UnWritten

by Chelsea M. Cameron

Blair Walton isn't your average curvaceous tattooed children's librarian. She's also one half of best-selling romance author, Scarlet Rose. Along with her BFF Raine, she spends her nights writing books so steamy, she's afraid they would shock her Southern conservative grandmother to death...if she knew about them. That's why she and Raine write in secret.

On deadline for their latest book and out of ideas, Raine suggests (demands) that Blair find a guy and "do some research." Declan Bennet has all the He's British, looks fabulous in a suit, has glorious blue eyes, and gets bonus points for being an amazing single dad to his adorable son, Drake. But what starts out as a research project quickly turns into something much more. And Blair's not the only one with secrets.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Humor, Chick Lit, Adult

Audible Audio

First published July 10, 2014

About the author

Chelsea M. Cameron is a New York Times/USA Today/Internationally Best Selling author from Maine who now lives and works in Boston. She's a red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, former cheerleader, and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, eating brunch in bed, tweeting, and playing fetch with her cat, Sassenach. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Reviews

[aksana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Dnf at 60%

Maybe its a case of



but this one just couldn't hold my interest. The fact that it was at times too cheesy and had too often fade-into-black-sex didn't help either.

[• Lisa •]

No rating as I didn't complete the book. Sadly not a book for me this time around, hopefully others will enjoy this one.

*Guest reviewer for Dirty girl romance book blog, ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

[Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books

Well that pretty much sucked. I've never been so irritated, frustrated and annoyed by a book, all at the same time. It started out fantastic but ultimately the romance screwed it up big time for me. Which is ironic since it's a romance book.

I don't even want to bother explaining what it's about. It's not very original. I thought it was though. The main character, whose name I already forgot and I just finished it a few minutes ago and her best friend write books under the name Scarlet Rose. Naturally she's out of inspiration when a hot british guy shows up in the library she works in. He has a kid, who is about the best character in this book and a big part of that one star. He asks her out on a Monday for that same day.

They end up doing the nasty a lot that first night. Which is really absurd. There's no build-up at all! They go out on very expensive dates and have sex a lot, most of which is fade-to-black sex and that's very annoying in this kind of book. I didn't believe it for a second! They constantly say they don't want it to be serious and just casual, but then they do those expensive dates and he invites her to have dinner with him and his son, which is not something you do with someone you just have sex with. Obviously.



I honestly didn't get the main character. (Seriously, what is her name again?) She's one of the first characters that I can relate to a lot when it comes to body, but I didn't. She's confident and self-conscious about her body all at the same time. One second she doubts herself and the next she's overflowing with confidence. And she's crazy about that guy instantly. Like insta-love crazy.

My main problem was the hot british love interest. He's way too perfect! Seriously, he didn't do a single thing wrong at all. Early on in the book part of the library where the main character works in is destroyed by a fire and at first I thought it'd be the guy because I didn't trust him (because of his too-perfectness). I thought he'd end up being a psychopath or something but nothing. Sure he has done one minor thing wrong in his past which lead to his divorce but honestly, it wasn't that big a deal. I also expected there to be much more drama surrounding his divorce, but again, nothing. Maybe I just have bad experiences, but guys like that don't exist. Everyone has flaws. Even hot british guys.

Last thing, this was way too boring. Nothing happened! The fire in the library didn't make sense at all! It happened but it had no influence on the story at all. It was like the author decided to burn down the MC's part of the library so she wouldn't have to go to work and that way the author wouldn't have to work that in the story anymore because it'd be in the way. Then something happens that's supposed to be dramatic but I didn't care at all.



This could have been so perfect! The main character is a curvy girl covered in tattoos that all have something to do with literature, she works in a library and she writes books. That's about as relatable as it gets to me. But in the end I didn't even remember her name. What a disappointment. Guess it doesn't always pay off to finish a book when you're not liking it from the start. Also, that cover and title don't make sense for the book either.

Unwritten could have been great but instead with was annoying, frustrating and full of typos. I couldn't care less about the romance and I've already forgotten the name of the main character. Some people seem to like it, but if it were up to me, I'd say skip this one. There are tons of better books out there in the genre.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blair Walton is a tattooed, retro dressing librarian who runs the children's book area. She loves her job but in her spare time she is a romance author with her best friend Raine. They keep their identity quiet but their fans know them as Scarlet Rose. Blair becomes attracted to single dad Declan Bennet after meeting his adorable son Drake. Declan is British, hot, and she can readily admit she is crushing hard on.

When Raine suggests Blair use Declan as a muse in order to get past the writers block on their upcoming book. Blair though feels her interactions with Declan are private and when he asks her out, she is even more determined to keep it that way. However, Declan doesn't want to label what they are even though they are beginning to rely on each other in more ways than one. Can they admit they are building something or will it forever be in limbo?

This was very good, I think Drake stole the show though. I liked this couple but felt that they could have maybe admitted their feelings sooner, rather than later. II am a sucker for librarian, book author, and Brit stories so this one hit the mark for me.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this title for review via Netgalley when I saw it pop up, as I had met the author this past summer at a book/writing conference and I had one of her promotional cards about this novel. Though it sounded like a simple romance, I liked the concept and was intrigued: a tattooed, spunky children's librarian who co-writes erotica on the side meets a charming British man and tries to find inspiration for her writing through him and their romantic interactions.

Sadly, this book disappointed on many levels, and I DNFed it at 23%. Early on, I found the dialogue between the main character, Blair, and her roommate, Raine, to be trite and unbelievable. While Blair and Raine bicker and talk like best friends and writing partners might, it was pointless, empty dialogue, and it did little to develop their characters. It was also boring. So little happened in the first quarter of the book. I can imagine that two writers are stressed while on deadline, but the two friends acted ridiculous, didn't treat it a like a real job, and just drank lots of coffee and feel asleep at their laptops a lot. I felt as though the set-up of two friends writing bestselling erotic novels under a pen name was just a wish-fulfillment fantasy or stand-in for the author herself. Instead of being proud of their work, the main character even hides it, but then has all of her well-read librarian colleagues conveniently tell her about how fabulous these popular books are that they carry (which, coincidentally, happen to be hers written under the pen name).

Characterization of Blair as a children's librarian also fell short, as did characterization of Declan, the love/sex interest. Blair would not be able to repeatedly fall asleep at her desk in the children's room, be chastised/worried over by her superior, and then be called "damn good" at her job by the same person. The author also seemed to show her ignorance about librarian training by not understanding how old someone would be if she had gone to MILS/LIS school, when and what age someone can be a teaching assistant, etc. The same goes for the love interest, Declan. When Blair's friend snoops out information on him and finds out that he is a rich businessman and investment supervisor, a sparkling college graduate, and a current MBA student at an unnamed Ivy League school (which he doesn't appear to attend in person), we're also smacked with the news that he is also only 23 years old, has a 3 year old son, and has already been married and divorced. When I read that, my incredulity wouldn't let me get past it. He also dresses his son in suits, even to go to the library with the stereotypically snotty nanny. It would have made much more sense to age both characters up to their late 20s or early 30s.

Finally, I didn't feel much for the budding relationship between Blair and Declan. I read through the first date between the couple, and while their banter/dialogue was better than the rest I'd read, the story too quickly jumped to a focus on sex without any focus on the relationship and its development. The main character even says things like (paraphrased), "This felt different emotionally," but there's nothing to back it up. She even waxes poetically that the relationship feels like it will last months or more, despite having shared very little between them and for it being her first time having sex on the first date.

All in all, I didn't find much to move me or motivate me to finish this title. The author's other titles seem to be more well-received, but I don't think I'll be a good fit for them.

Note: This review refers to a review copy provided by the publisher.

[Roxanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and All Night Reads for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is going to sound harsh, but I don't know how to say it other than to just come out and say it: this book is one that should have remained "unwritten". And it pains me to say that because I'm a fan of Chelsea M. Cameron's writing and I've enjoyed other books of hers, but this one just did not pass muster.

The strange thing is that I actually liked the characters. They were cute and quirky. So why didn't I like the book, then? It was soooooooo boooooooooring!!! There were instances where I thought something exciting was going to happen, and then it was like, psych! Just kidding, that story line's going nowhere. For example:

the library where Blair works burns down. Sad, but maybe there's a mystery to be solved here. But alas, the fire was started by a stray cigarette butt. No arson, no foul play, nothing. Okay, so then Blair's grandma has a stroke. I was almost cheering - yay, finally some action! But no, she lay in a coma for quite some time while the rest of the family bickered around her until she finally died. You want to know how that story line panned out? Are you sure, because you just might not be able to handle it? Blair writes an obituary and the family holds a funeral for her. Yeah, I know, it's completely riveting. Then there's this bitch of a nanny that Declan has hired for his son due to some family obligation. She gets a bit catty and possessive here and there, and I was thinking that eventually, shit's gonna go down! But you know what? Blair and Declan have a little chat, all civilized, and Declan decides that he's going to have to let the nanny go. Just like that. No drama. No smack down. Nada.

There were a lot of scenes with Blair and Raine writing their book, editing their book, and eating food. Sometimes they got excited about hanging out in their yoga pants. Hey, I love hanging out in my yoga pants, I'm not knocking it. I just don't necessarily want to read about other people doing it, because it's, you know, BORING! They also go out a couple of times with a mutual friend and have some drinks, and they get a matching tattoo, but honestly, that's about as exciting as anything gets.

I really liked Declan, but he was almost too good to be true. He's always supportive, knows just what to say, plans the best dates, and buys Blair books. Perfect guy? Yeah, pretty much, but then where's the conflict, the tension? The big "reveal" on his part was treated as not that big of a deal - Blair forgives him right away and they keep on keepin' on. Blair's "reveal" was something that caused her a whole lot of angst throughout the book, but I didn't think what she'd done was all that wrong. In this day and age, doing a bit of a background check on a stranger before you date him is smart - why put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation?

I really liked Raine as well. She seems to be the perfect BFF - again, always supportive, knows just what to say, and makes sinfully delicious chocolate chip cookies. But again I say, where's the conflict, the tension? I think Blair and Raine got into one little tiff, but they forgave each other pretty quickly and that was the end of that. Bo. Ring.

Ugh. Seriously, I am getting thoroughly bored just by writing this review, so I'm going to end by saying that my experience with "UnWritten" has in no way deterred me from reading more from Ms. Cameron. I look forward to reading some of her earlier works in the near future in the hopes that "UnWritten" was just a fluke.

[Katrina Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was just okay for me.

[Leeanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on my blog, Leeanna.me.

==

Romance isn’t typically my genre of choice, but sometimes a book grabs my attention, usually because of the author or summary. The idea behind UNWRITTEN is what pulled me in: Blair is a children’s librarian by day, and an author by night. She and her best friend, Raine, write steamy novels together.

UNWRITTEN starts off with this sentence: “What’s another word for [ladyparts]?” (My edit). You can’t go wrong with a book that starts like that!

As a wannabe author, I couldn’t want to dive into Blair’s secret life. She and Raine are having trouble with their current work in progress. They’re under deadline stress, but are stuck. Convinced they need fresh inspiration, Raine pushes Blair to date the cute, single dad that’s started bringing his son to the library. But what’s supposed to be a simple fling soon turns into something more. But are Blair and Declan ready for that something more?

I read UNWRITTEN as just the right time: I needed book that would cheer me up, make me feel good while I was reading. I blazed through it in a few hours, and wanted my own Declan when I finished. The romance between Blair and Declan is swoon-worthy, and I don’t say that very often. Declan was a great love interest, romantic and considerate, and oh yeah, amazing in bed. I don’t like kids, but his son was adorable, and I laughed when Blair thought about how to turn him into an even better reader.

I also liked the super strong friendship between Blair and Raine. Come to think of it, I’d like my own Raine, too. They often joked that they were platonic life partners, because they were always there for each other, and because they knew each other so well. The banter between them, especially when they were writing or brainstorming, reminded me of myself and a writing buddy. I was also happy that the author put so much of writing into UNWRITTEN -- from writer’s block to deadline stress to constantly coming up with new ideas to having characters talk inside your head. Yup.

There’s a lot of humor in UNWRITTEN, as well as tons of pop culture and music references. But it’s not all fun and games, as Blair does have to deal with an unexpected tragedy. I loved seeing Raine and Declan stand by her, offering support and reassuring her that not everyone reacts the same to bad things.

I would have liked to see a bit more of the happily ever after, but overall, I quite enjoyed UNWRITTEN. It’s a stand-a-lone, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a novella about Blair and Declan, or a book for Raine, as I’m sure she has her own story to tell.

==

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

See more of my reviews:

[booklover4life · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I received a copy of this book from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!***

I must say that from the blurb I was expecting something a little bit different from what I read. I knew that the heroine was a writer, but this book seemed less like a romance story, and more of a non-romantic love story between Raine and Blair, as well as a book on what writers do every day. I wished for more interaction between Declan and Blair, because those were the parts that I enjoyed the most. Unfortunately, for me, this book fell a bit flat.

I liked each of the characters enough, but I wasn't very invested in the story. I learned a lot about Blair and Raine through their extremely close friendship, but I felt like there was a lack of information about Declan. We learned some basics about him, and his "big secret," but there wasn't a whole lot of character development for him. Since this book is about a single dad, I expected more interaction where the child was involved. There was some in the beginning, but then almost nothing in the middle, and then towards the end we finally see Declan, Blair and Drake (Declan's son) interacting. I wished for more Drake because he was my favorite character.

The majority of this story consists of Blair and Raine writing a book, although we never learn much about the book at all, so it is mostly just basic information like they spent time writing, then editing, etc. I felt like a lot of things were left out of this book. Some of the side stories were never really closed out, and there was essentially no conflict at all. As I got closer to the end of the story, I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never did. Even the big reveals of Declan and Blair's "secrets" weren't very dramatic nor drawn out.

I enjoyed the scenes between Declan and Blair, but I did find most of their story to be about their sexual connection rather than a romantic one. Sure there were parts that made you swoon, since Declan was pretty sexy and thoughtful, but it wasn't until much closer to the end that you even have any idea that things might get serious for them at all.

I liked the idea of this book. I think that it could have been better if it had another round of edits, better character development, and more interaction between the actual couple rather than the two best friends. I liked that these two girls were committed to their friendship, and the way they took care of each other was amazing, but it didn't really add to the romance of the story line because the focus was mostly on them.

I have read other books by the author before and enjoyed them, so I guess I had it in my mind that these books would produce a similar reaction in me. This book, however, did not grab me. I don't think it was a bad book, but to feel really invested in a book, I need to have an emotional connection to the characters. I became sort of ambivalent to them, and it didn't really make me want to read more of them. For these reasons, I do not feel like I can recommend this book.

[Kate ✨ is a dreamer · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars
*May include spoilers

I received UnWritten for Christmas from my mom, and I remember being surprised because I had never heard of it before. It seems basic enough, after reading the blurb, but I was excited because of the author aspect - I don't know why, but I love reading books about authors! Maybe it's the irony of the whole thing.

"We clean up nice, don’t we?” she said as we applied our makeup in the long bathroom mirror.
“Yeah, we’re the hottest romance novelists I know,” I said, pouting my lips at her.
“Suck it, Nora Roberts,” Raine said, adjusting her bra.

I suppose I should go a bit into what this book is about. Blair Walton is a tattooed and curvy children's librarian, and she loves her job. But she also loves her other job, her secret job, as a romance novelist with her best friend Raine. Blair and Raine write under the pseudonym "Scarlet Rose" and it's this big secret that only one person in their lives know about, their publisher and editor notwithstanding.

A few chapters into the book, they get stuck for inspiration, so Raine encourages Blair to get it on with a hot dad Blair sees at work. She gets nervous about asking him, until one day, Mr. Tall, Dark and British (Declan) comes up and asks if she will go on a date with him that very night. Awww. So the story continues.



- Drake. He's Declan's son and totally stole the show. Although a bit too smart/talkative for three years old, he was a cutie.

- The writing/bookishness. Although it was a little fanfiction-y, I have to say I enjoyed it. There was a lot of *wink wink nudge nudge* and "you know how it is, us writers be cray cray" moments in the book where it was reflecting on what it means to be a writer (living in leggings, coffee and people in your head). I will admit, it did start to get old after awhile.



- The bookishness. For their dates, Declan always brought Blair flowers. And by "flowers" I don't mean plants. I mean books with bookish titles. Cute! Completely unrealistic, but cute.

- Also, did you notice Declan's name? Not only is it "Declan", the perfect mid-century name for a romantic rake, but his last name is Bennet, and Blair comments on a few times how perfect it would be to be "Mrs. Bennet". I felt her on that one



- Can I say the romance? It really screwed everything up for me. Since the book started, I was into it. But the further along the story went, the more I dug my toes in the sand, fighting to stay in the beginning of the story. It just ... went downhill the more I read. Be forewarned of ridiculous insta-love romance, even if they don't admit even to be being in "like/love" with each other until the last flipping page.

- Yes I get, he's British. Yes, I get it they have amazing voices. Yes, we understand. I GET IT OKAY

"He had an accent. A British one. There was something about a British accent that had always made me quiver deep down inside and touched me in places a regular New England accent just couldn’t reach."

- Ada. Of course we had to have a jealous live-in nanny that had to be told off by the police because she's convinced Declan is in love with her. It wouldn't be a romance without something of the sort

- The dates. Each date was some sort of extravagant, expensive "textbook" romance date. And of course he always paid for a hotel afterwards. Cheap date she is not.

- After the dates, comes the sex, which was completely uninspired. It was always some kind of "fade-to-black but still too long and cliché and ick". Wish the sex could be Unwritten. And there was lots of it.

- The serious vs. casual. Declan stated at the beginning he didn't want to be in a serious romantic relationship because he still had hang-ups from his marriage. Don't know WHY, since he's the one that cheated on his wife!!! But more on that later. But the entire time was "I love this about you, I love this about you, I love this about you." just so you know, a casual relationship doesn't say presents in the form of books each time you see each other, "just thinking about you" texts/calls and wanting to meet each others grandmother and parents! Casual-sex partners don't support each other at funerals and come over just to hold you when you cry. Not a thing, guys.

- This is a small thing, but almost immediately Blair trusts Declan with her deepest, darkest secrets. The fact that she's one-half of Scarlet Rose and she's only told one person in her life about it? She tells Declan on like the first or second date. Problems with her family/insecurities she doesn't even tell Raine, her "Platonic Life Partner" and BFF, she tells Declan. The immediate trust and sharing deep-dark secrets isn't indicative of casual-sex partners, either.

"What’s he doing?” Raine asked. “He’s not talking to me.” “Grab him by the nuts and twist.” I glared at her over my laptop. To us, our characters were real, living, breathing people that sometimes didn’t cooperate. There was a famous quote that being a write was an acceptable form of schizophrenia. It was absolutely true. The voices never stopped, except when they were being jerks."

- At the end of the blurb it says, "And Blair's not the only one with secrets", just to let you know there will be some conflict coming up. So I'm waiting for the perfect Declan to have a skeleton in his closet when spoiler his "secret" is the fact that he cheated on his wife! Had HUGE problems with that.

- Not only was that his shitty reason, but Blair's huge secret she's been keeping in this relationship, that ton brick of guilt she's been feeling is because Raine FUCKING LOOKED HIM UP ON THE INTERNET SO SHE KNEW THINGS ABOUT HIM ALREADY. LIKE GOOGLING SOMEONE ISN'T A CRIME, BITCH, PLEASE!!! Which isn't anything she should be stressing so huge over.

- Then, when they had their "big fight" near the end of the novel, because it wouldn't be a romantic book if there wasn't some sort of falling out at the end, HE REVEALS THAT HE CHEATED ON HIS WIFE IN HIS MARRIAGE, causing her to cheat on him in retaliation, then causing them to get a divorce. The whole book his ex-wife is made to look the villain because she left her husband and her kid, but seriously??? Then, Blair's like "oh, well Raine looked you up on the Internet and so I knew all these things about you before you told me" and then they were like "well we all make mistakes" and happily ever after!!!! Not. They talked more about Raine's internet-stalking than the cheating, and his reason for the cheating? "I don't know it just happened."
Go fuck yourself and your "I don't knows", Declan. And they were fine. I don't know about you, but I would have a huge problem with this. Cheating should never just be shrugged off.

- Declan just checked off every single cliché romantic hero box there was and I was tired of it.

"I've told you that I like a well-read woman. Well-read woman tend to know more about a wide range of topics. And you can never be bored with a woman who reads"

- The fact that her family just didn't even know her because she had to hide her tattoos from them. She still was who she was, she just wore a sweater. I don't know, but that part seemed desperate to me.

- Just the other-all cliché-ness of it all. I'm over it. I finished this book and was like "meh", but the more I talk about it, the more I don't like it.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blair and her bestie Raine are the writing duo behind the pen name Scarlet Rose, authors of smut. But when they hit a writing block and Blair tells Raine about the hot British guy that showed up at the library, she gets an idea that a little affair might just be what is needed to get them out of this slump. But when Blair gets to know Declan a little better, she knows that she can’t use him that way. Just a few dates in and she has started to fall for him and his little boy.

Declan is a divorced, single father who can’t get the cute librarian out of his head. Burned after his youthful relationship, he knows he wants Blair but also knows he’s not ready to put any labels on it. As their relationship continues and he gets to know her a little bit more, it is soon becoming clear that this is nothing like the casual affair he expected.

I’ve really enjoyed the prior books from this author and although I did like this one, there were parts that just seemed to drag on. I found myself skimming through the interactions with Raine to get to the story of Blair and Declan. I liked their chemistry and needed far more of scenes with the two of them and that adorable little boy, Drake. The story itself just focused too much around the friendship of these two girls for me. The instant type love with the main characters would have worked a bit more if they played a more active role in the story.

I am a sucker for tossing a kid into a story. Even more so if that kid is attached to a hot guy. There is something uber hot about a guy that is a good father. It just causes my ovaries to stand up and pay attention. I think that dynamic is what really kept me reading along. Had there not been the draw to Declan and Drake, I might not have been able to really continue on with this particular story.

This is one of those books where although the writing was strong and the story line was well put together, I just didn’t fully connect with all the characters but rather just focused on the hero and the draw to that particular aspect. There was a lot tossed into the scenes with the gals and it felt a little off balance with a bit less of the story focusing on the couple where the romance was unfolding.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story, I enjoyed every minute!!

I mean seriously what is not to love about a book who's heroine is described as 'curvaceous tattooed children's librarian who is also one half of a bestselling romance author team' and a hero who is a British single father with an adorable little boy? Sounds amazing right? It totally did to me!

“I've told you that I like a well-read woman. Well-read woman tend to know more about a wide range of topics. And you can never be bored with a woman who reads”

Blair Walton is half of the romance writing team Scarlet Rose, with her best friend, or as she refers to her 'PLP - platonic life partner', Raine - this made me laugh every time!! By day, Blaire is also a children's librarian and she absolutely loves her job, everything about it, the books, the kids, the stories, you name it. I also loved the fact that even though she didn't fit the stereotype and was covered in tattoos, she wasn't judged based on this, by anyone! As Blaire is heading up story time one day she meets the sweetest little boy, Drake. Who seems to be unattended simply because his nanny is a total twat who really couldn't care less about Drake but more about landing his wealthy father as a husband. See, told ya, total twat!

Blair and Drake immediately hit it off, so much so that Drake talked so much about the pretty librarian that he wanted his father to meet her. Enter the gorgeous, wealthy, British man that makes Blair's breath catch. She soon discovers that he is a young, single father who recently went through an ugly divorce and although he is instantly attracted to Blair he only wants them to enjoy each other but is not looking for a relationship....yeah, can you guess where this is going??

There are plenty of things that happen in between the 'I don't want a relationship' and the 'I've fallen in love with you' parts, as usual but it is all wonderful!

I really enjoyed this book, if you are looking for story with a HEA and characters that you have a hard time not falling for, then I highly recommend this one :)

**This book was provided to me by Netgalley

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of books from Ms Cameron, this book just really didn't do it for me like all her other books have. I don't think the writing or story was bad, per se, but it didn't grab me like the rest of her books had.

I'm getting really tired of reading about characters who are in their early 20's and have massive amounts of money. Raine and Blair didn't seem like 20 something year old to me, they acted a bit maturer. Also, Declan had money and then Blair came into money. I guess that's what people want to read these days but enough is enough. Can we find something a little more original please?

The book seemed a little disjointed to me at times too. Like there was too much going on all at once and we didn't really get answers to some of those plots. Like the library. Was it confirmed that the fire started because of the cigarette? Who donated the money to get the library rebuilt? I'm assuming it was Declan but it would have been nice to know for sure. And then Blair's grandma's funeral was a drag and not a lot happened. And Declan? He doesn't want to be in a serious relationship yet he continues buying Blair presents, like meaningful presents. For someone who doesn't do serious this sounds serious. Blair actually started to get on my nerves towards the end of the book too. I just wasn't feeling it.

I almost had to start counting the winking that went on and when I have to count the winks that means there's way too many of them.

So to sum up, I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone unless they've read other books by Ms Cameron. Honestly, my favorite book of hers so far is My Favorite Mistake. So I would tell people to read that book first.

[Addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, the summary doesn't really do this book justice. Of course this book is kind of cliche and cheesy, but it has characters that have their own separate personalities and it totally worked for me. It was a fun little read. Don't expect any insane out-of-left-field drama or obstacles. Things are more realistic and relatable. Actually, on that note, I was hoping for more friction from the nasty nanny. Maybe there'll be a sequel and that snake can rear her head.

Some stuff I loved

• The pacing was perfect at first. The characters set eyes on each other more than 2 times before getting it on. Their first date was right on. I've been there, done that. Towards the middle I started getting impatient. I wanted even more Blair and Declan but there was more Blair and Raine. Towards the end things started to move really fast between Blair and Declan. Like, a little too fast. Then I realized that's kind of how it happens in real life. To commit, or to not commit.

• Can I be Raine's friend too? She's kinda awesome. It's the simple touches that made me identify with her. Like a text from her that reads, "Why can’t I ever learn the difference between lay and lie?" I don't know, but it's one of my few common grammar second guesses. I feel you there Raine.

• This book passage
“Boys will be boys and all that.” I looked up from the blinking cursor on my screen.
“I hate that phrase. It’s just an excuse for boys to be dicks and explain their way out of it,” I said.

• Literary pop-culture references. Hello, Harry Potter.

Some stuff I didn't like

• The sort of stalking. That made me uncomfortable. Bad idea. Abort!

• Where they hook up. Do people do that?

• Blair taking a shower around Declan after being all dolled up, and having no makeup on from what I gathered. Oh, and then going straight to work still in her date dress. Yeah, right...

• Typos or little misses in editing. I had the ebook version, but still. They became a little more frequent in the last half.

• The thing I hated the most was all the food. How much are you going to scarf down Blair?! No, you're not a big girl because you were born that way, or that's just how you are and it's no big deal. You're overweight because you overeat and it's some pretty unhealthy fare. Plus, little to no exercise. Treats are nice. Splurge on dates. But cut those portions in half and don't eat multiple ice cream bars or plates of cookies at a time. Blegh.

[Vilma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Chelsea M. Cameron and I can immediately tell you she has her own unique style. The story is a romance, but it's one that's infused with humor. It's witty, quirky, epigrammatic and very dialogue driven. The approach was assuredly distinctive and admittedly took me a few chapters to adjust, but once I did, I felt like I understood the characters better, particularly our smart, off-the-wall tattooed librarian, Blair Walton.

Blaire is one half of the writing duo, Scarlet Rose. Along with her best friend, Raine, they burn the midnight oil pounding on their laptop keys, putting their smuttiest work down in hopes of writing another bestseller. During the day, she nurtures her love of all things books as a librarian. And it's there she one day meets an adorable little boy with a voracious appetite for reading (and running amuck). Lucky for her that cute kid belongs to an ever cuter man. Enter accent-toting, gorgeous British man that looks impeccable in a suit. This man, Declan Bennet, is smitten by the lovely librarian.

When Blair confides in her BFF and partner-in-smut, Raine, she's thrilled to have material they can leverage in their story. They've been stuck on their latest book, and the pressure of being under deadline is stifling words from flowing. Blair immediately squashes Raine's idea, but her tenacious roommate insists of knowing more about this beautiful, mysterious man with the 19th century last name ideal for any book nerd and an irresistibly sexy accent.

When Blair and Declan begin to see each other beyond the grounds of the library, their dialogue is sharp and quick, laced with humor and copious amounts of flirting. From the get-go, Blair finds herself drawn to this man in a way she'd not yet experienced. Both have things they're afraid to divulge and their relationship takes some time to blossom. I would've liked to see some deeper, more meaningful moments to strengthen the connection I had with the characters earlier, but for them, part of the coming together was really about the self-realization that they were happy with each other, that they did indeed have something real.

This was definitely a story I enjoyed imparted in a sharp and fresh writing style. Give it a go if you're looking for something light, fun and quirky.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chelsea M. Cameron's new novel, Unwritten, was a sweet, sexy, and fun read with an interesting insight and behind-the-scenes look into the life of an author.  Blair Walton and her best friend and roommate, Raine, are secret co-writers of romance novels under the pen name Scarlet Rose.  The only people who know that they are smut-peddlers are the people in the industry that need to know.  Nobody else.  Especially not Blair's deeply conservative and buttoned-up family.

Blair and Raine are up against a looming deadline and both have a severe case of writer's block.  They write romance, but neither of them have experienced much romance recently.  When Blair meets the devastatingly handsome Declan Bennet at her other job as a librarian, she's a little bit swept off her feet by his delicious British accent and by his adorable son, Drake.  Who can resist a British accent?

Raine begs Blair to ask the Brit out on a date (and maybe fool around with him a bit) so that they can try to get their writing mojo back.  She's reluctant to do so but Declan beats her to the punch anyway and asks her out.  Both of them agree that they're not looking for anything serious, but it becomes difficult when they both find each other nearly impossible to resist and they spend more and more time together.

I really loved getting to peek behind the curtain, and I learned a lot of interesting things about what actually goes in to being an author and how the process of publishing works.  I liked getting to know Blair and I could easily relate to her.  Her relationship with Raine seemed a little odd in the beginning but as you get to know both of them and 'see' them interact with each other, you just get it.  Blair's family pushes against her individuality, while Raine embraces it and loves her more for it.  Raine is the family Blair doesn't have.  She's her sister from another mister, or as to quote both of them, they are PLPFs - Platonic Life Partners Forever.  Declan is thoughtful, sweet, gorgeous, and the way he loves and cares for his son penetrates your heart.  You can't help but love him.

Unwritten was an enjoyable read.  It was funny, witty, and snarky, in other words, it's very much like Chelsea.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Children’s librarian by day. Romance novelist by night.
British single father.
Someone else is writing this love story…”

Favorite Quote: “‘I considered bringing flowers, but this seemed more appropriate. And it won’t die.’ I had to brace myself on the desk. He’d brought me flowers in book form. Excuse me while I die of the romanticalness of that.”

Characters: Blair, the tattooed librarian by day and romance author by night. Raine, her sidekick and co-author. Declan, the single father of Drake (possibly cutest literary kid ever).

Storyline: I loved the idea of this from the first blurb I read on the internet. Chelsea’s stories are filled with real people. The kind I would love to meet. And the story of a librarian with a secret life as a smut author was kinda awesome. Enter the incredibly hot, British, single father and there is a match made in literary heaven.

Hero/Heroine: Blair is an “everywoman”. She epitomizes the average woman that maybe likes tattoos more than normal. She is young, vibrant, funny, kind, retro and has an hourglass shape. That being said, her tattoos are brought up entirely too much. I loved that Declan lightly ran his fingers over them on their first date and that all of her ink was related to her love of literature, but I felt it was worked into the story too much. Declan makes me feel iffy. A lot was made of his being British, and while I love the idea of an accent, it seemed very superfluous and (like Blair’s tattoos) was mentioned repeatedly. I love single fathers, but that almost seemed to be an after thought until it wasn’t.

Editing: And this is why the story didn’t get 2 Thumbs UP. There were a lot of randomly missing words (for example: Declan was singing in the car, but the word singing was left out). Context helped in figuring out what was missing, but it was still annoying. Generally, I give leniency to books with just a few, but at 43% I had almost 10 errors. For an author of this caliber, this was definitely disappointing. I think maybe the story was rushed to publication and while I was anticipating this story a lot, I can’t help but wish the editors had done a better job for their author.

For more reviews, please check out my blog: https://www.sistersfromanothermisterb...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

*All Night Reads, via NetGalley, provided me with a complimentary ARC of this book for an honest review*



3 Stars



Blair Walton; tattooed children's librarian by day, secret smut co-writer by night. When the steam factor dries up, her best friend Raine has the perfect idea, why not seek real life inspiration to help spice up their pages? Blair admits she's not exactly drowning in male companionship but using someone to fill their empty pages just feels wrong. That is until she crosses paths with a beautiful and exuberant little boy named Drake and meets his father. Declan Bennet definitely catches her attention, and who could blame her. He's gorgeous, intelligent, well read, a great father, and oh, the little detail that his British accent makes her weak in the knees. When he asks her out there's not a thought of saying no. However, when both of their secrets catch up to them will they find they're both willing to work past them?

3 stars, because while I enjoyed the story with no skimming I somehow missed the spark that connected me to either character. I actually liked Blair more than Declan. He was charming sure, but I found he could have been a supporting character and I would have been fine with it, there was just something that kept me from feeling for him. I also found that things were put off and suspense was built so much for certain things and then they felt anti climatic leaving me to wonder if there was more to come. The writing wasn't overly flawed or hard to enjoy beyond that, leaving a fun story with a female lead that I did bond with to a point. Raine was a little immature, but that was ok, and I loved banter between her and Blair. There were moments that made me laugh sporadically throughout the story. I felt compassion for Blair. The sex was steamy but not over the top, chemistry believable between the two main characters but not simmering. Drake was probably one of my favorite characters and I wish we could have gotten more of the interactions between the three of them. The descriptions of him rang true for a 3 year old and I found him charming and reminding myself of my own rowdy son. I think fans of new adult will have fun with this story.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the characters of Blair and Raine. What fun people they are! I think I have a girl crush on Blair. Curvy, tattooed (feels like I am describing myself there), a great attitude about it, a platonic life partner :), I adored her. I really adored the relationship between her and best friend, Raine. Getting a peek into the writing process with a book is co-authored was really cool. I am a huge fan of a pen name that is written under by two authors plus read a lot of books that have been written by two people. I always wondered how that process worked.

On to Declan and Blair. I think Declan was such a cool guy as a character. He liked her curvy, he liked her tats, he liked her attitude, even though from the outside he seemed like he would be her complete opposite. They just clicked so well together. Romance just oozed out of Declan’s pores. Seriously, he came up with the best first date ever. I would have loved that.

There are a couple of offshoots to the main storyline that really helped draw me in as a reader, number one being her relationship with her family, particularly her grandma.

There was also Drake, Declan’s adorable little mini me. He was a cute little guy who actually brought these two into contact with each other.

I adored Unwritten. The characters, the story, everything just worked. Another wonderful book from Chelsea M. Cameron!

Thank you so much for my copy of Unwritten!

[Holly (epiloguebookblog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel showed promise, and there were parts that I liked. But it isn't one that I’m itching to discuss with book-loving friends.

My main issue is that, even after reading the work in its entirety, I don't feel like I know Declan at all. If I'm remembering correctly, we don't meet anyone he's connected to (father, ex-wife, friends, colleagues) other than his son. So it's hard for me to get a well-rounded, unbiased sense of who he is. Not that the frequent comparison to Draco Malfoy went unappreciated, but adding some depth to his character would have gone a long way toward making this a more memorable read.

My secondary issue is that there's almost no conflict. (If Ada was supposed to be it, I just couldn't take her seriously. And neither could Blair.) Not that reads have to be angst-filled or riddled with plot twists to appeal to me, but something should keep a novel’s plot diagram from being an uneventful flat line. While it’s true that dramatic things do happen (the library fire, the grandmother’s unexpected death), as a reader I didn’t feel the impact of them like I should have.

The final word: UnWritten isn't terrible…but it's not special either.

*Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Bobbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read the first two books of Cameron's Fall and Rise series and loved them, I had to give Unwritten a go. Sadly though, it didn't grab me in the same way the Fall and Rise books did. It was technically very good - well-written, good characters, well-paced etc, but I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe it's because Blair was too different to me, maybe it was because I'm not a fan of children. That's probably it to be honest. It was hard to get all involved when one of the main characters was an 'adorable' little boy. So on a purely personal note, UnWritten wasn't for me. But on a writerly, subjective note, it was really good. Which makes rating it really hard. I have to go with the wording that GR uses though - 'liked it', not 'thought it was good' - it's a personal rating.

Thanks to Netgalley and All Night Reads for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[All Booked Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Adult.

Oh I had a fab time reading this, if you haven't read any of Chelsea's books before, whenever there are girls together, the wit and charm in the writing shines through.

As Blair and her room mate Raine are writing together and living together there were plenty of opportunities for Chelsea's wit to shine through and i actually had to contain my lol as i was reading in work for some of this.

Add to the characters the cutest little boy and his gorgeous flirty Dad and I was smiling even more.

A great NA easy read.

[Shreya]

Well, This book was definitely disappointing. Blurb indicated something that wasn't One hoped for. Expected so much more!

Well you British man,



And Hell I'm,



EXPECTED SO MUCH MORE!

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lauren ♥ Inked in Chapters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I get to the meat and potatoes of this review, I want to take a moment to clarify a few things. My opinion on UnWritten is just that, my opinion. It doesn’t have to be yours. I’m completely okay with that. You may have absolutely LOVED the book, and if you did, fantastic! My thoughts on this particular piece of literature have no bearing on my feelings toward Chelsea or her previous work. I’m not attacking her or her writing abilities. I’m just laying it all out – my thoughts, feelings and observations. Feel free to disagree or agree. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Brace yourself, this is a long one…

I made a promise to myself long ago that I’d always be honest with my reviews. Always. I wish I could tell you that I loved UnWritten; that I couldn’t put it down. I can’t do that in good conscience. A lot of reviewers will tell you they loved the book simply because they love the author. I have read a lot of Chelsea’s work – A LOT – and with the exception of UnWritten, I’ve loved them all. It breaks my heart to leave an unfavorable review.


Here are a few of the issues I had with the story:

1. There is a severe lack of angst

The storyline just fell flat. There was really no climax. It was just more of the same. There are various situations that seem to have no real meaning. Things just happen to happen. Blair feels guilty about why she originally started seeing Declan when she shouldn’t. She didn’t really use him – per say… Well, you’ll see if you chose to read the book. I just had a hard time with the story in general. It had the potential to be ah-mazing, it just…wasn’t.

2. Forget UnWritten, this should have been called Occupational Hazard.

Yes, Blair is a writer. I get it. I don’t need to be reminded of it at every turn. Telling me you read into things because you’re a writer, or that you eat crappy food because you’re a writer makes me crazy! Every few chapters I was told, yet again, about another occupational hazard… Give me a break.

There was another saying that writers were either writing, or thinking about writing. We were always thinking and talking about it. Like a faucet you couldn't turn off. The thoughts flowed constantly.

3. Talking about an ex after just screwing one another’s brains out, and being completely okay with it.

This one was rough for me. I’m a woman. Many of you are, too. Would you feel comfortable talking about your current partner’s ex-lover after doing the horizontal tango? Er, neither would I! That’s a rough discussion when you’re fully clothed, forget about after you’ve had an all-night sex romp. No, just no. Meanwhile, Blair acts like it’s a completely normal occurrence and is totally fine with it. Lies.

4. CONSTANTLY making reference to Blair’s weight.

I like that Blair is a bigger girl. She’s not afraid to eat a damn cupcake or have a burger. Good for her. I don’t like that it’s constantly brought up throughout the book. It almost comes across as an insecurity. I know she’s comfortable with herself, and that’s great, but there are portions of text that come across as more of a dig to her weight. It just rubbed me the wrong way. Most of us have extra pounds we wish we didn’t. The fact that Blair shares that makes it easier to relate to her. It’s just not necessary to constantly remind us of it.

"Sorry, I couldn't hold you up anymore," he said, pulling out, but resting his head on my shoulder.
"It's okay. I'm kind of a handful." More than that. Two handfuls.

5. Ada – What was her point?

No, seriously, what was her point? She added a little, tiny, minuscule amount of drama. That’s about all she did. She could have done some major damage, been a key player in this drama-less read, but instead she just…was. I found her character pretty disappointing.

6. Fade to black sex scenes

I KNOW Chelsea can write a sex scene. I’ve read many of them, and they’re good. Really good. So, what gives? Why did we only get super small snippets at best? It just doesn’t seem like your style – at all. On top of this being very unlike you, the book is supposed to be told from a romance novalists POV; you’d think she’d have no problem word vomiting a sex scene. Just sayin’.

7. Editing

I know. I know. I received an ARC. Maybe I shouldn’t even comment on the editing… Eh, I kinda feel like I have to. It was pretty dreadful. I am not usually one to talk. My editing skills are often less than stellar. I do, however, ensure that all of the correct words are in my sentences. Trying to figure out what’s going on through context clues is only fun when you’re being tested on it. Wait. No. That’s not right. It’s never fun. It breaks my heart when something like this happens.

Now that I’ve gotten that out, the book wasn’t all bad. The actual premise is awesome. Who wouldn’t love a tattooed, sassy librarian who writes smut on the side under a pen name? It has some quick wit and banter. Raine was BY FAR my favorite character. She’s spunkier than Blair. While Blair wears a lot of her “rebellious nature” on the skin, Raine lets hers pour out of her mouth. She’s very loyal, hilarious, and has absolutely no filter. What’s not to love?

I can’t say I’d recommend this one. It’s missing that little extra something that it so desperately needs. Connecting with the characters was rough, which is ridiculous because I am so much like Blair that it’s scary.

You win some and lose some. It’s inevitable. Even our favorite authors will have a book we just don’t like. Unfortunately, this was mine.

Sometimes being honest sucks…

You can read this and other reviews at Inked in Chapters

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[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet romance with an amazing heroine. Like many of Chelsea M. Cameron's other books, it contains her signature voice (down-to-earth and a little quirky) and has a likable and relatable main character. The plot was a bit meander-y for my tastes (there wasn't one single consistent source of conflict, although there were several smaller ones), but the characters were vibrant and realistic. I especially loved Blair and Raine's friendship and how it didn't waver even as Blair got involved with Declan.

Overall, it could've used tighter plotting, but the characters were rich enough to make this a really enjoyable read.

[Bitterblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no disaster in this one! You know, the thing that happens when it's going really well for the couple, causing them to break up, be sad for a few chapters, before they realise it wasn't that big a deal after all. It doesn't go like that here, thankfully.

Also! There is only Blair's point of view. \o/

[Klara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it from the beginning. The whole story was just so nicely written and captivating. I loved Blair as a character and also the relationship between her and Declan. And his son was just so cute, he made everything even greater. Just loved the whole book so much, Chelsea M. Cameron’s books in general.

[Mayra · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was an ok book. It was a little cheesy for me. I think the plot of the story could have been developed a little bit more. I must say though, Declan planned the best dates.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I have become a fan of Chelsea M. Cameron's after reading a few of her books now, and I was really excited to read Unwritten. I really liked the blurb and cover, and I couldn't wait to read about a librarian and author heroine. This book was really good, and I really enjoyed the story. While it had the same writing style I have come to know and love from Chelsea M. Cameron, this one had a different feel to it than other stories of hers that I have read. I really liked how fresh and different this story was, and I couldn't put it down.

Blair Walton is a tattooed children's librarian by day and one half of the romance writing duo that goes by the pen name of Scarlet Rose at night. Her writing partner is her best friend Raine, and the only people that know their identity are a select few in the industry. When they start struggling to complete their latest deadline, Raine suggests that Blair ask the sexy dad of one of the kids from the library out on a date. She thinks that the sexy Brit could be just the one to use for research and help them finish their story faster. Blair disagrees at first, but finds it harder to deny that she wants to be with Declan. When Declan asks her out on a date, Blair agrees and they instantly hit it off. Blair decides to keep seeing him but refuses to use anything from their relationship for their book. Soon things are heating up between them, but Blair isn't the only one that has been keeping secrets.

I really loved Declan. He was really sweet and he was so open and honest about how their relationship was. He didn't let Blair think that things were more serious than they were, and I was really glad that he didn't lead her on. Declan was also a great father, and he was so cute with Drake. I loved their relationship, and it was clear how much he loved him and was committed to making him his top priority. Declan was also really smart, and I was really amazed how he was able to balance work with classes and being a single father. I have to say that the way he was always there for Blair and how he got her books with flower names instead of flowers was absolutely perfect. He really knew her and did a great job showing her that she was special. Blair was a great heroine, and I loved that she was so unique from any other characters that I have read before. She was true to herself and didn't let others or their opinions dictate any part of her life. I liked her a lot, and she was just one of those cool chicks that you would want to hang out with. I thought that Blair and Declan had great chemistry and worked together really well. But I loved their emotional connection the most and the best part was how much Blair also cared about Declan's son Drake. She loved him right off and she didn't even have to try and like him or make him fit in.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was definitely one of my favorites of Chelsea's and I really recommend this one. I did have a few issues with this book, and that is the only reason this one wasn't a five star read for me. I felt the ending was a bit rushed and abrupt, and I would have liked more. I also felt like the majority of this book focused on Raine and Blair's writing and the stuff going on in Blair's life rather than Declan and Blair's relationship. I wish that we would have seen a bit more of them together and how their feelings were developing. I also thought that while their was definite heat and attraction between them, this one didn't have the amount of steam that Chelsea's books usually do. Most of their physical activity was alluded to or faded to black, and I would have loved to have got more of that too. I still think that this book was really great despite those things though, and I just loved Declan, Blair and Drake. This one is a must read for Chelsea's fans and I think that contemporary fans will also really enjoy the story. This one had NA aged characters, but I really felt like they were more mature and acted beyond their years. This book is hard to really put in just one genre, and I think that romance fans should definitely give it a shot. I look forward to reading more from Chelsea in the future and can't wait to see what she writes next.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**