Search results for julie olivia
nothing worth doing or having is ever easy.
pages: 192
read: 6/15-16/2020
book: 47 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
When I moved back to my hometown of Foxe Hill, I knew a few things for certain:
First, I needed to overcome the world’s worst case of writer’s block. My first documentary film might have won some big awards, but that doesn’t cement a career. Second, this move must remain temporary. After ten years away, I don’t plan on staying. Third, and most importantly, I cannot, under any circumstances, fall back in love with my brother’s best friend, Keaton Marks.
Easier said than done in Foxe Hill.
When I’m around Keaton, I feel less like an award-winning filmmaker and more like the teenager I was when I first fell for him. He’s still the gorgeous, quiet, and way out-of-my-league man, now complete with biceps and a beard—have mercy on my soul—and I’m still his best friend’s little sister.
Keaton wouldn’t notice me even if I wanted him to, so it’s just business as usual when I keep running into him—completely innocent up until the day he pulls me into the most earth-shattering, world-changing, is-this-really-happening kiss.
With my film career on the line, I can’t afford any distractions. But the way he’s looking at me now, with his eyes wandering as far as I’d always hoped they would? It’s the biggest distraction I can think of.
Welcome home, Violet.
THOUGHTS
short version
tbh, i was stoned as fuck when i wrote out my thoughts for the long version which is why now that i am sober, i am back to write the short version all just to tell you that i liked it and am excited that there are more JO book's to come!
LOL
my favorite part of this book is not even the love story itself but the supporting cast. i loved everyone else. Kayla especially. especially Kayla & Joey and whenever they were all over each other because honestly!, who doesn't want that kind of love!!!
long version
said it before, will say it again" surprise releases by Julie Olivia are the best ever!
.....and not only that B U T word is, one more release at the end of the year (the ending to the into you series bk 1 / bk 2 ) & one in February; book 2 in this series!
a release and 2 new book dates: sign me up!
this is JO doing what she does best; giving us a slow yet quick burn.
this one was rather short but it packed a little punch.
Vi comes home after years away and the attraction between her and Keaton is there, heating up. it takes a bit but they finally act on it.
Tbh, I wanted to shake both of them and yell at them that they're adults and they can do as they please and fuck whoever doesnt agree! But of course what kinda story would it be if it were that "easy"? it ends up being a bit easy but theres so much more to fall in love with than just the love story of these two.
their romance story was okay for me. I wasnt super crazy about it maybe because while there is a back story to them it wasnt so much a story on how much they wanted each other back then (which IS included) but more so how they just saw each other as....well, Asher's best friend / Asher's sister (obvs Asher is Violets brother & Keatons best friend).
...before I jump to my fave parts I do want to note something: I glanced at a review on goodreads real quick saying something about being over the whole "over protective brother/she's my sister I'll fucking kill you if you look at her because she is my property" type of deal which you do get in this book but I should note that this isnt even perpetuated by Asher himself but actually by both Vi & Keaton themselves. all because Ash beat Peter back when they were in high school. (There's a SUPER logical explanation which I won't spoil here.)
Usually I've seen alot of these type of tropes that are never explained as to why a male relative feels he has proprietary ownership over a female and we're just sposed to accept it but in this case, JO explained it pretty well (and so simple) in the story as to why Asher did what he did. As soon as I read his reasoning I was like "💡! Well why the fuck did I not think of that!?" (which led me to think "well what the fuck is wrong with me that I fucking didn't!?")
and so yea.....tbh, that might probably be my most fave part of the book. because it was so simple as to why he was such a "dick" in that moment.
Another fave part of mine has to be the friendship that Vi builds with Kayla and Lily. Shes back in town and invited to a friday night bonfire at Kay's. Violets first instinct is "why tf havent these people grown up? Why are you still partying so long after high scool like if we were still in high school." maybe I interpreted this incorrectly and Vi wasnt being stuck up about it likes shes better than everyone in Foxe Hill but I feel that she was and that's why I love their ending that much better.
Kayla ended up having more sustenance than Violet ever gave her credit for.
Kayla was probably my favorite character here.
I honestly thought that book 2 was going to be a bout Violet and her new movie but in the epilogue you learn that STOP HERE CUS SPOILER. A TINY ONE I THINK, BUT ITS STILL A SPOILER!: she shot it, produced it, released it, moved in with Keaton, .....and I forgot what else.)
(OKAY SPOILER OVER)
I mean, if you read the synopsis to book 2 you learn it's about Asher which is cool cus he deserves to have it all too! but I wish we'd've gotten more of a story between Violet and Keaton.
...maybe the point of this one is that we get to see how Violet grows.
either way, I cannot wait to read book 2!!!!
what even is the concept of time!? hurry up, February!!!!
Jump over for spoilers!
said it before, will say it again" surprise releases by Julie Olivia are the best ever!
.....and not only that B U T word is, one more release at the end of the year (the ending to the into you series bk 1 / bk 2 ) & one in February; book 2 in this series!
a release and 2 new book dates: sign me up!
this is JO doing what she does best; giving us a slow yet quick burn.
this one was rather short but it packed a little punch.
Vi comes home after years away and the attraction between her and Keaton is there, heating up. it takes a bit but they finally act on it.
Tbh, I wanted to shake both of them and yell at them that they're adults and they can do as they please and fuck whoever doesnt agree! But of course what kinda story would it be if it were that "easy"? it ends up being a bit easy but theres so much more to fall in love with than just the love story of these two.
their romance story was okay for me. I wasnt super crazy about it maybe because while there is a back story to them it wasnt so much a story on how much they wanted each other back then (which IS included) but more so how they just saw each other as....well, Asher's best friend / Asher's sister (obvs Asher is Violets brother & Keatons best friend).
...before I jump to my fave parts I do want to note something: I glanced at a review on goodreads real quick saying something about being over the whole "over protective brother/she's my sister I'll fucking kill you if you look at her because she is my property" type of deal which you do get in this book but I should note that this isnt even perpetuated by Asher himself but actually by both Vi & Keaton themselves. all because Ash beat Peter back when they were in high school. (There's a SUPER logical explanation which I won't spoil here.)
Usually I've seen alot of these type of tropes that are never explained as to why a male relative feels he has proprietary ownership over a female and we're just sposed to accept it but in this case, JO explained it pretty well (and so simple) in the story as to why Asher did what he did. As soon as I read his reasoning I was like "💡! Well why the fuck did I not think of that!?" (which led me to think "well what the fuck is wrong with me that I fucking didn't!?")
and so yea.....tbh, that might probably be my most fave part of the book. because it was so simple as to why he was such a "dick" in that moment.
Another fave part of mine has to be the friendship that Vi builds with Kayla and Lily. Shes back in town and invited to a friday night bonfire at Kay's. Violets first instinct is "why tf havent these people grown up? Why are you still partying so long after high scool like if we were still in high school." maybe I interpreted this incorrectly and Vi wasnt being stuck up about it likes shes better than everyone in Foxe Hill but I feel that she was and that's why I love their ending that much better.
Kayla ended up having more sustenance than Violet ever gave her credit for.
Kayla was probably my favorite character here.
I honestly thought that book 2 was going to be a bout Violet and her new movie but in the epilogue you learn that STOP HERE CUS SPOILER. A TINY ONE I THINK, BUT ITS STILL A SPOILER!: she shot it, produced it, released it, moved in with Keaton, .....and I forgot what else.)
(OKAY SPOILER OVER)
I mean, if you read the synopsis to book 2 you learn it's about Asher which is cool cus he deserves to have it all too! but I wish we'd've gotten more of a story between Violet and Keaton.
...maybe the point of this one is that we get to see how Violet grows.
either way, I cannot wait to read book 2!!!!
what even is the concept of time!? hurry up, February!!!!
Jump over for spoilers!
thanks for reading!
#bookslesreads on IG
published: 2020
pages: 319read: 1/15-16/2020
book: 3 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Unrequited crush? I’ve been there. Done that. Over it.
Ian Chambers is a responsible, intelligent lawyer. But I’ve known Ian for nine years and I can tell you that responsibility does not equal likability. Ian’s also an egotistical, teasing, blue-eyed, accidentally make-you-fall-for-him kind of man. And I want nothing to do with it, thank you very much.
When he quit Treasuries Inc. eight months ago, I thought I was finally rid of him. But when I’m invited to a destination wedding as a bridesmaid and he’s the best man in every sense of the word, it’s not as easy to pretend he doesn’t exist. And this week, he’s dead-set on getting my attention just as he’s tried to for almost a decade.
If he looks at me with that cocky grin and those piercing eyes one more time, I might lose control. You could say that’s a good thing. But you would be wrong.
Ian Chambers can flirt with me as much as he wants, but I refuse to fall for his tricks…
MY THOUGHTS
ahhh!!!
yes book 2!
after the first book i could not wait to jump back in and see the story behind Ian and Nia and boy did J.O deliver!
in the first book Nia came off as a little bit of a hard ass on Ian but of course, since it wasnt their story, we didn't get much of a background. in this book, since its all about them we get to dive deeper into their background and i liked it a lot!
especially because Nia was nothing like i thought she would have been. to see her as such a hard ass (and i mean that in the best way possible!) in the first book only to realize that she's just as big a softy as ever!, i loved that! and i don't know why but i for some reason pictured her with jet black hair so to see her with white blond her was an even better surprise (for some reason, i picture her a bit like Kate Winslet knowing that now).....but anyway....
i also really liked that while the story is about Ian & Nia, its centered around Grace & Cams wedding so we still get to see them too!
and i absolutely loved the extras that were in the book! the goat! ha! that guy was a fun time and i have to say, my favorite part of this story had to have been the dude's bachelor party. by far fave scene! <3
It happens for Nia and Ian but not without some hiccups but this story! i liked it so much and if you have been here a while, you know that i strongly dislike stories that just go on and on.
but J.O does it so good!!! she doesnt forget about the characters before and i loved how she incorporated them here.
in this case, i cannot wait for book 3! even more so because i really don't know where its going to go.
thanks J for an ARC!
this book goes on sale on Thursday! (1/30/2020). its only $2.99 (it looks like its $.99 RN!) or free if you have kindle unlimited! pick it up! pick the first one up! and keep an eye of for Julie! i cannot want to see what she has in store next!!!!
thanks for reading!
#bookslesreads on IG
PS: no spoilers because i want to re-read this but also because i dont want to leak them before its release. i should also note that yes i did receive an ARC but these are all my opinions!!!!! i was not even asked to do a review. BUT GO CHECK IT OUT!!!!!
i had to borrow this pic from the author because i don't have a kindle and i don't have another phone to take a picture of my phone. (lol)
published: 2019
pages: 328
read: 10/20-22/2019
book: 60 in 2019
SYNOPSIS
kinda long, so see here!
MY THOUGHTS
i found this book through instagram on RS Grey's page. the author, Julie Olivia was letting her know that thanks to her she was able to start, finish and is about to publish her first book so then i was like maybe there's an ARC! and there was and i asked for it and i was lucky enough to get a copy so thaaaanks, JO!
i have no idea why I'm asking for books when i have a mountain of library books to read but i was able to get one and i jumped in right away and i absolutely loved it!
i loved it so much I'm not even mad its part of a series. I'm so not mad that i cannot wait for book 2! I'm so not mad that i hope book 3 is somehow about Ramona & Wes and their love story!
do not judge a book by its cover!!!!
...i mean, i didn't. but i think we can all admit that book covers like these always get judged as a liiiiittttle bit corny BUT man, am i so happy that i read this book.
yes you know there is chemistry and yes, you know they are going to hook up and end up together but its all the in between that makes the story and this one was so good!
i loved it!
i loved all the strong dislikes at first, how feisty she was (and still is) and how she wasn't, for lack of a better phrase, a dumb damsel in distress who lost all her wits about herself once she scored the dude she's been wanting to hook up with.
Grace had been in a dead end relationship prior to this but i love that she realizes her worth and that no one is going to do the work her if its forward that she wants to move.
and i love even more that as much as she does want to be with Cam, she knows that she needs to look out for herself.
i love the friendship with Ramona. i love Ramona and her husband Wes' relationship.
i love Cam & Ian' friendship. i loved Ian's playful whatever you want to call it with Nia.
basically i loved everything about this story and almost a month out i still find myself sometimes thinking about this crew.
by this point, y'all know i HATE picking up series or trilogies or whatever because i haaaate waiting for the next one to come out but in this case, I'm so excited that we get to get more of this gang and I'm excited just in general that there is more!
when has that ever happened!?
eeek!
jump over for spoilers!
Grace had been in a dead end relationship prior to this but i love that she realizes her worth and that no one is going to do the work her if its forward that she wants to move.
and i love even more that as much as she does want to be with Cam, she knows that she needs to look out for herself.
i love the friendship with Ramona. i love Ramona and her husband Wes' relationship.
i love Cam & Ian' friendship. i loved Ian's playful whatever you want to call it with Nia.
basically i loved everything about this story and almost a month out i still find myself sometimes thinking about this crew.
by this point, y'all know i HATE picking up series or trilogies or whatever because i haaaate waiting for the next one to come out but in this case, I'm so excited that we get to get more of this gang and I'm excited just in general that there is more!
when has that ever happened!?
eeek!
jump over for spoilers!
thanks for reading!
" even if actions speak louder than words, words fucking matter."
published: 2021
pages: 372
read: january 1-5, 2022
(e)book: 1 in 2022
THOUGHTS
if i wait to catch up (and as much as i want to!) it will never happen any time soon so welcome to 2022 reads along with the rest of 2020 & 2021
*nervous laughter*
i am still in a bit of a reading funk but when amazon kindle unlimited tells you "hey, here's two free months!" idk about you but i immediately sign up (and cancel right away) and hope for the best.
luckily i scored with this book. the cover in my opinion is, well it could be better but the story inside: 😀😂😍🥰🤩😥😫😤😭😩😭😢😍😍😍
LOVED MY FIRST BOOK OF 2022 and im sad that i do not have a physical copy because if i did it would be a total colored mess! and i am also sad that i no longer have this entire gang to catch up with anymore.
ELI & WHITNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(i feel like RS Grey has done this name combo before?) anyway, these motherfucking 2!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍
i loved this story.
i dont think that it was supposed to make me cry as much as it did but here we are. sunday morning my eyes hurt from all the crying when i woke up 😂
this reminded me of something RS Grey herself would have written if she had a little more oomph in her writing. part of this also reminded me of some of Julie Olivia's stories as well. overall it felt very familiar to me but more my style.
all of the cussing! the whole family dynamic. the fact that it wasnt just Eli & Whitney that were going through shit. the fact that it was so funny to me and so idk personal in a way, i dont know but i loved everything about this book!
doesnt everyone toy with the idea of one day writing their own book?
if i knew how, this would have been it.
everything about this book is me!, is for me! ahh! i just loved this book so much.
i hope to reread this one soon.
"𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶." -𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦
"𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦." -𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘢
published: 2020
pages: 243
read: 9/10-26/2020
book: 71 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Some people have a voice for radio, but I must have a fanny for infidelity. This is why I bought a one-way ticket from London to New York and decided to ignore all men forever. And then I meet Owen.
Owen holds all the red flags I can’t resist: mysterious and handsome, sarcastic with a clever smile… Plus, he works in tech like I do? Here’s my knickers, good sir.
But, a few cybersecurity breaches at my job means I don’t have time for anything, especially not a classic New York City romance. The bad part is I think the break-ins are coming from the same source. The worst part is that Owen is quickly stealing my heart.
The more time I spend with mysterious, handsome Owen, the more I wonder if maybe he’s the man I’ve been looking for all along. And unfortunately for me, I think that statement might be true in more ways than one.
Some people have a voice for radio, but I must have a fanny for infidelity. This is why I bought a one-way ticket from London to New York and decided to ignore all men forever. And then I meet Owen.
Owen holds all the red flags I can’t resist: mysterious and handsome, sarcastic with a clever smile… Plus, he works in tech like I do? Here’s my knickers, good sir.
But, a few cybersecurity breaches at my job means I don’t have time for anything, especially not a classic New York City romance. The bad part is I think the break-ins are coming from the same source. The worst part is that Owen is quickly stealing my heart.
The more time I spend with mysterious, handsome Owen, the more I wonder if maybe he’s the man I’ve been looking for all along. And unfortunately for me, I think that statement might be true in more ways than one.
THOUGHTS
this is one of those where i read the book but didnt do a post right after so you know how that goes. ...i dont remember shit.
but when i read the quote above i remembered that LOL I LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF LARA! and i would read a freaking book on her alone!!!!!
i think this was when i was in the height of my "i feel meh about reading" so i wasnt super into this one but i do want to re-read it eventually. it took me longer than it ever should have and i should have just waited to read it...but i guess i rushed it because it was an ARC and i had to do my duty.
this one is all one me because i love JO and will forever read whatever she writes.
either way, ima cut it short; i liked it but i know i didnt devote the time to it that i should have. (see it over on instagram!)
...in other news, it looks like i wont be done posting 2020 reads in 2020...so we're carrying it on over into 2021. yall will get a full update of all my 2020 reads sometime in February lol (100 freaking books!!!!!!!)
thanks for reading!
published: 2020
pages: 106
read: 2/19/2020book: 15 in 2020
Night brings the unexpected, and I did not expect him.
Hello, my name is Sadie, and I’m a workaholic. Social life? Forget it. Relationships? I’m currently mourning the death of orgasms. But sixteen-hour working days? Just another Friday night. As a manager at a hotel, the overnight shift just comes with the job. Normally, it’s uneventful—that is, until I meet Aiden.
Here one minute, gone the next; he’s the mysterious businessman more silver-tongued than I can take, and he’s haunting me month-to-month. I wouldn’t call it serendipitous; we have hotel regulars all the time. But destiny has a weird way of bringing two sleepless people together. Not like I believe in that fairytale kind of stuff. I shouldn’t even be flirting with hotel guests as it is. But with Aiden Wrenn? All bets are off.
Hello, my name is Sadie, and I’m a workaholic. Social life? Forget it. Relationships? I’m currently mourning the death of orgasms. But sixteen-hour working days? Just another Friday night. As a manager at a hotel, the overnight shift just comes with the job. Normally, it’s uneventful—that is, until I meet Aiden.
Here one minute, gone the next; he’s the mysterious businessman more silver-tongued than I can take, and he’s haunting me month-to-month. I wouldn’t call it serendipitous; we have hotel regulars all the time. But destiny has a weird way of bringing two sleepless people together. Not like I believe in that fairytale kind of stuff. I shouldn’t even be flirting with hotel guests as it is. But with Aiden Wrenn? All bets are off.
THOUGHTS
nothing better than a surprise book release from a brand new author you just found out about not that long ago whom you just can't get enough of!
while i was mourning the fact that we have to wait (who knows how long) for the next book in the Into You series (book 1 / book 2), here comes JO surprising us all with a quick little novella
and
i
loved
it!
nothing beats a surprise release from a new fave author!
this story is about Sadie And Aiden who meet at her job on a random night check in to then how he continues to make it a constant thing to then having it blossom into something more.
the beginning with Jill was super funny even more so because Aiden has a funny sense of humor about it. i just couldn't with Jill. especially because even if she's not 18 yet, you definitely know that's how kids currently talk right now so that made it even more funnier for me. she was so funny at points and then in other's i wanted to yell at her a bit. but overall, she's a good kid. i loved her role in this story. even if she "cock blocks" a bit at the end, she means good...and it all works out.
from Aiden's funny sense of humor, to the way that he doesn't give up and Sadie's attitude. i loved the role reversal that goes on here. i liked that it wasn't easy but he didn't give up.
and MIKE!!!!!!!!
i loved Mike for what he does and what he says in the end.
i love that he was not bitter about anything. what he says in the end made me so happy i legit cried. lol.
its a super quick read, i read it in about 2 hours, and i loved everything about it.
this is another hit for Julie and i cannot wait to see what else she blesses us all with.
if you're looking for a quick, spicy read (at points i was telling myself "daaaaamn Sadie, you GO girl!"), this is for you!
i definitely recommend.
jump over for spoilers!
kthxbyye
#bookslesreads on IG
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