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Love in the Suburbs #1
Be Your Somebody
Cassidy
As a child, Cassidy Andrew's life was never meant for great things, but when he meets his neighbor Avery Douglas, things change, and Cas starts to envision a better life for himself. That is, until a near-fatal overdose destroyed his friendship with Avery. After receiving a second chance at life--and sobriety--Cas is determined to right his wrongs, starting with the person he hurt the most, Avery. But when his past collides with the present, all the work he’s put in starts to unravel. Will his newfound strength be enough to keep him moving toward a future with Avery, or will everything be so destroyed there’s nothing left to mend?
Avery
Avery Douglas was an average girl next door who struggled with making friends. That was,until she met her new neighbor, Cassidy. After playing second fiddle to Cas’ addictions over the course of a decade, she’s had enough. She finally decides to put herself first, choosing to put her efforts into re-learning Avery the person and not the best friend of an addict. But a now-sober Cas is set on winning her back, and Avery is scared of history repeating itself. Can she learn to trust Cas, the only man she’s ever loved, or will she find herself picking up the pieces of her broken heart once again?
As a child, Cassidy Andrew's life was never meant for great things, but when he meets his neighbor Avery Douglas, things change, and Cas starts to envision a better life for himself. That is, until a near-fatal overdose destroyed his friendship with Avery. After receiving a second chance at life--and sobriety--Cas is determined to right his wrongs, starting with the person he hurt the most, Avery. But when his past collides with the present, all the work he’s put in starts to unravel. Will his newfound strength be enough to keep him moving toward a future with Avery, or will everything be so destroyed there’s nothing left to mend?
Avery
Avery Douglas was an average girl next door who struggled with making friends. That was,until she met her new neighbor, Cassidy. After playing second fiddle to Cas’ addictions over the course of a decade, she’s had enough. She finally decides to put herself first, choosing to put her efforts into re-learning Avery the person and not the best friend of an addict. But a now-sober Cas is set on winning her back, and Avery is scared of history repeating itself. Can she learn to trust Cas, the only man she’s ever loved, or will she find herself picking up the pieces of her broken heart once again?
- GenresRomanceContemporary
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2025
12 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 14, 2025
Be Your Somebody is an emotional story about two people who were childhood friends, became estranged and then found their way back to each other as lovers. (A bit of a twist on the friends-to-lovers trope.)
The story is told in turn by Cassidy (male) and by Avery (female). Cassidy had a terrible childhood with an abusive drug-addicted father; his maternal grandparents took him out of that situation when he was eight and raised him with love, but the damage was done. Avery lived/lives next door and they became best friends immediately. Avery suffers from anxiety. When Cassidy fell into drugs and alcohol, she finally had to let him go, for her own sanity/self-preservation. There are lots of clearly labeled flashbacks to help fill in their backstories
Cassidy’s journey into sobriety was well-written. My heart just ached for him. My only issue with it was that, when something happened to put Cassidy in the hospital, there was no mention of how much harder it would be for a former addict to recover without being able to take strong painkillers. I think that would have added yet another dimension to the sensitive portrait of Cassidy’s journey, so a missed opportunity.
Avery works with animals and writes emotional songs that she is too afraid of sharing with the world, so no one has heard them, other than her other best friend, Brianna. The dialog didn’t seem real; I’m not sure people, especially 20-somethings, talk that way. But it didn’t really spoil my enjoyment of the book.
Warning: There are a lot of very spicy scenes in the last third of the book. I didn’t feel they were necessary, but if you like that sort of thing, you’ll enjoy those scenes.
I thought this was a lovely debut novel and look forward to reading more books from Natalie Knolls in the future.
Many thanks to Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The story is told in turn by Cassidy (male) and by Avery (female). Cassidy had a terrible childhood with an abusive drug-addicted father; his maternal grandparents took him out of that situation when he was eight and raised him with love, but the damage was done. Avery lived/lives next door and they became best friends immediately. Avery suffers from anxiety. When Cassidy fell into drugs and alcohol, she finally had to let him go, for her own sanity/self-preservation. There are lots of clearly labeled flashbacks to help fill in their backstories
Cassidy’s journey into sobriety was well-written. My heart just ached for him. My only issue with it was that, when something happened to put Cassidy in the hospital, there was no mention of how much harder it would be for a former addict to recover without being able to take strong painkillers. I think that would have added yet another dimension to the sensitive portrait of Cassidy’s journey, so a missed opportunity.
Avery works with animals and writes emotional songs that she is too afraid of sharing with the world, so no one has heard them, other than her other best friend, Brianna. The dialog didn’t seem real; I’m not sure people, especially 20-somethings, talk that way. But it didn’t really spoil my enjoyment of the book.
Warning: There are a lot of very spicy scenes in the last third of the book. I didn’t feel they were necessary, but if you like that sort of thing, you’ll enjoy those scenes.
I thought this was a lovely debut novel and look forward to reading more books from Natalie Knolls in the future.
Many thanks to Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 20, 2025
I went into this knowing that the author has a background in trauma therapy, so I must say I was partial to how the scenes written between Cassidy and his therapist were written—I thought they were done extremely well, and I loved Dr. Z a lot. I also enjoyed the aspect of Asher and his brother coming through and helping Cassidy through his recovery, providing a real-life lived experience to balance out the therapy and keep him committed.
There were a few of things that didn't quite work for me about this—I felt like the dialogue was unnatural and overwrought. The constant calling-each-other-by-their-full-names went on too long. I also felt like Avery was a bit of a Mary Sue and was selfish at times; more than once Cassidy attempted to open up and Avery redirected to herself, and she was selfish when it came to Bri. She never hesitated to call her up when she needed help appealing to Cassidy, but rarely attempted to show up for Bri as a girlfriend. Avery and Cassidy were both insecure and often did mindful things for one another then instantly became self-deprecating and regretful if the other cried (which both did quite a bit; often from happiness). It was frustrating to still see that behavior in both of them by the end of the novel. I also thought the storylines with Giselle and Frank were a bit thin, which was strange because Frank's actions are such a huge part of this story.
I wish that Cassidy went through far less. It got to a point where it felt like traumatic experiences were being dogpiled on him and that grew concerning since he was so newly in recovery. The pacing was a bit difficult to grasp for me—chapters very frequently jumped weeks, sometimes months, but then the character would say something happened the day prior which actually happened days to weeks prior, and the interweaving with flashbacks made me lose the thread more than once. I also felt like there were continuity issues, such as Bri, Avery, and Cassidy spending so much time together but Cassidy not ever knowing about Asher, or all of them seemingly being from the same small town but Bri and Avery didn't meet until college?
I found how addiction was written here refreshing. Over the years I've noticed that often times addiction is written in a way that explains why someone harmed someone and that's it—it was the drugs or the alcohol, not the person. Be Your Somebody provides Cassidy with a path where he is accountable, sticks to his recovery, and committed to doing a full 180 with his life. His ability to keep pushing through everything he went through was admirable, and his ability to sit in a bar frequently so early on in his recovery was anxiety-inducing but also somewhat nice to see. I know that visiting places that someone who lives with an addiction has struggled in is taboo, but because of the way his healing journey is written, it stopped feeling scary very quickly. I adored how in touch with his emotions he was and how he wasn't afraid to cry for such a seemingly tough guy.
This is a debut. Debuts are notoriously tough, and Knolls is an author whose storytelling abilities are only going to grow from here, like all good authors do. I can't wait to see what Knolls does next.
Thank you to Happily Booked PR and the author for providing an ARC!
3 ⭐️s
2 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 2/21/25
There were a few of things that didn't quite work for me about this—I felt like the dialogue was unnatural and overwrought. The constant calling-each-other-by-their-full-names went on too long. I also felt like Avery was a bit of a Mary Sue and was selfish at times; more than once Cassidy attempted to open up and Avery redirected to herself, and she was selfish when it came to Bri. She never hesitated to call her up when she needed help appealing to Cassidy, but rarely attempted to show up for Bri as a girlfriend. Avery and Cassidy were both insecure and often did mindful things for one another then instantly became self-deprecating and regretful if the other cried (which both did quite a bit; often from happiness). It was frustrating to still see that behavior in both of them by the end of the novel. I also thought the storylines with Giselle and Frank were a bit thin, which was strange because Frank's actions are such a huge part of this story.
I wish that Cassidy went through far less. It got to a point where it felt like traumatic experiences were being dogpiled on him and that grew concerning since he was so newly in recovery. The pacing was a bit difficult to grasp for me—chapters very frequently jumped weeks, sometimes months, but then the character would say something happened the day prior which actually happened days to weeks prior, and the interweaving with flashbacks made me lose the thread more than once. I also felt like there were continuity issues, such as Bri, Avery, and Cassidy spending so much time together but Cassidy not ever knowing about Asher, or all of them seemingly being from the same small town but Bri and Avery didn't meet until college?
I found how addiction was written here refreshing. Over the years I've noticed that often times addiction is written in a way that explains why someone harmed someone and that's it—it was the drugs or the alcohol, not the person. Be Your Somebody provides Cassidy with a path where he is accountable, sticks to his recovery, and committed to doing a full 180 with his life. His ability to keep pushing through everything he went through was admirable, and his ability to sit in a bar frequently so early on in his recovery was anxiety-inducing but also somewhat nice to see. I know that visiting places that someone who lives with an addiction has struggled in is taboo, but because of the way his healing journey is written, it stopped feeling scary very quickly. I adored how in touch with his emotions he was and how he wasn't afraid to cry for such a seemingly tough guy.
This is a debut. Debuts are notoriously tough, and Knolls is an author whose storytelling abilities are only going to grow from here, like all good authors do. I can't wait to see what Knolls does next.
Thank you to Happily Booked PR and the author for providing an ARC!
3 ⭐️s
2 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 2/21/25
November 25, 2024
Putting all of my biased beliefs aside because I LOVE my girl Nat and I’m BEYOND proud of her! This book is a 4.5 out of 5 for me. It was easy to read, the characters were lovable, interesting and leaving me wanting more. I love a series where I want to know more about other characters so Asher baby I’m coming for you in book 2! Natalie did a fantastic job of bringing the importance of addiction and mental health to the forefront. My only only feedback that would be a fix for me is sometimes the names are repetitive. For her first book ever… the sky is the limit, and I cannot wait to keep reading your books babe! ❤️
February 22, 2025
Actual rating 3.75⭐️ and 2🌶️ for the last 1/e of the book
So firstly let me say this book has several traumatic events that specifically happen to Cassidy the MMC And I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings
That being said I felt the traumatic issues were well covered in this book and the therapist interactions seemed to be very real and genuine. I felt this book covered the scope and ways to cope and heal extremely well.
This book revolves around Cassidy our MMC And trauma /mental health rep, and his childhood friend and neighbor Avery our FMC. this is very second chance heavy because the trauma of Cas’s past that leads him down a dark path kinda send the two their separate ways. When they reconnect Avery is very unsure if she should put her heart on the line.
I did get a little confused at times between the flash backs and time hops but it wasn’t too bad especially later in the book. Something that did start to irk me though was the two of them calling each other by their full names so much. Took away the elements of realism I was enjoying in the book.
With that being said I would give this book a 3.75 ⭐️ and 2🌶️ for the last 1/3 of the book specifically for a debut novel it was a great start and I’m excited to see more from Natalie in the future!
January 9, 2025
I felt this book had potential but I despised the dialogue. None of it seemed genuine but more so what you would think someone would say. Also, what is up with sooo many bad things happening to the MMC. Poor dude could not catch a break and just had a reeaalllyyyy bad upbringing. It gave more “really, another trauma to the list” vibe and wasn’t necessary. Also disliked that both MC would frequently call each other by their full names because nobody does that. I’m sure this is somebody’s cup of tea but it just wasn’t mine & I had to seriously force myself to finish because I just can’t DNF a book. Took me a long while to finish this even though it’s not very long just because I couldn’t vibe with it
February 20, 2025
Right from page one this is a heavy story and as it progresses more pieces come out. But what transpires is a beautiful story of growth, love, therapy and family.
Thank you Natalie for an ARC copy!
Thank you Natalie for an ARC copy!
February 26, 2025
This book had so many great scenes and did a great job realistically representing addiction recovery, therapy, and accepting and managing mental health. Natalie, the author, has a background in trauma therapy and really utilized that knowledge in this novel. Cassidy, the MMC remembers several past traumas, and the way that was written, as well as his working through them in therapy, felt realistic and I really enjoyed it. Also in his recovery, just being conscious of being in the bar sober and what others may think about that and judge him for it. Something else I enjoyed was the pacing of the story. It takes place over a year and to me, that made the story feel more real. It wasn’t just Cas overdoses, Avery forgives him, and everything just works out within a week. Taking the time to recover and learn to trust and forgive each other again and then exploring their relationship felt realistic and right for them, given their past. Okay and bestie bootcamp?? YES!! This was soo cute and I loved how much effort Cas put in to make things right and prove that he deserved Avery! And Binx!!! OMG when Cas adopted her for Avery because he knew she couldn’t do it herself, I think I died!! It was ADORABLE!!!!
Also, can we just talk about Asher for a second?? He was AMAZING and definitely my favorite side character!! The way Asher moved past his past issues with drunk Cas and was there to support him in his recovery and relationship. I loved their friendship so much. I also loved the hints of Bri and Asher’s story and can’t wait for their story!!!
There were a few things I didn’t love about this story. First off, I did not enjoy the EXCESSIVE full naming!! Literally, anytime they would talk to each other it was Avery Penelope and Cassidy Michael, like do we really need this 30 times… NO. Also, the author troped the book as a “small town” romance but I didn’t get those vibes. Avery’s bff (Bri) lived in the same town her whole life, but they didn’t meet til college, and Cassidy, who also lived in the town, didn’t know she had a brother. I also found Avery annoying at times. She kind of made everything about herself, which seemed selfish. I get that she wanted to put herself first instead of instantly forgiving Cas, but whenever Cas went to share his feelings or try to talk to her about something, she would interrupt him and jump to conclusions a lot. Like you want the man to get better and be more open BUT YOU WON’T LET HIM FINISH A THOUGHT!! Finally, I think Frank’s (Cassidy’s dad) story was kind of glossed over. Frank and Cas’s past literally played a role in Cas’s addiction, trauma, and then the attack on Cas towards the end - so literally all the conflict in the story.
Overall, I enjoyed Cassidy's journey and witnessing his growth throughout the book. I also loved seeing Avery and Cas rebuild their relationship and finally admit their lifelong feelings for each other. This story was an emotional journey and a great debut for Natalie! There were so many great moments and I truly had so many Kindle highlights, 68 to be exact haha!! Thanks to both, Happily Booked PR and the author, Natalie Knolls for sending me this ARC!
Also, can we just talk about Asher for a second?? He was AMAZING and definitely my favorite side character!! The way Asher moved past his past issues with drunk Cas and was there to support him in his recovery and relationship. I loved their friendship so much. I also loved the hints of Bri and Asher’s story and can’t wait for their story!!!
There were a few things I didn’t love about this story. First off, I did not enjoy the EXCESSIVE full naming!! Literally, anytime they would talk to each other it was Avery Penelope and Cassidy Michael, like do we really need this 30 times… NO. Also, the author troped the book as a “small town” romance but I didn’t get those vibes. Avery’s bff (Bri) lived in the same town her whole life, but they didn’t meet til college, and Cassidy, who also lived in the town, didn’t know she had a brother. I also found Avery annoying at times. She kind of made everything about herself, which seemed selfish. I get that she wanted to put herself first instead of instantly forgiving Cas, but whenever Cas went to share his feelings or try to talk to her about something, she would interrupt him and jump to conclusions a lot. Like you want the man to get better and be more open BUT YOU WON’T LET HIM FINISH A THOUGHT!! Finally, I think Frank’s (Cassidy’s dad) story was kind of glossed over. Frank and Cas’s past literally played a role in Cas’s addiction, trauma, and then the attack on Cas towards the end - so literally all the conflict in the story.
Overall, I enjoyed Cassidy's journey and witnessing his growth throughout the book. I also loved seeing Avery and Cas rebuild their relationship and finally admit their lifelong feelings for each other. This story was an emotional journey and a great debut for Natalie! There were so many great moments and I truly had so many Kindle highlights, 68 to be exact haha!! Thanks to both, Happily Booked PR and the author, Natalie Knolls for sending me this ARC!
February 11, 2025
♡ ︎🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 ♡
𝐵𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒮𝑜𝓂𝑒𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎
BY NATALIE KNOLLS
Be Your Somebody will have you in all your feels, in a good way & sometimes emotional way. It was beautifully written even the hard parts of the story. This was a truly a heartfelt best friends to lovers. Second chance romance! The story was so well written & all her characters were so thought out. The story was so well detailed & her characters come alive off the pages.
There is representation of trauma, addiction, mental health, struggles & heartbreak. Natalies story came alive. She shined so much light on all these topics in our everyday lives. You truly never know what someone is going thru or has been thru. It is emotional and will pull on all your heartstrings in the best & worst ways. The struggles felt so real, raw & heartbreaking but everything comes back together so beautifully. Avery & Cassidy’s story is one for the books. You get a glimpses of both of their lives, trauma & struggles all thru out the story. Cassidy is recovering addict & truly showed so much growth! Avery also shown so much growth as well with her mental health. I was rooting for Cassidy & Avery. They are perfect for each other & good together. A lot of heavy stuff & a lot of people in this world can relate to this story…but beautifully written! This story deeply moved me!This is a must read but make sure you read the trigger warnings! Well done Natalie!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐵𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒮𝑜𝓂𝑒𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎
BY NATALIE KNOLLS
Be Your Somebody will have you in all your feels, in a good way & sometimes emotional way. It was beautifully written even the hard parts of the story. This was a truly a heartfelt best friends to lovers. Second chance romance! The story was so well written & all her characters were so thought out. The story was so well detailed & her characters come alive off the pages.
There is representation of trauma, addiction, mental health, struggles & heartbreak. Natalies story came alive. She shined so much light on all these topics in our everyday lives. You truly never know what someone is going thru or has been thru. It is emotional and will pull on all your heartstrings in the best & worst ways. The struggles felt so real, raw & heartbreaking but everything comes back together so beautifully. Avery & Cassidy’s story is one for the books. You get a glimpses of both of their lives, trauma & struggles all thru out the story. Cassidy is recovering addict & truly showed so much growth! Avery also shown so much growth as well with her mental health. I was rooting for Cassidy & Avery. They are perfect for each other & good together. A lot of heavy stuff & a lot of people in this world can relate to this story…but beautifully written! This story deeply moved me!This is a must read but make sure you read the trigger warnings! Well done Natalie!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 19, 2025
READ THIS BOOK!!!!
Don’t kill me but this book did for me what Just for the Summer did for others. Emotional Romance with a MMC who would do anything for her.
Ok honestly i knew this would be a 5 star read from the opening scene. I was immediately transported. This book is very well written. It’s very hard to deal with hard heavy topics and make the book feel easy to digest. Every chapter was intentional. You can tell the author knew what she was talking about. The mental health issues in this book were done delicately but without kid gloves or generalized understanding.
The story of Avery and Cassidy is one for the books. Turning your past trauma and your downfall into something better. A story of life and the adventure of love. Childhood friends finally understanding one another. Being brave enough to be who you are. The hardest thing we all will ever have to do is face ourselves. This book is Life with Love mixed in. Self Love and acceptance.
I would suggest this for anyone who likes romance, character growth and a bit of mystery too. Thanks Natalie for sending me this book personally. I will read anything she writes from now on. Auto buy Author!
Don’t kill me but this book did for me what Just for the Summer did for others. Emotional Romance with a MMC who would do anything for her.
Ok honestly i knew this would be a 5 star read from the opening scene. I was immediately transported. This book is very well written. It’s very hard to deal with hard heavy topics and make the book feel easy to digest. Every chapter was intentional. You can tell the author knew what she was talking about. The mental health issues in this book were done delicately but without kid gloves or generalized understanding.
The story of Avery and Cassidy is one for the books. Turning your past trauma and your downfall into something better. A story of life and the adventure of love. Childhood friends finally understanding one another. Being brave enough to be who you are. The hardest thing we all will ever have to do is face ourselves. This book is Life with Love mixed in. Self Love and acceptance.
I would suggest this for anyone who likes romance, character growth and a bit of mystery too. Thanks Natalie for sending me this book personally. I will read anything she writes from now on. Auto buy Author!
January 10, 2025
WOW, it is hard to put into words how I feel about this book & in such a good way too. this book was just so brokenly beautiful. the characters, their trauma, their conflicts, their everything. such well-rounded characters who come alive off the pages right from the beginning. this book is so emotional and will pull at your heart strings in the best & worst ways possible. it's gut wrenching & heartbreaking but mends you back together so nicely. their struggles are so real & the topics are so important that you can't help but feel what they feel. especially being able to see what they think through the dual POV, it really adds another layer to the realness of it. it really does show a light on how people handle addiction and mental health. I know the year just started but I know this is going to be in my top books of the year. absolutely recommend it 10000%, I am overwhelmed with feelings on it LOL.
January 1, 2025
Wow 🥹 I truly enjoyed this booked.
I was very excited to see where this would go and it definitely didn’t disappoint me at all! My emotions through the book had me laughing to crying because the friends to lovers was just so good with the dual POV.
Avery and Cassidy truly highlight how to deal with their trauma/mental health and it’s so beautiful the growth between them throughout the story. Making that slow burn so much more than your typical romance. 🤌🏻
Cassidy’s POV definitely had me ugly crying at 4 am reading because I couldn’t put the book down.
There are some heavy topics as Cassidy is a recovering addict with a past.
As always please read content warnings before reading anything as YOUR mental health is most important!
Take a chance on Avery’s and Cassidy’s story and you won’t regret it. I promise 💕
P.S. the spice is worth the wait 😏 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
I was very excited to see where this would go and it definitely didn’t disappoint me at all! My emotions through the book had me laughing to crying because the friends to lovers was just so good with the dual POV.
Avery and Cassidy truly highlight how to deal with their trauma/mental health and it’s so beautiful the growth between them throughout the story. Making that slow burn so much more than your typical romance. 🤌🏻
Cassidy’s POV definitely had me ugly crying at 4 am reading because I couldn’t put the book down.
There are some heavy topics as Cassidy is a recovering addict with a past.
As always please read content warnings before reading anything as YOUR mental health is most important!
Take a chance on Avery’s and Cassidy’s story and you won’t regret it. I promise 💕
P.S. the spice is worth the wait 😏 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
February 12, 2025
This book was such an amazing read. Nat poured her heart and soul into this book and I am absolutely in live with it. Cas and Ave are such beautiful and emotional characters and being drawn to them was inevitable. This book makes you go through a roller coaster of emotions and honestly I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The things both of the characters have to deal with to find their way back to each other was so emotionally heartbreaking to read but you slowly feel your heart begin to heal. This book makes you feel seen and there’s just so much to learn and incorporate into your life. Thank you so much for this opportunity Nat. Falling in love with these characters is by far the most beautifully amazing thing to happen!
February 18, 2025
Be Your Somebody was an emotional rollercoaster. Avery and Cas have been friends since they were kids but grew apart. His father was an addict and he always felt like he was never worth anything, so he also turned to drugs. When he ODs and goes to rehab, Cas decides that he will get clean and hopefully get Avery back in his life. It's a long road getting her to trust him again. They start slow and realize they both have always loved each other. When his past comes crashing back into his life, can he stay strong? Will Avery and Cas get their happy ending?
February 10, 2025
Mental health rep
Slow burn
Romance
Steam
Spice
HEA
All things you can expect when reading this one. Excited for the set up of what I assume to be a series!
Slow burn
Romance
Steam
Spice
HEA
All things you can expect when reading this one. Excited for the set up of what I assume to be a series!
February 17, 2025
⚠️⚠️Check all TW ⚠️⚠️
Cas and Avery’s story tackled something that a lot of people deal with on a daily basis. I finished this book in a couple days.
Cas and Avery’s story tackled something that a lot of people deal with on a daily basis. I finished this book in a couple days.
February 21, 2025
I loved how the characters had obstacles to overcome and how the mmc worked hard to get back the one person who meant the world to him. Please check your TW. I would recommend this book.
February 21, 2025
Review to come!
February 25, 2025
4.5 💚 Great debut, review to come
December 27, 2024
This was such a raw and emotional second chance romance. I loved it and could not put it down!
December 20, 2024
This story revolves around two best friends Cass and Avery. After years of trying to help her best friend as he deals with substance addiction. Avery finally decides it’s time to think of herself and what’s best for her mental health. While she loves Cass she just can’t watch him destroy himself bringing her down in the process. Cass has to go through a lot in order to deal with his demons and work through what is causing this vicious cycle of drug use. That’s huge revelation about Cass and his childhood broke my heart for him. I’m so glad that he was finally able to work towards healing that with his therapist and Avery by his side.
We get glimpses of their pasts which help us to understand how they got to where they are in present time. It was beautiful to see our two main characters heal not only their relationship but themselves as well.
Thanks to Happily Booked Pr and the author for the arc!!
We get glimpses of their pasts which help us to understand how they got to where they are in present time. It was beautiful to see our two main characters heal not only their relationship but themselves as well.
Thanks to Happily Booked Pr and the author for the arc!!
January 4, 2025
4.25/5
this book is about childhood friends navigating life after the MMC experienced a drug overdose and the FMC making a choice to cut him off due to his decisions of choosing drugs over her again and again. Loved seeing them reconnect and Cassidy working so hard on their friendship! As a mental health therapist myself, I appreciate the author bringing awareness to substance use as well as validating mental health concerns!
this book is about childhood friends navigating life after the MMC experienced a drug overdose and the FMC making a choice to cut him off due to his decisions of choosing drugs over her again and again. Loved seeing them reconnect and Cassidy working so hard on their friendship! As a mental health therapist myself, I appreciate the author bringing awareness to substance use as well as validating mental health concerns!
January 9, 2025
She must have sensed my presence because she turned in my direction with the most breathtaking smile. My steps faltered and I could hear the thunderous sound of my heart ramming against my chest. She’s so beautiful. I can’t help but think about that feeling I experienced earlier today. What was the word for it? Crush. I couldn’t have a crush on my best friend—that would fuck everything up.One of my favorite parts of this book was the aftermath of an overdose in the beginning. I know that sounds weird, but Natalie wrote it so vividly that I felt like I was experiencing Cas’s true POV. I could feel his disorientation, I was blinded by the hospital fluorescents, I felt his panic & confusion, all of it. This whole chapter read like a movie & I loved it. Another interesting part? When the “I love yous” are said. I don’t want to spoil it here, but it really fits the relationship dynamic between these characters who started as childhood friends (& secret crushes) working to repair their relationship. It’s super sweet! I will say, while there were many parts I liked, there were moments when I felt like the story was trying too hard. Almost as if there were too many emotional or swoony lines, they lost their impact. And it made it difficult for me to connect to the characters & feel the pull of those heartstrings. However, this is a story about addiction, sobriety & emotional healing. And these story elements were handled with tender care, teaching us all lessons about self acceptance & support.
"... I’m impressed and touched that you’d go through all this trouble for someone like me.”I picked up this book because emotional stories are ones I really like & because I have a personal connection with the subject material about addiction & sobriety. Having lots of family members on both sides of this coin, I can understand some of the difficulty that comes with loving someone who is struggling with their addiction & struggling with their sobriety. In that realm, this book felt like one big therapy session. But the characters made me want to shake them in frustration with their miscommunication, lack of self-worth & constant second guessing of the other's feelings. And while there were elements of the writing I didn't connect with, overall this was a slow burn romance filled with funny moments, strong friendships, healing from trauma & even some cat love.
“Avery, you don't get it. I would do whatever it takes for you. It's not because it's someone like you. It's because it's you,” he admits... "Seeing you smile does something to me. I'm not sure I can explain it yet. It's the best feeling in the world, making you happy."
“Avery, you’re so damn beautiful. You take my breath away whenever I look at you. You’re my safety net, and I feel so seen when looking into your sparkling green eyes. You see through all the walls I put up and through all my bullshit. You see me. You make me feel like I deserve to be loved and, more importantly, to be loved by you.”
March 5, 2025
Be Your Somebody was such an amazing, very emotional, captivating, and heartwarming read 💚 The characters and their backstories were fantastically written and they captured my heart instantly. The plot was gripping and keeps you hooked until the very end, and it was very well written with great descriptions! The representation of mental health & addiction was excellent and it depicted the characters emotions and struggles well. This was an excellent slow burn romance 🧡
Avery is such a strong fmc for all that she’s been through with Cas. Though she had to let him go to protect herself, she still had so much care and love for him that never faltered 💙 She grew so much throughout the story and had great development, which was really enjoyable to read! I loved watching her find her way back to Cas while also setting personal boundaries for herself and not instantly going back to him. We got to see many different sides of her and the complexity of her character, and her really embracing her confidence with herself & her abilities. Her friendships with Bri, and also Bri’s brother were awesome, and I loved how supportive they were!! She was also a well written character and was hilarious 😆
Cas had such a heartbreaking backstory, but watching him heal and get his life back on track was fantastic to read 💚 When Avery said he was swoon worthy, she was not lying in the slightest!! At times he frustrated me with his actions and how he was treating Avery, but he also made me cry (so much), laugh, and sweat 🔥🧡 Seeing him find his way back to Avery and win her back was amazing and I was cheering him on every step of the way. His character development was awesome, and seeing him change his life for the better was honestly a tear jerker. I fell for his character instantly!! I loved how he found true friendship & support within Max & Asher, and their idea for friendship bootcamp 😂
This was a great slow burn read, with fantastic main characters, emotional & gripping backstories, a phenomenal plot, and spice that will make you both swoon & sweat!! 😍🥵 It takes them both time to find their ways, but when they finally do reconnect at the right time, it is so, so, so amazing and heartwarming 💙 Getting snippets of their past and what happened was really interesting and I loved those parts, even though some of them were heartbreaking!! Their relationship is very well written, built up, and developed! I also found the side characters, their interactions, and relationships with the main characters very enjoyable to read 🧡
This is a read that I could not recommend enough 💚💙🧡
Avery is such a strong fmc for all that she’s been through with Cas. Though she had to let him go to protect herself, she still had so much care and love for him that never faltered 💙 She grew so much throughout the story and had great development, which was really enjoyable to read! I loved watching her find her way back to Cas while also setting personal boundaries for herself and not instantly going back to him. We got to see many different sides of her and the complexity of her character, and her really embracing her confidence with herself & her abilities. Her friendships with Bri, and also Bri’s brother were awesome, and I loved how supportive they were!! She was also a well written character and was hilarious 😆
Cas had such a heartbreaking backstory, but watching him heal and get his life back on track was fantastic to read 💚 When Avery said he was swoon worthy, she was not lying in the slightest!! At times he frustrated me with his actions and how he was treating Avery, but he also made me cry (so much), laugh, and sweat 🔥🧡 Seeing him find his way back to Avery and win her back was amazing and I was cheering him on every step of the way. His character development was awesome, and seeing him change his life for the better was honestly a tear jerker. I fell for his character instantly!! I loved how he found true friendship & support within Max & Asher, and their idea for friendship bootcamp 😂
This was a great slow burn read, with fantastic main characters, emotional & gripping backstories, a phenomenal plot, and spice that will make you both swoon & sweat!! 😍🥵 It takes them both time to find their ways, but when they finally do reconnect at the right time, it is so, so, so amazing and heartwarming 💙 Getting snippets of their past and what happened was really interesting and I loved those parts, even though some of them were heartbreaking!! Their relationship is very well written, built up, and developed! I also found the side characters, their interactions, and relationships with the main characters very enjoyable to read 🧡
This is a read that I could not recommend enough 💚💙🧡
February 22, 2025
Wow okay! Where do i even start?! This is my bestie boo Nat’s debut novel and wow I am just amazed with her. I knew the day I met her and she showed me her cover and told me the summary that this was going to be absolutely beautiful. And without being biased I am saying I knew it would. Seeing my girls hard work being published has had me in tears for months. I cannot be more proud of her and all that shes accomplished just getting this book out to the world. I love you Natalie!! ❤️
Now back to the book itself, wow I just have no words. Cas and Avery were everything. I felt their pain, their friendship and their love through every page. Talking about the heavy topics that Nat did is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and most people will avoid the topics. But I am so glad that Nat stuck to her decision and wrote about the topic of addiction, trauma and mental health. I felt like so many parts of this book represented me in so many ways and I even told Natalie that I feel like many people will definitely relate to it and she would reach her target audience with this book and she definitely has and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this beautiful book.
Cas & Avery will have you smiling ear to ear, kicking your damn feet and absolutely in tears. Their story consists of heartbreak and their struggles they both face. But it also consists of them rekindling a once friendship they had. Cas is on his journey of recovering from addiction and towards redemption. His goal is to fix things with Avery but also be better for her and himself. It’s a tear-jerking journey so remember to have tissues with you. And as much as Nat knows I love a romance book with a lot of romance I genuinely loved that this book was a slow-burn. We got to see these two genuinely fall in love with each other while healing one another. I couldn’t recommend this book enough and I am not saying this because Natalie is my best friend I mean this as a genuine reader that this book is so worth it!! ❤️
4.75 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
Now back to the book itself, wow I just have no words. Cas and Avery were everything. I felt their pain, their friendship and their love through every page. Talking about the heavy topics that Nat did is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and most people will avoid the topics. But I am so glad that Nat stuck to her decision and wrote about the topic of addiction, trauma and mental health. I felt like so many parts of this book represented me in so many ways and I even told Natalie that I feel like many people will definitely relate to it and she would reach her target audience with this book and she definitely has and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this beautiful book.
Cas & Avery will have you smiling ear to ear, kicking your damn feet and absolutely in tears. Their story consists of heartbreak and their struggles they both face. But it also consists of them rekindling a once friendship they had. Cas is on his journey of recovering from addiction and towards redemption. His goal is to fix things with Avery but also be better for her and himself. It’s a tear-jerking journey so remember to have tissues with you. And as much as Nat knows I love a romance book with a lot of romance I genuinely loved that this book was a slow-burn. We got to see these two genuinely fall in love with each other while healing one another. I couldn’t recommend this book enough and I am not saying this because Natalie is my best friend I mean this as a genuine reader that this book is so worth it!! ❤️
4.75 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
Read
February 12, 2025I can’t resist a daring plot, a concept presented in Natalie Knolls’ novel, 𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢. With themes like addiction, trauma, PTSD and mental health struggles, and challenging relationship dynamics, 𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 presented an intriguing perspective on many emotionally triggering topics.
Knoll ambitiously tackled controversial topics in 𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢, following next door neighbors turned friends, Avery and Cassidy, as they navigate circumstances that test their friendship and relationship. While there are brief flashbacks, it is set primarily in the present day and details the horrors of addiction and aftermath of drug overdose, more specifically in how they impact someone mentally and physically, in addition to their closest, most meaningful relationships. 𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 explores the struggle of rebuilding a life after complete self-destruction, impacts of childhood trauma, and the journey into and out of toxic relationships. Although there are heavy themes, it also boasts character growth and healing throughout. It delivers a deep, underlying message that teaches readers courage, strength, tenacity, and forgiveness.
I appreciated Avery’s and Cassidy’s individual journeys as well as their journey together from neighbors, to friends, to lovers. I would have loved to see more on page historical accounts of their dynamic throughout the years to even out the dialogue driven pacing, as that would have helped me connect to them a bit deeper. However, I still commend Knoll for braving such a deeply stirring topic and shedding light on issues that are far too often overlooked.
𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 releases on 2/21/25!
*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
Knoll ambitiously tackled controversial topics in 𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢, following next door neighbors turned friends, Avery and Cassidy, as they navigate circumstances that test their friendship and relationship. While there are brief flashbacks, it is set primarily in the present day and details the horrors of addiction and aftermath of drug overdose, more specifically in how they impact someone mentally and physically, in addition to their closest, most meaningful relationships. 𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 explores the struggle of rebuilding a life after complete self-destruction, impacts of childhood trauma, and the journey into and out of toxic relationships. Although there are heavy themes, it also boasts character growth and healing throughout. It delivers a deep, underlying message that teaches readers courage, strength, tenacity, and forgiveness.
I appreciated Avery’s and Cassidy’s individual journeys as well as their journey together from neighbors, to friends, to lovers. I would have loved to see more on page historical accounts of their dynamic throughout the years to even out the dialogue driven pacing, as that would have helped me connect to them a bit deeper. However, I still commend Knoll for braving such a deeply stirring topic and shedding light on issues that are far too often overlooked.
𝙱𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 releases on 2/21/25!
*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
February 20, 2025
Avery and Cassidy have been best friends since childhood. In high school, Cassidy went down a dark path of addiction and Avery watched as she lost her best friend to the disease. When Cas overdoses, Avery decides that enough is enough and writes him a letter cutting him off and putting herself first for once.
That letter changes everything for Cas and that jump starts his recovery. He goes to rehab and get his life together to try and get Avery back into his life and get clean once and for all.
When he gets home months later and tries to reconcile with Avery, he finds a door slammed in his face. Cas realizes that he needs to do more than just tell her how sorry he is, he needs to prove it to her through his actions. Cue the best friend boot camp! This proves to her that she is everything to him. But when a person from his past tries to lure him back into his old life, Cas must stay strong and fight for his new life with Avery.
Each character had their own insecurities and this book did such a good job of tactfully tackling the topics of substance abuse and mental health and the support system people need to overcome their demons.
Filled with angst, heartbreak, second chances and forgiveness, this book was an emotional ride. I liked the tough love Avery gave Cas and how he used that as ammunition to win her back. He fought through his problems and was determined.
The supporting characters are really fleshed out and all served very important roles in the story without taking the spotlight off the main characters. They were very understanding and encouraging with their advice and allowed the main characters to help work out their insecurities and doubts. I can't wait to read their stories as this series goes on. (especially Ashers!)
Huge thanks to Natalie Knolls for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me. I am so excited to find and support a local author!
I read this book through a digital ARC
Author: Natalie Knolls
Genre: Romance
Troupe: Second Chance Romance, Best Friend to lovers, mental health representation
That letter changes everything for Cas and that jump starts his recovery. He goes to rehab and get his life together to try and get Avery back into his life and get clean once and for all.
When he gets home months later and tries to reconcile with Avery, he finds a door slammed in his face. Cas realizes that he needs to do more than just tell her how sorry he is, he needs to prove it to her through his actions. Cue the best friend boot camp! This proves to her that she is everything to him. But when a person from his past tries to lure him back into his old life, Cas must stay strong and fight for his new life with Avery.
Each character had their own insecurities and this book did such a good job of tactfully tackling the topics of substance abuse and mental health and the support system people need to overcome their demons.
Filled with angst, heartbreak, second chances and forgiveness, this book was an emotional ride. I liked the tough love Avery gave Cas and how he used that as ammunition to win her back. He fought through his problems and was determined.
The supporting characters are really fleshed out and all served very important roles in the story without taking the spotlight off the main characters. They were very understanding and encouraging with their advice and allowed the main characters to help work out their insecurities and doubts. I can't wait to read their stories as this series goes on. (especially Ashers!)
Huge thanks to Natalie Knolls for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me. I am so excited to find and support a local author!
I read this book through a digital ARC
Author: Natalie Knolls
Genre: Romance
Troupe: Second Chance Romance, Best Friend to lovers, mental health representation
February 23, 2025
⭐3.5
🌶️ 1.5
🥵 Spicy Chapters: 30-31, 32, 34, 39, 40
📚 Tropes/Themes: second chance, it's always been you, flashbacks, anxiety rep
👀 Dual POV 1st person
🩷 Something I liked: The mental health/addiction/trauma storyline was not glossed over and “happy”
🙈 Something I disliked: Constant use of both Avery and Cassidy’s full name.
🛍️ Available: Now!
🧠 Triggers: drug use, overdose, CA, CSA, PTSD, gun violence, hospital stay
💬
Unfortunately I have to say this book was not for me. It had a lot of things I enjoy in stories but the execution didn’t hold my interest.
There are definitely parts that are really well done, for example the way Cassidy and Avery’s mental health struggles were handled in the story. I think it was very well written and most of the time I very much sympathized with the MCs. And that dedication was so perfect 🥹🥹🥹 I also really appreciated the supportive friendships between the characters and loved the “bestie bootcamp” idea, it was so adorable. And overall the story itself was really romantic and sweet.
Ultimately though, the characters failed to resonate with me and I didn’t get the emotional impact I think Knolls was going for. They come across as very young and childish in some parts- like everything with Giselle. I think some of the pacing was weird and the ending was dragging. I skimmed the last 15% and still felt like it was never going to end. Some of the dialogue was unnatural and forced, probably also because of the childishness of the characters.
And seriously, how many times was I going to read “Avery Penelope Douglas” or “Cassidy Michael”? 😂 I’ll tell you because I searched the book: 15 times for Avery and 11 times for Cassidy lol. After the third time or so it sorta lost its impact.
🌶️ 1.5
🥵 Spicy Chapters: 30-31, 32, 34, 39, 40
📚 Tropes/Themes: second chance, it's always been you, flashbacks, anxiety rep
👀 Dual POV 1st person
🩷 Something I liked: The mental health/addiction/trauma storyline was not glossed over and “happy”
🙈 Something I disliked: Constant use of both Avery and Cassidy’s full name.
🛍️ Available: Now!
🧠 Triggers: drug use, overdose, CA, CSA, PTSD, gun violence, hospital stay
💬
Unfortunately I have to say this book was not for me. It had a lot of things I enjoy in stories but the execution didn’t hold my interest.
There are definitely parts that are really well done, for example the way Cassidy and Avery’s mental health struggles were handled in the story. I think it was very well written and most of the time I very much sympathized with the MCs. And that dedication was so perfect 🥹🥹🥹 I also really appreciated the supportive friendships between the characters and loved the “bestie bootcamp” idea, it was so adorable. And overall the story itself was really romantic and sweet.
Ultimately though, the characters failed to resonate with me and I didn’t get the emotional impact I think Knolls was going for. They come across as very young and childish in some parts- like everything with Giselle. I think some of the pacing was weird and the ending was dragging. I skimmed the last 15% and still felt like it was never going to end. Some of the dialogue was unnatural and forced, probably also because of the childishness of the characters.
And seriously, how many times was I going to read “Avery Penelope Douglas” or “Cassidy Michael”? 😂 I’ll tell you because I searched the book: 15 times for Avery and 11 times for Cassidy lol. After the third time or so it sorta lost its impact.
March 2, 2025
Emotional, healing story of redemption.
This story starts out tense, to say the least, from page one and kept me hooked until the end. Cassidy was raised by an abusive father until his grandparents took him in at 8 years old. He meets Avery and they become childhood best friends. Their friendship is a rollercoaster of a ride, largely due to Cassidy’s addiction troubles. Avery has finally decided to put herself and her mental health first when Cassidy relapsed yet again and cuts ties with him. Cassidy overdoses and wakes up to discover that Avery has had enough, and it won’t be so easy to walk back into her life.
This story follows the long, highly emotional journey of these two getting their friendship back and then exploring the love they’ve felt for so long. I enjoyed Cassidy’s ‘best friend boot camp’ that he follows to gain back Avery’s trust. There are also unexpected new friendships and bonds developed as the story progresses. This is a slow burn. These two really can let go and trust each other after all the work they have put into their relationship, and this shows when they finally connect physically. The scenes are spicy and intense.
The mental health and anxiety rep is handled well in this story. It helps in understanding these characters so deeply and keeps you invested in their story until the end. Some of my favorite scenes are with Cassidy and his therapist, or the deep conversations when Cassidy and Avery quit holding back.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was intense and really made me feel. After I finished, I was surprised to find out that it was a debut novel. The author left us hints on the next story and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
This story starts out tense, to say the least, from page one and kept me hooked until the end. Cassidy was raised by an abusive father until his grandparents took him in at 8 years old. He meets Avery and they become childhood best friends. Their friendship is a rollercoaster of a ride, largely due to Cassidy’s addiction troubles. Avery has finally decided to put herself and her mental health first when Cassidy relapsed yet again and cuts ties with him. Cassidy overdoses and wakes up to discover that Avery has had enough, and it won’t be so easy to walk back into her life.
This story follows the long, highly emotional journey of these two getting their friendship back and then exploring the love they’ve felt for so long. I enjoyed Cassidy’s ‘best friend boot camp’ that he follows to gain back Avery’s trust. There are also unexpected new friendships and bonds developed as the story progresses. This is a slow burn. These two really can let go and trust each other after all the work they have put into their relationship, and this shows when they finally connect physically. The scenes are spicy and intense.
The mental health and anxiety rep is handled well in this story. It helps in understanding these characters so deeply and keeps you invested in their story until the end. Some of my favorite scenes are with Cassidy and his therapist, or the deep conversations when Cassidy and Avery quit holding back.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was intense and really made me feel. After I finished, I was surprised to find out that it was a debut novel. The author left us hints on the next story and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
March 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Natalie Knolls debut as an author is a complete success! She held nothing back in her debut novel. Delivering a book full of raw emotion, complex relationships, and dynamic characters, I couldn’t put this book down. A story about healing and overcoming hardship, this book burrowed its way into my soul.
Cassidy is a damaged MMC, having an abusive, addict father, he was taken in by his grandparents at age eight. The girl next door provides an instant friend, but one he isn’t able to hold onto forever due to his own personal battles. Natalie writes a wonderful storyline of past and present to help fill in the backstory while moving the present day story at a perfect pace. I loved the theme of self forgiveness and recovering for you.
Avery didn’t want to let Cassidy go, but knew it was the best thing for her. She couldn’t watch her then best friend go down this road and wither away. She never forgot the boy next door and held him in her heart. Dealing with her own emotions by song writing, she pours so much of her soul into these songs. She is an FMC that I loved reading about.
Natalie put so much thought and heart into this story. To write about the topics she did, it’s hard to not think she has gone through something similar. She gave a beautiful voice to her characters and wrote a book I found myself completely immersed in. Unable to put it down, I devoured this book and can’t wait for more from her. A debut novelist that is definitely one to keep an eye on and an instant must read author for me!
As always, review any author notes before reading.
Tropes:
✨Add!ction Recovery Rep
💟Mental Health Rep
✨Childhood Trauma Rep
💟Friends to Lovers
✨Small Town Romance
💟Slow Burn
✨Dual POV
Natalie Knolls debut as an author is a complete success! She held nothing back in her debut novel. Delivering a book full of raw emotion, complex relationships, and dynamic characters, I couldn’t put this book down. A story about healing and overcoming hardship, this book burrowed its way into my soul.
Cassidy is a damaged MMC, having an abusive, addict father, he was taken in by his grandparents at age eight. The girl next door provides an instant friend, but one he isn’t able to hold onto forever due to his own personal battles. Natalie writes a wonderful storyline of past and present to help fill in the backstory while moving the present day story at a perfect pace. I loved the theme of self forgiveness and recovering for you.
Avery didn’t want to let Cassidy go, but knew it was the best thing for her. She couldn’t watch her then best friend go down this road and wither away. She never forgot the boy next door and held him in her heart. Dealing with her own emotions by song writing, she pours so much of her soul into these songs. She is an FMC that I loved reading about.
Natalie put so much thought and heart into this story. To write about the topics she did, it’s hard to not think she has gone through something similar. She gave a beautiful voice to her characters and wrote a book I found myself completely immersed in. Unable to put it down, I devoured this book and can’t wait for more from her. A debut novelist that is definitely one to keep an eye on and an instant must read author for me!
As always, review any author notes before reading.
Tropes:
✨Add!ction Recovery Rep
💟Mental Health Rep
✨Childhood Trauma Rep
💟Friends to Lovers
✨Small Town Romance
💟Slow Burn
✨Dual POV
February 11, 2025
I inhaled this book and so it was an easy 5 🌟 read for me. Cas and Avery were so real and it was easy to relate to them. I cried…a lot, and it was therapeutic. It’s raw and it’s messy, but it’s a powerful representation of how people can turn their lives around when they accept that they need help.
If you like these things, you should add it to your TBR: 👇
Angst/emotional romance
Second chance (my fave)
Strong friendships
Mental health rep
Small town vibes
Slow burn that is absolutely worth the wait! 🙌🏻
Childhood trauma/addiction/therapy rep
Guaranteed HEA
Some things happen in the beginning that cause the FMC Avery to pull away from her toxic friendship with MMC Cas. This story follows them in the aftermath of that event. He wants to make amends for everything his actions put everyone through and with the help of some new, supportive buddies, he concocts a plan to repair the broken trust with her.
It’s honestly a very sweet story and I love the relationship that rekindles between these two. The way Cas would build her up was EVERYTHING. 🥹 🖤 He never wanted Avery to feel less than she was and I adored him for it.
“When I leave, I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and own every single part of you. Because every part of me likes every inch of you.”
The drama at the end was shocking and kept me on my toes. I did not expect it to escalate the way that it did, but I can appreciate the element that it added to the story.
This book deals with a lot of heavy topics like addiction, SA, anxiety, ptsd, etc. I encourage you to check out the content warnings! The mental health and addiction struggles are actually what drew me to the story in the first place.
If you like these things, you should add it to your TBR: 👇
Angst/emotional romance
Second chance (my fave)
Strong friendships
Mental health rep
Small town vibes
Slow burn that is absolutely worth the wait! 🙌🏻
Childhood trauma/addiction/therapy rep
Guaranteed HEA
Some things happen in the beginning that cause the FMC Avery to pull away from her toxic friendship with MMC Cas. This story follows them in the aftermath of that event. He wants to make amends for everything his actions put everyone through and with the help of some new, supportive buddies, he concocts a plan to repair the broken trust with her.
It’s honestly a very sweet story and I love the relationship that rekindles between these two. The way Cas would build her up was EVERYTHING. 🥹 🖤 He never wanted Avery to feel less than she was and I adored him for it.
“When I leave, I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and own every single part of you. Because every part of me likes every inch of you.”
The drama at the end was shocking and kept me on my toes. I did not expect it to escalate the way that it did, but I can appreciate the element that it added to the story.
This book deals with a lot of heavy topics like addiction, SA, anxiety, ptsd, etc. I encourage you to check out the content warnings! The mental health and addiction struggles are actually what drew me to the story in the first place.
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