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41 reviews for:

Like I Needed

Charlie Novak

4.14 AVERAGE

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective 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: Yes
emotional funny lighthearted 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: Yes

I loved this one! Will and Jamie's story was so sweet, but also so steamy! I really loved how into helping with the lambs Jamie was, and how Will just kept being delightfully surprised by it. As with each previous Heather Bay book, the friends group being a big part of the story was really great. I just love every single one of them, and holy cow I cannot WAIT for Alex's book!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

This was very sweet and soft. I liked it
emotional lighthearted relaxing 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: Complicated

#0.5 Like I Pictured: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#1 Like I Promised: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#2 Like I Wished: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#3 Like I Needed: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars

This was exactly what I have come to expect from a Charlie Novak story: low-angst, loveable characters, steamy interactions, and a great friend group.

Jaime is a big city playboy who is growing increasingly disenchanted with his life. So he decides to take a break, and spend some time in the English countryside to find what he really wants in life. Will is a hardworking farmer who is literally working himself into the ground to try to keep the family farm afloat. When sparks fly between the two in what was supposed to be a one night fling, they learn that maybe what they've really been needing is each other.

I really loved both Jamie and Will as main characters, and I especially loved their growth over the course of the book. Jaime had to learn to expect things of himself, and let others expect things of him too. And, Will had to learn how to depend on other people and that there is no shame is asking or accepting help. They really are a perfect match, and it was really lovely seeing them open up to each other.

Honestly, my only "issue" with this book is that Jamie and Will never use protection - not even the first time they are together. Now, yes. They do have a conversation about their testing status and that they are both on PrEP which is good. Those conversations are important, but they weren't enough in this situation for two reasons:
1. Jamie, by his own admission, will sleep with pretty much any man who is interested. We even see him setting up a threesome in the first chapter with his regular buddy as well as a waiter at the club they're hanging out at all. So even if he is getting tested regularly, it is entirely possible that he has been with 10-15+ people since his last test. And, if he is willing to have unprotected text with Will, how many of his other partners did he go without condoms with? Your last test being negative is great, but if you are regularly having unprotected sex with multiple partners, you can't guarantee that you are still negative. Also, PrEP does not protect against other STIs.
2. These two characters forgoing condoms seems wildly out of character for both of them. Jaime is a playboy, yes. But, most playboy characters (that I've read anyway) are actually really good about always using protection so the fact that he doesn't seemed off. Also, Will is supposed to be this incredibly responsible character so it also seemed that it didn't fit. If these had been two characters who had already known each other (either a second chance romance or a friends to lovers situation) it probably wouldn't have bothered me (or really even registered as an issue). Especially if they talk about how they haven't been with anyone since there last test. But, these are two strangers who know absolutely nothing about each other and both regularly engage in casual sex, and decide to take the other completely at their word and forgo condoms? Nah, I don't buy it.

While this didn't derail my enjoyment of the book, and I still really loved these characters it did throw me off for a bit. And, make me want to be able to jump into the book, chuck condoms at their foreheads and exit stage left. Haha.

Three Things:
1. "I hate it when people use being honest as a cover for being a right twat." Me too Will. Me too.
2. I really loved that there was no unnecessary drama or miscommunication - especially no third act breakup. It was two adults who had an honest conversation about their feelings.
3. I adore this friend group. And, even though I am a socially awkward introvert I think a pub night/trivia night when these guys would be a blast.

I absolutely love Alex as a character, I am so excited that we get his book next! Can't wait to see what kind of disaster situation he's gotten himself into.

content warnings: sex (on page), animal death (livestock, off page) 

"𝑯𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔."

𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝, the third book in the Heather Bay series by Charlie Novak is Will and Jamie's story.

Jamie was bored with his life in London so he took off to the country to find himself instead, he found a farmer named Will who changed his entire view on life.

Will and Jamie's love story is as magical as the fresh sparkling snow during the sunrise. I loved seeing how much Jamie transformed and grew from the beginning of the book and how he was just what Will needed to break down his walls and finally let someone else in.

This was my first Charlie Novak book and I am looking forward to reading more.

Get ready for... mm, small town, opposites attract, strangers, one-night stand, hook-ups, and dual first-person point of view.

𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 has a heat level of 3 flames and gets 4 maple leafs!
funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes