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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.5 stars
I love Lucy ('s books). I love friends to lovers tropes. I particularly love friends to lovers when the friends are obviously already a couple and they just haven't figured it out yet. So, I really enjoyed this book.
This story also contains: an array of intriguing side characters, an adorable small town, dorky moments that make you sideways grin and a fair heaping of tension.
My only complaint is that there are a couple of moments where the narrator overtly foreshadows upcoming events, which I think is a pretty lazy way of creating tension.
I love Lucy ('s books). I love friends to lovers tropes. I particularly love friends to lovers when the friends are obviously already a couple and they just haven't figured it out yet. So, I really enjoyed this book.
This story also contains: an array of intriguing side characters, an adorable small town, dorky moments that make you sideways grin and a fair heaping of tension.
My only complaint is that there are a couple of moments where the narrator overtly foreshadows upcoming events, which I think is a pretty lazy way of creating tension.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Right as Raine is the first full length novel in the new Aster Valley series Lucy Lennox. Tiller Raine is on the top of his game as the first out wide receiver in the NFL. He's having an amazing season and his life and nutrition is kept organized by his favorite person Mikey Vining. Mikey has been working for Tiller for five years and has been doing his best to keep his inappropriate crush on his boss at bay. When an injury puts Tiller on the sideline Mikey decides to help by booking them in a cabin in Aster Valley, CO. What Mikey doesn't realize is that Tiller has been struggling with the same attraction for a long time, and it all comes to a head when they don't have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Time in Aster Valley shows them how good it can be and when Tiller is called back to play and Mikey must face the pressures of his family will they be able to hold on to the precious beginnings of their relationship or will be too much to handle.
Mikey is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Tiller getting the appropriate rest and treatment for his injury. He is a protective papa bear and only wants what's best for Tiller and not the Riggers. I didn't love he jumped to second guessing his relationship with Tiller so much. I felt like his backstory of having a previous dalliance with a football player go sour was unneeded and the story would have been just fine with the boss/employee aspect being the only issue. Also, Mikey's family is atrocious and you constantly want to cringe and then strangle them for how poorly they treated him. Which makes it even more special that Tiller treats him like the most important light in his life, and it's something Mikey totally deserves.
"I could get very used to being unavailable as long as it meant Tiller Raine kept kissing me".
While I enjoyed Mikey, I have to admit I absolutely loved Tiller Raine. He is such a cinnamon roll when it comes to his personal chef. In his eyes Mikey can do no wrong and deserves to be taken care of since he takes such good care of Tiller and asks for little to nothing in return. Tiller appreciates Mikey in a way that no one besides his friend Sam does, and it shows in how smoothly they are able to transition from their at home in Houston relationship to the intimate one in Aster Valley. Their chemistry felt natural and watching them come together didn't seem forced or pressured. Tiller learns that he must stand back and allow Mikey to fight his own battles only providing support when asked.
"He laughed again, a sound that was beginning to feel like oxygen to me. Necessary ... and thankfully plentiful."
Lucy Lennox has built a lovable small town in Aster Valley with strong main characters. The people in town are friendly and warm to Tiller and Mikey, sensing they belong there with them and making them feel welcome. You can immediately imagine the setting with the mountains and the snow of the Rockies. I can't wait to go back and see who else gets their HEA in Aster Valley.
Right as Raine is the first full length novel in the new Aster Valley series Lucy Lennox. Tiller Raine is on the top of his game as the first out wide receiver in the NFL. He's having an amazing season and his life and nutrition is kept organized by his favorite person Mikey Vining. Mikey has been working for Tiller for five years and has been doing his best to keep his inappropriate crush on his boss at bay. When an injury puts Tiller on the sideline Mikey decides to help by booking them in a cabin in Aster Valley, CO. What Mikey doesn't realize is that Tiller has been struggling with the same attraction for a long time, and it all comes to a head when they don't have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Time in Aster Valley shows them how good it can be and when Tiller is called back to play and Mikey must face the pressures of his family will they be able to hold on to the precious beginnings of their relationship or will be too much to handle.
Mikey is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Tiller getting the appropriate rest and treatment for his injury. He is a protective papa bear and only wants what's best for Tiller and not the Riggers. I didn't love he jumped to second guessing his relationship with Tiller so much. I felt like his backstory of having a previous dalliance with a football player go sour was unneeded and the story would have been just fine with the boss/employee aspect being the only issue. Also, Mikey's family is atrocious and you constantly want to cringe and then strangle them for how poorly they treated him. Which makes it even more special that Tiller treats him like the most important light in his life, and it's something Mikey totally deserves.
"I could get very used to being unavailable as long as it meant Tiller Raine kept kissing me".
While I enjoyed Mikey, I have to admit I absolutely loved Tiller Raine. He is such a cinnamon roll when it comes to his personal chef. In his eyes Mikey can do no wrong and deserves to be taken care of since he takes such good care of Tiller and asks for little to nothing in return. Tiller appreciates Mikey in a way that no one besides his friend Sam does, and it shows in how smoothly they are able to transition from their at home in Houston relationship to the intimate one in Aster Valley. Their chemistry felt natural and watching them come together didn't seem forced or pressured. Tiller learns that he must stand back and allow Mikey to fight his own battles only providing support when asked.
"He laughed again, a sound that was beginning to feel like oxygen to me. Necessary ... and thankfully plentiful."
Lucy Lennox has built a lovable small town in Aster Valley with strong main characters. The people in town are friendly and warm to Tiller and Mikey, sensing they belong there with them and making them feel welcome. You can immediately imagine the setting with the mountains and the snow of the Rockies. I can't wait to go back and see who else gets their HEA in Aster Valley.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book follows our out and proud Football player, Tiller, who needs a chef and the 'Always in the shadow' last son of the coach, Mikey, who just happens to cook like a dream. It's a story about finding something you love more and a friends to lovers trope that gave me all kinds of feels!!
.
My Rating :
.
My Rating :
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Right as Raine was pretty cute! I loved the banter between Tiller and Mikey and how supportive they were of each other. Their friendship and, later on, romantic relationship was so sweet and well developed and I loved reading about them discovering and admitting to each other they were in loooove.
I did have a hard time with the family dynamics regarding Mikey and his father, though. Those sections were really hard for me to read and I wasn't all that happy with how that turned out. This was still, overall, a really cheery and happy novel, though, and I really appreciated that.
I did have a hard time with the family dynamics regarding Mikey and his father, though. Those sections were really hard for me to read and I wasn't all that happy with how that turned out. This was still, overall, a really cheery and happy novel, though, and I really appreciated that.
emotional