What do you think?
Rate this book
Porter Siblings #2
Suddenly You
The definition of a happy man?
The guy who knows exactly what he wants and has it. That's Harry Porter. He's got the perfect job, the best buddies and no commitments beyond the next good time. It's the ideal life.
Then he stops to help Pippa White when she's stranded by the side of the road. He's known�and liked�her for a while, but as the ex of a friend, she's entirely off-limits. And as fun as the banter with her is, Harry knows single moms are out of his league.
So why all the excuses to see Pippa again…and again? And why can't he stop thinking about her? But most puzzling of all is how Harry suddenly wants to swap a night with the boys for one with only Pippa!
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
20 people are currently reading
748 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mayberry
162 books1,152 followersSarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When inspiration didn’t strike, she began to wonder if, perhaps, she needed to live some life first before writing about it.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
January 31, 2020
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback - gevonden in minibieb.
Moest vannacht uit. Even ontspannen na de dag van mijn verhuizing. 🌹🦋🌹
Moest vannacht uit. Even ontspannen na de dag van mijn verhuizing. 🌹🦋🌹
December 23, 2012
This was such a fun-with-lots-of-sexy read. Took me by surprise, really, that a struggling single mother versus an ultimate Peter Pan could make a sizzling romance. And I LOVVIT!
Harry Porter and Pippa White were well matched. I loved their wits and strength to stand for what they believe in. Most of all the banters. Silly crazy banters do it for me. Every time.
These are my favourite ones:
"How have you been Harry? How's Hogwarts going? Cast any good spells lately?"
"Made some underwear disappear the other night, if that's what you mean."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down a little." Harry said, holding up a staying hand.
She stared at him. "You're the one who's naked already."
"Yeah, but I don't look like you."
"Are you sleeping with anyone else at the moment?"
"No. Are you?"
"Right. That's why I have a spare set of batteries under my bed."
"She's your kid, man, and you haven't even seen her since she was born. She's got your eyes and your hair and Pippa's nose and the most amazing smile. She's freaking gorgeous, and she's yours. How can that mean nothing to you?"
SM does very well romance hands down. Must read more Sarah Mayberrys . I need to make a t-shirt of that, sometime.
Harry Porter and Pippa White were well matched. I loved their wits and strength to stand for what they believe in. Most of all the banters. Silly crazy banters do it for me. Every time.
These are my favourite ones:
"How have you been Harry? How's Hogwarts going? Cast any good spells lately?"
"Made some underwear disappear the other night, if that's what you mean."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down a little." Harry said, holding up a staying hand.
She stared at him. "You're the one who's naked already."
"Yeah, but I don't look like you."
"Are you sleeping with anyone else at the moment?"
"No. Are you?"
"Right. That's why I have a spare set of batteries under my bed."
"She's your kid, man, and you haven't even seen her since she was born. She's got your eyes and your hair and Pippa's nose and the most amazing smile. She's freaking gorgeous, and she's yours. How can that mean nothing to you?"
SM does very well romance hands down. Must read more Sarah Mayberrys . I need to make a t-shirt of that, sometime.
September 7, 2018
I read this because Harry was in his sister's book and I liked him there. Well, I absolutely LOVED him here. I loved his interactions with Pippa, his family, his friend Steve (the absence father of her daughter). I was worried about how the story line with Steve would go (the bro-code is a thing) but I was happy with the resolution.
I liked Pippa and how she is determined to do better for her daughter. I like how no-nonsense and tough as nails she is. My kind of girl. Would recommend but read them in order (Mel's advice to Harry made more sense in here seeing on how I had JUST read her story the day before).
I liked Pippa and how she is determined to do better for her daughter. I like how no-nonsense and tough as nails she is. My kind of girl. Would recommend but read them in order (Mel's advice to Harry made more sense in here seeing on how I had JUST read her story the day before).
May 11, 2014
Okay, first off, and I have to get this out of the way before I can get to anything more coherent, Harry is absolutely irresistible. A grown-up man-child with serious fix-it skills on the cusp of accepting adult responsibilities is hard to resist. Add six-foot-two with muscles to spare and it's hard to read through the drooling.
And poor Pippa. She knows exactly who he has been and how bad a bet he is relationship-wise. How could she possibly know that he has turned a corner and started making the kinds of choices possible only with a good dose of long-delayed maturity when Harry doesn't know it, himself? Add that she has a small child depending on her for stability and she doesn't have a lot of room for making bad bets.
It was a little weird to see characters from a past book show up in this one—indeed, Harry is Melanie's sister (from All They Need). This isn't flagged as a series, so I'm glad I accidentally got to them in the right order. I'm a little reluctant to tag them as a series here at GoodReads, as they're not really marketed as such in any way internally and they work pretty well on their own. Still...
A note about Steamy: about what you'd expect from Mayberry in her Superromance line—two or three explicit scenes of moderate length. Household maintenance never looked so yummy...
And poor Pippa. She knows exactly who he has been and how bad a bet he is relationship-wise. How could she possibly know that he has turned a corner and started making the kinds of choices possible only with a good dose of long-delayed maturity when Harry doesn't know it, himself? Add that she has a small child depending on her for stability and she doesn't have a lot of room for making bad bets.
It was a little weird to see characters from a past book show up in this one—indeed, Harry is Melanie's sister (from All They Need). This isn't flagged as a series, so I'm glad I accidentally got to them in the right order. I'm a little reluctant to tag them as a series here at GoodReads, as they're not really marketed as such in any way internally and they work pretty well on their own. Still...
A note about Steamy: about what you'd expect from Mayberry in her Superromance line—two or three explicit scenes of moderate length. Household maintenance never looked so yummy...
June 16, 2021
3.5 stars
This was a very Sarah Mayberry story/romance and it filled me with joy and left me sighing happily at the end.
This was a very Sarah Mayberry story/romance and it filled me with joy and left me sighing happily at the end.
November 19, 2019
There is really nothing new about this story. It probably has been told a hundred times. I knew where it was going and what I would get. It was a matter of enjoying the ride, and I did. For the most part I like how this author writes, so I was counting on that.
It was sweet. Low on angst. Written in third person from both the MC´s POV and with a tidy (and unrealistic) end.
I enjoyed it.
***
A ver, nada nuevo en esta historia que habrá sido contada cien pares de veces, pero bueno, sabes qué te vas a encontrar. Es más una cuestión de que el viaje sea entretenido y como para mí, esta autora casi siempre funciona, pues contaba con ello.
Una historia simplona, dulce, baja en drama, contada en tercera persona pero desde ambos puntos de vista y con un final perfecto (e irrealista), como debe de ser.
Entretenida.
It was sweet. Low on angst. Written in third person from both the MC´s POV and with a tidy (and unrealistic) end.
I enjoyed it.
***
A ver, nada nuevo en esta historia que habrá sido contada cien pares de veces, pero bueno, sabes qué te vas a encontrar. Es más una cuestión de que el viaje sea entretenido y como para mí, esta autora casi siempre funciona, pues contaba con ello.
Una historia simplona, dulce, baja en drama, contada en tercera persona pero desde ambos puntos de vista y con un final perfecto (e irrealista), como debe de ser.
Entretenida.
June 20, 2018
This was okay. Maybe Sarah Mayberry and I have grown a bit apart. Or maybe I'm just . . . not exactly in a book slump, but perhaps a book ennui? Also the conflict would've worked much better
Anyway, this counts as hero named Harry for Ripped Bodice bingo.
Anyway, this counts as hero named Harry for Ripped Bodice bingo.
November 2, 2012
Pippa is a young single mother who is struggling a bit financially. Her ex-boyfriend and father of her child has balked on helping with child support and wants nothing to do with their daughter. So she is one real disaster away from insolvency.
That disaster almost happens when her car breaks down on the side of the road. She knows it will cost a fortune to get it fixed. But fortune is in fact smiling on her as she is spotted by Harry Porter. Best friend of her ex, someone that she has always regarded warmly, and most importantly a mechanic.
Harry is like her ex Steve in many ways, a bachelor with no real responsibilities and no desire to get deeply involved with any one woman. Harry knows that Pippa should be 100% off limits since she is his best friend's ex. Despite himself, though, Harry finds himself drawn to Pippa and her daughter. He can't seem to get away from wanting to help her and in the process he finds that he is growing from a man-child into a man.
As usual, Sarah Mayberry does not disappoint with a strongly character driven romance that has a believable emotional conflict.
One thing I liked a lot about this story is that it is told largely from the perspective of Harry. He is a thirty year old man who really has only had to live to satisfy himself and he sees nothing wrong with that. He holds down a worker bee job during the day and on evenings and weekends he drinks, hangs out with friends and has sex with women he has no intention of getting involved with.
There is a great subplot that involves Harry's father's desire for Harry to take over the family's business -- a garage. But Harry doesn't want to be tied down with administrative duties. He just wants to do his 9-to-5 and check out when he needs to. It is yet another part of the whole where Harry simply doesn't want any more responsibility than he needs. But in tandem with his growing relationship with Pippa we see Harry's acknowledgement that you can only slag off so much before really you do need to grow up. The scenes sprinkled throughout between Harry and his dad are wonderfully written. It really is a road-map of character dynamism.
The whole book really is a study in character growth. Pippa, for her part, was very much like Harry and Steve. Content to play and have fun and live in the now. But a daughter forced her to grow up fast and change her perspective. When we first meet Pippa she has already had her revelation and part of her struggle with trusting Harry is that she isn't sure she has the intestinal fortitude to wait for Harry to have his. Especially given the experience she's had with her ex.
But Harry is such a well drawn character than I never once doubted that he'd come through in the end.
There are a few confrontational scenes with the ex that ups the action quota a bit, but for the most part this is a book about Harry and Pippa, about a relationship growing, and about a man growing up.
Really good book. Highly recommended.
Also recommended is the earlier book that features Harry's sister, Mel All They Need
That disaster almost happens when her car breaks down on the side of the road. She knows it will cost a fortune to get it fixed. But fortune is in fact smiling on her as she is spotted by Harry Porter. Best friend of her ex, someone that she has always regarded warmly, and most importantly a mechanic.
Harry is like her ex Steve in many ways, a bachelor with no real responsibilities and no desire to get deeply involved with any one woman. Harry knows that Pippa should be 100% off limits since she is his best friend's ex. Despite himself, though, Harry finds himself drawn to Pippa and her daughter. He can't seem to get away from wanting to help her and in the process he finds that he is growing from a man-child into a man.
As usual, Sarah Mayberry does not disappoint with a strongly character driven romance that has a believable emotional conflict.
One thing I liked a lot about this story is that it is told largely from the perspective of Harry. He is a thirty year old man who really has only had to live to satisfy himself and he sees nothing wrong with that. He holds down a worker bee job during the day and on evenings and weekends he drinks, hangs out with friends and has sex with women he has no intention of getting involved with.
There is a great subplot that involves Harry's father's desire for Harry to take over the family's business -- a garage. But Harry doesn't want to be tied down with administrative duties. He just wants to do his 9-to-5 and check out when he needs to. It is yet another part of the whole where Harry simply doesn't want any more responsibility than he needs. But in tandem with his growing relationship with Pippa we see Harry's acknowledgement that you can only slag off so much before really you do need to grow up. The scenes sprinkled throughout between Harry and his dad are wonderfully written. It really is a road-map of character dynamism.
The whole book really is a study in character growth. Pippa, for her part, was very much like Harry and Steve. Content to play and have fun and live in the now. But a daughter forced her to grow up fast and change her perspective. When we first meet Pippa she has already had her revelation and part of her struggle with trusting Harry is that she isn't sure she has the intestinal fortitude to wait for Harry to have his. Especially given the experience she's had with her ex.
But Harry is such a well drawn character than I never once doubted that he'd come through in the end.
There are a few confrontational scenes with the ex that ups the action quota a bit, but for the most part this is a book about Harry and Pippa, about a relationship growing, and about a man growing up.
Really good book. Highly recommended.
Also recommended is the earlier book that features Harry's sister, Mel All They Need
November 11, 2012
Good book. I really liked both these characters. Pippa is a single mother trying to deal with a rough road. The father of her baby walked away when she got pregnant. He has refused any kind of child support and she is struggling to make ends meet while working and going to school. When her car breaks down her ex's best friend stops to help. He is a contented guy. He has his job as a mechanic and no responsibilities. He can hang out with his friends, go out drinking and have a good time with the ladies. He gives Pippa help with her car, but then can't seem to stop helping in other ways. He knows he should stay away from her but he is drawn to her and her daughter in ways he doesn't understand. He discovers he likes helping her and enjoys being with her and the baby. He also starts changing and taking more responsibility in his life. He also finds out about his friend's avoidance of his responsibilities and is disgusted with him. Pippa knows she should stay away from him too. She sees how much he is like her ex and can't afford to fall for another guy like that. She likes having Harry around and finds that there is more to him than the care free guy she has known for so long. She starts to see the possibility of a future but doesn't trust that it will last. I really liked seeing the growth in these two characters. Pippa's revelations had already come with the birth of her daughter and the realization that she was no responsible for more than just herself. She had already put aside that care free girl and was doing what she was needed to make a better life. She does still have major trust issues that Harry will have to overcome. Harry had more growing up to do. He started out as a thirty year old kid who felt no need to be concerned with anyone except himself. As he started hanging out with Pippa I could see him as being with her and her baby became more appealing than the life he had been living. I liked the way that he tried to get her ex to step up and do the right thing and the way he tried to be there for her when she needed him. I loved seeing him fight the growing process but maturing in spite of himself. There are a couple great scenes between Harry and the ex that highlight the changes Harry is going through. I also liked the story with Harry and his father which highlights Harry's emerging maturity.
October 10, 2014
Nice story with realistic characters, sparking dialog and great chemistry. Harry, 31 years old car mechanic, is driving from work and looking forward to his typical carefree fun filled , no string attached, weekend. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar yellow car pulled off the road and obviously broken. The car belongs to his best mate's ex-girlfriend Pippa. The last time they saw each other was six months ago at the hospital after the birth of Pippa' s and Steve's daughter Alice. Harry couldn't explain even to himself why he went to visit Pippa. His best friend, Steve, left Pippa as soon as he found out she was pregnant. He even offered money to get rid of the "mistake". When Pippa decided to keep the child, Steve washed his hands completely of her and the child. Pippa, a struggling single mother, juggles work and school and tries to stay financially independent. But it seems fate had other things in mind when her car broke down. The moment Harry and Pippa met on the sideroad you know how good they are to each other. Their chemistry is palpable and their back and forth is delightful. They struggle mighty to keep their relationship on a superficial level. She didn't want to fall for the "wrong guy" again and he is divided by his conflicting loyalties to his best friend. But this is a romance so you know that HEA is just around the corner.
December 2, 2012
Sarah Mayberry’s final book for the year 2012 was certainly a delightful surprise and a wonderful. wonderful read. I say a delightful surprise because most of the time I mope around a little after reading Mayberry’s latest release because the wait for the next book always seems so long. However, since life is so busy at the moment, I hardly got a chance to worry about this and it was by sheer luck that I came across a tweet that mentioned the release of this book at the end of October. And of course from that moment on, Suddenly You was the one constant on my mind until I managed to grab myself a copy from the Harlequin E-book store before the actual release date set for the book.
To read the full review with quotes, please visit MBR's Realm of Romance
Rating=4.75/5
To read the full review with quotes, please visit MBR's Realm of Romance
Rating=4.75/5
September 29, 2017
Really enjoyed this one. One of the things I liked best about it was that is was a story that takes place in Australia and it wasn't Americanized. It really seemed like it was about people from Australia. So many times romances set there are stripped off anything that really adds any sense of place. Here Australian idioms etc., were left in place and I totally loved it. The romance was nicely done and I loved the hero and how he grew up over the course of the story.
![Profile Image for Michelle [Helen Geek].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1448463806i%2F5557851._CR0%2C13%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 9, 2014
01/08/2013 --
Overall Rating = 4 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 1 / 3.5 / 3.5 = 2.5 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 4 Stars
Character Development = 4 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4 Stars
Worth the Chili = 5 Stars -- [$3.82 on Amazon]
Smexy [HEAT] Rating = Mild to Moderate
281 pages
I'm reading some of this author's other books and then may come back and write a review for this one. I think, this one will be my favorite Sarah Mayberry read because of Harry. I loved Harry. He really is the perfect man. He's sown his wild oats. He has no intention of settling down with the 2.5 kids, the picket fence and the same girl every day/night. No intention, but you know ...? Things change. When you connect, you connect and this is what happened for Harry. LOVED this story. More later -- maybe.
Give this book a go. I can't imagine ANYONE not liking this story. I hope like hell she does something about her book covers though. Awful.
Happy Reading!
Overall Rating = 4 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 1 / 3.5 / 3.5 = 2.5 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 4 Stars
Character Development = 4 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4 Stars
Worth the Chili = 5 Stars -- [$3.82 on Amazon]
Smexy [HEAT] Rating = Mild to Moderate
281 pages
I'm reading some of this author's other books and then may come back and write a review for this one. I think, this one will be my favorite Sarah Mayberry read because of Harry. I loved Harry. He really is the perfect man. He's sown his wild oats. He has no intention of settling down with the 2.5 kids, the picket fence and the same girl every day/night. No intention, but you know ...? Things change. When you connect, you connect and this is what happened for Harry. LOVED this story. More later -- maybe.
Give this book a go. I can't imagine ANYONE not liking this story. I hope like hell she does something about her book covers though. Awful.
Happy Reading!
January 6, 2026
After I loved All They Need so much, I was saving Sarah Mayberry's backlist to break into in case of emergency. This book, however, was such a let down in all the ways that the first book was such a delight. Where All They Need eschews and gently subverts gender roles, Suddenly You doubles down on them.
Pippa was a carefree manic pixie dream girl until she got pregnant with fuckboy boyfriend, Steve, who bails immediately. She's broke, has no savings, career, or support system, and indeed, has not shown any signs of ever wanting kids. Inexplicably, she keeps the baby, not by actively choosing to, but seemingly by never once considering any other options. I could not fathom why she didn't think about having an abortion, even if she ultimately decided against it. AT LEAST THINK ABOUT IT. Australia, as far as I can tell, is fairly chill about abortions, Pippa is not religious or conservative, she's not at all ready to have a child; there's no real reason why abortion was never on the table.
I don't have anything against accidental pregnancy or single parent books, but I deeply resent the way abortions are virtually absent in romance, to the point where they don't even figure in the characters' decision making process. It betrays the authors' biases more damningly than anything else.
Anyway, you'll be happy to note that Pippa is not only not like the girls, she's also not like the other moms, and her baby, Alice, is not like any other baby that has ever been born. The text makes a whole song and dance about the fact that Pippa doesn't breastfeed so her boobs are still perfect and perky, unlike all these other gross moms 'flinging [their] breasts around'. Don't worry boys, she's a grade A MILF! It's also emphasised that unsexy breastfeeding isn't happening because Pippa tried and couldn't, not because she chose not to, a valid choice that many people make and face immense moral judgement for. Pippa's not a monster, just sadly too sexy. She's a Madonna with the breasts of a Whore. Win-win!
Alice, her 6 month old, is the most perfect plot moppet to ever burble and giggle and put her tiny little fingers to work undoing Pippa's buttons to display her (perfect) breasts to whatsisname the MMC on cue. She never has any gross or inconvenient needs, is more well behaved than the pope, and exists only to adorably complete their white picket fence dreams.
I just - whatever, I'm over it. It's not the worst trad wife fantasy I've ever read, and quite pleasant in sections, but I've scraped the bottom of the barrel of my patience for this conservative-lite writing in romance. All They Need was a fabulous one-off and I suppose it's all downhill from there.
ETA: Whatsisname is Harry Porter, a choice that was apparently made only so they could crack cutesy boy wizard jokes. They weren't especially funny, and even less so now when JK Rowling has revealed herself to be a sith lord.
Pippa was a carefree manic pixie dream girl until she got pregnant with fuckboy boyfriend, Steve, who bails immediately. She's broke, has no savings, career, or support system, and indeed, has not shown any signs of ever wanting kids. Inexplicably, she keeps the baby, not by actively choosing to, but seemingly by never once considering any other options. I could not fathom why she didn't think about having an abortion, even if she ultimately decided against it. AT LEAST THINK ABOUT IT. Australia, as far as I can tell, is fairly chill about abortions, Pippa is not religious or conservative, she's not at all ready to have a child; there's no real reason why abortion was never on the table.
I don't have anything against accidental pregnancy or single parent books, but I deeply resent the way abortions are virtually absent in romance, to the point where they don't even figure in the characters' decision making process. It betrays the authors' biases more damningly than anything else.
Anyway, you'll be happy to note that Pippa is not only not like the girls, she's also not like the other moms, and her baby, Alice, is not like any other baby that has ever been born. The text makes a whole song and dance about the fact that Pippa doesn't breastfeed so her boobs are still perfect and perky, unlike all these other gross moms 'flinging [their] breasts around'. Don't worry boys, she's a grade A MILF! It's also emphasised that unsexy breastfeeding isn't happening because Pippa tried and couldn't, not because she chose not to, a valid choice that many people make and face immense moral judgement for. Pippa's not a monster, just sadly too sexy. She's a Madonna with the breasts of a Whore. Win-win!
Alice, her 6 month old, is the most perfect plot moppet to ever burble and giggle and put her tiny little fingers to work undoing Pippa's buttons to display her (perfect) breasts to whatsisname the MMC on cue. She never has any gross or inconvenient needs, is more well behaved than the pope, and exists only to adorably complete their white picket fence dreams.
I just - whatever, I'm over it. It's not the worst trad wife fantasy I've ever read, and quite pleasant in sections, but I've scraped the bottom of the barrel of my patience for this conservative-lite writing in romance. All They Need was a fabulous one-off and I suppose it's all downhill from there.
ETA: Whatsisname is Harry Porter, a choice that was apparently made only so they could crack cutesy boy wizard jokes. They weren't especially funny, and even less so now when JK Rowling has revealed herself to be a sith lord.
July 11, 2014
One night, heading into town for some fun, Harry Porter sees a car he recognises by the side of the road, clearly having broken down. It belongs to Pippa White, ex-girlfriend of a friend of his. That relationship didn't end well: Pippa became pregnant and decided to keep it, and Harry's friend has gone on and on about how she harassed him, even getting the government on his case to bleed him dry.
Harry always liked Pippa fine, though, and he's a good guy (not to mention a mechanic), so he stops to see if he can help. Pippa is reluctant to accept anything from him, even a lift home, which he finally persuades her into. After seeing her house and noticing that after a few days she still hasn't had her car towed, Harry suspects she must be suffering financially. Surely his friend will help the mother of his child, even if the kid was unwanted?
It turns out, to Harry's surprise, that his friend is a real turd. Pippa isn't bleeding him dry; in fact, the sack of shit falsified his books so that it looked like his company was insolvent, just to get out of paying any child support. He's not giving her a cent.
Harry doesn't think that's right at all. He's ashamed of his friend and he admires Pippa for the way she's been dealing with things, so he decides to help out with stuff, starting with her car. But spending time together leads to attraction, and soon they're both trying to remember why they shouldn't give in to it..
It's a setup with plenty of potential for angst, although mainly on Harry's side, really. He feels uncomfortable with the idea of a relationship with an ex of a friend, even if that friend was the one in the wrong and clearly doesn't have feelings for her any longer. He's also very uncomfortably trying to reconcile his friendship with the man with the knowledge that he behaved so badly to Pippa. That felt very real and painful. It's easy to think (and that was my instinct) that he should just dump the bastard as a friend, but I understood completely how the history they had together would make that easier said than done. There's also stuff going on with his father, who wants Harry to take over his garage when he retires, and doesn't understand why Harry would rather do the same work but independently. I loved the way that was developed.
Harry's great, but Pippa I found much less engaging. I'm quite a heroine-centric reader, so that was a bit of a problem for me. To be completely honest, I think part of it might be that being on my own with a baby and struggling to make ends meet, forced to live a life very different from the one I'm living and enjoying now, is possibly one of my worst nightmares. My difficulty engaging with her as a character might have something to do with that. It's very probably an "it's not the book, it's the reader" situation, and I expect she'll work much better as a romance heroine for most readers.
On the whole, though, and even with those issues, this was one I enjoyed very much.
MY GRADE: A B.
Harry always liked Pippa fine, though, and he's a good guy (not to mention a mechanic), so he stops to see if he can help. Pippa is reluctant to accept anything from him, even a lift home, which he finally persuades her into. After seeing her house and noticing that after a few days she still hasn't had her car towed, Harry suspects she must be suffering financially. Surely his friend will help the mother of his child, even if the kid was unwanted?
It turns out, to Harry's surprise, that his friend is a real turd. Pippa isn't bleeding him dry; in fact, the sack of shit falsified his books so that it looked like his company was insolvent, just to get out of paying any child support. He's not giving her a cent.
Harry doesn't think that's right at all. He's ashamed of his friend and he admires Pippa for the way she's been dealing with things, so he decides to help out with stuff, starting with her car. But spending time together leads to attraction, and soon they're both trying to remember why they shouldn't give in to it..
It's a setup with plenty of potential for angst, although mainly on Harry's side, really. He feels uncomfortable with the idea of a relationship with an ex of a friend, even if that friend was the one in the wrong and clearly doesn't have feelings for her any longer. He's also very uncomfortably trying to reconcile his friendship with the man with the knowledge that he behaved so badly to Pippa. That felt very real and painful. It's easy to think (and that was my instinct) that he should just dump the bastard as a friend, but I understood completely how the history they had together would make that easier said than done. There's also stuff going on with his father, who wants Harry to take over his garage when he retires, and doesn't understand why Harry would rather do the same work but independently. I loved the way that was developed.
Harry's great, but Pippa I found much less engaging. I'm quite a heroine-centric reader, so that was a bit of a problem for me. To be completely honest, I think part of it might be that being on my own with a baby and struggling to make ends meet, forced to live a life very different from the one I'm living and enjoying now, is possibly one of my worst nightmares. My difficulty engaging with her as a character might have something to do with that. It's very probably an "it's not the book, it's the reader" situation, and I expect she'll work much better as a romance heroine for most readers.
On the whole, though, and even with those issues, this was one I enjoyed very much.
MY GRADE: A B.
November 1, 2012
Ugh, this was so good. So, so good. The only reason it's not rated higher is because all her books can't be five stars and the ones I've loved, I've LOVED. This one I just loved.
But you should all read it. Tattooed, baby-cuddling dudes, yes please.
But you should all read it. Tattooed, baby-cuddling dudes, yes please.
December 26, 2012
4 stars – Contemporary Romance
March 18, 2016
Romantic and sweet romance. I really liked the main couple.
November 14, 2012
Why I read it: I'm a fan of Sarah Mayberry books and when I saw Dear Author had a review up (which I haven't actually read yet) it reminded me that I hadn't bought this one yet. So I rectified that, stat. After the previous book I finished reading, I felt like a reliably good contemporary so I opened it up.
What it's about: (from Goodreads) The definition of a happy man? The guy who knows exactly what he wants and has it. That's Harry Porter. He's got the perfect job, the best buddies and no commitments beyond the next good time. It's the ideal life.
Then he stops to help Pippa White when she's stranded by the side of the road. He's known—and liked—her for a while, but as the ex of a friend, she's entirely off-limits. And as fun as the banter with her is, Harry knows single moms are out of his league.
So why all the excuses to see Pippa again…and again? And why can't he stop thinking about her? But most puzzling of all is how Harry suddenly wants to swap a night with the boys for one with only Pippa!
What worked for me (and what didn't): How unusual is it to have working class main characters? Pippa is struggling to finish her teaching degree and working part time in a gallery as well as raise her 6 month old daughter. Money is tight. Harry is a mechanic. No billionaires or CEO's in sight. It was a refreshing change to see a couple who could have grown up down the road from where I did get their own story and HEA. The depictions are realistic - I grew up at the lower end of the socio-economic scale and this felt familiar to me. Also, my best friend from school married a mechanic. (He still fixes my car).
It was also nice to see a couple in their thirties. Not all that much was made of their ages - Pippa is even a whole year older than Harry and it wasn't featured at all in the story arc. I didn't get married until I was nearly 31 so again, I can relate.
Harry likes to be unencumbered - and not just relationally. Over the course of the book, Harry realises that maybe it's time to re-evaluate the whole "footloose and fancy free" deal. His father owns a workshop - Harry did his own apprenticeship there but he has never wanted the hassle of owning his own business and so after he finished his apprenticeship, he deliberately sought work elsewhere. He's made it clear for years that he doesn't want the burden of the workshop. When Harry's father decides to take yes for an answer however, Harry is surprised how this makes him feel. There were a number of things in the story pushing Harry to change, not just his relationship with Pippa. He sees his best mate Steve in a new light (and yeah, okay that indirectly has something to do with Pippa, but...), his thoughts about his employment future. These things, combined with Pippa, seeing how she has had to embrace "being a grown-up" because of her daughter; all these things have an impact on Harry.
Pippa doesn't change much through the story. She falls in love but there isn't much by way of character growth required. It is Harry who has to shift to be HEA material. I love stories like this because I'm mostly all about the hero. Harry is always a good guy - he doesn't treat people badly or lie to women about what he's up for but, essentially, he has to grow up and realise that there's more to life than being Peter Pan. And, over the course of the book, he finds that those things are things he wants. That it's time. I spent enough time in Harry's head that I understood and believed his progression.
Pippa deals with the realities of single-parenting and she's not blind to the relationship-killer that a small child can be.
Alice was utterly dependent on Pippa, and if listening to her daughter cry made Harry break out in hives and want to shimmy out the window on a rope made of sheets…well, this was going to be the shortest-lived inappropriate affair in the history of the world.
Fortunately Harry is not fazed by a crying child and neither she, nor I, had to hate him.
Harry is good with his hands - he can tune up cars and women (especially Pippa) with equal ease. I love a good handyman, don't you? :) The build up of sexual tension was fun and the scene where Pippa gets an eyeful of Harry's crotch when he's on a ladder fixing her ceiling was hilarious. Come to that, there is a bit of physical humour in the book which I enjoyed - not over the top slapstick, but the sort of thing that actually happens (not that I'm admitting anything, mind you).
He frowned, then entered the room fully. She slid farther away, instinctively wanting as much distance between herself and the source of her humiliation as possible, only to overbalance and slip backward into the tub. Her head hit the wall behind the bath with a thunk and she wound up with her ass in the tub and her legs bent over the side. She pressed her palms to her face.
If the world exploded in a ball of fire right this second, she would be grateful and happy. She wanted to die.
I got the impression that Pippa isn't a stick figure. Not a lot is made of her physique in the book. She is large breasted and full bottomed and I got the impression of an average woman, complete with a belly and everything. Harry doesn't notice any physical flaws and Pippa doesn't have a poor body image, so it wasn't a big deal. I like the idea of a heroine who might have a bit of cellulite. It is somehow comforting.
One thing I did notice in this book (and actually, also in Within Reach) was the Pippa didn't seem to have any close female friends. I'm not sure if it is more about the category word count, but it struck me as a little odd that she wouldn't have a close female friend or two. Instead, apart from her mother, Pippa was very much alone, until Harry comes along.
Steve is a piece of work but Ms. Mayberry does manage to show his motivations. While they don't make him any less of a douche, it did provide context and dimension to his character. I wondered whether Harry would adopt Alice at some point and what that might do to his friendship with Steve. And, speaking of Steve, it wasn't quite clear to me how Harry and Steve were going to manage their friendship going forward. That's okay, the story wasn't about Steve and Harry after all, but even though there was some resolution between them about Harry hooking up with Steve's ex girlfriend and the mother of his (heretofore unacknowledged) daughter, the mechanics of it were unspecified and it was something I was curious about. I grew up in a working class suburb and I'm sure this kind of thing actually happens.
What else? I really need to read All They Need now because that features Harry's sister Mel and it is apparently where he first appeared. Mel and Flynn made important cameos in this book and I'm curious about their story. Note to self: dig it out of Mr. TBR.
Grade: B+
http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...
What it's about: (from Goodreads) The definition of a happy man? The guy who knows exactly what he wants and has it. That's Harry Porter. He's got the perfect job, the best buddies and no commitments beyond the next good time. It's the ideal life.
Then he stops to help Pippa White when she's stranded by the side of the road. He's known—and liked—her for a while, but as the ex of a friend, she's entirely off-limits. And as fun as the banter with her is, Harry knows single moms are out of his league.
So why all the excuses to see Pippa again…and again? And why can't he stop thinking about her? But most puzzling of all is how Harry suddenly wants to swap a night with the boys for one with only Pippa!
What worked for me (and what didn't): How unusual is it to have working class main characters? Pippa is struggling to finish her teaching degree and working part time in a gallery as well as raise her 6 month old daughter. Money is tight. Harry is a mechanic. No billionaires or CEO's in sight. It was a refreshing change to see a couple who could have grown up down the road from where I did get their own story and HEA. The depictions are realistic - I grew up at the lower end of the socio-economic scale and this felt familiar to me. Also, my best friend from school married a mechanic. (He still fixes my car).
It was also nice to see a couple in their thirties. Not all that much was made of their ages - Pippa is even a whole year older than Harry and it wasn't featured at all in the story arc. I didn't get married until I was nearly 31 so again, I can relate.
Harry likes to be unencumbered - and not just relationally. Over the course of the book, Harry realises that maybe it's time to re-evaluate the whole "footloose and fancy free" deal. His father owns a workshop - Harry did his own apprenticeship there but he has never wanted the hassle of owning his own business and so after he finished his apprenticeship, he deliberately sought work elsewhere. He's made it clear for years that he doesn't want the burden of the workshop. When Harry's father decides to take yes for an answer however, Harry is surprised how this makes him feel. There were a number of things in the story pushing Harry to change, not just his relationship with Pippa. He sees his best mate Steve in a new light (and yeah, okay that indirectly has something to do with Pippa, but...), his thoughts about his employment future. These things, combined with Pippa, seeing how she has had to embrace "being a grown-up" because of her daughter; all these things have an impact on Harry.
Pippa doesn't change much through the story. She falls in love but there isn't much by way of character growth required. It is Harry who has to shift to be HEA material. I love stories like this because I'm mostly all about the hero. Harry is always a good guy - he doesn't treat people badly or lie to women about what he's up for but, essentially, he has to grow up and realise that there's more to life than being Peter Pan. And, over the course of the book, he finds that those things are things he wants. That it's time. I spent enough time in Harry's head that I understood and believed his progression.
Pippa deals with the realities of single-parenting and she's not blind to the relationship-killer that a small child can be.
Alice was utterly dependent on Pippa, and if listening to her daughter cry made Harry break out in hives and want to shimmy out the window on a rope made of sheets…well, this was going to be the shortest-lived inappropriate affair in the history of the world.
Fortunately Harry is not fazed by a crying child and neither she, nor I, had to hate him.
Harry is good with his hands - he can tune up cars and women (especially Pippa) with equal ease. I love a good handyman, don't you? :) The build up of sexual tension was fun and the scene where Pippa gets an eyeful of Harry's crotch when he's on a ladder fixing her ceiling was hilarious. Come to that, there is a bit of physical humour in the book which I enjoyed - not over the top slapstick, but the sort of thing that actually happens (not that I'm admitting anything, mind you).
He frowned, then entered the room fully. She slid farther away, instinctively wanting as much distance between herself and the source of her humiliation as possible, only to overbalance and slip backward into the tub. Her head hit the wall behind the bath with a thunk and she wound up with her ass in the tub and her legs bent over the side. She pressed her palms to her face.
If the world exploded in a ball of fire right this second, she would be grateful and happy. She wanted to die.
I got the impression that Pippa isn't a stick figure. Not a lot is made of her physique in the book. She is large breasted and full bottomed and I got the impression of an average woman, complete with a belly and everything. Harry doesn't notice any physical flaws and Pippa doesn't have a poor body image, so it wasn't a big deal. I like the idea of a heroine who might have a bit of cellulite. It is somehow comforting.
One thing I did notice in this book (and actually, also in Within Reach) was the Pippa didn't seem to have any close female friends. I'm not sure if it is more about the category word count, but it struck me as a little odd that she wouldn't have a close female friend or two. Instead, apart from her mother, Pippa was very much alone, until Harry comes along.
Steve is a piece of work but Ms. Mayberry does manage to show his motivations. While they don't make him any less of a douche, it did provide context and dimension to his character. I wondered whether Harry would adopt Alice at some point and what that might do to his friendship with Steve. And, speaking of Steve, it wasn't quite clear to me how Harry and Steve were going to manage their friendship going forward. That's okay, the story wasn't about Steve and Harry after all, but even though there was some resolution between them about Harry hooking up with Steve's ex girlfriend and the mother of his (heretofore unacknowledged) daughter, the mechanics of it were unspecified and it was something I was curious about. I grew up in a working class suburb and I'm sure this kind of thing actually happens.
What else? I really need to read All They Need now because that features Harry's sister Mel and it is apparently where he first appeared. Mel and Flynn made important cameos in this book and I'm curious about their story. Note to self: dig it out of Mr. TBR.
Grade: B+
http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...
September 30, 2022
https://celebrityreaders.com/2022/09/...
4 stars — Harry and Pippa were both very likeable characters, but I think I’m still not quite in reading mode and so I got a bit frustrated with them (mostly Pippa) at times…I also might have had a hard time suspending my disbelief on how often Alice conveniently napped. *snort*
For all that Harry is shown to be a party boy, we don’t actually get to see it in action that much. But I still appreciated that we got to see a little bit of perhaps how he came to be that way. I will admit I wish we’d learned a bit more about what happened in his previous relationship, since it kind of had a pretty profound effect on why he still was the way he was. But aside from all that, he was delightfully charming and sassy, with a soft heart and a strong sense of doing the right thing…kind of a funny attribute given his avoidance of responsibilities.
Pippa had been righteously burned by Steve, and it definitely affected so much of her interactions with Harry. I did grow a bit frustrated with her at the end, even if in theory I understood where she was coming from. She was suuuuper stubborn, and had a bit of a temper (but not in a bad way). It definitely got her into trouble, and seeing her struggle against her sense of pride was…rough. On the other side, though, she was thoughtful, hardworking, and sassy as all get out.
One of my favourite aspects of the story was definitely the interplay between Harry and Pippa. It was a bit slow burn, but I didn’t mind because we got to see them developing a friendship and fighting their attractions. And when the tension built up to a boiling point? Oh yeah, that was some good stuff.
I wondered if Harry’s older sister had a story, and now I’m going to have to look for it.
I appreciated that the side story with Steve was as complicated as it should be…and while there was resolution, it was realistic.
So yeah. Definitely a solid Sarah Mayberry, but I think it wasn’t quite enough to get me out of my reading slump.
4 stars — Harry and Pippa were both very likeable characters, but I think I’m still not quite in reading mode and so I got a bit frustrated with them (mostly Pippa) at times…I also might have had a hard time suspending my disbelief on how often Alice conveniently napped. *snort*
For all that Harry is shown to be a party boy, we don’t actually get to see it in action that much. But I still appreciated that we got to see a little bit of perhaps how he came to be that way. I will admit I wish we’d learned a bit more about what happened in his previous relationship, since it kind of had a pretty profound effect on why he still was the way he was. But aside from all that, he was delightfully charming and sassy, with a soft heart and a strong sense of doing the right thing…kind of a funny attribute given his avoidance of responsibilities.
Pippa had been righteously burned by Steve, and it definitely affected so much of her interactions with Harry. I did grow a bit frustrated with her at the end, even if in theory I understood where she was coming from. She was suuuuper stubborn, and had a bit of a temper (but not in a bad way). It definitely got her into trouble, and seeing her struggle against her sense of pride was…rough. On the other side, though, she was thoughtful, hardworking, and sassy as all get out.
One of my favourite aspects of the story was definitely the interplay between Harry and Pippa. It was a bit slow burn, but I didn’t mind because we got to see them developing a friendship and fighting their attractions. And when the tension built up to a boiling point? Oh yeah, that was some good stuff.
I wondered if Harry’s older sister had a story, and now I’m going to have to look for it.
I appreciated that the side story with Steve was as complicated as it should be…and while there was resolution, it was realistic.
So yeah. Definitely a solid Sarah Mayberry, but I think it wasn’t quite enough to get me out of my reading slump.
May 13, 2021
Pippa is a struggling single mom and her ex-boyfriend Steve (the father of her child) refuses to help out, even though he can well afford it. Harry, Steve’s longtime best friend, sees her stranded by the side of the road one day and stops to rescue her. That was Pippa’s lucky day, in more ways than one. This was a low angst book with good chemistry between the MCs, and Harry was a dream of a hero.
November 30, 2012
Reviewed at: HarlequinJunkie.com
I LOVED this book, Suddenly You deals with complex relationships and yet it is beautiful in it’s simplicity!
Pippa is left holding the baby literally and figuratively when the father her ex boyfriend Steve walked away without a single thought or remorse for the well being of her or their little daughter. Steve refuses to pay child support and Pippa is struggling financially to keep a roof over their heads.
When Pippa's car breaks down and she is stranded in the middle of the road, help comes in the form of her Ex’s best friend Harry Porter, Pippa can’t get away fast enough. She doesn’t want Harry's help or to be beholden to him for anything but unfortunately her current circumstances and a series of bad luck leaves her no choice in the matter.
Once Harry decides to help Pippa he constantly struggles to balance his loyalties between Pippa and the brotherhood “code”. Once he realizes Steve is short changing Pippa he isn’t afraid to confront his friend even at the risk of their friendship.
I really liked Harry; he is a down to earth blue collared mechanic, who can’t be bothered with conquering the world, he is content with his lot in life. Harry shows great character growth as this story progresses, this book is largely told from Harry’s POV.
I loved the way this story unfolded it was full of internal and external conflicts and emotional ups and downs.
I loved the way this story unfolded it was full of internal and external conflicts and emotional ups and downs.
Sarah Mayberry I absolutely adore your books..... You constantly amaze me!!!Every time I think I have found a favorite you just have to go and write one better don't you ;)
Suddenly You is a must read, I loved every little bit of this book. It was funny, it was emotional, it was sexy, it was realistically down to earth. I highly recommend this book, a MUST Read!
I LOVED this book, Suddenly You deals with complex relationships and yet it is beautiful in it’s simplicity!
Pippa is left holding the baby literally and figuratively when the father her ex boyfriend Steve walked away without a single thought or remorse for the well being of her or their little daughter. Steve refuses to pay child support and Pippa is struggling financially to keep a roof over their heads.
When Pippa's car breaks down and she is stranded in the middle of the road, help comes in the form of her Ex’s best friend Harry Porter, Pippa can’t get away fast enough. She doesn’t want Harry's help or to be beholden to him for anything but unfortunately her current circumstances and a series of bad luck leaves her no choice in the matter.
Once Harry decides to help Pippa he constantly struggles to balance his loyalties between Pippa and the brotherhood “code”. Once he realizes Steve is short changing Pippa he isn’t afraid to confront his friend even at the risk of their friendship.
I really liked Harry; he is a down to earth blue collared mechanic, who can’t be bothered with conquering the world, he is content with his lot in life. Harry shows great character growth as this story progresses, this book is largely told from Harry’s POV.
I loved the way this story unfolded it was full of internal and external conflicts and emotional ups and downs.
I loved the way this story unfolded it was full of internal and external conflicts and emotional ups and downs.
Sarah Mayberry I absolutely adore your books..... You constantly amaze me!!!Every time I think I have found a favorite you just have to go and write one better don't you ;)
Suddenly You is a must read, I loved every little bit of this book. It was funny, it was emotional, it was sexy, it was realistically down to earth. I highly recommend this book, a MUST Read!
February 8, 2013
I thank all the agents and editors in Harlequin who found and nurtured Sarah Mayberry.
If not, how can I be awed by her talents?
Hehehehe.
This book is a testament of how talented Sarah Mayberry is as a writer. I know all the reviews here has already said it often, let me write it again: Her characters are so real.
There is nothing fancy about the story in this new book. It's just about a bad boy fell in love with a single mother ( A plot that has been rehashed so many times by romance novels out there). The only curve on this particular story is the fact that Pippa was Harry's bestfriend's ex.
Harry is a mechanic. Pippa is studying for her diploma in teaching. All of them are normal people which we can relate to.
Pippa is an ex-girlfriend of Steve, Harry's bestfriend. He dumped her when she found out she were pregnant. She's struggling because Steve didn't want to pay child support or visited Alice, his baby daughter. Harry is Steve's bestfriend so his loyalty is with Steve when the breakup happened.
It's only accidentally that Harry met Pippa when her car broke down. They became friends again and attracted to each other.
Harry saw how badly Steve has behaved in reneging from his responsibility so Harry was torn between his loyalty and his moral value. This is why I liked Harry so much. He is the type of best friend that everyone should have. A friend that will tell you when you did something wrong but will not let you go regardless. Steve is really lucky to have Harry as best friend.
Sarah Mayberry managed to described the start of the relationship and the development so naturally and intelligently. No big scene. Everything just flow. The characterization was done so in depth. Not only the main characters, but also the secondary characters like Steve, Harry's father, and Pippa's mother(I just realized Pippa's mother actually never come out in the story except through phone). All these secondary characters make the story richer.
If not, how can I be awed by her talents?
Hehehehe.
This book is a testament of how talented Sarah Mayberry is as a writer. I know all the reviews here has already said it often, let me write it again: Her characters are so real.
There is nothing fancy about the story in this new book. It's just about a bad boy fell in love with a single mother ( A plot that has been rehashed so many times by romance novels out there). The only curve on this particular story is the fact that Pippa was Harry's bestfriend's ex.
Harry is a mechanic. Pippa is studying for her diploma in teaching. All of them are normal people which we can relate to.
Pippa is an ex-girlfriend of Steve, Harry's bestfriend. He dumped her when she found out she were pregnant. She's struggling because Steve didn't want to pay child support or visited Alice, his baby daughter. Harry is Steve's bestfriend so his loyalty is with Steve when the breakup happened.
It's only accidentally that Harry met Pippa when her car broke down. They became friends again and attracted to each other.
Harry saw how badly Steve has behaved in reneging from his responsibility so Harry was torn between his loyalty and his moral value. This is why I liked Harry so much. He is the type of best friend that everyone should have. A friend that will tell you when you did something wrong but will not let you go regardless. Steve is really lucky to have Harry as best friend.
Sarah Mayberry managed to described the start of the relationship and the development so naturally and intelligently. No big scene. Everything just flow. The characterization was done so in depth. Not only the main characters, but also the secondary characters like Steve, Harry's father, and Pippa's mother(I just realized Pippa's mother actually never come out in the story except through phone). All these secondary characters make the story richer.
May 1, 2019
Okay so this one snuck up on me. I just thought it was going to be your basic run of the mill romance book, but I really enjoyed this one.
This is the story about one of the biggest faux pas you can make - falling for your best friends ex. When Harry Porter (yes, I read that as Harry Potter also) stops to help a broken down car, he never expects it to be Pippa White, the ex of his best friend. But Harry, being the descent man he is, offers his help and soon becomes enthralled with this girl and her daughter - the daughter his best friend refuses to accept or help.
I loved the story of family here and how Pippa was a devoted mother. Seeing Harry with her daughter gave me that warm fuzzy feeling and it hurt to know that these two could never be. They went from friends to both agreeing to a sex only relationship and we all know how that turns out. But while I really liked Pippa - I loved Harry. His journey was so much more fulfilled for me. Here was a man who was happy to just play around and have no responsibilities and he went from that to wanting to be a family man not only with Pippa but with his own family and it was beautiful to watch.
Such a fun sweet read.
This is the story about one of the biggest faux pas you can make - falling for your best friends ex. When Harry Porter (yes, I read that as Harry Potter also) stops to help a broken down car, he never expects it to be Pippa White, the ex of his best friend. But Harry, being the descent man he is, offers his help and soon becomes enthralled with this girl and her daughter - the daughter his best friend refuses to accept or help.
I loved the story of family here and how Pippa was a devoted mother. Seeing Harry with her daughter gave me that warm fuzzy feeling and it hurt to know that these two could never be. They went from friends to both agreeing to a sex only relationship and we all know how that turns out. But while I really liked Pippa - I loved Harry. His journey was so much more fulfilled for me. Here was a man who was happy to just play around and have no responsibilities and he went from that to wanting to be a family man not only with Pippa but with his own family and it was beautiful to watch.
Such a fun sweet read.
November 4, 2012
Love this - sexy, sweet and satisfying. Both Pippa and Harry feel pressure to be a certain something for someone else and so there's a lot of delicious resisting and verbal sparring and of course that makes it even yummier when they give in.
And it's not just good sex and witty repartee - there's a scene between Harry and his father that had me near to weeping. I loved the relationships these two characters had with their families.
P.S. I also enjoyed how Mayberry doesn't beat the reader over the head with Mel and Flynn's (from All They Need) continuing HEA like so many other romance novels in a series seem to: "Their love was apparent by the long lingering looks between them, it came as a surprise to no one when they began humping on the table." *eyeroll*
And it's not just good sex and witty repartee - there's a scene between Harry and his father that had me near to weeping. I loved the relationships these two characters had with their families.
P.S. I also enjoyed how Mayberry doesn't beat the reader over the head with Mel and Flynn's (from All They Need) continuing HEA like so many other romance novels in a series seem to: "Their love was apparent by the long lingering looks between them, it came as a surprise to no one when they began humping on the table." *eyeroll*
November 2, 2012
I think the thing I loved most about this book was how down to earth and realistic the whole thing was. There was no mastery strategy behind the actions of the characters. No one was trying to one up another or get revenge for some past misdeed. There were two people who had been friends who fall in love when maybe they shouldn't and then have to deal with life. All the characters, not just Harry and Pippa, have to make hard decisions and deal with what life throws at them. All the relationships the characters are involved in, not just the main romantic one, are important to them. They have to work for what they want and there is a time when each has to make a leap of faith and trust.
This is a keeper for me.
This is a keeper for me.
November 2, 2012
I read this book in a day. Probably my favorite Mayberry. It just feels so real and normal. I know that's not what everyone looks for in a romance, but that's my favorite. Realistic, decent people falling in love despite a conflict that's rooted in reality and character. If I had the real book instead of the ebook, I would have hugged it to my chest. It's just lovely and everything I want in a romance.
November 3, 2012
Really enjoyed this story about a struggling single mom and tattooed bad boy gone good. What I've noticed about the two Mayberry books I've read (this one and Her Secret Fling) is that she does hero transformations exceptionally well. They start out as decent men making normal mistakes and end up great men doing the right thing. It makes for a very satisfying read.
Also, I loved the setting details and Australianisms. I could really hear the characters speak.
Also, I loved the setting details and Australianisms. I could really hear the characters speak.
June 3, 2013
A nice romance between a quirky witty heroine and a tattooed commitment-phobe hero. Nothing too crazy but not too tame either, kind of a happy medium. All I have left to say by the end is holidays are going to be awkward for that kid growing up lol.
November 4, 2012
Could not put it down. My favorite Sarah Mayberry book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews