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Before I Ever Met You
A light-hearted STANDALONE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE that will make you believe in love again.
I first met William McAlister when I was just a teenager.
He was handsome, had a beautiful wife and was on the verge of success, having just joined my father as his business partner. Mr. McAlister was full of smooth charm, but back then he was barely a blip on my radar. Just a family friend.
Fast forward ten years: I’m 25 years old and a single mom trying to make things right for her seven-year old son. I’ve made some mistakes, grappled with my demons and now I’m back in the city of Vancouver, getting a second chance at a better life.
I’ve started by working for my father’s production company as an executive assistant. My first day on the job and I already know I could have a promising career there.
That is until I see Will McAlister for the first time in a decade.
Now recently divorced and as sophisticated as always, Will has gone from being my father’s friend and business partner to something so much more.
We’re both older, for one thing, and he just oozes this worldly confidence and stark sexuality. Combined with his tall, muscular build and sharp suits, strong jaw and bedroom eyes, Will has turned into one hell of a distraction.
A distraction I’m having a hard time staying away from, considering his office is right across from my desk and I work with him in such close proximity.
But it’s just a harmless crush, right?
It’s just an innocent fantasy of screwing him on his desk, right?
It can’t ever be more because he’s my father’s best friend, business partner, and my boss.
Right?
Wrong.
NOTE: This novel is a light-hearted, swoony read. It doesn't contain any cheating but it does have ample amounts of sex and swearing.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2017
About the author
Karina Halle
112 books20k followersKarina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Grave Matter, Blood Orange, & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it.
When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.
When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,124 reviews
September 27, 2017
5 stars!!!
I’ve read a lot of Karina Halle books. She is a versatile author and can write many different types of reads. I feel like with Before I Ever Met You, she picked so many of my favorite tropes and put them all in one book. Forbidden love/office romance, older man/younger woman, single mom, an incredibly swoony hero- this book had it all! One of my favorite books by Halle and definitely a great book for contemporary romance readers!
Jackie has been through a lot in the last 7 years. She’s survived an abusive relationship, raised her son Ty, and is now coming home for a fresh start. Ty and Jackie move in with her parents temporarily while Jackie gets on her feet. Part of that getting on her feet is a new job. Jackie starts work at her dad’s company, but she starts as the assistant to her dad’s partner, Will McAlister. She hasn’t seen Will in about a decade, and at 25 now, Jackie was just a teen then.
Will is recently divorced and back in his hometown of Vancouver. He’s spent the last decade with his ex running the LA office, and he’s home now. When his partner insists he gets a assistant, he doesn’t know what to expect. Especially when he hears it's his daughter, Jackie. Jackie is different that last time he saw her. He didn't expect this. Now, she’s irresistible to him. And he is irresistible to her.
Will and Jackie. Sigh. I loved them both. Jackie is a wonderful mom and person. I love that she is trying to get her life back and I love how she is with her son. Will is just perfect. He’s also great with Jackie’s son (swoon) and is an all around good man. There is nothing better in a book than falling in love with the hero AND heroine. Before I Ever Met You had me doing just that. The chemistry between these two jumped off the pages from the start and never died down. You could feel it. And the forbidden romance aspect of the book… it kept my heart racing!
This book shocked me in the best way. I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting a sweet, sexy, and swoony romance. Karina has proven over and over again that she can write anything. This book just showcased, once again, that she can write an amazing contemporary romance. I loved the forbidden love, the age gap, and the moments of steam in and out of the office. I loved Ty, Jackie, and all things Will McAlister. This book was perfect for me. Perfect. I couldn’t get enough. And that epilogue! Ah! Once again, perfection! This is a book all lovers of romance need to read! 5 stars!
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
I’ve read a lot of Karina Halle books. She is a versatile author and can write many different types of reads. I feel like with Before I Ever Met You, she picked so many of my favorite tropes and put them all in one book. Forbidden love/office romance, older man/younger woman, single mom, an incredibly swoony hero- this book had it all! One of my favorite books by Halle and definitely a great book for contemporary romance readers!
Jackie has been through a lot in the last 7 years. She’s survived an abusive relationship, raised her son Ty, and is now coming home for a fresh start. Ty and Jackie move in with her parents temporarily while Jackie gets on her feet. Part of that getting on her feet is a new job. Jackie starts work at her dad’s company, but she starts as the assistant to her dad’s partner, Will McAlister. She hasn’t seen Will in about a decade, and at 25 now, Jackie was just a teen then.
Will is recently divorced and back in his hometown of Vancouver. He’s spent the last decade with his ex running the LA office, and he’s home now. When his partner insists he gets a assistant, he doesn’t know what to expect. Especially when he hears it's his daughter, Jackie. Jackie is different that last time he saw her. He didn't expect this. Now, she’s irresistible to him. And he is irresistible to her.
Will and Jackie. Sigh. I loved them both. Jackie is a wonderful mom and person. I love that she is trying to get her life back and I love how she is with her son. Will is just perfect. He’s also great with Jackie’s son (swoon) and is an all around good man. There is nothing better in a book than falling in love with the hero AND heroine. Before I Ever Met You had me doing just that. The chemistry between these two jumped off the pages from the start and never died down. You could feel it. And the forbidden romance aspect of the book… it kept my heart racing!
"How is that life can be so crazy, so chaotic, so scary. And yet one kiss from you and all that goes away.”
This book shocked me in the best way. I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting a sweet, sexy, and swoony romance. Karina has proven over and over again that she can write anything. This book just showcased, once again, that she can write an amazing contemporary romance. I loved the forbidden love, the age gap, and the moments of steam in and out of the office. I loved Ty, Jackie, and all things Will McAlister. This book was perfect for me. Perfect. I couldn’t get enough. And that epilogue! Ah! Once again, perfection! This is a book all lovers of romance need to read! 5 stars!
April 24, 2017
“Dream girl,” he whispers. “Tell me I have your heart. I won’t let it go, not for any moment, not for any reason. Tell me I have your heart and I’ll keep it next to my own.”
Oh my! Oh my holy freaking frick! Never have I ever dreaded the end of a book more than I did the end of this! Never! I flat out want to read Will and Jackie's story forever and ever. For the rest of my life. Ahhhhh!!!! Will McAlister is the hero of all heroes, you guys, and I have fallen in love. I have fallen in so much love that I don't even know where I begin and where he ends. It's the kind of love that borders on crazy, that's totally obsessed. I just... holy shit, I fell. I fell so hard and deep. I literally can't think, breathe, eat, or do anything now that I've finished. I'm in a fog. Before I Ever Met You was all consuming. Will is an intoxicating character that smothered me in the very best feels. And now, I'm crazed! Whole heartedly crazed, and in love with this man. I don't know what to do with myself. It's safe to say that I'm suffering from a book hangover. A SERIOUS ONE. This is more than a must read. It's a required read for all romance lovers. God!
So... Ok. Let me calm down a little. (Hahahahaah! I'm such a nut) Anyway.. I haven't read it Karina Halle book in a long time. I think the last book I read of hers was The Lie, and reading this, Before I Ever Met You, reminded me how much I absolutely love the way she tells a story. Her books are so full of life, so detailed and descriptive. They come alive in a way that gives the reader a full picture, and all the feels. On top of that, her writing is so fluid and her characters so well thought out. Sitting down to this novel was an experience. From the moment I started reading, I could barely breathe. I wanted to know every facet of these people's story. No actually, I NEEDED to know. And I'll tell you, one sitting... I devoured this book in ONE SINGLE SITTING. Phenomenal.
Before I Ever Met You begins with the most intense prologue I've ever read. It's gut wrenching and immediately I was invested in Will, our hero. That man is a dream come to life on paper. He's kind and sexy, smart and alpha, and every good thing a hero should be. I'm talking a well balanced character who's easy to love, I guarantee it. I was enamored by him from page one. He got the shit end of the stick with his ex-wife. Now divorced, he lives in Vancouver, and is the Vice President of Mad Men Studios. He has everything going for him. Everything. He just needs the right girl in his life.
Jackie's a breath of fresh air! She's a single mom to a little boy named Tyler. Coming out of a rough situation, she's back in Vancouver, and moved in with her parents. Her father, the CEO of Mad Men Studios, has got her a job as Will's assistant. Jackie's determined to make it on her own, to start fresh, build a life for her and her son. I absolutely loved her tenacity, her hard-working spirit, and I love that she was a fighter.
Will is older than Jackie by 16 years, he's also best friends with Jackie's father, and is now Jackie's boss. (Hahahaha) So. Many. Things! But the first time he sees Jackie she's not the teenage girl he remembers from the past. Nope, that girl's blossomed into a full figured woman that he finds absolutely decadent. The romance that simmers between the two of them is forbidden and juicy and heart pounding and so well written.
I could hardly breathe as I read! I actually had PHYSICAL reactions to this book. Hot sweats, tingles, labored breathing, etc etc. The chemistry between Will and Jackie is down right orgasmic. They had me hooked, tethered to them. I found myself holding my breath, yearning and squirming and dying as their slow burn relationship took shape. It was the most addicting reading experience I've had in a long time. Absolutely heart pounding! I couldn't get enough! No matter how many times I urged myself to read slower, to draw out the decadence that is this book, I couldn't. I was fevered. Fevered by the characters, the story, the emotions. Will was a hero of all heroes. I just LOVED how gentle and sweet he was with Jackie, but also how damn hot he was in the bedroom. My heart exploded for him.
Overall, I can't say enough good things. Really. This is one of my most favorite reads of the year, and more than that it's one of my most favorite reads EVER. It had every single element of what I love in a romance. I felt like I had lived it. Lived and loved every word. Karina Halle's written a romance that should be a required read for every romance junkie. This is all the things and so much more. An intoxicating story line, wrapped in steamy goodness, and brimming with feels I'll never forget. Unforgettable in every way!
Oh my! Oh my holy freaking frick! Never have I ever dreaded the end of a book more than I did the end of this! Never! I flat out want to read Will and Jackie's story forever and ever. For the rest of my life. Ahhhhh!!!! Will McAlister is the hero of all heroes, you guys, and I have fallen in love. I have fallen in so much love that I don't even know where I begin and where he ends. It's the kind of love that borders on crazy, that's totally obsessed. I just... holy shit, I fell. I fell so hard and deep. I literally can't think, breathe, eat, or do anything now that I've finished. I'm in a fog. Before I Ever Met You was all consuming. Will is an intoxicating character that smothered me in the very best feels. And now, I'm crazed! Whole heartedly crazed, and in love with this man. I don't know what to do with myself. It's safe to say that I'm suffering from a book hangover. A SERIOUS ONE. This is more than a must read. It's a required read for all romance lovers. God!
So... Ok. Let me calm down a little. (Hahahahaah! I'm such a nut) Anyway.. I haven't read it Karina Halle book in a long time. I think the last book I read of hers was The Lie, and reading this, Before I Ever Met You, reminded me how much I absolutely love the way she tells a story. Her books are so full of life, so detailed and descriptive. They come alive in a way that gives the reader a full picture, and all the feels. On top of that, her writing is so fluid and her characters so well thought out. Sitting down to this novel was an experience. From the moment I started reading, I could barely breathe. I wanted to know every facet of these people's story. No actually, I NEEDED to know. And I'll tell you, one sitting... I devoured this book in ONE SINGLE SITTING. Phenomenal.
Before I Ever Met You begins with the most intense prologue I've ever read. It's gut wrenching and immediately I was invested in Will, our hero. That man is a dream come to life on paper. He's kind and sexy, smart and alpha, and every good thing a hero should be. I'm talking a well balanced character who's easy to love, I guarantee it. I was enamored by him from page one. He got the shit end of the stick with his ex-wife. Now divorced, he lives in Vancouver, and is the Vice President of Mad Men Studios. He has everything going for him. Everything. He just needs the right girl in his life.
Jackie's a breath of fresh air! She's a single mom to a little boy named Tyler. Coming out of a rough situation, she's back in Vancouver, and moved in with her parents. Her father, the CEO of Mad Men Studios, has got her a job as Will's assistant. Jackie's determined to make it on her own, to start fresh, build a life for her and her son. I absolutely loved her tenacity, her hard-working spirit, and I love that she was a fighter.
Will is older than Jackie by 16 years, he's also best friends with Jackie's father, and is now Jackie's boss. (Hahahaha) So. Many. Things! But the first time he sees Jackie she's not the teenage girl he remembers from the past. Nope, that girl's blossomed into a full figured woman that he finds absolutely decadent. The romance that simmers between the two of them is forbidden and juicy and heart pounding and so well written.
I could hardly breathe as I read! I actually had PHYSICAL reactions to this book. Hot sweats, tingles, labored breathing, etc etc. The chemistry between Will and Jackie is down right orgasmic. They had me hooked, tethered to them. I found myself holding my breath, yearning and squirming and dying as their slow burn relationship took shape. It was the most addicting reading experience I've had in a long time. Absolutely heart pounding! I couldn't get enough! No matter how many times I urged myself to read slower, to draw out the decadence that is this book, I couldn't. I was fevered. Fevered by the characters, the story, the emotions. Will was a hero of all heroes. I just LOVED how gentle and sweet he was with Jackie, but also how damn hot he was in the bedroom. My heart exploded for him.
Overall, I can't say enough good things. Really. This is one of my most favorite reads of the year, and more than that it's one of my most favorite reads EVER. It had every single element of what I love in a romance. I felt like I had lived it. Lived and loved every word. Karina Halle's written a romance that should be a required read for every romance junkie. This is all the things and so much more. An intoxicating story line, wrapped in steamy goodness, and brimming with feels I'll never forget. Unforgettable in every way!
April 28, 2017
2.5 stars
I don't really know why, but when I read Karina's lighter books I notice she tends to:
· Label drop
· Explain every outfit, hairstyle, and room set up in explicit detail
· Write overlong, drawn out, unneeded conversations that add absolutely nothing to the plot and I find completely pointless. I'm guessing these details and conversations are supposed to depict the MCs developing a slow and organic romance, but it didn't work for me. Their conversations bored me.
I didn’t like the insta lust/attraction in this and I found the repetitive details annoying. Which I just find confusing because the author does not do this with her “darker” books.
I loveeeeee forbidden romance with an older hero, but this story was not angsty or as intense as I would have liked it to be.
I found myself skimming a lot of this and when that happens, the book just isn’t for me. It was an okay read and pretty sweet but nothing to be shouting from the rooftops about. A few good sex lines here and there isn’t enough to wow me anymore. And with as little time I tend to have these days to read, I’m starting to be really over these “meh” books with overused story lines. They’re starting to feel like a waste of time and something I've read 1000 times before.
As always, I am sure people will enjoy this more than I did.
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I don't really know why, but when I read Karina's lighter books I notice she tends to:
· Label drop
· Explain every outfit, hairstyle, and room set up in explicit detail
· Write overlong, drawn out, unneeded conversations that add absolutely nothing to the plot and I find completely pointless. I'm guessing these details and conversations are supposed to depict the MCs developing a slow and organic romance, but it didn't work for me. Their conversations bored me.
I didn’t like the insta lust/attraction in this and I found the repetitive details annoying. Which I just find confusing because the author does not do this with her “darker” books.
I loveeeeee forbidden romance with an older hero, but this story was not angsty or as intense as I would have liked it to be.
I found myself skimming a lot of this and when that happens, the book just isn’t for me. It was an okay read and pretty sweet but nothing to be shouting from the rooftops about. A few good sex lines here and there isn’t enough to wow me anymore. And with as little time I tend to have these days to read, I’m starting to be really over these “meh” books with overused story lines. They’re starting to feel like a waste of time and something I've read 1000 times before.
As always, I am sure people will enjoy this more than I did.
Find Me On:
Instagram ❤ FB Page ❤ FB Blog ❤ Blog ❤ Twitter
April 25, 2017
*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”Tell me I have your heart. I won’t let it go, not for any moment, not for any reason. Tell me I have your heart and I’ll keep it next to my own.”
I knew from the synopsis that this book was going to be fabulous, and I can tell you that I was not disappointed in the least. I forgot just how much I love a really good forbidden romance and this may actually be a new favorite trope as I don’t think I’ve ever read one involving a father’s best friend! I need to find more of these books and now!! Karina Halle is one versatile author but I would absolutely love it if she wrote a lot more adult contemporary romances. I fell in love with this story and it all had to do with the beautiful man, named Will McAlister!
Will McAlister is a forty-one-year-old divorced man who has left his job and life behind in L.A. and has transferred to the Vancouver office to start over. His ex-wife dropped one hell of a bombshell on him that rocked him to his core and left him swearing off love forever, or so he thought. The moment he meets his new executive assistant, it seems that his heart is starting to awaken. Jackie Phillips is his best friend/business partner’s daughter and the last time Will saw her, she was a sullen teenager with a chip on her shoulder. Gone is the troublesome teenager and in her place is a sweet and strikingly beautiful woman. They are wildly attracted to each other but because there are so many things playing against them both Will and Jackie try their best to keep things platonic. Jackie is actually the one who fights the attraction the most.
She ran off and married the absolute worst guy for her when she was seventeen. She ended up having a son with him and that was about the only good thing that came from that relationship. Her past mistake in judgment with men and her need to prove to her father that she is not the same person she was seven years ago, has Jackie keeping Will at arms-length and stubbornly denying her feelings for him.
Soon enough neither of them will be able to fight the attraction anymore and let’s just say the steamy scenes are PHENOMENAL!! While I enjoy the spicy stuff, it was Will’s heart that had me melting for this story! He loved Jackie so much that he was willing to take whatever she was able to give him and I mean how could you not swoon over a guy like that??!!
BEFORE I EVER MET YOU is currently available! Make sure you bump this up your TBRs!
iBooks: bit.ly/BIEMY-iTunes
•Nook: bit.ly/BIEMY-NOOK
•Kobo: bit.ly/BIEMY-KOBO
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”Tell me I have your heart. I won’t let it go, not for any moment, not for any reason. Tell me I have your heart and I’ll keep it next to my own.”
I knew from the synopsis that this book was going to be fabulous, and I can tell you that I was not disappointed in the least. I forgot just how much I love a really good forbidden romance and this may actually be a new favorite trope as I don’t think I’ve ever read one involving a father’s best friend! I need to find more of these books and now!! Karina Halle is one versatile author but I would absolutely love it if she wrote a lot more adult contemporary romances. I fell in love with this story and it all had to do with the beautiful man, named Will McAlister!
Will McAlister is a forty-one-year-old divorced man who has left his job and life behind in L.A. and has transferred to the Vancouver office to start over. His ex-wife dropped one hell of a bombshell on him that rocked him to his core and left him swearing off love forever, or so he thought. The moment he meets his new executive assistant, it seems that his heart is starting to awaken. Jackie Phillips is his best friend/business partner’s daughter and the last time Will saw her, she was a sullen teenager with a chip on her shoulder. Gone is the troublesome teenager and in her place is a sweet and strikingly beautiful woman. They are wildly attracted to each other but because there are so many things playing against them both Will and Jackie try their best to keep things platonic. Jackie is actually the one who fights the attraction the most.
She ran off and married the absolute worst guy for her when she was seventeen. She ended up having a son with him and that was about the only good thing that came from that relationship. Her past mistake in judgment with men and her need to prove to her father that she is not the same person she was seven years ago, has Jackie keeping Will at arms-length and stubbornly denying her feelings for him.
Soon enough neither of them will be able to fight the attraction anymore and let’s just say the steamy scenes are PHENOMENAL!! While I enjoy the spicy stuff, it was Will’s heart that had me melting for this story! He loved Jackie so much that he was willing to take whatever she was able to give him and I mean how could you not swoon over a guy like that??!!
BEFORE I EVER MET YOU is currently available! Make sure you bump this up your TBRs!
iBooks: bit.ly/BIEMY-iTunes
•Nook: bit.ly/BIEMY-NOOK
•Kobo: bit.ly/BIEMY-KOBO
May 5, 2017
➦This new standalone contemporary novel from Karina Halle is recommended for the lovers of second chance at love and life romances and forbidden love stories!
➦Jackie, the heroine of this book is a single mother who moves back to her home town and her parents house in hopes of starting her life over. The relationship with her parents is strained due to her running away and severing any contact with them for 7 years. But she is desperate and needs help.
➦Jackie is given a job at her father's company. She is to be an administrative assistant to her father's business partner, William McAlister. Jackie was just a teenager last time she has seen him, and he was very married. But now he is divorced, still sexy as hell and very very tempting. And, well, she isn't a teenager anymore. And he definitely notices.
➦With Will being her dad's friend he is invited to family dinners. And once he steps up and offers to take Jackie's son to the museum, well, the ball gets rolling. With issues like the age gap and Jackie's worries about how her parents will react to her dating Will, do these two stand a chance at happiness?
➦I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes an older man/younger woman forbidden love stories and second chance at love tropes. These two were hot together and the slow burn was delicious. This hero is definitely a true gentleman that will make you swoon because damn he will talk and you will MELT!
Want to Read
May 21, 2017LIVE: | AMZ US | AMZ UK | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS |
YUM! THIS SOUNDS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!
Stand-alone.
LIVE: | AMZ US | AMZ UK | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS |
Blurb:
Book Blurb:
I first met William McAlister when I was just a teenager.
He was handsome, had a beautiful wife and was on the verge of success, having just joined my father as his business partner. Mr. McAlister was full of smooth charm, but back then he was barely a blip on my radar. Just a family friend.
Fast forward ten years: I’m 25 years old and a single mom trying to make things right for her seven-year old son. I’ve made some mistakes, grappled with my demons and now I’m back in the city of Vancouver, getting a second chance at a better life.
I’ve started by working for my father’s production company as an executive assistant. My first day on the job and I already know I could have a promising career there.
That is until I see Will McAlister for the first time in a decade.
Now recently divorced and as sophisticated as always, Will has gone from being my father’s friend and business partner to something so much more.
We’re both older, for one thing, and he just oozes this worldly confidence and stark sexuality. Combined with his tall, muscular build and sharp suits, strong jaw and bedroom eyes, Will has turned into one hell of a distraction.
A distraction I’m having a hard time staying away from, considering his office is right across from my desk and I work with him in such close proximity.
But it’s just a harmless crush, right?
It’s just an innocent fantasy of screwing him on his desk, right?
It can’t ever be more because he’s my father’s best friend, business partner, and my boss.
Right?
Wrong.
YUM! THIS SOUNDS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!
Stand-alone.
LIVE: | AMZ US | AMZ UK | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS |
Blurb:
Book Blurb:
I first met William McAlister when I was just a teenager.
He was handsome, had a beautiful wife and was on the verge of success, having just joined my father as his business partner. Mr. McAlister was full of smooth charm, but back then he was barely a blip on my radar. Just a family friend.
Fast forward ten years: I’m 25 years old and a single mom trying to make things right for her seven-year old son. I’ve made some mistakes, grappled with my demons and now I’m back in the city of Vancouver, getting a second chance at a better life.
I’ve started by working for my father’s production company as an executive assistant. My first day on the job and I already know I could have a promising career there.
That is until I see Will McAlister for the first time in a decade.
Now recently divorced and as sophisticated as always, Will has gone from being my father’s friend and business partner to something so much more.
We’re both older, for one thing, and he just oozes this worldly confidence and stark sexuality. Combined with his tall, muscular build and sharp suits, strong jaw and bedroom eyes, Will has turned into one hell of a distraction.
A distraction I’m having a hard time staying away from, considering his office is right across from my desk and I work with him in such close proximity.
But it’s just a harmless crush, right?
It’s just an innocent fantasy of screwing him on his desk, right?
It can’t ever be more because he’s my father’s best friend, business partner, and my boss.
Right?
Wrong.
April 21, 2017
4.5 PRINCE CHARMING WITH A BIG FUCKING DICK STARS!!
It's so refreshing reading something without all the angst, the emotional trauma and reading a straight forward no bull romance.
BEFORE I EVER MET YOU: A day that would normally be set for celebrating his thirty ninth birthday takes a heartbreaking nose dive when cold realisation that his marriage is on the rocks and eminent divorce proceedings is on the cards has dread and bitterness coursing through his veins in disbelief.
Twenty five year old Jackie has travelled down a rough road and has come back home to live with her estranged parents with her seven year old son Tyson, and has accepted a job within her fathers firm ‘Mad Men Studios’ working as an executive assistant for his business partner and best friend forty-one year old ‘William McAllister’ whom she hasn’t set eyes on since she was a teenager crushing on him because he reminded her of some of her favourite actors.
The Mr. McAlister I remember from when I was a teenager was tall, dark and handsome, now he’s all those things magnified. Age has made him one hell of a sexy beast.
If his looks weren’t enough it’s his voice that got to her even more It’s as deep as sin, smooth as scotch, the kind of voice that could do voiceovers for car commercials.
He also wasn’t prepared for today’s Jackie, he expected to see the petulant teen with jet black dyed hair and a nose ring, with her big eyes and bad attitude. But nothing prepared him for today’s Jackie, a beautiful temptress that has him thinking inappropriate thoughts from the get go.
She is seeping under my skin, right into my veins, like some sort of drug. She's invading my thoughts, my dreams, everything, until I find myself thinking of her, even craving her, more than anything else in my life.
TO SUM IT UP: Older man, office romance, best friend of her fathers, that alone should scream TABOO ..
BUT I didn't get that forbidden feel to this, I got the feels but not that taboo keep away from my best friends daughter feel that I thought I would've gotten, BUT in saying that I got all the feels you would expect to feel, Will for me stole the show, he added an extra bump into my heart beat, a slow burn office romance that had me devouring the pages, eating up everything Will said, he turned my heart into a big ball of goo. But Jackie held her own too, these characters and Ty will leave a stamp on your hearts, this was such a great unputdownable read!! Highly recommend one clicking come release day. You guys are instal for a treat when you meet Will, he’s everything book boyfriends are based on.
* The first teaser in my review is off the authors Facebook page and not made by me *
April 25, 2017
5 Will Stars
"How is that life can be so crazy,so chaotic,so scary.
And yet one kiss from you and all that goes away.".
I loved this story so much, everything about Before I Ever Met You was perfect.I couldn't get enough of Will and Jackie!
Will is my new book boyfriend ❤❤❤ He has all the package, he is protective,sweet,charming,bossy and super hot!!
"He's kissing me in such a way that he steals the air from my lungs,stokes the fire inside me,makes my heart pound rapidly in my head.".
Jackie is simply amazing, strong and sassy!!!I loved them so much, they have an amazing chemistry and they are passionate,super hot,sweet,funny and intense when they are together!
The story is told in dual POV, so we get up close and personal with Jackie and Will and this make me to fell hard for their story.If you are looking for an intense,passionate and hot story this is perfect!Get ready to meet Will!!!He is going to make you fall in love with him!!
"How is that life can be so crazy,so chaotic,so scary.
And yet one kiss from you and all that goes away.".
I loved this story so much, everything about Before I Ever Met You was perfect.I couldn't get enough of Will and Jackie!
Will is my new book boyfriend ❤❤❤ He has all the package, he is protective,sweet,charming,bossy and super hot!!
"He's kissing me in such a way that he steals the air from my lungs,stokes the fire inside me,makes my heart pound rapidly in my head.".
Jackie is simply amazing, strong and sassy!!!I loved them so much, they have an amazing chemistry and they are passionate,super hot,sweet,funny and intense when they are together!
The story is told in dual POV, so we get up close and personal with Jackie and Will and this make me to fell hard for their story.If you are looking for an intense,passionate and hot story this is perfect!Get ready to meet Will!!!He is going to make you fall in love with him!!
April 27, 2017
NOW LIVE: http://amzn.to/2otXuaf
4 stars!
"Where there's a will there's a way."
Before I Ever Met You is an office romance between twenty five year old single mother Jackie and recently divorced forty one year old Will. Will had returned to Vancouver after his divorce, in which his wife slept with and got pregnant with another man. Jackie came back home to her parents with her son Ty after her ex was put in jail. Ted, Jackie's father, works with Will and gets Jackie a job as Will's assistant.
Right away Jackie and Will feel a pull toward each other. But with a 16 year age difference and a boss and employee relationship between them, both are hesitant to take the plunge. The more they work together, it becomes clear the attraction is strong, one of them just needs to act on it....
"I'll call you Dream Girl, cause that's what you are to me."
Who knew Karina Halle could put out a sweet romance! Normally Karina does the angsty and emotional reads, but this was a wonderful Cinderella story. It was unlike anything we have seen from her before! I loved Jackie and will equally, both pulled at my heart in their own way. I now desperately want to watch Bridesmaids because Jon Hamm was the inspiration (and I don't like Mad Men, don't kill meh!). This book basically made me feel better crushing on older hot men, because I am only 2 years older than Jackie is in this book. So thank you Karina for making my older men crushes seem a little bit more attainable!
Honestly, this is easily one of Karina's best contemporary reads, the characters were relatable and I wanted them both to find their happily ever after, with Cinderella and Prince Charming. This hits two boxes for tropes people love, single parent and office romance. What are you waiting for??? Go and get it!!!
"The heart is nothing if not resilient."
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
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4 stars!
"Where there's a will there's a way."
Before I Ever Met You is an office romance between twenty five year old single mother Jackie and recently divorced forty one year old Will. Will had returned to Vancouver after his divorce, in which his wife slept with and got pregnant with another man. Jackie came back home to her parents with her son Ty after her ex was put in jail. Ted, Jackie's father, works with Will and gets Jackie a job as Will's assistant.
Right away Jackie and Will feel a pull toward each other. But with a 16 year age difference and a boss and employee relationship between them, both are hesitant to take the plunge. The more they work together, it becomes clear the attraction is strong, one of them just needs to act on it....
"I'll call you Dream Girl, cause that's what you are to me."
Who knew Karina Halle could put out a sweet romance! Normally Karina does the angsty and emotional reads, but this was a wonderful Cinderella story. It was unlike anything we have seen from her before! I loved Jackie and will equally, both pulled at my heart in their own way. I now desperately want to watch Bridesmaids because Jon Hamm was the inspiration (and I don't like Mad Men, don't kill meh!). This book basically made me feel better crushing on older hot men, because I am only 2 years older than Jackie is in this book. So thank you Karina for making my older men crushes seem a little bit more attainable!
Honestly, this is easily one of Karina's best contemporary reads, the characters were relatable and I wanted them both to find their happily ever after, with Cinderella and Prince Charming. This hits two boxes for tropes people love, single parent and office romance. What are you waiting for??? Go and get it!!!
"The heart is nothing if not resilient."
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
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April 26, 2017
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: Well... I enjoyed this one, but probably not as much as I thought I would. I absolutely loved the H! The h is another story :/. I think it might've been because I loved the H so much that I really just wanted her to get her head out of her ass and be better for him! I enjoyed the interactions we got with her son, but I wanted more of that tbh. I was also a little disappointed with the rushed feeling of the ending. Why couldn't we get any time with them as an official outed couple?!? I am drawn to the secret/taboo type romances (and I know that this is one of my biggest problems with them too), but I feel like I need that good balance between secret and outed for me to have the good feelings in the end that the relationship was based on true feelings and not just the clandestine qualities...if that makes sense. Oh well! Still enjoyable, but an overall just ok read.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Jackie and Will's story. They meet again when Jackie moves back in with her parents with her 7 year old son and gets a job as Will's assistant at her Dad's company. They are both instantly attracted, but they both also fight the attraction to each other due to their circumstances. As more time goes by and they get to know each other more, the harder it is for them to fight and they end up starting a physical relationship. Stronger feelings develop, sexy times continue, and some mild drama is thrown in...but they do get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Jackie and Will's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part. I did feel like the ending felt rushed.
Instalove: No. Instalust? Yes.
H rating: 5 stars. Will. He was pretty amazing! I hardly ever do this, but I was totally picturing John Ham as his character -- and yum! I loved how he was so patient with the h, how he was with the h's son, and how he had no problem just putting his feelings out there!
h rating: 2.5 stars. Jackie. She was ok...until she wasn't. She really started to tick me off with her pushing the H away up until the very end!
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Very mild D/s type scenes and spanking.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: Yes and no
OW/OM drama: Yes, but very mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not with mcs
Separation: Not really
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had pretty good closure with what I would reluctantly call a HEA
How I got it: It was part of my scribed subscription.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: Well... I enjoyed this one, but probably not as much as I thought I would. I absolutely loved the H! The h is another story :/. I think it might've been because I loved the H so much that I really just wanted her to get her head out of her ass and be better for him! I enjoyed the interactions we got with her son, but I wanted more of that tbh. I was also a little disappointed with the rushed feeling of the ending. Why couldn't we get any time with them as an official outed couple?!? I am drawn to the secret/taboo type romances (and I know that this is one of my biggest problems with them too), but I feel like I need that good balance between secret and outed for me to have the good feelings in the end that the relationship was based on true feelings and not just the clandestine qualities...if that makes sense. Oh well! Still enjoyable, but an overall just ok read.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Jackie and Will's story. They meet again when Jackie moves back in with her parents with her 7 year old son and gets a job as Will's assistant at her Dad's company. They are both instantly attracted, but they both also fight the attraction to each other due to their circumstances. As more time goes by and they get to know each other more, the harder it is for them to fight and they end up starting a physical relationship. Stronger feelings develop, sexy times continue, and some mild drama is thrown in...but they do get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Jackie and Will's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part. I did feel like the ending felt rushed.
Instalove: No. Instalust? Yes.
H rating: 5 stars. Will. He was pretty amazing! I hardly ever do this, but I was totally picturing John Ham as his character -- and yum! I loved how he was so patient with the h, how he was with the h's son, and how he had no problem just putting his feelings out there!
h rating: 2.5 stars. Jackie. She was ok...until she wasn't. She really started to tick me off with her pushing the H away up until the very end!
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Very mild D/s type scenes and spanking.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: Yes and no
OW/OM drama: Yes, but very mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not with mcs
Separation: Not really
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had pretty good closure with what I would reluctantly call a HEA
How I got it: It was part of my scribed subscription.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
March 21, 2021
This is my first Karina Halle book. I really loved it. I really liked Jackie and loved Will. I thought Ted Jackie's father was a jerk at times but still likable. I loved the plot and the build up to the relationship. Ty was adorable. The only reason this book was a 4 star for me and not a 5 was I felt the ending resolution when they came out with their relationship was rushed and glossed over. Still overall I loved the book and plan on reading more from this author.
April 25, 2017
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 “I’m all In” Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Whenever I read a Karina Halle book, I become somewhat jealous of her characters. I don’t know what it is, but this author has always managed to make me wish I was one of her characters living in different places. Her ability to suck you right in and never let you go until you’ve read the final word is what I love about Karina and this story was no different. Add in a hot older man who’s your boss, and I practically lost all my damn brain cells!
It’s been a rough seven years for Jackie Phillips. Having gone through her own traumatic experience that has left her in a not so good place, she’s now starting a new life with her son. That new life also includes includes moving back in with her estranged parents and working for her father’s company. With a new job, things are finally starting to feel ok again and Jackie is determined to prove that she’s not a complete train wreck. Working with her new boss one on one? That’s going to be extremely difficult seeing as though he looks like he just steeped out of a magazine ad. But you know what they say about temptation. They don’t call it a b*** for nothing.
Will McAlister has had his heartbroken in the worse possible way. Now divorced, he’s made the decision to move from L.A to Vancouver to start over and run his company with his business partner. Knowing that he has a new assistant, Will is looking forward to showing his friend’s daughter the ropes. But imagine his surprise when he sees that Jackie is no longer the starry eyed innocent teenager but a VERY grown up woman that can bring him to his knees.
How long before until their sexual tension combust?
Will Jackie and Will risk it all for something more?
Even though I adored this story, I have to say that my absolute favorite thing about this was Will. That man stole the show for me! He was sweet, caring, and very straightforward. He knew exactly what he wanted and he didn’t waste any time playing games and he didn’t try to deflect how he was feeling in a moment of truth. I loved that about him and it was so refreshing to see a male hero being portrayed in that kind of light. As for Jackie, I admired her strength and her selfless love when it came to her son because no matter what she was going through, she always put him first and that’s how it should be.
Now can we talk about the steamy scenes?! I’m pretty sure someone got pregnant in the office multiple times! These two definitely had some off the charts chemistry but they also cared about each other on a deeper level and it showed through every action that they did.
“I can be good for you. Let me good for you.
My only flaw about this story was that I was expecting a bit more angst and more of a forbidden aspect to it but that didn’t happen. Did that stop me from still enjoying it? HELL NO. And it shouldn’t stop you either. If you love a sweet romance with a hero that’s going to make you swoon, this one is for you.
Whenever I read a Karina Halle book, I become somewhat jealous of her characters. I don’t know what it is, but this author has always managed to make me wish I was one of her characters living in different places. Her ability to suck you right in and never let you go until you’ve read the final word is what I love about Karina and this story was no different. Add in a hot older man who’s your boss, and I practically lost all my damn brain cells!
It’s been a rough seven years for Jackie Phillips. Having gone through her own traumatic experience that has left her in a not so good place, she’s now starting a new life with her son. That new life also includes includes moving back in with her estranged parents and working for her father’s company. With a new job, things are finally starting to feel ok again and Jackie is determined to prove that she’s not a complete train wreck. Working with her new boss one on one? That’s going to be extremely difficult seeing as though he looks like he just steeped out of a magazine ad. But you know what they say about temptation. They don’t call it a b*** for nothing.
Will McAlister has had his heartbroken in the worse possible way. Now divorced, he’s made the decision to move from L.A to Vancouver to start over and run his company with his business partner. Knowing that he has a new assistant, Will is looking forward to showing his friend’s daughter the ropes. But imagine his surprise when he sees that Jackie is no longer the starry eyed innocent teenager but a VERY grown up woman that can bring him to his knees.
How long before until their sexual tension combust?
Will Jackie and Will risk it all for something more?
Even though I adored this story, I have to say that my absolute favorite thing about this was Will. That man stole the show for me! He was sweet, caring, and very straightforward. He knew exactly what he wanted and he didn’t waste any time playing games and he didn’t try to deflect how he was feeling in a moment of truth. I loved that about him and it was so refreshing to see a male hero being portrayed in that kind of light. As for Jackie, I admired her strength and her selfless love when it came to her son because no matter what she was going through, she always put him first and that’s how it should be.
Now can we talk about the steamy scenes?! I’m pretty sure someone got pregnant in the office multiple times! These two definitely had some off the charts chemistry but they also cared about each other on a deeper level and it showed through every action that they did.
“I can be good for you. Let me good for you.
My only flaw about this story was that I was expecting a bit more angst and more of a forbidden aspect to it but that didn’t happen. Did that stop me from still enjoying it? HELL NO. And it shouldn’t stop you either. If you love a sweet romance with a hero that’s going to make you swoon, this one is for you.
April 26, 2017
5 Dream Girl Stars!
William McAlister is a 41 yr. old guy who found himself divorced after 15 yrs. of marriage. He needs a change of pace, & moves from LA to work in the Vancouver office of his production company. He's only been back in Vancouver about a month and is still adjusting & settling in when his business partner's daughter Jackie is hired on to be his executive assistant. He hasn't seen her since she was 15, & wow has she grown up. He knows there's a 16 yr. age difference between them, but that doesn't keep him from having inappropriate thoughts about her. She has luscious curves & is absolutely gorgeous. Will has to keep reminding himself he can't mix business with pleasure.
Jackie Phillips is a 25 yr. old single mom who's been through a rough patch lately. Struggling to make ends meet she decides to move back home to Vancouver & live with her parents. She needs a fresh start, and that includes a new job. Her father co-owns a film company called Mad Men Studios, & offers her a job working for his business partner Mr. McAlister. Jackie remembers Will from when he used to come over for dinners when she was a teenager. He's been a family friend for as long as she can remember. She hasn't seen him in about ten years, & is stunned by how sexy he is. Age has made him every more beautiful, & Jackie has trouble working so closely with Will & not having out of control fantasies about him. She tries to hide her attraction & growing crush. He's become a distraction & she's drawn to him.
-He's everything sexy and mysterious wrapped up into one.
-He's funny, sweet, kind, generous. He's everything any woman could ever want. And fuck, do I ever want him.
-I'm fucking obsessed with her. Plain and simple.
-She doesn't realize just how perfect she is to me.
-"You, me. It's everything that's right."
Will & Jackie feel a strong bond with each other from the start. They can be themselves & soon both will use any excuse to spend time together. Will quickly becomes someone Jackie can count on & trust. She can talk to him about anything. They become a great team at the office & things begin to get more complicated when they can't fight their desire for one another any longer. Will is obsessed with Jackie & wants more. Jackie is scared to death of these intense feelings & is desperately trying not to fall for him because he's the one man she can never have completely. He's her boss & her father's friend and business partner. She can't jeopardize her job or damage her relationship with her father, but can she give up the man who's become her everything?
I absolutely adored this book start to finish! I fell hard for Will. He is such a beautiful man inside and out & sexy as hell!!! This book was seriously hot! I've read almost all of Karina's books & this one is now my favorite. Just a beautiful story.
-This girl, my dream girl, is mine, no one else's.
-"It's me. And it's you. And this works, the two of us, we work."
-Her soul speaks to mine.
-"I know this is all new. I'm in your hands. Every single part of me."
-"All in. I've always been all in with you."
William McAlister is a 41 yr. old guy who found himself divorced after 15 yrs. of marriage. He needs a change of pace, & moves from LA to work in the Vancouver office of his production company. He's only been back in Vancouver about a month and is still adjusting & settling in when his business partner's daughter Jackie is hired on to be his executive assistant. He hasn't seen her since she was 15, & wow has she grown up. He knows there's a 16 yr. age difference between them, but that doesn't keep him from having inappropriate thoughts about her. She has luscious curves & is absolutely gorgeous. Will has to keep reminding himself he can't mix business with pleasure.
Jackie Phillips is a 25 yr. old single mom who's been through a rough patch lately. Struggling to make ends meet she decides to move back home to Vancouver & live with her parents. She needs a fresh start, and that includes a new job. Her father co-owns a film company called Mad Men Studios, & offers her a job working for his business partner Mr. McAlister. Jackie remembers Will from when he used to come over for dinners when she was a teenager. He's been a family friend for as long as she can remember. She hasn't seen him in about ten years, & is stunned by how sexy he is. Age has made him every more beautiful, & Jackie has trouble working so closely with Will & not having out of control fantasies about him. She tries to hide her attraction & growing crush. He's become a distraction & she's drawn to him.
-He's everything sexy and mysterious wrapped up into one.
-He's funny, sweet, kind, generous. He's everything any woman could ever want. And fuck, do I ever want him.
-I'm fucking obsessed with her. Plain and simple.
-She doesn't realize just how perfect she is to me.
-"You, me. It's everything that's right."
Will & Jackie feel a strong bond with each other from the start. They can be themselves & soon both will use any excuse to spend time together. Will quickly becomes someone Jackie can count on & trust. She can talk to him about anything. They become a great team at the office & things begin to get more complicated when they can't fight their desire for one another any longer. Will is obsessed with Jackie & wants more. Jackie is scared to death of these intense feelings & is desperately trying not to fall for him because he's the one man she can never have completely. He's her boss & her father's friend and business partner. She can't jeopardize her job or damage her relationship with her father, but can she give up the man who's become her everything?
I absolutely adored this book start to finish! I fell hard for Will. He is such a beautiful man inside and out & sexy as hell!!! This book was seriously hot! I've read almost all of Karina's books & this one is now my favorite. Just a beautiful story.
-This girl, my dream girl, is mine, no one else's.
-"It's me. And it's you. And this works, the two of us, we work."
-Her soul speaks to mine.
-"I know this is all new. I'm in your hands. Every single part of me."
-"All in. I've always been all in with you."
Read
April 28, 2017dnf @40 percent
April 23, 2017
When I think about Karina Halle, I immediately think delectable anti-heroes, edgy heroines, and her stories are usually dark and twisty with a lot of angst. I never would have used sweet and adorable to describe her stories until now.
Before I Ever Met You is a different Karina Halle altogether and I am glad I got to read it this early because I really, really enjoyed it. Take my opinion with a grain of salt because I haven't read all her her books but as someone who's enjoyed her horror-paranormal series and her other edgier titles, Before I Met You was a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, it is still quintessentially KH but different.
Jackie is a familiar KH-type heroine: troubled, rebellious teenager who made a terrible decision and is now paying for it. Because of those mistakes, her relationship with her parents suffered and now, she's back in their home, begging for a job and another chance to make a better life for her and her 7-year old son. Despite the guilt and the shame she's feeling, Jackie remains resilient and it's one of the things that made me relate with her character. Her decisions and actions made sense throughout the book.
But as much as I liked Jackie, the one character who stole my heart is Will McAllister. Will is her father's friend and business partner, and 16 years older than Jackie. Will is also seeking a second chance in a town he left for who he thought was the love of his life. He's back in Vancouver after the humiliating end of his marriage. Like Jackie, love is not his priority at all.
But the moment Jackie and Will meet, sparks started flying. And despite their best effort to stay away, their coming together was inevitable.
Yes, it's "forbidden" romance in a sense that there is that 16-year age gap and he's her boss. But it's also more than that or should I say, it's never really about that. I feel like Jackie and Will's journey as characters go beyond the May-December office romance affair cliche thing. Jackie's got a lot of emotional baggage she had to deal with and Will was the catalyst that brought those issues to the forefront.
There was nothing sordid about their coming together even though they did keep things under wraps from other people especially her parents. It never felt like the story was about just that, and I really appreciated that Karina Halle took time to develop Jackie's character. She made me understand and sympathetic to her plight, which is very important to me.
Will's character is the same. From the get go, he's characterized as a mature, caring, and sweet man who is willing to risk everything for Jackie and his boy. I smiled and swooned along with Jackie and I'm pretty sure I was doing the heart-eyes emoji thing every time he does something sweet for Jackie and Ty.
Then there's the grand gesture.
Anyone who knows me well enough would attest that it doesn't matter if I got annoyed with the characters or that the book was really slow in the beginning as long as I get my big-ass, grand gesture at the end. And this book's grand gesture had me like...
And then there's that epilogue....
OMG, I can't. I was bursting with happiness. All that gooey HEA goodness was just too cute for words.
Before I Ever Met You is a different Karina Halle altogether and I am glad I got to read it this early because I really, really enjoyed it. Take my opinion with a grain of salt because I haven't read all her her books but as someone who's enjoyed her horror-paranormal series and her other edgier titles, Before I Met You was a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, it is still quintessentially KH but different.
"Life is short. And when you find what makes your heart beat, your soul sing, then you have to hang on to it."
Jackie is a familiar KH-type heroine: troubled, rebellious teenager who made a terrible decision and is now paying for it. Because of those mistakes, her relationship with her parents suffered and now, she's back in their home, begging for a job and another chance to make a better life for her and her 7-year old son. Despite the guilt and the shame she's feeling, Jackie remains resilient and it's one of the things that made me relate with her character. Her decisions and actions made sense throughout the book.
"The Mr. McAlister I remember from when I was a teenager was tall, dark and handsome, now he’s all those things magnified. Age has made him one hell of a sexy beast."
But as much as I liked Jackie, the one character who stole my heart is Will McAllister. Will is her father's friend and business partner, and 16 years older than Jackie. Will is also seeking a second chance in a town he left for who he thought was the love of his life. He's back in Vancouver after the humiliating end of his marriage. Like Jackie, love is not his priority at all.
But the moment Jackie and Will meet, sparks started flying. And despite their best effort to stay away, their coming together was inevitable.
Yes, it's "forbidden" romance in a sense that there is that 16-year age gap and he's her boss. But it's also more than that or should I say, it's never really about that. I feel like Jackie and Will's journey as characters go beyond the May-December office romance affair cliche thing. Jackie's got a lot of emotional baggage she had to deal with and Will was the catalyst that brought those issues to the forefront.
There was nothing sordid about their coming together even though they did keep things under wraps from other people especially her parents. It never felt like the story was about just that, and I really appreciated that Karina Halle took time to develop Jackie's character. She made me understand and sympathetic to her plight, which is very important to me.
"How is that life can be so crazy,so chaotic,so scary.
And yet one kiss from you and all that goes away."
Will's character is the same. From the get go, he's characterized as a mature, caring, and sweet man who is willing to risk everything for Jackie and his boy. I smiled and swooned along with Jackie and I'm pretty sure I was doing the heart-eyes emoji thing every time he does something sweet for Jackie and Ty.
Then there's the grand gesture.
Anyone who knows me well enough would attest that it doesn't matter if I got annoyed with the characters or that the book was really slow in the beginning as long as I get my big-ass, grand gesture at the end. And this book's grand gesture had me like...
And then there's that epilogue....
OMG, I can't. I was bursting with happiness. All that gooey HEA goodness was just too cute for words.
October 8, 2020
I was recommended this book by BB, thank you so much because I enjoyed it a lot. ❤
"How old are you?”
“How old are you?” I fire back. Can’t help myself.
“I’m twenty-five.”
“I am not twenty-five.”
She stares at me expectantly.
“Forty-one,”
Jackie Phillips (25), is a single mum who went through an abusive relationship. Now coming back home with her seven-year-old son Ty, Jackie moves in with her parents needing their support until she can move out.
William McAlister (41), recently divorced can't wait to move on. He returns to his hometown Vancouver and joins work with his best friend Jackie's father. Their back and forth banter was entertaining.
'I’m drunk and I’m horny and I think I’m falling for my boss.'
Jackie takes on a position as Will's secretary at her father's office. Will has been in her family since forever. She had crush on him when she was a teenager, now grown up she sees age made him a sexy beast. She can't resist the temptation of imagining him where she is yearning and squirming for him.
"Okay,” I tell her. “We don’t even have to have sex. We can walk the dogs. Watch a movie. Hang out. I’m one hundred percent okay with that.”
“Really?”
“Ninety-seven percent okay with that. And I can jerk off that three percent later.”
“I never knew percentages could be so sexy.”
Will is a funny, sweet, kind, generous man and he is hung as a horse (you know what I mean). Now sleeping with his best friends daughter is not okay but it doesn't stop him from beginning a relationship with Jackie. Which was a platonic relationship turned into more. Both Will and Jackie had and abusive past from which one turned out to be a wonderful man and the other a strong spirited woman.
This is a forbidden romance with a lighter side of story and lovely liaison exotism. I highly recommend this.
"How old are you?”
“How old are you?” I fire back. Can’t help myself.
“I’m twenty-five.”
“I am not twenty-five.”
She stares at me expectantly.
“Forty-one,”
Jackie Phillips (25), is a single mum who went through an abusive relationship. Now coming back home with her seven-year-old son Ty, Jackie moves in with her parents needing their support until she can move out.
William McAlister (41), recently divorced can't wait to move on. He returns to his hometown Vancouver and joins work with his best friend Jackie's father. Their back and forth banter was entertaining.
'I’m drunk and I’m horny and I think I’m falling for my boss.'
Jackie takes on a position as Will's secretary at her father's office. Will has been in her family since forever. She had crush on him when she was a teenager, now grown up she sees age made him a sexy beast. She can't resist the temptation of imagining him where she is yearning and squirming for him.
"Okay,” I tell her. “We don’t even have to have sex. We can walk the dogs. Watch a movie. Hang out. I’m one hundred percent okay with that.”
“Really?”
“Ninety-seven percent okay with that. And I can jerk off that three percent later.”
“I never knew percentages could be so sexy.”
Will is a funny, sweet, kind, generous man and he is hung as a horse (you know what I mean). Now sleeping with his best friends daughter is not okay but it doesn't stop him from beginning a relationship with Jackie. Which was a platonic relationship turned into more. Both Will and Jackie had and abusive past from which one turned out to be a wonderful man and the other a strong spirited woman.
This is a forbidden romance with a lighter side of story and lovely liaison exotism. I highly recommend this.
April 26, 2017
4.5 ⭐️
Don't read my review if you don't want to know please!!!
***SOME SPOILERS AHEAD***
I can honestly say this hero stole my heart!! He was amazing. I liked the heroine in the beginning but towards the end she annoyed me a bit.
Her father pissed me off and his ex wife what a bitch!! No worries she doesn't show up.
Here's some lines from the hero so you can see for yourself that he was amazing..
“There’s some part of me, deep inside, maybe stemming from the primal caveman days, that wants me to take care of both of them. To provide for them. To protect them. It’s honestly unlike anything I’ve felt before.”
“You’re definitely in the running for the best boss of the year award, that’s for sure.”
“Oooh. And what do I get if I win?”
Fuck. Please say it’s you.”
“I’ll call you Dream Girl. Because that’s what you are to me.”
“Someone should have warned me how hazardous it is to have my dream girl as my assistant.”
“I’ve dreamed of this. All this time. My fucking dream girl.”
“You, me. It’s everything that’s right.”
“Because I need you. Because I’m falling for you.”
“Because being with Sasha taught me that life is short. And when you find what makes your heart beat, your soul sing, you have to hang on to it. That’s you Jackie. I’m done doing things halfway. It’s all or nothing now. And with you, I’m all in”
And of course some of dirty lines he said to her
January 12, 2022
Before I Ever Met You is a beautiful Hollywood esque romance. In my mind, I was picturing a Lauren Bacall - Humphrey Bogart Hollywood romance. A May to December, love story to remember, had Bacall & Bogart lived in our day and age.
“That’s not reality. Love just makes everything else in life easier to bare. It’s like having an army on your side. But it doesn’t make love easier. Most people have to fight for it, they fight to keep it. Love is a war and half the time you’re battling your own fucking self.”
”...this is us" - Will and Jackie! A love story where their attraction skirts the boundaries of being a forbidden romance. Will is 16 years older than Jackie, along with being her boss, her dad’s business partner, and she's known him since she was a teenager. Even though it had those elements among other things working against them the overall feel of this story was low on angst and focused more on how to make their relationship work for all parties involved.
I really loved these two together. I loved Will more than Jackie and that might be because he was so swoon-worthy. The readers were treated to dual POVs and that really helped the reader to get inside the hero/heroine heads and figure out what they were thinking and feeling.
Before I Ever Met You is a standalone romance set in Canada. If you enjoy low angst with a swoon-worthy older male than this book is for you.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2017
STANDALONE
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Blog ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
“That’s not reality. Love just makes everything else in life easier to bare. It’s like having an army on your side. But it doesn’t make love easier. Most people have to fight for it, they fight to keep it. Love is a war and half the time you’re battling your own fucking self.”
”...this is us" - Will and Jackie! A love story where their attraction skirts the boundaries of being a forbidden romance. Will is 16 years older than Jackie, along with being her boss, her dad’s business partner, and she's known him since she was a teenager. Even though it had those elements among other things working against them the overall feel of this story was low on angst and focused more on how to make their relationship work for all parties involved.
I really loved these two together. I loved Will more than Jackie and that might be because he was so swoon-worthy. The readers were treated to dual POVs and that really helped the reader to get inside the hero/heroine heads and figure out what they were thinking and feeling.
Before I Ever Met You is a standalone romance set in Canada. If you enjoy low angst with a swoon-worthy older male than this book is for you.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2017
STANDALONE
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Blog ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
April 26, 2017
I wanted and expected too much of Before I Ever Met You because I'm sitting here with a feeling of a little disappointment.
The premise of the book had me on pins and needles with excitement. Sadly from the second or third chapter I felt like Jackie and Will's chemistry and connection was rushed. It was all about how much they wanted and needed to be with each other and they just started working together. Too much lust and too little build up. Then when they did hook up Jackie gave me whiplash with her emotions. It was very frustrating because very early on she voices her opinion about Will and how she feels about him.
Yes, Will was the shining star. Man, how I adored him. He was consistent throughout this story. Whether it was him being in office mode or the loving, sexy and dirty talking kind of Will. He made me swoon. Big time. His love for Jackie and her son Ty was beautiful and never wavered. The age difference didn't bother me. I actually enjoyed that aspect of the story. Jackie's relationship with her son was another highlight and them being with Will was terrific too.
Overall I liked this story but I expected some if not just a tiny sliver of angst and a little slow burn. I'm a huge fan of Karina Halle and will continue to be but I just wasn't wooed by this one.
3 BadAssDirtyAllInStars
ARC generously provided by the publisher for an honest review
The premise of the book had me on pins and needles with excitement. Sadly from the second or third chapter I felt like Jackie and Will's chemistry and connection was rushed. It was all about how much they wanted and needed to be with each other and they just started working together. Too much lust and too little build up. Then when they did hook up Jackie gave me whiplash with her emotions. It was very frustrating because very early on she voices her opinion about Will and how she feels about him.
Yes, Will was the shining star. Man, how I adored him. He was consistent throughout this story. Whether it was him being in office mode or the loving, sexy and dirty talking kind of Will. He made me swoon. Big time. His love for Jackie and her son Ty was beautiful and never wavered. The age difference didn't bother me. I actually enjoyed that aspect of the story. Jackie's relationship with her son was another highlight and them being with Will was terrific too.
Overall I liked this story but I expected some if not just a tiny sliver of angst and a little slow burn. I'm a huge fan of Karina Halle and will continue to be but I just wasn't wooed by this one.
3 BadAssDirtyAllInStars
ARC generously provided by the publisher for an honest review
April 25, 2017
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
"Life is short. And when you find what makes your heart beat, your soul sing, then you have to hang on to it."
I tend to avoid reading office romances, and if I do give them a chance I either love or hate them. I was really excited about Before I ever Met you because one it is written by Karina Halle, two it is a single parent romance, and three there is a 16 year age difference between the main characters: Jackie is 25 and Will is 41. As mentioned in the blurb this is a "light-hearted swoony read" so don't expect angst. I had faith in Karina to come up with a different office romance, something that hadn't been done a million times already. I was glad to see she didn't turn to cliches (which I can't stand).
"How is it that life can be so crazy, so chaotic, so scary, and yet one kiss from you and all of that goes away."
She did an amazing job with Will, he wasn't your typical workaholic cocky boss. He was very professional, charming, generous, kind and easy to talk to. Even though Jackie was 16 years younger than Will, she acted very mature. Never did I get the impression that these two weren't on the same wavelength. The development of their relationship was very organic, and it had a great flow. They were attracted to each other but never crossed any lines. Also I enjoyed reading how Will interacted with Tyson, Jackie's seven-year-old son. Before I Ever Met You is a great contemporary romance with amazing characters. Expect some very steamy and dirty sex scenes, I just couldn't get enough. I highly recommend this book if you are in the mood for some light and sweet romance.
"Life is short. And when you find what makes your heart beat, your soul sing, then you have to hang on to it."
I tend to avoid reading office romances, and if I do give them a chance I either love or hate them. I was really excited about Before I ever Met you because one it is written by Karina Halle, two it is a single parent romance, and three there is a 16 year age difference between the main characters: Jackie is 25 and Will is 41. As mentioned in the blurb this is a "light-hearted swoony read" so don't expect angst. I had faith in Karina to come up with a different office romance, something that hadn't been done a million times already. I was glad to see she didn't turn to cliches (which I can't stand).
"How is it that life can be so crazy, so chaotic, so scary, and yet one kiss from you and all of that goes away."
She did an amazing job with Will, he wasn't your typical workaholic cocky boss. He was very professional, charming, generous, kind and easy to talk to. Even though Jackie was 16 years younger than Will, she acted very mature. Never did I get the impression that these two weren't on the same wavelength. The development of their relationship was very organic, and it had a great flow. They were attracted to each other but never crossed any lines. Also I enjoyed reading how Will interacted with Tyson, Jackie's seven-year-old son. Before I Ever Met You is a great contemporary romance with amazing characters. Expect some very steamy and dirty sex scenes, I just couldn't get enough. I highly recommend this book if you are in the mood for some light and sweet romance.
April 19, 2017
I didn't love this one like I really hoped too, but I think it was because I had too high expectations (although who wouldn't, with that blurb!?). I LOVE a good forbidden love/age gap/office romance, but this one didn't turn out as angsty and intense as I expected. It was more sweet than anything, which was still good, but just not what I hoped. So if you're looking for a sweeter read with a hint of forbidden love, I'd recommend this one!
Full review to come!
Thanks to the author for generously providing me an ARC to review.
Full review to come!
Thanks to the author for generously providing me an ARC to review.
December 18, 2018
It’s a rare occasion for me that I liked the hero more than the heroine,
but it was the case with this book.
He was amazing, liked him very much (except he didn’t wear any underwear – isn’t it unsanitary?)
I wished for an older and more mature woman for him - 30 to 35.
I didn’t dislike the heroine much, but she annoyed me a little.
And I couldn’t forgive her that she abandoned her parents in the past. My personal pet peeve.
but it was the case with this book.
He was amazing, liked him very much (except he didn’t wear any underwear – isn’t it unsanitary?)
I wished for an older and more mature woman for him - 30 to 35.
I didn’t dislike the heroine much, but she annoyed me a little.
And I couldn’t forgive her that she abandoned her parents in the past. My personal pet peeve.
January 4, 2019
The difference between need and want.
I hear and read a lot about women being independent and not needing a man in their life. Cool. Happy for you. Glad you're strong enough to carry the load on your own. Here's the thing...you may not need a man but there is nothing wrong with wanting someone to share your load. It's nice to have someone at your back, or to talk to when you're having a good or bad day.
Finding the right person to want is not always easy. Sometimes you have to get it wrong before you get it right. Unfortunately, getting it wrong can make you hesitate to keep searching for the right one. There are no rules when it comes to finding what you want. You can even find the right one, when on paper, they look wrong. Before I Ever Met You is about finding the right one after the wrong one and learning that what you want can eventually turn into a need...and that's OK.
Before I Met You was a steamy read that kept my interest from start to finish. The characters were lovable and a little battered. Their strength and determination to move on after heartbreak was admirable. I envied them to be honest. I'm not sure I would have the strength to trust my heart to someone new after what they had suffered through.
I will be honest and admit that I am surprised I loved it as much as I did. There's a significant age difference between the main characters with the hero more than ten years her senior. Luckily, the hero made it extremely easy to get past it and the heroine was mature for her age.
I really enjoyed this love story and finished with a big grin on my face.
I hear and read a lot about women being independent and not needing a man in their life. Cool. Happy for you. Glad you're strong enough to carry the load on your own. Here's the thing...you may not need a man but there is nothing wrong with wanting someone to share your load. It's nice to have someone at your back, or to talk to when you're having a good or bad day.
Finding the right person to want is not always easy. Sometimes you have to get it wrong before you get it right. Unfortunately, getting it wrong can make you hesitate to keep searching for the right one. There are no rules when it comes to finding what you want. You can even find the right one, when on paper, they look wrong. Before I Ever Met You is about finding the right one after the wrong one and learning that what you want can eventually turn into a need...and that's OK.
Before I Met You was a steamy read that kept my interest from start to finish. The characters were lovable and a little battered. Their strength and determination to move on after heartbreak was admirable. I envied them to be honest. I'm not sure I would have the strength to trust my heart to someone new after what they had suffered through.
I will be honest and admit that I am surprised I loved it as much as I did. There's a significant age difference between the main characters with the hero more than ten years her senior. Luckily, the hero made it extremely easy to get past it and the heroine was mature for her age.
I really enjoyed this love story and finished with a big grin on my face.
May 11, 2017
Before I Ever Met You is a standalone, forbidden romance written by Karina Halle. According to Ms. Halle, outward inspirations for the characters can be found in Jon Hamm and Emelia Clarke, and given their age difference, their boss/secretary roles, and the fact that he is best friends with her father!... you can see why this falls in a secret, slightly unallowed type of category. But was it sexy? Hell, yes! Not only sexy though, but emotional, real (for the exception of the forbidden part), and with a fair amount of internal complexity.
My favorite element about this novel was the old-fashioned theme it held. Both characters have heavy pasts which created a protective and patient tone to their relationship. In a world of instant gratification, he is a gentleman who can wait out the hesitation and uncertainty. Their romance was lovely and with the ample amount of humor thrown in, Before I Ever Met You was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"I thought that life was a straight-line, fixed on the path you chose and once you chose it, there were no detours, no turning back. It’s not that at all. You can change direction anytime you want. You can go forward, backward or stay still. You can do anything you want because you’re in the driver’s seat, controlling this ride. And yes, you have permission to grow."
My favorite element about this novel was the old-fashioned theme it held. Both characters have heavy pasts which created a protective and patient tone to their relationship. In a world of instant gratification, he is a gentleman who can wait out the hesitation and uncertainty. Their romance was lovely and with the ample amount of humor thrown in, Before I Ever Met You was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"I thought that life was a straight-line, fixed on the path you chose and once you chose it, there were no detours, no turning back. It’s not that at all. You can change direction anytime you want. You can go forward, backward or stay still. You can do anything you want because you’re in the driver’s seat, controlling this ride. And yes, you have permission to grow."
October 3, 2020
Will was celebrating his 39th birthday and next thing you know he’s ending a 15 year old marriage. Does that make him and bitter asshole in the future? Nope.
Jackie has had it rough. Broke. Single and a mother. She’s forced to move back into her parents house and work with her dad to get back on her two feet.
Jackie and Will was such a breath of fresh air. I never thought this book would be something I needed in my life. Man. I’m glad I stumbled upon this holy grail!
Will loves with everything he has. He’s not an asshole. He’s not bitter. He’s wise and always encourages Jackie to be better. To do better. He sees her for who she is.
Jackie is young but life sure did teach her some lessons so she grew up very quickly.
With the stroke of each letter Miss Halle created such a timeless masterpiece for me. I’ll definitely be re reading.
Jackie has had it rough. Broke. Single and a mother. She’s forced to move back into her parents house and work with her dad to get back on her two feet.
Jackie and Will was such a breath of fresh air. I never thought this book would be something I needed in my life. Man. I’m glad I stumbled upon this holy grail!
Will loves with everything he has. He’s not an asshole. He’s not bitter. He’s wise and always encourages Jackie to be better. To do better. He sees her for who she is.
Jackie is young but life sure did teach her some lessons so she grew up very quickly.
With the stroke of each letter Miss Halle created such a timeless masterpiece for me. I’ll definitely be re reading.
October 20, 2020
2,5 stars
I almost feel bad, because lots of my friends loved this one.
But for me, it was mind-numbing - the repetitiveness; the constant brand dropping (nobody cares about all the shit from D&G, Tiffany or Louboutin the heroine got from her mother or the hero, jeeez); the endless chewing through every little detail.
The dialogues felt kinda dynamic with quick back-and-forth at first, yet sometimes it took up to 3 pages between the answers and the painful going in circles completely killed it for me. One could edit this book down to 120 pages, and still it would feel too long.
What I disliked was the heroine, full of unnecessary conflict, whiny and boring. What I loved was the hero, funny, smart and confident in what he wanted (which is so often not the case as we all know!), so he got all the stars from me.
That's it.
I almost feel bad, because lots of my friends loved this one.
But for me, it was mind-numbing - the repetitiveness; the constant brand dropping (nobody cares about all the shit from D&G, Tiffany or Louboutin the heroine got from her mother or the hero, jeeez); the endless chewing through every little detail.
The dialogues felt kinda dynamic with quick back-and-forth at first, yet sometimes it took up to 3 pages between the answers and the painful going in circles completely killed it for me. One could edit this book down to 120 pages, and still it would feel too long.
What I disliked was the heroine, full of unnecessary conflict, whiny and boring. What I loved was the hero, funny, smart and confident in what he wanted (which is so often not the case as we all know!), so he got all the stars from me.
That's it.
May 13, 2017
✬✬✬ 3.5 STARS ✬✬✬
Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books
I am a huge fan of this author. Lachlan from "The Play" is still my favorite hero by her and I don't think I have rated any of her books below 4 stars. So let's see how this one came to be a 3.5.
When will learns from his wife of more than a decade that she is pregnant with another man's child the rage and hurt are almost overwhelming. Two years later he is done dealing with his ex-wife and he moves back to his native home in Vancouver, Canada. Will's friend and business partner hires an assistant for him which also happens to be Ted's estranged daughter who he last met when she was a rebellious teenager. He didn't count on a sexy bombshell to grace his office.
Jackie just relocated with her son from the north of Canada. She ran away from home with her first love and had his child. Now, after seven years, she tries to mend the relationship with her parents. Without any financial resources to call her own she moves back into their house and starts working for her father. Jackie remembers Will, her father's best friend, but the Will she meets at the office is so attractive that her thoughts start to stray into realms they have no business to go to. Will is sixteen years older after all AND her boss. And her father? He would blow a gasket.
Will is a wonderful hero. He is gallant and friendly and so so bossy in the bedroom. He is 100% in when he decides to pursue his budding feelings for Jackie. Will is also amazing with Jackie's son and treats him like a little person instead of a child which I really appreciated. Ted is a bit of a bulldozer and it was great to see that Will stood his ground when Ted tried to steamroll him. There is no question that he loves Jackie and that she is "it" for him, even with the heartbreak he experienced with his ex-wife he doesn't shy away from his feelings.
Jackie brought the rating down for me. Will was very open about his feelings and it took the heroine until about 95% to actually realize that she loved him too. It was like she had an epiphany and all of a sudden everything else fell away. The reasons why she was on the fence about them were in my humble opinion invalid. Everything else factored in - to mend her relationship with her parents, her not wanting to need somebody else...the only reason I could have accepted was her son...while this was also a factor it felt only grazed in the story.
When it comes down to it "Before I Ever Met You" wasn't Karina Halle's strongest book. It was less angsty than what I'm used to which is not bad per se. I just felt the execution wasn't what I'm expecting from this author. There were some exceptionally great lines - but that's par for the course for Karina Halle. However, there are lots of great reviews about this story so I do think that you need to take mine with a grain of salt. It might be a case of "It's me, not you."
"Before I Ever Met You" is as a standalone.
Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books
“It’s okay to need me. I need you. I need you more than I can possibly tell you, Jackie. There’s no shame in it. It’s part of loving someone. You need their heart to help complete yours.”
I am a huge fan of this author. Lachlan from "The Play" is still my favorite hero by her and I don't think I have rated any of her books below 4 stars. So let's see how this one came to be a 3.5.
When will learns from his wife of more than a decade that she is pregnant with another man's child the rage and hurt are almost overwhelming. Two years later he is done dealing with his ex-wife and he moves back to his native home in Vancouver, Canada. Will's friend and business partner hires an assistant for him which also happens to be Ted's estranged daughter who he last met when she was a rebellious teenager. He didn't count on a sexy bombshell to grace his office.
Jackie just relocated with her son from the north of Canada. She ran away from home with her first love and had his child. Now, after seven years, she tries to mend the relationship with her parents. Without any financial resources to call her own she moves back into their house and starts working for her father. Jackie remembers Will, her father's best friend, but the Will she meets at the office is so attractive that her thoughts start to stray into realms they have no business to go to. Will is sixteen years older after all AND her boss. And her father? He would blow a gasket.
"You're magic, Will McAlister."
Will is a wonderful hero. He is gallant and friendly and so so bossy in the bedroom. He is 100% in when he decides to pursue his budding feelings for Jackie. Will is also amazing with Jackie's son and treats him like a little person instead of a child which I really appreciated. Ted is a bit of a bulldozer and it was great to see that Will stood his ground when Ted tried to steamroll him. There is no question that he loves Jackie and that she is "it" for him, even with the heartbreak he experienced with his ex-wife he doesn't shy away from his feelings.
”Tell me I have your heart. I won’t let it go, not for any moment, not for any reason. Tell me I have your heart and I’ll keep it next to my own.”
Jackie brought the rating down for me. Will was very open about his feelings and it took the heroine until about 95% to actually realize that she loved him too. It was like she had an epiphany and all of a sudden everything else fell away. The reasons why she was on the fence about them were in my humble opinion invalid. Everything else factored in - to mend her relationship with her parents, her not wanting to need somebody else...the only reason I could have accepted was her son...while this was also a factor it felt only grazed in the story.
When it comes down to it "Before I Ever Met You" wasn't Karina Halle's strongest book. It was less angsty than what I'm used to which is not bad per se. I just felt the execution wasn't what I'm expecting from this author. There were some exceptionally great lines - but that's par for the course for Karina Halle. However, there are lots of great reviews about this story so I do think that you need to take mine with a grain of salt. It might be a case of "It's me, not you."
"Before I Ever Met You" is as a standalone.
April 26, 2017
4 stars
This book had the SWEETEST hero. This could just be me but i have a special spot for older heroes. Older heroes who put their hearts into everything and deal with life so maturely. Will was so amazing in that sense. All the stars in this book go to him. I wasn't a fan of the heroine much; maybe because of her age, maybe because she pushed the hero away so much..or maybe because i felt she didn't fight for her love as much. The plot wasn't super original however i think the author wrote this in the sweetest way possible. I devoured this book initially then lost some interest towards the end as the heroine was scared shitless..but that epilogue! *swoon*
This book had the SWEETEST hero. This could just be me but i have a special spot for older heroes. Older heroes who put their hearts into everything and deal with life so maturely. Will was so amazing in that sense. All the stars in this book go to him. I wasn't a fan of the heroine much; maybe because of her age, maybe because she pushed the hero away so much..or maybe because i felt she didn't fight for her love as much. The plot wasn't super original however i think the author wrote this in the sweetest way possible. I devoured this book initially then lost some interest towards the end as the heroine was scared shitless..but that epilogue! *swoon*
May 5, 2017
5 'All in, Dream Girl' Stars!
Gaaaaaaaaaaaah, this book <333 Karina Halle is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers ever: she writes amazingly well, her characters are just outstanding and complex and the chemistry between them is absolutely beautiful and oh-so-hot!
Before I Ever Met You is an emotional narrative between a recent divorcee and the daughter of his best friend. Yep. There is a sixteen age difference between the main characters but let me tell you: you will not care about it when you meet these wonderful characters and fall in love with this amazing love story!
“I’ll call you Dream Girl. Because that’s what you are to me.”
Jackie is such a great heroine: a single mum dedicated to her son, a woman who has gone trough a lot and derserves to find the man of her dreams. And boy! Does she find him in Will! Will is my new book boyfriend btw! He is perfect: swoony, protective and damn sexy! Karina is great when it comes to the very emotional moments and she is so good when it comes to the sexy times too!
I knew at that moment I’d never be the same. That I was done for. That if I didn’t end up with her, I’d spend my whole life searching for another kiss like that and I’d never find it.
Love won.
As it always should.
I chose right.
Therefore, I am rating Before I Ever Met You with 5 STARS because it just deserves it so much! I loved the plot, the characters, their chemistry and that fantastic ending! And you know how much I enjoy a good forbidden office romance, guys! Karina is such a talented woman so I am sure she will keep up this greatness in her future releases so yeah, definitely recommend this one!
CHECK OUT MY BLOG HERE:
Gaaaaaaaaaaaah, this book <333 Karina Halle is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers ever: she writes amazingly well, her characters are just outstanding and complex and the chemistry between them is absolutely beautiful and oh-so-hot!
Before I Ever Met You is an emotional narrative between a recent divorcee and the daughter of his best friend. Yep. There is a sixteen age difference between the main characters but let me tell you: you will not care about it when you meet these wonderful characters and fall in love with this amazing love story!
“I’ll call you Dream Girl. Because that’s what you are to me.”
Jackie is such a great heroine: a single mum dedicated to her son, a woman who has gone trough a lot and derserves to find the man of her dreams. And boy! Does she find him in Will! Will is my new book boyfriend btw! He is perfect: swoony, protective and damn sexy! Karina is great when it comes to the very emotional moments and she is so good when it comes to the sexy times too!
I knew at that moment I’d never be the same. That I was done for. That if I didn’t end up with her, I’d spend my whole life searching for another kiss like that and I’d never find it.
Love won.
As it always should.
I chose right.
Therefore, I am rating Before I Ever Met You with 5 STARS because it just deserves it so much! I loved the plot, the characters, their chemistry and that fantastic ending! And you know how much I enjoy a good forbidden office romance, guys! Karina is such a talented woman so I am sure she will keep up this greatness in her future releases so yeah, definitely recommend this one!
CHECK OUT MY BLOG HERE:
June 22, 2017
This book had so many tropes which are not my favourite:
-Older H (by 16 yrs)
-H was h's Dad's best friend
-H had loved obsessively and was married to his first wife for 15 yrs
-H would have never left his ex, they only broke up bcos his ex cheated
-H's ex still worked in same company as H and h, so it wasn't as if she was completely out of their lives
-h didn't have much experience , she was with 2 guys and with both the sex was lukewarm
-h had abusive ex
-h was a single mom
-h was H's secretary
-h was curvy and size 10/12 and had self esteem issues
and many others.
But tbh, I didn't even notice because the writing was just so great and genuine, it was from the heart. And very contemporary - Vancouver was almost the character in the book, the author brought it to life. This was a great look at the animation business too.
The main stregnth of the book was it had decent, smart, mature characters who were kind and compassionate. And I'm not just talking about the MCs. The H was a nerd who was athletic, he was a white knight kind of guy and I could only swoon at how he was willing to put himself out there for the h and how kind he was even to his cheating ex. The h had been beaten down by emotional abuse, its hard to believe you're worthy of love after years of that but finally the h surrendered to love and it was beautiful to read. And her 7 yr old kid was just adorable!
5 stars!
-Older H (by 16 yrs)
-H was h's Dad's best friend
-H had loved obsessively and was married to his first wife for 15 yrs
-H would have never left his ex, they only broke up bcos his ex cheated
-H's ex still worked in same company as H and h, so it wasn't as if she was completely out of their lives
-h didn't have much experience , she was with 2 guys and with both the sex was lukewarm
-h had abusive ex
-h was a single mom
-h was H's secretary
-h was curvy and size 10/12 and had self esteem issues
and many others.
But tbh, I didn't even notice because the writing was just so great and genuine, it was from the heart. And very contemporary - Vancouver was almost the character in the book, the author brought it to life. This was a great look at the animation business too.
The main stregnth of the book was it had decent, smart, mature characters who were kind and compassionate. And I'm not just talking about the MCs. The H was a nerd who was athletic, he was a white knight kind of guy and I could only swoon at how he was willing to put himself out there for the h and how kind he was even to his cheating ex. The h had been beaten down by emotional abuse, its hard to believe you're worthy of love after years of that but finally the h surrendered to love and it was beautiful to read. And her 7 yr old kid was just adorable!
5 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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