Sara Ney

A fun and upbeat college romance
5 stars

Gah - I do so love getting my hands on a new Sara Ney - especially when it’s potentially the start of a new series. And our story is exactly the kind she excels at; two college students, neighbours and complete opposites, bantering and fumbling their way to love.

I suspect that Sara Ney will be something of a marmite author - you’ll either love her style or you’ll hate it. It’s definitely unique as there’s almost a stream of consciousness for show more her characters as we hear their thoughts, including every random thing that comes to mind. I love it as it really gets me into the heads of our characters and doubly, it makes me laugh. She’s got a refreshing style that I can’t get enough of.

Lizzy is our heroine. She’s a junior in college and is having something of a bad day. Just out of the shower, she’s accosted by a squirrel in her bedroom which throws her into the path of neighbour and collegiate hockey player, Brodie. I’m always a fan of “real” women in my romance novels and Lizzy definitely came across as someone both likeable and relatable. She’s equally sassy and unsure and I loved the way she was slightly nervous around Brodie.

But king of the nervous and awkward definitely goes to Brodie. Who knew I was such a sucker for a shy, introverted and floundering hero? He is so frickin’ adorable. He’s liked Lizzy since he saw her but due to a number of reasons, he was never going to make a move. He overthinks the overthinking and man, can I relate to that. There was just something so endearing about Brodie but he never came across as pathetic or weak. I just wanted him to get his girl without getting in his own way - which thankfully he did in the end.

I really liked our couple as a pairing. They were cute, slightly awkward and had great chemistry both as friends and then as something more. The text message exchanges were a nice touch and an easy way to get into the minds of our characters.

The side characters were a nice addition to the story, too. Lizzy’s roommates, Bethany and Jill, were tons of fun and Brodie’s roommate, Sully, was a man very much in need of his own book and happily ever after. Here’s hoping.

And of course we have the squirrel. That squirrel gave me some of the biggest laughs of a book where I actually did laugh out loud. The squirrel epilogue was ridiculous but I’m not mad - especially as there’s a download to another, human, epilogue which toasted my marshmallows nice and good.

The worst thing about a Sara Ney book is surely the way that it sticks with you after you’ve finished and you forget that the book is over and there’s no more to read. I just couldn’t get enough of this story, these characters, that damn squirrel. This book really uplifted me and made me happy. No doubt it’s a 5 star read. show less

I started reading this at 8pm last night, had to take a little break for a bit, went back to it at 11, and boy....
That was a mistake. I forced myself to set it aside at 3:07am. I don't get to sleep in.

I'm too old for this! But Sara Ney can kind of make me feel the new adult, so it's kind of wonderful. I particularly enjoy the brand of drama she brings, which is not an overboard, trauma pile-on of epic proportions, but the realities of being young and in love.

It was wonderful to see a nice, show more fumbling, less-than-average looking hero. The insecurities of these two were very well-played and yet not overplayed.

I thoroughly enjoy it, and just can't quite pick my rating. (3.5) I'm docking like a quarter of a point for the addictive quality of this book that made me tired and cranky. This series is just such a great breath of fresh air! show less

4.8 stars

This book had me from the first chapter. It wasn't filled with drama or huge misunderstandings. Instead, it was a build up of two people getting to know each other., developing a friendship, and growing from there. Everything about them was endearing from their games to their banter, to them -- both as individuals and who they were together.

The whole story was mainly just about them. Very limited interactions with secondary characters (until his parents toward the end) and yet I show more never got bored. Each word I easily gobbled up because I just wanted to watch this relationship unfold. Scarlet and Rowdy (Sterling is such a cool name btw) are a perfect example of why so many girls wish for that happily ever after--because they too want to love and be loved like that. show less

When I first received my copy of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, the third book in the wonderful Houston Baddies series, I planned to just read a chapter or so, but when I next looked up I was already a third of the way through. Author Sara Ney’s Houston Baddies are so much fun, and Turner (Skaggs) and Poppy are another hilarious couple to put alongside Gio and Austin and Nova and Luca.

Poppy is Nova’s very good friend, new job in Texas, new start, needs a place to live right now. Nova has show more the perfect solution. Pre-Austin days, Nova’s brother Gio used to live in his McMansion with roommates Turner and Cash. A hockey player and a pro-snowboarder. Athletes. You know how those guys are – and how they usually look, too. But they’ll be on the road a lot and Nova insists they’re decent guys, and with Gio not living there there’s a spare bedroom available. How bad can it be, Poppy only plans to live there until she gets settled on the job and finds her own place. “How bad can it be” turns out to be relative. Cash isn’t there when Poppy moves in, but Skaggs is, and man oh man is that guy hot. And through a little mix-up about who is expected to be home when, he walks in on Poppy cooking in the kitchen – very, very comfortably dressed. Or almost not-dressed.

That’s Hilarious Circumstance #1 and it just gets better from there. I stopped counting at about Hilarious Circumstance #50. Nobody is looking for a relationship or a fling or too-casual-with-roommates or anything, but things don’t always work out as we’ve planned. Instant heat with Turner. When Poppy finally meets Cash, instant not-heat. I mean really, if the guy gives off those surfer-dude vibes and probably thinks “emotional intelligence” is a brand of deodorant, how serious can you get with him. But Turner, that’s another story entirely. And it’s a story you are going to love.

Author Ney is the master at delightful peeks into her character’s innermost thoughts and text exchanges that will have you rolling on the floor laughing. What they think, what they feel, the bloopers they say out loud – they’ll have you in tears. But then you might also shed a few tears because try as they might to avoid it, there is something going on there besides that attraction they are not too successfully resisting.

Everybody they know gets involved, everybody has advice, and everybody is nosy, and everybody interferes: Gio, Nova, Turner’s sister Georgia. There’s jealousy and misunderstanding and hurt and some snap decisions. Every emotion, characters that you’ll love (Turner is sooooo sweet) and lots of spicy stuff. I loved every minute of this story.

I received an advance copy of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart. Recommend without hesitation, can’t wait to see who’s up next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less