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Five Minutes Late
Two wounded people. One terrible secret.
Curvy receptionist Ashley Daniels is full of opinions and attitude -- but beneath all that sass and brass, she's hiding a heart that's been broken time and again.
Devon Killane is raw sex appeal on a stick and he has 58.6 billion dollars -- could life be more unfair? But beneath all that power and privilege, his heart is chained to a nightmare past.
When Ashley gets into a very public shouting match with her billionaire boss, sparks fly -- sparks that ignite a romance between two people with nothing in common but heartbreak.
Can Ashley learn to trust Devon?
Can Devon escape his past and forge a future with Ashley?
Or will the deadly secret he's hiding destroy them both?
Curvy receptionist Ashley Daniels is full of opinions and attitude -- but beneath all that sass and brass, she's hiding a heart that's been broken time and again.
Devon Killane is raw sex appeal on a stick and he has 58.6 billion dollars -- could life be more unfair? But beneath all that power and privilege, his heart is chained to a nightmare past.
When Ashley gets into a very public shouting match with her billionaire boss, sparks fly -- sparks that ignite a romance between two people with nothing in common but heartbreak.
Can Ashley learn to trust Devon?
Can Devon escape his past and forge a future with Ashley?
Or will the deadly secret he's hiding destroy them both?
551 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2014
47 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 3, 2015
I had extreme and varying emotions while reading this book. I know our love of a story can greatly be affected by our own person struggles and even things we are going through at the time we read a book.
I fell hard for Devon from the start. I even fell hard for the heroine Ashley. This girl was so strong and brave. She was funny and protective. Devon was a puzzle and to truly get the emotional depth of this story you'd have to experience. I did have some things that took away some enjoyment but its just my own hang ups. But all in all this was a beautiful story.
Safe Zone info:
I fell hard for Devon from the start. I even fell hard for the heroine Ashley. This girl was so strong and brave. She was funny and protective. Devon was a puzzle and to truly get the emotional depth of this story you'd have to experience. I did have some things that took away some enjoyment but its just my own hang ups. But all in all this was a beautiful story.
Safe Zone info:
December 7, 2014
At first I was like... awww. Then I was like... Wtf? And then I was like... grrr! And then I was like.. NOOO! And then I was like... sob! And then I was like... WTF?! again. And then I was like... MURDER!!!!! And then I was like... CRYYY!!!! And then I was like... weepyhappyface.
It was a roller coaster. And I admit, I was confused on some parts, but then it all rolled up into a wonderful package.
It was a roller coaster. And I admit, I was confused on some parts, but then it all rolled up into a wonderful package.
July 20, 2016
This was my first book I've read from author Sonora Seldon and it definitely won't be my Last!
I really didn’t know what to expect when I read Five Minutes Late: A Billionaire Romance. I have to admit i did think of a cheesy harlequin romance.
But NO.....totally wrong.
It was FANTASTIC! Ashley is beyond adorable. I wish she existed so that we could be friends.I did find Ashley sometimes annoying but in a nice way, her inner speach about being a big girl was a little bit tiresom at times and I wanted to slap her. For the most part she was feisty with a good sense of humor.
Curvy Ashley
Devon is a different character...tortured yet sensitive; he reminded me little bit of Ian from The Madness Of Lord Ian MacKenzie. He stirs the emotions, makes the reader feel for the characters.
Devon
Miss Seldon kept adding elements to the plot that made me feel that I MUST read more! The suspense towards the end was so GRIPPING, and I am trying SO hard to NOT spoil anything, so I shall say nothing else.
Good story, great characters, fast pacing, and hot sex!
Women swooning over him in the checkout line didn’t seem to mind that he was also batshit crazy.
“That chair is mine. This desk is mine. The elevators are mine, the hideous plants we seem to have scattered everywhere are mine, and there’s an 1880 oil painting by Van Gogh around here somewhere which has been mine ever since I paid seventy million dollars for it last year. More to the point, your luscious ass is mine.”
August 31, 2015
This book was great. . I was pulled into a tangent of awesome, devoured at a rate of several WTFs per minute and spit out, frightened and panting, on the other side.
Before you start reading this, be prepared to bid adieu to your good friend reality. Lay aside any issues you may have with silly things like slut-shaming, body-shaming, jerky alphas, sexual harassment, common sense and sanity while you happily skip along the big black vortex that is this book.
This book is really not what I expected at all. I can’t tell you too much about the plot as it’s best to go in blind and discover the twists and turns on your own. The most important thing to remember here is that this is a marathon, not a race. It’s long, filled with slippery slopes of funny prose and quirky dialogue but at times can be a bit too long. For instance one week at a cabin the woods became a long drawn out affair over several chapters with detailed descriptions of feelings, appliances, shrubbery, elven song and random discussions about eagles.
I loved Ashley (aside from my issues which I’ll state later), she had a charming wit and no fear whatsoever to tell just about anyone fuck right off.
“You heard me, fella. You need to fuck most firmly off, you need to fuck yourself too, and if you have a minute, I’d be happy to suggest the most effective positions for fucking yourself and everyone in your immediate vicinity, as well as which brands of lube might care to use.”
The dialogue between the MCs was hilarious at best and trippy at worst. I felt at times like I was watching a conversation between the cyborg descendant of the Mad Hatter and a plus-size, snarky Alice.
All in all I connected with the characters and the plot (outrageous as it was in places) and there was plenty of pearl clutching and ugly crying. I would recommend this book if you’re a fan of words and not just an interesting plot, though there was plenty of that too. This is not a quick read.
