What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Bites
"Have you ever just connected with a person and had to fight to be with them? Well if you have, this book is for you." - Diary of a Book Addict What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend's boyfriend? That is the question that twenty-six year-old Justine Sterling has been asking herself ever since the day she met David Whitman, her best friend Renee's boyfriend. Justine is determined to ignore her growing feelings for the irresistibly charming David, until one night, when she finds herself in the bed of the one person she should stay away from. When Justine and David's affair ends in heartbreak, Justine is forced to repair the damaged friendship with her best friend. In doing so, she learns that right and wrong decisions aren't always black and white, and sometimes you have to follow your heart to see where it leads.
232 pages, Paperback
First published December 29, 2014
2 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Rachel K. Burke
6 books209 followersRachel Burke is the author of three new adult novels, Sound Bites, Love Bites and Finding Mia.
In 2014, she created The Skinny Chick’s Cookbook, a health food blog that features all-natural recipes with 10 ingredients or less, which was published as a cookbook in 2017.
Rachel grew up in Boston, MA and now resides in Santa Monica, CA.
Her blog can be found at theskinnychickscookbook.com.
For more information on Rachel's fiction work, please visit www.rachelkburke.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/rachelkburkebooks
Twitter:
@rachelkburke
In 2014, she created The Skinny Chick’s Cookbook, a health food blog that features all-natural recipes with 10 ingredients or less, which was published as a cookbook in 2017.
Rachel grew up in Boston, MA and now resides in Santa Monica, CA.
Her blog can be found at theskinnychickscookbook.com.
For more information on Rachel's fiction work, please visit www.rachelkburke.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/rachelkburkebooks
Twitter:
@rachelkburke
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 6, 2015
www.lite-rate-ture.com
Love Bites it pretty much self-explanatory. Love freaking bites your behind. Justine Sterling has no control over her life, she makes the stupidest decisions and wants nothing but broken pieces which is why I loved Love Bites so much. She is a perfect imperfection! Sterling has nothing, but her friendship with her Renee who is just the sweetest person alive. The plot twist (not really a twist) is when Justine finds herself falling in love with David, Renee's boyfriend. Sooner or later Renee figures out the betrayal. Years of friendship sunk into a deep black hole. The story drags on to Justine healing her broken friendship with Renee and also finding herself. I'm very glad that it didn't cycle on to her affair with Renee's boyfriend. That would have been ugly...
Rachel Burke introduced us to such a likeable story of friendship. I'm not usually into friendship books, but Love Bites did spark a tiny interest in me and I'm glad I read it. I decided to read Love Bites a month earlier before because I couldn't sleep and when I grew tired I didn't want to stop. The novel has a suffice amount of chapters, though I didn't love the beginning because the introduction seemed a bit choppy, but it smoothened out. And the ending was so cute and delish!
But I also had a knot against Justine in a certain scene, but I will not be going any further than that. Our main character can be a bit hasty and indecisive with her life decisions. It was pretty clear to me what she should decide on and yet she still chooses to make mistakes. Then someone inside my head quotes "Your past mistakes are there to guide you not define you." It stuck with me so I pretty much ended up loving Justine Sterling. Besides, she has Renee to help her get through it all.
I saw Justine grew from broken to reborn like a phoenix. Rackel Burke wrote a beautiful story about learning how to love again. Love Bites teaches us a valuable lesson that we make mistakes, but life doesn't come with instructions.
Love Bites it pretty much self-explanatory. Love freaking bites your behind. Justine Sterling has no control over her life, she makes the stupidest decisions and wants nothing but broken pieces which is why I loved Love Bites so much. She is a perfect imperfection! Sterling has nothing, but her friendship with her Renee who is just the sweetest person alive. The plot twist (not really a twist) is when Justine finds herself falling in love with David, Renee's boyfriend. Sooner or later Renee figures out the betrayal. Years of friendship sunk into a deep black hole. The story drags on to Justine healing her broken friendship with Renee and also finding herself. I'm very glad that it didn't cycle on to her affair with Renee's boyfriend. That would have been ugly...
Rachel Burke introduced us to such a likeable story of friendship. I'm not usually into friendship books, but Love Bites did spark a tiny interest in me and I'm glad I read it. I decided to read Love Bites a month earlier before because I couldn't sleep and when I grew tired I didn't want to stop. The novel has a suffice amount of chapters, though I didn't love the beginning because the introduction seemed a bit choppy, but it smoothened out. And the ending was so cute and delish!
But I also had a knot against Justine in a certain scene, but I will not be going any further than that. Our main character can be a bit hasty and indecisive with her life decisions. It was pretty clear to me what she should decide on and yet she still chooses to make mistakes. Then someone inside my head quotes "Your past mistakes are there to guide you not define you." It stuck with me so I pretty much ended up loving Justine Sterling. Besides, she has Renee to help her get through it all.
I saw Justine grew from broken to reborn like a phoenix. Rackel Burke wrote a beautiful story about learning how to love again. Love Bites teaches us a valuable lesson that we make mistakes, but life doesn't come with instructions.
January 25, 2016
It's always nice to start off a new year with a fresh, engaging story that I can emphasise with, and 'Love Bites' definitely provided just that for me.
This is a true contemporary romance that's about friendship and romance both, and I think that's why I found it so compelling. There are plenty of romance novels that focus solely on the romance, and while that's not a bad thing, reality is a lot different. In reality most people have friends and family and various people who get in the way - and bumps along the way, when things aren't so easy and bonds face the test of mistakes and harsh words.
All of that is why I enjoyed this book so much. Renee and Justine have been best friends for years, ever since Renee came to Justine's highschool partway through the year. They've been through almost everything - including, as we discover right from the book summary, something that would drive most friends apart.
The story unfolds in two different settings - the past, where Justine made most of her mistakes, and the present, where she makes a few more. It's a story about the rocky road that so many people find laid out before them as they try to find love and happiness and a balance in their life, figuring out where friendship and romance balance together, and what's important and what isn't in the great balance of things.
I'll be honest, I can emphasise with that, a lot. Probably shouldn't at my age, but OH WELL. That's the way the cookie crumbles, etc. But that need and desire to find a balance, and thinking that you'll never find love, and trying to balance your friendships... I get all of that.
Following Justine throughout the book, we get to see her learn, and heal, and grow. We see her grow into herself and learn to love and respect herself, and it's great because the world and the people around her have so much detail to them, too. For me it was just a really engaging, touching read that had me smiling at the end, and sometimes that's the best thing about a book - when it makes you smile, and just feel that satisfaction. So yeah, I'd definitely recommend this book.
This is a true contemporary romance that's about friendship and romance both, and I think that's why I found it so compelling. There are plenty of romance novels that focus solely on the romance, and while that's not a bad thing, reality is a lot different. In reality most people have friends and family and various people who get in the way - and bumps along the way, when things aren't so easy and bonds face the test of mistakes and harsh words.
All of that is why I enjoyed this book so much. Renee and Justine have been best friends for years, ever since Renee came to Justine's highschool partway through the year. They've been through almost everything - including, as we discover right from the book summary, something that would drive most friends apart.
The story unfolds in two different settings - the past, where Justine made most of her mistakes, and the present, where she makes a few more. It's a story about the rocky road that so many people find laid out before them as they try to find love and happiness and a balance in their life, figuring out where friendship and romance balance together, and what's important and what isn't in the great balance of things.
I'll be honest, I can emphasise with that, a lot. Probably shouldn't at my age, but OH WELL. That's the way the cookie crumbles, etc. But that need and desire to find a balance, and thinking that you'll never find love, and trying to balance your friendships... I get all of that.
Following Justine throughout the book, we get to see her learn, and heal, and grow. We see her grow into herself and learn to love and respect herself, and it's great because the world and the people around her have so much detail to them, too. For me it was just a really engaging, touching read that had me smiling at the end, and sometimes that's the best thing about a book - when it makes you smile, and just feel that satisfaction. So yeah, I'd definitely recommend this book.
December 14, 2014
An excellent story of a young woman finding her place in the world. Rachel has had a hard time of late and currently finds herself jobless, homeless, loveless, and not sure where to turn. This beautifully written story is her journey to forgiveness, happiness, and ultimately love. It's a great read and one I recommend.
January 4, 2015
Love Bitten Stars!
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Related to another book Sound Bites but can be read as a standalone
My Love Bites Review...
It has been forever since I read Sound bites but I really did enjoy that story so given the opportunity to read this book I jumped on it. After reading it, I forgot that Justine was part of the reason for Renee's heartache in Sounds bites. This was a good book and not your typical love story as it is more about losing one's self and then finding your true self before you can truly love and be loved.
While reading it I was first having a hard time wrapping my head around loving your best friend's boyfriend but the way it was presented and the format of the story takes you inside Justine's torment and how she fell for David.
While her disastrous decision and tormented heart she loses her best friend and other half but that is not the only thing she loses. Now that she is free to love David she ends up being co-dependent on him for everything which causes her to lose herself in the process. The original reason David wanted her was because of her independent spark but once that was gone he moves on as well.
For Justine, this is where her journey truly begins, as she first has to forgive her self and move forward from her broken heart but that's easier said than done. Renee may have moved forward but Justine's in some sort of inner turmoil. Once she realizes that she truly did lose herself she now starts to try and pick up the pieces to glue herself back together but maybe a better more stronger model this time.
"But then one day, you wake up and the sun shines again. You start to feel like yourself again. And when you actually meet the person you're supposed to be with, you'll thank God you didn't end up with someone who didn't appreciate you for who you really are."
With the help of as self help book, Renee and friends, Justine each day starts to moves forward.
"Remember what I told you about breakups. They're painful as hell, but then one day, you wake up and the sun shines again." He smiled knowingly. "That's when you're ready to be friends."
This book was very sweet and not typical which I adored. More often than not romance books are all very similar and at times sometimes monotonous but with this it had a refreshing take on it and you felt like you were taking the journey along side Justine to find her inner happiness and loving one's self.
For more reviews, visit Live Read and Breathe
Like us on Facebook Live Read and Breathe Facebook
Follow along with Twitter Live Read and Breathe Twitter
January 24, 2015
Posted originally http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
I loved the sound of Love Bites, if maybe for all the wrong reasons. It’s billed as New Adult, so I was expecting quite a lot of angst and drama as the main character fell in love with her best friend’s boyfriend – the type of book I used to read a lot before I was swept up in the contemporary romance genre. So I guess I was a little surprised to find that none of the characters were in the new adult age range and Love Bites was actually a contemporary romance/coming of age novel. Reading the synopsis fully should have given me a clue, since it says Justine is 26, but I didn’t pick up on that and had been expecting something a bit different than what I got. Having said that, I found Love Bites to be a perfectly enjoyable book, a story about friendship and second chances and discovering where you belong. It’s about making mistakes and in turn learning from them and is a wonderfully told book from an author I’d like to read more from.
The story is told in two timeframes, taken back to when Justine meets Renee’s boyfriend David and falls in love, and the present day, where she’s living in the aftermath of the choice she made to betray her best friend. I’ve not read Sound Bites, which I think is Renee’s side of the story, but it was Justine and Renee’s friendship and the impact David took on that which I really enjoyed reading about. Once I’d got used to the switching in time, I liked the format to the story, and seeing the similarities and differences in Justine’s personality, how things had changed for her after David. Love Bites focuses a lot on Justine rebuilding her life and relationships and trying to make better choices. I connected with her character like I would do with a friend, wanting the best for her but also at times wanting to shake her up a bit when she repeats bad mistakes and doesn’t think things through enough. I loved seeing her character grow throughout the novel though and wasn’t quite sure what to expect towards the end, but I enjoyed how things worked out.
The whole premise and concept of Love Bites was captivating, and Rachel K. Burke has a lovely way of writing which keeps me eager to read on. I felt the friendship between Justine and Renee really captured the essence of the story, from the pain and the upset to the lighter, more humorous occasions as both characters’ lives change in a touching way. Their stories were developed well and it was quite unpredictable at times, which was a pleasant surprise. I loved the way Justine begins to learn more about herself and the positive things she’s capable of, how she isn’t just capable of making bad choices and messing up. Whether she was ever going to reach that stage of happiness and contentment is something for you to discover as you read, but Love Bites was for me, a really sweet, uplifting story which shows the importance of learning to respect yourself and how your life doesn’t have to be defined by your mistakes.
*Book received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2015
4.5 stars
BLOG ♥ FACEBOOK ♥ TWITTER
Love Bites is different. Lucky for me, and the author, I am a big fan of different. When I picked up my kindle I had envisioned this epic love story about a woman dumped by the love of her life long enough for him realizes what a douche canoe he’s been and comes crawling back to her on his hands and knees. What I got was something altogether different. Love Bites is the story of a young woman who’s lost herself. She fell into a man and when he was done with her, she was left stranded in the pit he’d created, unable to crawl out on her own. It’s the story of one woman’s struggle to find herself.
If you’re looking for a hot and heavy sex centered story, move along. This isn’t it. In fact, there is little to no sex in the entire shebang. There are, however, several dysfunctional relationships. Justine’s story isn’t just about rebuilding herself after a romantic relationship goes bust; it’s about rebuilding a friendship and career, as well as the hope for a long lasting love.
Love Bites is fresh, something different. I’m pretty picky when it comes to dishing out 4.5/5 star reviews. This baby earned every one of them. I never knew what to expect with the flip of each page. The story made me feel for Justine. I connected with her. Who hasn’t felt lost at one time or another? We all end up losing ourselves to something – whether it’s kids, a husband, boyfriend, or job. And when the thing that has been holding you together becomes the one thing to break you apart, a new, beautiful story is born.
Add Love bites to your TBR list. When you’re tired of the same ol’ story, whip it out and give it a try. Rachel K. Burke has a way with words that will keep you coming back for more. This is the second book of hers I’ve read, and I’ll confess that I’ve scoped out her other published works. I will definitely be reading more of her writing in the coming months.
BLOG ♥ FACEBOOK ♥ TWITTER
Love Bites is different. Lucky for me, and the author, I am a big fan of different. When I picked up my kindle I had envisioned this epic love story about a woman dumped by the love of her life long enough for him realizes what a douche canoe he’s been and comes crawling back to her on his hands and knees. What I got was something altogether different. Love Bites is the story of a young woman who’s lost herself. She fell into a man and when he was done with her, she was left stranded in the pit he’d created, unable to crawl out on her own. It’s the story of one woman’s struggle to find herself.
It seemed like everyone around me had someone to spend their lives with, and I was just floating around in a pool of unavailable men, searching to find unattainable love in the last place I should be looking.
If you’re looking for a hot and heavy sex centered story, move along. This isn’t it. In fact, there is little to no sex in the entire shebang. There are, however, several dysfunctional relationships. Justine’s story isn’t just about rebuilding herself after a romantic relationship goes bust; it’s about rebuilding a friendship and career, as well as the hope for a long lasting love.
Love Bites is fresh, something different. I’m pretty picky when it comes to dishing out 4.5/5 star reviews. This baby earned every one of them. I never knew what to expect with the flip of each page. The story made me feel for Justine. I connected with her. Who hasn’t felt lost at one time or another? We all end up losing ourselves to something – whether it’s kids, a husband, boyfriend, or job. And when the thing that has been holding you together becomes the one thing to break you apart, a new, beautiful story is born.
My mom would attempt to cover up my patheticness by telling my nosy relatives that I was “kissing a lot of frogs” when they asked about my dating life.
You can only kiss so many frogs before your parents start to think you’re a lesbian.
Add Love bites to your TBR list. When you’re tired of the same ol’ story, whip it out and give it a try. Rachel K. Burke has a way with words that will keep you coming back for more. This is the second book of hers I’ve read, and I’ll confess that I’ve scoped out her other published works. I will definitely be reading more of her writing in the coming months.
December 15, 2014
What a very perfect title for this book because after reading it I can only imagine that is how the main character is feeling about love in general. The author explores a unique situation where you think it’s about one thing but in reality I think it was about something completely different. Definitely a book about exploration of thy own self.
We meet Justine after college and a couple years of living in the real world, between trials and tribulations with her best friend and her ex you would think her life would be more depressing than it is. But Justine starts reading a self-help book that helps her work through all these issues she’s currently having and discovering, ones she didn’t even realized she had.
Ok first yes this book is about a girl who takes the guy away from her best friend, is that the way it happened? Maybe in a black and white world, but we all live in the gray and sometimes things happen even if you don’t mean them to, they just do. Was it for the best, probably not because these types of actions have consequences? So in comes Justine trying to repair her friendship which meant more to her than her relationship with the guy who didn’t turn out to be the best person. I really disliked David, probably from the get go, he seemed too cocky and it just irritated me, but that’s a good thing because well he wasn’t a great guy. But the major thing was the repairing of a broken friendship.
I really enjoyed the way this book took you back to memories of things that, it’s good to see what happened then and what is happening now, comparing them is always good to see. I loved the main character because she shows us that even when you mess up, you deal with the consequences and try to move your life forward. Even if it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get better, if you think positively enough good things will happen. I’m a firm believer in that.
Overall the book was a quick read, I enjoyed it from beginning to end and felt every word that I read. I think things worked out the way they should have worked out in the end and I’m glad for it. Really great read, something to keep you company and into someone else’s drama for a while.
We meet Justine after college and a couple years of living in the real world, between trials and tribulations with her best friend and her ex you would think her life would be more depressing than it is. But Justine starts reading a self-help book that helps her work through all these issues she’s currently having and discovering, ones she didn’t even realized she had.
Ok first yes this book is about a girl who takes the guy away from her best friend, is that the way it happened? Maybe in a black and white world, but we all live in the gray and sometimes things happen even if you don’t mean them to, they just do. Was it for the best, probably not because these types of actions have consequences? So in comes Justine trying to repair her friendship which meant more to her than her relationship with the guy who didn’t turn out to be the best person. I really disliked David, probably from the get go, he seemed too cocky and it just irritated me, but that’s a good thing because well he wasn’t a great guy. But the major thing was the repairing of a broken friendship.
I really enjoyed the way this book took you back to memories of things that, it’s good to see what happened then and what is happening now, comparing them is always good to see. I loved the main character because she shows us that even when you mess up, you deal with the consequences and try to move your life forward. Even if it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get better, if you think positively enough good things will happen. I’m a firm believer in that.
Overall the book was a quick read, I enjoyed it from beginning to end and felt every word that I read. I think things worked out the way they should have worked out in the end and I’m glad for it. Really great read, something to keep you company and into someone else’s drama for a while.
February 3, 2015
I started reading this book and it took me almost half way through to really get into it and figure out where this story was going. I kept wondering what the point was to all of it but soon figured out that Justine was just trying to find her way and going through trials like everyone goes through. Regret and a broken heart hold Justine back from being able to move forward in her life and once she learns how to just be happy with what she has and what has been given to her, she also learns how to get over her past. It all worked hand in hand for her.
Justine is a young lady that is trying to find her way in the world after an internship. Justine wants to get a job and a nice apartment and start her own life on her own. In her past, Justine had done the ultimate wrong when she slept with her best friends boyfriend. Not only did she end up not having a best friend, but she ended up with a broken heart a year or so later. The whole lesson on if a guy is going to cheat with you on someone, especially your best friend, then he will cheat on you as well was very evident in this story.
Justine is back and forth between where she wants to live and work. It is not until her best friend, which was forgiving of her, has a daughter that she becomes the Godmother of that Justine realizes that "Home is definitely where the Heart is"! Justine has a lot of tough choices to make and she learns that she has to be happy with the choices she makes because that is the only way that she is going to be able to move on and make her future profitable.
I loved the way this book ended with a HEA for Justine after all she had been through. I thought that she deserved it. It goes to prove too that sometimes we have to make it through the rough spots to really appreciate the good stuff when we are handed it!! Thanks Rachel for this reminder!!
Justine is a young lady that is trying to find her way in the world after an internship. Justine wants to get a job and a nice apartment and start her own life on her own. In her past, Justine had done the ultimate wrong when she slept with her best friends boyfriend. Not only did she end up not having a best friend, but she ended up with a broken heart a year or so later. The whole lesson on if a guy is going to cheat with you on someone, especially your best friend, then he will cheat on you as well was very evident in this story.
Justine is back and forth between where she wants to live and work. It is not until her best friend, which was forgiving of her, has a daughter that she becomes the Godmother of that Justine realizes that "Home is definitely where the Heart is"! Justine has a lot of tough choices to make and she learns that she has to be happy with the choices she makes because that is the only way that she is going to be able to move on and make her future profitable.
I loved the way this book ended with a HEA for Justine after all she had been through. I thought that she deserved it. It goes to prove too that sometimes we have to make it through the rough spots to really appreciate the good stuff when we are handed it!! Thanks Rachel for this reminder!!
December 16, 2014
Love Bites by Rachel K Burke was a pleasant surprise to read, namely as it didn't end how I thought it would and in honesty I am so glad that it didn't! I love a good New Adult book, but I also felt it would fit nicely under the romance and women's fiction categories too.
I'm sure we have all met people and had instant attractions to them, I know I have. However, I can say I've never fallen in love with my best friends man and that's exactly what happen with Justine. Renee's boyfriend David isn't just an instant attraction for Justine, its a consuming feeling and what's worse is how the story pans out and the actions of many people involved.
Love Bites isn't just a romance story at all, its about Justine finding herself, friendship and bonds and realising that sometimes following your heart isn't always the right thing to do.
Love Bites was a refreshing read. I liked Justine and understood her actions and inner turmoil. She was only human like many of us and not perfect like too many book heroines we read about. I could relate to her and it made the tale more enjoyable.
I admit when I first met Renee in the book I didn't like her, but as the book went on I grew to understand her too. There are other characters but in honesty I don't want to talk about them. I don't want to spoil what happens in this story either.
I gave Love Bites 4 stars, it was a nice quick read for me and read in 1 sitting. I recommend it to those who love the New Adult genre and romance too. this book isn't heavy on the sex side of things and is more about finding yourself - Justine is always a really fun character, so don't expect lots of doom and gloom either.
This book review and many others can be found on Http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk
I'm sure we have all met people and had instant attractions to them, I know I have. However, I can say I've never fallen in love with my best friends man and that's exactly what happen with Justine. Renee's boyfriend David isn't just an instant attraction for Justine, its a consuming feeling and what's worse is how the story pans out and the actions of many people involved.
Love Bites isn't just a romance story at all, its about Justine finding herself, friendship and bonds and realising that sometimes following your heart isn't always the right thing to do.
Love Bites was a refreshing read. I liked Justine and understood her actions and inner turmoil. She was only human like many of us and not perfect like too many book heroines we read about. I could relate to her and it made the tale more enjoyable.
I admit when I first met Renee in the book I didn't like her, but as the book went on I grew to understand her too. There are other characters but in honesty I don't want to talk about them. I don't want to spoil what happens in this story either.
I gave Love Bites 4 stars, it was a nice quick read for me and read in 1 sitting. I recommend it to those who love the New Adult genre and romance too. this book isn't heavy on the sex side of things and is more about finding yourself - Justine is always a really fun character, so don't expect lots of doom and gloom either.
This book review and many others can be found on Http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk
December 26, 2014
I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley. Originally posted here: https://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/...
_____________________________________________________________________________
Love Bites is a refreshing take on the classic girl meets boy story. Justine is so easy to relate to and her situation is one that I’m sure some people could relate to. Being a magnet for bad men is never fun, and Justine seems to be in a never-ending dating cycle with horrible results.
The relationship between Justine and her best friend, Renee, is shown through present day moments and flashbacks to the incident that temporarily ripped their friendship apart. You can understand it from both women’s point of view and you really feel for them, especially since they were torn apart because of one man after years of solid friendship.
Justine goes through a crisis; no job, no home, no boyfriend. Wondering what she should do, Justine seeks answers wherever she can get them: her old job, her old life, her old flame. This, obviously, just leads to more disaster.
Enter the dashing Walter, real estate giant. With Justine feeling on solid ground for the first time in a while after becoming good friends with him, all seems to be going well.
Love Bites had me bouncing through emotions as I rooted for Justine to get it together and get the life of her dreams. I laughed out loud at some of the character exchanges and wanted to throw my Kindle across the room when Justine kept making the same silly mistakes over and over. I couldn’t put this book down.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Love Bites is a refreshing take on the classic girl meets boy story. Justine is so easy to relate to and her situation is one that I’m sure some people could relate to. Being a magnet for bad men is never fun, and Justine seems to be in a never-ending dating cycle with horrible results.
The relationship between Justine and her best friend, Renee, is shown through present day moments and flashbacks to the incident that temporarily ripped their friendship apart. You can understand it from both women’s point of view and you really feel for them, especially since they were torn apart because of one man after years of solid friendship.
Justine goes through a crisis; no job, no home, no boyfriend. Wondering what she should do, Justine seeks answers wherever she can get them: her old job, her old life, her old flame. This, obviously, just leads to more disaster.
Enter the dashing Walter, real estate giant. With Justine feeling on solid ground for the first time in a while after becoming good friends with him, all seems to be going well.
Love Bites had me bouncing through emotions as I rooted for Justine to get it together and get the life of her dreams. I laughed out loud at some of the character exchanges and wanted to throw my Kindle across the room when Justine kept making the same silly mistakes over and over. I couldn’t put this book down.
December 29, 2014
We were gifted this book by the author in exchange for our honest review.
The overview of this book was definitely interesting. How many people fall in love with their best friend's boyfriend? Right? I mean, you can't control who your heart falls in love with! So, you have to choose between your best friend and the man your heart is in love with.
Thank goodness I have not ever been in this situation! I can't even begin to imagine how hard that choice would be.
This book definitely held my attention. I was entranced in Justine and David's relationship as well as Justine and Renee's relationship. This book is about loving yourself and staying true to yourself. If you can't say this about yourself then you will not have a successful relationship with someone else. This book will make you take stock of your relationships-with yourself and with others.
Each of the characters were built well. I felt like I was experiencing what the characters were going through. This was a great story line, if this situation can possibly make a good story!
I would give Love Bites 4 out of 5 lovely stars!
The overview of this book was definitely interesting. How many people fall in love with their best friend's boyfriend? Right? I mean, you can't control who your heart falls in love with! So, you have to choose between your best friend and the man your heart is in love with.
Thank goodness I have not ever been in this situation! I can't even begin to imagine how hard that choice would be.
This book definitely held my attention. I was entranced in Justine and David's relationship as well as Justine and Renee's relationship. This book is about loving yourself and staying true to yourself. If you can't say this about yourself then you will not have a successful relationship with someone else. This book will make you take stock of your relationships-with yourself and with others.
Each of the characters were built well. I felt like I was experiencing what the characters were going through. This was a great story line, if this situation can possibly make a good story!
I would give Love Bites 4 out of 5 lovely stars!
January 28, 2015
* * ARC received on behalf of obsessed by books for an honest review * *
I recommend reading sound bites first.
how do you tell your best friend that you are in love with her boyfriend or should we say ex friends and ex boyfriend cause you got caught sleeping with him.
Justine has messed up big time, she lost her best friend and fell in love with her boyfriend and thought he felt the same.
Justine has always had a tough go with guys, but she thought David was different til he breaks her heart. This story is about taking the wrongs and making them right. will David and Justine work out, can she fix her friendship with renee. I give this book a 5 star rating, I enjoyed seeing Justine grow and find herself.
I recommend reading sound bites first.
how do you tell your best friend that you are in love with her boyfriend or should we say ex friends and ex boyfriend cause you got caught sleeping with him.
Justine has messed up big time, she lost her best friend and fell in love with her boyfriend and thought he felt the same.
Justine has always had a tough go with guys, but she thought David was different til he breaks her heart. This story is about taking the wrongs and making them right. will David and Justine work out, can she fix her friendship with renee. I give this book a 5 star rating, I enjoyed seeing Justine grow and find herself.
March 24, 2015
This is not your typical boy meets girl story and that's a good thing. It honestly kept me interested the whole time. It's more than the relationship between the boy and the girl, it's the relationship between the girl and her best friend and I think the girl and herself.
Justine falls for her best friends boyfriend and how could she not? The man is practically fucking her with his eyes. I won't say that she's right, but she did try to fight it. She didn't ask for anything that happened to happen, but it did. Life has a funny way of working out. The problem is that her life was kind of out of control before this happened, i.e. her luck with men.
This is more than just a romance, more than just sex, this is about the journey.
Justine falls for her best friends boyfriend and how could she not? The man is practically fucking her with his eyes. I won't say that she's right, but she did try to fight it. She didn't ask for anything that happened to happen, but it did. Life has a funny way of working out. The problem is that her life was kind of out of control before this happened, i.e. her luck with men.
This is more than just a romance, more than just sex, this is about the journey.
July 8, 2021
*This e-arc was given to me through Netgalley*
Justine is a 26 year old woman who has fallen in love with her best friend's boyfriend. When Renee -her best friend - finds out she has to repair the damage of what's left of her friendship. But as the story progresses she realizes that she has to be independent and go after what she wants and not center her life around others.
Final Thoughts
This was a fun novel about not only the characters romantic relationships but as well as her friendship with Renee as well. It was su changes a well balance between the two. Through trial and error she learned her independence.
Justine is a 26 year old woman who has fallen in love with her best friend's boyfriend. When Renee -her best friend - finds out she has to repair the damage of what's left of her friendship. But as the story progresses she realizes that she has to be independent and go after what she wants and not center her life around others.
Final Thoughts
This was a fun novel about not only the characters romantic relationships but as well as her friendship with Renee as well. It was su changes a well balance between the two. Through trial and error she learned her independence.
January 31, 2015
I really enjoyed Justine’s story. It was so relatable because everyone struggles at some point in their lives to find their identity. I rooted for Justine as she became someone she wanted to be—someone she was happy with. Justine is such a flawed and complex character, I enjoyed seeing a new layer of her in every page.
Things I liked the most:
1. Justine finding independence.
2. Her relationship with Renee.
3. Walter.
Things I disliked:
1. It’s over.
2. Walter isn’t real.
3. Why isn’t Walter real?
I recommend this book to those who enjoy novels about friendship, self-discovery, and sweet romance. I can’t wait to read Sound Bites now.
Things I liked the most:
1. Justine finding independence.
2. Her relationship with Renee.
3. Walter.
Things I disliked:
1. It’s over.
2. Walter isn’t real.
3. Why isn’t Walter real?
I recommend this book to those who enjoy novels about friendship, self-discovery, and sweet romance. I can’t wait to read Sound Bites now.
December 31, 2015
Love Bites turned out to be completely different than I thought, in the best way possible.
While the book is about love, it's also about friendship, forgiveness, and finding yourself.
Rachel Burke did an amazing job with the characters- Justine is so likeable and is someone you can really relate to. I felt like she was someone I knew the entire time I was reading.
The love story isn't as you'd expect, and while it comes out of no where, it's really, really good.
You will laugh while reading this book, feel angry at times, and of course, be smiling a lot.
Copy received by NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
While the book is about love, it's also about friendship, forgiveness, and finding yourself.
Rachel Burke did an amazing job with the characters- Justine is so likeable and is someone you can really relate to. I felt like she was someone I knew the entire time I was reading.
The love story isn't as you'd expect, and while it comes out of no where, it's really, really good.
You will laugh while reading this book, feel angry at times, and of course, be smiling a lot.
Copy received by NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
December 25, 2014
Love generally comes in various categories, but that of the sexual variety usually comes in one of two sorts, the one that is warm, exciting and follows the rules, and that which is so all consuming that it transcends all normal codes of conduct. So... In our story Justine forgets all moral principles and not only falls for her best friend's lover, she embarks on an affair with him. Someone is going to get hurt. This is a book for ladies of all ages who've been there and may have done that. I would be happy to read more stories by Rachel Burke.
January 23, 2015
This is a story on forgiveness, finding self and gaining some independence. I really loved this book, I loved that it was more focused on Justine trying to find herself rather then worrying about romance. I loved watching over time how she dealt with conflicts. I loved that there was the back and forth on her and David and how she is now. I thought it was interesting getting that aspect of how it was going on for her in the past. Overall I really loved this book and recommend you lovely readers to check it out.
January 3, 2015
I did not enjoy this and did not finish it. It was confusing and i really didn't connect with the main character. The writing wasn't bad, but i couldn't relate or begin to understand the character.
2/5 stars
2/5 stars
December 6, 2014
Review to be added on December 17th, closer to the release date.
June 6, 2019
Actual rating is 3.5
Copy from Netgalley
Review snippet:
Love Bites takes its readers through the emotional rollercoaster one experiences with love. Beyond romantic relationships, the book showed different relationships particularly how they're affected by heartbreak. Though falling short of my expectations in certain areas, its story is relatable to today's millenials who are simply trying to find their way in love and life.
Longer version of the review below (may contain spoilers)
Copy from Netgalley
Review snippet:
Love Bites takes its readers through the emotional rollercoaster one experiences with love. Beyond romantic relationships, the book showed different relationships particularly how they're affected by heartbreak. Though falling short of my expectations in certain areas, its story is relatable to today's millenials who are simply trying to find their way in love and life.
Longer version of the review below (may contain spoilers)
April 13, 2015
I said it once, and I'll say it again - half star ratings please, GoodReads!
At first glance, this novel seems like a typical 'woe is me' romantic love story. It took reading it to realize that this novel is more than that - it's a story of the bonds of friendship. LOVE BITES by Rachel K. Burke is a contemporary novel about the lines between love and friendship.
RELEASE DATE: December 2014
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
DISCLAIMER: Novel sent via NetGallery in exchange for a honest review.
SYNOPSIS: What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend? That is the question that twenty-six year-old Justine Sterling has been asking herself ever since the day she met David Whitman, her best friend Renee’s boyfriend. Justine is determined to ignore her growing feelings for the irresistibly charming David, until one night, when she finds herself in the bed of the one person she should stay away from. When Justine and David’s affair ends in heartbreak, Justine is forced to repair the damaged friendship with her best friend. In doing so, she learns that right and wrong decisions aren’t always black and white, and sometimes you have to follow your heart to see where it leads.
REVIEW: I had kind of a 'meh' feeling going into this novel. An 'it is what it is' kind of thing. And even now, I'm flip flopping back and forth on my ratings because part of me loved certain bits of the novel while another part of me hated the rest. What's a reviewer to do!
Justine and Renee have been friends since elementary school - inseparable some may say. This proves true when both girls move across the country to attend university together and end up being roommates. Seemingly, nothing could tear these two apart. Enter David. David is the perfect guy in Justine's eyes - from the second she locks her eyes on him, she feels an instant connection that she knows isn't just a silly crush. Worst part is that David feels it too and after a night of blurred boundary lines, David and Justine fall into bed together. An incident that destroys Renee's and Justine's relationship, Justine is content with her life ... for now. She finally has David and the true love she has been searching for. Except one night, David inexplicably ends their relationship. Now heartbroken, Justine is forced to reconnect with her former best friend and see if relationships can be mended .... but the biggest question is: What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend?
Alright, the love hate relationship with this novel might be best explained through list form. So here goes.
THE LOVE
- I loved the fact that although this is a 'love story', it's more a love story between two friends rather than between a man and a woman. At the centre of this story is Justine's and Renee's relationship, and it's that ship that carries the entire novel. The relationship with David almost takes a back seat to everything else. I loved that the author put these two females front and centre, and make them own up to their faults.
- Justine turned out to not be an individual who would just throw away a relationship with her best friend for a guy. It turns out that she really truly thought that this love was one of a kind. You can kind of empathize with her character and realize that she's only human. While I don't condone her behaviour, I'm glad that the author gave us enough background to see truly where Justine is coming from.
Alright, now the unpretty:
THE 'MEH'
- Silly little love story cliches: the smoking hot man you never thought twice about! the perfect conclusion to an otherwise rocky story! the perfect job landing in your lap! your best friend forgiving you for all your mistakes! the protagonist who doesn't realize she's completely beautiful! Just ugh. They start racking up so fast near the end that it nearly makes your head spin.
- The constant back and forth regarding Justine's decision making started to get on my nerves near the end of the novel. It seemed like every next sentence, Justine was changing her mind to something else. It became annoying to follow and by the end I felt like I could care less about her choice.
- A sex scene in the middle seemed slightly out of place.
That's probably the best way I can summarize this novel - sometimes, a reviewer just needs to make a list!
At first glance, this novel seems like a typical 'woe is me' romantic love story. It took reading it to realize that this novel is more than that - it's a story of the bonds of friendship. LOVE BITES by Rachel K. Burke is a contemporary novel about the lines between love and friendship.
RELEASE DATE: December 2014
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
DISCLAIMER: Novel sent via NetGallery in exchange for a honest review.
SYNOPSIS: What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend? That is the question that twenty-six year-old Justine Sterling has been asking herself ever since the day she met David Whitman, her best friend Renee’s boyfriend. Justine is determined to ignore her growing feelings for the irresistibly charming David, until one night, when she finds herself in the bed of the one person she should stay away from. When Justine and David’s affair ends in heartbreak, Justine is forced to repair the damaged friendship with her best friend. In doing so, she learns that right and wrong decisions aren’t always black and white, and sometimes you have to follow your heart to see where it leads.
REVIEW: I had kind of a 'meh' feeling going into this novel. An 'it is what it is' kind of thing. And even now, I'm flip flopping back and forth on my ratings because part of me loved certain bits of the novel while another part of me hated the rest. What's a reviewer to do!
Justine and Renee have been friends since elementary school - inseparable some may say. This proves true when both girls move across the country to attend university together and end up being roommates. Seemingly, nothing could tear these two apart. Enter David. David is the perfect guy in Justine's eyes - from the second she locks her eyes on him, she feels an instant connection that she knows isn't just a silly crush. Worst part is that David feels it too and after a night of blurred boundary lines, David and Justine fall into bed together. An incident that destroys Renee's and Justine's relationship, Justine is content with her life ... for now. She finally has David and the true love she has been searching for. Except one night, David inexplicably ends their relationship. Now heartbroken, Justine is forced to reconnect with her former best friend and see if relationships can be mended .... but the biggest question is: What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend?
Alright, the love hate relationship with this novel might be best explained through list form. So here goes.
THE LOVE
- I loved the fact that although this is a 'love story', it's more a love story between two friends rather than between a man and a woman. At the centre of this story is Justine's and Renee's relationship, and it's that ship that carries the entire novel. The relationship with David almost takes a back seat to everything else. I loved that the author put these two females front and centre, and make them own up to their faults.
- Justine turned out to not be an individual who would just throw away a relationship with her best friend for a guy. It turns out that she really truly thought that this love was one of a kind. You can kind of empathize with her character and realize that she's only human. While I don't condone her behaviour, I'm glad that the author gave us enough background to see truly where Justine is coming from.
Alright, now the unpretty:
THE 'MEH'
- Silly little love story cliches: the smoking hot man you never thought twice about! the perfect conclusion to an otherwise rocky story! the perfect job landing in your lap! your best friend forgiving you for all your mistakes! the protagonist who doesn't realize she's completely beautiful! Just ugh. They start racking up so fast near the end that it nearly makes your head spin.
- The constant back and forth regarding Justine's decision making started to get on my nerves near the end of the novel. It seemed like every next sentence, Justine was changing her mind to something else. It became annoying to follow and by the end I felt like I could care less about her choice.
- A sex scene in the middle seemed slightly out of place.
That's probably the best way I can summarize this novel - sometimes, a reviewer just needs to make a list!
July 14, 2017
» Review can also be found on Orchids & Amethysts.
Title: Love Bites
Author: Rachel K. Burke
Rating: 3/5
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperImpulse for letting me receive a digital copy before the official release.
Alright. This is kind of hard, because this book was nothing like I thought it would be. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet, let's weight out the options.
I liked the main conflict of this novel - a girl being in love with her best friend's boyfriend. It's so clichee and tons of books like that exist already, I know, but I never get tired of reading about those. At least I don't if they're well-written and that was the case with Love Bites. The writing was great.
The reason why I may be confused about my thoughts on this book is that it was described as New Adult, and I think the author isn't a New Adult author. She's an adult author. This is a book for adults. It contains jobs and fashion and pregnancy and adult friendships and, and, and... I can't help but being reminded of Sex and The City, which I never liked, and novels by Paige Toon, who is an author I love very, very much.
I also liked the different characters. All of them had their own voice. You could always tell them apart because none of them acted and spoke the same way. That doesn't mean I could relate to all of them. For example, I liked Renee and Dylan's relationship, but I just wasn't interested in reading anything about those two. But I was really excited to read about Justine's past, and David, and then the other guy that stepped into her life (you'll know who I mean once you decide to give this book a chance).
As mentioned, I started this book with different expectations. Different isn't always bad, yeah, of course. That's not what I am saying. However, different is hard for me to deal with. I'm still unsure what to think of this book, because it had its good points, but then there were parts, job interviews for example, that I just wanted to skip because it was too adult-like and I hoped for a New Adult book. I'm complaining too much, I'm sorry.
I still think this book captured the emotion of a bad breakup perfectly as well as the part when you try to deal with the circumstances afterwards. And I think this is what makes the book special in a way, too, because I think there aren't many novels out there that really deal with situations.
Title: Love Bites
Author: Rachel K. Burke
Rating: 3/5
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperImpulse for letting me receive a digital copy before the official release.
What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend?
That is the question that twenty-six year-old Justine Sterling has been asking herself ever since the day she met David Whitman, her best friend Renee’s boyfriend. Justine is determined to ignore her growing feelings for the irresistibly charming David, until one night, when she finds herself in the bed of the one person she should stay away from.
When Justine and David’s affair ends in heartbreak, Justine is forced to repair the damaged friendship with her best friend. In doing so, she learns that right and wrong decisions aren’t always black and white, and sometimes you have to follow your heart to see where it leads.
Alright. This is kind of hard, because this book was nothing like I thought it would be. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet, let's weight out the options.
I liked the main conflict of this novel - a girl being in love with her best friend's boyfriend. It's so clichee and tons of books like that exist already, I know, but I never get tired of reading about those. At least I don't if they're well-written and that was the case with Love Bites. The writing was great.
The reason why I may be confused about my thoughts on this book is that it was described as New Adult, and I think the author isn't a New Adult author. She's an adult author. This is a book for adults. It contains jobs and fashion and pregnancy and adult friendships and, and, and... I can't help but being reminded of Sex and The City, which I never liked, and novels by Paige Toon, who is an author I love very, very much.
I also liked the different characters. All of them had their own voice. You could always tell them apart because none of them acted and spoke the same way. That doesn't mean I could relate to all of them. For example, I liked Renee and Dylan's relationship, but I just wasn't interested in reading anything about those two. But I was really excited to read about Justine's past, and David, and then the other guy that stepped into her life (you'll know who I mean once you decide to give this book a chance).
As mentioned, I started this book with different expectations. Different isn't always bad, yeah, of course. That's not what I am saying. However, different is hard for me to deal with. I'm still unsure what to think of this book, because it had its good points, but then there were parts, job interviews for example, that I just wanted to skip because it was too adult-like and I hoped for a New Adult book. I'm complaining too much, I'm sorry.
I still think this book captured the emotion of a bad breakup perfectly as well as the part when you try to deal with the circumstances afterwards. And I think this is what makes the book special in a way, too, because I think there aren't many novels out there that really deal with situations.
January 27, 2015
Love Bites by Rachel K. Burke is a story about redemption from the mistakes of the past, accepting forgiveness of others but most importantly forgiving yourself. Justine is stuck with the guilt of the mistake of her past, sleeping with her best friends boyfriend and the aftermath that came from that betrayal. Believing that she was getting everything she wanted when David Whitman, Renee's boyfriend began to fall for her in the same way she was falling for him; Justine put everything on the line for love. But what is really love that she was getting or was she giving up herself for what she thought was love? This book was a 3.5 star read for me and I would recommend it to others.
Justine Sterling was a girl who was loyal to her friends, especially her best friend Renee who was more like a sister to her. When she betrayed that loyalty when she fell in love with Renee's boyfriend and slept with him behind her back everything began to fall apart for her and she became stuck in the events of the past; unable to move forward with her life after David. Justine returned home to Boston following her break-up with David, wallowing in self pity and wishing for things to have turned out differently between them. Having patched up her relationship with Renee, she is living at the Cape in her parents summer rental free of charge, looking for a job but she isn't really living. Keeping all of her feelings to herself; she is stuck in a limbo of the past, wanting to move forward but not sure how to get there.
With Renee expecting her first baby with her fiance the rock star, Justine seems to be more lost then ever when she considers a job back in LA with her former employer. While helping Renee's fiance plan her baby shower, Justine begins to keep things from Renee once again; leading her to remininse even more about the past. When Renee finds her fiance and Justine having lunch together she immediately jumps to the wrong conclusion believing that history is repeating itself. Once again running from her problems Justine goes on the job interview in LA thinking that accepting will be the answer to all of her problems. It is only after accepting the position that she begins to doubt everything that she has been holding onto from the past and begins to have some hope for the future, a future that she wants to include the handsome real estate agent Walter who has become one of her dearest friends.
With Justine be able to finally let go of her past and move forward toward a life of happiness? Can she finally let go of the love that she believed she had with David and move on with Walter? You will have to read to find out!
Justine Sterling was a girl who was loyal to her friends, especially her best friend Renee who was more like a sister to her. When she betrayed that loyalty when she fell in love with Renee's boyfriend and slept with him behind her back everything began to fall apart for her and she became stuck in the events of the past; unable to move forward with her life after David. Justine returned home to Boston following her break-up with David, wallowing in self pity and wishing for things to have turned out differently between them. Having patched up her relationship with Renee, she is living at the Cape in her parents summer rental free of charge, looking for a job but she isn't really living. Keeping all of her feelings to herself; she is stuck in a limbo of the past, wanting to move forward but not sure how to get there.
With Renee expecting her first baby with her fiance the rock star, Justine seems to be more lost then ever when she considers a job back in LA with her former employer. While helping Renee's fiance plan her baby shower, Justine begins to keep things from Renee once again; leading her to remininse even more about the past. When Renee finds her fiance and Justine having lunch together she immediately jumps to the wrong conclusion believing that history is repeating itself. Once again running from her problems Justine goes on the job interview in LA thinking that accepting will be the answer to all of her problems. It is only after accepting the position that she begins to doubt everything that she has been holding onto from the past and begins to have some hope for the future, a future that she wants to include the handsome real estate agent Walter who has become one of her dearest friends.
With Justine be able to finally let go of her past and move forward toward a life of happiness? Can she finally let go of the love that she believed she had with David and move on with Walter? You will have to read to find out!
March 20, 2015
What a cute story! I’m pleasantly surprised, and almost eager to write this review. When I started Love Bites, I had…a hard time. Not that it wasn’t good, not that it wasn’t sweet or romantic enough, not that it wasn’t a great story. It just wasn’t grabbing me, and that made me so very sad because I was really excited to read it. I’ll be the first to admit this – If I don’t love a book by 30%, I’m done. No more. My opinion is that there are way too many books on my TBR to spend time on something I might not like. So I’ll DNF a book in a heartbeat if I don’t feel it. But something with this one…I just couldn’t stop even though I wasn’t hooked. It’s like I NEEDED to know what happened to Justine, and how she dealt with the issues in her life. I’m beyond thrilled that this was a rare exception and that I kept pushing, because I absolutely adored this book by the end. Completely in love with it.
As I mentioned, the first half seemed very slow for me. I wasn’t in love with the abundance of flashbacks. I know they were necessary, and it shows why Justine made the choices in the present that she has. It almost seemed like maybe too much. Too many, too often, although every flashback was important. It’s such a weird thing trying to explain. It’s like I didn’t want to read that many flashbacks, but can’t imagine not having them. Does that make sense? No, it doesn’t to me either. BUT…then I hit that 50% mark, and it all changed. I can’t even tell you what it is that changed, but I started enjoying it so much more. At that point, you’ll feel for Justine and want the best for her. You’ll be rooting for her to make the right choices, and want to scream at her when she doesn’t.
But that – up there – that made Love Bites for me. It’s not a boy-meets-girl, let’s fight and make up, grand gesture, “yay everything’s great!” type of book. At all. It’s about a woman that is forced to step back and look at her life. Look at the priorities. Look at her future. Look at what’s important, and who’s NOT important. Look at who helped her get to that point. It’s all about Justine, and I absolutely ate her story up.
Overall, Love Bites is a lot of fun to read once you get into it. Once you allow yourself to grasp what’s going on, and how the characters handle it. It’s definitely romantic. There’s no lack of angst and tension. At the end of the book though, you’ll feel oh so excited for the main character, and almost feel like a proud parent watching her finally realize what’s important in life and love.
<3 Erin
As I mentioned, the first half seemed very slow for me. I wasn’t in love with the abundance of flashbacks. I know they were necessary, and it shows why Justine made the choices in the present that she has. It almost seemed like maybe too much. Too many, too often, although every flashback was important. It’s such a weird thing trying to explain. It’s like I didn’t want to read that many flashbacks, but can’t imagine not having them. Does that make sense? No, it doesn’t to me either. BUT…then I hit that 50% mark, and it all changed. I can’t even tell you what it is that changed, but I started enjoying it so much more. At that point, you’ll feel for Justine and want the best for her. You’ll be rooting for her to make the right choices, and want to scream at her when she doesn’t.
But that – up there – that made Love Bites for me. It’s not a boy-meets-girl, let’s fight and make up, grand gesture, “yay everything’s great!” type of book. At all. It’s about a woman that is forced to step back and look at her life. Look at the priorities. Look at her future. Look at what’s important, and who’s NOT important. Look at who helped her get to that point. It’s all about Justine, and I absolutely ate her story up.
Overall, Love Bites is a lot of fun to read once you get into it. Once you allow yourself to grasp what’s going on, and how the characters handle it. It’s definitely romantic. There’s no lack of angst and tension. At the end of the book though, you’ll feel oh so excited for the main character, and almost feel like a proud parent watching her finally realize what’s important in life and love.
<3 Erin
January 29, 2015
Oh man Where to even start with this review. This book is so bad but it’s so true at the same time. I’m sure everyone at one time or another had a crush or a ‘thing’ for one of their friend’s boyfriends. Its life and it happens. Now I’m not sure how many of us would actually go about and sleep with the said best friend’s boyfriend, BUT I can see the way it happened and what led up to it.
But what I hated was how Justine actually went and dated the boyfriend after Renee walked in on them after sex. To me that was crossing a line. Whether or not she stopped talking to Justine or if Justine would one day hate her didn’t matter. To me that was a line to not be crossed and Justine just RAN right over it. I started to hate her after that. Crushing is one thing, sleeping with and dating right after, well that is something else.
I also HATED how Justine moved from one guy to the next and how she was so caught up on David. Really? He wasn’t even all that great, hell he broke up with you get over it, move on and get your life back that you threw away for a guy. I hate girls like this and maybe that is why I disliked this book so much. Justine grated on my nerves. I found myself trying to skip through the parts where she was thinking. I could stand the whole her pinning after a guy who didn’t deserve the ground she walked on.
Toward the end things started to get better, well until she slept with David again only to find out he was engaged. Really and to think Justine was ready to give it another go with him. GIRL COME ON NOW! If he would cheat on the girl he was dating, WHO HAPPENED TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND, with you do you really think he would EVER be faithful? Or that he was faithful to you? NO! Get your head OUT OF YOUR ASS.
As you can see I totally hated Justine. Now Renee that is my girl. Any woman who can take back a best friend after she had sex with your boyfriend, yeah that’s my type of girl, and maybe it helped a little that she had met someone and was pregnant but still, My kinda girl.
I kinda figured Dylan and Justine would get together in the end. It was inerrable. And I liked Dylan. He stayed faithful to his girlfriend until they broke up, and even then didn’t make a move on Justine until he knew he was over his ex. standup guy there. All in all this was a pretty good book. If I could change Justine a little bit and make her not so, needy this book would have been awesome.
But what I hated was how Justine actually went and dated the boyfriend after Renee walked in on them after sex. To me that was crossing a line. Whether or not she stopped talking to Justine or if Justine would one day hate her didn’t matter. To me that was a line to not be crossed and Justine just RAN right over it. I started to hate her after that. Crushing is one thing, sleeping with and dating right after, well that is something else.
I also HATED how Justine moved from one guy to the next and how she was so caught up on David. Really? He wasn’t even all that great, hell he broke up with you get over it, move on and get your life back that you threw away for a guy. I hate girls like this and maybe that is why I disliked this book so much. Justine grated on my nerves. I found myself trying to skip through the parts where she was thinking. I could stand the whole her pinning after a guy who didn’t deserve the ground she walked on.
Toward the end things started to get better, well until she slept with David again only to find out he was engaged. Really and to think Justine was ready to give it another go with him. GIRL COME ON NOW! If he would cheat on the girl he was dating, WHO HAPPENED TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND, with you do you really think he would EVER be faithful? Or that he was faithful to you? NO! Get your head OUT OF YOUR ASS.
As you can see I totally hated Justine. Now Renee that is my girl. Any woman who can take back a best friend after she had sex with your boyfriend, yeah that’s my type of girl, and maybe it helped a little that she had met someone and was pregnant but still, My kinda girl.
I kinda figured Dylan and Justine would get together in the end. It was inerrable. And I liked Dylan. He stayed faithful to his girlfriend until they broke up, and even then didn’t make a move on Justine until he knew he was over his ex. standup guy there. All in all this was a pretty good book. If I could change Justine a little bit and make her not so, needy this book would have been awesome.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2014
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.
An Overview of the Novel: (I'm not giving anything away, don't worry) Justine messed up big time. She broke the one rule that you don't break--she hooked up with her best friend's boyfriend David and then started dating him. Fast-forward to a year later, amazingly her friend forgave her and she's there back at her side. But nothing is working out. She's still in love with David and she has no desire to settle down in Boston when her heart's in California.
But David is not calling her. Renee, her friend might not have actually forgiven her, and she has no job and no house to stay in. Her world has fallen apart and she has no idea how to piece it back together.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This book was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought the story would be about how Justine stole her friend's boyfriends. Instead it mainly focuses on the after-effects and has chapters that go back into the past to let you know what happened.
I thought that was an interesting decision. I actually really liked this novel quite a bit. I loved watching Justine discover who she was and discover what she really wanted.
The novel is a cute read. It wasn't one that particularly stood out to me, but was an enjoyable read. I would read more from Burkes in the future. She has a unique writing style and her book surprised me so yeah I'll definitely read more from her.
Recommended? And to whom?: Recommended to fans of stories about friendships, self-discovery, New Adult, and books which don't really focus on the romance element
So why 3 stars? Like I said, it was a good read, but it didn't really stand out in any spectacular way. I'm glad I read it though.
Warnings/Side-notes: It's a lighter novel as far as New Adult books go. There weren't many details. Some instances of strong language.
The Wrap-up: A cute book about self-discovery and about friendship. This novel explores what being a friend really means and about being loyal to yourself. A good read.
Love,
Danica Page
Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.
An Overview of the Novel: (I'm not giving anything away, don't worry) Justine messed up big time. She broke the one rule that you don't break--she hooked up with her best friend's boyfriend David and then started dating him. Fast-forward to a year later, amazingly her friend forgave her and she's there back at her side. But nothing is working out. She's still in love with David and she has no desire to settle down in Boston when her heart's in California.
But David is not calling her. Renee, her friend might not have actually forgiven her, and she has no job and no house to stay in. Her world has fallen apart and she has no idea how to piece it back together.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This book was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought the story would be about how Justine stole her friend's boyfriends. Instead it mainly focuses on the after-effects and has chapters that go back into the past to let you know what happened.
I thought that was an interesting decision. I actually really liked this novel quite a bit. I loved watching Justine discover who she was and discover what she really wanted.
The novel is a cute read. It wasn't one that particularly stood out to me, but was an enjoyable read. I would read more from Burkes in the future. She has a unique writing style and her book surprised me so yeah I'll definitely read more from her.
Recommended? And to whom?: Recommended to fans of stories about friendships, self-discovery, New Adult, and books which don't really focus on the romance element
So why 3 stars? Like I said, it was a good read, but it didn't really stand out in any spectacular way. I'm glad I read it though.
Warnings/Side-notes: It's a lighter novel as far as New Adult books go. There weren't many details. Some instances of strong language.
The Wrap-up: A cute book about self-discovery and about friendship. This novel explores what being a friend really means and about being loyal to yourself. A good read.
Love,
Danica Page
December 30, 2014
Love Bites, Rachel K. Burke
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance.
Well, I adored Sound Bites, and was hoping for something similar – but it’s a very different read. It’s not got the angst and drama usually found in NA reads, but is more the story of Justine growing up as an adult and finding herself. Its told in alternating parts from her past, when she first meets David, her best friend’s boyfriend, and the present. I found that a bit frustrating at times, as I’d just get into a section and then it would change time.
I was expecting more of when she met David, and their time together, but in fact we see their first meeting, the weekend when they finally give in, and then nothing more except that they’ve split and she’s heartbroken. What I really liked was the way she learned about herself and how she’s acting, and whether that makes her attract unsuitable men or is it just a co-incidence. I enjoyed seeing her friends, and learning how she repaired her friendship with Renée eventually. I felt for her at times, things just seemed to happen on the boyfriend front, and after all who can predict how a relationship will work out, if a man really isn’t married, or has a girlfriend if he doesn’t say. Its not the kind of first meeting question usually! I did have a hard time when she says she’s had 14 past relationships and been in love with them all – she’s only in her twenties, and to me love isn’t something you fall in and out of like a revolving door, but a far deeper emotion...Still, I was happy at how she finally learned to look at herself, learn from her mistakes and find her way to a happier and more satisfying life.
I missed the intense drama I was expecting though, so although this is a perfectly well written book and I’m sure with have lots of devotees, for me its just a three star. I needed more in the romance line, more drama and satisfying though it was seeing her mature it wasn’t really what I want in a novel.
Stars: Three, interesting but ultimately not what I’d reread.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
February 6, 2015
Love Bites is a contemporary romance that left me with so many different feels. I adored the characters in this book even though they did really horrible things at times. Seeing each character grow and become who they were supposed to be was what really made this story for me. I loved seeing Justine finally realize what she deserves and doesn't settle for any less. It did take me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I couldn't put it down.
Justine has the worst luck with guys. She always seems to attract the wrong guys. Guys that are married, has girlfriends, etc. She can't seem to catch a break. Well, then she meets David. Instant connection there, but David is her best friend's boyfriend. And she falls hard for him. She does something very stupid with her best friend's boyfriend. I can't believe she did that to Renee as close as they are. I would have never forgiven her, but anyway, David ends up hurting her like all the others. Common sense there. If he cheats on his girlfriend with you, then he is probably going to do the same to you. So Justine moves away to heal and move on. Only at first she doesn't. She just exists. She doesn't commit to anything in hopes that David will call her back home. But, that all changes.
At times, this book got very boring for me. I didn't like where it kept flipping from present to past. The past just kept going back to her and David's relationship of how they when the present has her trying to move on. So when I would get pulled into the story with the present, the past would just set me back. I had to pause several times, because I didn't even want to read it. I really enjoyed the present part of the story though. I was also expecting something big to happen, but nothing happened. No wow moment.
I was very happy that Justine got her HEA at the end. I loved who she ended up with, because it wasn't rushed and it wasn't expected. I would love to see how their relationship continues in another book!!! Would also love to see more or Renee and her family. There was just something about her husband. I really liked him.
Justine has the worst luck with guys. She always seems to attract the wrong guys. Guys that are married, has girlfriends, etc. She can't seem to catch a break. Well, then she meets David. Instant connection there, but David is her best friend's boyfriend. And she falls hard for him. She does something very stupid with her best friend's boyfriend. I can't believe she did that to Renee as close as they are. I would have never forgiven her, but anyway, David ends up hurting her like all the others. Common sense there. If he cheats on his girlfriend with you, then he is probably going to do the same to you. So Justine moves away to heal and move on. Only at first she doesn't. She just exists. She doesn't commit to anything in hopes that David will call her back home. But, that all changes.
At times, this book got very boring for me. I didn't like where it kept flipping from present to past. The past just kept going back to her and David's relationship of how they when the present has her trying to move on. So when I would get pulled into the story with the present, the past would just set me back. I had to pause several times, because I didn't even want to read it. I really enjoyed the present part of the story though. I was also expecting something big to happen, but nothing happened. No wow moment.
I was very happy that Justine got her HEA at the end. I loved who she ended up with, because it wasn't rushed and it wasn't expected. I would love to see how their relationship continues in another book!!! Would also love to see more or Renee and her family. There was just something about her husband. I really liked him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews