Will a makeover bring his fantasy to life or lead him to a love he never saw coming?As a professional X-ray tech, Ridley has come a long way from the geeky kid Jace took under his wing in high school. Not that his best friend has noticed. Tired of pining, Ridley decides to show Jace what he’s missing. And what better way than with a newer, more sophisticated look? Cole’s clients at the salon … clients at the salon where he works love him dearly. Men? Not so much. He has dated one mistake after the next, and he’s beginning to wonder if a guy exists who can handle his fabulousness. Then Ridley lands in his chair.
Cole agrees to be Ridley’s makeover guru, and they click effortlessly. But when Cole offers to help Ridley with his sexual confidence, passion flares and boundaries blur.
Ridley’s had his heart set on Jace a long time, but when he’s with Cole it feels too real to deny. Now he has a choice to make: the friend he’s always wanted or the man who’s given him a whole new lease on life.
Operation Makeover is part of the Hearts and Health series, but can be read as a standalone.
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Ridley is securely stuck in the friend zone with his best friend that he’s lusted after for over a decade. Maybe it’s time for a makeover?! Cole is an amazing stylist that agrees to help Ridley become a “new man” so that Jace will see Ridley as more than his bestie. I enjoyed watching Ridley open up and find his voice. As his confidence grows, so does his realization that maybe Jace isn’t what he really wants. Cole is such a sweetheart…always giving and asking nothing in return. These two had an amazing chemistry that burned up the pages!
You’re Perfect Just as You Are
Cole is a gifted hair stylist.
When Riley shows up for a ‘new style’ he and Cole immediately hit it off.
Riley is an X-Ray technician who lives with his feisty twin sister, Ronnie.
Riley undertakes a make over, Riley 2.0, in the hopes of garnering the attention of his best friend.
In the process, he discovers the confidence he needs to really go after what he wants in life!
The greatest thing about D. J.’s books and characters are the growth they experience right before your eyes! Plus she fleshes them out so that you see them for whom they really are, inside and out.
‘I think helping anyone realize it’s okay to be what they want to be, who they need to be, is pretty inspiring too.’
‘A familiar longing to belong, to be unconditionally loved, pulled at his heart.’
I received an ARC from the author…then purchased a copy in appreciate for a tale well told!
I loved this book! Not only was the love story incredibly sweet, it also had a great message. It’s all about learning to love yourself and be happy with who you are. It’s a bit of a slow burn with the MCs starting as friends. I also liked that Ridley is an average guy who is on the nerdy side and Cole is more femme and on the flamboyant side. In a lot of books you find the flamboyant characters are always with big, manly men with huge muscles. This was a nice change of pace. I highly recommend this one. Low on angst, high on sweet and sexiness.
Oh man this book is so great!! Ridley (and I absolutely love this name!!) is in love with his best friend Jace. Seeing Jace pick up other guys hurts, so he decides to get a makeover, new hair, new clothes, a whole new look from his geeky t-shirts and baggy jeans. Hoping Jace notices and things progress.
Cole is a fabulous, hairdresser who changes Ridley’s look with a little color and cut. He instantly takes a liking to Rid, but knowing he is doing all this for the love of his BFF, Cole decides to be friends and help him out with fashion.
Soon the two are hanging out, shopping and having a “friends with benefits” good time. But things never go as you plan. Rid is confused about his feelings for Cole and changing feelings for Jace. Cole knows he’s in for a bruised heart if he doesn’t pull away from Rid.
This book has a great plot, DJ Jamison knows how to write a story that will keep you interested all the way through. Friendship, laughter and love are what makes a relationship work, now Cole and Ridley just need to tell each other their true feelings.
4.5 stars!!
When I signed up to review Operation Makeover, I thought it was going to be cute and quirky, more of a fun read. It was that and so much more, drastically exceeding expectations. The story of Ridley and Cole was sweet, emotional, quirky, fun, and at times funny. Both were trying to overcome self-esteem issues, some buried more deeply than others.
The emotion that bled through the pages and through this story was more than I expected, and at times, I found myself tearing up a bit. I’m not saying that you are going to need a box of tissues for this, but have one handy for certain parts. (You know me, I’ll always warn you.) On top of the emotional aspect, the story was never slow, always moved forward, and engaged the reader. It kept me enthralled. And the characters…they were real and could be anyone that you know. They were two men who were struggling to find love, accept love, and to accept themselves.
I give this story 4.5 stars. Be fabulous! (Read the book and you’ll understand!)
The chemistry between these 2 characters was off the charts. Ridley goes to Cole for a makeover to impress. Little does he know with Cole’s help he impresses & finds himself not lacking the way he thought he did. I was offered an ARC for & honest review & this was a great read you want to read this.
Ridley begins a makeover process to get his best friends attention but in the meantime the giver of the makeovers is around and interested….does Ridley get his HEA and who is it with? This was a well written book and am glad we got to read Ridley story. Loved all the characters in this series and can’t wait to read more….well done DJ as always
Fun and lighthearted, this was also one of the most perfectly sweet romance stories I’ve read in a while.
An endearing take on the classic “ugly duckling to beautiful swan” makeover. Made even better because, as it turns out, true love sees you for who you are. No “embellishment” needed.
Cole falls for Ridley just the way he is and though he helps Ridley with his “transformation”, he never thinks the other man needs to change. In fact, he only goes along with it to help Ridley see his own self-worth and become more confident. And to have an excuse to keep meeting up with him, maybe.. Cole is such a sweetheart! I adored him for continuing to help Ridley make an impression on Jace, at great cost to his own heart. Though I also wanted to shake some sense into him!
Ridley’s insecurities are clear from the get-go, but as the story progresses we learn that Cole is not as confident as he outwardly appears and neither man has had much luck in love. So they have more in common than they think.
I loved how gradually this story was built up, and the way they very naturally fell into a friendship first. There’s chemistry between them too, of course, but it’s not what drives the relationship.
This was a great read, entertaining and very romantic.
Operation Makeover (Hearts and Health Book 7)
This book was an amazing read.
The MC and this story was an excellent.
I truly was amazed how detailed this book was.
I was rooting for Ridley and Cole
These two were hot.
Ridley has a choice to make between who going to be right for him.
This is a book Worth reading.
Overall loved the story plot.
Well written book.
Never was a dull moment for me.
I would recommend this book.
I voluntary read an advance reader copy and my opinion are my own.
I haven’t read the others in the series and I didn’t feel it affected my engagement or enjoyment in this book.
I really loved the characters and storyline, getting fully engaged in the journey and cheering on the protagonists through their ups and downs.
The development of Ridley’s confidence and sense of self was wonderful to experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the blossoming romance between him and Cole. The lingering hangup with Jace was a little frustrating and I felt went on too long and got in the way too much but overally I really enjoyed the book.
I am feeling a bit rusty after a long absence, but I’ll try to do justice to another amazing book by DJ Jamison. My first book by her was Heart Trouble so, the hospital world with all the characters mentioned here, and book by book, my admiration for her works grew. I don’t think any book will top Urgent Care, this one was quite close.
I loved the awkward Riley! In so many ways I imagine he is quite the same as he was in high school where he looked up to Jace, and his Lego hobby is AWESOME as fuck. I also kind of understood the idea of reinventing oneself. The makeover, even though Riley think it’s for Jace, is for Riley. And he was lucky to find Cole. Cole is fabulous and unapologetically gay. Some of it isn’t even his choosing, but he makes do. Except one thing. He is awful at choosing partners.
I loved both characters for themselves and what they could be to each other and I had my fingers crossed that they work it all out. I mean, I knew they would, but here’s the magic, right? The fact that even with knowing that there will be a happy ending, you are still feeling everything. And in this book, DJ Jamison managed that perfectly!
It was a book I adored, with adorkable and awkward X-ray technician becoming adorkable and confident technician and with the fabulous Cole showing his human side, not so fabulous and self-assured all the time.
And I absolutely loved the cameos of the characters from previous books. My heart just about melted at the end
Operation Makeover
By DJ Jamison
Main Characters: Cole & Ridley
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
This is a m/m contemporary romance. This was a well written story but not my personal type of m/m. I happen to like my couples a little more on the alpha side and not so much twink. I did read the whole book and will def read more by this author.