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I Hate to Stand Alone
The small town I ran away from. The Navy SEAL I'm supposed to hate. If I can get through this summer without falling for the off-limits alpha, I’ll consider myself lucky.
Steamy, intense chemistry … is just one of the things I shouldn’t be feeling for Luke Nelson, soldier turned security agency operative. His brother and I were high school sweethearts, but he broke my heart. Plus, our families hate each other, à la the Hatfields and the McCoys.
I return to Little Fall, Maine, to care for my sick mom. He returns to fulfil his brother’s last wish of reopening their mother’s roller rink. I spent half my childhood at Family Roller ... but never with him.
He was the older bad boy. I was the girl next door. Love was never an option. But now we can’t stop making eyes at each other.
As I reunite with old family and friends, I learn that Little Fall has just as many secrets as my heart. And even if I’m supposed to say no, my intrigue for dreamy, handsome, rugged Luke Nelson is off the charts.
It turns out I might have a second chance after all ... even if it’s with my ex-boyfriend's big brother.
Steamy, intense chemistry … is just one of the things I shouldn’t be feeling for Luke Nelson, soldier turned security agency operative. His brother and I were high school sweethearts, but he broke my heart. Plus, our families hate each other, à la the Hatfields and the McCoys.
I return to Little Fall, Maine, to care for my sick mom. He returns to fulfil his brother’s last wish of reopening their mother’s roller rink. I spent half my childhood at Family Roller ... but never with him.
He was the older bad boy. I was the girl next door. Love was never an option. But now we can’t stop making eyes at each other.
As I reunite with old family and friends, I learn that Little Fall has just as many secrets as my heart. And even if I’m supposed to say no, my intrigue for dreamy, handsome, rugged Luke Nelson is off the charts.
It turns out I might have a second chance after all ... even if it’s with my ex-boyfriend's big brother.
- GenresRomance
399 pages, ebook
Published May 28, 2020
About the author
Casey Winter
1 book21 followersHello beautiful readers!
Thank you so, so much for checking out my books. My name is Casey and I just love to write romance with depth and characters you'll be able to connect with. My current series is called Little Fall, named for the town where it's set, but each book is a complete STANDALONE ... that said, don't expect Luke, Morgan, Hannah, or Penny (and many others) to disappear anytime soon! Little Fall is a town you can get invested in, for sure.
I just want to say I'm so grateful to you for checking out my work, and I hope you enjoy reading my romances as much as I enjoyed writing them (hopefully without less stressing LOL).
I've been writing ever since I was a little kid, sitting at my dad's fireplace in cozy New England winters and penning stories in my Barbie notepad. More recently, I've switched the notepad for a laptop, but I've never fallen out of love with the craft. Now, I live in just plain ol' England with a hunky husband and a Jack Russel named Loki.
I'd really appreciate if you could follow my Amazon author page, as I'm going to be around for a LONG time.
Bye for now! Or, should I say, see you in Little Fall ...
You can email me here at caseywinterauthor@gmail.com
Thank you so, so much for checking out my books. My name is Casey and I just love to write romance with depth and characters you'll be able to connect with. My current series is called Little Fall, named for the town where it's set, but each book is a complete STANDALONE ... that said, don't expect Luke, Morgan, Hannah, or Penny (and many others) to disappear anytime soon! Little Fall is a town you can get invested in, for sure.
I just want to say I'm so grateful to you for checking out my work, and I hope you enjoy reading my romances as much as I enjoyed writing them (hopefully without less stressing LOL).
I've been writing ever since I was a little kid, sitting at my dad's fireplace in cozy New England winters and penning stories in my Barbie notepad. More recently, I've switched the notepad for a laptop, but I've never fallen out of love with the craft. Now, I live in just plain ol' England with a hunky husband and a Jack Russel named Loki.
I'd really appreciate if you could follow my Amazon author page, as I'm going to be around for a LONG time.
Bye for now! Or, should I say, see you in Little Fall ...
You can email me here at caseywinterauthor@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 30, 2020
I simply could not relate to the story. As I started reading, I notice that the scenes skipped from scene to scene. What I mean buy this. That one chapter point wasn’t explained fully, then the next chapter would jump to a day or two later. What the heck?! There were triggers for the lead characters that supports the backdrop to their path,This was not explained in good detail. This was poor. The dialogue spoke as a young adult, verses the mature audience, this made the story not believable.
June 6, 2020
I actually liked this story. Starts with Luke Nelson coming home to reopen the skating rink that his mother used to own, he first must put a lot of work into it. He really does not want to come back to the town he left from so many years ago. His dream was to leave, become a Navy Seal and he did that. He was not expecting to not be Seal.
The home he must deal with the past, mainly his father who is still alive and still dealing with the loss of his wife Luke’s mother. Luke never made it home for his brother's funeral so there is that. Then on top of everything else Hannah who has become a skating champion has returned home also. She is home because her mother has cancer, she wants to help her and spend time with her. She was also Luke’s brother's girlfriend. She is the one who broke his heart. When you get into the story you find out what really happened and it is the other way around.
She is torn as is Luke because both are attracted to each other, yet their families don’t like each other which neither knows why. She likes that he is opening the rink back up but he only does that he does not advertise. So, they continue to argue and makeup.
Once you get into the story all of the different characters from town help make the story move along. You find out what the problem is between his father and her mother. You find out who is doing destruction to the rink and why which was a surprise to me. You also find out that the two of them start to heal from their past. It takes coming home to begin the healing process.
This was a very good story and kept me entertained all the way through the book. I liked all of the different characters. I also liked how the author would have the two main characters not talk to each other at times for days or even weeks. This just added to the story for me. Overall a very good book. I received this from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
The home he must deal with the past, mainly his father who is still alive and still dealing with the loss of his wife Luke’s mother. Luke never made it home for his brother's funeral so there is that. Then on top of everything else Hannah who has become a skating champion has returned home also. She is home because her mother has cancer, she wants to help her and spend time with her. She was also Luke’s brother's girlfriend. She is the one who broke his heart. When you get into the story you find out what really happened and it is the other way around.
She is torn as is Luke because both are attracted to each other, yet their families don’t like each other which neither knows why. She likes that he is opening the rink back up but he only does that he does not advertise. So, they continue to argue and makeup.
Once you get into the story all of the different characters from town help make the story move along. You find out what the problem is between his father and her mother. You find out who is doing destruction to the rink and why which was a surprise to me. You also find out that the two of them start to heal from their past. It takes coming home to begin the healing process.
This was a very good story and kept me entertained all the way through the book. I liked all of the different characters. I also liked how the author would have the two main characters not talk to each other at times for days or even weeks. This just added to the story for me. Overall a very good book. I received this from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
June 15, 2020
Loved the Skating!
I'm not normally one to pick up an enemies-to-lovers or SEAL romance, but when I saw this book at one of my favorite book review sites, I was intrigued by the idea of roller skating and the reopening of a roller rink. Back in the day when those were popular when I was a preteen and young teen, I spent a fair amount of time at the local roller rink, taking lessons and even earning a few bronze medals. Such a blast from the past! The author did a good job of distinguishing the voices of the alternating perspectives of the hero and heroine. The hero sounds like the tough Navy SEAL he was; his constant awareness of people and his surroundings seems accurate to the military types I know. The heroine's voice, while distinct from the hero’s, didn't come across quite right to me for a 26-year-old. She seems to talk and at times act like a teenager, not a grown woman. I found it a little jarring and unrealistic. I don't quite understand why their families, which had been friendly while they grew up, were now enemies. It seems a little silly. I did enjoy the skating and roller rink aspects of this story a lot. They always made me smile. The book is a proper novel and quite a long one. It seems like authors are choosing to put out more novellas these days more often, so being actually able to dig into a longer novel that still had good pacing and flow felt like a treat. All in all, despite some of my issues with the heroine, I found this to be an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
I'm not normally one to pick up an enemies-to-lovers or SEAL romance, but when I saw this book at one of my favorite book review sites, I was intrigued by the idea of roller skating and the reopening of a roller rink. Back in the day when those were popular when I was a preteen and young teen, I spent a fair amount of time at the local roller rink, taking lessons and even earning a few bronze medals. Such a blast from the past! The author did a good job of distinguishing the voices of the alternating perspectives of the hero and heroine. The hero sounds like the tough Navy SEAL he was; his constant awareness of people and his surroundings seems accurate to the military types I know. The heroine's voice, while distinct from the hero’s, didn't come across quite right to me for a 26-year-old. She seems to talk and at times act like a teenager, not a grown woman. I found it a little jarring and unrealistic. I don't quite understand why their families, which had been friendly while they grew up, were now enemies. It seems a little silly. I did enjoy the skating and roller rink aspects of this story a lot. They always made me smile. The book is a proper novel and quite a long one. It seems like authors are choosing to put out more novellas these days more often, so being actually able to dig into a longer novel that still had good pacing and flow felt like a treat. All in all, despite some of my issues with the heroine, I found this to be an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
July 3, 2020
I got this book through NetGalley. I haven't read any book by Casey Winter until this one but I would really like to continue learning about what happens in the town of Little Fall.
I loved the story between Luke and Hannah. How they are meant to hate each other but at the same time can´t help but feel the opposite. The way their relationship develops, showing both points of view and helping the reader to understand both characters deeply it's something I really value when reading a story. There is a lot of bantering and teasing as both characters try to understand what's happening between them while they "try" to forget about the past. But will they ever forget?
Luke is a SEAL who goes back to his hometown to fulfill his little brother's last will. He is dark, angry and broken. When he sees Hannah (his brother ex-girlfriend) he knows he needs to hate her, because she broke his brother's heart. But that's not how Hannah remembers the story. She may look bright and happy, but she is also a little bit broken in the inside.
The fact that I am not giving this book more stars (but I do recommend it!) is because there are some sentences that are repeated over and over again. I am paying attention when I read so I do not need to be reminded of (obvious) facts any time a deep conversation develops or when they try to describe a character. Maybe some people like this, but for me it just feels that I am having deja vu over deja vu. That's my reason. However, as I said, the story is pretty good!
I loved the story between Luke and Hannah. How they are meant to hate each other but at the same time can´t help but feel the opposite. The way their relationship develops, showing both points of view and helping the reader to understand both characters deeply it's something I really value when reading a story. There is a lot of bantering and teasing as both characters try to understand what's happening between them while they "try" to forget about the past. But will they ever forget?
Luke is a SEAL who goes back to his hometown to fulfill his little brother's last will. He is dark, angry and broken. When he sees Hannah (his brother ex-girlfriend) he knows he needs to hate her, because she broke his brother's heart. But that's not how Hannah remembers the story. She may look bright and happy, but she is also a little bit broken in the inside.
The fact that I am not giving this book more stars (but I do recommend it!) is because there are some sentences that are repeated over and over again. I am paying attention when I read so I do not need to be reminded of (obvious) facts any time a deep conversation develops or when they try to describe a character. Maybe some people like this, but for me it just feels that I am having deja vu over deja vu. That's my reason. However, as I said, the story is pretty good!
June 1, 2020
I'm not saying it's easy, but I'm not saying it's impossible, either.
Hannah was Noah's girl. Until she wasn't. She never told anyone what happened between them (it's heartbreaking!). She left town. He left town. He's killed by Somali pirates, then his mother dies in a tragic car accident. Their families were friends for years, but now his father hates her mother. Noah's brother, Luke, comes back to town to fulfill Noah's last wish - to re-open the local roller rink. Hannah comes back to town to help her mother, who's battling cancer. Luke and Hannah hate each other. That's what they say. Their actions begin to say something else. I just loved this book - a first read from this author. Luke and Hannah are both struggling with the idea of "something" between them, for different reasons, involving Noah's memory and past actions, and their parents' hatred of each other. I did enjoy the journey, rooting for them every step of the way. I love their nicknames - Twinkle toes and Frogman, initially given in a negative context; they continue to use them, though, in an even more loving manner later in the book. The book is long - this is not so much a criticism as just a statement. It took a while to read, but the story never dragged, it flowed nicely, and I quite enjoyed it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Hannah was Noah's girl. Until she wasn't. She never told anyone what happened between them (it's heartbreaking!). She left town. He left town. He's killed by Somali pirates, then his mother dies in a tragic car accident. Their families were friends for years, but now his father hates her mother. Noah's brother, Luke, comes back to town to fulfill Noah's last wish - to re-open the local roller rink. Hannah comes back to town to help her mother, who's battling cancer. Luke and Hannah hate each other. That's what they say. Their actions begin to say something else. I just loved this book - a first read from this author. Luke and Hannah are both struggling with the idea of "something" between them, for different reasons, involving Noah's memory and past actions, and their parents' hatred of each other. I did enjoy the journey, rooting for them every step of the way. I love their nicknames - Twinkle toes and Frogman, initially given in a negative context; they continue to use them, though, in an even more loving manner later in the book. The book is long - this is not so much a criticism as just a statement. It took a while to read, but the story never dragged, it flowed nicely, and I quite enjoyed it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 14, 2020
This isn't a bad little romance, but I wasn't swept away with it either. Set in the town of Little Fall, a town that our two leads have both left years ago, this story is an enemies to lovers book. Although Hannah and Luke don't really know each other, there are enough problems between their two families to make them think that avoiding each other might be for the best. It's just a shame that the intense chemistry between them stops them from doing just that. The more they try to stay away, the stronger the need to be together becomes.
As I mentioned, I neither loved nor hated this one. There were aspects of it that I enjoyed and then others that just didn't gel for me. The dialogue at times seemed quite forced and just didn't flow. I also didn't fully buy into their reasons for disliking one another. It was almost as though there was something missing here a little extra polish that might have put this story into the really good category.
This is the first in a series and I can see where we're going to go next. Although this one fell a little short for me, I'd certainly be keen to read the next and see what happens to some of the other characters that we've met.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
As I mentioned, I neither loved nor hated this one. There were aspects of it that I enjoyed and then others that just didn't gel for me. The dialogue at times seemed quite forced and just didn't flow. I also didn't fully buy into their reasons for disliking one another. It was almost as though there was something missing here a little extra polish that might have put this story into the really good category.
This is the first in a series and I can see where we're going to go next. Although this one fell a little short for me, I'd certainly be keen to read the next and see what happens to some of the other characters that we've met.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 31, 2020
Solid 3.5 star
This book is full of heartache, regrets, second chances, secrets and an attraction that can't be stopped. I really liked the main characters Hannah and Luke but I felt Hannah was a little harder to connect to as I didn't feel I still really had a grasp on her career and the fact her manager was happy for her to just do whatever? The supporting characters helped balance the story and get a real feel of the loathing between the Hatfields and the McCoys along with bringing out Hannah and Luke's characters more. I will say do beware of the time jumps between chapters as they did irk me at times as you expect to see what happens next, but it jumps to the following day or days later and it makes you feel like the chapter was cut short. In saying that I can not wait for the next in the series to see what happens between Penny and Morgan (does a child like happy dance) as I just fell in love with sweet Penny!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is full of heartache, regrets, second chances, secrets and an attraction that can't be stopped. I really liked the main characters Hannah and Luke but I felt Hannah was a little harder to connect to as I didn't feel I still really had a grasp on her career and the fact her manager was happy for her to just do whatever? The supporting characters helped balance the story and get a real feel of the loathing between the Hatfields and the McCoys along with bringing out Hannah and Luke's characters more. I will say do beware of the time jumps between chapters as they did irk me at times as you expect to see what happens next, but it jumps to the following day or days later and it makes you feel like the chapter was cut short. In saying that I can not wait for the next in the series to see what happens between Penny and Morgan (does a child like happy dance) as I just fell in love with sweet Penny!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 24, 2020
"I Hate to Stand Alone" was my first enemies to lovers contemporary novel that I've ever read. In that regard, I was excited to read this and was not disappointed in the beginning. The story grabbed me but as I read on, there were parts that I enjoyed and even more parts that I felt "meh" about. I think this was due to the lack of tension that I felt throughout the story. The author has events that are supposed to create tension but I did not feel the weight in any of these scenarios. I read on because I wanted to finish to know what happened at the end. It was a sweet ending but one that didn't feel all that satisfying either. Also, I'm quite confused with the cover of the book. Maybe it's not the author's fault but the female MC is Latina with dark hair and the woman on the cover looks nothing like that.
Overall, it was an okay story.
Overall, it was an okay story.
June 2, 2020
I volunteered to read this ARC for an honest review. I loved this story about Hannah and Luke. They are neighbors growing up, he's Noah's older brother. But he leaves for the Navy and Noah breaks her heart. Now he's retired from the Seal's and taking time off from his security job to fulfill Noah's last wish, to reopen their mom's roller rink. Hannah comes home to help her mom deal with her chemo. But when she sees Luke across the street the hate and anger return. But they forge a relationship from hate to more. Definitely not smooth sailing. Arson, burglary, fights and night terrors force them to face their fears together. Great HEA in the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 14, 2020
⭐Review⭐
Bad boy ✅
Small town romance✅
Steamy scenes✅
Love-hate relationship✅
Ex-SEAL ✅
Quirky friend✅
Jerk turned soft✅
Sassy Protagonist ✅
If you are looking for any of the above, this books is definitely for you. It was really good and had me hooked from the start. I adored Luke and Hannah. Their banter and chemistry was off the charts. I can't wait to get my hands on the second one😊
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam:🔥🔥🔥.5
Romance:💙💙💙.5
Bad boy ✅
Small town romance✅
Steamy scenes✅
Love-hate relationship✅
Ex-SEAL ✅
Quirky friend✅
Jerk turned soft✅
Sassy Protagonist ✅
If you are looking for any of the above, this books is definitely for you. It was really good and had me hooked from the start. I adored Luke and Hannah. Their banter and chemistry was off the charts. I can't wait to get my hands on the second one😊
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam:🔥🔥🔥.5
Romance:💙💙💙.5
June 22, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Casey Winter for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I really wanted to like this one. Sold as an enemies- to- lovers trope (my favorite) I was excited to dive in. Right off the bat the word “growling” was written three times on one page. It’s very cringey once, but that many times on one page and I instantly disliked the book. The writing just felt too immature and cliche. Unfortunately this one landed on my DNF bookshelf.
I really wanted to like this one. Sold as an enemies- to- lovers trope (my favorite) I was excited to dive in. Right off the bat the word “growling” was written three times on one page. It’s very cringey once, but that many times on one page and I instantly disliked the book. The writing just felt too immature and cliche. Unfortunately this one landed on my DNF bookshelf.
May 31, 2020
Obvious plot. Love scenes weren't written very well, and the wording felt awkward (I've never seen the word mentioned so many times). Didn't like how the ex's character ends up being portrayed.
1.5 stars, rounded up to 2 as I waffled between not liking it and thinking it was okay.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
1.5 stars, rounded up to 2 as I waffled between not liking it and thinking it was okay.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2020
The story line and character work were good. The book had a fairly smooth flow to it. While I enjoyed the book, I was unable to relate to the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 2, 2020
This book wasn't my fave. I neither liked nor disliked it. It missed the mark for me. It was a smooth read, but awkward at times. I did not relate to the characters at all.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2020
Nice cover and I love the enemies-to-lovers trope. Overall it was just OK for me.
June 4, 2020
2 stars
Enemies to loves is a stretch. Couldn't get into the book when I learned the reason he hated here. It is a big no no for me.
Enemies to loves is a stretch. Couldn't get into the book when I learned the reason he hated here. It is a big no no for me.
October 23, 2020
This was an ok story. The plot was fairly basic. The characters were ok. I hadn’t read this author before, so there weren’t any expectations.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
November 1, 2020
Luke torna nella sua città natale per volere del testamento di suo fratello. Riapre l'attività di famiglia, ma non si aspetta di trovare l'ex ragazza di suo fratello. Hannah torna a casa per aiutare la madre malata di cancro, ma anche lei non si aspetta di trovare lì la sua cotta adolescenziale.
I due non sanno bene come comportarsi perché i segreti e le varie situazioni con i rispettivi genitori, che si odiano, si fanno sentire.
I due come faranno a non farsi sopraffare dalle emozioni e vivere appieno la loro storia appena nata?
La narrazione di questo libro non è per niente fluida! La scrittrice salta molte parti importanti che potrebbero aiutare il lettore a capire meglio le situazioni. I due personaggi principali sono descritti benissimo, Però molte situazioni sono banalissime e questioni importanti vengono trattate molto su superficialmente.
La cosa che mi pare abbastanza brutta è che molte situazioni che potrebbero dare un contesto più valido vengono risolte In pochissime pagine non hai problematiche pesanti Non hai un dramma eccessivo è un libro molto banale e a tratti noioso.
I miei 3 punti di questo libro Le metto solo perché le scene tra la protagonista femminile e sua madre sono molto belle e si vede che il rapporto che hanno è molto intenso. Quelle invece tra il protagonista maschile e suo padre sono superficiali, non hanno alcun spessore e diciamo che sono sorvolate.
Avrei avuto piacere di leggere Magari uno o due capitoli in cui si ha anche la visione di Noah e del suo punto di vista che spiega il perché delle sue azioni, che trovo abominevoli, invece di dare la colpa alla protagonista femminile che ha sofferto in quella precisa situazione, che non posso raccontare perché è uno spoiler gigante quanto una casa.
Non posso dire altro perché è tutto questo libro si basa su due segreti che vengono raccontati alla fine di questo libro e sono spoiler!
I due non sanno bene come comportarsi perché i segreti e le varie situazioni con i rispettivi genitori, che si odiano, si fanno sentire.
I due come faranno a non farsi sopraffare dalle emozioni e vivere appieno la loro storia appena nata?
La narrazione di questo libro non è per niente fluida! La scrittrice salta molte parti importanti che potrebbero aiutare il lettore a capire meglio le situazioni. I due personaggi principali sono descritti benissimo, Però molte situazioni sono banalissime e questioni importanti vengono trattate molto su superficialmente.
La cosa che mi pare abbastanza brutta è che molte situazioni che potrebbero dare un contesto più valido vengono risolte In pochissime pagine non hai problematiche pesanti Non hai un dramma eccessivo è un libro molto banale e a tratti noioso.
I miei 3 punti di questo libro Le metto solo perché le scene tra la protagonista femminile e sua madre sono molto belle e si vede che il rapporto che hanno è molto intenso. Quelle invece tra il protagonista maschile e suo padre sono superficiali, non hanno alcun spessore e diciamo che sono sorvolate.
Avrei avuto piacere di leggere Magari uno o due capitoli in cui si ha anche la visione di Noah e del suo punto di vista che spiega il perché delle sue azioni, che trovo abominevoli, invece di dare la colpa alla protagonista femminile che ha sofferto in quella precisa situazione, che non posso raccontare perché è uno spoiler gigante quanto una casa.
Non posso dire altro perché è tutto questo libro si basa su due segreti che vengono raccontati alla fine di questo libro e sono spoiler!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews