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After the Shut Up Ring
shut up ring (noun) – a marriage proposal meant to get you off his back, intended to last indefinitely
I waited eight years to marry the father of my children.
I worked at our relationship. I was patient. I forgave—the thoughtless remarks, the disappointments, the test results when I was expecting our youngest that proved he hadn’t been “working late.”
Then, when we finally made it to the altar, he looked deep into my eyes, smiled, and cracked a fat joke.
That wasn’t the worst of it.
His vows weren’t a promise to love. They were a final test of exactly what I’d do to get his ring on my finger—what I’d take—in front of family, friends, and their cell phones.
Was I going to be internet famous? Another sad bride who must’ve known the kind of man she was marrying?
My two little girls stared up at me with big, round eyes. Was I really going to laugh it off like I always did?
In that moment, my house of cards came crashing down.
When the moment was over, for some reason, my best friend’s older brother was on his feet with his chair knocked over like he was about to punch someone.
This is the story of what happened next.
Please check the author’s note for specific content warnings. Standalone. No cheating. HEA guaranteed.
I waited eight years to marry the father of my children.
I worked at our relationship. I was patient. I forgave—the thoughtless remarks, the disappointments, the test results when I was expecting our youngest that proved he hadn’t been “working late.”
Then, when we finally made it to the altar, he looked deep into my eyes, smiled, and cracked a fat joke.
That wasn’t the worst of it.
His vows weren’t a promise to love. They were a final test of exactly what I’d do to get his ring on my finger—what I’d take—in front of family, friends, and their cell phones.
Was I going to be internet famous? Another sad bride who must’ve known the kind of man she was marrying?
My two little girls stared up at me with big, round eyes. Was I really going to laugh it off like I always did?
In that moment, my house of cards came crashing down.
When the moment was over, for some reason, my best friend’s older brother was on his feet with his chair knocked over like he was about to punch someone.
This is the story of what happened next.
Please check the author’s note for specific content warnings. Standalone. No cheating. HEA guaranteed.
254 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2024
1270 people are currently reading
3247 people want to read
About the author
Cate C. Wells
28 books2,906 followersCATE C. WELLS writes gut-wrenching paranormal and contemporary romance. Whatever the world, readers can expect character-driven stories that are raw, real, and emotionally satisfying. Cate's into messy love, flaws, long roads to redemption, grace, and happy ever after, in fiction and in life.
As well as books, Cate has collected a husband, two daughters, and a cat along the way. She lives in Baltimore when she’s not out exploring with the family.
Want a heads up on new releases and bonus content? Sign up for Cate's newsletter at catecwells.com
Facebook: @catecwells
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Bookbub: @catecwells
As well as books, Cate has collected a husband, two daughters, and a cat along the way. She lives in Baltimore when she’s not out exploring with the family.
Want a heads up on new releases and bonus content? Sign up for Cate's newsletter at catecwells.com
Facebook: @catecwells
IG: @authorcatecwells
TT: @authorcatecwells
Threads: @authorcatecwells
Bookbub: @catecwells
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 524 reviews
May 26, 2024
3.5 It Feels Terrifying and New Stars ⭐
“They say that marriage is give and take,” he continues. “I promise to give it to you hard and take your shit with a smile, and if I can’t, to gather your shit up for you and dump it on the lawn. Like a gentleman.”
Could you love a bigger douche than the one Angie is about to marry? Apart from being a sperm donor, her husband to be has provided nothing but heartache. Yet in one pivotal moment, Angie finds the strength to walk away. Now she's a struggling single mother, except her best friend's brother Brandon is salivating at the opportunity to be hers.
You’re fucking it for me, Angie. If I’m your rebound, it’ll kill me.” He tilts his head back and stares at the ceiling. “It’d kill me, but I still wouldn’t regret this,” he says to the light fixture. “Not ever.”
I adore how this author pens love stories between wholesome blue collar heroes and maidens in distress. Throw in a few kids, and you have a winning combination. After the Shut Up Ring certainly fit the bill however it never really ignited. The budding relationship between Angie and Brandon was tender and sweet and the care he bestowed on her little daughters was heartwarming. The romance itself was mundane.
Now to my reservations. Angie has a secret. Actually it's an STD which for me just placed a cloud of gloom over the whole future. Not because two people in love can't get past this, but it consumed my thoughts. The dynamics, how unsexy it was and why it would be included in the story. I get it's real life but combined with an almost lackluster story, it didn't win me over.
“They say that marriage is give and take,” he continues. “I promise to give it to you hard and take your shit with a smile, and if I can’t, to gather your shit up for you and dump it on the lawn. Like a gentleman.”
Could you love a bigger douche than the one Angie is about to marry? Apart from being a sperm donor, her husband to be has provided nothing but heartache. Yet in one pivotal moment, Angie finds the strength to walk away. Now she's a struggling single mother, except her best friend's brother Brandon is salivating at the opportunity to be hers.
You’re fucking it for me, Angie. If I’m your rebound, it’ll kill me.” He tilts his head back and stares at the ceiling. “It’d kill me, but I still wouldn’t regret this,” he says to the light fixture. “Not ever.”
I adore how this author pens love stories between wholesome blue collar heroes and maidens in distress. Throw in a few kids, and you have a winning combination. After the Shut Up Ring certainly fit the bill however it never really ignited. The budding relationship between Angie and Brandon was tender and sweet and the care he bestowed on her little daughters was heartwarming. The romance itself was mundane.
Now to my reservations. Angie has a secret. Actually it's an STD which for me just placed a cloud of gloom over the whole future. Not because two people in love can't get past this, but it consumed my thoughts. The dynamics, how unsexy it was and why it would be included in the story. I get it's real life but combined with an almost lackluster story, it didn't win me over.
May 27, 2024
2.5 stars.
I’m really sad to be rating this book so low. However, I think in the effort to tell a specific story, the author majorly failed to write a book that is actually enjoyable. This isn’t a long book, but I had a lot of trouble keeping focused. I had absolutely zero desire to keep reading for the majority of the story, but kept pushing myself because I really wanted to see the heroine grow a backbone and get her HEA. Sadly, that barely even happens.
This book is about Angie, a young mother to two girls, who has been beat down by life and her ex, Tyler. To say that she’s the epitome of weak heroine, is an understatement. She’s essentially a battered woman - although I don’t think Tyler was ever physically abusive, he was extremely emotionally and financially abusive. She was convinced that she couldn’t do better than him, so she held on to him for dear life. She has been taking all his shit for years, when she finally grows about an inch of backbone at their wedding and refuses to marry him. Sadly, it’s only after he’s said some really nasty shit in his vows to her, in front of witnesses and their two girls.
The hero, Brandon, has been in love with the heroine for most of his life. He’s her best friend’s brother and they grew up together. He has spent years pining for her, and has watched from the sidelines as she was treated like garbage for years by Tyler. He got drunk before her wedding because he didn’t want to watch her marry another man. Brandon is a great guy, but it sometimes felt like the author wrote him to be too good, but at the same time, he’s dumber than a box of rocks. This guy truly just had about two brain cells firing throughout most of the story, I just wanted him to be a little less… simple.
Back to the heroine for now… after her extreme (and single) show of bravery, she goes back to being the beaten down woman. She doesn’t talk back, she doesn’t stand up for herself, she doesn’t expect anything. She’s also not very bright because she has a shared bank account with Tyler. When Tyler drains that shared account one night, she says nothing to him for a very long time. She basically just pretends like it never happened. She finally gets up the courage to say something to him, AT 90%, she immediately backs down and cowers because he starts flinging insults. It’s at 90% of the way through the book that I realized the author really had very little intension of changing this heroine’s behavior on page. When she finally FINALLY decides she’s had enough… she doesn’t confront Tyler. No, she decides to take a carton of eggs to his house and egg his car. He steps outside and she hits him once before running. What a brave girl. /s
Beyond that, the heroine doesn’t speak up when her dickhead ex brings their girls back early, when he yells at them for spilling juice in his truck, when he doesn’t show up for scheduled pickups at all. She’s got absolutely zero mama bear in her, she just allows Tyler to treat both her and the girls like crap.
I just wanted the heroine to show some spine on page. Sadly, the only person she showed spine against was poor Brandon, a man who has treated her with nothing but kindness. I think I lost all respect for the heroine during the last 10% of this book. First she allows Tyler to beat her down with his words, then she turns around and goes off on Brandon, and then when she finally realizes that Tyler was wrong, she eggs a car. 🥴 Yes she apologizes to Brandon, but I just felt so done at that point. The book basically finished after her apology and there’s a short epilogue. The author didn’t do much to make me believe in their HEA or in the heroine’s growth.
A few more things…
1. This book is a TON of telling instead of showing. It’s like 80% inner monologue. And the heroine’s inner monologue is depressing as fuck. She largely just insults herself and questions her own worth. I needed to see more progression in her self-esteem to believe in any kind of happy ending.
2. The MCs really didn’t spend a ton of time on page together. They already knew each other and had a history that we got a glimpse of in the hero’s thoughts and memories. However, present day, it all felt too fast and once again, it’s a lot of the author telling us about their time together rather than showing it.
3. The heroine has HSV2. I didn’t mind this part of the story, but I didn’t love it either. It’s a lot of reality for a romance book. And I don’t always love reality.
4. The heroine’s positive status is treated with care, but also not. I really couldn’t get behind the hero googling the diagnosis in front of her for 5 minutes and then immediately jumping in bed with her. He really should have taken a night to do proper research before just deciding that he didn’t care. The heroine should have given him space after telling him. He knew practically NOTHING about herpes before the heroine told him she had it. TBH, I think the author almost made it so this guy, who I’m already convinced isn’t too bright, just doesn’t understand what he’s agreeing to. No, herpes isn’t a death sentence and plenty of people have it, and I’m sure the hero would have ultimately made the same choice, but that scene just felt so… wrong. The author could have written that in a thousand better ways!
That’s about it, although I might add more as I think of things. I think my personal outtake is that the author wanted to tell this story, got bogged down with how depressing it was and decided to just cut her losses. That’s why the final 10% was just rushed and a bit of a letdown. I think this story and these characters needed more care taken when writing them, to make this actually the good story it had the potential to be.
SWE
▫️Hero and heroine have know each other all their lives and both had some feelings, although the hero has been in love with her for a long time
▫️Heroine was with ex for (7/8 years) and has two kids with him
▫️Heroine positive for HSV2 because she was cheated on while pregnant by her ex
▫️Hero’s past mentioned in passing but there’s not much to it, he’s had hookups and his longest relationship is called a situationship and lasted 6 months before he was ghosted.
▫️OM drama from heroine’s ex, but he’s not trying to get her back. He’s just nasty and tries to ruin everything for her constantly.
▫️No OW drama
▫️No cheating between MCs
I’m really sad to be rating this book so low. However, I think in the effort to tell a specific story, the author majorly failed to write a book that is actually enjoyable. This isn’t a long book, but I had a lot of trouble keeping focused. I had absolutely zero desire to keep reading for the majority of the story, but kept pushing myself because I really wanted to see the heroine grow a backbone and get her HEA. Sadly, that barely even happens.
This book is about Angie, a young mother to two girls, who has been beat down by life and her ex, Tyler. To say that she’s the epitome of weak heroine, is an understatement. She’s essentially a battered woman - although I don’t think Tyler was ever physically abusive, he was extremely emotionally and financially abusive. She was convinced that she couldn’t do better than him, so she held on to him for dear life. She has been taking all his shit for years, when she finally grows about an inch of backbone at their wedding and refuses to marry him. Sadly, it’s only after he’s said some really nasty shit in his vows to her, in front of witnesses and their two girls.
The hero, Brandon, has been in love with the heroine for most of his life. He’s her best friend’s brother and they grew up together. He has spent years pining for her, and has watched from the sidelines as she was treated like garbage for years by Tyler. He got drunk before her wedding because he didn’t want to watch her marry another man. Brandon is a great guy, but it sometimes felt like the author wrote him to be too good, but at the same time, he’s dumber than a box of rocks. This guy truly just had about two brain cells firing throughout most of the story, I just wanted him to be a little less… simple.
Back to the heroine for now… after her extreme (and single) show of bravery, she goes back to being the beaten down woman. She doesn’t talk back, she doesn’t stand up for herself, she doesn’t expect anything. She’s also not very bright because she has a shared bank account with Tyler. When Tyler drains that shared account one night, she says nothing to him for a very long time. She basically just pretends like it never happened. She finally gets up the courage to say something to him, AT 90%, she immediately backs down and cowers because he starts flinging insults. It’s at 90% of the way through the book that I realized the author really had very little intension of changing this heroine’s behavior on page. When she finally FINALLY decides she’s had enough… she doesn’t confront Tyler. No, she decides to take a carton of eggs to his house and egg his car. He steps outside and she hits him once before running. What a brave girl. /s
Beyond that, the heroine doesn’t speak up when her dickhead ex brings their girls back early, when he yells at them for spilling juice in his truck, when he doesn’t show up for scheduled pickups at all. She’s got absolutely zero mama bear in her, she just allows Tyler to treat both her and the girls like crap.
I just wanted the heroine to show some spine on page. Sadly, the only person she showed spine against was poor Brandon, a man who has treated her with nothing but kindness. I think I lost all respect for the heroine during the last 10% of this book. First she allows Tyler to beat her down with his words, then she turns around and goes off on Brandon, and then when she finally realizes that Tyler was wrong, she eggs a car. 🥴 Yes she apologizes to Brandon, but I just felt so done at that point. The book basically finished after her apology and there’s a short epilogue. The author didn’t do much to make me believe in their HEA or in the heroine’s growth.
A few more things…
1. This book is a TON of telling instead of showing. It’s like 80% inner monologue. And the heroine’s inner monologue is depressing as fuck. She largely just insults herself and questions her own worth. I needed to see more progression in her self-esteem to believe in any kind of happy ending.
2. The MCs really didn’t spend a ton of time on page together. They already knew each other and had a history that we got a glimpse of in the hero’s thoughts and memories. However, present day, it all felt too fast and once again, it’s a lot of the author telling us about their time together rather than showing it.
3. The heroine has HSV2. I didn’t mind this part of the story, but I didn’t love it either. It’s a lot of reality for a romance book. And I don’t always love reality.
4. The heroine’s positive status is treated with care, but also not. I really couldn’t get behind the hero googling the diagnosis in front of her for 5 minutes and then immediately jumping in bed with her. He really should have taken a night to do proper research before just deciding that he didn’t care. The heroine should have given him space after telling him. He knew practically NOTHING about herpes before the heroine told him she had it. TBH, I think the author almost made it so this guy, who I’m already convinced isn’t too bright, just doesn’t understand what he’s agreeing to. No, herpes isn’t a death sentence and plenty of people have it, and I’m sure the hero would have ultimately made the same choice, but that scene just felt so… wrong. The author could have written that in a thousand better ways!
That’s about it, although I might add more as I think of things. I think my personal outtake is that the author wanted to tell this story, got bogged down with how depressing it was and decided to just cut her losses. That’s why the final 10% was just rushed and a bit of a letdown. I think this story and these characters needed more care taken when writing them, to make this actually the good story it had the potential to be.
SWE
▫️Hero and heroine have know each other all their lives and both had some feelings, although the hero has been in love with her for a long time
▫️Heroine was with ex for (7/8 years) and has two kids with him
▫️Heroine positive for HSV2 because she was cheated on while pregnant by her ex
▫️Hero’s past mentioned in passing but there’s not much to it, he’s had hookups and his longest relationship is called a situationship and lasted 6 months before he was ghosted.
▫️OM drama from heroine’s ex, but he’s not trying to get her back. He’s just nasty and tries to ruin everything for her constantly.
▫️No OW drama
▫️No cheating between MCs
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2024
If you've ever read a CCW book you know her characters are not well-to-do, gorgeous moisturized people with fairy tale jobs. They are flawed, nuanced and smell like motor oil and maybe, if you're lucky, off brand vanilla body spray. They have real jobs and real problems and struggles. And I freaking love it!
Angie is a mom to two preschoolers with a viciously emotionally abusive ex. She got pregnant as a teen and basically did what a lot of vulnerable women do, she chose the lesser of two evils: her boyfriend Tyler.
Brandon is a longshoreman (woot woot for blue collar heroes!) A man who leads a quiet simple life, loves his mama and whose only dream is to one day belong to Angie. He has pined for her since high school but she was already in a relationship with her horrible ex. When Angie finally has enough and dumps the flaming garbage dump that is Tyler, he shoots his shot. And we get the sweetest, slow burn of a cozy romance and yes I know it's weird to call a book that deals with some really heavy issues cozy but there's really no other way to describe the warm and fuzzies I got from reading this. Brandon is a quiet gentle soul in the streets and a little freaky freak in the sheets. He's so earnest and clueless at times and is so adorable watching him stumble his way into emotional fluency. All he wants to do is to make her happy 🥹 Angie is the girl we all know or have been, grinning and bearing it, holding up a man-child for the sake of her children and a roof over her head, slowly fighting her way out of unhealthy codependency, and trying to be the best mother she can be for her babies. Together they find their way to each other and a hard earned HEA that felt so satisfying, I sighed a happy sigh.
“I don’t want to scare you off.” “Why would you do that?” I ask, breathless. His voice drops even further, the hunger in his expression burning even darker. “Because I want to fucking wreck you.”
My only quibble is that it felt repetitive in the middle and we spent too much time in the characters head. But those things didn't take away from the brilliantly understated prose, the well developed characters and the joyful little leap my heart gave when they finally kissed.
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5
🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Childhood friends to Lovers
Single Mom
Cinnamon Roll
Slow Burn
Cinderella Vibes.
CW: check the author's note. Mentions of addiction, STI, emotional abuse, toxic parents.
I received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.
Angie is a mom to two preschoolers with a viciously emotionally abusive ex. She got pregnant as a teen and basically did what a lot of vulnerable women do, she chose the lesser of two evils: her boyfriend Tyler.
Brandon is a longshoreman (woot woot for blue collar heroes!) A man who leads a quiet simple life, loves his mama and whose only dream is to one day belong to Angie. He has pined for her since high school but she was already in a relationship with her horrible ex. When Angie finally has enough and dumps the flaming garbage dump that is Tyler, he shoots his shot. And we get the sweetest, slow burn of a cozy romance and yes I know it's weird to call a book that deals with some really heavy issues cozy but there's really no other way to describe the warm and fuzzies I got from reading this. Brandon is a quiet gentle soul in the streets and a little freaky freak in the sheets. He's so earnest and clueless at times and is so adorable watching him stumble his way into emotional fluency. All he wants to do is to make her happy 🥹 Angie is the girl we all know or have been, grinning and bearing it, holding up a man-child for the sake of her children and a roof over her head, slowly fighting her way out of unhealthy codependency, and trying to be the best mother she can be for her babies. Together they find their way to each other and a hard earned HEA that felt so satisfying, I sighed a happy sigh.
“I don’t want to scare you off.” “Why would you do that?” I ask, breathless. His voice drops even further, the hunger in his expression burning even darker. “Because I want to fucking wreck you.”
My only quibble is that it felt repetitive in the middle and we spent too much time in the characters head. But those things didn't take away from the brilliantly understated prose, the well developed characters and the joyful little leap my heart gave when they finally kissed.
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5
🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Childhood friends to Lovers
Single Mom
Cinnamon Roll
Slow Burn
Cinderella Vibes.
CW: check the author's note. Mentions of addiction, STI, emotional abuse, toxic parents.
I received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.
May 18, 2024
I really really enjoyed this one.
This author has a gift for writing about a downtrodden heroine and a devoted man and children who are part of the story not forgotten props.
The book starts with the heroine at the altar with her husband to be as he starts his vows, he's written them himself.
His vows are basically humiliating her, thinking he looks clever to the lads.
The heroine has a sad background, neglectful mum, absent father, she met a boy, grasped him as tight as she could because she had no-one. She got pregnant and now years later he is marrying her.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA.
Epilogue.
Spoiler.
After he finishes his vows, she walks away, finally standing up for herself, on the road to finally not being treated badly.
Her best friend's brother always loved her, he comes on the scene.
There is no other woman drama, a few hints dropped he's dated previously.
No intimate details of her with the fiancé, though vague comments and the fact he cheated so she caught a STD.
The book is basically the heroine seeing her worth and we see her learning to function in a healthy relationship and being used to being treated right.
SPOILER. From the author.
'This book is not going to be for everyone. It’s meant for everyone, but you might not be in the headspace, and I want to give you a heads up.
A few spoilers—Angie, the female main character, has HSV-2. She is coming out of a bad relationship, and she’s navigating visitation issues with her ex. Both main characters experienced the loss of a parent before the story begins.'
ARC. But those who read my reviews know that if I didn't like it I'd say ARC or not.
I absolutely loved this.
This is the sort of book I wanted to read again as soon as I'd finished reading it.
This author has a gift for writing about a downtrodden heroine and a devoted man and children who are part of the story not forgotten props.
The book starts with the heroine at the altar with her husband to be as he starts his vows, he's written them himself.
His vows are basically humiliating her, thinking he looks clever to the lads.
The heroine has a sad background, neglectful mum, absent father, she met a boy, grasped him as tight as she could because she had no-one. She got pregnant and now years later he is marrying her.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA.
Epilogue.
Spoiler.
After he finishes his vows, she walks away, finally standing up for herself, on the road to finally not being treated badly.
Her best friend's brother always loved her, he comes on the scene.
There is no other woman drama, a few hints dropped he's dated previously.
No intimate details of her with the fiancé, though vague comments and the fact he cheated so she caught a STD.
The book is basically the heroine seeing her worth and we see her learning to function in a healthy relationship and being used to being treated right.
SPOILER. From the author.
'This book is not going to be for everyone. It’s meant for everyone, but you might not be in the headspace, and I want to give you a heads up.
A few spoilers—Angie, the female main character, has HSV-2. She is coming out of a bad relationship, and she’s navigating visitation issues with her ex. Both main characters experienced the loss of a parent before the story begins.'
ARC. But those who read my reviews know that if I didn't like it I'd say ARC or not.
I absolutely loved this.
This is the sort of book I wanted to read again as soon as I'd finished reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2024
This was a very real and very raw love story. And I honestly don’t know how I feel about it.
In a very Cate C Wells fashion, her characters were flawed, with baggage and I loved them with all my heart. I think what I missed the most was more romance between them, more peeks into their relationship, more time with them as a couple and with the kids.
In a very Cate C Wells fashion, her characters were flawed, with baggage and I loved them with all my heart. I think what I missed the most was more romance between them, more peeks into their relationship, more time with them as a couple and with the kids.
May 25, 2024
This is a small town, single mom, “he's her best friend's brother” read. Heroine is 24, hero is 25. I don’t always like everything that Cate C Wells puts out, but I like the realism and maturity of her writing. I appreciate how her books have characters with unglamorous lives, blue collar jobs, and real problems, who deal with them in ways that feel real (as opposed to over the top dramatic). She’s kind of in the same group as Cara McKenna, in that way (but her books aren’t as spicy as Cara’s). So, I’m always going to have time for her new releases.
All that said....this was not one of my favorites from her.
This has a great premise. It seems like the author was inspired by those viral videos you see online, where there’s a wedding and a groom has vows that are douchey and disrespectful to the bride. The comments in those videos are always like “leave him!” but you never hear of that really happening. So, this book is like a fantasy of “what if the bride really DID leave him, and get a better man?”
Great idea, great opening. But then the rest of the book didn't continue that energy. Although I like a “down on her luck” heroine with insecurities and life problems, that wasn’t balanced well enough with the romance in this book. It got tedious that her insecurities were getting in the way all through the entire book, up to 90% into it.
And, although I don't mind kids in books, her worrying about them and dealing with them took up too much space. I bet this story spilled more ink about that topic than it did about the hero, and her relationship with him (maybe that's life, but that's not how a romance novel should be).
I also was expecting it to be angstier. After the good angsty beginning, the hero is just a simp for her. He's likeable, but there's no real tension with him, to keep me interested. The only tension was tedious, because it was the heroine pushing him away. I guess you could say the author's other book, Against a Wall, was like that too. But, that book did it in a way where it worked much better. It felt like this heroine was making this good guy hero pay for her terrible ex’s sins, which got annoying. This hero also felt slightly "too good to be true" and too perfect, where this author's heroes usually avoid feeling that way.
I do appreciate how this book does a rare thing in romance: one of the main characters has an STD and worries about how to tell the other and how they’ll react. So that’s rare and cool.
And, there was 1 thing that made it hard for me to like the heroine: she was a struggling single mom who had an unplanned kid as a teenager….but she had TWO kids. And the second one WAS planned, and she was also still a teenager at the time. (She had her first kid unplanned when she was like 17, and the 2nd kid planned when she was 19). I would have liked and sympathized with her so much more, if she only had 1 kid that was unplanned. Being a teen mom ON PURPOSE with no support system or financial stability is wildly irresponsible and selfish. This story does give a psychological reason why she had a planned second kid at 19 (the heroine didn’t want the first kid to be lonely growing up, the way that she was). But that still left a bad taste in my mouth, and really turned me off of liking the heroine.
This book didn’t quite land for me, but I didn’t have a terrible time reading it, and I will continue to read everything this author puts out, even though she is hit-or-miss.
All that said....this was not one of my favorites from her.
This has a great premise. It seems like the author was inspired by those viral videos you see online, where there’s a wedding and a groom has vows that are douchey and disrespectful to the bride. The comments in those videos are always like “leave him!” but you never hear of that really happening. So, this book is like a fantasy of “what if the bride really DID leave him, and get a better man?”
Great idea, great opening. But then the rest of the book didn't continue that energy. Although I like a “down on her luck” heroine with insecurities and life problems, that wasn’t balanced well enough with the romance in this book. It got tedious that her insecurities were getting in the way all through the entire book, up to 90% into it.
And, although I don't mind kids in books, her worrying about them and dealing with them took up too much space. I bet this story spilled more ink about that topic than it did about the hero, and her relationship with him (maybe that's life, but that's not how a romance novel should be).
I also was expecting it to be angstier. After the good angsty beginning, the hero is just a simp for her. He's likeable, but there's no real tension with him, to keep me interested. The only tension was tedious, because it was the heroine pushing him away. I guess you could say the author's other book, Against a Wall, was like that too. But, that book did it in a way where it worked much better. It felt like this heroine was making this good guy hero pay for her terrible ex’s sins, which got annoying. This hero also felt slightly "too good to be true" and too perfect, where this author's heroes usually avoid feeling that way.
I do appreciate how this book does a rare thing in romance: one of the main characters has an STD and worries about how to tell the other and how they’ll react. So that’s rare and cool.
And, there was 1 thing that made it hard for me to like the heroine: she was a struggling single mom who had an unplanned kid as a teenager….but she had TWO kids. And the second one WAS planned, and she was also still a teenager at the time. (She had her first kid unplanned when she was like 17, and the 2nd kid planned when she was 19). I would have liked and sympathized with her so much more, if she only had 1 kid that was unplanned. Being a teen mom ON PURPOSE with no support system or financial stability is wildly irresponsible and selfish. This story does give a psychological reason why she had a planned second kid at 19 (the heroine didn’t want the first kid to be lonely growing up, the way that she was). But that still left a bad taste in my mouth, and really turned me off of liking the heroine.
This book didn’t quite land for me, but I didn’t have a terrible time reading it, and I will continue to read everything this author puts out, even though she is hit-or-miss.
September 2, 2024
***A 2024 TOP PICK***
5 STARS!!
But I was a complete fool. I should have put my faith in CCW no matter the subject matter. This was AMAZING! And it's been forever since a book had me staying up well past my bedtime.
Brandon and Angie had me glued to the pages. They were just so genuine in their angst over each other - and this is coming from someone who despises storylines that have mc's pining for each other.😂
5 STARS!!
"I wouldn't have you any other way than how you are."Soooo . . . I love this author - hard - but when I found out about one of this book's key tropes I kept putting it on the back burner. Because ewww 🫤
But I was a complete fool. I should have put my faith in CCW no matter the subject matter. This was AMAZING! And it's been forever since a book had me staying up well past my bedtime.
Brandon and Angie had me glued to the pages. They were just so genuine in their angst over each other - and this is coming from someone who despises storylines that have mc's pining for each other.😂
It's insane to be in love with Angie Miller, even now, after all these years, but I don't know what else to call this tightness in my chest.Their fears and vulnerabilities were so vividly portrayed. I felt like I was taking every step in their relationship with them.
I want to accept what he's offering. I want to care for someone and know they care for me. I don't want to be alone.I know some people saw Angie as weak, something which is entirely valid:
She's trained as well as a whipped dog, and it fucking hurts my heart.But I LOVED how the author didn't shy away from that truth and then sold me on the premise that Angie was simply doing the best she could with the cards she was dealt.
Because wanting things - and going after what you want - is for people with nets under their tightropes.And then there was Brandon and his struggle to understand and woo Angie.
I don't need her to be anything other than herself, and I don't want her to soft-pedal it when she's mad because my ego can't handle a woman talking back.His efforts completely warmed my heart . . .
How do you make someone trust you?. . . and rang true with his values and thought process.
I don't want to buy her. But I do want to take care of her.Honestly, I bought the story hook, line and sinker, including the spoiler above and I cheered for Angie and Brandon every step of the way.
I want to stay right here, huddled against his chest, tucked under his chin. Forever.Gah, me too! Their love goes down on record as one of my favorites of the year!
It feels precious.
It feels right.
And as delicate as glass.
May 24, 2024
*Re-read 5/24, I’m still smiling, it’s just so sweet*
“Throw the whole damn man away”
I don’t know how else to describe this book besides “quiet romance”, is that a thing? Can we make it a thing? This book was so so sweet. For such a simple plot the characters are nuanced in such a way you feel like you know them. Angie could be your cousin, your neighbor or the girl checking you out at Stop n Shop. Miss Dawn could be your mom’s best friend. Brandon was such a sweet simple guy. He loved Angie and pined over her for years, he silently seethed watching her with douchey Tyler for 8 long years. Watched her have his kids, watched her be cheated on and finally be embarrassed at the alter. Angie was such a wonderful character, it was so great to read about her learning her worth after years of emotional abuse, how her thoughts meander between what is true about her and what Tyler made her think. All the conflicts were true to life and conversations organic and real. I will always read anything Cate writes but this one felt truly special. ♥️
“Throw the whole damn man away”
I don’t know how else to describe this book besides “quiet romance”, is that a thing? Can we make it a thing? This book was so so sweet. For such a simple plot the characters are nuanced in such a way you feel like you know them. Angie could be your cousin, your neighbor or the girl checking you out at Stop n Shop. Miss Dawn could be your mom’s best friend. Brandon was such a sweet simple guy. He loved Angie and pined over her for years, he silently seethed watching her with douchey Tyler for 8 long years. Watched her have his kids, watched her be cheated on and finally be embarrassed at the alter. Angie was such a wonderful character, it was so great to read about her learning her worth after years of emotional abuse, how her thoughts meander between what is true about her and what Tyler made her think. All the conflicts were true to life and conversations organic and real. I will always read anything Cate writes but this one felt truly special. ♥️
May 23, 2024
Cate C Wells said this book wouldn't be for everyone, so take that into account before reading this book. She has never been one to shy away from an uncomfortable situation or to make me question how an HEA can be reached for a couple.
The representation in this book was really powerful and I was brought to tears multiple times. I can't think of another contemporary romance I have read with hsv-2 rep, or any kinds of STIs or STDs... So this really stands out for me. I absolutely ached for Angie and her girls and I wanted the best for them. I wanted to beg her to let Brandon in and let him be her superhero.
I understand she was afraid of it not going well, since it would risk a lot if they didn't work out. But the poor man deserved his chance and it physically hurt to watch her shy away again and again and again. The man was a fucking saint! Angie has trauma in so many different ways and she's gun shy for sure.
Brandon was such a stand up guy. He's just been waiting for Angie and he's ready to be everything her and her girls need. He almost missed his chance when she was going to marry Tyler but now she's free. She's just not free in her own heart and mind.
At the end of the day, this was a real struggle for me to get through because of all that. I have this thing I refer to as "the angst vs HEA balance". I can handle some angst if I get enough of the payoff. Otherwise I start to feel like I'm being drug over the coals. That works for a lot of readers but for me, I needed more time of these two being happy after the agony of the journey.
Again, a very powerful book, and it's very well written but heed the TWs.
3.5 Stars
2 on the spice
The representation in this book was really powerful and I was brought to tears multiple times. I can't think of another contemporary romance I have read with hsv-2 rep, or any kinds of STIs or STDs... So this really stands out for me. I absolutely ached for Angie and her girls and I wanted the best for them. I wanted to beg her to let Brandon in and let him be her superhero.
I understand she was afraid of it not going well, since it would risk a lot if they didn't work out. But the poor man deserved his chance and it physically hurt to watch her shy away again and again and again. The man was a fucking saint! Angie has trauma in so many different ways and she's gun shy for sure.
Brandon was such a stand up guy. He's just been waiting for Angie and he's ready to be everything her and her girls need. He almost missed his chance when she was going to marry Tyler but now she's free. She's just not free in her own heart and mind.
At the end of the day, this was a real struggle for me to get through because of all that. I have this thing I refer to as "the angst vs HEA balance". I can handle some angst if I get enough of the payoff. Otherwise I start to feel like I'm being drug over the coals. That works for a lot of readers but for me, I needed more time of these two being happy after the agony of the journey.
Again, a very powerful book, and it's very well written but heed the TWs.
3.5 Stars
2 on the spice
April 5, 2025
Another unpopular opinion. WAY too wordy. heroine self esteem WAY too low. I can’t connect with either MC. Both so weak. Also big spoiler h has herpes from her cheating ex.
DNF 23%
DNF 23%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 19, 2024Slight spoilers? I hope not 😭
After being with the father of her children from the time she was 14, Angie is finally getting her wedding and the ring and family she's dreamed off. She's forgiven a lot over the years just to get to this point....until Tyler turns his vows into a joke that'll make her a laughingstock. Finally she's had enough, now on her own with two kids the last thing she expected was to fall in love with her best friend's brother, her childhood crush.
Wheww
So
I usually don't do arcs I've been offered many times but I always refuse because my reviews are always filled with spoilers and no holds barred. In this case I signed up for the arc 😅🫠
I'm not a fan of real life intruding into my romances, real life sucks most times and when I read I don't want reminders of that....real life smacked me upside the head in this one.
The positives
Excellent writing, the feels, the hurts the insecurities are all written in such a way that it absolutely resonated with me
The H.....if Brandon was a real life person I'd be charged with stalking that's just how great he was
The kids, not as much time as I'd have liked with them as I'm a sucker for kids in my romances but still very well done likeable kids. I actually like my kids to act like real kids ya know
The negatives
The medical diagnosis 😭 I too was like Brandon and got on Google asking the same questions he did. I did not like this at allllllllllll. It's not a one time thing, it's going to be there forever 😭. In real life I understand and I fully believe that this should never stop a person from living their best life BUT not in my book man. Now it's stuck in my head and I keep wondering if he'll slip up, will they have more kids? Jeezanages this was not on my dance card.
The h, she had it ROUGH! When she stood up to her asshole ex at the wedding for the sake of her girls I screamed!!! I hoped that she'd take some time to herself and figure out who she was away from her ex. That's a big thing for be, after a breakup so big I need the MC to take a little time and get their head together but that didn't happen here.We do see some growth in her but I'm a big fan of telling ppl where to get off and while she doesn't need to have a confrontational personality I would've like to see her stand up for herself more
All in all I would've absolutely rated this 5 stars without the medical diagnosis, this is 100% ME and not the book but I love this author and will read everything she puts out
*****In case you missed it......I got an arc but y'all know how I do, this review is my honest opinion
Friends to lovers
No cheating
H wasn't a manwhore
h is recently out of an 8 year relationship with 2 kids
After being with the father of her children from the time she was 14, Angie is finally getting her wedding and the ring and family she's dreamed off. She's forgiven a lot over the years just to get to this point....until Tyler turns his vows into a joke that'll make her a laughingstock. Finally she's had enough, now on her own with two kids the last thing she expected was to fall in love with her best friend's brother, her childhood crush.
Wheww
So
I usually don't do arcs I've been offered many times but I always refuse because my reviews are always filled with spoilers and no holds barred. In this case I signed up for the arc 😅🫠
I'm not a fan of real life intruding into my romances, real life sucks most times and when I read I don't want reminders of that....real life smacked me upside the head in this one.
The positives
Excellent writing, the feels, the hurts the insecurities are all written in such a way that it absolutely resonated with me
The H.....if Brandon was a real life person I'd be charged with stalking that's just how great he was
The kids, not as much time as I'd have liked with them as I'm a sucker for kids in my romances but still very well done likeable kids. I actually like my kids to act like real kids ya know
The negatives
The medical diagnosis 😭 I too was like Brandon and got on Google asking the same questions he did. I did not like this at allllllllllll. It's not a one time thing, it's going to be there forever 😭. In real life I understand and I fully believe that this should never stop a person from living their best life BUT not in my book man. Now it's stuck in my head and I keep wondering if he'll slip up, will they have more kids? Jeezanages this was not on my dance card.
The h, she had it ROUGH! When she stood up to her asshole ex at the wedding for the sake of her girls I screamed!!! I hoped that she'd take some time to herself and figure out who she was away from her ex. That's a big thing for be, after a breakup so big I need the MC to take a little time and get their head together but that didn't happen here.We do see some growth in her but I'm a big fan of telling ppl where to get off and while she doesn't need to have a confrontational personality I would've like to see her stand up for herself more
All in all I would've absolutely rated this 5 stars without the medical diagnosis, this is 100% ME and not the book but I love this author and will read everything she puts out
*****In case you missed it......I got an arc but y'all know how I do, this review is my honest opinion
Friends to lovers
No cheating
H wasn't a manwhore
h is recently out of an 8 year relationship with 2 kids
May 31, 2024
All right Cate C. Wells take my money!
~
This was captivating to read but halfway through I felt like the plot started to have less plot, but this book is domestic and I sometimes forget a romance doesn't need to climax in a life or death kidnapping or shoot-out (thank you historical romance and mafia).
Cate C. Wells may be writing some of the most thoughtful romances out there. I think she writes the most strongest heroines in the game. Not because they are perfect but because they are real. I adored Posy from Run Posy Run and Plum from Plum for this reason and After the Shut Up Ring does an excellent job of showing the anxiety of Angie, a teenage mom with a junkie mom and absent dad trying to believe in herself and accept the love of a golden retriever man.
Angie gave me major Jane Austen Persuasion vibes: she was so sad, boxed in by her circumstances, her choices in life. I truly related to some of her overthinking
How is it that I'm so powerful that everything is my fault, but so powerless that I can't do anything to fix it?
I'm tired of beating myself up. Criminals get sentences, and sentences end, and nothing I did was a crime.
Brandon is great but he's the dumb hero that Cate C. Wells enjoys writing. The MCs are also in their early twenties so I'm not expecting them to be worldly, but I think what helped was hearing Brandon's thoughts. It was gratifying to hear his thought process, even if we see how helpless they both are. Dear lord they were both struggling to come together!
At one point, Brandon realizes he's the most emotionally mature one in the relationship even though his longest relationship was a six-month situationship who ghosted him and he didn't get it until after he saw her at a bar and it was awkward LOL. These details.
My favourite moment. was their first fight because she didn't want to go to Broyce's with the girls, and he doesn't know what the hell to say but blurts out what she said to him, which was the correct response to defuse the situation:
"I'll listen better next time,” I say with the full knowledge that I had no idea that I wasn't listening until I'd already done fucked up.
And if you've ever been in a relationship, Cate C. Wells really gets her male characters LOL.
But Brandon actually says the right thing and the little note he wrote and said to Angie was just T____T
These characters are not heroic at all, is what I'm trying to say, but they're real and full of heart. I always love reading Cate C. Wells because she never talks down to her readers. She writes what interests her and doesn't write for the readers who may get uncomfortable with certain topics.
I wish Angie gave Tyler a true lashing, but I think what happened was about the best that could happen, given Tyler traumatized Angie into a smaller version of herself for years.
PS Who has heard of the shut up ring before? Coincidentally, this term only came up on my radar just a few days before this book!
~
This was captivating to read but halfway through I felt like the plot started to have less plot, but this book is domestic and I sometimes forget a romance doesn't need to climax in a life or death kidnapping or shoot-out (thank you historical romance and mafia).
Cate C. Wells may be writing some of the most thoughtful romances out there. I think she writes the most strongest heroines in the game. Not because they are perfect but because they are real. I adored Posy from Run Posy Run and Plum from Plum for this reason and After the Shut Up Ring does an excellent job of showing the anxiety of Angie, a teenage mom with a junkie mom and absent dad trying to believe in herself and accept the love of a golden retriever man.
Angie gave me major Jane Austen Persuasion vibes: she was so sad, boxed in by her circumstances, her choices in life. I truly related to some of her overthinking
How is it that I'm so powerful that everything is my fault, but so powerless that I can't do anything to fix it?
I'm tired of beating myself up. Criminals get sentences, and sentences end, and nothing I did was a crime.
Brandon is great but he's the dumb hero that Cate C. Wells enjoys writing. The MCs are also in their early twenties so I'm not expecting them to be worldly, but I think what helped was hearing Brandon's thoughts. It was gratifying to hear his thought process, even if we see how helpless they both are. Dear lord they were both struggling to come together!
At one point, Brandon realizes he's the most emotionally mature one in the relationship even though his longest relationship was a six-month situationship who ghosted him and he didn't get it until after he saw her at a bar and it was awkward LOL. These details.
My favourite moment. was their first fight because she didn't want to go to Broyce's with the girls, and he doesn't know what the hell to say but blurts out what she said to him, which was the correct response to defuse the situation:
"I'll listen better next time,” I say with the full knowledge that I had no idea that I wasn't listening until I'd already done fucked up.
And if you've ever been in a relationship, Cate C. Wells really gets her male characters LOL.
But Brandon actually says the right thing and the little note he wrote and said to Angie was just T____T
These characters are not heroic at all, is what I'm trying to say, but they're real and full of heart. I always love reading Cate C. Wells because she never talks down to her readers. She writes what interests her and doesn't write for the readers who may get uncomfortable with certain topics.
I wish Angie gave Tyler a true lashing, but I think what happened was about the best that could happen, given Tyler traumatized Angie into a smaller version of herself for years.
PS Who has heard of the shut up ring before? Coincidentally, this term only came up on my radar just a few days before this book!
May 16, 2024
“Mom doesn’t understand how I see the girls. They’re not “some other man’s kids.” They’re not baggage.
They’re Angie’s kids. She grew ’em. I like ’em the way I like everything she makes. They remind me of her. Of how it used to be.”
omgahhhhh fuckin obsessed with brandon!!! where’s my own brandon?? phenomenal story & heroine I can relate to. this is my fave book of the yr. pretty pls cate, i need angie to give brandon a baby too, he deserves one. also can u write a bonus epilogue of their wedding scene pls!!! 😭😭😭
ughhhhh I love this so much, it was everything and more. brandon is perfect, there’s no flaw. minus only flaw was he didn’t get with her sooner.
AFTER THE ⭐️ 5 🌟 SHUTUP STARSSSSS 💍💍💍💍💍
*arc*
They’re Angie’s kids. She grew ’em. I like ’em the way I like everything she makes. They remind me of her. Of how it used to be.”
omgahhhhh fuckin obsessed with brandon!!! where’s my own brandon?? phenomenal story & heroine I can relate to. this is my fave book of the yr. pretty pls cate, i need angie to give brandon a baby too, he deserves one. also can u write a bonus epilogue of their wedding scene pls!!! 😭😭😭
ughhhhh I love this so much, it was everything and more. brandon is perfect, there’s no flaw. minus only flaw was he didn’t get with her sooner.
AFTER THE ⭐️ 5 🌟 SHUTUP STARSSSSS 💍💍💍💍💍
*arc*
May 13, 2024
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: best friend’s brother
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥
Blows me away ever 👏🏼 fucking 👏🏼 time👏🏼. No one does a more relatable, hot mess heroine than Cate, lol.
Full review to come.
Trope: best friend’s brother
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥
Blows me away ever 👏🏼 fucking 👏🏼 time👏🏼. No one does a more relatable, hot mess heroine than Cate, lol.
Full review to come.
February 6, 2025
Mixed emotions. For very valid reasons the heroine so passive it's frustrating. Her ex is basically Biff from Back to the Future down to his posse of nyuk nyuk friends.
It takes getting humiliated at their wedding. for her to wake up then go back to coma land. He takes money out of their account, treats her and their daughters like dirt, is emotionally abusive and crickets. I kept yelling, "Get an ATTORNEY!" but they never listen.
At least she has the hero and does get a little spine.
It takes getting humiliated at their wedding. for her to wake up then go back to coma land. He takes money out of their account, treats her and their daughters like dirt, is emotionally abusive and crickets. I kept yelling, "Get an ATTORNEY!" but they never listen.
At least she has the hero and does get a little spine.
September 8, 2024
Weak heroine who stays with a sob cheater asshole for years and has two daughters with him, he eventually decides he will marry her and she refuses when he says his vows that are basically insults after insults to her. Then a friend who has been pining for her for years becomes her new love interest. I didn’t love this one. The heroine is a spineless doormat without an ounce of self respect. There are no words for it. And she never changes really her behavior. She never reacts. Well at least she dumped him and found a better man, but I don’t think there’s much in her to fall in love with.
May 25, 2024
Idk how I jumped from reading monster noncon to this small town single mom romance but here we are
Cate C Wells can always be trusted to write a good story and she really shines when she’s writing small town blue collar characters. They feel like people I could know in real life. Little details make it feel authentic and relatable - lines like ”He’s wearing a blue plaid button-up shirt and a dark pair of sturdy pants, the kind that could be for hunting or a nice dinner out, depending on if they’re clean or not.” I know exactly what pants she is writing about
This is a cute feel good story. Angie finally dumps her POS baby daddy after he’s a total jackass at their wedding. Brandon has been in love with Angie since they were kids. Their relationship is slow and tentative but Brandon is steady and patient. It pretty much follows the formula you’d expect, but becomes more with Cate’s touch
Cate C Wells can always be trusted to write a good story and she really shines when she’s writing small town blue collar characters. They feel like people I could know in real life. Little details make it feel authentic and relatable - lines like ”He’s wearing a blue plaid button-up shirt and a dark pair of sturdy pants, the kind that could be for hunting or a nice dinner out, depending on if they’re clean or not.” I know exactly what pants she is writing about
This is a cute feel good story. Angie finally dumps her POS baby daddy after he’s a total jackass at their wedding. Brandon has been in love with Angie since they were kids. Their relationship is slow and tentative but Brandon is steady and patient. It pretty much follows the formula you’d expect, but becomes more with Cate’s touch
May 21, 2024
“After the Shut Up Ring” by Cate C. Wells
5⭐️/5⭐️
2.5🌶/5🌶
“I want this. I want you. This is everything. This is only the beginning.”
-I’ve been on a bit of a Cate C. Wells binge this month, and I can confidently say “After the Shut Up Ring” is one of my favorites she’s ever written. Angie’s story really touched my heart, and I was so gripped; I binged it in less than twenty-four hours.
-The first chapter sets up the entire book and all of the obstacles Angie personally goes through. She’s at the altar of her wedding to Tyler, her boyfriend and the father of her two children. While there are understandable wedding nerves, Angie is more anxious about Tyler’s vows, which he wrote himself. It’s a disaster. Tyler degrades her the entire time they’re standing in front of their loved ones, and when it’s time for Angie to say “I do”, she says “I don’t”, and leaves him. From there, Angie has to build a new life for herself as a young single mom, while also grappling with feelings for Brandon, her best friend’s older brother.
-Tyler is like the amalgamation of every Reddit post in parenting and mom subreddits, where the mom asks for advice about her deadbeat partner. He’s one of the worst characters I’ve ever read about in a contemporary romance; maybe even in a romance novel in general. Thank goodness Angie left him, because if she would have settled for Tyler her life would have been miserable.
-But enough about Tyler, let’s talk about Brandon! Brandon is the older brother of Angie’s best friend, and they’ve secretly harbored a crush on each other since they were teenagers. Brandon is a little bit older, but it’s not a significant age gap. He’s always looking out for her in subtle ways, which I found so incredibly endearing; he’s always held out hope for Angie.
-I think the difference between Angie’s previous relationship, and the one she embarks on with Brandon is quite revolutionary for her. She’s not used to a man following through with his actions. Brandon tries so hard to be an effective communicator, and even though he makes mistakes, he always owns up to them and tries to be a better partner.
-One of the things that sets Cate C. Wells apart from other romance authors, is her ability to showcase underrepresented character types. I’m talking about people who come from a lower income, people who are on the fringes of society, people who have struggled in very realistic and relatable ways. That is also the case with her new book. This isn’t a big spoiler (it’s mentioned in the author’s note), but Angie has an STD, and it becomes a major plot point in the story. I have to say, I can’t remember ever reading a romance novel where one of the MCs has an STD. I’m really glad Cate took the plunge and incorporated this obstacle into story, it made it all the more realistic.
-I think so many people will enjoy this story, not just because it’s Cate C. Wells and she’s an incredible author, but the story itself is very enjoyable. The ending is so satisfying, the supporting characters of Brandon’s sister and mom are really sweet and likeable. Do yourself a favor, read “After the Shut Up Ring”; hands-down it’s one of the most realistic contemporary romances I’ve read in a long time.
5⭐️/5⭐️
2.5🌶/5🌶
“I want this. I want you. This is everything. This is only the beginning.”
-I’ve been on a bit of a Cate C. Wells binge this month, and I can confidently say “After the Shut Up Ring” is one of my favorites she’s ever written. Angie’s story really touched my heart, and I was so gripped; I binged it in less than twenty-four hours.
-The first chapter sets up the entire book and all of the obstacles Angie personally goes through. She’s at the altar of her wedding to Tyler, her boyfriend and the father of her two children. While there are understandable wedding nerves, Angie is more anxious about Tyler’s vows, which he wrote himself. It’s a disaster. Tyler degrades her the entire time they’re standing in front of their loved ones, and when it’s time for Angie to say “I do”, she says “I don’t”, and leaves him. From there, Angie has to build a new life for herself as a young single mom, while also grappling with feelings for Brandon, her best friend’s older brother.
-Tyler is like the amalgamation of every Reddit post in parenting and mom subreddits, where the mom asks for advice about her deadbeat partner. He’s one of the worst characters I’ve ever read about in a contemporary romance; maybe even in a romance novel in general. Thank goodness Angie left him, because if she would have settled for Tyler her life would have been miserable.
-But enough about Tyler, let’s talk about Brandon! Brandon is the older brother of Angie’s best friend, and they’ve secretly harbored a crush on each other since they were teenagers. Brandon is a little bit older, but it’s not a significant age gap. He’s always looking out for her in subtle ways, which I found so incredibly endearing; he’s always held out hope for Angie.
-I think the difference between Angie’s previous relationship, and the one she embarks on with Brandon is quite revolutionary for her. She’s not used to a man following through with his actions. Brandon tries so hard to be an effective communicator, and even though he makes mistakes, he always owns up to them and tries to be a better partner.
-One of the things that sets Cate C. Wells apart from other romance authors, is her ability to showcase underrepresented character types. I’m talking about people who come from a lower income, people who are on the fringes of society, people who have struggled in very realistic and relatable ways. That is also the case with her new book. This isn’t a big spoiler (it’s mentioned in the author’s note), but Angie has an STD, and it becomes a major plot point in the story. I have to say, I can’t remember ever reading a romance novel where one of the MCs has an STD. I’m really glad Cate took the plunge and incorporated this obstacle into story, it made it all the more realistic.
-I think so many people will enjoy this story, not just because it’s Cate C. Wells and she’s an incredible author, but the story itself is very enjoyable. The ending is so satisfying, the supporting characters of Brandon’s sister and mom are really sweet and likeable. Do yourself a favor, read “After the Shut Up Ring”; hands-down it’s one of the most realistic contemporary romances I’ve read in a long time.
May 24, 2024
This had a lot of potential to be good, but there just wasn’t that much romance. The h pushed the H away for almost the entire book
ARC provided for review
ARC provided for review
May 27, 2024
It was an easy one day read, but not gripping enough. The angst was minimum, the yearning not yearn-core enough, and the story overall was a little boring. Cate C Wells for me has been her Five Packs series, and those books are amazing. All her recent stuff has been a little disappointing. I hope her next books have that angst and grovel factor again. I miss the OG Cate C Wells.
The plot is about a single mom who realizes her fiancé is a POS and leaves him for good. Her best friend's brother has been in love with her since they were kids, and they get together. That is literally what the plot is. Nothing exciting or even a little intriguing takes place. This was a boring read for me.
The plot is about a single mom who realizes her fiancé is a POS and leaves him for good. Her best friend's brother has been in love with her since they were kids, and they get together. That is literally what the plot is. Nothing exciting or even a little intriguing takes place. This was a boring read for me.
August 5, 2025
4⭐️, 2.5🌶️
*Mwah* There’s just something ab Cate C. Wells writing that sucks me in every time! (While she does have a few books on my do-not-read list due to OPD (yuck)~ this one was safe!!!)✅
This was solid, I enjoyed it. It’s similar to other books I’ve read before (but exactly what I was in mood for): newly single mom (terrible ex), trials & tribulations of getting back on feet, finding self, hero whose gone for heroine.
VIBES: 💖☀️👙🍉🌞✨- sweet, summer, single mom, adorable kids, small town, hero loved her since childhood, bffs brother,
——•THOUGHTS•——
I enjoyed the sources of conflict in this story & found everything to be very realistic. The reasoning for FMCs pushover behavior & why she stuck w/ and clung to ex (when they were together) makes total sense to me. It wasn’t just some random reason that made it hard to connect w/ the book conflict — I could totally understand FMCs pov.
FMC deserved so much more from those around her😞. Made me so angry for her to hear what she went thru. Glad the MMC was in her corner (& a few other ppl).🫶
Everyone was so fucking rude to FMC: the Dr, her ex, her exes mother, etc & I WISH she’d put everyone in their place but I guess that’s the point of the book ~ for her to learn how! (And she does thankfully!)
Some of the character development towards the end was rushed. Ending in general kinda rushed.
A few minor things annoyed me (not regarding the romance) but I’ll put them at bottom if u don’t want to read spoilers (minor).
——•TROPES & SUCH•——
pushover FMC
⤷ (due to trauma; she works on this)
pining MMC
bffs brother
he’s loved her since childhood
single mom
hsv II rep
found family
small town
summertime
———•SAFETY•———
No virgins
No cheating
No OWD
No (real) OMD:
╰┈─➤ FMCs ex appears in story (as an asshole the whole time), FMC doesn’t want anything to do w him (& same for ex, he doesn’t try to ‘win’ her back)
HEA
*⚠️SPOILERS BELOW*
‼️
‼️
𝔽𝕠𝕠𝕥𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕖 ↓ ↓
──────────────────
—MMCs mom kinda annoyed me in that kitchen scene when telling him to be wary of FMC n shit. Like she’s literally living w/ u!! U practically treated her like family & knew her since she was a kid!! :/ was disappointed & surprised at the moms character.
—Kinda disliked the MMCs mom. Hear me out: Ik she did A LOT for FMC. I rlly do! But idk the interactions where she was present rubbed me the wrong way & gave her super aloof vibes. I thought at least near the end it would kinda be rectified or we’d get some sweet scene (but not rlly- just the sending FMC w pie scene which I would argue was more for her son than FMC). Ik it was supposed to be realistic but I kinda wish she was characterized differently.
—Wish there was just a second FMC felt strong & capable by herself!! not that she had to be single to do this but in FMCs inner monologue she never felt at peace or anything just her & the girls; it was always when MMC is around. (Not that she needed him like that, I just wish she had that inner confidence)
*Mwah* There’s just something ab Cate C. Wells writing that sucks me in every time! (While she does have a few books on my do-not-read list due to OPD (yuck)~ this one was safe!!!)✅
This was solid, I enjoyed it. It’s similar to other books I’ve read before (but exactly what I was in mood for): newly single mom (terrible ex), trials & tribulations of getting back on feet, finding self, hero whose gone for heroine.
VIBES: 💖☀️👙🍉🌞✨- sweet, summer, single mom, adorable kids, small town, hero loved her since childhood, bffs brother,
——•THOUGHTS•——
I enjoyed the sources of conflict in this story & found everything to be very realistic. The reasoning for FMCs pushover behavior & why she stuck w/ and clung to ex (when they were together) makes total sense to me. It wasn’t just some random reason that made it hard to connect w/ the book conflict — I could totally understand FMCs pov.
FMC deserved so much more from those around her😞. Made me so angry for her to hear what she went thru. Glad the MMC was in her corner (& a few other ppl).🫶
Everyone was so fucking rude to FMC: the Dr, her ex, her exes mother, etc & I WISH she’d put everyone in their place but I guess that’s the point of the book ~ for her to learn how! (And she does thankfully!)
Some of the character development towards the end was rushed. Ending in general kinda rushed.
A few minor things annoyed me (not regarding the romance) but I’ll put them at bottom if u don’t want to read spoilers (minor).
——•TROPES & SUCH•——
pushover FMC
⤷ (due to trauma; she works on this)
pining MMC
bffs brother
he’s loved her since childhood
single mom
hsv II rep
found family
small town
summertime
———•SAFETY•———
No virgins
No cheating
No OWD
No (real) OMD:
╰┈─➤ FMCs ex appears in story (as an asshole the whole time), FMC doesn’t want anything to do w him (& same for ex, he doesn’t try to ‘win’ her back)
HEA
*⚠️SPOILERS BELOW*
‼️
‼️
𝔽𝕠𝕠𝕥𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕖 ↓ ↓
──────────────────
—MMCs mom kinda annoyed me in that kitchen scene when telling him to be wary of FMC n shit. Like she’s literally living w/ u!! U practically treated her like family & knew her since she was a kid!! :/ was disappointed & surprised at the moms character.
—Kinda disliked the MMCs mom. Hear me out: Ik she did A LOT for FMC. I rlly do! But idk the interactions where she was present rubbed me the wrong way & gave her super aloof vibes. I thought at least near the end it would kinda be rectified or we’d get some sweet scene (but not rlly- just the sending FMC w pie scene which I would argue was more for her son than FMC). Ik it was supposed to be realistic but I kinda wish she was characterized differently.
—Wish there was just a second FMC felt strong & capable by herself!! not that she had to be single to do this but in FMCs inner monologue she never felt at peace or anything just her & the girls; it was always when MMC is around. (Not that she needed him like that, I just wish she had that inner confidence)
June 2, 2024
This author clearly states at the beginning of this story, that it's not a tale for everyone. Well, it was a tale for me. Then again, I'm at the point of thinking this author can do no wrong, lol. I thoroughly adore everything this author writes and this story is no exception. I loved the entire tale.
We all know of friends or family with asshole boyfriend/fiances like Tyler, and man was he the perfect POS. I kind of wish Brandon would have beat Tyler's ass down more than he did. Tyler was such a bullying, cowardly prick. Brandon though, was such a dream come true. I freaking LOVED him so much!
I was happy to see Angie come out of her shell a bit, get some backbone, and move on with Brandon. He was the most perfect Hero EVER.
My only complaint with this story is the ending felt entirely rushed and abrupt. Didn't ruin anything for me. Guess I just wasn't ready to let go of these characters and their story yet.
We all know of friends or family with asshole boyfriend/fiances like Tyler, and man was he the perfect POS. I kind of wish Brandon would have beat Tyler's ass down more than he did. Tyler was such a bullying, cowardly prick. Brandon though, was such a dream come true. I freaking LOVED him so much!
I was happy to see Angie come out of her shell a bit, get some backbone, and move on with Brandon. He was the most perfect Hero EVER.
My only complaint with this story is the ending felt entirely rushed and abrupt. Didn't ruin anything for me. Guess I just wasn't ready to let go of these characters and their story yet.
January 29, 2025
I have stumbled upon the subreddit, ' Waiting to wed' and I feel that the first part of the story could have been a post in that group.
22/ 23 year old woman has been with her boyfriend since she was 14. She got pregnant at 18 and 19 and lived with her boyfriend as a family doing all the wifely duties without getting asked to be his wife.
Did I mention that the boyfriend was a cheater that have her a STI while pregnant with the 2nd daughter? Did I also mention that when he finally asked her to marry him, she had ri pay for everything with her measly paycheck and plan everything herself. She essentially got a shut up ring and a shut up wedding
When her groom to be makes a mockery of her and their family when giving his vowels, the fmc has had enough. Tells him she won't marry him and leaves him at the alter.
After the disastrous wedding she moves in with her best friends family, including the bfs handsome older brother who she had a crush on. The mmc is everything the ex fiancee wasn't. He wants her and thr kids and goes to great lengths to prove it to her.
I thought the book was entertaining with well developed characters.
What I didn't like? The fmc barely grows a backbone. Thw mmc stands up for her, sure but she only grows half a spine when it comes to standing up to her ex.
Plus I really wanted to see the ex suffer more, with jealousy, with seeing his kids, while interacting with the fmc... But his suffering was minimal compared to the emotional abuse he put the fmc thtough.
22/ 23 year old woman has been with her boyfriend since she was 14. She got pregnant at 18 and 19 and lived with her boyfriend as a family doing all the wifely duties without getting asked to be his wife.
Did I mention that the boyfriend was a cheater that have her a STI while pregnant with the 2nd daughter? Did I also mention that when he finally asked her to marry him, she had ri pay for everything with her measly paycheck and plan everything herself. She essentially got a shut up ring and a shut up wedding
When her groom to be makes a mockery of her and their family when giving his vowels, the fmc has had enough. Tells him she won't marry him and leaves him at the alter.
After the disastrous wedding she moves in with her best friends family, including the bfs handsome older brother who she had a crush on. The mmc is everything the ex fiancee wasn't. He wants her and thr kids and goes to great lengths to prove it to her.
I thought the book was entertaining with well developed characters.
What I didn't like? The fmc barely grows a backbone. Thw mmc stands up for her, sure but she only grows half a spine when it comes to standing up to her ex.
Plus I really wanted to see the ex suffer more, with jealousy, with seeing his kids, while interacting with the fmc... But his suffering was minimal compared to the emotional abuse he put the fmc thtough.
May 31, 2024
Ugh, Cate C. Wells is so good at this genre of quiet working-class romance set in insular, kinda cruddy small towns (her shifters series even fits this genre, despite the paranormal aspect). Angie is one of those girls you know (or maybe are) who are committed to the sunk cost fallacy of staying with a shitty boyfriend because they've already put so much time and effort in and that can't all be for nothing, right? The kind of girl who would get a million "dump him already" replies on her r/relationships questions and keeps coming back asking how she can fix him as if asking the same question differently will reveal some magical solution.
It takes some humiliating wedding vows for her to wise up, DTMFA, and start working on herself. Brandon is her best friend's brother who has been smitten with Angie for ages. Now that she's free, he won't waste his shot, no matter the obstacles (mostly Angie getting in her own damned way).
It takes some humiliating wedding vows for her to wise up, DTMFA, and start working on herself. Brandon is her best friend's brother who has been smitten with Angie for ages. Now that she's free, he won't waste his shot, no matter the obstacles (mostly Angie getting in her own damned way).
May 27, 2024
I was so excited when this was first announced. Unfortunately, this did not deliver any of the angst I expected from the blurb. I'm definitely in the minority here.
I was bored out of my mind. I found the time skips a little lazy (not what I usually see in CCW's books) and the "best friend's brother" aspect lacking. Not sure what the latter was supposed to add to the story as Angie's best friend hardly cared and it wasn't as if Angie and Brandon had any emotional connection before Angie's disastrous wedding.
An unfortunate case of when the blurb is better than the book :(
I was bored out of my mind. I found the time skips a little lazy (not what I usually see in CCW's books) and the "best friend's brother" aspect lacking. Not sure what the latter was supposed to add to the story as Angie's best friend hardly cared and it wasn't as if Angie and Brandon had any emotional connection before Angie's disastrous wedding.
An unfortunate case of when the blurb is better than the book :(
May 24, 2024
I really enjoyed this. The general framework is “ripped from today’s headlines,“ but it doesn’t end the way these things normally do on social media. The h shows some spine and much of the book is about her slow recovery from being conditioned to completely suppress her own wants and needs. She never had a chance from Day One, as the H’s mother points out.
The H is just fantastic. He is devoted and while completely unfamiliar with the workings of the female mind, he loves the H so much and he has such a practical, kind heart that he is able to get her past all of the behaviors she’s had to learn to live with her vile ex. Even though he’s completely hooked and very careful with her, he’s still very sexy because of his, let’s say, bedroom manner.
It’s heartbreaking and at the same time wonderful that one of the things that makes the h get stronger is the fact that she realizes that her own daughters have been protecting her and are waiting for her to stand up for herself. At first, when she doesn’t have any reason to fight for herself, she realizes that she’s going to have to fight so her girls don’t end up thinking that what she accepts is OK.
The H is just fantastic. He is devoted and while completely unfamiliar with the workings of the female mind, he loves the H so much and he has such a practical, kind heart that he is able to get her past all of the behaviors she’s had to learn to live with her vile ex. Even though he’s completely hooked and very careful with her, he’s still very sexy because of his, let’s say, bedroom manner.
It’s heartbreaking and at the same time wonderful that one of the things that makes the h get stronger is the fact that she realizes that her own daughters have been protecting her and are waiting for her to stand up for herself. At first, when she doesn’t have any reason to fight for herself, she realizes that she’s going to have to fight so her girls don’t end up thinking that what she accepts is OK.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2024
She made me fucking depressed about anything and everything.
And even tho she hard a hard time with her ex, she still didn't deserved Brandon.
And even tho she hard a hard time with her ex, she still didn't deserved Brandon.
May 11, 2024
Wow wow wow wow wow. This was just the perfect mix of angst and sweetness and warmth, and reading it felt like eating apple pie and vanilla ice cream on a chilly fall day. Cate has NEVER done me wrong and I doubt she ever will. I just loved Brandon and Angie, and I know anyone who reads this will too. By the way, So High School by Taylor Swift was basically written for them.
I received this book as an arc, but all opinions are my own.
I received this book as an arc, but all opinions are my own.
August 30, 2024
I’m not done. I just want to note that it takes 74% of the book before the FMC reveals her STD status to the MMC. This annoyed me because I am positive we aren’t going to see a true reaction from the MMC as the book is almost over now. I’m at 79% and this couple are now having their first s€x scene together on their first date. This book is incredibly slow going. It’s insightful but still so boring so far. Now I’m to believe that the MMC will accept diseases for the FMC as true love without having his own meltdown before coming to terms with it. Well I’m about to see. Smh.
FINAL UPDATE
I was correct. There is zero reaction to the FMC having a permanent STD from the MMC other than about two pages of the reveal. Then they jump into s€x with the relationship basically hopped, skipped and jumped to the HEA, book over. This really could only have worked if the MMC has said he already knew. I was anticipating him already knowing because this town has no secrets right? The fact that the ex, was a childish irresponsible boywh0re (nothing “man” about him) where after he caught it he would have absolutely spread it around to more than the FMC. The whole town would have known based on that alone.
But no, that’s NOT what happened. The author went with the unbelievable option of the FMC stating her predicament and the MMC eating popcorn and googling herpes info. Sure. Okay.
Anyway, it’s absolutely well written but the pacing was way too slow. I honestly will never read this book again because all the good stuff of the couple really getting together happens in the last quarter of the book and it’s so ridiculously anticlimactic that it’s not worth reading it in the first place.
This whole book is depressing, as the FMC realizes how desperate and pathetic she has been from the moment the @sahole ex baby daddy first approached her. Everything that followed his seeking her out as a 14 year old was detailed like “life just happened TO her” where she had zero engagement in it. It really comes off like the ex might have been r@ping her their entire relationship with how much she claims she didn’t like it and just let it happen. Which in and of itself, shows she was never ready for intimacy and he bulldozed her into it all. She simply was too young and nobody cared. It was so sad. Followed by years of the FMC just trying to make it work for her children’s sakes.
When the FMC starts growing a back bone in the last quarter of the book, last chapter really, it just gets blurred together to rush the ending. I love this author but it felt like she got bored herself and just jumped to the HEA in order to end the book.
The book ends with a note that if you like this book you would like this author’s other book “Charge”. I would say don’t bother with this book and just read “Charge” as that book has it all and is simply a better book in comparison to this one. It’s up to you.
I do want to add that the ex baby daddy’s vows in the beginning of the book is brutal! It would have been even better (!) if it wasn’t interrupted by the author inserting the FMC’s inner monologue with every half sentence he uttered to drag out the moment for like 10%. It was HARSH! How she didn’t gut him was entirely unbelievable. lol. Just saying.
Good luck.
FINAL UPDATE
I was correct. There is zero reaction to the FMC having a permanent STD from the MMC other than about two pages of the reveal. Then they jump into s€x with the relationship basically hopped, skipped and jumped to the HEA, book over. This really could only have worked if the MMC has said he already knew. I was anticipating him already knowing because this town has no secrets right? The fact that the ex, was a childish irresponsible boywh0re (nothing “man” about him) where after he caught it he would have absolutely spread it around to more than the FMC. The whole town would have known based on that alone.
But no, that’s NOT what happened. The author went with the unbelievable option of the FMC stating her predicament and the MMC eating popcorn and googling herpes info. Sure. Okay.
Anyway, it’s absolutely well written but the pacing was way too slow. I honestly will never read this book again because all the good stuff of the couple really getting together happens in the last quarter of the book and it’s so ridiculously anticlimactic that it’s not worth reading it in the first place.
This whole book is depressing, as the FMC realizes how desperate and pathetic she has been from the moment the @sahole ex baby daddy first approached her. Everything that followed his seeking her out as a 14 year old was detailed like “life just happened TO her” where she had zero engagement in it. It really comes off like the ex might have been r@ping her their entire relationship with how much she claims she didn’t like it and just let it happen. Which in and of itself, shows she was never ready for intimacy and he bulldozed her into it all. She simply was too young and nobody cared. It was so sad. Followed by years of the FMC just trying to make it work for her children’s sakes.
When the FMC starts growing a back bone in the last quarter of the book, last chapter really, it just gets blurred together to rush the ending. I love this author but it felt like she got bored herself and just jumped to the HEA in order to end the book.
The book ends with a note that if you like this book you would like this author’s other book “Charge”. I would say don’t bother with this book and just read “Charge” as that book has it all and is simply a better book in comparison to this one. It’s up to you.
I do want to add that the ex baby daddy’s vows in the beginning of the book is brutal! It would have been even better (!) if it wasn’t interrupted by the author inserting the FMC’s inner monologue with every half sentence he uttered to drag out the moment for like 10%. It was HARSH! How she didn’t gut him was entirely unbelievable. lol. Just saying.
Good luck.
May 29, 2024
3.75 stars
The good: The MMC was great (so unwavering and steady! Insisted on honest communication! In it for the long haul!) and I was very invested in the FMC finding happiness after years wasted with her shitty ex. Cate C Wells’ writing often has this nervous/anxious energy that makes me uncomfortable, but it does draw me into the story.
The less good: This is purely personal preference, but some of the issues in this book were a bit *too* real for my liking. It wasn’t just the FMC getting her self-confidence back (which I liked) even if there were setbacks, but there was quite a bit about . I guess it was educational… but I’m usually reading romances for escapism.
If I was rating purely on enjoyment level this would dip to a 3.5 stars, but I’ve marked it up slightly since I was very invested in the story.
The good: The MMC was great (so unwavering and steady! Insisted on honest communication! In it for the long haul!) and I was very invested in the FMC finding happiness after years wasted with her shitty ex. Cate C Wells’ writing often has this nervous/anxious energy that makes me uncomfortable, but it does draw me into the story.
The less good: This is purely personal preference, but some of the issues in this book were a bit *too* real for my liking. It wasn’t just the FMC getting her self-confidence back (which I liked) even if there were setbacks, but there was quite a bit about . I guess it was educational… but I’m usually reading romances for escapism.
If I was rating purely on enjoyment level this would dip to a 3.5 stars, but I’ve marked it up slightly since I was very invested in the story.
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