Name: Wasted Words
ISBN: 9781533201577

Staci Hart

Guys like Tyler Knight don't go for girls like Cam Emerson. She knew from the second she met him that he didn't belong on her bookshelf, the six-foot-six ex-tight end with a face so all-American, it could have sold apple pie. So she shelved him next to the supermodels and rock stars and took her place on her own shelf -- the one with the flannel-clad, pasty-faced comic book nerds.

Wasted Words

Samantha Huster

OMG! I loved this book! Emma is one of my favorite Austen books and I love a modern retelling of the story. 

Cam and Tyler are such sweet baby angels and I will need to be left alone with a gallon of ice cream to mourn the fact that I don't have a Tyler Knight in my life. Or a Cam Emerson because then she could find me a Tyler Knight. Ah well...I'll just live vicariously through re-reading this book.

Connor 

Maybe 2.5? Mostly I just feel very... blasé about a lot of this, especially because of the climax, which (view spoiler)[seemed completely out of character and unnecessary? Like, why would Tyler, who is a pretty good Knightley, just suddenly decide that open communication is a terrible idea and how dare she need to explain herself? (hide spoiler)] but let's be real, I was here because it was an Emma retelling. I got a bit tripped up over all the name changes (That is... such a small, technical little thing, but here we are) and the pacing of the relationship (not the book, which was well paced. Just... the relationship). 

Still, not a bad read if you're looking for something light and easy with some Austen tropes. Definitely better than Unleashing Mr. Darcy, as Austen adapts go, although that... is... well, not saying much of anything. I'd give it a solid C+ or a B- if I were grading these things on a letter scale.

Except for this line, which will haunt me until my dying day, or at least until I turn twenty-six in a few weeks or when I find a new, decent job: "At twenty-five, I had acquired my dream job."

Ouch, Hart. Ouch.

Anyway, if you're asking whether I will continue with this series? 

The next one is Persuasion. Of course I'm going to continue with the series.

Sven Test

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

Cam is all about matchmaking. She studies a person and can immediately tell their drink preference and also, who to set them up with. She believes opposites don't attract due to a nightmare she experienced in high school. Tyler is her best friend and there's a girl that seems interested in him so Cam sets out to help but she starts to realize that maybe she wants Tyler for herself. Will she finally believe opposites attract?

I was in love with love. There's something terribly satisfying about imagining two people falling in love and then witnessing it. To know that you had a hand in them finding someone to love, especially when you hadn't found love yourself.

Cam was a very interesting character. She is whimsical, nerdy, beautiful inside and out. She wants people to have their happy ending without going through heart ache so she gives them the push they need to go in the right direction of finding that special someone. Something I didn't like about Cam was that she despised to be wrong. So when Tyler suggests a girl shouldn't be paired with who Cam set her up, Cam doesn't believe it for a second and does everything in her power to push the couple she chose together. This ended up in a mess and I was so furious with Cam because of it. Still, she saw the error of her ways and I was able to forgive her. One thing I did love about her is that she's a reader! She talks about re-reading her favorite book and I was able to relate to her!

I'd lived a thousand lives through the books I'd read, which meant I was certain I could conquer just about anything.

Tyler... *fans face* This guy is freakishly hot, okay? I felt like I would melt! He's a very respectable character, with a good career even after his football injury. He always looked for the positive in every situation. When he realized he should make his feelings for Cam known, he was so determined! I was rooting for him to get down to business ;) But once again, Cam was a tough pill to swallow. I understand where her insecurities come from, I do because I've been there but she takes it to an extreme. She has Tyler showing her he adores her so much that their shouldn't be room for doubts, yet she manages to second-guess their relationship because she truly believes opposites don't attract.

I'd never even entertained the idea of him and me as anything more than what we were. He belonged on his shelf and I belonged on mine.

The rest of the characters were a fantastic addition. We even have Rose and Patrick from Last Call making an appearance! Despite Cam's behavior, I was able to enjoy the book because of Tyler and the secondary characters. Plus, I love the friends-to-lovers trope way too much, and even more if they are roommates!

Overall, it was a fun story with all the quirks. If you like the friends-to-lovers stories with a bit of drama thrown in it, then this one is for you.

I received an eARC for free in exchange for an honest review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

Missy Zuber 

Cam and Tyler.
Sort of a spin off from the "Bad Habit" series. 
The first Staci Hart book I read. Loved the characters and the plot. Kept me interested. Loved the nerdiness.

Laura

I wanna say i liked it? But not really. It was inspired by Emma, but Emma was not like this tf? My mistake was that I had high expectations and Cam was just a ✨different ✨ girl. 2 stars because of cute moments and the bowling scene was actually good

Lydia Power

This book was alright. I liked the beginning and I adored the characters. But the last 25% was the main female character going back and forth about how she didn’t think they’d work out. And then she’d be fine. And the next page she was sad again. I just felt like that dragged on too long. I ended up skimming a few chapters to skip their inner monologues of sadness. Happy ever after ending though.

inés 🦋

4 ⭐️

Pues me ha gustado mucho, Tayler es la cosa más mona del mundo y que este basado en Emma de Jane Austen pues es un plus. Son muy monos ellos y la historia me ha parecido super tierna, la lectura se hace ágil y pasas un buen rato. 💞

rockie

Did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. An adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, it has been done before and I have read and seen them this wasn't that great. I was annoyed at the main character from the beginning till the end. Her self worth was really questionable. I couldn't connect with this book.

Andra Gabriela

Well, it started off prettttyyyy nice, but oh man, I really struggled reading this. I thought of DNF-ing for at least 3 times.

I really liked Cam - at first at least. But then it started going downhill. I feel like there’s been so much of her, her thoughts, and her beliefs and we didn't get much of Tyler, not as much as I’ve had liked it. 

Tyler was OK. I couldn't figure more of him out. His name, Tyler Knight was pretty obvious, of course, he had to be the one that helps and changes the damsel in distress. He was a stereotype. Literally. The pretty golden boy that is an athlete. Nothing new, nothing different. I really wish I could see him differently.

The sex scenes threw me off, I didn't expect them and to be fair, I just skipped the last one. I wasn't really feeling it. 

Overall, it was an OK book. If you want to be read something easy and cute, go for it, but don't expect too much of it.

Tânia Borges

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars.
Nothing extraordinary, just a light-hearted, fluffy romance.

Alice

Heather Harrington

*3.5

After being burned in the past, Cam Emerson has strict rules on who to date. Ever since she was young, Cam has put people into categories: those who are way out of her league and those who are just as nerdy as she is, and therefore, safe to date. Cam knows the way to avoid another heartbreak is to date within the latter category, but that doesn't mean she can't harbor a massive crush on her roommate/best friend, Tyler, even though there's no way he'd ever like her back. Tyler Knight has overcome a lot of hardships in his life. Most notably, a career-ending injury turned his NFL dreams into a job as a sports agent and a terrible break-up, which was a blessing in disguise since it lead him to Cam. She's made it very clear to Tyler that she could never see him as anything more than a friend, but that doesn't stop him from hoping for more. When they both admit their feelings for one another, Tyler is sure he's finally found the one, but will Cam's insecurities about their differences end their happiness before it even begins?

I'm a sucker for a friends-to-lovers trope, so I ate this up. I was immediately charmed by the characters and the story itself. Hart's writing felt effortless and breezy, and I practically read this in one sitting because I needed to see what would happen to Cam and Tyler. They had such a fun dynamic that it was so natural for them to transition into something more than just friends. While Tyler stole my heart straight away, it took me a while to warm up to Cam because she was infuriating. She very much had that "I'm not like other girls--I watch football and wear Converse!" vibe, and no matter how many times Tyler told her he cared for her, she just kept harping on the fact that she thought he was too attractive to actually want to be with her. Everyone's entitled to their insecurities, but she was so stubborn and refused to see reason. She also had a bad habit of meddling in other people's love lives (this is supposed to be inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, so I get it), which was a bit much at times. She did grow on me by the end, but it was a journey. Aside from that, I thought this was adorable and perfect if you're looking for something quick and sweet that's still a little steamy.

Angie

Mmmmm el slow burn mega lentoooo
De ahí, Tyler te amo 😍

Laura Springall

Read for O.W.L.s Magical Readathon - Astronomy: read a book mostly at night (see my O.W.L.s  TBR video here)

Yikes. Ohhh boy

This started off SO GOOD and went downhill SO FAST

Full review to come, might make a rant review on BookTube, we'll see what happens

Wow this was something

UPDATE here's my  rant review video

Jess Ostrander

Wasted Words is a modern Emma retelling. Cam Emerson loves to play matchmaker. And she's pretty good at it. She knows that certain types of people fit together, and others will never work. Like her roommate, Tyler Knight. Perfect, tall, former football players like Tyler don't go for tiny bookworms like Cam. Cam uses her job at Wasted Words, a bookstore and bar combo, to play cupid. Between singles nights and matching up coworkers, Cam is happy to find matches for anyone she can. 
A bad breakup lead Tyler to move in with Cam. She's made it perfectly clear that she's not interested in him, but if she ever changes her mind, he'd jump on the chance to be with her. Because even though Cam thinks they could never work, Tyler is sure they're the perfect match.

I loved this book! I was supposed to be reading it with friends, but I finished it in two sittings. Whoops. I was hooked pretty quickly! And seriously, someone please create a real Wasted Words, because it sounds like my dream hangout spot! Why are bookstore bars not a bigger thing??
I loved Tyler from the start. He's sweet and adorable and I love his relationship with Cam. And Cam is pretty great too. Sometimes her insistence on matching people up was annoying, but overall I liked her and found her relatable. This story was full of fun and feels. I loved the side characters too! There was so much fun and relatable moments. 
Overall, this was a fun and quick read and I'm really excited to check out more from Staci Hart!!

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

Staci Hart writes the cutest new adult contemporary romances!! Wasted Words is another lovely friends-to-lovers romance of hers, with an added opposites-attract theme. It was really an adorable read – Tyler is the sweetest hero ever, Cam is flawed but relatable, and the story simple but well-written. If you’re a fan of the author’s Bad Habits series, or you like light-hearted contemporary romances, I highly recommend this one!

“So you have daydreamed about it,” Bayleigh said as she crossed her arms.
“You’ve seen him. How could you not? But it’s like fantasizing about a book boyfriend. One-hundred-percent of the time, it’s fictional, which makes it harmless.”

Cam Emerson and Tyler Knight are strictly roommates and friends. Sure, Tyler’s the hottest guy Cam’s ever met, and Cam is the sweetest girl Tyler’s ever met, but they’d never make a move on each other. Cam thinks Tyler is way out her league – he’s a six-foot-six ex-football player to her nerd-loving short self – and since she’s been burned by someone out of her league before, she’s never going to go for someone like that again. But when Tyler realizes that the girl who’s always been right in front of him just might be the one, how is he going to convince Cam that they’re perfect together?

She wasn’t like the other girls I’d dated. She was real and good and true, and she wanted me. I felt more safe with her than any woman I’d ever been with.

First off, I have to say that I adore the place Cam works at. Wasted Words is a coffee shop/bar/bookstore, which literally sounds like heaven to me. I love the way Staci Hart incorporated the place into this story. Cam’s coworkers made wonderful secondary characters, and I’m hoping some might end up getting their own books! I also liked that this book was inspired by Emma by Jane Austen, a story I adore. If you loved Emma, you definitely need to check Wasted Words out, because the whole matching-making thing is spot on here. I did get really annoyed with Cam sometimes with how adamant and stubborn she is when it comes to match-making and thinking she knows best, but thankfully she does learn from her mistakes.

Tyler!!!! Ahh, Tyler is definitely the star of this book for me. He is such a GOOD GUY. He’s sweet, funny, kind, and so, so patient with Cam – I don’t know how he was able to wait for her to get her head on straight! He’s an adorable hero, and I loved getting his POV and seeing how much he feels for Cam. They make the cutest couple ever!

“I’ve never been with anyone like you, either.” He smiled, thumb shifting against my skin. “And I feel more at home than I have in a long time.”

Wasted Words is just lovely. It’s not too serious, not too light-hearted. Staci Hart definitely balanced out the emotions really well in this novel. If you’re a fan of the friends-to-lovers or opposites-attract tropes, this book needs to be on your TBR!

Thanks to the author for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1XreyHp

Liked this review? Subscribe to Booklovers For Life for more!

Wasted Words

Reviews

Highlights