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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
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
4.25⭐️
Devoured Nate & Essie’s story in a day! I love me a grumpy MMC and Nate certainly delivered! This man thinks love is a sham, but when he can’t stop thinking about a kiss 6 years ago that he shared with a woman who’s obsessed with love….time will only tell if his thoughts will shift. The banter between these two will have you ready for that tension to snap….and when it does, it is so delicious!
What to expect:
🌸Grumpy x sunshine
🌸Forced proximity
🌸Opposites attract
🌸Best man x Maid of honor
🌸Found family
Thank you to much to Helena Hunting and her team for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I loved this book!! Essie and Nate were a great couple and a perfect example of opposites attracting!
In this standalone read from the Toronto Terror's series we get Essie and Nate's story. Essie is best friends with Rix - fiance to Tristan Stiles and sister to Flip Masterson while Nate is Tristan's younger brother. The pair are best man and maid of honor to Tristan and Rix for their upcoming nuptials however Essie is the complete opposite of Nate. Essie is the light to Nate's doom and gloom dark.
Essie has worked hard to make sure that Rix has a perfect, stress free wedding. She is a people pleaser and wants everyone to be happy. She has been Rix's friend since grade school and has a past with Nate - one that involved a kiss and then some ghosting on his part making her doubt herself. She has a history of falling in love at the first kiss and planning a future life with Mr. Wrong - that eventually causes her to have a man hiatus until Nate.
Nate is a damaged man. He is unsure about love considering his history of his mother abandoning him and his brothers as well as having his last girlfriend cheat on his to then declare that he is emotionally unavailable. He is attracted and drawn to Essie despite not wanting to be and admits that his actions in the past with her were wrong but still feels that he is right about his feelings regarding love. He only wants to make sure that his brother Tristan has a good wedding and start to his life with Rix. As a result of all of Essie's care and attention to detail, Nate's competitive side comes out and tensions rise as a result.
This pair were well written. The tension between the pair was palpable from their first interaction in the book. Both characters are a little damaged - Nate with his past with the abandonment of his mother when he was young and Essie with her feelings that she is only a pretty thing and her need to maintain that in her outside appearance. The chemistry between the pair was off the charts despite how hard the two fought against it until they could not any longer - and then could not get enough of each other. I enjoyed the return of the characters from the Terror series even if their appearances were brief. I also liked the emphasis on Nate getting the help that he needs to work through his mommy issues.
The story moved along well and had me hooked from the start. There were equal amounts of funny mishap moments as there were the tender loving moments. I also enjoyed the set up for the next book in the Terror series as well as the possible book after that.
Overall, this was a great read and I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I would recommend this book to others.
In this standalone read from the Toronto Terror's series we get Essie and Nate's story. Essie is best friends with Rix - fiance to Tristan Stiles and sister to Flip Masterson while Nate is Tristan's younger brother. The pair are best man and maid of honor to Tristan and Rix for their upcoming nuptials however Essie is the complete opposite of Nate. Essie is the light to Nate's doom and gloom dark.
Essie has worked hard to make sure that Rix has a perfect, stress free wedding. She is a people pleaser and wants everyone to be happy. She has been Rix's friend since grade school and has a past with Nate - one that involved a kiss and then some ghosting on his part making her doubt herself. She has a history of falling in love at the first kiss and planning a future life with Mr. Wrong - that eventually causes her to have a man hiatus until Nate.
Nate is a damaged man. He is unsure about love considering his history of his mother abandoning him and his brothers as well as having his last girlfriend cheat on his to then declare that he is emotionally unavailable. He is attracted and drawn to Essie despite not wanting to be and admits that his actions in the past with her were wrong but still feels that he is right about his feelings regarding love. He only wants to make sure that his brother Tristan has a good wedding and start to his life with Rix. As a result of all of Essie's care and attention to detail, Nate's competitive side comes out and tensions rise as a result.
This pair were well written. The tension between the pair was palpable from their first interaction in the book. Both characters are a little damaged - Nate with his past with the abandonment of his mother when he was young and Essie with her feelings that she is only a pretty thing and her need to maintain that in her outside appearance. The chemistry between the pair was off the charts despite how hard the two fought against it until they could not any longer - and then could not get enough of each other. I enjoyed the return of the characters from the Terror series even if their appearances were brief. I also liked the emphasis on Nate getting the help that he needs to work through his mommy issues.
The story moved along well and had me hooked from the start. There were equal amounts of funny mishap moments as there were the tender loving moments. I also enjoyed the set up for the next book in the Terror series as well as the possible book after that.
Overall, this was a great read and I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I would recommend this book to others.
emotional
reflective
This book was PHENOMENAL
Essie and Nate have always had a weird energy, finally finding out why was worth the wait.
Essie and Nate have to plan her best friend and his brothers stag and doe, wedding shower, and help with wedding planning. Putting them in each other’s path after 6 years of one kiss ending in a ghosting.
Essie is sunshine through and through. She is positive and bubbly and so caring. But strangers only see her beauty, not her brains. But Nathan sees it and shows her it.
Nathan is a grump because he had unresolved mommy issues. But he has to work that out before being with Ess.
I love how they each grow separately. I love that so many characters of Helena’s books showed up in this book. The banter and fun is all prevalent, while touching on tough topics.
Essie and Nate have always had a weird energy, finally finding out why was worth the wait.
Essie and Nate have to plan her best friend and his brothers stag and doe, wedding shower, and help with wedding planning. Putting them in each other’s path after 6 years of one kiss ending in a ghosting.
Essie is sunshine through and through. She is positive and bubbly and so caring. But strangers only see her beauty, not her brains. But Nathan sees it and shows her it.
Nathan is a grump because he had unresolved mommy issues. But he has to work that out before being with Ess.
I love how they each grow separately. I love that so many characters of Helena’s books showed up in this book. The banter and fun is all prevalent, while touching on tough topics.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Words are hard to find when trying to express how much I liked this book! Nate and Essie were refreshing characters in terms of being only congenitally connected to the Terror but still maintaining that love of the group. Each having their issues related to relationships while managing to plan and execute a wedding for their family/friend was so wonderfully done and I was rooting for them all book!
Top tier banter and the emotional intelligence shown by all was refreshing and inspiring.
Top tier banter and the emotional intelligence shown by all was refreshing and inspiring.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
From the very first page, I Could Be Yours, pulled me in with the perfect mix of awkward tension, old feelings and a second chance set-up I couldn’t resist. Essie is a romantic who is bright and hopelessly organized. She is the maid of honour preparing for her best friend's wedding. She is forced to plan this wedding with Best Man, Nate Stiles. Brother of the groom, and the man who ghosted her six years ago. Their reunion is prickly, hilarious, and charged with enough tension to light the entire wedding venue.
I expected the banter and slow-burning tension (which was perfect), but what I didn’t expect was how deeply this story would move me. There is vulnerability in both Essie and Nate, hidden grief, lingering guilt, and an ache of missed chances, that caught me completely off guard. I cried more than once, and the tears were both sad and happy. Helena Hunting balances the emotional weight so beautifully with moments of humour and lightness that made me laugh.
Essie’s voice is fresh and funny, and her inner world is so relatable, especially if you’ve ever carried the hurt of being left without answers. Nate’s quiet intensity and emotional growth gave the romance a satisfying depth and journey toward healing and forgiveness. The salsa dancing scenes? Perfection. The late-night honesty? Heart-wrenching. The ending? Worth every tear.
This wasn’t just a cute romance, it was healing, honest and cathartic in a way I didn’t see coming. I Could Be Yours isn’t just about love rekindled, it’s about what it’s like to be chosen, fully and finally.
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book; all opinions are 100% mine.
I expected the banter and slow-burning tension (which was perfect), but what I didn’t expect was how deeply this story would move me. There is vulnerability in both Essie and Nate, hidden grief, lingering guilt, and an ache of missed chances, that caught me completely off guard. I cried more than once, and the tears were both sad and happy. Helena Hunting balances the emotional weight so beautifully with moments of humour and lightness that made me laugh.
Essie’s voice is fresh and funny, and her inner world is so relatable, especially if you’ve ever carried the hurt of being left without answers. Nate’s quiet intensity and emotional growth gave the romance a satisfying depth and journey toward healing and forgiveness. The salsa dancing scenes? Perfection. The late-night honesty? Heart-wrenching. The ending? Worth every tear.
This wasn’t just a cute romance, it was healing, honest and cathartic in a way I didn’t see coming. I Could Be Yours isn’t just about love rekindled, it’s about what it’s like to be chosen, fully and finally.
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book; all opinions are 100% mine.
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Essie is a princess loving sunshine to Nate's Grumpy. This was such an incredible book. I loved the history between these two.
Their chemistry was absolutely off the charts even when they acted like they didn't like each other. What an incredible book. There were some absolutely amazing tender moments between the two.
I love how they worked through their deep rooted issue.
Incredible book! I'm excited for the next one.
Their chemistry was absolutely off the charts even when they acted like they didn't like each other. What an incredible book. There were some absolutely amazing tender moments between the two.
I love how they worked through their deep rooted issue.
Incredible book! I'm excited for the next one.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is probably best described as a hockey-adjacent romance, as neither protagonist plays hockey but both have family and/or social ties to the local professional team. The book almost functions as a sequel to If You Hate Me, as the story is framed by Rex and Tristan’s wedding and characters from previous instalments in the Terror series feature heavily. I am not sure how this would read as a complete standalone, but I enjoyed catching up with everyone (apart from Kodiak, who comes across as a caveman with no personality beyond a near-pathological obsession with his wife).
I have had a soft spot for the Stiles brothers since IYHM, so I was delighted to read Nate’s story. I thought the book did a good job of not just rehashing Tristan’s journey but making it Nate’s own, despite their shared trauma and the similar issues it engendered.
Essie wasn’t as interesting to me - I would have liked to see more about her work and what’s involved, and how the complexity and creativity of that work can be undervalued by others, rather than the focus being almost exclusively on how she is consistently underestimated due to her looks. That, along with her love of pink princess stuff and fairy tales, just felt a bit one-dimensional to me in terms of her characterisation and not quite meaty enough to be compelling.
The book did a great job of giving readers a few more insights into Connor’s back story and setting him up for his own story. I also enjoyed Flip’s appearances and the signs of his own growth since the beginning of the series (but was reassured that he still loves Kraft Dinner, which I find very relatable). His commitment to weekly bingo was endearing and his nickname for Nate cracked me up.
Many thanks to the author for the ARC.