Will taking a shot at love be worth risking the friendship of a lifetime?Jessica Coleman and Rory Cooke have been best friends since they were children, but as they approach their thirtieth birthdays they realize the love they feel for each other is no longer platonic.Rory is sure that Jess is the woman for him and always has been, but he’s forced to stand by and watch her date another man. What … another man. What if she never works out what he has – that they’re meant to be together?
Jess finally recognizes Rory for who he truly is – the man she’s in love with. But she’s afraid to take that leap, because if their romance ends she’s not only lost her lover, but her best friend as well.
Will they decide that being in love is worth the risk of losing the extraordinary friendship they already have, or will they stay just friends forever?
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A beautifully written debut novel!
While I tend to like a little suspense with my romance, I found this contemporary romance a wonderfully delightful read. I liked the steam factor, the dialogue, and the very real conflict of risking the needed supportive system of a longtime friendship on love.
I did want Jess & Rory to get to the truth about their feelings sooner, but I connected with the characters and stuck with them to their well-deserved HEA. The supporting characters were intriguing and three-dimensional, making me think about what their stories could be, too.
Looking forward to Drew’s story! (I love me a Marine hero!)
Rory and Jess have been best friends for over twenty years and everyone but they can tell that they are the loves of each other’s lives. On Rory’s twenty-ninth birthday, his sister hints that it is time to start thinking of settling down and that his true love will be “revealed” soon enough. While sitting in Jess’s bedroom talking Rory is struck with the realization that Jess is the love of his life but there is one issue, she has a boyfriend. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Rory starts dropping subtle hints to Jess about his attraction to her. Jess recognizes Rory as her true love about all others but is afraid to lose their unbelievable friendship.
Rory and Jess’s story was amazing. Their friendship is solid, romance is hot, steamy and swoon-worthy and the story hits all of the feels. Lissanne Jones hit a home run with her debut novel and I can not wait to read more of her novels. She has become one of my top authors. Worth the Risk is the debut novel and first novel in the Worth It All series by Lissanne Jones which is a friends to lovers romance told in the third-person point of view
*ARC was generously provided for my honest review*
This is the first book I’ve read by Lissane Jones and it certainly won’t be the last. I enjoyed reading Worth the Risk . This was a story about two life long friends , friends and neighbors since the age of ten growing up together forging a unshakable bond. Jess and Rory loved each other but it wasn’t until Rory had a light bulb moment that he realised that he not only loved Jess but he was in love with her to . And watching her date someone he knew was no good for her was killing him but he had to bide his time and as soon as Jess was no longer attached he’d give her time to heal but not to much because he was going to claim what was his and that was Jess.
I liked how Lissane the Author encorpperated the characters friend’s and family around the two main characters and their best friend Drew he was a hoot I had several laugh out loud moments with the banter between himself and Jess and Rory . This was a story of true love , between two people who had hearts as big as Texas I look forward to reading book two in this series.
I loved this book so much!!!!
This is a best friends to lovers romance and right from the start you can see the deep connection between Rory and Jess. They have known each other for so long and there is already love and affection between them.
There isn’t a lot of conflict between Rory and Jess which is a nice change. So many books rely on conflict to between the characters to make them realise how much they mean to each other, but Rory and Jess have known each other for so long that this isn’t necessary for them.
Throw in their best friend Drew (who I am totally in love with) who pushes them together and you have a guaranteed happily ever after.
Finding love in the right place –at last!—topped with sprinkles of hot and sexy.
Grab a cup of coffee and a cookie to enjoy this sweet, heart-warming romance of friends who discover love and passion in each other’s arms. Lissane Jones’ debut novel is a delicately crafted romance that will have you flipping the pages to learn more about Jess and her best friend turned to lover, Rory. He’s a hunky, sexy, down to earth hero, easy on the eyes, and true to his heart. Worth the Risk is a journey that satisfies with a happy ending and a promise for more. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
AdM
A great debut novel. Rory and Jess’s story is full of love, laughter, a little angst and some tears. The secondary characters were wonderful. I’m looking forward to the next two books. What a fantastic story.
A heartwarming, romantic read!
This was my first read by this author and I truly enjoyed this story. I love friends to lovers type books and this one surely didn’t disappoint. Rory and Jess have been best friends since they were kids. They did everything together and loved each other in a platonic way. Until one day, Rory started to feel differently towards Jess and he thought maybe she did too. Rory made it his mission to show Jess how he felt, but would she feel the same way? She didn’t want to ever ruin their friendship, so should she give it a go? I loved these characters. They both just give you all the good feels of a new and potential romance. One thing I really loved about this story, is it is so refreshing to read about potential true love that just gives you all the good feels. I highly recommend this book!
I enjoyed reading this one. I did have a little trouble getting into it at first but at some point it clicked with me and I was hooked. Jessica and Rory are friends. Everyone can tell the should be more then friends except them. When they story starts Jess has a boyfriend. He’s not what she needs and I couldn’t wait for them to split up and i think after they did was when i started to like the story more. Rory knows before Jess that he loves her. They make transition from friends to more than friends and I was so rooting for them.
This book was so sweet!!! I fell in love with Rory and Jess and their love for each other. After the heavy books I have read recently this book was a breath of fresh air. It was an light, enjoyable read. I loved how perfect Rory was for Jess, how much he cared, how well he could read her. He is the kind of guy every woman needs in their life. This book made my heart all warm and fuzzy. And let’s not forge those sizzling scenes!!! Hot hot hot!
Let’s have a quick chat about Drew! Isn’t he just delish?! I can’t wait to see more of this guy when it’s his turn for a book! I laughed more than a couple of times because of Drew’s antics or Rory’s sense of humor. The author’s writing was captivating, it pulled me into the story and made me feel like I was part of it all. I really loved it. I can’t wait to see what is in store next for Jess and Rory!
Sweet becomes…
…hot and so much more. In putting together her debut novel, Lissanne Jones has perfectly combined sweet and hot, achieving everything that is required for a successful friend to lovers’ romance.
The background of Rory and Jess’s friendship is showcased perfectly in their interactions, and in their initial comfortable closeness with each other. And when their best friend comes to visit, I absolutely loved the witty banter between the three of them. Drew, a military man, is just gorgeous and is the best friend ever, in having Rory’s back as he encourages Rory to take the risk, and make that romantic leap.
When things do turn romantic, the chemistry slowly ramped, and I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat, cheering Rory on in his plan as he (im)patiently waited for Jess to catch up. He is so gentle, yet insistent in expressing his deeper feelings for her, I just wanted to scream at her and tell her to hit a piece of that already!!!!!!!
He is the unicorn of book boyfriends. Loving and openly affectionate, ready to battle Jess’ demons for her – if she lets him, and always aware of her in his life. He is also successful and hard working in his mechanic business so I’m imagining some handsome, lean and muscular man, wearing nothing under those overalls that he wears in summer while working in a hot garage……… but, I digress.
Ms. Jones really delves deeply into the dynamics of a friendship that transitions into an all-consuming romantic and sexy love, ‘cos in amongst their daily goings on, there’s plenty of sex happening! It also means, however, that at times, I found the story, not the sex(!), a little too descriptive. But, in essence, there is nothing I did not like about this book.
I also have to include a kudos to the parents, especially Jess’s dad, Brian. He is absolutely amazing, and I loved his unconditional love and support for both Jess and Rory. His comment to Rory speaks to the heart of this friends-to-lovers romance, and is one of my favourite quotes,
“ the biggest strength in your relationship is also your greatest weakness. … you two went into this relationship with a solid foundation as friends, and that’s been to your advantage … it’s also your biggest weakness, because it means you know how to hurt each other more than anyone else, even if it’s unintentional.”
I just love this aspect of Ms. Jones story.
Congratulations on your first book, Lissanne Jones. I am most certainly looking forward to your next one. 4 Stars
Lissanne Jones has created two very appealing main characters in Worth the Risk, and I am confident you will enjoy their journey from best friends to lovers, with some drama along the way. You will get to know them (and their family and friends) very well, and will be wanting them to end up together. The book is sweet without being cloying or saccharine, and has plenty of humour and steamy moments. Having got to know and love Jess and Rory, I am keen to see the next instalment of their lives together.
Worth the Risk
Lissanne Jones wrote a captivating debut novel with Worth the Risk that stole my heart and I can’t wait to read more from this author. The love and devotion Rory and Jess share spills off the pages and makes me want to fall in love all over again. This best friends to lovers story had me smiling from ear to ear and laughing with this adorable couple. This book is full of wonderful characters that help bring the story to life in such a beautiful way. I may even have a crush on a guy named Drew now that Rory is taken. Lissanne reminds us all in this sweet and sexy story, why love is Worth the Risk!
Tracey, Life Reads With Friends
I’ll be the first to admit, I haven’t read many just straight contemporary romances. This book, I loved! It’s the first book I’ve read by Lissanne, but it definitely won’t be the last. I absolutely love Jess and Rory and can’t wait to continue their story. They made me laugh, smile, and filled my heart with true love. Drew intrigues me and I must get to know him. Thank you Lissanne for allowing me to read this awesome book. I enjoyed this so much. Looking forward to all you write! If you enjoy romance and best friends to lovers, you need to read this book.
This book was such a pleasant surprise! I often read romantic suspense and sometimes some dark romance. This book was a great switch! I totally enjoyed the main characters. It was so interesting watching the challenges and changes each main character went through. I was totally drawn into the book and couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen. You won’t want to pass this book by! I can’t wait to read the next book!
I just now finished reading this book! It was so good. I loved it. The author did a fabulous job with this story! I just loved Jess and Rory. It scared me at the end but it all worked out! I was so worried that it was not going to work out for them. They were very sweet and they felt so real. I thought the bad dreams were her mother’s warning to her about what was going to happen to Rory. I really enjoyed it. Great book!
I’m going to start this review by saying that Lissanne Jones is an absolute awesome & amazing author. I couldn’t put the book down. I cannot wait for you to read Worth The Risk, it is an amazing and brilliant book From the first chapter you can feel the chemistry between Rory and Jess . I loved how their relationship developed throughout the book. The other characters in the book are so easy to relate to that I felt like I knew them personally {Lucas ( who I disliked intensely ), Drew ( who I loved ), Alex ( who is an amazing friend ) are great }. I can’t recommend this book highly enough & cant wait to see Rory & Jess in Worth The Wait
Jess and Rory’s story was simply amazing! My heart overflowed with joy at their friends to lovers romance. It was undeniably beautiful and sinfully steamy with a little turmoil mixed in to make for a well-rounded story. This was truly a breathe of fresh air and a feel-good read for me as my typical genre leans towards dark romance.
Rory and Jess are a friends to lovers romance. And though it starts a little sluggish for me it picks up momentum and then makes me wild and crazy for their love to blossom. They are so intertwined in each other’s lives that you can see why they could be perfect together.
I loved how the character you may not have realized would be truthful about their feelings First is indeed the one that wants to take it to the next level. To watch it unfold is a thing of beauty and I needed them to be together.
Fireworks…once they both got their heads out of the sand their love is epic! It is full of sensual passion and real love. A love that will last the test of time. This books was so thoughtful in the way that the characters came to be a couple. It was so very detailed that you got everything you wanted and more. And guess what Rory and Jess’ story continues. We get to see what happens after the beautiful and magnificent HEA!
Copy received from author for an honest review
Get your dentist on speed dial, as Worth The Risk is so sweet, it is going to give you a toothache.
Such an adorable best friends to lovers story that will have you smiling as you are reading.
Rory and Jess are absolutely MFEO – even if they are the only two who can’t see it. They are just adorableness.
However, for me – and this is just going to be a me thing – it was all too cute. I was waiting for the shoe to drop, for something to happen.
And that has nothing to do with the book, that was all about me.
I am looking forward to book 2. Thank you Lissanne for the advanced copy.