She’s navigating the stormy waters of divorce. He’s a single dad unwilling to sail into the uncertain winds of love. Neither of them expects the currents of desire to run this deep…
Newly separated and seeking independence, Lilith Brooks retreats to her childhood lake house with her young daughter. The last thing she needs is the distraction of her handsome neighbor Asher Crowley - even if he does keep coming to her rescue.
Single dad Asher learned long ago that protecting those he loves means keeping his heart safely locked away. But something about the resilient yet vulnerable woman next door makes him want to risk it all.
As their connection deepens from friendship to passion, Lilith fears trading one cage for another. And Asher's protective instincts threaten the very independence she's fighting to claim.
With their hearts on the line and their pasts haunting them, can they find a way to build something real together? Or will the walls they've built to keep themselves safe end up keeping them apart?
MAKING WAVES is a steamy, emotional romance about learning to trust again - both in love and in yourself.
DK Marie’s a voracious reader. Her number one love is romance and devours any and all of its genres, but also enjoys thrillers, horror, and non-fiction. Basically, if there are words on a page and a spectacular story, she’s diving in, heart and soul.
However, there’s one thing she loves even more, and that’s writing her own steamy contemporary romances. They’re a mixture of heart, heat, and humor. Brimming with confident heroines and kind heroes, all living, loving, and lusting in and around her hometown of Detroit, Michigan.
When not falling in love with her characters, DK Marie is laughing, relaxing, and planning her next adventure with her family. Okay, and also drinking boatloads of coffee, chatting on social media, and dreaming about her next travel destination.
Aaah I loved this book! Lilith and Asher are wonderful, flawed characters who both come into their relationship with real issues that threaten to keep them apart. Add two wonderful daughters (Chloe and Raven), an intriguing ex (Eden), and relatives that can be both funny and infuriating, and you’ve got a great cast of characters.
DK Marie does a beautiful job building a romance that’s both slow burn and slow growth. This isn’t just lust (as much as the characters try to convince themselves it is). There’s real depth in their growing relationship. The romance sizzles, and the friendship is sweet.
Wonderful start to a new series. Can’t wait for the next book!!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
This was the first novel I've read by DK Marie and I loved it! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC and I will definitely be checking out more of her books. I loved her writing style. The main characters were also great, and so fun to see grow. The plot definitely kept me interested, and had a good amount of romance and spice to it! Great read for all the romance lovers!
I loved this new romance by DK Marie! Great characters who are cautiously ready to grab a second chance at love, Asher and Lilith both rise to the challenge (Asher quite frequently ;-) ). Perfect balance of heat and romance. I particularly enjoyed Lilith's journey, as I like a female MC who learns about her own strength.
I thought this book would never end. There was NO plot. Spoilers ahead.
Did it even have an editor? The amount of grammatical errors and mistakes I found is absurd. There’s plot errors with Lilith’s age going from 29 to 30 back to 29. The way the book also considers 30 ancient is ageist and rude, even as jokes. How does a 29-30 year old not know how to use social media at all? I understand staying off of it but like not knowing it at all and asking a 10 year old who isn’t allowed a phone for help??
This book is written in third person but the chapters switch POVs and it’s very confusing.
Marshall is so abusive and terrifying in the beginning and then he literally gives into the divorce all because Lilith learned how to use social media and had proof of his cheating???
Also Asher literally kills someone (yes, involuntarily but still) and it’s glossed over in two seconds? Same with Hope getting raped? Asher and Lilith both fall into the trap of being terrible friends to everyone else. Asher literally ignores Jackson at the end after asking him to hang out. Raven goes from 10 to 12 but Chloe somehow never has a birthday?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is a well-written love story about two adults, each having a teenage daughter who means the world to them. Lilith Brooks is struggling with a nasty divorce where her miserable cheating husband Marshall won’t sign the papers, just dragging his feet to cause her grief. She has left him and she and her daughter Chloe have moved into the lake house that hasn’t been used in years. Her husband eventually goes so far as to threaten her to take Chloe from her if she doesn’t drop the divorce and come “home”, hiring a lawyer to make sure she is left destitute if she doesn’t obey him.
When Lilith has a plumbing mishap trying to get the lake house in shape, her neighbor Asher Crowley comes over to help. He also has a teenage daughter, Raven, and the two girls are delighted to have each other’s friendship. The adults are both busy with their lives and work hard to raise their teenagers in the best way possible. But just getting to know each other makes it easier to see the goodness in the other. Will their friendship grow stronger and deeper? Will they get a chance to start a relationship? Or will her hopefully soon-to-be-ex stonewall the entire way and continue to make her life miserable?
Overall, this was a fun, second chance at love for both Lilith and Asher, both single parents of one daughter each. I appreciated the slow buildup for them to realize their love for the other and to be able to open up to the other with a new love opportunity. Both she and him are strong people to navigate the waves with daughters in tow.
For a 30 year old woman, I was a bit puzzled that she didn't know how to "stalk" on Facebook and needed a tween to instruct her how to do it. Growing up with technology and Facebook this should have been a no brainer for Lilith.
For the divorce, especially when a child is involved, had me questioning how simple and complete the divorce was, with a single signature and then five days later everything was final. I had to go through a child custody case and the legal matters took monthS. There was the parenting time schedule to figure out and then child support, two different areas of the case. If I hadn't gone through the process myself, I may not have known and been okay with this detail in the book.
I listened to the book narrated by Sybil Anderson. She did a great job keeping the same voices for each character throughout the narrative. Even her tween voices were nice and not whiny.
Sweet and endearing. Making Waves is a wonderful story that blends realism, hope, and true love. Although I've read and enjoyed the first four books of DK Marie, this novel shows how masterful the author has become in the art of storytelling. Highly recommend.
I enjoyed Making Waves, it's a romance set in Michigan. The H/H both have daughters and exs. Loved most of the characters and setting. Lilith is a little hard to like with all of the back and forth for me. Story progressed nicely.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a cute love story! Lilith is navigating a divorce and fixing up her rental and has a teenage daughter. Asher has a teenage daughter as well and is a commitment phobe. These two go through quite a few rollercoasters (pun intented) to get to HEA. I will say the ending felt rushed and Liliths problems seemed to just go away without any real work but it’s all around a great feel good romance.
This book is absolutely adorable! I think it’s fantastic how wonderfully flawed Asher and Lilith are and how much they love their kids. I love reading a story that shows there is in fact love after a first marriage if you’re willing to take a chance.
DK does a great job of showing a realistic love story between two people who want to explore each other but their love for the kids never stops being center stage. This is the first romance where the kids are just as an important part of the story as the MCs. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
Lilith Books is trying to get a fresh start after after a divorce. She escapes to a lake house to recover from dealing with her gaslighting ex. Her daughter becomes friends with a neighbor girl. Lilith meets Asher, the handsome father the neighbor girl. He first helps her with a plumbing disaster and they find something unusual causing the issue. Asher and Lilith start at as friends, but slowly it starts to grow into something more.
I found myself routing for this couple as I read this book. This book is very well written and I was pulled in from the beginning. The spice was hot. I enjoyed this book from the very beginning. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Wow I don’t know where to begin the chemistry is so real in this book you can feel it. I need a second book like yesterday 😂 but seriously I loved this book so much I hope to get a book when we see their family grow
What a fun read! Making Waves is so delightful and engaging. Set in one of my favorite places… Michigan!! As for the characters my heart was wrapped up in the attraction between Lilith and Asher. Trying to start fresh and be independent yet recognizing she can’t ignore her heart was a turmoil most newly single mom‘s go through so it’s very relatable. I loved how headstrong and at times stubborn Lilith was towards Asher. The side characters are awesome you have the outspoken sister, the hot ex-girlfriend and the tormenting almost ex-husband. This also has some spice my scenes that will make your waves crash too! Ha ha! Making waves is perfect and exactly what every woman wants in her romance reads!! DK Marie is the goddess of Romance!!!!!
I really liked this book it is not my normal book but I really like it a lot I recommend it I received it as an arc thank you for the chance to read this amazing book
This book comes equipped with some serious, some funny, some 🌶🌶🌶, and my favorite the HEA!!! I hadn't read anything from this author previously but was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC, and boy, am I happy I did. There was so much growth between our two MC's, the side characters were amazing, and the almost ex-husband was the right amount of cringe....But as always, don't take my word for it be on the lookout for this great read it releases on 1-3-23
I had the honor of reading this book before it was released and I loved it so much! Lilith and Asher have the friendship and relationship that every couple dreams of having. This book was just amazing.
This book was a great short RomCom! It was a bit of a slow burn for me, and a friends to lovers. Small town single dad meets next door neighbor who has a not so great soon to be ex-husband. They both have a daughter around the same age who become best friends. They both have their demons they need to overcome from their pasts. They get a second chance at love and they get their happy ever after. This is a must read!
A lazy reader would probably enjoy the story, but there were too many errors to fully enjoy it.
Less that a page apart. "The other woman shrugged, taking the bowl from Lilith and handing it to Asher. “I don’t mind drinking my brother’s top-shelf scotch.”
A little bit of conversation and then.
"Hope handed Asher the bowl of potato salad, then linked an arm through Lilith’s. “Chloe is safe, but you, brother, look out.” She turned them around so they were facing the door. “Everyone’s in the boat.”
My ick: The friends group made sexual comments in front of the 10 year old girls, leading to the asking questions. Dad, what's a playgirl magazine... Aunt Hope, what's a player.... Everyone was attracted to everyone. The comments about it got old fast. MMC spent the first 30% of the book listening to his friends talk about wanting to banging Lilith.
Hope(MMCs twin) did everything she could to keep MCs apart. Constantly sabotaging anytime together and reminding FMC that the MMC doesn't do relationships. She even called his FWB to the bar because he kept dancing with FMC. Encouraging FMC to date Max and leave MMc alone. Yep, that's right. MmC had a friend with benefits the first 30%. He liked to call her to distract him from wanting FMC.
50% of the book was FMC listening to everyone talk about how great it was that Ravens mom(Eden) was back in the picture. Including Hopes friend group who talked about Eden being so hot they would bang her too.
MmC spent a lot of time doing family stuff with Eden and Raven. It was weird. They even went trick or treating together alone with FMCs daughter. While FMC stayed at his house listening to his family talk about being excited about MmC and Ex being back together.
The 3rd act breakup was, of course, miscommunication. He was being protective, and she called it controlling.
Eden(ex) pounced on that break really quickly, spending even more time with MMC and daughter. She asked him again to get back together. I dont see how he was so shocked when Eden approached him about getting back together. The whole town assumed they were together again.
Then FMC just shows up again, and they ride the snowmobile. Decide to get back together....the end.
No closure with Eden....or the girls' reaction to them working it out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
First, I love that this author is from Michigan and the story takes place in Michigan. It just feels like coming home when I read a story that takes place in Michigan.
Second, I read this book in less than a day. I flew through it. My stomach was actually in knots through half and I was very worried the two main love interests weren’t going to get a happy ending. This book kept me guessing and gave me anxiety 😂 But I also felt so immersed in their story and felt like I was apart of it.
Lilith and Asher were just a couple of broken people who needed each other. It was always more than friendship with them 🥹 I am so glad I have book 2.
𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: "Woman, your body is a paradise. Believe me, I'l find plenty to keep us both entertained. Okay?"
"You are hot as the fucking sun. If anyone told you differently, it's their short-comings-not yours."
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲: Friends to Lovers Protective MMC Single Mom/Single Dad 🌶️🌶️
My first D.K. book met her at the Made in Michigan fair.. I really enjoyed the story and her writing style. I genuinely enjoyed the Characters and look forward to more of her books
I really love when books take on the tough topics that haven’t always been able to be discussed. Here we get an up close and personal feel for anxiety especially social anxiety. We have someone who identifies as an introvert pushed into situations they’re not sure they’re ready for and luckily there are amazing people waiting to “adopt” them. This is something I’ve personally experienced and I can say that the way the author has captured the feelings and thoughts on paper is perfection.
I also feel that the author did something important here by having the husband be verbally abusive and uncaring towards the wife but still a good father. Too often people feel that without physical damage it’s not that bad. People also believe that a bad husband must also be a bad father. I like how the author is breaking these stereotypes with something just as real.
I normally struggle with miscommunication tropes being overused or not really justified. Where they’re used here is so raw and real it feels like a person just reacting rather than a planned annoyance.
Cons:
I don’t really have anything that was a no for me. I like how things were handled. The spice was done with just enough class to not be cringey. If anything I would have liked a bit of resolution with the father understanding the unrealistic expectations he put on his daughter and how they continue to hurt her but those things usually don’t get wrapped up easily in real life and I was glad to see boundaries put into place.
It started out ok. I wanted to like it because on the surface, I can relate to the FMC and I’m from Michigan, so all the midwestern Easter eggs were cool. The writing & plot errors really started to take away from the story though. I listened to the audiobook and still noticed so many errors. From other reviews, I guess there are grammatical errors as well. I’m unsure how this made it all the way to being recorded without fixes being made. FMC seemed unrelatable for her age. I’m in my 30’s too. There’s no way she doesn’t know what a s*x toy is, how to use a phone, etc. The dynamic between her and her mom made me cringe.. is it just me? She encourages her to get involved with the neighbor despite FMC’s legitimate concerns about their girls’ friendship, just getting out of a horrible relationship and not wanting to hurt him or get hurt.. but her mom just thinks she needs to get laid and use toys for org*sms.. (again.. how is she so clueless with a mom like that lol) It gave me the ick. The inappropriate conversations had in front of 10yr old girls also gave me the ick. MMC trying to distract himself from FMC by stringing along a fwb AND keeping his past a secret when he “cares so much about her” gave me the ick. I tried to push through, but DNF’d at 80% because it goes on for too long with not much plot happening and I knew third act breakup was coming. I didn’t want to suffer anymore.
Read this book in one sitting. Leaning more towards a 3.5 stars. Some of this book I really enjoyed. Other parts were frustrating and irritating. I’m still not sure who was hiding the s*x toys around the house in the weirdest places. Lilith is still not divorced from her husband. He won’t sign the divorce papers even though they have been separated and she learns some unsettling things about him. Asher is the single dad next door that’s super handy. He has a daughter, Raven, the same age as Chloe so they instantly hit it off. Asher knows who Liliths husband is as does his sister; everyone thinks it isn’t a good idea for these two to become close just yet. I thought this book had a few too many characters. There’s Eden who is Ravens mother. Paloma who is one of Asher’s FWB. Plus other friends, family members and siblings. Lilith is also struggling from her current/past relationship but can’t help falling for Asher. Her father was also a pain in the butt and the opposite of supportive. Plus Asher has been keeping a secret throughout the whole book even though it was hinted at a few times. I definitely felt that he could have been honest about that way sooner and maybe they wouldn’t have needed a break.
Asher struggles with the demons if his youth - a time when he failed to look out for his twin sister Hope and they both paid the price
Lillith has finally gathered herself together and left her cheating scum if a soon to be ex - if he would only sign the papers she served him
the sex toys she finds scattered throughout the cottage she inherited from her father ultimately give her embarrassing evidence of what Marshall was really up to on his busy work weekends, as do the relieved neighbors who were glad to see someone family oriented there when Lillith arrives with her daughter, after the previous guy who threw so many wild, loud parties that featured a bevy if women
Can Lillith and Asher get a shot at a healthier next act for these two single parents?
Can they move past baggage and burdens and still be true to themselves and their kids, as well as each other?
Love and self esteem rebuilding with some intense steamy stuff.
I received a free copy of this book and am also read in on Kindle Unlimited
This started well but it all got a bit convoluted as it went along. There is way too much “other person” drama and for all that build up, both side stories fell flat. Like, the Marshall storyline - you’re telling me that a guy who was flat out refusing a divorce is suddenly happy to give one because the FMC found evidence of his infidelity on Instagram… on a public profile. The FMC then says she will destroy the evidence once the divorce is approved…. Lady, the picture is on someone’s else’s profile, how are you going to “destroy” it?
There’s another reference to the FMC not knowing that a phone could send a text. Now, she’s 29/30 years of age. Makes me think that that author doesn’t understand basic technology.
Beyond that, there’s too many side characters that care waaaay too much about other people’s relationships, add that with a third act breakup that gets resolved with the energy of “Hey, want to get back together?”, “Sure, why not!”
“Right now, with you in my arms, I can finally breathe. Even as you take away my breath.” 🥴
Ugh I was so bored. I almost didn’t finish it. Even the “spicy” scenes I was over it. Lilith is whiney. Asher is meh. Hope is a b***h. Tate and Eden feel barely relevant.
It doesn’t help I don’t like the layout. Each chapter seems to be from a different POV but EVERYTHING is in 3rd person. And the grammatical errors are annoying.
Something that’s a bigger deal to me than probably most, I spend my day job looking at cars. The first time Eden’s car is mentioned it’s an SUV. But then calls it a Mustang. Real Mustangs are not SUV’s. I know most women probably wouldn’t catch this but everything else is so overly detailed, if it’s a Mach E call it that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
3.0 ⭐️ // This started out really good and captured my attention well, but about 60% of the way through I don’t know what happened. I suddenly wasn’t as captivated.
Maybe it was because the two main characters got together and the rest of the book was them figuring out what a relationship between them looks like? Or that the MMC’s secret remained a secret till the very end of the book when it probably should have come to light sooner. I also didn’t like the third act breakup. I think energy could have been spent on him learning how to support her without doing things for her while they were still in a relationship.