Here’s the preachy bit:
Now, the amount of slut-shaming and body-shaming in this book was truly disgusting and that’s the reason why this book didn’t get a higher rating from me. I was happy that this book featured a curvier woman and our h wasn’t defined only by being just the fat girl. She was witty, self-confident, kind, and funny and she was happy with her body. All good things.
So here’s my issue, skinny girls were always described in derogatory terms. Slutmonsters (direct quote) who couldn’t possibly hold but a few brain cells together. The words slut, fucktoy, bimbo, whore and bitch were doled out like half-priced candy on Halloween. Without any interaction between these women and the MCs they were quickly reduced to “fake bimbos” for merely breathing around the H and the ones who dared to speak to or look at him encountered a much harsher form of tongue lashing. There were also comparisons drawn throughout this book between skinny girls and our h, with our h coming out on top every time.
Is it OK to bash other women just because she’s of the curvier variety and these women are not? Not cool people.
Just because a woman is considered conventionally pretty or has a different body to yourself does not automatically render them slutty and brainless and evil and it certainly does not give anyone the right to shame them. All women should forever and always only be described as beautiful and worthy no matter their size or choices or level of intelligence and/or sexual activity.
As an aside, where can I sign a petition to make authors stop describing the bits and parts of women as “ripe”. It’s truly revolting.
Before you start reading this, be prepared to bid adieu to your good friend reality. Lay aside any issues you may have with silly things like slut-shaming, body-shaming, jerky alphas, sexual harassment, common sense and sanity while you happily skip along the big black vortex that is this book.
This book is really not what I expected at all. I can’t tell you too much about the plot as it’s best to go in blind and discover the twists and turns on your own. The most important thing to remember here is that this is a marathon, not a race. It’s long, filled with slippery slopes of funny prose and quirky dialogue but at times can be a bit too long. For instance one week at a cabin the woods became a long drawn out affair over several chapters with detailed descriptions of feelings, appliances, shrubbery, elven song and random discussions about eagles.
I loved Ashley (aside from my issues which I’ll state later), she had a charming wit and no fear whatsoever to tell just about anyone fuck right off.
“You heard me, fella. You need to fuck most firmly off, you need to fuck yourself too, and if you have a minute, I’d be happy to suggest the most effective positions for fucking yourself and everyone in your immediate vicinity, as well as which brands of lube might care to use.”
The dialogue between the MCs was hilarious at best and trippy at worst. I felt at times like I was watching a conversation between the cyborg descendant of the Mad Hatter and a plus-size, snarky Alice.
All in all I connected with the characters and the plot (outrageous as it was in places) and there was plenty of pearl clutching and ugly crying. I would recommend this book if you’re a fan of words and not just an interesting plot, though there was plenty of that too. This is not a quick read.
Here’s the preachy bit:
Now, the amount of slut-shaming and body-shaming in this book was truly disgusting and that’s the reason why this book didn’t get a higher rating from me. I was happy that this book featured a curvier woman and our h wasn’t defined only by being just the fat girl. She was witty, self-confident, kind, and funny and she was happy with her body. All good things.
So here’s my issue, skinny girls were always described in derogatory terms. Slutmonsters (direct quote) who couldn’t possibly hold but a few brain cells together. The words slut, fucktoy, bimbo, whore and bitch were doled out like half-priced candy on Halloween. Without any interaction between these women and the MCs they were quickly reduced to “fake bimbos” for merely breathing around the H and the ones who dared to speak to or look at him encountered a much harsher form of tongue lashing. There were also comparisons drawn throughout this book between skinny girls and our h, with our h coming out on top every time.
Is it OK to bash other women just because she’s of the curvier variety and these women are not? Not cool people.
Just because a woman is considered conventionally pretty or has a different body to yourself does not automatically render them slutty and brainless and evil and it certainly does not give anyone the right to shame them. All women should forever and always only be described as beautiful and worthy no matter their size or choices or level of intelligence and/or sexual activity.
As an aside, where can I sign a petition to make authors stop describing the bits and parts of women as “ripe”. It’s truly revolting.
November 29, 2014
So, I bought this book at around 11pm last night thinking I'd read a bit and then go to sleep. Boy was i wrong. I was up until 4.30am reading until I fell asleep and when I woke up i finished the book off. THAT's how captivating it was. I genuinely couldn't put this book down. You're also getting your money's worth. 77p for a 550 paged novel? I couldn't believe my luck! This is definitely one of the best stand alone books I have read in a long time.
We've got two characters who've been let down by the people who should have loved them the most. Devon Killane, our hero, is a mystery. A wonderful, strange, adorable mystery. Ashley Daniels, our heroine, who just doesn't take any crap(esp from Devon!) and speaks her mind and has her insecurities regarding her body, something which I related to throughout. This could get annoying for some but i didn't mind. You can't help but get so emotionally involved in their story, especially Devon's which just pretty much made me want to cry and force myself into the book and strangle his entire family. Make sure you havve a box of tissues and some chocolate to cheer yourself up! Ms Sheldon, I can't forgive you for what you did to Uncle Sheridan :(
As someone who very rarely buys books without completely researching the book to ensure that none of my hated tropes appear, I'd say buy this book. There's no drama regarding OM/OW (no cheating at all). No long separations over trivial issues. They don't sleep together as soon they meet (though Devon would've liked that). And there's a HEA. (i would've loved an Epilogue and seeing how they were getting on in the future).
This book is so worth it.
We've got two characters who've been let down by the people who should have loved them the most. Devon Killane, our hero, is a mystery. A wonderful, strange, adorable mystery. Ashley Daniels, our heroine, who just doesn't take any crap(esp from Devon!) and speaks her mind and has her insecurities regarding her body, something which I related to throughout. This could get annoying for some but i didn't mind. You can't help but get so emotionally involved in their story, especially Devon's which just pretty much made me want to cry and force myself into the book and strangle his entire family. Make sure you havve a box of tissues and some chocolate to cheer yourself up! Ms Sheldon, I can't forgive you for what you did to Uncle Sheridan :(
As someone who very rarely buys books without completely researching the book to ensure that none of my hated tropes appear, I'd say buy this book. There's no drama regarding OM/OW (no cheating at all). No long separations over trivial issues. They don't sleep together as soon they meet (though Devon would've liked that). And there's a HEA. (i would've loved an Epilogue and seeing how they were getting on in the future).
This book is so worth it.
April 2, 2015
This book had a lot of potential. But the heroine kept referring to herself as a big girl, big curves, extra pounds, blubberball, etc. It got very annoying, very fast.
And the heroine's constant name calling of other women: skinny sluts, bony faces, slinky skanks, also got on my nerves.
I liked the hero a lot. I loved how he pursued her so seriously and never slept with another woman after he met her. He went on a regular guy date for her and it was so sweet to hear him tell her how he asked his gardener, 2 drivers, and his housekeeper what he should wear on a regular guy date.
But the heroine ruined the book for me with her constant name calling of other women and referring to herself as fat.
And the heroine's constant name calling of other women: skinny sluts, bony faces, slinky skanks, also got on my nerves.
I liked the hero a lot. I loved how he pursued her so seriously and never slept with another woman after he met her. He went on a regular guy date for her and it was so sweet to hear him tell her how he asked his gardener, 2 drivers, and his housekeeper what he should wear on a regular guy date.
But the heroine ruined the book for me with her constant name calling of other women and referring to herself as fat.
August 27, 2015
Meandered and felt a bit like Aleatha Romig's Consequences series which I loved (though the stories are totally different!).
Even with the meandering a great story is a great story and I was on the edge of my seat at times with this one. It also made me laugh and cry.
I loved the whole cast of characters, especially big guy!
I'll definitely read more by this author.
PRE-REVIEW:
Ooh! This looks good!
Even with the meandering a great story is a great story and I was on the edge of my seat at times with this one. It also made me laugh and cry.
I loved the whole cast of characters, especially big guy!
I'll definitely read more by this author.
PRE-REVIEW:
Ooh! This looks good!
December 2, 2014
Five Minutes Late: A Billionaire story was different than any other billionaire story I've ever read. It's quirky, dark, inspiring, powerful and sad. But it does have a HEA! The characters in this book are a testament to the human spirit.
The book is told primarily from the POV of Ashley Daniels. She's a young woman trying to eke out a living in a world that hasn't been particularly kind to her but you'd never know she had ever had problems. She's generous, caring, witty and full of fire! And she doesn't take shit from anybody.
Devon Killane is the very handsome, buff and "asshole extraordinaire" as Ashley refers to him. He's a billionaire who on the outside appears to be a callous bastard with no feelings.
Author Sonora Seldon gives the reader a strong introduction to her characters right off the bat but she then slowly revels the true nature of each character throughout the book.
Although Ashley is the big girl that is somewhat insecure about her body size, she is also the strong one in this book. She accepts herself the way she is and other than being in a dead end, low paying job she is happy with her life.
Devon on the other hand is a powerful businessman who is not to be messed with. He can be ruthless in his business dealings, making him a very successful and wealthy man. Wealthy to the tune of over 68 billion dollars! But life has been unkind to him as well and he is miserable. Until he meets Ashley.
When Devon catches Ashley coming in late to work one day he chastises her in front of a lobby full of people. He then sends for her to come to his office. Fully expecting to be fired Ashley is shocked when Devon instead makes her his personal assistant. A job she has no qualifications for and has never done. But Ashley rises to the occasion.
Devon sometimes seems to have multiple personality disorder and everyone around him are afraid of him and his moods. Before Ashley he went through personal assistants like water through a sieve.
Ashley acts as a buffer between Devon and the world. She protects her boss fiercely. While Ashley attends every business meeting with Devon they put on a charade that is hilarious making other executives nervous and scared of Ashley and her "consultations" with her boss, Devon. But there is one project that Ashley has no idea what it is about. It's known as the "Secret Project" and Ashley is clueless as to what the big secret is. The "Secret Project" is a vital part of the plot in this book and is a mystery that is revealed all in good time.
As Ashley grows closer to Devon she begins to wonder and worry about his strange moods. Through patience, time and caring from other people in his life Ashley begins to understand a little about Devon and why he's the way he is. And OMG it's horrible what made him who he is today.
Five Minutes Late is a well told story that addresses some heavy issues and does it well. This book is intriguing, has well developed characters and a plot that will have you mesmerized and guessing throughout the book.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others who are looking for a different take on the billionaire romance storyline.
The book is told primarily from the POV of Ashley Daniels. She's a young woman trying to eke out a living in a world that hasn't been particularly kind to her but you'd never know she had ever had problems. She's generous, caring, witty and full of fire! And she doesn't take shit from anybody.
Devon Killane is the very handsome, buff and "asshole extraordinaire" as Ashley refers to him. He's a billionaire who on the outside appears to be a callous bastard with no feelings.
Author Sonora Seldon gives the reader a strong introduction to her characters right off the bat but she then slowly revels the true nature of each character throughout the book.
Although Ashley is the big girl that is somewhat insecure about her body size, she is also the strong one in this book. She accepts herself the way she is and other than being in a dead end, low paying job she is happy with her life.
Devon on the other hand is a powerful businessman who is not to be messed with. He can be ruthless in his business dealings, making him a very successful and wealthy man. Wealthy to the tune of over 68 billion dollars! But life has been unkind to him as well and he is miserable. Until he meets Ashley.
When Devon catches Ashley coming in late to work one day he chastises her in front of a lobby full of people. He then sends for her to come to his office. Fully expecting to be fired Ashley is shocked when Devon instead makes her his personal assistant. A job she has no qualifications for and has never done. But Ashley rises to the occasion.
Devon sometimes seems to have multiple personality disorder and everyone around him are afraid of him and his moods. Before Ashley he went through personal assistants like water through a sieve.
Ashley acts as a buffer between Devon and the world. She protects her boss fiercely. While Ashley attends every business meeting with Devon they put on a charade that is hilarious making other executives nervous and scared of Ashley and her "consultations" with her boss, Devon. But there is one project that Ashley has no idea what it is about. It's known as the "Secret Project" and Ashley is clueless as to what the big secret is. The "Secret Project" is a vital part of the plot in this book and is a mystery that is revealed all in good time.
As Ashley grows closer to Devon she begins to wonder and worry about his strange moods. Through patience, time and caring from other people in his life Ashley begins to understand a little about Devon and why he's the way he is. And OMG it's horrible what made him who he is today.
Five Minutes Late is a well told story that addresses some heavy issues and does it well. This book is intriguing, has well developed characters and a plot that will have you mesmerized and guessing throughout the book.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others who are looking for a different take on the billionaire romance storyline.
March 31, 2018
The H was getting on my nerves and the writing style wasn't for me
August 31, 2015
Five Minutes Late was remarkable.
Hands down one of my favorite novels this year.
I have never been pushed, both emotionally and mentally, this year by any other book.
Don't judge a book by its cover. Five Minutes Late surpasses every assumption and prejudice!
Quite literally, it gave me the FEELS.......
...... ( by feelings, I mean sobbing and hyperventilating in the middle of the night and not giving two F****s about it).
Hands down one of my favorite novels this year.
I have never been pushed, both emotionally and mentally, this year by any other book.
Don't judge a book by its cover. Five Minutes Late surpasses every assumption and prejudice!
Quite literally, it gave me the FEELS.......
...... ( by feelings, I mean sobbing and hyperventilating in the middle of the night and not giving two F****s about it).
July 12, 2017
READ THIS BOOK
This story exceed everything I have ever read. There was so many emotions that went through me I'm still wiping tears from my eyes. This is the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last. I don't want to spoil anything so I'm going to say just read this book.
This story exceed everything I have ever read. There was so many emotions that went through me I'm still wiping tears from my eyes. This is the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last. I don't want to spoil anything so I'm going to say just read this book.
December 4, 2014
Ugh! This book started with so much potential!
I love when these OTT Alpha, broody, crazy billionaire's fall in love with the average Jane.
However, some of these mini plots and things in the book were just SOO CONFUSING and would not end.
I felt like the book needs to be condensed severely and concentrate on what's important between the building of these two people. I mean, I literally had to put it down a 20 times, adjust my brain with a less tangled up book and then go back to this one.
Finally I just skimmed to what good parts where hidden in this overly massive tale and just get'er done, ya know? LOL
It is hot and sexy - even fun, but after the first 30-40%, you are really having to read between the lines to figure out what's important and what's just stuffing.
I love when these OTT Alpha, broody, crazy billionaire's fall in love with the average Jane.
However, some of these mini plots and things in the book were just SOO CONFUSING and would not end.
I felt like the book needs to be condensed severely and concentrate on what's important between the building of these two people. I mean, I literally had to put it down a 20 times, adjust my brain with a less tangled up book and then go back to this one.
Finally I just skimmed to what good parts where hidden in this overly massive tale and just get'er done, ya know? LOL
It is hot and sexy - even fun, but after the first 30-40%, you are really having to read between the lines to figure out what's important and what's just stuffing.
December 6, 2014
Ok i have just finished this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. It was a emotional roller coaster but My God! Could the author not have made it a shorter read!. It took me 3 days!! Meljean Brooks book The Kraken King took me that long and it was waaayyy longer. (I know it doesn't make sense ;) )
This felt that long.
Unlike Kraken King this book dragged at the 70% mark because of the descriptive ways of the writer.(or maybe through a lot of the book). It was extremely descriptive and in the end I started to skim paragraphs.
In saying that I still really enjoyed the book it just could have told the tale in half the time.
This felt that long.
Unlike Kraken King this book dragged at the 70% mark because of the descriptive ways of the writer.(or maybe through a lot of the book). It was extremely descriptive and in the end I started to skim paragraphs.
In saying that I still really enjoyed the book it just could have told the tale in half the time.
April 11, 2015
I really enjoyed the start of this book but it started to lose me quite quickly. I persevered for a while but in the end did not finish it.
It is great the the character is a curvy woman but some of her comments about skinny women are nothing more than a reversal of what she was complaining about people's assumptions of her as a curvy women. A bit hypocritical.
I liked her feisty character but agree with other reviewers that the chemistry between the two once they had actually got together was non existent.
This book had potential.
It is great the the character is a curvy woman but some of her comments about skinny women are nothing more than a reversal of what she was complaining about people's assumptions of her as a curvy women. A bit hypocritical.
I liked her feisty character but agree with other reviewers that the chemistry between the two once they had actually got together was non existent.
This book had potential.
July 10, 2015
I really liked the beginning it was fun, funny and a little kookie, but still believable. THEN it just got WAY out there with the kookie, then there was a time jump I didn't appreciate considering it was the start of the relationship--the most important part in a romance IMHO--and then "sigh" it just started to drag and I just got bored. Couldn't finish it. The beginning was amazing and just as I was getting ready to get cozy with nice long book that had 5 star potential, it all went downhill around 35%. Sad :(
April 13, 2015
This was a great story. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is I felt that the telling of Devon's past could have been shaved back a bit. It just ran a bit long for me and I found myself skimming through. I absolutely LOVED the silly banter between Ashley and Devon.
Definitely worth reading (and it's Kindle Unlimited, SCORE!)
Definitely worth reading (and it's Kindle Unlimited, SCORE!)
March 19, 2019
I am utterly blown away
It’s not often I’m this utterly blown away by a book. And to be honest based on the title and cover there’s not one thing that could have prepared me for just how mind blowingly incredible this hidden gem is. I’m not quite sure how Five Minutes Late has flown under the radar without people screaming from the rooftops about how amazing it is. Sonora Seldon delivers a story that grips you every second with witty humor, incredible banter, intriguing mystery, scorching heat and beautiful romance even in the most unconventional of ways.
Devon Killane is one of the most magnificently complex heroes I have ever read. Mystery and madness, darkness and light, sweetness and hatred combining in ways that remind me almost of the Mad Hatter with Ashley being his Alice. This incredibly complex beautiful man seemed to be only be understood by Ashley. Their connection was one so strong nothing, and I mean NOTHING was going to stand between them. Where Devon was a tangle of intrigue Ashley was a fierce warrior. Braver than she realizes and the most loyal and loving woman she stood unwaveringly beside her man through more than you can even begin to imagine.
Full of shocking twists, earth shattering emotion and so much epic love their story is one that I will return to again and again because there is not a single book that comes even close to the magic that is in these pages.
It’s not often I’m this utterly blown away by a book. And to be honest based on the title and cover there’s not one thing that could have prepared me for just how mind blowingly incredible this hidden gem is. I’m not quite sure how Five Minutes Late has flown under the radar without people screaming from the rooftops about how amazing it is. Sonora Seldon delivers a story that grips you every second with witty humor, incredible banter, intriguing mystery, scorching heat and beautiful romance even in the most unconventional of ways.
Devon Killane is one of the most magnificently complex heroes I have ever read. Mystery and madness, darkness and light, sweetness and hatred combining in ways that remind me almost of the Mad Hatter with Ashley being his Alice. This incredibly complex beautiful man seemed to be only be understood by Ashley. Their connection was one so strong nothing, and I mean NOTHING was going to stand between them. Where Devon was a tangle of intrigue Ashley was a fierce warrior. Braver than she realizes and the most loyal and loving woman she stood unwaveringly beside her man through more than you can even begin to imagine.
Full of shocking twists, earth shattering emotion and so much epic love their story is one that I will return to again and again because there is not a single book that comes even close to the magic that is in these pages.
April 9, 2019
Wow! What a love story.
Wow!! I have had this book on my kindle for awhile now. I don't know what took me so long to read it. I only remembered having it on my kindle after a friend read it and highly recommended it. Thanks for that Britt!.
This book has so much going for it. There is a back story to beat all back story's in this book. I felt so much when reading Devon's history. This difficult man who was treated like the dirt on the bottom of your shoes. He was strong and so compassionate with a heart of gold, but was treated like a second hand citizen. I fell in love with him the minute he pulled Ashley into his fold. He seen what a beautiful gem she is and cherished her like every man should.
Now with this being said this book did deal worth some topics that are hard to read about. The way she wrote about them was nothing short of amazing. I highly recommend this book.
Wow!! I have had this book on my kindle for awhile now. I don't know what took me so long to read it. I only remembered having it on my kindle after a friend read it and highly recommended it. Thanks for that Britt!.
This book has so much going for it. There is a back story to beat all back story's in this book. I felt so much when reading Devon's history. This difficult man who was treated like the dirt on the bottom of your shoes. He was strong and so compassionate with a heart of gold, but was treated like a second hand citizen. I fell in love with him the minute he pulled Ashley into his fold. He seen what a beautiful gem she is and cherished her like every man should.
Now with this being said this book did deal worth some topics that are hard to read about. The way she wrote about them was nothing short of amazing. I highly recommend this book.
January 20, 2022
I ended up enjoying this, even though the characters at the beginning are unlikable - Devon has contempt for his company and Ashley has contempt of his wealth. However, if you persevere you will see that there are reasons for this and as the characters develop, you will start rooting for them. It does have quite graphic descriptions of child abuse too, which is upsetting but not gratuitous.
Ashley and Devon do have banter going on about her body size in a positive way - he calls her 'my lovely round Ashley' and she calls him 'big guy' I actually thought this was sweet. I think her calling Devon's exes 'skinny sluts' is supposed to be in this vein as well, but it seemed a bit misogynistic and not very realistic. I also found myself skipping bits towards the end as the content changed its focus. Could do with some editing, but its on kindle unlimited and is one of the better ones I've read, so do give it a go!
Ashley and Devon do have banter going on about her body size in a positive way - he calls her 'my lovely round Ashley' and she calls him 'big guy' I actually thought this was sweet. I think her calling Devon's exes 'skinny sluts' is supposed to be in this vein as well, but it seemed a bit misogynistic and not very realistic. I also found myself skipping bits towards the end as the content changed its focus. Could do with some editing, but its on kindle unlimited and is one of the better ones I've read, so do give it a go!
June 7, 2018
I loved elements of this book. Devon's character was wonderful... and not what could ever be described as a traditional alpha male. But, I really didn't like the constant reference to Ashley's size... whatever it might've been, yeah... I get that this is a 'curvygirl' story... but that, surely, was the least important part of it? And I really didn't didn't like that the description of every other woman that she gave was more else 'skinnyskanky', 'skinnybitch', etc etc...
I did finish the whole book, but I think I would've been happier to have either a rip-roaring banter of a book OR an intense read into the abuse and torture that was latterly described.
I did finish the whole book, but I think I would've been happier to have either a rip-roaring banter of a book OR an intense read into the abuse and torture that was latterly described.
March 7, 2018
A trully captivating book. Great humor, a very interesting plot and very likable protagonists. I deducted one star mainly because I felt that the book would be better if it was a little shorter, and because of a scene at the end of the book that I think should be played differently.
I find it very strange that this book has not received the attention that it deserves. It was published in 2014 and it only has a few hundred reviews? Why is that?
I find it very strange that this book has not received the attention that it deserves. It was published in 2014 and it only has a few hundred reviews? Why is that?
June 3, 2020
Refreshingly different
For once, hallelujah, a billionaire romance where the hero isn't a know-it-all, perfect, dominating sex machine. Devon is beautifully complex, damaged, and eminently fall-in-love-with-able. And I did fall for him.
Ashley is a big girl, who doesn't tell us her bra size or gaze introspectively into mirrors, she's just loud and proud and secure.
This is a beautiful, unusual, different kind of love story, and I adored it
For once, hallelujah, a billionaire romance where the hero isn't a know-it-all, perfect, dominating sex machine. Devon is beautifully complex, damaged, and eminently fall-in-love-with-able. And I did fall for him.
Ashley is a big girl, who doesn't tell us her bra size or gaze introspectively into mirrors, she's just loud and proud and secure.
This is a beautiful, unusual, different kind of love story, and I adored it
October 14, 2018
Great story but over descriptive.
Really enjoyed this story but I skipped a lot of the descriptions because there were pages and pages of them that weren't necessary. Great story otherwise.
Really enjoyed this story but I skipped a lot of the descriptions because there were pages and pages of them that weren't necessary. Great story otherwise.
May 14, 2024
DNF 25% - hero wasn't likeable. Heroine repeatedly focusing on her weight, numerous references seemed forced vs coming across as a natural insecurity. Grew tired of her negativity and story just wasn't taking off.
Read
June 8, 2019Honestly one of the best most readable books I’ve read in a long while,has you unable to set your phone down and may have your very emotional
December 31, 2023
Yeah, Ashley needs to start looking for another job because Devon really is “a batshit crazy billionaire”.
March 19, 2019
If I could give this book one million stars I would.
January 12, 2015
Mixed feelings
The synopsis to this book sounded like a good read. At first it was, but soon it began to drag on and on. Given the fact the book is over 500 pages, it could have been cut back some. I liked where the characters started, but disliked where they ended. seriously, how many ways can the author explain the main character Ashley is not a skinny women. Let me see, she used the words plump, round, curvy, fat, voluptuous, and big boned to describe Ashley. We get it, it did not have to be written every 2-3 pages of the book.
The main man Devon had a crappy life, a lot of bad stuff happened to him and it took 400 pages to find out. It dragged on and on. The author gives hints here and there but even when one thing was revealed something even worse would happen. I understand his mental state was gone far far away due to his traumatic past but 20 years of planning to destroy what essentially destroyed him was way too much. Simplicity would have made this book a lot better. You can describe a situation that has previously happens within a page of a book not spread it out to 20-30 pages just to the book has more pages. We would have a little small passage of Devons train of thought to keep us interested in what he was actually doing and what was going on in his mind. The author set it up to where we knew come the end of the book something was eventually going to be finalized. And then when the big moment came, nothing. I was actually hoping he would do what he sought out too just so there would be something- anything.
Ashley was written as a more sarcastic and free-spirited don't give a damn character . I think a lot of her personality had to do with the way that she perceives herself . As a "bigger woman" she used humor and sarcasm as her way to define her personality. Though she was smart mouth and witty at times it's still annoyed me to know and how her weight and her body and everything was constantly brought up . As readers we do not need the constant reminder that she is bigger than saw main characters in other books. We also did not need to hear in detail all the food that she would be eating during meals and into such detail where 3-4 courses were served at one time so the food would back up the fact that she was a bigger woman. The author also describes her as a various stages of being a bigger woman. To me being curvy and slightly bigger or overweight or round all mean something completely different so I never got a clear picture as to the way Ashley was supposed to be. Though she was Devons security blanket I felt she got nothing out of their relationship throughout the whole book. She went from being his personal assistant/babysitter to whom she swore she would not sleep with to an instant girlfriend. She really did not get anything out of the relationship but calming Devon down making sure he was okay find it now every single detail of his past. That was all Ashley's character and I wish we got to see a different side of her because all I got to read was how she would implement herself to help Devon . There was no real chemistry between these two characters either. in some books I read the chemistry is coming off the pages. Having Devon describe sexual things in Ashley's ear does not constitute a good sexual chemistry between two characters.
It took me a week to finish this book and I skimmed through quite a few chapters but I always finish a book even if I do not want to.
All in al, not the worst book I have ever read but definitely not the best. I just wish a lot of things could have changed in this book and that the author really thought about the character process creating more chemistry between the characters instead of focusing it all on Devons mental state and his 20 year plan.
The synopsis to this book sounded like a good read. At first it was, but soon it began to drag on and on. Given the fact the book is over 500 pages, it could have been cut back some. I liked where the characters started, but disliked where they ended. seriously, how many ways can the author explain the main character Ashley is not a skinny women. Let me see, she used the words plump, round, curvy, fat, voluptuous, and big boned to describe Ashley. We get it, it did not have to be written every 2-3 pages of the book.
The main man Devon had a crappy life, a lot of bad stuff happened to him and it took 400 pages to find out. It dragged on and on. The author gives hints here and there but even when one thing was revealed something even worse would happen. I understand his mental state was gone far far away due to his traumatic past but 20 years of planning to destroy what essentially destroyed him was way too much. Simplicity would have made this book a lot better. You can describe a situation that has previously happens within a page of a book not spread it out to 20-30 pages just to the book has more pages. We would have a little small passage of Devons train of thought to keep us interested in what he was actually doing and what was going on in his mind. The author set it up to where we knew come the end of the book something was eventually going to be finalized. And then when the big moment came, nothing. I was actually hoping he would do what he sought out too just so there would be something- anything.
Ashley was written as a more sarcastic and free-spirited don't give a damn character . I think a lot of her personality had to do with the way that she perceives herself . As a "bigger woman" she used humor and sarcasm as her way to define her personality. Though she was smart mouth and witty at times it's still annoyed me to know and how her weight and her body and everything was constantly brought up . As readers we do not need the constant reminder that she is bigger than saw main characters in other books. We also did not need to hear in detail all the food that she would be eating during meals and into such detail where 3-4 courses were served at one time so the food would back up the fact that she was a bigger woman. The author also describes her as a various stages of being a bigger woman. To me being curvy and slightly bigger or overweight or round all mean something completely different so I never got a clear picture as to the way Ashley was supposed to be. Though she was Devons security blanket I felt she got nothing out of their relationship throughout the whole book. She went from being his personal assistant/babysitter to whom she swore she would not sleep with to an instant girlfriend. She really did not get anything out of the relationship but calming Devon down making sure he was okay find it now every single detail of his past. That was all Ashley's character and I wish we got to see a different side of her because all I got to read was how she would implement herself to help Devon . There was no real chemistry between these two characters either. in some books I read the chemistry is coming off the pages. Having Devon describe sexual things in Ashley's ear does not constitute a good sexual chemistry between two characters.
It took me a week to finish this book and I skimmed through quite a few chapters but I always finish a book even if I do not want to.
All in al, not the worst book I have ever read but definitely not the best. I just wish a lot of things could have changed in this book and that the author really thought about the character process creating more chemistry between the characters instead of focusing it all on Devons mental state and his 20 year plan.
February 27, 2015
4. 5, almost 5 stars
I was completely surprised by how much I loved this book!! I have never read anything by this author and thought I would take a chance on it. It was a little different and I was completely hooked! Not your normal cliche "billionaire romance". It was quirky and funny at times and then heartbreakingly sad at other times. I loved that it dealt with mental illness and the profound effect that childhood abuse can have. The hero and heroine were beautiful together. I loved how strong, smart, self assured, and independent the heroine was, and I loved how she was really the "Hero" of this story, she saves the day, and rescues the hero!! Although I must say the hero was inspiring for surviving his past on his own, for as long as he did. He certainly deserved to find someone as nurturing and supportive as the heroine, and thank God he did!
I would have given it a 5 star rating, but there were a few things that held me back. The heroine is a curvy gal and she seemed to be really confident in that, which was refreshing, however the author repeatedly had the heroine refer to her size on almost every other page. Which then makes the reader doubt that confidence, if the heroine feels the need to refer to it all the time, maybe she actually is hung up on the fact she is overweight. I don't think that was authors intention (I could be wrong), because the heroine's actions speak of woman that is comfortable in her own skin. Anyway, it was a little annoying after awhile. Also, I understand that the author wanted to portray the heroine as a woman with a healthy appetite, who enjoys her food with no apologies, again I applaud that. But she often ate more than the 6'5", 200 + pounds hero, which was just unrealistic, unless the heroine was morbidly obese, which I don't think she was, but maybe I am wrong. Which brings up another small issue I had with the book, the author never describes the heroine physically, other than her being curvy, and or rounded. We get half way through the book before the heroine refers to her eye color as "plain brown eyes" and then toward the end of the book the hero refers to her eyes as amber. We never even find out her hair color or anything else about her features, so I had a very hard time picturing the heroine. I personally like to have more of an idea of how to physically describe the characters I am reading about, especially the heroine of the story.
The other little problem I had is with the pacing at the end of the book. The author is very descriptive and for the most part I enjoyed it, except for at the end. The story begins to reveal the secrets of the Hero's past and how that leads up to the Hero's current secret and I just really didn't feel the need for all the inconsequential descriptions, it served to distract from the main storyline, not enhance. I found myself skimming in a few places toward the end. I also think that the author should have mentioned that the Hero gets some follow up psychiatric care as part of the happy ending. She dealt so well with his mental issues throughout the book, that I just think it would have been the responsible thing to do (I am a mental health advocate, so maybe I am overly sensitive to this).
Having had my say with all of this, I genuinely recommend this book!! I feel that with a few minor tweaks this author has a wonderful future ahead of her! She has a lot of talent! She wrote a very unique and entertaining book, and I am so glad I took a chance and read it!! I know I will be looking forward to her next book!!
I was completely surprised by how much I loved this book!! I have never read anything by this author and thought I would take a chance on it. It was a little different and I was completely hooked! Not your normal cliche "billionaire romance". It was quirky and funny at times and then heartbreakingly sad at other times. I loved that it dealt with mental illness and the profound effect that childhood abuse can have. The hero and heroine were beautiful together. I loved how strong, smart, self assured, and independent the heroine was, and I loved how she was really the "Hero" of this story, she saves the day, and rescues the hero!! Although I must say the hero was inspiring for surviving his past on his own, for as long as he did. He certainly deserved to find someone as nurturing and supportive as the heroine, and thank God he did!
I would have given it a 5 star rating, but there were a few things that held me back. The heroine is a curvy gal and she seemed to be really confident in that, which was refreshing, however the author repeatedly had the heroine refer to her size on almost every other page. Which then makes the reader doubt that confidence, if the heroine feels the need to refer to it all the time, maybe she actually is hung up on the fact she is overweight. I don't think that was authors intention (I could be wrong), because the heroine's actions speak of woman that is comfortable in her own skin. Anyway, it was a little annoying after awhile. Also, I understand that the author wanted to portray the heroine as a woman with a healthy appetite, who enjoys her food with no apologies, again I applaud that. But she often ate more than the 6'5", 200 + pounds hero, which was just unrealistic, unless the heroine was morbidly obese, which I don't think she was, but maybe I am wrong. Which brings up another small issue I had with the book, the author never describes the heroine physically, other than her being curvy, and or rounded. We get half way through the book before the heroine refers to her eye color as "plain brown eyes" and then toward the end of the book the hero refers to her eyes as amber. We never even find out her hair color or anything else about her features, so I had a very hard time picturing the heroine. I personally like to have more of an idea of how to physically describe the characters I am reading about, especially the heroine of the story.
The other little problem I had is with the pacing at the end of the book. The author is very descriptive and for the most part I enjoyed it, except for at the end. The story begins to reveal the secrets of the Hero's past and how that leads up to the Hero's current secret and I just really didn't feel the need for all the inconsequential descriptions, it served to distract from the main storyline, not enhance. I found myself skimming in a few places toward the end. I also think that the author should have mentioned that the Hero gets some follow up psychiatric care as part of the happy ending. She dealt so well with his mental issues throughout the book, that I just think it would have been the responsible thing to do (I am a mental health advocate, so maybe I am overly sensitive to this).
Having had my say with all of this, I genuinely recommend this book!! I feel that with a few minor tweaks this author has a wonderful future ahead of her! She has a lot of talent! She wrote a very unique and entertaining book, and I am so glad I took a chance and read it!! I know I will be looking forward to her next book!!
June 23, 2015
I have just one question: the relationship was with Devon or with the food?
The writing was excellent, the minor characters charming, especially Uncle Sheridan, and the story refreshing. The McDonalds scene made me laugh so hard my stomach hurt. That is something I loved of this book: it could as easily make me laugh as make me cry. And both I did a lot.
Also, Devon story was very, very sad and touching. After learning everything about him, I wanted to hug so hard both the kid him and the adult him.
She was not so bad; her sass was funny, even if it was just a cover for her insecurity. I liked that she had attitude, but it was odd when she started to talk in third person about herself, so distracting. And what with all that food? I get it, she was a big girl. But I have big girls as my friends and they dont act as if the food was the most important thing of their lives! Sometimes it was simply annoying.
Two whole paragraphs dedicated to a simple meal. One was not enough?
Also, she didn't had real friends besides the homeless guys she fed with donuts. That is unrealistic. At that age, everyone has or had at least one friend. No exceptions.
The writing was excellent, the minor characters charming, especially Uncle Sheridan, and the story refreshing. The McDonalds scene made me laugh so hard my stomach hurt. That is something I loved of this book: it could as easily make me laugh as make me cry. And both I did a lot.
Also, Devon story was very, very sad and touching. After learning everything about him, I wanted to hug so hard both the kid him and the adult him.
She was not so bad; her sass was funny, even if it was just a cover for her insecurity. I liked that she had attitude, but it was odd when she started to talk in third person about herself, so distracting. And what with all that food? I get it, she was a big girl. But I have big girls as my friends and they dont act as if the food was the most important thing of their lives! Sometimes it was simply annoying.
Man, is there anything as great as steak? Steaming hot, dripping with juices, garnished with bacon, singed on the outside, nearly raw on the inside steak? I apologize to any vegetarians in the audience, but no, there is not – there is steak, and then there’s all that other stuff that cries itself to sleep because it’s not steak.
I sliced into that aromatic slab of delicious beef, I started forking chunks of it into my mouth, and, well, time went by. I washed down the first few forkfuls with a glass of the wine I was finally permitted to drink, and mmm, it turned out Mr. K was great at picking out wine.
Two whole paragraphs dedicated to a simple meal. One was not enough?
Also, she didn't had real friends besides the homeless guys she fed with donuts. That is unrealistic. At that age, everyone has or had at least one friend. No exceptions.
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