From USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow comes a heartwarming childhood frenemies-to-lovers, second chance romance!
When we were eleven, Oliver Ford Pemberton dared me to jump off a barn roof. He said you couldn’t break a leg from a 12-foot-jump.He lied.(You can also break a collarbone, which served him right as far as I was concerned.) I wish I could say it was the last dare I ever took … lied.
(You can also break a collarbone, which served him right as far as I was concerned.)
I wish I could say it was the last dare I ever took from him, the last bet I ever made with him, the last time I ever trusted Oliver Ford Pemberton.
But it wasn’t.
Because he had the nerve to grow up gorgeous, charming, and sexy. And as we got older, the dares only got dirtier–and the betting stakes higher–until finally, he left me in pieces. I swore I’d never talk to him again.
But twenty years after I took that flying leap, he’s back in my life, daring me to risk everything for him: my job, my self-worth, and my heart.
How many chances does true love deserve?
“Sizzling chemistry, off the charts sexual tension and all the feels I’ve come to expect with a Melanie Harlow romance!”- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author
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I love friends to lovers because they know the real you–they know your family, your flaws, what makes you happy and sad. In this story, Oliver Pemberton hurt our sweet heroine, Chloe, more than once. Each time she trusted him, he let her down and she was fooled yet again. It took me awhile to be on board with Oliver being the “hero” to be honest. But people aren’t perfect and he had a lot of growing up to do. Being selfish and immature, he made a lot of mistakes in the past 20 years, and his biggest regret was how he treated Chloe.
They both had ambition and dreams for their careers, and these enemies to lovers worked it out through the pages of Undeniable. There was never any doubt that Oliver and Chloe had an insane attraction to one another, or that they couldn’t communicate, it was just different situations that happened over the years that made them distant for good reason. There was lots of flirting, lots of banter, and lots of tears in this novel, but it does end in a HEA. Oliver does wear his heart on his sleeve, and makes up for all of his past sins in the end.
I liked that her parents were secondary characters in this story and how they supported both of their dreams, and how their story unfolded over time going back and forth from the past to the present. Oliver’s upbringing was tragic and it was wonderful to see how he made a success of himself and was a good man, but harbored many demons from his childhood not wanting to be like his horrific father.
I really did admire Chloe in this story. She is smart, driven, hardworking, great at her marketing career, and is able to find it in her heart to forgive him when asked sincerely. Some may think she is a pushover, but she knows the real Oliver, who finally shines through in the end.
They both played stupid games and then were surprised when they won stupid prizes.
This is one author that can make me so freaking happy to see that she has a new book. I love all of her books and the chance to read a new one makes me feel like a little kid in a candy shop…
Melanie Harlow is the author I’m talking about. Her writing is raw and intense, sweet, and wild and with so many feelings between each chapter. You’ll fall in love. I guarantee you that.
Undeniable is her latest release and it’s the second book from the Cloverleigh Series.
Let me just say that I’ve started this series backward because I’m embarking on book 2 without reading book 1…shame on me… But I advise you to read the series in order.
This new book explores the lives of Oliver and Chloe.
These two are friends since they were kids. They were two troublemakers. If one says jump the other will answer how high… What once started as a friendship turned out to love and then hate… From friends to enemies to lovers again? Is this possible?
Omg could this book be any more perfect?
It was amazing and so much more.
Perfect plot, super engaging, full of all the things that make a book perfect in my opinion.
We have love and hate, smiles and tears, kisses and fights… The total package.
There were parts of the book that I wanted to hurt someone and make them see what was right in front of them… Jeez… Stubborn much…
It was perfect the chemistry they share despite the problems from the past…
It was great and I can’t wait to read the first book and then wait for the next one.
Great book Melanie and will we have to wait long for the next?
Melanie Harlow has brought the feels, the angst and steam with Undeniable.
Chloe and Oliver’s story is beautiful. They have been friends their whole life. I loved all the flashback scenes where we get to see their unbreakable friendship. They were inseparable, but of course things start to get complicated for them when feelings getting involved. There were some miscommunications and frustrating moments but overall I adored their connection and deep love they have for one another.
I am loving this series and everyone on Cloverleaf Farm, and I am looking forward to reading the next Sawyer sister get her HEA next in Insatiable
Chloe and Oliver have known each other their whole lives. As kids, they did a lot of stupid things because they were egging one another on. As they grew up there was attraction between them, mostly from Chloe toward Oliver. But she knew him so well, she knew it would be a mistake to give her heart to him because he was so spoiled and immature.
I thought about this book a lot before writing this review, because I really didn’t like the male lead character at all. Oliver was super wealthy and a spoiled playboy who hurt Chloe over and over again during the course of 2 decades, and just always counted on being able to smooth it over and have her forgive him. Chloe was strong and confident in her life … except when it came to Oliver. The format of the book goes back and forth in time so we have an increasingly good understanding of all the water that’s gone under the bridge between these 2 characters. The more time that went on, the more Oliver did to make me dislike him.
In the present time Oliver is dangling in front of Chloe the dream she holds closest to her heart, and he has ulterior motives, of course. The secondary characters are great, and we get to see the people from Cloverleigh Farms again. Oliver’s grandmother was a gem, and prove that although we think we’re fooling other people sometimes, frequently were only fooling ourselves. Oliver finally takes a hard look at himself and redeems himself in the end, and even though Chloe forgives him, I still have some hard feelings!
Oliver and Chloe, what a couple!! I am not sure if I love them or hate them, but this childhood friends to lovers is apparently one of my favorite tropes. So love it is.. I liked the story, even though Oliver is pushing it with his attitude, but who am I to judge… The heart wants what it wants!
It was fast paced and really fun, off to the next sister now…
This one is on prime reading! Chloe is a saint. Oliver should do penance for the rest of his life. And this was such a cute friends to enemies to lovers romance! Happy Reading!
That boy is one smooth talker. This was a fun one. Loving this series.
In some ways this book is a little different from the others in the series (I’ve read them all now). It doesn’t quite have the realism of the others and it uses a different technique. Doesn’t make it bad, just different and I still enjoyed it. I’ll explain.
This is an interesting book to review because people have so many differing opinions about Oliver and Chloe. They sound to me like two characters with ADHD—a tricky combination to be sure. Oliver is a hard character to like and I think any reader with any life experience at all would feel like he couldn’t prove himself trustworthy in a mere two months after a lifetime of disappointing Chloe. At best I would call this ending an HFN not an HEA. This is a story that begs for a sequel because there are still so many potential pitfalls for this relationship.
It’s kind of pathetic really that Chloe and Oliver are too much alike to be together, yet so much alike that they shouldn’t be apart. Chloe is the rudder and Oliver is the boat. Neither one works without the other. Oliver is still floundering while Chloe is trying to pull herself up out of the water. What a conundrum. They get each other at the same time that they keep pushing each other’s buttons. If they could just team up and take on the world together, rather than taking on each other, they could have everything they want. I really enjoyed the final two chapters in this story and the epilogue was unique, sentimental and romantic.
For me, the best reason to read this book is Ms. Harlow’s extensive talent as a writer. Her ability to paint a scene, communicate emotion, and enable the reader to step inside the minds of her characters is exceptional, as well as her mastery of technique.
This book had so many wonderful scenes—the ferry, the swimming, the library. Oh my god, the library! And Ms. Harlow wrote the most tender scene in Oliver’s dorm room. Many scenes were playful (which is hard to do without sounding silly). They depicted Chloe and Oliver’s adventurous and impulsive personalities. Other scenes showcased their deep feelings and connection to each other, blended in with the wide array of other complicated emotions they had for one another.
This story was told using flashbacks which none of the other books in this series used. In the past I haven’t liked that technique very much. I found it disruptive. But this seemed to flow seamlessly. However Ms. Harlow did it, she should give a masterclass.
This book doesn’t have as much realism as the other books in this series, but all the elements come together to create an unusual frenemies-to-lovers, multiple chance, romantic fantasy. It has heart-tugging emotion, push and pull to the Nth degree, drama and an HEA (or HFN depending on how you feel about it). I give this story five stars because it holds your interest, it’s got wide-ranging emotion and the style is spectacular.
I love it
This book is funny, and sweet and all the things a good romance book should be. I really enjoyed it!
Undeniable is the second book in the Cloverleigh Farms series by the ever-talented Melanie Harlow. It can be read as standone but I do recommend reading Irresistible because it was awesome. If you did read it then you have already met Chloe, Frannie’s older sister. This is her story and it started at birth.
Oliver is two days older than Chloe and he will never let her forget it. He acted like he was so much older even though he was definitely more immature. With his bets. With his lying ways. With his life. These two were always in competition so when he bet her that she wouldn’t jump off the roof, she took did it. She was no chicken even though she broke her leg. She would never forget that day. It was the one where she knew she could never fully trust him. And twenty years and many chances later he was back and wanted another chance. This time with business.
Oliver needed her. Chloe needed him. He had to prove to her that he can be trusted. She needed to try to let the past go and give him a chance so her dream can come true. A distillery on Cloverleigh Farm. And he just happened to own a successful one already and had the money to back her. But can she trust him? He had one week to get on her good graces once again. Otherwise both of their dreams were just that. A dream. One they would do anything to make a reality.
Aw! I loved this one. It had everything. Second chance. Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. Suspense. I loved the characters separately and together. They had passion. In their careers and in their hate/love for each other. The banter between them is full of humor, heat, beauty, and sass. I can’t wait to see what is up next for this family!
Quotes:
“Oliver is my best friend’s son,” my mother said to Mack with fondness in her voice. “And he’s so charming.”
“So was Ted Bundy,” I reminded her.
“How was that?”
“Nice. Too nice.”
“Too nice?”
“Well, Jesus, Oliver, if you’re gonna take the dare to kiss me, do it like you mean it.”
“You didn’t put a rubber snake in there, did you?”
“No. But I do have a one-eyed trouser—”
“No snake jokes, please. Especially if you’re trying to turn me on.”
“Is that a yes to the closet?”
An amazingly sexy, and sweet book. This is such a great read, it will leave you feeling empowered and full of emotions. The characters are beautifully created and their chemistry is off the charts. If you’re looking for a friends to lovers romance, grab this one now. You cannot go wrong with anything this author writes, this book is another great example of her talent.
Forgiveness in abundance
Oliver and Chloe grew up together and claim to have a connection so strong that they can talk without words but they certainly have a lot of mis communication lies and denial of their true feelings for each other. If they spent more time talking instead of hiding behind those dares they give
other, they could have avoided all the heartache they went through over the years. Love make us do silly things but it also make us more forgiving. Oliver has hurt Chloe so many times and she kept on forgiving him and in the end he came to realise that it was time for him to wise up. The story is interesting, romantic, intriguing and well written. I enjoyed reading it.
I read Undeniable in one sitting, I honestly couldn’t put my kindle down.
The Cloverleigh Farms series is without doubt one of my favourite series from Melanie Harlow and it just keeps setting the bar higher with each book released.
Chloe and Oliver had such a history that it wasn’t hard to imagine them together and want them to work things out, though initially I wanted to smack Oliver so damned hard…. the guy finally worked on his relationship and stopped messing with Chloe’s heart and head and I ended up kinda liking him more than I expected to.
Second chance love is a favourite and when it comes with characters who have as much connections, spark, snark and banter as this pair you really can’t ask for more from the story.
This was another great read in the series – the only reason it doesn’t get five stars is Oliver and his treatment of Chole in the past, even if he made it up to her eventually.
4*
Loved it! Small town. All the feels plus heat!
I enjoyed this book. Although it did take me a long time to actually like Oliver. I sometimes felt like Chloe deserved someone better for her. Then Oliver would say something sweet and she would be putty in his hands. I wish she had been a lot stronger when it came to him.
Over all a good book that I was able to read in a day.
This is the 4th book in this amazing series and is Sylvia and Henry’s tale. These two are both newly divorced and neither is looking for any long-term relationship, but can they deny the explosive chemistry between them? No spoilers; this is a definite must read you will not be disappointed. This is a beautifully written epic story which is filled with witty banter, a dirty talking sexy alpha wine maker, and is an all-round humorous and entertaining read. I was totally enthralled throughout this riveting 2nd chance romance story, and I cannot wait to read more from this gifted author, whose work I highly recommend for all.
After reading Undeniable you can understand why Oliver and Chloe are so perfect for each other. They have known each other since birth and have built a unique friendship that has survived so many obstacles. They have experienced so many firsts with each other. They challenge each other. They have gone their separate ways but have come back to each other and have never stopped thinking about the other. They were simply meant to be together, but the time just had to be right.
This story is a sweet romance with the perfect amount of heat and a book you should definitely check out!
This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased, honest opinion.
This is book two in the Cloverleigh Farms series by Melanie Harlow. I’m guessing each Sawyer sister will get a book? There’s 5 of them in total so I’m hoping we get to read about each of them. This story follows Chloe Sawyer, the second to youngest sister out of the bunch. Chloe is the one who takes risks and jumps without seeing if there’s something soft to land on. Chloe grew up with Oliver Ford Pemberton. Their mothers are the best of friends. In fact, they had Oliver and Chloe two days apart. I thought that was a really fun surprise for best friends to share. Who wouldn’t want to raise their child alongside their best friend’s child?
Oliver Pemberton came from a very wealthy family. Coming from a family with money usually means a lot of expectations and rules. He was expected to run the family business and to follow step by step in his father’s and brother’s footsteps. I think that’s where a lot of Oliver’s personality came from. Oliver loved playing games. He seemed to take things for granted, Chloe included. Throughout their lives, Oliver and Chloe were always pulled together. They would start something and then one of them (usually Oliver) would stop things completely. I got really tired of the back and forth. I felt Oliver knew that Chloe had a weakness for him so he took advantage of that. He knew he could run off and do whatever because she would be there waiting when he returned. It wasn’t fair in my opinion.
Chloe was a bit of a rebellious teenager growing up. I feel like she was that way because of having 4 other siblings. They all wanted love and attention. I’m sure attention was hard to come by in those earlier days. Chloe deep down had a great sense of who she was and a great eye for work related things. Sometimes she doubted herself but she truly was excellent at being the marketing and PR for Cloverleigh Farms wines. I loved seeing her chase her dreams and see her light up while working out details for her dream to open her own distillery.
Overall, these two had some major history. You could tell they had a very deep bond and a magnetic pull to each other. I just wish the games were put aside. That Oliver could mature and stop running from Chloe every time things got serious. It was still a fun read even with all that going on. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!!