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Cake #2
The Theory of Second Best
He wants to step out of the shadows but sins from the past keep him shackled to his brother's side.
-A brother who lives his life in the shadows of greatness-
Kyle McKallister is the younger brother to one of the world’s most elusive and embattled celebrities. He has carved out a comfortable existence touring with his famous brother and living in the lap of luxury with no commitments or plans of his own, only a deep, haunting loyalty to his brother. But Kyle’s life is about to be shaken up when the opportunity comes to compete on a popular reality show.
-A sister who sets aside her dreams for the ones she loves-
Small town girl Kenzie Williams has come on the show for one thing only: to win. But when a disastrous start forces her to rely on an eclectic band of misfits, she finds herself immediately smitten with a handsome and mysterious cast mate.
-Pushed together by circumstance, two outcasts find love-
But life on the island is just a game. Can Kyle and Kenzie’s fragile spark survive the pressures of the real world?
"I LOVED IT!! EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST!!!" - Annie
"Kyle is second to None!" -Lovey J.
"I loved the theme of the "other" brother - the one who ended up being a bystander to his brother's tragedy - the one who walks away wounded even though he wasn't the one injured - the one who ends up living as a bystander to his own life. This is a great story of healing and learning to live again.” – A.C.
-A brother who lives his life in the shadows of greatness-
Kyle McKallister is the younger brother to one of the world’s most elusive and embattled celebrities. He has carved out a comfortable existence touring with his famous brother and living in the lap of luxury with no commitments or plans of his own, only a deep, haunting loyalty to his brother. But Kyle’s life is about to be shaken up when the opportunity comes to compete on a popular reality show.
-A sister who sets aside her dreams for the ones she loves-
Small town girl Kenzie Williams has come on the show for one thing only: to win. But when a disastrous start forces her to rely on an eclectic band of misfits, she finds herself immediately smitten with a handsome and mysterious cast mate.
-Pushed together by circumstance, two outcasts find love-
But life on the island is just a game. Can Kyle and Kenzie’s fragile spark survive the pressures of the real world?
"I LOVED IT!! EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST!!!" - Annie
"Kyle is second to None!" -Lovey J.
"I loved the theme of the "other" brother - the one who ended up being a bystander to his brother's tragedy - the one who walks away wounded even though he wasn't the one injured - the one who ends up living as a bystander to his own life. This is a great story of healing and learning to live again.” – A.C.
Unknown Binding
First published January 9, 2017
913 people are currently reading
1374 people want to read
About the author
J. Bengtsson
15 books1,601 followershttps://jbengtssonbooks.com/newsletter
J. (Jill) Bengtsson is the bestselling author of the Cake Series. She writes contemporary novels focused on love, humor, passion, and family. Her heroines are strong, nurturing, and quirky while her heroes are what dreams are made of - gorgeous, committed, and in need of a little saving. A native Californian, Jill’s novels are set under the glittering lights of the West Coast entertainment industry.
They are for the dreamer in all of us.
Jill resides in Ventura County, California. She’s married to the Swedish boy she met as an exchange student her junior year in college and they have three children, a golden retriever, and two ragdoll cats.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales by J. Bengtsson by signing up for her newsletter https://jbengtssonbooks.com/newsletter
For more Cake experiences, check out the audiobooks.
https://www.audible.com/author/J-Beng...
The audiobook series feature top narrators by Andi Arndt, Joe Arden and Zachary Webber.
*Cake A Love Story was nominated for an Audie Award for Best Romance of 2018.
jbengtssonbooks.com
jill@jbengtssonbooks.com
www.facebook.com/jbengtssonauthor
https://www.facebook.com/groups/theba...
J. (Jill) Bengtsson is the bestselling author of the Cake Series. She writes contemporary novels focused on love, humor, passion, and family. Her heroines are strong, nurturing, and quirky while her heroes are what dreams are made of - gorgeous, committed, and in need of a little saving. A native Californian, Jill’s novels are set under the glittering lights of the West Coast entertainment industry.
They are for the dreamer in all of us.
Jill resides in Ventura County, California. She’s married to the Swedish boy she met as an exchange student her junior year in college and they have three children, a golden retriever, and two ragdoll cats.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales by J. Bengtsson by signing up for her newsletter https://jbengtssonbooks.com/newsletter
For more Cake experiences, check out the audiobooks.
https://www.audible.com/author/J-Beng...
The audiobook series feature top narrators by Andi Arndt, Joe Arden and Zachary Webber.
*Cake A Love Story was nominated for an Audie Award for Best Romance of 2018.
jbengtssonbooks.com
jill@jbengtssonbooks.com
www.facebook.com/jbengtssonauthor
https://www.facebook.com/groups/theba...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
May 21, 2017
Excellent book with fantastic narration.
Full review soon...
Full review soon...
October 9, 2019
Second best!? More like it took the cake...
I'm a dweeb.
This book follows the same timeframe as Cake - which I really enjoyed. I got to spend more time with that hilarious McKallister bunch as well as see how Jake's tragedy affected them firsthand. They walked on eggshells around him, but without him around, we got to really see how they felt.
Suicide attempts were not an uncommon occurrence in our household. It has taken a comprehensive and proactive effort, on all our parts, to keep him alive.
As you may know, we are following Jake's younger brother, Kyle McKallister, in this installment. He is a deeply wounded, confused man hiding behind sarcasm and witty sexual jokes. After following Jake around on tour, he doesn't know who he is without Jake. He's always been "Jake's brother" to everybody around him. Even at home, his family is more concerned on how Jake acted on tour than what was going on with Kyle. It's sad, really. So when an opportunity presented itself for Kyle to separate himself from Jake, he takes it. Reluctantly...
Kenzie Williams, similar to Kyle, isn't really living her own life. After tragedy struck her household when she was eight, she was forced to step up to the plate and grow up quickly. She has been chained down to long and decides to do something for herself - for once in her life. When the directors of Marooned want her on the reality survivalist TV show, she was stunned. Nothing like this ever happens to a small town girl.
Kyle and Kenzie meet the most cringe-worthy hilarious way on Marooned.
She'd appeared so sweet and innocent with those big blue eyes and delicate ivory skin, but that was right before she morphed into Linda Blair from The Exorcist and spewed green vomit from her guts.
TV Confessional "So...THAT just happened." - Kenzie
Later they get put in the "Dork Quad," and they hit it off. What a interesting bunch they are... It's difficult, however; they are there to compete against each other. The other contestants are noticing how close they are and they aren't liking it...
I freaking LOVE this book. The writing structure was much better than the first book. (J. Bengtsson is killing it.) The characters no longer feel so young as they did in Cake. There were many times where I was literally laughing out loud. I enjoyed all the references - The Walking Dead, Friends, and Twilight... *chuckles*
TV Confessional "Imprinted? You know, when werewolves find the right person, they imprint on them. Twilight? No? Okay, nevermind." - Kenzie Twilight forevvvvaa....
Oh, I should mention that this is a slow-burning sweet romance. Flirting, teasing, innocent touching is all the reader gets for the majority of the book. (Can you blame them, though? They had cameras in their face 24/7)
I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of young/new adult romances packed with witty banter. The next book should be out sometime this month, so it's a perfect time to pick up these books. :)
This book follows the same timeframe as Cake - which I really enjoyed. I got to spend more time with that hilarious McKallister bunch as well as see how Jake's tragedy affected them firsthand. They walked on eggshells around him, but without him around, we got to really see how they felt.
Suicide attempts were not an uncommon occurrence in our household. It has taken a comprehensive and proactive effort, on all our parts, to keep him alive.
As you may know, we are following Jake's younger brother, Kyle McKallister, in this installment. He is a deeply wounded, confused man hiding behind sarcasm and witty sexual jokes. After following Jake around on tour, he doesn't know who he is without Jake. He's always been "Jake's brother" to everybody around him. Even at home, his family is more concerned on how Jake acted on tour than what was going on with Kyle. It's sad, really. So when an opportunity presented itself for Kyle to separate himself from Jake, he takes it. Reluctantly...
Kenzie Williams, similar to Kyle, isn't really living her own life. After tragedy struck her household when she was eight, she was forced to step up to the plate and grow up quickly. She has been chained down to long and decides to do something for herself - for once in her life. When the directors of Marooned want her on the reality survivalist TV show, she was stunned. Nothing like this ever happens to a small town girl.
Kyle and Kenzie meet the most cringe-worthy hilarious way on Marooned.
She'd appeared so sweet and innocent with those big blue eyes and delicate ivory skin, but that was right before she morphed into Linda Blair from The Exorcist and spewed green vomit from her guts.
TV Confessional "So...THAT just happened." - Kenzie
Later they get put in the "Dork Quad," and they hit it off. What a interesting bunch they are... It's difficult, however; they are there to compete against each other. The other contestants are noticing how close they are and they aren't liking it...
I freaking LOVE this book. The writing structure was much better than the first book. (J. Bengtsson is killing it.) The characters no longer feel so young as they did in Cake. There were many times where I was literally laughing out loud. I enjoyed all the references - The Walking Dead, Friends, and Twilight... *chuckles*
TV Confessional "Imprinted? You know, when werewolves find the right person, they imprint on them. Twilight? No? Okay, nevermind." - Kenzie Twilight forevvvvaa....
Oh, I should mention that this is a slow-burning sweet romance. Flirting, teasing, innocent touching is all the reader gets for the majority of the book. (Can you blame them, though? They had cameras in their face 24/7)
I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of young/new adult romances packed with witty banter. The next book should be out sometime this month, so it's a perfect time to pick up these books. :)
February 23, 2019
This book follows along with the first book but is about Jake’s younger brother. He is usually part of Jake’s entourage but has been excepted into a survivor reality show. There he meets our heroine. A small town girl who wants to win enough money to escape the family she has been tending since her mother’s death.
A good romance with well developed characters.
A good romance with well developed characters.
May 25, 2017
This is second in a series. You don't really need to have read the first, though some of the events are repeated in this one (this book starts prior to the ending of the first so there's parallel timelines). Those repeats aren't at all intrusive or annoying, but some repeated events have more resonance if you've read the first book.
I really enjoyed the first book in the series so I hoped this would be equally engaging despite having a completely different character arc (part of what made the first stand out was the rock-star lead and this one featured his not-at-all-famous brother). Fortunately, Bengtsson handled Kyle as well as she did Jake. Her characters are vividly drawn and she does a great job keeping them both distinctly themselves while still accessing the universal in their individuality. The same applies to Kenzie as being distinct and engaging and nothing at all like Casey.
Anyway, I liked the leads for themselves and mostly enjoyed the story. Kyle and Kenzie are less finished as adults, so the story naturally included a bit of finishing for them and I enjoyed seeing them grow into who they would become. I don't really care for Survivor-style reality shows because I dislike how the setup is engineered to bring out and showcase our worst instincts for deceit and betrayal. I expected that to grate, and it did. But Bengtsson did a great job showing the relationship dynamics and highlighting the important action while eliding over a lot of the nitty-gritty that would have made it tedious. So she did the best I could have expected and since the characters were so strong I got through it a lot easier than I expected.
The craft issues from the first book persist into this one, unfortunately. Grammar and said-bookism is still intrusive to an extent that would normally bother me. Like the first, however, I was busy enjoying the characters and story enough that it was only a minor irritation.
Anyway, I think it earns the four stars, at least in my personal accounting. The Survivor-lite show is largely to blame for being less entertaining than the first book. Still strong, and I'll definitely put the next one on my list of books to read.
A note about Steamy: Like the first, this one had only one explicit sex scene, though a second gets far enough many might count it as well. So the low end of my steam tolerance. I don't think either scene was really necessary or enhanced the story at all, though.
I really enjoyed the first book in the series so I hoped this would be equally engaging despite having a completely different character arc (part of what made the first stand out was the rock-star lead and this one featured his not-at-all-famous brother). Fortunately, Bengtsson handled Kyle as well as she did Jake. Her characters are vividly drawn and she does a great job keeping them both distinctly themselves while still accessing the universal in their individuality. The same applies to Kenzie as being distinct and engaging and nothing at all like Casey.
Anyway, I liked the leads for themselves and mostly enjoyed the story. Kyle and Kenzie are less finished as adults, so the story naturally included a bit of finishing for them and I enjoyed seeing them grow into who they would become. I don't really care for Survivor-style reality shows because I dislike how the setup is engineered to bring out and showcase our worst instincts for deceit and betrayal. I expected that to grate, and it did. But Bengtsson did a great job showing the relationship dynamics and highlighting the important action while eliding over a lot of the nitty-gritty that would have made it tedious. So she did the best I could have expected and since the characters were so strong I got through it a lot easier than I expected.
The craft issues from the first book persist into this one, unfortunately. Grammar and said-bookism is still intrusive to an extent that would normally bother me. Like the first, however, I was busy enjoying the characters and story enough that it was only a minor irritation.
Anyway, I think it earns the four stars, at least in my personal accounting. The Survivor-lite show is largely to blame for being less entertaining than the first book. Still strong, and I'll definitely put the next one on my list of books to read.
A note about Steamy: Like the first, this one had only one explicit sex scene, though a second gets far enough many might count it as well. So the low end of my steam tolerance. I don't think either scene was really necessary or enhanced the story at all, though.
June 2, 2023
Ahh! This book! Kyle’s story. I loved him in Cake and he is absolutely everything I hoped for. I loved that we got more into what happened leading up to the kidnapping and various other details. Kyle has always felt second beat up against Jake. This was a perfect slow burn that revolved around a reality show. I loved Kyle & Kenzie so much!
June 24, 2022
I've never, ever, ever read a story so mesmerizing and Engrossing, I was glued...GLUED to itright from the first word to the last.
I legit Sat in Walmart parking lot for 20 minutes just so I could keep listening to this fabulous tale of Marooned Couple. Full of drama, betrayals, alliances, real life twist, this book kept surprising me on every page, every chapter.
It's hilarious, it's poignant, it's full of sass and sexiness..it's a Perfect story
Set against a reality game show like Survivor, the couple meet on an Island and they form an alliance of laid back quad early on. Their chemistry threatens to start a bush fire maybe and their equation with other contestants makes the plot believable & fun to watch.
I never thought Jake from Cake could be topped, or I'd fall in love with any other heroine other than Casey..
But move over Cake KyZie have topped the adorable couple charts!
Who would've think that the happy-go-lucky, smooth talking charmer, always the second fiddle brother, would gather as much interest as The rockstar Jake, but Bengtsson wrote this brother with so much sauciness and swagger, I am now a Kyle Girl through and through
And kenzie gives it back as good as she gets, so it's like match made in banter heaven. She's my spirit animal. Beautiful and sensible, it was wonderful to see standing up for herself for a change.
I loved it
I loved it
I loved it
I loved it
Did I say I LOVED IT
Loved it like I wanna have its babies
Loved it like I wanna be left alone on a deserted island with Kyle
Loved it like I could go all cougar horny on Kyle's tight Ass.
**sigh** I wish I was a fictional character living in Bengtsson books!!!
As many stars at there are scallops in seas
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
I legit Sat in Walmart parking lot for 20 minutes just so I could keep listening to this fabulous tale of Marooned Couple. Full of drama, betrayals, alliances, real life twist, this book kept surprising me on every page, every chapter.
It's hilarious, it's poignant, it's full of sass and sexiness..it's a Perfect story
Set against a reality game show like Survivor, the couple meet on an Island and they form an alliance of laid back quad early on. Their chemistry threatens to start a bush fire maybe and their equation with other contestants makes the plot believable & fun to watch.
I never thought Jake from Cake could be topped, or I'd fall in love with any other heroine other than Casey..
But move over Cake KyZie have topped the adorable couple charts!
Who would've think that the happy-go-lucky, smooth talking charmer, always the second fiddle brother, would gather as much interest as The rockstar Jake, but Bengtsson wrote this brother with so much sauciness and swagger, I am now a Kyle Girl through and through
And kenzie gives it back as good as she gets, so it's like match made in banter heaven. She's my spirit animal. Beautiful and sensible, it was wonderful to see standing up for herself for a change.
I loved it
I loved it
I loved it
I loved it
Did I say I LOVED IT
Loved it like I wanna have its babies
Loved it like I wanna be left alone on a deserted island with Kyle
Loved it like I could go all cougar horny on Kyle's tight Ass.
**sigh** I wish I was a fictional character living in Bengtsson books!!!
As many stars at there are scallops in seas
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
August 26, 2017
Always fabulous when you find another fantastic author.... this book was sweet as cake 🎂
Kyle is Jake (from the first book in the series) little brother.... it's hard to be the little brother to a huge rockstar, but even harder to be a little brother filled with guilt over a tragic event.... I really like Kyle in the first book, but I liked him even more after this book, seen his more private side...Kenzie was equally likable, and together they really worked.... I appreciated the slow build up of the relationship and I enjoyed the time on the island..... however, I would have liked a little more time seeing them together as a couple and more time with Kyle and his family.... looking forward to the next book in the series, can't wait to get to know Emma better
Kyle is Jake (from the first book in the series) little brother.... it's hard to be the little brother to a huge rockstar, but even harder to be a little brother filled with guilt over a tragic event.... I really like Kyle in the first book, but I liked him even more after this book, seen his more private side...Kenzie was equally likable, and together they really worked.... I appreciated the slow build up of the relationship and I enjoyed the time on the island..... however, I would have liked a little more time seeing them together as a couple and more time with Kyle and his family.... looking forward to the next book in the series, can't wait to get to know Emma better
January 7, 2017
The Theory of Second Best (Cake #2) by J. Bengtsson
4.5*
This author is definitely on my radar having delivered yet another interesting and inviting book. This is the second book in the Cake series and while it's also a standalone, I'd still go and read that first because as it is, Cake was fantastic, let alone knowing it was a debut book.
Kyle has always come second best to his rock-star brother, Jake. Let me be clear, that is *not* something he has a problem with. He loves and worships his brother and almost feels as though he owes him. However, he feels it's time to do something for himself without anyone knowing of his connections. He applies for, and is accepted to reality tv show, Marooned (much like Survivor) where he has to compete for survival along with everyone else and on equal terms: money, social status, and family mean nothing here. Whilst on the show, he develops an alliance and aptly name themselves The Dork Quad - a quartet of misfits including the lovely Kenzie.
Kenzie is a small-town girl who has had it pretty damn hard. She lost her mother when she was only eight years old and essentially became a mother to her newborn triplet siblings. She needs to win the money this show will award as her ticket out of the small town and in to the city where she can do something for herself, be free, and see something other than the same people day in, day out.
I loved Kenzie. That is all. She is full of warmth and love and is all heart. But make no mistake, she has a spine on her and is no ones doormat. She's an all-in kind of person and what you see, is basically what you get with her. Just adored her. Now Kyle. He really grated on me early on in the piece. Actually, he grated on me till he got to the island! He just seemed so shallow and unwilling to make an effort, took the easy way every time: I felt like shaking him! We get a differing Kyle on the island and he was just a lot of fun and flirtatiousness, but with surprising depth. These two develop a close friendship although it's not hard to see that Kenzie feels a bit more than that. Their relationship took quite a ride and was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I particularly loved the relationship between Kyle and Dale - they are just so dissimilar in every way but their friendship was perfect.
I absolutely recommend this book. It's fun and flirty, with real substance in there. I really can't wait for the next book in this series and as far as I'm concerned, Bengtsson can't write fast enough for me.
*arc received in exchange for honest review.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.
4.5*
This author is definitely on my radar having delivered yet another interesting and inviting book. This is the second book in the Cake series and while it's also a standalone, I'd still go and read that first because as it is, Cake was fantastic, let alone knowing it was a debut book.
Kyle has always come second best to his rock-star brother, Jake. Let me be clear, that is *not* something he has a problem with. He loves and worships his brother and almost feels as though he owes him. However, he feels it's time to do something for himself without anyone knowing of his connections. He applies for, and is accepted to reality tv show, Marooned (much like Survivor) where he has to compete for survival along with everyone else and on equal terms: money, social status, and family mean nothing here. Whilst on the show, he develops an alliance and aptly name themselves The Dork Quad - a quartet of misfits including the lovely Kenzie.
Kenzie is a small-town girl who has had it pretty damn hard. She lost her mother when she was only eight years old and essentially became a mother to her newborn triplet siblings. She needs to win the money this show will award as her ticket out of the small town and in to the city where she can do something for herself, be free, and see something other than the same people day in, day out.
I loved Kenzie. That is all. She is full of warmth and love and is all heart. But make no mistake, she has a spine on her and is no ones doormat. She's an all-in kind of person and what you see, is basically what you get with her. Just adored her. Now Kyle. He really grated on me early on in the piece. Actually, he grated on me till he got to the island! He just seemed so shallow and unwilling to make an effort, took the easy way every time: I felt like shaking him! We get a differing Kyle on the island and he was just a lot of fun and flirtatiousness, but with surprising depth. These two develop a close friendship although it's not hard to see that Kenzie feels a bit more than that. Their relationship took quite a ride and was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I particularly loved the relationship between Kyle and Dale - they are just so dissimilar in every way but their friendship was perfect.
I absolutely recommend this book. It's fun and flirty, with real substance in there. I really can't wait for the next book in this series and as far as I'm concerned, Bengtsson can't write fast enough for me.
*arc received in exchange for honest review.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.
August 4, 2019
This series has my heart!
March 26, 2019
-- AUDIO REVIEW --
The burn in The Theory of Second Best is slow. Like, really slow. And that’s not saying that the story itself is slow, because it’s absolutely not. It just takes a long time for the romance to set up and then even longer for it to catch fire.
But it was so worth it.
Sooooo worth it.
Because what we get while we’re waiting for that burn to fire up is a completely emotional and compelling back-story. We go back in time to the beginning of CAKE and get a different perspective. And things definitely look different from Kyle’s point of view.
It’s interesting and heartbreaking and I was swept up in it immediately.
By the time Kenzie fully entered the picture, I was already done. I sometimes get impatient with the lack of romance in my romance, but in this case the other storylines were every bit as emotional and gripping and so the end result was this full perfect package.
This package packs some punches. Don’t let the reality tv storyline fool you. There was laughter, lots of it. But also tears. My emotions took a wild ride and I loved every single minute.
I’m hungry for more of this story. I am awed and fascinated by the McKallister family and all-in with my love for them. Going back, immediately, for more of where this came from!
The burn in The Theory of Second Best is slow. Like, really slow. And that’s not saying that the story itself is slow, because it’s absolutely not. It just takes a long time for the romance to set up and then even longer for it to catch fire.
But it was so worth it.
Sooooo worth it.
Because what we get while we’re waiting for that burn to fire up is a completely emotional and compelling back-story. We go back in time to the beginning of CAKE and get a different perspective. And things definitely look different from Kyle’s point of view.
It’s interesting and heartbreaking and I was swept up in it immediately.
By the time Kenzie fully entered the picture, I was already done. I sometimes get impatient with the lack of romance in my romance, but in this case the other storylines were every bit as emotional and gripping and so the end result was this full perfect package.
This package packs some punches. Don’t let the reality tv storyline fool you. There was laughter, lots of it. But also tears. My emotions took a wild ride and I loved every single minute.
I’m hungry for more of this story. I am awed and fascinated by the McKallister family and all-in with my love for them. Going back, immediately, for more of where this came from!
February 7, 2017
Well written; slow burn romance with a reality show backdrop
Kyle has always been the second, almost as cool, kind of okayest, fiddle to his rockstar older brother Jake. I mean his brother is a rockstar, of course he reaps the benefits he can, but sometimes it still sucks. Hot fan girls Jake's not interested in? Sure, why not? Things change when he's picked as a contestant on a survivor type reality show. Of course he got there on Jake's name, but he wants this for him. He figures he will fail, whatever, but he's doing something different at least.
Kenzie hasn't done much just for herself in life. Thrust into an adult role very early on due to unfortunate circumstances in her life. She is somehow picked for the same reality show. She figures it's because she's the small town girl who hasn't seen the world. She knows she doesn't have much to add, but she's doing the show for her and her family. She wants to see the world outside of her small town, and this is the first step.
The relationship between these two starts off a little iffy, but quickly morphs into witty banter and clear chemistry. Only one of them realizes it though. Feelings get hurt, sides get chosen, and basically it's like reading a season of survivor, but with an emphasis on the main love story that plays out. I really enjoyed that Kyle and Kenzie weren't so wrapped up in each other that the other people got lost. They became friends with them as well, and some of those friendships I ADORED. The reality show aspect wasn't unique to me per say, but the fact that it wasn't written as OTT and angsty was unique. This story felt real and relatable.
Once again this romance is super duper slow burn. It made it real and made you root for the characters. If you're looking for super smutty, this isn't it. If you're looking for sexual tension, and sweet development of feelings... you've found your book. While these two fell in love, I fell in love with them.
My only complaint is that it did feel like the story had some parts that dragged for me. Maybe it's because I read the first book and some parts were reiterated from Kyle's POV, and I just wasn't THAT interested in knowing his POV during someone else's love story. I get that it developed the character more, I just didn't need it, and it slowed the story down for me. Of course it's at the beginning and it picks up quickly once you get through all of that.
All in all a really good read. It's pretty low angst, the romance is so sweet, the banter was great, and the characters it came from were even better. Great writing! Can't wait to read the next in the series. This family has peaked my interest to say the least.
Kyle has always been the second, almost as cool, kind of okayest, fiddle to his rockstar older brother Jake. I mean his brother is a rockstar, of course he reaps the benefits he can, but sometimes it still sucks. Hot fan girls Jake's not interested in? Sure, why not? Things change when he's picked as a contestant on a survivor type reality show. Of course he got there on Jake's name, but he wants this for him. He figures he will fail, whatever, but he's doing something different at least.
Kenzie hasn't done much just for herself in life. Thrust into an adult role very early on due to unfortunate circumstances in her life. She is somehow picked for the same reality show. She figures it's because she's the small town girl who hasn't seen the world. She knows she doesn't have much to add, but she's doing the show for her and her family. She wants to see the world outside of her small town, and this is the first step.
The relationship between these two starts off a little iffy, but quickly morphs into witty banter and clear chemistry. Only one of them realizes it though. Feelings get hurt, sides get chosen, and basically it's like reading a season of survivor, but with an emphasis on the main love story that plays out. I really enjoyed that Kyle and Kenzie weren't so wrapped up in each other that the other people got lost. They became friends with them as well, and some of those friendships I ADORED. The reality show aspect wasn't unique to me per say, but the fact that it wasn't written as OTT and angsty was unique. This story felt real and relatable.
Once again this romance is super duper slow burn. It made it real and made you root for the characters. If you're looking for super smutty, this isn't it. If you're looking for sexual tension, and sweet development of feelings... you've found your book. While these two fell in love, I fell in love with them.
My only complaint is that it did feel like the story had some parts that dragged for me. Maybe it's because I read the first book and some parts were reiterated from Kyle's POV, and I just wasn't THAT interested in knowing his POV during someone else's love story. I get that it developed the character more, I just didn't need it, and it slowed the story down for me. Of course it's at the beginning and it picks up quickly once you get through all of that.
All in all a really good read. It's pretty low angst, the romance is so sweet, the banter was great, and the characters it came from were even better. Great writing! Can't wait to read the next in the series. This family has peaked my interest to say the least.
March 1, 2021
Series binge reading at its finest!!!! book 2 of the Cake series - we finally get inside Kyle's head. At the beginning of the book we do get a retelling of Jake and Casey meeting from Kyle's perspective, plus quite a bit of delving in to his life dealing with guilt and being the other brother! I'm taking a guess that throughout the books in this series - all roads will always lead back to Jake. I think that is what makes this series so unique and endearing, and going to be hard to forget!!
The rest of the book follows Kyle as he becomes a contestant on the survivor reality show(called Marooned) but it really was the exact replica of the show and being a fan - I LOVED reading a season of survivor!! Wasn't super detailed but still had all the highs and lows of survivor game play, voting, idols, backstabbing, etc! This is where he meets fellow contestant Kenzie and the usual banter and give and take resumes!! The timeline of this book is running parallel in time to Book 1, so the ending once again picks up where the end of Cake was - but from Kyle's perspective. VERY COOL!! Can't wait to get to Emma's story next and see where life takes everyone else!!
The rest of the book follows Kyle as he becomes a contestant on the survivor reality show(called Marooned) but it really was the exact replica of the show and being a fan - I LOVED reading a season of survivor!! Wasn't super detailed but still had all the highs and lows of survivor game play, voting, idols, backstabbing, etc! This is where he meets fellow contestant Kenzie and the usual banter and give and take resumes!! The timeline of this book is running parallel in time to Book 1, so the ending once again picks up where the end of Cake was - but from Kyle's perspective. VERY COOL!! Can't wait to get to Emma's story next and see where life takes everyone else!!
June 29, 2017
I'm not really sure what to rate The Theory of Second Best. I think somewhere between 3.5 and 4. This is book 2 of the Cake series. I really liked it but it didn't blow me away like Cake did. Cake was fanfuckingtastic. I feel that at times, this book was scratching the surface rather than delving deep when it came to the emotions of our characters and their back stories. I didn't feel as much as I was hoping to. This was still really a fun read and it held my interest from beginning to end. It also had a lot of good humor mixed in. I laughed out loud at times. I really like the characters, main and secondary, so I am looking forward to continuing with this series to read more about them.
Audible: I added the whispersync Audible narration to this Kindle book. The two narrators did a really great job. They were easy to listen to and read the story in a captivating manner that really seemed to fit the main characters. I would definitely recommend this as an Audible.
Audible: I added the whispersync Audible narration to this Kindle book. The two narrators did a really great job. They were easy to listen to and read the story in a captivating manner that really seemed to fit the main characters. I would definitely recommend this as an Audible.
December 10, 2017
4.5 Bambi Eyed Stars
OMG! I loved it. I laughed so hard. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I felt like the story on the Island took a little too long. But not enough that I didn't want to read/listen to the entire audiobook.
This one had me laughing so hard. Kenzie's brothers Colton and Conner as well as Kyle's antic on the island had me laughing out loud and double over often.
The one thing I really like about J. Bengtsson's CAKE series is that the tragedy of their past unfolds piece by piece through the experience of each character, whom she's based a book on. We know that Kyle was the brother that was there when Jake was kidnapped as a child, but the repercussions and guilt from Kyle you are unaware of until this book. And more layers of the McKallister onion is revealed.
I am definitely looking forward to more about Emma. I just hope Quinn get's his own book as well.
OMG! I loved it. I laughed so hard. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I felt like the story on the Island took a little too long. But not enough that I didn't want to read/listen to the entire audiobook.
This one had me laughing so hard. Kenzie's brothers Colton and Conner as well as Kyle's antic on the island had me laughing out loud and double over often.
The one thing I really like about J. Bengtsson's CAKE series is that the tragedy of their past unfolds piece by piece through the experience of each character, whom she's based a book on. We know that Kyle was the brother that was there when Jake was kidnapped as a child, but the repercussions and guilt from Kyle you are unaware of until this book. And more layers of the McKallister onion is revealed.
I am definitely looking forward to more about Emma. I just hope Quinn get's his own book as well.
August 11, 2022
There is not a book out there that is even marginally similar to The Theory of Second Best! Totally original from the start, this author truly knows how to write one of a kind romances!
The second book in the cake series follows Kyle (Jakes brother) and Kenzie - a small town girl.
This couples meet cute was hysterical as was most of their journey as they met whilst competing on a reality show that was set on a deserted island - think Bear Grylls.
I just loved this book so much! I fell in love with Kyle and his weird and wonderful ways in the first book so I was so excited to read his HEA. Kyle is the perfect match to Kenzie who was your classic (extremely) small town girl with an awesome personality that had me chuckling the whole way through.
The Theory of Second Best is for sure a 5* romance and I will recommend it to everyone who is looking for an original love story!
The second book in the cake series follows Kyle (Jakes brother) and Kenzie - a small town girl.
This couples meet cute was hysterical as was most of their journey as they met whilst competing on a reality show that was set on a deserted island - think Bear Grylls.
I just loved this book so much! I fell in love with Kyle and his weird and wonderful ways in the first book so I was so excited to read his HEA. Kyle is the perfect match to Kenzie who was your classic (extremely) small town girl with an awesome personality that had me chuckling the whole way through.
The Theory of Second Best is for sure a 5* romance and I will recommend it to everyone who is looking for an original love story!
January 30, 2018
3.5 STARS
This was a cute read, but not as entertaining as Cake. I found the beginning repetitive, since much of it was already experienced in Cake. I wanted more time after the reality show stopped; the ending seemed rushed in comparison to the rest of the story. Not a bad book by any means though.
This was a cute read, but not as entertaining as Cake. I found the beginning repetitive, since much of it was already experienced in Cake. I wanted more time after the reality show stopped; the ending seemed rushed in comparison to the rest of the story. Not a bad book by any means though.
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October 13, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/13/2017)!
February 8, 2023
4.5 stars!
A fun, laugh-out-loud funny romance set within a Survivor-like reality show, this is a wildly entertaining read with characters that I adore and a gorgeously slow burning friends-to-lovers romance, and I absolutely loved it!
This is the second book in the Cake series, and while it can be read as a standalone, the events of this book take place during the timeline of the first book in the series, Cake(before, during and after), so beware that this book contains some pretty massive spoilers for the first.
Kyle was an absolute scene-stealer in Cake, and I was so excited to read his story! Kyle is the younger brother and best friend of Jake McKallister, global rockstar. Kyle is Jake’s self-declared ‘security’, his companion and safety net, travelling with his troubled brother on world tours to provide company and support. He fully acknowledges that he is a hanger-on in Jake’s life, and he’s content to be second best, picking up the leftovers from his brother’s life, and without any real goals for himself. But Kyle has just been invited onto a Survivor-like reality show, and he is ready to shine all on his own.
Kenzie is a small-town girl whose whole life has been about her family. She practically raised her triplet siblings, and at 24, she’s barely left her home town and never really done anything for herself. Applying for a reality show is her chance to experience something new, and hopefully win some money to help out her family so that she can take off and start to live her own life.
And so, Kyle and Kenzie are dropped onto a remote island with a bunch of strangers. From a grossly unfortunate introduction, Kyle and Kenzie’s friendship builds quickly and strongly, and they become the closest of allies – working together to survive in the harsh conditions, and even spooning every night to keep each other warm. They are each other’s safe place, and they tease, banter, flirt and talk constantly, and it was a joy to watch all of it!
I have never, in my life, watched an episode of Survivor, though I know the premise of the game, and I really enjoyed Bengtsson’s take on the wild reality show. There’s a weirdly eclectic group of characters that we get to know – some you will love, and some you will hate – some of whom they end up building lifelong connections with, all of whom teach Kyle and Kenzie important lessons. And in the middle of it all, we get to watch Kyle and Kenzie’s relationship blossom, because Kyle is feeling all kinds of feelings for his island best friend, and Kenzie is falling hard for him right back, which is something neither of them expected. But the rules of the game mean that there can only be one winner, and I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen.
The book follows their island adventure and back into life afterwards, and this is a fantastic story of two wonderfully underestimated characters finding their strength, and their true sense of self. Borrowing from the trauma in the first book, there is drama, and Kyle’s take on events was beautifully and emotionally written to really bring the feels! It shows us even more of the connection between Kyle and his brother, which I really enjoyed exploring.
And the romance… *dreamy sigh*. It’s a slow burn with fantastic chemistry, and I loved watching Kyle and Kenzie be so honest and real with each other, follow their hearts, and fall into a relationship.
We get to see more of the McKallister bunch, and Kenzie’s family are hilarious. There are lots of laughs, some drama, and a beautiful friends-to-lovers romance with satisfying and believable character development, and I loved it all!
Such a wonderfully entertaining read – 4.5 stars!
The audiobook is narrated by the dream team of Zachary Webber and Andie Arndt, who both do a wonderful job with the story. I absolutely recommend listening to this one!
A fun, laugh-out-loud funny romance set within a Survivor-like reality show, this is a wildly entertaining read with characters that I adore and a gorgeously slow burning friends-to-lovers romance, and I absolutely loved it!
This is the second book in the Cake series, and while it can be read as a standalone, the events of this book take place during the timeline of the first book in the series, Cake(before, during and after), so beware that this book contains some pretty massive spoilers for the first.
Kyle was an absolute scene-stealer in Cake, and I was so excited to read his story! Kyle is the younger brother and best friend of Jake McKallister, global rockstar. Kyle is Jake’s self-declared ‘security’, his companion and safety net, travelling with his troubled brother on world tours to provide company and support. He fully acknowledges that he is a hanger-on in Jake’s life, and he’s content to be second best, picking up the leftovers from his brother’s life, and without any real goals for himself. But Kyle has just been invited onto a Survivor-like reality show, and he is ready to shine all on his own.
Kenzie is a small-town girl whose whole life has been about her family. She practically raised her triplet siblings, and at 24, she’s barely left her home town and never really done anything for herself. Applying for a reality show is her chance to experience something new, and hopefully win some money to help out her family so that she can take off and start to live her own life.
And so, Kyle and Kenzie are dropped onto a remote island with a bunch of strangers. From a grossly unfortunate introduction, Kyle and Kenzie’s friendship builds quickly and strongly, and they become the closest of allies – working together to survive in the harsh conditions, and even spooning every night to keep each other warm. They are each other’s safe place, and they tease, banter, flirt and talk constantly, and it was a joy to watch all of it!
I have never, in my life, watched an episode of Survivor, though I know the premise of the game, and I really enjoyed Bengtsson’s take on the wild reality show. There’s a weirdly eclectic group of characters that we get to know – some you will love, and some you will hate – some of whom they end up building lifelong connections with, all of whom teach Kyle and Kenzie important lessons. And in the middle of it all, we get to watch Kyle and Kenzie’s relationship blossom, because Kyle is feeling all kinds of feelings for his island best friend, and Kenzie is falling hard for him right back, which is something neither of them expected. But the rules of the game mean that there can only be one winner, and I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen.
The book follows their island adventure and back into life afterwards, and this is a fantastic story of two wonderfully underestimated characters finding their strength, and their true sense of self. Borrowing from the trauma in the first book, there is drama, and Kyle’s take on events was beautifully and emotionally written to really bring the feels! It shows us even more of the connection between Kyle and his brother, which I really enjoyed exploring.
And the romance… *dreamy sigh*. It’s a slow burn with fantastic chemistry, and I loved watching Kyle and Kenzie be so honest and real with each other, follow their hearts, and fall into a relationship.
We get to see more of the McKallister bunch, and Kenzie’s family are hilarious. There are lots of laughs, some drama, and a beautiful friends-to-lovers romance with satisfying and believable character development, and I loved it all!
Such a wonderfully entertaining read – 4.5 stars!
The audiobook is narrated by the dream team of Zachary Webber and Andie Arndt, who both do a wonderful job with the story. I absolutely recommend listening to this one!
May 16, 2018
Heavier than I expected, with rich characters, a slow build romance and lots of angst. It’s well written, and flows well. I’m intrigued by the supporting characters, I think I’ll read/listen to the rest of the series. The narration by Andi Arndt and Zachary Weber is fantastic.
Bought from audible
Bought from audible
October 29, 2017
I loved this one.
It was so entertaining and hilarious.
It was so entertaining and hilarious.
August 12, 2018
2.5 stars
Im a little sad, because after "Cake", this one fell in comparison. It wasnt bad, but definitely not as good.
It went more as a survivor's log than a romance, and I expected so much more from it.
Usually, Im all up for flawed characters, that makes them real for me, but in this case, it just annoyed me a little. Specially Kyle. I liked him so much in Cake, but here, his weakness of character made me want to bitchslap him a few times. Besides, he didnt do one single thing that made me believe he actually fell for Kenzie; it seemed to me that he went for it, even at the hospital scene, just because she was there, no more, no less.
And Kenzie? Well, she's just utterly and completely... blah!
I think the thing I really, REALLY liked was the clousure the brothers had about the kidnaping. Those scenes were the best in the whole book.
Im a little sad, because after "Cake", this one fell in comparison. It wasnt bad, but definitely not as good.
It went more as a survivor's log than a romance, and I expected so much more from it.
Usually, Im all up for flawed characters, that makes them real for me, but in this case, it just annoyed me a little. Specially Kyle. I liked him so much in Cake, but here, his weakness of character made me want to bitchslap him a few times. Besides, he didnt do one single thing that made me believe he actually fell for Kenzie; it seemed to me that he went for it, even at the hospital scene, just because she was there, no more, no less.
And Kenzie? Well, she's just utterly and completely... blah!
I think the thing I really, REALLY liked was the clousure the brothers had about the kidnaping. Those scenes were the best in the whole book.
January 7, 2017
First of all, let me say, you need to read this book! And if you haven't done so yet, you need to read the first book too! I am loving this series so much.
I have had a thing for Kyle since Cake and was doing my happy dance when I learnt he was getting his own book . He is a free and easy guy but deep down there's sensitivity and loyalty that will make you swoon. He has lived in his brother Jake's shadow for such a long time that it is second nature to him. And he's content to be there, it is his duty and privilege to be there for Jake. They both have been through so much, and they have a bond that is unbreakable.
Oh Kenzie....what a match she is for Kyle. She has wit and sagacity that brings about the best banter between them. She too has had to deal with hardships growing up, and I feel that bonds these two on a higher level. They meet on a reality tv show and the winner takes home a lot of money but at some point through the month they are stranded on an island to survive, Kenzie has to rethink her reasons for wanting to win. She comes from a small country town, but wants to spread her wings and start to live her own life. The longer she is on the island, the more confused she gets.
There are two more books to come in this series, and I truly can not wait for book 3 to arrive. Each one is a fantastic read, and learning more about the McKallister family only brings more joy for me. I hope we hear more about Kyle and Kenzie, as they are one of my favourite book couples ever.
Lastly, I love the cover! It depicts Kenzie's wavy-haired surfer boy to a T.
* I received a copy for an honest review.
** Reviewed for JoandIsaLoveBooksBlog.
I have had a thing for Kyle since Cake and was doing my happy dance when I learnt he was getting his own book . He is a free and easy guy but deep down there's sensitivity and loyalty that will make you swoon. He has lived in his brother Jake's shadow for such a long time that it is second nature to him. And he's content to be there, it is his duty and privilege to be there for Jake. They both have been through so much, and they have a bond that is unbreakable.
Oh Kenzie....what a match she is for Kyle. She has wit and sagacity that brings about the best banter between them. She too has had to deal with hardships growing up, and I feel that bonds these two on a higher level. They meet on a reality tv show and the winner takes home a lot of money but at some point through the month they are stranded on an island to survive, Kenzie has to rethink her reasons for wanting to win. She comes from a small country town, but wants to spread her wings and start to live her own life. The longer she is on the island, the more confused she gets.
There are two more books to come in this series, and I truly can not wait for book 3 to arrive. Each one is a fantastic read, and learning more about the McKallister family only brings more joy for me. I hope we hear more about Kyle and Kenzie, as they are one of my favourite book couples ever.
Lastly, I love the cover! It depicts Kenzie's wavy-haired surfer boy to a T.
* I received a copy for an honest review.
** Reviewed for JoandIsaLoveBooksBlog.
October 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this story about Kyle and Kenzie. Kyle always felt he was never truly seen because he was always in Jake's shadow and Kenzie kinda lost herself in putting everything into helping care for her siblings and Dad. Joining the reality show is the first time either have done something alone, just for themselves. This story was a slow burn friends to lovers tale. I loved all of the island antics with the cast of the show. This had a highly emotional aspect which was really nailed by the narrators. I definitely did not have a dry eye towards the end listening to both Andi's and Zach's performances.
December 7, 2018
I so loved the first book and this book follows in enchantment of the McAllister boys with Kyle, the brother of famous rockstar, Jake. Kyle is close to Jake as he can be, however, he's scheduled to appear on reality TV as a survival contestant. So he leaves Jake's tour to an island full of "interesting" teammates.
Lots of humor and fun situations abound as the reality show sets up. In amongst the two main characters there are family dynamics for both of them and it adds rich layers to a otherwise simple story.
Excellent read.
Lots of humor and fun situations abound as the reality show sets up. In amongst the two main characters there are family dynamics for both of them and it adds rich layers to a otherwise simple story.
Excellent read.
June 9, 2017
I REALLY enjoyed Kyle & Kenzie!! I did audio on this... enjoyed it way more than book - which I really liked too! The island shenanigans and banter were amazing... I actually laughed out loud several times which I never do! I'm a fan of this series and can't wait to see what's in store for Emma!
March 1, 2018
I wasn't into Survivor so 3/4ths of the book is about a survivor type game. Just not my thing. I also wasn't wowed by the hero like in the previous book. I do plan to keep reading the series though. It wasn't bad, just not like book 1.
April 4, 2019
I laughed so much during this book! Kyle is awesome! My only negative is that I wish there would have been more of Kyle and Kensie once they got together but I still loved the book.
August 1, 2017
The premise of this book had the potential to be so fun and interesting, but it remained a bit lackluster throughout. This follows a similar timeline as Cake, and we get to experience some of the same moments through Kyle's eyes. As we know from the first book, Kyle (Jake's slightly younger brother) is going to be on a reality tv show (think Survivor), and it is there that he meets a girl - this had so many great possibilities! I was so excited to read about their adventures and challenges and to see the chemistry between these two characters grow in such a different setting. But, sadly, this book was really lacking in a personal connection between the MCs. I never really felt like their relationship got past the early stages of innocent flirting - and I never felt much chemistry between them. Their time on the island could have been so entertaining, but most of the moments were told to us through summary and recaps. We are told about moments they shared, but we rarely got to experience them... which is really a shame because the banter between Casey and Jake in Cake was so well done, so I know the author is cable of it. We barely even got to experience the reality show. Summary and recap, summary and recap. I wanted to be IN THERE, experiencing everything along with them. So much could have been done with this premise and in the end I was just let down.
However, Kyle was a great character and I loved learning more about him. His guilt and trauma over what happened to him and Jake as children was heartbreaking. Their time together later on in the story was very emotional and definitely the strongest part of the book. But while his relationship with his brother (and the rest of his family) felt very real, I never really believed his relationship with Kenzie.
And then Kenzie was just... meh. Which is SUCH A SHAME because I adored Casey in the first book.
ANYWAYS - this book was still cute, and interesting, and it made me smile and laugh and even tear up a bit (because of Kyle and Jake), but it just never lived up to the awesome potential it had. I enjoyed the "tv confessional" at the end of each chapter - but I would have liked more of this sort of thing.
Despite my bummer of a review, I am still enjoying this series... I think I started this book with my expectations too high. I'm hoping I enjoy Emma's book more.
I will say that the audible version of this is fantastic and made the book slightly better I think. Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt should narrate everything.
However, Kyle was a great character and I loved learning more about him. His guilt and trauma over what happened to him and Jake as children was heartbreaking. Their time together later on in the story was very emotional and definitely the strongest part of the book. But while his relationship with his brother (and the rest of his family) felt very real, I never really believed his relationship with Kenzie.
And then Kenzie was just... meh. Which is SUCH A SHAME because I adored Casey in the first book.
ANYWAYS - this book was still cute, and interesting, and it made me smile and laugh and even tear up a bit (because of Kyle and Jake), but it just never lived up to the awesome potential it had. I enjoyed the "tv confessional" at the end of each chapter - but I would have liked more of this sort of thing.
Despite my bummer of a review, I am still enjoying this series... I think I started this book with my expectations too high. I'm hoping I enjoy Emma's book more.
I will say that the audible version of this is fantastic and made the book slightly better I think. Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt should narrate everything.
August 1, 2025
Uhm....I absolutely loved this.
I was looking forward to Kyle's story and damn, it did not disappoint. Jill had me over here giddy AF and emo all at the same time. This was a beautiful story.
First and foremost, the plot was so unique and different and I really loved it. I didn't expect two people competing on a Survior-esque reality show to be right up my alley, but it was! There was flirtation, there was companionship and friendship, there was tension and banter...and betrayal! I WAS EATING IT UP.
Kyle is a precious angel baby cake and needs to be protected at all costs. I loved this man. It broke my heart hearing how he views himself and all the guilt he takes on over his brother's kidnapping. He's been second best to everyone his whole life...but this man is SECOND TO NO ONE.
Kenzie is the actual perfect person for someone like Kyle. Her kind soul is exactly what he needs. She likes him for HIM and not his last name. She's genuine. I really loved her character.
These two together are adorable and I just loved seeing them together and forming allies. I didn't know where the storyline was going to go but I love how it connected to the end of book one in the end. It all came full circle and yeah...I cried.
The humor landed every time. I enjoyed the side characters, especially Dale and Carl. I loved the closure Jake and Kyle give each other. I loved the new formed friendship between Casey and Kenzie.
I really enjoyed book one but I LOVED this one.
I was looking forward to Kyle's story and damn, it did not disappoint. Jill had me over here giddy AF and emo all at the same time. This was a beautiful story.
First and foremost, the plot was so unique and different and I really loved it. I didn't expect two people competing on a Survior-esque reality show to be right up my alley, but it was! There was flirtation, there was companionship and friendship, there was tension and banter...and betrayal! I WAS EATING IT UP.
Kyle is a precious angel baby cake and needs to be protected at all costs. I loved this man. It broke my heart hearing how he views himself and all the guilt he takes on over his brother's kidnapping. He's been second best to everyone his whole life...but this man is SECOND TO NO ONE.
Kenzie is the actual perfect person for someone like Kyle. Her kind soul is exactly what he needs. She likes him for HIM and not his last name. She's genuine. I really loved her character.
These two together are adorable and I just loved seeing them together and forming allies. I didn't know where the storyline was going to go but I love how it connected to the end of book one in the end. It all came full circle and yeah...I cried.
The humor landed every time. I enjoyed the side characters, especially Dale and Carl. I loved the closure Jake and Kyle give each other. I loved the new formed friendship between Casey and Kenzie.
I really enjoyed book one but I LOVED this one.
January 17, 2018
4.25 stars....I looked forward to Kyle's story! I can't say how much I love this McAllister clan (Quinn singing Alvin & the Chipmunks) and want a book for all of them! I know, I know Emma is next, but I'd like Keith & Sam's book! Kyle participates in a reality/game show (may the best man....or woman win) and meets Kenzie. Prior to the show, the impression is that Kyle rides on his brother Jake's coat tails and is somewhat of a manwhore. Kenzie is a very likable character, helping her dad care for her siblings after her mother's unfortunate passing, but it's time she doing something for her.
The supporting cast of characters on the island were entertaining - although there is a "know it all" who got on my nerves, probably as much as she got on the other island members nerves. LOL.
The supporting cast of characters on the island were entertaining - although there is a "know it all" who got on my nerves, probably as much as she got on the other island members nerves. LOL.
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