Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Everything He Couldn’t, by Harlow James

Release Date: September 1
One of my favorite songs growing up was Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield.
Ironically enough, I never realized I’d be living out those lyrics in my own life when I fell for my best friend’s girl—and then my best friend, John Schmitt, died.
Add on the fact that she was pregnant with his child and that I’d been harboring feelings for Evelyn months before all of this happened, and well, now?
Now the lyrics to that song don’t sound so bad anymore.
The worst part is, I’m the one to blame for his death which made facing her an even harder pill to swallow, so what did I do? Pretend like she didn’t exist anymore, even though it was virtually impossible because she was everywhere in our small town of Newberry Springs.
Flashforward six months and suddenly Evelyn finds herself in a legal battle she never saw coming, and I can’t just stand by any longer and pretend like my heart isn’t in shambles.
So I suggest the unthinkable.
I offer to marry her, help her prove that she’s a fit mother and her daughter is being raised well despite John not being in the picture.
But Evelyn doesn’t know that being near her gets my blood pumping, even more so after avoiding her for months.
She doesn’t understand that doing this favor for her is a way for me to gain retribution for John’s death and take a chance to find out if she can reciprocate my feelings.
And she doesn’t get that by being there for her and loving her and her daughter that I’m doing everything that my best friend couldn’t.

Grab Your Copy Here!
Available in KU
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Harlow James is a new-to-me author and I loved the tale of unrequited love and trauma bonding between Walker and Evelyn in Everything He Couldn’t.

Walker is most definitely a swoony hero, and he was so patient and understanding with Evelyn and her hangups in their fake marriage following the death of his best friend/her babydaddy. They worked together so well as friends and as husband and wife, and he was so supportive of her every step of the way in both the custody case with John’s parents and the estrangement with her own parents. Walker definitely has his own baggage surrounding John’s death, but Evelyn and sweet little Kaydence bring him out of his funk, just as he becomes someone solid and steady that Evelyn can depend on for the first time in her life.

I will definitely be checking out more of this series! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Harlow James

Steamy Romance Author

 

Harlow James is a pen name I use to protect my identity as a high school teacher. Keeping those two roles in my life separate is necessary, but also fun! It’s like a live two lives, and anonymity gives me the opportunity to be bold and take risks in my stories.

 

I stumbled upon romance novels in 2018 when I picked up Driven by Kristy Bromberg, and I was obsessed. I had just lost my grandmother too, so reading offered me an escape from reality and a chance to grieve on my own terms.

 

About a year later, I got an idea for my own book and started writing. I researched self-publishing and jumped in with both feet. I had no idea what I was doing!

 

But now I’ve built a business and hobby that I LOVE! I have an outlet that’s just for me. When I write, I’m not a mom, a wife, or a teacher…I’m a woman who gets to tell stories that no one else can.

 

My books are the perfect blend of heartwarming moments, full-bellied laughs, and PLENTY of steam to melt your Kindles 😉And there are always elements of me sprinkled in to every character and story that I write.

 

When I’m not writing you can find me reading or spending time in my kitchen. I love to cook and feed my family and friends. Otherwise, you can find me watching comedy specials with my husband, camping with our kids, or taking naps. I live for naps 😉

To learn more about Harlow and her books, visit here
 
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