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Powell Sanctuary #1
Abandoned
From USA Today Bestselling Author A. M. Wilson comes a brand new steamy, small town romance!
A dog named Slipper almost ruined my life.
The uncatchable stray snuck on the patio where I was waitressing and knocked me straight into Lee Powell's lap.
My fist slammed into his junk.
Then I accidentally flipped his breakfast platter onto his pants.
I thought it couldn't get any worse, but when I bring my brother to baseball practice, I discover his new coach is none other than Lee, owner and founder of Powell Dog Sanctuary, and he's not happy to see me.
I try to keep my distance from the hottest grump I've ever seen and ignore what it felt like curled against his broad, muscled chest.
But a bad case of the flu changes everything.
He stumbles on to my biggest secret and reveals a few of his own. He can't seem to stay away from me. He says he's too old for me, but I couldn't care less when he makes me feel cherished.
But then his past raises its ugly head, and he breaks our connection in a moment of suspicion.
Lee's afraid of being hurt again, but I'm the one left abandoned.
A dog named Slipper almost ruined my life.
The uncatchable stray snuck on the patio where I was waitressing and knocked me straight into Lee Powell's lap.
My fist slammed into his junk.
Then I accidentally flipped his breakfast platter onto his pants.
I thought it couldn't get any worse, but when I bring my brother to baseball practice, I discover his new coach is none other than Lee, owner and founder of Powell Dog Sanctuary, and he's not happy to see me.
I try to keep my distance from the hottest grump I've ever seen and ignore what it felt like curled against his broad, muscled chest.
But a bad case of the flu changes everything.
He stumbles on to my biggest secret and reveals a few of his own. He can't seem to stay away from me. He says he's too old for me, but I couldn't care less when he makes me feel cherished.
But then his past raises its ugly head, and he breaks our connection in a moment of suspicion.
Lee's afraid of being hurt again, but I'm the one left abandoned.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2022
2754 people are currently reading
9262 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Wilson
22 books818 followersA. M. Wilson is a USA Today & Amazon Top 20 bestselling author of contemporary romance. She loves writing small town romances and dark suspenseful reads, depending on her mood that day. When she isn’t furiously typing on her computer, she can be found searching for her next all-consuming read. A. M. lives in the Midwest with her husband, two children, and two adorable dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
March 2, 2023
3.75 stars
A sweet and satisfying redneck love story featuring big trucks, fishing, many pairs of cut off jean shorts and a hero with a backwards baseball cap.
Overall I liked this hero and heroine, they were both complicated and strong, there were great side characters - some of which were dogs - and a very satisfying ending with epilogue. Some small things irked me though, this wasn’t a perfect story. The hero behaved younger than 40 and I felt like making him 40 was to serve an age gap trope only, because he did not feel 40 at all.
Also the third act break up needed to be better flushed out. I did not really buy into the hero’s quick assumptions based on nothing concrete. I get that he has abandonment issues (it’s the title of the book, obvi) but I don’t think he was either stupid or insensitive and his actions towards Juniper made him seem so. The author needed to build that conflict out better for me to buy in to it. But their reconciliation and Juniper’s choices did ring true and I was proud of her.
The ending was also very satisfying and I was happy that there was no attempt to redeem the villain, he deserved no redemption.
So I recommend this one for a quick, satisfying read, with a bit of emotion but nicely wrapped up at the end.
A sweet and satisfying redneck love story featuring big trucks, fishing, many pairs of cut off jean shorts and a hero with a backwards baseball cap.
Overall I liked this hero and heroine, they were both complicated and strong, there were great side characters - some of which were dogs - and a very satisfying ending with epilogue. Some small things irked me though, this wasn’t a perfect story. The hero behaved younger than 40 and I felt like making him 40 was to serve an age gap trope only, because he did not feel 40 at all.
Also the third act break up needed to be better flushed out. I did not really buy into the hero’s quick assumptions based on nothing concrete. I get that he has abandonment issues (it’s the title of the book, obvi) but I don’t think he was either stupid or insensitive and his actions towards Juniper made him seem so. The author needed to build that conflict out better for me to buy in to it. But their reconciliation and Juniper’s choices did ring true and I was proud of her.
The ending was also very satisfying and I was happy that there was no attempt to redeem the villain, he deserved no redemption.
So I recommend this one for a quick, satisfying read, with a bit of emotion but nicely wrapped up at the end.
April 20, 2024
It definitely was good and quite emotional and I liked it a lot. Two individuals with broken hearts and issues is quite a mix.
December 29, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
I don't think all of my friends on GR would love this one, but I found it to be a quick read that kept me entertained and left me with a smile. I even shed some tears in places. Juniper (h) is a waitress working two jobs trying to save up to get her and her younger brother away from her father, who's started abusing her since her mom died. She has an awkward run-in with Lee (H), who's also the uncle of her brother's BFF and becomes her brother's baseball coach. Despite an age gap around 15 years, the grumpy vibes off Lee, and everything going on with Juniper that she's hiding, the attraction and interest between these two just grows until they start to give in to it. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama (although H is jealous over h and there is a misunderstanding) and neither are virgins (both have been celibate for a long time).
Juniper and Lee's relationship starts off as somewhat antagonistic then moves to physical, giving in to their attraction. Lee has continued mental blocks from trauma in his youth over being abandoned so pushes many people away. In a way, despite him being older, his hang-ups sometimes made him feel younger than he was, but we all process our traumas differently. I thought Juniper was a great character who I felt so much empathy for with how awful her situation was and how hard she was trying. Her time spent with Lee, once they get past all the grumpy at first, offered her so much needed care and a bit of fun. There's a scene where he cares for her when she's sick, he takes her fishing, and they play paintball with his family and her brother. Things get very steamy between them, in public and private. While there was some emotional building of their connection, this did feel a bit more shallow, possibly because there was so much else happening that felt bigger emotionally and because Juniper was hiding the abuse. I saw some reviewers hated the nickname he calls her, "my little darling", but I was neutral about it.
Lots of side characters in this book that were important, some I imagine will get their own books since Lee has several adopted siblings. Their relationship with Lee and Lee's mom were great, some of his brothers seemed like more interesting characters than others and his sister was amazing. I loved Juniper's brother, Lincoln, who sometimes acted like a kid and other times was clearly struggling with the mature issues of his life. He was always protective of his sister though. Juniper's BFF, Isla, was also a great character who was funny and encouraging. There are also dogs, lots of dogs, because Lee's family operates a dog rescue, automatic plus.
Because it was clear that Lee had lasting abandonment issues, I expected at some point there would be a third act separation, so I think bracing for something to pull them apart helped me deal with that. His reaction to a certain situation was awful, but I loved that she told him that she's fighting for herself and when he slows down and wants to talk later, she's still keeping in mind what she needs/can handle. Even though her reasoning for keeping secrets wasn't the strongest. When Juniper truly needs someone though, Lee is there in a big way. There is some suspense with the climax and I thought the resolution was well-done. Lee also showed Juniper how much he wanted to make amends and be with her. The epilogue is a year later, they're living together and happy and Lee closes the book in an absolutely sweet grand gesture that made me swoony. This book definitely worked for me. I do think I could have nitpicked some points and certainly, there could have been more depth in some places, but ultimately I enjoyed it and that's why I read.
Trigger warnings: death of a parent (off page), grief (on page), parental abuse (on page), mention of past parental abandonment
I don't think all of my friends on GR would love this one, but I found it to be a quick read that kept me entertained and left me with a smile. I even shed some tears in places. Juniper (h) is a waitress working two jobs trying to save up to get her and her younger brother away from her father, who's started abusing her since her mom died. She has an awkward run-in with Lee (H), who's also the uncle of her brother's BFF and becomes her brother's baseball coach. Despite an age gap around 15 years, the grumpy vibes off Lee, and everything going on with Juniper that she's hiding, the attraction and interest between these two just grows until they start to give in to it. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama (although H is jealous over h and there is a misunderstanding) and neither are virgins (both have been celibate for a long time).
Juniper and Lee's relationship starts off as somewhat antagonistic then moves to physical, giving in to their attraction. Lee has continued mental blocks from trauma in his youth over being abandoned so pushes many people away. In a way, despite him being older, his hang-ups sometimes made him feel younger than he was, but we all process our traumas differently. I thought Juniper was a great character who I felt so much empathy for with how awful her situation was and how hard she was trying. Her time spent with Lee, once they get past all the grumpy at first, offered her so much needed care and a bit of fun. There's a scene where he cares for her when she's sick, he takes her fishing, and they play paintball with his family and her brother. Things get very steamy between them, in public and private. While there was some emotional building of their connection, this did feel a bit more shallow, possibly because there was so much else happening that felt bigger emotionally and because Juniper was hiding the abuse. I saw some reviewers hated the nickname he calls her, "my little darling", but I was neutral about it.
Lots of side characters in this book that were important, some I imagine will get their own books since Lee has several adopted siblings. Their relationship with Lee and Lee's mom were great, some of his brothers seemed like more interesting characters than others and his sister was amazing. I loved Juniper's brother, Lincoln, who sometimes acted like a kid and other times was clearly struggling with the mature issues of his life. He was always protective of his sister though. Juniper's BFF, Isla, was also a great character who was funny and encouraging. There are also dogs, lots of dogs, because Lee's family operates a dog rescue, automatic plus.
Because it was clear that Lee had lasting abandonment issues, I expected at some point there would be a third act separation, so I think bracing for something to pull them apart helped me deal with that. His reaction to a certain situation was awful, but I loved that she told him that she's fighting for herself and when he slows down and wants to talk later, she's still keeping in mind what she needs/can handle. Even though her reasoning for keeping secrets wasn't the strongest. When Juniper truly needs someone though, Lee is there in a big way. There is some suspense with the climax and I thought the resolution was well-done. Lee also showed Juniper how much he wanted to make amends and be with her. The epilogue is a year later, they're living together and happy and Lee closes the book in an absolutely sweet grand gesture that made me swoony. This book definitely worked for me. I do think I could have nitpicked some points and certainly, there could have been more depth in some places, but ultimately I enjoyed it and that's why I read.
Trigger warnings: death of a parent (off page), grief (on page), parental abuse (on page), mention of past parental abandonment
March 8, 2023
A quick but fulfilling read if you're looking for something with a little angst. Both MCs were great, but the true star was Juniper, I thought. She's no simpering h waiting for her knight in shining armor; I really admired her for that. Lee has some personal issues to deal with because of his past, but he's a great guy overall. One thing that was a bit overly done was the age difference... it was emphasized quite heavily. I don't think it was that big a deal given both are well into adulthood.
I loved her little brother and Lee's family members were all great supportive characters. As short as this story was, it hit me in the feels a couple times and did shed a few tears. I'm interested in reading their own stories in the future as well. Overall, a very enjoyable story.
I loved her little brother and Lee's family members were all great supportive characters. As short as this story was, it hit me in the feels a couple times and did shed a few tears. I'm interested in reading their own stories in the future as well. Overall, a very enjoyable story.
March 2, 2023
Juniper & Lee's story... and I feel a little disappointed. I don't know why, I think I expected more? #Booktok failed me once again... It was promising at the beginning but then it became somewhat boring. Additionally, I wasn't a fan of the age-gap...
December 13, 2025
3.5 overall i read the whole series when pc was dead overall fun and safe kinda boring at times.
i loved the FMC, MMC on the other hand annoyed me sometimes due to him pushing and pulling ALL THE TIME and that f*ck ass 3rd act break up. I was overjoyed when FMC put him in his place my girl had priorties.
i loved the FMC, MMC on the other hand annoyed me sometimes due to him pushing and pulling ALL THE TIME and that f*ck ass 3rd act break up. I was overjoyed when FMC put him in his place my girl had priorties.
January 28, 2023
3.5 stars.
Why do I have this unhealthy habit of setting a book as a standard and comparing every other I read with the same synopsis to it?
Where do I begin? I liked both main characters but I think i needed more non-physical interactions between the two of them or equally less-shallow exchanges in parallel with all their friends with benefits stuff. I felt like their 'Sort of relationship' began and then centered only on one another's attraction and had not increased from that point. Considering all what was going on in Jupiter’s life with her abusive father and the tragic death of her mother add to that the male's MC and the baggage he was carrying from his past, in my opinion more sharing/talking was needed.
I loved the relationship between the female mc and her brother, she was strong and so protective and caring towards him. And the dynamics surrounding Lee's family were.. interesting at best. I think I’ll eventually read the next books in the series because I enjoyed the writing, although the dialogues were a bit off at times. Couldn’t overlook the " promise you wouldn’t fall in love with me." Speech.💀
All in all, it was a good and quick read !
Why do I have this unhealthy habit of setting a book as a standard and comparing every other I read with the same synopsis to it?
Where do I begin? I liked both main characters but I think i needed more non-physical interactions between the two of them or equally less-shallow exchanges in parallel with all their friends with benefits stuff. I felt like their 'Sort of relationship' began and then centered only on one another's attraction and had not increased from that point. Considering all what was going on in Jupiter’s life with her abusive father and the tragic death of her mother add to that the male's MC and the baggage he was carrying from his past, in my opinion more sharing/talking was needed.
I loved the relationship between the female mc and her brother, she was strong and so protective and caring towards him. And the dynamics surrounding Lee's family were.. interesting at best. I think I’ll eventually read the next books in the series because I enjoyed the writing, although the dialogues were a bit off at times. Couldn’t overlook the " promise you wouldn’t fall in love with me." Speech.💀
All in all, it was a good and quick read !
January 1, 2024
“I don’t have it left in me to fight for you when I’m fighting for myself.”
Juniper is my girl! I loved her from beginning to end. Lee grew on me, then he disappointed me. Then he kind of made up for it but not really. Listen, I hold grudges. He didn’t beg enough for her forgiveness but she’s happy and so is her little brother so I guess I’ll let it slide.
This was cute. It made me cry and these two were hot together. I also really enjoyed his family.
Juniper is my girl! I loved her from beginning to end. Lee grew on me, then he disappointed me. Then he kind of made up for it but not really. Listen, I hold grudges. He didn’t beg enough for her forgiveness but she’s happy and so is her little brother so I guess I’ll let it slide.
This was cute. It made me cry and these two were hot together. I also really enjoyed his family.
March 26, 2023
Every time he said “my little darling” i fell into a bout of uncontrollable laughter.
January 5, 2023
3.4 stars. I liked it but also have a whole lot of opinions about this book.
1. She does the “don’t fall in love with me” thing. It makes no sense. I hate it more than the “this is casual and never can be more” thing.
2. They have unprotected sex without discussing it first.
3. He constantly refers to himself as old. But he is 39/40 in the book. And refers to her as innocent and too young but she’s 24/25. Ugh.
4. The 3rd act breakup is trash. He basically assumes a LOT about her from absolutely nothing and acts like he’s the wronged party. Insufficient groveling. Also, as it was one of the worst days ever for her, I want him to realize how much his rejection of her was super shitty. And while he realizes it was shitty, he escapes knowing how badly it went for her. To me, this would be a betrayal I might not be able to get past. And she takes on way too much blame. Frankly, this dude needs a LOT of therapy. And not just a brief chat with his mom.
I liked her brother and feel like their relationship was sweet. And I liked his family too.
He gets to save the day and then get with her. But I feel like he needed to get his shit together a lot more. Apologize a LOT more. And then come back to her with true insight.
1. She does the “don’t fall in love with me” thing. It makes no sense. I hate it more than the “this is casual and never can be more” thing.
2. They have unprotected sex without discussing it first.
3. He constantly refers to himself as old. But he is 39/40 in the book. And refers to her as innocent and too young but she’s 24/25. Ugh.
4. The 3rd act breakup is trash. He basically assumes a LOT about her from absolutely nothing and acts like he’s the wronged party. Insufficient groveling. Also, as it was one of the worst days ever for her, I want him to realize how much his rejection of her was super shitty. And while he realizes it was shitty, he escapes knowing how badly it went for her. To me, this would be a betrayal I might not be able to get past. And she takes on way too much blame. Frankly, this dude needs a LOT of therapy. And not just a brief chat with his mom.
I liked her brother and feel like their relationship was sweet. And I liked his family too.
He gets to save the day and then get with her. But I feel like he needed to get his shit together a lot more. Apologize a LOT more. And then come back to her with true insight.
November 21, 2022
I'm going to start out by saying the first meeting between Juniper & Lee had me rolling for the longest time because that's the kind of thing that would happen to me, dog named Slipper included LOL! Juniper decides to avoid Lee after that incident but fate is funny, and she learns quickly that he's the coach of her brother's baseball team so you can only imagine. Lee has some trust issues, but they're understandable so he's not always the easiest guy to deal with, and Juniper is basically raising her younger brother while living in hell but the girl will do anything for said younger brother. These two circle around each other until the rubber meets the road & Juniper gets sick which reveals her secret to Lee, so things take a turn. This story made me laugh, shed a few tears (okay a lot of tears), made me smile, provided a scene stealing dog, and had heat with sweet so I couldn't put it down for anything! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
December 18, 2022
I saw an Instagram reel for this book and instantly wanted to read it, so I grabbed a copy and made it my next read! I’ve read this author’s dark co-written books with Alex Grayson and had been wanting to read more from her, so I was really excited to read this book! After reading, I can say that I loved every second of reading this book! The plot developed at the perfect pace and I didn’t want to put it down until I had finished reading! It only took me a few sittings to read as well! There was a lot of romance in the plot and it was the main focus of it! The romance allowed for a lot of sexual tension and some steamy scenes between the two main characters! There was a bit of action and suspense in the plot as well, which was sad to read, but it added to the plot and changed things for the characters! The characters were also amazing and made this book even better! Juniper was the main female character, and in this book my heart went out to her because she worked two jobs to support her younger brother and she also had an abusive father! Juniper was also young, but she was very mature! I admired her a lot and I'm really happy that she found a family that loved her! Lee was the main male character and love interest of Juniper! I absolutely loved Lee in this book! He started off as a grumpy guy who kept himself to himself, but that all changed as his relationship with Juniper developed! Lee was also protective of Juniper and it was easy to see how much he loved her! Lee also loved dogs, which definitely got him bonus points with me lol! This book was written from both Juniper and Lee’s point of views! I was hoping that it was going to be before I started reading, even though the synopsis gives the impression that it might only be written from the female character’s point of view! I loved that it was written from dual point of views because it helped me connect more with both characters and see their feelings for each other develop! It allowed for more things to happen in the plot as well, which made sense as Juniper was hiding a secret! I now can’t wait to read the next book in this series! I know that it’s going to focus on a secondary character in this book, but this has me even more excited to read it! I’m not sure when it’s going to release because I can’t find any information on Goodreads about it! I’ll definitely be anticipating its release and reading it as soon as it does release! The cover for this book also suits it perfectly and I loved it as soon as I saw it! It would draw me to the book if I didn’t already know the author’s name and the cover model is also the perfect Lee!
November 21, 2022
From USA Today Bestselling Author A. M. Wilson comes a brand new steamy, small town romance!
A dog named Slipper almost ruined my life.
The uncatchable stray snuck on the patio where I was waitressing and knocked me straight into Lee Powell's lap.
My fist slammed into his junk.
Then I accidentally flipped his breakfast platter onto his pants.
I thought it couldn't get any worse, but when I bring my brother to baseball practice, I discover his new coach is none other than Lee, owner and founder of Powell Dog Sanctuary, and he's not happy to see me.
I try to keep my distance from the hottest grump I've ever seen and ignore what it felt like curled against his broad, muscled chest.
But a bad case of the flu changes everything.
He stumbles on to my biggest secret and reveals a few of his own. He can't seem to stay away from me. He says he's too old for me, but I couldn't care less when he makes me feel cherished.
But then his past raises its ugly head, and he breaks our connection in a moment of suspicion.
Lee's afraid of being hurt again, but I'm the one left abandoned.
Loved Juniper and Lee's story. Beautifully written and heartfelt. Their journey wasn't an easy one, but was so worth the read. This book will take you on an emotional journey like no other. Absolutely worth the read!
A dog named Slipper almost ruined my life.
The uncatchable stray snuck on the patio where I was waitressing and knocked me straight into Lee Powell's lap.
My fist slammed into his junk.
Then I accidentally flipped his breakfast platter onto his pants.
I thought it couldn't get any worse, but when I bring my brother to baseball practice, I discover his new coach is none other than Lee, owner and founder of Powell Dog Sanctuary, and he's not happy to see me.
I try to keep my distance from the hottest grump I've ever seen and ignore what it felt like curled against his broad, muscled chest.
But a bad case of the flu changes everything.
He stumbles on to my biggest secret and reveals a few of his own. He can't seem to stay away from me. He says he's too old for me, but I couldn't care less when he makes me feel cherished.
But then his past raises its ugly head, and he breaks our connection in a moment of suspicion.
Lee's afraid of being hurt again, but I'm the one left abandoned.
Loved Juniper and Lee's story. Beautifully written and heartfelt. Their journey wasn't an easy one, but was so worth the read. This book will take you on an emotional journey like no other. Absolutely worth the read!
September 23, 2023
Age gap (25w, 40m), abusive father, both dealing with baggage, and some cute dogs thrown in.
Not a bad book, quick read, just missing… something, also the conflict/3rd act “breakup” scene was honestly ridiculous.
So, a mixed bag.
Not a bad book, quick read, just missing… something, also the conflict/3rd act “breakup” scene was honestly ridiculous.
So, a mixed bag.
March 23, 2025
Loved this book so so so much. It was a fantastic read. Cannot wait for more in the series.
January 11, 2024
Don’t judge me for the cover of this book 😤😤 this book was so grumpy sunshine and it was so cutieeee 💗🫶🏻💗
March 7, 2023
Funny beginning, and an enjoyable read overall. No angst or drama, triggers for abuse of alcohol and violence
March 1, 2023
I loved this book. I liked their connection and his family dynamic, just pure. Lee was so grumpy all the time and the only time he melted was around her, it was adorable. Juniper had been through a lot but she remained strong, she tried so hard for her brother, she loved him so much. I loved them together, they just fit, they complemented each other in every possible way. I can't wait to read the rest of his family
November 22, 2022
Going into Abandoned, I had reservations. I'm not much into the age gap, especially when you start throwing in "daddy" into sexual relationships.
A.M. Wilson had me hooked from the first chapter. I was drawn in by the abandonment issues Lee has. His feeling, his actions, they're all very real. It's what you would expect from someone who went through the hardships he did as a child. His character was beautifully written and perfectly constructed.
Juniper is tough as hell. From holding two jobs to dealing with her father and everything else she takes on in between, she doesn't let it break her. She's very determined and very focused. I love how A.M. Wilson doesn't turn her into one of those girls who lose sight of what they're fighting for because they met a guy.
A.M. Wilson always does an amazing job bringing characters to life and giving them such a realistic quality that it's hard to not see them as real people coming off the pages. She, once again, did an amazing job!
Highly recommend reading it!
A.M. Wilson had me hooked from the first chapter. I was drawn in by the abandonment issues Lee has. His feeling, his actions, they're all very real. It's what you would expect from someone who went through the hardships he did as a child. His character was beautifully written and perfectly constructed.
Juniper is tough as hell. From holding two jobs to dealing with her father and everything else she takes on in between, she doesn't let it break her. She's very determined and very focused. I love how A.M. Wilson doesn't turn her into one of those girls who lose sight of what they're fighting for because they met a guy.
A.M. Wilson always does an amazing job bringing characters to life and giving them such a realistic quality that it's hard to not see them as real people coming off the pages. She, once again, did an amazing job!
Highly recommend reading it!
November 25, 2022
I rate this book 4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book. What a meet cute to remember for Juniper and Lee. I couldn’t stop giggling though I did feel totally mortified for Juniper. I really liked her as a character and couldn’t help but to feel for her. And Lee is a sweetheart but so dealing with the ghosts of his past. These two were absolutely adorable together and loved how strong his relationships was with his family. I cannot wait to read the next one!.
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my fair and honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. What a meet cute to remember for Juniper and Lee. I couldn’t stop giggling though I did feel totally mortified for Juniper. I really liked her as a character and couldn’t help but to feel for her. And Lee is a sweetheart but so dealing with the ghosts of his past. These two were absolutely adorable together and loved how strong his relationships was with his family. I cannot wait to read the next one!.
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my fair and honest review.
September 6, 2023
★★★. I liked this book. I always love the trope of found family and the “just casual” knowing it’s not. This was definitely instalust but Lee didn’t believe he could fall in love whereas Juniper knew what she wanted and went for it. Juniper raising her brother and making sure the violence wouldn’t touch him was heartbreaking. To hear her dad say he wished it could be and it should’ve been was so sad. Lee immediately taking care of her and her brother was so sweet.
“You are breakable, my little darling, but nobody will ever touch you again.”
“You are breakable, my little darling, but nobody will ever touch you again.”
November 22, 2022
Lee had abandoned by his parents; he has a hard time trusting and always felt he was unworthy of love. He started to fall Juniper, a younger woman.
Juniper’s life changed when her mom died. Her father began drinking and took his pain out on Juniper. She promised to keep him safe and hid the family life secret.
An amazing story .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Juniper’s life changed when her mom died. Her father began drinking and took his pain out on Juniper. She promised to keep him safe and hid the family life secret.
An amazing story .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 30, 2022
Dnf at 25%
never trust an Instagram reel … rookie mistake
never trust an Instagram reel … rookie mistake
July 18, 2024
2.5 🌟 rounded up
Not the best, but maybe it was my mood?
Juniper (h) is trying her best to look after herself and her brother in some very tragic circumstances. After a rocky start, her brother’s older, sexy and unnecessarily assholey baseball coach, Lee (H), eventually ends up providing her with a slice of peace away from her daily struggles in a friends with benefits type relationship.
Lee was like a 15 year old teenager living inside a 40 year old man’s body. He had very few redeeming qualities and he was too old to be letting so many aspects of his life and relationships be hindered by his abandonment issues. Initially I had empathy for him, but it got to the stage where I just strongly disliked him.
Unfortunately there was also very little romantic development in this aside from the usual sexual attraction, and I’m not sure how we’re supposed to believe that these two were meant to be together. Lee was so unromantic it wasn’t even funny. Nothing he said about Juniper could pass as remotely swoony. It was either him denying his feelings completely or simply objectifying her. Sure, he made remarks about her “stunning personality” but other than that he gave little to no recognition of any traits that he valued other than the physical. As for Juniper, I really just felt bad for her. She was in a tough spot and trying her best, and I feel like she fell into the trap of the first guy to show her some attention in a while. I found it startling and amusing that the day after Lee had put actual consideration into making sure he didn’t take Juniper anywhere that could be considered a “real date”, he asked her to “fight for him”. Fight for what??? According to him, they weren’t anything to begin with 🤷🏼♀️
What kept me engaged in this was Juniper and her brother’s story, and my real hope for their future. Whilst Lee does come good, and showed real remorse over his actions, as a reader I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see them together as an actual couple until the epilogue.
Safety:
No virgins, it had been a few years for both.
No ow drama.
No true om drama - H believes the h “cheated” (they weren’t in a relationship) but it was a misunderstanding.
There is a third act break up.
H is very j/p.
Not the best, but maybe it was my mood?
Juniper (h) is trying her best to look after herself and her brother in some very tragic circumstances. After a rocky start, her brother’s older, sexy and unnecessarily assholey baseball coach, Lee (H), eventually ends up providing her with a slice of peace away from her daily struggles in a friends with benefits type relationship.
Lee was like a 15 year old teenager living inside a 40 year old man’s body. He had very few redeeming qualities and he was too old to be letting so many aspects of his life and relationships be hindered by his abandonment issues. Initially I had empathy for him, but it got to the stage where I just strongly disliked him.
Unfortunately there was also very little romantic development in this aside from the usual sexual attraction, and I’m not sure how we’re supposed to believe that these two were meant to be together. Lee was so unromantic it wasn’t even funny. Nothing he said about Juniper could pass as remotely swoony. It was either him denying his feelings completely or simply objectifying her. Sure, he made remarks about her “stunning personality” but other than that he gave little to no recognition of any traits that he valued other than the physical. As for Juniper, I really just felt bad for her. She was in a tough spot and trying her best, and I feel like she fell into the trap of the first guy to show her some attention in a while. I found it startling and amusing that the day after Lee had put actual consideration into making sure he didn’t take Juniper anywhere that could be considered a “real date”, he asked her to “fight for him”. Fight for what??? According to him, they weren’t anything to begin with 🤷🏼♀️
What kept me engaged in this was Juniper and her brother’s story, and my real hope for their future. Whilst Lee does come good, and showed real remorse over his actions, as a reader I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see them together as an actual couple until the epilogue.
Safety:
No virgins, it had been a few years for both.
No ow drama.
No true om drama - H believes the h “cheated” (they weren’t in a relationship) but it was a misunderstanding.
There is a third act break up.
H is very j/p.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2024
RATING: 4.5 'Little Mermaid' HEARTS! <3
Abandoned is a heartwarming contemporary romance filled with relatable characters, an endearing found family, and the sweetest of romances that starts with an amusing, unexpected meet-cute, all against a beautiful small town setting. Despite its predictability in the way all romances are, Ms. Wilson has written a tale that is sexy, entertaining, and has tons of heart—the perfect trifecta.
IF YOU LOVE:
♥ Contemporary Romance
♥ Age Gap Romance
♥ Small Town Romance
♥ Unexpected Meet-Cutes
♥ Found Family
♥ Neighbours to Lovers
♥ Cute Animals as Side Characters
Posted: January 7, 2024
April 23, 2023
This book was so much better than what I expected based on the cover, title and reviews! Way cuter than I expected and I honestly loved it!
June 5, 2024
Ate this right up and left no crumbs
February 12, 2023
I saw @thebibliophileblonde talk about this one on her IG stories and the story seemed quite interesting, so I decided to dive in and BOY did it deliver! 😍🔥it was such an amazing book, I was literally GLUED to my phone! 🤣❤
I simply LOVED Lee's character! ❤ he was the perfect mixture of grumpy and affectionate 😫 I honestly fell in love with that man and I'm not even sorry about it! He gave off rude b@ştārď vibes at the beginning, but his story was just so heartbreaking I'm actually tearing up as I'm writing this 😭💔 his childhood left a brutal fear of abandonment in its wake, that he favored his own company to avoid experiencing a similar kind of pain again 😭😭😭💔💔💔
I sent fictional hugs Juniper's way, because that girl was a legit survivor! She was the real deal ❤ even she, had her share of trauma and injuries 😞 first by losing her mother, then witnessing the man who had raised her and whom she'd grown to care for and respect, transform from a loving father to a drunk heartless prick 😤😭💔 so she was the only sane and breathing adult in the household, making her the only person capable of taking care of her young preteen brother.
I really liked the way Juniper got along with everyone from Lee's family, and how he in his turn formed such a strong bond with Lincoln, her younger brother! Their relationship freaking made my heart melt 😫❤ this book contains mentions of : viølęnče against women, h@tēfůl language, lõs$ of family member, ălćöhôlîsm and other themes that might trigger some readers! Reader discretion is advised.
I simply LOVED Lee's character! ❤ he was the perfect mixture of grumpy and affectionate 😫 I honestly fell in love with that man and I'm not even sorry about it! He gave off rude b@ştārď vibes at the beginning, but his story was just so heartbreaking I'm actually tearing up as I'm writing this 😭💔 his childhood left a brutal fear of abandonment in its wake, that he favored his own company to avoid experiencing a similar kind of pain again 😭😭😭💔💔💔
I sent fictional hugs Juniper's way, because that girl was a legit survivor! She was the real deal ❤ even she, had her share of trauma and injuries 😞 first by losing her mother, then witnessing the man who had raised her and whom she'd grown to care for and respect, transform from a loving father to a drunk heartless prick 😤😭💔 so she was the only sane and breathing adult in the household, making her the only person capable of taking care of her young preteen brother.
I really liked the way Juniper got along with everyone from Lee's family, and how he in his turn formed such a strong bond with Lincoln, her younger brother! Their relationship freaking made my heart melt 😫❤ this book contains mentions of : viølęnče against women, h@tēfůl language, lõs$ of family member, ălćöhôlîsm and other themes that might trigger some readers! Reader discretion is advised.
November 30, 2022
A Heartwarming & Angsty Standalone Romance
This was a fantastic sweet and spicy romance with the perfect amount of angst to balance the fast moving plot. Its character-driven story and well written characters were easy to get invested in from the beginning, making this book hard to put down once you start reading. With the future addition of more books in this standalone series, the author ensures that the endearing characters readers had a taste of will get their own stories—and will (hopefully!) give a glimpse at past characters and their lives post-HEA. This book does have darker themes, so trigger warnings will be included at the end of my review for those that need them.
The balance in the plot between the romance and the tough moments was really well done, and despite this book dealing with some heavier topics, it never felt too dark or like anything other than a romance book. The author did a good job of telling an entertaining story that showcased both the tension between the MCs, and the darker issues they dealt with alone while also keeping things lighthearted and fun. This book covered a lot of ground and yet felt too short—even if the story is complete I want more of the characters!
This book delivered fully rounded MCs that only got better as their relationship evolved. This was one of those books where the characters were completely capable and likeable separately, but bringing them together offered a happiness they never knew they were missing. As a reader, those are some of my favourite stories to read, so to find a book like this one that's well written with great characterizations and an entertaining plot brought a smile to my face (and definitely didn’t disappoint now that I’ve read it!)
It was hard to put this book down, and I can imagine the rest in the series are going to be just as interesting as this first instalment. I really enjoyed this book, and can’t wait for the others to be released!
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Spoilers ahead.
Domestic Violence & Alcoholism:
One of the biggest plot lines of this book deals with the domestic abuse the FMC suffers from her alcoholic father. He is verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive to her, with some instances of this abuse being described on page as it happens, and some being mentioned afterward along with the injuries the FMC has. He often says things he knows will make her deeply upset in order to hurt her, and “indirectly” causes injuries without actually touching her (like bumping into her, causing her to hit something that will bruise her.) This is aside from the climax of the book where he outright attacks her and threatens to end her life before being interrupted by the MMC.
The abuse is described to happen when he’s drunk, but even when he’s sobered up he treats the FMC badly. There’s also an air of menace whenever the FMC or her brother are home with their father in the house (even if he doesn’t interact with them in that moment, they’re fearful of him.) The abuse is centred on the FMC and never involves her twelve year old brother, though she mentions a few times how she isn’t certain it will stay that way as their father is unpredictable when drunk. The FMC understands being an alcoholic is a sickness and mentions trying to help him before without success.
Along with the domestic abuse and alcoholism, this book also includes: themes of abandonment from parents and partners (on page), sudden traumatic death of a parent and the grief that lingers as time passes (off page; some grieving on page), mentions of homeless youth and adoption (on page), animal cruelty (off page; a few mistreated pets are brought into the sanctuary the family runs), a bit of the misunderstanding and miscommunication trope (on page), and an age gap romance (on page; FMC is twenty-five and MMC turns forty in the book.)
This was a fantastic sweet and spicy romance with the perfect amount of angst to balance the fast moving plot. Its character-driven story and well written characters were easy to get invested in from the beginning, making this book hard to put down once you start reading. With the future addition of more books in this standalone series, the author ensures that the endearing characters readers had a taste of will get their own stories—and will (hopefully!) give a glimpse at past characters and their lives post-HEA. This book does have darker themes, so trigger warnings will be included at the end of my review for those that need them.
The balance in the plot between the romance and the tough moments was really well done, and despite this book dealing with some heavier topics, it never felt too dark or like anything other than a romance book. The author did a good job of telling an entertaining story that showcased both the tension between the MCs, and the darker issues they dealt with alone while also keeping things lighthearted and fun. This book covered a lot of ground and yet felt too short—even if the story is complete I want more of the characters!
This book delivered fully rounded MCs that only got better as their relationship evolved. This was one of those books where the characters were completely capable and likeable separately, but bringing them together offered a happiness they never knew they were missing. As a reader, those are some of my favourite stories to read, so to find a book like this one that's well written with great characterizations and an entertaining plot brought a smile to my face (and definitely didn’t disappoint now that I’ve read it!)
It was hard to put this book down, and I can imagine the rest in the series are going to be just as interesting as this first instalment. I really enjoyed this book, and can’t wait for the others to be released!
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Spoilers ahead.
Domestic Violence & Alcoholism:
One of the biggest plot lines of this book deals with the domestic abuse the FMC suffers from her alcoholic father. He is verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive to her, with some instances of this abuse being described on page as it happens, and some being mentioned afterward along with the injuries the FMC has. He often says things he knows will make her deeply upset in order to hurt her, and “indirectly” causes injuries without actually touching her (like bumping into her, causing her to hit something that will bruise her.) This is aside from the climax of the book where he outright attacks her and threatens to end her life before being interrupted by the MMC.
The abuse is described to happen when he’s drunk, but even when he’s sobered up he treats the FMC badly. There’s also an air of menace whenever the FMC or her brother are home with their father in the house (even if he doesn’t interact with them in that moment, they’re fearful of him.) The abuse is centred on the FMC and never involves her twelve year old brother, though she mentions a few times how she isn’t certain it will stay that way as their father is unpredictable when drunk. The FMC understands being an alcoholic is a sickness and mentions trying to help him before without success.
Along with the domestic abuse and alcoholism, this book also includes: themes of abandonment from parents and partners (on page), sudden traumatic death of a parent and the grief that lingers as time passes (off page; some grieving on page), mentions of homeless youth and adoption (on page), animal cruelty (off page; a few mistreated pets are brought into the sanctuary the family runs), a bit of the misunderstanding and miscommunication trope (on page), and an age gap romance (on page; FMC is twenty-five and MMC turns forty in the book.)
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