I swear to God, Jacob Lynch, if I ever see your arrogant, smug face again, I’ll ruin your manhood with a swift knee. You were the glorified football captain, the heartthrob, the most popular boy in school and yet suddenly you vanish leaving all your horrid friends pointing the finger at me, circling like hungry vultures to see if I would break. They just didn’t know that I already had. Daily. For … Daily. For months I cried for you. You. Broke. Me.
You taunted and tormented me for years until you finally convinced me to fall in love with you. You said, “Nothing can ever tear us apart.” And I believed you.
But you lied.
And then you left.
Without a word, without a touch, without a sound.
You. Just. Left. Right when my world fell to pieces, you lit the match and watched from afar, as what remained went up in flames.
So, if I ever do see your stupidly handsome face again, you’ll be nothing more than the boy I used to know. The boy who broke my heart and crushed my soul all in a single day.
Because Jacob Lynch… I have no more XO’s to give.
No longer yours,
Rosie.
P.S. I hate how much I still love you
Dear Readers, please be advised XO contains triggers as it deals with some prominent issues. However, I do hope you enjoy XO.
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This story is unique in the way in which this story flits from the past until 10 years later, present day. Jacob and Rosie have a love / hate scenario growing up as neighbors, and he left when she needed him most. Now Jacob is back determined to make amends to Rosie, but will she forgive him? This is a beautifully written story which has angst, emotion, heartbreak, loss, bullying, and is a heart-wrenching and riveting tale. I was totally captivated throughout this addictive page turner, and I highly recommend for all.
This one hurt, in the best way. This was a refreshing take on jock / nerd high school to much later second chance romance. It gave me ‘She’s All That’ vibes because Rosie is a bit like Laney, but that’s where the comparison ended.
Rosie and Jacob both have complicated home lives. I suspected one of the big twists long before it was revealed but others took me by complete surprise. The depiction of this high school age drama was accurate and right in the feels. Rosie takes no BS from anyone – and they are lined up to dish it out to her! It’s hard not to fall in love with Jacob and while I still wanted a few answers from him about what happened back when, their second chance is lovely and well deserved.
Recommend this read!
XO, two simple letters that mean so much and they describe the emotions and the meaning behind this book perfectly. Jacob and Rosie’s story is an enemies to lovers combined with a second chance romance. Their story takes you back to the then and has your emotions on a roller coaster ride of epic proportions. You go from anger, hurt, swooning to absolute love that will have your heart absolutely overflowing. However, be prepared for your heart to be ripped to shreds and left tattered feeling like it can’t be healed. As you head into the now with Rosie, an unexpected arrival of Jacob will leave you needing answers and hoping to finally have your heart and soul singing, never tear us apart again. Tears will be shed, the passion will be intensive and the love will be felt soul deep. A story that will break you, make you and leave you impassioned.
As a reader we have expectations of a book before we even start and I did with this one. I’m not sure why but I thought it was going to follow the normal enemies to lovers line but it doesn’t.
The story is told in both past and present. We see Jacob and Rosie as they navigate high school. Teenagers can be so cruel to each other, harsh words indifferent looks the author pitched this part perfectly. Enjoyed the blossoming of their tentative friendship into first love it was tender and passionate as only young love can be.
My only gripe is a large portion of the book was spent in the past and I know we had to set the scene. I wanted more time with them when they reunite. This part felt slightly rushed to me..
XO is a story about young adults but also it’s a contemporary romance with adults, an amazing feat in and of itself to achieve but out of the challenge of this concept comes a brilliant story, crafted with a touch of magic- it has to be magic as you can’t put the book down!
Jacob Lynch is the arch-nemesis of Rosie Reign from freshman year onwards until he wasn’t and then he was- but worse!
XO is mainly told by Rosie in two timeframes, present day and ten years prior. Through Rosie’s eyes we understand what life was like for the lead characters when they were seventeen as well as a bit about now, as twenty-seven year olds. The background information is important and sets up the whole story.
This incredible author has the innate ability of being able to create the most vile characters… so well. There are a few in XO that were absolutely disgusting and a waste of oxygen, harsh? Yes, but this is the feeling you get reading about them from the detailed descriptions. All of the descriptions are equally as detailed and you find yourself totally immersed in the story. The anguish you experience is so real, the tears that fall are definitely real, the lump in your throat as well as the ache and tightness in your chest are real- all through the eyes and words of another who has taken you on a literary journey that she made real.
There are many humorous elements, especially the fun banter between the lead characters but this balances the serious aspects. There are quite a few deeper elements like bullying that are handled head on, I loved it. I won’t spoil anything else but be prepared because there is so much to this story… it’s a book you can reread over and over and seeing as it’s not something I do, it’s one of the highest praises I could give it.
I totally recommend this to everyone to read.
“My darling Rosie, please forgive me.
I never wanted to be the boy to break your heart.”
Send wine, I need wine!!
Good lord give me strength, my heart!!
Heartache, so much heartache.
The torment, despair, the agony.
Such sadness. It broke my heart.
But guys the warmth.
The tenderness and emotion.
The angst, passion and sheer devotion.
The light that filters it way through the darkness…..Genius!
My heart is completely full.
XO is by far one of the best novels I have ever read, and I know that’s a big call but I’m owning it.
Perfect in every way.
Jacob and Rosie.
Let’s chat Jacob. I’m going to admit it took me a while to warm to him. It was like a hate relationship with all the hate coming from my end, because let’s face it, football jock mixed with talent, attitude and looks is a recipe for all kinds of a-holish (not a word but LOL) behavior. But I tell you what, it soon changed. I had whiplash because Jacob became my love. I went from hate to love in a nanosecond.
Now Rosie, now she was a different story. My love for her was instant. Girl crush central. The nerd with so much talent and beauty, but was so humble. She took my breath away.
These guys together. They held my heart in their hands, crushed it, ruined my soul and managed to put it back together again. I fell head over heels in complete love with them both and their heartbreaking and breathtaking story.
Melissa Jane knocked me off my feet with XO, a novel that I’d anticipated to go one way, but threw me by going in the complete opposite direction, commanding my attention and stealing my heart. Such a beautifully written read that will stay with me always.
5 XO stars
First off I’m a huge Melissa Jane fan and I devour all of her books. So when I saw XO I just knew that I had to read it.
Jacob and Rosie’s story is told in two parts, then and now. While the ‘then’ part takes up the majority of the book I found that I wanted just a bit more from their story. For me specific parts, eg Jacob’s football career, was glossed over and I was hoping for more detail with his father. For me I didn’t get the ‘feels’ till about the 80% mark. That’s when I found my heart rate pick up and things started to truly happen and unravel. I did love the sentiment behind the ‘XO’ meaning, this grabbed my heart.
I did enjoy this book. It touches on some very taboo but very much happening today subjects that should be more widely viewed and talked about.
Well done M.Jane on giving us an all consuming, hard to read subjects but also an enjoyable light hearted read (in parts). I loved meeting Rosie and Jacob.
The say you always hurt the ones you love the most, that sure is the case with Jacob and Rosie. Jacob was the thorn in Rosie’s side all throughout high school, he was the captain of the football team and she was artsy nerdy girl and we all know opposite attract and that is the case with this pair. When Rosie thinks that he is who her future is with, Jacob up and leaves when she needs him the most and in the blink of an eye her whole world changes. Fast forward 10 years they are literally forced together again by mutual friends. I sat on the edge of my seat and my anxiety levels were at an all time high but in the end I was left with a smile on my face. Absolutely loved this book
First let me say this is the first story of Melissa Jane I have read, and it won’t be my last. I’m actually wondering how I missed her. XO is a good second chance, emotional story. The characters are likeable, and relatable. Oh my heart hurt for Rosie. So many times I thought I knew which way the story was going to play out, then out of nowhere the direction changed, and boy was I wrong. I like when I’m kept in the dark.
5 Cranky Stars
Ok when I went into this book, I thought it was a enemies to lovers troupe but sweet puppies in heaven this book is so much more. I wasn’t expecting to have my heart pulled from my chest and stomped on. I didn’t think I’d have to grab the Kleenex and walk away from the book at those heart wrenching moments. It was so much more than the title and synopsis claims it’s a story of love and redemption of loss and heartbreak of bullying and first loves.
Jacob has always had a love hate relationship with Rosie from the minute she was pushed across the street by her overbearing mother with a pie. He didn’t need her as a distraction because his ruthless uncouth dad beat into him that football was the only way in life. He tormented her in his own way and made a fool of her in school. When they are forced together for the prom committee this is where things take a turn and Jacob realizes he might just like Rosie for real and goes to great lengths to convince her she has feelings for him too. Now he’s faced with her ten years later and is forced to lay demons from the past to rest in hopes that he can finally fulfill his goal of taking care of Rosie for always.
Rosie has always been tormented by Jacob in high school and his followers. She gives as good as she gets and she just wants to finish school and leave it all behind. Always known as the nerdy art student no one will give her the time of day and she’s fine with that. When it’s announced that Jacob will not only be on the prom committee, but he will also be her main lead in a school play she is forced to confront her very real feelings for him. When a series of tragic events take place, it brings them closer together and they admit they want to tackle this life together forever, but fate has other plans. Now ten years later still nursing her very battered heart when Jacob suddenly shows up in her life and nonetheless at a friend’s wedding, she is forced to put the idea of them to rest but first she needs Jacob to come clean with secrets from the past. It will be a very trying time for Rosie and Jacob.
Sweet puppies these two were cruel to each other but I liked how he stepped up when she needed it the most. Kevin a disgusting pig and well so is Chelsea. Mean girls all over this book. This book starts in the present and takes us through the past to those pivotal moments that made Rosie and Jacob fall in love and then back to the present. It’s not fluffy it’s not a cute romance. It’s in your face it deals with some sensitive subjects so keep that in mind. His dad was scum and so was her mother. Her dad and Jacobs mom are saints and deserve a medal for putting up with that. I don’t like the way Jacob dealt with things, but he was a teenager and felt trapped. Rosie’s anger was justifiable, and I felt for her. Like I said this book hit me like a freight train and I devoured it very quickly. I was so wrapped up in their story and watching it unfold. It’s a good thing I took a day to just rest and relax and enjoy this gem. One quote I really loved in this book was Jacob saying to Rosie “I had you in reality for only a heartbeat, but for ten years you’ve been my fantasy” That one line describes this book a T.