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The King Brothers Duology #2
Writing On The Wall
A white lie.
A secret boyfriend.
And a house with a mystery…
Second-grade teacher Ivy Marsh hits rock bottom when she finds herself homeless and secretly living in her car. When her Gran gifts her a run-down house, Ivy gets a shot at a fresh start. Determined not to disappoint her Gran, Ivy moves in and tackles the renovations herself.
Enter Ethan King—adventure-seeking contractor, flirtatious life of the party, and future brother-in-law to Ivy’s best friend. Once he gets roped into helping with Ivy’s fixer-upper, Ethan's playful charm turns insufferably bossy whenever she’s around. Their constant bickering heats up as they uncover the house's decades-old secrets together.
Ethan is determined to show Ivy she’s capable of more than she realizes, But Ivy fears disappointing her Gran and letting her life unravel even further. As tempting as Ethan’s promises sound, the walls around her heart threaten to keep her from taking risks and building their happily ever after.
A secret boyfriend.
And a house with a mystery…
Second-grade teacher Ivy Marsh hits rock bottom when she finds herself homeless and secretly living in her car. When her Gran gifts her a run-down house, Ivy gets a shot at a fresh start. Determined not to disappoint her Gran, Ivy moves in and tackles the renovations herself.
Enter Ethan King—adventure-seeking contractor, flirtatious life of the party, and future brother-in-law to Ivy’s best friend. Once he gets roped into helping with Ivy’s fixer-upper, Ethan's playful charm turns insufferably bossy whenever she’s around. Their constant bickering heats up as they uncover the house's decades-old secrets together.
Ethan is determined to show Ivy she’s capable of more than she realizes, But Ivy fears disappointing her Gran and letting her life unravel even further. As tempting as Ethan’s promises sound, the walls around her heart threaten to keep her from taking risks and building their happily ever after.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2024
185 people are currently reading
1670 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 22, 2025
This book was adorable and so sweet! The entire time I read this book I had a smile on my face. A nice little spring book during the snow.
🪴✏️🔨🏡🎶🍰👩🏫
🪴✏️🔨🏡🎶🍰👩🏫
October 11, 2024
Ivy & Ethan
Can you find a cuter pair!? Not only are they stinkin’ adorable on the cover… but the banter, the chemistry, the rivalry, gah…
I. LOVE. IT.
My only regret is that I didn’t read Change of Plans first! I loved the mystery and intrigue woven throughout the story, and the redemption arc for Ross, the old nosey (and fightin’) old ladies, the undeniable chemistry of Ivy and Ethan, and the care and love Ethan showed for Ivy.
And even though you never actually see any dialogue with Ivy’s students, the comments she shared were so accurate! (Coming from a mom of an 8 year old!)
I love the insertion of LOTR and other bookish themes throughout the story! And in this story the MMC is more bookish than the FMC, seriously can Ethan get any more perfect!? A hunk, a reader, and in construction 🫠🫠
Thank you so much for the early copy and the chance to review, Cindy!! This book is one I won’t forget, and I can’t wait for it to grace my shelves!
Can you find a cuter pair!? Not only are they stinkin’ adorable on the cover… but the banter, the chemistry, the rivalry, gah…
I. LOVE. IT.
My only regret is that I didn’t read Change of Plans first! I loved the mystery and intrigue woven throughout the story, and the redemption arc for Ross, the old nosey (and fightin’) old ladies, the undeniable chemistry of Ivy and Ethan, and the care and love Ethan showed for Ivy.
And even though you never actually see any dialogue with Ivy’s students, the comments she shared were so accurate! (Coming from a mom of an 8 year old!)
I love the insertion of LOTR and other bookish themes throughout the story! And in this story the MMC is more bookish than the FMC, seriously can Ethan get any more perfect!? A hunk, a reader, and in construction 🫠🫠
Thank you so much for the early copy and the chance to review, Cindy!! This book is one I won’t forget, and I can’t wait for it to grace my shelves!
October 9, 2024
I think I just solidified a new favorite author! After reading Change of Plans I was invested in this duology, and now that I just finished Writing on the Wall, Cindy Ras is easily an auto-read author for me! I LOVED Ivy and Ethan in this book, they are seriously two of the most fun characters I’ve read about. They’re both so funny, and the way they both push each other’s buttons to get on their nerve had me laughing out loud! There’s a bit of a mystery element throughout that had me guessing and also laughing at how it all panned out! And don’t get me started on the ending. It’s PERFECTION and I will hear no criticism on it!! Loved every minute of this book!
Read
October 19, 2024dnf - h has om act as her (fake) boyfriend for half the book and H doesn't know it's fake, yet it's supposed to be romance between the main characters ?? 🙉
April 20, 2025
1.5-2 Stars ⭐️
Disclaimer: spoilers for the book throughout this review!
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology, Change of Plans. However, that first book had some needless steamy moments that I was uncomfortable with. The main couple’s kisses got a little too steamy, and even without much description, it was unsettling.
So, let’s get on with my review of book 2…
Things I liked about Writing on the Wall:
Page 239, where Ethan shows Ivy his gorgeous home library. Even this didn’t win me over. And I LOVE me a Beauty and the Beast library moment!
The first 12 or so chapters. Pretty solid. I liked hearing about Ivy’s struggle with living in her car.
The mystery surrounding the music box.
The family drama with Ivy’s brother Ross.
Ivy’s spider prank on Ethan. Trust me, “He had it coming! He only had himself to blame! If you’ve been there, if you’d’ve seen it, I bet you, you would’ve done the same!”
Dislikes:
*sigh*
Let’s get this over with because I’m done ranting about it to my mother.
*takes a deep breath and steps onto giant soap box*
Ethan.
This arrogant, overprotective a-hole.
First of all, he is not Ivy’s keeper. His protectiveness of her is more in line with Edward Cullen than the gentle giant persona that I think Cindy was going for.
And on the note of Twilight, Ivy describes herself as Bella Swan in the “ability to walk or have any amount of coordination” department. There’s an actual mention of spider monkeys in this book… ick.
But back to Ethan.
Take a shot… of water every time Ethan growls. You’ll be seriously hydrated and need to pee.
He growls every time Ivy seems to be enjoying the platonic company of other men, including her like-a-brother coworker Toby. Even before they actually acknowledge their feelings for each other!
His opinion of Toby is fairly toxic. Like, some men don’t have to be overly jealous of their girlfriends when they see them hanging around another guy, it shows how much they trust their girlfriends, not to an unhealthy extent of course, but it just shows that they have more trust and faith in their significant other and don’t stoop to the Neanderthal-like jealousy that Ethan does. If I were Ivy in this situation, I would most definitely gain an attraction to Toby because at least he seems like the kind of guy who is helpful, kind, considerate, and affectionate without being possessive. Because I think that men like Toby are not any less of a man than someone like Colton -Ethan’s brother- for example.
He treats Toby the way Michael Scott treats Toby on the Office. He thinks of him as a twerp and still gets jealous, even though Ivy assures him that he is more like her brother than her real brother is.
Then, why the heck is Ethan so bothered that Toby isn’t like him or experiences the same kind of jealousy that he experiences? Like, dude, some men are actually considerate and trusting of their significant others so… I’m team Toby!✊
Speaking of possessive…
In Chapters 28 & 29, Ethan has to take Ivy to the hospital after she takes a tumble from a ladder. And he stares daggers at the doctor just because he’s being friendly and trying to help ease her pain as he stitches her up. He literally imagines scooping her up and hissing mine! like the disgusting caveman he is. That and this next bit is where I lost all hope for meaningful character development from Ethan.
He even tells the doctor that he’s Ivy’s boyfriend and subtly signals to her not to interject (even though she was about to).
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
This is not a healthy relationship!
Run Ivy! Run!!!! Don’t walk! Especially in those wedge heels! Put your crocs in sport mode and RUN THE OTHER DIRECTION AWAY FROM ETHAN!
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
Here’s some more bullet points:
He keeps pushing Ivy’s buttons, “poking the bear” so to speak, even though he knows it’s bad. He just can’t help it and even admits he knows he’s an a-hole.
Ethan tries to show Ivy “what she’s missing.” This is classic douchebag behavior.
The scene at the cake tasting trying to make her jealous. Like, seriously????
After the hammock scene, he doesn’t even trust her to “walk back to the house to go to the bathroom because she’ll fall in the pool.” Like, she has a phone with a flashlight on it bro, you don’t have to hold her hand okay.
He literally doesn’t trust her with anything that could “put her in danger.” Like I understand wanting to keep people you care about safe, but at a certain point you can’t protect them from the world or shield them forever. That’s a recipe for disaster. Like at what point are you towing the line between healthy concern and overbearing protectiveness?
He gets upset every time she gets on a ladder, step stool or even breathes in the direction of “you’re putting yourself in harm's way and have no sense of self preservation.”
Chapter 38, at a dinner with his brother Colten and soon to be sister in law Ember, he subtly puts his hand on Ivy’s back and then her leg under the table. I almost gagged 🤢🤮. It reminded me of a scene from the BBC War and Peace where Anatole makes some creepy contact advances on Natalya at the opera.
The tropes feel very forced, especially the “one bed” trope. And once again, Ethan invites himself to stay over, butting in because Ivy had just gotten home from the ER and she might “need something in the middle of the night.” 🙄🙄🙄
Like dude… creeper!!!!
And don’t even get me started on how eager Ethan was to help Ivy take her scrub top off because she couldn’t do it on her own because of her stitches!
Ethan has these weird bipolar moments of being self aware of his jealous or a-hole tendencies, yet the man has NO character arc where he makes ANY changes or effort!
Any of his “kind” moments are very off putting, like they were written for another character.
His sweet speeches and pronouncements of love and care for Ivy are way overshadowed by his actions and douchery.
How dare he use the sacred words of Tolkien to compliment her! Using Samwise Gamgee’s lines was pure torture like please no! My lord Sam is on a whole other level! A true gentleman!
Ethan is more like Gaston!
This relationship makes no logical or even emotional sense because Ethan has no arc!
Not to mention I don’t understand why any woman in her right mind would be okay with, let alone be attracted to a guy who’s constantly watching her like a hawk, hovering like a mother hen, or even using his mother to spy on her to make sure she’s staying safe!
I can pretty much guarantee that even though their relationship does lead to marriage and a seeming happily ever after, in six months, Ethan‘s sense of adventure with Ivy will well and truly be dull, and he’ll be back where he started.
And if he doesn’t watch himself, that neighborhood of becoming a possessive and overly jealous boyfriend that he’s circling will blossom into something that is more than just borderline abusive behavior. I mean, I already mentioned the connection to Edward Cullen…
He’s already very inconsiderate and doesn't give Ivy the space she asked for to think and work things through herself. He even calls her during that time to ask if she’s “still processing and if he can come over, because he’ll be quiet while she thinks.” BROOOOOOOO!!!! My brother-not-in-Christ!!!! She set a boundary, please leave! It’s so creeperish! And what is Ivy’s reaction to this message? She giggles! Straight up, giggles. Maybe that fall from the ladder gave her brain damage or something.🙄🤷♀️
He also takes her expensive music box without permission to get it fixed. Which is meant to be a sweet gesture, but feels more like an invasion of privacy.
They marry on a whim… in Vegas!!! Why?! That’s where the worst decisions are made!
And after everything they go through to restore her grandmother's cottage that she inherited, Ethan prefers to have Ivy move in with him once they’re married.🙄🙄🙄 Like I would think that it’d be more meaningful to have the compromise of Ethan setting aside his big house that he worked on by himself and choose the beautiful, smaller one he worked on with his “greatest adventure” Ivy. But no, he prefers his way because her cottage is “too small.” 🙄 Cry me a river.
But no, it’s okay because he’s a reader and he got a tattoo representing his love for her! Ugh!🙄 I’ve probably eye rolled more times in this review than the characters in this book!
My problems with other characters:
If Ember was a good friend she would’ve just barged in and discovered herself what was going on with her best friend instead of her fiancé sending his dbag of a brother because he didn’t want to “worry Ember.”
Opal and Gail are like terrible knock offs of the Golden Girls. Gail is nice enough, but Opal is just the worst, like, get out of my business when I didn’t ask you to be there ma’am!
Another issue is that Ivy does not like it when her intelligence is insulted, which would be a good character trait/arc, if she actually proves the people around her wrong. But instead she proves even more how much of a dummy she is by constantly putting herself in danger, no matter how unintentional it is. It just proves to us and the male main character Ethan that Ivy is dumb.
Also, why did we need such crass humor about Ivy seeing old lady “jiggly bits” while showering at the gym? Or having an inordinate amount of boob sweat??? Like I get that’s something that people deal with but why was it needed???
And lastly, on more than one occasion Ivy either talks or thinks about how “considerate and gentlemanly” Ethan is…
Like MA’AM!!!!👏 Show me one moment, one iota of a moment when this man actually respected your boundaries? NONE! It’s all disguised as “breaking her walls down” but in reality it’s him slowly crumbling her will to resist him. Sure, he showered her with gifts, but anyone can do that. Actions? Such as respecting her boundaries and actually giving her the space she asked for? Yeah, that’s much better than giving her a kindle or a tape measure that helps her dyslexic brain better take measurements.
WHY DOES SHE FIND HIM ATTRACTIVE? The only reason she does is simply because the author wrote her that way. Which is a pretty lame excuse. I just couldn’t make sense of it. I kept thinking that any second it would turn into a commentary on dumb toxic relationships in books but it never stopped being seriously earnest!
It’s supposed to be closed door/no-on-page spice (according to her Instagram) and there’s some vague moral values such as not wanting to have sex before marriage. But even that’s a loose moral because the characters make out like it’s a PG13 film. I’d even say she’s pushing the envelope when it comes to “closed door spice” because it gets pretty steamy and heavy handed fast!
The point is, I tried, I really did, to give this book, this duology, a chance. The first one is certainly waaay better than this one, both with the balance of humor and romance and minimal inappropriate behavior/jokes. But this dang book…
I just can’t help asking why? What was she going for with this romance?
I’m not a therapist in any sense of the word, though I have watched more hours of Cinema Therapy than the average person, and I can only imagine what those hosts would say about the romance in Writing on the Wall! In fact, during the last half of this book, their reviews of the Twilight movies kept playing in my head on repeat.
Plus I’ve also seen way too much of the red/green flag guy on YouTube. Where’s that guy when you need him?
Cindy is a truly gifted writer, I’ll give her that. She can write some great, laugh out loud humor and super compelling stories with immaculate vibes.
But this book…
I would like to officially end this review by giving recommendations for other books that I think are far better and make better use of the tropes used in this book without it feeling as forced. Oh, and the romances are clean without being cheesy! And they have super good humor and witty banter that’s not crass or inappropriate!
The Rose Gate by Hanna Sandvig is my absolute favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling AND its forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine without the possessive/jealousy flaws.😉
Her Cinderella retelling, The Glass Gate, does the fake dating trope far better than Writing on the Wall!
I apologize for this absolute UNIT of a review but I had some feelings, thoughts and opinions that I really needed to get out and I truly think readers need to know about some of the stuff I addressed here.
Disclaimer: spoilers for the book throughout this review!
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology, Change of Plans. However, that first book had some needless steamy moments that I was uncomfortable with. The main couple’s kisses got a little too steamy, and even without much description, it was unsettling.
So, let’s get on with my review of book 2…
Things I liked about Writing on the Wall:
Page 239, where Ethan shows Ivy his gorgeous home library. Even this didn’t win me over. And I LOVE me a Beauty and the Beast library moment!
The first 12 or so chapters. Pretty solid. I liked hearing about Ivy’s struggle with living in her car.
The mystery surrounding the music box.
The family drama with Ivy’s brother Ross.
Ivy’s spider prank on Ethan. Trust me, “He had it coming! He only had himself to blame! If you’ve been there, if you’d’ve seen it, I bet you, you would’ve done the same!”
Dislikes:
*sigh*
Let’s get this over with because I’m done ranting about it to my mother.
*takes a deep breath and steps onto giant soap box*
Ethan.
This arrogant, overprotective a-hole.
First of all, he is not Ivy’s keeper. His protectiveness of her is more in line with Edward Cullen than the gentle giant persona that I think Cindy was going for.
And on the note of Twilight, Ivy describes herself as Bella Swan in the “ability to walk or have any amount of coordination” department. There’s an actual mention of spider monkeys in this book… ick.
But back to Ethan.
Take a shot… of water every time Ethan growls. You’ll be seriously hydrated and need to pee.
He growls every time Ivy seems to be enjoying the platonic company of other men, including her like-a-brother coworker Toby. Even before they actually acknowledge their feelings for each other!
His opinion of Toby is fairly toxic. Like, some men don’t have to be overly jealous of their girlfriends when they see them hanging around another guy, it shows how much they trust their girlfriends, not to an unhealthy extent of course, but it just shows that they have more trust and faith in their significant other and don’t stoop to the Neanderthal-like jealousy that Ethan does. If I were Ivy in this situation, I would most definitely gain an attraction to Toby because at least he seems like the kind of guy who is helpful, kind, considerate, and affectionate without being possessive. Because I think that men like Toby are not any less of a man than someone like Colton -Ethan’s brother- for example.
He treats Toby the way Michael Scott treats Toby on the Office. He thinks of him as a twerp and still gets jealous, even though Ivy assures him that he is more like her brother than her real brother is.
Then, why the heck is Ethan so bothered that Toby isn’t like him or experiences the same kind of jealousy that he experiences? Like, dude, some men are actually considerate and trusting of their significant others so… I’m team Toby!✊
Speaking of possessive…
In Chapters 28 & 29, Ethan has to take Ivy to the hospital after she takes a tumble from a ladder. And he stares daggers at the doctor just because he’s being friendly and trying to help ease her pain as he stitches her up. He literally imagines scooping her up and hissing mine! like the disgusting caveman he is. That and this next bit is where I lost all hope for meaningful character development from Ethan.
He even tells the doctor that he’s Ivy’s boyfriend and subtly signals to her not to interject (even though she was about to).
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
This is not a healthy relationship!
Run Ivy! Run!!!! Don’t walk! Especially in those wedge heels! Put your crocs in sport mode and RUN THE OTHER DIRECTION AWAY FROM ETHAN!
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
Here’s some more bullet points:
He keeps pushing Ivy’s buttons, “poking the bear” so to speak, even though he knows it’s bad. He just can’t help it and even admits he knows he’s an a-hole.
Ethan tries to show Ivy “what she’s missing.” This is classic douchebag behavior.
The scene at the cake tasting trying to make her jealous. Like, seriously????
After the hammock scene, he doesn’t even trust her to “walk back to the house to go to the bathroom because she’ll fall in the pool.” Like, she has a phone with a flashlight on it bro, you don’t have to hold her hand okay.
He literally doesn’t trust her with anything that could “put her in danger.” Like I understand wanting to keep people you care about safe, but at a certain point you can’t protect them from the world or shield them forever. That’s a recipe for disaster. Like at what point are you towing the line between healthy concern and overbearing protectiveness?
He gets upset every time she gets on a ladder, step stool or even breathes in the direction of “you’re putting yourself in harm's way and have no sense of self preservation.”
Chapter 38, at a dinner with his brother Colten and soon to be sister in law Ember, he subtly puts his hand on Ivy’s back and then her leg under the table. I almost gagged 🤢🤮. It reminded me of a scene from the BBC War and Peace where Anatole makes some creepy contact advances on Natalya at the opera.
The tropes feel very forced, especially the “one bed” trope. And once again, Ethan invites himself to stay over, butting in because Ivy had just gotten home from the ER and she might “need something in the middle of the night.” 🙄🙄🙄
Like dude… creeper!!!!
And don’t even get me started on how eager Ethan was to help Ivy take her scrub top off because she couldn’t do it on her own because of her stitches!
Ethan has these weird bipolar moments of being self aware of his jealous or a-hole tendencies, yet the man has NO character arc where he makes ANY changes or effort!
Any of his “kind” moments are very off putting, like they were written for another character.
His sweet speeches and pronouncements of love and care for Ivy are way overshadowed by his actions and douchery.
How dare he use the sacred words of Tolkien to compliment her! Using Samwise Gamgee’s lines was pure torture like please no! My lord Sam is on a whole other level! A true gentleman!
Ethan is more like Gaston!
This relationship makes no logical or even emotional sense because Ethan has no arc!
Not to mention I don’t understand why any woman in her right mind would be okay with, let alone be attracted to a guy who’s constantly watching her like a hawk, hovering like a mother hen, or even using his mother to spy on her to make sure she’s staying safe!
I can pretty much guarantee that even though their relationship does lead to marriage and a seeming happily ever after, in six months, Ethan‘s sense of adventure with Ivy will well and truly be dull, and he’ll be back where he started.
And if he doesn’t watch himself, that neighborhood of becoming a possessive and overly jealous boyfriend that he’s circling will blossom into something that is more than just borderline abusive behavior. I mean, I already mentioned the connection to Edward Cullen…
He’s already very inconsiderate and doesn't give Ivy the space she asked for to think and work things through herself. He even calls her during that time to ask if she’s “still processing and if he can come over, because he’ll be quiet while she thinks.” BROOOOOOOO!!!! My brother-not-in-Christ!!!! She set a boundary, please leave! It’s so creeperish! And what is Ivy’s reaction to this message? She giggles! Straight up, giggles. Maybe that fall from the ladder gave her brain damage or something.🙄🤷♀️
He also takes her expensive music box without permission to get it fixed. Which is meant to be a sweet gesture, but feels more like an invasion of privacy.
They marry on a whim… in Vegas!!! Why?! That’s where the worst decisions are made!
And after everything they go through to restore her grandmother's cottage that she inherited, Ethan prefers to have Ivy move in with him once they’re married.🙄🙄🙄 Like I would think that it’d be more meaningful to have the compromise of Ethan setting aside his big house that he worked on by himself and choose the beautiful, smaller one he worked on with his “greatest adventure” Ivy. But no, he prefers his way because her cottage is “too small.” 🙄 Cry me a river.
But no, it’s okay because he’s a reader and he got a tattoo representing his love for her! Ugh!🙄 I’ve probably eye rolled more times in this review than the characters in this book!
My problems with other characters:
If Ember was a good friend she would’ve just barged in and discovered herself what was going on with her best friend instead of her fiancé sending his dbag of a brother because he didn’t want to “worry Ember.”
Opal and Gail are like terrible knock offs of the Golden Girls. Gail is nice enough, but Opal is just the worst, like, get out of my business when I didn’t ask you to be there ma’am!
Another issue is that Ivy does not like it when her intelligence is insulted, which would be a good character trait/arc, if she actually proves the people around her wrong. But instead she proves even more how much of a dummy she is by constantly putting herself in danger, no matter how unintentional it is. It just proves to us and the male main character Ethan that Ivy is dumb.
Also, why did we need such crass humor about Ivy seeing old lady “jiggly bits” while showering at the gym? Or having an inordinate amount of boob sweat??? Like I get that’s something that people deal with but why was it needed???
And lastly, on more than one occasion Ivy either talks or thinks about how “considerate and gentlemanly” Ethan is…
Like MA’AM!!!!👏 Show me one moment, one iota of a moment when this man actually respected your boundaries? NONE! It’s all disguised as “breaking her walls down” but in reality it’s him slowly crumbling her will to resist him. Sure, he showered her with gifts, but anyone can do that. Actions? Such as respecting her boundaries and actually giving her the space she asked for? Yeah, that’s much better than giving her a kindle or a tape measure that helps her dyslexic brain better take measurements.
WHY DOES SHE FIND HIM ATTRACTIVE? The only reason she does is simply because the author wrote her that way. Which is a pretty lame excuse. I just couldn’t make sense of it. I kept thinking that any second it would turn into a commentary on dumb toxic relationships in books but it never stopped being seriously earnest!
It’s supposed to be closed door/no-on-page spice (according to her Instagram) and there’s some vague moral values such as not wanting to have sex before marriage. But even that’s a loose moral because the characters make out like it’s a PG13 film. I’d even say she’s pushing the envelope when it comes to “closed door spice” because it gets pretty steamy and heavy handed fast!
The point is, I tried, I really did, to give this book, this duology, a chance. The first one is certainly waaay better than this one, both with the balance of humor and romance and minimal inappropriate behavior/jokes. But this dang book…
I just can’t help asking why? What was she going for with this romance?
I’m not a therapist in any sense of the word, though I have watched more hours of Cinema Therapy than the average person, and I can only imagine what those hosts would say about the romance in Writing on the Wall! In fact, during the last half of this book, their reviews of the Twilight movies kept playing in my head on repeat.
Plus I’ve also seen way too much of the red/green flag guy on YouTube. Where’s that guy when you need him?
Cindy is a truly gifted writer, I’ll give her that. She can write some great, laugh out loud humor and super compelling stories with immaculate vibes.
But this book…
I would like to officially end this review by giving recommendations for other books that I think are far better and make better use of the tropes used in this book without it feeling as forced. Oh, and the romances are clean without being cheesy! And they have super good humor and witty banter that’s not crass or inappropriate!
The Rose Gate by Hanna Sandvig is my absolute favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling AND its forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine without the possessive/jealousy flaws.😉
Her Cinderella retelling, The Glass Gate, does the fake dating trope far better than Writing on the Wall!
I apologize for this absolute UNIT of a review but I had some feelings, thoughts and opinions that I really needed to get out and I truly think readers need to know about some of the stuff I addressed here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2024
4⭐️ ARC Review: This was my first book by Cindy Ras, and let me tell you now, it will not be my last. I was smiling like a dodo for almost the entirety of this book. The banter, the internal monologue, the characters in general, chef’s kiss. Cindy has such a fun writing style that keeps you engaged and has you seriously enjoying it from cover to cover. I was never bored.
Now, Ethan and Ivy were SO. MUCH. FUN! Ivy and her non-cussing cuss words, and Ethan with his internal name calling (Iykyk). They had great chemistry, and even though Ethan was super grumpy towards her and her alone, he was completely gone for her from the beginning.
The old ladies were HILARIOUS. Some of the things they said killed me lol. Honestly, I don’t think there was a single character that I disliked in this book. (well maybe her brother for a minute) Anyways, throw in a sprinkle of mystery and you have the makings of the cutest story. Highly recommend if you want to swoon, smile, and have a jolly good time.
*Thank you to the author, Cindy Ras, for the complimentary copy of this book.. all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read if you enjoy:
- Dual POV
- Enemies-ish to lovers
- Closed-door/clean romance
- House renovations
- Dyslexia rep
- No third-act breakup
- He falls first
Content 💋:
- Kisses only
- Mild language (a handful uses of a**, and few uses of h**l, and a couple uses of d**n)
Now, Ethan and Ivy were SO. MUCH. FUN! Ivy and her non-cussing cuss words, and Ethan with his internal name calling (Iykyk). They had great chemistry, and even though Ethan was super grumpy towards her and her alone, he was completely gone for her from the beginning.
The old ladies were HILARIOUS. Some of the things they said killed me lol. Honestly, I don’t think there was a single character that I disliked in this book. (well maybe her brother for a minute) Anyways, throw in a sprinkle of mystery and you have the makings of the cutest story. Highly recommend if you want to swoon, smile, and have a jolly good time.
*Thank you to the author, Cindy Ras, for the complimentary copy of this book.. all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read if you enjoy:
- Dual POV
- Enemies-ish to lovers
- Closed-door/clean romance
- House renovations
- Dyslexia rep
- No third-act breakup
- He falls first
Content 💋:
- Kisses only
- Mild language (a handful uses of a**, and few uses of h**l, and a couple uses of d**n)
September 15, 2025
This was such a cute read. I loved how Ivy was able to overcome her struggles with the help of Ethan showing her that she is more than enough and it's ok to ask for help. The banter and the longing was amazing. Definetly will be reading again in the future when I need a cozy no spice romance to give me all the warm and fuzzy feels.
February 6, 2025
very YA
Not my favorite book. If you’re looking for a very short, young minded romance then this is it! There wasn’t really any build up or chemistry between the main characters… they went from sort of disliking one another to bad all of a sudden in love. There’s a lot of backstory that was just skimmed over and just overall a very mediocre book.
Not my favorite book. If you’re looking for a very short, young minded romance then this is it! There wasn’t really any build up or chemistry between the main characters… they went from sort of disliking one another to bad all of a sudden in love. There’s a lot of backstory that was just skimmed over and just overall a very mediocre book.
October 14, 2024
4.5⭐️ As soon as I saw there was dyslexia represented, I had to jump. Being dyslexic myself. My gut was right. This was super cute. Lots of banter. Protective MMC that comes to the rescue more than once. A stubborn FMC just trying to not burden people.
Ivy is a teacher that is secretly struggling with dyslexia. She’s afraid everyone will think she’s not capable to do as much if they knew. Plus, she’s about as tall as her students. The wedge heels help, and she won’t do anything without them. Throw in her brother getting into trouble, fake dating her coworker, and renovating her grandmother’s home; Ivy has a lot on her plate.
Enter Ethan. He’s waiting on a shot at a home renovation show. In the mean time, he can’t help but come to Ivy’s aid and want to throw those death traps of shoes away. As they continue to work together, he can’t deny his attraction to Ivy. He needs to show her that he’s a better fit for her than her coworker, Toby.
Thank you so much to @cindyras_author for the opportunity to read and review. It was an absolute joy to read Writing on the Wall. Can’t wait for more. #writingonthewall #cindyras #bookstagram #dyslexicandproud #advancedreadercopy
Ivy is a teacher that is secretly struggling with dyslexia. She’s afraid everyone will think she’s not capable to do as much if they knew. Plus, she’s about as tall as her students. The wedge heels help, and she won’t do anything without them. Throw in her brother getting into trouble, fake dating her coworker, and renovating her grandmother’s home; Ivy has a lot on her plate.
Enter Ethan. He’s waiting on a shot at a home renovation show. In the mean time, he can’t help but come to Ivy’s aid and want to throw those death traps of shoes away. As they continue to work together, he can’t deny his attraction to Ivy. He needs to show her that he’s a better fit for her than her coworker, Toby.
Thank you so much to @cindyras_author for the opportunity to read and review. It was an absolute joy to read Writing on the Wall. Can’t wait for more. #writingonthewall #cindyras #bookstagram #dyslexicandproud #advancedreadercopy
October 13, 2024
An amazing story . Ivy and Ethan are enemies to lovers theme . Ivy a second grade school teacher is out of luck , trying to help her big brother again she is homeless and living in her car . She is lucky when her gradma is letting her live at her house but the place needs lot of care . Ethan is the brother in law of Ember her best friend who at first met they fought and now he is the handsome contractor who will fix her place . While they work together they quarrel but he actually he is worrying about her safety . He realises that she has dyslexia and helps her what it . Their feelings grow and they deside to become a couple but of a little white lie she told her grandma they must keep their relationship secret for a while . Will Ethan be the one who will make Ivy a priority?
I received this book from the author and the publisher as an ARC . Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own .
I received this book from the author and the publisher as an ARC . Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own .
March 5, 2025
This book was absolutely adorable. Give me all the banter and protectiveness!
Here you follow Ivy, who is a 2nd grade teacher and Ethan, a contractor. Her best friend is engaged to his brother. Love this family bond. And they get brought together for various reasons
I enjoyed reading relatable characters with what can be seen as "simple problems" for some people. But this book shares about how strength can come from things.
Great clean romance book!
Here you follow Ivy, who is a 2nd grade teacher and Ethan, a contractor. Her best friend is engaged to his brother. Love this family bond. And they get brought together for various reasons
I enjoyed reading relatable characters with what can be seen as "simple problems" for some people. But this book shares about how strength can come from things.
Great clean romance book!
August 25, 2025
Ethan is the cocky, grumpy flirt who only wants to protect Ivy, but somehow can’t keep his foot out of his mouth. Ivy, on the other hand, can’t stand Ethan after their very first run-in. Her long-buried insecurities are suddenly being pushed to the surface. Between the hilarious bickering, Granny and her enemies, and Ethan’s fear of spiders, this book will keep you laughing and grinning from start to finish!
💋 only
🤬 minor
💋 only
🤬 minor
October 26, 2024
Si les gustó el libro anterior, sin duda disfrutarán de este.
March 18, 2025
This book gave me all the smiles 😍
April 5, 2025
#wasteofmytime
March 23, 2025
This look literally dragged for me. I thought it was going to go on forever. I didn’t really like the FMC.
March 10, 2025
This was kinda ass
May 25, 2025
It just wasn’t for me. There wasn’t really a buildup for their romance. The male character thought she had a boyfriend, but still wanted to pursue her and told her she should break up with her boyfriend?! It was her fake boyfriend, but he didn’t know that for sure.
I have dyslexia I know that feeling of having to write in front of other people. I don’t have it as bad as her, but in the book it was just kind of annoying. I’m sorry but every five pages it was mentioned. It’s good to talk about it in books. I don’t know it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Also I just didn’t really like the characters. I didn’t care for them.
The fake boyfriend situation was a bit pointless. I don’t know. I didn’t really make much sense and it didn’t have to be that dragged out.
The book wasn’t bad bad it was just nothing for me. The end also bothered me and I don’t know why they rushed it. It felt rushed, but it felt also dragged out. I skimmed the last 10% of the book and those are mostly my favorite pages in books, but I just didn’t have a care anymore. I just wanted to be done with the book.
I have dyslexia I know that feeling of having to write in front of other people. I don’t have it as bad as her, but in the book it was just kind of annoying. I’m sorry but every five pages it was mentioned. It’s good to talk about it in books. I don’t know it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Also I just didn’t really like the characters. I didn’t care for them.
The fake boyfriend situation was a bit pointless. I don’t know. I didn’t really make much sense and it didn’t have to be that dragged out.
The book wasn’t bad bad it was just nothing for me. The end also bothered me and I don’t know why they rushed it. It felt rushed, but it felt also dragged out. I skimmed the last 10% of the book and those are mostly my favorite pages in books, but I just didn’t have a care anymore. I just wanted to be done with the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2025
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!! I adored Ivy's character in the first book of this Duo, Change of Plans, and I had hoped that she would get her own book. Cindy brought those dreams to live with this epic, enemies to lovers, hilarious romcom. Ivy was everything I needed in a FMC and more. She was relatable, funny, sassy, and adorable. Her clumsiness and awkwardness made me feel seen.
And of course Ethan was a total dream boat. It took me a bit to really fall for him, for some reason, but once I did it was game over. The way that he truly cared for Ivy and fell super hard for her, really amped up the Swoon in this book. Hands down, it is one of my top favorite reads of 2024. The LOTR references and old lady banter was top notch! Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!!!!
And of course Ethan was a total dream boat. It took me a bit to really fall for him, for some reason, but once I did it was game over. The way that he truly cared for Ivy and fell super hard for her, really amped up the Swoon in this book. Hands down, it is one of my top favorite reads of 2024. The LOTR references and old lady banter was top notch! Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!!!!
March 11, 2025
2.5
It was…ok? Meh. Ivy and her height being brought up 500 times killed my enjoyment from the start, her childish grudge for Ethan helping her off a stool before she fell was ridiculous. Be annoyed at him, fine. But she took it too far and it felt juvenile. The brother, the fake dating, the house renovation, her wanting to go back to school out of nowhere, the bad guys, the tv show. It was all too much and made it feel like the author was pulling things from a hat to add in for fun.
It was…ok? Meh. Ivy and her height being brought up 500 times killed my enjoyment from the start, her childish grudge for Ethan helping her off a stool before she fell was ridiculous. Be annoyed at him, fine. But she took it too far and it felt juvenile. The brother, the fake dating, the house renovation, her wanting to go back to school out of nowhere, the bad guys, the tv show. It was all too much and made it feel like the author was pulling things from a hat to add in for fun.
June 11, 2025
- school teacher x contractor
- accident prone h
- h has a fake boyfriend initially
- enemies to secret lovers
- dyslexia rep
- he falls first
- family heirloom mystery
- vegas wedding
the tropes were all there but this book was so so boring, struggled to finish it
- accident prone h
- h has a fake boyfriend initially
- enemies to secret lovers
- dyslexia rep
- he falls first
- family heirloom mystery
- vegas wedding
the tropes were all there but this book was so so boring, struggled to finish it
October 22, 2024
You would never believe that this is only Cindy's second book. She writes with a depth and excellence that doesn't give this little nugget away. This is no quick read, but a "sit down and stay awhile." What initially drew me to this story was the beautiful cover, which Cindy also did. A double threat!
This enemies-to-lovers story was so much fun. You start with some mutual loathing and attraction, one of them currently wrapped up in a fake dating situation, and toss it together with some forced proximity. Where this story is so unique is the actual writing on the wall where barriers are broken down and hearts are opened.
“A coat of paint over it doesn’t take away its part in our story.” ❤️
The chemistry between Ethan and Ivy is palpable from the page. We get a lot of pages of injuries and "poking the bear" before they settle in and quit denying that they don't dislike one another. But the moment where they know... oh baby. We get quite a few grand gestures from Ethan because Ivy's life is chaos, and his history doesn't suggest he is in for the long run. But boy, when this man goes out to prove himself, he goes all out.
Add in a wild cast of supporting characters, like Ivy's gambling brother, her best friend who is getting married, her geriatric friends and their shenanigans, and her grandma with her music box mystery, this book will keep you entertained for hours. It also reps dyslexia and dyscalcula in a really compassionate way. The book is funny, it's witty, and it's realistic. I loved it, and I'll be keeping up with all of Cindy's future releases.
Content: Some swearing and innuendo
This is a closed-door romcom with kissing only on the page. (And it's some good kissing, too 💋)
I received a complimentary copy of the author's story to read and review. All thoughts contained here are my own
This enemies-to-lovers story was so much fun. You start with some mutual loathing and attraction, one of them currently wrapped up in a fake dating situation, and toss it together with some forced proximity. Where this story is so unique is the actual writing on the wall where barriers are broken down and hearts are opened.
“A coat of paint over it doesn’t take away its part in our story.” ❤️
The chemistry between Ethan and Ivy is palpable from the page. We get a lot of pages of injuries and "poking the bear" before they settle in and quit denying that they don't dislike one another. But the moment where they know... oh baby. We get quite a few grand gestures from Ethan because Ivy's life is chaos, and his history doesn't suggest he is in for the long run. But boy, when this man goes out to prove himself, he goes all out.
Add in a wild cast of supporting characters, like Ivy's gambling brother, her best friend who is getting married, her geriatric friends and their shenanigans, and her grandma with her music box mystery, this book will keep you entertained for hours. It also reps dyslexia and dyscalcula in a really compassionate way. The book is funny, it's witty, and it's realistic. I loved it, and I'll be keeping up with all of Cindy's future releases.
Content: Some swearing and innuendo
This is a closed-door romcom with kissing only on the page. (And it's some good kissing, too 💋)
I received a complimentary copy of the author's story to read and review. All thoughts contained here are my own
July 23, 2025
From the Library of Sarah Ashley: Book #49
Gran, Gambling, and Grand Shenanigans – A Sequel That Slaps!
Just when I thought Writing on the Walls couldn't get wilder, Cindy Ras said “Hold my gran’s knitting needle” and delivered a sequel that had me hooked like Ross at a poker table. Told you bestie and brother boy would definitely get a spin on the Wheel of Love!
This book was an even faster read than the original — probably because I couldn’t stop flipping pages like Ivy avoiding eye contact when someone mentions phonics. Gail and Opal finally end their 30-year feud with Gran (growth!) and immediately dive headfirst into chaos like the geriatric icons they are, dragging
poor Carl the security guard with them. I hope he got hazard pay.
Meanwhile, Ross is out here singlehandedly trying to qualify for a Dr. Phil episode — gambling addiction, breaking into Gran’s house, lying like it’s his full-time job, twitchy like he's been drinking espresso through a straw. Sir. Get it together.
And then there’s Ivy, hiding her dyslexia all her life — and becoming a second-grade teacher despite it all!! But who figures it out? Big Bad Brother Boy, of course. He's ready to bulldoze her emotional walls and renovate her literal house while he's at it. (Which, BTW, Gran gifts her like it’s Monopoly property. Iconic.)
We also get a fake relationship with Ivy’s male bestie that fools absolutely no one — except Gran, who immediately starts planning weddings and possibly naming great-grandchildren. All while balancing a brand new real relationship!
Pure chaos. Unhinged hijinks. Heartwarming AND hilarious.
5/5 stars and a bonus half star for Carl.
#GranDrama #BrotherBoyEnergy #
#FakeDatingFails #RenovateMyHeart #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #WritingOnTheWalls #SequelSuccess #ReadItOrRegretIt #libraryofsarahashley
Gran, Gambling, and Grand Shenanigans – A Sequel That Slaps!
Just when I thought Writing on the Walls couldn't get wilder, Cindy Ras said “Hold my gran’s knitting needle” and delivered a sequel that had me hooked like Ross at a poker table. Told you bestie and brother boy would definitely get a spin on the Wheel of Love!
This book was an even faster read than the original — probably because I couldn’t stop flipping pages like Ivy avoiding eye contact when someone mentions phonics. Gail and Opal finally end their 30-year feud with Gran (growth!) and immediately dive headfirst into chaos like the geriatric icons they are, dragging
poor Carl the security guard with them. I hope he got hazard pay.
Meanwhile, Ross is out here singlehandedly trying to qualify for a Dr. Phil episode — gambling addiction, breaking into Gran’s house, lying like it’s his full-time job, twitchy like he's been drinking espresso through a straw. Sir. Get it together.
And then there’s Ivy, hiding her dyslexia all her life — and becoming a second-grade teacher despite it all!! But who figures it out? Big Bad Brother Boy, of course. He's ready to bulldoze her emotional walls and renovate her literal house while he's at it. (Which, BTW, Gran gifts her like it’s Monopoly property. Iconic.)
We also get a fake relationship with Ivy’s male bestie that fools absolutely no one — except Gran, who immediately starts planning weddings and possibly naming great-grandchildren. All while balancing a brand new real relationship!
Pure chaos. Unhinged hijinks. Heartwarming AND hilarious.
5/5 stars and a bonus half star for Carl.
#GranDrama #BrotherBoyEnergy #
#FakeDatingFails #RenovateMyHeart #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #WritingOnTheWalls #SequelSuccess #ReadItOrRegretIt #libraryofsarahashley
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April 30, 2025 Unintentional rant incoming... I started typing and it just didn't stop
I feel like I can't give this book a rating because I pretty much skimmed the book from 40% onwards.
In the first book in this series, Ember and Colton's relationship was fun to read, our FMC was quirky (with a slightly weird obsession with Shania Twain that seemed rather irrelevant TBH) but it wasn't boring to read about, and there was a backstory that was interesting and had purpose.
This book felt exactly like book one just rewritten with Ivy and Ethan as the main characters. Girl and guy develop feelings for each other but for [insert circumstance here], can't be together. Despite this, their feelings grow, but unbeknownst to the MMC, the FMC has a [insert sketchy backstory here] that's going to catch up with her at the end of the novel, our MMC will abandon his plans to save the day, and they'll live happily ever after. These novels shared the exact same blueprint with slightly different modifications.
I also just couldn't stand Ivy in this book which sucks because it was this book that originally caught my eye, and I only read book one since it was the start of the series. But she was kind of annoying, she was so defensive the whole time, there was no chemistry between her and Ethan, and the ending of this book was so underwhelming. At least in book one, Ember's ex actually was a threat which made the book more interesting. But in this one, the 'threat' turned out to be little old ladies in disguise, and I'm sorry but Ethan paying off Ross' debts and him ready to become a changed man? Give me a spell.
Okay, that was a bit more of a rant than I intended it to be... whoops. Obviously, I had bigger feelings about this book than I realised.
I feel like I can't give this book a rating because I pretty much skimmed the book from 40% onwards.
In the first book in this series, Ember and Colton's relationship was fun to read, our FMC was quirky (with a slightly weird obsession with Shania Twain that seemed rather irrelevant TBH) but it wasn't boring to read about, and there was a backstory that was interesting and had purpose.
This book felt exactly like book one just rewritten with Ivy and Ethan as the main characters. Girl and guy develop feelings for each other but for [insert circumstance here], can't be together. Despite this, their feelings grow, but unbeknownst to the MMC, the FMC has a [insert sketchy backstory here] that's going to catch up with her at the end of the novel, our MMC will abandon his plans to save the day, and they'll live happily ever after. These novels shared the exact same blueprint with slightly different modifications.
I also just couldn't stand Ivy in this book which sucks because it was this book that originally caught my eye, and I only read book one since it was the start of the series. But she was kind of annoying, she was so defensive the whole time, there was no chemistry between her and Ethan, and the ending of this book was so underwhelming. At least in book one, Ember's ex actually was a threat which made the book more interesting. But in this one, the 'threat' turned out to be little old ladies in disguise, and I'm sorry but Ethan paying off Ross' debts and him ready to become a changed man? Give me a spell.
Okay, that was a bit more of a rant than I intended it to be... whoops. Obviously, I had bigger feelings about this book than I realised.
October 14, 2024
Writing on the Wall is the second book in the Kings Brother Duology. While I would highly recommend reading the first book (it's wonderful and will give you an introduction to these characters), I do believe this could be enjoyed as a standalone even if you have not read it.
Simply put, I absolutely adored this book just as much as (if not more than) the first one! And I absolutely LOVED the first one! These Kings brothers are just the most swoon worthy brothers ever and I'm admittedly sad there's not more of them! To say that Ivy and Ethan butt heads at the start of the story is a little bit of an understatement! Ivy seems to always be getting herself into scrapes, and Ethan's overprotective side comes out in full force when she's near... so they don't get off to a great start. When they find themselves working together on her grandma's rundown house, they realize that there is much more to the other than they first thought. I love a protective MMC and Ethan certainly was that... I love how he noticed things that others in her life had not and tried to help her however he could. Ivy has a lot of insecurities that she's dealing with, but I loved seeing her growth throughout the story and how Ethan helped that along. There's a perfect mix of family drama, elderly mischief and even a little mystery blended with this sweet and tender romance, and I was absolutely here for it all!
Writing on the Wall is a closed-door romance with kisses only. There is some minor language throughout the story as well.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
Simply put, I absolutely adored this book just as much as (if not more than) the first one! And I absolutely LOVED the first one! These Kings brothers are just the most swoon worthy brothers ever and I'm admittedly sad there's not more of them! To say that Ivy and Ethan butt heads at the start of the story is a little bit of an understatement! Ivy seems to always be getting herself into scrapes, and Ethan's overprotective side comes out in full force when she's near... so they don't get off to a great start. When they find themselves working together on her grandma's rundown house, they realize that there is much more to the other than they first thought. I love a protective MMC and Ethan certainly was that... I love how he noticed things that others in her life had not and tried to help her however he could. Ivy has a lot of insecurities that she's dealing with, but I loved seeing her growth throughout the story and how Ethan helped that along. There's a perfect mix of family drama, elderly mischief and even a little mystery blended with this sweet and tender romance, and I was absolutely here for it all!
Writing on the Wall is a closed-door romance with kisses only. There is some minor language throughout the story as well.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
October 26, 2024
A Perfect Blend of Sass, Mystery, and Romance
This book truly has everything! To start, it’s packed with some of the most relatable quotes. Ivy is sassy in the best way possible, and her quick wit and charm make her so easy to root for. Ethan? Well, he’s a bit more complicated, but there’s something so endearing about the way he gradually opens up, learning to accept his own feelings while keeping his “cool guy” edge intact. Their relationship had a rocky start, and I just had to know why. As the story unraveled, it pulled me right in—each new twist made it impossible to put down. And the funniest part? Opal and Gail. I won’t spoil anything, but their antics alone are worth the read! 🤩😅 You won’t regret picking this one up. And if you need a few more reasons to dive in, here’s why you should read it:
- He’s only grumpy with her (but doesn’t stay that way for long! 😉)
- She’s got a fake boyfriend (who happens to be super cool and a teacher ❤️)
- There’s a mysterious heirloom (and you have to find out its story)
- He falls for her first (and does it with undeniable style 😎)
- The surprise ending (no spoilers, but who doesn’t love a twisty ending? 🥰)
In short, this book is the perfect mix of humor, mystery, and romance, with characters who feel like friends. It’s a delightful escape and one that’ll leave you smiling long after the last page!
This book truly has everything! To start, it’s packed with some of the most relatable quotes. Ivy is sassy in the best way possible, and her quick wit and charm make her so easy to root for. Ethan? Well, he’s a bit more complicated, but there’s something so endearing about the way he gradually opens up, learning to accept his own feelings while keeping his “cool guy” edge intact. Their relationship had a rocky start, and I just had to know why. As the story unraveled, it pulled me right in—each new twist made it impossible to put down. And the funniest part? Opal and Gail. I won’t spoil anything, but their antics alone are worth the read! 🤩😅 You won’t regret picking this one up. And if you need a few more reasons to dive in, here’s why you should read it:
- He’s only grumpy with her (but doesn’t stay that way for long! 😉)
- She’s got a fake boyfriend (who happens to be super cool and a teacher ❤️)
- There’s a mysterious heirloom (and you have to find out its story)
- He falls for her first (and does it with undeniable style 😎)
- The surprise ending (no spoilers, but who doesn’t love a twisty ending? 🥰)
In short, this book is the perfect mix of humor, mystery, and romance, with characters who feel like friends. It’s a delightful escape and one that’ll leave you smiling long after the last page!
October 30, 2024
Cindy Ras brought out such a rich story in Writing on the Wall. It’s taken me some time to process my thoughts on Ivy and Ethan. As the best man and maid of honor in an upcoming wedding, they are already being forced together quite a bit, and they seem to mix as well as oil and water do. Ivy seemingly has the weight of the world on her shoulders, too many burdens and responsibilities on her plate, to the point she ends up homeless when her brother fails to keep his promises. Add in her learning disability she tries to keep secret, and her world feels like it’s crumbling around her.
Ethan has a knack for reacting like a bossy Neanderthal whenever he sees Ivy. It doesn’t help that she’s accident-prone, and he’s trying to hide his over-protective feelings and interest in her. His background in construction is just what Ivy needs to remodel the house her grandmother is gifting her, even though she would rather not accept help from her nemesis.
Watching their chemistry and banter climb higher and higher, even while trying to fight their feelings-not to mention Ivy fake dating her coworker- was a true delight. Throw in a little mystery and suspense, and you won’t want to miss this! Snag your copy today!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ethan has a knack for reacting like a bossy Neanderthal whenever he sees Ivy. It doesn’t help that she’s accident-prone, and he’s trying to hide his over-protective feelings and interest in her. His background in construction is just what Ivy needs to remodel the house her grandmother is gifting her, even though she would rather not accept help from her nemesis.
Watching their chemistry and banter climb higher and higher, even while trying to fight their feelings-not to mention Ivy fake dating her coworker- was a true delight. Throw in a little mystery and suspense, and you won’t want to miss this! Snag your copy today!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 9, 2025
I have not stopped thinking about Ivy and Ethan since I finished this book! So, it’s only fair then that I rate this 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This enemies to lovers romance was SOO cute and funny, I caught myself smiling and giggling throughout. I absolutely ADORED Ethan and his protective, grumpy, yet flirty self. He can’t help but “poke the bear” and I couldn’t help but love that because it reminds me of my own husband (although it’s funnier and cuter read than experienced 😂 Still love you honey! Wouldn’t change you for the world 🥰)
Ivy was so sweet and stubbornly charming. She has such a big heart and always puts others before herself. Don’t be fooled though, she has a feisty side too! You can’t help but love her! ☺️
The banter was perfection, the jealousy was too cute (kinda weird to say that but you get it 😆), and the romance was just everything I wanted in a romcom! There is no spice but this book didn’t need it. I loved just being able to focus on the relationship 💖
This book read like a movie. I could picture everything so well and I loved all the side characters just as much as the main ones (except Ross, he stressed me out!), but Opal, Gail, and Toby! LOVED THEM! ❤️
Highly recommend this book if you don’t mind the lack of spice. It’s a cute, funny, and good time 😊
This enemies to lovers romance was SOO cute and funny, I caught myself smiling and giggling throughout. I absolutely ADORED Ethan and his protective, grumpy, yet flirty self. He can’t help but “poke the bear” and I couldn’t help but love that because it reminds me of my own husband (although it’s funnier and cuter read than experienced 😂 Still love you honey! Wouldn’t change you for the world 🥰)
Ivy was so sweet and stubbornly charming. She has such a big heart and always puts others before herself. Don’t be fooled though, she has a feisty side too! You can’t help but love her! ☺️
The banter was perfection, the jealousy was too cute (kinda weird to say that but you get it 😆), and the romance was just everything I wanted in a romcom! There is no spice but this book didn’t need it. I loved just being able to focus on the relationship 💖
This book read like a movie. I could picture everything so well and I loved all the side characters just as much as the main ones (except Ross, he stressed me out!), but Opal, Gail, and Toby! LOVED THEM! ❤️
Highly recommend this book if you don’t mind the lack of spice. It’s a cute, funny, and good time 😊
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