This book was meh. I thought the characters were flat. I did like the H, but the h and the secondary characters did not hold my interest. The theme and story just seemed tired.

What do a humiliating case of mistaken identity, a horrible head cold, and a swoony lumber-sexual all have in common? Well, in Kylie Scott’s Twist, they’re the makings of a fantastic and magical romance that I adored from beginning to end.

Alex is a graphic designer living in Seattle who enjoys her solitary lifestyle and doesn’t see the need for a boyfriend. Meeting a man on the internet is all fun and games until she decides to surprise him. Rather than the love connection she expects, she gets the most embarrassing shock of her life. A hairy man-beast is the furthest thing from her ideal type and the last man for whom she would expect to fall.

Joe is a bartender at his brother, Eric’s, bar and works in construction with his dad. After he helps Eric set up a dating profile, Joe secretly meets and chats with a woman for months--all under the guise of being his brother. When his ‘internet friend’ actually shows up in Idaho, Joe’s ruse is blown wide open for all to see.

Gah, I just love this series! Kylie Scott has created an awesome cast of characters in the Dive Bar series, and I loved heading back to Coeur d'Alene to spend more time with them. Alex is a bit quirky, but she’s strong and feisty, and Joe is unassumingly sexy while being safe and stable. Their face-to-face relationship may have started off on the wrong foot, but once they moved past the snarky stage, I loved the depth of their relationship. I mean, banter and sarcasm are always fun, but the infrequent and quiet words from Joe were where the magic happened for me.

To sum it all up, the romance is top-notch, the friendships are fantastic, and I can’t wait for the next book! The newest addition to the series focusing on Joe and Alex was everything I could have asked for and more.

Twist is the latest installment in the highly addictive Dive Bar Series by Kylie Scott. It is a story that you don't want to miss because if HOT, sexy, tattooed, lumbersexuals are your thing, then holy smokes Joe is your (mine actually) man! I couldn't read fast enough and truly enjoyed my time spent with Joe and Alex!

After a hilarious first meeting and awkwardness after, the story takes off. Joe is a good guy and as I've said before, those are my favorite. It's just hard not to love him even after the small, ok sort of big, deception. Alex is quirky in her own way and at times a bit hard to like but by the end I was sooooo rooting for her and she totally came into her own. Joe couldn't be more adorable and I just wanted hug him when things took a huge dive.

Bottom line, if you are a fan of this author's previous work and even if you haven't read the previous book, Twist is a must read that will have smiling big in the end. Great story!

What do you get when you pair one hulking, bearded bartender and one introverted graphic designer? Answer: a slightly mismatched, yet undeniably intriguing pair of protagonists at the helm of Kylie Scott’s latest release, Twist. The second book in the author’s Dive Bar series is a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance about love and friendship, taking chances, and learning to trust. There’s humor. There’s drama. There’s a super steamy romance. I snickered. I cried. I fanned my blushing cheeks on more than one occasion. If you’re looking for a sexy, slow-burning romance that’ll hit you right in the feels, Twist is a must-read.

A long-distance, online romance and a case of mistaken identity isn’t exactly a conventional start to a relationship, but then again nothing about Joe Collins and Alex Parks is conventional. After commandeering his brother's online dating profile when a certain woman captures his interest, Joe becomes friends with Alex, exchanging emails for months before she spontaneously decides to meet up in person. Awkwardness ensues and their situation become even more complicated, but it’s raw and real and relatable. Their rapport is teasing with just a touch of good-natured antagonism, as if they’re attracted to each other but are almost angry about it (which is admittedly entertaining). It’s when they’re together in person that they can truly get to know each other, disregarding any pretenses or preconceived notions they each may have had about the other.

Aside from the whole lying about his identity thing, Joe is a genuinely good guy. He's nice, thoughtful, and so darn sweet that it's impossible not to swoon over him. That’s not to say there weren’t times when I wanted to shake him in the hopes he’d make up his mind and figure out what he wanted in all aspects of his life. In fact, both he and Alex had a host of personal issues they were working through. The sarcastic and cynical graphic designer is guarded and cautious when it comes to her heart, reluctant to allow anyone to get close to her. Unsurprisingly, the romance between Joe and Alex is a slow build, teasing readers with a simmering sexual tension that had me impatiently wondering will they or won't they (I was rooting for the former, obviously). Just when I was getting ready to beg one or both of these characters to make a move (I've never claimed to be a patient person), their mutual restraint seemed to snap and the sexy times commenced. The wait? Worth it.

While I went into the book expecting a lighthearted romantic comedy, I found the narrative to be intense and a bit of a tear-jerker, both with Joe and Alex’s storyline and with a subplot featuring minor characters. It changed the tone and took the book in an unexpected direction. Overall, Twist is a bit heavy for a rom-com, though it’s an emotionally-compelling page-turner that captured my attention from start to finish.

*complimentary copy provided by publisher for an honest review

Rating: 4 Stars

​
**4 stars**
Twist is book in the Stage Dive series, but can be read as a stand-alone. I love this series, it just keeps getting better with each book and I can’t help but love these characters.
Joe and Alex ‘meet’ in person for the first time after months of talking online. This was the perfect storm from start to finish. After getting to know each other via the internet for months, when Alex decides to meet in person as a surprise, does she ever get a surprise. I couldn’t help but feel for Alex in this situation because it’s my biggest fear when it comes to having tried the online dating thing myself. I related to her so much more than I have to other characters in the past and I think it’s why I loved their story even more.
Joe, what can I say about him? I loved him because of he tries to correct his wrongs. Joe redeems himself by being friends with Alex and getting to know her all over again. I loved this part of the story because he gives Alex the chance to earn his trust again, but this time in person instead of over the internet.
Joe and Alex are endearing, they are unique in their own way and you can’t help but love them. I loved the snippets of Pat, Eric and Nell we get and it makes me want to read dive all over again, I can’t believe we have to wait until April 2018, to get book 3, but I’ll be filling my spare time with a re-read!

Kylie Scott does it again! After reading and loving Dirty I couldn't wait to get my hands on Twist to see what was in store for the broody but lovable Joe Collins.
She so didn't disappoint, Alex and Joe have been chatting for months online, but Alex thinks it's high time they meet in person. Little does she know that the man she thinks she's been talking to isn't who he says he is.
Joe having been talking to Alex for months but pretending to be his brother, has a big shock when Alex turns up at the Dive Bar as a surprise and Alex certainly gets the surprise of her life when she finds the out exactly who she's been talking to for so many months.
I loved reading how this story turned out, even though Joe lies to Alex, she decides to give him a second chance and they become close friends. I loved seeing how their friendship just bloomed from there, and also the back story of the messages that they had been sending each other over the months. It just adds more to the story and had me gripped more and more.
We get to see everyone who was in Dirty make an appearance in Twist and I got all excited when you get some unexpected other characters appear as well! A book full of laughs and angst that had me completely hooked!
4 Stars from me!

#Review @KylieScottbooks



QueenZany 5 Star Review
Twist
Kylie Scott

Twist is that perfect balance of sweet, savory and sexy!
Which, mixes the comical nature of Kylie Scotts writing and heck its a no brainer! #ONECLICK
But this story steals you away! Right from the get go! From what ever you were doing. Then carries you into the mystical place of banter and sarcasm! Where nothing matters other than Joe and Alex! That spark, those tales and oh that heat! Just energies the plot! Oh that Joe, that man, that gentle giant you want to climb like a tree and have his babies! SYYYY

Alexandra Parks is a 29 yr. old graphic designer from Seattle. She's sort of been a hermit for years. She never puts herself out there or takes chances romantically. She avoids intimacy & prefers her life uncomplicated. She doesn't do relationships, but she's been talking to a gorgeous man on the internet named Eric Collins. She's crushing on him hard & they seem to share a strong connection. They've been talking for months through emails. Even though Alex is somewhat terrified of the outside world, she decides to step out of her comfort zone to meet him. Eric is beginning to mean something to her, and she just has to see him in person. She decides to be spontaneous, & buys a ticket to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She plans to show up at his birthday party and surprise him. When Alex shows up to meet the hot guy she's been emailing, she soon learns he has no clue who she is.

Joe Collins set up an account for his younger brother Eric on a dating site. When his brother loses interest & decides he doesn't want the account anymore Joe tells him he will shut it down for him. Then he spots Alex Parks, & they begin talking. She's funny & beautiful, and he immediately gets sucked in. He looks forward to talking to her, & it's often the highlight of his day. When Alex shows up in the Dive Bar where he bartends, the jig is up, & his big secret is revealed.

Joe wants Alex to stay in Idaho for a few days & figure out what's between them. They shared chemistry online, & he just wants the chance to get to know her in person, even if it's just as friends. He liked talking to her & has grown to care about her.

Alex is shocked that the man she thought she was talking to is someone else. Instead of Eric, it's a huge, blond, Bigfoot lumber sexual with a beard and tattoos. He's totally not her type, even though her libido hasn't got the memo yet. Clearly the guy is hot, with his big muscles & long golden mane, but she's more into pretty boys wearing a suit & tie.

Joe convinces her to stay a few days & spend some time together since she's already there. She's extremely attracted to his body, & his kindness also gets to her. He's so sweet & eventually her walls all crumble, and they give in to their lust for one another.

Alex's plans of not wanting to get involved with anyone go right out the window as she falls for Joe. Being with him is so easy & they just click, until circumstances have Joe pulling away. Just as Alex begins opening herself up to the possibility of more, things get complicated between them. Then there's the fact they live in different states. Will love conquer all?

I loved this book & adore this series! Joe Collins is a sinfully sexy bearded hottie with a heart of gold. This man is so gentle & swoon worthy. I fell hard for him from the start. Can't wait for Eric's book up next!

Imagine yourself in one of the worst, most embarrassing scenarios to meet a stranger and you'll have a slight inkling as to how Alex feels when she walks into the Dive Bar to finally come face-to-face with Eric Collins, the guy she's been emailing back and forth with for several months. She thought it'd be a great idea to surprise him...on his birthday. Except that it wasn't Eric in those emails but his brother Joe who was pretending to be Eric all along. And Joe doesn't look like Eric with the gorgeous face that she fell for. You know what she is? Mortified. The universe is playing a horrible joke on her. So now she's stuck alone in this town for the night realizing what a horribly bad decision this was. She intends to be on the first flight out but is thwarted when she comes down with the flu and has to stay on a few extra days until she gets better. So who plays nurse for her? Joe, the very guy who humiliated her. This cruel universe is really having a laugh now! He works for her forgiveness and tries to undo the damage he caused. She becomes less angry as she sees a man who has ambition, motivation and is loyal to a fault. Pretty soon she's falling for him and he for her and well ...sexy times.

While the story does give way to some heavy moments - in a couple cases heartbreaking - Twist offers Kylie Scott's trademark humour and shenanigans. The first chapter is set up so perfectly: I winced and cringed because everything about it spelled doom. Naturally, I LOVED it! Trust Scott to dream up with these blundering entrances. The best part is that her characters are able to shake them off and come back stronger. And of course there's heat. I particularly enjoyed Alex's internal monologue whenever she felt herself being drawn to Joe's natural charisma and his hot body. Let's not forget that. Eventually it's like, "Eric who?" for her. As always, our two main characters are surrounded by an amazing group of friends and there's even a special appearance by a fan favourite.

Twist was a quick read for me because when it comes to Kylie Scott - whom I have dubbed my fairy Godmother of Fun - I go crazy and devour her books immediately. Twist is an entertaining extension of the Stage Dive series that dips its toes a little into that world but avoids the over-the-top lavishness of the rocker lifestyle while still keeping it in the family. Every time I had to reluctantly put the book down I couldn't wait to dive back into it. Yes, pun intended. Trust me, it's oh so awesome ;-)

~ Bel

Y’all are going to have to bear with me on this one. I intend to fangirl. If anyone is offended by the occasional squeal of girlish glee, quit reading now.

If you read any of our weekly lists, you’ll notice that Kylie Scott pops up quite often. And like all her other books, I loved the first book in this series, Dirty. Knowing all of this, I’m sure you won’t be at all surprised to find out that I loved (like read-and-repeat LOVED) Twist.

Overall, Twist is a hilarious, sweet, emotional, friends-to-lovers romance. There are few authors out there who can make a reader laugh out loud, swoon, and sob all in the course of one book. Kylie Scott is one of those authors and I love her for it.

Alex is great heroine. She’s hilarious, smart, snarky, and fiercely independent. Her inner dialogue about Joe in the beginning was priceless.

"Lumbersexuals were clearly the worst. Truth was, I'd never been especially into beards. At best, I'd been indifferent. Now, however, I outright despised them. Horrible hair frames for lying lips and duplicitous tongues, that's what they were. Loathsome whiskery bastards. Burn them all in a fire."

I also ADORED Alex’s best friend, Val, who helped push Alex into seizing the day with Joe. (And side note to the author: If you ever decide to write Val’s story, I will one-click the hell of that thing. Just sayin’)

"You're going to end up like one of those crazy cat ladies with your apartment smelling of piss and regret."

And Joe (who totally looked like Thor in my head while I was reading) was a big, muscle-y, alpha, lumbersexual teddy bear who I think is destined to become many a gal’s favorite book boyfriend in the days to come. ​​

"Yes. You're right, there's no excuse for such a willful act of bastardry and I definitely deserve to be castrated and burn in hell for all eternity. Um. Who did you say you were again?"

With all that said, I’m going to cut this review short before I totally lose my reputation as a soul-crushing, book reviewing bitch. Just...get to your Kindles, folks. One-click all of Kylie Scott’s books. You won’t regret it. That is all.

Full disclosure: We received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I adored Dirty, the first book in the Dive Bar series, but Twist ended up being one of those highly anticipated books that didn’t measure up to my expectations. Don’t get me wrong, there were parts of Twist I liked, especially the trademark humor of Ms. Scott, but the actual relationship between Joe and Alex was a letdown.

In fact, for the majority (about the first 70% or so) I enjoyed the book. It was clicking along, a solid 3.5 to 4 star for me. I loved spending time with the Dive Bar family and getting to know them better. I thought it was a bit slow, but I also found myself smiling a lot so I was okay with things.

Joe was a bit too laid back and nice for me. He seemed to have a need to take care of everyone but himself and had an inability to say no. I can’t say I’m all about heroes who constantly let themselves get taken advantage of. He was nice enough though, and the way he tried to get Alex to forgive him for the entire stolen identity, psychic stripper incident was entertaining me, so I just rolled with it.

Alex was somewhat of an introvert preferring to stay at home, indoors, letting life pass her by. She was also very scared of having a relationship or even friends of any kind except her best friend. We were tempted and teased with some horrible event in her past that made her this way. When the truth was finally divulged, my comment was “That’s her secret as to why she’s anti-people? Sigh.”

Still, I was reading along, smiling and laughing in places, until a heartbreaking incident happens that brings the entire dive bar family down low. In the midst of this, Joe decides to turn into a huge freaking douchenozzle and I just wanted to slap him. And don’t even get me started on his ex and how he handled that. As for Alex, she just decided to be a huge doormat and a clingy one at that. The way she kept throwing herself at Alex had me screaming at my iPad “OMG, have some self-respect!”.

The story went so downhill for me, by the last page I didn’t care about Joe and Alex, in fact, I was more invested in all the drama between Nell and Pat. The thing is, no matter how disappointed I am with the main characters of this book, I know I will be impatiently waiting for the next installment.

Rating: 3 Implosions Are No Fun Stars

Alex Parks is still harbouring a grudge against the boy that broke her heart at the age of twelve. She would prefer to stay inside of her Seattle apartment with little interaction from anyone or anything other than Marty - the neigbourhood squirrel.

The one time she decides to take a risk and meet the guy that she has been emailing for ages, she finds herself enduring one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.

The pretty boy named Eric she thought she was pouring her heart out to is really none other than his rough-around-the-edges brother. And now she’s stuck in Idaho with a serious case of the flu and a brand new appreciation of all things Lumbersexual.

“But you said—”
“Forget about what I said. And stop saying sex.”
Joe just stared at me.
“I thought you were trying to start something. I mean, you can’t blame me for thinking this is a setup.” Curling my feet up beneath me I leaned forward, ready to attack. Or defend. Or something. “Somethings wrong with Nell’s heat, seriously?”
He grabbed the back of his neck. “Shit. Alex, it’s okay. No need to be embarrassed.”
“And Eric was in the shower? That story is so lame, it’s like something out of a bad porn film. You might as well tell me you’re the pool boy,” I said, packing in all the scorn I could manage. “I’m not your type, remember? Then you come over here, parading yourself in front of me like some lumbersexual gigolo. So that yet again I get led on and wind up looking like a complete idiot! What kind of sadistic near-naked asshole are you?”

Joe Collins though his identity switch was harmless. After all, he actually likes talking to her and she’ll never find out. But here she is – standing right in the middle of Dive Bar and she’s everything that he thought she would be and so much more.

He agrees to her offer of being “just friends’ but the more time they spend together, the hotter the fire burns – and he just wants enough time to show Alex that sometimes the greatest risk comes with the greatest reward.

“I think I’m dead.”
The jerk pinched me on the ass.
“Ow.”
“Still alive,” he said.
I retaliated by pinching one of his nipples.
“Damn it, woman.” He grabbed my hand, holding it captive in his. “Enough. I surrender. Let’s be friends.”
I don’t know how long we stayed like that, glued together. Neither of us seemed inclined to move. After a while, I may have even fallen asleep. The man was just comfortable, plus I was exhausted. Ever so gently, my hair was brushed back from my face. A finger traced the sensitive rim of my ear. “Complicated,” said the man.
Had I been more awake, I’d have agreed.

​Okay.  I’m just going to say it. Joe Collins is now my favourite Dive Bar hero! He is as sweet as he is gorgeous and that rare combination is just one of the many reasons that this book so special. 
 
I also related to Alex on a very real level.  I think most modern women have an inner voice that guides them and Kylie captures it with surprising sincerity and wit.
 
Twist is much more than just another installment in the Dive Bar series – it’s the heart and soul…

Twist by Kylie Scott has a very appropriate title, as the romance between Joe Collins and Alex Parks starts out due to a very intriguing plot twist that is revealed right away and sets up this emotional, at times touching, but definitely fun and sexy story.

Alex Parks has had a few things happen in her past, relationship failures and some emotional and difficult times with her best friend Val that have made her leery of getting involved in a committed relationship. Still she decides to put herself out there on a dating site. When she connects with Eric Collins over email, she can admit to herself that she's relieved. He seems like a nice guy, they are developing what feels like a real friendship online but they live in different states so it's a safe relationship that doesn't require too much effort. When Eric stops messaging her though, she's concerned. Her friend Val convinces her that Eric's upcoming birthday is the perfect time to drop in on his corner of the world. And so Alex shows up on the doorstep of the Dive bar, ready to surprise her pen pal. But she's the one who is surprised – when it turns out that Eric has no idea who she is, and it's his big brother Joe whom she's been messaging all along.

Joe's guilty of leading Alex on, but not for any nefarious reasons. He'd set up Eric's dating profile but then was intrigued by Alex's initial contact and replied back – thus setting them up for the situation they are now in. Joe is nothing like his brother Eric. He's big, he's blond, he looks nothing like his brother Eric's picture but is more of the bearded Viking lumberjack sort. He's not Alex's physical type at all. Alex is ready to admit to this whole thing being a huge mistake, but a bout of the flu strands her in Coeur D'Alene and gives Joe the opportunity to prove to her that their friendship is real. In fact, once Alex is on the mend, the sparks flying between them are hard to ignore. Can this twist of fate give two people the relationship they've been looking for?

What a great story! I was hooked right from the beginning, when Alex turns up at the Dive Bar that 'Eric' has told her all about for his birthday party and finds out the truth. Alex's internal monologue is hilarious – snarky, blunt and honest, and she's just as outspoken in public too. She's embarrassed and would gladly forget the whole thing ever happened if not for ending up with the flu at her hotel and Joe trying to make things up to her. Gradually Alex realizes that Joe really is a nice guy, and that the things he shared with her over email are truthful, even if his picture wasn't. The attraction between them heats up slowly but surely until they find themselves sharing some sexy times together. The problem is that Alex was only supposed to be in this small town for a weekend, and though she extended her stay by a few weeks it's got a definite end point.

While there are lots of laughs in this story, there are some very emotional moments too, and some plot twists and turns (that title again!) that I didn't see coming. There were some teary eyed moments for me as the story played out, and that's a good sign that the author has done their job in drawing me into the story. There are some interesting secondary characters too, and for those who have read the author's Stage Dive series, some cameo appearances that are quite sweet and funny. Alex and Joe get a well deserved happy ending once they work through their trust and commitment issues. Twist is an emotional and sexy romance with plenty of laughs and lots of feels. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series!

This review has been featured on the Straight Shootin' Book Reviews blog and feedback updated with the link. It will be posted on sale sites during release week and has been been posted on goodreads.

I have been impatiently waiting for this book for, what seems like, forever. So much so that I kept convincing myself that it was coming out sooner than it actually was. To say I was excited to finally have the book on my kindle would be an understatement.

I'm still kicking myself for not taking the time to read Kylie Scott sooner than the start of this series. These are the types of books that got me started reading and that help me avoid reading slumps. I'm not one for stories made up of too much angst, but I love when I can feel the emotions between two characters so much that it makes me cry. This is NOT a crying book but it's a well-written one and those tend to do me in more than I'd like to admit.

Joe and Alex's relationship started out under false pretenses and quickly morphed into a easy friendship with undertones of an attraction between two people doing their best to not indulge.

I absolutely fell ass over teakettle with Joe. I'm a sucker for the nice guys, what can I say. The way he needed to make up for his deceit to Alex from the very beginning, the caring way he took care of her while she was sick, his insecurities about Eric, how he showed Alex just how strong she could really be, all of it. He was everything.

Honestly, I kind of fell just as hard for Alex. She was insecure and angry about being played but she wasn't so blinded by those things that she wouldn't open up to moving past it all and recognizing that the friendship her and Joe had established was worth a second chance.

Much like the first book, the build up to them becoming 'more' was slow and steady, yet somehow fast at the same time. Once they finally gave into their attraction, there wasn't a whole lot holding them back.

It wasn't all rainbows and roses however, and there's a section of the book where some things happened that I was totally not expecting. Looking back though, it was everything I didn't even realize I was hoping for. And just when I expected some drama between them for one reason, a new reason pops up that had me ready to pop Joe in his sexy lumberjack face. Luckily that's when Alex's real strength showed up and she handled things like a boss.

I'm really loving this series and with each new unexpected twist I get more excited about the next book. I can't wait to catch up to Eric and see him get knocked down a few pegs.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

I fell in love with Vaughan and Lydia in Dirty, so I couldn't wait for the second book in the series to be released especially after reading the blurb. Joe and Alex were a hot mess at times in Twist, but with a little help from their friends, they manage to navigate the rough waters eventually.

There was a bit of a role reversal in this story in terms of the attitudes and actions of the main characters. Joe may look like hot Bigfoot with long hair and tats, but he is a genuinely nice guy who generally gets stuck cleaning up his immature brother Eric's messes He is hardworking to a fault and a people-pleaser which can get him into trouble at times. Alex is the commitment-phobe with intimacy issues who rarely leaves her house and whose sole friend Val convinces her to take an uncharacteristic chance on traveling to meet the man she has been corresponding with online. Alex is the love 'em and leave 'em type but something about "Eric" (really Joe) convinces her to take a chance when Val pushes her out of her comfort zone only to be completely humiliated when she arrives at Eric's birthday party and he has absolutely no idea who she is.

Joe has some serious groveling to do if he hopes that she will ever speak to him again. When Alex is struck by the flu before she can get on a plane to flee back to the safety of her apartment in Seattle, Joe gets his chance to convince her to hear him out because she is too sick to kick his butt back out the door. Alex was initially drawn to Eric's picture online and Joe's appearance is the exact opposite of the type she is normally attracted to, but as he nurses her back to health they try to find the friendship they established in their online interactions despite his lie about his identity. They are both surprised when that friendship not only re-emerges but also starts to turn into something more as they agree to help balance each other out. Joe helps Alex break out of her shell to experience more of life, and she helps him learn to say to no to people once in a while. Just when things are going well and feelings may have to be acknowledged, tragedy strikes and Joe withdraws into himself as guilt and an unexpected blast from his past courtesy of his petty brother's machinations hit him all at once.

Maybe it was the fact that I read back to back stories about men who started their relationships based on a lie, or maybe I just built it up too much in my mind due to the long wait between books, but Twist just didn't hold the same magic for me that I found in Dirty. There was still plenty of Ms. Scott's signature humor and heat, but I didn't experience that same connection with these characters that I have found in her past books. Alex is a bit immature at times and Joe had a tendency to bury his head in the sand rather than getting a clue a little too often, but I absolutely adored Alex's best friend Val formerly known as Vince. She had no qualms about laying into Joe for his stupidity or calling Alex onto the carpet for running away from anything remotely resembling a feeling that may cause her to break out of her comfort zone. Oh and a guest appearance from my absolute favorite Stage Dive guy was one of the high points of the story for me too! As for Eric, that man has some serious maturity issues to deal with so his redemption ought to be interesting. Let the countdown begin to Chaser...

I absolutely enjoyed this story. Right off the bat, the opening scene had me thinking uh oh this could get interesting.

I sort of loved that when they meet face to face there is a bit of drama in the fact that Joe wasn't honest with her. This was a story for me about falling for someone that you know on a personal level. Their connection is there but the dishonesty has put a huge damper in what would have started out wonderfully. This book has some banter back and forth that had me giggling and smiling a bit.

Alex I instantly liked her, she was extremely guarded and not so much a people person and took a chance. While it backfired on her initially I think the outcome was worth it and her and Joe were meant to be.

Joe I loved him, selfless and always doing everything for others. Always thinking he wasn't good enough and that irked me a little because I FREAKING loved him from the get go.

When these two get together OH MY the Sexy time was HAWT, but they were also extremely cute and adorable with each other which made me love them that much more. Of course there are some obstacles that get in the way, including themselves and it made me want to shake both of them at certain points. GAH !!!!

This book gave me some feels, had me smiling, and had my heart racing a bit. I absolutely enjoyed it.

"Amazing in all the ways"


Kylie Scott's books are always a pleasure to read. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Twist. I was so excited to start reading it.

I LOVED the first half of the book. I love everything about it. The banter between Alex and Joe was amazing. It had the funny characteristics I have come to expect from Kylie Scott's novels. On the other hand, the second half, not so much.

In the beginning, Alex Parks who's a graphic designer has decided to put herself "out there". After joining a dating service, she has been in constant communication for months with a guy named "Eric". When he goes silent for a couple of weeks, she decides to fly and surprise him on his birthday. The last thing she was expecting was to learn that Eric was not the brother she had been writing to. In turns out that Joe has been using Eric's account all along. Alex can't believe he has deceived her. She can't wait to run out of his town and go back to her safe life in Seattle. She was not counting on the flu hitting hard and delaying her escape.

Joe Collins goes out of character when he makes the decision to respond to a message on his brother's dating service account. He finds himself in a conundrum, tell Alex the truth and risk never receiving another message from her or keeping the lie and enjoying the online friendship he has with her. He finds Alex to be funny and he savors their exchanges. When Alex shows up at the Dive Bar, he can't believe he has made such a huge mistake by letting her think she was communicating with Eric. He's determined to ask for her forgiveness. Nursing her through her sickness is the least he can do to redeem himself from all the pain and embarrassment he has caused her.

Alex was shy and she was scared of intimacy. She didn't want to get hurt again. It was easier to remain in her cocoon but Joe helped her realized she was missing out on living.

Joe was not your typical alpha. Instead, he was more of the nice guy who didn't like to play games. He didn't like deceiving Alex and he felt bad for having done it. He did a lot to make Alex forgive him so that's why I didn't understand when he decided to take his pain out on Alex and begin hurting her feelings, repeatedly. Even weirder was to see Alex transform herself from the funny strong woman I have come to love to a helpless doormat.

I'm sad I didn't like the second half since I love this series and its characters. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I fall in love with the next couple all the way through.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever watched Catfish on MTV. Every time I see an episode I sit in anticipation wondering if the girl who thinks she’s texting a shy, sensitive guy in Oklahoma who also looks like a male model will actually be texting an agoraphobic female high school dropout. *Spoiler* They’re always lying. Twist is Kylie Scott’s take on what would happen if you were catfished. Except instead of finding out you’ve been emailing a 60-year-old shut in you find out you’ve been talking to a brooding, lumber-sexual.

If you read the first book in the Dive Bar series, you’ll remember Eric is the narcissistic ladies man who slept with one of his best friend’s ex-wife and knocked her up. Joe is Eric’s brother. A sweet, gentle giant with a penchant for plaid. When Alex joins a dating site she thinks she’s talking to Eric, but Eric loses interest exactly two seconds after his brother sets up his online dating profile. When Joe goes to close his brother’s profile he can’t help himself from emailing Alex back. But instead of telling Alex who he really is Joe keeps pretending to be his brother. Skip ahead six months and Alex decides she’s going to surprise Eric – except Eric isn’t the only one who is surprised.

Twist was even better than I had imagined, it dug a little deeper than most lighthearted romances out there tackling issues like body image (both male and female) and promiscuity. One of the reasons Joe doesn’t tell Alex he’s not his brother is because he’s always lived in the shadow of Eric who could easily be a male model. Joe is handsome, but he doesn’t have a six-pack or sculpted body, he was real, and it was so refreshing to have a male lead who wasn’t cut from granite.

Besides the scorching sex scenes, humor, and unbelievably feels (especially from the baby situation), Twist gave me one of my new favorite book moments. One of the reasons I love reading Kylie Scott’s books is that she is a true feminist. There are a lot of books out right now feature alpha males who, in my opinion, are more rude and borderline abusive than sexy. There is a scene in Twist where Joe grabs Alex and drags her to another room so they can talk. Alex asks Joe repeatedly to stop pushing her around, but he ignores her. When Joe finally gets Alex in the room what does she do? She slaps him and tells her to never manhandle her again, then she tells him to apologize. Ladies and gentleman, I have never wanted to write a love letter to an author more than I did after reading that scene. YES! Finally, a character who isn’t afraid of telling a man, “No, pushing me around against my will is not sexy.” It made me love Alex even more than I already did.

I thoroughly enjoyed Twist. Kylie Scott writes characters that are multidimensional instead of annoying caricatures of what romance authors think we want. Twist is a fantastic read that anyone who is tired of played out romance tropes will truly appreciate.