realizes she's jealous and thinks he's hot. Then he has two sips of whiskey & kisses her. And apparently it's crazy hot.. then they go to therapy. Then he admits he's the product of an abusive father. They go on ONE date. And then they're in love and that's the end. Mind you it all happens over the course of a week.
Subpar.
Same premise as the Katherine Heigel movie with the baby.
Honestly, it took me 3 days to finish, and I dragged myself through the last half of the book.
It moved slow & it was a really sudden progression. No build up for either of them.
****SPOILERS****
He's been in love with her for 10 years and in an effort to avoid acting on his super secret feelings He's kind of a dick to her.
She's divorced and takes on the immediate responsibility of her bestie's baby after a tragic accident leaves the little (accurately portrayed toddler) girl orphaned.
He doesn't contact her for the first two weeks & then finds out they were given joint guardianship and he runs off for two more weeks while he panics.
He comes around, moves into the inherited house next door & falls in love with the kiddo and does little things to take care of FMC.
Then they cohabitate. Then they waffle around for a few more months. Then he hires a swim instructor who's really hot & FMC realizes she's jealous and thinks he's hot. Then he has two sips of whiskey & kisses her. And apparently it's crazy hot.. then they go to therapy. Then he admits he's the product of an abusive father. They go on ONE date. And then they're in love and that's the end. Mind you it all happens over the course of a week.
Subpar.
August 1, 2025
Perfect. This book was PERFECT.
I fell HARD for Burke Barrett last year year in The Best Laid Plans, and the *hints* and briefest of *moments* with Liam in that book made me SO EXCITED for the second book. AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.
This is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story of a grumpy British football player (the American kind) who becomes a Godparent to sweet little Mira with his co-godparent, Zoe, when their best friends die in a tragic accident. It's a slow burn, and I found myself screaming at my kindle when they wouldn't just KISS ALREADY, but in true Karla fashion, the wait was worth it. You'll just have to trust me when you're pulling your hair because the TENSION and their CHEMISTRY and their little mean banter with each other just claws at you and claws at you until they finally give in. It's worth it. For them. For Mira. For the little family they're building together.
This story is rooted in so much sadness and grief. Watching a toddler go through the emotions of losing her parents and wandering around trying to figure out what her new existence means, while both Liam and Zoe take different routes to figure out their new normal with this added responsibility is.. a lot. It's so emotional. The turmoil of heartbreak and conflict and past trauma and grief intermixed with the happiness and joy find in these little small moments of every day life that just keeps chugging along despite the other stuff you're going through is perfectly captured in the pages of this book. And then you add in the complexity of raising a toddler with your best friend's spouse's best friend... woo.
And I haven't even started talking about Zoe and Liam as individual people and their story arcs!
Zoe is a well-adjusted divorcee with a therapist mother and the best person to step in and immediately start taking care of Mira. Where Liam is resistant to the whole instant-family thing, Zoe embraces it and embraces Mira. She gets to know Mira in a deeply personal way, becoming the expert that knows how to take care of her.
Liam, on the other hand, is convinced because his own experience with "family" that he'd make a bloody terrible dad and acts like a complete jerk. He avoids Zoe and Mira, and he lashes out at his teammates and coaches when they try to talk about the loss of Chris. This is probably one of the best parts of the book, because Liam has decided football=family for him, and he allows himself to be helped by these brothers because that's his coping mechanism. He is emotionally intelligent, but dense when it comes to his own abilities because of the walls he's set up around himself to block out anything that isn't football. By channeling his emotions into football, he's been able to avoid the tough conversations he should've been having with his mom and a therapist for 20+ years of his life thanks to his own dad. When Liam finally lets Zoe and Mira in, he becomes the MVP for the girls. He takes care of them. He lets them have their tantrums and their tears, and he handles it with a swoon-worthy effectiveness (Karla could write a handbook on grumpy men learning to deal with stuff... it'd be an instant best seller).
When Liam + Zoe + Mira become an us, a we, a unit, a family, everything that's magical in the fictional universe is right. They're perfectly matched. Their balance becomes the most beautiful part of their relationship. And then, Liam freaking slays me by finally acting on those YEARS of pent-up feelings for Zoe, sends her off on a girls night, takes her on a very thoughtful first date, makes her wait, makes her feel valued and important and taken care of, and it's just... perfection.
I know this review is long, but here are some of the other things I LOVED about this story:
- Co-parenting a toddler in separate houses
- Mira's communication and story
- Ducks. Everywhere.
- Liam and his football teammates and their antics.
- Liam's leadership on the football field (can he be the coach in Karla's next football series, please?)
- HOW BRITISH LIAM IS. It was everything. It was perfect.
- He falls first :) :) :)
- The neighbor lady Rosa + her book club friends
- The WA Wolves cameo + sweatshirts with certain player's last names on them!
- The moments of honesty between Liam + Zoe + Mira.
- THERAPY. I lived for these scenes where walls crashed down and realizations were made + characters sought guidance from their closest personal relationships but also from professionals!
This obviously gets 5-stars from me. Karla wrote a story of a gruff, grumpy defensive footballer who is forced into feeling soft feelings by the death of his best friend, the responsibility of raising said best friend's toddler, and with the woman he never had but always wanted. Zoe's left with a gaping hole of grief in her heart, that gets filled slowly with loving moments with her bestie's toddler, and then with all the moments that Liam makes her feel seen, supported, and even loved. The tenderness between Liam, Zoe, + Mira left my heart in pieces on the floor, with tears in my eyes, and superglue in my hand so that all my pieces could be put back together again, maybe not perfectly the same, but perfect in their own way.
EDITING TO ADD: THE AUDIOBOOK WAS AMAZING! FIVE STARS. Both narrators BROUGHT IT for this book, and Liam's accent was... perfection. This book made me so emotional, but hearing it play out was an entirely different experience that I loved so much. This one is free on audio to KU subscribers, so make sure you check it out!
I fell HARD for Burke Barrett last year year in The Best Laid Plans, and the *hints* and briefest of *moments* with Liam in that book made me SO EXCITED for the second book. AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.
This is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story of a grumpy British football player (the American kind) who becomes a Godparent to sweet little Mira with his co-godparent, Zoe, when their best friends die in a tragic accident. It's a slow burn, and I found myself screaming at my kindle when they wouldn't just KISS ALREADY, but in true Karla fashion, the wait was worth it. You'll just have to trust me when you're pulling your hair because the TENSION and their CHEMISTRY and their little mean banter with each other just claws at you and claws at you until they finally give in. It's worth it. For them. For Mira. For the little family they're building together.
This story is rooted in so much sadness and grief. Watching a toddler go through the emotions of losing her parents and wandering around trying to figure out what her new existence means, while both Liam and Zoe take different routes to figure out their new normal with this added responsibility is.. a lot. It's so emotional. The turmoil of heartbreak and conflict and past trauma and grief intermixed with the happiness and joy find in these little small moments of every day life that just keeps chugging along despite the other stuff you're going through is perfectly captured in the pages of this book. And then you add in the complexity of raising a toddler with your best friend's spouse's best friend... woo.
And I haven't even started talking about Zoe and Liam as individual people and their story arcs!
Zoe is a well-adjusted divorcee with a therapist mother and the best person to step in and immediately start taking care of Mira. Where Liam is resistant to the whole instant-family thing, Zoe embraces it and embraces Mira. She gets to know Mira in a deeply personal way, becoming the expert that knows how to take care of her.
Liam, on the other hand, is convinced because his own experience with "family" that he'd make a bloody terrible dad and acts like a complete jerk. He avoids Zoe and Mira, and he lashes out at his teammates and coaches when they try to talk about the loss of Chris. This is probably one of the best parts of the book, because Liam has decided football=family for him, and he allows himself to be helped by these brothers because that's his coping mechanism. He is emotionally intelligent, but dense when it comes to his own abilities because of the walls he's set up around himself to block out anything that isn't football. By channeling his emotions into football, he's been able to avoid the tough conversations he should've been having with his mom and a therapist for 20+ years of his life thanks to his own dad. When Liam finally lets Zoe and Mira in, he becomes the MVP for the girls. He takes care of them. He lets them have their tantrums and their tears, and he handles it with a swoon-worthy effectiveness (Karla could write a handbook on grumpy men learning to deal with stuff... it'd be an instant best seller).
When Liam + Zoe + Mira become an us, a we, a unit, a family, everything that's magical in the fictional universe is right. They're perfectly matched. Their balance becomes the most beautiful part of their relationship. And then, Liam freaking slays me by finally acting on those YEARS of pent-up feelings for Zoe, sends her off on a girls night, takes her on a very thoughtful first date, makes her wait, makes her feel valued and important and taken care of, and it's just... perfection.
I know this review is long, but here are some of the other things I LOVED about this story:
- Co-parenting a toddler in separate houses
- Mira's communication and story
- Ducks. Everywhere.
- Liam and his football teammates and their antics.
- Liam's leadership on the football field (can he be the coach in Karla's next football series, please?)
- HOW BRITISH LIAM IS. It was everything. It was perfect.
- He falls first :) :) :)
- The neighbor lady Rosa + her book club friends
- The WA Wolves cameo + sweatshirts with certain player's last names on them!
- The moments of honesty between Liam + Zoe + Mira.
- THERAPY. I lived for these scenes where walls crashed down and realizations were made + characters sought guidance from their closest personal relationships but also from professionals!
This obviously gets 5-stars from me. Karla wrote a story of a gruff, grumpy defensive footballer who is forced into feeling soft feelings by the death of his best friend, the responsibility of raising said best friend's toddler, and with the woman he never had but always wanted. Zoe's left with a gaping hole of grief in her heart, that gets filled slowly with loving moments with her bestie's toddler, and then with all the moments that Liam makes her feel seen, supported, and even loved. The tenderness between Liam, Zoe, + Mira left my heart in pieces on the floor, with tears in my eyes, and superglue in my hand so that all my pieces could be put back together again, maybe not perfectly the same, but perfect in their own way.
EDITING TO ADD: THE AUDIOBOOK WAS AMAZING! FIVE STARS. Both narrators BROUGHT IT for this book, and Liam's accent was... perfection. This book made me so emotional, but hearing it play out was an entirely different experience that I loved so much. This one is free on audio to KU subscribers, so make sure you check it out!
September 5, 2024
the synopsis sounds original and delicious even if the cover is sus (i mean who likes books with real human as the cover??def not me) hope it delivers
June 13, 2025
Really sweet romance between two people who face a tragedy together. The “enemies” aspect didn’t totally work for me (their past & initial interactions felt more like annoyance), but the forced proximity and friends/co-parents to lovers completely did. This is a sloooow burn between Liam and Zoe, but there’s never a doubt that these two are it for each other. It was adorable seeing them come together as a family and that locker room scene with Liam and his teammates discussing Disney princesses almost made my heart explode.
Read if you like:
- forced proximity
- slow burn
- it’s always been you
- he falls first
- enemies-ish to friends to lovers
- found family
- sports romance
- no third act break up
The audio was narrated wonderfully by Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East. I was very impressed by Samantha Brentmoor’s British male accent! Loved that this was read and listen free with kindle unlimited.
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars
CW: death of loved ones, grief, mentions of an abusive parent, past domestic violence, and escaping from an abusive parent
Read if you like:
- forced proximity
- slow burn
- it’s always been you
- he falls first
- enemies-ish to friends to lovers
- found family
- sports romance
- no third act break up
The audio was narrated wonderfully by Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East. I was very impressed by Samantha Brentmoor’s British male accent! Loved that this was read and listen free with kindle unlimited.
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars
CW: death of loved ones, grief, mentions of an abusive parent, past domestic violence, and escaping from an abusive parent
July 9, 2024
This book was filled with so much emotion but written so beautifully. There was so much sadness and grief but you see so much love with these characters. Liam and Zoe both lost their best friends to a tragic accident and are now the guardians to a toddler. My heart broke for Mira, grieving the loss of both her parents. Liam and Zoe hate each other and to see their relationship growth was so good. I loved everything about this book.
Tropes:
💕Co-Guardianship
💕Hate to Love
💕Roommates
💕Grumpy Brit Hero
💕Sunshiny Book Loving Heroine
💕Football Sports Romance
Tropes:
💕Co-Guardianship
💕Hate to Love
💕Roommates
💕Grumpy Brit Hero
💕Sunshiny Book Loving Heroine
💕Football Sports Romance
July 13, 2024
"It is simple. You're the one complicating it. And if you're too chickenshit to come hang out with a little girl who misses her dad, then I don't know what to tell you."
The Best of All is the second book in a series of standalones and it is pretty heavy with the topic of death, grief and having issues with a past that still haunts you. Combine that with an unrequited love and we have ourselves quite the doozy.
When the best friends of Liam and Zoe die tragically, they are the two individuals left with the task of raising their best friend's young daughter, Mira. Zoe immediately steps up to the plate and does whatever it takes for the little girl to have a sense of normality, but Liam fights it tooth and nail because he knows he's just not built that way to care for others.
Oh man, how I love an angry grump of a man that is just misunderstood. Heck, Liam wasn't really misunderstood, he just had some really big issues from his past that was going to haunt him until he could face those demons. But luckily, Chris (his best friend) knew Liam better than he knew himself and knew he was the man he would want to entrust his child to. I loved watching Liam battle his feelings and emotions not only for the man he thought he was, but also his feelings for a special little girl and for someone that he pined for for about a decade. You could feel the goodness in this man with his growly actions moreso than his words. He might have made it kind of difficult to connect with him initially, but it was those little things he did that endeared me to him. A beast of a man that was more of a lover and protector than he really knew.
And Zoe. That woman was a darn saint. She stepped right into her roll as a caretaker for Mira and tried to make that little girl's life filled with as much normalcy and love that she could. She upended her own life and even lost a man that she was dating for this little girl. She was the sunshine to Liam's grump. She was Mira's heart and soul after such a devastating loss, but she also was having a difficult time balancing her own life with no help. Luckily, she had a great neighbor in Rosa that lightened up her life just a bit when things got too dark.
This story may have started out tragically, but watching two opposites come together to raise a child that isn't theirs was something special. I immediately was Team Zoe because she was so selfless. And Liam? Well, initially I had issues with his reaction and his ability to just say no. But once that growly, grump of a man made a life-altering decision, I was excited to see what would transpire not only for them as a family unit, but to see how Zoe and Liam would change from frenemies to lovers.
The Best of All was a SUPER slow burn of a romance, but the forced proximity of living in the same house in order to raise Mira worked in their favor. The tension between them was low-level electric, but it simmered for a VERY long time and I would've loved to have seen them give in to their feelings earlier. But the way they worked together and the way they loved Mira in their own ways was magic.
Overall, this was a Solid 4.5 stars. Liam and Zoe (and Mira) were a perfect combo. I loved their family unit. The banter, the grumpiness, the book club ladies (I have a soft spot for the wise older characters that play important roles as a supporting character), and even Liam's teammates that pushed him when he needed it, they all added their moments to the overall arc of these story.
If you enjoy:
frenemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Co-Guardianship
Grumpy/Sunshine
SLOW BURN
Opposites attract
Sports Romance
Then I highly recommend this story of two people coming together to create their own happiness out of tragedy.
The Best of All is the second book in a series of standalones and it is pretty heavy with the topic of death, grief and having issues with a past that still haunts you. Combine that with an unrequited love and we have ourselves quite the doozy.
When the best friends of Liam and Zoe die tragically, they are the two individuals left with the task of raising their best friend's young daughter, Mira. Zoe immediately steps up to the plate and does whatever it takes for the little girl to have a sense of normality, but Liam fights it tooth and nail because he knows he's just not built that way to care for others.
Oh man, how I love an angry grump of a man that is just misunderstood. Heck, Liam wasn't really misunderstood, he just had some really big issues from his past that was going to haunt him until he could face those demons. But luckily, Chris (his best friend) knew Liam better than he knew himself and knew he was the man he would want to entrust his child to. I loved watching Liam battle his feelings and emotions not only for the man he thought he was, but also his feelings for a special little girl and for someone that he pined for for about a decade. You could feel the goodness in this man with his growly actions moreso than his words. He might have made it kind of difficult to connect with him initially, but it was those little things he did that endeared me to him. A beast of a man that was more of a lover and protector than he really knew.
And Zoe. That woman was a darn saint. She stepped right into her roll as a caretaker for Mira and tried to make that little girl's life filled with as much normalcy and love that she could. She upended her own life and even lost a man that she was dating for this little girl. She was the sunshine to Liam's grump. She was Mira's heart and soul after such a devastating loss, but she also was having a difficult time balancing her own life with no help. Luckily, she had a great neighbor in Rosa that lightened up her life just a bit when things got too dark.
This story may have started out tragically, but watching two opposites come together to raise a child that isn't theirs was something special. I immediately was Team Zoe because she was so selfless. And Liam? Well, initially I had issues with his reaction and his ability to just say no. But once that growly, grump of a man made a life-altering decision, I was excited to see what would transpire not only for them as a family unit, but to see how Zoe and Liam would change from frenemies to lovers.
The Best of All was a SUPER slow burn of a romance, but the forced proximity of living in the same house in order to raise Mira worked in their favor. The tension between them was low-level electric, but it simmered for a VERY long time and I would've loved to have seen them give in to their feelings earlier. But the way they worked together and the way they loved Mira in their own ways was magic.
Overall, this was a Solid 4.5 stars. Liam and Zoe (and Mira) were a perfect combo. I loved their family unit. The banter, the grumpiness, the book club ladies (I have a soft spot for the wise older characters that play important roles as a supporting character), and even Liam's teammates that pushed him when he needed it, they all added their moments to the overall arc of these story.
If you enjoy:
frenemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Co-Guardianship
Grumpy/Sunshine
SLOW BURN
Opposites attract
Sports Romance
Then I highly recommend this story of two people coming together to create their own happiness out of tragedy.
August 12, 2025
This was so much better than the first book! I absolutely loved the banter!
July 19, 2024
Holy hot combustable sexual chemistry, batman!
THE BEST OF ALL is another 5-star romance from the queen of complex characters finding love in spite of their fears. Karla Sorenson always tackles grief and loss and healing and hope. I am absolutely obsessed with grumpy pro-footballer Liam and smart, loyal, bookworm Zoe.
The sparks between these two are insane, all while they struggle through their own loss while raising their best friends' small daughter.
I loved how THE BEST OF ALL explores how our past shapes our relationships and how these two fell in love, but also came to trust each other in their vulnerability.
This book also has wonderful female friendships, supportive parents, fantastic representation of clinical therapy, and did I mention the CHEMISTRY?! Yes. But seriously. FIRE.
THE BEST OF ALL can absolutely be read as a standalone, but you really should read the first book in the series since it is also just amazingly good!
𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated PG-13 / Only 1 descriptive sex scene, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: fatal auto accident (off page), death of best friend, past domestic abuse
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.
𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞 𝗠𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 ➡️ INSTAGRAM
THE BEST OF ALL is another 5-star romance from the queen of complex characters finding love in spite of their fears. Karla Sorenson always tackles grief and loss and healing and hope. I am absolutely obsessed with grumpy pro-footballer Liam and smart, loyal, bookworm Zoe.
The sparks between these two are insane, all while they struggle through their own loss while raising their best friends' small daughter.
I loved how THE BEST OF ALL explores how our past shapes our relationships and how these two fell in love, but also came to trust each other in their vulnerability.
This book also has wonderful female friendships, supportive parents, fantastic representation of clinical therapy, and did I mention the CHEMISTRY?! Yes. But seriously. FIRE.
THE BEST OF ALL can absolutely be read as a standalone, but you really should read the first book in the series since it is also just amazingly good!
𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated PG-13 / Only 1 descriptive sex scene, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: fatal auto accident (off page), death of best friend, past domestic abuse
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.
𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞 𝗠𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 ➡️ INSTAGRAM
July 29, 2024
I did not understand for one second the mmc’s logic that to not be an asshole like his father he was going to be an asshole to everyone. This is the entire plot to this book. There was so many other compelling things going on but it all took a backseat to his white man bullshit problems. Which is essentially:
I’m having a bad day, so I guess that’s your problem.
I’m having a bad day, so I guess that’s your problem.
January 18, 2025
4.5 stars. Lovely story of two people brought together by sudden loss, whose commitment to fulfilling their best friends’ wishes for their daughter leads to so much more. Starting out - on the surface at least - as longtime enemies, Liam and Zoe have no idea if or how they will be able to make their new situation work for little Mira’s sake.
“Zoe was in the room. Amie’s best friend, whom I didn’t actually dislike. I just didn’t know how to fucking talk to her... I always felt the urge to growl at her until she went somewhere else.”
British Liam, a survivor of family violence that left psychological scars, has been determined to avoid ending up with a family, but somehow has forged a new family in the form of his NFL teammates. Zoe has scars of her own from past relationships. They each bring unique strengths and baggage to their new duties (ducks and binders will have new significance after this book).
Told in dual POV, this story delivered plenty of heartbreaking moments, as well as fun and funny ones, and good banter. It is a slow burn, just like the first book in the series (recommend reading them in order), and while there aren’t many spicy scenes, they are good.
Decent mental health rep, without being overdone.
I read this via audiobook, which was well performed by Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East (he is the standout as Liam, bringing out his mixture of tough exterior and good heart), though I’d have loved if it had been done in duet format.
Hoping there’s more in this series - I’ll definitely read them!
“Zoe was in the room. Amie’s best friend, whom I didn’t actually dislike. I just didn’t know how to fucking talk to her... I always felt the urge to growl at her until she went somewhere else.”
British Liam, a survivor of family violence that left psychological scars, has been determined to avoid ending up with a family, but somehow has forged a new family in the form of his NFL teammates. Zoe has scars of her own from past relationships. They each bring unique strengths and baggage to their new duties (ducks and binders will have new significance after this book).
Told in dual POV, this story delivered plenty of heartbreaking moments, as well as fun and funny ones, and good banter. It is a slow burn, just like the first book in the series (recommend reading them in order), and while there aren’t many spicy scenes, they are good.
Decent mental health rep, without being overdone.
I read this via audiobook, which was well performed by Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East (he is the standout as Liam, bringing out his mixture of tough exterior and good heart), though I’d have loved if it had been done in duet format.
Hoping there’s more in this series - I’ll definitely read them!
June 25, 2024
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I spent a lazy Sunday reading this book, and I have absolutely no regrets. Trust Karla Sorensen to grip you with her storytelling and not let up until her main characters get their HEAs.
The Best of All delivers on all aspects: an emotional journey where Zoe and Liam are suddenly co-parenting Mira, thrust into a delicate and complicated dynamic. The stakes run high and Liam especially is forced to face his demons, no matter how much he resists.
I loved everything about The Best of All. The light-hearted and the deep moments, the depictions of relationships all around (friendships, found family, guardianship, relationships within the football team, and the love between Liam and Zoe), and especially the bonding moments between Liam and Mira. The concept of this story brings forth trauma and the need for Liam and Zoe to resolve their own issues, and they, together with little Mira, do all of it beautifully.
I felt like it was a well-rounded story, balancing the sweet and the emotional.
Always looking forward to the next Sorensen!
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
I spent a lazy Sunday reading this book, and I have absolutely no regrets. Trust Karla Sorensen to grip you with her storytelling and not let up until her main characters get their HEAs.
The Best of All delivers on all aspects: an emotional journey where Zoe and Liam are suddenly co-parenting Mira, thrust into a delicate and complicated dynamic. The stakes run high and Liam especially is forced to face his demons, no matter how much he resists.
I loved everything about The Best of All. The light-hearted and the deep moments, the depictions of relationships all around (friendships, found family, guardianship, relationships within the football team, and the love between Liam and Zoe), and especially the bonding moments between Liam and Mira. The concept of this story brings forth trauma and the need for Liam and Zoe to resolve their own issues, and they, together with little Mira, do all of it beautifully.
I felt like it was a well-rounded story, balancing the sweet and the emotional.
Always looking forward to the next Sorensen!
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
July 10, 2024
This was a great dual POV, he falls first, grumpy/sunshine guardian romance that sees the best friends of one couple left to care for their toddler daughter when they both die in a car accident.
Perfect for fans of books like The godparent trap by Rachel Van Dyken, this was a slow burn, steamy pro-football player and recently divorced woman pairing that sees them both learning how to co-parent together.
I really enjoyed the emotional depth and mental health rep in this book as well and it was excellent on audio narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and sexy Shane East with his English accent! Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance audio for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Perfect for fans of books like The godparent trap by Rachel Van Dyken, this was a slow burn, steamy pro-football player and recently divorced woman pairing that sees them both learning how to co-parent together.
I really enjoyed the emotional depth and mental health rep in this book as well and it was excellent on audio narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and sexy Shane East with his English accent! Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance audio for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
July 30, 2024
3.75 Stars ✨️
August 28, 2024
This book was cute but also boring.
July 15, 2024
From the previous book, I already knew that I was going to like Liam and let's say that liking him was an understatement, I LOVED HIM!! At this point, everything that Karla writes I love. She could write my life and I wouldn't be upset at all.
This story, like the previous one, is about the grief of losing a friend, and in the case of Liam and Zoe, the two friends who left them as guardians of their little one. Zoe took charge from the first moment, she gave little Mira a home and affection, even when this little girl didn't realize that her parents were missing and I feel that Zoe did a good job along this journey, Liam has a resistance and he doesn't know why his friends also decided to make him a guardian. This grumpy man who gradually won my heart also won Mira's. How did he take care of her? In his own way, he showed her great love.
I liked their relationship as a couple, it was slow but pure, it flowed in such a beautiful way that I just wanted to keep reading and reading. And I really liked that Zoe wasn't good with him from the start, that she took her time and that Liam did the same, always putting little Mira first and also putting their relationship as a couple first. Could it be said that they balanced it? Yes, and when they are together it is a wonder to read.
It was a pleasure to read this book, from the first pages to the last it is a journey that I want to do again, I laughed, I cried, I fell in love but above all I learned a lot from Liam and Zoe and their grieving process. Karla, as always, fills me with joy with her stories and especially this series that became one of my favorites.
📌I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
---
Desde el libro anterior ya sabía que Liam me iba a gustar y digamos que gustar fue poco, ME ENCANTO!! Es que a estas alturas todo lo que escriba Karla me encanta, ella puede escribirme la vida y yo no estaría para nada molesta.
Esta historia como el anterior trata sobre el duelo de perder a un amigo, y en caso de Liam y Zoe, los dos amigos y que estos lo dejaran de guardianes de su pequeña, Zoe desde el primer momento se hizo cargo, le dio a la pequeña Mira un hogar y cariño, aun cuando esta pequeña no se daba cuenta de que sus padres faltaban, siento que Zoe hizo un buen trabajo, en este trayecto Liam tiene una resistencia y no sabe porque sus amigos decidieron también ponerlo de guardián, este gruñón que poco a poco se ganó mi corazón también se ganó el de Mira ¿Cómo la cuido? a su manera, le hizo ver un gran amor a esa pequeña.
La relación como pareja me gusto, fue lenta pero segura, fluyó de una manera tan bonita que solo quería seguir leyendo y leyendo y me gusto mucho que Zoe no fuera de buenas a primeras, que se tomó su tiempo y que Liam igual, siempre poniendo a la pequeña Mira de primero y poniendo su relación también ¿se podría decir que lo equilibraron? si y cuando están los dos juntos es una maravilla de leer.
Fue un placer leer este libro, desde las primeras páginas hasta la última es un viaje que quiero volver hacer, reí, llore, me enamore pero sobre todo aprendí mucho de Liam y Zoe y su proceso de duelo, Karla como siempre me llena de alegría con sus historias y mas esta serie que se volvió una de mis favoritas.
This story, like the previous one, is about the grief of losing a friend, and in the case of Liam and Zoe, the two friends who left them as guardians of their little one. Zoe took charge from the first moment, she gave little Mira a home and affection, even when this little girl didn't realize that her parents were missing and I feel that Zoe did a good job along this journey, Liam has a resistance and he doesn't know why his friends also decided to make him a guardian. This grumpy man who gradually won my heart also won Mira's. How did he take care of her? In his own way, he showed her great love.
I liked their relationship as a couple, it was slow but pure, it flowed in such a beautiful way that I just wanted to keep reading and reading. And I really liked that Zoe wasn't good with him from the start, that she took her time and that Liam did the same, always putting little Mira first and also putting their relationship as a couple first. Could it be said that they balanced it? Yes, and when they are together it is a wonder to read.
It was a pleasure to read this book, from the first pages to the last it is a journey that I want to do again, I laughed, I cried, I fell in love but above all I learned a lot from Liam and Zoe and their grieving process. Karla, as always, fills me with joy with her stories and especially this series that became one of my favorites.
📌I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
---
Desde el libro anterior ya sabía que Liam me iba a gustar y digamos que gustar fue poco, ME ENCANTO!! Es que a estas alturas todo lo que escriba Karla me encanta, ella puede escribirme la vida y yo no estaría para nada molesta.
Esta historia como el anterior trata sobre el duelo de perder a un amigo, y en caso de Liam y Zoe, los dos amigos y que estos lo dejaran de guardianes de su pequeña, Zoe desde el primer momento se hizo cargo, le dio a la pequeña Mira un hogar y cariño, aun cuando esta pequeña no se daba cuenta de que sus padres faltaban, siento que Zoe hizo un buen trabajo, en este trayecto Liam tiene una resistencia y no sabe porque sus amigos decidieron también ponerlo de guardián, este gruñón que poco a poco se ganó mi corazón también se ganó el de Mira ¿Cómo la cuido? a su manera, le hizo ver un gran amor a esa pequeña.
La relación como pareja me gusto, fue lenta pero segura, fluyó de una manera tan bonita que solo quería seguir leyendo y leyendo y me gusto mucho que Zoe no fuera de buenas a primeras, que se tomó su tiempo y que Liam igual, siempre poniendo a la pequeña Mira de primero y poniendo su relación también ¿se podría decir que lo equilibraron? si y cuando están los dos juntos es una maravilla de leer.
Fue un placer leer este libro, desde las primeras páginas hasta la última es un viaje que quiero volver hacer, reí, llore, me enamore pero sobre todo aprendí mucho de Liam y Zoe y su proceso de duelo, Karla como siempre me llena de alegría con sus historias y mas esta serie que se volvió una de mis favoritas.
August 19, 2024
This is such an exquisite book. From beginning to end. Everything about it is heart wrenching yet heartwarming at the same time.
Liam is a grumpy broody NFL player with dad issues. After escaping an abusive father who was a football celebrity in the UK, Liam escaped to USA, to be anything but his dad, and joined the NFL.
His first encounter with Zoe was intense where he was rude to her. But it was against his heart’s wishes.
15% in and I am already bawling my eyes out. The cards that life dealt them are not an easy feat but more so for the adorable two and a half years old Mira (their best friends’ little daughter) 😢
And up until this moment Liam is such an asshole! But he slowly, way too slowly, grows on you.
I love his foul mouth though. “Heathen, git, bloody hell, wanker… LOL For a weird disturbing reason it comes out so sexy coming from his broody grumpy hot self when it actually shouldn’t but hey… can’t command the heart to like what it likes 🤷🏻♀️
And then he thinks stuff like this 👇🏻
“That was what Zoe didn’t understand about herself. What she’d never understood about how she dealt with me. All she had to do—all she’d ever had to do—was simply be there. Stand there. Look at me.”
“Breathe. That’s all it took, and I was desperately, impossibly inflamed.”
What I love about these characters is that they’re not perfect in any way. On the contrary they struggle. They became parents overnight but parenting has all kinds of mishaps and bumps sometimes they’re small other times they’re magnanimous and as hard as you try you just fail because you’re dealing with a small human being who rarely knows what they want and know even less how to express themselves.
I loved Mira’s tantrums because it depicts a real life toddler. I loved that they’re tumbling through the dark while raising her and more often than not they’re frustrated and overwhelmed instead of living a happy go merry fairy tale.
“Mira blinked, and I got the oddest sensation that she was looking into my fucking soul or something. After another moment, she finally asked, “I hold you?”
👆 That “I hold you?” Breaks me every. Freaking. Time 😢
He’s been in love with her forever and because he was mean to her all those years she’s never given him a second thought.
I feel that as head over heels he is for her she’s just loving the idea of a family but not particularly him. Everyone around is singing his praises and how hot he is etc as if she needed someone to pry her eyes open to realise that he’s the one. Nope not convinced that she’s actually fallen for him but rather for the idea of him. If it makes sense!
It’s a veryyyy slow burn. More so on her side. After believing for a decade that he hates her but recently realising otherwise, her change of heart from “can’t stand him” to falling for him in a short time is not at all believable.
I feel the end was a bit too rushed. The author should have given them a bit more time to manoeuvre around their feelings and let them develop on a steady pace.
Otherwise, the book is just perfect.
And Mira is “bloody” ADORABLE!!!
“I hold you” will forever live rent free in my head!
2024 Fun Reading Bingo
[🔴] [02] [03] [04] [05]
[06] [07] [08] [09] [🔴]
[11] [12] [🎰] [14] [15]
[16] [17] [18] [🔴] [20]
[21] [22] [🔴] [🔴] [25]
Liam is a grumpy broody NFL player with dad issues. After escaping an abusive father who was a football celebrity in the UK, Liam escaped to USA, to be anything but his dad, and joined the NFL.
His first encounter with Zoe was intense where he was rude to her. But it was against his heart’s wishes.
15% in and I am already bawling my eyes out. The cards that life dealt them are not an easy feat but more so for the adorable two and a half years old Mira (their best friends’ little daughter) 😢
And up until this moment Liam is such an asshole! But he slowly, way too slowly, grows on you.
I love his foul mouth though. “Heathen, git, bloody hell, wanker… LOL For a weird disturbing reason it comes out so sexy coming from his broody grumpy hot self when it actually shouldn’t but hey… can’t command the heart to like what it likes 🤷🏻♀️
And then he thinks stuff like this 👇🏻
“That was what Zoe didn’t understand about herself. What she’d never understood about how she dealt with me. All she had to do—all she’d ever had to do—was simply be there. Stand there. Look at me.”
“Breathe. That’s all it took, and I was desperately, impossibly inflamed.”
What I love about these characters is that they’re not perfect in any way. On the contrary they struggle. They became parents overnight but parenting has all kinds of mishaps and bumps sometimes they’re small other times they’re magnanimous and as hard as you try you just fail because you’re dealing with a small human being who rarely knows what they want and know even less how to express themselves.
I loved Mira’s tantrums because it depicts a real life toddler. I loved that they’re tumbling through the dark while raising her and more often than not they’re frustrated and overwhelmed instead of living a happy go merry fairy tale.
“Mira blinked, and I got the oddest sensation that she was looking into my fucking soul or something. After another moment, she finally asked, “I hold you?”
👆 That “I hold you?” Breaks me every. Freaking. Time 😢
He’s been in love with her forever and because he was mean to her all those years she’s never given him a second thought.
I feel that as head over heels he is for her she’s just loving the idea of a family but not particularly him. Everyone around is singing his praises and how hot he is etc as if she needed someone to pry her eyes open to realise that he’s the one. Nope not convinced that she’s actually fallen for him but rather for the idea of him. If it makes sense!
It’s a veryyyy slow burn. More so on her side. After believing for a decade that he hates her but recently realising otherwise, her change of heart from “can’t stand him” to falling for him in a short time is not at all believable.
I feel the end was a bit too rushed. The author should have given them a bit more time to manoeuvre around their feelings and let them develop on a steady pace.
Otherwise, the book is just perfect.
And Mira is “bloody” ADORABLE!!!
“I hold you” will forever live rent free in my head!
2024 Fun Reading Bingo
[🔴] [02] [03] [04] [05]
[06] [07] [08] [09] [🔴]
[11] [12] [🎰] [14] [15]
[16] [17] [18] [🔴] [20]
[21] [22] [🔴] [🔴] [25]
Displaying 1 - 30 of 897 reviews