Only With Me

With Me #2

by Kelly Elliott

Life was great.

I loved my bachelor life and working my dream job with the Colorado Springs SWAT team.

That all changed the day I stepped into her bakery. Her smile swept me off my feet, and her panna cotta was heaven.

Cue my very traditional Greek family.

Then all hell broke loose.

The woman I was falling in love with was Italian, and my mother was hell-bent on proving to the world she was the better cook.

If my meddling family wasn’t bad enough, for the last six years Gabi had been on the run from a past she tried desperately to escape from.

Between a beautiful woman on the run, and a crazy family constantly in my business, would I be able to show her I’m the only one who can keep her safe … or will her past steal her away from me?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Family, Humor, New Adult

Audiobook

First published May 30, 2017

About the author

Kelly Elliott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author. Since finishing her bestselling Wanted series, Kelly continues to spread her wings while remaining true to her roots and giving readers stories rich with hot protective men, strong women and beautiful surroundings.

Her bestselling works include, Wanted, Broken, Without You, and Unconditional Love, to name just a few.

Kelly has been passionate about writing since she was fifteen. After years of filling journals with stories, she finally followed her dream and published her first novel, Wanted, in November of 2012.

Kelly lives in central Texas with her husband, daughter, and two pups. When she’s not writing, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She is down to earth and very in touch with her readers, both on social media and at signings.

To find out more about Kelly and her books, you can find her through her website.

www.kellyelliottauthor.com

Reviews

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Elliott, a new-to-me author, has now become a fave of mine. She gave me a contemporary story full of humor, suspense, friendships, family, romance and so much love. Gabi and Nic were extremely sweet together.

The story happens in Colorado Springs. Gabi was a successful bakery owner, easy on the eyes, equipped with a huge heart, harbored some secrets, and held out for love. Nic was a member of SWAT, a confirmed bachelor, hot as hell, and has no intention of settling down any time soon. Joke's on him though because as soon as he sets eyes on Gabi, he's not seeing anyone else.

I loved this story. I loved the building blocks of Gabi and Nic's relationship, the play on Greek vs. Italian, the intimacy between all of the characters, the friendships, the family, and especially the love. I laughed. I swooned. I was captivated. As I said, I'm a new fan and I'm excited to discover other work from this author.

Release Date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Steam: 3.5 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone

[Jenny••Steamy Reads Blog•• · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read Kelly Elliott for awhile now and I have no idea why. I've read her 'Wanted' series and fell in love with the pure smut that it was. It was make you feel happy smut. And I loved it then and I loved it this time!!!!

Nic Drivas. Hmmmhmmm yummy. He was sexy, he was strong, he had passion, he was possessive, he never fell for a woman, his priority was his job, he always wanted to have fun, and did I say he never fell for a woman.

That is until he walks into Gabi Mandola's Italian Bakery.
Gabi is sweet, beautiful, and completely 100% keeps to herself. She isn't looking for anything to do with a man, she's actually not looking for anything at all except to run her bakery and have her friends. That is until a member of the local SWAT team walks into her bakery. Then all bets may be off.




This was a sweet read with a little bit of angst. I enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from this author and hopefully more to this series!!💗

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow... quick thoughts right off the top of my head after finishing.

1. I FREAKING LOVED THAT!
2. This was my first ever Kelly Elliott book and I could NOT stop reading.
3. The characters were so damn lovable. And the family dynamic just swept me off my feet.
4. I loved the plot twist. It had this romantic suspense thing going for it. Super intriguing.
5. OMGGGGGGGG! THE SEX... HOLY FUDGING YES PLEASE. SUPER hot.
6. This had a serious helping on insta-love which I ADORED. It almost reminded me of a longer, more detailed version of an Alexa Riley book. I was IN IT. TOTALLY IN IT.
7. Sure, there were some seriously cheesy lines and cliches I've read before but I didn't care because the characters have this charisma that speaks to you. I can't explain it. They are, as I said before, so lovable and wonderful.
8. The writing was good.
9. THAT ENDING. WHOA. My heart is still swooning.

