Reviews: Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese & Until the Last Breath by Shanora Williams

Chloe Liese
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Released: April 1, 2020
Source: Hoopla Audiobook
Rating: 3.5 stars


Ryder

Ever since she sat next to me in class and gave me death eyes, Willa Sutter’s been on my shit list. Why she hates me, I don't know. What I do know is that Willa is the kind of chaos I don’t need in my tidy life. She’s the next generation of women’s soccer. Wild hair, wilder eyes. Bee-stung lips that should be illegal. And a temper that makes the devil seem friendly.

She’s a thorn in my side, a menacing, cantankerous, pain-in-the-ass who’s turned our Business Mathematics course into a goddamn gladiator arena. I'll leave this war zone unscathed, coming out on top…And if I have my way with that crazy-haired, ball-busting hellion, that will be in more than one sense of the word.

Willa

Rather than give me the lecture notes I missed like every other instructor I’ve had, my asshole professor tells me to get them from the silent, surly flannel-wearing mountain man sitting next to me in class. Well, I tried. And what did I get from Ryder Bergman? Ignored. What a complete lumbersexual neanderthal. Mangy beard and mangier hair. Frayed ball cap that hides his eyes. And a stubborn refusal to acknowledge my existence.

I’ve battled men before, but with Ryder, it's war. I’ll get those notes and crack that Sasquatch nut if it’s the last thing I do, then I’ll have him at my mercy. Victory will have never tasted so sweet.

Sooo, Only When It’s Us was something of a mixed bag for me. Some things I liked, others not so much.

What I Liked:

Ryder – Was the term cinnamon roll invented for this guy, or what? What a sweetheart. I’m a sucker for a gentleman and Ryder had that going on. He’d been dealt a rotten hand in some regards, but he wasn’t bitter and angry. Sure, he had his moments, but for the most part he had acceptance and he still had a good heart and a kind nature.

The Bergman clan – I loved this family! What an amazing group of spirited people. Not to sound all saccharine, but it was obvious that the parents had raised good people and instilled good values in their brood. I loved the interactions between Ryder and his mom, Ryder and his dad, and all the siblings.

Not So Much:

Willa – Unfortunately Willa embodied several of my character pet peeves all rolled into one and it was almost impossible to get past that. She was a hothead who had no issue letting her temper fly on whomever she felt wronged her. Her attitude: I need something, so how dare you not give it to me immediately. While that did lessen over time, she was still testy and easily irritated and I wasn’t a fan. I lost track of how many times she called Ryder an a**hole, a guy that did nothing to her. I get that she was dealing with something extremely difficult, but it wasn’t a free pass to treat people so shabbily.

The ”Did I Say That Out Loud” Moments – Ugh. I’m sorry, but I have never “accidentally” given voice to my thoughts. But apparently Willa does this All. The. Time. And never realizes she’s done it until someone comments on what she said. And then there’s the inevitable “oh, did I say that out loud?” response. Maybe it was supposed to be quirky, but it was just unbelievable and repetitive.

Overall:

Despite my issues with Willa, I did warm to the overall story. It took a *long* time for her to actually trust Ryder but once she did I was all-in with their relationship. I enjoyed the secondary characters and Ryder’s family was a real highlight.


Shanora Williams
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Released: April 1, 2020
Source: Hoopla Audiobook
Rating: 1 Star


Years ago, I fell in love with a man named Maximilian Grant - tall, smooth talking, handsome as hell Maximilian Grant.

He was my everything -- a man who could do no wrong -- but then he did the one thing he promised he'd never do: he broke my heart.

Now, nearly four years later, I'm happily married to a man who has completely changed my life...but with my health hanging in the balance, I often wonder what his future entails because I know there is a possibility he'll have to live on without me. John, my husband, is the love of my life, and I have never questioned our love...that is until my past comes knocking at the door.

Every girl has that one guy--the one whom she can't seem to forget or completely let go of, no matter how toxic the relationship was, or how badly it ended. Well, this story is a little different.

This is the story of how Maximilian Grant went from being my toxic first love, to the man who ultimately saves my life.

And, trust me, this will not play out the way you think it will.


When I read the synopsis for this one I was intrigued, and I did something I rarely do – I purchased a physical copy of a book by an unknown-to-me author. Yeah, bad move on my part.

I’m all for a good tearjerker now and then but in order to make your readers cry, you have to make them care. You have to give them characters worth crying over. And these were not those characters. Main character Shannon was, well… awful. I suppose having a terminal illness was supposed to automatically make her sympathetic but being ill does not make you a decent person. Shitty people get sick, too, and Shannon was a shitty person. She was married to a man who loved and adored her, who she called her soulmate, and yet she still pined for her equally shitty ex-boyfriend, Max. She thought about him all the time and kept in touch with him. She lied by omission to her husband about who the guy was and then took off with him, only telling her husband once she was on the plane and about to leave the country. Who does that? Shannon was selfish, a liar, and an emotional cheater. She spent a lot of time reminiscing about the past when she and Max had a craptastic relationship, which is apparently what she got off on. Max seemed to think he was some irresistible player and Shannon obviously agreed. So they both adored him. I couldn’t figure that out, either, since he acted like an ass, but again, this seemed to be the kind of relationship she preferred.

So Max showed up now that Shannon was hella sick, becomes the good time guy, wanting to give her what she wants, unlike her poor husband who works like crazy to be able to pay for the hospital, doctors, home care, treatments, etc. Max is the good guy swooping in to give poor Shannon what she wants, while John is just the poor sap that loves her and is there day in and day out caring for her.

The ending was schmaltzy and unrealistic and, frankly, undeserved. This was my first read of 2021 so at least it can only go up from here.


HAVE YOU READ EITHER OF THESE BOOKS?


29 comments

  1. Until the Last Breath sounds like no fun at all. Sorry you had to suffer through that.

    I downloaded Only When It's Us from my library. I don't like that it was a mixed bag for you. I think I'm still going to read it since I have heard the following books are good.

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    1. I still enjoyed Only When It's Us. And my issues with Willa were more a personal preference thing, I think. I still gave it a 3.5, and everyone else seems to LOVE it! I hope you will, too. And I'll also say that I'm listening to the second book right now, Always Only You, and I'm loving it. :)

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  2. Ugh, Until the Last Breath sounded so good, too! What a bummer! I hate when characters are supposedly so happily married to a great person, yet can't get over a past relationship. It's so unfair.

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    1. Right? If a character is married but still hung up on an ex... ugh. Big turn-off.

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  3. Oddly enough, I have seen that, "did I say that out loud", in quit a few romance books. Can't say I ever did it. Sorry you didn't enjoy the Bergman Brothers as much as I did.

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    1. I did still enjoy it, I just never warmed to Willa. But I'm listening to the second book now and I'm loving Frankie and Ren. :)

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  4. Well, Until the Last Breath sounds horrible. I will be skipping that one for sure! I think that Willa would have drove me crazy in Only When It's Us but I am glad the couple won you over in the end.

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    1. Yeah, I was never a huge fan of Willa but overall I really did enjoy the story. :)

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  5. I haven't heard of either of these books although I think the cover of When Its Us looks somewhat familiar. I do love a good cinnamon roll and a gentleman is a plus. Love those in my heroes.

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    1. As much as I loved Ryder in Only When It's Us, his brother who is the main character in Always Only You was even better! Such a total sweetheart! :)

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  6. Well, Willa and Shannon both sound like pretty awful people. That would start to drive me nuts after awhile too!

    -lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Willa was annoying but I just went with it. It was more of a personal pet peeve kind of thing. But Shannon in Until the Last Breath? Ugh, what a rotten person she was.

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  7. Yikes, that second book. Nope.

    And I think the things you found irritating in the first would also bother me.

    Onward and upward Tanya! lol

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. Oh my gosh, Until the Last Breath was just... awful. I cannot understand all the rave reviews on Goodreads.

      Thankfully it's gotten better since then. I finished one that I totally enjoyed, and I'm in the midst of two others (one Kindle, one audio book) that are wonderful. *fist pump*

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  8. Until The Last Breath sounds hideous! Good synopsis but I'd have hated it based on everything you described in your review.

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    1. Yeah, that synopsis really pulled me in. But the story sure didn't live up to it!

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  9. Oh no, a 1-star book as your first read of the year? How awful. I really hope you have a 5-star read coming your way soon to make up for that.

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    1. What a way to start, right? Thankfully it's been better since then. One really good read completed and in the midst of two others. Yes!

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  10. Oh no! I'm sorry neither of these were particularly good. A one star right at the beginning of the year really sucks. Until the Last Breath sounds truly awful.

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    1. Yeah, bummer about starting the year with a one star read, but at least it can only get better. :)

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  11. No I haven't read them and now I don't ant to! Sorry they were not better Tanya!

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    1. I did enjoy Only When It's Us. I gave it 3.5 stars and I consider that quite good! But Until the Last Breath was a total letdown.

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  12. Oh, bummer. Willa and Shannon both sound horrible. I have to like the heroine to enjoy the story. If they're horrible the story is a no-go for me. Yep, at least 2021 reads can only go up! Better luck with your next read!

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    1. Yeah, Shannon in Until the Last Breath was pretty horrible. Willa (Only When It's Us) wasn't a terrible person, just certain aspects of her personality happened to be pet peeves of mine. But yes, at least my reading can only go up now! :)

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  13. I absolutely loved Only When It's Us (mostly because of Ryder and the Bergman clan). I had issues with Willa at first but then I did get on board with her towards the end. I do love the Bergman Brothers series so much though 😂 I think the following two books are definitely a lot better and would definitely recommend them! Great reviews :)

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    1. Ryder was such a sweetheart and I just loved the Berman family. I recently finished Ren and Frankie's story and just loved it! I'm excited to move on to the third book.

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  14. It sounds like the The Bergman clan was an amazing family! I love reading about families like that. But I'm sorry Ryder couldn't have had another leading lady. And Shannon sounds like a horrible human being. Thank you so much for the warning. I won't be picking up this one, it hits so many of my no, no, no buttons.
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

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    1. The Berman family was so great, Jen! And while I wasn't a big fan of Willa, I did still enjoy the story. Since then I've read the second book, Always Only You, and it was so, so good! I just adored Ren and Frankie. :)

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    2. YAY! I'm so happy to hear that, that's the best feeling ever when you enjoy the next book in a series so much♥!

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