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Halley #0.5
The Story of How We Met
They say nothing ever happens in small towns . . .
When Sarah comes home from her improvised summer vacation, she finds out two guys have just moved in. Not only that, but her friend Alana is dating one of them and thinks it would be fun if Sarah dated Julien’s equally hot brother.
However, Sarah is not interested in Gary’s constant happy whistling. She prefers to hear Julien’s stories about the stars even if some stars die at the end. The more time they spend together, the more she wants to be around him.
So Sarah decides to control her feelings. Easier said than done.
Usually, things are never as easy as they should be, and when it all becomes a huge mess, a valuable lesson will be learned. Sarah’s mother says that when the heart speaks, we must hear. Will Sarah listen to it?
When Sarah comes home from her improvised summer vacation, she finds out two guys have just moved in. Not only that, but her friend Alana is dating one of them and thinks it would be fun if Sarah dated Julien’s equally hot brother.
However, Sarah is not interested in Gary’s constant happy whistling. She prefers to hear Julien’s stories about the stars even if some stars die at the end. The more time they spend together, the more she wants to be around him.
So Sarah decides to control her feelings. Easier said than done.
Usually, things are never as easy as they should be, and when it all becomes a huge mess, a valuable lesson will be learned. Sarah’s mother says that when the heart speaks, we must hear. Will Sarah listen to it?
61 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2020
3 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
October 7, 2020
Huge thanks to the author, Ivy Oakes, for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a story about love, friendship, family and values. The story is short but full of wisdom and warmth. It’s the kind of story that will leave you pleased because of how the friendship and values were given importance. Readers of this short book will definitely learn a thing or two from this and i do recommend it to anyone.
To those who are quite particular with star ratings, i’m giving this book 5-stars. Happy reading bookworms!
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
💭 “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘵, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳.“
💭 “𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.“
💭 “𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯.“
💭 “𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶; 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥; 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳.“
This book is a story about love, friendship, family and values. The story is short but full of wisdom and warmth. It’s the kind of story that will leave you pleased because of how the friendship and values were given importance. Readers of this short book will definitely learn a thing or two from this and i do recommend it to anyone.
To those who are quite particular with star ratings, i’m giving this book 5-stars. Happy reading bookworms!
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
💭 “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘵, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳.“
💭 “𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.“
💭 “𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯.“
💭 “𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶; 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥; 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳.“
October 27, 2020
Thanks to the author for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review. 💛
This is the book that I needed today. Light and a funny read that made me feel nostalgic about the years when I was in high school. This books if about teenage romance, friendship and family.
If you are looking for something to read that is not so heavy, this book is perfect for you.
I am now thrilled to read the next one! 💚
This is the book that I needed today. Light and a funny read that made me feel nostalgic about the years when I was in high school. This books if about teenage romance, friendship and family.
If you are looking for something to read that is not so heavy, this book is perfect for you.
I am now thrilled to read the next one! 💚
September 28, 2020
4.5⭐
This was such a heart warming short story about friendship, young love and finding yourself. I was invested in the story and felt it was written well. For a short story, the message was clear and well rounded.
I think many people would find this story relatable, as Sarah goes through what normal teenagers go through with friendships and finding your first love. I also enjoyed the astronomy aspect of this story. It held a significant meaning to the characters and was a well presented symbol of young love and becoming comfortable in your own skin.
This was such a heart warming short story about friendship, young love and finding yourself. I was invested in the story and felt it was written well. For a short story, the message was clear and well rounded.
I think many people would find this story relatable, as Sarah goes through what normal teenagers go through with friendships and finding your first love. I also enjoyed the astronomy aspect of this story. It held a significant meaning to the characters and was a well presented symbol of young love and becoming comfortable in your own skin.
September 30, 2020
I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK
I first picked up this book because of its cover. So pretty, really! I love illustrated covers; I think it increases its potential, you know. I was a bit afraid of reading it because the book is short, it only has 70 pages, and I used to think books with less than 100 pages couldn't be that deep. And I was mistaken. In 70 pages, the author created a slow-burn romance. How is it even possible? I'm still trying to figure it out.
The formatting of the book is pretty too. The line breaker is made of stars, super cute!
Now about the story...
As I said, It is a slow-burn romance, the "my-friend-boyfriend" trope. I do like this trope, but I think authors must be suuuuuper careful of writing it as I believe it has a fine line between writing about falling in love with a friend's boyfriend and struggling against it or betray your friend. In this book, Sarah has done what is right, in my not-that-humble opinion. I've read the preview of the next book for this series at the end of this book, and I can't wait to grab mine! I just hope it has a more extensive story because even tho I loved this book, I'd love it more if it was bigger.
I first picked up this book because of its cover. So pretty, really! I love illustrated covers; I think it increases its potential, you know. I was a bit afraid of reading it because the book is short, it only has 70 pages, and I used to think books with less than 100 pages couldn't be that deep. And I was mistaken. In 70 pages, the author created a slow-burn romance. How is it even possible? I'm still trying to figure it out.
The formatting of the book is pretty too. The line breaker is made of stars, super cute!
Now about the story...
As I said, It is a slow-burn romance, the "my-friend-boyfriend" trope. I do like this trope, but I think authors must be suuuuuper careful of writing it as I believe it has a fine line between writing about falling in love with a friend's boyfriend and struggling against it or betray your friend. In this book, Sarah has done what is right, in my not-that-humble opinion. I've read the preview of the next book for this series at the end of this book, and I can't wait to grab mine! I just hope it has a more extensive story because even tho I loved this book, I'd love it more if it was bigger.
October 31, 2020
It is so basic and I am too old for it.
October 19, 2020
very simple plot and you can give it an easy read. The main story is associated with protagonist Sarah's love story. Apart from that the story flows by other things like friendship, jealousy, misunderstandings etc. I'll be honest, at first I found it very cheesy teenage loves story but I ended up with goosebumps. Its really an engrossing read for me 😍.And at last there is a glance of the next part of this series for which I'm quite excitedly waiting for the next one "what if stars don't die"
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And at last I want to quote a line from it "we should hear what our heart speaks, even if it's a small whisper"
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And at last I want to quote a line from it "we should hear what our heart speaks, even if it's a small whisper"
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October 16, 2020
Beautiful cover, but it felt very rushed and lacked real depth and as a result I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters or their relationship struggles.
Thank you to the author for a review copy via Voracious Readers Only
Thank you to the author for a review copy via Voracious Readers Only
October 23, 2020
Short Novella of a meet cute sweet romance
September 22, 2020
Omg!😮 Just look at the cover of the book! It is so pretty and illustrating!🤩
This is basically a novelette, potraying the story about a girl named, Sarah. She had gone for vacations with her uncle and after returning back she finds out that two new handsome guys have settled in their city through her bestie Alana. Alana gets into relationship with one of the two brothers and gets really very excited.
But when, Sarah meets Julien(Alana’s BF) she competely falls for him and Julien too falls for her.
But but but, What about Alana now?
For that read the book and find out what happens next!🤭
I am really happy that I read this book. Though it is novelette of around 60-70 pages but it is soo deep and beautiful. The story is very touching. I also loved how deeply each character was described in such a short story.
It is very easy to understand the situation of Sarah, how she was feeling. The writing style is also very nice. I read this book in just 45 minutes.😅 This novelette is very refreshing and smooth. It made me laugh a lot!☺️
I recommend this book to those who love to read short love stories.
This is basically a novelette, potraying the story about a girl named, Sarah. She had gone for vacations with her uncle and after returning back she finds out that two new handsome guys have settled in their city through her bestie Alana. Alana gets into relationship with one of the two brothers and gets really very excited.
But when, Sarah meets Julien(Alana’s BF) she competely falls for him and Julien too falls for her.
But but but, What about Alana now?
For that read the book and find out what happens next!🤭
I am really happy that I read this book. Though it is novelette of around 60-70 pages but it is soo deep and beautiful. The story is very touching. I also loved how deeply each character was described in such a short story.
It is very easy to understand the situation of Sarah, how she was feeling. The writing style is also very nice. I read this book in just 45 minutes.😅 This novelette is very refreshing and smooth. It made me laugh a lot!☺️
I recommend this book to those who love to read short love stories.
September 20, 2020
“My romantic soul was always yearning for a good love story.”
This is something my high school self would picked up and love it. It is a very cute and easy to read story. I feel like the author is just getting started with this and kinda introducing several characters that are yet to share their own kind of story.
I recommend this to anyone who just want a fun, easy to read book that are full of cute and funny moments in high school.
This is something my high school self would picked up and love it. It is a very cute and easy to read story. I feel like the author is just getting started with this and kinda introducing several characters that are yet to share their own kind of story.
I recommend this to anyone who just want a fun, easy to read book that are full of cute and funny moments in high school.
September 17, 2020
Title: The Story of How We Met
Author: Ivy Oakes
Publisher: Self publishing
ISBN: 1230004098317
Edition: ebook
Publication date: 09/08/2020
Content:
"They say nothing ever happens in small towns . . .
When Sarah comes home from her improvised summer vacation, she finds out two guys have just moved in. Not only that, but her friend Alana is dating one of them and thinks it would be fun if Sarah dated Julien’s equally hot brother.
However, Sarah is not interested in Gary’s constant happy whistling. She prefers to hear Julien’s stories about the stars even if some stars die at the end. The more time they spend together, the more she wants to be around him.
So Sarah decides to control her feelings. Easier said than done.
Usually, things are never as easy as they should be, and when it all becomes a huge mess, a valuable lesson will be learned. Sarah’s mother says that when the heart speaks, we must hear. Will Sarah listen to it?"
Opinion:
First of all, I want to thank one of the sweetest authors in the world for providing me with this beautiful review copy of her first book baby.
What is definitely outstanding is the really wonderful cover that caught me the second I saw it. I totally love covers with matching colors and that are harmonious.
The actual story is heavy and beautiful at the same time. It is only a short novel but it is more than amazing. It is a very touching story of young adults, who just want to live their lives. As life is, nothing ever happens as it is planned in the first place and nothing is as it seems.
What I totally enjoyed about this book is the depth of the characters. I did not expect characters to be described so detailed in only a novelette that I could picture them in my head. So, it can definitely be seen how much effort the author put into her work. Each one of the main characters developed in his or her own way. They did not stay the same.
The Ivy Oakes also impressed me with her skill to make this small booklet look like a book with thousands of pages in the way she told the story. There are a lot of details but in only one chapter happens so much that this novelette has more content than some books with many pages have. Also, the writing style and pace is pretty nice. It made me read the whole story within only two hours. The author got me totally hooked that I cannot wait until I can read the next book of this series.
What also needs to be mentioned is that this the first short novel of the Halley's puzzle. Each book is stand-alone, but it is recommended to read it in the right order to totally understand and fully enjoy it.
Conclusion:
I would highly recommend this book to everyone loving love stories or tragic stories. It is an amazing first novelette for a whole book series.
Author: Ivy Oakes
Publisher: Self publishing
ISBN: 1230004098317
Edition: ebook
Publication date: 09/08/2020
Content:
"They say nothing ever happens in small towns . . .
When Sarah comes home from her improvised summer vacation, she finds out two guys have just moved in. Not only that, but her friend Alana is dating one of them and thinks it would be fun if Sarah dated Julien’s equally hot brother.
However, Sarah is not interested in Gary’s constant happy whistling. She prefers to hear Julien’s stories about the stars even if some stars die at the end. The more time they spend together, the more she wants to be around him.
So Sarah decides to control her feelings. Easier said than done.
Usually, things are never as easy as they should be, and when it all becomes a huge mess, a valuable lesson will be learned. Sarah’s mother says that when the heart speaks, we must hear. Will Sarah listen to it?"
Opinion:
First of all, I want to thank one of the sweetest authors in the world for providing me with this beautiful review copy of her first book baby.
What is definitely outstanding is the really wonderful cover that caught me the second I saw it. I totally love covers with matching colors and that are harmonious.
The actual story is heavy and beautiful at the same time. It is only a short novel but it is more than amazing. It is a very touching story of young adults, who just want to live their lives. As life is, nothing ever happens as it is planned in the first place and nothing is as it seems.
What I totally enjoyed about this book is the depth of the characters. I did not expect characters to be described so detailed in only a novelette that I could picture them in my head. So, it can definitely be seen how much effort the author put into her work. Each one of the main characters developed in his or her own way. They did not stay the same.
The Ivy Oakes also impressed me with her skill to make this small booklet look like a book with thousands of pages in the way she told the story. There are a lot of details but in only one chapter happens so much that this novelette has more content than some books with many pages have. Also, the writing style and pace is pretty nice. It made me read the whole story within only two hours. The author got me totally hooked that I cannot wait until I can read the next book of this series.
What also needs to be mentioned is that this the first short novel of the Halley's puzzle. Each book is stand-alone, but it is recommended to read it in the right order to totally understand and fully enjoy it.
Conclusion:
I would highly recommend this book to everyone loving love stories or tragic stories. It is an amazing first novelette for a whole book series.
November 8, 2020
THE STORY OF HOW WE MET is a short novella about... well the title says.. About how our girl meets her love. It's starts a little complicated because she falls for her best friend's boyfriend.
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I loved the funny and sarcastic way the protogonist was made. I felt the novella was too fast .. But then this is a prequel to the upcoming books. More like an introductory book so the fast storyline was almost acceptible.
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This would be a perfect read for cheesy romance lovers and also if you wish to read a light short book.
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My favorite line from this book- "When the heart speaks you should hear it, even if it's as soft as a whisper"
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Ahh and the cover... I just love the art! It's so vibrant and I can't stop staring at it!
.
I loved the funny and sarcastic way the protogonist was made. I felt the novella was too fast .. But then this is a prequel to the upcoming books. More like an introductory book so the fast storyline was almost acceptible.
.
This would be a perfect read for cheesy romance lovers and also if you wish to read a light short book.
.
My favorite line from this book- "When the heart speaks you should hear it, even if it's as soft as a whisper"
.
Ahh and the cover... I just love the art! It's so vibrant and I can't stop staring at it!
November 13, 2020
Thanks to author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
If you are looking for a short and sweet romance this is the book for you. Beautiful cover to compliment a beautiful story.
If you are looking for a short and sweet romance this is the book for you. Beautiful cover to compliment a beautiful story.
October 18, 2020
As you can assume from the name, it is a contemporary love story how two people meeting and falling in love
What makes the story is that is a prequel Novella. The protagonist is remembers the story of meeting the love of her life sixteen years ago. The little story is suffused with friendships, string brotherhood and love.
Sometimes people put a front to delude the world around them, but it is truly themselves they are fooling. And heavens know putting a front is not easy.
As the story proceeds, you get attached to the simple yet complicated stories of the characters. My broke when the friends were separated and promises to remember each other we being made(that shit really makes me weeps, let the friends be together forever).
But what exhorts you to proceed with the main novel, that happens in the present, is how the novella ends. The cliffhanger leaves you anticipating.
I am still wondering what is going to happen in the main book and what happened to the nerdy character I loved so much.
It was a really good build up for the story ahead, very well summed up in just 69 pages. To be really honest, if it was written in detail, it could have been very beautiful stand alone novel on it's own.
What makes the story is that is a prequel Novella. The protagonist is remembers the story of meeting the love of her life sixteen years ago. The little story is suffused with friendships, string brotherhood and love.
Sometimes people put a front to delude the world around them, but it is truly themselves they are fooling. And heavens know putting a front is not easy.
As the story proceeds, you get attached to the simple yet complicated stories of the characters. My broke when the friends were separated and promises to remember each other we being made(that shit really makes me weeps, let the friends be together forever).
But what exhorts you to proceed with the main novel, that happens in the present, is how the novella ends. The cliffhanger leaves you anticipating.
I am still wondering what is going to happen in the main book and what happened to the nerdy character I loved so much.
It was a really good build up for the story ahead, very well summed up in just 69 pages. To be really honest, if it was written in detail, it could have been very beautiful stand alone novel on it's own.
October 14, 2020
“When the heart speaks, you should hear it, even if it’s as soft as a whisper.”
You could spend your entire life having big dreams and being determined not to commit to anything other than your future. But the minute you sit down to read a romance book, your entire mindset changes, even if it’s for a little while. Especially when the romance in books is as perfect as it was in The Story of How We Met: a wonderful novelette written by @authorivyoakes .
Summary:
Sarah is convinced that there are no good looking guys in the town she lives in. Until her rich friend, Alana calls to inform her of her new boyfriend, Julien, who has recently moved into the town with his brother, Gary. Alana wants Sarah to date Gary while she dates Julien. But even though Gary is perfectly handsome, funny, sweet, and kind, Sarah finds herself attracted to Julien. Out of respect for her best friend, Sarah makes sure only to stay friends with Julien.
But Julien doesn’t make that easy. He jumps at every chance to be with Sarah, makes her fall in love with his cute and nerdy self, and later goes as far as to break up with Alana.
Her friendship with Alana in danger, and her feelings for Julien only rising, Sarah is forced to make a difficult decision.
Will she listen to her heart and be with Julien, or will she continue to stay away from him out of respect for Alana, while knowing that Alana and Julien’s relationship was never serious?
Review:
God, Julien was perfect in this book. A cute, nerdy boy who makes cheesy remarks? YES. A cute, nerdy boy who makes cheesy remarks, reads books, and talks about characters as if they’re real? HELL YES.
I liked how Julien and Sarah’s relationship wasn’t instant and how she respected her best friend. I loved the build up of Sarah and Julien’s relationship, the subtle flirting, the hints of them falling for each other, the jokes, the nicknames. The story had cheesy yet fun humour. The fact that Sarah and Julien bonded over stars and stealing a defective car was adorable.
You could spend your entire life having big dreams and being determined not to commit to anything other than your future. But the minute you sit down to read a romance book, your entire mindset changes, even if it’s for a little while. Especially when the romance in books is as perfect as it was in The Story of How We Met: a wonderful novelette written by @authorivyoakes .
Summary:
Sarah is convinced that there are no good looking guys in the town she lives in. Until her rich friend, Alana calls to inform her of her new boyfriend, Julien, who has recently moved into the town with his brother, Gary. Alana wants Sarah to date Gary while she dates Julien. But even though Gary is perfectly handsome, funny, sweet, and kind, Sarah finds herself attracted to Julien. Out of respect for her best friend, Sarah makes sure only to stay friends with Julien.
But Julien doesn’t make that easy. He jumps at every chance to be with Sarah, makes her fall in love with his cute and nerdy self, and later goes as far as to break up with Alana.
Her friendship with Alana in danger, and her feelings for Julien only rising, Sarah is forced to make a difficult decision.
Will she listen to her heart and be with Julien, or will she continue to stay away from him out of respect for Alana, while knowing that Alana and Julien’s relationship was never serious?
Review:
God, Julien was perfect in this book. A cute, nerdy boy who makes cheesy remarks? YES. A cute, nerdy boy who makes cheesy remarks, reads books, and talks about characters as if they’re real? HELL YES.
I liked how Julien and Sarah’s relationship wasn’t instant and how she respected her best friend. I loved the build up of Sarah and Julien’s relationship, the subtle flirting, the hints of them falling for each other, the jokes, the nicknames. The story had cheesy yet fun humour. The fact that Sarah and Julien bonded over stars and stealing a defective car was adorable.
November 11, 2020
//When the heart speaks, you should hear it, even if it’s as soft as a whisper.//
~Ivy Oakes
Blurb:
When Sarah comes home from her improvised summer vacation, she finds out two guys have just moved in. Not only that, but her friend Alana is dating one of them and thinks it would be fun if Sarah dated Julien’s equally hot brother.
However, Sarah is not interested in Gary’s constant happy whistling. She prefers to hear Julien’s stories about the stars even if some stars die at the end. The more time they spend together, the more she wants to be around him.
So Sarah decides to control her feelings. Easier said than done.
Usually things are never as easy as they should be, and when it all becomes a huge mess, a valuable lesson will be learned. Sarah’s mother says that when the heart speaks, we must hear. Will Sarah listen to it?
Review:
This book is called a novellete. It's only 60-70 pages. This book is basically an introduction to the Halley series. I never thought a novella would give me the satisfaction of a novel. But this one did. There's not much happening in the book but it's definitely a beautiful and heartwarming story. This deals with both friendship and love. The author has done in character building. Even though it's such a short book, it didn't feel rushed in any way. I love the way Sarah's character was developing throughout the story. All the characters felt very realistic and were relatable in many ways. I, personally, could relate to Sarah. I understood why the decisions she took were right. I could also feel the spark between Julien and Sarah from their very first encounter. This book ended with a major cliffhanger and left me with a lot of questions. I'm really looking forward to read the next book in the series.
I highly recommend this if you're looking for a good short romance read.
~Ivy Oakes
Blurb:
When Sarah comes home from her improvised summer vacation, she finds out two guys have just moved in. Not only that, but her friend Alana is dating one of them and thinks it would be fun if Sarah dated Julien’s equally hot brother.
However, Sarah is not interested in Gary’s constant happy whistling. She prefers to hear Julien’s stories about the stars even if some stars die at the end. The more time they spend together, the more she wants to be around him.
So Sarah decides to control her feelings. Easier said than done.
Usually things are never as easy as they should be, and when it all becomes a huge mess, a valuable lesson will be learned. Sarah’s mother says that when the heart speaks, we must hear. Will Sarah listen to it?
Review:
This book is called a novellete. It's only 60-70 pages. This book is basically an introduction to the Halley series. I never thought a novella would give me the satisfaction of a novel. But this one did. There's not much happening in the book but it's definitely a beautiful and heartwarming story. This deals with both friendship and love. The author has done in character building. Even though it's such a short book, it didn't feel rushed in any way. I love the way Sarah's character was developing throughout the story. All the characters felt very realistic and were relatable in many ways. I, personally, could relate to Sarah. I understood why the decisions she took were right. I could also feel the spark between Julien and Sarah from their very first encounter. This book ended with a major cliffhanger and left me with a lot of questions. I'm really looking forward to read the next book in the series.
I highly recommend this if you're looking for a good short romance read.
October 22, 2020
This book was so good! It was such a cute story!! Also wanted to say Ivy Oakes is a really good writer!! I highly recommend reading this story!
October 15, 2020
The author was kind enough to send me a copy of The Story of How We Met and... I really enjoyed it! It was short and sweet. A great introduction to the story. Even though it's only 60 pages long, I feel like I've established a relationship with characters and I care about them so I'm really curious about what happens in next books 😊
October 9, 2020
summer vacation she finds out that her best friend Alana has gotten into a relationship with Julien, who's the new talk of the town along with his brother Gary.
Sarah ends up falling for Julien and that's when the mess begins.
The cover and the story of this novelette is so beautiful. I love such stories where the protagonists read. And here Both Julien and Sarah love reading. I could relate to Sarah with her day dreaming about romantic novels and popping pimples in her teenage year. But I felt more sympathy with Alana though, as I felt she was left out.
Overall, this is a fun read. This novelette gave me a very Eleanor and Park kind of feels, may be because this is a teenage story. The writing style and the language is smooth. I would recommend this to anyone who loves high school romance kind of books.
Also, I cannot wait to read the Halley's series.
Sarah ends up falling for Julien and that's when the mess begins.
The cover and the story of this novelette is so beautiful. I love such stories where the protagonists read. And here Both Julien and Sarah love reading. I could relate to Sarah with her day dreaming about romantic novels and popping pimples in her teenage year. But I felt more sympathy with Alana though, as I felt she was left out.
Overall, this is a fun read. This novelette gave me a very Eleanor and Park kind of feels, may be because this is a teenage story. The writing style and the language is smooth. I would recommend this to anyone who loves high school romance kind of books.
Also, I cannot wait to read the Halley's series.
October 15, 2020
Thank you Ivy for the copy of this book. I really love it. I can’t wait for your next book.
November 15, 2020
First of all, thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy if this book in exchange for an honest review! She’s very kind and sweet!
This book is a novella, around 60-70 pages, and usually I finish them with the desire of wanting more. More exploration, longer chapters, more depth.
But the author managed to give me a deep, beautiful story in just a few pages, which I don’t see happening often!
I was also apprehensive for the fact that the main character liked her best friend boyfriend, it’s a line that not many can cross without making a disaster or being unfaithful. There was none of that in this story!
The story warmed my heart at the beginning and broke it at the end.
I might be biased because the main character shares my name, but she was my favourite character!
There are going to be more stories in this universe and it’s so nice to see already how everything is connected and well thought!
Overall, nicely done novella!
This book is a novella, around 60-70 pages, and usually I finish them with the desire of wanting more. More exploration, longer chapters, more depth.
But the author managed to give me a deep, beautiful story in just a few pages, which I don’t see happening often!
I was also apprehensive for the fact that the main character liked her best friend boyfriend, it’s a line that not many can cross without making a disaster or being unfaithful. There was none of that in this story!
The story warmed my heart at the beginning and broke it at the end.
I might be biased because the main character shares my name, but she was my favourite character!
There are going to be more stories in this universe and it’s so nice to see already how everything is connected and well thought!
Overall, nicely done novella!
November 20, 2020
Rating this one 3.5⭐
Such a quick and fun read!
About the book -
Sarah is a nurse and returning from a long shift at the hospital. As she finds an old picture from her past while reading a book, we are taken back 16 years to find out how she met the love of her life.
Two best friends, Alana and Sarah , come across two brothers who've newly shifted to their town. Alana is bold and carefree, coming from a rich family. So she asks one of the brothers, Julien out and they start 'dating'.
While Sarah has to work hard to make ends meet while helping her mom with her work along with managing school. Julien and Sarah become friends, actual friends and fall for each other. What are they going to do next?
How would Alana react to all this?
Can they control their feelings for each other ?
Thoughts about the book -
The synopsis made me a little skeptical because I personally do not like Love triangles, but the book surprised me. It's such a cute story! You root for Sarah and Julien because of how adorable they are. The teenager heart in me melted a dozen times!!
Alana and Sarah's friendship is adorable, I wish Alana didn't have to go bankrupt in the end for them to make amends with each other 🙈 nevertheless , Alana realising that she and Julien weren't even a couple to be honest was such a relief. Did Julien Die?? 🥺🥺🥺
Characters I really loved-
Julien (Ofcourse!) ,
Sarah's mom ! Such a sweet person
Gary - Julien's brother , he was honestly adorable as well. I wish there was more about him because he seemed like such a nice person!
Both the brothers can Sew 🙈 that made me so happy, I want to know so much more about their lives!
I am excited to read 'What If stars don't die' ! Dante coming and living with Sarah would be great 🥺❤️
It was a very quick and fun read.
Thank you @authorivyoakes for giving me the ebook in return for an honest review ! You are so kind and patient! Sorry for the delay 🙈 I have just had a bad reading month. And now it's kick-started again!
Such a quick and fun read!
About the book -
Sarah is a nurse and returning from a long shift at the hospital. As she finds an old picture from her past while reading a book, we are taken back 16 years to find out how she met the love of her life.
Two best friends, Alana and Sarah , come across two brothers who've newly shifted to their town. Alana is bold and carefree, coming from a rich family. So she asks one of the brothers, Julien out and they start 'dating'.
While Sarah has to work hard to make ends meet while helping her mom with her work along with managing school. Julien and Sarah become friends, actual friends and fall for each other. What are they going to do next?
How would Alana react to all this?
Can they control their feelings for each other ?
Thoughts about the book -
The synopsis made me a little skeptical because I personally do not like Love triangles, but the book surprised me. It's such a cute story! You root for Sarah and Julien because of how adorable they are. The teenager heart in me melted a dozen times!!
Alana and Sarah's friendship is adorable, I wish Alana didn't have to go bankrupt in the end for them to make amends with each other 🙈 nevertheless , Alana realising that she and Julien weren't even a couple to be honest was such a relief. Did Julien Die?? 🥺🥺🥺
Characters I really loved-
Julien (Ofcourse!) ,
Sarah's mom ! Such a sweet person
Gary - Julien's brother , he was honestly adorable as well. I wish there was more about him because he seemed like such a nice person!
Both the brothers can Sew 🙈 that made me so happy, I want to know so much more about their lives!
I am excited to read 'What If stars don't die' ! Dante coming and living with Sarah would be great 🥺❤️
It was a very quick and fun read.
Thank you @authorivyoakes for giving me the ebook in return for an honest review ! You are so kind and patient! Sorry for the delay 🙈 I have just had a bad reading month. And now it's kick-started again!
November 23, 2020
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .25/5 stars for this
Many thanks to the author Ivy Oakes for sending the book in exchange for my honest review.
"The Story of How We Met" is a short and cute story on friendship, love and family. Set in a small town, the protagonist balances her family, friends, high school..and her newfound feelings.
I'm generally not a person to read mushy romance books but I like to read one every now and then-I'm glad I picked this up! This was a sweet story that made my day a bit brighter (and wasn't too mushy, something that I liked). Despite the short length of the book, the author manages to introduce and flesh out the characters to an extent, which is no small feat. (Geddit? Puns now.) While Sarah and I may be poles apart (she really likes mushy romance books!) I found her an engaging character. The story also gives a feel of the town, something that would help to understand the other novels in the pipeline in a better way. The novella came with a small preview into the next book, and it seems pretty intriguing.
I personally felt that although this story was simple, it seemed more magical due to the author's writing. This was only about 65 pages, so while we didn't get so much depth in the story, it does have heart and will convince romance fans to try her full feature books.
This is also pretty light and fun to read, which is a bonus!
Another thing I want to highlight is the pretty cover. Just look at it! I generally don't give too much of an importance to how the cover looks but this is too pretty to not comment on.
Overall, this cute novella will surely make your day a cheerful one and take you back to your own high school days.
~Reviewed by Kaveri. ~
Find me on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/bibliophile...
My blog: https://bibliophilerant.wixsite.com/w...
Many thanks to the author Ivy Oakes for sending the book in exchange for my honest review.
"The Story of How We Met" is a short and cute story on friendship, love and family. Set in a small town, the protagonist balances her family, friends, high school..and her newfound feelings.
I'm generally not a person to read mushy romance books but I like to read one every now and then-I'm glad I picked this up! This was a sweet story that made my day a bit brighter (and wasn't too mushy, something that I liked). Despite the short length of the book, the author manages to introduce and flesh out the characters to an extent, which is no small feat. (Geddit? Puns now.) While Sarah and I may be poles apart (she really likes mushy romance books!) I found her an engaging character. The story also gives a feel of the town, something that would help to understand the other novels in the pipeline in a better way. The novella came with a small preview into the next book, and it seems pretty intriguing.
I personally felt that although this story was simple, it seemed more magical due to the author's writing. This was only about 65 pages, so while we didn't get so much depth in the story, it does have heart and will convince romance fans to try her full feature books.
This is also pretty light and fun to read, which is a bonus!
Another thing I want to highlight is the pretty cover. Just look at it! I generally don't give too much of an importance to how the cover looks but this is too pretty to not comment on.
Overall, this cute novella will surely make your day a cheerful one and take you back to your own high school days.
~Reviewed by Kaveri. ~
Find me on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/bibliophile...
My blog: https://bibliophilerant.wixsite.com/w...
November 9, 2020
Love came silently and conquered the hearts
Love rushed in and filled the empty spaces
Love made them hold hands like never before
Love made them smile like the heavens above
Love made their eyes twinkle like the stars above
Until they die...
The premise of this YA romance was beautiful. Two boys new to town, a sudden crush until real love found its natural path, two best friends, then fights, jealousy and anger until reality intruded on all of them and revealed the truth of their lives.
Both Sarah and Julien along with brother Gary and friend Alana were well defined in this novelette. The way love whispered to Sarah slowly and steadily was quite innocent. The scenes in the book made me smile. The author Ivy Oakes sure knew how to write about new, tender love.
Then came my niggles. The prose needed to be powerful, words sharper, and emotions expansive. The story needed to have a depth that would have made me feel all their emotions.
I stood on the edge of the precipice while writing this review as there were things I liked countered by those I didn't. This was the first foray by the author, reading the first chapter of book 2 made me feel that it would probably get much better in the next one.
Love rushed in and filled the empty spaces
Love made them hold hands like never before
Love made them smile like the heavens above
Love made their eyes twinkle like the stars above
Until they die...
The premise of this YA romance was beautiful. Two boys new to town, a sudden crush until real love found its natural path, two best friends, then fights, jealousy and anger until reality intruded on all of them and revealed the truth of their lives.
Both Sarah and Julien along with brother Gary and friend Alana were well defined in this novelette. The way love whispered to Sarah slowly and steadily was quite innocent. The scenes in the book made me smile. The author Ivy Oakes sure knew how to write about new, tender love.
Then came my niggles. The prose needed to be powerful, words sharper, and emotions expansive. The story needed to have a depth that would have made me feel all their emotions.
I stood on the edge of the precipice while writing this review as there were things I liked countered by those I didn't. This was the first foray by the author, reading the first chapter of book 2 made me feel that it would probably get much better in the next one.
October 22, 2020
Book Introduction:
This is a short Novella and the first book of the Halley’s Puzzle Series. It is a story of Friendship, love, family. The story revolves around the life of Sarah and her friends. After a Summer Trip with her Uncle, Sarah returns to her home to find a new family has moved in her town. She is introduced to Julien by her best friend Alana. Later she and Julian become best friends. With heart breaks and coming of age – this talks about how friends find a way back to each other at the end.
My Feeling on reading the book:
This is a clichéd love story, but I still enjoyed the originality and the warm feeling. The writing was very lucid and the pace was perfect. I did not feel anything being exaggerated or forced. The character development of Sarah was amazing. I loved how I could relate my life with the characters of the book – everything was realistic. The ending was a cliff-hanger and I am waiting to read What if stars don’t die real soon.
Recommended to:
- People looking for a light read.
- People who love Romance Genre.
This is a short Novella and the first book of the Halley’s Puzzle Series. It is a story of Friendship, love, family. The story revolves around the life of Sarah and her friends. After a Summer Trip with her Uncle, Sarah returns to her home to find a new family has moved in her town. She is introduced to Julien by her best friend Alana. Later she and Julian become best friends. With heart breaks and coming of age – this talks about how friends find a way back to each other at the end.
My Feeling on reading the book:
This is a clichéd love story, but I still enjoyed the originality and the warm feeling. The writing was very lucid and the pace was perfect. I did not feel anything being exaggerated or forced. The character development of Sarah was amazing. I loved how I could relate my life with the characters of the book – everything was realistic. The ending was a cliff-hanger and I am waiting to read What if stars don’t die real soon.
Recommended to:
- People looking for a light read.
- People who love Romance Genre.
November 22, 2020
“𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍. 𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉.”
3.5⭐️
Firstly, I want to thank the author, Ivy Oakes, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I absolutely adore the cover (like wow would you look at that?! Soooo pretty 🤩) anywayssssss...
This story follows Sarah through family, love, friendships and loyalty. I really enjoyed following Sarah as she make her decisions that lead to a lovely friendship to lovers romance. It was very cute to explore Julian and Sarah’s relationship and how it grew as the story went along.
I feel like what could’ve earned it that last 1.5⭐️ the author could flesh out in certain areas. I felt that large, important plot points were rushed in a sense. Especially the party and the ending. I felt like it lacked depth and impact and left me a little confused.
This story would be PERFECT for those wanting a dose of romance in their lives!
3.5⭐️
Firstly, I want to thank the author, Ivy Oakes, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I absolutely adore the cover (like wow would you look at that?! Soooo pretty 🤩) anywayssssss...
This story follows Sarah through family, love, friendships and loyalty. I really enjoyed following Sarah as she make her decisions that lead to a lovely friendship to lovers romance. It was very cute to explore Julian and Sarah’s relationship and how it grew as the story went along.
I feel like what could’ve earned it that last 1.5⭐️ the author could flesh out in certain areas. I felt that large, important plot points were rushed in a sense. Especially the party and the ending. I felt like it lacked depth and impact and left me a little confused.
This story would be PERFECT for those wanting a dose of romance in their lives!
November 2, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
The Story of How We Met is a short novella that serves as a prequel for the Halley series. While not much happens in the novella itself, it sets the story up nicely for the books to come, and I'm definitely intrigued by where the characters are headed.
The story felt a bit juvenile, which is understandable, since the characters are teenagers. I'm eager to se how they will react to certain situations as adults.
One thing that bothered me slightly was the dialogue between the characters. It felt a bit scripted and not really natural for characters their age, but that was a minor detail.
Overall, I wasn't full invested in the story or characters, but again I think that that was mainly due to the length of the story, and I think that it will be fun to see them in a full-length novel.
(thanks to the author for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review)
The Story of How We Met is a short novella that serves as a prequel for the Halley series. While not much happens in the novella itself, it sets the story up nicely for the books to come, and I'm definitely intrigued by where the characters are headed.
The story felt a bit juvenile, which is understandable, since the characters are teenagers. I'm eager to se how they will react to certain situations as adults.
One thing that bothered me slightly was the dialogue between the characters. It felt a bit scripted and not really natural for characters their age, but that was a minor detail.
Overall, I wasn't full invested in the story or characters, but again I think that that was mainly due to the length of the story, and I think that it will be fun to see them in a full-length novel.
(thanks to the author for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review)
Read
October 20, 2020The Story of How We Met is a sweet, short story that introduces us to some of the residents that live in the small town of Halley. In the introduction to the soon to be series the focus is on Sarah, alternating between past and present versions of her life. Although it’s only 61 pages long, this book manages to introduce a host of characters that are sure to have their own stories to tell. In fact, a teaser chapter of what’s to come next is at the end of the book. If you like romance books that touch upon friendship and familial dynamics, you might enjoy this one.
If I had one complaint it would be I wanted to stick around in Halley longer and get to know the characters a bit better. I look forward to future installments where I get to do just that!
Thank you to the author, Ivy Oakes, for providing me with a copy of her baby for review!
If I had one complaint it would be I wanted to stick around in Halley longer and get to know the characters a bit better. I look forward to future installments where I get to do just that!
Thank you to the author, Ivy Oakes, for providing me with a copy of her baby for review!
November 26, 2020
What an excellent story and preclude to the next book. It was a lovely read that can be done in one sitting.
The characters are interesting and relatable each in their own way. I love the tie in with space and the stars, they are beautiful and the descriptions do them justice.
Thank you Ivy for giving me an opportunity to experience this story.
The characters are interesting and relatable each in their own way. I love the tie in with space and the stars, they are beautiful and the descriptions do them justice.
Thank you Ivy for giving me an opportunity to experience this story.
October 19, 2020
"𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒕, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓.”
The story is short, sweet and innocent with teenage love in a small town.
Sometimes you just need a slow read with innocence and love. This is the book you need. Even being a novella, it had all the parts of a PG-13 cute highschool love story.
While reading this there wasn't any doubt in my mind on why is a particular thing happening or how. The situation is very realistic and I might know a person or two with almost the same relationship history ('almost' being the keyword).
The ending is bittersweet but makes a way to the next book-- "What if Stars Don't Die".
Definitely ready to read about Dante in the small town of Halley.
PS: The cover is so pretty♡. You definitely want this on your bookshelf!!
The story is short, sweet and innocent with teenage love in a small town.
Sometimes you just need a slow read with innocence and love. This is the book you need. Even being a novella, it had all the parts of a PG-13 cute highschool love story.
While reading this there wasn't any doubt in my mind on why is a particular thing happening or how. The situation is very realistic and I might know a person or two with almost the same relationship history ('almost' being the keyword).
The ending is bittersweet but makes a way to the next book-- "What if Stars Don't Die".
Definitely ready to read about Dante in the small town of Halley.
PS: The cover is so pretty♡. You definitely want this on your bookshelf!!
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