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Love & Other Phobias
For two broken people, love was the biggest fear of all.
When a fire breaks out in Sophie’s high rise, she’s unable to leave, trapped by her own fears within those four walls. Yet, firefighter Cam Everett isn’t willing to let her perish. He never leaves anyone behind.
Cameron has always been good at his job. A great Marine, infantryman and now a fireman and EMT, he knows the drill. But when things don’t go according to plan, he’ll have to deal with the one woman who can be his downfall or his savior.
Their only chance of survival is each other. Their only chance of redemption is a heartbeat away.
What becomes of the broken?
When a fire breaks out in Sophie’s high rise, she’s unable to leave, trapped by her own fears within those four walls. Yet, firefighter Cam Everett isn’t willing to let her perish. He never leaves anyone behind.
Cameron has always been good at his job. A great Marine, infantryman and now a fireman and EMT, he knows the drill. But when things don’t go according to plan, he’ll have to deal with the one woman who can be his downfall or his savior.
Their only chance of survival is each other. Their only chance of redemption is a heartbeat away.
What becomes of the broken?
190 pages, ebook
First published March 20, 2018
43 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Emma Nichols
88 books822 followersWhat made her decide to be an erotica author?
Simple.
How else was she going to parlay her two favorite past times into a career?
Emma is single and loving it. Like her first character, Alysin, Sin for short, she doesn't believe in settling or in settling down. She loves to indulge in her passions whenever the mood strikes and enjoys keeping all of life's cliche moments spicy.
Known for her sense of humor, Emma surrounds herself with friends whose antics often become the source of book fodder. Her ideal situation would be to explore the Caribbean while writing. She pursues that dream daily.
Simple.
How else was she going to parlay her two favorite past times into a career?
Emma is single and loving it. Like her first character, Alysin, Sin for short, she doesn't believe in settling or in settling down. She loves to indulge in her passions whenever the mood strikes and enjoys keeping all of life's cliche moments spicy.
Known for her sense of humor, Emma surrounds herself with friends whose antics often become the source of book fodder. Her ideal situation would be to explore the Caribbean while writing. She pursues that dream daily.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 20, 2018
I don't really know where to start this review and I realize I will also be the first person to give a review that isn't 4 or 5 stars. I voted for this book from Kindle Scout to be published. I mean I really love the premise. Most of my review will have to go under a spoiler tag as it's not mentioned in the synopsis.
Cam is an ex-marine. You won't forget that part because it's mentioned in nearly every chapter. I counted marine or military four times in one chapter. Now him being ex-marine is important to the story line but I don't think it needed to be mentioned quite so often. There is insta-love between Cam and Sophie, they did know each other in the past but it was ten years ago. So I still consider that insta-love since she doesn't know it's the same guy from 10 years ago.
Cam is an ex-marine. You won't forget that part because it's mentioned in nearly every chapter. I counted marine or military four times in one chapter. Now him being ex-marine is important to the story line but I don't think it needed to be mentioned quite so often. There is insta-love between Cam and Sophie, they did know each other in the past but it was ten years ago. So I still consider that insta-love since she doesn't know it's the same guy from 10 years ago.
March 20, 2018
Originally posted at:
* I received a complimentary early copy of this book because I supported it on Kindle Scout.
The writing style did wonders for this novel, but a few things bothered me throughout the story. However, I loved how willing and open the main characters were to getting help for their mental issues and made it a point to actively seek out the help they needed.
Sophie has been through a lot. She's gotten to a point where she has backup plans for her backup plans. She's a recluse who has made it big from posting nail art videos online and well-planned investments. My only problem with her was how her problems seemed to start disappearing a day after she met Cameron. I can only suspend my belief for so long.
Cameron was a gentle giant, but he has a mean side when pushed to the edge. He's been through a lot in his life. I liked how, in a way, Sophie and Cam help "fix" each other throughout the story to a certain degree. What ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth was the secret Cam kept until a few chapters from the end. It was only "revealed" because of pure happenstance. I understand, that ultimately, it wasn't his fault but he shouldn't have kept everything going while knowing she didn't know the full story. I also didn't understand why he hung around her to the point that he did. What ever happened to him having a job?
I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't see the brother and the BFF plot twist. Though it caught me blindsided, it got resolved way too easily. I'd also like to point out the lack of character development for the secondary characters. It felt like they were there only to further the plot line. It didn't feel like they had any substance to them.
Overall, this was a good story with a few details that rubbed me the wrong way. The main characters were very likable, but everything moved too fast to make it believable. I would have loved to have gotten to know the fire department aspect of the story. It would have made for a great series of spinoffs stories if any of Cam's friends had been presented organically throughout the story.
My Favorite Quotes:
"I'm not remotely athletic. I believe working out is a special kind of torture, and food is meant to be enjoyed."
"Life isn't fair [...]. Sometimes the bad guy wins. Sometimes dark conquers the light. Sometimes we forget to chase after our dreams, and we let the ones we love get away."
"Face your fears. Embrace the pain. Take a chance."
* I received a complimentary early copy of this book because I supported it on Kindle Scout.
The writing style did wonders for this novel, but a few things bothered me throughout the story. However, I loved how willing and open the main characters were to getting help for their mental issues and made it a point to actively seek out the help they needed.
Sophie has been through a lot. She's gotten to a point where she has backup plans for her backup plans. She's a recluse who has made it big from posting nail art videos online and well-planned investments. My only problem with her was how her problems seemed to start disappearing a day after she met Cameron. I can only suspend my belief for so long.
Cameron was a gentle giant, but he has a mean side when pushed to the edge. He's been through a lot in his life. I liked how, in a way, Sophie and Cam help "fix" each other throughout the story to a certain degree. What ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth was the secret Cam kept until a few chapters from the end. It was only "revealed" because of pure happenstance. I understand, that ultimately, it wasn't his fault but he shouldn't have kept everything going while knowing she didn't know the full story. I also didn't understand why he hung around her to the point that he did. What ever happened to him having a job?
I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't see the brother and the BFF plot twist. Though it caught me blindsided, it got resolved way too easily. I'd also like to point out the lack of character development for the secondary characters. It felt like they were there only to further the plot line. It didn't feel like they had any substance to them.
Overall, this was a good story with a few details that rubbed me the wrong way. The main characters were very likable, but everything moved too fast to make it believable. I would have loved to have gotten to know the fire department aspect of the story. It would have made for a great series of spinoffs stories if any of Cam's friends had been presented organically throughout the story.
My Favorite Quotes:
"I'm not remotely athletic. I believe working out is a special kind of torture, and food is meant to be enjoyed."
"Life isn't fair [...]. Sometimes the bad guy wins. Sometimes dark conquers the light. Sometimes we forget to chase after our dreams, and we let the ones we love get away."
"Face your fears. Embrace the pain. Take a chance."
April 1, 2018
TW: this book has a scene of suicide, discusses the behavior that led to suicide and for added fun a throwaway line of homophobia.
Ok let's start with the one thing I did like - while this does involve the trope of misunderstanding (with a flavor of mistaken/misleading identity) communication was Paramount. Aside from Cam not mentioning who he was (in relation to their previous history), he was all about talking through anxieties and fears and unsavory things. Not just for Soph but also himself.
I appreciated that a lot since I'm a big proponent of talking through issues to understand why they are issues.
Now here's the thing. The rest of this book is painful af and not in a good way. this has all the wrong check marks. If anything the one thing I did like was hugely tainted by how painful this book was as a ROMANCE NOVEL. Spoilers beyond this point
Less spoiler filled, I just bought into none of it. The most trutful part I felt was in the therapist office when he said "nah brah you more than likely have ANXIETY not phobias, so let's develop a way to handle these" (though the way he stated it and how quickly he stated made me side eye his declaration)
The novel felt too short to really develop a lot. Soph and Cam are kept isolated away from other chars mostly because it could cause problems. Nichols needed the big reveal fight at the end otherwise the wrong kind of tension would occur and make the romantic plot really shady.
I had hopes for this - suffering from a variety of anxieties myself, I wanted to have a second chance romance to really enjoy, but this left me feeling upset mostly.
Ok let's start with the one thing I did like - while this does involve the trope of misunderstanding (with a flavor of mistaken/misleading identity) communication was Paramount. Aside from Cam not mentioning who he was (in relation to their previous history), he was all about talking through anxieties and fears and unsavory things. Not just for Soph but also himself.
I appreciated that a lot since I'm a big proponent of talking through issues to understand why they are issues.
Now here's the thing. The rest of this book is painful af and not in a good way. this has all the wrong check marks. If anything the one thing I did like was hugely tainted by how painful this book was as a ROMANCE NOVEL. Spoilers beyond this point
Less spoiler filled, I just bought into none of it. The most trutful part I felt was in the therapist office when he said "nah brah you more than likely have ANXIETY not phobias, so let's develop a way to handle these" (though the way he stated it and how quickly he stated made me side eye his declaration)
The novel felt too short to really develop a lot. Soph and Cam are kept isolated away from other chars mostly because it could cause problems. Nichols needed the big reveal fight at the end otherwise the wrong kind of tension would occur and make the romantic plot really shady.
I had hopes for this - suffering from a variety of anxieties myself, I wanted to have a second chance romance to really enjoy, but this left me feeling upset mostly.
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November 12, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/12/2018)! 💝
Blurb:
For two broken people, love was the biggest fear of all.
After her brother's suicide, Sophie built a life of solitude where she was safe from what scared her, which was practically everything. In middle school, she'd learned how easily trust could be broken, and blamed herself for her brother's death. Then a fire in her high rise resulted in her being her carried kicking and screaming into the world, forcing her to face her painful past if she wanted a chance at a better future with the one guy she'd never forgotten.
Firefighter Cam Everett wasn’t willing to let her perish in the flames. A former Marine, he'd been trained to never leave a man behind. Unfortunately, he'd never been taught how to let go of his past and life as a civilian was empty at best, painful at worst. On a routine call to a high rise fire, he rescued her, but in order to move forward she'd need to save him too.
Their only chance of survival was each other. Their only chance at redemption was a heartbeat away.
Blurb:
For two broken people, love was the biggest fear of all.
After her brother's suicide, Sophie built a life of solitude where she was safe from what scared her, which was practically everything. In middle school, she'd learned how easily trust could be broken, and blamed herself for her brother's death. Then a fire in her high rise resulted in her being her carried kicking and screaming into the world, forcing her to face her painful past if she wanted a chance at a better future with the one guy she'd never forgotten.
Firefighter Cam Everett wasn’t willing to let her perish in the flames. A former Marine, he'd been trained to never leave a man behind. Unfortunately, he'd never been taught how to let go of his past and life as a civilian was empty at best, painful at worst. On a routine call to a high rise fire, he rescued her, but in order to move forward she'd need to save him too.
Their only chance of survival was each other. Their only chance at redemption was a heartbeat away.
March 20, 2018
I'm sitting here looking at the blinking cursor and realizing I haven't quite recovered from the book yet. I'm wondering: how do I put into words what this book just asked me to experience? The emotional undertow is sometimes overwhelming; tackling some really big subjects like love, loss, life, death, second chances, and redemption. And they're all handled with such a deft touch that you really don't realize just how deep the subject matter is until you're in over your head. Their story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The demons Sophie and Cam are fighting are huge and some of those demons have been haunting them for most of their lives. Their battles are told with such a sensitivity, that I'm in awe of the author's care and attention.
March 20, 2018
Thanks to the title I figured that Emma Nichols novel "Love & Other Phobias" had something to do with Phobias. I never imagine she would touch base on two of the most devastating phobias ever, Depression and Anxiety. This are two of the hardest phobias to live with and people that do amaze me. This is a second chance romance, it is very well written and a very quick read.
Sophie has had some things happen to her that has caused her to have phobias that make it very hard for her to live her life like a normal person. When he high rise apartment building catches fire she makes the decision that she is staying put even if firefighters are banging on the door.
Cam Everett lives by the saying "never leave anyone behind" thanks to the the time he spent as a Marine. Now he is using that same saying when he is sent up to rescue a woman who is still in her high rise apartment. She refuses to leave, he refuses to leave her behind so he does what he needs to, to keep her safe even if that means throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her down to safety.
Will everything go according to Cam's plan and will he get his redemption or will everything blow up in his face and he will lose everything he has ever dreamed of. You need to read the book to find out!
Sophie has had some things happen to her that has caused her to have phobias that make it very hard for her to live her life like a normal person. When he high rise apartment building catches fire she makes the decision that she is staying put even if firefighters are banging on the door.
Cam Everett lives by the saying "never leave anyone behind" thanks to the the time he spent as a Marine. Now he is using that same saying when he is sent up to rescue a woman who is still in her high rise apartment. She refuses to leave, he refuses to leave her behind so he does what he needs to, to keep her safe even if that means throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her down to safety.
Will everything go according to Cam's plan and will he get his redemption or will everything blow up in his face and he will lose everything he has ever dreamed of. You need to read the book to find out!
March 1, 2018
💕🔥Eminently enjoyable second chance romance for two young, wounded souls💕
February 28, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
👍👍Great 💗 romance and well-written story, I really liked the MCs Sophie and Cam, and Sophie's "best friend" Katie and Sam's brother P.J. were their perfect foils. Sophie had one super troubled adolescence and, professionally, pushed past it to success, but her emotional life never really recovered. Cam is a wounded warrior veteran with PTSD issues but with a constant hidden hope for another chance with the girl he's always wanted.
The author provided a truly enjoyable read with a bit of steam mixed into a fast-paced plot with some excellent twists and relatable characters. The inclusion of depression, suicide, PTSD, anxiety issues and social media bullying all enriched this contemporary romance. Despite all of the obstacles, I really wanted this couple to make it (and some Karma for Katie and P.J.). Nichols kept their story gripping throughout and the finale was like the cherry atop a good sundae!:-)
The only issue I had with the story was Sophie's refusal to acknowledge her friend's culpability for her shame from the get go. Shame on you, Katie!!
February 28, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
👍👍Great 💗 romance and well-written story, I really liked the MCs Sophie and Cam, and Sophie's "best friend" Katie and Sam's brother P.J. were their perfect foils. Sophie had one super troubled adolescence and, professionally, pushed past it to success, but her emotional life never really recovered. Cam is a wounded warrior veteran with PTSD issues but with a constant hidden hope for another chance with the girl he's always wanted.
The author provided a truly enjoyable read with a bit of steam mixed into a fast-paced plot with some excellent twists and relatable characters. The inclusion of depression, suicide, PTSD, anxiety issues and social media bullying all enriched this contemporary romance. Despite all of the obstacles, I really wanted this couple to make it (and some Karma for Katie and P.J.). Nichols kept their story gripping throughout and the finale was like the cherry atop a good sundae!:-)
The only issue I had with the story was Sophie's refusal to acknowledge her friend's culpability for her shame from the get go. Shame on you, Katie!!
February 20, 2018
Phonominal. Love can always conquer all.
Amazing story about fear love and battling inner demons. Sophie and Cam have loved each other their entire lives, but a misunderstanding and then a tragedy ripped them apart. Years later fate brought them back together and Cam was determined to never let her go. Through understanding and patience and battling his own demons he fights to keep them together. Sophie who's afraid of everything after the traumatic experience of her childhood can't help but to be drawm to Cam and she can't understand why she has this unexplainable pull towards this fireman who litterally swept her off of her feet. After everything she's endured she finds herself fighting all of her phobias because of him, and finally becomes the person she's always wanted to be. This is a wonderful story with amazing character development.
Amazing story about fear love and battling inner demons. Sophie and Cam have loved each other their entire lives, but a misunderstanding and then a tragedy ripped them apart. Years later fate brought them back together and Cam was determined to never let her go. Through understanding and patience and battling his own demons he fights to keep them together. Sophie who's afraid of everything after the traumatic experience of her childhood can't help but to be drawm to Cam and she can't understand why she has this unexplainable pull towards this fireman who litterally swept her off of her feet. After everything she's endured she finds herself fighting all of her phobias because of him, and finally becomes the person she's always wanted to be. This is a wonderful story with amazing character development.
March 4, 2018
I really enjoyed Sophie and Cameron's story of brokeness and healing. Several things that happened felt quick. The pace at which things seemed to develop were literally overnight. Until you realize this has been slow cooking for years, though, only one of them really knows this. This is a story of heartbreak, tragedy, friendships, love and hate, and second chances. I enjoyed every page and did not put this book down until I was finished. There were a couple of places that I questioned, but I was extremely happy that I gave this author a try. The pacing was appropriate for the story. The characters were interesting. There was some adult language, but it was used sparingly. There was drinking and there were adult scenes, though not erotica. A good lazy day quick read.
February 27, 2018
A great read!
Cameron has been in love with Sophie for forever, but she left town after a tragedy and he never saw her again. Until now that is. Sophie was betrayed by the boy she loved, and that led to the worst time of her life. Now she rarely leaves the safety of her home. But all that changes when she's rescued by a hot fire fighter. Can she learn to trust in love again? Or will she get burnt for the second time?
I loved this book. It's sweet and sad in places, with an exciting storyline and great characters, good and bad. You definitely won't want to miss it!
I received this copy free from Booksprout.
Cameron has been in love with Sophie for forever, but she left town after a tragedy and he never saw her again. Until now that is. Sophie was betrayed by the boy she loved, and that led to the worst time of her life. Now she rarely leaves the safety of her home. But all that changes when she's rescued by a hot fire fighter. Can she learn to trust in love again? Or will she get burnt for the second time?
I loved this book. It's sweet and sad in places, with an exciting storyline and great characters, good and bad. You definitely won't want to miss it!
I received this copy free from Booksprout.
March 26, 2018
Love and other Phobias is a story about Sophie who has experienced so much in her 23 years. First there is a sexting incident that causes shame on her and her family. There is also her brother who has batteling depression and after the sexting incident ends his own life. For years Sophie has blamed herself for all of the bad things that have happened in her life. She starts a business with her best friend Katie and she is able to do well in life, but her phobias keep her from living a normal life. All of this changes when her building cathes fire and a sexy fireman named Cam has to litterly carry her from the building to save her life.
February 21, 2018
Life is never as simple.
Although it should be. We deal with interference from others at all times. Family being the foundation we should build from. When that fails and false friends destroy us for their entertainment or gain... How we survive depends on our personal streangth. If only we can find enough to find our happy ending.
Although it should be. We deal with interference from others at all times. Family being the foundation we should build from. When that fails and false friends destroy us for their entertainment or gain... How we survive depends on our personal streangth. If only we can find enough to find our happy ending.
June 14, 2018
I absolutely adored this book. I read a lot of lighthearted romance novels, but this was different. It was a truly emotional story that actually brought tears to my eyes several times. The erotic scenes were sweet, and loving. The emotions expressed between the two characters seemed genuine and really drew you in.
September 18, 2018
Overall good reading.
January 17, 2019
Lovely
I loved this beautiful love story. A story of Broken hearts, misguided trust and friendships broken. I loved it. A definite must read.
I loved this beautiful love story. A story of Broken hearts, misguided trust and friendships broken. I loved it. A definite must read.
January 30, 2019
A must read
I loved this book. It was absolutely beautiful. The plot was awesome and I really enjoyed reading about Sophie and Cameron.
I loved this book. It was absolutely beautiful. The plot was awesome and I really enjoyed reading about Sophie and Cameron.
Read
July 15, 2019I bought Love and Other Phobias because I loved the title. As I was reading I fell for Sophie and Cam too. This book is a sweet romance about true love and broken people. I loved it!!! A must read!!
January 2, 2022
Ok.
I liked this enough to want to finish reading it but, overall, it just didn’t seem realistic. Considering it was a contemporary romance, that just seemed off to me.
I liked this enough to want to finish reading it but, overall, it just didn’t seem realistic. Considering it was a contemporary romance, that just seemed off to me.
Read
July 18, 2018Very emotional and interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews