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In the Heart of a Valentine #3
Give Me a Reason
Always the optimist, TV assignment editor Allison Sullivan makes no excuses about the enthusiastic life she leads. As doors of opportunity present themselves, whether in her profession, in her love life, or her friendships, Allison is one to take the task on full speed ahead. But when Allison meets the man she’s investigated in person, the world around her seems to pause as she fumbles to recover from the dynamic energy that clings from him to her. She’s never felt desire forge so deeply within, and the chance at a clandestine meeting raises the stakes on an ensuing love affair. Award-winning film director Lance Valentine isn’t looking for love, but in the midst of filming a new motion picture, he meets Allison Sullivan in an impromptu dinner at the home he was raised in. At first sight, her beauty takes his breath away, and he finds himself unable to explain the flutter in his heart or the battle in his spirit at the crescent curve of her smile. Career driven and focused on building his empire, Lance has never taken a chance on anything other than his creativity. Until Allison. While neither of them is looking for romance, they’ll both soon find that an endless possibility of love is within their reach.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2018
860 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Nicole Norris
110 books1,230 followersStephanie Nicole Norris is an author from Tennessee with a humble beginning. After becoming a young adult, her love for romance sparked, leaving her captivated by heroes and heroines alike. With a big imagination and a creative heart, Stephanie penned her first novel in 2010. She went on to write grin-inducing romance and has received multiple literary awards.
As a prolific writer, Stephanie’s catalog continues to grow. Her books can be found at major retailers, including Amazon, and her website, www.stephanienicolenorris.com.
As a prolific writer, Stephanie’s catalog continues to grow. Her books can be found at major retailers, including Amazon, and her website, www.stephanienicolenorris.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
October 6, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ ☝🏾Whhhheeeww BAYYBEEEH!!! Let me just say, before I get into all the mussy love stuff, Allison was the most annoying so far 😂! Of course, I’m happy she ended up getting it together in the end, but it don’t take all that sis! The entire time she used this diagnosis as a crutch for why she couldn’t go forward with her relationship and be happy! I can’t stand when people act as if a diagnosis is the end of life, when almost everything pertaining to health can be reversed! She mentioned her mother being dramatic, but that apple doesn’t fall far from the tree huh 🤔.!
I’m in L O V E & L U S T with every single O N E of the Valentines men thus far!!!! Mr. Lance Valentine was E V E R Y T H I N G !! Are any of the Valentine’s brothers anything less than amazingness 😂!? All three of the brothers introduced so far can get every little thing I have to offer 😫😩. Nonetheless, although Allison irritated me a bit, her and Lance were definitely designed for one another!
I’m ready for Raphael’s story, I have a feeling this will be the best one!! One last thing….. Stephanie, these endings are getting kind of rushed huh!? Just an observation 🤷🏾♀️.
I’m in L O V E & L U S T with every single O N E of the Valentines men thus far!!!! Mr. Lance Valentine was E V E R Y T H I N G !! Are any of the Valentine’s brothers anything less than amazingness 😂!? All three of the brothers introduced so far can get every little thing I have to offer 😫😩. Nonetheless, although Allison irritated me a bit, her and Lance were definitely designed for one another!
I’m ready for Raphael’s story, I have a feeling this will be the best one!! One last thing….. Stephanie, these endings are getting kind of rushed huh!? Just an observation 🤷🏾♀️.
April 1, 2024
I had high hopes for Lance and Allison’s story right up until they returned from India and then everything with this story went downhill. I’m going to keep this review brief and mention that the focus on the fake infertility because she had diabetes and blood pressure problems was a reach and Leslie policing her uterus in the early stages of their relationship was rude af and audacity must’ve been on clearance because he had plenty of it! These unnecessary issues took center stage in their relationship with no solid basis so it ended up overshadowing the chemistry and connection these two built up to that point. Everything before India, 5 stars but everything after 2 stars 😒
February 13, 2022
Ahhh this was such a hard one to rate because there was so much going on. Some of it I really enjoyed and other parts just had me rolling my eyes. I really enjoyed the discussion surrounding the disability representation and Lance definitely made my heart melt.
I've been slowly making my way through the In the Heart of a Valentine series and switched over to working on the Rose family books to prepare for the crossover novella. Give Me a Reason focuses on Allison and Lance. They have a pretty quick start into their romance, but it begins to lose steam when there is an awkward encounter between Allison and Lance's father. Honestly, I thought it was strange for him to even feel comfortable asking fertility questions to a woman who his son just recently began dating. He really shouldn't have been asking the questions at all. And then I found it even more awkward that Allison allowed this to deter her relationship with Lance especially when she never talked to a doctor about fertility as it related to her chronic illness. Because of the way that it was incorporated into the book, a lot of the elements just felt like plot devices and not something that was necessarily realistic. I did appreciate the way that Norris captured Allison's disability and broader conversation it created for readers about environment and genetics. And, of course, I thought that Lance was an amazing character. He really supported and stood by Allison and even challenged his family on some things in regard to Allison. I think that this is my least favorite book in the series so far. It was a solid read, but I'm interested in seeing how the rest of the series will be laid out with the rest of the brothers. I'm even more interested in the crossover that will take place with the Rose family.
I've been slowly making my way through the In the Heart of a Valentine series and switched over to working on the Rose family books to prepare for the crossover novella. Give Me a Reason focuses on Allison and Lance. They have a pretty quick start into their romance, but it begins to lose steam when there is an awkward encounter between Allison and Lance's father. Honestly, I thought it was strange for him to even feel comfortable asking fertility questions to a woman who his son just recently began dating. He really shouldn't have been asking the questions at all. And then I found it even more awkward that Allison allowed this to deter her relationship with Lance especially when she never talked to a doctor about fertility as it related to her chronic illness. Because of the way that it was incorporated into the book, a lot of the elements just felt like plot devices and not something that was necessarily realistic. I did appreciate the way that Norris captured Allison's disability and broader conversation it created for readers about environment and genetics. And, of course, I thought that Lance was an amazing character. He really supported and stood by Allison and even challenged his family on some things in regard to Allison. I think that this is my least favorite book in the series so far. It was a solid read, but I'm interested in seeing how the rest of the series will be laid out with the rest of the brothers. I'm even more interested in the crossover that will take place with the Rose family.
May 22, 2020
This book had potential but, somewhere along the way, it made a left turn on the wrong street and just imploded into ridiculousness. It’s disappointing because, I was really excited about Allison and Lance. The story line about Allison possibly being infertile was just silly. How do you break up with a man because, you can’t give him kids without actually knowing if you can’t have kids?!!! Not once did she go to her doctor and say, "My fertility. Lets talk about it." So, her hysteria about having children just didn't make sense. And, that conversation with Allison and Mr. Valentine about her health issues was on a whole different level of silliness. Who talks about their health history with their boyfriend’s father when you’ve only met him a handful of times?!!! I’m no medical expert but, the way her so called “health issues” were described wouldn’t really impact her fertility one way or the other. But, with all the unprotected sex they were having, I was kind of expecting a surprised pregnancy at the end of the book. Oh, well! I had such high hopes for Allison but, she turned out to be annoying and very immature.
November 24, 2018
Awwwwww
Girl, you have me side-eying my husband after reading your books. I need him to love me like these Rose and Valentine men. Whew...is all I can say!
Girl, you have me side-eying my husband after reading your books. I need him to love me like these Rose and Valentine men. Whew...is all I can say!
January 30, 2021
Beautiful By Design (BBD) selected a sequel theme for this book cycle. What we thought was an 8-part series for In the Heart of a Valentine, there was a surprise book drop to BBD in December making this now a 9-part series by author Stephanie Nicole Norris. The first book was titled, No Holds Barred. The second book in the series was titled, A Risqué Engagement. In case you missed my reviews of Book 1 and 2, you can check it out here in Goodreads. The third book in the series is titled, Give Me A Reason which received 3.65 out of a 5-star rating by BBD. Many thanks to Courtney for being the host and navigating us through our discussions. Since we have settled into this virtual world of book club for the long haul, we want to always give thanks to Skype for providing that virtual platform for us to come together. As always, BBD will keep it moving.
We are finding this series to be an overall easy and quick read. Not to mention, we find the content is good as well as the book covers. While those are pluses, BBD unanimously find each book to be redundant/repetitious. Meaning, it is basically the same scenario and patterns to each book with no variations or plot twists. BBD was reluctant to continue the series because some felt there was more emphasis placed on the sex scenes (though they are quite entertaining), more focus should be on developing the actual plots. The consensus is this could have been one book and longer in length to cover all the Hearts of the Valentines. However, majority ruled, and we agreed to finish the series.
Again, as in the other reviews, we welcome the idea of the love story and it is enough to keep our interest, BBD agreed there were some inconsistencies with the details in this book. For example, there was no need to really add the ex-girlfriend for added dramatic effect. Also, pregnant Camille was holding/drinking a glass of wine at the dinner party, and Lance picked Allison up to attend the charity event, yet when she was upset and left, she drove herself home?? In the last review, we were hoping Ms. Norris would develop and closeout characters mentioned in the prior books to provide clarity on their relevance to the story as well as their relationships to the Valentines. Instead, more names were added; still, we remain hopeful.
For the positives on Lance and Allison’s love story, we enjoyed the way he courted her. The author really brought this story to life through the words on the page. The character Allison has imperfections, but it did not matter to Lance. You could feel the sense of urgency, passion, and desire they shared to be together. Understanding the fears and reservations Allison had as a woman and the possible inability to be that wife in all ways like bore his children resonate with a lot of women in the world. And, to show the lengths that Lance was willing to go to demonstrate his love for her was beyond measure. The author also builds the characters from the bond, trust, love, and compassion. This particular book was not just a love story, but educated us on certain illnesses and the need to address them and not allowing them to define you while consuming your ability to live or walk in the shadows of your disease.
Lastly, there were still some grammatical errors in this book, but they were minor in comparison to the first two books and did not detract from the story. As always, we wanted to disclose this information for transparency. Now, on to Book 4 and 5!
We are finding this series to be an overall easy and quick read. Not to mention, we find the content is good as well as the book covers. While those are pluses, BBD unanimously find each book to be redundant/repetitious. Meaning, it is basically the same scenario and patterns to each book with no variations or plot twists. BBD was reluctant to continue the series because some felt there was more emphasis placed on the sex scenes (though they are quite entertaining), more focus should be on developing the actual plots. The consensus is this could have been one book and longer in length to cover all the Hearts of the Valentines. However, majority ruled, and we agreed to finish the series.
Again, as in the other reviews, we welcome the idea of the love story and it is enough to keep our interest, BBD agreed there were some inconsistencies with the details in this book. For example, there was no need to really add the ex-girlfriend for added dramatic effect. Also, pregnant Camille was holding/drinking a glass of wine at the dinner party, and Lance picked Allison up to attend the charity event, yet when she was upset and left, she drove herself home?? In the last review, we were hoping Ms. Norris would develop and closeout characters mentioned in the prior books to provide clarity on their relevance to the story as well as their relationships to the Valentines. Instead, more names were added; still, we remain hopeful.
For the positives on Lance and Allison’s love story, we enjoyed the way he courted her. The author really brought this story to life through the words on the page. The character Allison has imperfections, but it did not matter to Lance. You could feel the sense of urgency, passion, and desire they shared to be together. Understanding the fears and reservations Allison had as a woman and the possible inability to be that wife in all ways like bore his children resonate with a lot of women in the world. And, to show the lengths that Lance was willing to go to demonstrate his love for her was beyond measure. The author also builds the characters from the bond, trust, love, and compassion. This particular book was not just a love story, but educated us on certain illnesses and the need to address them and not allowing them to define you while consuming your ability to live or walk in the shadows of your disease.
Lastly, there were still some grammatical errors in this book, but they were minor in comparison to the first two books and did not detract from the story. As always, we wanted to disclose this information for transparency. Now, on to Book 4 and 5!
September 18, 2020
Just an Okay Read - 3 Stars
This the story of Lance and Allison. I loved the the sexy was there but this one fell a little short for me and felt like I was missing something in the story. This novella wasn't want I expected as I've read in the first two books of this series. A bit disappointed but hope the next is a bit better.
This the story of Lance and Allison. I loved the the sexy was there but this one fell a little short for me and felt like I was missing something in the story. This novella wasn't want I expected as I've read in the first two books of this series. A bit disappointed but hope the next is a bit better.
February 5, 2022
Allison & Lance are so sweet!! The Valentine family need their own Netflix series! Suddenly I want to take a trip to India.....STEAMY!!!
February 4, 2023
By this third book in the series I started to notice the authors formula. Leading man meet leading lady and falls into insta love. He miraculously loses all interest in other women and wants to build a deeper connection with her before they have sex. Man chooses a cheesy nickname for the woman which he then calls her for the rest of the book. Couple goes on an exotic trip together and finally make love. Add the name of the next brother and his love and repeat 🤦🏾♀️.
Also, ENOUGH with all the adjectives. You don’t have to over describe everything thing. Sometimes it’s ok to just take a drink, laugh or walk without being compared to the ocean, the sky and the moon while doing it.
Also, ENOUGH with all the adjectives. You don’t have to over describe everything thing. Sometimes it’s ok to just take a drink, laugh or walk without being compared to the ocean, the sky and the moon while doing it.
April 23, 2024
Something about this story ( audio) didn’t land with me and I can’t remember what I thought about it when I read it with my eyes, which makes me wonder if I DNFd it. Love at first sight, kind of. Passion, Lust, Tranquil travel. They went on dates but we didn’t get to see it. She is ashamed or guilty(I wasn’t sure which)of her diagnosis. He didn’t care he pursued her. He loved her. He proposed to her. But her anxiety and fear made her refuse. Her character was confident, insecure, and fearful all at the same time. What I didn’t like was his father’s insistent questions about her health and womb with his unrelated explanation as to why at the end.
February 5, 2021
another great addition to the series & and I am really excited to read about the next Valentine brother
recommend this s series to all readers interested in a book with;
* family dynamics
* sweet & steamy romance
* great characters
January 6, 2019
In the illustrious words of author Keith Kareem Williams...."I'll Love You Like a Poet But F*ck You Like a Savage"
This is Lance Valentine, smooth, fine brother with locs (Oh Yeah!!) and in love with Allison Sullivan. The opening scene is the both of them about to get it on at Hunter's wedding reception but was interrupted by their other brother Raphael (I never even heard this brother's name before until this book). We find out that Lance and Allison have been talking for a while and have moved it up a notch but Allison has some hidden issues that she is currently battling with.
Allison is a successful businesswoman over at the Television station and doing quite well for herself, she is the only child and is very happy with the way her life is going until a medical diagnosis has her questioning everything about herself. When Allison passes out at the wedding reception, Lance is the one who takes her home after she vehemently refuses for him to call for an ambulance. Upon his discovery, he finds out her medical condition but it doesn't deter him from wanting to be with her, no, in fact, he wants to take care of her and teach her how to put herself first.
Lance and Allison embark on the road of really getting to know one another, by being in each other's space, being vulnerable and open. But will this be enough for Allison to let Lance in completely and allow him to give her his heart and to love her the way he truly wants to?
One of the funniest lines in the book is between Lance and his Mom "Bridgette":
Lance - "I don't know what else he could possibly need. Dinner is done, the table is set, and one of us would've borne the cold for him."
Bridgette - "Why?" Bridgette frowned. "If you treat him like an old man, he'll put you in a headlock and challenge you to a game of arm wrestling. Trust me, I know."
Lance - Side-eyed his mom. "Let me find out Dad is over here putting you in head-locks." His scowl deepened.
Bridgette - chuckled. "Don't worry, I have a code word."
Lance - Aghast, Lance pulled back from her. "Mother!"
Let me tell yall something I freaking hollered when I read their exchange and said to myself, let me find out there is a bit of a Dom/Sub relationship going on between Mr. and Mrs. Valentine LOLL!!!
This is a book a highly recommend and is just as amazing as the first two stories in this series. I really enjoy author Stephanie Nicole Norris books and look forward to getting around and reading her other series "Falling for a Rose."
Well Until My Next Review...Ciao Bellas!
This is Lance Valentine, smooth, fine brother with locs (Oh Yeah!!) and in love with Allison Sullivan. The opening scene is the both of them about to get it on at Hunter's wedding reception but was interrupted by their other brother Raphael (I never even heard this brother's name before until this book). We find out that Lance and Allison have been talking for a while and have moved it up a notch but Allison has some hidden issues that she is currently battling with.
Allison is a successful businesswoman over at the Television station and doing quite well for herself, she is the only child and is very happy with the way her life is going until a medical diagnosis has her questioning everything about herself. When Allison passes out at the wedding reception, Lance is the one who takes her home after she vehemently refuses for him to call for an ambulance. Upon his discovery, he finds out her medical condition but it doesn't deter him from wanting to be with her, no, in fact, he wants to take care of her and teach her how to put herself first.
Lance and Allison embark on the road of really getting to know one another, by being in each other's space, being vulnerable and open. But will this be enough for Allison to let Lance in completely and allow him to give her his heart and to love her the way he truly wants to?
One of the funniest lines in the book is between Lance and his Mom "Bridgette":
Lance - "I don't know what else he could possibly need. Dinner is done, the table is set, and one of us would've borne the cold for him."
Bridgette - "Why?" Bridgette frowned. "If you treat him like an old man, he'll put you in a headlock and challenge you to a game of arm wrestling. Trust me, I know."
Lance - Side-eyed his mom. "Let me find out Dad is over here putting you in head-locks." His scowl deepened.
Bridgette - chuckled. "Don't worry, I have a code word."
Lance - Aghast, Lance pulled back from her. "Mother!"
Let me tell yall something I freaking hollered when I read their exchange and said to myself, let me find out there is a bit of a Dom/Sub relationship going on between Mr. and Mrs. Valentine LOLL!!!
This is a book a highly recommend and is just as amazing as the first two stories in this series. I really enjoy author Stephanie Nicole Norris books and look forward to getting around and reading her other series "Falling for a Rose."
Well Until My Next Review...Ciao Bellas!
April 21, 2020
3.5 Stars. I really enjoyed this book- in fact, I think it might be my favorite in the series so far. The third book in the In the Heart of A Valentine series features successful, award-winning filmmaker (and doctor), Lance, and tv editor, Allison, who’s living with health issues that she’s somewhat insecure about. When a misunderstanding occurs between Allison and Lance’s dad, her health insecurities kick in and their relationship is in jeopardy.
The theme of chronic, lifestyle-related disease and dealing with that emotionally was dealt with quite well here. It’s a complex issue to unpack (I’m talking about the link between health and genetics, behavior and environment, and how weight is sometimes also a consequence of genetics, behaviour and environment), thus why people link it automatically to health. And this is something I think about frequently as someone in public health who has also been a plus sized person for most of my life who’s on the lifelong mission to be body positive and recognizes that health is not a size, but also knows that our lifestyle choices can affect our health, regardless of our size. This is a tangent because this book didn’t go into those complexities (obviously) but a protagonist did go through guilt and regrets in this area in a way that though not necessarily “body positive” felt real. And I would say that even though a protagonist was a little food policey, this never felt like a body negative book and it is my favourite in the series so far.
I like this series, but I’m finding they’re getting a lot heavier on the spice and I’m not saying that it’s filler but it is beginning to feel more about those scenes sometimes. I enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to the Christmas special.
The theme of chronic, lifestyle-related disease and dealing with that emotionally was dealt with quite well here. It’s a complex issue to unpack (I’m talking about the link between health and genetics, behavior and environment, and how weight is sometimes also a consequence of genetics, behaviour and environment), thus why people link it automatically to health. And this is something I think about frequently as someone in public health who has also been a plus sized person for most of my life who’s on the lifelong mission to be body positive and recognizes that health is not a size, but also knows that our lifestyle choices can affect our health, regardless of our size. This is a tangent because this book didn’t go into those complexities (obviously) but a protagonist did go through guilt and regrets in this area in a way that though not necessarily “body positive” felt real. And I would say that even though a protagonist was a little food policey, this never felt like a body negative book and it is my favourite in the series so far.
I like this series, but I’m finding they’re getting a lot heavier on the spice and I’m not saying that it’s filler but it is beginning to feel more about those scenes sometimes. I enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to the Christmas special.
December 28, 2023
I barely made it through this book.
February 24, 2024
Hence for and forever more Lance will be referred to as Let Me Love You Lance. This man just wanted her to see that she was endgame for him no matter what that may look like or who may have had something to say about it. (including Allison herself) This is my type of possessive MMC.
Give me a reason touches on heavier topics that elevated their connection above the first two couples in the series. I appreciated how Stephanie addressed the sensitivity in disclosing medical history and how much pressure can be placed on new couples. It was real and raw seeing Allison go through emotional turmoil on page but the ending brought it all together.
While Hunter is my man, Allison and Lance stole the series with their romance. Favorite in the series thus far!
Give me a reason touches on heavier topics that elevated their connection above the first two couples in the series. I appreciated how Stephanie addressed the sensitivity in disclosing medical history and how much pressure can be placed on new couples. It was real and raw seeing Allison go through emotional turmoil on page but the ending brought it all together.
While Hunter is my man, Allison and Lance stole the series with their romance. Favorite in the series thus far!
September 24, 2024
This series is so good this is book three and I’m hooked. We were introduced to Allison in book one being the coworker at the network station.
It comes out that’s she had done an investigation on the Valentine family but we more on to the Lance story. Never meeting him in person until she was invited as a plus one to dinner. Secretly her and Lance would text and talk as friends without anyone’s knowledge.
Lance Valentine was proving from the start that he was no different than his brothers. Clearly his parents raised all of the men in their family right all men were manly men but were the most sweetest caregivers and dependable/devoted to the ones the loved and cared for.
This story however family gets in the way along with health issues but really it’s just all up in the air until they are able to truly communicate with one another and block out everything and everyone else.
It comes out that’s she had done an investigation on the Valentine family but we more on to the Lance story. Never meeting him in person until she was invited as a plus one to dinner. Secretly her and Lance would text and talk as friends without anyone’s knowledge.
Lance Valentine was proving from the start that he was no different than his brothers. Clearly his parents raised all of the men in their family right all men were manly men but were the most sweetest caregivers and dependable/devoted to the ones the loved and cared for.
This story however family gets in the way along with health issues but really it’s just all up in the air until they are able to truly communicate with one another and block out everything and everyone else.
November 20, 2018
All they needed was a reason!
Allison and Lance have been dancing around one another since Camilla and Hunter met. They were destined to be together and their story was beautiful! Lance was willing to fight for her no matter what! In the end he got the girl! I can hardly wait for Raphael, Kyle and DeAndre's stories! Love them Valentine men!
Allison and Lance have been dancing around one another since Camilla and Hunter met. They were destined to be together and their story was beautiful! Lance was willing to fight for her no matter what! In the end he got the girl! I can hardly wait for Raphael, Kyle and DeAndre's stories! Love them Valentine men!
November 18, 2018
Great Read!
Allison and Lance's story needed more content. The fire and desire was there but the descriptive story outside of the passion that Mrs. Norris usuallly gives was lacking. What is Allison's real deal with her diabetes diagnosis. Who is Lance? It was a good read. Maybe a epilogue would have sufficed.
Hunter is still my favorite Valentine!
Allison and Lance's story needed more content. The fire and desire was there but the descriptive story outside of the passion that Mrs. Norris usuallly gives was lacking. What is Allison's real deal with her diabetes diagnosis. Who is Lance? It was a good read. Maybe a epilogue would have sufficed.
Hunter is still my favorite Valentine!
January 27, 2021
I love me some Lance Valentine! He knows what he wants and he won't let anyone or anything get in his way. I loved everything about his relationship with Allison, the imperfect love that both had to work on to make it right. It was overall a feel good book that made me smile and swoon over these brothers. As usual, narration by Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem was great. Can't wait to start on book 4!
May 11, 2021
Great story, but it went from too slow, to a million things happening!
September 10, 2024
Not all 3 stars are created equal lol the first two books I enjoyed more. This one was infuriating at times. I loved lance and Leslie is the patriarch for a reason.
January 19, 2021
Allison and Lance...lack of character and story development
I just didn't get it. I mean really? They were too in love, too soon, and with no real reason why.
The recipe for the books in this series are: the rich Valentine men see the woman they want, they fall in love, they give give give...the woman receives receives receives...and then, for one reason or another, the Valentine brother has to convince the woman to want to be with them. Yeah, that's realistic (insert eye roll).
Just like the other brothers in this series so far - Hunter and Xavier - Lance Valentine was understanding, kind, patient, overly loving, wealthy beyond words, and all around perfect. He was too perfect. Too understanding. And too in love with Allison without any real reason why. Why did he love her so much that he wanted to make her his entire world? I have to ask the question, because we didn't get the answer in pages of this book. Also, Lance wasn't developed enough. He was pretty one dimensional- he love Allison more than anything...that's it. He had no other real motivation in this book, and I was still left wondering why he was so into her.
And what was up with Leslie Valentine (the dad)? His interactions with Allison were ridiculous. What father approaches a woman that his son is barely even dating and starts questioning her about her health and ability to bare children? At a wedding!
Allison was just plain frustrating. Her decisions were so ridiculous that I found it hard to like or relate to her. She's a smart news woman who recently found out that she has orthostatic hypertension and diabetes. It makes sense that she's nervous and shaken about her diagnosis, but her overreaction in relation to Lance makes no sense.
She is willing to end her relationship with a drop dead gorgeous, kind, considerate Millionaire because she fears that "maybe" she can't give him children. Really? Are you kidding? Ever heard of surrogates? Adoption? Go to the doctor to find out if there are fertility issues? Have a discussion with the man of your dreams? I realize that Ms. Norris needed to add some drama, and an obstacle for this couple to overcome...but this one was extremely weak.
Deja Vu - The first book in the series with Hunter and Camille was not original, but it was original for this series. The second book was less so. But this one, is simply a carbon copy of the other two. There's not even originality in the parents of the women; Camille, Allison, and Corrine. And when Lance recommended that he and Allison go on a double date with Rafael and Brie, clearly setting up the next book, I had to roll my eyes (again). It was straight out of the first book, when Hunter and Camille went on a double date with Xavier and Corinne (which set up their book). I don't honestly think that Ms. Norris has enough character personalities and original storylines to justify a series of this magnitude. The brother's are too similar. They're pretty much the exact same man, they just have a different name. And the same goes for the women.
Though I enjoyed Allison and Lance, their happily ever after was without any real friction or realism, and does not feel earned. I've never stopped a series once I've invested time in the characters, so I'll try to finish this one. Though I expect that the other Valentine brothers' stories will be just like the first three - rinse and repeat - but I'll soldier on.
I just didn't get it. I mean really? They were too in love, too soon, and with no real reason why.
The recipe for the books in this series are: the rich Valentine men see the woman they want, they fall in love, they give give give...the woman receives receives receives...and then, for one reason or another, the Valentine brother has to convince the woman to want to be with them. Yeah, that's realistic (insert eye roll).
Just like the other brothers in this series so far - Hunter and Xavier - Lance Valentine was understanding, kind, patient, overly loving, wealthy beyond words, and all around perfect. He was too perfect. Too understanding. And too in love with Allison without any real reason why. Why did he love her so much that he wanted to make her his entire world? I have to ask the question, because we didn't get the answer in pages of this book. Also, Lance wasn't developed enough. He was pretty one dimensional- he love Allison more than anything...that's it. He had no other real motivation in this book, and I was still left wondering why he was so into her.
And what was up with Leslie Valentine (the dad)? His interactions with Allison were ridiculous. What father approaches a woman that his son is barely even dating and starts questioning her about her health and ability to bare children? At a wedding!
Allison was just plain frustrating. Her decisions were so ridiculous that I found it hard to like or relate to her. She's a smart news woman who recently found out that she has orthostatic hypertension and diabetes. It makes sense that she's nervous and shaken about her diagnosis, but her overreaction in relation to Lance makes no sense.
She is willing to end her relationship with a drop dead gorgeous, kind, considerate Millionaire because she fears that "maybe" she can't give him children. Really? Are you kidding? Ever heard of surrogates? Adoption? Go to the doctor to find out if there are fertility issues? Have a discussion with the man of your dreams? I realize that Ms. Norris needed to add some drama, and an obstacle for this couple to overcome...but this one was extremely weak.
Deja Vu - The first book in the series with Hunter and Camille was not original, but it was original for this series. The second book was less so. But this one, is simply a carbon copy of the other two. There's not even originality in the parents of the women; Camille, Allison, and Corrine. And when Lance recommended that he and Allison go on a double date with Rafael and Brie, clearly setting up the next book, I had to roll my eyes (again). It was straight out of the first book, when Hunter and Camille went on a double date with Xavier and Corinne (which set up their book). I don't honestly think that Ms. Norris has enough character personalities and original storylines to justify a series of this magnitude. The brother's are too similar. They're pretty much the exact same man, they just have a different name. And the same goes for the women.
Though I enjoyed Allison and Lance, their happily ever after was without any real friction or realism, and does not feel earned. I've never stopped a series once I've invested time in the characters, so I'll try to finish this one. Though I expect that the other Valentine brothers' stories will be just like the first three - rinse and repeat - but I'll soldier on.
August 11, 2020
Good book!
I feel like Allison and Lance didn't get as much spice as the Hunter and Camilla, and Xavier and Corinne. I can't help but compare because I'm reading these books as quickly as I can get my hands on them. The chemistry was there, oh yes it was, hot and steamy very sexy, but again the grammar errors are popping up more and more. And the glaring plot hole of how Alison got home from her congratulatory party. She came in a Bentley but left in her own car? How? Hope some of these holes are updated in later versions so the story remains sexy and enjoyable. Otherwise I enjoyed this book. It's well worth the read
I feel like Allison and Lance didn't get as much spice as the Hunter and Camilla, and Xavier and Corinne. I can't help but compare because I'm reading these books as quickly as I can get my hands on them. The chemistry was there, oh yes it was, hot and steamy very sexy, but again the grammar errors are popping up more and more. And the glaring plot hole of how Alison got home from her congratulatory party. She came in a Bentley but left in her own car? How? Hope some of these holes are updated in later versions so the story remains sexy and enjoyable. Otherwise I enjoyed this book. It's well worth the read
December 9, 2023
Lance and Allison...
“Have you ever loved someone, Allison?” His fingers rode the skin over her collarbone, dancing alongside her neck. “I mean unequivocally revered a person. Someone who shared your beliefs and spoke to your soul in a way that stirred a supernatural love even when you didn’t know them wholly? Someone you’d trust with your life without worrying about the sacrifice it would take to give yourself one hundred percent?”
Libby listen 🎶
“Have you ever loved someone, Allison?” His fingers rode the skin over her collarbone, dancing alongside her neck. “I mean unequivocally revered a person. Someone who shared your beliefs and spoke to your soul in a way that stirred a supernatural love even when you didn’t know them wholly? Someone you’d trust with your life without worrying about the sacrifice it would take to give yourself one hundred percent?”
Libby listen 🎶
November 30, 2020
4 stars. My least favorite in the series so far unfortunately. Too much running instead of communicating from the heroine and that got on my nerves. I understood her fears but damn, get a grip! Also, the ex gf stuff felt forced and is never resolved so all of that really could’ve been left out. But, other than those two things this was still a good read. Lance made this book. He’s such a gentleman and so charming and suave. I did like Allison as well when she wasn’t being an idiot. She’s funny and likable. Their relationship was cute and romantic. I also liked that Allison has health issues and I could relate to her there. Especially her fears over them. It felt really real and honest. I still love this series and this was just what I needed because my last few reads have been flops.
December 15, 2018
I really wanted to LOVE Allison and Lance but I just didn't. I felt the connection and the chemistry between these two, but love I did not feel. They were drawn to each other no doubt, but I didn't feel love. It was not as "flowy" as I would've liked and this author continues to use too many descriptive/flowery words for my taste. There was just something that missed the mark with these two. I expected more after their return from the surprise vacation, and then the whole event was also a let down in my opinion. It's almost like I wanted more, but it just wasn't there. I've been hooked ever since Hunter and Camilla's story so I'd like to make it through all of the brothers.
August 15, 2020
Style: African American Romance
Story: 4/5
Sexual: GOOD
Enjoyment: 3/5
Series: Book 3
Nothing against Lance and Allison, their story was ok. Didn’t smile as much or got the butterflies. Didn’t mean I didn’t like their story, it was just ok. I can honestly say the beginning was very enticing, started out hot and heavy, then there was that pull back.
Overall, ok, still looking forward to reading all the brothers’ stories.
***I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s definitely about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the stories you read. I hope this review was helpful.
March 14, 2024
Allison was annoying towards the end 🤷🏾♀️
December 20, 2018
There’s just something about those Valentine boys.
Lance and Allison have been on our radar since Hunter and Camilla’s story in No Holds Barred and I am happy to see them finally getting their due. Lance and Allison’s attraction is palpable and it all comes to a head in Give Me A Reason. Lance knows what and who he wants, and that is Allison. He’s never been surer. They’ve built a solid friendship and it’s time to take it to the next level.
The book starts off with these two about to take the plunge off the deep end, so to speak, until things are put on a temporary hold. Along the way, readers are privy to Lance and Allison’s deep passions, health issues, Allison’s insecurities, family prodding and everything in between.
These two definitely had the IT factor. The connection couldn’t be denied. Lance was quite the catch; compassionate, caring and completely in tune with Allison’s needs. He was patient and considerate while still on top of all of his personal business.
Allison was a bit of an iffy character for me. She was a bit too wishy-washy for me. One minute she’s completely on track, vivacious, brazen and sure of herself. The next minute, she’s the complete opposite; insecure, quiet, and flighty. There were times it was too extreme of a stretch that I didn’t know what to believe. I get why Allison bolted and honestly, I may have as well but the shift happened so rapidly I was confused.
I liked that Stephanie touched on serious yet common health issues, and I liked having that explored in this novel and how that can affect everyone involved. Overall, Give Me a Reason was a solid, steamy romance and I liked catching with the Valentine siblings, who are proving to be quite the family. I can’t wait to read about the other Valentine brothers.
P.S. I am really rooting for Raphael’s story to be next. There is something so alluring about his story that I am interested in reading more about him.
Lance and Allison have been on our radar since Hunter and Camilla’s story in No Holds Barred and I am happy to see them finally getting their due. Lance and Allison’s attraction is palpable and it all comes to a head in Give Me A Reason. Lance knows what and who he wants, and that is Allison. He’s never been surer. They’ve built a solid friendship and it’s time to take it to the next level.
The book starts off with these two about to take the plunge off the deep end, so to speak, until things are put on a temporary hold. Along the way, readers are privy to Lance and Allison’s deep passions, health issues, Allison’s insecurities, family prodding and everything in between.
These two definitely had the IT factor. The connection couldn’t be denied. Lance was quite the catch; compassionate, caring and completely in tune with Allison’s needs. He was patient and considerate while still on top of all of his personal business.
Allison was a bit of an iffy character for me. She was a bit too wishy-washy for me. One minute she’s completely on track, vivacious, brazen and sure of herself. The next minute, she’s the complete opposite; insecure, quiet, and flighty. There were times it was too extreme of a stretch that I didn’t know what to believe. I get why Allison bolted and honestly, I may have as well but the shift happened so rapidly I was confused.
I liked that Stephanie touched on serious yet common health issues, and I liked having that explored in this novel and how that can affect everyone involved. Overall, Give Me a Reason was a solid, steamy romance and I liked catching with the Valentine siblings, who are proving to be quite the family. I can’t wait to read about the other Valentine brothers.
P.S. I am really rooting for Raphael’s story to be next. There is something so alluring about his story that I am interested in reading more about him.
Read
October 18, 2020Again, "reviewing" this audiobook 10/18, so well after I actually read it.
I kinda know SNN books will be a bit over the top, and if you suspend some disbelief/are willing to do so, it's fine. The writing again though, is unfortunately a big detractor - I really wish SNN had a different/better editor ... that would make a big difference I think.
Like everyone is "shouting" when they're just talking ...
BUT ANYWAY - SNN also writes men who are smitten pretty much from the start. I was really looking forward to Lance and Allison. (Also honestly low key I loved that Lance JUST ALSO happens to have a medical degree...) like yeah, sure he's an award winning film director in high demand ... BUT ALSO DOCTOR! (Ok I get he's not a doctor - I THINK he said he didn't take the boards/get his license? Or maybe not? It's been a while ... but I think he went to Harvard med? So like - he knows his stuff.)
The stuff with his dad was weird AF though.
I think what ~bothered me is as someone else mentioned - like she didn't even KNOW and like; why bother trouble?
And the whole ~shame aspect and food near neurosis because she's [I can't remember if she's diabetic or pre diabetic?] Or maybe I'm too sensitive about that.
I did actually like the book but I'm kinda mixed on some of the "big issues" like they were pretty extra.
I'd say ... C- D+?
C--?
I kinda know SNN books will be a bit over the top, and if you suspend some disbelief/are willing to do so, it's fine. The writing again though, is unfortunately a big detractor - I really wish SNN had a different/better editor ... that would make a big difference I think.
Like everyone is "shouting" when they're just talking ...
BUT ANYWAY - SNN also writes men who are smitten pretty much from the start. I was really looking forward to Lance and Allison. (Also honestly low key I loved that Lance JUST ALSO happens to have a medical degree...) like yeah, sure he's an award winning film director in high demand ... BUT ALSO DOCTOR! (Ok I get he's not a doctor - I THINK he said he didn't take the boards/get his license? Or maybe not? It's been a while ... but I think he went to Harvard med? So like - he knows his stuff.)
The stuff with his dad was weird AF though.
I think what ~bothered me is as someone else mentioned - like she didn't even KNOW and like; why bother trouble?
And the whole ~shame aspect and food near neurosis because she's [I can't remember if she's diabetic or pre diabetic?] Or maybe I'm too sensitive about that.
I did actually like the book but I'm kinda mixed on some of the "big issues" like they were pretty extra.
I'd say ... C- D+?
C--?
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