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I'll Be Yours
The day Andrew Levin arrives at Washington High, Harper O’Malley knows he’ll make the perfect starter boyfriend. The school’s newest band geek is totally in Harper’s league, yet completely out of this late-bloomer’s reach. Between fitting in with a new family, scoring the first chair in band, and rescuing dogs for the local animal shelter, Harper’s never had the opportunity to hone her dating skills. But even though Harper’s love life is far from perfect, she’s got the perfect plan.
Harper knows she’s insane to agree to tutor Ridley Estes, a notorious heartbreaker and the star of her high school’s football team—but in exchange, he’s offered to school her in the game of love. Just when she sees promise with her crush, a football scandal rocks her family, her town, and Ridley’s entire future. Harper suddenly has everything to lose—her family, friends, and even her heart. When the dust of the scandal settles, nothing will be the same. Including the girl who asked the most popular jock to teach her about love.
Harper knows she’s insane to agree to tutor Ridley Estes, a notorious heartbreaker and the star of her high school’s football team—but in exchange, he’s offered to school her in the game of love. Just when she sees promise with her crush, a football scandal rocks her family, her town, and Ridley’s entire future. Harper suddenly has everything to lose—her family, friends, and even her heart. When the dust of the scandal settles, nothing will be the same. Including the girl who asked the most popular jock to teach her about love.
342 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 22, 2016
275 people are currently reading
4274 people want to read
About the author
Jenny B. Jones
33 books2,213 followersFour-time Carol Award winner Jenny B. Jones writes contemporary romance with wit, sass, and Southern charm. Since writing for both women and teens leaves her with very little free time, she believes in spending her spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits, such as watching E!, going to the movies and inhaling large buckets of popcorn, and writing her name in the dust on her furniture. www.jennybjones.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
November 15, 2017
Hi, you can contact me and this book can be yours because I DIN'T FUCKING WANT THIS NEAR ME *holds up the cross and holy water* BEGONE THOT.
IM CHOKING ON THE CRINGE, IM FUCKING DECEASED. BBYEBYE
Honestly, some days I sit down and think about the very horrible books I've read. I've never done this of course but I'm going to start because of thisabomination book.
What the fuck where should my lazy ass start?? Tbh, I've only read like 9 chapters and quit after that and in those 9 chapters so much bullshit was happening that I lost a few brain cells in the process, so this is not going to be an eloquent review.
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wait, I kind of forgot what even happened in those 9 chapters because my memory doesn't let petty shit TAKE UP SPACE IN MY BRAIN.
But,,,,
Anyways, this started off good and only lasted for about a page because our Main Character here decided to open up her mouth. And it starts off with this entire conversation about Harper (mc) and her crush. It's like exposing a fuckign 10 year old for liking a boy. The main character sounds like she's fucking 10? 11? 12? EVERYTHING'S IMMATURE.
Then guys, just for something interesting to happen, Harper's father IS CHEATING!!!! *shock* *gasp* *dies* Such! An! Interesting! Idea! I'm on the edge of my seat, I....can't bREATHE. aND THE WAY HE'S EXPOSED AND TALKED ABOUT MADE ME LAUGH MY ASS OFF, I'M PISSING.
This is literally how it happened, I'm not even exaggerating:
Dad: OH NO *IS IN ACCIDENT WITH HIS SIDE HOE*
Harper: *LE GASP* HE'S DEAD, oh no he's going to die, what will we do!! OH NO MY FATHER IS DEAD!!!! WE ARE DOOMED!! (let me tell you that when your father or anyone gets into a minor accident, DON'T THINK THEY'LL FUCKIGN DIE AND START THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'LL SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM BECAUSE THAT'S SO FUCKED UP. Which only shows how fucking beyond stupid Harper is)
Dad: *with a bandage on his head* i'm fine kids
MOM: how long was this going on for huh? you little cheating fuck, hOW DARE YOU FUCK A WOMAN WHO COULD PASS OFF AS YOUR DAUGHTER???
dad: :((( i'll leave but I love this young girl so,, ;))
Like everything was perfect, this guy was so loving to his family and they could have been such a supportive, loving, and healthy family, but nO, WE NEED SOME PETTY FUCKIGN DRAMA AMIRITE?
i'm just So Done.
then like, the hot, mysterious, popular, hot, good looking, handsome, hot boy that WOULD NEVER pay Harper any attention because pshhh she's SUCH a plain jane, comes in and threatens her into helping him with this homework because!!!!!! that's the shit these days dude!!!!
B U T
Harper's crushing on this guy in her band class that looks like a:
G R E E K G O D because hey, don't you know teenage boys are GREEK GODS
and this leads to a lOvE tRiAngLe!! :)
what the fuck happens after that?? uhhh i forgot, like i said can't let this petty shit take up my brain memory storage!!!
anyways, that's all sauna's got for you today!
this is the perfect book to breed with baebelline. First time breeder!!! I'm so excited!!!
IM CHOKING ON THE CRINGE, IM FUCKING DECEASED. BBYEBYE
Honestly, some days I sit down and think about the very horrible books I've read. I've never done this of course but I'm going to start because of this
What the fuck where should my lazy ass start?? Tbh, I've only read like 9 chapters and quit after that and in those 9 chapters so much bullshit was happening that I lost a few brain cells in the process, so this is not going to be an eloquent review.
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wait, I kind of forgot what even happened in those 9 chapters because my memory doesn't let petty shit TAKE UP SPACE IN MY BRAIN.
But,,,,
Anyways, this started off good and only lasted for about a page because our Main Character here decided to open up her mouth. And it starts off with this entire conversation about Harper (mc) and her crush. It's like exposing a fuckign 10 year old for liking a boy. The main character sounds like she's fucking 10? 11? 12? EVERYTHING'S IMMATURE.
Then guys, just for something interesting to happen, Harper's father IS CHEATING!!!! *shock* *gasp* *dies* Such! An! Interesting! Idea! I'm on the edge of my seat, I....can't bREATHE. aND THE WAY HE'S EXPOSED AND TALKED ABOUT MADE ME LAUGH MY ASS OFF, I'M PISSING.
This is literally how it happened, I'm not even exaggerating:
Dad: OH NO *IS IN ACCIDENT WITH HIS SIDE HOE*
Harper: *LE GASP* HE'S DEAD, oh no he's going to die, what will we do!! OH NO MY FATHER IS DEAD!!!! WE ARE DOOMED!! (let me tell you that when your father or anyone gets into a minor accident, DON'T THINK THEY'LL FUCKIGN DIE AND START THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'LL SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM BECAUSE THAT'S SO FUCKED UP. Which only shows how fucking beyond stupid Harper is)
Dad: *with a bandage on his head* i'm fine kids
MOM: how long was this going on for huh? you little cheating fuck, hOW DARE YOU FUCK A WOMAN WHO COULD PASS OFF AS YOUR DAUGHTER???
dad: :((( i'll leave but I love this young girl so,, ;))
Like everything was perfect, this guy was so loving to his family and they could have been such a supportive, loving, and healthy family, but nO, WE NEED SOME PETTY FUCKIGN DRAMA AMIRITE?
i'm just So Done.
then like, the hot, mysterious, popular, hot, good looking, handsome, hot boy that WOULD NEVER pay Harper any attention because pshhh she's SUCH a plain jane, comes in and threatens her into helping him with this homework because!!!!!! that's the shit these days dude!!!!
B U T
Harper's crushing on this guy in her band class that looks like a:
G R E E K G O D because hey, don't you know teenage boys are GREEK GODS
and this leads to a lOvE tRiAngLe!! :)
what the fuck happens after that?? uhhh i forgot, like i said can't let this petty shit take up my brain memory storage!!!
anyways, that's all sauna's got for you today!
this is the perfect book to breed with baebelline. First time breeder!!! I'm so excited!!!
February 15, 2017
I really loved this story! I will forever be on the campaign that Jenny B Jones books need to be a movie or a TV show. Cause, child... I would definitely watch it every week :-). The woman knows how to combine humor and drama like a symphony. This book made me feel all the feels.
The book really took on some pretty heavy issues than in her previous novels. But JBJ's humor is threaded throughout the story. I think Harper was my fav with her dog emancipation ways. I love her voice in this story. I thought she was sassy and funny. But she also had a sweet heart and real vulnerable side of her as well. There were a few parts about her past that were just heart wrenching.
And Ridley Estes... oh my! He was definitely a swoon worthy character! I can not say enough good things about this dude. I loved the way he treated Harper. I love the banter between Haper and Ridley, I was always looking forward the scenes with the two of them. And the kissing scene was the most sweet and romantic thing I have read! I'm still fanning myself. I kept thinking where was this guy when I was in high school, lol.
Oh!! and I totally loved the relationship between Mavis and Harper! Mavis reminded me of Maxine Simmons from "In Between (A Katie Parker Production)"
. I loved all the witty quips they would toss back and forth to each other.
This book was not only a great for YA, I believe both teens and adults would love this book.
My only problem with this book is that it ran out of pages for me to keep reading ;-)
P.S. My only wish is I hope that there could be a spinoff book about Harper's parents. 'Cause I just want to know more about them and the future of their relationship. That would be interesting to see. Hopefully Ms. Jones reads this. (Crossing fingers). :-)
The book really took on some pretty heavy issues than in her previous novels. But JBJ's humor is threaded throughout the story. I think Harper was my fav with her dog emancipation ways. I love her voice in this story. I thought she was sassy and funny. But she also had a sweet heart and real vulnerable side of her as well. There were a few parts about her past that were just heart wrenching.
And Ridley Estes... oh my! He was definitely a swoon worthy character! I can not say enough good things about this dude. I loved the way he treated Harper. I love the banter between Haper and Ridley, I was always looking forward the scenes with the two of them. And the kissing scene was the most sweet and romantic thing I have read! I'm still fanning myself. I kept thinking where was this guy when I was in high school, lol.
Oh!! and I totally loved the relationship between Mavis and Harper! Mavis reminded me of Maxine Simmons from "In Between (A Katie Parker Production)"
. I loved all the witty quips they would toss back and forth to each other.This book was not only a great for YA, I believe both teens and adults would love this book.
My only problem with this book is that it ran out of pages for me to keep reading ;-)
P.S. My only wish is I hope that there could be a spinoff book about Harper's parents. 'Cause I just want to know more about them and the future of their relationship. That would be interesting to see. Hopefully Ms. Jones reads this. (Crossing fingers). :-)
November 14, 2017
hardcore skimmed somewhere after 60% oops
I had this EPIC roast i was mentally preparing for this book but when i sat down and attempted to write it, it was like going through my biggest nightmare and i just blacked-outbc even I am not that much of a masochist
so, to make this short.....
...gather every terrible trope you could ever think of, throw it together with some cringe writing for 300+ pages and look at //that// you got yourself this book.
spontaneous buddy read with my angel face love muffin
idek why the heck we're reading this, this is all sana's fault 😂😂😂
I had this EPIC roast i was mentally preparing for this book but when i sat down and attempted to write it, it was like going through my biggest nightmare and i just blacked-out
so, to make this short.....
...gather every terrible trope you could ever think of, throw it together with some cringe writing for 300+ pages and look at //that// you got yourself this book.
spontaneous buddy read with my angel face love muffin
idek why the heck we're reading this, this is all sana's fault 😂😂😂
June 30, 2017
5 stars
I just loved this book...so, so much.
