Awesomely Written Love Story
This is the 1st book in the “Trapper Keeper Diaries Series” and I can’t wait to see what is next after reading “Jessie’s Girl”. I’m an avid fan of Naima Simone and everything she writes is a winner, her writing style, characters and plots are awesome.

Asa has secretly been in love with India and has never acted on it. Oh, I so love Asa’s patience. India is Asa’s friend Jessie’s girlfriend so we all know the rule forbidden, keep away, off limits, hands off so that’s what Asa did. So India became Asa’s fantasy. When India finds out that her boyfriend Jessie has been cheating on and to her she turns to none other than Asa who is there to comfort her. The two share a hot passionate kiss and India leaves. Asa and India find each other again when India returns to work at the local school where Asa’s niece Rose is a student. This time Asa has vowed that he let India go before; he will not let her go this time. Asa and India admit to their feelings, their chemistry is off the charts. Things get a little complicated because Jessie is still around.

I’m team Asa and India. Will India choose Asa and get the and HEA in store for them, will Jessie make trouble?

The angst, pining and longing in this book! It really got me. I'm thankful that it's a quick read because I don't think my heart can take any more of those. I wished the time jump didn't happen, I didn't really like that it took them years to get together again. But the tension and chemistry between them were still there even after years. I loved this book.

She's Jessie's girl.... so what are you going to do about it?

This book was everything the title made it out to be and more! I loved the realistic emotions portrayed, the will they or won't they with the complicated relationships involved - this book delivered!!

Unrequited....

Asa has had a thing for Jessie's Girl, India for ages...he burns for her, but keeps his silence while Jessie cheats on India (all the time). It isn't until she finally realizes Jessie is a cheater that Asa takes his shot.
Then, time lapse and maybe their turn? Very steamy and I do enjoy when a guy pines for a girl. Just wish India had a clue but we need the set up.

I thought this book had a lot of potential but just didnt deliver for me. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a story and didnt understand the connection between the two protagonists. I feel like sexual tension was absolutely needed from the past and in the present and everything just happened so quickly I didnt connect with their romance at all.

This book came highly recommended by a friend, and I can see why. A classic forbidden romance with a best-friend’s girl trope, this book had swoon-worthy written all over it. Then add in the fact that it was 🌶🌶🌶 and I ended up reading it in a single day.

I loved these characters – well except for the best friend who had the girl, cheated on the girl, lost the girl, and then expected the girl to give him another shot (HA!!!). I loved how strong India was, and I loved how caring Asa was.

I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed. I’m hoping for a sequel, but if there isn’t one, this book definitely could have used an epilogue. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Asa has been love with India for years—but she's his best friend's girl. He can't let his feelings show. Until one night when she comes to him, lost and confused.

Then, for two years, she disappears. When she comes back into his life, the heat between them hasn't died. Will he be loyal to India, or to the best friend who broke her heart?

This scorching novella is a quick, satisfying read. I love how Asa and India have to deal with each other for the sake of Asa's niece, and how good they both are with the little girl. These are smart, strong, honorable characters navigating a difficult situation. They definitely deserve their HEA.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Jessie's Girl is a quick, steamy, and angsty romance with a touch of forbidden love. Asa is in love with his best friend Jessie's girlfriend, India. So you can expect lots of pining and angst. And lemme tell ya, Naima Simone always delivers on the angst and her pining heroes give me SO. MUCH. LIFE. Asa pines SO HARD for his best friend's girlfriend. When his one-sided pining becomes mutual...when he finally snaps and gives in to his feelings...I seriously was not ready 🥵

I've said this before and I'll say it again: Naima Simone writes the best heroines. I love the way Naima's heroines stand up for themselves. And I love the way Naima's heroes listen to their heroines *chefs kiss* I also love Rose and her dynamic with both Asa and India. And the conflict with Jessie was deftly handled in a realistic way. Overall, Jessie's Girl is a solid novella from Naima Simone!

Tropes: Angst galore. Forbidden love. Dirty talk. Best friend's ex. Fresh scent of pining hero. Unrequited love. Interracial romance. Friends to lovers.

CW: cheating, death of a parent, grief

"Holy steamy lusty crazy craving obsession." - I said that in 2018 about Naima Simone's Sin and Ink, and good lord did she deliver the dirty, angsty want again. Forget insta-love, Naima Simone is the queen of the forever-obsession. Asa is drowning with the twin weights of his guilt for lusting after his best friend's former girlfriend India and his desperate yearning for her body and soul. Choosing between his obsession or his shame could literally end him.

I may have requested this ARC simply for the fun title (you know you're humming the song now, iykyk) but I stayed for the over the top longing and heat between Asa and his best friend Jessie's ex-girlfriend India. A quick, steamy read full of pining, tension, and lots of heat. I only wish the ending wasn't so rushed or abrupt. And for the life of me, I couldn't figure out the theme of "Trapper Keeper Diaries".

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for a complimentary eARC.

If you like angst and steam, this author is for you! Ms Simone’s signature high level of angst is present in this love triangle story. I was rooting for Asa and India as they succumbed to their fiery attraction but also had to work out their perceived forbidden romance. One character I especially loved was Rose, Asa’s niece. While she had her share of angst (death of her mother) she also provided some great comedic moments. Maybe because this was a short story, I felt it ended as a HFN instead of a HEA. I would have liked more resolution to Asa and Jessie’s relationship as best friends. Maybe an epilogue could have addressed this?

Oh my god. This was so hot. Such a quick, fun read and I absolutely loved it! It was so easy to get into it, and I’m grateful that I decided to start reading this one when I did!!

Did I start this at work today?? Yes.
Did I already finish it? You bet.

I’ve never read any of this author’s books before, but I already KNOW I’m adding more to my TBR! She knows how to wrong a STEAMY ROMANCE!

I will say, I do wish there was more because it ended somewhat abruptly. I would’ve loved more, or at least an epilogue!! Either way it was still wonderful, but hopefully there are more books coming!!

I’m so happy I got approved to read this arc and IT COMES OUT SOOOOO SOON (5/24) so get on it friends 😏

Tropes:
Forbidden romance
Second chance romance
Best friend’s ex

I enjoyed this novel by Naima Simone. I loved the relationship between the MC and his ward, his niece. I didn't know how the idea of being in love with your friend's ex would work in this book, but the author told the story well. I was invested in the main characters and their relationship. It didn't feel unethical when they started their relationship.

This was read thanks to NetGalley


I LOVED THIS BOOK, okay this book follows India and Asa, they met and have this sort of friendship because Asa's friend, Jessie was dating India, until he cheated on her so India went to Asa as a confirmation and THEY KISSED, Asa as a loyal friend felt awful about it, and rejected India, and both way on their way, but time has passed so they find each other again and ufff, sparks fly baby.


It was a nice, easy read, I was left with the desire of an epilogue but it was nice, the story practically moves itself, it's quite predictable but that's okay.

A Forbidden romance based off the fantastic song of the book title?? Yes please. Pining, tension, angst and hot times are everything you wanted in a quick read. Fantastic. I volunteered to read and review an early copy of this. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Herber Books for this ARC. I really enjoyed this latest book from author Naima Simone. I have read her books before, and this is added to the list of books that I would like to read again from her. If you're a lover of '80's music then you already know what song this book title refers to. Our lead male character, Asa has feelings for his best friend's girlfriend, India. When India finds out that her boyfriend Jessie isn't being faithful she immediately confronts his friend, Asa and when he tries to comfort her it leads more. This was a steamy short read that I wish was longer, but I enjoyed every minute. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Even though Naime Simone has been on my radar for awhile, i haven’t gotten around to reading her before now. I feel like this was a great introduction to her work. I find that novellas can be rushed or seem like they’re missing something, but that was not the case here at all. I loved the story and the characters - definitely recommend. I believe this is the start of a series, so I’m excited to see what comes next!

Rated 4.5 Stars

Jessie’s Girl was a wonderful read. It had the element of the forbidden. It was steamy. It was a quick read but there was pining, longing and tension. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to seeing what book two will be about.

"I'll never be his. And he'll never be mine. Because both of us will always be Jessie's."

How could I resist reading a book titled Jessie's Girl? And as part of the Trapper Keeper Diaries series? Impossible!

Asa has always desired India since they first met but she was Jessie's girl. His loyalty and devotion to his best friend Jessie always kept him at a distance. But when India discovered Jessie had betrayed her, she turned to Asa in her time of need, compassion turning into so much more. Lines were crossed and India left town, returning two years later with feelings only intensifying from there.

Asa and India came together like fire and ice with a push and pull keeping them both from going all in. They burned with passion and desire, hunger and need for one another. But holding them back were feelings of guilt, shame and regret, with pain and hurt lying beneath the surface. Past issues of grief and loss led to fears and insecurities about rejection and self worth, often causing the characters to make foolish decisions.

I thought the shorter length worked well for this story and the emotions were no less powerful. The intensity was sometimes heartbreaking, watching Asa and India work through their issues to find their way towards happiness. Perhaps anger too often fueled their emotions but this story was a beautiful destruction of past relationships, evoking questions of forgiveness and acceptance, and making the choice to live the life one deserved.

** Special thanks to Oliver Heber Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Available May 24, 2022. **

This is a book that I read. It's not bad but everything just moves really fast and I wish the book was longer so that everything could be fleshed out.

I received an arc through netgalley.

*Received a copy for review.*.
Quick & sexy. I love a secret crush that flows over when a relationship implodes. You remember having a crush on your friends boyfriend. The one she is an ass to. You just want a shot but you can’t because that’s your friend. Even though what she’s doing isn’t right? That’s this story.
Asa wanted India from the moment he met her. But his best friend asked her out first so he just kept it to himself. Until Jessie cheated and got caught.
I did love that there is a break between the two relationships. That allowed time to transition out of one relationship.
It’s sexy and an easy read.