All Grown Up By Vi Keeland
Vi Keeland ô 7 summary
Life got in the way and I couldn't read any books for two months!
Yeap... 2 long months... I just cannot believe I gave such a long break...
Well, then I saw this book...
That cover.... Sigh... Swoon!
And the trope of a younger guy with an older woman?? That is definitely something I cannot resist - it is my weakness, so I read it :)
Actually, the book is not the best example of this trope and it turned out to be a 3,5 star-read for me but for the love of the hero in it, I raised it to 4 stars instead of lowering it to 3 :)
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This is the love story between a thirty-seven year old woman and a twenty-five year old guy. It is sweet and heart-warming. Although it is nothing special, it is still an enjoyable read.
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Our heroine, Valentina was married to her high school sweetheart and they had a son. The last 10 years of their marriage were not as good and they were not as happy. Finally, her husband cheated on her with a twenty-year old and they broke up.
Even 18 months after their divorce, Valentina still resists dating. She lacks self-confidence and it is mostly due to what her d*ckhed ex-husband did. She is scared of being hurt again.
When she is finally attracted to someone, it’s a younger guy and she is even more scared of being hurt. If the man who is the same as her age cheated on her with a twenty-year old girl, what would a twenty-five year old guy would do when he gets bored? That’s what scares her most.
And when she realizes that he is actually the son of their summer house neighbor, who sometimes babysat her son, she thinks a relationship with him would be totally inappropriate and she resists it for a long time. For a really long time!
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Our hero Ford, on the other hand, lost both of his parents at the age of 17 and had to raise his little sister. Therefore, he had to mature fast. He is more mature than most guys at the age of 30 or more. And he is such a good guy, so very sweet, decent and adorable in every way. He is definitely a “catch”!
He is one of those good guys. He sacrificed his youth to look after his sister, and he went wild for a few years afterwards and then, settled. He has a respectable business now and as soon as he meets Valentina, he never ever looks at any other woman!
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Nothing much really happens in the book; it is all about how a relationship grows between them – the phases of it: the attraction, the resistance, the sexual tension, the acceptance, the problems, the separation and then coming back together.
And thank God, there are no secret babies from exes or some cliché tropes like that as you might expect from a Vi Keeland book!
It is sweet and it is an ideal summer romance. And let’s not forget that the hero is a swoon-worthy one! He is enough reason to read this book :)
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P.S. Reading the blurb, I thought the way they meet first would be embarrassing due to the inappropriate profile the heroine’s friend Eve created for her on a dating site but thank God, it wasn’t like that because they erased it an hour later and when Ford saw her profile, it didn’t have those silly and embarrassing things in it anymore. What attracted them to each other was something else...
Just saying in case you also worry about it because I did 😊
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As far as safety goes, I think it is totally safe as there is no one else for either of them after they meet. Although a guy hits on her and a few girls hit on him, they never ever try anything with anyone else even when they are separated.
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Here are some nice QUOTES from the book.
“You need to stop giving a shit what other people think. Appropriate and inappropriate doesn’t matter if you want something and you’re not hurting anyone.”
***
“Nina is my cousin. She came to spend the weekend with my sister.”
Valentina’s eyes narrowed. “Your cousin?”
“You thought I had a woman over, even after chasing you for a month? I’m not the kind of guy to use another woman to replace the one I want but can’t have.”
***
Eve took my hand. “I know you need to do some things—hell, I was the one who bugged you about making your My Turn list. But you can have a boyfriend and still find you. Ryan wanted you locked up in his stingy little castle because he was weak and insecure. Ford might be younger, but he’s stronger and more confident in who he is. I don’t think he needs to be the center of your universe. He just wants to be part of your world.”
***
Goodbyes are not forever and aren’t the end; they are only until we meet again.
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“Important things seem to happen for a reason, and we shouldn’t walk away from them even if it wasn’t how we saw things playing out originally. If something feels right, we have to make it work.”
***
Do you remember when you asked me if it was possible to have the right feelings at the wrong time?”
I nodded. “I was terrified back then.”
“We both were, just at different times. The truth is, you can never have the right feelings at the wrong time, because there is never a wrong time for the right person.”
***
We go through life picking up puzzle pieces, and we never really know where they’ll fit or how they’ll come together to form the big picture. I’d spent years trying to fit pieces into places they didn’t belong, but never really felt complete. Until today. All of my puzzle pieces finally clicked into place, and I could see the beautiful picture.
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ALL GROWN UP IS LIVE EARLY ON AMAZON!
Amazon ➜ https://fave.co/2S0MUDf
Apple ➜ http://smarturl.it/f07b66
B&N ➜ https://fave.co/2xq1R8m
Kobo ➜ https://fave.co/2KTDJnv
Google Play ➜ https://fave.co/2Lu5Hpd
Audio ➜ http://hyperurl.co/jr8w50
Amazon paperback ➜ https://fave.co/2RFvfAO
Kindle Edition IMO, this is by far Keeland's best work and one of my top books of the year! Kindle Edition 5 STARS
Wow loved it so much!It was amazing, exactly what I needed, steamy sensual and heartwarming!I don't know where to start with this one, I fall in love with the characters so much and their romance!I couldn't get enough of Valentina and Ford!They were addictive!
This is the first book I read about an older woman and younger man and I find it refreshing, and I could so easily relate and understand Valentina.I may not be in the same age but something similar has happened to me in some way.Ford was amazing so hot,sexy and funny.He is definitely a swoon worthy hero.I loved how their relationship developed!They were full of sexual tension and flirty but also sweet!
One of my favorite reads for this year, a perfect read for the summer, super hot and heartwarming!
ALL GROWN UP: Is a full length, stand alone romance novel by Vi Keeland. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'
This is my first tiptoe into an older female falling for a younger boy toy, this was so refreshing seeing her struggles, being able to relate to her whole heartedly due to a similar circumstance when I met my partner, the too and fro of the age difference the worry of what others would think though ours is only six years difference not unlike these two who have a larger gap. These two were just perfect for each other, my heart swooned over all things Ford, it was so liberating seeing Valentina let go of her inhibitions and become the woman she was supposed to be.
I f#cking knew it would be like this. A physical attraction makes for intense chemistry, but a physical and mental connection is damn combustible.
I loved watching her evolve and come into her own and I also enjoyed the maturity level of Ford due to unfortunate circumstances with having to step up and raise his sister definitely had an impact on how quickly he had to grow up and the overall protective nature concerning his sister, all the feels.
We're a good balance. I'll help you get the inappropriate stick out of your ass, and you'll help me set a good example for my pain-in-the-ass-sister.
There's nothing I would change about this book. It flowed perfectly, easy to get into, hard to put down..
Kindle Edition
A new, sexy standalone from #1 New York Times Bestseller, Vi Keeland.
When I first encountered Ford Donovan, I had no idea who he was...well, other than the obvious. Young, gorgeous, successful, smart. Did I mention young? If I did, it bears repeating. Ford Donovan was too young for me.
Let's back up to how it all started. My best friend decided I needed to start dating again. So, without my knowledge, she set up a profile for me on a popular dating site--one that invited men ages twenty-one to twenty-seven to apply for a date. Those nicknamed Cunnilingus King were told they'd go straight to the top for consideration. The profile wasn't supposed to go live. Another point that bears repeating--it wasn't supposed to.
Nevertheless, that's how I met Ford, and we started messaging. He made me laugh; yet I was adamant that because of his age, we could only be friends. But after weeks of wearing me down, I finally agreed to one date only--my first after twenty years of being with my high school sweetheart. I knew it couldn't last, but I was curious about him.
Though, you know what they say...curiosity kills the cat.
My legs wobbled walking into the restaurant.
Ford was seated at the bar. When he turned around, he took my breath away.
His sexy smile nearly melted my panties.
But...he looked so familiar.
As I got closer I realized why.
He was the son of the neighbor at our family's summer home.
The boy next door.
Only now...he was all man.
I hadn't seen him in years.
I left the restaurant and planned to put the entire crazy thing behind me.
Which I did. Until summer came.
And guess who decided to use his family's summer home this year? All Grown Up
5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Valentina Davis is a beautiful 37 yr. old woman living in New Jersey. She married her high school sweetheart, had a son, and thinks her future is set. Then her marriage crash and burns, and she’s suddenly single for the first time in twenty years. Now divorced for almost two years, she’s lonely and still not moving on with her life. Her best friend decides it’s time for Val to put herself back out there, and sets her up a profile on a dating site. She really isn’t interested, and then a hot, younger guy starts messaging her that makes her laugh and feel good about herself. She looks forward to hearing from him, and figures what’s the harm in just talking. Weeks go by, and he finally talks her into meeting in person. She arrives for the date, and from behind he looks like an underwear model. Then he turns around and she recognizes him. It’s the boy next door from her summer home. She hadn’t seen Ford Donovan in years, and the boy she remembered is now all man, but still completely off limits.
Ford Donovan is a 25 yr. old gorgeous, successful businessman in New York. He works in real estate, and his dating life has become mundane. Then he meets a stunning woman online that intrigues and excites him. He wants to get to know her better. They meet in person, and he’s shocked to see it’s his neighbor from his family beach home in Montauk. When they cross paths again over the summer he decides he wants to explore their strong connection. He’s persistent and wants her to take a chance on him. Before long, he’s crazy about her, and she’s all he can think about. He’s determined to show her what he see’s when he looks at her.
Val wants to focus on herself and take her life back. She’s not ready for anything serious with expectations, but Ford makes her feel alive again. He was so easy to talk to, and convinces her to live in the moment. Somewhere along the way they both want more, and it’s becoming harder and harder to remember his age. He’s too young for her. She could never go there, or could she? When real feelings get involved will they be able to walk away at the end of the summer?
-“I want you, Ford.”
-“I’m incredibly attracted to you. Painfully so.”
-He had such an intense, magnetic pull over me that it was like fighting gravity.
-The man could seriously kiss. He made my knees weak and left me panting every single time.
All Grown Up by Vi Keeland is an all new sexy standalone beach romance about an older woman and a younger man. An emotional, steamy, witty, forbidden love story where age is just a number. I loved this book so much! Vi Keeland delivers a passionate, seductive, humorous, heartwarming story that reminds me why I’m so addicted to her writing. This book was simply fabulous!!!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2XOjH3H Kindle Edition *****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Ever so slowly, Ford wrapped his hands around my cheeks and started to kiss me. I poured everything I was feeling from my mouth into his—sadness, longing, love, desire. I wanted to show him with my touch how I felt about him, because I knew I’d never get the chance to say the words now.
”ALL GROWN UP” is a sexy May/December romance between a beautiful thirty-seven-year-old divorcee and her gorgeous twenty-five-year-old neighbor, who used to babysit her son during their summer vacations in Montauk. Everything about Ford Donovan screams sexy and fun. Valentina and Ford have perfect chemistry but Val is so fixated on how others will view her that she keeps things platonic between them for entirely too long. When her heart gets tangled up in all things Ford, will he be ready to receive it? Or has she finally succeeded in pushing him away?
I love a good romance between an older woman and a younger man. Especially when it’s the hot and cocky as hell younger man that does all the pursuing. If anyone can pull off this trope flawlessly, it’s Vi Keeland. She’s one of those authors whose books I never hesitate to request to review. ”ALL GROWN U” is the perfect read to keep your nights summer nights sizzling hot!!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 4.5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4.5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
”ALL GROWN UP” is available on July 8th!
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Kindle Edition 4 stars
‘Age shouldn’t be counted by the time we’ve been alive. It should be counted by the years we have left. Look forward, not back.’
I love a good age-gap romance when done right, and Vi Keeland did an excellent job at this troupe. This was the older woman, younger man troupe and the more I read, the more I think I prefer it to the older man/younger woman.
Valentina has been divorced for a while, but she’s yet to really move on. She had her son as a teen and got married young, now she finds herself in her late thirties with her son in college and she’s following her dreams to become a teacher. Her best friend talks her into signing up for a dating app and she gets matched with Ford Donovan. Ford is twenty five, 12 years her junior, and she actually knew him when he was younger.
Ford has never considered dating someone older than him, but he’s not opposed to it. When he sees Valentina, and then starts chatting with her, he knows she’s someone he wants in his life. Ford lost his parents and put his life on hold a bit to raise his younger sister, so I would say he is mature for his age. He and Val click in a way she’s never clicked with anyone else. Not only is their chemistry insane, but they have this connection that can’t be overlooked.
Val is hesitant to be with Ford. It takes her while to come to terms with it and there is a bit of a push/pull for a little longer than I liked, but aside from that, it was a fantastic book. I really loved these two together and they proved that age is just a number, and when you meet someone you connect with like they did, it shouldn’t be something that holds you back.
If you’re looking for a steamy and swoony age-gap romance, I highly recommend All Grown Up.
“While fate decided we came into each other’s lives, sometimes we have to fight to stay. And every day, you remind me we’re worth the fight.”
Kindle Edition Read my interview with Vi Keeland: https://wp.me/p5bsdH-2M5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
After being held back by her past for a while, Valentina Davies realized she needed to move in. Thanks to a much-needed push by her best friend, she decided to take a chance a put herself out there. Little did she knew it would take her face to face with another past - the boy next door Ford Donovan who was certainly all man now.
I’ve always wanted to try an age gap book with an older woman and this one satisfied my curiosity. If I were to describe the feel, this book is airy summer sunshine. It made me smile with a warm fuzzy feeling.
Instead of responding, I went to my contacts and edited Donovan to Ford—a gentle reminder that Donovan wasn’t a man I could ever be attracted to; he was simply Ford, the boy next door.
Ford was very charming and his vulnerability was endearing, but he was also caring and responsible. Valentina was likable and relatable, and I liked how she made changes in her life.
I watched as his jaw tensed, and he bucked twice more before sinking into me so deeply that I gasped.
What appealed to me the most was how their relationship developed organically and how they didn’t let their relationship held then back. However, there were a couple of things I wish I got an answer for but weren’t addressed.
All Grown Up is a story of finding happiness on your own terms. It would appeal to readers looking for a sexy summer vacation read.
♦ 💋 ♦ . . . (F)BR With Loyda . . . ♦ 💋 ♦
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Kindle Edition Let’s break this down...
Heroine, recently divorced from HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART = she’s probably only been with her ex...
The add (of course it’s created by a friend because the heroine is stuck in a rut) request “cunnilingus King” = wants someone with tons of experience!
Can someone please tell me why it’s attractive for a Hero to have enough experience to be considered a “king” in any area to do with sex (yes, I’m aware the guys fib BUT if they ask for an expert or king of something sexual in romance there’s a 100% chance you’re gonna get a manwhore of manwhores) when’s he’s earned that title with someone other than the heroine?
Then to make the hero between the ages of 21-27 AND basically give him the experience of a 50 yr old, retired porn star?? Why why why!!??
Of course everything he will do to her will be new and exciting BUT he earned that experience somewhere else with multiple OTHER women....
An age difference doesn’t bother me as long as the experience is equal...I don’t need to read the book to figure out who’s going to lacking in this scenario.
SHM...why the fuck is this shit so popular? 🤦♀️
There’s no rating on this so it’s not hurting the books average...of you don’t agree with my opinion then move on... Kindle Edition