WORTH THE RISKby LISSANNE JONES
Will taking a shot at love be worth risking the friendship of a lifetime?
Jessica Coleman and Rory Cooke have been best friends since they were children, but as they approach their thirtieth birthdays they realize the love they feel for each other is no longer platonic.
Rory is sure that Jess is the woman for him and always has been, but he's forced to stand by and watch her date another man. What if she never works out what he has - that they're meant to be together?
Jess finally recognizes Rory for who he truly is – the man she’s in love with. But she's afraid to take that leap, because if their romance ends she's not only lost her lover, but her best friend as well.
Will they decide that being in love is worth the risk of losing the extraordinary friendship they already have, or will they stay just friends forever?
I was excited to check out this book (as well as a fresh, new voice) when I first heard about it. I shared it and the series on my page a few times because it honestly sounded really good. It has all the makings for a great book for those that like sweet reads. Less angst, zero drama, and the sincerity of a love that was in the works their whole lives. And that is exactly what this one was - it was the equivalent of a Hallmark Channel movie in book form - super sweet, no real drama to cause any issues, and an easy-go-lucky love story. Jones gives us two responsible characters, good looking ones - of course, and lives that are intertwined and rich with history and friendship. The best of friends; do anything for each other kind of friends.
But that's really all it is.
Why couldn't I finish this one then if it was so easy? Because it was too easy. I know, I know...that makes no sense, Bee! I have made mention time and time again that sweet is really hard for me to get into and it has to be written just right, but it also has to be done well. While this wasn't terrible or anything, it definitely needed some more push, as well as less tell and more show. Literally, everything was told to me. Every step. Every bite of cake. Every single thing you do on the daily was told to me. Show me. Grow the story. Give me the action and make the words move. It really was just told to me. No real emotion in the words, and there was a very limited amount of ornamentation or embellishment. I love a story rich with descriptions and character growth.
To be honest, I didn't make it very far into this book because as I got into it, I knew that it wasn't grabbing me and the writing style was a bit...rudimentary; a bit basic for me. I could feel the heart that was poured into this book. I really could. I have chatted with Lissanne a number of times, and the same person I've chatted with online was in this book - so that says a lot, for me. BUT, the writing needed more depth. I wanted more definition and description. It lacked growth and development. I would have liked to see more flourish come through, something that was definitely necessary to give it more of a 'personality' so it wasn't like every other sweet romance out there. Otherwise, it just lacked the hold I needed to keep going, which made it a boring read for me and I honestly hate to say that. It just needed .... more. The covers are beautiful. The synopses are great. The actual storytelling was just not very polished to me.
Again, to be 100% honest, this wasn't a bad book. It was just ridiculously sweet and easy going. That's just not my cup of tea. I have been able to read some sweet books, but I pick them sparingly because I know they don't always work for me. I wish Ms. Jones much luck in her writing career because she has many stories to tell, and I love to see that drive she has for all the stories she has brewing. I just don't do well with this brand of sweet, so I am stepping away and tapping out. Many congratulations on your first book, with many more to come.
~BEE
No giveaway for DNF reviews
~MEET LISSANNE JONES~
Lissanne Jones lives in her hometown of Sydney, Australia, where she writes steamy romance books. Her favourite animal is the flamingo, she hoards stationery (especially A5 dot grid notebooks), and she loves to travel. She's always dreaming up new stories and wishing there were more hours in the day to write them all!
~CONNECT WITH LISSANNE~
ARC REVIEW
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I only like Hallmark movies during Christmas time, and even then I don't binge all month lol. I definitely prefer a little: drama, angst, and build up. Thank you for your review��
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