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Shades of Love #2
Along Came Love
When a silly, impulsive decision lands free-spirited India Shaw behind bars in San Francisco, she has no choice but to call the only person she knows in the unfamiliar city—the very man she abandoned after a steamy two-day fling. The fact that she’s pregnant with his child is something she’d rather not divulge.
Tech executive Michael Black never thought he’d hear from the quirky beauty after she left his bed four months ago, much less be called upon to post bail. He’s got his hands full with a corporate merger that could make or break his career, but his honorable nature—and an overwhelming need to see her again—means he can’t just leave her in jail. And when India reveals the truth about her pregnancy, Mike insists she stay with him until the baby is born.
India doesn’t want to depend on him for anything, but their constant proximity stirs up feelings she can’t ignore. She’s never desired a family before and she knows a future with Mike isn’t possible . . . but then along came love to shake up all her plans.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2016
98 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Tracey Livesay
16 books959 followersTracey Livesay writes smart, sexy and emotional contemporary romances where strong, successful heroines find love with powerful, passionate heroes. Her latest release, THE DUCHESS EFFECT, is the sequel to last summer’s American Royalty, which evokes the real-life romance between Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle, if Meghan was Megan Thee Stallion. She is the 2021 Emma Award winner for Best Interracial Romance for Like Lovers Do, which was also named one of the 100 Best Fiction Books of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews. A former criminal defense attorney, she lives in Virginia with her husband—who she met on the very first day of law school—and is counting down the days until they have an empty nest. (Don’t worry, their three kids are well aware.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
October 7, 2021
Mike and India meet at a wedding, have a 2-night stand, after which India disappears. FF 3 months and she's back, but with a little nugget of info that upends Mike's world...
You'll enjoy reading this, but only if you've never read the story of the one-night stand turned nine-month consequence.
November 17, 2024
I hate when there is a “secret baby” or "surprise baby" in a romance novel. Lest I sound like a monster, I don’t hate babies. But I’ve never been a fan of them as plot devices.
So color me shocked that I really enjoyed Along Came Love, where a one-weekend fling between attracting opposites Indi and Mike results in a nine-month - and beyond - commitment. A fun (if a bit frustrating) 3.5 star read.
I described Love On My Mind, the first book in Livesay's Shades of Love series, as mildly addictive. The same description applies here. Not only are Livesay's stories engaging, her characters are, too. While the premise of Along Came Love isn't particularly novel, the story still felt fun and bright. Indi and Mike seem wrong for each other on paper, but they couldn't be more right together. Mike was demanding and uptight but still capable of getting down and deliciously dirty, and Indi was both a free-spirit and a wounded soul. I appreciated that Livesay didn't shame Indi for her uncertainty about motherhood. After her mother left her at a hospital when she was four years old, Indi doesn't think that she should be a parent, that she can be a parent, and her fears and doubts were relatable. I also appreciated seeing Mike become more compassionate and learn the patience that his privilege often allowed him to forgo.
Some plot points weren't as smoothly integrated into the overall story, but I would have been more inclined to round up if not for Mike's relationship with Skylar. Mike and Skylar explicitly acknowledge that they don’t love each other and that their partnership is practical and businesslike. But it wasn't purely platonic.
Still, Livesay's stories are ones that I would recommend - well-written, sweet, and enjoyable reads.
So color me shocked that I really enjoyed Along Came Love, where a one-weekend fling between attracting opposites Indi and Mike results in a nine-month - and beyond - commitment. A fun (if a bit frustrating) 3.5 star read.
I described Love On My Mind, the first book in Livesay's Shades of Love series, as mildly addictive. The same description applies here. Not only are Livesay's stories engaging, her characters are, too. While the premise of Along Came Love isn't particularly novel, the story still felt fun and bright. Indi and Mike seem wrong for each other on paper, but they couldn't be more right together. Mike was demanding and uptight but still capable of getting down and deliciously dirty, and Indi was both a free-spirit and a wounded soul. I appreciated that Livesay didn't shame Indi for her uncertainty about motherhood. After her mother left her at a hospital when she was four years old, Indi doesn't think that she should be a parent, that she can be a parent, and her fears and doubts were relatable. I also appreciated seeing Mike become more compassionate and learn the patience that his privilege often allowed him to forgo.
Some plot points weren't as smoothly integrated into the overall story, but I would have been more inclined to round up if not for Mike's relationship with Skylar. Mike and Skylar explicitly acknowledge that they don’t love each other and that their partnership is practical and businesslike. But it wasn't purely platonic.
Still, Livesay's stories are ones that I would recommend - well-written, sweet, and enjoyable reads.
November 20, 2016
I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to rate this. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but edging closer to 4 than 3, though.
This book takes the surprise baby trope (which normally I am not a friend of) and surrounds it with some interesting elements that makes it more than a trope.
Indi and Mike hook up for a weekend of sexy-sex times after the wedding of their respective best friends. But Indi is a product of the foster system. She was never adopted and as such has a LOT of baggage when it comes to relationships and forming connections. The only connection she has made and kept is her foster sister Chelsea of the fateful wedding. So Indi sneaks off in the middle of the night to go back to her nomad life.
Mike remembers the night vividly and texted and called Indi incessantly. But her complete rebuff of him made him realize he needed to carry on with his life. He is on the cusp of proposing to his on-again/off-again and this time on-again girlfriend Skyler when he finally gets a call from Indi. She needs him to bail her out of jail. When he does, she lets slip that she is pregnant.
What I liked was that both Indi and Mike are brimful of personality and sexual chemistry. They went a long way toward making me enjoy the book because I simply enjoyed them.
I also completely got why Indi did not want to have a child and felt she could not bond or be a good mother and why she planned 100% to go the adoption route. It was a logical decision and made sense for this character.
