Everson is one of those men. Those sexy, chocolate Blackstone men. He has the perfect house. In June, he’s found a wonderful wife, and marriage has been doing his body good. But the past has a way of finding its way to the present.
The past in the form of an old flame. Eliana Simmons. Everson’s high school sweetheart.
Eliana moved away when they were younger. Seniors in high school. Now, work has made them cross paths, and those old feelings easily resurface, especially since Eliana was his FIRST love – and she’s not shy about confessing that she hasn’t been able to get over him after all those years have passed.
When Everson finds himself lying June, he knows he’s in trouble. But this is just the beginning of what’s to come for a man who gives another woman the attention he should be giving his wife.
* * * The Blackstone Family novels are all standalone books. Any follow-up short stories correspond to the full-length novel.
Book 1 - Evenings With Bryson (Bryson and Kalina) Book 2 - Leaving Barringer (Barringer and Calista) Book 2.5 - Forever Us: Barringer and Calista Blackstone - A Short Story Book 3 - The Things Everson Lost (Everson and June)
An Unlikely Love Series When I Needed You When You Needed Me Flicker: An Ahmalee + Cain Update - Back to Love Series Marriage Quarrel in Quarantine Countdown to You - A St. Claire Novel Series: Royal Ramsey Romulus Regal Magnus Honeymoon With A St. Claire Major Zander Zavier - St. Claire Life Series Honeymoon With A St. Claire Just Being Us (Prequel to Zander) Keep That Same Energy (Zander & Alyssa Update - St. Claire Women Series Gemma - Season of Love Novelettes: Hot Chocolate Spring Break - The Marriage Chronicles: Life's A Beach Falling Out War Then Love - The Boardwalk Bakery Romance: Baked With Love Baked With Love 2 Baked With Love 3 - A Lennox in Love Series: Claiming You Making You My Business Wishing That I Was Yours Caught in the Storm with a Lennox Before You Say I Do Winter Wonder Winter Wedding The Weekend - The Mine By Default Mini-Series: Been In Love With You When Hearts Cry You Belong To Me When I Call You Mine Who Do You Love Forever Mine - The Blackstone Family Series: Evenings With Bryson Leaving Barringer Forever Us The Things Everson Lost Candy's Corporate Crush - The Champion Brothers Series: His Paradise Wife When A Champion Wants You The Best Thing He Never Knew He Needed Wives And Champions The Way Champions Love His By Spring (A Champion Sister Novel) A Champion's Proposal - The Alexander Series: The Millionaire's Arranged Marriage Watch Me Take Your Girl Her Premarital Ex The Object of His Obsession Dilvan's Redemption His Charity Challenge Different Tastes As Long As We Got Love - The Accidental Series: Accidental Deception Accidental Heartbreak Accidental Lovers What Donovan Wants - The Dying to Love Her Series: Dying To Love Her Dying To Love Her 2 Dying To Love Her 3 - The Dare and Deja Chronicles Reception Romance Long Distance Troubles Back to the Valley Into Forever - Standalone Titles: Secrets On Lake Drive Can't Just Be His Friend The Baby Daddy Interviews Just Like New to the Next Man Falling Again The Crush Vacation Interrupted Wasn't Supposed to Love Her What Wifey Wants Man of Her Dreams Bae Watch How To Love Me Weekend Fiance: A Jared and KeShana InstaLove Story For Ruby: A Micah & Georgiana Short Story Snowed in at Shenandoah Valley
3 ⭐⭐⭐ - OK, or decent reads. ========================= First read by this author and I enjoyed the writing. I'll check out her other books.
R A N T T & S P O I L E R S
In his little brain he thinks it's not cheating because he didn't stick his dick in her vagina... but he got involved with his ex, they worked together and exchanged reminiscences of the past, lunch and dinner. They booked a weekend at the beach at a hotel to see if they still had chemistry and to remember the good times. He is emotionally involved with the ex who was the first love of his life. They ride the Ferris wheel (which he didn't want to do with his wife) and have a romantic dinner at a special restaurant. He goes to her room and they both have a make-out session that ends up in bed with him on top of her kissing. But he stops everything and leaves the room. He doesn't answer messages or phone calls from his worried wife and lies that he's somewhere working while he's with the other woman on the beach. For me it's cheating. I liked the heroine and how she grew as a person and woke up to life. After all, she dedicated herself 24 hours to him and completely annulled herself. She lived for him and his needs.
Another 2.5 stars, love the writing by this author but wanna punch the heroes in the face. This zero knew what he was doing was wrong and he did it anyway. Emotional cheating is definitely cheating! Sending roses daily is not groveling, I wish the heroine had moved on and found better, she sure deserved it.
This book made me so mad because Everson has true ride or die wife in June. However, he too busy looking backwards at his past, not understanding that your past is in the rear view mirror for a reason. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, this is a lesson Everson had to learn the hard way!!!
What I liked: I liked how Everson’s(H) brothers told him that he was wrong and how they made sure he knew that what he was doing was cheating. I’m also glad that June(h) told her friends that she was upset they kept the truth from her (I wish she would of held a grudge longer).
What I didn’t like: Everson was an idiot. He did what he did but gets mad when he sees June eating with some guy. He should of been made to suffer more. I honestly didn’t feel his love for June until the very end but by that time I disliked his character. Hell he even goes to ow to discuss his rights to the boy when he should of did some digging and working on his marriage like his brother told him too.
***Major Spoilers/ Details/Triggers: In the beginning the H is with the ow on a getaway. Ow was H’s high school girlfriend and they were in love. Ow moved away and H stops communicating with her. H becomes a player until he meets the h. H and h get married and have been married for 3 years when H runs into the ow at his job. He talks and hangs out with the ow and when ow asks him to go with her to the beach he says yes. H lies to the h and tells her he has a job he has to go to. While with ow, H realizes he doesn’t have feelings for her. When he tells the ow, she tells H he has a kid. H’s brother knowing something is going on calls the H and tells him that what he is doing is wrong. H thinks because he isn’t having sex with ow that it should be fine. He just wants to see if anything was still there between him and ow. H upset wants to know more about his son, decides to stay with ow but while talking, H and ow start to kiss. It starts to get heavy but when the ow talks, he realizes that he is doing wrong. H packs up and goes back home to h. H of course doesn’t tell the h but tells his brothers and friend. Meanwhile the h, while H was away with ow, feels that something is wrong with the H. She confides to her friends and they tell her she has nothing to worry about even though the one friend saw the H with ow (she even saw H kiss ow). h finds a receipt and sees that H lied about where he was. When she tells her friend she tells her about how their other friend saw H with ow. h upset goes home and H tells her about ow. h kicks the H out. H gives the h space and his brother tells him he is going to lose the h if he doesn’t start fighting for his marriage and he needs to show the h he cares. h decides to get a job and ignores the H. H starts calling h and leaving message. H decides to go to ow when she tells him that she doesn’t want him involved with the boy. While there he finds out that he is not the father of the boy and he realizes his brother was right and he should be home trying to get h to forgive him instead of dealing with the ow. H comes back and starts sending the h flowers. h goes to a family bbq and H asks if they could talk. He explains things. h forgives H. HEA
Descriptive Sex: Yes
Final thoughts: This book annoyed me. If the h would have made the H beg and made him work for her forgiveness longer I would liked this a lot more. I just felt the H didn’t care. The only reason he started calling OK the h daily was because his brother told him to :/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The women in this book discuss what cheating is. Sleeping with another woman is cheating, he didn’t sleep with OW, so he didn’t cheat.
Does one cheat when: ▪️ Meet with ex-girlfriend and hide it from wife ▪️ Work with ex-girlfriend and hide it from wife ▪️ Books getaway weekend with ex-girlfriend and hide it from wife ▪️ Lying to wife about his whereabouts while spending the weekend with ex-girlfriend ▪️ Takes ex-girlfriend wining and dining and hide it from wife ▪️ Sleeping in separate hotel rooms, but let yourself be alone in OW’s room with her and hide it from wife ▪️ Kisses OW and make-out with her on the bed and hide it from wife
Is it okay for all women out there when your husbands do all the above? Cause this is not cheating? I think I have another dictionary. Cheating is not only having sex with someone else, emotional cheating and kissing another person than your spouse is CHEATING as well!
This happened just over a year in their marriage. Just no. If he flaunts that early in the marriage, something is wrong. I know there are exceptions, but for me once a cheater always a cheater. 🚩
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was short 😑 i enjoyed the writing but the ending was fast and i did not felt the love between the hero and heroine .he cheated emotionally and i felt his attraction for the ow but not for his wife or his love for her
One. LOVE conquers all. Happy husband, happy wife means a good and prosperous life. Two. A stable foundation of trust. If you cannot tell your significant other about talking or meeting an ex, then it's not a great idea to be in contact with that person. It will have to be just a basic and quick greeting, such as hi and bye. These two things are very crucial in marriages and relationships. I'm just glad Everson and June survived the test and learned each other more while leveling up. Great Read! ReneeG 👍
I enjoyed reading this book! The chemistry between Everson and June was on point in book one, but you could see something was going on with Everson in books 2 and 2.5. He was always distracted and on his phone! I didn't like what he did to his wife and how he deceived her, but he truly loved her he showed her as much! I think whoever reads this book will enjoy it! I definitely recommend it!
Don’t recommend, I’ve read the first three books in this series and I get more and more disappointed. The family unit is so toxic. It would’ve been refreshing to see June move on from Everson. Plus Candice is irking me. We get those are your brothers but they wrong. I just don’t like this family. If I had to recommend any other novels by her it would be the St.Claire brothers
This one was a doozy! I was ready to climb through the pages at Everson and especially that nut case Eliana. I’m so glad Everson realized what he had but was it too late? He should have always known. The positive is that June found herself and her purpose while going through this storm. Can’t wait for the next book.
Everson Blackstone, stepped away from the family business, but not from his play boy ways. When troubles walks back into his life he has to decide what real and what's fake. The family connections in this series what families and the world need today.
This is the most well-written of Tina Martin’s Blackstone novels. The couple (June and Everson) at the story’s center are believable and relatable. The plot kept me turning the pages, waiting to see which lie or misunderstanding would be exposed next. By the end, all storylines were resolved —no threads left dangling.
Everson Blackstone, husband to June, almost lost it all. Allowed a ex from his high school days back into his life. With so much at stake, Everson failed to consider the costs, a common mistakes of partners that cheat. This novel is loaded with real life relationships troubles, hurts and disappointments. To recover from this poor decision will not be easy for Mr. Blackstone.
I read Everson and June story in one day. I couldn't stop reading until I got to the end. It was very good. I experienced a range of emotions while reading this book. I was so mad at Everson and Eliana. I was hurt for June. I cannot wait for Candice story.
Everson was an idiot for straying. June forgiving him was good but her trusting him is not. I did enjoy reading this story a second time. Everson is not one of my favorite brothers. Ms Martin its always a pleasure reading your books
This was a good story. The characters were well developed. The drama good Ms. Martin is a good story teller. Reading one makes you want to keep peering into their lives. Good story.
This book has me in my feelings right from the start but I had to know how things would turn out. I really like how believable the characters are and the story line is true to life. Refreshing. I'm a fan of the author.
Wow the things some people will do to get what they want! Everson and June really needed to put their self in each other's shoes for awhile. The surprises revealed in this store was a little unnerving. Definitely a must read!
If you're going to come clean be ready to tell the whole truth because when your wife ask she knows what has happened. Everson almost lost June. A must n
Everson almost June by letting his old girlfriend 's flattery and lies affect him. Its easy to take kindness for weakness but June gave him a reality check.
This was definitely a great story,love the characters as well. Everton was something else he certainly didn't like it when June went to lunch with her boss. This is my first time reading a book in this series,and I must say I love the family. I will be reading the other books next. Great job Tina. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who love a good romance with a hint of drama to read.
I love me some Blackstone Family they are not perfect by any mean but the love they have for one another is great. Cheating is such a hurtful thing to go through but if you love that person you got to hold on to the love that you first found in her or him Never go for the 80-20 rule the grass may not be greener. The past should always stay in past life moves forward not backward I'm glad the love they had for one another bought them through. Great read can't wait for the next one. Keep it coming. Great author thanks again for a great read
Excellent read, I enjoyed the storyline and characters. The Blackstone's are a family with real life believable issues. Tina gets into the thoughts of her characters, along with actions and consequences.. I recommend June and Everson's story.
I enjoyed catching up with everyone. Good to see real struggles in relationships work out. I wanted more information on Demarcus. Hint he would make a great lost relative.
I based this rating on the fact that I finished this book in a day. The story had me that intrigued. That whole thing of knowing where it's going but not caring 'cause the ride is good.
It was like watching a train wreck, the way Everson was digging his own hole, being rather stubborn regarding the circumstances, and then having to claw his way out. And I can imagine this story igniting conversations about what constitutes cheating and what doesn't.
That being said, I had to remove a star because of things like some editing misses and some details with the writing, where rather unnecessary things were listed out step by step instead of summed up succinctly (i.e. the hot dog-cooking scene with June, especially the part with the onions). Things like that take away from the reading experience for me.
Overall, though, I still greatly enjoyed the story. This is the second book I've read in this series and I look forward to reading the others, also.
Everson had me wanting to throat punch him. How on earth does a smart man make such duffus decisions.. June stood her ground when she found out about Everson's cheating. I was happy with the ending. Can't wait for the next installment
Ugh! How clueless could Everson be! I really wanted to slap him myself for June. He didn't understand the emotional part of his actions. I'm glad that June saw that her whole identity was resolved around Everson and decided to to gain her own identity! I can't believe that he was so weak minded that he fell for another women but to blame it on the lack of romance in their marriage rubbed me the wrong way. Even though Everson to me was weak minded and got on my nerves, I am glad that him and June worked out their problems along with her standing up for herself! As always, great book by Mrs. Martin! I still love the Blackstone Family!