Adore You. Nicole Falls. 2016. 166 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]
Love is messy. Sleeping with your ex’s brother is messy squared. Alas, that’s where Devorah finds herself. She grew up with the Taylor brothers, Ellis and Everett, along with her friend Cadence. The four were nearly inseparable due to their mothers’ sorority bond. It seemed to go without saying that she and Everett would marry after dating through high school. And they were on that path until he fell in love with her roommate (no hard feelings there … seriously).
Devorah and Ellis instead chose to pursue their physical interest in each other, but that’s where she draws the line. She refuses to let him get closer than he already is, though it mostly seems like a losing battle. She’s afraid of how it will look if she settles down with her ex’s brother, particularly since their mothers are a big part of her life. She’s convinced their judgment will be swift and strong, and she’s not about that life. For his part, Ellis is insistent that he wants something real with Devorah, and does pretty much everything in his power to woo her. He’s not nearly as concerned with how it looks to outsiders, as long as it’s real to them. The fact that Devorah is so resistant to Ellis less common in romance, so I enjoyed that he actually had to work for her commitment.
What I enjoyed most about all of the characters in this book was how they felt like home. The conversations between the women reminded me of those I have with my girls. The poking fun and serious talks among the families felt like my own. The interactions between the men and women, mothers and fathers, and even kids was realistic and the dialog wasn’t forced. That’s hard to manage, so I commend the author for that.
I appreciate that there’s more to this story than just Devorah and Ellis’ courtship. One of the subplots relates to their workplace, where Devorah’s company loses a client to Ellis’ company. I was worried this would turn into a bigger part of the story and cause even more complications, but it made just the right amount of drama for the story. There are also signs of trouble for her ex Everett and his wife, Cass. I’m hoping there’s a follow-up with these two to explore what their issues were and whether they resolve them.
Overall, I enjoyed Adore You and I’m looking forward to more from Nicole Falls. She subtly set one of her peripheral characters, Celena, up well for a follow-up. That one (Smitten) is already on my TBR list.
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