Stuck With You

by Carla Burgess

One lift. Two strangers. Anything could happen!

Elena thought that today would be just like any other day…until the supermarket lift jams and she realises she’s stuck.

And not just stuck in the lift. Stuck with her childhood crush, Daniel Moore, who unfortunately seems to be just as gorgeous as she remembered…

Fans of Debbie Johnson, Holly Martin and Christie Barlow will love this heartwarming read from the bestselling author of Marry Me Tomorrow.

Praise for Marry Me Tomorrow:

‘A lovely story…that unfolds beautifully.’ – Sally Coles (Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer)

‘My favourite male character since Mr Darcy!’ – Tami Walker (NetGalley Reviewer)

‘Fun, quirky and sweet!’ – Books Are Here For You

‘Funny and romantic, with a predictably good ending. A romance that makes you giggle!’ – Kitty Loves Books

‘An easy, fun read. You will love it!’ – Belgian Book Lady

‘I enjoyed the story so much that I even told my husband about it!’ – Clara’s Books and Lit

‘A delightful surprise that will warm your heart.’ – Hilda Danshaw (NetGalley Reviewer)

‘Marry Me Tomorrow has flown into my top books of the year.’ – The Writing Garnet

‘I absolutely adored this book. Just perfect!’ – K. E. Whittard (Amazon Reviewer)

‘Humorous dialogue, loveable characters, classic villains and many surprises!’ – BeeReader

‘One of those rare books I can see myself revisiting time and again. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more.’ – The Well Read Pirate Queen

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Second Chance Romance, Fiction

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2017

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆+  Left me wanting more!

Wow what a book!
Who would of thought being stuck in a lift with your college crush could lead you on a journey of lust, friendship, romance and a start of new beginnings.

Elena is stuck in a loveless relationship. She comes home only for him to say he's leaving her. He has been having an affair!
She accepts it, moves her things out and goes home to her parents. She has one thing on her mind...Daniel!!

When Elena and Daniel get stuck in that lift together... was it a coincidence they was there at exactly the same time?? Who knows!
What I do know is they swap numbers and from this point the story gets even better!

Elena has loved Daniel for years. She was so infatuated she made a memories box with things like he's hair & a poem lol

Things move extremely quickly for them both, but anyone can see they are completely head over heels for each other.

Rachel is Elena's best friend since scho. She has her doubts about Daniel and keeps trying to warn her off.
At first I thought she was being an overprotective friend and I applauded her. But then as the story unfolds Rachel is not entirely honest with Elena which changes my whole perspective about Rachel and Daniel.
 It made me like him more and dislike her.
She critisced Elena a lot, yet she was the one engaged to a man no one had met. It made me suspicious of her intentions.

There was so so many laugh out loud moments throughout this book I was eagerly reading I couldn't get enough.

One moment sticks in my mind when they both go skinny dipping (naked swimming) on a deserted beach...well that is until an old man and he's dog walk by.
Luckily by this point they are warming up by a fire under a blanket... however the dog decides to steal Elena's underwear leaving her with nothing!!  I laughed so hard... I could imagine it happening.

I fell in love with Elena and Daniel's story.
I'm sure we can all relate to our first love, if you are lucky enough/ brave enough to speak to them then it may just last forever.
Every girl can relate to this story. Well apart from the lift bit. We have all loved and lost. Had a childhood/ teenage crush.

But for Elena she got her man and I couldn't of been happier. They both loved each other during college but neither had the courage.

 
The chemistry between them is electric, they can't keep their hands off each other....well there is only one slight problem... privacy!
 They both live at home with their parents which means any sexual encounters is off the cards!
It don't stop the build up though. The teasing and the flirting, the naked swimming tantelises the reader for what is to come!

I don't want to give any more away.

My only critiscm is the ending....Carla literally left me dangling on an ickle bit of string!  I was devastated! I didn't want it to end.
The ending was an invitation to what is to come next! 

Overall a fabulous read, believable and well thought out characters, exciting and humorous storyline, with a sprinkle of lust and romance. It was fresh and cleverly written, left you wanting more.
What more can you want.

I would recommend this book for all those who enjoy romantic comedies with a believable storyline and loveable characters.
 
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuck with You is a really lovely light hearted romance.

I loved the story behind this and how fate brought two people that were clearly destined to be together back together again so they could finally get their chance at love.

[✨ A ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 40%
I'm not gonna lie. This was bad.

[Molly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

I don't usually give harsh reviews but I'm honest, it's got such high ratings but I'm baffled as to why.
There's no actual story line, characters aren't detailed much, it's all very predictable and a little bit pointless.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book! It was sweet, heartwarming and full of hope. The characters are the most lovable ever, and I couldn't help but really root for Elena and Daniel, who are such a sweet pair together. They dynamics and chemistry was spot on and translated really well on the pages. I really needed that type of pick-me-up today, and it was perfect for me.

[ItaPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuck With You was a low on drama and full of romance kind of read and a very enjoyable one too.

I really liked that the main characters have their second chance to fall in love thanks to the fate and an unreliable lift.

I've read Carla Burgess words effortlessly,swooning from page to page...I have to go back and read her debut novel as soon as possible.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, Stuck With You, by Carla Burgess, was an absolute delight. Admittedly I'm a sucker for second chance romances. Elena gets stuck in an elevator with her high school/college crush. It’s been 7 years since he unexpectedly kissed her at the prom, and promptly disappeared. Elena’s fresh out of a dead relationship and being cheated on, so she and Daniel get to know one another, in some ways for the first time. Truth be told, things weren’t exactly as they seemed 7 years earlier.

There were so many things for the reader to relate to in this book: staying too long in a relationship, ignoring the signs of a dying relationship, making excuses for someone’s behavior instead of standing up for oneself, feeling made a fool of, (hopefully not) cheating, settling, not being honest with oneself, losing oneself, choosing someone safe instead of getting hurt, first love, second chances. The list goes on and on.

I really really liked Elena. It broke my heart to realize that she’d lost a lot of herself over her years with Alex, things she once loved like playing the cello. He’s a class-A asshole, or became one, and she truly was better off without him. Of course that doesn’t mean what he did didn’t hurt her. I loved how she dealt with it all, that she never let the hurt linger and instead felt it and moved on. It was sad to watch as she took stock of what happened with her ex and realized how her coping techniques made her miss all the signs that things were getting worse between them.

And then there’s Daniel. What can I say? He was lovely. There were so many things about him to love! He was patient and kind, giving Elena time and space to figure out how she’s feeling. He always considered how Elena might be feeling. He was honest and straightforward in a way that told her he cared about her without being pushy. I adored how he made sure she understood how he felt in the present, how he hinted about his feelings in the past and very slowly let her know the truth of them. By not revealing his past feelings right away, he kept the reader firmly rooted in the present, leaving us with no doubt the he wanted a relationship with Elena. He’s steady and reliable, but not in a boring way, in that controlled simmer sort of way that made me sure Elena would combust once he was able to touch her. I liked that he reassured Elena when she needed it, understood the way she thought and wasn’t afraid to correct her.

I have mixed feelings about Rachel, Elena’s best friend. She seemed to have her heart in the right place, but she’s awfully judgmental and harsh with how she voices her opinions.

This book had lots of laughs, which I always enjoy in a romance. I, for one, thoroughly fell in love with Daniel and Elena, and would recommend this book whole-heartedly!

[Quirky Omega · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is one of those overlooked gems. This one is so worth a read. It doesn't have an overdose of angst and is sort of like the most fresh tasting cotton candy. Does that make sense? You would have to read it to find out.

[Paula Bothwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuck With You - R
Violence: fisticuffs
Language: fewer than 65 including deity and 10+ Fbombs
Sex: the h's body is constantly tight with desire, poor thing. Descriptive kissing, then sex, some more descriptive bits than others. Easily skipped.

This must be a part one or something because while there is a happily for now, there's a huge cliffhanger for the friend. It seemed rushed like the word count had been met. Unsatisfying. Returned for content.

[Pol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. lovely, romantic. Could not put it down till finished it. Worth reading

[Nikki Deeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story, a lot of heart and soul in this book.

[Stephanie Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting tale about what happens after Elena gets stuck in a lift with her old school crush Daniel.
There is a lot of fun as they renew their friendship and many amusing interludes as they navigate a burgeoning romance under the watchful eyes of their parents, who become their temporary landlords. Teenage problems are relived as the couple try to keep their private lives under wraps, forget that they have someone to notify if they stay out all night and struggle with parental expectations.
A gentle and romantic read which provides lots of amusing moments.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

AA: cute and quick

[Saretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recensione
Review

Elena ha un fidanzato con cui ormai ha ben poco in comune - e che sta facendo ben altri progetti con un'altra donna - e non è soddisfatta della sua vita. Un ascensore guasto cambierà tutto: Elena si troverà intrappolata proprio con il ragazzo di cui era disperatamente innamorata al liceo, e tutto fa pensare che lui sia interessato a lei.

Stuck with you è un romanzo romantico di quelli scontati, che però poteva essere confezionato meglio: vada per lo scontato - non mi aspetto grandissimi colpi di scena in questi casi, e il vissero sempre felici e contenti è il minimo sindacale, però l'impressione qui è che pezzi di trama siano stati persi per strada.

Magari al lettore interesserebbe sapere che fine ha fatto Alan, ma soprattutto come sia andata a finire l'amicizia tra Rachel ed Elena: migliori amiche, il grande dramma del fidanzato che non viene mai presentato a Elena, l'avversione di Rachel per Daniel e.... e niente, a un certo punto si perdono le tracce, tanto ora Elena è felice.

Ecco, a questo punto io consiglierei a chi si vuole svagare con una storia d'amore di leggersi Ti odio anzi no ti amo che è molto più divertente, la protagonista non ha il lato unidimensionale innamorato ma ha anche una vita sociale e lavorativa e le sotto-trame hanno una conclusione.

Ringrazio l’editore per avermi fornito la copia necessaria per scrivere questa recensione.

[chantelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

a fun, light-hearted book, perfect for a quick and mindless read. i’m giving this 2 stars because while this was an entertaining read, i was left wanting more. i had this 'waiting for the ball to drop’ sort of feeling, and i thought i would be resolved either through some kind of conflict between daniel and elena, or through patrick and rachel. i also found some parts to be a bit boring and i found myself skimming over quite a bit of the book, though my short attention span could be blamed for that.
something about this book felt incomplete, whether it was the fact that we never actually meet patrick which was kind of built up throughout the novel or the lack of conflict, i’m not sure. overall, a good read if you want something light and not too difficult to follow, with simple characters and an uncomplicated storyline.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions)]

Weak in characterization, and they're only stuck in the lift for one chapter. The whole point of using a trapped together trope as the premise is for the couple to be trapped together for most of the book. Looking at you too, Kasie West.

[Bookosaurus (A book a day keeps reality away) · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this book, all I can think is 'how much tea can you have before your bladder screams 'STOP FOR THE LOVE OF GOD'?''

Answer is: depends on who you are asking. Us, normal, mortal humans will probably stop at five or six cups, but a Brit doesn't work that way.

The amount of tea drinking that was going on in this book made me want to pee. Believe me when I say this, almost every other dialogue in this book starts with "do you want some tea?" or some other variation of this sentence.

You are happy? Have some tea.
You are sad? Have some tea.
You are angry? Have some tea.
You are hurt? Have some tea.
You are tired? Have some tea.

Looks like drinking tea is a Brit's solution to everything. With their insane tea-addiction, I wonder how did they find the time for world domination?

Jokes apart, I loved every bit of this book. While it's true that this book made my bladder nervous, it surely made my heart happy. What an adorable read!

If you are looking for something to curl up with on a beach; or when you are sick and want to tuck into your bed with something cute; or for that matter, anytime when you are looking for a cute, cheery read with loads of humor and swoony moments, give this book a try.

This book is about a girl finding her way back to the guy who was her teenage crush and in an adorable but unbelievable twist, it turns out that the guy, too, had a crush on her back in school. But since he thought that he wasn't good enough for her, he never approached her.

The only reason I gave it three stars is because I found it a bit slow at times, but that's just me. If you have plenty of time to spare on a book where nothing much happens, but whatever happens is enough to put a smile on your face and feels in your heart, this one's for you.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming romance that starts off in a rather unusual way. I can't think of many other books that has the leads stuck together in a supermarket lift right at the start. For the entirety of the time the lift was stuck, I felt energised and eager to know how it would turn out, and it gave great insights into both Elena and Daniel's personalities.

It turns out they used to go to college together and Elena had a massive crush on him back then, and had even been dreaming about him as an adult, despite having a boyfriend! Actually that boyfriend Elena stars the book with is calculating and cold, but having finished the book, he is my main unanswered question.

I loved Daniel and Elena's characters, especially as you discover what awkward teenagers they were, and just what they didn't or do when they were younger. Daniel is an incredibly kind man , generous with his time and its clear he really likes Elena.

Elena though has never felt she was good enough for Daniel, but as adults will she realise her true worth. They are both currently living with their own parents, and that leads to some awkward teenage type scenes despite them being in their mid 20s, but really amusing to read.

I found Stuck With You to be an entertaining story, that I really enjoyed reading. It was the first book I have read by Carla Burgess, and it won't be me last, as I'm keen to see what other great story ideas she can come up with. This was easy reading, and if you are looking for a pleasurable way to spend a day then Stuck With You is definitely a good choice.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Diana (The Bookish Sisters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to say, the only thing about this book that I’m not a fan of is the lack of emotional roller coaster. This story had me waiting for the climax but it never came, it was more of a horizontal roller coaster ride where there are absolutely no ups and downs. That was a bummer.


I had an amazing time reading this book. It is an incredibly cute story that is very relatable—at least the massive crush part is very relatable to me, LOL. It will definitely make you remember your high school crush. And it is the perfect read after you’ve read an incredibly dramatic book and you need some unproblematic love in your life.
I recommend this book to romance lovers out there who don’t like books with a ton of drama in them, Stuck With You was made just for you.

Read my full review here: http://www.thebookishsisters.com/2017...

[Awen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I liked how upfront this book was. No pretenses, no nonsense. I wish people would be more upfront about their feelings like Daniel was to Elena.

And the storyline was really perfect 👌🏻 Imagine someone from your past who you thought you wouldn’t have any chance at all, that go-to person in your head for your perfect daydream? Imagine that materializing in real life and saying he fell for you that same time you did. But timing happens to suck and you had to have your perfect moment so that forever would happen.

Ugh, so cliched right? But it was a good cliche nonetheless. I really, really loved this book <3 I recommend it if you want to feel good about a lovestory, about the hero and the heroine. (And there’s a villain, too, which makes this the best! ‘Coz who wants all rainbows with no rain, right?)

[eileen fothergill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost interest

I enjoyed where this book was going but it seemed like nothing happened. The story revolves around life after a relationship breaks down ,the lady in question land's spectacularly on Herr feet where the highschool love of her life suddenly reappears. Basically they get together despite her jealous? friends opinion ....life continues he proposes but then what ..does she get Herr happy ever after ..where does she end up ..what happens to her friendship with her best friend ..Just felt book ended a bit too fast and although the reader would have wanted a happy ending it left a lot of the story unfinished

[Andrea (mrsaubergine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet wee romance with very little conflict, but when it ended I was bugged there were still some unresolved matters. The sample chapter from the next book didn't seem to have the same characters, so that didn't help me. When would they get to meet Patrick? Was he as sketchy as he sounded? I need to know! I liked the second-chance romance trope with Elena and Dan, but introducing Patrick and never resolving his storyline ignores the Chekhov's gun rule. Can I petition Carla Burgess to consider a sequel?

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

[L C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure I was going to like this, it started off with the protagonist waking up from a dream ... can be okay, but can be disappointing. Anyway, I read the author's previous book Marry Me Tomorrow and really liked it, so I stuck with it (no pun intended). Glad I did. It's lovely. It gave me tingles and reminded me of my youth when I fell in love with a boy I used to see every day at the bus stop. Ah, those were the days. :)

I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the next one. Can't wait!

[Gienelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off slow, then adorably cute and then boring. It was a good read tbh, I felt the connection between the two but it ended with a lot of open loops - I wanna see Alex getting his own medicine because ghad he doesn't deserve Elena. atleast punch him in the nose. Second, Elena's bestfriend is so mysterious. I mean yeah the focus is Elena and Daniel but come on, you put other characthers on purpose so atleast give it a justice.
Actual Rating: 4.0

[Marie Adriaensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

the book abruptly stops. It's like there is no ending. I still have a lot of questions.
the book started out nice and cute, but then it gets boring. The characters are annoying. Daniel gets more and more demaning and Elena just follows him in everything he says/does. What happens with Rachel? Is she jealous, is she in love with Elena, does Patrick even exist???
The lift scene was over too fast. When you see the cover and read the back you would think the lift is more important.

[Dominika Orlikowska · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story hit close to home. It stirred a mix of emotions—I felt angry and annoyed, yet also happy and found myself laughing. It powerfully illustrated how easy it is to lose yourself in a relationship that doesn’t treat you right, and reminded me of the importance of self-care and reflection. However, the ending felt abrupt and left the story unfinished, which was disappointing.

[Eliza ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, light hearted, cliche and heartwarmingly adorable.

There were a few plot holes I wished would have been filled in an epiloque chapter. However, for a no-brainer heartfilling fluff swooning read, it was perfect.

[Ruth Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book but felt that the ending was a bit rushed, I though it could do with one more chapter to answer a couple of questions- What is Rachel's boyfriend like? Who did Alex move in with? Did Daniel and Elena get a house together?

[ReadingInThe6ix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book! It was a little bit stilted in how it was written, but I found it charming. Elena and Daniel had great chemistry, the dialogue was wonderful, and this was definitely romantic. I seriously swooned a few times and smiled the whole way through. Loved it!

[Mitta · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a really cute, feel-good easy read.

There’s not much to it - it’s kind of too easy and without much substance. The main characters are likeable enough and it’s a good read for a few hours of escapism.