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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
4.5/5⭐
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley is the third standalone in the Green Valley Library series by smartypants romance. A book obsessed librarian and a morally gray biker, yes please
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley is the third standalone in the Green Valley Library series by smartypants romance. A book obsessed librarian and a morally gray biker, yes please
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/11/12/prose-before-bros-by-cathy-yardley/
I received a free copy through Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4 stars — I adore this author and the kinds of characters she brings to the table, and she didn’t disappoint in this book either. Drill and Thuy were hella unique, and I loved how they just fit with one another.
Now, I’ll start this review with an admission: I’m not a motorcycle club kind of girl…I just can’t seem to get over myself when the hero is part of something that does morally corrupt (or at least questionable) things. I’m kind of unforgiving in that way. And that bothered me with Drill in this book. But the funny thing is, I loved how Thuy and Maddy both brought him to task about some stuff. Still, it’s hard to swoon over a guy who has to have some of those things pointed out to him. I just couldn’t connect with all of who Drill was, I didn’t quite understand. I’m not sure I would have ever been satisfied though, but that’s just a personal taste thing, you know?
Now that’s not saying that I didn’t truly appreciate Drill’s struggle, and his facing the fact that that blankness he’d been experiencing was actually dissatisfaction. It’s an intriguing prospect, b/c from the beginning, we all know that getting “out” is just not something that is easily done. And I think I had a hard time with that, a hard time having faith in Ms. Yardley that she would come up with a solution that would satisfy me, but wouldn’t seem too easy, you know? (Have no fear, she didn’t let me down)
Aside from all of that, my favourite part of Drill was how sweet he could be, that really surprised and delighted me. I also loved how just having Maddy and Thuy in his life opened his eyes to so many possibilities.
And then there’s Thuy. I LOVED how passionate Thuy was about being a librarian, and I loved seeing her passion for books and reading spread to others. As a bibliophile, I’m always going to love a reader heroine. It’s a natural kinship. She was kind of a strange heroine in other ways, because she was so forthright and bold in so many ways. I loved the way she stood up for herself, and moreso for Maddy, and how fierce she could be. And GODDAMN I loved her nerdiness. I loved how excited she got talking games and books with everyone, but especially the teens. That was just exactly what I expect and love from Ms. Yardley.
I loved seeing the attraction and fun flirting between Thuy and Drill. You could really see their feelings move from attraction, to adding friendship, to wanting more than just the lust side of things. They connected over things that not many others would understand, and so they kind of became the perfect counterpoints to one another.
I will admit that there were moments where I just wanted more…maybe more depth from each of them, more depth to their relationship (it felt a bit fast at times, especially their feelings). Just…more. Hence why it’s not higher than 4 from me.
What’s great about a favourite author is that even when they write a book in a trope/genre I don’t gravitate towards, they still succeed in writing characters I can connect with and root for…and that’s exactly what happened for me with Drill. Thuy I was always going to love, because she’s just awesome.
I received a free copy through Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4 stars — I adore this author and the kinds of characters she brings to the table, and she didn’t disappoint in this book either. Drill and Thuy were hella unique, and I loved how they just fit with one another.
Now, I’ll start this review with an admission: I’m not a motorcycle club kind of girl…I just can’t seem to get over myself when the hero is part of something that does morally corrupt (or at least questionable) things. I’m kind of unforgiving in that way. And that bothered me with Drill in this book. But the funny thing is, I loved how Thuy and Maddy both brought him to task about some stuff. Still, it’s hard to swoon over a guy who has to have some of those things pointed out to him. I just couldn’t connect with all of who Drill was, I didn’t quite understand. I’m not sure I would have ever been satisfied though, but that’s just a personal taste thing, you know?
Now that’s not saying that I didn’t truly appreciate Drill’s struggle, and his facing the fact that that blankness he’d been experiencing was actually dissatisfaction. It’s an intriguing prospect, b/c from the beginning, we all know that getting “out” is just not something that is easily done. And I think I had a hard time with that, a hard time having faith in Ms. Yardley that she would come up with a solution that would satisfy me, but wouldn’t seem too easy, you know? (Have no fear, she didn’t let me down)
Aside from all of that, my favourite part of Drill was how sweet he could be, that really surprised and delighted me. I also loved how just having Maddy and Thuy in his life opened his eyes to so many possibilities.
And then there’s Thuy. I LOVED how passionate Thuy was about being a librarian, and I loved seeing her passion for books and reading spread to others. As a bibliophile, I’m always going to love a reader heroine. It’s a natural kinship. She was kind of a strange heroine in other ways, because she was so forthright and bold in so many ways. I loved the way she stood up for herself, and moreso for Maddy, and how fierce she could be. And GODDAMN I loved her nerdiness. I loved how excited she got talking games and books with everyone, but especially the teens. That was just exactly what I expect and love from Ms. Yardley.
I loved seeing the attraction and fun flirting between Thuy and Drill. You could really see their feelings move from attraction, to adding friendship, to wanting more than just the lust side of things. They connected over things that not many others would understand, and so they kind of became the perfect counterpoints to one another.
I will admit that there were moments where I just wanted more…maybe more depth from each of them, more depth to their relationship (it felt a bit fast at times, especially their feelings). Just…more. Hence why it’s not higher than 4 from me.
What’s great about a favourite author is that even when they write a book in a trope/genre I don’t gravitate towards, they still succeed in writing characters I can connect with and root for…and that’s exactly what happened for me with Drill. Thuy I was always going to love, because she’s just awesome.
Drill and Thuy.
This is part of the smarty pants romance series that is linked to Penny Reid Winston brothers series.
If you are interested in the Wraiths etc it is an interesting perspective for that reason I gave it a higher rating than I wanted to.
Drill is bored with club life, the women etc so as a result there are no intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
This one didn't work so much for me.
Plot spoilers below...
Why did Drill tell Catfish about the inheritance?
Anyone with any sense would think it would make them a target.
And the ending was too convenient, why did they use the reasoning earlier?
He was so non Alpha, going along with everything and a last minute conclusion.
They only got their HEA cos of the heroine imo.
HEA.
This is part of the smarty pants romance series that is linked to Penny Reid Winston brothers series.
If you are interested in the Wraiths etc it is an interesting perspective for that reason I gave it a higher rating than I wanted to.
Drill is bored with club life, the women etc so as a result there are no intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
This one didn't work so much for me.
Plot spoilers below...
Why did Drill tell Catfish about the inheritance?
Anyone with any sense would think it would make them a target.
And the ending was too convenient, why did they use the reasoning earlier?
He was so non Alpha, going along with everything and a last minute conclusion.
They only got their HEA cos of the heroine imo.
HEA.
Another Green Valley Library gem! Thuy is a strong willed librarian who has come to Green Valley with her pregnant best friend and Drill said best friends older brother and enforcer for the Iron Wraiths.
They have a fun, enemies to lovers type start, with some fun unresolved sexual tension along the way that kept me turning the page with urgency to get to the end. All while interweaving this fantastic friendship storyline with the girls.
I loved the fierceness of Thuy and how loyal and strong willed she is and Drill, despite being a member of the Wraiths made me easily fall in love with him. I didn’t think I would love a member of the Wraiths, but Cathy Yardley made me, and boy was I glad.
Overall a throughly enjoyable read, I hope I get to see more of these characters in the future.
They have a fun, enemies to lovers type start, with some fun unresolved sexual tension along the way that kept me turning the page with urgency to get to the end. All while interweaving this fantastic friendship storyline with the girls.
I loved the fierceness of Thuy and how loyal and strong willed she is and Drill, despite being a member of the Wraiths made me easily fall in love with him. I didn’t think I would love a member of the Wraiths, but Cathy Yardley made me, and boy was I glad.
Overall a throughly enjoyable read, I hope I get to see more of these characters in the future.
Really enjoyed the pacing and the characters, particularly further realities of how awful the MC is/was. However Catfish stepped firmly into irredeemable boundaries for me, and that irked me as it seemed likely he would get his own novel at some time in the future.
I enjoyed this story! It’s my first of the Smartypants library books, and I liked witnessing how these characters interacted with Green Valley.
Maddy and Thuy lived as best friends in Oakland, so when Maddy finds herself pregnant and single and decides to move home to Green Valley to raise her baby, Thuy moves with her. Thuy decides to put her librarian background to use by getting a probationary job at the local library. They soon come face to face with Maddy’s brother, an active member of the Iron Wraiths motorcycle club who goes by the name of Drill. Thuy and Drill have instant chemistry but many reasons they should avoid each other. Their paths continue to cross and they bond in ways they never expected.
I really enjoyed the author’s writing and the insights shared by both Thuy and Drill. They were nuanced and interesting as story leads. The plot of this book moves quickly, and I was never bored. However, I found the end of the story a bit too convenient, and the sex scenes very different from the rest of the book.
Maddy and Thuy lived as best friends in Oakland, so when Maddy finds herself pregnant and single and decides to move home to Green Valley to raise her baby, Thuy moves with her. Thuy decides to put her librarian background to use by getting a probationary job at the local library. They soon come face to face with Maddy’s brother, an active member of the Iron Wraiths motorcycle club who goes by the name of Drill. Thuy and Drill have instant chemistry but many reasons they should avoid each other. Their paths continue to cross and they bond in ways they never expected.
I really enjoyed the author’s writing and the insights shared by both Thuy and Drill. They were nuanced and interesting as story leads. The plot of this book moves quickly, and I was never bored. However, I found the end of the story a bit too convenient, and the sex scenes very different from the rest of the book.
Prose Before Bros tackles themes of friendship, romance, and what family really means. Thuy is such a strong heroine, with a resounding sense of loyalty that it's hard not to love and respect her from the very first pages. Watching her experience life in small town America, with all of the small-mindedness that can accompany that, and learn how to navigate that to help out her best friend is pretty fantastic. When you throw in a love interest with his own family/loyalty battles, this is a tough, but very worthy read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
WE FINALLY GET DRILL'S STORY!!
Drill has been a background character in the Winston Brothers story and I, for one, have been desperate for more of him and now I know he's ADORABLE.
We also get a little bit more insight into Catfish (I don't know if we'll ever truly get his story but BOO) and more on the Iron Wraiths.
This story focuses on Drill and Thuy (pronounced Twee) who moved to Green Valley with Drill's sister Maddie. Thuy has a bit of a drama filled back story of her own and I loved them together. She wasn't the kind of woman I expected Drill to go for.
I also loved all the book references in this (Thuy is a librarian obvi)
Drill has been a background character in the Winston Brothers story and I, for one, have been desperate for more of him and now I know he's ADORABLE.
We also get a little bit more insight into Catfish (I don't know if we'll ever truly get his story but BOO) and more on the Iron Wraiths.
This story focuses on Drill and Thuy (pronounced Twee) who moved to Green Valley with Drill's sister Maddie. Thuy has a bit of a drama filled back story of her own and I loved them together. She wasn't the kind of woman I expected Drill to go for.
I also loved all the book references in this (Thuy is a librarian obvi)