Short Take Reviews: Kennedy Ryan, Kandi Steiner, Kylie Sott and More

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... I used to write a review minutes after finishing a book. It was like Rule of Reading 101 for me. Finish book, write review. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. But somewhere along the way that rule fell by the wayside and now here I am with untold number of books read but not reviewed. In an effort to catch up - or at least lessen the gap - I'm sharing some quick-fire reviews of some recent (and some not so recent) reads.

    

REPEAT by Kylie Scott | 4 STARS

Despite the whole amnesia-after-an-attack thing, Repeat was a surprisingly low-drama romance. Clem was totally likable and I admired how she tried hard to roll with things and stay optimistic. When she reconnected with former boyfriend Ed in an attempt to piece together her former life, he initially wanted no part of it. But he was a genuinely good guy and did everything he could to help and protect Clem. It wasn’t easy for him to move forward with her, since he remembered how badly things had ended before, but he was caring and compassionate and it was obvious a lot of the old feelings were still there. I appreciated that the attack aspect wasn’t over-dramatized (especially since it became pretty obvious who was behind it), and the focus was almost completely on Clem and Ed and their second-chance romance. 

FLOW (Grip #0.5) by Kennedy Ryan | 4 STARS

Flow is the novella that precedes Grip but even in that limited number of pages (126 to be exact) Kennedy Ryan was able to create complex characters, highlight social issues, and set the foundation for a remarkable relationship filled with chemistry and heart. And did it all with beautiful prose that often made me pause and let what she wrote sink in and marinate for a bit. Now that’s talent. The willingness to be open with one another, and the soul-baring conversations they had, drew me in to Bristol and Grip and had me so ready for the rest of their story.

GRIP (Grip #1) by Kennedy Ryan | 4 STARS

Grip had me equal parts captivated and frustrated. The intense week Bristol and Grip shared eight years ago is long gone but not forgotten. Bristol has put Grip firmly in the friend zone as she manages his career. I loved Grip and his way of subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) letting Bristol know he still wanted more. My frustration was with Bristol because she was the only thing keeping them apart. There was no reason for them not to be together other than her own guarded heart. It took a long time for her to get out of her own way. Once she (finally!) did, I was right back on board. These characters truly felt like two halves of a whole. I loved their connection, their friendship, their passion. And all the elements that Kennedy Ryan wove into the story were done with her usual brilliance.

    

WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW (What He Doesn't Know #1) by Kandi Steiner | 4.25 STARS

What He Doesn’t Know was my first from Kandi Steiner and her angsty, emotional brand of story telling was just what I wanted. From the outside, Charlie Pierce has it all – devoted husband, beautiful home, and she is a beloved kindergarten teacher. But inside she is drowning in grief and loneliness. When her brother’s best friend (and her teenage crush) comes back to town she finds in him a sympathetic friend, a lifeline… and more. Love triangles are tricky business and so often one person is painted as the obvious choice and the other is clearly no good. Not so here. Steiner doesn’t take the easy way out but instead shows the characters flaws and their pain and the turmoil they each go through. I liked that these were adults with a lot on the line, not teenagers or college-age young adults who would enjoy the drama and then move on. Steiner’s writing was beautiful and she was able to truly make me feel for Charlie’s situation.

WHAT HE ALWAYS KNEW (What He Doesn't Know #2) by Kandi Steiner | 4.25 STARS

After the way What He Doesn’t Know ended, I had to start the second book immediately. I think it’s to Kandi’s credit that throughout the first book I was almost certain of who I wanted Charlie to be with, and in this one I was completely swayed and as unsure as Charlie was. Emotions were raw and as more truths came to light there was that much more to grapple with. And no matter what choice was made, everyone was hurting. This story was messy and complicated  and beautifully written and oh how my heart ached for these characters. Steiner definitely knows how to engage the reader’s emotions and mine were certainly put through the wringer with this one. 

WHAT HE NEVER KNEW (What He Doesn't Know #3) by Kandi Steiner | 4 STARS

Almost a year after the original duet came out, Kandi decided to deliver a third story. About the guy not chosen. The one who was still lost and broken and needed someone to chose him. If I thought the first two books were angsty, this one took the cake. The guy (no names so as not to spoil the earlier books) was so broody and emo that I sometimes wanted to tell him to snap out of it. I mean, how long are you going to pine over the woman who chose the other man? Time to move on, dude. Both main characters had a whole lot of healing to do and I loved the acceptance and support they provided for each other. Much ado was made (by other characters) about the student/teacher aspect which seemed odd to me. This wasn’t a high school girl and a teacher. Sara was a 21-year-old musician and the guy was a music teacher who tutored her in his off hours. Not nearly as scandalous as some tried to make it. Their story was super emotional and the epilogue was priceless.

  

ONLY EVER YOU by C.D. Reiss | 3.5 STARS

The premise of Only Ever You is what made me pick it up even though I’d never read anything by C.D. Reiss. And while the story was sweet, the execution often had me scratching my head. The writing felt disjointed at times and it often felt as though the character’s thoughts and actions weren’t aligning. As a reader, I should be able to count on a character’s inner dialogue and know how they really feel, despite what they might be showing others. But they seemed to even go against their own thoughts/feelings so I was never quite sure how they really felt. Rachel, in particular, would think one thing and then immediately do the opposite. It made for a somewhat confusing read which was disappointing since I genuinely liked Rachel and Sebastian. The lack of communication between both Rachel and Sebastian, and with their families, also grew frustrating.  The ending was a bit over the top and stretched believability, but it was still swoony and brought a smile to my face.

THE CHRISTMAS PACT by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward | 4 STARS

The Christmas Pact was all kinds of adorable. I’m not usually a big fan of the fake dating trope but Keeland & Ward totally made this one work for me. Riley Kennedy and Kennedy Riley work for different divisions of the same company. Their emails are often misdirected and when Kennedy forwards them to Riley he feels the need to add snarky commentary. (Is this the ultimate meet cute, or what?) When they finally meet face to face at the office Christmas party, they end up making a deal to be each other’s fake boyfriend/girlfriend for a trip home for the holidays. This was short and predictable but that didn’t lessen any of my enjoyment. The narration from Andi Arndt and Sebastian York was perfection and this fun holiday story was cuteness overload.

Have you read any of these books?