Unexpected

by Lilly Avalon

Ever had one of those days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, it does. After a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can turn to or trust anymore.

An unlikely bond with her former best friend's ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His friendship is exactly what she's been missing—what she's been needing. Alina's never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for what's on the other side?

Only one way to find out.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Friends To Lovers

187 pages, ebook

First published July 21, 2015

About the author

Lilly Avalon is the thirty-something author of romance books with sexytimes. She is an avid reader, a self-proclaimed mermaid, and a lover of animals. When she isn't writing, she can often be found smelling candles at the store, crocheting, learning German, and watching old sitcoms.

Lilly currently resides in Ohio with her husband and pet rodents. Lilly Avalon is a pen name.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Lilly Avalon news by subscribing to her newsletter.

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars!

Alina is having one of those days where everything just keeps going wrong. The only thing she wants to do is going home and forget about it..
Unfortunately, her hellish day hasn't come to an end because she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with her roomate and bestfriend, Victoria.

Alina met Ryan when he was dating Victoria, they weren't such friends, but after catching their partners together, they start bonding.

Ryan wants to be there for Alina because right now she really needs a good friend in her life.
But will they really be able to be just friends?

I can easily say that Unexpected was a sweet and cute friends to lovers story.
I loved watching Alina and Ryan slowly fall for each other and realize that they were more than just friends.
This is the part that I love the most in a friends to lovers book and it met my expectations in this one.

Alina has a problem trusting people but Ryan knew exactly how to work his way through her heart and make her trust him.

Luckily, there wasn't unnecessary drama in this story and I liked both characters.

I couldn't give it more than 3 stars because, despite being a cute and loving book, it didn't win me over.
Some scenes were a bit boring and a little too sweet and ruined my reading experience a little, hence the rating.

With that being said, I will definitely read more by this author. In case you're in the mood for an enjoyable friends to lovers book, give this one a try!

Copy kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of friends to lovers stories will love this as much as I did. Not only do we get the story of friends becoming more, we get to see the characters becoming friends in the first place. It made for a fantastic book!



Alina was having an amazingly bad day, and it was only getting worse. After a horrible morning, a case of mistaken identity leads to an awkward encounter with her roommate/best friends ex-boyfriend, Ryan. They both end up in a similar situation and form an unlikely bond because of it. Alina finds herself needing a place to stay and Ryan finds himself needing to take her under his wing.



I actually really enjoyed these characters, which I'm honestly surprised about. Ryan was a sweetheart and I don't always like the hero's that are sickly sweet. But for Ryan, it just worked for me. I was swooning every time he would kiss Alina's cheek or forehead, It was really cute and made me a little mad that Ryan isn't a real person.



Alina had a lot of past hurt in her life and it made her weary to trust anyone. It was refreshing to read about a heroine that didn't have to have someone shake her and force her to realize that she needs to open up. The book didn't stray to her issues and I liked that it stuck to the story of both Ryan and Alina. It did take time for them to build trust with each other but that made the relationship more realistic for me.

Overall, this was a sweet, cute, sexy story and I will definitely be going back to read more from Lilly Avalon. I adored the story and anyone who likes a caring Hero and a friends to lovers story will also.



One random thing, Ryan has a tattoo that says "No Regrets" but when I read that I couldn't help but laugh because We're the Millers ruined that for me.


ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good

Alina is havin a rough 24 hours everything is goin wrong from her boyfriend her boyfriend wantin a break 2 a flat tire making her late 4 work an her boss giving her job 2 someone else so she quit her job so she went home 2 chill out then there was a lil incident with her best friends boyfriend but the day just kept getting worst she needed a new place 2 stay an a new job so Ryan was goin 2 help her she needed someone an after the incident in the shower he was more than happy 2 help

Alina an Ryan r great characters I thought they were made 2 each other after everything goin shit Ryan was just amazin he made her feel wanted an helped her get her life back on track things were startin goin good an with there friendship getting stronger the sexual tension was getting even stronger the more they were spendin time 2gether the more closer they were getting an it was great 2 c everyone could c they were gettin closer friends an family but them they did want 2 b each other's rebound an they did want 2 wreck there friendship

I did enjoy this book it started so good an had high hopes but i found the middle a lil boring I just wanted them 2 get 2gether I understand the story but I just got a lil bored it did pick up again at the end which I was glad of I did like Alina an Ryan they r great an even the other characters in the book were good an havin both pov's was good seein what they were thinkin about each other was good an i do luv both pov's I would read more books from this author can't wait 2 c what she does next xxx

[Lilly Avalon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello lovelies!

I'm super excited to share the story of Ryan and Alina with you. It's been quite the long ride to get here, but I'm so pleased with the way the book has turned out.

What can you expect to see?

Well, there's some of this...



And lots and lots and lots of this...



Find out how some of the best things in life are unexpected...

Coming July 21st 2015!

XOXO,
Lilly Avalon

[Reanell Tisdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

I finished this book in one sitting. It was the perfect blend of sweet and sexy!

*ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for a honest review*

*Full Review to come*

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

"There's something about sharing a sunset with someone you care about. It's profoundly spiritual, as if it connects you to that person in a way nothing else can. It may have only lasted for a brief moment in the entire span of our lives, but it's something I'll always carry with me no matter what happens tomorrow."

Unexpected was a sweet and enjoyable read. The story starts off with one heck of a bang. Alina is having the worst day of her life. Anything and everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong for her. It all starts with her boyfriend telling her that he wants to take a break. Then she wakes up to find that she has a flat tire. That flat tire makes her late for work. Being late for work, made her jerk of a boss give her shift to someone else, in turn causing her to quit. If that wasn't bad enough, all Alina wants to do is go home and wash this awful day away. Lets just say things did not get better when she got home. With all the changes going on in Alina's life, she's left wondering who she is and why this is happening to her. If it wasn't for her now ex-roommates ex-boyfriend, Ryan, Alina would have completely fallen apart. Alina and Ryan form a fast friendship. Ryan is just what Alina needs to help her find her way and get back on her feet. The two of them are attracted to each other, but are determined to keep things in the friend zone. However, the more time the two of them spend together, the more they realize they are destined to be more than friends. Will Alina and Ryan take the leap and see where things will go?

Unexpected is a fast paced, friends to lovers romance. I was already hooked just from reading the synopsis. I couldn't wait to dive in and read more. I loved the was this story started out. I couldn't wait to see how things would play out. I really enjoyed the friendship that Alina and Ryan shared. Their relationship had a slow burn to it. I thought they had great push and pull. Ryan was not only a really sweet guy and a great friend, but boy could he make your heart swoon. I just couldn't wait for Alina and Ryan to give into their feelings and see where things would go.

Some of the issues I had with this story was that I felt like it was a little too fast paced. I would have liked to slow down some of the moments, really get to know Ryan and Alina better as a couple. It just felt like once they finally took the plunge to see where things go, the story was on fast forward. My other issue was that I would have liked to have seen a little more drama between the ex's, Drew and Victoria. Drew and Victoria wronged Alina and Ryan so badly. Don't get me wrong, there was a little drama with them, but I wanted more. I wanted the two of them to get what was coming to them.

Even though I had some issues with the story, I still found it to be an enjoyable read. If you're looking for a fast paced, sweet read that is light on the drama, then look no further. I think this author has a ton of potential and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the author, in exchange for an honest review*

[Julia Griffis - The Romance Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received an eARC of "Unexpected" courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review**

"Unexpected" was absolutely amazing and couldn't have been more perfect! This was the first novel that I had read from Lilly Avalon, and it was phenomenal. I loved her writing style, and the storyline and characters she created were extraordinary. Truly. Alina and Ryan were such a genuinely sweet and kind couple, and I couldn't help but fall in love with them. I was definitely rooting for them from the start. I loved how their story was told and the pace it was set at: not too fast and not too slow, but just right. They were both very likable characters and had wonderful and complementing personalities. It was so obvious that they were meant to be together. I also loved that it was told from both Alina and Ryan's POV. It gave the story extra meaning and depth, and I really enjoyed that aspect. The secondary characters were wonderful as well and very hard not to like - with the exception of Drew and Victoria. You'll understand why when you read the book. I also loved that there wasn't a lot of unnecessary drama, and the conflict wasn't over-the-top ridiculous. I'm not a huge fan of novels with those elements in them, and I was very happy that "Unexpected" had just the right amount of both. I truly can't sing enough praises for "Unexpected" and the extremely talented author, Lilly Avalon. I'm so thrilled to have been able to read such an incredible novel with a wonderfully written romantic story!


Check out more of my reviews on my blog: https://perksofbeingabibliophile.word...

[Assenette]

After the 58% mark... I just skimmed.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out more reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!

I'm just going to dive right into the review this time. The synopsis is pretty on track, no reason for me to put it into my own words. Plus, I just have too much to say about this one. Too. Much. But before I let loose on all of that, there is one thing that you should know. This book isn't ... bad. I gave it three stars, so there must have been some things that I liked about it, right? Well, there are. Just not enough for this to be one of those "holy crap, you have to read this or you are dead to me" books that I enjoy so much.

I liked how the story was written, with the switching POV's. Not every author can pull that off and it was almost seamless with the way Lilly Avalon wrote it. I also enjoyed the twist on cheating. Cheating at the beginning of a romance novel is not a new concept but Avalon took an interesting path to get to that point and an interesting way of wrapping the story up in it. Basically, the bones of this story are great.

Unfortunately, that's it on the high points for me. For the rest of this, you'll need to buckle up and bring a snack, because I have a lot of things I want to go over. The first thing that I noticed is that the main character, Alina, is supremely immature. This girl is 22 and the way she handles things, talks, even sex ... seems immature. Somehow, this chick made talking dirty seem immature. I don't know what her deal is. Alina comes off as being a bit scattered during the first part of the story due to all of the bad things that just keep happening to her but even through that, I found her to be a bit ignorant, not genuine and once again, immature. To be honest, both of the main characters were super shallow and I don't mean conceited ... I mean their characters had no depth. There was no grit to either of them, even with all of the things going on in their lives. I didn't relate to Alina at all ... not even as a woman. No connection whatsoever.

Since I brought up characters, we need to chat a bit about our twenty-something Ryan. I'll just list off his attributes for you:
1. Sexy
2. Sweet
3. Protective
4. The perfect gentleman
5. All muscle-y and hunkalicious
6. Good with children
7. Perfect with a girl's parents
8. Knows how to cook
9. Knows his way around a woman's body
10. Ready to settle down and have children
11. Good manners
12. Doesn't mind cleaning

Here's the deal. This Ryan character is a human unicorn ... you hear all of these stories about guys like this Ryan but no one has ever lived to see one. I mean, I like reading about dudes like this ... the ones that can do no wrong but come on! Let's be realistic, he's got to have at least one flaw to make him seem real and this dude did not have one.

About a quarter of the way through the book, I kinda realized why I was so disengaged from this story. It's because the book feels like it's talking AT you rather than enveloping you and drawing you into the pages. It was monotone. There were no ebbs and flows to emotions or things happening in the book ... I mean bad stuff happened in the book to where you should be thinking "DAMN!" but instead, it went right over my head as I tried to search for another connection. It felt one-dimensional. I would have enjoyed more of a struggle, any kind of struggle. One of them could have screwed up dinner at least. Something. While the bones of the book are great, things seemed to work themselves out entirely too quickly. Any time one of the characters needed or wanted something, it miraculously happened. Things were resolved way too easily. But that goes back to needing a true struggle and some grittiness within these pages.

The last thing is the ending. Ugh. You know how sometimes when you are blowing up a balloon and you're almost done but somehow that slippery bastard slips out of your fingers and does that screaming fart across the room? The ending was like that. It was building up to something great and then BAM! It's over. It was a bit disappointing to have it end just like that but it is what it is.

I don't know for sure what to think about this book and now that I've written all of this. I just feel a big meh about the whole thing. Which is unfortunate but that's how it is sometimes. And it's worth saying that I'm definitely in the minority on my views for this one. Unexpected has received pretty high ratings on Goodreads, so it is worth you looking in to, at the very least. Well, on to the next book.

* I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review *

[Heather / Obsessed With Myshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan is passionate and adorable – and deserves so much better than his girlfriend, Victoria. It’s almost a damn good thing that she’s a conniving bitch. Victoria’s betrayal throws Ryan and Alina together as friends…or something more?

Of course, Alina’s luck isn’t much better – in fact she’s well on her way to having the worst day of her life. Or so she thinks. Her embarrassment in the shower is just the beginning. She then quickly becomes jobless, boyfriendless, bestfriendless and homeless in short order. Great fucking day. I’d be throwing my face into a pint of peanut butter chocolate ice cream right about then. Of course, Ryan swoops in to save the day. He’s just a good guy. He’s a good friend, brother, son and fuck…he’s just a decent person – those don’t come along every day, and Alina knows it.

Alina and Ryan are really sweet together – the book builds their relationship until you’re dying to see them get together. Ryan is an incredibly patient man and while he knows that he wants more, he needs for Alina to get on board as well. She’s terrified of opening her heart to her new best friend even though she knows that there’s more there. In fact, her feelings for him are hard to ignore. As time goes by, the passion increases until they both are ready to combust.

The stolen kisses and nighttime hugs had the corners of my lips curling upward and breaking into a full blown smile. This isn’t just a kissing book, it’s a book full of searing kisses. Unexpected is also full of first dates and blanket forts and forehead kisses. Sweet, passionate and endearing, I was more than happy to let Ryan be my book boyfriend for the evening. 4.25 stars!

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review*

I LOVED this book! However, I'm not surprised because I have lived everything Lilly Avalon writes. She has a way of writing characters that you wish you could be or at least be friends with. As for writing the guy? You'll want him as your next book boyfriend!

Ryan and Alina's relationship starts out fairly innocent. Just a friend lending an ear, and support, to another friend. What starts as something sweet turns into something a little more forbidden, then turns into so much more. A wonderful story..I definitely recommend!

[Stephanie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An instant favorite! I fell in love with both of these characters. They felt like my best friends.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: Meh. This was a little less than "just ok" in the rating scale. I really had issues with feeling uninspired by their relationship, or even the characters themselves. I think I was sometimes more entertained by the side characters and family members, but there were so many comments about side characters that were really unnecessary and left me confused at the end thinking "why did the author even put that in?". I'm guess the author was trying to make them more important to the story...? Too bad...I thought it sounded like a fun premise.

Storyline: This is Alina and Ryan's story. After a case of mistaken identity, Alina and Ryan find out that their boyfriend and girlfriend both happened to ask for a break the same day. They head over to Alina's boyfriend's house and find her best friend/roommate/Ryan's girlfriend in bed with him. Needing a new place to stay, Alina takes Ryan's offer to sleep at his apartment until she gets back on her feet (she also quit her job). They pair form a fast friendship that eventually changes into romantic feelings and they become a couple. They fall in love and find their HEA.

POV: This was split between Alina and Ryan's POV

Overall Pace of Story: Slow. I found it to be slow at times and that might be because they took so long into their story to make an attempt in changing their relationship from friends to romantic.

H rating: 3 stars. Ryan. A little bit too good to be true. I know I'm kinda messed up, but I don't like it when our heroes are too perfect and do and say all the right things. He also was kinda feminine in his inner dialogue. I don't know any masculine male that would think "I just melted" when a girl says something nice to them, and he claims that exact thing a few different times...?

h rating: 2 stars. Alina. I found her to be immature and uninspiring in general. She seemed kinda lazy in her ambitions and that was off putting. She claimed she "never cried" because she was above letting things bothered her...but she was always crying...?

Angst level: Low. Very little drama except for the first scene.

Heat level: Moderate. Meh...just ok on the sexy times.

Descriptive sex: Yes

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: Not with our MCs...except the case of mistaken identity at the very beginning, but both of them were on a break with their partners at the time.

Possible Triggers: No

Closure: Ok closure. We get some decent commitment for the couple in a short epilogue.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at Ramblings of a Daydreamer.

If you’ve read any of Lilly Avalon’s short stories, novellas, or novels, you’ll know her as an erotic romance author. But, surprise! She mixed things up a bit with Unexpected, a sweet friends-to-more contemporary New Adult story.

Alina and Ryan find themselves in similar situations. They seem like unlikely allies, but their shared bad experience leads to them becoming friends. I really enjoyed watching Alina and Ryan form a bond. They actually get to know each other and spend time together before developing feelings, which is one of my favourite things to read in books. With so much instalove and insta-relationship stories, I love seeing characters really getting to know each other, learn each other’s quirks and ticks and personalities. They both needed someone to count on, and they became that for each other, which was really beautiful to see. And despite them having reservations about taking their relationship further, the story wasn’t heavy and angst-riddled like many of the other books I’ve read recently. Very refreshing!

I enjoyed getting to see things from both Alina’s and Ryan’s perspective. Avalon did a great job of giving the characters distinct voices and personalities, and there was no overlap of the story, which I appreciated. Getting to see things from both characters’ perspective added extra depth to the story, and really made this couple one to root for.

A perfect blend of sweet and sexy, Unexpected is a must read for fans of contemporary NA.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

“I’ve met my quota of bad things for the day. It’s probably best for me to avoid leaving the house at this point.”

“There is something about sharing a sunset with someone you care about. It’s profoundly spiritual, as if it connects you to that person in a way nothing else can. It may have only lasted a brief moment in the entire span of our lives, but it’s something I’ll always carry with me no matter what happens tomorrow.”

“I want to hold this moment, with her hair braided and her blues eyes entranced. I want to tuck it into my pocket and pull it out whenever I need a fix.”

“It is entirely your fault for leaving him to fend the ladies off by himself. I had to work my masterful powers of awesome to save the lad from the advances of promiscuous women.”

“There’s a pitter-patter in my chest as if I’m in high school and talking to my first crush. Her words hit me deep, the impact of them leaving an imprint on the walls of my heart.”

“Love makes you vulnerable and invincible at the same time; true love, makes you soar.”

My Review:

Unexpected is an excellent title for this book, as it was an unexpected pleasure to read this loving and tender romance with a sweet and caring young man being all supportive and patient with a stunned young woman he barely knows, but is having an inordinate amount of bad luck. I found Ms. Avalon’s writing to be refreshing, humorous, entertaining, and thoughtful, with just enough delightfully sensual teases and steamy scenes sprinkled throughout to keep my heart and respiration rates up. I have added her entire listing to my TBR and look forward to reading more of her work.

[Jennifer Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by the Author for an honest review.

UNEXPECTED is a sexy,hot read. I fell in love with the characters of Ryan and Alina, they are good for each other. Alina has just received news from her boyfriend that he wants a break from their relationship. She cannot get a break from the crappy day that she is having, she is late going in for work and ends up losing her job. She goes back to the apartment that she shares with her friend and takes a shower. While she is in the shower, someone joins her. Thinking it is her boyfriend they start to have shower sex, until she finds out it is her roommates boyfriend. They both find out that their boyfriend and girlfriend are having an affair with each other.

So Alina and Ryan go out and get drunk together. Ryan takes her to her place to stay, because she is moving out of her place. Now with her staying with Ryan, it starts to get interesting. The characters and story line is very well-developed, and I recommend this book to everyone. Lilly Avalon is a writer that I will keep my eye on and her books on my to be read pile. I give UNEXPECTED 5/5 STARS.

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was awesome. It had me sucked in from the very first page. Alina and Ryan have such great chemistry that I could feel it right on the page. I had my fingers crossed for them the entire book. The love they have for each other was beautiful. Love like that isn't normal and that just made it even more great to read.

I absolutely love Alina. This book made me relate because we all have bad days, but poor Alina had the absolute worst. I swear I've had some horrible days. This book made it easy to laugh off the bad and just move on.

This book was so much fun to read. It was full of funny times, as well as the good, the bad, and the ugly. I absolutely enjoyed this book from page one. I picked it up and could not put it down.

Definitely a great read and one I will recommend in the future....Stormi

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[Gabriela Scheinberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was completely Unexpected! It was a great read. It reminded me of The Other Side of Someday, which I also adored. I highly recommend this book. Very well written. I just love when the author takes the time for the characters to actually fall in love. Also, I love it when they don't tell, but show what the characters are feeling through their actions... Lovely! Very well done!!

[Magenta · Rating 3 out of 5]

'It's been one of those days. You know the kind-the one where you want to rename Murphy's Law after yourself. No matter how hard you try to make it better, it just gets worse.'

This book was pretty short but definitely started off the right way. Poor Alina is having the day from hell and then it just keeps getting worse. She catches her bofriend cheating, quits her job and becomes homeless all the space of 24 hours. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with Ryan, her (ex) best friends ex-boyfriend which slowly changes everything, including her outlook on 'Alina's Law'.

I want to preface this review by stating that friends to lovers is not my favourite romance trope. I usually go for the hate to love, banter filled, sexy bad boy type. This book however was a nice change of pace and found Ryan to be an adorable cinnamon roll. I struggled a little with Victoria's reaction to the events however it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book overall.

If you like friends to lovers and a sweet couple you should give this a try!

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read by Lilly Avalon and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend and read more from this talented author!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

**2.5 stars -- ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

When starting Unexpected, it read very much like someone telling their friends a story. As I like to live the story when I'm reading, this was a bit of a struggle for me initially. There were also certain things in the story that seemed to be too much of a stretch, and were slightly unbelievable. (For example: One out of three light bulbs burning out would not cause that much darkness)

As the story progressed, however, I did begin to feel more connected to the characters. The struggles that they both faced, particularly Alina, translated nicely through the pages, and I felt for what she was going through. The friendship between Ryan and Alina was a sweet one. And, although I understood the reasons behind keeping the romantic aspect of their relationship PG, and why Ryan and Alina fought their feelings, I wanted a bit more from them. Their conversations and interactions felt very YA to me at times. And, considering the steamy scene at the start of the book, I was surprised.

I'm not sure how I feel about Alina as a character. While she seems fun and sweet, she lacked a strong backbone at times. She did stand up to Drew, but was a complete pushover when it came to Victoria. I needed to see more strength from her, maybe experience more of her anger.

I was nearly half way through the book and realized only several days had gone by. I have to admit, that seemed a bit quick, but I have read even more rushed stories, so I was willing to overlook that. The time line, however, had me doubting their connection. Could they be great friends in that short of a time? Sure, I think that's possible. But it was clear that they were moving toward romance, so it seemed too fast.

I would have loved more character development, a bit more depth-- the foundation was there, it just needed to be built upon a bit more. I was expecting a super emotional read and it fell short in that regard, although there were a few heartwarming moments. I do think, though, that this author had a great voice, and the story had a lot of potential to be amazing. I would absolutely be willing to read more from her in the future. Although this book wasn't quite my cup of tea, I did enjoy reading it. This one was a light, quick read for me-- perfect for a rainy day read. If you're a reader who enjoys sugary sweet romances, then you should give Unexpected a shot.

[Renita · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review...

"Not every story ends the same. Some of them have a twist. Some things in life are unexpected..."

I was pleased to give this one a read when the author asked me to. I found this to be a quick kinda sorta friends to lovers story. I have to add the kinda sorta because while I genuinely appreciated the fact that both Ryan and Alina realized that they should be friends before attempting any relationship, the progression of their friendship was laced with a physical attraction, flirtation, and much sexual tension.
My favorite part of this story was without a doubt Ryan. I'm pretty sure ever girl would love to have a friend like him. His character was refreshingly positive and mature, it balanced out everything else that I wasn't quite sure about. He definitely has some book boyfriend material qualities going on.

Sometimes on the weekends I love to find one of those made for tv sugar coated love stories on and I indulge in the cheesiness of it all. I say that because that's the same pleasure I got in reading UNEXPECTED. If you're looking for a light fun read with a sweet ending, then you'll probably enjoy this story as well.
Everything happens really fast because the story is a shorter read, BUT there wasn't any unnecessary drama, a HAE with no cliffhanger.

[The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I began this book. As it started I kind of rolled my eyes a bit: girl having a terrible day, then finding out her best friend and boyfriend are having an affair behind her back. But, as the book went on I realized there were so many things I LOVED about it. First, I love that Alina and Ryan became friends first. They supported each other and cared for each other. Even when they both began to admit their feelings, things moved slowly. So often in books now they start off having sex, then become friends later. Now, don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with that; but it was nice to see a friends to lovers story. This relationship progressed like the relationships I have had so it felt very real. The tension in the story comes not from the will they/won't they as much as it comes from the WHEN will they. The end is slightly rushed though; perhaps I feel that way because I could read a whole series about Alina and Ryan and never get tired of their sweet, romantic ways. Full review will be posted at http://www.thebookdisciple.com

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected is a quick read. It has its steamy moments, so beware. Easily bored? the first 2 chapters will light a fire for sure! The setup was a little quick, but like I said a beach read or a weekend depending on your speed.

Alina was a sweet girl who has had bad luck so I fell for her and I seriously hated the world with her. As for the story, some parts were a bit predictable. I enjoyed the characters. For instance, creating Alina in a way that makes you really feel her pain. When the author adds another element to her already miserable day. You can not help fall in love with her. I think everyone knows the employment situation is not superb so having her battle real relevant to the times issues makes it REAL! So Alina starts at the bottom leading to a bumpy ride back to the top.

A bad job, a roomie that shocks you and a boyfriend who is an idiot. Poor girl! Overall it is a great summer fling sort of novel. I recommend it to chick lit lovers who like a little steam. The author does show a lo of promise and I cant wait for more

[Amazeballs Book Addicts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book!! I am a huge fan of books where the main characters are friends first and then find more. And this book is honestly a breath of fresh air. It wasn't like every other book out there. There were so many sweet moments but then so many hot and sexy moments. I immediately fell in love with Ryan. Alina I totally felt for, I mean really not only is your boyfriend cheating on you, but with your supposed best friend. So needless to say she is having a really crappy day, but it seems that isn't going to last if Ryan has anything to say about it. The building of their friendship is awesome and really leads you into something much deeper. I also really loved that the author wrote this in dual POVs so we got to see it from Alina's prospective but also from Ryan's as well. That is really hard to do and make it flow so well and this one definitely did. I can't wait to read more from this author! A definite must read in my book!! A 5 AMAZEBALLS stars all the way for me!! A copy was gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Review by Tabitha

[Lisa F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bow down to the queen of romance and for giving us the book boyfriends we love and constantly swoon over :)
I love devlin but OMG I think I've fallen more for Ryan.
Ryan is sweet, hot, sexy, romantic and just totally loveable
I really enjoyed this story of two people who come together after finding out their partners have been cheating and find themselves in an unexpected situation falling in love.

another hot romance :)

[Cindy Rawlings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review, so thank you for the opportunity!

Alina is an average young woman. Apartment, boyfriend, job, etc. but she suddenly has a streak of bad luck. An almost cheating by accident, boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend/roommate, loses job, and suddenly needs a place to stay. How could things get worse? How about feelings for her now ex-best friend's now ex-boyfriend?

Ryan is just your average handsome hunk who comes into his girlfriend's apartment and almost cheats on her accidentally because hey...the roomies look very similar from behind, finds out his girl is cheating on him with her roommate's boyfriend, and finds he is really not all that broken up about it. Oh, and by the way, the roommate, Alina, is super pretty, has a great personality, is sweet and needs a place to stay. How could he turn his back?

I really enjoyed this book. The ups and downs, the humor, the normal questioning of oneself, the restraint and finally the epiphanies. I loved it all. Lilly Avalon hooked me early on and I may have whined a little whenever I had to put it down to take care of real-life things. LOL! Gifted writer, great book.

[Neha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC for this book.

As it goes with most of the romantic books for me I had to finish this in one setting and I managed it so I was really happy. The frustration of nothing working out is so real and Alena goes through the extreme of it. But as things can only get better, she manages to get herself back up.

I found some of the scenes to be way to stretched and could not figure out what are they thinking. Both Alena and Ryan know that they find each other attractive and can spend time with each other without feeling forced and/or bored. What else would one need to give things a try? I find it smart from both of them that they try to take time to figure out if they really want to be with each other. However they keep complicating things by not actually doing it.

Most of the relationships in this book are like a dream come true. It was really very relaxing to read.

[Tina Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC for my honest Review.

I must say this book is written very nicely. It was a quick read and it didn’t have much back and forth drama. The main characters and their families are very likable and nice. Ryan is the most perfect Gentleman from the very beginning and makes the reader really fall in love with his charm. Alina is a guarded but learns to open her heart after getting it stomped on multiple times. Alina and Ryan have a happy story with the only drama create by their exes. They have great chemistry and have cute personalities. I am thrilled they got their Happily Ever After.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to read this book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story by a new Author to me. once I started reading I was not putting the book down. Alina Lyons boyfriend Drew just broke up with her, and her best friend Victoria just broke up with her boyfriend Ryan Wilcox. When Ryan and Alina talk to each other they think the same thing, and are proven correct. I enjoyed seeing Ryan and Alina's story come together,even with the lies Alina is told by someone. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.