Cover Image: Jilted

Jilted

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

After I have recently read the first book in the "Love Hurts" and it wasa positive surprise, I was looking forward to read the second book in the series "Jilted".

"Jilted" is a nice read as well but I found it weaker than the first book. I had some problems with the second chance romance because I had the feeling that I missed out on chemistry between the characters. Eden and Coop were Highschool Sweethearts but seperated when Eden started her career as model and Hollywood actor. Almost 15 years later they meet again when Eden comes back to her hometown after she found out that her fiancè was cheating on her.

I liked the setting in the small town in Georgia and the big house Eden and Coop are sharing but still it kind of lacked in atmosphere.
The romance felt pretty rushed to me and as I said before I had the feeling that we missed out on something because Coop and Eden already knew each other.

The book still was an entertaining read with cute characters and a nice romance.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this story and had a hard time finishing. I ended up skimming to get to the end. I'm sorry!

Was this review helpful?

After loving the first book in Sawyer Bennett’s Love Hurts series, I was highly anticipating Jilted and while I liked Jilted, it didn’t come close to having the charm, warmth, and good times feel as the first book leaving me a bit disappointed. However, I am a total sucker for reunited/second chance romances and readers get that big time in this book.

Finding out her fiancé has been cheating on her and breaking up with him on the red carpet of a movie premier send Emmy winning actress Eden Goodnight fleeing back to her hometown of Newberry, Georgia a place she hasn’t lived for 14 years and only has been in once since she left town for a career in modeling. With the grandmother who despised her dead and buried, Eden is hoping the family homestead and the town will help her feel at peace. What she doesn’t expect is to find she’s the town pariah and the man she once loved with all her heart living in her family’s home because her grandmother saw fit to make her life difficult from beyond.

There was much I liked, even loved about this book including the two leading characters. It was easy to see that while Eden had achieved fame and fortune, that she wasn’t truly happy. As her story unfolds it really is a bit tragic, losing her parents at 15 and being raised by a grandmother who really doesn’t want to be bothered with you, getting “discovered” and no one in your life being happy for you, and moving across the country at the age of 18 with no friends or support from anyone has made Eden tough, strong, and longing for something familiar. While it is easy for her to admit her engagement was more of a longing for companionship than a love match being publically humiliated has her turning back to the only person she can trust, herself. Cooper continued college after Eden left, got his degree and moved back home to help his father with his landscape business and expand their offerings. He loves the town and the people who were there for him when he nursed his broken heart after Eden left and when his father died. I liked Cooper, I think he was a great guy and friend, but he was a bit too cocky for me, had some backwards thinking towards compromise in a relationship, and to be honest his man-whorish tendencies were a bit of a turn off to me especially since he seemed to really enjoy bringing it up over and over and over. These two had a past, most of it was good and I enjoyed the fact they were each other’s “firsts” and that despite being young they shared love. While their break-up was mutual, it was evident they both harbored some bad feelings from it, but it was also evident that they never really got over one another.

Where the story kind of lost me; these were two relatively intelligent people in their mid 30’s but their actions often were more like young college aged kids. The anger, resentment, and arguments were at times childish and at other times petty. I felt they jumped back into a physical relationship way too quickly and again being somewhat intelligent and mid 30’s they both should have realized that what they were jumping into was not “rebound sex” because there was too much between them and neither one was really upset about their breakups. It was more like lust and bad decisions sex, which is fine but own it. I would have loved them to sit down and really talk about their pasts, their hopes, their dreams, what went wrong between them, how despite trying to forget one another they never really could but we didn’t get that, we got a lot of hot, steamy, wicked sex scenes which are all fine and good, but I personally needed more to be convinced these two were going to make it long term. Don’t even get me started on Coop’s once again “my way or the highway” attitude, because dude tell me once shame on you, tell me twice shame on me and bye-bye-bye.

I did like this book and I was very happy with the ending, but I felt like it was missing some crucial elements to make it an excellent story.

Was this review helpful?

Eden and Cooper have a love that just never went away. Even though she moved away and became a big Hollywood star. After being publicly humiliated on the red carpet, Eden runs home to her parent's house to gather herself. What she didn't expect was for Cooper to be there. It took a bit for them to reconnect without awkwardness, but when they finally do, it's like wearing a favorite t-shirt - something so comfortable, that you almost forget how it is. Will they be able to rekindle and re-ignite what they once had?

Was this review helpful?

