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abaird0309's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sslovesbooks_1's review against another edition
5.0
There has not been a Jill Shalvis book that I have not been engrossed in from beginning to end. She is the author I go to for a comfort read or when I’m in a reading slump. Her books work every time.
This book is so much more than a romance it deals with a lot of big issues, death, guilt, sibling relationships, control, addiction and of course love.
The story is easy to read, I was hooked from the first page and her characters I feel so invested in. Her talent is putting you in their lives and you are on the journey with them.
I gave this 5 stars -a captivating, warm, family story which makes your heart feel full. Brilliant as always.
This book is so much more than a romance it deals with a lot of big issues, death, guilt, sibling relationships, control, addiction and of course love.
The story is easy to read, I was hooked from the first page and her characters I feel so invested in. Her talent is putting you in their lives and you are on the journey with them.
I gave this 5 stars -a captivating, warm, family story which makes your heart feel full. Brilliant as always.
bhookjunkhie's review
5.0
This was so good!! I love how calm Cam is amidst the crazy family...This book was a balm to my soul when I needed it❤️
trudyd's review against another edition
5.0
Goodness gracious great balls of fire!!! Jill Shalvis heated up the pages in Almost Just Friends. I am not talking about sexually even though there was some of that. She rocked the boat on this one. I am talking about sibling relationships. I am talking about a parent and child relationships. I am talking about guardian and charges. I am talking drama, so much drama.
Piper Manning lives a quiet life on the lake while working as an EMT in Wildstone. She has raised her siblings. She has put her sister through University. Now it is her turn. All she has to do is sell her grandmother's home and cottages. Major storms blow in and plans blow away as secrets are revealed.
Secrets aren't just held by her siblings although theirs are doozies. Piper thinks the new guy has come home to check on his dad after his brother died in a car accident. Cam lets Piper believe that is why he is in Wildstone. Cam, Gavin, and Secrets pile up. The longer you wait the harder it is survive the fallout.
Piper Manning lives a quiet life on the lake while working as an EMT in Wildstone. She has raised her siblings. She has put her sister through University. Now it is her turn. All she has to do is sell her grandmother's home and cottages. Major storms blow in and plans blow away as secrets are revealed.
Secrets aren't just held by her siblings although theirs are doozies. Piper thinks the new guy has come home to check on his dad after his brother died in a car accident. Cam lets Piper believe that is why he is in Wildstone. Cam, Gavin, and Secrets pile up. The longer you wait the harder it is survive the fallout.
holly_keimig's review
4.0
Piper can finally live the life she has always dreamed of now that her siblings are off on their own. She raised them after a horrible tragedy left her in charge when they were all kids. She has everything planned out and on a list in her journal...except maybe childhood friend Camden resurfacing and throwing everything off balance...and her siblings not being quite as "ready" as she thought to be on their own. Themes include family, addiction, grief, and of course, love. Another great read from Shalvis! Audiobook was enjoyable.
mistysreads's review
5.0
Piper is one of the strongest people that I know or have read about. After her parents died she took over raising her two younger siblings. Her siblings are coming home after having life changing experiences. Her goal is to leave and go to college to become a Physician's Assistant and not stay an EMT for the rest of her life. She takes care of everyone before herself.
When a massive storm hits she wades through the mud to go next door to check on him where she comes face to face with a tall, dark, and brooding stranger Cam. Piper has a hard time letting anyone get close, but for some reason she can't help letting Cam in past her walls.
When the secrets start coming out from her siblings everything changes, their lives, what she thinks she knows about her family, and Cam. She realizes that her siblings need her to help them, keep them grounded, but most of all she needs Cam.
Cam is going through a hard time after his brother died. Rowan was younger and raised by their father while Cam stayed with their mother to help take care of her. They had just started becoming brothers again when he was taken away from them. Turns out .... they get to keep a piece of him but everyone knows except for Piper.
Piper and Cam are cut from the same cloth. She helps to save people's lives being an EMT and running into danger. Cam is DEA and Coast Guard special forces also used to running into danger and saving people's lives. From the beginning you can see these two are meant to be together you just don't know what will come up and try to keep them apart. Cam is the guy that every strong woman dreams about. Piper is a strong woman that needs someone to take care of her for a change. I loved this novel and know what its like to be a strong independent women that needs a strong man to take care of you for a change. I'm glad that Jill Shalvis was able to introduce this type of character because you don't see many characters like her these days. A definite recommended read!
Received ARC in exchange for honest and voluntary review from NetGalley.
When a massive storm hits she wades through the mud to go next door to check on him where she comes face to face with a tall, dark, and brooding stranger Cam. Piper has a hard time letting anyone get close, but for some reason she can't help letting Cam in past her walls.
When the secrets start coming out from her siblings everything changes, their lives, what she thinks she knows about her family, and Cam. She realizes that her siblings need her to help them, keep them grounded, but most of all she needs Cam.
Cam is going through a hard time after his brother died. Rowan was younger and raised by their father while Cam stayed with their mother to help take care of her. They had just started becoming brothers again when he was taken away from them. Turns out .... they get to keep a piece of him but everyone knows except for Piper.
Piper and Cam are cut from the same cloth. She helps to save people's lives being an EMT and running into danger. Cam is DEA and Coast Guard special forces also used to running into danger and saving people's lives. From the beginning you can see these two are meant to be together you just don't know what will come up and try to keep them apart. Cam is the guy that every strong woman dreams about. Piper is a strong woman that needs someone to take care of her for a change. I loved this novel and know what its like to be a strong independent women that needs a strong man to take care of you for a change. I'm glad that Jill Shalvis was able to introduce this type of character because you don't see many characters like her these days. A definite recommended read!
Received ARC in exchange for honest and voluntary review from NetGalley.
spowell87's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eebeck's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alwaysbooking's review against another edition
5.0
5 blood is thicker than water stars!!
“Chin up, Princess, or the crown slips.”
This book was definitely not an normal HEA I would say it more leans toward women’s fiction with romance included. Piper starts out as a normal female protagonist character I enjoy, very sure of herself, can take care of anything that comes up doesn’t need any man. That is completely fine with me, however after reading the book for a couple chapters you realize that she has completely locked up all of her emotions while raising her younger siblings. I absolutely adored meeting her siblings and seeing their interactions. You could see how hard it was for her balancing being a sister and being in mom mode. Piper cares for everyone in this book not just her siblings, her neighbor, the people she works on as an EMT, she is a very compassionate person.
Cam coming to town was really when everything started to really open up, he seemed to be the real center for the whole family. Everyone seemed to be able to trust Cam and rely on him. Which for him was also an eye opener, even though he was already dependable because of his job. Now Cam was dependable for other reasons. Of course he was working through his own demons, but Piper seems to help him through that, he is trying to help her work through hers but family matters keep getting in the way.
I really loved everything about this book, the whole “broken” family coming together and learning how to be a family. The learning to lean on others, they all evolved not just the main characters, I loved all of the characters. I haven’t cried this hard about characters in a long while. Each chapter started with some really great one liners and I loved all of them. Jill Shalvis just continually knocks it out of the park for me and will always be an auto buy author.
Thank you to Jill Shalvis, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for my copy in lieu of my honest review..
Gavin’s heart tripped. “What?”
“I brought food.”
Gavin nearly collapsed in relief. “The way to my heart.”
“It’s the makings for taco’s”
Gavin felt the last little pieces of himself fall into place. “A love story in five words.”
find more reviews at Alwaysbooking.wordpress.com
“Chin up, Princess, or the crown slips.”
This book was definitely not an normal HEA I would say it more leans toward women’s fiction with romance included. Piper starts out as a normal female protagonist character I enjoy, very sure of herself, can take care of anything that comes up doesn’t need any man. That is completely fine with me, however after reading the book for a couple chapters you realize that she has completely locked up all of her emotions while raising her younger siblings. I absolutely adored meeting her siblings and seeing their interactions. You could see how hard it was for her balancing being a sister and being in mom mode. Piper cares for everyone in this book not just her siblings, her neighbor, the people she works on as an EMT, she is a very compassionate person.
Cam coming to town was really when everything started to really open up, he seemed to be the real center for the whole family. Everyone seemed to be able to trust Cam and rely on him. Which for him was also an eye opener, even though he was already dependable because of his job. Now Cam was dependable for other reasons. Of course he was working through his own demons, but Piper seems to help him through that, he is trying to help her work through hers but family matters keep getting in the way.
I really loved everything about this book, the whole “broken” family coming together and learning how to be a family. The learning to lean on others, they all evolved not just the main characters, I loved all of the characters. I haven’t cried this hard about characters in a long while. Each chapter started with some really great one liners and I loved all of them. Jill Shalvis just continually knocks it out of the park for me and will always be an auto buy author.
Thank you to Jill Shalvis, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for my copy in lieu of my honest review..
Gavin’s heart tripped. “What?”
“I brought food.”
Gavin nearly collapsed in relief. “The way to my heart.”
“It’s the makings for taco’s”
Gavin felt the last little pieces of himself fall into place. “A love story in five words.”
find more reviews at Alwaysbooking.wordpress.com
amym84's review
5.0
4.5
After the death of their parents, Piper Manning took over the care of her younger siblings. Barely out of childhood herself, Piper stepped up to make sure that her brother and sister never went without even though things were tight. But this meant that Piper went without a lot. Now, as she reluctantly celebrates her 30th birthday, Piper is finally beginning to look towards the future which includes selling the home she and her siblings inherited from their grandparents and going to school to become a physicians assistant. She's even got all the steps written down in her handy journal so she can remain on track. But when her brother and sister - Gavin and Winnie - show up back in Wildstone without warning, Piper knows it's because they're having personal problems of her own. Problems she knows she'll be called upon to fix. Not that she won't, but as time goes on, it's starting to wear on Piper. Throw new-to-town Camden Reid into the mix and Piper is going to need to add another page to her journal. She's not used to opening up to people and letting them in because she's always had to be strong for everyone else. But if Piper, Gavin, and Winnie want a chance at a future relationship, they'll need to start talking to one another.
Once I started reading Almost Just Friends everything just clicked. I equally wanted to rush through it, but I also never wanted it to end. It's the type of book that left me with a book hangover. I've found it difficult to pick up and settle myself in another story world. I really just needed like another 50+ pages of this book to read. I guess you could say I loved it.
And I did. I think it's my favorite of the Wildstone series thus far.
The book mainly revolves around Piper. Although we do get Cam's point of view along with her brother Gavin's as well, the main components of the story deals with Piper.
I loved how Jill Shalvis wove everything together. The issues that each sibling is still dealing with in regards to the loss of their parents at such a young age. The fact that Piper had to give up her life in order to raise her siblings. It's all basically coming to a boiling point. I liked seeing this crossroads of sorts. Where they could continue on with their relationships the way they have been with Piper in the role of parent instead of equal sibling putting aside her hopes and dreams to ensure Gavin and Winnie are ok. Gavin and Winnie can continue to rely so much on their sister to fix the problems that they don't learn to figure it out for themselves. Or they can change it all. I loved watching the dynamic between Piper and Gavin and Winnie. Its speaks to a lot of familial relationships. You invariably love your family, but sometimes you can't support the decisions they make.
With Gavin's point of view we find out that he's returned to Wildstone still carrying some demons, but wanting to make amends to those he's hurt in the past, not only Piper, but his ex-boyfriend CJ. While we didn't see Gavin at his worst moments, you can still feel the maturity he's acquired, you can feel the progress he's made in his life. Jill Shalvis does a great job of making the hurts that Gavin caused deftly felt, but also the idea that forgiveness is obtainable.
Adding Cam into the mix, I just loved the way that he was there for Piper. He became her rock, the person she leaned on. It's probably the first time in her life that she's had that. His patience and understanding of Piper's needs and dreams and wants was great to read. He never pressured her to define what they were instead letting her go at her own pace. I loved the way their relationship progressed.
Cam himself is in Wildstone for his own reasons, one of which is to reconnect with his estranged father. While their quasi-reunion isn't given a whole lot of attention, I liked the fact that Cam's father acknowledges mistakes he made in the past in regards to Cam and reiterates time and time again how he's going to fix it. It's another part of the family dynamic that we get to see from a different perspective.
For reasons unknown, Winnie - the youngest Manning sibling - does not get her own point of view. Maybe it's because a lot of what Gavin and Piper have to reconcile with has to do with the loss of their parents in which case Winnie was too young to remember them. Or maybe it's because the direction her story takes is a more familiar one that I know I've read different iterations of in various books. I won't pretend to know, but I also don't think it hurts the story except for the fact that I felt she gets a little overshadowed. What Winnie is dealing with is kind of major but because she's never the focus, so I never felt like we were getting a good progression of her story. That's probably the only thing I'm a bit iffy on with the story.
So far, the Wildstone series has had a heavy family relationship dynamic running through it, but I feel like Almost Just Friends really nails it as far as balancing the family and romantic relationships.
I cannot wait for my next visit to Wildstone!
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After the death of their parents, Piper Manning took over the care of her younger siblings. Barely out of childhood herself, Piper stepped up to make sure that her brother and sister never went without even though things were tight. But this meant that Piper went without a lot. Now, as she reluctantly celebrates her 30th birthday, Piper is finally beginning to look towards the future which includes selling the home she and her siblings inherited from their grandparents and going to school to become a physicians assistant. She's even got all the steps written down in her handy journal so she can remain on track. But when her brother and sister - Gavin and Winnie - show up back in Wildstone without warning, Piper knows it's because they're having personal problems of her own. Problems she knows she'll be called upon to fix. Not that she won't, but as time goes on, it's starting to wear on Piper. Throw new-to-town Camden Reid into the mix and Piper is going to need to add another page to her journal. She's not used to opening up to people and letting them in because she's always had to be strong for everyone else. But if Piper, Gavin, and Winnie want a chance at a future relationship, they'll need to start talking to one another.
Once I started reading Almost Just Friends everything just clicked. I equally wanted to rush through it, but I also never wanted it to end. It's the type of book that left me with a book hangover. I've found it difficult to pick up and settle myself in another story world. I really just needed like another 50+ pages of this book to read. I guess you could say I loved it.
And I did. I think it's my favorite of the Wildstone series thus far.
The book mainly revolves around Piper. Although we do get Cam's point of view along with her brother Gavin's as well, the main components of the story deals with Piper.
I loved how Jill Shalvis wove everything together. The issues that each sibling is still dealing with in regards to the loss of their parents at such a young age. The fact that Piper had to give up her life in order to raise her siblings. It's all basically coming to a boiling point. I liked seeing this crossroads of sorts. Where they could continue on with their relationships the way they have been with Piper in the role of parent instead of equal sibling putting aside her hopes and dreams to ensure Gavin and Winnie are ok. Gavin and Winnie can continue to rely so much on their sister to fix the problems that they don't learn to figure it out for themselves. Or they can change it all. I loved watching the dynamic between Piper and Gavin and Winnie. Its speaks to a lot of familial relationships. You invariably love your family, but sometimes you can't support the decisions they make.
With Gavin's point of view we find out that he's returned to Wildstone still carrying some demons, but wanting to make amends to those he's hurt in the past, not only Piper, but his ex-boyfriend CJ. While we didn't see Gavin at his worst moments, you can still feel the maturity he's acquired, you can feel the progress he's made in his life. Jill Shalvis does a great job of making the hurts that Gavin caused deftly felt, but also the idea that forgiveness is obtainable.
Adding Cam into the mix, I just loved the way that he was there for Piper. He became her rock, the person she leaned on. It's probably the first time in her life that she's had that. His patience and understanding of Piper's needs and dreams and wants was great to read. He never pressured her to define what they were instead letting her go at her own pace. I loved the way their relationship progressed.
Cam himself is in Wildstone for his own reasons, one of which is to reconnect with his estranged father. While their quasi-reunion isn't given a whole lot of attention, I liked the fact that Cam's father acknowledges mistakes he made in the past in regards to Cam and reiterates time and time again how he's going to fix it. It's another part of the family dynamic that we get to see from a different perspective.
For reasons unknown, Winnie - the youngest Manning sibling - does not get her own point of view. Maybe it's because a lot of what Gavin and Piper have to reconcile with has to do with the loss of their parents in which case Winnie was too young to remember them. Or maybe it's because the direction her story takes is a more familiar one that I know I've read different iterations of in various books. I won't pretend to know, but I also don't think it hurts the story except for the fact that I felt she gets a little overshadowed. What Winnie is dealing with is kind of major but because she's never the focus, so I never felt like we were getting a good progression of her story. That's probably the only thing I'm a bit iffy on with the story.
So far, the Wildstone series has had a heavy family relationship dynamic running through it, but I feel like Almost Just Friends really nails it as far as balancing the family and romantic relationships.
I cannot wait for my next visit to Wildstone!
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.