Kimberly Urbane has been in love with Jake Taylor since junior high. Too bad Jake has always thought of her as one of his best friend’s little sisters, and Kimberly has always been too shy to prove him otherwise. That is until he unexpectedly comes back into town, needing a room to rent, and Kimberly has one available. Well, sort of. Jake Taylor is no longer interested in love thanks to a bitter … to a bitter divorce years ago. His life as an international journalist, traveling around the world with nothing to tie him down, suits him just fine – until a visit back to his hometown threatens to change his mind.
Jake never paid much attention to his friend’s kid sister and her obvious crush on him, but now they’re both all grown up and she’s so much harder to resist. Jake knows he can’t possibly give Kimberly the future and family she wants and deserves, but as his feelings for her grow so does his fear of ultimately letting her down.
Even though long days, and even longer nights, prove that there’s an undeniable attraction between Kimberly and Jake, Kimberly fears it isn’t enough to convince Jake to stay.
Loving Jake will take you on a wild roller coaster of emotions following Jake and Kimberly as they go from friends to lovers in this sexy romance.
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Loving Jake is the first book in the Almost Perfect series by Lisa Lanay. Lanay is a new author to me and I started to read the story with my eyes wide open. This story has comedy, romance, misunderstandings, and situations that will make you laugh.Lanay has a great plot line and engaging characters. They are complex complicated characters whose life is about to turn about. Kim lives with Jake and they did not know that one of their friends, Jack was going to be bunking with them for a little bit. There were moments of great anticipation thinking that Lanay was going to go right and instead goes to the opposite way. This book has a lot of emotions that takes you on a roller coaster ride. Will Kim and Jake get along with their new bunkmate Jack or will there be a break up?
I love when you pick up a new book by a completely new author and it turns out to be everything you ever wanted and more! This was the case for me with Loving Jake from Lisa Lanay. She was a completely new author to myself and I had no idea what to expect other than it was a snazzy blurb that peaked my interest to see what the story was all about. I am so excited to learn this is book one of a new series, the Almost Perfect series and the next book will focus on the secondary character, Zane, that I loved so much in this book!
The characters are very vibrant and lovable in this book, even when you want to slap them, and you will want to slap them several times loll. I loved how this book was real and raw, things didn’t come easy for Jake and Kimberly but when they did finally come together it is explosive and something that I loved reading. I can’t wait to reread this book it was that good and I look forward to finding out what will come for Zane. I am also going to run and check out anything else I can get my hands on from Lisa Lanay while I wait.
I couldn’t put this down! Immediately I was in love with the main characters and traveled the emotional rollercoaster gladly. From start to finish this book was a wonderful combination of plot and emotion and romance. Just a great book that stands well on its own. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!
What started as a teenage crush on her big brother’s best friend turned into an eventual happily ever after for Kimberly & an unexpected one for Jake as well.
Kimberly had loved Jake for 22 years and when he returned into her life after a bitter marriage and divorce, she was no longer the sly little kitten he remembered.
I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turner. There were so many elements and twist & turns that I never expected. And full of laughter & tears. I’m struggling to summarize this wonderful story without giving away any of the surprises. How Lisa Lanay has managed to weave so many themes into one story is amazing!
4 Stars
Loving Jake is the first book in the Almost Perfect series, and emotive debut novel by Lisa Lanay. This is a contemporary romance- with drama, angst, secrets, second chances, and more. Ms. Lanay employed a tried and tested ‘recipe’ for her debut, giving it her own ‘spin’- and delivers a polished and enjoyable read. Was the story a little predictable?-Yes. But the story was written in such a way that I couldn’t help but invest in the characters, and their story- and in the end the predictability didn’t really matter. I enjoyed the journey.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series!
Well done!
Thank you, Ms. Lanay!
In Loving Jake, the first book in the Almost Perfect series, by author Lisa Lanay we meet Jake Taylor, a journalist who returns home to take care of his grandfather. While attending a party at his old friend’s house, he runs into his best friends’ little sister, Kimberly. Kim has been in love with Jake for twenty years but was always too shy to do anything about it. When Jake turns up at Kim’s house looking to rent her extra bedroom Kim decides to take the bull by the horns and make him fall, I love with her. Unfortunately, Jake is hiding a secret from Kim that keeps him from returning her affection, will Jake let his secret hold him back from what he truly desires?
This was the first time I have read anything by this author and I don’t think it will be the last. At times the story was choppy but it was entertaining if you can look past that. I did find Jake to be a little whiny at times but I enjoyed the character of Kim. I felt sorry for Kim at times but she didn’t let her situation and unrequited love keep her down. I look forward to reading more in this series and from this author.
Loving Jake (Almost Perfect Series Book 1) by Lisa Lanay
5 +++++ Stars
Oh my gosh I loved this book!! Being my first by this author I wasn’t sure what to expect and it went beyond what I could have hoped for. I loved these people Jake and Kimberly were awesome and I was so totally invested in their story from the first couple pages. Not only the leads but I loved the secondary as well. The miscommunication between Jake and Kimberly had me wanting to crawl into the book and slap them both upside the head. I did though feel so bad for Jake, his story and the way it was told broke my heart, then mended it just as quick. The hospital scene took my breath away!!
This was an original story that at times I thought would go a certain way yet this author found ways to keep it fresh and unique and I appreciated that. I fell head over heels for gramps even if he was a bit difficult at times and he broke my heart.
This was an awesome start to a new series, one that I know I will read over and over again. I can not wait for Zanes story and also anything else this author writes..
Can’t recommend this enough, it had all the feels and I loved it!
Loving Jake (Almost Perfect Series Book 1) by Lisa Lanay. Ok first off I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers book, and it’s even better if it’s just a little forbidden. This author knows romance and I’m excited to read more. Jake and Kimberly both frustrated me and made me love them. I couldn’t put this book down from start to finish I was hooked. The characters are complex and relatable, and I couldn’t help but root for each of them for different reasons. The author has a wonderful way of drawing the readers in and making us forget it’s a book. It’s well written and paced nicely never feeling rushed or lacking anything. I’d have to say this story is in my top five favorites for this year. I can’t wait to see where the author takes readers next. Five stars and highly recommend.
I enjoyed this romance book. This is a new author for me and I will be looking for more books by her. I was pulled into the story right from the start. It is an engaging story that I read in one sitting. Kimberly has loved Jake since high school but she has always been the little sister. Now that he is back in town will she be able to convince him to give her a chance? I enjoyed them and watching the growth between them. They will keep you turning pages! I highly recommend their story.
Loving Jake (Almost Perfect Series Book 1)
By: Lisa Lanay
5 out of 5 stars
The story Loving Jake (Almost Perfect Series Book 1) by Lisa Lanay is a contemporary romance book. It is a story that pulled me in from the beginning and didn’t let me go until the final page. It is a book that is romantic and has wonderful characters. I loved reading about Kimberly Urbane and Jake Taylor. Kimberly had always had a crush on Jake. When he suddenly needs a place to stay, Kimberly lets him stay in her spare room. The attraction between them is undeniable. Both of them have feelings for the other. Can Kimberly get Jake to act on his? Jake is a man who after the heartbreak of his divorce decides that relationships and romance are not for him. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t see how beautiful Kimberly is and want more with her. What does the future hold for Kimberly and Jake? Will they find a HEA? Read this book to find out. This story has moments that will make you laugh, moments that are sad, and also heartwarming moments. The book had my emotions going up and down the entire time I was reading it. There are romantic scenes that you will love reading. Don’t miss out on a wonderful story that has amazing characters. I highly recommend it.
This book has it all: cute cover, crisp descriptive writing, great dialogue, well-developed characters, and a story that delivers!
“There was a flock of butterflies partying down in her stomach, and it felt as if a few of them may have made their way to her throat and were looking for an exit.” Lanay writes this about the main character, Kimberly, as we experience her seeing her high school crush for the first time — all grown up. What a great line. I knew exactly how Kimberly felt. And I lived through every feeling she had afterwards, thanks to Lanay’s gift for weaving a story.
“I know a relationship with Jake won’t be perfect…I think he’s almost perfect…and…that’s good enough for me.”
I could go on and on with the emotional lines that for an ordinary author might feel cheesy, but not so with Lanay. There were some laughs, which is another sign of a good book for me. And there were also tears. The good kind, where I was agonizing over the circumstances, frustrated they weren’t resolving themselves, while also knowing somehow it would all work out in the end.
I loved the book so much I kept putting off reading the last one and a half chapters. I wanted to savour every word. Every earned tear. Every inward smile. Though I’d predicted the end from the middle of the book, the actual unfolding of it was more poignant than I could have imagined.
Thank goodness I own this book so I can reread it another day!
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. From the start, it’s easy to see the attraction each person has for the other. But misunderstandings and misconceptions abound. I’ll admit that as I neared the end, I worried about how things would work out, but everything came together nicely. This was really well written and had a good amount of steam in it (though I wouldn’t have minded more). Definitely recommend giving this a read if you’re looking for something good!
This is a good book with a lot of misunderstanding and tension both of which I love and romance. Especially misunderstandings! Keep in mind that this book was written in third person, and not first person, so that may take some getting used to.
Talk about miscommunication… talk about a rollercoaster of emotions… talk about about steamy Talk about the ultimate HEA… oh and I’m totally ready for Zane Loving Jake by Lisa Lanay is a fun well written romance novel that you’ll literally finish in one sitting! You’ll fall in love with all the characters and the storyline. I’m super stoked that it’s a series and I can’t wait for Taming Zane to be release!
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy Lisa Lanay’s “Loving Jake” as much as I hoped I would. The main characters, Kimberly and Jake, weren’t very well-developed, so I was left with a lot of unanswered questions at the end of the book. For example, what happened to Jake’s parents that led to his grandfather raising him and his brother? What prompted their move from Texas to California, especially considering that his grandfather loved Texas so much?
Neither Jake nor Kimberly was particularly likeable, either. Kimberly seemed painfully naive and immature to me. She was convinced she loved Jake from the very beginning of the book based solely on memories she had of him from years before, but she didn’t really know him and never mentioned anything specific that she even liked about him, other than perhaps his long hair. She also seemed to think that she could convince him they belonged together just by parading around in skimpy clothing and luring him into bed with her. Sex doesn’t automatically equal love, and it was ridiculous for Kimberly to think that sleeping with Jake would be enough to convince him to give up his beloved career to stay in California with her forever.
However improbably, something about Kimberly’s harebrained scheme must have actually worked because Jake had to try and talk himself out of being in love with her about a third of the way through the story. There was basically no relationship development up to that point, so it felt very much like insta-love to me. What really bothered me about their relationship, however, was their complete lack of ability to communicate. Instead of talking to each other, they both kept assuming that they already knew what the other one wanted, so they didn’t give their partner agency over choices that directly affected them.
In addition to my issues with the characters and their relationship development, I was not a fan of certain aspects of the author’s writing style. For example, phone calls were narrated only from one side (kind of like when a comedian is trying to tell a joke), which led to a lot of awkward repetition that wouldn’t happen in real life. The narrative would have had a better flow if both sides of the conversation had been included. Also, there was no indication of how much time passed as the story progressed, which led to some confusion since there were apparently time jumps of several days/weeks between some of the chapters. A simple header saying something like “3 days later” inserted at the beginning of the chapter would provide some much-needed clarity.
Overall, while this wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read, I really can’t recommend it. I will give the author another shot, however.
*ARC provided by the author/publisher via Hidden Gems Books. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Lisa Lanay is a new to me author and I have to say, she’s off with a bang in my books! Loving Jake is a funny, sweet contemporary romance with some spicy scenes led up to with a slow burn.
When Jake, the H of the book, finds himself in needs a place to stay, the last place he expects to land is with Kimberly. Their relationship is often derailed by bad info and crazy misunderstanding until they finally get it together!
The characters are well-developed and interesting. Her plot is easy to follow with many ups and down with a dose of angst built in. If you’re looking for a fun read with some hot scenes, this book is for you. For me, I’m looking forward to book two in her Almost Perfect Series.
I have kindle unlimited and my taste varies, but I saw this title and I had to read it. First because my boyfriend’s name is Jake and it felt like if I didn’t read it, there was something wrong with me. Secondly because I love reading new authors and Lisa Lanay is a new author for me. Jake and Kimberly are our two main characters. I fell in love with Kimberly right away, she reminded me of myself when I was younger. I loved the interaction between Jake and Kimberly so much, I literally read this book in less than a day ( I think 5 hours total because my kids needed to eat supper haha). This book is funny and full of heart and heartbreak. I absolutely cannot wait to read Taming Zane!!! Great job by Lisa!