✦Review & Giveaway: WANT YOU TO WANT ME by Lorelei James https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-bwH
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars

A lovely addition to the Want You series. It is a light enjoyable romance filled with witty dialogue that made me smile from the start. I admit, I was afraid it would be the standard frenemies story where they fight their attraction until the end….was I ever wrong. Their relationship progressed at a nice believable pace as they worked through their previous misconceptions while navigating family and business issues. I was also pleased to see that it wasn’t bogged down in sports lingo, giving their different lifestyles a chance to merge. I truly enjoyed this sexy romance and can only hope for more to come.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle https://amzn.to/39XZlZx

***ARC Provoded by the Publisher***

DNF at 24%

Gabriella/Gabi and Nolan just...didn't work for me.

I wanted to like this one, and I loved the idea of a sports romance where the sports star was the heroine...but unfortunately I thought there was a lot going on with this one, with his family and her sister and her career, and it took away from the story enough that I ended up skimming it to see how it ended after officially giving up on this one at 24%

I am unable to recommend this title.

3.5 Breaking Down Assumptions Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
This is part of the Lorelei James Galaxy of her many series. When James puts her mind to it, all the books flow.

This is the second entry to the Want You series. This has Nolan, the future CEO of Lund Industries and past Olympic Hockey player Gabriella "Gabi" Welk. These two have been crossing paths due to the past connections from friends and family. There is no love lost between them due to a combination of things. Nolan, thinking he was doing something good, took Gabi for a drink after she had been dumped by a past boyfriend. He overheard it happening and asked her out as a way to be supportive.

Unfortunately, while at the bar, Gabi overhears Nolan saying some unflattering things about her. Bam, Gabi decides fine, that is who he is, she doesn't need it.

These two cross paths again at a family gathering and Gabi, the strong woman she is, calls Nolan out on what she heard. What is important is Nolan sincerely apologizes and from there, they have a fresh start. Soon they start texting and learning more about who they really are. When Gabi needs help for an important meeting, Nolan is the one she turns to.

This story worked and also let us think there may be more to the series.

This was a cute romance that started off a little slow, but the pace gradually picked up. Nolan seemed a little immature to me in the beginning and Gabi was a bit brash. As the story went on and you got to know them better my opinion of them changed and by the end of the story I was cheering them on!
The writing style was a little choppy, and the dialog seemed stilted in places, but overall a quick, fun read.

Thank you to Berkley Pub for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished book one recently and it was so fun to read this one shortly afterwards while everything was still fresh in my brain. ⠀

I loved Nolan. I loved Gabi. Loved learning more about women’s ice hockey and seeing the “role reversal” of Gabi being a kick butt athlete and Nolan being a fashionista. It was just a really fun read! And... I’m eager to see who book three is about! FYI, there’s a fair amount of steam!
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Definitely a great, easy romance with heart! Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review! #netgalley #wantyoutowantme

Veena’s review of Want You to Want Me (I Want You Series, Book 2) by Lorelei James
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 04 Aug 20

The Lund family and all the assorted characters in this series are delightful. My only complaint is that the books are too few and far between, but then perhaps that’s what causes the fizzing and excitement when I see a new one is being released. If you’ve been reading this series, then you’ve met both Gaby and Nolan before, and, perhaps like me, you’re surprised to see them featured as a couple. A skillful writer’s pen, however, as we readers know opposites attract and enemies can transform into friends and lovers, even as villains can become heroes.

Gaby Welk is a hockey player at the US team level. Circumstances bring her to teach hockey at a local ice rink owned by fellow retired hockey player Jaxson Lund. Jaxson’s brother Nolan is a familiar sight at the rink, given that he’s one of his niece’s biggest cheerleaders. It is not cool, however, that Nolan witnesses Gaby getting the brush off from her fiancé and then compounds it by letting her overhear some not-so-nice comments. It’s not easy to come back from that, but then …

Nolan has his own issues. He’s the heir apparent to the CEO position at the family firm, but he’s not equal to his other C-level cousins and he’s beginning to question his role. In the meantime, he’s got to put together his bit for the Lund family charity. Since his assistant is one of the LBGTQ community, he decides to use his brother’s skating rink and his assistant Sam’s help to put together his charity event, giving him an unexpected platform to mend some bridges with Gaby. Mr. GQ with his custom fashions is going to bring his considerable skills to transform Gaby.

The character development in this story is phenomenal. Both of the protagonists are successful in their own right and yet they each are looking for something more, something that’s a better fit for their skin. I find their journey not just into romance but into growing into who they can be empowering. Ms. James has no qualms about tackling social and gender issues in her stories in a very enlightening way, which is a cherry on top for me.

Another great chapter in the Lund family saga. Can’t wait to see more of these and at shorter intervals.

Grade: A

I’ll admit upfront I wasn’t sure about this pairing, I knew it was going to happen as these two tangled back in the first book, I Want You Back, but leave it to author Lorelei James to change my mind and give me a slow burn, enemies to lovers, opposites attract story that was steamy, sweet, and emotional.
Gabriella Welk, former silver medal Olympic hockey player, only woman to be named coach to a collegiate men’s hockey team but leaves the job when the college removes the women’s team, older sister to an Olympic goal hockey player she coached to greatness, and now working several jobs including one at Lakeside for Jaxson “Stonewall” Lund, brother of Nolan, just to make ends meet and not very well. She’s at a crossroads and knows she needs to figure out what’s next in her life; she just doesn’t expect it to include Nolan.
Nolan Lund, known as Trollin’ Nolan and the Prince of Lund Industries has an ever rotating woman on his arm and a personal shopper/tailor on speed dial. With his older brother leaving Lund Industries, Nolan is on tap to assume the CEO position when his father retires, it’s expected but he’s having doubts that it’s something he wants or something his cousins feel he deserves.
I do so love couples who start out with verbal sparring and these two did a lot of that in the first book of this series. They have certain perceptions of one another, first impressions (and really second and third) that aren’t necessarily the best or true, so watching them uncover the person under the outward façade was both fascinating and intriguing. These are complex characters living up to other people’s perceptions while doubting their place in the world and trying to figure out what they want and how to be happy.
It took them awhile to peel back each other’s layers and begin to enjoy one another. To really see that despite all her bravado, Gabi was scared she wasn’t good enough to be more than a hockey coach to see that while Nolan had a flashy outside; it is the love he has for his family and the people he cares about including his personal assistant and Gabi that makes him the man he is. While they never discussed business, they did learn to really listen to one another, encouraged one another, and learned to lean on one another when they needed a friend, an ear, or comfort. It was a thing of beauty to watch these two strong individuals open themselves up to one another and possibility of more.
I was a bit confused by the way Nolan (and other family members) was kept out of Lund Industries decision making and the secrets the executives kept and deals that were made without the board’s approval. Given the way the family has always interacted, this seemed out of character and while possibly warranted like I said it did confuse me and felt almost out of place in the story.
Lorelei James delivers a sweet, sexy and emotional in all the right ways story in Want You To Want Me and gives readers another exceptional contemporary romance.

Want You to Want Me grew on me. It's a standalone romance set in the well-developed world of the Minnesota Lund family, and at first I was ambivalent about the large cast of characters. But as the story played out, I grew to like the main couple as well as their family and friends.

Gabriella (Gabi) Welk is moving on from a career as a professional hockey player, but finding the path is not always smooth. Not only is it difficult to find satisfying long-term employment, but her love life is also proving a challenge. After her boyfriend dumps her in favor of her sister, Gabi hits a low point by going out for drinks with her current boss' brother, only to overhear him saying she's not feminine enough to be his type while he thinks she's in the bathroom. Frustrated and hurt by this comment, she runs out on him and hopes their paths never cross again.

Nolan Lund knew Gabi only as the tough girls' hockey coach at his brother's ice rink, and although they weren't really friends, he offered to take her out for drinks when he stumbled upon her mid-dumping. It's a mystery to him why Gabi left part way through their evening, but he assumes it must be related to her broken heart. Nolan thinks nothing more about it, until a chance encounter at a party has Gabi telling him what she heard. Instantly sorry that his comment was taken out of context and hurt her, Nolan apologizes and the two form a careful friendship. Over the course of many texts and casual favors, that friendship turns into a strong romantic relationship.

I can recall the exact moment I started to like Gabi and Nolan. It was at the party, when Gabi called Nolan out on his previous behavior, and he managed to apologize without being defensive. I wish everyone could manage that! Gabi clearly values herself enough to address issues directly, and Nolan is a genuinely respectful man capable of acknowledging his own faults. The couple grow closer having worked through this difficult moment, and I as the reader, grew to appreciate them and their slow burn romance.

While things heat up for Gabi and Nolan personally, their work lives are also getting busier. Gabi is selected to interview at a sports news agency - which would be her dream job - while Nolan has to step into the role of Interim CEO at his family's company, Lund Industries (LI). While I enjoyed seeing Nolan challenge himself in the new role and debate whether he is truly ready for it, some of the politics of LI went over my head. Nolan has a large extended family running the company, who have clearly been included in previous books in the series. I liked them as a whole and appreciated that there were still small problems and dramas after people achieved their happily-ever-afters, but I could have done with a little less corporate intrigue.

Want You To Want Me should be a treat for any fans of James' Lund Family books, as well as anyone new to the series. While Gabi and Nolan are barely ‘frenemies’ at first, they do a good job of addressing their issues without gratuitous drama, and building on their chemistry from there.

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The Lund Family and all the assorted characters are delightful. My only complaint is that the books are too few and far between but then perhaps that's what causes the fizzing and excitement when I see a new one is being released. If you've been reading this series then you've met both Gaby and Nolan before and perhaps like me you're surprised to see them featured as a couple. A skillful writer's pen however as we readers know opposites attract and enemies can transform into friends and lovers even as villains can become heroes.
Gaby Welk is a hockey player at the US team level. Circumstances bring her to teach hockey at a local ice rink owned by fellow retired hockey player Jaxson Lund. Jaxson's brother Nolan, is a familiar sight at the rink given that he's one of his niece's biggest cheer leaders. It is not cool however that Jaxson witnesses Gaby getting the brush off from her fiancé and then compounds it by letting her overhear some not so nice comments.  It's not easy to come back from that but then ...
Nolan has his own issues. He's the heir apparent to the CEO position at the family firm but he's not equal to his other C level cousins and he's beginning to question his role. In the meantime, he's got to put together his bit for the Lund family charity. Since his assistant is one of the LBGTQ community, he decides to use his brother's skating rink  and his assistant Sam's help to put together his charity event giving him an unexpected platform to mend some bridges with Gaby.  Mr. GQ with his custom fashions is going to bring his considerable skills to transform Gaby.
The character development in this story is phenomenal. Both of the protagonists are successful in their own right and yet they both are looking for something more, something that's a better fit for their skin. I find their journey not just into romance but into growing into who they can be empowering. Ms. James has no qualms about tackling social and gender issues in her stories in a very enlightening way which is a cherry on top for me.
Another great chapter in the Lund family saga. Can't wait to see more of these and at shorter intervals.

Gabi Welk is a former athlete considering the next move for her career. Nolan Lund is the future CEO of Lund Industries. An embarrassing break up brings the two together. While on the surface, they appear different, Gabi and Nolan share more than their differences.

This is a great frenemies to lovers book. I thoroughly enjoyed Gabi and Nolan's story. Frenemies to lovers is a popular trope. However, the author does a great job with the subplots and the role it plays in Gabi and Nolan's story. Gabi's career change, the conflict of working for Nolan's brother as she tries to pivot, her relationship with her sister, Nolan's unhappiness in his career, and his misunderstood love for fashion. All of it had a role Gabi and Nolan's relationship, but took nothing away from the story.

I have enjoyed Lorelei James writing in this series. The male characters do not have the cliche characteristics that so many male characters in romance often possess. I appreciate that James doesn't shy away social issues that are non existent in many romance novels. . This just adds to her great writing. Looking forward to the rest of this series.

As a female ice hockey player, Gabriella Welk worked extra hard to combat stereotypes while devoting her life to winning; hockey was and still to some extent is, her be all and end all. Now, she is working for the wealthy Lund family teaching girls as well as several part-time sports related jobs to make ends meet. Gabi gets a chance at a job that would put all her skills on and off the ice into play; however, she needs help putting together an image in order to have a chance. Gabi’s tough gal persona does not go along with fashion, schmoozing, or being part of the in crowd so she needs a lot of help from someone with experience in all those areas.

Nolan Lund never expected to be the future CEO of the mega company that his family owns. He has dabbled in business while also having a career as a player of a different sort than Gabi. Nolan is putting his all into trying to learn about running a major corporation while making up for some missteps that put his qualifications into question. While hanging at the ice rink watching his niece play hockey, Nolan spends time observing Gabi all the while developing an attraction. At the outset, they would seem to be opposite in personality since Nolan is the very definition of a metro-sexual caring deeply about style and substance. Common for a Lund, he has quite a competitive nature as well so he and Gabi make that a part of their relationship.

The story starts off with Gabi being dumped by her boyfriend who says he is in love with her little sister. Ouch. Nolan overhears this ignominious occasion and feels sympathy for Gabi. He has his own woes so he and Gabi come to an understanding of mutual aid. They initially seem to have nothing in common though their lives are intertwined. Their mutual support turns into something more with a slow burn romance between this prickly couple.

Nolan and Gabi’s relationship develops through texts, interactions, and a deep desire on both their parts from something more in their current lives than being workaholics. This is the second in book in the Want You series where Nolan and Gabi also appear. Fans of Sports Romance will enjoy this story especially for readers who like to see women competing in a traditionally male dominated sport such as ice hockey.

Nolan and Gabi have met through past events involving other family members. They don’t really like each other, hence the numerous nicknames. Their story evolves very slowly as they get to know each other and discover that first impressions are not necessarily that person's real character. They fit each other more than they think.

As usual in each novel, there is a Lund's Care Community Outreach Project. Nolan chooses to do a mixer event for LGTBQ youth as suggested by his assistant who is transgender. I found this choice very bold and representative of changes in today’s society. I commend the author on her choice. It was very well done. For those disagreeing with this view, this is a very small part of the story, not enough to dismiss the whole story if you like Mrs. James work).

Another great one by Mrs. James. This book can be read on its own, but to better understand the relationships between the different characters, I recommend reading the books in order. This is the 2nd book in the 2nd series about the Lund’s families.
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I LOVED Gabi and Nolan. They seem so mismatched - a woman hockey champ and a hetero-metro-sexual guy. Their relationship isn't easy. She's prickly and defensive, he's a workaholic making up for years of neglecting the family business. They both have a passel of family issues to deal with.

I enjoyed that Gabi is loving to her sister instead of resentful and bitter, both of which would be completely understandable in life in general and in her recent break up.

Nolan's nice to Gabi despite a contentious history between them which was sweet but he really stole my heart with his interactions with his niece.

This story had me from page one and made me laugh, cry and best of all lament the end of the book. It took a couple of days to start a new book because I wasn't done digesting this one.

Gabi just got dumped by her boyfriend. This sounds bad. What's worse.... Nolan heard it all happen.

He decides to take Gabi out for drinks and it all unfurls from there. Their enemies, it's fine. Until it isnt fine.

I LOVE a sports romance. I'm a sucker for them. In this frenemies to lovers book the main female character Gabi is a former Olympic hockey player and I am here for it.

She is trying to determine what is next for her. Her loyalties to her family and job create tension. Add in a sexy billionaire and things get interesting.

I binged this one quick. It was an easy read with memorable moments. The easy banter and added tension of Nolan and Gabi is swoon worthy.

This is book two in a series. I didnt read the first and was able to follow along without issues.

Thank you Berkley pub and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I quite like all the Lunds and this series as well as the Lunds from the Need You series. We get to know both Gabriella "Gabi" Welk and Nolan Lund in I Want You Back (book #1 in this series). With this book we get more in depth of both of them. In book 1 Gabi has a love hate relationship with Nolan.

Nolan is super sweet when it comes to his niece but I wasn't sure about his character in the past. Normally all Lunds do their part but Nolan has never quite fit in with the rest nor found his niche within the family. He also has some baggage with his grandfather and how he treated Nolan.

Gabi is a super strong character with confidence and also non-compliant in a good way. She holds her own. She also has her own baggage where it comes to her family.

Nolan and Gabi are the complete opposite to each other but they just fit. I liked that they both made mistakes but were easy to forgive and move on instead of dragging it out creating unneeded angst.

I also liked Nolan's story line and him finding his way. I can't wait for more from this author or this series.

Man alive but I love the Lund collective.

This one was extra fun because it's a sports romance, but the heroine is the sporty one. The roles are flipped in a way that seems like it might not work for me - but <I>it totally did</i>. That is, Gabi is the sort of tomboy hockey heroine and Nolan is the metrosexual reformed manwhore and that's not even the entirety of the way the script is flipped between these two. It was refreshing and fun and honestly heartwarming.

This is a frenemies to lovers story. There is no love lost between Gabi and Nolan in the beginning, but it's all done with a sort of respectful and affectionate undercurrent. The banter quickly heats up and it was impossible not to fall for these two while they fell for each other. They're a perfect balance of sweet and sexy (and there's no question that their physical chemistry is 100% on point). I loved their relationship. I loved how they communicated so openly and honestly, and how drama free their relationship was. They were just perfect together!

That said, there was plenty of drama going on in the storyline. While I adore them, the Lund collective continues to multiply and it can be challenging to keep them all straight. Add to that some work drama and some family drama and - well, there's a lot of drama here. It occasionally failed to hold my attention, but then just like that I'd find myself sucked back in, desperate to know how it all played out. I'm so invested in this series - and in this family - that I will always be back for more. This was another fun, flirty, and emotional addition to this fantastic series! ~ Shelly, 4 Stars

Want You to Want me was a good addition to the world Lorelei James has created. The Lund family is large, secretive, and I hope never ending. This enemies to lovers romance is a great read for a nice afternoon.

4.5 Stars!

Want You to Want Me is a book I wanted to read simply because I have read the first book in this series and the entire related series. I've really enjoyed getting to know the Lund family, and wanted to spend some more time with them.

This book was a great read. It was a slow burn in a lot of ways. The  romance built slowly. The characters spent a lot of time getting to know each other as their relationship developed. Nolan and Gabi were kind of an unlikely couple. He was into fashion and business, while she was into hockey and coaching. They didn't have the best or even correct impression of who the other was at first, but they once they figured each other out, they were perfect together. It was a super sweet relationship that I loved.

The plot also built slowly throughout the book. There were a couple of tiny hints at what was to come, especially for Nolan. What was a little unsettling was how the major problem was kind of just dumped on me all at once. I had to think hard back to those tiny hints to put some of it together. I had a hard time coming to terms with the side characters acted. I liked how things played out for Nolan and Gabi, but the rest I'm still trying to wrap my head around. I'm not sure if I loved that or not.

There were a few other great things about this book that I want to spotlight. I loved that Gabi was the athlete in this book. She was a great female sports role model. I also liked the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters and events. Everything Nolan did to support the community was done with the best intentions. The other thing I liked was the way Nolan's mom and brother interacted with both him and Gabi.

Overall, Want You to Want Me was a great contemporary sports romance. I enjoyed the low amount of drama and the sweetness of the romance.

Thank you for this ARC but it was a little too predictable for me. I haven't read any of her books before but, I think I want more angst.

Female hockey players are rare, but Gabi Welk is not just a female hockey player. She is an Olympic medalist turned coach. Gabi has made a name for herself but she wants a career that pays her what she deserves. Nolan Lund is a CEO millionaire but deeply unhappy with his path in life.

Nolan and Gabi are not a love at first sight match made in heaven. They dislike each other until they don't. Can they find a way to get past their differences and build a life together? Read this book to find out!

I loved Gabi and Nolan's story. I have fallen in love with this series and the characters and can't wait for the next one.