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My car broke down on an icy road in the middle of nowhere. I’ve got no money in the bank, no place to stay, and no food for my kids. Can it get any worse?
Sure. A police car pulls up.
The county sheriff calls his twin brother to tow my car for repairs that'll probably cost more than the beater is worth. They say don’t worry about it. They only want to help.
Sure they do.
These gorgeous guys just happen to have two friends who own a luxurious motel called Little Cypress Lodge. I walk into this incredible hotel and it's like I've entered a new fantasy world. It's warm, there's plenty of food for my kids, and they say I can stay. For free. As long as I need a place.
The four of them even want to hire me to do some modeling work for their new fashion line. Crazy, right?
Me. The broke down, homeless single mom.
If I can keep up the act long enough to make some deposits on a new place, I can start a new life for me and my kids. If I don't lose my heart first.
Sure. A police car pulls up.
The county sheriff calls his twin brother to tow my car for repairs that'll probably cost more than the beater is worth. They say don’t worry about it. They only want to help.
Sure they do.
These gorgeous guys just happen to have two friends who own a luxurious motel called Little Cypress Lodge. I walk into this incredible hotel and it's like I've entered a new fantasy world. It's warm, there's plenty of food for my kids, and they say I can stay. For free. As long as I need a place.
The four of them even want to hire me to do some modeling work for their new fashion line. Crazy, right?
Me. The broke down, homeless single mom.
If I can keep up the act long enough to make some deposits on a new place, I can start a new life for me and my kids. If I don't lose my heart first.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews
February 23, 2021
Sweet and Sexy RH
This was actually written by Joely Sue Burkhart, of Queen Takes Knights fame. This book is written under a pen name and I can see why. This book is NOTHING like the dark RH works this author is known for. This book is a very sweet RH, with very little conflict, filled with sweet insta-love and a little steam thrown in for good measure.
Shelby is a single mother. She’s broke, alone and desperate. She only has one family member left, her grandmother, who she hasn’t seen since she was a child. She finally caves in, packs up her belongings in her very broken down car, scoops up her children and heads off for pastures new, where hopefully she at least won’t have to worry about rent.
With a grand total of $20 in her purse, her faithful old car gives up the ghost. They are on a deserted road, with no food, no heat and no money to call for a tow truck. Shelby doesn’t know what to do until flashing lights pull up behind her and the sheriff comes up and rescues her. Whisking her up the road, where he, his twin brother and two best friends run a fancy hotel/lodge/retreat.
Shelby can’t believe her luck and is waiting for the other shoe to drop, but the sheriff and his friends can’t believe their luck too. They’ve been looking for a woman to share, to have a family with and they all want Shelby and her adorable kids.
The characters are really fun. Shelby is very real, down to Earth and a little bit beaten up by life. Her kids are well behaved and sweet, without being over the top and cutesy stereotypes. The guys are big characters. Derek, the sheriff, is a big burly protector type, his brother Kaleb is a big teddy bear of a mechanic, Everett is the charismatic hard-working poor boy, done good and Chris is the broken billionaire ex-marine with PTSD. They even have a dog.
You can probably guess where the plot goes. It’s sweet and lovely, filled with grand gestures, dreams come true and passion. It’s a sweet and loving romp of a book and is pure escapism as you imagine yourself taking Shelby’s place instead of in your normal grind of a day.
It’s a fun book, without any great challenges, but it’s well written and you feel good when you read it. Sometimes all you want in a book is something to make you smile and this book hits the nail on the head.
This was actually written by Joely Sue Burkhart, of Queen Takes Knights fame. This book is written under a pen name and I can see why. This book is NOTHING like the dark RH works this author is known for. This book is a very sweet RH, with very little conflict, filled with sweet insta-love and a little steam thrown in for good measure.
Shelby is a single mother. She’s broke, alone and desperate. She only has one family member left, her grandmother, who she hasn’t seen since she was a child. She finally caves in, packs up her belongings in her very broken down car, scoops up her children and heads off for pastures new, where hopefully she at least won’t have to worry about rent.
With a grand total of $20 in her purse, her faithful old car gives up the ghost. They are on a deserted road, with no food, no heat and no money to call for a tow truck. Shelby doesn’t know what to do until flashing lights pull up behind her and the sheriff comes up and rescues her. Whisking her up the road, where he, his twin brother and two best friends run a fancy hotel/lodge/retreat.
Shelby can’t believe her luck and is waiting for the other shoe to drop, but the sheriff and his friends can’t believe their luck too. They’ve been looking for a woman to share, to have a family with and they all want Shelby and her adorable kids.
The characters are really fun. Shelby is very real, down to Earth and a little bit beaten up by life. Her kids are well behaved and sweet, without being over the top and cutesy stereotypes. The guys are big characters. Derek, the sheriff, is a big burly protector type, his brother Kaleb is a big teddy bear of a mechanic, Everett is the charismatic hard-working poor boy, done good and Chris is the broken billionaire ex-marine with PTSD. They even have a dog.
You can probably guess where the plot goes. It’s sweet and lovely, filled with grand gestures, dreams come true and passion. It’s a sweet and loving romp of a book and is pure escapism as you imagine yourself taking Shelby’s place instead of in your normal grind of a day.
It’s a fun book, without any great challenges, but it’s well written and you feel good when you read it. Sometimes all you want in a book is something to make you smile and this book hits the nail on the head.
June 2, 2021
The title is so misleading. They aren't over the top possessive alphas. Plain old alpha men..maybe? Or just men who are delusional about getting involved with someone after just a week of interaction because insta-love exists.
Okay so I started this book expecting something along the lines of Alexa Riley's novels but this book was pretty nice..and yes, it was a simple read which the author mentions as "a standalone insta-love with hot-shot men and Alexa Riley feels"! The book, despite the cover, wasn't overly sexual. It felt like just another book but yes, insta-love. So if that's not your thing, then this book will not interest you.
There's literally no conflict in this book. And the author added a small conflict purely for the reason to add something in but really, it just seemed ridiculous. I would have enjoyed the book even more if it had an epilogue. Because yes, eventhough insta-love is cringe most of the time, I really need more of an actual conclusion rather than a "Oh..The End".
One thing I found crazy about one of the character's, Chris, was how he had served in the Marine Corps for years, came back and got into building and providing finance to build the "holiday Inn destination"..and he's also designing clothes like please..AND is into photography as well! That's a lot!! Like what?! But then again it's supposed to be an easy breezy read so I ignored that part and went ahead.
Also it's so weird that the kids only want the twins as their dads..like umm..imagine how weird the other two guys felt after that scene..haha! And don't get me started on how all the men on the cover is literally the same man in different poses! Like fine there's a set of identical-ishh twins. But then the other two men aren't related to them by blood so that's just weird. The book cover should be changed is all I'm saying!!
Okay so I started this book expecting something along the lines of Alexa Riley's novels but this book was pretty nice..and yes, it was a simple read which the author mentions as "a standalone insta-love with hot-shot men and Alexa Riley feels"! The book, despite the cover, wasn't overly sexual. It felt like just another book but yes, insta-love. So if that's not your thing, then this book will not interest you.
There's literally no conflict in this book. And the author added a small conflict purely for the reason to add something in but really, it just seemed ridiculous. I would have enjoyed the book even more if it had an epilogue. Because yes, eventhough insta-love is cringe most of the time, I really need more of an actual conclusion rather than a "Oh..The End".
One thing I found crazy about one of the character's, Chris, was how he had served in the Marine Corps for years, came back and got into building and providing finance to build the "holiday Inn destination"..and he's also designing clothes like please..AND is into photography as well! That's a lot!! Like what?! But then again it's supposed to be an easy breezy read so I ignored that part and went ahead.
Also it's so weird that the kids only want the twins as their dads..like umm..imagine how weird the other two guys felt after that scene..haha! And don't get me started on how all the men on the cover is literally the same man in different poses! Like fine there's a set of identical-ishh twins. But then the other two men aren't related to them by blood so that's just weird. The book cover should be changed is all I'm saying!!
July 7, 2021
This was an okay read. It wasn’t a wham bam thank you ma’am for which I was grateful.
I loved Allie and Liam.
As for the rest there was too much inner dialogue and repetition.
I loved Allie and Liam.
As for the rest there was too much inner dialogue and repetition.
April 29, 2021
Couldn't Keep My Attention
I thought that I would love this book, the description sounded great, but overall the book wasn't for me. There was so much inner dialog that I was bored reading the first few chapters. I only got to chapter 7 or 8 before I couldn't push myself to read more. And the insta-love was just to much. It's not something I read a lot of, I don't dislike the trope, but some stories are just over the top, completely unbelievable, and this was one of them. I ended up skipping to the last couple chapters just to see how the story ended, and I wasn't impressed. Seems like I didn't miss anything from the majority of the book I didn't read.
*small spoiler*
And I was actually mad to find out that her grandmother was just a prop used for the basis of Shelby traveling and finding these men by chance. When she did finally make it to her grandmother, she saw her for all of 10 minutes and went on her way. Huge disappointment there, at least to me.
I thought that I would love this book, the description sounded great, but overall the book wasn't for me. There was so much inner dialog that I was bored reading the first few chapters. I only got to chapter 7 or 8 before I couldn't push myself to read more. And the insta-love was just to much. It's not something I read a lot of, I don't dislike the trope, but some stories are just over the top, completely unbelievable, and this was one of them. I ended up skipping to the last couple chapters just to see how the story ended, and I wasn't impressed. Seems like I didn't miss anything from the majority of the book I didn't read.
*small spoiler*
And I was actually mad to find out that her grandmother was just a prop used for the basis of Shelby traveling and finding these men by chance. When she did finally make it to her grandmother, she saw her for all of 10 minutes and went on her way. Huge disappointment there, at least to me.
May 24, 2024
Update 2024: I actually reread this and then while looking at other books to read, found a book with almost the same name, broke down single mom, that I SWEAR is the exact same story... so, I am going to go read it and rage at all the copied parts.. and trust me, the story is the EXACT same, just with very minor differences!
This book came first.... I feel bad for the author. It's one thing to get inspiration from an author but a whole other to flat out copy their book!
Okay so that book was really cute. It took a while for me to get into it but I think that's because I was jaded from the last book that I read. But this book is really sweet and fairy tale-ish. Happily ever after for sure. But I don't want it to end lol. Anyway if you want to read this book I strongly suggest it and enjoy it.
This book came first.... I feel bad for the author. It's one thing to get inspiration from an author but a whole other to flat out copy their book!
Okay so that book was really cute. It took a while for me to get into it but I think that's because I was jaded from the last book that I read. But this book is really sweet and fairy tale-ish. Happily ever after for sure. But I don't want it to end lol. Anyway if you want to read this book I strongly suggest it and enjoy it.
December 9, 2025
Spoiled by its own incredulity
This book was a freebie and frankly, not sure it was worth the price.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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This book was a freebie and frankly, not sure it was worth the price.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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January 8, 2023
"Baby, when you sleep with me, it'll be because you're going crazy with want. Aching with desire to the point that you'd swear you'll die if you don't get me inside you."
The series name doesn't really parallel the plotline it gave.
It was unfortunate, but I was bored most of the time of the read.
The beginning started solid and fun but coming into the middle of the book, and I felt like the plotline was going everywhere and nowhere.
The strings to the plotline weren't strong enough for the smooth storytelling of the different plotlines of each character's POV.
I didn't feel the balance of POV and each character's development. While I love getting to know everyone, it felt like Chris was the main character.
I would say it's a light reverse harem read.
Nothing too intense. It was nice to read and focus on emotional development.
I will be reading the rest of the series for fun and with no high expectations.
"I didn’t dare. I knew that if I tasted your lips, I’d never let you up for air again."
The series name doesn't really parallel the plotline it gave.
It was unfortunate, but I was bored most of the time of the read.
The beginning started solid and fun but coming into the middle of the book, and I felt like the plotline was going everywhere and nowhere.
The strings to the plotline weren't strong enough for the smooth storytelling of the different plotlines of each character's POV.
I didn't feel the balance of POV and each character's development. While I love getting to know everyone, it felt like Chris was the main character.
I would say it's a light reverse harem read.
Nothing too intense. It was nice to read and focus on emotional development.
I will be reading the rest of the series for fun and with no high expectations.
"I didn’t dare. I knew that if I tasted your lips, I’d never let you up for air again."
March 22, 2024
Wow. This is really the most insta-lusty, insta-lust book that ever insta-lusted.
November 22, 2021
This was all the instas ... and although it probably wasn't meant to be funny, I often found myself cracking up at the ridiculousness. That said, I read it and didn't hate it.
Shelby is trying to get to her grandmother's house after losing her apartment. She's homeless, jobless, and her kids are hungry and cold. Her car breaks down near a resort that is owned and ran by 4 best friends - twins Derek and Kaleb, Chris, and Everett. Derek, the sheriff, pulls over to help her and Shelby and her kids end up going back to their lodge while her car is fixed.
So, logically, this story is ridiculous for so many reasons.
1. Shelby, a singly mother with 2 kids, shouldn't be so quick to go home with a complete stranger and his twin brother. Idc if he's the sheriff.
2. She lets her kids go off with this strangers without her supervision while she makes out with the sheriff in a car after knowing him like 30 minutes. She doesn't know these men, anything... ANYTHING could happen to them.
3. They've known her for less than a week and the L word is being thrown around but worse, they all bust out engagement rings telling her that they are inevitably going to propose
4. After her temper tantrum about her car 🙄... they show up and actually propose to her. Less than a week people.
5. (This one is probably the most ridiculous one of them all) Shelby, one night after doing the horizontal hula with Chris sans protection, she drops the "I'm probably pregnant" bomb. Yup. She can tell she's pregnant less than 24 hours after the act.
I did get annoyed with Shelby's repetitive self deprecation. She was constantly going on about how she wasn't worth it, didn't belong there, they wouldn't want her... blah blah blah. This would go on for pages at a time, we'd get a break from it for a chapter, and then we'd repeat the whole speil all over again. But again, I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking with this book, I just wanted something that wouldn't have me all anxious and frustrated.
All that said, I still read it. Granted I rolled my eyes about a dozen times and chuckled to myself a few times as well, but I read it nonetheless. I was expecting the all the cheesy, lovey dovey ridiculousness when I started reading, so that may be why I wasn't so quick to DNF this one. I just needed a break from all the angsty bully books that I seem to keep on downloading despite the fact that I really don't like the bully trope.
Anyhoo, this was… something. If you like insta-love with cheese-ball MMCs and a FMC with a laundry list of issues, then you'll probably like this book.
Shelby is trying to get to her grandmother's house after losing her apartment. She's homeless, jobless, and her kids are hungry and cold. Her car breaks down near a resort that is owned and ran by 4 best friends - twins Derek and Kaleb, Chris, and Everett. Derek, the sheriff, pulls over to help her and Shelby and her kids end up going back to their lodge while her car is fixed.
So, logically, this story is ridiculous for so many reasons.
1. Shelby, a singly mother with 2 kids, shouldn't be so quick to go home with a complete stranger and his twin brother. Idc if he's the sheriff.
2. She lets her kids go off with this strangers without her supervision while she makes out with the sheriff in a car after knowing him like 30 minutes. She doesn't know these men, anything... ANYTHING could happen to them.
3. They've known her for less than a week and the L word is being thrown around but worse, they all bust out engagement rings telling her that they are inevitably going to propose
4. After her temper tantrum about her car 🙄... they show up and actually propose to her. Less than a week people.
5. (This one is probably the most ridiculous one of them all) Shelby, one night after doing the horizontal hula with Chris sans protection, she drops the "I'm probably pregnant" bomb. Yup. She can tell she's pregnant less than 24 hours after the act.
I did get annoyed with Shelby's repetitive self deprecation. She was constantly going on about how she wasn't worth it, didn't belong there, they wouldn't want her... blah blah blah. This would go on for pages at a time, we'd get a break from it for a chapter, and then we'd repeat the whole speil all over again. But again, I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking with this book, I just wanted something that wouldn't have me all anxious and frustrated.
All that said, I still read it. Granted I rolled my eyes about a dozen times and chuckled to myself a few times as well, but I read it nonetheless. I was expecting the all the cheesy, lovey dovey ridiculousness when I started reading, so that may be why I wasn't so quick to DNF this one. I just needed a break from all the angsty bully books that I seem to keep on downloading despite the fact that I really don't like the bully trope.
Anyhoo, this was… something. If you like insta-love with cheese-ball MMCs and a FMC with a laundry list of issues, then you'll probably like this book.
February 3, 2021
This was a super sweet, no-stress, fun story with tons of heart, and it was exactly what I needed right now. I really, really enjoyed it.
April 28, 2021
Stupid
This is beyond lazy writing. 10 seconds (wish I was joking) after meeting her he wants her in his life forever? First couple of pages we learn that children believe all cops will shoot anyone for no reason and they know way too much about adults problems. This mother is an extremely weak person and it was just hard to read.
This is beyond lazy writing. 10 seconds (wish I was joking) after meeting her he wants her in his life forever? First couple of pages we learn that children believe all cops will shoot anyone for no reason and they know way too much about adults problems. This mother is an extremely weak person and it was just hard to read.
April 30, 2021
Okay, we get it, you’re a mom who is a “loser”. Ugh the pity party here is strong. While I usually don’t mind, the fact that the same phrases and idea kept repeating in her head were very annoying. I didn’t feel any attachment or endearment to any of her guys, so I can’t find anything sweet about the book. Nothing much was going on too, so I DNF at less than 50%
May 11, 2021
It was okay. If you’re looking for steamy hot sex you will not find it here. This is a story more about how a broke down mother of two found some sexy guys to show her and her kids love and them finding a woman to love them all in the process.
April 17, 2021
Would have rated it higher if it would have been a bit more believable, it just happened too quick. Otherwise good. Would have liked a epilogue.
April 17, 2021
Definitely was interested in this premise- alpha, protective men, over the top possessive, save a single mom damsel in distress and Hallmark type swoony feels?! UHM SIGN ME UP- that sounds like a marvelous diversion and delicious entertainment.
Unfortunately- the book wasn't quite that. There were parts I liked, for sure. I liked that the men were already committed to this as a construct, and I thought we had some few unusual things with their personalities that I appreciated that made the nature of this harem highly original. The kids were adorable- and getting to watch the men be sweet and loving to them had me all swoony. And, I know some may gripe about instalove- but I'm actually fine with that- I like the cheesy, love at first sight commitment we got from the men, too. They were all in, and it gave me all those swoony Hallmark sweet and easy romance feels. They bent over backwards for her- and it was dreamy.
But, my list of quibbles is a bit longer than I'd like. First, these men weren't really "alpha"- at least in terms of how I've interpreted that trope. And while their generosity was over the top, and the insta love was over the top- I wouldn't really say they were over the top possessive in anyway. They were salivating over sharing her- which is RH, so I was fine with that- but where was this alpha possession I was expecting? I also felt like our heroine was a bit shallowly characterized- we had SO much emotional content to explore with her (single mother, poverty, on the run, ex husband, no family) but we get the same repetitive internal monologue about her insecurities in terms of her financial status relative to these men. It didn't do much to endear me to her, but even more so, I felt like we don't really know her as a character. And, what she did in the finale just made no sense- it felt so overly dramatic and frustrating. Fortunately we didn't have to suffer long before it was righted, but the ending felt so rushed and out of place compared to the rest of the story. I also found the whole modelling subplot to be just..well...weird. I get what the author was doing in terms of characterization, but I found those scenes distracting and odd. And, my largest quibble- the sexy time is a bit meh. This is a harem of over the top men- FOUR sexy guys. And we don't ever get to explore the group dynamic and only have a few sexy scenes in general. The cover and description just led me to believe this would be some alpha, sexy, steamy goodness. I wish my expectations been calibrated better by the cover and the description and the subtitle- I went into this expecting a story that it is not, and that influenced my experience.
Unfortunately- the book wasn't quite that. There were parts I liked, for sure. I liked that the men were already committed to this as a construct, and I thought we had some few unusual things with their personalities that I appreciated that made the nature of this harem highly original. The kids were adorable- and getting to watch the men be sweet and loving to them had me all swoony. And, I know some may gripe about instalove- but I'm actually fine with that- I like the cheesy, love at first sight commitment we got from the men, too. They were all in, and it gave me all those swoony Hallmark sweet and easy romance feels. They bent over backwards for her- and it was dreamy.
But, my list of quibbles is a bit longer than I'd like. First, these men weren't really "alpha"- at least in terms of how I've interpreted that trope. And while their generosity was over the top, and the insta love was over the top- I wouldn't really say they were over the top possessive in anyway. They were salivating over sharing her- which is RH, so I was fine with that- but where was this alpha possession I was expecting? I also felt like our heroine was a bit shallowly characterized- we had SO much emotional content to explore with her (single mother, poverty, on the run, ex husband, no family) but we get the same repetitive internal monologue about her insecurities in terms of her financial status relative to these men. It didn't do much to endear me to her, but even more so, I felt like we don't really know her as a character. And, what she did in the finale just made no sense- it felt so overly dramatic and frustrating. Fortunately we didn't have to suffer long before it was righted, but the ending felt so rushed and out of place compared to the rest of the story. I also found the whole modelling subplot to be just..well...weird. I get what the author was doing in terms of characterization, but I found those scenes distracting and odd. And, my largest quibble- the sexy time is a bit meh. This is a harem of over the top men- FOUR sexy guys. And we don't ever get to explore the group dynamic and only have a few sexy scenes in general. The cover and description just led me to believe this would be some alpha, sexy, steamy goodness. I wish my expectations been calibrated better by the cover and the description and the subtitle- I went into this expecting a story that it is not, and that influenced my experience.
February 25, 2023
In the scheme of books I tend to read, this is is on the “lighter” side of things.
That said, there might be a few things that might be triggering for select readers including PTSD, suidical ideations (from previous experience but mentioned and discussed enough to be triggering), as well as mental abuse realized after the fact.
All said and done, this book almost like a fairytale but in the most IRL kind of way. It’s a bit ostentatious, but I still enjoyed it. I was also glad to see there was the follow up to this book, as it’s not labeled as a series on Audible and I didn’t look on GR prior to listening to this book.
That said, there might be a few things that might be triggering for select readers including PTSD, suidical ideations (from previous experience but mentioned and discussed enough to be triggering), as well as mental abuse realized after the fact.
All said and done, this book almost like a fairytale but in the most IRL kind of way. It’s a bit ostentatious, but I still enjoyed it. I was also glad to see there was the follow up to this book, as it’s not labeled as a series on Audible and I didn’t look on GR prior to listening to this book.
January 11, 2022
Just didn't work for me.. they weren't possessive enough for my liking. Also it was too insta, and just couldn't keep my interest.
February 2, 2021
Oh, this book...
I am not used to reverse harem books, but I liked the premise of this. It is told from all the adults view points and really gives you a glimpse at why they made the choices they made. All the guys were swoon worthy and made it really hard to put down. I was literally counting the minutes until I could pick it up again. It was cheesy at times and definitely had many over the top moments, but you are warned with the title. The only thing I didn't like was how often she mentioned being a broke single mother who was a waitress. I get her hang ups and why she felt that way, but I didn't need to be told over and over, sometimes more than once in the same page. But overall I really, really liked it.
I am not used to reverse harem books, but I liked the premise of this. It is told from all the adults view points and really gives you a glimpse at why they made the choices they made. All the guys were swoon worthy and made it really hard to put down. I was literally counting the minutes until I could pick it up again. It was cheesy at times and definitely had many over the top moments, but you are warned with the title. The only thing I didn't like was how often she mentioned being a broke single mother who was a waitress. I get her hang ups and why she felt that way, but I didn't need to be told over and over, sometimes more than once in the same page. But overall I really, really liked it.
February 6, 2021
3.5 Stars.
I really wanted to rate this higher.
I read that part and was like yeay! No unresponsive/do not talk partners in this book. Then the whole Kaleb, Derek debacle happened. And what does homegirl do, ran for granny!
I was so fucking annoyed. Her actions contradicted all she'd been saying/thinking.
Then, the constant reminders, every chapter, that Shelby was poor, didn't fit in. It got annoying pretty fast.
The other part that lead to half a star coming off, the book was too long. I took a 2 days break from reading it. And came back and skimmed about 2% of it.
I loved Chris' response to Kaleb, Derek debacle. However, the fact that he was on a no touch fast then all of a sudden he was willing to break his own rules also wasn't very realistic.
Of all the guys, I loved Kaleb the most. Derek was more the Alpha of the group. Chris was the grumpy bank roller. Everett was the fade into the background nunbers guys.
Will definitely read more from Sharan Daire in the future as we await more from her vampire queen series.
Then, was Bessie a homage to Odin's car in American Gods? Going from a beat up old car to a car that can take 7 occupants, 4 of them being heavily muscled/veined men...has to be.
I really wanted to rate this higher.
I couldn’t deal with an uncommunicative partner, because that was an oxymoron. There was no partnership without conversation. If something was wrong, I needed to know. We couldn’t work on anything if nobody would tell me what was going on.
I read that part and was like yeay! No unresponsive/do not talk partners in this book. Then the whole Kaleb, Derek debacle happened. And what does homegirl do, ran for granny!
I was so fucking annoyed. Her actions contradicted all she'd been saying/thinking.
Then, the constant reminders, every chapter, that Shelby was poor, didn't fit in. It got annoying pretty fast.
The other part that lead to half a star coming off, the book was too long. I took a 2 days break from reading it. And came back and skimmed about 2% of it.
I loved Chris' response to Kaleb, Derek debacle. However, the fact that he was on a no touch fast then all of a sudden he was willing to break his own rules also wasn't very realistic.
Of all the guys, I loved Kaleb the most. Derek was more the Alpha of the group. Chris was the grumpy bank roller. Everett was the fade into the background nunbers guys.
Will definitely read more from Sharan Daire in the future as we await more from her vampire queen series.
Then, was Bessie a homage to Odin's car in American Gods? Going from a beat up old car to a car that can take 7 occupants, 4 of them being heavily muscled/veined men...has to be.
May 11, 2023
Tropes/Key Points:
🍂Reverse Harem / Why Choose
🍂Contemporary Romance
🍂Multi-POV
🍂Insta-Love
🍂Single Mom
🍂Miscommunication
🍂Found Family
🍂Billionaire Romance
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Trigger Warnings: Talk of Domestic Abuse (Emotional, Psychological), Talk of PTSD, Talk of time in Military, Talk of Attempted Suicide
Blurb:
I have nothing. I am sitting on the side of the road in a broke down car, my hungry children in the backseat, and the cold creeping in. I have no home, no job, no money and no idea where I am. We had left my one bedroom apartment behind to attempt to go live with my elderly grandmother, but got turned around. Every measly thing I own is crammed into the trunk. My phone has no service and I am at my wits end. It can’t get any worse.
Until a cop pulls up behind me with his lights on. I know what cops can be like, I know what men can be like, and I am scared. Scared for myself, but most importantly my children. He offers aid, suggesting to call his mechanic brother to take my car and fix it, while offering me a place to stay in a resort lodge just up ahead. Begrudgingly, I accept and am swept away to safety. Entering this resort, I feel like I stepped into a fairy tale, not to mention that there are two other “princes” waiting for me within.
They want to hire me, as a model, to be the fact of a fashion line. While I work, I can stay at the lodge for free. This feels crazy, but not as crazy as the four of them claiming to be a package deal. Inside and outside of the bedroom…. And they all want me. I can’t even consider this, except that they manage to win over my kids. Can I do this without losing my heart?
Review:
This book was free on Amazon for a day and I like reverse harems so I gave it a shot. It seemed like an interesting premise so I hopped in! It turned out to not be so bad and worth a bit of my time. I don’t love it, in fact it was solidly middle of the road, but I’m not gonna forget about in in the next 24 hour either. It was simply, okay. Decent. Not bad.
The premise of these four men struggling to find love their entire lives because of a unique friendship was interesting. They all wanted to share and couldn’t find a woman willing to do so. The closest they got was a woman being willing to share the twins, but more than that and she claimed to feel like a whore. These men had put their hearts and souls in knowing that one day they would be accepted, and honestly it’s a sweet thought.
You have the Sheriff, Derek who is ex military and gruff a giant teddy bear underneath. He wants to serve and protect, especially whatever woman ends up being theirs. He has had so many years of heartbreak that when he thinks Shelby might be the one, he does something stupid to prevent her from leaving.
You have the Mechanic, Kaleb. He is golden retriever energy and has wanted a wife and kids for as long as he could remember. He instantly falls for Shelby’s two kids and isn’t afraid to show that he would be a good father to them.
There is the Lawyer, Everett. He is suave and charismatic. He was a poor boy growing up so he knows what it’s like to put in the work and isn’t afraid to do so. He sees the position Shelby is in and wants to rescue her from it.
Lastly, there is the Billionare Ex Marine, Chris. He is broken and damaged according to himself, suffering from PTSD with too much blood and time on his hands. He left the military with no direction until he started the company that owns the lodge and a fashion label. He sees Shelby as his Angel, and upon meeting her can’t wait for the rest of his life.
The men are honestly the best part of this book, except for the instant love part of the entire situation. Each of them fall in love with her based off her looks for the most part. It’s a bit of an irritation, but as they start to see more of who Shelby is, their love becomes more understandable. Each of them has such a unique personality and something to offer, that it feels like a well rounded group. They don’t overlap and each fill a need that Shelby has.
The kids are also a delight for the book, I enjoyed everytime they were on the page, though towards the end they seemed to be a bit of an afterthought. The author “ conveniently” gets the kids out of thr way so the “plot” of the book can progress. Plot…. If you catch my drift.
However, I do have some pretty big complaints. I absolutely hate the miscommunication tropes and while it was used decently for this story, it still feels a bit unnecessary. It had the guys, (well the two involved) feel a bit creepy at their desire to not tell the full truth to Shelby to keep her there. They were so afraid she was going to leave that they came up with a way to prevent it. It was meant to come across endearing, but came across more stalker/red flag. The instant love trope used in this book was also a bit much. All four men literally fell in love with her just based off her looks. It was kind of off putting.
If that wasn’t bad enough, we were reminded of it constantly. Over and over the author was repeatedly telling us that they didn’t know each other and that there’s no way they could be in love, just for it to keep being brushed off. It was also irritating that the author kept reminding us that Shelby was broke and had nothing until this moment when the guys showered her with things. It came across like we were being forced to feel the guys were good for her instead of being shown.
My biggest issue with the book is that the climax gets fully resolved within 2 chapters. 95% of this book is build up to the miscommunication reveal. Once the issue breaks and the tension sets in, we don’t have time to enjoy it. It’s literally resolved 2 chapters later and one day later in the book. There was no real anticipation. No real stakes or pressure.
Also, am I the only one who was wishing her ex would show up to cause some problems? Have the men fight for her? No? Okay.
All that being said, it was an okay book. I won’t be continuing it because of the “surprise”, and disgusting, trope at the end, but I’m okay with pretending this was a stand alone.
🍂Reverse Harem / Why Choose
🍂Contemporary Romance
🍂Multi-POV
🍂Insta-Love
🍂Single Mom
🍂Miscommunication
🍂Found Family
🍂Billionaire Romance
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Trigger Warnings: Talk of Domestic Abuse (Emotional, Psychological), Talk of PTSD, Talk of time in Military, Talk of Attempted Suicide
Blurb:
I have nothing. I am sitting on the side of the road in a broke down car, my hungry children in the backseat, and the cold creeping in. I have no home, no job, no money and no idea where I am. We had left my one bedroom apartment behind to attempt to go live with my elderly grandmother, but got turned around. Every measly thing I own is crammed into the trunk. My phone has no service and I am at my wits end. It can’t get any worse.
Until a cop pulls up behind me with his lights on. I know what cops can be like, I know what men can be like, and I am scared. Scared for myself, but most importantly my children. He offers aid, suggesting to call his mechanic brother to take my car and fix it, while offering me a place to stay in a resort lodge just up ahead. Begrudgingly, I accept and am swept away to safety. Entering this resort, I feel like I stepped into a fairy tale, not to mention that there are two other “princes” waiting for me within.
They want to hire me, as a model, to be the fact of a fashion line. While I work, I can stay at the lodge for free. This feels crazy, but not as crazy as the four of them claiming to be a package deal. Inside and outside of the bedroom…. And they all want me. I can’t even consider this, except that they manage to win over my kids. Can I do this without losing my heart?
Review:
This book was free on Amazon for a day and I like reverse harems so I gave it a shot. It seemed like an interesting premise so I hopped in! It turned out to not be so bad and worth a bit of my time. I don’t love it, in fact it was solidly middle of the road, but I’m not gonna forget about in in the next 24 hour either. It was simply, okay. Decent. Not bad.
The premise of these four men struggling to find love their entire lives because of a unique friendship was interesting. They all wanted to share and couldn’t find a woman willing to do so. The closest they got was a woman being willing to share the twins, but more than that and she claimed to feel like a whore. These men had put their hearts and souls in knowing that one day they would be accepted, and honestly it’s a sweet thought.
You have the Sheriff, Derek who is ex military and gruff a giant teddy bear underneath. He wants to serve and protect, especially whatever woman ends up being theirs. He has had so many years of heartbreak that when he thinks Shelby might be the one, he does something stupid to prevent her from leaving.
You have the Mechanic, Kaleb. He is golden retriever energy and has wanted a wife and kids for as long as he could remember. He instantly falls for Shelby’s two kids and isn’t afraid to show that he would be a good father to them.
There is the Lawyer, Everett. He is suave and charismatic. He was a poor boy growing up so he knows what it’s like to put in the work and isn’t afraid to do so. He sees the position Shelby is in and wants to rescue her from it.
Lastly, there is the Billionare Ex Marine, Chris. He is broken and damaged according to himself, suffering from PTSD with too much blood and time on his hands. He left the military with no direction until he started the company that owns the lodge and a fashion label. He sees Shelby as his Angel, and upon meeting her can’t wait for the rest of his life.
The men are honestly the best part of this book, except for the instant love part of the entire situation. Each of them fall in love with her based off her looks for the most part. It’s a bit of an irritation, but as they start to see more of who Shelby is, their love becomes more understandable. Each of them has such a unique personality and something to offer, that it feels like a well rounded group. They don’t overlap and each fill a need that Shelby has.
The kids are also a delight for the book, I enjoyed everytime they were on the page, though towards the end they seemed to be a bit of an afterthought. The author “ conveniently” gets the kids out of thr way so the “plot” of the book can progress. Plot…. If you catch my drift.
However, I do have some pretty big complaints. I absolutely hate the miscommunication tropes and while it was used decently for this story, it still feels a bit unnecessary. It had the guys, (well the two involved) feel a bit creepy at their desire to not tell the full truth to Shelby to keep her there. They were so afraid she was going to leave that they came up with a way to prevent it. It was meant to come across endearing, but came across more stalker/red flag. The instant love trope used in this book was also a bit much. All four men literally fell in love with her just based off her looks. It was kind of off putting.
If that wasn’t bad enough, we were reminded of it constantly. Over and over the author was repeatedly telling us that they didn’t know each other and that there’s no way they could be in love, just for it to keep being brushed off. It was also irritating that the author kept reminding us that Shelby was broke and had nothing until this moment when the guys showered her with things. It came across like we were being forced to feel the guys were good for her instead of being shown.
My biggest issue with the book is that the climax gets fully resolved within 2 chapters. 95% of this book is build up to the miscommunication reveal. Once the issue breaks and the tension sets in, we don’t have time to enjoy it. It’s literally resolved 2 chapters later and one day later in the book. There was no real anticipation. No real stakes or pressure.
Also, am I the only one who was wishing her ex would show up to cause some problems? Have the men fight for her? No? Okay.
All that being said, it was an okay book. I won’t be continuing it because of the “surprise”, and disgusting, trope at the end, but I’m okay with pretending this was a stand alone.
January 5, 2024
This book was just so unbelievably ridiculous... it's like the author didn't even try to keep the story in any sort of realm of believability. Like surely the author intended this to be a parody of reverse harems?
February 23, 2021
My only complaint was that it felt like the book ended too soon. 😊
March 21, 2021
This was so light-hearted and enjoyable to read!
December 31, 2021
No signs of intelligent life.
July 9, 2022
4 rich gargantuans who are deeply obsessed with you and your kids. Heavy on suspension of belief but u'll love it if you love aggressive caregivers
June 7, 2024
Dnf @ 30%
I couldn't do it. It's unlike me not to finish a book, but then I realised life is short and to stop wasting time. By the looks of reading other reviews, I think I made the right decision.
The story starts off with Shelby breaking down on the side of the road on her way to her grandmother's house as she has just been kicked out of hers. Her idea was to temporarily move in (although grandma doesn't know about her plan) until she is back on her feet.
On her way, she breaks down with her 2 kids in the car, and a sheriff car happens to come across them and offers to help them out. After about 5 minutes contemplating whether to go off with a complete stranger who isn't wearing a uniform, she decides, hey ho, why not and let's her kids get into the car and her slowly after.
At this stage the reader knows she has obviously had some sort of trauma because she keeps referring to her ex and 'never trusting a man again after everything she went through etc etc' however she has just agreed to GO WITH A COMPLETE STRANGER to their house.... and apparently, they have men issues... totally believable right 🤨 again, in the same breath when his twin arrives, they are talking about taking her 8 YEAR OLD BOY out fishing WITHOUT HER the next day... these men are STRANGERS!!! She is kissing a complete stranger by 11% of the book, and apparently, she has men issues... this being next to her kids. The whole thing is so ridiculous.
I can personally say I have 3 kids, and I would not let some people who I JUST MET take my kids off without me... but I also wouldn't fmger into a random stranger car either doesn't matter if they claim to be police, I'd at least check with the local office first to confirm who they are, but having said that I have... common sense, apparently the FMC doesn't. The whole thing is a bit of a joke.
Reasons why I dnf:
● Insta love
● Very VERY unrealistic
● Repeative... we get it. You're a broke single mum who is a waitress. There's no need to keep on telling the reader... they're probably over it by this point
● Trusting complete strangers... like bloody Anna out of Frozen... and look what happened to her - she almost DIED! There is a lesson to learn there, I think. I think Shelby needs to watch a bit of Frozen to realise how much of an idiot she actually is.
● Cheesy and the story line is ridiculous.... fashion line really!?!?
HOWEVER
If you like insta love with super unrealistic storyline and a selfpity FMC who CONSTANTLY says I'm a broke waitress with 2 kids etc etc everywhere page... then thus is defo the story for you.
I couldn't do it. It's unlike me not to finish a book, but then I realised life is short and to stop wasting time. By the looks of reading other reviews, I think I made the right decision.
The story starts off with Shelby breaking down on the side of the road on her way to her grandmother's house as she has just been kicked out of hers. Her idea was to temporarily move in (although grandma doesn't know about her plan) until she is back on her feet.
On her way, she breaks down with her 2 kids in the car, and a sheriff car happens to come across them and offers to help them out. After about 5 minutes contemplating whether to go off with a complete stranger who isn't wearing a uniform, she decides, hey ho, why not and let's her kids get into the car and her slowly after.
At this stage the reader knows she has obviously had some sort of trauma because she keeps referring to her ex and 'never trusting a man again after everything she went through etc etc' however she has just agreed to GO WITH A COMPLETE STRANGER to their house.... and apparently, they have men issues... totally believable right 🤨 again, in the same breath when his twin arrives, they are talking about taking her 8 YEAR OLD BOY out fishing WITHOUT HER the next day... these men are STRANGERS!!! She is kissing a complete stranger by 11% of the book, and apparently, she has men issues... this being next to her kids. The whole thing is so ridiculous.
I can personally say I have 3 kids, and I would not let some people who I JUST MET take my kids off without me... but I also wouldn't fmger into a random stranger car either doesn't matter if they claim to be police, I'd at least check with the local office first to confirm who they are, but having said that I have... common sense, apparently the FMC doesn't. The whole thing is a bit of a joke.
Reasons why I dnf:
● Insta love
● Very VERY unrealistic
● Repeative... we get it. You're a broke single mum who is a waitress. There's no need to keep on telling the reader... they're probably over it by this point
● Trusting complete strangers... like bloody Anna out of Frozen... and look what happened to her - she almost DIED! There is a lesson to learn there, I think. I think Shelby needs to watch a bit of Frozen to realise how much of an idiot she actually is.
● Cheesy and the story line is ridiculous.... fashion line really!?!?
HOWEVER
If you like insta love with super unrealistic storyline and a selfpity FMC who CONSTANTLY says I'm a broke waitress with 2 kids etc etc everywhere page... then thus is defo the story for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
Ready for a NEW beginning 🔥😉
We instantly meet Shelby, mom of 2, down on her luck, ready for a new beginning! We get pieces of her previous marriage throughout the book and her deadbeat ex. We don’t get how long they’ve been divorced, which I question how long she’s been really really struggling for. Anyways - her car breaks down the on their way to a new beginning and they are literally in the middle of nowhere.
Here comes swanky, sexy sherif Derek. Instant attraction. Immediately he finds out she’s down on her luck and he offers to help. He calls his twin-brother Kaleb for a tow, also instant attraction.
Fast forward, the guys and their friends, Chris and Everette have been waiting for “the one.” They like to share, need and crave it. Shelby is the one, they can tell. 😉
So with a new job and a safe place for her kids, Shelby finds herself in love. In love with everything. The guys, the cabin, her kids happiness. Everything. When she finds out the guys may have misled her can she forgive them or are they just like her ex and this is only the beginning??
I enjoyed this book. I thought parts were a bit cheesy, but it was cute. Looking forward to book 2! Once the steam started, it was sexy AF!
*Overall 3.5/5
*Med Burn
*MFMMM Romance (No MM)
*First person POV (all 5 of them)
*Insta-Love
*HEA? Yes, but continues on to book2!
We instantly meet Shelby, mom of 2, down on her luck, ready for a new beginning! We get pieces of her previous marriage throughout the book and her deadbeat ex. We don’t get how long they’ve been divorced, which I question how long she’s been really really struggling for. Anyways - her car breaks down the on their way to a new beginning and they are literally in the middle of nowhere.
Here comes swanky, sexy sherif Derek. Instant attraction. Immediately he finds out she’s down on her luck and he offers to help. He calls his twin-brother Kaleb for a tow, also instant attraction.
Fast forward, the guys and their friends, Chris and Everette have been waiting for “the one.” They like to share, need and crave it. Shelby is the one, they can tell. 😉
So with a new job and a safe place for her kids, Shelby finds herself in love. In love with everything. The guys, the cabin, her kids happiness. Everything. When she finds out the guys may have misled her can she forgive them or are they just like her ex and this is only the beginning??
I enjoyed this book. I thought parts were a bit cheesy, but it was cute. Looking forward to book 2! Once the steam started, it was sexy AF!
*Overall 3.5/5
*Med Burn
*MFMMM Romance (No MM)
*First person POV (all 5 of them)
*Insta-Love
*HEA? Yes, but continues on to book2!
August 27, 2024
This was definitely a steamy read, but sadly, it didn’t wow me like I wanted it to.
There was quite a bit of repetition throughout the book, especially the heroine’s self deprecation. As much as I liked all four guys and their individual personalities, I’m not sure the chemistry was sizzling enough, nor the connection strong enough, between them and the heroine for me. And I thought the last few chapters were a bit rushed. There was no epilogue (though there is a book 2 & 3.) So unfortunately, this book was just okay for me.
Even though this book ended with a little surprise, I’m accepting it as a HFN to where I don’t feel the need to read the next two books. Even though I didn’t love this, a lot of readers did, so maybe it’s a “me” thing.
There was quite a bit of repetition throughout the book, especially the heroine’s self deprecation. As much as I liked all four guys and their individual personalities, I’m not sure the chemistry was sizzling enough, nor the connection strong enough, between them and the heroine for me. And I thought the last few chapters were a bit rushed. There was no epilogue (though there is a book 2 & 3.) So unfortunately, this book was just okay for me.
Even though this book ended with a little surprise, I’m accepting it as a HFN to where I don’t feel the need to read the next two books. Even though I didn’t love this, a lot of readers did, so maybe it’s a “me” thing.
February 2, 2021
So much heart!
Okay you will need tissues as this story bleeds your heart. Pain. Heartache. Love. Chivalry. Compassion. Empathy and the list of descriptors goes on. Broke Down title is only a summary of all that happens to Shelby, our main female. I love this character and her battle to survive and the bravery to protect her children after an emotional & verbal abuse that led to her divorce. It’s a story that makes you hope and believe in happy ever afters. Although I know this author under her real name, I always enjoy the stories she tells. She has the ability to transport her readers into her alternate reality.
Okay you will need tissues as this story bleeds your heart. Pain. Heartache. Love. Chivalry. Compassion. Empathy and the list of descriptors goes on. Broke Down title is only a summary of all that happens to Shelby, our main female. I love this character and her battle to survive and the bravery to protect her children after an emotional & verbal abuse that led to her divorce. It’s a story that makes you hope and believe in happy ever afters. Although I know this author under her real name, I always enjoy the stories she tells. She has the ability to transport her readers into her alternate reality.
August 1, 2021
YES! I loved this RH! And the fact that I know this author and already have a hardcore obsession with her other books .... Omg I could pee with excitement. I really don't know what to say, I loved the fact she was a single mother with 2 kids. The guys were instantly in love with her, but she wasn't as quick to fall. She had her own issues to work through but in the end LOVE WON 😭❤️🔥❤️🔥 I am so keen to read the next book, ooooooooooh I wonder what it'll be like with the guys as her baby daddy 😏 I am here for it!! Ummmm also apparently there's a third book coming, so that makes me very happy 🐢
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