She hates me, and rightly so. It doesn’t matter that the rest of the country loves me, that I’m a starting quarterback with a multimillion-dollar contract. Because when I look in the mirror, all I see is a failure who was too young—and too afraid—to fight for what I wanted.
But I’m not that guy anymore, and all I need is one shot to convince her.
***
He has no idea what happened after he left. And now I’m supposed to work alongside him like we don’t have this huge, messy history?
But I’m older now, wiser, and I won’t let anything stand in my way of doing a good job for this league. Not even one overpaid, arrogant player who thinks we’re going to kiss and make up.
Kendall Ryan is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of flirty, feel-good romance filled with heart, heat, and plenty of banter. An American author who has lived all over the world, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into multiple languages. She writes swoony heroes, bold heroines, and stories that make you laugh, blush, and fall in love. When she’s not dreaming up new plotlines, she is a proud mom to two amazing sons and the wife of her real-life hero.
Dear Jane is a steamy and sweet second chance/sports romance. It was a little different than the books that Kendall normally writes, but still has the same heart and heat.
Weston and Jane were high school sweethearts who broke up during Weston’s first year of college. Wes hurt Jane more than he ever knew when she broke up with him. Fast forward years later, and Wes is playing for the NFL. His dreams have came true, but his personal life… not so much. Due to a cheating fiancé, he is moving teams. Jane’s team.
Jane is the assistant manager to a NFL team, and her dad happens to be the head coach. When she hears Weston is coming to play quarterback on her team she is blind-sighted. He was the love of her life, and she’s not sure if she wants to face him. When they see each other, those feelings come rushing back. But will they be able to get over their past and move into their future?
I wish this moment would never end, that we could stay frozen here and forget about reality, about our messy past.
Kendall Ryan always does a great job writing sexy and fun books. This book was sexy, fun, and had a bit of an emotional back story. Even though it didn’t wow me, it was a quick and sweet read. I listened to the audio book and it was narrated by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York so it was fantastic to listen to. Overall, if you like sports romance and second chance I would recommend.
*****4.5 STARS***** {ARC Generously Provided by Author}
I knew it might be a little awkward joining a team where the assistant manager is my high school sweetheart. We were each other’s first loves, first everything. We gave each other our virginity, and after that, she gave me her whole heart. I gladly took it, and our breakup wasn’t easy.
”DEAR JANE” is a sweet and sexy second chance romance between an NFL Quarterback and his High School sweetheart and first love. Sports romances always take me to my happy place. There’s something undeniably sexy about a larger than life athlete with a soft romantic side that only one special woman can bring out in him.
I thought the flow of the story was perfect and the chemistry between Wes and Jane was white hot! They were each other's first loves and when circumstances took them in different directions it resulted in their breakup and shattered hearts. Ten years later, they’re forced to work together every day when Wes gets drafted on the very NFL team that Jane is the assistant manager for.
Have the years apart healed the broken pieces of Jane’s heart enough that she can trust Wes enough to give him a second chance? Will things turn out differently this time or is history doomed to repeat itself?
Dear Jane is by far my favorite book by Kendall Ryan, it has everything I wanted and even more.Kendall Ryan delivers a fast paced,sweet,steamy and heartwarming romance.
I loved the pace in this one and the characters were fantastic.I loved that they have a history in the past and now they meet again.I adored Weston and Jane.Jane is sassy, strong and independent.I love her, she was perfect.Wes stole my heart, after years he still has feelings for Jane.
They have an amazing relationship.First there was tension between them and intensity.Also they have some really steamy and passionate moments.I loved everything about them.
This book was fantastic.I read it in one sitting!If you like a second chance romance with an intense hero and a sassy heroine this is perfect for you.
The H broke h heart, left her for football, got engage, broke up with his fiancee because SHE cheated on him, then meets his ex and wants second chance with her? I don't want to judge I really don't, not after loving Flirting with forever, but so far I'm not liking the sound of it. I hope I am wrong and its a good book. Also, I really really hope there's lots and lots of grovelling and h is very strong and doesn't think with her vagina. Waiting for its release and reviews from GR friends.
Review on October 16
“I know that my love-life drama has been all over the tabloids lately. But what about you? Anyone serious?” “Only one serious relationship. We were dating at the very end of college, and then for the first year or so after, but he wanted to move in together. And I, well . . .” I shrug, waving a steak fry through the air. “He just wasn’t the one, I guess. But pretty much nothing since then. A few blind date setups, but that’s about it.”
That’s a far cry from how I acted when we broke up. I went on a bender all throughout college, girl after girl after girl. It took me six years to settle on Trista, and another three years to propose to her, thinking that I’d finally found my forever. Look how that brilliant fucking idea turned out.
This is what I hate in second chance romance. The heroine is stuck up in the past, not moving on, not giving OM another chance, even after ten years, all the while telling herself and others that she is strong and she's moved on but she is still in love with the H.
Whereas he has not only MOVED ON but been in long term relatlionship, proposed OW, said/thought she(OW) was his forever, and would have been happily married to her if she had not cheated on him.
If this is not pathetic enough H didn't even want a second chance with h. He didn't want any distractions and wanted to focus on his game.
This shows he had moved on so far that he didn't even think about her until he saw her again. He wants a second chance with her only after seeing her again, then how can he claim that she is the LOVE OF HIS LIFE?
If she was he could never have proposed OW and thought her as his forever.
To add insult to the injury H breaks up with h again via text like a coward after pursuing her.
Of course h is soooooo... Forgiving, understanding, mature, has a soft heart, blah, blah, blah, even after she is to be blamed for the miscarriage.
So, how am I supposed to respect the h and think she is strong if she is behaving like a doormat all the time?
I hate when h acts like a bumbling fool the moment she sees H's body. For heaven sake woman have some self respect, show some dignity, get laid, have one night stand or something, but for the sake of women kind stop being a pathetic fool. Grow some vag and let the man grovel first before you drool on him. Show some indifference to him. Let him realize what he's lost.
For me this wasn't romance.
What if he wasn't transferred to the team she worked for? He would have been in another team, happily moved on without giving h another thought, even after his fiancée cheated on him.
He wanted second chance after their eyes met. What if their eyes had never met? Then what?
I think what he felt for h was just lust. And HE SAYS LOVES HER....
Nope not going to read it.
I think I hated this novel more than I hated Wednesday by her. These two novels are too similar.
{Reasons why I hated Wednesday by Kendall Ryan :
H treats h like a worthless whore, not even his mistress because one takes care and provides for the mistress and shows her respect but in Wednesday H treated h like a doormat and walks on her whenever he wanted and I guess she deserved it too because though she was supposed to be strong independent business woman she acted like a spinless woman settling for scraps. The awesome reason he treated her like dirt and kept their relationship a secret is because he was supposed to be a widower. Guess he was afraid of what the people will say. Coward.
In Wednesday too they are childhood friends, h is in love with H but he got married to OW and on his wife's funeral day when she goes to comfort him, he fucks her. Urrgghhh... Some one please give this author the HARRY POTTER SERIES. She (author) needs to know that boy and girl / man and woman can be JUST FRIENDS. They can be there for each other in every step of the way without any sexual feelings or tension. In Wednesday, h let's H use /fuck her because he is grieving. Seriously? Can't she just talk to him and try comfort and support him? If, even after trying to reaching him via talking the H still acts like an asshole just tell him to fuck himself. If he's your best friend he'll get his shit together and will apologize for his behavior. But in this novel we see no such maturity and pure friendship. Here H fucks h ever Wednesday and just walks away, like I said as if she's a whore and this continues for more than 2 years where the H is his DIRTY LITTLE SECRET. I don't know what he wanted to prove. It wasn't like he was actually grieving nor was his wife was a Saint. So what was the point of his whole behavior? That he was actually a coward who was afraid of what society in this novel small vilage people who have known them their entire life and like even respected them say rather than come open about their relationship and save both of them their misery(if H was miserable in the first place)? Of course, all this time (2 years) she's just pining for him, ahem, you know just being there because she's his best friend, not dating anyone while H goes on a double date with her brother and being available for him to fuck her whenever his mood strikes, which in the beginning was every Wednesday hence the title. When she grows some balls and goes on a date with someone else H become all possessive. FUCK THIS SHIT.}
Don't even get me started on Filthy Beautiful Forever where there was clear cheating, h was OW and a home wrecker and I also felt a gold digger who wanted to live with H even though he is living with his gf and then acts all j/p as if she has any right. They met after years for goodness sakes. He is a cheating bastard. So of course, to redeem them the gf is turned into bitch. Urrgghhh...
I think she needs to change her writing style and be a little more sensitive.
Just one more thought. How is this novel getting such high ratings?
A real disappointment! No depth or growth in either of the main characters. Too much that just couldn't be taken at its face value -- too far out of the realm of reality for me to swallow. Truth is -- this one was downright boring. Jane was way too forgiving and gullible and Mr. Football was a douche. This is a trope that's been redone over and over and over again -- and this one didn't do so well in the remake.
This cover tho!! Holy hell. I cannot stop staring at this gorgeousness.
Dear Jane is a sweet and somewhat emotional second chance romance. I went in blind and expected something completely different based on the title and cover. I was pleasantly surprised by Weston and Jane’s story.
Here’s what I enjoyed: The main characters - Weston and Jane have a complicated history, so when he returns home they’re both a bit blindsided. Regardless of the tension, they both know their past relationship and chemistry isn’t over. Jane is a great heroine. Hard-working, tough, and put together. Weston is sexy and sweet. The complete opposite of what I expected from a football player.
The storyline and execution - it’s tropey and a bit predictable. But, if you’re in the mood for a light, sexy, read, this a great choice. The history the two characters share was well done and definitely caught my attention. It’s a super quick read with just enough angst to keep the reader on their toes and sweet and sexy where I needed.
“The world just feels so much more right with her in my arms.”
Dear Jane by Kendall Ryan is a sexy, swoon-worthy, second chance romance that hit all of my emotional buttons. Jane and Weston’s story took a turn that I didn’t expect but it made the love story richer and more beautiful. These two were high school sweethearts that shared each other’s firsts, and that included first heartbreak. Ten years later and that heartbreak is as fresh as the day it happened. When Weston Chase crashes back into Jane’s life with no warning, she can try and pretend that he has no effect on her, but Wes isn’t having it. If only he knew that Jane’s pain ran deeper than he could have ever imagined.
Oh, Ms. Ryan has done it…she has surprised me in the best possible way with her latest standalone romance. Rooting for these two from the very beginning, the author takes us on an emotional journey of forgiveness, love, and second chances. Jane and Weston’s story was so full of heart and beauty, I couldn’t put it down! We have a strong, beautiful heroine and a gorgeous hero that will do anything to right his wrongs and get his first love back in his arms. I loved these two so much! The banter, the connection, the chemistry…it was all fantastic and I had the best time on their journey. This is just another example of how the extremely talented Kendall Ryan can do no wrong!
I do love me some second chance romance. It doesn’t really matter if it’s an angsty or sweet, though I will be honest and say I do like a good serving of angst, I simply enjoy watching as two people come to the realization that the attraction, the connection, that they once had is still there and work through the issues that drove them apart and Dear Jane served up a good dose of that for me. It was a sweet, funny and smexy ride that while low on the OTT angsty drama, it did serve up a few moments that caused the rolling of eyes and growling in frustration as I kept turning the pages to see just where Jane and Weston would end up.
I really liked Jane. She’s sassy, sweet, hard working and intelligent and the fact that she is all about football and worked her way up in the organization on her own merit. Weston. This man. He is a good man, who loves his job and does his best to keep the drama on the DL, but he does tend to do the tunnel vision thing and sometimes the conversations he has in his head edge towards that side of the spectrum instead of outside of it.
Jane and Weston’s journey to their HEA was a fun one overall. For the most part, they did their best to act like the adults that they were and realize that while there were somethings that stayed the same, they had grown up. There were a few things that gave me whiplash and had me rolling my eyes, but I understood the why’s behind them. As for what happened to initially break them apart...I gotta say I was totally Team Jane on that one. I understood the circumstances behind it all, but totally Team Jane and as for the big sink hole that occurred in their second chance? Yup. Still Team Jane, but the grovelling was done perfectly.
This was a fun, sweet read, even with the eye rolling going on and I really enjoyed how everything worked out in the end. As for the secondary characters, Colin and Alexei are my favs, especially Alexei and I cannot wait to get my hands on his book when it comes out!
~ Copy provided by the author via InkSlingerPR & voluntarily reviewed ~
I was in a mood for a grovel read. but this didn't satisfy that itch. Too easily, this hero worms his way back into the heroine's life. Then he does something utterly dumb again. And thats when I lost interest. In any case, I didn't really feel the attraction between them. Nor did I understand how quickly the heroine let her guard down after ten years of anger.
Kendall Ryan always delivers on fast-paced, sweet and fluffy contemporary romances. Dear Jane is that with second chance romance and loose enemies-to-lovers vibes weaved throughout.
Weston and Jane have complex history.
During high school they were each other’s firsts and teenage sweethearts. But human selfishness, lacking communication and unfortunate circumstances destroyed all of the love and trust built. Ten years later they've finally reunited with bitter mistrust and wariness separating them.
I normally love a good Kendall Ryan story. While her stories are predictable, you know what to expect. Dear Jane has interesting premise and the synopsis is written so excellently, I couldn't help feel enraptured and compelled. It had "perfect football romance" scrawled across it in bold letters.
However, the execution fell short for multiple reasons—something I hate admitting.
Weston Chase isn't an easy character to love. He comes across as awfully selfish during his teenage years right up to adulthood. Football always comes before everything and everyone else—including Jane. We're supposed to love Weston, to find him redeemable, when he finally realises he wants Jane when competition presents itself.
And despite how many times Jane attempts to resist Weston, or claims she hates him, she gives up quite easily. There's no resistance. No temptation. Instead there's a degree of insta-lust. I understand they have history, but she contradicts every claim and every feeling towards Wes. Perhaps she forgives too easily, or I'm too bitter and judgmental, but the sudden change in attitude felt beyond unrealistic.
I would have loved more resistance from Jane, more grovelling from Weston. One hundred percent would have appreciated more reconnecting and that near feeling of slow burn to rekindle that fire that once existed between them.
This book was sooooo bloody cliche i cant understand why it got such high ratings. Its really sad when theres like zero creativity put into such storylines. This is extremely disappointing coming from such a "good" author.
What really got me is the fucking nerve of the H blaming the h when he found out about the pregnancy and mis like it was herrrr fault! And how easily it is for someone to always put their job before the love they supposedly shared. This whole storyline and characters was fucked up. His speech after he broke up with her yet AGAIN wasn't even sappy or extraordinary for crying out loud! The h didnt even make him work for it, she was like a doormat 90% of the time.
I didn't even she'd a single tear thats how used up this plot is!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I had high expectations from this book, but it kind of disappointed me... I didn’t feel that connection I usually feel between characters in romance books. And on the other hand, I didn’t like the way Weston got back Jane. It wasn’t enough for my taste...
Dear Jane was my first Kendall Ryan book. It had great banter and character development. A good back story as well with Jane's reasons for letting Weston go. Also football. That's always a plus!
As much as I enjoyed this story, I also feel that it just kind of fell flat for me. I went in with really high expectations as I know that Kendall Ryan has so many great releases and a lot of devoted readers. Dear Jane just didn't do what I wanted it to. This could also be an it's not you, it's me situation as I see that there are plenty of 5 stars for this one. I just wanted more, I guess. More feelings, more of something. Don't get me wrong, Kendall did pull out the feels with Jane and Weston, I just wanted more of something and I can't quite put my finger on it.
Chalking this one up to a possible reading slump and moving on to the next!
I love second chance romance and Ms. Ryan gave us another awesome story of Jane and Weston - sweet, funny, angsty romance. Jane and Weston were high school sweetheart. They were happy young lovers with so many future plans together. When Weston left for college everything fall apart. Weston was unavailable when Jane needed him the most. He moved on to pursued a successful football career. Jane was left behind heartbroken and alone. Ten years later, Weston was recruited as a starting quarterback with a multi million-dollar contract. Here is a catch, Weston will be playing for a team where Jane’s father is the head coach and Jane is an assistant manager. Will they be able to bury their hatches and work together as professionals, or will all the hurts from the past too much to ignore? I adore Jane – a strong, smart, feisty, fiercely independent heroine. She works hard to make her way up to a good position despite her dad being a head coach. When it comes to Weston though she has a soft spot in her heart for him. No matter what happened in the past, Jane does not have a mean bone in her body. She could not help but drawn to Weston and his charm. Weston made mistakes when he was younger but the grown-up Weston is sexy, sweet, caring and swoon-worthy. He knew Jane was the one that get away and he will do what it takes to win her heart back. I enjoyed the chemistry and the angst between Jane and Weston. Over all, Dear Jane was an awesome second chance/sport romance. Low drama and a perfect combination of sexy, sweet and passionate romance.
“He tasted like gin and lime and heartbreak, and so many things I won’t let myself think about right now.”
Dear Jane is just the kind of second chance romance that I can’t get enough of. The characters are entertaining and certainly suck you into their story. The tension is intense and the chemistry keeps you begging for more. Dear Jane is the kind of story that you can easily devour in just a single sitting and that will leave you with a goofy smile on your face.
From the moment I picked up this book, I was totally sucked in. I loved the plot and was excited to see how it was going to all play out. You see, Weston and Jane had the once in a lifetime romance. They were each other’s first everything, but weren’t prepared for how life and time would change things. It would be 10 years before these ex lovers would be reunited. And let me tell you, the moment these two set eyes on each other again, all bets are off. Yes, they have a past. Yes, it is beyond complicated and there is a lot of hurt to move past. But, their connection is still there and stronger than ever. The love these two once shared is not the kind to be extinguished. It is the kind worth fighting for….
I absolutely adored Jane. She loves her job and is passionate about the game. She’s strong and determined and knows exactly what she wants out of life. But, she’s also got a huge heart and when she lets you get close, she’ll love you with everything that she has. And Weston, he too is passionate about the game. He’s also smart, sexy with just the right amount of sweet and alpha. He isn’t afraid to right his wrongs or go after what he wants. Together, these two were just a joy to watch. I loved falling in love with Weston and Jane and loved watching them try to figure things out.
Dear Jane is a light sexy read with just the right amount of drama to keep you on your toes. I enjoyed each moment of this book from begging to end and loved getting lost in Jane and Weston’s story.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
On second consideration, I'm downgrading this to 1 star only.
2.5 stars
This one is just all over the place - Jane's was still hating Wes in the first 2 chapter, then suddenly just forgives easily during a Walmart shop with Wes. I'm not saying that the forgiving is bad, it's just so sudden. And then when they sort of got back together, and the Wes stupidly dumped Jane again - over a text message no less - and somehow Jane just forgives him again easily. I'm not saying she should just hold grudges, but she seemed so backbone-less. I just don't like their whole relationship - they both seem so fickle and emotionally immature.
As always Kendall did not disappoint, I was sucked into this story and kept telling myself just one more chapter, just one more until the very end. If you are a second chance romance junkie like myself then prepare to fall head over heels in love with Wes and Jane's story. A story that was fun, sexy, witty and filled with explosive chemistry that will have you begging for more!
Kendall Ryan can portray a myriad of heroes across all genres but Weston Chase is one of my absolute favorites as he was real, honest and on a quest for redemption. It takes a strong man to admit when he was wrong and Kendall Ryan unequivocally delivered and then some with Wes. He was emotional, raw, intense, sexy af and absolutely delicious!
Second chance romances are my favorite stories. There is something about the shared history and wronged feelings that bring out the perfect angst-filled, emotional moments. Dear Jane was amazing and then some for this reason. I enjoyed Jane's sassy and independent personality. She was so strong and honest and a delight to read. I loved seeing her connection with Wes and how he had genuine feelings of remorse over his actions in the past. He was strong, sexy, and real and everything I love in a Kendall Ryan hero.
All in all, I loved this story and can't wait for Alex's story! Bravo! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
Kendall Ryan is still one of my A1's, but I think this is one of those cases where my expectations were set a little too high (y'all know how I feel about sports romances and second chances and Dear Jane is both) and my experience with the book is colored by it. While I enjoyed Jane and Wes' story, everything unfolded a bit to conveniently. Jane had a really strong reason for disliking Weston when they are thrown into each others lives again, but she seems to get over it rather quickly and with little consequence to Wes. Then when the truth comes out, they once again get over it swiftly. Then when they hit a bump in the road (and the way Wes handled that whole situation was troubling), once again it's dealt with swiftly. That being said, sometimes you just can't get in the way of love and the path of forgiveness is the one of least resistance and leads to happiness. Their epilogue was super sweet too. Now here's the thing, we were blessed with an extended preview (3 chapters?!?) of Finding Alexei and I may have enjoyed it more than all of Dear Jane, so I hope I'm not setting myself up for the okeydoke with its release. I was intrigued by Alexei/Alex when he was introduced as Jane's bestie on the team and his story looks SO STINKIN' GOOD!!!! As it stands, Dear Jane was light and fun, sweet and sexy and I give it 3.5 out of 5 wine glasses.
Super cute, sexy and light(ish) second chance romance.
Weston is a football player who has made a name for himself in the world of the NFL. Not for his antics but for being a hard player and good at the game. When some personal things get him drafted back to his home town there is nothing but venom coming from the teams assistant manger Jane.
You see Jane and Weston used to be in love, back when life was supposed to be easier but things didn't work out as planned and now ten years later there is this blazing chemistry still happening between these two. But there are also misunderstands, selfishness and broken hearts. Can these two recapture what they once had or has too much time gone by?
This was a lighter, easy read. I found myself falling for these characters. Jane's feisty nature and utter love for football. Weston's soft side and inability to make the right choice. Both were just really likable charters and we also meet some characters that might themselves their own books. I am not usually a sports-romance kind of reader, but I find no matter what type of book Kendall Ryan releases I just really enjoy it. And now I can't wait for the best friend Alex's book.
Dear Jane by Kendall Ryan is a sweet second chance romance that was filled with heat and heart. While implementing a sports romance theme, Ryan draws in her readers with a storyline of two people who are connected by a past. Weston and Jane were each other’s first love and first heartbreak. Fast forward to ten years later, Jane and Weston are reunited due to Weston’s job. How will Jane react to seeing Weston? Will old feeling resurface? And will Jane be able to forgive and take a chance with Weston once again? So if you are looking for a sweet and full of heart romance with a touch of Kendall Ryan’s sass then this book is for you.
Second chance romance. Sports. Second chance romance can be really good or just not... I find the reasons for the break up can either really work or not.
Wes and Jane.
They are high school sweethearts, Wes goes to college and tries to pursue his football career which is incredibly important to him. He basically gets so wrapped up in himself, the parties and integrating himself into his new life, although he thinks he loves Jane he leaves her behind.
He makes no time for her, blowing her off, missing phone dates and visits home. She starts to feel insecure, discovers she's pregnant asks him to come home so they can talk, she is desperate to see him.
He missed the signals and again says no, he's going to some party. She breaks it off feeling unimportant to him and has a miscarriage.
He goes on to sleep with countless women after the breakup and then falls in love with another woman gets engaged, finds out she's cheating so breaks it off then returns to play for his home team.
Quote from the book by the Hero about his feelings/behaviour.
"That’s a far cry from how I acted when we broke up. I went on a bender all throughout college, girl after girl after girl. It took me six years to settle on Trista, and another three years to propose to her, thinking that I’d finally found my forever. Look how that brilliant fucking idea turned out. Out of nowhere, Colin asks, “Are you really over her?” I give him a bewildered look. “Who, Trista? Of course. She—” “No, stupid. I meant Jane.” I almost have to laugh. The truth is you don’t ever really get over a woman like Jane. For me, she’ll always be The One Who Got Away."
The heroine is very involved with work so during the 10 year separation she dates but there are not many details.
They get together again, her friend, Alex and her dad talk to him, warning him not to hurt her so he chickens out and breaks her heart again by breaking it off.
For me the Hero was weak. He is very young at the time of the initial breakup but also self absorbed to neglect her.
Then when the 2nd break up happens, he doesn't feel good enough, blah, blah again no spine.
They get back together, he works for it a tiny bit but I felt she was a bit of a doormat, he needed to work for it big time, no enough redemption for me, esp after the recent breaking it off.
Not me, not my kind of Hero.
HEA. Epilogue.
No cheating. Separation 10 years. Hero falls in love with another woman and gets engaged. Heroine dates but no details. There are no intimate details of anyone other than the Hero and heroine. There is a text message which makes the heroine believe he is going to have sex with groupies but it's not from him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.