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All That Stands Between Us
Millions of men in the world, and she had to fall for the one who’s off limits.
Julie has lived next door to the Martins her entire life, but the days of backyard barbecues and lake vacations ended six years ago. That’s when the feud began. Now, returning to her hometown for the holidays, she has to face not only her parents’ exhausting bitterness, but the agonizing realization that the irresistible guy who just asked her out is in fact a Martin, and therefore off limits.
Left to choose between family loyalty and a man who just might be perfect for her, Julie decides she can date Drew as long as they keep things under wraps. But secrets have a way of coming out and love for her family may require the sacrifice of what her heart wants most.
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet (but without all the death), the sweet, romantic story of Julie and Drew’s relationship will make you laugh out loud on one page and make your heart ache on the next. It’s a story about loving family, loving yourself, and loving your soulmate—and choosing which one to put first.
All That Stands Between Us is a clean and wholesome contemporary romance novel for both teenagers and adults. If you’re looking for an inspirational read about a new adult returning from college for the holidays, this romantic comedy is a great read and promises to be a favorite best seller.
Annette K. Larsen is one of the most popular sweet romance authors of recent years. Writing for teen and tween girls, young adults, and women alike, her books can be shared from mother to daughter to grandmother. Any book of hers would be a great gift idea for the book-loving women in your life. Whether she’s writing a historical fantasy series about princesses, or a romantic suspense thriller full of action and adventure, all of her novels have a guaranteed happy ending and plenty of swoon-worthy kisses.
Julie has lived next door to the Martins her entire life, but the days of backyard barbecues and lake vacations ended six years ago. That’s when the feud began. Now, returning to her hometown for the holidays, she has to face not only her parents’ exhausting bitterness, but the agonizing realization that the irresistible guy who just asked her out is in fact a Martin, and therefore off limits.
Left to choose between family loyalty and a man who just might be perfect for her, Julie decides she can date Drew as long as they keep things under wraps. But secrets have a way of coming out and love for her family may require the sacrifice of what her heart wants most.
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet (but without all the death), the sweet, romantic story of Julie and Drew’s relationship will make you laugh out loud on one page and make your heart ache on the next. It’s a story about loving family, loving yourself, and loving your soulmate—and choosing which one to put first.
All That Stands Between Us is a clean and wholesome contemporary romance novel for both teenagers and adults. If you’re looking for an inspirational read about a new adult returning from college for the holidays, this romantic comedy is a great read and promises to be a favorite best seller.
Annette K. Larsen is one of the most popular sweet romance authors of recent years. Writing for teen and tween girls, young adults, and women alike, her books can be shared from mother to daughter to grandmother. Any book of hers would be a great gift idea for the book-loving women in your life. Whether she’s writing a historical fantasy series about princesses, or a romantic suspense thriller full of action and adventure, all of her novels have a guaranteed happy ending and plenty of swoon-worthy kisses.
228 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2019
99 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Annette K. Larsen
22 books530 followersI love words. I always have. In songs, in poems, in books, in movies—words move me. In my younger years, I dabbled in writing as a therapy and an escape, but I never expected it to become more than that. While deep in the depths of mommying several small children, I took seven years to write my first book, Just Ella. During that time, I taught myself how to write a novel through a whole lot of trial and error. Not the most time-efficient method, but it gave me an education I wouldn’t have received from a class or a how-to book. Something about the struggle of writing without a formula or rules worked for me. I wrote for me. I wrote from my heart space, and I think that’s the reason that Just Ella has found room in so many of my readers’ heart spaces.
I write clean romance because I love it. I love the discovery of new love. I love the relationship building that’s done with looks, words, brushing fingers, and tentative kisses. Jane Eyre is the hero of my youth and taught me that being true to yourself and clinging to your convictions will be hard, but it will bring you more genuine happiness than giving up on yourself ever can.
I am an extraordinarily happy wife, and a mother of five kids. I’ve lived in Utah, Arizona, Missouri, and Virginia, but my heart is now firmly ensconced in Idaho where we’ve built a home and a community.
I love chocolate, waterfalls, pretty teacups, the sight and sound of ocean waves, and most especially my husband and my five littles. I love books that leave me with a sigh of contentment, and I aspire to write stories that do the same for my readers.
Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annetteklar...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraklarsen
Follow me on twitter: @AnnetteKLarsen
Contact Me: http://www.annetteklarsen.com/contact...
I write clean romance because I love it. I love the discovery of new love. I love the relationship building that’s done with looks, words, brushing fingers, and tentative kisses. Jane Eyre is the hero of my youth and taught me that being true to yourself and clinging to your convictions will be hard, but it will bring you more genuine happiness than giving up on yourself ever can.
I am an extraordinarily happy wife, and a mother of five kids. I’ve lived in Utah, Arizona, Missouri, and Virginia, but my heart is now firmly ensconced in Idaho where we’ve built a home and a community.
I love chocolate, waterfalls, pretty teacups, the sight and sound of ocean waves, and most especially my husband and my five littles. I love books that leave me with a sigh of contentment, and I aspire to write stories that do the same for my readers.
Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annetteklar...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraklarsen
Follow me on twitter: @AnnetteKLarsen
Contact Me: http://www.annetteklarsen.com/contact...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 28, 2020
Happy Resolution
3.5 stars, rounding up.
Julie and Drew, children of feuding neighbors. Well, Julie's parents might be feuding all in their own. It's definitely a tricky situation, especially when said children are attracted to each other. I definitely liked Drew more than Julie but I did like how Julie eventually stood up for herself and starting defining boundaries with her family. She really wasn't that great to Drew but it all came around in the end. Drew was kind, fun and definitely had to muster a lot of patience with Julie. He and his family were rock stars. I liked the happy ending and the satisfying resolution for Julie who came out smarter and stronger in the end.
3.5 stars, rounding up.
Julie and Drew, children of feuding neighbors. Well, Julie's parents might be feuding all in their own. It's definitely a tricky situation, especially when said children are attracted to each other. I definitely liked Drew more than Julie but I did like how Julie eventually stood up for herself and starting defining boundaries with her family. She really wasn't that great to Drew but it all came around in the end. Drew was kind, fun and definitely had to muster a lot of patience with Julie. He and his family were rock stars. I liked the happy ending and the satisfying resolution for Julie who came out smarter and stronger in the end.
November 22, 2019
I am pretty stingy with my 5 stars. I like to hold them back for those books that hit me, make me feel deeply and always end completely. Annette speaks my language, the girl knows how to tell a deep story and I feel it. It doesn't matter what she writes, if it's a princess or a daughter of a drug dealer I get it and hear what she is trying to say. In this book she did not hold back, she shouts it. This book had the power of truth behind it, and I LOVED that. As someone who's parents could not get over their own hurt and pain long enough to see what it was doing to their children I got this book in a deep way. I have tried to confront my parents I've tried to say all these things! I am so glad this book ended the way it did, I felt like I got a piece of my own happy ending. I feel relief and peace, this book put into story form what I have felt towards my parents for years! I wish I had my own chainsaw!!
Read it. It's so much more than a contemporary romance or a Romeo and Juliet retelling. It's a modern day story of the power of love through boundaries and loving ourselves and others more then the anger. Thank you Annette!!!
Read it. It's so much more than a contemporary romance or a Romeo and Juliet retelling. It's a modern day story of the power of love through boundaries and loving ourselves and others more then the anger. Thank you Annette!!!
did-not-finish
February 7, 2021I’m sorry for the bad review. I know it takes a lot to write a book, but gah! I think I forced myself to the 52% mark before finally deciding that I did not care how the book would end, so why was I forcing myself to continue? I just wasn’t enjoying it.
Julie and Drew became a thing far too early and I really wasn’t feeling it when they kissed for the first time. And her constant thoughts about his beard were so weird! (For example: “I let myself savor it, running my thumb over his beard, grateful it was long enough to be soft against my skin but short enough to not look bushy.” 31%) So many thoughts about the beard. Oh. My. Word. 😂
The fighting between the families felt juvenile and overdone. Julie’s parents were awful.
I didn’t like a single character. Not one. Julie was annoying. Her parents were annoying. Her siblings were annoying. Drew was annoying. I just couldn’t take it anymore.
I’ve enjoyed other books by this author, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Julie and Drew became a thing far too early and I really wasn’t feeling it when they kissed for the first time. And her constant thoughts about his beard were so weird! (For example: “I let myself savor it, running my thumb over his beard, grateful it was long enough to be soft against my skin but short enough to not look bushy.” 31%) So many thoughts about the beard. Oh. My. Word. 😂
The fighting between the families felt juvenile and overdone. Julie’s parents were awful.
I didn’t like a single character. Not one. Julie was annoying. Her parents were annoying. Her siblings were annoying. Drew was annoying. I just couldn’t take it anymore.
I’ve enjoyed other books by this author, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
November 22, 2019
Snarky, Touching, and Romantic
Julie Haines is tired of the feud her parents have with their neighbors, the Martins. She doesn’t see the point in it, but stays loyal to her family, until a chance meeting with Drew Martin makes her question everything.
I loved Julie’s snarkiness, sarcasm, and the genuine struggle she felt between family and doing what is right. I loved Drew’s humor and persistence. The relationships in this book felt so real and raw.
This is my first contemporary book that I’ve read from Annette Larson. I am impressed with her mad skills! I loved her fairytales, but I couldn’t put this down.
Content: clean (a mild swear word or two and making out)
Julie Haines is tired of the feud her parents have with their neighbors, the Martins. She doesn’t see the point in it, but stays loyal to her family, until a chance meeting with Drew Martin makes her question everything.
I loved Julie’s snarkiness, sarcasm, and the genuine struggle she felt between family and doing what is right. I loved Drew’s humor and persistence. The relationships in this book felt so real and raw.
This is my first contemporary book that I’ve read from Annette Larson. I am impressed with her mad skills! I loved her fairytales, but I couldn’t put this down.
Content: clean (a mild swear word or two and making out)
January 27, 2021
This author has quickly become one of my favorites. I’m binge reading all of her books now, because I like them so much. She has such deep characters with real life problems. No fluff, just real stories.
November 15, 2019
Clandestine relationship
-‘Of course. OF COURSE he was a Martin. Because the world hated me. Because I couldn’t possibly just meet a super nice, funny, cute guy and actually be able to date him. That would be crazy town. And where did he get off being irritated with me? Why did he act like he had a right to be mad at my family? We weren’t the ones who blew up the stupid business; they were. I’d never seen a guy go from charmer to jerk so quickly. This sucked. This really, really sucked.’-
From best friends, neighbours, and business partners, to bitter enemies - the Martins and the Hanes don’t speak to each other. Ever. There’s bad blood between them and their children are paying the price. But when attraction comes between their children, Julie and Drew, will the families finally put up a white flag 🏳 and restore peace between them? Or will the rivalry rage on? Caught between a rock and a hard place, between loyalty and wanting to put the past behind them, the Martin and Hanes children aren’t sure how to stop the feud.
-‘“I know why our parents are fighting. But why are we fighting?”’-
This is one of THOSE books. You know the ones. The kind you start reading in the evening and quickly get so absorbed into the storyline that before you know it, it’s late and you have to be up at six the next morning for work, but you just need to know what happens next so you keep reading and before you know it it’s nearly morning already and you wonder how the heck you’re going to get through the workday... yeah. It’s one of THOSE books. So watch out. It’s dangerously awesome. I loved it. Fast-paced, clean, sucks you in. Go for it. You won’t regret it. (And for the record, I totally fell for Drew!)
5 stars.
-‘Of course. OF COURSE he was a Martin. Because the world hated me. Because I couldn’t possibly just meet a super nice, funny, cute guy and actually be able to date him. That would be crazy town. And where did he get off being irritated with me? Why did he act like he had a right to be mad at my family? We weren’t the ones who blew up the stupid business; they were. I’d never seen a guy go from charmer to jerk so quickly. This sucked. This really, really sucked.’-
From best friends, neighbours, and business partners, to bitter enemies - the Martins and the Hanes don’t speak to each other. Ever. There’s bad blood between them and their children are paying the price. But when attraction comes between their children, Julie and Drew, will the families finally put up a white flag 🏳 and restore peace between them? Or will the rivalry rage on? Caught between a rock and a hard place, between loyalty and wanting to put the past behind them, the Martin and Hanes children aren’t sure how to stop the feud.
-‘“I know why our parents are fighting. But why are we fighting?”’-
This is one of THOSE books. You know the ones. The kind you start reading in the evening and quickly get so absorbed into the storyline that before you know it, it’s late and you have to be up at six the next morning for work, but you just need to know what happens next so you keep reading and before you know it it’s nearly morning already and you wonder how the heck you’re going to get through the workday... yeah. It’s one of THOSE books. So watch out. It’s dangerously awesome. I loved it. Fast-paced, clean, sucks you in. Go for it. You won’t regret it. (And for the record, I totally fell for Drew!)
5 stars.
November 22, 2019
Fantastic Story!
I have been drooling about this book for some time now, anxious to get my hands on it when it was finally released. It definitely did not disappoint!!! Annette K. Larsen has done it again and I have another favorite book. Seriously, the amount of thought that went into this story to create the depth that it has still just blows me away. I’m still recovering from my book hangover, lol.
Julie was a fantastic protagonist. I loved reading from her perspective- she is kind, sarcastic, hilarious, tough, and such a good person. The feud that she is stuck in because of something that happened six years ago really brought a unique depth to the story.
Enter Drew, handsome hot bearded neighbor, as well as the son of the family her parents have sworn to hate. He was perfect for Julie, flaws and all. Their romance was swoony yet clean, my favorite kind. Their playful banter and flirting was so well done. Watching their relationship develop amid the underlying tension and fear of being found out by their families kept me up almost until dawn. I just couldn’t put it down and had to know what would happen. There were so many unexpected plot twists and turns, and it was anything but predictable. I loved it all.
Definitely a new favorite book- gonna have to read this one again and again!
I have been drooling about this book for some time now, anxious to get my hands on it when it was finally released. It definitely did not disappoint!!! Annette K. Larsen has done it again and I have another favorite book. Seriously, the amount of thought that went into this story to create the depth that it has still just blows me away. I’m still recovering from my book hangover, lol.
Julie was a fantastic protagonist. I loved reading from her perspective- she is kind, sarcastic, hilarious, tough, and such a good person. The feud that she is stuck in because of something that happened six years ago really brought a unique depth to the story.
Enter Drew, handsome hot bearded neighbor, as well as the son of the family her parents have sworn to hate. He was perfect for Julie, flaws and all. Their romance was swoony yet clean, my favorite kind. Their playful banter and flirting was so well done. Watching their relationship develop amid the underlying tension and fear of being found out by their families kept me up almost until dawn. I just couldn’t put it down and had to know what would happen. There were so many unexpected plot twists and turns, and it was anything but predictable. I loved it all.
Definitely a new favorite book- gonna have to read this one again and again!
November 12, 2019
So I had the honor of reading this ahead of release. I was on vacation at Disneyland. I could NOT put it down! It's an easy read. It has a beautiful story that just drags you in and pulls at your heartstrings. Imagine me reading this in a hotel room with everyone asleep and me laughing one minute and crying the next! Let's just say I'm glad I didn't wake anyone up and I'm glad no one saw me!
The characters are fun and relatable. It's a new take on a classic Romeo & Juliet romance, but way better in my opinion. It was a want-to-throw-the-book & warm-your-heart kind of experience. I love books like that!
Read it, you'll enjoy it!
The characters are fun and relatable. It's a new take on a classic Romeo & Juliet romance, but way better in my opinion. It was a want-to-throw-the-book & warm-your-heart kind of experience. I love books like that!
Read it, you'll enjoy it!
November 20, 2019
Ms. Larsen does it again. Her contemporary stories draw you in and you can’t help but feel every pain and every joy.
The fight between the Drew’s and Julie’s family is so sour and strong. Every jab and argument makes you shudder. I didn’t know if their relationship could survive.
You will not be disappointed. This book has all the feels.
The fight between the Drew’s and Julie’s family is so sour and strong. Every jab and argument makes you shudder. I didn’t know if their relationship could survive.
You will not be disappointed. This book has all the feels.
November 22, 2019
I LOVED this book. I can't believe how many times I laughed out loud! Annette Larsen is the master of banter, and she somehow seems to know PEOPLE really well. She knows how to tug at your heartstrings and make you giggle. This is a touching, relatable story with characters that feel true-to-life that you won't be able to put down! :)
November 19, 2019
Annette is one of my go to writers when I need a good story, and this book like all her others, did not disappoint! “Just Ella” is still my favorite 😉.
November 23, 2019
I finished this in less than 24 hours. I loved it so much! Great characters that I didn’t want to say goodbye to. Annette K Larsen is one of my favorite authors. I always love her books. Would recommend if you like good writing, and sweet clean romance.
December 17, 2020
Great book with an important message. I really enjoyed reading it, in fact I couldn’t put it down. I love Julie and Drew and was rooting for them from the beginning, despite their challenges. Such a great story about forgiveness and the poison of grudges.
December 18, 2020
Compulsively readable, G-rated, New Adult, “Romeo and Juliet” romance
Julie Hanes is almost 21 and is on the verge of completing her college degree a year early, after three years of concentrated study. Drew Martin is 25, has finished his college degree, and has been gainfully employed for the past four years as the manager of a small business that is located in the same college town as Julie—without either of them knowing all that time that they have been living in the same town. What they do know is that their families have been next-door neighbors since Julie and Drew were children, their families used to be very close friends, and her parents have bitterly hated the whole Martin family for the past six years. The feud started when the FBI and SEC began an investigation of Eddie Martin, Julie’s father’s former business partner. It destroyed their previously successful partnership managing a real estate investment trust, and legal fees bankrupted both families. Without any discussion of the matter with Eddie, to get his side of the story, Julie’s father and mother cut themselves off completely from the Martins at the time of the investigation. They decided that the whole situation was entirely Eddie’s fault, that he is a criminal, and everyone in his family is tainted by his supposed criminal tendencies—even though Eddie was never indicted of any crime. Julie’s parents have continued that hate-based separation ever since, even though it has not been easy to accomplish. Neither family could afford to pack up and move away from their next-door-neighbor situation, both families attend the same church, and the various Hanes and Martins have inevitably crossed each other’s paths quite frequently over the years in the small town in which they live.
As their definition of “family loyalty,” Julie’s parents have demanded that their two daughters and their son join them in their endless, seething hatred and resentment of the whole Martin family, and when Drew and Hannah begin to date, it is a ticking time bomb of a situation, waiting to explode.
Things I really liked about this book:
1. It is very well written and quite compulsively readable, as the phrase goes, as much for the family melodrama as for the romance. I could not put it down once I started reading it, and I stayed up much too late last night finishing it.
2. I really liked Drew and Julie, as individuals and as a couple. They are both admirable human beings, equally hard-working, responsible, and kind.
3. Though this is a New Adult romance, unlike the common run of this romance subgenre, it is not set on a college campus. There is no drinking, no wild parties, and no sex of any kind, only kissing. However, in spite of its G-rating, there is plenty of strong emotional chemistry between Drew and Hannah in this romance novel. The author fully convinced me of the Prime Directive of any good romance: That the lives of these two lovers would be forever blighted if they did not end up together.
4. I liked very much Julie’s close relationships with her younger sister Hannah and her female best friend.
5. There is no other-woman/other-man drama (AKA no “cheating”) between Julie and Drew, and there is a satisfying HEA.
Things I had slight issues with in this book:
1. As someone who has personally attended many different churches in small towns over the course of my (long!) life, I found it a bit unbelievable that, with the whole town knowing about the vindictive bitterness of Julie’s father, and the fact that both the Hanes family and the Martin family have attended the same church for decades, that the pastor and elders of their mutual church would not have, years before, staged an intervention and mediated between these two men, such that Eddie Martin would have had a chance to tell his side of the story to Julie’s father, and thereby peaceably have brought the feud to an end. Though this book is not, per se, a “Christian romance,” it does not speak very highly for the effectiveness of the Christian religion as being able to heal hearts and minds, even though Christianity’s main focuses are the extremely relevant concepts of, “love thy neighbor,” forgiveness, and repentance.
2. The story is written in first-person point of view, with only Julie’s perspective offered. The author states on her website that she never writes from a male point of view. This is unfortunate. First person POV is virtually never used in the adult romance genre, though it is typical of young adult fiction, murder mysteries and chick lit. Adult romance is traditionally written in close-third POV, with alternating POV of the heroine and hero. This convention allows the reader to become much closer to the romantic hero than is ever possible with only the heroine’s POV.
3. The setting of a small town is never clearly described as to the town a whole, only a few generic, Anytown type locales, such as some restaurants and department stores. As a result, the town never came into focus for me.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Family Drama: 3 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
Julie Hanes is almost 21 and is on the verge of completing her college degree a year early, after three years of concentrated study. Drew Martin is 25, has finished his college degree, and has been gainfully employed for the past four years as the manager of a small business that is located in the same college town as Julie—without either of them knowing all that time that they have been living in the same town. What they do know is that their families have been next-door neighbors since Julie and Drew were children, their families used to be very close friends, and her parents have bitterly hated the whole Martin family for the past six years. The feud started when the FBI and SEC began an investigation of Eddie Martin, Julie’s father’s former business partner. It destroyed their previously successful partnership managing a real estate investment trust, and legal fees bankrupted both families. Without any discussion of the matter with Eddie, to get his side of the story, Julie’s father and mother cut themselves off completely from the Martins at the time of the investigation. They decided that the whole situation was entirely Eddie’s fault, that he is a criminal, and everyone in his family is tainted by his supposed criminal tendencies—even though Eddie was never indicted of any crime. Julie’s parents have continued that hate-based separation ever since, even though it has not been easy to accomplish. Neither family could afford to pack up and move away from their next-door-neighbor situation, both families attend the same church, and the various Hanes and Martins have inevitably crossed each other’s paths quite frequently over the years in the small town in which they live.
As their definition of “family loyalty,” Julie’s parents have demanded that their two daughters and their son join them in their endless, seething hatred and resentment of the whole Martin family, and when Drew and Hannah begin to date, it is a ticking time bomb of a situation, waiting to explode.
Things I really liked about this book:
1. It is very well written and quite compulsively readable, as the phrase goes, as much for the family melodrama as for the romance. I could not put it down once I started reading it, and I stayed up much too late last night finishing it.
2. I really liked Drew and Julie, as individuals and as a couple. They are both admirable human beings, equally hard-working, responsible, and kind.
3. Though this is a New Adult romance, unlike the common run of this romance subgenre, it is not set on a college campus. There is no drinking, no wild parties, and no sex of any kind, only kissing. However, in spite of its G-rating, there is plenty of strong emotional chemistry between Drew and Hannah in this romance novel. The author fully convinced me of the Prime Directive of any good romance: That the lives of these two lovers would be forever blighted if they did not end up together.
4. I liked very much Julie’s close relationships with her younger sister Hannah and her female best friend.
5. There is no other-woman/other-man drama (AKA no “cheating”) between Julie and Drew, and there is a satisfying HEA.
Things I had slight issues with in this book:
1. As someone who has personally attended many different churches in small towns over the course of my (long!) life, I found it a bit unbelievable that, with the whole town knowing about the vindictive bitterness of Julie’s father, and the fact that both the Hanes family and the Martin family have attended the same church for decades, that the pastor and elders of their mutual church would not have, years before, staged an intervention and mediated between these two men, such that Eddie Martin would have had a chance to tell his side of the story to Julie’s father, and thereby peaceably have brought the feud to an end. Though this book is not, per se, a “Christian romance,” it does not speak very highly for the effectiveness of the Christian religion as being able to heal hearts and minds, even though Christianity’s main focuses are the extremely relevant concepts of, “love thy neighbor,” forgiveness, and repentance.
2. The story is written in first-person point of view, with only Julie’s perspective offered. The author states on her website that she never writes from a male point of view. This is unfortunate. First person POV is virtually never used in the adult romance genre, though it is typical of young adult fiction, murder mysteries and chick lit. Adult romance is traditionally written in close-third POV, with alternating POV of the heroine and hero. This convention allows the reader to become much closer to the romantic hero than is ever possible with only the heroine’s POV.
3. The setting of a small town is never clearly described as to the town a whole, only a few generic, Anytown type locales, such as some restaurants and department stores. As a result, the town never came into focus for me.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Family Drama: 3 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
September 11, 2024
Whoops! I started this book yesterday and accidentally stayed up til 2 am finishing it. It's been a while since I did that! It was a fun Romeo and Juliet type book (the main character is even named Julia). I'm sure it will make my re-read book list in the future.
May 12, 2024
I am shocked with how much I loved this book. I rarely enjoy contemporary or lots of angst, and the forbidden love is not a favorite trope, but I could hardly set All That Stands Between Us down.
I was totally invested in Drew and Julia’s relationship. The angst worked so well here. Their relationship also felt so realistic! The butterflies, the excitement over silly texts, the fights, the make ups. It was the best emotional rollercoaster.
I loved Drew’s utter lack of embarrassment or shame about dating Julia. It was so endearing.
I also loved Julia’s relationship with her sister Hannah.
The beard. I get it, being with a bearded man is the best. I would cry if my husband shaved his beard.
The ending made me cry happy tears, legit can not remember the last time that happened.
4 crazy solid stars!
Why not 5 stars.
Slightly because of Julia’s lack of a backbone, though it made it so much more satisfying when she finally grew one! So this may be a plus.
Slightly because at times it seemed unlikely that the truth wouldnt have come out sooner, and when Julia learned the truth I wished she would have told her parents
and siblings way sooner, especially her sister. That kinda goes a long with the backbone thing, so it did get better.
Spencer. 🤮 I hated how Julia handled that whole situation. Roles reversed none of that would have flyed. But again this is a slight situation.
Mostly because the amount of kissing that happens and happened so quickly. I would have loved to see the physical side of the relationship hold off and seen the emotional and intellectual side grow first. But atleast the kisses were non descriptive.
Side note: I could not help but think of the Office when Andy tried to change his name to Drew 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Content: lots of non descript kissing, slight swearing (1 pissed off, 1 hellbent, 1 damn), nothing gory
I was totally invested in Drew and Julia’s relationship. The angst worked so well here. Their relationship also felt so realistic! The butterflies, the excitement over silly texts, the fights, the make ups. It was the best emotional rollercoaster.
I loved Drew’s utter lack of embarrassment or shame about dating Julia. It was so endearing.
I also loved Julia’s relationship with her sister Hannah.
The beard. I get it, being with a bearded man is the best. I would cry if my husband shaved his beard.
The ending made me cry happy tears, legit can not remember the last time that happened.
4 crazy solid stars!
Why not 5 stars.
Slightly because of Julia’s lack of a backbone, though it made it so much more satisfying when she finally grew one! So this may be a plus.
Slightly because at times it seemed unlikely that the truth wouldnt have come out sooner, and when Julia learned the truth I wished she would have told her parents
and siblings way sooner, especially her sister. That kinda goes a long with the backbone thing, so it did get better.
Spencer. 🤮 I hated how Julia handled that whole situation. Roles reversed none of that would have flyed. But again this is a slight situation.
Mostly because the amount of kissing that happens and happened so quickly. I would have loved to see the physical side of the relationship hold off and seen the emotional and intellectual side grow first. But atleast the kisses were non descriptive.
Side note: I could not help but think of the Office when Andy tried to change his name to Drew 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Content: lots of non descript kissing, slight swearing (1 pissed off, 1 hellbent, 1 damn), nothing gory
August 7, 2021
Lest anyone think this kind of feud would never happen in real life today, I can attest that it happens. Friends whose business imploded and their business partner ruined his own life with bitterness suing them repeatedly though judge after judge said there had been no wrong. So sad. Luckily their story had no Romeo and Juliet element.
I think Julie and Drew are both flawed but they are also cute. They have some fun banter. Drew's flaw was to not take seriously the extent Julie's parents would react to their relationship. And Julie's flaw is not standing up for herself up front. But I understand her too. I'm sure I would respond the same way, trying not to rock the boat and just have some peace in the house. However, it was too toxic for that to be okay. I kept hoping she would just leave. But even if Julie couldn't get along with her parents, I was glad that the whole blow up helped her be closer to her sister. I never learned to like her brother though.
It is a sweet story but has lots of angst. Overall an enjoyable read.
Sex: no
Language: a little, mild
Violence: a little
I think Julie and Drew are both flawed but they are also cute. They have some fun banter. Drew's flaw was to not take seriously the extent Julie's parents would react to their relationship. And Julie's flaw is not standing up for herself up front. But I understand her too. I'm sure I would respond the same way, trying not to rock the boat and just have some peace in the house. However, it was too toxic for that to be okay. I kept hoping she would just leave. But even if Julie couldn't get along with her parents, I was glad that the whole blow up helped her be closer to her sister. I never learned to like her brother though.
It is a sweet story but has lots of angst. Overall an enjoyable read.
Sex: no
Language: a little, mild
Violence: a little
June 17, 2020
I love this author and was so happy that this book just became available on Kindle Unlimited because I’ve wanted to read it for a while.
So, the cover and the description almost makes you think this book might be sad but this author always knows how to deliver on the interaction between the main couple with plenty of cute and funny banter.
Julie and Drew meet and have an instant connection before they realize their parents are actually feuding neighbors. It’s like a modern day Romeo and Juliet minus the death part. ;-) I instantly felt pulled into Julie’s life and could feel her struggle with wanting to see where things could go with Drew but also loving her family and needing healthy boundaries. The whole story felt very real. The grudges, though silly from an outsiders point of view, were realistic and you could see how something like that could affect a family.
Anyway, it was a great story and I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.
So, the cover and the description almost makes you think this book might be sad but this author always knows how to deliver on the interaction between the main couple with plenty of cute and funny banter.
Julie and Drew meet and have an instant connection before they realize their parents are actually feuding neighbors. It’s like a modern day Romeo and Juliet minus the death part. ;-) I instantly felt pulled into Julie’s life and could feel her struggle with wanting to see where things could go with Drew but also loving her family and needing healthy boundaries. The whole story felt very real. The grudges, though silly from an outsiders point of view, were realistic and you could see how something like that could affect a family.
Anyway, it was a great story and I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.
November 29, 2019
Awesome!
Annette K Larsen weaves so much depth into her stories. Each one is a five star read.
I loved reading Julie and Drew’s story. How the actions of their parents effected the children was written with so much feeling. It truly shows how anger and resentment can spread and ruin people’s lives.
The connection between Julie and Drew was sweet and swoony!
I was rooting for them from the moment they met.
Like her other books....this is in the reread category. Thanks for sharing your talent Annette!
Annette K Larsen weaves so much depth into her stories. Each one is a five star read.
I loved reading Julie and Drew’s story. How the actions of their parents effected the children was written with so much feeling. It truly shows how anger and resentment can spread and ruin people’s lives.
The connection between Julie and Drew was sweet and swoony!
I was rooting for them from the moment they met.
Like her other books....this is in the reread category. Thanks for sharing your talent Annette!
December 1, 2019
I wanted to love this book. I’m a big fan of the author. But this book just didn’t do it for me. The connection between the main characters was too quick and felt unfounded. It felt like the family drama was the main focus of the book, instead of the romance. It all felt imbalanced. One of the things I love about this authors other books is that you get to know and love the characters as they get to know each other. But I feel like I’ve ended this book and really don’t know the MCs and I’m happy to leave them behind.
December 16, 2019
Fantastic twist on a familiar tale
I just love Annette Larson’s books, and her newest offering did not disappoint. I enjoyed this contemporary twist on Romeo and Juliet so much I was actually upset my flight wasn’t longer so I could finish it! The snarky humor kept a smile on my face, but I also ached with sympathy as the main character struggled with her parents’ and brother’s prejudiced behavior. I just finished the book today and have already gone back to reread some of my favorite parts.
I just love Annette Larson’s books, and her newest offering did not disappoint. I enjoyed this contemporary twist on Romeo and Juliet so much I was actually upset my flight wasn’t longer so I could finish it! The snarky humor kept a smile on my face, but I also ached with sympathy as the main character struggled with her parents’ and brother’s prejudiced behavior. I just finished the book today and have already gone back to reread some of my favorite parts.
June 9, 2020
I really did love this book. It’s for sure a 3.5. The only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because I felt like the romance between Drew and Julie was a little too fast in the beginning. I think the story would have been better if we had time to see them falling in love over a longer period of time. But again, I truly did love the story. Annette K Larson is amazing at writing emotionally captivating books; I never finish one and then forget it. I always think on them for long time afterwards. I look forward to reading more of her books.
December 27, 2020
4.5 Stars!! I would have read this book faster but Christmas got in the way. I really enjoyed this book and how Drew and Julie began. So fun but then all the crap got in the way! It’s so hard when a grudge can affect us and others around us if we let it. Annette did a great job with everyone’s feelings and emotions. I’m starting to love reading books that have deep real life circumstances. It’s hard to read at times but it makes you love the story in the end so much more. Can’t wait to read more of Annette’s books!
December 5, 2019
Amazed at Larsen's strength at writing books of variety and depth.
Thank you Annette for another wonderful read!! Oh the yelling and vindictive fury, I loved it. Can't even begin to believe people feel the way the protagonist parents felt...but obviously history proves it. I loved both main characters and the supporting best friends. I do wish the protagonist would have punched Micheal... maybe even more than once...I would have liked maybe some more closer on the sub characters but maybe she's leaving that open for other books???
Thank you Annette for another wonderful read!! Oh the yelling and vindictive fury, I loved it. Can't even begin to believe people feel the way the protagonist parents felt...but obviously history proves it. I loved both main characters and the supporting best friends. I do wish the protagonist would have punched Micheal... maybe even more than once...I would have liked maybe some more closer on the sub characters but maybe she's leaving that open for other books???
May 27, 2021
I give Annette Larsen credit for being a good writer in that her books are easy to read and flow well, but I really just can’t get on board with her contemporary novels in the same way as her Dalthia series. This one felt incredibly dramatic and the characters were often ridiculous and irritating, particularly Julie’s parents. Because I come from a family of dramatic grudge holders I think I could relate to the story enough to appreciate it, but I’m glad to be done.
November 30, 2021
After I got to about 25% through the book, I had a hard time putting it down. Not many books do that for me, so that in itself it gets a 5 of 5 stars.
Perfect holiday romance novel! Read it at the right time frame of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Plus I love a good clean romance novel, and this one was great! Annette Larsen has done it again for me! Sucked me in and kept me reading until it was over. 😁
Perfect holiday romance novel! Read it at the right time frame of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Plus I love a good clean romance novel, and this one was great! Annette Larsen has done it again for me! Sucked me in and kept me reading until it was over. 😁
February 28, 2020
A more healthy Romeo and Juliet with a Happily Ever After. My favorite thing about Annette Larsen's writing is the emotion. As I read her stories I always feel every tug and pull of the character's heart as if it was my own. All her stories are beautiful and this one was no different. I always come away feeling more.
March 21, 2023
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A really good story! A bit of a slow start, building the dynamics of a one sided family feud, but the characters are engaging so it was worth it! Family dynamics with a side of romance. Romance with a side of family dynamics. Back and forth and growing up... It's all hard and sometimes slow, but worth it.
A really good story! A bit of a slow start, building the dynamics of a one sided family feud, but the characters are engaging so it was worth it! Family dynamics with a side of romance. Romance with a side of family dynamics. Back and forth and growing up... It's all hard and sometimes slow, but worth it.
November 11, 2024
This was…heavier than I expected it to be. There was some fun humor and some sweet moments, but the overwhelming focus on the family feud just got depressing. There was also insta-love, and some of the characters’ decisions seemed a little unreasonable, but with the humor to counter-balance it, it averaged about a 3.
November 22, 2019
Funny and Sweet
I loved this book! I laughed out loud, I got teary. I was reminded how funny and chaotic falling in love is, and I was reminded how important grace and forgiveness are. Such a good read! You’ll love it!
I loved this book! I laughed out loud, I got teary. I was reminded how funny and chaotic falling in love is, and I was reminded how important grace and forgiveness are. Such a good read! You’ll love it!
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