Augustana Prescott is used to following the crowd. Having lost herself somewhere along the way, a newly graduated Stana decides to leave her lacklustre life in Los Angeles and flee to London. Hoping to discover who she truly is away from all the noise, Stana gets more than she bargained for when she meets the Ronan siblings, Alistair and Emilia. As she and Emilia grow closer, Stana comes to … comes to realise that blood doesn’t always make family, and sometimes it’s the family you choose, and not the family you’re born in to, that matters the most. Stana’s connection to Alistair, the manager and singer at her local bar, Saint Street, reignites a flame in herself that she thought was dimmed forever, and she quickly finds her footing in London. The sparks between the handsome Brit and the American girl are clear from the start, but that doesn’t mean the path to happily ever after will be easy.
As Stana navigates the trials and tribulations of new love and a makeshift family, her perseverance is tested as strong forces back in LA try to pull her home. When it all becomes too much, Stana will have to decide how much she is willing to risk to keep the life and love she not only wants, but desperately needs.
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Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
This was a new author for me and I was mesmerized by this story. I was also mesmerized by the book cover. It is absolutely gorgeous!
The first thing that I noticed about this book was how excellent the writing was. I was taken in by the smooth writing style and the excellent crafting of the story. The plot was executed perfectly. It was packed with emotions and there were shocking plot points. I loved every moment.
Hopper really developed her characters well. It was so easy to fall into the shoes of these characters and live their lives and feel what they were feeling. I know that a book is remarkable when I feel like I am right there inside the story, a part of the characters’ lives. Stana and Ali were both fascinating characters that drew me in. They were relatable and so likable. The secondary characters in this book were just as marvelous as the main characters. I was so invested in their story. I seriously cannot wait to read their stories in future books.
I was complete trash for the romance in this book. Stana and Ali were so great together. The sexual tension between them was so real that it felt tangible. The romance in this book will make you believe in soulmates.
Overall, this was an impressive story that had me feeling a gamut of emotions. I am so glad that I took a chance on this new author because I think that I have found a new favorite storyteller. I am so eager to back and read her backlist and I can’t wait for future publications. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up today!
I received a copy for an honest review.
This was my first Scarlett Hopper book and I loved it! Stana and Ali are what you want with each other. And the other characters are what you want in a family you create! I can’t wait to read more about these characters and their individual relationships. And I am overjoyed with how Stana grows into the person she is supposed to be and I love how her new “family” makes her stronger just by giving her the love and support she should have always had! I am so glad I gave this a try!
Received an ARC of this novel from the author.
This was such a cute read. If you’re looking for a feel-good romance, this is the one for you. Stana moves from LA to London and gets in with a small crowd of friends. Within them, she falls for Ali, the owner of a local bar Saint Street and band member.
Stana comes to London looking for freedom. For her whole life, she’s been in the shadows of everyone and never made her own decisions. The author has an amazing skill through all her novels in creating characters with meaningful backstories before jumping into the main romance. For Stana’s story, being with Ali is just as important as her friendship with his sister and the rest of the group, for all of them has helped give her the power to stand up to the people in her life that hold her back. London was transforming for Stana.
As always, the author created a group of secondary characters that provide just as much to the story as Stana. Emelia, Ali’s sister, and the rest of his band each come with their own stories and personalities that differ from one another. (This is hard to find in novels). Emilia has her own brewing romance in the back of this book which will be the plot for the second book, so I am very excited for that.
Overall, great read, great characters, great romance, and just a feel-good romance for when you need a pick-me-up and inspiration to have the courage to make positive changes in your life.