Now 1 & 2 by Brenda Rothert

By: Unknown on Sunday, January 12, 2014

Title:  Now and Then

Series:  Now #1

Author:  Brenda Rothert

Published:  August 4th 2013

Length:  266pgs

Format:  ebook

Genre:  contemporary romance

Shelf:  review

Rating:  ★★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Now Emmaline Carson is a sharp, settled graphic designer who loves painting, cooking and girls’ night out with her older sister Layla. But then – in the years before she went to art school in Paris – she was a shy, awkward teenager with frizzy hair, a flat chest and a massive crush on the boy across the street, Cole Marlowe. Too bad her incredibly hot neighbor only had eyes for Layla.

Cole is now a confident, laid-back attorney who’s even hotter than he used to be. He’s planning to stay single while working his way up the corporate ladder – until he’s knocked off course by a chance run-in with Emma.

Everything is different between Cole and Emma now. He finally sees her in a way she only dreamed of, and their hot chemistry is fueled by a growing friendship. But Emma’s deception of her sister – who wants Cole for herself – and the secret Cole’s been keeping for more than a decade threaten to tear apart what’s only just begun. Because sometimes the only thing standing in the way of now is then.

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

My Review:

This is one of those novels that you become emotionally attached to. I felt like I relived high school right alongside the characters, while watching them become amazing professionals in their own fields. I laughed, I cringed, I cried ‘aww’ and squealed like a little girl. Rothert’s writing style is down to earth and very well put together. It allows her readers to flow easily from one scene to the next. I really enjoyed how Rothert works the ‘Now’ & ‘Then’ sections into her writing. The differences in time are easy to follow and remain distinctly separate. The writing style and tone shifts slightly, highlighting the differences in the characters from high school to the professional world. I also appreciate how this story was about more than just a couple. Entire families and their relationships come into play. It makes everything that much more intense and believable.

And don’t even get me started on the characters. The main couple were phenomenal. I loved that they weren’t perfect, but were perfect for each other. They were thoroughly developed in all their brilliance and deficiencies. The supporting cast was also quite well developed. I came to love them and feel like part of their families by the end.

Overall, this was a brilliant read that I would definitely read again. I can’t wait to delve further into this series and get to know the rest of the characters more intimately.

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Title:  Now and Again

Series:  Now #2

Author:  Brenda Rothert

Published:  Sept 25/13

Length:  253pgs

Format:  ebook

Genre:  contemporary romance

Shelf:  review

Rating:  ★★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Once again, 26-year-old Layla Carson has the attention of a man eager to satisfy her. Ben Montrose, the hot, confident cop who gets off on frustrating her, is eager to show her just how arresting he can be. But as a reforming sexaholic, Layla’s sworn off casual hookups, and doesn’t miss the days of her early 20s –much.

Ben’s caught off-guard when the sexy, outspoken attorney turns him on and then turns him down. But the confident former Marine knows he can handle the simple seduction of a beautiful woman. He finds Layla’s weak spot – competition, which he happens to share – and challenges her to a game that could make them, or destroy them.

As they compete to crown the master of seduction, Ben and Layla discover there’s more to their game than power and foreplay. But as the stakes go up, they realize the game has changed, and they both stand to lose more than they bargained for.

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

My review:

I really appreciate Rothert’s writing style. She doesn’t try to fool her readers with fancy words and eloquent phrasing. She lets her brilliant story captivate her audience. And her story is brilliant. It’s a realistic, down to earth romance with characters that complement each other, while at the same time standing in stark contrast with one another. Rothert had me on the verge of tears more than once with this one.

In this instalment in her ‘Now’ series Rothert picks up one of the characters that we met briefly and continued to develop her into a brilliant main character. She casts her opposite a strong, alpha male that you can’t help but love. I appreciate how these two characters aren’t perfect yet are individuals who try their best to be the best version of themselves that they can be. The supporting cast that we see in this novel serves to highlight certain aspects of the story as well as to provide deeper detail into the relationship between these two phenomenal leads.

One thing that I really love about this novel is the fact that you can read it as a standalone novel or as something that flows seamlessly from the previous novel. Rothert has created a remarkable, realistic world for readers to immerse themselves in. I definitely recommend it to one and all.

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