Kylie Scott serves up a second round of intoxicating, heart melting, steamy romance in book 2 of her Dive Bar series, folks. Joe Collins, the hardworking gentle giant hero, is all about family and friends. From being a jack of all trades, working with his hands in his father’s construction company to tending bar at his brothers’ co-owned bar, this Mr. Fix-It is sure to sweep you off your feet, just like like he did Alexandra, aka Alex, the heroine. He shows what a teddy bear heart he has under all that mountain man of muscle and beard. Sure, he had some knucklehead moments, but you couldn’t help but love this guy.

Alex didn’t disappoint, as well. Sure, she’s got some issues of her own, but I loved her sassy comebacks and inner monologues. When times got tough, she had Joe’s back, even when it seemed to cost her what she thought she didn’t have to give, her heart.

With the first half slowly unfolding as the main couple banter back and forth while dancing around and getting to know each other, I found the second half sealed the deal at a much faster pace as fate stepped in and forced them to overcome their fears, insecurities, flaws, and choose happiness over stubborn pride. But not before enduring quite a bit of relationship angst and even a separation.

A brief unexpected cameo appearance of Mal, Jimmie, and the rest of the Stage Dive band had me doing a fangirling happy dance at the mere mention of these rock and roll characters. Seriously, if you haven’t read the Stage Dive series, you really should get right on that.

So no matter what twist you put on this, it comes down to the same thing. Ms. Scott sure knows how to put a smile on my face and put my heart through the wringer at the same time. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for me in book 3, Chaser, due to release in November 2017.

Title: Twist, Series: Dive Bar (Book 2), Author: Kylie Scott, Pages: 288, stand-alone but part of a series, HEA, hardworking good guy/gentle giant hero, graphic designer heroine, no cheating, some ex-OW drama, VERY steamy after halfway through, relationship angst, pushes heroine away, sassy heroine reluctant to love at first, roller coaster of emotion the second half.

Book 1 - Dirty (Lydia & Vaughan), 4/19/16, Pages: 288
Book 2 - Twist (Alexandra & Joe), 4/11/17, Pages: 288
Book 3 - Chaser, 11/2/17, Pages: 288 (details not available yet.)

(This review is based on an advanced reader copy distributed via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased, fair opinion. No compensation was provided to this reviewer, nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher/NetGalley. It will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, NetGalley, Barnes & Noble, and Edelweiss.)

Kylie Scott really know how to pull you into a book. Her opening scenes are always dynamic and engaging. Twist is no different and opens with our female protagonist, Alex, showing up unexpectedly at the birthday party of the man she has been emailing through an online dating site. Unfortunately for her she quickly finds out that she was being lied to. The man she thought she was having an online relationship with isn't the person she thought he was. Its his brother who took over the account. Joe, the quiet bartender from the previous novel Dirty, has been playing the role of unintentional romeo.

This was a unique "twist" (ha ha) on the friends to lovers trope. The story itself was unique and compelling. The characters were more serious and genuine. Eric is an absolute sweetheart. I dove into this book and devoured the first half of the book. There was a character that was introduced about 75% in that I felt created unnecessary drama. I could have done without that character at all.

All together though it was a good book with an interesting storyline and stellar characters.

***Advanced copy obtained from St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin via Netgalley***

Ayekah's review Oct 25, 2016 · edit
really liked it

Oh holy night did this one throw me right straight into a total tizzy. It's a must read. I loved it.

We're back at the Dive Bar where Alex shows up after meeting Eric (she thinks) online and having a several month's worth of conversation with him and sharing some pretty personal things. Alex is wrapped pretty tight, works from home she's a graphic designer. Not really great with crowds and social settings make her really uncomfortable. When her best friend Val pushes her to go to Idaho to surprise him, it is she who gets the surprise. Eric as you will recall got Nell pregnant after a one night drunken binge when she and Pat split. Eric is not anything close to Father material much less online nice guy, hit and quit, he does not commit.
The bar is closed for his birthday, all the gang is there when Alex shows up and when Joe comes in, it's obvious that he's the one who's been talking to Alex all this time and to say Alex hates liars is an understatement. She's humiliated, out of her element and angry as hell, and blows her cork. Joe tries to explain, she's having no part of it and sets off in the pouring cold rain to walk to a hotel. Intent on leaving the next day she comes down with a bad cold which turns into a very nasty bug and Joe takes care of her. Joe is everything Alex doesn't think she likes in a man, he's hot a full beard, looks like a mountain man, built like a brick shit house and the long hair. Think Paul Bunyan.
Joe tries his best to make it up to her and they very slowly work on things... and I mean slow. Not to say the book is slow, these two take one step forward and two steps back. There's also weird family dynamics's with Eric and Joe. Joe does his father's bidding with the construction company and Eric wants no part and is happy working in the bar.
The great part is we get to see all the characters from book one, which I loved and Pat, Nell's ex makes an appearance. Alex gets talked into helping design the upstairs renovation above the Dive Bar.
The two of them are working together. Pat and Andre help out a little. It's easy to see that Joe likes Alex and she him, but these two are both taking it slow. I love how Joe always asked her direct questions when she'd give him some evasive statement or answer. He's no dummy. I loved him. I loved her too.
When an accident occurs that shakes them all to the core, Joe shuts down and shuts Alex out. Conveniently his ex shows up at the same time. Oh and she happens to stay with Joe. She's a real piece of work and I wanted to throttle her boho ass. So what happens? Do things work out with Alex and Joe? Where is Eric and what about Nell? So many variables and so much could happen and change. In the blink of an eye. Like life.
This was one amazing read and I love Kylie's books. She writes a great character as well as plot. Toss in some steam and a few beers and it's all there.
Great book Kylie!! I'm ready for the next one!

**arc from NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for a fair review***

Twist is the much anticipated second book in the Dive Bar series. It was well worth the wait for this happy reader was hanging onto every word.

Joe and Alex have been involved in an online relationship .... but Joe has been pretending to be his brother Eric. Now, Alex shows up out of the blue with big plans to seduce the man of her dreams .... who she believes is Eric. It's a very embarrassing situation that plays out and Alex feels humiliated and betrayed. That's what happened in the first couple of pages but their story didn't end there. Alex and Joe end up spending a lot of real time together and helping each other with a few issues and naturally they end up falling for each other.

Kylie Scott did an absolutely wonderful job on this book. It had some of everything and more feels than I could handle at times. There was some very emotional things that happened and maybe some of our Dive Bar family was forced to grow up in this book. Even though I cried a little bit I loved the story so much. Kylie Scott deserves a big hug for this one. I loved it and already look forward to reading the next book.

One of my favorite opening scenes of a book ever. Twist lives up to its name with all the twists and turns this story takes. These characters are truly addicting, couldn't put it down.

3.5 Stars.

After having loved Dirty (book one in this series), I will admit to being slightly disappointed by Twist. I still enjoyed it as you can tell from my rating but it does move rather slowly around the middle of the book. However, I encourage to keep reading because the end is worth it!

Alex decides to surprise the guy she's been chatting with online with a little visit and things don't go as well as she had hoped. Joe's been keeping a few secrets but once he's face to face with Alex, he wants to work out their friendship. Yes, friendship. Joe isn't looking for a girlfriend and certainly not a long distance one.

And while Joe is the last guy Alex thought she'd ever be attracted to, she can't help but slowly fall in love with the sweet (and rather hairy, she thinks) and steady bartender/carpenter. There's a lot of back and forth between these two but when things finally get hot... whoa! Things go from pretty cool to scorching in zero to sixty. Then things slow down again.

Honestly, the drama with the side characters is what kept me reading. And because of that, I do recommend you read Dirty before Twist so you'll know what's going on in the background. I'm not sure who will get a book next, maybe Eric?? There are also some great lighter moments that had me chuckling and my very, very favorite Kylie character, Mal, makes an appearance (and of course, he steals the scene!).

So even though this book didn't wow me, I am a Kylie Scott devotee and will definitely read the next story in this series.

Alex Parks works from home in Seattle. She signed up on an online dating site and has been emailing back and forth with a super-hot guy named Eric. She’s knows it’s his birthday and that he'll have a get-together with friends and family at Dive Bar, where he is part owner. Alex hadn’t heard from Eric for a few weeks so decides to fly to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to surprise him. Eric’s incredibly surprised when she arrives because he has absolutely no idea who she is. It turns out that Alex had been getting catfished by Eric’s brother, Joe.

Joe had helped Eric sign up for the dating site but Eric quickly lost interest. Joe planned on shutting Eric’s account down but when he saw a message from Alex he answered her…as Eric. Six months had gone by and Joe still hadn’t come clean about the fact that he wasn’t who he said he was. When he sees Alex he’s more than freaked out that she's in Dive Bar but truly wants to talk to he and get to know her. She’s mad at both Joe for being an idiot and herself for falling for someone online. Joe is persistent and doesn’t give up trying with Alex. Eventually Alex decides to hear him out but instead of heading home to Seattle after their talk, she gets the flu. She’s miserable but Joe is there to help her. As the two get to know each other they become friends for real and then so much more.

This was a great book. I really loved both Alex and Joe and together they made me laugh, a lot. They worked together so well and played off each other’s strengths. Alex was a snarky woman and I loved that. The fact that Joe could not only keep up but give it back to her made me like them even more.

The friends to lovers aspect of the book was done well, I thought, especially in light of Joe’s catfishing. Once they became lovers I thought nothing could break them apart but of course the author proved me wrong. Fortunately they got their HEA and I was quite pleased with the outcome of the book.

If you haven’t read either Dirty or Twist, you really need to as they’re darned good books.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Oh, and this cover? Yum. :)

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
http://bookbinge.com/

Sexy Funny Read!
I devoured this in one setting. Twist is a cute, funny and sexy book that kept me entertained all the way through. I can relate so much with these characters because I see my friends in them. These people have so much personality that you can't help but love each and every one of them.

When Alex decides to jump on a plane and surprise the guy she's been talking to online it's her that ends up surprised. Joe has taken over his brothers online dating account. Never thinking that he would ever come face to face with Alex. When she shows up out of the blue he feels terrible. Needing a friend, someone he could talk to, he feels really bad about lying to her.

I loved this book. It is original, extremely funny and grabs you tight. This author pulls you into her stories and has you begging for more. If your looking for a great story look no further. This is a definite must read.

Alex and Joe have been chatting online for months. Alex has believed she was talking to Joe’s brother Eric this whole time. Alex gets up the nerve to get on a plane and head to Dive Bar to meet Eric in person. As soon as she arrives she Discover’s Joe’s deception and in anger tells him she doesn’t want anything to do with him. Due to take the next flight back home she ends up getting sick and Joe won’t leave her side until she is better. As the days go on it becomes harder for Alex to hate Joe and harder for her to leave.
I really liked this story. I was a bit worried at first because the heroine was really hard on Joe for his lie. You learn why she doesn’t trust and she grew on me. Joe was a sweetheart and he is extremely protective. He deserved to find the girl of his dreams. He has always felt second best to his brother and he needs a girl that wants him for him. It’s not long before Alex can clearly see what a great guy Joe is and what a douche Eric is. These two were a great balance for each other because Joe is so loveable and Alex is more closed off. They brought out the best in each other. Great addition to the series and I can’t wait to find out who is next.

*copy received via Netgalley for voluntary review*

I thought Alex held on to things a little long, but that's me. Enjoyed the story. Love all the side characters.

The premise of Twist is unique – a case of mistaken identity via Internet dating. Sounds intriguing. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on yet another Kylie Scott book. I liked the idea of Joe and Alex dealing with everyday realistic human faults. There wasn’t some depressing back story with abuse and all that soul-shattering stuff. No, just your average peeps dealing with their faults.

I loved Alex. She tried hard to overcome her issues. Two thumbs up for girl power. No, the problem with this book was Joe. I really, really (just imagine a few thousand more reallys) didn’t like Joe. I can’t say much about why I would have kicked this handsome man out of my bed without a second thought without giving anything away. You’ll just have to take my word on it.

So, while this book was well written and properly edited (something more rare than unicorns), I can only give it three stars because I would have never finished reading this book without having agreed to review. Yes, I disliked Joe that much. Have I mentioned he never redeemed himself in my eyes?

If you like well-written romances with a heathy dose of humor and big, brash alpha males, I’d recommend this book for you. And for the lovers of Stage Dive series, there is a sneak peak of the gang.

I was generously given an ARC for a honest review. I've been waiting for this book forever. It definitely starts off with a bang.....involving online dating, mistaken/deceptive identify with a slightly agrophobic heroine and a people pleasing gentleman bartender/carpenter. It catches the reader right away and it was a while before I stopped reading so that I could actually get work done!
I loved Joe....he was such a gentleman and an all around nice guy....but he did have an edge in the bedroom. He just needed someone who was in his corner just for him. He was always looking out for everyone else, he forgot himself. That's where Alex comes in. After she gets over her anger regarding the online thing, she realizes what a good guy he is and decides to look out just for him. She has her own issues too but mostly comes across as strong. Their bedroom scenes are definitely hot! And the story arc between Nell, Eric and Patrick get resolved to a point. I really want to read about Eric next!
Overall a really good follow up in the Dive series!

I’ve been a huge fan of Kylie Scott’s since I first read Lick from the Stage Dive series back in 2013. I was excited for this spinoff series, and even though I was fairly let down by the first book, I’m happy to say that Twist was a pleasant surprise.

It was what I’ve come to expect from Scott; funny, sexy, charming, and sweet. Her characters and her writing usually have this charm about them, and I was so happy to have it back in this book. Reading it almost felt nostalgic.

The opening scene of this book is one of the reasons that I love them; hello, uncomfortable situation and embarrassment! I love when an author puts characters in situations that they have to work to get out of or overcome. Alex and Joe’s first personal encounter after months of online contact is the epitome of the word “awkward”.

Alex is a very likeable character, maybe even endearing due to her neuroses. I found her to be somewhat relatable due to her anxiety and agoraphobia. Joe is also very likable, once you get past his deception. He’s sweet and bends over backwards for the people that he cares about, but there were a couple of times that I wanted to punch him. He had a few too many asshole moments that I kind of wish would have been made up for a little more. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story.

If you’re a fan of Scott’s work, then I highly recommend this one. It has all of the elements that you would expect and enjoy. But if she’s a new-to-you author, I personally would suggest you start with the Stage Dive series.

This second novel in the Dive Bar series is a spin-off of the Stage Dive series. Since I read Lick a few years ago, I had already met Kylie Scott's sense of humor. And she still has it. The story starts with Alex, party crashing at a bar to surprise Eric. Since she has only be e-mailing with the guy, it turns out as quite a big surprise, since Eric doesn't even recognize Alex. So maybe, Alex wasn't e-mailing with Eric after all, but with his big (and scary looking) brother Joe.

That's definitely a twist in the story. And that was only on page 5... So Kylie is on a roll. The story further unfolds in which Alex and Joe start with an utter dislike of on another. But after being forced together due to circumstances, they kind of grow on each other. The banter between them is hilarious, Eric is very funny and also Alex's friends from back home.

A funny read. So four out of five stars from me. And maybe I'll pick up the other Stage Dive and Dive bar books while I'm at it. You don't need to read them for this novel, but it's always nice to see other characters back in other books. With a thank you to Netgalley for providing the ARC.

Kylie Scott wrote an endearing character with Joe Collins. He is selfless always putting others needs before his own, has taken second place to his younger brother his whole life, and just wants to to find the one for him. Joe pretends to be his brother Eric to continue to talk to Alex Parks online at a dating site. She is everything he always wanted in a women: smart, attractive, sense of humor, and into the same things he is. Will Alex still want him when she finds out he is not Eric?

Loved visiting the Dive bar cast again, plus the bonus of you will see :)

When setting up a profile on a dating website for his brother Joe didn't realise just how much this would backfire into him.

When replying on his brothers behalf, even although his answers were his,
Alex was looking for someone else !!
as Joe's actions have now set him off on the wrong footing.... with lies.


Does this mean things are dead from the get go or will things go from bad to better?

This is my first kylie Scott read & I will definitely be reading more.
I really enjoyed the way the story was set up and how it flowed through so smoothly.

Thanks
Amo
(Will edit this when the book goes live & will add Amazon links)

First, I need to admit that when I started Twist it had been a while since I read the blurb. I had completely forgotten what it was supposed to be about. That completely worked in my favor. When Alex shows up in Idaho to the big surprise of Eric not being Eric but Joe, I was just as surprised as she was. I could feel her mortification. Her predicament was so embarrassing! I felt so bad for Alex, but I loved the big bang it created for the beginning of this romance.

I loved Joe, but I understood why Alex hung onto her anger at him. He could have been the handsomest man on the planet and he would have deserved a good punch. I'm just happy he had the opportunity to make things up to Alex. Joe was such a great guy, and they were so cute together.

I loved all of the other characters I met in Twist, too. They all had distinct personalities and funny quirks. It makes me excited to read more from this series. I can't wait to see what's next.

Twist was my first Kylie Scott book, but it won't be my last. I truly enjoyed her writing style. The only thing I would have liked more in Twist was a dual point of view. It was written in first person from Alex's perspective. I would have liked to know what Joe was thinking the entire time. Other than that, Twist was a very fun read. Contemporary romance fans are going to love it.

I went blind into this book.
All I knew was that it was written by one of my favorite authors and that was all I needed to know. 😀
Twist (Dive Bar #2) by Kylie Scott was a slow burner for me. It started slow, I didn’t really know what to think of either characters, but after the first third I was GLUED to the pages. You couldn’t have pried me off with a pry bar if you’d tried.


OMG!!!!
Joe Collins was everything I could have wished for.
He was a big, blond headed, bearded and man bun wearing lumberjack.
THOR anyone???????? Chris Hemsworth?? ♥♥♥♥♥♥
He was sweet, patient, taciturn at times, loving and dedicated to his family and friends.
He was PERFECTION!!!!
Joe was such a nice guy that he even helped his brother sign up for online dating and when Eric didn’t show any sign in answering emails, Joe started chatting with Alex and came to really like her. She was everything he wanted in a woman.
Problem: Alex still thought he was ERIC – oops!!!
Since Joe never thought he would meet Alex in real life – he didn’t think it was something that would ever come out – yeah WRONG!!! Alex took it into her own hands and decide to visit him after Joe went silent on her.
Imagine the surprise and confusion when Alex showed up and gazed into Eric’s eyes just to find out that he was NOT who she thought he was. Yeah, that didn’t go down the right way. Poor Joe had some explaining and apologizing to do – which he did FABULOUSLY.
Of course Alex wasn’t in the mood to listen, but fortunately a nasty cold, thanks to walking in the rain, sealed her fate and delayed her departure. hehe
Here comes nurse Joe.
What a TWIST.
Joe was much more than just a lumberjack. He was sensitive when needed and loved to have Alex as a sounding board, that was what drew him to her in the first place. He could talk and vent without feeling judged or misunderstood by her.
He had always been the yes-sayer in his family. Someone needed help, Joe was there. Everyone else came first. That ate on him, and having Alex as a confidant relieved the pressure and made him feel sane.
Alex carried some package herself. She was hesitant in opening up to other people, even more so in regards to love interests. But Joe needed her and she stood by him. She was deep down a strong female. Self assured in their friendship, fiercely protective of him, and very well attuned to Joe.
I loved their connection. It felt REAL. DEEP. HONEST and AUTHENTIC.
Joe and Alex knew each other on a fundamental level.
I adored that!!
It doesn’t happen often that a couple has such a solid and palpable connection. That’s what I want in a story. A couple that understands each other in more than just the bedroom. I’m tired of all the misunderstandings, and drama. I need adulting characters that step back and think before reacting.
Twist (Dive Bar #2) by Kylie Scott delivered in all regards.
It made me feel good.
I was smiling non-stop.
AND
I fell in love with Joe.
It couldn’t have been any better.
OH YES IT COULD!!!!
It had MAL Ericson in it.



review was published on March 18th


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ARC received for review

Great second book with lots of drama, angst, sex and friends & family. It didn't start the way I thought it would, and I was confused for a couple minutes. Joe and Alex were great working out their issues with lots of help from the Dive Bar crew. Plus snarky Mal from Stage Dive makes an appearance along with some band members.

Here's hoping the next book is Nell (bless her heart in this book) getting back with Patrick and not brother Eric's HEA.

Awesome. Just freaking awesome! Kylie Scott writes the most down to earth, cool as hell characters EVER. I seriously want to hang out with these people! Alex is my soul sister. She's a geeky, crowd hating introvert that I want to be my new best friend.. Joe is... well, Joe is just *RAWR* Yes, he's hot AF, will do anything for his friends and family but he's not perfect.

Alex braves the horrible, people infested outside world to track down her email buddy Eric (Joe) after he stopped responding to her messages. She quickly finds out that Eric is not the person that she has been talking to all these months. Ack, I was cringing in sympathy for Alex as she slowly realized that the man that she's clinging to has no clue who she is. Joe can't believe that Alex is in Couer d'Alene. He knew that he should have told her that he wasn't Eric during one of their many chats but she's here now and he's determined to make it up to her.

Engaging storyline, Twist had me hooked from page one! I loved how Joe and Alex challenged each other to step outside their comfort zone when dealing with other people. But for all the sweet moments in this book there is one tragic one that had me in tears not knowing how the ending was going to pan out. Oh, I knew there was going to be a HEA but I honestly wasn't sure how much of one it would be but Kylie handled it beautifully. Curious now? Yeah, you should be because this book was fantastic! Great addition to the Dive Bar series. Can't wait for Eric's story.