“A moving story of second chances that left me with a huge smile on my face.” -Mary, USA Today HEA The summer before my senior year of high school I had only one goal: to make Alden Warner see me as more than his best friend’s annoying little sister.Finally, my wish came true and he noticed me. In a big way. Too bad that the next morning he had no memory of our night together, leaving me … leaving me heartbroken, and as I later discovered…pregnant.
For the last four years, I’ve been rocking the single mom thing, making sure my daughter comes first. In fact, everything is going fine—until Alden storms back into my life, as my new boss.
His reappearance wasn’t something I planned for. Add my nosy, meddlesome three-year-old and an overprotective brother, and I’m obviously in way over my head.
My only hope now is that I can sway Alden to see things my way…but you know what they say about the best laid plans…
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Best Laid Plans is the first book I’ve read by author LK Farlow, but if this is anything to go by, it won’t be the last. This second chance/ best friends sister/ friends to lovers romance ticked so many boxes there were barely any left. It was fun and cute, angsty and emotional, sweet and sexy with a smart mouthed, tough heroine and a hot as sin hero.
I could understand Natalie’s reason for keeping her secret from Alden, but even so we all know what she did wasn’t the smartest move to make. Alden was shocked and angry when it came out.
But, right or wrong, these two were a match made in heaven and their hearts and souls always knew the truth. Some parts of this story wrung tears from me, they were so emotional and others, they just made me smile sooo big. I loved the whole thing from start to finish and don’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone thinking of buying it. Get it NOW!!!
Such an emotional, sweet, second chance love story! Loved this story so much by Kate. I think its my new favorite by her.
A party during her high school years ends as a one-night-stand with her first crush and only love Alden Warner, leaving Natalie not only losing her virginity, but also pregnant. When she finds out, she wants to tell the child’s father, but his FB account states him in a relationship now. So she tells her parents, but claims not to know the father.
Now, four years later, Alden returns to his home town to buy and take over the restaurant his grandparents owned before their deaths. Little does he know how much his life and plans will change in a short amount of time.
At first, he’s furious to find out about having a three year old girl, but after Natalie and Alden work out their perspectives, they find a way to their HEA.
As the title states this story is about the best laid plans. It was a cute and quick read about how we can have our futures planned out but life throws wrenches at us at detours our plans. Nat has loved Alden all her life and she has a magical night with him, which was her first time but it quickly turns out he doesn’t even remember and she ends up pregnant. Flash forward 4 years Natalie thought she was saving Alden by not telling him or anyone who the father was. Add some heated arguments, yelling, fights, then that anger turning to love you have their story but trust me the author tells it way better than I ever could. It was a sweet and cute read, quick but that doesn’t take away from it at all. I loved it.
Alden and Natalie are serious couple goals! They may have started out rocky but from the beginning the passion and heat is there.
“Peoples! Pizza is no laughing matter. My tummy wants it! Now!” Tater Tot may be my favorite character though, LK Farlow captures the essence of innocence in the way Tatum acts and talks! She is my spirit animal.
I have read this book more times than I can count and it is my go to read when I need to feel good!
I loved Natalie and Alden and sweet little Tatum was the cherry on top. I’ve not read a book from this author I didn’t like. She has a way of making you feel so many emotions and keeping you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I’m excited to dive into the next book in this series!
“Best Laid Plans” was an ok read for me. While it wasn’t bad, it was more or less average. I didn’t really feel connected with the characters and the story.
This was my first book by LK Farlow and I found it to be a super sweet and easy read. Brother’s best friend is one of my favorite tropes but I feel like this story has more going for it than just that. I had my heartstrings tugged on a few times for both Natalie and Alden. I could understand both of their sides in the challenges they were faced so it was hard to decide who to side with and support. I loved that things weren’t rushed, they happened as they should. Both parties were allowed to have their own feelings and deal with them on their own time. Then you add in the cuteness factor of sweet and sassy Tatum and I was sunk. I will definitely be reading book two in this series, I love these characters and need more!
The truth seems to always find a way to be told ….
Tatum absolutely is adorable. Sweet and smart, maybe a little too smart for three years old but the book carries it off well.
This is a good read if you need to sit back, relax and get your mind off of everyday life. It’s all about young love taking a wrong turn. It takes four years for truths to be exposed. Those truths aren’t easy, they impact and affect a lot of people. Hearts need to be healed and relationships will have to mend.
OBSERVATIONS:
… Natalie was way to hard on herself. It was easy to understand why she did what she did. She was between a rock and a hard spot.
… Alden had been burnt once and was determined not to be caught off guard again. To me, it seemed he never really owned up to his role in the whole situation. His untrusting heart only could see red and played a victim role. Yes, eventually he comes around but I wish he would have had that ‘see yourself in the mirror’ moment. He was so full of denial that even his dreams didn’t wake him up…. when you read this book, this will make sense.
… Nate was a wonderful brother. Thinking the next book about Nate will be good.
… I gave it 3 1/2 stars due to the unnecessary language used. As Tatum would say, that word is a No No.
I absolutely adore this book. The characters are amazing. Natalie is so strong and once Alden calms down he is such an awesome guy who completely falls in love with is daughter and throws himself into being a dad and winning Natalie’s Heart. I go back to this back often whenever I am in a funk because Tatum is just so cute she would make the grumpiest of people smile. I love how LK Farlow wrote her. I can imagine writing a child that comes off the pages like Tatum does is not exactly easy to do. Even now over a year later I am smiling just thinking about her. This book is one of my Five Star, most favorite books ever.
This was the second book I read from L.K. Farlow. I read Best Of Me First which was the “third” book written about this group of friends. Best Laid Plans was such a sweet second chance, brother’s best friend romance. Some plans just don’t work out the way you want but sometimes that makes the results that much better.
As a teenager, Natalie wanted one thing – for Alden to notice her. When he did, she got more than she bargained for. She discovered she was pregnant and alone, Alden had no memory of their night together. Forced to make a decision, Natalie chose to keep them a secret. Would her decision cause more harm than good?
Alden’s dream was to run his family’s hometown restaurant. When the opportunity to make that happen came around, he jumped on it. What he didn’t count on was Natalie giving him the most shocking news of his life. Would he be able to keep his dream on track or would the fallout be too much?
Such an emotional ride! Alden and Natalie’s way “back” to each other was sexy and fun. Tatum stole my heart! She was such a sweet addition.
I loved the story and the characters in this book! Brother’s best friend is my favorite trope. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because there were so many typing errors! I’m not sure if this book was self published or if there was an editor involved but if there was an editor, they need to do a better job.
Life can get interesting when you are pinning for your brother’s best friend. Natalie knows that Alden should be off limits. He is older, more experienced, and her brother’s closest confidant. However – the attraction that Natalie has in regards to Alden prompts her to make a decision that will have a lasting imprint. In the midst of an alcohol infused night, Alden and Natalie find themselves finally giving into their mutual attraction. The only problem is the fact Alden doesn’t remember the night that occurred during a drunken haze.
Adding to the drama is the fact that Natalie finds herself pregnant. Alden is older and the situation could alter his life forever. With the best intentions in mind, Natalie decides to keep the knowledge of her unborn child’s paternity to herself. The secret of Tatum’s paternity would carry on for years, until the two find themselves in a place where their lives cross once more.
Time has been slowly ticking away for Natalie to face the secrets that she kept hidden from Alden. What will transpire when Natalie reveals the truth to the man that doesn’t know he fathered a child? Only time will tell how much damage is done, but the road to redemption will slowly lead the two back into each other’s lives.
Best Laid Plans is the first book I have read by author LK Farlow. It is a story about owning up to your mistakes that opens a path towards redemption. The first thing I will comment on is the way I was glued to the story right up until the moment Natalie revealed her daughter’s paternity. That is when things became a bit messy and chaotic. While I LOVED the premise of the story, there were some moments that were lacking the impact that I believed could have been added to the story for more drama. Tatum’s character was portrayed so spot on it was insane!! However – the paternity reveal didn’t quite live up to the hype.
I think the way the story wrapped up too easily is what nags at me. I think this was a situation that was very relatable, but the execution didn’t pack the punch that the beginning of the story possessed. The story did end up lay the groundwork for a series that I would like to explore a bit more!
First off, I am a huge fan of L.K. Farlow. She writes with such clarity that you can feel what the characters are feeling and understand the emotions, experience the happiness and despair as the book moves along. When Natalie seduces her brother’s best friend, Alden, she has no idea that a) he is too drunk to remember their night and b) that she would become pregnant after just that one time. When Alden leaves for college and then gets engaged to someone else, Natalie decides that she’s not going to ruin his life, so she keeps the paternity a secret. Now Alden has moved back to town, is more gorgeous than ever and is Natalie’s boss. She has to tell him that she deprived him of three years with his daughter and all the firsts and experiences that go with it. Can their friendship/burgeoning relationship withstand that kind of betrayal? Beautifully written, Tatum is a delight with her baby words but quick and sassy comebacks. Loved this and would definitely recommend.
Natalie had one night with her dream guy, only he didn’t remember the next day. Her brother’s best friend who was heading to college. Alden is back in town and Natalie’s new boss. When he finds out he is a father he is upset with not knowing but he is in love with her. Sweet read.
This story shows how 1 persons attempts to sacrifice their selves and protect others. These changes affected others inadvertently in ways that person never dreamed would happen to that person. Seeing their reuniting play out and their learning to forgive is amazing. I highly recommend this story.
L.K. Farlow is a relatively new author to me and why that is , I have no idea. From the first to the last chapter she had me enthralled with the story she wove. The writing was strong and I found myself totally invested in Alden and Natalie’s story. I enjoyed the narration by Lauren Sweet but I felt that the male narrator Rock Engle did not do justice to the part of Alden, but then that is just my opinion.
There were times that I laughed and cried reading Best Laid Plans as the emotions were all over the place. However this story is totally heart warming and made me smile.
Both Alden and Natalie had a fling and no one was more surprised than Natalie when she wound up a pregnant teenager.
The chemistry between Alden and Natalie is electrifying but will Alden be able to forgive the secrets and move forward with Natalie?
3.5 stars
This book was very sweet and had all the feels and would have been a solid 4 for me if not for the errors. Not too many, but enough to bother me and lose half a star.
I knew the moment I started reading “Best Laid Plans” that I had found an author I will follow until the end of time. LK Farlow’s release of this heartwarming, swoon-worthy, sexy as all get out, brothers best friend romance,
will keep you busy and in need of a sweet tea! After I finished the eBook, I immediately
bought a signed paperback copy and the audiobook. Though my first read through proved that LK was a genius at making me feel all the feels, the second stole a little piece of my heart.
Though the story is about our kick-ass heroine, Natalie, and her hero Alden, Farlow write about Natalie’s family in such a way that may have you reflecting on your own. The Reynolds family will make you laugh and possibly cry as you watch their love for each other unfold. The crazy supportive parents, the overprotective police officer brother, Nate, and though not a Reynold, the sassy-mouthed best friend, Jenny!
Just when you are beginning to feel like part of the family LK surprises you with the best friends brother romance, “Best of Intentions,” which is the telling of Nate and Jenny’s story!
Overall, “Best Laid Plains” is a must read if you love a good cup of hard working man, a generous pour of a strong and intelligent woman, and just a pinch of princesses and rainbows!
WOW. LK Farlow you did it again with another amazing book. These to get a second chance at making a real relationship. To make a family for there little girl. I loved it !!!