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BOOKWORM REVIEW: You Didn't Know Me Then by Lily Baines


RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
STEAM: 🔥🔥

This was an incredibly sweet book that had me swooning.

Hope Hays is just socially awkward, especially when it comes to talking with men. She rambles and leans into her favorite subject -- chemistry -- when she finds herself in one-on-one conversations with the opposite sex. She is mortified when her tendency to insert her foot into her mouth happened at a wedding reception with the local bartender. Even worse, it was witnessed by Jordan Delaney. 

Jordan is seeking refuge at Riviera View until a potential scandal blows over in DC where he works as a political advisor. He hasn't quite disclosed the true reason he's back in his hometown, using his sister's wedding as an excuse for an extended vacation. What he did not count on is meeting and being drawn to the quirky chemistry teacher and her two young daughters.

The book started a little slow, but trust me: keep going and it will be worth it. Jordan is incredibly dreamy, not just in looks but in the way he engages with Hope and her kids. Despite being opposite in personalities, their contrast complements each other. 

As someone who grew up feeling out of place, I related the most to Hannah, Hope's nine-year-old, and I adored how Jordan helped her feel at ease with who she is. 

Their chemistry is undeniable. Even at the bar as Hope rambles on, there is a tiny sizzle that just grows as they continue to interact with each other. That slow burn eventually ignites into a super-hot fire in the bedroom. 

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Lily Baines and Give Me Books Promotions for providing an ARC.**

ABOUT THE BOOK 

Chemistry pulls them together. Falling in love might tear them apart.

Hope Hays, a divorced mother of two, has decided it’s finally time to test the waters in the dating world. Her first excruciating attempt at flirting combusts—the failed experiment even more humiliating as it is witnessed by a handsome stranger.

Political advisor Jordan Delaney swam with D.C. sharks until he bled. Now licking his wounds in his hometown, he is reluctantly intrigued by the quirky redhead chatting up a bartender with obscure chemistry facts.

In this small-town meetings are unavoidable and Jordan finds Hope’s awkward sincerity refreshing after the poker faces of politics. He falls for her the more he knows her, fearing she’d like him less if she knew him more. Hope falls for the man who makes her feel seen even though she’s certain someone like him would never want a single mother’s unglamorous life.

Their undeniable chemistry is an inflammable combination, but her scars and a secret from his past threaten to burn them both down. 

'You Didn't Know Me Then' is perfect for readers who love small-town, slow-burn romance, opposites attract, a relatable, everyday heroine, and the gorgeous man (inside and out!) who falls for her. It's book 2 in the Riviera View series but can be read as a standalone. 

 

Get Your Copy
US: https://amzn.to/3HNAkAt
UK: https://amzn.to/3Jm4YkI
CA: https://amzn.to/3HOuHC4
AU: https://amzn.to/3HMcK72


MEET LILY BAINES

Lily Baines is a mother, wife, and author (not always in this order). For 20 years she worked in Human Resources but kept writing to maintain her sanity and flow of creative juices. For the last 3 years Lily is dedicating her time to her 3 children, husband, family dog, bottomless laundry basket, full kitchen sink, and her writing. Her first book was published in 2020. This is her 6th book.

Connect with Lily
Website: https://www.lilybaines.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilybainesauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lily_baines_author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilybaines10
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20181609.Lily_Baines
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lily-baines
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lily-Baines/e/B086H3L8H8
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