Small town romance author Jennifer Van Wyk delivers an emotional surprise pregnancy romance coupled with her signature humor, swoony men, and sweet and sassy heroines.
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Blurb
I was really an idiot.
How I didn’t see the signs is beyond me… but yet here I sit, holding a diamond ring I tried to place on my girlfriend’s finger.
Hopefully the whiskey will do its trick and help me forget the last few years ever happened.
I’m such an idiot. Really, I am.
I thought my boyfriend was going to propose tonight. Instead, I’m sitting here chugging vodka cranberries like they’re water. I just want to forget the last few years ever happened.
One night.
That’s all I wanted.
To forget for one night.
So how did one night change my life forever?
I didn’t mean to be so careless, but I refuse to let my past affect this baby.
Now we need to step up… Together.
Together is a complete standalone romance that brings Jennifer’s seasoned readers back to a hometown they know well. Together can be read entirely by itself.
Review
4 stars
Jennifer Van Wyk has delivered another delightful small-town-romance with a gorgeous hero, a sweet and sassy heroine, and a surprise pregnancy that is about to turn their worlds upside down.
Nik and Ashley meet in a bar one night where they are both drowning their sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol after getting dumped by their long-term partners. Neither of them saw it coming, and they aren’t terribly distraught (on reflection, it’s probably for the best), but in their efforts to forget, they commiserate together at the bar before heading home together for a weekend full of sex with a virtual stranger. They proceed to rock each other’s worlds, and though they both want more, Ashley asks for time to get herself together before she embarks on a new relationship, so they agree to temporarily go their separate ways. Until they are brought back together by the life-changing news that Ashley is pregnant.
I love surprise pregnancy books, and this one is so much fun! Nik is surprisingly accepting of the whole thing, and he jumps on board full of excitement for all that is to come. It takes Ashley a little longer to adjust, but they both agree that they’re in this together and they should get to know each other before they become parents, so we get this situation where they are friends… but more… but not officially… but still together sort of situation that is cute and playful and so much fun.
“You’re being too perfect,” I grumble.
“Want me to act like an asshole?” he jokes. “I’m not always perfect, Ashley. Far from it, actually. I have my moments like everyone else. But when it comes to this baby and what you need from me? I’m there for you and that won’t change.”
Oh, he’s so swoony! Nik really is perfect, and I just adored him. He wants Ashley, but he respects her boundaries, so he’s there for her in every way that he can be – supportive and protective, affectionate and flirtatious, and I just loved him. And Ashley is great. She’s smart and sensible, and so relatable. I loved both of these characters, and together they are so much fun, and I loved the playful, yet intimate, dynamic between them.
“I know that we need more time to get to know each other. We jumped way ahead of ourselves that night but I’m not sorry. I also don’t want to freak you out by telling you this, but even before I knew about the baby, I hadn’t stopped thinking about you. If you’re feeling it, I want to have a discussion about exploring what it is that’s between us.”
Ashley’s eyes dance when she says, “So you have a crush on me, huh?”
“Fuckin’ smart ass.” I grin before crushing my lips to hers.
The chemistry between these two is fantastic, and I could feel their attraction, but they have a lot to figure out before their baby arrives, and with their growing feelings for each other and their un-named relationship status, it’s a fun journey watching it all unfold.
“We aren’t doing this alone, Ashley. This is us together.”
Nik and Ashely’s families are a big part of the action. Nik’ sister is a riot, Ashley’s family not so much, but they all contribute to the story, and I loved their inclusion and the added emotion that they bring to the situation.
There is some drama, but very little angst, and I loved watching Nik and Ashley’s romance unfold as the story builds to the big, exciting moment, and along the way these two absolutely stole my heart.
“I fell in love with you when I wasn’t even trying. It just happened. Because that’s the way it’s supposed to be, you know?”
Fans of Jennifer Van Wyk will recognise some of the side characters and locations as the book is set in the same small town as her first few books, so that was an unexpected treat. But this book is a complete standalone. Though I need to investigate Nik’ sister and her husband some more, because this book reads like Josie and Dean’s story has already been told, and if it has, I need to get my hands on it!
Sweet, fun and sexy with a gorgeous romance and an epilogue that finishes everything off beautifully, I loved this one!
4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
I wake up feeling like complete shit. My head hurts like I’ve actually been hit by a truck, there’s no way I won’t have the beer shits today, and there’s gotta be cement blocks on my feet weighing me down. It was all fun and games last night — literally — but this morning, I’m having regrets.
But not about the girl.
That was fun.
Spending the evening with her, forgetting and laughing and drinking and eating. Drinking a little more. The darts and singing and dancing. Drinking.
I groan.
Too.
Much.
Drinking.
Then a groan that matches mine but is far more feminine sounds next to me and I… oh, shit.
I’m naked.
Birthday suit naked.
Surely we didn’t…
God, if there was ever a time to give me whiskey dick, please let it be last night.
I can’t believe I just prayed for God to give me a malfunctioning dick… or that I said dick in my prayers. Or that I’m even praying about drunk sex. All so I didn’t have drunk sex with her. Not that I wouldn’t want to have sex with her, but as drunk as we were? No. No way. I’m better than that. Not that much of an asshole. Right?
Now I’m lying here overthinking my prayer while naked in my bed with Sally — or Ashley, as it turns out her name really is when we confessed to each other that we aren’t Harry or Sally — who I hope we didn’t have sex with only because I’m still drunk the next morning.
Fuck… I’m a mess.
Though, oddly enough, guilt isn’t one of the feelings bubbling to the surface right now.
Regret that I don’t remember much of it does, though. I just remember her falling asleep to the point where neither Roy or I could wake her up when we arrived at my house and after a few moments of both of us freaking out, I realized she was fine, just an incredibly sound sleeper. If the snoring was anything to go by, anyway.
Then she woke up abruptly when we got into the house, looked at me with wide eyes that could have only meant one thing, and so I quickly directed her to the guest bathroom so she could throw up the plethora of liquor she had consumed.
When she emerged she looked at me and said, “I’m sure this may come as a total shock, but my name is Ashley, not Sally.”
I mock gasped then grinned, told her my name is Nikolas but I go by Nik and she grinned back, then groaned, then we sat on the couch.
And, apparently, ended up getting naked and into my bed at some point. That’s where things get fuzzy.
“Did we have sex?” Ashley asks in a quiet voice next to me.
I don’t even lift my head to look over at her when I respond, “No clue.”
She shifts a little bit and winces. “We definitely had sex.”
About the Author
From the Ground Up was Jennifer’s first published novel and now that she was bitten by the writing bug, has no intention of ever stopping. Jennifer makes her home in small town Iowa with her high school sweetheart, three beautiful, hilarious and amazing kids, one crazy Jack Russell terrier. This is where her love for all things reading, baking, and cooking happen. Jennifer’s family enjoys camping, boating, and spending time outside as much as possible. You’ll be her best friend if you can make her laugh and follow up with asking her what to read next. When she’s not writing, you can find her cheering the loudest at her kids’ sporting events (read as: embarrassing them), sipping coffee or iced tea out of a mason jar with her Kindle in her lap or binging on Netflix.
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