Chronicles of a Hot Mess

by S.E. Rose

She’s a hot mess, and he’s intrigued from the first time he sees her. He’s a sexy former athlete who could have any woman and she hopes he doesn’t break her heart.
Amery Walsh’s baseball career ended after an injury. He’s been a talent scout for his team and resident playboy since then. But three chance encounters with Lyla Perkins change everything. This tiny, feisty woman flips his world upside-down. Is he ready for a serious relationship?
Lyla Perkins just started her career and so far, it’s an epic disaster. She’s buckling down to prove herself at her job when Amery repeatedly pops into her life, forcing her to consider a more serious relationship. But can a playboy be trusted with her heart?

Genres: Romance, Sports, Humor, Sports Romance, Ebooks, Contemporary, Amazon

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2018

About the author

USA Today & International Bestselling romance author, S.E. Rose lives near Washington D.C. with her family. When she's not wrangling her cats or keeping up with her kids, she's plotting her next story.

She loves all things wine, coffee, and cats. In her non-existent free time, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, binging on her favorite shows, and reading, especially if it's a good mystery or comedy.

Reviews

[Leila · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 cringe-y stars!

and I'll just leave it at that

[Nerdy Dirty & Flirty · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Kacie, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a laugh out loud book! I wasn’t prepared for it to be as hilarious as it was. I was laughing at nearly every scene in the book. It is a great, quick, lighthearted read that will put you in a good mood and make you smile like crazy.

Lyla is a hot mess! She is short, adorable, and hilariously clumsy! There isn’t hardly a time when something is not happening to her or because of her clumsiness. She has a wonderful support system in her best friend/pseudo brother, Nate and her grandmother, Gran Mill. Those two are certainly some of my favorite characters ever! Amery he is perfect. Literally. I don’t think there was anything wrong with him except what the internet said. Amery is sweet, kind, caring, hot, fun, charming, and most importantly; not easily sacred(or scared) by what you will see at Lyla’s house! They didn’t have insane, out of this world chemistry, but I thought they were perfect and complimented each other perfectly.

This was my first S. E. Hall book and if the rest of her books are like this, I’ll be adding them to my ever growing TBR list. I thought her writing was great and the story flowed perfectly.

[Jen Speck · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 25%. Multiple uses of the words “trannie” and “transvestite.” This book was published in 2018. Do better.

[Gena · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ chapter 10. Every character is a stereotype, completely outlandish, and the dialogue was ridiculous. Everthing needed to be dialed down...it was all too much.

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star review of Chronicles Of A Hot Mess by S.E. Rose
Another new author to me and I must say I really enjoyed Chronicles of a Hot Mess. Not only was it, romantic, sweet and cute but at I laughed so hard I almost cried.
Amery Walsh is a player, a swoon worthy man about town who becomes interested in the klutzy Lyla Perkins who he keeps running into. Can opposites really attract? After all how can an ex baseball player be attracted to and intrigued by the overly clumsy hot mess known as Lyla?
That is the question they both ask themselves, but it is true they are drawn to one another and it is is Lyla’s quirkiness that Amery finds so attractive. Not only were Amery and Lyla likeable but her grandmother Gran Mil,was outrageous and one heck of a character. In fact I would love her as my own grandmother to be honest.
Amery has no intention of settling down. He plans to continuing playing the field but there is something about Lyla that really resonates within him. Lyla on the other hand is scared to give her heart to him as she fears he will break it.
Can Amery and Lyla trust in the relationship that they are building and make a future together? One click and find out.

[Britt Chaotic Creatives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair warning, don’t drink anything while reading this. I learned the hard way when I realized just how outrageously funny Chronicles Of A Hot Mess is. This book had me rolling in laughter so much my sides hurt. The over the top hilarity is perfectly paired with a wonderfully sweet romance that will have you swooning making this a must read romcom! I had so much fun reading this!
Lyla is adorably clumsy and plagued with embarrassing moments that had me laughing so hard I was crying. She’s a total sweetheart with incredible friends and family. Amery is an irresistible book boyfriend. The man is flawless! He’s sweet, caring, sexy, and has a great sense of humor. The romance between these two will have you constantly smiling and sighing happily.
Between Lyla and Amery’s perfectly swoony feel good romance and epically hilarious moments brought on by Lyla’s best friend Nate and her grandmother I was constantly breathless either from the swoon or laughing like a lunatic.

[Jordan Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

i’m very down with cliche and cheesy romances, but this one took it all too far. first things first, i hated that amery called lyla “angel”; i really don’t know why it got under my skin so much but i just absolutely hated every time he said it. i also hated how embarrassed lyla was by literally everything, but especially sex. she didn’t act like a grown woman at all. except when she was having random aggressive outbursts because people were having fun around her.

despite all that, i think i would have really liked this story if it weren’t for the dialogue. i enjoyed how the romance built between the characters. i couldn’t stop reading because i wanted to know what happened with them, but it felt like it was written by a straight old white man and it was just cringy…especially the way b-ray was handled and talked about.

i was 100% not the audience for this book.

[Jessica Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the decoy by this author , and loved it. If this had been the first book I’d read , I would have rated it higher. But, as the second one I read , it seemed too formulaic. Plus, there’s not an actual plot. The decoy was smart and funny. This book was neither really. Don’t plan on reading more by this author.

[BookLover23 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would’ve liked this better if it wasn’t so cringey and heavy-handed with the tropes and awkward moments. Lyla’s clumsiness went from endearing to ridiculous after the first few incidents. The characters also acted way too childish for their ages. A better balance between seriousness and awkward humour would’ve made this more enjoyable.

[Angel Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Author using offensive slurs to describe people...well, that's why I DNF'd. Specifically, an offensive slur against transgender people.

[Ree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a crazy, fun, hot mess of a read! Amery & Layla's story was so sweet, and full of romance, I was laughing out loud for most of it, and swooning for the rest.

Layla is a miniature walking hazard - utterly & completely accident-prone. Most of her "accidents" had me dying! Her clumsiness endears her to Amery, who she keeps running into (literally!) and the two begin seeing each other. Amery has never really considered settling down, but Layla really gets to him. Her opposite in almost every way, he realises casual could never fit the type of relationship he wants with her.

I liked the way Amery made sure to make Lyla comfortable, even when she had the worst accidents. He was a real trooper when he met & interacted with Gran Mil and Nate who were quite a pair of characters.

I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it, especially if you love romantic comedies.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.

[Veronica Ticker · Rating 3 out of 5]

(audiobook) I wanted to love it much more than I did, but it was still an okay listen. The narration was good, as always with this narrator. It’s just that I didn’t find the right balance of heat and laugh.

The humor seemed a bit forced, one sexual situation after the other, even with some repetitions. As if Lyla’s clumsiness had to involve toys or nakedness in some level.

As for the intimacy, Amery spends the beginning of the book saying that he’ll take it slow with Lyla. But once they cross the line, they can’t keep their hands from each other, and it becomes a heat fest. I can’t really complain, but meanwhile the story didn’t progress much.

The characters were interesting though, and their relationships quite special. I especially enjoyed the side characters: the gay best friend/brother, the transvestite friend, the feisty gramma… They made for entertaining conversations. The strong friendship between Lyla and Nate was beautiful–it was a fascinating take on the chosen family trope.

If you love sexual humor, I suppose you’ll enjoy this book more than I do. If not, you can still try it, you won’t be bored.

Quickie

- Series: standalone
- Hashtags: #romcom #playboy #clumsy girl #gay best friend
- Triggers: N/A
- Main couple: Lyla Perkins & Amery Walsh
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + the relationship between Lyla and Nate was beautiful
- – many forced “funny” situations that didn’t make me laugh

[Becky Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be warned that this is a hilarious, laughing may cause you to pee a little, snorting good times ahead read. You heard me right you will laugh your booty off while reading Chronicles of a Hot Mess. That is one thing I can guarantee. You get so much with this romcom. Before I say a few things about are main focus Amery and Lyla, there are a few people that need to be mentioned. First off there is Gran Mill. You are going to love this no filter grandma. Yep she is awesome and I love her so much. Just wait until you meet her because you will love her antics. Oh lets not forget Lyla's best friend Nate. Yep he will leave you in stiches too. I love the bond between Lyla and Nate. Gran Mill, Lyla and Nate are awesome together. Okay now back to the main focus. Lyla is a hot mess. She is sweet and sassy. She may be a major klutz but she is perfect too. I simply love Lyla and how can you not after reading this book. Amery is an ex baseball player still working for his team. He is amazing and doesn't bat an eye over what surrounds hurricane Lyla. He is sweet and sexy. I love him so much. You wouldn't think that they would fit together but oh man are you in for sexy funny times with these two. You add in his 2 best friends and you are going to just love everyone. I really couldn't get enough of Chronicles of a Hot Mess. I love each and everyone in this book. Such a fantastic romcom that if you don't read this one then you wont know what you are missing. This was a first time read of S.E. Rose and I can tell you this I love what she is putting down. I can't wait to dig into all the other books she has out now and future books to come.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read S.E. Rose's serious books, so I really never saw this one coming, but OMG, I laughed so hard, that my stomach AND my sides are now aching so much, as the talented S.E. Rose can write romantic comedy as well as romantic suspense! There's no other way to describe Lyla Perkins but as a charming hot mess, as her clumsiness knows no bounds, and this is how she & the hero, Amery Walsh met on a plane. Actually, each time they run into each other, it turns into something crazy, which has me spitting out my drink in laughter, as I just can't even.....and I can't even describe it because I don't want to give anything away, but trust me, you have to experience it because it's totally worth it. Especially since, I'm not sure that the secondaries aren't even more hysterical, to be honest. As much as I loved Lyla, I really feel like Gran Mill stole the show with her activities, with a side of Nate for good measure. But I digress, as Lyla & Amery spend more time together, the sparks fly, no knives luckily, which led to sexy times that set the sheets on fire finally! And there was some drama from a twist or two, so I was able to sing some colorful metaphor name calling. There was just so much to love about this story, so I'm just going to end this with HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDING THAT EVERYONE EXPERIENCE THE FUN FOR THEMSELVES!

[Jenn the Readaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this new-to-me author, but I’m so glad I took a chance on this book. Lyla is a clumsy, funny woman who manages to humiliate herself multiple times in front of Amery, yet her heart shines through everything she does and Amery finds himself falling for someone he never expected. This book didn’t have a lot of angst or drama, but it was hilarious and was a perfect story for the couple. I must say, though, that my favorite people weren’t the main characters. My favorites were Nate and Gran Mill. Between their, ahem, “adult” escapades and mishaps, their jokes, and their love for Lyla (and Amery, as time went on), made these two the family we all hope to have.

I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for some big laughs and cringeworthy acts (the ice rink debacle: trust me, you NEED this). The hilarity that permeates this book manages to make the sadness behind Lyla’s and Nate’s childhoods less devastating and keeps you wondering what could possibly come next.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands up if you can totally relate to Lyla? *Raises hand* Lyla is the girl we perceive ourselves to be: clumsy, awkward and accident prone. She is also the girl we want to be as she picks herself up every single time, shakes herself off and continues on with her head held high. Every girl needs an Amery in her life, who sees her as she is and cherishes her rather than make fun of her or walk from her.

We meet Lyla when is having one of the worst days of her life so far. It is a catalogue of incidents that culminate in her falling into Amery. Amery is a baseball scout who feels an instant attraction to Lyla. When their paths cross again he is not about to let her escape a second time.

This was a very funny read and I could totally picture myself in her shoes, having experienced some pretty embarrassing situations myself. There was also an incredible sweetness to this read with the way that Amery is with Lyla. A top read and one that is a must read in my opinion.

***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***

[Julia Red Hatter Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys, Chronicles of a Hot Mess had me crying laughing through like 75% of it! It had just the right amount of sweet romance and just the right amount of hilarious comedy. Lyla is a hot mess. No doubt about it. She has the worst luck ever, and I believe some of that bad luck rubs off on her bestie Nate. It's that bad. Through all the mishaps though Lyla stays sweet and sassy. She's a breath of fresh air. She owns who she is even while being completely mortified. Amery is some hot stuff. He's sweet and sexy. He lets all of the embarrassing mishaps roll off his shoulder while laughing. He's completely dedicated to Lyla and makes sure she knows it.

The blend of romance and comedy, the writing, and the characters all seamlessly come together to make an effortless 5 star read! Romantic comedy becomes one of those genres that get washed out. It's either too much of not enough. S.E. Rose knocked this one out of the park and I definitely need more!

[Jackie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for hilarious laugh out loud moments as well as some sweet hot romance Chronicles of a Hot Mess is the book to read. This is a new author to me and I really wasn’t sure what to expect but she gave me everything I could ask for in a romantic comedy.
Layla is that adorable girl that always manages to humiliate herself, she is clumsy she is funny but you could never laugh at her you can only laugh with her as she humiliates herself multiple times in front of retired baseball player Amery Walsh. Amery is now a talent scout for team he used to play for and life is good for this playboy until a tiny feisty woman turns his workd upside down, could he be falling for Layla Perkins....
S.E. Rose has certainly hit a home run with this book, I laughed or should I say snorted out loud through out this book and please be aware DO NOT DRINK whilst reading this book unless you want to shower who ever is around you. I loved the characters I loved the plot but I also loved how this book was written because it flowed nothing was forced. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Dimple · Rating 4 out of 5]

You guys, Chronicles of a Hot Mess was ridiculously adorable! This new to me author knows how to bring the groans and giggles!

My girl, Lila needs a bubble to protect herself... from herself. She's a walking caution sign, a frequent faller, a cute catastrophe. When she crashes into Amery, she finds herself falling right into her destiny.

Amery, former pro baller turned scout, spends his time searching for talent, so he knows a good thing when he sees it. He's immediately drawn to the cute little klutz so when they continue to run into each other, he knows it's fate and he dives right in.

These two are great together and their menagerie of friends are ridiculously hilarious! I loved this book from the first chapter and found myself laughing out loud many times! A funny, fresh read that promises laughs and love!

[Rady Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

>Audible<
This author and also the narrator were both unicorns to me. I immensely enjoyed the story of a clumsy Lyla and Amery the hot former baseball player.
I laughed all the time because Lyla´s clumsiness was like the title of this book says.... a mess. She just literally flew into Amery's arms and that´s the beginning of their story. Their attraction was feelable through the whole book.
When you add Lyla´s modern and very YOLO Nan-Mil and her best friend Nate into the mix, it was perfection.
I loved every single character in this book well except Kevin, but in every story, there has to be a villain otherwise there would be missing something.
I loved the narration by Monica King, she truly beautifully brought all the characters to life.

Anyway, I can only recommend this amazing audiobook to those who love to laugh out loud quite often.

[Alphas Do It Better Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

You guys, Chronicles of a Hot Mess was ridiculously adorable! This new to me author knows how to bring the groans and giggles!

My girl, Lila needs a bubble to protect herself... from herself. She's a walking caution sign, a frequent faller, a cute catastrophe. When she crashes into Amery, she finds herself falling right into her destiny.

Amery, former pro baller turned scout, spends his time searching for talent, so he knows a good thing when he sees it. He's immediately drawn to the cute little klutz so when they continue to run into each other, he knows it's fate and he dives right in.

These two are great together and their menagerie of friends are ridiculously hilarious! I loved this book from the first chapter and found myself laughing out loud many times! A funny, fresh read that promises laughs and love!

AnnMarie - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog

[Thuy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty cute. Lyla was quite the adorable klutz. Amery is the Hot ex MLB player who is quite taken by her. He cannot stop watching this hot mess, there is just something about her. What girl wouldn't want to catch a very attractive pro player's eye? She's quite confused as to why he would want to be around her. I liked this story, the only thing I was kinda getting tired about was the amount of times her klutzy tripping would show, it became a little much but it doesn't change what I think of the story. Throw in some really hilarious fun characters from a fun crazy best friend to a raunchy grandmother. The situations they would find behind closed doors was hilarious...I want a grandmother like Gran Mil!!! It was quite entertaining. Sweet HOT hero and quite lovable heroine. Would defintely recommend.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me, and my word, I cannot wait to read more from her. Amery is an ex baseball player, who is now a scout and total playboy. Lyla is feisty and clumsy. These two are total opposites, yet so perfect together. If there is one thing I love about stories, is when there is comedy, and this one has it in spades. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments. This is a well written flawless story, which is humorous, romantic and sweet, and this all leads to an all consuming page turner. I will certainly be looking out for this author in the future!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a funny, sweet read with some seriously swoon worthy moments. I like the set up of how the MC’s initially meet and how they internally question their feelings for each other, but it doesn’t become obsessive, it more natural. Amery is this nice guy who shows his alpha side when required, and Lyla, while her klutzy-ness was a little too over the top for my tastes was still a fun character to read. You’ll love the secondary and tertiary characters just as much as the MC’s. If the author based Gran Mill off of anyone, I need to meet this lady. Gran Mill is just too much in a good way.

[Jennifer Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEWARE! Don't drink anything while reading. You will end up with a mess allover if you do. This story had me laughing from page one all the way to the end. It was such a sweet love story about the playboy and the girl who caught his attention but is the biggest hot mess around. 2 complete opposites that seem to have a great effect on one another..loved reading the chemistry between them!

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEWARE! Don't drink anything while reading. You will end up with a mess allover if you do. This story had me laughing from page one all the way to the end. It was such a sweet love story about the playboy and the girl who caught his attention but is the biggest hot mess around. 2 complete opposites that seem to have a great effect on one another..loved reading the chemistry between them!

[Abbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok yeah i give up. DNF at 51%

[Krista Sandor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Such fun!

[Rosie Bergeron · Rating 1 out of 5]

why use the word tranny over and over

The story was okay but using the word tranny to describe some one multiple times. I had to check the publication date and was shocked it was published recently.

[Gin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Phase 1: wasn't sure but thought I would give it a try. Phase 2: not enamored, but hoped it would improve. Phase 3: too far in to quit, finished for the goodreads reading challenge.
I hate giving bad reviews, especially when I suspect a book is one of the author's early ones. I was frustrated with Lyla and thought Amery was at times pretentious and condescending towards Lyla. While I don't mind novels written in the third person with alternating POVs, this book overused the latter -- in one chapter, the author flip-flopped between POVs five times. Many times the POV switch interrupted the flow of a scene.
Some other things I didn't like:
1. Lyla trips and hits her head on a bench before Amery can catch her. She is knocked unconscious. His first thought upon looking down and seeing her in his arms is that she is "fucking adorable," not "I hope she's ok." He then takes over when she awakens, even cutting her off when she is trying to tell the intern what to tell her boss when her boss asks for her.
2. Dates-- he clearly thinks he knows best and doesn't take what Lyla might like-- or says she likes-- into account. At one point, she says she prefers beer to wine; later, he calls in a favour and plans a date at a winery (she of course loves the wine she is offered). He plans a double date at a skating rink-- she's a klutz (and possibly still feeling the effects of her mild concussion).
3. "When has the internet ever been wrong?Lyla, when Nate suggests Amery is no longer the manwhore the internet suggests he is.
4. When Lyla tells Nate and her grandmother (the awkwardly name Gran Mill) that her boss tried to kiss her, their immediate reaction is to ask if he was hot. It's inappropriate, no matter what he looks like.
5. "B-Ray was also a trannie or transvestite and a completely hilarious and oftentimes mental person." I read the note about derogatory language; this wasn't what I was expecting.
6. A lot of the embarrassing moments seemed like variations on the same theme.

There's more, but I am tired of typing. I might try one this author's later novels when I have the time.