Harper wants a boyfriend, and only one will do: the new boy in school, Andrew Levin. The problem is that Andrew is totally out of Harper’s league, and she has no idea how to get him to notice her. Enter Ridley, popular high school football jock. He needs help with tutoring to get his grades up, and she needs lessons on how to get a guy to notice her. They strike a deal and the lessons commence….until a major scandal hits Harper and her family and her world turns upside down.
I liked everything about this book. I liked every single word written. I loved the banter between Harper and Ridley. I loved the emotions that the author portrays in her YA characters. I loved getting into Harper’s head as she makes sense of her changing world. I don’t think I’ve felt as connected to a character as I have to Harper. Her reactions to her problems are so realistic and on point for her character and personality. She is not a whiny MC, but she has an inner strength that grows and matures as the story goes on.
On the flip side, there are some cheesy moments…this is YA after all. The first 20%ish of the book tends to have some cheesy moments, but it gets more serious as the story goes on.
Overall, I laughed and I cried (happy and emotional tears), and I fell completely in love with all the characters. I love a good coming of age story, and I’ll Be Yours hit the nail on the head. This is not a light, fluffy read. Yes, it does have a HEA-ish ending, but it’s the getting there that makes it all worthwhile. I highly recommend!
I just loved this book...so, so much.
Harper wants a boyfriend, and only one will do: the new boy in school, Andrew Levin. The problem is that Andrew is totally out of Harper’s league, and she has no idea how to get him to notice her. Enter Ridley, popular high school football jock. He needs help with tutoring to get his grades up, and she needs lessons on how to get a guy to notice her. They strike a deal and the lessons commence….until a major scandal hits Harper and her family and her world turns upside down.
I liked everything about this book. I liked every single word written. I loved the banter between Harper and Ridley. I loved the emotions that the author portrays in her YA characters. I loved getting into Harper’s head as she makes sense of her changing world. I don’t think I’ve felt as connected to a character as I have to Harper. Her reactions to her problems are so realistic and on point for her character and personality. She is not a whiny MC, but she has an inner strength that grows and matures as the story goes on.
On the flip side, there are some cheesy moments…this is YA after all. The first 20%ish of the book tends to have some cheesy moments, but it gets more serious as the story goes on.
Overall, I laughed and I cried (happy and emotional tears), and I fell completely in love with all the characters. I love a good coming of age story, and I’ll Be Yours hit the nail on the head. This is not a light, fluffy read. Yes, it does have a HEA-ish ending, but it’s the getting there that makes it all worthwhile. I highly recommend!
March 31, 2016
I don't read as much YA as I used to, but there are a few authors whose new books I don't miss, and this one one of them. I love the first person POV of Harper, who is completely overwhelmed by the circumstances of her family life. I thought her character's background of being a foster child adopted into her family as an older child was so interesting, and it explained how vulnerable she is and how that insecurity manifests itself. She definitely is a study in contrasts since she does have a confident persona, especially when standing up for her family and friends... and rescuing random abused dogs and animals. The unusual mannerisms and details of Harper made me completely immersed in the book. The slow revelation that Ridley is not as he seems was brilliant and shifted the dynamics of their friendship throughout the story. They challenged and supported each other in facing fears and overcoming struggles, but it is their fragile hearts that have the biggest obstacle to overcome- trust.
(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
September 15, 2022
About this book:
“The day Andrew Levin arrives at Washington High, Harper O’Malley knows he’ll make the perfect starter boyfriend. The school’s newest band geek is totally in Harper’s league, yet completely out of this late-bloomer’s reach. Between fitting in with a new family, scoring the first chair in band, and rescuing dogs for the local animal shelter, Harper’s never had the opportunity to hone her dating skills. But even though Harper’s love life is far from perfect, she’s got the perfect plan.
Harper knows she’s insane to agree to tutor Ridley Estes, a notorious heartbreaker and the star of her high school’s football team—but in exchange, he’s offered to school her in the game of love. Just when she sees promise with her crush, a football scandal rocks her family, her town, and Ridley’s entire future. Harper suddenly has everything to lose—her family, friends, and even her heart. When the dust of the scandal settles, nothing will be the same. Including the girl who asked the most popular jock to teach her about love.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are mentioned & paraphrased; Prayers & Thanking God; Some Church going; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, music, & sermons; Mentions of a Catholic school & nuns; A few mentions of Christmas music; A mention of a blessing; A mention of a nativity scene;
*Note: A few mentions of the South taking football as serious as any religion; A couple mentions of voodoo; A mention of a country going to hell in a handbasket; A mention of damning evidence; A mention of zen; A mention of feng shui.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘crud’, a ‘d-bag’, a ‘dang it’, a ‘douche bag’, a ‘hag’, a ‘holy crap’, a ‘screw this’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘what the heck’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘darn’s, two ‘freaking’s, two ‘heck’s, two ‘jacked up’, two ‘sissy’s, two ‘suck it up’, three ‘idiot’s, three ‘oh my gosh’s, four forms of ‘shut up’, six ‘geez’s, seven forms of ‘dumb’, seven ‘gosh’s, nine ‘crap’s, twelve ‘screw up’s, twenty ‘stupid’; Mentions of curses (said, not written, including by Harper); Sass, Sarcasm, & Eye rolling; Pain (up to semi-detailed); Drunks, fighting, & blood (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of death & torture; Mentions of being shot & threated; Mentions of being slapped, abused, fists, & burns (Harper’s past); Mentions of people using others as punching bags; Mentions of an accident & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of blood, injuries, & screams; Mentions of a tornado; Mentions of abused & endangered animals (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of crimes; Mentions of jail; Mentions of records of arrests; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of nightmares, urns, & a fire (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of divorces; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of alcohol/booze, parties, keg parties, & fighting; Mentions of drunks; A few mentions of deaths from an allergy; A few mentions of throwing up; A few mentions of shooting a deer; A couple mentions of nicotine gum; A couple mentions of hunting & bird dogs with a dead squirrel; A mention of a man being drunk or high; A mention of a saloon; A mention of cheating;
*Note: Mentions of secular celebrities, singers/bands, & songs; Mentions of brand names & designers; A few mentions of zombie, alien, & vampires; A few mentions of TV channels & movies; A mention of Bill Clinton.
Sexual Content- two thumb-to-lips touches, three palm kisses (up to semi-detailed); five cheek kisses, a neck kiss, four forehead/hair kisses, two almost kisses, four semi-detailed kisses, two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses; Thinking about a kiss (semi-detailed); Remembering kisses & touches (semi-detailed); Touches, Heat, Dancing, & Hand Holding (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (up to semi-detailed); A ‘baby’, a ‘bimbos’, a ‘ho-bag’, a ‘sleazy’, three forms of ‘hot’, and eight ‘sexy’s; *Spoiler* *End of Spoiler*; Harper wants Andrew to kiss her; Harper says she’s a firm believer in not ‘giving up the goods’; Talks about kisses, kissing, & kissing lessons; Many mentions of boys, boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes, dating, types, kisses, kissing, & a dance; Mentions of cheating; Mentions of snogging/kissing, kisses, lip locking, & making out; Mentions of lip staring; Mentions of touches; Mentions of flirting, blushes, & swooning; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of a boy in Harper’s room (does not in a romantic sense); A few mentions of sleeping together fantasies after a dance (no detailed); A few mentions of leers & suggestive comments; A few mentions of throwing yourself at someone; A couple mentions of ‘sexy wild sex’ (no detailed and did not happened); A couple mentions of lust; A couple mentions of hints of guys trying to take advantage of a young girl (no details); A couple mentions of married couples kissing; A couple mentions of girls keeping their clothes in a guy’s car; A couple mentions of boundaries; A couple mentions of romance novels; A mention of STDs; A mention of something sounding dirty (Ridley says he likes it); A mention of when a guy touches a girl she ‘flings off her bra and her moral’s (somewhat teasing, not confirmed); A mention of a guy’s harem; A mention of teen pregnancy; A mention of hickeys; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of bras, boobs, & a gay person looking at a girl’s chest; A mention of lesbians; A mention of a flat chest; A mention of breast feeding; A mention of PMS: A mention of testosterone; A couple mentions of unmentionables; A couple mentions of shaving legs & stubble; A mention of offering a lap for sitting needs; A mention of wearing something that looks like a peacock’s butt; A mention of a dog licking it’s butt; A mention of a girl watching a guy’s butt; A mention of staying away from touching a guy’s butt; A mention of getting a guy’s name tattoo on her butt; A mention of a man’s ‘flabby keister’; A mention of a guy calling his backside ‘near-perfect’; A mention of writer’s butt; A mention of seeing butts in a locker room; A mention of practicing a butt off; A mention of working a butt off; A mention of kicking butt; A mention of dusting crumbs off a butt; A mention of a rap song about girls’ butts; A mention of a cheerleader nearly losing her skirt; A mention of a short skirt & Ridley wanting to see Harper in one; A mention of a mini-skirt that caught on fire & burned in very indecent places; A mention of dating the teen equivalents of Victoria’s Secret Angels; A mention of ‘cheap girls’; A mention of strip poker; A mention of a shirtless creep; A mention of a boy ready to debate about being a boy.
-Harper O’Malley, age 16
1st person P.O.V. of Harper
335 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
{Add ½ to 1 star for older girls in public school.}
Jenny B. Jones is a popular author in the Christian YA market due to her humor and sass. I personally would say her books are in between the secular market and the Christian market in terms of content. I always have difficulty with some of the content found in her books and this one was no different than past books. There definitely was content I didn’t think was needed and I would have liked seeing more faith content.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“The day Andrew Levin arrives at Washington High, Harper O’Malley knows he’ll make the perfect starter boyfriend. The school’s newest band geek is totally in Harper’s league, yet completely out of this late-bloomer’s reach. Between fitting in with a new family, scoring the first chair in band, and rescuing dogs for the local animal shelter, Harper’s never had the opportunity to hone her dating skills. But even though Harper’s love life is far from perfect, she’s got the perfect plan.
Harper knows she’s insane to agree to tutor Ridley Estes, a notorious heartbreaker and the star of her high school’s football team—but in exchange, he’s offered to school her in the game of love. Just when she sees promise with her crush, a football scandal rocks her family, her town, and Ridley’s entire future. Harper suddenly has everything to lose—her family, friends, and even her heart. When the dust of the scandal settles, nothing will be the same. Including the girl who asked the most popular jock to teach her about love.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are mentioned & paraphrased; Prayers & Thanking God; Some Church going; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, music, & sermons; Mentions of a Catholic school & nuns; A few mentions of Christmas music; A mention of a blessing; A mention of a nativity scene;
*Note: A few mentions of the South taking football as serious as any religion; A couple mentions of voodoo; A mention of a country going to hell in a handbasket; A mention of damning evidence; A mention of zen; A mention of feng shui.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘crud’, a ‘d-bag’, a ‘dang it’, a ‘douche bag’, a ‘hag’, a ‘holy crap’, a ‘screw this’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘what the heck’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘darn’s, two ‘freaking’s, two ‘heck’s, two ‘jacked up’, two ‘sissy’s, two ‘suck it up’, three ‘idiot’s, three ‘oh my gosh’s, four forms of ‘shut up’, six ‘geez’s, seven forms of ‘dumb’, seven ‘gosh’s, nine ‘crap’s, twelve ‘screw up’s, twenty ‘stupid’; Mentions of curses (said, not written, including by Harper); Sass, Sarcasm, & Eye rolling; Pain (up to semi-detailed); Drunks, fighting, & blood (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of death & torture; Mentions of being shot & threated; Mentions of being slapped, abused, fists, & burns (Harper’s past); Mentions of people using others as punching bags; Mentions of an accident & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of blood, injuries, & screams; Mentions of a tornado; Mentions of abused & endangered animals (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of crimes; Mentions of jail; Mentions of records of arrests; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of nightmares, urns, & a fire (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of divorces; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of alcohol/booze, parties, keg parties, & fighting; Mentions of drunks; A few mentions of deaths from an allergy; A few mentions of throwing up; A few mentions of shooting a deer; A couple mentions of nicotine gum; A couple mentions of hunting & bird dogs with a dead squirrel; A mention of a man being drunk or high; A mention of a saloon; A mention of cheating;
*Note: Mentions of secular celebrities, singers/bands, & songs; Mentions of brand names & designers; A few mentions of zombie, alien, & vampires; A few mentions of TV channels & movies; A mention of Bill Clinton.
Sexual Content- two thumb-to-lips touches, three palm kisses (up to semi-detailed); five cheek kisses, a neck kiss, four forehead/hair kisses, two almost kisses, four semi-detailed kisses, two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses; Thinking about a kiss (semi-detailed); Remembering kisses & touches (semi-detailed); Touches, Heat, Dancing, & Hand Holding (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (up to semi-detailed); A ‘baby’, a ‘bimbos’, a ‘ho-bag’, a ‘sleazy’, three forms of ‘hot’, and eight ‘sexy’s; *Spoiler* *End of Spoiler*; Harper wants Andrew to kiss her; Harper says she’s a firm believer in not ‘giving up the goods’; Talks about kisses, kissing, & kissing lessons; Many mentions of boys, boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes, dating, types, kisses, kissing, & a dance; Mentions of cheating; Mentions of snogging/kissing, kisses, lip locking, & making out; Mentions of lip staring; Mentions of touches; Mentions of flirting, blushes, & swooning; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of a boy in Harper’s room (does not in a romantic sense); A few mentions of sleeping together fantasies after a dance (no detailed); A few mentions of leers & suggestive comments; A few mentions of throwing yourself at someone; A couple mentions of ‘sexy wild sex’ (no detailed and did not happened); A couple mentions of lust; A couple mentions of hints of guys trying to take advantage of a young girl (no details); A couple mentions of married couples kissing; A couple mentions of girls keeping their clothes in a guy’s car; A couple mentions of boundaries; A couple mentions of romance novels; A mention of STDs; A mention of something sounding dirty (Ridley says he likes it); A mention of when a guy touches a girl she ‘flings off her bra and her moral’s (somewhat teasing, not confirmed); A mention of a guy’s harem; A mention of teen pregnancy; A mention of hickeys; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of bras, boobs, & a gay person looking at a girl’s chest; A mention of lesbians; A mention of a flat chest; A mention of breast feeding; A mention of PMS: A mention of testosterone; A couple mentions of unmentionables; A couple mentions of shaving legs & stubble; A mention of offering a lap for sitting needs; A mention of wearing something that looks like a peacock’s butt; A mention of a dog licking it’s butt; A mention of a girl watching a guy’s butt; A mention of staying away from touching a guy’s butt; A mention of getting a guy’s name tattoo on her butt; A mention of a man’s ‘flabby keister’; A mention of a guy calling his backside ‘near-perfect’; A mention of writer’s butt; A mention of seeing butts in a locker room; A mention of practicing a butt off; A mention of working a butt off; A mention of kicking butt; A mention of dusting crumbs off a butt; A mention of a rap song about girls’ butts; A mention of a cheerleader nearly losing her skirt; A mention of a short skirt & Ridley wanting to see Harper in one; A mention of a mini-skirt that caught on fire & burned in very indecent places; A mention of dating the teen equivalents of Victoria’s Secret Angels; A mention of ‘cheap girls’; A mention of strip poker; A mention of a shirtless creep; A mention of a boy ready to debate about being a boy.
-Harper O’Malley, age 16
1st person P.O.V. of Harper
335 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
{Add ½ to 1 star for older girls in public school.}
Jenny B. Jones is a popular author in the Christian YA market due to her humor and sass. I personally would say her books are in between the secular market and the Christian market in terms of content. I always have difficulty with some of the content found in her books and this one was no different than past books. There definitely was content I didn’t think was needed and I would have liked seeing more faith content.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
March 30, 2016
Jenny B. Jones is one of my go to authors when it comes to funny and endearing stories. I can always guarantee that I'll close the last chapter with a smile on my face! This delightful story is no different whatsoever. But make no mistake that with all the sweet moments comes some really hard things these characters are dealing with. It's not an easy road for any of them, but oh so worth it to journey to the final page.
I loved Harper from the first. She's riddled with doubts and fears and unknowns, so much of her thoughts reminded me of myself at different periods of my life! Her strength though, knows no bounds, which she learns over the course of events that suddenly get thrown in her path. And her resilience and sense of humor get her through some heavy realizations and decisions. Because her past is tough and she soon finds out her present isn't all happiness and rainbows either. But she deals. She determines to muddle her way through all the yuck somehow and I loved her all the more for it.
Then comes Ridley into her life and oh my! Talk about a swoony hero! Those two makes some great chemistry together, let me tell you. :) But the beauty found in their friendship is how they learn to support each other. Because Ridley is battling some hard as well and needs someone to help shoulder the burden. They seek to build on the foundation of mutual acceptance and caring they find in each other, a feeling which surprises them both. And oh how good they are for one another! Plus their banter is hilarious. Ms. Jones writes some of the best banter between characters of any writer I know!
A story with lots of heart, as well as several thought-provoking moments, this book is not to be missed. Especially if you adore a cute romance and characters who make you want to reach in the pages and make everything all better. Certainly worth a few hours of your time! :)
**I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I loved Harper from the first. She's riddled with doubts and fears and unknowns, so much of her thoughts reminded me of myself at different periods of my life! Her strength though, knows no bounds, which she learns over the course of events that suddenly get thrown in her path. And her resilience and sense of humor get her through some heavy realizations and decisions. Because her past is tough and she soon finds out her present isn't all happiness and rainbows either. But she deals. She determines to muddle her way through all the yuck somehow and I loved her all the more for it.
Then comes Ridley into her life and oh my! Talk about a swoony hero! Those two makes some great chemistry together, let me tell you. :) But the beauty found in their friendship is how they learn to support each other. Because Ridley is battling some hard as well and needs someone to help shoulder the burden. They seek to build on the foundation of mutual acceptance and caring they find in each other, a feeling which surprises them both. And oh how good they are for one another! Plus their banter is hilarious. Ms. Jones writes some of the best banter between characters of any writer I know!
A story with lots of heart, as well as several thought-provoking moments, this book is not to be missed. Especially if you adore a cute romance and characters who make you want to reach in the pages and make everything all better. Certainly worth a few hours of your time! :)
**I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
April 16, 2021
One of my most favorite authors (ever) is Jenny B. Jones. I discovered her particular brand of bookish happiness when she was signed with Thomas Nelson (Harper Collins) and now, after many years away from the author-ing gig, she returns with a select few novels published in the Indie world. I’ll Be Yours is her latest, and by Jove, it’s not one to be missed.
STORY: Harper O’Malley has scars of the physical and emotional variety. Her adoptive family is her rock since bringing her home at age nine; they love and accept her. Now, as a teenager, her safe place is about to shatter her into a million pieces. Her father, the man she admires so, becomes the center of a scandal when he’s found out to be having an affair. As the football coach for a prestigious college program, Coach O’Malley’s social life is cause for immediate dismissal and Harper’s withdrawal from her father and the rest of her family which includes, mom Cristy and brothers Michael and Cole.
I'll Be Yours, by Jenny B. Jones | Book Review
Despite the emotional upheaval, Harper finds herself relying on high school football star Ridley Estes. Perceived as the local “bad boy,” Harper keeps her distance from him, only it turns out in order to obtain the scholarship he needs, Ridley needs a tutor and Harper needs lessons in how to snag her dream boy’s attention. Whether she likes it or not, Harper is about to discover so much more about Ridley… and in the end, his reputation just might prove her wrong.
Ah, contemporary bliss. Let me count the ways I love you, dear Story. There are so many, knowing where to begin isn’t so much the challenge as knowing where to end. Typical to a Jones novel, she liberally sprinkles the book with darling humor that make you laugh-out-loud because the particular brand of happy she consistently spreads is that one bright spot of sunshine a reader chases. Coupled with this is a deep, poignant story I didn’t expect because I went into this novel “blind.” I knew it had something to do with football, there’d be romance and its cover bore the name of Jenny B. Jones. That's all I need.
"I think God speaks to us all differently, and I heard him first in the music." - Jenny B. Jones
The heroine Harper (who, by the way has a great name) isn’t the average contemporary YA leading lady. No, Harper has a messy past, a past that leaves her guarded and careful. She doesn’t welcome forms of physical affection, and struggles with ways of connecting with the boy she crushes on (a boy who needs three names just to “contain all the wonder” of him). This is where Ridley’s particular set of skills come in handy and with it, a series of events are set in motion that will rework Harper’s heart.
If you’re looking for something to compare this to, it does remind me of the adaptation of The DUFF. Not to slight this novel, while the surface is similar (a boy helping a girl capture the interest of her crush), this is where the similarities stop. I’ll Be Yours is about forgiveness, and the healing that leads to forgiveness. It’s about a boy and a girl discovering who they are as they step up and into a new phase of this crazy thing called life. Though the final chapter completes this story with grace, I admire that there is also an open-ended quality to it allowing the reader to assume what they will, but enjoy the warmth the conclusion wraps us up in.
Sincere thanks to the author Jenny, and Rel for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
STORY: Harper O’Malley has scars of the physical and emotional variety. Her adoptive family is her rock since bringing her home at age nine; they love and accept her. Now, as a teenager, her safe place is about to shatter her into a million pieces. Her father, the man she admires so, becomes the center of a scandal when he’s found out to be having an affair. As the football coach for a prestigious college program, Coach O’Malley’s social life is cause for immediate dismissal and Harper’s withdrawal from her father and the rest of her family which includes, mom Cristy and brothers Michael and Cole.
I'll Be Yours, by Jenny B. Jones | Book Review
Despite the emotional upheaval, Harper finds herself relying on high school football star Ridley Estes. Perceived as the local “bad boy,” Harper keeps her distance from him, only it turns out in order to obtain the scholarship he needs, Ridley needs a tutor and Harper needs lessons in how to snag her dream boy’s attention. Whether she likes it or not, Harper is about to discover so much more about Ridley… and in the end, his reputation just might prove her wrong.
Ah, contemporary bliss. Let me count the ways I love you, dear Story. There are so many, knowing where to begin isn’t so much the challenge as knowing where to end. Typical to a Jones novel, she liberally sprinkles the book with darling humor that make you laugh-out-loud because the particular brand of happy she consistently spreads is that one bright spot of sunshine a reader chases. Coupled with this is a deep, poignant story I didn’t expect because I went into this novel “blind.” I knew it had something to do with football, there’d be romance and its cover bore the name of Jenny B. Jones. That's all I need.
"I think God speaks to us all differently, and I heard him first in the music." - Jenny B. Jones
The heroine Harper (who, by the way has a great name) isn’t the average contemporary YA leading lady. No, Harper has a messy past, a past that leaves her guarded and careful. She doesn’t welcome forms of physical affection, and struggles with ways of connecting with the boy she crushes on (a boy who needs three names just to “contain all the wonder” of him). This is where Ridley’s particular set of skills come in handy and with it, a series of events are set in motion that will rework Harper’s heart.
If you’re looking for something to compare this to, it does remind me of the adaptation of The DUFF. Not to slight this novel, while the surface is similar (a boy helping a girl capture the interest of her crush), this is where the similarities stop. I’ll Be Yours is about forgiveness, and the healing that leads to forgiveness. It’s about a boy and a girl discovering who they are as they step up and into a new phase of this crazy thing called life. Though the final chapter completes this story with grace, I admire that there is also an open-ended quality to it allowing the reader to assume what they will, but enjoy the warmth the conclusion wraps us up in.
Sincere thanks to the author Jenny, and Rel for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
August 17, 2017
Not my favourite book, I should learn to read what a book is about before buying it.
This book was simply okay.
This book was simply okay.
August 21, 2017
I'll Be Yours was such an awesome read, I completely devoured it. It has just the right amount of humour and fluff, with a tinge of drama and tragedy - and it hit me right in the feels.
April 29, 2017
Harper is our protagonist and she thinks she has everything solved when it comes to love, when Andrew arrives at her band class she’s sure he’s the one for her; he seems calm, sweet and has good grades… until Ridley, the football star of the school asks her for help with homework, she accepts but Ridley has to help her with her crush.
Harper is not so excited about this arrangement since Ridley is the type of guy she would never like to go out with he’s the handsome popular guy of the school and she’s ‘out of his league.’ Until things start to change and she realized that Ridley is not that bad to hang out with and that she might have started to develop something for him.
He is up to Harper’s crazy dogs rescues and to share his personal life with her…eventually they see themselves sharing swoon-worthy kisses.
“I smiled at my champion, but he just shook his head and muttered more words in Spanish. I was pretty sure he either called me a beautiful tropical flower or a raving lunatic. Sometimes I get my nouns mixed up.”
Now, not everything is romance because Harper’s family has to confront a lot of problems and Harper sees herself trying to forget someone who hurt her all of this trying to fix the family into what it was before.
I loved Harper’s determination to save dogs and I adored the relationship she had with the team how they were like brothers to her and I also loved Ridley and how he was with his sisters.
I’ll Be Yours is fast, fun and romantic a book about love, forgiveness, hope and new experiences.
April 2, 2017
I really, really loved this book! It's a tad bit like "A Cinderella Story", with the football star Ridley and (self-proclaimed) band nerd Harper who don't seem to have much in common but really do. The story goes deeper, though, with Harper battling the scars of her past along with a terrible betrayal, and with Ridley having some secrets and family issues of his own.
There were a lot of serious aspects tackling heavy things, but many light- hearted moments too (I probably looked pretty silly smiling at my tablet at those times, haha). I really enjoyed reading about the camaraderie between Harper and her family, friends, dog shelter coworkers and her dad's football team, and concluded the book wishing that I could be as witty as Jenny B. Jones. :)
Five stars from me, since I couldn't put it down...and I'd love to read a sequel to this, too!
There were a lot of serious aspects tackling heavy things, but many light- hearted moments too (I probably looked pretty silly smiling at my tablet at those times, haha). I really enjoyed reading about the camaraderie between Harper and her family, friends, dog shelter coworkers and her dad's football team, and concluded the book wishing that I could be as witty as Jenny B. Jones. :)
Five stars from me, since I couldn't put it down...and I'd love to read a sequel to this, too!
August 19, 2016
La mezcla ideal de drama, humor y romance, para cuando quieres leer algo tan dulce (y predecible) como una película de Disney.
August 7, 2019
I LOVED this book. It made me laugh countless times and made a cry a time or two as well. I adored the character of Harper. She was hilarious and spunky and my heart broke for all she had gone through in her past. The story sucked me in from the beginning and I devoured it. There is a a reason why I love Jenny's books and this a prime example. Her humor can not be beat and her stories have a ton of heart. I am only sorry it took me so long to get to it. Fantastic read!!!
March 23, 2016
You know, sometimes there will be books you come across that manage to make you both laugh hysterically at moments so funny you wonder if it’s real, tear up with empathy for characters you can’t help but adore, and overall cause your heart to swell with just so many FEELS. Jenny B. Jones manages to give us a story that does all that and more with each her books, and I’ll Be Yours is no exception. Before I get into all the reasons I loved this book, let me start by telling you a little bit on what it’s about.
Harper O’Malley considers herself to be a smart nerd with issues. She’s sixteen and never had a crush until now, and it’s on Andrew Levin — fellow band geek and her perfect guy. Harper wants to be his girlfriend so badly, she makes a crazy deal with popular and super-attractive football jock, Ridley Estes. In exchange for the tutoring sessions he needs for a college scholarship, Ridley agrees to teach Harper how to snag a guy. But just when things are looking up, a scandal involving her college football coach father rocks her world and brings up past fears she’s shoved back for years. As Ridley lets her into his less-than-perfect world, and she in turn begins to trust him back — Harper doesn’t know what to do. Can she let go of the past enough to realize she doesn’t need the safety of a picture-perfect relationship, just a real one with a guy who’s perfect for her?
I’ve adored Jenny B. Jones and her novels ever since reading Katie Parker Production series when I was thirteen and knew as soon as I saw her latest release that I couldn’t miss it. Let me tell you, her writing magic is still alive and strong! I started cracking up on the first page. My sister even turned to look at me like, “already??” Why yes, already. This story was cute, cute, CUTE from beginning to end! The chemistry between main characters was undeniable. (Can we just talk for a sec about that kissing scene, though???) I loved Harper’s character growth — her facing the gritty past and finally realizing the strong, courageous, intelligent, and worthy person she’s always been inspired me. Everything from Harper and Riley’s dog-saving escapades to their hilarious how-to-date lessons was magnetically written and made me feel as if I was apart of the story. It was the perfect blend of humor, sweet love, and the power of forgiveness and hope.
Hands down, I loved this book and would recommend it to ANYONE, but particularly to those who like YA lit (because then you definitely *mustmustmust* read this adorable book). As soon as I finished the last page, I wanted to pick it up and start all over again. Another A+ read from one of my all-time favorite authors, I’ll Be Yours is one for the books and not to be missed!
*I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.
Read this review and more on my blog: http://www.willbakeforbooks.com/2016/...
Harper O’Malley considers herself to be a smart nerd with issues. She’s sixteen and never had a crush until now, and it’s on Andrew Levin — fellow band geek and her perfect guy. Harper wants to be his girlfriend so badly, she makes a crazy deal with popular and super-attractive football jock, Ridley Estes. In exchange for the tutoring sessions he needs for a college scholarship, Ridley agrees to teach Harper how to snag a guy. But just when things are looking up, a scandal involving her college football coach father rocks her world and brings up past fears she’s shoved back for years. As Ridley lets her into his less-than-perfect world, and she in turn begins to trust him back — Harper doesn’t know what to do. Can she let go of the past enough to realize she doesn’t need the safety of a picture-perfect relationship, just a real one with a guy who’s perfect for her?
I’ve adored Jenny B. Jones and her novels ever since reading Katie Parker Production series when I was thirteen and knew as soon as I saw her latest release that I couldn’t miss it. Let me tell you, her writing magic is still alive and strong! I started cracking up on the first page. My sister even turned to look at me like, “already??” Why yes, already. This story was cute, cute, CUTE from beginning to end! The chemistry between main characters was undeniable. (Can we just talk for a sec about that kissing scene, though???) I loved Harper’s character growth — her facing the gritty past and finally realizing the strong, courageous, intelligent, and worthy person she’s always been inspired me. Everything from Harper and Riley’s dog-saving escapades to their hilarious how-to-date lessons was magnetically written and made me feel as if I was apart of the story. It was the perfect blend of humor, sweet love, and the power of forgiveness and hope.
Hands down, I loved this book and would recommend it to ANYONE, but particularly to those who like YA lit (because then you definitely *mustmustmust* read this adorable book). As soon as I finished the last page, I wanted to pick it up and start all over again. Another A+ read from one of my all-time favorite authors, I’ll Be Yours is one for the books and not to be missed!
*I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.
Read this review and more on my blog: http://www.willbakeforbooks.com/2016/...
May 22, 2016
Harper O’Malley is clueless when it comes to boys… you’d think as the daughter of the football coach she would know what to do and how to talk to them considering boys are always at her house. This year she’s ready to make the move and have her first boyfriend and Andrew Levin seems like the perfect candidate. He’s a band geek, just like her, but how can she make him hers when she can’t even figure out what to say to him?
Ridley Estes is the star of the high school football team and he’s set to go places, but only if he can get his grades up and get off the bench. He’s got his heart set on Harper’s dad’s team for reasons he can’t disclose. When he offers lessons in love in exchange for tutoring Harper just can’t decline… can she?
I totally picked this book up on a whim and I’m so glad that I did. Jenny B. Jones weaves quite a story here… This book tackles quite a few heavy issues, but she does it in a way that isn’t overwhelmingly heavy if that makes sense. Adultery, Abuse, an MIA parent … those are the big ones, and I thought each were portrayed within the story in a realistic way.
Very early on you find out Coach O’Malley isn’t exactly the guy everyone thought he was. He’s made some recent bad choices that have affected the family in a huge way and much of the story is Harper trying to come to terms with this. I thought Jones did an amazing job of portraying Harper’s struggle with learning the man she idealized is really just human like the rest of us. Additionally, Harper is a former foster child who was adopted into this family, but her insecurity as to where she fits in when the family isn’t as solid as it was, was really well done.
Ridley was also a wonderful character. I totally had a huge crush on him for all kinds of reasons… many of which I’m not really able to spill here. I will say that even though he’s portrayed as a huge heartbreaker, he’s not exactly the person everyone thinks he is. He’s got a lot more on his shoulders than any high school senior probably should, and I loved that he was able to spill his struggles to Harper.
I know I mentioned earlier the guy that Harper thinks is perfect for her, but I am happy to say that I never ever felt any kind of connection to Andrew… even when he was trying to be sweet, I wasn’t really buying it. Sure he was the catalyst to Ridley and Harper initially connecting, but he really was just a filler guy. So those of you worried about any kind of triangle, you truly have nothing to worry about here
One thing I would have liked to learn more about toward the end was the fate of Harper’s parents.
I will definitely be checking out Jones’s backlist as I felt her storytelling was just wonderful. I’m looking forward to seeing if I connect to her other stories as much as I did this one.
If you’re looking for a sweet story filled with heart and tons of emotion, look no further and grab this one now!
Ridley Estes is the star of the high school football team and he’s set to go places, but only if he can get his grades up and get off the bench. He’s got his heart set on Harper’s dad’s team for reasons he can’t disclose. When he offers lessons in love in exchange for tutoring Harper just can’t decline… can she?
I totally picked this book up on a whim and I’m so glad that I did. Jenny B. Jones weaves quite a story here… This book tackles quite a few heavy issues, but she does it in a way that isn’t overwhelmingly heavy if that makes sense. Adultery, Abuse, an MIA parent … those are the big ones, and I thought each were portrayed within the story in a realistic way.
Very early on you find out Coach O’Malley isn’t exactly the guy everyone thought he was. He’s made some recent bad choices that have affected the family in a huge way and much of the story is Harper trying to come to terms with this. I thought Jones did an amazing job of portraying Harper’s struggle with learning the man she idealized is really just human like the rest of us. Additionally, Harper is a former foster child who was adopted into this family, but her insecurity as to where she fits in when the family isn’t as solid as it was, was really well done.
Ridley was also a wonderful character. I totally had a huge crush on him for all kinds of reasons… many of which I’m not really able to spill here. I will say that even though he’s portrayed as a huge heartbreaker, he’s not exactly the person everyone thinks he is. He’s got a lot more on his shoulders than any high school senior probably should, and I loved that he was able to spill his struggles to Harper.
I know I mentioned earlier the guy that Harper thinks is perfect for her, but I am happy to say that I never ever felt any kind of connection to Andrew… even when he was trying to be sweet, I wasn’t really buying it. Sure he was the catalyst to Ridley and Harper initially connecting, but he really was just a filler guy. So those of you worried about any kind of triangle, you truly have nothing to worry about here
One thing I would have liked to learn more about toward the end was the fate of Harper’s parents.
I will definitely be checking out Jones’s backlist as I felt her storytelling was just wonderful. I’m looking forward to seeing if I connect to her other stories as much as I did this one.
If you’re looking for a sweet story filled with heart and tons of emotion, look no further and grab this one now!
April 17, 2017
I positively loved this book! I was sucked into the story from page one, and I couldn't put it down (or stop listening, actually!) until I finished it. The story was full of tension and emotion. I cried a few tears throughout the story, but I also laughed out loud at the hilarious humor. The characters were real and engaging. I will continue to think about Harper and Ridley for a long time. The writing was absolutely superb, and I plan on reading more of Jenny B. Jones's books. If you like young adult books or if you just like a really awesome story, I highly recommend this book.
May 10, 2018
Only read if you're looking for a light, predictable, fluffy read, nothing more and nothing less. Very trope-y but I couldn't help loving it, it was just what I needed to get rid of my book slump.
June 6, 2019
This book was... everything you could ever want in a book titled "I'll Be Yours." Really, it's laugh-out-loud funny, yet emotionally deep, with swoony romance, but also strong platonic ties. Our heroine was very relateable, though her blatant dishonesty and proneness to make superficial promises did bother me a lot. She almost made it up with her constant clever come-backs to everyone and everything.
The hero was perfection. The perfect bad boy, if you please. But there's always more underneath the initial perception...
The dad. Oh my goodness. So much anger was stirred. I completely condoned every time the heroine acted out against him, which just goes to show that there's a reason I'm still being sanctified...
Anyway, if you love rom-coms with heart, READ THIS. Please. Do yourself the favor.
The hero was perfection. The perfect bad boy, if you please. But there's always more underneath the initial perception...
The dad. Oh my goodness. So much anger was stirred. I completely condoned every time the heroine acted out against him, which just goes to show that there's a reason I'm still being sanctified...
Anyway, if you love rom-coms with heart, READ THIS. Please. Do yourself the favor.
May 23, 2017
“The wrong boy will bore you or annoy you," Mom said. "But the right one? He'll make you laugh, make you feel special.”
Stories like this is why I love to read. And when there's a good writing involved - it's a winner!
I highly recommend this inspiring and sweet story.
Stories like this is why I love to read. And when there's a good writing involved - it's a winner!
I highly recommend this inspiring and sweet story.
March 27, 2016
Ok, I had to wait to write this review until I stopped sighing and swooning...but I'll probably start all over again now.
This book!! You know how sometimes you don't realize how hungry you are until that first smell of pizza? Well that was me reading this book. As soon as I started it, I DEVOURED it. Couldn't stop reading!! I feel like it's been a long time waiting for a new full-length novel from Ms. Jones, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed her writing! She writes hilarious, romantic, real stories that leave my heart pitter-pattering...in this case, over a boy named Ridley.
Ridley and Harper's story was perfectly imperfect. I love how their story began with the agreement...Harper will tutor Ridley in one of his college prep courses, in exchange for Ridley helping Harper win the guy she's crushing on. They had great banter and great tension...but they had more. They both come from backgrounds of hurt, distrust, and feelings of unworthiness. Both wanted to hide their secrets from everyone, but both ended up finding the perfect confidante in each other. And on a romantic note...that first kiss--the tutorial?? Ummm, I may have stopped breathing for a second. And I may have re-read it. It was so sweet and so utterly romantically swoon-worthy. And Ridley was utter book boyfriend perfection. Sweet, confident, puppy-rescue-aiding, football-playing, sister-caring, heart-stoppingly (stop trying to autocorrect me, iPhone. I'm going to make stoppingly work and you can't stop me)-good looking. And Harper. She was sweet, sassy, and so vulnerable, I could squeeze her (even though she'd quickly back away from me)...she wanted to rescue everyone and everything. Because she herself had been rescued.
But there was so much more to the story than just Ridley and Harper falling for each other...both are dealing with major family issues. Real life issues, real life hurt. My heart broke for Harper along the way as she felt unsure of whether or not she was worthy of love, even from her family. But her therapy session where she has her major breakthrough was so great. And the O'Malley's were a great family.
On a side note, I loved the relationship between the college football players and Harper. And Mavis. She was downright sassy side character awesomeness.
This book was the YA breath of fresh air I needed. It's heading to the top of my favorites list along with Kasie West. Definitely a re-read for me.
Well done, Ms. Jones! Please hurry and write more. Things like your normal, everyday life aren't that important when stories like this need to be told (and read). ;)
And let's just close with this amazingness:
“You can walk away now, and I’ll leave you alone. But you stay, Harper, and I’m not letting you go.”
This book!! You know how sometimes you don't realize how hungry you are until that first smell of pizza? Well that was me reading this book. As soon as I started it, I DEVOURED it. Couldn't stop reading!! I feel like it's been a long time waiting for a new full-length novel from Ms. Jones, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed her writing! She writes hilarious, romantic, real stories that leave my heart pitter-pattering...in this case, over a boy named Ridley.
Ridley and Harper's story was perfectly imperfect. I love how their story began with the agreement...Harper will tutor Ridley in one of his college prep courses, in exchange for Ridley helping Harper win the guy she's crushing on. They had great banter and great tension...but they had more. They both come from backgrounds of hurt, distrust, and feelings of unworthiness. Both wanted to hide their secrets from everyone, but both ended up finding the perfect confidante in each other. And on a romantic note...that first kiss--the tutorial?? Ummm, I may have stopped breathing for a second. And I may have re-read it. It was so sweet and so utterly romantically swoon-worthy. And Ridley was utter book boyfriend perfection. Sweet, confident, puppy-rescue-aiding, football-playing, sister-caring, heart-stoppingly (stop trying to autocorrect me, iPhone. I'm going to make stoppingly work and you can't stop me)-good looking. And Harper. She was sweet, sassy, and so vulnerable, I could squeeze her (even though she'd quickly back away from me)...she wanted to rescue everyone and everything. Because she herself had been rescued.
But there was so much more to the story than just Ridley and Harper falling for each other...both are dealing with major family issues. Real life issues, real life hurt. My heart broke for Harper along the way as she felt unsure of whether or not she was worthy of love, even from her family. But her therapy session where she has her major breakthrough was so great. And the O'Malley's were a great family.
On a side note, I loved the relationship between the college football players and Harper. And Mavis. She was downright sassy side character awesomeness.
This book was the YA breath of fresh air I needed. It's heading to the top of my favorites list along with Kasie West. Definitely a re-read for me.
Well done, Ms. Jones! Please hurry and write more. Things like your normal, everyday life aren't that important when stories like this need to be told (and read). ;)
And let's just close with this amazingness:
“You can walk away now, and I’ll leave you alone. But you stay, Harper, and I’m not letting you go.”
July 2, 2025
4.5 stars
I’m tempted to buy this angsty YA for my personal library. And that says a lot!
Writing - Absolutely fantastic.
⚠️ Trigger warning: this deals with a father who cheats on the mother. This dynamic hit me hard. I felt betrayed by her father, and confused and resentful and disappointed. All the feels. It was so well depicted, because the author sold me quickly on how idyllic their home life was, how dedicated their parents were to one another and to their children. But then suddenly, the rug was ripped out from underneath me/the FMC.
I really grappled with trying to reconcile how a good man could do such a selfish thing.
I wanted to rail at him. I wanted to hate him. I wanted to believe that he was a monster. And at first I did. But the hard thing was, just like the FMC, I had to face the truth that he wasn’t a monster. He was a good dad, a good person. And that’s the sticking point.
What does redemption look like in this instance? Is forgiveness possible, and how do I, or rather the FMC, get to that point?
The way it concluded seemed realistic and positive. I loved how this was handled. Excellent. Wow.
Characters- Loved the male love interest. All the stars.
As for the FMC, I liked her but she drove me batty at the very end when she kept lying to herself and her boyfriend, which hurt both the male love interest and her boyfriend. I found it hard to identify with her issues about the safe option vs going out on a limb by choosing the love interest. At least that resolved well enough. I took half a star off for the resolution - the ending scene didn’t *quite* hit the sweet spot for me, but it was very close!
Plot- I really liked the romance alongside the FMC’s growth arc.
Btw, I was so relieved when the ending did NOT include a grand gesture (I hate those cringy scenes).
Also, that scene when she and the football team intimidated (including physical force) the villain into dropping the criminal charges was, at best, entirely silly, and at worst, completely illegal. Could have done without that bit, but I could overlook it bc I enjoyed the rest of the book so much.
Romance- Great chemistry. By the end, I was convinced that the boy was 100% invested, devoted, and in love with the girl. And vice versa.
Content-
Language- I don’t remember any swear words
Spice- some amazing kisses
Substance abuse- the male love interest’s mother is a user.
Violence- domestic violence, off page.
Cover- bad bad bad. I held off reading this for years bc the cover turned me off so much. Looks very boring to me.
POV- single POV if I remember correctly
Cliffhanger- no
Format- KU
⚠️ Trigger warnings- cheating parent, domestic violence, child neglect
I’m tempted to buy this angsty YA for my personal library. And that says a lot!
Writing - Absolutely fantastic.
⚠️ Trigger warning: this deals with a father who cheats on the mother. This dynamic hit me hard. I felt betrayed by her father, and confused and resentful and disappointed. All the feels. It was so well depicted, because the author sold me quickly on how idyllic their home life was, how dedicated their parents were to one another and to their children. But then suddenly, the rug was ripped out from underneath me/the FMC.
I really grappled with trying to reconcile how a good man could do such a selfish thing.
I wanted to rail at him. I wanted to hate him. I wanted to believe that he was a monster. And at first I did. But the hard thing was, just like the FMC, I had to face the truth that he wasn’t a monster. He was a good dad, a good person. And that’s the sticking point.
What does redemption look like in this instance? Is forgiveness possible, and how do I, or rather the FMC, get to that point?
The way it concluded seemed realistic and positive. I loved how this was handled. Excellent. Wow.
Characters- Loved the male love interest. All the stars.
As for the FMC, I liked her but she drove me batty at the very end when she kept lying to herself and her boyfriend, which hurt both the male love interest and her boyfriend. I found it hard to identify with her issues about the safe option vs going out on a limb by choosing the love interest. At least that resolved well enough. I took half a star off for the resolution - the ending scene didn’t *quite* hit the sweet spot for me, but it was very close!
Plot- I really liked the romance alongside the FMC’s growth arc.
Btw, I was so relieved when the ending did NOT include a grand gesture (I hate those cringy scenes).
Also, that scene when she and the football team intimidated (including physical force) the villain into dropping the criminal charges was, at best, entirely silly, and at worst, completely illegal. Could have done without that bit, but I could overlook it bc I enjoyed the rest of the book so much.
Romance- Great chemistry. By the end, I was convinced that the boy was 100% invested, devoted, and in love with the girl. And vice versa.
Content-
Language- I don’t remember any swear words
Spice- some amazing kisses
Substance abuse- the male love interest’s mother is a user.
Violence- domestic violence, off page.
Cover- bad bad bad. I held off reading this for years bc the cover turned me off so much. Looks very boring to me.
POV- single POV if I remember correctly
Cliffhanger- no
Format- KU
⚠️ Trigger warnings- cheating parent, domestic violence, child neglect
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2019
I’m not crying. You’re crying. #allthefeels
August 20, 2020
**Re-read this book in August 2020, NEVER laughed and cried so much over a book before and this one REMAINS a favorite read even years later!! SO much humor, heart and sass...and stray animals that need rescuing! Bought the ebook first, loved it so much bought the print version. I'm a grown woman reading this YA book and it's just AMAZING, brings so much needed healing and humor to my heart**
This book broke my heart in such a lovely and tender way, it is hands down one of THE best books of 2016 for me and I'm wishing SOOOOOOO MUCH that I could give it TEN stars! Harper is such a great character with an immense heart and witty sense of humor, I couldn't put this book down once I started reading her story and loved how Jones put it together :)
This book made me cry, made me laugh, then made me cry some more. This is a YA book, but the story is so much deeper than any typical book of this genre. It's beautiful, it's sweet, it's sassy, it has flawed heroes, it's tender and it has a nice happy ending (would've loved more story at the end beyond what there is but only because I truly got to love these characters and wanted to read more about their lives after some much needed revelation came through).
It also gets an award for THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FIRST KISS OF ALL TIME.....tender, sweet and electrifying. It was so touching it blew me away. Most adults never experience such a precious kiss, but after reading this book your standards will go up to a new level, it's just that good.
Highly recommend this book and so grateful for authors like Jones who have the heart and courage to write it! Not everyone will love this book as I have, but I still think everyone should read it, the love and healing in its pages are one of a kind.
This book broke my heart in such a lovely and tender way, it is hands down one of THE best books of 2016 for me and I'm wishing SOOOOOOO MUCH that I could give it TEN stars! Harper is such a great character with an immense heart and witty sense of humor, I couldn't put this book down once I started reading her story and loved how Jones put it together :)
This book made me cry, made me laugh, then made me cry some more. This is a YA book, but the story is so much deeper than any typical book of this genre. It's beautiful, it's sweet, it's sassy, it has flawed heroes, it's tender and it has a nice happy ending (would've loved more story at the end beyond what there is but only because I truly got to love these characters and wanted to read more about their lives after some much needed revelation came through).
It also gets an award for THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FIRST KISS OF ALL TIME.....tender, sweet and electrifying. It was so touching it blew me away. Most adults never experience such a precious kiss, but after reading this book your standards will go up to a new level, it's just that good.
Highly recommend this book and so grateful for authors like Jones who have the heart and courage to write it! Not everyone will love this book as I have, but I still think everyone should read it, the love and healing in its pages are one of a kind.
March 30, 2016
Love, love, loved it!
Jenny B. Jones has hit a home run with this novel! I laughed, I cried, and I absolutely loved this novel. I"ll Be Yours is hard to put down and hard to stop thinking about, even long after you have turned the last page. This is a story I would absolutely read again and recommend.
Have you ever read a story that was just so compelling that you had to speed through it? Well, this is one of those novels for me. The situation with Harper's family and her past, not to mention her love life will have you all tangled up and it feeling all too real. Harper will steel your heart, along with Ridley and a few others. There was a sweetness to their friendship and relationship. There were tingles too! Jones brought truths to life in a very organic way; making the themes of fear, overcoming, loving, forgiving all too real and relatable. I did not want this story to end!
Jenny B. Jones has hit a home run with this novel! I laughed, I cried, and I absolutely loved this novel. I"ll Be Yours is hard to put down and hard to stop thinking about, even long after you have turned the last page. This is a story I would absolutely read again and recommend.
Have you ever read a story that was just so compelling that you had to speed through it? Well, this is one of those novels for me. The situation with Harper's family and her past, not to mention her love life will have you all tangled up and it feeling all too real. Harper will steel your heart, along with Ridley and a few others. There was a sweetness to their friendship and relationship. There were tingles too! Jones brought truths to life in a very organic way; making the themes of fear, overcoming, loving, forgiving all too real and relatable. I did not want this story to end!
May 22, 2019
Oh. My. Goodness!
This book has #allthefeels and had me crying at a few parts. I was not expecting such an emotional impact but I absolutely loved it. Harper has a heart of gold and Ridley is a big marshmallow. Loved them. Loved this story and now I want more of Jenny B. Jones' writing!
This book has #allthefeels and had me crying at a few parts. I was not expecting such an emotional impact but I absolutely loved it. Harper has a heart of gold and Ridley is a big marshmallow. Loved them. Loved this story and now I want more of Jenny B. Jones' writing!
January 14, 2017
Cute, funny and a little sad in places but mainly a light fluffy read. I did skip some cheesy dialogues but I never felt the urge to DNF so overall it was an enjoyable albeit predictable book.
May 20, 2017
Review: mild spoiler alert.
I NEED ME A RIDLEY ESTES, ASAP PEOPLE, ASAP. THIS IS NOT A DRILL… *takes rapid breaths in quick succession.. calms down slightly*. This was such a fun, CUTE and lovely read - with a deeper message embedded… not so deep that it shifts the story, but enough, woven in with the beautiful story and characters, that you just finish reading it, and nod to self. Well done book, well done.
There is, given my five start rating, MANY things I loved about this book. Ridley Estes I hear you murmur? Ehhh, he was okay *shifty eye look as heart starts beating deceptively* uhm yes we shall get on to that later. I’ll start with the writing - my first Jenny Jones book and I’ve come to love her already, for the story she brought to life, with her epic group of characters and her great writing, full of fun, humour and romance. The totally cute, squee with glee and blush type romance.
The story is one, I’m sure many of you have read before. Nerdy girl, wants to get a guy, enlists the help of oh so handsome jock. Two fall perilously in love. Oh no, what do I do now?! Ensue mistakes galore as she comes to realise who she really wants. Cliche? TRUE. But I’m the biggest believer in cliche’s and tropes that are repeated throughout YA - when done right. This is when the writing is good, fun, great characters, and the feels are all there. I’ll Be Yours ticked all those boxes.
I loved loved loved the array of characters in this book. My favourites probably *aside from Ridley, obvs* being Harper’s parents. Harper was adopted by the O’Malley’s when she was 9. Her past was a traumatic one.. something she never talks about, and has worked hard, alongside her adoptive parents, to move past it. The love these parents have for her, the way they show it, the way they speak about it - granted this is a fictional book, but it moved something deep within me. Hey hey, I’m not adopted myself or anything like that *despite what my brothers kept telling me up until the age of 7* but the parental love, the support, the fierce protectiveness, was something I really enjoyed reading.
Her Dad.
“I could be in the midst of my own court battle, but I’d still get to that parole hearing. We could live across the country, and I’d still be in that courtroom to remind that judge of what happened to my daughter.”
Her Mum.
“Do you have any comment about the recent photos of your husband with his former employee, Josie Blevins?”
At that Mom stopped. She spun around on the reporter so fast, he tottered backward, and for one hopeful second, I thought he might hit the sidewalk.
Mom poked her finger right in his bloated face. “Since you know who I am, let me remind you who these three individuals are—they’re my children. And they shouldn’t have to be subjected to someone so low as to make catcalls ten feet away from the Lord’s house.”
She stepped so close she was surely breathing his same air.
“This is sacred ground you’re standing on, and I don’t mean because we’re at church. I mean because I’m standing on this ground. And who am I? I’m a mother. And these are my children. And if you get near them again, I will go full-on Mama Bear, throw down my handbag, and rip out your throat until it comes out your big mouth. Are we clear?”
Wide-eyed, the man nodded.
“Oh, I don’t think I heard you.” Mom reached for her purse strap.”
“Yes, ma’am! Yes, Mrs. O’Malley.”
“Good.” She exhaled loudly and found a cool smile. “You have a blessed day now. Come on, kids.”
Great stuff, eh? *claps hands* now we move on, nuh uh uh, not yet to Mr Ridley. Few more characters and things to go before I talk about him. Let’s talk instead, about how totally ADORABLE Harper’s relationship with the football team was? Her Dad being the coach and all, the boys came over every weekend to have lunch, and tradition of sorts, and they became part of the O’Malley clan. You can’t not love these boisterous boys who dote on Harper. The proof .. is in the pudding.
“No.” Humiliation was my drink of choice this weekend, so I just tipped it back and guzzled even more. “I asked him to a dance, and he turned me down.” Ten heads swiveled in my direction, chicken suspended before open mouths. “Actually he didn’t even answer.”
Hand grenades exploding in the house couldn’t have been louder than the reaction of the team.
“Gimme dat kid’s address.”
“I’m gonna punt him into Georgia.”
“I’d like to throw that freak over the goalpost.”
“That fool ain’t fit to kiss the soles of your little bitty girl shoes.”
“He gonna talk to my friends Righty and Lefty!”
“Beside me Marcus laughed and pulled me against his sweater-vest for a catch-and-release hug. “Say the word, and we will find him now.”
Dominic Vago pushed up his sleeves. “Yeah, we can call that dessert.”
I love that kind of dynamic, the sense of family and loyalty that’s earned over time. So so cute. Harper herself, to me, was such a loveable character, a genuine one that lifted from the pages. Her wit, her awkwardness, her personality, I really liked her. She has a messy past, scars that run really, really deep - but it wasn’t a show and tell thing in this book.. but instead you kinda felt it, in the way she reacted to people, to touch, to situations. She was very much a real character to me, with the realisations that dawns on her near the end, her courage in talking about her past, about her acceptance that nothing is ever perfect - it’s just reality. Her desire to rescue abandoned dogs, her banter with Mavis, her big heart - all drew me to her. I liked her a lot.
Now.. on to the finale. LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, TAME YOUR WILD STALLION HEARTS, AS I AM NOW INTRODUCING, MR RIDLEY ESTESSSSSSSS *draws out name like they do on wrestling with that booming voice* you get the gist though eh? Man oh man, I loved Ridley. Just everything about him in this book, captured my heart. Sure, he comes across as your typical jock, arrogant, good looking, mean - but we all know how that plays out in YA right? The thing I liked most about his character, as lame as this may seem - was what a gentleman he was. The way he would put his hand lightly on Harper’s back to guide her when walking. The countless times he’s shrugged out of his jacket and draped it on her. The way he opens doors and pulls out chairs for her. His manners, the way he checked if Harper was 110% comfortable moving forward with things she had no experience in. The simple things, really make a character. This has to be one of my fav parts of the book, which is saying a lot, given how many parts I do adore. Brace yourself ladies. *and guys* the full passage will be found at the end of this review. You can thank me later.
Is this review getting too long? I think it may be. You know me.. me and my ramblings. Let me summarise so it gives you time to go and pick yourself a copy of the book. With great writing, great characters, depth, and steamy chemistry between the two leads, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from this lovely YA contemporary.. except maybe that I wished it was longer, just so I get more dosage of Ridley, the O’Malley’s and the football boys. Jenny B Jones - I need more. But for now.. enjoy the scene below.
___
“Here.” Before the evening chill swept over me, Ridley shrugged out of his jacket and eased my arms into it. I tried to imagine it was Andrew’s, but for some reason I couldn’t even bring up a memory of his face. All I could see was this boy in front of me.
“If the guy is the right one”—I sucked in a breath as Ridley pulled me to him—“and if he’s holding you right, you won’t be thinking about stray dogs.”
“This seems to be more your thing,” Ridley said, his voice near my ears as we swayed to the slow-moving song. His body was warm, and I had the strongest urge to rest my head on his shoulder, to shut my eyes and let all my problems disappear in the fog that swirled around me. The terrace was empty, save for the two of us. Gaslit lamps stood on iron stands, giving the look of rustic candlelight. ”
His laugh tickled my ear. “I think it’s time we took the next step . . . in your tutorial.”
Ridley leaned closer. His face hovered inches from my own. His eyes searched mine, and his challenge levitated in the sliver of space between us. “Kissing.”
“Kissing,” I repeated dumbly.
“That’s right.” His gaze dropped to my lips. “You’re going to want to take notes.”
“Is that so?” I wondered if he could hear my heart thudding in my chest.
“The lesson’s already started, in case you’re wondering.”
“I don’t know that this is really necessary.”
“Oh, kissing is very necessary. And I recall it being your idea.” Ridley had yet to retreat. If anything, he had somehow gotten closer. His left hand reached out, slid up my stiffened arm. It slowly journeyed back down. Rested on my hand.
"I’m not going to hurt you.” He gave my fingers a squeeze. “Do you believe that?”
My answer left my lips before I had time to think. “Yes.”
“Have you noticed you don’t totally recoil anymore when I touch you?”
I had noticed. He had somehow made the short list of people who could handle me without making me want to barf on their shoes.
“Do you want to proceed?”
I nodded. Then let out the air I didn’t know I’d been holding.
“You stay stop, I stop. Got it?” His smile was kind, heartbreaking even. “It’s just a kiss.”
“Let us continue.” That gentle smile turned a little wicked, lifting his cheeks, lighting his eyes. He picked up my hand, and his skin, roughened from football, was an electric abrasion on mine. He waited a long moment, as if letting me adjust to the feel. Lifting my fingers to his lips, his eyes now on mine, daring me to look away, he turned over my palm. And pressed his lips in the warm center.
“Lesson twelve.” His breath was a caress on my hand. “An amateur goes straight for the lips, stays there.”
Good heavens, I couldn’t move if a tornado screamed into the room and spun us about.
“But someone who knows what he’s doing,” Ridley continued, his voice gravelly and deep, “he knows there’s more ground to cover. To explore.” Ridley’s gaze dipped to my hand then back to me. “Just part of the fun.” And with that, he pressed his open mouth to my palm again. As if the nerve endings were directly connected to my heart, my chest fluttered and jumped. My thoughts tripped over themselves, caught as a new heat wrapped around me and filled my every cell. I couldn’t think.”
All I could do was . . . feel. This was so going in the diary.
“And then,” he said, “you might use that hand to pull the person in.” He did just that. So close my hand landed on his chest to keep my balance. A prayer couldn’t have fit between us. “You getting this?” Words eluded me, sentences beyond possibility. “Yes.”
He looked at me as if I were a mystery he wanted to solve, a present he wanted to unwrap. “Then you focus on your target.”
His attention on my mouth had me sucking in my bottom lip, worrying it with my teeth. With a faint laugh, Ridley framed my face with his hands. He rubbed his thumb over that same lip. “You might say something complimentary at this point.” That thumb teased my lip again in a slow, excruciating slide. “Like how I love the scent of you. Or how I think about your lips. Too often.”
He began to close the distance again, his head tilting, leaning.
“Ridley—”
He lazily lifted his eyes to mine, his mouth hovering so close. He quirked a dark brow in question.
“I . . . I don’t know where to put my hands.”
His thumbs now aimlessly caressed my cheeks. “Lots of places for hands. It’s like a multiple choice test you can’t get wrong.” He waited. Smiled. Watched. “Give it a try.”
“Right,” I breathed.
I thought of every romance novel I had ever read, every movie makeout scene I’d watched.
My hands seemed to be detached, almost robotic as I lifted them.
Started at Ridley’s chest.
Wondered about his back.
Considered his neck.
Stayed away from his butt.
“You’re thinking too hard.” Then, as if trusting me to figure it out, he pressed a featherlight kiss to my cheekbone. Then two more just like it, creating a trail of shivery sensations. “Go with what you feel.” He continued to kiss. And when his lips closed on my neck, I sucked in a breath and slinked my arms around his waist and pulled him tight. Whatever he was doing, it was heaven.
His laugh vibrated against my chest. “Good girl.”
Was it okay to move my hands? What were the rules? I hesitantly walked my fingers up his back, felt the muscle, traced it through his shirt.
“O’Malley?”
“Yes?”
His lips moved from my neck to the space near my ear. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“I thought that’s what you’ve been doing.”
“Just the warm-up.”
Ridley’s mouth descended, and I lost all sense of time and space. Gravity eluded me, and my heart floated about. I felt just the slightest touch, his lips on mine, his—
He stopped. “You’re not breathing.”
What was with all this talking? “Of course I am.”
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No.” The single word came out a little too loud.
“I don’t want to push this.”
“But it’s just a tutorial,” I said. The stars flickered overhead, the night breeze sang all around. “It means nothing. Right?”
A wayward strand of hair escaped, and Ridley reached out and slid it behind my ear.
"It’s okay to tell this dude to go slow. It’s okay to say you have . . . boundaries.”
Ridley was worried about me. Me and my odd assortment of mismatched baggage. “Maybe I’m tired of the boundaries.”
“Not in this department. Do not make it open season for this guy.”
I laid my hand on his chest, felt the rapid beat of his heart. “You’re a good guy, Ridley Estes.”
Then he crushed his smiling lips to mine.
Good heavens. Ridley Estes kissed like a Beethoven symphony. It was power and beauty, a crescendo of fire and grace. His lips on mine, his hands now holding my face, angling it to draw me closer. His tongue traced my bottom lip before capturing it again. “Close your eyes, O’Malley.”
And I did.
But not before seeing that hard face soften, his features relax as if completely unguarded.
Then Ridley seemed to pull back, slow it down. As if he’d decided to savour and take his time. I knew I was awkward. My nose hit his more than once. But he didn’t laugh, didn’t say a word. Just held me tight and kept his mouth fused to mine. My hands slid up his chest and around his neck. I marvelled at the heat of his skin. The heat within me.
He drew his lips away from mine, and I heard him sigh heavily before pressing one final kiss to my forehead. “You think you’ve got it?”
While I willed my legs to keep me upright, my eyes drifted open to find Ridley watching me, an unreadable expression on his dark face. “Not bad,” I said.
He grinned at that. “You’ve had better?”
“Danny Jacobson’s kiss did come with nachos.”
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I NEED ME A RIDLEY ESTES, ASAP PEOPLE, ASAP. THIS IS NOT A DRILL… *takes rapid breaths in quick succession.. calms down slightly*. This was such a fun, CUTE and lovely read - with a deeper message embedded… not so deep that it shifts the story, but enough, woven in with the beautiful story and characters, that you just finish reading it, and nod to self. Well done book, well done.
There is, given my five start rating, MANY things I loved about this book. Ridley Estes I hear you murmur? Ehhh, he was okay *shifty eye look as heart starts beating deceptively* uhm yes we shall get on to that later. I’ll start with the writing - my first Jenny Jones book and I’ve come to love her already, for the story she brought to life, with her epic group of characters and her great writing, full of fun, humour and romance. The totally cute, squee with glee and blush type romance.
The story is one, I’m sure many of you have read before. Nerdy girl, wants to get a guy, enlists the help of oh so handsome jock. Two fall perilously in love. Oh no, what do I do now?! Ensue mistakes galore as she comes to realise who she really wants. Cliche? TRUE. But I’m the biggest believer in cliche’s and tropes that are repeated throughout YA - when done right. This is when the writing is good, fun, great characters, and the feels are all there. I’ll Be Yours ticked all those boxes.
I loved loved loved the array of characters in this book. My favourites probably *aside from Ridley, obvs* being Harper’s parents. Harper was adopted by the O’Malley’s when she was 9. Her past was a traumatic one.. something she never talks about, and has worked hard, alongside her adoptive parents, to move past it. The love these parents have for her, the way they show it, the way they speak about it - granted this is a fictional book, but it moved something deep within me. Hey hey, I’m not adopted myself or anything like that *despite what my brothers kept telling me up until the age of 7* but the parental love, the support, the fierce protectiveness, was something I really enjoyed reading.
Her Dad.
“I could be in the midst of my own court battle, but I’d still get to that parole hearing. We could live across the country, and I’d still be in that courtroom to remind that judge of what happened to my daughter.”
Her Mum.
“Do you have any comment about the recent photos of your husband with his former employee, Josie Blevins?”
At that Mom stopped. She spun around on the reporter so fast, he tottered backward, and for one hopeful second, I thought he might hit the sidewalk.
Mom poked her finger right in his bloated face. “Since you know who I am, let me remind you who these three individuals are—they’re my children. And they shouldn’t have to be subjected to someone so low as to make catcalls ten feet away from the Lord’s house.”
She stepped so close she was surely breathing his same air.
“This is sacred ground you’re standing on, and I don’t mean because we’re at church. I mean because I’m standing on this ground. And who am I? I’m a mother. And these are my children. And if you get near them again, I will go full-on Mama Bear, throw down my handbag, and rip out your throat until it comes out your big mouth. Are we clear?”
Wide-eyed, the man nodded.
“Oh, I don’t think I heard you.” Mom reached for her purse strap.”
“Yes, ma’am! Yes, Mrs. O’Malley.”
“Good.” She exhaled loudly and found a cool smile. “You have a blessed day now. Come on, kids.”
Great stuff, eh? *claps hands* now we move on, nuh uh uh, not yet to Mr Ridley. Few more characters and things to go before I talk about him. Let’s talk instead, about how totally ADORABLE Harper’s relationship with the football team was? Her Dad being the coach and all, the boys came over every weekend to have lunch, and tradition of sorts, and they became part of the O’Malley clan. You can’t not love these boisterous boys who dote on Harper. The proof .. is in the pudding.
“No.” Humiliation was my drink of choice this weekend, so I just tipped it back and guzzled even more. “I asked him to a dance, and he turned me down.” Ten heads swiveled in my direction, chicken suspended before open mouths. “Actually he didn’t even answer.”
Hand grenades exploding in the house couldn’t have been louder than the reaction of the team.
“Gimme dat kid’s address.”
“I’m gonna punt him into Georgia.”
“I’d like to throw that freak over the goalpost.”
“That fool ain’t fit to kiss the soles of your little bitty girl shoes.”
“He gonna talk to my friends Righty and Lefty!”
“Beside me Marcus laughed and pulled me against his sweater-vest for a catch-and-release hug. “Say the word, and we will find him now.”
Dominic Vago pushed up his sleeves. “Yeah, we can call that dessert.”
I love that kind of dynamic, the sense of family and loyalty that’s earned over time. So so cute. Harper herself, to me, was such a loveable character, a genuine one that lifted from the pages. Her wit, her awkwardness, her personality, I really liked her. She has a messy past, scars that run really, really deep - but it wasn’t a show and tell thing in this book.. but instead you kinda felt it, in the way she reacted to people, to touch, to situations. She was very much a real character to me, with the realisations that dawns on her near the end, her courage in talking about her past, about her acceptance that nothing is ever perfect - it’s just reality. Her desire to rescue abandoned dogs, her banter with Mavis, her big heart - all drew me to her. I liked her a lot.
Now.. on to the finale. LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, TAME YOUR WILD STALLION HEARTS, AS I AM NOW INTRODUCING, MR RIDLEY ESTESSSSSSSS *draws out name like they do on wrestling with that booming voice* you get the gist though eh? Man oh man, I loved Ridley. Just everything about him in this book, captured my heart. Sure, he comes across as your typical jock, arrogant, good looking, mean - but we all know how that plays out in YA right? The thing I liked most about his character, as lame as this may seem - was what a gentleman he was. The way he would put his hand lightly on Harper’s back to guide her when walking. The countless times he’s shrugged out of his jacket and draped it on her. The way he opens doors and pulls out chairs for her. His manners, the way he checked if Harper was 110% comfortable moving forward with things she had no experience in. The simple things, really make a character. This has to be one of my fav parts of the book, which is saying a lot, given how many parts I do adore. Brace yourself ladies. *and guys* the full passage will be found at the end of this review. You can thank me later.
Is this review getting too long? I think it may be. You know me.. me and my ramblings. Let me summarise so it gives you time to go and pick yourself a copy of the book. With great writing, great characters, depth, and steamy chemistry between the two leads, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from this lovely YA contemporary.. except maybe that I wished it was longer, just so I get more dosage of Ridley, the O’Malley’s and the football boys. Jenny B Jones - I need more. But for now.. enjoy the scene below.
___
“Here.” Before the evening chill swept over me, Ridley shrugged out of his jacket and eased my arms into it. I tried to imagine it was Andrew’s, but for some reason I couldn’t even bring up a memory of his face. All I could see was this boy in front of me.
“If the guy is the right one”—I sucked in a breath as Ridley pulled me to him—“and if he’s holding you right, you won’t be thinking about stray dogs.”
“This seems to be more your thing,” Ridley said, his voice near my ears as we swayed to the slow-moving song. His body was warm, and I had the strongest urge to rest my head on his shoulder, to shut my eyes and let all my problems disappear in the fog that swirled around me. The terrace was empty, save for the two of us. Gaslit lamps stood on iron stands, giving the look of rustic candlelight. ”
His laugh tickled my ear. “I think it’s time we took the next step . . . in your tutorial.”
Ridley leaned closer. His face hovered inches from my own. His eyes searched mine, and his challenge levitated in the sliver of space between us. “Kissing.”
“Kissing,” I repeated dumbly.
“That’s right.” His gaze dropped to my lips. “You’re going to want to take notes.”
“Is that so?” I wondered if he could hear my heart thudding in my chest.
“The lesson’s already started, in case you’re wondering.”
“I don’t know that this is really necessary.”
“Oh, kissing is very necessary. And I recall it being your idea.” Ridley had yet to retreat. If anything, he had somehow gotten closer. His left hand reached out, slid up my stiffened arm. It slowly journeyed back down. Rested on my hand.
"I’m not going to hurt you.” He gave my fingers a squeeze. “Do you believe that?”
My answer left my lips before I had time to think. “Yes.”
“Have you noticed you don’t totally recoil anymore when I touch you?”
I had noticed. He had somehow made the short list of people who could handle me without making me want to barf on their shoes.
“Do you want to proceed?”
I nodded. Then let out the air I didn’t know I’d been holding.
“You stay stop, I stop. Got it?” His smile was kind, heartbreaking even. “It’s just a kiss.”
“Let us continue.” That gentle smile turned a little wicked, lifting his cheeks, lighting his eyes. He picked up my hand, and his skin, roughened from football, was an electric abrasion on mine. He waited a long moment, as if letting me adjust to the feel. Lifting my fingers to his lips, his eyes now on mine, daring me to look away, he turned over my palm. And pressed his lips in the warm center.
“Lesson twelve.” His breath was a caress on my hand. “An amateur goes straight for the lips, stays there.”
Good heavens, I couldn’t move if a tornado screamed into the room and spun us about.
“But someone who knows what he’s doing,” Ridley continued, his voice gravelly and deep, “he knows there’s more ground to cover. To explore.” Ridley’s gaze dipped to my hand then back to me. “Just part of the fun.” And with that, he pressed his open mouth to my palm again. As if the nerve endings were directly connected to my heart, my chest fluttered and jumped. My thoughts tripped over themselves, caught as a new heat wrapped around me and filled my every cell. I couldn’t think.”
All I could do was . . . feel. This was so going in the diary.
“And then,” he said, “you might use that hand to pull the person in.” He did just that. So close my hand landed on his chest to keep my balance. A prayer couldn’t have fit between us. “You getting this?” Words eluded me, sentences beyond possibility. “Yes.”
He looked at me as if I were a mystery he wanted to solve, a present he wanted to unwrap. “Then you focus on your target.”
His attention on my mouth had me sucking in my bottom lip, worrying it with my teeth. With a faint laugh, Ridley framed my face with his hands. He rubbed his thumb over that same lip. “You might say something complimentary at this point.” That thumb teased my lip again in a slow, excruciating slide. “Like how I love the scent of you. Or how I think about your lips. Too often.”
He began to close the distance again, his head tilting, leaning.
“Ridley—”
He lazily lifted his eyes to mine, his mouth hovering so close. He quirked a dark brow in question.
“I . . . I don’t know where to put my hands.”
His thumbs now aimlessly caressed my cheeks. “Lots of places for hands. It’s like a multiple choice test you can’t get wrong.” He waited. Smiled. Watched. “Give it a try.”
“Right,” I breathed.
I thought of every romance novel I had ever read, every movie makeout scene I’d watched.
My hands seemed to be detached, almost robotic as I lifted them.
Started at Ridley’s chest.
Wondered about his back.
Considered his neck.
Stayed away from his butt.
“You’re thinking too hard.” Then, as if trusting me to figure it out, he pressed a featherlight kiss to my cheekbone. Then two more just like it, creating a trail of shivery sensations. “Go with what you feel.” He continued to kiss. And when his lips closed on my neck, I sucked in a breath and slinked my arms around his waist and pulled him tight. Whatever he was doing, it was heaven.
His laugh vibrated against my chest. “Good girl.”
Was it okay to move my hands? What were the rules? I hesitantly walked my fingers up his back, felt the muscle, traced it through his shirt.
“O’Malley?”
“Yes?”
His lips moved from my neck to the space near my ear. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“I thought that’s what you’ve been doing.”
“Just the warm-up.”
Ridley’s mouth descended, and I lost all sense of time and space. Gravity eluded me, and my heart floated about. I felt just the slightest touch, his lips on mine, his—
He stopped. “You’re not breathing.”
What was with all this talking? “Of course I am.”
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No.” The single word came out a little too loud.
“I don’t want to push this.”
“But it’s just a tutorial,” I said. The stars flickered overhead, the night breeze sang all around. “It means nothing. Right?”
A wayward strand of hair escaped, and Ridley reached out and slid it behind my ear.
"It’s okay to tell this dude to go slow. It’s okay to say you have . . . boundaries.”
Ridley was worried about me. Me and my odd assortment of mismatched baggage. “Maybe I’m tired of the boundaries.”
“Not in this department. Do not make it open season for this guy.”
I laid my hand on his chest, felt the rapid beat of his heart. “You’re a good guy, Ridley Estes.”
Then he crushed his smiling lips to mine.
Good heavens. Ridley Estes kissed like a Beethoven symphony. It was power and beauty, a crescendo of fire and grace. His lips on mine, his hands now holding my face, angling it to draw me closer. His tongue traced my bottom lip before capturing it again. “Close your eyes, O’Malley.”
And I did.
But not before seeing that hard face soften, his features relax as if completely unguarded.
Then Ridley seemed to pull back, slow it down. As if he’d decided to savour and take his time. I knew I was awkward. My nose hit his more than once. But he didn’t laugh, didn’t say a word. Just held me tight and kept his mouth fused to mine. My hands slid up his chest and around his neck. I marvelled at the heat of his skin. The heat within me.
He drew his lips away from mine, and I heard him sigh heavily before pressing one final kiss to my forehead. “You think you’ve got it?”
While I willed my legs to keep me upright, my eyes drifted open to find Ridley watching me, an unreadable expression on his dark face. “Not bad,” I said.
He grinned at that. “You’ve had better?”
“Danny Jacobson’s kiss did come with nachos.”
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March 25, 2018
I mostly wanted to read this book because of the beautiful ass cover.
I'll Be Yours was a really cute book. Beyond predictable and cliche.. but cute.
So it's about Harper wanting a specific boyfriend: the new guy. His name is Andrew if that helps. Unfortunately for her, she's out of his league - WHO TALKS LIKE THIS? Especially in high school.. were people really out of other people's leagues then? Even now? Are we playing baseball or soccer and I didn't even know?
Surprisingly, no really.. color me shocked, there's another popular jock who needs a damn tutor. Oh and his name is Ridley - which makes me think of the girl from the caster chronicles.. and I was starting to get annoyed while reading this book.
Well, whatever, these two stike a weird ass deal: he gets help school wise.. and she get's help boy wise? Again, cliche AF.. been there, done that.. can I get a book with something new and different please?
Do I even need to mention how this book ends? IT should be completely obvious so I'm not going to. Harper and Ridley were cute. They had fun banters with each other. Overall, it was a cute book.
I'll Be Yours was a really cute book. Beyond predictable and cliche.. but cute.
So it's about Harper wanting a specific boyfriend: the new guy. His name is Andrew if that helps. Unfortunately for her, she's out of his league - WHO TALKS LIKE THIS? Especially in high school.. were people really out of other people's leagues then? Even now? Are we playing baseball or soccer and I didn't even know?
Surprisingly, no really.. color me shocked, there's another popular jock who needs a damn tutor. Oh and his name is Ridley - which makes me think of the girl from the caster chronicles.. and I was starting to get annoyed while reading this book.
Well, whatever, these two stike a weird ass deal: he gets help school wise.. and she get's help boy wise? Again, cliche AF.. been there, done that.. can I get a book with something new and different please?
Do I even need to mention how this book ends? IT should be completely obvious so I'm not going to. Harper and Ridley were cute. They had fun banters with each other. Overall, it was a cute book.
February 20, 2024
A cute, easy read!! Jones is one of my favorites!!!
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