I was a little worried that this book wouldn't have enough time to deal with the pretty weighty issues that it promised to contain--the grief of losing a loved one, the guilt associated with often resenting that same loved one, and two people who really do seem to be pretty opposite finding a way to work things out together--because 1) it wasn't that long and 2) the losing of the loved one doesn't happen until about 1/3 of the way in. How could everything that needs to be done realistically get done in just a few hours of reading?

The answer is by skipping ahead in time, which the author does a few times. Don't worry--though it is a bit disconcerting, ultimately actually ends up working fairly well. Unless my extreme fondness for Anne of Green Gables stepped in, blinding me to all other issues (confession here: I have an Anne hat hanging on my wall at home, with attached red braids and all...and yes, I've worn it--for crazy hat day at school, but still...)

This is entirely possible, I'll be the first to admit.

Still, this was a very sweet book that had me tearing up more than once (sad tears a few times, OMG happy ones at the end) with lovable characters from a new-to-me author that I will absolutely be reading more from in the future.

Rating: 4 stars / B

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Jane and Caleb have known each other for years. He is her sister's business partner and they have always had a brother/sister relationship, even when they each secretly want to explore more. When a tragedy happens in Jane's life, she is thrown off balance and sinks into a deep depression. He comes around to check on her and they argue.
Throughout the book, they pick on each other, argue and when one thinks they might have an honest discussion about their feelings, the other backs off. On one hand, I understood the reasons they had for not pursuing a relationship (he is an adventure seeker who leaves all the time and she likes her life in NY). BUT, on the other hand, considering they were adults, I found that they were acting like teenagers by not talking honestly about their feelings.
Overall, I did enjoy Caleb and Jane and their quest for love and happiness. I especially liked the quotes and the paper crane part of the story. I enjoy reading Abigail's books and will continue to read the books she writes. I received an ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

This book has a lot of cute moments – a very cute hero and heroine who are friends but firmly friends – no hanky panky. Anne of Green Gables is mentioned a lot and Jane owns a bookstore! She is more of a dreamer where Caleb, our hero is an adventurer. He travels the world taking people on adventures. Jane thinks he is crazy – the thought of a simple hike holds no attraction to her at all. Caleb grew up on a farm, so he also has a cowboy vibe going on – wears a stetson, jeans and boots. AND his home base is in New York City. So he is a jumbled adventurer, cowboy, city slicker… maybe all of that felt a little forced..but he is cute and a charmer and won me over.

Caleb runs his travel business with Jane’s sister, and the three of them are super close. Jane also lives and works in New Yorck City and one day wants to write a book. She loves imagination and living in her head. Caleb loves experiencing things first hand and is an adreline junky. Opposites for sure – but Caleb looks upon Jane with lust. She has placed him firmly in the “brother” category, and as Caleb starts to listen to his heart, he realizes his feelings have turned romantic towards her. He doesn’t know what that means in terms of their lifestyles, as he travels many weeks out of the year – but that doesn’t stop him from attempting a courtship. He soon learns that trying to court a girl who doesn’t realize she is being wooed, is difficult.

This is all adorable and cute and I was there for it.

And then.

Then an event happens. No, it’s not cheating or anything like that. But it’s a sad event and I wasn’t’ expecting it and damn it. The event itself wasn’t a deal breaker for me, but it completely changed the tone of the book. We go from adorbs to sad and heavy. The emotions and journey are done well. Very well. But I also feel like the romance gets lost in all of the heaviness. It takes a back seat and while there is a solid HEA at the end, the romance overall could have been bigger. I’ll put what happens in a spoiler tag – but otherwise I’m not going to expand on it.

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I think some will love this book – but I can also see other people having a negative reaction. I feel right down the middle – adorable first half. Too much sadness in the second half.

Grade: C+

This is the first book by Abigail Strom that I have read, but it will not be the last! I have been luck to read a number of good books of late, and I have to count this story among them.

I was enthralled by the two complex and nuanced main players, Jane and Caleb, especially the way that their relationship evolved over time, both in the narrative and prior to those events. Most of the peripheral characters were also fairly three-dimensional, particularly in consideration of the small parts they played. My favorite of them was probably Hunter, Caleb’s older brother, who in his one scene dispensed some very important advice:

“Caleb. You’re not Dad, and in spite of the dick move you pulled today, you’re not Mom, either. Your life worked find when you weren’t in love, but now you are. So you’re going to have to make some adjustments.”

There were a few instances that you could just see coming as the narrative played out, but the tale took several turns that I was not expecting. It definitely kept my attention throughout and wanting to find out what happened next.

There were a few things about the tale that were just hard to come to terms with. Jane’s entire reaction to the tragedy they face seems rather stilted, and just not quite in line with her other activities. I also found her expectations of Caleb a bit excessive, given how well she knew him; and also his eventual about-face to be a bit sudden. Otherwise, though, it was a darling tale of love and acceptance.

Although the main defining event of the book is definitely sad and depressing, the book was nonetheless well worth the read, with a very satisfying ending on many fronts. There were a lot of quick-witted verbal interactions between the characters, enough plot to actually make it interesting, some hurdles to overcome but not enough to make it hopeless, a lovely romance, and the couple of love scenes included were definitely hot. Certainly a fun and enjoyable book that I highly recommend.

3 out of 5 Stars

ARC courtesy of Netgalley

Tell Me is the first book I have read by Abigail Strom and it won't be the last. I loved Tell Me. I loved Jane and Caleb.

4+ stars.
I picked this up on Netgalley, it sounded interesting and after reading I am so glad that I did. This is a new author for me.
I really liked this book on so many levels. Great story and wonderfully complex characters as well as author's beautiful and unique writing style. She really tastefully handled all the deep and traumatic scenes in a way that was mature and very real.
As I read more of this book it was clear that the initial impressions I formed of Jane and Caleb were just scratching their character's surface and I really began to see and feel how flawed and yet very lovable these characters were.
I so badly wanted this couple to make it together, even though I could relate to the internal conflict both of them were struggling with.
The later use of the "Anne of Green Gables" story within this book was very nostalgic reading for me and added yet another element to a really deep and beautiful love story.
I highly recommend this one to all lovers of contemporary romance and friends to lovers stories.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between

The Good. You know those romances where the hero and heroine are complete opposites and yet it doesn’t matter because nothing else matters besides the romance? This, is not that book, and I appreciated that. I’m glad I took my GR friend Geri’s recommendation to check out this book, so I’d like to pay it forward and I’ll tell you what I loved (and didn’t love) about this tale.

The chemistry between Jane and Caleb is there from the very beginning. I loved their conversations, and the history Ms. Strom conveyed between Jane and Caleb with every interaction. I adored that their attraction wasn’t a secret to the reader, even if they didn’t see it themselves. There were plenty of moments that felt as if they could have been handled in a Romance 101 kind of way, and Ms. Strom deliberately steered away from those, which I liked alot. This is most definitely a character driven romance, and there’s genuine tension in wondering how Ms. Strom would overcome the differences between Jane and Caleb. From the start, you know that Jane is a city girl who loves her books, and Caleb is an adventurer who thrives in nature. Neither is prepared to change, and their journey to a believable HEA is fully explored and well earned by the time you get to the last page.

The Bad. I can’t say there was anything that was really bad about this story. The ending felt a bit abrupt, in this age of the extended epilogue, but it’s a sweet grand gesture that it closes on and I liked that.

Everything in Between. There are a couple of things that I was on the fence about. The plot twist wasn’t a surprise (it was hinted at in the blurb, and you feel yourself start to brace for it), but it did make this a much more somber romance than I expected, based on the first half. Like when tragedy happens in real life, there is a distinct feeling of Before and After the Incident. It marks both characters and this romance, in a palpable way and that changed the tone of the story. If you don’t mind a shift in perspective, from lighter to a much more serious type of read, I think you can enjoy this like I did.

My biggest quibble in romances (besides cheating, because hard pass on those) are the emotional runners. They get me, every time. I will say, even if I’m not a fan of the running either one does at different points in the story, I felt that it was in character for them to do it. It fed their core obstacle in an organic way, so I wasn’t mad at it, when all is said and done. Time flies by because of the running each one does from their feelings and the fear of being rejected and there are regrets along the way. As the reader, I wanted to push them to figure it out, but like any good romance, in the end, Ms. Strom lead them where they needed to be. I loved their final scenes enough to forgive them for their delays in giving me...I mean themselves their HEA.


The Bottom Line 4 stars
I really enjoyed this read. Jane and Caleb made an impression on me with their romance. This is my first book by Ms. Strom and based on this, I’d like to read more by her. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to fans of friends to lovers romances, as long as you’re in the mood for a bit of sad with your sweet.

Great read about two people who are opposite from each other and when a tradegy happens how it brings them together but also challenges what they know. Will they be able to compromise and have a chance at happiness or will they be too stubborn to figure out together they are better.

I usually like this author, but I couldn't get in to this one.

I’m a big fan of Abigail Strom. She writes romances that are a little bit sweet, a little bit funny, a little bit sexy, and a whole lot emotional. Her books are always quick, easy reading that kind of reminds me of comfort food. (You know, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken and dumplings...that kind of thing) Tell Me is no different. It's a friends-to-lovers romance, with a bit of a second-chance romance thrown in mid-book.

What I love most about Tell Me is that it doesn’t rely on fancy plot twists or super adventurous sex scenes to pull readers in. No, it’s way classier than that. This book is all about the feels, and all the things REAL people would feel if they were put in the situations like the ones these characters are faced with.

Jane is a great heroine. She’s the smart, nerdy, quirky girl who is a little jealous of her beautiful, athletic sister, but never lets her jealous feelings hurt her relationship with said sister. Jane doesn’t dwell in bitterness, and I really appreciated that about her.

Caleb, as Jane’s sister’s best friend, has known Jane for years, and at the beginning of the book, he’s only just beginning to realize how deep his feelings for Jane go. Sadly, his timing couldn’t be worse. I won’t spoil anything, but Jane and Caleb face some real obstacles to their relationship. Sure, most of them are self-imposed, but the struggle is heart-wrenchingly REAL.

I’ll admit that I got a little irked with Caleb toward the end of the book when he acted like a complete asshat who was unwilling to compromise on any level. But fortunately, the asshattery didn’t last long, and Caleb came through with an absolutely adorable (and super emotional) “grand gesture” that totally made up for it. (Me being irked, though, did cost the book a solid 5 out of 5 rating, leaving it with a 4.5 instead.)

But, long-story-short, this was an adorable, emotional, sweet, sexy romance that is highly 1-clickable. Get to your Kindles, folks. This one’s another keeper from one of my favorite “comfort read” authors.

Full disclosure: We received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well knock me over with a feather. Tell Me by Abigail Strom was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a bit of fluff…maybe a few steamy passages but I wasn’t expecting it to pack a powerful and emotional punch.

Tell Me is the story of Jane Finch, a book shop owner with a penchant for the nerdy. She is the polar opposite of her outgoing sister Sam. They epitomise the saying chalk and cheese. In truth Jane has always been a little jealous of Sam especially when every man that Jane likes seems to fall at Sam’s gorgeous feet.

Then there is Caleb. Dependable Caleb who is like an itch that Jane can’t scratch. He also happens to be Sam’s business partner.

It is through a personal tragedy (which I promise will leave you gasping in shock) that really starts the unravelling of Tell Me. At that point it becomes completely un-put-down-able and you end up swept in the high drama and romance.

Tell Me is so much more than you would think from its cover. You need to give this book a try because the passion is so palpable. I loved it and it takes a lot for me to truly fall in love with a love story.

Tell Me by Abigail Strom is available now.

For more information regarding Abigail Strom (@AbigailStrom) please visit www.abigailstrom.com.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is not the first book that I have read from Abigail Strom. I really felt like this book took you much deeper than most happily ever after romance novels. There was plenty of story among the romance.

How happy am I when I get approved to get an Abigail Strom ARC from Net Galley!?! I can’t even express my joy. I just love her grasp of the nerdy mind, be it male or female.

Having an older sister who is beautiful, kind, caring, and loved by everyone that meets her this story struck a chord with me. I love my sister to pieces and didn’t have the same problems with her as Jane had with her sister Sam. But I get the gist of her feelings. Those feelings you don’t ever really fully admit to because your sister IS a wonderful person and you just can’t hold that against her.

The way Caleb comes to slowly realize that he not only has feelings for Jane, but has had them for a while, is very realistic. It helps it seem not so insta-love and not so unrequited love but a true deep friendship to love. Jane and Caleb may try to fight it tooth and nail, but that’s what this is for sure.

There are parts of this story that ripped my heart out. But in true Abigail Strom fashion I would be laughing a page later. That’s one of the things I love about her writing. She can evoke a gamut of emotions in her readers.

jane has spent her whole life in her sister, samantha's shadow. and she's always assumed that caleb, samantha's friend and business partner, doesn't see her in that same way that men are blinded by sam the moment they meet her. she's lived with this her whole life, so she gets it. but she doesn't have to love it. and even though she doesn't blame sam, she can also resent it.

except when tragedy strikes and jane and caleb have to face the world that is no longer the same. a world where hiding the attraction that underlies their every interaction doesn't make sense anymore. even though admitting things. telling each other how they truly feel is not something either of them are ready for.

it's not until they are ready to say goodbye and embark on a road trip to see things through that the possibility of more starts to crystallize. tell me is not just a love story, it's about grief and loss and acceptance. it's about friendship. it's about finding the beauty in terrible things. it's about taking a moment and looking around you for the puffed sleeves. they might be frilly and unnecessary, but the way they make you feel is everything.

this story refers to lucy maud montgomery a lot, especially anne of green gables, but in some ways jane and caleb remind me more of valancy and barney from the blue castle. which is my favorite montgomery book, and one i might have to re-read again. it's been a while and it's kind of like comfort food.

4/5: Rated it 4 stars because she owned a bookstore and loved reading books but the climax was shocking but I don't like when they have that cliche twist that all romances seem to have this was my first time reading a book by Abigail so I look forward to reading more. I love the relationship between Jane and Caleb .

First off, thank you Arabella ~♡AB♡~'s review for bringing this book and this author to my attention. I enjoyed this book so much. I cried and laugh, and let me tell you that I've never rooted so hard for a couple as much as I did with Jane and Caleb.

Both are deeply flawed and complex characters whose differences might be too great that love might not be enough!

Yes, you read that right! There were moments in the book where I was like...

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Why? Because the conflict is that good. Simple but really effective and it's not very obvious if we go by the blurb. In fact, I thought initially that it's going to be something else. But I prefer the direction that the author took. It's a very mature conflict and she was able to really flesh out the story and each of the characters.

Aside from the conflict, what I also loved about this book was how tight the writing was. Not one scene or interaction was wasted. Everything that you read has a purpose. And the author did a fantastic job tying up all the loose ends and giving readers the answers to questions they have about the characters and the story. It was masterful.

But what really made this book a favorite was its cast of characters. Jane and Caleb felt real. Jane is a shy bookstore owner. At first, I was skeptical because the character sounds really cliched. I mean, hello, shy, plain-Jane bookstore owner? That's like classic character trope.

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But the more you read, the more you see the nuances of Jane's character. And the same goes for Caleb. He's a tough nut to crack. He was a very intriguing character. At first, he came off really cocky and was a bit annoying. The moment the two of them are together on page, you could feel the tension that was borne out of their differences despite the fact that there's definitely an attraction there.

I loved how Anne of Green Gables was used as sort of a backdrop in the story. It was clever and it made me want to read Anne of Green Gables again. It made me curious about the lore behind that series.

Another intriguing layer to this book was Sam, Jane's beautiful and adventurous older sister who also happens to Caleb's best friend and business partner. She was the thread that connected Jane and Caleb at first. Her tragic death served as a catalyst for Jane and Caleb's relationship. I personally didn't feel that her presence detracted from the romance between Jane and Caleb. I thought that Jane's feelings about Sam was handled really well. Again, it felt real and it was so heartbreaking.

There are so many thing I loved about this book. I especially loved how the author brought everything in full circle, giving readers what they long for. The resolution wasn't perfect but it fit the story really well.

Tell Me is a heartwarming story about two people who couldn't be more different from each other fall in love. It's a beautifully written romance which I highly recommend you guys read.

Jane loves her vibrant sister Sam, but she is also always a bit jealous of her. Samantha lives her life to the fullest and shines. She travels the world with her business partner Caleb and has adventures Jane can only read about. And then tragedy strikes and Jane feels lost.
Caleb and Jane both have feeling for each other, but they are such opposites and stubborn and keep their feelings to themselves. Until they are on a journey to fulfill a special request.

I give this book 3 big stars. I liked Jane, I liked the story. I just did not really like the romance. It is more of a journey for Jane (and Caleb). They spent a lot of time apart and I just ... did not have those butterflies. It's more women's fiction, good women's fiction that is.

This book has both cursing (including a few f-bombs but the word is not over-used) and some on-screen sex. Although neither of those things overwhelms the story, if you are sensitive to them, you might not enjoy this book.

I went into this book blind because I very much enjoy this author's books and was excited to have something new to read by her. I *probably* should have read the description before reading because I started this at 11pm figuring to read for an hour before bed. I did not expect to get totally sucked in by the story and then find myself ugly crying at 1am, but I absolutely did. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking, and it was everything that I want in a book. I was totally blown away by the emotions and feelings that this book evoked.

If you're looking for a fluffy, girl falls for her sister's best friend story that is all about hot, kinky sex and superficial things, this isn't the story for you. If you're looking for a tremendously written story about two people who really get to know each other on their way to falling in love, and a book that will make you run the gamut of emotions, you need to read this book. It is not an exaggeration to say that this was one of the best books that I've read in 2017.

I requested and was very generously given an ARC of this book. I was under no obligation to write this review or to pre-order the book, I did those things because the book was fabulous.

This is my first book by Abigail Strom.

What I liked:
The writing style
Standalone
HEA

What I didn't like:
No chemistry between the main characters

I look forward to reading more from this author.

A first read of Abigail Strom for me and I got to say I'll be going back for more. A beautiful story of falling for sisters best friend and thinking he never saw you more then a sister. Jane and Caleb are so sweet. I love everything about this one even though I wanted to smack Caleb a few times. Once he figured it and Jane figure it out everything is so beautiful. Shed a tear or two at one point. But it was so worth it in the end. You're in for a wonderful journey when you read this one.