99 procent van mij

by Sally Thorne, Angelique Verheijen (Translator)

Fotografe Darcy Barrett heeft de halve wereld over gereisd en weet het nu zeker: geen enkele man kan tippen aan Tom Valeska. Helaas is hij de beste vriend van haar tweelingbroer Jamie en schijnt hij daardoor verboden terrein voor haar te zijn. Ze heeft nog nooit meer dan 1 procent van hem gekregen…

Wanneer Tom het huisje van haar oma gaat opknappen, ziet ze hem na jaren weer terug. Eén ding is er in ieder geval veranderd, stelt ze vast: hij is voor het eerst in tien jaar single. Ze besluit dat hij wel wat hulp met klussen kan gebruiken. Er moet toch iemand een oogje in het zeil houden? Zodra de vonken als vanouds over en weer springen, beseft Darcy dat die ene procent niet meer genoeg is. Deze keer zal ze zorgen dat Tom Valeska voor 99 procent van haar wordt!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Adult

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2019

About the author

Sally Thorne is the USA Today bestselling author of the office rom-com The Hating Game (2016). It is her debut novel that has sold in over twenty-five countries and is being made into a major motion picture, directed by Peter Hutchings and starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell. Filming wrapped in December 2020. It was named in the top 20 romance novels of 2016 by the Washington Post and was a top ten finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards romance category. The Hating Game has been cited as a book that has reinvigorated the romantic comedy genre.

Sally’s much anticipated second novel, 99 Percent Mine, was released on 29 January 2019 by William Morrow Books and debuted at #37 on the USA Today Bestseller List.

Sally’s third novel Second First Impressions is released AU/NZ 31 March 2021, and US/CAN 13 April 2021.

Sally lives in Canberra, Australia, with her husband- plus a pug called Delia and a horse called Louie.

Reviews

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks to William Morrow Paperbacks for the free review copy!

What..... in tarnation...... did I just read????????

Sally Thorne really, really flopped with this book. This book was so bad that I'm questioning if The Hating Game is even as good as I remember it. This book is a HOT mess and I don't know where to begin.

The main downfall of this book and the reason why I cannot give it more than one star is because the dialogue and writing of this book are downright incomprehensible. There are no transitions between anything or explanation about any characters or the setting or literally ANYTHING that I seriously got anxiety when I was reading this thinking I was dyslexic and I was misreading sentences. But no, it was just how this book was written. From the characters' interactions and dialogue making no sense whatsoever to the remarkable lack of detail and the disjointed writing, it was such a pain to get through. For instance, the first few chapters of this book are set at a bar where she works, but then it's literally never mentioned again??? And in the middle of reading this book I kept having to stop and reread the synopsis just to remind myself what was happening. It's by far the WEIRDEST writing ever that says a lot without actually telling you anything. It's like you're listening to Darcy's thoughts but she isn't actually describing what's happening, and her thoughts aren't all too bright or interesting, either.

I initially liked that Darcy was badass and had this take-no-bullshit attitude, but very quickly I realized how flimsy that was and that none of the characters actually had any personality. Sally Thorne has really funny writing, but funny writing is not a character personality like she tried to make it be. Darcy was supposed to be strong but flawed, but I just found her flawed. She was alternatingly pathetic and annoying throughout the book. She was so whiney, she was like a child. In general, none of these characters behave like human adults. Tom was an asshole because he withheld info from her, disappeared every time it got angsty, and snapped at her because he was stressed about his own shit. There are no speaker tags after dialogue, so everything gets muddled. Everything just jumps around and I hated, hated, hated this book's writing.

I hated the relationship in this book. It made NO sense. Darcy has been in love with Tom since they were kids and he felt the same, but when she says she wants to have sex with him (literally yelling "get in me" at him), he's like "omg no im not good enough for you i could never" AND THEN 250 PAGES OF PINING GO BY and Darcy's like "no you're good enough" then they smash???????? I'm so confused. I'm not even coherent like WHAT is this book? NOTHING is explained and i dont know if they're supposed to love or hate each other or why there was angst in the first place.

Also, I had a massive issue with the 2008-brand of massive overprotectiveness these characters sported. Darcy had this insane daydream that Tom was a giant, imaginary wolf who protected her and she brought this up multiple times throughout the book pretending he was alongside her. Uhhhhhhhhhhh ok??? Furry side plot?????? Miserable. Also, the title concept of being "100 percent mine" was super problematic, and the characters insinuated many times that they would kill anyone who the other person tried to hook up with or be with. Darcy envisioned killing Tom's ex-girlfriend multiple times. In a fight with her brother after it was revealed that Tom and Darcy got together, she childishly tells her brother, "I'm keeping him." It was just so wildly gross and unrealistic and childish like "this is my toy and you can't play with it."

the ONLY good part about this book was that Tom and Darcy had moments of softness, but they were inevitably ruined by stupid dialogue or weird emotional angst. I can see what this book was trying to do, and honestly it has the bones and conflict set-up of a good book, especially with Sally Thorne's ability to write soft characters and emotional angst, but those moments were so fleeting and this book was ultimately ruined by a lack of explanation of anything and the strangest, most disjointed writing I have EVER encountered. Long story short, I'm gonna pretend this doesn't exist and keep recommending The Hating Game.

[inês]

I have the feeling that Sally will soon become one of those authors I won't even question. I'll just read whatever she writes.

[emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why must I suffer?

I know I complain a lot. I’m aware of it, and while I don’t think it’s a problem and, in fact, only adds to my charms, I’m sure that in times like these it reduces the estimated degree to which I am suffering.

But you guys. I am really, really suffering here.

The Hating Game is one of my most surprising beloved books ever. I like to read love stories (sue me!) but they rarely make me feel anything. I’ve read The Hating Game three times and been swept up in it every time.

Sorry I said swept up in it. Cheesy and gross.

I have been waiting for this book since 2016. This was not only my most anticipated release of the year, it was probably my most anticipated release PERIOD. (Some of my favorite authors are dead, so new releases are few and far between anyway.)

And what I got was...this. A cereal bowl of disappointment. (And I don’t even really like cereal.) (Except Lucky Charms.) (Okay, tangent.)

What made The Hating Game so lovely was its great, developed characters, and its immersive romance, and its funny banter.

Everything about this felt half-baked.

The main character, Darcy, reads like the protagonist in a Hunger Games knockoff. Remember those few years when every single YA release was a dystopian with a female protagonist whose only traits were being vaguely Badass And Strong? That’s Darcy. Except add “has legitimately no control of herself, to the point where she behaves like a toddler” and “is mostly thinking about sex at any given time, in a way that doesn’t really make sense and is in fact very gross.”

Since we spend most of the book in Darcy’s head, swooning over her construction worker-childhood friend, this gets old fast.

Said object of lust love is about as well-developed. He is just Kind And Strong. Fun stuff.

But above all, this book makes no SENSE. It has no plot, and it skips around, and it spends massive passages describing things that never come back into play. It’s all so confusing and mind-boggly that I almost can’t put it into words - but this review does a really good job of it.

I don’t know what happened here. Maybe this is a one-hit wonder author. But what I do know is that I’m going to delete this book from my memory and just read The Hating Game twice as often.

Bottom line: With The Hating Game, my emotions were put so thoroughly through the wringer that I was delighted with the happily ever after because of how invested I was. The happily ever after of this book is that it’s finally over.


--------
pre-review

this just...wasn't The Hating Game.

review to come :( / 1.5 stars

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currently-reading updates

IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING.

--------
tbr review

THERE'S A COVER! THERE'S A SYNOPSIS! EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER!

...

Why didn't anyone TELL ME????

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THE TITLE CHANGED. THE RELEASE DATE WAS PUSHED BACK. THERE IS NO LONGER A SYNOPSIS???

SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING OR AT THE VERY LEAST GIVE ME A PAPER BAG TO BREATHE INTO.

--------

My feelings on this book, as told in The Office gifs.

Me reading this synopsis:






Me remembering that I’ll read anything Sally Thorne writes after The Hating Game:




Me thinking about all the times I’ve been disappointed by my most anticipated books:




Probably me the day this book finally comes out:

[Yun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I feel the need to apologize if I hated a book that everyone else loves. But in this case, my apology is for the opposite—I had so much fun with 99 Percent Mine, and it seems like I'm in the minority. Sorry!

Right then, onto the story. Darcy has adored Tom since they were eight years old, but he's been off limits because he's her twin brother's best friend. Now that Darcy and her brother have inherited a rundown cottage from their grandmother, Tom is the one hired to bring it back to life. During construction, Darcy and Tom are thrown together, and it looks like Darcy finally has the chance to make her heart's wishes come true.

If I had to sum up this story in one word, it would be charming. Darcy and Tom are so freaking cute in their interactions together. Darcy is sparkly and sarcastic, a tough girl with a soft heart. Tom is quiet and serious, always looking out for Darcy and taking care of her.

My favorite part of this book is the bold and cheeky dialogue, where Darcy says inappropriate things to Tom just to get him to unbend and relax a little. He obviously enjoys her attention, but tries to look disapproving and keep them on task. Their interactions make me giggle and swoon, and are the absolute highlights of this book.

With romance books, it's hard to say what would enchant one reader but not another. Just like we don't all fall in love with the same person, we don't all fall in love with the same romance books. We connect with the characters and stories that remind us of ourselves and our own experiences. For me, this book is a home run. It perfectly captures all the magical feelings in those first few glorious months of falling in love.

This book really cements Sally Thorne as a must-read for me. Her vivacious female character and spirited dialogue completely speaks to me. This is the second book I've read by her and they both feel unique, a little more vibrant and quirky than your typical rom-com. Sally Thorne, please keep writing, and I'll keep reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
The Hating Game
Second First Impressions
~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Bibi · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Spoiler Alert*

💥Poof💥.

There goes my 2019 reading resolution, which was: only read what I'm genuinely interested in and no rating less than 3-stars.

But, fu fi fo fa, this. was. a. bust.

To say 99 Percent Mine was one of the most anticipated books for 2019 wouldn't be an exaggeration, which is perfectly understandable considering that Thorne's debut The Hating Game was such a hit. So, we hunkered down and marked off our calendars, with some of us wishing we could time-travel to the future.

Well, the future is now, and wow... What a miss.

What I Liked

1. The premise. Friends-to-lovers
2. 💭💭💭
3. 🤔🤔🤔

You get the idea.

What I didn't like

1. Tom Valeska - the "hero" *scoff*

2. Darcy Barrett - the annoying, selfish, self-absorbed, alcoholic heroine, who has a heart condition that was shamelessly utilized as a plot driver (why?)

3. Jamie Barrett (what was he even doing in this story?) - Darcy's twin. Who seemed waaaaay too invested in his sister's sex/love life. Which was, erm, eeeeww.

4. The lack of communication. The lack of ambience. Too many missing elements. Shallow characters.

5. Also, Where was this story set and what was the name of the town? To be candid, I made up a schematic of a town in my head, which basically had a town with 4 houses, one bar, one liquor shop and one pizza restaurant. BECAUSE that's all Thorne told us.

6. More than the above, I was going out of my mind wondering about Darcy's parents and why didn't they ever call to check up on her. I mean, this is a woman with a possibly fatal heart condition and not once did they wonder. *glares*

7. Then, there was the objectification. Oh. My. Gawd. Tom was basically nothing more than muscles in a "faded T-shirt" whom Darcy wanted to "put inside her" (paraphrasing). The lasciviousness of thoughts was disturbing to the point I was uncomfortable.

All of the above aside, what made this most unfulfilling was the messiness of the relationships and at a point, I honestly wasn't sure who was in love with whom. Cos it seemed liked Tom liked Darcy and Darcy Liked Tom, but did Jamie also like Tom?

Furthermore, Tom was portrayed as if he were a puppy being fought over by the Barrett twins. Darcy initially thought she only had 1 per cent of him, then the number would change intermittently, until the 84% mark when I came really close to doing a DNF.

“He knows everything. That we’re together. You’re mine, one hundred percent.”

Like, who cares? Take him. He's all yours.

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

“Maybe he’s 1 percent mine. That has to be enough.”

Sally Thorne’s long awaited and most anticipated sophomore release, 99 Percent Mine was truly a wild ride for me. I’ll be honest, it took me a while to warm up to this story and especially to this main character, but I ended up enjoying this one for the most part. But, sadly, it is no The Hating Game, or at least it wasn’t for me.

This story stars Darcy Barrett who is a wedding photographer who is currently working at a bar, while also living in a house that her grandmother left to her and her twin brother, Jamie, after she passed away. Darcy has never been known to stay in one place for long, but she can no longer find her passport, so she is sort of stuck in the town she has grown up in. Plus, the house that was left to Darcy and Jamie desperately needs to be completely remodeled.

And one night when Darcy is coming home from work at the bar, she realizes that the contractor on the remodeling job is none other that her and Jamie’s best friend, Tom. Who also is the one guy who has been able to get under Darcy’s skin and into her heart, except when she had the opportunity to finally have him, she completely blew it, and now he is engaged to someone else.

Sounds like a pretty good read, right? I actually adored the set up and the actual unique setting of this story. Okay, now that we have the basic premise out of the way, I want to talk a little bit more about Darcy and why she was the main reason I didn’t enjoy this story for the first fifty perfect. For one, Darcy is written to be so edgy and quirky and constantly let’s you know it. I lost count of how many times she or other characters remarked on her short hair and nipple piercing. (Side note, who gets one nipple pierced in 2019? Like, come on.) But basically, this was all super annoying and felt so forced to me.

Next, Darcy is living with a very serious chronic heart condition, which she completely ignores throughout most of the book. This ended up being very triggering for me. I don’t want to make this review about me and my family, but if you’ve seen a few other reviews I have talked about my dad’s heart condition before, and how much it has impacted me, my family, and my anxiety’s life. So, reading about a character that just didn’t give a shit was really bothering to me. Especially since she relies on her twin brother to literally save her life. Trust me, I completely understand depression and not caring to better yourself or take care of your health, but she just chose to rely on her brother and make really poor choices, no matter her mental state. And friends, I promise you, no dick is ever worth your health or your life. I swear to every higher power.

“I’m the client. I’m his best friend’s sister. I’m Mr. and Mrs. Barrett’s weak-hearted daughter. I’m the liability he swore to take care of.”

Okay, let’s talk some more about Tom. I loved Tom, completely. But sometimes Darcy’s over aggression and scary behavior towards him was too much for me. And all the ugly jealously and nasty things she would say about his fiancé? Like, come on, let’s not. Also, Darcy does some very grey-area cheating attempts in this book that made me kind of uncomfortable!

And the last thing that bothered me was the not so great sibling relationship. Plus, Jamie just read so insufferable! You all know my brother is my best friend in this entire world and I just don’t really enjoy seeing not great sibling bonds in stories, even though the story constantly tries to make you feel like they at least had a good relationship for most their lives. Especially since Darcy and Jamie’s dynamic was so weird and I felt like I was missing so much. I really think this book would have benefited from way more actual flashbacks for Darcy, Jamie, and Tom’s childhood. Like, I think it would have improved this book so much.

Oh my gosh, I sound so negative, but I promise I did end up enjoying this read. The sex scenes were 11/10, I won’t lie. And the angst and the payoff felt so damn satisfying. Also, Sally Thorne just knows how to write amazing banter in general. From making me swoon, to making me cry, to making me laugh out loud, this author really can weave words together so damn well. Oh, and I loved Darcy’s best friend, Truly, so much! Like, give me her book please! But only her, you feel me?

Overall, this was a fun read even if it took me a little bit to warm up to Darcy and all the situations she had going on. Plus, I think this was a really fun and unique play on the friends to lovers trope. The writing is great, the pace is fast and fantastic, the banter will make you giggle, and the romance will have you fanning yourself! I for sure think that if you enjoyed The Hating Game that there is a good chance you will enjoy this one, too, even though it really is completely different. But I’m mostly excited to see what Sally Thorne does next!

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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Content and trigger warnings for talk of loss of a loved one, alcoholism, a very serious chronic heart condition (and threat of failure) throughout the entire book, assault (unwanted grabbing of her wrist in a threatening manner in a empty parking lot), and a few questionable comments/jokes made about people’s cultures (like going to bury nametags in the Japanese forest, Aokigahara).

[Wendy Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a little time, I think I’m better able to sort out my feelings about this one. It’s no secret I adored THE HATING GAME along with most romance readers. And I’ve come to love it even more fiercely than I did before. Again and again, it’s been the perfect balance of sexual tension and sweetness and uncertainty, and I feel all the feels every time I’ve read it.

I read 99 PERCENT MINE when it first came out a few years ago, in the middle of all the post-2016 election trauma. I went from being someone who read at least a book a day (sometimes/often more) to being curled up in a fetal position, without the brain space to read anything for literally years. I withdrew from social media, the blog died a natural death, and I rarely even checked in on my old bookish haunts and buddies. So I knew, even at the time, that if I didn’t have a rapturous response to this book, it wasn’t something I could evaluate with any degree of fairness.

Cue to several awful years later as the world has changed considerably and our democracy seems to crumble ever more around us—but now I’m coping by operating mostly in a state of denial, so I’m at least reading escapist thrillers and smut and romances again. I reread THE HATING GAME recently and on whim decided to revisit this one as well. All this is just to provide complicated context to the reading experiences I have had with 99 PERCENT MINE—we don’t read in a vacuum, and my reactions to this will always be partly colored by the unreasonably high expectations set forth by the author’s first book as well as by the exhausting events of the past few years.

So. Darcy and Tom. Romances involving a lot of history and childhood crushes can be hard, because the characters have a long history that the reader has to catch up with—and I’m not sure we ever do get a solid, emotionally grounded history that felt entirely convincing. The dynamic between the two of them and Darcy’s twin/Tom’s BFF Jamie doesn’t really take full shape until much later in the book, because Jamie is absent for most of it.

The proof on page of Darcy’s feelings for Tom and his for hers kept pinging back and forth as well, so it was hard to get a handle on the two of them as a couple. Tom doesn’t seem as fully realized as a character as he could be, either—he is kind of this perfect friend/hot guy who rarely puts a foot wrong. Darcy herself is all prickles and defensiveness, too—her moments of vulnerability were never really deeply explored or deeply felt—or based mostly on her physical health.

I think the choice to make so many of the characters mean funny also diluted Darcy’s narrative voice. Part of the reason the pointed dialogue and feral feelings worked in THE HATING GAME was because the competitive business setting and the clash of two strong characters made it feel natural—Lucy and Josh had a little bubble where they understood each other completely. Here, Darcy’s sarcastic and cutting, and so is her twin. So are some of the contractors, so is her friend, and so is her late grandmother, to some degree, so between a lot of snarky characters and the staccato writing style, there were a lot of sharp edges to deal with, and not enough tenderness and swoon—that wasn’t based on physical attraction—to balance it out. Tom is also such a nice guy that when barbs are thrown at him or people ignore his feelings, it feels a bit unbalanced. Though I did like how the twins make amends with him after they finally realize how much they’ve taken him for granted.

Anyway. There’s minutiae to analyze until the cows come home, but overall, this had some nice moments, but it didn’t really come together for me as a whole. I think you can probably infer that the delays in its publication may have been due in part to some of the struggles with the story, and I’m certainly sympathetic to the enormous pressure that must have come in trying to follow such an enormously successful debut. I’m still looking forward to reading the author’s third and fourth books though, and have my fingers crossed for better experiences next time.

[Warda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this twice in the same year and there’ll be many more rereads to come.
Perfect story! I can’t wait for more books by Sally Thorne.
Auto-buy author for sure.


——————————————————

WE GOT AN EPILOGUE FOR THE HATING GAME! I AM SO EMO! 😭😭

Thank god I enjoyed the shit out of this book. My goodness, my heart exploded a many a times!

Like everyone else, I was anticipating this book. I was borderline gagging for some more of Sally Thorne’s stories when I read The Hating Game for the first time.

So, naturally, the pedestal her next book was going to be placed on was going to be high. We were blessed with Joshua and Lucy and we couldn’t get enough of them. We wanted that feeling to be reciprocated again. I wanted that obsession.

I like and really appreciated how different this book was from The Hating Game. It worked so well for me. Whilst The Hating Game was instant satisfaction, 99% Mine took its time. Everything about it was just slow-burning. It made sense for the characters, who were guarded and took time to open up, and the progression of the plot. I was being taken on their journey and was only allowed to witness and feel what the characters allowed me to. Usually this type of calculation in writing annoys me, since it doesn’t feel natural but everything about this flowed so well.

Granted I had to get used to the writing at first, but after a bit I began to realise how much of a goddess Sally Thorne is with words. It was playful, flirtatious, inventive and quirky and it brought the setting and the characters to life. It slowly made its way into my heart and by the end I was combusting.

Speaking of characters, I adored Darcy and Tom, my gosh. Sally Thorne has a gift when it comes to creating characters that compliment each other so well. I fell in love with them. Tom was angel, easily loveable and pure of heart. Darcy, my sweet child, guarded her heart but loved fiercely. I loved everything that came out of her mouth.

I want to say more and gush endlessly tbh, but I’d say go into this with an open mind and expect something different. Not The Hating Game but something equally as enjoyable and fulfilling that tugs at your heart.

Now, I go back to analysing this feeling of ‘single’ I’m feeling right now...

Seriously universe, get it together.

———————————-

Ready to devour this with Azrah! 💃🏽

Lord knows how much we’ve been looking forward to this book. 😍


—————————————————

BLURB ALERT!
I am SO ready for this book!! 😍

-------------------------------------

Probably my most anticipated book now. (Sorry Sarah J Maas!)

I NEED THIS RIGHT NOW. OCTOBER IS DECADES AWAY! 😭

[Teodora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor: *taking my temperature* I am sorry Miss, there's no trace of sickness

Me: *confused* Are you sure, Doc? This is my second rom-com novel this week

2.75/5 ⭐

I actually enjoyed this, even though it didn't have the same spark other rom-coms had for me.
I really loved the fact that Tom was the good boy type with the heart of an animal because it gives him a nasty side and just spices up the story. Darcy is a bad chick that is too impulsive and wild for her own good, but I somehow like her. And her relationship with her twin brother is actually believable. The fraternal competition is always something I can relate to even though I experienced it only for a short period of my life.

The thing that I liked about this is that Darcy and Tom are totally insane for each other and there is a certain transparency in this weird relationship they have, but there is also this annoying stubbornness that kind of stepped on my nerves from time to time.

Also, I realised that this book actually taught me something.
The fact that Tom tries to pressure himself to be always perfect and achieve everything everyone asks him to is insane. He thinks he is never enough and he thinks he's not allowed to disappoint. And I know that feeling and I want to underline the fact that this is bullshit and we - the ones who do that constantly to ourselves - need to stop.

It is okay to fuck up things. What the hell. Fuck everything up, dust yourself and go back to trying. Perfect does not exist. When we are content with ourselves and everything we do, then we achieve our own concept of perfection. And the moment we realise that is precious.

Even though the overall chemistry of it wasn't as good as the one in The Hating Game, I enjoyed this and I am happy I could learn something from it. That proves that you can learn something from everything.

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland)]

DNF @ pg. 50
I decided to read this one before The Hating Game so I could work up to the one with all the hype but yikes I hated this writing. I skimmed the rest of it to see if it got better but it just got weirder. I will still give The Hating Game a try but I’m definitely going in with low expectations.

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read 1/8/19: So after taking some time away from this to give it a proper chance (my first read through was SO rushed and full of anxiety bc I was worried the entire time about how it would live up to the Hating Game), I finally feel like I can actually review it! Right off the bat I will say: I enjoyed this re-read FAR MORE than I enjoyed the first read through, but I'd be lying if I said this book was without it's faults. The world/relationship building... wasn't great, and honestly, the main character Darcy wasn't all that great either. On top of that, everything felt kind of disjointed and the pacing was really off for most of the book. But then on the other hand, Sally Thorne's signature swooney writing and the sexual tension between Darcy and Tom definitely still had me all up in my feelings the entire time I was reading and I DID really enjoy this book. Reviewing this one in particular is hard for me because I did enjoy it, but I also recognize that if you go into this expecting to find the magic that you found in the Hating Game, you'll probably end up disappointed. I think diving in without any expectations is the best way to approach this one.

Original review 9/28/18: Okay so I completely DEVOURED this on Friday night and I’ve been taking my time trying to think up how I want to review it. I’m not putting a star rating yet because I haven’t decided, so I’m going to re-read it more critically this week and probably do an entire video because I have A LOT OF FEELINGS. The short review for now is that I enjoyed it and have re-read the swooniest bits more times than I’m comfortable admitting. Full disclosure: I did have quite a few issues with it, but overall I did enjoy it and am looking forward to re-reading.

[Penny Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally Thorne is a national treasure. . . and by national, I mean global. Man, I love her writing style, I love the unapologetic uniqueness of her voice, and I love how much she makes me feel.

Full review closer to release date. <3

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars!!



The Hating Game by Sally Thorne was one of my favorite reads last year. I've read it multiple times and love it more every time I read it. When I saw this author was releasing another book, I was ecstatic. Let me start this by saying, this book wasn't like THG. I appreciate that this was so different. Tom was freaking perfect (for real) and Darcy grew on me. She wasn't my favorite from the start, but I ended up loving her by the end! Sally Throne's writing is phenomenal and she is most definitely not a one hit wonder. 

Darcy and Tom have known each other since Tom moved to their neighborhood. Darcy wanted Tom all to herself, but her twin brother, Jamie was always in the way. Jamie sort of claimed Tom as his own bff and Darcy could never get her fair share. But she would honestly take any percent of Tom Valeska she could get. He is, in fact, the perfect man. Darcy is far from perfect. She's wild, impulsive, a free spirit and rolling stone. She doesn't always think before she speaks (or acts for that matter) and she's a little crazy. But she's loyal to those she loves and deep down is a great person. Tom has always seen that. 

Darcy and her brother were left a cottage when their grandmother died. They are fixing it up to sell it, and Darcy is living there at the present. She and Jamie want different things when it comes to this cottage. There are so many memories, Darcy doesn't trust it to just anyone. Luckily, Tom is a contractor and is up for the job. Unluckily, Darcy has to be around Tom all the time. It's torture for her. She can't seem to keep her emotions (or hormones for that matter) in check when she's around him. 

“Tom Valeska, get in me.” He lets out a shaky breath and there’s a light of fear in his eyes. I’m a scary bitch. He’s a bashful sweetheart with pink cheeks.

Sigh. I really did love Tom. Sometimes, when a character is described as perfect, it's too much to live up to and they end up letting you down. Not Tom. Even though no one is perfect, Tom is pretty darn close. He was my favorite part of this book. I adored him completely and loved the opposites attract thing he had going on with Darcy. Darcy... my girl was a bit of a hot mess. I honestly did not love her the first 10-15% of the book. Then Tom came along and I got to see their dynamic, as well as more of Darcy in general and I ended up loving her as well. 

Oh my goodness... the chemistry between these two. It was off the charts. You could tell there was so much built up sexual tension between them from all the years of pining, when they got together they would just combust. And combust they did. It was seriously hella sexy. I loved the build up and the slow burn between these two, and of course the friends to lovers/brother's best friend aspect. 

99 Percent Mine is a fantastically unique romance. It's not like every other book you read and I loved that about it. I couldn't keep the smile off my face while reading. It was so sweet, sexy, and passionate. Darcy's head was a crazy place to be but it made the book super entertaining. This book was completely captivating and unputdownable. Do yourself a favor and grab this book, if only to meet the wonderful Tom Valeska. Trust me, you'll thank me later ;) 

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um?



This was a really hard book for me to rate because I liked some parts of it and because I think Thorne is a truly talented writer. But in the end?
Ehhhhh. <--just not my cuppa
There are several reasons why it didn't gel for me.
MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!




First, there were just too many ideas/plots that seemed to be thrown in randomly and then forgotten.
Like the stuff about finding a tarot card in the wall, and then keeping an eye out for more. Except there weren't any more tarot cards. Just one tarot card with a semi-ambiguous sort of keep on keeping on! sort of meaning, and then...what? I mean, I thought that maybe her grandmother being a fortune teller would play more heavily into that, you know?
Or the ideas were just fucking weird to start with.
Like how Darcy imagined Tom had an alter ego that was some sort of protective dog/wolf thing named Valeska and she referenced it all the time in her thoughts. It was odd but somewhat understandable when she was a kid, but just bat-shit crazy as an adult.

Second, the characters acted like they were in a fever dream, and their actions didn't make sense in a real-world setting.
It was as though someone was reading angsty/overdramatic passages out of an old journal they kept in high school about their mad crush.
This isn't a quote, but this is what reading this book sounded like in my head:

I look into his eyes and see how much I affect his self-control. When I lean into his hug I can feel his arousal. He's the only man I've ever loved and I'll never have him. I reach up and touch his bicep. He jumps back like he was burned. How stupid can I be? I've gone too far and I know it. I know how badly he wants me, why do I act this way? He turns to go and I see the fire in his scorching gaze. I need a cold shower. I want him inside me. He looks scared of me! Why can't I just leave well enough alone? I know he loves me like no one will ever love me. That's why he didn't tell me right away that he was single again. Because he knew that I would tear his clothes off. He wants me so badly. I love him so much! I've got to leave before I scare him with my passion for him!



What the actual fuck?
You like him, he likes you. You love him, he loves you. You want him, he wants you.
I FAIL TO SEE THE PROBLEM.



Every problem they had was 100% manufactured, so this story literally should have had 0% tension to it.
ZERO.



So, between the nonsense that kept looping between Darcy & Tom and the plot threads that never went anywhere, I just didn't enjoy this like I had hoped I would. There were 2 epilogues at the end of this, one for 99 Percent Mine and one for The Hating Game. Now, I loved The Hating Game, but I was just so exhaused & annoyed by the time I got around to that story's epilogue, I ended up just giving up and shutting the book. I was afraid that this would somehow taint my feeling for it and I didn't want that to happen.
I don't know. I'll still be very interested to see what this author comes up with next, but this one certainly won't go into my favorites pile.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

I expected to love this, but sadly it was missing that special something.

Darcy Barrett has traveled the world since she was 18 years old. She never stays in one place too long and often supports herself as a bartender. She once had aspirations to be a photographer but pushed her career path aside after one bad experience. Running away is her coping mechanism.

When her beloved grandmother dies, she leaves Darcy, and her twin brother, Jamie, her cottage. Darcy and Jamie need to renovate and sell in order to receive their full inheritance. In order to see the renovation through, Darcy must stay in one place and deal with all that she has been running from. Enter Tom, Jamie’s childhood best friend, and Darcy’s crush. She has deemed Tom to be the perfect man, but Tom’s friendship with Jamie has always kept the two apart. Now, forced to work together on the renovation, Darcy and Tom have to fight their feelings.

There are some elements that I really enjoyed, but others just didn’t work for me. I liked Darcy’s character. She is rough, raw and honest. I felt like I fully knew her character. She’s snarky and I couldn’t predict what was going to come out of her mouth. She and Tom have good chemistry and I was rooting for them. Tom seemed nice enough, but I didn’t get a feel for him outside of his interactions with Darcy. I couldn’t fully envision his character, which became frustrating.

I found the plot a little too formulaic. I expected more. I also wanted more background on some of the events that were glossed over--Darcy chopping off her hair, Tom’s history with his mother. I was also disturbed by Darcy’s allusions to a possible sexual assault?I also would have liked to see a little more of Jamie--he is spoken of so much and plays a huge role, but doesn’t actually make an appearance until the end of the book.

There are some fabulously funny moments and, of course, a happily ever after. As a whole, 99 Percent Mine just felt incomplete.

I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway!

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

oof. the sophomore slump struggle is real, you guys. and its such a shame that its happening to my girl sally thorne - the queen who gave life to my book husband, josh templeman. sigh.

as a self-proclaimed defender of romance, i believe every single person deserves love in their life. no exception. however, i have found there are characters where i am just completely baffled at how someone could love them. **cough darcy cough** i know thats harsh, but my goodness. shes crude, abrasive, beyond selfish, and just an overall hot mess. i honestly couldnt stand her and thought tom deserved so much better. but that may be because i couldnt really understand the relationship/connection between them.

on that particular thought, this is a story that could have greatly benefited from flashback scenes to allow the reader to understand how their friendship had grown over time into something more. throughout the book, there are hints about how close they were as kids, but no substance to back it up. so its difficult to believe they could genuinely be in love when the reader has only seen whats happen between them during a span of like three days. it just comes across as lust, not love.

i know im probably being a bit more critical about this than i should be. im still a massive ST fan and will continue to read whatever she writes, but this particular story is missing some of that good old romantic magic. :/

↠ 2.5 stars

[Navessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

*harrumph*

[Hamad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription

“Friends and family are the only ones I have a chance of keeping forever. And that’s what I want. To keep you, forever.”

🌟 This book reminded me of why I stay away from romance books as much as possible. I am so picky when it comes to books I read in this genre but boy I was disappointed!

🌟 I have seen many disappointed reviews comparing this book to The Hating Game which is the author’s successful debut and I think it is not fair. They are totally unrelated and different stories so there’s no point in comparing them. I did enjoy THG but I won’t be comparing the 2 books in this review.

🌟 I had many problems with the book and I am starting with the plot… that if it does exist!! I just didn’t know what was the point of the story! I was reading and I knew what will happen from the start, I was not anticipating anything and got bored at some point!

🌟 The Writing was not bad as to made me DNF the book but I certainly rolled my eyes -a lot-. I wanted more showing less telling, Darcy was trying to be edgy and an outlaw-er but she isn’t. Tom is the typical guy in this kind of novels which is meh!

🌟 More about Darcy and Tom: The story in my POV was filled with more Lust than Love. Thank you but I don’t need to be reminded that Tom has a flat abdomen with curvy abs and that Darcy has a nipple piercing -Ooh so fierce-. Don’t forget the typical everyone is muscular and sexy trope hence I said that I prefer Sarah J Maas books to this one as they have good story lines at least!
Tom is the sexy-nice-perfect-smart-gentle-I -Will-Do-Anything-for-you type of guy which makes him unrelatable. This is real life so he would either have a big defect or will be gay (Don’t take this too seriously!).

🌟Summary: I hoped to have a slow burn romance novel with deeper story and more realistic characters. I was disappointed that I had the opposite and hence won’t recommend this if you are looking for a more serious novel.

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

arc provided by publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

An interesting sophomore novel from one of the biggest and newest names in romance. Interesting being the operative word.

I didn't love this book nearly as much as I had anticipated. The premise was really promising and I liked the initial set up between the two main love interests.

However I found Darcy's personality to be wholly unlikable. It felt like Thorne was trying to make Darcy as dissimilar from Lucy in The Hating Game as possible and it really did not work for me. The alcoholism, self loathing, and immature feelings towards both her family and her love interest were not fun to read about.

The overall tone of the book really did not fit what I expect of Thorne or with the cover of the book. Bright, cheery, yellow and depression? Weird choice.

I will say that I've never read anything like this before. The friends to lovers trope was really well done and didn't feel trope-y when reading. But unfortunately the cons outweighed the pros for me. I'm hoping for a cheerier third novel in the future.

[✨ A ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Read October 2019

I have just come out of a reading slump and this re-read was exactly what i needed.

I adore Sally Thorne's writing style. It's fun and crazy and such a joy. I'm always laughing because her MC's have the wildest imaginations and they're different and refreshing.

Buddy read this one again with Warda, my fellow Sally Thorne enthusiast 🌻💄


First read January 2019

You know when you love a book so much that you're scared that the authors other works are going to be a dissapointment? Well that's how I felt before I read this. I had a moment where I was freaking out to my buddy Warda, who I read this with, and do you know what she said? She said I should put my love for The Hating Game out of my mind. Pretend that I've never read a Sally Thorne book before. It was the best advice ever.

This book is not like The Hating Game. These characters are uniquely their own. And I loved it.


What was it about?
Darcy is home from her adventures around the world as a photographer. When her beloved grandmother dies, Darcy and her twin brother inherits her cottage. As much as the cottage holds good memories for them both, the plan is to have it fixed up and then sold.

Sticking around was not part of her plan. But when her childhood crush and brothers best friend Tom Valeska (who is completely off-bounds) turns out to be the one in charge of the renovations, staying at home for a while looks way more appealing.


It was no surprise that I was in love with the writing. Darcy's thoughts were hilarious, I could not help but like her. I can understand why many readers wouldn't like her. She's direct and brash and really doesn't think before she does. But is it so terrible for a writer to write about someone with such a personality? It's unrealistic of readers to expect every main character to have a golden personality. That's just not how life works. Everyone is different and so I think fictional characters should also reflect that.

Moving on...

Tom and Darcy's chemistry was everything.
Their banter was top notch and their obvious feelings for each other had me awwww-ing (let's pretend that's a word) and wanting them both to just admit their feelings already!


This book was addictive and enjoyable. I cannot wait for more Sally Thorne.

_______
Pre-Read

Me + Warda + Sally Thorne = swoon coma
LET'S DO THIS!!!

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

An edgy emotional exquisite romance! This book was 100% eXCEPTIONAL!

Sally Thorne is such a wonderful storyteller! She has woven together an emotional story guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! I absolutely loved “The Hating Game,“ and when I picked this up I was expecting the same fun funny banter I got in that book.... I did get the same outstanding banter, however this book is a little darker, a little edgier, and a lot more angsty... this book definitely put my heart through the ringer! I wouldn’t say this book is better or worse than THG it is just... different..... however what I loved about THG is absolutely in this book as well... wonderful storytelling, amazing well drawn characters, and fabulous dialogue!

Darcy returns home after her beloved grandmother passes away, leaving her house to her... The house is in need of some major renovation, so Darcy is going to stay in town until the paint dries and she is able to sell the house.... The girl has some major wanderlust and is just itching to get on that next plane headed to adventurous anywhere.... BUT one day she arrives home to find Tom on her front porch, and he is the contractor who has been hired to renovate the house... Tom is the only man who has ever really got a hold of Darcy’s heart, the problem... he is engaged and he is also her twin brothers BFF... to complicate things further Jamie, Darcy’s twin and her are not quite seeing eye to eye on this house renovation....

I do love the friends to lovers trope... and in this book it was done so cleverly end it was oh so complicated! The push and pull between Tom and Darcy was so compelling.... Darcy was a wonderful character, even though I didn’t warm up to her immediately... she was a little prickly and definitely has her guard up, but she was also snarky, smart, strong, and loyal... Tom, I have to admit in my younger days I would’ve found him a little boring or bland, but now that I’m older and no better he was a really nice guy that had a heart of gold, that any woman would be lucky to call their own... he really had very few rough edges, what you see is what you get with him, and what I saw in my mind I definitely liked! The chemistry between these two was off the charts, and when things heated up they hit the boiling point... my only little tiny complaint would be I would’ve liked a little more of these two in the past, maybe some more interaction between them when they were younger, so I could really see where all this angst and lust and longing and love was coming from....

An extremely well told romance, full of engaging characters, witty banter, and sizzling chemistry! Absolutely recommend!

🎧🎧🎧 this book was narrated by Jayme Mattler, she did an amazing job! What I love so much about audio is how much it really brings the characters to life, and Jayme really nailed it in this book! She was Darcy just as much as she was Tom....

🎵🎵🎵 song running through my head! Oh I love this song and it really expressed some of my frustration with these characters during this book!

“Say something, I'm giving up on you
I'll be the one, if you want me to
Anywhere, I would've followed you
Say something, I'm giving up on you
And I am feeling so small
It was over my head
I know nothing at all
And I will stumble and fall
I'm still learning to love
Just starting to crawl
Say something, I'm giving up on you
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
Anywhere, I would've followed you
Say something, I'm giving up on you
And I will swallow my pride
You're the one that I love
And I'm…“
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-2U0Ivk...

*** Big thanks to Harper Audio and William Morrow for my copy of this book ***

[peachygirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I really hate doing this, but this book was such a disappointment. This was not what I expected from someone who wrote The Hating Game. Darcy and her insipid love interest had nothing on Lucy and Josh. I know it's unfair to compare such vastly different couples, but I just couldn't help it.
Darcy and Tom have been in love with each other since forever. This story is about how they get together in spite of a kabbab-mein-haddi twin brother who also happens to be the guy's best friend and the girl's wild nature. (She was hardly wild, if you ask me. A lot of gratuitous angst though!)
The writing was decent enough. But the characters were totally unrelatable and the plot was so-so. Also, the cover looks pretty lame. Darcy's alphaness was so annoying, Tom didn't seem to have a backbone and Jamie's shenanigans were off-putting. Also, he was given a lot of hype before his entry in the last quarter of the book and his appearance was rather anticlimactic.
And some things stood out like a sore thumb in an already weak romance. Tom getting engaged to the girl he's dated for 8 years while the narration leads to believe he's always been in love with Darcy, Darcy's response for Tom's confession of love when they were teenagers and at 26 when he says he's single (Get in me???!! Eww, Darcy. WTF?) and the tarot reading grandma's advice for Darcy to run away when she was barely an adult, things like this didn't let me get too involved in the characters' lives.
Not sure if I'd automatically buy another book of Sally Thorne's!

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were moments while devouring Sally Thorne's newest book, 99 Percent Mine, where I would have been like Sheldon in the GIF above if only there were a paper bag handy.

OMG, did I love this book! It literally took every ounce of self-control I had (plus the recognition I had a few conference calls this morning) not to stay up late last night and finish the entire book in one sitting.

For as long as she can remember, life for Darcy Barrett has involved two people—her twin brother, Jamie, and their best friend, Tom Valeska, whom her brother and family essentially adopted when they were younger. Darcy fell in love with Tom when she was eight, but he always seemed more loyal to Jamie than her. But when a moment of vulnerability left Darcy scared of the consequences, she took off running and never quite settled down again.

Now Darcy is back, living in her grandmother's dilapidated cottage, which was bequeathed to her and Jamie with the understanding that it would be refurbished and then sold. She keeps everyone at arm's length, including Jamie, as they have differing ideas of profiting from the cottage's sale. Her once-successful photography career has been shelved in favor of photographing objects for commercial websites, and she's ready to take off again for parts unknown.

"I've been working on this jet-black disguise for many years now, and it's bulletproof. But some people can tell that I'm a weakling, and they try to baby and help me. It must be a survival-of-the-fittest thing. But they're all wrong. I'm not a lame gazelle; I'll be the one chasing the lion."

She's unprepared when Tom, a master house-flipper, arrives at the cottage with his brand-new construction crew, ready to tackle the renovations. Seeing Tom triggers all of the same feelings of lust and love and jealousy and loneliness he always seems to, as he's engaged to his long-time girlfriend, a woman whose luck Darcy covets wholeheartedly. When she finds out that the engagement is over, Darcy wants to finally act on her feelings for Tom, changing their relationship from a brother-sister bond to one that feels like forever.

Are the risks too great? Does he feel the same way for Darcy that she does about him, and even if he does, is he willing to risk everything, including his friendship with Jamie? If Tom gives Darcy his heart (and everything else), will she just take off running again?

"A guy like that is strong in a way that's deeper than muscle and bones, because he wears his softness on the outside. I think I met my ideal man when I was eight, and no one else has ever measured up."

Like many of the romances I've read lately—great books by Christina Lauren, Jasmine Guillory, Josie Spencer, and Thorne herself—there isn't a lot that is surprising in 99 Percent Mine, but I couldn't tear myself away from it. I absolutely loved the complex relationships between Jamie and Darcy, Jamie and Tom, and Darcy and Tom—the intensity of childhood relationships and how they change, and don't change, in adulthood.

This book is hot, too. There is a lot of desire in this book, and Thorne doesn't spare a detail in raising your temperature along with her characters. The sex scenes are pretty unbelievable, too. I mean, how can you not love a line like, "I would have sex with him on a pencil sketch of this bed"?

I read Thorne's first book, The Hating Game (see my review), last month, and I was eagerly anticipating the release of 99 Percent Mine. (At least the Kindle version of this book came with epilogues for both this book and The Hating Game, which was an unexpected bonus.)

I think I enjoyed this book even more than Thorne's first because of the complexity of the relationships. While the plot is relatively predictable, not everything I was expecting to happen did, which made me happy, actually. If you're a fan of this genre, don't miss this one—a really great read when you need a good rom-com.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.

You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was literally the perfect example for:
Right book, wrong time.

In my first read I gave this book 🌟🌟🌟
But now, rereading it, I can’t believe I didn’t give this book a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.


Maybe he’s only 1 percent mine.
That has to be enough, I have to share.“

Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Darcy is a wild, fierce and freedom-loving girl who is in love with her twins best friend.
He’s her childhood best friend and also engaged to a wonderful woman.
Darcy is escaping her feelings by going on travels through different countries. Every time she feels too much she just leaves all the people she loves behind and gets lost somewhere.
But then one day her grandmother dies and her last will includes a renovation of her old house and selling it.
And no other than Tom, her all time crush, is doing the job. And for the first time in a long time it could change everything for Darcy.

Oh that was so cute and weird and funny!
I don’t know why I didn’t like it the first time.
I think it was really not the right time for the book.
But that’s okay, thats what rereads are for.
Or second chances.
The first time around I didn’t like their chemistry.
But rereading it I can’t understand why.
They were weird, absolutely weird, but kind of cute?
And finally finally Sally Thorns magic came back to me! I had fun reading the book! I was happy and giddy reading it! 😍

Character 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Quick, I'm having a winemergency.

Darcy is a really fierce, kind of aggressive and wild person. She’s a free spirit with a weak fragile heart.
Her whole life she was always treated differently.
She stayed at home when her brother and Tom went on vacation, because it was too dangerous for her to go. So when her teenager phase started she absolutely freaked out. And then when Tom told her he loved her, she just ran away.
Far, far away.
When she finally realized that she loved Tom too, he had another girlfriend. He belonged to someone different.
She took it like a pro. Staring like a crazy maniac at the new girlfriend, drinking too much wine, eating too much sugar, always running away to different countries and never letting herself get attached to men. Relatable.
I really really liked her.
I especially liked the way she always knew how to get what she wanted. She knew how to make someone love her or hate her or respect her.
And she seemed like a fun person to be around.

Tom oh Tom. I always had a thing for childhood friends as Love interest.
Especially when the childhood friend is the most loyal, protective, kindest human being on earth.
He was hardworking and always tried to do everything perfectly. Sometimes that made him anxious and nervous, but he tried his best.
For his best friend and the girl he absolutely loves.
I loved him. I lo-lo-lo-loved him! ♥️
Also, he had a super tiny cute dog? How adorable is that?

Patty is a shiny shorthaired black and tan Chihuahua, with a big apple dome head.
She’s got a judgmental narrowing to her eyes.
I don’t take it personally anymore, but sheesh, this dog looks at you like you’re a steaming turd.
It’s just her face.
She remembers me.
What an honor to be stamped permanently in her tiny walnut brain.
I pick her up and kiss her cheeks.

Relationships 🌟🌟🌟🌟
You probably know these kind of ships where the sexual tension is killing you, but the characters just can’t get together.
That was exactly like that.
The whole book the reader knows that Tom Valeska and Darcy are the perfect match.
And still, still they don’t get it.
I mean, Darcy kind of knew, but when she got rejected by Tom, she was unsure.
They had the strangest relationship ever.
They were fighting but also flirting pretty heavily.
Absolutely adorable.

Writing style 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Sally Thorne is one my favorite authors ever.
I don’t know exactly why, but I guess it’s because I always love her quirky, weird characters.
Sometimes they remind me of myself,
sometimes I want to be them.
And it’s definitely the funny, flirty love that she shows us ♥️
Can’t wait for her next book.

[Natasha Polis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh darn it! Why didn't I read this slower! Sally Thorne wrote another unputtdownable romance. This is one is friends to lovers but with even more heat and hilarity than The Hating Game. Darcy and Tom are my new favorites and for those who always ask who I fancasted in these parts, here you go.

Tom: Henry Cavill or Jared Padalecki
Darcy: Margot Robbie or Scarlett Johanson
Jamie: Ryan Gosling (think Crazy Stupid Love)

[TheCrazyWorldOfABookLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

“’Cause I swear, I need your hands more than I’ve ever needed anything.”

I just finished. I was looking past the acknowledgments for the section titled "What to Do With All of Your Feelings." I can’t find it.

And I know what everyone is thinking...

Will 99 Percent Mine live up to the hype and perfection that is The Hating Game?
Is the hero Tom anything like Joshua?
Is that same delicious combustible tension between the MCs present??

I am here to report: YES. YES IT DOES. IT SO DOES.

No - Tom is not like Joshua. Tom is a beast in his own league and I devoured every morsel that came from his delectable mouth. And Darcy is a force and a mood and every time she spoke, I couldn't help but think "if that is NOT ME..."

And yes, yes, yes yessss the tension between Tom and Darcy is just glorious.

I love the way Sally’s brain works. The perfectly worded metaphors and analogies she comes up with are so fantastically funny, and even though this is only her second book, so uniquely and identifably HER. Her stamp on comedy and snark and romance is one of a kind.

I’ve known him for most of my life, but this man is now someone I can’t know. Not until we’re down to skin and sweat and kissing. That’s all I’ll ever want from him. I want those white perfect teeth. I want that narrow-eyed male possession, that don’t touch her, that barrier his body created to block the world out. His vicious fist unfolded and his trailing fingertips gentle on my skin. I want to provoke and tease until he gives himself to me, rough and tender.

Sally - just please. Write love stories until the end of time. You're worthy of every fabulous review, and it is us readers, your peasants, who are absolutely Not Worthy.

The first touch of his tongue loosens my knees and I’m grateful that he’s holding me up. I shudder a breath out. He breathes it, changes our angle, exhales it back to me. Air is better from his lungs. Life is better with his kiss.
...
The second touch of his tongue is an inward slide, and it’s not calculated to seduce me. I’m being licked for my flavor. I feel the point of his tooth, the scratch of his chin on mine. There’s a pause of deliberation for a moment, and then I feel his pleasure shivering out of his body, absorbed into my skin. I’ve been tasted, and I am exactly right.

This was just a legitimate JOY to read. An absolutely delight.

Side note - I’d be filled with uncontrollable GLEE if Jamie got a book. A snarky yet sweet jerk? SIGN ME UP. I was so pleasantly surprised with how much I wanted more of him, and his sweet moments with Darcy stole the show towards the last parts of the book.

My new absolute favorite line:

“Please, please. Enthusiastic yes. Pitiful begging, et cetera. I’m not even kidding. Put me out of my misery.”

99 Percent Mine is out now! | amzn.to/2FKUkGO

He removes my tremor of doubt as only he can. “You earn me daily. Come on. You know I give you everything you want. Just relax. Let me spoil Darcy Barrett a little, for the rest of her life. Let me get a taste of that feeling.”
All I can say is, it tastes sweet.

*updated to say I read the epilogue, and the bonus The Hating Game epilogue, and mY H E A R T.



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[lucie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am sad. I cannot believe that author who created someone as perfect as Joshua Templeman wrote this..
I felt nothing.
***
Buddy read with the one and only ♥♥

[Eden Gajewski (Church) | The Required Reading List · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would read Sally Thorne's grocery list. She is THAT good.

[h o l l i s · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly can't even imagine how Thorne worked up the courage to face a new project after the success of THE HATING GAME and the obsession that it inspired. But all I can do is say thank you, muse, for giving us more from this delightful new author.

I tried to go into 99 PERCENT MINE with low expectations, despite my rabid fangirl boner, because I didn't want to shoot myself or this separate, unrelated, work in the foot. But I'm pretty sure that failed and either way it was a pointless exercise because I adored Darcy from the moment she swaggered onto the page. And Tom Valeska? Good grief. Darcy wasn't the only one whose heart went stuttering over the animal that is this man. Really the only thing keeping this from being a perfect ten (five) is Jamie.

This story has a narrow scope, mired in the unrequited and unspoken; regrets and renovations. The setting itself seems more of a mirror for the repair required for the relationships between the three main (well, two and a plus one) characters than it was an actual plot. This feels like the stepping off point for the real story, the one that comes after, but what a build-up it was to experience. The conversations might have sometimes gone nowhere, or meandered to and fro, aiding and abetting with the push and pull, will they won't they, but the way Thorne wrote it; the way she dazzled us with her descriptions and frustrated us with the 'is it now, is this it'..? What a ride. You could taste those moments, feel them down to your bones, and it felt like the best kind of (sweaty) dream.

There's no comparison here. No Josh vs Tom or Darcy vs Lucy. No book vs book. This is its own animal, with its own animals and humour and swoons, and I love it for what it is. It hooked me from the first line, it kept me glued to the page, and had me twisted up with giggles and hearty sighs. Thorne's writing is just.. witty and smooth and delicious and devastating.

Don't read this for more of THE HATING GAME (I mean, unless you're just there for the bonus epiloooooogue which aaaaaa). Read it as if you were zero percent invested in what it could be, or what you think it should be, and instead delight in something a hundred percent new.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

If I can just get Tom Valeska to lose his mind over me, I can die happy.

Alright. I have a confession to make before I dive into the review for this book.
*whispers*
I haven't read The Hating Game yet.
*hides*
*pokes head back up*
Are you still judging me? Because quit it! I bought it immediately when I started this book, ok?! From this author's magical writing style, I can clearly see what I've been missing. But I digress here. What I'm going to be doing, is reviewing my very first Sally Thorne book. And spoiler alert, I adored it!

I’m a scary bitch. He’s a bashful sweetheart with pink cheeks.

Now here's the thing. Nice guys aren't usually my thing. And there you go, judging me again. What did I tell you about that? Back to my review, though. So while the bad boy alphas are typically my thing, I couldn't get enough of Tom Valeska, the alpha male with the beautifully wolfish eyes, sweet tenderness, and understated sexiness. I fell in love with this man through Grace's eyes. The entire book is in the heroine's POV, and yet you get such wonderfully developed characters through her eyes.

The first touch of his tongue loosens my knees and I’m grateful that he’s holding me up. I shudder a breath out. He breathes it, changes our angle, exhales it back to me. Air is better from his lungs. Life is better with his kiss. The word mine is now something I need to make him understand.

Darcy is spunky and enigmatic. This is a girl that doesn't stay in any one place for long. She craves adventure and hasn't dated any guy seriously. Admittedly, she can come across as brash at times. The way that she almost rabidly lusts after Tom was a touch much at times. She's loved Tom since they were kids, but the one time she could have had him, her teenage thoughtlessness cost her that chance. And while he's been as strong a staple in her life as her twin brother, he's also been engaged to another woman. But now the renovation of her recently passed grandmother's house that her and her twin inherited bring them together again, she's not about to waste another opportunity with Tom. Especially since he's now surprisingly single.

This was a deliciously character driven slow burn of a romance. I loved learning about Tom and seeing him through Darcy's experience. He's such a sweetheart that you can't help but fall completely head over heels for him.

No one else is kissing you anymore,” he tells me in a conversational hush, not breaking our contact. “Your mouth is mine.”

I have to say that only being in Darcy’s head did get a bit exhausting at times. This is a girl that's always at a ten, and I wanted her to bring it down to an 8 or 7 at times. But there's also something oddly endearing about her. She loves her friends and she's completely in love with Tom. I also loved the way that Tom cares for her. I struggled a bit with the relationship she had with her twin brother, but they did win me over in the end.

But one thing is for sure, I fell so hard for this wonderfully quirky and sweet romance. I adored Tom and Darcy together. I adored the friends to lovers trope. I loved their love and couldn't get enough of it. 99 Percent Mine was a perfectly paced, feel good and lighthearted romance. It was endearingly sassy and swoony. A definite rec for any slow burn lovers out there that love their alphas sweet and their heroines edgy.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

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