Overall, I just ... Wow. I'm buzzing a little, you guys. I really am. I loved this. It was exactly the book I needed when I needed it, and I want more Kelly Elliott reads.

[Syndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! This book is horrible. Sexism, alpha male who acting very immature and stupid. Gabby is also weak heroine.

I thought the book will be about rom com. More like The Big Fat Greek Wedding. And I was so wrong. There is that humor but only a small part of the book. The ret is about dumb mafia plot. Miss Elliot done a very poor job with Only With Me.

2 stars

[TJ *Book Twins Reviews* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only With Me is sexy, sweet, and hilarious! The OTT Greek extended family killed me!! 😂😂

The breakdown: Niklaus Drivas has no intentions of settling down. He enjoys his love em and leave em type of lifestyle, but once he lays eyes on Gabi he feels a pull unlike anything he's ever experienced. Gabi, sees the sexy police officer and is rendered speechless. She doesn't date, but decides to take a chance on Nik.

What I enjoyed: The story is perfectly executed. It's one of the most comprehensive romances I've ever read. It has a bit of everything: romance, suspense, humor, and action.

The characters are really well-written. Nik is sexy and protective. Gabi is sweet and somewhat sheltered. The two of them together...EXPLOSIVE! The secondary characters were so funny and outrageous. They made for some very interesting moments.

The romance. Ooh, it's so good. I loved experiencing these two fall in love with each other. And the ending was perfection.

Overall, a very entertaining read that packs quite the punch.

[♡Tonya♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

While i definitely could have done without all of the reference to how many women Nic had been with right out of the gate, I did end up enjoying this story. I'm not sure why the hero has to be painted in such a light. Less of that and a further out epilogue would have definitely upped my rating.

-no cheating- even though Nic led a Gabi to believe he had
- no om drama
- no ow drama BUT there was quite a bit of reference to his past at first which was totally unnecessary.
-brief pushing away
- no violence of a sexual nature
-steamy
-safety- safe, neither were with others after meeting each other
- just ok epilogue that was only a year out

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Free
4 Big Fat Greek crazy arsed family Stars.
For my next read I needed something uplifting, entertaining, and on the funny side. Only with Me covers all those points and more.
Nic is a happy bachelor has his dream job being a SWAT Team member. Enjoys his lifestyle until he goes to a cute Italian bakery and is thunderstruck. For all of Nic's man whoring ways I liked him. I liked him a lot. He oozes charm but not in a smarmy way. He is possessive when it comes to Gabi.

Gabi has decided to settle down after being years on the run she has made Colorado Springs her home. She has a bakery with her roommate Charity. By the way some of the stuff she came out with was absolutely hilarious. All is going well until Nic walks into Gabi’s bakery. It reminded me of the Thunderbolt from The Godfather where it struck them and they couldn’t do anything to stop it. She wants to stick to the plan but the lies are becoming unbearable.

Nic is smitten and Nic has never been smitten.

The moment you meet her, Nic, you’ll know. Your breath will catch, your chest tightens like a vice clamped on it, but it’s a feeling you so good you want it to last forever.

You know what they say about Greek men. No? Let me tell you.
They are sex gods. Sex. Gods. Alpha’s in and out of bed. Slightly possessive of their women, which is hot as hell. And they can’t keep their hands off their women. Always feeling them up.
I love reading books about families and siblings. To date the boisterous Irish families are my favorites but the Greeks are coming in as a close second. Especially Greek men
I found Only with Me to be captivating and magnetizing. A delectable, funny read with awesome characters and a story that worked really well.
My, my, my, KE sure can write some filthy, dirty mind blowing sex scenes. But equally brilliant is the romance and sweet moments they have together. Let's not forget the Greek nosey as hell family. And the banter in the family.

I read a book by this author a very long time ago. It was a mix between YA/NA but this book? Worked on all levels for me. KE captivated me with her writing style her attention to get that happily ever after in with all the bells and whistles.
Unfortunately, there is one part in the book where I'd wished that it had been different. Gabi has a past, a past she has to lie about to protect herself and her family but in this instance, she should have just been honest and should have told him. Instead he thinks that she has a lover in Italy I would like to add. He wasn't thinking straight on that one. Follows her to Italy sees something which is misinterpreted does a runner and then out of spite says he's seeing a former fuck buddy might I add this is on the phone.

