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Walker Family #0.5
Better Than You
Emotional and literary, experience the prequel to the Walker Family series and the love that started it all.
Before Ireland, before the castle, before the wedding that would reunite childhood sweethearts Jo and Tam, there was Delta Brooks and the man who came crashing into her life a week before Thanksgiving.
Born into a wealthy Atlanta family, cold and smart and discriminating, Delta hasn't ever expected anything more than cool civility from her romantic relationships. Determined to please her parents, she's spent years dating the sort of men she's supposed to desire... but none whom she truly wants. Then a clumsy, obnoxious customer asks her to dinner, and Delta realizes what she wants is something she never expected.
Michael Walker may have elevated himself above the middle class standards of his family, but nothing has prepared him for the princess of a woman he finds in Delta. He loves her and knows she deserves better than him, and nothing proves that like the ornate wedding he finds himself a part of in an Irish castle. Hampered by his family and best friend, Mike has nothing to lose but her.
Before Ireland, before the castle, before the wedding that would reunite childhood sweethearts Jo and Tam, there was Delta Brooks and the man who came crashing into her life a week before Thanksgiving.
Born into a wealthy Atlanta family, cold and smart and discriminating, Delta hasn't ever expected anything more than cool civility from her romantic relationships. Determined to please her parents, she's spent years dating the sort of men she's supposed to desire... but none whom she truly wants. Then a clumsy, obnoxious customer asks her to dinner, and Delta realizes what she wants is something she never expected.
Michael Walker may have elevated himself above the middle class standards of his family, but nothing has prepared him for the princess of a woman he finds in Delta. He loves her and knows she deserves better than him, and nothing proves that like the ornate wedding he finds himself a part of in an Irish castle. Hampered by his family and best friend, Mike has nothing to lose but her.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2013
6 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 17, 2017
Well I never! Who would've thought that I could go from really not wanting to read this because I did NOT like Mike or Delta at all in the previous two books, to loving it! I love that she never turned Delta into a saint, she kept her bitch status but thawed enough that it was believable and I ended up rooting for her! Now that is indeed a turnabout because I can't stand bitchy heroines. Gilley has the unique ability to rewrite scenes from other points of view that makes them fresh and new and really does put a whole new perspective on things. This woman is a bloody genius, she really is!
So, although I'm apathetic about my feelings of Jess, I'm going to dive into her book. I'm prepared to be amazed by Gilley's writing .... again.
4.5 stars
So, although I'm apathetic about my feelings of Jess, I'm going to dive into her book. I'm prepared to be amazed by Gilley's writing .... again.
4.5 stars
October 8, 2018
Having discovered Lauren Gilley with the Dartmoor series, and loving that series, I wanted to go back and read all her books. The Walker Family is her first series as far as I know, and as much as I give authors leeway with their first endeavors, this was just barely okay for me. [Makes me glad that sometimes I'm right and author's do tend to get better as they go!] Besides being rambling and unnecessarily long, I really, really, did not like Delta. At times I thought I'd softened towards her, but then she'd make a horribly mean comment or thought in her head about someone and that softness evaporated. I skimmed the last half of this just to finish it.
I will probably try "Keep You', the next in the series and hope it's better than this.
But I definitely HIGHLY recommend the Dartmoor series!
I will probably try "Keep You', the next in the series and hope it's better than this.
But I definitely HIGHLY recommend the Dartmoor series!
February 28, 2016
Enjoyable, just liked the first two books better. Def gets five stars and worth reading if you have liked the previous two books.
October 2, 2017
So I actually read this book third in the series. Why ? I have no idea but I was a good twist.This wasn't like you typical love story where everyone loved each other in the family was very accepting . For some reason in book one Delta what is the enemy. In reading this book you get to see the struggle that Delta faces in trying to find a connection with the Walker family. This book also showed the softer side of Delta and what she really thought of the Walker family. I never understood why everyone thought she would give them ugly looks but in reading this the way I had it reveals that it was a misunderstanding and misjudgment . I honestly didn't really care for the love story of this book. I care more for what this book revealed for the upcoming events . Don't give me wrong I love this couple but this book was more than just about them .Whatever the case I love this read !!
June 14, 2017
Enjoyed this one also. It was good to get a different perspective on the disaster called "Ireland". Delta was not an easy person to like prior to this book - especially in "Keep You". I liked her after that one. This book proves that money does not buy happiness. Her family is atrocious. She's far better off with the Walker's. Mike's pursuit of her was sweet. He actually made me laugh a lot in this book and up until this I really didn't like him much at all. The way he treated Jo in "Keep You" was horrible and he never apologized. Delta still had many moments in this book where I just shook my head and said out loud "get over yourself". She has many layers and she needed to wear a few down for herself to be happy and just be.
August 21, 2017
4.5 Stars
Well I must say I am pleasantly surprised by this book. I was not all that fond of Delta and Mike in Keep You. However I found I ended up liking them both in this book. Yeah Delta can be a bitch but she’s not the self-centred hurtful bitch I thought she was and we saw a much softer (ish) side to her here. As for Mike I think he was just trying to make life easier for his girl. It’s funny how when you see a situation from both sides it totally changes the outlook for you. All through the Ireland thing in Keep You I thought Delta was the driving force and being a total bitch, however now I see that’s not the case and can see this with a whole new perspective………well done Ms Gilley.
Not sure how I feel about the next book as I’ve heard Jess is a real bitch but after seeing her in Whatever Remains I’m intrigued enough to give it a go.
Well I must say I am pleasantly surprised by this book. I was not all that fond of Delta and Mike in Keep You. However I found I ended up liking them both in this book. Yeah Delta can be a bitch but she’s not the self-centred hurtful bitch I thought she was and we saw a much softer (ish) side to her here. As for Mike I think he was just trying to make life easier for his girl. It’s funny how when you see a situation from both sides it totally changes the outlook for you. All through the Ireland thing in Keep You I thought Delta was the driving force and being a total bitch, however now I see that’s not the case and can see this with a whole new perspective………well done Ms Gilley.
Not sure how I feel about the next book as I’ve heard Jess is a real bitch but after seeing her in Whatever Remains I’m intrigued enough to give it a go.
April 2, 2018
Lauren Gilley
The best in her craft. Everything she writes is stellar and instantly becomes a favorite. Never miss a release from this amazing weaver of words.
The best in her craft. Everything she writes is stellar and instantly becomes a favorite. Never miss a release from this amazing weaver of words.
June 5, 2024
Honestly she deserved better. That bs with Tam? Total manure. You’re hurt so you hurt people you’re a POS.
October 21, 2016
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4.5 STARS
I know this is a prequel...However, I think it is best read after book #3 Fix You.
4.5 STARS
I know this is a prequel...However, I think it is best read after book #3 Fix You.
March 30, 2016
It's amazing to me when an author can write the same scenes from different characters points of view. Lauren Gilley did a fantastic job of it in Better Than You. The story of Mike and Delta, I loved seeing them fall in love. It was amazing to see the wedding trip to Ireland from their perspectives.
I loved this book. Mike's pursuit of Delta was so sweet and relentless. Delta seems so cold in Keep You and it was fabulous to see behind that cold to the real woman underneath. I loved the way she kept herself protected and safe behind that cold mask and how amazing it was when she let Mike in.
I'm going right into the next in the Walker series.
I loved this book. Mike's pursuit of Delta was so sweet and relentless. Delta seems so cold in Keep You and it was fabulous to see behind that cold to the real woman underneath. I loved the way she kept herself protected and safe behind that cold mask and how amazing it was when she let Mike in.
I'm going right into the next in the Walker series.
August 28, 2016
3.5 stars. Excellent writing, I just never really got to a place where I liked the main characters. It helped to see things that happened in Jo and Tam's book through a different point of view, but I still felt like Mike and Delta were very self centered and unlikable. Now on to book 4...hopefully Jess doesn't disappoint.
November 15, 2015
3.5*s I wasn't excited to read this one. It covered ground we had already covered and I wasn't a huge fan of the MCs but I was pleasantly surprised.
September 18, 2016
I loved this installment of Mike and Delta
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews