Kami Sutherland is gorgeous and—if the rumours are true—a virgin.That—and the fact she’s my sister Eastlyn’s best friend—should be enough to keep a guy like me from crossing any lines.However, our glances, subtle touches, and feelings are evolving beyond just friendship and being running buddies.Despite my sister’s attempts to keep us apart, I only want Kami more.I know I shouldn’t crave her like … more.
I know I shouldn’t crave her like I do, but she’s too damn hard to resist.
Kami has an infectious smile, one I look for whenever she’s near, one I want all to myself.
And as the years pass, it’s all clicking into place: Kami wants me, too.
So, all bets are off.
There’s no way I can resist making her mine.
Note: First Love is book 2 in the Winning at Love series. Although it isn’t necessary in order to enjoy Kami and Keaton’s story it is highly recommended you read Love Won first.
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This is the second book of the Winning At Love series. I recommend reading the first one before this.
This story follows Kami and her quest to finally find love and get the man of her dreams. Even if it means losing herself abit along the way.
Not only is this book about her and Keaton, but some of our other favorite characters as well. The chase is on for McCoy and Eastlyn. When he comes back into town, absolute mayhem follows. Even if it’s not permanent. Or is it? The sexual tension in this book between the characters is out of this world. It’s crazy funny, super sweet, intense and all around an amazing read. Each chapter gaining momentum for what’s to come. Absolutely Inkcredible. I really enjoyed reading this book. These characters are so amazingly well written. The story is one of my top 5 for this year.
5/5 amazing.
3.5 stars
Kami and Keaton have great chemistry, undeniable, best friends. A blind person would be able to see it. I though Keaton was an absolutely dick during most of this book however I still liked him despite this. He’s easy to love. The banter and teasing between the two shows how compatible they are. I loved these two together they make sense. This is a slow burn read and I’m not a fan of those, something I found out about myself. But if you enjoy the torturous slow building will they or won’t they slow burn you will love this.
What a beautiful journey this book was. This story runs along side Love Won and if you have read that book you will see incidences where this story explains so much but from a different view point. For me this is one of the ultimate story tropes you can read. Best friends older brother, friends to lovers, with characters both being into each other. But totally denying it.
Keaton is a great character, he is caring, protective, loyal and for want of a better word an Idiot. He loves Kami with his all but lets an off the cuff comment by someone, hold him back. He would hang the moon and light the stars for Kami. But pride and fear of not being good enough holds him back.
Kami, God she is brilliant. She is fun, witty and totally gone for Keaton. And has been since he saved and protected her on a bus ride, when she was a little girl. Now don’t get me wrong she may be gone for Keaton but she isn’t no push over and doesn’t let her feeling rule her. She is strong and takes no nonsense.
Kami and Keaton need there heads banging together, they are clearly ment to be, they fight it and more over almost lose each other. There is no blurring of lines or pretending. The world knows and they know they are fated. Now some people might find Keaton an arsehole. But if you truly look at him he is just protective and a little possessive. He doesn’t want anyone else to take what he knows is his.
For me Gillian Jones is one of the Queen’s of slow burn romances and that’s what she does best. She builds the story, sucks you in and then boom, she delivers. She makes you fall for the characters before they fall.
I totally recommend this brilliantly written, friends to lovers, Best friends older brother romance. That will leave you with a happy heart and a huge smile on your face. And laughing hard when they speak of and Kami finally gets her Cockboom!
4 1/2 stars
I loved Love Won and couldn’t wait for this second book in the series featuring Kami and Keaton, Eastlyn’s brother and best friend. These two have been circling each other for years and I couldn’t wait to see how their story played out.
Kami is such a wonderful character, she is fun, witty, loyal, charming and has a huge heart. Keaton is very protective of both his sister and Kami and can really come across as a jackass when he is in his “big brother” mode. But he is a fierce friend and incredibly loyal. These two had chemistry that was undeniable if only Keaton could get his head out of his ass and get on the same page as Kami. While this book had a great deal of angst, their banter made it worth it. Keaton was a dick for a lot of the book, but when you find out why it all makes sense.
I just loved Kami’s outlook on life and her drive and determination. While she may have been in love with Keaton for most of her life she has never let it consume her entire world.
Gillian write such wonderful characters and I really enjoyed this one
Gahhhhh!!!! Let’s just take a minute to appreciate the sexiness that is Keaton!! I love a good first love story that has some confusion, angst, flirting, happiness, and everything in between. I love when even the secondary characters touch a part of your soul and make you laugh!! I loved how you could relate to Kami in some way or another. I loved that even though that this was a book about first love that it also showed the strong connection and bond and love of tried and true friendship that can last a lifetime. I loved that I laughed more than I cried in this book!! Even though I thought I was going to have tears running down my face from laughter but don’t get it confused because I cried a few times to, Gillian always gets me in the feels. Her writing is just so superb. All I can say is I absolutely loved this book and I highly highly recommend it!!! – By Tina
FIRST LOVE (Winning at Love Book 2)
By Gillian Jones
3.5
Release Date March 18
First Love is Book 2 in the Winning at Love series. It can be read as a standalone. It is set in a small city in Ontario, Canada.
Kami and Keaton are childhood friends. Kami is best friends with Keaton’s sister but had always had a major crush on him. The older they got her crush for him morphed into love. They grew close through the years. It was a cute book and follows their journey from friends to lovers.
Keaton was always afraid he wasn’t good enough for Kami but finally realized that it has been and will be always her as his number 1 girl. Finally giving in to their attraction and feeling, both find happiness and love.
It was a quick read and had some angst. I love how Gillian shows that sometimes love is right under your nose and sometimes fighting your feelings with your mind doesn’t always win out how your heart feels.
Best friends to lovers. Kami and Keaton are best friend. Kami is best friend with Keaton’s sister.
They have a unique friendship and both have been in love with each other for a long time.
It’s a very slow building romance. A lot of push and pull. It’s a fun romance and love the banter between the H and h. Even though I was a little mad at Keaton sometimes, I’m glad he finally got his head out of his behind and claimed Kami.
I can’t wait to read more books of this author.
5 STARS!
Kami and Keaton has shared so much together since they’ve known each other about that long. They’ve had feelings for each other about that long too. Keaton doesn’t feel like he’s good enough and Kami is getting sick of waiting for him.
Keaton can be so sweet and their texts back and forth are hilarious in places. He wants her but can he have her and keep her? Kami is tired of waiting for him to make a move. Her sister tells her to make her move or get off the pot. Is Kami going to do that even though that can ruin everything?
These two are super hot together but it’s such a SLOW burn. There were times I wanted to smack Keaton and give him the same advice that Kami was getting. Their families were fun and loving too. Is Kami finally going to give up or she is going to tell Keaton how she really feels?
I have been dying for Kami and Keatons story since meeting them in Love Won.
I knew then that they were meant to be, but it was going to be all kinds of complicated getting them there.
You will want to scream at them and they’ll have you wanting to pull your hair out at times but OMG it’s impossible not to fall head over heels for cheeky Keaton and crazy Kami, I loved this chick hard.
If you love a good friends to lovers story then this ones definitely for you.
It’s an addictive nail biting slow burning love story that’s full of angst, drama
and witty humour. I was cry laughing at some of the antics between these two.
The timeline for the story was a nice touch as it crossed over with book 1, so we got a different perspective and I loved getting more East and Coy too.
This book is such a feel good story that’ll leave you with a huge smile on your face and a weird craving for novelty cakes, or that could just be me. 😉
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
Kami Sutherland is gorgeous and if rumours are true, a virgin. That-and the fact she’s my sister Eastlyn’s best friend-should be enough to keep a guy like me from crossing any lines. However, our glances, subtle touches, and feelings are evolving beyond just friends and running buddies. Despirte my sister’s attempts to keep us apart, I only want Kami more. I know I shouldn’t crave her like I do, but she’s to hard to resist. She has an infectious smile, one I look for whenever she’s near. One I want all by myself. ANd as the years pass, It’s all clicking into place: Kami wants me too. So, all bets are off. There’s no way I can resist making her mine.
I am worn out!! That is not a bad thing but good grief I feel like, and since from the description of the book you know that these two love each other, but it took them forever and I do mean up until like seventy some percent of the book for it to happen. This would have been a five star for me if I had got to experience more of Kami and Keaton as a couple and not as best friends. Keaton owns a tattoo shop and is making a name for himself and Kami is a teacher and best friends her whole live with Eastlyn. Keaton and Kami have had a thing for each other since they were young. What your going to experience in most of this book is her trying to get a tattoo and them wanting each other bout refusing in part because of Eastlyn and in another part because they are best friends and just won’t pull the trigger. I giggled and enjoyed these characters but man oh man what a long time it took form them to be just where you needed them to be. Gillian Jones does have an amazing writing style and if not for that I don’t know that I would have not just given up and laid this book down. I apparently am not a fan of a slow burn….a seventy percent of the book slow burn. It just wears me out and there were to many of the is it going to happen now….ummmm nope disappointments going on.
Lighthearted, fun and sexy read, the brilliance of this story is how well romance, and humor were incorporated.
Kami and Keaton have been friends since forever. They’ve always felt a pull towards more but never acted on it…until they did.
Yes we know this genre, but in this story the characters were well developed and they embarked on a fun, funny and sexy slow burn journey.
Sometimes I need something lighthearted and fun to read and when it’s smart and on point it makes my reading experience that much more enjoyable.
Childhood romance bloomed, sister gets into his head. The chemistry and attraction between Kami and Keaton is so tense. The story unfolds in ways that make you squirm and squeal then cry out in pain cause your heart is broken too. Eastlyn and McCoy have some serious comp in the frustration dept here. Thank you Jillian this point of view not only gave us the KamiKeaton story but more of Eastlyn and McCoy and I loved that!
It’s always a delight when a new book by this author is released, you never know just what will be ahead; a story full of angst or perhaps a light hearted romance? Such is the brilliance of this writer that she can produce quality stories in a multitude of tropes and genres. This is a lighter romance with the emphasis on fun!
Kami Sutherland and Keaton Hatfield are best friends but feel a lot more than that towards each other, both denying their true feelings.
Talk about a slow burn romance, any slower and I was going to kick both Kami and Keaton’s rear ends! Although theirs is the age old valued friendship versus chance at a romantic relationship issue which is a huge gamble.
Fun banter and teasing between the characters makes this a light book that is easy to read and leaves you chuckling and with a smile on your face. The characters are easy to relate to and like, even if the guys do tend to tease the girls! There isn’t one character who isn’t likeable, oh well except for Holly and Barry but then she’s just deluded and he’s just a braggart.
Another great read by this author I totally recommend to everyone.