3.5 stars-- TWIST is the second installment in Kylie Scott’s contemporary, adult DIVE BAR romance series - a spin off from her popular Stage Dive series. This is bartender/builder Joe Collins, and interior designer Alex Parks’ story line. TWIST can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from first person point of view (Alex ) TWIST follows the building relationship between builder/bartender Joe Collins, and interior designer Alex Parks. For weeks Alex has been communicating online with a man she believes to be Eric Collins but a surprise visit to the man in question finds Alex stunned when Eric denies all knowledge of their online affair. Enter Eric’s older brother Joe, and the man with whom Alex will fall in love. What ensues is the rebuilding of a friendship between Alex and Joe, and Alex’s struggle to not fall in love with the man who has lied to her for several months.

Alex Parks doesn’t do relationships but her online friendship with ‘Eric Collins’ finds our heroine entering new territory and stepping out of her comfort zone when she makes a surprise visit to Eric’s hometown. But to Alex’s dismay and shock Eric knows nothing about Alex believing she is a groupie from his days as a rock star and musician. Joe Collins struggles with his place in the family and keeping his identity a secret from Alex Parks has stirred up a hornet’s nest of distrust and anger from not only Alex but from his brother as well- a man who directs his anger at our story line heroine. Joe is a bit of a push over as it pertains to his family and his friends making for some awkward moments between Joe and the woman with whom he will fall in love. While Alex remains in town to help Joe with a renovation project, she discovers that falling for the man will only lead to heartbreak-once again. Some drama of another nature forces Joe to reevaluate his relationship with Alex Parks forcing our heroine in another direction.



The relationship between Alex and Joe begins as a lie; an online deception that Alex struggles to forgive and forget. Joe is determined to make things right with the woman that calls to his heart but an accident will cause Joe to push Alex out of his life, and in doing so, force Alex to walk away for the very last time. Their lack of confidence and uncertainty about the future overshadows their developing love. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive and intense, without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Joes’ brother Eric, and his parents Stan and Audrey Collins; Nell and her ex husband Patrick; Dive Bar employee Rosie; Vaughn and Lydia (Dirty #1) and Alex’s best friend Val, as well as cameo’s appearances by the rock band Stage Dive including our beloved Mal. The requisite conflict is a not so subtle ex who wants a second chance with our story line hero.

TWIST is a slow building story about family, friendships, loyalty and second chances. Joe and Alex’s relationship has issues of trust, not only from Joe’s original deception, but also from demons of the past, for both of our story line characters. The premise lacked something in its’ presentation- perhaps the anticipation factor or lack of any real emotion from either leading character. In the end, the conflict was too quickly resolved for all of the struggle between our leading couple. The romance was provocative; the characters were affectionate and sensitive but missing some of the fiery emotional connection I want in my story line couples.

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Twist Kylie Scott

Is it cat fishing? mistaken Identity? Or a case of well meaning intentions?

Kylie Scott is one of my automatic reads, whenever she has a new book out it's on my TBR. They also don't stay on my TBR for long it's picked up and read rather quickly. I always eagerly await her latest release and Twist is a perfect example as to why. The 2nd book in the Dive Bar series, a follow on from the Uber successfully Stage Dive series Twist is Joes story, the quiet sexy giant that is always rushing to the rescue of his friends and little brother Eric. I love the characters in Kylie Scotts worlds they are eclectic and enjoyable and Twist has some prime examples with some flashbacks to the characters we first met in Stage Dive.

Twist had me tied up in emotional knots as the plot had me running the gauntlet from happy and laughing yo sad and crying. I was hooked from the first chapters I was easily and I couldn't put it down. So a brief overview Introvert Alex decides to stop living life from behind a computer screen and meet the man she fell in love with online 'Eric'. Only 'Eric' isn't all that he seems and the funny sweet guy she fell for on line is an Ass when she meets him face to face he doesn't even recognise her, denies speaking to her and he has a pregnant lady friend. That is so not ok! But 'Eric' isn't really Eric, his online dating profile was taken over by his well meaning brother Joe initially to close it down but then he couldn't closing it down meant no more interaction with Alex. So be prepared to fall for a sexy bearded beast with a kind heart.

This was a FUN, SEXY, LIGHT-HEARTED romance rounded out by just the right amount of angst and feels! There was some seriously hilarious banter, a bit of a love-hate romance, and even some surprises that I didn't see coming! The hero and heroine were complete opposites in every way. They'd met by chance online but had never seen each other in person but there was a catch — she thought he was his brother and he never bothered to correct her so when they finally met, she was shocked and understandably pissed. But when he proved himself to actually be the good guy he knew she couldn't see, she found herself unexpectedly falling for him.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*

I love it when there is no love at first sight. Alex pretty much loathes Joe the first time she meets him. Which I was not expecting, ’cause Joe is just such a nice guy in general.

Though to be fair, he screwed up big time here. Now pushed together by circumstances, Joe has the chance to redeem himself.

I loved how that connection between Joe and Alex grew gradually. Seeing their lives intertwine, meddling friends, it’s all very entertaining.

Both have some issues, but them coming together forces them to address those, and work through them.

Twist is a great addition to the Dive Bar series. It was awesome getting to know all the characters better. Joe was a guy that was not really on my radar, but he nicely surprised me. Alex is interesting. She’ll keep you on your toes.

Twist was fun, hot, and entertaining, and exactly what I needed to relax after a trying week.

My review for this title was going to be low, so I have decided to DNF the title. We are looking at possibly joining the promo tour for the book through InkSlinger PR. If this happens, I will update this with the link to the promo on the blog page.

Thanks,
Laura

These are my Happily Ever After Novel Thoughts...

I didn't realize until I finished reading this book, it was the second in a series. It definitely can be read as a standalone! I think I need to read the first one because from this story, I'm not entirely sure who the story could be about.

I really liked this book! It was a different type of Boy Meets Girl type of story. Things played out as you would expect but it was written so well you can feel their emotions. There was one part I cried my eyes out because it was super sad and caused great turmoil.

There were lots of laughs to be had but some real issues being dealt with, as well.

Take a trip to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to find out if Alex and Joe can move beyond friendship to find their Happily Ever Afters.

Thank you for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book. I did have some trouble staying connected to the characters and the plot in this story. I am choosing to not write a review at this time as I don't want to deter any other readers from purchasing the book and reading it. I completely understand that just because I didn't end up loving the book doesn't mean others won't. I am still more than happy to help promote it on my blog. Thank you again for the opportunity to read it.

Another good book in the Dive Bar series, and I really enjoyed this one. Right from the start it sucked me into the story line with Alex's trip to surprise her online friend, and hopefully take their relationship to the next level. Only surprises aren't always welcome as we soon discover in this book. I didn't expect it all all, so this element gave me a good kick start to the book.

As the story went on I enjoyed where things went. Alex as a character was pretty quiet, a bit reclusive, suffering from anxiety issues and doesn't get out much, so her situation really pushed her out of her comfort zone. Having said that she is also full of sass at times, giving Joe what for on a number of occasions, adding an element of humour to the book.

Joe was a great character, with his own issues, he's kind and caring, but does make some pretty huge mistakes in the book!

With plenty of drama, and some major upset and trauma, there is plenty to keep the pages turning. I enjoyed how Joe and Alex's friendship developed and the support they both offered one another.

I feel like we are starting to get a really good feel for all of the characters featured in the series. I look forward to the next book... Overall a really entertaining read, which was sweet, sexy, romantic and funny, with an element of sadness too!

Friends to lovers is a favorite theme of mine and in this tale Ms. Scott puts a unique spin on it to amp up the drama and modernize it for the digital age. After numerous emails Alex thinks she's found the man of her dreams, a man worth going outside her comfort zone for. When she decides to pay an unexpected visit to him for his birthday though, everything comes crashing down as truths are revealed and hurtful words are said. On the cusp of Alex giving up completely fate intervenes to throw her and Joe together once again in a relationship full of ups and downs that charmed me as well as frustrated me at times.

Alex is a likable young woman who has let fear and self-doubts rule her life for far too long. Her email exchanges brought out a stronger side to her, a braver one that had her making a spontaneous decision. She's hurt though when she discovers that the man she grew close to isn't who she thought he was, which is understandable and which brought out her bitter side at first. Joe's not at all the kind of guy she's normally drawn to but she comes to appreciate him the more time they spend together. Alex has always set herself apart from others but quickly finds herself caught up in the lives of Joe's family and friends, making a place for herself in their circle. Being with Joe has her taking on new challenges and each time she meets those goals I was left cheering. Her interactions with Joe started off antagonistic but quickly took on a sweet and sensual vibe through sexy and playful banter. She became a good support to Joe when he needed her most but when a blast from his past returns she too returns to her usual ways of running in self-preservation of her heart. It disappointed me but she ultimately made me proud by fighting for what she truly wanted in a cheer-inducing conclusion.

Joe has always felt second best to his charming, playboy brother Eric. Girls always cozied up to him for an introduction to the sexy Eric which made him feel unworthy and doubtful of finding his own HEA. Seeing Alex's online dating profile had him doing the unthinkable by pretending to be Eric so he can get to know her better. Her appearance at the family bar though throws him for a loop, but desperate to make amends he'll wear his heart on his sleeve and present all the qualities of the quintessential book boyfriend. With his long hair, rugged mountain man looks, and strong protective nature he might not be what she thought she wanted but he slowly wins her forgiveness and ultimately her heart in a sweet and sexy evolution of friends to lovers. Joe's the one everybody counts on, the loyal one who never says no to those who need his help. Alex shows him that it's okay for him to think of his own wants and desires and when he finally stood up for himself it left me cheering. Ultimately Joe's a sexy beast, endearing in his interactions with Alex and a truly delicious man with a talent for dirty talk and a body built for sin. His only flaw is in taking on too much responsibility, taking on guilt associated with a tragedy that wasn't his fault, but had him pushing Alex away out of his personal pain. It was an act that frustrated me as it was a blow to her self-esteem, but for all the loving words and deeds that came before I easily forgave him.

The premise of this story was an appealing one that set up a solid foundation between Joe and Alex despite their immediate falling-out. Seeing their previous conversations made their quick connection more believable. Their interactions were antagonistic early on but evolved into a sweet and scorching romance as they opened their hearts and desires to each other. They were a good support system to each other which made each of them better and stronger in a relationship that had me rooting for them through every speed bump thrown in their path. Along with this compelling and immensely likable main couple was a large cast of equally engaging secondary characters. They were a larger than life group who supported one another and who played their own parts in getting Joe and Alex together, sometimes with humorous intentions. There were a few who stood out though. Amongst those were Alex's transgender friend Val whose backstory was heartbreaking. Her attitude was feisty and unconditionally supportive of Alex and I would love to see the story of her and Liam's romance. The other character that caught my attention was Eric, and not always for his good qualities. Eric was arrogant, uncaring of women's feelings, and seemed a bit childish at times. He didn't want to take on adult responsibilities, happy to get by on his charm, but a tragic event might very well be the catalyst to his becoming more mature and worthy of HEA on the verge of his story releasing next. Readers looking for a fun and flirty read with a touch of angst and a lot of scorching encounters will find this the perfect read to put a smile on their face and a blush to their cheeks.

This is my first time reading anything written by Kylie Scott. I heard great things about her work, so when the opportunity to read and review her latest release came knocking I could not pass on it. "Twist" is the second book in the Dive Bar series and can be read as a stand-alone.

The story follows Alex Parks and Joe Collins, two people who had nothing in common. They met each other through an online dating service. During this time, they developed a rapport. However, Alex did not know that the man to whom she was baring her soul was not who he portrayed himself as. She discovered the deception when she decided to fly across the country and surprise him for his birthday. However, instead, she got the surprise when she discovered that Eric the man she thought was her online pen pal was actually his brother Joe. She was royally pissed and understandably so. You see she took a big risk when she decided to leave Seattle. She suffered from a mild case of agoraphobia. After the embarrassing meeting, she decided to return home, but her plans got derailed when she became ill after walking to her hotel in the rain. This gave Joe the opportunity to prove to her that he was not the douche bag she thought he was.

I loved how the romance developed. Joe is not Alex’s type at least so she thought, but that was until she got to know him. I loved their banter, which was tinged with humour and a lot of steam. They had me laughing for most of the first half of the book. Theirs was not an insta-love, but a slow burn connection. I enjoyed Joe’s friends’ hilarious attempts to pair them both. Alex’s best friend for me was the life of the story. The way she called out Joe for making Alex believe that he was his brother.

Again, he listened. In fact, he listened for quite a while. “You’re… I… Okay, yes, I’m a raging asshole. I should never have done that to her, you’re right. But…” He paused. Then he took an almighty big breath, letting it out real slow. “Yes. You’re right, there’s no excuse for such a willful act of bastardly and I definitely deserve to be castrated and burn in hell for all eternity. Um. Who did you say you were again?” The man massaged his temple, making the muscles in his upper back move. Nice. “Valerie, Alex’s best friend.

The story started out on a high note. The witty banter along with the steamy scenes made for an interesting read. Things were going well up to this point, but tragedy struck, changing the dynamics of the story. It took on an emotional feel, which was not a problem. My problem was with Joe’s treatment of Alex at this point. He took a shocking 360-degree turn. From that moment, he became my least favourite person. The connection established earlier was damaged. I knew he blamed himself for what happened, but it does not justify what he did to Alex. If I had his POV, I may have understood his actions.

Although I did not agree with Alex’s choices after what transpired I respected her for the decision she made to stick around. If I were in that situation, I may not have stuck around. It is my belief that, she was opening herself for more hurt in light of the events that followed. . The anger he expressed when she decided that heeding his request would be in her best interest was misplaced and unfair.

I struggled with my decision in rating this book, which is due in part to the issues with the second half of the book. Did I enjoy the story? Yes, it is a well - written story, with lots of snarky and humorous banter. Would I read more of the author’s work? Most definitely. I am planning to continue the series and I hope the other books will meet my expectations. Would I recommend? Yes, I would, especially to fans of romantic comedy.

Joe started out with good intentions and figured what would one little lie really hurt? Well wasn't he surprised when his email friend showed up out of the blue! Alex showing up unexpectedly was not on his list of things he was expecting. After being totally embarrassed Alex just wants to leave and go back home. Joe *sigh* is a really good guy and wants to talk it out.

Oh my gosh, Joe! Joe is almost the total package (he does a few things that doesn't quite let him achieve the total package status but he's pretty close!) He's sweet, will do anything for friends and family and can't say no to them, even if he wants to.

Alex is used to saying no, no she doesn't want to go out, no she doesn't want to meet new people. She's perfectly happy being at home, reading and working.

These two bring out the best in each other and help each grow until it all comes crashing down. I was rooting for these two so much! They have a lot to work through and there was times I was laughing, wiping away a tear, and grumbling.

Loved seeing characters from the Stage Dive series too.

Joe is the bestestest and I will never be the same again.

Joe told a tiny lie but that lie has grown to be the most important thing he could have hidden from a person he considers his best friend. He pretended to be his brother, Eric, at first it was to shut his dating account but a message caught his eyes and months later they have shared deep secrets but Alex doesn't know who she is really talking to.

Joe is about to find out that telling the truth was the better way, Alex hasn't even begun to be prepared for what's to come.

I am so in love with this story that I cried when it ended. I am in LOVE with Joe and I think I love him more than any other Kylie hero. He was the perfect combination of sweet, sexy and omg he was such an Alpha. I adored his shyness and his awkwardness. Joe Collins is the real deal, y'all!! Believe me, you'll easily fall in love with this hot bearded bigfoot.

I need a friend like Alex Parks. She is such a strong relatable character. Her quirks and her anxieties touched at my heart. I don't think I've ever understood a character like I got Alex. She is such an inspiration because she didn't let anything bring her down and was constantly trying to strengthen herself. I admire her for that. Also, she is so darn funny.

Kylie Scott is a master at crafting stories and I don't know how she does this but everytime she delivers a story that becomes a part of me. I don't think I'll ever be over her books and frankly I don't want to be.

Twist by Kylie Scott......This was a great book, it held my attention with the fantastic characters, they were fun and engaging. I enjoyed seeing the story play out between Alex and Joe. This was my first book by Kylie Scott and it will not be my last. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

Shel: Here's how much I enjoyed Twist: I have this screen open to write the review, I'm texting Court about it, and I'm about to open our Instagram account to talk about it; if that's not some serious enjoyment, I don't know what is! Twist is light and fun and not overly angsty. The two main characters, Joe and Alex, are really easy to like and almost instantly you will find yourself wanting the best for them--which is really nothing new, I think we've always found Kylie Scott's characters easy to like and relate to. Court: We have, and that is something that I think we look for a lot. We dive into a lot of fantasy in the overall story most of the time with the books but it is always a big discussion for readers if the characters look like, act like and talk just like us. So, having a girl who doesn't meet the usual standard of beauty and has more to offer in her personality than her...well, you know...it is SO NICE!

Shel: For me, Twist was especially interesting because I recognized parts of myself in both Alex and Joe so please pardon me while I explain in a way that may be spoiler-ish? If you don't want to know too much about these two, skip over the parts in blue. I could easily be an Alex--I don't get out much (outside of work) and I'm usually someone who likes to watch rather than be the center of attention. But more than that, there was one pinnacle moment when the way she coped felt very familiar--she saw the place that she'd sorta carved out for herself in Joe's life seem to be no longer necessary and she very quietly left without saying goodbye. I'm the absolute worst when it comes to that! I hate saying goodbye and I always justify it in my head, just like Alex did, and I'm so guilty of not thinking about how that may impact others. It's selfish and hurtful and I'm better at not doing that but damn, I so identified with Alex. I also saw some of myself in Joe. I, too, tend to try to be a fixer and it was a very hard lesson to learn how to not constantly wear myself out by doing too much. Learning how to say "no" was a very very painful process for me. All of this to say that Kylie Scott just has this way of creating characters that can feel so identifiable and real and I especially felt that in Twist. As I'm reading through this, I realize that this all sounds so serious and really it's more of a romantic comedy than anything else--it's truly light and fun and sexy.

Court: You hit it just right, Shel. I think the themes of this book are really relatable to a lot of people. How they met and got to know each other online is a really big part of dating today (and if my husband ever leaves me I will be alone forever, because I could not do dating in today's day and age! In my defense, we got together when I was 15...) Anyway, I digress...so as you can see if you're still reading by this point, that there is a lot to relate to for each of us in these characters...and we really love this group of people that Kylie has given us at Dive Bar. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Shel: As with all of her novels, I enjoyed seeing the secondary characters and catching up with what they were up to since we last saw them and in Twist there was definitely some action there. I also loved that this novel had a transwoman as a trusted sidekick--I hope to see more of Val and more characters like her. Kylie Scott's cast of characters feels like family and reading Twist has me looking forward to reading the next novel in this series. Court: I teared up. I laughed. I was sad. I was mad for multiple characters on multiple occasions (at them and for them, I suppose) so this was a multifaceted book that has depth, heart and is just a really good sexy time in a way that is unique to Kylie Scott and I've always loved about her. Read this book, and series and her other series and all the things! NOW! :)

I read Twist with a smile on my face, laughing out loud often. This shouldn't be surprising when there's lines like this: "Butterflies didn't cover it. There were pterodactyls inside my stomach, swooping and screeching and flying around." p.112

Kylie Scott breathed new life into a plot centered around meeting online and mistaken identity and it had everything to do with Alex and Joe's respective personalities. Joe is a classic good guy and he was very swoon-worthy. A guy other than Joe likely would not have tried so hard to make things up to Alex after she discovered he was the Eric she'd been emailing all along. While they slowly settle into friendship, it is clear they have a lot to learn from each other.

Whereas Joe says yes to everyone in his life, setting up more than a couple codependent relationships, Alex says no to everyone, functioning more like a hermit. We're at our healthiest when we're somewhere between those two extremes. Joe proposes Alex gets out of her comfort zone by saying yes to things and he'll learn to set boundaries by saying no. This was great to see in action.

While the books build on each other, they can be read in any order. The author excels at depicting the community between her characters and the friendships between the groups of friends are some of the finest in contemporary romance.

No matter what's happening in a character's love life, their friends remain important and their significant other naturally becomes incorporated into that circle. Alex doesn't really have friends beyond her best friend Val (loved her character!) so it was neat to see her get to know Joe's friends and realize people aren't as bad as she thinks.

The romance between Alex and Joe was fantastic. Their chemistry was perfect and their interactions often made me giggle with glee. Things were sailing along quite smoothly until tragedy happens (I did not see this coming and it broke my heart!) and Joe made a choice that I didn't think quite fit his character. I did, however, love seeing how Alex responded to it.

It's hard to create new patterns and habits for ourselves and the author doesn't shy away from this struggle. It's another part of why I love her books- they reflect real life. There aren't quick fixes, even when there's an instant connection. Relationships take work and vulnerability and risk and it's all reflected in this wonderful novel.

Online dating urgh the thought gives me shivers i could never do that. But after reading this book and the chance to meet a man Joe it makes me reconsider my choices. Alex and Joe are two characters who make online dating and meeting in person a very fun experience.A very entertaining book that was also romantic and left me with a huge smile on my face. A great addition to the Dive Bar series and i cannot wait to read more from the series

review on goodreads under the name kimothy

After talking online for months, this couple has quite the disastrous first meeting. A relationship starts and stumbled, and stumbles some more. I never warmed up to the male character in this book. The heroine had some guts the way she just showed up unannounced. Only liking half of a couple doesn't really work for me. This was just an okay read for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This was a fun, sweet, sexy case of mistaken identity wrapped up in the witty banter and sexy alpha that Kylie Scott does so well. Joe and his mountain man looks has met his match in Alex and what a match it was. I highly recommend picking this one up. It was a fun ride from page one.

Twist started out with a bang, crashed and burned – Alex suffered from a bad case of identity theft. Alex found herself standing outside the Dive Bar in a short dress and hooker heels getting ready to meet the man of her dreams – someone she has been emailing, flirting, and sharing her deep secrets with. Except he wasn’t who she imagined at all. Surprise! Her love interest turned out to be Joe, the hot, bearded, rugged bartender/carpenter. Alex was supposed to hightail straight back home except her plan was deterred. Days turn into weeks and a chain of events happened that pulled Alex and Joe closer than either of them expected. The relationship blossomed, friends turn into lovers – just perfection.

I really adore Alex – she is funny, friendly, beautiful. She is honest – what you see is what you get. She is also a strong heroine – she can hold her own especially against some of Joe’s skeptical family members. I also like Joe - sweet, hard-working, caring, stable and a nice man. But sometimes I want to smack some sense into him. At the beginning, Joe was very sweet and endearing the way he was wooing Alex; I love how their relationship slowly developed from enemies to innocent friendship to hot sexy lovers. However, toward the end with all the drama of the car accident and the ex-girlfriend I did not think Joe handled the situation well. I understand where he is coming from. However, he was distant and did not go after Alex, which upset me a little bit. Of course, he redeemed himself at the end . Otherwise, I love everything else about this book - the banters, the humor and the clever plot. The story is sweet, funny, sexy and romantic with a little bit of drama and angst. I am also happy the story included the secondary characters’ lives which added a little complexity to the storyline. Overall, Twist was an entertaining read!

4.5 sexy stars!