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The Do-Over
Fifteen years is a long time. Long enough to forget the past, forge ahead, and create a terrific life. Bella Hunt has done exactly that, complete with a successful career, a gaggle of close friends, and a home she loves. Life is good.
Or it was, until her teenage nightmare and the bane of her high school existence shows up for Bella’s class on conflict resolution. Easton Evans, in all her pretty, blond, my-parents-are-surgeons glory, throws Bella into an existential tailspin as her unpleasant memories from her past come screeching back. Easton doesn’t even recognize Bella, and what’s worse, Easton is...different somehow. Softer, kinder. And still unfairly attractive. None of it computes in Bella’s head. She’s hated Easton for fifteen years, done her best to scrub the past away. But now here it is. The past. Sitting in her classroom and waiting for Bella to teach her how to resolve a conflict of the heart.
Words: 78,000
Cover Artist: Ann McMan
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
Or it was, until her teenage nightmare and the bane of her high school existence shows up for Bella’s class on conflict resolution. Easton Evans, in all her pretty, blond, my-parents-are-surgeons glory, throws Bella into an existential tailspin as her unpleasant memories from her past come screeching back. Easton doesn’t even recognize Bella, and what’s worse, Easton is...different somehow. Softer, kinder. And still unfairly attractive. None of it computes in Bella’s head. She’s hated Easton for fifteen years, done her best to scrub the past away. But now here it is. The past. Sitting in her classroom and waiting for Bella to teach her how to resolve a conflict of the heart.
Words: 78,000
Cover Artist: Ann McMan
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2019
129 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Georgia Beers
61 books1,504 followersLambda and Golden Crown Literary Award-winning author Georgia Beers lives in Rochester, New York. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, and published her first lesbian novel in 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
February 22, 2019
3.75 Stars. This was a solid romance that I think most Beers’ fans will enjoy. I have to be honest that it’s not my favorite by her, but it is still a quality book that is worth the read.
What if fifteen years after high school you run into a woman who helped make school miserable for you. The woman doesn’t even recognize you, but would you confront her after all this time? And even more important, what if you started to develop feelings for her? It’s a great premise and one I was hooked into instantly.
Beers did a great job of weaving a few flashbacks in with the current timeline to really put you in the headspace of both characters. I’m not a flashback fan, but this was the perfect example of the kind of way flashbacks should be used. They were all important to the story and never used just for filler.
Something I also enjoyed was the chemistry. I thought the chemistry was really well written in this book. You could see the characters connecting right in front of your eyes and it was really enjoyable.
My one slight complaint was I felt the “secret” took a little long to get too. The book slowed down a little for me and I felt like saying just get it over with already. I didn’t like the feeling of the “secret” hanging over my head and I just wanted to move on. In the grand scheme of things it’s not a huge deal, but it may be why I didn’t love this book like many other have so far.
I also want to mention that I really enjoyed the ending. I found myself tearing up and bit and I was happy with how Beers wrapped everything up. Even having a few small complaints, this book was absolutely worth the read. If you are a Beers fan or just a lesfic romance fan, this is one to grab.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
What if fifteen years after high school you run into a woman who helped make school miserable for you. The woman doesn’t even recognize you, but would you confront her after all this time? And even more important, what if you started to develop feelings for her? It’s a great premise and one I was hooked into instantly.
Beers did a great job of weaving a few flashbacks in with the current timeline to really put you in the headspace of both characters. I’m not a flashback fan, but this was the perfect example of the kind of way flashbacks should be used. They were all important to the story and never used just for filler.
Something I also enjoyed was the chemistry. I thought the chemistry was really well written in this book. You could see the characters connecting right in front of your eyes and it was really enjoyable.
My one slight complaint was I felt the “secret” took a little long to get too. The book slowed down a little for me and I felt like saying just get it over with already. I didn’t like the feeling of the “secret” hanging over my head and I just wanted to move on. In the grand scheme of things it’s not a huge deal, but it may be why I didn’t love this book like many other have so far.
I also want to mention that I really enjoyed the ending. I found myself tearing up and bit and I was happy with how Beers wrapped everything up. Even having a few small complaints, this book was absolutely worth the read. If you are a Beers fan or just a lesfic romance fan, this is one to grab.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
February 9, 2019
Georgia Beers is one of my favorites. She has a beautiful writing style that captures both the imagination and the heart. You can count on Beers to give you a quality well-paced book each and every time. Pretty amazing, right?
Easton Evans is coming off a divorce. Not a messy one, but one of mutual respect, positive interactions and co-parenting their seven year-old daughter. Easton married her high-school sweetheart and after years of marriage finally admitted to herself, her husband and close friends that she was a lesbian. When we meet Easton she is working through her guilt of a failed marriage, parenting an unruly adolescent and grappling with a corporate merger that has left her the bad guy to her new sales staff. When the company bigwigs ask her and the other managers to attend conflict resolution, Easton has no choice but to attend.
Bella Hunt is the therapist that will be running the six-week course that Easton and her co-workers will attend. Bella knows Easton from high-school and is dreading working with her former classmate. Bella had a nightmare experience in school and struggled to endure and escape that time period. The memories of the bullying she faced are more than enough. While Bella is a well-rounded accomplished adult, you cannot help but notice that her youth left a few forever scars. When Bella realizes that Easton doesn’t remember her she decides to keep their past a secret. Why go back through those emotions is she can just endure a six-week class? One major problem, she cannot help be drawn to grown-up Easton Evans.
From the beginning, the story has flashbacks of the characters when they were in high school. You become invested in their past as much as their present. You ache for the young girls that were dealing with insecurities, one in the popular crowd, the other the object of their bullying. The chemistry The Do-Over is absolutely amazing and the high school flashbacks are perfectly written so as not to distract or confuse but to add to the plot. They brought depth to the story and gave you more insight into the present day leading ladies. This is another fabulous book from Georgia Beers.
Easton Evans is coming off a divorce. Not a messy one, but one of mutual respect, positive interactions and co-parenting their seven year-old daughter. Easton married her high-school sweetheart and after years of marriage finally admitted to herself, her husband and close friends that she was a lesbian. When we meet Easton she is working through her guilt of a failed marriage, parenting an unruly adolescent and grappling with a corporate merger that has left her the bad guy to her new sales staff. When the company bigwigs ask her and the other managers to attend conflict resolution, Easton has no choice but to attend.
Bella Hunt is the therapist that will be running the six-week course that Easton and her co-workers will attend. Bella knows Easton from high-school and is dreading working with her former classmate. Bella had a nightmare experience in school and struggled to endure and escape that time period. The memories of the bullying she faced are more than enough. While Bella is a well-rounded accomplished adult, you cannot help but notice that her youth left a few forever scars. When Bella realizes that Easton doesn’t remember her she decides to keep their past a secret. Why go back through those emotions is she can just endure a six-week class? One major problem, she cannot help be drawn to grown-up Easton Evans.
From the beginning, the story has flashbacks of the characters when they were in high school. You become invested in their past as much as their present. You ache for the young girls that were dealing with insecurities, one in the popular crowd, the other the object of their bullying. The chemistry The Do-Over is absolutely amazing and the high school flashbacks are perfectly written so as not to distract or confuse but to add to the plot. They brought depth to the story and gave you more insight into the present day leading ladies. This is another fabulous book from Georgia Beers.
February 19, 2019
And there it is! This is what I expect when I read a Beers novel and the last couple have left me a little disappointed, but not this one. Easton Evans is having a little trouble with the staff she’s in charge of when her company takes over theirs. In an effort to smooth over the transition all of the new managers are required to take a six-week conflict resolution class. The first thing Easton notices about the facilitator is how very pretty she is. Unfortunately for Bella Hunt, she has never forgotten the beauty of her high school crush and tormentor.
I’m not really sure what it is that makes the difference between this and her last novel but I really loved this. Maybe it’s the trope; I am a fan of high school crush revisited. The confusion of both characters’ pasts defines their adult selves but in a way that has made them both stronger rather than bitter. Their dialogue is dynamic and ranges from informative to flirtatious. The tension of the past is sustained throughout. There are flashbacks (which I really don’t mind) but there are few enough of them to not detract from the present. The BFFs were different from the usual secondary characters.
And the ending: perfect! This is an easy four and half stars rounded up.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
I’m not really sure what it is that makes the difference between this and her last novel but I really loved this. Maybe it’s the trope; I am a fan of high school crush revisited. The confusion of both characters’ pasts defines their adult selves but in a way that has made them both stronger rather than bitter. Their dialogue is dynamic and ranges from informative to flirtatious. The tension of the past is sustained throughout. There are flashbacks (which I really don’t mind) but there are few enough of them to not detract from the present. The BFFs were different from the usual secondary characters.
And the ending: perfect! This is an easy four and half stars rounded up.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
March 23, 2023
Georgia Beers writes, I come a-running!
For this new book, we follow Easton, a recently divorced business lady, and Bella, a therapist with a sad past. Fifteen years ago, they'd crossed paths as high school seniors and to call this connection problematic would be an understatement. Years later, they meet and sparks fly. Only thing is--Bella remembers Easton immediately. And Easton, well, doesn't remember Bella at all.
I'll admit, in the back of my mind, I'd waited for the other shoe to drop, being that their past would be revealed. Still, it didn't affect the journey to getting to know each other. Beers is surely a pro at giving all the cute ins and outs of girl-meets-girls, filled with flirty quips, coffee, and dogs galore!
For some reason, it took a more effort on my part to get into the side characters. Amy and Heather, Bella's best friends, served their purpose as the supportive/protective two, but they seemed a little...I don't know, cold? I can't put my finger on it. They just weren't as warm as I'd imagined. As for Easton, her husband and kid were fine, but didn't stand out to me. I mostly loved this for Easton and Bella's chemistry.
Speaking of chemistry, this could've used
We're given some flashback scenes to high school for better context. I'm usually 'eh' about flashbacks, but Beers was merciful and kept most of them quite short and insightful. They added something good to the story, I must admit.
Is it weird I'm already looking forward to Georgia Beers' next creation?
☆ This copy was provided by NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. in exchange for an honest review. ☆
For this new book, we follow Easton, a recently divorced business lady, and Bella, a therapist with a sad past. Fifteen years ago, they'd crossed paths as high school seniors and to call this connection problematic would be an understatement. Years later, they meet and sparks fly. Only thing is--Bella remembers Easton immediately. And Easton, well, doesn't remember Bella at all.
I'll admit, in the back of my mind, I'd waited for the other shoe to drop, being that their past would be revealed. Still, it didn't affect the journey to getting to know each other. Beers is surely a pro at giving all the cute ins and outs of girl-meets-girls, filled with flirty quips, coffee, and dogs galore!
For some reason, it took a more effort on my part to get into the side characters. Amy and Heather, Bella's best friends, served their purpose as the supportive/protective two, but they seemed a little...I don't know, cold? I can't put my finger on it. They just weren't as warm as I'd imagined. As for Easton, her husband and kid were fine, but didn't stand out to me. I mostly loved this for Easton and Bella's chemistry.
Speaking of chemistry, this could've used
We're given some flashback scenes to high school for better context. I'm usually 'eh' about flashbacks, but Beers was merciful and kept most of them quite short and insightful. They added something good to the story, I must admit.
Is it weird I'm already looking forward to Georgia Beers' next creation?
☆ This copy was provided by NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. in exchange for an honest review. ☆
February 17, 2019
If I had a ‘Best of Beers’ list, this would go on it (along with my other favorite, Starting From Scratch). I have an up and down relationship with Beers’ characters because they are often too Pollyanna-ish for my personal tastes. She is a wonderful writer, no doubt, but I have a difficult time with sunshine and rainbow characterization. Luckily, I didn’t have that reaction here. The Do-Over has the same predictable aspect to it that many romances do, but Bella and Easton actually feel like real people. They are both flawed and make stupid decisions, but those stupid decisions help humanize them. Both characters are likable, but I still wanted to slap some sense into them frequently. I suppose in my world, that makes for better characters because in real life, we’re all stupid sometimes.
Bella comes from a very loving, but not very prominent family in small town America. In high school she was mocked and bullied by the ‘popular’ crowd because of her thrift store attire and meek personality (in essence, she was an easy target). Because of this, as soon as she was able, she left her hometown in hopes of starting over and making herself anew. Fifteen years later, Bella has grown into herself. She is happy with life and who she’s become. (Her confidence is a true-to-life reflection of the changes one experiences between their awkward teenage years and their 30s.)
Easton is a newly divorced mother of a 7 year old daughter. Growing up, she faced the pressures that a lot of children do when they are raised by overbearing and demanding parents. She failed to meet her parents expectations when she decided not to become a doctor, so she married her high school sweetheart and had a child to at least meet some of their standards. Easton is a latebian and one of Bella’s former high school tormenters.
Bella and Easton meet when Easton’s company requires all management to take a conflict resolution class…a class that Bella happens to teach. Their reunion is an interesting one, as Easton is immediately attracted to Bella, but has no idea who she is or that they share a bit of history. While Bella is initially cold towards her former classmate, she can't help but be lured in because this Easton is not the one she remembers. Once they get going, their chemistry sizzles.
The struggles each character experiences in The Do-Over don’t feel disingenuous. There are flashbacks, which are often a source of frustration in a book, but here…they are so slight that they don’t overwhelm the text or detract from the main story line. Instead, they reveal pieces of the characters to the reader slowly, which also provides a larger picture for character motivations. I don’t often say flashbacks are well done, but I think they were here.
Final thought before rating: it feels like there's a bit of a Melissa Brayden influence happening in The Do-Over. I'm interested to know if others picked up on this, too.
4.5*
Recommended to pure romance fans without hesitation.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Bella comes from a very loving, but not very prominent family in small town America. In high school she was mocked and bullied by the ‘popular’ crowd because of her thrift store attire and meek personality (in essence, she was an easy target). Because of this, as soon as she was able, she left her hometown in hopes of starting over and making herself anew. Fifteen years later, Bella has grown into herself. She is happy with life and who she’s become. (Her confidence is a true-to-life reflection of the changes one experiences between their awkward teenage years and their 30s.)
Easton is a newly divorced mother of a 7 year old daughter. Growing up, she faced the pressures that a lot of children do when they are raised by overbearing and demanding parents. She failed to meet her parents expectations when she decided not to become a doctor, so she married her high school sweetheart and had a child to at least meet some of their standards. Easton is a latebian and one of Bella’s former high school tormenters.
Bella and Easton meet when Easton’s company requires all management to take a conflict resolution class…a class that Bella happens to teach. Their reunion is an interesting one, as Easton is immediately attracted to Bella, but has no idea who she is or that they share a bit of history. While Bella is initially cold towards her former classmate, she can't help but be lured in because this Easton is not the one she remembers. Once they get going, their chemistry sizzles.
The struggles each character experiences in The Do-Over don’t feel disingenuous. There are flashbacks, which are often a source of frustration in a book, but here…they are so slight that they don’t overwhelm the text or detract from the main story line. Instead, they reveal pieces of the characters to the reader slowly, which also provides a larger picture for character motivations. I don’t often say flashbacks are well done, but I think they were here.
Final thought before rating: it feels like there's a bit of a Melissa Brayden influence happening in The Do-Over. I'm interested to know if others picked up on this, too.
4.5*
Recommended to pure romance fans without hesitation.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
March 4, 2019
Bella Hunt is a successful therapist who, as a teenager, struggled to deal with her sexuality and was bullied by her classmates. Fifteen years later Easton Evans, one of her high school bullies, ends up in her conflict resolution class. Soon Bella discovers that grown-up Easton is friendlier and kinder than her teenage self but still very beautiful. As their mutual attraction develops, their shared past is eventually going to catch up with them...
This is a second-chance romance by Ms. Beers in which she draws on her own high school experience, showing how difficult a time that could be but also how people can change in adulthood. The story is mainly set in the present but it introduces a few flashbacks of some high-school moments that marked Bella's life. Past and present are woven seamlessly and the flashbacks make the reader understand the present better.
It's no news that Ms. Beers is an accomplished writer but, still, it really amazed me how well she built the chemistry between the main characters. The dialogues are perfect, their body language is depicted perfectly and the sexual tension is exquisite. This is undoubtedly Georgia Beers at her best. However, it's disappointing that both sex scenes felt a bit rushed and didn't reflect the intimacy that the author created so well.
The secondary characters are also very well-rounded. Shondra, Easton's best friend, plays a great role in showcasing Easton's goodness, compared to her past self. If there are any doubts of her transformation, motherhood completely redeems her. Emma, Easton's daughter, is another convincing character though it's a pity there wasn't so much interaction with Bella.
Heather and Amy, Bella's best friends, act like a sounding board and show how far she has overcome her own demons. Her two dogs are lovable fur characters. Somehow the author managed to balance the apparent fierceness of a pitbull with the gentleness of their temperaments. Also, kudos to Ms. Beers to portray their distinct personalities so well.
My major criticism and the reason why my rating dropped is that the main conflict, that is, Bella keeping her real identity a secret from Easton, seems a bit forced into the plot. I understand why Bella was hesitant to reveal who she was but, for me, it dragged for too long and it didn't flow naturally in the story. Maybe letting the conflict develop earlier in the book would have made it more believable and the ending wouldn't have felt so rushed. Despite this, because of the lovable leads, their amazing chemistry and the fantastic secondary characters, this is a very recommended read.
Overall, a very good second-chances romance with an amazing chemistry that only a few lesfic authors can create. 4 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
This is a second-chance romance by Ms. Beers in which she draws on her own high school experience, showing how difficult a time that could be but also how people can change in adulthood. The story is mainly set in the present but it introduces a few flashbacks of some high-school moments that marked Bella's life. Past and present are woven seamlessly and the flashbacks make the reader understand the present better.
It's no news that Ms. Beers is an accomplished writer but, still, it really amazed me how well she built the chemistry between the main characters. The dialogues are perfect, their body language is depicted perfectly and the sexual tension is exquisite. This is undoubtedly Georgia Beers at her best. However, it's disappointing that both sex scenes felt a bit rushed and didn't reflect the intimacy that the author created so well.
The secondary characters are also very well-rounded. Shondra, Easton's best friend, plays a great role in showcasing Easton's goodness, compared to her past self. If there are any doubts of her transformation, motherhood completely redeems her. Emma, Easton's daughter, is another convincing character though it's a pity there wasn't so much interaction with Bella.
Heather and Amy, Bella's best friends, act like a sounding board and show how far she has overcome her own demons. Her two dogs are lovable fur characters. Somehow the author managed to balance the apparent fierceness of a pitbull with the gentleness of their temperaments. Also, kudos to Ms. Beers to portray their distinct personalities so well.
My major criticism and the reason why my rating dropped is that the main conflict, that is, Bella keeping her real identity a secret from Easton, seems a bit forced into the plot. I understand why Bella was hesitant to reveal who she was but, for me, it dragged for too long and it didn't flow naturally in the story. Maybe letting the conflict develop earlier in the book would have made it more believable and the ending wouldn't have felt so rushed. Despite this, because of the lovable leads, their amazing chemistry and the fantastic secondary characters, this is a very recommended read.
Overall, a very good second-chances romance with an amazing chemistry that only a few lesfic authors can create. 4 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
February 17, 2019
Loved it! This book had the perfect amount of everything, it reminded me of some of her older work like Too Close to Touch and Turning the Page.
I feel like this one deserves more than 5 stars. I’m thinking maybe 7 or 8. This is now my favorite Georgia Beers novel.
I feel like this one deserves more than 5 stars. I’m thinking maybe 7 or 8. This is now my favorite Georgia Beers novel.
March 9, 2019
Though the story itself was good and dealt with quite a difficult and sometimes painful subject, there were several moments when I found my attention drifting and was tempted to skim. Partially it was the feeling of reading while knowing exactly what would happen. The book is fairly predictable sadly.
Another reason was because of Easton's character. Not because of her behavior in the past when she and Bella/Izzy went to the same school but because of more recent events and secrets she's been keeping.
My final issue would be the lack of chemistry. I really don't know why I didn't feel that spark that Beers used to be so good at creating.
The book did have some very interesting secondary characters, including two dogs with larger than life personalities. Sadly this book only gets a 3.25* overall rating.
Another reason was because of Easton's character. Not because of her behavior in the past when she and Bella/Izzy went to the same school but because of more recent events and secrets she's been keeping.
My final issue would be the lack of chemistry. I really don't know why I didn't feel that spark that Beers used to be so good at creating.
The book did have some very interesting secondary characters, including two dogs with larger than life personalities. Sadly this book only gets a 3.25* overall rating.
March 8, 2019
I get so revved up when I read books that focus on bullying. It is so difficult for me to read. Perhaps because I went through a bit of that myself. From both sides of the fence. Yes, kids are definitely cruel.
But for Bella (who went by Izzy back in high school), there were none more cruel than Tara and her gal pal Easton. They tormented her to the point that Izzy had to leave town and never look back.
Then Easton ends up attending a corporate conflict resolution course that Bella is facilitating. Boom. Sparks fly. But not the hateful kind Bella would have expected.
This story revolves around Bella contemplating her attraction and the potential for more without ever telling Easton that she was her bully back in high school. (Easton doesn't recognize her because she has had a miraculous glow up.)
I really enjoyed this book, but it was not perfect. There is something revealed about Easton that is a terrible character flaw and yet it is glossed over by EVERYONE. "It's OK. You were just figuring yourself out!" - Nope. So it was hard for me to really get behind her after that. I eventually got over it, but I just don't think it was necessary. Could have been made a different scenario with the same kind catalyst for her divorce with Conner.
Speaking of Conner, toward the end the author had Easton reaching out to him. But it just didn't make sense when in previous conversation, she had mentioned that her Grandpa is the one who knows everything and gets her. I felt a little bit let down that we were never able to see that relationship. It would have been more impacting if he would have had some sage advice that paved her way.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable romance. I really liked Bella and her friends. The interactions between Easton and Bella was flirty and sweet.
I received an ARC through Netgalley from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
But for Bella (who went by Izzy back in high school), there were none more cruel than Tara and her gal pal Easton. They tormented her to the point that Izzy had to leave town and never look back.
Then Easton ends up attending a corporate conflict resolution course that Bella is facilitating. Boom. Sparks fly. But not the hateful kind Bella would have expected.
This story revolves around Bella contemplating her attraction and the potential for more without ever telling Easton that she was her bully back in high school. (Easton doesn't recognize her because she has had a miraculous glow up.)
I really enjoyed this book, but it was not perfect. There is something revealed about Easton that is a terrible character flaw and yet it is glossed over by EVERYONE. "It's OK. You were just figuring yourself out!" - Nope. So it was hard for me to really get behind her after that. I eventually got over it, but I just don't think it was necessary. Could have been made a different scenario with the same kind catalyst for her divorce with Conner.
Speaking of Conner, toward the end the author had Easton reaching out to him. But it just didn't make sense when in previous conversation, she had mentioned that her Grandpa is the one who knows everything and gets her. I felt a little bit let down that we were never able to see that relationship. It would have been more impacting if he would have had some sage advice that paved her way.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable romance. I really liked Bella and her friends. The interactions between Easton and Bella was flirty and sweet.
I received an ARC through Netgalley from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
April 25, 2019
I met the bane of my existence when I was 14 years old. She was 16 - school prefect, football and field hockey captain while I was the rules breaker, midfielder and defender. We hated each other, the lil notebook that was part of her uniform had my name in it in almost every single page and without hearts and flowers. But by middle of the year, we became a couple (no exact labels back then) and she was still recording my offences and accompanying me to the principal's office. Now you know my obsession with enemies - lovers trope :D
The Do - Over was not an enemy to lovers book, you might want to check Bait and Switch by Blythe H. Warren if you're interested to read a good Lesfic one.
What I Like
- an amicable divorce
- a decent ex husband
- great / supporting friends
- family support
- Ms.Beers' magical power - planting ideas in my head to go to SPCA and take home as many as I can. Volunteering is the closest thing that I can do.
- the conversation the leads' have during their first coffee date.
- the leads' chemistry
- Bella's love towards her dogs
- the dogs
- the last segment of the book, Jaws theme song is on auto play.
What Scares The Poop Out Of Me
- Bella's highschool experience.
Yikes
- the word beautiful appear too many times, James Blunt comes and stay inside my head until Jaws take over.
- that person makes your life miserable, you spend more time in the loo to cry your eyes out than me spending time in the principal's office and after 15 years all you can think of is how beautiful she is again and again.
- the affair element, reminded me of one of Ms.Beers' earlier books but that was written fantastically.
Worth reading, yes.. I can't think of anything else,
EndGame is starting soon and these wonderful people are complaining about my phone light.
The Do - Over was not an enemy to lovers book, you might want to check Bait and Switch by Blythe H. Warren if you're interested to read a good Lesfic one.
What I Like
- an amicable divorce
- a decent ex husband
- great / supporting friends
- family support
- Ms.Beers' magical power - planting ideas in my head to go to SPCA and take home as many as I can. Volunteering is the closest thing that I can do.
- the conversation the leads' have during their first coffee date.
- the leads' chemistry
- Bella's love towards her dogs
- the dogs
- the last segment of the book, Jaws theme song is on auto play.
What Scares The Poop Out Of Me
- Bella's highschool experience.
Yikes
- the word beautiful appear too many times, James Blunt comes and stay inside my head until Jaws take over.
- that person makes your life miserable, you spend more time in the loo to cry your eyes out than me spending time in the principal's office and after 15 years all you can think of is how beautiful she is again and again.
- the affair element, reminded me of one of Ms.Beers' earlier books but that was written fantastically.
Worth reading, yes.. I can't think of anything else,
EndGame is starting soon and these wonderful people are complaining about my phone light.
May 14, 2020
Ok... The Do-Over is by far one of my favourite among books written by Beers. There is just something about TDO which works for me; the plot, the chemistry between Easton and Bella, the supportive secondary characters (both friends and family), the puffiness of the romance, the confrontation, the sex scene, whatever little angst there was... I mean everything was well-balanced, well-paced and so well written that I just simply fell for this book - no denying there.. To all romantics out there, TDO might just do it for you 🙂
Ratings: 4.5
Ratings: 4.5
March 13, 2019
A lovely straightforward love story. No more, no less.
February 26, 2019
The Do-Over is a shining example of the brilliance of Georgia Beers as a contemporary romance author. With this novel she has created a moving story about two women, both successful in their present day careers, but who share a dark past from their high school days. What is worse, only one woman, Bella Hunt, remembers this past. Easton Evans doesn’t remember Bella at all.
This book has it all. The reader will find well-developed characters, both main and secondary. You will also find attraction and romance. Angst runs through most of the story, usually as an undercurrent in the plot, though it explodes out into the open near the end of the tale. The ending to this story is just perfect. Of course we can’t forget Lucy and Ethel, Bella’s dogs. The animals in a story are always my favorite characters.
The plot itself is one of the best I’ve read in a while. I believe this story is relevant to the reader considering the prevalence of bullying in our society.
I can highly recommend this book to all who love a great romance.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections:
https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
This book has it all. The reader will find well-developed characters, both main and secondary. You will also find attraction and romance. Angst runs through most of the story, usually as an undercurrent in the plot, though it explodes out into the open near the end of the tale. The ending to this story is just perfect. Of course we can’t forget Lucy and Ethel, Bella’s dogs. The animals in a story are always my favorite characters.
The plot itself is one of the best I’ve read in a while. I believe this story is relevant to the reader considering the prevalence of bullying in our society.
I can highly recommend this book to all who love a great romance.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections:
https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
August 24, 2019
They’re both just so damn likeable. It’s no wonder that Bella can’t keep Easton at arm’s length, because they have a magnetic, friendly energy that just works with chemistry that’s off the charts from the beginning, even as Bella struggles with memories of Easton from high school. I was captivated by their individual character arcs and thrilled by their happy ending.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/the-...
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/the-...
February 24, 2019
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ok, first up, I’ll explain the rating, which I usually leave til the end. I’d give this 3.5, but am rounding up to four, because I liked enough of this to rate it more than 3. I liked a lot of this book, it has engaging MCs, good secondary characters, and cute dialogue. But it also has some pitfalls.
Ok, good stuff first, both MCs are lovely (well, in the present anyway), Bella is a therapist who teaches a conflict resolution course and Easton is taking the course because her boss demands it. They both like each other, and have a series of dates/meet ups that are cute and sweet. They also both have great best friends, and I was relieved that Easton’s ex-husband Connor was not written as a dick, but was a nice guy. Easton learning more about herself and coming to terms with what she wanted was handled well, and I liked that Bella was not put off by anything Easton revealed (though in all honesty, it would have raised several red flags for me).
So the two meet up through work, but they’ve met before, in high school, where Easton was not so great. The back story between Easton and Bella was heartbreaking, and more so because of the lack of impact it had on Easton, which unfortunately for me, tainted my feelings about her the longer the book went on. I can tell you I would not have been able to get past it the way Bella did. It was also worse because even when Easton remembered, she didn’t really remember, and if I was Bella, I’d have followed my friend’s advice and just walked the hell away.
The other problem was knowing that Bella was keeping the secret of them knowing each other, because in books with secrets, you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and here it dragged on for way too long, which bogged down the pacing. It also meant the resolution was too rushed. I think it would have been better to have this reveal earlier, and left a bit more time for them to show how they overcame it. There’s also next to no scenes with Bella and Easton’s daughter and I’d like to have seen them relate within the relationship, they also don’t meet each other’s families or friends in any real way, and I would have preferred to have explored that too.
The present relationship and side stories with the besties were enough for me to enjoy probably 80% of the book, but a few tweaks could have had this higher. And in all honesty, this seemed more like a HFN, than a HEA, it’s one of those times I’ve gotten to the end of a book and not been sure the couple was right for each other.
Ok, first up, I’ll explain the rating, which I usually leave til the end. I’d give this 3.5, but am rounding up to four, because I liked enough of this to rate it more than 3. I liked a lot of this book, it has engaging MCs, good secondary characters, and cute dialogue. But it also has some pitfalls.
Ok, good stuff first, both MCs are lovely (well, in the present anyway), Bella is a therapist who teaches a conflict resolution course and Easton is taking the course because her boss demands it. They both like each other, and have a series of dates/meet ups that are cute and sweet. They also both have great best friends, and I was relieved that Easton’s ex-husband Connor was not written as a dick, but was a nice guy. Easton learning more about herself and coming to terms with what she wanted was handled well, and I liked that Bella was not put off by anything Easton revealed (though in all honesty, it would have raised several red flags for me).
So the two meet up through work, but they’ve met before, in high school, where Easton was not so great. The back story between Easton and Bella was heartbreaking, and more so because of the lack of impact it had on Easton, which unfortunately for me, tainted my feelings about her the longer the book went on. I can tell you I would not have been able to get past it the way Bella did. It was also worse because even when Easton remembered, she didn’t really remember, and if I was Bella, I’d have followed my friend’s advice and just walked the hell away.
The other problem was knowing that Bella was keeping the secret of them knowing each other, because in books with secrets, you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and here it dragged on for way too long, which bogged down the pacing. It also meant the resolution was too rushed. I think it would have been better to have this reveal earlier, and left a bit more time for them to show how they overcame it. There’s also next to no scenes with Bella and Easton’s daughter and I’d like to have seen them relate within the relationship, they also don’t meet each other’s families or friends in any real way, and I would have preferred to have explored that too.
The present relationship and side stories with the besties were enough for me to enjoy probably 80% of the book, but a few tweaks could have had this higher. And in all honesty, this seemed more like a HFN, than a HEA, it’s one of those times I’ve gotten to the end of a book and not been sure the couple was right for each other.
March 12, 2019
*2.5 stars*
A fine lesbian romance. I liked it... I think?
I struggle with lesbian romances and contemporaries in general, and I'm always on the lookout for excellent F/F romance to change my mind. I've read Georgia Beers before, and I felt sort of similarly about this book as I have in the past.
The Do-Over started off very strong with a very appealing premise. I love romances between former bullies/enemies and the people they picked on, and though this book didn't end up being quite that in the end, it was still exciting. I also liked the chemistry and the tension between the two MCs, and I think that carried through most of the story very well.
However, I still had issues. Both MCs were beautiful, slim, all-American women in their early/mid 30s who look better without makeup than with makeup (I mean, seriously. I'm the same age and I look like I haven't slept in two weeks without concealer). They have long, shiny hair that looks glamorous any way they style it, long legs, white teeth... you get the picture. I like my MCs to be a bit... meatier (and no, I don't mean chubby, though I could go for that too). I like some flaws in my characters, damn it. I don't want to read about stunning women and ripped men, but that's just me.
I also didn't like the deception in the story. The withholding of information went on for WAY too long, in my book, and it felt silly and drawn-out. I also HATED Easton's backstory with .
I think the plot was a little slow, but I still liked it overall, though I seem to be harping on the negatives. Not the F/F romance that is going to turn me into a lesfic devotee, but not a bad one.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
A fine lesbian romance. I liked it... I think?
I struggle with lesbian romances and contemporaries in general, and I'm always on the lookout for excellent F/F romance to change my mind. I've read Georgia Beers before, and I felt sort of similarly about this book as I have in the past.
The Do-Over started off very strong with a very appealing premise. I love romances between former bullies/enemies and the people they picked on, and though this book didn't end up being quite that in the end, it was still exciting. I also liked the chemistry and the tension between the two MCs, and I think that carried through most of the story very well.
However, I still had issues. Both MCs were beautiful, slim, all-American women in their early/mid 30s who look better without makeup than with makeup (I mean, seriously. I'm the same age and I look like I haven't slept in two weeks without concealer). They have long, shiny hair that looks glamorous any way they style it, long legs, white teeth... you get the picture. I like my MCs to be a bit... meatier (and no, I don't mean chubby, though I could go for that too). I like some flaws in my characters, damn it. I don't want to read about stunning women and ripped men, but that's just me.
I also didn't like the deception in the story. The withholding of information went on for WAY too long, in my book, and it felt silly and drawn-out. I also HATED Easton's backstory with .
I think the plot was a little slow, but I still liked it overall, though I seem to be harping on the negatives. Not the F/F romance that is going to turn me into a lesfic devotee, but not a bad one.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
March 11, 2021
My take away from this book was that it was cute yet shallow.
Georgia Beers offers us a second chance romance...well, sort of. There was no initial romance between the two leads, just one-sided pining back in high school. But, as adults, these women come together with a spark...as do some skeletons from the past.
I like warm fuzzy romances when the mood strikes me and there is chemistry here. But, it's problematic because there were several things I didn't buy. And, I think to say them here would be a spoiler so I won't. Just...I had to suspend my disbelief for the story to work.
That, along with Bella and Easton being described as gorgeous that turns heads from just about everyone...eh. That's less interesting to me.
But, an ultimately happy ending, warm fuzzy romance is what you'll get here. And, like I said, it's cute.
Georgia Beers offers us a second chance romance...well, sort of. There was no initial romance between the two leads, just one-sided pining back in high school. But, as adults, these women come together with a spark...as do some skeletons from the past.
I like warm fuzzy romances when the mood strikes me and there is chemistry here. But, it's problematic because there were several things I didn't buy. And, I think to say them here would be a spoiler so I won't. Just...I had to suspend my disbelief for the story to work.
That, along with Bella and Easton being described as gorgeous that turns heads from just about everyone...eh. That's less interesting to me.
But, an ultimately happy ending, warm fuzzy romance is what you'll get here. And, like I said, it's cute.
March 24, 2019
I love reading books by Beers, some a bit more than others, but I always like them. I liked this one too. Nice build up of the romance, great characters and well written. Not very much angst. Recommend, 4 solid stars.
March 6, 2019
3.5 stars.
I was excited about reading this one, but it wasn't what I expected it to be.
I had some issues with it, first of all, Bella keeping their history a secret dragged on for way too long, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Second, I was waiting for them to meet each other's families and friends which didn't happen here. And lastly, Easton remembered after but didn't really remembered the details! Seriously?!
Nevertheless, It was well written and a nice read but sadly, it wasn't for me.
I was excited about reading this one, but it wasn't what I expected it to be.
I had some issues with it, first of all, Bella keeping their history a secret dragged on for way too long, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Second, I was waiting for them to meet each other's families and friends which didn't happen here. And lastly, Easton remembered after but didn't really remembered the details! Seriously?!
Nevertheless, It was well written and a nice read but sadly, it wasn't for me.
July 5, 2019
4.5*
I’ve been a little disappointed with a couple of Georgia Beers’ latest books but definitely not this one.
Bella Hunt is an accomplished woman, happy in her life, both personal and professional. She’s managed to put her awful high school years behind her and move forward. Until one of the people responsible for the awfulness of these years enters her life again. Easton Evans is coming to terms with the end of her marriage to her high school sweetheart, having finally admitted to herself and to those close to her that she likes women. When as part of her new job she ends up in a conflict resolution class taught by Bella, she’s immediately charmed by the woman, not realizing she’s the girl Easton and her friends were so mean to as teenagers.
Beers’ writing is delicious and Lori Prince’s narration is amazing, perfectly suited to Beers’ light humor and sweet characters. I particularly enjoyed the fantastic best friends on both sides, and the banter all around.
My only complaint is that I felt Bella took way too long to reveal who she was and while I get why and how, it still took too much place in the story in some way. Yet it touches on the very sensitive topic of bullying and the way Beers deals with it is impressive. Not often do we get to see both sides and how it affects everyone in different ways. Kids like Bella have to be so strong to survive those years, they should be celebrated, and that’s in part what this book does. That whole « it gets better » thing? It can be true and that’s heartwarming.
I liked many things in this novel, one being the relationship between Easton and her ex-husband, the love and respect between them felt real. Every character felt real as a matter of fact. And I also liked that while when they were teenagers Easton was the one who appeared to be comfortable with herself (at least on the outside), when they meet again as adults Bella is the one who’s (mostly) put together and Easton is working on being herself.
And I loved the ending, just loved it. Too often endings in romances feel rushed. This one is perfect.
I’ve been a little disappointed with a couple of Georgia Beers’ latest books but definitely not this one.
Bella Hunt is an accomplished woman, happy in her life, both personal and professional. She’s managed to put her awful high school years behind her and move forward. Until one of the people responsible for the awfulness of these years enters her life again. Easton Evans is coming to terms with the end of her marriage to her high school sweetheart, having finally admitted to herself and to those close to her that she likes women. When as part of her new job she ends up in a conflict resolution class taught by Bella, she’s immediately charmed by the woman, not realizing she’s the girl Easton and her friends were so mean to as teenagers.
Beers’ writing is delicious and Lori Prince’s narration is amazing, perfectly suited to Beers’ light humor and sweet characters. I particularly enjoyed the fantastic best friends on both sides, and the banter all around.
My only complaint is that I felt Bella took way too long to reveal who she was and while I get why and how, it still took too much place in the story in some way. Yet it touches on the very sensitive topic of bullying and the way Beers deals with it is impressive. Not often do we get to see both sides and how it affects everyone in different ways. Kids like Bella have to be so strong to survive those years, they should be celebrated, and that’s in part what this book does. That whole « it gets better » thing? It can be true and that’s heartwarming.
I liked many things in this novel, one being the relationship between Easton and her ex-husband, the love and respect between them felt real. Every character felt real as a matter of fact. And I also liked that while when they were teenagers Easton was the one who appeared to be comfortable with herself (at least on the outside), when they meet again as adults Bella is the one who’s (mostly) put together and Easton is working on being herself.
And I loved the ending, just loved it. Too often endings in romances feel rushed. This one is perfect.
March 14, 2019
If you like Georgia Beers, you will like this. It was a good solid romance with interesting main characters. But what makes Beers' books so consistently good, is her use of secondary characters. I love her quirky BFFs.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2019
My 12-y/o former self would first like to apologize to Brittany, whom I made fun of because of the fedora she wore to school, which I actually secretly wanted because it was way cooler than anything I owned. And the same 12 y/o former self wants to apologize to Alana for calling her carrot top, when I actually wished I had flaming red hair because my best friend had it and it was so beautiful.
*Ppphhhheeewwwww* what a load off. Did anyone else read this and think back to the times they were asshole-children and want to rectify any mistakes?? Jeez have I ever had a reflective weekend, due to this book!
Boy do I like Ms. Beers' writing, as she never fails to hook me immediately. To put it simply: this book was good. Nothing ground-breaking and the story quite predictable, but it was beautifully written and kept me reading late into the night. 30-something year old's Bella and Easton once went to high school together, however Easton does not remember Bella, but does Bella ever remember Easton. Not only did she have her first girl crush on her and started questioning her sexuality, but she was teased by Easton and the "mean girls" in high school. And wow, did Ms. Beers' descriptions ever cut right into my bleeding heart. I had such empathy for Bella that I literally ached, and the flashbacks worked really well within this story. They weren't overdone, but gave us readers a glimpse into Bella's experience being bullied, and it made me so, so glad that I got over my teasing shit as a 12 y/o and did not carry this any further in life (I promise!). The scene where actually made me tear up. GODDAMNED that hurt, and I truly wanted to hunt Tara down and throat punch her into next week.
The chemistry build up was great, and some major smoke infiltrated the pages, though it was slow and we readers didn't get a ton of delivery. Whew, would I have liked more! Just a tad? Next book maybe, Ms. Beers? :)
Even though I did like the character development of Easton and truly believe people change, and that she is a decent person who cares about her family and colleagues, I still had a hard time believing that she could not remember Bella. That level of taunting doesn't get erased, from either the victim or bully. However, in the end I was able to accept Easton's past self and believe her true regret. I also liked that there was communication between the two MCs when the reveal happened, and it wasn't a long drawn out "no talking / let's make massive assumptions about everything" zone that so many lesfics fall into. The fact that Easton has a 7 y/o but there is no important interaction b/w her and Bella was somewhat of a gaping hole, though I suppose all of the secondary characters were really not hugely important to the story, as the themes I took away were about forgiveness, letting go, and, obviously as the title states, starting over. I believe Ms. Beers succeeded with this.
Thanks much for the ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Ppphhhheeewwwww* what a load off. Did anyone else read this and think back to the times they were asshole-children and want to rectify any mistakes?? Jeez have I ever had a reflective weekend, due to this book!
Boy do I like Ms. Beers' writing, as she never fails to hook me immediately. To put it simply: this book was good. Nothing ground-breaking and the story quite predictable, but it was beautifully written and kept me reading late into the night. 30-something year old's Bella and Easton once went to high school together, however Easton does not remember Bella, but does Bella ever remember Easton. Not only did she have her first girl crush on her and started questioning her sexuality, but she was teased by Easton and the "mean girls" in high school. And wow, did Ms. Beers' descriptions ever cut right into my bleeding heart. I had such empathy for Bella that I literally ached, and the flashbacks worked really well within this story. They weren't overdone, but gave us readers a glimpse into Bella's experience being bullied, and it made me so, so glad that I got over my teasing shit as a 12 y/o and did not carry this any further in life (I promise!). The scene where actually made me tear up. GODDAMNED that hurt, and I truly wanted to hunt Tara down and throat punch her into next week.
The chemistry build up was great, and some major smoke infiltrated the pages, though it was slow and we readers didn't get a ton of delivery. Whew, would I have liked more! Just a tad? Next book maybe, Ms. Beers? :)
Even though I did like the character development of Easton and truly believe people change, and that she is a decent person who cares about her family and colleagues, I still had a hard time believing that she could not remember Bella. That level of taunting doesn't get erased, from either the victim or bully. However, in the end I was able to accept Easton's past self and believe her true regret. I also liked that there was communication between the two MCs when the reveal happened, and it wasn't a long drawn out "no talking / let's make massive assumptions about everything" zone that so many lesfics fall into. The fact that Easton has a 7 y/o but there is no important interaction b/w her and Bella was somewhat of a gaping hole, though I suppose all of the secondary characters were really not hugely important to the story, as the themes I took away were about forgiveness, letting go, and, obviously as the title states, starting over. I believe Ms. Beers succeeded with this.
Thanks much for the ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2019
🏳️🌈👭📚👩❤️👩🏳️🌈
I received an ARC of « The Do-Over » from BSB (via NetGalley) in exchange of an honest review. (Thank you very much for that, BTW !!!) … So, here it is !!
To begin this review, I’d like to say that I didn’t really like the cover ... Why ??? Because, I’m not fan (at all …) of pictures of persons on covers since, from my POV, having some visual imposed information spoils a lot of things about the characters. I prefer when I picture them in my mind's eye based on their description made by the author …
This being said … I want to say that I liked a lot the novel 😊 & I give it 4.5 stars …
==> The Pros
° The difficult topic & the welcome traits of humor helping us to go through the book
° The down-to-earth condition & very sensitive side of the characters …
° The strong secondary characters. The BFF are quite present (even if at the end of the story I wondered where Easton’s was when she struggled with all her suddenly released memories…). Those pillars bring some balance both for the MCs and the story. (IDK for you fellow readers but, even if the situation in not the same, the threesome Bella-Amy-Heather reminds me the ladies from the TV Series « The Bold Type » … ).
° The doggies .. Gosh !! I loved them !!! Even if mine are not pitbull mixed and are males, they are so much alike Ethel and Lucy, LOL …
° The smooth writing / the good wording … coupled with plenty of interesting vocabulary to work on …
° The sweet, unexpected (for the characters of course) and non-rushed romance
==> Remarks …
° At first, it seems weird that Easton didn’t recognize Bella at all since when you’re in high school you are usually already a young version of your adult self so your traits don’t change that much … but between her crush on another girl, all the energy she spent to hide it playing the perfect daughter & GF , all the time she spent trying to please the Alpha tormentor to avoid being put herself on the « must be bullied »-list + all the stupid & nasty things she did … it makes sense that her memory shut down a lot of things…
° Bella not telling Easton who she is and lying to her about their town … was for sure a very immature action coming from a therapist, and a very wrong way to begin a relationship which must be based on trust and honesty, not lies (even by omission) but her action is highly understandale when you know what she went through … Personally I understand very well since I’ve been bullied almost all my scholarship long (along with my twin sister and our lil brother but NEVER because of my sexuality … Just because we came from another department and lived in a farm …) So, in the same time, I was touched and pissed off by the (strategicaly well placed & written )flashback parts …
What’s prevented me to put the last half star ?? ==> The Cons
° The lack of real information about Izzy’s difficult journey to put the past behind her and become Bella.
° The highly predictable places of « unexpected » meetings
° The lack of an actual epilogue in which the lovebirds would have faced their former classmates and we could have learnt how Bella and Easton told Emma about their relationship & explained her why she needs to be kind at school (to avoid making the same mistakes her mommie did .. )
° « A beat » used too many times for my own taste … I’d used some synonyms from time to time to avoid the redundant side …
If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review it’d be something like this :
Did I enjoy this book? => Yes !!!
Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => Yeah, I’ll re-read it someday ..
Will I purchase the paperback? => Probably … If I have the opportunity
Would I read another book by this author? => Yes (more than one actually.)
Would I recommend this book => Yes
Guys and gals, now it’s your turn => Grab your own copy and make your own opinion …
Enjoy (or not) your reading …
🏳️🌈👭📚👩❤️👩🏳️🌈
I received an ARC of « The Do-Over » from BSB (via NetGalley) in exchange of an honest review. (Thank you very much for that, BTW !!!) … So, here it is !!
To begin this review, I’d like to say that I didn’t really like the cover ... Why ??? Because, I’m not fan (at all …) of pictures of persons on covers since, from my POV, having some visual imposed information spoils a lot of things about the characters. I prefer when I picture them in my mind's eye based on their description made by the author …
This being said … I want to say that I liked a lot the novel 😊 & I give it 4.5 stars …
==> The Pros
° The difficult topic & the welcome traits of humor helping us to go through the book
° The down-to-earth condition & very sensitive side of the characters …
° The strong secondary characters. The BFF are quite present (even if at the end of the story I wondered where Easton’s was when she struggled with all her suddenly released memories…). Those pillars bring some balance both for the MCs and the story. (IDK for you fellow readers but, even if the situation in not the same, the threesome Bella-Amy-Heather reminds me the ladies from the TV Series « The Bold Type » … ).
° The doggies .. Gosh !! I loved them !!! Even if mine are not pitbull mixed and are males, they are so much alike Ethel and Lucy, LOL …
° The smooth writing / the good wording … coupled with plenty of interesting vocabulary to work on …
° The sweet, unexpected (for the characters of course) and non-rushed romance
==> Remarks …
° At first, it seems weird that Easton didn’t recognize Bella at all since when you’re in high school you are usually already a young version of your adult self so your traits don’t change that much … but between her crush on another girl, all the energy she spent to hide it playing the perfect daughter & GF , all the time she spent trying to please the Alpha tormentor to avoid being put herself on the « must be bullied »-list + all the stupid & nasty things she did … it makes sense that her memory shut down a lot of things…
° Bella not telling Easton who she is and lying to her about their town … was for sure a very immature action coming from a therapist, and a very wrong way to begin a relationship which must be based on trust and honesty, not lies (even by omission) but her action is highly understandale when you know what she went through … Personally I understand very well since I’ve been bullied almost all my scholarship long (along with my twin sister and our lil brother but NEVER because of my sexuality … Just because we came from another department and lived in a farm …) So, in the same time, I was touched and pissed off by the (strategicaly well placed & written )flashback parts …
What’s prevented me to put the last half star ?? ==> The Cons
° The lack of real information about Izzy’s difficult journey to put the past behind her and become Bella.
° The highly predictable places of « unexpected » meetings
° The lack of an actual epilogue in which the lovebirds would have faced their former classmates and we could have learnt how Bella and Easton told Emma about their relationship & explained her why she needs to be kind at school (to avoid making the same mistakes her mommie did .. )
° « A beat » used too many times for my own taste … I’d used some synonyms from time to time to avoid the redundant side …
If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review it’d be something like this :
Did I enjoy this book? => Yes !!!
Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => Yeah, I’ll re-read it someday ..
Will I purchase the paperback? => Probably … If I have the opportunity
Would I read another book by this author? => Yes (more than one actually.)
Would I recommend this book => Yes
Guys and gals, now it’s your turn => Grab your own copy and make your own opinion …
Enjoy (or not) your reading …
🏳️🌈👭📚👩❤️👩🏳️🌈
December 3, 2023
No chemistry between the main characters. I didn’t like the fact that Easton had an affair for two years 😳 (poor ex-husband 😒), which she kept secret and then behaved like a victim 🤔! And Bella didn’t even blink at that who was also bullied by Easton in high school. Unimaginable.
I wondered why Bella's dogs had more character importance and appearance than Easton's daughter.
I wondered why Bella's dogs had more character importance and appearance than Easton's daughter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2019
Gosh it's been so long since I've read a novel. And what better way to get back into the reading groove than a romance novel. Georgia Beers is a favourite of mine and rest assured I know that I'm in for a good read.
This book is nothing new in terms of story. It's the theme of high schoolers meeting later in life, and realising that they were too lost to realise that they were probably meant to be in high school. The thing is, I like how the author develops the characters. They're not one dimensional. They're completely relatable and lovable and that's what makes this better than the other novels with a similar theme.
And I really love how all her characters own pets. And these pets are so adorable. Every. Single. Time.
So in conclusion, this book is good. Go ahead and get lost in it.
This book is nothing new in terms of story. It's the theme of high schoolers meeting later in life, and realising that they were too lost to realise that they were probably meant to be in high school. The thing is, I like how the author develops the characters. They're not one dimensional. They're completely relatable and lovable and that's what makes this better than the other novels with a similar theme.
And I really love how all her characters own pets. And these pets are so adorable. Every. Single. Time.
So in conclusion, this book is good. Go ahead and get lost in it.
March 13, 2019
This is a typical Georgia Beers book. It maintains its levity and frothiness even while dealing with (or rather glossing over) serious issues like divorce, infidelity, parenting and bullying. Unlike television dramas where anything that can go wrong, does go wrong, in Beers books hardly anything goes wrong. Well maybe one tiny little thing might get messed up just to introduce that token amount of conflict.
There is no doubt that Beers is a good writer with tonnes of potential to go a little deeper into her characters' psyche. I am always eager to read her novels and I thoroughly enjoy them too. But sometimes, just sometimes I wish she would push the boundaries like I believe she's capable of doing.
There is no doubt that Beers is a good writer with tonnes of potential to go a little deeper into her characters' psyche. I am always eager to read her novels and I thoroughly enjoy them too. But sometimes, just sometimes I wish she would push the boundaries like I believe she's capable of doing.
March 4, 2019
Well, if someone told me on my first date that they cheated on someone for two years and still haven't come clean I think my mind would be slowly running away. But Bella took it as the psychologist she is. Slow nods, little smiles and inquiring questions. Then, of course she does, smiles in sympathy when she's told that Easton isn't in contact with the lady she cheated on someone with for two years.
I guess the ladies did find their soul mates if one isn't questioning giving this information and feeling humbly about it and second lady prompting her for more with no inner questioning about how much does it say about the person and how big is the chance of her doing it again.
I don't want to be rush (as usual) but common!
It's not working whatsoever for me. Romanticising something like this turns me off.
I also noticed issues in the storyline, where the facts change over time. (For example when Easton points out only her grandpa and friend know about her affair and later on suddenly even grandma knows..)
"And that goddamn Olivia did a number on you." Meaning that actually Easton is the victim of willingly cheating on her husband for two years and being wronged when Olivia wouldn't run off to paradise with her. Common! That's not how cheating works. Easton just dug up her own grave, went and challenged herself to jump over it but fell in. But of course that's not her fault! The goddamn grave was in her way and that's what's at fault here.
So now we're just gonna read about how deep the grave was (because you just kept digging?) and how much damage it did (but you're the one who dug it up).
I got through the whole book, but I can positively say that I called it, that someone would take a look into the yearbook... How (un)predictable.
I didn't feel it, the things that I was supposed to feel I didn't, at all..
I guess the ladies did find their soul mates if one isn't questioning giving this information and feeling humbly about it and second lady prompting her for more with no inner questioning about how much does it say about the person and how big is the chance of her doing it again.
I don't want to be rush (as usual) but common!
It's not working whatsoever for me. Romanticising something like this turns me off.
I also noticed issues in the storyline, where the facts change over time. (For example when Easton points out only her grandpa and friend know about her affair and later on suddenly even grandma knows..)
"And that goddamn Olivia did a number on you." Meaning that actually Easton is the victim of willingly cheating on her husband for two years and being wronged when Olivia wouldn't run off to paradise with her. Common! That's not how cheating works. Easton just dug up her own grave, went and challenged herself to jump over it but fell in. But of course that's not her fault! The goddamn grave was in her way and that's what's at fault here.
So now we're just gonna read about how deep the grave was (because you just kept digging?) and how much damage it did (but you're the one who dug it up).
I got through the whole book, but I can positively say that I called it, that someone would take a look into the yearbook... How (un)predictable.
I didn't feel it, the things that I was supposed to feel I didn't, at all..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2019
I was really looking forward to reading this one by Beers. I loved the description and was hoping this would be a 5 star read for me. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me. With that said, I still thought it was good, just not on the same level as Blend (for me). As I read this book, I found myself really just going with the flow. There wasn't a point in the book where I just couldn't wait to get to the end because I wanted to see what was going to happen. Sure there was chemistry between the MC's and I did like the story line. I guess I just wanted more. More sparkle, more magic, more something else that I didn't get. You know how when you read a book and you connect with the MC's? Maybe that was my issue. I didn't connect with them the way I wanted.
Oh well, like I said before, I still thought it was a good read.
3.75
This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the publisher for a honest review.
Oh well, like I said before, I still thought it was a good read.
3.75
This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the publisher for a honest review.
April 6, 2019
I have read somewhere around 20 books by Georgia Beers and I haven’t been disappointed once. I call that a win. I actually enjoyed this one more than some of her more current books. I thought both characters were likable and had relatable internal problems to overcome. This book was pretty perfect for stealing a few minutes here and there to read and just enjoy a book. It is an easy romance, where the chemistry is done well, and the story flows. If you want to relax and lose yourself in a feel-good romance this should be your next book.
June 11, 2019
Brought back memories of high school bullies but the love story was sweet and engaging. Georgia makes a good point in this story about bullies that I've found to be true also. The ones that are hateful right down to their soul; they never loose it. They become hateful, domineering people and usually have an unhappy life. The majority of bullies loose all their power after high school. They no longer have followers to back up their nonsense so they have to figure out how to exist in normal society. It is interesting to watch.
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