Lately, life definitely isn't how I envisioned it. I had it all. The house, the job, the husband. Until one day, I didn't. I don't know when exactly things started to change between us, only that it did, and in a big way. So much so, I found myself standing before a judge and signing off on the end of my marriage. To the only man I've ever loved.
Now, he's back, fighting, and ready to prove to me that we made a mistake, that our love is worth giving this another chance. I'm not sure if he's right, but I know what my heart wants, and it wants him. My ex-husband.
Harrison
Why is it that you don't know the depths of your mistakes until you've already made them? I knew signing those papers was a bad idea, but I thought that's what she wanted. The minute we stepped foot out of that courtroom, it hit me. She's no longer mine.
That's when I also realized that I would do anything to change the past. I have so many regrets. Not her. I could never regret her, but how we ended. We never should have ended. I'm in for the battle of my life to convince her to give us another shot. I have a plan, one that will prove to her that it's not over.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has been crowned the Queen of Swoon by her readers. With nearly fifty romance books under her belt, she’s known for penning happily ever afters with heart. When she's not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand or hanging out with her family where she resides in her home state of Ohio.
I was kind of a seed to read this but I am so glad I did. It was very good. It's about a couple that are divorced but had sex on the day of the decree. I don't understand why they divorced. He truly loved her and was trying to show her that he knew he had messed up by working so much but she let it go through. And she annoyed me a lot for a couple of chapters because in reality a guy like him would be dream man material. Not once in the book, did I ever doubt his love for her. He was faithful and still wore his wedding ring even after it was official. He was miserable. So was she and then they get a surprise as in baby! He definitely stepped up to the plate and basically begged her to marry him again. It was very sweet but in the end he stepped back and started to date her again with the intent to marry her. It was wonderful. The sex scenes were a little much for me but everything else was good. And when they had the baby, I even teared up because of how he handled it. Just a great change from all the cheating that is in New Adult books lately.
Chase his friend, well he's a pig and I am not sure I will read his story. Hopefully Gabby her sister finds a man who can keep it in his pants. He is probably riddled with disease. But I did like the scenes with him and the baby so maybe he can be redeemed but I probably won't read it.
There is a little OW drama with his assistant but he is totally focused on the heroine and never even noticed her. Chase his friend did of course, right in front of Gabby so that have me an icky feeling too. She also had a boyfriend too so I guess it evens out just not for me. Hate that stuff.
All in all a great book with a wonderful hero and I will read this again someday. It just have me the feels. Totally recommend. 💕
I feel like the reason for their divorce wasn't enough, so the "miracle baby" felt forced,
but this book gave me such a beautiful moments,
- her first ultrasound - finding out the sex of the baby - shopping for baby clothes - the baby's room - he taking care of her the whole time - me?? dying cuz the cuteness 😌😌
Husband and wife divorced, immediately after the decree they had a last round of sex He wants her back, she loves him but feels it's better to cut the cord She gets into an accident and they find out she's pregnant He decides he'll win her back, they start by dating each other to rediscover their love and the sacrifices necessary to making a marriage work
This was good but not my type of read, to me the H's need for a successful business so he could provide for his family wasn't a good enough reason for divorce. There are women who are abused, beaten, violated and cheated on regularly and this one had a husband who desperately loved her but he focused too hard on his business leaving little time for his wife. Girl shut up and give that man another chance!
On the real though, I won't rate this because it didn't work for me but it's actually pretty nice
The gross manwhore secondary character gets his own book I'm not sure if I'll be touching that one but I may try
Slight OW drama- he wasn't interested but I wanted him to shut the bitches down not be polite lol Devoted and in love couple
Winnie and Harrison were young and in love. They dated and got married. There business and life got in the way. Then on her 30 th birthday Winnie is in a terrible accident. Life is about to change.
I think these two authors mixed their talent of writing together perfectly. This is a love story like no other but most of all it's about second chances. Winnie and Harrison had lost their way in their marriage but signing a piece a paper didnt stop their love. Harrison was determined to show the love of his life he was ready to reclaim his wife no matter what. Nothing worth having is easy to come by but these two are ready so show Love can win above all else. Such a beautiful and touching story.
What a great love story. Harrison and Winnie met in college, married shortly after graduation and have been inseparable since then. They are now about to turn thirty but Winnie wants a divorce. Harrison made a grave error in not fighting for her. He wanted to give her what she seemed to want a divorce thinking that would make her happy, but what she really wanted was for Harrison to fight for her, for them. Harrison is absolutely sick to lose the love of his life, the only woman he has ever loved. He definitely shows his emotions more than her.
Harrison realizes his error of not fighting for her and becoming too involved in expanding their (his) business. That is what tore them apart. His gym was very successful and he is in the process of opening a couple more. That leaves very little time for them. What Winnie didn't understand is that he was working hard to set up all these businesses and people to run them so he would have more time with family but he didn't share that with her and she thought he was gone so much because he didn't want to spend time with her. It was all a terrible example of such poor communication. His wife had so many feelings going on about why her husband wasn't spending time with her and not a single one had any truth to it yet this is what she based the divorce on.
Even later in the book, when you would have thought she had learned her lesson she lets a lie come between them but refuses to talk to him about it. She closes herself off, stops conversing with him and cuts off the sex. He finally gets it out of her but then she questions whether to believe him or not. There is an evil OW who works for Harrison, whom he never had anything to do with, and she told the wife a lie about Harrison and she so quickly believes her. I didn't care for that! Harrison had wanted to fire her but Winnie would stop him each time saying she needed another chance but the whole time she is intent on getting her man and undermining his wife. Winnie was quick to believe others but so hesitant to trust her husband who had never lied to her.
It is on the day of their divorce that Harrison stops by his now ex-wife's house to pick up some items as per her request. They fall into bed and forgot to use protection. Yep...Peanut is on her way.
The rest of the story is how they find their way back.
Highly recommend! This is one I will reread. My only negative is that at times the story moved a little slowly.
Safety: No cheating Celibate while apart even after divorce No OM drama but there was OW drama. The hero had no interest whatsoever.
Nonsense drama and miscommunication do not make a good love story. And of course the heroine had to have her life in danger for the hero to get off his ass and go after 'the woman he loves.'
I thought this was going to be interesting. It starts or with a couple getting divorced, immediately regrets it, and how they find their way back to each other. All that happened, but the road to the end was boring AF!
Heartfelt. Unique. Insightful. Real. Just a few words that come to mind when I think of It's Not Over. As a married woman, I felt this one in my gut. Kaylee and Lacey's writing blends so beautifully. I literally read this one in 2 hours. I couldn't put it down. Let me just say, every woman would kill for a man like Harrison to fight for them. While dreamy, it is not an unrealistic story. I really can't say enough about this one. You will regret NOT reading this one.
Gwen and Harrison are married and going through a divorce at the beginning of this title. In fact, the start of the story is the end of their marriage. Except, it's a marriage that both of them want and a divorce that they are only agreeing to because they think it's what the other wants.
And, when you follow your ex-wife home after the divorce meeting to get a couple of shirts? Well, sometimes things happen, and then other things happen.
There were a lot of secondary characters in this story, and some of them felt a little more necessary and important that the others in the story. It's hard for me to go into specifics without spoilers, but there was a certain character who seemed not only unnecessary, but also a little far-fetched.
I also found this to be a little overwrought in places, and at the end there was a lot going on while a major plot event of the story was also happening. And, all of the other things going on at the same time had me rolling my eyes a little bit, as there was just too much...including the subplot that I thought was a bit unnecessary and not needed for the rest of the story to move forward.
Overall, I did enjoy this story and I do recommend it, even though there were a few places where I was not engaged in the story and didn't believe the reactions of the characters.
I returned this book. It was not worth $3. Let me just lay that out there. I saw a post on a book IG account, read the blurb and it was intriguing enough to make me get the sample. Fine, I liked the first couple of chapters, had me in tears, so I figured ok, let's just get the damn book because I need to know how this plays out.
I have certain things that are known as my major book pet peeves. They're pretty cut and dry, and I find that when an author doesn't commit more than one of these, I tend to like the books. So this one pinged two : 1. Repetitiveness . By that I mean, the constant repetition of certain facts or sentences over and over again. For example, the two main characters met at the library when they were in college. We are reminded of that at the very least, every other chapter. That's just one of the many things that seems to be on a loop throughout the book. 2. Useless details / overly descriptive . Holy cow. This was full of that, and I mean FULL. So clearly from the book cover, Winnie is pregnant right. She goes in for a doctor's appointment and I swear, every single possible detail is there. The nurse telling her to give a sample and what to do with the cup and where to put it. From the doctor telling her to put her legs up, and then down, which she does - and the authors say that too, just like that. The minutia is unnecessary. It's filler. It's done for word count, because I promise, the ingredients of a salad - which we get in detail - have absolutely no baring at all in this story or how it plays out. It does nothing. It's useless information.
And then of course there is the so called "alpha" male who can't stop spouting love sonnets every time he talks to her, while she basically just goes "ditto" or tells him she has to pee in response. Then there's ridiculous way he behaves, the way he talks to women who he deems are hitting on him. Totally interesting because his wife takes it all in stride, doesn't get all dramatic, but he basically tells a couple of women off in public. I don't know, his character was just poorly developed.
This book was just a giant disappointment. I mean, I gave it two stars because well, one, it didn't have a zillion typos and grammatical errors (that's part of my pet peeve list). And two, because at least the conflict didn't involve someone getting kidnapped or some other stupid thing like that. I've only listed a few of the issues with the book, trust me, there's more. I just don't feel it was worth the money, or the high ratings it's getting.
This book tugged at all my heartstrings. From the very first page I was invested. I needed to see this amazing couple get there happily-ever-after. They deserved it so much!
Harrison and Winnie were happily married at one time. But lately, Harrison let his job come first. He didn't mean to, though. All Harrison wanted was to create a future for him and his precious Winnie. They had made so many dreams over the decade they were together. And when that all came crashing down, it not only broke both their hearts, but mine was hurting too. And that right there is one of the many reasons I loved this book. This author duo had me engaged and eagerly awaiting for Winnie and Harrison's happy-ever-after. They made me feel everything!
It's not often I come across books where the H/h are already married. And even though there were only glimpses into their past together, I believed their relationship was special. I felt their love on every page. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Winnie and Harrison belonged together.
I won't go into details because I don't want to ruin the experience of this amazing book for you. I will say that It's Not Over is angsty and emotional with a good amount of suspense. In addition, there is a cast of secondary characters that bring even more depth and believability to the story. This was a book I immensely enjoyed. I believe there is going to be a book featuring Harrison's best friend, Chase and Winnie's sister Gabby. I am looking forward to that book!
This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it. :)
. Super sweet, pink and fluffy second-chance love, and journey to parenthood. I think I "aww'd" 28 times. 😅
The book starts with the MCs separated for almost a yr and on the final stage of their divorce. h Winnie asked for separation and filed for divorce after few yrs of H Harrison being married to his business/work. Once the court papers are signed, the miserable MCs had their one last hurrah. H already made up his mind to woo and win his ex-wife back again when fate decided that he's slow and therefore needs a push, or more like a whip. Few weeks later, their cute Peanut turned their lives upside down. Even tho their plates are full with h's high-risk pregnancy and H's business stuff, they're very happy for their gift and super excited for their future and life together.
Aahh it was adorable! I also fell in love with little Peanut! 🤧🥜
Uncle Chase(H's bestfriend and business partner) and Aunt Gabby(h's sis) are next book's MCs. Their cat and mouse dynamic is hilarious! 😂 I love them already.
H: 5 stars h: 4 stars H/h as a couple: 4.5 stars Side characters: 4 stars Story: 4 stars Execution: 4 stars Smut: 3 stars
I absolutely loved this story. A second chance at a once in a lifetime love. I couldn’t put this book down.
Winnie and Harrison never stopped loving one another but the lack of effort in their relationship caused it to crumble. Now that the divorce papers are signed, they need to find their way back to each other and to the love they share. Their connection was undeniable and their journey was captivating. I loved the way they rebuilt their life together, bit by bit throughout the story. I adored the relationship aspect and the character dynamics but I felt that the mystery fell a little flat for me. I would have loved to see more here.
Black and Ryan do a fabulous job setting up further stories if they choose to make this a series. I hope they do because I’d love to see where things go with other characters and catch up with Gwen and Harrison.
This was an easy read that was mostly cute, sometimes cheesy, and pretty low angst but started to annoy me more by the second half. There's not a lot to this book. The writing is pretty simple with a straightforward plot that doesn't bring anything new or exciting to the table, but as far as pregnancy romances go it was alright. There will be some *spoilers* in this review.
This starts as a 'marriage in trouble' book, with the main characters Winnie and Harrison finalizing their divorce. They were separated for 9 months beforehand so the whole claim that Winnie is the love of his life and Harrison's complete 180 after they've signed the papers in regards to fighting for her and making things right felt a bit odd after a whole lot of nothing for months, but I suppose people are dumb, and sometimes they really don't appreciate what they have until it's gone. The day they get divorced they also have one last hurrah and *surprise*...she gets pregnant (because of course, 30-year-old adults don't even think of having protected sex before, during, or after the act). Harrison had already decided to fight for Winnie before they find out about the pregnancy, but the main reason she's open to giving their relationship a real try is because of the baby. Which 99% of the time trying to fix a relationship or make it work for a baby isn't going to work out, but this is ~fiction~ so we'll suspend some disbelief. That said I don't feel like they set themselves up for success. The main reason they got divorced was because of Harrison's job and him not making any time for her so maybe he shouldn't open 3 new gym locations at once? Why was she encouraging him to open the 3rd? And then she's also secretly disappointed he'll miss out on stuff while also constantly being understanding of how much he has going on and encouraging him to work more like...babe...I thought that's why you divorced him??? Mixed signals much...
Other things that annoyed me: -Harrison constantly rehashing the same shit over and over trying to win Winnie back and reassure her. Likewise, Winnie is constantly arguing that she was at fault as well for their marriage dissolving...even though really...it wasn't lol. -There was also a lack of communication by Winnie to Harrison on important shit regarding the safety of her pregnancy that she kind of spitefully held back because he was late to an appointment or stepped out for a call or at the end when he missed an appointment altogether. Just lame of her. -The way that drama was stirred up in this book was by having basically all of the female characters besides the 'wife' and anyone related to her come off as evil conniving sex pots obsessed with Harrison and blatantly flirting with him in front of Winnie: an employee, the nurse at their ob clinic!, women that frequent his gym, etc. etc. Even after he introduces her as his wife they whine and simper and embarrass the fuck out of themselves as he shuts them down hard. *More spoilers* Gina (edited: used the wrong name initially🤦🏼♀️thanks for catching that Flor!) was such an annoying character, omg. The fact that he let her backtalk him, get up in his personal life and comment on shit she had no business commenting on is ridiculous. Not to mention that she sucked at her job and was constantly messing shit up and trying to manipulate him. She should've been fired a while ago. And then it turns out she's basically a hacker and can fuck with all of their systems after she's finally fired but no one suspects her for weeks before she really loses it and sets the gym on fire🙄I just felt like her characterization was so random...what were her motivations? End goals? Why was she so crazy? She never really made a play for Harrison. It was just so weird.
Overall, I didn't hate this book, I just felt like the attempt at making things more angsty was pretty lame and underdeveloped and ultimately just annoying haha. Winnie and Harrison had their cute moments and reading this wasn't a bad way to pass the time, but I'd say just keep your expectations low 😉
I really, really wanted to love this book. It was exactly what I was looking to dive into even though it is a longer book than I normally have time for lately. There are a few things that impacted my enjoyment-- I don't think these authors understand HIPAA. Winnie was coherent and alert, no doctor in their right mind would EVER have privately informed Harrison of her status without her prior consent to do so. I know this is a work of fiction but the authors had the time to spend to tell the story, the lazy storytelling when Harrison found out Winnie is pregnant almost made me DNF, to be honest. Also, how they let him into the exam area DURING her exam? Just, no. Stop being lazy. Either commit to telling that scenario properly or come up with a quicker/easier way for him find out. Along with that, I quite frankly still don't know why they divorced to begin with. They didn't even hate each other... and if you've ever been in a LTR you know that love and hate can (and at times do) walk a fine line. Our H and h straight up still love each other, and they're both individually aware of their own feelings at the time of the divorce. Confessions of love throughout the book. I guess we never really get to explore how Winnie got to the decision to ask Harrison to leave and then divorce him. We spend most of our time in Harrison's pov and the book starts the day they get divorced. I think readers needed more insight into how Winnie was feeling and how dejected she must have felt to reach the point of choosing to leave someone she's still in love with. This book was like... almost there. So close. Unfortunately there's a lot of needless drama and fluff with some ott "ow". Fidelity was NEVER an issue in their relationship so that part of the Gina plotline was just dumb. Sorry but it was. Why even introduce that? I can see introducing that *if* Winnie had divorced him because she suspected he cheated, but she didn't. FTR, our H and h only have eyes for each other and everyone's nice and celibate through the separation. No cheating whatsoever.
With that said, I think the situation Harrison and Winnie find themselves in is something many couples can relate to. The neglect, unintentional hurts, communication breakdowns... These are all things that can happen with time. I wish we got to see more of how Harrison and Winnie overcame those obstacles aside from Harrison basically running himself into the ground trying to be everything to everyone. It really seemed like he had to do all the sacrificing and accommodating. Winnie kept insisting the fault was both of theirs but she was the one who kept not giving him the benefit of the doubt and jumping to conclusions.
I'm somewhat interested in reading the next book on the series even though Chase seems like a real manslut. I'm hoping that he's not as bad as he's presented in this book and it's some stupid misunderstanding of the situation. Which is pretty much what this book was based on also.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"I'm honored you've chosen me for this gift. This life with you. The fact that I get to call you my wife. I get to live each day with you by my side, and this little one."
I love second chance romance with accidental pregnancy and a little bit of angst, so the beginning of "It's Not Over" was just perfect for me. From the very first page you can see how much Harrison and Gwen love each other, so reading about what led them to decide to divorce was heart breaking.
After a major event, Harrison decides to really fight to get Gwen back and I loved how determined he was to achieve that. He's a very sweet character that always knows the right thing to do and say. Gwen is very strong and brave. I admire her for choosing what she thought was best for her life, even though it hurt her so much. I like that no one blames the other for their divorce, because it really wasn't a matter of lack of love, but simply a distance caused by real life problems.
However, my love for the book waned when every women (except her sister) flirted with Harrison in front of Gwen. I get that he's hot and amazing, but that doesn't seem plausible at all. I hate when women are villainized just for drama purposes. I think it would've have been better if the authors only focused on showing how the couple got used to each other again after 9 months apart and how they dealt with their busy schedules and pregnancy.
I think the side characters are also worth mentioning. Chase and Gabby's banter was AMAZING. Their scenes together are one of my favorite things about "It's Not Over". They have the whole rivals to lovers thing going on and I can't wait to read their book!
Lastly, I have to thank this book for putting an end to my reading slump lol The nice flow, great characters and sweet plot made me finish it in less than a day so I'm really grateful for that.
This book was fantastic!! The writing was seamless. You couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. I cried sad and happy, heartfelt tears! Harrison will make you swoon! His love for Gwen was beautiful! Get ready for some twists and turns and lots of love! Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black definitely need to collaborate again!
and that is why i love the accidental pregnancy trope 😌✨ -i love the soft moments awee -their tattoos were soft y’all :(( -dont get me wrong winnie and harrison are great,,, but -OMG imma just talk about chase x gabby 👀👀👀 my ship 😩🤧 they babies okay 😩🤧 -i love them like they enemies to lovers y’all,,, they petty,,, but they cute y’all so excited for their book aAaaAaaaAaaAah,,, (i stay winning bishes 😎) and they gonna be working together?? 👀👀👀 mHmHmHMhM -im sorry i was more invested w the side characters’ relationship lololol it’s a disease y’all lol -and the gabby x chase moments were not even that breadcrummy you know there were handful y’all im happy awee yipee love that for me 🤧 -so mr chase callahan i love youUuUuuU (lol this random lol but yeah i just gotta say that) -and even winnie’s mom shipping them y’all i stan her mom lol -im all for soft!Chase, whipped!Chase and godfather!Chase woo -and like chase remembered what gabby wore on her 21st birthday like??? im still yeeting -they. are. killing. me. Aaaaaaah
so yeah prepare your popcorn for the gabby x chase moments bc it just gets more interesting,,,, and interesting bwahahaahahahahahahahahahah ok goodbye
Good story. Divorced couple reconciling. No cheating. Other woman drama, the Hero has no interest in her but she causes issues for them. No intimate scenes with anyone other than the Hero and heroine. Secondary characters for future books in series. HEA.
A couple sleeps together hours after their divorce is final and weeks later ....suprise....a baby on the way. Though each loved the other deeply,they grew apart until the only option was to divorce. The kicker here is that the heroine wanted the hero to come after her,and the hero was just reeling because the heroine told him to leave and wanted a divorce. At no time did I not feel the hero's complete and total love towards his wife/ ex,and she to him. The reason for this marriage turning sour was the hero's drive to make his company a success for himself,his wife,and any future children.They grew apart. This was the story of a man just wanting his wife back,and the wife was afraid of being hurt again. I liked this couple,the hero's bff,and the heroine's sister.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It’s Not Over is the first novel in the Fair Lakes Series by Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black.
If you’re looking for a swoony hero, look no further, Harrison Drake has arrived at the book boyfriend scene. So let’s start with Harrison and all that I loved about this man. This man is a force to be reckoned with! Mr. Harrison Drake was working at making a better life for him and his wife. He had poured the foundation and was working on building the house when the foundation started crumbling, unbeknownst to him. Now he’s looking divorce right in the eye, and wondering how the hell he let it get this far. This man was caring and compassionate. He just got a little sidetracked with building a future and let his life revolve around building up his gym franchise. He lost focus on what really mattered, his wife and their future. I loved the way Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black turned this novel around and gave Harrison that drive and that fight to fix what he had a helping hand in breaking.
Enter Gwendolyn *Winnie* Drake. This woman had everything she could possibly dream of. The perfect doting husband, the white pickett fence, and a job in education. But what happens when she wakes up one morning and realizes she wants more than a husband who puts work before his family. What happens when she wakes up and realizes its the morning of her divorce… and she’s torn about what she really wants…. I loved Winnie! This woman wore her heart on her sleeve and it showed through the pages of her’s and Harrison’s romance.
Now, the ink isn’t even dry on their divorce and they're already seeking comfort and familiarity that can only be found in each other's arms…. And this is where fate… in the form of a pregnancy intervenes. Believe me when I say, these two have their work cut out for them. There is no easy road to travel down when reconciliation is in the cards. Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black taught me a lesson in love with Winnie and Harrison’s romance. I loved the ups and the downs. It just goes to show every relationship has it’s high and low moments, but its how you walk through those moments that really matters.
I’ve read numerous Kaylee Ryan novels in the past and a handful from Lacey Black. I have to say, every time I see a novel released by this duo I can’t help the smile that crosses my face. I love the happily ever afters these two authors bring to my bookshelves. With that being said, I decided to drop a star on my rating for It’s Not Over by Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black. I gave this book a four star rating due to a few situations. I hated the fact that Harrison and Winnie went through with the divorce instead of talking shit out and working through their issues. In this scenario, if you love someone as much as Winnie and Harrison loved each other, you fight like hell to get back to the way things used to be. I don’t think Harrison worked as hard as he could have in the beginning. But when that ink was put on paper, the man sure hauled ass to right his wrongs. And in my mind I kept thinking, you’re a little late buddy… In all honesty, the separation could have been enough. The divorce didn’t have to happen. So I dropped half a star simply for this reasoning. The other half star was dropped due to the climatic ending moment. I predicted this from the very moment a certain character stepped on the scene… so in my mind the climatic moment was a bit anti-climatic for me and it all felt a bit rushed.
Overall, Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black always bring the heat and the heart! I have so much love for Harrison and Winnie’s story! I can’t wait to see what more these authors bring to the series!