The Best of All is the second book in The Best Men series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Liam and Zoe had known each other for a while, and she thought he hated her. But when they had to co-parent their mutual friends’ child together, she somewhat got to see the real him. And he slowly (but not fully) opened up to her.

The banter and tension between Liam and Zoe was great. And I loved seeing Liam learn how to care for Mira, their friends’ child together (Zoe already knew what she was doing).

This was cute and angsty, and it was a slow burn. These two, Liam especially, had a lot to work on. But he definitely found some healing with Zoe and Mira. I will say his “healing” seemed to be instant (i.e. it was mentioned once or twice and then he was all better).

I still enjoyed the story though, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

I went through all the emotions with this book

I didn't expect it to be as emotional as it was but I really enjoyed those moments (especially from the MMC)

There were some really cute and tender moments with the MMC and the child which were so good

This is a slow burn but so worth the wait especially with everything else that is going on

- forced proximity
- found family
- 'its always been you'
- he's grumpy
- sports romance (pro American football)

Thank you to Montlake & NetGalley for the ARC - all opinions are my own

Overall Grade: A

Tropes: hate to love; enemies to lovers; forced/close proximity; grump/sunshine; slow burn; he falls first; sports romance (football)

I am always thankful when God grants Karla Sorensen the words, story, and characters for her next book. There is something special about her stories that attach themselves to you. When I pick up one of her books, honestly, it’s almost impossible to stop reading it, and, when required to adult, I mourn for my time in her stories. Her newest book, The Best of All, is more of all of this.

While it borrows a plot point from the 2010 movie, Life As We Know It, starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel (a movie I adored), Sorensen writes her way through it with her brand of romance. You may ask, what is Sorensen’s brand of romance? Well, recently, her stories showcase grumpy, protective MMCs who love their FMCs hard from afar, hiding their emotions behind walls that reach the heavens; FMCs who are so beguilingly independent and amazing that everyone falls in love with them; and so much slow burn that you don’t know if they will ever find their way into each other (wink wink!). Seriously, Sorensen knows exactly how to craft a slow burn which doesn’t lead you to want to send her DMs, cursing her for keeping her MMC and FMC apart. Instead, she inches them closer at a pace that feels organic to her characters’ story. At least, that’s my impression, although 73% for a first touch was eye-opening.

What I loved the most about The Best of All (and having fallen deep for the predecessor book to this one, The Best Laid Plans - I loved this book more) is Liam. Oh how I loved Liam. He’s so emotionally buttoned up, denying himself of his heart’s desire for much of the book that you cannot help but fall in love with him because he is protective and intentional even when it’s misguided. Through Liam, Sorensen showcases the power of therapy to find the words for feelings. His journey is the foundation of this book even though Zoe has her own important Zoe. For me, though, what drew me to him a bit more over Zoe is the way he loves her to his bones. He hides it behind acrimony and derision, but it’s all an act meant to turn her away. I have found that this brand of MMC is my favorite by far. My therapist had a bit to say about the reasons for this, but we agreed that, in fiction, MMCs such as Liam make for swoon-worthy romances. And that is definitely the case.

Once again, Karla Sorensen showcases her ability and passion for writing romance in The Best of All. I loved every page of this book, and it’s been one of my fastest reads in recent months. The ending felt poetic and beautiful, and it receives the highest marks from this reader.

Liam and Zoe are forced together as they take on guardianship of their best friend’s daughter. This led to an emotional journey between the two, as they navigate this new life together with Mira, dealing with loss and grief. The chemistry and connection is undeniable and I couldn’t get enough of this broody, yet vulnerable Brit in Liam that has pined for Zoe for years. I’m talking PINING! It was just so dang swoony. And then you add in the tender moments between Liam, Zoe and sweet Mira, it just made me so dang happy. I can’t say enough about it. It’s a 5 star read for me!!! You guys do not want to miss this one! I’m going to download the audio immediately so I can read it again! @ms_brentmoor and @shaneeastreads are narrating and I just know it’s gonna be perfect!!

Loved this book! It definitely touched the emotions lol 🥰🥰🥰 Liam and Zoe couldn't be more different but like puzzles, they fit so well!

This was a torturous slow burn with crazy chemistry and tons of emotion. Forced proximity is my catnip, and this was <chefs kiss> as Liam and Zoe move in together to co-parent their friends' toddler. The grief is real in this book, but so is the hope and humor. The Best of All is truly Karla at her very best.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Tropes:
Football Player x Accountant
British MMC
10 year pinning
Co-guardians
Forced Proximity
Slow burn
It's always been you

I LOVED THIS BOOK! A true slow burn! Maybe a bit too slow burn😅

Zoe & Liam are perfect for each other. The grumpy x sunshine dynamic they had was adorable!

Zoe has always wanted a family and to be a mom, but after getting divorced she's losing hope with every passing day. Now she's appointed guardianship of her best friend's 2.5 year old daughter Mira. She's suddenly pushed into the position of being a mother figure along with grief of losing her best friend. With Liam refusing to be a present guardian for Mira, things seem to get harder.

Liam has so deep scars that deny him his true desires. Liam puts on an amazing facade of being a grump that doesn't care for anyone, but anyone that knows him, sees his true self. A strong man that supports everyone he cares for and is the ultimate father figure. Even if he doesn't see it that way.

Him not wanting to be part of Mira's life was heartbreaking, but then seeing him take an active role in her life was heartening. And the perfect opportunity to win Zoe's heart.

This book was more of Liam's healing journey than a traditional romance novel and I absolutely loved it! Throughout the whole book we got to see how well Zoe & Liam work together even without being together. Their love for each other was more than physical and when they finally are together it was beautiful!

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice - 🌶.5

Karla Sorensen's "The Best of All" isn't just a romance; it's a tender exploration of grief, resilience, and the unexpected blossoming of love amidst life's trials. Sorensen masterfully crafts a narrative that resonates with emotional depth, tackling complex themes with sensitivity and grace. The story follows Zoe and Liam, two individuals grappling with loss who find solace and unexpected connection in each other. Their journey is a slow burn, fraught with tension yet brimming with heartwarming moments that will leave you sighing contentedly. I highly highly recommend!

This is a good book. The two main characters are Zoe and Liam. They meet at their best friends’ house, Chris and Amie's house. Zoe is engaged and Liam falls in love with her at first sight. Later Zoe is divorced and Liam still loves her. Chris and Aimee pass away, leaving Zoe and Liam in charge of their two years old daughter. They all move into Chris and Aimee’s house, to help Mira, Chris and Aimee’s daughter. They start dating. They fall in love.

💕𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓐𝓵𝓵 – 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓜𝓮𝓷 2 - 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀💕
 
Author: Karla Sorensen

Couple: Zoe Valentine & Liam Davies

Tropes: football romance, sudden guardians, forced proximity, neighbors, cinnamon roll hero, frenemies, pining themes

Review: The Best of All was EVERYTHING I wanted in this series and Liam Davies broke my heart to stitch it together! This book was one of the most heartfelt, angst-ridden and emotional rides I have read this year! Karla was able to give us a book that is almost guaranteed to stick with you WAY after finishing and put in in the biggest book boyfriend hangover!

Liam and Zoe are PERFECT! I adored and cackled at the simmering tension they had from the beginning. The secret pining Liam had with Zoe since they met all those years ago to the way he crumbled under her gaze just did something for me in this story. I loved how Karla made him a big cinnamon roll but also developed a lot of substance within his character and story. The way he was afraid to get close was heartbreaking and I was devastated with how hard it was for him to open up for both Zoe and Mira at first. While the intensity he and Zoe had was a huge part of their romance, I found the bond he and Mira had to be what drove his character home for me! I ADORED the way he melted for her and loved the way the two seemed to just click right away. Karla truly made something magical with the scenes between them and be ready to grab your tissues while you read!

While the bond between Mira and Liam devastated me emotionally, I found that Mira and Zoe had a much more grounding bond. I enjoyed seeing them become close and loved how she went all in right away. Zoe was a conundrum of a FMC and the ups and downs she goes through with both Liam and Mira added a rawness to the story I was not prepared for. I also LOVED how Zoe had to come to terms with the bond Liam and Zoe shared (i.e. the way Zoe would walk herself over to Liam’s house and just sit with him…queue the tears!!). Karla really gave us the Best of All in this book and I cannot wait to get into the audiobook of this story!

Zoe and Liam’s romance was an emotional rollercoaster that took me through all the ups and downs I was prepared for and left me needing more of them. I adored the way Liam was so gruff and broody but also soft with Zoe. The bond between the two was perfection and it left me hoping to see more of these two in the future! While the angst and tension between them was HAWT, I found the parts they shared with Mira to be my favorite and the absolute best areas in this book! I am sad that Liam’s story is done but am crossing my fingers that we see Mira’s story in the future!

Rating: 100+, Liam Davies is the one to read from Karla’s MMCs! He is EVERYTHING and truly the best of all and yet to come!


Thank you to Karla for sending me this ARC!

One thing Karla does really well? Make me cry. My eyes leaked multiple times while reading this, and then the ending? Swoon. More tears. Giddiness. Prepare yourselves, this heartwarming instant family will have you all up in your feels. Karla may be the queen of slow burns, but she also writes the most beautiful stories that are deep, captivating and pull you in right from the beginning.

When their best friends pass away leaving behind their two year old daughter, Liam + Zoe are left guardianship of sweet Mira. Zoe is right there and ready to step up but Liam is caught in his grief and anger, so it takes him a moment to catch up. They’ve never liked one another (or so they think), so when they’re forced together the last thing this grumpy football player and sunshine book lover thought was that they’d find love in amongst chaos, sleep deprivation and facing their pasts.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: grumpy x sunshine, sports romance, co-guardianship, frenemies to lovers, slow burn, forced proximity.

I loved how Zoe stepped right into her role as Mira’s guardian without second thought. She was strong, caring and witty. The way she handled every situation and put aside her feelings towards Liam to ensure her friend’s wishes were followed and Mira had what she needed for this next phase of her life was so admirable.

One of the biggest highlights for me was the transformation Liam made throughout this story. He was grumpy, swearing was his second language and he was an expert and burying his feelings. But this man showed Zoe + Mira he cared with every thing he did and the way he came face to face with his past and fears to be better for them had me in a puddle on my couch.

This was a verrrrry slow burn with tension and chemistry that simmered away for majority of the book and I only wish they gave in a little earlier so we had more time to enjoy them as a couple.

Sweet little Mira was a standout in this. Her moments were some of my favourites and I loved the way Liam + Zoe came together for her to give her what she needed while dealing with losing her parents and adjusting to her new normal with them as her guardians.

And a moment for Rosa, (and the golden girls) as well as Liam’s teammates because they all added such memorable moments to this story. I loved their banter and the support they offered this little family unit while also giving them the push they needed.

I’m such a sucker for the gaining custody/ god parent trope! I absolutely loved this book! The SLOW BURN built for the moment they finally got together! It was everything I needed and more!

This is a slllloooooowwww burn but I am not mad about that! I really enjoyed that this story focused more on the story line of Liam and Zoe becoming parents to Mira even though these two do not get along. So we have a frenemies to lovers situation happening here.

I really loved Zoe. She had so much strength to her taking on her best friends daughter while also grieving her friends. She took everything in stride and always had a smile on her face.

Liam I knew he had more to him than what meets the eye. I felt for him and his past and loved how he was willing to work on himself to be the parent that Mira needed and the best partner he could be for Zoe.

I really loved the friendship that Zoe and Liam built together first while helping raise Mira together. These two always put Mira first and what her needs would be and I was here for all of that.

If you are looking for a super cute book with all the feels check this one out!

Thank you to the Author Agency for the arc of this book.

I’ve read a sequence of great books in the past couple of months and The Best of All is one of them. I don’t even know where to begin… well if you’ve read the first book you know everything starts with a tragedy that leaves Burke (The Best Laid Plan) and Liam, friendless. While dealing with their friends’ loss, Burke inherits one of their properties to bring back to its former glory, and Liam and Zoe have custody of their daughter, Mira. Liam and Zoe are Mira’s godparents, they apparently dislike each other but they’re used to seeing one another. After their best friends’ death, they try to pick up the pieces of their broken hearts and Mira’s little one. I’m not going to lie, it was intense reading about their feelings and I was not immune to their sadness but I was so ready to see Liam and Zoe realize they needed each other and finally give in to the attraction.
Zoe is divorced but still believes in happily-ever-afters while Liam is the opposite: hates relationships and wants nothing to do with them, he can barely survive talking to people. Surprise of all surprises he does NOT hate relationships, he’s just been busy thinking about the only person he cannot have… Zoe. Imagine my astonishment when I found out he freaking PINED for her for YEARS. I had a feeling but then reading his thoughts on it was devastatingly beautiful.
And just because Karla Sorensen likes to torture us, this is a slow burn! Absolutely one of my favorite books of her.
TW: grief (over best friends' death), parental death, parental abuse (in the past)
Safe: No cheating, no OW/OM drama

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley, so sorry I was late 😄😅

KARLA!!!!
Omg!! This book! I didn‘t expect to cry at all!!

With The Best Of All Karla has brought to the table some of my all time favorite tropes and a story that reminds me alot of one of my favorite movies but better!

When Liam and Zoe gain custody of their best friends child, chaos is coming quickly. Liam a handsome british football player has never wanted a family after his own tragic family life. Zoe has taken on the role as little Mira's new "mommy" with stride but she is struggeling alot in the early days which is expected!

I literally cried reading this book! As I said I did not expect this story to me as emotional as it was and I am obsessed with broody Liam and Zoe and "their" little duck!!

5 ++++ Stars from me!

Absolutely adored the way this book ended. It’s always fun when two characters are thrown into a new reality, and them being thrown into a parental figure role really took the cake. I loved the banter between the main characters . The side characters were also very good. I liked Liam’s growth, it felt very on brand for him.

Loved these characters so so much! Another amazing read from Karla Sorenson! I don’t think she writes a bad book honestly! These spice, banter and tension were perfect in this book.

If you are looking for the slowest of slow burns, Grumpy/Sunshine, then this is the book for you.
Liam and Zoe are an emotional rollercoaster. Growing while grieving was a highlight for me throughout the story. Mira was an amazing addition to this story, she stole the story for me and I love that.
This is an emotional and deep story and if that is your jam, READ IT!

Top Book of 2024 right here... this story is a FREAKING MASTERPIECE!!!! One of my all time favorite movies is Life as We Know It and this synopsis is giving all the same feels. Liam is a commitment phobic football player and Zoe is a romantic bookworm who believes in Happily ever After's. I am a huge sucker for a Grumpy x Sunshine, but throw in a British accent and your girl was over here swooning while reading!

Not only is there such emotional depth to the story, not only because of the situations Liam and Zoe find themselves in but also because they both start to realize they have these big feelings for each other. I loved how Liam described his feelings for Zoe, as is his bloody heart was going to break through his ribs. That's how much he loved her. That's how you want a man to love you.

While I loved the character development between Liam and Zoe and I loved the Golden Girl Gang (that's what I call them), Mira stole the whole freaking show. The way she bonded with grumpy Liam was so heartwarming. When she curled up in his lap and said "I hold you?" my heart just about burst in two. The bond between those two was so strong and I loved that he called her little duck.

I wish that I could go back and read this story for the first time again. Liam, Zoe and Mira will live on repeat in my brain and my heart for a long time to come.

Liam and Zoe's story was the slowest burn ever and such an emotional rollercoaster ride. The Best of All is definitely better in my opinion than the 1st book in this interconnected series but this book can be read as a standalone. I honestly hated Liam at the beginning and was debating about not finishing it between the slow burn (like 75% in for the first kiss) and Liam being an @ss for most of it, but I'm so glad I stuck it out since Liam does redeem himself and the ending was so good. I loved Mira (and her ducks) and the relationship she has with Liam and Zoe as they grieve and grow together. There's a lot of sadness and grief but there is also happy moments for this new unconventional family of 3.