I have mixed feelings on this. Overall I really enjoyed the story, but the HEA feels so small in the grand scheme. After so much loss and heart break and just missed opportunity time and time again, I’m not sure that the end gave me enough time being happy. I did enjoy the writing style and intend on reading more by this author.

** spoiler alert ** okay i have a lot to say but i’ll keep it short. to be frank idk what to feel????? this book made me cry and scream out of anger. their relationship was very toxic. at the same time though their love was impenetrable. they always came running back to each other in spite of everything. i guess you can proclaim a book good when it makes you feel so many things at once right???? read this book if u guys want!!!!! but i warned u, it will hurt.

** spoiler alert ** okay i have a lot to say but i’ll keep it short. to be frank idk what to feel????? this book made me cry and scream out of anger. their relationship was very toxic. at the same time though their love was impenetrable. they always came running back to each other in spite of everything. i guess you can proclaim a book good when it makes you feel so many things at once right???? read this book if u guys want!!!!! but i warned u, it will hurt.

3.5

im dehydrate bc i cried myself out! very good end! the feminine urge to play lets falling in love for the night its high too!

I thought it was good, but mentally draining and I did not really like the girl mc. I kinda like a love triangel but there were 4 in this book and it was like why

This was a mess, Jamie and B never seemed to get things right but this was just an amazing angsty read that took place over two decades.. we saw Jamie and B in high school and college and then through adulthood and all the obstacles and people in their way.. they were dumb idiots a lot of the times but it was weirdly addicting and well written that I feel emotionally attached to my little idiots 🫶🏻 (even though there was cheating)

this hurt...this hurt so freaking much. for most of the book I was angry at both of them, more so B than Jamie. they were so incredibly toxic for each other but at the same time they both couldn’t be with anyone else. they were annoyingly made for each other. I feel like this is the rawest way to watch someone isolate and self sabotage and what the consequences of those actions are on not only yourself but also the ones you choose to love. it felt like their story could've ended so much sooner if they communicated or simply got out of their heads and just let go. but at the same time you can't help being angry with them but also understanding their actions. like yes we know you love each other but when will that love come first. all in all you know that they love each other but at the same time you know that parts of their lives did not mean it was their time to love each other. I'm so happy that they finally are happy and together but it was definitely a painful ride to get there.

This was a mess, Jamie and B never seemed to get things right but this was just an amazing angsty read that took place over two decades.. we saw Jamie and B in high school and college and then through adulthood and all the obstacles and people in their way.. they were dumb idiots a lot of the times but it was weirdly addicting and well written that I feel emotionally attached to my little idiots 🫶🏻 (even though there was cheating)

when i tell you this book made me genuinely scream

4.5 Stars Holy angst whore goodness!! I still can't believe I waited so long to read this because I wanted to for over 3 years but often times this book is connected to "tear jerker" "books that made me cry" I have to be in a particular mood to pick up those kinds of books. Fate kinda put it in my lap yesterday as my old phone broke recently and so when I saw this was one of the few ebooks that showed up on my new phone I decided to go for it. One thing I did know was this was going to be super angsty and as someone who lives for super angsty romances, nothing has enticed me more to start this book. This book is pure ANGST! It did not fail me my heart broke a million times, pulled with longing, and I wanted to scream with frustration 99% of the time. First off, the chemistry and emotional connection are undeniable, and it really has to be in order to go through this emotionally draining journey that is the messed up and complicated relationship between B and Jamie. They are soulmates plain and simple. Second, if you hate reading about fictional cheating RUN FAR AWAY because while I knew it was in here, and personally doesn't bother me in books, it is a massive part to factor into their story. These two had possibly the most terrible timing I've ever witnessed, and that lends itself well to both the tragic and self-destructive nature of their relationship. Both B and Jamie are their own worst enemies and the way they responded to situations and played games with each other, unintentionally and intentionally taking shots at each other wasn't remotely healthy. I liked though that they never tried to portray themselves as perfect people, they were incredibly flawed and owned it. As a reader, I was like a moth to the flame I couldn't help but be drawn in. B especially when she hears the most horrible thing anyone could from a parent back in high school and how that shaped her life from then on and the way she reacted and perceived different situations. These are two people whose jagged edges fit perfectly, but due to circumstances and terrible timing they couldn't see it (their love was both their greatest strength and weakness). I think what killed me the most while reading is they made every situation more complicated than it needed to be and I just wanted them desperately to get their act together and work it out and stop dragging others into their messes. Those emotional moments where they were the only ones they could communicate their feelings to was beautiful and as much as I died for their intense passion it was in equal measure the quiet moments (holding hands, raw vulnerability, lingering hugs, unspoken words) that pulled me in. It's also why it obvious when other people come into the mix that it lacked that same openness and felt like a hollow version in comparison. One thing I will say is that epilogue was evil and if that's the original way this story ended I would've knocked it down a star because there is no way I would be satisfied going through a story like this only to be left with THAT ending. So thank you Kandi Steiner for making this extended version from Jamie's POV and giving the proper ending they deserve. Their story will stay with me and I can easily see why so many love it!

this hurt...this hurt so freaking much. for most of the book I was angry at both of them, more so B than Jamie. they were so incredibly toxic for each other but at the same time they both couldn’t be with anyone else. they were annoyingly made for each other. I feel like this is the rawest way to watch someone isolate and self sabotage and what the consequences of those actions are on not only yourself but also the ones you choose to love. it felt like their story could've ended so much sooner if they communicated or simply got out of their heads and just let go. but at the same time you can't help being angry with them but also understanding their actions. like yes we know you love each other but when will that love come first. all in all you know that they love each other but at the same time you know that parts of their lives did not mean it was their time to love each other. I'm so happy that they finally are happy and together but it was definitely a painful ride to get there.

Super quick read which is always fun. But wowowow I hated the two main characters. And honestly, I could’ve overlooked that but the juvenile repetition of the writing kept pulling me out and reminding me that this was basically just softcore porn was distracting and I actually don’t recommend. I prefer my smut well written…sorrryyyyy

I liked this book, I really did. In fact, there were several points on the book where I was inclined to give this book more than 3.5 stars, or even 4 stars. However, there were some things I did not like. First of all, the characters were not very likable. First red flag was when Jamie’s surname turned out to be Shaw. Out! 🚩 Now, let’s get serious. I did like this, in fact I would have rated it higher if I had the normal edition, but I bought the special one and although it had some extra scenes and it was good to see Jamie’s perspective of everything as well, it was just 200 more pages repeating the same story. It still didn’t feel heavy, and it was fast to read, but that’s not the point here. It’s the fact that Jamie kept saying in every chapter (because we see his perspective here) that B was HIS. There was one scene, one exact scene that infuriated me so damn much, and I don’t know if the writer even realized the scandal she wrote. In one page, and I almost threw my book, Jamie said B was his property. Now, excuse me, but even though I don’t like her either, she’s a human, a person, a woman. You don’t treat women like objects. This is why my rating is probably a whole star lower than it would have been if I had read only B’s point of view, because the amount of times Jamie thought about B as his was concerning. However, I did like the epilogue and bonus content that came with Jamie’s perspective, and it was nice to know his point of view and understand his pain and all that he went trough as well. This is so toxic tho, but toxicity is fine in fiction so I can’t say much here, I just hate the fact that they kept repeating the same mistakes. They gave me so much buzz and the cheating part in fiction serves I’m sorry, however they kept cheating on every single one of their partners and that had me fuming. But still, cheaters B and Jamie for the win.

HEARTBREAKING, RAW, AND SO SO TRUE. THIS MADE ME FEEL A LOT OF EMOTIONS. I CRIED I SNIFFED AND I HAD TO STOP BECAUSE IT HURTS SO MUCH. I LOVE IT.

BJAMIE !!!

bamie ruined me and i’m not mad about it

this book made me so mad

me duele el corazón 😭💔

this book makes me feel insane. like yes i enjoyed the cheating trope no i didn’t expect them to take that long to get together.

that was fucking infuriating. who knew human beings could feel that many emotions at the same time kandi steiner i am billing you for the extensive therapy i need after reading this book. THEY WASTED FUCKING YEARS. YEARS. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH HAPPIER MUCH SOONER

4 love triangles was… a lot. Sweet quotes but the “right person/wrong time” with cheating made it hard to read. 4 stars solely for the anniversary edition with his POV

i started this on friday, not thinking i’d finish it anytime soon since i’m visiting my parents this weekend and super angsty books stress me out (obviously). but i just couldn’t put it down. i spent every spare moment i had over the last 48 hours reading this book. i would put my kindle away and then 5 mins later would have the kindle app open on my phone. i’d put away my phone and end up grabbing my paperback lol. just like jamie & B, i simply couldn’t stay away. playing with fire and repeatedly getting burned has never been so invigorating. this was, for lack of a more eloquent description, a f*cking masterpiece.