What do you think?
Rate this book
Up in Lights
You’ve heard the saying - never mix business with family.
Too bad for me, my best friend has the same rule about friendships and love.
I’m playing baseball in the minors and having the season of my life when Delilah shows up in the stands, looking like my idea of salvation. She’s the embodiment of perfection in cutoff shorts and my t-shirt, but her presence can only mean one thing.
I know what I want and it’s not to be the shoulder she cries on before getting into another relationship. I know there’s no one in the world that will protect her heart the way I could.
Del has always been a runner, except this time, I’m the one to send her sprinting.
But actions - even those made out of love - have consequences. When I come back home 15 months later, I find out our consequence is six-months-old and has my eyes.
Del has secrets and I have a career across the country surrounded by friends who feel like family. Now I’m the starting pitcher for the Seattle Tempests in the major leagues. I’m no rookie and I’m ready to get exactly what I want.
Too bad for Delilah, my mind is set on her.
Our chemistry exploded in the darkness of our hotel room that weekend, but can we make it work with both of our names up in lights?
Too bad for me, my best friend has the same rule about friendships and love.
I’m playing baseball in the minors and having the season of my life when Delilah shows up in the stands, looking like my idea of salvation. She’s the embodiment of perfection in cutoff shorts and my t-shirt, but her presence can only mean one thing.
I know what I want and it’s not to be the shoulder she cries on before getting into another relationship. I know there’s no one in the world that will protect her heart the way I could.
Del has always been a runner, except this time, I’m the one to send her sprinting.
But actions - even those made out of love - have consequences. When I come back home 15 months later, I find out our consequence is six-months-old and has my eyes.
Del has secrets and I have a career across the country surrounded by friends who feel like family. Now I’m the starting pitcher for the Seattle Tempests in the major leagues. I’m no rookie and I’m ready to get exactly what I want.
Too bad for Delilah, my mind is set on her.
Our chemistry exploded in the darkness of our hotel room that weekend, but can we make it work with both of our names up in lights?
497 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2024
26 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
December 9, 2024
Destiny Blake has done an amazing job on her debut novel “Up In Lights.”
I need to give a special mention to the many Taylor Swift songs in the playlist as well as the chapter titles🤭
This book was a friends to lovers, accidental pregnancy romance. Both of these tropes aren’t my favourite by any means but I feel like it was really well done.
Both Delilah & Parker’s characters were very well explored. I loved that Parker was a baseball player meanwhile Delilah was secretly an author.⚾️📝
It was great reading about them reconnecting with each other again after falling out. Parker was also so sweet with their daughter Lily.
The found family in this book was great! I loved both characters actual families but the found family through their friends was done so well! I think Jo & Noah might be my favourite side characters. It was so lovely to see how much the side characters deeply cared about Delilah, Parker & Lily, continuing to help them out.🧸
If you aren’t someone that usually loves friends to lovers or the accidental pregnancy trope I urge you to give this book a go! Personally I think it was done so well.
Overall, I highly recommend this book & thoroughly enjoyed reading it💙
Tropes:
💙 friends to lovers
💙 accidental pregnancy
💙secret baby
💙 baseball romance
💙 “it’s always been you”
I need to give a special mention to the many Taylor Swift songs in the playlist as well as the chapter titles🤭
This book was a friends to lovers, accidental pregnancy romance. Both of these tropes aren’t my favourite by any means but I feel like it was really well done.
Both Delilah & Parker’s characters were very well explored. I loved that Parker was a baseball player meanwhile Delilah was secretly an author.⚾️📝
It was great reading about them reconnecting with each other again after falling out. Parker was also so sweet with their daughter Lily.
The found family in this book was great! I loved both characters actual families but the found family through their friends was done so well! I think Jo & Noah might be my favourite side characters. It was so lovely to see how much the side characters deeply cared about Delilah, Parker & Lily, continuing to help them out.🧸
If you aren’t someone that usually loves friends to lovers or the accidental pregnancy trope I urge you to give this book a go! Personally I think it was done so well.
Overall, I highly recommend this book & thoroughly enjoyed reading it💙
Tropes:
💙 friends to lovers
💙 accidental pregnancy
💙secret baby
💙 baseball romance
💙 “it’s always been you”
May 3, 2024
Who doesn’t love a good sports romance?! This is my first ever ARC and I went into it not knowing what to expect, and I can say without a doubt that this blew all my expectations out of the water. I absolutely loved this book and I fell in love with Delilah and Parker’s story. As someone who has a really hard time letting her walls down and letting people in, I related to Del in more ways than I’d like to admit. Do yourself a favor and read this one when it comes out. I could NOT put it down.
June 5, 2024
3 ⭐️
This was way too long and dragged on. It’s accidental pregnancy and secret baby. But it doesn’t even show her going through her pregnancy. I get that it’s supposed to show time change and it skips to when she has her kid. But I just wanted to see more of that part.
Parker on the other hand, he has a filthy mouth 🫢😮💨
This was way too long and dragged on. It’s accidental pregnancy and secret baby. But it doesn’t even show her going through her pregnancy. I get that it’s supposed to show time change and it skips to when she has her kid. But I just wanted to see more of that part.
Parker on the other hand, he has a filthy mouth 🫢😮💨
May 15, 2024
ARC Review!
Short Blurb: Del and Parker have always been best friends. Parker was ready to admit that his feelings had progressed past friendship and Del allowed one single weekend before she ran from her feelings, only to find out that she pregnant and believed that Parker was not ready to be tied down. Little does Del know, Parker would do anything for her and their child.
My thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. One thing I really care about in the books I read is solid characterization and realistic interactions between the characters. That was what really sold me on this book. I loved Parker and Del so much because I could fully understand who they each were as a character. They were written so well that I easily empathized with their struggles and celebrated their victories.
I loved reading as the two of them faced their difficulties together as their relationship went from best friends to lovers. Parker is wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but Del absolutely had my heart this entire book. All y’all can have Parker for yourselves, Del is mine. I just wanted to be her best friend and give her a hug because she has so much going on in her mind that was so relatable!
There were a few very minor plot points that kept this from being a 5 star read for me, but overall I really enjoyed it and I CANNOT WAIT to read the next book in the series.
Thank you so much to Destiny Blake for the opportunity to read an ARC for this wonderful book 🥰🥰
Short Blurb: Del and Parker have always been best friends. Parker was ready to admit that his feelings had progressed past friendship and Del allowed one single weekend before she ran from her feelings, only to find out that she pregnant and believed that Parker was not ready to be tied down. Little does Del know, Parker would do anything for her and their child.
My thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. One thing I really care about in the books I read is solid characterization and realistic interactions between the characters. That was what really sold me on this book. I loved Parker and Del so much because I could fully understand who they each were as a character. They were written so well that I easily empathized with their struggles and celebrated their victories.
I loved reading as the two of them faced their difficulties together as their relationship went from best friends to lovers. Parker is wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but Del absolutely had my heart this entire book. All y’all can have Parker for yourselves, Del is mine. I just wanted to be her best friend and give her a hug because she has so much going on in her mind that was so relatable!
There were a few very minor plot points that kept this from being a 5 star read for me, but overall I really enjoyed it and I CANNOT WAIT to read the next book in the series.
Thank you so much to Destiny Blake for the opportunity to read an ARC for this wonderful book 🥰🥰
May 15, 2024
ARC Review:
I appreciate the opportunity to have read the ARC!
I enjoyed Parker and Delilah's relationship and getting to see them becoming parents. I love Parker's character deeply and wanted so badly to love this book, but I found that maybe this book just wasn't for me. There were too many plot points that were never addressed or resolved, and I found it frustrating. For example:
-what was so bad that the father did that it shaped and molded her to not tell the father of her child that she was pregnant because of the trauma caused?? Why is this never brought up past alluding to the potentially verbally abusive past?
-where did she get the tattoo? And how did they immediately get it on after (ouch)😂
-how did none of Parker's family see Lily or know Delilah was pregnant for 15 months when they clearly live in the same small town and can't avoid crossing paths at SOME point?
-why did they keep alluding to her needing and loving it rough but never having a rough spicy scene? Or is my spice radar that broken? 😬
I also can't get past the pregnancy trope where the father isn't told, nor is his entire family, for childish, petty, and petulant reasons, but everyone's cool with it and moves on. It's just unrealistic, and frankly, he should've been WAY more upset, and it just isn't for me.
I appreciate the opportunity to have read the ARC!
I enjoyed Parker and Delilah's relationship and getting to see them becoming parents. I love Parker's character deeply and wanted so badly to love this book, but I found that maybe this book just wasn't for me. There were too many plot points that were never addressed or resolved, and I found it frustrating. For example:
-what was so bad that the father did that it shaped and molded her to not tell the father of her child that she was pregnant because of the trauma caused?? Why is this never brought up past alluding to the potentially verbally abusive past?
-where did she get the tattoo? And how did they immediately get it on after (ouch)😂
-how did none of Parker's family see Lily or know Delilah was pregnant for 15 months when they clearly live in the same small town and can't avoid crossing paths at SOME point?
-why did they keep alluding to her needing and loving it rough but never having a rough spicy scene? Or is my spice radar that broken? 😬
I also can't get past the pregnancy trope where the father isn't told, nor is his entire family, for childish, petty, and petulant reasons, but everyone's cool with it and moves on. It's just unrealistic, and frankly, he should've been WAY more upset, and it just isn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
ARC Review:
I just want to hug Delilah and tell her that everything will be okay, and that she deserves love. Not everybody leaves and she should trust that people will stay because she’s worthy of staying. I also want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, telling her to just drop her walls and let him in! he loves you girl and deep down I know you know it.
Parker… keep doing what you’re doing. You’re the hottest girl dad out there.. and boyyy your dirty talk is top tier.
I just want to hug Delilah and tell her that everything will be okay, and that she deserves love. Not everybody leaves and she should trust that people will stay because she’s worthy of staying. I also want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, telling her to just drop her walls and let him in! he loves you girl and deep down I know you know it.
Parker… keep doing what you’re doing. You’re the hottest girl dad out there.. and boyyy your dirty talk is top tier.
May 11, 2024
Up in lights is a brand new series from debut author Destiny Blake, and let’s say she hit it out off the park!
This story is between two childhood best friends… Delilah and Parker story was absolutely incredible. They both have feelings for one another, that they haven’t crossed for many years. Until she visits Parker at one of his minor league games. One night changes everything for both of them. Delilah is a runner and doesn’t know what to do with these new found feelings/relationship. Parker on the other hand is all in. And he will do everything to prove to her they are meant to be. When Parker goes back to his small town after everything has happened things come out in the open. For one, the night in question had some consequences to a cute little bundle of joy. You’ll see them both navigate this new dynamic as parents. As well as navigating their careers.. It’s great to see how much everything transpire between these two. They are best friends first, and know everything about one another. It’s great to see the great support system they have with each other and their family. This story had so much love, happiness, laughs and so much more. I love this story so much, it had everything I love in a story.
Thank you Destiny for letting me read this amazing story. I can’t wait to read more of this world she has created.
Arc provided for honest review.
This story is between two childhood best friends… Delilah and Parker story was absolutely incredible. They both have feelings for one another, that they haven’t crossed for many years. Until she visits Parker at one of his minor league games. One night changes everything for both of them. Delilah is a runner and doesn’t know what to do with these new found feelings/relationship. Parker on the other hand is all in. And he will do everything to prove to her they are meant to be. When Parker goes back to his small town after everything has happened things come out in the open. For one, the night in question had some consequences to a cute little bundle of joy. You’ll see them both navigate this new dynamic as parents. As well as navigating their careers.. It’s great to see how much everything transpire between these two. They are best friends first, and know everything about one another. It’s great to see the great support system they have with each other and their family. This story had so much love, happiness, laughs and so much more. I love this story so much, it had everything I love in a story.
Thank you Destiny for letting me read this amazing story. I can’t wait to read more of this world she has created.
Arc provided for honest review.
May 19, 2024
This was such a great debut novel! The writing screams well established author and I’m just in awe!
I loved Delilah and Parker’s story! I loved seeing the character growth for each one of them as they made their way through life and worked on their careers. Seeing them reconnect and Parker jump right in to being a father was so sweet! 🥹
I felt as though their struggles were realistic which made them easier to relate to!
The side characters were amazing as well and I loved seeing the found family they created all together!
Overall, this was really good! I am excited to see what Destiny has next 💖☺️
I loved Delilah and Parker’s story! I loved seeing the character growth for each one of them as they made their way through life and worked on their careers. Seeing them reconnect and Parker jump right in to being a father was so sweet! 🥹
I felt as though their struggles were realistic which made them easier to relate to!
The side characters were amazing as well and I loved seeing the found family they created all together!
Overall, this was really good! I am excited to see what Destiny has next 💖☺️
May 7, 2024
Parker James is the moment. He deserves a standing ovation.
Parkers whole world has always surrounded around two things baseball and Delilah, that is until he became a dad. The interactions?? Precious!!! The smut??? 10/10 for this being an debut I’m completely and utterly obsessed? I cannot wait to read more in this universe 😍
Thank you for letting me read this as an arc, I loved it so much
What to expect:
☁️ Childhood friends to lovers
☁️ Secret baby
☁️ Baseball romance
☁️It's always been you
☁️ No 3rd act breakup
Parkers whole world has always surrounded around two things baseball and Delilah, that is until he became a dad. The interactions?? Precious!!! The smut??? 10/10 for this being an debut I’m completely and utterly obsessed? I cannot wait to read more in this universe 😍
Thank you for letting me read this as an arc, I loved it so much
What to expect:
☁️ Childhood friends to lovers
☁️ Secret baby
☁️ Baseball romance
☁️It's always been you
☁️ No 3rd act breakup
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review coming soon!!!
Review coming soon!!!
May 16, 2024
Friends to lovers isn't normally a trope that I go for, but I absolutely adored Del and Parker.
The beginning was very fast-paced. I actually liked that we jumped straight in.
Delilah and Parkers friendship is so lovely. Delilah finds it hard to believe that Parker is in love with her, even though he shows her in every way. I feel like this can be so common because of our own insecurities. Even though at times, I wanted to shout, stop it, he adores you! Parker slowly pulled her walls down, and I liked that he at times put her in her place 😂
Parker was perfect. He always tried to do what was best for Delilah and Lily (their daughter). Parker was an amazing Dad to Lily, and they shared some really cute moments.
I loved the banter between Delilah and Parker. I also loved Delilahs Grandma. She was my favourite side character 😂
Parkers found family with his teammates, and their wives were the best, and I can not wait to see more of them.
The beginning was very fast-paced. I actually liked that we jumped straight in.
Delilah and Parkers friendship is so lovely. Delilah finds it hard to believe that Parker is in love with her, even though he shows her in every way. I feel like this can be so common because of our own insecurities. Even though at times, I wanted to shout, stop it, he adores you! Parker slowly pulled her walls down, and I liked that he at times put her in her place 😂
Parker was perfect. He always tried to do what was best for Delilah and Lily (their daughter). Parker was an amazing Dad to Lily, and they shared some really cute moments.
I loved the banter between Delilah and Parker. I also loved Delilahs Grandma. She was my favourite side character 😂
Parkers found family with his teammates, and their wives were the best, and I can not wait to see more of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2024
Okay this book has all my favorite tropes:
-Best friends to lovers (they hate each other too)
-Accidental Pregnancy
-Second Chance
-Black Cat but he is a German Shephard
Ever since DESTINY announced the tropes, I was feral for them and this book was as perfect as it could me.
I kind of didnt like fmc at certain point but I stayed in this book for the mc. The story and how they reconnected again was amazing to see.
I want to thank Destiny for the ARC.
-Best friends to lovers (they hate each other too)
-Accidental Pregnancy
-Second Chance
-Black Cat but he is a German Shephard
Ever since DESTINY announced the tropes, I was feral for them and this book was as perfect as it could me.
I kind of didnt like fmc at certain point but I stayed in this book for the mc. The story and how they reconnected again was amazing to see.
I want to thank Destiny for the ARC.
June 7, 2024
4 ⭐️ 's
First: I absolutely loved the dedication of this book. One of the best I've seen. It actually made me a bit teary, and I'm not a cryer.
Second: This is one of the prettiest books I've seen. I've never had a book that had printed pages like this one. I also loved how the first page of the chapter changed its background for who's POV it was from. Very well thought out and very pretty.
Third: I really liked the plot of this book, it was also nice to have a baseball theme. And the spice was nice.🍑
I did wish we got a bit more from Parker once all was revealed. I feel like he didn't have much of a reaction. I was a bit confused that we didn't get a full explanation of their communication was mixed up and how he didn't know.
_______________
I got to meet Destiny at a release signing, and from our short conversation I could tell she put a lot of her self into this book. IE: how Del was a romance writer and used a pen name because of people's judgment etc. BTW , people who hate are just jealous. 😤
My copy is signed, it's ok to be jealous...📖
I'm interested in how book 2 will go. I've got a theory in mind for Holly.
PS. If I can get the book chosen for book club what will it take to get you to come ? ❤️
First: I absolutely loved the dedication of this book. One of the best I've seen. It actually made me a bit teary, and I'm not a cryer.
Second: This is one of the prettiest books I've seen. I've never had a book that had printed pages like this one. I also loved how the first page of the chapter changed its background for who's POV it was from. Very well thought out and very pretty.
Third: I really liked the plot of this book, it was also nice to have a baseball theme. And the spice was nice.🍑
I did wish we got a bit more from Parker once all was revealed. I feel like he didn't have much of a reaction. I was a bit confused that we didn't get a full explanation of their communication was mixed up and how he didn't know.
_______________
I got to meet Destiny at a release signing, and from our short conversation I could tell she put a lot of her self into this book. IE: how Del was a romance writer and used a pen name because of people's judgment etc. BTW , people who hate are just jealous. 😤
My copy is signed, it's ok to be jealous...📖
I'm interested in how book 2 will go. I've got a theory in mind for Holly.
PS. If I can get the book chosen for book club what will it take to get you to come ? ❤️
July 3, 2024
**ARC Review**
Quick Synopsis:
Delilah Howard knows how to write about love; but when it comes to reality, she runs. Usually, she’s running straight to her best friend, but this time it’s Mr. Best Friend himself – Parker James – that has her running after an amazing, and surprising, night in his hotel room.
After 15-months of silence due to anxieties & misunderstandings, the two are now face to face in their small Iowa hometown. Now Parker is set on proving to Del that her worries of “everyone always leave” don’t apply to him and that the two of them are end game.
My Thoughts:
The reconnecting! The banter! The oh so sweet words from Parker James (aka LOML)! The romcom references!! The dirty talk!!! The constant, mutual reassurance! All of it made for a great debut from this author!
There were some moments it started to feel a bit drawn out to me, but that's probably because friends to lovers isn't my usual go-to trope. There's a lot of emotions and fears between our two main characters so it makes sense story wise that it took a while to break all the walls down. I definitely think this will be a hit for anyone who loves a thiccccc romance book between two characters that really encompass the meaning of “it’s always been you”.
Character Thoughts:
Delilah Howard – oh man the number of times I wanted to shake here & yell “HE HAS SHOWN HE LOVES YOU 100 TIMES WHY DON’T YOU BELIEVE IT!?” was, well, a lot. But when I really thought about it, the reason I was so aggravated with all the second-guessing was because Del is me. I am her. I 100% run when things feel “too good”. My anxieties always tell me it won’t last; that people will come to realize I’m not worth it. So, for me – Del’s story was like looking in a mirror. Did it make it hard for me to love Del 100% of the time? Yes. Because I don’t always love me 100% of the time. But mainly, it just made me want to hug her… and me.
Now, if I had myself a Parker James – I too would eventually let my walls down & open up my heart to the truth that there is a HEA for me, just like Delilah did. Parker is quite simply the best boyfriend & baby daddy out there! A hug from his strong arms & a kiss from his dirty talking lips would probably solve all my problems (no, seriously... where is my irl Parker?!) The way he eagerly jumped straight into dad mode & future-husband mode, was so freaking precious. Parker James, you deserve all the awards!
Favorite Things
-Parker James
-dirty talk
-adorable family moments
-good friend group
-great connection/friendship to lovers chemistry
My Wishes
We tended to jump from some scenes very quickly/abruptly and it would leave me feeling like I missed out on moments that would have added more context/understanding to character's actions & feelings. I would have also liked to have the immediate reactions after that first hotel night from both Del and Parker - he is her best friend and yet Del still ran, and didn’t respond to any texts/calls for a month? It made me more hesitant to understand her side regarding Lilly. Lastly, in the beginning it seems like Parker implies (& Del admits) that Del is wanting more of a spicy sex life (a little pain and degradation maybe), but then that didn't really lead anywhere.
Overall, this was a great debut, & I cannot wait to see what Destiny writes next. The characters we met with the Seattle group have me eager for future romances!
*Thank you, Destiny, for the opportunity to read your debut novel early!*
Quick Synopsis:
Delilah Howard knows how to write about love; but when it comes to reality, she runs. Usually, she’s running straight to her best friend, but this time it’s Mr. Best Friend himself – Parker James – that has her running after an amazing, and surprising, night in his hotel room.
After 15-months of silence due to anxieties & misunderstandings, the two are now face to face in their small Iowa hometown. Now Parker is set on proving to Del that her worries of “everyone always leave” don’t apply to him and that the two of them are end game.
My Thoughts:
The reconnecting! The banter! The oh so sweet words from Parker James (aka LOML)! The romcom references!! The dirty talk!!! The constant, mutual reassurance! All of it made for a great debut from this author!
There were some moments it started to feel a bit drawn out to me, but that's probably because friends to lovers isn't my usual go-to trope. There's a lot of emotions and fears between our two main characters so it makes sense story wise that it took a while to break all the walls down. I definitely think this will be a hit for anyone who loves a thiccccc romance book between two characters that really encompass the meaning of “it’s always been you”.
Character Thoughts:
Delilah Howard – oh man the number of times I wanted to shake here & yell “HE HAS SHOWN HE LOVES YOU 100 TIMES WHY DON’T YOU BELIEVE IT!?” was, well, a lot. But when I really thought about it, the reason I was so aggravated with all the second-guessing was because Del is me. I am her. I 100% run when things feel “too good”. My anxieties always tell me it won’t last; that people will come to realize I’m not worth it. So, for me – Del’s story was like looking in a mirror. Did it make it hard for me to love Del 100% of the time? Yes. Because I don’t always love me 100% of the time. But mainly, it just made me want to hug her… and me.
Now, if I had myself a Parker James – I too would eventually let my walls down & open up my heart to the truth that there is a HEA for me, just like Delilah did. Parker is quite simply the best boyfriend & baby daddy out there! A hug from his strong arms & a kiss from his dirty talking lips would probably solve all my problems (no, seriously... where is my irl Parker?!) The way he eagerly jumped straight into dad mode & future-husband mode, was so freaking precious. Parker James, you deserve all the awards!
Favorite Things
-Parker James
-dirty talk
-adorable family moments
-good friend group
-great connection/friendship to lovers chemistry
My Wishes
We tended to jump from some scenes very quickly/abruptly and it would leave me feeling like I missed out on moments that would have added more context/understanding to character's actions & feelings. I would have also liked to have the immediate reactions after that first hotel night from both Del and Parker - he is her best friend and yet Del still ran, and didn’t respond to any texts/calls for a month? It made me more hesitant to understand her side regarding Lilly. Lastly, in the beginning it seems like Parker implies (& Del admits) that Del is wanting more of a spicy sex life (a little pain and degradation maybe), but then that didn't really lead anywhere.
Overall, this was a great debut, & I cannot wait to see what Destiny writes next. The characters we met with the Seattle group have me eager for future romances!
*Thank you, Destiny, for the opportunity to read your debut novel early!*
September 14, 2024
Up in Lights is the first book in the City Lights, Rainy Nights series, but it can be read as a standalone.
I actually love the accidental pregnancy trope, so I was excited to read this. But I don’t feel like it was done well, in this case.
Parker was super sweet and caring, and it was obvious he had feelings for Delilah. I loved seeing how dedicated he was to being in his child’s (Lily’s) life once he found out about her. And the way he was with Delilah was so cute.
I just wanted more of their friendship, I guess. And there just seemed to be a lot of missing information.
Anyway, this was still a fun read. It’s the author’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here.
I actually love the accidental pregnancy trope, so I was excited to read this. But I don’t feel like it was done well, in this case.
Parker was super sweet and caring, and it was obvious he had feelings for Delilah. I loved seeing how dedicated he was to being in his child’s (Lily’s) life once he found out about her. And the way he was with Delilah was so cute.
I just wanted more of their friendship, I guess. And there just seemed to be a lot of missing information.
Anyway, this was still a fun read. It’s the author’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here.
June 3, 2024
🩷ARC Review 🩷
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨the fun stuff
🩵small town romance
🩵dual POV
🩵pro baseball player x secret author fmc
🩵childhood friends to lovers
🩵secret baby
🩵possessive and protective mmc
🩵found family
✨the 4-1-1
you’ve heard the saying - never mix business with family. Too bad for me, my best friend has the same rule about friendships and love. I’m playing baseball in the minors and having the season of my life when Delilah shows up in the stands, looking like my idea of salvation. She’s the embodiment of perfection in cut-off shorts and my t-shirt, but her presence can only mean one thing. I know what I want and it’s not to be the shoulder she cries on before getting into another relationship. I know there’s no one in the world that will protect her heart the way I could. Del has always been a runner, except this time, i’m the one to send her sprinting. But actions - even those made out of love - have consequences. When I come home 15 months later, I find out our consequence is six-months-old and has my eyes. Del has secrets and I have a career across the country surrounded by friends who feel like family. Now i’m the starting pitcher for the Seattle Tempests in the major leagues. I’m no rookie and I’m ready for exactly what I want. Too bad for Delilah, my mind is set on her. Our chemistry exploded in the darkness of our hotel room that weekend, but can we make it work with both of our names up in lights?
✨my chaotic thoughts✨
Firstly, big thanks to Destiny for the opportunity to read Up in Lights, in exchange for an honest and fair review!
I am really loving the whole baseball romance sub genre lately! Parker and Delilah’s foundational friendship was written so so well, and i’m just in love with those two!
Parker is just the perfect amount of possessive MMC, obsessed with her simp that I need in my life! I have to touch on the whole miscommunication line because anyone who knows me knows I absolutely despise this in a book!!! - but that was not the case here. There were times where the back and forth missed communication irked me, but it also made sense and forwarded the plot. I truly just wanted to hug Delilah with everything in my being.
This was overall a great read and i’m excited to see more from this author in the (hopefully near) future!!!
Read Up in Lights today!! 🩷https://a.co/d/gdtTrUx
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨the fun stuff
🩵small town romance
🩵dual POV
🩵pro baseball player x secret author fmc
🩵childhood friends to lovers
🩵secret baby
🩵possessive and protective mmc
🩵found family
✨the 4-1-1
you’ve heard the saying - never mix business with family. Too bad for me, my best friend has the same rule about friendships and love. I’m playing baseball in the minors and having the season of my life when Delilah shows up in the stands, looking like my idea of salvation. She’s the embodiment of perfection in cut-off shorts and my t-shirt, but her presence can only mean one thing. I know what I want and it’s not to be the shoulder she cries on before getting into another relationship. I know there’s no one in the world that will protect her heart the way I could. Del has always been a runner, except this time, i’m the one to send her sprinting. But actions - even those made out of love - have consequences. When I come home 15 months later, I find out our consequence is six-months-old and has my eyes. Del has secrets and I have a career across the country surrounded by friends who feel like family. Now i’m the starting pitcher for the Seattle Tempests in the major leagues. I’m no rookie and I’m ready for exactly what I want. Too bad for Delilah, my mind is set on her. Our chemistry exploded in the darkness of our hotel room that weekend, but can we make it work with both of our names up in lights?
✨my chaotic thoughts✨
Firstly, big thanks to Destiny for the opportunity to read Up in Lights, in exchange for an honest and fair review!
I am really loving the whole baseball romance sub genre lately! Parker and Delilah’s foundational friendship was written so so well, and i’m just in love with those two!
Parker is just the perfect amount of possessive MMC, obsessed with her simp that I need in my life! I have to touch on the whole miscommunication line because anyone who knows me knows I absolutely despise this in a book!!! - but that was not the case here. There were times where the back and forth missed communication irked me, but it also made sense and forwarded the plot. I truly just wanted to hug Delilah with everything in my being.
This was overall a great read and i’m excited to see more from this author in the (hopefully near) future!!!
Read Up in Lights today!! 🩷https://a.co/d/gdtTrUx
May 15, 2024
It's so rare that I enjoy an ARC for a debut novel as much as I loved this. I am such a sucker from a friends to lovers with a second chance trope!
After Delilah walks in on her boyfriend in bed with his secretary, she packs a bag and goes off to see her best friend Parker, who plays in the Minors. After finding out what happened, Parker decides he's done waiting for her and finally tells her how much he wants to be with her. After a bang filled weekend, Del doesn't know how to process the change in their relationship and ghosts him. After six weeks of trying to contact her, Parker gives up and he plays the first game in the MLB. Del watches his post game interview, where he's asked if he has kids, and tells the world that he doesn't want that yet - just as Del has finds out she's pregnant.
18 months later - after an injury forces Parker to finish the season early, he decides to return home for the break and it's time to get his girl back. He's done allowing Del to ignore him and he's done waiting for her. After a tension filled run in, he finds out the secret she's been keeping from him.
Can Parker break through Del's walls and convince her he's here forever?
I fell in love with Delilah within the first few pages, relating to her 'what if' thoughts so much, I loved that she changed those into ideas for her books. I felt so much for her, her thinking that she's not worthy of anyone staying or that she will only ever write about people falling in love and never experience it herself.
Parker is an absolute gem - the way he is obsessed with Del and has always loved her (choosing Buffalo so she can be in Boston 🥹). He even reads the books she reads and add his highlights (and by reading her highlights this is how he knows what she is really wants in the bedroom)!
There are so many parts in this book that made me tear up, which I wasn't expecting. I was rooting for them to be together - they make the cutest family and watching Parker jump in head first and be the best girl dad was so special.
The found family they have is also so great. They have such a special friendship group. I can't wait for Holly's book!
Thank you Destiny for this ARC!
After Delilah walks in on her boyfriend in bed with his secretary, she packs a bag and goes off to see her best friend Parker, who plays in the Minors. After finding out what happened, Parker decides he's done waiting for her and finally tells her how much he wants to be with her. After a bang filled weekend, Del doesn't know how to process the change in their relationship and ghosts him. After six weeks of trying to contact her, Parker gives up and he plays the first game in the MLB. Del watches his post game interview, where he's asked if he has kids, and tells the world that he doesn't want that yet - just as Del has finds out she's pregnant.
18 months later - after an injury forces Parker to finish the season early, he decides to return home for the break and it's time to get his girl back. He's done allowing Del to ignore him and he's done waiting for her. After a tension filled run in, he finds out the secret she's been keeping from him.
Can Parker break through Del's walls and convince her he's here forever?
I fell in love with Delilah within the first few pages, relating to her 'what if' thoughts so much, I loved that she changed those into ideas for her books. I felt so much for her, her thinking that she's not worthy of anyone staying or that she will only ever write about people falling in love and never experience it herself.
Parker is an absolute gem - the way he is obsessed with Del and has always loved her (choosing Buffalo so she can be in Boston 🥹). He even reads the books she reads and add his highlights (and by reading her highlights this is how he knows what she is really wants in the bedroom)!
There are so many parts in this book that made me tear up, which I wasn't expecting. I was rooting for them to be together - they make the cutest family and watching Parker jump in head first and be the best girl dad was so special.
The found family they have is also so great. They have such a special friendship group. I can't wait for Holly's book!
Thank you Destiny for this ARC!
May 11, 2024
I felt a connection with the protagonist that went beyond the pages.The clever chapter title, “Life is not a highway. It’s an airport strip,” immediately resonated with me, affirming my belief that life is a series of arrivals and departures, not just a straight drive.
And there’s Parker—my heart swelled for him. Parker, the childhood friend who has been by Delilah’s side since they were kids, was a character I couldn’t help but adore. His unwavering support for Delilah, coupled with his own aspirations to become a famous pitcher, was incredibly inspiring. It was a reminder that dreams nurtured from a young age can indeed flourish. He’s also the jock with a heart, borrowing Del’s steamy reads and always game to bring those pages to life. Cue the giggles!
Parker’s love for Delilah is the kind that’s pure and unwavering, the sort that starts in the innocence of youth and grows deeper with every shared experience. It’s the kind of love story that makes you believe in the magic of childhood connections turning into lifelong partnerships. As I turned each page, I found myself rooting for them, for their happiness, and for the family they were building together with little Lily.
Destiny’s novel is a testament to the enduring power of love and dreams. It’s a story that captures the essence of aspirations—balancing personal desires with professional ambitions, all while navigating the complexities of relationships. It’s a book that’s not just about finding love but also about rediscovering it in the most unexpected ways. The spice level in the book? Absolutely sizzling. And the found family that Parker has in Seattle? It’s the kind of supportive and loving community that everyone longs for. For a first-time author, Destiny has penned a novel that feels like a warm hug from a long-lost friend, and it’s one I’ll be raving about for a long time.
🌶🌶🌶
Huge thanks to Destiny for giving me an opportunity to provide me with this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
And there’s Parker—my heart swelled for him. Parker, the childhood friend who has been by Delilah’s side since they were kids, was a character I couldn’t help but adore. His unwavering support for Delilah, coupled with his own aspirations to become a famous pitcher, was incredibly inspiring. It was a reminder that dreams nurtured from a young age can indeed flourish. He’s also the jock with a heart, borrowing Del’s steamy reads and always game to bring those pages to life. Cue the giggles!
Parker’s love for Delilah is the kind that’s pure and unwavering, the sort that starts in the innocence of youth and grows deeper with every shared experience. It’s the kind of love story that makes you believe in the magic of childhood connections turning into lifelong partnerships. As I turned each page, I found myself rooting for them, for their happiness, and for the family they were building together with little Lily.
Destiny’s novel is a testament to the enduring power of love and dreams. It’s a story that captures the essence of aspirations—balancing personal desires with professional ambitions, all while navigating the complexities of relationships. It’s a book that’s not just about finding love but also about rediscovering it in the most unexpected ways. The spice level in the book? Absolutely sizzling. And the found family that Parker has in Seattle? It’s the kind of supportive and loving community that everyone longs for. For a first-time author, Destiny has penned a novel that feels like a warm hug from a long-lost friend, and it’s one I’ll be raving about for a long time.
🌶🌶🌶
Huge thanks to Destiny for giving me an opportunity to provide me with this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
May 3, 2024
Overall I really did enjoy this book, even if Delilah was a bit frustrating at times. I really did like Parker’s character though. He really was all in with Delilah and made that apparent.
I will say I find it odd that Roe is supposedly a small town but not once in 15 months did Parker’s family see Delilah while pregnant or see Lily? Or no one talked about her being pregnant or having a kid that would have gotten back to them and therefore back to Parker? It was a little hard to suspend the disbelief there. One other thing that I wasn’t a huge fan of was the degradation, it’s not heavy or anything but also not my thing at all. This book is pretty heavy on the spice, which for the most part was good. It also starts fairly early though there isn’t much going on for a bit after they reunite.
Delilah was frustrating mainly because Parker made it so apparent he wanted her for the long haul, but she was still acting like she had no idea what he wanted. Both of them could have communicated a lot better imo. But Parker was still much better at it than Delilah. Parker was super supportive of Delilah, and even when she was keeping things from him he held strong to how he felt about her. It was apparent from the beginning he wanted to be all in with her. And I understand she has hangups because of her dad, and there needed to be some conflict, she didn’t need to be the source of all of it.
Other things I really like was the friend group that Parker had in Seattle. Parker really did find a nice group to help support him. I also really liked that neither of the characters with others after being together in the beginning. I also like how the pregnancy was dealt with, so we could still like Parker.
Despite my qualms I honestly did enjoy the book and story. Most of the characters are really good and I do look forward to their stories.
I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.
I will say I find it odd that Roe is supposedly a small town but not once in 15 months did Parker’s family see Delilah while pregnant or see Lily? Or no one talked about her being pregnant or having a kid that would have gotten back to them and therefore back to Parker? It was a little hard to suspend the disbelief there. One other thing that I wasn’t a huge fan of was the degradation, it’s not heavy or anything but also not my thing at all. This book is pretty heavy on the spice, which for the most part was good. It also starts fairly early though there isn’t much going on for a bit after they reunite.
Delilah was frustrating mainly because Parker made it so apparent he wanted her for the long haul, but she was still acting like she had no idea what he wanted. Both of them could have communicated a lot better imo. But Parker was still much better at it than Delilah. Parker was super supportive of Delilah, and even when she was keeping things from him he held strong to how he felt about her. It was apparent from the beginning he wanted to be all in with her. And I understand she has hangups because of her dad, and there needed to be some conflict, she didn’t need to be the source of all of it.
Other things I really like was the friend group that Parker had in Seattle. Parker really did find a nice group to help support him. I also really liked that neither of the characters with others after being together in the beginning. I also like how the pregnancy was dealt with, so we could still like Parker.
Despite my qualms I honestly did enjoy the book and story. Most of the characters are really good and I do look forward to their stories.
I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 7, 2024
This was a fun book for a debut author! If you love Taylor swift and cinnamon role MMC’s then definitely give this book a shot!
3.75 ⭐️ 3/5 🌶️
I loved both Delilah and Parker’s characters and while I’m not someone who typically goes for the friends to lovers trope I really did enjoy it here! What I loved most was how equal the MC’s were to each other, no unbalanced power dynamics, Parker is a MLB player and Delilah is an author! There were fun pop culture references and even book related references that made me smile and ladies Parker is a true gem because he reads his girls favorite books and the spice is great because of it!!
At times while the story made sense, many of the details felt confusing or forgotten. They felt as though they were mentioned for a reason but then never followed through or were followed by conflicting events. For example (non spoiler) they were sneaking into his parents house for tape one night trying to not get caught but then mention they knew no one would be home? Nothing over the top detrimental but it happened enough that I had to flip back pages to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. Additionally this is an accidental pregnancy book and yet it lasted for one sentence. This was more in line with a secret child/second chance romance but I would have loved to expand on the pregnancy. The first 20% of the book happened so fast just to set the scene and there was a ton of great content that was completely skipped over sadly.
I did enjoy how this book ended and I am very curious about what may happen in book 2! Thank you Destiny Blake for an advanced reader copy of Up in Lights!
3.75 ⭐️ 3/5 🌶️
I loved both Delilah and Parker’s characters and while I’m not someone who typically goes for the friends to lovers trope I really did enjoy it here! What I loved most was how equal the MC’s were to each other, no unbalanced power dynamics, Parker is a MLB player and Delilah is an author! There were fun pop culture references and even book related references that made me smile and ladies Parker is a true gem because he reads his girls favorite books and the spice is great because of it!!
At times while the story made sense, many of the details felt confusing or forgotten. They felt as though they were mentioned for a reason but then never followed through or were followed by conflicting events. For example (non spoiler) they were sneaking into his parents house for tape one night trying to not get caught but then mention they knew no one would be home? Nothing over the top detrimental but it happened enough that I had to flip back pages to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. Additionally this is an accidental pregnancy book and yet it lasted for one sentence. This was more in line with a secret child/second chance romance but I would have loved to expand on the pregnancy. The first 20% of the book happened so fast just to set the scene and there was a ton of great content that was completely skipped over sadly.
I did enjoy how this book ended and I am very curious about what may happen in book 2! Thank you Destiny Blake for an advanced reader copy of Up in Lights!
May 15, 2024
I was so excited to get and read this author’s debut novel. I have not read many baseball romances or accidental pregnancy books but I loved and enjoyed the experience of reading this book so much 🥰🫶.
This book follows Delilah and Parker who are childhood best friends who have always had a connection and tells the story about how they fall in love and finally admit their feelings for each other.
Delilah was such an amazing character to read about and I really understood her feelings about being scared to take a chance on her passions. I really felt for her and all the struggles she had been through in her life and how she overcame them. She was such an amazing mom and she really tried her best to overcome some of the insecurities she had about her career and relationship. I loved her and Parker’s relationship even when they were just friends and how it revolves over time
Parker was such an amazing friend and partner to Delilah and I was obsessed. He really did his best to show and make her believe that she’s the one and his been in love with her for a long time. I loved the way he made sure that he expressed love to her through her love language which was physical touch. I really admired how Parker made sure Delilah and Lily were taken care of and protected and how passionate he was about pursuing his career in baseball. I also loved how he made it clear that nothing could get in the way of relationship even baseball.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book and I am excited to read the next book in the series
Thank you so much Destiny Blake for allowing me to be part of your ARC team and read your debut novel.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
This book follows Delilah and Parker who are childhood best friends who have always had a connection and tells the story about how they fall in love and finally admit their feelings for each other.
Delilah was such an amazing character to read about and I really understood her feelings about being scared to take a chance on her passions. I really felt for her and all the struggles she had been through in her life and how she overcame them. She was such an amazing mom and she really tried her best to overcome some of the insecurities she had about her career and relationship. I loved her and Parker’s relationship even when they were just friends and how it revolves over time
Parker was such an amazing friend and partner to Delilah and I was obsessed. He really did his best to show and make her believe that she’s the one and his been in love with her for a long time. I loved the way he made sure that he expressed love to her through her love language which was physical touch. I really admired how Parker made sure Delilah and Lily were taken care of and protected and how passionate he was about pursuing his career in baseball. I also loved how he made it clear that nothing could get in the way of relationship even baseball.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book and I am excited to read the next book in the series
Thank you so much Destiny Blake for allowing me to be part of your ARC team and read your debut novel.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
May 26, 2024
Delilah Howard a very guarded but feisty independent smart woman whose childhood best friend Parker James just so happens to be a professional baseball player that has a “bad boy” image in the public eye. It has always been a cat and mouse game growing up with these two, but the moment they finally gave in to temptation for a weekend Delilah soon finds out she’s expecting. Just one of the secrets she decided to keep from him until Parker returns home to later find out he has a daughter.
Being able to read and experience the relationship and love these two have for each other was something I had no idea I needed. It was such a beautiful heartwarming romance that I soon quickly forgot this was a debut novel (still trying to wrap my head around cause it was that good!). The way the characters worked through there differences for their little family just tugged at my heart. Parker is literally my new favorite book boyfriend and I just need someone to direct me where these type of men can be located.
The spice was literally perfect! It was in all the right moments, and there was just enough where it didn’t overpower the story. The truck scene and the shower scene were just 🥵🔥.. It was like a nice little bonus. I did catch myself getting a little emotional at times and I just feel it was because I was so invested. I would definitely recommend and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out!
Being able to read and experience the relationship and love these two have for each other was something I had no idea I needed. It was such a beautiful heartwarming romance that I soon quickly forgot this was a debut novel (still trying to wrap my head around cause it was that good!). The way the characters worked through there differences for their little family just tugged at my heart. Parker is literally my new favorite book boyfriend and I just need someone to direct me where these type of men can be located.
The spice was literally perfect! It was in all the right moments, and there was just enough where it didn’t overpower the story. The truck scene and the shower scene were just 🥵🔥.. It was like a nice little bonus. I did catch myself getting a little emotional at times and I just feel it was because I was so invested. I would definitely recommend and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out!
June 9, 2024
"You're my best friend, but I love you like I want every second of time that you're willing to give me. Every bit of you that you'll let me have."
I absolutely LOVED this book! I was hooked from the very first page - and I found myself staying up way too late at night, getting lost in this story.
Delilah and Parker are childhood best friends. They both had feelings for one another, but never crossed that line. Until one weekend, certain events send Del running to Parker - where they find themselves crossing that line.
Unsure of the feelings and change to their relationship, it sends Del running again back to their small town - and Parker let her go. But he's not the only one to make a mistake, Del is keeping her secrets too. 15 months later, Parker finds himself back home, and after running into Delilah he learns of a big secret she's been keeping from him.
I really don't want to give away any of the plot details because this was just such a good read. I loved Parker and Del's story, how they navigated through their feelings, and I found Del very relatable. Ohhh and because Sweet Home Alabama is by far my most favourite movie, the references to that movie just had me super hooked. I felt all the emotions throughout this book. Also, the chapter titles were everything! Just do yourselves a favour and give this book a read! I'll be raving about this one for a while.
Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely LOVED this book! I was hooked from the very first page - and I found myself staying up way too late at night, getting lost in this story.
Delilah and Parker are childhood best friends. They both had feelings for one another, but never crossed that line. Until one weekend, certain events send Del running to Parker - where they find themselves crossing that line.
Unsure of the feelings and change to their relationship, it sends Del running again back to their small town - and Parker let her go. But he's not the only one to make a mistake, Del is keeping her secrets too. 15 months later, Parker finds himself back home, and after running into Delilah he learns of a big secret she's been keeping from him.
I really don't want to give away any of the plot details because this was just such a good read. I loved Parker and Del's story, how they navigated through their feelings, and I found Del very relatable. Ohhh and because Sweet Home Alabama is by far my most favourite movie, the references to that movie just had me super hooked. I felt all the emotions throughout this book. Also, the chapter titles were everything! Just do yourselves a favour and give this book a read! I'll be raving about this one for a while.
Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 15, 2024
~ Friends to Lovers
~ Accidental pregnancy/ Secret baby
~ Always been you
4.5/5
✨ My thoughts ✨
I am kinda obsessed. This story had me hooked from the start. The story felt so real. I know that accidental pregnancy is not everyone's favorite but this one was done so well. It is definitely worth the read. Delilah's story was really beautiful to read. I enjoyed her determination and her strength. She also felt so relatable too. I really connected with a lot of her feelings. Parker is an absolute dream. If I could think of a dream book, boyfriend parker would be on that list. He is sweet and understanding. He also protects what is his as well. Plus the mouth he has on him.... so so yummy. I really like seeing them grow together and learn from each other. The growth they had felt genuine. The banter in this book had me giggling and blushing. I love how this takes place in a small town. I enjoyed the side characters too. This is also a baseball romance and I am excited to see what comes next in this world. I really can't recommend this one enough.
Up in lights is book one in the City Lights, Rainy Nights series. It is a standalone. This is also Destiny's debut novel. It is recommended to 18+. As always please check TW before reading.
✨ I want to thank Destiny for this earc of this book. These are my own true thoughts ✨
~ Accidental pregnancy/ Secret baby
~ Always been you
4.5/5
✨ My thoughts ✨
I am kinda obsessed. This story had me hooked from the start. The story felt so real. I know that accidental pregnancy is not everyone's favorite but this one was done so well. It is definitely worth the read. Delilah's story was really beautiful to read. I enjoyed her determination and her strength. She also felt so relatable too. I really connected with a lot of her feelings. Parker is an absolute dream. If I could think of a dream book, boyfriend parker would be on that list. He is sweet and understanding. He also protects what is his as well. Plus the mouth he has on him.... so so yummy. I really like seeing them grow together and learn from each other. The growth they had felt genuine. The banter in this book had me giggling and blushing. I love how this takes place in a small town. I enjoyed the side characters too. This is also a baseball romance and I am excited to see what comes next in this world. I really can't recommend this one enough.
Up in lights is book one in the City Lights, Rainy Nights series. It is a standalone. This is also Destiny's debut novel. It is recommended to 18+. As always please check TW before reading.
✨ I want to thank Destiny for this earc of this book. These are my own true thoughts ✨
May 4, 2024
screaming. crying. throwing up. y’all i ATE this book up and left no crumbs. if you know me at all, you know I love me a good surprise pregnancy trope and this one was amazing. PLUS it’s a sport romance ugh y’all seriously im in love with everything about this book. Parker and Delilah’s chemistry was off the charts and usually I’m not a fan of friends to lovers but this one may be changing my mind. it was beautiful to see their relationship change from friendship love to relationship love.
Parker James…this man is definitely book boyfriend material and I love him with all my heart. the way he is there for his girls made my heart melt and the mouth on this man made my cheeks blush. and our main girl Delilah, I loved her take no shit attitude and the love she had for those she cared about. the development she went through from beginning to end was beautiful to read. and these two as parents…ADORABLE.
i think the one of the things i loved most about this book is that we got to see their hometown life with their family along with their city life with their friends turned family. the two families all being friends was so heartwarming because it gave us glimpses of them as kids. and their friends in the city are my absolute favorite. Jo is a girls girl and we love her. and Brett and Peter are the ultimate bromance friends. honestly if we don’t get Brett and Peter’s books i will run into the ocean (and i hate the ocean).
Parker James…this man is definitely book boyfriend material and I love him with all my heart. the way he is there for his girls made my heart melt and the mouth on this man made my cheeks blush. and our main girl Delilah, I loved her take no shit attitude and the love she had for those she cared about. the development she went through from beginning to end was beautiful to read. and these two as parents…ADORABLE.
i think the one of the things i loved most about this book is that we got to see their hometown life with their family along with their city life with their friends turned family. the two families all being friends was so heartwarming because it gave us glimpses of them as kids. and their friends in the city are my absolute favorite. Jo is a girls girl and we love her. and Brett and Peter are the ultimate bromance friends. honestly if we don’t get Brett and Peter’s books i will run into the ocean (and i hate the ocean).
May 15, 2024
I loved this story so much, the people, the side characters, the moments! The first few chapters literally hurt my heart, I love the way everything came together and how trustworthy Parker is, with everything he does. I'm not really a flower enthusiast but it was so nice to see how Blake used them to interpret some of their feelings and emotions and it just tied something in the story together.
Their family is so adorable and everyone is so supportive, it's just beautiful to see. I love their friends, especially Jo, that woman is unhinged in the best way!
I'm not the biggest fan of the friends to lovers trope, and I'm so glad that wasn't super focused on, it was definitely an important aspect of the past but this was more like 'their story' after all the years.
*baby spoilers*
Can we just .. the fact that she named herself 'James' when she had the world to choose from is just perfect.
Lily's attachment to everyone and her cutie face is also just perfect. And Peter not giving up on Lottie had to be my favorite side thing, those 2 definitely need a story!
*big spoiler*
That proposal was the most perfect thing, it was so cheesy but it fit their vibe so well that I can't even be pissed at at how cheesy it was.
Super excited for Holly's story, I feel like it's gonna be with the kid that Parker hates, that just makes sense in my head. And Brett's story, can't wait to see what Blake comes up with in the future!
"Every girl wants to be loved like Landon loved Jamie"
"How you can think you want something so bad and then you get it and it's great and perfect [...] but it’s just not the same without… the people you love [...] Dreams take sacrifice to come true [...] but at some point, you begin to wonder if what you’re doing has any meaning.”
"Life gets in the way sometimes and makes it hard to remember the reasons love is worth the fight.”
"Falling in love with your best friend meant there were years of memories behind every gift, every gesture"
Thank you so much to Destiny Blake for an ARC of this amazing book (it was my first hehe)
Their family is so adorable and everyone is so supportive, it's just beautiful to see. I love their friends, especially Jo, that woman is unhinged in the best way!
I'm not the biggest fan of the friends to lovers trope, and I'm so glad that wasn't super focused on, it was definitely an important aspect of the past but this was more like 'their story' after all the years.
*baby spoilers*
Can we just .. the fact that she named herself 'James' when she had the world to choose from is just perfect.
Lily's attachment to everyone and her cutie face is also just perfect. And Peter not giving up on Lottie had to be my favorite side thing, those 2 definitely need a story!
*big spoiler*
That proposal was the most perfect thing, it was so cheesy but it fit their vibe so well that I can't even be pissed at at how cheesy it was.
Super excited for Holly's story, I feel like it's gonna be with the kid that Parker hates, that just makes sense in my head. And Brett's story, can't wait to see what Blake comes up with in the future!
"Every girl wants to be loved like Landon loved Jamie"
"How you can think you want something so bad and then you get it and it's great and perfect [...] but it’s just not the same without… the people you love [...] Dreams take sacrifice to come true [...] but at some point, you begin to wonder if what you’re doing has any meaning.”
"Life gets in the way sometimes and makes it hard to remember the reasons love is worth the fight.”
"Falling in love with your best friend meant there were years of memories behind every gift, every gesture"
Thank you so much to Destiny Blake for an ARC of this amazing book (it was my first hehe)
May 8, 2024
I can not praise Up in Lights enough. It is truly one of the best books I've read in a while. The plot, the characters, and the dialogue, it was all perfect.
The pregnancy trope was new to me, but I honestly liked it. I really enjoyed seeing how easily Parker fell into the father role. The side characters were each unique, and they all added something to the story. The dialogue was something else that I found myself continuously impressed by. It just felt so natural.
I will say, I was nervous about 75-80% of the way through that either Delilah or Parker would finally do something to make me say, "No! Why???" (I honestly thought that the climax was going to just be that the main characters are incapable of communication), but I was VERY pleasantly surprised.
I love how Delilah's anxiety was portrayed throughout the book. So often, anxiety is seen as a setback, and almost like nothing good can come from it. But as someone with anxiety, this seemed much more realistic (at least when I compare it to my own experiences). It felt like life before I was diagnosed. Almost like, "it's not anxiety, it's just rational thinking."
At the end of the day, this was an amazing book. There's not one thing that I would've changed, and I can't wait to read more from Destiny Blake.
The pregnancy trope was new to me, but I honestly liked it. I really enjoyed seeing how easily Parker fell into the father role. The side characters were each unique, and they all added something to the story. The dialogue was something else that I found myself continuously impressed by. It just felt so natural.
I will say, I was nervous about 75-80% of the way through that either Delilah or Parker would finally do something to make me say, "No! Why???" (I honestly thought that the climax was going to just be that the main characters are incapable of communication), but I was VERY pleasantly surprised.
I love how Delilah's anxiety was portrayed throughout the book. So often, anxiety is seen as a setback, and almost like nothing good can come from it. But as someone with anxiety, this seemed much more realistic (at least when I compare it to my own experiences). It felt like life before I was diagnosed. Almost like, "it's not anxiety, it's just rational thinking."
At the end of the day, this was an amazing book. There's not one thing that I would've changed, and I can't wait to read more from Destiny Blake.
May 10, 2024
Up in lights review
(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Destiny Blake
FIVE STARS. FIVE STARS. YEAH. Sooo here to talk about Up In Lights, and how it might be one of my favorite reads of this year. I was very fortunate to receive an arc of this book, (comes out May 15th), I had never heard of this author or this book and I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I love this book. Let’s start off with Delilah and Parker our main couple of the story. Their dynamic is soooo good, there is a child involved and normally accidental pregnancy tropes are not my favorite, but this one was done so well because she has them actually become a family and get close with each other, instead of shutting out one parent or the other. When I say they are adults, they are. They handle adult life and the hardships that they encounter, there is no real miscommunication (thank god), they talk things through and handle it themselves, which I loved. The other friends and family members that they surround themselves with are so supportive and sweet that they just have a found family. I don’t want to give too much, so EVERYONE on May 15th please go and read this book, UP IN LIGHTS, you will not regret it and I hope you will fall in love with these characters as much as I have!!
(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Destiny Blake
FIVE STARS. FIVE STARS. YEAH. Sooo here to talk about Up In Lights, and how it might be one of my favorite reads of this year. I was very fortunate to receive an arc of this book, (comes out May 15th), I had never heard of this author or this book and I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I love this book. Let’s start off with Delilah and Parker our main couple of the story. Their dynamic is soooo good, there is a child involved and normally accidental pregnancy tropes are not my favorite, but this one was done so well because she has them actually become a family and get close with each other, instead of shutting out one parent or the other. When I say they are adults, they are. They handle adult life and the hardships that they encounter, there is no real miscommunication (thank god), they talk things through and handle it themselves, which I loved. The other friends and family members that they surround themselves with are so supportive and sweet that they just have a found family. I don’t want to give too much, so EVERYONE on May 15th please go and read this book, UP IN LIGHTS, you will not regret it and I hope you will fall in love with these characters as much as I have!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2024
What you can expect:
Baseball romance
Friends to lovers
Star pitcher mmc x author fmc
Accidental pregnancy/secret baby
Found family
“It’s always been you”
I really loved this book and reading Parker and Delilah’s story. I think Del is a relatable character since she has her walls up and has trouble letting them down and letting others in. Like Parker is so in love with you and you can’t see it!! He was so good with giving reassurance.
I loved that they were best friends first because they already know each others families and get along. Del was basically apart of Parker’s family growing up. They each have great support systems with their families and friends/teammates.
Parkers teammates - Peter & Brett - loved getting to know a bit about them and Peter had me cracking up.
Other things I enjoyed:
♡ 20 questions in the car
♡ Matching family costumes picked out by Parker himself
♡ Parker being a great girl dad!!
♡ The playlist!
Normally I am not one to pick up a book about an accidental pregnancy or a secret baby etc, but I did enjoy this book and can’t wait to read more from this series in the future!!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-arc!! All opinions are my own.
Baseball romance
Friends to lovers
Star pitcher mmc x author fmc
Accidental pregnancy/secret baby
Found family
“It’s always been you”
I really loved this book and reading Parker and Delilah’s story. I think Del is a relatable character since she has her walls up and has trouble letting them down and letting others in. Like Parker is so in love with you and you can’t see it!! He was so good with giving reassurance.
I loved that they were best friends first because they already know each others families and get along. Del was basically apart of Parker’s family growing up. They each have great support systems with their families and friends/teammates.
Parkers teammates - Peter & Brett - loved getting to know a bit about them and Peter had me cracking up.
Other things I enjoyed:
♡ 20 questions in the car
♡ Matching family costumes picked out by Parker himself
♡ Parker being a great girl dad!!
♡ The playlist!
Normally I am not one to pick up a book about an accidental pregnancy or a secret baby etc, but I did enjoy this book and can’t wait to read more from this series in the future!!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-arc!! All opinions are my own.
May 15, 2024
I received this as an arc and this is my honest review
This book was amazing!
Destiny Blake has written a beautiful romance with my favourite things: sports romance, second chance, small town romance, friends to lovers & SMUT!
This is a great dual POV where I am so grateful we got Parker’s perspective because the love he has for Delilah is just swoon worthy 💕
Delilah is such a relatable character and I adored her. She is guarded but still a romantic at heart ♥️
Parker James 😍 I don’t know what words to use to describe him other than god damn 🥵 definite book boyfriend material!!
I love a good f**k it moment !
The friendships and the family dynamics really just add to this book and had me both kicking my feet giggling and tearing up 🥹
While on the longer side, Up in Lights did not drag at all and I loved every single word! Destiny Blake has created a beautiful and deep story that tugged on my heartstrings.
I think it needs two mentions because the SMUT in this book was great and also I need a man to read my smutty romance books with me and KEEP NOTES (Parker James ANNOTATED the smut!!!!)
This book was amazing!
Destiny Blake has written a beautiful romance with my favourite things: sports romance, second chance, small town romance, friends to lovers & SMUT!
This is a great dual POV where I am so grateful we got Parker’s perspective because the love he has for Delilah is just swoon worthy 💕
Delilah is such a relatable character and I adored her. She is guarded but still a romantic at heart ♥️
Parker James 😍 I don’t know what words to use to describe him other than god damn 🥵 definite book boyfriend material!!
I love a good f**k it moment !
The friendships and the family dynamics really just add to this book and had me both kicking my feet giggling and tearing up 🥹
While on the longer side, Up in Lights did not drag at all and I loved every single word! Destiny Blake has created a beautiful and deep story that tugged on my heartstrings.
I think it needs two mentions because the SMUT in this book was great and also I need a man to read my smutty romance books with me and KEEP NOTES (Parker James ANNOTATED the smut!!!!)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews