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Worth the Wait
It'd been fifteen years since J.R. had heard from Victoria. The two of them had been good friends once, when they were just kids. Summers spent together, nights spent laughing and having fun. Yet when graduation came, they went their separate ways.
Then, out of the blue, she was back in his life with one simple, curious text.
"Want to go to Europe with me?"
Victoria’s life hadn’t turned out the way she planned. Always smart, always an overachiever, she’d fallen short in all the areas of her life that mattered most to her. She needed to get away and start over.
J.R. was the one and only person that crossed her mind to come along. He was the one friend she could always count on. Even if it had been fifteen years, something inside of her knew that he would still be there for her.
After a rushed first meeting at the airport, the two old friends embark on the European trip of a lifetime. London, Paris, and beyond.
As they begin to reconnect, more questions seem to come up than answers.
Why did she want him to come along with her? What has she been up to all these years? What was she running from?
Was this intense attraction always there between them, or was this something brand new?
Will this budding love between them have been worth the wait?
Then, out of the blue, she was back in his life with one simple, curious text.
"Want to go to Europe with me?"
Victoria’s life hadn’t turned out the way she planned. Always smart, always an overachiever, she’d fallen short in all the areas of her life that mattered most to her. She needed to get away and start over.
J.R. was the one and only person that crossed her mind to come along. He was the one friend she could always count on. Even if it had been fifteen years, something inside of her knew that he would still be there for her.
After a rushed first meeting at the airport, the two old friends embark on the European trip of a lifetime. London, Paris, and beyond.
As they begin to reconnect, more questions seem to come up than answers.
Why did she want him to come along with her? What has she been up to all these years? What was she running from?
Was this intense attraction always there between them, or was this something brand new?
Will this budding love between them have been worth the wait?
- GenresRomance
390 pages
Published July 6, 2021
2 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 6, 2021
Friends to Lovers + traveling Europe + hot sex? YES PLEASE.
I can hardly remember a book when I loved the two lead characters as quickly as I fell in love with V and J.R. From the moment we meet each of them, in the first chapters of WORTH THE WAIT, they are each completely likable and even better as a pair.
Seeing these two friends go from childhood friends to so much more, all while traveling Europe, was crazy fun!
And the way their history and current story unfolded bit by bit kept me hooked for the first half of the book. I took a star off of my rating because this book gets quite slow right at the half way point and takes a while to pick up again. But the hot sex along the way definitely helps!
The relationship between these characters is so insanely sweet! V is a smart, strong female trying to reclaim herself and J.R. is the ultimate cinnamon roll hero!
WORTH THE WAIT is a heart-melting (and panty-melting) read you should definitely add to your TBR!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17
TRIGGERS: physically and emotionally abusive ex
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5: So many feels you might tear up a bit.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3jCupF4 (aff.)
👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
I can hardly remember a book when I loved the two lead characters as quickly as I fell in love with V and J.R. From the moment we meet each of them, in the first chapters of WORTH THE WAIT, they are each completely likable and even better as a pair.
Seeing these two friends go from childhood friends to so much more, all while traveling Europe, was crazy fun!
And the way their history and current story unfolded bit by bit kept me hooked for the first half of the book. I took a star off of my rating because this book gets quite slow right at the half way point and takes a while to pick up again. But the hot sex along the way definitely helps!
The relationship between these characters is so insanely sweet! V is a smart, strong female trying to reclaim herself and J.R. is the ultimate cinnamon roll hero!
WORTH THE WAIT is a heart-melting (and panty-melting) read you should definitely add to your TBR!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17
TRIGGERS: physically and emotionally abusive ex
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5: So many feels you might tear up a bit.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3jCupF4 (aff.)
👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
June 26, 2021
This was the perfect slow-burn friends to lovers read for a rainy day like this.
V and J. R. touched my heart deeply. Their love story wasn’t just another one of two friends finding out they had feelings for each other, it was a story of two people that have always belonged together, but had to wait and grow in different ways until they realized they were meant for each other. That’s probably one of the things I loved the most about them as a couple, they simply fit with one another. They were the same people they had always been, but wiser and more matured. They went through a lot in the years they didn’t see each other, and even though they had grown as a person, they also had the dame familiarity and comfort around the other.
I feel such a bond with V, she represents every woman that has bravely re-born from the ashes of an abusive relationship. I loved her resilience and strength, she had so many insecurities and fears but she never let those defined her or kill her essence. My heart broke for her as I learned her story but also made me root for her happy ending. She really deserved it.
J.R. was the sweetest, most patient and understanding hero. I loved how respectful and supportive he was, even before he knew what happened to her. He acknowledged her and appreciated everything about her, the way he reassured her over and over was so heartwarming and swoony, it made my heart flutter because it was exactly what she needed at the moment.
«𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.»
I the places they visited and the way that trip slowly brought them together, especially because even though the trip was V’s idea, J.R. took her to his favorite places, almost giving her a piece of himself in esch spot. It was so special and beautiful, it made me cry happy tears with how sweet it was, almost as if he wanted to make up for everything she didn’t get from her past relationship but knew she deserved.
The slow burn was the hottest and most satisfying and the moments that led to their well deserved happy ending put a smile on my face from start to finish!
«𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵»
Many thanks to G. G. Gleason for kindly providing me with an esrly copy of this beautiful book!
V and J. R. touched my heart deeply. Their love story wasn’t just another one of two friends finding out they had feelings for each other, it was a story of two people that have always belonged together, but had to wait and grow in different ways until they realized they were meant for each other. That’s probably one of the things I loved the most about them as a couple, they simply fit with one another. They were the same people they had always been, but wiser and more matured. They went through a lot in the years they didn’t see each other, and even though they had grown as a person, they also had the dame familiarity and comfort around the other.
I feel such a bond with V, she represents every woman that has bravely re-born from the ashes of an abusive relationship. I loved her resilience and strength, she had so many insecurities and fears but she never let those defined her or kill her essence. My heart broke for her as I learned her story but also made me root for her happy ending. She really deserved it.
J.R. was the sweetest, most patient and understanding hero. I loved how respectful and supportive he was, even before he knew what happened to her. He acknowledged her and appreciated everything about her, the way he reassured her over and over was so heartwarming and swoony, it made my heart flutter because it was exactly what she needed at the moment.
«𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.»
I the places they visited and the way that trip slowly brought them together, especially because even though the trip was V’s idea, J.R. took her to his favorite places, almost giving her a piece of himself in esch spot. It was so special and beautiful, it made me cry happy tears with how sweet it was, almost as if he wanted to make up for everything she didn’t get from her past relationship but knew she deserved.
The slow burn was the hottest and most satisfying and the moments that led to their well deserved happy ending put a smile on my face from start to finish!
«𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵»
Many thanks to G. G. Gleason for kindly providing me with an esrly copy of this beautiful book!
December 6, 2022
He gets a text from his childhood best friend asking him to go with her to Europe... the next day.
J.R. hasn't talked to his childhood best friend, Victoria, in fifteen years. They went their separate ways after High School and lost touch. When she texts him out of the blue asking him to go with her on a trip to Europe, she then tells him to meet her at the airport tomorrow. J.R. is shocked, but doesn't hesitate to drop everything to go on an adventure with the girl that was always special to him.
Victoria always wanted to follow her bucket list on a trip to Europe. She is at a place in her life ready for a big change and there is only one person she can think to go with her. When he tells her he is going to join her she is thrilled to see her friend again.
They reunite at the gate is closing and they are ushered to their freshly updated first class seats. Seeing each other after all this time should be awkward but they easily slip back into their friendship like no time had passed. And so begins the best trip they will ever take. Along the way, city after city, they two begin to open up to each other all their secrets, as well as their hearts. After one memorable moment after another, neither one wants to say goodbye or the trip to end. Confessions and feelings are discussed that reveal a beautiful love story that was worth the wait.
This is my second book from this author and I have the same response to this story as I did to that one. The story is dual POV but the book switches perspectives without any transition which is confusing to follow. Over the writing style felt amateurish. The MCs felt younger than 33 years old but perhaps that could be because they were close as teenagers and they were slipping back into those roles. Victoria is a bit one dimensional and comes with a backstory that deserves a trigger warning**. J.R. is a little too unrealistic and perfect. (I was not a fan of an OP hint of love scene at the beginning).
The MCs romance is sweet and does slow burn into a good story. I appreciate there is no third inning drama but for some readers that might be anticlimactic. Overall, it's a sweet story of two best friends that took 15 years to become lovers. Nice HEA and epilogue.
**Trigger Warnings**
MC retells the story of an abusive partner that details brutal physical abuse and verbal abuse.
J.R. hasn't talked to his childhood best friend, Victoria, in fifteen years. They went their separate ways after High School and lost touch. When she texts him out of the blue asking him to go with her on a trip to Europe, she then tells him to meet her at the airport tomorrow. J.R. is shocked, but doesn't hesitate to drop everything to go on an adventure with the girl that was always special to him.
Victoria always wanted to follow her bucket list on a trip to Europe. She is at a place in her life ready for a big change and there is only one person she can think to go with her. When he tells her he is going to join her she is thrilled to see her friend again.
They reunite at the gate is closing and they are ushered to their freshly updated first class seats. Seeing each other after all this time should be awkward but they easily slip back into their friendship like no time had passed. And so begins the best trip they will ever take. Along the way, city after city, they two begin to open up to each other all their secrets, as well as their hearts. After one memorable moment after another, neither one wants to say goodbye or the trip to end. Confessions and feelings are discussed that reveal a beautiful love story that was worth the wait.
This is my second book from this author and I have the same response to this story as I did to that one. The story is dual POV but the book switches perspectives without any transition which is confusing to follow. Over the writing style felt amateurish. The MCs felt younger than 33 years old but perhaps that could be because they were close as teenagers and they were slipping back into those roles. Victoria is a bit one dimensional and comes with a backstory that deserves a trigger warning**. J.R. is a little too unrealistic and perfect. (I was not a fan of an OP hint of love scene at the beginning).
The MCs romance is sweet and does slow burn into a good story. I appreciate there is no third inning drama but for some readers that might be anticlimactic. Overall, it's a sweet story of two best friends that took 15 years to become lovers. Nice HEA and epilogue.
**Trigger Warnings**
MC retells the story of an abusive partner that details brutal physical abuse and verbal abuse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2021
This story has two things that I absolutely love in a summertime book: travel and romance. J.R. and V are longtime friends that have fallen out of touch over the last several years. Their lives have gone in different directions and a spontaneous text to travel abroad brings these two back together.
Their personalities match up so well. I love friends-to-lovers romance and this story delivered! J.R. is so lovely. He listens to her, he values her opinions, and he cherishes their time together. Not to mention he’s a blonde hottie. So what’s not to like?!? I loved how patient he was with V. No expectations and no judgments. Simply a good friend that turns out to be so much more.
Then we have V. She is a woman that has a messy past and I feel like that made her so much more relatable. She’s been manipulated and cast aside, looked down upon and criticized, and above all, she’s been told to become something she’s not. I really loved V’s character and how she begins to heal throughout the story. She doesn’t heal because of J.R. She heals because she chose to heal. It was a choice. Love, love, loved that.
I could keep going, but my goodness I really enjoyed this story. It was rich with complex characters and knock your socks off chocolate and roses romance. Highly recommend!!
Their personalities match up so well. I love friends-to-lovers romance and this story delivered! J.R. is so lovely. He listens to her, he values her opinions, and he cherishes their time together. Not to mention he’s a blonde hottie. So what’s not to like?!? I loved how patient he was with V. No expectations and no judgments. Simply a good friend that turns out to be so much more.
Then we have V. She is a woman that has a messy past and I feel like that made her so much more relatable. She’s been manipulated and cast aside, looked down upon and criticized, and above all, she’s been told to become something she’s not. I really loved V’s character and how she begins to heal throughout the story. She doesn’t heal because of J.R. She heals because she chose to heal. It was a choice. Love, love, loved that.
I could keep going, but my goodness I really enjoyed this story. It was rich with complex characters and knock your socks off chocolate and roses romance. Highly recommend!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2021
I'm a huge fan of anything adventure, so when a book boasts about an adventure of a lifetime, I'm all in. And this didn't disappoint. The chemistry between V and J.R. was palpable and though I'm more of a fan of sweet romance over steamy ones, I truly felt like the characters intertwined in a way that made their love believable. You wanted to root for them. You HAD to root for them.
And when you combine that with the interspersed descriptions of the trip they were on, I felt transported right there with them. This is such a good summery read, especially for those who can't get away and really want to.
I received an ARC from the author, but the thoughts are my own!
And when you combine that with the interspersed descriptions of the trip they were on, I felt transported right there with them. This is such a good summery read, especially for those who can't get away and really want to.
I received an ARC from the author, but the thoughts are my own!
August 15, 2021
I read this book after seeing it on a Bookstagramer I follow and was excited to read it.
I liked some of the story, but I didn’t like that the problems were solved so easily; as in solved within the same chapter whereas most romance novels it goes on a bit longer. To me it wasn’t as “dramatic” because the problems were solved so quickly and easily.
Another thing I couldn’t get over was the grammar. It took me out of it and I’d want to get a pen and fix it so I’d feel better.
All-in-all, I wanted to give this book 3 stars but knew that it’s a book I begrudgingly pushed my way through and I more than likely won’t read it again.
I liked some of the story, but I didn’t like that the problems were solved so easily; as in solved within the same chapter whereas most romance novels it goes on a bit longer. To me it wasn’t as “dramatic” because the problems were solved so quickly and easily.
Another thing I couldn’t get over was the grammar. It took me out of it and I’d want to get a pen and fix it so I’d feel better.
All-in-all, I wanted to give this book 3 stars but knew that it’s a book I begrudgingly pushed my way through and I more than likely won’t read it again.
June 26, 2021
"As he closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep entwined with the girl he'd known all his life, he wondered if maybe he would be able to have a second act with the woman she had become."
This steamy friends-to-lovers, road trip romance is sprinkled with moments of fantasy and felicity. Opulent hotels, extravagant shopping, supercars - all set against a European backdrop. All part of a healing journey for V, the heroine.
The book has a kind billionaire hero and a monster of a villain, making for a sweet but not overly sweet contemporary romance read.
This steamy friends-to-lovers, road trip romance is sprinkled with moments of fantasy and felicity. Opulent hotels, extravagant shopping, supercars - all set against a European backdrop. All part of a healing journey for V, the heroine.
The book has a kind billionaire hero and a monster of a villain, making for a sweet but not overly sweet contemporary romance read.
July 4, 2021
Though not a genre I usually read, I do try to make time for GG's books. She has developed a distinctive voice as an author and explores her characters in an intimate fashion that goes beyond the steamy narrative that the genre is known for.
This tale examines the relationship between a vulnerable, yet brave, woman on a whirlwind tour of Europe with an old friend. With stops in England, France, Spain and Italy the story balances the closeness of the pair with the expansive setting well and I am sure it will satisfy regular readers of the genre with its style and story.
This tale examines the relationship between a vulnerable, yet brave, woman on a whirlwind tour of Europe with an old friend. With stops in England, France, Spain and Italy the story balances the closeness of the pair with the expansive setting well and I am sure it will satisfy regular readers of the genre with its style and story.
September 4, 2021
Pure and sweet
If you’re looking for a good old fashioned sweet romance to give you are the feels and make you fantasize for the fairytale, this is for you. I’d caution you not to read if you’re not in the mood for sappy and almost to good to be true happy endings.
If you’re looking for a good old fashioned sweet romance to give you are the feels and make you fantasize for the fairytale, this is for you. I’d caution you not to read if you’re not in the mood for sappy and almost to good to be true happy endings.
July 18, 2022
spectacular
The love, the sights, the whole story is spectacular. Thanks GG for taking me on this trip around Europe :)
Btw Second half of the book should be re-edited as it has some things here and there….
The love, the sights, the whole story is spectacular. Thanks GG for taking me on this trip around Europe :)
Btw Second half of the book should be re-edited as it has some things here and there….
July 9, 2021
Outstandingly boring.
Endless typos.
Endless typos.
August 27, 2025
Great idea but not my favorite execution. Very likable characters, but not super realistic. I wouldn’t recommend it or read again but I’m not mad that I read it.
November 19, 2022
Aww this one tugged at my heart strings. Two childhood friends, one in need of a friend who will just support, a connection that was always their bloomed into something beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews