That Thing You Do

Crystal Lake #2

by Juliana Stone

All her life, tomboy Molly Malone, has been one of the guys. When her brother decides to get married it means the gang will reunite, but more importantly it means Nate Jacobs will finally come home. With the impending nuptials looming fast and a family that can barely put together a grocery list, Molly will be tested like never before. To make matters worse, one look from Nate confirms he’s still her kryptonite and that her teenage crush is now something more. He's only ever thought of her as ‘one of the boys’ and to protect her heart, she’s determined to keep it that way.

At thirty years of age, sports agent Nate Jacobs has got it all. Dream job, nice home, expensive car, and all the eye candy he can handle. But lately he’s realized something is missing. He just doesn’t know what it is. So, coming home to Crystal Lake for his buddy’s wedding is a welcome distraction. He can kick back, relax and get his head on straight. The only problem? Molly Malone. She’s still the pain in the ass she always was, so why is he thinking things he shouldn’t be? Like kissing her? Like what is underneath those baggy jeans? She’s also acting weird and that makes him wonder, what the hell is she hiding?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Fiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2019

About the author

Juliana Stone is also known as J.A. Stone.

USA Today bestselling author and 2015 RITA® winner JULIANA STONE fell in love with books in the fifth grade when her teacher introduced her to Tom Sawyer. A tomboy at heart, she splits her time between baseball, books, and music. When she’s not singing with her band, she’s thrilled to be writing young adult as well as adult contemporary romance—books that have garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly & Booklist—from somewhere in the wilds of Canada.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 Crystal Lake Novel Boxed Set 1-3 is FREE on Amazon & on Apple Books today (11/27/2020)!🎁

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! Humorous! Suspenseful!
Molly and Nate have huge unresolved memories from their childhood "friendship". When Nate returns home for Zach's, Molly's brother's wedding, everyone else can see their love for each other, EXCEPT the two of them.
Their homes and careers are in two different states and when you add Chess, the mean side chick, to the recipe, something is definitely going to blow up! lol!!!!

[Taylor Dunkelberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this by the pool while on vacation and it was just what i needed

[Ann Lorz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the second story in the Crystal Lake series and I really enjoyed it. Did I have a few issues? Yes and no. For me it's hard to judge a person from when they are a kid. In this story Nate is a huge player. He will go to bed with almost any woman whom he can get it up for. Now most of that is prior to the book. It's either a memory or just in his past. So, I can't judge him too harshly.

We all have to grow up mentally along with physically.

Because I think people can grow, I tried to see Nate in a different light then the one everyone thinks about him. Doing so helped me see the real Nate and find that as a character I really liked him. He's ready to settle down and doesn't even know it.

I also really liked Molly. She's a wonderful person who's always had a thing for Nate and finds that even after all these years she still has it. I think Molly being Molly is what finally wakes up Nate to the fact that there is more to life than one big party.

I liked these two together and cheered for them throughout the story. Their ride wasn't always easy but when it worked it really worked for them. I'm glad that they both woke up to what they really wanted in life and made that happen. This is a good story and made me want to read the next book in the series right away.

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[Rogetwhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nate’s past was too much for me. Molly going to
Prom with him and him screwing another girl and Molly walking in and him winking at her and asking her to close the door? Yeah I don’t care if he thought of them as buds or whatever, that was gross! And then he hooks up with Molly’s bully abs doesn’t seem to understand why that would upset Molly! While I enjoyed the book somewhat, I just could get over some parts.

[Jane Drager · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming story about friends to lovers. Sure, the premise has been done before, but the author handled it well with a few twists and turns along the way. Sexual situations and foul language with strong characters and happily ever after ending.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very clever book with a lot of truth and humor. Ms Stone’s protagonists in a couple other books I read lacked character and Personality. Molly has it all in this book. She and Nate make a very realistic couple. Keep going forward with character and

[Michelle the Romance Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow... so many feels and so much drama. this series just continues to get better and better

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. Molly & Nate are strong characters with their own fears. It was nice to have the whole group of friends included in this story. I was captivated from start to finish.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful couple.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

New folks, similar theme with new twists

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first book.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t finish. It was forgettable, and every time I picked it up to keep reading, I had to remind myself of the story and who was who.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lived it. The history between the characters was well told

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note Jacobs & Molly Malone
Just keeps getting better with this author and the Crystal Lake series

[Baca Buku · Rating 2 out of 5]

High school drama but with 30-year-olds.
The first book in the series (Blue and Cam) was more enjoyable.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I spent a lot of time questioning the age and maturity of the characters in this story because with all the flashbacks to the jerk Nate was in high school and the insecure “one of the guys” teenager Molly used to be not much has changed in the years since then. The main things we know about Nate is that he sleeps around constantly, he’s a former sports jock, and he works in a sports talent agency in New York. Molly loves her veterinary practice and the animals, she doesn’t date, and she’s been in love with Nate forever. Their no strings attached sex arrangement includes plenty of wedding duties, lots of sneaking around but very little in depth conversation and the rest of the story is filler. Unfortunately the building emotional connection I would have expected between the couple throughout the story is non-existent and that’s a deal breaker for me. The friends to lovers romance trope is a good one but this story is forgettable.

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Sweet and simple. Nice characters, nice story. But not deep enough to be special.

[Suzie Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just shy of five stars but I gave it five because there was no drama to drag this story.
Nathan and Molly have been best friends since elementary school along with her twin brother Zach. Somewhere along the line their feelings grew from “I love you” , to: I’m IN love with you. They cross the line while Nathan, a sports agent, is home for a couple of weeks for Zach’s wedding.
Here’s where the book was good. They didn’t stop their relationship they kept going until Nathan has to return to New York. Nathan’s boss, Tucker Simon (from the Simon sibling series) very easily gets Nathan to see he can have it all. Just that simple and a good story.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't a fan of writing about what happened in Las Vegas when it seemed so disconnected from their story and it was first before we get from childhood history.....it all could of been smoother. I didn't really get to love Nate... He seemed too easily swayed by Chess and he ditched our girl in Vegas (prom too).
I had more feelings for Linc. Lol

Still I'm invested in the Cyrstal Lake gang!!

[Casey Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read, it was great to go back to Crystal Lake and reconnect with characters. Sometimes what you seek is right in front of you, yet cannot be seen for a variety of reasons - That Thing You Do is that kind of dance.
Enjoyable from start to finish, looking forward to more in the series.

[Betty Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Juliana Stone!

Lots of feelings. It had me laughing and in tears. I would have liked more depth at times but then I am not a writer. Looking forward to more of this author.

[Seeshel kettler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book on this series. One of my favorite authors she never disappoints me.