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Elijah
‘When my heart met yours, it knew’
Elijah Cooper had loved Amy Brown for as long as he could remember.
She was his first love, his soulmate, the woman he adored.
Amy Brown had loved Elijah Cooper since they’d been teenagers
He was her first and the last man she’d ever love.
One night changed everything.
A night where they would both lose the most precious thing to them – each other.
Five years later and they had both moved on with separate lives.
Five years later and everything had changed but was still the same.
This is a story of young love, heartbreak, and maybe second chances, if only they would trust their hearts
Elijah Cooper had loved Amy Brown for as long as he could remember.
She was his first love, his soulmate, the woman he adored.
Amy Brown had loved Elijah Cooper since they’d been teenagers
He was her first and the last man she’d ever love.
One night changed everything.
A night where they would both lose the most precious thing to them – each other.
Five years later and they had both moved on with separate lives.
Five years later and everything had changed but was still the same.
This is a story of young love, heartbreak, and maybe second chances, if only they would trust their hearts
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Nikki Ashton
37 books348 followersI live in Cheshire with my husband, two dogs and mum in law and write romantic humour and contemporary romance. My first two books, Guess Who I Pulled Last Night? and No Bra Required both stayed at number 1 on the Amazon Humour list for 3 & 4 weeks respectively. My ambitions of becoming a writer started at the age of 10 when I started writing poetry at school, and was given the honour of reading one out to the rest of my year group (an horrific experience that I will never forget). Thankfully I have a wide variety of strange and wonderful people in my life, otherwise I'd be stuck on what to write about! I am currently talking to family and friends, finding out their innermost secrets in readiness for my next book.
My books are romances that come with a little more than vanilla sexy times, sometimes a few tears, lots of hot men and feisty women, but ultimately they'll make you smile.
You can follow me on Twitter on @NikkerAsh or on Facebook at Nikki Ashton Books
My books are romances that come with a little more than vanilla sexy times, sometimes a few tears, lots of hot men and feisty women, but ultimately they'll make you smile.
You can follow me on Twitter on @NikkerAsh or on Facebook at Nikki Ashton Books
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 17, 2019
This review is an open letter to Safety Readers. You all have been my jam for several years. I love your reviews and check them regularly, some of you are my friends and followers. Most of you are some of the nicest people on GR.
Over the past two years I’ve watched the tone of some major safety reader/reviewers shift to a vitriolic level and it’s sadden me. I’ve written my fair share of bitchy reviews, even a few seriously venomous ones, so no pot/kettle bullshit here. But what’s happened on the review threads for this book is just depressing on so many fronts. Fan girls, trolls, and safety readers alike.
The power of our GR reviews can be breathtaking. We can create and destroy careers. I’ve witnessed it occur. But, with that power needs to be fairness or what the fuck are we creating here as a community in the name of a love for books?
Not every reader wants the same thing out of a book. Not every reader has the same hard limits. Not every reader has the same romantic desires. Not every reader reads romance for the same reason.
It’s kinda like sex.
We’re all just looking for what turns us on.
So with that in mind...
Authors should be able to write whatever the fuck they want.
Full stop.
We need to respect their right to exercise that with their words just as we can exercise our right to not read their works. Some readers want to read fucked up shit. Let them. That’s their right. There are a shit ton of fluffy bunny books out there. I’d be happy to recommend my favorites.
I don’t want to list the myriad of ways we’re all different, but we are, life does that...so why wouldn’t we all want different things from books?
Don’t read shit you hate only to have to spend more time angry and bitching about it. That’s a portion of your life spent in an ugly mix of emotions.
Life is too short.
Spend it reading things that make you swoon. You’ll be happier. Why would you want it any other way?
Over the past two years I’ve watched the tone of some major safety reader/reviewers shift to a vitriolic level and it’s sadden me. I’ve written my fair share of bitchy reviews, even a few seriously venomous ones, so no pot/kettle bullshit here. But what’s happened on the review threads for this book is just depressing on so many fronts. Fan girls, trolls, and safety readers alike.
The power of our GR reviews can be breathtaking. We can create and destroy careers. I’ve witnessed it occur. But, with that power needs to be fairness or what the fuck are we creating here as a community in the name of a love for books?
Not every reader wants the same thing out of a book. Not every reader has the same hard limits. Not every reader has the same romantic desires. Not every reader reads romance for the same reason.
It’s kinda like sex.
We’re all just looking for what turns us on.
So with that in mind...
Authors should be able to write whatever the fuck they want.
Full stop.
We need to respect their right to exercise that with their words just as we can exercise our right to not read their works. Some readers want to read fucked up shit. Let them. That’s their right. There are a shit ton of fluffy bunny books out there. I’d be happy to recommend my favorites.
I don’t want to list the myriad of ways we’re all different, but we are, life does that...so why wouldn’t we all want different things from books?
Don’t read shit you hate only to have to spend more time angry and bitching about it. That’s a portion of your life spent in an ugly mix of emotions.
Life is too short.
Spend it reading things that make you swoon. You’ll be happier. Why would you want it any other way?
February 11, 2019
Nothing says true love than having sex with other people even after meeting your “true love” again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2019
1 ⭐- Ugh! Didn't like it or triggers or pet peeve!
========================================
#UPDATE!
After so many polemics I decided to read the book! I was very objective in my considerations and here it is!
=====================================
#AVOID
--------
Review Here #1
Review Here #2
=====================================
The book alternates viewpoints and also present and past.
We have a glimpse of the lives of the heroes and what happened to their relationship. But you see, the reader does not know many details of the night of the alleged betrayal. We have a version of the facts, but never really a conversation between the two about what actually happened.
Lauren always coveted our hero and he dates her before the heroine. She always made our heroine feel insecure and second choice.
We learn that our heroine is still recovering from the loss of the baby and feeling insecure about the hero's love. Our heroes are in mourning and facing the loss of his way. I think they are both devastated and lost. Both left room for third parties to interfere in their relationship.
They meet again after 5 years.
Both had other sexual partners during the breakup.
Our hero is in a serious relationship and says he loves his girlfriend Mia. He is determined to move on and love again. Mia has already declared her love and so has he. In several passages of the book he speaks clearly that he loves Mia and that she makes him happy.
I think he cheated emotionally both Mia and Amy. He says he loves Mia, but does not stop thinking about Amy. When he's with Amy, he feels guilty for not loving Mia enough. But he was happy and happy with Mia before Amy came back.
Even so he agrees to Mia move to his house and live together. So, even with a girlfriend living with him and having sex with her, he's still thinking about Amy.
In several passages he admits that Mia makes him happy and he forgets Amy completely.
The desire to move on is so much that the hero set time with the tattoo artist to cover the heart tattoo he did in honor of Amy. He really was determined to forget her. But in the last hour he could not do it.
Our heroine when she learns that Eli is living with her girlfriend and happy, tries to move on too.
I think that if Mia's mother had not fallen and she had gone away to take care of her mother, our hero would continue with her. He had no balls to say what he really felt and would go with the flow. After all he states until almost the end of the book that he loves Mia.
And in my opinion he cheated on Mia, because she was his girlfriend, living with him, absent minding her mother, and yet he was making out with Amy and inviting her to have sex with him in the house he shares with Mia. If he did not say that Mia was not there, our heroine would not know they were together yet. So it was cheating for me. You can name it as you want and try to make up the situation, but it was pure and simple cheating.
And it was clear to me that he tried to get back with Amy, but he left Mia in reserve if it did not work out. After all, he said he loved Mia and she made him happy. He is a complete idiot and indecisive.
89% of reading I was convinced that he would choose MIa, all his attitudes and thoughts led us to believe it. He was determined to move on and said he loved Mia.
It was all a big mess.
And at the end it was Amy who grovelled and apologized and asked him to come back to her. WTF!
A mediocre story that does not arouse sympathy for either the hero or the heroine.
Dumb shit! Ridiculous epilogue!
I don't recommend!
========================================
#UPDATE!
After so many polemics I decided to read the book! I was very objective in my considerations and here it is!
=====================================
#AVOID
--------
Review Here #1
Review Here #2
=====================================
The book alternates viewpoints and also present and past.
We have a glimpse of the lives of the heroes and what happened to their relationship. But you see, the reader does not know many details of the night of the alleged betrayal. We have a version of the facts, but never really a conversation between the two about what actually happened.
Lauren always coveted our hero and he dates her before the heroine. She always made our heroine feel insecure and second choice.
We learn that our heroine is still recovering from the loss of the baby and feeling insecure about the hero's love. Our heroes are in mourning and facing the loss of his way. I think they are both devastated and lost. Both left room for third parties to interfere in their relationship.
They meet again after 5 years.
Both had other sexual partners during the breakup.
Our hero is in a serious relationship and says he loves his girlfriend Mia. He is determined to move on and love again. Mia has already declared her love and so has he. In several passages of the book he speaks clearly that he loves Mia and that she makes him happy.
I think he cheated emotionally both Mia and Amy. He says he loves Mia, but does not stop thinking about Amy. When he's with Amy, he feels guilty for not loving Mia enough. But he was happy and happy with Mia before Amy came back.
Even so he agrees to Mia move to his house and live together. So, even with a girlfriend living with him and having sex with her, he's still thinking about Amy.
In several passages he admits that Mia makes him happy and he forgets Amy completely.
The desire to move on is so much that the hero set time with the tattoo artist to cover the heart tattoo he did in honor of Amy. He really was determined to forget her. But in the last hour he could not do it.
Our heroine when she learns that Eli is living with her girlfriend and happy, tries to move on too.
I think that if Mia's mother had not fallen and she had gone away to take care of her mother, our hero would continue with her. He had no balls to say what he really felt and would go with the flow. After all he states until almost the end of the book that he loves Mia.
And in my opinion he cheated on Mia, because she was his girlfriend, living with him, absent minding her mother, and yet he was making out with Amy and inviting her to have sex with him in the house he shares with Mia. If he did not say that Mia was not there, our heroine would not know they were together yet. So it was cheating for me. You can name it as you want and try to make up the situation, but it was pure and simple cheating.
And it was clear to me that he tried to get back with Amy, but he left Mia in reserve if it did not work out. After all, he said he loved Mia and she made him happy. He is a complete idiot and indecisive.
89% of reading I was convinced that he would choose MIa, all his attitudes and thoughts led us to believe it. He was determined to move on and said he loved Mia.
It was all a big mess.
And at the end it was Amy who grovelled and apologized and asked him to come back to her. WTF!
A mediocre story that does not arouse sympathy for either the hero or the heroine.
Dumb shit! Ridiculous epilogue!
I don't recommend!
Apparently, he’d already been on a ‘date’ with Lauren Proctor – and we all knew what sort of date that would be.
Fucking hell, Amy Brown said yes to going for a pizza with me. Get in!
I threw her a glare and continued up the driveway, feeling my intestines knotting themselves together at the prospect of seeing Elijah again. It had been over five years,
He was a landscape gardener and once upon a time, we’d dreamed of going into business together –
“She’s my wife,” Elijah said, standing next to Tino and staring directly at me. “At least she was, until she ran away five years ago.”
She never once looked at another boy or man in all the years we were together.
“This will be nothing like old times,” she snapped. “Because this time I won’t be falling for your lies.”
was going to see him after five years. The first time since I’d found him in bed with fucking Lauren Proctor.
He laughed again, and I almost ended the call, I was getting pissed off with his constant jibe that Mia, my girlfriend, was boring. Okay, so she was an accountant, but she shouldn’t have been judged for it.
“I suppose finding your fairly new husband in bed with another woman can do that to you.”
“Don’t worry about it mate, I’m being stupid. What’s done is done. We’re divorced and I have Mia; time to move on.”
I looked down at the ornate heart tattoo on my chest, it was the one I’d had for her and the one I had never considered getting rid of, even when things had started to get serious with Mia.
Sweet Mia had never questioned it and accepted the tattoo as part of me.
Problem was, when that thought entered my head, my guilt about Mia stabbed at my temples and gave me a damn headache. She was a sweet girl and I loved her, but it wasn’t that all-consuming, tightening of the gut, tugging on my nuts kind of love that I’d felt for Amy.
So, you know what Amy, that’s it. No more. You don’t believe me, will never believe me, and its time I started living the life I should have been for the last five years. And one more thing,” he said, curling his lip and giving me a look full of disdain. “Next time you fancy a show, go on a ladies’ night, because I’m not yours to watch anymore.”
As Mia moved over me, dropping kisses down my chest, I let out a moan. My dick was hard and every inch of my skin felt sensitive. “Mia,” I whispered. “Shit, babe.” “Is that nice?” she asked, giving me a little smirk. “Nice isn’t the word,” I gasped, arching my back.
She was gorgeous and sweet and I had just treated her like she didn’t matter, when she did. She mattered to me a lot, I just needed to remember that a little more often. “Why don’t you stay over,” I suggested. A light came in her eyes. “You sure?”
Mia was in the shower while I made us a late breakfast. I’d been horny enough and relaxed enough to have sex with her when we woke, without a single thought of Amy.
What does matter is that Amy had issues with Lauren and finding her naked, on top of you didn’t help matters.”
“I think Mia moving in here would be a great idea.” “Oh my God, really?”
“I’m going to see if Isaac can cover my heart tattoo.”
“Yeah I know,” I replied. “But I guess it’s time I moved on.”
As I came out of Isaac’s studio and approached the reception desk, I blew out a breath of relief. I’d made a decision and that was final.
“No, because I can’t move on. I don’t want to move on – not just yet. I just need a little more time.”
“If you can’t move on, what do you do about Mia?” “I love Mia.” I frowned at him. He knew I loved her.
I definitely loved her, but if I’d loved her the right way, I wouldn’t be craving my ex-wife and it was driving me insane that all my waking thoughts were starting to be about her.
“It’s in the past,” I replied. “He’s moved on and he seems happy now.”
As we moved past Elijah, Sam, and the group of girls, I held onto my friend’s arm for support, and when I heard someone ask the girl if it was this weekend she was moving in with Elijah, I almost crumpled into a heap. Rachel held me tight and guided me outside, and wrapped her arms around me while I cried, waiting for Adam to arrive.
I had wanted to kiss her so badly, I could practically taste her lips on mine, feel her tongue against mine. I was a thirsty man and at that moment I could only imagine Amy quenching that thirst.
I almost did it too, and then I saw Mia coming into the club and it shocked me back to reality.
I’d only had sex a handful of times since I’d left Elijah and that had been with a guy in my second year in London. Seb had worked in menswear at the store and we’d gone out for a couple of months, but when he left his toothbrush over at my flat and talked about us taking a holiday together, I knew I had to end things with him.
My stomach roiled as I listened to the soft snoring beside me, wondering why on earth I’d allowed myself to fall into bed with Finlay.
I was also struggling with the fact that now I was back, Mia was desperately trying to pin me down to a date for her to move in. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to, I just wasn’t sure I wanted it yet, but I didn’t have the heart or the balls to tell her it’d all been a mistake when she’d heard me talking to Sam about it.
Mia didn’t deserve to be treated as though she didn’t mean anything to me - she did. She was important to me and I loved her.
I saw them – Elijah and Mia, holding hands and carrying a couple of bags each. Mia was talking animatedly to him and he was listening intently, his head slightly cocked towards her, with a smile on his face.
“I do want her to move in. I wouldn’t have asked her otherwise,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Doesn’t matter how it came about, it’s what I want. I love Mia and want her to move in with me.”
She loved me deeply, I knew she did, she’d been the first to say it and said it all the time. I, however, was a little more guarded and hadn’t told her until a month after she’d said the words. It wasn’t that I hadn’t been feeling it, but I’d felt cautious after Amy, even though it had been over four years since she’d gone.
There was no doubt that Mia brought light into my life, but how could I have possibly loved Amy if this petite, dark-haired, pretty woman, with her smiley face and giggle could make me forget so easily.
“It means, calm the fuck down or Mia will want to know what your problem is. Telling her you’re fucking raging with jealousy over your ex-wife is not a good start to domestic fucking bliss,” he hissed.
As Mia threw her handbag onto the passenger seat of her car, I let out a long sigh, watching her and wondering when she’d be back.
I was worried for her, but I was also worried for us. We were still getting used to living together and weeks apart would only serve to stall things. That scared me, because deep down, I knew our relationship had moved to a place I wasn’t really ready for, but had been too much of a pussy to admit.
She was beautiful and sweet and loved me and I loved her and there really shouldn’t be any doubt in my mind, but I couldn’t help feeling that maybe this would be a good thing.
“I love you,” she whispered against my lips. “I love you too and I’ll miss you.” Because I did and I would.
Mia had been with her mum for almost two weeks, and I was miserable.
Looking up into her eyes, I willed Amy to reject the call. I wanted to ignore Mia, wanting to spend more time with my ex-wife. My girlfriend was hundreds of miles away, I hadn’t seen her for almost a month, yet talking to Amy was all I could think about.
I had no idea why I wasn’t ready. Leon was attractive and sexy and I was turned on during our make-out sessions, but sex wasn’t on my plan just yet. I’d slept with Seb almost straight away and there’d been the disastrous one-night thing with Finlay before we decided to be friends, but that was all both relationships were – sexual.
“I was happy until you came back. At least I thought I was.”
We kissed passionately, a feverish mix of desire, need, and longing, desperate to satisfy the hunger for each other. It was bliss and felt as though we’d never been apart. Every sweep of Elijah’s tongue, the feel of his lips, the pressure of his mouth on mine, it was a beautiful memory brought back to life.
“At your house?” “Mia isn’t there, she’s looking after her mum.” My heart halted. Thudding to an emergency stop. “You’re still with her? You’re still living together?” Elijah leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. “Technically.” Pure, unadulterated anger burst forth at his words.
“Until you let slip that you were still with your girlfriend, who lives with you.” “I didn’t know that you knew Mia lived-.” “Yes, well I fucking did, which makes this worse, you thought you were hiding it from me!”
“I wasn’t hiding it. I just didn’t know you knew.” “Well, I do and you led me to believe that you were over.”
“But you have a girlfriend. How do you think that makes me feel, especially considering Lauren Fucking Proctor?”
“She’s been away for weeks,” I started, desperate to explain. “Oh, so you’re feeling neglected and thought a quick hook up with the ex-wife might fill the gap.”
“No,” I cried. “Don’t be so fucking stupid. I was an idiot for not talking to Mia first, but I wasn’t sure how you were going to react-.”
“I was just a damn backup plan, wasn’t I?” Amy sobbed as big, fat tears rolled down her face. “Actually change that, Mia was a backup plan in case I wasn’t the sure thing you thought I’d be.”
I don’t love Mia like I love you. I will never love her like I love you.
“I so wanted this, Elijah,” she said, her voice hard. “It was all I could think of, us getting back together. I was willing to forget and maybe even part of me believed you,” she sniffed. “But you’ve just proved to me that we can never happen. Too many years have gone by, too much has happened and you lied to me again, at a point when I really needed to believe and trust you. You spoiled what should have been one of the best moments in my life, in our lives, but you ruined it, Elijah. You just ruined it.” Her tears were coming fast and strong
It was time to move on with my life – without Amy, no matter how much it broke my heart.
I was still reeling from it all, from his declaration that he still loved me to the fact that he was still living with his bloody girlfriend. I could not believe he would have cheated on the poor girl, never mind string me along.
February 15, 2019
This book deserves 0 stars but since GR doesn't count ratings, the 1 star is for that reason alone.
SPOILER WARNING!!!!!
A story in which a Hero is with OW for the entire read, has sex with said woman and even cheats on her with heroine is not something I ever want to read about and a warning from Author/Publisher should have been placed because readers deserve to know what they are paying and wasting their time on!
Now there is also something wrong when people call out HONEST GR reviewers and they themselves lie!
Fact 1 - Non-Hero claimed heroine is the love of his life/soulmate or whatever - yet he had a girlfriend, Mia, whom he CONTINUED to f**k even AFTER heroine came back into the picture and up to the time she left to visit her mother which is a few pages to the end. For those that claimed he doesn't have OW, is in a "casual" relationship or that he didn't have sex with anyone but heroine, or that the OW was not important to him, I would highly suggest you go back & re-read it if you had short term memory loss because the author inserted many, many times how he loved OW & how he was leaving heroine behind and moving on with the OW whom he moved into his HOME to live with! That is a commitment no matter how the scumbag couldn't make up his mind of who he wanted.....
Fact 2 - Non-Hero was NOT broken up with OW when he decided to f**k the heroine and tell her he still loved her. That people is called C-H-E-A-T-I-N-G! Even the heroine called him out on it....
Fact 3 - When I read any book, romance or otherwise, I want a resolution & explanation of what broke them apart in the first place. In this one, the "incident" that tore them up in was never explained - until the last page in which non-Hero's brother tells a "fairy tale" to his 10 month niece explaining about what a "wicked witch" did to her mommy & daddy. And by that, we are suppose to believe & accept the OW's word and never learn direct from the horse's mouth if that is the truth - especially as he was partially awake, and/or answer the dozen or so questions that is left open-ended by the non explanation.
So yes, I am not a fan of this Author and her writing. If that makes me "cruel" and "vile" for expressing my honest opinion, then I am proud to have that label. What I won't do however, is kiss people's arses just because their feelings may get hurt or because I refuse to lie.....
SPOILER WARNING!!!!!
A story in which a Hero is with OW for the entire read, has sex with said woman and even cheats on her with heroine is not something I ever want to read about and a warning from Author/Publisher should have been placed because readers deserve to know what they are paying and wasting their time on!
Now there is also something wrong when people call out HONEST GR reviewers and they themselves lie!
Fact 1 - Non-Hero claimed heroine is the love of his life/soulmate or whatever - yet he had a girlfriend, Mia, whom he CONTINUED to f**k even AFTER heroine came back into the picture and up to the time she left to visit her mother which is a few pages to the end. For those that claimed he doesn't have OW, is in a "casual" relationship or that he didn't have sex with anyone but heroine, or that the OW was not important to him, I would highly suggest you go back & re-read it if you had short term memory loss because the author inserted many, many times how he loved OW & how he was leaving heroine behind and moving on with the OW whom he moved into his HOME to live with! That is a commitment no matter how the scumbag couldn't make up his mind of who he wanted.....
Fact 2 - Non-Hero was NOT broken up with OW when he decided to f**k the heroine and tell her he still loved her. That people is called C-H-E-A-T-I-N-G! Even the heroine called him out on it....
Fact 3 - When I read any book, romance or otherwise, I want a resolution & explanation of what broke them apart in the first place. In this one, the "incident" that tore them up in was never explained - until the last page in which non-Hero's brother tells a "fairy tale" to his 10 month niece explaining about what a "wicked witch" did to her mommy & daddy. And by that, we are suppose to believe & accept the OW's word and never learn direct from the horse's mouth if that is the truth - especially as he was partially awake, and/or answer the dozen or so questions that is left open-ended by the non explanation.
So yes, I am not a fan of this Author and her writing. If that makes me "cruel" and "vile" for expressing my honest opinion, then I am proud to have that label. What I won't do however, is kiss people's arses just because their feelings may get hurt or because I refuse to lie.....
Shelved as 'avoid'
February 19, 2019Let’s just say blatant lying by authors and their minions and then bullying other reviewers calling them “cruel” because they just merely stated the fact doesn’t really turn me on.
It also missed the mark on romance for me. Where exactly was the romance between this SOB and Emma again?
It also missed the mark on romance for me. Where exactly was the romance between this SOB and Emma again?
February 19, 2019
Well, after reading all the negative reviews about all the cheating in this story, I had to give this one a go. I could not wait to sink my teeth into a fabulous cheating story, one of my most favorite tropes to read. If this story offended so many reviewers who were triggered by cheating, I just KNEW I was going to dig this cheating goodness! But bummer for me, there was ZERO physical cheating in this story.
What I DID find in this story was a very entertaining second chance romance, where this sweet high school boy and girl become a couple at a very young age, fall madly in love with each other and get married, go through horrible trials in their life, break up, and then they finally find their way back to each other again. My hat is off to this author. I'm really not a fan of YA stories or stories that start out when the couple are kids still in high school. I'd usually rather have toothpicks shoved under my fingernails than pick up a semi YA story like that, but the "kids to adults" love story worked in this one. I enjoyed the angstiness of both Elijah's and Amy's heartbreak at seeing each other trying to move on with someone else in their lives, and I enjoyed them finally finding their way back to each other again. This story sucked me in from the very first page and kept me totally invested until the ending. The perfect story to get me out of the pitiful slump I have been in lately.
February 13, 2019
This book! I’ve not laughed so hard in ages and the romance is sexy but also swoon-worthy.
It was love at first sight.
Amy Brown couldn’t believe her luck when Elijah Cooper first asks her out. High school sweethearts soon turned into more but unfortunately, due to heartache, the couple didn’t last. Elijah has always loved his ex-wife. 5 years later and he’s still trying to move on. They end up with a job together at the same place (short term). He’s a gardener and she’s a designer. Amy knows the eye candy for the job shouldn’t be looked at but it’s hard not to lust after a man like Elijah.
This is a second chance romance. It’s sweet and toughing. The story is funny and light-hearted but it also has a sad moment. I couldn’t put this book down it is great!
*Kindle Unlimited read.
It was love at first sight.
Amy Brown couldn’t believe her luck when Elijah Cooper first asks her out. High school sweethearts soon turned into more but unfortunately, due to heartache, the couple didn’t last. Elijah has always loved his ex-wife. 5 years later and he’s still trying to move on. They end up with a job together at the same place (short term). He’s a gardener and she’s a designer. Amy knows the eye candy for the job shouldn’t be looked at but it’s hard not to lust after a man like Elijah.
This is a second chance romance. It’s sweet and toughing. The story is funny and light-hearted but it also has a sad moment. I couldn’t put this book down it is great!
*Kindle Unlimited read.
Shelved as 'avoid'
February 14, 2019This is soooooo not romance!
See Paula's honest review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
& Kaitie's: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
See Paula's honest review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
& Kaitie's: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 13, 2019
I read this book based off of an extremely hateful review. My sole reason for picking up Elijah was to see why someone would be so moved to write such nasty and disrespectful words about an authors work. I like to think of myself as an open minded reviewer. I don't have many triggers, so when I read said review and it said that is was NOT safe due to infidelity, I was leery. However, I can say with 100 % certainty this IS a safe book. The ONLY type of cheating you may pick up on is a TINY HINT of emotional cheating. So there. There's your little disclaimer. Now, on to the good stuff.
Story Line: Amy and Elijah are high school sweethearts. They married fairly young, then a painful tragedy strikes them, followed by even more heartache. It was too much for them, and resulted in a divorce. Fast-forward 5 years later, and the end up working on a project together. Amy is an interior designer and Elijah is a landscaper (Their jobs are way more fancy and dignified than I'm leading you to believe, just fyi). There's hate. There's hurt. But underneath the dreadful things they say to one another, there's still a fire burning deep within their souls for one another. Where does this bit of emotional cheating come in you're wondering? Well, Elijah has been casually dating Mia for about 6 months. But when Amy becomes a constant fixture in his life again, he can't hide his desire to rekindle things forever. As the book goes on from flashbacks to their dating and married life to current, we learn a few things. For one, Amy and Elijah's love is pure, raw and what dreams are made of. And two, that sometimes the hurt and tortured pain brought on by tragedy takes more than just a few months to heal. Sometimes it takes years. And that's okay.
Interaction: I loved the flashbacks. Normally, when I read a book that goes back and forth between past and present, my blonde brain gets a little twisted with the timeline. Not here. Here I looked forward to the flashbacks. I adored reading about Amy and Elijah when things were good - great even. And when I knew the part telling the story of the tragedy was coming, I had to walk away from the book for a minute. Because you see, their tragedy? I've been there too. And it took a shot of liquor for me to get through it, but I'm so glad I did. Because this type of pain cannot be worded lightly. It can't be tiptoed around or sugarcoated. And it wasn't. It was painfully perfect.
Laundry: It takes great chemistry to make the laundry believable, yet set my body on fire. And that's exactly what it did. There's laundry in the school nurse's "sick room". There's laundry behind a closed door when family are literally on the other side of the door singing happy birthday. There's super sexy kissing in the pouring down rain. And before you say, that's cliche, shush it. This scene was amazing. So amazing I re-read it 3 times before continuing. It's all SO GOOD.
Depth: There is so much more to Elijah than a second chance romance. This story is about healing. It's about how our words and actions mean so much more than just face value. And it's about finding your soul mate and knowing, that no matter how much you may try to move on from them, your soul will never let you fully give you heart to anyone else. Elijah knew Mia would be a good match for him. But he never could fully commit to her. Everything in their relationship was pushed by her. And at the end of the day, he knew it wasn't fair to Mia that his heart has always and will always belong to Amy. His process to get to that conclusion was long and at times painful, but that didn't make it any less beautiful.
This story has a happily ever after and the most sinfully beautiful ending. I am so glad I devoted my time to this epic love story. I loved every single word and cannot wait to read more by this insanely talented author.
Story Line: Amy and Elijah are high school sweethearts. They married fairly young, then a painful tragedy strikes them, followed by even more heartache. It was too much for them, and resulted in a divorce. Fast-forward 5 years later, and the end up working on a project together. Amy is an interior designer and Elijah is a landscaper (Their jobs are way more fancy and dignified than I'm leading you to believe, just fyi). There's hate. There's hurt. But underneath the dreadful things they say to one another, there's still a fire burning deep within their souls for one another. Where does this bit of emotional cheating come in you're wondering? Well, Elijah has been casually dating Mia for about 6 months. But when Amy becomes a constant fixture in his life again, he can't hide his desire to rekindle things forever. As the book goes on from flashbacks to their dating and married life to current, we learn a few things. For one, Amy and Elijah's love is pure, raw and what dreams are made of. And two, that sometimes the hurt and tortured pain brought on by tragedy takes more than just a few months to heal. Sometimes it takes years. And that's okay.
Interaction: I loved the flashbacks. Normally, when I read a book that goes back and forth between past and present, my blonde brain gets a little twisted with the timeline. Not here. Here I looked forward to the flashbacks. I adored reading about Amy and Elijah when things were good - great even. And when I knew the part telling the story of the tragedy was coming, I had to walk away from the book for a minute. Because you see, their tragedy? I've been there too. And it took a shot of liquor for me to get through it, but I'm so glad I did. Because this type of pain cannot be worded lightly. It can't be tiptoed around or sugarcoated. And it wasn't. It was painfully perfect.
Laundry: It takes great chemistry to make the laundry believable, yet set my body on fire. And that's exactly what it did. There's laundry in the school nurse's "sick room". There's laundry behind a closed door when family are literally on the other side of the door singing happy birthday. There's super sexy kissing in the pouring down rain. And before you say, that's cliche, shush it. This scene was amazing. So amazing I re-read it 3 times before continuing. It's all SO GOOD.
Depth: There is so much more to Elijah than a second chance romance. This story is about healing. It's about how our words and actions mean so much more than just face value. And it's about finding your soul mate and knowing, that no matter how much you may try to move on from them, your soul will never let you fully give you heart to anyone else. Elijah knew Mia would be a good match for him. But he never could fully commit to her. Everything in their relationship was pushed by her. And at the end of the day, he knew it wasn't fair to Mia that his heart has always and will always belong to Amy. His process to get to that conclusion was long and at times painful, but that didn't make it any less beautiful.
This story has a happily ever after and the most sinfully beautiful ending. I am so glad I devoted my time to this epic love story. I loved every single word and cannot wait to read more by this insanely talented author.
Shelved as 'not-appealing'
February 11, 2019I love the cover of this book; the guy on the cover is so handsome and initially the cover made me wanna read it but sadly, having learnt what it involves from my friend Paula's review, now it is not enough for me to pick up this book as I don't like second chance romance especially if it involves a marriage, divorce and new girlfriend drama.
My friend's review: (It contains spoilers so be forewarned)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My friend's review: (It contains spoilers so be forewarned)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 18, 2019
First things first.
I don't have a problem with most tropes and I'm relatively trigger-free. I often read "controversial" themes just to see if an author can pull it off. Occasionally an author dazzles me with a deft execution of what I call a tricky trope. Elijah had no such effect on me. Not even a "Aw, bless Nikki Ashton's heart for trying"
Strengths: Great cover. Intriguing concept.
Weaknesses: Too many to list, but poor character and plot development feature strongly. It's difficult to believe a "second chance romance" when the H is with another woman for approx. 90% of the book. 1 star read, 5 star hot mess
I don't have a problem with most tropes and I'm relatively trigger-free. I often read "controversial" themes just to see if an author can pull it off. Occasionally an author dazzles me with a deft execution of what I call a tricky trope. Elijah had no such effect on me. Not even a "Aw, bless Nikki Ashton's heart for trying"
Strengths: Great cover. Intriguing concept.
Weaknesses: Too many to list, but poor character and plot development feature strongly. It's difficult to believe a "second chance romance" when the H is with another woman for approx. 90% of the book. 1 star read, 5 star hot mess
Shelved as 'no-way-jose'
February 13, 2019I told Paula to stay away from second chances romance books (romance.. 😂 LMAO)
Look at what she put herself through with the honor of the author’s friend/editor come to her review and tell she’s wrong. But she proved her wrong all right. Or she edited another book and ended up publishing a wrong file.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Look at what she put herself through with the honor of the author’s friend/editor come to her review and tell she’s wrong. But she proved her wrong all right. Or she edited another book and ended up publishing a wrong file.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 10, 2021
SPOILERS!!!
Hell No! I have read some crappy books in my lifetime but this one takes the cake! So I am leaving this review with major spoilers because this is NOT a romance! How ANYONE can rate it so high is beyond me!
Zero & heroine dated while in high school and college. They were in love, got married and she miscarried their baby. Heartbroken, she & Zero attend a party with their friends & Zero gets drunk. Heroine tells him to go sleep it off in the next room and it's there she finds him (or what looks to be) of him & an obsessed woman from HS having sex. (He apparently dated this chick in HS before he hooked up with heroine & she never got over him, so to pay back heroine, she makes it look as if they are having sex. Zero wakes up from his "coma of drunkness' just as heroine find them in the act. 🙄 Feeling betrayed & hurt from the double whammy she suffered, heroine leaves Zero without allowing him to "explain" and divorces him.
Five yrs later, heroine returns & she and he are working on the same project. Zero is still mad at her for not allowing him to "explain" as he feels that he was "innocent" of her charges. (rolling my eyes here!..Lol).
Zero is now dating another woman & is in love with her - all while still claiming to be in love with heroine! Too much OW drama & scenes with hero f***ing OW is not something that I want to waste my time reading about! Life's too short & NETFLIX awaits.....
UPDATE: I am providing more detailed info because it seems author & her fan girls are attacking me because they don't want readers like me to tell the truth. They seem to have an issue with honesty because they (or more specifically one) says that there is no OW or cheating in this story. So here is the 100% unvarnished truth from someone who is NOT a fan girl or kisses any writer's butts....LOL.
Zero is with OW up until 98% of the entire book! After heroine returns, he stated that he had been dating "casually" the OW for over a year (aka, hooking up & overnight stays for 2-3 days & some weekends). They exchanged ILY's with OW because "she said it first" and he states over & over again that he loves this OW and has even had her move in with him at the 80-85%! He continues to have sex with this OW up until the 94%! All while claiming that he still loves heroine!
When the OW has to leave for a few weeks to help her sick Mother, Zero (with constant pushing from his brother & friends), takes the opportunity to tell heroine that he still loves her. The heroine learns that he never broke up with the OW and feels betrayed again that he is just using her for a "booty call" and rightfully calls him a cheater because HE NEVER BROKE UP WITH THE OW!! She tells him to f**k off (not exactly but that was her attitude) and walks away but he denies that he ever cheated! (Hmm... you just told your ex (heroine) that you loved her & fucked her BEFORE you broke things off with the OW whom you also professed to love and whom you were living with! Me thinks you are in denial buddy & a douche! And how is that NOT cheating?)... Angry, he decides to move on with the OW & forget heroine. He packs a bag and goes to see his GF. When he returns, heroine tells him she is sorry and regrets her mistake (past & present) and begs him for a 2nd chance! (rolling eyes now!). He tells her he broke up with the OW and HE forgives HER and HEA.. NOT.
By the way, heroine also had a ONS with some random guy in this crappy story and she was sorta dating some other dude at 95% but was not sleeping with him!
There is also some contention between this vapid fangirl (or author in disguise? Hmm...) that there was no sex involved in the scene where Zero tells heroine he loves her (after OW leaves to go to her sick Mother). There seems to be 2 versions of this story out in which the one I read, he & heroine have sex but in the other they just make out. Not that either one makes a difference in the fact that he cheated on OW both physically & emotionally with heroine.
So yes folks. It is THAT horrible and if this is a "romance" and/or someone can say they actually liked reading it, then I have no words for you other then to say that I have a bridge I want to sell you...
And to the fangirl(s) who came here to my review to sprout your 💩, here's what I have to say to you....🖕🖕🖕. Now go get a life!
Hell No! I have read some crappy books in my lifetime but this one takes the cake! So I am leaving this review with major spoilers because this is NOT a romance! How ANYONE can rate it so high is beyond me!
Zero & heroine dated while in high school and college. They were in love, got married and she miscarried their baby. Heartbroken, she & Zero attend a party with their friends & Zero gets drunk. Heroine tells him to go sleep it off in the next room and it's there she finds him (or what looks to be) of him & an obsessed woman from HS having sex. (He apparently dated this chick in HS before he hooked up with heroine & she never got over him, so to pay back heroine, she makes it look as if they are having sex. Zero wakes up from his "coma of drunkness' just as heroine find them in the act. 🙄 Feeling betrayed & hurt from the double whammy she suffered, heroine leaves Zero without allowing him to "explain" and divorces him.
Five yrs later, heroine returns & she and he are working on the same project. Zero is still mad at her for not allowing him to "explain" as he feels that he was "innocent" of her charges. (rolling my eyes here!..Lol).
Zero is now dating another woman & is in love with her - all while still claiming to be in love with heroine! Too much OW drama & scenes with hero f***ing OW is not something that I want to waste my time reading about! Life's too short & NETFLIX awaits.....
UPDATE: I am providing more detailed info because it seems author & her fan girls are attacking me because they don't want readers like me to tell the truth. They seem to have an issue with honesty because they (or more specifically one) says that there is no OW or cheating in this story. So here is the 100% unvarnished truth from someone who is NOT a fan girl or kisses any writer's butts....LOL.
Zero is with OW up until 98% of the entire book! After heroine returns, he stated that he had been dating "casually" the OW for over a year (aka, hooking up & overnight stays for 2-3 days & some weekends). They exchanged ILY's with OW because "she said it first" and he states over & over again that he loves this OW and has even had her move in with him at the 80-85%! He continues to have sex with this OW up until the 94%! All while claiming that he still loves heroine!
When the OW has to leave for a few weeks to help her sick Mother, Zero (with constant pushing from his brother & friends), takes the opportunity to tell heroine that he still loves her. The heroine learns that he never broke up with the OW and feels betrayed again that he is just using her for a "booty call" and rightfully calls him a cheater because HE NEVER BROKE UP WITH THE OW!! She tells him to f**k off (not exactly but that was her attitude) and walks away but he denies that he ever cheated! (Hmm... you just told your ex (heroine) that you loved her & fucked her BEFORE you broke things off with the OW whom you also professed to love and whom you were living with! Me thinks you are in denial buddy & a douche! And how is that NOT cheating?)... Angry, he decides to move on with the OW & forget heroine. He packs a bag and goes to see his GF. When he returns, heroine tells him she is sorry and regrets her mistake (past & present) and begs him for a 2nd chance! (rolling eyes now!). He tells her he broke up with the OW and HE forgives HER and HEA.. NOT.
By the way, heroine also had a ONS with some random guy in this crappy story and she was sorta dating some other dude at 95% but was not sleeping with him!
There is also some contention between this vapid fangirl (or author in disguise? Hmm...) that there was no sex involved in the scene where Zero tells heroine he loves her (after OW leaves to go to her sick Mother). There seems to be 2 versions of this story out in which the one I read, he & heroine have sex but in the other they just make out. Not that either one makes a difference in the fact that he cheated on OW both physically & emotionally with heroine.
So yes folks. It is THAT horrible and if this is a "romance" and/or someone can say they actually liked reading it, then I have no words for you other then to say that I have a bridge I want to sell you...
And to the fangirl(s) who came here to my review to sprout your 💩, here's what I have to say to you....🖕🖕🖕. Now go get a life!
February 17, 2019
Disappointed with this one. Should have been a sweet second chance but instead was more sour - in part anyways. The flashbacks to past was sweet but the present not so much.
The supposed H was so in love with h since they were 17 but gave up trying to win her back way too soon especially given the circumstance (albeit wrong assumption on h's part). Still, he managed to get over his pain, find another sweet, loving, beautiful etc woman to love, exchange "i love you" with, in a relationship with and even though the h, the supposed love of his live was back and ( he obviously still had feelings for her) he was still sexing up his new love, have her move in and showed my faith to her than h. He just didn't want to hurt her (ow) so he had her move in. The H's brothers obviously showed more sense than the H and knew he was an idiot for choosing the OW. The h of course was with a few men ( but of course unsatisfactory) - she did sleep with 2nd man after she found out H was in committed relationship so I don't blame her but I wish she had a banging time though LOL. The majority of the book was flash back and of course H in relationship, so the ending felt very rush and not so satisfying. Nothing wrong with writing, just didn't feel the deep love and forgiveness -not with H more than willing to move on with OW if h had not come back to town or if the brother had to practically forced H to get his head out of his ass.
The supposed H was so in love with h since they were 17 but gave up trying to win her back way too soon especially given the circumstance (albeit wrong assumption on h's part). Still, he managed to get over his pain, find another sweet, loving, beautiful etc woman to love, exchange "i love you" with, in a relationship with and even though the h, the supposed love of his live was back and ( he obviously still had feelings for her) he was still sexing up his new love, have her move in and showed my faith to her than h. He just didn't want to hurt her (ow) so he had her move in. The H's brothers obviously showed more sense than the H and knew he was an idiot for choosing the OW. The h of course was with a few men ( but of course unsatisfactory) - she did sleep with 2nd man after she found out H was in committed relationship so I don't blame her but I wish she had a banging time though LOL. The majority of the book was flash back and of course H in relationship, so the ending felt very rush and not so satisfying. Nothing wrong with writing, just didn't feel the deep love and forgiveness -not with H more than willing to move on with OW if h had not come back to town or if the brother had to practically forced H to get his head out of his ass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'stay-away'
February 16, 2019Disgusting characters!!!
Cheaters are not my cup of tea.
Cheaters are not my cup of tea.
Shelved as 'avoid'
June 17, 2019Where is the Love story ......?
For the first time, I feel sorry for the OW of the book. And yeah, the hero-heroine certainly deserve each other and no one else... 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For the first time, I feel sorry for the OW of the book. And yeah, the hero-heroine certainly deserve each other and no one else... 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 23, 2019
For me cheating or any perceived notion of cheating in this book was minuscule at the very least and barely registered on my radar of distaste.What did disturb me was the image of a loving wife leaving her husband,her soul mate almost comatose drunk(was he roofied),defenceless,barely naked beneath a psychotic woman whom she very well knew had been stalking him through the years to be molested/raped/murdered.
Imagine his horror and disbelief when he came to finding a succubus on top of him,his nightmare of nightmares gyrating on his helpless body while his wife looked on with accusation in her eyes,did nothing and just left him there to rot.
With her single act of stupidity/blindness/cruelty/immaturity she cost them both 43800 hrs of bitterness and darkness.So if he found comfort in the blackness of a deep winter,good for him,he deserved it,earned it but not with a coward of a female who deserted him in his hour of need and who cried wolf one too many times at the drop of a hat.This book was neither a masterpiece nor even controversial but it could be held up as a shining example of a glass house and a tale of a faithless woman whose first instinct was always to howl cheating. To disavow and banish in her mind what was her notion of an unfaithful husband when he was anything but.
Imagine his horror and disbelief when he came to finding a succubus on top of him,his nightmare of nightmares gyrating on his helpless body while his wife looked on with accusation in her eyes,did nothing and just left him there to rot.
With her single act of stupidity/blindness/cruelty/immaturity she cost them both 43800 hrs of bitterness and darkness.So if he found comfort in the blackness of a deep winter,good for him,he deserved it,earned it but not with a coward of a female who deserted him in his hour of need and who cried wolf one too many times at the drop of a hat.This book was neither a masterpiece nor even controversial but it could be held up as a shining example of a glass house and a tale of a faithless woman whose first instinct was always to howl cheating. To disavow and banish in her mind what was her notion of an unfaithful husband when he was anything but.
May 22, 2022
I put this on my TBR a few years back when I noticed some reviewers squabbling over it. I was curious and expecting some dicey drama. I didn’t find anything scandalous but will put the deets at the end. It's hard to review without giving any spoilers, so
STOP
here if you want ZERO details.
Elijah and Amy met in HS and fell in love. They married, encountered some obstacles, then an “event” caused Amy to flee and file for divorce. The story picks up 5-years later with the two reuniting for a work project.
I think my biggest issue was that I struggled to get onboard with the breakup. It felt so illogical to me that I couldn’t connect. (A Journey Home had the same scenario, and I had the same struggles.) It makes no sense that a wife would move away and divorce her husband without having ONE conversation. Or that he’d never find an opportunity to tell his side. I found it ridiculous and too shaky/hole-y to build a book foundation upon. Basically, we’re left to believe that they love each other so much they’re still struggling five years later, but not enough to listen, question, or pursue.
My other issues were all personal preference. I enjoy second-chance romances but like them to have certain elements.
➿I like things to move mostly chronologically. We jump back and forth A LOT. (age-28, age-17, age-28, age-18, age-28, age-19…on and on) It made the plot super choppy.
➿I prefer the mc’s to both be available and spend the majority of the book trying to make-up. Elijah had a gf for most of the book. I didn’t blame him for moving on, but IMO she stayed around too long blocking my feels.
➿ I want my couple to spend loads of page-time together. They spend very little time together in the present, so most of the “couple time” is in the past when they were happy. (no angst)
Bottom Line- It was just ok for me. The writing is pretty solid, but I read second-chance romance for the feels that we get as they work things out, and that didn’t happen here. It reads more like two people who love each other trying to move on with other people than a reconciliation. I needed way more Amy and Elijah in the present, and a more fleshed out reconnection. There’s a short epilogue the next year.
Safety- SPOILERS
They broke up because Amy walked in on her naked enemy bouncing on a drunken/passed out Elijah. She was emotional from a miscarriage and assumed they were having sex. Left, filed, refused to speak to him again. They didn’t have sex, he still had his pants on, OW set it up.
In the present- Elijah has had a GF (Mia), she’s not around a ton. We’re told they had sex once (I believe) and Amy hooks up with a dude over a weekend. (both off-page) Amy also has a BF later on in the book.
There’s a lot of talk about possible cheating just before they get back together because they makeout before he’s officially broken things off with Mia. This didn’t bother me because she was also dating someone else. I actually thought it was funny that Amy was taking the high moral ground when she didn’t tap the breaks to dump Leon first. This is also why I didn’t find it off-putting that she initiated the apology.
Elijah and Amy met in HS and fell in love. They married, encountered some obstacles, then an “event” caused Amy to flee and file for divorce. The story picks up 5-years later with the two reuniting for a work project.
I think my biggest issue was that I struggled to get onboard with the breakup. It felt so illogical to me that I couldn’t connect. (A Journey Home had the same scenario, and I had the same struggles.) It makes no sense that a wife would move away and divorce her husband without having ONE conversation. Or that he’d never find an opportunity to tell his side. I found it ridiculous and too shaky/hole-y to build a book foundation upon. Basically, we’re left to believe that they love each other so much they’re still struggling five years later, but not enough to listen, question, or pursue.
My other issues were all personal preference. I enjoy second-chance romances but like them to have certain elements.
➿I like things to move mostly chronologically. We jump back and forth A LOT. (age-28, age-17, age-28, age-18, age-28, age-19…on and on) It made the plot super choppy.
➿I prefer the mc’s to both be available and spend the majority of the book trying to make-up. Elijah had a gf for most of the book. I didn’t blame him for moving on, but IMO she stayed around too long blocking my feels.
➿ I want my couple to spend loads of page-time together. They spend very little time together in the present, so most of the “couple time” is in the past when they were happy. (no angst)
Bottom Line- It was just ok for me. The writing is pretty solid, but I read second-chance romance for the feels that we get as they work things out, and that didn’t happen here. It reads more like two people who love each other trying to move on with other people than a reconciliation. I needed way more Amy and Elijah in the present, and a more fleshed out reconnection. There’s a short epilogue the next year.
Safety- SPOILERS
They broke up because Amy walked in on her naked enemy bouncing on a drunken/passed out Elijah. She was emotional from a miscarriage and assumed they were having sex. Left, filed, refused to speak to him again. They didn’t have sex, he still had his pants on, OW set it up.
In the present- Elijah has had a GF (Mia), she’s not around a ton. We’re told they had sex once (I believe) and Amy hooks up with a dude over a weekend. (both off-page) Amy also has a BF later on in the book.
There’s a lot of talk about possible cheating just before they get back together because they makeout before he’s officially broken things off with Mia. This didn’t bother me because she was also dating someone else. I actually thought it was funny that Amy was taking the high moral ground when she didn’t tap the breaks to dump Leon first. This is also why I didn’t find it off-putting that she initiated the apology.
February 19, 2019
Bastante malo, tío que juega a dos bandas, mantiene una novia mientras busca a la ex, por si acaso, y encima la chica acaba pidiendo ella perdón, será por no llevar los cuernos con suficiente "glamour" 😂 esto debería estar fuera de romance
Read
September 9, 2019Just a little reminder for me: Do NOT engage. Cheating hero. No love lost between them, I'd argue.
February 11, 2019
As Amy came apart in my arms, I knew I’d never love anyone like I loved her. This wasn’t just a teenage first love, she had my fucking heart forever.
A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
Two teenagers in love, two people destined to be together but Life, life sometimes just doesn't turn out the way you dreamed it would.
This is a story of love and loss, betrayal and regrets, heartache and despair, second chances and forgiveness.
Fiction, I know this is fiction but my heart bumped in my chest more than once, I was completely willing this couple who had loved each other since their teens to get back together.
Life throws curve balls and sometimes them curve balls just smack you right in the face leaving wounds that just don't want to heal and won't heal until they are treated.
Second Chances?
Five years Amy had been away from Elijah, Five years of heartache for both of them and it was all down to one night, one night of drunken stupidity and a misunderstanding with Elijah that couldn't even be fully explained other than the fact that there was a vindictive woman in waiting who was obsessed with Amy's boyfriend when she was younger and even when he became her husband. A woman who waited for her chance to strike and used her jealousy to destroy the loved up couple because Elijah loved his wife and only had eyes for her. The story does not go into detail about that night and I am still reflecting over the "between the lines" words that I picked up along the way.
In the real world there are some vindictive people, spiteful hurtful people and unfortunately also in the fictional world not all story's about love are hearts, flowers and roses either, and this one of them.
Amy fled the night her heart was broken without giving Elijah the chance to explain, she left and then later again reading between the lines she divorced without ever taking to Elijah again.
The story picks up from where Amy returns home..
Returning back to her home town for a job as an interior designer it was inevitable that Amy would bump into Elijah who was a landscaper and by chance they ended up working at the same home at the same time.
Both of them had moved on, I mean five years, what choice did they have, but there was so much left unsaid. Elijah now had a girlfriend and Amy was dating, life was going forward for both of them but in a way they were still stuck in time.
I felt the heartache, the despair, I so desperately wanted Amy and Elijah to take a second chance but the story wasn't that smooth sailing, nothing is tht simple and Amy and Elijah's story showed that.
I got frustrated with the characters, there were a few moments that made me face palm and ask why?? I have questions over some situations in the book that made me drop a star but overall I could not put this down, the feelings it evoked in me cannot be disputed with the fact I was completely engrossed in the story and anxious about the characters decisions and actions.
Another great read by Nikki who is a British author and uses British words, mannerisms & humour in her books which I admire, Elijah is very different from her previous books which contained more humour and had a lighter feel, I felt ELIJAH had a lot more angst and heartache and at times made my head spin.
Told In dual pov and available in KU
A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
Two teenagers in love, two people destined to be together but Life, life sometimes just doesn't turn out the way you dreamed it would.
This is a story of love and loss, betrayal and regrets, heartache and despair, second chances and forgiveness.
Fiction, I know this is fiction but my heart bumped in my chest more than once, I was completely willing this couple who had loved each other since their teens to get back together.
Life throws curve balls and sometimes them curve balls just smack you right in the face leaving wounds that just don't want to heal and won't heal until they are treated.
Second Chances?
Five years Amy had been away from Elijah, Five years of heartache for both of them and it was all down to one night, one night of drunken stupidity and a misunderstanding with Elijah that couldn't even be fully explained other than the fact that there was a vindictive woman in waiting who was obsessed with Amy's boyfriend when she was younger and even when he became her husband. A woman who waited for her chance to strike and used her jealousy to destroy the loved up couple because Elijah loved his wife and only had eyes for her. The story does not go into detail about that night and I am still reflecting over the "between the lines" words that I picked up along the way.
In the real world there are some vindictive people, spiteful hurtful people and unfortunately also in the fictional world not all story's about love are hearts, flowers and roses either, and this one of them.
Amy fled the night her heart was broken without giving Elijah the chance to explain, she left and then later again reading between the lines she divorced without ever taking to Elijah again.
The story picks up from where Amy returns home..
Returning back to her home town for a job as an interior designer it was inevitable that Amy would bump into Elijah who was a landscaper and by chance they ended up working at the same home at the same time.
Both of them had moved on, I mean five years, what choice did they have, but there was so much left unsaid. Elijah now had a girlfriend and Amy was dating, life was going forward for both of them but in a way they were still stuck in time.
I felt the heartache, the despair, I so desperately wanted Amy and Elijah to take a second chance but the story wasn't that smooth sailing, nothing is tht simple and Amy and Elijah's story showed that.
I got frustrated with the characters, there were a few moments that made me face palm and ask why?? I have questions over some situations in the book that made me drop a star but overall I could not put this down, the feelings it evoked in me cannot be disputed with the fact I was completely engrossed in the story and anxious about the characters decisions and actions.
Another great read by Nikki who is a British author and uses British words, mannerisms & humour in her books which I admire, Elijah is very different from her previous books which contained more humour and had a lighter feel, I felt ELIJAH had a lot more angst and heartache and at times made my head spin.
Told In dual pov and available in KU
February 23, 2021
Why haven't I read this book sooner! It had me reading late into the night and talk about being on the edge of my seat. I wasn't sure if Elijah and Amy would ever get it together because they seemed to continue drifting apart and determined to move on with their lives. At one point I didn't even want them together because they just seemed so unhappy when near each other and I felt like the damage and hurt from what Amy believed happened 5 years ago was too much to overcome.
The story is told from the dual POV of Elijah and Amy. It also flips between the past and present as we see the lead up to what eventually separated this couple. I liked how the author didn't reveal everything at once and we also got to see how the couple separating affected not just them but also the people around them. Nikki Ashton really knows how to show what her characters are feeling and having the reader experience it along with them. She shows that life isn't perfect and some people make choices or decisions that may not make sense to others. She shows the reality of life and how we all make mistakes.
I want to address the negative reviews I've read for Elijah as I'm shocked by how a small group of 'reviewers' seemed to band together and set out ensuring others wouldn't pick up this book and make up their own mind by reading it. Not every book is going to suit every reader. There's going to be things in a book that you don't agree with. You may not enjoy a book that someone else has loved. All of that is fine. BUT it's not fine to pick apart someone's hard work in delivering a book they spent hours putting together. It's not fine reviewing a book that you haven't even read just because your friend didn't like it. And then to make comments about the readers who do enjoy this book is also low. These so called 'reviewers' need to give up reviewing if they're going to be bullies when they come across a book that they don't like. Move on and spend the time on finding a book you do enjoy instead of attacking an author and their work. It's people like them who make authors want to give up on writing and it's wrong!
For me, this book was a hit and I enjoyed it because it's realistic and shows the reality for some people. It shows how we all make mistakes and sometimes try to ignore what our hearts really want because of the fear of being hurt again. It shows how what we do doesn't always make sense to others even if it makes sense to us at the time. It shows that life isn't a fairytale and not all love stories or romances are butterflies and roses. It shows just how crappy life and love can be. So hats off to Nikki Ashton for writing reality rather than fairytale!!!
The story is told from the dual POV of Elijah and Amy. It also flips between the past and present as we see the lead up to what eventually separated this couple. I liked how the author didn't reveal everything at once and we also got to see how the couple separating affected not just them but also the people around them. Nikki Ashton really knows how to show what her characters are feeling and having the reader experience it along with them. She shows that life isn't perfect and some people make choices or decisions that may not make sense to others. She shows the reality of life and how we all make mistakes.
I want to address the negative reviews I've read for Elijah as I'm shocked by how a small group of 'reviewers' seemed to band together and set out ensuring others wouldn't pick up this book and make up their own mind by reading it. Not every book is going to suit every reader. There's going to be things in a book that you don't agree with. You may not enjoy a book that someone else has loved. All of that is fine. BUT it's not fine to pick apart someone's hard work in delivering a book they spent hours putting together. It's not fine reviewing a book that you haven't even read just because your friend didn't like it. And then to make comments about the readers who do enjoy this book is also low. These so called 'reviewers' need to give up reviewing if they're going to be bullies when they come across a book that they don't like. Move on and spend the time on finding a book you do enjoy instead of attacking an author and their work. It's people like them who make authors want to give up on writing and it's wrong!
For me, this book was a hit and I enjoyed it because it's realistic and shows the reality for some people. It shows how we all make mistakes and sometimes try to ignore what our hearts really want because of the fear of being hurt again. It shows how what we do doesn't always make sense to others even if it makes sense to us at the time. It shows that life isn't a fairytale and not all love stories or romances are butterflies and roses. It shows just how crappy life and love can be. So hats off to Nikki Ashton for writing reality rather than fairytale!!!
November 9, 2023
I truly don't understand the negative hullabaloo about this book. First of all,this is PERCEIVED cheating. All the dude was guilty of was drinking to much and going to sleep! Moreover, he most likely imbibed to let off some steam following the painful months r\t the aftermath of the loss of their baby. What exactly did he have to grovel for? Having an unsolicited stalker ?
On the flip side,I can understand the h's freak out .Years of dealing with the manipulative stalker ow took its toll! Add a miscarriage and its subsequent effects on a young marriage.= potential for shaky ground.But to run to another continent, never hear a word from him , a prior absolutely faithfull bf then hubs who had never given her a reason for mistrust and had worshiped the ground she walked on? Yikes and wtaf?
As for the present situation and clumsy attempt at reconciliation? Y'all gripe again going for the throat of the wholly human, heartbroken confused dude,who was still trying to figure out if he was coming or going...as if he was some nefarious player...which he clearly never was.Monumental hurt,confusion, situational factors... ie Mia overhearing and misunderstanding a conversation and then inviting herself to move in with him ..then having to leave 2 days later,his brother a bug in his ear...and the piece de resistance...the long awaited ,but untimely confrontation \meeting that served as an impromptu reconciliation attempt which was highly emotive,reactionary and far from perfect but most importantly not calculated or nefarious!
Mutual absolution was essential ! They needed to get over circumstances beyond their control admit to a strong mutual love and move forward,not lay blame or find yet another battlefield to die on and thankfully, the author finally got them there!
Ladies... fellow.readers...sometimes this man hating, viewing of man as villain at all costs biased and reactionary unmerited perception aka an assault on anyone with a c#ck especially in a storyline that touches anywhere near infidelity is wearing on my last nerve! Worse yet, this is beyond disturbing,now two steps too far when this overflows to a personalized onslaught directed towards the author or fellow readers whose preferences may differ!
Sorry for the rant, is simply concern and ode to a sense of Fairplay boiling over. It is not directed at any one person,just a general attitude pervade ... With me screaming into the ether!😜
Just because we are online and anonymous, please let us not forget what we learned in kindergarten!
On the flip side,I can understand the h's freak out .Years of dealing with the manipulative stalker ow took its toll! Add a miscarriage and its subsequent effects on a young marriage.= potential for shaky ground.But to run to another continent, never hear a word from him , a prior absolutely faithfull bf then hubs who had never given her a reason for mistrust and had worshiped the ground she walked on? Yikes and wtaf?
As for the present situation and clumsy attempt at reconciliation? Y'all gripe again going for the throat of the wholly human, heartbroken confused dude,who was still trying to figure out if he was coming or going...as if he was some nefarious player...which he clearly never was.Monumental hurt,confusion, situational factors... ie Mia overhearing and misunderstanding a conversation and then inviting herself to move in with him ..then having to leave 2 days later,his brother a bug in his ear...and the piece de resistance...the long awaited ,but untimely confrontation \meeting that served as an impromptu reconciliation attempt which was highly emotive,reactionary and far from perfect but most importantly not calculated or nefarious!
Mutual absolution was essential ! They needed to get over circumstances beyond their control admit to a strong mutual love and move forward,not lay blame or find yet another battlefield to die on and thankfully, the author finally got them there!
Ladies... fellow.readers...sometimes this man hating, viewing of man as villain at all costs biased and reactionary unmerited perception aka an assault on anyone with a c#ck especially in a storyline that touches anywhere near infidelity is wearing on my last nerve! Worse yet, this is beyond disturbing,now two steps too far when this overflows to a personalized onslaught directed towards the author or fellow readers whose preferences may differ!
Sorry for the rant, is simply concern and ode to a sense of Fairplay boiling over. It is not directed at any one person,just a general attitude pervade ... With me screaming into the ether!😜
Just because we are online and anonymous, please let us not forget what we learned in kindergarten!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2021
Second chance love must read
Elijah and Amy’s story is everything a second chance love story should be!!!
I enjoyed being transported back to the past to understand and appreciate their relationship.
There was so much anger but and undeniable amount of love in the present that you needed to be taken back chapter by chapter to their past relationship to comprehend why it wasn’t a simple “I love you let’s try again” solution!
Elijah is perfection! I initially thought it was going to be so difficult to enjoy his character because it was painfully obvious Amy has had her heart crushed by him, but the story didn’t go down the predictable route and not loving him was impossible!!!
I wanted to shake Amy to help her see sense at so many parts of the story but as it progressed I began to understand what other factors supported her emotional decisions to leave!
The rain part (I would hate to spoil this moment for anyone so shall call it that) was an epic part of the story and the emotions were felt deep in my chest! I loved it and this is without a doubt a movie worthy scene!!
What makes this book even more incredible is the fact that there’s a reference to another of Nikki’s amazing story’s and my all time favourite character - DEX!!
This review won’t do the book justice because I am desperate to dive straight into Sam’s book which is the next instalment of the series!
Great book which I highly recommend
Elijah and Amy’s story is everything a second chance love story should be!!!
I enjoyed being transported back to the past to understand and appreciate their relationship.
There was so much anger but and undeniable amount of love in the present that you needed to be taken back chapter by chapter to their past relationship to comprehend why it wasn’t a simple “I love you let’s try again” solution!
Elijah is perfection! I initially thought it was going to be so difficult to enjoy his character because it was painfully obvious Amy has had her heart crushed by him, but the story didn’t go down the predictable route and not loving him was impossible!!!
I wanted to shake Amy to help her see sense at so many parts of the story but as it progressed I began to understand what other factors supported her emotional decisions to leave!
The rain part (I would hate to spoil this moment for anyone so shall call it that) was an epic part of the story and the emotions were felt deep in my chest! I loved it and this is without a doubt a movie worthy scene!!
What makes this book even more incredible is the fact that there’s a reference to another of Nikki’s amazing story’s and my all time favourite character - DEX!!
This review won’t do the book justice because I am desperate to dive straight into Sam’s book which is the next instalment of the series!
Great book which I highly recommend
February 21, 2019
The feels in this story were deep. Love doesn’t run smooth for Amy and Elijah and the hurt and grief block senses that allow normal thought processes. Their connection is still so blatantly obvious when they cross paths again. Both are trying to move on with their lives, and tall walls having been built to protect their broken hearts. There were certain points in the story that I really thought they were both too broken to rekindle what they once had.
I loved the supporting characters, dry humoured Claudia and deep but loveable Sam. The interaction between these characters with Amy & Elijah, injected light heartedness relief. The way that this story was told was also a big plus point. Told in both main characters point of view, it’s also told in present time and past. This has been done with care and therefore I found I wasn’t overloaded with details all at once, which proved to be a real winner in my opinion.
Real life is messy - a rollercoaster ride and this book reflects this. A captivating story, which I really enjoyed.
I loved the supporting characters, dry humoured Claudia and deep but loveable Sam. The interaction between these characters with Amy & Elijah, injected light heartedness relief. The way that this story was told was also a big plus point. Told in both main characters point of view, it’s also told in present time and past. This has been done with care and therefore I found I wasn’t overloaded with details all at once, which proved to be a real winner in my opinion.
Real life is messy - a rollercoaster ride and this book reflects this. A captivating story, which I really enjoyed.
February 10, 2019
Another home run for Nikki Ashton on this one. I love Nikki's writing, it's full of passion, fun, and downright hilarity at times. We meet Amy and Elijah, whose story is intense to say the least, and the back story even more so. I will not be putting any spoilers in this review because I hate spoilers. However, if you like lots of passion, angst and intense "heat", there's plenty and then some. It is a 2nd chance romance and there are times you just want to knock their heads together, but Nikki describes Amy's feelings and heartache perfectly, and does a rather good job at describing Elijah too. Currently my new book-boyfriend if you know what I mean ladies!!! There is always a jealous cow lurking in the background and you so want her to get her commupence, and a real fun character in Claudia with her drool, dry wit, love her. Book 2 is all about Elijah's brother Sam, a real dark horse I think, so can't wait on the next instalment.
October 22, 2020
I loved this book, there were a couple of little twists and turns in there that made me use my brain so that always a good thing. This book was easy to read and was a pleasant story of loss and 2nd chance love. At some point I will definitely be reading book 2 in the Cooper Brothers Collection.
November 26, 2020
Tearful
Omg this was such a tearful read!!!! Elijah and Amy started off as high school sweethearts then get married......then the heart ache arrives 😢😢😢 tissues needed for this book but it will be so worth it
Omg this was such a tearful read!!!! Elijah and Amy started off as high school sweethearts then get married......then the heart ache arrives 😢😢😢 tissues needed for this book but it will be so worth it
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