Book Review – Ready For You by J.L. Berg with signed giveaway

Ready for You by J.L. Berg

Contemporary Romance. 3rd in the Ready Series of stand alones.

Ready for You is the third book in The Ready Series by JL Berg, a series I have absolutely loved from the start. Emotional and hot, JL Berg sure knows how to write a good story. Her characters are so well developed that you can’t help but feel the feelings the characters feel. If you haven’t read When You’re Ready and Never Been Ready, they are absolute favorites of mine and I highly recommend them. But they aren’t necessary to read before Ready for You.

We met Garrett in the previous two books, but we didn’t know much about him except that he completely buried himself in his work and had no social life. We get a glimpse that it may be because of his ex, Mia, but we don’t know the details. Ready For You is Garrett and Mia’s story.

Garrett and Mia were high school sweethearts. More than the typical high school couple, they were for keeps, and even got engaged at graduation. Until Mia just up and left, only leaving a note. 8 years later, Garrett still refuses to have a life, still dreaming about the woman who ran away all those years ago.

“Mia wasn’t some teenage crush. She was the one, and I’d spent my entire adult life trying to convince my heart otherwise–without any luck.” 

Mia spent eight years punishing herself for decisions she made and blamed herself for when she was but a child.

“I briefly touched the spot on my left hand, now ringless and empty. “I didn’t change my mind about him.”
“Then why did you run?”
“I didn’t deserve him.”
I still didn’t.

8 years later, and Mia is running from her life again. But this time, she runs back home. And for the first time in 8 years, she bumps into Garrett again. This time he is all man, and she is all woman. The physical attraction is there, stronger than ever, but the issues are big. Can he ever trust her again? Can she let go of the self punishment and let him love her?

“Despite the fact that I blamed her for the hell of my existence, I still craved her like no other. I was at war with my own emotions and I had no idea which side would eventually win.”-Garrett

“What had I done to this man? Had I really thought this would be better? No answers, no closure had turned into just anger and lost hopes. I’d done this.
It was just another reason he deserved so much more. ~Mia

Though J.L. Berg writes stories with a shit ton of emotions (bring tissues!) you may want to have tissues on hand for ahem…other reasons too.

“Tell me who you want, Mia,” he demanded as his fingers danced across my clit.”

“Now ride my face, Mia”

“You want me to fuck you on the counter Mia?”
“Then tell me,” I demanded.

I loved this second chance at love story. I loved seeing Garrett come to life again. I loved seeing the characters from the previous stories, and Leah again provided comedy relief. I loved Mia’s best friend Liv. But I never fell completely in love with Mia. I didn’t understand her reasoning for staying away so long and for wanting to keep pushing him away. I liked her, but I was missing the full-on love I have felt for JL’s other female leads. I did, however, love Garrett. Mmmmm, alpha controlling Garrett was hot.

Likes:

• I love second chance love stories.
• Seeing Garrett come to life again.
• Visiting with the characters from the first two books.
• I really liked Mia’s BFF Liv (I think her book is coming!)
• That it took time for the couple to find their way back.
• I liked the pacing of the story. There was no rushing.
• Watching Garrett heal.
• Hot alpha sex.
• Story is told from both Mia and Garrett’s POV with flashbacks and it flowed well. There was rarely a time that I wasn’t sure who I was reading.

Dislikes:

• I never fully understood Mia’s reason fro leaving and staying away so long and it bothered me that she couldn’t forgive her young self.
• It almost felt like the author changed something at the last minute to take the more socially acceptable route, which I actually completely understand with the way things are with bullies and such, I just wish the riskier path were taken. I would have understood and appreciated Mia’s plight more.

Rating: 4.25 Stars 4.25 heat

Because I am comparing Ready for You to the other two in the series, I lowered the star rating a little. As much as I loved it, it wasn’t my favorite of the series. JL’s writing was amazing, her characters are real and relatable and her guys are totally swoon worthy. Part of my love for this series stems from the fact that all of the characters are older. This is the youngest couple, and it had a little more of a New Adult feel because of the flashbacks. I also just never fully understood Mia’s guilt and thoughts that she didn’t deserve Garrett. Still, this was another wonderful read from JL Berg that I totally recommend, and I can’t wait for more from her.

“I love you, Mia. I loved you when we were barely old enough to know what true love was. I loved you when you left me, and I’ve loved you every day since. No matter what happens in our lives, that will be the one constant. I will always love you.”~Garrett

Purchase Ready for You by JL Berg

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | BN.com

Covers click to Amazon

See my review for When You’re Ready (One of my top reads of 2013)See my review for Never Been Ready (One of my tops picks so far this year)a Rafflecopter giveaway