Waiting on You

Love & Whiskey #3

by Nikki Ash

Waiting on You is a secret pregnancy, office romance.

Genres: Romance, Surprise Pregnancy, Second Chance, He Falls First, Contemporary Romance, Found Family, Workplace Romance

399 pages, Paperback

Published January 9, 2025

About the author

Nikki Ash resides in South Florida where she is an English teacher and mom by day and a writer by night. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand. From the Boxcar Children to Wuthering Heights to the latest Single Parent Romance, she has lived and breathed every type of book.

Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out. - Pam Allyn

While reading and writing are her passions, her two children are her entire world. You can probably find them at a Disney park before you would find them at home on the weekends!

Reviews

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Love & Whiskey series has truly been just so sweet! I highly recommend you binge all three and just enjoy them without worrying about too much angst. It hits all the best tropes and was so
enjoyable. Nate and Paige were so adorable together and the way they treated each other was beautiful.

Waiting On You is a secret pregnancy where everything goes so right. Besides some hidden identity in the beginning, once everyone knows what's happening, we are up and rolling! This was also very Instalove, and I did enjoy that in this setting because Nate falls so hard and fast.. it just made him so endearing. But just know that going in. This reads as the fairytale of Secret Pregnancies, and very little goes wrong for them.

Paige has a lot of hang ups. Based on her young life and a recent relationship ending in infidelity. So she really wants to be independent and do what's best for herself. Yet, she doesn't feel completely obstinate in her wanting that. It's been a pattern her life has followed. So Nate, and this pregnancy, are a big wrench in her plan. Though she really wants this baby, she isn't sure she wants a man.

Nate is all in, right from the jump. He is so understanding, even when discovering her pregnancy and she didn't contact him. (There is a story reason for this, so I was okay with it, because normally that's an instant DNF for me.) He only gets more excited when he discovers that his secret breeding kink was realized. lols! You'll see what I mean.

It was just a really sweet romance. Little drama and full of love. Also, the family support is beautiful here.

4 stars
3 on the spice scale

CW: death of a parent, cancer, neglectful parent

*Thank you to the author for an ARC of this title.*

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

while this was a biiiiit insta lovey for me (ily at 30% 😱) I still couldn’t put this down 😂 I was up till 3am reading last night because of just the sheer swoony-ness of this man 😍

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖📖eBook Review📖📖

Well, she’s done it again! Nikki Ash created a world with the 3 couples in this series that I do not want to let go. I actually would very much like to be a part of it! I genuinely think you could read any of the books in whatever order you wanted, which means they are truly standalones, but why would you even want to? I’m not really a picky reader when it comes to tropes so I’ve never understood how some readers can read a series skipping a book. I’m baffled by the phenomenon lol but I guess to each their own and all that *shrug* Anywho, I wouldn’t say I was sad per say about this being the last in the series, but I like the world so there’s that!

The story of Nate & Paige is an insta-attraction story but not your regular kind of insta. It’s not a novella type story which is what’s best with this trope but rather a full-length novel where yes, the attraction is instant and the need for more is also instant, but the development isn’t rushed. I mean Nate knew what he wanted and went after it and got the added bonus of … surprise! LOL

I knew after reading the prologue that Nikki was going to make me emotional and while she did just that, I never felt a deep angst in the story. It was more uplifting and full of hope. Paige hasn’t had the best circumstances when it comes to her heart so having a man like Nate go after her full throttle just made my heart beat a little bit faster for their story!

The chemistry and connection between Paige and Nate were pretty palpable from the very beginning. Their romance was fast paced and thoroughly developed. I’m probably not explaining this correctly lol but it’s like the whole story is “the romance”. Their feelings were established early on. There was no denying or hiding from it, there was just romance!

If you’re looking for a heartfelt, feel-good romance that will warm your heart, you have arrived at your destination! :)

[Abby Plata · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 🌟
Now I was excited for this because it has some of my favorite tropes but the story felt very bland.
Paige was a bit annoying and I seemed to tune her out.
Loved Nate. He’s a king.
There wasn’t really a plot that kept my attention and the insta love wasn’t for me like homie told her he loved her at 30ish%.

I received an e-ARC from the author.

[manda ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

going from nikki ash’s mafia romance in 2020 to this was honestly not the shift i was expecting but it works LMAOO

i knew the name was familiar so imagine my surprise when her mafia duology came up on her backlist (which is honestly so good so go pick it up if you like dark romance—the man is so unintentionally funny too)

ANYWAYS. this book was so cute, it was more insta-attraction but i LOVE that. i love changing things up and this book did that. I think the writing was great—a lot of the times with insta lust or attraction, things either move too quickly, or they get dragged out and i found that neither was the case with this

the storyline
When Paige (h) is down on her luck after finding out her boyfriend has been cheating on her, and that she will have to then go to a mutual friend’s wedding where her ex boyfriend will be attending with his new girl and Paige’s old friend, she decides that she needs a change. As she explores London, a place she feels deeply tied to through her mother, who else does she run into but a random billionaire.

Nate (H) is honestly so sweet and he fell fast for Paige. He prioritizes her first and foremost and makes no apologies for it.

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book. I recommend starting it from the beginning. I definitely recommend Nikki ash

Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read to end one year and start another one with. I loved the vacation fling-to-more with a surprise pregnancy mixed in with the story of Nate and Paige‘s romance.

Ladies and men, if you have been waiting for the ultimate guy to swoon over, Nate is the one. After saving Paige from being harmed when she falls in front of his family's hotel, they go on little day trips while she is in London for her friend's wedding. Oh, the way he is with her is so romantic and caring. Even though they had just met, Nate knew Paige was the one for him.

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 ➡ https://bit.ly/NBReviewWOY



**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books
You can find me here: Nadine Bookaholic's Links

[Hayley Gallant · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Another super good Nikki read!

I absolutely loved this book so much. Such a fun concept ... a vacation one night stand, that turns into a lot more than both of them were expecting.

I loved that both of the main characters really wanted something to continue before what happens, happens, but struggle to get in contact with each other.

The found family in this story is so perfect & I really enjoyed how the new main characters realized that life isn't where you live but who you live your life with!

You get:
• Contemporary Romance
• Spicy
• One Night Stand To More
• Accidental Pregnancy
• Found Family
• Billionaire MMC
• He Falls First

I highly recommend this whole series! Available on KU, ebook, paperback, and audiobook.

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite of the Love & Whiskey series. It was perfect wrap up for the series and while it can be read as a standalone, you do get cameos and some spoilers from the previous couples.

Nikki Ash delivers yet another swoonworthy MMC in Nate. He is so caring and supportive. I loved that he was all in with Paige from the get go. The chemistry between the two hit immediately so it’s easy to see why.

If you are a reader who enjoys insta attraction/instalove vibes, secret pregnancy and a man obsessed you will eat this up.

[Nikki Ash]

Waiting on You in LIVE in ebook, paperback, and audio! You can also grab a signed copy on my website: www.authornikkiash.com/shop/

What you can expect:
Insta-attraction
One bed
Secret pregnancy
Office romance
He falls first and hard
 
Download (or borrow in KU) on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3U2ngzs

[Büşra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genel olarak bu yazarın tarzını seviyorum. 😍 yormuyor tatlı ve çok akıcı yazıyor. Karakterlerini seviyorsunuz sizi mutlu ediyor. Ve iletişimler de çok güzel gereksiz dram yok. Çok hoşuma gitti serinin ilk kitabı kalmış okumadığım onu da bir ara okurum.😍

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nate 🥹

[CassDamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Nikki Ash, she is hands down one of my favorite authors. This just wasn’t her best work. I really disliked the female Mc.

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

RTC

[Judy Portelles · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a one night stand, surprise pregnancy, second chance romance you will love this book. I adored Paige and Nate’s instant connection and Nate was so sweet I couldn’t get enough of him.

4.5⭐️

[Jesi Blanco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts:
Okay, you can give a pregnancy trope romance by Nikki Ash any day!!

I absolutely LOVED these two! And they feel for each other real quick. Nate fell in love with her the moment he saw her. He's family-oriented, so his immediate thought was the potential they had towards making a family together. Paige, though she had strong feelings for him and was sad they'd only share that week in London together, was fresh out of relationship. Literally, that same day, they met.

Nate respected her wishes of staying at a distance from her even though he knew where she lived and where she worked. Those 2 months were torturous. More so for Paige since she threw out his information before even looking at it. She only had 2 photos of them together that led absolutely nowhere. She has resigned herself to the idea that her baby would not meet its father.

Until, one day, business brought them back together 🤭

Highlights"

"What happens in London stays in London."

"You're right. Your liquor tastes way better. It's almost.. addictive."

"Paige, are you okay with sharing a bed? If not, I can find another--. "I'm okay with it."

"What are we doing?" "Most people call it kissing."

Tropes:
- accidental/surprise pregnancy, billionaire romance, business partners, insta-attraction, mutual pining, office romance, one bed, one night stand

Spices
- pregnancy schmex

Red Flags
- n/a

Potential triggers
- other man drama (her ex)

Series or Standalone?
- Book 3 in the Love & Whiskey series; Interconnected standalone

Genre
- Romance, Contemporary romance

Couple
Paige and Nate

Nicknames
- "Princess"

POV
- Dual

[londa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love it but Paige just got on my nerves. Loved Nate and catching up with previous couples.

[Porsche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle up romance girlies because Nikki Ash has a TREAT in store for you.

Waiting on You is the third book in the Love & Whisky series and one of my most anticipated reads, I couldn’t wait to dive into Nate and Paige’s story and trust me, it was well worth the wait.

The romance was perfection, it was everything I wanted for Nate and Paige! Their connection is almost instant, their chemistry is off the charts and Nate proves himself as the most capable man.

The plot progresses at a really good pace, I didn’t feel bored or unengaged at any point, and I loved the development of Paige as she sticks up for herself in what she wants for her life. I really admired her character and her choices throughout the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book and it’s definitely crept into my heart as one of my favourite secret pregnancy books (a trope which Nikki does SO well). It was the perfect book to curl up with over Christmas!

Each page left me wanting more, I’m a huge fan of Nikki’s writing and she continues to hold her place as my number one romance author. I’m so thankful to have been able to read Waiting on You early, and I can’t wait until it’s out in the world for everyone to enjoy! Not long now until January 9th, when everyone can enjoy the wonder that this book is!

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love nikki so much & she can do no wrong to me so i knew i was gonna love this before i read it and i definitely did!! even though paige & nate’s story was a quick one, it was still full of lots of great content & i enjoyed every second of them <3

i’m also not usually a fan of instalove but i think nikki wrote paige & nate really well! sometimes (imo) it can feel too rushed & kind of uncomfortable/awkward but that’s not how it felt with paige & nate. they worked well together & their story felt smooth

thank you enticing journey for the arc!!

[Alexandria G · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And that magic, it’s not actually magic. It’s the feeling of love…of being loved. It’s in the way you care about me and take care of me. The way you always put my wants and needs first. And now, it’s my turn to do the same for you.”

4.5✨

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - this series has my heart! This book (like the others in the series) is the definition of cozy, feel-good romance. It’s one of those stories you can just sink into and fully enjoy. Nikki’s words always bring me so much joy, and Paige and Nate’s story? Pure magic!😉

Starting out in London, England (high school me was OBSESSED with London and fully planned to move there) and then following them to Texas was such a unique and seamless journey. The way the plot flowed from their first meeting to their HEA felt so natural and satisfying. Every interaction between Paige and Nate made me smile, swoon, or sigh - it was that good.

And can we just take a moment to appreciate how the men in this series are absolute perfection? They are the dreamiest heroes who would do anything for their women.

[FANCHON · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out strong- cute and steamy, if predictable. Unfortunately Paige is a tiresome woe-is-me shrew. She wears her so-called trauma like it’s a badge of honor.

Yes, your ex that you hadn’t even seen in more than five months slept with your friend. That sucks. But let’s be real- you bought a house in another country and had zero intentions of moving to the one he was in. What future did you have? You hadn’t seen each other for almost half a YEAR and spoke maybe once a week. 😳 That’s not a relationship at that point. Should he have actually officially broken it off? Sure. But a halfway smart person would’ve figured out that it was already over. I mean, come on. 🙄 Frankly I disagree with her multiple comments about him cheating on her. At that point, there was no relationship. Was it a betrayal that he started a relationship with her friend behind her back- absolutely. A shock to walk in and see it first hand- most definitely. They both suck. But they’d barely even spoken in over five effing months 🙄 He was allegedly toxic during their actual relationship, and that should have been the greater focus.

She then spends the quite literal rest of the book comparing Nate to the ex. Nate, who is practically perfect and fell in love with her almost immediately. It is tiresome. She spent her whole childhood moving around the globe for her dad’s job, then moved a few times for the ex, so she decided she was no longer going to move. That meant Nate was going to have to leave his career and a very large very involved family to move where she and their baby lives. She has zero family. He has tons. But that was the hill she decided to die on. 🙄 Because she is in her “it’s all about me” era. She needs therapy before she has this kid. Ugh.

It’s basically a lot of overly drawn out unnecessarily Paige-being-Paige and Nate saying “we’ll figure things out” (only not actually EVER figuring anything out- for her entire pregnancy). Basically he’d do anything, yet somehow is still never enough for her.

And her “trauma”?? I try hard not to trauma shame, everyone struggles in different ways, but come on. Her mom died of cancer, her dad deals poorly with the loss and then starts a “new” family, and she has ONE bad boyfriend. But she spends the entire book bitching about how EVERYONE LEAVES ME and no one chooses her and she’s can’t trust anyone. Her mother had zero choice about getting cancer- come on. The dad situation- is what it is. And ONE breakup ruins your world? Like damn, you’re not 15. 🙄

I had higher hopes in the beginning. But then it devolved.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not vibe with this book past the 30% point and even before that I was whatever with it. Personally, for me, if there had been therapy sessions in this book, I think I could have overlooked a LOT of things, but that was a major missed opportunity. The mom dying of cancer, Paige pushing her dad away, her Bf cheating on her, and her feelings of insecurity that were mostly her just getting in her own way.... Therapy would have helped really solidify how to deal with grief, anxiety, panic attacks, and feelings of insecurity in a healthy way. Instead I was stuck with a heroine who didn't have enough self awareness to realize she was systematically cutting people out of her life and alienating herself from almost everyone and the book barely even acknowledged this. These were major issues for me overlayed with first time pregnancy life. My brain kept fixating on Paige's thought processes and how she 'could have' dealt with things rather than how she actually was handling things, and it just lost me. I wasn't immersed and my views of her as a person weren't good. Like refusing to communicate with her dad and pushing him away, even though he's her only parent left, or the way she treats her baby daddy, cutting out friends because they couldn't change their wedding plans to accommodate her, TWO days before the wedding...and I don't blame them. Ever plan a wedding? I get that it was an awkward spot for her, but it wasn't her friends' fault her BF cheated on her and cutting them out for this was shit. It just showcases along with everything else that Paige loves to whine about wanting to be the one people choose above all others without being able to do the same for them.

I just couldn't. I honestly just...didn't click at all with this book and I was really glad to just get through it and be done.

[Jasmine | Filthylittlereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting On You Was Worth the Wait!

4.5 ✨

“𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

My baby trope Queen has done it again!! All the teasing, anticipation and wait was well worth it!

Holy mother of swoon, Nikki didn’t come to play with Nate. From the moment he stepped on the scene, the hearts immediately filled my eyes and with every page turned, I was even more of a goner! Paige stole his heart on sight and it was game over. He wanted to shower her in everything her heart desired and then some.

My heart was hurting so bad for Paige. It was understandable why she kept herself guarded and the reason behind her intent to prioritize herself first. There were times I was begging for her to let Nate in, so she could experience everything she had been missing, all the things she deserved.

I loved being on their HEA journey. These two fought for their love even at times when Nikki had me nervous they wouldn’t make it. There was an insta-love element but it felt so real and right for Nate and Paige.

“𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙮.”

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes:
Billionaire romance
Accidental Pregnancy
Insta-Love
He Falls First

4.5⭐
2.5🌶️

Nikki's books are an absolute breath of fresh air & I binged this book in one sitting. Absolutely feral for the way Nate fell for Paige.

Super cute story & probably an amazing palette cleanser if you need something light, and fluffy

This book, this man, and truthfully I'm not a big lover of insta-love, but it is so well done in this book. Nate is so damn swoony & he proves to be an absolute gentleman. Paige literally has never had a man stick by her side throughout her entire life so when Nate continues to show up for her, she finally lets her guard down.

When Paige stumbles upon her boyfriend cheating with her best friend, she ends up meeting a complete stranger & having a whirlwind weekend in London. She isn't emotionally available for anyone so she makes sure to leave Nate, any form of contact in London.

Now she finds herself pregnant & unable to contact him about the pregnancy. Nate stops at nothing and finds her, but has a surprise when he does.

[Lisa Hambridge (lisamareebooks1109) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC.

Nikki has delivered a book that I absolutely loved.

The development of Nate and Paige's relationship was beautifully written, I enjoyed the instant connection they had and

Nate was such a brilliantly written character, and I loved his personality and how he treated Paige so well.

Paige was a character who had been through some emotional experiences that had influenced her life.

I enjoyed reading the surprise pregnancy trope. It was written so well, and the way that Nate's family embraced Paige was beautiful.

[rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

5/5⭐️
3/5🌶️

This might be my new fave Nikki Ash book 👀

This was soooo cute!!! Paige & Nate had such an instant connection! Meeting each other while both away from home and not living near each other made it impossible to start a relationship so they kept it as a quick fling while in London.

I was rooting for them from the start 😩 it was a little tough for them to get to their HEA, lots of obstacles they had to get through but they made it to the other side 🫶🏼 Nate was everything Paige deserved and never got. I loved seeing the growth they went through both together and apart 🤍

I think this might be one of Nikki’s spiciest books too 👀 and I’m here for it 🍑

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️/2🌶️

This was my final read of 2024, and I couldn’t have picked a better one! 🥹 It was adorably emotional and packed with just the right amount of angst.

Paige’s character was written so beautifully—her insecurities and internal struggles after everything her ex put her through felt incredibly real and relatable. ❤️

And then there’s Nate... swoon. This man was EVERYTHING. At every turn, he was all in—supportive, steadfast, and so devoted to Paige, doing everything in his power to make her feel cherished. He’s the kind of MMC you dream of ending the year with. 😍

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Paige and Nate had the best meet cute and everything that came after….so sweet, so hot and had me hooked!

This story didn’t go how I thought it would but it was better than I ever could have epexcted. I’m not going to lie there were points where Paige really frustrated me but in the end things went how they should.

Nate is seriously #bookbabydaddy gold!! This man…SWOON central. I could not get enough at how patient and kind he was and yet in the bedroom, all beast!

A great read and a must to keep you warm this winter season!

[Rommaisreading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much Nikki for an ARC copy of Paige x Nate’s love in exchange for an honest review🩷.

Whilst they were adorable, the story felt very bland to me and Paige got me really frustrated with her trust issues and the back and forth just got tiring.

[ReadaholicDeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

If there’s one author I can count on to deliver a story that completely sucks me in, it’s Nikki Ash. This met all my expectations. The only way to describe it is SWOON! It’s spicy and packed with the sweetest grand gestures.

This one has an accidental pregnancy and is heavy on the insta-love, but it’s OH SO GOOD!!!

What starts as a fling in London transforms into a beautiful story of determination, love, and family. Nate falls hard, and when the chance to see Paige again comes around, he doesn’t hesitate to show her she’s worth sacrificing his plans for.