Scan barcode
A review by amym84
Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis
5.0
4.5
After the death of their parents, Piper Manning took over the care of her younger siblings. Barely out of childhood herself, Piper stepped up to make sure that her brother and sister never went without even though things were tight. But this meant that Piper went without a lot. Now, as she reluctantly celebrates her 30th birthday, Piper is finally beginning to look towards the future which includes selling the home she and her siblings inherited from their grandparents and going to school to become a physicians assistant. She's even got all the steps written down in her handy journal so she can remain on track. But when her brother and sister - Gavin and Winnie - show up back in Wildstone without warning, Piper knows it's because they're having personal problems of her own. Problems she knows she'll be called upon to fix. Not that she won't, but as time goes on, it's starting to wear on Piper. Throw new-to-town Camden Reid into the mix and Piper is going to need to add another page to her journal. She's not used to opening up to people and letting them in because she's always had to be strong for everyone else. But if Piper, Gavin, and Winnie want a chance at a future relationship, they'll need to start talking to one another.
Once I started reading Almost Just Friends everything just clicked. I equally wanted to rush through it, but I also never wanted it to end. It's the type of book that left me with a book hangover. I've found it difficult to pick up and settle myself in another story world. I really just needed like another 50+ pages of this book to read. I guess you could say I loved it.
And I did. I think it's my favorite of the Wildstone series thus far.
The book mainly revolves around Piper. Although we do get Cam's point of view along with her brother Gavin's as well, the main components of the story deals with Piper.
I loved how Jill Shalvis wove everything together. The issues that each sibling is still dealing with in regards to the loss of their parents at such a young age. The fact that Piper had to give up her life in order to raise her siblings. It's all basically coming to a boiling point. I liked seeing this crossroads of sorts. Where they could continue on with their relationships the way they have been with Piper in the role of parent instead of equal sibling putting aside her hopes and dreams to ensure Gavin and Winnie are ok. Gavin and Winnie can continue to rely so much on their sister to fix the problems that they don't learn to figure it out for themselves. Or they can change it all. I loved watching the dynamic between Piper and Gavin and Winnie. Its speaks to a lot of familial relationships. You invariably love your family, but sometimes you can't support the decisions they make.
With Gavin's point of view we find out that he's returned to Wildstone still carrying some demons, but wanting to make amends to those he's hurt in the past, not only Piper, but his ex-boyfriend CJ. While we didn't see Gavin at his worst moments, you can still feel the maturity he's acquired, you can feel the progress he's made in his life. Jill Shalvis does a great job of making the hurts that Gavin caused deftly felt, but also the idea that forgiveness is obtainable.
Adding Cam into the mix, I just loved the way that he was there for Piper. He became her rock, the person she leaned on. It's probably the first time in her life that she's had that. His patience and understanding of Piper's needs and dreams and wants was great to read. He never pressured her to define what they were instead letting her go at her own pace. I loved the way their relationship progressed.
Cam himself is in Wildstone for his own reasons, one of which is to reconnect with his estranged father. While their quasi-reunion isn't given a whole lot of attention, I liked the fact that Cam's father acknowledges mistakes he made in the past in regards to Cam and reiterates time and time again how he's going to fix it. It's another part of the family dynamic that we get to see from a different perspective.
For reasons unknown, Winnie - the youngest Manning sibling - does not get her own point of view. Maybe it's because a lot of what Gavin and Piper have to reconcile with has to do with the loss of their parents in which case Winnie was too young to remember them. Or maybe it's because the direction her story takes is a more familiar one that I know I've read different iterations of in various books. I won't pretend to know, but I also don't think it hurts the story except for the fact that I felt she gets a little overshadowed. What Winnie is dealing with is kind of major but because she's never the focus, so I never felt like we were getting a good progression of her story. That's probably the only thing I'm a bit iffy on with the story.
So far, the Wildstone series has had a heavy family relationship dynamic running through it, but I feel like Almost Just Friends really nails it as far as balancing the family and romantic relationships.
I cannot wait for my next visit to Wildstone!
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After the death of their parents, Piper Manning took over the care of her younger siblings. Barely out of childhood herself, Piper stepped up to make sure that her brother and sister never went without even though things were tight. But this meant that Piper went without a lot. Now, as she reluctantly celebrates her 30th birthday, Piper is finally beginning to look towards the future which includes selling the home she and her siblings inherited from their grandparents and going to school to become a physicians assistant. She's even got all the steps written down in her handy journal so she can remain on track. But when her brother and sister - Gavin and Winnie - show up back in Wildstone without warning, Piper knows it's because they're having personal problems of her own. Problems she knows she'll be called upon to fix. Not that she won't, but as time goes on, it's starting to wear on Piper. Throw new-to-town Camden Reid into the mix and Piper is going to need to add another page to her journal. She's not used to opening up to people and letting them in because she's always had to be strong for everyone else. But if Piper, Gavin, and Winnie want a chance at a future relationship, they'll need to start talking to one another.
Once I started reading Almost Just Friends everything just clicked. I equally wanted to rush through it, but I also never wanted it to end. It's the type of book that left me with a book hangover. I've found it difficult to pick up and settle myself in another story world. I really just needed like another 50+ pages of this book to read. I guess you could say I loved it.
And I did. I think it's my favorite of the Wildstone series thus far.
The book mainly revolves around Piper. Although we do get Cam's point of view along with her brother Gavin's as well, the main components of the story deals with Piper.
I loved how Jill Shalvis wove everything together. The issues that each sibling is still dealing with in regards to the loss of their parents at such a young age. The fact that Piper had to give up her life in order to raise her siblings. It's all basically coming to a boiling point. I liked seeing this crossroads of sorts. Where they could continue on with their relationships the way they have been with Piper in the role of parent instead of equal sibling putting aside her hopes and dreams to ensure Gavin and Winnie are ok. Gavin and Winnie can continue to rely so much on their sister to fix the problems that they don't learn to figure it out for themselves. Or they can change it all. I loved watching the dynamic between Piper and Gavin and Winnie. Its speaks to a lot of familial relationships. You invariably love your family, but sometimes you can't support the decisions they make.
With Gavin's point of view we find out that he's returned to Wildstone still carrying some demons, but wanting to make amends to those he's hurt in the past, not only Piper, but his ex-boyfriend CJ. While we didn't see Gavin at his worst moments, you can still feel the maturity he's acquired, you can feel the progress he's made in his life. Jill Shalvis does a great job of making the hurts that Gavin caused deftly felt, but also the idea that forgiveness is obtainable.
Adding Cam into the mix, I just loved the way that he was there for Piper. He became her rock, the person she leaned on. It's probably the first time in her life that she's had that. His patience and understanding of Piper's needs and dreams and wants was great to read. He never pressured her to define what they were instead letting her go at her own pace. I loved the way their relationship progressed.
Cam himself is in Wildstone for his own reasons, one of which is to reconnect with his estranged father. While their quasi-reunion isn't given a whole lot of attention, I liked the fact that Cam's father acknowledges mistakes he made in the past in regards to Cam and reiterates time and time again how he's going to fix it. It's another part of the family dynamic that we get to see from a different perspective.
For reasons unknown, Winnie - the youngest Manning sibling - does not get her own point of view. Maybe it's because a lot of what Gavin and Piper have to reconcile with has to do with the loss of their parents in which case Winnie was too young to remember them. Or maybe it's because the direction her story takes is a more familiar one that I know I've read different iterations of in various books. I won't pretend to know, but I also don't think it hurts the story except for the fact that I felt she gets a little overshadowed. What Winnie is dealing with is kind of major but because she's never the focus, so I never felt like we were getting a good progression of her story. That's probably the only thing I'm a bit iffy on with the story.
So far, the Wildstone series has had a heavy family relationship dynamic running through it, but I feel like Almost Just Friends really nails it as far as balancing the family and romantic relationships.
I cannot wait for my next visit to Wildstone!
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.