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Love in the 80s #7
1986: Why Can't This Be Love
Spring break her junior year is supposed to be Tori Allen's chance to catch the eye of wicked hot Corey Sanders, the bouncer at The Cube, an eighteen and under club.
Only what should have been a night to remember turns into a grody tryst that chases her into the arms of inner city boy, Dylan Black.
A malfunctioning photo booth, a crazy game of midnight madness bowling, and suddenly her memorable night becomes one totally rad adventure.
*************
1986: Why Can't This Be Love by R.K. Ryals is Book 6 in the Love in the 80s series produced by WaWa Productions. All of the contemporary romance novellas are stand-alones.
Other titles in the series include:
1980: You Shook Me All Night Long by Casey L Bond
1981: Jessie's Girl by Lindy Zart
1982: Maneater by Cambria Hebert
1983: Cruel Summer by Amber Lynn Natusch
1984: Against All Odds by Rebecca Yarros
1985: Careless Whisper by Misty Provencher
Only what should have been a night to remember turns into a grody tryst that chases her into the arms of inner city boy, Dylan Black.
A malfunctioning photo booth, a crazy game of midnight madness bowling, and suddenly her memorable night becomes one totally rad adventure.
*************
1986: Why Can't This Be Love by R.K. Ryals is Book 6 in the Love in the 80s series produced by WaWa Productions. All of the contemporary romance novellas are stand-alones.
Other titles in the series include:
1980: You Shook Me All Night Long by Casey L Bond
1981: Jessie's Girl by Lindy Zart
1982: Maneater by Cambria Hebert
1983: Cruel Summer by Amber Lynn Natusch
1984: Against All Odds by Rebecca Yarros
1985: Careless Whisper by Misty Provencher
ebook
First published July 29, 2016
195 people want to read
About the author
R.K. Ryals
41 books779 followersR.K. Ryals is the author of emotional and gripping young adult and new adult paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and fantasy. With a strong passion for charity and literacy, she works as a full time writer encouraging people to "share the love of reading one book at a time." An avid animal lover and self-proclaimed coffee-holic, R.K. Ryals was born in Jackson, Mississippi and makes her home in the Southern U.S. with her husband, her three daughters, a rescue dog named Oscar the Grouch, A Shitzsu named Tinkerbell, an OCD cat, and a coffee pot she honestly couldn't live without. Should she ever become the owner of a fire-breathing dragon (tame of course), her life would be complete.
Contact her on twitter at @RKRyals, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RKRyals or online at http://www.authorrkryals.com
Contact her on twitter at @RKRyals, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RKRyals or online at http://www.authorrkryals.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 30, 2016
5 STARS
This read was so adorable! I loved it! Being an 80s/90s child, I could relate to Tori and Dylan. I loved the inclusion of the music and Ms. Ryals instantly took me back in time. I felt like I knew all of these characters. This was a quick read, super adorable, well written, and when I finished I wanted more of Tori and Dylan!
August 20, 2017
Spring Break was supposed to be the time of Tori Allen's life when she was finally going to get her man. For the past months, Tori has been eyeing up the bartender Corey Allen at the Cube. She has been trying to get his attention as she thinks he is the bomb diggity bomb. She will, however, discover that looks aren't everything and that they can be deceiving. On the night in question, Tori ends up almost being raped by Corey and Dylan Black comes to her rescue. Dylan has had some bad luck thrown to him and is currently working off to pay back damages at his Uncle's Ten-Pin Bowling Alley. Dylan is the type of guy that parents warn their daughters from as he his bad news. For Tori, things are about to get complicated as she is falling for Dylan and it doesn't help that her parents are as strict as can be. This leads to Tori having a political stance after her father tries to separate the pair and in a small town it is easy for a business to be splashed across the pages. This was a sweet romance story set in a small town bowling alley and a cute one in the Love in the 80's series.
December 25, 2016
I was born in this year so I knew exactly what to expect from this book because I lived it—mummy's boobies and milk, lots of crying, pooping and sleeping.
Umm, I didn't get that. Instead of it I read a story so funny and spunky I had tears in my eyes from laughing. I might be biased but 1986: Why Can't This Be Love was rad!
Umm, I didn't get that. Instead of it I read a story so funny and spunky I had tears in my eyes from laughing. I might be biased but 1986: Why Can't This Be Love was rad!
August 3, 2016
I've really been enjoying this quick little novellas...I'm a product of the 80s so it's been fun revisiting that time in my life!
This was a really cute read- I'd like to imagine both Tori and Dylan go to college, start their careers, get married, and then live happily ever after!
July 29, 2016
In March of 1986 I was 15 years old, lived in Ohio and I remember when MTV was every teenagers life. I Played cassette tapes and made my favorite mix tapes to replay over and over. This novella felt like it was written about my life and brought back the feelings I felt during the cold war and when the Shuttle Challenger crashed. The authors descriptions of clothing, 80's lingo, and lyrics from songs I had grown up listening to, really brought this book to life. "Music made images and life stronger, adding an extra dimension of emotion to everything."
The saying, never judge a book by it's cover, rang true for Tori. She would find out the most awesome guy at the club, who she had been crushing on for months, was not at all what he seemed. Her dream of being swept off her feet by the handsome Corey Sanders turned into a nightmare. If it hadn't been for the knight in an ACDC tshirt, things could have ended very badly.
"The tingles and flutters I'd felt in the club returned with a vengance, but this time, they felt different. Uneasy." "He was the kind of guy, the kind no girl wanted to find herself alone with."
Dylan Black (swoon) reminds me of some of the guys I went to high school with. Heavy metal, concert shirts and bad boy vibes rolling off of him. What I loved most about Dylan is that you would never guess him to be chivalrous and kind hearted if you were only going off of looks. Author R.K. Ryals always has characters with many layers that really touch my soul. Watching Tori and Dylan spending the evening together was magic to behold. I could feel butterflies in my tummy as they revealed more about themselves to each other. "I guess that's how you know someone means something to you. They make you see the world in colors beyond the standard black and white."
1986: Why Can't This Be Love is a great coming of age book written beautifully by author R.K. Ryals. It was a joy to read and as always I came away with something special. It brought back some amazing memories from my youth and also I think this quote sums up the feeling of the book quite well.
"It was March of 1986 in a small town in Ohio after a crazy weekend that changed who I thought I was, the people I thought I knew, and the kind of person I wanted to be." Most Excellent!!
The saying, never judge a book by it's cover, rang true for Tori. She would find out the most awesome guy at the club, who she had been crushing on for months, was not at all what he seemed. Her dream of being swept off her feet by the handsome Corey Sanders turned into a nightmare. If it hadn't been for the knight in an ACDC tshirt, things could have ended very badly.
"The tingles and flutters I'd felt in the club returned with a vengance, but this time, they felt different. Uneasy." "He was the kind of guy, the kind no girl wanted to find herself alone with."
Dylan Black (swoon) reminds me of some of the guys I went to high school with. Heavy metal, concert shirts and bad boy vibes rolling off of him. What I loved most about Dylan is that you would never guess him to be chivalrous and kind hearted if you were only going off of looks. Author R.K. Ryals always has characters with many layers that really touch my soul. Watching Tori and Dylan spending the evening together was magic to behold. I could feel butterflies in my tummy as they revealed more about themselves to each other. "I guess that's how you know someone means something to you. They make you see the world in colors beyond the standard black and white."
1986: Why Can't This Be Love is a great coming of age book written beautifully by author R.K. Ryals. It was a joy to read and as always I came away with something special. It brought back some amazing memories from my youth and also I think this quote sums up the feeling of the book quite well.
"It was March of 1986 in a small town in Ohio after a crazy weekend that changed who I thought I was, the people I thought I knew, and the kind of person I wanted to be." Most Excellent!!
July 30, 2016
Ahhh 'Spring Break'. Do you remember spring break? I do. You haven't even set your sights on summer yet because it seems so far away. It's the time to stretch your legs. Gain a little independence. Maybe buck the parental system just a little bit. Every high schooler's dream. And in this case...most definitely Tori Allen's dream.
Hoping to catch the eye of Corey Sanders, the bouncer at a local an eighteen and under club is Tori's goal. And she succeeds. Little does she know that Corey is a tool of epic proportions. Fleeing what could be a very bad experience she runs into the arms of Dylan Black. Dylan, a bad boy from inner city Cleveland, is exactly what she needs. Visiting his uncle he's the new guy in town. And he is handsome, chivalrous, with just enough bad ass attitude to make things interesting. A little kiss, a malfunctioning photo booth, midnight madness bowling, and a motorcycle ride make for an adventurous evening that pushes Tori's boundaries.
Even though I'm technically an 80s child I would have been about 10 years younger than Tori at the time of the book. I do however remember people using words like grody and rad so it made me giggle a few times. I also appreciate the way Tori links everything to music. "The world would be a much better place, I think, if life was full of background music" Since I do that in my own life it was just the icing on the cake! Why Can't This Be Love by R.K. Ryals is a short but sweet and entertaining novella. I wanted more of Tori and Dylan so bad by the time I finished. (Like a whole extra novel's worth of more!!) They are adorable. Truly. Time just flies when you flip the pages.
Hoping to catch the eye of Corey Sanders, the bouncer at a local an eighteen and under club is Tori's goal. And she succeeds. Little does she know that Corey is a tool of epic proportions. Fleeing what could be a very bad experience she runs into the arms of Dylan Black. Dylan, a bad boy from inner city Cleveland, is exactly what she needs. Visiting his uncle he's the new guy in town. And he is handsome, chivalrous, with just enough bad ass attitude to make things interesting. A little kiss, a malfunctioning photo booth, midnight madness bowling, and a motorcycle ride make for an adventurous evening that pushes Tori's boundaries.
Even though I'm technically an 80s child I would have been about 10 years younger than Tori at the time of the book. I do however remember people using words like grody and rad so it made me giggle a few times. I also appreciate the way Tori links everything to music. "The world would be a much better place, I think, if life was full of background music" Since I do that in my own life it was just the icing on the cake! Why Can't This Be Love by R.K. Ryals is a short but sweet and entertaining novella. I wanted more of Tori and Dylan so bad by the time I finished. (Like a whole extra novel's worth of more!!) They are adorable. Truly. Time just flies when you flip the pages.
April 12, 2017
This short story was a very good story. Well written, structured and with a very good ending. I couldn't ask for more. Plus the song is #thebest.
The main character, Tori, is totally relatable. I live in the clouds and with always a song in my mind, so I totally get her in that sense. Plus she has parents that strict her a lot because past situations with her sister, I also get that too. Dylan Black is #bae, for reals. He's the bad boy with an incredible heart that every girl wants.
I loved what the author did to include historic facts from the 80s in this story. She added a lot of songs from the moment and described very good how people dressed and talk in those years. I totally had a flashback to years that I wasn't even breathing. So, yeah, the story, the things said and done are totally worth reading it. Go ahead, 80s kid, I know you want to read this one, do it.
The main character, Tori, is totally relatable. I live in the clouds and with always a song in my mind, so I totally get her in that sense. Plus she has parents that strict her a lot because past situations with her sister, I also get that too. Dylan Black is #bae, for reals. He's the bad boy with an incredible heart that every girl wants.
I loved what the author did to include historic facts from the 80s in this story. She added a lot of songs from the moment and described very good how people dressed and talk in those years. I totally had a flashback to years that I wasn't even breathing. So, yeah, the story, the things said and done are totally worth reading it. Go ahead, 80s kid, I know you want to read this one, do it.
August 28, 2016
A story set in the 1980's? Yes, please! I love the 80's. The music. The hair. The hairspray, lol! In 1986 I was 9 years old and like 17 year old Tori Allen, my room was decorated in Hair Bands like; Poison, Bon Jovi and TV stars like Kirk Cameron. MTV was amazing and actually played music videos - shocking I know! My parents were strict and I was such a nerd like Tori too. I even had tons of cassette tapes with playlists of my life. This story brought back so may great memories.
Why Can't This Be Love is a nostalgic read for any 80's girl. My favorite part was the song lyrics and titles at the beginning of each chapter. Totally set the tone! Once again R.K. Ryals has gifted us with another superb rockin' read.
Why Can't This Be Love is a nostalgic read for any 80's girl. My favorite part was the song lyrics and titles at the beginning of each chapter. Totally set the tone! Once again R.K. Ryals has gifted us with another superb rockin' read.
August 6, 2016
My first R.K. Ryals book. It was cute.
October 2, 2016
An adorable read! Regina Ryals is definitely one of my favorite authors!
November 22, 2019
I enjoyed the book, but in comparison to the previous few installments, it felt kinda simple, which pretty much made it fall flat for me. But as the story of itself, it definitely wasn't bad at all.
October 7, 2016
Saya baca seri ini cuma 3 buku. Dan di antara ketiga buku itu cuma novel ini yang menyebutkan kejadian penting di tahun 80'an. Nggak hanya mendeskripsikan pakaian apa yang dipakai tokohnya. Dan saya selalu suka dengan karya R. K. Ryals.
October 2, 2016
I loved it! It captured the 80's teen movie feel that the earlier books in the series (mainly You Shook Me All Night Long and Maneater) had. The only thing that could have made it better was if we got Dylan's perspective instead of just Tori's. Still, great story overall.
August 12, 2016
I didn’t get title significance at first, probably because my memory of these songs is shrouded in the cloak of time. So, I looked up lyrics and listened to the title song, by Van Halen. I realize now that the title is damn near perfect.
Ryals does a phenomenal job delivering that feeling of finding first love. The characters are relatable, and developed well within the space of an 83 page novella. Tori’s new experiences help her find her own voice. Dylan Black is an interesting character. No one sees him for who he really is… until Tori finds him.
I have always known that there are perfect songs for emotions, feelings, and experiences. I have made a mix tape, or two, in my life. I have never thought of the concept that these songs are soundtracks, background music, within the script that is life. The song references are spot on and nostalgic, for me… things forgotten in the 30 years since high school. I absolutely love the a-ha reference, (view video below).
I find this book an enjoyable read. It is lighthearted, but there is no fluff. There are many, many song references, which I love. This is another great addition to the Love in the 80’s series. 4 stars
https://youtu.be/djV11Xbc914
Ryals does a phenomenal job delivering that feeling of finding first love. The characters are relatable, and developed well within the space of an 83 page novella. Tori’s new experiences help her find her own voice. Dylan Black is an interesting character. No one sees him for who he really is… until Tori finds him.
I have always known that there are perfect songs for emotions, feelings, and experiences. I have made a mix tape, or two, in my life. I have never thought of the concept that these songs are soundtracks, background music, within the script that is life. The song references are spot on and nostalgic, for me… things forgotten in the 30 years since high school. I absolutely love the a-ha reference, (view video below).
I find this book an enjoyable read. It is lighthearted, but there is no fluff. There are many, many song references, which I love. This is another great addition to the Love in the 80’s series. 4 stars
https://youtu.be/djV11Xbc914
September 28, 2016
Why Can't This Be Love by: R.K. Ryals
It's no secret by now that I love R.K Ryals. She has such an amazing way with words and drawing her readers in.
This novella is book 6 in the "The In The 80's" series, but they are all stand alones and can be read in any order.
The story is familiar to many teen girls I'm sure, begging their over protective parents to go out on the town one night. Super sweet Tori has a plan and a crush on a hot shot bouncer. Her night gets turned upside down and she ends up in the arms of another boy. Dylan. City boy and no stranger to trouble.
This book is flash back perfection with its song references and wardrobe descriptions. It's the perfect afternoon read if you're looking for something sweet with lots of laughs.
5 <3 <3 <3 <3
It's no secret by now that I love R.K Ryals. She has such an amazing way with words and drawing her readers in.
This novella is book 6 in the "The In The 80's" series, but they are all stand alones and can be read in any order.
The story is familiar to many teen girls I'm sure, begging their over protective parents to go out on the town one night. Super sweet Tori has a plan and a crush on a hot shot bouncer. Her night gets turned upside down and she ends up in the arms of another boy. Dylan. City boy and no stranger to trouble.
This book is flash back perfection with its song references and wardrobe descriptions. It's the perfect afternoon read if you're looking for something sweet with lots of laughs.
5 <3 <3 <3 <3
August 9, 2023
This was adorable. Tori, Dylan, her parents...all of it.
I liked Tori's penchant for giving her life a soundtrack and the way she squared off with her dad in total teenage melodrama.
Dylan is the boy everyone loves to hate, the one with the bad reputation but the heart of gold.
I loved the consent positive tone between Tori and Dylan. I enjoyed how Tori called her friend out on leaving her, not knowing if she was in danger from the first guy she initially crushed on (who predictably turned out to be a jerk).
Definitely one of my favourites from the Love In the 80s anthology.
I liked Tori's penchant for giving her life a soundtrack and the way she squared off with her dad in total teenage melodrama.
Dylan is the boy everyone loves to hate, the one with the bad reputation but the heart of gold.
I loved the consent positive tone between Tori and Dylan. I enjoyed how Tori called her friend out on leaving her, not knowing if she was in danger from the first guy she initially crushed on (who predictably turned out to be a jerk).
Definitely one of my favourites from the Love In the 80s anthology.
September 25, 2016
5/5 angel stars
LOVED
LOVED
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews