Here we go again, Kylie Scott gives us another incredibly rocking story with lots of heat, sizzling romance, awesome characters, and an appealing story that will make you laugh and sigh dramatically!

In this AMAZING second book in Miss Scott's Dive Bar series, we get one smoking hot bearded man that melted my heart and made my panties damp! I absolutely SWOONED with this sexy sweet man! The way he took care of Alex after the very first awkward meeting was so dreamy and sweet and the way both Alex and Joe start falling for each other as the book progresses made this romance lover VERY happy. This story was and is a masterpiece and Miss Scott just knows what us readers like and want and delivers...Every. Single. Time.

Twist gets a SWOON WORTHY FIVE SHOOTING STARS! If you like, sexy, sweet, charming, bearded men, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE Twist!

I really loved Dirty and had high hopes for the next instalment in the Dive Bar series but whilst I enjoyed Twist, it didn’t have as big an impact on me as its predecessor. I did, however, love Joe. For such a larger than life character, he was also a very sweet man.

The start of the book was intriguing as Eric and Joe come face to face with Alex Parks, the girl Joe has been emailing after logging onto his brother’s online dating profile, and from the first couple of pages, the story looked set for an explosive read.

Whilst the connection and developing story between Joe and Alex was fun and easy to read, it also felt very safe and despite the background drama between Joe and Alex, it wasn’t until later in the book that the story really took hold. There are emotional highs and lows in this book and also a healthy dose of good old communication issues between Joe and Alex. What I did find slightly tedious and unnecessary, especially given my loathing for text in italics, was the email history between Eric (or Joe) that was inserted throughout the book and after a few messages, I did find myself skimming over them.

When Joe and Alex do come together, they share a delightful connection and their time together was really sweet, especially with how Joe and Alex perceive sex so differently.

Alex was a really fun character, though. She was quirky and extremely direct when expressing her opinions. This made her encounters with Joe even more entertaining. With Joe’s easy going personality and desire not to rock the boat where his family are concerned to Alex’s need to hide herself away from the real world, they turn to each other to change their respective outlooks on life.

Eric’s book is up next and whilst he didn’t do anything to endear himself to readers in Twist, until your heart breaks for him near to the end of the book, I’m sure he will turn out to be a complex but enjoyable character especially when we get to see him tamed by a good woman!

4.5 stars- fun, flirty, and some switch ups to the norm

Twist is a great follow-up to Dirty, but can certainly be read as a standalone. Once again, Miss Scott delivers likable, real characters with Joe and Alex. The writing flows and the pacing is steady throughout, but it’s written in a light-hearted, causal manner that makes for a fast read. Of course, there’s a large dose of humor and fantastic dialogue that brings the story to life and left me smiling throughout the book.

I found the characters and their relationship a bit atypical for contemporary m/f romances and those details really made Twist really stand out. The couple connects somewhat accidentally via a dating site, but their physical distance makes them more online pen pals at the start. Having an established relationship prior to meeting allowed their romance to move along quickly without it feeling unbelievable or relying on instalove. Joe and Alex had good chemistry from the outset, and there were definitely some steamy scenes throughout Twist. However, there wasn’t an immediate physical lust fueling this pairing and that made it different to see play out. I found it actually validated their relationship early on. In another departure from the stereotypical romance hero and heroine, both Joe and Alex have quieter dispositions. They are happy to keep to themselves or fade into the background around those more boisterous personalities. Although having one subdued character isn’t uncommon, in my experience it’s less likely to see two. This created an interesting and new dynamic for me as an avid romance reader. I enjoyed how they lit each other up. That spark came through very clearly to the reader and showcased their feelings well. I also liked that Alex owned her sexual experiences. She wasn’t promiscuous by any stretch, but she also wasn’t waiting for true love to sweep her away. It’s always nice when a heroine isn’t the stereotypical inexperienced partner in a relationship. When added to her and Joe’s other character attributes, as well as aspects of their relationship, Twist really stood out among the sea of contemporary romances.

I think fans of Dive Bar or Stage Dive will be happy with this newest installment. Not only does it deliver the type of romance I’ve come to expect from this author, but it stepped away from the norms a bit. With Nell and Pat’s subplot getting a good chunk of time and resolution, some cameos from Stage Dive favorites, and a check-in with Vaughan and Lydia from Dirty, Twist had all the ingredients to make this an enjoyable and easy read. The book ends with just enough insight into another side of Eric, leaving me eager to see what the final novel in the series will bring to the table.

Alex has been emailing Eric for a while now; they met on a dating website and quickly started talking regularly, though they've never met in person. When Eric suddenly stops answering her, she decides to head out to his home town and surprise him on his birthday. But the surprise is all on her when she walks into the Dive Bar. It is Eric's birthday -- but the Eric from the dating profile, the Eric standing in front of her looking so confused and mistaking her for a previous hook-up, is not the Eric she's been talking to. Instead, she finds out, in front of all these strangers, that she's actually been talking to Eric's older brother, Joe. Joe, who is nothing like the sort of men Alex is attracted to . . . yet the two of them fit so well together in email. Can she get past the fact that he lied to her like that and continue what they started?



For me, the start for Twist was a bit slower than what I experienced with Dirty. It wasn't snail-pace slow or anything so drastic, but I did feel like it was dragging *just a bit* compared to the fun start that I so enjoyed with book 1. However as the story went on, I did feel like I still got Scott's usual humor and fun here, so I was still quite happy as things picked up.


I did have a few moments where a joke or phrase sounded familiar, like I had read it in a previous Scott novel. I'm not sure if it was actually a repeat or if it's just the way her writing voice is? It wasn't a big deal, but it gave me brief pause once or twice before I moved on. Related, there was one scene where I felt like the joke was a bit exaggerated and became more annoying than anything else. It's while Vaughn is on stage singing 80's love ballads and there's a table with a teenage boy and his parents; the teenager can't stand the singing, and starts pretending like he'd rather die than listen to it -- stabbing himself with a fork, pretend sawing his throat with a knife, hitting his head on the table, etc. Now, if just one of those had been mentioned, it would have been okay; by that, I mean clearly the reader would get the point -- in typical teen boy fashion, he doesn't want to listen to lovey-dovey shit. But in the span of a few pages, Alex takes note of all the things he does to show his feelings about the music and it felt like overkill. Even more so since apparently the parents didn't notice any of it, nor did anyone else in the bar, just Alex. Again, not a huge problem, but something that stood out for me anyway.



Now Scott's books are always written 1st POV from the heroine only. I have nothing against 1st POV but I do prefer if it alternates between both character's POV. Even though her books are only from the heroine's perspective, I've usually felt like I still had a good idea about the hero, who he is and why he does things. But for some reason, I felt like I didn't get much about Joe here. I was left wanting his POV more than I have previous heroes. For example, I think of Mal's book (Play -- probably my favorite) and his character comes across on page really strongly even without directly getting his perspective. In comparison, Joe's character fell short for me in that way.



Scott definitely has the rom-com feel to her books. This is true with Twist, but there was quite the emotional turn that I wasn't expecting. It hit me out of nowhere and definitely changed things for many of the characters (more so supporting characters than Alex and Joe directly -- no spoilers, I promise). Again, it's not that I didn't like this turn, I just didn't see it coming.



But, like I said, there's still plenty of fun and snark, so it's not like it's a heavy or overly angsty read. In the end, I think the heavier emotions were balanced out by the lighter fluff.


Scott does sex scenes well and I don't have any complaints here. These two have chemistry. I enjoyed watching Alex try to deal with intimacy with Joe; she's very much against emotions and anything beyond a quick, mutual hook up, while he wants to fuck her rough just as much as he wants to slow it down and maintain eye contact. She doesn't know how to deal with the latter and tries her hardest to turn him back to hard, somewhat impersonal fucking. He doesn't push her, but he also doesn't exactly let her get away with keeping her guard up completely either, and it provided great heat between the two.


I think what I loved the most was seeing the glimpses of previous characters, especially Mal. Oh, Mal. Have I mentioned I love him and his silly antics? Every time he shows up, even briefly, in a book I smile.



Overall, yes, there were some little things that kept me from loving Twist as much as I did Dirty, but that half a star difference really wasn't that big. I still had a great time reading it, will recommend it (and Scott's other books) to many, and I can't wait to see what Scott gives us next!



4 STARS!

My 4.5 star review of TWIST is up on Goodreads and will be posted on blog and social media upon release and links will be updated below at that time.

4.5 stars

When Alex Parks left Seattle for Idaho to surprise and meet her online love interest, she was not prepared for what she found. Seems that her online Prince Charming's brother had taken over his account and was really the one corresponding with her for months...but Joe Collins looks nothing like she was expecting. In contrast to his classically handsome and well dressed brother in his profile pic, Joe is bigger, bulkier, much hairier, and more casual.

Needless to say Alex does not take kindly to being duped and a scene ensues. But Joe is determined to apologize and try to make her understand where he was coming from.

Alex's normal life is pretty solitary. She has one good friend, but she is kind of a hermit and even works from home. She has fears, insecurities, anxiety, trust issues and tends to avoid people and relationships. She likes feeling safe and being in control of her environment. Taking this chance was a huge risk for her. But she also has a snarky sense of humor and is full of sass. She can be strong willed and opinionated.

Joe is a big, burly teddy bear. He is used to living in his brother's shadow and often girls have used him to get to Eric. So he is a bit self conscious, awkward, and has his own issues with trust and self worth. But he is smart, caring, protective, hard-working, loyal, and down-to-earth. He is always trying to please everyone sometimes to his own detriment. But his core group of friends at the DIVE Bar are tight and they all love him. But he also exudes his own lumbersexual-like sex appeal that makes him sexy and charismatic.

Due to circumstances, Alex ends up spending more time with Joe. And the more time they spend, the more the big, burly giant starts to grow on her. And Joe enjoys sparring and sharing time with her as well. They begin to challenge and push each other to get out of their comfort zones. She needs to say YES more and be more adventurous, social, and not miss out on so much. While he needs to say NO more and and not always be too nice and everyone's doormat.

They go from message buddies to friends and eventually lovers. But Joe's life is complicated by drama with his core group. And since he tends to internalize so much, it is easy for him to get overwhelmed with them, work, and the introduction of Alex into his life. Alex is thrust into the middle of a tight knit group that has known each other for many years. When something unexpected happens, Life in Coeur d'alene becomes more complicated and confusing. Joe's internal struggles and worries start to make him doubt and push her away. And her insecurities make it easier for her to get hurt and make her want to run. They are both sensitive and stubborn. It's easy to feed into each other's trust issues without even meaning to. They are from two different worlds with two very different personalities. Life is going to sometimes throw out twists...it is up to the individuals to determine how they deal with them.

Will one of them take the lead on fighting for what they could have or will it be easier to let each other just fade back into their old lives and forget about each other?

Kylie Scott writes characters that are likable but flawed or a bit awkward too. I totally adored Joe most of the time, but have to admit during some of his broody times I wanted to beat sense into him with his own hammer. And Alex's fear and anxiety could be frustrating too. There was drama, angst, and a lot of back and forth with them. But they had great chemistry and connection, fun banter, and I loved them together. But they definitely had some things to work through if they were going to have a chance.

This installment was humorous, angsty, sexy, fun, emotional, and sweet. I liked getting more with the group we met in Dirty: Vaughan, Lydia, Nell, Pat, Eric, Andre, and Rosie. We saw some more drama and progression with some of their stories and it really added more depth to this one. And there were some fun surprise cameos too. But it can be read as a stand-alone since all pertinent character and plot information was reviewed. I am looking forward to Eric's book Chaser.

Fans of Kylie Scott's writing will find what they expect in this book. Witty heroine, hot guy, sexy writing. While it's a little different from her other books, it's not particularly original, but if you've enjoyed Kylie Scott's previous books, you will find more to like in this one.

This book was so much more than I expected it to be! It made me feel a wide range of emotions - embarrassment, mortification, longing, lust, heartbreak. It was sensual and seductive and the sexual tension was off the charts. I loved the characters and the way they grew together as individuals and as a couple. Five star read for sure!

**I'm in the process of writing a longer, more in depth review for my blog. I will update this review as soon as it's completed and will post the review to my blog on April 11.

Received a ARC from Netgalley for my HONEST opinion.

OMFG!!! I LOVE Kylie Scott. I'm so happy I got the ARC! I was trying to wait till it got closer to release date to read, but I just can't wait any more. So Here I go....


I loved this book. I mean it's no Play(I love Mal) But it was way better then the first in this series IMO. I just love these two together. They both have to over come a lot to be together (past, family, ex's and insecurities)but it was great to read and watch them work though it. I did want to punch Joe when All the bad stuff happened and how he acted and things he said or didn't say. But I didn't hate him so it made it easy for me to forgive and forget and fall back in love with him just like Alex did. I love that we got to see the boys and girls of Stage Dive. This also had some sad parts that I just couldn't believe but it all worked out for the HEA.

I'm dying for the next book in this series (who is it?) or any book by Kylie Scott. I am going to be total fan girl but I LOVE HER! She has such a way with her stories they just get me or I get them IDK. I have never been disappointed by her or her book. (and I have read all her work)

This is such a fantastic premise - and very fitting for today's world. I do appreciate that Scott didn't take it someplace too dangerous. Instead there is a bit of a misunderstanding about who exactly Alex has been emailing, with the expected hard feelings, but Joe is a good man and things quickly turn around.

None of these people are perfect and both Alex & Joe have their hesitations for putting themselves out there. While their face-to-face introduction leaves A LOT to be desired, there are all of those emails that built a good foundation for their friendship. They just have to believe in themselves and each other ... but of course trusting is never easy.

Twist is full of humor, heart and heat. It's fun to be with these two as they move from a virtual friendship to a real one, with lots of sparks and playfulness along the way. While they let life get in the way and freak them out for a bit, eventually they figure things out - and it fits them so well :)

(This is the first of Scott's books that I've read but it definitely can stand alone. She does such a great job of keeping you in the know wither everything relevant that you can easily jump right in.)

This was very well done. Right from the start the dialogue was sassy and the storyline was working for me. I can honestly say that I enjoyed this from start to finish and it had my interest all the way through.

One of the things I appreciated was the lack of an epilogue. Sometimes epilogues can be too predictable and overly sweet. I like how this story ended. It didn't need a flash forward for me to know what happened next.

Review Scheduled to go live on blog on April 6th 2017

Kylie Scott captured me as a fan after I read Lick back in 2013. Since then I crave each book she has written and I know that she will create an exciting storyline that makes me laugh, fall in love with the characters and leaves me wanting more. The Dive Bar series is a spinoff from her original series, and I am continuing to enjoy her work.

To begin with, we find Alex in the Dive Bar, putting herself on the line and going after something she wanted. She threw herself out there, only to find herself in an uncomfortable situation and backtracking out of there. What she doesn't expect is Joe Collins coming after her and taking care of her when she needed help. Joe isn't usually Alex's type of guy, but the more time they spend together the closer they become.

It was amusing to see these two become closer. They have a lot in common and try to deny the attraction building between them. Alex isn't usually attracted to tall... very tall, bearded guys with long hair, but Joe's kind personality and sweet nature won her over. It's only a matter of time before these two go all in, but life isn't always smooth sailing.

Twist made me fall in love with this world all over again. It was great seeing all the new characters that I met in The Dive Bar once more, and getting a small glimpse of some of my favourites. I love that the Dive Bar crew are all close and that they band together in tough times. However, I could see Joe struggle and that Alex felt a little like an outsider. She wasn't sure how she could help, but she was a strong and determined girl and fought for what she wanted. I'm eager to get more from this world to see how things unfold for the rest of the gang, because it will be a difficult journey.

Sometimes love is served with a twist!
Twist (Dive Bar) - Kylie Scott


TWIST is the latest installment of the Dive Bar series by Kylie Scott. The gang's all here again but this time it's Joe Collins in the hot seat. And the big, burly, lumbersexual hottie is trouble when what he thought of as an innocent deception blows up in his face.

It was supposed to be innocent. When Joe starts using his brother Eric's online dating profile instead of closing it like he was asked to do, he really didn't think much of it. But when the woman he has been chatting with over the last several months shows up at the Dive Bar, ready to meet the man she thought she had been building a relationship with, it all comes to a head.

Alex Parks has no idea that when she shows up at the Dive Bar to see her online friend, that he'll have no idea who she even is. But, when she finds out about the deception, her humiliation has her wanting to run back to her home in Seattle as soon as possible. Fate will have other ideas and she is left grounded in northern Idaho for several days. Days in which she is left getting to know the big, blonde hunk who is the cause of all of the problems.

And although neither Joe nor Alex wants to admit it, the more time they spend together, the more time they have to realize that they are just what the other needs.

I really thought TWIST was cute. From the horrible mix up when Alex showed up at the Dive Bar unannounced, I knew that I was going to be in for a treat. Joe for all the trouble he caused was adorable and sweet. I was glad that he got someone that could appreciate him and not just what he was doing for them.

And Alex was a lot stronger than she gave herself credit for despite all of her neuroses. I was just happy she was able to get past most of them in order to get the ending that she deserved.

All of the drama between Nell, Eric and Patrick continued as well, but we got some resolution with that. That was bittersweet, but I was glad that things worked out the way that we all thought that it should have.

TWIST is the second book in the Dive Bar series, but it could be easily read as a standalone. The Dive Bar crew makes recurring appearances but you'll get the gist if don't read the first one. However, I recommend reading the first book because it was just as fun as this one.

My only problem with TWIST was the fact that Joe totally shut down there in that last third. I didn't understand why he just wouldn't talk to Alex and avoid all of the heartache he put them both through. I felt like he should have had to work just a bit harder to get back into her good graces after that, but who am kidding? I probably wouldn't have been able to hold out very long either.

All in all, I thought TWIST was fun, sweet, and sexy. Just what I was expecting from this author. I love the characters, the stories, and the setting. I can't wait to see what kind of trouble they will get into next.

*Advanced Reader's Copy provided by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this book. I've read every thing Kylie Scott has written to date, and they just keep getting better! I really am hoping for a lot more in this series!

This was my first Kylie Scott book and I was SO excited to try out another new author to me but while reading, I was left feeling bummed out and just underwhelmed.

The way the characters met through online dating and the mix up could have been really fun and witty but I just felt nothing. The story just felt very flat and slow moving to me.

I did like Joe the hero who was such a nice guy and just all around sweet and caring but the heroine Alex really did nothing for me.

I have heard such great things about this author but unfortunately I didn't connect to the story or the characters and eventually just got to the point that I didn't really care what happened.

I know this author has a big following and it could just be me and not the book but Twist didn't work for me. I wish it did as I had looked forward to reviewing this with my blog partner Denise :(

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1952784166?book_show_action=false

AMAZING! I love all Kylie's books, but this one was the best in this series!

An amazing story, a book that captured my attention, spoke to my heart and one I will definitely read again and again countless times.

I am loving this series. Can't wait for the next book. Alex and Joe have a rough start but end up over coming it. Then with more twist still get there HEA. I loved Alex. She was so sweet. And her friend Val was awesome! I loved seeing all the other friends in the book. And loved hearing Nell and Pat got there HEA. Awesome book will definitely be counting down days till next book!

So out of her comfort zone…

This is the second book in the Dive Bar series that can be read as a stand-alone.

Joe Collins is the good son, always there for friends and family but he was bad when instead of shutting down his younger brother’s online dating profile he starts messaging a woman who he finds interesting. They connect on many levels, their friendship blossoms with every email but she thinks he’s his brother, a little white lie he hasn’t figured out how to confess to. When she shows up at his brother’s birthday party at the pub they own he’s as mortified as she is when she learns the truth.

Alex Parks is a graphics designer who works out of her home in Seattle, Washington. She’s not a people person but she connected with a man on an online dating site and they’ve become close. With a bit of encouragement from her best friend to leave her comfort zone she boards a plane to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to surprise the man she’s been messaging with on his birthday. The surprise is hers, he doesn’t know who she even is. She’d been speaking to his brother who looks totally different than his sibling with long blond hair and a beard, so not her type. Joe didn’t mean to lie to her but he enjoyed her messages and the friendship that had developed and didn’t know how to tell her.

Leaving the bar she’d been humiliated at and walking in the rain to find a hotel followed by Joe, Alex catches a very bad flu that prevents her from heading straight home the next day. Joe takes care of her against her wishes but she’s too sick to really deal with him. She does get to know him as him while he does so and she ends up staying, as awkward as things are between them they work on their issues.

The hero is a great guy, a nice guy who lets too many people take advantage of him, this man needs to grow a spine, to learn how to just say “NO”. He’s not an emotionally strong person, he hates to make waves among family and friends even when it’s warranted. Alex sees this clearly and Joe gains strength from her support. He needs to take a course on being an alpha but he’s a likable enough character. The heroine is an absolute mess who needs serious amounts of psychotherapy, she’s quite a contradiction. Why would a woman with so much relationship phobias even go to meet the man she believed she was messaging with? She definitely went out of her comfort zone and her fears surprised Joe, he helps her anyway. There’s a lot of her internal dialogue to wade through. At the beginning she’s not too likable but she does grow on you.

This was the first time reading this author who’s recommended by some of my favorite bloggers with great reviews but perhaps I shouldn’t have started with this book that left much to be desired. This was a painful read that I had to push myself to finish, the extremely slow pace of the storyline did not keep my attention as it should have; this reader was bored too often. Things that appeared to be comedic attempts I just found sad or awkward. There was no feeling to the story, words on a page that elicited little to no emotion. The story does get better if you get past the first two thirds of it. We are only given Alex’s point of view, having Joe’s might have helped things.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

2.5 stars

Absolutely loved the concept of the dating site and the catfish!!! I was hooked from Page 1!!! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because of... Star and Joe's 180 flip. I didn't buy and I didn't enjoy reading it.

Thank you for giving us a little Mal!!!