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Jaded: Part I
As a photographer for the New York Post, Kari Martin was used to seeing heartache and scandal up close. But one night at the club… her whole world changed.
Heartbroken and willing to call off her wedding, she decides a change is in order and moves from NYC to a small town in Maine, where the average age of the residents there is sixty (or thereabouts). She works to fit in perfectly, and tries like hell not to let anyone find out just how very jaded she’s recently become over the lie called love.
Jake Isaac left Texas quite a few years ago; his heart torn from his chest, and his mind set on being a bachelor forever. Maine would welcome him, give him land to explore and a community to belong to. Getting a job as the coach of the local junior high and serving on the fire department kept him busy — and labeled him a hometown hero — but the truth of his damaged heart was forever hidden.
No one would ever know just how jaded he was about love. That is… until he meets Kari.
Heartbroken and willing to call off her wedding, she decides a change is in order and moves from NYC to a small town in Maine, where the average age of the residents there is sixty (or thereabouts). She works to fit in perfectly, and tries like hell not to let anyone find out just how very jaded she’s recently become over the lie called love.
Jake Isaac left Texas quite a few years ago; his heart torn from his chest, and his mind set on being a bachelor forever. Maine would welcome him, give him land to explore and a community to belong to. Getting a job as the coach of the local junior high and serving on the fire department kept him busy — and labeled him a hometown hero — but the truth of his damaged heart was forever hidden.
No one would ever know just how jaded he was about love. That is… until he meets Kari.
83 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2015
39 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
About the author
Ali Parker
367 books2,056 followersAli Parker is a full-time contemporary and new adult romance writer with more than a hundred and twenty books behind her. She loves coffee, watching a great movie, and hanging out with her hubs. By hanging out, she means making out. The man is hot. Hello.
She’s a creative at heart and loves coming up with more ideas than any one person should be allowed to access. She lives in Tennessee with her hubs, teenage son, two grown daughters, and two love-of-her-life grandbabies! Telling a good story that revives hope, reminds us of love, and gives a vacation from life is all she’s up to.
Website- http://aliparkerbooks.com/
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/AliParkerAut...
Twitter- https://twitter.com/AliParkerAuthor
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She’s a creative at heart and loves coming up with more ideas than any one person should be allowed to access. She lives in Tennessee with her hubs, teenage son, two grown daughters, and two love-of-her-life grandbabies! Telling a good story that revives hope, reminds us of love, and gives a vacation from life is all she’s up to.
Website- http://aliparkerbooks.com/
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/AliParkerAut...
Twitter- https://twitter.com/AliParkerAuthor
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/aliparkerau...
Insiders Group- https://aliparkerbooks.com/come-join-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
May 13, 2015
Bored
I was bored and skimmed a lot of the book. I was looking for something and got nothing that was interesting.
I was bored and skimmed a lot of the book. I was looking for something and got nothing that was interesting.
August 24, 2016
Kari Martin is about to get married to her fiancée Frank. The night before her wedding Kari goes out clubbing with her best friends Sicily and Lisa. It turns out that Kari is not the only one who is having a party and she is shocked by what she sees. Heartbroken and devastated Kari calls off the wedding. Needing to build a new life for herself Kari moves to Maine with her friends. She finds a new job as a photographer for the local newspaper and is excited to see what the changes she made will bring her.
Jake Isaac left his hometown after his girlfriend betrayed him. Jake loved this girl ever since they were kids and they grew up and became adults together. He is heartbroken and moved to Maine to heal. Jake works as a coach at the local school and also works at the fire department. Jake hasn't seen his parents and brothers in years and he knows that the time has come to go back home. Kari is sent to the school to make pictures of the teacher of the year. When Kari meets Jake she can't take her eyes off him. He is the most beautiful man she has ever seen. Jake is struck by Kari's beauty and even though he is scared to death, because of the desire that is building up inside him, Jake can't let Kari get away.
Kari is the sweetest person you'll ever meet. She has a great bond with her mother and brother and she is a loyal and true friend. I really liked the special connection she has with her brother. Because of the fact that I'm also very close to my brother it was easy for me to feel connected to Kari. Kari's heart is broken but she is not letting this define her. Kari is mourning the loss of the man she thought she was going to marry, but she picks up the pieces and shows how strong she actually is.
Jake is the dream of every woman on this planet. He is gorgeous, he's great with children and he's a brave fire fighter. I have a soft spot for men in a uniform and I could clearly picture Jake in my head. Jake is also very kind and caring. He loves with all his heart and will never betray anyone. I loved it that Jake and Kari connected in a beautiful way. Fate obviously brought them together.
Jaded is a fantastic story about heartache and rebuilding the need to love and trust, so your heart can be whole again. Ali Parker's writing style is easy to read, which made me fly through the pages. I liked the way Ali Parker chooses to use her words a lot. This is a phrase that stood out for me:
"Fear is an illusion that you can destroy with the power of hope."
I absolutely loved this brilliant heartwarming story.
Jake Isaac left his hometown after his girlfriend betrayed him. Jake loved this girl ever since they were kids and they grew up and became adults together. He is heartbroken and moved to Maine to heal. Jake works as a coach at the local school and also works at the fire department. Jake hasn't seen his parents and brothers in years and he knows that the time has come to go back home. Kari is sent to the school to make pictures of the teacher of the year. When Kari meets Jake she can't take her eyes off him. He is the most beautiful man she has ever seen. Jake is struck by Kari's beauty and even though he is scared to death, because of the desire that is building up inside him, Jake can't let Kari get away.
Kari is the sweetest person you'll ever meet. She has a great bond with her mother and brother and she is a loyal and true friend. I really liked the special connection she has with her brother. Because of the fact that I'm also very close to my brother it was easy for me to feel connected to Kari. Kari's heart is broken but she is not letting this define her. Kari is mourning the loss of the man she thought she was going to marry, but she picks up the pieces and shows how strong she actually is.
Jake is the dream of every woman on this planet. He is gorgeous, he's great with children and he's a brave fire fighter. I have a soft spot for men in a uniform and I could clearly picture Jake in my head. Jake is also very kind and caring. He loves with all his heart and will never betray anyone. I loved it that Jake and Kari connected in a beautiful way. Fate obviously brought them together.
Jaded is a fantastic story about heartache and rebuilding the need to love and trust, so your heart can be whole again. Ali Parker's writing style is easy to read, which made me fly through the pages. I liked the way Ali Parker chooses to use her words a lot. This is a phrase that stood out for me:
"Fear is an illusion that you can destroy with the power of hope."
I absolutely loved this brilliant heartwarming story.
May 12, 2015
ok, so no sex (that I enjoyed) in this one BUT I WILL FORGIVE ALI because, awesome character development. my hatred for Frank knows no bounds and I'm enamored with Kate and her friends. on to book 2!
[I recieved an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
Full review of the series on my blog here: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...
[I recieved an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
Full review of the series on my blog here: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...
April 13, 2016
Awful... just awful. The writing made me cringe. About half the book was the nonsense between Kari & her besties. Too much wasted on every details of everything that happened with her fiance & then moving out of town to start new. I just don't understand how the title of this book plays into her & Jake being jaded. Sure they've both been hurt but they had no problems admitting their attraction & then jumping all over each other.
What was with them talking to themselves? And what the hell is up with Kari getting all butthurt because Jake didn't jump at the chance to go on a date with her? He wasn't rude about it nor was it an actual rejection. She interpreted it however she wanted to & then did the pity party & ugly cry over it. Dude, get the fuck over yourself! Both her & Jake kept referring to the fact that because they've been hurt in the past that they just have so many demons & issues that it wouldn't be a good idea to get together. If someone is truly jaded from being seriously hurt by a previous relation than you swear off being with anyone for a while & not give it a second thought or you do the whole one time hook up thing & you move on to the next. Kari just had her relationship of 4 years come crashing down & within weeks she's already picturing her life with Jake???
Then when they finally decide to get together, after one having sex once Kari claims she loves him & then he realizes he loves her too. WHAT??? And how many times can they ask each other "what are you thinking about?" Over & over & over... shut it up, already!
I found myself making gag noises, rolling my eyes & saying "wtf" out loud several times. This story was boring, nothing exciting at all. The sex left much to be desired, the characters were a bit too ridiculous for my liking. The only one I actually liked was Lisa. She seemed real & not afraid to just say whatever she felt like.
I will not be continuing the series...
What was with them talking to themselves? And what the hell is up with Kari getting all butthurt because Jake didn't jump at the chance to go on a date with her? He wasn't rude about it nor was it an actual rejection. She interpreted it however she wanted to & then did the pity party & ugly cry over it. Dude, get the fuck over yourself! Both her & Jake kept referring to the fact that because they've been hurt in the past that they just have so many demons & issues that it wouldn't be a good idea to get together. If someone is truly jaded from being seriously hurt by a previous relation than you swear off being with anyone for a while & not give it a second thought or you do the whole one time hook up thing & you move on to the next. Kari just had her relationship of 4 years come crashing down & within weeks she's already picturing her life with Jake???
Then when they finally decide to get together, after one having sex once Kari claims she loves him & then he realizes he loves her too. WHAT??? And how many times can they ask each other "what are you thinking about?" Over & over & over... shut it up, already!
I found myself making gag noises, rolling my eyes & saying "wtf" out loud several times. This story was boring, nothing exciting at all. The sex left much to be desired, the characters were a bit too ridiculous for my liking. The only one I actually liked was Lisa. She seemed real & not afraid to just say whatever she felt like.
I will not be continuing the series...
April 28, 2015
This is the book about Kari Martin and her snake of a fiance. She ends up calling off the wedding after finding him screwing a stranger in a bar. She then decides she needs a change of pace and plans to move out of New York.
Her best friends are moving to Bar Harbor, Maine. She thinks it best to get a change of pace and scenery. Her fiance is always calling her and figures she will give in and get back together with him. Kari has had enough and gives notice to her job.
Her supervisor is well known in the news and media outlets and finds her a job opportunity in Bar Harbor, and tells her to drop his name while she is there. She is grateful for all he has taught her.
Her family takes the fact that she needs space and is moving rather well, and her brother even offers to come with them to get them settled in. This is a bit surprising - but not after he meets her roommates and finds one of them attractive.
This is a book full of characters that are strong, have plans and make friends. I was impressed with the friendship developments and with the pace this was going. This is the first book in another 3-part serial. The author, Ali Parker is sure to please as her Baited serial was amazing!
***This ARC copy was given for review purposes from its author. My honest opinion is my own and reflects only my feelings on this book.
Her best friends are moving to Bar Harbor, Maine. She thinks it best to get a change of pace and scenery. Her fiance is always calling her and figures she will give in and get back together with him. Kari has had enough and gives notice to her job.
Her supervisor is well known in the news and media outlets and finds her a job opportunity in Bar Harbor, and tells her to drop his name while she is there. She is grateful for all he has taught her.
Her family takes the fact that she needs space and is moving rather well, and her brother even offers to come with them to get them settled in. This is a bit surprising - but not after he meets her roommates and finds one of them attractive.
This is a book full of characters that are strong, have plans and make friends. I was impressed with the friendship developments and with the pace this was going. This is the first book in another 3-part serial. The author, Ali Parker is sure to please as her Baited serial was amazing!
***This ARC copy was given for review purposes from its author. My honest opinion is my own and reflects only my feelings on this book.
April 2, 2016
I wanted to like this book more. The premise was decent - a woman finds her fiance cheating on her the day before the wedding and breaks it off, decides to move out of state with her two best friends (who were already planning to move and had rented a house so had enough space for her), where she settles into small town life, meets a man who also has baggage from being cheated on.
The friends were great. They had very distinct personalities and stayed true to them.
I even liked the main character and the leading man for a while. I got to 73% of this book before I just had to stop. I realized I was forcing myself to continue reading it and mostly hating every minute. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like I should have to -make- myself read a book for entertainment.
There were a ton of spots where the author seems to slip out of the tense the rest of the book is written in, or at least skipped words that would have made the flow of the writing continue without becoming awkward and... well, just weird.
An example:
The Author can't seem to make up her mind whether she wants to write in a more flowing conversational way, or in shorter more stilted phrases. Either way can work, but the combination she settled on is just unpleasant.
Another Example (and a bit of a rant):
Anyway, I'm gonna move on to the main characters... because I started out liking them just fine... but ended up kind of hating them. I damn near got whiplash about halfway through the book because they changed their MO's so quickly and drastically. I get it's a fictional romance, and people want to see the main characters get together. Honestly, I understand.
Even the interactions between the two main characters changed. It went from slightly flirty and maybe a little playful to super soulful .
It just got to the point where I didn't even care what happened to them. I found myself 3/4 of the way through the book, and realized I didn't care anymore how it ended, because I didn't care about the characters at all at this point.
The friends were great. They had very distinct personalities and stayed true to them.
I even liked the main character and the leading man for a while. I got to 73% of this book before I just had to stop. I realized I was forcing myself to continue reading it and mostly hating every minute. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like I should have to -make- myself read a book for entertainment.
There were a ton of spots where the author seems to slip out of the tense the rest of the book is written in, or at least skipped words that would have made the flow of the writing continue without becoming awkward and... well, just weird.
An example:
The Author can't seem to make up her mind whether she wants to write in a more flowing conversational way, or in shorter more stilted phrases. Either way can work, but the combination she settled on is just unpleasant.
Another Example (and a bit of a rant):
Anyway, I'm gonna move on to the main characters... because I started out liking them just fine... but ended up kind of hating them. I damn near got whiplash about halfway through the book because they changed their MO's so quickly and drastically. I get it's a fictional romance, and people want to see the main characters get together. Honestly, I understand.
Even the interactions between the two main characters changed. It went from slightly flirty and maybe a little playful to super soulful .
It just got to the point where I didn't even care what happened to them. I found myself 3/4 of the way through the book, and realized I didn't care anymore how it ended, because I didn't care about the characters at all at this point.
Want to read
October 23, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/23/2017)!
November 24, 2017
מתחיל מעניין ואז נסחב ביותר לעלילות מיוצרות ובלתי מעניינות.
May 7, 2015
Is a story about Kari who thought she was going to be living the rest of her life with her College sweetheart Frank. That fairy tale got shaken up when she realized that maybe its not exactly what she wanted and a trip to the club the night before her wedding changed everything.
With her confidence rocked, and not sure in herself anymore, Kari embarks on a new adventure with her best friends Sicily and Lisa where they are moving to Maine to start new.
Kari didn’t want to but thought it might be the best to get out for a while and make some new life choices. What she didn’t expect was to meet Jake Of course this has a cliffhanger…its part of a 3 part serial. Must read in order.
With her confidence rocked, and not sure in herself anymore, Kari embarks on a new adventure with her best friends Sicily and Lisa where they are moving to Maine to start new.
Kari didn’t want to but thought it might be the best to get out for a while and make some new life choices. What she didn’t expect was to meet Jake Of course this has a cliffhanger…its part of a 3 part serial. Must read in order.
December 14, 2021
I wanted to like it....I really did but sadly I couldn't. First, I hate weak women and Kari was one of the weakest I have read in a very long time. She caught Frank cheating and then nearly fell over herself falling for Jake who is still in love with Bethany. This is the most tangled up mess and sadly couldn't hold my attention through the boring conversations to Bethany's proposal to try again.
Thankfully this was a free read.
Thankfully this was a free read.
November 6, 2015
A great introduction to Kari and her friends. I enjoyed how the story played out slowly, really letting you get to know the characters intimately. Great read!
July 24, 2017
I found this book to be quite boring and repetitive. There is very little plot, no subplot, and limited character development. It took half way through the book to get to the sex, and that was glossed over. The writing is mostly banter dialogue that does nothing to add description or advance the story. An annoying thing about this book is the over-use of the nickname "baby." It's used by EVERY character at some point.
Vanilla, bland, cliche, predictable, and not at all steamy. I'm jaded about the book.
Vanilla, bland, cliche, predictable, and not at all steamy. I'm jaded about the book.
January 9, 2019
This is the story of heartbreak and fate. It is a very nice tale of romance. The author writes about each character very carefully and thought out out. Kari and her friends are hilarious but it shows their friendship is truly strong. Kari goes through a lot but eventually gets her HEA. Jake has had a very rough past and finds it hard to open up. Once he allows himself to the devil come knocking.
This book was worth the read, can’t wait to read the next installment.
~There are no hot sex scenes in this book~
This book was worth the read, can’t wait to read the next installment.
~There are no hot sex scenes in this book~
October 8, 2019
Love can cause so much damage when the wrong people try to make a marriage. Thank god Kari found out the day before what a heel Frank really was. So yo get over him and the bad taste of the last four years of her life she packs up and moves to Bar Harbor, Maine with her two besties, Siciley and Lisa. She meets a good looking guy her first night there, gets a newspaper job the next day, and comes to find out her first major interview is with that good looking guy she met at the grocery store. Can’t wait to see what happens on the next book.
March 26, 2017
Loved this book and Ali Parker does not disappoint. She brings two people who had their hearts broken by the one person they never expected to hurt them. I can't wait to read the rest of this series! This is my honest review for my free copy of this book.
December 9, 2017
So glad Kari found out about her cheating fiance the night before her wedding at his bachelor's party. Karis best friends ask her to move to main to start a new life and she goes for it. Great read. Cannot wait to read the rest in this series.
May 28, 2017
Interesting premise - the vulgar language did not give with the subtle churchieness! Quick read.
December 18, 2017
Sweet story.
April 17, 2021
Great boik
I could not put it down. Really liked Kari, love a character that gets knocked down but gets back up right away and moves on. Fake it until you make it.
I could not put it down. Really liked Kari, love a character that gets knocked down but gets back up right away and moves on. Fake it until you make it.
June 8, 2021
This was a good read. Everyone has had something bad happen to them in their lives, so it is easy to relate to. The all-encompassing love that follows, well, not everyone is that lucky.0
March 21, 2017
It wasn't bad, but no where near a reread for me.
March 11, 2017
This is a good short read. Two people who've been hurt by others take a chance on each other. I really enjoyed the secondary characters. They are fun, outgoing, supportive and quirky.
May 23, 2015
I received a copy of this serial boxed set in exchange for an honest review.
Jaded is a 3 part series by Ali Parker and I decided to review each part rather than the whole boxed set at once! In part 1 we meet Kari who is going out to her bachelorette party with her two main friends Lisa who she has known forever and Sicily their friend.
They get to the place where the party is to be held, and she is so nervous as she has cold feet thinking about her boyfriend and how she does not know if they will actually stay together forever. Her Mom and Dad split up when she was in school. When her friends see what is up, her friend Lisa is quick to point out that she thinks Frank (Kari's fiance), is not a good candidate to be happily ever after with, and Kari states she loves Frank, she is just feeling overwhelmed.
As they go through the place to see if their other friends are there they notice Frank's brother and several others surrounding a couple having sex in sight of everyone, and her friends try to get Kari to go away but she sees her fiance is the one with the woman sprawled across his lap. Kari runs out and that is that-her wedding is off.
Her Mom, and then her brother Marc, whom she adores, show up at the house to take care of her, after Lisa had socked Frank in the eye! Kari just wants to get away and so she decides to move with her friends to Maine.
Although her boss is sad to see her go he calls to the town paper in Maine where she is moving to and gets her a job interview. At least she will be following her career path. Her brother is going to drive the Uhaul and they leave the next morning. After driving a long time they finally get there and Kari is in love with the town, the surrounding area and their new home. Kari and Sicily go into town to get food for dinner and she runs into a handsome man who tells her what kind of wine to get! Kari is starstruck!
The next day she goes for her job interview and she feels really good about it and she gets her first assignment to interview the top 3 teachers of the year! When she gets there she interviews the second runner up, first runner up and then the receptionist has her follow her to the gym where she can meet and talk with teacher of the year.
Kari says hello and the coach turns around and guess who it is, the handsome man from the night before!
I really liked part one, the author's writing style is awesome, the storyline is good and it has enough emotional angst to keep it interesting! I am looking forward to see where this is going in part two!
I gave this part 5***** stars!
Jaded is a 3 part series by Ali Parker and I decided to review each part rather than the whole boxed set at once! In part 1 we meet Kari who is going out to her bachelorette party with her two main friends Lisa who she has known forever and Sicily their friend.
They get to the place where the party is to be held, and she is so nervous as she has cold feet thinking about her boyfriend and how she does not know if they will actually stay together forever. Her Mom and Dad split up when she was in school. When her friends see what is up, her friend Lisa is quick to point out that she thinks Frank (Kari's fiance), is not a good candidate to be happily ever after with, and Kari states she loves Frank, she is just feeling overwhelmed.
As they go through the place to see if their other friends are there they notice Frank's brother and several others surrounding a couple having sex in sight of everyone, and her friends try to get Kari to go away but she sees her fiance is the one with the woman sprawled across his lap. Kari runs out and that is that-her wedding is off.
Her Mom, and then her brother Marc, whom she adores, show up at the house to take care of her, after Lisa had socked Frank in the eye! Kari just wants to get away and so she decides to move with her friends to Maine.
Although her boss is sad to see her go he calls to the town paper in Maine where she is moving to and gets her a job interview. At least she will be following her career path. Her brother is going to drive the Uhaul and they leave the next morning. After driving a long time they finally get there and Kari is in love with the town, the surrounding area and their new home. Kari and Sicily go into town to get food for dinner and she runs into a handsome man who tells her what kind of wine to get! Kari is starstruck!
The next day she goes for her job interview and she feels really good about it and she gets her first assignment to interview the top 3 teachers of the year! When she gets there she interviews the second runner up, first runner up and then the receptionist has her follow her to the gym where she can meet and talk with teacher of the year.
Kari says hello and the coach turns around and guess who it is, the handsome man from the night before!
I really liked part one, the author's writing style is awesome, the storyline is good and it has enough emotional angst to keep it interesting! I am looking forward to see where this is going in part two!
I gave this part 5***** stars!
July 17, 2016
★★☆☆☆
NO SPOILERS
Review originally posted on Aoibh Reads
Kari Martin witnesses her fiancé having sex with someone else the night before her wedding. Needing to escape New York City, she moves to a town in Maine with her two best friends.
Jake Isaac has been burned and doesn't want love. He keeps busy by being a firefighter and also a school coach. But when he meets Kari and tries to stay away, he can't help but wish they were together.
Is she the one who can make him believe in love again?
Meh. That's the best word I have for this right now... I stopped reading at about 80%
The Writing: I felt this was quite awkward to read. A lot of the scenes didn't flow and pointless / irrelevant actions were described or included that broke up the flow of the story. There was a good amount of boring chit-chat included, that once or twice may have added to the authenticity of a friendship group, but it just made me cringe!
Love/Romance: I don't know what the author deems to be love or heartbreak but this was far from it. Kari just had her heartbroken after the end of a relationship of 4 years. She moves and is meant to be nursing a broken heart. But in this literary world, heartbreak is magically cured within a few weeks as soon as a gorgeous fire-fighter...Alrighty. Meanwhile, Jake is supposedly "jaded" and anti-love from having his heartbroken... Although didn't take him too long to resist and go after Kari and claim to love her. They "loved" each other before they even knew each other. It was all just lust/insta love.
Kari: I didn't really like her. I didn't get the impression she even loved Frank to begin with or see why she was so heartbroken. The reader should have felt her despair and outrage. And then she turned into a teenage girl when laying eyes on Jake and getting offended when he politely turned down her offer of a date. It all seemed superficial and shallow and no real emotions.
Overall:
I don't normally DNF so close to the end but reading this became a chore to just find out what happened before I realised I didn't really care. There was no chemistry or fun between the two and just empty words and I didn't really enjoy it.
See more of my reviews here
NO SPOILERS
Review originally posted on Aoibh Reads
Kari Martin witnesses her fiancé having sex with someone else the night before her wedding. Needing to escape New York City, she moves to a town in Maine with her two best friends.
Jake Isaac has been burned and doesn't want love. He keeps busy by being a firefighter and also a school coach. But when he meets Kari and tries to stay away, he can't help but wish they were together.
Is she the one who can make him believe in love again?
Meh. That's the best word I have for this right now... I stopped reading at about 80%
The Writing: I felt this was quite awkward to read. A lot of the scenes didn't flow and pointless / irrelevant actions were described or included that broke up the flow of the story. There was a good amount of boring chit-chat included, that once or twice may have added to the authenticity of a friendship group, but it just made me cringe!
Love/Romance: I don't know what the author deems to be love or heartbreak but this was far from it. Kari just had her heartbroken after the end of a relationship of 4 years. She moves and is meant to be nursing a broken heart. But in this literary world, heartbreak is magically cured within a few weeks as soon as a gorgeous fire-fighter...Alrighty. Meanwhile, Jake is supposedly "jaded" and anti-love from having his heartbroken... Although didn't take him too long to resist and go after Kari and claim to love her. They "loved" each other before they even knew each other. It was all just lust/insta love.
Kari: I didn't really like her. I didn't get the impression she even loved Frank to begin with or see why she was so heartbroken. The reader should have felt her despair and outrage. And then she turned into a teenage girl when laying eyes on Jake and getting offended when he politely turned down her offer of a date. It all seemed superficial and shallow and no real emotions.
Overall:
I don't normally DNF so close to the end but reading this became a chore to just find out what happened before I realised I didn't really care. There was no chemistry or fun between the two and just empty words and I didn't really enjoy it.
See more of my reviews here
July 14, 2016
Kari didn’t like the idea of long time marriage, but was willing to head on and try it out with Frank. The night before their wedding, Kari and her friends, Lisa and Sicily went for their last night-out together and discovered Frank actually “doing it” with another girl, and that girl wasn’t Kari. So the wedding was called off and Kari’s heart got broken. She’s afraid she’s at fault, that she’s the one to be blamed. Frank cheated on her because she didn’t want to have sex with him until they got married. And now, everything fell into a million broken pieces.
Soon she found herself renting a house with her best friends in the quite city of Maine. She got a new job as a photographer in a local newspaper. She thought moving on and moving forward would do her good.
Jake is jaded yet sinfully delicious. He got his heart broken and decided to move on to another state to forget the pain he experienced in Texas. His life in Maine was so much better. He became the local hometown hero and the Best Teacher of the Year. He’s got everything under control. Until Kari Martin came along.
These two fine specimen could easily ignite a candle. On their first meeting, there’s evident attraction and sexual tension, they just had to work around to liven things up. And soon, there’s spark, there’s fire, there’s fireworks!
But of course, their past seemed to find a way to meddle in their present. Someone came and brought a devastating news. Someone who was sure to put out the fire that they have already kindled. Will there be any future for them?
This had been an amazing journey, a great book with heart-tugging story and beautiful characters. I love the ever supportive friends and students who make Jake & Kari’s life eventful. I like their storyline and passionate scenes together. Ali Parker once again captivated me with her beautiful storytelling. She’s definitely a talented writer and a great friend. I can’t wait to read her new series!
Soon she found herself renting a house with her best friends in the quite city of Maine. She got a new job as a photographer in a local newspaper. She thought moving on and moving forward would do her good.
Jake is jaded yet sinfully delicious. He got his heart broken and decided to move on to another state to forget the pain he experienced in Texas. His life in Maine was so much better. He became the local hometown hero and the Best Teacher of the Year. He’s got everything under control. Until Kari Martin came along.
These two fine specimen could easily ignite a candle. On their first meeting, there’s evident attraction and sexual tension, they just had to work around to liven things up. And soon, there’s spark, there’s fire, there’s fireworks!
But of course, their past seemed to find a way to meddle in their present. Someone came and brought a devastating news. Someone who was sure to put out the fire that they have already kindled. Will there be any future for them?
This had been an amazing journey, a great book with heart-tugging story and beautiful characters. I love the ever supportive friends and students who make Jake & Kari’s life eventful. I like their storyline and passionate scenes together. Ali Parker once again captivated me with her beautiful storytelling. She’s definitely a talented writer and a great friend. I can’t wait to read her new series!
May 1, 2015
Excellent.
A short story series. Jaded started out with Kari,the main character, a photographer from new york., on her way out for the last night of her single life.
Getting married to frank her boyfriend for the passed for years. She had bad wedding jitters and wasn't really sure if he was the right man or was she just over thinking it. She did love him but something was scaring her thinking about being with one man for eternity. That's a long time.
Ready to party with her best friends Sicily , Lisa and looking for a few friends from high school! They walked into a part of the bar and what she saw within the first five minutes tore her heart out her finance cheating.
With the wedding off she feels horrible. Four years how could he do that?
Her two best friends Sicily and Lisa are moving to Maine for a new start. She decides that's what she needs. packing up her old life for a new start a new beginning. Is this the right thing? Will she be able to move on and find the man for her?
When they reached the small town in Maine . Sicily and Kari went to pick up dinner. She headed down to the wine isle. She really didn't know what wine to get with dinner. Scrolling through the selections, she hears this incredible voice and when she looks hmmm maybe Maine isn't full of old people. He was beautiful. She was memorized by him. He helped her pick out wine and introduced himself as Jake. She just left him walk away. What was she thinking? She couldn't believe it.
Her old boss in New york got her an interview with the local paper and her first assignment was to go to the a school and interview and take pictures of the teacher of the year and the Two runners up. First was a a old lady, Second was a young beautiful girl and the teacher of the year Jake.
Going to read more. I love short romances and Ali definitely does a wonderful job. I recommend to everyone.
A short story series. Jaded started out with Kari,the main character, a photographer from new york., on her way out for the last night of her single life.
Getting married to frank her boyfriend for the passed for years. She had bad wedding jitters and wasn't really sure if he was the right man or was she just over thinking it. She did love him but something was scaring her thinking about being with one man for eternity. That's a long time.
Ready to party with her best friends Sicily , Lisa and looking for a few friends from high school! They walked into a part of the bar and what she saw within the first five minutes tore her heart out her finance cheating.
With the wedding off she feels horrible. Four years how could he do that?
Her two best friends Sicily and Lisa are moving to Maine for a new start. She decides that's what she needs. packing up her old life for a new start a new beginning. Is this the right thing? Will she be able to move on and find the man for her?
When they reached the small town in Maine . Sicily and Kari went to pick up dinner. She headed down to the wine isle. She really didn't know what wine to get with dinner. Scrolling through the selections, she hears this incredible voice and when she looks hmmm maybe Maine isn't full of old people. He was beautiful. She was memorized by him. He helped her pick out wine and introduced himself as Jake. She just left him walk away. What was she thinking? She couldn't believe it.
Her old boss in New york got her an interview with the local paper and her first assignment was to go to the a school and interview and take pictures of the teacher of the year and the Two runners up. First was a a old lady, Second was a young beautiful girl and the teacher of the year Jake.
Going to read more. I love short romances and Ali definitely does a wonderful job. I recommend to everyone.
July 20, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I have been searching for something a lil different outside of the insta love that seems to be going around. This was what I needed.
The story starts off with Kari and her friends on a night out that ends terribly because her fiance can't keep it in his pants.. She calls off the wedding and decides to move to Maine with her friends.. For a big chuck of the book you get to know Kari and her friends.. Of course some of it was just filler but I couldn't remember the last time I read a book just for the story and not chasing that smutty story line...
Fast Forward to first night in Maine and she runs into Jake.. Jake the town hunk who is the jack of all trades but doesn't give any women the time of day.. their "meet cute" was adorable.. was it unique no.. but it is how I would want to meet my future Mr.
Jake and Kari's chemistry starts right off but both fight it although they can't stop thinking about each other.. there were moments in the book where Kari reminded me of myself.. unsure what my crush is thinking.. giving myself a pep talk.. I loved it..
Although the details stopped at the bedroom door I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading about her friends.. Lisa and Sicily are great girls..
The story starts off with Kari and her friends on a night out that ends terribly because her fiance can't keep it in his pants.. She calls off the wedding and decides to move to Maine with her friends.. For a big chuck of the book you get to know Kari and her friends.. Of course some of it was just filler but I couldn't remember the last time I read a book just for the story and not chasing that smutty story line...
Fast Forward to first night in Maine and she runs into Jake.. Jake the town hunk who is the jack of all trades but doesn't give any women the time of day.. their "meet cute" was adorable.. was it unique no.. but it is how I would want to meet my future Mr.
Jake and Kari's chemistry starts right off but both fight it although they can't stop thinking about each other.. there were moments in the book where Kari reminded me of myself.. unsure what my crush is thinking.. giving myself a pep talk.. I loved it..
Although the details stopped at the bedroom door I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading about her friends.. Lisa and Sicily are great girls..
May 12, 2015
Received a copy of this book for an honest review....
I have to say this book was a great read, it really had me hooked all the way till the end.
The story in this book is very well written and well developed and the plot is very fast paced. This is a short novella and ends in an amazing cliff hanger. The characters in this book are wonderful and funny, and I love how Kari's friends interact with her mother, it really had me on the floor in stitches.
In this book we will see Kari find out that the man that she is set to marry has been cheating on her, and not just once and not just with one women. So Kari decides that she is going to quit he job and move with her best friends to a small town in Maine where she hopes that she can rebuild her life and maybe find "the one". And could it be that she meets him on the first night there in the wine isle and the grocery store???
Cannot wait to dive into book two which happens to be waiting on my kindle, I need to find out what will happen between Jake and Kari.
I have to say this book was a great read, it really had me hooked all the way till the end.
The story in this book is very well written and well developed and the plot is very fast paced. This is a short novella and ends in an amazing cliff hanger. The characters in this book are wonderful and funny, and I love how Kari's friends interact with her mother, it really had me on the floor in stitches.
In this book we will see Kari find out that the man that she is set to marry has been cheating on her, and not just once and not just with one women. So Kari decides that she is going to quit he job and move with her best friends to a small town in Maine where she hopes that she can rebuild her life and maybe find "the one". And could it be that she meets him on the first night there in the wine isle and the grocery store???
Cannot wait to dive into book two which happens to be waiting on my kindle, I need to find out what will happen between Jake and Kari.
May 5, 2016
I usually steer towards fantasy, paranormal or sci fi and some really intense emotional books. But i like to read light subject matter as comedy, romances and such in between them.
I always have a tough time doing a review because i want to say more than just "I like it" or I enjoyed it immensely" which I did.
With that being said I found JADED refreshing. Its a quick light read for me. I just felt good/happy or light hearted when i was finished reading. Ali Parker had great supporting characters for Kari and I hope to see them in stories of their own. Especially Kari's friend Lisa. Love snarky characters.
I liked how Ali written Kari's friends, brother and mom being there for her. LOL Especially when her friend punched her ex-fiance' in the eye.
Also Ali's attention to background details helped me see and feel like i was right up there in Maine watching this story unfold before my eyes.
You did not disappoint Ali Parker. Great job.
I always have a tough time doing a review because i want to say more than just "I like it" or I enjoyed it immensely" which I did.
With that being said I found JADED refreshing. Its a quick light read for me. I just felt good/happy or light hearted when i was finished reading. Ali Parker had great supporting characters for Kari and I hope to see them in stories of their own. Especially Kari's friend Lisa. Love snarky characters.
I liked how Ali written Kari's friends, brother and mom being there for her. LOL Especially when her friend punched her ex-fiance' in the eye.
Also Ali's attention to background details helped me see and feel like i was right up there in Maine watching this story unfold before my eyes.
You did not disappoint Ali Parker. Great job.
April 27, 2015
I picked this book up because I have done a couple cover reveals and books things on my blog for this author and was really interested in her books. This is a New Adult series and the first one is free on amazon right now. I really like the main character Kari, she is very real and I feel like I would be friends with her. Kari is suppose to get married but something happens and just messes up her her whole plan on life But really it is a blessing in disguise. I loved her two best friends Sicily and Lisa, they both love her and stand by her through it all. Kari also has an amazing brother name Marc who adores her and just might be falling for one of her friends. All in all this is a great beginning to an new adult series. I can not wait to pick up the next book. Oh and I forgot to mention there is really hot guys all through this book :)
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