Title: Until It’s Right
Author: Jamie Howard
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Haley Mitchell is tired of moping. With her broken heart repaired with a thick layer of duct tape, she’s ready to put her ex behind her and move on. After a chance encounter in a club, she’s convinced she’s met Mr. Perfect. But when he accidentally gives her the wrong number, the stranger on the other end of her texts becomes her confidant.
Kyle Lawson has always had more luck with computers than women. So when the new temp, Haley, arrives, he has the misfortune of falling for her, only to land firmly in the friend zone. But when he learns the mysterious woman he’s been texting is actually Haley, he keeps the entire thing a secret.
As things move straight from platonic to decidedly hot, Kyle must come clean about his secret texting identity and risk losing the woman he’s fallen in love with.
I’m so in love right now.
So crazy, ooey gooey, hopelessly in love.
This book, you guys! It drove me crazy! It made me laugh, it made me ache, it made me want to throw my Kindle (gently, onto the couch cushions) with frustration and, just when it pushed me to limits of my patience, it took a turn that left me breathless, swooning, and so deeply in love.
Kyle Lawson is basically the opposite of alpha. He’s nerdy and awkward, and more than a little insecure. If you’re worried that this may come off as weak or annoying, don’t be. Somehow this is written as endearing and sweet and—despite all these so-called shortcomings—Kyle is steady, strong, loyal and kind. I adored him. I loved every single thing about him, from his adorkable awkwardness to his boisterous, loving family, to his appreciation for good grammar.
Haley Mitchell is trying to move on with her life after her own self-image has taken a beating. When she develops a fast friendship with the IT guy at her new temp job, it doesn’t take long for those friendly feelings to deepen. Kyle is nothing like the men she’s dated in the past, but that might be the best thing about him. As the two work their way through mixed signals, mixed communications, and the itty bitty detail that Haley has been unknowingly texting Kyle after getting the wrong number from a guy she met at the bar, the frustration and tension between them builds. Ultimately, one of them will have to make a move—but when all secrets are revealed, will they be strong enough to survive the fallout?
The push/pull dance between Kyle and Haley for the first third of the book was brutal. My heart raced. I waited breathlessly for someone to make a move and then the game changed on me. The frustration was worth it because together they were so…beautiful. So lovingly tender, and blazing hot. At its core, this is a friends-to-lovers romance and because of that, and the torturously slow build-up in the beginning, it felt so authentic and so much deeper than it otherwise might have.
Every single thing about this book worked for me—there was no part of the story that felt boring or that I wanted to skip over. I loved every single secondary character (Brian! The world needs a Brian book!), every little subplot. I loved the smart writing, and the character development and—most of all—I loved Haley and Kyle so frickin’ hard.
Adorable, funny, and jam packed full of feels, Until It’s Right was simply fantastic.
~ Review by Shelly
Until It's Right is a truly wonderful book. It's sweet, hot, funny and light, yet underneath its fluffy exterior is a book that kind of hurt my heart. Bruised me a little bit; left me with an ache and a frown I'm not sure I'm completely over.
Here's the thing, though. I didn't realize, because it wasn't listed on Goodreads when we received the invite to review, that this book is the second in a series. So, I went in blind and was floored by the feels that hit me when I (mostly) pieced together Haley's backstory. I wish I had a little more insight into the events of Until We Break because, although I was able to glean a LOT of the information I needed, I still felt a little in the dark—and very much like the couple from book one were not deserving. Whenever we encountered them here, I felt strangely stabby. I can't honestly say I would want to go back and experience their story firsthand, unfortunately—possibly because I adored Haley, and have felt her hurt, the blow to her confidence, more than enough already.
Yes, this backstory blindness gave me a boatload of affection for Haley. She was sweet and honest. I wanted the best for her—I wanted Kyle for her. I felt anger on her behalf at the way she was treated, and I really, really wanted her to get her HEA. I wanted to leave this book behind with a smile on my face because this girl had a full heart, and, for the most part, I did.
Kyle Lawson *may* have had a lot to do with that. That man, seriously. Like I said, I wanted him for Haley. He was PERFECT for Haley. He was nerdy hot—nerdtastic, if you will. He, too, was honest and open (for the most part), but he was also this kind, funny guy, and that just made him all the more swoonworthy. And my smile all the easier to access. Oh, and my heart start to fill, just like my girl’s.
Until It's Right may not have been perfect—my backstory woes and secondary character anguish aside, I also felt like there were a couple of vital moments missing with regards to Haley and Kyle's mystery texting—but it was adorable. Jamie Howard gave us two incredibly lovable and likeable main characters, a strong female friendship to admire (shout-out to Tara), and Kyle’s please-let-him-get-the-next-book brother, Brian. Not only that, her story was flirty and cute, but didn't skimp of the tension—bringing the drama to a head in a natural and believable way. Yup, just like I said... Wonderful.
~ Review by Beth
Jamie Howard is a legal and compliance specialist by day, author by night, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art. When she’s not tapping away at the keyboard or capturing the world through her trusty Canon, you can find her binge-watching TV shows, devouring books, and perfecting her gaming skills. She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs in New Jersey, and is almost always awake early enough to see the sun rise, even on the weekends.
Jamie is the author of Until We Break and Until It’s Right with St. Martin’s Press and is represented by Jessica Watterson of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
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