New York Times & USA Today Best Seller
This is a full-length, standalone, contemporary romance.
He was my older brother’s best friend.
He was never supposed to be mine.
I thought we would get it out of our system and move on.
One of us did.
One of us left.
Now he’s back, looking at me like he wants to devour me. And all those feelings I’d turned into anger are brewing into something … wants to devour me. And all those feelings I’d turned into anger are brewing into something else, something that terrifies me.
He broke my heart last time.
This time he’ll obliterate it.
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One of my favorite books. It’s the perfect light read that still brings the feels.
I think Oliver might be my favorite book guy of all time. He might actually be perfect. Elle and Oliver have INSANE chemistry. I could not stop reading this book from the very second I started. These characters feel with their whole hearts, making this story feel genuine. I loved every minute I spent reading this book. Hope is restored, and a HEA, make this an absolute unforgettable read!
Wonderful read. I loved it!
It captured me from the very first page and just kept me going. It touched my heart so many times. I liked the past and present and the two POVs. I always love/hate stories with time lost and the what if’s. Love- cause of the angst. Hate- cause they could’ve been together sooner. So glad I read this after my most recent disappointing read.
Oliver is a hottie and I loved him!
If you love second chance romances, add this to your DO NOT MISS list! It’s another must read of the genre that I highly recommend!
This story surprised the heck out of me. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started but the emotional aspect really took this story to a different level. It was heavy while at the same time enlightening. Oliver and Elle fit perfect together but both have a lot to handle if they want to work. To show characters evolving and letting go is wonderful and will keep you in it until the end.
WHY have I waited so long to read this book??? So many FEELS! So much EVERYTHING!
I couldn’t walk away from this book. I’m so glad I purchased the audiobook on top of the Kindle edition so I could listen while I adulted after a night of not being able to put my phone down for reading. I got so caught up in Estelle and Oliver’s story, my heart so invested, in the way this author ALWAYS seems to draw me into her tales. It overtook my waking hours until I reached the end.
Oliver, oh, Oliver. My heart was a goner. From when he was first introduced in the story, I knew I would love him. Who wouldn’t love a guy with that much passion for the one he’d let get away too many times? A guy who had so much determination to finally get to keep her? Not to mention, he was a hot, sexy, pediatric doctor with a romantic side. #swoonfest over here! And, the steamy parts between them… so much hotness! Even though his reasoning for walking away all the times he did was weak and foolish, I didn’t even find myself wanting to throat-punch him for being an idiot because some of it – like his wanting stability first – was kind of endearing.
I enjoyed the way the story was written: present mostly from Elle’s POV and past from Oliver’s POV. Elle had so much more emotional baggage in the present, so much turmoil in her heart, that it made me yearn to see how she would overcome, persevere, and move on. And whether she could risk her heart to Oliver again. It drew me into all of her feelings and desires as she tried to build a new life for herself. As for the past, I loved being on Oliver’s end of those encounters instead of Estelle’s. The reader learns so much more about him and the true depths of his feelings in those chapters.
Estelle was a strong heroine. I loved that she was honest and willing to admit what she felt and what she wanted. And that she was willing to acknowledge and be confident in the way Oliver felt about her. Most heroines I’ve read seem to be disbelieving and hard to convince, but she wasn’t. Skeptical and hesitant because of their past, yes, but not disbelieving when it came down to it. I enjoyed that change from the norm and her strength throughout the entire book. And, I enjoyed the artistic aspect she brought to the story. It wasn’t too overpowering, but it was still meaningful and an important part of the story.
Once again, this author takes my heart in her fist and refuses to let go as I get lost in the world that she’s created. I love second-chance and brother’s best friend romances, and this one was no exception. I can’t wait to read more of this series.
Pertaining to the audiobook aspect: I thought the narrators did an excellent job. I never found myself drifting off or losing focus on their storytelling. I highly recommend this version of the book as well.
This story fills my heart, I cried, I loved him, I was happy in the reading process because they were such endearing characters and you saw their love and fear of facing them, they spent years away and they always loved each other, I love him !!! it is undoubtedly one of those books that you have to read and uyy have in the library
I needed sweet. My last few reads had been heavy, dark, mind twisters.
The blurb looked good and my reliable sources said it was good and I do love a girl meets brother’s best friend kind of book.
Oliver Hart – sexy, surfing doctor. Easy on the eye but a commitment phobic. I love that everyone calls him Bean.
Elle Reuben, Victor’s pretty little sister, all sad and alone following the death of her controlling fiancé. She makes the most beautiful hearts from broken glass. I have spent about an hour on Google trying to find a broken glass heart. I can’t find pictures of broken glass hearts. I found lots of references to Blondie but alas no heart.
Anyway, sweet it was:
“Love is beautiful, shattering, moving, haunting. Love is everything.”
“What we have isn’t aligned with that part of my life. We live in a galaxy of our own….Where the storms pass, and the light fades, and everything ceases to exist except us.”
Nice easy read that makes you feel warm and snug like a kitten in front of a big open fire.
Wondering if there will be a book about Mia and Jenson cos I feel the unfinished business.
Now back to Internet searching for a glass heart.
Beautiful romance
What a great book filled with love, and hope and loss. I truly enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it. A really great read.
5 “I Want Everything” Stars!
Estelle Reuben aka Elle/Chicken is a 25 year old woman living in Santa Barbara, trying to piece her life back together after a tragedy rocked her world a year ago. She is very close with her family, and leans on them for support. She is in the process of moving in with her brother Vic until she gets back on her feet.
Elle owns an art gallery/studio called Paint it Back. She makes and sells sculptures with broken glass called Kaleidoscope hearts. These beautiful creations are what she’s most known for in the art world.
The first day Elle moves in with her brother, she see’s a man she’s known since she was little who through the years has made her pulse race, and touched her heart like no one else. His name is Oliver Hart aka Bean. He is her brothers best friend, and the one guy she’s always wanted, but could never fully have. They never labeled what was between them, and over time, their lives go in different directions,& they lose touch with each other. Elle is left with a broken heart that never truly heals.
Oliver has regrets about Elle from the past. He is now finishing up his residency to be a Dr. and has always put his ambitions first. He is a planner & a perfectionist. Seeing Elle again after all these years, he realizes he let her slip through his fingers. He was always worried how her brother would react about them, and felt the timing wasn’t right, with him leaving for college. Oliver never cared again for anyone like he did Elle. Now that he’s around her again, he wants another chance.
The unattainable beautiful Oliver is suddenly everywhere Elle turns. He’s trying to be her friend, but all too soon Elle realizes he’s pursuing her. Elle can’t control her heart around him, and hates she still wants the boy she thought she could never have. Oliver is determined to win her over, and show he’s changed. He knows what he gave up all those years ago, and won’t make the same mistakes. Poor Elle is scared of being hurt & terrified of all he makes her feel, but she just can’t resist him.
I just adored this book so much! I loved the gorgeous, charming Oliver with a heart of gold. This story was about love, loss, regrets, second chances, & big brother’s hot best friend. It’s about meeting that one person that’s “it” for you, & then stupidly letting them go, & then being lucky enough to get another chance to chase after the one person who owns your heart. This book really touched my heart & reminded me why Claire Contreras is one of my favorite authors! This was just such a beautiful story & the epilogue was amazing! 😀