Off Limits

Never Date #1

by Jules Barnard

My plan was perfect. My friend needed a date, and my brother's best friend was single. Problem solved.

Until I saw Jaeger for the first time in years, and sparks flew in the wrong direction.

Jaeger has grown up and bulked up. But that shouldn't matter, because I have the perfect life. Really.

And then my plans unravel and visions of Jaeger's hard abs, broad shoulders, and intense green eyes fill my head.

I should hold back in case my friend is interested. Or in case of a million other reasons. But if Jaeger isn't willing to play by the rules, I don't think I can either.

*The Men of Lake Tahoe is a standalone series that can be read in any order.*

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Friends To Lovers

298 pages, ebook

First published March 6, 2014

About the author

**Click HERE to sign up for Jules's New Release Newsletter. You'll be the first to learn of new releases and gain access to subscriber freebies, including FREE extra scenes.**

Jules Barnard is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedy and romantic fantasy. Her rom-com series include the All’s Fair, Never Date, and Cade Brothers series. She also writes romantic fantasy under J. Barnard in the Halven Rising series Library Journal calls ''...an exciting new fantasy adventure.'' Whether she’s writing about sexy men in Lake Tahoe or a Fae world embedded in a college campus, Jules spins addictive stories filled with heart and humor.

When Jules isn’t in her sweatpants writing and rewarding herself with chocolate, she spends her time with her husband and two children in their small hometown in the Pacific Northwest. She credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner.

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Initial reaction: This is one of those times when you have one storyline that's given a lot of focus and seems to go in one direction, but then it jumps the shark and pulls a lot of things to where it becomes far too much and way too overdramatic. I had hovered at about 2 stars, maybe even close to 2.5 because it seemed like it was trying to find its voice (I hated Cali, but I was liking some of the other characters, including Jaeger), but then it just went...somewhere else.

Why do NA writers do this all the time? I'm just not here for this contrived melodrama.

Full review:

Always fooled by a pretty cover. It never, ever fails. =( The premise isn't so bad either from the description, but...I knew it would have contentions from that. Just not to the level that was actually taken in this book. It's not the worst NA title I've read, but I think it really dropped the ball, which saddens me.

I'm having a hard time believing this is supposed to be a series, because the way this book built up a steady story only to throw a bunch of curveballs that had no development and were just there for melodrama, I couldn't take it. I'm sorry, but this is just poor writing and development. The sad thing is that if the author hadn't pulled all of those cheap shots for drama in the last 20% or so of the novel, I probably would be rating this a little higher, and even giving it the benefit of the doubt.

Let me start at the beginning, and it's weird to start there because it's so different of a storyline than where it ends up. Cali is a young woman who's working in a casino with her friend Gen just before Cali goes off to graduate school at Harvard. The two have just graduated. Cali has ambitious goals, including going to law school, and she has seemingly the perfect boyfriend (Ben). But Gen has just been dumped in the worst way by her boyfriend. Cali decides she needs to hook her friend up so the girls can be happy together. But all is not well with Cali's relationship with Ben, as they seem to be growing apart.

The two end up meeting Jaeger, a former athlete who got sidelined by an injury and is into woodworking at present. Cali has conflicts because she feels lust for Jaeger, but feels like she needs to find someone for Gen AND the fact she's with Ben complicates things just as much. Events transpire, it suddenly becomes very easy for Cali to be with Jaeger, but then it seems that Gen takes a liking to Jaeger.

I knew it would happen, I just didn't know how. For a time, I actually liked Jaeger and thought he was a decent guy, and I liked his backstory. Cali always annoyed me beause I thought her narrative voice was trying way too much to be quirky, ditzy and humorous. It felt false, almost to the point where I think that was the only thing that was keeping me from liking the narrative. Well, that and the fact that the NA genre cliches were so much, you could put them all on a bingo board and hit the jackpot five times over. I think I was halfway between laughing and groaning in parts of the narrative. And some shares of *headdesk* (including the phrase "hot Native American deliciousness").

But then this book seems to lose its way into something completely in the vein of melodramatic curveballs. You think you're getting a romance story with some complications in the heroine's inner circles, but then it turns from a romantic conflict story to one with sexual harrassment, extortion, drug use, and just...a whole dumping of undeveloped conflict all in one felt swoop. I don't even know where some of this came from - there's no build up to it, and it felt very cheaply done. The ending comes across as something of a happy resolution, but by that point - I was just ready to be done with the explanations and drama that was there. It felt pointless and manipulative.

At first I thought I was going to feel bad for giving this something of a lukewarm rating at about the midpoint of the novel (because even with the insufferable voice of the heroine - which was one of the only major problems I had with the narrative up to that point besides the NA cliches, it wasn't really that bad despite bad moments), but after the book jumped the shark, I don't have such qualms. I can't continue with this series. And I'm honestly worried that since the next book is going to focus on Gen and the "hot Native American" lover that she's supposedly meeting - it's just going to be even more offensive.

Not doing it. Sorry, but I appreciate stories that don't try to milk my emotions in cheap ways and ultimately develop their characters and emotionally weighted subjects with more realism and maturity. This was contrived and utterly disappointing.

Overall score: 1/5 stars

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★]

FREE on Amazon US today (11/9/2016)

Stand-alone book 1.

BLURB:
Sometimes it takes meeting the right guy to realize you’ve been dating the wrong one.

On paper, my life is perfect: a sexy boyfriend, a fantastic summer job, and law school in the fall. Until my boyfriend turns out to be a douche, I lose my job, and my life plan falls apart.

Jaeger was my brother’s best friend in high school. I haven’t seen him in years, and the way he looks at me now has heat spreading down my chest and farther south. I should focus on getting my life back together, but all I can think about is him.

Jaeger is insanely hot, with Viking good looks the women in Lake Tahoe can’t resist, yet he’s chosen me, the girl with no job and no future.

Our chemistry is off the charts, but I worry I have nothing to offer this guy as we move forward in the best relationship I’ve ever had. And then his ex-girlfriend returns to town and my claws come out. I’m getting my life together, slowly, but Jaeger’s ex has speared her pointy heels into him, threatening our future.

Nothing has gone right since I came home—except Jaeger. After all that’s crumpled, Jaeger’s the one thing I can’t stand to lose.

FREE: https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Blue-Book...


FREEBIES are often good for MORE than one day. I have gathered all my FREEBIES on a special shelf: Kindle-freebies (currently over 600 books)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Angsty Stars

I liked this book especially for being a "FREEBIE" on Amazon, but I didn't find myself engrossed. There were too many times the author would put in an angsty situation and then have it immediately disintegrate without any buildup or cool-down.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would read more from this author.

[Veronica (Honey Roselea Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute. I really liked the romance between Jaeger and Cali. I loved Jaeger though, he was hot, sweet, and kind and I loved him a lot.

I had some mixed feelings on Cali in the beginning of the book but I did enjoy how much she grew and how assured she was by the end of Never Date Your Brother's Best Friend. I must say though, by the title, you would really think that it was best friends but I didn't think that Jaeger and Cali's brother Tyler were super close. But I did like Never Date Your Brother's Best Friend.

I'm still confused as to what happened to Tyler and what was going on with him because I don't think that was resolved just yet but I'm hoping we get to hear more from him because I'm confused. Honestly though I'm just confused about what happened to him. I do hope he shows up in the other books in the series.

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[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a free copy of this book via Fiona's Book Reviews in return for my honest opinion***

This was a really good read that forced me to remember what it felt like to be twenty one. Yikes.

Cali, the main character is on the cusp of the rest of her life, battling with all of the insecurities and uncertainties of being a new adult. Some NA stories I've read have me rolling my eyes and grinding my teeth with frustration at the main character, unable to understand their juvenile hang ups. This author totally nailed those feelings and brought them to life in a way that had my belly churning anxiously on Cali's behalf. This wasn't a comfortable read at times - we experience the full force of her insecurities after her boyfriend dumps her and she can't figure out whether the guy giving her goosebumps is even interested and whether her friend is all that she seems. But this story is about more than that. Cali has spent her whole life trying to make the grade for law school. Now she's achieved that goal and she's all set to go, she's questioning everything about her goals and what she really wants to do in life. There are no easy answers for Cali and her thoughtfulness and introspection really made me reflect on life choices too.

I wouldn't want to give the impression that this is a completely heavy and angst-inducing read because the real toe-curlingly good love story in this also had me completely engrossed . Jaeger, a friend of Cali's brother is a huge, hulking viking figure with his blond good looks and naturally built physique. The chemistry between them built up to a frenzy and the sex was deliciously steamy.

I really enjoyed reading this one. This story is complete and the next in the series deals with other characters. I'm really looking forward to reading them. This one is recommended for anyone who likes a good NA story, but actually I think it would also appeal to people who usually avoid them - this is NA written for grown ups.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

***I received a copy in exchange for a honest review.***

2.5 out of 5 stars

I will keep this short and not so sweet. I wanted to love Cali, I really did, however I found her to be a huge contradiction. She's outspoken and witty, yet she can't seem to have a necessary conversation with her BFF, her brother, her mom or either of her love interests. The entire story line with Kate was stupid. From her just showing up on their date, Jaeger moving her in without any proof of the child...despite the fact that he knew she was a complete liar, to her just maxing out Jaeger's credit cards, and he acted so nonchalant about all of it. I gave it 2.5 stars simply because there was some witty banter, but overall I just wasn't feeling it.

[Nicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book for free and the title made me laugh. But instead of a light contemporary romance, I got racism. Here's an excerpt from the book:

"What do you do now?”
He takes a swig of the beer he’s been nursing since we rowed out. “I carve wood.”
An image of the logs with bear heads etched into them and wooden totem poles on the side of Highway 89 flashes through my mind. Wow, this poor guy’s life has seriously declined since high school.

She calls this guy a "totem pole carver" 7 times in this book and equates it to being a failure which I found extremely culturally insensitive and offensive.

Don't read this book. :(

[Kiera Dean Fairbanks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not even sure where to start. Honestly, I only finished this one because it was such a train wreck. This will not be spoiler free.

The friendship between Cali and Gen felt underdeveloped and like more of a side note to the story than the driving plot point, perhaps because Gen herself was underdeveloped as a character. It's a serial romance and book two is Gen's story, so I can understand the author wanting to keep some secrets for that story, but keeping so much of who Gen is and what her past is, for example the repeated mentions from Cali that Gen doesn't like to talk about her mother so Cali doesn't know much about it, makes the friendship fall flat. They've supposedly lived together for four years and Cali doesn't know all about Gen's mother and childhood??? Cali...you might call Gen your best friend, but you are not hers.

Speaking of plot points, this book couldn't pick one. It's all over the place. Maybe that was intentional to illustrate the different twists and turns that life can take, because the only thing that carries through this book from start to finish is that Cali thinks she has her life together, but in reality has no idea what she wants. It's an understandable and easily forgivable thing, since the character is only 21 or 22. However, it made the story feel like...well like a train wreck happening in a pinball machine.

The characters made me want to crawl through the pages to slap them. Cali keeps telling us that she's smart, independent, driven, and a good friend to Gen, but she makes one bad decision after another, is all over the place erratic in her motivations, lacks some level of self-awareness in terms of how her actions are affecting others, repeatedly does things even when she does know they might hurt Gen, doesn't actually focus on making her friend feel better after her break up because she's too self absorbed, and honestly...she lost me when she randomly decides she needs to go to law school -- a choice she's been dreading the entire book -- because it'll make her successful and look like she's got it together and that's what she needs to win the heart of the main love interest. Barf. Also wait...I though you were an independent woman, Cali? Thankfully, she reverts back to "I don't want to go to law school, it doesn't excite me or make me happy" in the very next chapter, but that also adds to the image of her as totally erratic. Not thankfully, I still had to read that asinine thought process. She claims to have had a rough upbringing, but acts like a spoiled, privileged sorority girl.

As for Jaeger, we're supposed to believe he's a "good guy" because he's a former Olympic level athlete who reinvented himself after a career ending injury, had a manipulative liar of an ex-girlfriend who dumped him while he was in the hospital, and he occasionally says something funny. However, he also claims to have led a bit of a wild player lifestyle after his injury. Alright, I'm always up for a reformed rake, and it makes sense that he lost his way a bit after having his dreams crushed like that. But does he really need to keep tacky trophies from it? Especially if he claims to regret it. Furthermore, women are constantly hitting on him, including a client who shows up at his house and saunters in shirtless, but he does nothing about any of it. Poor Jaeger is too dumbfounded by breasts to figure out how to handle it. Sorry, not buying it. Former Olympic athlete who probably had women using him when he was down on his luck would know the signs of someone coming on to him. The bit with Danielle felt forced and like a gimick meant to make us feel sorry for him or portray Jaeger as trustworthy when all it did was make me want to smack him and call him a dumbass.

Since the characters annoyed me from the start and only got worse as the book progressed the romance itself between Jaeger and Cali fell flat for me as well. I didn't care if they got together. Honestly, I kept wondering what Jaeger saw in Cali besides her being physically attractive to him. Cali I kept thinking was too immature and not ready for the kind of serious relationship with Jaeger that she kept telling the reader she wants or that they're building. She comes across as a girl flirting with a hot guy to have some fun...which is something that I would think Jaeger would eschew given his claims to regret certain parts of his past. The only thing that caught my interest was this idea that they both had clear cut plans for their lives and then had to adjust when those plans didn't pan out. Unfortunately, that felt like a minor foot note, despite Cali's constant waffling between "should I or shouldn't I" go to law school.

There's also the problem of Adam, one of Jaeger's good friends, who treats his girlfriend like crap. Adam is mean to her, ignores her, checks out other girls and then hits on them all in front of said girlfriend. But we're supposed to believe Adam is "a great guy" because Jaeger tells us he is. I am so tired of that schtick and how dangerous it is to women. While Adam plays an exceptionally minor role in this story, his inclusion is yet one more example of my biggest problem with the male characters in this book. They all have "crazy/bitchy ex girlfriends," and this is supposed to make us sympathetic to them and overlook when they are sexist or disrespectful of their current partners because somebody hurt them in the past. But also Cali decides she was overreacting when she finds out that Eric made several passes bordering on assault at Gen while Cali and Eric were still together? The lack of accountability for the male characters is ridiculous. One more book that tears down the female relationships and characters in order to elevate the "Nice Guys."

There's also the disaster of a second act when Jaeger's ex-girlfriend shows up, claiming she was pregnant when she left five years ago and the kid is Jaeger's. Also I have no money and nowhere to live but I drive a Mercedes, help me Jaeger. Ugh. So Jaeger, the supposedly naive former player good guy that he is, allows Kate the ex -- who he already knows is a liar and bad news -- to crash at his house because "If it's true, I can't turn my back on the child..." except where is the child? Nowhere. It all turns out to conveniently be an elaborate ruse Kate was using to extort money out of Jaeger. Somewhere in there, Kate tries to frame Cali for drug possession and even has her drugged, which turns out life threatening, and of course, no one except Jaeger believes Cali when she says the drugs aren't hers.

I realize this was meant to be played for drama, to give Cali a challenge to rise up to and show that she and Jaeger are a strong couple, but it felt forced and unbelievable, right from the start. Then it felt like it was dragged out. Perhaps this is because the romance falling flat from the start of the book made it so that I wasn't rooting for them. The signs of Kate's deception felt too obvious to me, and while this would still put stress on a couple, it felt overplayed to me. Maybe the second act plot was thrown in to salvage the fact that prior to this, Cali and Jaeger don't feel like a strongly bonded couple. They feel like a pair of twenty-year olds having a summer fling.

This leads to the climax when Cali and Jaeger confront Kate, which is hyped up with talk of "We need a plan" and the plan turns out to be Jaeger telling Kate he's filed a restraining order against her -- which we don't know because he didn't tell Cali -- and she needs to leave his house. Kate storms out and that's the end. The whole thing left me wondering why he couldn't do that eight chapters back? And also why he couldn't tell Cali what the plan was before they confronted Kate. After all the miscommunications and secrets blowing up in their faces, why wouldn't he tell her the plan?

In conclusion, the characters claiming to be one thing while acting like another, the pile of miscommunications and refusals to communicate with people the characters claim to care about, the sexist undertones of excusing certain Nice Guy male behaviors, and the off the wall plot made this book not work for me.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book I loved how jealous Cali got, "I lean all the way to the side and that's when I see Jaeger - talking to a petite brunette. She's wearing a tiny red bikini and smiling at him. The dread from a moment ago vanishes, and my stomach tightens, chest burning. Who's that? Jaeger looks over and our eyes meet. My breath catches and suddenly my heart's humming like he wasn't just talking to another girl, igniting jealousy." And you don't mess with his girl because the boy will go all ape sh** on you, "it's her home and she asked you to leave," Jaeger says. "Get. The eff. Out!" He steps back and drapes a long arm over my shoulders, pulling me close. My heart slows, my breathing calms." Cali is an impatient one especially when it comes to the naughty and Jaeger doesn't get his clothes off fast enough, "damn it! His pants are still on. I flip open the snap and push down with my feet. My knees drop to the side and his fat tip rubs my entrance. I squeeze his a**. He's huge and silky and I want him inside."

[Kristy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title of this is misleading for sure, none of the usual things that go a long with not dating a brother’s best friend is on this book. While it was a descent book, some parts just didn’t seem to fit , it definitely could have been better.

[Amber Addison · Rating 4 out of 5]

*More Reviews at and giveaways at grownupfangirl.com**This is a New Adult title, only recommended for mature readers.**

The Deep Blue follows Cali, who along with her friend Gen have just finished college and are taking a break, pre growing up for real. Cali has been invited to Harvard, and just wants to lay low until she goes. She got hooked up with a sweet job in Lake Tahoe, so it's looking like the perfect summer awaits.. until it all goes wrong. (dun dun dun)

Cali's got it all figured out prior to the summer she spends in Lake Tahoe. She has the perfect life. The perfect boyfriend, the perfect friends, the perfect future.. which is why I kinda love this book. We're all used to characters starting out weak and then becoming strong (or in bad situations, not learning from their adversity and coming out just as weak or weaker than they started). We aren't used to characters who are strong... being brought down by the harsh reality of life, and then learning how to struggle. That's what happens to Cali. She's confident, she's smart, and she's never really had to struggle. When her world comes crashing down, and she learns that sometimes confidence isn't what you thought it was, she becomes even stronger than she was in the beginning. I commend Jules for writing such a strong female character.

People think strong females can't be in love, and can't have swoon worthy feelings for guys, but Jules proves that stereotype wrong with Cali as well. When Cali falls head over heals for a guy from her past, she learns that you can be independent and still receive help, still receive love. I think that's such an important lesson for not only young girls, but all girls to learn. The Deep Blue was an amazing read with plot twists that quite literally had my stomach in knots. If you're looking for a strong female character who still says and does crazy things for love, then look no further than The Deep Blue. Enjoy!

[Maida · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF after 3 hours (38%)

Immature indecisive characters who drink too much, get into cringe-worthy situations, jump to conclusions, and make senseless decisions. There’s a lot of cheating going around as well.

[ND · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEEP BLUE achieves something special. I'm not just talking about the fact that Jules Barnard makes fishing--yeah, that's right, fishing--incredibly sexy (trust me on this one, you'll be face fanning). What's different is that she doesn't give us the typical damaged heroine in need of rescue. Sure, there's a strapping hot guy, Jaeger Lane (hottest NA hero name ever? yep. pretty much). WHO CARVES WOOD! AND IS A SNOWBOARDER! AND RESPECTS WOMEN!!! Sorry, I had a Jaeger moment....
But Cali is strong. Smart. Comfortable in her sexuality.
She has it all.
It's just...not what she wants. Deep Blue is about having the courage to follow your dreams, even if those dreams seem a little crazy. I appreciated the fun, flirty tone and the Lake Tahoe setting was perfect escapism.
I like reading a wide range of New Adult, but sometimes the McDamage aspects seem a little too heavy handed. DEEP BLUE is light, but it still has just the right heart. Bonus points for heroine's awesome friendship with bestie Gen. It appears the author has a second book planned telling Gen's story next. Looking forward to watching this debut author.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read too much contemporary romance(I'm more of a paranormal/sci-fi romance junky), but I really, really liked this story.

First of all, the writing is fluid, clear and easy to follow. The characters have depth and the plot is filled with real-world drama that's very relate-able yet not at all boring.

And I love the unique setting: Lake Tahoe area.

Since it's a New Adult, the tone is more mature, so there isn't any annoying lingering teen-angst. The characters are in their early twenties, and Jules Barnard does a fantastic job at portraying their growth from care-free, naive college-grad types to full-blown, responsible adults while still maintaining their youthful free spirits.

The romance between the two main characters develops slowly but once it gets there, is filled with so much achingly sweet emotion that I instantly became invested in their relationship. I constantly rooted for them.

And now I'm excited to read the next story to see how the intriguing secondary characters will get their happy endings!

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 81%. The writing wasn't bad. Basic premise is that Cali and her best friend Gen move to Tahoe for the summer before grad school. Cali is fixin to go to law school and has a long term BF. Gen is a bit of a mess. The plan is for Cali to help Gen get her shit together over the summer. Then Cali's life sorta unravels.
Cali meets his brother's friend Jaeger. Decides she doesn't wanna go to law school. Gets fired from a casino job. Her BF breaks up with her. And then basically makes all kinds of assumptions about Jaeger. And Jaeger and Jen. And she just runs around acting like a twit.
After that passes Jaeger's ex comes to a fancy restaurant and interrupts them during dinner to say they have a kid and she wants him back. Really, lady? After 5 years you have to tell him about his kid during dinner? Ups. Downs. Insanity. Nothing realistic. And I got bored and sleepy. So I'm done.

[Danna Iuliana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry but I can t finish this book. The level of stupidity of the heroine is too big. Aside from the fact that the book is boring and moves too damn slow the heroine is incredibly immature. She jumps to conclusions like a freaking idiot what is she 9??? The moment I read this "Jaeger calls and texts several more times after I return home from my interview. I delete his number from my phone. Why wouldn t he tell me what was going on?" I had to delete this book. I' m sorry but WTF?!?!?!?!? Answer your phone you dummy maybe then you ll find out what the hell is going on. Sorry, but the writing is ridiculous.

[Marina Adair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for New Adult book that was lighter on the angst and a friend recommended I read Barnard's THE DEEP BLUE. I have to say that I absolutely loved this book. I burned through it in one sitting, unable to go to bed until I reached the end. THE DEEP BLUE is a page-turner, amazing read with great characters and a strong female heroine that you can't help but get behind. I can't wait until the next book comes out!

Barnard is a new author to watch out for.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute story. All the up and downs that this couple when through were crazy but it made this story great! I love how the characters and the romance! I would definitely recommend this to people!

[Jules Barnard]

Thank you for taking a look at my debut!

[Petra Grayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My very first taste of New Adult romance was a winner. When I saw Deep Blue was set in Lake Tahoe, I just couldn't resist. It's so interesting to see novels written near where you live. I've found some that are a credit to the area and some that just don't work at all. This one was great; well researched, lots of places I could picture, and a good feel for the area experience.

I came into this new-to-me genre with some general ideas of what to expect: fresh out of college, trying to figure out where life is going, etc. This book lived up to that idea in an authentic way. It's written first person, so we only see what Cali is going through and it brought up all kinds of memories for me of what that age was like, the worry and stress and almost innocence to life. Also the thrill and anxiety of striking out on your own and supporting yourself. The heat level of this novel was very mild. Not exactly closed door, but not explicit or drawn out sexual situations. There's attraction and sexual tension, but most of the relationship lives as an emotional entity instead of raw lust.

Cali was a complex character who was trying to figure out what her next step is after college. She was going to head off to graduate school, but she just doesn't feel passionate about it. The story is told first person and you truly feel apart of her emotional angst and depth of feeling. Most of the time, she seemed very even and steady, not overly emotional, but very attached to her friends.

I read straight through the first half of the book with no breaks because I felt so emotionally tied to both Cali and Jaeger. That part of the book is their love story and it's filled with angst, misunderstandings, and attempts at emotional maturity. I respected Cali for having the wherewithal to concretely end things with her ex, and make sure her friend wasn't in love with Jaeger, before they started a relationship. I was thrilled that both characters were full of integrity and loyalty.

Now, that was the first fifty percent. Pretty soon after that, they both said I love you and I was wondering how the book could possibly hold my interest another fifty percent That's when the real drama and mystery started. The story was pretty much non-stop action through the second half. Cali gets dragged into all sorts of trouble, like she's being ricochetted around in a pinball machine, in addition to her continuing struggle with where she wants her life to go. Some of it happened a little too fast and furious for me. Like, how many things can truly happen to one person in a couple weeks.

It was a gripping adventure, but there were times I rolled my eyes at the shenanigans. The “evil woman” had no personality besides just being evil. And it was a creepy, skin crawling evil to me that made me feel distrustful of people in general. Cali is super trusting, which backfires many times. There were lots of plot threads coming from all different directions and they all coalesced into one answer that felt a little far fetched to me. There are also some loose ends that I assume will be worked out in the next book of the series.

In the end, everything wrapped up nice and tidy. We don't really see a huge cathartic finish. The problems are solved and everyone moves on with happy times. No fake happily-ever-after here, but a content and on-the-road-to-fulfilled ending. I was satisfied that neither character was committing to forever and ever, but I felt like I wanted a little more of their life before we left them.

All together, I thought the writing was fun and real. I liked the personalities inside the book. Cali and Jaeger were happy, well adjusted people, with fun foibles and accepting personalities. It was a good, solid introduction to the New Adult genre for me and I'll definitely look for more by this author.

I received a complementary ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

**This review is archived on my blog: The Theory of Lieto Fine

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was somewhere between 2 and 4 stars. There were times that I really liked it, and then times when it was like "meh," just ok. Cali cracked me up many times and I was laughing out loud from some of the things she was thinking.

I really liked Jaeger for the most part, but seriously some of the things that he did was so ridiculous. It's also a pet peeve of mine when a character has some "emergency" and tells their significant other, "I have to go deal with this and then I'll call you." And they go off the grid for days or weeks at a time! I'm so sure! When you truly care about someone, you talk to them every day, especially when you are going through something serious. You don't just not talk to them and leave them hanging for days! So, that drove me bananas in this story!!

There were quite a few storylines that came out of left field! I'm sure it was added in the story to make it more angsty but in reality, it seemed so random, that instead of feeling angst, it just kinda left me looking around confused, like, "What!? Where did that come from?? Okaaaaay." I can't quite put my finger on it so I'll leave it at that...but overall, I'd say it was a decent read.

[Kristin Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book. I honestly could not put this down. This book had a little of everything I look for and a New Adult book.

I think Cali is such a relate-able character, she has is an Extremely intelligent girl, she just graduated from College and not sure Law School is the best thing for her. She is following her mothers dream. Poor girl she moves to Tahoe, to work the Summer to work to save money for this dream. I can not believe the Stuff this poor girl had to go through. Poor girl.. She was back stabbed, lied to, cheated on, sexually assaulted, drugged...This girl could not catch a break.

Jaeger.. Boy, he is completely 100% SWOON worth..I loved how special he made Cali feel, I loved how he treated her. He is PREFECT!! I could use a few Jaegers in my life. He probably was the best part of this book!

This book is full of heart-pounding drama, I loved it. I could not put this down. Great Read.. I'm ready for the next!!!

[Eliza · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF this book! *SPOILERS*

After perserveering and reading over half of this book, I finally had to give up.
All the reviews said good things about this book so I was expecting a nice read, which is how it started - the setting was refreshing and made for a nice change, however the main character was awful, I could not emphathise with her at all, she was awful to her best friend, got jelous over nothing and I could not stand to read anymore! The plot seemed to go in no direction, they were obviously going to get together so when they did it's like you ran out of things to do so threw in an unoriginal plot twist with an ex showing up with a baby... like we haven't read that one before. That's where I stopped reading but I'm sure it got no better afterwards and can no doubt predict the ending without reading anyway.


I did really like Gen's character and would be tempted to read the next book about her to see if it's any better than this one...

[Jess jesssicareads ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever read such immaturity.

The only reason I finished it is because I wanted to see if the MMC Jayger realised that he's dating an actual idiot. Smart enough to get into Harvard Law, not smart enough to get any social ques. I found this book lacking in every single aspect & I've read A LOT of books.

I'd give this a 1 star, but, I liked the brother. Sue me.

* Please don't actually sue me. I don't have much lol.

[Bj Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ordinarily, I don't read New Adult fiction (I am 83 years old!), but received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I found Jules Barnard a very accomplished writer, and enjoyed her style very much. The plot was excellent, and development of the characters and flow of the story was very entertaining.

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book for an honest review.

I gave this book a 3.5 for three main reasons. One; Cali was borderline annoying. It's a fine line and there were times when I though "Uhg, how annoying and kind of dumb," but then there were times when I was thinking how funny she was. It was a fine line and in the end I liked her has a character. I think the first half the book was where she was pretty annoying ... but by the end I almost forgot why I thought that. In the beginning she was just kind of a know it all and pushy with her friend Gen. I mean, Gen is a big girl, she can make decisions without Cali's approval. But Cali forgot about this and, although I think it was her trying to be helpful and supportive, it just came off as an I-know-better-than-you attitude. Also, she lacked complete communication skills. Why are authors doing this to their characters?!?!? Why can't they just communicate with each other? If Cali just talked to Gen, then half the drama in the beginning would have not been needed. And she believed Jaeger over Gen ... her best friend? It was a hard point to move past. But I did, and Cali has some pretty funny and relatable inner thoughts and I liked them. I would find myself laughing out loud at some things she would think. She really became more humble towards the end, which I guess was the point.

Two; There wasn't any real climactic point in this story. There were all these little issues that were solved and then a new one popped up and solved. I'm not too bothered by this, so I will let it pass. But there just wasn't one big issue that was throughout the book. The positive point was that it made the book always seem fresh. There were no parts that I wanted to skim or seemed repetitive. I liked all the issues and I liked the resolutions. However, that part where Cali walks in on a topless women with Jaeger and handles it better than him hugging her friend ... a little unbelievable.

Three; some of the issues were just too convenient and kind of came off as lazy writing or just written in an unbelievable way to make more drama. I mean, really?!?!?! Jaeger's girlfriend from four years ago just "happens" to show up at a fancy restaurant during his and Cali's first date to look for him? It would be more believable if she found him at his house ... or his work ... or really almost anywhere other than that situation. What are the odds? There are a few times things like this happen.

Overall I did like the book though and the story flowed really well. The characters were all entertaining. Especially Cali's brother, Tyler. Laughed a lot during those moments. I know the next book is about Gen, but I'm hoping there will be one about Tyler also. I really liked Jaeger ... he sounds delicious and really sweet. I like the slow build up and his honesty. It really adds to the relationship. Like I said, Cali is a little annoying in the beginning, but she has mostly funny parts that make up for it and she really redeems herself in the end. I am really looking forward to reading Blue Crush and hopefully a book about Tyler. The author has done a really good job at setting up any subsequent books. I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking forward to some laughing with a lot of challenges.

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This story is set in Lake Tahoe where the female lead and her best friend are working a casino job for the summer. It is there that she reacquaints herself with a face from her past. I would describe this as a light and easy contemporary romance. It has some steam but doesn’t quite reach the sizzle mark. I did like the fact that numerous twists and plots helped keep the intrigue moving and the challenges fresh. In my opinion, the entire storyline was a bit underdeveloped and could have benefited from some tweaking.

Including the main characters, Cali and Jaeger, the full cast proved entertaining. Jaeger was probably my favorite character. He was far more than first met the eye. Engaging banter and a few laughs between friends helped make for some fun-to-read moments.

For me, a quick amusing read.

[Willow]

So stoked for this :)

[Coco.V]

FREE on Amazon today (11/14/2017)!

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