Joe is the bestestest and I will never be the same again.

Joe told a tiny lie but that lie has grown to be the most important thing he could have hidden from a person he considers his best friend. He pretended to be his brother, Eric, at first it was to shut his dating account but a message caught his eyes and months later they have shared deep secrets but Alex doesn't know who she is really talking to.

Joe is about to find out that telling the truth was the better way, Alex hasn't even begun to be prepared for what's to come.

I am so in love with this story that I cried when it ended. I am in LOVE with Joe and I think I love him more than any other Kylie hero. He was the perfect combination of sweet, sexy and omg he was such an Alpha. I adored his shyness and his awkwardness. Joe Collins is the real deal, y'all!! Believe me, you'll easily fall in love with this hot bearded bigfoot.

I need a friend like Alex Parks. She is such a strong relatable character. Her quirks and her anxieties touched at my heart. I don't think I've ever understood a character like I got Alex. She is such an inspiration because she didn't let anything bring her down and was constantly trying to strengthen herself. I admire her for that. Also, she is so darn funny.

Kylie Scott is a master at crafting stories and I don't know how she does this but everytime she delivers a story that becomes a part of me. I don't think I'll ever be over her books and frankly I don't want to be.

Twist by Kylie Scott......This was a great book, it held my attention with the fantastic characters, they were fun and engaging. I enjoyed seeing the story play out between Alex and Joe. This was my first book by Kylie Scott and it will not be my last. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

Shel: Here's how much I enjoyed Twist: I have this screen open to write the review, I'm texting Court about it, and I'm about to open our Instagram account to talk about it; if that's not some serious enjoyment, I don't know what is! Twist is light and fun and not overly angsty. The two main characters, Joe and Alex, are really easy to like and almost instantly you will find yourself wanting the best for them--which is really nothing new, I think we've always found Kylie Scott's characters easy to like and relate to. Court: We have, and that is something that I think we look for a lot. We dive into a lot of fantasy in the overall story most of the time with the books but it is always a big discussion for readers if the characters look like, act like and talk just like us. So, having a girl who doesn't meet the usual standard of beauty and has more to offer in her personality than her...well, you know...it is SO NICE!

Shel: For me, Twist was especially interesting because I recognized parts of myself in both Alex and Joe so please pardon me while I explain in a way that may be spoiler-ish? If you don't want to know too much about these two, skip over the parts in blue. I could easily be an Alex--I don't get out much (outside of work) and I'm usually someone who likes to watch rather than be the center of attention. But more than that, there was one pinnacle moment when the way she coped felt very familiar--she saw the place that she'd sorta carved out for herself in Joe's life seem to be no longer necessary and she very quietly left without saying goodbye. I'm the absolute worst when it comes to that! I hate saying goodbye and I always justify it in my head, just like Alex did, and I'm so guilty of not thinking about how that may impact others. It's selfish and hurtful and I'm better at not doing that but damn, I so identified with Alex. I also saw some of myself in Joe. I, too, tend to try to be a fixer and it was a very hard lesson to learn how to not constantly wear myself out by doing too much. Learning how to say "no" was a very very painful process for me. All of this to say that Kylie Scott just has this way of creating characters that can feel so identifiable and real and I especially felt that in Twist. As I'm reading through this, I realize that this all sounds so serious and really it's more of a romantic comedy than anything else--it's truly light and fun and sexy.

Court: You hit it just right, Shel. I think the themes of this book are really relatable to a lot of people. How they met and got to know each other online is a really big part of dating today (and if my husband ever leaves me I will be alone forever, because I could not do dating in today's day and age! In my defense, we got together when I was 15...) Anyway, I digress...so as you can see if you're still reading by this point, that there is a lot to relate to for each of us in these characters...and we really love this group of people that Kylie has given us at Dive Bar. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Shel: As with all of her novels, I enjoyed seeing the secondary characters and catching up with what they were up to since we last saw them and in Twist there was definitely some action there. I also loved that this novel had a transwoman as a trusted sidekick--I hope to see more of Val and more characters like her. Kylie Scott's cast of characters feels like family and reading Twist has me looking forward to reading the next novel in this series. Court: I teared up. I laughed. I was sad. I was mad for multiple characters on multiple occasions (at them and for them, I suppose) so this was a multifaceted book that has depth, heart and is just a really good sexy time in a way that is unique to Kylie Scott and I've always loved about her. Read this book, and series and her other series and all the things! NOW! :)

I read Twist with a smile on my face, laughing out loud often. This shouldn't be surprising when there's lines like this: "Butterflies didn't cover it. There were pterodactyls inside my stomach, swooping and screeching and flying around." p.112

Kylie Scott breathed new life into a plot centered around meeting online and mistaken identity and it had everything to do with Alex and Joe's respective personalities. Joe is a classic good guy and he was very swoon-worthy. A guy other than Joe likely would not have tried so hard to make things up to Alex after she discovered he was the Eric she'd been emailing all along. While they slowly settle into friendship, it is clear they have a lot to learn from each other.

Whereas Joe says yes to everyone in his life, setting up more than a couple codependent relationships, Alex says no to everyone, functioning more like a hermit. We're at our healthiest when we're somewhere between those two extremes. Joe proposes Alex gets out of her comfort zone by saying yes to things and he'll learn to set boundaries by saying no. This was great to see in action.

While the books build on each other, they can be read in any order. The author excels at depicting the community between her characters and the friendships between the groups of friends are some of the finest in contemporary romance.

No matter what's happening in a character's love life, their friends remain important and their significant other naturally becomes incorporated into that circle. Alex doesn't really have friends beyond her best friend Val (loved her character!) so it was neat to see her get to know Joe's friends and realize people aren't as bad as she thinks.

The romance between Alex and Joe was fantastic. Their chemistry was perfect and their interactions often made me giggle with glee. Things were sailing along quite smoothly until tragedy happens (I did not see this coming and it broke my heart!) and Joe made a choice that I didn't think quite fit his character. I did, however, love seeing how Alex responded to it.

It's hard to create new patterns and habits for ourselves and the author doesn't shy away from this struggle. It's another part of why I love her books- they reflect real life. There aren't quick fixes, even when there's an instant connection. Relationships take work and vulnerability and risk and it's all reflected in this wonderful novel.

Online dating urgh the thought gives me shivers i could never do that. But after reading this book and the chance to meet a man Joe it makes me reconsider my choices. Alex and Joe are two characters who make online dating and meeting in person a very fun experience.A very entertaining book that was also romantic and left me with a huge smile on my face. A great addition to the Dive Bar series and i cannot wait to read more from the series

review on goodreads under the name kimothy

After talking online for months, this couple has quite the disastrous first meeting. A relationship starts and stumbled, and stumbles some more. I never warmed up to the male character in this book. The heroine had some guts the way she just showed up unannounced. Only liking half of a couple doesn't really work for me. This was just an okay read for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This was a fun, sweet, sexy case of mistaken identity wrapped up in the witty banter and sexy alpha that Kylie Scott does so well. Joe and his mountain man looks has met his match in Alex and what a match it was. I highly recommend picking this one up. It was a fun ride from page one.

Twist started out with a bang, crashed and burned – Alex suffered from a bad case of identity theft. Alex found herself standing outside the Dive Bar in a short dress and hooker heels getting ready to meet the man of her dreams – someone she has been emailing, flirting, and sharing her deep secrets with. Except he wasn’t who she imagined at all. Surprise! Her love interest turned out to be Joe, the hot, bearded, rugged bartender/carpenter. Alex was supposed to hightail straight back home except her plan was deterred. Days turn into weeks and a chain of events happened that pulled Alex and Joe closer than either of them expected. The relationship blossomed, friends turn into lovers – just perfection.

I really adore Alex – she is funny, friendly, beautiful. She is honest – what you see is what you get. She is also a strong heroine – she can hold her own especially against some of Joe’s skeptical family members. I also like Joe - sweet, hard-working, caring, stable and a nice man. But sometimes I want to smack some sense into him. At the beginning, Joe was very sweet and endearing the way he was wooing Alex; I love how their relationship slowly developed from enemies to innocent friendship to hot sexy lovers. However, toward the end with all the drama of the car accident and the ex-girlfriend I did not think Joe handled the situation well. I understand where he is coming from. However, he was distant and did not go after Alex, which upset me a little bit. Of course, he redeemed himself at the end . Otherwise, I love everything else about this book - the banters, the humor and the clever plot. The story is sweet, funny, sexy and romantic with a little bit of drama and angst. I am also happy the story included the secondary characters’ lives which added a little complexity to the storyline. Overall, Twist was an entertaining read!

4.5 sexy stars!

This is the second book in the series and I felt like I had been away too long. This group of friends just makes you want to hang out, have some drinks and have some fun. The story starts out as a mistake. Alex thinks she has been talking on line to one hot brother and finds out, embarrassing herself in the process, that she has been talking to the other brother.

In the end, that's a good thing. In the beginning, though, Alex thinks she has been played by Joe and isn't even willing to give him a chance. Funny thing about love, we can't help who our heart is drawn to. Joe, steadfast and true, just continues to be Alex's friend. Love when good friendship is the basis for a relationship.

Nice humor in this one. Some touching moments that make you swoon. A bit of tension and some angst just for fun. And of course Eric, Joe's douche of a brother is still an a$$. Hopefully he can pull himself together.

Quirky town with a great group of friends. Wonderful to see the Stage Dive guys again as well.

Looking forward to more!

In Dirty, we meet a whole new set of characters living in a small town Idaho, a spin-off from the Stage Dive series. A group of friends who have grown up together, some siblings and a bunch of outsiders come to tame them, or so it seems. Dive Bar seems to be the central place all of them work or hang out.

The story opens up with confusion as Alex decides to act upon a romance she has been building with Eric. Hoping to surprise him on his birthday, she flies in after getting all dolled up beyond what she is comfortable only to find Eric is the guy she has been chatting with, but instead is actually Joe, his older brother. Joe isn't exactly a cover model, but more a lumberjack kind of guy who has misled her. Ego taking a hit, Alex storms out into the rain only to get sick with a fever.

Joe feeling awful, follows her to her room and ends up nursing her back to health, but also making it clear he isn't looking for love, nor is she his type. But....let's be friends. Yeah, while Alex doesn't think he is also her type, she doesn't know if she can be friends with a guy who betrayed her in such a way. Unfortunately she is stuck in town, ill and relying on the help of strangers.

Dive Bar is owned by Eric, Joe's brother, and Nell, the sister of the hero in Dirty, Vaughan. Nell is pregnant with Eric's baby (a very bad one-night stand) and divorced from her high school sweetheart. Lydia, part owner as well now, is still so in love with Vaughan and making a go of their relationship. Rosie the waitress, the grumpy cook, the music store owner, tattoo artist and more all round out characters that make you fall in love with this ragtag band of characters.

Alex and Joe have a tough road to go in this story. There is no insta-love or over-riding lust, but honest people. They need each other in ways they have to learn to accept, but really it's tough when your world is all topsy-turvy. The story felt rushed in the end, which I didn't particularly like. Told completely from Alex's point of view, I would have really liked to see inside of Joe's mind.

This is probably just me, but I confused their names a lot as I read. Alex and Joe can go either way for gender names, but I kept switching them up at times.

Joe is a guy I could like but not fall in love with as he can be gruff. He has a good heart though and is really good with his hands *eyebrow wiggle*. Alex reminds me a lot of myself. Kind of a hermit, good at seeing things as she wants and making it happen. These two make a pretty good couple.

4.75

I have really enjoyed all the books I've read by this author and I really enjoyed Twist but it was a little different from other books she's written. There was a good amount of angst and it was more emotional than I was expecting. This is the first Kylie Scott book that has made me cry and I wasn't expecting that. There was witty banter, great chemistry between the characters and a good amount of humor and steam. I loved Alex, she was a great heroine. Joe was perfect, up until he wasn't but I still really liked him. I love this authors writing and I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Can deception ever be forgiven? This is what Alexandra/Alex had to deal with after making a surprise visit to her internet man she had been in contact with for months. Alex finds out that Eric is actually his big brother, Joe. Even though Eric was the prettier of the two Joe was the man who listened to all of Alex’s problems and dreams. They had formed a very real connection…real enough for Alex to get on a plane and make a surprise visit to Eric’s birthday party at Dive Bar.

Twist was full of emotion, humor, romance and overall chemistry between Alex and Joe. I loved the way the author was able to write the build of Joe and Alex’s relationship with a good dose of humor. I am looking forward to her next release, Chance, and see what she has in store for us again. I have found myself another author to follow.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for a freely given and honest review.

4.25-4.5 STARS

“Twist” is the second book in author Kylie Scott’s Dive Bar series and centers around the bearded and burly Joe Collins (the bar’s hottie bartender) and Alex Parks, Joe’s online love connection. The catch? Joe has been communicating with Alex using his brother Eric’s dating profile. So when Alex makes a surprise visit to meet the love of her life, Eric, imagine her surprise when he hasn’t a clue as to who she is. Instead, Alex is shocked to discover that she has been duped by a hairy beast of a man who is SO not her usual type!

Initially, Eric asked Joe to set up his on line dating account. But when Eric loses interest, Joe finds himself enraptured by Alex’s messages, and instead of shutting down Eric’s account as he had intended, he pretends to be Eric just so he can continue an online relationship with Alex. Now that Alex knows the truth, Joe struggles to get Alex to understand that despite his deception, he’s still the man she’s come to know. A series of unfortunate events subsequently unfurls, first bringing Alex and Joe together and then ripping them apart. But Alex vows to stand by Joe no matter what—even when his “ex” returns with an agenda to win Joe back.

With a unique and intriguing storyline, “Twist” is all too real in this day and age of on line dating. Too easily, people can represent themselves as someone other than who they truly are. In Joe’s case, however, he never set out to intentionally deceive Alex. He was simply drawn to the woman that his good-looking, charismatic brother had already established communication with. Despite her anger towards Joe’s deception, Alex is quick to learn that beauty really is only skin deep—especially when it comes to Joe and Eric. While Alex was initially drawn to Eric’s physical appearance, it becomes blatantly clear that little substance lies beneath. And while Joe’s appearance is drastically different from that of Eric’s, Alex soon discovers that the man beneath the beard is a man worth loving.

I absolutely love Kylie Scott’s Dive Bar series and have come to know and love this quirky set of characters. I delighted in revisiting this group of friends and enjoyed getting another glimpse into their crazy, dysfunctional lives. As always, Kylie Scott writes strong characters that we can easily connect with and never fails to give us a love story that’s both sizzling hot and emotionally memorable. I simply can’t wait for the next installment to this series.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Kylie Scott officially owns me. Joe and Alex were totally perfect for one another, even if Alex fought it. Don't get me wrong...she was right to be angry. I would have been super pissed, but my goodness, Joe just seems like the most loveable guy. And the way she's describing him and trying to pretend that he isn't good looking? I found that super amusing because that lumberjack description was very enticing.

This story had everything, but my favorite part was seeing Joe's heart. He gives so much to everyone and the fact that asking for anything for himself makes him uncomfortable just makes him that much more perfect. The scenes between him and Alex as they were sort of finding their way towards one another, but coming up against one another's defenses made me root for them and crave more books just about the two of them.

I also really appreciated the Nell/Pat/Eric storyline. After Dirty, I was struggling with the three of them, but Scott brought the situation some closure in a perfect, if completely heartbreaking way.

How do I get Chaser? Can I read it now? How do I get more by Kylie Scott????

Thank you, Kylie Scott! Thank you for writing and being good at it! I picked this up because 1) I knew I'd love it and have been waiting to read it since meeting Joe in the first book and 2) I read a few less than stellar books recently and I was thinking I was going into a reading slump. READING SLUMP IS NO MORE!

I wouldn't necessarily say this was angsty, but I would say it was rather emotional and kind of heavy. Alex shows up at Dive Bar to meet Eric in person after having emailed and messaged with him for the last few months. Only Eric has no clue who she is because it's actually been his older brother Joe who's been talking to her. Naturally, Alex is horrified and leaves in the rain to find a hotel. When she gets the flu, Joe takes care of her and they iron out the deception and start over being friends.

Both Joe and Alex have some baggage and have trouble getting out of the mold they have some how managed to get into...Joe always doing what others expect and never what he wants and Alex hiding away from the world. They agree to push each others boundaries and to see where things go. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling it, but just know my heart broke near the end - for more than one reason. And when Alex left, I was hurt for everyone involved. But the ending, ahhhh it was lovely and fixed ALL the heart ache!

I'm dying to see who can tame spoiled man-child Eric. That has to be one hell of a woman!

*thanks to the publisher and InkSlinger PR for sharing a copy of this with me!*

Review:




A case of online dating gone bad....well not really that bad.




Joe uses Eric's online dating profile to try to let down Alex gently and then is drawn in once they start corresponding. When "Eric" goes silent Alex takes matters into her own hands and goes to see him. What ensues is cringe worthy to read as Alex confronts Eric and finds that she has been catfished. Once Alex gets sick and Joe feels bad and takes care of her, they grow closer and closer, though neither want to admit to the feelings. When a harrowing accident occurs it shakes up not only Alex and Joe, but all in this story....and NO I am not giving anything else away.




I love the Authors use of humor even in uncomfortable situations like when Joe and Alex meet. I loved that this story was a lot more emotional and complex with its characters and what was happening with them. The part with the accident really had me grabbing for the tissues Joe and Alex are both super likable characters. That being said, I did want to slap some sense into Alex and Joe. Now they sure do heat up the sheets when they are intimate and those scenes are very well written. Without giving away a lot the ending is very satisfying not just for Alex and Joe, but others as well.




4Stars




*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

I really enjoy all of the books I'm given for reviewing; I got to know some amazing authors and their impressive work, but I have to admit it's always a thrill when I get a chance to read and review a book from one of my favorite authors.
I've fallen in love with Kylie's writing and characters when I first stumbled upon Lick and the Stage Dive series and now I get to do the same with these amazing bunch in the Dive Bar Series.

This time we get to read about Joe and Alex, they weren't each other's type or that is what they thought, but life had some surprises in store for them.

Their first encounter couldn't have gone worse and it seems there's no way they could ever see eye to eye again, Alex can't stand liars and in her eyes, this stranger is just that.

Joe has a great challenge in front of him, he needs to convince this intriguing woman, that he is not a liar and that everything was just a small mistake, so she can trust him again.

Their story is entertaining and has some uncomfortable moments for sure; how weird could it be to get to know someone and at the same time realize that you know them more than you though you did.

What will she do when she realizes that almost everything was true and she has known Joe for a long time?

Sparks fly and they need to get over their pride and fears before its too late. True love doesn't take into account your supposed tastes or whether you live close or far away; it just hits you and the only thing you can do is try to survive the fall.

Joe is my type of alpha, he is strong and sweet just in the right amounts, get ready to fall in love!

Alex Parks is a bit of an introvert—she’s cautious to a fault because she’s been let down by those in her life in the past, but she’s thrown caution to the wind with her communications with Joe. She’s opened herself up like she’s never done before through her words in their email exchanges, and have grown as close as they can without meeting in person. Something Alex decides on a whim to rectify.

Joe Collins has been cleaning up his brother, Eric’s messes for years. Joe’s the stable, reliable brother. Until he “meets” Alex on-line, and can’t help but be drawn to her through her honesty and openness in their months long email exchanges. But what happens when they finally meet in person? What happens when the truth about ALL their secrets is revealed?

Swoon. Just give me minute to recover. I loved just about everything in Twist. Damn it, Kylie Scott! Your ridiculous talent to draw a reader into the world you paint with your words. I sat in my comfy reading chair and didn’t move from it until I read Twist through to the very last page. I was immediately immersed into the story of Alex and Joe from their hilariously ridiculous meet-cute and I didn’t want to leave. Their romance was established through their emails, but the in-person trust needed to be built through personal experience. And, whoa, there were some heated and hot and steamy in-person experiences. *fans self* I loved how they bantered, argued, fought, apologized… everything. Just everything.

And I loved catching up with Vaughan and Lydia, Nell, Eric (who I wanted to smack up-side the head numerous times), and Pat. I loved how their stories were intertwined with Alex and Joe’s—that they were family through and through. God, I can’t wait until Eric’s story in Chaser!

Twist
Kylie Scott
4 Stars

Here’s to a second round at the Dive Bar with some pretty loony characters, another adorable couple and a fun-filled spin on Kylie Scott’s friends-turned-lovers romance, Twist.

A blossoming online relationship with the dreamy and outrageously gorgeous Eric Collins caused Alex Parks to impulsively step outside her comfort zone and travel cross-country to finally meet the swoon-worthy man behind the keyboard. As she entered the Dive Bar unannounced and smack in the middle of his birthday celebration, the huge surprise was on Alex when discovering the man she strongly connected with through emails was not pretty boy Eric, but his brawny and bearded brother Joe. Poor Alex. Already dealing with trust issues, she was far from thrilled about being played and embarrassingly caught off guard. Did not blame her one bit for ticked off BIG time over the deception. However all that was Joe ~ his magnetism, his patience and immeasurable tenderness, made him irresistible. From their awkwardly comical beginnings, to their hysterical banter and scorching sexual chemistry, Twist was a passionate and enjoyable love story.

Alex is everything I adore when it comes to this author’s heroines. Intelligent and sassy, she’s a witty chick who’s quirky yet a bit vulnerable. Her inner monologues, which were very entertaining, had me laughing out loud.

She had a headstrong stubborn side, giving poor Joe a tough time when it came to understanding the reasons behind his duplicity, which added some push and pull drama within the story line. I savored the build up of sexual tension between this couple, as it made their journey to love even more exciting and the chemistry between them explosively hot. Alex was the perfect woman for Joe. She was a positive force, persistent in encouraging him to pursue his dreams and helped boost his self-confidence.

Sweet Joe. The gentle lumber sexual, who was patient, kind, and downright sexy. A rugged sex-god who cuddles – what more can a heroine wish for?

I adored the way he tended to Alex and his determination to prove that despite his deliberate misrepresentation, his online exchanges were his truths. He worked hard to regain her trust and eventually, to earn Alex’s heart. Aside from using his brother’s identity, Joe was a sincere and compassionate guy who went above and beyond for his friends and family. I loved that about him the most.

Joe had me in the palm of his hand, adoring everything about his character, up until nearly the end. Somewhere along the way, Joe lost just a tiny piece of my heart with some of his actions and choices he made. In his defense, there were some intense, tear-jerking events that totally threw me for a loop and utterly devastated me. The tragedy absolutely messed with Joe’s mindset and I fully understood his pain. But, his missteps affected the dynamics of their relationship as well as my feelings towards his character. Regardless, in the end I walked away from this read liking Joe for all his big hearted, caring ways.

Twist was another well-written, steamy romance from Scott that I truly enjoyed and hope you do as well. A good choice for when you are in the mood for a humorous contemporary romance with just the right amount of relationship angst and emotional drama. Joe and Alex’s romance captivated me, as well as the story lines involving the secondary characters. Looking forward to revisiting Coeur D'alene, Idaho in Eric’s story – Chaser.

The Dive Bar may be dirty but there's a twist when the man behind the bar is actually not who he seems.

Alex hasn't made many inroads when it comes to letting people in to her life. But a dating site dare leads her to who she thinks is Eric Collins. A sweet, funny, and charmingly sexy guy who's gained her friendship over months of messaging.

But Eric is actually JOE, his older brother. After the dating site fluke of pretending to be Eric, Joe finds himself in a tough spot. How does he tell her without losing the connection they have? Well fate decided that it isn't up to him...Alex just walked in and BOOM; draaamaaa.

Despite the dramatic way these two are introduced, Scott has some of the most down to earth characters in this series. Joe and Alex had a budding friendship through the internet but getting to see them relearn one another and combine internet with reality was so beautiful.

I loved that they were both so honest and wanted to go for it but wanted to respect each other and themselves. DIRTY was a wild ride full of fun and letting loose and learning who you are. TWIST focuses on finding that person who fits you, compliments you, and makes you finally let down your walls to see the happiness you deserve.

Can't wait for CHASER, Eric's story......oh boy.....