Returning home for her father’s wedding was never going to be easy for Adele. If being sent away at eighteen hadn’t been bad enough, the mess she left behind when she made a pass at her dad’s business partner sure was.
Fifteen years older than her, Pete had been her crush for as long as she could remember. But she’d misread the situation—confusing friendliness for undying love. Awkward. Add her father to the misunderstanding, and Pete had been left with a broken nose and a business on the edge of ruin. The man had to be just as glad as everyone else when she left town.
Seven years on, things are different. Adele is no longer a kid, but a fully grown adult more than capable of getting through the wedding and being polite. But all it takes is seeing him again to bring back all those old feelings.
Sometimes first loves are the truest.
REVIEW: 3 STARS
"You stay right where you are, give me a chance to get used to this."
This one started out with absolute promise giving me the chuckles from the very beginning. The situations provided some smiles but the comments alone made me giggle. I loved that it was set in Australia, so that provided some quirky sayings and comments so it started out as a very fun read. This was my third book by Kylie, and while the rating doesn't look grossly positive, I will most definitely read her again. I really do enjoy her style, I love the way she tells a story, and she reads very easily. That has absolutely nothing to do with my rating this time around. So please allow me to explain....
First of all, I LOVED the way this story was delivered - almost as if Adele was telling us her story, not just allowing us to view it as a reader. She was telling US as if she were a friend telling us her story - making eye contact and sly comments, so I smiled quite a bit. I really liked that. Just something a little different. Adele had a sense of humor that was awesome. I mean, I'm seriously smiling as I write this because she was so funny and she didn't make any excuses for it! So while I was loving this book in the beginning, it didn't finish that way for me. It was flowing wonderfully for me up until about 78%. The storyline, Adele's quirky smart-assery -- all of it was wonderful. But man, that brick wall came up fast! And then it just kinda fell apart for me. I can pinpoint it and tell you the exact moment, the why, but that would take away the discovery and I refuse to do that. I will say this, the twist doesn't bother most readers and that is a good thing. I just didn't personally feel it fit the way the story was going and it detracted from the main plot for what felt like a wonderful forbidden, age-gap story, humor and all. I think that twist gifted a very easy out for the ending that shouldn't have been so easy, yet miraculously was.
"Problem is, you suck at boundaries."
"Only when it comes to you."
Of course there has to be some turmoil in a book, because that's the fun part, right? Well, I'm just gonna say it: I didn't like how easily Adele took Pete back. There! I said it. Phew....off my chest! I had a very hard time with that. She rolled right over, and while I know she had been very smitten with him from a very young age, the way it all went down made it feel very....? Just....contrived? Almost like it was just drama thrown in since the described anger didn't fit the reactions based on the way it was handled. I almost felt frustrated at the route taken because I didn't feel like the age-gap/forbidden aspect was truly explored or fleshed out, and consequences weren't really considered for the actions that unfolded. I realize this isn't my story to tell and I didn't write it, but this is just my honest opinion and feelings on it.
I am bummed at the way the story finished because it started out so promising for me. It just didn't work for me. Some of it felt forced, like how they were brought together in the very beginning (after everything that went down, why do THAT?), to the dad making time limitations on a 25 year old going out on a date. Are we being funny again? Maybe, but I think it just lent a tad bit of ridiculousness to the end that wasn't really necessary. BUT the storyline, it was good. It really was. I enjoyed 3/4 of the book and it read really quickly - one sitting even. So even though I didn't love this one, it was a good read for me. I guess I can say I learned that I can love the writing in a book, but not love the actual storyline.
I sigh....I really do, because I really did enjoy this one overall, but some parts made me shake my head while others made me laugh. I almost feel let down. <sigh> It's a good read and I know many will love it, so don't let my hangups sway you....but I'd love to discuss it with you after you read it.
"He'd been a storm inside me for so long, messing with my head and my heart."
~BEE
PURCHASE
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/
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