Not Enough: Is love ever enough?

by Nikole Bloom

I am the self-proclaimed queen of abstinence.

After a failed engagement and years of being told I am not enough, I have given up on love. I am content in my life. I have a great job. I have a supportive family I have built over the years. My life is not exciting, but it is the life I have chosen.

That is until I inadvertently walked into Austin Black’s life. Austin is as beautiful as he is endearing and with a single plea for friendship, he pulls me in. He is an All-Pro quarterback and has women falling at his feet, yet he opts for my friendship in hopes it will lead to more.

I refuse to give him what he wants, but as our friendship deepens my resolve begins to weaken. Willing to take whatever I can offer Austin stands by my side seemingly content as friends.

Austin and I find a groove in life that works until the proverbial line is crossed. I quickly realize I have to face my past if I have any hope for a future with the only man to make me dream of one.

Is it possible to date someone without realizing you are in a relationship? Can Austin be the one to melt the fortress around my heart? Will it matter if he does? In my experience, love has never been enough.

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

I am the woman you see daily. There is no flash and no telltale signs I aspire to write the next great romance novel. My laptop serves as my creative outlet. In October of 2014, I decided to try my hand at writing my first romance novel. Nine months later Not Enough was born.

I live in north Texas with my husband, five-year-old son, and three rescue dogs. I spend my days working a full-time office job and evenings tending to my children (yes that includes the three fur babies and my husband). I write when I can find time in my increasingly busy life.

Reviews

[Nicole Dykes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining and real book. I loved every minute of it. When Rylee was left at the alter you could truly feel her pain. It made me want her to get her happy ending so bad from the very start of the book.

She was such a strong character and I loved it.

LOVED LOVED LOVED Austin! Wow! He was a wonderful man and their relationship was intoxicating.

I also have to mention Rylee's family. I loved how sweet they were. Family is so important to me so reading about hers made me feel happy and glad that she had them.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series! Keep up the amazing work. This book was well written and addictive. I would recommend to anyone who doesn't mind a cliffhanger at the end.

[J.A. Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens with Rylee being jilted just before her wedding. She buries her heartache in work and prefers to be alone but when an new neighbours arrives and a chance encounter with Austen Black brings them together, everything changes. Austin is kind and patient. Rylee is damaged goods but together they find a way to heal her pain. Good characters and storyline with lots of twists and turns.
Suspense builds throughout the story and reaches a climax, but ends in a cliffhanger...very unusual. Hopefully book 2 is coming soon.

[Uma · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me say that I thought I would be skimming through the pages just to get to the plot. How wrong was I! From beginning to the end, every page managed to hold my attention.

Errors aside, which can easily be rectified, I found the pace quick and entertaining. Ryle only annoyed me whenever she assumed things weren't going to go well with Austin. Other than that, I found her to be an independent and strong woman.

Before I get to Austin, let me write a few things about Jeremy's character. I envy the bond he shares with Rylee. At times, I found myself wishing for an older brother just like him! They are just so close. My only problem was I didn't understand how they got to be that close cause it felt creepy at times. Don't hate me! I just like to know how people, even siblings can be that close, you know. Maybe if there was an explanation as to why their parents treated them cruelly, and how they grew to depend on each other was stated, it would have made sense. Other than that, I still wish I had a brother like him :-)

Austin on the there hand, was just too good. Yeah, we all fall in love with book characters because they are just that. Everything we want and dream of. I could not find any fault with him. I mean, he loves dogs! What more can a girl ask for? :-)

Bode, oh Bode! I liked his character and felt a little sorry for him. But I'm not too sure I trust him, yet. I don't want to say why and give away the plot.

To sum things up, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Yes, it hangs with a cliffhanger that left me wanting more but the series seems promising. And I wish to thank the author for inserting the prologue to the second book. I was dying to know what happened to you know who :-)

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rylee was set to marry Ryan. Two days before the wedding he disappeared with only a note saying he meet and fell in love with someone else. Even going as far as to taking her wedding dress for his new bride. Three years and a move to Boston and Rylee still hasn't trusted another man. She spends all her time at work, the gym or with her brother Jeremy (J) and best friend Brodie. Meeting Austin when her dog escapes her. She feels an attraction to him but won't go any farther then friendship. Austin will take her anyway she is willing. He wants so much more. He won't rush her.

Loved the characters. J and Brodie were a little over protective. Yet you can see where they are coming from. Austin is great. Rylee is the only one for him, yet he doesn't push her past the friendship mode. At least until she is ready. When Rylee decides to take that step and get some closure with what happened with Rylee. All bets are off. It is at that point in the story that the suspense kicks in. Things start to heat up and at the same time takes a turn you don't see coming. I honestly would have given this book 5 stars. Until it left me hanging with a major cliffhanger while in the mist of crying. Cliffhangers aren't my favorite things, but when you leave me bawling it really upsets me. Especially when the next book isn't out. Up into that point fantastic read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Ian Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of Not Enough in an exchange for an honest review.
Not Enough starts with Rylee trying to cope with being jilted by her fiancé at the last minute wedding dinner rehearsal. The reader is swept up and encapsulated in the inner most thoughts of a shattered Rylee as she struggles with her emotions. You experience all her ups and downs, her hopes and her fears. A chance meeting introduces Rylee to the drop dead gorgeous quarter back Austin Black but her fear of another failed romance needs to be conquered if this romance is to bloom.
What starts as a simple storyline gathers pace and complications towards the end of the novel. Questions are asked, unexplained events are happening. Fear and apprehensions are raised to critical levels. The solution - read the next novel.
At times I would have liked to have grabbed the insecure Rylee, given her a good shake and scream at her 'just say yes.' Not Enough is an emotional roller coaster and sure to be enjoyed by a lover of romance novels.

[Martin Perks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rylee has it all, a good job, a man in Ryan who she loves, and a supportive family who she is very close too. When Ryan lets her down before the wedding, telling her she’s met someone else, the bottom drops out of her world. She vows never to trust a man again, and buries herself in her work. Three years later, she meets Austin, but though they become friendly, she resists his advances. There is a will she won’t scenario, and then the book takes a very unexpected turn that I didn’t see coming. It’s this that makes the book, but the ending left me wanting more (the next book actually).
A very good rom book that has great character development and zips along at a fair pace. Looking forward to the next instalment.

[Marco Marek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Not Enough was the usual romance book, instead it turn out a good surprise!
Rylee was dropped by her fiancee and future husband, before wedding and that was a shock for her. She moved to Boston for restart her life, and just there she met Austin and fall in love with him.
It deserved to be read absolutely because the story is interesting and there are events unexpected that push the reader to keep reading it, over than a couple of "sexy" chapters that i didn't expect to find it ! Very good book and very well written, i 'm now curious to read book 2 !

[Stefany Rattles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would actually give this book 4.7 stars.

It was intense. What Rylee went through with Ryan and how it turned out sucked. I felt for her.
After that as time passed she had become wary of men. But who could blame her? Surrounded by her friends and brother, she keeps busy.
Then enter, Austin who I automatically like of course. It takes time but slowly he breaks down her walls.
The story definitely picks up and has twists. The only thing is that the ending leaves you wanting more! But I wouldn't necessarily say that's a bad thing.

When's the sequel coming?

[Pearson Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Title: Not Enough
Author: Nikole Bloom
Genre: Romance
Rating: 1 star

Not Enough tells the story of a young woman meeting the perfect man. Kind, generous, with perfectly sculpted muscles, Austin Black could have been the subject of an interesting story. Instead, Not Enough is marred by the highest frequency of basic technical writing errors I have found in any self-published novel. Errors in grammar, usage, verb tense, syntax, and punctuation occur on every page, and usually several times on a single page. Worse, the novel contains stilted language, single-dimensional characters, and worn storytelling tropes. I do not recommend this novel.

Not Enough is the kind of novel I dismissed without comment when I was reviewing for a major review site. Poorly written, it simply isn't worth any reader's time. I hate to be so blunt. But examples drawn from the novel itself will indicate the extent of the problem.

Some errors were so obvious I will attribute them to complete lack of editing. Early on, for instance, we find person and number mismatch between verb and pronoun: "With a nod of his head, he agrees and slowly makes our way through the house." (Location 108) A few pages later we have this one, probably a proofreading error: "I know it boasts and impressive five bedrooms." (Location 177)

But some errors were just plain confusing. Here's one that took me several readings and more than a few seconds to figure out: "Dang it Boss, you no better than that, bad dog." (Location 197) At first I thought maybe it was some variant of Ebonics, perhaps translated to something like 'Dang it, Boss, you're no better than that.' But that didn't make as much sense as 'Dang it, Boss, you KNOW better than that,' and this was the translation I went with as I continued reading. Here is the way I might render the statement: "Dang it, Boss, you know better than that. Bad dog." I inserted the vocative comma before Boss since the speaker is addressing Boss directly, and I made 'Bad dog' a separate sentence, which seems to fit better than including it as a clause in the first sentence.

Unrelated sentences were confused with speech tags. For example: "Well that makes sense, 'Thank you that was very thoughtful.'" In this example, 'Well that makes sense' was probably intended as an internal thought of the speaker, but the statement seemed to be used as a speech marker ('she said', 'he yelled', 'the woman sang', etc.), but 'Well that makes sense' does not describe an action related to speech, is not a speech marker, and therefore cannot be part of the sentence. Also, 'Thank you' and 'that was very thoughtful' are really two separate ideas. Here is one way of rendering the three statements: "Well that makes sense, she thought to herself. 'Thank you. That was very thoughtful.'"

Not Enough was rendered mostly in present tense, which is usually a difficult tense for readers. I have to say I found this aspect of the novel easy to deal with, but I also found relatively frequent verb tense errors, unfortunately common in unedited present-tense novels. Here's an example from near the end of the book: "I am so relieved that J will be here soon I almost forgot to thank Gabe." An argument might be made for retaining the second verb (forgot) in simple past, but context, continuity, and reader understanding almost require present tense: "I'm so relieved J will be here soon I almost forget to thank Gabe."

Commas appeared where they had no business, and disappeared when they became crucial to understanding. Here are two cases of erroneously inserted commas: "So here, I am at 6 a.m. dropping him off." (Location 2328) "If they only knew how much trouble, J and Bode can be." (Location 1711)

One chapter began with this confusing statement containing misplaced commas: "The charity event, Austin and I are attending tonight, will be a test." (Location 455) Just two paragraphs later, though, a comma goes missing, making the sentence almost impossible to understand: "I walk into Fique's a high-end clothing store to pick up my dress for tonight and the only person in fashion I can tolerate, Gabe, greets me." (Location 460)

Word usage was often incorrect. For instance, after a long speech in which the main character provided a passionate laundry list of her family's failings, the character noted "Shock fills the air around us after my omission." (Location 1140) Well, after the very long of sins, I wasn't aware of any particular omission. It struck me that the word 'omission' was out of place. Probably the intention was to use the verb 'admission' or 'confession', as in 'admission of sins', or 'confession of failings'. The word 'omission' simply didn't work in context.

Dialog was unnaturally stilted. I don't think I read a single instance of a character saying anything like 'I'm going home.' Such statements in dialog were invariably rendered without contraction: "I am going home." Even when characters were distraught, when fast action was required, uncontracted statements remained: "She is unconscious for God's sake." (Location 1145)

I received a free copy of Not Enough in exchange for an honest review.

1 star.

[Kari Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent story that has a lot going on.
I may not have been hooked from the beginning, however, I found merit in the telling of Rylee and Austin’s love story.
I was heartbroken that Ryan, Rylee’s fiancé left her basically at the altar, with only a Dear John note-shameful. It was extremely painful and I can in no way tell anyone how long it should take for them to get over something as hurtful as that… BUT, 3 years is a long time, especially when you are young.
Rylee did not date anyone for 3 long years and then comes Austin to capture her heart.
It was all so cute with him being a MVP Superbowl winning football Quarterback. I could see how he might want a girl who was different from the hard, brazen women that he had to come in contact with on a daily basis. Rylee was definitely different. She cried – a lot. Fainted – a lot and didn’t have it in her to love because she was broken. Men love to be the hero and fix women… save the day like superman. I suppose that was Austin.
Austin was definitely superman. He played football and had chicks thrown at him on a constant basis, but he stayed faithful to Rylee for months while sleeping in her bed, without even a kiss or any notion as to if she would ever come around. She friend zoned him out the gate.
To tell truth, it was a sweet gesture of love that he showed for her to wait for her. I would have enjoyed seeing their relationship blossom in that regard as having to deal with staving off the desire and just grow the friendship, but that was skipped and we, as readers are left with Rylee and Austin’s first date night after really no care to their relationship. We have a first kiss with little more than an ‘I asked you out on a first date after knowing you for 2 hours kind of knowledge into their relationship.’
I love what was written about their love story. (And I stress was- because there were jumps) It was heartfelt what I learned about the two of them. I did love the story that I received. I just felt there were holes.
My biggest hole was when Austin’s mom says something about what Austin did and it is just skipped over. I can put it off to Austin’s mom being a religious-Jim Jones-totally- drinking all of the kool-aid-freak, but WTF! That must be in book 2. Then there is The ENDING.
I rolled my eyes throughout the book, but mostly because Rylee did things that I wouldn’t. That was understandable because it was Rylee’s story and not mine, but the ending was too much for me. I hope that things turn out okay, but no matter what, I can’t see a happy ending for Austin and Rylee with the way that things are now.
I hate how this whole turn of events is being played out. I don’t need a happy ending, but messing up other people’s lives for your happy ending is sad. I hated how Rylee pimped girls for her brother and his friend, knowing she wouldn’t like it if someone told her to meet some guy for a hook up and to be the distraction to get what they wanted. (I wished she would have stayed true to her character.) Then Rylee had the audacity to be angry and high and mighty over someone that loved her wanting to be with her throughout horrible circumstances outside of their control.
The story has me interested, and I think that means hooked. On to book 2.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Enough: Is Love Ever Enough is book one in the Enough series by Nikole Bloom. The book is one you cannot put down. Nikole pulls you into the action and refuses to let you go. The characters are very realistic and well-developed. While you think the plot is predictable, it definitely is not. The setting is in Houston and then Boston.
Rylee Ash was running a little late for her rehearsal dinner; but she knew Ryan David would be waiting for her outside the restaurant. She could not wait to marry him. Outside the restaurant, she saw her brother, Jeremy, and his best friends Eric and Bode waiting on her. They had the unfortunate task of telling her that the rehearsal dinner had been cancelled. She rushed back home with her brothers (Eric and Bode were as much her brothers as Jeremy) only to find a note from Ryan breaking up with her because it “was not enough for him”. She had been rejected again! Before it was her parents who said she and Jeremy were “not enough for”, now Ryan. To top it off, he had taken all of the wedding decorations to use at his marriage to Camille- even her wedding dress! She was devastated. She moved back to Boston and three years later had her own sports management company and her own house. She just didn’t have a boyfriend and didn’t trust anyone enough to have one.
She took her Great Dane, Boss, for a walk to the beach before getting ready for work. On her way back, Boss took off after a cat, knocking her down and pulling the leash from her hand. Despite bleeding knees, she ran after him calling for him to stop. She finally found him at a house down the street from her where new people were moving in. The owner had Boss in hand and when he turned to her, she was surprised to find he was Austin Black. Austin was the reigning Super Bowl MVP and leading passer in the NFL. He was also gorgeous. He insisted he clean up her bleeding knees and take care of her. She was in a daze as she let him care for her. She was putty in his hands from the start and he was totally into her from the start as well.
Can she shake off the past and be confident enough to have Austin for a boyfriend? Can she trust him not to hurt her later? Will she let down her shield and let him in?

[Darrell Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good as a stand alone, the series has a lot of promise.
This book was a breeze to read. Something I think is important for a romance novel. There was major character development throughout, also something I feel is important in this type of novel. You could empathize with the character's feelings and actions, given her past, even if you didn't agree.
I'm not of fan of "pure" romance novels, but I was ready to give this one a five star, except for a few concerns.
For siblings, Rylee and her brother J, that have been told by their parents, they aren't good enough, they sure have done a lot. She has her own Sport's Law agency, and J is in the NFL. I know that's typical of romance novels, having the major characters being super successful, but I feel if it started with those two a little lower on the success latter and having Austin come into their lives boosted their self esteem enough to shoot higher, it would lift this novel up.
So I'm taking half a star off for something that is a problem in too many romance novels. It's probably not fair, but four and a half is good.
I have to take a full star off for the ending. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers for book endings in general, but they can be done right. Unfortunately, in contrast to the rest of the book, this one was awkward.
Finally, I have to take a quarter star off for Austin. He was too perfect and patient, until near the end. I can tell the author has a conflicted character underneath that gentle soothing NFL player's skin, but it wasn't hinted at until the last few chapters. I'm sure she will let us see this in latter books, but some hinting and teasing in this one would go a long way.
As a stand alone, I can only give it a three. As a series, it holds a lot of promise.

[Kshitij · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rylee is looking forward to her wedding when she comes to know that her boyfriend, Ryan has dumped her for some other woman. He doesn’t even show the decency to do it face to face; so he leaves a letter, saying this is the best for both.
Ry is well in shock but she does well to keep her gloominess to herself, yet the doubt that she would never be enough for anyone planted deep in her mind. Then she meets Austin, the celebrity quarter back. They came close to each other. Haunted by her past, Ry is afraid to commit to Austin, but we see how Austin does everything to win her love.
Another main character is Rylee’s brother Jeremy, who is more like a best friend to her. They make amazing siblings, so close and honest to each other. This is a nice romantic story although it needs polishing on several levels. There are missing words and wrong words, and they are very frequent and distracting. The main character, though adorable, is weak and confused and keeps on complicating things. She is a grown up woman and I wanted her to be more decisive. But then there is a background story of hers that suggests why she acted irrationally on several occasions, for instance going back and confronting her ex after three years when the true love is knocking continuously at her door.
The story is written in present tense, which is interesting because it adds an element of realism to the story. The characters are too good to believe. Austin is a perfect boyfriend and Jeremy is a great brother. I am not sure about ending. It was more an attempt to hook the readers to the next in series. It’s not even an ending, and honestly I’m not a big fan of cliff-hangers of such kinds.
Considering this is author’s first work, I can expect the series to get better with the subsequent installments.

[Michael Aloysius O'Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the plotting in this always-Splenda-light romantic entertainment. The protagonist is dumped by letter the night before she is to wed the lover of the life. She becomes a Boston-based sports agent (though we never see her actually work). She and her brother never got enough from their parents (though we never see this.)The first person narrative may well have been better served with a third person omniscient. Or even a spec soap opera series written as teleplay.
There are little inaccuracies. A great charity event at a Copley Square hotel serves up crab in both of the first courses. (Wouldn’t happen) The protagonist meets the Super Bowl mvp and it’s love at first sight. But this hunk of testosterone will not stoop to intercourse until invited—though they share the same bed weekends at her condo. We never see any football—a missed opportunity?
She suddenly departs forto a fantastic A frame that somehow has rectangular windows. Her kid brother (without any boundaries apparently can crash from New York at any time without notice and bring a dumb blond with) is a as flat and monochromatic as the other characters.
The protagonist’s fear of attachment is real--it’s just not that dramatic. Information never rises to art.
The couple is well designed to draw a mass audience ready to be titillated. But the overcoming of the fear of attachment is accomplished by telling off the lover who ditched her. But blackness is lurking!
My score represents more lost opportunities than fatal flaws. Final disappointment: the ending is no end at all—for not until then do I learn that I have just read part of a trilogy, not a complete story.

[Lisa Karlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a breezy read, and one in which I felt the author was talking to me, rather than me reading words on a page. It’s written in the present tense and I felt like I was right there with Rylee as the events unfolded. The writing is snappy and kept my attention, so much so that I read for over an hour in one stretch but it felt like ten minutes. The story begins when Rylee has been dumped, just before her wedding, and flash forwards to three years later when she meets Austin, an NFL player who has moved into her neighborhood. A self-proclaimed “ice queen of abstinence,” Rylee rebuffs Austin’s advances, but realizes over time that Austin “has the power to melt her fortress.” This could have been a typical “girl meets boy” story but it’s not. There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Rylee discovers a gorgeous blonde wrapped in Austin’s arms, and later opens a drawer of her desk at work to find photographs of her and Austin—with Austin’s face marked out or scratched over. All of the supporting characters (e.g. Jeremy, Bode) have depth and support the story line. The clever banter among the characters in the book is both believable and entertaining, and by the end of the book, the reader truly cares about these people. Which is why the ending, which I will not give away here, comes as such as surprise. Like the other reviewers who have said this, I too cannot wait for the next book in this series! I rate it 4.5 stars!

This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest and non-reciprocal review.

[Richard Nurse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review & Rating 4.5 Stars
Not Enough
(Is Love Every Enough?)

By Nikole Bloom

“Not Enough, is Love ever Enough?” by Nikole Bloom grabbed my interest and then my heart as I sat and read this book from cover to cover this afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster ride of emotions of both Rylee and Austin experience, from their first meeting until the word is finally spoken. Add in the total trust and love between Rylee, her brother J, and their lifelong friend Bode, and I found myself wanting to tell Rylee to trust her heart.

Beautifully written, and a joy to read, my only read for not giving this book a 5 star rating, is her choice of continuing the story beyond the last text message… I will not give away the ending, or give the exact location I am referring. However, if the author Nikole Bloom already knew that this was going to be the first book of a two-book story, I know that this reader would have had a warmer feeling within me at the end of the first story. I would still be interested enough to read the second book of the series.

I receive a copy of this book for me to a review of it. This book; was read and reviewed as part of a formal review group within Goodreads. There are no reciprocal reviews within the group.

[Sasha Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rylee Ash is a girl with a past. She has been scarred and hurt by a lover who discarded her. Can confronting her ex lover free her of her pain? Can she ever love again? Despite strong support from her brother J, his best friend Bode and her dog Boss, Rylee's new life in Boston is interesting, but not exciting. That is until All American quarterback and sexy good guy Austin Black appears. Can she lower her guard? Will she trust again? If so, what are the consequences?

I loved every minute of this romance and was pleasantly surprised at the intensity of the intimacy between the leading characters. Rylee is a complex soul, but one we all can identify with. The dynamic between her and the men in her life keeps the pages turning with eager anticipation of what lies beyond. Speaking of beyond, the cliffhanger ending left me hanging on the edge until Fall, when the next instalment in the lives of Rylee Ash and Austin Black comes to fruition. I gave this read 4.5 Stars and would recommend it to anyone who has lived and loved!
Is love enough?

[S.J. Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Rylee is stood up by her fiancé Ryan she swears off romance. I guess when your parents tell you that you aren’t good enough and then your fiancé does the same, it’s kind of tough to put yourself back out there.

Then Rylee meets Austin Black, a popular football star who she is immediately attracted to. We read that over a span of about six weeks Rylee and Austin become close friends but Austin wants more from Rylee. Something she can’t give. It would have been nice to see more of the developing friendship, see how it grows into something more but the story skips through all that.
A kiss changes all and Rylee has a tough decision to make so she goes away for a few days. I don’t want to give away any spoilers here so I won’t say too much. I will say that I suspect two people for her stalker and can’t believe she didn’t tell the cops about her ex.

The ending is an absolute shocker, one that makes you want to immediately start book 2. Thank goodness for the prologue.

An enjoyable, quick and easy read.

[Suzanne Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Enough: Is love ever enough? I really liked the pace of the opening and it drew me into the story from the start. Rylee is a strong complex character who doesn't let her guard down easily. She has a close relationship with her brother Jeremy. We also learn his friends are also her best friends and they are very protective over her. She isn't looking for love or a relationship until she meets Austin. Football superstar Austin is an all-round nice guy with a few hidden secrets of his own that are slowly revealed throughout the story adding a layer of mystery to him.

Not Enough... is book 1in the Enough Series. Misunderstandings, twists and unexpected turns set the scene for a much anticipated book 2. It does end of a cliff-hanger (although Nikole has added a little preview to book 2).

All up an enjoyable read that at times had me anxiously turning the page to find out what was happening next. 4 stars.

[T.L. Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *

I will start by saying I really like the storyline.
It took me a while to like Rylee, as it took time for her character to really show. Maybe this would've been helped if we'd gone through her initial struggle when she was dumped?
I would really have liked to have gone through some of those six years, to learn more about her as she tried to pick up the pieces of her life.
This would also help expand the book a bit; it really is quite short.

This book could do with a really good polishing edit, to be honest.
But it's worth doing as the story's there, and I did get to like the characters.
The plot flowed nicely, and has plenty of dramatic moments.

Overall, a good book which after an edit would get at least one extra star from me.

[Sara Claridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story that had me smiling and crying throughout. After being jilted days before the wedding (the letter he leaves and his actions will make you want to hunt the guy down for her) Rylee swears off men until a few years later she meets Austin.

I liked Austin, he has a few issues of his own that you know a little about but not the whole story. He works hard to win Rylee’s trust without fully understanding why she’s like it and that made me like him all the more. Although a strong character, I really felt for Rylee confronting and overcoming her fears and it had me rooting for her throughout the book.

The suspense builds throughout the story and reaches a dramatic climax, but remains unresolved at the end. My only complaint is I have to wait for the second book.

[Jennifer Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new to me author and had no expectations going in. The book itself was a good, simple read with enough information to understand it but not enough for me to get all the "feels" I like when reading.
Both characters were well written and has some mystery to them.

Rylee has grown men for best friends, so you know that is never easy on getting near a woman. But Austin doesn't let that get in his way. He is determined to chip away at Rylee and chip away he does.

I enjoyed these two and liked where the story was going. It does end in a cliffhanger so be prepared for that. But the story itself is a good read.

[Chris Douthit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rylee Ash is used to men not appreciating her, but being left at the altar is just about the worst thing that can happen to any excited bride. It is no wonder that Rylee is now scared of relationships and what her future holds.

However, when you least expect it is when someone great comes into your life. This is when Austin enters the picture. Rylee is a little stand offish, but Austin's patience and where it goes from there is quite exciting.

I was very captivated by this story and found myself wanting to know what happened next as I turned each page. Very good read!

[Melody Jerva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steamy and fun. Rylee was strong when she needed to be and weak when things spun out of control. I loved Austin and J. Rylee's fear of commitment made her real and the mysterious twist that came about was well done. There is some stilted dialogue but it didn't distract much from the story. This was a good read. The ending left me wanting more. Is the next book in the series complete? I want to read it to see what happens!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

[Ica Iova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only days before her wedding, Rylee’s fiancée left her a note saying he met and fell in love with someone else. Scarred and hurt she vows to never allow anyone to hurt her ever again. Three years later and she is still standing by her pledge. Then she meets sexy quarterback Austin Black and the rest is history…until we get to the next turn.

I enjoyed the book, it’s well written and keeps you turning pages.

[Ravenna Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It was incredibly unique, and I had a difficult time putting it down...I really couldn't wait to find out how the stalker thing would play out and I love a good cliffhanger ending. It keeps me wanting more and i will most likely read the next book in the series just to follow the story.