Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940159161482 |
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| Publisher: | Bright Publishing LLC |
| Publication date: | 04/27/2018 |
| Series: | Reluctant Hearts , #2 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| Sales rank: | 60,985 |
| File size: | 504 KB |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Tessa Ever After
4.8 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
10 reviews.
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Reviewed by Francesca and posted at Under The Covers Book Blog
After reading CAGED IN WINTER I was left wanting more between Jason and Tessa. Jason is Tessa’s brothers’ best friend. He’s older than her, he’s a bit of an unreformed playboy, and he has always seen her as a little sister. Right? I just LOVE those stories! So when Cade moves away and Tessa needs someone to step up and fill in Cade’s shoes and help watch out for her and her daughter. And of course, Cade leaves his best friend Jason in charge of that task.
But Jason quickly figures out that his feelings for Tessa have changed and take him by surprise. He’s attracted to the woman she’s become, that strong and determined woman who has struggled and persevered to make something of herself, even after getting pregnant at 17 and being a single mother. In so many ways, Tessa is the opposite of Jason. And he is left feeling inadequate and undeserving of someone like her. But that doesn’t stop him from pursuing her.
I loved both main characters! I often read books where I want to throttle one or the other, but I didn’t in this one and I just enjoyed the story! Despite their young age, this was a more mature story. In parts because of the fact that Tessa has had to grow up fast and her life is already leaps ahead from her someone her age. Jason had to catch up quick to fit in and I think he did a great job at that. We see him grow throughout the book, from the carefree spoiled rich playboy into a responsible man who wants to take care of his family. I especially loved seeing his interactions with Tessa’s daughter!
If you liked CAGED IN WINTER, you will love TESSA EVER AFTER. And if you enjoy a sweet friends to lovers romance, then this will hit the mark for you.
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Love the series.
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JASOOOOONNNN. Sigh. Jason Jason Jason. This book is SO good. I think it might even be my favorite from Brighton's work and Jason is a big part of it. I've always been a fan of Brighton's but she certainly blew me away with Tessa Ever After.
Tessa Ever After is a companion to Caged in Winter and it picks up a few months from where CiW left us. Tessa, Cade's younger sister, is a single mom and after having Cade always around, is now juggling to keep everything going smoothly. She feels like a big failure since she has been, repeatedly, late in picking up her daughter, Haley, and having trouble attending to little surprises at home. Thankfully, Jason, Cade's best friend, is around to help her after Cade asked him to keep an eye on Tessa. Of course, what happens next is how neither of them were planning on falling for the other.
I loved all the characters in this book. Brighton always manage to create characters so real that you can just picture them in real life. Tessa is such a great character and I just loved being in her head. There were so many times where insecurities and fears came up but it never felt overboard or wrong for her to have them. In fact, I felt all of her emotions at the same time she did. Haley is the cutest thing ever and I'm definitely in love with her. It also help that my niece is named Haley as well and I can just picture being just like Haley in the book. Paige, Tessa's best friend, oh my gosh, I love her and her straight up honesty. She is such a good balance for Tessa and I just hope that we can get a book on her. Now, about Jason. JASONNNNN. Oh God. What can I say about Jason? Um....well, he's a hot, sweet, swoony, and a dirty talker and he know how good he is. That's not to say he is not serious or real. He has his reasons for being a playboy but despite that, he is aware of everything he needs to do. Once he realized that he might have feelings for Tessa, he knew he just couldn't mess around with her considering he is Cade's best friend and how attached he is to Haley. He also knew he couldn't just push Tessa and when to give her her space. So even though he is a cocky playboy, he has the perfect balance when to push and when to be serious. He is definitely my favorite from Brighton's heroes.
Tessa Ever After was such a quick read and I devoured it in a couple of days. It probably would have been even faster if I didn't have that pesky issue of work/school/wedding planning to deal with. Brighton Walsh has done it again and given us a great story, sexy times, laughter, and character development. I've said this before but I'll say it again, I'll read anything Brighton writes and this book proves why I'll do so. So go forth and read this!
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Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars!
The best friend’s sister/sister’s best friend romance trope is one of my FAVORITES. And after reading Caged in Winter, I was dying to get my hands on Tessa’s and Jason’s story. Two characters I grew to love in the few scenes they were in during CiW, ones whose happy ending I wanted to read so badly. Because they both deserved that happy ending.
Tessa, who is so strong and selfless and hard-working, a girl who just wants to do right by her daughter. She’s worked extremely hard to become the woman she is now, and she feels like she’s failing. With Cade gone, she’s left on her own and she never realized how much he helped out. And she’s floundering, trying so hard to be the best mother she can be, putting so much pressure and expectations on herself. I loved Tessa’s strength, even when she was struggling. I loved that she kept fighting for more, for herself and her daughter. She’s her own worst enemy, and she’s better than what she thinks of herself, but she doesn’t see that. All she can see is a failure.
But Jason doesn’t see a failure when he looks at her. He sees a woman who had to grow up too fast, one who took control of her life and made something for herself. He can’t say the same for himself. He’s been in school for five years, wasting away his time because he knows that once he graduates, he has to work for his father. And that’s not what he wants. But he won’t let himself want anything else, won’t let himself dream of possibilities. And that almost stops him from losing the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Jason could be so clueless, so narrow-minded, but he had wonderful growth like Tess. He found something worth fighting for, a dream, and two girls who made his life infinitely better.
The romance between the two of them was HOT. Their chemistry is off-the-charts. Jason is a smooth, confident dirty-talker who knows what he wants and is not afraid to go after it. He’s a total Alpha, but one who cares so deeply for Tess and one who just wants to prove himself to her. *fans self* Tessa is more cautious, a little insecure. Her past relationships have given her a less than stellar opinion on sex and romance. She wants a little more for herself, something that she struggles with because how could she think she needs more than her little girl? But she wants love. Someone to share in the load, someone who will hold her at night and play in the snow with Haley. Is it selfish? I say hell no. And Tessa didn’t realize all along that the man who was perfect for them was right there the whole time. I adored reading about them falling in love. It was a passionate, steamy affair that made the two main characters better. In each other, they found a partner, and a love that had a strong foundation built in friendship, mutual respect, and understanding.
I have to say, I’m usually not a fan of kids in books, or main characters who are parents. Not that there is anything wrong with them, not at all. And I KNOW that they are sorely underrepresented in books, especially in NA ones. I’m in this age range, and let me tell you, so many of my fellow high school graduates have kids. It’s extremely common. So I don’t know why I don’t like reading them that much, but maybe it’s because I haven’t read enough good ones (and also could probably be because I don't like kids that much in real life). Being a mom was such an integral part of Tessa’s life and her development as a character. I love how awesome she is to her Haley, how patient and understanding, and you can see how much she loves her little girl. And Haley was such a great secondary character; she’s so freaking adorable. I especially loved the scenes with Jason and her (he dressed up for a tea party for her BRB MELTING FROM SWOONS), or all three of them together. They’re the cutest damn trio.
I also loved the additions of Paige and Adam, and of course, Cade (even though he needed to mind his own business and let Tess live her life the way she wanted to). Paige is the greatest best friend. She’s cool, confident, and so very different from Tessa’s more quiet demeanor. I want this woman to get her own book! GET ON THAT, BRIGHTON. Also, I’ve always loved the bromance between the three guys--Adam, Cade, and Jason. I want more of that, too.
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Incredible writing, amazing character development, and the swooniest of swoony book boyfriends. Brighton Walsh is forever an auto-buy for me!
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Last year I chose Cade as my book boyfriend of the year. As much as I love Cade, this year it's all about his best friend Jason. Holy swoons. That boy is something else. He absolutely took my breath away and I especially loved seeing him interact with Tessa's daughter, Haley. They were precious together and I love how much he cares for her and she for him. Falling for the sibling's best friend is absolutely one of my favorite romance tropes and so I was over the moon reading this one.
Jason and Tessa have known each other since they were kids, but it's only lately that both of them have starting seeing one another in a different light. Sure, Tessa crushed on Jason as a teen, but nothing ever came of it. Jason has always been good-looking and getting girls to fall and swoon all over him is no hardship. With Cade having left for Chicago to pursue his dream as a chef, Tessa finds herself relying on Jason more than she ever thought she would. She's been having trouble adjusting to life without her brother there to help her and raising a four year old by yourself is no walk in the park. My heart ached for Tessa because she feels so defeated when this book begins. She feels like she's failing and that kills her because she is fiercely independent. She loves her daughter unconditionally, but it's been hard finding her own groove.
Jason has been seeking comfort from Tessa and Haley, as his family situation isn't the greatest. His parents are putting the pressure on and have now given him an ultimatum in regards to his future. He knows he shouldn't be entertaining these feelings for Tessa, considering they are for his best friend's sister. Who is very clearly off-limits. Cade was quite the ass to Jason about Tessa and it really bothered me he was being such a jerk when HE was the one that asked Jason to keep an eye out for them while he was away. To be fair, Jason has always been a bit of a player, so I can understand Cade's feelings, as he doesn't want his sister to be hurt again. Cade isn't there to see Jason changing, and as much as Jason knows he shouldn't go after her, he can't help himself. He sees her dating these boring, nice guys who don't spark her to life and as much as he tries to talk himself out of wanting her, he just can't.
I loved Jason and Tessa's chemistry. Whew. Talk about hot! Once these two give in to their attraction to one another, it's explosive. But we knew it would be, especially after the first time he swept her out onto the dance floor at a bar. Walsh did a great job with the build up and I like that she kept their relationship relatively low angst. Sure, there's a bit of a conflict and miscommunication that throws a wrench in their burgeoning relationship, but Jason melted my heart with how he resolved it. He's the perfect complement to Tessa and his love for Haley is just beautiful to witness.
I really liked Paige, Tessa's best friend, and I really hope Walsh is planning to write her story. She's fun, flirty, and has no filter, which I loved about her! She's been hurt before and hasn't let herself settle down, choosing to bounce from guy to guy, but never really finding what she's liking for to fill the void. Personally, I would love to see her with Adam, Cade and Jason's friend.
Overall, this book completely rocked my socks. When I finished reading, there was no contemplation necessary- it was a 5 star read for me. I love Brighton's books so I can't wait to read what she gives us next!
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Last year I read Caged In Winter and in one fell swoop I fell in love with the book and discovered a new great author. I had really high hopes for Tessa Ever After and this book did not disappoint. I would even go as far to say that this is my favorite Brighton book to date. I devoured this story and I fell in love with the characters, the main ones and the secondary ones.
Tessa is an incredible woman and I give her all the credit in the world. I can’t even imagine balancing all of the responsibility she does and I admire her so much for it. She puts her daughter first in everything and it really takes a toll on her when she feels like she can’t keep up anymore. She is so strong and so brave and a wonderful mom.
And then we had Jason who I absolutely adored. Gahh I loved him so much. He fit in so well with Tessa and Hayley. The scenes with him and Hayley absolutely melted my heart… nail polish and hats and feather boas galore. Not only did he fall for Tessa but he fell for Hayley too and that was so important. Both of them were incredibly important to him and they came as a package deal. Hayley had Jason wrapped around her little finger and he loved it.
Now I wanna talk about that little cutie Hayley because she was such a sweetheart and so funny. She stole the show on so many occasions. I will never call lipstick anything other than blipstick again. I also absolutely adored Paige! She was such a great friend to Tessa and I loved that! I always love it when a book portrays a positive and strong female friendship. So many times books use the friendship and twists it and makes drama, but I love when a book shows that a friendship can be just that, a friendship. I think Paige needs a book next. Adam could also use a book… possibly together? *puppy dog eyes*
Tessa Ever After is everything I want from a new adult book but it doesn’t follow the typical formula. It has its own distinct feel and flair to it. Tessa and Jason together are so incredible and I loved them so much. Their chemistry is amazing and I love that they are such good friends as well. They both deserved to finally find this happiness together. And it is even sweeter because it came along when neither one was really expecting it.
All in all, Tessa Ever After was such a great read and I absolutely loved Jason and Tessa. New adult fans, you do not want to miss this series!
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4.25 stars--TESSA EVER AFTER is the second installment in Brighton Walsh’s contemporary, new adult Caged in Winter romance series. This is graduate student Jason Montgomery, and Tessa Maxwell’s storyline. Jason is Cade Maxwell’s best friend; Tessa is Cade’s sister; Cade we met in book one Caged in Winter. Although TESSA EVER AFTER is the second installment in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.
The premise follows the friends to lovers relationship between single mother (to Haley) Tessa Maxwell, and Jason Montgomery. Following Cade’s move to Chicago, Jason became Tessa’s protector and guardian which soon escalated into something more. Jason doesn’t do relationships –he is more of the one night stand variety- and Tessa rarely dates as she is responsible for her five year old daughter. When Jason spies Tessa on one of her rare date nights out, he knows it is time to claim Tessa as his own.
The relationship between Tessa and Jason is one of immediate attraction; there is plenty of sexual chemistry between our leading couple, and the push and pull of ‘do we or don’t we’. Tessa has loved Jason for as long as she can remember but Jason is her big brother’s best friend and Jason considers Tessa off limits. The more Jason insists on friendship, the more their attraction to one another grows but Tessa has watched Jason’s parade of women for years, and in this, she doesn’t want to be another statistic. Our hero Jason has fallen in love with Tessa, and with it comes the love of a five year old girl who likes playing princess and tea parties. Cade’s over protective big brother complex takes over when he threatens Jason if any harm comes to his little sister, but Tessa reassures her brother, that she is no longer the naïve little girl who needs protection. The $ex scenes are intimate and erotic-Jason likes to talk dirty in the bedroom.
The colorful cast of secondary and supporting characters include Tessa’s best friend Paige; Cade and Winter from book one; as well as their mutual friend Adam, whose own life is about to implode. We are introduced to Jason’s parents- a couple whose control over their son’s life matches Jason’s need to escape his ascribed future-there is no fun when your entire life has been mapped out by those in charge.
TESSA EVER AFTER is a delightful and intoxicating storyline. There are moments of heartbreak and misunderstanding; passion and love. Brighton Walsh has the ability to seduce the reader into a compelling and addicting storyline with a happily ever after. The premise is engaging; the characters charismatic and real. If you are a fan of the new adult genre, you will not be disappointed.
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As the ending approached, I wanted to find a way to stop time and keep living inside this book. Everything from the characters and their stories to the writing left me hopelessly addicted and unable to think about anything else once I started. (And long after I finished, too.) This book was chock full o' feels and I'm not sure I can adequately express how much I loved it.
Tessa Ever After truly is the best of new adult. This is one of my top five reads of the year so far, and I'm pretty sure it'll end the year high on that list. I didn't think I could love anyone more than Cade and Winter. I couldn't have been more wrong. In reality, I actually loved Tessa and Jason even more. (Shhh… don't tell… I don't like to play favorites.) I don't know what the plan is for this series, but I hope there's more. Like, maybe a book about Paige and Adam? (hint hint) I think they could be incredible together.
In this book, single mom Tessa is feeling overwhelmed by life. Her brother Cade has left to chase his dreams – and she's happy for him – but she's struggling to raise her daughter Haley without his help. He's always been there for them and she's having a difficult time balancing everything without his help. Tessa's a great mom, but she's feeling the pressure of doing it all on her own. Cade's best friend, Jason, keeps popping in when she needed him most – even if she didn't actually ask for the help.
Jason promised Cade he wouldn't ever pursue his sister, but that's a promise he's finding more and more difficult to keep as he spends time with her and her daughter, Haley. He definitely feels a connection to both of them and it comes through in all his actions. I loved watching things develop between him and Tessa because it felt so real and right. But even more than that, I loved the scenes in which he spent time with Haley. You want to talk about things that will make you melt? OMG. My heart melted and I swooned big time. I swear, I'll never be the same.
I probably don't need to tell you I loved Tessa and Jason together, but I'm going to anyhow. As much as I adored these characters on their own, something special happened when they were together. They had tons of chemistry and a long history of friendship and supporting the other. It was natural that feelings would start to shift into something more than friendship once Cade was no longer there to police them. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Cade, but I think he was wrong in this situation… though I can't entirely fault him for wanting to save his sister from becoming simply a notch on Jason's bedpost. Which is exactly what I think probably would've happened had they tried anything before now. Jason wasn't ready for more before.) I loved watching Tessa, Jason and Haley become a sort of family on their own. I get all smiley just even thinking about it now.
There's not an abundance of angsty drama in this book – something I'm grateful for – but there is a little bit. Jason's family pissed me off from the start, but it only got worse. His mother. Ugh. Without getting spoilery, the biggest situation happens late in the book and it broke my heart (more than) just a little. I knew Jason's motivations were honorable, but Tessa didn't and I hated seeing her hurt. But holy grand gesture. I melt into a puddle just thinking about it… and, of course, I was in tears while reading it. *squees*
Even if you're not a huge new adult fan, you should take a chance on this book this series. You won't be disappointed. If anything, you'll fall in love and be anxiously awaiting the next book as much as I am. I wish I could give it more than five stars.
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We met Tessa, her daughter Haley and Jason in Caged in Winter. Tessa is Cage's sister and Jason is one of Cage's best friends. When Cage and Winter left for a life in Chicago, you might remember that he was concerned about leaving Tessa and Haley behind since they relied on him for a lot of support and help. So, he asked Jason to step in and help. I'm sure you can see where this is going. And, it's every bit as awesome as you would think.
Tessa, Cage and Jason have been friends forever, but Tessa has often wanted to be more than that with Jason. For Jason, these feelings of more are a recent development, but no less real. The problem is... families. Cage isn't too thrilled about his manwhore BFF dating his sister. And, Jason's awful, overbearing and distant parents want nothing more than to make Tessa and Haley into Jason's trophy family in an effort to make them look better.
In addition, Haley is the most important person in Tessa's life, and the person she always has to think of first. Given Jason's noncommittal past, Tessa has a very real concern that if she lets him into hers and Haley's life, and he bails on them when things get too real, that it won't be just Tessa that gets hurt. I get her concern, and I respect it a lot. A little girl wouldn't understand if a man who had become entrenched in her life suddenly just disappeared without a word.
Tessa's lost her way a bit, though. She seems to have forgotten that the key to a happy life isn't just one thing, like stability or money. She's out there looking for what she thinks is the "perfect man" - one who has a good job and a house and a car and a 401K. These guys bore her to tears. They're not Jason. But, she dates them anyway because they fit in her image of the right guy. And, she's really feeling the burden of being a single mom and sees the benefit of having a steady someone in her life to help her out. And, in the process of her overthinking, she misses what's right in front of her.
Jason may be a manwhore, but Tessa seems to have missed the fact that he's been reformed, thanks to her and Haley. Jason, in doing what Cage asked of him and hanging around more to help out, sees all the wonderful qualities in Tessa that most people overlook. And he sees what a joy Haley is to his life, which is otherwise devoid of happiness and light. Jason starts to imagine a life with her in it, and he can't shake that image. It starts a slippery slope of wants and dreams that encourage him to go after what he really wants.
I seriously loved this book. Hard. I think I liked it more than Caged in Winter. Maybe that's because I'm a mom and Tessa is a mom. Maybe it's because there's just something about a big, sexy man who willingly dons a feather boa and has a tea party with a little girl just to see her smile. Yeah - I think that's it. Jason just took my breath away with his sheer awesomeness. They way he cared for Tessa and Haley was the stuff heroes are made of. That and the hard choices he had to make. There is no way you will not finish this book and not love Jason.
Thank goodness for the dual POV. Jason's chapters were my favorite. There was a lot to his thoughts on his relationship with his parents that factored into how he grew up to be the kind of man he is now. It lent a lot to this story. The pacing was perfect. The chemistry was smoking. The ending was all I needed it to be. I need more from Brighton Walsh like this.
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