Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
Oh, this one hurt. Throughout this entire series, I fell in love with each and every one of the Bertha boys, but Xander was always the one that I resonated with and favored the most, so I was so happy to finally get his happy ending. I swear the entire first third of this book made my heart hurt. Xander is a flawed person, and its hard to see him treat himself the way he does, but he is also just so pure and human that it shatters you when you read it. Derek was also a pleasant surprise; I absolutely loved him and the way he loves Xander, even if it hurt at times. I am so sad to see this series go, but this was a perfect conclusion for the Bertha boys, and they will stay in my mind and heart for times to come.
🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
Oh, this one hurt. Throughout this entire series, I fell in love with each and every one of the Bertha boys, but Xander was always the one that I resonated with and favored the most, so I was so happy to finally get his happy ending. I swear the entire first third of this book made my heart hurt. Xander is a flawed person, and its hard to see him treat himself the way he does, but he is also just so pure and human that it shatters you when you read it. Derek was also a pleasant surprise; I absolutely loved him and the way he loves Xander, even if it hurt at times. I am so sad to see this series go, but this was a perfect conclusion for the Bertha boys, and they will stay in my mind and heart for times to come.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC Review
Xander deals with a variety of mental health struggles all stemming from the neglect in his past. He has trouble forming relationships but has latched onto Derek, the nurse at the local pharmacy. Derek has made his life about Xander, making sure to be there when he needs it. But when their feelings soon grow past a platonic nurse/patient dynamic, they both have to make some tough choices in order to make sure their relationship is not only ethical, but successful long-term.
What I really liked was this was the exact journey both these characters needed to take. Xander has slowly been spiraling as the series has gone on and his friends find their partners, and it hits a breaking point for him. The first part was a bit frustrating, but it also makes sense why. He hasn't had great experiences with therapy in the past and is scared that he'll lose his sense of self. He cares deeply for those in his close circle but struggles to create healthy attachments. Xander had to actively choose to work on himself and make other people's happiness a priority by facing some harsh realities, but he's finally able to get to that point.
This was way more Xander's story than Derek's, but we still saw the conflict he had in drawing the line between caring for someone romantically and being a caregiver. He was absolutely right to try to play by the rules and make sure his career he loves was safe, but it wasn't easy when the person he was falling for was suffering. He had to make difficult choices that ultimately helped make their relationship work. He cares immensely for Xander and was willing to do whatever it takes to make it work, but I'm also glad he had a chance to step back and realize some of his dreams in the process.
The emotions didn't really hit for me, but I really liked watching them figure out their relationship. I do wish we got a little more of the found family, but with Xander needing to really focus on himself it makes sense why that wasn't really prominent. There were a lot of sweet Seven moments though, he and Derek bonding made my heart happy. The ending was so cozy and perfect, it made the long journey towards their happy ending worth it. Xander and Derek have been teased since the very beginning and it was the perfect way to close out the series. Some of my favorite books from Saxon James are in this series, and I'm so sad this is the end!
Read if you like:
• slow burn
• mental health rep
• forbidden romance lite
•••••••••••••••••••••
Xander deals with a variety of mental health struggles all stemming from the neglect in his past. He has trouble forming relationships but has latched onto Derek, the nurse at the local pharmacy. Derek has made his life about Xander, making sure to be there when he needs it. But when their feelings soon grow past a platonic nurse/patient dynamic, they both have to make some tough choices in order to make sure their relationship is not only ethical, but successful long-term.
What I really liked was this was the exact journey both these characters needed to take. Xander has slowly been spiraling as the series has gone on and his friends find their partners, and it hits a breaking point for him. The first part was a bit frustrating, but it also makes sense why. He hasn't had great experiences with therapy in the past and is scared that he'll lose his sense of self. He cares deeply for those in his close circle but struggles to create healthy attachments. Xander had to actively choose to work on himself and make other people's happiness a priority by facing some harsh realities, but he's finally able to get to that point.
This was way more Xander's story than Derek's, but we still saw the conflict he had in drawing the line between caring for someone romantically and being a caregiver. He was absolutely right to try to play by the rules and make sure his career he loves was safe, but it wasn't easy when the person he was falling for was suffering. He had to make difficult choices that ultimately helped make their relationship work. He cares immensely for Xander and was willing to do whatever it takes to make it work, but I'm also glad he had a chance to step back and realize some of his dreams in the process.
The emotions didn't really hit for me, but I really liked watching them figure out their relationship. I do wish we got a little more of the found family, but with Xander needing to really focus on himself it makes sense why that wasn't really prominent. There were a lot of sweet Seven moments though, he and Derek bonding made my heart happy. The ending was so cozy and perfect, it made the long journey towards their happy ending worth it. Xander and Derek have been teased since the very beginning and it was the perfect way to close out the series. Some of my favorite books from Saxon James are in this series, and I'm so sad this is the end!
Read if you like:
• slow burn
• mental health rep
• forbidden romance lite
•••••••••••••••••••••
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Since the very first book in this series and we were introduced to Xander I was so excited to get his story. The more you get to see him throughout the series the more questions you have.
This book is broken into 3 sections. Section and I will say in section 1 I really didn’t like Xander…. But section 2 & 3 really redeemed him in my eyes.
Derek is everything that Xander needed and I’m glad to see xanders progression and to see all the other characters from previous books.
I’m sad to see this series end but Saxon ended on a high note.
This book is broken into 3 sections. Section and I will say in section 1 I really didn’t like Xander…. But section 2 & 3 really redeemed him in my eyes.
Derek is everything that Xander needed and I’m glad to see xanders progression and to see all the other characters from previous books.
I’m sad to see this series end but Saxon ended on a high note.
"I want to make you happy. That’s it. That’s top of my dream board.”
I've been waiting for Xander's story for almost two years now and his was the perfect story to end our time with the Bertha Boys. There were so many things I loved about this book starting with our amazing found family and ending with Derek, Xander's perfect match.
"Derek is my real- life Prince Charming. Now, if only he’d do that part where he sweeps me off my feet."
Xander has a lot of anxiety, especially health anxiety. His family does what they can, but for the past few years he's depended a lot on his nurse Derek who can get through to him like no other. With each visit, their feelings for each other grow, but circumstances keep them apart until things finally change in a drastic way.
“Yeah, I am unavailable, Xander. Because I’m already yours.”
I wondered a lot about how things would be handled with Xander's issues and Derek's job but I shouldn't have doubted Saxon. I love how their story took place and how even though it hurt, they set the boundaries they needed and got to know each other outside of their professional relationship before diving into a personal one. Communication was such a big part of their lives and seeing the way their relationship grew in various ways over different periods of their life was amazing.
"Xander turns to look at me, and I have another one of those moments where I’m stunned stupid for a whole second, just by the sight of him."
Of course, there's no Xander without Seven and it's adorable how along with Molly and Derek they've built a mini family within their bigger family. The way Derek pushed them to take the hard steps but also accepted their place in Xander's life was one of my favorite parts. Also in a lot of stories love acts as a cure-all. But I appreciated the way they actually made the tough decisions in this one instead of just using love as a bandaid for some very real issues.
“I’ve been waiting my whole life for you. Just you. I’m not going anywhere.”
We also finally solved the mystery of the googly eyes! It was so much sadder than I thought it would be but also really endearing in a way. I'm going to miss these boys so much though and I wouldn't say no to an epilogue novella or something just to see them all together again. But I'm really happy with the way this series and this book ended. If you enjoy found family stories that hurt but also make you happy then you need to check this series out!
I've been waiting for Xander's story for almost two years now and his was the perfect story to end our time with the Bertha Boys. There were so many things I loved about this book starting with our amazing found family and ending with Derek, Xander's perfect match.
"Derek is my real- life Prince Charming. Now, if only he’d do that part where he sweeps me off my feet."
Xander has a lot of anxiety, especially health anxiety. His family does what they can, but for the past few years he's depended a lot on his nurse Derek who can get through to him like no other. With each visit, their feelings for each other grow, but circumstances keep them apart until things finally change in a drastic way.
“Yeah, I am unavailable, Xander. Because I’m already yours.”
I wondered a lot about how things would be handled with Xander's issues and Derek's job but I shouldn't have doubted Saxon. I love how their story took place and how even though it hurt, they set the boundaries they needed and got to know each other outside of their professional relationship before diving into a personal one. Communication was such a big part of their lives and seeing the way their relationship grew in various ways over different periods of their life was amazing.
"Xander turns to look at me, and I have another one of those moments where I’m stunned stupid for a whole second, just by the sight of him."
Of course, there's no Xander without Seven and it's adorable how along with Molly and Derek they've built a mini family within their bigger family. The way Derek pushed them to take the hard steps but also accepted their place in Xander's life was one of my favorite parts. Also in a lot of stories love acts as a cure-all. But I appreciated the way they actually made the tough decisions in this one instead of just using love as a bandaid for some very real issues.
“I’ve been waiting my whole life for you. Just you. I’m not going anywhere.”
We also finally solved the mystery of the googly eyes! It was so much sadder than I thought it would be but also really endearing in a way. I'm going to miss these boys so much though and I wouldn't say no to an epilogue novella or something just to see them all together again. But I'm really happy with the way this series and this book ended. If you enjoy found family stories that hurt but also make you happy then you need to check this series out!
I feel very sad that this series has ended. I loved all those characters and was very intrigued to discover Xander's story. We've known him for a while and I knew he was very special. The relationship between him and Derek was not starting the best. I loved how they knew they were made for each other but had to work through it. Derek was in it from the beginning but he fought Xander to get better. I loved the build-up and every moment between them is so special. All those guys deserved a happy ending and I love them ♡
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
❤️💙💜💚💛
Not Catching Love is the 5th book in the Accidental Love series. This is Xander and Derek book. Xander has owned my heart from the very begging of this series and I was so damn ready for this book, and of course Saxon James did not disappoint. I LOVE THIS BOOK! Xander struggles with me anxiety and Derek is the one person that he can always count on. Watching these 2 fall for each other and watching Derek help Xander was so beautiful. I just wish I could read this book all over again. Just Loved It ( I know I said that already) Also the cover of this book is absolutely stunning!!!!!
ARC Review
Not Catching Love is the 5th book in the Accidental Love series. This is Xander and Derek book. Xander has owned my heart from the very begging of this series and I was so damn ready for this book, and of course Saxon James did not disappoint. I LOVE THIS BOOK! Xander struggles with me anxiety and Derek is the one person that he can always count on. Watching these 2 fall for each other and watching Derek help Xander was so beautiful. I just wish I could read this book all over again. Just Loved It ( I know I said that already) Also the cover of this book is absolutely stunning!!!!!
ARC Review
I’ve been waiting for this book for years, so my expectations were high. While it wasn’t exactly what I imagined for Xander and Derek’s story, I still loved it! I would’ve enjoyed even more codependency (I’m obsessed), but I totally understand why Xander had to find his own way to heal and why Derek needed space to let that happen.
Their relationship is pure sweetness. Derek is such an incredible boyfriend and I loved how he accepted Xander, Seven and Molly as a package deal.
The ending was so adorable! My heart was bursting with happiness for my baby Xander. He deserved it all.
Their relationship is pure sweetness. Derek is such an incredible boyfriend and I loved how he accepted Xander, Seven and Molly as a package deal.
The ending was so adorable! My heart was bursting with happiness for my baby Xander. He deserved it all.
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book! I am so sad the series is finished. I wouldn’t mind if it went on forever. The found family Saxon has created is perfect, chef’s kiss!
Even though Saxon warned us that Xander may make us mad in the beginning I didn’t believe it. But I should have. And while he did make me angry it only made his character growth that much more.
I adored Xander and Derek’s friendship and the love that grew from it.
I do hope we get glimpses of the Bertha boys in future books!
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Foreward PR, and this is my honest review
Even though Saxon warned us that Xander may make us mad in the beginning I didn’t believe it. But I should have. And while he did make me angry it only made his character growth that much more.
I adored Xander and Derek’s friendship and the love that grew from it.
I do hope we get glimpses of the Bertha boys in future books!
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Foreward PR, and this is my honest review
Not Catching Love is the fifth and final installment of the Accidental Love series, and what a finale it was!
This series has followed the Bertha Boys and their journeys to find love. Xander's story has been highly anticipated, especially since the glimpses we saw of him in Seven's and Molly's story in book 2. It was clear going into this book that Xander's mental health would be at the forefront of the story and Saxon James did not disappoint. She wrote a truly authentic and powerful journey for Xander and his relationship with Derek. I strongly suggest for readers to take the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book very seriously- I found this book to be hard to read at times because it was so heavy and frankly, depressing for a good portion of it. Saxon warns that readers may not like Xander for the first part of the story and I found that to be accurate. While this story was incredibly well written, overall I found myself struggling to enjoy it for a few reasons. 1) as I mentioned, this story was heavy and depressing, not what I typically feel when reading a book by this author. 2) in comparison to the other couples in this series, I did not fall in love with Xander and Derek as a couple. Normally I feel the chemistry jumping off the page, especially with a hurt/comfort dynamic like with Seven and Molly, but that was lacking here. That's not to say they didn't have a good relationship because by the end they both fought for each other, but 3) the whole "forbidden" aspect of their relationship felt unnecessarily drawn out.
Overall I loved this series and this felt like the perfect ending for the Bertha Boys.
This series has followed the Bertha Boys and their journeys to find love. Xander's story has been highly anticipated, especially since the glimpses we saw of him in Seven's and Molly's story in book 2. It was clear going into this book that Xander's mental health would be at the forefront of the story and Saxon James did not disappoint. She wrote a truly authentic and powerful journey for Xander and his relationship with Derek. I strongly suggest for readers to take the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book very seriously- I found this book to be hard to read at times because it was so heavy and frankly, depressing for a good portion of it. Saxon warns that readers may not like Xander for the first part of the story and I found that to be accurate. While this story was incredibly well written, overall I found myself struggling to enjoy it for a few reasons. 1) as I mentioned, this story was heavy and depressing, not what I typically feel when reading a book by this author. 2) in comparison to the other couples in this series, I did not fall in love with Xander and Derek as a couple. Normally I feel the chemistry jumping off the page, especially with a hurt/comfort dynamic like with Seven and Molly, but that was lacking here. That's not to say they didn't have a good relationship because by the end they both fought for each other, but 3) the whole "forbidden" aspect of their relationship felt unnecessarily drawn out.
Overall I loved this series and this felt like the perfect ending for the Bertha Boys.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've been waiting for - and dreading - Xander's book because I knew it would hit me hard. And it did.
If you suffer from anxiety, this might be harder to read - and in some places cathartic, at least the tears I cried were.
This is also a slow burn but we've already been along for the ride for the past books in the series, so this is continuation from those. And still it takes time before Xander can get his HEA.
He needs to learn to trust in himself, and heal. And Derek wants to make sure he won't be just another crutch. I loved both men, they deserve their happy ever after - as did every single Bertha's boys.
If you suffer from anxiety, this might be harder to read - and in some places cathartic, at least the tears I cried were.
This is also a slow burn but we've already been along for the ride for the past books in the series, so this is continuation from those. And still it takes time before Xander can get his HEA.
He needs to learn to trust in himself, and heal. And Derek wants to make sure he won't be just another crutch. I loved both men, they deserve their happy ever after - as did every single Bertha's boys.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders