Member Reviews
In this wonderfully refreshing story Rachel finds herself mother to teenager Owen after her best friend passes. They uproot from California, moving to New York to be closer to Owen’s paternal grandparents. This is where the party begins!
Rachel – Devoted to 15 year-old Owen with a new job in marketing at Fairchild Charters. She can’t resist the handsome man that put his car in the ditch because of her lack of snow driving skills. When she realizes he is her boss she tries to resist all his goodness.
Jason – CEO of Fairchild Charters and not interested in a long term relationship until Rachel. He can’t resist her and wants to be part of the life Rachel and Owen are creating.
Owen – A teenager with great sense of humor and a refreshingly mature mind. He holds great respect for Rachel. Enjoys Jason and his family but can’t connect with the grandparents that say they want to be a part of his life.
This books shows a strong family connection within the Fairchild clan, but it also shows you don’t have to be blood to be family.
There is humor, love, devotion, angst and adventure.
This is a must read from author Catherine Bybee. I love her writing style and realism. Guaranteed to be a cannot put down page turner.
First, I loved this whole series and am sorry to see it end. After waiting so long for this final book, I do think the best was saved for last. I was so happy to see Jason get the love of his life in Rachel.
Not Quite Crazy begins with the story of Rachel and her friends son, Owen. Her friend died and to hopefully combat a custody battle with Owen's paternal grandparents, they move from California to Connecticut. Rachel lands a great job, and as a Californian, doesn't want to give up her car and commutes into New York City every day. Snow happens, and she avoids a crash, but another car doesn't. She stops to help, and away the story goes! Rachel meet Jason!
I love the dialogue and the way Ms. Bybee turns a phrase. Some of my favorites in the book are:
Nothing screams romance like snow chains.
Loneliness has a cousin named self-pity. And she was a bitch.
She who dances with doors should probably stay away from heights.
This is a one butt kitchen.
I could go on and on with these gems! The story takes a dark turn, but even then hope, romance, and doing the right thing are brought out.
Fifteen year old Owen is a kick in the pants. It's nice to see 'real' interaction between a child and the adults in his life. He tells it like it is about his father and grandparents.
It was fun to get caught up with some of the characters from the previous 'Not Quite' book series. The HEA is fabulous. You need to read this book!
1 like
This is the final book in a series and definitely did justice to the rest of the series. I loved all of the characters in this book and was happy to see characters from earlier books in the series represented as well. The plot line was interesting and things were kept moving throughout.
Rachel and Jason have great chemistry. Their relationship is fun, caring and very romantic. Jason's family also provides the support that Rachel and Owen need. Despite all of the obstacles. they each provide what the other needs and are there when the other is in trouble.
Jason's brothers and their wives feature in this book as well. They are every bit as wonderful as they were in their own books, and provide a great support system for Rachel, Owen and Jason. Rachel's co-workers are great and realistic. They want what's best for her, but question the wisdom of dating her boss. Other characters include Owen, who is probably my favorite character in this book. I can relate to his pain and grief over his mother's death and love his loyalty to Rachel, his mother's best friend and his now guardian. Owen's grandparents are a challenge, as is his father. I have other things to say about them, but don't want to give away spoilers. But his friends are typical teens and true friends for Owen. The final character of note is Nathan, who works for Jason and is a terrific friend and role model for Owen as well.
I loved this entire series and this book was no exception!
This was another cute story in this series. I’m sorry to see it end. I always enjoy Catherine Bybee’s books.
“This isn’t … this is crazy, Jason.”
“Not quite crazy. Not for me, anyway.”
Okay, I’m not gonna lie, that was freakin’ sweet. Normally I like to stay away from books that have any kind of insta-love in them, and while this one sort of had that storyline, it actually worked out quite well. Jason and Rachel meet when Jason’s car gets stuck in a ditch after a snow storm. Rachel takes him to her place to wait for someone to pick him up. The rest is history. The two have undeniable and easy chemistry. There’s just one problem...Jason is Rachel’s boss.
Technically, he owns the company she works for. This is the sixth book in the ‘Not Quite Series’ and actually a bit sad that I didn’t read the books before this one. There’s a whole cast of characters that are brilliant and you bet I’m gonna go and buy the rest and read the rest of the gang’s stories. Rachel and Jason were well written; not to mention they were cute as hell together.
Rachel has moved from California to the east coast with Owen—her best friend’s son—in order for him to be closer to his biological family. It’s there that she and Owen have found a home and a new beginning. Jason doesn’t have time for relationships because he’s married to his job. The moment he meets Rachel though, everything changes. I liked that from the very beginning he was so sure about Rachel. She was it for him and nothing was going to stop him from having her.
I recommend this for readers that like low angst and their romance sweet yet sexy. And even though this could be read as a stand-alone, I think you should read the other books in the series first to better appreciate the books as a whole. I wish I did! The story was fast-paced, heartwarming, romantic, and fun.
The Not Quite series is one of my favorites. I never tire of Bybees sweet and spicy romance. The characters are always well developed and interesting. I will always pick up the latest novel by this author.
A super solid romance with heart and an emphasis on love and family at it's core. The MC's --- Rachel, Jason, and Owen are all great. I think fans of this series will be very pleased at how this series wraps up. It was nice "getting together" with the others from previous books too!
The 6th book in the not quite series. In this storyline the oldest Fairchild brother gets his HEA. Rachel has moved to New York with her adopted son so he could be closer to his grandparents. One night as she is going home to Connecticut the snow causes her to slide into another car and pushes the car into the ditch. She goes to meet the other driver and finds Jason ubeknownst to her she does not know Jason is the head of the company she works for. Sparks fly immediately with them as she allows him to stay at her home until his ride goes and digs out his car. I truly enjoy this novel we not only get a romance but we get the growing relationship of Rachel and her adopted son Owen whose mother died and gave Rachel custody of him. The connection Owen has with Jason before he become lovers with Rachel and the friendship of Nathan(handyman who works for the Fairchild) and Owen. There's some drama that takes place between Owen's grandparents and Rachel and Owen. There is a tragedy that happens and other mini subplots. I love reading a book that constantly puts a smile on my first from the beginning of the page to the end. Review on amazon and goodreads.
4.5/5.0
Ms Bybee is back on her game! For anyone who loves a contemporary romance that develops at a believable pace while keeping the heart skipping, this story is sigh-worthy yumminess from start to finish!
How is it possible that I have not read any of the books in the Not Quite series? Honestly, the more I think about it the more mind boggling it is... Then I remember that I also haven't read half of Catherine's Weekday Brides series and it eventually dawns on me... I've been living under a rock.
I devoured this book. It wasn't quite as cute as Jason and Rachel's first encounter, but it was love at first sight for me. From the minute I started Not Quite Crazy I could not put it down, which presented a problem since I have the bad habit of starting books when I should really be sleeping. In my defense, though, I'm sure Jason could keep anyone up way past their bedtime. He could sweet talk me into a romp in the snow any day. I loved his tenacity when it came to his pursuit for Rachel. No matter how reluctant she was to embrace their budding relationship, he was there to show her the way. Not only was Jason there for Rachel when she needed him the most, he was also there for Owen when he needed someone to talk to. I loved that about him. Yeah, he's sexy as all hell, but his love for Rachel and Owen was what made me swoon hard for him. Owen needs to be a future hero. This kid was hilarious and lovable. I loved that although he's had to grow up fast, his personality that hasn't dimmed. I know he'll continue to grow into an amazing future hero under the guidance of Jason and his brothers. As for Rachel, the fact that she put her life on hold to support Owen made me love her even more. She doesn't quite know what she's doing at the moment, but her love for Owen shines through. Watching the three of them stumble along as they become a family was fabulous.
I loved everything about Not Quite Crazy, from Catherine's writing to her lovable characters. The one element that really sucked me in was the banter between Jason, Rachel, and Owen. Well, it was really between all of the characters. There were moments that made me giggle-snort. Now I can't wait to start the series from the beginning. The only question is do I tackle them before or after I finish Catherine's Weekday Brides series?
I'm actually listening to this right now again and I love it!! It's way better on audio than when I read it. The narrators are what make the story. I found the book to be okay but the audio is absolutely endearing. If you get a chance to listen over reading - definitely listen!! The main characters catch you at the very beginning and don't let you go. They really have great chemistry. Catherine shouldn't stop this series from going because it's soooo good!!
4 Love's Complications Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Life happens and when we are challenged to step up, hopefully we do what our hearts tell us to do. In Not Quite Crazy by Catherine Bybee, Rachel Price does exactly that. When her best friend had her son, she was there. When the father never stepped up or any other of his relatives show any interest, she was there.
Rachel was also there when her friend was stricken with cancer, held her and son's hands for support and then buried her. Rachel is all the son has known and now... out of the blue, the father's parents want to take over. Rachel and Owen both love each other, are family and Rachel makes a critical decision. She will give up their current lives and move closer to the grandparents as a way to preempt a possible custody fight.
This brings these California transplants to Connecticut. There, it is close enough to commute to Rachel's new marketing position yet also gives 15 year old Owen a more homey atmosphere. All of this should be a difficult but in the end ok adjustment...
But there is one thing Rachel just does not want to deal with...NYC subways. Rachel has no desire to use them so she has been driving every single day into work. Never mind she needs to leave hours earlier than necessary. Never mind it is now winter, it is snowing and she has no idea how to drive in this weather...
And it is her determination that causes her to slowly keep moving towards her home one snowy night with very little viability and then it happens...
Jason Fairchild rarely drives home but for some reason, he did this night. As the CEO of a private jet company, transportation issues are never a thing for him...Except when he crosses paths with Rachel on the same Connecticut road. He somehow talks his way into having a ride to Rachel's home so he can use her phone... yes ,issues with moble phones etc.
There is hesitation with Rachel but her gut and naivete decides this is a man who is trustworthy. There at her home with Owen acting the Alpha Man, Jason was only there for a short time. Both are left with budding warm feelings for each other.
Things become very complicated when Rachel is brought into a major company meeting at her new position. There sitting at the head of the table is Jason! Oh, no... She needs to be careful and not follow up on any feelings that started to brew.
But Jason keeps being around and then is helping Owen through a tough emotional time. Before the both of them know it...they are becoming more than friends. And that means their lives become complicated.
I happened to really enjoy this read. Yes, it had the forbidden boss romance thing happening... but for me, that wasn't the draw. It was the development of true relationships. Jason's with Rachel and Jason's with Owen. Those were the important elements to the tale.
There was chemistry from the start. The appreciation of what a strong woman Rachel was played a huge part. She had the love for her friend and Owen. It was always in the forefront of all her actions. She also tried to balance the employee/boss thing.
This story was crafted well and was a positive read. This is part of long time Bybee series, yet I never felt I need to read the earlier books.
A gifted copy was provided by Montlake Romance via NetGalley for an honest review.
A delightful romance. This is my first Catherine Bybee novel and I would like to check out the rest of this series.
Not Quite Crazy has a delightful cast of characters and the story had a nice flow.
Rachel Price recently uprooted her life from California to a new job in New York City. She is raising her best friend’s 15-year-old son after losing his mother to cancer. Emily had no family who would step up and Rachel vowed to raise Emily’s son, Owen, as her own. The only problem is Owen’s paternal grandparents stepped out of the shadows after Emily’s death looking to suddenly take custody of the grandson they have ignored all these years. They are truly strangers to Owen and Rachel hoped that moving close enough for Owen and his grandparents to foster a relationship would stop any attempts to grab custody.
But moving to the suburbs has brought new problems to the California native. What should have been a simple commute home turns into a slippy, white knuckled nightmare as she experiences her first snowstorm. While Rachel managed to keep her car on the road, the impatient man behind her went off into a ditch trying to get around her. So Rachel becomes the rescuing knight to a very handsome stranger taking him home until assistance can arrive.
Rachel and Jason are enjoying their instant attraction and simple text flirting, but exchanging last names might have been important especially when Jason turns up at Rachel’s first and very important presentation to her new bosses. It seems that handsome, flirty Jason is actually Jason Fairchild, the owner of Fairchild Charters, Rachel’s new company. Office romances are never a good idea. Rachel needs this job if she is going to hold onto cutody of Owen so she cannot risk it with an unadvisable flirtation with her boss.
Jason hasn’t really had any interest in a woman since his parents died leaving him in charge of the company. He works from sunup to sundown with his only focus being taking care of and growing the family’s business. Meeting Rachel makes Jason want to step away from his desk for the first time in…well, a long time. Yes, there are some real concerns about dating a woman who works for him, but there is no way he is going to let this woman walk about without a fight.
I found this to be a delightful and sweet romance. The story flowed along nicely and didn’t drag. There was good chemistry between Rachel and Jason, and while neither force the relationship, they didn’t fight it either. Add in young Owen, who clicked with Jason as well, and this gave Jason a reason to push just a little to keep Rachel from hiding behind the employer/employee wall she was trying to erect between them.
Owen was a nice kid and the time he and Rachel spent with his mother while she was fighting the cancer forged a strong bond between them.
I especially like that the author managed to bring in a great conflict which didn’t involve either character doing something stupid or toss in the usual overused plotlines. Our characters were able to grow their romance slowly and then they faced the problem together which I really enjoyed.
This was the sixth book of the series, but I didn’t feel left behind even though the two Fairchild brothers and their wives, characters from two of the prior stories, were all a constant in this story. I would like to check out the prior stories in the series and see if the author kept that same well balanced pace between story and romance and avoiding corny, tired plotpoints.
Love the "Not Quite" series, never-ending fun reading Bybee's books!
When things go unplanned is when the real adventure happens. This book will make you fall in love but also hit you right in the heart. It makes you appreciate things a little more.
**I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Loved, loved, LOVED this 6th and final installment of Catherine Bybee’s “Not Quite” series. Catherine has a way of drawing you into her stories and this one is no different.
This story focuses on Rachel Price, a former resident of sunny California now living on the East Coast, and Jason Fairchild, the oldest of the Fairchild brothers and CEO of Fairchild Charters. Rachel has made the move across the country in an effort to appease the grandparents of her best friend’s teenage son, Owen, who she is now raising after his mother passed away. She is experiencing many firsts along this new journey, including driving in snow! It’s her determination to drive home during a snowstorm that provides a chance encounter with Jason. Unfortunately for him, the encounter ends up with him in a ditch. Despite this, an awareness of each other is sparked. However, unbeknownst to Rachel, Jason is her new boss! You can imagine how that went over when she finally realized who he was. What follows is a rollercoaster ride of romance, drama, and family. Of course, Catherine weaves in the characters from her previous “Not Quite” books which I love because it gives you another peek into their lives and where they are now.
I’m sad this is the final book in this series but I know there are more great stories to come from Catherine Bybee so I can’t be too upset! I’ll be impatiently waiting for her next release!
I'm a huge fan of Catherine Bybee and I have read and loved every book in the Not Quite series. Not Quite Crazy is the last book in the series (insert tears here), and it was the perfect way to end the series. Catherine's writing just keeps getting better and her words never let me down! We've known these characters for years and it's bittersweet to say goodbye to them. I feel like I'm losing some family members. Jason is the oldest Fairchild sibling and he's been running the family business for years at the expense of his social life. When Rachel run him off the road in the snow, one look at her and he knows she's it. She's the one he's been waiting for. She's reluctant at first because her life is complicated. She just moved across the country, started a new job and has custody of her best friend's son. She doesn't have time for love. But when Jason keeps showing up and won't stop flirting and looking delicious, Rachel starts to cave. Then she finds out Jason's her boss! She can't afford to lose her job. There's too much at risk. Jason isn't going to let that stop him. He's going to convince her they are meant to be. Can Jason and Rachel survive the rumors? Will they take the chance and make it work in the name of love? I loved this story! Jason was everything I wanted him to be and more! He's funny, sexy, smart, and says all the right things. Rachel is smart, beautiful, talented and such a great mom to Owen. Speaking of Owen, he's fantastic! The dynamic between Rachel and Owen is so wonderful! And I loved how Jason loved being around Owen as well. Seeing the crew from the series warmed my heart! I love this series so much. I'm sad it's over, but I'm so glad I had the pleasure of reading it!
"I'm just a guy, falling for a girl."
"Jason."
"And you're just a girl, falling for a guy."
"You make it sound so easy."
"It doesn’t have to be complicated."
"You're habit forming"
"Like chocolate?"
"Without the calories."
"I didn't realize how tired I was until I woke up with you by my side. "
"Jason." He always had the right words.
Not Quite Crazy is not just the story about a woman who falls in love with her boss, it’s also a story about family. You see, Rachel became the guardian to her best friend’s son when her friend passed away from cancer. Rachel went from being the single friend, to being the guardian to a 15-year-old. In the hopes of smoothing things over with Owen’s grandparents from his father’s side, the two of them uprooted their lives and moved from California to New York in order for him to get to know them. Which is how Rachel finds herself white-knuckling the steering wheel while trying to drive home during a blizzard, and saving a handsome man who drove his car into a nearby ditch. A man who just so happens to be the CEO of the company she works for.
Even though this is the sixth book in the series, I didn’t feel like it was part of a series. I suppose Jason’s brother’s had their story told in previous books, but Rachel is definitely a new character. So, I liked that I got to learn about Jason and his family’s business through the eyes of her. She had no clue who he was when she rescued him and started texting him back and forth. That is, until she has a big presentation at work and he walks in the door. I always love a good SURPRISE you’re boss is your lover kind of story. Ha!
It’s not all about the romance though. I loved that this story focused a lot on family, too. Rachel and Owen’s relationship was so tight-knit. Even though their current situation is new, they act as if this has been the norm for them all their lives. You can tell that Owen respects Rachel, and that Rachel would do anything for Owen. So when his grandparent’s start kicking up dust, I was immediately on edge. Owen disliked his grandparents a lot. Didn’t help that they were judgemental, snooty jerks. However, Rachel always tried to make an effort and talk Owen into visiting with them because she knew how important family was. I really liked that the majority of the story felt very centered on the love of a family and how you would do anything for them.
I honestly can’t believe I’ve never heard of this series before. I’m so glad I took a chance on this, because now I want to go back and read all the previous stories in the series. The author creates characters that are down right impossible not to fall in love with. I found myself tearing up at the sad parts, smiling at the craziness that was a teenage boy, and swooning all over the place over Jason and his desire to be there for both Rachel and Owen. This was an all around great read.
5 <b>Not quite crazy </b> stars
This book… is the perfect.. contemporary romance. It is one that screams pajamas, wine and ben and jerry ice cream. You cry because you feel good and because certain moments are depressing and sad.
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“I’m just a guy, falling for a girl.”
“Jason.” How could he say that?
“And you’re just a girl, falling for a guy.”
“You make it sound so easy.” </i>
Jason is my new delicious male lead who meats Rachel after being run off the road and crashing into a snow bank. Rachel is new to the area coming in from California. Rachel and Jason hit it off pretty quickly until they have a plot twist.
And the rest of the book is how they navigate the plot twist, their lives and their future.
<b> he will be my son from this day forward. I will be there for him when you pass. I will be there for him when he graduates high school. I will send him to college and welcome his wife into our lives. Your grandchildren will be mine. I will do everything in my power to be there for him. For you. </b>
This book is new , refreshing and amazing. This is a perfect Christmas time romance. I love those. This book is also perfectly fine as a standalone. But I bet you will read this and then pickup every book by this author. She is just amazing!!!
This book touches on some sad notes: cancer, child custody issues, uninvolved parents, deaths of parents… but it also touches on how pure love is… and how love can fill in your broken pieces and cracks
I was so excited to see another installment in the Not Quite series! I’m glad we finally got Jason’s story, and Rachel is a great match for him. This is an easy read that quickly draws you in, but it has enough substance to sustain you. Reading the earlier books in the series, particularly Not Quite Enough and Not Quite Perfect can give you some background on the supporting characters, but it’s definitely not necessary. After you read this though you will want to go back and read (or reread) the entire series!