What I had a harder time with, though, was Mike's whole vibe with his girlfriend Skyler. It was clear he wasn't in love with her nor even felt any real passion for her. So I didn't buy this need for him to marry her. It really was presented as well, just something to do. I would have liked it more if it was clear that he actually felt something real for Skyler. Also he never really communicates with her. So in that sense Skyler felt more like an obstacle than a real person.
And then there is Indi's whole attitude about the baby. Yes I was on board with her reasoning for wanting to put her baby up for adoption, but the moment she informed Mike that he was the father and he indicated a clear desire to keep the baby then her continued insistence on adoption made no sense. It was really rather stupid actually. You'd think she'd be happy that the father would want the child and the child would grow up in the proximity with the one person she herself called family, Chelsea.
So this was a quick well written story, good dialogue, some good character beats that ultimately doesn't quite soar for me because of some problematic actions by the characters.
This book takes the surprise baby trope (which normally I am not a friend of) and surrounds it with some interesting elements that makes it more than a trope.
Indi and Mike hook up for a weekend of sexy-sex times after the wedding of their respective best friends. But Indi is a product of the foster system. She was never adopted and as such has a LOT of baggage when it comes to relationships and forming connections. The only connection she has made and kept is her foster sister Chelsea of the fateful wedding. So Indi sneaks off in the middle of the night to go back to her nomad life.
Mike remembers the night vividly and texted and called Indi incessantly. But her complete rebuff of him made him realize he needed to carry on with his life. He is on the cusp of proposing to his on-again/off-again and this time on-again girlfriend Skyler when he finally gets a call from Indi. She needs him to bail her out of jail. When he does, she lets slip that she is pregnant.
What I liked was that both Indi and Mike are brimful of personality and sexual chemistry. They went a long way toward making me enjoy the book because I simply enjoyed them.
I also completely got why Indi did not want to have a child and felt she could not bond or be a good mother and why she planned 100% to go the adoption route. It was a logical decision and made sense for this character.
What I had a harder time with, though, was Mike's whole vibe with his girlfriend Skyler. It was clear he wasn't in love with her nor even felt any real passion for her. So I didn't buy this need for him to marry her. It really was presented as well, just something to do. I would have liked it more if it was clear that he actually felt something real for Skyler. Also he never really communicates with her. So in that sense Skyler felt more like an obstacle than a real person.
And then there is Indi's whole attitude about the baby. Yes I was on board with her reasoning for wanting to put her baby up for adoption, but the moment she informed Mike that he was the father and he indicated a clear desire to keep the baby then her continued insistence on adoption made no sense. It was really rather stupid actually. You'd think she'd be happy that the father would want the child and the child would grow up in the proximity with the one person she herself called family, Chelsea.
So this was a quick well written story, good dialogue, some good character beats that ultimately doesn't quite soar for me because of some problematic actions by the characters.
October 28, 2016
Free spirit India meets slightly uptight billionaire Mike and they both let their hair down by mutually deciding (after many shots of tequila) to have a weekend fling after the wedding of their best friends. According to the flashbacks, the weekend was unforgettable (and we find out later) in more ways than one!
Though they both feel a strong connection, India's afraid of her feelings so she sneaks away like a thief in the night and Mike wakes up wanting to take the fling to the next level, only to find himself alone. He harbors anger and resentment, but he eventually moves on with his life. Months later, she calls him when she needs his help and he agrees. Hours later, Mike finds out she's pregnant with his baby. He actually asked her how it happened? Mike's words “And that was all it took?” Yes, Mike ... sometimes, it just takes one time for your life to change forever.
India has a specific plan for the baby and they don't include Mike. I had to laugh that India actually thought the father of her baby would go along with her crazy plan. I did get tired of India's constant gripes about her past and her trust issues. I found it interesting that she would subject her baby to a life similar to her own in a manner of speaking.
One of the things that I did appreciate was the way the author portrayed Mike's girlfriend, Skylar. It was pleasant to read that she wasn't a bitch. Skylar was an accomplished businesswoman and an overall nice person and it showed in the way that she handled herself in the pivotal scene -- very, very classy.
I enjoyed reading this story and there were some great character speeches made. I was going to rate this book 4.5 Stars until the ending, which was very rushed and unsatisfactory. This book could seriously use an epilogue!
Shades of Love Series
Book 1 (Adam & Chelsea)
Book 2 (Mike & India)
Book 3 (Jonathan & Leighton) ==> Coming May 2017
NOTE: Each book can be read as a standalone.
Though they both feel a strong connection, India's afraid of her feelings so she sneaks away like a thief in the night and Mike wakes up wanting to take the fling to the next level, only to find himself alone. He harbors anger and resentment, but he eventually moves on with his life. Months later, she calls him when she needs his help and he agrees. Hours later, Mike finds out she's pregnant with his baby. He actually asked her how it happened? Mike's words “And that was all it took?” Yes, Mike ... sometimes, it just takes one time for your life to change forever.
India has a specific plan for the baby and they don't include Mike. I had to laugh that India actually thought the father of her baby would go along with her crazy plan. I did get tired of India's constant gripes about her past and her trust issues. I found it interesting that she would subject her baby to a life similar to her own in a manner of speaking.
One of the things that I did appreciate was the way the author portrayed Mike's girlfriend, Skylar. It was pleasant to read that she wasn't a bitch. Skylar was an accomplished businesswoman and an overall nice person and it showed in the way that she handled herself in the pivotal scene -- very, very classy.
I enjoyed reading this story and there were some great character speeches made. I was going to rate this book 4.5 Stars until the ending, which was very rushed and unsatisfactory. This book could seriously use an epilogue!
Shades of Love Series
Book 1 (Adam & Chelsea)
Book 2 (Mike & India)
Book 3 (Jonathan & Leighton) ==> Coming May 2017
NOTE: Each book can be read as a standalone.
November 1, 2016
Sadly, Along Came Love wasn't up to my expectations. In fact, I ended up skimming a bit at the last 30% of the book. You don't know how sad I am this happened but it did. Mainly because the hero cheated on his girlfriend throughout 70% of the book. Yeah, he has a girlfriend while he is with the MC and I would have been okay if he had broken that off before he started anything with the heroine, like before kissing her. It was clear he didn't feel anything for the girlfriend, but it was just rude to the girlfriend and the MC for him to do this.
I like everything else, it was funny and the whole relationship between Mike and India was superb. But that fact *read first paragragh* just made my mood go downhill. I didn't enjoy it anymore.
Tracey Livesay writes great romances. I recommend Love On My Mind so much because that book is amazing. It's about Chelsea and Adam, while this second book (but standalone novel) is about Mike and India. I'm excited to read about Jonathan's book (he's a chef!!!) so ~ I'm not giving up on Tracey's books of course. This was just something personal (the cheating part) to me.
I like everything else, it was funny and the whole relationship between Mike and India was superb. But that fact *read first paragragh* just made my mood go downhill. I didn't enjoy it anymore.
Tracey Livesay writes great romances. I recommend Love On My Mind so much because that book is amazing. It's about Chelsea and Adam, while this second book (but standalone novel) is about Mike and India. I'm excited to read about Jonathan's book (he's a chef!!!) so ~ I'm not giving up on Tracey's books of course. This was just something personal (the cheating part) to me.
December 24, 2016
Along Came Love is the second book in the Shades of Love series. I enjoyed the first book, Love on my Mind, so I was hoping that I would like this one. In the end, I was sadly underwhelmed by the book. We met India and Mike in the first book. India is Chelsea's foster sister and Mike is Adam's best friend and business partner.
While I did like the ending, I had a few issues with the story. First, the whole arrest and burglary charge thing could have been easily cleared up with a phone call to the resort. They must have a phone even if the vacationers don't have WiFi access. So, that was all kind of unnecessary drama for nothing. Second, it only takes place over the span of 2 weeks. I didn't really feel like I really got to know the couple at all. We are giving glimpses to their one weekend together, but those are mostly sex scenes. It was all way too fast for me. Finally, and the thing that bothered me the most, was Mike taking so long to break things off with his girlfriend. He should have told her about the baby right away and should have ended things before the first kiss with Indi. It really didn't sit well with me that he kind of strung her along.
It's not a bad story, I just wanted more. In fact, this felt like a novella instead of a full story. I'll probably pick up the next book, because I would love to read Sully's story. That one looks to be promising.
While I did like the ending, I had a few issues with the story. First, the whole arrest and burglary charge thing could have been easily cleared up with a phone call to the resort. They must have a phone even if the vacationers don't have WiFi access. So, that was all kind of unnecessary drama for nothing. Second, it only takes place over the span of 2 weeks. I didn't really feel like I really got to know the couple at all. We are giving glimpses to their one weekend together, but those are mostly sex scenes. It was all way too fast for me. Finally, and the thing that bothered me the most, was Mike taking so long to break things off with his girlfriend. He should have told her about the baby right away and should have ended things before the first kiss with Indi. It really didn't sit well with me that he kind of strung her along.
It's not a bad story, I just wanted more. In fact, this felt like a novella instead of a full story. I'll probably pick up the next book, because I would love to read Sully's story. That one looks to be promising.
October 27, 2016
He moved closer to her. "I'll always take care of you." "I don't need you to." "I know. But taking care of you isn't a way to control you, and it doesn't mean I don't think you're capable of taking care of yourself. It just means I care about you and I want you to be safe." He paused. "Because I love you."
As seen in the above passage, Along Came Love had the potential to be a sweet romance novel, but there was one unnecessary element included in the details of this book that irritated me. And, for that reason I dropped the rating from a 4 to a 3.
Interracial romance novels are hard for me to read and I honestly think I'm gonna take a break from reading them. The main female character had a conflict which wasn't needed and it left a sour taste in my mouth throughout the entire book. The book had great potential and the author is quite talented but I couldn't get past that one thing.
As seen in the above passage, Along Came Love had the potential to be a sweet romance novel, but there was one unnecessary element included in the details of this book that irritated me. And, for that reason I dropped the rating from a 4 to a 3.
Interracial romance novels are hard for me to read and I honestly think I'm gonna take a break from reading them. The main female character had a conflict which wasn't needed and it left a sour taste in my mouth throughout the entire book. The book had great potential and the author is quite talented but I couldn't get past that one thing.
February 5, 2017
This book is full of dialogue that rehashes, over-explains and is clunky. An example being Indi's ObGyn telling Indi that she had just given a urine sample. the reader doesn't know this fact but Indi sure as hell would have remembered weeing into a sample cup 5 minutes earlier.
Another reviewer mentioned this and I agree. Indi is arrested for breaking into her sister's house and the DA goes ahead with the charges because the sister un-contactable at a resort in Fiji. I've been to Fiji and it's amazing but true: they have telephones there! :-P So stupid.
I could go on and on with examples of shit that shitted me. Time to call it off at 40%. A big fat DNF for me.
Another reviewer mentioned this and I agree. Indi is arrested for breaking into her sister's house and the DA goes ahead with the charges because the sister un-contactable at a resort in Fiji. I've been to Fiji and it's amazing but true: they have telephones there! :-P So stupid.
I could go on and on with examples of shit that shitted me. Time to call it off at 40%. A big fat DNF for me.
October 13, 2021
good thing I read this series out of order because I didn't like Mike in book one...
I just don't get where all this love came from when they had a two-night stand three months ago when he was on the break with his gf..now he is back with gf and finds out about the baby..I am not convinced...both are very difficult and exhausting people...he is Mr. know it all and very controlling and she needs therapy bc of her abandonment issues... I didn't like either of them...
also...
I just don't get where all this love came from when they had a two-night stand three months ago when he was on the break with his gf..now he is back with gf and finds out about the baby..I am not convinced...both are very difficult and exhausting people...he is Mr. know it all and very controlling and she needs therapy bc of her abandonment issues... I didn't like either of them...
also...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2017
I don't like WASPs as characters, so there's that.
The end was rushed.
India accepted a lot of white privilege without question.
I like Sully. Also, the book is well-written with sound grammar.
The end was rushed.
India accepted a lot of white privilege without question.
I like Sully. Also, the book is well-written with sound grammar.
October 20, 2016
This is the second book in this series. Yet, it can be read as a stand alone novel. I loved India aka Indi's spunk. OMG, Mike is such a sweetheart. The way that he cared for Indi had my heart melting. Yet, this book was not all about romance. There were laughs to be found as well. For example, when Indi and Mike were at the OBGYN. The doctor tells Indi to lie back and relax and Indi responds with "That is what he said." Then there was the time when Indi and Mike were book shopping on the topic of pregnancy. Indi asking Mike how she would ask the doctor for the placenta to plant in the garden and Mike responding that he did not know as he did not plan to do this. I am right there with Mike, the idea is more of a turn off then a sweet one. Although, my favorite in this story was Mike and Indi's unborn baby aka Nugget. The name while temporary was great. This is a quick read filled with great characters and storyline.
October 28, 2016
Along Came Love had a nice premise with characters I actually liked. The writing and the way the story developed left a lot be desired though. India, Mike, and Morgan all had very interesting backgrounds and issues I could relate to, but they weren't explored enough and the writing lacked depth. I never felt satisfied with the way our MC's handled the situation they find themselves in. Instead of feeling like I was reading a story where two people were slowly coming together as a couple and family, it felt like a story with two people who should be doing that, but couldn't get over themselves. Of course everything was abruptly and nicely wrapped up in the end without any real fuss or me feeling like it was earned.
October 27, 2016
Eh. I'm normally a sucker for surprise pregnancies but Indi made it impossible to enjoy the story. I know why she has issues and it was tackled with a big dose of real life realism, but sometimes that's not what i want in my "billionaire knocks up his best friend's wife's sister at the wedding" story. Indi has issues that stems from being abandoned by her mother when she was 4 and spending the next 12 years in the foster care system. I get it. I found her solution to her pregnancy issue conflicting and dumb. I wasn't down with her reasoning. Add in all the tech talk about Mike's business and I found myself skimming pages and pages. Too much detail about this new device that's supposed to revolutionize the world. Yawn. Don't care. I ended up skimming a lot. But I finished. The ending was corny and sweet and very typical of romance. Just wished the rest of the book was the same.
February 5, 2017
I liked this opposites attract opps I am preggers romance.
I loved the frank look at white privilege and "color blindness" from several perspectives in the book.
I liked that the hero and the heroine saw life and the choice before them with this baby very differently. The surrounding cast was great though the hero's father jerkhood crossed lines.
The hero and the heroine really loved each other and that made the book a good read.
I like that they were imperfect and had flaws but some of those flaws too a bit too long to deal with from characters as self aware as these two and some of their choices were thus annoying as heck.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I loved the frank look at white privilege and "color blindness" from several perspectives in the book.
I liked that the hero and the heroine saw life and the choice before them with this baby very differently. The surrounding cast was great though the hero's father jerkhood crossed lines.
The hero and the heroine really loved each other and that made the book a good read.
I like that they were imperfect and had flaws but some of those flaws too a bit too long to deal with from characters as self aware as these two and some of their choices were thus annoying as heck.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 31, 2016
This is a follow up to the previous book but can be read as a stand alone. Most of the book takes place over a week period but has flashbacks to the weekend they spent together. It was a good follow up but everything happens so quick theres not much character development.
February 5, 2017
Review originally posted on http://www.joyfullyreviewed.net/revie...
February 7, 2017
DNFed around the 40% mark.
I skimmed the rest.
I can't even remember the last time I DNFed a book. It's been years. But I'm just simply not in the mood for idiocy after idiocy.
I skimmed the rest.
I can't even remember the last time I DNFed a book. It's been years. But I'm just simply not in the mood for idiocy after idiocy.
June 12, 2020
I was hoping this would be better than the first book, but it was worse. Even setting aside my own dislike of surprise pregnancy stories, this was worse.
I've got the two relevant quotes highlighted for reference, but early in the story, maybe one or two chapters apart, our hero Mike offers two different versions of his reaction to waking up and discovering Indi left at the end of their weekend together without saying goodbye. First, he's grateful and relieved that he didn't have to deal with the awkwardness of shooing his brief fling out of bed. (My reaction to this: kind of a dick move, but he's got the whole book to grow into a better person, right?) But the second time he tells the reader how he felt, it was RAGE. RAGE that his little boho sexy beauty was gone, RAGE so bad that it took him a few days to feel able to interact with the rest of the world. (My two reactions to that: 1) how on earth can you feel both grateful and enraged that she left before you woke up, I don't believe those feelings can coexist as you've presented them, and 2) am I really supposed to believe you formed such a connection with her in two days of marathon sex that you're enraged that she left? Or is this rage because you no longer have access to her body?)
Because Mike has serious control issues about access to Indi's body. Thankfully the narrative takes abortion off the table right away, Indi always intended to continue with the pregnancy, so at no point does Mike have to "convince" her not to abort. But he spends most of the book using emotional manipulation tactics to persuade her to allow him to raise the child rather than giving him up for adoption (I'm going with "him" because eventually they assigned "him" to the baby, whose gender was actually undeterminable at this point of her pregnancy.) Later in the story when she's pretty okay with that idea, he ups the pressure and starts working on the idea of them sticking together as a family even though she's made it clear she doesn't want to be a mother.
But my problems don't end there, because Mike also has a girlfriend, Skylar. He had his fling with Indi after Skylar left him, no issues with that, he was single. But they later got back together, and he's about to propose. Literally, he intends to propose the evening of the day Indi re-enters his life. But Skylar is quite conveniently about to leave town on business, so instead of having to actually deal with the mess Indi's making of his life plan and how it impacts his current relationship, the narrative shoves Skylar into a box for a while so Mike and Indi can have their screen time together. It takes until 70% for Mike to finally talk to Skylar about what's happened and for them to break up with very little fanfare or negativity--but then, they were never a love match, they both say so, they were a high-powered business partnership willing to be married to each other for mutual social benefit and (presumably) sex. (I actually can't recall if the book ever explicitly states that Mike and Skylar had a sexual relationship. Everything we do see of them together is incredibly dry and society-minded, so if you told me they weren't sleeping together, I'd believe you.)
So, Mike is prone to controlling and manipulative behavior (remember, he's the one in the first book who hired Chelsea in secret to deceive Adam in prepping for the company's big presentation--that, at least, is consistent with his character) and also HE'S A CHEATER because he finger-bangs Indi but stops himself before they have penis-in-vagina sex, because apparently that's the line where he thinks he'd be cheating. I guess it's not "sex" to him if he doesn't orgasm? Because Indi definitely does, and yeah, sorry, you're a cheater, Mike, that was sex. You were having sex with Indi before you broke up with Skylar, and Indi even calls you on it, saying what you did "wasn't fair to me or Skylar." So, Indi, I guess you're okay being with a cheater?
And man, I haven't even gotten to how the entire book is the spawn of a single giant plot hole. Indi re-enters Mike's life in the first place because she needs him to post bail for "breaking in" to Chelsea's apartment because she's not on the approved list of guests. It could all be cleared up with a single phone call before police ever get involved, but Chelsea's on her honeymoon at a "no contact" resort, completely cut off from the outside world. Like, call the resort even if you can't call Chelsea directly? They've got to have a policy in place for reaching guests in times of emergency. What if a guest's family member died or something else life-altering like that? There's absolutely no way they wouldn't reach out to a guest in a crisis, and I think "loved one about to be arrested for a crime you could exonerate her from" would count. (But if we write that scenario logically there's no plot, because she doesn't need Mike for bail and then he doesn't feel responsible for keeping her close by the rest of the book.)
I'm done, I'm out, I will not be continuing on with this series.
I've got the two relevant quotes highlighted for reference, but early in the story, maybe one or two chapters apart, our hero Mike offers two different versions of his reaction to waking up and discovering Indi left at the end of their weekend together without saying goodbye. First, he's grateful and relieved that he didn't have to deal with the awkwardness of shooing his brief fling out of bed. (My reaction to this: kind of a dick move, but he's got the whole book to grow into a better person, right?) But the second time he tells the reader how he felt, it was RAGE. RAGE that his little boho sexy beauty was gone, RAGE so bad that it took him a few days to feel able to interact with the rest of the world. (My two reactions to that: 1) how on earth can you feel both grateful and enraged that she left before you woke up, I don't believe those feelings can coexist as you've presented them, and 2) am I really supposed to believe you formed such a connection with her in two days of marathon sex that you're enraged that she left? Or is this rage because you no longer have access to her body?)
Because Mike has serious control issues about access to Indi's body. Thankfully the narrative takes abortion off the table right away, Indi always intended to continue with the pregnancy, so at no point does Mike have to "convince" her not to abort. But he spends most of the book using emotional manipulation tactics to persuade her to allow him to raise the child rather than giving him up for adoption (I'm going with "him" because eventually they assigned "him" to the baby, whose gender was actually undeterminable at this point of her pregnancy.) Later in the story when she's pretty okay with that idea, he ups the pressure and starts working on the idea of them sticking together as a family even though she's made it clear she doesn't want to be a mother.
But my problems don't end there, because Mike also has a girlfriend, Skylar. He had his fling with Indi after Skylar left him, no issues with that, he was single. But they later got back together, and he's about to propose. Literally, he intends to propose the evening of the day Indi re-enters his life. But Skylar is quite conveniently about to leave town on business, so instead of having to actually deal with the mess Indi's making of his life plan and how it impacts his current relationship, the narrative shoves Skylar into a box for a while so Mike and Indi can have their screen time together. It takes until 70% for Mike to finally talk to Skylar about what's happened and for them to break up with very little fanfare or negativity--but then, they were never a love match, they both say so, they were a high-powered business partnership willing to be married to each other for mutual social benefit and (presumably) sex. (I actually can't recall if the book ever explicitly states that Mike and Skylar had a sexual relationship. Everything we do see of them together is incredibly dry and society-minded, so if you told me they weren't sleeping together, I'd believe you.)
So, Mike is prone to controlling and manipulative behavior (remember, he's the one in the first book who hired Chelsea in secret to deceive Adam in prepping for the company's big presentation--that, at least, is consistent with his character) and also HE'S A CHEATER because he finger-bangs Indi but stops himself before they have penis-in-vagina sex, because apparently that's the line where he thinks he'd be cheating. I guess it's not "sex" to him if he doesn't orgasm? Because Indi definitely does, and yeah, sorry, you're a cheater, Mike, that was sex. You were having sex with Indi before you broke up with Skylar, and Indi even calls you on it, saying what you did "wasn't fair to me or Skylar." So, Indi, I guess you're okay being with a cheater?
And man, I haven't even gotten to how the entire book is the spawn of a single giant plot hole. Indi re-enters Mike's life in the first place because she needs him to post bail for "breaking in" to Chelsea's apartment because she's not on the approved list of guests. It could all be cleared up with a single phone call before police ever get involved, but Chelsea's on her honeymoon at a "no contact" resort, completely cut off from the outside world. Like, call the resort even if you can't call Chelsea directly? They've got to have a policy in place for reaching guests in times of emergency. What if a guest's family member died or something else life-altering like that? There's absolutely no way they wouldn't reach out to a guest in a crisis, and I think "loved one about to be arrested for a crime you could exonerate her from" would count. (But if we write that scenario logically there's no plot, because she doesn't need Mike for bail and then he doesn't feel responsible for keeping her close by the rest of the book.)
I'm done, I'm out, I will not be continuing on with this series.
March 4, 2019
This is a new to me author. It’s always a bit of a gamble when trying new authors but this is a gamble that paid off tenfold. I was charmed by this book and had a very hard time putting it down.
India Shaw shows up in San Francisco and runs into trouble when she goes to her best friend Chelsea’s place and the doorman refuses to let her in. Newly-wed Chelsea is off on her honeymoon and as India is not on the approved list she’s out of luck. But India has to get in. She’s just realized she’s pregnant and has been sending all her savings over the years to Chelsea and no needs her money. She ends up breaking into the apartment and gets caught and ends up arrested.
Though it’s the very last thing she wants to do, she is forced to call Michael Black, the best friend and partner of Chelsea’s new husband and the guy she spent an incredible weekend with during the wedding festivities and oh, incidentally, is the father of India’s baby.
India and Mike couldn’t be more different. India is a free spirit to put it mildly. Raised in foster care, she’d constantly on the move, not really settling anywhere, whereas Mike has his life buttoned up and planned out to the nth degree. His only aberration was the weekend spent with India. Unfortunately he hasn’t been able to forget her since that weekend but he ploughs ahead with his plans anyway which includes an engagement with a woman not that he loves but who would be a perfect business partner. So this unexpected rescue of India doesn’t suit his plans at all. He hasn’t seen her since their time together and has all these unresolved issues.
But in no time all, the feelings and incredible attraction he had for her that never went away, come rushing back and he’s torn on to how to proceed. On India’s side the feelings and attraction also come roaring back but as she plans on giving the baby up for adoption, these pesky feelings are most inconvenient for her too, especially when Mike finds out he’s soon to be a father and decides he wants to raise the baby.
I adored both these two. I love seeing a buttoned up guy come undone because of the power of love and a foot loose and fancy free character slowly realize that roots are important. India has never had any and the reader can really understand her fears because of the way she grew up. And considering Mike’s history, his need for control also makes sense. Both of them are good and caring people and so perfect for each other. They both need the qualities the other has to offer and I found Ms. Livesay does a wonderful job in conveying this deep connection they have for the other.
India is a WOC and while it’s dealt with in the book it’s dealt with in such a great way it seems to me. It’s not brushed aside and it makes no difference in the relationship between Mike and India but some of the issues that may arise are brought by a family member who isn’t too pleased with the growing closeness between the two.
This is part of a series that it works fine as a stand-alone though reading it really made me want to read the previous book which deals with Ian, Mike’s friend and business partner and Chelsea, India’s soul sister, a book just picked up since I enjoyed this one so very much. Tracey Livesay is an author I fully plan on following. While at it I also purchased another one and was ever so delighted to discover I already have which I presume is another book in the series. This is one of the pluses of having such a huge TBR pile; discovering you already have it when going to get a new book.
India Shaw shows up in San Francisco and runs into trouble when she goes to her best friend Chelsea’s place and the doorman refuses to let her in. Newly-wed Chelsea is off on her honeymoon and as India is not on the approved list she’s out of luck. But India has to get in. She’s just realized she’s pregnant and has been sending all her savings over the years to Chelsea and no needs her money. She ends up breaking into the apartment and gets caught and ends up arrested.
Though it’s the very last thing she wants to do, she is forced to call Michael Black, the best friend and partner of Chelsea’s new husband and the guy she spent an incredible weekend with during the wedding festivities and oh, incidentally, is the father of India’s baby.
India and Mike couldn’t be more different. India is a free spirit to put it mildly. Raised in foster care, she’d constantly on the move, not really settling anywhere, whereas Mike has his life buttoned up and planned out to the nth degree. His only aberration was the weekend spent with India. Unfortunately he hasn’t been able to forget her since that weekend but he ploughs ahead with his plans anyway which includes an engagement with a woman not that he loves but who would be a perfect business partner. So this unexpected rescue of India doesn’t suit his plans at all. He hasn’t seen her since their time together and has all these unresolved issues.
But in no time all, the feelings and incredible attraction he had for her that never went away, come rushing back and he’s torn on to how to proceed. On India’s side the feelings and attraction also come roaring back but as she plans on giving the baby up for adoption, these pesky feelings are most inconvenient for her too, especially when Mike finds out he’s soon to be a father and decides he wants to raise the baby.
I adored both these two. I love seeing a buttoned up guy come undone because of the power of love and a foot loose and fancy free character slowly realize that roots are important. India has never had any and the reader can really understand her fears because of the way she grew up. And considering Mike’s history, his need for control also makes sense. Both of them are good and caring people and so perfect for each other. They both need the qualities the other has to offer and I found Ms. Livesay does a wonderful job in conveying this deep connection they have for the other.
India is a WOC and while it’s dealt with in the book it’s dealt with in such a great way it seems to me. It’s not brushed aside and it makes no difference in the relationship between Mike and India but some of the issues that may arise are brought by a family member who isn’t too pleased with the growing closeness between the two.
This is part of a series that it works fine as a stand-alone though reading it really made me want to read the previous book which deals with Ian, Mike’s friend and business partner and Chelsea, India’s soul sister, a book just picked up since I enjoyed this one so very much. Tracey Livesay is an author I fully plan on following. While at it I also purchased another one and was ever so delighted to discover I already have which I presume is another book in the series. This is one of the pluses of having such a huge TBR pile; discovering you already have it when going to get a new book.
November 26, 2017
Okay, so where do I start with this book? Honestly, there are so many things I loved about the story. First, there's the female lead India. She's quirky, adventurous and charming while simultaneously damaged and skilled in keeping people at a distance. These traits themselves are loveable. Everyone feels a sense of endearment toward the quirky odd ball sidekick, right?
However, I loved India because the traits described above are not often seen in black characters. It was so refreshing to read about a character that both looked like me and acted like me. Too often black women get written as the ball buster, the diva, the "hood rat" (rolling my eyes) or the like. While those roles have their place and their pros and cons, writing women of color in all their diversity matters. We're all not going to be flawless Beyonces or rough-edged Nikkis. Some of us are Indias.
Additionally, I really love that this story didn't read as an interracial romance. The story is simply two people who love one another who find themselves in a particular situation and, yeah, they look different. But the differences in their skin color isn't the focus of the story.
I'd also like to add there was no fetish, self-hate or white ideal worship. I say this because in interracial novels and, sadly, in real life too often poc who are love interests can only be so if they're treated as fetishes. If not that, there's the degrading of men of their race and the uplifting of white men as the best. None of this was in the story. I can only think of one line that could have been interpreted that way but it didn't fit in my opinion.
India didn't love Mike because he was white or vice versa.
The dialogue was also good for the most part. Most if it felt realistic and the author used it to both properly display and draw out the conflict. This, of course, led to good character development.
Now, what made me pause?
There was one scene where Mike had decided to woo India by showing how charitable a man he was. While this was good intentioned, it came off very corny and actually made him look more like a jerk. As someone who's worked in the nonprofit field, this scene really pushed the imagination and a few buttons.
Lastly, the ending wrapped up too quickly for my taste. This is common in romances but I find it annoying. Yes, we know they're going to get back together but don't have it happen with the snap of a finger. Write it out! Let me feel what they feel.,Don't just go through the motions because the story's done.
Overall, I'd read more by this author. Definitely planning to go back and read the first book.
However, I loved India because the traits described above are not often seen in black characters. It was so refreshing to read about a character that both looked like me and acted like me. Too often black women get written as the ball buster, the diva, the "hood rat" (rolling my eyes) or the like. While those roles have their place and their pros and cons, writing women of color in all their diversity matters. We're all not going to be flawless Beyonces or rough-edged Nikkis. Some of us are Indias.
Additionally, I really love that this story didn't read as an interracial romance. The story is simply two people who love one another who find themselves in a particular situation and, yeah, they look different. But the differences in their skin color isn't the focus of the story.
I'd also like to add there was no fetish, self-hate or white ideal worship. I say this because in interracial novels and, sadly, in real life too often poc who are love interests can only be so if they're treated as fetishes. If not that, there's the degrading of men of their race and the uplifting of white men as the best. None of this was in the story. I can only think of one line that could have been interpreted that way but it didn't fit in my opinion.
India didn't love Mike because he was white or vice versa.
The dialogue was also good for the most part. Most if it felt realistic and the author used it to both properly display and draw out the conflict. This, of course, led to good character development.
Now, what made me pause?
There was one scene where Mike had decided to woo India by showing how charitable a man he was. While this was good intentioned, it came off very corny and actually made him look more like a jerk. As someone who's worked in the nonprofit field, this scene really pushed the imagination and a few buttons.
Lastly, the ending wrapped up too quickly for my taste. This is common in romances but I find it annoying. Yes, we know they're going to get back together but don't have it happen with the snap of a finger. Write it out! Let me feel what they feel.,Don't just go through the motions because the story's done.
Overall, I'd read more by this author. Definitely planning to go back and read the first book.
June 16, 2021
I really enjoyed this and I was not expecting that at all. This was recommended to me but I wasn't sure I would like it because the pregnancy stuff but I ended up liking it a lot.
I didn't know anything about when it was first recommended to me. I rarely read the synopses of romance novels so I only found out about the unplanned pregnancy part of this when I read the back of the book after getting it from the library. I'm kind of happy I didn't read the synopses because I'm not sure I would have read this if I had. In this book we're following Mike who is the COO (I think?) of a very successful tech company and India, who is kind of a free spirit. They hooked up at a wedding and India got pregnant. Again, I wasn't sure about this set up but it ended up really working for me. I really liked the dynamics between Indi and Mike. Mike has a girlfriend throughout a lot of this book, which is another thing I sometimes dislike but that wasn't too annoying here. The dynamics with Mike's family also really worked for me. There were some conflicts that I didn't like as much but I really liked the romance overall.
I think the reason why this book worked for me even though it had things I dislike was the writing. This book sucked me right in. I briefly flipped through this coming back from the library and ended up reading almost the whole first chapter. Something about Livesay's writing style just really worked for me and allowed me to overlook some of the plot points that would normally bother me or things that seemed unrealistic. I think this book does have problems but because I was so sucked into the writing, they didn't bother me. I definitely want to go back and read the other two books in this series because I'm hoping I'll like them just as much.
I didn't know anything about when it was first recommended to me. I rarely read the synopses of romance novels so I only found out about the unplanned pregnancy part of this when I read the back of the book after getting it from the library. I'm kind of happy I didn't read the synopses because I'm not sure I would have read this if I had. In this book we're following Mike who is the COO (I think?) of a very successful tech company and India, who is kind of a free spirit. They hooked up at a wedding and India got pregnant. Again, I wasn't sure about this set up but it ended up really working for me. I really liked the dynamics between Indi and Mike. Mike has a girlfriend throughout a lot of this book, which is another thing I sometimes dislike but that wasn't too annoying here. The dynamics with Mike's family also really worked for me. There were some conflicts that I didn't like as much but I really liked the romance overall.
I think the reason why this book worked for me even though it had things I dislike was the writing. This book sucked me right in. I briefly flipped through this coming back from the library and ended up reading almost the whole first chapter. Something about Livesay's writing style just really worked for me and allowed me to overlook some of the plot points that would normally bother me or things that seemed unrealistic. I think this book does have problems but because I was so sucked into the writing, they didn't bother me. I definitely want to go back and read the other two books in this series because I'm hoping I'll like them just as much.
abandoned
March 10, 2019Ehh, I was enjoying some of this but have to nope out. Mike keeps saying "her body, her choice" and then doing or saying something that feels really emotionally manipulative to me. I get that "pregnant person who doesn't want baby gradually changes mind" is inherently the plot of an unwanted pregnancy romance novel, which is why I normally avoid them...having liked these characters in the first book in the series wasn't enough to get me past that. (Speaking of the previous book, I did love seeing India's angst over her relationship with Chelsea changing after her marriage - usually supporting characters are just plain happy for the heroes, and it was nice to see that explored and know it won't be easily resolved with a few kind words.)
August 14, 2017
Review https://iloveromanticfiction.com/2017...
Main characters: India Shaw, free spirit who’s landed in some big trouble. Michael Black, a mutual friend and the one to bail her out.
Why you should read it: I think Tracey is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I read Love On My Mind and adored it, and to have more books in the series to delve into is even better! I liked India for her free spirit and felt bad for her when it became clear why she was so reluctant to stick in one place for too long, never outstaying her welcome. She’s very much alone in the world and her self-reliance is admirable but extremely lonely. Mike was a good hero – he was very focused and decisive. He didn’t swerve once in his emotions and that made him attractive but also created a delicious amount of conflict between he and India. Their chemistry is off-the-charts hot!
What you may not like: I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the pace was near perfect. There was no repetitive dialogue or shoehorned angst for the sake of it.
Rating: 4/5 for an engaging and romantic story that was hot as all get out!
Main characters: India Shaw, free spirit who’s landed in some big trouble. Michael Black, a mutual friend and the one to bail her out.
Why you should read it: I think Tracey is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I read Love On My Mind and adored it, and to have more books in the series to delve into is even better! I liked India for her free spirit and felt bad for her when it became clear why she was so reluctant to stick in one place for too long, never outstaying her welcome. She’s very much alone in the world and her self-reliance is admirable but extremely lonely. Mike was a good hero – he was very focused and decisive. He didn’t swerve once in his emotions and that made him attractive but also created a delicious amount of conflict between he and India. Their chemistry is off-the-charts hot!
What you may not like: I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the pace was near perfect. There was no repetitive dialogue or shoehorned angst for the sake of it.
Rating: 4/5 for an engaging and romantic story that was hot as all get out!
February 12, 2021
I absolutely adored this. I loved the characters, the chemistry, the family interactions. All of it. Cannot wait to get more of Livesay's books in my hands!
March 17, 2022
India was so irritating! Her reluctance was aggravating. Mike was pushy but not aggressively so. Overall, he was a decent guy. Either way, it was a good story. 3.5 Stars.
March 5, 2018
I'm so sad because I'm not here for cheating storylines but I'm here for everything else.
Read
September 22, 2017This was a fun read! I love the "opposites attract" trope, with an added "secret/accidental baby." I kind of fell in love with Indi, who was such a free spirited woman. She rounded out Mike well and their happily every ever was so satisfying. I have a soft spot for the makings of families, and this didn't disappoint!
October 29, 2016
Meh
I wanted to really get into the book. India finds herself preggers after a one weekend stand with a billionaire. Michael likes the go with the flow free spirit. She wants to give up the child and he can't understand. This book had promise, but it didn't give me enough to connect with the characters. India is too flighty, Michael too wishy washy. The author does not go into detail about the baby. We don't see milestones that should be here. And the reason to give up the baby is shallow. Wish I could give it better marks
I wanted to really get into the book. India finds herself preggers after a one weekend stand with a billionaire. Michael likes the go with the flow free spirit. She wants to give up the child and he can't understand. This book had promise, but it didn't give me enough to connect with the characters. India is too flighty, Michael too wishy washy. The author does not go into detail about the baby. We don't see milestones that should be here. And the reason to give up the baby is shallow. Wish I could give it better marks
October 31, 2016
Tracey Livesay just gets better and better! Along Came Love is her best book yet!
I didn't like Mike Black in LOVE ON MY MIND, Livesay's pervious book. He manipulated his best friend and even though it was for the man's own good, it rankled me as a reader. In this book, the reader learns why he does the things he does. And it works.
India Shaw is my kind of heroine. She's had a tough life and copes with her past in ways that make her interesting -- off-beat, quirky, but not ditzy or stupid.
They're put into a conceivable situation and handle it believably. And man-oh-man the sex is hot!
I didn't like Mike Black in LOVE ON MY MIND, Livesay's pervious book. He manipulated his best friend and even though it was for the man's own good, it rankled me as a reader. In this book, the reader learns why he does the things he does. And it works.
India Shaw is my kind of heroine. She's had a tough life and copes with her past in ways that make her interesting -- off-beat, quirky, but not ditzy or stupid.
They're put into a conceivable situation and handle it believably. And man-oh-man the sex is hot!
November 1, 2016
A few minor issues prevented this one from reaching the level of the first book but still a great read for me.
Review coming soon.
Review coming soon.
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