lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
*I received a free copy of I Want You Back from Tantor Media. This has in no way influenced my review which is honest and unbiased.*
I really enjoyed all the interactions between Lucy and Jax... and their daughter, and the other characters. It was such a sweet second-chance romance, where Jax really, really had his work cut out for him!
The narrators did a fantastic job, and made both the story and the characters come to life for me.
*I received a free copy of I Want You Back from Tantor Media. This has in no way influenced my review which is honest and unbiased.*
I really enjoyed all the interactions between Lucy and Jax... and their daughter, and the other characters. It was such a sweet second-chance romance, where Jax really, really had his work cut out for him!
The narrators did a fantastic job, and made both the story and the characters come to life for me.
dani17731's review against another edition
2.0
I should've heeded the negative reviews. This book wasn't terrible, but just ok. I thought the premise had promise but it fell flat for me.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
I Want You Back by Lorelei James is an endearing second chance at love romance. This newest release is the first installment in the Want You series (which is a spinoff of the Need You series).
Now retired from the NHL , Jaxson "Jax" Lund has moved back home and he is trying to make amends for his past mistakes. Now sober, he is determined to make up for lost time with his eight year old daughter, Mimi. Jax also wants to atone for the mess he made of his relationship with Mimi's mother, Lucy Quade. His drinking and womanizing lead to the end of their romance and years of Jax taking her to court over custody battles and child support payments. He knows he is responsible for the demise of their relationship but Jax is hoping it is not too late to convince Lucy to forgive him and give him a second chance.
Lucy is independent, feisty and speaks her mind. While she is willing to let bygones be bygones, she is hesitant to completely trust Jax. His past actions hurt both her and Mimi but in the present, he has done nothing to cause her to worry he is reverting to past behavior. Lucy is still attracted to Jax but she does not if she can believe the changes in him are permanent. She is disappointed that he has been keeping secrets but will this prevent her from giving Jax a fair chance to prove he has genuinely changed?
Jax made huge mistakes during his hockey career. He made massive errors in judgment that ended his relationship with Lucy and will have lifelong repercussions. Jax has learned from his mistakes and his determination to prove himself is believable and quite touching. Lucy also has some emotional baggage from her childhood that she must make peace with before she can make a decision about her future with Jax. Will Lucy and Jax be able overcome their fraught past?
I Want You Back is a marvelous romance that realistically depicts addiction and the consequences of Jax's decisions. Lucy and Jax are well-rounded characters that are flawed but immensely appealing. Lorelei James's first installment in the Want You series is a beautifully written story of forgiveness and redemption that is heartwarming and uplifting. Readers will be impatiently awaiting the next release in this wonderful series.
I Want You Back by Lorelei James is an endearing second chance at love romance. This newest release is the first installment in the Want You series (which is a spinoff of the Need You series).
Now retired from the NHL , Jaxson "Jax" Lund has moved back home and he is trying to make amends for his past mistakes. Now sober, he is determined to make up for lost time with his eight year old daughter, Mimi. Jax also wants to atone for the mess he made of his relationship with Mimi's mother, Lucy Quade. His drinking and womanizing lead to the end of their romance and years of Jax taking her to court over custody battles and child support payments. He knows he is responsible for the demise of their relationship but Jax is hoping it is not too late to convince Lucy to forgive him and give him a second chance.
Lucy is independent, feisty and speaks her mind. While she is willing to let bygones be bygones, she is hesitant to completely trust Jax. His past actions hurt both her and Mimi but in the present, he has done nothing to cause her to worry he is reverting to past behavior. Lucy is still attracted to Jax but she does not if she can believe the changes in him are permanent. She is disappointed that he has been keeping secrets but will this prevent her from giving Jax a fair chance to prove he has genuinely changed?
Jax made huge mistakes during his hockey career. He made massive errors in judgment that ended his relationship with Lucy and will have lifelong repercussions. Jax has learned from his mistakes and his determination to prove himself is believable and quite touching. Lucy also has some emotional baggage from her childhood that she must make peace with before she can make a decision about her future with Jax. Will Lucy and Jax be able overcome their fraught past?
I Want You Back is a marvelous romance that realistically depicts addiction and the consequences of Jax's decisions. Lucy and Jax are well-rounded characters that are flawed but immensely appealing. Lorelei James's first installment in the Want You series is a beautifully written story of forgiveness and redemption that is heartwarming and uplifting. Readers will be impatiently awaiting the next release in this wonderful series.
shms's review against another edition
2.0
Given the subject matter, I had expected more angst but the time span between past events and present, referring to them but giving no details or flash backs served to water it all down. In addition the pacing of this felt rushed, they went from distant to touchy feely in a blink of an eye. The large clan served as fillers and seeders, so yawn.
shmsy's review against another edition
2.0
Given the subject matter, I had expected more angst but the time span between past events and present, referring to them but giving no details or flash backs served to water it all down. In addition the pacing of this felt rushed, they went from distant to touchy feely in a blink of an eye. The large clan served as fillers and seeders, so yawn.
katkinney's review against another edition
5.0
Jackson, hockey player and heir to a fortune, has been a MIA father for the first 8 years of his daughter’s life. Lucy, his ex, has been raising her on her own and isn’t exactly hoping they’ll get back together when Jackson announces he’s moving back to town and that he’s given up his slimy philandering, crappy-fathering ways. One reason this worked for me was that the author did a good job of keeping jerk-Jackson in the past and focused heavily on how he’d had a “see the light” moment and wanted to be a better man going forward. The scenes where he tried to start fixing his relationship with Mimi (daughter) were cute and this was a slow-paced, but nice romance to curl up with. If you like a story with lots of flashbacks, you’ll love this one!
heidiarousseau's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
kaythebooklover's review against another edition
5.0
I love a good second chance romance and Jax and Lucy might be my favorite yet! The fact that Jax worked his ass off to turn his life around and prove to his ex and little girl made me love him so much more. This wasn't a book that just automatically forgave each other. Both parties had to work, trust and remember why they loved each other in the first place! Well done Mrs James you've blow me away again!
thenovellush's review against another edition
4.0
3.5ish stars. Some bits near the ending knocked it down for me.
I really enjoyed this book, however there were some health aspects that were poorly researched: Jax telling Lucy she couldn’t contract HSV2 from him as the recepient of oral sex, and she telling him later that it was specifically in his sperm so she was less likely to contract it as the giver of oral sex. Her telling him “I’m tired of condoms” after two weeks and he flipping mindsets to say “agreed because intimacy has no barriers” strikes as a bit ridiculous and is not information that should be spread in such a light.
I also had an issue with how at the last minute Jax and Lucy decide to move in immediately without any transitional period completely disregarding the potential effects on their daughter.
Those things toward the end aside, the book was funny, cute, engaging and I read it in one sitting.
I really enjoyed this book, however there were some health aspects that were poorly researched: Jax telling Lucy she couldn’t contract HSV2 from him as the recepient of oral sex, and she telling him later that it was specifically in his sperm so she was less likely to contract it as the giver of oral sex. Her telling him “I’m tired of condoms” after two weeks and he flipping mindsets to say “agreed because intimacy has no barriers” strikes as a bit ridiculous and is not information that should be spread in such a light.
I also had an issue with how at the last minute Jax and Lucy decide to move in immediately without any transitional period completely disregarding the potential effects on their daughter.
Those things toward the end aside, the book was funny, cute, engaging and I read it in one sitting.
mommasaystoread's review against another edition
4.0
I Want You Back took me by surprise with its different take on the typical second chance romance. Unlike so many that rely on misunderstandings, one-sided attractions, or a romance that almost was, this couple had their chance at love and one of them thoroughly blew it. So, yes, cheating was definitely a factor in the breakup, but for those who cheating is a hard limit in their fiction, it's mentioned, but the actual act is not on page. We do, however, get a lot of Jax and Lucy's early years through memories scattered throughout the story. I really liked that we got to see the early attraction for this couple without the story getting bogged down by that part of it. That left plenty of room for their current day relationship as two people co-parenting their child while still dealing with the emotional baggage between them, and it is considerable. I was disappointed when we're finally given the catalyst for Jax's lifestyle change. It just felt unnecessary, and once revealed, I felt like Lucy and Mimi were the consolation prizes for him. Whatever his reason, he does have his redeeming qualities. and I ended the book liking him much more than I thought I would. That aside, I was impressed with the author's ability to give us such an emotional story while still keeping the angst low. There is angst, but it's more subtle rather than big dramatic issues, and the high emotions are tempered with well-timed humor. All in all, this is a solid start to the series, and I'll be interested to see which of these engaging characters finds love next.