Kate McGuire has loved her brother’s best friend for years—an older guy who didn’t know she existed and whose smoking-hot girlfriend could punch her into next week. But now Kate’s eighteen and Quinn Haley is girlfriend-free and looking at her like she’s definitely outside the friend zone. Everything is working out perfectly—until a devastating medical diagnosis throws her life into a tailspin.
Quinn Haley has dealt with abuse and rejection his entire life, but when he finally breaks up with his cheating girlfriend while home from college for Christmas, he realizes his best friend’s little sister has always been there for him. Only now, Kate’s all grown up and frankly adorable. Definitely not someone he wants to keep in the friend zone.
Kate’s entire future will be a lifetime of no. No children. No sex. No Quinn. And when Quinn won’t take no for an answer, she fights him every step of the way.
I own a signed copy, but can't remember how it was acquired. Contest, auction? This is the author's debut novel and I applaud her for combining a difficult, mostly unheard-of medical condition with New Adult Romance.
Blurb: Kate McGuire has loved her brother’s best friend for years—an older guy who didn’t know she existed and whose smoking-hot girlfriend could punch her into next week. But now Kate’s eighteen and Quinn Haley is girlfriend-free and looking at her like she’s definitely outside the friend zone. Everything is working out perfectly—until a devastating medical diagnosis throws her life into a tailspin.
Quinn Haley has dealt with abuse and rejection his entire life, but when he finally breaks up with his cheating girlfriend while home from college for Christmas, he realizes his best friend’s little sister has always been there for him. Only now, Kate’s all grown up and frankly adorable. Definitely not someone he wants to keep in the friend zone.
Kate’s entire future will be a lifetime of no. No children. No sex. No Quinn. And when Quinn won’t take no for an answer, she fights him every step of the way.
The premise of ‘Changed’ is beyond unusual, which certainly makes this more than an unrequited-love-for-thebrother’s-best-friend type of story and I dove into this, wondering how T.S. Murphy was going to tackle the major issue that seemed near insurmountable for many people. Not least, for a protagonist for whom, at the age of 18, everything is writ large with the hormonal teenage tendency to bring with it the ‘end of my world’ kind of vibes. I can only imagine, from the author’s afterword, how personal this must have been to write and that much gave me a greater appreciation for Murphy’s bringing to light an issue that I barely knew existed.
In many ways, ‘Changed’ is Kate’s rather rocky journey navigating love and life with a serious condition to boot, with people rallying around her. I did feel for her, even liked the rather realistic portrayal of her reaction and confusion, though not so much of the requisite push-pull, the moody lack of communication (expected but nonetheless frustrating) and the sudden inability to trust the closest ones around her, even Quinn, who’d been a good friend before. The shenanigans between Kate/Quinn are thankfully not a minefield to go through and Murphy does write as though they are both meant for each other, which makes the pairing easy to get on board with.
Context and premise aside, I did think however, that the storytelling could have been ‘tighter’, so to speak, with some meanderings here and there which laterally expanded (and dragged down) the plot instead of driving it forward. The detailed insertions of Kate and Quinn with their exes, along with scenes that told convoluted family histories felt superfluous at times; instead I wanted to see more vital bits between the couple in question elaborated on, which disappointingly weren’t. There were parts of the book when I was definitely less engaged than others as a result, diving back in only more enthusiastically when the storytelling got back to Kate and her condition—as well as her burgeoning relationship with Quinn.
Slow-moving as it was nonetheless, ‘Changed’ was eye-opening in some ways—all of which had nothing to do with the romance-front for one. In essence, Murphy’s honesty with Kate’s condition kept me glued to the pages—fictionlandia as this is however, the HEA by the end is still much, much appreciated.
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) I am a little sad because I appreciated that it wasn't your regular love of a big brother's friend story, I am sad because there was so many unnecessary filler at times that I had to make myself focus and I kind of lost interest. I did finish and I am glad that it all worked out and I am glad I learned a little more of this condition, but again we could have cut some pages off and I would have loved it at that point.
I love that this book was not what I expected. I went into thinking I was getting to get to read a fairly typical in love with your brother's best friend story. While that story line is certainly included this book was so much more. I learned a great deal about a medical condition I had never heard of before and Murphy writes about Kate's journey in dealing with her diagnosis so incredibly well. From the fear, to the depression, to the hope and resolve I was with Kate every step of the way. Quinn has his own issues in the book but he was still very much an idealized boyfriend type that I never really felt as connected to. My main issue with this book was that it was so long and contained so much filler with story lines with friends that never go anywhere, dialogue that was often a bit flat, and a lot of discussion about teenage sexuality that seemed all over the place. Still it was an engaging book and one that I am glad I read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I requested this book, I took a chance. The blurb did not reveal enough to understand what the book was about. I was afraid the heroine would have some life threatening disease, so I was quite wary but intrigued.
I am happy to have read this book and I think the author should have told more in the blurb. People searching for books about it will find it easier.
Kate, the heroine, is 18 when she discovers she is suffering from a syndrome called MRKH. And this is actually not rare at all, one in 5000 girls are born with it. The book is about Kate dealing with this new reality, but also about her deep crush on Quinn and how he helps Kate as much as he can. I loved the dynamics of Kate’s family, the realities and the laughter.
I thought it to be a powerful book and also a lovely romance. It doesn’t shy away from difficult issues.
I requested and received an ARC via Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Wow what a story this was, it's a long one that's for sure. I thought it would drag on since it's so long but actually it didn't at all. It just gave me more feels for Kate and for Quinn. He had such a rough childhood but it's starting to look a bit brighter. Kate is having a tough time right now, a medical condition which I had knew nothing about until this book. These two gave me all the feels, I cried, laughed, was sad for them and felt happiness when they finally received theirs. Amazing read this was! I can't wait to see what else this author comes out with!
This book was phenomenal! I loved it from the first page and I was sad when it was done. It was humorous but you also felt your heart break for the main character Kate. You just can't help to feel happy that she got her version of a happy ending.
Synopsis: Eighteen year old Kate has been madly in love with her brother's best mate, Quinn, for years. After what felt like a life time of waiting for him to take full notice of her, she finally gets her wish. Troubled Quinn realises he has been in love with her all along and makes his move. However, eighteen year old Kate has never has a period. Her future looks bleak, with no chance of ever having children and sex being off the agenda. Despite his own battles, Quinn is determined to support Kate every step of the way.
Review:
I was generally unsure how I would feel about this book in the beginning. The synopsis gave me enough detail about what I was about to read which was good but I wasn't left feeling overly excited.
After reading the first chapter I was a little overwhelmed and confused as to what was going on at first. I felt that the story took off straight away without easing me in first. This changed pretty quickly however and I soon got my head around everything.
I feel that the chemistry between the male and female lead was good, it had the balance of being sweet without suffocating you with 'cheesiness'.' The characters relationship wasn't exhausting like I have seen in books before. I liked that Quinn wasn't the typical bad boy you usually find when reading a romance and that he was actually a genuine good guy with his own vulnerable side. At first Kate struck me as a plain Jane sort of girl and I found her character quite boring. Again this opinion was soon changed after reading on and she turned out to be a pretty resilient, tough cookie how really came in to her own.
The tone was easy, light hearted and perfect for the age of the characters written about. I felt that the second part of the book is where it really took off. You could feel the characters emotions coming through and I found that I was really beginning to engage with the book, so much so that I did struggle to put it back down.
The author did a fantastic job at raising awareness of a condition I have never heard of before and she should be very proud of herself for this. She also did an amazing job at raising awareness of the effects of anxiety and depression and how they can change the character of a person.
I loved how when the author was covering these quite sensitive issues, she still managed to keep the tone light and I especially appreciated the one liner jokes! I did find myself smiling and chuckling when reading certain parts, so a big well done for this.
So to sum up this book was a nice easy and pleasant read. It left you smiling in parts but then tugged on your heart strings the next minute. Despite not being overly excited in the beginning, I am glad I gave this book a go and I feel like I have definatley learnt and been made of aware of issues some ladies have which I never knew existed.
3.5 This was different. It was good to read about a medical diagnosis that wasn’t life ending, not to say that it wasn’t life altering.
I had no prior knowledge of this condition and all of the issues relating to it. Some may be bogged down by all this but I found it very interesting. The emotions that Kate dealt with and the decisions she faced was a lot for a young adult.
The characters in this story were great. I loved Kate and her family. Quinn was also a sweetheart. I loved their journey. The story could have been trimmed a bit, at points it did lag, but the story had a satisfying ending.
I hope this does find an audience for those that receive this diagnosis. Although this is not an autobiography, the author has firsthand experience with this condition and this could help many woman in the same position. I hope this book comes to light as support for others in the same boat.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Victory Editing for a copy in exchange for a honest review.
I’m not sure why but I love to read books that have medical issues involved, this book on the other had left me wanting a little more. When I first read the synopsis of the book it was a little vague, but I was still interested. Kate is 18 when she finds out that she has MRKH which stands for Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser. When I first read that I thought that it was interesting because I have head of people having the condition, but I have never known what it was called. The fact that it’s not rare there are one in 5000 girls that are born with it, it kinda blows my mind. I loved how this book follows her journey on how she copes with having this condition and dealing with a relationship and still having a scene of humor with it all.
I received a free copy from that Galley and exchange for an honest review. This book was definitely different than what I was expecting especially with the little book blurb it didn't really completely explain what the story was to be I thought it was going to be traditional girl falls in love with brother's best friend. However this book delves into a condition that I had never heard of mrkh. This book was definitely interesting however I did think that it dragged on a little and it could have used some more editing.
Wow. I have MRKH, the condition mentioned in the book, so I have so many emotions about this book. There are a couple of other MRKH books, Elizabeth, Just 16 by Cecilia Paul and Rokitansky by Alice Darwin. Although I enjoyed those books, this one is the best. I love to read romances anyway, and the love story between Kate and Quinn was just so sweet. I could relate to Kate. The emotions about not having children and sex, the insecurity, the doubt, the insensitive doctor. I also loved the humor. Humor can soften such a tough subject. The author captured all the emotions perfectly.
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review* The romance was a nice, standard one, but what was really great about this book was the way it describes the Rokitansky Syndrome. I had never heard about it so it was really educative, Otherwise, it was nothing out of the ordinary. This book was informative and entertaiing at the same time, so props for that!
This was a good book however the description and the nook were 2 different things. I loved the description but once I started reading the book I was not caught by the story. This was a bummer since I love these types of themes. Unfortunately I could not finish the book.
A surprising diagnosis throws a huge wrench in the future Kate dreamed of sharing with her brother's best friend. I suppose having that guy only see her as a little sister puts a damper on that dream too. But when Quinn's romantic situation changes it opens them both to the possibility of so much more. There was quite a bit of angst with jealousies, changing perspectives, medical drama, personal insecurities, and withholding explanations which all worked together to make it read as appropriate to the ages of the characters. It didn't pretend to be more mature but it also didn't sink into the land of immature young adults either. The author found a good balance between the two to make the story feel genuine and the hard-won happy ending all the more worth the journey it took to get there.
I can absolutely do without all the jealousies and secrecy. That goes for every book in the romance umbrella, so this isn't an attack on this book at all. While those two issues did push the angst portion of the book forward, I feel like it could have been achieved a different way. Struggling through a journey doesn't always breed strength and while they learn their lesson quite late regarding the value of supportive partners, they did eventually learn it.
The ending was much more upbeat and had a completely different feel from the majority of the story. It was well-earned and ended on such a happy, humorous, playful note. I wish that were included in more of the story because it felt like we went from painful situation to painful situation. There were some lighter, sweeter moments, but even the tenderness of discovering the person you truly want to be with was overshadowed by a secret moratorium governing all of Kate's actions.
Watching Kate come to terms with her diagnosis as well as the passion inside her and finding an outlet for it within the bounds of her physical limitations was eye-opening and felt genuine. I liked that this wasn't an easy story, I just have a few issues with how it was described. This was a wonderful story overall that was both educating for the reader as well as entertaining.
Your brother's bestfriend is off-limits... isn't he?
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest book review.
A story about acceptance, family, and love. Kate has a secret crush on her brother’s best friend, Quinn for a long time. He was part of their complete and happy family as they love him as their own. He and Jon are in college while Kate is still a senior high school student. It was Thanksgiving and Kate’s family invited Quinn to stay for the holiday, to her surprise, she even invited Quinn’s girlfriend, Roxie, hoping that Quinn will spend the weekend with them instead of going out of town with Roxie. Can she control herself?
When I volunteered to read this book, I was a bit nervous because I wasn't quite sure what it was about but I am so very glad I read it. Kate is a lovely, intelligent young woman with everything going for her. Well... almost everything. She's been in love with Quinn, her brother Jon's best friend since she first met him but they've just been friends this whole time. And she's hiding a medical condition from everyone but her parents because she is lost and angry. Quinn has finally realized how much he truly cares about Kate and thought she felt the same way until she started backing away, at full speed. What happens from there is full of angst, friendship, learning to adapt, and love, most of all. 💕💗💕
I absolutely adored this book because it was so deep and wonderfully developed. Your heart will thank you for reading this story.❤️️
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first time I am reading this author. I was so impressed. Welcome to a story about a little sister and her brothers best friend.
I really enjoyed this book. Quinn had a troubled life. His best friend brought him in the fold. Always struggling Quinn had his best friend, his best friends parents, and his best frined's sister. He always thought of them as family...until.
Kate had a crush on her big brother's best friend. She did her best to welcome HER. Roxie. She was Quinn's girl, but it was clear that Quinn and Katie were more connected
I really loved this book. It made me so emotional. If you are looking for a book that has family, loyalty, best friends, drama...well here you go.
This book had me hooked from the very beginning and kept me hooked all the way through!! I loved the dynamic between Kate and Quin and everything the two of them go through. I think that the love between the characters overcoming a huge obstacle and Quinn's steadfast love throughout it all is beautiful. I am very impressed by TS Murphy and her writing in this debut. I've added Quinn to my harem and I'm absolutely in love with his beautiful soul!!
I am terrible at reviews but I will leave one just because I usually don’t read romance, but I flew through this book in one evening. I was legitimately invested from start to finish and am glad I enjoyed it so much.
I apologize for the terrible review but I hope it’s enough to encourage a future potential reader :)
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters it was well written. I enjoyed reading about a medical condition that I've never heard of. It isn't life threatening but it is life altering. I took a chance with not really knowing what this book was about and I am so glad I did!!!
Very moving story. I actually cried several times. It was extremely emotional, raw, and uplifting. I could feel the characters' pain and struggles as well as her triumphs. I think this story and others like it need to be told more often.
MRKH is something I had never heard of. Kate must have gone through a lot of soul searching, I am glad Quinn was man enough to be able to help her come to terms with the problem. Once I finished this story I went looking for more information on MRKH, I think this Author handled this story with great care. A well-written story that I enjoyed reading. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She had always had a thing for her brother best friend but she knew nothing can happen between them. He has had enough of his cheating girl friend and finally dumps her. He then notices her but she is broken when she has a surprise from the doctor. Things may never be easy for her again. Can he help her? See how they will get on
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The book is an interesting romance story that is captivating and emotional in so many ways. Characters are engaging. It is well written. I appreciate reading this book.
It's amazing what women have to go thru, and how brave and hard their life can be. I had never heard of this before, but thanks to T.S. Murphy this might help a lot of women. Must read book.