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Cordially Invited #2
The Designated +1
6 weddings, 2 old friends, 1 childhood crush that left her crushed.
Hadley isn’t exactly leading a life that anyone would call #goals: living with her parents and walking dogs for money. This should be the perfect time to avoid seeing too many people, so the half dozen wedding invitations waiting for her RSVP feel awfully judgey. Especially the one from her childhood crush.
So when Hadley runs into her old friend, Will, who seems to be a fellow resident of Loserville, she wonders if they can’t help each other out. A simple agreement to avoid banishment to the dreaded Singles’ Table.
All Hadley wants is show her childhood crush what he’s been missing all these years. Chicken or beef? If it’s up to her, this groom is going to eat his heart out.
Even if he is Will’s brother.
The Designted +1 is a Stand-Alone Romantic Comedy. Each book in the Cordially Invited Series can be read as a stand-alone
Hadley isn’t exactly leading a life that anyone would call #goals: living with her parents and walking dogs for money. This should be the perfect time to avoid seeing too many people, so the half dozen wedding invitations waiting for her RSVP feel awfully judgey. Especially the one from her childhood crush.
So when Hadley runs into her old friend, Will, who seems to be a fellow resident of Loserville, she wonders if they can’t help each other out. A simple agreement to avoid banishment to the dreaded Singles’ Table.
All Hadley wants is show her childhood crush what he’s been missing all these years. Chicken or beef? If it’s up to her, this groom is going to eat his heart out.
Even if he is Will’s brother.
The Designted +1 is a Stand-Alone Romantic Comedy. Each book in the Cordially Invited Series can be read as a stand-alone
210 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2017
46 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Cahill
12 books254 followersWant to be the first to know the latest releases and giveaways from Ellie? Sign up for Ellie's newsletter to get a free epilogue to CALL ME, MAYBE!
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Ellie Cahill is the author of the Cordially Invited series, including I Temporarily Do, as well as stand-alone romantic comedies like When Joss Met Matt, Call Me Maybe, and Just a Girl. Ellie is also the not-at-all secret pen name of Young Adult author Liz Czukas (Ask Again Later, and Top Ten Clues You're Clueless). Liz's books are often compared to John Hughes movies, while Ellie usually gets compared to Nora Ephron. Either way, if you like a good 80s rom-com, you've found the right place. When they're not writing fun, funny romances full of shenanigans and awkward kisses, Liz and Ellie are at home with their family and a golden retriever with different ideas about the definition of "dog bed."
You'll find Ellie on Facebook and Twitter (@ellie_cahill) but you'll more easily find Liz in those same places as well as Instagram and Tumblr. You'll find either one of them parked in front of the TV every Sunday night getting their fill of Zombies, Westeros, The Doctor, or any other place where cute English guys fight evil.
Speed round: sweet tea, Hufflepuff, dark chocolate, cheese is the perfect food, Go Badgers, and Han shot first.
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Ellie Cahill is the author of the Cordially Invited series, including I Temporarily Do, as well as stand-alone romantic comedies like When Joss Met Matt, Call Me Maybe, and Just a Girl. Ellie is also the not-at-all secret pen name of Young Adult author Liz Czukas (Ask Again Later, and Top Ten Clues You're Clueless). Liz's books are often compared to John Hughes movies, while Ellie usually gets compared to Nora Ephron. Either way, if you like a good 80s rom-com, you've found the right place. When they're not writing fun, funny romances full of shenanigans and awkward kisses, Liz and Ellie are at home with their family and a golden retriever with different ideas about the definition of "dog bed."
You'll find Ellie on Facebook and Twitter (@ellie_cahill) but you'll more easily find Liz in those same places as well as Instagram and Tumblr. You'll find either one of them parked in front of the TV every Sunday night getting their fill of Zombies, Westeros, The Doctor, or any other place where cute English guys fight evil.
Speed round: sweet tea, Hufflepuff, dark chocolate, cheese is the perfect food, Go Badgers, and Han shot first.
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AMAZON
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
June 24, 2020
While technically second in a series, they're only barely related and it actually lives up to "a Stand-Alone Romantic Comedy". There's a single reference to the couple in the first but it's not intrusive or important.
And I'm happy to say that this was as good as the first, though in its own way. It doesn't have any stand-out tropes or patterns to crib from. Yeah, they knew each other as kids but there was never anything there until they discover each other in the present. And I really liked seeing them discover each other.
As in the first, this is a single PoV story and it works well as such. I liked Hadley and that she has fallen into a job she kind of loves even as she knows it isn't exactly what she thought she'd be doing and it doesn't use any of the degree she has student loans for. I actually liked that about her and how she's strong enough to go with that even though it means several steps backward in the expected path (like moving back in with her mom). I liked even more that Cahill chose not to tie her character arc into finding some magical way to use that degree (though there was ample opportunity once she tied into Will who fixes houses and wants to make a go of flipping them professionally).
And I liked Will, too. He's struggling with kind of the same growth arc as he's working a job that he hates because it's what's expected of him while he works fervently on the side for the thing he actually cares about. And I really loved his appreciation for Hadley and that he cared about her even before they were a "thing". The two of them together were really sweet.
Their relationship was a pretty consistent growth with only a minor misapprehension near the end to spice things up. I liked that their friends intervened before it became dire and that the intervention was mostly just giving them the opportunity to talk. That's more lovely the more I consider it, actually.
Anyway, this is another strong five stars by the author and I'm increasingly distressed that she seems to have disappeared after 2017.
A note about production: It was present in the first book but I forgot to call it out. It's stronger in this one, though. Cahill needs a better (any?) copy editor. She's a talented writer, but there are lots of errors in the text that are pretty much all simple mistypings—usually to form a different word. Like "startling" becoming "starting". Or "form" becoming "for". It's too bad because sometimes it obscures how good she is that the words are wrong.
A note about Steamy: This has two explicit sex scenes, though the second is really short (and the first isn't that long, either) putting this at the low end of my steam tolerance. Again, it was just enough to show how the physical intimacy matches the emotional trajectory and a pretty good choice, I think.
And I'm happy to say that this was as good as the first, though in its own way. It doesn't have any stand-out tropes or patterns to crib from. Yeah, they knew each other as kids but there was never anything there until they discover each other in the present. And I really liked seeing them discover each other.
As in the first, this is a single PoV story and it works well as such. I liked Hadley and that she has fallen into a job she kind of loves even as she knows it isn't exactly what she thought she'd be doing and it doesn't use any of the degree she has student loans for. I actually liked that about her and how she's strong enough to go with that even though it means several steps backward in the expected path (like moving back in with her mom). I liked even more that Cahill chose not to tie her character arc into finding some magical way to use that degree (though there was ample opportunity once she tied into Will who fixes houses and wants to make a go of flipping them professionally).
And I liked Will, too. He's struggling with kind of the same growth arc as he's working a job that he hates because it's what's expected of him while he works fervently on the side for the thing he actually cares about. And I really loved his appreciation for Hadley and that he cared about her even before they were a "thing". The two of them together were really sweet.
Their relationship was a pretty consistent growth with only a minor misapprehension near the end to spice things up. I liked that their friends intervened before it became dire and that the intervention was mostly just giving them the opportunity to talk. That's more lovely the more I consider it, actually.
Anyway, this is another strong five stars by the author and I'm increasingly distressed that she seems to have disappeared after 2017.
A note about production: It was present in the first book but I forgot to call it out. It's stronger in this one, though. Cahill needs a better (any?) copy editor. She's a talented writer, but there are lots of errors in the text that are pretty much all simple mistypings—usually to form a different word. Like "startling" becoming "starting". Or "form" becoming "for". It's too bad because sometimes it obscures how good she is that the words are wrong.
A note about Steamy: This has two explicit sex scenes, though the second is really short (and the first isn't that long, either) putting this at the low end of my steam tolerance. Again, it was just enough to show how the physical intimacy matches the emotional trajectory and a pretty good choice, I think.
February 14, 2018
This author is a go-to for low angst fluffy romance without the over the top cheese. I would just say that if you're after any detailed sex you won't get that here but you will get a well written friends to lovers story.
November 26, 2017
I love all things Ellie Cahill and I couldn’t resist this synopsis.
Love love loved Hadley and Will. They’re both good people with amazing banter and chemistry. I loved seeing them pretend at weddings and it effortlessly turn into something more.
Plot wise, it was light and fluffy and I adored it. There’s a bit of conflict, but it’s short and so satisfyingly handled. Added bonus: lots of dogs and several murderino references.
Overall, it was a quick and super cute read. My only complaint is that I wanted more. I’ll definitely be reading this one again.
Love love loved Hadley and Will. They’re both good people with amazing banter and chemistry. I loved seeing them pretend at weddings and it effortlessly turn into something more.
Plot wise, it was light and fluffy and I adored it. There’s a bit of conflict, but it’s short and so satisfyingly handled. Added bonus: lots of dogs and several murderino references.
Overall, it was a quick and super cute read. My only complaint is that I wanted more. I’ll definitely be reading this one again.
June 19, 2018
3.75 stars. While this one wasn't as good as I Temporarily Do, it was still pretty cute. Friends to lovers is always a great trope. There was a history between Hadley and Will in that they were neighbors and grew up together before losing touch. She housesits and dogsits for a living while he works for his Father's construction company and simultaneously wants to flip houses. They discover that they're going to multiple weddings over the course of the summer and agree to be each other's plus 1 for all of them.
It was a fun concept and the dynamic between Hadley and Will was entertaining but it wasn't quite up to par with the first in the series. I did like the nod to the characters of the first. There was fun and sexy moments along with some cringey ones, which can never be avoided when there's miscommunication involved. And while I enjoyed this book (and read it in less than 2 hours), I think it could have benefited from being a little longer. Will's brother James seems to be reduced to a classic older brother pervert villain and there were no supporting characters that really stood out to me. I appreciated Will's drive to work on houses and Hadley's willingness to help him out. The author is good about the smooth transitions from friends to more but it might have happened a bit too quickly in this one.
It's still a good beach read! It's light and fluffy with little conflict.
It was a fun concept and the dynamic between Hadley and Will was entertaining but it wasn't quite up to par with the first in the series. I did like the nod to the characters of the first. There was fun and sexy moments along with some cringey ones, which can never be avoided when there's miscommunication involved. And while I enjoyed this book (and read it in less than 2 hours), I think it could have benefited from being a little longer. Will's brother James seems to be reduced to a classic older brother pervert villain and there were no supporting characters that really stood out to me. I appreciated Will's drive to work on houses and Hadley's willingness to help him out. The author is good about the smooth transitions from friends to more but it might have happened a bit too quickly in this one.
It's still a good beach read! It's light and fluffy with little conflict.
September 20, 2020
This was a sweet, fun contemporary romance. I really enjoyed both the h and H. Told from Hadley’s POV, there was a gradual evolution from friendship to something more exciting.
There were one or two sex scenes, but I don’t remember them being very explicit. I can’t remember. I think a few F-bombs? There was awesome kissing. :D
There were one or two sex scenes, but I don’t remember them being very explicit. I can’t remember. I think a few F-bombs? There was awesome kissing. :D
September 29, 2024
just reread it for the 3rd time and i love them more each time
October 16, 2020
Puedes encontrar esta reseña en español al final.
Color me surprised. As a general rule, I am not a fan of just romance, I prefer them with suspense or paranormal or fantasy or something that gives the story more output than just the relationship because, otherwise, I got bored with all the drama that (usually) entails the romance. Well, it hasn't happened here. Even though it was on the cards:
Told in the first person from the heroine´s POV.
New Adultish, due to the age of the protagonists (22 and 23, I think)
And only romance. Just a romance.
But it has worked. 4 stars or more, because the ingredients were not for this dish to turn out so nicely.
Another thing that has worked is the humor. Which is very difficult for me because English is not my language and either I don't understand it, or I don't really like it. But this story is full of funny (and ridiculous) moments that have made me laugh.
The MC´s are young. So young. And yet they already have more responsibilities on their shoulders than they should. That is one of the points that has worked, the characters are very mature and act like adults. Hence I won´t classify it as NA, because it generally carries more negative connotations (for me)
So, we have real people, living in a real and close world and with the same problems and dreams that I had at that age. And they are also good people. That has shocked me. This story is full of kind and empathetic people. There is the brainless scoundrel, yes, but that's it.
So when, for example, the heroine must go to a bachelorette party and (surprise!) she doesn't feel like going, she goes, and sees 90% of the girls a bit on the happy side drinking through straws decorated with *insert name of the male reproductive apparatus here* she knows she had two options, either she sulks all night long and spoils the party, or she joins the majority and go along with it. And she does the latter. And she has a great time.
The hero is a bit in the shadows, although the author gives us clues about what is going through his head, the one who calls the shots is the heroine. But he is also a charming character. I was really looking forward to seeing this couple together.
And their family was lovely.
And so were their friends.
I am not going to deny that at the climax of the story there has been some minimal misunderstanding or a scene a little more melodramatic than normal for real life, but at that point in the story it has been like adding a bit of salt to the meal and good riddance to the high blood pressure.
So a very sweet, funny and low-drama story that has worked famously for me, to change the scene between suspense and science fiction.
***
Esta historia me ha sorprendido. Por regla general no soy muy fan de los romances a secas, los prefiero con suspense o paranormal o fantasía o algo que le dé a la historia más salida que la de la relación porque si no me aburro como una ostra con todo el drama que (suele) conlleva(r). Pues aquí no ha pasado. Y eso que tenía todas las papeletas:
Contada en primera persona desde el punto de vista de la heroína.
Algo de New Adult, por la edad de los protagonistas (22 y 23, creo)
Y sólo romance. A secas.
Y ha funcionado. 4 estrellas o más, porque los ingredientes no eran para que saliese este plato.
Otra cosa que ha funcionado es el humor. Cosa muy difícil para mí porque el inglés no es mi idioma y, o bien no lo entiendo, o bien directamente no me hace gracia. Pero esta historia está llena de momentos divertidos (y ridículos) que me han hecho reír.
Los protagonistas son jóvenes. Muy jóvenes. Y aún así ya tienen más responsabilidades en sus hombros que las que deberían. Ese es uno de los puntos que ha funcionado, los personajes son muy maduros y actúan como adultos. De ahí que no lo clasifique como NA, que generalmente lleva connotaciones más negativas (para mí)
Así que tenemos gente real, viviendo en un mundo real y cercano y con los mismos problemas e ilusiones que tenía yo a esa edad. Y además son buenas personas. Eso me ha impactado. La historia está llena de gente amable y empática. Está el chulito descerebrado, eso sí, pero ya está.
Así que cuando, por poner un ejemplo, la heroína tiene que ir a una despedida de soltera a la que (¡sorpresa!) no le apetece ir, llega y ve al 90% de las chicas contentillas y con sus cañitas con *insertar aquí nombre del aparato reproductor masculino* incluido, decide que o se lleva toda la noche de morros y les amarga la fiesta, o se une a la mayoría y que sea lo que dios quiera. Y hace lo último. Y se lo pasa genial.
El héroe queda un poco en la sombra, aunque la autora nos da pistas de lo que pasa por su cabeza, la que lleva la voz cantante es la heroína. Pero también es un personaje encantador. Yo estaba deseando ver a esta pareja junta, la verdad.
Y su familia (la de ambos) encantadora.
Y lo mismo sus amigo/as.
No voy a negar que llegados al punto álgido de la historia no haya habido algún malentendido o alguna escena un pelín más melodramático de lo normal para la vida real, pero a esas alturas de la historia ha sido como ponerle un poco de sal a la comida y que le den a la tensión alta, la verdad.
Así que una historia muy dulce, divertida y baja en drama que me ha venido super bien para cambiar de aires entre suspense y ciencia ficción.
Color me surprised. As a general rule, I am not a fan of just romance, I prefer them with suspense or paranormal or fantasy or something that gives the story more output than just the relationship because, otherwise, I got bored with all the drama that (usually) entails the romance. Well, it hasn't happened here. Even though it was on the cards:
Told in the first person from the heroine´s POV.
New Adultish, due to the age of the protagonists (22 and 23, I think)
And only romance. Just a romance.
But it has worked. 4 stars or more, because the ingredients were not for this dish to turn out so nicely.
Another thing that has worked is the humor. Which is very difficult for me because English is not my language and either I don't understand it, or I don't really like it. But this story is full of funny (and ridiculous) moments that have made me laugh.
The MC´s are young. So young. And yet they already have more responsibilities on their shoulders than they should. That is one of the points that has worked, the characters are very mature and act like adults. Hence I won´t classify it as NA, because it generally carries more negative connotations (for me)
So, we have real people, living in a real and close world and with the same problems and dreams that I had at that age. And they are also good people. That has shocked me. This story is full of kind and empathetic people. There is the brainless scoundrel, yes, but that's it.
So when, for example, the heroine must go to a bachelorette party and (surprise!) she doesn't feel like going, she goes, and sees 90% of the girls a bit on the happy side drinking through straws decorated with *insert name of the male reproductive apparatus here* she knows she had two options, either she sulks all night long and spoils the party, or she joins the majority and go along with it. And she does the latter. And she has a great time.
The hero is a bit in the shadows, although the author gives us clues about what is going through his head, the one who calls the shots is the heroine. But he is also a charming character. I was really looking forward to seeing this couple together.
And their family was lovely.
And so were their friends.
I am not going to deny that at the climax of the story there has been some minimal misunderstanding or a scene a little more melodramatic than normal for real life, but at that point in the story it has been like adding a bit of salt to the meal and good riddance to the high blood pressure.
So a very sweet, funny and low-drama story that has worked famously for me, to change the scene between suspense and science fiction.
***
Esta historia me ha sorprendido. Por regla general no soy muy fan de los romances a secas, los prefiero con suspense o paranormal o fantasía o algo que le dé a la historia más salida que la de la relación porque si no me aburro como una ostra con todo el drama que (suele) conlleva(r). Pues aquí no ha pasado. Y eso que tenía todas las papeletas:
Contada en primera persona desde el punto de vista de la heroína.
Algo de New Adult, por la edad de los protagonistas (22 y 23, creo)
Y sólo romance. A secas.
Y ha funcionado. 4 estrellas o más, porque los ingredientes no eran para que saliese este plato.
Otra cosa que ha funcionado es el humor. Cosa muy difícil para mí porque el inglés no es mi idioma y, o bien no lo entiendo, o bien directamente no me hace gracia. Pero esta historia está llena de momentos divertidos (y ridículos) que me han hecho reír.
Los protagonistas son jóvenes. Muy jóvenes. Y aún así ya tienen más responsabilidades en sus hombros que las que deberían. Ese es uno de los puntos que ha funcionado, los personajes son muy maduros y actúan como adultos. De ahí que no lo clasifique como NA, que generalmente lleva connotaciones más negativas (para mí)
Así que tenemos gente real, viviendo en un mundo real y cercano y con los mismos problemas e ilusiones que tenía yo a esa edad. Y además son buenas personas. Eso me ha impactado. La historia está llena de gente amable y empática. Está el chulito descerebrado, eso sí, pero ya está.
Así que cuando, por poner un ejemplo, la heroína tiene que ir a una despedida de soltera a la que (¡sorpresa!) no le apetece ir, llega y ve al 90% de las chicas contentillas y con sus cañitas con *insertar aquí nombre del aparato reproductor masculino* incluido, decide que o se lleva toda la noche de morros y les amarga la fiesta, o se une a la mayoría y que sea lo que dios quiera. Y hace lo último. Y se lo pasa genial.
El héroe queda un poco en la sombra, aunque la autora nos da pistas de lo que pasa por su cabeza, la que lleva la voz cantante es la heroína. Pero también es un personaje encantador. Yo estaba deseando ver a esta pareja junta, la verdad.
Y su familia (la de ambos) encantadora.
Y lo mismo sus amigo/as.
No voy a negar que llegados al punto álgido de la historia no haya habido algún malentendido o alguna escena un pelín más melodramático de lo normal para la vida real, pero a esas alturas de la historia ha sido como ponerle un poco de sal a la comida y que le den a la tensión alta, la verdad.
Así que una historia muy dulce, divertida y baja en drama que me ha venido super bien para cambiar de aires entre suspense y ciencia ficción.
July 23, 2021
I enjoyed this second book in the Cordially Invited series almost as much as I did the first. It barely ties into that first book, so it works well as a stand-alone novel. Hadley is living back at home and running a dog walking service when she runs into Will, younger brother of her brother's friend (and childhood crush). Hadley was basically humiliated and treated like a child when she confessed her love to James when she was 18 years old. She's moved on ... sort of ... but she she still harbors a bit of a sore heart when it comes to James. During a summer of a near constant weddings of friends and family, Will and Hadley devise a system to keep them from suffering the irritations that come from sitting at the singles tables at all of these wedding receptions. One thing leads to another, and Will and Hadley become close friends (and more) over the summer.
Like the first book in the series, this was a little shorter than the average adult contemporary romance, and I appreciated the length. There was the right amount of pages in this story to tell a compelling and sweet story without a ton of extra drama to weigh the story down. There is a huge backstory here because Will and Hadley basically grew up together in a close-knit neighborhood, but other than her recollection of her embarrassing encounter with James at 18 or her thoughts of her awkwardness as a teen, little time is spent on that backstory. It is enough to know that Hadley was totally infatuated with the much older James who always saw her as a kid, and she didn't really notice anyone else in her youth. Going along with this story line, I will say that I REALLY appreciated that Hadley's young love for James didn't really overwhelm the story here. It was always sort of there in the background because she wanted to show him she was grown up and over him as she attended his wedding, and I can understand that need. Doesn't this happen at high school reunions all the time? But as Hadley finds herself hanging out with Will throughout the summer she barely thinks about James. There are moments when she compares the two, but it always ends with Will coming out as the more desirable man. Thank goodness for that. It would have gotten REALLY old to have her pining over James when it was obvious that she clicked with Will.
Having said that, I was super worried that this was going to turn into one of those stories where Hadley has obviously fallen in love with Will, only to ignore the feelings of her heart as she pushes to get the love of James. I was feeling all the feels as Hadley and Will were falling in love, but I could feel the story heading into irritating territory. I was ready to call it quits so I wouldn't lose the good feelings I had. I guess this is a slight spoiler, but I'm glad that Hadley never really goes after James. Those feelings of infatuation of her youth are like echoes in her psyche, but she really has moved on. Once she falls for Will, she's all in. It takes both Will and Hadley a second to label what they are doing, but it's obvious that they work well together.
I think that there were some missed opportunities to deepen this story. Will's relationship with his family was a super important part of who he was, but it wasn't really developed all that much. I wish more time had been spent on this. I thought his desire to break away from the family business to do his own thing would be super interesting to explore. I also felt like the little blip that came in the Will and Hadley's relationship at the end of the story was super frustrating. It was quick, but I always get irritated when a person who is good friends with another person is so quick to believe the worst in their friend. I feel like a willingness to do this shows that this couple needs some more time to develop their relationship before we head into HEA territory.
Also, this is a small point, but I kind of hated that James ended up being such a tool. Why couldn't he have been fairly good, but just not quite as awesome as teenage Hadley thought he was? I thought it was a bit too easy to have Hadley choose Will when James was so obviously disgusting as a person. He could have been shown to be different than Will, but not awful, but Ellie Cahill took the easy way out here. Like I say ... a small point, but another missed opportunity.
But, I will say that I did like Will and Hadley as main characters here. I wanted to know them more, and I wanted for them to find their HEA. This book didn't quite rise to the level of the first book in the series, but I liked it a lot. I give it four stars.
Like the first book in the series, this was a little shorter than the average adult contemporary romance, and I appreciated the length. There was the right amount of pages in this story to tell a compelling and sweet story without a ton of extra drama to weigh the story down. There is a huge backstory here because Will and Hadley basically grew up together in a close-knit neighborhood, but other than her recollection of her embarrassing encounter with James at 18 or her thoughts of her awkwardness as a teen, little time is spent on that backstory. It is enough to know that Hadley was totally infatuated with the much older James who always saw her as a kid, and she didn't really notice anyone else in her youth. Going along with this story line, I will say that I REALLY appreciated that Hadley's young love for James didn't really overwhelm the story here. It was always sort of there in the background because she wanted to show him she was grown up and over him as she attended his wedding, and I can understand that need. Doesn't this happen at high school reunions all the time? But as Hadley finds herself hanging out with Will throughout the summer she barely thinks about James. There are moments when she compares the two, but it always ends with Will coming out as the more desirable man. Thank goodness for that. It would have gotten REALLY old to have her pining over James when it was obvious that she clicked with Will.
Having said that, I was super worried that this was going to turn into one of those stories where Hadley has obviously fallen in love with Will, only to ignore the feelings of her heart as she pushes to get the love of James. I was feeling all the feels as Hadley and Will were falling in love, but I could feel the story heading into irritating territory. I was ready to call it quits so I wouldn't lose the good feelings I had. I guess this is a slight spoiler, but I'm glad that Hadley never really goes after James. Those feelings of infatuation of her youth are like echoes in her psyche, but she really has moved on. Once she falls for Will, she's all in. It takes both Will and Hadley a second to label what they are doing, but it's obvious that they work well together.
I think that there were some missed opportunities to deepen this story. Will's relationship with his family was a super important part of who he was, but it wasn't really developed all that much. I wish more time had been spent on this. I thought his desire to break away from the family business to do his own thing would be super interesting to explore. I also felt like the little blip that came in the Will and Hadley's relationship at the end of the story was super frustrating. It was quick, but I always get irritated when a person who is good friends with another person is so quick to believe the worst in their friend. I feel like a willingness to do this shows that this couple needs some more time to develop their relationship before we head into HEA territory.
Also, this is a small point, but I kind of hated that James ended up being such a tool. Why couldn't he have been fairly good, but just not quite as awesome as teenage Hadley thought he was? I thought it was a bit too easy to have Hadley choose Will when James was so obviously disgusting as a person. He could have been shown to be different than Will, but not awful, but Ellie Cahill took the easy way out here. Like I say ... a small point, but another missed opportunity.
But, I will say that I did like Will and Hadley as main characters here. I wanted to know them more, and I wanted for them to find their HEA. This book didn't quite rise to the level of the first book in the series, but I liked it a lot. I give it four stars.
May 29, 2021
I gave the first book in this series 4 stars, so this one was a letdown for me. First, I couldn't figure out how this story was even connected to the first one. Both of the couples bond over a "weird" (author's word) shared interest? Late in the book there is a throw away paragraph about how Will got an invitation to the wedding of the first couple. He was one of the roommates at the start of the first book. It doesn't really work, because those guys were just kinda props in the first one. Just bodies to explain why the first couple was living together in the first place. "Oh, there were 3 guys and 3 girls living like family." The other 2 girls get a touch of personality, but we learn almost nothing about the boys before they are jettisoned without a goodbye. These books are told completely from the woman's perspective, so connecting the 2 books is a bit arbitrary. This should have been told from Will's perspective.
In this book, I warmed up to the inner monologue of the protagonist right away. She's funny and the kind of person you would want to hang out with... Which makes it strange that over the course of this book you realize that she has zero friends. None. She really loves dogs more than people, huh? She has lived in this town all of her life, and she has no friends? Sure, she's invited to a ridiculous number of weddings, but she very clearly lets you know that these are ALL childhood friends that know absolutely nothing about her now... but are close enough to invite both her AND her mom to their wedding? Maybe other people understand this smaller town dynamic, but I grew up in the suburbs, and weddings are expensive. You don't just invite the mom of every kid you ever played dress-up with.
Is it even a small town? The town's vibe is not totally explained in the story. At the start, it sounds more like a suburb (I guess outside of Austin Texas). If it's not a small town, why is her mom physically showing up everywhere, and yet barely a real character in the book? I don't think it's mentioned that all of the neighborhood moms are a tight-knit group, in a book club or something. Who knows? We certainly don't, as the relationship between mother and daughter itself is barely explored and not at all resolved at the end of the book. No conversation about moving out, about how her mom treats her like a kid, or about how her mom doesn't respect her business. Mom remains a mystery.
As to unresolved family, it is mentioned twice in passing that Hadley Bradley's brother was childhood besties with James Brady, her childhood crush. Other than that, I think perhaps it is said that her brother moved out at age 14 (which I found confusing) and he is never mentioned again. Why is she at James' wedding and her brother isn't there, isn't even talked about? Yeah, she walks the Brady parents dog, but they aren't really in the book either except for a few vague words between Will and his mom at the very end. It makes no sense.
The missing Brady parents are especially perplexing because they feature so heavily in Will's story. Will is obviously based on Bill Pullman's from character from "While You Were Sleeping". He's the nice, scruffy blonde who wants to work with his hands and doesn't want to take over the family business. James Brady is the dark haired, handsome brother who likes business suits and is a total dummy and jackass (Peter Gallagher's character.) Will is constantly dancing around his work issues and how his father and brother don't respect his dreams. The only time Hadley Bradley tries to talk to him about it, he shuts her down. This is his only real character arc, and it is abandoned by the end, totally unresolved. He doesn't even make a decision on it and tell us that he will resolve the issue with his family, later, offscreen. Nothing... So his character has literally ZERO development, plot, or purpose other than to make out with our heroine.
Not that we are necessarily rooting hard for Will. Many readers are willing to overlook structural problems in fluffy romance books because they are just there for the swoon. That's fair, I've done that. I personally don't like that he continues the older-brother-style teasing with her now that they are adults. Some people might like that vibe. It lightens as the book goes on, but I don't dig that "kid sister" vibe between two people that are going to have sex. I don't love their connection the way I did the couple from the first book. Next, she gets hurt repeatedly on his construction site so that they can have intimate moments. He is a construction expert, that wants to start his own company, but he doesn't take safety seriously. That's a "yikes" from me. Trying to not be spoilery, but Hadley Bradley's shoes? Hadley Bradley deliberately smashes a toilet without safety goggles? The fire ant scene? Top to bottom, it's a no. I live in Florida, and we have fire ants. Everyone I know has stepped into a fire ant mound at some point. She continues to carry something while fire ants swarm to her scalp? Then everything that happens after the ants... nope.
I was ok through most of this. Then we got to James' wedding, and Will does what he does, though he knows these people the way he does. Red flags on everything. Ridiculousness all of the way around. Book lost a whole star just in those last chapters.
Lastly, her full name is Hadley Bradley? Some people just get the full name treatment everytime. I know a few people like that in real life and if I knew Hadley Bradley, I would always call her Hadley Bradley. The little bit at the beginning, where she says her mom wants her to get married and change her last name? Well, that's just totally psycho, and it's the most interesting thing about the mom. Hadley BRADleY is obviously destined to become Hadley BRADY. Why are they named Bradley and Brady? That's too close, and it's not even a plot point. Not mentioned at all. I accidently swapped the names while I was writing this review, so I can't imagine what it was like to keep it straight while writing the book. It's beyond unnecessary.
This soured me on this author. I paid for this second ebook and disliked it, and I loved the first one that I got for free on Amazon. Maybe that makes me even with the author? Don't know if I will pick her up again.
In this book, I warmed up to the inner monologue of the protagonist right away. She's funny and the kind of person you would want to hang out with... Which makes it strange that over the course of this book you realize that she has zero friends. None. She really loves dogs more than people, huh? She has lived in this town all of her life, and she has no friends? Sure, she's invited to a ridiculous number of weddings, but she very clearly lets you know that these are ALL childhood friends that know absolutely nothing about her now... but are close enough to invite both her AND her mom to their wedding? Maybe other people understand this smaller town dynamic, but I grew up in the suburbs, and weddings are expensive. You don't just invite the mom of every kid you ever played dress-up with.
Is it even a small town? The town's vibe is not totally explained in the story. At the start, it sounds more like a suburb (I guess outside of Austin Texas). If it's not a small town, why is her mom physically showing up everywhere, and yet barely a real character in the book? I don't think it's mentioned that all of the neighborhood moms are a tight-knit group, in a book club or something. Who knows? We certainly don't, as the relationship between mother and daughter itself is barely explored and not at all resolved at the end of the book. No conversation about moving out, about how her mom treats her like a kid, or about how her mom doesn't respect her business. Mom remains a mystery.
As to unresolved family, it is mentioned twice in passing that Hadley Bradley's brother was childhood besties with James Brady, her childhood crush. Other than that, I think perhaps it is said that her brother moved out at age 14 (which I found confusing) and he is never mentioned again. Why is she at James' wedding and her brother isn't there, isn't even talked about? Yeah, she walks the Brady parents dog, but they aren't really in the book either except for a few vague words between Will and his mom at the very end. It makes no sense.
The missing Brady parents are especially perplexing because they feature so heavily in Will's story. Will is obviously based on Bill Pullman's from character from "While You Were Sleeping". He's the nice, scruffy blonde who wants to work with his hands and doesn't want to take over the family business. James Brady is the dark haired, handsome brother who likes business suits and is a total dummy and jackass (Peter Gallagher's character.) Will is constantly dancing around his work issues and how his father and brother don't respect his dreams. The only time Hadley Bradley tries to talk to him about it, he shuts her down. This is his only real character arc, and it is abandoned by the end, totally unresolved. He doesn't even make a decision on it and tell us that he will resolve the issue with his family, later, offscreen. Nothing... So his character has literally ZERO development, plot, or purpose other than to make out with our heroine.
Not that we are necessarily rooting hard for Will. Many readers are willing to overlook structural problems in fluffy romance books because they are just there for the swoon. That's fair, I've done that. I personally don't like that he continues the older-brother-style teasing with her now that they are adults. Some people might like that vibe. It lightens as the book goes on, but I don't dig that "kid sister" vibe between two people that are going to have sex. I don't love their connection the way I did the couple from the first book. Next, she gets hurt repeatedly on his construction site so that they can have intimate moments. He is a construction expert, that wants to start his own company, but he doesn't take safety seriously. That's a "yikes" from me. Trying to not be spoilery, but Hadley Bradley's shoes? Hadley Bradley deliberately smashes a toilet without safety goggles? The fire ant scene? Top to bottom, it's a no. I live in Florida, and we have fire ants. Everyone I know has stepped into a fire ant mound at some point. She continues to carry something while fire ants swarm to her scalp? Then everything that happens after the ants... nope.
I was ok through most of this. Then we got to James' wedding, and Will does what he does, though he knows these people the way he does. Red flags on everything. Ridiculousness all of the way around. Book lost a whole star just in those last chapters.
Lastly, her full name is Hadley Bradley? Some people just get the full name treatment everytime. I know a few people like that in real life and if I knew Hadley Bradley, I would always call her Hadley Bradley. The little bit at the beginning, where she says her mom wants her to get married and change her last name? Well, that's just totally psycho, and it's the most interesting thing about the mom. Hadley BRADleY is obviously destined to become Hadley BRADY. Why are they named Bradley and Brady? That's too close, and it's not even a plot point. Not mentioned at all. I accidently swapped the names while I was writing this review, so I can't imagine what it was like to keep it straight while writing the book. It's beyond unnecessary.
This soured me on this author. I paid for this second ebook and disliked it, and I loved the first one that I got for free on Amazon. Maybe that makes me even with the author? Don't know if I will pick her up again.
September 3, 2024
short and sweet! this series’s so addicting…
July 7, 2022
3.75 stars. This was fun but not as good as the first one. They knew each other as children but she had a crush on his brother. The forced proximity of the fake dating along with deeper friendship makes them see each other in a new light. But, this felt more new adult. They just feel so young.
The spiciest scene takes place in his childhood bedroom, which just feels weird. And the climatic drama occurs when he doesn’t believe her. I don’t like the lack of trust in my relationships and he didn’t come close to groveling enough to make me okay. But, this book is still pretty good.
No OW/OM drama. They get a HFN. But it definitely feels like it would’ve been too soon for them to get married.
The spiciest scene takes place in his childhood bedroom, which just feels weird. And the climatic drama occurs when he doesn’t believe her. I don’t like the lack of trust in my relationships and he didn’t come close to groveling enough to make me okay. But, this book is still pretty good.
No OW/OM drama. They get a HFN. But it definitely feels like it would’ve been too soon for them to get married.
January 27, 2022
Cute read. Some things I really liked, some things I didn't. I liked how easy and natural the H and h came together. Loved that Hadley was able to do something she loved, even if it didn't relate to her degree. I get that it was integral to the story, but I didn't like how much of a douche the brother was in the end. He was a bit of a caricature at times. Overall, it was very sweet.
October 6, 2024
(4.75★)
hadley and will oh my god i loved them !!! the banter was amazing i loved loved loved
this series is so cute 🤭 i wish the books were longer because i need more of themmm
i need scenes with hadley and will fixing up their new house and them just being cute 😭
hadley and will oh my god i loved them !!! the banter was amazing i loved loved loved
this series is so cute 🤭 i wish the books were longer because i need more of themmm
i need scenes with hadley and will fixing up their new house and them just being cute 😭
May 30, 2023
This is such a fun series!! I love these short love stories! This one is my favorite so far! The banter between the two love interests are my favorite!
September 9, 2022
2.5 i felt their romance was a little rushed and it was kind of boring but whatever
March 16, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed Hadley and Will's story. They knew each other growing up, but it's been a while since they've seen each other. Hadley used to be hung up on Will's brother. It's been years since they've seen each other, but they stumble across each other as Hadley is dog sitting for his parents.
If you love the presence of dogs in your romances, then this won't disappoint. Hadley runs her own business taking care of pets, and the dogs always seem to take center stage.
Will works for his father's construction crew and is trying to flip his first house on the side. Hadley starts helping him out since they're already doing each other favors by playing +1 to all of the weddings they need to attend over the summer. The renovation scenes definitely take the cake for me.
I loved watching them morph from friends to lovers to something more.
My only downside were that there were a couple subplots that weren't wrapped up.
Overall it's been a fun series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one!
4.5 Stars
If you love the presence of dogs in your romances, then this won't disappoint. Hadley runs her own business taking care of pets, and the dogs always seem to take center stage.
Will works for his father's construction crew and is trying to flip his first house on the side. Hadley starts helping him out since they're already doing each other favors by playing +1 to all of the weddings they need to attend over the summer. The renovation scenes definitely take the cake for me.
I loved watching them morph from friends to lovers to something more.
My only downside were that there were a couple subplots that weren't wrapped up.
Overall it's been a fun series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one!
4.5 Stars
June 1, 2019
Nice, fluffy, MCs rather attractive, but nothing special. There was potential for some substance but it got wrapped up far too quickly and I felt as if I was left hanging, without some important plot points being resolved. I probably won't remember that one a couple of weeks from now. Also, I do not need all my romance books to be squeaky clean but this one was far too explicit for my liking. I am not likely to ever re-read it.
July 13, 2022
this one has become my fav 🥺🥺
I just love will so much
it kills me to see the poor ending. like, where's the epilogue we deserved? okay. cute that they moved into the house they flipped, but what happened to James' situation? did will manage to become a boss of his own crew? did Hadley ever use her degree in a job? or will she remain as a dog-sitter forever???
I NEED THAT KIND OF CLOSURE.
also, I really wanted to see them going to emmy and beck's wedding
I just love will so much
it kills me to see the poor ending. like, where's the epilogue we deserved? okay. cute that they moved into the house they flipped, but what happened to James' situation? did will manage to become a boss of his own crew? did Hadley ever use her degree in a job? or will she remain as a dog-sitter forever???
I NEED THAT KIND OF CLOSURE.
also, I really wanted to see them going to emmy and beck's wedding
February 23, 2023
overall 3.75 stars ✨
This book was really fun!! The author absolutely knows what a good banter looks like, I giggled in so many parts of the books. Will and Hadley were a really cute couple, I loved their chemistry as well. All the other characters (the neighborhood kids) also made this book a lot more fun.
But like the previous book in this series, the ending of the book left me with so much questions. But overall it was still a fun little read.
This book was really fun!! The author absolutely knows what a good banter looks like, I giggled in so many parts of the books. Will and Hadley were a really cute couple, I loved their chemistry as well. All the other characters (the neighborhood kids) also made this book a lot more fun.
But like the previous book in this series, the ending of the book left me with so much questions. But overall it was still a fun little read.
September 20, 2021
3.5 stars!
May 8, 2023
Fun, quick audiobook!
January 29, 2022
The lead in the book is wearing Cookie Monster PJ! Within the first minute of the book. I'm gonna really get along with Hadley!
November 3, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It was so funny with romance tucked in. The characters were perfect for each other. I hope there is a sequel as there is so much more to tell about these two.
I was given an ARC for an honest review.
I was given an ARC for an honest review.
April 4, 2022
Review of audiobook version of PG, slow-burn, fake-dating, New Adult romance
Hadley Bradley is a 22-year-old college graduate whose parents paid a great deal of money for her to obtain a BA in graphic design—a degree she has no interest in using to carve out a career. Instead, she is living, rent-free, with her divorced mother in her childhood home in a suburb of Austen, Texas. Their relationship is amicable, though her mother, understandably, is disappointed that her daughter is not benefiting from her hard-earned degree. Over the past year, Hadley has established an in-home pet-care and pet-sitting business which mostly involves walking dogs and house-sitting for various dog owners who wish to avoid putting their pet in a kennel while out of town. The only friends that Hadley spends time with are the dogs in her care.
Will Brady is a 24-year-old college graduate whose family paid a great deal of money for him to obtain a BS in business management which, for unexplained reasons, he obtained out-of-state, at the University of California in Irvine, rather than paying much lower, in-state tuition at the University of Texas, right there in his home town of Austen. The entire reason Will obtained a business degree was to fulfill his father’s expectation that he would ultimately run and co-own his father’s prosperous company, Brady Construction, alongside his 26-year-old brother, James. Unfortunately, though James is perfectly satisfied utilizing his own business degree to pursue that career trajectory, Will has no desire to become co-CEO with James of Brady Construction. For the past few years since college graduation, Will has temporarily evaded his dreaded fate of a boring desk job by working, instead, as crew boss on the company’s biggest construction projects, in and around Austen. In his limited spare time, Will has purchased a derelict house and has been gradually renovating it, with the goal of flipping it and using the profits to repeat the process all over again—which is how he would greatly prefer to make a living. In contrast to James, who wears pricey suits, drives a fancy car, and lives in an expensive penthouse apartment, Will dresses in faded jeans, ratty T-shirts, and scuffed work boots, and his transportation and living arrangements are combined together in the form of an ancient, gas-guzzling RV, which lacks air conditioning and a consistently functioning shower in its tiny bathroom. In this story, similar to Hadley, it is never mentioned that Will has any local friends that he hangs out with.
Hadley and Will grew up in the same neighborhood within a prosperous, Austen suburb, and their mothers are longtime friends. Hadley only tangentially knew Will in her childhood and teens. He was just one of the older kids who teased her about her red hair, freckles, and her ridiculously rhyming name, Hadley Bradley. However, she saw a lot of James, in her own home, as well as around the neighborhood, because her older brother was best friends with James. From age 12 to age 18, Hadley had a huge crush on gorgeous, athletic James. Until the night she screwed up her courage, confessed her love to James, and he patronizingly patted her on the head and told her she was a cute kid.
Feeling utterly humiliated and broken-hearted, Hadley determined to do everything in her power to avoid James the rest of her life. She has successfully accomplished that goal for the past four years and, in the process, she has not run into Will either. Until he shows up at his parents’ home while Hadley is spending the weekend there, babysitting Mrs. Brady’s two little Bichon dogs. In the course of conversation with each other, they discover they have a mutual problem. There are six weddings occurring during the next few months involving old friends from their neighborhood, including James’s wedding, which they have both been invited to as singles. Each feels obligated to attend all of these weddings, but neither wants to sit at the obnoxious singles table and be hit on by desperate, unwed relations of the bride and groom. To avoid that awful fate, they make a pact to act as each other’s “designated +1” for all these events. And thus begins the “fake dating” romance of Hadley and Will.
For several years, while completing his business degree in Irvine, California, Will shared a furnished house with five other students, two of whom, Emmy and Beckett, are the protagonists of Book 1 in this series. This factoid is only casually mentioned late in this novel and is the only link to the first book in this series. As a result, this novel basically stands completely on its own.
For the most part, Hadley and Will are both sympathetic characters. As is expected in romance novels, each is conventionally attractive. Some of the humor in this romantic comedy comes from repartee between Hadley and Will, and some of it comes from slapstick. This is a slow-burn romance and, as is typical for this author, the sex scenes avoid any crude or detailed descriptions.
As was the case in the first book in this series, there is a huge amount of boozing and drunkenness throughout this book, both on the part of Hadley and some of the female subcharacters she encounters at the various weddings and wedding-related events she attends.
The many different dogs Hadley cares for are more fully described and sympathetic than most of the human subcharacters in this book, and they are an adorable addition to the novel.
I was rather confused about the author’s depiction of the primary setting of this novel, the neighborhood Hadley grew up in. I can only guess that readers are to assume it is located somewhere in the suburbs of Austen, which is a city of almost one million residents. However, the author portrays that neighborhood as if it exists as a type of small-town community, rather than part of a big city. Various people whom Will and Hadley have not seen for years, and who were only childhood, neighborhood, play buddies, have remembered them both so fondly, they are both invited to their weddings. That is a quite unlikely occurrence in the real world, and there is another improbable bit of wedding-related behavior in this story, as well. Though Hadley’s big brother is mentioned multiple times as being James Brady’s best friend, Hadley and her mother attend James’s wedding, but Hadley’s brother is nowhere in sight, and there is no explanation as to why.
I very much enjoyed Book 1, which I consider a 4-star read, though I am not a fan of the author’s choice to write all three books in this series in the first-person point of view (POV) of only the heroine. Though many New Adult romance authors do choose to use first-person POV, virtually all of them offer the alternating POV of both the heroine and the hero. Having the two lovers be dual protagonists is an essential convention of the adult romance genre.
I especially struggle with a romance novel written in only the first-person POV of the heroine because the reader is not allowed to deeply get to know the hero’s background and motivation. That choice of POV can also lead to situations, which is the case in this book, where some crucial life decisions of the hero are left frustratingly in doubt by the end of the novel.
The author never explains why Will and James, who are both employed in the same family business, have such utterly disparate levels of prosperity. Yes, it is true that Will has tied up a certain amount of money he might have saved from his salary at Brady Construction by purchasing and renovating a shabby house, but that still doesn't fully explain the great difference in the brothers’ finances. Because, as the story points out, even Hadley, who works as a pet-care person, with an income that would logically be far less than that of Will, has enough money saved to afford to purchase a derelict house of her own to renovate. That tells me that Will ought not to have been reduced to penury by purchasing a fixer-upper. Which means that he should have been able to afford a passable used car and a studio apartment in a decent part of town, rather than living and driving around in an ancient, poorly preserved, gas-guzzling RV—which, even though he is skilled at construction, he doesn’t bother renovating.
The author also creates a really creepy moral dilemma with James toward the end of the book that would, rationally, make it absolutely, ethically untenable for Will, out of loyalty to Hadley, to leave unresolved. That same situation with James also points to potential legal liability for Brady Construction due to his predictable mistreatment of employees if James is allowed to remain in a position of authority. And last but definitely not least, a divorce seems inescapable for James in the future. This would potentially involve his wife, who comes from a rich family, hiring a shark divorce attorney, who would help her siphon off a huge portion of the value of Brady Construction, since both Will and James will inevitably become co-owners of it. It is regrettable that, by the end of the novel, these crucial subplots, what career path Will is going to take, and what kind of justice will be meted out to James, are left completely up in the air. If this story had been written in the dual POV of both Hadley and Will, it would have been much less likely that the author would have failed to satisfactorily tie up these Will-related loose ends.
I experienced both this book and Book 1 of this New Adult Romance series as an audiobook, and all books in this series have the same narrator, Stacey Glemboski, who does a competent job.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Dog Subcharacters: 4 stars
People Subcharacters: 3 stars
Single POV of Heroine: 2 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Will’s Career Goals Subplot: 2 stars
Humor: 3 stars
Setting: 2 stars
Writing: 3 stars
Audiobook Narration: 3 stars
Overall: 3 stars
Hadley Bradley is a 22-year-old college graduate whose parents paid a great deal of money for her to obtain a BA in graphic design—a degree she has no interest in using to carve out a career. Instead, she is living, rent-free, with her divorced mother in her childhood home in a suburb of Austen, Texas. Their relationship is amicable, though her mother, understandably, is disappointed that her daughter is not benefiting from her hard-earned degree. Over the past year, Hadley has established an in-home pet-care and pet-sitting business which mostly involves walking dogs and house-sitting for various dog owners who wish to avoid putting their pet in a kennel while out of town. The only friends that Hadley spends time with are the dogs in her care.
Will Brady is a 24-year-old college graduate whose family paid a great deal of money for him to obtain a BS in business management which, for unexplained reasons, he obtained out-of-state, at the University of California in Irvine, rather than paying much lower, in-state tuition at the University of Texas, right there in his home town of Austen. The entire reason Will obtained a business degree was to fulfill his father’s expectation that he would ultimately run and co-own his father’s prosperous company, Brady Construction, alongside his 26-year-old brother, James. Unfortunately, though James is perfectly satisfied utilizing his own business degree to pursue that career trajectory, Will has no desire to become co-CEO with James of Brady Construction. For the past few years since college graduation, Will has temporarily evaded his dreaded fate of a boring desk job by working, instead, as crew boss on the company’s biggest construction projects, in and around Austen. In his limited spare time, Will has purchased a derelict house and has been gradually renovating it, with the goal of flipping it and using the profits to repeat the process all over again—which is how he would greatly prefer to make a living. In contrast to James, who wears pricey suits, drives a fancy car, and lives in an expensive penthouse apartment, Will dresses in faded jeans, ratty T-shirts, and scuffed work boots, and his transportation and living arrangements are combined together in the form of an ancient, gas-guzzling RV, which lacks air conditioning and a consistently functioning shower in its tiny bathroom. In this story, similar to Hadley, it is never mentioned that Will has any local friends that he hangs out with.
Hadley and Will grew up in the same neighborhood within a prosperous, Austen suburb, and their mothers are longtime friends. Hadley only tangentially knew Will in her childhood and teens. He was just one of the older kids who teased her about her red hair, freckles, and her ridiculously rhyming name, Hadley Bradley. However, she saw a lot of James, in her own home, as well as around the neighborhood, because her older brother was best friends with James. From age 12 to age 18, Hadley had a huge crush on gorgeous, athletic James. Until the night she screwed up her courage, confessed her love to James, and he patronizingly patted her on the head and told her she was a cute kid.
Feeling utterly humiliated and broken-hearted, Hadley determined to do everything in her power to avoid James the rest of her life. She has successfully accomplished that goal for the past four years and, in the process, she has not run into Will either. Until he shows up at his parents’ home while Hadley is spending the weekend there, babysitting Mrs. Brady’s two little Bichon dogs. In the course of conversation with each other, they discover they have a mutual problem. There are six weddings occurring during the next few months involving old friends from their neighborhood, including James’s wedding, which they have both been invited to as singles. Each feels obligated to attend all of these weddings, but neither wants to sit at the obnoxious singles table and be hit on by desperate, unwed relations of the bride and groom. To avoid that awful fate, they make a pact to act as each other’s “designated +1” for all these events. And thus begins the “fake dating” romance of Hadley and Will.
For several years, while completing his business degree in Irvine, California, Will shared a furnished house with five other students, two of whom, Emmy and Beckett, are the protagonists of Book 1 in this series. This factoid is only casually mentioned late in this novel and is the only link to the first book in this series. As a result, this novel basically stands completely on its own.
For the most part, Hadley and Will are both sympathetic characters. As is expected in romance novels, each is conventionally attractive. Some of the humor in this romantic comedy comes from repartee between Hadley and Will, and some of it comes from slapstick. This is a slow-burn romance and, as is typical for this author, the sex scenes avoid any crude or detailed descriptions.
As was the case in the first book in this series, there is a huge amount of boozing and drunkenness throughout this book, both on the part of Hadley and some of the female subcharacters she encounters at the various weddings and wedding-related events she attends.
The many different dogs Hadley cares for are more fully described and sympathetic than most of the human subcharacters in this book, and they are an adorable addition to the novel.
I was rather confused about the author’s depiction of the primary setting of this novel, the neighborhood Hadley grew up in. I can only guess that readers are to assume it is located somewhere in the suburbs of Austen, which is a city of almost one million residents. However, the author portrays that neighborhood as if it exists as a type of small-town community, rather than part of a big city. Various people whom Will and Hadley have not seen for years, and who were only childhood, neighborhood, play buddies, have remembered them both so fondly, they are both invited to their weddings. That is a quite unlikely occurrence in the real world, and there is another improbable bit of wedding-related behavior in this story, as well. Though Hadley’s big brother is mentioned multiple times as being James Brady’s best friend, Hadley and her mother attend James’s wedding, but Hadley’s brother is nowhere in sight, and there is no explanation as to why.
I very much enjoyed Book 1, which I consider a 4-star read, though I am not a fan of the author’s choice to write all three books in this series in the first-person point of view (POV) of only the heroine. Though many New Adult romance authors do choose to use first-person POV, virtually all of them offer the alternating POV of both the heroine and the hero. Having the two lovers be dual protagonists is an essential convention of the adult romance genre.
I especially struggle with a romance novel written in only the first-person POV of the heroine because the reader is not allowed to deeply get to know the hero’s background and motivation. That choice of POV can also lead to situations, which is the case in this book, where some crucial life decisions of the hero are left frustratingly in doubt by the end of the novel.
The author never explains why Will and James, who are both employed in the same family business, have such utterly disparate levels of prosperity. Yes, it is true that Will has tied up a certain amount of money he might have saved from his salary at Brady Construction by purchasing and renovating a shabby house, but that still doesn't fully explain the great difference in the brothers’ finances. Because, as the story points out, even Hadley, who works as a pet-care person, with an income that would logically be far less than that of Will, has enough money saved to afford to purchase a derelict house of her own to renovate. That tells me that Will ought not to have been reduced to penury by purchasing a fixer-upper. Which means that he should have been able to afford a passable used car and a studio apartment in a decent part of town, rather than living and driving around in an ancient, poorly preserved, gas-guzzling RV—which, even though he is skilled at construction, he doesn’t bother renovating.
The author also creates a really creepy moral dilemma with James toward the end of the book that would, rationally, make it absolutely, ethically untenable for Will, out of loyalty to Hadley, to leave unresolved. That same situation with James also points to potential legal liability for Brady Construction due to his predictable mistreatment of employees if James is allowed to remain in a position of authority. And last but definitely not least, a divorce seems inescapable for James in the future. This would potentially involve his wife, who comes from a rich family, hiring a shark divorce attorney, who would help her siphon off a huge portion of the value of Brady Construction, since both Will and James will inevitably become co-owners of it. It is regrettable that, by the end of the novel, these crucial subplots, what career path Will is going to take, and what kind of justice will be meted out to James, are left completely up in the air. If this story had been written in the dual POV of both Hadley and Will, it would have been much less likely that the author would have failed to satisfactorily tie up these Will-related loose ends.
I experienced both this book and Book 1 of this New Adult Romance series as an audiobook, and all books in this series have the same narrator, Stacey Glemboski, who does a competent job.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Dog Subcharacters: 4 stars
People Subcharacters: 3 stars
Single POV of Heroine: 2 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Will’s Career Goals Subplot: 2 stars
Humor: 3 stars
Setting: 2 stars
Writing: 3 stars
Audiobook Narration: 3 stars
Overall: 3 stars
February 23, 2022
I liked it
This was a cute quick read. When the book first started I felt more tension between the two main characters. Less so as the book concluded.
It took me a minute after reading to realize that some story lines we did not get a final answer to. You would think that it was a bad thing but was not. It allowed this story to not follow other books of this genre. It made the book feel more realistic. Do I wish I knew what happened to him but the story did not need it. I think it would have overshadowed the ending.
This was a cute quick read. When the book first started I felt more tension between the two main characters. Less so as the book concluded.
It took me a minute after reading to realize that some story lines we did not get a final answer to. You would think that it was a bad thing but was not. It allowed this story to not follow other books of this genre. It made the book feel more realistic. Do I wish I knew what happened to him but the story did not need it. I think it would have overshadowed the ending.
November 19, 2021
I loved the quick wit & the modern vibes in this novel. House flippers, professional dog walkers, and an obsession with true crime TV are very relevant in today’s society. This book was just fun!
My only complaint is that Hadley is only 22 years old. While most of the book feels realistic, I think she should be in her mid to late twenties. People are getting married later these days, and she’s being invited to a lot of weddings. At least where we live, all those expensive weddings and bachelorette parties wouldn’t be likely to happen until Hadley was a little older. Also, why is it such a problem that she still lives at home at age 22? If I were her mom, I’d be happy to have her home, paying off her college loans and saving money for a house. Again, if she was 26 or older, then maybe that situation would be more of an issue.
My only complaint is that Hadley is only 22 years old. While most of the book feels realistic, I think she should be in her mid to late twenties. People are getting married later these days, and she’s being invited to a lot of weddings. At least where we live, all those expensive weddings and bachelorette parties wouldn’t be likely to happen until Hadley was a little older. Also, why is it such a problem that she still lives at home at age 22? If I were her mom, I’d be happy to have her home, paying off her college loans and saving money for a house. Again, if she was 26 or older, then maybe that situation would be more of an issue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2020
Leave this one at home
The story of Hadley and Will started off cute and funny. Then about 30% in the endless cussing. Then the contrived sex scene, then the disintegration of dialogue then more sex scenes and cussing. What a waste.
Oh and Totally predictable.
F-word 32 times
F-ing 10 times
G damn 12 times
"god" 47 times
Thank f-ing "god"
What kind of a disrespectful imbecile writes like this?
The story of Hadley and Will started off cute and funny. Then about 30% in the endless cussing. Then the contrived sex scene, then the disintegration of dialogue then more sex scenes and cussing. What a waste.
Oh and Totally predictable.
F-word 32 times
F-ing 10 times
G damn 12 times
"god" 47 times
Thank f-ing "god"
What kind of a disrespectful imbecile writes like this?
January 31, 2018
i received an ARC in exchange for an honest review
my review: https://nanasbookreviews.blogspot.gr/...
video: https://youtu.be/Ayyd6b3FZK4
my review: https://nanasbookreviews.blogspot.gr/...
video: https://youtu.be/Ayyd6b3FZK4
October 17, 2024
it was cute but i’m just trying to get out of a slump
May 22, 2022
Is this a multi-part story? Yes
Does it end in a cliffhanger? No
Genre(s) : Romantic Comedy
Do the MCs act like: HS, YA, NA or Adult? YA
Instalove? No
Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of?No
Listening Speed? 1.25
3 Stars for me!
My rating range of this story... 2.25 - 3.25 Stars
If significant, why? n/a
Biggest deduction? n/a
Main Character Ratings...
H () = 6/10
h () = 6/10
TSTL Moment(s)? No
Narrator Rating(s)
M () =
F (Stacey Glemboski) = 7/10
If below 5/10, why?
If Comedy... Type? Mixed and some cringe
Funny, Cute, Cringe Inducing, Mixed or Just No!
Angst Level? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
Internal Monolog/Dialog? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
Scenes with heat... Yes
When does it start? 75%
How much of the story? 1%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained
Heat Rating... 3/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above
Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No
The back story... The H is unhappy in working for his Dad's construction business with his brother and the h is a dog walker/sitter just getting by in life. She was originally in love with his older brother (and complete douche) but is falling for the H.
Romance or Gist: They both hem and hawed through the entire story and finally, at the end, acknowledged their feelings.
The drama explosion... Bad day at the brother's wedding
Did it feel Real, OK or contrived? Ugh
Was it OTT? Yes
Separation involved? Not really
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Ok
Final Notes... Very slow moving.
I had to skip forward quite a bit as the story seemed to drag on with almost nothing happening.
HEA or HFN? HFN
Book Source: Scribd
Does it end in a cliffhanger? No
Genre(s) : Romantic Comedy
Do the MCs act like: HS, YA, NA or Adult? YA
Instalove? No
Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of?No
Listening Speed? 1.25
3 Stars for me!
My rating range of this story... 2.25 - 3.25 Stars
If significant, why? n/a
Biggest deduction? n/a
Main Character Ratings...
H () = 6/10
h () = 6/10
TSTL Moment(s)? No
Narrator Rating(s)
M () =
F (Stacey Glemboski) = 7/10
If below 5/10, why?
If Comedy... Type? Mixed and some cringe
Funny, Cute, Cringe Inducing, Mixed or Just No!
Angst Level? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
Internal Monolog/Dialog? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
Scenes with heat... Yes
When does it start? 75%
How much of the story? 1%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained
Heat Rating... 3/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above
Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No
The back story... The H is unhappy in working for his Dad's construction business with his brother and the h is a dog walker/sitter just getting by in life. She was originally in love with his older brother (and complete douche) but is falling for the H.
Romance or Gist: They both hem and hawed through the entire story and finally, at the end, acknowledged their feelings.
The drama explosion... Bad day at the brother's wedding
Did it feel Real, OK or contrived? Ugh
Was it OTT? Yes
Separation involved? Not really
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Ok
Final Notes... Very slow moving.
I had to skip forward quite a bit as the story seemed to drag on with almost nothing happening.
HEA or HFN? HFN
Book Source: Scribd
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