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The Model Agency #1
The Sunny Side
Jonas Durand is successful, rich, and controlled. He owns a prestigious modelling agency and has the world at his fingertips, but a turbulent childhood has taught him to be focused and never deviate from a plan.
Dean Jacobs threatens that stance. He’s one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels, but he’s also laidback and lighthearted and free in a way that Jonas has never quite managed.
Dean has always been interested in Jonas and has never made any secret of his admiration, but from the beginning, Jonas put him in a neat little box labelled, “Don’t touch,” turned the key, and never looked back.
However, the universe seems determined to thwart Jonas’s plans. Over the course of one hot summer, the two men come together, and Jonas’s well-ordered life becomes something a whole lot wilder.
Moving from the glamorous worlds of London and Paris Fashion Weeks to the sleepy South of France, Jonas finds himself liberating partridges, chasing his supermodel, and falling in love.
From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy set in the fast-paced and snarky world of modelling. This is the first book in the Model Agency series.
Dean Jacobs threatens that stance. He’s one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels, but he’s also laidback and lighthearted and free in a way that Jonas has never quite managed.
Dean has always been interested in Jonas and has never made any secret of his admiration, but from the beginning, Jonas put him in a neat little box labelled, “Don’t touch,” turned the key, and never looked back.
However, the universe seems determined to thwart Jonas’s plans. Over the course of one hot summer, the two men come together, and Jonas’s well-ordered life becomes something a whole lot wilder.
Moving from the glamorous worlds of London and Paris Fashion Weeks to the sleepy South of France, Jonas finds himself liberating partridges, chasing his supermodel, and falling in love.
From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy set in the fast-paced and snarky world of modelling. This is the first book in the Model Agency series.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2022
328 people are currently reading
1332 people want to read
About the author
Lily Morton
79 books3,314 followersLily is a bestselling gay romance author.
She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven't had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.
She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?
Her latest release is Under Gorse and Stone, which is a magical Christmas story about a centuries-old dragon and his human mate.
https://getbook.at/UnderGorseAndStone
You can keep up with Lily's latest releases and read the exclusive short stories '3 Dates' and ‘Best Love’ by subscribing to her newsletter: https://bit.ly/LilyMorton-Newsletter
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/SnarkSquad
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10000...
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lilymortonauthor
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Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/lily-morton
She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven't had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.
She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?
Her latest release is Under Gorse and Stone, which is a magical Christmas story about a centuries-old dragon and his human mate.
https://getbook.at/UnderGorseAndStone
You can keep up with Lily's latest releases and read the exclusive short stories '3 Dates' and ‘Best Love’ by subscribing to her newsletter: https://bit.ly/LilyMorton-Newsletter
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/SnarkSquad
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10000...
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lilymortonauthor
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lilymortonauthor
Pinterest: www.pinterest.co.uk/LilyAuthor
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/lily-morton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 477 reviews
September 14, 2022
I'll start with the positives. I liked Dean. I liked Jonas up until the breakup scene towards the end. I enjoyed their longer conversations. The first one was in Jonas's car on their way to Dean's job and it was followed by a couple more later in the story. I also liked Dean and Mal's friendship. And the dog. I have to add the book cover to the positives, because it was the reason I picked up this book and pushed myself to finish it. It's my favourite out of all LM's book covers so far.
The story had its ups and downs. It didn't start well for me, but after the aforementioned conversation I got more interested. I was enjoying it for a while, except some intimate scenes that I skimmed through, but then the breakup happened and the story never recovered after that for me. I also found it quite predictable and stereotypical overall.
At the beginning of this book Dean and Jonas are already attracted to each other and we learn a bit about what happened before as the story progresses. Sometimes this works for me and sometimes it doesn't. Here it didn't and it affected the way I connected to them as characters and how I felt about the relationship development.
I really didn't like the breakup scene. Jonas's reaction felt out of character and the whole scene seemed forced and unnecessary.
I didn't like how Dean kept putting himself down throughout the whole book. And there was too much emphasis on his physical appearance. We get reminded of how gorgeous he is a lot. And of the fact that he slept with a lot of people before Jonas. We encounter too many of them in this story.
There are some things typical of this author's writing that I don't usually enjoy but can ignore if they are kept on minimum and don't take me out of the story. It wasn't the case here. There's too much name dropping. It felt like a competition - who can come up with more in one conversation?
Then we have an evil character. Well, there are several here: two photographers, the wardrobe guy, Robbie, Cam, Michel. Maybe I'm forgetting someone. They are the typical one-dimensional characters whose only purpose in the story is either to make one of the MC jealous or be mean to one of the MCs so the other one can show off how clever and snarky he is. It gets repetitive real fast, makes the characters sound the same and the scenes are usually not important for the story at all.
Another thing I found off-putting are the constant sexual references randomly dropped in a conversation. Again, they're supposed to make the dialogues funny, but I wasn't entertained. More often than not, they felt kind of cheap and inappropriate.
The story had its ups and downs. It didn't start well for me, but after the aforementioned conversation I got more interested. I was enjoying it for a while, except some intimate scenes that I skimmed through, but then the breakup happened and the story never recovered after that for me. I also found it quite predictable and stereotypical overall.
At the beginning of this book Dean and Jonas are already attracted to each other and we learn a bit about what happened before as the story progresses. Sometimes this works for me and sometimes it doesn't. Here it didn't and it affected the way I connected to them as characters and how I felt about the relationship development.
I really didn't like the breakup scene. Jonas's reaction felt out of character and the whole scene seemed forced and unnecessary.
I didn't like how Dean kept putting himself down throughout the whole book. And there was too much emphasis on his physical appearance. We get reminded of how gorgeous he is a lot. And of the fact that he slept with a lot of people before Jonas. We encounter too many of them in this story.
There are some things typical of this author's writing that I don't usually enjoy but can ignore if they are kept on minimum and don't take me out of the story. It wasn't the case here. There's too much name dropping. It felt like a competition - who can come up with more in one conversation?
Then we have an evil character. Well, there are several here: two photographers, the wardrobe guy, Robbie, Cam, Michel. Maybe I'm forgetting someone. They are the typical one-dimensional characters whose only purpose in the story is either to make one of the MC jealous or be mean to one of the MCs so the other one can show off how clever and snarky he is. It gets repetitive real fast, makes the characters sound the same and the scenes are usually not important for the story at all.
Another thing I found off-putting are the constant sexual references randomly dropped in a conversation. Again, they're supposed to make the dialogues funny, but I wasn't entertained. More often than not, they felt kind of cheap and inappropriate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2025
The Dean in this book is not the Dean we met previously, and I don't think that's just do to him quitting dope.
As a secondary character in Lily's other books featuring models (namely Jude's and Mal's stories, both of which I adored), Dean was portrayed as a careless, simple-minded hippy.
Even at the beginning of this story, Dean was misunderstanding conversations and social cues. But as the story progressed, Dean became wiser, kinder, more self-aware.
Part of that is his newfound confidence, but some of it is the author redesigning his personality.
That's not to say I didn't like Dean, because I did; what I didn't like was the inconsistent characterization.
I also struggled with Jonas. He's arrogant and uptight. Yes, he's principled, but being in his head (he narrates most of the story) wasn't altogether pleasant.
And the way he treated Dean toward the end ... no amount of fear for your child justifies that. Thankfully, there was groveling and big gestures.
The Sunny Side was a mixed bag for me.
I was supremely bored with the first half. I didn't need all the drama at the modeling agency. The constant talk of beauty and disordered eating was exhausting, and the way everyone gossiped and bantered felt exaggerated.
But I liked the quiet relationship moments, the wild fucking in the limo, Henry the dog, how awesome Dean was with Ruby (Jonas's 5-year-old daughter), the cameos by Asa/Jude & Mal/Cadan, and the epilogue (it was good to see Jonas finally pull his head out of his ass).
The story got better in the second half, but it wasn't enough.
As a secondary character in Lily's other books featuring models (namely Jude's and Mal's stories, both of which I adored), Dean was portrayed as a careless, simple-minded hippy.
Even at the beginning of this story, Dean was misunderstanding conversations and social cues. But as the story progressed, Dean became wiser, kinder, more self-aware.
Part of that is his newfound confidence, but some of it is the author redesigning his personality.
That's not to say I didn't like Dean, because I did; what I didn't like was the inconsistent characterization.
I also struggled with Jonas. He's arrogant and uptight. Yes, he's principled, but being in his head (he narrates most of the story) wasn't altogether pleasant.
And the way he treated Dean toward the end ... no amount of fear for your child justifies that. Thankfully, there was groveling and big gestures.
The Sunny Side was a mixed bag for me.
I was supremely bored with the first half. I didn't need all the drama at the modeling agency. The constant talk of beauty and disordered eating was exhausting, and the way everyone gossiped and bantered felt exaggerated.
But I liked the quiet relationship moments, the wild fucking in the limo, Henry the dog, how awesome Dean was with Ruby (Jonas's 5-year-old daughter), the cameos by Asa/Jude & Mal/Cadan, and the epilogue (it was good to see Jonas finally pull his head out of his ass).
The story got better in the second half, but it wasn't enough.
September 11, 2022
***3.5 rating***
"I don’t understand why we fit, but somehow, we do. He’s become part of the tiny group of people I waste time worrying about."
Slightly boring, slightly cute. Typical Lily Morton. Felt like a copy-paste of Charlie Sunshine 😐
Don't get me wrong this wasn't a bad read by any means, I just felt like I was reading Charlie Sunshine. Dean felt like Charlie, a sweet gorgeous man with a disability that is always assumed to be an airhead because he is gorgeous. There were too many similarities. Jonas also felt like other alpha males that Lily has written about in her previous books, an older sexy rich man with commitment issues. It's become very repetitive with our darling Lily. I wanted something different. The younger man in the relationship is always slightly more submissive, insecure, and not as wealthy as the older male lead. Idk, I guess because I have read this type of plot in her other books before, I did not enjoy it as much. Mind you, I loved Charlie Sunshine but it felt like I was reading the same thing just with different characters.
While repetition works for some authors it has become predictable for Lily. Give your readers something different. Something new and fresh, something that doesn't make me yawn. I did not dislike this book. It had some decent aspects. Dean was a very sweet and loveable character but so was Charlie. He felt too similar. However, Dean and his insecurities felt genuine to read about and it made him more human. I liked reading about his journey and how he came to be who he is. I also liked reading about Jonas and his relationship with his daughter Ruby. His daughter was adorable and a sassy queen. Pip, Jonas's assistant the gossip queen of the agency has intrigued me. He is quite the character and I hope he gets his own book. I also hope Olivier (Jonas's brother) gets his own book as well. I appreciated the cameo appearances from Asa, Jude, and their precious Billy, I haven't read Mal's story yet but he has a huge presence in the book. Mal's friendship with Dean was one of the enjoyable aspects of the book.
Jonas and Dean together as a couple worked, but the forced breakup scene was not necessary. It felt predictable and unnecessary. Sometimes we don't need a dramatic breakup, sometimes adults can work their shit out without breaking up. It felt so out of character for Jonas to do what he did to Dean. Not completely but it seemed suddenly like he had a personality transplant. Made me kind of dislike him tbh.
All in all, this book has some very enjoyable and cute moments between the main and side characters. If you have never read anything by Lily Morton you will probably enjoy this more than me. Not a bad book but nothing to be excited about either. Then again that is just me, your experience with it is hopefully better.
"I don’t understand why we fit, but somehow, we do. He’s become part of the tiny group of people I waste time worrying about."
Slightly boring, slightly cute. Typical Lily Morton. Felt like a copy-paste of Charlie Sunshine 😐
Don't get me wrong this wasn't a bad read by any means, I just felt like I was reading Charlie Sunshine. Dean felt like Charlie, a sweet gorgeous man with a disability that is always assumed to be an airhead because he is gorgeous. There were too many similarities. Jonas also felt like other alpha males that Lily has written about in her previous books, an older sexy rich man with commitment issues. It's become very repetitive with our darling Lily. I wanted something different. The younger man in the relationship is always slightly more submissive, insecure, and not as wealthy as the older male lead. Idk, I guess because I have read this type of plot in her other books before, I did not enjoy it as much. Mind you, I loved Charlie Sunshine but it felt like I was reading the same thing just with different characters.
While repetition works for some authors it has become predictable for Lily. Give your readers something different. Something new and fresh, something that doesn't make me yawn. I did not dislike this book. It had some decent aspects. Dean was a very sweet and loveable character but so was Charlie. He felt too similar. However, Dean and his insecurities felt genuine to read about and it made him more human. I liked reading about his journey and how he came to be who he is. I also liked reading about Jonas and his relationship with his daughter Ruby. His daughter was adorable and a sassy queen. Pip, Jonas's assistant the gossip queen of the agency has intrigued me. He is quite the character and I hope he gets his own book. I also hope Olivier (Jonas's brother) gets his own book as well. I appreciated the cameo appearances from Asa, Jude, and their precious Billy, I haven't read Mal's story yet but he has a huge presence in the book. Mal's friendship with Dean was one of the enjoyable aspects of the book.
Jonas and Dean together as a couple worked, but the forced breakup scene was not necessary. It felt predictable and unnecessary. Sometimes we don't need a dramatic breakup, sometimes adults can work their shit out without breaking up. It felt so out of character for Jonas to do what he did to Dean. Not completely but it seemed suddenly like he had a personality transplant. Made me kind of dislike him tbh.
All in all, this book has some very enjoyable and cute moments between the main and side characters. If you have never read anything by Lily Morton you will probably enjoy this more than me. Not a bad book but nothing to be excited about either. Then again that is just me, your experience with it is hopefully better.
September 14, 2022
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars. Rounding up because anything that gets me reading these days deserves that courtesy.
Look guys. My Lily Blinders (Patent pending) shorted out at multiple places during this book. I saw flaws. Kind of glaring ones. And I don’t care. Because I also thought it was sweet and cute and fun. But I do need to talk about them. So I guess I care but I suppose my enjoyment overrode the care.
This is what you’ll have to get past if you want to enjoy this book and also what I liked:
⚠️This is not the same Dean as we’ve met previously. His himbo ways are essentially explained away by pot and dyslexia. I know it sounds shallow but I kind of wanted him to just be a himbo because he was. 🫠
At the same time, I liked that there was more to him than I thought. But I’m conflicted because I think there could have been more to him without those things. I don’t know if I’m making sense. I ended up really enjoying him but he definitely wasn’t the same guy I had seen before.
〽️ Grace brought this up and it made me remember I noticed it too. As someone who used to smoke a lot of pot (It’s legal here now but it’s also California so…), it’s never been something hard to come off of. Other drugs yes. Pot…no. I know everyone has different experiences but it’s never been hard for anyone I know either. It kind of felt extra dramatic. 🤣 Just my two cents.
⁉️ The dynamic between Jonas and Dean is one that Lily really loves to do. We have the buttoned up, slightly stuffy, majorly repressed older guy who can’t enjoy life paired with the coltish, whimsical, younger beauty who helps him literally and figuratively unbutton his collar.
❌ 85% ish conflict. I love my angst but this didn’t make sense to me. I won’t say what it was but knowing what I did of Jonas by that point, it rang false.
✅ Despite that, I was quite keen on his groveling and ending. Call me a sap and a sucker. It’s true.
✅ The settings and descriptions are always top notch for me in a Lily book. As I’ve hardly been anywhere outside the US (Just dipped my toes into Canada and Mexico), I love to armchair travel and Lily is such a good host.
✅ Ruby. (Jonas’s daughter.) This will be a negative for some and it usually is for me. With very few exceptions, I don’t care for kids in books. But something about the way Lily writes kids works for me. I was also reunited with Billy from Jude’s book. I’m happy to say that he’s still having conversations through the mail box in the door. 😂 Best m/m child ever except for Evie in my beloved Hazard & Somerset books.
⚠️ This is a veritable who’s who of Lily books. I put this as a caution even though I loved seeing guys from past books and now feel a reread coming on for both Jude and Mal’s books. I think some who haven’t read all of hers would feel aggravated maybe. So I’m just putting it out there. The cameos and name drops are flowing here. 😂
✅ I just enjoyed it and smiled a lot. Even with the things mentioned. I know I’ve said this, but I’ve been majorly depressed for a good while now. It is what it is. So when I find something that gets me out of that for even a little bit, that’s something to celebrate. Perhaps if I read this at a different time, my Lily Blinders (Patent pending) would have completely broken down. I don’t know. But I’m taking it as a win. 🤷🏻♀️
*And yes. This Lily man (Dean) does have a specific smell. It’s green tea.*
Look guys. My Lily Blinders (Patent pending) shorted out at multiple places during this book. I saw flaws. Kind of glaring ones. And I don’t care. Because I also thought it was sweet and cute and fun. But I do need to talk about them. So I guess I care but I suppose my enjoyment overrode the care.
This is what you’ll have to get past if you want to enjoy this book and also what I liked:
⚠️This is not the same Dean as we’ve met previously. His himbo ways are essentially explained away by pot and dyslexia. I know it sounds shallow but I kind of wanted him to just be a himbo because he was. 🫠
At the same time, I liked that there was more to him than I thought. But I’m conflicted because I think there could have been more to him without those things. I don’t know if I’m making sense. I ended up really enjoying him but he definitely wasn’t the same guy I had seen before.
〽️ Grace brought this up and it made me remember I noticed it too. As someone who used to smoke a lot of pot (It’s legal here now but it’s also California so…), it’s never been something hard to come off of. Other drugs yes. Pot…no. I know everyone has different experiences but it’s never been hard for anyone I know either. It kind of felt extra dramatic. 🤣 Just my two cents.
⁉️ The dynamic between Jonas and Dean is one that Lily really loves to do. We have the buttoned up, slightly stuffy, majorly repressed older guy who can’t enjoy life paired with the coltish, whimsical, younger beauty who helps him literally and figuratively unbutton his collar.
❌ 85% ish conflict. I love my angst but this didn’t make sense to me. I won’t say what it was but knowing what I did of Jonas by that point, it rang false.
✅ Despite that, I was quite keen on his groveling and ending. Call me a sap and a sucker. It’s true.
✅ The settings and descriptions are always top notch for me in a Lily book. As I’ve hardly been anywhere outside the US (Just dipped my toes into Canada and Mexico), I love to armchair travel and Lily is such a good host.
✅ Ruby. (Jonas’s daughter.) This will be a negative for some and it usually is for me. With very few exceptions, I don’t care for kids in books. But something about the way Lily writes kids works for me. I was also reunited with Billy from Jude’s book. I’m happy to say that he’s still having conversations through the mail box in the door. 😂 Best m/m child ever except for Evie in my beloved Hazard & Somerset books.
⚠️ This is a veritable who’s who of Lily books. I put this as a caution even though I loved seeing guys from past books and now feel a reread coming on for both Jude and Mal’s books. I think some who haven’t read all of hers would feel aggravated maybe. So I’m just putting it out there. The cameos and name drops are flowing here. 😂
✅ I just enjoyed it and smiled a lot. Even with the things mentioned. I know I’ve said this, but I’ve been majorly depressed for a good while now. It is what it is. So when I find something that gets me out of that for even a little bit, that’s something to celebrate. Perhaps if I read this at a different time, my Lily Blinders (Patent pending) would have completely broken down. I don’t know. But I’m taking it as a win. 🤷🏻♀️
*And yes. This Lily man (Dean) does have a specific smell. It’s green tea.*
September 6, 2022
2 and a half tiny stars
I struggled with this book, and almost couldn’t finish it.
I was mostly disappointed with Dean character. I couldn’t relate him to the Dean I know from the previous books. I can’t see a character development or his other side because I he doesn’t feel the same at all.
The other main issue is that I found the book boring. Their attraction supposed to be an old news and I couldn’t see that either. It’s like bc Dean doesn’t smoke weed anymore he became an other person, and the only one who realised it, is Jonas.
And the story is old - the boss ( strict and focused only on his work) won’t do anything his great attraction to his employe and vice versa Dean is so stoned and self pitying that he can’t make a move, while everyone else is so aware about their mutual connection.
The writing and the editing is still professional and good and I love the cover.
I received this ARC from Gay Romance Review, and this is my honest review.
I struggled with this book, and almost couldn’t finish it.
I was mostly disappointed with Dean character. I couldn’t relate him to the Dean I know from the previous books. I can’t see a character development or his other side because I he doesn’t feel the same at all.
The other main issue is that I found the book boring. Their attraction supposed to be an old news and I couldn’t see that either. It’s like bc Dean doesn’t smoke weed anymore he became an other person, and the only one who realised it, is Jonas.
And the story is old - the boss ( strict and focused only on his work) won’t do anything his great attraction to his employe and vice versa Dean is so stoned and self pitying that he can’t make a move, while everyone else is so aware about their mutual connection.
The writing and the editing is still professional and good and I love the cover.
I received this ARC from Gay Romance Review, and this is my honest review.
Read
September 2, 2022This was very nearly a DNF.
The level of disspointement I feel right now is so high.
RTC
The level of disspointement I feel right now is so high.
RTC
October 13, 2023
If you had told me I’d be giving one star to a Lily Morton book a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are.
This is super spoilery but I’m choosing not to hide it so don’t continue if you don’t want spoilers.
I was fairly invested in this book the first 30% or so. Most of my friends didn’t enjoy it and I thought maybe I wouldn’t agree.
Unfortunately, the book went downhill after that.
If you want the Dean from previous books, you won’t get him here. The author’s reasoning is because he was high then, so we basically get a brand new character. The dynamic is *shocker* a sunshiny young man with a grouchy older man. Never read that before in her books. 😒
The sex in this is… the absolute worst of any of her books. Like… we’re trying to build on the fact that Dean used to be a partier and a player and he doesn’t know his own self worth, so Jonas fucks him for the first time IN A FUCKING CAR. Another scene was A BLOW JOB IN A PUB BATHROOM. And the only other sex is ANGRY SEX after an absolutely moronic conflict. Where is my sweet bedroom sex from two characters who have the SWEETEST connection?! Where is ANY kind of steam we’ve gotten before in her books? This was SO cheap and was the beginning of the downward spiral for me.
I understand that a major plot point was that Dean had spent his life stoned since he was 12 years old and he’s learning to live without it now, but the constant dialogue surrounding weed was… laughable. Coming from an author who uses alcohol and drunk shenanigans in literally every book, making weed sound like bloody heroine every time someone talked about it was… seriously, so dumb. And it totally distracted from the rest of the plot.
Also, every time Pip was around Dean and the models, his dialogue and actions were really gross. I understand he’s being set up to be the sassy Mc for the next book (I’m sure his love interest will be a stoic older man always exasperated by him 😒), but when you work for a modeling agency and literally is the assistant to the man who runs it, leering at naked models and making commentary on their bodies is… really gross.
That brings us to the sexual predator photographer. He’s literally groping young models on page in the scene. Jonas yells at him. Then he comes back and finishes the shoot and this line… “He’s a good photographer, even though he’s a deeply unpleasant person.” Yea… no. Nope. Jonas should have had him arrested on the spot. I knew this was the end for me. But I was determined to finish. So stupid.
Dean’s constant commentary on how stupid he is got absolutely exhausting. Yes I know he’s dyslexic and we can make that a part of his story without it being… CONSTANT. Jokes, quips, self deprecating comments, puns… it was seriously on every page until the very end.
I was warned that the break up at the end was ridiculous. And it was. It was… so dumb. So out of character for Jonas. I don’t care if he was worried about his daughter and “scared for his lack of order in life.” Jonas that I just read about the previous 80% of the book never would have said those things and dumped Dean like trash like that. This break up was a cheap plot device and the following groveling and chasing was repetitive and predictable and so underwhelming.
I’m pissed because I LIKED Jonas and Dean as characters. And I liked their connection and their sweet interactions. I wanted their love story to hit me in the feels and it didn’t because I was so distracted by how positively awful everything else in this book was. This is basically the ugly step child of Deal Maker.
There was no soul in this. It’s OTT snark and bullet points and xyz of tropey plot devices that is over done and predictable.
I miss the author that wrote the Finding Home trilogy. I miss the author that wrote the first Blue Billings. The past few releases have not impressed me and unfortunately this is the end for me. Shelving Lily now. 😔
This is super spoilery but I’m choosing not to hide it so don’t continue if you don’t want spoilers.
I was fairly invested in this book the first 30% or so. Most of my friends didn’t enjoy it and I thought maybe I wouldn’t agree.
Unfortunately, the book went downhill after that.
If you want the Dean from previous books, you won’t get him here. The author’s reasoning is because he was high then, so we basically get a brand new character. The dynamic is *shocker* a sunshiny young man with a grouchy older man. Never read that before in her books. 😒
The sex in this is… the absolute worst of any of her books. Like… we’re trying to build on the fact that Dean used to be a partier and a player and he doesn’t know his own self worth, so Jonas fucks him for the first time IN A FUCKING CAR. Another scene was A BLOW JOB IN A PUB BATHROOM. And the only other sex is ANGRY SEX after an absolutely moronic conflict. Where is my sweet bedroom sex from two characters who have the SWEETEST connection?! Where is ANY kind of steam we’ve gotten before in her books? This was SO cheap and was the beginning of the downward spiral for me.
I understand that a major plot point was that Dean had spent his life stoned since he was 12 years old and he’s learning to live without it now, but the constant dialogue surrounding weed was… laughable. Coming from an author who uses alcohol and drunk shenanigans in literally every book, making weed sound like bloody heroine every time someone talked about it was… seriously, so dumb. And it totally distracted from the rest of the plot.
Also, every time Pip was around Dean and the models, his dialogue and actions were really gross. I understand he’s being set up to be the sassy Mc for the next book (I’m sure his love interest will be a stoic older man always exasperated by him 😒), but when you work for a modeling agency and literally is the assistant to the man who runs it, leering at naked models and making commentary on their bodies is… really gross.
That brings us to the sexual predator photographer. He’s literally groping young models on page in the scene. Jonas yells at him. Then he comes back and finishes the shoot and this line… “He’s a good photographer, even though he’s a deeply unpleasant person.” Yea… no. Nope. Jonas should have had him arrested on the spot. I knew this was the end for me. But I was determined to finish. So stupid.
Dean’s constant commentary on how stupid he is got absolutely exhausting. Yes I know he’s dyslexic and we can make that a part of his story without it being… CONSTANT. Jokes, quips, self deprecating comments, puns… it was seriously on every page until the very end.
I was warned that the break up at the end was ridiculous. And it was. It was… so dumb. So out of character for Jonas. I don’t care if he was worried about his daughter and “scared for his lack of order in life.” Jonas that I just read about the previous 80% of the book never would have said those things and dumped Dean like trash like that. This break up was a cheap plot device and the following groveling and chasing was repetitive and predictable and so underwhelming.
I’m pissed because I LIKED Jonas and Dean as characters. And I liked their connection and their sweet interactions. I wanted their love story to hit me in the feels and it didn’t because I was so distracted by how positively awful everything else in this book was. This is basically the ugly step child of Deal Maker.
There was no soul in this. It’s OTT snark and bullet points and xyz of tropey plot devices that is over done and predictable.
I miss the author that wrote the Finding Home trilogy. I miss the author that wrote the first Blue Billings. The past few releases have not impressed me and unfortunately this is the end for me. Shelving Lily now. 😔
September 4, 2022
This goes straight to the top of my favourite Lily books right behind Dean's best mate Mal and his wonderful farmer Caden.
It's difficult to describe the feeling I had when reading this book because anticipation only goes so far. I've wanted Dean's story ever since he first showed up but it was only when Jonas also arrived on the scene that it became clear that's who he was utterly perfect for.
They're not just opposites, they're so far apart in their outlook and approach to life you have to wonder how they could ever work, but they do. They work like the softest blanket on the coldest day, like a cup of hot chocolate soothes the aches or a sip of ice cold water brings a perfect chill when it's roasting hot.
Dean is goodness in human form. He's kind, he thinks the best of people, even when they don't return the same to him, he loves animals of all kinds, dogs in particular, and he's been in love with Jonas from the first time he saw him, when Jonas did a kind deed for him when he was a new and clumsy model just starting out at the Durand Agency.
Jonas, on the other hand, comes across as grumpy, cold, determined, dry and somewhat rigid in his attitude to life but as you find out more about his past, it becomes clear he's had to lock his hopes and his heart away.
I loved his relationship with his younger brother Olivier, here you see Jonas does have a big heart, his daughter Ruby is a mystery to him but as he falls into a whirlwind summer with Dean, his love for her becomes a precious and visible thing.
They're insanely hot together too. Dean knows all the tricks for showing off his body to its best advantage, but as Jonas spends more time with him, he realises it's Dean's heart and his kindness that is the most attractive part of him.
I could keep gushing on about this book for another 500 words, it's just pure joy to read, it makes you smile, it makes you want to thump Jonas (but also totally understand why he does what he does) and it makes you wish you had a mate like Malachi Booth, sarcastic and bitchy, but willing to cut and bleed to protect Dean's wonderfully hopeful (but never stupid) view of the world.
This book is glorious, it's certainly one of Lily's best and I don't think anyone who's been waiting for Dean's story could be anything but perfectly satisfied with how he finds his happy ending.
#ARC kindly received from the author via GRR Tours in return for an honest and unbiased review
It's difficult to describe the feeling I had when reading this book because anticipation only goes so far. I've wanted Dean's story ever since he first showed up but it was only when Jonas also arrived on the scene that it became clear that's who he was utterly perfect for.
They're not just opposites, they're so far apart in their outlook and approach to life you have to wonder how they could ever work, but they do. They work like the softest blanket on the coldest day, like a cup of hot chocolate soothes the aches or a sip of ice cold water brings a perfect chill when it's roasting hot.
Dean is goodness in human form. He's kind, he thinks the best of people, even when they don't return the same to him, he loves animals of all kinds, dogs in particular, and he's been in love with Jonas from the first time he saw him, when Jonas did a kind deed for him when he was a new and clumsy model just starting out at the Durand Agency.
Jonas, on the other hand, comes across as grumpy, cold, determined, dry and somewhat rigid in his attitude to life but as you find out more about his past, it becomes clear he's had to lock his hopes and his heart away.
I loved his relationship with his younger brother Olivier, here you see Jonas does have a big heart, his daughter Ruby is a mystery to him but as he falls into a whirlwind summer with Dean, his love for her becomes a precious and visible thing.
They're insanely hot together too. Dean knows all the tricks for showing off his body to its best advantage, but as Jonas spends more time with him, he realises it's Dean's heart and his kindness that is the most attractive part of him.
I could keep gushing on about this book for another 500 words, it's just pure joy to read, it makes you smile, it makes you want to thump Jonas (but also totally understand why he does what he does) and it makes you wish you had a mate like Malachi Booth, sarcastic and bitchy, but willing to cut and bleed to protect Dean's wonderfully hopeful (but never stupid) view of the world.
This book is glorious, it's certainly one of Lily's best and I don't think anyone who's been waiting for Dean's story could be anything but perfectly satisfied with how he finds his happy ending.
#ARC kindly received from the author via GRR Tours in return for an honest and unbiased review
March 19, 2024
2.5 stars
I'm a big Lily Morton fan. Before The Sunny Side, I've loved every book by her and none have been below a 4 star (most being 5 star reads for me). Sadly, my Morton win streak is over. 😔
It started out promising but it started going downhill and crashing with the third act conflict and . That scene was so frustrating, it was a really sloppy use of the miscommunication trope.
I loved Dean and he deserved better!
I'm a big Lily Morton fan. Before The Sunny Side, I've loved every book by her and none have been below a 4 star (most being 5 star reads for me). Sadly, my Morton win streak is over. 😔
It started out promising but it started going downhill and crashing with the third act conflict and . That scene was so frustrating, it was a really sloppy use of the miscommunication trope.
I loved Dean and he deserved better!
Read
October 19, 2023DNF at 11%
Ugh. I can’t. Both characters are annoying me and all they’ve done is drive around and talk.
Ugh. I can’t. Both characters are annoying me and all they’ve done is drive around and talk.
September 10, 2022
3.5 rounded down
Honestly, there was a lot that annoyed me here, but I still enjoyed it, as Lily is a writer that does tend to just work for me. The characters were sweet together, the smut was hot, and the writing enjoyable. Lots of things I didn't love below, but ehh, still worked for me overall.
-Too long. Kind of dragged in places, felt a bit repetitive
-WAY too many characters from previous books. Especially since it's been so long since I've read many of them, it was a little exhausting. Just because all of these characters are in the same universe, doesn't mean every single one needs a cameo
-The "dope" narrative felt weirdly conservative, and sort of like this was written by somebody who's never actually smoked pot? Not to say that it can't be abused as a coping mechanism, but some of the messaging around Dean "getting off dope" was uncomfortably puritanical for me
-The ~conflict~ didn't really work well for me, as it felt extremely forced. The *entire* book is Jonas going on about how he's going to ruin the relationship/push Dean away, but in such a self-aware way that when it happens, it honestly didn't really feel organic--it felt like Lily needed to hit that plot beat, not actually super authentic to the characters by that point.
-Sort of an odd amount of kid. The first half of the book I was wondering why Lily had Jonas have a daughter if she was entirely irrelevant and absent, and the second half she's quite present. Didn't bother me, and I don't tend to enjoy kids in books, but it just felt kind of weirdly inconsistent.
-/+Very much Lily's standard age gap with a buttoned-up/controlled older man and carefree, waifish younger man. It's a dynamic that very much works for me, so the repetiveness bothers me a bit less than it would if it didn't speak to my id
Honestly, there was a lot that annoyed me here, but I still enjoyed it, as Lily is a writer that does tend to just work for me. The characters were sweet together, the smut was hot, and the writing enjoyable. Lots of things I didn't love below, but ehh, still worked for me overall.
-Too long. Kind of dragged in places, felt a bit repetitive
-WAY too many characters from previous books. Especially since it's been so long since I've read many of them, it was a little exhausting. Just because all of these characters are in the same universe, doesn't mean every single one needs a cameo
-The "dope" narrative felt weirdly conservative, and sort of like this was written by somebody who's never actually smoked pot? Not to say that it can't be abused as a coping mechanism, but some of the messaging around Dean "getting off dope" was uncomfortably puritanical for me
-The ~conflict~ didn't really work well for me, as it felt extremely forced. The *entire* book is Jonas going on about how he's going to ruin the relationship/push Dean away, but in such a self-aware way that when it happens, it honestly didn't really feel organic--it felt like Lily needed to hit that plot beat, not actually super authentic to the characters by that point.
-Sort of an odd amount of kid. The first half of the book I was wondering why Lily had Jonas have a daughter if she was entirely irrelevant and absent, and the second half she's quite present. Didn't bother me, and I don't tend to enjoy kids in books, but it just felt kind of weirdly inconsistent.
-/+Very much Lily's standard age gap with a buttoned-up/controlled older man and carefree, waifish younger man. It's a dynamic that very much works for me, so the repetiveness bothers me a bit less than it would if it didn't speak to my id
September 14, 2022
Subpar, sadly
Subpar
Writing this review as I read the book… it might get spoilery…
This book was confusing right from the beginning and by chapter 2 there were already 4 British references I did not know AND I used to live there so that’s frustrating 😵💫.
Chapter 1..Dean I guess leaves all his possessions behind at the hotel room. Said hotel, apparently doesn’t have locks on the door and you can just open doors at will and jump into bed with people. That was a real head scratcher.
Lily lately always includes these in her plots. One character with a self loathing/low self esteem brought on by childhood or ex-boyfriend trauma. Also, she does the constant interruptions too where they are about to kiss and 100xs they are stopped by outside forces.
57% the first time they have sex is in a car chauffeured by some random guy. How romantic. Dean is always being used and this felt very problematic and a bit depressing tbh. 65% in they are having sex in a pub bathroom. I guess Dean isn’t worthy of a bed. Ugh. This is a full on hate read now. Every sex scene in a bed, is off page. Why would you do that?!?!
I finished it and it never really got better. They did happen to have sex on page in a bed finally towards the end. But…I’m depressed at the whole story. I’m not sure if I changed or the author did but this is the second book in a row that I really was left feeling sadder at the end than I was at the start. 😩😩😩
Subpar
Writing this review as I read the book… it might get spoilery…
This book was confusing right from the beginning and by chapter 2 there were already 4 British references I did not know AND I used to live there so that’s frustrating 😵💫.
Chapter 1..Dean I guess leaves all his possessions behind at the hotel room. Said hotel, apparently doesn’t have locks on the door and you can just open doors at will and jump into bed with people. That was a real head scratcher.
Lily lately always includes these in her plots. One character with a self loathing/low self esteem brought on by childhood or ex-boyfriend trauma. Also, she does the constant interruptions too where they are about to kiss and 100xs they are stopped by outside forces.
57% the first time they have sex is in a car chauffeured by some random guy. How romantic. Dean is always being used and this felt very problematic and a bit depressing tbh. 65% in they are having sex in a pub bathroom. I guess Dean isn’t worthy of a bed. Ugh. This is a full on hate read now. Every sex scene in a bed, is off page. Why would you do that?!?!
I finished it and it never really got better. They did happen to have sex on page in a bed finally towards the end. But…I’m depressed at the whole story. I’m not sure if I changed or the author did but this is the second book in a row that I really was left feeling sadder at the end than I was at the start. 😩😩😩
September 10, 2022
⭐︎
5+++ Stars For the Best Morton Book in Quite Awhile
⭐︎
I absolutely loved this. This...this felt like I had one of my fave authors back. Now, I always enjoy a Lily Morton book, and I've never disliked any of them. But for at least the past handful of books...something felt like it was missing, that spark that makes Lily Morton books so good. That insane chemistry between the leads, the humor mixed in with the amazing romance.
Dean and Jonas had that in spades, in my opinion. Absolutely loved their chemistry and connection together.
Dean is the lovable, somewhat goofy guy we've come to love in appearances in Jude and Asa's book, Mal and Caden's book, and little shorts here and there like in Model Clinic. We never knew much about Dean, except that he seemed spacey but always with a kind and/or humorous word.
In this book, Dean finally gets the spotlight, and boy was the wait worth it.
In this we find out so much more about Dean. He has dyslexia, he was failed by his parents and the school system, and he stopped going to school when he was 12 and started smoking weed at that time, and so for about 15 odd years or so, he was high basically all the time, which probably added to spacey nature and some not-so-nice assumptions made about his intelligence.
But Billy, Jude and Asa's son and Dean's nephew, asked him to stop smoking weed, so over the past months before the start of this, he's become sober and is more clear headed.
I absolutely adored Dean. He was just so so sweet and kind to everyone and it takes so so much for him to not be polite or ncie to someone, or to get angry in anyway. He's a very go-with-the-flow kind of guy, and actually has pretty low self-esteem brought on by his dad being a massive dickhead who told him he was stupid because of his dyslexia (which, they didn't know it at the time, but that's still no excuse.)
Dean is actually highly emotionally intelligent, which I felt we knew before this book too. In the times we saw him previously, he had these profound moments, which showed there was more beneath the surface with him.
I loved Jonas too. He's a lot more serious, and uptight. He's very wound up and works constantly and has a somewhat distant relationship with his 5-year-old daughter, because he doesn't quite know how to parent the best and isn't as easy going with people as Dean is.
But he was kind in his own way too. We see a brief flash to when he and Dean first met, and Jonas was very kind to him when others were being horrible to him.
I think they meet 10 years prior, if I'm not mistaken, when Dean was 19 and Jonas 33. Dean has had a crush on Jonas ever since he met him, but probably Dean was too young and Jonas has a strict rule about not sleeping with any of his models.
So it seems Jonas has been in an out of relationships the past 10 years, and Dean has spent his time hooking up with others - probably so he doesn't get too into his crush of Jonas, and Jonas has probably had SO's off and on over that time period as well.
They've kept their distance, for the most part, but when Dean gets arrested at the start of this for a fairly minor infraction, their lives begin to crash together in a way they haven't before.
The more time they spend together, and the more he learns about Dean, the harder it is for the oh-so-serious Jonas to keep his feelings in check.
Dean has always had a low grade crush on Jonas, but for him is just ramps up as time goes along. Jonas tries to fight his feelings at every turn, but of course, can't stay away from the gorgeous, kind and generous model forever.
It's the little things Dean does. How sweet he is with dogs, or how caring and kind he is with others.
I felt like their progression was handled really well in this. Maybe others might disagree, as they've known each other for 10 years and just a few events that put them into each other's lives which lead to deeper conversations with each other seem to change things for them, but I thought it was handled very well.
They don't just immediately dive into a romantic or sexual relationship, and it actually takes till around 50-ish percent, maybe a little later, for them to have full on sex. And this book is fairly long, well over 300 pages, getting close to 400, so it really took its time getting these two to really fall in love with each other.
Could it have been shorter? Perhaps. But then I don't think the development of their relationship would have been as good. It wouldn't have felt as natural and wouldn't have translated well. And later we starts to see them work together in a real relationship - no matter that Jonas doesn't want to label it and keeps thinking "this will end at some point" because ~reasons - and I loved how Ms. Morton developed a relationship between Dean and Ruby, Jonas' daughter.
It all made for an impactful romance, and the ending felt earned and right.
Now, Jonas does fuck up near the end of this, and I hated how horrible he was to Dean in an effort to push him away.
But I appreciated how it wasn't just automatically fixed - because Dean has a tendency to blame things he didn't even do on himself (because he has insecurities about his intelligence) and to forgive too easily with his kind, easy-going nature.
Jonas did have to work for his apology and explanation of his horrid behavior. Dean, of course, wasn't exactly angry at Jonas, but he was hurt and he was scared he wasn't "good enough" for Jonas. Now, to me Dean should have been very angry and very hurt at Jonas and want him to grovel. Buttt that's me haha.
Dean is just so sweet and kind and forgiving that it isn't about that. He's worried he'd get his heart broken and that he just wouldn't match up to Jonas' previous partners - but actually, in this case, opposites attract and these two work so so well together.
They take care of each other, so well. I love how Dean saw the kindness in Jonas when others didn't. I loved his very good perception of people, especially of Jonas. And Jonas so badly just wanted to take care of Dean and protect him at all costs.
Except when he was pushing him away out of fear *grumble grumble* But I understood him. Jonas is 43, and very set in his ways. He had to take on responsibility at too young of an age, and look after his younger brother, and order and control in his life is comforting, safe, easy.
But Dean brings passion and happiness and unpredictability into his life and that scares Jonas, because it's the unknown and that shit is scary.
But he treats Dean like shit in this one moment he breaks it off, but he basically immediately realizes what an idiot he was, and does his best to get Dean back. He even gets flowers for him, gets into it with Asa - and man I loved how this also resolved so unresolved issues between Dean and Asa, the two step-brothers, and made them closer than ever before - and comes back every day to try to see Dean and apologize.
I also loved how this had so many of the side characters show their appreciation toward Dean. Jude owned up to being fairly judgemental of Dean when they were hooking up way back when, Asa owns up to not being the best step-brother, especially when they were younger, and Dean gets apologies he should have gotten awhile ago. Even if Dean is so wonderful he didn't see why they needed to apologize.
This just got Dean and Jonas to their HEA in the best way possible, with so many possible open ended things wrapped up in this. Like Dean's relationships with Asa and Jude.
And Dean got to be so so happy in the end, and I was so happy for him and Jonas.
I just absolutely adored this book. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. If you're a fan of Lily Morton, I think you'll love this one. It felt like Lily Morton again. It had humor, but such amazing romance as well.
And Dean and Jonas did not feel like carbon copies of her other characters, as a few have felt in her recent novels or novellas. To me, Dean and Jonas felt distinct and interesting. I loved how the humor was well placed in this as well. It wasn't over the top or too much. Pip was a great source of it, but Dean and Jonas themselves were just....snark and sarcasm central the whole time or anything like that.
Dean was just unendingly kind, and Jonas was so serious, but let his guard down when he was with Dean to show the kindness behind the facade.
Two MASSIVE thumbs up from me. Absolutely adored this! Pick it up if you haven't already, because it's worthy of a read. Dean finally getting his HEA was well worth the wait 🥰
I absolutely loved this. This...this felt like I had one of my fave authors back. Now, I always enjoy a Lily Morton book, and I've never disliked any of them. But for at least the past handful of books...something felt like it was missing, that spark that makes Lily Morton books so good. That insane chemistry between the leads, the humor mixed in with the amazing romance.
Dean and Jonas had that in spades, in my opinion. Absolutely loved their chemistry and connection together.
Dean is the lovable, somewhat goofy guy we've come to love in appearances in Jude and Asa's book, Mal and Caden's book, and little shorts here and there like in Model Clinic. We never knew much about Dean, except that he seemed spacey but always with a kind and/or humorous word.
In this book, Dean finally gets the spotlight, and boy was the wait worth it.
In this we find out so much more about Dean. He has dyslexia, he was failed by his parents and the school system, and he stopped going to school when he was 12 and started smoking weed at that time, and so for about 15 odd years or so, he was high basically all the time, which probably added to spacey nature and some not-so-nice assumptions made about his intelligence.
But Billy, Jude and Asa's son and Dean's nephew, asked him to stop smoking weed, so over the past months before the start of this, he's become sober and is more clear headed.
I absolutely adored Dean. He was just so so sweet and kind to everyone and it takes so so much for him to not be polite or ncie to someone, or to get angry in anyway. He's a very go-with-the-flow kind of guy, and actually has pretty low self-esteem brought on by his dad being a massive dickhead who told him he was stupid because of his dyslexia (which, they didn't know it at the time, but that's still no excuse.)
Dean is actually highly emotionally intelligent, which I felt we knew before this book too. In the times we saw him previously, he had these profound moments, which showed there was more beneath the surface with him.
I loved Jonas too. He's a lot more serious, and uptight. He's very wound up and works constantly and has a somewhat distant relationship with his 5-year-old daughter, because he doesn't quite know how to parent the best and isn't as easy going with people as Dean is.
But he was kind in his own way too. We see a brief flash to when he and Dean first met, and Jonas was very kind to him when others were being horrible to him.
I think they meet 10 years prior, if I'm not mistaken, when Dean was 19 and Jonas 33. Dean has had a crush on Jonas ever since he met him, but probably Dean was too young and Jonas has a strict rule about not sleeping with any of his models.
So it seems Jonas has been in an out of relationships the past 10 years, and Dean has spent his time hooking up with others - probably so he doesn't get too into his crush of Jonas, and Jonas has probably had SO's off and on over that time period as well.
They've kept their distance, for the most part, but when Dean gets arrested at the start of this for a fairly minor infraction, their lives begin to crash together in a way they haven't before.
The more time they spend together, and the more he learns about Dean, the harder it is for the oh-so-serious Jonas to keep his feelings in check.
Dean has always had a low grade crush on Jonas, but for him is just ramps up as time goes along. Jonas tries to fight his feelings at every turn, but of course, can't stay away from the gorgeous, kind and generous model forever.
It's the little things Dean does. How sweet he is with dogs, or how caring and kind he is with others.
I felt like their progression was handled really well in this. Maybe others might disagree, as they've known each other for 10 years and just a few events that put them into each other's lives which lead to deeper conversations with each other seem to change things for them, but I thought it was handled very well.
They don't just immediately dive into a romantic or sexual relationship, and it actually takes till around 50-ish percent, maybe a little later, for them to have full on sex. And this book is fairly long, well over 300 pages, getting close to 400, so it really took its time getting these two to really fall in love with each other.
Could it have been shorter? Perhaps. But then I don't think the development of their relationship would have been as good. It wouldn't have felt as natural and wouldn't have translated well. And later we starts to see them work together in a real relationship - no matter that Jonas doesn't want to label it and keeps thinking "this will end at some point" because ~reasons - and I loved how Ms. Morton developed a relationship between Dean and Ruby, Jonas' daughter.
It all made for an impactful romance, and the ending felt earned and right.
Now, Jonas does fuck up near the end of this, and I hated how horrible he was to Dean in an effort to push him away.
But I appreciated how it wasn't just automatically fixed - because Dean has a tendency to blame things he didn't even do on himself (because he has insecurities about his intelligence) and to forgive too easily with his kind, easy-going nature.
Jonas did have to work for his apology and explanation of his horrid behavior. Dean, of course, wasn't exactly angry at Jonas, but he was hurt and he was scared he wasn't "good enough" for Jonas. Now, to me Dean should have been very angry and very hurt at Jonas and want him to grovel. Buttt that's me haha.
Dean is just so sweet and kind and forgiving that it isn't about that. He's worried he'd get his heart broken and that he just wouldn't match up to Jonas' previous partners - but actually, in this case, opposites attract and these two work so so well together.
They take care of each other, so well. I love how Dean saw the kindness in Jonas when others didn't. I loved his very good perception of people, especially of Jonas. And Jonas so badly just wanted to take care of Dean and protect him at all costs.
Except when he was pushing him away out of fear *grumble grumble* But I understood him. Jonas is 43, and very set in his ways. He had to take on responsibility at too young of an age, and look after his younger brother, and order and control in his life is comforting, safe, easy.
But Dean brings passion and happiness and unpredictability into his life and that scares Jonas, because it's the unknown and that shit is scary.
But he treats Dean like shit in this one moment he breaks it off, but he basically immediately realizes what an idiot he was, and does his best to get Dean back. He even gets flowers for him, gets into it with Asa - and man I loved how this also resolved so unresolved issues between Dean and Asa, the two step-brothers, and made them closer than ever before - and comes back every day to try to see Dean and apologize.
I also loved how this had so many of the side characters show their appreciation toward Dean. Jude owned up to being fairly judgemental of Dean when they were hooking up way back when, Asa owns up to not being the best step-brother, especially when they were younger, and Dean gets apologies he should have gotten awhile ago. Even if Dean is so wonderful he didn't see why they needed to apologize.
This just got Dean and Jonas to their HEA in the best way possible, with so many possible open ended things wrapped up in this. Like Dean's relationships with Asa and Jude.
And Dean got to be so so happy in the end, and I was so happy for him and Jonas.
I just absolutely adored this book. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. If you're a fan of Lily Morton, I think you'll love this one. It felt like Lily Morton again. It had humor, but such amazing romance as well.
And Dean and Jonas did not feel like carbon copies of her other characters, as a few have felt in her recent novels or novellas. To me, Dean and Jonas felt distinct and interesting. I loved how the humor was well placed in this as well. It wasn't over the top or too much. Pip was a great source of it, but Dean and Jonas themselves were just....snark and sarcasm central the whole time or anything like that.
Dean was just unendingly kind, and Jonas was so serious, but let his guard down when he was with Dean to show the kindness behind the facade.
Two MASSIVE thumbs up from me. Absolutely adored this! Pick it up if you haven't already, because it's worthy of a read. Dean finally getting his HEA was well worth the wait 🥰
December 26, 2022
Dean 🥰
I've found him hilarious since Jude and Asa's book, and now I love him even more. Plus I'm always happy to see more of Mal!
I'm hoping for a Pip book that's full of sass and snark now 😂
I've found him hilarious since Jude and Asa's book, and now I love him even more. Plus I'm always happy to see more of Mal!
I'm hoping for a Pip book that's full of sass and snark now 😂
August 28, 2024
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
“Jonas is the first thing I ever hoped for, and the reality is better than anything I could have wished for.”
When we first met Dean as the supermodel that occasionally hooked up with Jude, I never got the impression that he was dyslexic - something that plays a big part in his cheery personality and sunny disposition. It's a surprise to his rather airheaded mannerisms; but what was even more surprising was the not so innocent way in which Jonas wanted him, despite how very much different they are. 'I don’t understand why we fit, but somehow, we do.' 🥺 To forty-three-year old, average-looking Jonas (in his eyes, anyway), twenty-eight-year-old highly-sought after Dean - for his talents on the runway and in bed - is leagues beyond him. But, what has always been a strong friendship slowly delves into some intensely heated chemistry that has them desperate for each other in every possible way. 🫶🏻🌞
“Will you come with me?” he whispers, looking suddenly almost shy, which can’t be right.
I hesitate and then hug him. “As long as you need me,” I whisper.”
Even though they have known each other for nearly ten years, it's the moments where their chemistry heightened when they both confessed their desire for each other that their relationship really picked up a notch. How they were no longer hesitant about their intimacy or tentative in expressing their desire and affection for each other. 💛💛 Jonas does take his job as the head of his modeling agency very seriously, so it does come with a slight risk to be with one of his own top models. But he's also very kind and very respected. 'Joy,” I say simply. “Laughter and warmth and you. I want you in my life.' The way Dean's presence lights up his own stiff world of fashion and makes him feel calm and relaxed in his presence, is a blessing of its own. Dean is just so charming and sincere -like drowning in sweetness - cooperative and a professional, but still looking for the opportunity to be more than just a pretty face. 🥹🥹 And how he changed Jonas' own views of life and about himself was particularly heartwarming to see; how he loosened him up and saw The Sunny Side of life that he had been missing out on.
“You do all that by just being you,” I whisper. “You’re enough whether you believe it or not, Dean Jacobs.”
And Dean really needed to hear that; his whole life he's been scorned for his ineptitude, despite how very emotionally aware he is and has his fair share of intellect that never really gets to shine, but doesn't mean it didn't exist. A life buried under smoking weed did take its toll, but it didn't mean that he deserved a life where his own parents disregarded his worth. And Jonas, boss though he may be, welcomed him into his agency and made him feel his worth more than just his appearance - he’s lovely, and I always feel so safe with him' 😊 My heart hurt to see how insecure he felt about his learning disabilities and his own self-worth; his own self-deprecating thoughts and how he had to hide it and be ridiculed for it, by those who saw him as an easy target. But, he's so lovable and sincere, that he never let it sway his judgment or bring it to the table; there was something genuinely pure about him that you just wanted to protect - always. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Where serious meets sunny, Lily Morton guides the dual perspective easily with her usual rhythmic cadence - as she has always been capable of. It wasn't quite as romantic as her previous works - as apparent as how few of my highlights were, but she still managed to keep my interest. 👍🏻 She introduces the supporting cast in rich settings, indulges us in the workplace of the present couple, and makes it come alive. Granted, the model world had a bit of too much focus, but I appreciated it; it made it feel more genuine for me. She spins spicy humor with sexy banter and challenging conflicts that exist in the modeling world with a careful touch, as easily as how she turns a grumpy and reluctant boss to fall head over heels in love with his top model. Well, Malachi is also there (LOVED how protective he was of Dean - even against his own boss)! 🥺 I can't believe I did not read his story first, but ah, Pip is there, too, but him and Oliver - that should be... interesting. ☺️
“I could give it until the end of time, and that will never be the truth. You’re everything to me.”
And family, too! 🫂 Oliver and Jonas' brotherly bond was nicely touched upon, although I did not feel much closure to his mother's motives in their family business. Jonas' five-year-old daughter was a dear; I've long disregarded the fact that these kids are too wise beyond their years and too cheeky in their retorts, but they certainly enliven the storyline. 😆 Having Dean around allowed Jonas' own relationship with his daughter to develop, which was heartwarming to see - 'like being part of a family for the first time in my life.' I liked seeing familiar faces return; Asa and Jude's eight-year-old son, Billy, was also a delight, and it makes me wonder if they'll ever have their own spin-off series. 🤔
BUT, in true typical Lily Morton fashion, the misunderstood trope came in guns ablazing this time around for the well-timed conflict that would have one roll their eyes at how conveniently and absurdly it played out. It's kinda become a running joke now, but I couldn't help but throw a tantrum, because it was so close to being good! Yet, what earned its keep was seeing Jonas grovel! Uff, grovel and apologize good for his ridiculous behavior that had me cringing at how bloody awful and completely inane and unexpected it was.
“I don’t know whether you’ve always been sassy or whether it’s having a steamy affair with a supermodel that’s bringing it out in you.”
“Pip, take a memo to sack you when we get back.”
I adored Pip! 😀 Most endearing and supportive assistant ever, if not slightly hysterical at times! His chemistry with Jonas and the way he sparkled the scene with his cheeky comments and amusing banter had my heart singing with happiness! 🥰 If not for Dean, I would not have doubted that there was something going on between the two, because he was always a step ahead of his boss - but in the best of ways. 🤌🏻🤌🏻
It had its sunny side up moments, but it also had its dark and stormy shadows that I could have done without. But, it still delighted when it had to, and irked when it needed to. So, another worthwhile Lily Morton read that has me already looking forward to my next monthly one. ☺️
Ten points for the gorgeous cover, though! Like, it's so sunny, it's hurting my eyes! 😍
“Jonas is the first thing I ever hoped for, and the reality is better than anything I could have wished for.”
When we first met Dean as the supermodel that occasionally hooked up with Jude, I never got the impression that he was dyslexic - something that plays a big part in his cheery personality and sunny disposition. It's a surprise to his rather airheaded mannerisms; but what was even more surprising was the not so innocent way in which Jonas wanted him, despite how very much different they are. 'I don’t understand why we fit, but somehow, we do.' 🥺 To forty-three-year old, average-looking Jonas (in his eyes, anyway), twenty-eight-year-old highly-sought after Dean - for his talents on the runway and in bed - is leagues beyond him. But, what has always been a strong friendship slowly delves into some intensely heated chemistry that has them desperate for each other in every possible way. 🫶🏻🌞
“Will you come with me?” he whispers, looking suddenly almost shy, which can’t be right.
I hesitate and then hug him. “As long as you need me,” I whisper.”
Even though they have known each other for nearly ten years, it's the moments where their chemistry heightened when they both confessed their desire for each other that their relationship really picked up a notch. How they were no longer hesitant about their intimacy or tentative in expressing their desire and affection for each other. 💛💛 Jonas does take his job as the head of his modeling agency very seriously, so it does come with a slight risk to be with one of his own top models. But he's also very kind and very respected. 'Joy,” I say simply. “Laughter and warmth and you. I want you in my life.' The way Dean's presence lights up his own stiff world of fashion and makes him feel calm and relaxed in his presence, is a blessing of its own. Dean is just so charming and sincere -like drowning in sweetness - cooperative and a professional, but still looking for the opportunity to be more than just a pretty face. 🥹🥹 And how he changed Jonas' own views of life and about himself was particularly heartwarming to see; how he loosened him up and saw The Sunny Side of life that he had been missing out on.
“You do all that by just being you,” I whisper. “You’re enough whether you believe it or not, Dean Jacobs.”
And Dean really needed to hear that; his whole life he's been scorned for his ineptitude, despite how very emotionally aware he is and has his fair share of intellect that never really gets to shine, but doesn't mean it didn't exist. A life buried under smoking weed did take its toll, but it didn't mean that he deserved a life where his own parents disregarded his worth. And Jonas, boss though he may be, welcomed him into his agency and made him feel his worth more than just his appearance - he’s lovely, and I always feel so safe with him' 😊 My heart hurt to see how insecure he felt about his learning disabilities and his own self-worth; his own self-deprecating thoughts and how he had to hide it and be ridiculed for it, by those who saw him as an easy target. But, he's so lovable and sincere, that he never let it sway his judgment or bring it to the table; there was something genuinely pure about him that you just wanted to protect - always. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Where serious meets sunny, Lily Morton guides the dual perspective easily with her usual rhythmic cadence - as she has always been capable of. It wasn't quite as romantic as her previous works - as apparent as how few of my highlights were, but she still managed to keep my interest. 👍🏻 She introduces the supporting cast in rich settings, indulges us in the workplace of the present couple, and makes it come alive. Granted, the model world had a bit of too much focus, but I appreciated it; it made it feel more genuine for me. She spins spicy humor with sexy banter and challenging conflicts that exist in the modeling world with a careful touch, as easily as how she turns a grumpy and reluctant boss to fall head over heels in love with his top model. Well, Malachi is also there (LOVED how protective he was of Dean - even against his own boss)! 🥺 I can't believe I did not read his story first, but ah, Pip is there, too, but him and Oliver - that should be... interesting. ☺️
“I could give it until the end of time, and that will never be the truth. You’re everything to me.”
And family, too! 🫂 Oliver and Jonas' brotherly bond was nicely touched upon, although I did not feel much closure to his mother's motives in their family business. Jonas' five-year-old daughter was a dear; I've long disregarded the fact that these kids are too wise beyond their years and too cheeky in their retorts, but they certainly enliven the storyline. 😆 Having Dean around allowed Jonas' own relationship with his daughter to develop, which was heartwarming to see - 'like being part of a family for the first time in my life.' I liked seeing familiar faces return; Asa and Jude's eight-year-old son, Billy, was also a delight, and it makes me wonder if they'll ever have their own spin-off series. 🤔
BUT, in true typical Lily Morton fashion, the misunderstood trope came in guns ablazing this time around for the well-timed conflict that would have one roll their eyes at how conveniently and absurdly it played out. It's kinda become a running joke now, but I couldn't help but throw a tantrum, because it was so close to being good! Yet, what earned its keep was seeing Jonas grovel! Uff, grovel and apologize good for his ridiculous behavior that had me cringing at how bloody awful and completely inane and unexpected it was.
“I don’t know whether you’ve always been sassy or whether it’s having a steamy affair with a supermodel that’s bringing it out in you.”
“Pip, take a memo to sack you when we get back.”
I adored Pip! 😀 Most endearing and supportive assistant ever, if not slightly hysterical at times! His chemistry with Jonas and the way he sparkled the scene with his cheeky comments and amusing banter had my heart singing with happiness! 🥰 If not for Dean, I would not have doubted that there was something going on between the two, because he was always a step ahead of his boss - but in the best of ways. 🤌🏻🤌🏻
It had its sunny side up moments, but it also had its dark and stormy shadows that I could have done without. But, it still delighted when it had to, and irked when it needed to. So, another worthwhile Lily Morton read that has me already looking forward to my next monthly one. ☺️
Ten points for the gorgeous cover, though! Like, it's so sunny, it's hurting my eyes! 😍
August 31, 2023
It took me a while to get into this book, but once Jonas and Dean started to hook up, well, I was hooked. It’s a great story with all the feels you expect from Lily Morton. And Ruby is truly a gem. I know the next book is about Pip and I’ll definitely read it, but I hope we’ll get Mal’s tale someday too.
September 18, 2022
3 Okayish stars! I liked it, but there was nothing unique about it. I felt I had seen these MCs before.. and it got a little boring in the middle. I could foretell the miscommunication that happened.. and it was way dumber that I expected... In fact it took me 7 days to finish this book.. Meh.. 🤷♀️
September 7, 2022
~4.5
From the first moment Dean was introduced and every time he appeared afterwards, with every Model Clinic podcast from Lily's newsletter - I craved his story. And we finally have it! I had huge expectations for this one and all of those were met and even exceeded. Dean is precious and I'm so in love with his character - kind and funny, honest and loyal, so attuned to people around him. He was through so much but managed to keep his sunny personality and bring joy wherever he goes. Loved Jonas - the way he cared about people and his soft spot for Dean, how he accepted and supported everything about him. This is relationships driven story, it is all about Jonas getting to know real Dean and falling in love with him. And Dean finally having a chance with a man he admired and wanted for so long. I loved every minute of their journey, even a mandatory screw up at 83% of the book. A quest for forgiveness and an apology were so worth it.
Epilogue and newsletter bonus scene were perfect.
Mal was an amazing friend to Dean and I loved seeing his softer sides in addition to usual snark. There was signature Lily Morton banter but not between MCs. Dean is effortlessly funny but sarcasm is not his stronger suit, there were other characters related to the model agency that were responsible for it. Mainly Pip, Jonas' PA.
This is a beginning of a new series and lots of new characters were introduced. It felt a bit crowded at times. But I could live with that because Dean and Jonas were perfect. And will most probably appear in future books so I'm all in for it
From the first moment Dean was introduced and every time he appeared afterwards, with every Model Clinic podcast from Lily's newsletter - I craved his story. And we finally have it! I had huge expectations for this one and all of those were met and even exceeded. Dean is precious and I'm so in love with his character - kind and funny, honest and loyal, so attuned to people around him. He was through so much but managed to keep his sunny personality and bring joy wherever he goes. Loved Jonas - the way he cared about people and his soft spot for Dean, how he accepted and supported everything about him. This is relationships driven story, it is all about Jonas getting to know real Dean and falling in love with him. And Dean finally having a chance with a man he admired and wanted for so long. I loved every minute of their journey, even a mandatory screw up at 83% of the book. A quest for forgiveness and an apology were so worth it.
Epilogue and newsletter bonus scene were perfect.
Mal was an amazing friend to Dean and I loved seeing his softer sides in addition to usual snark. There was signature Lily Morton banter but not between MCs. Dean is effortlessly funny but sarcasm is not his stronger suit, there were other characters related to the model agency that were responsible for it. Mainly Pip, Jonas' PA.
This is a beginning of a new series and lots of new characters were introduced. It felt a bit crowded at times. But I could live with that because Dean and Jonas were perfect. And will most probably appear in future books so I'm all in for it
Read
October 4, 2022DNF at 30%
I honestly don’t know what’s the matter with me. I recently gave 2 stars to a Neve Wilder book. And that HURT!
And now I’m giving up on a Lily Morton book?!
Something must be wrong with me!
I tried to enjoy this one, but the pace in which I’m reading and my reluctance to pick it up again, says it all. I’m just plain bored.
I don’t like Jonas and I don’t really care for Dean either.
Maybe I should have kept on trying, maybe the story would start to engage me at some point, but sometimes you just know when a book is not for you.
I had high expectations, I was excited about a new Lily Morton book, but right now I’m only really disappointed.
No rating because I didn’t reach 50%.
I kindly received an advanced copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest, unbiased review
I honestly don’t know what’s the matter with me. I recently gave 2 stars to a Neve Wilder book. And that HURT!
And now I’m giving up on a Lily Morton book?!
Something must be wrong with me!
I tried to enjoy this one, but the pace in which I’m reading and my reluctance to pick it up again, says it all. I’m just plain bored.
I don’t like Jonas and I don’t really care for Dean either.
Maybe I should have kept on trying, maybe the story would start to engage me at some point, but sometimes you just know when a book is not for you.
I had high expectations, I was excited about a new Lily Morton book, but right now I’m only really disappointed.
No rating because I didn’t reach 50%.
I kindly received an advanced copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest, unbiased review
September 9, 2022
4.5 stars - I feel like I should start by disclaiming my bias. My two favorite books by Lily Morton are Spring Strings and Deal Maker, so the fact that Mal, Cadan, Asa, Jude and Billy were prominent side characters in this book automatically pushed it forward in my favor. Add all of the Model Clinic Podcast episodes I've read and my genuine love for Jonas' snarky PA, Pip, and there was very little chance that I wouldn't fawn over this book. And fawn, I did.
I agree with other reviewers who have said that this version of Dean was different from who we initially met in Jude and Asa's story. The previous version of Dean was not someone I ever anticipated getting a book for. He was always high and had flippant affairs with men until they eventually dismissed him, which never seemed to bother him much at all. In this book, Dean had set the weed aside and that was the catalyst for his shift in personality. He still struggled to understand sarcasm and took colloquialisms literally, but there was more depth to him than I originally believed there to be. Even so, of all the people he could have been paired with, I never would have considered Jonas. I only knew Jonas as the modeling agency owner who regularly blew his top when the Model Clinic podcast would inevitably go off the rails, usually courtesy of Pip. Jonas was a consummate professional who liked order and control. He and Dean could not have been more different from each other if they'd tried, yet somehow it worked.
Like many people, I'm not a fan of children in romance novels, but this author has made me adore two children now and I'm starting to think that maybe I just don't like American kids. Ruby Tuesday was a treasure. Her stories about certain family members and friends from school made me laugh so hard. Pairing her with my other favorite British kid, Billy, made my heart soar. The throw back to him having a conversation through the mail slot brought irrational tears to my eyes. It was like this weird wave of nostalgia for fictional characters that made me wonder if I take my reading habit a little too seriously.
Now for the elephant in the room. Yes, around the 85% mark my Kindle almost suffered a cruel death. I saw what happened coming a mile away but had hoped to be proven wrong. The pain was quick and the subsequent groveling almost made it worth it, but it felt a lot like watching a puppy get kicked and I hated the way it made me feel. Some of it seemed out of character too, or maybe a bridge too far, which made it even more frustrating. The epilogue made up for it, though, and the bonus scene through the author's newsletter was the cherry on top.
I'm really excited about this series. So far it has been like catching up with old friends and finding that they're all thriving. I hope that Pip gets his HEA, as well as Jonas' brother Olivier (with someone other than Michel 🤮). Preferably not with each other because I'm greedy and want more books.
I agree with other reviewers who have said that this version of Dean was different from who we initially met in Jude and Asa's story. The previous version of Dean was not someone I ever anticipated getting a book for. He was always high and had flippant affairs with men until they eventually dismissed him, which never seemed to bother him much at all. In this book, Dean had set the weed aside and that was the catalyst for his shift in personality. He still struggled to understand sarcasm and took colloquialisms literally, but there was more depth to him than I originally believed there to be. Even so, of all the people he could have been paired with, I never would have considered Jonas. I only knew Jonas as the modeling agency owner who regularly blew his top when the Model Clinic podcast would inevitably go off the rails, usually courtesy of Pip. Jonas was a consummate professional who liked order and control. He and Dean could not have been more different from each other if they'd tried, yet somehow it worked.
Like many people, I'm not a fan of children in romance novels, but this author has made me adore two children now and I'm starting to think that maybe I just don't like American kids. Ruby Tuesday was a treasure. Her stories about certain family members and friends from school made me laugh so hard. Pairing her with my other favorite British kid, Billy, made my heart soar. The throw back to him having a conversation through the mail slot brought irrational tears to my eyes. It was like this weird wave of nostalgia for fictional characters that made me wonder if I take my reading habit a little too seriously.
Now for the elephant in the room. Yes, around the 85% mark my Kindle almost suffered a cruel death. I saw what happened coming a mile away but had hoped to be proven wrong. The pain was quick and the subsequent groveling almost made it worth it, but it felt a lot like watching a puppy get kicked and I hated the way it made me feel. Some of it seemed out of character too, or maybe a bridge too far, which made it even more frustrating. The epilogue made up for it, though, and the bonus scene through the author's newsletter was the cherry on top.
I'm really excited about this series. So far it has been like catching up with old friends and finding that they're all thriving. I hope that Pip gets his HEA, as well as Jonas' brother Olivier (with someone other than Michel 🤮). Preferably not with each other because I'm greedy and want more books.
September 30, 2024
I've been a big fan of Lily Morton for years, but I was a tiny bit disappointed in The Sunny Side. Was it still beautifully written? Of course! Were the characters enjoyable? Absolutely! There just wasn't any real interesting or engaging conflict between these two. But if you're looking for a warm and sweet romance, I highly rec Morton's The Sunny Side.
The audio is nicely performed by Joel Leslie.
The audio is nicely performed by Joel Leslie.
October 5, 2022
4.5 stars
I love Lily Morton's writing. This was the story of Jonas and Dean.
Dean is a model with dyslexia and Jonas is a genius businessman who owns the modeling agency Dean works for.
Lily is well known for her snark and banter and there's lots in this book.
I also learned alot more than I did about dyslexia and how it effects people.
Some of her older characters also make an appearance in this book.
A charming, witty mm love story.
I love Lily Morton's writing. This was the story of Jonas and Dean.
Dean is a model with dyslexia and Jonas is a genius businessman who owns the modeling agency Dean works for.
Lily is well known for her snark and banter and there's lots in this book.
I also learned alot more than I did about dyslexia and how it effects people.
Some of her older characters also make an appearance in this book.
A charming, witty mm love story.
April 18, 2024
No surprises here.
Sweet age-gap, grumpy-cheery,
sex-work-kids romance.
Rounded up 3.5 because it's just so easy to read.
Just so damn easy,
despite lots of twee telling.
One with public sex.
Sweet age-gap, grumpy-cheery,
sex-work-kids romance.
Rounded up 3.5 because it's just so easy to read.
Just so damn easy,
despite lots of twee telling.
One with public sex.
![Profile Image for Lilly [Hiatus due to School] .](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1663899589i%2F10381707._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
September 10, 2022
This was my first book from Lily Morton, and it was a great read! I loved Dean so much. He had a tough childhood which led to him having an inferiority complex despite being the sweetest and kindest person. However, Jonas was there to tell him and fight for him now. Jonas, the straight-A type control freak realizing there is more to life and falling for Dean, was so cute to see.
I loved how Jonas and Dean got their happy ending. The side characters were great as well. As I read, I learned that this series is connected to another series (Dean's stepbrother and brother-in-law), and there is another book as well in which those characters make an appearance - Malachi and Cadan. While I feel like I did enjoy it enough, knowing their background stories would have made things more enjoyable for me - now I am going to have to read all of their stories as I came to adore Malachi, Cadan, Asa, and Jude. I also enjoyed seeing Jonas thaw and become a better father to his daughter as well. Overall I enjoyed it, and Lily did an amazing job writing about the modelling industry and fashion world. I am excited to read the next books - I wonder if we will have a story about Pip and Robbie as well. It was a great introduction to this author.
I loved how Jonas and Dean got their happy ending. The side characters were great as well. As I read, I learned that this series is connected to another series (Dean's stepbrother and brother-in-law), and there is another book as well in which those characters make an appearance - Malachi and Cadan. While I feel like I did enjoy it enough, knowing their background stories would have made things more enjoyable for me - now I am going to have to read all of their stories as I came to adore Malachi, Cadan, Asa, and Jude. I also enjoyed seeing Jonas thaw and become a better father to his daughter as well. Overall I enjoyed it, and Lily did an amazing job writing about the modelling industry and fashion world. I am excited to read the next books - I wonder if we will have a story about Pip and Robbie as well. It was a great introduction to this author.
September 3, 2022
What? Lily Morton's book makes me cry? Seriously, Lily?
The Sunny Side portrayed the classic defence mechanism of someone who had been through a lot and trying to moved on with their life.
Dean had been abandoned since his childhood and he survived.
Became a supermodel and trying to put his past in the back with dope and laughter.
He does have a sunny personality and the best one in the industry. That's why he's easily became Jonas's golden star in his agency.
But falling in love with his own model is something Jonas didn't expect.
But being with Dean and not falling for him?
Zero chance.
Jonas was struggling with the feeling and it showed.
I wanted to hold Dean all the time and at some point, I wanted to yell to Jonas "Out with it! Tell him, you id*ot!"
Lily writes a wonderful story about one of my favorites character from the beginning I knew Dean.
I cried for Dean.
But in the end, I'm happy that he's finally got what he's been dreaming all along. A family.
Lily, this one is a winner.
Thank you for writing Dean 's story .
The Sunny Side portrayed the classic defence mechanism of someone who had been through a lot and trying to moved on with their life.
Dean had been abandoned since his childhood and he survived.
Became a supermodel and trying to put his past in the back with dope and laughter.
He does have a sunny personality and the best one in the industry. That's why he's easily became Jonas's golden star in his agency.
But falling in love with his own model is something Jonas didn't expect.
But being with Dean and not falling for him?
Zero chance.
Jonas was struggling with the feeling and it showed.
I wanted to hold Dean all the time and at some point, I wanted to yell to Jonas "Out with it! Tell him, you id*ot!"
Lily writes a wonderful story about one of my favorites character from the beginning I knew Dean.
I cried for Dean.
But in the end, I'm happy that he's finally got what he's been dreaming all along. A family.
Lily, this one is a winner.
Thank you for writing Dean 's story .
January 5, 2023
I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did. Although I don't know why - I've yet to be horribly disappointed in Morton when I'm in the mood for a Very British Romcom. This is definitely that - a story about sweet, beautiful Dean, a supermodel with a learning disability, and stern, hard-working Jonas, the guy who runs the modelling agency. These two have been pining over each other for ages, but have kept their distance. They end up in each other's space for a bit and sparks fly even as feelings are denied. I really loved Dean, but as they keep mentioning in the book - everyone does. A sweet, ditzy man is my favourite thing, and Dean delivers. He was a beautifully written character. Jonas had his moments too. It was just a very fun and satisfying read, with all the bitchy male models you could want, smoking sex scenes, some eleventh hour drama that had me rolling my eyes and biting my nails, and the honey-dipped ending that we deserved. Loved.
September 9, 2022
The Sunny Side by Lily Morton
DEAN ✔️
Delightful ✔️
Banter ✔️
Chemistry ✔️
Hurt/Comfort/Healing ✔️
Family ✔️
DEAN ✔️
Good grovel (because wtf Jonas!?!)✔️
And the sweet ending... ♡
As I'm sure you've gathered, I was all about Dean. I just loved him, and he brought out all my maternal instincts. I wanted to protect him and ring his parents necks.
Anyhoo, if you're a fan of Morton, you'll not be disappointed.
Highly recommend it.
♡
DEAN ✔️
Delightful ✔️
Banter ✔️
Chemistry ✔️
Hurt/Comfort/Healing ✔️
Family ✔️
DEAN ✔️
Good grovel (because wtf Jonas!?!)✔️
And the sweet ending... ♡
As I'm sure you've gathered, I was all about Dean. I just loved him, and he brought out all my maternal instincts. I wanted to protect him and ring his parents necks.
Anyhoo, if you're a fan of Morton, you'll not be disappointed.
Highly recommend it.
♡
November 23, 2025
Lindo, dulce, romántico
Jason está dedicado a mantener su agencia de modelaje como una de las mejores, siempre pendiente de sus modelos, cuidarlos, y defenderlos si es necesario. Pero tiene uno que resulta bastante problemático, Dean. Y no solo por los problemas en que se mete, sino por los sentimientos que despierta en el. Será capaz de conocer al hombre real? Es posible que haya alguna posibilidad de que ocurra algo entre ellos?
Esta es uno de esos libros que resultan divertidos, entrendidos y románticos cap desde el comienzo. El drama es muy poco, pero lo hay. El romance es sencillo, pero hot. Los personajes son únicos, y entretenidos. Los secundarios forman parte de la trama, y hacen la lectura más llevadera.
Es un inicio de serie y seguro que la continuaré el algún momento, quiero saber quién más va a conseguir el amor en a la agencia
Jason está dedicado a mantener su agencia de modelaje como una de las mejores, siempre pendiente de sus modelos, cuidarlos, y defenderlos si es necesario. Pero tiene uno que resulta bastante problemático, Dean. Y no solo por los problemas en que se mete, sino por los sentimientos que despierta en el. Será capaz de conocer al hombre real? Es posible que haya alguna posibilidad de que ocurra algo entre ellos?
Esta es uno de esos libros que resultan divertidos, entrendidos y románticos cap desde el comienzo. El drama es muy poco, pero lo hay. El romance es sencillo, pero hot. Los personajes son únicos, y entretenidos. Los secundarios forman parte de la trama, y hacen la lectura más llevadera.
Es un inicio de serie y seguro que la continuaré el algún momento, quiero saber quién más va a conseguir el amor en a la agencia
June 26, 2023
Audiobook ARC review
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I’ll start by saying that Joel Leslie is so incredibly talented. The amount of different accents he does during this book, seamlessly, is beyond impressive. He made it really easy to enjoy this book. Any book is safe in his hands lol.
Alright folks. I’ve heard that Dean was a part of previous books (which I have not read), and therefore my understanding of his character will probably be different from those that know him as the stoner. The Dean I read about here needs to be protected at all cost. What a precious man. It’s heartbreaking reading about sweetheart characters with no self worth because people have constantly been putting them down. Dean thinks all he has to offer the world is that he’s pretty. He’s shocked when sex isn’t transactional for once, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He has a learning disability and therefore believes he isn’t smart. The fact that family and teachers, literally everyone who should have supported him all his life has repeatedly told him so, doesn’t help.
I listened to this on audio, so I don’t have any quotes to add here, but this book surprised a laugh out of me on several occasions. Very rarely do I actually laugh out loud while reading alone, but this one got me even though there wasn’t the constant jokes and forced laughs that many rom-coms suffer from. I enjoyed the balance of funny and serious.
Jonas was an unexpectedly complex character, and he definitely underwent some growth during the book (thankfully lol). He was very much affected by his own upringing, which seemed to be very cold and austere. His daughter was growing up with focus on summer school and homework at 5 years old instead of playing in the dirt with friends. He loved Dean helplessly, and messed up majorly at one point, which he had to work hard to make right. We’re talking some delicious groveling.
Dean’s interactions with Ruby were so cute, and while he may not be the most booksmart in the room, he understands humans and their emotions like few others.
It’s not 5 stars for me simply because it’s such a long book. It kinda dragged for me in places and I got a little bored before it picked up again.
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I’ll start by saying that Joel Leslie is so incredibly talented. The amount of different accents he does during this book, seamlessly, is beyond impressive. He made it really easy to enjoy this book. Any book is safe in his hands lol.
Alright folks. I’ve heard that Dean was a part of previous books (which I have not read), and therefore my understanding of his character will probably be different from those that know him as the stoner. The Dean I read about here needs to be protected at all cost. What a precious man. It’s heartbreaking reading about sweetheart characters with no self worth because people have constantly been putting them down. Dean thinks all he has to offer the world is that he’s pretty. He’s shocked when sex isn’t transactional for once, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He has a learning disability and therefore believes he isn’t smart. The fact that family and teachers, literally everyone who should have supported him all his life has repeatedly told him so, doesn’t help.
I listened to this on audio, so I don’t have any quotes to add here, but this book surprised a laugh out of me on several occasions. Very rarely do I actually laugh out loud while reading alone, but this one got me even though there wasn’t the constant jokes and forced laughs that many rom-coms suffer from. I enjoyed the balance of funny and serious.
Jonas was an unexpectedly complex character, and he definitely underwent some growth during the book (thankfully lol). He was very much affected by his own upringing, which seemed to be very cold and austere. His daughter was growing up with focus on summer school and homework at 5 years old instead of playing in the dirt with friends. He loved Dean helplessly, and messed up majorly at one point, which he had to work hard to make right. We’re talking some delicious groveling.
Dean’s interactions with Ruby were so cute, and while he may not be the most booksmart in the room, he understands humans and their emotions like few others.
It’s not 5 stars for me simply because it’s such a long book. It kinda dragged for me in places and I got a little bored before it picked up again.
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
September 7, 2023
I was surprised Dean was getting a book. If you've read Lily Morton then you may remember him from Jude and Asa's book. He is Asa's airhead stepbrother and a former hook up of Jude's.
I was intrigued as to how Lily Morton could make much of interest in Dean. Let's face it, he was just a joke in the previous books. But she sure did it. Dean is officially one of my favourite, if not my absolute favourite LM character ever. I completely adore him!
We find out everything about why Dean is the way he is and it just broke my heart. And Jonah? How he is so fiercely protective of Dean? How they both look at each other like they hung the moon? It was so cute.
Then there's Jonah's daughter Ruby. Kids can be very hit and miss but Ruby was perfect. She was just a sweet kid. Not a prodigy, not inexplicably wise beyond her years. Not there too much....
Books about models aren't always ones I enjoy but this was classic supersweet Lily Morton and I was here for every delicious morsel of it. I can't wait for the next one!
I was intrigued as to how Lily Morton could make much of interest in Dean. Let's face it, he was just a joke in the previous books. But she sure did it. Dean is officially one of my favourite, if not my absolute favourite LM character ever. I completely adore him!
We find out everything about why Dean is the way he is and it just broke my heart. And Jonah? How he is so fiercely protective of Dean? How they both look at each other like they hung the moon? It was so cute.
Then there's Jonah's daughter Ruby. Kids can be very hit and miss but Ruby was perfect. She was just a sweet kid. Not a prodigy, not inexplicably wise beyond her years. Not there too much....
Books about models aren't always ones I enjoy but this was classic supersweet Lily Morton and I was here for every delicious morsel of it. I can't wait for the next one!
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