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Still Not Over You Novellas
Still Not Over You
Old flames die hard in these tales of a second chance at love with the ex you’re still not over. Stories by award winning authors Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali.
In My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame, when tragedy tore their family apart, Brayden and Faith’s marriage ended in divorce. Four years later, they’re thrown together on a cruise by their friends. Can the spark that refused to die reignite the fire of their love?
In Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite, Katie James didn’t plan on being a runaway bride. Twice. But when the gorgeous, accomplished, former love of her life, Emma Reed, reappears in her life the week of her wedding, will Katie risk everything for another chance with the woman who might be her soul mate?
In On the Rocks by Ali Vali, whiskey distiller Preston Maxwell still has no idea why her college sweetheart, Hayley Wyatt, disappeared from her life right after collecting her diploma. But when Hayley shows up to work on the advertising campaign that will take her business to the next level, Preston isn’t letting her get away a second time.
In My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame, when tragedy tore their family apart, Brayden and Faith’s marriage ended in divorce. Four years later, they’re thrown together on a cruise by their friends. Can the spark that refused to die reignite the fire of their love?
In Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite, Katie James didn’t plan on being a runaway bride. Twice. But when the gorgeous, accomplished, former love of her life, Emma Reed, reappears in her life the week of her wedding, will Katie risk everything for another chance with the woman who might be her soul mate?
In On the Rocks by Ali Vali, whiskey distiller Preston Maxwell still has no idea why her college sweetheart, Hayley Wyatt, disappeared from her life right after collecting her diploma. But when Hayley shows up to work on the advertising campaign that will take her business to the next level, Preston isn’t letting her get away a second time.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2020
39 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Frame
30 books447 followersJenny Frame is from the small town of Motherwell in Scotland, where she lives with her partner, Lou, and their well loved and very spoiled dog. She has a diverse range of qualifications, including a BA in public management and a diploma in acting and performance. Nowadays, she likes to put her creative energies into writing rather than treading the boards. When not writing or reading, Jenny loves cheering on her local football team, which is not always an easy task!
Jenny Frame is the Royal Academy of Bards 2013 Hall of Fame Author.
Jenny Frame is the Royal Academy of Bards 2013 Hall of Fame Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 8, 2020
Oh I needed this !
You’ve got 3 incredible authors! 3 short, entertaining and very sweet stories mainly around second chance romances (who dosent enjoy those, you know?)..
I’m going to keep this short.. So, I totally recommend this book.. you’ve got very lovable characters, very interesting stories that don’t drag , but yet it leaves you wanting a bit more unfortunately.. and most importantly, it’s just a smooth happy read :)
“I received an ARC for an honest review.”
You’ve got 3 incredible authors! 3 short, entertaining and very sweet stories mainly around second chance romances (who dosent enjoy those, you know?)..
I’m going to keep this short.. So, I totally recommend this book.. you’ve got very lovable characters, very interesting stories that don’t drag , but yet it leaves you wanting a bit more unfortunately.. and most importantly, it’s just a smooth happy read :)
“I received an ARC for an honest review.”
June 27, 2020
Three stories of second chance romance. Three couples meet again, years after breaking up. Can they rekindle their romance? Do they both want to? Overall rating: 4 Stars
3.5 Stars for My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame
This is the story of Brandon & Faith. They are happily married when tragedy and bad choices converge causing them to divorce. Their mutual friends (Jan & Kris) intervene (meddle?) by bringing them together or at least on the same ship for a two-week cruise in the Caribbean to celebrate Jan’s 40th Birthday. Brandon declined, because she couldn’t afford it and wouldn’t accept charity, but Kris said it is too late, they already bought her the air and cruise tickets. She finally accepts when she is told that Faith was not going. And Faith decides to go when they tell her Bray could not afford the trip. Both of them hadn’t dated much if at all in the 4 years since their divorce, neither could move on. How could they? When each were still in love with the other? Here Faith reflects after an initial talk with Bray when they discover their rooms are next door to each other… “Their four years apart had taken their toll on Bray, as they had done her. She supposed both of them would never really be fine ever again. All they could do was to find ways of coping from one day to the next.”
I believe I’ve most of Frame’s work (online and published) with an exception here and there liked them all. And I liked this one too. I liked both mains, especially Bray, who turned her life around and kept her promises. My only problem with this story, is it felt too long. I know, it’s a short story/novella, how is that possible? It felt like we followed them every single day for the entire 2 weeks. It may have been my mood at the time? When I do a re-read in the future, its highly possible my opinion may change. Nevertheless, it is still a good read. Note: Cruises in general are not appealing to me, mainly because I get woozy standing on a floating pier. With one exception - I’ve always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise. Maybe with the right motion sickness drugs, one day…
3 Stars for Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite
Katie James and her fiancé, Ann are in the courthouse to pick up their marriage license when Katie looks over and spots her ex, the love of her life, Emma Reed. Emma whom Katie left at the altar several years prior. Katie who agreed to an arranged marriage to Ann – it is a merger of two family owned Oil companies rather than a marriage for love. Katie and Emma (who is now a lawyer) reconnect when Katie asks Emma to look over her prenup agreement before she signs. Will Katie go through with this marriage?
4.5 Stars for On the Rocks by Ali Vali
I actually read this one first because Ali Vali has been a favorite writer of mine for many years and I wasn’t disappointed with this novella. This was by far my favorite of the three.
Preston Maxwell Cinclair is set to take on more responsibilities to head her family’s distillery, Cinclair Whiskey. She has become a master distiller, distilling a new Whiskey that would be their first foray in the over a hundred dollar bottle realm. For this Whiskey they decided she would meet with new prospective advertising firms.
Hayley Wyatt wasn’t planning on heading up the team to pitch her family’s advertising firm to Cinclair Whiskey, but her twin brother pulled out at the last minute. Hayley never intended to ever return to New Orleans, where she lived while attending Tulane University. She still feels guilty for disappearing right after graduating. She and Max, a bartender at a Whiskey bar had become very close but neither told the other about their family dynasties and how both were being groomed to take on more responsibilities. Imagine their mutual surprise when Hayley and her team show up meet with Cinclair Whiskey’s heir Preston aka Max. The two of them navigate secrets revealed, family, business and would Max be able to forgive Hayley for disappearing after graduation?
An ARC was given to me by Bold Strokes books and Netgalley for an honest review.
3.5 Stars for My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame
This is the story of Brandon & Faith. They are happily married when tragedy and bad choices converge causing them to divorce. Their mutual friends (Jan & Kris) intervene (meddle?) by bringing them together or at least on the same ship for a two-week cruise in the Caribbean to celebrate Jan’s 40th Birthday. Brandon declined, because she couldn’t afford it and wouldn’t accept charity, but Kris said it is too late, they already bought her the air and cruise tickets. She finally accepts when she is told that Faith was not going. And Faith decides to go when they tell her Bray could not afford the trip. Both of them hadn’t dated much if at all in the 4 years since their divorce, neither could move on. How could they? When each were still in love with the other? Here Faith reflects after an initial talk with Bray when they discover their rooms are next door to each other… “Their four years apart had taken their toll on Bray, as they had done her. She supposed both of them would never really be fine ever again. All they could do was to find ways of coping from one day to the next.”
I believe I’ve most of Frame’s work (online and published) with an exception here and there liked them all. And I liked this one too. I liked both mains, especially Bray, who turned her life around and kept her promises. My only problem with this story, is it felt too long. I know, it’s a short story/novella, how is that possible? It felt like we followed them every single day for the entire 2 weeks. It may have been my mood at the time? When I do a re-read in the future, its highly possible my opinion may change. Nevertheless, it is still a good read. Note: Cruises in general are not appealing to me, mainly because I get woozy standing on a floating pier. With one exception - I’ve always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise. Maybe with the right motion sickness drugs, one day…
3 Stars for Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite
Katie James and her fiancé, Ann are in the courthouse to pick up their marriage license when Katie looks over and spots her ex, the love of her life, Emma Reed. Emma whom Katie left at the altar several years prior. Katie who agreed to an arranged marriage to Ann – it is a merger of two family owned Oil companies rather than a marriage for love. Katie and Emma (who is now a lawyer) reconnect when Katie asks Emma to look over her prenup agreement before she signs. Will Katie go through with this marriage?
4.5 Stars for On the Rocks by Ali Vali
I actually read this one first because Ali Vali has been a favorite writer of mine for many years and I wasn’t disappointed with this novella. This was by far my favorite of the three.
Preston Maxwell Cinclair is set to take on more responsibilities to head her family’s distillery, Cinclair Whiskey. She has become a master distiller, distilling a new Whiskey that would be their first foray in the over a hundred dollar bottle realm. For this Whiskey they decided she would meet with new prospective advertising firms.
Hayley Wyatt wasn’t planning on heading up the team to pitch her family’s advertising firm to Cinclair Whiskey, but her twin brother pulled out at the last minute. Hayley never intended to ever return to New Orleans, where she lived while attending Tulane University. She still feels guilty for disappearing right after graduating. She and Max, a bartender at a Whiskey bar had become very close but neither told the other about their family dynasties and how both were being groomed to take on more responsibilities. Imagine their mutual surprise when Hayley and her team show up meet with Cinclair Whiskey’s heir Preston aka Max. The two of them navigate secrets revealed, family, business and would Max be able to forgive Hayley for disappearing after graduation?
An ARC was given to me by Bold Strokes books and Netgalley for an honest review.
June 26, 2020
I just had to get Still Not Over You as soon as I saw the authors who had contributed stories to this collection of novellas. Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali are all award winning authors. You can count on their works being exceptional and fun to read, and they did not disappoint in this collection.
These three novellas are second-chance, reunion romances. The stories are set in different places with diverse characters and plots, but they all do have a few things in common. They are all well-written, they all have characters easy to connect with, the romances are filled with angst (naturally), and they are all delightful love stories. The great thing about a novella is that you can easily read the whole tale in one sitting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all three, and can recommend them to all reunion romance lovers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for giving me the chance to read and honestly review this book.
These three novellas are second-chance, reunion romances. The stories are set in different places with diverse characters and plots, but they all do have a few things in common. They are all well-written, they all have characters easy to connect with, the romances are filled with angst (naturally), and they are all delightful love stories. The great thing about a novella is that you can easily read the whole tale in one sitting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all three, and can recommend them to all reunion romance lovers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for giving me the chance to read and honestly review this book.
June 28, 2020
I absolutely love the first novella My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame. Its tone is sad from the beginning yet we feel the immense love and caring between Braydon and Faith. Because of unfortunate circumstances, they are divorced and have been avoiding seeing each other for four years. But their friends invite them on a cruise and force them to share adjacent rooms for two weeks. Melancholy flowed relentlessly through the story as Bray and Faith work to forgive each other and, most importantly, themselves. Frame did not disappoint with this emotional butch-femme story and oh what I would give to have a full length novel of them!
The second story is relatively weak just because the first one had me spoiled. Carsen Taite's Double Jeopardy is still a good short. Told in Katie's first-person narrative, we learn that Katie stood Emma up at the altar eight years ago. And now, they run into each other again right before Katie's loveless new wedding. Honestly, I do not find Katie very likeable but it is definitely easy to connect with her as the story gradually reveals her concerns, both past and present. I would say true friends play a big role in this novella and since it ends quite abruptly, it leaves us space for imagination and hope.
Ali Vali's On the Rocks, another butch-femme story, is very cute. I especially like how each scene starts with the same idea the last scene leaves off. Though consecutive scenes focus on different characters, the connection of thoughts and dialogues make conversations stretch beyond space, even if they are talking about different things. Though I cannot truly grasp why Haley thought ditching Max after graduation was a great idea, I love the whiskey theme and seeing them get closer to each other after receiving closure. Also, the Cinclairs are absolutely adorable. If the first and second stories show us what friends are for, this one emphasizes on wonderful and supportive family members.
Still Not Over You is a wonderful second-chance romance anthology that makes you believe in love again. And you would certainly be missing out if you have not read My Forever Girl because it truly is everything.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The second story is relatively weak just because the first one had me spoiled. Carsen Taite's Double Jeopardy is still a good short. Told in Katie's first-person narrative, we learn that Katie stood Emma up at the altar eight years ago. And now, they run into each other again right before Katie's loveless new wedding. Honestly, I do not find Katie very likeable but it is definitely easy to connect with her as the story gradually reveals her concerns, both past and present. I would say true friends play a big role in this novella and since it ends quite abruptly, it leaves us space for imagination and hope.
Ali Vali's On the Rocks, another butch-femme story, is very cute. I especially like how each scene starts with the same idea the last scene leaves off. Though consecutive scenes focus on different characters, the connection of thoughts and dialogues make conversations stretch beyond space, even if they are talking about different things. Though I cannot truly grasp why Haley thought ditching Max after graduation was a great idea, I love the whiskey theme and seeing them get closer to each other after receiving closure. Also, the Cinclairs are absolutely adorable. If the first and second stories show us what friends are for, this one emphasizes on wonderful and supportive family members.
Still Not Over You is a wonderful second-chance romance anthology that makes you believe in love again. And you would certainly be missing out if you have not read My Forever Girl because it truly is everything.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2020
My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame - 3.5 stars
Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite - 2.5 stars
On the Rocks by Ali Vali - 4 stars
Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite - 2.5 stars
On the Rocks by Ali Vali - 4 stars
June 27, 2020
This was fun read of three short stories by three very popular authors. I personally enjoyed two of three and the one I didn't like as much as the others was still a good story. All the stories are about second chance romances with all happy endings and all butch/femme match ups. For me this a dream read. It will leave you wanting to know more each of the stories and all the characters are well written. Out of three, I will admit Frame's story was my favorite and it had the right emotional connection that I really wanted more. Read this...it is definitely worth it
August 4, 2020
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book features three short stories about reunited lovers. The first story ‘My Forever Girl’ by Jenny Frame was easily my favourite. The MCs are Bray and Faith, who have been divorced for four years after some traumatic circumstances lead to the breakdown of their marriage. They are both tricked into going on a cruise with mutual friends, and are able to reconnect while away. I liked how they discussed their issues, and even thought Bray had a lot to make up for, I liked that Faith acknowledged her part in what went on. I was glad to see these two manage a HEA after all. 4 stars
The second story ‘Double Jeopardy’ by Carmen Taite was the weakest in my opinion. The MCs here are Katie, who is marrying a woman she doesn’t love to save her company, and Emma, the woman Katie left at the alter 8 years before. The premise of this was interesting but too much time was spent on the past issues and the legal tangles so the MCs didn’t really reconnect on anything more than a superficial level, which made the ending fall flat. It was also hampered by only being told from Katie’s POV. 3 stars
The third story, ‘On the Rocks’ by Ali Vali features Preston (Max) who works in the family whiskey business and Hayley who is trying to pitch an advertising campaign for Preston’s company, they were together in college, without ever divulging that they come from rich/famous families, and so both don’t know the truth about the other. Hayley also just walked away without explanation back then, and the explanation is weak when it is given. I found the constant switching between ‘Preston’ and ‘Max’ annoying but did like that the story was fleshed out through the use of some flashbacks. The two MCs also spend time together and hash out some issues, so this was stronger than the second story. 3.25 stars
Fans of any of these authors will likely enjoy their respective stories. Overall I’d give this 3.5, but I’m rounding down.
This book features three short stories about reunited lovers. The first story ‘My Forever Girl’ by Jenny Frame was easily my favourite. The MCs are Bray and Faith, who have been divorced for four years after some traumatic circumstances lead to the breakdown of their marriage. They are both tricked into going on a cruise with mutual friends, and are able to reconnect while away. I liked how they discussed their issues, and even thought Bray had a lot to make up for, I liked that Faith acknowledged her part in what went on. I was glad to see these two manage a HEA after all. 4 stars
The second story ‘Double Jeopardy’ by Carmen Taite was the weakest in my opinion. The MCs here are Katie, who is marrying a woman she doesn’t love to save her company, and Emma, the woman Katie left at the alter 8 years before. The premise of this was interesting but too much time was spent on the past issues and the legal tangles so the MCs didn’t really reconnect on anything more than a superficial level, which made the ending fall flat. It was also hampered by only being told from Katie’s POV. 3 stars
The third story, ‘On the Rocks’ by Ali Vali features Preston (Max) who works in the family whiskey business and Hayley who is trying to pitch an advertising campaign for Preston’s company, they were together in college, without ever divulging that they come from rich/famous families, and so both don’t know the truth about the other. Hayley also just walked away without explanation back then, and the explanation is weak when it is given. I found the constant switching between ‘Preston’ and ‘Max’ annoying but did like that the story was fleshed out through the use of some flashbacks. The two MCs also spend time together and hash out some issues, so this was stronger than the second story. 3.25 stars
Fans of any of these authors will likely enjoy their respective stories. Overall I’d give this 3.5, but I’m rounding down.
July 25, 2020
I haven’t been feeling Jenny Frame and Ali Vali books lately, so I was expecting mild eye rolling and a good Carsen Taite story, and I must say I was wrong. It was a good Carsen Taite story, but I really enjoyed the other two. In fact, my favorite of the 3 (and a huge surprise to me) was the Ali Vali one.
All 3 of them where good and interesting in their own styles, so if you’re looking for something to take your head out of incompetent world leaders and COVID this is a good, solid option.
All 3 of them where good and interesting in their own styles, so if you’re looking for something to take your head out of incompetent world leaders and COVID this is a good, solid option.
August 20, 2020
Second chance romance can be filled with confrontation, angst, honesty, pain, and possibly forgiveness. To some extent, all of the above was observed in one if not all three of the stories. Each story was unique in its own way. The three well-written and popular authors provided interesting and entertaining scripts that held my attention. I most liked and enjoyed the first one by Jenny Frame. Tragedy and lack of communication can indeed tear a family apart. The stories by Carsen Taite and Ali Vali were not as captivating though well-written with likable characters struggling with should I or should I not. Novelettes can feel a little incomplete and I think that is what holds me back from really enjoying all three.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley.
November 27, 2020
This anthology was okay, not great but readable and the stories were well-written and long enough to be interesting. I expected more from these three authors, and so I was a little disappointed.
My Forever Girl: 3 stars
Oddly, the MCs don’t get much physical description and secondary characters are described in detail even when they’re not important to the plot.
I liked the butch-femme dynamic but overall the story felt flat and without passion.
Double Jeopardy: 2.5 stars
The plot felt forced and the “twist” came out of nowhere. I didn’t really like either of the MCs.
On the Rocks: DNF
This story had the most potential, but got tedious quickly. The quirk of connecting the different POVs was interesting at first but it felt more and more forced as the story unfolded and pulled me out of the story. If I started with this one, I probably would have finished it, but by this time I was tired of lukewarm reads.
If you like second chance romances, this is a good book but there are definitely better out there.
My rating: three stars
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
My Forever Girl: 3 stars
Oddly, the MCs don’t get much physical description and secondary characters are described in detail even when they’re not important to the plot.
I liked the butch-femme dynamic but overall the story felt flat and without passion.
Double Jeopardy: 2.5 stars
The plot felt forced and the “twist” came out of nowhere. I didn’t really like either of the MCs.
On the Rocks: DNF
This story had the most potential, but got tedious quickly. The quirk of connecting the different POVs was interesting at first but it felt more and more forced as the story unfolded and pulled me out of the story. If I started with this one, I probably would have finished it, but by this time I was tired of lukewarm reads.
If you like second chance romances, this is a good book but there are definitely better out there.
My rating: three stars
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
September 26, 2020
I like all three writers, but these stories are not their best work in my opinion.
My Forever Girl: 3 stars. I had some trouble to get into this story and felt that it was a bit too cliche. The story was not bad, just average. I expected more.
Double Jeopardy: 3 stars. Katie was too immature for me and the rift she caused between her and was resolved too easily for me. But the writing was good. Also an average story.
On the Rocks: 4 stars. I enjoyed this story most.
My Forever Girl: 3 stars. I had some trouble to get into this story and felt that it was a bit too cliche. The story was not bad, just average. I expected more.
Double Jeopardy: 3 stars. Katie was too immature for me and the rift she caused between her and was resolved too easily for me. But the writing was good. Also an average story.
On the Rocks: 4 stars. I enjoyed this story most.
June 12, 2020
If you're looking for a few nice second chance romances this is the book to grab. All three stories are written by well-known authors Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite and Ali Vali. Since it are three short stories in one book I'll state the obvious in saying that ofcourse the romance goes on a fast schedule but I don't think you would expect differently. The premise in all three stories is different; first a divorced couple with the weight of addiction and miscarriage stuck on a cruise together 4 years after their divorce. I liked how the author handled the guilt on both sides and you could understand and connect to both sides of the story.
Then there was the story about Katie who left the love of her life on the eve of their wedding just to see her again for the first time when applying for a marriage license with someone else. The first person POV made it hard for me to connect to Emma and understand her reasoning. On top of that the shortness of the story made me kind of annoyed with Katie for not having more of a backbone. Which might not have happened if you lived through to the past with her and were more emotionally involved.
Then the third about the heir to a whiskey company hiring a marketing agency and finding out that the lead on one of the companies in the running is the girl that broke her heart 8 years earlier after a year full of love. I learned a lot about whiskey in this one and it has given me an urge to try it out myself.
All three books are well written and while one or two might resonate with the reader more it depends on the reader which one(s) since they are all different with the common factor second chances. Not a book you will be sorry to pick up when sitting in a chair outside enjoying the nice weather with a good drink at hand.
*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***
Then there was the story about Katie who left the love of her life on the eve of their wedding just to see her again for the first time when applying for a marriage license with someone else. The first person POV made it hard for me to connect to Emma and understand her reasoning. On top of that the shortness of the story made me kind of annoyed with Katie for not having more of a backbone. Which might not have happened if you lived through to the past with her and were more emotionally involved.
Then the third about the heir to a whiskey company hiring a marketing agency and finding out that the lead on one of the companies in the running is the girl that broke her heart 8 years earlier after a year full of love. I learned a lot about whiskey in this one and it has given me an urge to try it out myself.
All three books are well written and while one or two might resonate with the reader more it depends on the reader which one(s) since they are all different with the common factor second chances. Not a book you will be sorry to pick up when sitting in a chair outside enjoying the nice weather with a good drink at hand.
*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***
July 12, 2021
I enjoyed all three stories. I think the one done by Jenny Frame made me cry the most. All of the stories deal with having a second chance with the one you know you will always love. I found the story by Ali Vali had me laughing and I like how she switched between the 2 MCs point of view. It would end with a thought or sentence and the next would pick up right where that one left off with the same thought or wording. Carsen Taite has an interesting take on a runaway bride. In all the stories family plays in important part.
July 11, 2020
Detailed score: 2.5 / 5 rounded down
I was intrigued by the premise of this book - a second go round at a HEA - but I really did not enjoy the reality. With hindsight I think the narrative had to do too much heavy lifting for a short story format: we had to be introduced to the mains, where they’re at now, their past, what made them split, a reunion and a resolution. Too much. This lead to magnified versions of common issues with lesroms:
Story 1 - tell not show
Story 2 - not enough time with the characters after they’ve reunited
Story 3 - so many people and places thrown at the reader in quick succession that it takes you out of the story.
The stories definitely got better as they went along but - to be frank - I just didn’t enjoy any of them. None of them gave me the happily ever after swoon that I look for in lesroms.
All three are talented authors that I have enjoyed before but I really don’t feel like any of these are good examples of their best work.
Sorry folks - have to recommend a pass on this one.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book - a second go round at a HEA - but I really did not enjoy the reality. With hindsight I think the narrative had to do too much heavy lifting for a short story format: we had to be introduced to the mains, where they’re at now, their past, what made them split, a reunion and a resolution. Too much. This lead to magnified versions of common issues with lesroms:
Story 1 - tell not show
Story 2 - not enough time with the characters after they’ve reunited
Story 3 - so many people and places thrown at the reader in quick succession that it takes you out of the story.
The stories definitely got better as they went along but - to be frank - I just didn’t enjoy any of them. None of them gave me the happily ever after swoon that I look for in lesroms.
All three are talented authors that I have enjoyed before but I really don’t feel like any of these are good examples of their best work.
Sorry folks - have to recommend a pass on this one.
July 25, 2020
3.5 stars, good second chance stories from 3 amazing authors
July 11, 2020
A few of my favourite authors contributing to this beauty... what a treat! I enjoyed both Frame and Taite's stories, but my favourite is definitely On The Rocks by Vali.
July 15, 2020
Three powerhouse authors, three second-chance romances ... what's not to like? All three novellas were strong, but to me the Ali Vali was the most developed for the length. I enjoyed getting to know all 6 of the main characters and would definitely like to catch up with them in the future!
July 6, 2020
REP: lesbian MCs, Cuban characters
TWs: none
Genre: contemporary romance
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E-ARC kindly provided by the publisher.
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Okay so honestly, I have never been the biggest fan of neither romance (as a genre, other genres that feature some romance is obviously okay with me) nor of short stories/novellas and for some reason, I decided to request this book on Netgalley in hopes of it changing my perception of those two things. Sadly, for me, this collection basically only highlighted what troubles I usually have with both romance as a genre and with short stories/novellas.
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t think there’s anything objectively wrong with this collection and that my rating doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the stories as such. I bet a ton of readers will be able to enjoy this, I just wasn’t, really. Which is a shame; I think I’ve managed to narrow things down to a couple of reasons why I didn’t take to these stories – all of them to do with me and nothing to do with this book, definitely.
In this collection you’ll find three novellas, all about second chance romances – a trope I’ve been interested in exploring for quite a while now. Did I mention they’re all lesbian stories, too? Because that’s what made me hyped up for this collection in the first place. Like, tropey lesbian stories are SO rare and I was flailing upon finding this collection.
My Forever Girl tells the story of a couple who got divorced following a family tragedy and how they found their way back to each other during a cruise. This is the story I liked the least, I didn’t connect to any of the main characters (possibly because I’m too young – these characters are way older than me and thus live completely different lives and I just couldn’t relate at all), of course I thought their story was tragic and sad and everything, but I still couldn’t connect. I didn’t really care for the writing either. 2/5.
Double Jeopardy features a runaway bride and an arranged marriage – the latter being a trope I thought I would enjoy immensely. Sadly, it turns out I didn’t. The writing I found to be much better in this one than in the previous story and while I liked the characters and story way more in this novella, I still somehow found myself feeling slightly bored throughout it all. I would definitely be willing to pick more books by this author up though because I did enjoy her writing style, I just wish this story would have gotten more room to grow and expand. 3/5.
On The Rocks is definitely the story I liked the most, where a girl is trying to win back her college sweetheart. I liked the romance and the fact that the characters were a bit younger. The romance was cute, the plot was good and I actually really liked the writing and how the two perspectives were woven together. I would definitely read more stories by this author. 3.5/5.
Ultimately this collection of stories turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment to me which made me sad because it was 1) sapphic and 2) a trope that I, in my mind, thought I was going to love. As it turns out, this trope wasn’t as interesting IRL as it was in my head. I also realized that while I like the idea of short stories, I prefer my actual books to be more thorough and fleshed out in a way short stories cannot be for obvious reasons. I also realized I don’t really love romance as a genre because whenever I try to read romance, I end up feeling like the book is lacking somewhat, plot-wise. I’m glad I decided to try this collection though, even though for me it only made me realize what I like and what I don’t like in my books. Again, objectively this is not a bad collection and if you’re really big on romance I’d imagine you’d like this. Also, it’s sapphic you guys!! You can never read too many sapphic romances to be honest.
TWs: none
Genre: contemporary romance
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E-ARC kindly provided by the publisher.
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”Emma, I need to explain.”
She held up a hand. “Don’t. You may need to explain, but I’m in a good place right now and absolving you of guilt isn’t part of that.”
Okay so honestly, I have never been the biggest fan of neither romance (as a genre, other genres that feature some romance is obviously okay with me) nor of short stories/novellas and for some reason, I decided to request this book on Netgalley in hopes of it changing my perception of those two things. Sadly, for me, this collection basically only highlighted what troubles I usually have with both romance as a genre and with short stories/novellas.
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t think there’s anything objectively wrong with this collection and that my rating doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the stories as such. I bet a ton of readers will be able to enjoy this, I just wasn’t, really. Which is a shame; I think I’ve managed to narrow things down to a couple of reasons why I didn’t take to these stories – all of them to do with me and nothing to do with this book, definitely.
In this collection you’ll find three novellas, all about second chance romances – a trope I’ve been interested in exploring for quite a while now. Did I mention they’re all lesbian stories, too? Because that’s what made me hyped up for this collection in the first place. Like, tropey lesbian stories are SO rare and I was flailing upon finding this collection.
My Forever Girl tells the story of a couple who got divorced following a family tragedy and how they found their way back to each other during a cruise. This is the story I liked the least, I didn’t connect to any of the main characters (possibly because I’m too young – these characters are way older than me and thus live completely different lives and I just couldn’t relate at all), of course I thought their story was tragic and sad and everything, but I still couldn’t connect. I didn’t really care for the writing either. 2/5.
Double Jeopardy features a runaway bride and an arranged marriage – the latter being a trope I thought I would enjoy immensely. Sadly, it turns out I didn’t. The writing I found to be much better in this one than in the previous story and while I liked the characters and story way more in this novella, I still somehow found myself feeling slightly bored throughout it all. I would definitely be willing to pick more books by this author up though because I did enjoy her writing style, I just wish this story would have gotten more room to grow and expand. 3/5.
On The Rocks is definitely the story I liked the most, where a girl is trying to win back her college sweetheart. I liked the romance and the fact that the characters were a bit younger. The romance was cute, the plot was good and I actually really liked the writing and how the two perspectives were woven together. I would definitely read more stories by this author. 3.5/5.
Ultimately this collection of stories turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment to me which made me sad because it was 1) sapphic and 2) a trope that I, in my mind, thought I was going to love. As it turns out, this trope wasn’t as interesting IRL as it was in my head. I also realized that while I like the idea of short stories, I prefer my actual books to be more thorough and fleshed out in a way short stories cannot be for obvious reasons. I also realized I don’t really love romance as a genre because whenever I try to read romance, I end up feeling like the book is lacking somewhat, plot-wise. I’m glad I decided to try this collection though, even though for me it only made me realize what I like and what I don’t like in my books. Again, objectively this is not a bad collection and if you’re really big on romance I’d imagine you’d like this. Also, it’s sapphic you guys!! You can never read too many sapphic romances to be honest.
July 29, 2020
First, I will say, I don't care for anthologies, but when I saw Jenny Frame in this one, well, I just had to read it. As her #1 fan, it was my duty to ;)
My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame
A typical Frame love story that satisfied me in all ways. Frame is a pro at character description, I'm never left wondering what the characters look like. I believe great descriptions can help the reader become attracted and or aroused toward the character(s) and help us understand why both protags are so sexually drawn together. Another great talent of Frame's is her slow but not painful build-up toward the climax of the story. This story was set at a nice a pace just like all her others and I wasn't left blue when they did finally merge as one. And of course, Frame created another perfect butch-femme pairing in this second chance love story. I really liked the change of scenery, too, a cruise ship, as opposed to settings we see a lot in stories; bustling cities, rural farms, etc.
Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite
Taite is a new author to me, even though she's written an ass-ton of books. So, I was completely blind to what I was getting into when I started this book. I have to admit that I didn't feel any romance, whimsy, sensuality, teasing, playfulness, erotica... nothing. It was all business. And as much as the storyline was business, an arranged marriage to keep the family business afloat and all, I felt the author focused solely on that aspect of it. It was only until the last couple pages where any kind of romance/love/sex hinted at the surface, then it ended, leaving me wanting more. I'd hoped we'd get to at least have more "screen" time with the two long, lost love souls before ending it. At least another kiss than the one they shared. I wasn't too impressed with the story itself, however, I will say that Taite has a talent of weaving words together. She's a great writer, but I'm not sure I would pick up one of her full-length books.
On the Rock by Ali Vali
Vali is no stranger to me, given I've fallen in love with her Cain Casey series, and Cain, herself. I wasn't surprised to see this story take place in New Orleans. I half expected to run into Casey at one point, lol. I loved this story, it had everything I want and need, including, character description, solid backgrounds, colourful side characters adding flavour, and sex. Yes, sex is very important to me as a reader when it comes to the romance genre. And Vali did not disappoint. I enjoyed the whiskey making process, I always feel smarter whenever a book teaches me something, even if I never intend to apply that knowledge.
All in all, I was entertained and I would give this a 3.5
My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame
A typical Frame love story that satisfied me in all ways. Frame is a pro at character description, I'm never left wondering what the characters look like. I believe great descriptions can help the reader become attracted and or aroused toward the character(s) and help us understand why both protags are so sexually drawn together. Another great talent of Frame's is her slow but not painful build-up toward the climax of the story. This story was set at a nice a pace just like all her others and I wasn't left blue when they did finally merge as one. And of course, Frame created another perfect butch-femme pairing in this second chance love story. I really liked the change of scenery, too, a cruise ship, as opposed to settings we see a lot in stories; bustling cities, rural farms, etc.
Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite
Taite is a new author to me, even though she's written an ass-ton of books. So, I was completely blind to what I was getting into when I started this book. I have to admit that I didn't feel any romance, whimsy, sensuality, teasing, playfulness, erotica... nothing. It was all business. And as much as the storyline was business, an arranged marriage to keep the family business afloat and all, I felt the author focused solely on that aspect of it. It was only until the last couple pages where any kind of romance/love/sex hinted at the surface, then it ended, leaving me wanting more. I'd hoped we'd get to at least have more "screen" time with the two long, lost love souls before ending it. At least another kiss than the one they shared. I wasn't too impressed with the story itself, however, I will say that Taite has a talent of weaving words together. She's a great writer, but I'm not sure I would pick up one of her full-length books.
On the Rock by Ali Vali
Vali is no stranger to me, given I've fallen in love with her Cain Casey series, and Cain, herself. I wasn't surprised to see this story take place in New Orleans. I half expected to run into Casey at one point, lol. I loved this story, it had everything I want and need, including, character description, solid backgrounds, colourful side characters adding flavour, and sex. Yes, sex is very important to me as a reader when it comes to the romance genre. And Vali did not disappoint. I enjoyed the whiskey making process, I always feel smarter whenever a book teaches me something, even if I never intend to apply that knowledge.
All in all, I was entertained and I would give this a 3.5
June 14, 2020
This is the second time this week I’ve posted a review featuring a book with three authors. Love it.
‘My Forever Girl’ Jenny Frame: Brayden Murphy has loved Faith Murphy since the first meeting. Faith was kind of shy and didn’t have a lot of self confidence, mainly because of cheating and never hearing anything good about herself. After marriage they started their own business and their life was going well. Brayden who identified as a butch lesbian felt taking care of Faith was her job. A job she loved. After a few years they decided to have a child but there were complications and when Faith lost the baby their happy life seemed to disappear. Brayden found herself on a downward spiral, losing not only the business but their home all because of her gambling addiction. When they divorced they were still in love but just couldn’t seem to move on. It’s when best friend Kris has a birthday coming up and she wants to share her happy day with her friends. Two weeks on a cruise ship should be enough time to see if Brayden and Faith have a chance at making it again. Ms Frame knows how to tell a story with a nicely paced read with a few more explicit scenes that you would normally see in one of her books. Personally I liked it, as I’m sure you will too. Very nice read.
‘ Double Jeopardy’ Carsen Taite: Emma Reed was on her way to join the Air Force when she last saw Katie James. They were in love or so Emma thought but right before the wedding was to start Katie decided to call the wedding off, leaving Emma at the altar. Emma went on with her life but always held out hope that one day she just might hear Katie tell her why she didn’t want to marry her. After leaving the Air Force Emma goes on to become a lawyer and takes a job in the same city as Katie. She never thought that the place where she’d see her again was at the courthouse with her new fiance, where she was getting another wedding license. She didn’t know that Katie was not getting married for love but to save the family business. This book is perfect for a sunny day, a tree and a blanket. Very nice read.
‘On the Rocks’ Ali Vali: Hayley Wyatt certainly loved her college GF Max Cinclair, who when they’d met worked as a bartender. Hayley grew up in a family owned advertising business in New York. She never had any doubts that was where she belonged, working with her parents and her twin brother Percy. She was good at her job and when Cinclair’s posted they were interested in going with a new firm, she was the one chosen to give the presentation. Little did she know that the head distiller Preston Cinclair was her GF Max. Preston never used her first name because it would just lead to her family’s business of making one of the best whiskeys you could buy. Now Preston is blindsided when one of the firms hoping to get the advertising gig was being led by the woman she had loved in college. The one who left her without a word. Here one day, gone the next. But has their feelings for each other really faded that much? Ms Vali wrote a very nice story, featuring two women who should have never parted.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books
‘My Forever Girl’ Jenny Frame: Brayden Murphy has loved Faith Murphy since the first meeting. Faith was kind of shy and didn’t have a lot of self confidence, mainly because of cheating and never hearing anything good about herself. After marriage they started their own business and their life was going well. Brayden who identified as a butch lesbian felt taking care of Faith was her job. A job she loved. After a few years they decided to have a child but there were complications and when Faith lost the baby their happy life seemed to disappear. Brayden found herself on a downward spiral, losing not only the business but their home all because of her gambling addiction. When they divorced they were still in love but just couldn’t seem to move on. It’s when best friend Kris has a birthday coming up and she wants to share her happy day with her friends. Two weeks on a cruise ship should be enough time to see if Brayden and Faith have a chance at making it again. Ms Frame knows how to tell a story with a nicely paced read with a few more explicit scenes that you would normally see in one of her books. Personally I liked it, as I’m sure you will too. Very nice read.
‘ Double Jeopardy’ Carsen Taite: Emma Reed was on her way to join the Air Force when she last saw Katie James. They were in love or so Emma thought but right before the wedding was to start Katie decided to call the wedding off, leaving Emma at the altar. Emma went on with her life but always held out hope that one day she just might hear Katie tell her why she didn’t want to marry her. After leaving the Air Force Emma goes on to become a lawyer and takes a job in the same city as Katie. She never thought that the place where she’d see her again was at the courthouse with her new fiance, where she was getting another wedding license. She didn’t know that Katie was not getting married for love but to save the family business. This book is perfect for a sunny day, a tree and a blanket. Very nice read.
‘On the Rocks’ Ali Vali: Hayley Wyatt certainly loved her college GF Max Cinclair, who when they’d met worked as a bartender. Hayley grew up in a family owned advertising business in New York. She never had any doubts that was where she belonged, working with her parents and her twin brother Percy. She was good at her job and when Cinclair’s posted they were interested in going with a new firm, she was the one chosen to give the presentation. Little did she know that the head distiller Preston Cinclair was her GF Max. Preston never used her first name because it would just lead to her family’s business of making one of the best whiskeys you could buy. Now Preston is blindsided when one of the firms hoping to get the advertising gig was being led by the woman she had loved in college. The one who left her without a word. Here one day, gone the next. But has their feelings for each other really faded that much? Ms Vali wrote a very nice story, featuring two women who should have never parted.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books
June 15, 2020
Still Not Over You gives us three short stories about second chance romances by three well published authors.
Let's start with my favorite - On the Rocks by Ali Vale. Preston and Hayley fell in love with each other 8 years ago during their last year in college. Hayley ran without saying goodbye. Now they meet up again when Hayley is to pitch the next advertising campaign. It is a shock to both. I think this one became my favorite because of the mains and the supporting characters. You can obviously see the love that the mains still feel and they both are likable despite the way the relationship ended years before. I just found them to be adorable and I kept rooting for them the entire time. 4 stars.
The other two stories are equal to me. My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame starts 4 years after Brayden and Faith divorced. Since this is a short story, I don't want to give away much. I will simply say that Brayden for sure is dealing with the mistakes she has made in their marriage. I can't say that she is totally at fault for it's demise, but she play a very strong part. Over Faith was my favorite in this one. Brayden just held on to a tad bit too much guilt for me to really like her character. In the end I did root for them to find love again because it was clear they were made for one another. 3.5 stars
Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite was overall enjoyable. The mains here Katie James and Emma Reid. Katie left Emma the day before getting married several years before. A week before Katie is set to marry Ann, Emma reappears. I really did like Emma and in may ways I didn't really care for Katie that much. I didn't start to feel a connection to her until after it was revealed by Katie left Emma all those years ago. I think I would have liked her better if I new the circumstances. I guess what it boils down to is that I didn't really root for them as I did the other mains in the two stories mentioned above. Also, I wished for a little more in the ending than was given. 3.25 stars
Overall I rate Still Not Over You at 3.75 stars.
This arc was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Let's start with my favorite - On the Rocks by Ali Vale. Preston and Hayley fell in love with each other 8 years ago during their last year in college. Hayley ran without saying goodbye. Now they meet up again when Hayley is to pitch the next advertising campaign. It is a shock to both. I think this one became my favorite because of the mains and the supporting characters. You can obviously see the love that the mains still feel and they both are likable despite the way the relationship ended years before. I just found them to be adorable and I kept rooting for them the entire time. 4 stars.
The other two stories are equal to me. My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame starts 4 years after Brayden and Faith divorced. Since this is a short story, I don't want to give away much. I will simply say that Brayden for sure is dealing with the mistakes she has made in their marriage. I can't say that she is totally at fault for it's demise, but she play a very strong part. Over Faith was my favorite in this one. Brayden just held on to a tad bit too much guilt for me to really like her character. In the end I did root for them to find love again because it was clear they were made for one another. 3.5 stars
Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite was overall enjoyable. The mains here Katie James and Emma Reid. Katie left Emma the day before getting married several years before. A week before Katie is set to marry Ann, Emma reappears. I really did like Emma and in may ways I didn't really care for Katie that much. I didn't start to feel a connection to her until after it was revealed by Katie left Emma all those years ago. I think I would have liked her better if I new the circumstances. I guess what it boils down to is that I didn't really root for them as I did the other mains in the two stories mentioned above. Also, I wished for a little more in the ending than was given. 3.25 stars
Overall I rate Still Not Over You at 3.75 stars.
This arc was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
August 31, 2020
Three wonderful authors Three wonderful stories!
Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali are three of my favorite authors and they have created three wonderful stories. In Forever Girl Jenny Frame’s second chance story where Brayden and Faith have been divorced for four years because of tragedy that nearly broke both of them. Their best friends have brought them back on a Caribbean cruise under the auspices that it’s to celebrate their friend’s birthday. They become reacquainted again and the love that had always been there still was. Great characters, poignant HEA.
In Runaway Bride by Taite, Katie left Emma the day before their wedding because Katie believed her father. This is the same father who died leaving their family in dire straits because of his mishandling of their business resulting in Katie now getting into a marriage of convenience to bail the business out. It was nice to see Lilly in this story (here’s hoping that couple will come back again). I liked Emma’s character but the story was from Katie’s POV.
In On The Rocks by Vali the characters were Max and Haley. Young lovers that parted when graduating from Tulane without any explanation on the part of Haley who felt obligated to ga back home and leaving Max behind. Max was the child of a long established whiskey distillery family in New Orleans. Unbeknownst to each other they meet again eight years later to discuss the possibility of Max hiring Haley’s ad agency to create a campaign to showcase Max’s new whiskey creation. They were both devastated. Haley out of guilt and the need to apologize and Max out of deep hurt of how Haley broke up with her. This was a very sweet story. Hope Vali can expand on this one as well.
Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali are three of my favorite authors and they have created three wonderful stories. In Forever Girl Jenny Frame’s second chance story where Brayden and Faith have been divorced for four years because of tragedy that nearly broke both of them. Their best friends have brought them back on a Caribbean cruise under the auspices that it’s to celebrate their friend’s birthday. They become reacquainted again and the love that had always been there still was. Great characters, poignant HEA.
In Runaway Bride by Taite, Katie left Emma the day before their wedding because Katie believed her father. This is the same father who died leaving their family in dire straits because of his mishandling of their business resulting in Katie now getting into a marriage of convenience to bail the business out. It was nice to see Lilly in this story (here’s hoping that couple will come back again). I liked Emma’s character but the story was from Katie’s POV.
In On The Rocks by Vali the characters were Max and Haley. Young lovers that parted when graduating from Tulane without any explanation on the part of Haley who felt obligated to ga back home and leaving Max behind. Max was the child of a long established whiskey distillery family in New Orleans. Unbeknownst to each other they meet again eight years later to discuss the possibility of Max hiring Haley’s ad agency to create a campaign to showcase Max’s new whiskey creation. They were both devastated. Haley out of guilt and the need to apologize and Max out of deep hurt of how Haley broke up with her. This was a very sweet story. Hope Vali can expand on this one as well.
August 7, 2020
I was in a reading funk for a few weeks and this book pulled me out of it!
I'm a fan of Jenny Frame and Carsen Taite, but haven't read much from Ali Vali, so I was excited to get me eyes on this!
Each story had an element of forgiveness and then reconciliation which I always enjoy reading.
My favorite was My Forever Girl. The characters, the relationships, the plot, the romance, all of it 100% enjoyable!
Double Jeopardy had me nervous for a moment because I'm not a fan of cheating. But, the plot was different than the usual, so it was an easier read for me. Emma was my favorite in this one and I'd read this story again just to see her and experience her journey again!
On the Rocks had an enjoyable family dynamic to it. Plus a little will they won't they tug of war that was enjoyable to watch.
Overall I recommend this book. Whether it's to check out one of the authors, or because you like reconciliation stories it's definitely worth the time invested.
I'm a fan of Jenny Frame and Carsen Taite, but haven't read much from Ali Vali, so I was excited to get me eyes on this!
Each story had an element of forgiveness and then reconciliation which I always enjoy reading.
My favorite was My Forever Girl. The characters, the relationships, the plot, the romance, all of it 100% enjoyable!
Double Jeopardy had me nervous for a moment because I'm not a fan of cheating. But, the plot was different than the usual, so it was an easier read for me. Emma was my favorite in this one and I'd read this story again just to see her and experience her journey again!
On the Rocks had an enjoyable family dynamic to it. Plus a little will they won't they tug of war that was enjoyable to watch.
Overall I recommend this book. Whether it's to check out one of the authors, or because you like reconciliation stories it's definitely worth the time invested.
December 19, 2022
How I like second chance romances! And in this book there are three good stories, short but interesting enough for my delight.
Of the three I would not know which one to highlight, because they have all been interesting in their own way. The three authors are excellent in this work.
In all three stories there are in common: a butch woman and a femme woman, more or less; a rich woman and another not so much, except in the last one but in essence this is also the case. And as the title indicates, love that has endured over time, which gives for intense rediscoverings.
This kind of books also has the positive factor that they are to the point and do not divert much from the main focus.
This has been a book that I have really enjoyed and recommend for a summer read. Or winter, spring or autumn.
An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review
Of the three I would not know which one to highlight, because they have all been interesting in their own way. The three authors are excellent in this work.
In all three stories there are in common: a butch woman and a femme woman, more or less; a rich woman and another not so much, except in the last one but in essence this is also the case. And as the title indicates, love that has endured over time, which gives for intense rediscoverings.
This kind of books also has the positive factor that they are to the point and do not divert much from the main focus.
This has been a book that I have really enjoyed and recommend for a summer read. Or winter, spring or autumn.
An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review
June 28, 2020
Loved Them All
This is a great book with three stories by three wonderful authors. These second chance romances are filled with hurt and betrayal, anger, confusion, sadness and then acceptance and desire, joy and peace and of course love. All three are so beautifully written and so full of emotions that they will have you crying tears of pain and of happiness, there will also be many contented sighs along with hearts filled with warm fuzzies! If any of these authors are new to you, now is a good chance to get a glimpse of how they write and if they are favourites of yours, like they are to me, then this is a lovely treat to see them in action again. This is an amazing book, perfect for a quick read on a break or to devour in one go!
This is a great book with three stories by three wonderful authors. These second chance romances are filled with hurt and betrayal, anger, confusion, sadness and then acceptance and desire, joy and peace and of course love. All three are so beautifully written and so full of emotions that they will have you crying tears of pain and of happiness, there will also be many contented sighs along with hearts filled with warm fuzzies! If any of these authors are new to you, now is a good chance to get a glimpse of how they write and if they are favourites of yours, like they are to me, then this is a lovely treat to see them in action again. This is an amazing book, perfect for a quick read on a break or to devour in one go!
July 4, 2020
I really love anything by all three of these authors and these novellas were the perfect thing to tide me over until their next release. I particularly enjoyed My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame - cruises and meddling friends and a little angst and a lot of chemistry made for a delicious little story.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2020
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books.
This book was excellent. I waited a little while before writing a review because I wanted to be able to articlulate myself properly. For the purposes of this review I am going to write about each short story since they do not connect and therefore cannot and should not be lumped together in this review. Al three stories are second chance at love stories, which in terms of genre are not my favorite.
My Forever girl by Jenny Frame is a story that was good, but it was also a little clunky and repetitive. The premise of the story is that two women are divorced because of something one of them did. Their friends ask both of them to go on a cruise with them. Both women who up to the cruise only to find out they have been duped, their friends led them to believe the other wasn't coming. Lo and behold two women find themselves on acruoqse with their ex. Through a lot of subterfuge and sadness they get back together. The two main characters Brayden and Faith were fine, but it just didn't feel like the chemistry was right. I don't know they just seemed to want to be together because it wzsd the only good relation ship they had ever known. I am not sure I would be so forgiving if my wife did what Brayden did not matter how contrite she was. Overall the story was good, the love scene was acceptable and in true Jenny Fram fashion it was well written. I guess these were characters I did not connect with.
In Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite we get to read the story of Katie and Emma. The best part of this story was brining in characters from the Lone Star series. I still want more of those books. I loved those characters, Back to the review. I did not dislike this story, it had a good plot, it was interesting and the two main characters seemed good together. I did like the runaway bride thing twice and that made the story much more enjoyable. Other than that I honestly cannot remember much about the story. It was okay, just not very memorable. It was a very good romantic story.
I save my favorite author for last. Ali Vali write On the Rocks and I have to say after reading every single other book Ms. Vali has written this one is in her wheelhouse. Preston is described as Dark hair and Blue Eyes and I honestly cannot remember how Haley was described, but if it is true Ali Vali she is blonde haired and light eyed. The problem here is that every book I read this is how she describes her main characters It gets very receptive, Preston's mannerism and the way she treats Haley are all indicative of the type of person Ms. Vali likes her characters to be, She wants them strong and butch an their love interest willowy and feminine, Thats what the characters were like. The actual story of the scion of a whiskey empire being so amazing at everything, but also being super rich, handsome, and has a set of the most loving and adoring parents and grandparents is jut so unrealistic, I mean just for once write a character that is more like real life. I can enjoy fantasy to an extent, and I think that this short story was just a stones throw too far into the realm of fantasy for me to truly enjoy it. The writing is spot on, the love scene was good. I am just getting tired of reading the same thing from Ms. Vali.
This book was excellent. I waited a little while before writing a review because I wanted to be able to articlulate myself properly. For the purposes of this review I am going to write about each short story since they do not connect and therefore cannot and should not be lumped together in this review. Al three stories are second chance at love stories, which in terms of genre are not my favorite.
My Forever girl by Jenny Frame is a story that was good, but it was also a little clunky and repetitive. The premise of the story is that two women are divorced because of something one of them did. Their friends ask both of them to go on a cruise with them. Both women who up to the cruise only to find out they have been duped, their friends led them to believe the other wasn't coming. Lo and behold two women find themselves on acruoqse with their ex. Through a lot of subterfuge and sadness they get back together. The two main characters Brayden and Faith were fine, but it just didn't feel like the chemistry was right. I don't know they just seemed to want to be together because it wzsd the only good relation ship they had ever known. I am not sure I would be so forgiving if my wife did what Brayden did not matter how contrite she was. Overall the story was good, the love scene was acceptable and in true Jenny Fram fashion it was well written. I guess these were characters I did not connect with.
In Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite we get to read the story of Katie and Emma. The best part of this story was brining in characters from the Lone Star series. I still want more of those books. I loved those characters, Back to the review. I did not dislike this story, it had a good plot, it was interesting and the two main characters seemed good together. I did like the runaway bride thing twice and that made the story much more enjoyable. Other than that I honestly cannot remember much about the story. It was okay, just not very memorable. It was a very good romantic story.
I save my favorite author for last. Ali Vali write On the Rocks and I have to say after reading every single other book Ms. Vali has written this one is in her wheelhouse. Preston is described as Dark hair and Blue Eyes and I honestly cannot remember how Haley was described, but if it is true Ali Vali she is blonde haired and light eyed. The problem here is that every book I read this is how she describes her main characters It gets very receptive, Preston's mannerism and the way she treats Haley are all indicative of the type of person Ms. Vali likes her characters to be, She wants them strong and butch an their love interest willowy and feminine, Thats what the characters were like. The actual story of the scion of a whiskey empire being so amazing at everything, but also being super rich, handsome, and has a set of the most loving and adoring parents and grandparents is jut so unrealistic, I mean just for once write a character that is more like real life. I can enjoy fantasy to an extent, and I think that this short story was just a stones throw too far into the realm of fantasy for me to truly enjoy it. The writing is spot on, the love scene was good. I am just getting tired of reading the same thing from Ms. Vali.
December 17, 2020
Short and sweet the second time around: three novellas about second chances
What was the book about?
Still Not Over You is a collection of three novella-length stories, each featuring a second chance romance.
My Forever Girl (by Jenny Frame)
Brayden and Faith had a picture perfect love, but were torn apart in the midst of tragedy. My Forever Girl picks up four years later, and Bray and Faith have not seen each other or spoken since their divorce. Their (very meddlesome to be honest) best friends conspire to trap them together on a cruise (my personal nightmare), and the reader is along for the ride.
Double Jeopardy (by Carsen Taite)
Katie James and Emma Read were a day away from getting married the last time they saw each other. Katie ran out on Emma, and runs into her again eight years later while waiting in line to get another marriage license. This time, there’s a lot less love and a lot more obligation involved, and Emma throws a bit of a wrench into Katie’s plans to go through the motions and make her new merger happen.
On the Rocks (by Ali Vali)
Preston Maxwell Cinclair is a master distiller in the family whiskey business in New Orleans, and Hayley Wyatt is heir to HER family’s business – an advertising firm in New York. They were college sweethearts with a deep connection but also a couple of notable secrets, and haven’t seen each other in 8 years, since Hayley left after graduation and seemingly never looked back. They’re thrown back together when Hayley’s firm is pitching a new ad campaign for Cinclair whiskey.
Featured Tropes:
Second chance romance, reunion romance
Book Strengths:
Novella-length stories and second chance romances are both my JAM, so I was quite excited to pick up this collection. On top of that, I’ve enjoyed novels by each of the authors featured in Still Not Over You – Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali. Each of the stories captured that emotional component that you’re looking for if you like a good second chance romance – the pain of years lost as the original relationships are described, the angst of the reunions, and the push and pull of the relationship building when there’s a solid history between the characters to draw on. Each novella had its own strengths as well:
In My Forever Girl, Jenny Frame really did a great job of building the pain of the initial breakup and the longing each character felt for the other.
In Double Jeopardy, Carsen Taite spun an intriguing tale. Trying to guess what had gone wrong in the first place or what was going on with Katie’s current relationship had me on the edge of my seat – I couldn’t put the book down until I finished.
In On The Rocks, Ali Vali wrote a story that had me wishing for a full-length novel. Even in the novella format, the characters had depth and the relationship was believable and exciting. The writing also made this story fun to read, as every scene picked up with a similar thought or line from the end of the previous scene.
Book Weaknesses:
I found all three novellas to be just on the far side of “sappy,” especially when it came to dialogue. As an avid reader of romance, I expect a healthy dose of sappiness in my media. That said, I found myself taken out of the story in each of the three novellas featured here at some point or another. When reading My Forever Girl, I found myself longing for more show and less tell. There were far too many descriptive details that didn’t add to the emotion of the story, causing the story to drag at times. I truly enjoyed the premise and intrigue in Double Jeopardy, but felt the character development to be lacking. I didn’t fall in love with Katie or Emma enough for the characters or their arcs to stay with me through my next read. It could be that the novella length contributed here – that a longer story would provide more time for that development. And finally, On The Rocks. I do think the last novella was the strongest of the three. I would absolutely read a full length novel if Ali Vali ever decided to flesh this one out a bit more. The one weakness I will mention here is that it felt like the dialogue and even scene work toward the end were slightly more disjointed, especially when compared to the rest of the novella, which did slightly hamper the emotional connection to the Max and Hayley’s relationship climax.
Character Chemistry:
I felt the chemistry of all three pairings featured in Still Not Over You. If I had to rank the chemistry, I think that Vali’s Max and Hayley had the best chemistry, followed by Frame’s Bray and Faith, and finally Taite’s Katie and Emma (Double Jeopardy is told solely from Katie’s perspective, which I do think makes it more difficult to build chemistry, especially in a shorter format).
Heat Rating:
My Forever Love – 3 flames
Double Jeopardy – 2 flames
On The Rocks – 4 flames
Wrap up:
Still Not Over You is a lovely collection of novellas, all featuring one of my favorite tropes: second chance romances. Fans of Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali will inevitably enjoy this collection, as will anyone looking to dip their toes into a couple of great romantic stories without committing to a full novel’s worth of your reading time.
See full review at https://lesreveur.com/2020/09/12/stil...
I was provided with an ARC and have voluntarily left an honest review.
What was the book about?
Still Not Over You is a collection of three novella-length stories, each featuring a second chance romance.
My Forever Girl (by Jenny Frame)
Brayden and Faith had a picture perfect love, but were torn apart in the midst of tragedy. My Forever Girl picks up four years later, and Bray and Faith have not seen each other or spoken since their divorce. Their (very meddlesome to be honest) best friends conspire to trap them together on a cruise (my personal nightmare), and the reader is along for the ride.
Double Jeopardy (by Carsen Taite)
Katie James and Emma Read were a day away from getting married the last time they saw each other. Katie ran out on Emma, and runs into her again eight years later while waiting in line to get another marriage license. This time, there’s a lot less love and a lot more obligation involved, and Emma throws a bit of a wrench into Katie’s plans to go through the motions and make her new merger happen.
On the Rocks (by Ali Vali)
Preston Maxwell Cinclair is a master distiller in the family whiskey business in New Orleans, and Hayley Wyatt is heir to HER family’s business – an advertising firm in New York. They were college sweethearts with a deep connection but also a couple of notable secrets, and haven’t seen each other in 8 years, since Hayley left after graduation and seemingly never looked back. They’re thrown back together when Hayley’s firm is pitching a new ad campaign for Cinclair whiskey.
Featured Tropes:
Second chance romance, reunion romance
Book Strengths:
Novella-length stories and second chance romances are both my JAM, so I was quite excited to pick up this collection. On top of that, I’ve enjoyed novels by each of the authors featured in Still Not Over You – Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali. Each of the stories captured that emotional component that you’re looking for if you like a good second chance romance – the pain of years lost as the original relationships are described, the angst of the reunions, and the push and pull of the relationship building when there’s a solid history between the characters to draw on. Each novella had its own strengths as well:
In My Forever Girl, Jenny Frame really did a great job of building the pain of the initial breakup and the longing each character felt for the other.
In Double Jeopardy, Carsen Taite spun an intriguing tale. Trying to guess what had gone wrong in the first place or what was going on with Katie’s current relationship had me on the edge of my seat – I couldn’t put the book down until I finished.
In On The Rocks, Ali Vali wrote a story that had me wishing for a full-length novel. Even in the novella format, the characters had depth and the relationship was believable and exciting. The writing also made this story fun to read, as every scene picked up with a similar thought or line from the end of the previous scene.
Book Weaknesses:
I found all three novellas to be just on the far side of “sappy,” especially when it came to dialogue. As an avid reader of romance, I expect a healthy dose of sappiness in my media. That said, I found myself taken out of the story in each of the three novellas featured here at some point or another. When reading My Forever Girl, I found myself longing for more show and less tell. There were far too many descriptive details that didn’t add to the emotion of the story, causing the story to drag at times. I truly enjoyed the premise and intrigue in Double Jeopardy, but felt the character development to be lacking. I didn’t fall in love with Katie or Emma enough for the characters or their arcs to stay with me through my next read. It could be that the novella length contributed here – that a longer story would provide more time for that development. And finally, On The Rocks. I do think the last novella was the strongest of the three. I would absolutely read a full length novel if Ali Vali ever decided to flesh this one out a bit more. The one weakness I will mention here is that it felt like the dialogue and even scene work toward the end were slightly more disjointed, especially when compared to the rest of the novella, which did slightly hamper the emotional connection to the Max and Hayley’s relationship climax.
Character Chemistry:
I felt the chemistry of all three pairings featured in Still Not Over You. If I had to rank the chemistry, I think that Vali’s Max and Hayley had the best chemistry, followed by Frame’s Bray and Faith, and finally Taite’s Katie and Emma (Double Jeopardy is told solely from Katie’s perspective, which I do think makes it more difficult to build chemistry, especially in a shorter format).
Heat Rating:
My Forever Love – 3 flames
Double Jeopardy – 2 flames
On The Rocks – 4 flames
Wrap up:
Still Not Over You is a lovely collection of novellas, all featuring one of my favorite tropes: second chance romances. Fans of Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali will inevitably enjoy this collection, as will anyone looking to dip their toes into a couple of great romantic stories without committing to a full novel’s worth of your reading time.
See full review at https://lesreveur.com/2020/09/12/stil...
I was provided with an ARC and have voluntarily left an honest review.
October 30, 2020
These 3 novellas all had one thing in common that were executed in their own beautiful, unique ways. Past love and what one would do to get that love back and into the present.
Jenny Frame has steadily become one of my most favorite f/f writers and this book again shows how she uses her experiences and understandings of the world (and her native homeland) to weave a story that relays the struggles one must overcome within themselves to be happy again. I felt the deep pain Brayden struggled to overcome and move on with her life. Punishing one's self for so long and never asking for help is something that I hope no one I love ever has to go through. Like Faith was there for Brayden, I also hope to be able to provide support for someone who suffers like her and be able to show them that love will heal all wounds if given the chance.
Carsen Taite's Double Jeopardy was an interesting story. I had never read a story by this author before. I found the flashbacks and intrigue behind the whole love story and separation between Katie and Emma. The sacrifices one makes for love or lack of love was also well executed and I found myself yelling a lot for the characters as they made choices that would either help or hinder them. This story had a different kind of hurt than Frame's and seemed a little cliche but I loved it nonetheless. Sometimes cliche is just what one needs, and I needed it. I actually would have loved to see what happened after the ending as the future seemed uncertain for the chars.
Ali Vali is an author I have read once before and this story was very different from the normal romance book I read by them before. I want to say that it had all the potential that the other novellas had in the collection but there's always something about stories with a person owning a bar or whose family sells alcohol that is always hit or miss for me. This story was a miss for me. I did try to get into the character interactions, but it was difficult and half the time I lost track of whose point of view I was reading. I will say that this story admittedly seemed to have more 'realness' to it than the other two novellas. If someone is looking for a more grounded story, this might be for them. Myself, I found the other two to be unbelievable to an extent but I loved them all the more for it.
Overall, this is a nice collection with a bit of everything for one who loves to read about gaining back the love of your life after a period of hurt and separation and goes to show that one will never forget their first love.
Jenny Frame has steadily become one of my most favorite f/f writers and this book again shows how she uses her experiences and understandings of the world (and her native homeland) to weave a story that relays the struggles one must overcome within themselves to be happy again. I felt the deep pain Brayden struggled to overcome and move on with her life. Punishing one's self for so long and never asking for help is something that I hope no one I love ever has to go through. Like Faith was there for Brayden, I also hope to be able to provide support for someone who suffers like her and be able to show them that love will heal all wounds if given the chance.
Carsen Taite's Double Jeopardy was an interesting story. I had never read a story by this author before. I found the flashbacks and intrigue behind the whole love story and separation between Katie and Emma. The sacrifices one makes for love or lack of love was also well executed and I found myself yelling a lot for the characters as they made choices that would either help or hinder them. This story had a different kind of hurt than Frame's and seemed a little cliche but I loved it nonetheless. Sometimes cliche is just what one needs, and I needed it. I actually would have loved to see what happened after the ending as the future seemed uncertain for the chars.
Ali Vali is an author I have read once before and this story was very different from the normal romance book I read by them before. I want to say that it had all the potential that the other novellas had in the collection but there's always something about stories with a person owning a bar or whose family sells alcohol that is always hit or miss for me. This story was a miss for me. I did try to get into the character interactions, but it was difficult and half the time I lost track of whose point of view I was reading. I will say that this story admittedly seemed to have more 'realness' to it than the other two novellas. If someone is looking for a more grounded story, this might be for them. Myself, I found the other two to be unbelievable to an extent but I loved them all the more for it.
Overall, this is a nice collection with a bit of everything for one who loves to read about gaining back the love of your life after a period of hurt and separation and goes to show that one will never forget their first love.
December 27, 2020
3.5 stars overall
I've probably said it before, but I'll say it again, novellas are tricky chimkens. Delivering them well is perhaps some of the ultimate trickiness. Wrapping up effectively an entire story in an inch of the time and space, requires some complex mojo, but in the case of all three novellas here, I'd like to say it's a job quite well done.
Jenny Frame's "My Forever Girl" works really well, with ex-wives Brayden and Faith hopping on board a cruise together and finding that perhaps they could have a second chance. Brayden took her family's fortune to the bin and Faith played her own hand in pushing Brayden away. Their meddling friends may just be right in bringing them all back together.
Brayden's character is honest and long suffering from her own devices and the evils of gambling. She's genuinely likeable, but doesn't even come close to liking herself. It takes Faith's forgiveness to bring her back.
I give "My Forever Girl" four stars.
---
Carsen Taite's "Double Jeopardy" delivers a familiar story of the runaway bride, but it's complicated. Katie ran away once, but she's soon to give marriage a second chance ... or will she.
Emma saw Katie run away from her once before, so when they connect again just before Katie is about to tie the knot, there's a lot of baggage to work through.
Neither character was a super favourite of mine, and the story was pretty much a straight line in terms of predictions. Less entertaining, but still ok.
3 stars
---
Anyone for whiskey? On the Rocks by Ali Vali, gives whiskey distiller Preston 'Max' Maxwell a second chance with long lost love Hayley Wyatt, apart from they're both gun shy and there are bandaids which need to be ripped off.
With some careful guidance (or blatant badgering), Max and Hayley get a second change.
Ok enough. 3 stars.
I've probably said it before, but I'll say it again, novellas are tricky chimkens. Delivering them well is perhaps some of the ultimate trickiness. Wrapping up effectively an entire story in an inch of the time and space, requires some complex mojo, but in the case of all three novellas here, I'd like to say it's a job quite well done.
Jenny Frame's "My Forever Girl" works really well, with ex-wives Brayden and Faith hopping on board a cruise together and finding that perhaps they could have a second chance. Brayden took her family's fortune to the bin and Faith played her own hand in pushing Brayden away. Their meddling friends may just be right in bringing them all back together.
Brayden's character is honest and long suffering from her own devices and the evils of gambling. She's genuinely likeable, but doesn't even come close to liking herself. It takes Faith's forgiveness to bring her back.
I give "My Forever Girl" four stars.
---
Carsen Taite's "Double Jeopardy" delivers a familiar story of the runaway bride, but it's complicated. Katie ran away once, but she's soon to give marriage a second chance ... or will she.
Emma saw Katie run away from her once before, so when they connect again just before Katie is about to tie the knot, there's a lot of baggage to work through.
Neither character was a super favourite of mine, and the story was pretty much a straight line in terms of predictions. Less entertaining, but still ok.
3 stars
---
Anyone for whiskey? On the Rocks by Ali Vali, gives whiskey distiller Preston 'Max' Maxwell a second chance with long lost love Hayley Wyatt, apart from they're both gun shy and there are bandaids which need to be ripped off.
With some careful guidance (or blatant badgering), Max and Hayley get a second change.
Ok enough. 3 stars.
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