A childhood best friend romance with a twist.You know how the story goes . . . Boy and girl are childhood best friends. Boy moves away and devastates girl. Years later, two strangers meet on the internet and one of them has a secret.Or two.When Ally Honeycutt rushes home to her small town of Pickerton Grove she never expected to find her once best friend working at his family’s business. No … business. No longer the small little boy she once chased lightning bugs with,Drew Collins would give any sinful rock star a run for his money. With soulful dark brown eyes and hair that slips easily through her fingers, she’s less worried about what he keeps trying to tell her and more interested in the way his lips feel on hers.
Drew Collins has made a lot of mistakes in his life, the last one landing him behind bars. He never dreamed a single dare would find him back in contact with the first girl he ever loved. Ally Honeycutt is everything good in the world, and his mistakes make him the bad boy every fictional girl dreams of. Now if he could only stop falling in love long enough to tell her the secrets that could ruin it all.
They say you can’t go home again but what happens when home is in the heart of your best friend?
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Small town friends to lovers romance. Quirky and unique.
What a cute, fun, and achingly sweet read. After a rough couple of weeks this was exactly what my tired, stressed-out brain needed!
Small Town
Endearing Hero
Quirky, spunky, sometimes annoying Heroine
Sass
Fun Supporting Characters
Mischief-making Feline
Friends to lovers
Slow Burn
If you are looking for a heartfelt, light, engaging read, then give Drew and Ally a go! I’ll be adding this one to my reread list!
Absolutely fantastic!!! This author is truly amazing at sucking me in and making me fall in love with her characters; she did not disappoint with this story. Drew and Ally’s story is full of hope, heartbreak, passion, and love. Watching their journey unfold was beautiful.
I loved this book so much! From the first page to the last I was hooked! Ally and Drew are everything! I laughed, cried and felt everything! I loved the small town story! You will love this book!
I have to admit that as much as I love Andrea Johnston, I was scared going into this book. Love After Lockup is one of those shows that makes me shake my head at what the world is coming to.
The thought of randomly emailing an inmate without knowing the particulars of why they were in the joint sets off all kinds of bells and whistles in my head, most of them screaming “HOW DUMB CAN YOU BE!”
However, in the grand scream of romance, this story works out, because Drew, aka Allys childhood bff Andy, isn’t some totally scary felon. He’s a good kid turned bad becoming good? Does that make any sense?
As always Andrea captures life in a small town perfectly and her characters will make you laugh and cry and a whole host of other emotions. If you don’t love Ally’s Granny, there is definitely something wrong with you. She’s a whole lot of laughs. I haven’t loved a grandma as much as her in a long time.
I really loved Drew, because he was trying to be a better person, and he was a better person than the guy he was 3 years prior. He’s the kind of character you cheer on. and truthfully you can easily understand his motives for keeping secrets.
Just another wonderful read, by Andrea Johnston
Love it when authors gives a story for the good people and people that do deserve their happily ever after. Ally and Drew have such a strong beautiful love bond and their honesty is spot on.
Drew has a secret to tell Ally and to see how it unfolds breaks your heart. BUT their connection is so much stronger; they just have to prove it.
Here is more of my review on YouTube- https://youtu.be/pwhUzkBSH4c
It Was Always You by Andrea Johnson
I have been a fan of Andrea Johnson’s for a few years mother and trying to gain her attention set him on a bad path. But I believe that bad path led him straight back to his Ally. I love that he had Gary to turn to and that he was there for him.
I found Ally and Drew’s relationship effortless. They seemed to pick back up like no time was lost. They remembered the good but also kept learning more about each other. It warmed my heart to see their small town cheering them on, and knowing they were destined to be together.
There were only two problems I had with this story. 1. It should have been much longer! 2. Who puts cheese on pie?!
A story that I really could not put down and was just so invested in it. Loved Drew and Ally a lot. They were childhood best friends until one day he was just gone. Now that she back in their hometown and they have a chance to be together. I really liked this book and just so glad I read it.
While this book is VERY LOOSELY based on a popular, yet strange, reality television show, it was done in a way that is true to the author’s version of Hallmark-esque small town romance. This story is one of love lost and found… childhood best friends who lost touch, just to find each other again in one of the most unconventional ways. She sold me on this one, and I went in not knowing what I would think, or what to expect. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and I fell in love with this town and the people in it. I also want some PIE!
I loved getting to see this story unfold in a dual POV…. throw in a temperamental cat, a sassy Granny, and a few other supportive secondary characters and you have what I call an “Andrea Johnston Romance”. Its her own brand, and this one does not disappoint! These characters brought this story to life, and made me fall in love with them.
Having read Ms.Johnston’s work before and reading that synopsis, I’ve been so excited for this book! Once I started reading I couldn’t stop! I fell so head over heels in love with this story and it’s characters! I laughed and smiled too many times to count.
From their friendship to everything in-between, I connected with Ally and Drew so much. Their story was every bit unique and was filled with so much heart and humor. I adored the secondary characters as well and what they brought to the story.
Ms.Johnston created such a refreshing and day brightening read! This is my new favorite book of hers! It left me hugging my kindle with the biggest smile on my face.
It Was Always You is a fast paced, unique small town romance, with Andrea Johnston’s signature dose of heat, heart and humor.
Ally is a quirky, fun and kind character, who is also a bit of an introvert despite the fact she seems to be quite outgoing.
Drew is such a resilient character you can’t help but adore him. He’s made some dubious choices in his past but fully owns up to his mistakes and is determined to look to the future.
The connection and chemistry between this pair of childhood friends is undeniable.
If you love a fun, fast paced, friends to lovers romance you won’t want to miss It Was Always You
THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY EVERYTHING!!!!! I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved this book. I literally read it from start to finish in one sitting because I could not put it down. It has everything I love in a book. Small town setting, an epic friends to lovers story with a twist you won’t see coming and memorable characters that you won’t be able to forget. Ally and Drew were childhood friends but circumstances had them parting ways when they were younger, but they never forgot one another. Now, years later they are both back in their small towns and reconnect in a unique way. Ally and Drew’s journey to love will have your heart soaring and will give you all the feels. I laughed, cried and swooned throughout this book. Do yourself a favour and pick up this charming small town read today!!!!
I am thankful for this book, I hadn’t read in quite a while and this book definitely wants me to read more. The secret that kept going on in the story made this slow burn, small town feel give me all the emotions in one. I have a new way to celebrate my birthday from now on and I think everyone else will feel that way after reading this. Ally is someone I know I would get along with and be best of friends with, Didi included. Drew is almost like a bad boy who turns back to his small home town for a new life, boy does he get it!
Okay, quick confession: I have a “bad” habit of trying to figure out a story based on the blurb alone or within the first couple of chapters. It may take the “fun” out of reading, but yeah, that’s just a personal quirk of mine, and in the case of Ally and Drew’s story, it was pretty easy to figure out where their story would lead to, thanks to the blurb and a couple of tidbits in the first chapter. Now, as much as I was a happy camper because my hypothesis was proven to be right, the excitement and enjoyment weren’t diminished one little bit while I was reading the book. Nope, Andrea Johnston’s storytelling simply wouldn’t allow such a thing, and if you’re familiar with her writing, you’ll know what I mean. She’s written a beautiful and touching love story about two people who felt a great deal of loss when they were no longer in each other’s lives as children, only to be gifted with the opportunity to find one another more than a dozen years later. I loved seeing these two not just re-discover their platonic connection but to delve into more romantic and passionate thoughts and emotions. Aside from the romance aspect, my heart appreciated the reminders that home is not always a location and that family doesn’t necessarily mean the one you are born into. It Was Always You is a recommended read, and one I’m easily giving five stars to.
A beautiful friends to lovers book that starts off with a twist! A little girl who loves her best friend, and one day he’s just gone. Years later, they find each other again. But, its based on lies. Ally and Drew will melt your heart before they put it back together. The perfect small town love (after the twist and turns) you always want!
Andrea Johnston has a knack for writing small-town romance, and Ally and Drew’s story is a friends to more story with a twist.
I really enjoyed the unique plot and Andrea’s writing style. Ally and Drew were childhood friends who find each other again as adults and their connection is still there and growing stronger. There’s also a number of other characters including Granny who make the story fun.
The story moves at a pretty good pace and I found myself invested in it from the beginning.
If you are a fan of Andrea’s work or enjoy small-town romance you will definitely enjoy this one!
Thank you to the author providing an ARC for an honest review.
This is a childhood best friends to lovers book, and I was hooked from the first page. It will have you laughing and crying and just plain swooning. It has all the feels and a hot as hell hero with a small town vibe. Add in Granny and Myson and you can’t resist. I loved all the sweet moments with Ally and Drew. Their connection was so amazingly beautiful. I can’t wait for the next read from Andrea.
This story is loosely based off of the reality tv show Life After Lockup. I’ve never watched an episode and wasn’t sure I’d like this story but wanted to read it because I love Andrea Johnston’s small town voice.
I wasn’t surprised I loved it or that it was well written. What I was surprised about was the fact I didn’t put it down until I was finished.
This was a wonderful, fun, laugh-out-loud, emotion laced sweetheart of a read. I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of romance, small towns, 2nd chances, or friends to lovers.
This was another solid offering from this author! Drew and Ally were childhood best friends when one day Drew disappeared without any word. Drew had a less than desirable family life and rebelled as a teen/ young adult. His rebellion lead him to spend time behind bars. While this is a love story between Drew and Ally, this book I so much more. It’s about love, self-worth, and finding family wherever you can!
Thank you so much for the privilege of reading this book! Well done
I’m not a big reality tv watcher, so I haven’t seen the show this is loosely based off Life After Lockup.
There hasn’t been a book Andrea released that I didn’t love from the beginning, I would of had this done sooner if adulting didn’t come in the way at times. I love Andrea’s small town voice, I come from a small town myself and she does amazing work with her stories.
When I started I couldn’t put it down, I wanted to know more about Ally and Drew, they were wonderful characters. It was a fun emotional, laugh out loud kinda read