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The Old-Fashioned Way
You know the rules for getting your own happily ever after?
Be a good student, graduate summa cum laude, get the perfect job, meet Mr. Right, move in together in a beautiful house, adopt a dog, and start a family? These rules?
Everleigh Brooks has successfully followed the first three steps, but finding Mr. Right proves to be a lot more complicated than expected.
Or so she thinks...
The first time Christopher Grayson fell in love, he was seventeen. It wasn’t meant to be and, thirteen years later, his relationship with Everleigh is now purely platonic.
When Everleigh decides to skip directly to her last rule and is now looking for a biological father, it’s only in the name of their long-time friendship that he volunteers.
Or so he tells himself…
Be a good student, graduate summa cum laude, get the perfect job, meet Mr. Right, move in together in a beautiful house, adopt a dog, and start a family? These rules?
Everleigh Brooks has successfully followed the first three steps, but finding Mr. Right proves to be a lot more complicated than expected.
Or so she thinks...
The first time Christopher Grayson fell in love, he was seventeen. It wasn’t meant to be and, thirteen years later, his relationship with Everleigh is now purely platonic.
When Everleigh decides to skip directly to her last rule and is now looking for a biological father, it’s only in the name of their long-time friendship that he volunteers.
Or so he tells himself…
550 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2018
70 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Ayman
3 books51 followersCynthia Ayman lives in Belgium with a spin bike that she hasn't used in months. She loves stories that make you laugh, cry, gasp, and pace around the dining table because you don't know how to deal with all the emotions.
Romantic comedies and raunchy romances are what she prefers, especially if there is a swoon-worthy alpha male thrown into the mix.
The Old-Fashioned Way was her debut novel. She is currently writing Ben's story (one of the secondary characters).
She also started an MC series, The Last Sinners. Wild Side is definitely on the steamy side, with plenty of humor. If you enjoy your male character a little on the bad boy side, with a weakness for the good girl, it might be just for you ;)
Romantic comedies and raunchy romances are what she prefers, especially if there is a swoon-worthy alpha male thrown into the mix.
The Old-Fashioned Way was her debut novel. She is currently writing Ben's story (one of the secondary characters).
She also started an MC series, The Last Sinners. Wild Side is definitely on the steamy side, with plenty of humor. If you enjoy your male character a little on the bad boy side, with a weakness for the good girl, it might be just for you ;)
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January 17, 2019Dnf
Boring
The hero loved this girl for 13 years....and didn't tell her about how he feel....but he sure had ONS and gf during this time
I don't understand this, sorry
Boring
The hero loved this girl for 13 years....and didn't tell her about how he feel....but he sure had ONS and gf during this time
I don't understand this, sorry
January 3, 2019
Sadly, I read the reviews and was hoping for something better than I received.
I was promised heart and characters to love in a fun, charming story. I got none of those things. Instead, I got a plot, barely plausible, that has been done a million times before and there was nothing unique or interesting about this reincarnation. The characters are wooden, very one-dimensional and it felt like I was expected to know them prior to this book; I had trouble relating to them or wanting to cheer them on. There were attempts at wit but they came through stiff and the opposite of charming. The writing itself was not awful but it was lacklustre and clunky in parts.
It cured my insomnia though as I found it very easy to drift off while reading.
It seems a lot of these reviewers know the author (which they said themselves) and while I understand supporting a friend, I feel duped by them.
I have the author's next book to read and I'm hoping that it fares better.
I was promised heart and characters to love in a fun, charming story. I got none of those things. Instead, I got a plot, barely plausible, that has been done a million times before and there was nothing unique or interesting about this reincarnation. The characters are wooden, very one-dimensional and it felt like I was expected to know them prior to this book; I had trouble relating to them or wanting to cheer them on. There were attempts at wit but they came through stiff and the opposite of charming. The writing itself was not awful but it was lacklustre and clunky in parts.
It cured my insomnia though as I found it very easy to drift off while reading.
It seems a lot of these reviewers know the author (which they said themselves) and while I understand supporting a friend, I feel duped by them.
I have the author's next book to read and I'm hoping that it fares better.
June 27, 2018
This is a new author to me but she is now on my one-click list. What a lovely book!
Everleigh and Christopher meet when they are 15/18 at school and they develop a deep friendship and young love that never gets to blossom. Now they are 13 years older and friends again after bumping into each other again. Everleigh always wanted a family and when she finds she has to be quick about it due to medical reasons, she decides to look for a donor. Christopher offers to be the father of her child but will this ruin their friendship?
I normally don't like flashbacks, but these were quite enjoyable. I liked young Everleigh and Chris and was sad when they were separated. (the pictures from the photo booth....how he kept them.. sigh). And his father's words: 'If it's meant to be, you will see each other again'.
Chris is a great guy and has looked after his younger sister for years after the death of their parents. He is obviously in love with Everleigh and she with him, but they stubbornly hold onto their agreement. Loved the part their friends played in all of this!
There was a lot of humor in the story and laughter. I did think the pregnancy-line was a bit (too) filled with clichés. Like the cravings, crying and such. But overall I LOVED this book and would love to read more about Chris's friend Ben.
Quote: 'Ever since that Tuesday afternoon in our history class, when she looked at me from table number nine. She was wearing some yellow overalls, and the most beautiful smile I had ever seen... and I've never been able to love another girl ever since that day.'
Everleigh and Christopher meet when they are 15/18 at school and they develop a deep friendship and young love that never gets to blossom. Now they are 13 years older and friends again after bumping into each other again. Everleigh always wanted a family and when she finds she has to be quick about it due to medical reasons, she decides to look for a donor. Christopher offers to be the father of her child but will this ruin their friendship?
I normally don't like flashbacks, but these were quite enjoyable. I liked young Everleigh and Chris and was sad when they were separated. (the pictures from the photo booth....how he kept them.. sigh). And his father's words: 'If it's meant to be, you will see each other again'.
Chris is a great guy and has looked after his younger sister for years after the death of their parents. He is obviously in love with Everleigh and she with him, but they stubbornly hold onto their agreement. Loved the part their friends played in all of this!
There was a lot of humor in the story and laughter. I did think the pregnancy-line was a bit (too) filled with clichés. Like the cravings, crying and such. But overall I LOVED this book and would love to read more about Chris's friend Ben.
Quote: 'Ever since that Tuesday afternoon in our history class, when she looked at me from table number nine. She was wearing some yellow overalls, and the most beautiful smile I had ever seen... and I've never been able to love another girl ever since that day.'
June 24, 2018
Everleigh Brooks is a young woman with a time crunch for having a baby. When she presents her predicament to her friends, her oldest friend, Christopher Grayson offers to help her out. What could go wrong, right? What happens next is a hilarious, adorable, and heart-warming journey of two souls who missed their chance in the past trying to get themselves back on the right track in the present.
After reading the synopsis of this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I tend to be pretty picky when it comes to the “friends with benefits” trope and sometimes have trouble finding authors who write it well. Cynthia Ayman, however, wrote it in a way that blew my expectations out of the water. She didn’t shy away from awkward situations and conversations, and she didn’t overload the story with extra over-the-top drama just for the sake of drama. This story had an amazing balance of realism despite the slightly fantastic premise of two friends trying to have a baby and remain friends. As I read, I never felt disconnected from these characters. Their voices were consistent, their emotions were real and raw, and their behaviors were clear and understandable. Arguably my favorite part of this book is the flashbacks that show us Everleigh and Christopher’s past - an aspect that makes this story unique from many of the other “friends with benefits” novels I’ve read. It adds even more layers to her characters and their story. Watching as the flashback storyline slowly led up to its climax in conjunction with the present day storyline was a treat.
The author’s tone and style was fantastic. I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the humor in her character development, and the realistic rhythm and delivery of the dialogue. If you like a good romance novel with some meat to the characters and the storyline, you will like this book. If you like a steamy read where you can read for fun without having to think too hard to piece the story together, you’ll like this book. If you like complex characters with rich backgrounds and emotional depth, you’ll like this book.
I read this novel in one day - that’s how captivating it was. If you’re on the fence, my suggestion is to give it a try! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
After reading the synopsis of this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I tend to be pretty picky when it comes to the “friends with benefits” trope and sometimes have trouble finding authors who write it well. Cynthia Ayman, however, wrote it in a way that blew my expectations out of the water. She didn’t shy away from awkward situations and conversations, and she didn’t overload the story with extra over-the-top drama just for the sake of drama. This story had an amazing balance of realism despite the slightly fantastic premise of two friends trying to have a baby and remain friends. As I read, I never felt disconnected from these characters. Their voices were consistent, their emotions were real and raw, and their behaviors were clear and understandable. Arguably my favorite part of this book is the flashbacks that show us Everleigh and Christopher’s past - an aspect that makes this story unique from many of the other “friends with benefits” novels I’ve read. It adds even more layers to her characters and their story. Watching as the flashback storyline slowly led up to its climax in conjunction with the present day storyline was a treat.
The author’s tone and style was fantastic. I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the humor in her character development, and the realistic rhythm and delivery of the dialogue. If you like a good romance novel with some meat to the characters and the storyline, you will like this book. If you like a steamy read where you can read for fun without having to think too hard to piece the story together, you’ll like this book. If you like complex characters with rich backgrounds and emotional depth, you’ll like this book.
I read this novel in one day - that’s how captivating it was. If you’re on the fence, my suggestion is to give it a try! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
May 2, 2020
“I’m kinda knocked up.” Christopher looked at her with wide eyes.
“Woah. Ok, maybe we should slow down then. I wish you had told me before you said I could spend the night.”
“Don’t worry too much. It’s my best friend’s and we have a good deal.” He grinned at her. “So he won’t mind if you’re in love with me?” “I’m positive he’ll be really happy. I have it on good authority he’s in love with me too, so I'm sure he'll understand."
I do NOT understand how this book has so many low ratings and bad reviews it's so damn good honestly if you love best friends to lovers like I do YOU HAVE to read this book I'm so in love with their story and their group of friends. I might go as far and say that I loved this book more than the scheme maybe it's because evie and chris had so much history UGH I'M FEELING SO EMOTIONAL AND THAT EPILOGUE KILLED ME 😭😭 10/10 would recommend this book to you guys read it !!! don't look at the reviews !!! just go ahead and read it !!!!
“Woah. Ok, maybe we should slow down then. I wish you had told me before you said I could spend the night.”
“Don’t worry too much. It’s my best friend’s and we have a good deal.” He grinned at her. “So he won’t mind if you’re in love with me?” “I’m positive he’ll be really happy. I have it on good authority he’s in love with me too, so I'm sure he'll understand."
I do NOT understand how this book has so many low ratings and bad reviews it's so damn good honestly if you love best friends to lovers like I do YOU HAVE to read this book I'm so in love with their story and their group of friends. I might go as far and say that I loved this book more than the scheme maybe it's because evie and chris had so much history UGH I'M FEELING SO EMOTIONAL AND THAT EPILOGUE KILLED ME 😭😭 10/10 would recommend this book to you guys read it !!! don't look at the reviews !!! just go ahead and read it !!!!
January 17, 2019
DNF
At first the book sounded a bit cute but as I dived in, it quickly lost its appeal. The characters are lacking in charm and a bit on the boring side. Also for the life of me, I can't stand flashbacks to the pair's past in high school. Is it really necessary to the story? Can't we just get a quick sparksnotes/tl;dr version. It's been a while since my pet peeve for unnecessary flashbacks has been ticked off in a book. Then again I should have known better when the blurb clued me in to how long this guy been crushing on the h. Yeah okay. I'm outtie.
At first the book sounded a bit cute but as I dived in, it quickly lost its appeal. The characters are lacking in charm and a bit on the boring side. Also for the life of me, I can't stand flashbacks to the pair's past in high school. Is it really necessary to the story? Can't we just get a quick sparksnotes/tl;dr version. It's been a while since my pet peeve for unnecessary flashbacks has been ticked off in a book. Then again I should have known better when the blurb clued me in to how long this guy been crushing on the h. Yeah okay. I'm outtie.
October 28, 2019
Not as good as the scheme, but enjoyable anyway!
Again, ben ackerman i love you so much
Again, ben ackerman i love you so much
November 5, 2021
WHY DID I CRY SO MUCH WITH THIS BOOK?? I MEAN THE WAY HE KEPT THE PHOTOGRAPH FOR 13 YEARS???? SHE KEPT THE NECKLACE? HE WANTED A FAMILY BUT ONLY WITH HER???? THE NERD AND THE JOCK IN HIGH SCHOOL CLICHE??? HE BUYING HAIR TIES FOR HER IF SHE NEEDED TO PUKE???? I >>>DIED<<<
ALSO BEN IS PEEEERFECT AND I CAN’T WAIT FOR HIS BOOK 😭
ALSO BEN IS PEEEERFECT AND I CAN’T WAIT FOR HIS BOOK 😭
August 5, 2019
So I don’t normally leave reviews. I struggle to put into words how much I enjoyed a book with using hand signals or tone of voice.
However, I’ve followed this Author for while on Twitter and also read previous stories by her. And I have loved every single one of them.
The story flowed, characters relatable and loveable. Can I order a Christopher please?? I loved every page!!
Totally recommending this to everyone I meet and know!!
However, I’ve followed this Author for while on Twitter and also read previous stories by her. And I have loved every single one of them.
The story flowed, characters relatable and loveable. Can I order a Christopher please?? I loved every page!!
Totally recommending this to everyone I meet and know!!
June 2, 2019
This book was just good...
Its so adorble and funny & Sometimes you are going to bash your head into your pillow saying "WHY!!!" I enjoy Everleigh and Christopher journey :) the laughs, the pain, the jealously.. all that in a big red bow!! My thing i kinda disliked was the flashbacks to present time..
Recommend-maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Its so adorble and funny & Sometimes you are going to bash your head into your pillow saying "WHY!!!" I enjoy Everleigh and Christopher journey :) the laughs, the pain, the jealously.. all that in a big red bow!! My thing i kinda disliked was the flashbacks to present time..
Recommend-maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2018
Funny and lovely... you can't not fall in love with the characters and their story. Laugh with them, hurt for them, be frustated with them but enjoy the ride, it's a really good one !!
August 3, 2020
i'm a simple girl who needs to reread her comfort books when she has a shitty couple of days. i don't know what new releases is
September 15, 2020
That was such a cute and wholesome story 😭 Ngl, I wanted to start with The Scheme because my friends here read and loved that but I also wanted to get to know Ben and Madison before they get their own story. I didn't expect I was going to like this as much as I did. Maybe I cried during the high school photo booth scene. Maybe.
June 17, 2018
This book reads like a zany romantic-comedy. I laughed out loud numerous times. There were times I wanted to scream in frustration and where I wanted to cry in both joy and sorrow. I’d give examples but really you should do yourself a favor and read it. At its heart, The Old-Fashioned Way by Cynthia Ayman is a friends-to-lovers/friends-with-benefits (squared) comedy love story. But it’s also first love and it’s a second chance story. Ayman skillfully weaves the early beginnings of the friendship between Everleigh and Christopher with their current lives living in New York City—and at just the right moment, right when the reader is screaming for more information than vague references, Ayman gives us flashbacks.
The flashbacks in no way take over the story; it augments it. It also helps add to the usual frustration of seeing two people who clearly belong together take forever to see it.
There is angst but it’s a necessary component because it’s those moments that move a plot forward. These characters in no way ever truly regress or make seemingly OOC decisions just to keep dragging out the will they/won’t they figure it out aspect of the story. These characters make monumental epiphanies together and separately and they handle them like adults. One of the best things about this story was that Ayman didn’t just stop it at the moment they realized they were in love. We got to follow them through to a perfect ending.
They are surrounded by a delightful cast of supporting characters who make up their family and friend circle. Frankly, I’m waiting to read Ben’s story.
Ayman also very gracefully deals with a painful struggle many women have—fertility issues. While it seems like an unseemly topic in a romantic comedy novel, Ayman never makes light of the situation. But she also manages to find ways to make it funny—like Christopher and Everleigh’s first attempts at conception. In my whole life, I’ve never read such an awkward first time. And it made sense because this book is about the heart and that’s what was lacking in those moments. Because as you know, characters in romance novels have to be clueless for a while and believe they can ever keep their hearts from being vulnerable.
So I highly recommend The Old-Fashioned Way. It’s a delightful, easy escape and would make an excellent summer read.
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
The flashbacks in no way take over the story; it augments it. It also helps add to the usual frustration of seeing two people who clearly belong together take forever to see it.
There is angst but it’s a necessary component because it’s those moments that move a plot forward. These characters in no way ever truly regress or make seemingly OOC decisions just to keep dragging out the will they/won’t they figure it out aspect of the story. These characters make monumental epiphanies together and separately and they handle them like adults. One of the best things about this story was that Ayman didn’t just stop it at the moment they realized they were in love. We got to follow them through to a perfect ending.
They are surrounded by a delightful cast of supporting characters who make up their family and friend circle. Frankly, I’m waiting to read Ben’s story.
Ayman also very gracefully deals with a painful struggle many women have—fertility issues. While it seems like an unseemly topic in a romantic comedy novel, Ayman never makes light of the situation. But she also manages to find ways to make it funny—like Christopher and Everleigh’s first attempts at conception. In my whole life, I’ve never read such an awkward first time. And it made sense because this book is about the heart and that’s what was lacking in those moments. Because as you know, characters in romance novels have to be clueless for a while and believe they can ever keep their hearts from being vulnerable.
So I highly recommend The Old-Fashioned Way. It’s a delightful, easy escape and would make an excellent summer read.
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 14, 2019
Sweet, saucy, ridiculous, and heartwarming. I laughed out loud. I teared up. I rooted for themain characters to get it together. Overall, a good read. There were a few scenes toward the end that seemed sort of tacked on - like the author had thought if them and wasn't sure where to put them, but they were still fun to read. A few details of the birth seemed out of date, as hospitals don't really have separate rooms for labor and delivery anymore and dads are able to be in the OR for emergency c-sections, but overall that didn't detract much from the story. 3½ stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2021
this book made me smile so many times, it had so many soft moments and domestic scenes that i can surely say it has become a comfort book ❤
January 17, 2019
This book was one of the best books I’ve ever read. A little heat, a lot of love, and a helping of hilarity.
Do guys like Chris really exist?
*I only marked it down because there were enough grammatical errors to distract me.
Do guys like Chris really exist?
*I only marked it down because there were enough grammatical errors to distract me.
January 17, 2019
It is the funniest 30ty-something book I have read!
It has just the perfect mix of characters, humor,and of course the romance aka "sex". You'll love the really fun read.
It has just the perfect mix of characters, humor,and of course the romance aka "sex". You'll love the really fun read.
June 17, 2018
The Old-Fashioned Way is such a sweet, refreshing and adorable story, I loved it!
There is a whole lot of humor (seriously, great comedic timing), fluff and of course some angst and the whole mix just works very well.
I loved reading Everleigh and Christopher slowly finding their way to each other, or just realizing what has always been there.
The flashbacks to their high school times were the most precious thing, I didn’t expect to enjoy them as much as I did!
I especially love little callbacks, so, Everleigh’s last answer to Christopher’s question in epilogue being the same as her first answer to him at the beginning of their journey is such a nice “started from the bottom, now we’re here” kind of moment.. :)
Also, I think I might have a thing for hovering, caring men buying ice cream and pastrami sandwiches for their pregnant girlfriends in the middle of the night, sigh..
Definitely enjoyed author’s writing style and can’t wait to read Ben’s story too.
There is a whole lot of humor (seriously, great comedic timing), fluff and of course some angst and the whole mix just works very well.
I loved reading Everleigh and Christopher slowly finding their way to each other, or just realizing what has always been there.
The flashbacks to their high school times were the most precious thing, I didn’t expect to enjoy them as much as I did!
I especially love little callbacks, so, Everleigh’s last answer to Christopher’s question in epilogue being the same as her first answer to him at the beginning of their journey is such a nice “started from the bottom, now we’re here” kind of moment.. :)
Also, I think I might have a thing for hovering, caring men buying ice cream and pastrami sandwiches for their pregnant girlfriends in the middle of the night, sigh..
Definitely enjoyed author’s writing style and can’t wait to read Ben’s story too.
June 18, 2018
I absolutely adored this book. Everleigh and Christopher’s journey from teenage friends, through misunderstandings and then to adulthood is a joy to read. There are many moments where I laughed out loud and others that were written so sensitively that you can easily see that Ayman has done her research about fertility difficulties. It is a tough subject and Ayman writes about it beautifully. The balance between present time and flashbacks give the reader an important insight into the journey these two characters have been on and how important second chances are.
I can’t decide what my favourite moments are in the book but some highlights are how Everleigh got her nickname, Christopher’s speech and all the fun about Everleigh’s cravings.
This is the perfect summer read. Highly recommended. I’m excited that Ayman has suggested that we will be reading more about Ben in the future!
I can’t decide what my favourite moments are in the book but some highlights are how Everleigh got her nickname, Christopher’s speech and all the fun about Everleigh’s cravings.
This is the perfect summer read. Highly recommended. I’m excited that Ayman has suggested that we will be reading more about Ben in the future!
July 30, 2018
Smut so hot I had to practically throw myself on my husband. Very refreshing dialogues. Great sense of humour. I am so recomanding this debuting author! More in my review in Czech on http://www.channach.com/cynthia-ayman...
Oh, I was torn between four and five stars, I would have given 4,5 but it's not allowed. :(
Oh, I was torn between four and five stars, I would have given 4,5 but it's not allowed. :(
August 29, 2018
Short review. Sexy, funny and sweet love story that flowed from the first page to the last. Everleigh and Christopher journey is filled with hilarious, sweet and steamy moments. There friends with benefits is suppose to be strictly about making a baby fortunately for them they aren't good at sticking to the rules.
June 24, 2018
Great book
When I first started reading this book it took me a little while to adjust to the third person (I think) POV but once I did I really enjoyed it. This was a very low drama story about falling in love with your best friend. It was sweet and funny.
When I first started reading this book it took me a little while to adjust to the third person (I think) POV but once I did I really enjoyed it. This was a very low drama story about falling in love with your best friend. It was sweet and funny.
July 1, 2018
Excellent
Great book, loved every character and felt like a part of the family. The writing style was awesome and character development was through the roof. All characters in this book deserve their own. Love Christopher and Everleighs unconventional love story. Read it now.
Great book, loved every character and felt like a part of the family. The writing style was awesome and character development was through the roof. All characters in this book deserve their own. Love Christopher and Everleighs unconventional love story. Read it now.
July 15, 2018
Perfect summer reading
Great book. Several laugh out loud moments. Sweet romance. Hot love scenes. You'll root for the characters even when you want to bang their heads together. Just a really delightful story that I couldn't put down.
Great book. Several laugh out loud moments. Sweet romance. Hot love scenes. You'll root for the characters even when you want to bang their heads together. Just a really delightful story that I couldn't put down.
October 30, 2018
4.4 stars
Very cute story. I loved that this book showed the whole stage of the pregnancy; cravings, hormones, and urges. Great bits of humor too.loved the secondary characters and look forward to more in the future.
Very cute story. I loved that this book showed the whole stage of the pregnancy; cravings, hormones, and urges. Great bits of humor too.loved the secondary characters and look forward to more in the future.
January 20, 2019
ok, so there were ... a lot 😒 of problems with this book ... but the ending seriously made up for a lot too. First of all ... JFC another "I MUST HAVE A BABBY BEFORE I TURN 30 OR I NEVER EVER EVER BUT EVER WILL" which... 10,000 🙄s. HOWEVER in the defense of *this* book ... ok there was a reason for it ... after the initial "whim." What really saved it at that point was the hero offering the heroine oreos. He was just *so* chill.
This hero was ... almost perfect. Seriously. He was SO FRAKKING NICE TO THE HEROINE ALWAYS. So nice. SO nice. He did fuck up in high school ... which >.< but ... I'd say he definitely paid for it. And "proved" himself over the last 6+ years. [Although here's another issue; the timeline/basic math. That really annoyed me too. The book starts out with Everleigh as a 27 year old. (Supposedly? >.>) but then it says they met 13 years ago ... when she was 16. Uh ... And then at one point she's 15 when they met ... and anyway there were inconsistencies so that really should've been cleaned up in edits. At one point she's 28, although they never mentioned a birthday but I let that one slide because of course she could've had a birthday.
Ben started out as an I D I O T but by ~halfway/ 3/4 of the way through? He really showed a lot - a LOT - of depth.
I actually liked the guys more than the girls in this book.
I also wish the author had started out with Everleigh having a 15 year plan since she was 15, instead of "I decided yesterday I'm going to have a baby!" which made her seem like a fucking idiot. And that (latter) premise went on for at least a chapter. Which - ugh.
Her ... whatever with the no kissing and then the other stuff ... parts of this book REALLY dragged. She was also deliberately blind - and I get it was because she's been emotionally hurt a LOT and never got over those issues - and I'm even ~okay with that - but the way it was PRESENTED didn't indicate that - just made it seem like she was wishy washy and TSTL.
So :|
Of course Christopher was too scared (too clueless?) to realize how much in love he was with Everleigh ...
But seriously I was cracking up from like 90-92% and the friends were a delight.
(Other than meh to Harper? ... I liked Violet and Ian; loved how calm Ian was at go time.)
Didn't ... really feel that I got a feel for Madison though.
I'm going to give Ben's story a try :)
C-- - thanks to the last 10%
OH OH OH OH OH. but JFC THE USE OF "WOAH" omfg. o.m.f.g. >:(
Had the characters not been generally so well developed with such great relationships I might've DNF'd it >.> Especially at that Carmen thing. WHICH thankfully was resolved, but I kinda wanted to shake Everleigh when she walked out of the store.
Ugh ... I forgot to link to this tweet/thread too >.> https://twitter.com/Limecello/status/... ... why ... why would she call her own book(s) porn? Also WE DON'T CALL IT SMUT. ...
Yeah ... gotta dock it a star because really enjoying most of the last 10%, and REALLY liking *parts*/times of the characters doesn't make up for the rest. ... 😒
This hero was ... almost perfect. Seriously. He was SO FRAKKING NICE TO THE HEROINE ALWAYS. So nice. SO nice. He did fuck up in high school ... which >.< but ... I'd say he definitely paid for it. And "proved" himself over the last 6+ years. [Although here's another issue; the timeline/basic math. That really annoyed me too. The book starts out with Everleigh as a 27 year old. (Supposedly? >.>) but then it says they met 13 years ago ... when she was 16. Uh ... And then at one point she's 15 when they met ... and anyway there were inconsistencies so that really should've been cleaned up in edits. At one point she's 28, although they never mentioned a birthday but I let that one slide because of course she could've had a birthday.
Ben started out as an I D I O T but by ~halfway/ 3/4 of the way through? He really showed a lot - a LOT - of depth.
I actually liked the guys more than the girls in this book.
I also wish the author had started out with Everleigh having a 15 year plan since she was 15, instead of "I decided yesterday I'm going to have a baby!" which made her seem like a fucking idiot. And that (latter) premise went on for at least a chapter. Which - ugh.
Her ... whatever with the no kissing and then the other stuff ... parts of this book REALLY dragged. She was also deliberately blind - and I get it was because she's been emotionally hurt a LOT and never got over those issues - and I'm even ~okay with that - but the way it was PRESENTED didn't indicate that - just made it seem like she was wishy washy and TSTL.
So :|
Of course Christopher was too scared (too clueless?) to realize how much in love he was with Everleigh ...
But seriously I was cracking up from like 90-92% and the friends were a delight.
(Other than meh to Harper? ... I liked Violet and Ian; loved how calm Ian was at go time.)
Didn't ... really feel that I got a feel for Madison though.
I'm going to give Ben's story a try :)
C-- - thanks to the last 10%
OH OH OH OH OH. but JFC THE USE OF "WOAH" omfg. o.m.f.g. >:(
Had the characters not been generally so well developed with such great relationships I might've DNF'd it >.> Especially at that Carmen thing. WHICH thankfully was resolved, but I kinda wanted to shake Everleigh when she walked out of the store.
Ugh ... I forgot to link to this tweet/thread too >.> https://twitter.com/Limecello/status/... ... why ... why would she call her own book(s) porn? Also WE DON'T CALL IT SMUT. ...
Yeah ... gotta dock it a star because really enjoying most of the last 10%, and REALLY liking *parts*/times of the characters doesn't make up for the rest. ... 😒
June 14, 2020
This was a fun read! Such a roller coaster. I love a good friends to lovers romance and this one spanned a lot of years. Falling in love in high school doesn’t always work out. It takes time to mature, to find out who you really are and go from there. These two got a second chance. While they had reunited and tests listed their friendship years ago, the had firmly put each other in the friend-zone, until Everleigh decided to have a baby. Christopher can’t imagine her doing that with anyone but him. And so it begins. Such an enjoyable story with a beautiful HEA.
June 26, 2021
I loved how cute their love story was, I enjoyed alternating the from their present to the past, to learn more about their love story.
I expected the ending to come much earlier in the book, when I thought I was about to read the epilogue I was surprised with 6 more chapters, perhaps it’s formulaic of romance books to skip the aftermath of both characters realizing their feelings for each other and confessing them and head immediately to the epilogue, which made the end lag a bit. But the 6 chapters were entertaining nonetheless.
I expected the ending to come much earlier in the book, when I thought I was about to read the epilogue I was surprised with 6 more chapters, perhaps it’s formulaic of romance books to skip the aftermath of both characters realizing their feelings for each other and confessing them and head immediately to the epilogue, which made the end lag a bit. But the 6 chapters were entertaining nonetheless.
September 23, 2019
3.5
-thank u for the ben ackerman crumbs 😌
-thank for the two scenes where ben and madison are in the same scenes and six scenes of them interacting (& the two scenes were madison scolding ben lol)
-omg ben x evie friendship is just uwu
-and violet with the advices and being a great friend,,, das facts das facts das facts
-the intervention scene y’all thats cute or whatevah and funny lol
-ok fine the epilogue was kinda cute,,, and the hints for ben’s girl and future at the end *wink wink* yes
-thank u for the ben ackerman crumbs 😌
-thank for the two scenes where ben and madison are in the same scenes and six scenes of them interacting (& the two scenes were madison scolding ben lol)
-omg ben x evie friendship is just uwu
-and violet with the advices and being a great friend,,, das facts das facts das facts
-the intervention scene y’all thats cute or whatevah and funny lol
-ok fine the epilogue was kinda cute,,, and the hints for ben’s girl and future at the end *wink wink* yes
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