With honesty and communication, the MC would have been spared both the grief and agony they put one another through. Thanks to friends who have their heads screwed on right.
My verdict if you are looking for some angst, fantastic banter and an unexpected plot and crazy arse family. With all the Maria’s, the cook offs, Greek vs. Italian than this book is for you. It gets my vote.

Review can be found @ http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...

[Vashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first time author for me .I enjoyed the writing style,it was sweet,sexy,the cheese factor was very,very high ! Several lol moments with the meddling Greek mother,not to mention the entire Greek family when they get together,think MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING .
I definitely will be reading more from this author.
If you want a sweet and sappy romance,this is it.The Playlist had some great songs listed and The Fighter by Keith Urban is a particular favorite.

[Erin Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 Star Review Only With Me by Kelly Elliott

This was a new author to me and I have NO idea why. I will certainly be looking at reading more books from Ms. Elliott.

What's not to love about a Greek SWAT team member and a sassy, yet vulnerable baker? This is Nic and Gabi's story; one I totally loved.

Having been brought up with extended family who are Greek, I jumped at the chance to read this book. It was everything that I expected. At times I laughed so much that I had tears running down my cheeks; there were so many secondary characters that I could see as my “Greek” family.

When Nic finds himself in Gabi's Italian bakery, he is instantly attracted to Gabi, so much so that it feels like lightening has struck him. Gabi is also smitten, but she has secrets, can she afford to get involved with a cop?

The air sizzles between them and it almost feels as though they will combust. After living so long in fear, Gabi decides it's time to jump back into life and who better than a hot and dangerous Greek. Nic is everything that she wants and although she is shocked that he is just as interested in her, Gabi decides to take a risk and open her heart to the possibiloty of love.

The relationship between Nic and Gabi is passionate and intense, throw in an interfering Greek family headed by Nic's mother (who made me laugh and cringe on numerous occasions) and you have one heck of a roller-coaster of a story.

I have to say that I particularly liked the banter and confrontations between Gabi and Nic's mother, their scenes together made for some snort worthy moments throughout the book. What an awesome character she is!

When miss-communication between Gabi and Nic push them apart, danger rears it's head. Will they come to their senses in time? Will Gabi's past finally come back to destroy her or will Nic be able to save the women who has captured his heart? One click now and find out.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Only With Me was a fun, sweet and entertaining read.

The writing is well done, the plot held my interest all throughout the book and all the characters added to my overall enjoyment.
I loved watching Gabi and Nic's relationship unfold, they had an instant attraction that quickly moved into something more.
And their chemistry was smoking!



The storyline had me laughing and swooning one min and rolling my eyes with their antics the next.
I found myself relating a lot with Nic, growing up in a Greek household I know how stubborn and one eyed Greek parents can be. They love with all their heart but Greeks do everything better LOL
It amused me watching Gabi butt heads with Nic's mother. It was the Italian girlfriend in one corner and the obsessive Greek mother in the other. It was fun seeing who would come out the winner =D

Only With Me is beautiful and heartwarming read and I highly recommend it.



Buy links -
Amazon US - http://amzn.to/2rNyXhu
Amazon UK - https://goo.gl/7sy6yV
Amazon AU - https://goo.gl/ixyZpo
US iBooks - https://goo.gl/zm93dl
Kobo - https://goo.gl/rztbYb
AU iBooks - https://goo.gl/JxkMsT

*An ARC was provided in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

The scenes with the mother-in-law are hilarious. The mother-in-law is the worst nightmare of every woman and makes a funny story with the reader waiting for the next crazy that the mother of the hero will do.
The secondary characters are interesting and the background story keeps the reader interested.

“Shh! You are thirty years old, Nicholaus. Your sperm is growing weaker by the day.”

"Because I don’t make love, Gabi.” Her brow lifted. “You don’t?” Slowly shaking my head, I replied, “I fuck. Hard and fast. But with you, I want so much more.”

“If my Nic makes you as happy as my Dimitris does, I know why someone in your family went Greek. You know what they say about Greek men.” Grinning, I asked, “No, what do they say?” “Once you’ve had Greek, you can’t walk for a week.”

[Kathleen Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. Funny and hot :)

[JoAnna G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok let me be honest here I grabbed this book because I wanted to read a sexy man in uniform, SWAT no less. I, however, got so much more. I got a good story that went deeper than I thought it would. I have read several books by Kelly Elliott and thoroughly enjoyed them all. This is no exception.

Gabriella “Gabi” is Italian and loves to cook and bake and she owns her own Italian bakery. Her parent came from Italy and moved to New Jersey before she was born. Her best friend Charity is by her side as a baker as well.

Nic is a Greek God, no really he is. He comes from amazing genes. He is SWAT and he loves women. All women and he doesn’t do repeats often. He has a mother Katerina that wants him to settle down with a Greek woman and has been setting him up on numerous occasions. So one day he wanders into a bakery and his world tilts on its axis. He had no idea this bakery was here but his best friend Cole did and didn't tell him. Why you ask because he was afraid the women working there would fall for him.

Nic is smitten and so is Gabi, and Gabi is smitten with him. It’s mutual. Little things are telling Nic that Gabi is hiding something, but he lets it ride.I can’t say any more because that would give it away. That being said this book was great. I love the banter between Gabi and her best friend as well as Nic. Nic’s mother is a class all of her own.

I loved everything about this book. Oh and let me say the talk of food had me salivating from start to finish. When they talked I could just picture it in my head. It reminded me of my Italian family home cooking. This book also has a good family, great, amazing friends, comradery, suspense, humor, and love. Oh my gosh, it was so good you have to read it for yourself. I was constantly thinking is this it, what will happen next and what the hell will Katerina do? Oh and let’s not forget all the dirty talking Nic does it will set you on fire. He is a possessive typical alpha male and sign me up I wanted him for myself. Nic and Gabi together set your kindle on fire. Between smoldering looks and talking then with actions. Oh, my I’m fanning myself just thinking about it now.

Can Gabi let Nic in or will she push him away with omissions and obligations? Oh my gosh, it was so good you have to read it for yourself.

[Karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started off as a cute read but the more I read , the more Nik annoyed me. He’s a 30 year old man who can’t speak up to his mother and say “hey maybe you shouldn’t say these things “ simple. Then after he stalks Gabi - due to his lack of trust - all is forgiven because he’s a hero. I think not - that wasn’t even discussed. The last 25% of the book wasn’t needed. It should’ve ended with the “big problem” being resolved.

[The Book Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

REVIEW: 3.5
"I wasn't sure if it was the feelings I suddenly felt for this woman, or the fear that gripped me because of those feelings."

PSSST!!!! That hot cover certainly did this story justice, just sayin'. Matched it to a "T"!

OMG.....the FUN in this book was so addicting and palpable, right along with the chemistry that popped off the pages!!!! I have only read a few of Kelly's books, but this one sticks out as completely smile-worthy!!! I mean, c'mon, a man in uniform? SWAT team, no less? Scruff too? SOLD to the lady with a book in her hands!!! Oh wait...

Because, seriously, I went into this book and was immediately smiling and enjoying the cool confidence of Nic and the understated, but very bold side of Gabi. This made for a fun read with many laughable moments. I was giggling out loud and smiling while reading this book. I loved their banter, but their inner dialogue while mentally checking the other out? Hilarious! And desserts will never be the same again. One thing that I would love to point out is that Elliott did an amazing job creating this electric atmosphere around their first meeting and that made me fall immediately in love with their love story. The sexual tension between Nic and Gabi was a good, steady buildup and I loved seeing Nic being brought to his knees.

DRAMA. I said it, and I will dust over it, but I will also leave it at that because some will enjoy it. I didn't really like the plot-line behind the suspense side of the book. I don't enjoy those kinds of plots, but that is just a ME thing. The build-up to it wasn't anything very secretive because I pretty much guessed what was going on, but the rest of the book was wonderful and funny and lovable and smile-inducing, so I am choosing to let that carry me to my happy place. Was some of it over the top in my mind? Maybe, but it worked and I kept reading and clearly didn't give up. The family drama surrounding them totally reminded me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding and I kept laughing at everything going on. There was definitely more good than aggravating, but I needed to point that out.

Elliott nailed the flirting between these two characters, and no matter how cheesy some lines can be, when you're feeling the pull to one another, it's all good - you're just going with the flow. However, some of their lines during sex were robotic and super corny and it pulled me out of the story a little at times. Also, no one EVER says something out loud thinking they said it in their head. I am beginning to think that is an overused excuse for an "oops" in many books and would love to see it stop. But overall, I want to/need to mention that these two were so combustible around each other, so comical, it was fun to see them escape and turn each other on (and out!!) and talk dirty to each other. Nic and Gabi's love story was a win for me and Kelly Elliott is becoming a quick and easy read for me. I was actually hoping that the NEXT book could of been her best friend/his best friends story. I really liked Charity's brazen mouth and Cole's dedication to her, and loved getting glimpses of their story in this one. They were a fun couple to read.

"Being inside Gabi was like being in heaven. It was becoming an addiction. A drug I couldn't get enough of."

PURCHASE on AMAZON: http://amzn.to/2sAir14

There is a giveaway on my page, starting June 3rd.

[Alecia (The Staircase Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot put into words how much I loved Only With Me!

This novel has everything; Swoonworthy scenes, Intriguing characters, and Hot as Sin sexy time moments. Let's not forget the hilarious banter between Nic's mom and well......Everyone!

Picture this....

You meet the man of your dreams when he steps into your bakery. He has everything. An enduring smile a body like a god and a heart of gold. Also factor in that this man is Greek and 'you know what they say about Greek men'. But then when you two start connecting and his mother enters the picture. You'd think that would be alright....BUT IT'S NOT....oh no....simply because of the fact that you are not Greek and his mother wants his boy to marry a good Greek woman. You thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, right? Oh but it can, what's even worse is when his mother finds out you're not only Italian but also a baker...What's a girl to do.

Gabi's life hasn't been easy, So why wouldn't she assume her new relationship would go along the roads her life has drawn out for her. Nic is a S.W.A.T member who is okay with his life. He's okay with one night stands, and the fact that he won't have a woman worrying about him every night when he goes off to do his job. That is until he walks into a bakery and finds himself intrigued by the owner.

A relationship quickly blossoms between Gabi and Nic, but under the surface Nic senses Gabi is hiding something huge from him and he's dead set on finding out her secret.

I loved the mystery and the anticipation of finding out what Gabi's secret was. It kept me on my toes!

I highly recommend!!!

[Cyndi Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This super steamy romance is the 2nd book by Kelly Elliot that I've read. This story has humor, suspense, insta-love and an alpha man that will will make feel the need to fan yourself. At the center are Nic and Gabi, two characters that are quickly drawn to each other and have no problem taking their acquaintance from zero to fifty in a relatively short period of time. The problem that faces them is that Gabi has some secrets and Nic, well he's cop (SWAT team) and his instincts are well honed.

The tone of the story is light and sexy, with Nic's large Greek family and their expectations for his life and his status as an unattached young man. That all changes with Gabi, well almost. She's not exactly what his momma wants for him, but she's endearing and wins his family over quickly. The story line goes down a path where Gabi's old life starts to cross into her new one. The suspense and what she has to do to stay alive will cause problems for she and Nic and her secrets multiply. Nic is intensely protective and their relationship and feelings surprise them both. The characters are well rounded and we get their backstories and a clear understanding of what motivates them.

Now I'll drop in the fact that the story is set in my hometown, where I still live, which makes the story all that more appealing for me. I know the places she refers to and can easily imagine Gabi's bakery and the shops that surround it.

This is another enjoyable 4 star read by Kelly Elliott.

[London]

DNF- writing style was a bit amateurish

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Nothing made sense anymore. The only thing I cared about was her, in this moment. Feeling her body fall apart with me inside her, completely inside her with nothing in between.”

“I needed her. Desired her. Craved her. She was mine and I needed her to know.”

What a fun, fun book! Only With Me gave me all the feels and left me with the biggest smile on my face! This is the type of story that once you start reading, you can’t stop and you just wish you could live in it.

Told from dual points of view, Only With Me follows the story of Nic and Gabbi. From the moment you meet these two, you will captivated by the intense and instant chemistry. The sparks between these two are off the charts. Nic loved his life and didn’t want to change a single thing…that is until he walked into Gabbi’s bakery. The moment the of them met, Nic’s life was totally turned upside down…..Gabbi has spent the last 6 years on the run. Her only indulgent was starting the bakery she always dreamed up. On the surface she’s living the dream, but on the inside, she’s always looking over her shoulder and is always wishing for love. Meeting Nic not only turned her world upside down, but also gave her hope for the future she always wanted. The road to HEA for these two won’t be an easy one. From meddling families and an inescapable past, there certainly is never a dull moment…..

Boy, oh boy! What can I say about this book?! I just loved it. It was so much fun and so entertaining. The story-line sucked me in from page one. I adored Nic and his crazy Greek family. For secondary characters, they were just amazing. They were funny as hell, meddling and completely overbearing with a likeness to the family from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. You could tell their hearts were in the right place and that with a family like his, there would never be a dull moment.

Nic…..He was just perfection. He never thought he’d be the guy who would fall in love and want it all, but meeting Gabbi quickly put things in perspective for him. Suddenly, Nic was all hot, sexy, alpha and 100% protective of the woman that he wanted. And Gabbi….She had her reasons for her secrets, but man was it fun watching her learn to love and open up. To take a chance and embrace Nic and his wild Greek Family.

I absolutely loved the mix of Greek and Italian cultures. I loved seeing the differences and opinions. I loved the family dynamic and how important it was despite all the craziness.

My only issue with this story and it’s a small one, is that there is one scene that I felt was a bit rushed and it left me wanting a little more. It was definitely not a deal breaker, but important to note. That being said, the story is so incredibly well written and is honestly impossible to not fall in love with.

Overall, I found Only With Me to be a truly enjoyable read. I loved everything about it from beginning to end. The character and the story-line were just so much fun and so entertaining. I didn’t want to put this book down. I just wanted to live in this book and hang out with these characters. An absolute wonderful book to spend the day getting swept up in.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Lindsey King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angst 3
Tears 2
Value 5
Storyline 5
Panty Scorching 5
Overall Rating 5

Kelly, Kelly, Kelly. Why do you play games with my heart?! Each book keeps getting better and better. I don't know how this woman does it, but shes truly remarkable with her words. This book.... Melted my heart and will be one I remember for a long time to come.

Gabi. This sweet girl. Her life hasn't been the easiest but shes decided to finally LIVE. Not being afraid of her shadow and stepping out into the world never felt so good when she meets Nic. I mean how could it not? That Greek God of man in a SWAT uniform. *SWOON* Seriously though, shes probably one of my most favorite heroines ever. Shes sassy, funny, sweet, and completely innocent. She looks for the best in everyone even after what shes been through. She takes on a Greek family and lives to tell the tale.... Sorta.

Nic. Holy freakin hell. This man!!! OMG! Hes completely swoon worthy. Sexy man in uniform. Lots of muscles. Cocky confident attitude, and the means to back it up and THEN SOME! I love him! Hes not one to settle down. Hes all about the love em and leave em life but that quickly changes when he walks into Gabi's bakery. He is knocked on his fine booty by her. But will he get to keep her? Will her secrets completely wreck the good things they have going on?

So so many feels in the book. I loved the characters and all the craziness from a huge family. I was entertained the whole time. I never got bored or wanted to stop reading. I had to finish this book! I was on a mission to find out what happened and wouldn't stop until it was done. Great read!!! Kelly does it again!!!

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25- I'm so torn with this rating. I had no real expectations when starting this. I saw mixed reviews on some of this authors early works so thought it might end up being a miss but the blurb had potential so I decided to give it a shot.

I actually ended up getting pulled in from the beginning. It wasn't amazing but had a certain cute factor that was working well for me. I'm on vacation so I don't need fabulous right now. I'm in guilty pleasure beach read mode and this was working just fine. Until it wasn't.

The suspense part of the story really fell flat. Like extra flat. And because of where that part of the storyline happens in the book (not the very end) the last 20% or so just seemed out of place and a bit boring. It still had the cute factor but it wasn't enough to carry the story. I feel like the order of events should have been changed up some. And just a side note: Why do authors write so many super obnoxious best friends? The heroines best friend here was a good friend but she also was out of line sometimes. That didn't affect my rating but worth a mention. Best friends don't do things to embarrass you constantly... Moving on! The very end turned out to be pretty cheesy. Nothing absolutely terrible but just a little hokey.

So overall I liked it but it definitely fell apart a little for me.

[Aira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabi is a lovely bakery owner who has secrets. Nic is a member of SWAT, and is not looking for anything serious. They see each other for the first time in Gabi’s bakery, and the rest is history.

Nic’s family is freaking hilarious. I love that Gabi is a sport, and she doesn’t let them get to her and doesn’t take things personally. I would love to taste Gabi’s cooking though. Whenever the author mentions Gabi cooking something up, I get super hungry.

The drama on this was pretty low. There was some conflict, but it was pretty much solved in a few chapters and swept aside. I wasn’t looking for something high on drama, so I really enjoyed this book.

While reading this, I was thinking, oh I really want to read a book with Kilyn and Thano as the main characters. I went on Goodreads and saw that this was actually the second book, and the first is about Kilyn and Thanos. I was happy, but I feel kind of dumb.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm surprised by all the high marks on this one, I guess it just goes to show "to each his own."

Uber hot, police SWAT team member, and confirmed bachelor, Nic, doesn't do feelings or relationships. He goes from one girl to the next and is happy with his life. Until a stop at a local bakery where he meets Gabi. Sweet and innocent, Gabi has on,y been with one man and that was about six years ago. She's been busy running her bakery and starting her new wine bar. Not to mention living under an assumed identity and running from some sordid past, she keeps a low profile. But she has instant lust for Nic and they go out.

I actually didn't finish this book, but stopped at 75%. I just couldn't go any further and even should there be an amazing ending it would not change my thoughts and issues on this book. Gabi and Nic have an instant connection, where have I seen that before? Oh yeah, everywhere. It's hinted that Gabi is living under an assumed identity and on the run, but accepts a date with a cop? And on the first date, let's him almost get to second base, because both of them feel "this thing." Second date she's meeting the brother and his family. Seriously? For a confirmed bachelor Nic was pretty accepting of these "feelings" and ran fast and headlong into a relationship. And then Gabi. She didn't work too hard staying under the radar. Their relationship has got to have been the fastest instant love I have ever read-and I've read quite a few as that's a common theme. Anyway, Nic knows from day one that Gabi is hiding something from him, I mean come on, he is a cop. So he follows her when she goes on a trip to Italy, because her lies contradict one another and he's convinced that phone conversation he eavesdropped on means she's cheating. Cue the misunderstandings.

At 75%, Gabi's story is resolved and everything explained, but not very well or believably. So, this is where I leave you...

[J Kiwibooknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

"4 Once you go Greek, you cant walk for a week stars"

I really really enjoyed this one. Some awesome laugh out loud moments!!! It reminded me a lot of the move "My Fat Greek Wedding"..... definitely one of my fave so far by this author...

[Shahla's World · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sweet,sexy and fun read ! Several lol moments with the meddling Greek mother,not to mention the entire Greek family when they get together,think MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING .
I definitely will be reading more from this author.
If you want a sweet and sappy romance,this is it.

[Joanne Maltas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this x

[Tinabooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

New to me author. This is a good read. First off...there were some parts I laughed my ass off!!! 2nd, the sex!! OMG the sex. Hot as hell. This was an all around great book.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a light hearted, hilarious and absolutely amazing book, this is it!

I just laughed the whole way through but was not bored of the story line either.

Loved both the hero and heroine in this.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story.

[Alyse]

Review scheduled for May 31 at 9am!!!

http://alysenovak.blogspot.com