Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
Wow. This was my first Brighton Walsh book and I am impressed. She has a way with writing that is easily readable; my eyes flowed across the pages so easily that I was done with the book before I knew it…before I wanted it to end. A slow burn romance between a single mother and her older brother’s best friend (my favorite kind), that had everything a great novel needs.
Tessa has gone the difficult route of becoming a mother at a young age. She’s struggled, sacrificed, and overworked herself to provide for her little family. Being a single parent weighs heavily on her every day, and every little “failure” to her is a big thing. She’s like any normal mom is; being overly judgmental of oneself before realizing that your kid loves you unconditionally. And Tessa is honestly making it work. Cade, her brother, moved out a few months ago, and while she’s hitting curb after curb, somehow she’s surviving. Even if a little more ragged because of it. One person helping her continuously is Jason, her brother’s best friend. Anything that comes up, and there seems to be a full moon because there’s a lot of that happening lately, he’s there. Tessa was a completely relatable character. I saw myself in her, her feelings toward being a parent and if she’s doing okay enough for this little, amazing human being. And while she’s been burned in the past, she really was brave to explore things with Jason. She wasn’t the typical heroine who spent chapters debating if this was a good thing or if they should. She wanted it, went for it. Bam–just like that.
“I want her gripping and grappling and scratching. I want her teeth marks on my shoulder and scratches from her nails down my back. I want her moaning and writhing and panting and crying out my name. I want to sink into her, to feel her p***y pulsing around me, to see what she looks like under me as I f*** her.”
Jason doesn’t have a good reputation. Heck, even he knows that. He’s a handsome guy and he’s always used that to his advantage, and girls eat it up like candy. But he regrets that now. Now that Tessa is becoming something more to him. He’s been watching over her as her brother asked, but he can’t help but stop by even when he’s not even needed. Something about Tessa calls to him. And it’s more than that; something in Haley, Tessa’s daughter, calls to him too. The two of them crawl into his barren heart, and burrow deep. They took up residence without even asking. But Jason has things in his life that would taint the girls he wants most. Jason, he’s definitely earning a spot on my Book Boyfriend List. He was like a lot of the guys we read about, but there was something fundamentally different about him. Maybe because he was less broody, less resistant to start things with her, that made me love him. That, and he was also incredibly emotional for having two completely uncaring parents. He didn’t ever hold himself back, or his heart for that matter.
“‘Come on my hand, then I’m going to take you to your bedroom, lay you facedown on the bed so you can muffle your screams in a pillow, pull that pretty little a** up, and f*** you until you come again.'”
I can tell you that Brighton Walsh is now an auto-buy for me. Her words and story really settled in me, and the way she builds this slow burn that turns into a raging inferno…holy heck. Magical. It was sensual, sexy, and something palpable. You imagined him and could actually see this all playing out. Ms. Walsh is a storyteller, plain and simple. You will love TESSA EVER AFTER for it’s romance, friendship, and that incorrigible slow burn. It’s worthy of a reread, and I’ll be doing that.
**Received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Tessa has gone the difficult route of becoming a mother at a young age. She’s struggled, sacrificed, and overworked herself to provide for her little family. Being a single parent weighs heavily on her every day, and every little “failure” to her is a big thing. She’s like any normal mom is; being overly judgmental of oneself before realizing that your kid loves you unconditionally. And Tessa is honestly making it work. Cade, her brother, moved out a few months ago, and while she’s hitting curb after curb, somehow she’s surviving. Even if a little more ragged because of it. One person helping her continuously is Jason, her brother’s best friend. Anything that comes up, and there seems to be a full moon because there’s a lot of that happening lately, he’s there. Tessa was a completely relatable character. I saw myself in her, her feelings toward being a parent and if she’s doing okay enough for this little, amazing human being. And while she’s been burned in the past, she really was brave to explore things with Jason. She wasn’t the typical heroine who spent chapters debating if this was a good thing or if they should. She wanted it, went for it. Bam–just like that.
“I want her gripping and grappling and scratching. I want her teeth marks on my shoulder and scratches from her nails down my back. I want her moaning and writhing and panting and crying out my name. I want to sink into her, to feel her p***y pulsing around me, to see what she looks like under me as I f*** her.”
Jason doesn’t have a good reputation. Heck, even he knows that. He’s a handsome guy and he’s always used that to his advantage, and girls eat it up like candy. But he regrets that now. Now that Tessa is becoming something more to him. He’s been watching over her as her brother asked, but he can’t help but stop by even when he’s not even needed. Something about Tessa calls to him. And it’s more than that; something in Haley, Tessa’s daughter, calls to him too. The two of them crawl into his barren heart, and burrow deep. They took up residence without even asking. But Jason has things in his life that would taint the girls he wants most. Jason, he’s definitely earning a spot on my Book Boyfriend List. He was like a lot of the guys we read about, but there was something fundamentally different about him. Maybe because he was less broody, less resistant to start things with her, that made me love him. That, and he was also incredibly emotional for having two completely uncaring parents. He didn’t ever hold himself back, or his heart for that matter.
“‘Come on my hand, then I’m going to take you to your bedroom, lay you facedown on the bed so you can muffle your screams in a pillow, pull that pretty little a** up, and f*** you until you come again.'”
I can tell you that Brighton Walsh is now an auto-buy for me. Her words and story really settled in me, and the way she builds this slow burn that turns into a raging inferno…holy heck. Magical. It was sensual, sexy, and something palpable. You imagined him and could actually see this all playing out. Ms. Walsh is a storyteller, plain and simple. You will love TESSA EVER AFTER for it’s romance, friendship, and that incorrigible slow burn. It’s worthy of a reread, and I’ll be doing that.
**Received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
I completely forgot to rate and review this after finishing it but this was *so* much more enjoyable than the first book in this series and I was 100% more invested in the couple. Tessa and Jason were perfect together and I absolutely loved the little family they made with Haley. If you love a romance where the MMC falls first and falls extremely hard for the FMC, you'll definitely enjoy this. It has such a great balance of individual character growth for both MCs, swoontastic romance and smouldering sexual chemistry that oozed off the pages, as well as plenty of heartwarming family moments, too. I loved seeing Jason with Haley were so incredibly sweet and Tessa's dedication to her daughter's happiness was also very admirable. I absolutely loved the build of the chemistry between them—it was explosive and it was so satisfying to see them finally get together. They definitely had their struggles and mostly their own fears and insecurities that held them back but it was also very satisfying to see them grow through it to come out stronger on the other side. The ending was wonderfully cheesy and swoony and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So guys,
Jason and Tessa have known each other for years. Her brother Cade is Jason's best friend. When Cade gets a job offer that he can't refuse, he leaves the state, thus leaving Jason with the important role of looking after Tessa and her daughter, Haley. Jason takes his new role seriously. From playdates with Haley to late night venting sessions with Tessa, Jason has become this solid rock that Tessa comes to rely on most. Then the feelings, which have been lurking under the surface, start coming out and both must decide just how important the other is.
Brighton Walsh captured my heart with Caged in Winter, the story of Tessa's older brother Cade and his now girlfriend Winter. But with Tessa Ever After, she stole it completely. These characters that she's created - this odd family of sorts - seem so real that it's almost like you're listening to an old friend talk about their life rather than reading a story.
Tessa was young when she became a mom, but she adapted quick - she had to. Haley is her world. This, plus losing her parents, meant that she really had no one but her brother. When he leaves, her life is thrown into chaos. Gone is the structure that once comforted her, now she's struggling to pick up her daughter from day care on time, cook dinner, and just be a mom.
Jason comes from a family of wealth - but with strings. His parents expect him to take over the family business, something that Jason wants no part of. Afraid to tell his parents this, he acts out in other ways - mostly chain hookups. But one thing that he will always do is drop everything when Tessa calls. Slowly, without him even realizing it, Tessa and Haley become his world. Something that he knows shouldn't be, and not even because it's his best friends sister, but because Tessa deserves more than what Jason thinks he can give her.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Every action that every character did made sense. Walsh wrote them in such a perfect way that even when they should have pissed me off, I wasn't mad. It was in their nature to act as they did and I was just along for the ride. The growth that both of these characters go through is plain to see. Jason's is a little more obvious as he's struggling to break free of his parents. But even with Tessa, a girl who's had to grow up before her time, is still learning about herself and what she wants vs what she thinks she needs.
Throw in an adorable child and I wanted more. Especially scenes with Haley and Jason. There is just something about a grown man playing dress up with a little girl that just melts the heart. And melt it he did, like polar ice cap melting.
The chemistry between these two was just off the charts which led to some great sexy times. But there were also the moments of true friendship, of two people supporting each other, that just made this come full circle for me. It wasn't just about finding love with each other, it was about finding themselves, as corny as that sounds. It's rare that a sequel surpasses the first, but this one certainly did. Ahhh, writing this review has made me want to reread it. Everyone needs to read this one. Right now!
Jason and Tessa have known each other for years. Her brother Cade is Jason's best friend. When Cade gets a job offer that he can't refuse, he leaves the state, thus leaving Jason with the important role of looking after Tessa and her daughter, Haley. Jason takes his new role seriously. From playdates with Haley to late night venting sessions with Tessa, Jason has become this solid rock that Tessa comes to rely on most. Then the feelings, which have been lurking under the surface, start coming out and both must decide just how important the other is.
Brighton Walsh captured my heart with Caged in Winter, the story of Tessa's older brother Cade and his now girlfriend Winter. But with Tessa Ever After, she stole it completely. These characters that she's created - this odd family of sorts - seem so real that it's almost like you're listening to an old friend talk about their life rather than reading a story.
Tessa was young when she became a mom, but she adapted quick - she had to. Haley is her world. This, plus losing her parents, meant that she really had no one but her brother. When he leaves, her life is thrown into chaos. Gone is the structure that once comforted her, now she's struggling to pick up her daughter from day care on time, cook dinner, and just be a mom.
Jason comes from a family of wealth - but with strings. His parents expect him to take over the family business, something that Jason wants no part of. Afraid to tell his parents this, he acts out in other ways - mostly chain hookups. But one thing that he will always do is drop everything when Tessa calls. Slowly, without him even realizing it, Tessa and Haley become his world. Something that he knows shouldn't be, and not even because it's his best friends sister, but because Tessa deserves more than what Jason thinks he can give her.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Every action that every character did made sense. Walsh wrote them in such a perfect way that even when they should have pissed me off, I wasn't mad. It was in their nature to act as they did and I was just along for the ride. The growth that both of these characters go through is plain to see. Jason's is a little more obvious as he's struggling to break free of his parents. But even with Tessa, a girl who's had to grow up before her time, is still learning about herself and what she wants vs what she thinks she needs.
Throw in an adorable child and I wanted more. Especially scenes with Haley and Jason. There is just something about a grown man playing dress up with a little girl that just melts the heart. And melt it he did, like polar ice cap melting.
The chemistry between these two was just off the charts which led to some great sexy times. But there were also the moments of true friendship, of two people supporting each other, that just made this come full circle for me. It wasn't just about finding love with each other, it was about finding themselves, as corny as that sounds. It's rare that a sequel surpasses the first, but this one certainly did. Ahhh, writing this review has made me want to reread it. Everyone needs to read this one. Right now!
I loved every second of this book! I've said it once, I'll say it again a good book makes you feel all the feels, and this book does just that! Tessa and Jason are so perfectly matched that it's kinda hard to believe that they weren't together before. I also loved that every character in the book had so much complexity to them that it was so real and relatable. It's definitely a must-read! Off to read the rest of this series!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Cute. This was oddly my last Reluctant Hearts book (I read them out of order), but Tessa and Jason definitely caught my eye after reading the other two. I'm glad they were happier longer ("waiting for the other shoe to drop"). I thought Jason's big actions at the end were a little too extreme (wasn't he doing what his parents wanted, really? And he could've resolved the issue without waiting so long to make a grand gesture!). But it was a great bridge between the two other books in the series.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Actually 3.5 Stars
This book was good, I enjoyed it. I really like how Jason was like a father to Haley and got down to her level with playing tea parties and dressing up in girly hats. and I enjoy him and Tessa together. Though what I didn't care for was all the swearing that was in this book. I get it, it's a new adult romance and stuff, but I just felt like it was F that and F this everything time they open their mouth.
This book was good, I enjoyed it. I really like how Jason was like a father to Haley and got down to her level with playing tea parties and dressing up in girly hats. and I enjoy him and Tessa together. Though what I didn't care for was all the swearing that was in this book. I get it, it's a new adult romance and stuff, but I just felt like it was F that and F this everything time they open their mouth.