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Jake #1
Jake Undone
Nina Kennedy is alive…but not living…until she meets him.
Planes, trains, heights…you name it, Nina is afraid of it and leads a sheltered life ruled by irrational fears and phobias. When she moves to Brooklyn for nursing school, that life is turned upside down as she develops an intense but unwanted attraction to her gorgeous roommate, who's pierced and tattooed and just happens to be the smartest person she's ever met.
Behind Jake Green's rough exterior and devilish smile lies a heart of gold. He makes it his mission to change Nina's outlook on life. When he agrees to tutor her, they forge a bet, and the stakes are high as Jake forces Nina to face her demons. He just wasn't expecting to fall hard for her in the process.
What Nina doesn't realize is that Jake has been living his own private hell. Once he drops a bombshell, will their love survive it?
Told in two parts from both Nina and Jake's points of view, Jake Undone is a standalone story and a companion to the novel Gemini.
Author's note: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Planes, trains, heights…you name it, Nina is afraid of it and leads a sheltered life ruled by irrational fears and phobias. When she moves to Brooklyn for nursing school, that life is turned upside down as she develops an intense but unwanted attraction to her gorgeous roommate, who's pierced and tattooed and just happens to be the smartest person she's ever met.
Behind Jake Green's rough exterior and devilish smile lies a heart of gold. He makes it his mission to change Nina's outlook on life. When he agrees to tutor her, they forge a bet, and the stakes are high as Jake forces Nina to face her demons. He just wasn't expecting to fall hard for her in the process.
What Nina doesn't realize is that Jake has been living his own private hell. Once he drops a bombshell, will their love survive it?
Told in two parts from both Nina and Jake's points of view, Jake Undone is a standalone story and a companion to the novel Gemini.
Author's note: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
MP3 CD
First published October 21, 2013
965 people are currently reading
13004 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Ward
108 books25.7k followersPenelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty novels.
In 2014, Penelope’s fourth book, Stepbrother Dearest, became the #1 bestselling independently published Kindle ebook of the year on Amazon.com and was credited with igniting an entirely new subgenre of romance. Her 2016 smash hit RoomHate debuted at #2 on The New York Times Bestseller list. Penelope is an Audie Award Winner and three-time Goodreads Choice Romance of the Year Nominee. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review).
Penelope’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
She can often be found chatting live with her readers in her private Facebook group, Penelope’s Peeps.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty novels.
In 2014, Penelope’s fourth book, Stepbrother Dearest, became the #1 bestselling independently published Kindle ebook of the year on Amazon.com and was credited with igniting an entirely new subgenre of romance. Her 2016 smash hit RoomHate debuted at #2 on The New York Times Bestseller list. Penelope is an Audie Award Winner and three-time Goodreads Choice Romance of the Year Nominee. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review).
Penelope’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
She can often be found chatting live with her readers in her private Facebook group, Penelope’s Peeps.
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February 7, 2017
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
'Jake Undone' is one of those books that I've had sitting on my Audible shelf for quite some time, but never got around to listening to. After finishing a couple of great dark books, I was looking for something a little "lighter". While this book ended up having some pretty emotional twists, it certainly was uplifting enough to balance out some of my recent dark, gory reads.
Admittedly, I was a little worried that I wouldn't like it since my tastes have changed a bit. Lately, I'm finding that many of the college-aged, YA-type books just aren't doing it for me. I was worried that this book would be one of those irritatingly immature romances that have started to lose their appeal for me. Luckily, 'Jake Undone' ended up being just right.
Nina Kennedy meets Jake Green when she moves into the apartment that he shares with a childhood friend of hers. Only, when Nina shows up she gets more than she bargained for. What better way to meet your new roommate for the first time than to eavesdrop on his steamy one night stand, right? Talk about awkward.
As Nina struggles to adjust to life in a new city, Jake becomes her primary source of support and comfort. The two become fast friends and the sexual tension is thick between the two. Jake becomes her math tutor and a life coach of sorts, helping Nina conquer the irrational fears that plague her daily life.
Little by little, Nina comes out of her shell. Jake helps her to face her fears and she is able to make it through her days without suffering from crippling anxiety. The two are practically inseparable, with the exception of the weekends when Jake has to return back to his hometown of Boston.
Jake is standoffish at times and avoids taking his relationship with Nina to the next level. They want each other, but his repeated brush-offs leave Nina feeling unwanted. That couldn't be farther from the truth where Jake is concerned.
There is a huge part of Jake's life that he hasn't been upfront with Nina about. He doesn't know how to tell her everything. The longer he waits, the more he fears losing her and the harder it gets to explain why he hasn't already told her everything. Eventually, it all comes crashing down.
Even though I guessed the twist before it was revealed, it didn't make it any less emotional or upsetting. I felt Nina's pain. All the while, I felt Jake's also. It was so easy to understand and to relate to each of their viewpoints. I was angry. I was heartbroken. Yet, I also felt compassion for Jake while admiring his loyalty and strength.
This was not a couple that came across their HEA easily. They had to fight for it, but eventually persevered. Although this story was heartbreaking at times, it was beautiful and worth the pain. I am glad that I finally made it a point to listen to this one. Overall, it was a great choice.
'Jake Undone' is one of those books that I've had sitting on my Audible shelf for quite some time, but never got around to listening to. After finishing a couple of great dark books, I was looking for something a little "lighter". While this book ended up having some pretty emotional twists, it certainly was uplifting enough to balance out some of my recent dark, gory reads.
Admittedly, I was a little worried that I wouldn't like it since my tastes have changed a bit. Lately, I'm finding that many of the college-aged, YA-type books just aren't doing it for me. I was worried that this book would be one of those irritatingly immature romances that have started to lose their appeal for me. Luckily, 'Jake Undone' ended up being just right.
Nina Kennedy meets Jake Green when she moves into the apartment that he shares with a childhood friend of hers. Only, when Nina shows up she gets more than she bargained for. What better way to meet your new roommate for the first time than to eavesdrop on his steamy one night stand, right? Talk about awkward.
As Nina struggles to adjust to life in a new city, Jake becomes her primary source of support and comfort. The two become fast friends and the sexual tension is thick between the two. Jake becomes her math tutor and a life coach of sorts, helping Nina conquer the irrational fears that plague her daily life.
Little by little, Nina comes out of her shell. Jake helps her to face her fears and she is able to make it through her days without suffering from crippling anxiety. The two are practically inseparable, with the exception of the weekends when Jake has to return back to his hometown of Boston.
Jake is standoffish at times and avoids taking his relationship with Nina to the next level. They want each other, but his repeated brush-offs leave Nina feeling unwanted. That couldn't be farther from the truth where Jake is concerned.
There is a huge part of Jake's life that he hasn't been upfront with Nina about. He doesn't know how to tell her everything. The longer he waits, the more he fears losing her and the harder it gets to explain why he hasn't already told her everything. Eventually, it all comes crashing down.
Even though I guessed the twist before it was revealed, it didn't make it any less emotional or upsetting. I felt Nina's pain. All the while, I felt Jake's also. It was so easy to understand and to relate to each of their viewpoints. I was angry. I was heartbroken. Yet, I also felt compassion for Jake while admiring his loyalty and strength.
This was not a couple that came across their HEA easily. They had to fight for it, but eventually persevered. Although this story was heartbreaking at times, it was beautiful and worth the pain. I am glad that I finally made it a point to listen to this one. Overall, it was a great choice.
January 18, 2023
!!!!SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!!!!
A story about a man, his wife and the heroine:
A busy, busy hero.
He is a saviour of women:
His wife with her mental condition and the h with her anxiety issues.
This is his life's goal. Goals.
To his wife:
"Don't be scared, baby girl. I'm here."
To the heroine:
"I can handle suffering with you, baby. Isn't it how we started...my holding your hand through everything...?"
He calls them both "baby" throughout the book.
His wife is his: "baby girl"
The h is his: "baby"
Married to an institutionalized schizophrenic whom he struggles to divorce cos he loves her. Not as a wife or lover, although he spends a lot of his time commuting to visit her and looks after her financial and medical needs.
Gets involved with the h despite his marital status. She finds out (not via him) and is devastated.
During his relationship with the h, he gets drunk and allows an ow (not the wife) to take him home and almost have her way with him. Heroine walks in on a "situation" with them. She then leaves him.
After this he has near-sex with an ex. (Not the wife).
Near sex, cos just as he gets the condom ready he sees the h's bracelet and he is overcome with emotion: "sadness, guilt" mostly.
All through this he is obsessed with h.
Is desperate to marry her and make her his in that way.
Jealous and possessive. Violently so.
He loves her to bits and needs her presence in his life.
Travis style. (Well, Travis style, minus the wife he is determined to have a relationship with, for as long as he lives.)
In the meantime the tstl sweet h, who has her own demons......is maybe / maybe not having a miscarriage.
No, its placenta previa.
She soldiers on and when Jake gets a job offer, she moves away from her family to be with Jake and their baby. And closer to his wife.
One year later and Jake is still visiting his wife. (Now ex.)
Every Saturday.
He leaves right after breakfast and returns home in the evening.
Heroine deals. Because this is what she signed up for when she made a commitment to Jake.
She also deals with postpartum depression and everything that goes with this condition, incl lack of sex drive, poor self image, medication and therapy.
Unfortunately they don't go to therapy together nor do they communicate about her condition. Until the end.
The poor man must be thinking he is doomed to love women who have episodes of "normal" and "not so normal" behaviour:
Jake, to h: ".......I thought....that meant ....it was back again...." (Her depression, he means)
However, he sticks around because he does realise she is, as he says: "sick" and he loves her.
Unfortunately at one stage, I'm not too sure how much therapy has helped her understand her condition because despite weekly therapy sessions she feels he has: "every right to be angry" about the way she hasn't been able to feel desire or desirous. "Dont apologise for something I created.......I did that to you....I will never treat you like that again....", she tells him
Jake is also a crier. For her. For his wife.
Then the three of them live happily ever after.....
🚩Actually no, they don’t.🚩
He messes up for years until by the 10th year the h finally lets him know he just how badly he’s messed things up.
A story about a man, his wife and the heroine:
A busy, busy hero.
He is a saviour of women:
His wife with her mental condition and the h with her anxiety issues.
This is his life's goal. Goals.
To his wife:
"Don't be scared, baby girl. I'm here."
To the heroine:
"I can handle suffering with you, baby. Isn't it how we started...my holding your hand through everything...?"
He calls them both "baby" throughout the book.
His wife is his: "baby girl"
The h is his: "baby"
Married to an institutionalized schizophrenic whom he struggles to divorce cos he loves her. Not as a wife or lover, although he spends a lot of his time commuting to visit her and looks after her financial and medical needs.
Gets involved with the h despite his marital status. She finds out (not via him) and is devastated.
During his relationship with the h, he gets drunk and allows an ow (not the wife) to take him home and almost have her way with him. Heroine walks in on a "situation" with them. She then leaves him.
After this he has near-sex with an ex. (Not the wife).
Near sex, cos just as he gets the condom ready he sees the h's bracelet and he is overcome with emotion: "sadness, guilt" mostly.
All through this he is obsessed with h.
Is desperate to marry her and make her his in that way.
Jealous and possessive. Violently so.
He loves her to bits and needs her presence in his life.
Travis style. (Well, Travis style, minus the wife he is determined to have a relationship with, for as long as he lives.)
In the meantime the tstl sweet h, who has her own demons......is maybe / maybe not having a miscarriage.
No, its placenta previa.
She soldiers on and when Jake gets a job offer, she moves away from her family to be with Jake and their baby. And closer to his wife.
One year later and Jake is still visiting his wife. (Now ex.)
Every Saturday.
He leaves right after breakfast and returns home in the evening.
Heroine deals. Because this is what she signed up for when she made a commitment to Jake.
She also deals with postpartum depression and everything that goes with this condition, incl lack of sex drive, poor self image, medication and therapy.
Unfortunately they don't go to therapy together nor do they communicate about her condition. Until the end.
The poor man must be thinking he is doomed to love women who have episodes of "normal" and "not so normal" behaviour:
Jake, to h: ".......I thought....that meant ....it was back again...." (Her depression, he means)
However, he sticks around because he does realise she is, as he says: "sick" and he loves her.
Unfortunately at one stage, I'm not too sure how much therapy has helped her understand her condition because despite weekly therapy sessions she feels he has: "every right to be angry" about the way she hasn't been able to feel desire or desirous. "Dont apologise for something I created.......I did that to you....I will never treat you like that again....", she tells him
Jake is also a crier. For her. For his wife.
Then the three of them live happily ever after.....
🚩Actually no, they don’t.🚩
He messes up for years until by the 10th year the h finally lets him know he just how badly he’s messed things up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2016
"We were two fractured souls that fit together like the last two missing pieces in a "fucked up life" puzzle. When we were together, life finally made sense; it wasn't all work, obligation, guilt and fear. It was just amazing to be alive. She needed me to help her, but she didn't realize I needed her so much more."
4 Stars
Jake Undone was the second novel that I've read from Penelope Ward and I have to say that it's much better than the first book (a different novel) that I've read which was RoomHate. There was so much emotional depth here so I can say that giving her work another try was worth it.
The story started off when Nina Kennedy moved to New York to study nursing. In her apartment, she met the hot, tatted, and pierced engineer named Jake Green who's to become her roommate along with her childhood friend Ryan and his girlfriend Tarah. Jake was the kind of man who could easily attract women because of his notorious looks, his sense of humor, and of course, his wit and smartness-- which were the reasons why Nina was hooked. But Jake was one who hides secrets, goes to Boston every weekend without letting everyone know the reason. Soon Nina and Jake's friendship blossomed into love and no matter how hard Jake was trying to resist her, he fell for her. Things got complicated when his secrets were unveiled and their relationship was jeopardized.
I enjoyed almost everything in this book. And I meant, from 1-80%. It managed to swoon me and make me giggle and cry. But I have to be honest. The scenes from 81% onwards went somewhat downhill. It felt like the plot drastically changed in an opposing way because of how the main characters (Jake especially) acted and how they basically ruined their relationship because of their reckless acts and stupid decisions. Also there were too many twists which were kind of overdone.
But as I've said, I enjoyed almost everything in it. I felt connected to the characters and the story and I totally loved the romance and how the characters interacted. Also, their lines were romantic albeit sometimes cheesy. I also loved it when Jake purposely wrote poems for Nina. You see, he's one adorable sexy geek. PLUS POINTS to that! Plus, the first twist was a total winner! I didn't see it coming at all.
"You can choose right here and now to stay in the present and let go of the fear or you can choose to engage it."
I loved that the story also tackled difficult issues and mental health topics, giving us readers some semblance of reality. As a whole, it was an emotional, sexy New Adult romance read and despite some imperfections, I did not regret that I dived into it. :)
"Love has no conscience. It doesn't know right or wrong. It's a feeling you can't shake that penetrates your soul, and it cannot be broken."
December 18, 2014
4 Stars
I really enjoyed this story. Jake and Nina's love story was emotional and delightful to read. I ended this book with a happy heart and a smile.
I really enjoyed this story. Jake and Nina's love story was emotional and delightful to read. I ended this book with a happy heart and a smile.
October 9, 2021
Re read October 2021**
March 6, 2025
~ 2.0☆
October 25, 2013
Review also posted on my FB blog: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kitty-...
Meet Your Next Book Boyfriend Jake And Come Undone!!
The beginning of this book kind of confused me, first we encounter Jake running late for an exam, then he sees an attractive girl spinning round and round in the rain who he estimated her to be in her mid-teens, Walks over to her, introduces himself, she says her name and then the books skips to "Six Years Later" it's probably not until you hit over half way that it all becomes clear..
So we're six years later and we're introduced to Nina who will be co-sharing an apartment with 3 others, one is her childhood friend Ryan..One of his roommates had recently moved out so it was perfect for her and close to her classes..
Meet Troll aka Nina
Nina has a few hang ups to say the least, which stems back to a childhood incident, what you'd term irrational fears which had started to take over her life, to the point where she wouldn't leave the house..
e.g. For instance instead of taking a plane she'll take the bus, or the stairs instead of the elevator etc etc
Then we're given the pleasure of meeting Jake, I can honestly say I came undone!! Hot damn!!In Nina's words he was freaking beautiful!!
He had a brow ring, and a bottom lip ring, green eyes, and short dark hair, he was like a black cat - gorgeous but very likely bad luck if it crossed your path..
JAKE:
We learn that Nina fails dismally at maths and has to seek help from Jake who jumps at the chance to tutor her, this is where it starts to pick up and becomes interesting..
Jake also comes up with a genius master plan that if she gets below an "A" then there will be consequences in the form of facing her fears head on, one fear at a time..
There were so many elements to this story, and it just showed with a little patience and a lot of love you can work through anything..Loved this book!!
Did I say before that I loved Jake?? If you read this, take note of "Bats" Yep I said :"Bats" and I'm not going to say any more on the subject, guess you'll have to read it to understand what I mean!! But this is when I claimed Jake as my book boyfriend..
Your heart will just melt reading this!! Guarantee it!!
Meet Your Next Book Boyfriend Jake And Come Undone!!
The beginning of this book kind of confused me, first we encounter Jake running late for an exam, then he sees an attractive girl spinning round and round in the rain who he estimated her to be in her mid-teens, Walks over to her, introduces himself, she says her name and then the books skips to "Six Years Later" it's probably not until you hit over half way that it all becomes clear..
So we're six years later and we're introduced to Nina who will be co-sharing an apartment with 3 others, one is her childhood friend Ryan..One of his roommates had recently moved out so it was perfect for her and close to her classes..
Meet Troll aka Nina
Nina has a few hang ups to say the least, which stems back to a childhood incident, what you'd term irrational fears which had started to take over her life, to the point where she wouldn't leave the house..
e.g. For instance instead of taking a plane she'll take the bus, or the stairs instead of the elevator etc etc
Then we're given the pleasure of meeting Jake, I can honestly say I came undone!! Hot damn!!In Nina's words he was freaking beautiful!!
He had a brow ring, and a bottom lip ring, green eyes, and short dark hair, he was like a black cat - gorgeous but very likely bad luck if it crossed your path..
JAKE:
We learn that Nina fails dismally at maths and has to seek help from Jake who jumps at the chance to tutor her, this is where it starts to pick up and becomes interesting..
Jake also comes up with a genius master plan that if she gets below an "A" then there will be consequences in the form of facing her fears head on, one fear at a time..
There were so many elements to this story, and it just showed with a little patience and a lot of love you can work through anything..Loved this book!!
Did I say before that I loved Jake?? If you read this, take note of "Bats" Yep I said :"Bats" and I'm not going to say any more on the subject, guess you'll have to read it to understand what I mean!! But this is when I claimed Jake as my book boyfriend..
Your heart will just melt reading this!! Guarantee it!!
April 11, 2015
I won't do a full review for this book since there are a lot of great reviews, both positive and negative, already out there. But let me just say how much this book surprised me. The two books I've read from this author felt flat for me and I wasn't planning on reading anymore from her but someone I know recommended this book and I was like, "What the heck! Why not?"
Welp! I'm glad I tried Penelope Ward again because this one was a winner. I loved the build up of their relationship. The whole "the will they or won't they" atmosphere was very strong in this book. You know the characters are into each other but they can't or won't because something or someone is stopping them from pursuing a relationship. I simply adored Jake and Nina together. Their chemistry and banter was awesome.
I wish I could give it 5 stars all the way but frankly, the drama in the end was a bit of a let down. I had no problem with the secret Jake was hiding. I knew there's another book coming, which might explain a bit more about it. I did have a problem when
Welp! I'm glad I tried Penelope Ward again because this one was a winner. I loved the build up of their relationship. The whole "the will they or won't they" atmosphere was very strong in this book. You know the characters are into each other but they can't or won't because something or someone is stopping them from pursuing a relationship. I simply adored Jake and Nina together. Their chemistry and banter was awesome.
I wish I could give it 5 stars all the way but frankly, the drama in the end was a bit of a let down. I had no problem with the secret Jake was hiding. I knew there's another book coming, which might explain a bit more about it. I did have a problem when
February 5, 2017
At one point, this was my legit reaction:
I tried. I really did...but, in the end, it was all a bunch of bullshit.
Sorry, Pea ♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
October 24, 2013
3.5 Stars!
I've been wavering back and forth on my rating for this one. There were definitely things I liked and but there were also things I didn't like.
I read Gemini by this author and it seems like her "thing" is to draw out the twist until almost the end of the book. She strings you along making you wonder what the twist is and then BAM throws it down.
In most cases, I think that is a plus as it keeps the reader interested and wanting to know more. However, in this case I thought it took too long to get to the twist. The first 60% of the book was a little on the slow side for me. I had trouble connecting with the MCs.
The story is told in alternating POVs; however, the first 60% is told in Nina (the heroine's) POV and then we get 25-30% in Jake's POV and then it alternates back and forth for the remainder of the book.
The story begins with Nina moving to NY to go to nursing school. She has several anxiety related phobias. Jake is one of Nina's roomates. He's tatted, mysterious, smart. Because Nina stuggles in Math, Jake starts to tutor her. They make a pact that if Nina doesn't score an A on her exams, Jake will help her face one of her phobias.
So over time Nina and Jake become friends. He leaves her oragami and little poems, etc. Note: Unfortunately, I found some of this to be a bit on the cheesy side. Their feelings for each other start to grow....at a very sssslllllooooowwwww pace. Waiting...waiting.....waiting....
Almost too slow for me. Nina fell in love with Jake almost right away. But Jake has some secrets (hence the big twist)...he spends every weekend in Boston but no one knows why. He refuses to give himself completely to Nina because of this.
Eventually he decides to throw caution to the wind, go all in, take a chance with Nina. But before he can tell Nina his big secret he gets called to Boston on an emergency. Now we switch to Jake's POV. I thought the story picked up here...I liked his POV better than Nina's. However, as the twist is revealed and the resulting cards unfold things took a drastic decline for me.
Here's why....
Frankly, Jake acted like an idiot...not once but TWICE. I wanted to junk punch him. There was enough conflict/drama in the story with the "twist" that the other BS wasn't needed. And the drama was so cliche and predictable....it was seriously eye-roll inducing.
For those that are curious here is what happened...
First offense:
Second offense:
Mind you...that in both of these incidents, Jake has a constant internal debate going on about how much he loves Nina and misses her, etc. Yeah buddy....SSSUUUURRREEE! Anyway...I just found both to be unnecessary drama that wasn't needed in the story.
Lastly, why
Just a little pet peeve of mine....forgive me.
Oh and let's not forget....
Jake are you part vampire?????
And ???
So as you can see, I liked things but I didn't like things. The second half of the book almost felt like a completely different book. The characters changed, etc. It was a somewhat unique storyline...especially with the twist. I didn't see that coming--so kudos to the author for that.
I also wish the author wouldn't have gone the whole . The story could have stood on it's own without these things happening.
So...take away the predictable, unnecessary, cliched drama and it would have definitely been more along the lines of a 4/4.5 star read for me. There were several steamy sex scenes and some LOL moments.
I will more than likely read the next book in the "series", as it is about Skylar who was one of my favorite characters in this book....even though we only briefly meet her.
I've been wavering back and forth on my rating for this one. There were definitely things I liked and but there were also things I didn't like.
I read Gemini by this author and it seems like her "thing" is to draw out the twist until almost the end of the book. She strings you along making you wonder what the twist is and then BAM throws it down.
In most cases, I think that is a plus as it keeps the reader interested and wanting to know more. However, in this case I thought it took too long to get to the twist. The first 60% of the book was a little on the slow side for me. I had trouble connecting with the MCs.
The story is told in alternating POVs; however, the first 60% is told in Nina (the heroine's) POV and then we get 25-30% in Jake's POV and then it alternates back and forth for the remainder of the book.
The story begins with Nina moving to NY to go to nursing school. She has several anxiety related phobias. Jake is one of Nina's roomates. He's tatted, mysterious, smart. Because Nina stuggles in Math, Jake starts to tutor her. They make a pact that if Nina doesn't score an A on her exams, Jake will help her face one of her phobias.
So over time Nina and Jake become friends. He leaves her oragami and little poems, etc. Note: Unfortunately, I found some of this to be a bit on the cheesy side. Their feelings for each other start to grow....at a very sssslllllooooowwwww pace. Waiting...waiting.....waiting....
Almost too slow for me. Nina fell in love with Jake almost right away. But Jake has some secrets (hence the big twist)...he spends every weekend in Boston but no one knows why. He refuses to give himself completely to Nina because of this.
Eventually he decides to throw caution to the wind, go all in, take a chance with Nina. But before he can tell Nina his big secret he gets called to Boston on an emergency. Now we switch to Jake's POV. I thought the story picked up here...I liked his POV better than Nina's. However, as the twist is revealed and the resulting cards unfold things took a drastic decline for me.
Here's why....
Frankly, Jake acted like an idiot...not once but TWICE. I wanted to junk punch him. There was enough conflict/drama in the story with the "twist" that the other BS wasn't needed. And the drama was so cliche and predictable....it was seriously eye-roll inducing.
For those that are curious here is what happened...
First offense:
Second offense:
Mind you...that in both of these incidents, Jake has a constant internal debate going on about how much he loves Nina and misses her, etc. Yeah buddy....SSSUUUURRREEE! Anyway...I just found both to be unnecessary drama that wasn't needed in the story.
Lastly, why
Just a little pet peeve of mine....forgive me.
Oh and let's not forget....
Jake are you part vampire?????
And ???
So as you can see, I liked things but I didn't like things. The second half of the book almost felt like a completely different book. The characters changed, etc. It was a somewhat unique storyline...especially with the twist. I didn't see that coming--so kudos to the author for that.
I also wish the author wouldn't have gone the whole . The story could have stood on it's own without these things happening.
So...take away the predictable, unnecessary, cliched drama and it would have definitely been more along the lines of a 4/4.5 star read for me. There were several steamy sex scenes and some LOL moments.
I will more than likely read the next book in the "series", as it is about Skylar who was one of my favorite characters in this book....even though we only briefly meet her.
October 20, 2013
DISCLAIMER: I was gifted this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way, shape, or form. The opinions in this review are my own!
10 Brilliantly Undone Stars
Hands down one of the best books I have read in 2013. As a standalone or as a series with Penelope Ward's Gemini.
Meet Jake:
and Nina:
Nina is scared of her own shadow and Jake is just what she needs to face her fears. Jake tutors Nina and a bet changes both of their life.
You agreed to Jake's little bet because you know that you need to be pushed, or you'll never change. These things only get worse the longer you let them fester." I knew he was right. -- Nina
Nina must figure out if Jake can be the one to help her face her fears.
One fear that Nina may not be able to face is Jake's past. Can she face her biggest fear.. Loving Jake. Can he resolve his past to love her the way he wants to. Jake is undone but, Nina may be his soul.
This book made me laugh, made me cry, but not once did I want to lay it down from beginning to end this one hell of a ride.
but all in all it was amazing.
There is no other book that I have read this year that touches this one. It is 10 stars all of the way and I would recommend this to anyone whether you have read Gemini or not!
10 Brilliantly Undone Stars
Hands down one of the best books I have read in 2013. As a standalone or as a series with Penelope Ward's Gemini.
Meet Jake:
and Nina:
Nina is scared of her own shadow and Jake is just what she needs to face her fears. Jake tutors Nina and a bet changes both of their life.
You agreed to Jake's little bet because you know that you need to be pushed, or you'll never change. These things only get worse the longer you let them fester." I knew he was right. -- Nina
Nina must figure out if Jake can be the one to help her face her fears.
One fear that Nina may not be able to face is Jake's past. Can she face her biggest fear.. Loving Jake. Can he resolve his past to love her the way he wants to. Jake is undone but, Nina may be his soul.
This book made me laugh, made me cry, but not once did I want to lay it down from beginning to end this one hell of a ride.
but all in all it was amazing.
There is no other book that I have read this year that touches this one. It is 10 stars all of the way and I would recommend this to anyone whether you have read Gemini or not!
November 1, 2013
Oh HELL YES!!! *insert massively unattractive fist pump here*
Its been a LONG time since I found a book that I loved as much as I have this one. Truly, from the very first page I was hooked and i'm so glad I went out on a limb reading this one.
Penelope Ward is definitely one to watch out for.
LOVED THIS BOOK! A++++
Its been a LONG time since I found a book that I loved as much as I have this one. Truly, from the very first page I was hooked and i'm so glad I went out on a limb reading this one.
Penelope Ward is definitely one to watch out for.
LOVED THIS BOOK! A++++
November 4, 2013
4.5 Wonderful stars! I loved this.
Jake & Nina are roommates and form a beautiful friendship but something in Jakes past is stopping them from taking things further.
It was quite heartbreaking at times and I was really rooting for their happy ending, so much that I found it hard to put it down.
Looking forward to Skylars story :)
Jake & Nina are roommates and form a beautiful friendship but something in Jakes past is stopping them from taking things further.
It was quite heartbreaking at times and I was really rooting for their happy ending, so much that I found it hard to put it down.
Looking forward to Skylars story :)
October 23, 2013
I am head over heels in love with Jake.
This is a really a beautiful story and is beautifully written. It got me laughing, frustrated, dreamy and crying. It's full of angst, romantic, poetic, heartwarming and inspirational.
Who wouldn't want a guy who is hot, smart and with a heart of gold? Jake is all that and more. Taking on responsibility at a young age, making a mistake as teenager and keeping his promise despite everything. He just breaks my heart and in a good way.
Nina has fear of heights and contained spaces. She moved to Brooklyn for nursing school and she will be sharing an apartment with three roommates and Jake happens to be one of them. She knows she should stay away but her heart tells her otherwise.
When Jake saw Nina, he just wants to be near her and make her smile. He made it his mission to change Nina’s outlook on life. When he agrees to tutor her, they forge a bet and the stakes are high as Jake forces Nina to face her demons. He just wasn’t expecting to fall hard for her in the process.
I highly recommend this read. While Nina's POV is light and funny, Jake's POV is intense and heartbreaking. Just loved it!
Blog/FB Page : https://www.facebook.com/SLiTsReaD
Booklikes Link: http://casperfitz.booklikes.com/post/...
This is a really a beautiful story and is beautifully written. It got me laughing, frustrated, dreamy and crying. It's full of angst, romantic, poetic, heartwarming and inspirational.
Who wouldn't want a guy who is hot, smart and with a heart of gold? Jake is all that and more. Taking on responsibility at a young age, making a mistake as teenager and keeping his promise despite everything. He just breaks my heart and in a good way.
Nina has fear of heights and contained spaces. She moved to Brooklyn for nursing school and she will be sharing an apartment with three roommates and Jake happens to be one of them. She knows she should stay away but her heart tells her otherwise.
When Jake saw Nina, he just wants to be near her and make her smile. He made it his mission to change Nina’s outlook on life. When he agrees to tutor her, they forge a bet and the stakes are high as Jake forces Nina to face her demons. He just wasn’t expecting to fall hard for her in the process.
I highly recommend this read. While Nina's POV is light and funny, Jake's POV is intense and heartbreaking. Just loved it!
Blog/FB Page : https://www.facebook.com/SLiTsReaD
Booklikes Link: http://casperfitz.booklikes.com/post/...
June 28, 2021
I love this book! It was really great :)
I knew Penelope Ward wouldn't let me down!
It was going good.....and then it was going great....
i laughed, and I laughed and I smiled........
[Jake is tall, dark, hot....smart as hell....tattooed and pierced....
his poems written on origami bats were awesome, I just loved him]
and then it was sad......and I cried......
and then it was messy, and drama filled....
and then it was sad again....
but then...it was happy :) and I love happy!
The last part of the book kind of dragged....that was kind of lame....
but the ending was great :)
I knew Penelope Ward wouldn't let me down!
It was going good.....and then it was going great....
i laughed, and I laughed and I smiled........
[Jake is tall, dark, hot....smart as hell....tattooed and pierced....
his poems written on origami bats were awesome, I just loved him]
and then it was sad......and I cried......
and then it was messy, and drama filled....
and then it was sad again....
but then...it was happy :) and I love happy!
The last part of the book kind of dragged....that was kind of lame....
but the ending was great :)
October 28, 2013
Well I loved the first book Penelope wrote so I knew this one would be a winner. I didn't think Penelope could write a better book but let me tell you she sure did. This book was amazing!! I still can't stop thinking about it. There was just something very special and unique about Jake. I just loved his character. He certainly stands out from several other heroes I have met. I just loved Nina to pieces. I can't recommend this book enough. A huge 5 stars!!!
October 27, 2013
Holly batshit! I haven't read GEMINI yet but I've come undone by this book! Jake you are now my new book boyfriend!!
Nina...
aka Troll. Petite, long dirty blonde with a large blue eyes. She has a few phobias such as; elevators, planes and heights that led her a sheltered life. Nina is moving to NY to attend nursing school. She'll be sharing an apartment with her childhood friend Ryan with two roommates and Jake happens to be one of them...
Reality Show Scene Three, enter stage left: hot womanizing roommate. Then, came the three words that would change my life. “Hi, I’m Jake.”
Jake, the king of sexual innuendos. Tall, green eyes, tattooed arms, pierced, dark hair, mysterious and loves eating bananas! He's your typical delicious bad boy but smart, clever and on the inside.
“Sometimes if you are willing to withstand a little pain in life, Nina, you might discover a pleasure that you never would have otherwise known existed.”
With Math being her worst subject, Jake offered to help Nina tutor her in but there's a catch.. if she gets lower than A, she'll have to face one of her fears. This is where they started to become friends and over the time Nina couldn't help but develop an intense attraction to Jake. Both are opposite but they fit together somehow. The sexual tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. But Jake is hiding something from her, something that is holding him back..
What are my fears?” He looked up at the sky, and his lip twitched as he pondered my question, then looked back at me. “Hurting people…like letting people I care about down. Stuff like that.”
I'll be honest, the cover got me on this one. Never heard of the author nor read any of her books so when I started reading Jake Undone, I kinda knew it's your cliche bad boy meets good girl story so I didn't put up any high expectation on this book. But the moment I read the prologue.. omg. I was a fuckin' goner and in that moment, I fell in love with Jake.
The house is fucking boring without you. Even sniffing your underwear hasn’t put me out of my funk. If I sniff this one five times, will you magically reappear?
Jake is one amazing character but I guess what really made me love him more is that he has a heart of gold. He's loyal and never stop wanting to help other people. Sure, he made a lot of mistakes (who doesn't?) and unfair decisions that made me want to smack him upside the head. But I also think that all these was necessary to make him feel more... real. (Sorry, I don't know if that's the right word I'm trying to put here)
But the sweet little things he did; making bat origami, poems, charmed bracelet and how he's insecure and unsure of himself made this book more special. Heck, even when he cried was so sexy and manly for me. I can go on and on how amazeballs he is but it would be more fun if you guys will discover it by yourself.
“I’m yours. I have never belonged to anyone before…but I know that I belong to you,”
I guess the only thing that "kinda" bothers me was in the end, (Please don't read if you haven't read the book yet)
But if you look it the other way, I guess the ending made this book more believable. It didn't feel like other cliche NA books that everything was solve and they live happily ever after.
“My body belongs to you.”
“My heart belongs to you.”
“My soul belongs to you.”
“Only to you.”
Oh I loved the scene when
I didn't realize my review is already longer but overall this was a great read! I loved it and highly recommend this to anyone! I'm dying to read Skylar and Mitch story!!!! OMGEEEE!
March 11, 2016
SERIOUSLY I WILL HAVE FULL REVIEW SOON PROMISE...THIS READING ADDICTION NEEDS TO STOP I GOTTA CATCH UP ON REVIEWS DANG IT LOL
JAKE HAS MADE IT TO MY TOP 10 BOOK BOYFRIENDS OF ALL TIME SAY WHAT??? YES I SAID IT HE IS UP THERE WITH KELLAN KYLE, MADDOX, AND MASON...
why did I waited so long to read this?
Read as part of #ShhIndieSTARchat March
Join chat: https://goo.gl/Zjtq0M
Dimples, lip piercing, tattoos, HOT...say no more I'm in!
JAKE HAS MADE IT TO MY TOP 10 BOOK BOYFRIENDS OF ALL TIME SAY WHAT??? YES I SAID IT HE IS UP THERE WITH KELLAN KYLE, MADDOX, AND MASON...
why did I waited so long to read this?
Read as part of #ShhIndieSTARchat March
Join chat: https://goo.gl/Zjtq0M
Dimples, lip piercing, tattoos, HOT...say no more I'm in!
November 14, 2016
I consider myself a huge fan of Penelope Douglas and I have read most of her books. For a certain reason I've let Jake Undone not on my priority list and I'm so blaming myself for it. The first word that pops in mind when thinking of this book is INTENSE and I don't even know where to begin.
So, here it goes! Nina moves in NY in order to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She is staying in an apartment with her best friend and girlfriend and there she meets Jake. He is also staying with them there and quickly they become friends, but we can also see the intensity of the connection that bind them. Soon after they become friends they manage to heal each other in the most amazing way. Nina has soon issues that are hard to get over and Jake is there by her side, encouraging ther conquer her fears and be happy about it. Jake also has a heartfull past, burdens that make imposible for him to move on, to love somebody and be happy. When he met Nina, all his boundaries were torn appart and reading how they interract, what type of connection they have, was amazing for me to witness.
Their relationship is special and again, intense. This word is what sums up this book and evertything in it. They discover each other on all levels, they fall in love in such an unique way, and makes the reader experience this kind of pressure, waiting for them to be finally together.
Their love scenes have an explosive chemistry, full of passion, love and tenderness and you just can't get enough.
I like the way Penelope experimented with 2 main ideas: conquering your fears and second chances. This book wants to send a strong message and please read carefully in order to understand it. It is so optimistic and you will totally see life in another way once you connect at that level with the characters and live their story.
The second past of the book was amazing, I've read it without breathing and the intensity of the story and dialogues was overwhelming. There were so many things going on, I felt things at another level and it was impossible not to live it fully.
I enjoyed this book so much, because every paragraph was there for a certain reason, full of intensity and passion. You can see Penelope's love for her story and characters and this transcends beyond the book and connects with the reader at a very personal level.
4 wonderful stars!!!!
So, here it goes! Nina moves in NY in order to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She is staying in an apartment with her best friend and girlfriend and there she meets Jake. He is also staying with them there and quickly they become friends, but we can also see the intensity of the connection that bind them. Soon after they become friends they manage to heal each other in the most amazing way. Nina has soon issues that are hard to get over and Jake is there by her side, encouraging ther conquer her fears and be happy about it. Jake also has a heartfull past, burdens that make imposible for him to move on, to love somebody and be happy. When he met Nina, all his boundaries were torn appart and reading how they interract, what type of connection they have, was amazing for me to witness.
Their relationship is special and again, intense. This word is what sums up this book and evertything in it. They discover each other on all levels, they fall in love in such an unique way, and makes the reader experience this kind of pressure, waiting for them to be finally together.
Their love scenes have an explosive chemistry, full of passion, love and tenderness and you just can't get enough.
I like the way Penelope experimented with 2 main ideas: conquering your fears and second chances. This book wants to send a strong message and please read carefully in order to understand it. It is so optimistic and you will totally see life in another way once you connect at that level with the characters and live their story.
The second past of the book was amazing, I've read it without breathing and the intensity of the story and dialogues was overwhelming. There were so many things going on, I felt things at another level and it was impossible not to live it fully.
I enjoyed this book so much, because every paragraph was there for a certain reason, full of intensity and passion. You can see Penelope's love for her story and characters and this transcends beyond the book and connects with the reader at a very personal level.
4 wonderful stars!!!!
August 3, 2017
4.5 stars. I loved it!
Ever since reading Gemini and being introduced to Jake, I have been looking forward to reading this book. He intrigued me so much and I have been excited to read more about him, and this book was so much more than I was expecting - sweet, sexy, fun and flirtatious, but also deeply emotional, angsty and gorgeously romantic. I devoured this book and couldn’t get enough of these characters and their complex, chemistry-filled love story.
(Note - Though this book can standalone, be aware that there is a strong link to Gemini, and this one will contain spoilers for that book.)
Nina has just moved to Brooklyn to attend nursing school. She is a girl who is plagued by phobias – crowds, small spaces, heights, etc. – but she is excited to be out on her own and starting this new phase in her life. She moves into a share house with an old friend and his girlfriend, and it’s there that she meets Jake, the fourth member of the house.
Jake is a bit of an enigma. Pierced, tattooed and seemingly into random hook-ups, he appears to be the ultimate bad boy, but his joking and easygoing manner immediately puts Nina at ease – even though she is wildly attracted to him. And when he offers to tutor her in math, it proves the perfect opportunity to spend time with him.
I cannot gush enough about how much I loved this early part of Jake and Nina’s relationship. They become friends before anything romantic happens, and their joking, teasing and banter is so much fun! And on a deeper level, Jake makes a deal with Nina that for every exam that she doesn’t get an ‘A’ for, she has to let him take her out and test her limits – showing his huge heart, his caring nature, and his genuine desire to help her.
And through every moment of it, there is an underlying sexual chemistry that builds brilliantly. You can feel how badly they want each other, but there is something holding Jake back and despite how much he clearly wants to, he won’t take that final step. It’s frustrating as hell, but it’s also deliciously angsty, and the sexual tension is fantastic!
You see, Jake has a secret. It’s a secret that sends him back home to Boston every weekend, and it’s the thing that is so clearly holding him back. The prologue which shows a moment from Jake’s past gives us some kind of idea of what may be happening, but the specifics were a surprise for me when all was finally revealed, and my heart just broke for him. Most of the book is told in Nina’s POV, but it switches to dual right when it counts, and finally getting Jake’s perspective allows us to see just how strongly he feels for Nina, and his dedication to her and his honest and undeniable love for her just melted my heart.
Their love story is so, so beautiful. After all of that build up, when the moment finally comes I was bouncing up and down with excitement – and fanning myself at all of the hotness. This is a situation where two people are so completely meant to be together, and their connection is beautifully explored as they finally give in to their feelings, and it was a total, complete swoonfest!
But the revelation of secrets and surprising twists will change everything for Jake and Nina, and their journey to get through the challenges that confront them as their love for each other is tested, increase the angst and make for an even more dramatic and emotional read
I loved this book. I loved the slow-building, chemistry-filled romance, I loved the emotion and the drama, and I even loved the angst! Even though I’m not usually a fan of angst, in this book it made sense, and it worked to build the intensity of everything that was happening. Nina and Jake’s journey is wonderfully sweet, fun, passionate and romantic, and also heartbreaking in places, but I could feel their soul-deep connection, and their love story is so beautifully written, that I got completely swept up in it.
The reason why I didn’t give this is a full 5 stars is because of some Jake stupidity towards the end of the book. The boy is clearly struggling, but I wasn’t ok with some of his behaviour. But he has such a huge heart and a gentle soul, and he’s been through hell so I was able to cut him some slack. Plus, he did make up for it, and overall it didn’t bother me too much.
The story ends well, with an epilogue that finishes everything off really nicely, and after that introduction to Skylar and Mitch, I’m looking forward to their story in My Skylar.
I loved this one! 4.5 stars
Ever since reading Gemini and being introduced to Jake, I have been looking forward to reading this book. He intrigued me so much and I have been excited to read more about him, and this book was so much more than I was expecting - sweet, sexy, fun and flirtatious, but also deeply emotional, angsty and gorgeously romantic. I devoured this book and couldn’t get enough of these characters and their complex, chemistry-filled love story.
(Note - Though this book can standalone, be aware that there is a strong link to Gemini, and this one will contain spoilers for that book.)
Nina has just moved to Brooklyn to attend nursing school. She is a girl who is plagued by phobias – crowds, small spaces, heights, etc. – but she is excited to be out on her own and starting this new phase in her life. She moves into a share house with an old friend and his girlfriend, and it’s there that she meets Jake, the fourth member of the house.
Jake is a bit of an enigma. Pierced, tattooed and seemingly into random hook-ups, he appears to be the ultimate bad boy, but his joking and easygoing manner immediately puts Nina at ease – even though she is wildly attracted to him. And when he offers to tutor her in math, it proves the perfect opportunity to spend time with him.
I cannot gush enough about how much I loved this early part of Jake and Nina’s relationship. They become friends before anything romantic happens, and their joking, teasing and banter is so much fun! And on a deeper level, Jake makes a deal with Nina that for every exam that she doesn’t get an ‘A’ for, she has to let him take her out and test her limits – showing his huge heart, his caring nature, and his genuine desire to help her.
