I was looking for a place to belong … I never thought it’d be in his heart. AvaOn the outside, it might look like I have it all. A sweet singing voice. A bestie who loves music as much as I do. And the chance to grow my songwriting skills at Edenvale. The truth is, beneath my happy exterior, I’m just a foster kid trying to get by. What I really want is to matter to someone, especially if that … want is to matter to someone, especially if that someone’s my best friend’s hot, older brother.
If only Liam Mitchell wasn’t way out of my league.
Liam
It’s senior year, and I should be figuring out my future, but with my dad in jail, I’ve had to step up to take care of my family. The only thing that’s clear is how much I like spending time with Ava Alverson. Beautiful, smart, and strong, she’s the only one I can let my guard down with. She makes me want to clean up my act and be a guy worthy of her love.
If only my ex would let me go so I can give Ava my full attention and show her how much I really care.
Two friends. One unforgettable first kiss. And the chance to cross the lines of friendship into a whole lot more.
Welcome to Edenvale Arts Academy, where the performing arts are celebrated, friendships last forever, and romance takes center stage.
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To the Only Boy I’ve Love Before manages to be a cute, sweet romance and deal well with serious subjects like foster care and a parent in prison. I loved Ava and Liam! They are likable, not totally self-confident, and just so very right together. There are so many special moments in the book, but I don’t want to spoil any of them for you. This story just gave me all the ‘feels.” There’s a great HEA. I think you’ll find it well worth the money and your time. I highly recommend this book to clean/wholesome romance readers, to Christian fiction readers, and to readers of YA romance. I received a complimentary copy. I chose to write a review and share my opinion of this excellent YA romance.
Oh, so much fun!!! I loved getting to know Liam and Ava, not just as Hannah’s older brother and her best friend but as two high schoolers struggling with life and falling in love. Liam has a lot on his plate, trying to be the man of the house while his dad is in jail and also attempting (very poorly) to end his superficial relationship so that he can get to know Ava better. Ava also has a lot on her plate as a foster child trying to keep her head down and not cause trouble while attending her dream high school and developing her vocal talent.
It’s the classic older-brother-falls-for-younger-sister’s-best-friend trope with sweetness, tenderness, and high school drama in a storyline with a good-paced plot and lovable characters. And Darren and Danica Spark, along with their cool bookstore, play a huge role in this book. Yay to the Spark brothers being featured in this new Edenvale High series (if you haven’t met the Spark brothers, I highly recommend reading that series). I can’t wait to read the next book where we’ll meet Liam’s buddy Max.
I received a copy of the book from the author and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This book filled me with the message of hope because both of the main characters never dwelled on how their lives had changed. Ava lost both her parents in an accident and ended up in foster care. Liam’s dad was in jail and his family had to move into an apartment after living in a big house. What a change from his country club life and dreams. His mom was now working two jobs. I enjoyed how this story took off where the first book ended but you could read this one without having read the first book. I really like this new series and its ties to the Spark Brothers series. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
Oh, how I loved this story! After absolutely loving book one I didn’t think this series could get any more amazing, but boy did it! I loved To The Only Boy I’ve Loved Before even more than the first book in the series! I loved Ava and Liam so much and their story is so beautifully written that it had me grinning and happy-sighing more times than I can count! My heart broke for all Ava had been through, and I found myself wishing I could reach through the pages and give her a hug! And I so admired her bravery and determination to look on the bright side. I loved that even though these characters are teenagers they are very mature, and there is very little if any typical angst or drama in this book, so I think it will definitely appeal to a wide range of readers, and especially fans of Kasie West! This book is so good that I hated to see it end! I love Liwen Y. Ho’s writing so much, and she is fast becoming one of my favorite authors, I can’t wait to read her next book and continue catching up on her amazing backlist!
I highly, HIGHLY recommend To The Only Boy I’ve Loved Before, I seriously wish I could give it more than five stars! This is a series that YA romance fans will not want to miss!
I received an ebook copy of this book from the publisher which did not influence my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.
True love can happen at any age!
This is such a wonderful and caring story. Ava lost her parents in a car accident and is now in the foster care system. Liam is over protective to those he cares about. Both Ava and Liam are surprised by the fact that they like each other.
Ava is Liam’s sister, , best friend, Ava’s foster dad has a no dating rule and Liam has a girlfriend! How can they make a relationship work?
Fantastic storyline and characters.
I enjoyed reading this story! I don’t usually read YA fiction but this is really a cute story! I recommend this book to anyone who likes good clean romance!
I’m finding myself loving this Young Adult series by Liwen Y. Ho and I am not-so-young. But young true love is so beautiful and can be appreciated by all ages. I was captivated by this story about Ava, a teenager who was in a dubious foster care home, who fell in love with her best friend’s older brother, Liam. It was sweet watching handsome, popular Liam who was dating the prettiest (and most self-centered) girl in school realize that he wanted more in a girlfriend than beauty; he wanted friendship, trust, and compatibility in addition to attraction and that was what he felt with Ava. It turned into true love because they both tried to do what was best for the other, putting one another first. This is the kind of book that I would want my teenager to read. Without lecturing, there are a lot of positive lessons to be learned in it. And it is such a feel-good story! Highly recommend! I received an ARC and this is my voluntary and honest review.
I received an ARC of this book and I’m leaving my honest review
Here are the things made me want to read this story:
– the title
– its a young adult romance
– I read the first one (How to kiss a Guy in ten Days)
– i wanted to see how Liam and Ava’s relationship would progress
– A best friend’s brother romance
I enjoyed the story, it gives you all the feels of young love. Im so glad Ava didnt change to be with Liam also i wanted to give Liam a good talking to when It came to Savannah. I cant wait for Max’s story.
Do you like:
HEA storylines?
Emotion and Drama but not overkill?
Lines like:
…. ’Pretending was a skill I’d learned over the years to survive’…
… ’I couldn’t wait around for someone to rescue me; I needed to take care of myself.’
… ’No one knew I wrote songs; it was something I started doing after my parents passed. Not only were the lyrics too personal for me to share, it was a little scary putting my work out there for people—even my bestie—to hear.’
If you answered yes to the above questions, then you will love this new book by Liwen Y Ho. This is a storyline that has realistic issues. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t tug and pull at both your heart and your emotions. Yes, it’s a friends to lovers romance, but it’s so much more. It shows the trauma and difficulties of real life. Ava, the female lead, may be a teen but she’s had to face tragedy head on. Both parents died from a car accident and she goes from a wonderful home with loving parents to foster care. Life is not easy. Read and see just how Ava is an overcomer and how friends become family. And who knows, love just may sneak in there too.
I think I liked this second book in the series even a bit more than the first book. It helps to read the first book first, so you know who the characters are when you start book 2. Ho does a good job on young adult “slang” and favorite artists so that even old foggies like me don’t get too lost in all of it.
I like the fact that character and core values are as important as physical looks for these young adults when they decide who they are interested in.
Loved this clean romance. I love the fact that Ava has had a major crush on her bestie’s brother for forever, and he finally comes around. I don’t usually like high school romances, but they seemed more mature in this one. Great writing. Definitely recommend.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The further I got into this story, the more I found myself thinking “they are talking and acting like teenagers.” Then I realized…they are teenagers. Then I smiled & watched as life played out for them. The author has done a wonderful job. The story is interesting while still incorporating some realistic situations faced by many teens today. The under girding element of faith is also a welcome addition.
I requested an ARC & am willingly posting my opinions of this title.
I’ve been anxious to read Ava and Liam’s story after the sneak peak in the first book and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a sweet story with a lot of emotion. I loved the depth to Ava and Liam’s relationship. Sometimes it’s hard for me to read YA and think they’ve found the one in high school, but then I’m reminded of a good friend who found her love at 12. He was also two years older and they’ve now been married for 20 years. I can see Ava and Liam having a similar experience.
“Life’s too short to not go after your dreams.”
This book is giving me all the warm fuzzies and is the perfect read for a blustery, cold weekend (or any other day you crave a feel-good story, really). I’d already fallen in love with Ava and Liam in the first book in the series, and I loved seeing them get their own HEA.
While I feel for Ava, I appreciate that she is pretty much a “self-rescuing princess” type of girl, and her message is one I should definitely heed more often. Life is short, indeed.
It was fun to reconnect with Hannah and Seth, their families, and a couple of other “usual suspects” from book #1.
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
This book was such a breath of fresh air! Sweet, clean, and full of moral life lessons, as well as likable characters, Ava and Liam were a joy to read about as they navigated their new relationship and their own personal difficulties, Ava, struggling to find a place to call home, and Liam, learning to stand up and make tough, but necessary choices. I loved every minute, and read far into the night, anxiously awaiting their happy ending, leaving me with all the warm, fuzzy feelings I love in my romances. I received a copy of this book from the author (many thanks!), am giving my honest opinion, and recommend it highly.
This author is amazing, she really knows what her readers love.
I love sweet romances and I was impressed by the way she handles some of the dynamics of the characters and their story.
The characters became my friends and I was right there with them throughout the story.
This series promises to be all 5-star books.
Ava and Liam are often in each other’s sphere. The calming, yet sparkling energy that plays between them is palpable. I love how they make each other happy and more complete versions of themselves as they both navigate the waters of a childhood/that many would crumble under.
Beautiful and poignant. Better than the first!
I received an ARC copy of this book and I am leaving a voluntary review.
A delightful young adult book about Ava, a girl with a beautiful voice, a hidden talent of writing songs and a foster child in a loveless home. But lucky for her she has a best friend named Hannah and her brother Liam who Ava has a secret crush on. Unknowingly, Liam has a crush on Ava, he describes her voice as “Ava’s voice was like magic. Warm syrup on a stack of your favorite pancakes kind of magic.” Oh, flutter flutter goes my heart. He has a complicated relationship he is in which stops him from letting it be known. When he tries to break up with his conceited girlfriend things don’t go as planned and problems at Eva’s foster home are only some of the troubles they face. But as Ava says, “life is short not to hold onto those you love”.
Eeeek! To The Only Boy I’ve Loved Before was so beautiful!!! It made my YA heart so happy 🙂 even though it may have taken me a bit to get into the book, I loved the best friend’s older brother trope. It may not be my favorite one per se, but it was so well written I was simply rooting for Ava and Liam all the way 😀 I loved how they complimented each other with their weaknesses and strengths, and I certainly enjoyed how much Liam grew to appreciate not only outward beauty but especially the one that comes from the inside. I think this book managed to be better than the previous one: yes, it pulled at my heartstrings but the ending was perfect and so worth it. Plus, I still loved getting to see previous characters from past books (from Seth and Hannah to Darren, Danica, and Hope ). So far, this is YA series is completely recommended 😉
PS: knowing the author’s love for the movie While You Were Sleeping, I seriously can’t wait to see her rendition of it in the next installment of this series