For some reason my thoughts on this book are pretty different from most readers. I love the idea of the second-chance romance, even if the "first chance" ended before college. I love the idea of paradise as a backdrop. There were a couple of things that hit me funny though ... why would you ever bring your wedding gown on a cruise? Charlotte's mother was mentioned several times but we didn't get to meet her. Once Lexi and Charlotte knew they would get back together to some degree, I worried the entire time that they would get caught.

For me, this felt like an erotic romance because there are a ton of sex scenes but we don't get to understand a lot of the emotions and history behind them. The book also felt about an hour too long - I found myself skimming over chunks. Maybe it was the pacing that was off.

I would still recommend this book for anyone looking for a hot, sexy, low-angst romp.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a Riley fan, and this was an ok read, but it’s not my favourite of hers.

Here, we have Lexi, who works as bartender and VIP liaison on a cruise ship, and Charlotte, who’s fiancé cheated on her and who is now taking the honeymoon trip alone. Lexi and Charlotte also happen to be high school sweethearts who broke up when Charlotte left for college. The two reconnect on the Majestic Princess (which I found weird because that’s an actual cruise ship) and sparks fly.

It’s very much an instant attraction, and while that (and the insta-love that followed) would usually annoy me, it’s less of a problem here due to their shared past and that I believed they each were ‘the one that got away’ for the other. The setting is the issue, because (as Lexi points out over and over) cruise ships have strict policies about crew hooking up with guests, and the cruise was a week long! Seriously, how hard is it for two grown ass women to hold out for a week. They don’t though, and this leads to plenty of sexy times, which should please those who like a lot of hot sex in their stories.

So, while I enjoyed the start of the book and their reconnection (and Lexi’s friends). I was annoyed by the sex on the ship shenanigans and the resulting repercussions. I was, however, thankful that this did not dissolve into a protracted break up as I was expecting it to. Still, I would have preferred that they had just met on the ship and used Lexi’s upcoming vacation as the point of actual reconnection. The book also lacked any depth to them getting back together, outside of apologising for what went wrong and flirting/having sex, they didn’t really talk about anything of actual value and that made the new relationship seem sort of shallow. There’s also the fact that Charlotte is still nursing a broken heart and it’s not addressed nearly enough.

I liked both characters, and enjoyed their banter. I also liked the circle of friends (I was disappointed not to see Barb at the end), and that time had passed before the end of the book, but would have preferred a bit more time on that part of the relationship. It’s probably 3.5 stars, rounded down.

NetGalley:

Totally fun, light-hearted and enjoyable. I recommend this for anyone who wants low- angst and pleasant writing.

This is my favorite book by this author. It's also in the top five favorites for the year and I read a ton of books! I usually don't go for second chance books especially with teenage love, but there was something about this one that really grabbed me. Thankfully, it skipped the flashbacks to their high school love. Maybe because I have a teenager, but I'm just not a fan of adolescent love scenes in my adult lesfic. I am so glad I gave this book a chance. It has the insta love so many readers (not me!) find unbelievable, but really, in a second chance storyline can it even be insta love or is it really a long term love reconnected? I loved the secondary characters almost as much as the main characters. Sometimes a book with this many characters with such prevalent parts to the storyline can get muddled or distracting like they're there for filler. These secondary characters fit seamlessly and the storyline would be less without them. The romance was touching and the ability to have the characters communicate throughout the book made for a better read. It was lovely not having artificial angst to further the storyline because they didn't share their feelings. There were challenges that they had to face, so the storyline isn't all hearts and flowers. This book is a definite recommend and reread for me.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

While I’ve never been on a cruise, it didn’t matter while reading this book. The author did a great job of describing the setting and it was easy to get invested in the characters and their friendships. The story was believable and not overly dramatic.

Fiona Riley, the power you have to get me to rush to your books is startling.

Usually, I'm someone who's more into a girl-meets-girl storyline, as in two people who've never met in their lives cross paths that lead to a romance. In this case, we have have Charlotte and Lexi, two twenty-something beauties, who reconnect years after breaking up. The spark between them is clear, but it did take me a bit to be convinced.

But, whew, once I was convinced...let us all bow down to all the smoking hot sex scenes, like damn. Once Lexi and Charlotte started getting intimate, I saw this book with fresh eyes. This is a sexy beach read, where the characters, at times, are quite literally at or near the beach. It's a vacation-setting love story I'm reading in October, when the air is getting crisp.

We get many scenes of Lexi and Charlotte flirting, which I am a huge fan of. Give us more lesbian flirting, other lesbian writers! Holy crap, the heated interactions at the white party were...*fans self*. Delicious.

I'll throw in a couple critiques. The first is one I've probably mentioned before, but Fiona Riley tends to over-write sometimes. While in some ways it's awesome (sex scenes!), it can come off like the reader can't be trusted to remember things. It can also make dialogue seem unnatural. And the other critique is something I used to see in fanfiction: making people who are over forty years old down decrepit. A character who's in her late sixties had "gnarled hands" and talked like someone who was over a century. I know that age group can have and do those things, I don't know, it made me take pause.

This is a sexy, fluffy read. Low conflict and no needless drama.

« I’m gonna make this vacation my bitch. » Charlotte is determined to enjoy the cruise she’d planned on taking with her wife even though she’s now wifeless and still hurt after finding her fiancée in bed with another woman. The good news is, her ex-fiancée wasn’t the love of her life. And as fate would have it, Lexi, who is the love of her life, just happens to be working on the ship and has been assigned as Charlotte’s VIP attendant. They haven’t seen each other in ten years, not since Charlotte left Lexi to go study in Europe, a decision she has regretted ever since.

I have a thing for second chance romances. One of my favorite novels is Turn Back Time by Radclyffe. There’s something delightfully angsty about lost time and making up for it. There’s often (but not always) some sort of betrayal the characters have to overcome, and trust to establish anew. And the question of whether the chemistry is still there. Fiona Riley deals rather quickly yet efficiently with the first issue. As for the chemistry, it definitely still exists. The love Charlotte and Lexi shared as teenagers has obviously never faded, but before they even talk about that and maybe imagining a future together, there’s a lot of sex. I mean, a lot. Not right away, there’s plenty of tension and teasing first, since Lexi is not allowed to have any relationship with passengers. A rule they try to abide by for a couple of days… It might seem fast but it’s not really insta-lust since they already were in lust a decade ago. They simply get to act on it again. It makes sense. And the fact that it seems so obvious, so natural, so easy between them stems from that love they’ve always shared, even when they were apart.

I have to be honest here. I’m way more emotional at the moment than I usually am so I’m not entirely sure all the feelings I got came from the book itself. But it’s still a damn good story, with lovely characters (including the secondary characters), it’s well written and hot. So hot.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

A second chance cruise romance.

Charlotte is vacationing on a cruise that was meant to be her honeymoon. Her ex-finance cheated on her and therefore they never married. As luck would have it... Charlotte's first HS love, Lexi, is employed and assigned as her VIP for the week.

Instant re-attraction. Instant feelings. Instant everything. This was the opposite of slow burn to the point of almost being unbelievable. But seeing as how they had a strong history, it is somewhat seemed plausible. I thought there was an opportunity for Lexi to have a bit more angst over reconnecting with Charlotte. She was so quick to fall back into things despite how Charlotte had broken hear heart. And alternately, Charlotte was so quick to jump into things despite the recent dissolution of her engagement.

The story was filled with many different settings and interactions. The best part of this book was the chemistry and flirty/dirty dialogue.

Another reviewer commented on considering this an erotic story. While there was quite a bit of explicit sex, it didn't feel that way to me. In fact, there were no intimate scenes until the second half of the book. But being the prude I am, I have to say that I PERSONALLY felt there were more than necessary. Having said that, the scenes were not repetitive like so many other books fall victim to. Each scene was unique and sexy.

Because there was so much of THAT, I felt that the book suffered from not creating a deeper connection between Charlotte and Lexi. Sure, they said the words and had inner monologues describing their feelings. But I didn't necessarily see it. Their relationship was more physical than emotional.

The ending dragged on a bit too long.

Overall, this was an entertaining story with a lot of sexy scenes. Not surprisingly, this would be a good beach vacation read.

I recommend to those who are interested in romance, second chances, vacationing, cruises, bar tending, friends who collude, dirty talk, sexual tension, and packing (not luggage).

Fiona Riley knows how to grow the sexual tension specially in this one !!. I was super interested in the book from the get go. it's well written for sure. i dont get to say it's unrealistic but it's such sweet story i can not not believe in.
I would've liked it if they met the mother at one point but it's ok
I liked the humor side of it as well.

thank you for the free copy

I really like Fiona Riley's romances and was excited to read Not Since You. Riley did not disappoint. This romance is set upon a Cruise ship. Charlotte Southwick has decided to take her honeymoon vacation despite the fact that the wedding did not happen. She has spent way to much of her hard earned money not to go, plus her grandfather has help to convince to go. Little does she know that she will be reunited with the one that got away - Lexi Bronson. Lexi has worked on the cruise ship since graduating HS. She has worked her way up the ladder and considering a new direction in the Admin area in the cruise shit industry. Lexi hasn't really gotten over having her heart broken by Charlotte.

One of the things I really liked about this romance is the fact that Riley did not dwell forgiveness. If she had it would have increased the angst factor unnecessarily. I also enjoy the chemistry that was created between Charlotte and Lexi. Clearly they still have strong feelings for each other even though they haven't seen each other in 10 years. They way they come back together is so adorable and I was pretty hooked the entire time reading this. The little bit of angst in this one was not overly done. I know some people enjoy that in a romance, but for the most part I like it to be short and sweet (if I can call angst sweet). There are really good supporting characters in this one too.

So now let me dedicate a paragraph to the total HOTNESS in this one. I remember from reading the Match series from Riley that she knows how to create a sex scene. She does NOT fail in Not Since You. She gathers up that chemistry between the mains and the fact that they haven't been together in 10 years and pours in out into those sex scenes. By no means could they be considered boring. Thank you Ms Riley!

So rating. I want to give this 5 stars, but can't. This was more like a 4.5 for me because there were a few moments where I needed to skim. It was still a well done romance.

Prior to reading this book I was a Fiona Riley virgin. Thankfully, I'm not a literal virgin, as there's plenty of steam between these pages. With that said, not nearly as much as I anticipated based on a few reviews.

You could say the first half is a slow burn, but it wasn't slow going, if that makes sense. The pacing was perfect, the characters fully developed and both likable.

The setting was to die for, I've never been on a cruise other than the one this book took me on. I'm not sure the covers a great fit, but hey it caught my eye, so there's that.

In short, I'm so very happy I've found this wonderful author. I don't give out 5 stars easily, but this one ticked all the boxes of what I enjoy in an engaging story.

This was a very fun read. Like always, Fiona Riley managed to make the sexual tension almost palpable, the chemistry and flirting between the characters very erotic, but not vulgar. I'm a fan of her books, and this one is no exception to me. Both Charlotte and Lexi are very lovable characters with a history between them, so it piques your curiosity, and you are eager to see how will the writer lead you through the book and their re-encounter and relationship re-establishment.

Let me first start by saying that Fiona Riley needs to win an award for hot, steamy sex scenes :) I cant remember a lot of books that have this amount of sex scenes that are not repeated or expected..
The other thing i liked about the book is the setting.. It is basically set on a cruise ship with amazing islands, very nice drinks and food, perfect weather and fun parties.
The supporting characters were very good. I think they added a lot to the overall storyline. The MCs were very sexy! Now you have a book that has the perfect setting, very good supporting characters and sexy MCs, but but but.. my only issue is the book lacked something. I kept trying to figure out what it was and for me this was a very tricky rating and review because everything should've been perfect! The romance was supposed to be great because the writing style of the author is so good. All along i was trying to "feel or believe" their love but i just couldnt! and once i got this feeling, i just couldn't connect with them. I just thought their physical connection was far deeper than their emotional one which is ok i get it but it just didn't work out for me.
I also believe that this is more of an erotic read than a romantic one, which again is ok with me!
So i am going to recommend this book to the ladies that want a HOT and FUN read!
"I received an ARC for an honest review."

This book has so much hot steaminess and so many sex scenes that it could almost be erotica or at least an erotic romance – except that it isn’t – because the emotional driver between the MCs is so strong that it has to be categorised as romance.

Gorgeous Charlotte Southwick is on her honeymoon cruise – alone. Just before their wedding, Charlotte caught her fiancée in flagrante delicto and naturally called it off. Charlotte had already made non-refundable payments for the cruise (a VIP suite, no less) and a week in Aruba, so pushed by her grandfather, she decides to go by herself. Lexi Bronson is a bartender and a VIP attendant on the cruise ship. Charlotte and Lexi were sweethearts in high school, but that ended when Charlotte went away to college. Their love and lust for each other, which should have withered and died away during their decade apart, blaze to an inferno immediately.

Charlotte (heart: throb, beat, skip, race, throb, beat, skip, race…ad infinitum). You know that Leonardo DiCaprio movie Inception with its premise of infiltration of the subconscious? We feel that Riley somehow delved into all levels of our conscious, unconscious and subconscious, found our fantasy woman and wrote her as Charlotte. We can’t even begin using adjectives for Charlotte. We’re sure Lexi is also nice (or maybe even more than nice) but we were so completely swept away by Charlotte that everyone else (including) became just supporting players.

Our swooning over Charlotte apart, this book is a great, great read so obviously, we recommend that you dive into it as soon as possible.

Sometimes a sexy read of lost love found again in paradise is exactly what you need. Not Since You is definitely it. What it lacks in subtlety makes up for in spades in sexiness and astoundingly good dialogue. What lies within is an honest progression of captivating drama between Lexi and Charlotte that draws you in and keeps you yearning to find out what’s next for them. Laced within their story is some of the hottest writing this author has penned. Their first kiss on the ship is one of the sexiest scenes I’ve read in a long time, and it only gets better from there. What a fun and tantalizing read to get lost in.

Gorgeous, tropical locations, a luxurious cruise ship and a fated reunion kick off this book.

Charlotte is trying to get her life back together after a shattering betrayal by defiantly taking the (non-refundable) VIP cruise she bought for her honeymoon. Little does she know that her one-on-one VIP attendant is none other than Lexi, her high school sweetheart she left behind with a broken heart ten years ago.

The first third of the book has a lot of emotions, as the MCs meet again and everything that transpired in the past ten years is brought to the surface. The tension is really good in this part, and so is their communication. It is obvious they’ve both matured a lot since they last met. The supporting cast of Lexi’s friends completely endeared me, especially Enrique who takes Charlotte under his sassy wing.

Besides the hurts and misunderstandings of the past, a more real and pressing threat is the fact that if Lexi is even seen touching a guest, she will be summarily dismissed, which would be devastating due to her lack of resources and support net.

However, Lexi is not to be kept down and she mobilizes her entire force of loyal friends, who all have detailed knowledge of the ship and it’s working as well as their own unique talents, who help her in exchange for a lot of favors. Which is a little disappointing.

More disappointing is the banter which never lets up. It’s fun to see friends slinging zingers at each other, but when all communication is increasingly hostile banter that ends up with Zara deliberately leaving Lexi in a physically painful and mentally torturous position in revenge for a lighthearted quip earlier in the scene that she takes offense to, the best-friends vibe gets a little sour. Zara does redeem herself to me at the end, so I’m glad of that.

Okay, let’s talk about the sexy scenes. From the start, the sexual tension sparked and I was on the edge of my seat to see who gave in and made the first move. The scenes were hot, with lots of variety and a lovely balance of action and feelings. And a big bonus for including hygiene and proper consent at all times without breaking the mood. It is really interesting to see the sexual dynamic between our two MCs who share a past, but have experienced so much since their last encounter. One really nice touch is when Lexi notices Charlotte has filled out a bit and she’s completely turned on. Let’s hear it for women with a bit of meat on them, although I’m sure she gets in really good shape with all that *ahem* exercise.

The ending ties up a lot of loose ends and finishes on a happy and hopeful note. I like how all the little details that build up along the way become significant later on.


My rating: originally 3.5 but raised to 3.75 from the big bonus I mentioned earlier.