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Second Chances #2

The Girl Most Likely

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No one wants to take a risk on The Girl Most Likely to Have Fun…except the one person in the world she’d rather not ask.Katie Buick dreams of opening her own restaurant, but finding a financial backer is proving impossible. Until she makes a final, desperate plea to businessman Ric Emerson—the boy whose heart she broke in their senior year.Ric’s worked hard to shed his high school image and become a success, and when Katie’s business proposal crosses his desk, he’s on board. What happened before is water under the bridge, right? But as they build the business, chemistry simmers between them, blurring the lines between personal and professional.Can Ric trust Katie with his heart again, and give them a second chance at happiness?

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2006

16 people are currently reading
552 people want to read

About the author

Donna Alward

287 books694 followers
Since 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.

Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.

Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com

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5 stars
48 (30%)
4 stars
42 (26%)
3 stars
47 (29%)
2 stars
16 (10%)
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7 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Katie(babs).
1,874 reviews530 followers
February 19, 2015
The Girl Most Likely by Donna Alward is a cute contemporary romance with a very subtle sensuality tone. The heroine and hero are attracted to one another, but don’t go further than kissing. It’s a nice read for those who like subtle romances, and for teens. It was originally published with Samhain Publishing in 2006, and now self-published.

Katie was the very fun and popular girl in high school. She was even given the title, “The Girl Most Likely To Have Fun”. Now ten years later, she wants to make something of herself. She never went to college, and has worked menial jobs, mainly in food service or at restaurants. She’s a natural cook who wants to open her own restaurant serving health food. But Katie can’t get a loan from a bank because she doesn’t have any real experience, and is recently dealing with a betrayal from the man she loved and worked with who used her in a horrible way. She turns to Ric, a self made millionaire she once knew in high school. Their parents were really good friends, but she didn’t mind the nerdy Ric, even going out of her way to be nice to him outside of school. But she embarrassed him when he asked her to the prom in front of all the cool kids. Now she’s asking him for a loan, which she knows he won’t give her because of how cruel she was to him ten years ago.

Ric is pleasantly surprised to see Katie. He was hurt by what she did to him in high school, but to him it’s all water under the bridge. At first he doesn’t give her the money for the same reasons everyone else, including her parents say. No one believes Kate can succeed. But then he gives her another offer. He’ll be partners with her. She accepts, but is wary of his intentions. She can’t mix business with pleasure like before, and although she’s more than attracted to Ric, and he to her, she won’t cross that line. She also still has guilt over treating him poorly and her low self-esteem because so many people think her restaurant will fail, with the exception of Ric who wants Katie as more as his partner. He just has to convince her a romance between them is worth it.

The Girl Most Likely is very cute, about a former nerd who becomes a swan because of his intelligence and willingness to change things about himself. Katie tries to look on the bright side of things, but her constant self-doubt makes her skittish and afraid. She refuses to believe in herself. Ric is exactly what she needs to succeed.

Most of the tension comes from Katie and Ric dancing around their attraction for one another. It continues up until the very end, which may annoy readers, but the HEA for Katie and Ric, and the way it happens is well worth the wait.

Ric is a nice change from the alpha, possessive millionaires found in current romances being published. He’s a more of a beta hero. He’s a treasure. The reason to read The Girl Most Likely is because of him, and his tender and understanding ways with Katie.

Overall, an enjoyable PG-Rated romance.
Profile Image for Nina Harrington.
Author 272 books60 followers
June 2, 2014
Katie Buick and maths geek Ric Emerson have not seen one another since high school. Now Katie need Richard to take her seriously - he is her last chance to get the finance she needs for her new restaurant. But once Ric finds out that his attraction to Katie is still very much alive, he wants more than just a finance deal. He wants a partnership.
All they have to do is learn to trust one another and not succumb to their mutual attraction long enough to focus on the work. But Katie is terrified of failure and has been burnt too many times before. She is determined to protect herself by rejecting Ric before he rejects her as being unworthy of him.
The roller coaster journey these fabulous characters travel before they can be together is a great read that will have you on the edge of your seat. 5 stars.
Profile Image for d.
57 reviews
January 26, 2025
A sweet romance!

The girl voted most likely to party in high school crosses paths with the school nerd years after they have last seen each other. Ric has loved Katie all this time and he is exactly what she needs to believe in herself.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,341 reviews38 followers
February 28, 2015
This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland

Girl Most Likely was an alright read, bit it was a tad annoying at times for me. The whole stuck in high school, stuck in the past and having what happened back then be such a huge deal was just...I didn't like it. That and Katie is super insecure and not able to really take help from anyone. She must do things on her own because otherwise people might say she only helped! Her whole obsession with what other people thinks got a bit tiring at times.

Katie used to be a party girl. She was voted the girl most likely to have fun in high school and since then she has tried to change peoples view of her. She has an idea for a restaurant, but she cannot get financial backing for her project. So she turns to Ric. Ric who she used to be sorta friends with in high school. Well friends in the sense that their parents knew each other and they would hang out at gatherings together. Ric who used to be the school geek, but has since turned himself into quite the looker. Ric who she humiliated one day in high school and which she still feels bad about. She actually regrets it because she wanted to accept his offer, but instead humiliated him because her cool kid friends were around.

Ric has grown up since high school. He has always had a crush on Katie and her humiliation helped him become the man he is now. He worked hard to make himself worthy of someone like her. He still has some hang ups about that, still thinks he is not good enough when they start working together, but he still hopes they can be together one day. He really cares about her and this time he doesn't want to give up without really trying.

Katie likes Ric, likes him more than she ever thought she could, but because of some past mistakes she refuses to act on it. Whenever he tries to further their relationship besides business partners she pushes him away. She keeps telling him they can never be more, but he sees that she wants him as well. She is so focused on doing everything herself, she has to do it by herself with no help from anyone else, that she will just ruin the best thing to ever happen to her. She will push away the one person who really sees her for who she is and will always be there for her. She is so stupid and stubborn and yeah she annoyed me at times. The worst thing is *Slight spoiler alert* that she doesn't really change or learn by the end of the book. Well maybe in the last seconds, but even when Ric tells her he will do whatever to have her, even when he is willing to give up everything for her, when she should have that change of heart she doesn't in that moment. She is just like yes! I get everything and everyone will know it was all me and only me! Win. Then something happens and makes her realize that she can be with Ric and work with him on her dreams. My eyes rolled so much in that last chapter. Not the best read as it was annoying at times, but oh well.
Profile Image for Gerd.
557 reviews39 followers
October 9, 2014
I enjoyed reading this a lot.
There have been a few times when Richard rubbed me the wrong way, like every time Katie kissed him it seemed as if he wanted her to jump right in bed with him afterward and got frustrated when it didn't happen - but then romance Heroes seldom do it for me, and he does have his scenes where he's really shown to be in love with her, and not just another horny guy.

What bugged me more was Katie's reaction to a former high school friend of hers:
“Lisa, on the other hand, wore heels to boost her five-foot-three height and a fluttery white skirt about three inches too short. Her lime-green camisole top clung to her midriff, and as she turned to examine the lunch board, the back hem slid up and Katie stared at a blue squiggly line she couldn’t quite distinguish…the edge of a tattoo. For a moment, Katie smiled grimly to herself—in contrast to Jan’s appropriate dress, Lisa and her tramp stamp looked rather slutty.”


...and a fluttery white skirt about three inches too short.
What's that supposed to say, to short for what purpose?
Or according to who exactly?
This smacks a lot of this: Linky


Lisa and her tramp stamp...
I hate that term, it essentially calls her a woman of "easy virtues", one would only dare to call a woman that for bearing a tattoo.



However, as you can tell from the rating it didn't really subtract from my enjoyment of the story - I just feel it's something that needs to be said.
Profile Image for Tarri.
627 reviews6 followers
April 12, 2015
Katie was voted the girl most likely in high school, unfortunately Katie was actually the girl most likely to have no self esteem, no self confidence, and most likely to let people walk all over her. Ric was the geeky, unpopular, math nerd, but they were friends because their parents were friends. Then Ric asked Katie to the prom in front of her friends and she laughed (not because she didn't like him, but because she was nervous and already had a date. They didn't speak again for ten years until Katie asks Ric to back her restaurant idea, he suggests a partnership, because he still likes her and thinks if he can just spend time with her she'll realize how much she likes him.

I think the main problem I had with the book is that Katie is just to ridiculous for words. Some guy she worked with and was also dating, got her fired from the restaurant where they both worked because he wanted the promotion they were both in line for. Instead of screaming her innocence she let everyone think she did it, even her parents.

Ric is so in love with her that he just can't let go of the thought that they might get together. I know I'm always trying to make the people who humiliated me in high school and be my friends too.
Profile Image for Sandi Ramirez.
1,864 reviews17 followers
May 25, 2017
Interesting and at times deep Read with some Romance

I love reading about Second Chances because I happened to marry my Second Chance love myself.

This book is Richard and Katie's story. You remember that nerdy guy in high school that you could always tell was crushing on one of the popular girls? Well, Richard or Ric was that guy. He even asked that girl (Katie) to prom and she tried him down. But the thing was she really liked him too BUT popular girls shouldn't be crushing on nerdy boys in high school...right? But this does set the tone for not only our book but Ric to change his life.

This was a very interesting and at time deep read. Yes there as soon romance in the book but for me it was more about Katie and how she comes to feel about herself...with Ric's help. I enjoyed this book.
22 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2015
This was an excellent read and I enjoyed it very much. I have been so busy with all our Christmas preparations that I didn't get a chance to finish this novel until now. I would definetly recommend it for everyone who likes interesting story lines about romance and business. Rick and Katie have the right chemistry to hold your interest to the very end. I really enjoyed this novel and I am sure that you will also.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,091 reviews
January 28, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Girl Most Likely by Donna Alward! It was much better than candy or chocolate! The story was very easy to visualize...it was like experiencing a movie. This was a free I-book from BookBub and I gave it 5 stars. Although this was my first book by Donna Alward, I look forward to reading all her books.
Profile Image for Victoria.
8,374 reviews11 followers
January 12, 2016
Is a great book to read forever and ever since the heart of a great book to read
Profile Image for Cici.
1,308 reviews
April 1, 2015
Sweet

The Revenge of the Nerd! The girl voted most likely to party learns to believe in herself with the help of the man that has adored her most of her Life!
Profile Image for Christy Olesen.
Author 4 books4 followers
December 27, 2020
I always enjoy this author's books. This one had some twists and turns and what ifs that made it a good read.
Profile Image for Alison.
3,718 reviews146 followers
March 18, 2015
I found myself increasingly irritated by the author's attitude to her heroine as the book progressed.

Katie publicly rejected a nerdy friend, Ric, who asked her to the Prom and they never really spoke again. Years later he is a tall, handsome property tycoon and she has had a series of waitress type jobs. She has a plan to open her own restaurant but no-one will back her, her father suggests she ask Ric for the loan.

Katie still feels guilty for bowing to peer pressure all those years ago - she really did like Ric. Since then, she has made some poor choices vis-a-vis men and her career and she is determined to achieve success on her own.

The entire plot of this book is based on Katie's reluctance to enter into a personal relationship with Ric when they are business partners. Ric condemns Katie's parents for not believing in her but then fails to understand (as does the author) that Katie doesn't want to be beholden to him for her big break.

Towards the end of the book Ric is very critical of Katie and rips her character to shreds - then Katie basically agreed with him, blaming herself for everything.
9 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2015
I really thought I was going to love this book...I enjoyed it up until towards the end. Katie just got way too annoying for me. She couldn't take a second and see what was right in front of her. Ric had the patience of a saint. I'm all for the "conflict" that needs to be worked through and overcome, but there at the end I just wanted to bang my head with my Kindle. You ended with such annoyance and then the book ended. Very frustrating.
427 reviews5 followers
March 15, 2016
Maybe just not for me

First I'd like to thank the author for sparing us the pages of explicit sex.. I read this story from beginning to end and I was board. She was a drag and he was a loosed. The same things happen over and over for no good reason. The writing was good but the story line was immature. Keep trying and I will look at your stories from time to time to see if they get more interesting
2 reviews
July 14, 2015
Not worth the purchase

Very cliche. Cheesy plotline and not enough variety of characters. Frustrating to read at times due to the lack of actual events happening because of internal thoughts of the characters.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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