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Stepping Stone
Every time Jenna Kravitz sees her sex on a stick ex-husband, she still craves him like he’s a hotdog with all the fillings. They were soulmates, meant to grow old together…before his freight train wreck dropped her off at despair station. As if that weren’t enough, she’s tasked with finding her employer’s hacker, which might be the colleague whipping up her innermost fantasies.
Marco Kravitz returned from Afghanistan with PTSD. In a moment of lapsed judgment, he ruins his marriage. So, when his ex-wife proposes they have kinky fun, he accepts. After all, she can’t help being drawn to his gigantic...brain.
How could his plan to win back the mother of his children possibly go wrong?
He must rise to the occasion. She has to swallow her pride.
"In Stepping Stone, Arnold brings her readers on a journey of love, suspense, sexual awakening, and healing. This story pulls on the heartstrings while tackling important social issues." Meredith Wild, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Stepping Stone by Liv Arnold weaves forgiveness and self-discovery into this emotional second-chance romance that you don’t want to miss." J. Kenner, New York Times bestselling author
"A tender, sexy, fast-paced story with a well-drawn insight into mental health. A tough subject, compassionately addressed. A must-read romance author." Cherry Adair, New York Times bestselling author
Marco Kravitz returned from Afghanistan with PTSD. In a moment of lapsed judgment, he ruins his marriage. So, when his ex-wife proposes they have kinky fun, he accepts. After all, she can’t help being drawn to his gigantic...brain.
How could his plan to win back the mother of his children possibly go wrong?
He must rise to the occasion. She has to swallow her pride.
"In Stepping Stone, Arnold brings her readers on a journey of love, suspense, sexual awakening, and healing. This story pulls on the heartstrings while tackling important social issues." Meredith Wild, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Stepping Stone by Liv Arnold weaves forgiveness and self-discovery into this emotional second-chance romance that you don’t want to miss." J. Kenner, New York Times bestselling author
"A tender, sexy, fast-paced story with a well-drawn insight into mental health. A tough subject, compassionately addressed. A must-read romance author." Cherry Adair, New York Times bestselling author
248 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2022
4 people are currently reading
2469 people want to read
About the author
Liv Arnold
6 books91 followersLiv Arnold has worked as a copywriter for several global companies and now runs her own freelance business. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and lives with her husband and their spoiled dog, who only eats freshly cooked meals. When she’s not writing, Liv’s avoiding the gym, devouring a cheese platter, or marathoning way too much TV. And of course, she’s a massive book addict and often reads until all hours of the night.
Visit Liv at:
• www.livarnold.com
• www.facebook.com/livarnoldauthor
• www.instagram.com/liv_au
• www.twitter.com/liv_au
• www.bookbub.com/profile/liv-arnold
Visit Liv at:
• www.livarnold.com
• www.facebook.com/livarnoldauthor
• www.instagram.com/liv_au
• www.twitter.com/liv_au
• www.bookbub.com/profile/liv-arnold
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 23, 2022
Liv Arnold has a way with words— and this novel gets five hot chili peppers. And five shiny stars.
Along with lovable characters and a fast-paced story, Stepping Stone mixes heart, heat, and sizzling tension to create a perfectly seasoned and deliciously steamy romance novel.
I could not put this book down.
Along with lovable characters and a fast-paced story, Stepping Stone mixes heart, heat, and sizzling tension to create a perfectly seasoned and deliciously steamy romance novel.
I could not put this book down.
May 10, 2022
First of all I want to thank the author for reaching out to me. And gifting me her book in exchange for an honest review.
I find this book quite hard to rate. My thoughts are all over the place. A part of me really enjoyed the book. And the other part is struggling with a few things that happened throughout the book.
The book starts off with Jenna receiving a letter from her ex-husband that he wants custody of the dog. But Jenna got the dog after they separated. So she doesn't understand why he wants the dog.
Her ex-husband Marco is fighting in the ring. Dealing with his career in the army and struggling with severe PTSD.
Jenna's family wants them back together. And I quite liked her family instantly. They are meddlesome, but loving at the same time. Then Jenna explains why they separated. Her husband visited a brothel. And once he figured out where he was, he left. I am not sure if he made out with someone there. But he didn't have sex. But in my mind he didn't do anything and just left.
I am flabbergasted that she left him because he just walked into a brothel. He thought it was a cafe. For me that is such a silly reason. I am just stumped to be honest. In my mind I was waiting for more reasons but those never came. So that made it really hard for me to like Jenna at the start of the book.
At the start Jenna meets Claudine. She helps Claudine to get a job inside the company. She is instantly drawn sexually towards Claudine and is battling hot and warm thoughts towards her.
During the story they find out that a program she created gets hacked internally, and Jenna is trying to find out who inside the company is hacking the program.
Marco is by far my favorite character of the book. He is a kind man. He absolutely loves and adores his daughters. And is trying to win Jenna back over. I love how caring he is. How kind and gentle. And how kinky he turns out to be!
I liked Jenna most when she was with him. Together they are a fantastic couple. And their bond flew off the pages. The sex scenes were so incredibly hot! And I absolutely devoured those parts of the book.
Claudine is a bit of a mystery throughout the book. She has a lot of 'airtime'. But I had a bit of trouble truly connecting with her character.
Same goes for Jenna's bisexuality. I wish Claudine and Jenna's lust for her were deepened out a bit more. I wish it was more tangible. With Marco I felt it in my bones. With Claudine not so much.
Though I do absolutely love how the book normalizes bisexuality. How it is a fantastic thing to discover. And how accepting Marco and her family are in the end. That was one of the highlights of the book. Very, very well done Liv!
But a part of me hoped for more emotional scenes. I wish there was more Marco in it. More deepened out emotions between Claudine and Jenna. There was a little too much work related stuff in the story for me.
So I missed a bit of balance overall in the book. I think a few tweaks here and there could make it a solid 5 star book. Or less main themes. So that the ones that are in there, could be worked out completely. And I need a WAY better reason why Marco and Jenna split up in the first place.
So for me it balances between 3.5/4 stars overall.
But it was still an enjoyable read and I am glad I read it.
I find this book quite hard to rate. My thoughts are all over the place. A part of me really enjoyed the book. And the other part is struggling with a few things that happened throughout the book.
The book starts off with Jenna receiving a letter from her ex-husband that he wants custody of the dog. But Jenna got the dog after they separated. So she doesn't understand why he wants the dog.
Her ex-husband Marco is fighting in the ring. Dealing with his career in the army and struggling with severe PTSD.
Jenna's family wants them back together. And I quite liked her family instantly. They are meddlesome, but loving at the same time. Then Jenna explains why they separated. Her husband visited a brothel. And once he figured out where he was, he left. I am not sure if he made out with someone there. But he didn't have sex. But in my mind he didn't do anything and just left.
I am flabbergasted that she left him because he just walked into a brothel. He thought it was a cafe. For me that is such a silly reason. I am just stumped to be honest. In my mind I was waiting for more reasons but those never came. So that made it really hard for me to like Jenna at the start of the book.
At the start Jenna meets Claudine. She helps Claudine to get a job inside the company. She is instantly drawn sexually towards Claudine and is battling hot and warm thoughts towards her.
During the story they find out that a program she created gets hacked internally, and Jenna is trying to find out who inside the company is hacking the program.
Marco is by far my favorite character of the book. He is a kind man. He absolutely loves and adores his daughters. And is trying to win Jenna back over. I love how caring he is. How kind and gentle. And how kinky he turns out to be!
I liked Jenna most when she was with him. Together they are a fantastic couple. And their bond flew off the pages. The sex scenes were so incredibly hot! And I absolutely devoured those parts of the book.
Claudine is a bit of a mystery throughout the book. She has a lot of 'airtime'. But I had a bit of trouble truly connecting with her character.
Same goes for Jenna's bisexuality. I wish Claudine and Jenna's lust for her were deepened out a bit more. I wish it was more tangible. With Marco I felt it in my bones. With Claudine not so much.
Though I do absolutely love how the book normalizes bisexuality. How it is a fantastic thing to discover. And how accepting Marco and her family are in the end. That was one of the highlights of the book. Very, very well done Liv!
But a part of me hoped for more emotional scenes. I wish there was more Marco in it. More deepened out emotions between Claudine and Jenna. There was a little too much work related stuff in the story for me.
So I missed a bit of balance overall in the book. I think a few tweaks here and there could make it a solid 5 star book. Or less main themes. So that the ones that are in there, could be worked out completely. And I need a WAY better reason why Marco and Jenna split up in the first place.
So for me it balances between 3.5/4 stars overall.
But it was still an enjoyable read and I am glad I read it.
April 28, 2022
ARC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This got me so smitten since start I couldn’t put it down. When Liv offered me copy I gladly accepted. This is actually second book in series but you don’t have to read first as they are stand alone. There’s quite lots of themes in this to talk about but let’s start with Marco; he was such a great guy with his only failure in his marriage being PTSD; although that’s what he thought. Jenna on other side didn’t have much patience with him in start; I would say she didn’t realise lots of things about his condition and only saw his faults and mistake as unforgettable. I felt so much for him trying to win her back and in meanwhile she’s re-discovering herself and more like questioning herself and even maybe lying to herself? Must be quite confusing time for her let me tell you.
I loved this book. I love discovering new authors such as Liv. And even better I love falling in love with those authors and their characters. This is THIS generation book about mental health and self discovery.
This got me so smitten since start I couldn’t put it down. When Liv offered me copy I gladly accepted. This is actually second book in series but you don’t have to read first as they are stand alone. There’s quite lots of themes in this to talk about but let’s start with Marco; he was such a great guy with his only failure in his marriage being PTSD; although that’s what he thought. Jenna on other side didn’t have much patience with him in start; I would say she didn’t realise lots of things about his condition and only saw his faults and mistake as unforgettable. I felt so much for him trying to win her back and in meanwhile she’s re-discovering herself and more like questioning herself and even maybe lying to herself? Must be quite confusing time for her let me tell you.
I loved this book. I love discovering new authors such as Liv. And even better I love falling in love with those authors and their characters. This is THIS generation book about mental health and self discovery.
April 28, 2022
This started out pretty strong, and I was quickly immersed into the story. But then the colleague "whipping up her innermost fantasies", to quote the synopsis, was introduced, and was a bit of a surprise to me, and someone I never really warmed up to. The plot with the computer program Jenna created being hacked and causing her company to lose money, and Jenna trying to figure out who was responsible while worrying about losing her job, was interesting, but the romance at times seemed to take a backseat to the mystery, which I was not expecting.
The writing is not bad, and there was a very funny scene with a sex toy gone wrong. There were also a lot of similes, and some were a bit out there, such as "He hovered around her like a ghost figuring out how to haunt her" and "she guarded herself like a curtain blocking out the sun's glare". Clever, but almost too much.
*I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and have voluntarily reviewed it*
The writing is not bad, and there was a very funny scene with a sex toy gone wrong. There were also a lot of similes, and some were a bit out there, such as "He hovered around her like a ghost figuring out how to haunt her" and "she guarded herself like a curtain blocking out the sun's glare". Clever, but almost too much.
*I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and have voluntarily reviewed it*
May 14, 2022
I enjoyed reading Stepping Stone, it was not what I expected. The story of Marco and Jenna is not your typical romance love story. Their relationship is sprinkled with the challenges of PTSD, bisexuality, workplace mystery and more. Great Read.
April 21, 2022
For me this book had sooooo much potential! But I think it fell short becuase it was trying to incorporate too many different plots such as .. enemies to loves, jilted ex, lesbianism, poly, bisexual and they didnt really get explored in a way that they jived with the story. I like ALL of those but the story was too short to fully incorporate these so it felt awkward
April 16, 2022
Hmmm while I enjoyed this i liked both MC's I wish the romance aspect would have played a bigger role than the office drama which I understand
Why it was done like this because the series revolves around the company but I love second chance romance and I wanted more. .....i felt like Jenna's sexuality was kinda thrown in but didn't really mesh with the story in my opinion. It was very steamy tho. Marco is goals..
ARC provided by the author in exchange for a honest review all opinions are my own.
Why it was done like this because the series revolves around the company but I love second chance romance and I wanted more. .....i felt like Jenna's sexuality was kinda thrown in but didn't really mesh with the story in my opinion. It was very steamy tho. Marco is goals..
ARC provided by the author in exchange for a honest review all opinions are my own.
March 23, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book, the plot and the characters were soo complex and interesting. Nothing was boring or predictable at all. I loved Jenna's character and her development throughout the whole book, throughout the whole story I was relating to her and rooting for her. I also loved how each character has their own little plot even Desiree, it made it all even more interesting to read. One other thing I loved was the relationship between Marco and Jenna it was beautiful how we got to see it grow and read how they worked together.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a second chance romance.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a second chance romance.
May 22, 2022
3.75 stars
A marriage has ended (thanks, in part, to a serious overreaction by Jenna, the wife, considering her husband's PTSD) but the two are obviously still in lust with each other. While she works to find a hacker that's sabotaging her company, Jenna suddenly discovers her inner bi=sexual woman--a storyline that I have no problem with except that it came a bit out of nowhere, plot-wise. There is a fair bit of well-written humor including a funny scene with a sex toy, and plenty of heat. Marco (the husband) comes across as a super great guy who walked into the wrong building one day and confessed it to his wife, which landed his marriage in trouble. If he did anything actually wrong, that is never made clear and so the giant misunderstanding is something Jenna has to work through.
It's got mystery, romance, and some personal growth for Jenna, along with a set of side characters in her family that are, in a word, nosy and a bit over-the-top but certainly well-meaning.
In short, there is a lot going on this book, too much, at times, but over all I found it an enjoyable read and would recommend it.
A marriage has ended (thanks, in part, to a serious overreaction by Jenna, the wife, considering her husband's PTSD) but the two are obviously still in lust with each other. While she works to find a hacker that's sabotaging her company, Jenna suddenly discovers her inner bi=sexual woman--a storyline that I have no problem with except that it came a bit out of nowhere, plot-wise. There is a fair bit of well-written humor including a funny scene with a sex toy, and plenty of heat. Marco (the husband) comes across as a super great guy who walked into the wrong building one day and confessed it to his wife, which landed his marriage in trouble. If he did anything actually wrong, that is never made clear and so the giant misunderstanding is something Jenna has to work through.
It's got mystery, romance, and some personal growth for Jenna, along with a set of side characters in her family that are, in a word, nosy and a bit over-the-top but certainly well-meaning.
In short, there is a lot going on this book, too much, at times, but over all I found it an enjoyable read and would recommend it.
April 25, 2022
This is the first book I read from this author and I love her writing style.
The story itself is quite good, even though I felt like it was a little rushed. It‘s still good, but would‘ve loved the story to be a little deeper especially about some stuff like the illegal fights, the MO‘s bisexuality and all that.
Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely check more books from the author out.
The story itself is quite good, even though I felt like it was a little rushed. It‘s still good, but would‘ve loved the story to be a little deeper especially about some stuff like the illegal fights, the MO‘s bisexuality and all that.
Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely check more books from the author out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2022
My first Liv Arnold book and based on the blurb I was looking forward to it.
I felt the story had plenty of potential but for me, it came up a little short. There were plenty of positives for the book though. I really liked Marco and felt his pain with his PTSD and his desire to get his family back. Jenna's conflicted feelings about Marco and her attraction to a new co-worker were easy to understand. Some of her actions did annoy me at times. I enjoyed the chemistry between Marco and Jenna and the times they really connected were special.
Some of the side stories going on overpowered the romantic side sometimes and I felt that the story wouldn't have lacked anything if it had been dialed down a bit. More of Marco's struggles with his PTSD would have been a great addition in my opinion.
There is plenty of good storytelling here and I would give another Liv Arnold book a go if one grabs my attention.
.
.
.
Jenna and Marco have been separated for a year now and things seem to be finally easing into a comfortable arrangement. Where she sees them establishing a steady friendship Marco wants his wife back. He has never stopped loving her and now it's time to get her back.
Despite her attraction to Marco never dulling she's not sure she can forgive him for the past, but her desire to connect physically might pull her back into him. She needs to decide if crossing that line will ruin the comfortable camaraderie they now have.
'The air pulsed with unsaid words. They held the moment, two broken hearts building a small bridge back to each other.'
Meanwhile, Jenna has a situation at work that could cost her the job she loves. All signs point to an inside job and if she doesn't figure out what's going on she might be held responsible. With her job on the line a new colleague not only raises her suspicions but also entices her into a relationship outside of work.
As her connection with Marco heals and reminds her of everything she's missed over the year her feelings for her colleague confuse and entice her. She'll have to decide what she really wants out of her life.
Happy Reading.
I felt the story had plenty of potential but for me, it came up a little short. There were plenty of positives for the book though. I really liked Marco and felt his pain with his PTSD and his desire to get his family back. Jenna's conflicted feelings about Marco and her attraction to a new co-worker were easy to understand. Some of her actions did annoy me at times. I enjoyed the chemistry between Marco and Jenna and the times they really connected were special.
Some of the side stories going on overpowered the romantic side sometimes and I felt that the story wouldn't have lacked anything if it had been dialed down a bit. More of Marco's struggles with his PTSD would have been a great addition in my opinion.
There is plenty of good storytelling here and I would give another Liv Arnold book a go if one grabs my attention.
.
.
.
Jenna and Marco have been separated for a year now and things seem to be finally easing into a comfortable arrangement. Where she sees them establishing a steady friendship Marco wants his wife back. He has never stopped loving her and now it's time to get her back.
Despite her attraction to Marco never dulling she's not sure she can forgive him for the past, but her desire to connect physically might pull her back into him. She needs to decide if crossing that line will ruin the comfortable camaraderie they now have.
'The air pulsed with unsaid words. They held the moment, two broken hearts building a small bridge back to each other.'
Meanwhile, Jenna has a situation at work that could cost her the job she loves. All signs point to an inside job and if she doesn't figure out what's going on she might be held responsible. With her job on the line a new colleague not only raises her suspicions but also entices her into a relationship outside of work.
As her connection with Marco heals and reminds her of everything she's missed over the year her feelings for her colleague confuse and entice her. She'll have to decide what she really wants out of her life.
Happy Reading.
May 28, 2022
Amazing! This is such a heart-twisting book. It has a unique story and theme that pushes me to step outside of my comfort zone, and I honestly like that part of the book.
Even after divorcing, Jenna Kravitz is still attracted to her ex-husband Marco. She is trying hard to move on in her life when she gets word from her employer that the software she created has been hacked. Jenna needs to discover the mole at her workplace to keep her job safe. And the one person she thinks has more reason to hack is the one who is helping her find a part of herself she never knew existed. In the heat of the moment, Jenna offers her ex-husband kinky fun with no strings attached, and Marco accepts it immediately. Marco ruined his marriage because of the effects of his PTSD from the war in Afghanistan. Now, his only aim is to win Jenna back and reveal the part of himself that he has been hiding from her.
Marco is the soul of the book. His intro begins with a fight in the ring; I knew right away that I would be going to love him, and I did. Marco is still dealing with his PTSD and is kind, gentle, caring, and understanding towards their children. I adore the process of his healing for his family. Marco and Jenna's chemistry and dynamics are off the charts. They feel natural and are fantastic with each other.
Jenna is wonderful and enjoyable to read. Her struggle to discover and embrace her new personality is terribly realistic, and I'm not sure whether I was comfortable at first. But after this book, I'm indeed comfortable reading the light phrase of bisexuality. Jenna's family and the Marco sisters make their place in the story unnoticed.
The plot is unique and emotionally developed. I never expected this book to have so much funny banter and moments, yet serious intimate scenes lead to hilarious moments that I will never forget, and this is the portion I devour the most. I enjoy the tiny thrill of suspense and the final twist. This book is well-written and fast-paced.
Overall, Stepping Stone tells the story of a painful journey of self-discovery, acceptance, sexual awakening, heartbreak, trauma, healing, forgiveness, and second-chance romance. Arnold touches on and brings to life several taboo and vital issues in this book. It is a must-read romance with well-developed characters and a compelling tale.
Full Review on OJ Reads
Even after divorcing, Jenna Kravitz is still attracted to her ex-husband Marco. She is trying hard to move on in her life when she gets word from her employer that the software she created has been hacked. Jenna needs to discover the mole at her workplace to keep her job safe. And the one person she thinks has more reason to hack is the one who is helping her find a part of herself she never knew existed. In the heat of the moment, Jenna offers her ex-husband kinky fun with no strings attached, and Marco accepts it immediately. Marco ruined his marriage because of the effects of his PTSD from the war in Afghanistan. Now, his only aim is to win Jenna back and reveal the part of himself that he has been hiding from her.
Marco is the soul of the book. His intro begins with a fight in the ring; I knew right away that I would be going to love him, and I did. Marco is still dealing with his PTSD and is kind, gentle, caring, and understanding towards their children. I adore the process of his healing for his family. Marco and Jenna's chemistry and dynamics are off the charts. They feel natural and are fantastic with each other.
Jenna is wonderful and enjoyable to read. Her struggle to discover and embrace her new personality is terribly realistic, and I'm not sure whether I was comfortable at first. But after this book, I'm indeed comfortable reading the light phrase of bisexuality. Jenna's family and the Marco sisters make their place in the story unnoticed.
The plot is unique and emotionally developed. I never expected this book to have so much funny banter and moments, yet serious intimate scenes lead to hilarious moments that I will never forget, and this is the portion I devour the most. I enjoy the tiny thrill of suspense and the final twist. This book is well-written and fast-paced.
Overall, Stepping Stone tells the story of a painful journey of self-discovery, acceptance, sexual awakening, heartbreak, trauma, healing, forgiveness, and second-chance romance. Arnold touches on and brings to life several taboo and vital issues in this book. It is a must-read romance with well-developed characters and a compelling tale.
Full Review on OJ Reads
May 29, 2022
*ARC!* Big thank you to Liv for reaching out and offering me an advance peek at her newest book!
First off, this has a stunning cover and call me fickle but I do indeed judge books by their covers.
The relationship and romance between Marco and Jenna is soft, comfortable, safe, and heartwarming. I didn’t always love the way Jenna thought about Marco, but I also realize the pressures of his PTSD affect her too.
My favourite parts by far were Marco’s POV. There’s a lot going on for him and I love that PTSD is a major plot point, but I wish there were more to address it. The realities of PTSD, how Marco copes, his fear and resistance to therapy. There’s richness there that was dipped into but not explored and for me, that would’ve been a more interesting place to go than Jenna’s company saboteur.
Speaking of, we spend most of the time in Jenna’s POV. She’s a cool character but her story is busy. Almost too busy for a single book; she’s dealing with work stress, her own sexuality, plus Marco (who, as above, has his own troubles). The hacker at work would have been a neat storyline in a romance if it weren’t for, again in my opinion, the far more interesting and important topic of mental health. Because in the end, there wasn’t really a resolution for Marco’s health except to try therapy (which is good! But it could’ve gone deeper).
Sometimes the pacing was a bit wobbly; zipped along with events sometimes but in other moments every single action a character took was described.
Overall a nice read, with some fun smut scenes. I loved that Jenna is exploring and feeling more comfortable declaring her own needs.
First off, this has a stunning cover and call me fickle but I do indeed judge books by their covers.
The relationship and romance between Marco and Jenna is soft, comfortable, safe, and heartwarming. I didn’t always love the way Jenna thought about Marco, but I also realize the pressures of his PTSD affect her too.
My favourite parts by far were Marco’s POV. There’s a lot going on for him and I love that PTSD is a major plot point, but I wish there were more to address it. The realities of PTSD, how Marco copes, his fear and resistance to therapy. There’s richness there that was dipped into but not explored and for me, that would’ve been a more interesting place to go than Jenna’s company saboteur.
Speaking of, we spend most of the time in Jenna’s POV. She’s a cool character but her story is busy. Almost too busy for a single book; she’s dealing with work stress, her own sexuality, plus Marco (who, as above, has his own troubles). The hacker at work would have been a neat storyline in a romance if it weren’t for, again in my opinion, the far more interesting and important topic of mental health. Because in the end, there wasn’t really a resolution for Marco’s health except to try therapy (which is good! But it could’ve gone deeper).
Sometimes the pacing was a bit wobbly; zipped along with events sometimes but in other moments every single action a character took was described.
Overall a nice read, with some fun smut scenes. I loved that Jenna is exploring and feeling more comfortable declaring her own needs.
March 23, 2022
I had the honor of beta reading this little gem, and let me tell you Liv hasn't held back on this one! Where Etched in Stone was fun, sexy and sweet.... Stepping Stone is real, emotive and just plain SWOONWORTHY! And all written in Liv's quintessentially quirky style, filled with so much heart and wit. I absolutely adored the way Liv painted emotional baggage in both the MMCs Jenna and Marco - so painfully real, raw and relatable that you can't help but root for them both! Also, Marco Kravitz? *fans self* I do love a flawed hero who knows that he'd F-ed up big time, and is willing to do everything and ANYTHING to fix his mistakes. And boy, watching him WORK FOR IT was just pure gold! If you love second chance romances with a strong redemption arc - look no further!!
I loved this book!
I loved this book!
July 11, 2022
Review to come
July 8, 2022
Stepping Stones by Liv Arnold was a quick read and fairly entertaining. It has interesting characters and a good premise for a story. There was a little bit of each of the following: humor, some character building, mystery, romance and sex. Unfortunately, this reader felt none of these were completely developed which left the overall story lacking. A decent read but not story of the year. I received an advanced copy of this novel and am freely leaving my honest review.
May 31, 2022
I was extremely lucky to receive an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is not my usual choice as I tend to lean towards the dark side, however this was a great read!!
Second chance romance where you just can’t help fall in love with the MMC and the FMC! You really are hoping for them to reunite
Marco has been suffering with PTSD and Jenna has her own realisations regarding her sexuality to come to terms with. They have a family that they both love and don’t want to let down.
Jenna’s job had some serious intrigue/espionage going on that she is trying to deal with as well which keeps the mystery going.
It’s sweet and spicy and literally made me laugh out loud
I would highly recommend this book and will be reading more from this author.
This is the second book in the serious but although the characters do pop up they are are standalone’s
This book is not my usual choice as I tend to lean towards the dark side, however this was a great read!!
Second chance romance where you just can’t help fall in love with the MMC and the FMC! You really are hoping for them to reunite
Marco has been suffering with PTSD and Jenna has her own realisations regarding her sexuality to come to terms with. They have a family that they both love and don’t want to let down.
Jenna’s job had some serious intrigue/espionage going on that she is trying to deal with as well which keeps the mystery going.
It’s sweet and spicy and literally made me laugh out loud
I would highly recommend this book and will be reading more from this author.
This is the second book in the serious but although the characters do pop up they are are standalone’s
July 6, 2022
Liv Arnold is a new author for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to discover new work and talent!
Jenna is a programmer and business analyst at Stone Corp. When sabotaging of her stock forecasting program, AnaStone, comes to light, her superiors task her with finding the culprit. The jobs of her coworkers and friends, as well as her own, depend on it! Between the mystery with AnaStone and the distractions of workplace relationships, Jenna barely has time to focus on her home life. She is a single mom of two adorable girls, co-parenting with her handsome estranged husband Marco. Marco returned from military duty in Afghanistan with undiagnosed PTSD and made a mistake that alienated Jenna. But the two of them still have chemistry, and they’re certainly still functioning as an amazing team as far as the girls are concerned. Will they be able to find their way back together?
This story offers:
❤️BIPOC author
🧡Hero with PTSD
💛LGBTQ representation
💚Second chance romance
💙Co-parenting
💜Love triangle
This is certainly an interesting story, with lots of funny extras. Everyone in Jenna’s office is a potential suspect. The love triangle angle adds uncertainty (and maybe some hypocrisy?) to Jenna and Marco’s second chance. Ironically, Marco comes across as the more faithful of the two. When his “mistake” that caused Jenna to throw him out was finally revealed, I was shocked and disappointed in Jenna. The pervasiveness of awkward syntax and unusual word use is a minor irritant.
(This is a voluntary review of an author-provided ARC.)
Jenna is a programmer and business analyst at Stone Corp. When sabotaging of her stock forecasting program, AnaStone, comes to light, her superiors task her with finding the culprit. The jobs of her coworkers and friends, as well as her own, depend on it! Between the mystery with AnaStone and the distractions of workplace relationships, Jenna barely has time to focus on her home life. She is a single mom of two adorable girls, co-parenting with her handsome estranged husband Marco. Marco returned from military duty in Afghanistan with undiagnosed PTSD and made a mistake that alienated Jenna. But the two of them still have chemistry, and they’re certainly still functioning as an amazing team as far as the girls are concerned. Will they be able to find their way back together?
This story offers:
❤️BIPOC author
🧡Hero with PTSD
💛LGBTQ representation
💚Second chance romance
💙Co-parenting
💜Love triangle
This is certainly an interesting story, with lots of funny extras. Everyone in Jenna’s office is a potential suspect. The love triangle angle adds uncertainty (and maybe some hypocrisy?) to Jenna and Marco’s second chance. Ironically, Marco comes across as the more faithful of the two. When his “mistake” that caused Jenna to throw him out was finally revealed, I was shocked and disappointed in Jenna. The pervasiveness of awkward syntax and unusual word use is a minor irritant.
(This is a voluntary review of an author-provided ARC.)
September 19, 2022
Wow this is my first book to read by Liv and it’s been amazing!
Marco is my new book boyfriend!
This is a second chance at love book. It was well written with plenty of humour despite Marco’s PTSD.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Marco is my new book boyfriend!
This is a second chance at love book. It was well written with plenty of humour despite Marco’s PTSD.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 3, 2022
“Whenever he was with her, calmness washed over him…”
Three stars is generous for this book in many ways. I almost gave it two. There was so much potential but it was pretty much wasted. I really, really liked Marco. He was really good man who has been through hell and is still suffering from PTSD. I can’t help but think he deserved a better woman than Jenna. She irritated the crap out of me and because of her I almost didn’t finish reading the book. The entire reason she kicked her husband out and refuses to forgive him is he accidentally walked into a brothel with his friends. That’s it. He didn’t realize at first what it was. He thought it was a bar. He didn’t do anything there, either. Nothing. Not even a kiss. He immediately tells his wife what happened. Her response? Throws him out and treats him like the biggest lowlife ever. I mean seriously? He deserved better. He deserved a wife who supported him and tried to help him, not the selfish, over-dramatic, childish one he had. He should have divorced her and found a better woman.
Another problem with this book is the author tried to do too much in one book. There’s the back and forth between Jenna and Marco. Then Jenna is suddenly wondering if she’s bisexual. And there’s the whole drama at her job. Not enough time was spent on the actual romance and on Marco.
The last thing I want to mention is the odd language. There were many times I felt I was reading a translation and not a book originally written in English. I don’t know if it’s true but it sure seemed like it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Three stars is generous for this book in many ways. I almost gave it two. There was so much potential but it was pretty much wasted. I really, really liked Marco. He was really good man who has been through hell and is still suffering from PTSD. I can’t help but think he deserved a better woman than Jenna. She irritated the crap out of me and because of her I almost didn’t finish reading the book. The entire reason she kicked her husband out and refuses to forgive him is he accidentally walked into a brothel with his friends. That’s it. He didn’t realize at first what it was. He thought it was a bar. He didn’t do anything there, either. Nothing. Not even a kiss. He immediately tells his wife what happened. Her response? Throws him out and treats him like the biggest lowlife ever. I mean seriously? He deserved better. He deserved a wife who supported him and tried to help him, not the selfish, over-dramatic, childish one he had. He should have divorced her and found a better woman.
Another problem with this book is the author tried to do too much in one book. There’s the back and forth between Jenna and Marco. Then Jenna is suddenly wondering if she’s bisexual. And there’s the whole drama at her job. Not enough time was spent on the actual romance and on Marco.
The last thing I want to mention is the odd language. There were many times I felt I was reading a translation and not a book originally written in English. I don’t know if it’s true but it sure seemed like it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 20, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
This book really, really surprised me! I went into without reading the blurb & just knew the basis that it was a second chance marriage romance with the MMC experiencing army PTSD.
It was quite emotional experiencing Marco & Jenna’s journey dealing with Marco’s time in the army & what he had to go through & it was sweet watching them reconnect, both physically & emotionally. Marco is just the sweetest man, too & I loved how much he doted on his wife & his kids.
I really enjoyed the the very naturally LBGTQ+ rep woven into the story as well! & also there’s a little mystery subplot as well to keep us guessing which was fun to read!
Although I wished there was a bit more focus on the marriage as opposed to the Jenna's job but overall I really enjoyed it!
This book really, really surprised me! I went into without reading the blurb & just knew the basis that it was a second chance marriage romance with the MMC experiencing army PTSD.
It was quite emotional experiencing Marco & Jenna’s journey dealing with Marco’s time in the army & what he had to go through & it was sweet watching them reconnect, both physically & emotionally. Marco is just the sweetest man, too & I loved how much he doted on his wife & his kids.
I really enjoyed the the very naturally LBGTQ+ rep woven into the story as well! & also there’s a little mystery subplot as well to keep us guessing which was fun to read!
Although I wished there was a bit more focus on the marriage as opposed to the Jenna's job but overall I really enjoyed it!
August 24, 2022
This is the second book in this series.
I haven't read the previous book, but can be read as standalones. Also this is the first book I've read by this author. (Sorrry I took so long to post the reviews)
What an emotional love story. I loved the chemistry between Marco and Jenna.
So many tough subjects were written about so thoughtfully and so carefully.
I connected with both of the characters and loved the highs and lows of their dramatic story.
Thanks for reaching out Liv ❤️
I haven't read the previous book, but can be read as standalones. Also this is the first book I've read by this author. (Sorrry I took so long to post the reviews)
What an emotional love story. I loved the chemistry between Marco and Jenna.
So many tough subjects were written about so thoughtfully and so carefully.
I connected with both of the characters and loved the highs and lows of their dramatic story.
Thanks for reaching out Liv ❤️
April 18, 2022
ARC recibido a cambio de una reseña honesta
Esta es mi primera vez leyendo a esta autora y reconozco que su escritura me gustó, fue bastante entretenida y me saco algunas risas pero me faltó algo.
Jenna me pareció agradable pero me costó un poco conectar con ella y la verdad la razón de su separación con Marco me pareció un poco tonta porque se separo de él solo por que sus amigos lo llevaron a un burdel sin su conocimiento y en cuanto supo donde estaba salió de ahí (no le fue infiel) pero ella no pudo perdonarlo y se separaron.
Marco me agradó bastante y sentí mucha empatía por él y algo que realmente me gustó fue como realmente se abordó el tema del estrés postraumático, que el buscó ayuda y las cosas no se resolvieron por amor como en otras historias. Ah y también quiero decir que ambos son muy buenos padres y realmente me gustó que fueran muy maduros frente a sus hijas.
No tengo nada encontrá de que Jenna explotara su sexualidad porque nunca es tarde para ello pero no me gustó que mientras dormía con Marco también coqueteara con su compañera de trabajo. Ya que la mayor parte del libro estuvo en un conflicto en donde sentía atracción sexual por su compañera pero también tenía sentimientos por Marco. Y aparte no pude conectar mucho con Claudine (compañera de trabajo) siento que era un personaje que sobraba.
Aunque me gustó que el no se molestara cuando ella le dijo que era bisexual. Siento que ese tema fue muy bien hablado.
Yo soy muy fan de los libros second chance así que realmente me habría gustado ver un poco más de romance entre Jenna y Marco.
En cuanto al tema de la oficina me gustó bastante seguir el misterio pero siento que hubo más de eso que romance.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
This is my first time reading this author and I admit that I liked her writing, it was entertaining and made me laugh.
I liked Jenna but it was a bit difficult for me to connect with her and the truth is that the reason for her separation from Marco felt a bit silly because she separated from him only because his friends took him to a brothel without him knowing and as soon as he saw where he was, he left there (he was not unfaithful) but she could not forgive him and they separated.
I liked Marco a lot and I felt a lot of empathy for him and something that I really liked was how the topic of post-traumatic stress was really addressed, that he sought help and things were not resolved out of love like in other stories.
Oh and I also want to say that they are very good parents and I really liked that they were very mature in front of their daughters.
I have nothing found that Jenna exploited her sexuality because it's never too late for it but I didn't like that while she slept with Marco she also flirted with her co-worker. Already most of the book was in a conflict where she felt sexual attraction to her partner but she also had feelings for Marco. Although I really liked that she was honest with him and told him that she was bisexual and that he supported her and didn't get mad about it.
I'm a big fan of the second chance books so I would have liked to see a little more romance between Jenna and Marco.
I liked the office mystery and it was so entertaining but it needed more romance.
Esta es mi primera vez leyendo a esta autora y reconozco que su escritura me gustó, fue bastante entretenida y me saco algunas risas pero me faltó algo.
Jenna me pareció agradable pero me costó un poco conectar con ella y la verdad la razón de su separación con Marco me pareció un poco tonta porque se separo de él solo por que sus amigos lo llevaron a un burdel sin su conocimiento y en cuanto supo donde estaba salió de ahí (no le fue infiel) pero ella no pudo perdonarlo y se separaron.
Marco me agradó bastante y sentí mucha empatía por él y algo que realmente me gustó fue como realmente se abordó el tema del estrés postraumático, que el buscó ayuda y las cosas no se resolvieron por amor como en otras historias. Ah y también quiero decir que ambos son muy buenos padres y realmente me gustó que fueran muy maduros frente a sus hijas.
No tengo nada encontrá de que Jenna explotara su sexualidad porque nunca es tarde para ello pero no me gustó que mientras dormía con Marco también coqueteara con su compañera de trabajo. Ya que la mayor parte del libro estuvo en un conflicto en donde sentía atracción sexual por su compañera pero también tenía sentimientos por Marco. Y aparte no pude conectar mucho con Claudine (compañera de trabajo) siento que era un personaje que sobraba.
Aunque me gustó que el no se molestara cuando ella le dijo que era bisexual. Siento que ese tema fue muy bien hablado.
Yo soy muy fan de los libros second chance así que realmente me habría gustado ver un poco más de romance entre Jenna y Marco.
En cuanto al tema de la oficina me gustó bastante seguir el misterio pero siento que hubo más de eso que romance.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
This is my first time reading this author and I admit that I liked her writing, it was entertaining and made me laugh.
I liked Jenna but it was a bit difficult for me to connect with her and the truth is that the reason for her separation from Marco felt a bit silly because she separated from him only because his friends took him to a brothel without him knowing and as soon as he saw where he was, he left there (he was not unfaithful) but she could not forgive him and they separated.
I liked Marco a lot and I felt a lot of empathy for him and something that I really liked was how the topic of post-traumatic stress was really addressed, that he sought help and things were not resolved out of love like in other stories.
Oh and I also want to say that they are very good parents and I really liked that they were very mature in front of their daughters.
I have nothing found that Jenna exploited her sexuality because it's never too late for it but I didn't like that while she slept with Marco she also flirted with her co-worker. Already most of the book was in a conflict where she felt sexual attraction to her partner but she also had feelings for Marco. Although I really liked that she was honest with him and told him that she was bisexual and that he supported her and didn't get mad about it.
I'm a big fan of the second chance books so I would have liked to see a little more romance between Jenna and Marco.
I liked the office mystery and it was so entertaining but it needed more romance.
July 10, 2022
I liked this story, it’s a contemporary romance, and I like that it illustrates mental illness very well, and not just the PTSD that’s described in the synopsis either, but others as well. While I am not versed on all mental disorders, the descriptions seemed accurate and realistic and none were portrayed negatively.
This is a bit of an emotional read, especially for those who are or have veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq in the family, and also those who live with debilitating mental health issues that can hinder their day to day lives.
If you like CR, give this book a try.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a bit of an emotional read, especially for those who are or have veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq in the family, and also those who live with debilitating mental health issues that can hinder their day to day lives.
If you like CR, give this book a try.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 31, 2022
Stepping Stone is the second book in Liv Arnold’s Invested in You series. It’s a second chance love story about Jenna Kravitz and her husband Marco from whom she’s been separated for a year.
Marco was overseas when he allowed his friends to drag him to what he thought was a bar. It turned out to be a brothel, and as soon as Marco realized, he left. But just entering was enough for Jenna to feel betrayed. It’s a year later, and they’re starting to get close again, but Jenna wants a no-strings relationship. Around the same time, Jenna meets Claudine, a woman to whom she’s wildly attracted and realizes she has a different sexual identity than she previously thought. At Jenna’s firm, the software program she developed is getting hacked and causing her company to lose money. Is Claudine the culprit? Is Marco her destiny?
This book, for me, was a little all over the place. The narrative is good, I just feel like there’s too much going on - the separation, Marco’s PTSD, the purse snatcher, the corporate espionage. I think there should have been more talks and moments between Jenna and Marco. The main thing I liked, what stood out to me, is the character of Jenna. She really becomes her own person, makes self-discoveries, and grows stronger. The characters spend a lot of time thinking, and there’s a lot of telling rather than showing. The world building is good, though, and I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series. I’m kind of hoping Claudine gets her own book.
If you like your romance with a little intrigue, character growth, and some funny moments, then this book is for you. Let me know if you read - I’d love to discuss!
Marco was overseas when he allowed his friends to drag him to what he thought was a bar. It turned out to be a brothel, and as soon as Marco realized, he left. But just entering was enough for Jenna to feel betrayed. It’s a year later, and they’re starting to get close again, but Jenna wants a no-strings relationship. Around the same time, Jenna meets Claudine, a woman to whom she’s wildly attracted and realizes she has a different sexual identity than she previously thought. At Jenna’s firm, the software program she developed is getting hacked and causing her company to lose money. Is Claudine the culprit? Is Marco her destiny?
This book, for me, was a little all over the place. The narrative is good, I just feel like there’s too much going on - the separation, Marco’s PTSD, the purse snatcher, the corporate espionage. I think there should have been more talks and moments between Jenna and Marco. The main thing I liked, what stood out to me, is the character of Jenna. She really becomes her own person, makes self-discoveries, and grows stronger. The characters spend a lot of time thinking, and there’s a lot of telling rather than showing. The world building is good, though, and I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series. I’m kind of hoping Claudine gets her own book.
If you like your romance with a little intrigue, character growth, and some funny moments, then this book is for you. Let me know if you read - I’d love to discuss!
April 26, 2022
I would like to thank Liv for asking me to read her book. This is the first book I have read written by her, but it definitely won’t be the last.
Our 2 main characters are Jenna and Marco. They’ve been together for over two decades, but decided to separate a year ago.
This book is full of events. I don’t even know where to start.
I would start with their marriage.
The main reason of their separation is Marco and how he deals with his PTSD. The story takes us back to the time when he was in the army. He has so many nightmares and even though he loves his wife, it’s still not enough to let her in. He thinks he failed as a father and a husband.
They agree to work on their marriage but Jenna still wants to meet other people.
And that’s when another woman comes in the picture. Claudine starts working at Jenna’s workplace and realises that she find her new colleague very attractive.
She starts questioning her sexuality but the more time she spends with Claudine, she finally acknowledges her attraction towards women. That doesn’t change her feeling towards her husband though.
The third and final main event is taking place at Jenna’s workplace. Someone is hacking her company and stealing money from them. As you read the book I’m sure you think you know who’s behind the hacking but you are so wrong ☺️( I apologise in advance if you got it right)
I think I’m going to zip it now before I give too much away.
🥊 I absolutely loved this book and Marco will be definitely your new favourite book husband 🥊
I can’t wait to read 𝙀𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 ( Invested in you book 1).
Our 2 main characters are Jenna and Marco. They’ve been together for over two decades, but decided to separate a year ago.
This book is full of events. I don’t even know where to start.
I would start with their marriage.
The main reason of their separation is Marco and how he deals with his PTSD. The story takes us back to the time when he was in the army. He has so many nightmares and even though he loves his wife, it’s still not enough to let her in. He thinks he failed as a father and a husband.
They agree to work on their marriage but Jenna still wants to meet other people.
And that’s when another woman comes in the picture. Claudine starts working at Jenna’s workplace and realises that she find her new colleague very attractive.
She starts questioning her sexuality but the more time she spends with Claudine, she finally acknowledges her attraction towards women. That doesn’t change her feeling towards her husband though.
The third and final main event is taking place at Jenna’s workplace. Someone is hacking her company and stealing money from them. As you read the book I’m sure you think you know who’s behind the hacking but you are so wrong ☺️( I apologise in advance if you got it right)
I think I’m going to zip it now before I give too much away.
🥊 I absolutely loved this book and Marco will be definitely your new favourite book husband 🥊
I can’t wait to read 𝙀𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 ( Invested in you book 1).
June 16, 2022
This is the first book that I have read by Liv Arnold but hopefully it wont be the last, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Jenna Kravitz was having a hard time, she was separated from the husband that she adored, but she couldn't forgive his one indiscretion, on top of that her job was on the line, someone had hacked into a programme that Jenna had devised and it was costing the company a lot of money, unless she could find the hacker she would lose her job, worse still, she couldn't bare thinking of Marco with his new girlfriend.
Marco Kravitz had big problems, he had returned from Afghanistan with memories and guilt from which he couldn't escape , he had PTSD, the only way that he could compensate was to fight in the ring hoping that the punches would take away his nightmares. He loved his wife and two daughters more than life itself but they deserved more, he had hurt Jenna badly even though it had been unintentional.
This story follows Jenna and Marco's deep love for one another, the struggles they faced, the barriers that appeared unsurmountable, of Jenna's attraction to Claudine causing her to question her sexuality.
Liv Arnold has written a beautiful story that has covered some very emotive issues sensitively and knowledgably and with a good amount of wit thrown in for good measure, the love between Jenna and Marco is palpable as is Jenna's confusion. I look forward to reading further books from this author.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary.
Jenna Kravitz was having a hard time, she was separated from the husband that she adored, but she couldn't forgive his one indiscretion, on top of that her job was on the line, someone had hacked into a programme that Jenna had devised and it was costing the company a lot of money, unless she could find the hacker she would lose her job, worse still, she couldn't bare thinking of Marco with his new girlfriend.
Marco Kravitz had big problems, he had returned from Afghanistan with memories and guilt from which he couldn't escape , he had PTSD, the only way that he could compensate was to fight in the ring hoping that the punches would take away his nightmares. He loved his wife and two daughters more than life itself but they deserved more, he had hurt Jenna badly even though it had been unintentional.
This story follows Jenna and Marco's deep love for one another, the struggles they faced, the barriers that appeared unsurmountable, of Jenna's attraction to Claudine causing her to question her sexuality.
Liv Arnold has written a beautiful story that has covered some very emotive issues sensitively and knowledgably and with a good amount of wit thrown in for good measure, the love between Jenna and Marco is palpable as is Jenna's confusion. I look forward to reading further books from this author.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary.
April 6, 2022
I wanted to like this book but I really disliked Jenna, the heroine. Her husband accidentally walks into a brothel with his friends, not knowing what it was, and once he realizes it he leaves, yet she can’t forgive him? It’s not like he knowingly went there, and he didn’t do anything. But let’s move on. She then gets involved with him again, all while flirting with another woman she works with and seemingly starting a relationship with her at the same time. When things start happening with a software program she designed, Jenna assumes the worst of the woman she had been flirting with instead of talking to her to find the truth. She comes across as someone who is only willing to see things her way.
I liked Marco for the most part, and felt for him as he was dealing with PTSD. When he finds out about the other woman, he seems to be fine with Jenna trying to figure out what she wants. As for Claudine, the woman Jenna was interested in, I didn’t really have any feelings either way towards her character.
Honestly, I feel like if I had liked Jenna from the get-go, I would have enjoyed the book more. I enjoyed the healing that took place in the story, as well as the mystery of what was going on with the software program. I just had a hard time getting past my initial dislike of Jenna, which brought down the reading experience for me.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy provided via Book Sirens**
I liked Marco for the most part, and felt for him as he was dealing with PTSD. When he finds out about the other woman, he seems to be fine with Jenna trying to figure out what she wants. As for Claudine, the woman Jenna was interested in, I didn’t really have any feelings either way towards her character.
Honestly, I feel like if I had liked Jenna from the get-go, I would have enjoyed the book more. I enjoyed the healing that took place in the story, as well as the mystery of what was going on with the software program. I just had a hard time getting past my initial dislike of Jenna, which brought down the reading experience for me.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy provided via Book Sirens**
July 5, 2022
This is book two in The Invested in You series and it is Marco and Jenna's story and omg it is definitely a must read. Jenna and Marco had been married for years and had two beautiful daughters Eve and Keisha but everything changed and there marriage fell apart leaving them both heartbroken and devastated. Marco had been in the military but after a mission went wrong it affected him in a way that completely broke him and leaving him with PTSD and nightmares. Jenna is devastated when her marriage falls apart as Marco had been the love of her life and her soul mate and the only thing keeping her going is her daughter's and her job but now at work someone is damaging the company by hacking into the system and Jenna needs to find out who it is and why and this is putting even more pressure on her busy life especially as she feels as if her heart and world has been ripped apart. Marco and Jenna still have strong chemistry between them and are still in love with each other but will they be able to come back from the situation that caused there separation and get a second chance of being together and having there family back or is there too much hurt involved only time will tell what the outcome will be for them. There are twists and turns along with great characters and a storyline that pulled you in right from the start and kept your attention throughout and I can't wait to read more book's in this series.
I Voluntarily Reviewed a Copy of This Book.
I Voluntarily Reviewed a Copy of This Book.
May 16, 2022
Than you Liv for reaching out to me and gifting me a copy of your book to read and review honestly.
This is the first book I had read from this author and i honestly enjoyed it.
When we first meet Jenna she has just split from her husband and has received custody papers for the dog, which she purchased after their split. She is confused about her feelings as she still Love Marco but is angry with him. We also see Jenna deal with her feelings for another women Claudine, something Jenna never saw herself doing. (the scenes were hot)
Marco is a hard working Dad who absolutely loves and adores his daughters and that is clear to see. through this book we see him try to win back Jenna and his family. We also see home deal with his PTSD and see the pain and mixed emotions and feelings he has.
Marco and Jenna's reason for split was a little silly for me and I felt it needed a stronger reasoning or at least some more background on why?
I really enjoyed this book and the diverse topics it covered. My only critique would be that i wanted a bit more emotion in what was written and I wanted more Marco as i feel that would top this book off.
My Overall Rating is 4 💋💋💋💋
My Passion Rating is 4 💋💋💋💋
This is the first book I had read from this author and i honestly enjoyed it.
When we first meet Jenna she has just split from her husband and has received custody papers for the dog, which she purchased after their split. She is confused about her feelings as she still Love Marco but is angry with him. We also see Jenna deal with her feelings for another women Claudine, something Jenna never saw herself doing. (the scenes were hot)
Marco is a hard working Dad who absolutely loves and adores his daughters and that is clear to see. through this book we see him try to win back Jenna and his family. We also see home deal with his PTSD and see the pain and mixed emotions and feelings he has.
Marco and Jenna's reason for split was a little silly for me and I felt it needed a stronger reasoning or at least some more background on why?
I really enjoyed this book and the diverse topics it covered. My only critique would be that i wanted a bit more emotion in what was written and I wanted more Marco as i feel that would top this book off.
My Overall Rating is 4 💋💋💋💋
My Passion Rating is 4 💋💋💋💋
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