I loved the concept of this story: two childhood friends-to-lovers with some serious relationship baggage stuck together on a two-week-long cross-country road trip. Unfortunately, in the end, the execution didn’t work for me.

Looking back, I think my biggest issue was the lack of romance. The flashback scenes started out well, especially their initial meeting as 8- and 9-year-olds, but I didn’t see how Reece and Lucy went from neighborhood friends to BFFs to wanting/needing more from each other as preteens and teenagers. Their entire love story is predicated on this idea that they were once best friends and the most important person to the other, but it was hard for me to believe this was true when most of what was shown through the flashbacks were moments where Reece was initially with someone else (e.g., Lucy’s older brother, his actual BFF, or Abby, his high school girlfriend) but ended up with Lucy. This made it seem less friends-to-lovers and more of a BFF’s-little-sister (or big-brother’s-BFF) trope, which would’ve been totally fine, except that’s not how their relationship is sold in the present-day narrative when they are harboring so much pain and hurt from their teenage breakup.

With the road trip scenes, the initial push–pull between them was good, but as the story wore on, I found it to be more painful rather than romantic. I’d expected loads of LL’s trademark playful, fun banter with the characters already having a history together, but most of the time, there was bitterness and sometimes vile insults tossed back and forth. Reece ran so hot and cold, it gave me whiplash, which made the hot moments less sexy and more puzzling. Again, I think I just needed more romance development. The chemistry between them on the road trip felt mostly sexual, which just didn’t jive with what the story was set up to be.

All that said, there were still moments in LOVE STORY that gave me the feels. LL is a gifted writer, and I think fans of her new adult stories will like this one better than I did.

RATING: C- (2½ stars)

I have to start by saying you can't go wrong with a Lauren Layne book. Her romances never fail to entertain and I am super excited each time a new book is released. The only reason this isn't a five-star for me is that I am not a super huge fan of YA romance. The reason it's still a four star for me is that it's still Lauren Layne's wonderful writing. This book also has a lot of animosity and mixed signals - which pretty much sums up dating in your twenties. The primary plot point is that Lucy has been in love with her older brother's best friend since she was a kid and they finally get together right before she leaves for college. Then, she catches him cheating and he doesn't go after her. From Reece's point of view, he loved Lucy but didn't think he was good enough for her because she was leaving for college. Typical teen drama. Flash forward and they are both heading to California for new jobs and Lucy's matchmaker parents trick them into sharing a car for the cross-country journey. The story is told from alternating points of view and in flashback. There is plenty of sexy tension and sexy times...but the story is primarily them fighting or kissing. It's a good story and I would recommend Lauren Layne to anyone. Thanks to Lauren Layne for continuing to share her stories with us!

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Oh. My. God. You know that Sara Lee jingle? "Nobody does it like Sara Lee." Well, when it comes to fun banter and verbal foreplay... Nobody does it like Lauren Layne. I know that when I pick up one of Lauren's books, I will have the best time with her characters. Whether they are young or a bit older, they always seem to be having the time of their lives. It doesn't quite start out that way for Reece and Lucy, but once the sexual tension amps up, they are in for one hell of a ride. I think the best element of Love Story was the flashbacks. They provided just enough of the history between them and in a inventive manor. Rather than having the characters talk about prior events, we get to re-live them through their memories. And I freaking loved that. As much fun as I had devouring the book, I was sad when it ended. Just did not want to say goodbye to Lucy and Reece. Yet another phenomenal book, Lauren!

If you're looking for a story with tons of angst and you're a fan of constant pushing and pulling between protagonists, then you're really going to enjoy this story.

Reece is Lucy's brother's best friend. They met when they were kids and had a connection all their own. Over time, as they grew, those friendly feelings grew with them and became more. When Lucy was 18 years old (Reece was 19), they were in love, without actually telling each other. Reece ultimately breaks Lucy's heart and it seems their story was over before it even began.

Six years later, both Lucy and Reece are prepared to start over in California. Separately. Unfortunately, their family has other ideas and complicates matters. They find themselves stuck together on a two-week road trip, destined to either kill each other or fall in love all over again.

Although I enjoyed the premise of the story immensely, I wasn't a fan of how immature the characters acted. Their bad behavior and poor communication skills frustrated me. It took them until the over the 90% mark to finally get their heads out of their asses. The rest of the time their bickering, being petty, and lashing out. I was also disappointed that there wasn't more grovelling from Reece. He was pretty mean and all I got for the trouble was:
"Lucy Hawkins was my girl. Now she's my woman. And I'm her man. She'd better start getting used to the idea."

For me, it wasn't enough and so the ending fell flat. Otherwise, I liked the banter, the bits of drama, and the idea of the broken hero that had some redeemable qualities, even if they were very well hidden.

Release Date: February 14, 2017
Genre: Second Chance Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Steam: 2.5 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone (Book 3 of the Love Unexpectedly series)

In Layne's newest, we meet Lucy and Reese, friends-turned-lovers-turned-enemies. The blurb tells the plot line well, so let's talk characters.

Though Lucy sees herself as driven, I saw her as spoiled. Spoiled and self-serving, actually, and I wasn't a fan of hers at all. I felt like she was, at age 26 (or 28, I didn't really know), still carrying around teenage angst for the boy to whom she gave her virginity (because, come on, he didn't "take it," it was fully mutual). He pulled a crap move on her (as teenage boys - and girls - are wont to do) and she can't let it go.

Reese is a fully grown man, with the life experiences that make him quiet, contemplative, and a generally good person. He doesn't like drama, he doesn't like reliving the past, and he doesn't like being forced into a road trip with an ex. But alas, he is nothing if not a good guy, so he gets in the car and drives the most haphazard route to get from Virginia to California. His patience with Lucy's self-centeredness is nothing short of heroic, and where I would've pushed her out of the moving vehicle sometime towards the Georgia border, he soldiers on. All I can figure is that Layne has guys figured out - they'll do anything for the woman they love.

The sexual tension between these two was pretty phenomenal, in typical Layne style. I did grow to like Lucy more towards the end of the novel, but she's my least favorite heroine of all Layne's novels. However, the writing and connection between the characters is amazing, and wonderful, and all the things that make me love LL.

Though this isn't my favorite series of hers, she's still one of my most favorite authors, and, for me, this series is still leagues above most other contemporary authors because of LL's voice, flawless character development, and plot arc.

review Nancy

What would you do with a second chance at the love you dreamed of for a lifetime? Would you jump back in full steam ahead knowing that he cheated? Would you jump back in knowing it could destroy you even more the second time around? Lucy and Reese had to answer these questions and make some tough decisions on their two-week road trip, they now had to share to get to where they are going.

Lucy was finally leaving behind all that had held her back. She was heading off to start a new life with a new career. All she had to do was get there. The problem was cars have a mind of their own and do what they want. So thus comes an alternative offer of transportation. Lucy never would have guessed in a million years that her alternative would require her to be confined with the one man that turned her world upside down.

Reese has now gotten his life back on track. He was leaving the town, the bad memories, the stifled existence. He was getting out. One catch. He way out comes with extra baggage.

This journey to Californian came with fun times, witty banter, and some extra compensation during those long nights. This road trip was long and time consuming allowing for Lucy and Reese to work through some issues and find that together they had the chemistry.

Communication for this couple was the key to opening doors and breaking down walls. This was something they both had to learn Lucy more so.

Lauren Layne writes some of the sweetest romance stories. I adore the Love Unexpectedly series and while I still think I liked the last two better, I still really enjoyed this one. Love Story was a relatively quick read and contained a couple of my favorite romance tropes—Second chance romance and older brother’s best friend.

I enjoyed Lucy and Reeve’s interaction, even though he could be a bit of a dick at times. Their car ride was filled with banter and some HOT sexual tension.

All in all, Love Story was a semi-angsty, sweet, fun, and sexy read—perfect for those looking for a second chance romance.

4.5 Stars
Lucy Hawkins is on a mission. She’s headed to California to start her new job, and she’s excited. And to top off all the goodness, she gets to take a 2 week tour of the states, stopping off in Miami a couple of days to visit her boyfriend. What was there to not smile about?
Oh yeah,
Her first love – who also happens to be her brothers’ best friend and surrogate son to her parents- will be joining her. He’s also moving to California to work in the wine business. He’s the maker, she’s the seller. Could they be anymore compatible?
Oh yeah, they could. They could like the same music, which would’ve help make the trip at least a little more pleasant. However, the fact that a day after she gave (and he took) her virginity, she caught him with his ex-girlfriend still would’ve caused a little tension and friction.
Not all is what it seems, and they both have some growing to do. The chemistry and passion between them is off the charts, but the heartbreak is something Jenny could sing about (If you’ve read Good Girl, you get that ;). If you haven’t, you should.). They bicker most of the trip, but it’s that passion I mentioned earlier that helped me overlook it. They’re young and they’ve both been hurt. But a lot of the pain could’ve been avoided if they both hadn’t been so stubborn. But no matter what happened between them, there’s this everlasting friendship and bond that can’t be broken. They know how to push each others button (figuratively and literally), and being the headstrong individuals they are, they’re always up to challenging each other. Mix in the witty banter and steamy sex, and this story is something to tweet about.
I love Lucy’s family, and I hope to one day read about her brother and sister finding love.

A Valentine Day released with parents maybe playing cupid or were they not thinking at all to encourage these two to go on a road trip cross country. Lucy and Reece definitely have as much emotional baggage as their due physical baggage in Love Story by Lauren Layne. It is true that this needs to be resolved before either can move forward in their love lives like they are doing in their professional lives.

Ms. Layne’s fast pace keeps this trip traveling swiftly. Through Lucy’s and Reece’s POV the past together is revealed. Their conversations are sometimes harsh but it does move the story long to where they can find resolution. At times I wasn’t sure if I wanted them to wind up together. Basically that is because I liked Lucy more than Reece. However, what I can always count on is for Ms. Layne to always deliver a captivating story where I have strong feelings about the characters. Love Story was no different.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

Lucy and Reece have been friends since they were kids. Reece is Craig’s best friend, Lucy’s brother and Lucy’s family adores Reece. Their love for Reece grows even more when his mom passes away and his own family abandons him. From the beginning, Lucy has had a crush on Reece. When they were 18 and 19, they got “together”, but Reece was scared and he jeopardized something beautiful with Lucy. Now, both Lucy and Reece are moving to Napa. When Lucy’s car breaks down, her parents decide to give her Craig’s old car. The problem is they had already decided to give the car to Reece in turn for him fixing the car. Neither is happy about this turn of events.

While this book was an entertaining read, it didn’t wow me. I still think Blurred Lines is the best in the series. This one had everything to make me fall in love: second-chance romance and brother’s best friend. But for some reason, it fell slightly flat to me. The character that stood out to me the most was Lucy. She’s so driven, outspoken, ambitious, and there was just something about her that I really liked. Despite having her heartbroken six years ago, her feelings for Reece never went away. Of course, now that love has gone into hiding and she just despises Reece.

On the other hand, I’m kind of on the fence about Reece. While I had my moments of liking him and loved how he let himself be vulnerable, most of the time I didn’t really like him. There was just something about him and how he would treat Lucy that had me wanting to punch his face. He could have treated her a whole lot better than he did. He made up a million excuses for his behavior, which I don’t think are reason enough to treat someone like that.

I enjoyed the road trip but I don’t think there was enough of it. I completely loved the flashback chapters, giving more insight to how Lucy and Reece were from the ages of eight and nine to eighteen and nineteen. Those chapters were probably my favorite ones. They were so innocent and cute and protective of one another, especially Reece over Lucy. I didn’t like how Reece was always so insecure about how Lucy felt for him. I get why he had doubts, but at the same time, he knew Lucy. I feel like he was just being a coward and not facing life how he should have been. Lucy was always there for Reece in his moments of need. If he didn’t want to talk, she would start talking about her day, or like one time, play Go Fish. This just added to Lucy’s character and how great of a person she truly is.

Overall, Love Story is an entertaining story. I was hoping for that Lauren Layne magic, but I only got it with one character. If you haven’t read any LL book, please check out some of my faves, since LL is the master at contemporaries!

Love Story is yet another amazing read by Lauren Layne. It seems like I can't get enough of her books and I always seem to have one in my currently reading list. This is perfectly timed release for the V-day holiday. It's a wonderful story about forgiveness, redemption and second chances.

For me this one was extra special as it's the first of LL's that I'd consider a YA. Typically her characters are slightly older, at least not fresh out of college and in their first jobs/careers. What I found is that LL's writes great YA and the range of her characters is greater than I imagined. These former best friends and their long ago forbidden romance makes for a tension filled read. Lucy and Reece have HISTORY, and a two week road trip in front of them that points to disaster. Their chemistry, even after 6 years apart, is still off the charts. Layne writes amazing dialogue between them so when they are actually speaking to it each, it ranges from snarky to sympathetic and back again. When they aren't antagonizing each other, they reflect on their past and regret fills the void.

I absolutely adore everything Lauren Layne ( Sign Up herefor her newsletter as she shares some great tips on well, just about everything). I've only been reading her for the past year but it's been a year where every story, every character affects me. This two week literary road trip one of the best I've been on and provides all the feels. The angst, the promise of forgiveness, the promise of a hot and sultry Reese (a.k.a. Lucy Hawkins’s Cooter Kryptonite) kept me completely enthralled. Another 5 ++ Star read by Lauren Layne and my earnest recommendation!

This was my first read by this author and I did like it more than not. The blurb is pretty straight forward as to what to expect from this story. I was interested to see how everything would play out with Lucy and Reece as they journey on this road trip. What I really liked about this book was the flashback scenes with Lucy and Reece as they were growing up. Lauren showed how their relationship changed from friendship to more to how it all ended. It was great to read and really got me into the story between the two. Now in present time, spending a couple of weeks together after how they ended would make for an intriguing ride. Of course it didn’t start out so great but as the story progresses things got real interesting. The tension kept building and building until it was time for it to finally spill over. I couldn’t wait to see what will happen then. Will Lucy and Reece get the ending they want? This book was character-driven and to me, Lucy and Reece were good characters. I really enjoyed the “I hate you-I love you” dynamic. They had intense chemistry and their interactions were entertaining. It sure made for an engaging read. Overall, this was good enjoyable read.

Love Story is very close to almost a hate story. This isn't your typical brother's best friend romance either. I really liked how LL wrote this story.

"We're more than our mistakes."

Lucy and Reece were pretty close growing up even though he was her brother's best friend. And yes, they tried to become more but he crushed her heart by cheating on her before she left for college and they've hated each other since then.

I like that this story is pretty much written in the present but does flash back to memories of them at certain ages and what they went through - shows their bond of friendship and how things crossed over to more.

“We may hate each other, but we’re a part of each other. Moth to flame.”

What I really loved about this story was the mystery to their love story - what tore these two apart to begin with. Reece and Lucy see things so differently as to what happened. And they do talk about it, but they aren't exactly truthful with each other. This road trip forces these two to face the issues they've been running from but because they are both stubborn and prefer to assume than communicate with words, things don't exactly get worked out. But they do give each other some great workouts in the hotels and motels they stay at!!

Lucy is very head strong and drive woman. Reece has been dealt a lot of crap going up and sort of has this "don't plan ahead" thought process. It's not that he lives in the moment, but more that he doesn't think too far into the future. He allows past people's actions dictate what his future should be instead of making it his own, which does piss me off. He sees Lucy's drive as her trying to get away instead of it as her trying to show him who he can be.

“My heart’s had barbed wire around it for a good six years now, and there’s absolutely zero chance that the person to slip beneath my protective walls is going to be the one who caused those walls to go up in the first place.”

I really enjoyed LL's view on dating the brother's best friend - it wasn't forbidden. There was no huge issue there. This was a second chance at fixing what they got wrong the first time. I love LL's writing style and her characters always make me laugh and feel real.

Love Story is another great standalone book in her Love Unexpectedly series!!

4 stars

I really enjoyed reading Love Story.
The storyline was entertaining, the plot and characters captured my interest from the very first page and held it until the last.

Watching Reece and Lucy's relationship unfold was like riding an emotional roller coaster.
They made me smile, they made me laugh, they frustrated me with some of the things that came out of their mouths (especially Reece, I wanted to slap him a few times for the hurtful way he spoke to Lucy) and they made me swoon.

I loved the way author Lauren Layne switches from the past to the present, we get to see how their friendship started, how their loved developed and then how it imploded leaving them both hurting and lashing out in the present.

From the beginning I could feel the attraction/chemistry between Reece and Lucy. Even when they were arguing over the smallest things I felt the sexual tension slowly sizzle and I loved it when they finally gave into it.
The road to their HEA wasn't easy, but with time, a few tears, open and honest communication Reece and Lucy finally get there and I was thrilled for them.

Overall, Love Story by Lauren Layne was a beautifully written second chance romance that will bring out all the feels and leave you with a smile on your face.

Purchase Links~
Amazon--> https://www.amazon.com/Love-Story-Une...
B&N--> http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-...…
Google--> https://play.google.com/…/detai…/Laur...…
iTunes--> https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id11...
Kobo--> https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...

*Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

Love Story by Lauren Layne is a story about second chances, even if it’s the last thing they wanted. When childhood friends turned lovers, turned enemies of sorts, embark on a two-week road trip, the shenanigans begin!

Lucy Hawkins has always been drawn to Reece Sullivan. Even if he was her older brother’s best friend, he never treated her like a pest. Over the years, they developed their own friendship, until one day they both realized it was so much more.

Lucy is set to move across the country to start her new job. She is excited. As part of this journey, she planned on taking two weeks to see the country. But fate has other plans. When her car finally breaks down, her family jumps in to save the day, by offering the keys to their old family station wagon. But there is a catch. The first and only boy she loved, gave her virginity too, and broke her heart the next day, comes along for the ride as well.

I loved Lucy Hawkins. She was strong-willed, determined and passionate about life. Once she set her mind on something, she jumped in with both feet. Always thinking of the endgame. But no matter what, she wanted Reece Sullivan to be a part of that endgame.

Reece, on the other hand, has not had an easy life. Losing so much as a child, he gravitates to his best friend’s family, where he is accepted and treated as one of their own. But always feeling inferior, he lets his insecurities and self-doubt stand in the way of what he has always wanted. Finally needing a change and a fresh start, he takes a job across the country.

The last thing either of them wants is to spend time together, much less in a confined space for two weeks. But neither wants to disappoint her family and really, it just makes sense. Right from the start, these two were constantly bickering or totally avoiding each other. So many moments I found myself smiling. Other times they just broke my heart.

These two really cared so much for each other, but let misunderstandings and doubts come between them. Both determined to forget, neither really could. Both held secrets from each other, that in the end, put so much space between them.

I loved how author not only gave us both points of views in this story, but also glimpses of Lucy and Reece’s past. As we got to see their interactions in the present, we see how they became friends, found love and then lost everything. It added so much to the story.

I enjoyed reading Love Story by Lauren Layne. It was a sweet book, with laugh out loud moments and two very likeable characters. Lucy and Reece were so good together, even when they were constantly fighting, that you are immediately drawn into their story.

I give Love Story by Lauren Layne 4-stars.

I would rate this book 3 1/2 stars. While this is basically an enjoyable and well written book, I had trouble with the poor communication and angst level between Reece and Lucy. The tortured vibe between the two characters pulled the storyline down instead of propelling for me most of the time.

The drama in the book was manufactured solely by Reece and Lucy's inability to communication honestly with each other. This drama got old pretty fast. I more or less understood why they tried to protect themselves against eachother, however, I found the strife sad and unnecessary most of the time.

Happily, they do grow as people in the arc of the storyline which puts an end to their (and my) suffering. I just wish they would have been more communicative early on in their relationship.

I almost always love Lauren Layne books so it is possible I'm being overly hard on this book. and I am looking forward to the next book in this series and anything else that Layne writes in the future.

I would recommend this book to Romance and NA fans.

~5 ++ Stars~
Love Story is the very reason why Lauren Layne is one of my favorite writers!!! I love this series, but this one might just be my favorite. I love second chance and friends to lover’s stories, and this one is BOTH!!!!

“Sometimes life involves two broken hearts, a flat tire, an honest-to-God flood, and a few seedy motel rooms along the way. My name is Lucy Hawkins. His name is Reece Sullivan. And this is our story.”

This passage sums up Lucy and Reece’s love story, or more specifically the second part of their love story. Lucy has just graduated and is moving to California to begin her job at a winery. There’s just one thing standing in her way, Reece, the man who broke her heart years ago, and the who still has the power to break her. Her car has died, and her parents give her their old car, dubbed Horny, but Reece is going along with her to his new job in California at another winery. What could possibly go wrong when two old lovers with unresolved issues, pain, and anger have to spend two weeks on the road? Will they kill each other, or maybe, just maybe find their way back to each other?

Let me just say I love Lauren Layne’s characters. She writes them in a way that readers feel like they are old friends. Lucy and Reece are no different. Of course, they are physically gorgeous, but it’s what is inside that drew me to them. Both have a wicked sense of humor, and the banter and arguing between them crackles with sexual tension. There’s plenty of sexual tension. I knew these two would end up in bed again, and I kept waiting for it. Layne has perfected the art of stretching the sexual anticipation until you can hardly stand anymore, but boy the wait is worth it. It was steamy yet there was a sweetness too.

There was so much miscommunication and misconceptions these two had about one another. It began when they were young as readers will see in the flashback chapters, which was one of my favorite things about Love Story. Reece has been left by those he loves, so he doesn’t think Lucy is any different even though she’s always been his biggest supporter. Plus, he thinks he isn’t good enough for her. You guessed it…Reece has issues. Lucy has always loved him even before she knew what love was, and she believes his heart is too damaged to let her completely in. She lost it to him once, and she knows if she gives it to him again, he could break her permanently. Of course, she has no idea he feels the same. I just wanted to shake them and tell them to just for once lay all their cards on the table!!!! Despite their issues, I completely adored them!

As with all of Layne’s books, no matter what series I’m reading, she creates a romance with heart. I get wrapped up in each book, and she doesn’t let me go until I finish the very last page. She’s one of those writers whom I’m always stalking to see what she has coming next. Luckily, I never have to wait too long, and she NEVER disappoints!!!

***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***
***Copy provided by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review***

3 stars

Lucy wants to go to San Fran more than anything in the world. She is off to start her career in the wine industry and nothing is going to hold her back. Not even, Reece. He was her first love, her brother's best friend, and the man who took her innocence. Now. Lucy is stuck on a cross country road trip with Reece thanks to her parents, and has no choice but to go.

Spending all that time together is something Lucy does not want. She hates Reece for what he did to her. Reece is not too happy either. He knows Lucy was too good for him, he did everything in his power to destroy the only good thing in his life... now he is forced to deal with it, after hiding from her for years.

I usually love Lauren Layne books. but this is the first time I felt something other than love. It was more of a meh. I didn't love Lucy... I thought she was a little immature and annoying. I felt bad for Reece at times being trapped in a car with her.

Reece and Lucy have undeniable chemistry as well as years of unresolved feelings. They're fighting one minute and flirting the next. I got a little frustrated with them constantly blaming each other for the past but not really talking about it or their feelings. The flashbacks were a good way of getting to know their past and understanding their not so friendly feelings towards each other. Perfect for New Adult fans that like the brother's best friend and second chance tropes.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.