Cover Image: Sledgehammer

Sledgehammer

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Member Reviews

Sledgehammer is a good fit for those seeking a heartwarming and humorous romance that explores the complexities of relationships, personal growth, and the challenges of navigating life's unexpected twists and turns.

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This was a fresh and exciting novel.

The writing was superb. Everything from the setting and imagery to the flow and the timing of the suspense was well done. It was a novel that kept me engaged the entire way through.

Last thing, this book cover is absolutely perfect!

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***4 "What are you wearing???" stars***

“I guess some people only get one chance at love.”

I'm blaming the reviews!!!! Yep, exactly, as you heard it!!! I'm blaming the reviews for my delay to read this book, to continue with this series when i loved the first book!!!!
The most people were comparing it to the first book, so they were saying that they didn't enjoy it as much as the first one and because I'm a person that can easily be affected, now i'm literally kicking myself because it took me so long to get my hands on this book!!!!
And imagine that i was waiting like crazy Ethan and Amber's story!!!! Arrrr...

"He is so good. This man is as good as it gets. Strange how someone you think you have nothing in common with could turn out to be someone who understands you implicitly."

Well, this was a one-sided hate to love, slow burn romance, between two very different persons...
She was a loud and mouthy bartender/actress...
He was a very busy lawyer involved with NFL players...
How those two came closer???
It all started with a fire and a night in jail...
Then Ethan bail her out, but Amber stucked with him for the next few months under his roof...
And now, those two opposite personalities have to be roommates...
So, what will happen when they seemed to hate each others guts??? Or this is not the deal???
Well... I'll leave the rest for you to find out!!!

"None of me is soft. I'll admit it. I'm all sharp angles and sharper words, but am I really that hard to love?"

"What is it with this guy? He's like catnip, or crack cocaine- totally intoxicating, completely irresistible, and most importantly, a very bad habit."

I really loved Ethan and Amber...
We met them in the previous book since they are both best friends with the previous couple... and they were the reason that Ethan went to help Amber that night in jail....
I think that Ethan always wanted her, but he was just binding his time, because Amber was a free bird and it was so difficult to catch it!!!
Honestly, i wasn't expecting Ethan to be so... wonderful, kind, generous, sweet... But at the same time, he wasn't!!!
Amber was a crazy, but hilarious woman and of course, i loved her!!! I liked witnessing her antipathy for Ethan to become something entirelly different... But that woman was so damn stubborn!!!

"You're like this sledgehammer."
"Loud and destructive. And here I was thinking you liked me."
He shakes his head, his eyes search mine. Serious. So serious...
"A force to reckon with... The type of woman a man holds onto with both hands and never lets go."

I'm always enjoying stories that their pace seem more normal... I usually dislike insta things and here, we had it...
The couple passed many stages to their relationship and i enjoyed them all...
They were so perfect together, even though they were taking their sweet time...
What can i say??? I'm blaming the sledgehammer!!!! LOL!!! And the grand gestures!!! *Sigh*
After all, the unicorns are real!!!

"You think you can walk away from this?... I'm going to make it impossible for you to leave me."

"Fancy McButterpants, you're my unicorn. Without you, my story has no happy ending."

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***

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A more emotionally satisfying, laugh inducing story I have not read. Going into this I knew I'd be entertained, as I am with each book by Ms Dangelico I read...but I never expected to come away with so much warmth in my heart, on going laughter, and memorable characters, long after the story ended.

In Amber, this author created the most unique character I've ever encountered and in Ethan, if ever there was a book boyfriend that deserved the perfect character it found it in him...he is the embodiment of what HEA dreams are made of.

I could go on and on about the witty banter, spitfire and sharp intelligent dialog, and how well this author creats believable, relatable characters through her writing genius, but recommending her books is a much better testament to my claim.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

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I really enjoy this series but I do think it's missing a little something by not sharing the male POV.

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I adored book one in the series. And this was no different.

Again it was a lovely slow build romance.

Ethan is not all he seems, hidden pain and vulnerabilities.

And Amber was an awesome heroine. Smart, funny and completely kick ass.

This book was full of delicious wit, banter, sexual tension, angst and humour.

And Ethan. Loved him. He is so much more than he appears.

And I adored seeing Calvin from book one, when Cal gave birth to their baby.

I jut loved it. Loved book 1. The author continues like this, I will love her!! Nothing more exciting than discovering a new author who can write and just imagining all the goodness that will come your way as she continues to write.

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This is Amber (Cam’s bestie) and Ethan (Cal’s bestie) story and boy oh boy was it colorful. As we know Amber is the crazy best friend who doesn’t have mouth filter and says whatever is on her mind. Ethan, the calm lawyer, is Amber’s complete opposite and yet they make interesting couple. Now I don’t want to give too much away, but Amber has run in with the law and Ethan helps her out; however, down the line Ethan makes a big no-no, can Amber forgive him?

I adored Amber she was completely nuts (aka naming ALL her BOBs) and she made the entire book fun with her crazy attitude.

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This is the second book in the Hard to Love series and each book is a standalone. I loved reading WRECKING BALL, the first book in this series and was excited to read this one. Amber Jones was the wacky, fun and irreverent friend in WRECKING BALL and now we learn her story.

Ethan Vaughn is an attorney and sports agent. When Amber gets into trouble, Ethan offers to help her and invites Amber to live with him for three months. These two couldn't be more different from each other and I enjoyed all the sarcastic lines flowing between Amber and Ethan. Ethan is an uptight attorney and Amber is a struggling actress with an attitude. Their relationship goes through a transformation. Starting out as barely knowing each other and getting closer to one another as time goes by. Amber doesn't take Ethan seriously and is constantly teasing him and he isn't sure what of make of her.

My biggest problem with this story was that I found it hard to connect to Amber. She is tough and hard and not happy with herself and takes it out on everyone around her. On the other hand, it is easy to like Ethan. He is a great guy and is always nice to Amber but she keeps knocking him down with her sarcastic remarks. After a while, I wondered why Ethan put up with Amber. I also thought their relationship developed too slowly. Unfortunately, I didn't like this one as much as the first book in this series.

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Love this! This is slow burn romance at its best. Very sweet with a little bit of steam! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

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2.5 stars

Talk about a bell shaped read. I had to sit on this one a few days to really think about it. There are things that I liked about it, but the beginning and the end were rough.

Hard to Love is an apropos series title in more ways than one if you catch my drift which made my relationship with Amber… complicated. She’s all bark and no bite, but she has a good heart and she keeps her head in *most* crises. I understand her defense mechanism is to be abrasive and she hides behind it but that does not change the fact that she annoyed me. Often. My annoyance went supernova at the end but I’m getting ahead of myself.

So, we meet Amber in the clink after she’s been arrested for setting her ex’s parents house on fire accidentally, meaning Amber’s a wee bit impulsive. Ethan Vaughn comes to her rescue at the behest of Cam and Cal, who I’m assuming were the MCs of book one with Cam being Amber’s BFF. Almost immediately it was necessary for me to suspend disbelief because the judge makes a stipulation of her release that she live with Ethan.



Alright. Whatever. Pressing on.

Ethan is old money and there’s definitely a Cinderella undercurrent happening that appealed to me. What we get of Ethan I liked, but he is a little cookie cutter, perfect male specimen and whatnot.

Amber narrates this story and she is funny. There were moments when I lol’d at her antics, sayings, nicknames for Ethan and general attitude. The “hot pocket/corn dog” scene made my sides hurt. She’s gaga over Ethan and they begin to engage in the cat and mouse game of taunting each other. They banter. They’re witty. They kind of drive each other crazy. The tension builds. They become friends. He introduces her to his family and p.s. the grandma is a hoot! Their relationship is well developed. It’s good stuff. It had 4 stars in the bag at this point.

It was pretty clear to me that Ethan is head over heels over her even without his POV, so when he suggests they become friends with bennies I was taken aback. I struggled with why he didn’t lay his cards on the table, but the more I pondered his decision the more it made sense. He didn’t think he had another option. All’s fair in love and war and all that jazz.

Why, you ask, did he feel that way? BECAUSE OF HER! And this is where it started to fall apart.



My first issue, which is petty of me and I totally recognize that, is as the tension builds and builds until over 70%, all that time she’s talking about what she wants to do to him, that the things she would do to him are illegal in most states. I gotta tell you I was getting primed for some epic Bone Zone shenanigans. So when there was a little dirty talk from him, a few thrusts, an ass grab and then the big O I was flabbergasted. Where’d the dirty, naughty girl go? Where’d the girl that was going to rock his world go? It’s not like I was expecting her to dom out on him or anything, but I at least thought she’d give as good as she got. I also expected it to be hot. A couple of thrusts does not a hot scene make. For me.



Between the lame sex and the antics at the end this thing was dead in the water before I knew it. SPOILERISH He makes a mistake, there’s no doubt about that, but her reaction is so ridiculous I don’t even have words. One of my pet peeves is people who don’t take responsibility for their own actions and Amber created this shit storm with her game playing and deceit, leaving him with few options. At least he apologized and owned his shit though, whereas she plays victim and freezes him out.



For someone seemingly so intelligent to be so obtuse not to mention intractable was too much for me. The OTT cheesy AF ending was the cherry on top of my what the efff sundae.

Lastly, I hope there was a thorough once over before it was officially released because there were A LOT of mistakes. I also thought she was too young for some of the movie references, though she is an actor so… possibly?

Anyone interested in reading this I would encourage to look at other reviews because I’m definitely in the minority. There are things that the author really excelled at but the drawbacks are leaving me confused as to whether or not I’d be interested in trying her again.

A review copy was provided by NetGalley.

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Amber and Ethan, oil and water. Wow, The story that surrounds these two keeps the reader on their toes and engaged. Amber is one of a kind. Just sit back and wait for Amber to self destruct and all the pieces to rain down on Ethan.

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OMG what a funny hilarious and amazing book. I loved it the style writing and everything. Amber is some really special kind of person that grows to your hear even though you want to shake her and ask wtf are you doing. But the whole story I really enjoyed it especially the tension of the attraction between Ethan and Amber until it escalated in some hot, I mean hot monkey sex. What did I miss is just a POV from Ethan because I didn't see the real reason why did he do all things for Amber. I know they had like the love at first sight moment which Amber explained but also killed the attraction all the way. I liked that we have seen a little longer time length in epilog and what have happened to the bunch after a few years later. A book that will definitely make you laugh.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

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I have to admit that I was a tad bit conflicted on how to rate Sledgehammer. I liked it, but didn't love it. Normally I'm all for slow burn romances, especially ones with sassy, feisty heroines and hot, sweet guys, but...the slow burn in Sledgehammer went on far too long. They didn't even get together until I think past 50%, and it wasn't intended for it to be anything other than scratching their itch. That's what it was supposed to be but of course things never work out like that.

It was inevitable that these two would fall for each other. Of course! They were in forced cohabitation. She's vulnerable. He's hot and a really sweet guy, contrary to the opinion she had of him prior. He rescued her. He gave her a place to stay. Their sex, when they FINALLY had it, was smokin' hot. I like that they were friends, actual friends, before they jumped into bed with each other. No insta-love here, thank God. So yeah, I knew for certain from the beginning they'd fall for each other. I wish it hadn't taken so long, though, because the middle of the story lagged a bit and I started to skim a little.

I like Ethan, aka Fancy McButterpants, Butterpants, and my personal favorite - Tommy McPervertpants, actually, I love Ethan. I just wish we had gotten his POV, rather than only Amber's, because I think it would have rounded this story out a lot. And I like Amber, she started out as funny, snarky and tough. But, she kind of dissolved a little toward the middle and I fell out of like with her for awhile until the end when she got her mojo back after finding out Ethan's secret.

Still, even though I don't love Sledgehammer, I can't honestly give it less than 4 stars because it's sweet, it's sexy, and Fancy is is one dirty man disguised in expensive suits. Can't wait for Grant's story next!

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Another great entry in the Hard to Love series!

P. Dangelico writes amazing slow burn romantic comedy, and Amber is a funny and relatable heroine. From her appearance in Wrecking Ball it is obvious she is smart, witty, and a fierce friend to those she loves. In Sledgehammer you learn there is so much more to her and how she came to her views on family and love.

Ethan was more of a mystery even though he also was in the first book. At first he seems to be only known for being exceptionally good looking, but he has such a big heart and is amazingly kind. Some of my favorite parts of the book were when we get to know Ethan better.

This is one of my favorite books of 2017 and I am looking forward to the next book and spin-off series!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Loved this funny book. Lots of laugh out loud moments. Amber is in trouble and Ethan's is there to help her. As they spend time together Amber and Ethan realize that first impressions can be wrong. They also realize that they need each other. Secrets are revealed and a grand gesture on Ethan's part has a positive effect on their future. Recommended read.

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Amber Jones fucked up. She should not have gone to see her asshole ex, cause somehow that landed her in jail on New Year’s Eve.... Thankfully, her best friend’s husband’s best friend, Ethan, is a lawyer, and he offers to bail her out but she also has to move into his place if she wants to get out of jail.

I loved this so much, it was exactly what I wanted and needed when I wanted and needed it. The characters were insanely loveable, especially Amber but also the other characters. I loved Amber most of all though and somehow still saw so much of myself in her. I cried a lot, laughed a lot and all over had a great time. I can’t wait to read this other books in this series.

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"Fancy McButterpants, you're my unicorn. Without you, my story has no happy ending."

Major fucking swoon!!!!!!

LUUUUUUUUUUV IT!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥

FULL review to follow!!!

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Amber Jones has one very bad night... that lands her in jail. Unluckily for her, when calling her BFF for reinforcements, she sends in one very put together lawyer. It's not that she has anything against Ethan Vaughn, it's just that she can never get the reaction she wants out of him... so to spend a few MONTHS living with him should be fun... right?

This book is hilarious and such a great read. Amber is just a total nut, she has the most off the wall and unfiltered things come out of her mouth, you will be smiling through this entire book. But beneath all her humor, she has always been stifled and told to keep her personality muted. Ethan is such a sweet and unknown enigma, you feel like Amber does in every moment trying to figure out what he is thinking. He is just about the sweetest guy rolled into one sexy package. I adore how he is with Amber, he is just the perfect guy for her and supports her to be herself.

I absolutely loved this book, I want to shout to from the rooftops just how fantastic I thought it was. Funny, sexy and completely endearing, I couldn't put it down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

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A sweet and funny enemies to lovers story! Paola Dangelico always manages to make every story unique and immensely entertaining. The great thing about this book is that it grabs you from the moment you start reading and the story flows very naturally. You really get involved with the characters as their story unfolds, and we follow Amber and Ethan in a delighting adventure of friendship and love.

Amber Jones is an aspiring actress who has sworn off relationships and is focusing on her desire for a career on the big screen. When she is conned by her ex’s family, falsely accused, arrested and charged with arson, she avoids jail time thanks to Ethan Vaughn’s assistance and hospitality. Ethan is an attorney, managing the career of top athletes, and Amber’s fancy knight in shining armor.

Frankly, I fell head over heels for these two irresistibly flawed characters. Amber’s cheeky and devil-may-care personality was in total contrast to Ethan’s “Mr. Perfect” character. And when Bad Amber takes over, their battle of wits was total bliss.

Despite her blasé attitude, Amber is anything but self-assured and she has absolutely no filter! She is unfair at times but Ethan handles her teasing well. He usually relies on his charm and intelligence to negotiate his way out of a problem, but with Amber he definitely had his work cut out for him. I loved that he remained stoic most of the times! Ethan is a wonderful hero. He’s sexy as sin, caring, sweet and protective. His relationship with Amber is complicated, but they have a natural connection that can’t be denied. I loved their interactions, the flirtation and the realistic way their unlikely friendship progressed. Amber is swept away by Ethan’s tenderness, but she is scared of getting hurt.

Amber and Ethan are intriguing to watch as they dance around their feelings. They both have their faults and shortcomings. I loved how the author develops their relationship and its evolution from enemies to lovers. Despite the completely satisfying and altogether perfect ending, I wouldn’t hate to see these two again, in the next installment in the series!
ARC kindly provided by the author, via NetGalley.

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SLEDGEHAMMER
By: P. Dangelico
📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

What a freaking fun read!!'

After reading the first book in this series i was a new fan of P. Dangelico. Her loud and outrageous characters must be fallowed.

Amber Jones is Cam's best friend from the first book. She's a struggling actress working as a bartender in New York. Her ex invites her to his parents' house for their New Years Eve party where she is blind-sided by his announcement of his engagement to another actress. Things get out of control and Amber might have accidentally almost burned the house down. When her ex's parents start shouting that she did it deliberately Amber is arrested and taken to the police station. Imagine her surprise when Ethan Vaughn, Cam's husband Calvin's best friend turns up to bail her out. Ethan a sports lawyer and a pain in Amber's side ever since they met. He's a bit too perfect. Right? WRONG!!!

At Amber's bail hearing she is only allowed out on bail if she agrees to stay with a responsible individual, Much to the surprise of many Ethan takes her in.When she gets to Ethan's home Amber is shocked to discover he likes to do a bit of remodelling, using a sledgehammer, in his spare time.

Amber is sassy and funny. She has a hysterical collection of T-shirts and women pleasure toys. Ethan eats mainly healthy and radiates competence through and through. But as the two of them build an odd friendship while they wait for Ethan's criminal lawyer colleague to make the charges against Amber go away Amber realises that the real Ethan is even better than she knew.

What a funny and heartwarming book that will make even the crankiest person smile.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

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