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End of Story #1

Undoubtable Love

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Smart, sexy, warmherzig — Kylie Scott at her best

Als Susie Bowen das alte Häuschen ihrer Tante erbt, ist sie froh über die Chance eines Neuanfangs. Weniger begeistert ist sie allerdings, als die Renovierungsfirma ausgerechnet den besten Freund ihres Ex vorbeischickt. Lars - der Mann, der vor Kurzem Zeuge ihrer demütigenden Trennung wurde und zudem unverschämt attraktiv ist. Doch es wird noch schlimmer, als Lars hinter einer Wand ein Scheidungszertifikat findet, mit ihrer beider Namen und einem Datum, das in der Zukunft liegt. Hat ihnen jemand einen Streich gespielt? Während Susie und Lars versuchen, das Rätsel zu lösen, stellen sie fest, dass da durchaus ein Funke zwischen ihnen ist. Aber was will ihnen dann der mysteriöse Fund in der Wand sagen?

»Ich habe dieses Buch in einem Rutsch durchgelesen und mit einem glücklichen Lächeln auf den Lippen beendet.« LISA LOVES LITERATURE

Der neue Roman von SPIEGEL-Bestseller-Autorin Kylie Scott!

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2023

347 people are currently reading
13590 people want to read

About the author

Kylie Scott

61 books17k followers
Kylie is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today best-selling, Audie Award winning Romance author.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 988 reviews
Profile Image for Isabella. R.
1,007 reviews2,176 followers
February 22, 2023
4.5 All Dreamy and Carnal Stars ⭐

Mmm. I liked everything about this story except maybe the cover. From Lars to Susie, the push and pull and the enviable maturity that both characters displayed. End of Story was a hint kooky, steamy, amusing and simply easygoing to read.

As a mature and well-adjusted thirty-year-old woman, I definitely knew better than to have sexy times thoughts again. The best friend of my ex is not my friend. Confucius probably said that.

An inherited house requiring work and a helping hand in the form of the ex boyfriend's mate. Not an ideal situation. Then unexplained divorce papers magically appear linking Susie and Lars to marriage neither chose (what was KS smoking when she came up with this plot?)

Who doesn't drool over Viking looking tradies? With no intention of breaking the bro code, Lars is focused on the renovation whilst forming the healthiest friendship yet with Susie. We now have an anti marriage activist gal, and a guy who has an endless supply of girlfriends. Best friends ever!!

"I tried to keep things casual between us, but it feels like I’m fighting a losing battle. If this doesn’t work out I’m joining a nunnery."

Once these two crazy kids succumb to their hormones it made for a wonderful romance. All their interactions were awesome. My one criticism since it's not the first time. If an author is angling for some mystical hocus pocus, please explain otherwise it's an utter waste of time including it! Fortunately it didn't detract from this beauty.
Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
3,116 reviews60.6k followers
February 13, 2023
This is a sweet, lighthearted, and entertaining rom-com with paranormal vibes and likable characters, contrasting the steamier, angsty, and twisty romances of Kylie Scott. Instead, it falls more under the genre of women's fiction, offering a clean and swoon-worthy romance with an intriguing plotline.

  Susie Bowen is exhausted from dealing with unexpected challenges, such as being publicly humiliated by her ex-boyfriend, and trying to start fresh by inheriting a fixer-upper to renovate for her new life in the HGTV world.

  However, her contractor is none other than Lars, who just so happens to be the best friend of her ex and a witness to her worst breakup experience. Although she hates the idea of working with someone from her ex's side, she doesn't have another choice. Surprisingly, they learn to tolerate each other and even become friendly. But things take a strange turn when Lars discovers a secret document hidden behind the wall - a divorce certificate that is dated ten years in the future and lists him and Susie as the couple. They may be friendly, but that doesn't mean they're getting married! It must be a terrible prank, right? But what if it's not? Lars doesn't believe in this type of paranormal activity, but will he learn to be open-minded?

  I enjoyed the paranormal mystery that was blended with the sweet friends-to-lovers trope. Susie and Lars feel the temptation and palpable chemistry between them, but Lars holds back to respect the "bro-code." However, as the saying goes, the heart wants what it wants.

  Overall, this is a quick, enjoyable, and extremely swoon-worthy romance with lots of hilarious moments, making it an excellent choice for Valentine's Day reading.

Many thanks to Kim Cermak and NetGalley for providing me with a lovely digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
Profile Image for Southern Lady Reads.
936 reviews1,394 followers
February 15, 2023
Have you ever watched the movie The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves? End of Story has a little of that destiny/fate magic mixed with a woowoo/voodoo-loving social media manager’s desire to avoid crappy guys. So cute and definitely worth a quick read! As one of Kylie Scott’s lighter novels, I enjoyed this little bit of brain candy!

A SHORT PREVIEW:
Susie has successfully started her own social media management company and thinks life is going well when suddenly her crummy boyfriend announces he’d like to see other people (in front of other people!!?), and her aunt dies. When all of her aunt's house and money is passed down to Susie, not only does she have to deal with toxic family members wanting their cut - she gets to deal with the grumpy but hot contractor she hired to transform her aunts house. Things start to get a little crazy, though when her contractors oh-so-sexy self finds a divorce certificate dated into the future between himself and Susie? While trying to unravel the mystery of the document, and navigating her grief.. with Susie finally finding the family she deserves?

MUSINGS:
- End of Story is a great reminder not to give up on yourself and what you know you deserve in love! Susie realizes that the men she’s been dating are repeating some of the same toxic patterns she grew up with and decides to really turn that around.
- There is SUCH a big difference between a momma’s boy and a man who respects his mother, and I think ‘End of Story’ explains that so well!
- Without giving anything away - I love how the main character, Susie, makes a point to have the adult talk in the relationship that things won’t always be perfect and she won’t always look perfect. People need to see our ugly bits too!
- A lot of this story is really funny, and that’s worth its weight in gold!


THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
I’m not a huge fan of psychics and the ‘otherworldly’ unless it’s in a novel specifically designed to be fantasy.

FAVORITE QUOTE(S):
“That’s my girl. Such a giver.” - When someone is not being even a little bit generous.
“As one dose.” - Said with all seriousness about something someone should never do lol

NOTES:
- HEA ending (obviously)
- Grumpy sunshine
- Cheating ex
- found family
- Toxic families
- forbidden romance - ex's best friend

*I received this book for free as an ARC, but all thoughts are my own. - SLR
Profile Image for Christy.
4,541 reviews35.9k followers
January 17, 2023
3.5 stars

End of Story felt different than Kylie Scott’s books I’ve read before, but it was enjoyable. It was a fun read, and kept my attention throughout the book. It only took me a day or two to finish it.

Susie is fixing up a home that was left to her by her aunt that passed away and hires her ex-boyfriend’s best friend. They end up finding something in the wall of the house that makes them more connected. Lars is the best friend. He’s always liked Susie, but now things are different between them.

Lars and Susie spend a lot of time together. They become closer friends and of course it leads to more, but things are complicated. I adored Lars. He was such a great guy and even though it took him a minute to come around his friend, I get it. Susie was great too. She was a fun character and I loved watching her let her guard down with Lars.

I love a good friends to lovers romance. The little things in this book made it special, Lars and Susie sharing their food (adorable) and the caretaking scenes. It did have something a little odd where you have to suspend your belief a bit, but if you can get past it or you like those elements in a book definitely give this one a try.
Profile Image for Carrie.
3,567 reviews1,693 followers
March 4, 2023
End Of Story by Kylie Scott is a contemporary romance that has a touch of magical realism to the story. End Of Story is also an enemies to lovers trope that is only slightly on the enemy side with leanings towards friends to lovers.

Susie Bowen has inherited a home from her aunt but it comes with needing a bit of TLC in the form of repairs. Excited to get to business Susie hires a contractor but finds the man sent to do the work in none other than her ex’s best friend, Lars.

Left without a choice Susie agrees to work with Lars but does her best to keep her distance. When the two open up a wall and find a divorce certificate with their names on it but a future date they both think it’s a total joke with one pranking the other.

End Of Story by Kylie Scott was a fun read that fit perfectly with my love of mixing up my genres. I think this one would also work well for someone to dive their toe into a fantasy with the majority reading more like a romcom. Either way I did enjoy this one and found the characters likable and enjoyed getting to know them along with the fun magical twist. I’ll definitely have to return to this author in the future and read more of her work.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Profile Image for Lilyya ♡.
653 reviews3,722 followers
February 19, 2023
4.25 stars.

"Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves might have been cool with sending messages through time in that movie, The Lake House, but I found the experience to be less romantic and more of a mind fuck. "
-Susie.

While the skeleton of the love story was your basic Kylie Scott novel with thankfully no third act breakup but a lot of forced proximity and straightforward characters plus the oh so famous impromptu appearance of the male protagonist parents ! The script in the other had was surprising.. It was drawn with a sort of fated/ paranormal storyline that was well done. A sort of The Lake House retelling.

Susie broke up in the prequel Begging Of The End with her one year long boyfriend and it was quickly followed by the death of her aunt. The book started with a few months later. Her Ex’s best friend was assigned to fix her new acquired house. (Her aunt’s house) but before Lars even got started they found a divorce certificate dated 10 years in the future accompanied with their names.

" He made me want to write bad poetry."

I liked both protagonists and how they worked their way into a healthy relationship. The author didn’t actually draw their relationship as forbidden from the start and I loved it. Lars didn’t hide or downplay his bond with Susie in front of his best friend especially after how the shitty ex treated her.

I felt like we didn’t have a real closure concerning the relationship between Susie and her father, brother. And with no final point It didn’t add much to the story, tbh.

I loved the side characters, Thor and Susie’s best friend growing relationship in parallel of the protagonists was a good surprise.

I really did want to know what happened to them in the parallel world to actually get a divorce. I think the shitty ex/best friend might be the main reason..🤔
Profile Image for Colleen Scidmore.
387 reviews256 followers
March 20, 2023
Susie Bowens beloved aunt had passed away and left her home in the will. As sad as Susie she is grateful that her aunt’s fixer upper home will give Susie a project to occupy her mind off both her aunt now gone and the embarrassing break up with her ex Aaron, that took place in front of alot of their friends and family 6 months prior.

But unfortunately the universe has other plans, because the contractor she hired for the job sent Lars in his place. Lars happens to be Aaron’s best friend, and while Susie always liked Lars she doesn’t need to be reminded of Aaron or the humiliating way he broke it off.
Susie decides to rise above petty behavior, Lars is here now and she needs to get this work rolling so she can either sell her home or set up her new best single life in a beautiful remodeled home.

Things go from bad to weird when Lars finds a divorce certificate in the wall that lists them as the unhappily married couple AND it is dated 10 years in the future. Is someone playing a trick on them? But how is that possible when no one knew Lars was going to be there or how did it even get it in a sealed wall?

The divorce certificate starts a fierce curiosity and opens the door for a mutual attraction between these two very different people and Susie and Lars get to know each other all over again in a much different relationship. But should they even start something serious that the universe is pointing out will most likely end in disaster?

Is pretty hard to surprise me with a romance. The basic formula goes pretty much like this: A couple is thrown together somehow (either enemies to lovers, love at first sight, one person loves from afar etc.), insert new names new location, they eventually end up together there’s a fight or somehow they are torn apart and then a make up scene or reunion and finally a HEA. I mean there is more to it obviously and I’m not a writer but you get the gist. Because there are only so many plots you can develop in a love story my enjoyment level usually depends on the writing style and character development.

I don’t want to delve too much into this story so not to ruin it for anyone, but I have to say End of Story kind of broke the mold for me. It was unique compared to a lot of romance/romcom’s I have read , starting with the divorce certificate. I thought that was a very creative way to get Lars and Susie together. It made it less awkward and taboo since she was previously dating his best friend.
I loved the banter between Susie and Lars it was fun and playful at times. For example: “I’ll eat your charcuterie tray Susie and that’s not a euphemism.”

I really liked Susie’s character. She was not a weak willed woman and wasn’t pining after Aaron even though it hurt her. She realized he did her a favor. And he really did, he was the ultimate tool. Also she speaks her mind and likes to eat, even at a restaurant she is not a salad girl. I loved it! 😁

Also for all you spicy romance lovers this does have a couple steamy scenes. There were only a few but they got pretty 🌶️!

Although I really enjoyed End of Story I do have a couple complaints. I went back and forth on my feelings about Lars, so I felt he was a little inconsistent. He was way to blind about Aaron’s faults a lot of the time and I didn’t like the way he treated Susie in the beginning. He wasn’t bad to her by any means but he kept her at a distance with some of his behavior. But I have to admit the situation was complicated.

My other issue is very minor. I wanted more of Susie’s friend Cleo. She played a very minor part and it would have been nice for her to have more development.

Ultimately I really enjoyed this cute, original and funny story. I looked up Kylie Scott’s previous books and most of them are pretty traditional Romance so I’m not sure if I’d check those out anytime soon (I just haven’t been feeling those lately) but I’d love to see her come out with more books like End of Story which is Romance with a Chick Lit vibe. I’d be sure to check those out!
Profile Image for Bookgasms Book Blog.
2,863 reviews1,564 followers
February 14, 2023
I absolutely adore Kylie Scott's stories. They are heartwarming, sexy and so addicting. End of Story tells an amazing story of a woman who decides to take control of her life when curveball after curveball is thrown her way. The icing on the cake is the utter adorableness of Lars and the connection they made.

Overall, this was a solid friends to lovers romance. I loved how the author showed the true progression of their relationship from friends to more. Moreover, the hint of supernatural flair it had was the phenomenal. I adored this story! 5 stars! ~Ratula ❤️

***

Kylie Scott’s End of Story follows Susie Bowen, who inherits a fixer-upper from her aunt and hires Lars, her ex-boyfriend's best friend, to do the repairs. Despite their rocky history, they work together to uncover a mysterious divorce certificate that has both of their names on it, dated ten years into the future. As they try to unravel the origins of the document, Susie and Lars find themselves drawn to each other once again.

The novel explores the themes of fate, second chances, and whether love can overcome past mistakes. It also delves into the idea of opposites attracting, as Susie and Lars have very different personalities and worldviews. Through their interactions, they challenge each other's assumptions and learn to appreciate their differences.

Overall, the story is a fun blend of an enemies to lovers romance, humor, and mystery, with well-developed characters and a satisfying conclusion. It was a fun unconventional love story as well as a bit of "woo woo" and the power of destiny. ~ Missy, 4 stars
Profile Image for SamJ ★Needs a HEA★.
615 reviews894 followers
February 9, 2023

Check out this and my other reviews at My Blog

Copy received through netgally in exchange for an honest review

★Book Basics★

Genre : - Cont. Romance
Series : - Stand Alone
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - yes
Rating - 5+++ stars


★Review★

I don't think I have yet read a Kylie Scott book I didn't enjoy and this book just once again proved how good a romance Kylie Scott can write.

I adored this book. I might go as far to say that Lars has overtaken Mal as my favourite Scott Hero!!

This book is a contemporary with a touch of the paranormal - with Lars and Susie finding a divorce certificate dated 10 years in the future with their names on it. The paranormal element was not overblown and served as the catalyst for them both beginning to spend more time together outside of "ex and ex's best friend" or "home owner and contractor".

Whilst trying to discover just what is happening, they become reluctant friends, to real friends, to denying that there is something there - to simply being inevitable!

This is a book driven by the characters and how they overcome the obstacles they themselves have put up to be able to have the relationship they both hope is possible between them.

Susie has been burnt in the past, from both ex partners and family and needs to learn to trust in Lars and herself, and Lars, well, he has a plan, a very specific plan that does not involve feelings for his best friends ex...even if said best friend is a bit of a dick.

I just adored how the relationship grew and evolved and experiencing them falling in love. Lars was a great character - sturdy, strong, reliable and damn hot!! Susie was sarcastic, funny, a little bit sassy and just downright brave in how she was willing to learn to trust and stand up for herself with her toxic family.

I was so disappointed when I had finished it - that I went right back to the beginning and simply read it again straight away!!

Profile Image for Chris  C - A Midlife Wife.
1,829 reviews463 followers
January 5, 2023
Fun and spunky story. Witty with a steamy romantic flair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story is so fun and spunky. Her characters are delightful, and a bit quirky, but she develops them beautifully into a wild and wacky relationship of sorts. Susie and Lars are on fire and the steam coming off these pages makes you wish this story never ends!

End of Story is a perfectly witty romp with a steamy romantic flair and a bit of the supernatural somethingness going on. Scott sucks us in with spark and highly crafted wordsmithing that is loaded with banter and playfulness. I love her mad writing skills!

Do yourself a favor and check this one out for a fabulous read you will fall in love with!

* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/end-of-story...
Profile Image for Sarah | Kerosene.Lit.
1,138 reviews653 followers
February 1, 2023
I LOVE romances with magical twists, so I had very high hopes for this one—especially after enjoying the prequel novella!

It wasn’t quite what I expected.

After recently inheriting a house, Susie is ready to tackle renovations. But she isn’t expecting the contractor to be Lars, her ex-boyfriend’s best friend. Things get even crazier when they discover a divorce certificate within the walls … dated in the future with their names!

What a premise, right? I loved the idea of this divorce certificate forcing an unlikely pairing together. The chemistry was definitely there as they attempt to remain friends, unable to fathom how they’d ever end up married.

But the story lost momentum for me. There wasn’t much against this couple other than the conflict of the certificate itself. I found a lot of the same conversations and situations were being rehashed over and over.

The mystery behind the divorce certificate was good; I was definitely desperate for answers. But the explanation left me feeling really unfulfilled. I wanted more from it.

(heat level: a few open-door scenes, very explicit)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Profile Image for Amelia.
53 reviews4 followers
January 25, 2024
Officially my first book read on my new Kobo. The page count is different so that’s why I didn’t keep updates.
On another note, I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. I bought this one cause it was only 99 cents and I didn’t have high hopes going into it. I also didn’t think I would like it cause the characters are in their thirties and I mostly read books where the characters are in their teens or early twenties. But it was so good. I loved the mystery of the divorce certificate and how we never knew how it got there. It really added to the story.
I haven’t read a lot of romance books so it was nice to switch it up. Some of the writing was a bit cheesy but otherwise it was really easy to read. I wasn’t expecting the smut however, not complaining tho let’s be real.
The characters were also great, and I loved the major character Susie. She was not afraid to speak her mind and I loved that about her. She always stood up for herself and her inner thoughts I could lowkey related to LMAO.
The ending felt a bit rushed in my opinion but otherwise a great book.
Profile Image for Catherine Cowles.
Author 51 books27.5k followers
Read
December 14, 2022
Completely original, wonderfully quirky, and flawlessly written, End of Story by Kylie Scott is a joy to read from beginning to, well, end. An enchanting opposites attract romance with punches of humor and mystery that you don’t want to miss.
Profile Image for kate.
1,772 reviews969 followers
April 11, 2023
A quick, fun, and lighthearted rom-com starring an adorably grumpy hero, a gutsy heroine and an infuriatingly unanswered mystery, which all combined, creates a easy and entertaining read.
Profile Image for ❁ lilyreadsromance ❁.
2,026 reviews1,144 followers
February 25, 2023
It's a marriage-in-peril trope but they're not married... yet.

Gosh, I love it! What can I say, it's Kylie Scott. She always writes such a comfort reading book and the characters she wrote always resonates something in me in one way or another. Susie, not so much into the whole marriage shebang and scarred from her last failed relationship and Lars, the bestest friend of Susie's ex and rigid planner of his long term plans.

On paper, at least to me, they kinda wouldn't mix well. The outdoor/physical guy and the fashion-centric girl. Sure, in books, we keep seeing this pairings all over the places. But what made this book worked for me, is that the communications they have about their expectations and limitations. Maybe it's because of the plot warranted it but gosh, I love myself some good healthy relationship where people talk about their feelings rather than sulking it off and creating some stupid misunderstandings about them.

Well, that's my take on this book anyway. As always with her books, recommended!

Profile Image for Cassandra.
1,340 reviews102 followers
March 20, 2023
I HEART KYLIE SCOTT.

The Stage Dive and Dive Bar series were everything to me when they were being released so when Kylie releases something new, I will read the new thing.

I heart her. I LOVED this. It was fun. I've loved her books because they have always been fun. The main characters are always a little sassy and a lot enjoyable to follow and it makes SENSE. I mean, part of this was also kinda not making sense (I do not understand the origin of this damn document) everything else makes sense. There's no beating around the bush - the main characters just sort their shit out without any extra miscommunication and it. is. GLORIOUS.

Lars and Susie are two wonderful additions to my very long list of book couples I adore. This held up to everything I hoped it was going to be and now I shall patiently wait for something new.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for the honest review <3<3<3
Profile Image for Melanie A..
1,242 reviews559 followers
April 21, 2023
4.5 STARS!

Gah! I love Kylie Scott - her sense of humor, her sense of romance, her ability to make the ordinary extraordinary. Her books are such a pleasure to read. And End of Story was no exception. 😍😍

Did I mind the unexplained whimsy in Lars and Susie's story? No.

Since I was forewarned by snooping through other reviews, I just rolled with it and let myself enjoy all the wonderful conversations that arose from Honestly, it gave the story a bit of kick. I recommend!
Profile Image for Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks.
1,992 reviews151 followers
February 16, 2023
RATING: 2.5 star ⭐️

The entire plot is boring. You’re kind of thrown straight into the book without even the smallest build-up. Nothing actually happens. This book really dragged for me. That cool cover is all the fun you will get here.

Read this if you like:
✓ paranormal romances
✓ ex best friends
✓ friends to lovers
✓ forced proximity
✓ soulmates
Profile Image for Gina.
2,068 reviews70 followers
March 9, 2023
Kylie Scott writes fantastic characters. At the end of every book I've read, I'm not only invested in the characters but I feel like I know them in a we-get-together-every-weekend-for-brunch sort of way. For example, I would have said I hated rock star romance before Scott's Stage Dive series, in which the characterization took it beyond the unbelievable rock star plots. The characters in this one, Susie and Lars, are fully realized people I'd like to know. But... I couldn't get past the plot this time. It seems wrong that I, who regularly enjoy paranormal romances, would reject this because of the paranormal parts of the plot. Yet, it just didn't work for me. After the non-paranormal/no magical realism prequel novella, Beginning of the End, the paranormal set up blindsided me, and I never fully recovered to enjoy it as a plot point. This is far from a bad book, but I found it just OK (2 stars).
Profile Image for Audrey  Stars in Her Eye.
1,257 reviews11 followers
February 14, 2023
End of Story has a fascinating premise but horrible execution.

When Susie Bowen inherits a charming fixer-upper from her aunt, she finds that her contractor is none other than her ex’s best friend, Lars. After her humiliating breakup six months ago, she has distanced herself from anything that had to do with her ex and has doubts about Lars working on her house. But something awkward and amazing happens: Lars discovers a divorce certificate hidden in a wall dated ten years in the future with Susie and Lars's names on it. How did it get there? Was this a prank? What does this mean for their acquaintanceship?

I wasn't pleased with the execution of the certificate. There is never any answer and the story magically poofs a conclusion. Both characters obsess with the piece of paper always wanting to see it and touch it. There is a fake feeling about the relationship as Susie and Lars begin to let it dictate their lives. But what happens in ten years? The author does tell you and, thank goodness, as that's the best bit of writing in the story.

The story is poorly written. The same three things happen over and over and over. The plot elements became stale, and there is very little, if any, character development. The sex is spicy though; Kylie Scott doesn't hold back. While that is enjoyable (if you like spicy), the worst part is the ending. Or should I say the “beginning” that was the “ending”. We didn't need it as the material was covered satisfactorily in the book. Also, I hope that the final book gets the ex-boyfriend's name right in that section.

This was one of the worst romances I have read. I can't, with good conscience, tell anyone else to read it.

Publication Date: February 14

I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Christie«SHBBblogger».
988 reviews1,303 followers
February 14, 2023

Title: End of Story
Series: n/a
Author: Kylie Scott
Release date: February 14, 2022
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: romance, magical realism

I've read a few of Kylie Scott's books in the past, but it's been a long time in between books. When I saw this new release pop up that was giving me The Lake House vibes (one of my favorite Sandra Bullock movies) I was excited to check it out. Obviously I was not off-base with that feeling because the author actually makes a reference to the movie in the book. There is the same mystical, mysterious, magical realism slant to this story. I'm not sure how I managed to sign up for three arcs scheduled one after another that have this element as well as a house that contains some sort of magic but once again I'm writing a review about that topic. One thing I enjoyed more about this book over the others was that the romance is definitely front and center and it's a very light, fast read.

This story is about Susie Bowen, our main protagonist. It is told from her point of view (1st person) as she has an awkward encounter with her ex-boyfriend's best friend, Lars. Her break up was fairly recent, public, and extremely uncomfortable. Lars happened to witness the public humiliation that she suffered from her bonehead ex so he is the last person she wants to have to see. Although they had an amicable relationship while she was dating his friend, of course things are incredibly awkward now. Unfortunately, he works for the company she hired to help her do repairs on the home she inherited from her aunt. Susie is not one to wallow though, or tiptoe around people, so she decides to make the best of a bad situation and deal. Until Lars breaks open one of the walls to start a water damage repair and encounters something that shocks and disturbs both of them. A divorce certificate. Dated ten years in the future.

Let's just say all hell breaks loose. Both are suspicious that the other planted it there. Both are angry, distrustful, and utterly confused. Why would anyone play such a prank? How was it even placed within the walls and aged so convincingly? Obviously anyone would automatically not believe it because it's just not realistically possible. However, they decide to just try to ignore what it could represent and carry on with work as usual. It's just that once you see something like that, you can't really get the mystery of it out of your head. They both fear that if it somehow really is real, are they doomed to fall in love and fail? The big question is: is fate something you ultimately have control over or not? Can your destiny be changed if you work hard to avoid it?

Lars and Susie go through stages in trying to deal with their possible future divorce. Denial, pushing each other away, problem solving, and friends with benefits. The latter is something that personally annoyed me a bit as that is not one of my favorite tropes. The idea was pushed by Susie because she was scared to commit to a real relationship with him if it would only end in pain in the future. I did get why she was scared to explore a romance with him, but she did force him into this FWB situation when it was clear that he wanted to give a committed, full relationship a chance. That always makes me sad for that character and feel as if they are accepting less that what they deserve. This was an odd and unusual situation though, so it didn't bother me as much as it usually does. You can see that Susie has growing feelings for Lars all along, she is just very scared to acknowledge this because of her failed romances in the past and her perceived failure in the future.

Susie tries to tackle the mystery of the divorce papers using several methods. She tries to authenticate it, she tries consulting a psychic, and she seeks out the firm who handled the divorce to see if it exists. All of these things are logical ways to try to make sense of an inexplicable situation. In the end, there isn't really a solid explanation (Honestly, how could there be?) so you just sort of have to make what you will of it. There is a vague explanation about echoing pain reaching through time and her aunt treating the house like it was a "living breathing thing." Other than that, you just have to believe that the unbelievable can happen and chalk it up to fantasy. Would I have liked a little more development there in order to make it more believable? Yes. If you're going to add an element of fantasy, build a solid foundation so that I'm all in.

One thing I enjoyed about this novel was the endearing characters and the humor. Both Susie and Lars were good people trying to make sense of a very odd situation. They felt relatable in their past relationship challenges and fears. Kylie Scott does an excellent job making you root for the two of them to work through their fears and learn from their past mistakes. I loved the little details of their growing romance-the way they shared each other's food, and worked hard to find a common interest that they could enjoy together. They were totally sweet and supportive of each other once they made their mind up to be a part of each other's lives.

Overall, this was a cute story with a sweet HEA. I did feel that the last couple sections of the epilogue entitled "beginning of the end" were totally unnecessary and didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. I'm not sure why it was added, but the "Ten Years Later" section was the perfect ending giving the story closure and a proper goodbye to these characters. If you are intrigued by the synopsis like I was, definitely give this one a shot if you like stories with elements of magical realism paired with a solid romance.

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Profile Image for Meggie.
584 reviews114 followers
April 17, 2023
4.5 STARS for this funny, sweet, Seattle romance!!

I really, really liked this one. That didn't surprise me - I am a Kylie Scott fan. She has become a go-to when I need a comfort read, and this one was no different. I think my favorite thing about her is that her female characters are usually curvy, loud, and a bit obnoxious. I read her stories when I want a dose of realism with my happy endings, I think.

Susie inherits her Aunt Susan's house when she dies. She calls a reputable company to come do some work on the outdated house, but despite trying to avoid this exact scenario, Lars shows up... the best friend of the asshole she broke up with six months ago. There is some surface-level awkwardness that only amplifies after Lars finds a divorce certificate in the wall, dated ten years from now, that has Lars and Susie's names on it. Yes, this is a "supernatural" detail, but the story itself isn't even a little magical or anything like that. Really, the certificate works as a plot device that really makes them look at each other romantically, to see each other on a deeper level, as opposed to "best friend's ex" or "ex's best friend".

I liked Susie right away. Yes, she is a lot. So am I. We aren't for everyone, and that's okay; it helps us filter out the people who aren't worthy of our copious amounts of energy. Conversely, Lars snuck up on me. One of his supposed "flaws" is set up to be his choice in best friend, but that didn't really work for me, because wouldn't we have to hold that against Susie as well? She dated the asshole for a year, after all. That being said, Lars is gruff, structured, brutally honest, and not altogether exciting... right up until he is. My affection for him grew a little like Susie's: a little bit at a time, and then all at once. He very clearly adored Susie. A good male lead can make or break a story, and Lars made this one. Most everything else about the book worked, but it worked because of Lars. At first, I was leery of him. He may have even annoyed me at times. Then, I accepted him at face value. Then I started to like him... and then, all of a sudden, he was perfect. He simply kept choosing Susie, in all things small and large, and I loved that about him. It wasn't one big moment, just a lot of small ones. Susie is a nurturer, someone who cares for the people she loves, so it made me happy to see Lars caring for her.

I deducted a half star for three fairly trivial reasons: 1. Susie uses the world "bestie" far too many times and 2. Susie's constant judging of Lars for being friends with the ex, even though Susie herself chose to date him for a year, and 3. the inevitable climax, while still satisfying, is very predictable and on a related note, Lars and/or Susie should've seen it coming as well.

Turns out sharing a secret, trying to unravel a mystery, is great for bringing people together.
Profile Image for Fanny.
2,395 reviews50 followers
December 26, 2023



Ends Of Story fue muy muy distinto a lo que imagine, en el buen sentido, obviamente.

La historia es divertida, ocurrente y muy autentica, ademas, me atrapo de tal forma que no pude soltar el libro hasta que llegue al final.

No es una novedad que disfrute de lo que crea Kylie Scott, pero aun asi, me tomo por sorpresa lo muy interesante que me resulto esta novela, tiene un toque unico que me he encontrado poco en los romances.

Los protagonistas tambien son magnificos, me agradaron mucho los dos y la evolucion que sufren es simplemente genial y no me refiero solo a como pasan de ser amigos a pareja, sino tambien al cambio que viven ellos como personajes.

La lectura se lee sola, es muy fluida y encima tiene un aire relajado y desenfadado que me cautivo, es tan poco habitual que realmente no recuerdo otra novela que se le parezca.

No se si habra mas tomos de esta saga, pero ojala que si los haya, me quede con ganas de mucho mas de este mundo, sobre todo si tiene este aire fresco que tanto disfrute.

En resumen, un libro poco comun, con un romance bonito y honesto que me encanto conocer y que por si fuera poco, esta escrito y narrado de una manera impecable.

Lo recomiendo muchisimo!

4 Estrellas!!
Profile Image for Lana Reads.
477 reviews230 followers
dnf
February 20, 2024
60% and I'm out.
Sorry, life is too short.

The beginning was really fun, I liked the pace, the language, the back and forth... But then the story kinda stuck and became cliché, some of the lamest "sexy times" (with constant "fun" annoying commentary) happened, so I dropped it and couldn't bring myself to finishing the book.

At this point, I'm not interested in the great mystery anymore, whatever the heck it was, time machine, ghost from the future or the past, mad fairies - I couldn't care less.
Profile Image for Bonnie G..
1,820 reviews431 followers
May 7, 2025
Going 3.5 on this. I loved both of the lead characters, Susie and Lars and the 2 major side characters Cleo and Tor. I loved the book's rejection of the idea of fate. The leads find a mysterious document that indicates their future would be bad, and though the mystery of the document guides them in many directions it becomes clear that it does not matter. The characters had free will and so the ghostly harbinger of doom is a trifle and they realize that success as a couple is not a matter of fate, it is a decision one makes every day. I was invested in this couple and had fun reading about them. There were a few not insignificant issues though. The first was the extremely thorough description of every outfit Susie donned. It was just irritating. I get that she loves clothes, and that is an important part of who she is, but that does not mean I need or want to hear about every fit and flare dress and chunky sandal. Relatedly, it annoyed me when she wore platform sandals on a hike -- that just made her seem stupid. An adjunct to this, I am not sure how much time Scott spends in the Seattle metro, but one thing she seems to be unaware of is that no one wears the type of clothing she describes. In Seattle "formal" means "no fleece." People often talk about how it rains all the time in Seattle, but that is not my experience, rain does not often fall in drops, rather it is almost always misty and damp so clothing that is not water resistant and/or developed for wicking sticks uncomfortably to the body. Fleece, flannel, nylon, these are your best choices. The second major issue was how underwritten Susie's ex/Lars' BFF was, His actions are central to the story, and they do not make any sense. Also his mother, who is only briefly in the story, is absurd and behaves like no one, ever. Finally for now, there is a lot of repetition in the relationship hurdles storyline and it could/should have been edited out. With the found pages Scott could have given a little more backstory about Aunt Susan and the hinted at woowoo and also fleshed out the toxic relationships with the ex/bff a bit more and the whole story would have worked better. Still, overall I really enjoyed the read even if I was sort of over it before the end.
Profile Image for Mary.
2,249 reviews611 followers
April 9, 2023
My Spice Rating: 🌶🌶.5/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

I can't actually remember what made me decide to read End of Story by Kylie Scott but I'm sure glad I did. I found the audiobook on my library's Hoopla and had to download it, not knowing the type of romance that this author usually writes. While there is definitely steam, it is only a couple of scenes and while they are DEF spicy, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I adored the beginning of the book and having a divorce certificate hidden in the wall when Lars and Susie aren't even DATING was such a fun and unique touch. I loved loved loved how the book ended as well, and I'm glad Scott included the prequel Beginning of the End in the pages after End of Story. It was also included in the audiobook, and it's so nice when you don't have to go digging for related novellas.

The audiobook is narrated by Andi Arndt who just so happens to be someone I am quite fond of, and she made for an excellent narrator for this story. She fit my idea of what Susie would sound like, and she breathed the perfect amount of life into both Susie and the rest of the characters. Susie and Lars have some excellent banter and I really enjoyed Scott’s writing, like a lot. The thing that would have attracted me to End of Story in the first place would be the cover, and I love it when steamy romances have illustrated covers. I just am not a fan of the normal covers for these types of books, but give me an adorable, illustrated cover and I am picking it right up. If she comes out with more novels like this, I would definitely read them. If you enjoy steamy romance (while still being on the tamer side than some) with lots of funny moments and heart, this is the one!
Profile Image for Shannon.
8,298 reviews423 followers
February 15, 2023
I really enjoyed this opposites attract romance between Susie, who's just inherited a fixer upper from her dead Aunt, and Lars, the contractor and her ex's best friend. The unique plot wherein the two find divorce papers in the wall of the house dated ten years in the future had me flipping the pages so fast to figure out what would happen.

Great on audio too. If you're looking for something a little different with a bit of magical realism I highly recommend this one, especially for fans of authors like Roselle Lim, Holly James or Hannah Orenstein. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Profile Image for Kasia (kasikowykurz).
2,420 reviews62 followers
October 4, 2024
To było w głównej mierze urocze, ale czegoś mi zabrakło. Nie jestem też wielką fanką realizmu magicznego, ten element zawsze trochę psuje mi historię. Poza tym dobrze się słuchało, lubię pióro Kylie i dobrze było wrócić, choć ta historia tak bardzo różni się od tych, które już słuchałam, że kilka razy sprawdzałam, czy to na pewno ta sama autorka. Do tego dostałam wyraziste postacie, które łatwo polubić i zgrabnie napisaną historię. Może i między nami nie zaskoczyło, ale naprawdę przyjemnie spędziłam czas :)
Profile Image for Eline.
316 reviews44 followers
June 26, 2024
Volledig vergeten te zeggen dat ik dit boek uit heb.

Dit was. Zo raar??? Het werkelijke plot (de hoofdpersonen vinden hun scheidingsakte terwijl ze niet eens getrouwd zijn) was niet helemaal my cup of tea, en dat is al niet een heel goed vertrekpunt. De vertaling was ook een beetje typisch (ze drinken honingdrank (ik vermoed mede?) en alcoholische ijsdrank (ik gok Long Island iced tea?), en eten honingijs met maïskoekjes (I've got nothing)), en de vibes waren all around gewoon niet voor mij.

Ik las dit net iets te lang geleden om er nog een langere review van te maken, dus laten we dit maar mooi samenvatten met: blegh.

Maar! Ik ben wel blij dat ik dit boek gelezen heb, want hierdoor is er een groepsapp ontstaan om een beetje te klagen over hoe raar dit boek was, en de mensen in die app zijn nu hele goeie vrienden van me. 10/10, goeie ervaring. Dus als er automatisch drie goeie vrienden bij dit boek komen, dan is het zeker wel een aanrader!
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