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Out of the Ashes
Cocktails & Crushes
Out of the Ashes will be the best bar in the county. At least that's what I promised my uncle before he passed away. With all the changes we're making, more challenges arise. The crowd seems to get rowdier with every day that passes, and it's getting harder to keep my head above water. That is until Dylan, the boy I used to know, walks in. He's definitely not a kid anymore. But he might just be what I need to keep the bar running smoothly. Too bad he isn't staying in town and can only help for a few months. Then again, maybe it's for the best. I'm not sure how long I can fight my attraction, and guarding my heart is the least of my problems. Because falling for Dylan? It isn't an option. Ever.
232 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2022
About the author
Katrina Marie
51 books728 followersKatrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, and fur baby. She is a lover of all things geeky and Gryffindor for life. When she’s not writing you can find her at her children’s sporting events, or curled up reading a book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 19, 2022
A cute story about Angie, a girl who promises her uncle on his death bed that she'll take over his bar after he's gone, & Dylan, a boy Angie used to baby sit who comes back to town all grown up.
Angie's whole life becomes the bar, Out Of The Ashes. She's short staffed, & the crowd can become rowdy. Dylan convinces her to hire him while he's in town helping care for his mom.
Dylan wants nothing more than for Angie to love him. But Angie has trouble coming to terms with their age difference & the fact that she doesn't know if he's back for good or just temporary. She doesn't do long distance.
Angie's whole life becomes the bar, Out Of The Ashes. She's short staffed, & the crowd can become rowdy. Dylan convinces her to hire him while he's in town helping care for his mom.
Dylan wants nothing more than for Angie to love him. But Angie has trouble coming to terms with their age difference & the fact that she doesn't know if he's back for good or just temporary. She doesn't do long distance.
January 19, 2024
Bastante meh. No he conectado ni con los personajes ni con su romance. La incomodidad de Angie me incomodaba a mí. No entiendo ni por qué "están enamorados"...
Also, qué es esta portada? Por qué no está la de las luces????
Also, qué es esta portada? Por qué no está la de las luces????
April 14, 2022
Angie and Dylan . . .
Angie is trying to say goodbye to her Uncle Max who is dying of cancer. He was always there for her, always cheering her on. He tells her he is giving her the bar as her legacy, and she is the only one he says he can trust to make it something more. She is the only one who loves it as he does. But she is terrified to take on that responsibility. He tells her it won’t be easy, it’s barely turning a profit, but he trusts her. So she makes a promise. “Out of the Ashes” is going to be the best bar she can make it.
The bar does have a rough crowd and it seems to get rowdier each day. When Dylan, someone she used to babysit, shows up, it just might be the answer for her to keep things going at the bar. But he won’t be staying. When he gets a job offer to leave, only one thing will keep him there. Does she love him? Will she accept him? Or can she not get over their age difference and the comments of strangers?
Angie is trying to say goodbye to her Uncle Max who is dying of cancer. He was always there for her, always cheering her on. He tells her he is giving her the bar as her legacy, and she is the only one he says he can trust to make it something more. She is the only one who loves it as he does. But she is terrified to take on that responsibility. He tells her it won’t be easy, it’s barely turning a profit, but he trusts her. So she makes a promise. “Out of the Ashes” is going to be the best bar she can make it.
The bar does have a rough crowd and it seems to get rowdier each day. When Dylan, someone she used to babysit, shows up, it just might be the answer for her to keep things going at the bar. But he won’t be staying. When he gets a job offer to leave, only one thing will keep him there. Does she love him? Will she accept him? Or can she not get over their age difference and the comments of strangers?
April 15, 2022
I absolutely loved this one. If you loved taking chances series and remember Dylan from them. Well you'll love this book. Angie, we met in Gone Country due to her relation to Johnny. Also. I lovedddd the reverse age gap! Like gimme moreee. Im so excited to see how the series goes! Im so read for the next book!
April 15, 2022
I simply couldn't put it down .
by and1515
Cocktails and Crushes, oh wow what a wonderful surprise this book turned out to be with it's strong characters, awesome drama, and all the drama you can shake a stick at.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
by and1515
Cocktails and Crushes, oh wow what a wonderful surprise this book turned out to be with it's strong characters, awesome drama, and all the drama you can shake a stick at.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 13, 2022
This is a well written book with a cast of strong characters and an entertaining reverse age gap romance. The author does a great job building their story and painting her scenes perfectly. The story moves fluidly and is an enjoyable read.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
September 30, 2023
It’s good….
The story is good, but I just felt like there could have been more character development. I also noticed a few grammatical errors and words like patients when what was really meant was patience. Spellcheck wouldn’t catch that. Now maybe there are some people who will read my review and say I’m nit picking and that it’s not important, but really, published books have editors for a reason. Grammar, spelling and punctuation matter, otherwise the author’s message and story could be misunderstood.
As to my assessment about the character development; I just felt like more needed to be examined in terms of the two main characters personal histories. I felt like they needed to share more with each other about those things in their past that had made them who they had become. In my opinion, being emotionally honest is what creates a deeper bond between people. It’s hard to be emotionally vulnerable about difficult things and I still felt like both Dylan and Angie had things in their past that they needed to share with each other. Attraction is more than just chemistry, more than just being physically attracted to another person. To be honest, I felt like there needed to be just a little more angst. And I’m not a person who likes angst. It’s almost like the author didn’t want anything bad to happen to her characters or for them to have hurt feelings for too long. I read a lot of books and to me, books are a little like music. There is a beginning, a crescendo (or building up), maybe a minor chord, and then ultimately, a resolution. There needs to be a bit more dissonance so you really feel that resolution at the end. Again, I did enjoy this book and these characters.
The story is good, but I just felt like there could have been more character development. I also noticed a few grammatical errors and words like patients when what was really meant was patience. Spellcheck wouldn’t catch that. Now maybe there are some people who will read my review and say I’m nit picking and that it’s not important, but really, published books have editors for a reason. Grammar, spelling and punctuation matter, otherwise the author’s message and story could be misunderstood.
As to my assessment about the character development; I just felt like more needed to be examined in terms of the two main characters personal histories. I felt like they needed to share more with each other about those things in their past that had made them who they had become. In my opinion, being emotionally honest is what creates a deeper bond between people. It’s hard to be emotionally vulnerable about difficult things and I still felt like both Dylan and Angie had things in their past that they needed to share with each other. Attraction is more than just chemistry, more than just being physically attracted to another person. To be honest, I felt like there needed to be just a little more angst. And I’m not a person who likes angst. It’s almost like the author didn’t want anything bad to happen to her characters or for them to have hurt feelings for too long. I read a lot of books and to me, books are a little like music. There is a beginning, a crescendo (or building up), maybe a minor chord, and then ultimately, a resolution. There needs to be a bit more dissonance so you really feel that resolution at the end. Again, I did enjoy this book and these characters.
June 8, 2022
This story fell flat for me. I think it may have been better if I had read the Taking Chances Series book first, because I felt I was missing much of the back story with Dylan and Angie. The story was told in alternating POV between the main characters, and there was an awful lot of Dylan whining in his thoughts about his past.
October 27, 2023
Angie hopes that her Uncle Max is proud of the changes that she's made to the bar Out of the Ashes. She grew up sitting on the bar stacking cups and filling bowls with nuts. No longer a run-down bar full of bikers it was the go-to place in town. But she was in desperate need of more workers, especially with the planned expansion.
Dylan is back in town only to help his mom until she heals and can get around by herself. This was the last place he wanted to be and usually was able to get in and out visiting his mom without seeing any of the friends he grew up with. Now he is not so lucky as he stops for gas and runs into one of the reasons he left town. He had been tired of being the buffer in fights and having to take sides.
When Jake tells him that all the gang is meeting up at Out of the Ashes he finds himself driving to the bar instead of heading to his mom's. He looks in shock at what a decade has done to the bar and can't believe there is a line of people waiting to get inside. Then he sees Angie at the bar and realizes that his childhood crush on his babysitter hasn't died.
I loved this book. It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. Angie notices the second that Dylan enters the bar and is dismayed at the thoughts that enter her head. Dylan may have grown up into a gorgeous man but he was still younger and the teenager she had driven to his games to help out his mom who worked two jobs.
This is a small-town reverse age-gap romance. Angie fights her feelings for Dylan not only because of the age difference but will he stay around after his mother's leg heals? I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the rest of the series.
Dylan is back in town only to help his mom until she heals and can get around by herself. This was the last place he wanted to be and usually was able to get in and out visiting his mom without seeing any of the friends he grew up with. Now he is not so lucky as he stops for gas and runs into one of the reasons he left town. He had been tired of being the buffer in fights and having to take sides.
When Jake tells him that all the gang is meeting up at Out of the Ashes he finds himself driving to the bar instead of heading to his mom's. He looks in shock at what a decade has done to the bar and can't believe there is a line of people waiting to get inside. Then he sees Angie at the bar and realizes that his childhood crush on his babysitter hasn't died.
I loved this book. It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. Angie notices the second that Dylan enters the bar and is dismayed at the thoughts that enter her head. Dylan may have grown up into a gorgeous man but he was still younger and the teenager she had driven to his games to help out his mom who worked two jobs.
This is a small-town reverse age-gap romance. Angie fights her feelings for Dylan not only because of the age difference but will he stay around after his mother's leg heals? I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the rest of the series.
December 12, 2022
This is book one in The Out of The Ashes series and it is Angie and Dylan's story and what a great start to a new series. When Angie's uncle was dying and he told her that he was leaving the bar to her she promised that she would make it the best bar in the country but will she be able to keep her promise especially as it is not doing great and she is finding it harder to keep going and keep her head above water and what she needs is a miracle of she is going to keep her promise and achieve all that she set out to do. Dylan is in town looking after his mom and goes to the bar to ask Angie for a job and he will be able to hopefully help her in the process. Angie and Dylan have history as she used to babysit him so even though they are attracted to each other and have great chemistry Dylan is willing to take a chance and be with Angie as he has feelings for her but she is aware of the age difference and all the gossip which makes her hold back but will she eventually take that chance and get the happy ending that they both deserve and silence all the comments that are being made or will she walk away and miss out on something very special between them only time will tell what the outcome would be. This was a really brilliant book with great characters and a storyline that pulled you in and kept your attention and I can't wait to read more book's in the future.
September 2, 2026
Unfortunately I don’t think this book was for me. The story was cute however the constant focus on the age gap and repetitive nature of thinking back to the MMC as being a kid/teen by the FMC and MMC was irritating to me. I have no issue with an age gap but the focus on their past relationship from 10 years ago when he was only 15 was just icky to me.
The only character in the book I found that I truly liked was Lisa. I found most characters to be annoying including the FMC and MMC. They were both immature and had no ability to communicate, and in such a short book that made everything feel disjointed. The ending was extremely abrupt and not in a good way.
Finally, not to be nit-picky but the volume of typos and grammatical errors in the book was too high. Here or there I can look past, these were frequent. H instead of he, patients instead of patience, know instead of no, int he instead of in the, and random words in sentences that you had to remove in order for the sentence to make sense. There were also inconsistencies such as getting down a bottle of whiskey and then putting away a bottle of tequila. I personally couldn’t handle how frequent they were and found it distracting from the story. It gave the impression that this wasn’t proofread or edited and that was hard for me.
2.75 stars, rounded up.
The only character in the book I found that I truly liked was Lisa. I found most characters to be annoying including the FMC and MMC. They were both immature and had no ability to communicate, and in such a short book that made everything feel disjointed. The ending was extremely abrupt and not in a good way.
Finally, not to be nit-picky but the volume of typos and grammatical errors in the book was too high. Here or there I can look past, these were frequent. H instead of he, patients instead of patience, know instead of no, int he instead of in the, and random words in sentences that you had to remove in order for the sentence to make sense. There were also inconsistencies such as getting down a bottle of whiskey and then putting away a bottle of tequila. I personally couldn’t handle how frequent they were and found it distracting from the story. It gave the impression that this wasn’t proofread or edited and that was hard for me.
2.75 stars, rounded up.
July 12, 2023
Umm, this one has a lower rating than I thought I would give it while reading. The ending was just too abrupt and rushed. It was like the author thought, “Huh. I really don’t have anything else to say about these two so we’re done!” The book started off really well, and continued to intrigue and interest me throughout most of the story, but fell flat at the end. Could it be because I haven’t read the Taking Chances books? Dunno, maybe. That series is about all of Dylan’s high school friends. The crowd he always kind of felt like the odd man out with. Now, in Cocktails and Crushes, he finally gets to find his HEA and exactly where he fits in.
Cocktails and Crushes is about an older woman (thirties) and the boy she used to babysit who is now mid-twenties. It isn’t as awkward as it may sound. Dylan is, in many ways, more mature than Angie. He had to grow up fast. Dylan has always struggled to fit in and find out exactly where he belonged. Angie has always had a soft spot for Dylan and when he returns home, that spot quickly turns into something more. It’s a fun read for the most part, it’s really just the ending that I had an issue with.
Cocktails and Crushes is about an older woman (thirties) and the boy she used to babysit who is now mid-twenties. It isn’t as awkward as it may sound. Dylan is, in many ways, more mature than Angie. He had to grow up fast. Dylan has always struggled to fit in and find out exactly where he belonged. Angie has always had a soft spot for Dylan and when he returns home, that spot quickly turns into something more. It’s a fun read for the most part, it’s really just the ending that I had an issue with.
May 26, 2023
Angie makes her uncle a promise on his deathbed that she would take over running the bar, and make it the best around. However, that was easier said than done, and she finds herself really in over her head. I felt so badly for her as she would work herself to the bone to uphold that promise, but things didn't change until a boy she used to babysit asked for a job there. Dylan is home to take care of his mother, but he also wanted a shot with Angie, as he's harbored secret feelings for her for some time, but Angie is very much worried about the reverse age gap, so it's not an easy journey at the end of the day. Of course, she believes that his being there has an expiration date so that became a big factor as well. There's no doubt that they belong together, but will she ever get past herself in order to take a shot at happily ever after?! This book was super easy to devour in one sitting as I found myself super invested in this couple. I really love Katrina Marie's easy writing style, so now it's your turn as I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
May 28, 2023
This was just a so so read for me. I tried to enjoy it, I wanted to love it. I liked both of the characters, Angie and Dylan, she's older, which I'm always a fan of, but being reminded again, and again, that she babysat him, just wasn't necessary. There was also a lot of internal dialog on both of their parts that was just going over the same things. Her constantly wondering about the age difference and having been his sitter and with him, he kept wondering about things from his past with his buddies. Too much of that same thing over and over for me. Those things just kept me from enjoying the story.
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
December 18, 2022
Good but lacks a bit of rhythm
Angie is the owner of a bar, who finds herself face to face with Dylan whom she used to babysit. Their story is quite tender, in an atmosphere, a little heavy with regard to Dylan, but he already had a crush on her before, so he will try everything to get her.
The story is tender, a little hot, mainly occupied by Angie's questioning about her risk-taking and even more so with someone a little younger, which slows down the pace of the story to properly settle her thinking.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
Angie is the owner of a bar, who finds herself face to face with Dylan whom she used to babysit. Their story is quite tender, in an atmosphere, a little heavy with regard to Dylan, but he already had a crush on her before, so he will try everything to get her.
The story is tender, a little hot, mainly occupied by Angie's questioning about her risk-taking and even more so with someone a little younger, which slows down the pace of the story to properly settle her thinking.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
January 9, 2023
Whilst I liked the book overall I felt that I must gave missed a lot of backstory, especially for Dylan. It was sweet, a little sexy and full of small town vibes with a HEA. I felt they both were capable and confident in many ways but both also whiny and overly worried about how they were viewed by others which got a bit repetitive.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 6, 2023
Cocktails and Crushes is the first book in the series, it is Angie and Dylan's story.
Angie's uncle leaves the bar to her, telling her it will be tough, but she can do it. Dylan walks into her life to help, but he may walk out just as easily if the opportunity arises.
This is a well written story that pulled me in from the start.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Angie's uncle leaves the bar to her, telling her it will be tough, but she can do it. Dylan walks into her life to help, but he may walk out just as easily if the opportunity arises.
This is a well written story that pulled me in from the start.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 26, 2023
I wanted to love this! And I did like it but I almost wish I was longer…or shorter. It felt like the characters were just short of being completely fleshed out. I either wanted to know about more the drama that Dylan left behind….or stop bringing it up so much. We don’t even get a reason why, or how, his mom broke her leg 😭 I think this either should have had maybe 100 more pages to give us more details! I wanted mooooore.
December 2, 2023
This book was perfect coming after reading a lot of dark romance books of late. It could have been a little more character development. With much more angst.
I didn't like the way Angie's mother made herself clear on the matter with Angie & Dlyan being together.
It could've had a bit more plotting. But overall was a good read aside from a handful of spelling mistakes.
4.5 stars
0.1 smut.
I didn't like the way Angie's mother made herself clear on the matter with Angie & Dlyan being together.
It could've had a bit more plotting. But overall was a good read aside from a handful of spelling mistakes.
4.5 stars
0.1 smut.
December 8, 2022
I was so excited to read this after seeing it recommended on Tiktok but it really fell flat for me. Way too many unnecessary characters. I found SEVERAL spelling, etc. errors in the book and truthfully it felt rushed and lackluster. Next to zero spice. I bought another one of her books but after this one my hopes aren’t very high.
February 2, 2023
This was written very well, and the characters were very relatable. I honestly loved the story. Angie and Dylan were really good together and even if they didn’t understand or want to talk about things, they did. Just go get a copy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 3, 2023
Cocktails & Crushes by Katrina Marie is a good, and enjoyable small town work place reverse age gap romance read. The story has a good story line, and the story is a well written read. The characters are good, relatable, and they have good chemistry. This story is an engaging reverse age gap romance read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 5, 2023
Cocktails & Crushes is the first book in Katrina Marie's Out of the Ashes series. It is also the first book by this author that I have read. I loved reading and following Angie and Dylan's reverse age gap romance. The additional characters I feel added to the story and kept me entertained. I look forward to reading more from this series.
June 7, 2023
Cocktails & Crushes is the first book in Katrina Marie's Out of the Ashes series. It is also the first book by this author that I have read. I loved reading and following Angie and Dylan's reverse age gap romance. The additional characters I feel added to the story and kept me entertained. I look forward to reading more from this series.
October 19, 2023
This book was perfect coming after reading a lot of dark romance books of late. It could have been a little more character development. With much more angst.
I didn't like the way Angie's mother made herself clear on the matter with Angie & Dlyan being together.
It could've had a bit more plotting. But overall was a good read aside from a handful of spelling mistakes.
4.5 stars
0.1 smut.
I didn't like the way Angie's mother made herself clear on the matter with Angie & Dlyan being together.
It could've had a bit more plotting. But overall was a good read aside from a handful of spelling mistakes.
4.5 stars
0.1 smut.
March 17, 2024
Cute Small Town Romance ♥️🍻🥃💙
Dylan and Angie have an interesting dynamic as she was once his babysitter. Older than him by 10 years, he’s had a crush on her forever.
Her love is the bar she owns. She’s busy, has tons of friends but is lonely. Dylan changes all that.
I like how determined he is. And how feisty she is. Together, they make it work.
Dylan and Angie have an interesting dynamic as she was once his babysitter. Older than him by 10 years, he’s had a crush on her forever.
Her love is the bar she owns. She’s busy, has tons of friends but is lonely. Dylan changes all that.
I like how determined he is. And how feisty she is. Together, they make it work.
April 12, 2024
Long ago Angie used to babysit Dylan. Now she owns/runs the bar her uncle left her and Dylan is back in town to help his mom. When he comes in the bar Angie sees he's all grown up (only 10 yrs age difference) and he still has a crush on her. He gets a job working for her and they finally can't deny their feelings for each other. It was ok. Not the greatest of writing.
December 16, 2022
The first book in the Out of the Ashes series an older woman and younger man story. Angie used to babysit Dylan when he got older he left town, but is now back to look after his mother. I enjoyed seeing them get a happy ending. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 19, 2022
A well-written romance that keeps you engaged from the start and keeps you turning the pages. The characters are fun and enjoyable; you love following them on their journey to HEA. A great weekend read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 14, 2023
There are a lot of age gap books out there but very few where it’s an older woman. That’s worth four stars in its own! That being said it’s a good story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews