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sheznb's review
4.0
Although I haven’t read the other books, Bailey was a new character to me.
And this story had me hooked from the first page!
It gives you the emotional ride you crave and ends with the warm fuzzies you need this time of year!!!!!
❤️
Arthur and Bailey’s chemistry sizzled from afar until one afternoon they tested their connection.
And damn if they didn’t have a hot connection!!!
But as they get on the cruise for Christmas and neither of them have contacted each other, stories are mixed up, passion is in abundance and Baileys past comes back to haunt him!
I fell in love with both of the MC’s.
Baileys past hurt and you really felt for the man. And Arthur you felt for him and being alone!
But together they now have the best future together with their family ❤️❤️❤️❤️
And this story had me hooked from the first page!
It gives you the emotional ride you crave and ends with the warm fuzzies you need this time of year!!!!!
❤️
Arthur and Bailey’s chemistry sizzled from afar until one afternoon they tested their connection.
And damn if they didn’t have a hot connection!!!
But as they get on the cruise for Christmas and neither of them have contacted each other, stories are mixed up, passion is in abundance and Baileys past comes back to haunt him!
I fell in love with both of the MC’s.
Baileys past hurt and you really felt for the man. And Arthur you felt for him and being alone!
But together they now have the best future together with their family ❤️❤️❤️❤️
kady_cordova's review
4.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟4.5 Stars
🔥🔥🔥Heat Level: 3.5
A highly recommended ‘real’ read that just so happens to be set at Christmas!!!
OMG! From the outset, this book had a grip on me!
Wonderful writing style, with endearing characters, some real life struggles and a HEA that made everything okay in the end.
The hints to the family tragedy Bailey had suffered gripped me from the blurb, to the prologue through many of the early chapters. Oh my, I've got to admit I got a bit misty! Gianni’s writing style made Bailey’s (and Gina and Reggie’s) feelings so real for me and I could feel my heart breaking for those kids! I think having a young son myself I could relate, in a way, to the sadness he would feel if anything happened to us or my profound sadness if anything happened to him!
Vague Spoilers below...
Gianni’s wonderful writing style kept me guessing as to Bailey’s back story, while endearing him to me with his emotions and nerves around Arthur. Arthur came across as an endearing ‘bear’ with love to give and a few demons of his own to face. I really enjoyed how the story played out and while Gianni could have made it grittier, darker and could have stretched out the story, it didn’t feel rushed or too short. As I am obsessed with details and realism in many of the contemporary stories I read, I loved the connection between Bailey and Arthur. It felt real and authentic and while there is a moment when I wanted to yell at Arthur for his attitude/response to Bailey’s past, I don’t think their connection could have felt more real once they found their way back to each other.
I think it helped that it’s mentioned that Bailey and Arthur knew each other for almost a year before starting something so that added to the authentic feeling of their ‘speedy’ connection. Can I just say their physical connections are hot, hot, hot! (I must say I especially enjoyed their first time in Arthur suite on the cruise, whoa 🔥🔥🔥) But I must say all the sexy times just fit wonderfully within the story and didn’t detract for the progress or come out of the blue they were just seamlessly intertwined 💜
Some extra notes:
With my insane need for details I still managed to found some ‘gaps’, leading to unanswered questions (as I usually do) but with this story my questions are inconsequential and unnecessary for the story and connection between Bailey and Arthur. My questions are; what was Bailey studying at Collage? How did David and Suzette die? Things like that…
One more thing I just have to say because it need saying. Bailey’s mother can go to hell! While I know she’s a fictional character, the way Gianni wrote about her made her, feel so real and was so unbelievably horrid, I can’t believe someone could be so evil and spiteful to her own sons! I’m so very glad Arthur ‘spoke’ to her and she will never go near those beautiful children again!
Anyway that's all from me now
Thanks for reading 📚!
🔥🔥🔥Heat Level: 3.5
A highly recommended ‘real’ read that just so happens to be set at Christmas!!!
OMG! From the outset, this book had a grip on me!
Wonderful writing style, with endearing characters, some real life struggles and a HEA that made everything okay in the end.
The hints to the family tragedy Bailey had suffered gripped me from the blurb, to the prologue through many of the early chapters. Oh my, I've got to admit I got a bit misty! Gianni’s writing style made Bailey’s (and Gina and Reggie’s) feelings so real for me and I could feel my heart breaking for those kids! I think having a young son myself I could relate, in a way, to the sadness he would feel if anything happened to us or my profound sadness if anything happened to him!
Vague Spoilers below...
Gianni’s wonderful writing style kept me guessing as to Bailey’s back story, while endearing him to me with his emotions and nerves around Arthur. Arthur came across as an endearing ‘bear’ with love to give and a few demons of his own to face. I really enjoyed how the story played out and while Gianni could have made it grittier, darker and could have stretched out the story, it didn’t feel rushed or too short. As I am obsessed with details and realism in many of the contemporary stories I read, I loved the connection between Bailey and Arthur. It felt real and authentic and while there is a moment when I wanted to yell at Arthur for his attitude/response to Bailey’s past, I don’t think their connection could have felt more real once they found their way back to each other.
I think it helped that it’s mentioned that Bailey and Arthur knew each other for almost a year before starting something so that added to the authentic feeling of their ‘speedy’ connection. Can I just say their physical connections are hot, hot, hot! (I must say I especially enjoyed their first time in Arthur suite on the cruise, whoa 🔥🔥🔥) But I must say all the sexy times just fit wonderfully within the story and didn’t detract for the progress or come out of the blue they were just seamlessly intertwined 💜
Some extra notes:
With my insane need for details I still managed to found some ‘gaps’, leading to unanswered questions (as I usually do) but with this story my questions are inconsequential and unnecessary for the story and connection between Bailey and Arthur. My questions are; what was Bailey studying at Collage? How did David and Suzette die? Things like that…
One more thing I just have to say because it need saying. Bailey’s mother can go to hell! While I know she’s a fictional character, the way Gianni wrote about her made her, feel so real and was so unbelievably horrid, I can’t believe someone could be so evil and spiteful to her own sons! I’m so very glad Arthur ‘spoke’ to her and she will never go near those beautiful children again!
Anyway that's all from me now
Thanks for reading 📚!
karentje's review
4.0
This is a great feel-good story, and a perfectly sweet way to wrap up the “Till There Was You”-series.
I loved that we get to see Bailey find his happily-ever-after too, because it was a bit painful to see him pine for Ollie like that, knowing nothing could ever come of it. He’s a very likable character and I really wanted him to find happiness too.
Bailey has had a difficult life, which kind of surprised me, because he seemed so put-together and positive in the previous book. Though of course, some of his hardships were still to come at that point. I think it’s great how he took on the role of single parent, sacrificing his immediate future to take care of his brother’s children. Gianni Holmes has a real knack for writing raw, emotional scenes, and she doesn’t hesitate to bring conflict and hurtful bias to the doorstep of her characters. A touch of ugly reality to intrude on the holiday spirit and the magic of true love, ultimately making the HEA more satisfying when it does come. For Bailey, all of that is mostly caused by his mother, making it even more painful for him.
Arthur has his own reasons for being wary of love and he finds it hard to trust Bailey at first, and a little later, and … Though in his defense, appearances can be deceiving and he can be forgiven for jumping to certain conclusions. I especially loved the moment where Arthur tells Bailey that he is all in, wanting a relationship with Bailey, even knowing that that also means making room for Gina and Reggie in his life. That’s a defining moment for Arthur. He reacts quite badly, however, when a certain secret from Bailey’s past is suddenly revealed. Bailey’s reluctance to share that particular part of his life is understandable, but secrets always have a way of coming out with the worst timing. And that’s exactly what happens here. Things look very bleak before they get better.
But they do get better and the ending is super sweet and hopeful. Totally recommend this story!
I loved that we get to see Bailey find his happily-ever-after too, because it was a bit painful to see him pine for Ollie like that, knowing nothing could ever come of it. He’s a very likable character and I really wanted him to find happiness too.
Bailey has had a difficult life, which kind of surprised me, because he seemed so put-together and positive in the previous book. Though of course, some of his hardships were still to come at that point. I think it’s great how he took on the role of single parent, sacrificing his immediate future to take care of his brother’s children. Gianni Holmes has a real knack for writing raw, emotional scenes, and she doesn’t hesitate to bring conflict and hurtful bias to the doorstep of her characters. A touch of ugly reality to intrude on the holiday spirit and the magic of true love, ultimately making the HEA more satisfying when it does come. For Bailey, all of that is mostly caused by his mother, making it even more painful for him.
Arthur has his own reasons for being wary of love and he finds it hard to trust Bailey at first, and a little later, and … Though in his defense, appearances can be deceiving and he can be forgiven for jumping to certain conclusions. I especially loved the moment where Arthur tells Bailey that he is all in, wanting a relationship with Bailey, even knowing that that also means making room for Gina and Reggie in his life. That’s a defining moment for Arthur. He reacts quite badly, however, when a certain secret from Bailey’s past is suddenly revealed. Bailey’s reluctance to share that particular part of his life is understandable, but secrets always have a way of coming out with the worst timing. And that’s exactly what happens here. Things look very bleak before they get better.
But they do get better and the ending is super sweet and hopeful. Totally recommend this story!
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