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Words I Should Have Said
After an unexpected breakup, Rosie Dawson jumps into bed with her favorite friend-with-benefits: her best friend's younger brother, Callum. Rosie isn't looking for anything more than a distraction, so why does she keep finding her thoughts drifting back to him weeks later?
Callum Costello has never had any interest in a serious relationship, that is until Rosie shows up at his doorstep. As his sister's best friend, anything more than a hookup with Rosie is off limits. Given his history as the playboy, that should be fine. The only problem? For the first time in his life, Callum finds himself wanting more.
With Elena's, Rosie's best friend and Callum's sister's wedding quickly approaching, Callum and Rosie suddenly find themselves forced together more often than they have been in the last decade. She's the Maid of Honor, he's the Best Man, love is in the air, but absolutely no one has feelings for each other...What could possibly go wrong?
Callum Costello has never had any interest in a serious relationship, that is until Rosie shows up at his doorstep. As his sister's best friend, anything more than a hookup with Rosie is off limits. Given his history as the playboy, that should be fine. The only problem? For the first time in his life, Callum finds himself wanting more.
With Elena's, Rosie's best friend and Callum's sister's wedding quickly approaching, Callum and Rosie suddenly find themselves forced together more often than they have been in the last decade. She's the Maid of Honor, he's the Best Man, love is in the air, but absolutely no one has feelings for each other...What could possibly go wrong?
422 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2024
2 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 28, 2024
This book was everything in more. I was a BETA reader for this book and I honestly feel like I fell more in love with it the second read!! I don’t often come across books with much LGBTQIA+ representation (but I will admit I don’t actively seek them out either - I usually pick a book and read it without even reading the blurb!) but this book’s representation was amazing. The character development was top tier as well!! I will say - I am NOT a huge fan of third person writing because I like to relate to characters and act as if I’m the fmc (oops) but Stephanie blew it out of the park with the third person writing. Rosie is so relatable, and honestly this book kind of opened up my mind to reading more third person in the future!! One main thing I absolutely adored in this book was the friendship between Rosie, Noah, and Elena. I love strong, meaningful friendships and this book portrayed that beautifully. I would 100% read again. So honored to have been an ARC reader for this book (my first one as well!!). So excited to see what Stephanie releases in the future!!
Edit: Please note: I don’t give out 5-stars lightly (I’ve read a bajillion books and have only given THREE 5-stars out (including this one now!!)). Really loved this book 🥺
Edit: Please note: I don’t give out 5-stars lightly (I’ve read a bajillion books and have only given THREE 5-stars out (including this one now!!)). Really loved this book 🥺
October 3, 2024
(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review)
Stephanie Lynn Bellis's debut novel "Words I Should Have Said" is a heartfelt exploration of love, identity, and the complexities of relationships. Bellis's writing style is luminous, flows easily and evokes a profound sense of intimacy that draws readers into the inner worlds of her characters to which you feel a strong attachment to.
"Words I Should Have Said" navigates the complexities of friends with benefits with a deft and compassionate touch. The author skillfully explores the intricacies of love, portraying the myriad emotions and challenges that accompany it. From the exhilarating rush of new romance to the quiet moments of intimacy and understanding, Bellis delves deep into the hearts of her characters, revealing their vulnerabilities and desires with honesty and empathy.
What sets Bellis's portrayal apart is the characters in her book that are multifaceted, each with their own struggles, triumphs, and moments of vulnerability. Through their experiences, Bellis offers a nuanced exploration of the LGBTQ spectrum, showcasing the richness and diversity of queer identities.
Furthermore, Bellis's compassionate approach to storytelling imbues the narrative with a sense of hope and resilience. Amidst the trials and tribulations faced by her characters, there is a profound sense of solidarity and community.
In conclusion, "Words I Should Have Said" is a luminous testament to Stephanie Lynn Bellis's talent as a writer. The author invites readers to explore the complexities of human connection, reminding us of the universal truths that bind us all together. With its authentic characters, poignant moments, and unwavering hope, this book serves as a reminder of the transformative power of love, leaving a lasting imprint on the hearts of those who turn its pages.
