Be with Me

All I Want #2

by Lea Coll

The more things change; the more they stay the same...

After all these years, Jack Perry is still the same: tall, gorgeous, rugged, and protective. I can't resist his boyish grin and sexy, little wink. Jack still only sees me as his cute, quirky friend who creates temptations in the kitchen.

But now that he's back in town to help save his family's business, I'm determined to show him a lot has changed since high school. I plan to tempt him with more than just my sugary delights. He may only be here for a short while, yet it's time he saw how grown up I really am. It won't be long until Jack Perry finally sees the truth: he wants nothing more than to be with me.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Chick Lit, Amazon, Firefighters

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2019

About the author

Lea Coll is a USA Today bestselling author who writes sweet and sexy happily ever afters. She worked as a trial attorney for over ten years. Now she stays home with her three children, plotting stories while fetching snacks and running them back and forth to activities. She enjoys the freedom of writing romance after years of legal writing.

She grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Maryland with her family.
For new releases, sneak peaks, and updates check out Lea's website and sign up for my newsletter.
Shop: https://leacollbooks.com
Website: https://www.leacoll.com

Newsletter: https://lea-coll.ck.page/d9b211dbe6

Join my VIP group: http://bit.ly/LeasReadersGroup

And follow me everywhere else:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/LeaColl
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/LeaCollBookbub
Instagram: http://bit.ly/LeaCollIstagram

Bloggers sign up here for ARCs: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1onfs...

Melde dich für meinen Newsletter an und erhalte eine kostenlose Novelle: https://bookfunnel.leacoll.com/3n5f1y....

Lea Coll ist eine Bestsellerautorin von sexy Liebesromanen mit Happy-End-Garantie. Sie arbeitete über zehn Jahre lang als Prozessanwältin. Inzwischen lebt sie mit ihrer Familie in den USA und genießt nach Jahren als Juristin die Freiheit, sich völlig dem Schreiben widmen zu können. Lea Colls prickelnde Geschichten entstehen, während sie sich um die Aktivitäten ihrer drei Kinder und deren Snacks kümmert.

Wenn du mehr über mich und meine Bücher erfahren möchtest, besuche mich auf meiner Website: https://www.leacoll.com/deutsch.

Reviews

[A.BookNerd.Bookseller&Bibliophile.Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book since I read Ms. Lawyer last year. This sequel did not disappoint! It was absolutely everything I hoped it would be!

Samantha is the local baker but wants more. She doesn't want to continue working for someone who doesn't respect her. Her drive to start her own business is admirable. Samantha is sweet, kind-hearted, and eventually learns to stand up for herself even though Jack is always there to stand up for her.

Jack is a volunteer firefighter and helps his father run the local marina. When someone starts vandalizing his property, the responsibility and relationship shared with his father starts to crumble. He has always had a thing for Samantha but never took the steps to act on it. I love how Jack leans on Samantha to help him through this as it really shows the type of man that he is.

I fell in love with the tension between Samantha and Jack from the very beginning. They have been close friends for years but have both longed for more. When they finally decide to take a chance on love, it is absolutely entrancing. I love their chemistry! Another page-turner by Ms. Coll. I can't wait for the next!

Reviewed by: Brianne M.

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Jack and Samantha have been friends since school when he used to protect her from bullies. Now Jack is back in town and Samantha’s feelings are definitely more than friendship. But how does Jack feel?

This is the first book I have read by Lea Coll and it was the second book in the series. It was a sweet story filled with suspense, mystery and vulnerability. Both had grown up with families that weren’t the most loving and both had trust issues they had to overcome.

I can’t wait to go back and read the first book in the series. These characters are funny, caring and have formed their own family through friendship. I recommend this story. I enjoyed it thoroughly. "

[Marie Brown (Marie's Tempting Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ridiculously fun, sexy and sweet romance with so many feels and an engaging story. I really liked these characters. A lot. They touched my heart and watching the heat bloom between them made my heart sing. The story is entertaining and sweet. A treat for the senses!

[Brianna at Renee Entress's Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!

New author. New book. New year. New chance. Lea Coll has a first time reader in me with this series and her and y'all... color me impressed with this book. Definitely a standalone yet super curious about book one, Ms. Lawyer! But anyways back to this book... Ms. Baker was quite the sweet and sexy friends-to-lovers, small town romance y'all, that kept me interested, all in my feels, and glued to the pages until the very last word.

A connection from high school is about to heat up in the now for Jack and Samantha, shaking up their lives, even if he's only their temporarily... and it'll be more than just in the kitchen that's hot. They always had a crush on each other and now he's back in town and she wants more. Will they give it a chance? Can they make it work? Undeniable chemistry. Unforgettable moments. A touch of suspense and twists to keep you on your toes... it was really quite worth the journey in every little way.

I'm glad a took a chance on this one, a little different but still really good, lighter, fresher and like I said before, I'm totally gonna hit up book one in this series soon.

I definitely recommend this book.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog

[Sassy Beta Reading & Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the Eastern Shore Series and I loved this even more than book 1. This series can be read as a stand alone, but honestly, I think you need to read book 1 before reading book 2. It really is worth the time. The support characters in book 2 are the same as the characters in book 1. I can not wait to read more of this series.

This is written as a 3rd person, single pov. Like in book 1, I would have loved to have seen this as a multi pov, but still it was really good.

Strong story line. Great characters. Awesome description to detail. Engaging dialogue. All in all, a great read.

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Would I read more from this author? Yes

Sassy Beta Reading and Review

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 7%

I usually try to get to at least 10% before I decide not to finish a title.

Unfortunately, there was no way I was going to get that far into this one.

Reading it, unfortunately, is tough. The chapters and scenes jump quickly. The dialog is choppy with no flow to it and doesn't sound like a conversation between people.

By 7% in we've met the hero, the heroine, her awful boss, discovered her desire to be more than friends. We've discovered his father runs a marina that was robbed and didn't have cameras, but he can't afford them because the mayor won't renew the lease at the end of the month unless he makes costly, and complex, upgrades (that couldn't be done in a month) and we've met her friends, as well as gotten a bit of backstory on the couple she's jealous of...

[Nerdy Dirty & Flirty · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Sara, 4 stars

I loved how the author made it so easy to picture what I was reading. I love a friend to lovers read and Sam and Jack are the perfect story! Their best friend type relationship turned couple had me fist pumping the air.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samantha was the baker at a bakery that was now being run by the owner's son. He was very much a jerk. She had been friends with Jack forever but they had never dated. Things progressed a little slow but they finally admitted their feelings for each other.. Justin (the boss's son) was up to hijinks - it was just hard to catch him. This story had good characters that I really enoyed reading about. I hope there are more books in the series

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Racheli Zusiman · Rating 3 out of 5]

הספר השני בסדרה של ליאה קול המתרחשת בעיירה צ'סטרטאון. קראתי גם את הספר הראשון והרביעי בסדרה.
סמנת'ה וג'ק מכירים מילדות. סמנת'ה תמיד היתה חסרת ביטחון ומטרה להצקות של בריונים, וג'ק היה מגן עליה. סמנת'ה גם היתה נתונה תמיד לביקורת מצד הוריה, וניסתה לרצות אותם ללא הצלחה. היא עובדת במאפייה והבוס שלה הוא אחד הבריונים שהציקו לה בתיכון. ג'ק הוא לוחם אש שחוזר לעיירה כדי לעזור לאבא שלו לנהל את המרינה של העיירה, אחרי שבת זוגו בגדה בו עם אחד מחבריו. הם מתקרבים אחד לשני ומתאהבים, אבל גם חוששים לתת אמון ולהתקדם בקשר. ברקע יש כמה סיפורים נוספים - סמנת'ה רוצה להקים עסק של סדנאות אפיה לילדים, מישהו מחבל בסירות במרינה והמשטרה מנסה לגלות מי הפושע, ראש העיר מעוניין לפתח את אזור המרינה והעיירה צריכה להכריע בין תכניות שונות, הוריה יוצרים איתה קשר מחדש, ועוד. ספר ממש נחמד, ולטעמי יותר טוב מהשניים האחרים שכבר קראתי, שגם הם היו נחמדים

[Coco.V]

🎁 Books 1 & 2 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (1/19/2020)! 🎁

[Brianne Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book since I read Ms. Lawyer last year. This sequel did not disappoint! It was absolutely everything I hoped it would be!

Samantha is the local baker but wants more. She doesn't want to continue working for someone who doesn't respect her. Her drive to start her own business is admirable. Samantha is sweet, kind-hearted, and eventually learns to stand up for herself even though Jack is always there to stand up for her.

Jack is a volunteer firefighter and helps his father run the local marina. When someone starts vandalizing his property, the responsibility and relationship shared with his father starts to crumble. He has always had a thing for Samantha but never took the steps to act on it. I love how Jack leans on Samantha to help him through this as it really shows the type of man that he is.

I fell in love with the tension between Samantha and Jack from the very beginning. They have been close friends for years but have both longed for more. When they finally decide to take a chance on love, it is absolutely entrancing. I love their chemistry! Another page-turner by Ms. Coll. I can't wait for the next!

[Stephannie Tolitsky- Seppyreadsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephannie's 4 Star Review:

Samantha has worked in the same local bakery forever. She thought the owner would put her in charge when she retired but instead put her son in charge. She doesn't like him very much especially since he was the guy who bullied her back in high school back. He isn't always nice to her and makes her uncomfortable. She wants to start her own business baking maybe even teaching kids to bake by having baking classes. Samantha is a very sweet, kind-hearted, and a girl who doesn't know how to stand up for herself. Jack has always been there for Samantha to stick up for her but it's time she learn to stand up for herself.

Jack is a volunteer firefighter and helps his father run the local marina. The marina contract is up and someone has started to vandalizing at the marina in hopes that Jack's dad doesn't get to continue to run the marina.

Jack has always had the hots for Samantha but never acted on it. But after all this time he actually is wanting to make a move in the hopes of a shot with Samantha. These friends grow close when Jack leans on Samantha to help him. She also shows Jack how loyal she is when she has his back.

I really love books where friends of the opposite sex have chemistry and the line between friendship and more blurs. They have sexual tension in spades. Both have secretly wanted more than friendship with each other. I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed the characters and wanted them to get a HEA. There is so much going on in the story that keeps it interesting. I read it cover to cover rather quickly because I just loved this story and the characters.

[Amalie_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet, cute, friends to lovers small town romance.

This was my first Lea Coll book and won’t be my last. Book 2 in the Eastern Shore Series. This can easily be read as a stand alone but I look forward to reading the first book in this series.

Samantha is a baker in the local bakery. The owner’s son Justin with whom Samantha has a history with takes over and makes things uncomfortable for her working there. Jack is the sexy firefighter who she has been friends with for years and always protected her who she has had a crush on for quite some time and just wishes he would see her for something other than the sweet girl he has always known her to be.

Strong, likeable main characters as well as support characters. I enjoyed the evolution of Samantha’s character, she went for being a self proclaimed push over to learning to stand up for herself.

Overall, I found it to be an easy, light-hearted read with a little suspense and a couple of steamy scenes throughout.

[Ga Books LoverX · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a light-hearted read that had some suspense and steam included in it!

Samantha has been considered a pushover for most of her life. All she has ever wanted was her parent's approval and to bake. She thought she finally knew where she was in her life when she was taking more responsibility in the local bakery. Until the owners son (Justin) steps in, the same son that used to bully Samantha back in HS and still even more now. She also has a huge crush on Jack, the guy she sees as a white knight that saved her back when she was being bullied.

Jack is a volunteer fireman and helps his father out at the local marina. He is a pretty stand up guy and seems to always want to do the right thing even though he was burned pretty bad a year ago.

The story line has a touch of suspense and has quite a few moments of some super steamy scenes, other than that, I thought this was a pretty easy light-hearted read.

I rate this book a 4 outta 5!

PS: I received this book for free but am voluntarily reviewing this book.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha did not have the easiest childhood, but her one escape was baking. She has worked at the bakery since she was 16 and she thought that when the owner retired that she would be able to take it over. Fate had other plans when Justin the owner’s son decided to take it over and they do not have a happy past.

Jack and Sam have been friends for years and he has always wanted to protect her. He is helping his father out at the marina and is a volunteer firefighter.

The feelings that Sam and Jack have for each other run much deeper than friends, but neither is willing to cross the line. With all the suspicious activity going on in town they become closer, but will they finally take the leap from friends to lovers?

This is a sweet and sexy small town romance between two friends that were destined to be more. Sam shows a strength she never knew she had, and Jack is so protective when it comes to Sam.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Ms. Baker by Lea Coll gave me all the warm fuzzies I get when watching a Hallmark Christmas Movie. Now, this book was not set the winter season, it takes place early fall, with events leading up to halloween. The feeling came from the close group of friends who live in a small town where it seems everyone knows each other. The focus on community and camaraderie of a town banding together when something goes wrong. The hero and heroine are sweet and you can tell from the beginning of the book that they are unrequited. I was very excited when they finally got together and there were a few steamy moments, but for the most part i was more interested in solving the crime than their romance. Once they got together, I had a feeling it would stick, and for the most part it did. If you are looking for a light romance, an easy and sweet read, you will enjoy this book.

[Renee Entress · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, secrets, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Ms. Lawyer (Eastern Shore Series #1) by Lea Coll

This is Samantha, and Jack’s story. Jack protected Samantha in high school from a bully and ever since then they have been friends. Samantha wants more then friendship from Jack. But she is out to prove that she is all grown up and can take care of herself. She is going to prove she is ready for the next step of the relationship. Is Jack ready or is that something he never expected? What happens if he does not see her in that way? Will she be heartbroken, and will it be the end of the friendship? Or was Jack just waiting on a sign that he can take it to the next level?

I felt I was able to connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I recommend this book.

[Karan Eleni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, light, small town romance!

Having lived in small towns most of my life, I'm a big fan of small town romances, so when I saw this one available on BookSprout from an author I hadn't heard of yet, I jumped on it. Cute romance, little bit chick lit, little bit mystery, and lots of baking! Right up my small-town alley!! Totally made me wish I was part of their group of friends!

Two reasons for four stars as opposed to five... There are a few steamy scenes, which aren't terrible, they just threw me off because the rest of the book is fairly sweet and tame as far as language. Could have easily been fade-to-black and still would have had the same effect. Also, I know I had an ARC but my editor brain never truly shuts itself off and I noticed several things that I'm hoping were corrected for the final copy.

These things definitely won't keep me from reading more from Ms. Coll in the future though. Have already grabbed book one on KindleUnlimited! So glad to find a new author!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Samantha has had a rough go of it since primary school. Her parents were either neglectful or overbearing and at school, she was bullied. Working at the bakery she still works for was her only escape in high school and the reason her parents no longer supported her immediately after high school.

Now Samantha is working for the guy who tortured her in high school. When her crush, Jack, finally begins to show interest but is nervous due to Samantha's past relationship issues, Samantha decides she needs to make some changes. Now Samantha is pushing towards her independence so she can have a relationship with Jack.

I thought this story was fun. I enjoyed reading about Samantha's transformation into a confident woman. The mystery behind the docks and Jack's life was fun to read about too.

Ms. Baker was a cute enough read. Not overly unique, but enjoyable in that it had a little bit of mystery towards it.

[Natalie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and Samantha have been friends since school when he used to protect her from bullies. Now Jack is back in town and Samantha’s feelings are definitely more than friendship. But how does Jack feel?

This is the first book I have read by Lea Coll and it was the second book in the series. It was a sweet story filled with suspense, mystery and vulnerability. Both had grown up with families that weren’t the most loving and both had trust issues they had to overcome.

I can’t wait to go back and read the first book in the series. These characters are funny, caring and have formed their own family through friendship. I recommend this story. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a sweet romance that also had suspense and intrigue. A sweet shy baker and her long time friend and crush are thrown back together when he comes home to help out his father. The story has an intricate suspense plot and yet is also a light-hearted romance. It has interesting characters and whilst this is the second book in the series and can be read standalone; knowing the other characters will make you want to read book one too.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samantha and Jack have been friends ever since he protected her from bullies at school but now they are grown up Jack is a firefighter and Sam works at a bakery. She is really attracted to Jack but he only sees her as a friend but she hopes she can change that. There is also some twists going on at the bakery which adds to the story but all in all this is a sweet romance. Loved Sam and Jack's characters and how things developed with them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two continues after the events in book one and it's nice to see Emma and Luke still in love! Sam and Jack's relationship is a friends to lovers one and was sweet to watch unfold. They both are proof that our pasts and family shape us, whether that be good or bad. I enjoyed this book, I liked the characters, it had a bit of romance, friendship, love, angst, self doubt, crime and learning to be who you wanted to be and being brave enough to go for what you want.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this romance. Part sweet, part cute and all fun, this book was very enjoyable. I liked the chemistry between Samantha and Jack. This friends-to-lovers story offered plenty of push-pull as Sam works overtime to get to Jack to see her as more than someone that needs to be rescued. This is my independent, voluntary review.

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really sweet read with a little mystery thrown in. The characters are well developed and engaging and the plot was easy to follow. I would also consider this to be a second chance romance for Jack and Sam.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I've read written Lea Coll; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sassy Beta Reading & Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the Eastern Shore Series and I loved this even more than book 1. This series can be read as a stand alone, but honestly, I think you need to read book 1 before reading book 2. It really is worth the time. The support characters in book 2 are the same as the characters in book 1. I can not wait to read more of this series.

This is written as a 3rd person, single pov. Like in book 1, I would have loved to have seen this as a multi pov, but still it was really good.

Strong story line. Great characters. Awesome description to detail. Engaging dialogue. All in all, a great read.

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Would I read more from this author? Yes

Sassy Beta Reading and Review

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Messy Bun Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! Ms. Baker is cute, sweet, fun and witty. The characters were likable and the plot flowed. This was a fun and easy read. I would suggest reading Ms. Lawyer before this one just so you can enjoy it to it's fullest.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was intensely lovely. It was a wonderful journey this couple went on. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for a free copy.

[Cherie Melbourne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me Baker

I must admit, Lea Coll's stories are sucking me right in, she keeps me wanting to read more. I'm really enjoying the characters in this series and their stories. Lea's a new author and she has me already looking forward to her next story.