Jilted was so much fun to read! It’s a second-chance romance in the vein of Reese Witherspoon’s Sweet Home Alabama and it has all the things I look for when reading a romance: witty banter, sexual tension, a little bit of angst, fun secondary characters, main characters that I really like, and a hilarious scene involving clothes being tossed out the window that garnered me some strange looks at the gym.

Right from the start I knew I’d love Eden. She’s down-to-earth but glamourous and doesn’t apologize for the life she chose, even though it’s a far cry from how she grew up. She’s a Hollywood superstar who’s never forgotten her roots—despite never returning home except for one brief day to attend her grandmother’s funeral. After she takes her (former) fiancé down publically for cheating on her, she flees to Newberry, Georgia where she grew up and runs smack dab into her first love, Coop.

Talk about unapologetic. Coop hasn’t had a relationship in 14 years but admits, at least to himself, that he’s probably the town whore. I loved that Coop didn’t allow his breakup with Eden to turn him into a bitter person. When we meet him he doesn’t even connect his lack of relationships with his broken heart 14 years before. He’s built up the landscaping business he inherited from his dad and life’s been good.

And that’s what set this book apart for me.

Coop and Eden didn’t have a nasty breakup. They didn’t spend 14 years heartbroken and bitter. They just broke up and went on with their lives after suffering through some sadness. I’m not sure I’ve read a second-chance romance like this before. Yes, Coop has something he’s bitter about regarding Eden, but it has nothing to do with how they parted. It’s all very… adult. So often I read these second-chance books and the characters haven’t grown at all in the however many years they’ve been apart. But, Coop and Eden did.

And, did I mention unapologetic…

This is a sexy book. There’s a lot of sex in it. Coop and Eden? They learned some moves since they lost their virginity to each other. They have fun showing each other what they’ve learned. I mean, they have fun. (okay, there’s ass play, so if that makes you uncomfortable, plan to skip ahead).
Of course, there are misunderstandings, which I thought were tentative at best, but they led to angst which I love, so it was okay. There’s a jealous wannabe girlfriend that causes trouble that you enjoy watching get taken down a peg or two. There are the typical small, southern town folks that are both closed off and friendly (but not at the same time). And, Eden may have ended up being just a little too perfect… but southern girls sometimes do and that’s okay.

4 stars for Jilted. Heat level: 4.5

I received a copy of Jilted from NetGalley and InkSlingerPR in exchange for honest feedback.

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute and fun and super steamy second chance romance. There was some angst thrown in, but I laughed more than anything.

We meet Eden on the night she gets humiliated in front of the whole world. She doesn't handle it well, but who would if they were in her shoes. She decides to hide out for a bit and heads back to her tiny little home town.

Enter Cooper. He's a simple man living a simple life. He works hard, and he plays hard. He's pretty closed off emotionally, and has been since Eden walked out of his life many years prior.

The first time they see each other again goes about how one would expect. Not good. And then they start a war with each other. I was dying of laughter. It was pretty amazing.

The chemistry between them is alive and well. And they decide to take advantage of that. I'll just say that Coop is a naughty, naughty boy. *fans face*

Despite the history of hurt between them, they fall back into each other's arms pretty easily. I was bracing for the drama as the "expiration date" arrived. And honestly, it was a bit anticlimactic, for me at least. I like my heartache to hurt a little more. LOL!!!

Despite my wee bit of disappointment, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was fun and flirty and steamy with just a touch of drama. Definitely worth a read!

Was this review helpful?

A passionate second chance with all the feels…

I’m glancing at the highlights I marked in this book and one word pops up all the time – HOT! Eden and Cooper had another chance to get their love right and they are going to try their hardest, with lots and lots of practice, to do just that… And practice they did, as their physical chemistry burned high for most of this low drama, high octane second chance love story…

“…rebound sex isn’t love and romance sex. It’s just… sex.”

Eden had left for the bright lights of Hollywood and Cooper stayed in their home town, leaving their relationship broken and fractured beyond repair. Facing each other years later, their passion for each other took up right where they left off and, with the added bonus of a few years of living and growing up, their relationship was going to get another chance.

“There may have been some shoving, biting, clawing, throwing of persons upon the bed, ripping of clothes, and tearing of bed linens from the mattress.”

I loved this southern-tinged, second chance story that promised heat and feels and delivered it all! Cooper was the strong, uber-handsome, sexy, sexy hero while Eden filled her role of southern belle to the charming hilt! I love the characters in the Love Hurts series, and while each story can be read standalone, you don’t want to miss one southern charming, lilty moment!

Was this review helpful?

Eden just had her world turned upside down on the red carpet. She runs to the one place she knows noone will know to find her. What she doesn’t expect to find is, Coop, the ex-boyfriend whose heart she broke by leaving the first time. He isn’t the only surprise. She receives far from a warm welcome and things are more different than she thought. Just when she begins to regret coming home again. Coop and Eden soon find a way to get along in the most delicious way. What they don’t expect is to find themselves in the same predicament they had before. Can Coop and Eden finally get their happy ending or will history repeat itself?
I adored this book. Eden and Coop are the best former high school sweethearts that I’ve read in a while. Their chemistry is palpable from the moment they see each other again for the first time. I think this second chance love story has the perfect mix of sweet and sexy. The story weaves a wonderful combination of misunderstandings, fame, small town gossip and love. Sawyer Bennett is masterful in her ability to write a story that will envelop its reader. I couldn’t put this down until I turned the last page. I know you will agree when you pick it up. The perfect beach read with sex, sass, love and hollywood glam.

Was this review helpful?

No Spoilers! Jilted is the second book in the Love Hurts series but can be read as a standalone.. Eden heads back to her hometown, trying to escape a bad break up , when the first person she runs into is her first love Cooper. what will her future hold now, definitely not what she had planned. An overall enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Oh my goodness...I loved this second chance romance! I received an ARC of this wonderful story about two strong people who had been separated through circumstances in life and now have a second chance. I don't want to spoil the story but if you love second chances, you'll love this one!

Was this review helpful?

This is a hard review to write. I normally love all things Sawyer Bennett, but this one was not as mind-blowingly amazing as the last book of hers that I read, Wicked Favor. To be quite honest, I found it… just okay.

“Jilted” tells the story of an Oscar-award winning actress who was publicly humiliated on a Hollywood red carpet when a paparazzo announced that her actor fiancé was cheating on her with another actress. She goes back home to her small town somewhere in Georgia to lick her wounds, but lo and behold, she reconnects with her one-time best friend/boyfriend. They also find out that they jointly own a Southern mansion bequeathed to them by the girl’s horrible grandmother. So, at first, they barely tolerated each other, but they suddenly feel the stirrings of love rekindling inside them, so obviously, they then jump into the sack and have awesome sex scenes, because, hey, this is a Sawyer Bennett book after all.

Frankly, I found it to be a formulaic type of book. And, the heroine to be too bratty and annoying. I just didn’t feel it, y’know what I mean? Maybe I was still coming down from my “Wicked Favor” high (I had ALL the feels there). Maybe I shoulda drunk 2 more glasses of wine to mellow me out the day I read this book. Nevertheless, I finished it, found it okay, and am now waiting anxiously for the next Sawyer Bennett masterpiece.

Was this review helpful?

Omg such a great book by sawyer bennett! Highly reccomend

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed my first read by Sawyer Bennett (Sex in the Sticks--my review here) so of course I had to pick up Jilted. Also, it's a second chance romance, and I can never resist that trope no matter how many romance books I read with a similar plot line.

Fellow second-chance trope lovers, you have to pick up Jilted. It was such a fun read, I completely enjoyed it, and Sawyer Bennett will soon be added to my auto-buy authors list.

Eden Goodnight and Cooper Mayfield used to date when they were in high school, but they mutually decided to break up after unsuccessfully trying to make it work long distance. Now, Coop owns a successful landscape company and still living in Newberry, the small town they both grew up in. Eden is now an Academy Award winning actress living in Hollywood, and engaged to the biggest action star. Her life was pretty perfect, until she found out that her fiance was cheating on her with his co-star. Wanting to get away from all the crazy after the big scandal, Eden decided to go back to the one place the paparazzi wouldn't think to come looking for her, Newberry, Georgia.

Eden was in for a surprise when the first person she saw at Goodnight House is none other than Cooper, and learns that her late grandmother actually gave half of the house to Cooper in her will. Cooper wasn't happy to see Eden either as he felt some anger and bitterness towards her. These two start off resenting each other, but soon decided to indulge in some very steamy rebound sex.

As in Sex in the Sticks, we get another small town boy and glamorous big city lady story that I just ate up. I especially enjoyed the Hollywood glamour element to the story. And just like Sex in the Stick, Jilted was a super fun, very steamy, and highly entertaining read. The chemistry and sexual tension between Eden and Cooper were off the charts! They start off arguing and antagonizing each other, but even their fighting was hot. I really enjoyed both Cooper and Eden's characters.

I don't really have anything bad to say about Jilted. It was a really quick, entertaining, and steamy rom-com read that I pretty much read in one sitting. Sawyer Bennett continues to impress me with her contemporary romances, and I can't wait for more.

Was this review helpful?

Jilted is a sweet and beyond sexy second chance romance set in a small town in Georgia. Eden Goodnight and Cooper Mayfield shared many firsts. They were each others' first loves, first lovers, and first heartbreak. At only eighteen, Eden had lost her parents and was left with a grandmother who didn't give her the time of day. When an agent discovered her and offered her a chance at a successful modelling career, Eden took it. Unfortunately, said career took her away from Coop. Fourteen years later, after making it big not only as a model but as an academy winning actress Eden is crushed by her cheating fiancé. Publicly humiliated she goes back to her hometown in search of refuge. Instead, all she is met with is hostility.

Was this review helpful?

I really had trouble getting into the book initially and getting caught up in the emotions of the characters. The storyline was good, but it just didn’t stand out in my mind amongst other books in the genre. The blurb was great, but overall the book just fell flat for me. not to mention the POV just wasn't for me in this one.

Was this review helpful?

Jilted is a sweet and beyond sexy second chance romance set in a small town in Georgia. Eden Goodnight and Cooper Mayfield shared many firsts. They were each others' first loves, first lovers, and first heartbreak. At only eighteen, Eden had lost her parents and was left with a grandmother who didn't give her the time of day. When an agent discovered her and offered her a chance at a successful modeling career, Eden took it. Unfortunately, said career took her away from Coop. Fourteen years later, after making it big not only as a model but as an academy winning actress Eden is crushed by her cheating fiancé. Publicly humiliated she goes back to her hometown in search of refuge. Instead, all she is met with is hostility. From the moment he went to college with Eden, Coop knew his life was back home working alongside his father in the family's landscaping business. After adding design to the business mix, Coop is successful beyond his expectations. But his father is gone, and that hurts. In a twist of fate, Eden is back and so are the feelings he thought were long gone. Feelings of hurt and anger for what she did. Living together won't be easy, but then again life never is... Life can be tricky, and fate even trickier. Down on her luck, Eden takes even more hits from the folk in her hometown. She just doesn't understand why and discovering those reasons makes her reevaluate her life and gives Coop an insight into the woman he once loved. Falling for each other again isn't hard. Figuring out if this time around they can make it, now that is the question... A fun and really sexy read for sure!

Was this review helpful?

What a wonderful story i have just finished. Sawyer Bennett has created two characters that have woven their way into my heart. She definitely knows how to give her readers characters that are fiest, sweet, romantic and comedic. Just thinking of the clothes being thrown out the window makes me laugh.

Eden Goodnight, a small town girl who made good in the world of fashion and movies, returns home after being publicly humiliated by her cheating ex fiance. All is not what she expected when she returns though, instead of receiving love and support from her friends, she receives nothing but hatred and disdain. She heads over to her family home, only to find the last person she ever expected to be there.

Cooper "Coop" Mayfield, a man who has been forever haunted by the one woman who he let get away. He is, strangely enough, the one person who lends his friendship and support to Eden, just when she needed it most. Their initial meeting was hilarious, but after that the flames are really burning bright. Their chemistry is off the charts, which causes their passion to once again ignite.

I really enjoyed this couple. Their banter together was simply perfect, even their arguments carried an underlying sexual tension that needed to be resolved. Once their misunderstandings are settled, their relationship is hot enough to set a house on fire. A trip to Eden's world shows Coop that she was never happy with her life, which makes him more determined to have her "home".

Sawyer Bennett has done it, once again, with her delightful story and exceptional characters.

Read and Reviewed voluntarily for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

FIVE STARS

Was this review helpful?

Romantic, sexy, and laugh out loud funny. Sawyer Bennett does it again with Jilted. This second chance romance is sure to steal your heart, and take you through every emotion in the process.

Was this review helpful?

This was a DNF for me unfortunately I managed to muddle through until 70% then I gave up.

For me I couldn't really find a story and what I did find was predictable and boring there was sex galore and I actually found myself skimming and skipping over the pages just to try and find the story which unfortunately I didn't find then I conceded defeat

I'm a huge fan of sawyer Bennett writing and feel bad for DNFing but I guess you win some and you lose some

Arc received

Was this review helpful?