Stephanie Lynn Bellis's debut novel "Words I Should Have Said" is a heartfelt exploration of love, identity, and the complexities of relationships. Bellis's writing style is luminous, flows easily and evokes a profound sense of intimacy that draws readers into the inner worlds of her characters to which you feel a strong attachment to.
"Words I Should Have Said" navigates the complexities of friends with benefits with a deft and compassionate touch. The author skillfully explores the intricacies of love, portraying the myriad emotions and challenges that accompany it. From the exhilarating rush of new romance to the quiet moments of intimacy and understanding, Bellis delves deep into the hearts of her characters, revealing their vulnerabilities and desires with honesty and empathy.
What sets Bellis's portrayal apart is the characters in her book that are multifaceted, each with their own struggles, triumphs, and moments of vulnerability. Through their experiences, Bellis offers a nuanced exploration of the LGBTQ spectrum, showcasing the richness and diversity of queer identities.
Furthermore, Bellis's compassionate approach to storytelling imbues the narrative with a sense of hope and resilience. Amidst the trials and tribulations faced by her characters, there is a profound sense of solidarity and community.
In conclusion, "Words I Should Have Said" is a luminous testament to Stephanie Lynn Bellis's talent as a writer. The author invites readers to explore the complexities of human connection, reminding us of the universal truths that bind us all together. With its authentic characters, poignant moments, and unwavering hope, this book serves as a reminder of the transformative power of love, leaving a lasting imprint on the hearts of those who turn its pages.
May 29, 2024
he has long hair and tattoos and my brain isn’t supposed to AUTOMATICALLY picture lhh?? be ffr.
(ALSO MY FRIEND WROTE THIS BOOK GO READ ITTTTTT)
(ALSO MY FRIEND WROTE THIS BOOK GO READ ITTTTTT)
Read
April 30, 2024beta read last fall but so excited to purchase the final product 🤭 longtime friend = A PUBLISHED AUTHOR WOOHOO
July 26, 2024
My first smut book!!!! LOVED X A MILLION!!! Such an amazing debut novel, I laughed and I cried and I felt longing and hope in my spirit <3 this book made me feel human, soo good! So proud of you Steph ;)
May 26, 2024
4! Honestly I loved the characters and the lgbtq representation in this book, I loved Callum LOVED CALLUM! But I think I couldn’t really relate to the characters the way I wanted to as much and it made me feel disconnected from the story! The spicy in this book was TOP TIER!!!! Overall, I did enjoy this book, I would honestly read it again and recommend it to a friend because it didn’t make me feel all giggly! Thank you so much Stephanie, for giving me your arc and allowing me to read and review it!!!
April 30, 2024
“it was that everytime i touched her, i was reminded that she was real, that she was here, and that she was mine.”
oo the most all-consuming book, i was absolutely foaming at the mouth for callum and rosie + could not stop giggling and kicking my feet. i just need to be wrapped up with callum forever!!!!! this book absolutely destroyed and simultaneously healed me. i need more of these characters forever and ever :’)))) i am revived i am a woman anew cleared my skin saved me from a burning building etc etc
oo the most all-consuming book, i was absolutely foaming at the mouth for callum and rosie + could not stop giggling and kicking my feet. i just need to be wrapped up with callum forever!!!!! this book absolutely destroyed and simultaneously healed me. i need more of these characters forever and ever :’)))) i am revived i am a woman anew cleared my skin saved me from a burning building etc etc
April 30, 2024
MY SISTER WROTE A BOOK!!!!!!!! PLEASEEEEEE READ IT WHEN IT COMES OUT THIS SUMMER!!! AHHHHH SO PROUD 💗
May 29, 2024
Words I Should Have Said
Book 1, Lowcountry Love Stories
5 ⭐️, 3.5🔥
I received this ARC from @writingbyslbellis at the start of the month… didn’t have time to read it in full but wanted to take a quick peek at Stephanie’s writing style. A five minute detour resulted in all the things I had scheduled that day being put on the back burner and I was sooo deep I was not coming up for air ‘til reading this little gem was done and dusted!
Words I Should Have Said has quickly become one of my current fav romance reads of 2024. I found myself chuckling repeatedly… and that was just in the first couple of chapters.
My kindle notes are extensive, a whole lot of me talking to myself and the characters - “same girl, I feel that, that's so real!” 😅
In Rosie, I commiserated and resonated with the newly single girl vibes, the confused outrage, the relief of finally being free once the burn of betrayal dies down, the realisation of holding on too long when that “someone” had been causing you to diminish your sparkle so they didn't feel badly about being on a completely different vibration. I’ve been there, I just wanted to drink along with Rosie and her girls. They reminded me of my friends and I all that time ago when I was that same single girl 🫶🏻
This FMC is feisty and open - she's a whole lotta spunky sass and sweetness intertwined. I adored the LGBTQIA+ rep amongst the characters, and felt seen in a beautifully organic kinda way.
I could wax lyrical about the woman but there’s not enough room on an Instagram post and I’d be giving way too much away! 🤣
The chemistry between the two MCs is on another level altogether… there is such a comfortability, and easiness - even when things get tense - to the way they ebb and flow within one another’s orbit. It was just all so natural! Sweet! Relatable! Moreish! I was so invested that when I went back to review a couple of days prior to posting this, I was scrolling through my annotations and found myself naturally falling back into reading the book all over again. And I did not mind it at all!
Good to note... The spice doesn't get old, not on the first read or the second, if anything - like intimacy with a long-term lover it just gets better! 🥵
This is no dark kink fest, but it is real, it is well written in the most beautifully framed way and there is the perfect amount of spice… ya know, I even got flustered a couple of times which is not like me at all! No not me… never!🤣
Now… Callum, oh dear me Callum! What a deliciously alternative specimen of man… he can just come live in my pocket forever - with Rosie of course! He delighted me repeatedly, and even when I messaged him on the kindle telling him off for a choice he made, I still adored the pants off of him! If Callum could be a bestie, I’d sign up… and as a book boyfriend, he is now on my listed top ten because he is just that freakin’ appealing!
From what I’ve seen thus far, Stephanie Lynn Bellis has this precious gift… her ability to create and expand such an intense urge/likability for her characters is absolutely epic! I wanted to live in this story and join these amazing people, make friends, found family and be merry. And knowing that this is the first of a future series of romance novels makes me so, so, sooo seriously excited because I know I'm going to be lining up to read the second they drop. Stephanie… I’m always here and happy to ARC or do anything for you going forward, it has been an absolute pleasure!
Oh… and guys, she, the author, Stephanie… is an absolute treasure of a human!
Thanks for being so kind and ever so patient in our countless emails back and forth over the Kindle debacle 🤣 Many would have just given up, but you basically helped desk’d it with me! And thank goodness you did, otherwise I wouldn't have experienced your creation.
What a legend ✨
Words I Should Have Said now holds a special place, tied sweetly with a jade bow, to my heartstrings. And that my bookish besties, is the gift that keeps on giving 💜
✨Words I Should Have Said✨Available June 4th✨
Amazon PRE-ORDER: https://a.co/d/0YQxV44
Follow, Like, Share ands Support our girl @writingbyslbellis ✨
Debut Blessings lovely💋
🍃For a sneak peak at my take on Rosie and Callum, pop on over to my bookstagram - LINK in Bio!
Book 1, Lowcountry Love Stories
5 ⭐️, 3.5🔥
I received this ARC from @writingbyslbellis at the start of the month… didn’t have time to read it in full but wanted to take a quick peek at Stephanie’s writing style. A five minute detour resulted in all the things I had scheduled that day being put on the back burner and I was sooo deep I was not coming up for air ‘til reading this little gem was done and dusted!
Words I Should Have Said has quickly become one of my current fav romance reads of 2024. I found myself chuckling repeatedly… and that was just in the first couple of chapters.
My kindle notes are extensive, a whole lot of me talking to myself and the characters - “same girl, I feel that, that's so real!” 😅
In Rosie, I commiserated and resonated with the newly single girl vibes, the confused outrage, the relief of finally being free once the burn of betrayal dies down, the realisation of holding on too long when that “someone” had been causing you to diminish your sparkle so they didn't feel badly about being on a completely different vibration. I’ve been there, I just wanted to drink along with Rosie and her girls. They reminded me of my friends and I all that time ago when I was that same single girl 🫶🏻
This FMC is feisty and open - she's a whole lotta spunky sass and sweetness intertwined. I adored the LGBTQIA+ rep amongst the characters, and felt seen in a beautifully organic kinda way.
I could wax lyrical about the woman but there’s not enough room on an Instagram post and I’d be giving way too much away! 🤣
The chemistry between the two MCs is on another level altogether… there is such a comfortability, and easiness - even when things get tense - to the way they ebb and flow within one another’s orbit. It was just all so natural! Sweet! Relatable! Moreish! I was so invested that when I went back to review a couple of days prior to posting this, I was scrolling through my annotations and found myself naturally falling back into reading the book all over again. And I did not mind it at all!
Good to note... The spice doesn't get old, not on the first read or the second, if anything - like intimacy with a long-term lover it just gets better! 🥵
This is no dark kink fest, but it is real, it is well written in the most beautifully framed way and there is the perfect amount of spice… ya know, I even got flustered a couple of times which is not like me at all! No not me… never!🤣
Now… Callum, oh dear me Callum! What a deliciously alternative specimen of man… he can just come live in my pocket forever - with Rosie of course! He delighted me repeatedly, and even when I messaged him on the kindle telling him off for a choice he made, I still adored the pants off of him! If Callum could be a bestie, I’d sign up… and as a book boyfriend, he is now on my listed top ten because he is just that freakin’ appealing!
From what I’ve seen thus far, Stephanie Lynn Bellis has this precious gift… her ability to create and expand such an intense urge/likability for her characters is absolutely epic! I wanted to live in this story and join these amazing people, make friends, found family and be merry. And knowing that this is the first of a future series of romance novels makes me so, so, sooo seriously excited because I know I'm going to be lining up to read the second they drop. Stephanie… I’m always here and happy to ARC or do anything for you going forward, it has been an absolute pleasure!
Oh… and guys, she, the author, Stephanie… is an absolute treasure of a human!
Thanks for being so kind and ever so patient in our countless emails back and forth over the Kindle debacle 🤣 Many would have just given up, but you basically helped desk’d it with me! And thank goodness you did, otherwise I wouldn't have experienced your creation.
What a legend ✨
Words I Should Have Said now holds a special place, tied sweetly with a jade bow, to my heartstrings. And that my bookish besties, is the gift that keeps on giving 💜
✨Words I Should Have Said✨Available June 4th✨
Amazon PRE-ORDER: https://a.co/d/0YQxV44
Follow, Like, Share ands Support our girl @writingbyslbellis ✨
Debut Blessings lovely💋
🍃For a sneak peak at my take on Rosie and Callum, pop on over to my bookstagram - LINK in Bio!
June 5, 2024
I would have been a beta reader for this book had I had the time to, but it can be pretty hard for me to read sometimes, especially if it feels like required reading for me. If I can’t get into a book, or if it’s slow-going, it will take me a while to finish or I won’t finish it at all.
That being said, I COULD NOT put this book down. I needed to keep reading because I NEEDED to know what would happen between Rosie and Callum. S. L. Bellis’s imagery is so clear to me that it was not hard at all to imagine exactly everything that was happening.
I’ve been interested and invested in Rosie and Callum’s story ever since the book’s announcement, and I’d been anxiously waiting to be able to click that button and send it right to my kindle library. And this is not usually a genre I read because I find that a lot of it can be cringy and unrealistic and just not written in a way that appeals to me, but this book was NONE of that.
There’s also a lot of books with LGBTQ+ representation just to have that representation, but Bellis actually understands what it means to have LGBTQ+ representation in a book.
Overall, “Words I Should Have Said” is an easy-flowing, wonderful read that you will not be able to put down. Excited for when book two comes out! ;)
That being said, I COULD NOT put this book down. I needed to keep reading because I NEEDED to know what would happen between Rosie and Callum. S. L. Bellis’s imagery is so clear to me that it was not hard at all to imagine exactly everything that was happening.
I’ve been interested and invested in Rosie and Callum’s story ever since the book’s announcement, and I’d been anxiously waiting to be able to click that button and send it right to my kindle library. And this is not usually a genre I read because I find that a lot of it can be cringy and unrealistic and just not written in a way that appeals to me, but this book was NONE of that.
There’s also a lot of books with LGBTQ+ representation just to have that representation, but Bellis actually understands what it means to have LGBTQ+ representation in a book.
Overall, “Words I Should Have Said” is an easy-flowing, wonderful read that you will not be able to put down. Excited for when book two comes out! ;)
April 30, 2024
So excited for this!!
May 28, 2024
I absolutely loved this read!
December 21, 2024
bisexuals should rule the world actually
December 28, 2024
It broke me. It healed me. HE WROTE A MANUSCRIPT!!! Shut up. Perfectly written. Makes me believe in love and feel worthy!!! I will never recover. I LOVED this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2024
𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹𝓈 𝐼 𝒮𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝐻𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒮𝒶𝒾𝒹 - 5 stars ⋆✮⋆
-𝕤𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤-
Rosemary Dawson’s ex has been cheating on her - for a year!!! Rather than wallow in self pity, she decides to seek revenge in the form of her well-acquainted friends with benefits, Callum Costello. As neither of them have ever wanted anything serious, it couldn’t hurt, right?? Perhaps not…
Read and find out! 🤭
-𝕞𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤-
If it’s not already obvious from my star rating, I absolutely adored WISHS!!! This book checks all of the rom-com boxes. It is laugh out loud funny, intoxicatingly spicy, incredibly heartwarming and full to the brim with loveable characters. This also has a super conversational tone, so it feels like you’re reading about your besties life. Plus, it’s wonderfully LGBTQIA+ positive (as all things should be). What more could we ever want?!
It would be WRONG not to mention the tension because just wow!!! The flirtation, the non-committal hook/up dynamic, the man Callum Costello himself with his long curly locks and tats!!! This book had me WEAK at the knees and quite frankly - giddy…
I also found Rosie to be such an endearing FMP. She has such a magnetic aura, and I just love that she finds comfort in girlypop things like She’s The Man!
All in all, I really can’t praise this enough - go buy it on June 4th and thank you for the ARC @writingbyslbellis 🥂🌅👩❤️💋👨
-𝕤𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤-
Rosemary Dawson’s ex has been cheating on her - for a year!!! Rather than wallow in self pity, she decides to seek revenge in the form of her well-acquainted friends with benefits, Callum Costello. As neither of them have ever wanted anything serious, it couldn’t hurt, right?? Perhaps not…
Read and find out! 🤭
-𝕞𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤-
If it’s not already obvious from my star rating, I absolutely adored WISHS!!! This book checks all of the rom-com boxes. It is laugh out loud funny, intoxicatingly spicy, incredibly heartwarming and full to the brim with loveable characters. This also has a super conversational tone, so it feels like you’re reading about your besties life. Plus, it’s wonderfully LGBTQIA+ positive (as all things should be). What more could we ever want?!
It would be WRONG not to mention the tension because just wow!!! The flirtation, the non-committal hook/up dynamic, the man Callum Costello himself with his long curly locks and tats!!! This book had me WEAK at the knees and quite frankly - giddy…
I also found Rosie to be such an endearing FMP. She has such a magnetic aura, and I just love that she finds comfort in girlypop things like She’s The Man!
All in all, I really can’t praise this enough - go buy it on June 4th and thank you for the ARC @writingbyslbellis 🥂🌅👩❤️💋👨
May 7, 2024
Simply put… I loved this love story! There were some unexpected turns and no lack of steamy moments. One of my personal faves about this book is the characters are so easy to fall in love with that you find yourself rooting for them!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews