Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Like It's 1999 by Karen Grey Series: Boston Classics #2.5
on December 9, 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 85
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Goodreads
Amazon
Love ’em and Leave ’em Alice Kim and “Hot” Steve Lowell are perfect for each other. It’ll only take them ten years to figure that out.
Just because they throw the most bodacious wedding party ever…
Just because they’re perfect partners in pranks…
Just because they love all the same boss movies…
Just because they share one totally bangin’ night of sex together…Does not mean they’ll break the One Time Rule.
Even if they do… they don’t do relationships.
And they’re never getting married.
Like, ever.
I’ve been enjoying the Boston Classics series, so it was interesting to read a novella about two side characters. It is set in the 1990s and the characters are both friends of Kate from the first book, What I’m Looking For. Alice is her best friend from college, and Hot Steve is one of her co-workers.
Novellas can be difficult as they are short without as much time to develop characters or the world. I would recommend reading at least the first book to enjoy this more and be more aware of why you want to read more about Hot Steve. I enjoyed all the cultural references tremendously.
I loved learning more about Alice and Hot Steve. They really go through the wringer and it’s a rough road. We get the added benefit of seeing how Kate and Will progress in their relationship, careers, and have children.
Alice and Hot Steve get to know each other at the start which is when they help with Kate and Will’s wedding. They get along very well and enjoy their time together. The story spans the next 10 years and their personal and career struggles. Finally, Alice and Hot Steve see each other again at Kate and Will’s 10th anniversary. At last, they are willing to look beyond their former issues to consider a relationship which is what they always wanted.
About Karen Grey
KAREN GREY is the pen name for award-winning narrator Karen White. A stage, screen and radio drama actor in Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the late 20th century, she started recording books in 1999. Now back in her home state of North Carolina, she shares a home with her family and (probably) too many pets, where she continues to narrate audiobooks as well as make up stories.
Karen White is a classically trained actress who has been recording audio books since 1999 and has well over 150 books to her credit and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. Honored to be included inAudiofile’s Best Voices 2010 and 2011, she’s also an Audie Finalist and Best Audiobook of the Year winner for 2009, 2010 and 2011 (The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon Reed, Too Good to be True by Erin Arvedlund, and Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O’Connor) and she has earned multiple Audiofile Earphones Awards, recently for and You Had Me at Woof by Julie Klam and Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. Publishers Weekly says of Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, “Karen White delivers a stunning reading, her character interpretations are confident and well-rounded, and she forges a strong bond with the audience.” Speaking of Audiobooks says of her, “Karen is one of my auto-buy narrators – if I think a book may interest me, her narration will sway me to give it a try.”
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- COYER-20
Glad this was about two secondary characters and you’re still enjoying the timeline. I need to listen to the second book! Wonderful review, Anne?
You could read this after the first one because the connection is all to the first book and Kate. I couldn’t miss learning more about them.
I’m still laughing that the guy is referred to as Hot Steve. LOL
IKR?!?! How could I pass up the chance to learn more about Hot Steve? You’d love the cultural bits about music in the 2nd book and this one has lots of movie references.
I do like novellas but they can easily go off the rails if the pacing is off. This sounds like it worked pretty well for you!
I think novellas are difficult if you don’t read the series. I like them more to add to the world and character development and not contain key plot bits.
Neat that you got a well-developed follow up novella for the side characters.
Yes it was fun. It adds to the series nicely.
You have me very curious about Hot Steve now, lol. Great review!
Hot Steve was a character in the first book and how could I not want to learn more about him? It adds well to the series but I am not sure I would read it standalone. You could and it might work for you, but I’m an in order reader so I wouldn’t. You certainly wouldn’t enjoy the Kate and Will bits as much without knowing them at all.