Reviews - Come As You Are | The StoryGraph

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419 reviews for:

Come As You Are

Jess K. Hardy

4.04 AVERAGE

mabellene's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous emotional 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

Come As You Are is a romance between Ashley, the owner of a ski mountain in dire financial straits, and Madigan, a former addict who now runs a group home. I really liked the way all the men were portrayed and liked the it really emphasized that they are not bad people just because they made some bad life choices.

I loved that both the main characters are older! It was so refreshing to have middle aged characters in a romance.

I hope as the series continues we get to see more on Kev and Davis and also Clay and Maude Alice.

Content Warnings

steffany9's review

3.5

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

mrsmaartensson's review against another edition

4.25

Hope and Fear

“Come As You Are” by Jess K. Hardy is perfect for readers who adore heartwarming, emotional, and inspiring stories about second chances, recovery, and the transformative power of love. Set against the snowy mountains, this novel features a swoon-worthy romance that will leave readers feeling hot, hopeful, and uplifted.

This novel is the first in Hardy’s ‘Bluebird Basin’ romance series, featuring protagonists who are refreshingly Generation X’ers. In “Come As You Are,” we follow Madigan, a former rock star and recovering addict, and Ashley, a grieving divorcée fighting to keep her business afloat. Both struggle with regrets, low self-esteem, and disbelief in their own value and worth as partners.

While the topics are certainly heavy, they are beautifully handled, creating space for great honesty and vulnerability in both the main and side characters. Some of my favorite parts were the interactions, openness, and support among the Little Timber men, Madigan’s sober living home for recovering addicts. These moments really make you root for them and almost steal the show from Madigan and Ashley.

I recommend “Come As You Are” to readers who enjoy a romance between a more mature couple than is typically portrayed in the genre, in a story full of vulnerable men and strong women. Additionally, readers of Sarina Bowen, Devney Perry, and Rebecca Yarros’ ‘Madigan Mountain’ series will most likely also love this.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with this ARC.

melga8's review

2.75

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

alliyisreading's review against another edition

4.25

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

gimli5's review against another edition

3.5

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

headcanonheadcase's review

4.0

I devoured this book. There was something about the older protagonists. They had both made mistakes in their past, and it wasn't so much about starting over as it was about moving forward. And both were so mature. Sometimes books feature characters in their later 20s/early 30s that still act like teenagers, but Ashley and Madigan were adults and it was so refreshing. Not to mention that they had a conversation and did not fall victim to the miscommunication trope. Hallelujah!

I would recommend this book for someone who is looking for a romance with heart and heat. It delivered on both and had me checking out Jess K. Hardy's backlist for other books to add to my TBR.