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syndi3's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Copy of Kindle edition is provided from Netgalley
This book seems to fail in building the plot/ momentum. The story is pretty simple. A childhood friend who comes back to declare his love to his true love. Jack is the hero and Lauren is the heroine. About 80% of the book we get a glimpse of their short time during childhood where Jack loved to tease Lauren. The Jack went back to Australia.
They met again when Jack returns to USA. As Lauren's employee. The first 70 of this book is just about sex. But not hot sex. See the author fails to build the character development/ chemistry. So it seems very short and forced how Jack and Lauren get back together. The the rest is just sex. The author also can not inject the momentum of the climax of the stories, which is the significant other of Jack and Lauren during their separate time.
The author put this climax toward the end of the story and resolved it very quickly.
Overall the story have potential. But execute very poorly.
This book seems to fail in building the plot/ momentum. The story is pretty simple. A childhood friend who comes back to declare his love to his true love. Jack is the hero and Lauren is the heroine. About 80% of the book we get a glimpse of their short time during childhood where Jack loved to tease Lauren. The Jack went back to Australia.
They met again when Jack returns to USA. As Lauren's employee. The first 70 of this book is just about sex. But not hot sex. See the author fails to build the character development/ chemistry. So it seems very short and forced how Jack and Lauren get back together. The the rest is just sex. The author also can not inject the momentum of the climax of the stories, which is the significant other of Jack and Lauren during their separate time.
The author put this climax toward the end of the story and resolved it very quickly.
Overall the story have potential. But execute very poorly.
bookaddictreviews's review against another edition
5.0
Finally Yours is book one of an all new series by Claire Raye. If you subscribe to their newsletter and read Always Yours, you got a brief introduction to Lauren and Jack. If you didn’t read it, that is fine because you will get the story.
I have been DYING to read this book and it was everything I could have wished for and so much more. I am completely in love with Lauren and Jack. Lauren has some sass to her; she is a feisty woman and everyone at the Vineyard knows she is the boss. Jack, well what can I say about him other than I love him. I loved how much he loved to tease Lauren as children, I love his sweet side, his romantic side. Plus, who doesn’t love an Aussie?!?
The chemistry between Lauren and Jack was PERFECT! I loved their banter, both in the bits we got of the past and in the future. It was the typical, boy picks on you which means he has a crush on you. Lauren tried to fight it, but she couldn’t only stay away for the Tim Tams and Jack’s charm for so long.
The secondary characters were great additions (minus two of them), but you’ll easily understand who those two are once you read this. I loved that there was more Ellen and Will and a repeat of Will and his amazing skunk wresting skills. I really loved Ellen and Will’s twins, Oscar and Olivia. Especially their terrible timing.
Claire Raye’s writing is beautiful. The dynamics they create between the characters is real and nothing feels forced when it comes to the story. The description of the scenes is vivid and you can easily picture yourself standing in the middle of the Vineyard or taking part in the grape wars.
Finally Yours is sweet, hilarious, romantic and steamy. I was hooked from the very beginning and devoured this book in a single sitting. I couldn’t put it down. This is a MUST READ BOOK and one that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone I know. If it was possible to rate this more than 5 stars I would, because it deserves a million.
***ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review***
I have been DYING to read this book and it was everything I could have wished for and so much more. I am completely in love with Lauren and Jack. Lauren has some sass to her; she is a feisty woman and everyone at the Vineyard knows she is the boss. Jack, well what can I say about him other than I love him. I loved how much he loved to tease Lauren as children, I love his sweet side, his romantic side. Plus, who doesn’t love an Aussie?!?
The chemistry between Lauren and Jack was PERFECT! I loved their banter, both in the bits we got of the past and in the future. It was the typical, boy picks on you which means he has a crush on you. Lauren tried to fight it, but she couldn’t only stay away for the Tim Tams and Jack’s charm for so long.
The secondary characters were great additions (minus two of them), but you’ll easily understand who those two are once you read this. I loved that there was more Ellen and Will and a repeat of Will and his amazing skunk wresting skills. I really loved Ellen and Will’s twins, Oscar and Olivia. Especially their terrible timing.
Claire Raye’s writing is beautiful. The dynamics they create between the characters is real and nothing feels forced when it comes to the story. The description of the scenes is vivid and you can easily picture yourself standing in the middle of the Vineyard or taking part in the grape wars.
Finally Yours is sweet, hilarious, romantic and steamy. I was hooked from the very beginning and devoured this book in a single sitting. I couldn’t put it down. This is a MUST READ BOOK and one that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone I know. If it was possible to rate this more than 5 stars I would, because it deserves a million.
***ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review***
penningtales's review against another edition
2.0
The story follows Lauren and Jack, childhood frenemies who met during the summer holidays while his father installed a grape crusher for her family’s vineyard. They lost contact when he and his father returned home to Australia. Now almost fifteen years later, that same crusher has broken down, bringing Lauren and Jack face-to-face once more.
Let me start off by saying I hate giving low ratings and negative reviews to books because I understand the effort and love authors put into their work. But, having said that, I cannot rate this book any higher. That would be unfair and untrue to my opinions.
I had several problems with this book.
My main grip was that the characters acted so juvenile, I had a tough time buying they were almost thirty years old adults. I found the heroine was the main offender of this and I quickly grew to dislike her.
Since this has the haters-to-lovers trope, Jack and Lauren start off by hating each other. But it’s more of a I-hate-you-because-I-like-you thing. At least, it read as such from the hero’s point of view. The initial chapters from heroine’s point of view stressed such an intense dislike, it made no sense at all when she brushed it aside later on, going as far as to admit how much she missed him when he left.
Once they do get into a relationship, she becomes very selfish and clingy, wanting him to abandon his life, work, family, and friends in Australia to stay with her on her vineyard. We get hints here and there that her backstory is the cause for this behaviour, but we never learn more. I wish we did because I wanted to understand and connect with her, but I couldn’t.
I wish I could say I at least fall for the hero, but alas no. Even after the heroine made it quite clear more than once that she wanted him to call her Lauren, not Lu or Lulu, he disregards her wishes and continues doing what he wants. If this was a one-off thing, I could’ve overlooked it. But this was something I noticed he continued doing throughout the novel. He’d continuously ignores her verbal no’s until he convinces her it’s what’s she wants too, and then he asks for her consent.
After about the 50% mark, all Lauren and Jack do together is have sex. And it‘s so very boring to read. There is no chemistry, no character development between them to keep the readers engaged.
The author also relies heavily on telling and not showing. The readers are constantly told how they feel about each other, why their previous relationships didn’t or don’t work, what their initial hatred meant.
Aside from the lacklustre romance, the whole buildup with their exes was a huge letdown too. They both came off as plot devices instead of characters in their own right. Nate, Lauren’s ex-fiancé actions make no sense at all. After Lauren tells him again and again to leave her alone, he continues showing up and acting like everything is normal. The narrative insists he’s jealous, but nowhere does he act like it. If anything, he acts like think she’s playing hard to get. And Mel, I had such high hopes for Mel. We’re constantly reminded of her existence, without ever learning who she is or what happened between her and Jack. Then she shows up at the end of the novel, having crossed the ocean to see him, only to cause misunderstandings and all but disappear again.
The crisis was basically a misunderstanding that could’ve been easily resolved with a conversation. And it was, quite quickly.
All in all, this had an interesting premise, but was poorly executed.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Claire Raye in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
Let me start off by saying I hate giving low ratings and negative reviews to books because I understand the effort and love authors put into their work. But, having said that, I cannot rate this book any higher. That would be unfair and untrue to my opinions.
I had several problems with this book.
My main grip was that the characters acted so juvenile, I had a tough time buying they were almost thirty years old adults. I found the heroine was the main offender of this and I quickly grew to dislike her.
Spoiler
I kid you not, there’s a point where she’s avoiding her ex-fiancé in the grocery store and instead of quietly walking away unnoticed (like her sister suggests) she decides to ran, makes sharp turns with her cart, smashes into a chip stand and sends them flying, only to drive over the set of chips! And when that’s done, hide around the corner. Of course he was going to notice her!Since this has the haters-to-lovers trope, Jack and Lauren start off by hating each other. But it’s more of a I-hate-you-because-I-like-you thing. At least, it read as such from the hero’s point of view. The initial chapters from heroine’s point of view stressed such an intense dislike, it made no sense at all when she brushed it aside later on, going as far as to admit how much she missed him when he left.
Once they do get into a relationship, she becomes very selfish and clingy, wanting him to abandon his life, work, family, and friends in Australia to stay with her on her vineyard. We get hints here and there that her backstory is the cause for this behaviour, but we never learn more. I wish we did because I wanted to understand and connect with her, but I couldn’t.
I wish I could say I at least fall for the hero, but alas no. Even after the heroine made it quite clear more than once that she wanted him to call her Lauren, not Lu or Lulu, he disregards her wishes and continues doing what he wants. If this was a one-off thing, I could’ve overlooked it. But this was something I noticed he continued doing throughout the novel. He’d continuously ignores her verbal no’s until he convinces her it’s what’s she wants too, and then he asks for her consent.
Spoiler
This was cringeworthy to read when they get intimate for the first time. Like yikes.After about the 50% mark, all Lauren and Jack do together is have sex. And it‘s so very boring to read. There is no chemistry, no character development between them to keep the readers engaged.
The author also relies heavily on telling and not showing. The readers are constantly told how they feel about each other, why their previous relationships didn’t or don’t work, what their initial hatred meant.
Aside from the lacklustre romance, the whole buildup with their exes was a huge letdown too. They both came off as plot devices instead of characters in their own right. Nate, Lauren’s ex-fiancé actions make no sense at all. After Lauren tells him again and again to leave her alone, he continues showing up and acting like everything is normal. The narrative insists he’s jealous, but nowhere does he act like it. If anything, he acts like think she’s playing hard to get. And Mel, I had such high hopes for Mel. We’re constantly reminded of her existence, without ever learning who she is or what happened between her and Jack. Then she shows up at the end of the novel, having crossed the ocean to see him, only to cause misunderstandings and all but disappear again.
The crisis was basically a misunderstanding that could’ve been easily resolved with a conversation. And it was, quite quickly.
All in all, this had an interesting premise, but was poorly executed.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Claire Raye in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
nrdyfashgirl's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
mlbnbrit's review
5.0
Finally Yours was so freaking cute. Claire Raye obviously knows how to do sexy/sweet, and those skills are on full display in this novel. It’s everything a feel good, warm and fuzzy, contemporary romance should be.
Jack Wilson and Lauren Somerville met the summer they were 15 when Jack’s father was working at Lauren’s parents winery. It was a love disguised as hate relationship, and when Jack went back to Australia at the end of the summer, they lost touch but never forgot one another. Now, 14 years later, Lauren needs assistance at the winery, Jack returns as the hired help, and the sparks start flying immediately.
Jack Wilson is the perfect combination of sensitive and sexy, confident without being too cocky. Lauren Somerville is sassy, independent, and driven. A little bit enemies-to-lovers, a little bit second chance, the chemistry between Lauren and Jack is off-the-charts hot. I was rooting for them from the very beginning, and when their flame finally ignited, it was a freaking inferno. Like “fan my face and clutch my pearls” blazing.
I liked this story and I loved this couple. The witty banter was LOL funny, the (many) steam scenes were HOT, and the secondary characters added the perfect depth and entertainment to the plot. Plus, the added wine making facts and vineyard imagery were fascinating!
If you’re looking for a read that will give you the warm-and-fuzzies while simultaneously making you blush and need a cold glass of water, Finally Yours is the book for you! Excited to read more from this author duo!
*ARC provided by author for honest review*
Jack Wilson and Lauren Somerville met the summer they were 15 when Jack’s father was working at Lauren’s parents winery. It was a love disguised as hate relationship, and when Jack went back to Australia at the end of the summer, they lost touch but never forgot one another. Now, 14 years later, Lauren needs assistance at the winery, Jack returns as the hired help, and the sparks start flying immediately.
Jack Wilson is the perfect combination of sensitive and sexy, confident without being too cocky. Lauren Somerville is sassy, independent, and driven. A little bit enemies-to-lovers, a little bit second chance, the chemistry between Lauren and Jack is off-the-charts hot. I was rooting for them from the very beginning, and when their flame finally ignited, it was a freaking inferno. Like “fan my face and clutch my pearls” blazing.
I liked this story and I loved this couple. The witty banter was LOL funny, the (many) steam scenes were HOT, and the secondary characters added the perfect depth and entertainment to the plot. Plus, the added wine making facts and vineyard imagery were fascinating!
If you’re looking for a read that will give you the warm-and-fuzzies while simultaneously making you blush and need a cold glass of water, Finally Yours is the book for you! Excited to read more from this author duo!
*ARC provided by author for honest review*
whatemilyisreading's review
5.0
I absolutely fell in love with Jack and Lauren! Jack is so swoon-worthy, and I just loved the big soft heart under that hot exterior. I loved these two reconnecting after so long, and seeing where they started in book one. Their chemistry jumps off the page, and I was just smiling and laughing out loud during this book because it was just so fun and light-hearted and wonderful! I loved seeing Will and Ellen, and their crazy kids, and love everything about the Somerville wine books!
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