What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Him Not
Are you an expert at the game of love? Find out in Love Him Not, an interactive unromantic comedy where YOU become the protagonist. As Elle Masters, you'll navigate hundreds of familiar dating dilemmas and passionate predicaments inspired by popular advice books and modern romance. Each choice is more complicated than the last, and the stakes are raised with each turn of the page, but you’ll have backup from Elle’s best friends, Rachel and Valerie, who put the “antics” in “romantics.”
With 60 endings ranging from "I don't know what happened!" to “I do,” don't be surprised if art imitates life and you throw this book across the room… only to pick it up and try again. One more time. Because, unlike real life, when you don't like the outcome, you can go back to a pivotal moment and explore the path not taken, or even start over at the beginning.
BUYER BEWARE: Happily Ever Afters are hard to come by in Love Him Not. In fact, most of them are flat out unhappy. Still, with persistence, you might find one or two endings that downright satisfy - even if it means Elle drives off into the sunset alone.
HOW TO READ THIS BOOK:
It’s simple: start the story as you would any other, reading until you’re presented with your first dilemma! Decide between the two options offered and tap your choice at the centre of the link, which will advance you to the appropriate *SECTION number (NOT PAGE number) where you'll see what you’ve gotten Elle into -- or out of. And so it goes. Until you die. Well, you won’t “die,” but your relationship will. (See “throw book” above.) But then you get dozens of chances to do it over again!
[UPDATED VERSION FOR DOWNLOAD: This title was originally published as "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" in 2014. Significant changes were made to the current edition for a smoother ereader experience. If you purchased a copy of the original title, please manually delete it from your Kindle library and re-download "Love Him Not" to enjoy the enhanced version, Thank you,]
With 60 endings ranging from "I don't know what happened!" to “I do,” don't be surprised if art imitates life and you throw this book across the room… only to pick it up and try again. One more time. Because, unlike real life, when you don't like the outcome, you can go back to a pivotal moment and explore the path not taken, or even start over at the beginning.
BUYER BEWARE: Happily Ever Afters are hard to come by in Love Him Not. In fact, most of them are flat out unhappy. Still, with persistence, you might find one or two endings that downright satisfy - even if it means Elle drives off into the sunset alone.
HOW TO READ THIS BOOK:
It’s simple: start the story as you would any other, reading until you’re presented with your first dilemma! Decide between the two options offered and tap your choice at the centre of the link, which will advance you to the appropriate *SECTION number (NOT PAGE number) where you'll see what you’ve gotten Elle into -- or out of. And so it goes. Until you die. Well, you won’t “die,” but your relationship will. (See “throw book” above.) But then you get dozens of chances to do it over again!
[UPDATED VERSION FOR DOWNLOAD: This title was originally published as "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" in 2014. Significant changes were made to the current edition for a smoother ereader experience. If you purchased a copy of the original title, please manually delete it from your Kindle library and re-download "Love Him Not" to enjoy the enhanced version, Thank you,]
530 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2014
About the author
Tara K. Reed
5 books61 followersWhen her PR career was derailed by a sickening plot twist, Tara K. Reed published her first interactive novel, ‘Love Him Not’ - a satirical dating adventure inspired by dozens of advice books, with hundreds of choices and 60 (mostly unhappy) endings. She recently published 'A Bitch In Time: 30 Snarcastic Stitches For You to Stab' with her (much older) brother. Tara lives on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls with her husband and many cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
January 6, 2015
This book was SO MUCH FUN!!! I read the description and thought, "Hmm... this sounds interesting." I checked it out on Goodreads and it had great reviews, so I downloaded it. I'm so glad I did!
This book was a "Choose Your Own Adventure" romance book. Super creative, right? In this book, you play Elle Masters, a girl looking for love after a recent break-up. You meet a cute guy named Nick at a bar and are faced with your first choice. This book ended up making me extremely grateful that my husband and I went from very close friends to dating because the modern dating world seems filled with landmines. In this story, one wrong move can ruin your chances with Nick forever! Some choices are obviously big ones- if you haven't heard from Nick after a few days, do you call or wait for him to call? Some choices seem unimportant- do you side with the girl or the guy in the story Nick's telling you? However, each choice leads you on a different path.
For a while, I was frustrated with this book because I kept getting bad endings!! But I just had to keep reading to find all the endings. I actually cheated a little to get my first happy ending by flipping through pages in order to get to a scene I hadn't been to, then going backwards from there to a page that was familiar. Sue me, I really wanted a "happily ever after!"
Because certain choices lead to happiness while others lead to heartbreak, this book is an educational read. It shows you how certain dating choices are perceived by the opposite sex and how you can sabotage your happiness. It was fun to get the varying opinions of Elle's two best friends. I really feel like I learned a lot about modern dating! I want to share this book with my single lady friends. :)
This book is hours of fun. It's longer than a normal book with all the different twists and turns your love path can take. I would highly recommend this to anyone. I have to tell you- when I started the book, I read it aloud to my husband and let him choose different endings (we were at the tail end of a long car trip). He was really curious to find out the results of his different actions. This from a guy who doesn't read, let alone a chick lit/romance book! Fans of create your own adventures, fans of romance, and fans of chick lit will especially enjoy this delightful tale.
This book was a "Choose Your Own Adventure" romance book. Super creative, right? In this book, you play Elle Masters, a girl looking for love after a recent break-up. You meet a cute guy named Nick at a bar and are faced with your first choice. This book ended up making me extremely grateful that my husband and I went from very close friends to dating because the modern dating world seems filled with landmines. In this story, one wrong move can ruin your chances with Nick forever! Some choices are obviously big ones- if you haven't heard from Nick after a few days, do you call or wait for him to call? Some choices seem unimportant- do you side with the girl or the guy in the story Nick's telling you? However, each choice leads you on a different path.
For a while, I was frustrated with this book because I kept getting bad endings!! But I just had to keep reading to find all the endings. I actually cheated a little to get my first happy ending by flipping through pages in order to get to a scene I hadn't been to, then going backwards from there to a page that was familiar. Sue me, I really wanted a "happily ever after!"
Because certain choices lead to happiness while others lead to heartbreak, this book is an educational read. It shows you how certain dating choices are perceived by the opposite sex and how you can sabotage your happiness. It was fun to get the varying opinions of Elle's two best friends. I really feel like I learned a lot about modern dating! I want to share this book with my single lady friends. :)
This book is hours of fun. It's longer than a normal book with all the different twists and turns your love path can take. I would highly recommend this to anyone. I have to tell you- when I started the book, I read it aloud to my husband and let him choose different endings (we were at the tail end of a long car trip). He was really curious to find out the results of his different actions. This from a guy who doesn't read, let alone a chick lit/romance book! Fans of create your own adventures, fans of romance, and fans of chick lit will especially enjoy this delightful tale.
January 13, 2015
Ok, this book was bad. Sure, it's fun to try all the different ways the story can go and feel like you are the one who chooses how the heroine will behave, but the actual story is so lacking in depth and character development and full of so many cliches and sexist stereotypes that as a normal book it wouldn't stand a chance.
July 20, 2016
I'm enjoying this book very much right now. It's very fun and frustrating at the same time. I like how the story changes every time you make a decision and I love the fact you are in charge of how the story goes although never in charge of how it ends. And more often then not it ends in the most frustrating way. I find this book funny and I love the way you are the main character and you are submerged in the story.
June 29, 2016
5 Words: What e-books were made for.
This book really explores the possibilities with e-books. It's interactive and puts you in charge and I really enjoyed that aspect. It's engaging in a way I haven't yet come across with e-books, and that was refreshing.
My ending was always the same... I guess I don't make the best choices! But it was fun to go back and explore what could have been if only.
I wasn't such a fan of the writing style, but I think that's because I didn't relate much to the main character. She was too different for me to imagine as myself, and none of her choices were really what I would actually do.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this pretty quick read, and being able to explore the book as I'd explore a new place, examining all the different nooks and crannies.
This book really explores the possibilities with e-books. It's interactive and puts you in charge and I really enjoyed that aspect. It's engaging in a way I haven't yet come across with e-books, and that was refreshing.
My ending was always the same... I guess I don't make the best choices! But it was fun to go back and explore what could have been if only.
I wasn't such a fan of the writing style, but I think that's because I didn't relate much to the main character. She was too different for me to imagine as myself, and none of her choices were really what I would actually do.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this pretty quick read, and being able to explore the book as I'd explore a new place, examining all the different nooks and crannies.
October 22, 2014
I had so much fun with this book and have been telling everyone about it! I loved doing the choose your own adventure as an adult and with adult themes. Once I found the story path - my story - that I was happy with, I then went back and read all of the other options. There are just so many twists and turns that you can keep reading and reading! Seriously addicting!
I have no idea how Ms. Reed was able to write a book like this, I can't even begin to understand the kind of imagination and writing ability that had to go into this. Truly outstanding. I look forward to more from Tara Reed!
I have no idea how Ms. Reed was able to write a book like this, I can't even begin to understand the kind of imagination and writing ability that had to go into this. Truly outstanding. I look forward to more from Tara Reed!
August 15, 2016
4.5/5 stars
I'm not going to lie- when I got this as an ebook for free on Amazon, I wasn't expecting all that much. I thought the premise sounded fun, and I recalled loving choose-your-own-adventure-type books as a kid, so I thought I'd just give it a go. Little did I know how obsessed with this story I would become and how absolutely in love with the characters I was going to fall.
Let's start there, shall we? Though the book is written in second person, our main character Elle Masters is not just some empty husk of a person for the reader to live vicariously through. She is fleshed out, she is complex, she has a backstory, and she has a definable personality. I absolutely loved Elle's sass, but even more than that I loved how much heart she had. She cares deeply about her family and friends, and she knows what she wants in a romantic relationship. What made Elle even more lovable were the interactions with her best friends Rachel and Valerie (who honestly stole the show- the antics the three of them got into were hilarious, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say that the banter between the three of these women had me crying laughing and was the highlight of my reading experience). Rachel and Valerie are also given distinct personalities and characteristics without them becoming the caricatures of best friends that are seen in a lot of "chick lit" (quotations because I loathe that term). Then we have Nick. Oh, Nick. Reed warns us that every so often we will hate him, and she was not kidding. Some of these endings are so brutal that, if I had a physical copy in lieu of my phone, I probably would have thrown the book across the room. I once went on a reading tangent so long that I thought "Yes, this is it! Nick and I are going to get married and be together forever!" only to find he had been cheating on me/Elle for months and he was leaving to be with her. Way harsh. But the beauty of this book is that sometimes Nick acts like a jerk, but in other timelines he lives up to his name of Mr. Wright. When things are going well, he and Elle have the best witty banter, the cutest moments of romance, and even occasionally a happy ending.
I think one of the things I love most about this sort of interactive, nonlinear story is that my anal side can turn it into a mission to read every single bit of book there is and try to discover every possible ending. I wanted to "win" at reading it, if you will. And in Love Him Not, where there are 60 endings (and only two where Elle ends up with Nick!), that's quite a task. If you're going to be a control freak reader like me I cannot recommend enough that you sign up for the doorflower newsletter to get the "Heart-A-Track" sheet, because I never would have made it through everything without it (it was also invaluable for marking off each ending, including the two "happily-ever-after" ones, and for noting the particularly heartbreaking endings). Really my only complaint about this book- aka the reason I didn't give it a perfect 5 stars- was that I was rooting for Elle and Nick so much that it hurt to only have those two good endings for them. Especially so because I had found them both when I was about halfway through my reading experience, so even though I was happy to have read those two parts, I was dissatisfied knowing I hadn't read the rest of the book yet, and had to keep going through all the painful endings afterwards.
Typically I don't address other readers' critiques in my own reviews, but I do want to mention a few points that I read from other people. I don't think this book is at all anti-feminist or setting a bad example for how to behave in a relationship. While there are only two promoted happy endings, there are many others where things are broken off between our couple with mutual respect and a sense of dignity. There are endings were Nick makes terrible choices and Elle lets him have it for the way he has behaved (these are my personal favorites of the bad endings). The point of much of the book is that Elle knows what she wants out of life (Nick does as well), and that she's not going to settle for less, even if that means losing a man as seemingly perfect as Nick. Likewise, this is not a dating advice book (a point Reed is sure to mention in her intro). Love Him Not is not advocating tricking your boyfriend into an engagement or lying to your significant other (sometimes poor choices lead to serendipitous happiness, other times they backfire entirely). I think the point is that there's no one set path toward love- in a story, or in life. People don't always react the way you would expect, and sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I thought that this book was very realistic in this respect, even if some of the situations Elle gets into are a bit outlandish (but that's part of the fun)!
Overall, I really loved this read. I've been revisiting my favorite quotes a lot (the "pew pew" dialogue between the ladies always gives me a good laugh) and I know I'll definitely go back for a reread at some point. Even more so I can't wait to see what Reed writes next (an alternative history series featuring England's most notorious monarchs?? SIGN ME UP)!
(x)
I'm not going to lie- when I got this as an ebook for free on Amazon, I wasn't expecting all that much. I thought the premise sounded fun, and I recalled loving choose-your-own-adventure-type books as a kid, so I thought I'd just give it a go. Little did I know how obsessed with this story I would become and how absolutely in love with the characters I was going to fall.
Let's start there, shall we? Though the book is written in second person, our main character Elle Masters is not just some empty husk of a person for the reader to live vicariously through. She is fleshed out, she is complex, she has a backstory, and she has a definable personality. I absolutely loved Elle's sass, but even more than that I loved how much heart she had. She cares deeply about her family and friends, and she knows what she wants in a romantic relationship. What made Elle even more lovable were the interactions with her best friends Rachel and Valerie (who honestly stole the show- the antics the three of them got into were hilarious, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say that the banter between the three of these women had me crying laughing and was the highlight of my reading experience). Rachel and Valerie are also given distinct personalities and characteristics without them becoming the caricatures of best friends that are seen in a lot of "chick lit" (quotations because I loathe that term). Then we have Nick. Oh, Nick. Reed warns us that every so often we will hate him, and she was not kidding. Some of these endings are so brutal that, if I had a physical copy in lieu of my phone, I probably would have thrown the book across the room. I once went on a reading tangent so long that I thought "Yes, this is it! Nick and I are going to get married and be together forever!" only to find he had been cheating on me/Elle for months and he was leaving to be with her. Way harsh. But the beauty of this book is that sometimes Nick acts like a jerk, but in other timelines he lives up to his name of Mr. Wright. When things are going well, he and Elle have the best witty banter, the cutest moments of romance, and even occasionally a happy ending.
I think one of the things I love most about this sort of interactive, nonlinear story is that my anal side can turn it into a mission to read every single bit of book there is and try to discover every possible ending. I wanted to "win" at reading it, if you will. And in Love Him Not, where there are 60 endings (and only two where Elle ends up with Nick!), that's quite a task. If you're going to be a control freak reader like me I cannot recommend enough that you sign up for the doorflower newsletter to get the "Heart-A-Track" sheet, because I never would have made it through everything without it (it was also invaluable for marking off each ending, including the two "happily-ever-after" ones, and for noting the particularly heartbreaking endings). Really my only complaint about this book- aka the reason I didn't give it a perfect 5 stars- was that I was rooting for Elle and Nick so much that it hurt to only have those two good endings for them. Especially so because I had found them both when I was about halfway through my reading experience, so even though I was happy to have read those two parts, I was dissatisfied knowing I hadn't read the rest of the book yet, and had to keep going through all the painful endings afterwards.
Typically I don't address other readers' critiques in my own reviews, but I do want to mention a few points that I read from other people. I don't think this book is at all anti-feminist or setting a bad example for how to behave in a relationship. While there are only two promoted happy endings, there are many others where things are broken off between our couple with mutual respect and a sense of dignity. There are endings were Nick makes terrible choices and Elle lets him have it for the way he has behaved (these are my personal favorites of the bad endings). The point of much of the book is that Elle knows what she wants out of life (Nick does as well), and that she's not going to settle for less, even if that means losing a man as seemingly perfect as Nick. Likewise, this is not a dating advice book (a point Reed is sure to mention in her intro). Love Him Not is not advocating tricking your boyfriend into an engagement or lying to your significant other (sometimes poor choices lead to serendipitous happiness, other times they backfire entirely). I think the point is that there's no one set path toward love- in a story, or in life. People don't always react the way you would expect, and sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I thought that this book was very realistic in this respect, even if some of the situations Elle gets into are a bit outlandish (but that's part of the fun)!
Overall, I really loved this read. I've been revisiting my favorite quotes a lot (the "pew pew" dialogue between the ladies always gives me a good laugh) and I know I'll definitely go back for a reread at some point. Even more so I can't wait to see what Reed writes next (an alternative history series featuring England's most notorious monarchs?? SIGN ME UP)!
(x)
February 4, 2017
Where has this book been all my life?!?!
This book was soooo much fun. And exciting. And satisfying!
I enjoyed this book for many many many reasons, the two most important being:
(1) I hate when characters in books make stupid, god-awful decisions, that not only I would never make, but that inevitably ruin everything. So being able to make "better" decisions was instantly appealing and insanely gratifying.
(2) We all play the shoulda, wuolda, coulda game. All. Of. Us. So being able to play, readjust, and replay different scenarios, without the real life high stakes and potentially disastrous outcomes, was highly enjoyable.
Did I mention that this book stars YOU?
It is YOU making the decisions, some seemingly innocuous like "order take-out for date night in, or cook his favorite meal from scratch" or what you should wear on your first date, but then they get increasingly more complex like, should you call it a night or see where all this chemistry leads, should you invite him to dinner with your parents, or is it too soon? And my absolute favorite: do you gentlytrick nudge your long-term boyfriend into proposing, or do you continue to wait for him to get the hint.
These scenarios were perfect. I would roll my eyes and make what I thought was a 'no-brainer' decision, only to end up all
Or be forced into a corner to make the 'worst decision ever' only to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
And the very very very best part is that you get to see, first hand, that there are some situations with the same outcome, regardless of how you play it.
I must warn you though, most of these have less than desirable endings; some are amicable and some are awful, but some are just right.
This book was soooo much fun. And exciting. And satisfying!
I enjoyed this book for many many many reasons, the two most important being:
(1) I hate when characters in books make stupid, god-awful decisions, that not only I would never make, but that inevitably ruin everything. So being able to make "better" decisions was instantly appealing and insanely gratifying.
(2) We all play the shoulda, wuolda, coulda game. All. Of. Us. So being able to play, readjust, and replay different scenarios, without the real life high stakes and potentially disastrous outcomes, was highly enjoyable.
Did I mention that this book stars YOU?
It is YOU making the decisions, some seemingly innocuous like "order take-out for date night in, or cook his favorite meal from scratch" or what you should wear on your first date, but then they get increasingly more complex like, should you call it a night or see where all this chemistry leads, should you invite him to dinner with your parents, or is it too soon? And my absolute favorite: do you gently
These scenarios were perfect. I would roll my eyes and make what I thought was a 'no-brainer' decision, only to end up all
Or be forced into a corner to make the 'worst decision ever' only to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
And the very very very best part is that you get to see, first hand, that there are some situations with the same outcome, regardless of how you play it.
I must warn you though, most of these have less than desirable endings; some are amicable and some are awful, but some are just right.
August 4, 2014
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda is an entertaining interactive romantic comedy that engages the reader to step into the shoes of Elle Masters as she journeys down the path of romance in search of elusive true love. The author sets up every chapter with romantic situations that you as Elle gets herself into only to have to choose between two intriguing steps to see how the situation ends. Hmmm ... which option would you choose? How will it work out for Elle? Will she find romance and true love?
Author Tara Lee Reed weaves an intriguing interactive romantic comedy that easily draws the reader into the variety of romantic situations that she sets up. It feels like the reader is given a romantic challenge with a variety of dating dilemmas and predicaments to figure out just ow well they know the tricky thing called love. Being an inquisitive person, I found myself not be able to settle for picking just one of the options at the end of each chapter, oh no not me, I had to go back and find out how the situation would end if I had picked the other option. Well done Ms. Reed, not only is this a brilliant way to get your readers to become completely invested in undertaking the romantic challenge, but to also get them to wonder and question "what if I had chosen the other option?," and then get them to go back and select the other ending!
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda is a fun romantic comedy with a new twist, give this one a chance, you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Author Tara Lee Reed weaves an intriguing interactive romantic comedy that easily draws the reader into the variety of romantic situations that she sets up. It feels like the reader is given a romantic challenge with a variety of dating dilemmas and predicaments to figure out just ow well they know the tricky thing called love. Being an inquisitive person, I found myself not be able to settle for picking just one of the options at the end of each chapter, oh no not me, I had to go back and find out how the situation would end if I had picked the other option. Well done Ms. Reed, not only is this a brilliant way to get your readers to become completely invested in undertaking the romantic challenge, but to also get them to wonder and question "what if I had chosen the other option?," and then get them to go back and select the other ending!
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda is a fun romantic comedy with a new twist, give this one a chance, you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
August 5, 2014
Elle Masters stopped dating since her last relationship was bust and with some convincing from her friends, Valerie and Rachel to have a girls night out on the town she hesitantly decides to indulge them. During the outing Elle meets Nick Wright and with the novel being interactive in your choosing one of two results for each chapter as you read Elle’s fate with Nick, you have the chance to backtrack your decision for the other choice.
Another interesting plot of the book is being able to decide if you want Elle to have a one-night stand with Nick or have them begin a relationship that leads to something more permanent.
As you read the different scenarios of Elle’s decisions most will choose the next step according to their personal dating experiences and relationships also considering how they could have handled certain relationships in the past.
This is my first time experiencing an interactive electronic novel and recommend this fun novel to readers of dating, romance, and relationship books because you have the chance to choose what the ending will be for the main character.
I received this book free through CLP Blog Tours in exchange for an unbiased opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
Another interesting plot of the book is being able to decide if you want Elle to have a one-night stand with Nick or have them begin a relationship that leads to something more permanent.
As you read the different scenarios of Elle’s decisions most will choose the next step according to their personal dating experiences and relationships also considering how they could have handled certain relationships in the past.
This is my first time experiencing an interactive electronic novel and recommend this fun novel to readers of dating, romance, and relationship books because you have the chance to choose what the ending will be for the main character.
I received this book free through CLP Blog Tours in exchange for an unbiased opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
August 7, 2014
“Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” is a unique take on a traditional chick-lit book. It is written as a choose your own adventure style- so the possibilities are endless. So far, I have read this book at least 10 times and have had 10 different outcomes. I can not remember when I was so excited by reading a book before. Written in the impossible second person- Tara Lee Reid pulls it off with style. I really loved the contemporary Bridget Jones like feel to the book. This book can be read over and over and it never looses its charm. It is the perfect holiday read because it never stops entertaining. I highly recommend this book just because it is so different. Tara Lee Reid pulled off a speculative style of writing with humour, wit and realistic events. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
January 10, 2015
l love the concept of the book. It is so fun and has unlimited re-reading potential. I thought it is nicely written and I enjoy the female characters. So why the low rating? Nick. Ugh. I understand that there has to be reasons they break up. It would be nice if they weren't all because he is a jerk. Because he is. If you don't agree with him on everything, you break up. If you try to pay your own way, he stops calling. You have to dress like a slut but can't act like one cause then he dumps you. if you want to marry him, you better lie and manipulate him or it isn't going to happen. but you get to be all indignant when he tries to manipulate you. Such an awesome concept and so interesting. too bad the leading man is a total dud.
November 29, 2014
~~I received this in exchange for an honest review~~
This has to be the strangest book that I have ever read. I have heard of the choose your own adventure books when I was little, but I was never a fan of them, I was frustrated easily. It was the same with this book. It has a great premise, but, no matter where I would go, two "choose your way's" later, I was back near the beginning. I should have just read it straight through (author has a note at the beginning on how to read the book)
I gave the book 4 stars because there is a good story line in there. I was just unable to follow it. I got frustrated with going back to the beginning.
This has to be the strangest book that I have ever read. I have heard of the choose your own adventure books when I was little, but I was never a fan of them, I was frustrated easily. It was the same with this book. It has a great premise, but, no matter where I would go, two "choose your way's" later, I was back near the beginning. I should have just read it straight through (author has a note at the beginning on how to read the book)
I gave the book 4 stars because there is a good story line in there. I was just unable to follow it. I got frustrated with going back to the beginning.
August 1, 2014
Tara Lee Reed is on tour now with CLP Blog Tours and Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda
I need to go full disclaimer here with my review and say that I did proofreading for Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda so my reading experience for this interactive novel was probably different for most. I knew all the situations “you” could get into but I didn’t know how they would correlate while I was actually reading the book and following along and seeing where my decisions led me to. This book is seriously such a blast. It’s clever and cute and such a genius idea. I don’t know how many situations I put myself through just to see what would happen. Looking for something different? Try this one out!
I need to go full disclaimer here with my review and say that I did proofreading for Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda so my reading experience for this interactive novel was probably different for most. I knew all the situations “you” could get into but I didn’t know how they would correlate while I was actually reading the book and following along and seeing where my decisions led me to. This book is seriously such a blast. It’s clever and cute and such a genius idea. I don’t know how many situations I put myself through just to see what would happen. Looking for something different? Try this one out!
July 23, 2014
I received this novel from CLP Blog Tours in exchange for my honest opinion, and I absolutely loved this novel. The novel begins with the main character, Elle Masters, going through an old shoe box of memories. Her friends, Rachel and Valerie, whisk her away from "heartbreak hotel" and force her to go out, Elle finds Nick Wright. I love the fact that the author, Tara Lee Reed, made this novel interactive and unique. Although I kept ending up alone, I definitely enjoyed this novel, and will continue to read it until I have my happily ever after. This was a great, and unique read for sure!
August 16, 2014
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda brings me back to my childhood, but grown-up style. The characters, who are true to life, witty and fun, draw you in and make you never want to leave. Reading this book feels like a fun night out with your bff's, but with as many do overs as you want. My only qualm, I was bummed when my bad decisions meant I'd reached The End! The up side it's not really the end because you can go back and choose something else and another story unfolds.
Love it and can't wait for the next!
Love it and can't wait for the next!
January 4, 2015
Do you remember those books where you pick your adventure and there is more than one possible ending? I loved those books as a kid. Well, this book is exactly like that but for adults. I was surprised how much fun I had going through various scenarios and seeing where they ended. The only complaint I have is that Nick's personality could change drastically depending on the adventure you chose. However, I suppose that's nitpicking since the author needed to create as many different possible options as possible. Overall, this was a light and fun read perfect for a rainy weekend.
January 4, 2015
This is such a fun idea and I've certainly never read a Choose Your Own Adventure Romance! I've read through a few of the outcomes, but I can definitely see how fun it is trying to "win" the HEA. Love Rachel and Val, but I didn't really click with Elle, aka "me", so it was a little frustrating making choices and then having Elle react in ways I would not have. But that's just me. Love how unique this is and will keep coming back to it just for fun.
September 5, 2014
I really like this novel, reading it was one enjoyable experiment. The author made it interactive which, in my opinion, is a very smart and exciting thing. I would definitely recommend this to friends and family...
January 5, 2015
a fun choose your on adventure for adults. a quick read and realistic outcomes. super fun quick chick lit read. leaving as read even though I can go back to it again and again for diff stories each time
June 19, 2015
cute premise! I kept trying to figure out how to get a happy ending though haha
August 25, 2019
A Fabulously Modern Blast from my Past
I used to read choose your own adventure books ALL THE TIME as a kid. Like, seriously, I would sit down with the book and tiny pieces of paper and bookmark every choice so that when my current plot ended, I could go back to each point and make every single decision to ensure I got every ending in the book. Those books tended to have 70% of endings conclude with death rather than a return to single life, but as my reading tastes have matured, I was so thrilled to find a book completely on par with my go to romance novels that still allowed me to indulge the part of me that LOVES this style of book. 100% did not disappoint. I'm going to Amazon right now to see what other books this amazing author has put out. If you're reading to decide if this book is for you or not, it's a 10/10 would recommend from me!
I used to read choose your own adventure books ALL THE TIME as a kid. Like, seriously, I would sit down with the book and tiny pieces of paper and bookmark every choice so that when my current plot ended, I could go back to each point and make every single decision to ensure I got every ending in the book. Those books tended to have 70% of endings conclude with death rather than a return to single life, but as my reading tastes have matured, I was so thrilled to find a book completely on par with my go to romance novels that still allowed me to indulge the part of me that LOVES this style of book. 100% did not disappoint. I'm going to Amazon right now to see what other books this amazing author has put out. If you're reading to decide if this book is for you or not, it's a 10/10 would recommend from me!
August 24, 2019
So fun
This is the first book I halve read that as the reader I got to pick the path. What a unique and fun time. I highly recommend the Heart-a-Track. I made it to the happy ending on my own. But it was a trial. I had several, several, miss turns and upsetting abrupt endings. But got my happy ending in the end. So fun!
This is the first book I halve read that as the reader I got to pick the path. What a unique and fun time. I highly recommend the Heart-a-Track. I made it to the happy ending on my own. But it was a trial. I had several, several, miss turns and upsetting abrupt endings. But got my happy ending in the end. So fun!
November 15, 2019
Definitely fun to see all the ways your decisions change the story
August 9, 2016
I think it is fair to say that I found my way to most of the 58 unhappy endings - I lucked my way into the only two happy endings fairly early on, within two or three days of reading. This was a fun, light-hearted read - as much as it can be for a book that is mostly about breaking up!
Full review to come!
++++++++
http://allthebookblognamesaretaken.bl...
www.facebook.com/AllTheBookBlogNamesA...
www.twitter.com/SarahsBookNook
Rating: 4 Stars
Full Disclosure: The author, Tara Reed, and I became friends on Goodreads a few months ago when discussing our mutual interest in history, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I. I did not realize that this book which was on my to-read list was hers at first and last week she sent me a message saying it was free on Amazon for a short time, so I grabbed it all quick-like, because I love free books. It's even better when they are GOOD free books! This did not impact my review in any way.
So onto 'Love Him Not'.
When I was a kid I LOOOOOOVED the Choose Your Own Adventure books. I read through them like crazy and read some of my favorites over and over. What kid didn't love exploring volcanoes or inadvertently becoming a Russian spy?
So, this is like that...well, in no way. You don't get to be a spy or anything like that, but you get to become the main character, Elle Masters (like L Masters? like Love Masters? Or am I just the one weirdo who reads too much into names and sounds and how they fit together?) Anyway. You are Elle and you get to navigate a brand new relationship with a charming (sometimes) and handsome (always) man named Nick Wright (Right?! Mr. Right?!) who you meet on a night out with your gal pals.
As the cover shows, there are sixty possible endings for your relationship. When the author says they are mostly unhappy endings, she is not joking. 58 of the 60 are unhappy, monsoon-of-tears worthy, infuriating endings. Some are blind-siding (like the cheating ones, him not you) and some are totally justified. I had a lot of fun meandering my way through the messes that I got myself into, as well as finding the two happy endings fairly early on, after I'd only gone through about half of the not-so-happy ones. I won't spoil what those endings are or how you get there, but trust me, they exist!
I contemplated putting the book down after that, because all those unhappy endings prior were not so much fun - especially when you invest a lot of time, the story keeps moving along, you think you are heading toward marriage and then BOOM, you break up. But I really wanted to see how the rest of the endings went so I plugged on and found most of them. After I did find the two happy endings, I went back to the beginning and started just making the worst decision in each instance - in those times, the relationship ends REALLY quickly.
I liked the concept of navigating a relationship in this way because it is realistic. You will recognize yourself or your friends in the main character, as well as in her two friends who both help and hinder your relationship with Nick. It is safe to say that most, if not all, of these situations have presented themselves to you or someone you know at some point in your dating life. You have had to decide if you will be the calm, level-headed, logical person, or the psycho who freaks out all the time. We've all been there. It was fun to be able to make those ridiculous choices without it having any real-world impact - like snooping through his email.
The only complaint I have here is the format; reading it on my Kindle was tough sometimes - not impossible, but tough. You might get yourself into a situation that ends in a big flaming ball of fire as your relationship crashes an burns, and want to back up to make a different choice. But you might have forgotten which section you previously came from, and end up in completely in the wrong spot. To aid with this, the author offers a little cheat sheet on her website that you can print off to check the sections as you go, so you know where you have been. I would recommend that.
Overall this was a fun, light-hearted read - as much as it can be for a book that is mostly about breaking up!
Full review to come!
++++++++
http://allthebookblognamesaretaken.bl...
www.facebook.com/AllTheBookBlogNamesA...
www.twitter.com/SarahsBookNook
Rating: 4 Stars
Full Disclosure: The author, Tara Reed, and I became friends on Goodreads a few months ago when discussing our mutual interest in history, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I. I did not realize that this book which was on my to-read list was hers at first and last week she sent me a message saying it was free on Amazon for a short time, so I grabbed it all quick-like, because I love free books. It's even better when they are GOOD free books! This did not impact my review in any way.
So onto 'Love Him Not'.
When I was a kid I LOOOOOOVED the Choose Your Own Adventure books. I read through them like crazy and read some of my favorites over and over. What kid didn't love exploring volcanoes or inadvertently becoming a Russian spy?
So, this is like that...well, in no way. You don't get to be a spy or anything like that, but you get to become the main character, Elle Masters (like L Masters? like Love Masters? Or am I just the one weirdo who reads too much into names and sounds and how they fit together?) Anyway. You are Elle and you get to navigate a brand new relationship with a charming (sometimes) and handsome (always) man named Nick Wright (Right?! Mr. Right?!) who you meet on a night out with your gal pals.
As the cover shows, there are sixty possible endings for your relationship. When the author says they are mostly unhappy endings, she is not joking. 58 of the 60 are unhappy, monsoon-of-tears worthy, infuriating endings. Some are blind-siding (like the cheating ones, him not you) and some are totally justified. I had a lot of fun meandering my way through the messes that I got myself into, as well as finding the two happy endings fairly early on, after I'd only gone through about half of the not-so-happy ones. I won't spoil what those endings are or how you get there, but trust me, they exist!
I contemplated putting the book down after that, because all those unhappy endings prior were not so much fun - especially when you invest a lot of time, the story keeps moving along, you think you are heading toward marriage and then BOOM, you break up. But I really wanted to see how the rest of the endings went so I plugged on and found most of them. After I did find the two happy endings, I went back to the beginning and started just making the worst decision in each instance - in those times, the relationship ends REALLY quickly.
I liked the concept of navigating a relationship in this way because it is realistic. You will recognize yourself or your friends in the main character, as well as in her two friends who both help and hinder your relationship with Nick. It is safe to say that most, if not all, of these situations have presented themselves to you or someone you know at some point in your dating life. You have had to decide if you will be the calm, level-headed, logical person, or the psycho who freaks out all the time. We've all been there. It was fun to be able to make those ridiculous choices without it having any real-world impact - like snooping through his email.
The only complaint I have here is the format; reading it on my Kindle was tough sometimes - not impossible, but tough. You might get yourself into a situation that ends in a big flaming ball of fire as your relationship crashes an burns, and want to back up to make a different choice. But you might have forgotten which section you previously came from, and end up in completely in the wrong spot. To aid with this, the author offers a little cheat sheet on her website that you can print off to check the sections as you go, so you know where you have been. I would recommend that.
Overall this was a fun, light-hearted read - as much as it can be for a book that is mostly about breaking up!
January 28, 2015
Love, love, love the concept of this one. Tara Lee Reed’s debut novel is a wonderful blend of dating do’s and don’ts combined with choose-your-own-adventure with a dose of single-in-the-city. Every few pages, “you” get to make choices for a protagonist who’s currently on the rebound: is she out for a night with the gals to unwind? Does she take the number of the cute, sexy finance guy who’s more date-material than rebound-material? Does she give him her number? Do they kiss on the first date? Does she call after one day or wait the Swingers-rule-of-three? It’s completely fun and absolutely wonderful on an e-reader (I think back to all the time I wasted, flipping actual pages as a pre-teen reading such books). The reason I’m giving it 4-stars instead of 5? Though I totally loved the idea and thought it was generally executed well, it’s hard to know what outcome (if any) I really liked. There are sad endings and a couple happy ones, as well as a slew of in-between girl-you’re-better-off-without-him endings. As a completionist, I had to go through all the endings and am left not really knowing how I feel. It’s different than the choose-your-own-adventures I read as a kid because the ending you “want” isn’t clear (clearer detail below). That said, it was a super fun, super quick read (I think I got to my first “ending” within five minutes?) and definitely recommended.
Greater Detail (with a few spoilers):
As I’ve already said before, the concept and execution of this book are quite good. There are only three main gripes I have with the story:
1. Honestly? The beginning is the slowest part of the story. I know it’s necessary for the setup to be told that Elle Masters has just gotten dumped (but in a thank-goodness-you-dumped-me-first way) but the exposition within the first chapter is probably the least involving part. It’s the only part of the novel where you don’t actively feel a part of the action. Still, it’s not an overly long intro, and once you’re through, you’re pretty heavily engaged.
2. Man, Elle, which really quickly becomes you, the reader, makes some stupid decisions. It’s a little off-putting when you (the reader) pick an action that seems totally reasonable and then, a few pages later, you see you (as Elle, the protagonist) going off the deep-end of crazy. Now, Elle usually recognizes when she’s stepped off the cliff of insanity (there’s some seriously stalker-like mistakes here), but it can still be a little tough when you (the reader) felt as though you were directing Elle is a reasonable way and then it all blows up in your face…
3. (Spoilers Ahead!!!!) So the thing I probably had the most trouble with wasn’t the fact that there were multiple endings or even that Elle’s a little crazy sometimes (we’re all a little crazy sometimes). The trouble I had is that I had gone through many, many of the less-than-happy endings before I accidentally ended up at one of the happy ones. BUT, despite the fact that I knew it was supposed to be one of the “happy” endings, I couldn’t enjoy it. I’d seen both of the main characters (Elle and Nick) act like such jerks and break up in so many other scenarios, that I really distrusted their happy ending. Maybe that means I don’t think these people should be together… except that’s also not an opinion I would have had if I hadn’t gone through SO MANY bad endings. In the end (where I had read through everything) I just didn’t know where I hoped these people would end up, and I found that… unsettling.
All of that said, it’s a super-fun, super-quick read, ambitious and engaging.
Greater Detail (with a few spoilers):
As I’ve already said before, the concept and execution of this book are quite good. There are only three main gripes I have with the story:
1. Honestly? The beginning is the slowest part of the story. I know it’s necessary for the setup to be told that Elle Masters has just gotten dumped (but in a thank-goodness-you-dumped-me-first way) but the exposition within the first chapter is probably the least involving part. It’s the only part of the novel where you don’t actively feel a part of the action. Still, it’s not an overly long intro, and once you’re through, you’re pretty heavily engaged.
2. Man, Elle, which really quickly becomes you, the reader, makes some stupid decisions. It’s a little off-putting when you (the reader) pick an action that seems totally reasonable and then, a few pages later, you see you (as Elle, the protagonist) going off the deep-end of crazy. Now, Elle usually recognizes when she’s stepped off the cliff of insanity (there’s some seriously stalker-like mistakes here), but it can still be a little tough when you (the reader) felt as though you were directing Elle is a reasonable way and then it all blows up in your face…
3. (Spoilers Ahead!!!!) So the thing I probably had the most trouble with wasn’t the fact that there were multiple endings or even that Elle’s a little crazy sometimes (we’re all a little crazy sometimes). The trouble I had is that I had gone through many, many of the less-than-happy endings before I accidentally ended up at one of the happy ones. BUT, despite the fact that I knew it was supposed to be one of the “happy” endings, I couldn’t enjoy it. I’d seen both of the main characters (Elle and Nick) act like such jerks and break up in so many other scenarios, that I really distrusted their happy ending. Maybe that means I don’t think these people should be together… except that’s also not an opinion I would have had if I hadn’t gone through SO MANY bad endings. In the end (where I had read through everything) I just didn’t know where I hoped these people would end up, and I found that… unsettling.
All of that said, it’s a super-fun, super-quick read, ambitious and engaging.
October 21, 2020
I love the idea of a choose your own adventure e-book. It utilizes the opportunities of the format beautifully. I can't decide what I think of what Reed has done with it, though. I'm not sure whether it suggests that whether a relationship succeeds is almost a matter of chance or whether it makes me feel as though any decision that a woman makes is probably the wrong one in dating. So far I haven't found the so-called happy ending that, as I understand it, is possible. And, of course, there are little snippets of the story that have come up that have never been fully developed, because really all one reads in any one sitting is a short story, or even more of a snapshot. I wonder sometimes whether really all of these possible stories exist simultaneously, and whatever I learn about the characters in one of them is likely consistent with those same characters in the others. Perhaps this is why love is so confusing. We might not have wanted to be with the person that we are with had things gone a little differently, but that person that we might not have wanted is the person whom we ARE with too, and whom we DO want for various reasons, perhaps due to chance, as well. If some of these situations had happened to me, I might very well have written it off as not meant to be or not likely to work out anyway, although I do remember the frustration that I would feel when the right person but not the right time or circumstances came along. And it's mostly never the right time or circumstances – or person for that matter. But of course, had the circumstances worked out differently, one might have said that it was meant to be. Probably that is just something that people tell ourselves to comfort ourselves that where we are is where we are supposed to be. And maybe it is.
So I guess I like the book. It's thought-provoking. It's certainly probably true, in the sense that all this confusion and uncertainty and such are true to life and to many of our experiences with dating. And I do keep coming back to it for another try, even though I know that it's mostly hopeless, just as we do in dating and love.
So I guess I like the book. It's thought-provoking. It's certainly probably true, in the sense that all this confusion and uncertainty and such are true to life and to many of our experiences with dating. And I do keep coming back to it for another try, even though I know that it's mostly hopeless, just as we do in dating and love.
February 28, 2015
This is a long one, so be prepared for 600+ pages if you aren't usually a lengthy book reader. Typically romances tend to be in the realm of shorter books, but this one was a lot, and it was completely, entirely, worth it! The reason for the length is soon to be explained, because it was a million stories in one really. It was a choose your own adventure book! I haven't read those since I was a kid reading Goosebumps You Choose the Scare! books! It was super creative, imaginative, and completely fun. A "total blasty blast" if I want to quote my best friend and college roommate. I am completely impressed by Tara's capabilities at roping all the little threads together into complete stories as you go along. I can't imagine how much work that took!
It's really hard to get into the details of this book, because so far I've read it three times and have had almost completely different stories come about because of it. I had so much fun reading, it was like a game almost and each unique choice had realistic, funny, and downright truthful parts to it so you really felt like you were performing some kind of live action version of the Sims Hot Date...only more complex! You basically get to decide things as Elle, putting you right in her shoes as she and her friends navigate the troubled world of romance. So freaking cool!
It's really hard to get into the details of this book, because so far I've read it three times and have had almost completely different stories come about because of it. I had so much fun reading, it was like a game almost and each unique choice had realistic, funny, and downright truthful parts to it so you really felt like you were performing some kind of live action version of the Sims Hot Date...only more complex! You basically get to decide things as Elle, putting you right in her shoes as she and her friends navigate the troubled world of romance. So freaking cool!
January 12, 2015
I was provided with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Armed with an innovative narrative technique, Tara Reed lets us live the life of Elle Masters, a begruntled girl who is over dating of any kind. As Elle and her friends figure out the good and the bad of finding meaning behind dating and romance, Elle meets the captivating Nick at a bar. As Elle, what would you do next? You have many different options, and each option takes you through a different path.
I loved the writing approach - it had a lot of fun element, no doubts, but there was a lot of serious lessons to learn from this as well. As the reader and Elle, choose their options, some right and some wrong, the author cleverly writes about how one moment and one impulsive decision can shape good or bad consequences. There is not much on the characterisation of Elle or Nick, making the choices a trifle more difficult to deal with, but the excitement of the book overcomes all such issues.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to lovers of romance with a twist.
My rating for this book: 4 stars
Armed with an innovative narrative technique, Tara Reed lets us live the life of Elle Masters, a begruntled girl who is over dating of any kind. As Elle and her friends figure out the good and the bad of finding meaning behind dating and romance, Elle meets the captivating Nick at a bar. As Elle, what would you do next? You have many different options, and each option takes you through a different path.
I loved the writing approach - it had a lot of fun element, no doubts, but there was a lot of serious lessons to learn from this as well. As the reader and Elle, choose their options, some right and some wrong, the author cleverly writes about how one moment and one impulsive decision can shape good or bad consequences. There is not much on the characterisation of Elle or Nick, making the choices a trifle more difficult to deal with, but the excitement of the book overcomes all such issues.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to lovers of romance with a twist.
My rating for this book: 4 stars
January 19, 2015
Oh my, what a fun book! And I mean not just the plot, but the whole deal of going on this adventure! This was my first interactive book and I am so glad it was with a light and fluffy and totally hilarious chick-lit story like this one! Gosh, it felt like having a toy that you just don't grow bored with - the number of twists and turns you can take by making the choice to go to this section or the other... Wow! It totally wowed me! I still haven't finished 'playing' with this one though I have taken Elle and Nick through a full happily sometime after, and I am really looking forward to taking other available routes and get in on another fun-filled ride!
I would totally recommend this for those days when you're stuck inside the house say because of the weather because you just lose track of where you are and the time as you get into this story and explore all the different avenues open to you. Terrific fun, and a great chick-lit story all in all, too!
I would totally recommend this for those days when you're stuck inside the house say because of the weather because you just lose track of where you are and the time as you get into this story and explore all the different avenues open to you. Terrific fun, and a great chick-lit story all in all, too!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews