"He happened to look out the window and that’s when he saw her. It was Gloria or at least someone who looked very much like her. Jake jumped to his feet and ran out after her."
Jake fell in love but never got his happily ever after. Years later, he spots a woman whom he thinks is the long-lost love of his life, but she doesn't remember him.
Stephanie doesn't believe in love but her world is changed forever when a man mistakes her for his long-lost love.
*This is a standalone book with a HEA
**Please Note: Mature content with graphic sexual situations, violence or other adult content. Reader discretion advised. 18+
Skye Bailey is the pen name of an author who lives in the United States. She likes to write heart-wrenching, dark romance stories with characters that have gone through hardship and abuse and have survived and become thrivers. The author herself has gone through many struggles in her life and sometimes incorporates those struggles into her stories. Her stories will almost always have HEA endings because the author loves to give her characters hope and happiness in the end after much hardship.
I received this complimentary epub from the author for an unbiased review.
This novella turned out to be surprisingly good. Although the beginning was a bit weak and I expected it to be yet another story about insta-love and a lot of sex, it turned out to have a lot more substance to it. Through the character of Stephanie, the author touches on some sensitive issues like childhood sexual abuse and gang rape and shows the ugly effect it can have on a person's well being, identity and confidence. Stephanie has not only lived through this nightmare but has survived.
The plotline and characters have potential for the author to flesh them out and turn this into a novel, if she wishes to.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I read a book for either of the three things 1. Plot 2. Characters 3. Writing
The plot and characters of this book were like food without salt aka bland and it was probably written by a 13-year-old because the writing was straight up immature, the grammar and punctuations were just not there and not to forget there was no PoV one paragraph you are in Jake's head and in the other you are in Gloria's or Stephanie's. The conversations were dumb and all over the place. Overall this book was just not for me.
The lecture was over & Dr./Professor Hume (60+) wanted to see Asst. Dr./Professor Jake Wilder (PhD student, MS chemistry). Asst. Dr./Professor Wilder ran into Gloria McCallister (22, Sr. chemistry student) when she was coming out of the women’s restroom. He helped her pick up the books. Gloria had sprained her ankle & was on crutches & used a wheelchair. Giselle Wilder (wife) wasn’t ready to give Asst. Dr./Professor Wilder a divorce. He gave Gloria a ride home & they instantly got to know one another. Shades restaurant. Their 1st date.
Gloria had to tell Asst. Dr./Professor Wilder she was a virgin. Later the big news Gloria is pregnant. Weeks & months passed, & still no Gloria. Asst. Dr./Professor Wilder quit his job at the university & moved out of his apartment. He just couldn’t handle it being without Gloria. After a long battle Asst. Dr./Professor Wilder got a divorce from Giselle. Seattle, WA. Jake was teaching 3rd grade. Going on 10 yrs. Jake had still not found Gloria. 1-day while he was eating lunch, he spied Stephanie. Jake instantly thinks Stephanie Miller is his long-lost love Gloria. She began to reveal her past to him. Months later, Jake & Stephanie got used to each other. She got a job at a coffee shop & was taking online college classes. How will Jake & Stephanie lives turn out?
I’m a retired ES MH/K-12 social worker. How many times I listened to these type of stories.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
Warning: This book contains descriptive accounts of extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material (incest, pedophile, sodomized, rape, gang banged, child verbal/mental/physical/sexual abuse, BDSM) which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader. If you are especially sensitive to this type of material, it is strongly advised not to read any further.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written (Novella) fictional memoir book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great fictional memoir movie, or better yet a mini TV series. Wow, there is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; PDF; ARR book. Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
It was an entertaining and light read, and I have mixed feelings about this novella. I see so much potential with the story itself, the pace and its characters. I bonded to the characters, especially Gloria and Stephanie, fast and I thought it was interesting to read about these two similar but totally different characters. In general, I would have loved to read more about Stephanie and Jake because their chemistry was so much more interesting compared to the others. The novella provided everything I expected from sexy, entertaining, romantic to very dark, and also offered some surprising moments.
But some parts felt too extensive and therefore out of place. This is perhaps why the beginning felt too stiff because of how Jake's feeling toward Gloria was repeated several times in a similar way. I do understand that this was necessary to show how much Jake was in love with Gloria but I like it more when there is some room for the reader to reflect on their own. There was also this scene where Stephanie speaks about her childhood which was a very long monologue. I missed any kind of description about Jake; it was a deep and brutal story so there must have been some nonverbal cue from his side while listening. It would have been great to add his reactions inbetween her monologue to make the scene more vivid.
**I received a free copy of this book via Making Connections for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
I absolutely loved reading Ask Me Something Easy by Skye Bailey. This is a very hot and sexy read. I will not recount the plot. I will just say this is an enjoyable sexy, steamy, erotic book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This had a good premise and the story itself is intriguing but I would have loved a little more. Not sure what that "more" is. I feel like I couldn't relate to the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jake, an assistant professor, first saw Gloria in class and was captivated by her. After spraining her ankle, he becomes her care giver, carrying her around and such. It didn’t take long for the two to fall for each other and express it intimately. Then she gets pregnant and disappears.
10 years later, Jake meets Stephanie, a dead ringer for Gloria. At first, Jake didn’t really feel much for the bitter and cold Stephanie, until her dark and tragic story just breaks him apart. It’s a miracle that Stephanie survived such sexual and physical abuse. Jake and Stephanie’s courtship goes from taking her in, getting her to open up about her past, living together, dating, and finally marrying. The whole thing was long and sappy.
The ending certainly brings on a startling revelation that gives the reader that “oh” moment.
Overall, this was a quick and captivating read with some typos here and there.
OK. I'm going to start this review with an apology. I am sorry for what I am about to write. I know that the author will have worked really hard to craft a story that she believed in, but I'm afraid that, for me at least, it completely missed the mark.
At the outset, the writing style felt akin to that in a school essay. The narrative voice did improve, and relax as the tale went on, but the plot, sadly, didn't.
I simply didn't find any of this believable. From the initial insta-love, to Stephanie's childhood, or the speed of Jake and Stephanie's relationship. None of it. And I think that probably, the problem was compounded by the novella format that this story was shoehorned into.
Not for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
This was hard to get into. Besides the obviously heart rending subject matter, everything that happened was so dark.
It started off very clunky and unemotional. I didn't feel a connection at all between Gloria and Jake. the book gradually became a little more reader friendly but by then I was done with the Gloria mystery.
This author writes quite a bit about abuse and trauma. There is such a powerful message to be got from this. I only wish I could get a better emotional connection with this author and her stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*spoilerish* I think a more accurate summary is in order. Stephanie didn’t simply have ”an abusive childhood and a rough life” but was rather beaten and raped again and again which the reader learns when she tells Jake in detail how she got all her mental and physical scars. On the one hand it’s great that someone is willing to write about survivors of abuse, but on the other hand it would be better if everyone was warned ahead of time that the book is very much about surviving sexual abuse.
That being said, there are a few issues and discrepencies I’d like to point out:
First of all, someone without a PhD can’t be an assistant professor. It’s hard enough for someone with a PhD to get that job even though they have the required qualifications. And an assistant professor wouldn’t be following a professor around like a puppy, because that’s what grad students are for.
Obviously no matter what their title, instructors are never allowed to date their students.
Jake never retrieved Gloria’s stuff after he helped her to the health center. He also didn’t ask what she wanted on her pizza.
Out of all the conversational questions Jake and Gloria had ON CAMPUS neither asked what the other majored in. That’s almost as crazy as not asking what their names are.
Gloria lived in a 1 bedroom campus apartment that had an ensuite bathroom with both a shower stall and a bathtub? Plus it was assumed to have another bathroom as well since Jake slept out on the couch yet never used the bathroom in her bedroom. That is unexpectedly and suspiciously fancy for cheap student housing.
Why TF didn’t Jake call the police when he saved Stephanie from being attacked? And why did he remove her unconscious body from the scene of the crime? He called the ambulance, so perhaps it’s implied that the police were notified as well, but that whole scene felt strange.
People with traumatic backgrounds are generally quite numb and neutral when describing what they have survived until a whole lot of therapy thaws their frozen emotions. Obviously not everyone would fit the mold, but I can say that Stephanie was unusual with her display of emotions when talking to Jake.
That wasn’t very nice nor emotionally mature of Stephanie to unilaterally decide that keeping in contact with Gloria’s parents would be too painful for them when they’re the ones who asked her to do it.
As for the story itself, the plot was interesting, if not a teeny bit predictable, and the characters were original though a bit flat at times. I prefer stories without so much narration, especially when it repeats itself, but hooray that it wasn’t bogged down in wishy-washy mental monologues.
I think this author shows a lot of promise and look forward to reading her next book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
This is a novella that covers a variety of sensitive topics including mental illness, child sexual abuse and rape. If these issues offend you, please consider not reading this book.
The characters in this book are well defined, strong, determined, emotional and resilient (just to name a few traits). The emotional rollercoaster takes the reader from joyful highs, to tearful lows while following Jake through his early career.
Jake was just starting his second year as a teaching assistant at the university when he met Gloria. The instant attraction was like nothing he had ever felt before. Feeling responsible for her getting hurt, he took her home and stayed to take care of her. Over the next month they became close, until he could finally take her on a date. Though it was not planned, the intimacy that followed was amazing, and they were soon inseparable. But then she disappeared. Only a note saying she learned about Gizelle - his soon to be ex. How? He had intended to tell her, but got scared. Now she was gone. Learning she was pregnant only made him worry more.
10 years later, after he moved to a different state (to many memories of Gloria in LA), he saw her. But it wasn't her. Stephanie was cold and judgemental, not carefree and happy like Gloria. He saved Stephanie from being savagely raped, and as he learned more about her past, he understood her closed-off behaviors. Stephanie, too, began to open up more, and be more easy going the more she was around Jake. She had never had anyone care about her, or look out for her wellbeing before. After 6 months of dating, he proposed, and 6 months after that they were married. Their wedding night, Stephanie was nervous about being intimate. The one time she thought Jake had wanted that, she was rough because that was all she knew. She wanted it to be perfect, and to actually enjoy it for the first time! Jake assured her that he would always take care of her.
On their honeymoon, they returned to LA, to Jake's hometown. They ran into his ex. She suprised and shocked them both. Then Gloria's parents gave them another blow. How could they endure such a thing? They sought therapy and supported eachother. They started the adoption process, as Stephanie's abuse made it almost impossible for her to have children. When they got the letter saying they were getting their baby, Stephanie & Jake got yet another suprise!
* This novella has lots of ups and downs. This review highlights many of them, but there are still suprises to be found - I made sure to leave the best parts for you to read for yourself!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jake had fallen in love with Gloria. He was an assistant professor and she was in his class. After they accidentally crashed into each other, she had a swollen ankle. From there they began a relationship, but not everything went as he hoped.
This was a heart wrenching contemporary romance story that spans over a decade. Jake is the main character and is a very loving man who treasures those he loves. As the story progresses he changes in his expectations and vocation but his genuine goodness remains. The circumstances of the other characters were deeply troubling. What I liked about this story was how no matter how tragic background and experiences are there can be healing with enough love and patience. It is an emotional rollercoaster for Jake and as a reader you take it with you. Some of the book is hard to read but it leaves you feeling hopeful and positive in the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book that I have read by this author, I enjoyed the story. Meet Jake and Stephanie. Jake fell in love and lost that love, Gloria. Stephanie reminds him of Gloria. Stephanie comes with a history and not a pleasant one. If you are a sensitive reader or trigger easily, this may not be the story for you. A warning in the book blurb would be good. I enjoyed the story and the characters, looking forward to reading more. Enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Despite the main female character’s life history being one of abuse this story isn’t as dark as the previous books I’ve just ready by this author. I’ve been lucky enough to have a number of her books to read and so I have done a binge read of this author’s books. I appreciated the fact that this one wasn’t as dark. It is still very emotional and well worth the read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A quick short story to read, by an Author I have not read before.This is Jake Wilder and Stephanie Miller's story she had so much in her life to go through.There are surprises throughout this story. I liked reading this book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The writing draws you in and keeps you involved throughout the whole story, I found myself in love with not only the characters but also the world that was created.
The descriptions of the characters and their feelings are so involved, you can truly picture it in your mind.
I received a copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.
This is a great read with an awesome storyline that has well developed and engaging characters that have lots of chemistry. The smooth flow of the storyline makes for a good reading time.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was an emotional roller coaster ride! I really enjoyed it! The characters were truly truly well-written and I enjoyed every page in the book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.