This one was definitely not what I was expecting. I feel like this storyline has been done before. It wasn't my favorite.

*Thank you partner @read_bloom for the #gifted e-galley.*

✨ Publication date: December 3, 2024✨

Scorched is a refresh and republish spicy romance by Jennifer Armentrout. I have actually never read this author (although I have many of her fantasy books on my shelves)

Andrea is struggling. She’s in college, switched from pre-med to education which she is sure is quite the disappointment to both of her parents. Andrea drinks, a lot. she’s pretty sure she has a handle on it but knows there are mornings she wakes up and can’t remember a thing.

Tanner likes Andrea a lot. They have a bit of a love/hate vibe but hang out quite a bit seeing as both of their best friends are dating.

Tanner and Andrea can’t deny their chemistry and during a week away at a cabin, they explore if there is a more than friends relationship opportunity. Tanner also isn’t afraid to have tough conversations about Andreas drinking and behaviour.

Andrea is a mess though, can’t stop drinking. She can’t seem to express her feelings to Tanner even though he is clear about what he wants in the relationship. She has some demons and they eventually catch up in a near tragic way.

As Andrea begins to heal herself both mentally and physically, Tanner is there giving her as much or as little as she needs to get to a place where they can be together.

This is a steamy (a bit dark at times), new adult romance. There are definitely trigger warnings (alcoholism, mental illness) but it’s a good story. I ended up doing this one mostly audio and I didn’t like either of the narrators so I’m not sure if that is swaying my rating but this is a 3 star for me. I did like the writing though so will definitely pick up more from this author.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #jenniferarmentrout #scorched

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of the second in this series by Armentrout. Andrea and Tanner's love story was much more enjoyable to me than the first two characters (I love a good frenemies to lovers trope). One minute these two are at each others throats, and the next they are having the sweetest moments together. I also enjoyed the more serious aspect of this novel and that's Andrea's struggle with alcohol. I'm so glad the author gave these two their own story. Tanner is swoon-worthy, while Andrea is just a sweetheart. If there is a book three, I'm here for it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Scorched by Jennifer L.. Armentrout!

This is my first Armentrout book.

What I found initially appealing is the heroine isn’t perfect. It’s not often that you read a book where she’s got a problem, recognized or not, and in this case, Andrea drinks. To excess. It interferes with her life, it interferes with her relationships.

And then there’s Tanner. He’s always liked her, but he doesn’t remember that they met years and years ago. That kind of annoys her, and I can’t say I would blame her for being annoyed.

The attraction between them deepens, the relationship develops, and I really expected to give this five stars. It was spicy, the storyline worked, but then there was the ending. I just felt it was a little disappointing. It just seemed to wrap up really quickly, but the author didn’t put a bow on it. That’s the only way I can explain it. I felt a little let down by the ending. Sure, it was a happy ending; it is a romance novel after all. I just think it needed a little bit more.

Thanks to Bloom books for the digital galley. All opinions are my own

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.

Any book by JLA is a win to me. Amazing story and great characters to get lost in. Definitely a great duet by JLA

Andrea’s life might be spiraling out of control. She is frequently drinking to the point she gets drunk and often can’t remember details from the night before. She really likes Tanner but she believes he would never want to be with her. Tanner is currently working as a fireman but his goal is to become a cop. He worries about Andrea but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her in his life. When everything comes to a head, will they be pulled apart or will it bring them together?

It hurt to read Andrea’s story. She is a hot mess. She feels like a loser compared to her family and she believes that no good man will want her given her background. I won’t say what happens but there is a moment that one of her secrets gets revealed in from of Tanner and it made me hurt for her. The author did a good job selecting an issue that would be embarrassing and then placing it in a point in the book where it would have maximum impact. I like that the author had Andrea go from pre-med to teacher to unknown as potential careers. There’s a reason she’s undecided and it fits with her story. The way that Andrea starts to heal herself was a good addition to the story and another emotional aspect of the story. Tanner is a little more straightforward. He is understanding when Andrea gets drunk and patient when Andrea lashes out at him. At first I thought he was going to be another “perfect man” but the author gave Tanner a background and a focus on the future that made his patience understandable. I believe that Tanner loves her and wants to see her healthy. The story arc from their love/hate relationship to it just being love was well done.

This is a contemporary new adult story set in college and just beyond. Characters from the prior story play a pivotal role so I would recommend reading the stories in order. I will read more from this author in the future.

Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
💞💞💞💞💞

Andrea struggles with anxiety and alcoholism and Tanner isn't afraid to let her know what her issues are. Bound by their best friends relationship and not their sexual tension, Andrea and Tanner explore if they could be more than "friends". I loved this enemy to lovers novel. Super spicy and fun to read. I enjoyed the banter and character growth.

Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a phenomenal story.
I loved everything about this book. It kept me up late, desperate to read more.
The characters sucked me in, the story was engaging and the writing was fantastic.

Scorched
by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout is an emotional, thought-provoking read that dives into heavy themes like alcoholism, anxiety, and self-discovery. Andrea and Tanner’s love/hate relationship evolves beautifully, with hilarious banter and undeniable chemistry. Their journey from enemies to lovers is packed with swoon-worthy moments and heartfelt challenges.
Andrea’s struggles with her demons are raw and realistic, making her growth throughout the story deeply satisfying. Tanner’s unwavering support and tough love bring a layer of compassion and hope to the narrative, though his character could have used more depth. The friendship between Andrea and Sydney is a highlight, showing the importance of having someone to lean on during tough times.
While some parts of the story felt rushed, the emotional journey and ultimate resolution were rewarding. Scorched is a powerful reminder to look beyond the surface, as someone’s actions may reflect inner struggles. A touching and worthwhile read!
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley

Scorched was a good read that dealt with realistic problems. I will say that this story is not a light read but it does have moments that made me laugh out loud. The back-and-forth banter between Tanner and Andrea was hilarious at times. Their enemies to friends to lovers' relationship was one I enjoyed. The chemistry between them was undeniable and there were definitely some swoon worthy moments in this story. Although there were definitely some bumps in the road when it came to Andrea, I loved how caring, supportive, compassionate and understanding Tanner was about her problems and how he called her on them. Sometimes a little tough love is needed. I also loved the friendship between Andrea and Sydney, as everyone deserves a friend like that. Overall, this was a good read that dealt with realistic problems. It reminds us that someone around us may be going through things, and their actions may be a cry for help. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books from this author but maybe one with a light subject.

Things felt a little rushed at times, but what a journey this was! I really enjoyed Andrea’s story. I loved that she finally stood up for herself. I would totally recommend this book and the first one!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the arc of this book.

Different than the series I'm familiar with from Jennifer. Still an enjoyable dramatic romance, but not a fantasy. Great character development that will leave you rooting for a happy ending.

I'd honestly say this one is 3/3.5 stars. I find I'm a bigger fan of JLA's fantasy books, and I love a good romance. This one just lacked some things for me. I wanted to root for Andrea as she struggles with alcoholism and anxiety. However, I didn't feel like I could root for her until the end of the book. I did like Tanner as a character, but he seemed kind of flat. I really got invested in the book from the actual trip to the end. Once I was hooked, I did breeze through the book and loved how everything worked out for both Andrea and Tanner.

I would like to start off with I found Jennifer L Armentrout this year and have burned through a good chunk of her books this year. She is one of my top 5 authors at the moment.

This was originally released in 2015. I got this book as an ARC for rerelease in Dec 2024. This book was a troubled romance between 2 people who started off as frenemies and fell in love.
Andrea although has some secrets that she doesn't want Tanner to know about and it ends up causing problems in their very short relationship.
This book deals with addiction and mental health issues so please read with caution.
It was very well written but I feel that the addiction and treatment could have been touched upon a little more. I do like that it was written with this as part of the plot. It's nice to see something a bit different. I plan on reading the first book now.

Reread 2024 Note: I read this back in 2016. Then, in 2024, I saw she was republishing a slightly updated version of it, and I wanted to reread it. I got an arc copy. (Though I also bought the physical copy of the book, too. So kind of a strange case.

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️.25

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the author. (See note above as well.)

General Thoughts: Interestingly enough, I liked this book a lot more this go around than I did the first, maybe because of more life experience. My first read, I noted that this book dealt with some really hard topics, and it did. Alcoholism is not an easy topic to cover. Jennifer did such a good job with this one. You can see her psychology background on full display here. Because of the alcoholism, the FMC makes mistakes and isn't "always easy to like." But I thought that made her seem more real. I felt that the tension that came in this novel wasn't forced and flowed because from those weaknesses. I thought this was a very well-done read.

This book features heavier topics than many romantic reads. It's not a lighthearted romcom. And yet, I really enjoyed it. While not my favorite by the author (that still remains true), the hallmarks of why I love Jennifer L. Armentrout are all here. Fun, witty banter. Characters who are allowed to feel and process things.

I also appreciated that she took the time to edit and change some minor things in some places. I was looking at the original audio, at least, and the new deluxe version and noticed some differences. They were subtle but there. It helped freshen up the book. Glad I reread this and could give it a fuller rating.

Spice Meter: ❤️‍🔥 Spicy, not the most detailed or frequent, but definitely there.

Romantic Tropes (Other Notable Themes):
-dual POV
-dislike to like
-hate to love you
-mental health rep
-alcoholism
-close proximity

You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.

Enemies to lovers with quite the rocky road, and you will root for them the entire way. Strong sub plots on alcoholism, self destructive behaviors, insecurity, self doubt, and untreated depression and anxiety - and the power of communication and love, self acceptance - all handled with care and sending a positive message. Some humor thrown in with the romance moves things along. A great read, more than the usual romance.

3.75 stars! I really enjoyed this book, and I read it in just a matter of hours! I was immediately rooting for Andrea and Tanner, and I was especially rooting for Andrea. Obviously this book has the common tropes - forced proximity, enemies to lovers, but that’s what makes it such a fun, engaging read! I was glad to see that Andrea’s problem with alcohol wasn’t minimized and there was a clear rock bottom point, and I liked the way her path to recovery was portrayed as it seemed realistic and relatable.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and I now need to read frigid!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.