Harper Bentley

I waffled back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. But, here is why I tipped towards 4:
1. I liked Simone. I thought she was relatable. And I love a female character who is going to college for something as bad ass as engineering. Smart, nerdy girls are the bomb!
2. I love that Loch had regrets. I think that is really powerful.
3. The story is pretty short and can be easily in one sitting. The plot moves along well and the characters are likable.
Overal, it was an enjoyable story. Did I love it? No, but it was still good. I would continue to read books by Harper Bentley because I liked her writing style, enjoyed the story, and even if it was a little hackneyed, I still felt it was enjoyable. So, kudos for that!
I wish you got Loch's POV though. Would have been nice to know what was going through his head.… (mais)

3.5 stars from me!

This was a new Author for me, and I definitely like her style. I would be more than happy to read her other books. In this story we have Drake, and Honor. Honor has had a rough upbringing and lives with her older brother and she works and goes to college. She drives a POS truck that likes to break down, and that is how she meets Drake. He's a mechanic, and owns the shop with his dad.
I liked the story overall, but I think the author tried too hard to think up a conflict for these two. Drake is a complete asshole, and Honor is just a hot whiny mess. Once they get over their initial conflict and start liking each other the characters even themselves out. Like I said the author tried too hard to create conflict, and it was an over reach. I didn't hate this book by any means, and I don't like giving reviews that are not stellar, but I do believe in being honest.
The story is told first person by Honor, until the end then it is Drake. I think this story would have gone farther had it been told in alternating views, just because most of the conflict comes from Drake, so getting to see inside his head would have been a better bet for this story.… (mais)

The story is cute but the execution needed some work.

First, I found the synopsis a little bit misleading. It gave me the impression that the story would start around the time that Ellen leaves to join Jag in LA. Not the case. That doesn't even happen until the 70% mark or so.

Instead, the first 70% is a rehash of their relationship from when they were kids onwards. It's nice to see these two together instead of just being told about it; it helps you to see the type of relationship they have. It's cute and adorable and it's what you want in a BFF to lovers story.

But as the years pass, their maturity sure doesn't. I still felt like I was reading about the 14 Ellen who was in love with the slightly older--but not maturer--Jag when they read their 20s. And it shows when the shit starts to hit the fan.

This is one of those romance stories where the romance is first and foremost. Character development gets shunned in favour of drama; sexy times replace much needed relationship communication. It just missed those key components for me.… (mais)