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Chances Are #1
Anybody but Justin
The line between friends and lovers can get a little blurry...especially when you add tequila.
A Chances Are story.
Gabby is serious about her search for Mr. Right, but no one can say she hasn't had a good time looking. She enjoys her numerous dates and the sex that comes with them. Until she finds herself falling for the one man she vows to never love. Her best friend and roommate, Justin. A player in every sense of the word--and a reminder of her awful past.
One night, with the help of a bottle of tequila, things get a little too hot for comfort. She moves out, intent on removing him from the line of temptation.
Justin has different plans. The tequila did more than just change how he sees his good friend. It made him realize he doesn't want to be just friends any more. He's ready for something more intimate, and he'll do whatever it takes to find out why she's running. And convince her to stay.
This book has hot sweet lovin' between friends who become lovers.
A Chances Are story.
Gabby is serious about her search for Mr. Right, but no one can say she hasn't had a good time looking. She enjoys her numerous dates and the sex that comes with them. Until she finds herself falling for the one man she vows to never love. Her best friend and roommate, Justin. A player in every sense of the word--and a reminder of her awful past.
One night, with the help of a bottle of tequila, things get a little too hot for comfort. She moves out, intent on removing him from the line of temptation.
Justin has different plans. The tequila did more than just change how he sees his good friend. It made him realize he doesn't want to be just friends any more. He's ready for something more intimate, and he'll do whatever it takes to find out why she's running. And convince her to stay.
This book has hot sweet lovin' between friends who become lovers.
81 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2009
About the author
Shelli Stevens
71 books738 followersShelli is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author who read her first romance novel when she snatched it off her mother’s bookshelf at the age of eleven. She is a true pluviophile (lover of rain) who currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two daughters. She loves Disney, taking sunset pics (follow her on Instagram), baking, nature walking, and spontaneously bursting into song. She’s written various genres of romance, but is most known for her contemporary series such as The McLaughlins, The Bro Code, Marshall Ranch, and A is for Alpha.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 21, 2019
2 to 2 1/2 stars
I needed a quick 'friends to lovers' tale for one of my reading challenges and this freebie fit the bill.
It had its moments but, unfortunately, there were too many things that simply didn't work for me (especially regarding the heroine and her thought process) and I sometimes found myself skimming various parts because they either lacked depth and/or I didn't care.
I might not have finished this book if it weren't for the challenge because I've read this kind of tale in its various forms before. There really wasn't anything new or fresh here to capture/engage my attention.
We've got 'best' friends who are strongly attracted to one another, but she has painful secrets that fuel her insecurities and choices, and she knows he's a total player (although she dated almost as much as he did, but whatever, whatever) so, of course, it could never work.
It's all "I want you, but I can't have you so I'm going to avoid you... but now I'm gonna jump your bones because I simply can't help myself... and I thought you'd changed in the two seconds we got it on, but now, upon discovering XYZ, I must run away without asking necessary and important questions (or any communication at all) because it was all a mistake."
Until, of course, she later realizes (after talking with her friends) that a simple conversation could/would have shed some light on why it might be best not to throw away the supposed love of one's life.
(You know, actually communicate with the man you say you love. Novel idea. *sigh*)
Long story short?
I thought it was just okay, but acknowledge that it will likely work better for certain readers than it did for me.
Hence the two star range.
I needed a quick 'friends to lovers' tale for one of my reading challenges and this freebie fit the bill.
It had its moments but, unfortunately, there were too many things that simply didn't work for me (especially regarding the heroine and her thought process) and I sometimes found myself skimming various parts because they either lacked depth and/or I didn't care.
I might not have finished this book if it weren't for the challenge because I've read this kind of tale in its various forms before. There really wasn't anything new or fresh here to capture/engage my attention.
We've got 'best' friends who are strongly attracted to one another, but she has painful secrets that fuel her insecurities and choices, and she knows he's a total player (although she dated almost as much as he did, but whatever, whatever) so, of course, it could never work.
It's all "I want you, but I can't have you so I'm going to avoid you... but now I'm gonna jump your bones because I simply can't help myself... and I thought you'd changed in the two seconds we got it on, but now, upon discovering XYZ, I must run away without asking necessary and important questions (or any communication at all) because it was all a mistake."
Until, of course, she later realizes (after talking with her friends) that a simple conversation could/would have shed some light on why it might be best not to throw away the supposed love of one's life.
(You know, actually communicate with the man you say you love. Novel idea. *sigh*)
Long story short?
I thought it was just okay, but acknowledge that it will likely work better for certain readers than it did for me.
Hence the two star range.
January 26, 2012
THAT'S IT?! WHAT.THE.HELL!
This could have been so much better! Everything happened so quick (unbelievably so,) it was ridiculous! There was no depth and really no plot development. AT ALL! Gabby got over her fear a bit quick considering her background. Anyone who'd had that growing up would have commitment issues... apparently Gabby's weren't so bad because all of a sudden she trusts Justin and everything is good... Whatever, I didn't believe it. I felt like I was reading the first draft. Short, with SO MUCH more needed to be added.
This could have been so much better! Everything happened so quick (unbelievably so,) it was ridiculous! There was no depth and really no plot development. AT ALL! Gabby got over her fear a bit quick considering her background. Anyone who'd had that growing up would have commitment issues... apparently Gabby's weren't so bad because all of a sudden she trusts Justin and everything is good... Whatever, I didn't believe it. I felt like I was reading the first draft. Short, with SO MUCH more needed to be added.
October 5, 2014
*bangs head on desk*
I *bang* hate *bang* women *bang* that *bang* lie *bang* about *bang* everything *bang* .
I *bang* hate *bang* women *bang* that *bang* lie *bang* about *bang* everything *bang* .
May 6, 2017
Short and sweet
Despite this being a short novel, I didn't feel like it was too rushed. It helped that the characters had known each other before. Awesome steamy sex scenes
Despite this being a short novel, I didn't feel like it was too rushed. It helped that the characters had known each other before. Awesome steamy sex scenes
added-it
November 27, 2022🎁 FREE on Apple iBooks today (11/27/2022)! 🎁
February 27, 2015
Come check out the reviews on my blog Under The Cover
Well that was short but promising….until the last page.
It’s probably a known fact by now that I am a sucker for a love story between two friends. So when the bottle of tequila showed up and the lines between friends and lovers started to get blurry, I really started to get excited.
I liked the growing sexual tension between Gabby and Justin and how they finally stumbled into bed. Nothing seemed rushed in this story to me, which is rarely the case when I read short stories.
Although, I think that Gabby’s past could’ve been more mentioned in the story, I really felt the story was well paced and I gradually grew to like the characters.
But what annoyed me was that when you get at the end of the book, nothing is “concluded”. I don’t mean with the main characters but with the other characters. Gabby talks a good deal about her work and co-workers and I was a little bit frustrated at the end because the surrounding stories in this book are not at all mentioned when you get to the end. I really wondered what happened to some of the characters we meet in this book, because once Gabby and Justin have figured out their issues, everything just stops. And I get it, there are other books in the series where the other characters are developed, but it really bothered me that the book ended so abruptly. What happens to Gabby’ mother? Is Phoebe in danger? Of who or what? These questions didn’t get answers.
So if you focus on Gabby and Justin’s story there are no problems. But when it comes to the side story, well there is still work to do.
Well that was short but promising….until the last page.
It’s probably a known fact by now that I am a sucker for a love story between two friends. So when the bottle of tequila showed up and the lines between friends and lovers started to get blurry, I really started to get excited.
I liked the growing sexual tension between Gabby and Justin and how they finally stumbled into bed. Nothing seemed rushed in this story to me, which is rarely the case when I read short stories.
Although, I think that Gabby’s past could’ve been more mentioned in the story, I really felt the story was well paced and I gradually grew to like the characters.
But what annoyed me was that when you get at the end of the book, nothing is “concluded”. I don’t mean with the main characters but with the other characters. Gabby talks a good deal about her work and co-workers and I was a little bit frustrated at the end because the surrounding stories in this book are not at all mentioned when you get to the end. I really wondered what happened to some of the characters we meet in this book, because once Gabby and Justin have figured out their issues, everything just stops. And I get it, there are other books in the series where the other characters are developed, but it really bothered me that the book ended so abruptly. What happens to Gabby’ mother? Is Phoebe in danger? Of who or what? These questions didn’t get answers.
So if you focus on Gabby and Justin’s story there are no problems. But when it comes to the side story, well there is still work to do.
January 2, 2015
Gabby runs into Justin, her old best friend/roommate, after their one night where they crossed the line from friends to almost something more.
The Good
-freebie on amazon
-novella length, not a big time commitment
-well written. Leaves an opening for books featuring her friends.
-very good chemistry between Justin and Gabby
The Bad
-frustrating heroine - Gabby has her reasons for running from Justin but she still comes off as immature, self-centered and judgmental. The last misunderstanding has her lashing out and made her even more unappealing, although she makes up for it eventually.
-Even if flows well, I wished it was a little longer so that the reader could really appreciate Gabby’s history, which would perhaps help with the frustration, as well as making her eventual turnaround not feel so abrupt.
The Bottom Line
A well written novella with a frustrating heroine, but if that’s not a problem for you, you may enjoy this.
The Good
-freebie on amazon
-novella length, not a big time commitment
-well written. Leaves an opening for books featuring her friends.
-very good chemistry between Justin and Gabby
The Bad
-frustrating heroine - Gabby has her reasons for running from Justin but she still comes off as immature, self-centered and judgmental. The last misunderstanding has her lashing out and made her even more unappealing, although she makes up for it eventually.
-Even if flows well, I wished it was a little longer so that the reader could really appreciate Gabby’s history, which would perhaps help with the frustration, as well as making her eventual turnaround not feel so abrupt.
The Bottom Line
A well written novella with a frustrating heroine, but if that’s not a problem for you, you may enjoy this.
Read
November 18, 2011Gabby is looking for "the one"--someone serious about life and a monogamous relationship. The problem is that no one measures up to the friendship and fun she had with Justin, her former roommate. He's a player and never serious about anything. Why is it then that he is all she thinks about, even though she knows he is not the serious, forever kind of guy...or is he?
Anybody but Justin is an extraordinary story. The underlying "never judge a book by its cover" applies to Justin and is a lesson learned the hard way for Gabby. Sometimes when you think you know everything about someone there may be something more to learn. I completely fell in love with Justin and Gabby and their story and I recommend Anyone but Justin as a must one time read.
Anybody but Justin is an extraordinary story. The underlying "never judge a book by its cover" applies to Justin and is a lesson learned the hard way for Gabby. Sometimes when you think you know everything about someone there may be something more to learn. I completely fell in love with Justin and Gabby and their story and I recommend Anyone but Justin as a must one time read.
July 29, 2012
Buat cerita yang pendek dan juga bergenre erotica... "Anybody But Justin" termasuk bagus.
dari segi isi cerita, alur cerita sampai "naik-turunnya" hubungan Justin dan Gabby bikin aku geregetan dan sometimes "rolling my eyes"
karna biarpun banyak bagian yang kesannya klise tapi dari segi pengemasan ceritanya bisa bikin aku senyum-senyum sendiri pas baca 
RECOMMENDED buat yang mau bacaan yg HOT and SWEET at the same time tapi singkat....
dari segi isi cerita, alur cerita sampai "naik-turunnya" hubungan Justin dan Gabby bikin aku geregetan dan sometimes "rolling my eyes"
karna biarpun banyak bagian yang kesannya klise tapi dari segi pengemasan ceritanya bisa bikin aku senyum-senyum sendiri pas baca RECOMMENDED buat yang mau bacaan yg HOT and SWEET at the same time tapi singkat....
August 10, 2014
This had so much potential but it got lost somewhere. I think around the time her mom called and in a brief segment she tried to give their whole history...after she'd already slept with Justin and made him believe they were going to try a relationship. After that happened, too much occurred in a small amount of story. Mom moves into the home, she fools around with Justin again, looks at his personal computer and finds things she didn't want to see, runs from him without a word, flips out on him when she sees him again without giving him a chance to defend himself, talks the situation over with her friend and then decides to forgive him and goes to see him then HEA. With that much going on it needed to be more than a novella.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2013
I like Shelli Stevens and have a soft spot in my heart for Anybody but Justin so I re-read it. After feeding on a steady diet of Kristen Ashley alpha males, Justin seems a little tamer but I still appreciated the story and the series. Unfortunately, I think I like the idea of it more than the execution. It's a bit too short for my taste - I think Ms. Stevens could have taken more time with some of the tension and the background of the secondary characters, like Phoebe.
A good story sticks with you and this one does. I find myself rewriting it in my head as I drift to sleep. Having revisited it, Anybody but Justin is a decent short read.
A good story sticks with you and this one does. I find myself rewriting it in my head as I drift to sleep. Having revisited it, Anybody but Justin is a decent short read.
August 8, 2014
This was just "eh". I didn't understand how they could be roommates for two years while she worked at a place that deals with abused women and him have no clue about her big secret. The conflict at the end that caused Gabby to run out didn't really make sense, either - why would he leave something like that up on his screen with the excuse that he was trying to figure out how to reply to it when they'd had sex the night before and she'd spent the night at his place. Also, the IM was out of place, too, if he'd abstained for 6 months.
June 5, 2010
This book had very enjoyable sex scenes. Very hot and well done. Which is the only reason why this book was rated three stars.
The bad part is the plot. The ending was very abrupt and left a number of things hanging. What was with the sighting of Phoebe's ex at the end of the story? That made no sense at all.
The bad part is the plot. The ending was very abrupt and left a number of things hanging. What was with the sighting of Phoebe's ex at the end of the story? That made no sense at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2010
This story was nicely written, I immediately liked Gabby and Justin's characters. The plot was pretty straightforward. It had so many memorably sexy moments, that it's hard to pick just one. If you're looking for a story with a good romance and many love scenes then this one surely won't disappoint.
June 30, 2012
I liked it but it totally could have been made into a full length novel, there was so much backstory and supporting character stories that could have been developed more. However I havent read the other two books so maybe some is explained there but I still think this could have been expanded more.
August 16, 2015
Anybody, especially Justin :)
I loved the chemistry between Justin and Gabby. It had a great backstory and plot, the characters were well written, and it pulled me in from the beginning. I read it in one go because I couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
I loved the chemistry between Justin and Gabby. It had a great backstory and plot, the characters were well written, and it pulled me in from the beginning. I read it in one go because I couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
January 10, 2016
Short romance-2.5 stars
It was an OK novella. Didn't really engage abd wiuld have gained from being a full novel. To little time and too few wirds to get the right emotions. The love wasn't obvious even if the lust was. Also too many side tracks considering it's just a short story. Should have focused on the one plot only.
It was an OK novella. Didn't really engage abd wiuld have gained from being a full novel. To little time and too few wirds to get the right emotions. The love wasn't obvious even if the lust was. Also too many side tracks considering it's just a short story. Should have focused on the one plot only.
June 8, 2009
I cant resist a friends-to-lovers story. This was likable, but average. A bit simplistic because of its short length.
Sensuality was low-to-medium for a Samhain Erotic Romance (which is what it is categorized under on their site.)
Sensuality was low-to-medium for a Samhain Erotic Romance (which is what it is categorized under on their site.)
August 1, 2009
A quickread with little depth. Not a bad story and Justin was pretty hot. Actually I really liked him, even if I am not generally fond of players. I wish there was more history between them. But it was afterall, a short story and had little time for development.
enjoyable, but average
enjoyable, but average
May 22, 2011
you know i hate reading books out of order but i just loved reading this story even after reading the second in the series. It was sooo sweet and hott to. Friends to lover? does it get any better?... How about roomates to lovers?... convenient and sexy right... OH yeah!
June 26, 2011
I guess I'm a sucker for stories like this one - friends turned lovers (thus 4****, even though it was very short, without much plot or character development.) But kept me entertained for an hour or so.
Moving on to 2nd story.
Moving on to 2nd story.
July 8, 2011
Nice plot with "heavy" moments!i read it in 3 hours...A romance book if you like something to pass the time...But in a chapter or two you will notice yourself is getting hOt!(if you get what i mean) anyway i liked it!!!!!!
July 27, 2012
Cute start to the series. I think they were brave because I don't think I could ever hook up with my best friend without feeling I've ruined the friendship. Both of them in this short novel faced a bit of insecurities as well.
September 30, 2014
It's a quick short story but it's nice to add to the "accomplished" list. Hot & sexy from the first page and then you realize it's over. The writing has a great flow to it. Will definitely read more by Ms. Stevens.
August 13, 2014
Liked it! Storyline is short, hot and quick but entertaining. Justin and Gabby are best friends who become lovers but not without a little denial first. Loved their interaction and chemistry. One of those books that makes you smile.
July 24, 2009
Not my usual genre but it was a Kindle freebie. Very quick read and pretty good story and writing.
January 31, 2011
Fun, sexy, fluffy, romantic and a little angsty as well. The best-friends to lovers scenario was very well written! A fast read, quite humorous, even with some serious subjects coming up.
November 7, 2011
Not the kind of book that I'm used to read but I liked it! IDK what else to write lol. You should read it? I'm out, bye.
January 1, 2012
A sweet and sexy story about second chances and following your heart. Am looking forward to reading the other two books in this series.
March 19, 2012
3.5 stars
This was a cute, fun story that had the HEA ending that I always love.
This was a cute, fun story that had the HEA ending that I always love.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews