The Bridges I’ve Burned by J.L. Berg is live!

A flirty, chemistry-filled, almost-rockstar romance, this book brings the feels as two people figuring out their place find a gorgeous, but very unexpected, love.

 

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Blurb

On the cusp of stardom, she was the twist I never saw coming…

On my eighteenth birthday, I ran away from home in search of a better life. Ever since, I’ve been trying to prove it was worth it. When I’m asked to join one of the biggest rock bands in the
country, it finally feels like everything is falling into place.

That is, until I receive a wedding invitation from my estranged brother, Macon. We haven’t seen each other in over ten years for a reason, and returning to Ocracoke is the last thing I want to
do.

Less than an hour off the ferry, I stumble into a bar and meet her. She’s gorgeous and easy to talk to, and we bond over music. Before I get the chance to learn her name, she ghosts me.

Imagine my surprise when I arrive at Macon’s house the next day, only to find her answering the door. It turns out my mystery woman is Elena, the best friend of Macon’s fiancée – and my
temporary roommate for the next three weeks.

Talk about complicated.

I’ve never wanted a woman more, but the odds are against us. We live on opposite sides of the country, both with demanding careers. Oh, and the biggest problem? I’m about to be famous
and I can’t tell anyone.

Not even Elena.

I’ve been working my entire life to get to this moment, but I can’t help but wonder… will any of it be worth it without her?

 

 

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Review

4 stars!

A flirty, chemistry-filled, almost-rockstar romance, this book brings the feels as two people figuring out their place find a gorgeous, but very unexpected, love.

This is the final book of the By the Bay series, and though you can read this one as a standalone, there is a lot of character crossover, and I would at least read the previous book, The Secrets We Keep, Macon and Marin’s story, as this book tells the story of Zander (Macon’s brother) and Elena (Marin’s best friend), and there is a bit of history which it helps to know going in.

Zander and Elena meet on Ocracoke Island, where they have travelled for Macon and Marin’s engagement party/wedding. While Elena is all too happy to be there supporting her best friend, it’s the first time Zander has returned to his home in over a decade, after he escaped his abusive father. Angry and bitter at being back home and ready to confront his big brother who he feels abandoned him as a kid, he has no intention of sticking around. But when he’s told to lie low for a while, spending three weeks shacked up with his perky, flirtatious new roommate doesn’t actually sounds too bad.

The chemistry is insane from the moment that Zander and Elena lay eyes on each other, but their ties to Macon and Marin make things a little awkward. The biggest thing hanging between them though is the distance – they live on opposite sides of the country, and Zander is a musician on the cusp of superstardom, and his life is not conducive to starting a relationship. But their attraction is wild, and neither of them hide it, and the build-up is fantastic as they flirt, banter and tease.

“Are you always this cocky?”
He grinned. “Yes,” he answered. “Especially when there’s something I want.”
“And what do you want?” I asked, my mouth mere inches from his.
“You…” he breathed out. “I want you.”

Oh yes, the steam is so, so good! Zander and Elena are so hot for each other, and the sexy time is sizzling. But more than that, they don’t shy away from their emotional connection, and they open up and share about their lives. They’ve both got issues they’re wrestling with – being back on the island is forcing Zander to confront his, and Elena is trying to figure out what she wants her future to look like – and they are there for each other as they talk things through, and they support and encourage each other to work through it all. And neither of them can deny just how hard they’re falling for each other.

“There is no plan when it comes to this kind of thing. You simply have to decide to try.” She gave me a wry grin. “Love is chaos. Surrender to the madness.”

But the timing is all wrong, and they’re both facing some huge life changes. They have some pretty big hurdles to overcome before they can get their happy ending, and it’s an emotional journey as they do just that.

I loved this book. The romance is so gorgeous, but it was the characters that made this such a special read for me. Zander, in particular, has the most heartwrenching journey, and I loved experiencing so much of it with him. I enjoyed his dynamic with his brother and loved watching them reconcile, and the appearance of his best friend, Hendrix, is wildly entertaining and I loved the relationship between the boys.

We saw how close Elena and Marin were in the last book, and I loved seeing more of their relationship as they are there for each other in all the ways. They are true soul sisters, and so much fun together.

We also get to spend time with characters from previous books in the series, which I loved, and I enjoyed seeing them all together and living their intertwined lives.

This book is a fun read with a lot of heart, and it’s a great finish to the series. I loved seeing Zander and Elena get their HEA, and finished this book with a huge grin on my face.

I loved it – 4 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.

 

By the Bay

 

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Meet J. L. Berg

J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready series, the Walls series, the Lost & Found series and more. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls and two pups. When she’s not writing, you will find her cuddled up, watching a movie with her family, obsessing over fandoms or devouring anything chocolate! J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

 

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