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Meh.
Her family treats her like sh*t and she is labelled the town sl*t for reasons unbeknownst. He’s the town “hero” they end up on a cruise together, you know the rest. A frustrating story overall, because the main character doesn’t see her worth and needs a man to help her realize how great she is.
Her family treats her like sh*t and she is labelled the town sl*t for reasons unbeknownst. He’s the town “hero” they end up on a cruise together, you know the rest. A frustrating story overall, because the main character doesn’t see her worth and needs a man to help her realize how great she is.
I fell in love with him, and I think maybe, for a moment in time, he fell in love with me, too.
My introduction to Shen’s books were The Kiss Thief and Vicious/Ruckus. So needless to say, I wasn’t expecting this one! If I hadn’t read the blurb, I would have read it for the prologue alone! Living in a small town means small town connections, and gossip. And this is lacking neither, right from the start! Messy Nessy is the town's problem child. Except…the only thing wrong with her was the town, and the damage it had done to her. One of their golden boys knocked her up and bailed, leaving her to become a teenage mother, and the laugh of the town. Thirteen years later, and everything has only gotten worse. Especially since her ex suddenly shows up after all this time after complete silence, and then she completely screws up the family cruise. Messy Nessy is at it again! While Cruz is really upset that her screw up affected him, he doesn’t hold it against her. At least not completely. Lucky for her, he’s been pining for her since she struggled with potty training. The only thing he wants from her: a back bone! And that’s not an easy task, which is something he soon realizes. It becomes too much for him, knowing he deserves better than what she’s willing to offer him (which isn’t much). But then Tennessee comes pretty close to crawling on her knees and begging. What she does do however, is so much better. And, it involves a back bone!
Sweetheart count: 21
My Favorite Quotes:
• “I usually like my dates at crotch level. If they’re at my feet, they’re doing something wrong.”
• “You know I’m the only thing allowed to make your behind red.”
• “Your craziness heightens your hotness.”
• “You are, and always will be, the most beautiful girl in Fairhope, North Carolina.”
• “Tennessee Lilybeth Turner. The most beautiful girl alive.”
• “You can do whatever the hell you want and still be golden in my eyes.”
• “Every time I kissed a girl, I always thought to myself- I wonder what Tennessee tastes like?”
• “Even if you danced around it to try to make it rain, it’d still be perfect.”
• “I missed this.” “I missed you.”
• “It’s high time someone tamed you, Miss Turner.”
• “I’m not going to chase you forever.”
• “You said nothing doesn’t suit you-well, give me your all.”
7/10 Dirty Birdy
6/10 Enemies to Lovers
7/10 Forced Proximity
7/10 Second Chance
My introduction to Shen’s books were The Kiss Thief and Vicious/Ruckus. So needless to say, I wasn’t expecting this one! If I hadn’t read the blurb, I would have read it for the prologue alone! Living in a small town means small town connections, and gossip. And this is lacking neither, right from the start! Messy Nessy is the town's problem child. Except…the only thing wrong with her was the town, and the damage it had done to her. One of their golden boys knocked her up and bailed, leaving her to become a teenage mother, and the laugh of the town. Thirteen years later, and everything has only gotten worse. Especially since her ex suddenly shows up after all this time after complete silence, and then she completely screws up the family cruise. Messy Nessy is at it again! While Cruz is really upset that her screw up affected him, he doesn’t hold it against her. At least not completely. Lucky for her, he’s been pining for her since she struggled with potty training. The only thing he wants from her: a back bone! And that’s not an easy task, which is something he soon realizes. It becomes too much for him, knowing he deserves better than what she’s willing to offer him (which isn’t much). But then Tennessee comes pretty close to crawling on her knees and begging. What she does do however, is so much better. And, it involves a back bone!
Sweetheart count: 21
My Favorite Quotes:
• “I usually like my dates at crotch level. If they’re at my feet, they’re doing something wrong.”
• “You know I’m the only thing allowed to make your behind red.”
• “Your craziness heightens your hotness.”
• “You are, and always will be, the most beautiful girl in Fairhope, North Carolina.”
• “Tennessee Lilybeth Turner. The most beautiful girl alive.”
• “You can do whatever the hell you want and still be golden in my eyes.”
• “Every time I kissed a girl, I always thought to myself- I wonder what Tennessee tastes like?”
• “Even if you danced around it to try to make it rain, it’d still be perfect.”
• “I missed this.” “I missed you.”
• “It’s high time someone tamed you, Miss Turner.”
• “I’m not going to chase you forever.”
• “You said nothing doesn’t suit you-well, give me your all.”
7/10 Dirty Birdy
6/10 Enemies to Lovers
7/10 Forced Proximity
7/10 Second Chance
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Oh my good i'm speachless and still trying to find words to describe my freaking feelings and about this book because it was amazing. One of the of many things i freaking loved while reading was the way this author really takes me trough life situations i hadn't been in my self yet going trough it with the Characters and hug, shake, and cheer for them the whole journey.
I loved following this story and seeing how the Character grow as a team and each for him or herself because L.j. is master of character development.
This more than perfectly written story drew me to the pages, because seeing how Images others gave define us more than they should, was something found helpful. This book sends such an important Massage and i got it.
Also it shows dynamics in our Society, that aren't that well and critises them, whlie edding and describing intense feeling trough it in a way that got me hooked and never made feel as i was out of the characters minds and hearts.
Nessy is a women who earned herself a place in my reader heart. She does everrything in her power to support herself and her child, while deals with the things life throws as her. Nessy is a strong women and nows how to call people out.
Curz is a golden boy but so much more. He does what he want's and doesn't think to much about other people. He loves twice as as hard as possible if you give him the chance. He never does halfhearted things.
To conclude you can read here that miss Shen created an other intense story that put it self on my highlight of 2021 list. I wish i could be able tor read this touching story for the first time again. Ig get tenthousend of ten stars
I loved following this story and seeing how the Character grow as a team and each for him or herself because L.j. is master of character development.
This more than perfectly written story drew me to the pages, because seeing how Images others gave define us more than they should, was something found helpful. This book sends such an important Massage and i got it.
Also it shows dynamics in our Society, that aren't that well and critises them, whlie edding and describing intense feeling trough it in a way that got me hooked and never made feel as i was out of the characters minds and hearts.
Nessy is a women who earned herself a place in my reader heart. She does everrything in her power to support herself and her child, while deals with the things life throws as her. Nessy is a strong women and nows how to call people out.
Curz is a golden boy but so much more. He does what he want's and doesn't think to much about other people. He loves twice as as hard as possible if you give him the chance. He never does halfhearted things.
To conclude you can read here that miss Shen created an other intense story that put it self on my highlight of 2021 list. I wish i could be able tor read this touching story for the first time again. Ig get tenthousend of ten stars
Admittedly a bit dumb and problematic, but oh, well. I enjoyed it, and it made me laugh. It was especially fun to read the first part of the book while I was on a cruise ship myself.
I love larger than life heroines and Messy Nessy is all that and more. Single mother, waitress and town scapegoat, Tennessee Turner is the blacks sheep of her family and the whipping girl of the entire town. When she is tasked with booking a room on a cruise for her golden sisters' pre-wedding celebrations, things go awry and she is booked on the wrong cruise with her uptight arch nemesis.
Enemies to lovers in a big way, we get to watch as Tennessee and Cruz let down their walls and what happens as they try to slot back into their small town world.
A fun, easy read that makes you feel like you are on holidays yourself. I'd highly recommend as an escape from reality.
Enemies to lovers in a big way, we get to watch as Tennessee and Cruz let down their walls and what happens as they try to slot back into their small town world.
A fun, easy read that makes you feel like you are on holidays yourself. I'd highly recommend as an escape from reality.
hated everyone in this book except for the fmc, my girl deserved better, fuck them all<3
This was really good, quirky southern Belle Tennessee was a hoot. In so many ways this book reminded me of Lothaire(one of my all time favorites).
Really different to other L.J. Shen books I've read and I THOROUGHLY enjoyed listening to this emotional romance!! Shows the reality of self-doubt and family issues. My only issue was MMC's behaviour at the end was a little too harsh and didn't seem fair, even though I understood why he did it.
4.5/5 Stars
1/5 Spice
4.5/5 Stars
1/5 Spice
Okay... I have some concerns about this book.
I don't understand why Tennessee's family acts like this towards her. If anyone should know that "Messy Nessy" isn't messy at all. They should know, out of everyone in that town, that Tennessee wasn't with a man again after getting pregnant, that she was a great mom for what she had to go through, and that she was basically bullied by the majority of the town. I just don't get it.
I also don't understand how anyone in her family could tell her to give Rob another chance! Like HELLO?! You want her to give a grown ass man who was radio silent for 13 years, who didn't even tell his second wife he had a son, and who tried to get back with Tennessee because he didn't know if anyone else would have him, another chance?! Get fucked! It just doesn't make sense to me how Trinity claimed high school was bad for her because she had to defend Tennessee all the time, but yet here she is not denying the current rumors about Tennessee. I don't get it.
I also didn't care for Cruz. He's telling Tennessee that she should grow a backbone and don't let anyone treat her like how they have been, to stand up for herself etc. But he's not doing that for himself! He's Fairhope's Golden Boy and yet he doesn't correct his mom when she mentions Gabby on the cruise, he doesn't tell Trinity to lay off Tennessee, and he tells Tennessee how to dress. If she wants to wear "trashy" clothes then you can't be telling her she should stand up for herself if you're telling her how to dress.
Redeemable qualities from this book: I love Tennessee. I think she is a very strong character that got pushed into a corner (metaphorically) in the end with Cruz. I love her parenting and how she didn't push Bear to reunite with his dad. I love how she focuses on his reputation when she declines Cruz's ultimatum. I also love how in the beginning she was unapologetically herself.
I don't understand why Tennessee's family acts like this towards her. If anyone should know that "Messy Nessy" isn't messy at all. They should know, out of everyone in that town, that Tennessee wasn't with a man again after getting pregnant, that she was a great mom for what she had to go through, and that she was basically bullied by the majority of the town. I just don't get it.
I also don't understand how anyone in her family could tell her to give Rob another chance! Like HELLO?! You want her to give a grown ass man who was radio silent for 13 years, who didn't even tell his second wife he had a son, and who tried to get back with Tennessee because he didn't know if anyone else would have him, another chance?! Get fucked! It just doesn't make sense to me how Trinity claimed high school was bad for her because she had to defend Tennessee all the time, but yet here she is not denying the current rumors about Tennessee. I don't get it.
I also didn't care for Cruz. He's telling Tennessee that she should grow a backbone and don't let anyone treat her like how they have been, to stand up for herself etc. But he's not doing that for himself! He's Fairhope's Golden Boy and yet he doesn't correct his mom when she mentions Gabby on the cruise, he doesn't tell Trinity to lay off Tennessee, and he tells Tennessee how to dress. If she wants to wear "trashy" clothes then you can't be telling her she should stand up for herself if you're telling her how to dress.
Redeemable qualities from this book: I love Tennessee. I think she is a very strong character that got pushed into a corner (metaphorically) in the end with Cruz. I love her parenting and how she didn't push Bear to reunite with his dad. I love how she focuses on his reputation when she declines Cruz's ultimatum. I also love how in the beginning she was unapologetically herself.