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Once Friends
A second chance can last a lifetime. Fall in love with Sonja and Jay in this addictive contemporary romance by Z.L. Arkadie
Jay West was a famous movie star and the leading man of every girl's dreams. He was also once the boy who lived next door to Sonja Hester and her first best friend. Then one day, something happened between them—something unexpected and confusing. That was fifteen years ago. They hadn't spoken since. Finally, he's back in Sonja's life and makes her a job offer she can't afford to refuse. Now that they're working together, they're getting close. But will the forces that made Jay West into a superstar and his past mistakes make them go their separate ways yet again?
Dive into this emotional second-chance romance complete with twists and turns, a satisfying mystery and an ending that will take your breath away.
LOVE in the USA, The Hesters:
Once Friends (Jay & Sonja)
Taming The Shrewd (Zach & Elaine)
Waiting On You (Dexter & Robin)
Jay West was a famous movie star and the leading man of every girl's dreams. He was also once the boy who lived next door to Sonja Hester and her first best friend. Then one day, something happened between them—something unexpected and confusing. That was fifteen years ago. They hadn't spoken since. Finally, he's back in Sonja's life and makes her a job offer she can't afford to refuse. Now that they're working together, they're getting close. But will the forces that made Jay West into a superstar and his past mistakes make them go their separate ways yet again?
Dive into this emotional second-chance romance complete with twists and turns, a satisfying mystery and an ending that will take your breath away.
LOVE in the USA, The Hesters:
Once Friends (Jay & Sonja)
Taming The Shrewd (Zach & Elaine)
Waiting On You (Dexter & Robin)
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2020
230 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Z.L. Arkadie
103 books498 followersZ.L. Arkadie is stepping into a new era of emotionally rich, upmarket romance that sweeps you away and thrills your heart in the best possible way. Her upcoming stories promise the kind of passion, longing, and intensity that pull you out of the everyday and into something unforgettable. For readers who crave stories that ache, soar, and stay with you—this is where it begins.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 5, 2022
came out: April 10, 2020. i find it kind of funny how i keep finding books lately they are in the early 2000's (in the book world that is old. but not really. old would be in the 1940's or early. but age is a thing that so many folks disagree on or meaning they have a difference of opinions. not sure why?? but fun to listen.) that i am reading more and more and not sure how i might have missed them. i know i am no longer on FB. and i miss my favorite authors. but i felt so weighted down by all the media and all that ...u can imagine it. unless you crave that. personally, i don't.
contemporary romance fiction. romantic comedy. i am laughing at the review for this book. i am not understanding how 1 person thinks it is brilliant and another thinks it is a mess?? so far off different kind of feelings. i enjoyed it. it was not earth shaking by any means ...it was not meant to be ...it was a getaway kind of read. 3 book series, "Love in the USA, The Hester series". i am suddenly new to Z.L. Arkadie's writing. funny how you go along not knowing an author and then suddenly i am checking out multiple or this authors books. interesting style. fun. fun book covers. will i read more? sure ...i mean why not??!
heads up on my Amazon saga ...was hoping to get some help and understand why i keep getting charged for KU books when i have that service. but sadly, the man "Joe D" had a very heavy accent. i appreciate accents. please don't get me wrong there but i wanted to get help and i know when folks cannot say my name "Elizabeth". i know i am not gonna get across that language/accent barrier. they fix the problem of returning my .99 cents but i wanna figure out why this keeps happening?? am i the only one wondering what in the world??!?
contemporary romance fiction. romantic comedy. i am laughing at the review for this book. i am not understanding how 1 person thinks it is brilliant and another thinks it is a mess?? so far off different kind of feelings. i enjoyed it. it was not earth shaking by any means ...it was not meant to be ...it was a getaway kind of read. 3 book series, "Love in the USA, The Hester series". i am suddenly new to Z.L. Arkadie's writing. funny how you go along not knowing an author and then suddenly i am checking out multiple or this authors books. interesting style. fun. fun book covers. will i read more? sure ...i mean why not??!
heads up on my Amazon saga ...was hoping to get some help and understand why i keep getting charged for KU books when i have that service. but sadly, the man "Joe D" had a very heavy accent. i appreciate accents. please don't get me wrong there but i wanted to get help and i know when folks cannot say my name "Elizabeth". i know i am not gonna get across that language/accent barrier. they fix the problem of returning my .99 cents but i wanna figure out why this keeps happening?? am i the only one wondering what in the world??!?
May 25, 2023
sweet second chance romance
Jay and Sonja were friends 15 yrs ago when something happened that tore them apart. No 15 yrs later it’s their second chance and neither one of them is going to let it go. I loved Jay’s passion in this book. How all the background characters play a part . I remember every background character and that doesn’t always happen in a book . I’m looking forward to reading about the other Hester women.
Jay and Sonja were friends 15 yrs ago when something happened that tore them apart. No 15 yrs later it’s their second chance and neither one of them is going to let it go. I loved Jay’s passion in this book. How all the background characters play a part . I remember every background character and that doesn’t always happen in a book . I’m looking forward to reading about the other Hester women.
August 4, 2024
Best Friends 4 Ever
This was a nice book with a beautiful story between Son and Jay, childhood besties, that meet once again 15 years after an abrupt fallout.
The story is well written and credible, but there's a reason why I didn't give it a 5 star rating... Some parts were quite boring and there was no need for them to take so much bookspace... sorry but it's the feeling I had when reading them!
Cut those off and it would have been a 5 star review from me!!!!
This was a nice book with a beautiful story between Son and Jay, childhood besties, that meet once again 15 years after an abrupt fallout.
The story is well written and credible, but there's a reason why I didn't give it a 5 star rating... Some parts were quite boring and there was no need for them to take so much bookspace... sorry but it's the feeling I had when reading them!
Cut those off and it would have been a 5 star review from me!!!!
January 22, 2024
Sonja and Jay were amazing! I loved that they were fast friends as kids. After all the years apart they reconnected and became a couple! It was great seeing them together and knowing each other better! They were definitely meant for one another. 💙
March 5, 2023
Shallow, sex-obsessed but not sexy. Best part was the secret of granny's past. The ending was very predictible and uninspired. Not at all interested what happened later.
July 23, 2023
3.5 stars. This book started slowly and towards the 30 percent mark I was feeling bored because I didn't care much about the romance as I couldn't feel the chemistry between the characters. After that 30 percent mark I started to get invested into the story as the plotline became interesting.
Throughout this book, I didn't care about the characters as much as I was enjoying the plot. Elaine was an interesting character in my opinion but the female protagonist felt weak to me. I would have like it more if the relationship between the main two characters were developed more strongly in my opinion. The romance that took place was too fast and it took away some of the enjoyment from the beginning part of this book.
The plotline as a whole was what made this story interesting for me and I would recommend it if you are a romance reader.
Throughout this book, I didn't care about the characters as much as I was enjoying the plot. Elaine was an interesting character in my opinion but the female protagonist felt weak to me. I would have like it more if the relationship between the main two characters were developed more strongly in my opinion. The romance that took place was too fast and it took away some of the enjoyment from the beginning part of this book.
The plotline as a whole was what made this story interesting for me and I would recommend it if you are a romance reader.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews