Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas

Creative HeArts #6

by Emily McKay

Falling in love with the best man wasn’t on the program.

Willa is happy to be the maid of honor in her dad’s upcoming wedding to uber-celeb Mia McCain. Not as happy about the best man being her soon-to-be stepbrother, the infuriating—and infuriatingly gorgeous—Finn McCain. Every time their paths cross, the attraction simmering between them grows a little harder to ignore. Willa knows all about guys like Finn—they only want what they can’t have. What’s between them isn’t real.

Finn has never felt anything more real than what’s developing between him and Willa. Sure, her dad warned him to steer clear, but it’s not just about forbidden temptation. He’s determined to prove to Willa he’s not going anywhere—and that happily-ever-after will always be worth the risk.

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a wedding so crazy it’ll make you laugh, a stepbrother so hot he’ll make you swoon, and a heroine so real she’ll make you cry.

The Willa and Finn duology is best enjoyed in order.

Series
#1: How Willa Got Her Groove Back
#2: Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas

The Willa and Finn duology is part of the larger, multi-authored Creative HeArts Series, which can be read out of order. If you loved Willa and Finn's stories, you'll love the complete series set at Austin NextGen Academy,

#1 - Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru
#2 - How Willa Got Her Groove Back
#3 - Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance
#4 - The Secret Life of a Dream Girl
#5 - Falling for the Girl Next Door
#6 - Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, High School, Romantic, Celebrity, Forbidden Love

185 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 13, 2017

About the author

I write the kinds of books I want to read. Fast-paced books with lots of world-building, snarky heroines, and swoony heroes. I love story, pop culture, gossip, and baked goods. I’m a modern-day hippy and certified LEGO nerd.

I live in the Austin, Texas hill country, with my geeky husband and two extremely geeky kids. We have dogs, chickens, cats, and more LEGOs than should be allowed by law. Oh, and I stress bake. So if my characters talk about food a lot, that’s why.

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley.)

“Of all the girls in Austin, why did he want the one he could never have?”

This was a YA contemporary romance featuring the Willa and Finn from How Willa Got Her Groove Back.

I liked Willa and Finn in this book and it was nice to see how tortured Finn was over Willa, and how in denial Willa was!

The storyline in this book was about Willa and Finn trying to hide their feelings from one another, and concentrate on their parents wedding instead. We got a slow burning and very forbidden romance though, and Finn and Willa were really sweet together. I also loved the tension of the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ storyline.

The ending to this was pretty good, and I was pleased with the way things worked out.



7.5 out of 10

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas is the sixth book in the Creative Hearts series. Each book in the series has featured a couple from the performing arts school in Texas that they all attend. Willa and Finn's story began in the second book of the series when Willa's father returns home with his new girlfriend, Finn's mother, who is a famous actress. With their parents a new couple Willa and Finn are thrust together as future step siblings but the pair find themselves drawn to one another regardless even though they both fight the feelings.

Now it's time for the wedding between Matt and Mia to take place which leads to Willa and Finn spending much more time together than ever. While practicing their dance lessons for the wedding and also working together on a senior project at school the two slowly begin a friendship while Willa also sees how her relationship she's been in to avoid Finn is not exactly living up to expectations.

Even though this is the second book featuring Willa and Finn I do believe this one could still be understandable as a standalone if one chooses. You get glimpses at previous characters from the series in each of the books but the story is always one that can be understood without prior knowledge but this is a fun young adult contemporary series all throughout too if wanting to go back and read prior books.

My one disappointment would be that it took so long to work through everything going on in this that you barely get any Willa and Finn together in their story. Of course it was still nice to be reading what is going on with their friends from other stories and working out their dynamic but it also would have been nice to have the story a bit longer too instead of a feeling of a sort of rushed ending.

Overall, still enjoying the creative characters and situations in this young adult contemporary series and look forward to any additions there may be in the future.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Siobhan Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fair warning - this review may be slightly spoilery.

I read this book immediately after reading the amazing How Willa Got Her Groove Back and it was a monster teen angst and drama binge-fest that I ADORED!

Willa and Finn are on board with the idea of their parents sharing an eternal forever and the early part of this book shows them as they are preparing for the wedding of the century. Willa is also on tenterhooks waiting to see if she got into her college of choice. She's still dating Damien who is a douche canoe of massive proportions - everyone can see it except her, but she's quite non-committal about the relationship anyway. She is trying her damnedest to stay out of Finn's way because the spark between them is showing no signs of fizzling out and she's afraid to confront her feelings for him.

I love that we got the dual POV again and it was great to hear Finn's voice and to see how much he was falling in love with Willa and how frustrated he was by the choices she was making and her inability to face up to things.

Finn is such a sweetheart and he had already won me over but I fell deeper in love with him in this one. He is so protective and thoughtful around her unlike doucheface and she still doesn't see it. There were moments where I wished I could reach into my Kindle and shake some sense into her.

There were some great comedic scenes along with romantic scenes and the tension and chemistry is very evident. I loved the dance lesson, and how Finn got jealous of any guy who so much at looked sideway at Willa. She was completely clueless, of course.

My main gripe with this book is the lack of romantic action, and I was growing increasingly frustrated. Two hot teenagers lusting after each other live in the same house for months and don't share any forbidden kisses? Not believable. They only kiss in the last few chapters and then we are rushed into an epilogue without explaining how we got from point A to point B. We've seen how Willa's dad, Matt, is completely wary of Finn, and he warned him off from the minute they moved in. I really really really (yes it warranted three reallys) wanted to see the scene where they come clean and admit their feelings to their parents but we're not shown it. I also wanted to see how the gang at school reacted and what the media would make of it. This isn't a long book and my personal view is that it would have benefitted from an extra fifty pages at the end. I was waiting over the course of two books for our lovebirds to get it on and then it was all wrapped up far too quickly for my liking.

The world building is still awesome, Willa kicking Damien to the curve was awesome, and the writing is excellent. No issues with pacing and voice and characterisation were consistent.

Overall, this is still a great read and a great conclusion to Finn and Willa's love story. I totally want to read all the other books in this series that I haven't read so far and I was delighted to learn from the back of the book that there are plenty more to come. I await them with bated breath.

Actual 3.75 Stars.

Thank you to Entangled for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This review will appear on my blog in due course: http://myyanabookobsession.com

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously swoony! I loved Finn in How Willa Got Her Groove Back, but he's gotten even better over the course of Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas if that's possible. Also love the allusions to books and pop culture, including Mr. Darcy and the movie versions of Pride & Prejudice, and I loved the inevitability of the conclusion. It's not predictable, it's just that imagining something happening other than what does would be negative for everyone involved.

Damien is, if it's possible, even more of a douchebag (and I don't say that lightly) than he was in the first book, and Mariely is the best friend that Willa could ask for. Seriously. I wish she was my friend. Finally, maybe the best thing about this book is how Emily McKay balances the swoony aspects with moments that are seriously funny. By doing so, she ensures that nothing becomes saccharine sweet - just perfect.

If you love contemporary romance, P&P retellings, and web series, then you need to read this one.

[Edit~A · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received an ARC of this book for free. Thanks to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, LLC, Crush and Emily McKay.)

That’s when it hit him: not that he wanted her, not that he was maybe even in love with her, but that he was so damn tired of fighting it.

I am one of the luckiest people that got a chance to be on the ARC list of the whole series so far, and I am really grateful for that. I was waiting for this couple's story for a while now, since Finn was my favorite male character out of them all. Not because he was the handsomest, the richest, the most popular one, no, because he was all this, but actually he was kind, he has a good personality. He wasn't bad changed to good, he was good since the beginning.

“I was thinking that I’ve been waiting for months for you to realize that your boyfriend was a total asshat. I was thinking that now that you had realized it, I didn’t want to waste any time waiting for you to make another stupid decision about guys. I was thinking that since I’m starting to fall in love with you, I wanted to act while you are actually single.”

I have to be honest, Willa annoyed me al lot. The pushing, the pulling, the wavering... And the fact how she played everyone around, with or without realizing it. She kind of was a cliche, the most that annoyed me about her was that she made a villain of Finn a lot, without any real reason. And always found defended Damien. Whom I don't like, and yeah we got the idea why he asked her out, but I don't think that was just it, idea, we didn't see a proof, I would have loved that.

“It’s okay if you need to be scared. But I’m not going away. I’m not losing interest. I’m going to be right here. Whenever you’re ready.”

I once more appreciated the old characters, I liked that some of them were present here, and would have liked more if Sloane, for example who in the last book got close to Finn, were presented more. I didn't like the fact that Willa actually started to neglect her friends after dating Damien, though I don't blame her as well, because since the beginning they treated him really bad, maybe they knew his motives, but still they should have tries to treat him better for her sake.

“I already care about you more than I thought I did. And I already need you more than I thought I did.”

I would have love more Matt and Mia, they seem like it in their stories, MIA. I understand why, but still, at least after the wedding or honeymoon, I would have loved to see more of them, as a parents. We never heard good or bad think about Mia, we heard only good about Matt, but I would have loved to actually read about it.

“If I don’t fight for you now, I will regret it forever.”

I am glad that at the end he made her to accept and got what he wanted, but again, I would have loved to see more of it. It kind of was rushed to the graduation and Epilogue. I would have loved to see his talk with Matt, that would have been fun, or Mia's reaction. I still want to see it, even as an extra, OR how they got to the same university, and what Finn is going to study, cause he hasn't decided so far.

Any way, being an artist myself, I am looking forward to the next book of this seres, since I adore it and the characters, and every single time I appreciate the great work that these many authors do, and manage to weave and create this whole world perfectly, without throwing us off the rails with their different styles. It's unbelievable and amazing.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

He wanted more than just the occasional excuse to touch her. He wanted to be with her without needing an excuse to do it. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted her to smile at him.

It's not weird that I'm a grown woman who completely melted into a puddle of feelings after reading this quote from Finn, is it??? Because I did, I so did! And that wasn't the only time. He'll have you swooning and pulling for him, as he grapples with his feelings for Willa while she does her best to keep her distance. As soon to be step-siblings Willa and Finn have a lot of obstacles they're facing, but that doesn't stop Finn from taking a chance to show Willa how much he cares about her, in hopes that maybe, just maybe, she'd be willing to get past her issues and take a chance on him.

Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas is such a cute book! I haven't read the first book focused soley on Willa and Finn, How Willa Got Her Groove Back, but I don't feel as if I've missed out on a whole lot, although I do plan on going back to read what started all the animosity between them in the first place! There's quite a bit of push and pull in this book, especially on Willa's end- poor girl's torn between who she thought would be the perfect high school boyfriend, and the one who really is! (At least in my opinion!) Add in the stress of the wedding between their parents and you have all the makings of one fun read.

I'm not even ashamed by the fact that I'm older than the parents in the Creative HeArts series, I'm here to tell you I love these books! If you're a fan of YA this is one series I would definitely recommend. You can enjoy all the fun and stress of high school without actually having to relive it!

***ARC received courtesy of Entangled via NetGalley.

[Melinda Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

*Actual rating 2.5/5*

I enjoyed this book but found both Willa and Finn to be quite annoying. The plot also seemed to drag a bit and I had to physically leave the book and come back to it because I was getting so annoyed with Willa and Finn's actions. Overall this was a light read that was fairly enjoyable.

[Shawna Lumley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank the author and Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this ARC for an honest review


i LOVED it! i love how even though the series is made by 4 different authors with different points of view they can all be read seperate or together an they all tye in well either way

This book is #6 in the series as a whole but #2 for this particular couple an it showed how they've grown through out the series.

I can't wait to see the finished product of everything an am really curious on how the webinar turned out

[Erica Chilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

4 stars

Young Adult age-range: 14+

Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas most definitely cannot be read as a standalone. The Creative HeArts series features 4 couples written separately by 4 different authors, all intersecting in the same universe. Willa & Finn are couple #2 in the series, with the first book of theirs being book #2 (this is their conclusion, but also the 6th in the series). Complicated? Yes. So if you're picking this book up to read as a standalone, don't do it. Go back to the beginning.

As a big fan of the series, I've been patiently waiting for more of Willa & Finn's story. Finn has been a large focal point by all the authors in all their books- he's a heartthrob but also a strong friend to have in your corner. The reader can feel how appreciated Finn is by the creators of the series. Willa was lying just beneath the surface of the other books, seen and often times discussed, but never a scene-stealer. The couple are the perfect balance for one another.

Truthfully, this book had me wanting to reread their first novel before this book, in order to get the full impact, as they are my favorite couple of the series. May do that soon. Enemies with a push-pull romance, mixed with the taboo of the impending doom of becoming step-siblings. Their relationship is the height of forbidden romance. Angsty deliciousness.

If you're reading this review, debating if you wish to buy a copy, you either didn't heed my warning to check out book 1 in the series, or you're a series veteran. Either way, I'm not going to spoil the plot points. If you're reading this series, by book 6, you know all the major players and their stories.

In a nutshell, Emily McKay has a fluid writing style, with characters that exhibit the emotional maturity befitting their age group, with realistic reactions/actions. Dual-POV, we hear both sides. Finn is our brooding, tortured artist, struggling with a conflict of conscience. Willa is basically in denial, closing herself off because it's easier to think Finn a player. As a grown woman, I wanted to shake Willa a few times, give her a piece of my mind, and set her straight. Then I wanted to give Finn a hug and some advice on how to deal with a teenage girl. Both had realistic reactions to the situation they were placed in, which makes for yummy reading.

As a big fan of the author and series, the reason I couldn't hand out a perfect 5 star is two-fold: I wished the story was slightly longer, and I'm well-written novella's biggest fan. A few more pages to tie up loose threads to create solid character building. Also, the adult in me appreciated that this is a young adult novel, keeping it clean for the younger readers. However, the ex-teenager that I used to be, knows that teenagers are not saints. So my only complaint on the not-so-realistic front is the lack of hormonal responses from our kids. Nothing explicit, simply true-to-life. We have a pair of step-siblings in love, living in the same house, so the reader missed out on a lot of tension buildup without any payoff. There was an opportunity for a few heart-pounding moments, which would have been comical. But that's just what I felt was 'missing' from the story.

I look forward to book 7, as well as Emily McKay's next book.

[Namratha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because I needed to know how Willa and Finn finally ended up together. Sadly, it wasn't as engaging as the first book.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's great fun, watching Willa and Finn do everything possible in an effort to avoid the magnetic pull between them. In fact, the last couple chapters are worth what you pay for the entire book.

[Poulami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on Daydreaming Books.

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I was waiting eagerly for this book for sooo long, I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations but I did enjoy it. You can read my review of book 1: How Willa Got Her Groove Back, here.

Willa's life turned upside down since her father decided to marry Mia McCain who is a famous celebrity. Along with everything, it also bought Finn McCain into her life. Willa knows that nothing is possible between them but she can't deny the attraction she feels towards her soon-to-be-stepbrother either. Will Willa be able to untangle herself from this mess?

This book picks up from where book 1 left off. Willa's dad and Finn's mom and to be married soon but Willa and Finn both have not so step-siblings feelings towards each other. I enjoyed this book but there were some factors which I couldn't ignore. I loved Finn, he was so, so great but Willa acted a little too immaturely. It was crystal clear that Finn cared for her so much yet she was hell bent on thinking the opposite. Also, the word good-looking and hot were used waaaay too many times. I get it, Finn is handsome along with the rest of the other guys in this book but what about the qualities that actually matters? We do get this but kinda at the last 30% of this book which was really disappointing.

The plot felt a little too repetitive but I did enjoy it. I loved the minor characters in this book, it was pretty great to see the other characters from this series, especially Mariely who is Willa's best friend. I didn't know what to feel about Damien in book 1 but in this book her really showed his true colours. I liked the romance between Willa and Finn and I was soo happy to see how they finally got to their senses. I definitely enjoyed how everything is resolved in this book.

Overall, Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas was a good read. The plot was executed neatly and I liked the chemistry between Willa and Finn. The writing was smooth and easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book.

Recommend it?

Yes.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been several months since Willa’s father announced his engagement to celebrity Mia McKain, and the wedding is only three weeks away. Mia has everyone on a tight schedule…which means that Willa and Finn will have to stop ignoring each other long enough to make Mia happy. That would be fine if they actually thought of each other as step-siblings, but the chemistry between them is getting harder to deny—despite their parents’ marriage, senior year, Willa’s boyfriend, Finn’s bribe, and every other obstacle in their way.

Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas by Emily McKay is the cute conclusion (or is it?) to this high school romance. Willa’s spunk drew me in from the first page, yet again. I really adore all of her funky thoughts and comments in her narration; it speaks of a well-written book. And Finn is as hot, caring, and irritating (to Willa) as ever. I mean, he was a great guy who truly cares for Willa, but he had a hard time showing it. Willa was still as clueless as ever when it came to the men in her life and facing her challenges. It irritated a little, but those were the lessons she learned in this book, making her a true dynamic character. And let’s not forget that the adorable romance and the fantastic prose easily made up for any leftover annoyance. Both of the characters made huge mistakes in their relationship, but it was great to see Willa and Finn overcome those mistakes and move on. The literary comparison at the end of the story was perfect—I’m not giving it away, though!

In case you wanted to know, Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas contains swearing, kissing, sexual innuendos, and a gay couple.

I enjoyed this novel very much and would gladly recommend it to lovers of high school romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, through Chapter by Chapter blog tours. All opinions are expressly my own.

[Deniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG!
What a rollercoaster.
McKay had me eating out of her palm.
I actually expected way more dramas, with the title but also after the first installment. But actually there are dramas, but they not like DRAMAS. Rather Finn and Willa have more internal dramas than anything else. And that affected me way more than their battles or any other teenage drama McKay could have thrown at me.
Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas is in my opinion completely character driven.
I mean the plot kept me interested. But frankly the thing that I love about this book: character building. McKay did an amazing job. Not only did she totally endear Willa to me this time around. Finn got more depth and had plenty of character growth as well. Both MCs transform, enough to make a huge difference but not too much to feel fictitious. Their attraction always was huge, but in this installment it gets depth. Gone is the insta-lust. Friendship and genuine care take over instead. Don't misunderstand me, there is plenty of frustrating und fulfilled chemistry. In fact brace yourself for it. 75% of the book before there is some leeway. And I mean some... it takes basically the entire book to get ..somewhere.
The support cast is written well as well. In fact I much prefer each character in this book than in the last. It's like McKay went and added depth to each one of them. Even annoying shallow ones are more interesting for some reason.
As this is a multi-author series I love seeing characters from the other books written from a different POV. Let me just tell you, these authors do a brilliant job and connecting the story lines and the characters. Sure each couple is differently written, but the series feels so connected to each other, the characters are so well defined, that this feels like it was written by one mind. I am totally in awe of that! What a great collab! I imagine all the authors hanging out together, having coffee and plotting the next twist. I would love to know how they actually did pull this off for real.

Let's go back to the plot. As I said, there is a lot of waiting for it to happen here. Honestly I savored every moment. Not a minute to fast. The slow pace of the romance while frustrating was also brilliant.
My only little problem. The quick turnabout at the end. I mean the epilogue. I love it. Don't get me wrong. I do. But I was left with a gazillion questions. Also the Damien situation felt a bit hastened, but I didn't care that much.
The question is, are we left with a huge gap with loads of questions because the answers will be in another book? And the other thing I am wondering: Is there another Willa and Finn book?

[Lynndell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Weddings, Crushes and Other Dramas by Emily McKay! Finn and Willa are soon becoming step siblings because Willa's father, Matt, asked Mia, Finn's mother, to marry him. The parents get along well, but the paparazzi make life difficult for Willa. Mia is a famous actress and Finn helps Willa deal with the publicity since he feels used to it. I think Finn's protectiveness of Willa is cute and I'm very happy about the references to Harry Potter, the wizarding world and quidditch; they made me smile and added to the list of commonalities between Willa and Finn. This is a cute, charming story about two teens trying to figure out their relationship with each other in the scheme of all that's occurring around them. I give 4.5 stars for a book that turned out to have more depth than I expected and for the sweet romance that grows throughout the story!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no secret that I've been dying to get my hands on this book and find out what happens next between Willa and Finn ever since I read How Willa Got Her Groove Back about a year ago. And it definitely was a satisfying read in the end, I loved seeing all the characters from the Creative HeArts series appear again in a supporting cast capacity and it was nice to see Finn have his own friend group with Cabot and Dahlia. In the end I will say that Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas definitely lived up to my expectation in that it was a quick, fun and utterly adorable read. I just wish it wasn't the last book in the Creative HeArts series as some parts of it felt a bit rushed as if the authour was trying to tie up as many possible loose ends from the series as she could. I'm also disappointed that we won't get to see what becomes of the other characters as it felt like there was more of their story to tell. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to any future collaborations that the various authours of the Creative HeArts series have planned as I thoroughly enjoyed this series.

[Angela ReadingCave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to review this novel. This in no way influenced my review.

When Willa’s daddy falls in love with Mia McCain, her life gets turned upside down. She gains an insanely hot step-brother, her boyfriend turns into a name dropping fame hunter and the paparazzi is following her around like it is their business (it kinda is). What happens when you put two unrelated teenagers in the same house and warn them against any funny business? You are about to find out.

Willa is the nerdy gal, who finally got her guy. For some reason though, I kept thinking it was the wrong guy. Her boyfriend sucked royally. Just wait to the wedding scene. Willa is a bit naïve on what the marriage between her daddy and America’s Sweetheart movie star really means. She also stays with her boyfriend a lot longer than I would have. I liked that she fought the attraction between her and Finn with all of her might.

Finn is adorable. He tries to protect Willa at all cost. From dancing, to shoe shopping, to putting up with her fame seeking gold digging boyfriend. He tries so hard not to develop feeling for Willa, and even tries to be the mean guy. Yet, it is so hard for him to avoid coming to her rescue time and time again.

My biggest issue with the book was that it was told in two points of view, Willa’s and Finn’s. Normally, this doesn’t bother me. I actually love a book told in multiple points of view. Yet here, Willa is in first person and Finn is in third person. It was hard for me to wrap my head around. Ultimately, this is the reason that it was 3 stars instead of 5.

The story is a cute, fast read. If you are looking for a forbidden love, with a side of fangirling you will not go wrong with this book.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “That seems like a Darcy-inspired pickup line if I’ve ever heard one.”

Other People
Mariely- Willa’s bestie
Damien- Willa’s boyfriend

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It looked like the book fast forwarded through a couple of weeks. I remember How Willa Got Her Groove Back ending with the whole family moving into their new house (or at least, new for Willa and Matt since it’s actually Mia’s house). Weddings, Crushes and Other Dramas started off with the whole family having dinner, discussing about planning the wedding. I didn’t know Matt and Mia would actually marry this soon, but hey, I love a wedding so if they’re ready I’m ready!

The biggest thing that was different from HWGHGB, was that both characters (Willa and Finn) have grown so much. They both act way more as adults and both in their very own way. Willa is actually very open-minded and isn’t as irritating as she sometimes was in the first book. Finn really outgrowns his old-self, and really respects girls this time around.

While the sexual tension between Willa and Finn was of the charts, I kind of got worked up about it sometimes. The only thought that went through my head, like literally the whole time was: ‘JUST KISS/GET TOGETHER ALREADY!’. So when they finally were honest about their feelings my swooney heart was satisfied. I can go to sleep peacefully.

The only thing I didn’t actually like about Weddings, Crushes and Other Dramas is some of Willa’s friends and the way they’re acting. I got really frustrated by her friends. Okay, Damien really is a douche, but do they have to be so rude to him? I don’t get it. If Willa actually was really happy with Damien, why not respect her feelings?

So I know, this review is kind of short but hey – give me a break! I’ll promise I’ll get better in time – maybe even get better than I was. I am really glad I decided to read this book immediately and I’m glad about the ending. If you want to read a contemporary with a very swooney connection between both characters, you should definitely pick this series up.

[Shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this ARC for a honest review of ‘Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas (Creative HeArts)’. I really enjoyed the book, although there are some things you might want to know before reading.

‘Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas (Creative HeArts)’ is the second book for Willa and Finn, but the sixth book in the ‘Creative HeArts collection’. You will want to read ‘How Willa Got Her Groove Back’ before reading this book. I suggest you read the third book in the ‘Creative HeArts’; ‘Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance’. Not only does the story have details that are slightly important to Willa’s story, but it is also an adorable book. I have not read any of the other ‘Creative HeArts’ books, but I do feel like I was missing out on some important information because of it. So, it might be best to read the whole collection.

Previously, we experience Willa’s outrage at her father's engagement. Without giving any spoilers, the first book did not end on a particularly happy note, so I was excited when ‘Weddings, Crushes, and Other Dramas’ was given to me. I wanted to know what happened with Finn and Willa and I was eager to read this book. At first the beginning of the book was a little disconnected from the first book, but eventually things started to click and make sense. Some of the details were inconsistent, but none of that mattered to me, because I love Willa as a character and Finn definitely makes your heart race and skin tingle.

Overall this was a good book. It kept you guessing until the very last second. The only reason it is getting four stars, is because of the inconsistencies I noticed.

[K.M. Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely got confused because I thought there were three parts to Willa and Finn's story in this series, but we do get to see their ending, which is nice. I definitely could have used a third book...the ending seemed a bit rushed to wrap things up. Finn is a jerk, but also really swoony when he's not busy being a jerk. I've never been a fan of the "he's picking on my because he likes me" storylines, but you definitely get caught up in his sweet side (when we get to see it) I definitely wish we had seen what he was like once this book ends (is it too late to request another installment????) As always, love the Creative HeArts series...sad to see it ending and wrapping up Willa and Finn's part of the story.

[Sarita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Willa is beginning to wonder if everyone is right about her boyfriend Damien. Add to that some feelings for her soon-to-be stepbrother Finn and the stress surrounding the upcoming nuptuals of her father to Hollywood superstar Mia McCain, and the stress of making her class project a success is just too much. Finn has promised to stay away from Willa, but he just can't keep his feelings to himself, and he must deal with the abusive secret of his past in order to move forward and be truly happy.

Cute read, lovely series.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

So. Much. Adorableness. Here.

I am really enjoying the Creative HeArts series, and Willa and Finn are possibly my favorite couple in the group, so when I heard that their book 2 was available? You'd better believe I jumped right on that!

I'm happy to report--it did not disappoint.

Once again we have all kinds of angsty chemistry going on--a forbidden romance (Willa's dad is still dead set against her dating Finn), tons of will-they-or-won't-they drama, awesome secondary characters (as usual!), and so many truly funny moments (the personalized three-weeks-to-the-wedding to-do binders? Just OMG) Gah! I ship these two so hard. Loved every second of this book.

My only complaint?

It took 90+% of the book for the two of them to finally get together--which is fine--but I really, really want me some more Willa and Finn together time. Instead, they come together and wham! Bam! we practically fast forward to the end of the school year and...it's over. I really, really was hoping for a book 3, but it doesn't look as if I'll get one. Sigh. I would have loved to (slightly spoiler-ish comments to follow--skip to the end if you don't want to read them) have seen their talk with Willa's dad, Willa's college admissions drama, and how their senior seminar project turns out (though fingers crossed we'll get more on that from the other series books).

Still, though. Willa and Finn. Can't go wrong. Plus, they're sure to pop in and out of the rest of the series books, so it's all good.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I had been anxiously awaiting the next installment in finn and willa's story and this was pretty good. At points it was a little slow, and Willa pissed me off more in this book than the first one. But Finn was a cute as ever. Like all the little things he did for her from buying her flats for the wedding to watching Pride and Prejudice just to understand Willa a little better. It was all so cute. Part of me felt that Willa didn't really deserve it cause she can be a snot at times. And although Finn was cute his "she's not like any other girl here" shit kinda got on my nerves, since she honestly wasn't that much different than any other normal high school senior. Although you're supposed to think the person you're falling in love with is the most special person ever, right? Maybe i'm just cynical. Really liked the ending. Glad everything worked out. Although I feel like the lack of discussion about how difficult it must've been to tell their parents and the public was key information that was missing. I dunno, since the parents were part of the main reason neither finn nor willa acted until now. Overall a satisfying read. I'll be interested to see if there's more to their story but if not i'm content with where it left off.

[Levian · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely loved the series! cant believe it has come to the last book. i loved seeing Willa & Finn agonizing over not being able to be together. it was so rewarding when they finally did! the wait was completely worth it.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, could've been a lot better though. The gay bestie as an accessory thing annoyed me though.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute read. Hope the series continues as there seem to be some loose ends to tie up with the other couples.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than book 1,

[Michele Pumphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story

Enjoyed the storyline. There was chemistry between the two main characters which left me rooting for them to be together. Love that in a romance novel.

[Natasha den Dekker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this if only to see Willa mature (a little bit) and also gain a bit of self-esteem. What's with all the main characters not having any self esteem though? You never read a male character in these books with a hard time believing they aren't interesting enough, pretty enough, cool enough for the girl. Urgh

[diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of this book ever since I finished the first one with the ending that left me utterly frustrated.
So yes it came as a shock to me when I couldn't seem to get engrossed in the book and I kept putting it down. Don't get me wrong, I still love Finn and Willa just as much as the first time I met them. But I don't know, now I just... can't enjoy reading the book. I kept rolling my eyes at all the drama. Good thing Finn and Willa was just as swoony. The chemistry was off the charts and I just wanted to scream at them to just kiss and make up already. I also love that the ending wasn't wrapped up nicely. Unfortunately I was expecting it to be entirely different so I was a bit disappointed with how things worked out. Overall, I'm not sure but I guess this is one of those "it's not the book, it's me" instances? Still though, if you loved the first one you should give this book a go. If only to get more of Finn being swoonworthy.

I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.