reading_with_2_book_lovers's review against another edition
4.0
I devoured this story. These characters are amazing. Highly recommend this story
tarawosik's review against another edition
4.0
Hey Siri? Play ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears.
We started out so good! The slow burn, the chemistry, the long running joke between them…. but then it went down hill. In walks Devin, Sierra’s ‘it’s complicated’. Girl one word of advice (that was given to u 100 times to u in the book) for u? Just break up with the guy. You obviously don’t like him and are spending every day with another guy just break up. I would have saved u a lot of heartbreak.
Oh the heartbeat. You know how they say bad things come in 3’s? exhibit a: this book. I was crying for the characters. Feeling the feelings of the characters.
Now normally i’m more of a enemies to lovers kind of gal but this friends to lovers was just perfect. The way Sierra and Maliki (I have no idea how to pronounce that) were friends first before anything else and how he was always there for her when she needed him.
Then it happens. In every romance novel there is a certain pattern of getting to know each other, falling in love, big emotional explosion when everything seem perfect, then happily ever after. The explosion though? not expected. What happened to good old fashioned grovelling? I want none of this ‘I’m sorry let’s kiss and make up’ stuff. No Ma’am. I want the full 9 yards and Maliki failed. Now my word of advice for him: maybe don’t lie to ur girlfriend for weeks and then get confused when she’s mad? idk just a thought.
Anyways, the comedy here was gold and unexpected. One of my complaints when i was reading was ‘who are these people?’. Turns out I was reading the 5th book in the series. My fault. I saw it on tiktok and immediately started reading.
Despite all of my rants, I read this book in a couple of hours and I couldn’t put it down. I love a good plot twist that I can’t predict. Granted it was there in the back of my mind but it was still unexpected. Low key this book made me not want to date bc relationships are messy but I digress. I really enjoyed this book and the authors writing style was right up my alley. To the 2 other teenage girls ik will read this: it’s worth ur time trust me. Maybe just start at book 1.
This was all over the place but whatevs. Oh I forgot! The small town was yikes. Gave me ‘It Happened One Summer’. Ok wait no this literally is the same book. The bar, stuck up diva, grouchy guy with a past (minus the fishing part).
The feminist in me kinda died inside when the MC didn’t stand up for herself. Ik it sounds like I’m complaining a lot but I did really like it and i’m gonna read the rest (not in order bc I don’t want to). k byeeee
We started out so good! The slow burn, the chemistry, the long running joke between them…. but then it went down hill. In walks Devin, Sierra’s ‘it’s complicated’. Girl one word of advice (that was given to u 100 times to u in the book) for u? Just break up with the guy. You obviously don’t like him and are spending every day with another guy just break up. I would have saved u a lot of heartbreak.
Oh the heartbeat. You know how they say bad things come in 3’s? exhibit a: this book. I was crying for the characters. Feeling the feelings of the characters.
Now normally i’m more of a enemies to lovers kind of gal but this friends to lovers was just perfect. The way Sierra and Maliki (I have no idea how to pronounce that) were friends first before anything else and how he was always there for her when she needed him.
Then it happens. In every romance novel there is a certain pattern of getting to know each other, falling in love, big emotional explosion when everything seem perfect, then happily ever after. The explosion though? not expected. What happened to good old fashioned grovelling? I want none of this ‘I’m sorry let’s kiss and make up’ stuff. No Ma’am. I want the full 9 yards and Maliki failed. Now my word of advice for him: maybe don’t lie to ur girlfriend for weeks and then get confused when she’s mad? idk just a thought.
Anyways, the comedy here was gold and unexpected. One of my complaints when i was reading was ‘who are these people?’. Turns out I was reading the 5th book in the series. My fault. I saw it on tiktok and immediately started reading.
Despite all of my rants, I read this book in a couple of hours and I couldn’t put it down. I love a good plot twist that I can’t predict. Granted it was there in the back of my mind but it was still unexpected. Low key this book made me not want to date bc relationships are messy but I digress. I really enjoyed this book and the authors writing style was right up my alley. To the 2 other teenage girls ik will read this: it’s worth ur time trust me. Maybe just start at book 1.
This was all over the place but whatevs. Oh I forgot! The small town was yikes. Gave me ‘It Happened One Summer’. Ok wait no this literally is the same book. The bar, stuck up diva, grouchy guy with a past (minus the fishing part).
The feminist in me kinda died inside when the MC didn’t stand up for herself. Ik it sounds like I’m complaining a lot but I did really like it and i’m gonna read the rest (not in order bc I don’t want to). k byeeee
kem0514's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I did not see this book coming. I thought it was just going to be a fun roommates to lovers story. There was so much to unpack from this story, so much emotion and heartache but I loved every bit of it. I enjoyed the history between Sierra and Maliki starting from her underage and sneaking into his bar, to finally becoming legal and entering his bar and becoming friends. They had so much chemistry between them even before they knew they wanted each other.
This story takes us through Sierra and Maliki’s friendship, we see Sierra get married because she doesn’t believe Maliki would ever be with her. And when Sierra’s marriage implodes, Maliki is there to pick up the pieces and help Sierra figure out how to move on.
I loved the slow burn that it took until they found their way to each other. It made their love completely believable. Their scenes were scorching hot! Maliki and Sierra are perfect together and they had to overcome many obstacles to get together. One last obstacle could be what ruins them forever. Maliki has someone from his past revealing a secret which he keeps from Sierra. I have absolutely loved this series and am so glad to have found Charity’s books.
This story takes us through Sierra and Maliki’s friendship, we see Sierra get married because she doesn’t believe Maliki would ever be with her. And when Sierra’s marriage implodes, Maliki is there to pick up the pieces and help Sierra figure out how to move on.
I loved the slow burn that it took until they found their way to each other. It made their love completely believable. Their scenes were scorching hot! Maliki and Sierra are perfect together and they had to overcome many obstacles to get together. One last obstacle could be what ruins them forever. Maliki has someone from his past revealing a secret which he keeps from Sierra. I have absolutely loved this series and am so glad to have found Charity’s books.
amor_fati's review against another edition
4.0
You all know you have fallen in love with the hot bartender and now imagine being roommates. This is not your typical roommates that fall in love story, it’s more. It’s an instant love but we just don’t see what is in front of us love. It’s a why just we believe in fate love. Maliki and Sierra story has so many layers and it takes time to peal them back, but with each layer you fall more for each of them.
I loved being back in Blue Beech, I love seeing new faces and feeling the intense love again.
I loved being back in Blue Beech, I love seeing new faces and feeling the intense love again.
celbell's review
1.0
DNF @ 64%
Was going to give this 4 or 5 stars I liked the beginning so much!
Spoilers Ahead
But then Chapters 22-23 rolled in and I immediately DNF’ed it. Surprise illegitimate children? seriously? If baby/baby mama drama is your thing then def worth a read but for me any annoying pregnancy/baby/OW drama and I’m *out*.
Was going to give this 4 or 5 stars I liked the beginning so much!
Spoilers Ahead
But then Chapters 22-23 rolled in and I immediately DNF’ed it. Surprise illegitimate children? seriously? If baby/baby mama drama is your thing then def worth a read but for me any annoying pregnancy/baby/OW drama and I’m *out*.
spuddytally's review
4.0
** I WAS GIVEN AN ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW **
Sierra is one of my top favorite Female leads, but some of her thought processes annoy me to no end. Maliki is the strong stoic brooding type that is my weakness!!
This is my very first Charity Ferrell book, that's right I just jumped in the middle of a series! It is how I roll these days it seems.
The banter between Maliki and Sierra is amazing and comical! How they became to be friends is a unique story that really does reflect on how their relationship and friendship runs its course. This slow Burn frenemies to Lovers is just to sweet to not share to everyone out there.
Sierra is one of my top favorite Female leads, but some of her thought processes annoy me to no end. Maliki is the strong stoic brooding type that is my weakness!!
This is my very first Charity Ferrell book, that's right I just jumped in the middle of a series! It is how I roll these days it seems.
The banter between Maliki and Sierra is amazing and comical! How they became to be friends is a unique story that really does reflect on how their relationship and friendship runs its course. This slow Burn frenemies to Lovers is just to sweet to not share to everyone out there.
evelienxo's review against another edition
1.0
i was enjoying this at first. i didn’t mind the 10 year age gap, even though they first met when she was 18. i could get past the fact she was “kinda-sorta” dating a guy. hell, i could get past her marrying that “kinda-sorta” guy when she was clearly in love with maliki. she got married to this guy, despite telling maliki that 1) their sex life was lacking 2) he had slept with other girls while they were on their “break” 3) most of the reason she was going to marry him was because she saw how happy it made her mother.
it was the 80% conflict that ruined it. truly, it was all of it together, but the conflict just topped it off. i love a good 80% romance book conflict. i know some people hate them, but not me. i love the angst, and above all, i love the grovelling.
maliki was being a fucking IDIOT. i could understand his reasonings, if i really wanted to. i hate miscommunication/lack of communication in books, but like i said: i’m a sucker for angst, i would’ve let it slid. but it was when they actually had that conflict; he was a complete dick. he blamed HER for shit he did. but that’s fine. i love angst. i could even relish in his lapse of judgement. but this man did not fucking grovel.
quite literally, the words “sorry” didn’t leave his lips until after he’d fucked her again. he didn’t grovel. didn’t apologise. didn’t own up to his actions. and sierra just accepted it. i don’t give a flying fuck that she loved him. she was heartbroken. this man had just betrayed her, and she gets back into bed with him and forgives him? when he hadn’t even apologised?
i mean this in the most respectful way possible: what was the author thinking? sierra was built up as this strong, independent woman who didn’t take shit from no man — proven by the fact she left her husband the moment she learnt he cheated — but she forgives maliki because of a couple orgasms? stupid as fuck. why ruin a character like that?
these motherfuckers were in their 20s and 30s and acting like fucking teenagers. no one was mature. it was stupid, and oh my god, the slut-shaming sierra did to maliki. it wasn’t funny or cute. she assumed he slept with every goddamn woman he looked at, and threw it in his face. liz hated her for no reason (and while she got her redemption arc, it was still stupid). jessa was a stereotypical homewrecker and maliki wouldn’t grow some fucking balls and actually do anything about it. the whole thing with her dad and his illegitimate child with her brothers girlfriend or some shit?? what the hell was that????
literally what WAS this book. the more i think about it, the worse it gets. i thought it was a cute romcom book. oh, how i was fooled. i should’ve known it was bad the moment i saw the old cover (shirtless man, surprise surprise).
i wish i could’ve enjoyed this more. i’m really disappointed. i saw so many good reviews. but i should’ve known not to trust tiktok recommendations. they have failed me in the past, and they have failed me again.
it was the 80% conflict that ruined it. truly, it was all of it together, but the conflict just topped it off. i love a good 80% romance book conflict. i know some people hate them, but not me. i love the angst, and above all, i love the grovelling.
maliki was being a fucking IDIOT. i could understand his reasonings, if i really wanted to. i hate miscommunication/lack of communication in books, but like i said: i’m a sucker for angst, i would’ve let it slid. but it was when they actually had that conflict; he was a complete dick. he blamed HER for shit he did. but that’s fine. i love angst. i could even relish in his lapse of judgement. but this man did not fucking grovel.
quite literally, the words “sorry” didn’t leave his lips until after he’d fucked her again. he didn’t grovel. didn’t apologise. didn’t own up to his actions. and sierra just accepted it. i don’t give a flying fuck that she loved him. she was heartbroken. this man had just betrayed her, and she gets back into bed with him and forgives him? when he hadn’t even apologised?
i mean this in the most respectful way possible: what was the author thinking? sierra was built up as this strong, independent woman who didn’t take shit from no man — proven by the fact she left her husband the moment she learnt he cheated — but she forgives maliki because of a couple orgasms? stupid as fuck. why ruin a character like that?
these motherfuckers were in their 20s and 30s and acting like fucking teenagers. no one was mature. it was stupid, and oh my god, the slut-shaming sierra did to maliki. it wasn’t funny or cute. she assumed he slept with every goddamn woman he looked at, and threw it in his face. liz hated her for no reason (and while she got her redemption arc, it was still stupid). jessa was a stereotypical homewrecker and maliki wouldn’t grow some fucking balls and actually do anything about it. the whole thing with her dad and his illegitimate child with her brothers girlfriend or some shit?? what the hell was that????
literally what WAS this book. the more i think about it, the worse it gets. i thought it was a cute romcom book. oh, how i was fooled. i should’ve known it was bad the moment i saw the old cover (shirtless man, surprise surprise).
i wish i could’ve enjoyed this more. i’m really disappointed. i saw so many good reviews. but i should’ve known not to trust tiktok recommendations. they have failed me in the past, and they have failed me again.
sjwllms's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25