"You can choose right here and now to stay in the present and let go of the fear or you can choose to engage it."
And through every moment of it, there is an underlying sexual chemistry that builds brilliantly. You can feel how badly they want each other, but there is something holding Jake back and despite how much he clearly wants to, he won’t take that final step. It’s frustrating as hell, but it’s also deliciously angsty, and the sexual tension is fantastic!
You see, Jake has a secret. It’s a secret that sends him back home to Boston every weekend, and it’s the thing that is so clearly holding him back. The prologue which shows a moment from Jake’s past gives us some kind of idea of what may be happening, but the specifics were a surprise for me when all was finally revealed, and my heart just broke for him. Most of the book is told in Nina’s POV, but it switches to dual right when it counts, and finally getting Jake’s perspective allows us to see just how strongly he feels for Nina, and his dedication to her and his honest and undeniable love for her just melted my heart.
"We were two fractured souls that fit together like the last two missing pieces in a "fucked up life" puzzle. When we were together, life finally made sense; it wasn't all work, obligation, guilt and fear. It was just amazing to be alive. She needed me to help her, but she didn't realize I needed her so much more.
Their love story is so, so beautiful. After all of that build up, when the moment finally comes I was bouncing up and down with excitement – and fanning myself at all of the hotness. This is a situation where two people are so completely meant to be together, and their connection is beautifully explored as they finally give in to their feelings, and it was a total, complete swoonfest!
My body belongs to you.
My heart belongs to you.
My soul belongs to you.
Only you.
But the revelation of secrets and surprising twists will change everything for Jake and Nina, and their journey to get through the challenges that confront them as their love for each other is tested, increase the angst and make for an even more dramatic and emotional read
I loved this book. I loved the slow-building, chemistry-filled romance, I loved the emotion and the drama, and I even loved the angst! Even though I’m not usually a fan of angst, in this book it made sense, and it worked to build the intensity of everything that was happening. Nina and Jake’s journey is wonderfully sweet, fun, passionate and romantic, and also heartbreaking in places, but I could feel their soul-deep connection, and their love story is so beautifully written, that I got completely swept up in it.
“I’m yours. I have never belonged to anyone before…but I know that I belong to you.”
The reason why I didn’t give this is a full 5 stars is because of some Jake stupidity towards the end of the book. The boy is clearly struggling, but I wasn’t ok with some of his behaviour. But he has such a huge heart and a gentle soul, and he’s been through hell so I was able to cut him some slack. Plus, he did make up for it, and overall it didn’t bother me too much.
The story ends well, with an epilogue that finishes everything off really nicely, and after that introduction to Skylar and Mitch, I’m looking forward to their story in My Skylar.
I loved this one! 4.5 stars
September 18, 2019
4 ⭐'s
Nina and Jake meet when she becomes one of his roommates. As they get to know each other, he finds out that she has a lot of phobias and also that she is bad at math.
He offers to tutor her and if she doesn't do well, he gets to take her somewhere to confront those phobias. I think this one was of my favorite parts. It was interesting to see what Jake would come up with.
As these two spend more and more time together, their connection becomes apparent but something is holding Jake back and it's a doozy.
Unfortunately, Jake doesn't come clean soon enough and all hell breaks loose. I enjoyed reading about how things worked out.
What was missing was getting Jake's POV. It used to be something I didn't really care about but the more I read, the more I realize it really rounds out a book. (I was happy to find out we get his POV in the next book!)
Nina and Jake meet when she becomes one of his roommates. As they get to know each other, he finds out that she has a lot of phobias and also that she is bad at math.
He offers to tutor her and if she doesn't do well, he gets to take her somewhere to confront those phobias. I think this one was of my favorite parts. It was interesting to see what Jake would come up with.
As these two spend more and more time together, their connection becomes apparent but something is holding Jake back and it's a doozy.
Unfortunately, Jake doesn't come clean soon enough and all hell breaks loose. I enjoyed reading about how things worked out.
What was missing was getting Jake's POV. It used to be something I didn't really care about but the more I read, the more I realize it really rounds out a book. (I was happy to find out we get his POV in the next book!)
October 21, 2013
JAKE UNDONE IS NOW LIVE ON AMAZON!
October 25, 2013
When I found out the Secret it was a gol moment. When I found out why Jake had his Ties to the Secret, it was a WTF moment. After my moments, about 60% in, I was excited to see how the characters would evolve now that the Secret was out.
And here's the part where i'll get pummelled by other reviewers, in the end I was disgusted by Jake and pitied Nina. His Ties to the Secret could have been so easily resolved such that Jake wouldn't be bound in the way he was. Even I was muttering the solution! I kept waiting for Jake to grow a pair, then i was hoping, and then I was just hopeless and impatient to finish the book.
Although the Secret was out of jake's hands, the Ties that bound him to it are ALL of his making, and he dilligently kept himself bound to it, wallowing in guilt, unwilling NOT unable, to do anything about it. Jake doesn't mature and realize that these Ties have made every small and big decisions he has ever made regarding a lover a complete and utter con, a con instigated by him. Because of this, Jake is WORSE THAN A MANWHORE.
After the Secret is out, he does nothing but whine and swim in self pity and knowingly gets himself into stupid situations. Nina becomes an utter doormat and justifies EVERYTHING w/ love (rolling eyes). Nina is a wonderful gal and could do waaay better. My preferred ending would have been for Nina to walk away and find someone, as she said, worthy of her.
And here's the part where i'll get pummelled by other reviewers, in the end I was disgusted by Jake and pitied Nina. His Ties to the Secret could have been so easily resolved such that Jake wouldn't be bound in the way he was. Even I was muttering the solution! I kept waiting for Jake to grow a pair, then i was hoping, and then I was just hopeless and impatient to finish the book.
Although the Secret was out of jake's hands, the Ties that bound him to it are ALL of his making, and he dilligently kept himself bound to it, wallowing in guilt, unwilling NOT unable, to do anything about it. Jake doesn't mature and realize that these Ties have made every small and big decisions he has ever made regarding a lover a complete and utter con, a con instigated by him. Because of this, Jake is WORSE THAN A MANWHORE.
After the Secret is out, he does nothing but whine and swim in self pity and knowingly gets himself into stupid situations. Nina becomes an utter doormat and justifies EVERYTHING w/ love (rolling eyes). Nina is a wonderful gal and could do waaay better. My preferred ending would have been for Nina to walk away and find someone, as she said, worthy of her.
March 19, 2015
3.5 - "Things aren't always what they seem on the surface." Stars.
Jake Undone is the first book I have read by Penelope Ward. In the main I enjoyed it; but the author definitely has a unique writing style that I think some people may struggle with. If I am honest this isn’t the most professionally written book I have ever read, some of the sentencing and descriptions leave a lot to be desired, but for me on this occasion, and with this couple it actually worked, the simplicity and rawness of the writing is definitely half of the charm of the book.
”I’m good at stripping off layers slowly.”
I liked Jake, I liked Nina, the first 50- 60% of the book kept me held in its grasp completely, with plenty of build-up, sexual tension and hints about what might be too come, they both have issues, some you are aware of, a lot that you aren’t. There is quite a bit of ‘getting-to-know’ you in the first half and I liked that, I liked the ‘getting past your fears’ challenges and the time it gave them together to deepen their connection, it gave them depth as a couple and when things finally turned sexy, I was as frustrated as they were.
I have to say that once Jakes Big Reveal was out in the open, things took a bit of a nose-dive in relation to the story line for me, it jumped from refreshing to averagely predictable and the drama and angst went a little overboard, as a couple they had enough going on to carry their story to a close, without the addition of all the erroneous baggage that was added to Jake’s original baggage and Nina’s irrational fears.
”I’ll do whatever I have to do to save you from yourself.”
You can see from a mile off where everything is going to end up once things kick off, and although that isn’t a bad thing, it felt a little like the author taken the ’follow the recipe’ route to the finish with the tropes she threw in, rather than staying outside of the lines in the vein that the book started.
I’d recommend this book, even with the few small niggles I had with it, I still couldn’t put it down, as a couple I found Jake and Nina pretty endearing, and although a lot of the story is nothing new, the author has managed to put her own unique spin on things to keep most of it interesting.
ARC generously provided by the author, it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Jake Undone is the first book I have read by Penelope Ward. In the main I enjoyed it; but the author definitely has a unique writing style that I think some people may struggle with. If I am honest this isn’t the most professionally written book I have ever read, some of the sentencing and descriptions leave a lot to be desired, but for me on this occasion, and with this couple it actually worked, the simplicity and rawness of the writing is definitely half of the charm of the book.
”I’m good at stripping off layers slowly.”
I liked Jake, I liked Nina, the first 50- 60% of the book kept me held in its grasp completely, with plenty of build-up, sexual tension and hints about what might be too come, they both have issues, some you are aware of, a lot that you aren’t. There is quite a bit of ‘getting-to-know’ you in the first half and I liked that, I liked the ‘getting past your fears’ challenges and the time it gave them together to deepen their connection, it gave them depth as a couple and when things finally turned sexy, I was as frustrated as they were.
I have to say that once Jakes Big Reveal was out in the open, things took a bit of a nose-dive in relation to the story line for me, it jumped from refreshing to averagely predictable and the drama and angst went a little overboard, as a couple they had enough going on to carry their story to a close, without the addition of all the erroneous baggage that was added to Jake’s original baggage and Nina’s irrational fears.
”I’ll do whatever I have to do to save you from yourself.”
You can see from a mile off where everything is going to end up once things kick off, and although that isn’t a bad thing, it felt a little like the author taken the ’follow the recipe’ route to the finish with the tropes she threw in, rather than staying outside of the lines in the vein that the book started.
I’d recommend this book, even with the few small niggles I had with it, I still couldn’t put it down, as a couple I found Jake and Nina pretty endearing, and although a lot of the story is nothing new, the author has managed to put her own unique spin on things to keep most of it interesting.
ARC generously provided by the author, it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
September 8, 2023
One thing this book will teach you is to never judge a book by it's cover.. and it reminded me of this...
Anyhoo, so we have Nina a bit naive with a bunch of Phobias, than we have Jake the "nerd" tatted/pierced engineer...there is lust..there are feelings..and there is a HUGE secret that has the power to destroy it all.. I loved it, it was quick, it was fun and it had enough anguish to keep me going :)
Anyhoo, so we have Nina a bit naive with a bunch of Phobias, than we have Jake the "nerd" tatted/pierced engineer...there is lust..there are feelings..and there is a HUGE secret that has the power to destroy it all.. I loved it, it was quick, it was fun and it had enough anguish to keep me going :)
September 22, 2020
FOUR POINT FIVE STARS to JAKE UNDONE
I'm so happy I decided to give this one a chance, and all because a dear friend of mine convinced me I needed to; she knows my reading tastes well. She's also a bad influence because I broke my book buying ban for her. I can easily say, I loved this book. I loved Jake Green. Admittedly, it took me a while to warm up to him, but once I did, it was all freaking rainbows and unicorns for me. He ended up being my kind of perfect. He was an alpha and a nerd. He was tough but sweet. And charmingly poetic...gah, the things he'd write Nina made me laugh and swoon. After the 20% mark, I could not for the life of me put down this book. I'm not sure why the first 20% took me so long to get through...was it the book, or that I had a particularly busy and stressful week and was too distracted to focus on the story? I don't know, but as I said, things really picked up and the angst had me utterly transfixed. I love the angst in this book! And don't get me started on Jake's groveling at Nina's window like a lost puppy. A groveling hero makes my heart sing.
Why not 5 Stars?
"With each moment together we spent, I figured out what my father meant. When he told his little boy long ago, “When it’s love, son, you just know.” I tried to resist and be strong since the timing was all wrong. But I still came undone. Because You. Are. The. One."
I'm so happy I decided to give this one a chance, and all because a dear friend of mine convinced me I needed to; she knows my reading tastes well. She's also a bad influence because I broke my book buying ban for her. I can easily say, I loved this book. I loved Jake Green. Admittedly, it took me a while to warm up to him, but once I did, it was all freaking rainbows and unicorns for me. He ended up being my kind of perfect. He was an alpha and a nerd. He was tough but sweet. And charmingly poetic...gah, the things he'd write Nina made me laugh and swoon. After the 20% mark, I could not for the life of me put down this book. I'm not sure why the first 20% took me so long to get through...was it the book, or that I had a particularly busy and stressful week and was too distracted to focus on the story? I don't know, but as I said, things really picked up and the angst had me utterly transfixed. I love the angst in this book! And don't get me started on Jake's groveling at Nina's window like a lost puppy. A groveling hero makes my heart sing.
Why not 5 Stars?
"With each moment together we spent, I figured out what my father meant. When he told his little boy long ago, “When it’s love, son, you just know.” I tried to resist and be strong since the timing was all wrong. But I still came undone. Because You. Are. The. One."
April 28, 2016
This is just... I'm soooo happy I could sing all night!!!! Did I mention that this book was just WOW!
I have a new book boyfriend and I cant wait for you all to meet him!
Jake Green a hot, gorgeous tattooed/ pierced freakin engineer yup he's a nerd a sexy one!
who falls in love with the 3rd Olsen twin Nina Kennedy aka 'Troll' who moved back to Brooklyn for nursing school.
At first I was actually lost, like Jake was babysitting his niece and he was running late for his exam. Suddenly he sees a girl twirling under the rain and her name is IVY.... but thats not the girl that was introduced to us. So my mind directly went to
1- Revenge (like maybe Jake broke Ivy's heart and she was Nina's BFF or maybe sister and she came to do the same thing)
2- Personality change (Ivy is the same person as Nina)
But this story turned out sooooooo much better than I expected and I LOVED IT!
Jake became Nina's math tutor they made a deal for every grade less than an A she would overcome a fear (which in her case were many- afraid of elevator, subways, airplanes, heights...). He tried keeping his distance from her but he just couldnt. She was his angel that introduced him to life, happiness, and freedom again.
But Jake has a secret, which has kept him from pursing Nina and making her his forever.
" My body belongs to you."
" My heart belongs to you."
"My soul belongs to you."
" Only to you."
You think at some point that all the misery will end and they'll just live happy for once, but NOOOOOOO authors always have to complicate things (although I have to admit a little twist and a small turn make this book a masterpiece).
Once I think that FINALLY life with be rainbows and butterflies for Nina and Jake, than boooooooooooooom something happens and instead of moving forward the go a step back. It drove me crazy how problems seem to head their way ALWAYS!!! It's like they were jinxed and they had some forbidden love!
But despite everything they went through, destiny brought them back together. It's their fate to be together!
I liked how they became friends before they became lovers. They had to spend time together and share a fear or two to become acquainted with the other. What started as a funny joke ended with something Jake enjoyed doing just for Nina... their little dirty secret
I thought my life was planned
Until the moment I touched your hand.
Your sad eyes met mine,
And all I wanted was to make them shine.
And every time they did,
I became giddy like a kid.
With each moment together we spent,
I figured out what my father meant.
When he told his little boy long ago,
“When it’s love, son, you just know.”
I tried to resist and be strong
Since the timing was all wrong.
But I still came undone.
Because You. Are. The. One.
And I’d rather die than have to say
That mine was the one that got away.
Tell me what I have to do
To prove my heart is married to you.
It won’t be overnight.
Just give me time to make it right.
Please wait for me, Nina.
Jake was this mushy romantic guy. He had a great sense of humor and respected the woman in his life, I loved how he treated them. His love for Nina was deep and he treated her with sooo much love, care, and respect!
"Don’t you get it, Nina? I can handle suffering with you, baby. Isn't that how we started…my holding your hand through everything? I want to spend the rest of my life doing that. I’d go through hell and back over and over for you. It’s losing you I can’t bear. When you hide from me, when you tell me not to touch you, it scares me. I’ll suffer with you any day, as long as you let me love you.”
Nina grew soo much as a character. At first she seemed desperate and couldnt make up her own damn mind. It pissed me off when she would trust Jake. But all her craziness came from a good place. She was that shy, delicate woman that needed a little shove down "bad dirty lane".
“I need you to fuck me, Jake.”
I just wasn’t expecting him to burst into laughter against my shoulder when I said it, though. I smacked his arm.
“Why are you laughing?” He kissed my neck.
“Say that again.”
“I want you to fuck me.” He looked at me, smiling and kissed my forehead.
“See, only you would say something so dirty and turn red as a beet.
Penelope Ward has done a marvelous job writing this piece of art. Written in both Nina and Jake's POV it was PERFECT. I enjoyed everything written in this book. I totally recommend it to all you readers who love a hot, dirty, heartbreaking, happily ever after- yet realistic romance. You will laugh your heads off, and cry like there's no tomorrow but it will be worth the emotional outbreak.
"Love has no conscience. It doesn’t know right or wrong. It’s a feeling you can’t shake that penetrates your soul, and it cannot be broken. If you’re truly in love with this girl, that’s not going to change no matter what your life circumstances are. Time will tell whether it’s true love or not. If it is, you won’t be able to live without her. End of story.”
5 'I love you to the moon' stars >/b>
I have a new book boyfriend and I cant wait for you all to meet him!
Jake Green a hot, gorgeous tattooed/ pierced freakin engineer yup he's a nerd a sexy one!
who falls in love with the 3rd Olsen twin Nina Kennedy aka 'Troll' who moved back to Brooklyn for nursing school.
At first I was actually lost, like Jake was babysitting his niece and he was running late for his exam. Suddenly he sees a girl twirling under the rain and her name is IVY.... but thats not the girl that was introduced to us. So my mind directly went to
1- Revenge (like maybe Jake broke Ivy's heart and she was Nina's BFF or maybe sister and she came to do the same thing)
2- Personality change (Ivy is the same person as Nina)
But this story turned out sooooooo much better than I expected and I LOVED IT!
Jake became Nina's math tutor they made a deal for every grade less than an A she would overcome a fear (which in her case were many- afraid of elevator, subways, airplanes, heights...). He tried keeping his distance from her but he just couldnt. She was his angel that introduced him to life, happiness, and freedom again.
But Jake has a secret, which has kept him from pursing Nina and making her his forever.
" My body belongs to you."
" My heart belongs to you."
"My soul belongs to you."
" Only to you."
You think at some point that all the misery will end and they'll just live happy for once, but NOOOOOOO authors always have to complicate things (although I have to admit a little twist and a small turn make this book a masterpiece).
Once I think that FINALLY life with be rainbows and butterflies for Nina and Jake, than boooooooooooooom something happens and instead of moving forward the go a step back. It drove me crazy how problems seem to head their way ALWAYS!!! It's like they were jinxed and they had some forbidden love!
But despite everything they went through, destiny brought them back together. It's their fate to be together!
I liked how they became friends before they became lovers. They had to spend time together and share a fear or two to become acquainted with the other. What started as a funny joke ended with something Jake enjoyed doing just for Nina... their little dirty secret
I thought my life was planned
Until the moment I touched your hand.
Your sad eyes met mine,
And all I wanted was to make them shine.
And every time they did,
I became giddy like a kid.
With each moment together we spent,
I figured out what my father meant.
When he told his little boy long ago,
“When it’s love, son, you just know.”
I tried to resist and be strong
Since the timing was all wrong.
But I still came undone.
Because You. Are. The. One.
And I’d rather die than have to say
That mine was the one that got away.
Tell me what I have to do
To prove my heart is married to you.
It won’t be overnight.
Just give me time to make it right.
Please wait for me, Nina.
Jake was this mushy romantic guy. He had a great sense of humor and respected the woman in his life, I loved how he treated them. His love for Nina was deep and he treated her with sooo much love, care, and respect!
"Don’t you get it, Nina? I can handle suffering with you, baby. Isn't that how we started…my holding your hand through everything? I want to spend the rest of my life doing that. I’d go through hell and back over and over for you. It’s losing you I can’t bear. When you hide from me, when you tell me not to touch you, it scares me. I’ll suffer with you any day, as long as you let me love you.”
Nina grew soo much as a character. At first she seemed desperate and couldnt make up her own damn mind. It pissed me off when she would trust Jake. But all her craziness came from a good place. She was that shy, delicate woman that needed a little shove down "bad dirty lane".
“I need you to fuck me, Jake.”
I just wasn’t expecting him to burst into laughter against my shoulder when I said it, though. I smacked his arm.
“Why are you laughing?” He kissed my neck.
“Say that again.”
“I want you to fuck me.” He looked at me, smiling and kissed my forehead.
“See, only you would say something so dirty and turn red as a beet.
Penelope Ward has done a marvelous job writing this piece of art. Written in both Nina and Jake's POV it was PERFECT. I enjoyed everything written in this book. I totally recommend it to all you readers who love a hot, dirty, heartbreaking, happily ever after- yet realistic romance. You will laugh your heads off, and cry like there's no tomorrow but it will be worth the emotional outbreak.
"Love has no conscience. It doesn’t know right or wrong. It’s a feeling you can’t shake that penetrates your soul, and it cannot be broken. If you’re truly in love with this girl, that’s not going to change no matter what your life circumstances are. Time will tell whether it’s true love or not. If it is, you won’t be able to live without her. End of story.”
5 'I love you to the moon' stars >/b>
August 17, 2015
I liked Penelope Ward's Stepbrother Dearest.
I thought I was going to like this one, too, especially as I wanted to get into the mood for her new book, Cocky Bastard. but this was so meh and boring, I feel bad wasting my time on writing a proper review.
I thought I was going to like this one, too, especially as I wanted to get into the mood for her new book, Cocky Bastard. but this was so meh and boring, I feel bad wasting my time on writing a proper review.
October 25, 2013
3.5 Stars..........
"But my teacher sucks!"
" No he doesn't. He is awesome."
"What do you mean? Have you not heard anything I've said?"
" I mean ..... he is awesome. Because ...he...is me."
Jake was a an awesome teacher. The elevator scene was fantastic especially when he played the songs like Free Falling. I was laughing myself into hysterics.
"That's Mrs.Ballsworthy. No one knows why the fuck she is the way she is. Some days she'll tell us to go fuck ourselves, and other days she's perfectly fine. One time, I shit you not, she baked us a chocolate cake. It said 'Fuck You All' on top. It was the most delicious fuckin' cake I have ever eaten. "
From the street, I could hear Jake in the distance. "Fuck you too, Mrs.Ballsworthy!"
As soon as I started this book I just knew it was going to be great and I was going to love it. It was definitely a 5 star book for me at first. It was so funny that I found my self laughing out loud like a crazy person multiple times. Jake's personality was one of my favorite of any male lead in any book I've read so far. Their text messages were hilarious and so entertaining that I could have read a whole book of text messages between this couple.Their banter and "therapy sessions" were great fun as well.
"But my teacher sucks!"
" No he doesn't. He is awesome."
"What do you mean? Have you not heard anything I've said?"
" I mean ..... he is awesome. Because ...he...is me."
Jake was a an awesome teacher. The elevator scene was fantastic especially when he played the songs like Free Falling. I was laughing myself into hysterics.
Nina moves to New York to stay with her brother's best friend, Ryan. There is also another girl roommate and a guy. This is where she meets Jake. Nina has some phobias to things like airplanes, elevators, subways. She also sucks at math so Jake makes a deal with her. He will tutor her in math but if she makes less than an A on an exam he will challenge her fears and help her overcome them. I loved Jake and Nina's relationship during this part of the book. The whole Olsen Twin and Mrs.Ballsworthy thing made me laugh so hard it hurt. It's not normal for a person sitting in an empty house to laugh like that but I couldn't help myself.
"That's Mrs.Ballsworthy. No one knows why the fuck she is the way she is. Some days she'll tell us to go fuck ourselves, and other days she's perfectly fine. One time, I shit you not, she baked us a chocolate cake. It said 'Fuck You All' on top. It was the most delicious fuckin' cake I have ever eaten. "
From the street, I could hear Jake in the distance. "Fuck you too, Mrs.Ballsworthy!"
There are so many cases of instant love in romance novels and that drives me crazy. It's so unrealistic but this book is not like that at all. You get to see the build up of Jake and Nina's relationship and I loved that. Unfortunately Jake was hiding a huge secret from Nina. He didn't think she would want him after she found out.
This is the point that the book went really wrong for me. It just seemed like the story fell apart and author tried to add too many conflicts into the story. There was just too much going on. Jake and Nina's romance and then Jake's secret would have been enough for me but when you throw in it was just too much and felt over done to me. Not only that the story skips an entire year during the height of the story. It was not the right place to skip an entire year and it totally screwed up the ending of this book.
I loved Jake and his humor. Especially his bat origami. He was a total clown but in the latter part of the book Jake seemed like a whole other character. If the author had kept that humor and Jake's personality in tact then it definitely would have been a five star book. It kills me to rate this book this low because I really wanted to love it and I did in fact love the first half. Unfortunately there were too many things going on in the last half of the book that were unnecessary.
August 8, 2014
Do you ever get the feeling that an author tries too hard? This is the feeling this book left me with.
PW tried too hard to make the heroine a likeable person. She made her kind and understanding and a generally nice person. She also gave her phobias as a result of a traumatic experience, but she forgot to give her anything really exciting, something that would make you say "yes, I totally understand why this girl". She was a nice person with nothing to make her special beside the fact that she was afraid of everything.
The author tried too hard to make the hero the "bad boy exterior, nice boy inside". She made him too good a person. He was generous, loyal, funny, exciting, loving, caring,... You can probably find dozens of nice adjectives to describe the guy, so to make him more real you give him tattoos? A difficult childhood and one or two bad habits? It was like she found everything she liked in other characters and showered him with it. (Don't know if I make any sense.)
Then she also tried too hard with the story. These two went through every possible bad situation out there. In the end you get the feeling that PW tried to give them too much of a story. (At least that was the feeling I was left with).
Generally the book was a page-turner but I was left unsatisfied by the story in the end.
PW tried too hard to make the heroine a likeable person. She made her kind and understanding and a generally nice person. She also gave her phobias as a result of a traumatic experience, but she forgot to give her anything really exciting, something that would make you say "yes, I totally understand why this girl". She was a nice person with nothing to make her special beside the fact that she was afraid of everything.
The author tried too hard to make the hero the "bad boy exterior, nice boy inside". She made him too good a person. He was generous, loyal, funny, exciting, loving, caring,... You can probably find dozens of nice adjectives to describe the guy, so to make him more real you give him tattoos? A difficult childhood and one or two bad habits? It was like she found everything she liked in other characters and showered him with it. (Don't know if I make any sense.)
Then she also tried too hard with the story. These two went through every possible bad situation out there. In the end you get the feeling that PW tried to give them too much of a story. (At least that was the feeling I was left with).
Generally the book was a page-turner but I was left unsatisfied by the story in the end.
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