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Jacob's Ladder #2
Jacob's Ladder: Eli
One wouldn’t expect a sexy-as-sin rocker like Eli Renard to spend time with a woman just as a friend, but that’s exactly what Emersyn Wallace is to him. Just a friend. Even though she’s matured into a beauty, Eli still doesn’t remotely see his childhood pal as a sex-object. When tragedy brings her back into his world, Eli moves mountains to help Emersyn get back onto her feet by finding her a job as a backup singer for Jacob’s Ladder. At first, Eli is thrilled that Emerysn is along on tour, and he sets out to do his best to help her forget her sorrow through a range of crazy friend dates. But after spending so much time with her in such close quarters, Eli finds his feelings beginning to shift. He no longer sees Emersyn as the once awkward young girl he played some of his first songs with. Soon it’s not only his body that reacts to her, but it’s also his heart. He’s about to learn what a dangerous game it is to dry a widow’s tears.After losing her husband and singing partner in a tragic accident, Emersyn Wallace spent the last eight months drowning in a sea of grief. With the bills piling up and her family and friends concerned about her emotional welfare, she reluctantly agrees to join the Jacob’s Ladder’s tour. While recapturing her lost love of singing and performing, she finds both comfort and healing in Eli’s gregarious personality and outrageous sense of humor. But as the anniversary of her husband’s death approaches, she finds herself in turmoil over her new amorous feelings for Eli.Can Eli and Emersyn find the perfect melody to transition from friends to lovers, or will their relationship end out of tune?
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2018
319 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Katie Ashley
66 books9,010 followersKatie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Three Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She's written rockers, bikers, manwhores with hearts of gold, New Adult, and Young Adult. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, her rescue mutts, Belle and Elsa, and her two cats, Mama Kitty and Luna. She has a slight obsession with The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she became a full-time writer.
Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers. Most days, you can find her being a hermit, styling leggings, and binging on Netflix whenever her toddler daughter isn't monopolizing the TV with Paw Patrol or Frozen.
CONNECT WITH KATIE
➜ NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/2ljVosh
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/katie.ashleyromance
➜ FACEBOOK READER GROUP (ASHLEY'S ANGELS): facebook.com/groups/ashleyangels
➜ WEBSITE: www.katieashleybooks.com
➜INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/katieashleyluv
➜ TWITTER: twitter.com/katieashleyluv
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/katieashleyluv
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she became a full-time writer.
Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers. Most days, you can find her being a hermit, styling leggings, and binging on Netflix whenever her toddler daughter isn't monopolizing the TV with Paw Patrol or Frozen.
CONNECT WITH KATIE
➜ NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/2ljVosh
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/katie.ashleyromance
➜ FACEBOOK READER GROUP (ASHLEY'S ANGELS): facebook.com/groups/ashleyangels
➜ WEBSITE: www.katieashleybooks.com
➜INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/katieashleyluv
➜ TWITTER: twitter.com/katieashleyluv
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/katieashleyluv
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
March 31, 2018
3 1/2 "Ride or die Eli."
5 stars for Eli!!! 2 Stars for Emersyn and the rest of the book...
I liked this book, all because of Eli, but I didn't love it. Eli was freaking fantastic he was a great friend and then became a great lover. Almost any woman would fall in love with him. The good- They did have a truly great friendship since they were 10 years old. They knew each other very well. The bad- Emersyn got on my nerves once the dynamic of their relationship shifted! It's not like her emotional turmoil wasn't understandable; her husband died a few months prior, so maybe I'm being unfair to her. But there lies the problem with this book. Eli's and Emersyn's friendship evolved at the wrong time. It was just too soon after the husband's death. That's not my opinion, that was what all the angst of the story was based on- Emersyn feeling guilty about having romantic feeling for Eli. Especially what she called so soon after her husband's death. Call me insensitive, but it was annoying. And hurtful to Eli when he did not deserve to be treated in such a hurtful way. I'd never had a problem with the dead spouse plot before, but this time I didn't like it. Also, the timing was inconsistent for several events. Marriages in the band, birth of babies ect. Just little things that would pull me out of the story.
Overall, I'm happy with how things turned out. I've enjoyed this series. I'm happy all both band's members (Runaway Train and Jacob's Ladder) have found their HEAs and are ensuring the population of Georgia never declines. They are a prolific bunch! 😜 Happy reading!
5 stars for Eli!!! 2 Stars for Emersyn and the rest of the book...
I liked this book, all because of Eli, but I didn't love it. Eli was freaking fantastic he was a great friend and then became a great lover. Almost any woman would fall in love with him. The good- They did have a truly great friendship since they were 10 years old. They knew each other very well. The bad- Emersyn got on my nerves once the dynamic of their relationship shifted! It's not like her emotional turmoil wasn't understandable; her husband died a few months prior, so maybe I'm being unfair to her. But there lies the problem with this book. Eli's and Emersyn's friendship evolved at the wrong time. It was just too soon after the husband's death. That's not my opinion, that was what all the angst of the story was based on- Emersyn feeling guilty about having romantic feeling for Eli. Especially what she called so soon after her husband's death. Call me insensitive, but it was annoying. And hurtful to Eli when he did not deserve to be treated in such a hurtful way. I'd never had a problem with the dead spouse plot before, but this time I didn't like it. Also, the timing was inconsistent for several events. Marriages in the band, birth of babies ect. Just little things that would pull me out of the story.
Overall, I'm happy with how things turned out. I've enjoyed this series. I'm happy all both band's members (Runaway Train and Jacob's Ladder) have found their HEAs and are ensuring the population of Georgia never declines. They are a prolific bunch! 😜 Happy reading!
November 28, 2019
Here is the thing about miss Ashley books. She starts with a good opening. Introducing characters, building the chemistry, plot and twist. All done eithin 50 to 60% of the book. All of the conflict, clkmax is solved.
Then the rest of the story, she drenches us with all good and OTT closing. I do love good romance. But i wish she can done a much slower climax on the conflict and the twist.
I feel like building a expectation then suddenly without warning sliding into the end of the story.
Now back to this book. Overall,i like it OK. I think Eli saves the story by being funny and energetic. I like him. I wish i can see more complex character development for him.
3 stars
Then the rest of the story, she drenches us with all good and OTT closing. I do love good romance. But i wish she can done a much slower climax on the conflict and the twist.
I feel like building a expectation then suddenly without warning sliding into the end of the story.
Now back to this book. Overall,i like it OK. I think Eli saves the story by being funny and energetic. I like him. I wish i can see more complex character development for him.
3 stars
December 16, 2019
Despues de que la historia de Gabe me decepcionara como lo hizo, pense seriamente si leer esta segunda parte, y aunque no voy a mentir y decir que es un libro increible o imprescindible, si que admito que fue mejor de lo que esperaba.
Emersyn y Eli fueron unos protagonistas divertidos, agradables y que me sacaron algunas carcajadas con sus ocurrencias. No son la pareja mas inolvidable con la que te encontraras, sin embargo, son personajes con los que es muy sencillo simpatizar cuando los conoces.
En lo relativo a la premisa, hay que reconocerle el merito a la autora al escribir esta historia, puesto que sin ser nada del otro mundo, es amena de leer, ademas de tener muy pocos momentos dramaticos.
Y contra todo pronostico me gusto la forma tan simple pero sin llegar a ser superficial en la que Katie Ashley desarrollo el tema de la viudedad de Emersyn, tal vez porque hace muy poco tiempo que lei The Birthday List, novela con una tematica similar y que me desgarro el corazon con su carga emocional, por lo que no estaba 100% convencida de adentrarme en otra lectura desoladora, y el que la narracion trate de forma tan sencilla ese suceso del pasado de ella fue muy liberador.
En resumen, Jacob's Ladder : Eli fue bastante mejor que su antecesora, no solo debido a que esta continuacion tiene mas chispa y accion sino tambien porque Eli y Emersyn resultaron ser unos personajes con mas matices de los que pense.
3 Estrellas!
April 1, 2018
Regardless of the time or the distance that may have caused best friends to lose touch, when they need each other the most, they’re there, which is exactly what Eli Renard does for Emersyn Wallace when her world turns tragic and she not only finds herself swimming in a sea of grief but also needing support financially and emotionally.
As Eli’s protective nature works to alleviate some of Emersyn’s stressors, readers are with him when he realizes exactly what Emersyn means to him and as the sexual tension continues to build between them, it’s clear that what they’re feeling towards each other is something they both want, but they’ll have to fight through the pressures of their lifestyle as well as Emersyn’s conflicted emotions if there’s any chance for them to turn their friendship into love.
The fact that there’s a solid foundation for Eli and Emersyn to build on makes the potential for more a real possibility BUT the fact that Emersyn just lost her husband and now finds herself having non-plutonic feelings for her best friend makes things extremely complicated and as she grapples with her contradictory feelings, her hot and cold demeanor, while understandable, makes things difficult for everyone around these two and makes Eli question whether anything will ever work when Emersyn hasn’t completely grieved the loss of her husband.
Readers will definitely being crushing hard on Eli Renard; he’s not only an incredible musician but he also has a huge heart. I loved witnessing him become aware of just how much he wanted and needed Emersyn, and even though I’m sure he’s conflicted about his feelings towards her because of everything she just lost, he also doesn’t want to fight them now that they’re in the open, even if it means there’s the potential that he could lose her friendship by going too far too fast.
Katie Ashley does a great job exposing and exploring Emersyn’s grief and guilt amidst the overwhelming need to be with Eli. There are so many emotions swirling around in her head and her heart, and while some readers might take issue with how quickly she ends up with Eli in a capacity other than a friend, that fact ramps up the angst that’s present in the book, making Eli and Emersyn’s journey a difficult one which is expected given all of her baggage and Eli’s need to protect her even if it means giving her the space she needs.
Eli and Emersyn’s story is an emotional and steamy one that shows the reality of loss and the overwhelming feelings that come with moving on despite the pain that also plays a big part in the aftermath of death. No one can truly know when it’s time to move forward; it’s different for everyone but one idea seems to hold true - the loved one who passed away wouldn’t want to be the reason for living in the past.
4 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)
As Eli’s protective nature works to alleviate some of Emersyn’s stressors, readers are with him when he realizes exactly what Emersyn means to him and as the sexual tension continues to build between them, it’s clear that what they’re feeling towards each other is something they both want, but they’ll have to fight through the pressures of their lifestyle as well as Emersyn’s conflicted emotions if there’s any chance for them to turn their friendship into love.
The fact that there’s a solid foundation for Eli and Emersyn to build on makes the potential for more a real possibility BUT the fact that Emersyn just lost her husband and now finds herself having non-plutonic feelings for her best friend makes things extremely complicated and as she grapples with her contradictory feelings, her hot and cold demeanor, while understandable, makes things difficult for everyone around these two and makes Eli question whether anything will ever work when Emersyn hasn’t completely grieved the loss of her husband.
Readers will definitely being crushing hard on Eli Renard; he’s not only an incredible musician but he also has a huge heart. I loved witnessing him become aware of just how much he wanted and needed Emersyn, and even though I’m sure he’s conflicted about his feelings towards her because of everything she just lost, he also doesn’t want to fight them now that they’re in the open, even if it means there’s the potential that he could lose her friendship by going too far too fast.
Katie Ashley does a great job exposing and exploring Emersyn’s grief and guilt amidst the overwhelming need to be with Eli. There are so many emotions swirling around in her head and her heart, and while some readers might take issue with how quickly she ends up with Eli in a capacity other than a friend, that fact ramps up the angst that’s present in the book, making Eli and Emersyn’s journey a difficult one which is expected given all of her baggage and Eli’s need to protect her even if it means giving her the space she needs.
Eli and Emersyn’s story is an emotional and steamy one that shows the reality of loss and the overwhelming feelings that come with moving on despite the pain that also plays a big part in the aftermath of death. No one can truly know when it’s time to move forward; it’s different for everyone but one idea seems to hold true - the loved one who passed away wouldn’t want to be the reason for living in the past.
4 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)
March 15, 2018
*ARC provided by the author for an honest review*
Loved it.
This book was so good. I 've been dying for Eli's book for so long. Since I first meet him in the Runaway Train series I wanted his story. So when I finally got it I was so excited. Eli is great he is funny caring sexy (he knows it to) and the best friend you could ask for. He is so close to his family they mean everything to him and being in a band with them is amazing. They work so well together. He has one more person in his life that means everything to him as well and that's Emersyn. They have been best friends since they were 10 and still 20 years later there friendship is still strong.
Emersyn is a great character I really like her. She had to go through such a hard time. But Eli was there for her no matter what. She loved Eli so much for alway being there he was her rock. They both knew each other inside out. So when Eli offer her to become a member of Jacobs Ladder she knew she couldn't refuse. It was what she needed in her life something to keep her goin and the love of music and singing what was she needed. Emersyn just didn't think that being close to Eli would stir up feeling she didn't know was there. The Sexual tension between them just kept getting stronger and stronger both of them couldnt deal with it.
I really enjoyed this story. Seeing Eli who does enjoys the company women see his best friend as something more was so good. He isn't used to the feeling that he felt for Emersyn. Yes she meant the world to him. But he never saw her in a romantic way until thing in her life has changed. But the only person he could think about was his best friend his Sonny. Emersyn also felt the same way but she found it harder to deal with and not having her best friend to talk it through with was hard. They talked to each other about everything. So it was hard for both of them. I did find it heart breaking for Emersyn in parts she had to go through so much. I just loved that she had Eli when she needed someone.
I would highly recommend this book. I 've really enjoyed getting to know Eli more. I luv the twin brother so much the first book Gabe's story was great but I do like Eli more. There is just something about him that I love. They are both very different. The author has done a brilliant job with there book. I m a big fan of her books The Runaway Train is one of my favourite series so I knew Gabe and Eli's books were goin to be just as good.
Loved it.
This book was so good. I 've been dying for Eli's book for so long. Since I first meet him in the Runaway Train series I wanted his story. So when I finally got it I was so excited. Eli is great he is funny caring sexy (he knows it to) and the best friend you could ask for. He is so close to his family they mean everything to him and being in a band with them is amazing. They work so well together. He has one more person in his life that means everything to him as well and that's Emersyn. They have been best friends since they were 10 and still 20 years later there friendship is still strong.
Emersyn is a great character I really like her. She had to go through such a hard time. But Eli was there for her no matter what. She loved Eli so much for alway being there he was her rock. They both knew each other inside out. So when Eli offer her to become a member of Jacobs Ladder she knew she couldn't refuse. It was what she needed in her life something to keep her goin and the love of music and singing what was she needed. Emersyn just didn't think that being close to Eli would stir up feeling she didn't know was there. The Sexual tension between them just kept getting stronger and stronger both of them couldnt deal with it.
I really enjoyed this story. Seeing Eli who does enjoys the company women see his best friend as something more was so good. He isn't used to the feeling that he felt for Emersyn. Yes she meant the world to him. But he never saw her in a romantic way until thing in her life has changed. But the only person he could think about was his best friend his Sonny. Emersyn also felt the same way but she found it harder to deal with and not having her best friend to talk it through with was hard. They talked to each other about everything. So it was hard for both of them. I did find it heart breaking for Emersyn in parts she had to go through so much. I just loved that she had Eli when she needed someone.
I would highly recommend this book. I 've really enjoyed getting to know Eli more. I luv the twin brother so much the first book Gabe's story was great but I do like Eli more. There is just something about him that I love. They are both very different. The author has done a brilliant job with there book. I m a big fan of her books The Runaway Train is one of my favourite series so I knew Gabe and Eli's books were goin to be just as good.
March 29, 2018
Best friends since they were kids, it takes a tragedy for Eli and Emersyn to finally realize their hidden feelings—feelings that they really didn’t know existed. Emersyn is still trying to find her way through the haze of grief after losing her husband. Eli’s trying to help her—and one of the ways is to have her join the band as a back-up singer and fiddler.
It’s through this rediscovery of her love of music that Emersyn finally begins to heal and realize that she doesn’t want to be alone, doesn’t want to never fall in love again. But when she realizes she’s falling in love with Eli, in more than just a “best friends” way, will she have the courage to really pursue a relationship?
I just love a best friends to lovers story. Add some serious angst and I am all in. And that’s exactly what happened when I read Jacob’s Ladder: Eli. Seriously, I loved the relationship development between Eli and Emersyn. I loved seeing them acknowledge their true feelings. Loved seeing them try (quite unsuccessfully) to hide those feelings. And loved seeing them finally accept and embrace the love they shared. Eli and Emersyn’s interactions weren’t forced—they were smart, funny, sexy, snarky and real. And their sexy times were sexy AF. I loved how they gave each other space and accepted each other for who they were. And it was wonderful. Tremendous. Jacob’s Ladder: Eli hit all the right notes. ~ Missy, 4 stars
It’s through this rediscovery of her love of music that Emersyn finally begins to heal and realize that she doesn’t want to be alone, doesn’t want to never fall in love again. But when she realizes she’s falling in love with Eli, in more than just a “best friends” way, will she have the courage to really pursue a relationship?
I just love a best friends to lovers story. Add some serious angst and I am all in. And that’s exactly what happened when I read Jacob’s Ladder: Eli. Seriously, I loved the relationship development between Eli and Emersyn. I loved seeing them acknowledge their true feelings. Loved seeing them try (quite unsuccessfully) to hide those feelings. And loved seeing them finally accept and embrace the love they shared. Eli and Emersyn’s interactions weren’t forced—they were smart, funny, sexy, snarky and real. And their sexy times were sexy AF. I loved how they gave each other space and accepted each other for who they were. And it was wonderful. Tremendous. Jacob’s Ladder: Eli hit all the right notes. ~ Missy, 4 stars
March 29, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Kacie
Spoiler Alert: This an emotional story. You will laugh, cry, outrage and think “what?!” But it is so worth the emotional turmoil.
Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they met when they were young. Years go by but they are still close. Eli helps her push through the worst time of her life. They have an intense connection that is off the charts hot. While others notice it, the two of them don’t seem to.
Eli is a sexy rock star with a quick wit and a fantastic sense of humor. He’s a loyal, kind hearted, and the very best kind of friend to have. Emersyn is lost, alone and drowning in her grief. With Eli’s help she pushes through, joins Jacob’s Ladder and her grief lessens as time goes on. Emersyn, or Sonny as Eli calls her, changes, grows, and overcomes the most. It’s not easy being a widow and it’s definitely not easy falling in love with your best friend. You see her vulnerability, her strength and her resolve.
I absolutely love this book. My favorite scene was the Goodwill date! It’s unique and fun. I especially loved when they were playing Bingo. But, the music video... I hope someone recreates that for an actual video some day because I would pay serious money to watch it. As great (HOT) as I pictured it, I bet it will be 100 times better in real life!
Katie Ashley hit this book out of the park with the writing, storyline, imagination, love, and hot factor!
~Kacie
Spoiler Alert: This an emotional story. You will laugh, cry, outrage and think “what?!” But it is so worth the emotional turmoil.
Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they met when they were young. Years go by but they are still close. Eli helps her push through the worst time of her life. They have an intense connection that is off the charts hot. While others notice it, the two of them don’t seem to.
Eli is a sexy rock star with a quick wit and a fantastic sense of humor. He’s a loyal, kind hearted, and the very best kind of friend to have. Emersyn is lost, alone and drowning in her grief. With Eli’s help she pushes through, joins Jacob’s Ladder and her grief lessens as time goes on. Emersyn, or Sonny as Eli calls her, changes, grows, and overcomes the most. It’s not easy being a widow and it’s definitely not easy falling in love with your best friend. You see her vulnerability, her strength and her resolve.
I absolutely love this book. My favorite scene was the Goodwill date! It’s unique and fun. I especially loved when they were playing Bingo. But, the music video... I hope someone recreates that for an actual video some day because I would pay serious money to watch it. As great (HOT) as I pictured it, I bet it will be 100 times better in real life!
Katie Ashley hit this book out of the park with the writing, storyline, imagination, love, and hot factor!
April 10, 2018
4.5 Stars
Katie Ashley has written a wonderful story In Jacob's Ladder - Eli. This story is so full of emotion, build up, angst and heart string pulling. Their story is so simple yet so complicated and has all the feels. I feel like the author did an amazing job providing the background to these characters and really allowing the reader to get into the characters minds and know what they are thinking and feeling. Eli and Emeryson obviously had great chemistry but seeing their relationship develop and bloom from friends into what could be creates for a wonderful journey.
I loved the movie/tv references and the silly humor and easy going vibe between all the characters and now I need to go back and read Katie's other books
Katie Ashley has written a wonderful story In Jacob's Ladder - Eli. This story is so full of emotion, build up, angst and heart string pulling. Their story is so simple yet so complicated and has all the feels. I feel like the author did an amazing job providing the background to these characters and really allowing the reader to get into the characters minds and know what they are thinking and feeling. Eli and Emeryson obviously had great chemistry but seeing their relationship develop and bloom from friends into what could be creates for a wonderful journey.
I loved the movie/tv references and the silly humor and easy going vibe between all the characters and now I need to go back and read Katie's other books
April 17, 2018
A sweet entertaining best friends to lovers book. It did take me a little bit of time to realize this is an offshoot of the Runaway Train Series that I had read eons ago so catching up is always a good thing. Eli is someone that is so lovable that you can't help but fall for him and the fact that he's always been there for "Sonny", especially when tragedy strikes just makes him even more so. I have an issue with why she needed to rejoin Jacob's Ladder, but hey - it's fiction
March 27, 2018
ARC received for an honest review
As I started reading Eli, I was kicking myself for buying Gabe way back when and never reading it! What was I thinking.
I adored Eli and Emersyn's story. It was sweet, beautiful, heartbreaking and left me wanting more.
Once I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading it.
I adored Eli and Emersyn as best friends, but boy did I love them as they began to fall in love. They had so many hurdles to overcome, however they did this with all the love in their hearts for each other.
My heart was broken right at the start of the book, however as the story progressed, Ms Ashley put it all back together with sweet, tender and at times laugh out loud moments. What starts out as a tragedy becomes all encompassing adoration, and so much more for our lovelies.
I loved seeing snippets of the Runaway Train boys, and now I am chomping at the bit go to back and read Gabe's story.
Thank you Ms Ashley for this lovely story.
As I started reading Eli, I was kicking myself for buying Gabe way back when and never reading it! What was I thinking.
I adored Eli and Emersyn's story. It was sweet, beautiful, heartbreaking and left me wanting more.
Once I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading it.
I adored Eli and Emersyn as best friends, but boy did I love them as they began to fall in love. They had so many hurdles to overcome, however they did this with all the love in their hearts for each other.
My heart was broken right at the start of the book, however as the story progressed, Ms Ashley put it all back together with sweet, tender and at times laugh out loud moments. What starts out as a tragedy becomes all encompassing adoration, and so much more for our lovelies.
I loved seeing snippets of the Runaway Train boys, and now I am chomping at the bit go to back and read Gabe's story.
Thank you Ms Ashley for this lovely story.
August 18, 2018
I stopped reading this book a little before the 30% mark. I just couldn't get into it and the more I read the worse it got for me. Emersyn was still grieving her husband who had died 9 months before and I couldn't buy the idea of her moving on. She loved her husband deeply and he was a great guy. I didn't (and I still don't) think that she could just wake up some day anytime soon and be ready to have something more with another man. If the main part of the story had begun a couple of years late I might have thought differently. Eli's behavior also didn't help me get into the book and when I read that he had slept with another woman around the 25% mark on my kindle, I gave up. I don't understand why that had to be included after a quarter of the story was gone. The fact that neither of them (Eli and Emersyn) had any romantic feelings towards each other made me question how rushed things would be later on. Emersyn did feel some kind of jealousy after the redhead incident, but it was just a spark. 1/3 of the book was gone and the characters were just friends who only had platonic love to give. If there had been something between them or something one-sided at least, I might have differently. I could have given a second chance to this book, but with life kicking my arse I didn't want to waste my time on a book that wasn't for me.
March 15, 2018
Emersyn has a way of just shocking the heck out of her man, “I wanted to touch myself. I wanted to get off by watching you.” Eli’s nostrils flared at my words..." Eli is just so romantic, "I snorted. “Babe, I’m not a chick who dreams of walking down the aisle. I would be just as happy having my dad marry us next to the leftovers as I would to get married in some big ass cathedral somewhere.” Eli is just easily offended at times, "his dark brows creased. “Nice? That’s the adjective you chose to describe the utter magnificence that is my ***k?” I liked this book, I loved Eli.
March 25, 2018
Tragedy is the beginning. What began as a shoulder to cry on after a devastating loss, takes a long standing friendship in a surprising direction. Katie Ashley finds inspiration within the most heartbreaking of circumstances. Emersyn and Eli are soulmates. Friendship has created a bond not easily broken, but emotionally draining. When life gets in the way, fate has a way of coming full circle. Eli is a gateway to second chances. It's a heartbreaking, uplifting, fine tuned love song that began as a solo, but was destined to be a duet.
April 1, 2018
Rating: 4.5/5
Friendship is always a good foundation for love - Eli and Emersyn or as he fondly call her, Sonny had been friends since they were younger, and they stayed that way throughout the years. They never ventured beyond it - which is really surprising. Until, Sonny lost her husband and Eli came rushing to her.
Although that fact always remained between the two of them. Whenever Sonny needs his help, Eli is always there. He might be one of the members of a very popular band, but he’s one heck of a friend. He’s easy to like, really. It’s hard to hate him, even if he did something out of the ordinary.
On the other hand, Sonny is great as well. Grief had made her weak, and it was good that Eli suggested for her to join the tour. He tries to bring the old Emersyn back to normal with his crazy antics. And as days go by, Eli finds his feelings beginning to change. He can no longer imagine her as a friend. But will Emersyn welcome his feelings? Or will grief prevent her from it?
I love, love, love this book! The fact that they started out as friends, and they continued their friendship before any of the shift-of-feelings happened. And it didn’t happen instantly, instead Katie allowed her readers to watch the characters fall in love one day at a time. It didn’t felt forced, instead it felt right. Because you just knew that the feelings grew as the story progress and didn’t happen just out of the blue.
It was a fun read, with the right amount of drama that will make hearts hurt and eyes a little teary, nevertheless - there were a whole lot of hilarious parts rather than the sad part. I was just glad that finally Emersyn found a way to love again. Only a few are lucky to find the right love twice in their loves, and it is not always easy to find the right timing to love.
Jacob’s Ladder: Eli is a slow-burn, perfectly-paced, friends-to-lovers romance that will sweep you off your feet.
Purchase Jacob's Ladder: Eli
Friendship is always a good foundation for love - Eli and Emersyn or as he fondly call her, Sonny had been friends since they were younger, and they stayed that way throughout the years. They never ventured beyond it - which is really surprising. Until, Sonny lost her husband and Eli came rushing to her.
Although that fact always remained between the two of them. Whenever Sonny needs his help, Eli is always there. He might be one of the members of a very popular band, but he’s one heck of a friend. He’s easy to like, really. It’s hard to hate him, even if he did something out of the ordinary.
On the other hand, Sonny is great as well. Grief had made her weak, and it was good that Eli suggested for her to join the tour. He tries to bring the old Emersyn back to normal with his crazy antics. And as days go by, Eli finds his feelings beginning to change. He can no longer imagine her as a friend. But will Emersyn welcome his feelings? Or will grief prevent her from it?
I love, love, love this book! The fact that they started out as friends, and they continued their friendship before any of the shift-of-feelings happened. And it didn’t happen instantly, instead Katie allowed her readers to watch the characters fall in love one day at a time. It didn’t felt forced, instead it felt right. Because you just knew that the feelings grew as the story progress and didn’t happen just out of the blue.
It was a fun read, with the right amount of drama that will make hearts hurt and eyes a little teary, nevertheless - there were a whole lot of hilarious parts rather than the sad part. I was just glad that finally Emersyn found a way to love again. Only a few are lucky to find the right love twice in their loves, and it is not always easy to find the right timing to love.
Jacob’s Ladder: Eli is a slow-burn, perfectly-paced, friends-to-lovers romance that will sweep you off your feet.
Purchase Jacob's Ladder: Eli
March 16, 2018
I absolutely loved Gabe’s story and the glimpses we saw of Eli. I could not wait to read his story and I am happy to say it did not disappoint. There were a lot of heartbreaking moments as well as quite a few that made you laugh. Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they were 10 years old. When Emersyn’s husband dies, Eli doesn’t hesitate to be by her side. After 6 months Eli, hoping to help Emersyn start to heal asks her to be part of the Jacob’s Ladder tour for their new album. While on the road they both start to notice each other in ways that have nothing to do with being best friends and both feel guilty about it for different reasons. After a photo of them pops up from a Goodwill “date” leads to them starring in a steamy music video things seem to heat up and move quickly from there. Problem is for every step Emersyn takes forward in her healing something happens to send her back two more. Can she truly heal from her heartbreak and move on or will she miss out on a second chance at love and happiness and will Eli be able to take a chance on having more than just friendship with the one person who knows him better than anyone? I highly recommend this story it has all the feels along with the amazingly HOT chemistry Katie Ashley is known for.
March 20, 2018
Full review to follow closer to release date
March 18, 2018
"Sometimes you had to go through the darkest times to appreciate the blessing of light in your life. Sometimes you found the other half you had been desperately searching for all your life had been standing next to you all along."
This quote sums up this book perfectly. Emersyn got her second chance at love with Eli and Eli finally found his first love!! Another amazing book by Katie Ashley!!
This quote sums up this book perfectly. Emersyn got her second chance at love with Eli and Eli finally found his first love!! Another amazing book by Katie Ashley!!
April 10, 2018
This is the definition of friends to lovers all the way. Friends since they was kids, both exceptional musicians. But when one faces tragedy, the other sets aside their feelings to help them overcome their grieve and in the end they fall in love.
April 2, 2018
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.I enjoy a good friends to lovers romance, but I wasn't sure how the author was going to make this one work, considering what had happened to Emersyn. But somehow she made this one work.
Having been friends since they were young children, Eli and Emersyn had been there for each other for all the big events of their lives. So when Emersyn's life falls apart, it's not surprising that it's Eli who gives Emersyn the reason she needs to start living again.
I liked Emersyn and Eli together. It was very obvious how much the two of them loved each other, even when it was just as a friend. And it was clear that when feelings changed between they fought their attraction for fear of losing their friendship. As much as I wanted the two of them together, I could appreciate them being leary of losing the one constant they've had since they were kids.
After all the build-up to their relationship, I did feel like everything tied up a little too quickly. But the epilogue did a lot to make up for that.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.I enjoy a good friends to lovers romance, but I wasn't sure how the author was going to make this one work, considering what had happened to Emersyn. But somehow she made this one work.
Having been friends since they were young children, Eli and Emersyn had been there for each other for all the big events of their lives. So when Emersyn's life falls apart, it's not surprising that it's Eli who gives Emersyn the reason she needs to start living again.
I liked Emersyn and Eli together. It was very obvious how much the two of them loved each other, even when it was just as a friend. And it was clear that when feelings changed between they fought their attraction for fear of losing their friendship. As much as I wanted the two of them together, I could appreciate them being leary of losing the one constant they've had since they were kids.
After all the build-up to their relationship, I did feel like everything tied up a little too quickly. But the epilogue did a lot to make up for that.
July 27, 2018
Oh man wooo weeee
This was really good. Not that I didn’t like Gabe’s story, but I think Eli’s was the best. To see what Emersyn, goes through is tough. Yet at the same time seeing how close her and Eli are just makes me wonder, why weren’t already together to begin with? Obviously you can see they were so meant to be, how could they of not seen it sooner? Being best friends what, since they were ten. That’s a lot.
“I’m seriously surprised the mirror didn’t shatter.” “Whatever,” she replied. When my gaze zeroed in on the area directly above her cleavage, Emersyn shoved me. “Jeez, didn’t you get a good enough look a few minutes ago?” “What are you talking about?” “You’re staring at my boobs.” I laughed. “Trust me, I’m not staring at your tits.” “You could have fooled me,” she huffed, pulling the towel tighter against her. “You still have the scar.” “Excuse me?” With my index finger, I motioned to the slightly discolored area below her collarbone. “The scar you got that time we were climbing trees.” Emersyn’s eyes widened. “You remember that?” “You scared the hell out of me. No lie. I can still hear the thump sound when you fell to the ground.” Pinching her eyes shut, Emersyn began reliving the memory. “You were reaching your hand out to me when my foot slipped on the limb. A branch jabbed me in the chest as I fell. When I landed, it knocked the breath out of me.” Her eyes popped open as a small smile curved on her lips. “I’ll never forget the look on your face—you were pale as a sheet. The worst part was I couldn’t tell you I was all right.” I grinned. “I’m not going to lie I probably pissed my pants a little that day.”
I love Eli’s caring, loving, protectiveness when it comes to Emersyn and how he does and will do anything to make her, feel happy and better again when she’s so depressed.
Again I feel really sorry for what Emersyn had to go through, but come on, lol did her and Eli bump their heads at some point? How did they not see their connect a lot sooner, haha.
“Words can lie, but the heart never will. With every beat, it brings in love and gives it out. That’s why it’s the strongest muscle in the body.”
The whole time you just can’t help but fall more and more in love with the way Eli truly cares for Emersyn. You also can’t help rooting for the both of them, even when they both secretly are afraid to take that step and are also, afraid that they could lose their friendship.
Emersyn can’t help but feel guilty one minute then scared of not having Eli there for her the next. She knows she can’t keep feeling depressed the way she does and has to let her self be happy and to live. Sometimes it’s not always that easy and you just have to learn to take each day one at a time.
“Sometimes you had to go through the darkest times to appreciate the blessing of light in your life. Sometimes you found that the other half you had been desperately searching for all your life had been standing next to you all along.”
Eli and Emersyn are really special and I just love how they’re
story ends. It breaks your heart at times, but truly is the best.
This was really good. Not that I didn’t like Gabe’s story, but I think Eli’s was the best. To see what Emersyn, goes through is tough. Yet at the same time seeing how close her and Eli are just makes me wonder, why weren’t already together to begin with? Obviously you can see they were so meant to be, how could they of not seen it sooner? Being best friends what, since they were ten. That’s a lot.
“I’m seriously surprised the mirror didn’t shatter.” “Whatever,” she replied. When my gaze zeroed in on the area directly above her cleavage, Emersyn shoved me. “Jeez, didn’t you get a good enough look a few minutes ago?” “What are you talking about?” “You’re staring at my boobs.” I laughed. “Trust me, I’m not staring at your tits.” “You could have fooled me,” she huffed, pulling the towel tighter against her. “You still have the scar.” “Excuse me?” With my index finger, I motioned to the slightly discolored area below her collarbone. “The scar you got that time we were climbing trees.” Emersyn’s eyes widened. “You remember that?” “You scared the hell out of me. No lie. I can still hear the thump sound when you fell to the ground.” Pinching her eyes shut, Emersyn began reliving the memory. “You were reaching your hand out to me when my foot slipped on the limb. A branch jabbed me in the chest as I fell. When I landed, it knocked the breath out of me.” Her eyes popped open as a small smile curved on her lips. “I’ll never forget the look on your face—you were pale as a sheet. The worst part was I couldn’t tell you I was all right.” I grinned. “I’m not going to lie I probably pissed my pants a little that day.”
I love Eli’s caring, loving, protectiveness when it comes to Emersyn and how he does and will do anything to make her, feel happy and better again when she’s so depressed.
Again I feel really sorry for what Emersyn had to go through, but come on, lol did her and Eli bump their heads at some point? How did they not see their connect a lot sooner, haha.
“Words can lie, but the heart never will. With every beat, it brings in love and gives it out. That’s why it’s the strongest muscle in the body.”
The whole time you just can’t help but fall more and more in love with the way Eli truly cares for Emersyn. You also can’t help rooting for the both of them, even when they both secretly are afraid to take that step and are also, afraid that they could lose their friendship.
Emersyn can’t help but feel guilty one minute then scared of not having Eli there for her the next. She knows she can’t keep feeling depressed the way she does and has to let her self be happy and to live. Sometimes it’s not always that easy and you just have to learn to take each day one at a time.
“Sometimes you had to go through the darkest times to appreciate the blessing of light in your life. Sometimes you found that the other half you had been desperately searching for all your life had been standing next to you all along.”
Eli and Emersyn are really special and I just love how they’re
story ends. It breaks your heart at times, but truly is the best.
March 15, 2018
Eli Renard is supposed to be the more easy-going, friendly, and charming of the Renard twins where as his brother, Gabe was the moodier, more serious one. He's been a playboy, but deep down would like to settle down like his brother and sister.
He has been best friends with Emersyn since they were ten years old. And now that Emersyn is dealing with the loss of her husband who was also her musical partner, Eli is there as her friend, confidante, and protector. She is lonely, sad, lost, and fading away. And in an attempt to help pull her out of her funk, he invites her to join Jacob's Ladder and tour with them.
They had always just thought of each other as friends. But close quarters on the bus, some friend dates , and newfound jealousy start to make them see each other in a different light. Suddenly there is some tension and some unresolved, hidden feelings brewing. As they are thrust into situations that test their resolve, it just gets more magnified. Temptation, changing feelings, and attraction are overshadowed by fear and guilt.
Eli knows she is vulnerable and not ready. She doesn't think Eli wants a relationship or thinks about her in that way. They're stuck in friend-zone limbo and afraid to push at the boundaries and afraid to risk losing each other. But the sexual tension, emotional turmoil, and feelings cast them into a situation neither is really prepared to deal with and ends up causing even more issues. And soon they are facing the one thing that they did not want to happen...their close bond turning awkward and the possible risk of losing a lifelong friend. Emersyn has already known terrible loss that nearly destroyed her, and she still has serious fears, confusion, and a tendency to try to avoid difficult situations. And Eli is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and is afraid he will never live up to a ghost. My heart seriously hurt for him as he struggled with his feelings and pain.
This will come down to fighting themselves, their fears, and even each other...but will they be able to win the fight for each other's heart and a future together?
I loved Eli and Emersyn! It was important to get both of their points of view since they were in their heads a lot. Their history and closeness made them so strong in some ways, but also made changing their dynamic challenging. They had so much to lose, but the potential to gain much more...but it was a big risk due to how tied up their lives were.
I enjoyed getting more with Gabe and Rae, and Abby and Jake. I like their close bonds, interpersonal dynamics, and humor. This story seemed more emotional than Gabe's and really tugged at my heartstrings as they struggled with their changing emotions. But it was also funny, sweet, romantic, and sexy. I love these characters and have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting these siblings in this Jacob's Ladder series.
I was gifted a copy.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter
He has been best friends with Emersyn since they were ten years old. And now that Emersyn is dealing with the loss of her husband who was also her musical partner, Eli is there as her friend, confidante, and protector. She is lonely, sad, lost, and fading away. And in an attempt to help pull her out of her funk, he invites her to join Jacob's Ladder and tour with them.
They had always just thought of each other as friends. But close quarters on the bus, some friend dates , and newfound jealousy start to make them see each other in a different light. Suddenly there is some tension and some unresolved, hidden feelings brewing. As they are thrust into situations that test their resolve, it just gets more magnified. Temptation, changing feelings, and attraction are overshadowed by fear and guilt.
Eli knows she is vulnerable and not ready. She doesn't think Eli wants a relationship or thinks about her in that way. They're stuck in friend-zone limbo and afraid to push at the boundaries and afraid to risk losing each other. But the sexual tension, emotional turmoil, and feelings cast them into a situation neither is really prepared to deal with and ends up causing even more issues. And soon they are facing the one thing that they did not want to happen...their close bond turning awkward and the possible risk of losing a lifelong friend. Emersyn has already known terrible loss that nearly destroyed her, and she still has serious fears, confusion, and a tendency to try to avoid difficult situations. And Eli is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and is afraid he will never live up to a ghost. My heart seriously hurt for him as he struggled with his feelings and pain.
This will come down to fighting themselves, their fears, and even each other...but will they be able to win the fight for each other's heart and a future together?
I loved Eli and Emersyn! It was important to get both of their points of view since they were in their heads a lot. Their history and closeness made them so strong in some ways, but also made changing their dynamic challenging. They had so much to lose, but the potential to gain much more...but it was a big risk due to how tied up their lives were.
I enjoyed getting more with Gabe and Rae, and Abby and Jake. I like their close bonds, interpersonal dynamics, and humor. This story seemed more emotional than Gabe's and really tugged at my heartstrings as they struggled with their changing emotions. But it was also funny, sweet, romantic, and sexy. I love these characters and have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting these siblings in this Jacob's Ladder series.
I was gifted a copy.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter
March 31, 2018
NO SPOILERS!
Jacob's Ladder: Eli was absolutely amazing and more perfect that I ever could have imagined! It was a sweet, sexy, emotional, and utterly romantic standalone contemporary romance, and I loved it with all of my heart! The storyline and characters were phenomenal, and I loved Katie Ashley's writing style. I have read many romances from this author over the years, and Jacob's Ladder: Eli was definitely one of my top favorites, if not THE top favorite. I hope all of you love Eli and Emersyn's story as much as I did!
Eli and Emersyn were amazing and I adored them and their story so much. I loved their personalities, red-hot chemistry, and deep friendship/connection they had together. I loved how their relationship progressed throughout, and even though there were a few rocky moments here and there, I truly loved reading every single word of this story. I loved reading the book from both Eli and Emersyn's POV, and all of their banter and interactions with each other. I absolutely love the friends-to-lovers trope, and Jacob's Ladder: Eli didn't disappoint whatsoever. It completely exceeded my expectations, and I was truly ecstatic with the conclusion to Eli and Emersyn's story. It honestly made me so happy and was more perfect than I could have dreamed possible. The secondary characters were amazing as well, and I loved seeing several familiar faces from previous books.
Jacob's Ladder: Eli was a sweet, sexy, emotional, and swoon-worthy standalone contemporary romance, and I absolutely loved it! Katie Ashley did an excellent job with this book, and I was more than happy with the outcome to Eli and Emersyn's story. I loved and adored Jacob's Ladder: Eli with all of my heart and soul, and would highly recommend it and the entire Runaway Train and Jacob's Ladder series! I love Katie Ashley's books so much, and can't wait to read more!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews and other book news, please visit: https://theromancebibliophile.com
Jacob's Ladder: Eli was absolutely amazing and more perfect that I ever could have imagined! It was a sweet, sexy, emotional, and utterly romantic standalone contemporary romance, and I loved it with all of my heart! The storyline and characters were phenomenal, and I loved Katie Ashley's writing style. I have read many romances from this author over the years, and Jacob's Ladder: Eli was definitely one of my top favorites, if not THE top favorite. I hope all of you love Eli and Emersyn's story as much as I did!
Eli and Emersyn were amazing and I adored them and their story so much. I loved their personalities, red-hot chemistry, and deep friendship/connection they had together. I loved how their relationship progressed throughout, and even though there were a few rocky moments here and there, I truly loved reading every single word of this story. I loved reading the book from both Eli and Emersyn's POV, and all of their banter and interactions with each other. I absolutely love the friends-to-lovers trope, and Jacob's Ladder: Eli didn't disappoint whatsoever. It completely exceeded my expectations, and I was truly ecstatic with the conclusion to Eli and Emersyn's story. It honestly made me so happy and was more perfect than I could have dreamed possible. The secondary characters were amazing as well, and I loved seeing several familiar faces from previous books.
Jacob's Ladder: Eli was a sweet, sexy, emotional, and swoon-worthy standalone contemporary romance, and I absolutely loved it! Katie Ashley did an excellent job with this book, and I was more than happy with the outcome to Eli and Emersyn's story. I loved and adored Jacob's Ladder: Eli with all of my heart and soul, and would highly recommend it and the entire Runaway Train and Jacob's Ladder series! I love Katie Ashley's books so much, and can't wait to read more!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews and other book news, please visit: https://theromancebibliophile.com
March 26, 2018
4.5 stars
I’m struggling with writing this review without giving any spoilers but I can say that this book will pull you right from the start and keep you wanting more even after the last page.
For fans of this author, Eli Renard is not a new character. We first meet him in the Runaway Train series. What we see of Eli, in those other books, was only a small fraction of who he actually is. There is so much to Eli and after reading this book he has become my favorite Renard twin.
Emersyn Wallace is a character that is dealing with many life changes. Having her best friend, Eli, there through it all has been her salvation.
The friendship that Eli and Emersyn have is awesome and to get to see this friendship grow was perfect. The things that Eli will do to help Emersyn will have you laughing as well as in tears of the tenderness. For this reader this was not your typical friends to lover story. There is so much more involved. I am disappointed that I’m not able to give it a full 5 star rating but the 4.5 rating is because somewhere along the way either I, as a reader, missed it or the author became rushed because events happening with some of the supporting characters weren’t there. While they may be things happening to the supporting characters, they are still major happenings that needed a little more attention and I think that would give it a less of a choppy feel near the end. Besides that this book was able to provide some really great laughs; as well as show how learning to move on after the loss of someone isn’t easy. How do you compete with someone who is not there. How can you not understand a person, yet know a person better than anyone? While a good amount of the book is light and fun, there are some tough areas, but the author does a wonderful job with blending it all together. The supporting characters are great and just add to the wonderful overall experience. I am looking forward to more from this author.
I’m struggling with writing this review without giving any spoilers but I can say that this book will pull you right from the start and keep you wanting more even after the last page.
For fans of this author, Eli Renard is not a new character. We first meet him in the Runaway Train series. What we see of Eli, in those other books, was only a small fraction of who he actually is. There is so much to Eli and after reading this book he has become my favorite Renard twin.
Emersyn Wallace is a character that is dealing with many life changes. Having her best friend, Eli, there through it all has been her salvation.
The friendship that Eli and Emersyn have is awesome and to get to see this friendship grow was perfect. The things that Eli will do to help Emersyn will have you laughing as well as in tears of the tenderness. For this reader this was not your typical friends to lover story. There is so much more involved. I am disappointed that I’m not able to give it a full 5 star rating but the 4.5 rating is because somewhere along the way either I, as a reader, missed it or the author became rushed because events happening with some of the supporting characters weren’t there. While they may be things happening to the supporting characters, they are still major happenings that needed a little more attention and I think that would give it a less of a choppy feel near the end. Besides that this book was able to provide some really great laughs; as well as show how learning to move on after the loss of someone isn’t easy. How do you compete with someone who is not there. How can you not understand a person, yet know a person better than anyone? While a good amount of the book is light and fun, there are some tough areas, but the author does a wonderful job with blending it all together. The supporting characters are great and just add to the wonderful overall experience. I am looking forward to more from this author.
March 23, 2018
kfforever
Reviewed by Emma-Louise on behalf of KFF
I have to start by saying that I truly love this series. I read Gabe’s story and didn’t think I could love anyone as much as I did Gabe and Rae; man, was I wrong. Emersyn and Eli stole my heart and I adored them both so much. I sat down to read this book mid evening and before I knew it I had reached 60% and just couldn’t put it down.
I’m a huge fan of the covers. Each one speaks so much about the main characters starring in the book. The white backgrounds and the concert photos at the bottom of the cover create a bright and invigorating feeling. The book starts off in the past giving the reader a wonderful insight into how Emersyn (or Sonny as Eli calls her) and Eli met and became friends. Eli is the kind of friend anybody would give anything to have. When Emersyn experiences a heart rending experience, Eli is there for her night and day.
Eli is such a giving human being, he would much rather treat his family and friends then spend his money on himself. The relationship between Eli and Emersyn shifts so slowly that neither is aware of it until they’re at the point of no return.
‘I’m pretty sure you don’t kiss your best friend like that, like was it as good for you as it was for me?’
The battle they both war with themselves is life altering. Do they risk their friendship to move their relationship to a new level or do they stay just as they are?
‘Of course, it made sense. Life wasn’t a continuous cookie-cutter moment. It was a mixture of both beauty and pain. Sometimes you had to go through the darkest times to appreciate the blessing of light in your life.’
This review could go on forever but I won’t give away a single moment of one of the best friends to lover romances I have read in quite some time. This book can be read as a standalone, but I beg you, please read Gabe’s book first, you will not regret it for one second.
Reviewed by Emma-Louise on behalf of KFF
I have to start by saying that I truly love this series. I read Gabe’s story and didn’t think I could love anyone as much as I did Gabe and Rae; man, was I wrong. Emersyn and Eli stole my heart and I adored them both so much. I sat down to read this book mid evening and before I knew it I had reached 60% and just couldn’t put it down.
I’m a huge fan of the covers. Each one speaks so much about the main characters starring in the book. The white backgrounds and the concert photos at the bottom of the cover create a bright and invigorating feeling. The book starts off in the past giving the reader a wonderful insight into how Emersyn (or Sonny as Eli calls her) and Eli met and became friends. Eli is the kind of friend anybody would give anything to have. When Emersyn experiences a heart rending experience, Eli is there for her night and day.
Eli is such a giving human being, he would much rather treat his family and friends then spend his money on himself. The relationship between Eli and Emersyn shifts so slowly that neither is aware of it until they’re at the point of no return.
‘I’m pretty sure you don’t kiss your best friend like that, like was it as good for you as it was for me?’
The battle they both war with themselves is life altering. Do they risk their friendship to move their relationship to a new level or do they stay just as they are?
‘Of course, it made sense. Life wasn’t a continuous cookie-cutter moment. It was a mixture of both beauty and pain. Sometimes you had to go through the darkest times to appreciate the blessing of light in your life.’
This review could go on forever but I won’t give away a single moment of one of the best friends to lover romances I have read in quite some time. This book can be read as a standalone, but I beg you, please read Gabe’s book first, you will not regret it for one second.
March 27, 2018
This was such a perfect friends to lover read! I loved Ms. Ashley's books since I first read The Proposition series. Eli and Emersyn's story is so sweet and a little heartbreaking. I couldn't wait to figure out what will truly happen with the couple at the end.
Emersyn (Sonny) Wallace and Eli Renard have been best friends for over 20 years, since they were 10 years old. They love each other like brother and sister and know about what is going on with each other's lives. When tragedy struck Emersyn, Eli was there to help his friend get through the hardest time of her life. He and his siblings even offered her a job playing with their band, Jacob's Ladder.
As they tour together, Eli is always making sure that Sonny is ok with everything that is happening around her. He always knows what she needs before she even realizes what she needs. He is always there to cheer her up and they do fun and crazy things together. Once each of them start to realize that they have romantic feelings toward each other, they both fight their feelings because they are afraid to lose their friendship. Sonny and Eli each struggle on their own with their growing feelings for each other and it just breaks your heart to watch these 2 soulmates afraid to confess their true feelings. Eli has the added issues of thinking that he will always come in second best with Sonny's past. When they both finally confess their feelings to each other, it is great to see how perfect they are for each other. They just have a few obstacles to overcome with their pasts.
Eli is the perfect friend and partner. He knows how to enjoy life but also knows how to care for the people that he loves. And the things that he comes up with to show Sonny how to have fun is creative and funny! I really love this couple!
Emersyn (Sonny) Wallace and Eli Renard have been best friends for over 20 years, since they were 10 years old. They love each other like brother and sister and know about what is going on with each other's lives. When tragedy struck Emersyn, Eli was there to help his friend get through the hardest time of her life. He and his siblings even offered her a job playing with their band, Jacob's Ladder.
As they tour together, Eli is always making sure that Sonny is ok with everything that is happening around her. He always knows what she needs before she even realizes what she needs. He is always there to cheer her up and they do fun and crazy things together. Once each of them start to realize that they have romantic feelings toward each other, they both fight their feelings because they are afraid to lose their friendship. Sonny and Eli each struggle on their own with their growing feelings for each other and it just breaks your heart to watch these 2 soulmates afraid to confess their true feelings. Eli has the added issues of thinking that he will always come in second best with Sonny's past. When they both finally confess their feelings to each other, it is great to see how perfect they are for each other. They just have a few obstacles to overcome with their pasts.
Eli is the perfect friend and partner. He knows how to enjoy life but also knows how to care for the people that he loves. And the things that he comes up with to show Sonny how to have fun is creative and funny! I really love this couple!
March 16, 2018
Jacobs Ladder; Eli by Katie Ashley
“Sometimes forever is standing right next to you, 5 stars”
Eli’s story was straight up painful in the best possible way. Depending on what kind of reader you are you may cry but for sure your heart will hurt several times thought the story. You’ll want to bash some heads but won’t be able to. Ashley wove a story that will make you want to shout GET IT TOGETHER MAN! But in the end, it will be worth it.
Emmersyn just lost her husband and the only one who’s brought her slightly back to the land of living is her best friend Eli. She has to decide if she wants to accept she’s a widow at thirty or if she’s going to join her husband in the afterlife because that’s the route she’s on. But Eli? He won’t lose her, that’s the thing about best friends, they are always there to catch you when you fall.
Eli and Emmersyn have been best friends since the age of ten. She’s always been like his second sister and watching her grieve her loss is painful for him. But what happens when the grieving ends? What happens when his view of his best friend changes and he starts to see her more as a woman and less like a sister?
These two have an uphill battle ahead of them and they don’t even realize it. Everything about the relationship between them is obvious to everyone but them and its awesome. I love how Eli is all about putting a smile on her face and making her happy. I loved how Emmersyn tackled her steps of grieving because she knew she deserved to be happy. These two will definitely give you a new view on falling in love.
Plot-5/5
Characters-5/5
Heat-5/5
Writing style-5/5
Overall-5/5
**SBR Reviews**
“Sometimes forever is standing right next to you, 5 stars”
Eli’s story was straight up painful in the best possible way. Depending on what kind of reader you are you may cry but for sure your heart will hurt several times thought the story. You’ll want to bash some heads but won’t be able to. Ashley wove a story that will make you want to shout GET IT TOGETHER MAN! But in the end, it will be worth it.
Emmersyn just lost her husband and the only one who’s brought her slightly back to the land of living is her best friend Eli. She has to decide if she wants to accept she’s a widow at thirty or if she’s going to join her husband in the afterlife because that’s the route she’s on. But Eli? He won’t lose her, that’s the thing about best friends, they are always there to catch you when you fall.
Eli and Emmersyn have been best friends since the age of ten. She’s always been like his second sister and watching her grieve her loss is painful for him. But what happens when the grieving ends? What happens when his view of his best friend changes and he starts to see her more as a woman and less like a sister?
These two have an uphill battle ahead of them and they don’t even realize it. Everything about the relationship between them is obvious to everyone but them and its awesome. I love how Eli is all about putting a smile on her face and making her happy. I loved how Emmersyn tackled her steps of grieving because she knew she deserved to be happy. These two will definitely give you a new view on falling in love.
Plot-5/5
Characters-5/5
Heat-5/5
Writing style-5/5
Overall-5/5
**SBR Reviews**
March 26, 2018
* A review copy was provided by the author for the Blog Tour *
~ 4.5 Soulmate Stars ~
Jacob’s Ladder : Eli was a friends to lovers story, but also a story about finding love again and learning to heal.
Jus like while reading Jacob’s Ladder : Gabe, I loved being back in this world. It was fun reading about Eli, Abby, Jake, Gabe and Rae. Also hearing about the guys from Runaway Train. The Runaway Train Series does not need to be read before enjoying this book. Katie does a great job filling in blanks when need be.
Jacob’s Ladder: Eli is a standalone novel that is told in Dual POV. It is an interconnected series, so you will see past characters play a part in this story. As always with a Katie Ashley novel, the flow and pace of the story was perfect. This is a slow burn but it was well worth the wait.
In this story we follow Eli and Emersyn. Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they were young kids and we at the same mission camp with their families. Even as they grew up and went in different directions they stayed best friends. So when Emersyn tragically loses her husband, Eli is there to help pick up the pieces. What neither one expected was to feel anything more that friendship. There is a lot of push and pull in this story, because it takes them a little while to realize what is happening. What will happen when they cross that line?? Can they be both best friends and lovers?? Read this story to find out how these two navigate their new relationship.
Again I loved seeing all the old characters again. I love how close this family is and even the guys of Runaway Train.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of a friends to lovers story or loves a great rockstar romance. This story was also a story about healing and learning to love again. This book has a little bit of everything in it. You will laugh, swoon, fall in love and even get mad at times. But in the end your heart will be put back together and you’ll have a smile on your face. If you are a fan of Katie’s work you don’t want to miss this book!!!!
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~ 4.5 Soulmate Stars ~
Jacob’s Ladder : Eli was a friends to lovers story, but also a story about finding love again and learning to heal.
Jus like while reading Jacob’s Ladder : Gabe, I loved being back in this world. It was fun reading about Eli, Abby, Jake, Gabe and Rae. Also hearing about the guys from Runaway Train. The Runaway Train Series does not need to be read before enjoying this book. Katie does a great job filling in blanks when need be.
Jacob’s Ladder: Eli is a standalone novel that is told in Dual POV. It is an interconnected series, so you will see past characters play a part in this story. As always with a Katie Ashley novel, the flow and pace of the story was perfect. This is a slow burn but it was well worth the wait.
In this story we follow Eli and Emersyn. Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they were young kids and we at the same mission camp with their families. Even as they grew up and went in different directions they stayed best friends. So when Emersyn tragically loses her husband, Eli is there to help pick up the pieces. What neither one expected was to feel anything more that friendship. There is a lot of push and pull in this story, because it takes them a little while to realize what is happening. What will happen when they cross that line?? Can they be both best friends and lovers?? Read this story to find out how these two navigate their new relationship.
Again I loved seeing all the old characters again. I love how close this family is and even the guys of Runaway Train.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of a friends to lovers story or loves a great rockstar romance. This story was also a story about healing and learning to love again. This book has a little bit of everything in it. You will laugh, swoon, fall in love and even get mad at times. But in the end your heart will be put back together and you’ll have a smile on your face. If you are a fan of Katie’s work you don’t want to miss this book!!!!
Follow Us at :: Book Bitches Blog | Facebook | Twitter
March 29, 2018
4.5* read.
I've been a follwer of this authors work since I fell in love with her Runaway train series. This is book two in this series but can be read as a standalone. I fell in love with Gabe's story in book one and wasn't sure how Eli would measure up to Gabe or if I'd love his story as much. I'm glad to say I did. What I also loved was the cover, very eye catching and immediantly made me want to pick up and read this book. People say you should never judge a book by its cover but I have to admit that's one of the main things I do. If the cover Isn't eyecatching or its a stock photo that I've seen on numerous other books then unfortuntly I won't buy it. I read so many books that the cover does always play a big decision in what I want to read.
This is a friends to lovers romance, one of my favourite genre's to read. I Just love been able to watch a relationship develop from friendship, there's always that really strong chemistry but then that added concern that they will ruin their friendship by going further which always adds extra angst and drama to the story.
Emersyn made this story for me. Everything's she's been through, you feel every emotion and really root for her to have that happy ever after. Eli was just the perfect mix for her. The chemistry, the sexual tension, the hot hot scenes, I loved it.
I can't wait for the next book by this author.
March 29, 2018
4 to 4.5 stars
Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they were ten years old, so they have shared pretty much every major event in each other's lives. When Emersyn got married, Eli was there to help her celebrate and when her husband died unexpectedly he was there to hold her up in her time of need. When Emersyn falls into depression, Eli and the guys offer her an opportunity to go on tour with them. They see it as a win/win: they get a talented performer who is a known entity, and they can help her find her way back to a little bit of happiness again. Fortunately she agrees!
Eli has been thinking about the future more now that Abby and Gabe have found their significant others, but he has never considered Emersyn in that light. They have an easy connection and camaraderie but neither can understand why outsiders continually assume they are a couple. Oh, to be on the outside looking in...
Slowly realization starts to creep in for both Eli and Emersyn, and close proximity leaves them nowhere to hide from newly discovered feelings. There is a great range of reactions from horror, disbelief and guilt all the way to sweet and then sexy moments that leave them in need of a fan! Ms. Ashley takes them - and the reader- on a wonderfully heartbreaking and heartwarming journey that I really enjoyed!
Eli and Emersyn have been best friends since they were ten years old, so they have shared pretty much every major event in each other's lives. When Emersyn got married, Eli was there to help her celebrate and when her husband died unexpectedly he was there to hold her up in her time of need. When Emersyn falls into depression, Eli and the guys offer her an opportunity to go on tour with them. They see it as a win/win: they get a talented performer who is a known entity, and they can help her find her way back to a little bit of happiness again. Fortunately she agrees!
Eli has been thinking about the future more now that Abby and Gabe have found their significant others, but he has never considered Emersyn in that light. They have an easy connection and camaraderie but neither can understand why outsiders continually assume they are a couple. Oh, to be on the outside looking in...
Slowly realization starts to creep in for both Eli and Emersyn, and close proximity leaves them nowhere to hide from newly discovered feelings. There is a great range of reactions from horror, disbelief and guilt all the way to sweet and then sexy moments that leave them in need of a fan! Ms. Ashley takes them - and the reader- on a wonderfully heartbreaking and heartwarming journey that I really enjoyed!
March 14, 2018
I absolutely adore this author and her style of writing. This book was heartbreaking and beautiful, It was about loss and love and rebuilding the heart so it is open and accepting to want love again. This book is definitely the type of book that gets you soul deep, it makes your heart ache and soar with the people in this book.
Eli was amazing to read he had the ability to make you laugh and in parts make you cry, he definitely has a beautiful soul. Emmersyn was a joy to read and follow this beautiful journey with her, she had so much pain to build off of and she had the ability to make you just want to hug her and hold her close just to make everything better. Best friends love is the best kind of love. It was amazing that previous charecters were in this book and you got to see how their lives were going.
I would recommend this book to anyone who love an epic love between two very beautiful souls and I can't wait to see what this beautiful author comes out with next as everything she writes is amazing and beautiful and touches your heart. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.
Eli was amazing to read he had the ability to make you laugh and in parts make you cry, he definitely has a beautiful soul. Emmersyn was a joy to read and follow this beautiful journey with her, she had so much pain to build off of and she had the ability to make you just want to hug her and hold her close just to make everything better. Best friends love is the best kind of love. It was amazing that previous charecters were in this book and you got to see how their lives were going.
I would recommend this book to anyone who love an epic love between two very beautiful souls and I can't wait to see what this beautiful author comes out with next as everything she writes is amazing and beautiful and touches your heart. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.
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