Waiting for Ethan

by Diane Barnes

When Gina Rossi was in junior high, her best friend’s psychic grandmother got everything right—from predicting that Gina would break her arm and travel to Italy, all the way to leading police to a missing neighborhood child. The one time Gina didn’t listen to her, she almost got herself killed. So when she says that Gina will marry a man named Ethan—but she will have to wait for him—Gina believes her, and waits…
 
Now thirty-six, Gina’s Mr. Right is nowhere in sight—until the day she’s stranded in a snowstorm, and rescued by the last type of Ethan she expected. It’s very romantic, yet surprisingly not. This Ethan is sexy, and clearly her hero. Still, instead of her “Aha” moment, Gina’s confused. And when Ethan is happy to discover she’s single, does Gina dare tell him, It’s because I've been waiting for you. But the bigger question is, does she dare question destiny—by taking it into her own hands? And is she brave enough to handle what happens once it’s time to stop waiting—and start living?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Diane Barnes is the author of The Mulligan Curse (February 2025), All We Could Still Have, More Than, Waiting for Ethan, and Mixed Signals. She is also a marketing and corporate communication writer in the health care industry. When she’s not writing, she’s at the gym, running, or playing tennis, trying to burn off the ridiculous amounts of chocolate and ice cream she eats. She and her husband, Steven, live in New England with Oakley, their handsome golden retriever. She hopes you enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.

She can be found at www.dianembarnes.com or on Twitter and Instagram @DianeBarnes777.

Reviews

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 PREDICTED Stars



The only thing this short entertaining story needs to me is another chapter and/or an epilogue to wrap it up a bit neater. Other than that, the writing was terrific, the premise is super fun, and the characters were well developed.

Gina Rossi’s best friend’s grandmother is the neighborhood physic. She has found a missing boy and everything she has predicted has come true so when she gifts Gina and her best friend Neesha their futures at the tender age of 13, Gina never questions her predictions.



Gina is now thirty-six years old and still waiting to meet an Ethan and has imagined him and their first kiss, their days spent together, their children for over 20 LONG years. Imagine her shock when she finally does meet an Ethan. Ethan Gregory may not be want she has dreamt of all these years but he’s here and he must be the one.



I really liked Ethan’s character, the dude has some serious baggage! The author did a fab job with his character even down to the fact that he’s good looking if not for his damn ugly set of teeth.

Gina reaches out to her childhood best friend when finding out Ajee has passed away. She offers to help make her final request a reality. Gina’s coworkers were terrific I loved that Luci and then there’s Cooper, he is adorably hot and seems to be a better fit for Gina…

”Do you think that maybe because of Ajee’s prediction, you’re forcing him to be the one?”



Overall, this story was cute and very entertaining. Personally, I’m still looking for a few predictions a physic made to me about fifteen years ago. Perhaps not to Gina’s level but I’ve haven’t forgotten what’s supposedly coming my way.

*ARC proved by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Mary McFarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow did not see that book going the way it did. I'm so glad for how everything turned out and it had its such a good story. I was getting nervous towards the end about the last thing but I just knew somehow it would have to work out in Gina's favor!

[Marja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to start with a little rant. I was only a few chapters into the book when I read a review that majorly spoiled the book for me. I probably would have figured that twist out myself sooner or later but at that time I was very much annoyed. If you're going to spoil the plot in your review use that 'Hide entire review because of spoilers' option! Or maybe I myself shouldn't been reading reviews beforehand, just in case.. Rant over.

Anyway, I got over that disappointment which actually worked for my advances, because my mild interest into the story turn into a total obsession after that. I knew what was going to happen but I didn't know how and it was totally sweet to follow the story and see how it finishes. And I wasn't a disappointed at all. The story was very sweet and romantic without being too mushy for my liking.

I was at times a little frustrated with Gina and her stubbornness to hold onto a prediction that was given to her a long time ago but at the same I understood her and was totally rooting for her. I've been there, sister, holding onto something that isn't what I want it to be. I'm so happy she found her Ethan. He was a dreamboat.

I have to give a special mention to her friend Luci, who wasn't afraid to tell her the truth. That's what friends are for. Everyone should have a Luci in their life. She was awesome. Actually, I think the author did excellent job with every character. They felt real people.

An adorable story. I'd be happy to read more from this author.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is September 15, 2015.

This story really made me think. Imagine someone who had been proven to have the ability to see the future advises you the name of who you will marry or some future fact about yourself. The question how much this piece of information will influence your decisions going forward. Is it destiny or are the you just making all decisions based on this piece of information. It shows how much the mind can be influenced. This all plays out in this story

Gina waits for so long to meet her Ethan. When she finally does he is not what she imagined. How much had she let pass her by why waiting for him? Would she accept him as he is if he went by any other name? I really did not like Ethan for multiple reason which can only be disclosed by reading the story. I can also see Gina's predicament as she was waiting for her prediction to come true.

There are so many directions this story could have went and I am pleased with the path it took. This is evident by the way it made me think. The story flowed well and the writing style was easy to follow. I am lucky to have had the opportunity to preview this work.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read the blurb to this book the first time I passed on then the second time I said ok let's give it a shot to be cute. It wasn't a bad story but I didn't think it was a strong story.

Ok so Gina is 36 and has been waiting 25 years for a guy named Ethan because ajee predicted it. Then she meets this guy Ethan who becomes her hero in a snow storm. At first he started out sweet but then as the story continues he just seems out of his mind bat shit crazy. Ok so we know looks aren't everything but the way this author describes him was just down right yuck.

So while she is dating Ethan he steals his own dog from his soon to be ex wife, he is still hung up on her, and sleeps with the dog walker. Let's not forget he shows up unannounced to Ginas house a few times, basically mauls her in public and says he loves her but breaks up with her because he discovers he needs time and asks Gina to wait for him.

I don't know any women in their right mind who would deal with all that. I mean after the first few things I would have said good bye.

Gina works with Cooper and from the moment he tries to help Gina before she leaves the office in the snow storm I already could see he had a thing for her. You can tell he was shy and not sure what to say. Gina begins to see him differently but yet she holds back. I was so routing for Cooper in this story.

I honestly would have liked to see Cooper and Gina get together earlier on in the book so you could have actually seen a relationship and not a work relationship. I think their romance would have been more interesting then the whole Gina and Ethan fiasco. And then the ending it says they have been together for a month and his name was supposed to be a Ethan before he was born but his mom changed the name.

Right away you can see Cooper is the better choice and I just wish I got the chance to know him better and see how they could be a couple.

I think I just expected more of a romance from Gina and Cooper. The blurb should have mentioned him and not made it seem like Ethan was in fact the perfect guy for her.

This part did have some cute parts and I did enjoy it but it was missing a few things for me.

[Jlw1993 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina wasn't the only one waiting for Ethan. I snuggled down with this book curiously waiting to see if she would ever meet Ethan. She was already in her thirties! Would he even appear in the book? Cute romance, fun, easy read with a surprise ending!

[Pamela Berglund Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Instantly hooked from the intro paragraph. Can't wait for the next book from Diane Barnes.

[Natalie Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars

This is a wonderful feel good story. Written with surety and the relationships feel natural and real. The protagonist was at times unbelievably naive but you rooted for her to find happiness.

Cooper was a darling.

Recommend for a delightful read.

No graphic scenes to dilute the story. Just focus on people growing in relationships.

Best friend relationships very well done.

Highly recommend.

[Janet Flora Corso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smart, fun romance and friendship.story

I really enjoyed this sweet story about a woman who spends her life waiting for her idea of the perfect romance. Of course, there is really no such thing and she has to experience the reality before she can truly.open herself up for true love. I also enjoyed the friendship story underlying the main plot.

[Blue Falcon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is of “Waiting for Ethan” by Diane Barnes.

The Story: When Gina Rossi, the heroine of the book, 13 and living in Westham, Massachusetts, discovers that her best friend, Neesha Patel’s, grandmother, Ajee, is psychic, the two teenage girls ask Ajee about their futures. Everything Ajee Patel predicts-though not all of it is necessarily positive for Gina or Neesha-comes true. Ajee’s most important prediction, for Gina, is that one day, she will marry a man named Ethan.

Fast forward 23 years. Gina, now 36, is unmarried, and still living in Westham, where she works as a copy editor for a market-research firm. And, she still has not met Ethan. That, however, changes during a snowstorm when Ethan Gregory, who owns a construction company, rescues Gina and her car. They begin dating, but there are drawbacks; Ethan being in the process of getting a divorce being the biggest one. While Gina is trying to figure out Ethan, there is another man pursuing her; Cooper Allen, Vice-President of TechVisons, the company Gina works for.

As the book goes on, Gina and Neesha reconnect after many years apart and a misunderstanding, Ethan and Gina become lovers, and things for a while go well. Gina is forced to choose between Ethan and Cooper. Who did she choose? For the answer to that question, you’ll have to read the book.

Upside: Gina is a nice character who is quite relatable. The standout character for me, however, is Gina’s co-worker, Luci Corrigan Chin, who, even though she has a boyfriend at the end of “Waiting for Ethan”, is a character to me that could have her own book and find her true love if Ms. Barnes decides to go in that direction.

Downside: Although I liked Gina, she is also quite naive, spending part of her adult life waiting for a man with a specific name. Other than Gina and Luci, the characters weren’t terribly interesting to me. The conclusion of the book, is totally telegraphed.

Sex: There are implied scenes-Gina and Ethan kissing and then going into her bedroom and later waking up together in bed-but there are no actual descriptions of sexual conduct in “Waiting for Ethan”.

Violence: None, although Ethan does get verbally angry at his ex-wife.

Bottom Line: “Waiting for Ethan” has a great concept but Ms. Barnes fails to fulfill the potential of the trope.

[Tiana Gorham · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Spoilers:*** I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was smooth and uncluttered and the characters were fully developed. The main character, Gina Rossi's inner voice amusing and filled with insights that she ignored. We all know someone like Gina. Her friend's grandmother predicts that her husband will be named Ethan and that she will wait a long time. By the time she is 37, she is desperate for Ethan to arrive. She should have read the signs about this Ethan, but ignored them. The story itself is well -paced unless you want the character to see the future for herself with Ethan and move on. You can imagine the ending, given the other characters in the story, but it's a lot of fun getting there.

The book is well-written by an author who has a humorous and snarky voice. Loved it. It's the perfect book to take you out of the political environment we are bombarded with everywhere. Get into a hammock, curl up on the couch, or slip it into your backpack for a read on the train. You'll not be sorry!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Gina Rossi was 13, her best friend's grandmother and neighborhood psychic predicted that she would marry a man named Ethan, but that she would have to wait a long time for him. Now Gina's 36 and she's just about given up hope of meeting her promised one when she is rescued in a snowstorm by a man named Ethan. Relieved that her love has finally arrived, Gina tries to ignore the signs that Ethan might not be the knight in shining armor she had always hoped for.

You'll find yourself rooting for Gina and her friends in this page turner. The characters are likeable and the plot threads are woven together in a satisfying way. By the time you finish, you'll be asking yourself how much your past has shaped your future and whether you have any control over your own fate in both love and friendship.

If you want to see women's literature done right pick up this book. I promise you won't want to put it down. A perfect beach read!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

****SPOILERS****It dragged. I can understand the reasoning behind the story but it took too long for her to realize the Ethan she met is the wrong one. She was so obsessed with the idea that her future husband will be Ethan that she ignored that fact that he was still not over his wife, becoming attached to his dog-walker, and had serious issues to deal with. It needed a bigger turning point or at least an earlier resolve. Picking up the boxes at his ex's house and stealing the dog would have done it for me.

[Michelle Carrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want one of my best friends to have a psychic grandmother who can tell me my future! Ajee was amazing. One of the star characters in this book in my opinion :) I feel like this is someone's real life story. It is perfectly written to sound just like a first hand story told to the reader by a close friend.

[Kimber Buelow- 561 Bookgirl]

I received a copy of this from BookSends ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story is light and frothy and funny. I enjoyed the read. As I read, I could hear the voices and picture the scenes, and these characters did a good job of keeping me entertained.

[kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

review at Beverages and Books

http://beveragesandbooks.com/2015/09/...

[Leeann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every now and again I want a book that is absolute fluff, totally predictable and mindless.
This fit that bill.

[Atlanta Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love character-driven stories. Although I figured the characters in this one wouldn't have been that remarkable, they were remarkable in that they were awful.

Gina, the MC, is stuck in the past. Not only because of the prediction about Ethan, but due to the loss of her middle school BFF. This is to the point that Gina only has one close friend, who is actually a co-worker, who doesn't seem to even like Gina at the beginning. All of a sudden, at some point in the story, Gina and Luci (her co-worker) appear to be close friends when before Luci wouldn't even answer her phone calls.

Gina also came across as very superficial and judgmental . The first thing she mentions about her co-worker, Cooper, is that he is short and the first thing she notices about Ethan is his bad teeth (get over it!) to the point that she is constantly mentioning it. She also made gross assumptions about the analysts being socially awkward but we are introduced only introduced to Cooper, who didn't strike me as awkward at all. And she constantly correcting everyone's grammar.

All in all, I hated Gina.

Ethan's character was actually very well written and had some depth. He and his wife separated about a month before he meets Gina. It sounds as though it came out of the blue versus a slow breakdown of the marriage. (MAJOR red flag but, you know, Gina is so caught in the past she can overlook anything and everything concerning about her relationship with him.) The author did do a great job showing all the ways Ethan was still hung up on his ex-wife, and how he was confused and struggling to move on. Sometimes I thought he was kind of an ass but then I remembered he and his ex-wife had been together since high school and he really didn't have any dating or relationship experience outside of that. I did feel he was overall a sweet guy as he goes out of his way to help Gina and connect with her. I would say Ethan was my favorite character because he was the most complex, flawed, and realistic.

Luci turned into a good friend, though, again, it was rather abrupt. She was definitely the smarter of her and Gina, pointing out all the red flags in Gina's relationship with Ethan. Her character was likable but, again, she seemed to go from not liking Gina to being her best friend without any transition or explanation.

Cooper was a nice guy, but there was nothing special about his character. And the fact that he remained a secondary character until the very end with such an abrupt transition in his and Gina's relationship from co-worker/friend to lover was unbelievable. It was especially unbelievable that with their first kiss Gina believes he is the one.

On the plus side, the story was well written and edited, and a short, quick read that flowed.

I really hate leaving low stars on a book, especially one that had so much potential, but... ugh

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but there was something about it that bothered me. I think I disagree with the premise which is why it felt a little off.

I really loved Diane Barnes' characterisations. All the characters were wholly believable and their actions fit perfectly. I also liked the dilemma the protagonist faced with learning that the wrong person simply is the wrong person and staying with them is not going to make things better. Barnes touches on the damage that is caused by staying in a relationship for the wrong reasons.

This is a great romance. Most enjoyable.

[Sharon N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't want to put it down

Even though I predicted the ending, I thoroughly enjoyed getting there. Each chapter would end and I'd think, I'll read just one more.
I've known people who tend to ignore red flags in a relationship, so I found the story credible. I always enjoy when it takes place in the Boston area.
Recommend!

Ps. Don’t judge a book by its cover. The main characters are in their mid 30s

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is perfect. It was an enjoyable book. I was able to put it down when I needed to. It doesn't have you at the edge of your seat. By saying all this I still could not wait to find out what happens next. It is the typical women in her thirties has not found the one to settle down with yet and her parents are becoming impatient.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried so hard to get into this book, but the main character was too meh and the story just didn't have any twists or interesting storylines to drive the story or make me want to keep reading. I skimmed half of the book and still didn't miss anything.

[Nancy Rivers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really fun book!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destiny

A great read with a happy twist. Light and funny with enough realism thrown in the mix. Gina deserves a HEA.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, despite being entirely predictable.

[Angela ReadingCave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, adorable read!

Waiting on Ethan is an enjoyable tale about a gal who has so much faith in her best friends Granny ability to predict the future that she waits a long time for her future husband to come along. Why not when all of her other predictions have occurred just like she said they would. The problem is waiting until she was 25 was okay….even when 30 passed her bye she was good. Now, that she is 36 she can literally hear her biological clock ticking. Goodness, is he ever going to come along. Everyone thinks she is silly for waiting for an imaginary guy.

Finally, in a moment where she needs a knight in shining armor to come along- a guy in a pick-up truck shows up. He rescues her from the snowstorm and delivers her home. Come to find out his name is Ethan. Is he the Ethan that she is suppose to be with? Or could there be someone else?

I loved Gina. She tries and is not perfect. She thinks that this is the guy that she has been waiting for her whole life. She wants it to be him, so badly. Doubt does set in though- what if she is wrong? I think we have all been there- with a partner who we want it to work out with. We try to make it work but something is missing. Do we throw in the towel or keep going? Ethan is going through some stuff. I don’t like him at all. This was Gina’s life plan- find Ethan, marry him, have babies and live happily ever after. Can she throw away the plan? Does any of us ever want to throw away the plan?

Waiting on Ethan is a book that will make you want to laugh with Gina, scream at Gina, cuss at Ethan and cheer on her friends. It may have you cheering on a guy that could be in the picture if Gina would just let him. It is one of those fast reads where when you get to the end of the book look up and say holy cow! I read that in one sitting!

The Reading Cave

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www. chicklitcentral.com)

Gina Rossi has been waiting for Ethan. Her Ethan. The one her best friend’s psychic grandmother, Ajee, had predicted for her, back when Gina was just a preteen. Others would scoff and probably not take heed to some silly prediction from years ago, but Gina had witnessed the abilities first-hand. So much of what Ajee foretold really did come true. It’s enough to make Gina wait. And wait.

At thirty-six, Gina finally runs into Ethan, in one of the most bizarre of circumstances. He’s nothing like what she thought he’d be, and his personal life is nothing short of messy. Running concurrently is the budding friendship she’s developing at work with a fellow coworker. Someone who she never thought she’d be interested in, or more importantly, would be interested in her. But he’s no Ethan. And, he never will be. So why does she feel so drawn to him?

I felt as though Waiting For Ethan is a story about unrequited love, loss, and the hope in finding that one special person, the one who makes you feel complete. Only, what if the person you’ve been destined for practically your whole life, isn’t really the one for you? Do you really need someone to make you feel complete? Or, is giving up only giving up on potential happiness?

When I delved into this book, I had a really hard time focusing on anything else. I didn’t want to put it down. I could totally relate to Gina, having been in situations myself where I questioned the validity of a relationship, having a difficult time separating my head from my heart. It’s so easy to say what should be done, vs. doing it. This was an honest look at a struggle within a woman who has to decide on what’s most important: loving Ethan, or loving herself.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Note: This ARC was provided by Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.

Waiting for Ethan is a standalone contemporary romance from author Diane Barnes that makes you sit back and contemplate the question "What's in a name?" Gina Rossi's been waiting for over two decades for the man she was destined to marry and his name just happens to be Ethan. While I realize that her then-best friend's grandmother had an excellent record of success when it came to her predictions, waiting that long seemed nutty, but I guess she didn't want to put in too much work to find someone and relied on fate.

I don't want to give too much of the story away because then it'll spoil the read for future readers. The idea itself was cute and you do end up asking yourself if fate or destiny is something that exists or if we should create our own reality and make the most out of it. The cast of characters were pretty good but the most intriguing one was Cooper Allen and I would have wished we could have gotten to know him far more than we did here. All in all, Waiting for Ethan was an okay read with a bit of unmet potential. It gets three stars. ♥

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the wait

Gina Rossi believed the prediction of her best friend's grandmother that she would marry a man named Ethan. The prediction was made when she was thirteen and now she is thirty-seven and her mother constantly reminds her that she is not getting any younger.

Gina thinks that her luck has changed when a man named Ethan helps her with her car during a snow storm. She is so certain that he is the Ethan for whom she has been waiting that she purchases a Brides Magazine the next day. Unfortunately, bit by bit she starts seeing chinks in her "Prince Charming's" armor. At the same time she finds herself drawn toward one of her colleagues at work.

This book was enjoyable. I liked most of the characters. I think that people who like nice clean romance stories will like this one.
If you like a book that has been edited, you will enjoy this book. So many books that I have read recently have had so many spelling and grammatical errors that it has made them onerous to read. Fortunately, this book does not fall into the above category.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for NetGalley:

So, I really liked this story. I wish, however, that her relationship with "Ethan" could have been expanded on a little more. I felt a little disappointed that I spent so much time with the first relationship, that I really wanted something to happen with the second relationship. And all we got was a fast forward section. They don't know so much about each other it was kind of ridiculous to think that all of those things would happen. So, while I liked this book, I wish it had just a LITTLE bit more of the second relationship. Also, perhaps I was in the mood, but I was CONSTANTLY yelling at the heroine, "Don't do that!" And then she would do the thing, and it made me laugh. Sometimes this annoys me, but this time it was fun. So... be prepared.