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West Brothers #1

From Ashes To Flames

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Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07CSWLP64.

From the USA Today Bestselling author of For The Love of English, comes a new Single Dad Romance, From Ashes To Flames. It is a stand alone contemporary romance. 
When Unconventional Ended Up Being Unthinkably Hot


I had it all--the dream job, a wonderful boyfriend, a fabulous life.
Or that's what I thought.
Then my life took an unexpected turn and I found myself working as a nanny for the hot-tempered Dr. West.
He and his regimented spreadsheets and rude attitude were more than anyone should have to take.
If that jerkface thought he could order me around, he'd better think again.
Then one day I discovered his secrets, which explained why he acted the way he did.
I never expected my heart to soften towards him so much.
I never expected to have such sexy dreams about him.
Nor did I expect to want him the way I did.
But he was my boss, older than me, and off-limits.
And if I wasn't careful, everything, including my heart, would go up in flames.

376 pages, ebook

First published April 27, 2018

3073 people are currently reading
2111 people want to read

About the author

A.M. Hargrove

76 books2,461 followers
One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So she made a quick decision to quit her job and reinvented herself as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author.

Reader, Writer, #WalterThePuppy Owner, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Vodka Aficionado, Coffee Drinker, she believes coffee and ice cream should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

Connect with Annie here
Newsletter: http://amhargrove.com/mailing-list/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amhargroveauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram/amhargroveauthor
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/amhargrove
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-m-h...




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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
Profile Image for Jenny••Steamy Reads Blog••.
987 reviews1,970 followers
May 3, 2018
***Available Now***

I burned a slow death with this read. I am one of those readers that thrive on angst. Yet..... I’m one that Thrives on getting a happily ever after. Let me say this to you all, my heart is battered, beaten, and it is pounding with so much love right now. This book tore me apart with all the sadness, it shattered me with all the hurt, then it put me back together with the healing, it warmed me with the love, and it ultimately reminded me why I love this author’s writing. Hello angst.



I’ve read Ms. Hargrove’s books before, so I was excited to get my hands on this one and I definitely was not disappointed. I loved on her books that I’ve read before, and I have loved hard on this one too. Marin and Grey are an unexpected but beautifully lovable couple. Yes there is an age difference, did it bother me, no, not at all. Marin, a few times made my eyes roll, but at the same time, Grey made me want to slap the shit out of him. But the precious Kinsley & Aaron won my heart.

This story is about betrayal, moving on, healing, forgiving, and finding your forever love when you gave up on having anything to do with love at all. This story reminds us of living, growing, and leaving hatred behind in order to live peacefully. When life gives you a second chance, grab it, hold on, and don’t throw away life’s chances. Your once in a lifetime love comes only once ♥️

“You already have my heart. The materialistic stuff is nothing when you don’t have love.”








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Profile Image for SueBee★bring me an alpha!★.
2,417 reviews15.4k followers
Want to read
May 3, 2018
LIVE! | AMZ US | AMZ UK |


Stand-alone.
LIVE! | AMZ US | AMZ UK |
Blurb:
I had it all—the dream job, a wonderful boyfriend, a fabulous life.
Or that’s what I thought.
Then my life took an unexpected turn and I found myself working as a nanny for the hot-tempered Dr. West.
He and his regimented spreadsheets and rude attitude were more than anyone should have to take.
If that jerkface thought he could order me around, he’d better think again.
Then one day I discovered his secrets, which explained why he acted the way he did.
I never expected my heart to soften towards him so much.
I never expected to have such sexy dreams about him.
Nor did I expect to want him the way I did.
But he was my boss, older than me, and off-limits.
And if I wasn’t careful, everything, including my heart, would go up in flames.
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,710 reviews1,038 followers
October 17, 2019
Romance book involving nanny is favorite trope of mine. I especially enjoy Eleanor & Grey. So when I read the blurp From Ashes To Flames, I pick it up. But something about this book is missing.

The characters when they stands alone, I can connect with them. But when the characters finally connect, I am lost. I think its because of the writing. It is more direct writing and not give so much drama, swoon worthy writing. The drama, the twist are not highlighted and developed properly. The connection between Gray and Mannie through his kids are stiff and too long. I have to admit it gets me bored a little.

When I am finished, I do enjoy this book OK despite the writing.

3 stars
Profile Image for Vintage.
2,714 reviews719 followers
January 9, 2023
This is less true love than older man gets lucky with doting and adoring nanny that will make an excellent second wife and even better long term nanny. Poo.
Profile Image for Betül.
1,067 reviews291 followers
May 3, 2018
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

description

3.5 stars

From Ashes To Flames was a fun and light contemporary romance. I love stories with single fathers and this story fit perfectly into that category. I fell in love with Grey's children: Aaron (one year old) & Kinsley (six year old) right away. Especially Kinsley was just the cutest little girl, she was just so sweet and curious. When Grey loses his wife he hires a nanny to take care of his children while he is working. He was a moody and arrogant guy, he was also very stubborn. The interaction between Grey and his new nanny Marin is pretty shaky in the beginning, but that changes over time. He sees how good she is with his children, and knows they are in good hands with her.

There is a age difference of 15 years, she is 26 and he is 41. I liked that she was in her mid-twenties instead of early, because at least she is more mature. However there were times she didn't really act her age, which I didn't like. But mostly she was a very likable character. On the other hand, Grey annoyed me at times with his behavior and decisions. But I was glad he saw the error in his ways and did his best to correct his mistakes. My favorite parts were with the kids. Especially the interaction between Kinsley and Marin were so cute. Overall this was a fun read. The story/writing had a great flow that was easy to follow. I am looking forward to the upcoming books in the West Brothers series. I recommend this book for lovers of fun single parent romances.
Profile Image for Inna.
1,678 reviews372 followers
December 31, 2022
3 stars. I really enjoyed this until the last minute drama and separation. The hero was such a dumb idiot throughout this book that the bullshit at the end basically killed the romance for me. The heroine was amazing and strong and should have kept the hero groveling for much longer than she did. Although the grovel was decent, the “HEA” came too fast after reconciliation and I didn’t buy it.

The story up until that drama was pretty good - I didn’t even mind that the hero had kids from his previous relationship, which can sometimes be an irritant for me. This book was somewhat all over the place, but I did really like the heroine and she made this book enjoyable. Heroine was in her 20’s and hero was in his early 40’s iirc. Just a bit much for me personally.

Safe; both H & h were cheated on by their previous partners, H has two kids from his deceased ex wife, no others for either of them for the months after both of their relationships ended, no scenes with om/ow, no cheating, no major OM/OW drama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Alyssa.
304 reviews37 followers
May 18, 2018
3 stars

Emotionally, I want to rate this lower but I will not deny I was committed to seeing this story through to its end and it kept me turning the page. Ultimately the goods outweighed the bad - but the bad for me was an especially hard pill to swallow.

Quick synopsis: Grey lost his wife in a tragic accident right after he found out she had been cheating. He is left coping, angry, and failing miserably at his attempt to raise two kids. Marin has also had a bad run of luck and has been licking her wounds at her parents house for several months. Fed up, her mom gets Marin a nanny gig with Grey and not-so-gently pushes her from the nest. I wouldn't even say there is insta-lust between the two because he's an a** and she views him as her boss BUT it is insta-love with the kids. A very bumpy love ride ensues.

The Good: The storyline - I'm a sucker for this kind of story. Give me an angry & broody single dad with a non-pushover & snarky nanny any day of the week. Throw in some extremely lovable kids and endearing love story between them and the nanny and I'm even more sold. This was all there.

Marin - My initial impression was dislike. I'm very happy to inform as soon as she took on her nanny role I really liked her. She has all the makings of a heroine with gumption and an equally nurturing side towards the children. Her attraction towards Grey was very slow and cautious. And she also put him in his place so many times and it was very satisfying to read. To say he deserved it was an understatement.

The Bad: Grey. I don't think I've disliked a hero this much in some time. Spoiler alert ahead for what rubbed me the wrong way

Final thoughts: I loved Marin and the kids so much that I wanted to see them get their HEA despite my misgivings towards Grey. I was also ready to finally read the dude's redemption arc. So yes, I did technically enjoy reading this story but Grey can kick rocks in my book. And a good epilogue will always sway my final opinion...which thankfully delivered.
Profile Image for Alex ♈.
1,568 reviews1,405 followers
Read
May 7, 2018
I don’t know how to rate it, and I’m not in a mood to explicit complain about another book.
So many things bothered me, so many… :-(((((

But I couldn’t put it down, despite I didn’t like everything about the story, I didn’t want to DNF.

What I liked: the heroine had her strong moments, I liked how she called him out on his behavior. If she were weaker, I would have def DNFed, because the hero was a real a§§ for the 2/3 of the book.
I felt for him, what happened to him was awful, but the heroine wasn’t the guilty one…
The book was safe. The hero wasn’t a manwhore. Good groveling (but it could be more). Cute kids.

What I didn’t like:
- She called a 41 yo man old…. I get that she was only 26, but 41 is NOT old!
- Their age difference bothered me, maybe because of the previous point
- Who hires a nanny without any experience?
- What doctor doesn’t have basic knowledge about human body? (Heart school, really?)
- Why to embarrass the heroine? Kid found her vibrator? Singing at the restaurant…
- Why everyone dissuade the hero to do a DNA test and to find out if his 2nd child was his or not? He had a right to do it!!!!
- Vienna accident… Really???
And some more…


I will definitely read the 2nd book. Hero is a vet and h is a mature woman (she is 40).
Fingers crossed I have less issues with it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Anna.
1,090 reviews7 followers
May 4, 2018
Totally loved this story! 4,5 stars.:-)
It amaze me how patient and lovely was Marin with kids, and she didn’t have any previous experience and she was an only child! My heart squeezed a lot during first pages: motherless children, broken widowed man...
It was a slowburn, but did it hurt sometimes. I cried for Marin, with a lot of Kleenex!
She was such a strong woman, she didnt give a sh*t for her employer, she spoke her mind.
And Grey, ooh, Grey, poor man, such a tragedy, but he did have his HEA!
This author is one of my favorite, and this book is such a gem!
Its a safe read: no OP scenes, a bit of ex drama, but nothing angsty. No cheating.
Profile Image for Christopher Jos. Evans.
122 reviews6 followers
June 2, 2019
Read like a police report.

She got the words on the page, so I’ll give her that.
Profile Image for Jen.
821 reviews137 followers
May 4, 2018
4.5 Polka Dot Stars!
Profile Image for Arianna.
538 reviews10 followers
May 30, 2019
Caruccio. Non mi ha fatto impazzire ma carino.
Certo che questa sta fissata con le bambinaie ....
Profile Image for The Reading's Love Blog.
1,340 reviews186 followers
December 17, 2019
RECENSIONE QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...

description
Trasportata da grande entusiasmo ho iniziato la lettura ma qualcosa fin dalle prime pagine mi ha fatto suonare un campanello d'allarme. L'entusiasmo è scemato lasciando il posto ad un occhio attento e ad un pensiero confuso. Ma andiamo con ordine. Questa è la storia di una ragazza che dopo diverse delusioni lavorative e sentimentali, dopo un periodo di ribellione nei confronti della vita si ritrova a fare la babysitter e nonostante non sia per nulla portata ad aver a che fare con dei bambini piccoli, da subito instaura con loro un legame particolare. Grey è un cardiologo e subito veniamo a scoprire cosa accade alla sua vita e come essa venga totalmente stravolta: il dolore, la rabbia e la delusione lo portano a dedicare il suo tempo solo al lavoro trascurando completamente i suoi figli. Tra Grey e Marin inizia una convivenza forzata con battibecchi e liti, momenti familiari dove i figli predominano la scena e sono fonte di ulteriore attrito tra un padre egoista ed una babysitter che non si fa mettere i piedi in testa e non le manda a dire, avvicinamenti e prese di coscienza fino a passare dall'odio all'amore. Di solito quando recensisco parlo dei protagonisti e le loro caratteristiche, delle emozioni suscitate o meno, dei pregi o mancanze strutturali dello stile, insomma nel mio piccolo cerco di dare un quadro completo quanto più obiettivo possibile, chi mi conosce sa che non giudico mai le scelte sull'evoluzione narrativa o in base a simpatia, antipatia protagonisti né tanto meno su cosa avrei preferito leggere in una determinata storia. In questo caso sono costretta a dire che non mi è possibile dare un giudizio globale sulla storia scritta dalla Hargrove perché la traduzione totalmente letterale e la mancanza di una buona trasposizione italiana non solo mi hanno reso poco piacevole la lettura, ma hanno fatto in modo di rendere i dialoghi tutti uguali, piatti e in molti momenti irritanti. L'autrice attraverso i dialoghi arguti a tratti irriverenti e divertenti, attraverso le interazioni serrate è bravissima nel delineare i suoi protagonisti, qui purtroppo per le motivazioni che ho detto questo non avviene, anzi vengono penalizzati, persino ridicolizzati. Ci sono innumerevoli termini che variano dal linguaggio gergale a quello obsoleto e non in uso nella lingua corrente, tutto il libro è frammentato con punti o virgole che tolgono fluidità ed armonia. Protagonisti e interazioni, evoluzione narrativa e tutta la storia in sé è stata penalizzata da una pessima traduzione e nessuna cura del testo...

CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
Profile Image for Lucrug.
647 reviews27 followers
June 29, 2019
Marin ,ventisei anni , ha un lavoro e un fidanzato,ma in una giornata perde tutto.
Il suo capo vuole un articolo manipolato su di un asilo che non ha nulla che non vada. Si rifiuta e lui in alternativa al licenziamento le fa delle proposte indecenti.Schifata va via e torna a casa in anticipo ,ovviamente. Qui trova il suo fidanzato con la sua migliorie amica e di certo non stanno chiacchierando. Mena tutti e due(grande!😂)e se ne torna dai suoi.Si lascia andare all'apatia e i suoi genitori esasperati le trovano un lavoro come bambinaia.Costretta, accetta pur non sapendo nulla di bambini....
Il suo capo è Grey West,stimato cardiologo di quarantuno anni,vedovo e con due bambini,Kingsley di sei anni e Aaron,dieci mesi. Grey non è proprio un simpaticone,è un uomo arrabbiato per quello che la vita gli ha riservato,freddo con i suoi figli,soprattutto con il piccolino e si aggiudica subito l'appellativo di mister grugnito. È odio a prima vista tra i due.
Marin non lo sopporta proprio e lo trova vecchio:" lo guardai mentre si allontanava da dietro con quel culo sodo. Aveva proprio un bell'aspetto,peccato che fosse un vecchio bacucco"...
Lui la trova eccentrica con i suoi piercing e i capelli arcobaleno,ma i suoi figli la amano alla follia...Tra loro le discussioni(a volte sensa senso) non mancano:
-"è una bambina. Io ho studiato cuori,non i bambini"..
-"hai detto la cosa più stupida che abbia mai sentito. Sei andato all'università e vuoi dirmi che non sai nulla del corpo umano,se non del cuore?"
-"non ho detto questo...."
Vanno avanti così fino a che lui non ha un illuminazione , si accorge che le piace e si trasforma in una macchina del sesso, sboccato 😏. Lei ,ovviamente, accetta a braccia aperte(braccia è una metafora)...
Una storia con un ottimo potenziale mal svilluppato,non so se sia una pessima traduzione a non rendergli giustizia. Ci sono frasi senza senso, tipo:"mi manda ai pazzi"....
Oppure:" e se fa un incubo?"...
Sono presenti parecchi errori grammaticali ,la storia tra loro passa da un eccesso all'altro e a tratti mi ha annoiato.
⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for ItaPixie.
1,273 reviews148 followers
May 3, 2018

From Ashes To Flames was a nice read.

Marin and Greydon can't be more different from each other but that only makes them even more perfect and they are complementary.The broody 41 year old doctor found his match with the colorful mid twenties nanny.
Their love story was a slow burn,and thanks to that it was more believable,but the pace was never dragging,on the contrary there were a couple of plot twists that kept me on my toes while reading.

This story grabbed and held my attention from start to end.I think this author has a real talent to write about kids because her little characters always tug at my heartstrings.
I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.


Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

Profile Image for Tia Louise.
Author 75 books7,212 followers
April 30, 2018
A deliciously sexy slow-burn romance. I absolutely loved this book!!!! It's a sexy nanny, friends to lovers story. It has a wounded single dad and his ADORABLE little girl and baby boy... (awwww!!!! I love them!!!)

The writing is fantastic, the plot never drags, and you will totally be cheering for these two and hugging your kindle in the end. It's just a wonderful, FIVE STAR journey.

Don't miss it!
Profile Image for 1-Click Addict Support Group.
3,749 reviews490 followers
May 17, 2018
Marin is the kind of girlfriend I know I would be laughing my butt off with. Her honesty and funny sense of humor made me love her even more. Dr. Grouchy a.k.a Greydon, well he grated on my nerves at first but the more I read why he acted worse than Oscar the Grouch the more my heart softened for him.

Greydon knew what he had to do to never go through what he was going through, but Marin had a way of getting under his skin and I couldn't help but laugh because she was a total hoot!! The more these two interacted the more their true feelings showed and I knew the firework show would start soon.

I didn't know what to expect at first but the more I read the more I fell in love with Marin and Greydon (thought there were times I wanted to slap the mess out of him) and I kept hoping they would see it before it was too late. Kara~ 4.5 Stars
Profile Image for Shelby (BookLoversHaveMoreFun).
1,347 reviews43 followers
April 25, 2018
description 

I have two MAJOR weaknesses when it comes to books: kids and forbidden love. This book had both of those!!!

From Ashes To Flames was a slow burning romance that had me at the edge of my seat anticipating who'd make the first move. While it was a story about love it was also about second chances, healing, and moving on. What I REALLY loved was that the two children were never put on the backburner. They were just as important as the hero and heroine.

I'm VERY eager for the rest of the West Brothers.

description
Profile Image for Simran ..
Author 22 books1,346 followers
September 2, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a new to me author and I enjoyed her book immensely. It was entertaining throughout. I especially loved the heroine Marin. She did what she thought was best , always stood up for herself. Grey was awesome and it was understandable why did he act the way he did. You could feel his pain. Marin was a great partner for him. The book was comparatively less steamy , the focus was more on the character’s development.
But the person I adored and loved the most was kensley ( grey’s daughter ). She was so so adorable and funny.
Overall it was an amazing read, I just like my books a little more steamy.
Still am excited to read about the other brothers too.
Profile Image for Liv.
471 reviews43 followers
April 30, 2018
description

❤ OMG!! ❤ I couldn’t handle all the LOVE I had for this book!!! I was absolutely blown away by this story which will definitely be a re-read soon.

Usually I’m not a huge fan of age difference in a book but I didn’t mind it in this case because both characters were old enough for my liking. I was also glad that it wasn't one of those daddy romances because although there was a 15-year age gap, the heroine was already 26 and mature enough to handle a 41 year old man so that I never had the feeling she would be too young for him or he too old for her.

I absolutely loved this book which started with a bang! There was so much going on right from the start which made it so easy to get sucked into the story and I kind of felt like being a teenager again, in love for the first time and making a fool out of myself because I was so giddy the whole time. I may have a huge crush on Greydon. =P

The love story was a slow burn for anyone who likes to know, but let me tell you, it's so worth it and absolutely perfect! There's no way it would have been that good if the characters were head over heels in love from the beginning because the story definitely needed to take its time to unravel and for the H and h to be comfortable with each other. Especially since Grey had a lot to deal with until he could even acknowledge Marin’s presence.
'I was the guy who handled the heart's electrical issues. But I couldn't fix my own broken down heart.'

I would have never expected the story to go this way because honestly, I feared that once the characters got it on with each other that it would be all lovey-dovey and soon get boring but WOW! My worries were for nothing because I was totally engrossed in this book from start to finish. Talk about unpredictable and unputdownable!! It's nothing like I've read before and definitely the best nanny book I've read so far.
'And here I thought Dr. West was a straight-laced tight-assed dude. Who would've thought he was so dirty minded?'

Greydon was a broken hero who had to deal with a lot of pent-up anger and frustration which was totally understandable. I felt so very sorry for him because he would have needed to get everything off his chest before his world fell apart but life doesn’t always go the way you want it to. Anyway, I noticed that there were some people who didn't like the way Greydon treated Marin or how he acted at times. (Although he got his ass handed to him a time or two from her because she certainly was capable of handling a guy like him).
I'd just like to say that I had no problem with Grey’s behavior because although it must have been hard for Marin, I could totally relate to his feelings and how frustrated he was. He couldn’t act any differently because of the situation he was in and his actions were absolutely comprehensible. He was authentic and I loved to follow the process of his recovery. The author did an outstanding job with this story!!
‘Grey was a man who commanded the room. When he was in it, people took notice. I saw that at the picnic. And it wasn’t that he tried. It just happened.’

My feelings were all over the place during this read and I wish I could have bottled up all those good emotions to have them at hand when I needed a dose of love.

I loved Marin's character. She was awesome and did what she thought was right and never let anyone dictate her anything she didn't want to do. I also loved her appearance because she wasn’t the typical beauty of the rich society with her colorful hair, piercings and tattoos.
'She was pretty in a disarrayed fashion. Her crazy messed up hair and the rest of her was completely unconventional, but it somehow worked.'

The kids were the most well-behaved children and so adorable. Kinsley was so funny and a really clever and smart girl. She and Aaron were always good-humored and almost too good to be true.

I loved this book something fierce and can't wait for Grey's brothers’ stories!!

-- I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book given by Give Me Books Promotions. --
Profile Image for Sejla.
552 reviews63 followers
April 25, 2018
The moment From Ashes to Flames hit my kindle I dropped everything else in order to read it. The blurb was intriguing and I loved the gorgeous cover too, but most of all I was looking forward to be caried away by AM Hargrove's words. Since reading For The Love of English I'm a huge fan of hers! She is a very versatile author who knows how to write gut-wrenching stories that will rip your heart out but also those who are light, funny and sweet. From Ashes to Flames was a prime example for that! I loved the tug of war between the two main characters, Grey and Marin. They had great chemistry! But I especially loved the two little kids that owned my heart from the start: Kinsley and Aaron.

Marin's perfect world crumbled into pieces the day she lost her dream job and caught her boyfriend cheating on her. Betrayed and devastated she lives from day to day without a purpose. But her dull life takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself working as a nanny for the two adorable kids of the hot-tempered and sexy Dr. West. His rude attitude drives Marin insane as much as his behaviour towards his children. But once she discovers his secrets, which explain why he acted the way he did, her heart will soften towards him. Never in her dreams did Marin expect to start lusting after her boss, who is older than her and totally off-limits. Nor did she expect him to want her back...

On the first sight you might think that Dr. West aka Dr. Grouch is nothing more than a misarable jerk! But let me assure you that first impressions can be deceiving. Deep down Grey was a loyal and loving person. Things from his past are heavily weighting on him, making him misjudge people and not trust them easily, most of all Marin. But once he discovers how amazing she is to his children and how much she loves them, he won't be able to keep his guard up anymore. The lines between employer and employee will start to blur, awakening a longing and passion between them they never thought possible.

I loved Grey and Marin's banter. Every time he pushed, she pushed back. They both made me swoon and clutch my kindle with hearts in my eyes! I loved how they complemented each other. Through Grey and his kids Marin will find the purpose in life she was looking for.

I can't recommend this book enough! Be warned: little Kinsley and her adorable baby brother Aaron will steal your heart! I adored them and never wanted to let them go. Thanks to these two there were several lough out loud moments in this book that were my absolute favorite. I'm giving this super sweet and funny read 5 well deserved stars!
Profile Image for Naadira  Moodley (BookedMercy) .
369 reviews82 followers
July 23, 2018
HEA - Yes
Steam level - High
Angst - Low/ Medium
OW/OM drama - No


A slow burn nanny and employer book.... A great combination. Marin was down and out because she had no job prospects and her asshole of her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend! (I know, cliche right!!!!!)
Then there's Grey, a doctor. His asshole of a wife has been cheating in him for a long time and on the day he finds out she's cheating, she dies with her lover in a plane crash. Now he's left with 2 adorable kids and someone to help look after them. In came Marin, whose mother arranged for her to become the new nanny for Grey's children.

This book was really frustrating. Grey was such an asshole jerk. It was going to be a 4 star read for me but then he took his assholishness to a whole new level. I was really disappointed in his reaction (lack thereof) when Marin told him she loves him. I was expecting better of him. He should have been slapped. He pursued this relationship with her. She did not even remotely assume anything was going to happen between them. I didn't even think she wanted to be with him. She obviously found him hot but that was it. Also why did he not realize that he wants to be in a relationship with her and he technically was because it wasn't just sex between them. Stupid Stupid Stupid!!!
Profile Image for Sara M..
617 reviews20 followers
June 3, 2019
Marin è una ragazza ferita e delusa dalle persone e dalla vita. I suoi genitori riescono però in qualche modo a farla assumere da Greydon come bambinaia a tempo pieno.
Greydon però non sa che quella nuova babysitter è un arcobaleno che stravolgerà la sua vita e quella dei suoi due figli.
Burbero e prepotente, oltre che essere un cardiochirurgo affermato, sono le sue caratteristiche principali e di certo non aiutano la sua posizione con l'impudenza di una babysitter pronta a dirgliene quattro ogni qual volta ne ha l'opportunità.
Questa, mie care sdolcinate, è la storia in cui due bambini dai sorrisi sinceri e sdentati hanno rubato un pezzo di cuore della loro bambinaia, prima di essere una storia d'amore convenzionale.
Alcune scelte dell'autrice mi sono piaciute molto, come per esempio proiettare gran parte della routine giornaliera sui bambini rendondoli unici e caratterizzandoli al meglio senza offuscare anche tutti gli altri personaggi e i protagonisti stessi. Oltre a narrare molto bene le ambientazioni di vita familiare e "a due" dei protagonisti non monopolizzando tutte le scene, lasciando spazio anche a degli scorci di vita fuori dalla routine.
Personalmente, le loro litigate mi hanno fatta sorridere moltissimo, oltre al fatto di farmi tifare per loro fin da subito.
In alcune parti l'ho trovato un po' surreale, soprattutto come è stato gestito il lavoro di lui e come, per quanto infastidito dalla presenza di un'estranea a casa, si sia fidato a lasciarle i figli per intere giornate.
Son sincera e per quanto mi riguarda è stato un romanzo diesel. Ha avuto una partenza lenta, ho dovuto aspettare per sentirmi trascinata pur essendoci un ritmo dinamico ho riscontrato, soprattutto nella prima parte, un ingranaggio molto lento.
La sottile linea tra professionalità e passione è molto sottile ed avviene lentamente. Non c'è attrazione immediata, non di quelle da colpo di fulmine. Bisognerà aspettare e se da un lato non ho amato attendere, dall'altro mi è piaciuto entrare nelle dinamiche quotidiane di diversi mesi prima di immergermici.
Se non avessi avuto il punto di vista maschile, probabilmente avrei odiato Grey nella prima parte. Marin ha avuto tutta la mia piena comprensione di pensare che quel dottore non meritasse l'amore dei suoi stessi figli, ma per fortuna ho avuto modo di conoscerlo e l'ha avuto anche lei.
La traduzione e l'editing non hanno aiutato, oltre ad alcuni errori ho notato frasi sconfusionate che non portavano a nessun punto di svolta, risultando buttate lì a caso per fare cumulo.
I cliché sono stati molti e seppur la storia è risultata molto carina, la mancanza di un epilogo per me ha molta importanza. Avrei preferito una riappacificazione più graduale e meno frettolosa, una gestione dei tempi nella fine del romanzo più approfondita e scandita lentamente.
So di cosa è capace la Hargrove e, secondo me, in questo libro non sono fuoriuscite tutte le sue qualità.
Mi sono comunque divertita moltissimo a leggerlo, molte scene sono esilaranti e mi hanno fatta sorridere. I papà single poi, sono il mio punto debole e amo ogni storia abbia dentro questo elemento.
Marin mattone dopo mattone è riuscita ad abbattere il muro che Grey aveva costruito, comportandole molta fatica, pazienza, costanza e determinazione. Non posso dire che non sia stato bello arrivare alla fine del libro piena di consapevolezza dell'amore che li lega, ma sinceramente mi aspettavo di più.

Recensione completa:
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2,346 reviews225 followers
May 2, 2018
3.5 stars

From Ashes to Flames is the first book the West Brother's series by A.M. Hargrove. I jump at the chance to read anything by this author because I just know it will be angsty and heart wrenching and captivating. I quite enjoyed the beginning of this book. Grey and Marin have a slow burn romance but my problem was when Grey suddenly started showing interest in Marin. I felt like it way too sudden and totally contradictory of Grey's usual attitude and character. It wasn't really that credible or believable to me and was too fast paced for my liking.

Greydon West thought he had it all: an amazing wife and two perfect little children, but when he receives some devastating news that overturns his whole family and everything that he thought he knew, he shuts down, puts his whole focus into his work, and puts his family on the back burner.

Marin has been dealt a pretty shitty hand in life lately. Being forced to leave her dream job and then going home to find her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend, she hits rock bottom and can't seem to make herself crawl out of the despair she is in.

Marin's mother getting her a job as a nanny to Grey's two adorable children, Aaron and Kinsley, is what finally brings her out of the shell that she has put herself in. Having never really been around children, Marin is in way over her head with her new nannying gig but she dives right in. The banter between Marin and Kinsley will have you laughing out loud the whole book and will make you fall in love with them both. And I love how Marin isn't afraid to tell Grey how it is and what's on her mind. She has a sassy feisty personality that I absolutely loved.

This story will have you laughing out loud and having you smiling the whole way through. I quite enjoyed this book for the most part and can't wait to see what comes next.
Profile Image for Bookish.Midnight. and. black.
1,449 reviews72 followers
July 29, 2021
NANNY, SINGLE DAD, AGE GAP, and ALL the feels.

I loved how she was brave enough to tell him what she thought, I loved how she loved his children and I hated how this smart cardiologist wasn't brave enough to find out if his boy was in fact, his.
The ending was beautiful and I would definitely read other books from this author.
Profile Image for Cindy.
900 reviews27 followers
May 3, 2018
Grey and Marin
Well AM Hargrove has done it once again!! I know when i read her words I'll be hooked from start to finish. And From Ashes to Flames was another example of PERFECTION! I devoured this book in a setting. I just couldn't put it down.

We have Marin the sexy, smart nanny. And Grey the handsome workaholic dad. What starts as very slow burn nanny/single dad relationship becomes more.

Am Hargrove's writing style is fantastic, the plot engaging, and characters you will LOVE!! Another 5 star read from this talented author.

*I voluntarily read an advance copy from the author. This is my honest review.*
Profile Image for Alla.
1,039 reviews50 followers
September 5, 2018
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but after that something just wasn´t "doing it" for me so to speak. I don´t know how to describe it. The "good feeling" I had went down to an "ok feeling" if I could call it that. But overall it wasn´t bad, I liked it. Nothing more, nothing less.
Profile Image for alex.
947 reviews179 followers
September 5, 2022
— 𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

✿.。.:* ☆:**:. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬.:*☆*.:。.✿

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐲𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭, 41 (H) becomes a single-dad when his wife passes away in a plane crash, however, before she did, he found out that she was cheating on him with a co-worker. He used to be a present father but now he doesn’t know how to act around his kids, especially because Aaron, his little one might not be his. His mom gets tired of seeing him waste his life away and no longer agrees to help him out and be witness to his misery, so she hires a nanny for him. Enter,
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐜𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧, 26, (h) who’s parents also give her a reality check because she got cheated on, quit her job and had a massive appearance change in the past months. However, she gets hired to be Grey’s nanny, and she never expects to love his kids as much as she does. It frustrates her that he’s never around and she seems to be doing everything for him, however, the little moments when he’s around show him in a different light which results in feelings blossoming.

*•.¸♡ ★·.·´ 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 ★·.·´¯`·.·★ ♡¸.•*

The age gap isn’t horrible because they’re both adults, but I swear these too acted like children majority of the time. They really needed to communicate with each other without jumping to conclusions because of their trust issues. Grey was quick to lose his trust in her and gave her no room for explanation when she informed him that she did not submit the DNA kit on time. That scene was the entire downfall of their relationship and she left them, even if it hurt her to leave the kids. He was so irrational, and it was annoying that he would call her back because he couldn’t “do it on his own” in regards to taking care of his kids. She was practically raising the kids on her own, because he’s a doctor and was never around. Marin called him out on his shit multiple times and I’m glad she did because he was a real piece of work.

I truly believe he fell for her because he saw how good she was with the kids. He never expected for her to treat them so well, and it tugged at his heartstrings whenever Marin was with Kinsley and Aaron. It was almost a year, and she was around them twenty four seven while he was at work. That part got boring, I’m sorry but I don’t care about all the medical terminology, give me romance. He would talk about his patients and what procedures they needed, like sir please get on with it. She was so close to the kids and took them to different places and they really got to know her, and now she’s MarnieMom. I don’t think she ever crossed boundaries and still talked about their mom and how she was an angel, which I think was done really well.

Again, I think it was unfair of him to act so shitty when he found out that she didn’t send the kit, frankly do it yourself. She got cheated on too, that didn’t meant she was accusing him of shit 24/7. He took grumpy and moody to another level, that man was so weird especially because he kissed her out of nowhere. Seriously, he sees her at the hospital with Aaron and he just kisses her… I was like okay then, we’re commencing on the relationship aspect of the book.

But by the end of the book, they’re happy and in love + married… so goodluck to them ✅

•••´º´•» 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒔 «•´º´•••

I couldn’t stand that was so stubborn and was convinced he needed a DNA test to make sure Aaron was his child. He was so standoffish towards HIS BABY because he wasn’t sure if they shared the same genetics, it was insane truly. He didn’t even want to be around him and missed his birthday because he didn’t know how to feel that someone else might be his dad. Grey is a grown man and he really resented a baby for something that he didn’t do? I was just annoyed at that, other than that, the family dynamics were fine. Kinsley was an adorable kid and she made everything better.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, I don’t know what was missing so I could love it more. I wish he had been present in his children’s live instead of relying on Marin for everything. It’s difficult to believe that he was this amazing dad before his wife passed and that all vanishes because he found out she was cheating, so he indirectly punishes his children for it by being an absentee father. It’s just shitty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Il confine dei libri.
4,863 reviews149 followers
June 10, 2019
Salve a tutti!
Grazie alla Newton Compton editori ho avuto la possibilità di leggere un'autrice che avevo in programma in vista dell'evento del RARE (Romance Author and Reader Event), che si terrà a Roma a settembre.
L'autrice per me sconosciuta è A. M. Hargrove, che con il suo libro dal titolo "Dall'odio all'amore", mi ha conquistata.
Marin ha ventisei anni e davanti a sé un futuro roseo, un fidanzato con il quale convive e una carriera da brillante giornalista, almeno finché non le chiedono di scrivere un articolo diffamatorio su un asilo nido senza motivo se non quello di rovinare gratuitamente la vita a delle persone, ma lei non accetta l'ingiustizia che il viscido direttore del giornale le impone e si licenzia.
Arrivando prima a casa scopre il suo ragazzo a letto con la sua migliore amica. Dopo aver dato di matto, torna a casa dai genitori, si chiude in se stessa e cambia, sia interiormente che esteriormente, affrontando una fase di ribellione.
I genitori preoccupati la costringono allora ad accettare un lavoro da bambinaia a tempo pieno per i figli di un giovane vedovo.
Grey è un brillante medico elettrocardiologo di quarant’anni, che scopre il tradimento terribile di sua moglie mentre questa è in viaggio.
Prima di potersi confrontare con lei, però, la donna e il suo amante muoiono in un incidente aereo. La terribile frustrazione e rabbia lo trasformano in un altro uomo, freddo e chiuso, persino con i suoi bellissimi due bambini.
Grey è sempre stato un padre esemplare e meraviglioso, ma non riesce ad uscire dal labirinto di rabbia ed angoscia in cui la moglie lo ha gettato con il suo tradimento, senza soprattutto il confronto di cui aveva bisogno per andare avanti. Stanchi della situazione, i suoi genitori gli impongono una bambinaia a tempo pieno.
I due universi di Marin e Grey si scontrano e creano scompiglio l'uno nella vita dell'altra. Sebbene Marin non abbia esperienza con i bambini, ha un talento naturale e non riesce a tollerare la freddezza e arroganza di Grey.
Grey, d'altronde, rimane spiazzato da questa ragazza con i capelli arcobaleno che sistematicamente lo rimette al suo posto, bastonandolo per il suo comportamento terribile e inaccettabile.
Devo dire che non è lasciato nulla al caso, il loro rapporto cambia nel tempo, gradualmente, in un tira e molla emotivo non da poco. Lo stile della narrazione, grazie al doppio punto di vista, ci permette di entrare subito in relazione con i personaggi, non è mai noioso o eccessivo, ma chiaro e semplice, diretto.
"Hai una risposta a tutto, eh?"
"Prima che tu entrassi nella mia vita, non avevo una risposta a niente. Tu, con i tuoi capelli colorati, i tuoi piercing e tatuaggi. Non sapevo cosa farmene di te."
"E ora cosa te ne fai di me?"
"Non saprei. Di sicuro rido molto più di prima. Non voglio dire che non mi hai fatto arrabbiare, ma apprezzo la passione che metti nelle cose che fai. Mi ispira."
Le paure di Grey e Marin di amare di nuovo, di donare di nuovo il loro cuore per vederlo poi distrutto in mille pezzi, sono totalmente comprensibili.
Il lettore non può fare a meno di empatizzare con loro, anche quando Grey si comporta in modo orribile. È una storia che racchiude una piccola rinascinata e il senso delle seconde occasioni.
Consiglio assolutamente la lettura.
Voto 4
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