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Cross My Heart #1
Both of Me
Gabby Mastreoni has been in love with Christoff Scutari since she was four years old. Their fathers are in the same business, and nearly twenty years later, their families remain close. With four older brothers, Gabby leads a protected and sheltered life—until she and Christoff cross a line, and she discovers that love can hurt people.
Brie Masters left everything and everyone behind to begin again. Starting over in California, she’s found her new home. She soon learns though that she can run away from her past, but it will always be there. No matter how many miles she puts between herself and her former life, she is still running, reinventing herself—so much so that she’s not even sure who she is anymore.
And she has to ask herself, “Am I Brie, or am I still Gabby?”
Brie Masters left everything and everyone behind to begin again. Starting over in California, she’s found her new home. She soon learns though that she can run away from her past, but it will always be there. No matter how many miles she puts between herself and her former life, she is still running, reinventing herself—so much so that she’s not even sure who she is anymore.
And she has to ask herself, “Am I Brie, or am I still Gabby?”
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2019
229 people are currently reading
900 people want to read
About the author
Amber Kelly
39 books903 followersAmber Kelly is a romance author that calls North Carolina home. She has been an avid reader from a young age and you could always find her with her nose in a book completely enthralled in an adventure. With the support of her husband and family, in 2018, she decided to finally give a voice to the stories in her head and her debut novel, Both of Me was born. You can connect with Amber on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorAmberKelly, on IG @authoramberkelly or on twitter @AuthorAmberKel1.
http://authoramberkelly.com/
http://authoramberkelly.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 26, 2019
Both of Me is Amber Kelly's debut novel, so I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of the writing or storytelling. Reading a book by a first time author is basically a crap shoot. It could be a total disappointment or the best book you've ever read. You just have to cross your fingers, hope for the best, and if you're lucky, you come out of it a winner.
I'm pleased to inform you that I was pretty damn fortunate this time around. I enjoyed Gabrielle/Brie and Cross' story from start to finish. It's told mostly in the heroine's perspective alternating between the past and the present. Sometimes, that can be annoying, but when it's done right, it can be a great way to give the reader the full story and build a decent amount of anticipation or tension. In my opinion, the author executed it perfectly here. I never felt like it messed up the flow of the story, and it left me wanting just enough each time the story flipped to a different point in time.
The author's writing style itself sucked me in right away. I flew through the book rather quickly, and I never found myself losing interest. The story was well paced and engaging. Brie's past had me intrigued right away, and I couldn't get enough of Cross. The only thing that bothered me was that there weren't many (if any) contractions used which made the dialogue sound odd at times. Brie's relationship with a baby she babysits for is a little intense and a tad bit strange, but I can't help but wonder if there is a larger reason for the emphasis on it. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
Both of Me by Amber Kelly is a wonderful debut romance with a dash of mystery and angst that left me wanting more. I wasn't aware this book had a cliffhanger, so if that's a deal breaker for you, wait until the next book comes out before picking this one up. I lost my shit for a second when I got to the end LOL, but it only made me want the next book even more. If you're at all curious about this story based on the blurb, I think you should give it a chance! I'm glad I did!
I'm pleased to inform you that I was pretty damn fortunate this time around. I enjoyed Gabrielle/Brie and Cross' story from start to finish. It's told mostly in the heroine's perspective alternating between the past and the present. Sometimes, that can be annoying, but when it's done right, it can be a great way to give the reader the full story and build a decent amount of anticipation or tension. In my opinion, the author executed it perfectly here. I never felt like it messed up the flow of the story, and it left me wanting just enough each time the story flipped to a different point in time.
The author's writing style itself sucked me in right away. I flew through the book rather quickly, and I never found myself losing interest. The story was well paced and engaging. Brie's past had me intrigued right away, and I couldn't get enough of Cross. The only thing that bothered me was that there weren't many (if any) contractions used which made the dialogue sound odd at times. Brie's relationship with a baby she babysits for is a little intense and a tad bit strange, but I can't help but wonder if there is a larger reason for the emphasis on it. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
Both of Me by Amber Kelly is a wonderful debut romance with a dash of mystery and angst that left me wanting more. I wasn't aware this book had a cliffhanger, so if that's a deal breaker for you, wait until the next book comes out before picking this one up. I lost my shit for a second when I got to the end LOL, but it only made me want the next book even more. If you're at all curious about this story based on the blurb, I think you should give it a chance! I'm glad I did!
July 24, 2022
3.5 stars
This book was so different than all the other books I've read from Amber Kelly. Much more romantic suspense and less small town. What I enjoyed most about it is that I was intrigued throughout the story. I have a big theory so I'm really curious to read the second book and see if I'm right. I'm not sold on the hero yet, but lets see if he can change my mind!
This book was so different than all the other books I've read from Amber Kelly. Much more romantic suspense and less small town. What I enjoyed most about it is that I was intrigued throughout the story. I have a big theory so I'm really curious to read the second book and see if I'm right. I'm not sold on the hero yet, but lets see if he can change my mind!
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Nelson Hobbs & Lauren Sweet
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 9h
July 11, 2020
This book took me out of my bookfunk.
I have been in a sort of bookfunk where it takes ages for me to finish a book but thank goodness for this book and my second book by this author.
It’s definitely a slow burn book and it’s a back and forth between past and present but it’s one that I’m so curious about. I do like Gabby/Brie and she does appear a little too bratty but I guess having a family and loving someone like Cross does that to you, and she eventually grew into someone I actually enjoyed. I loved how she’s young yet headstrong and knowing what’s right or wrong but the characters are all so amazing easy to love and laugh along. Her brothers her best friend and cousins but overall this book took me half a day to read.
However the cliffy had me so twisted I was like huh what oh sh*t what’s happening but I definitely didn’t expect Cross to finally make his move.
I have been in a sort of bookfunk where it takes ages for me to finish a book but thank goodness for this book and my second book by this author.
It’s definitely a slow burn book and it’s a back and forth between past and present but it’s one that I’m so curious about. I do like Gabby/Brie and she does appear a little too bratty but I guess having a family and loving someone like Cross does that to you, and she eventually grew into someone I actually enjoyed. I loved how she’s young yet headstrong and knowing what’s right or wrong but the characters are all so amazing easy to love and laugh along. Her brothers her best friend and cousins but overall this book took me half a day to read.
However the cliffy had me so twisted I was like huh what oh sh*t what’s happening but I definitely didn’t expect Cross to finally make his move.
March 1, 2019
I was instantly drawn into this story. I loved the way it bounced between past and present, each chapter being an Easter egg left for the reader to understand what she’s been through and why she is the way she is now. I could feel the attraction she had for Cross and I can’t wait to read more!!!
not-interested
April 14, 2019Boredom much?? Thankful for honest, detailed reviews
P.s. and cliffhanger... 🙄🙄🙄 this is the most turn off of all
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
P.s. and cliffhanger... 🙄🙄🙄 this is the most turn off of all
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 14, 2019
Cliffhanger
I wish I had paid better attention and seen this was a 2-parter. I wouldn't have wasted my time.
Aside from the abrupt ending and no set time to expect the next book, reading this was a chore.
1. Pedantic, unnatural dialogue. The lack of contractions made me wonder if the writer wasn't a native speaker of English, and I was shocked to discover the writer is American.
2. Too. Many. Characters. Way too many to keep track and all so one-dimensional it was too difficult to try.
3. Poor character development. The leads, Gabby/Brie and Christoff 'Cross', are bland and lack defined personalities, particularly Cross. Gabby is marginally better defined if only to show she is childish, spoilt and prone to foolish decisions.
4. No chemistry. Like, none. Cross, nearly a decade older, feels like a big brother to Gabby and aside from a moment here and there, that's how he treats her. They aren't even together through 90% of this book and share very few scenes. And because of the void where chemistry should be, the sex bits were uncomfortable and kind of...yucky.
5. Too many WTF moments. This book was a mashup of really annoying tropes and the plot was all over the place. I didn't even know this was a mafia story until the last couple chapters. Until then it was sort of a jumble of suspense/N/A/coming of age/forbidden-unrequited love. But it was all poorly executed, particularly the foundation and reason for the title.
If a person is trying to make a clean break from their 'old life' and make a fresh start, then that means they should be ALL IN. If they are related to people who can track them thru their phones, it's probably not a good idea that one of their family members KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. If a person is turning their back on their family by escaping in the dark of night, it defeats the purpose if they are in regular contact with that family member. It is also rather pointless to be so worried that your old life will find you if you tell the people you are leaving behind what you are doing - and why. As such, there is no reason to change your name unless, of course, it is a contrivance of a wee girl having a temper tantrum.
Unfortunately, the name change is a contrivance, full-stop, to attempt to lend credence to a misleading blurb.
Perhaps 80% in, there is a scene where Gabby...or Brie...reacts like she is in imminent danger - but would it not make more sense if that danger were related to the 'situation' she'd run from rather than something unrelated? Dante had NOTHING to do with her family. He had everything to do with her possibly being a tad TSTL. Because really, who gets involved with someone they admit makes their skin crawl and expects it to end well?
'Contrived' should be this book's title, because that's what it is. A load of contrived drama thrown willy-nilly on the pages through flashbacks, internal dialogues and large time jumps where helpful information is skimmed over or skipped entirely.
To be somewhat fair, there are hints of something solid here to build a story upon, but sooo much more work needed to be done before hitting the old 'publish' button. Constructing character outlines, for instance. A plot outline or specific bullet-points to trim the excess. I get it that stories often have sub-plots, but this is not a story that benefits from them. This story needed to stay tightly focused and include only a handful of players. But the point here was indistinct and a committment to what it was (might be) about came far too late to get me invested. In addition, there were over a dozen characters to keep straight that I really didn't care about at all.
All in all, confusing, boring and MC's with which I felt no connection. Oh, and a stupid cliffy.
I do hope the writer takes her time with the sequel and cleans her story up a bit for those interested in continuing. However, I won't be reading part 2. If a book isn't fully available to me at the time I read it, I won't choose it and doing so this time was an oversight on my part. The reason I don't wait for sequels is I lose interest - even with a good book. For one I really didn't enjoy it should be obvious I'm not going to be invested in a continuation that could be months away.
Read at your own risk.
I wish I had paid better attention and seen this was a 2-parter. I wouldn't have wasted my time.
Aside from the abrupt ending and no set time to expect the next book, reading this was a chore.
1. Pedantic, unnatural dialogue. The lack of contractions made me wonder if the writer wasn't a native speaker of English, and I was shocked to discover the writer is American.
2. Too. Many. Characters. Way too many to keep track and all so one-dimensional it was too difficult to try.
3. Poor character development. The leads, Gabby/Brie and Christoff 'Cross', are bland and lack defined personalities, particularly Cross. Gabby is marginally better defined if only to show she is childish, spoilt and prone to foolish decisions.
4. No chemistry. Like, none. Cross, nearly a decade older, feels like a big brother to Gabby and aside from a moment here and there, that's how he treats her. They aren't even together through 90% of this book and share very few scenes. And because of the void where chemistry should be, the sex bits were uncomfortable and kind of...yucky.
5. Too many WTF moments. This book was a mashup of really annoying tropes and the plot was all over the place. I didn't even know this was a mafia story until the last couple chapters. Until then it was sort of a jumble of suspense/N/A/coming of age/forbidden-unrequited love. But it was all poorly executed, particularly the foundation and reason for the title.
If a person is trying to make a clean break from their 'old life' and make a fresh start, then that means they should be ALL IN. If they are related to people who can track them thru their phones, it's probably not a good idea that one of their family members KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. If a person is turning their back on their family by escaping in the dark of night, it defeats the purpose if they are in regular contact with that family member. It is also rather pointless to be so worried that your old life will find you if you tell the people you are leaving behind what you are doing - and why. As such, there is no reason to change your name unless, of course, it is a contrivance of a wee girl having a temper tantrum.
Unfortunately, the name change is a contrivance, full-stop, to attempt to lend credence to a misleading blurb.
Perhaps 80% in, there is a scene where Gabby...or Brie...reacts like she is in imminent danger - but would it not make more sense if that danger were related to the 'situation' she'd run from rather than something unrelated? Dante had NOTHING to do with her family. He had everything to do with her possibly being a tad TSTL. Because really, who gets involved with someone they admit makes their skin crawl and expects it to end well?
'Contrived' should be this book's title, because that's what it is. A load of contrived drama thrown willy-nilly on the pages through flashbacks, internal dialogues and large time jumps where helpful information is skimmed over or skipped entirely.
To be somewhat fair, there are hints of something solid here to build a story upon, but sooo much more work needed to be done before hitting the old 'publish' button. Constructing character outlines, for instance. A plot outline or specific bullet-points to trim the excess. I get it that stories often have sub-plots, but this is not a story that benefits from them. This story needed to stay tightly focused and include only a handful of players. But the point here was indistinct and a committment to what it was (might be) about came far too late to get me invested. In addition, there were over a dozen characters to keep straight that I really didn't care about at all.
All in all, confusing, boring and MC's with which I felt no connection. Oh, and a stupid cliffy.
I do hope the writer takes her time with the sequel and cleans her story up a bit for those interested in continuing. However, I won't be reading part 2. If a book isn't fully available to me at the time I read it, I won't choose it and doing so this time was an oversight on my part. The reason I don't wait for sequels is I lose interest - even with a good book. For one I really didn't enjoy it should be obvious I'm not going to be invested in a continuation that could be months away.
Read at your own risk.
February 28, 2019
"Amber Kelly’s debut was amazing. I couldn’t put this book down and I loved how it was told in both points of view.
This book has it’s sweet and tender moments but also a few that were so gut wrenching that I cried. The characters were all so unique and a complement to each other, their antics making me laugh. I can’t wait for the next part of Cross and Brie’s story and hopefully the other characters will get their own stories!"
This book has it’s sweet and tender moments but also a few that were so gut wrenching that I cried. The characters were all so unique and a complement to each other, their antics making me laugh. I can’t wait for the next part of Cross and Brie’s story and hopefully the other characters will get their own stories!"
July 24, 2022
BOTH OF ME
● Gabby/Brie (22) & Cross (30)
● college student / mafia
● brother’s best friend
● age gap
●timeline: past and present
● Gabby/Brie making a clean break and starting fresh
● changed her identity. past: Gabby / present: Brie
● in the present she's in a relationship with another guy
● duet - continuing story
● debut book
● Gabby/Brie (22) & Cross (30)
● college student / mafia
● brother’s best friend
● age gap
●timeline: past and present
● Gabby/Brie making a clean break and starting fresh
● changed her identity. past: Gabby / present: Brie
● in the present she's in a relationship with another guy
● duet - continuing story
● debut book
Audiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Lauren Sweet & Nelson Hobbs
Length: 9H 0M
February 16, 2019
Author Amber Kelly has totally stunned me with her debut novel Both Of Me. I need to read the conclusion to this duet right now!!! The front cover encapsulates the story perfectly with the statement ‘Fairytale or tragic romance? Maybe a little of both?’ Gabby Mastreoni flees New York for California. Here she is Brie Masters and she’s starting her life over again by putting her past firmly in the past. Most of her past centres around her family and around Cross, one of her older brothers best friends - he’s been a constant presence in her life and she’s had a crush on him since she was 4 years old. Almost 2 decades later that love has developed into so much more for both of them despite their 8 year age difference and for many years their families trying to keep them apart. Tired of trying to control their feelings, they eventually find their way to each other. But once they’re together, this fairytale is short lived because she soon realises that loving someone can hurt the people you love. She’s also starting to realise that sometimes the past is never truly in the past no matter how far or how long you run away from it.
March 19, 2019
I am so annoyed. I didn’t know this was a cliffhanger. And holy crap this book is full of so much filler. Get down to the freaking story already. And so much childish drama. And I have to say how annoying her writing style is. Everything felt like telling us, instead of showing. It was always, “I am mad. I am tired.” Also, no words are shortened. It’s all “I will not, I cannot, I should not.” It’s so formal for a 22 year old. Also the weirdness of her relationship with the baby. It was like she was his mom. So strange.
March 7, 2019
This was an okay read, entertaining at points but so many unnecessary words. I don't normally pick on how something is written but NOTHING Was shortened and it really annoyed me. Can't, won't, I'm, where not used. It was all cannot, will not and I am. Normally not an issue but seriously.... the entire book?
Anyway, I will have to read the next book because there wasn't a conclusion and that's not okay with me :)
Anyway, I will have to read the next book because there wasn't a conclusion and that's not okay with me :)
February 2, 2019
I absolutely loved it. I couldn't flip the pages fast enough. I can't wait for the next book.
February 25, 2020
4.5 Stars
February 19, 2019
Going into a Debut Author’s 1st book, is always like unboxing a gift on Christmas morning. You really don’t know what you are going to get or what to expect of it. What is their writing style? What is the story about? Will I love it or hate it? Will this by my new favorite author??? I must admit with Amber Kelly I was very excited. Not knowing much more than a small blurb about the book, I was still very on the edge of my seat anxiously awaiting this to hit my kindle. When it arrived, I devoured it within hours. This book is the first half of the Cross My Heart duet and let me just say Amber delivered such a different story than what is out there in the romance book world, that I couldn’t put it down and now am enthusiastically awaiting the 2nd half.
In Both of Me, we get alternating points in time between the past with Gabby and the present with Brie. While some authors struggle to keep ahold of the back and forth in time jumps, Amber found a nice balance that didn’t leave me confused on where we were in time. Gabby has loved Cross her whole life. Literally since she was four years old. Events unfold throughout her young life that take her down a path she must flee New York as Gabby, and reinvent herself in California as Brie Masters. She tries to run from her past, from Cross, but as things begin to unfold in her new life out West, she soon discovers that she can’t escape her feelings or the events that lead her down this path.
Both of Me was a great start to this duet, and I loved the angst and betrayal that we see sprinkled in. I can’t wait to see how Gabby/Brie’s story concludes in the 2nd half of the duet, out later this year. Amber has blown me away with her debut novel and I can’t wait to read more of her work!
Merged review:
Going into a Debut Author’s 1st book, is always like unboxing a gift on Christmas morning. You really don’t know what you are going to get or what to expect of it. What is their writing style? What is the story about? Will I love it or hate it? Will this by my new favorite author??? I must admit with Amber Kelly I was very excited. Not knowing much more than a small blurb about the book, I was still very on the edge of my seat anxiously awaiting this to hit my kindle. When it arrived, I devoured it within hours. This book is the first half of the Cross My Heart duet and let me just say Amber delivered such a different story than what is out there in the romance book world, that I couldn’t put it down and now am enthusiastically awaiting the 2nd half.
In Both of Me, we get alternating points in time between the past with Gabby and the present with Brie. While some authors struggle to keep ahold of the back and forth in time jumps, Amber found a nice balance that didn’t leave me confused on where we were in time. Gabby has loved Cross her whole life. Literally since she was four years old. Events unfold throughout her young life that take her down a path she must flee New York as Gabby, and reinvent herself in California as Brie Masters. She tries to run from her past, from Cross, but as things begin to unfold in her new life out West, she soon discovers that she can’t escape her feelings or the events that lead her down this path.
Both of Me was a great start to this duet, and I loved the angst and betrayal that we see sprinkled in. I can’t wait to see how Gabby/Brie’s story concludes in the 2nd half of the duet, out later this year. Amber has blown me away with her debut novel and I can’t wait to read more of her work!
In Both of Me, we get alternating points in time between the past with Gabby and the present with Brie. While some authors struggle to keep ahold of the back and forth in time jumps, Amber found a nice balance that didn’t leave me confused on where we were in time. Gabby has loved Cross her whole life. Literally since she was four years old. Events unfold throughout her young life that take her down a path she must flee New York as Gabby, and reinvent herself in California as Brie Masters. She tries to run from her past, from Cross, but as things begin to unfold in her new life out West, she soon discovers that she can’t escape her feelings or the events that lead her down this path.
Both of Me was a great start to this duet, and I loved the angst and betrayal that we see sprinkled in. I can’t wait to see how Gabby/Brie’s story concludes in the 2nd half of the duet, out later this year. Amber has blown me away with her debut novel and I can’t wait to read more of her work!
Merged review:
Going into a Debut Author’s 1st book, is always like unboxing a gift on Christmas morning. You really don’t know what you are going to get or what to expect of it. What is their writing style? What is the story about? Will I love it or hate it? Will this by my new favorite author??? I must admit with Amber Kelly I was very excited. Not knowing much more than a small blurb about the book, I was still very on the edge of my seat anxiously awaiting this to hit my kindle. When it arrived, I devoured it within hours. This book is the first half of the Cross My Heart duet and let me just say Amber delivered such a different story than what is out there in the romance book world, that I couldn’t put it down and now am enthusiastically awaiting the 2nd half.
In Both of Me, we get alternating points in time between the past with Gabby and the present with Brie. While some authors struggle to keep ahold of the back and forth in time jumps, Amber found a nice balance that didn’t leave me confused on where we were in time. Gabby has loved Cross her whole life. Literally since she was four years old. Events unfold throughout her young life that take her down a path she must flee New York as Gabby, and reinvent herself in California as Brie Masters. She tries to run from her past, from Cross, but as things begin to unfold in her new life out West, she soon discovers that she can’t escape her feelings or the events that lead her down this path.
Both of Me was a great start to this duet, and I loved the angst and betrayal that we see sprinkled in. I can’t wait to see how Gabby/Brie’s story concludes in the 2nd half of the duet, out later this year. Amber has blown me away with her debut novel and I can’t wait to read more of her work!
March 31, 2019
A first for me by this author and mediocre at best. Not sure why the author chose to forget about the usage of contractions -- making the language quite stilted with an unnatural flow. Drove me a little nuts! Also, the story's presentation in past and present didn't quite work either. There's also a lot of unnecessary filler material within the telling and not enough showing process. Awkward is the best description I can offer for this one.
But I will continue on to the second book completing the "Cross My Heart" duet. I can't stay out here on the cliff and I would like to find out how the ups and downs and sideway turns work out for Gabby/Brie.
But I will continue on to the second book completing the "Cross My Heart" duet. I can't stay out here on the cliff and I would like to find out how the ups and downs and sideway turns work out for Gabby/Brie.
May 13, 2019
Gabby fell in love with her brother's best friend Cross when she was four years old. Over the years an age gap and her mafia connected family kept them apart, only to have them connect when she needed him the most. But family issues makes her run away and begin a new life on the other side of the country. But can reinventing herself be enough to get Cross out of her mind? Can she start over and find happiness when her heart still belongs to Cross? With beautifully written characters and a storyline that made the pages go by in an instant this was a wonderful read. Each chapter pulls the reader in more and more and the ending will leave you breathless and wanting more.
February 28, 2019
Amber Kelly’s debut was amazing. I couldn’t put this book down and I loved how it was told in both points of view.
This book has it’s sweet and tender moments but also a few that were so gut wrenching that I cried. The characters were all so unique and a complement to each other, their antics making me laugh. I can’t wait for the next part of Cross and Brie’s story and hopefully the other characters will get their own stories!
This book has it’s sweet and tender moments but also a few that were so gut wrenching that I cried. The characters were all so unique and a complement to each other, their antics making me laugh. I can’t wait for the next part of Cross and Brie’s story and hopefully the other characters will get their own stories!
March 7, 2019
I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this book down.
A romance with mobster ties. Its fantastic!
Gabby/Brie is such an endeering character and i was shocked with the cliff hanger type ending. I cant wait for book 2 to come out so i can find out what is going to happen.
This book goes back and forth between the past and the present but is very easy to follow. A must read!!!
I could not put this book down.
A romance with mobster ties. Its fantastic!
Gabby/Brie is such an endeering character and i was shocked with the cliff hanger type ending. I cant wait for book 2 to come out so i can find out what is going to happen.
This book goes back and forth between the past and the present but is very easy to follow. A must read!!!
March 4, 2019
Okay, so this was pretty good, but now I'm dying because I don't know when book 2 will be available.
March 20, 2019
This is the first story Amber Kelly wrote and she nailed it.
When I started to read it I couldn’t stop. This story captures your mind and heart from the beginning until the end. I love stories with past and present lifes. I don’t know why but this type of stories are my fairytales.
Amber Kelly made a spotlight on my bookshelf.
Gabby and Christopher story don’t end in this first book. I can’t wait for the author to release the second and last book.
Gabby have a wonderful life in a world she hates. She is in love with her best friend Cross (Christopher) since she was four years old. She loves to cook and her Italian family are the best cookers. She loves Cross but he broke her heart and for her was the last time he did it. This time she moves her life to LA with another name. She wants to run away from her family and Cross. But the past is looking for her without her knowing.
What I like in Gabby/Brie was her strong personality. She fights every day to make her day be wonderful and happy. She wants to live life without worries or sadness. Like the girls with her age.
Cross is sexy and a hot man. He noticed Gabby since she was sixteen years old. He couldn’t stop thinking how a four years old kid transformed into such a beautiful woman. He tries to avoid falling in love with her. He knows her brothers will kill him if they know. One day he broke her heart because of the family business.
What I like in Cross is his beauty and the way he loves Gabby. He made a mistake but he knows he needs to protector her from the past and the man who hurt her. She deserves the best of life, maybe without his love.
For a first book Amber Kelly conquered my heart. Can’t wait for the next book.
When I started to read it I couldn’t stop. This story captures your mind and heart from the beginning until the end. I love stories with past and present lifes. I don’t know why but this type of stories are my fairytales.
Amber Kelly made a spotlight on my bookshelf.
Gabby and Christopher story don’t end in this first book. I can’t wait for the author to release the second and last book.
Gabby have a wonderful life in a world she hates. She is in love with her best friend Cross (Christopher) since she was four years old. She loves to cook and her Italian family are the best cookers. She loves Cross but he broke her heart and for her was the last time he did it. This time she moves her life to LA with another name. She wants to run away from her family and Cross. But the past is looking for her without her knowing.
What I like in Gabby/Brie was her strong personality. She fights every day to make her day be wonderful and happy. She wants to live life without worries or sadness. Like the girls with her age.
Cross is sexy and a hot man. He noticed Gabby since she was sixteen years old. He couldn’t stop thinking how a four years old kid transformed into such a beautiful woman. He tries to avoid falling in love with her. He knows her brothers will kill him if they know. One day he broke her heart because of the family business.
What I like in Cross is his beauty and the way he loves Gabby. He made a mistake but he knows he needs to protector her from the past and the man who hurt her. She deserves the best of life, maybe without his love.
For a first book Amber Kelly conquered my heart. Can’t wait for the next book.
February 28, 2019
We can’t choose the life we’re born with but we can choose the life we live. That’s exactly what Brie does.
As a girl Gabby couldn’t have asked for more. She had a loving family that spoiled her and gave her constant support. Because of the family business she found the love of her life at just four years old. But constant support can turn into over protection and meddling and love can turn into betrayal.
With a broken heart Gabby leaves her family and love behind to become Brie and to start the life she wants to live. It’s a new start with new friends and no family business to interfere with the choices she wants to make on her own. Now she plans to give her heart a chance to move on as well. It’s a great plan until her past comes to find her and she can’t decide who she really is, Brie or Gabby. Her heart is bonded in a way to her first love that nothing in this life could ever brake.
The author tells the story from both Gabby and Brie’s perspective in the format of past and present. I have to say I was totally impressed with how well this debut author went back and forth between the two. The switch was seamless and I was never confused or lost. The story developed at a perfect pace giving away very little about the twist and turns that lead to a cliff hanger that has me dying to read the next book. Cross better get his shit together in the next book. Oh and I was again totally surprised at how well written the steamy parts between Christoff and Gabby were. Both of Me is only the beginning of great future as a writer for this author.
As a girl Gabby couldn’t have asked for more. She had a loving family that spoiled her and gave her constant support. Because of the family business she found the love of her life at just four years old. But constant support can turn into over protection and meddling and love can turn into betrayal.
With a broken heart Gabby leaves her family and love behind to become Brie and to start the life she wants to live. It’s a new start with new friends and no family business to interfere with the choices she wants to make on her own. Now she plans to give her heart a chance to move on as well. It’s a great plan until her past comes to find her and she can’t decide who she really is, Brie or Gabby. Her heart is bonded in a way to her first love that nothing in this life could ever brake.
The author tells the story from both Gabby and Brie’s perspective in the format of past and present. I have to say I was totally impressed with how well this debut author went back and forth between the two. The switch was seamless and I was never confused or lost. The story developed at a perfect pace giving away very little about the twist and turns that lead to a cliff hanger that has me dying to read the next book. Cross better get his shit together in the next book. Oh and I was again totally surprised at how well written the steamy parts between Christoff and Gabby were. Both of Me is only the beginning of great future as a writer for this author.
June 5, 2019
I really wanted to love this book. I only ended up really loving the last few chapters. I didn’t care for the way the past/present chapters happened. For me it didn’t really flow that well. I feel like to make the family issues work better, they should have been brought up more than it was.
A few things that I really didn’t care for was the way Brie talked to Melinda about the baby. She didn’t seem like she was just a nanny. She was acting as if the child was hers. This just didn’t make sense to me at all. Another thing that bothered me so bad was the lack of using contractions. There were way too many do not’s, cannot, I am, will not. This drove me crazy throughout the whole book.
There for a while I was ready to just quit reading but I kept going. I’m glad I did. I didn’t think I would care about reading book 2 but I will definitely check it out when it goes live.
A few things that I really didn’t care for was the way Brie talked to Melinda about the baby. She didn’t seem like she was just a nanny. She was acting as if the child was hers. This just didn’t make sense to me at all. Another thing that bothered me so bad was the lack of using contractions. There were way too many do not’s, cannot, I am, will not. This drove me crazy throughout the whole book.
There for a while I was ready to just quit reading but I kept going. I’m glad I did. I didn’t think I would care about reading book 2 but I will definitely check it out when it goes live.
March 19, 2019
This book.... it captivated me and I finished in one day. Cross and Brie are an amazing couple together. I’m pretty sure this one of the few book I loved that went from different perspectives each chapter. I loved how she weaves that into the story. Cross made me angry, sappy and heartbroken. Brie makes my heart break for everything she’s been through, but she is so strong because of it. Together, they are an inferno, but circumstances happen and life changes. I felt like this book was an amazing book by this author and I can’t wait for the next one!!
This book ends in a cliffhanger! Hold on tight, you’re in for a bumpy, frustrating journey.
This book ends in a cliffhanger! Hold on tight, you’re in for a bumpy, frustrating journey.
March 3, 2019
Oh sooo good!!
Seriously this book was so hard to put down. Get ready to lose some precious hours of sleep. I love that it's a story line that I've not really come across before. The characters are very believable. You will laugh, cry, want to yell and pull your hair out. For her first book, Amber did an amazing job. Yes it's a cliffhanger, I wanted to throw my phone at the wall, but I controlled myself. Now, I can't wait for the next book to see how this drama ends. I want to gather my own posse and go kick Cross's butt myself!
Seriously this book was so hard to put down. Get ready to lose some precious hours of sleep. I love that it's a story line that I've not really come across before. The characters are very believable. You will laugh, cry, want to yell and pull your hair out. For her first book, Amber did an amazing job. Yes it's a cliffhanger, I wanted to throw my phone at the wall, but I controlled myself. Now, I can't wait for the next book to see how this drama ends. I want to gather my own posse and go kick Cross's butt myself!
April 10, 2019
New author
Gabriella & Cross their story from when she was four years old & best friends. Cross is older than she is, both have loved each other since childhood. Gabby must leave her home & family due to tragic circumstances & complications. Love has shattered her & she picks herself up to start a new life in California as Brie Masters. Loved this book, I highly recommend this book.
Gabriella & Cross their story from when she was four years old & best friends. Cross is older than she is, both have loved each other since childhood. Gabby must leave her home & family due to tragic circumstances & complications. Love has shattered her & she picks herself up to start a new life in California as Brie Masters. Loved this book, I highly recommend this book.
March 4, 2019
Wow! What a way to break out into the writing world.
The story and characters were rich in detail. I loved how it flipped from past to present. I wasn’t confused and it made me want to keep flipping the page.
Then I got to the last page and had a little fit that I had no more pages to flip. I can’t wait for the next book!
Well done, Amber! You’re off to a great start!
The story and characters were rich in detail. I loved how it flipped from past to present. I wasn’t confused and it made me want to keep flipping the page.
Then I got to the last page and had a little fit that I had no more pages to flip. I can’t wait for the next book!
Well done, Amber! You’re off to a great start!
March 29, 2019
3.5-4 I enjoyed this one for the most part. Im curious to see how the next one plays out. I have to say the relationship she had with the family esp the baby she nannies for was weird. I kept waiting for something bad to happen to the baby with the way she was acting. I mean she acted like she was the mom. Anyhoo Im interested enough to read the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2019
Wow. This story sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. I actually really loved the back and forth between past and present. It gave enough crumbs in the present to keep your curiosity and the past just fed you enough to keep you going.
I wasn't aware the second part wasnt out and do upset that I had to wait a few months...that is how invested in Cross and Gabby's story.
I wasn't aware the second part wasnt out and do upset that I had to wait a few months...that is how invested in Cross and Gabby's story.
April 25, 2019
I was really impressed with the authors ability to draw the reader into the life of Gabby and Brie. I am usually not a fan of the chapters switching timelines however I feel like the author did an amazing job with this technique. I could not put the book down (finished in a day). With anticipation I read each chapter to get to the next. Can’t wait for the release of Both of Us.
June 4, 2019
After reading this I found out this book was Ms Kelly's debut book and I was even more impressed. It has intrigue, romance and a really good story line. The only thing I didn't like was the cliffhanger, I wasn't prepared for that. I didn't pay attention that it was part of a duet. I'm really looking forward to reading the next one.
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