This book was so cute and the characters are just so adorable. I loved the flow of the story and the book is such an easy read. The author has done a brilliant job of establishing the backgrounds of the characters.

Hollyn has Tourette’s, been bullied hence she has anxiety problems and is basically an introvert who has shut off the outside world. Jasper is a foster child who is a struggling actor and a coffee maker. Their paths cross one day at office and the rest is the story. I loved how both Hollyn and Jasper were honest about their feelings and each other. I really didn’t want unnecessary suspense to keep the story dragging on and there wasn’t that so I am thankful to the author for that.

The book is a sweet mixture of romance, work, anxiety and life struggles. The only downside for me is perhaps that the story is too hot/passionate to my liking but they definitely go with the flow of the story so yeah not much to complain about that (just my personal likings). A must read for any one who wants to read a cute hot romance which is quick paced and easy to get into.

This was unexpected and really good. I loved the main character and reading about her struggles and how she worked to overcome them. The romance was so good - chemistry and steam were top notch. Would recommend to all romance readers!

This book was funny, and sweet, and steamy—and I just found out it’s going to be part of a series so I’m super excited!

By day Hollyn Tate is quiet, avoids interactions with others due to her social anxiety and Tourette’s, and largely keeps to herself. But by night she’s Miz Poppy, sassy reviewer who writes about New Orleans nightlight. She keeps her secret identity just that, a secret. When her boss asks her to add video to her reviews and says she has to reveal who she is publicly or he’ll find someone to replace her Hollyn’s world starts to spin off its axis.

Jasper Deares is an aspiring actor and part of an improv group, but by day he’s working as a barista at the coworking space where Hollyn rents an office (her therapist says she needs to try and be around other people more after all). After a pretty rough start the two start to become friends and enter into a mutually-beneficial arrangement. Jasper will help Hollyn with her social anxiety, and other things *wink wink*, and Hollyn will give his improve group a Miz Poppy review.

Hollyn has Tourette’s, which predominantly shows in the way of facial ticks, and adds to her social anxiety. It was so interesting learning more about the syndrome and watching her self-confidence grow throughout the book. I really enjoyed Jasper as a character too. He was open and thoughtful and while he had his own baggage to deal with he was so considerate of other’s feelings.

I’m always here for a bit of fake dating, and this book definitely didn’t disappoint. This book is pretty steamy y’all, in all the best ways, and if sex in public places gets you hot under the collar you’re going to love this one.

So definitely check it out, and stay tuned for book two, What If You & Me, which is due to come out in July 2021.

Adored this romance by Roni Loren. The characters are fun, unique, snarky and have amazing chemistry. Really enjoyed the premise and the heroine’s journey to overcome anxiety about her Tourette’s syndrome. It’s always great to see relatable characters with flaws. This is a quick, light and fun read that left me with all the feels. Loren executed this one so well! 4.5 stars!

3.5/5

I adored the author's previous series, so I was curious to get my hands on this book. I enjoyed Hollyn and Jasper's story a lot, and they were very adorable together. The first part of the story felt kind of slow, and I liked the second part more. I hope Cal will have his book because he was very likable, like the other characters in this book, and I need more!!

Roni Loren’s series, The Ones Who Got Away, about mature heroes and heroines who share a horrific high school shooting, is one of the best contemporary romance series I’ve read; therefore, any new Loren series comes with anticipation and high expectations. This latest “Say Everything” series sees Loren pull deep from her counsellor background in creating her protagonists. Her heroine, the lovable Hollyn Tate, has Tourette’s, and her hero, the less lovable Jasper Deares, ADHD. Their portrayal, Hollyn’s in particular, is sensitive and knowledgeable. The premise is a tad ludicrous, but aren’t many in romance fiction? The blurb will give you an idea of it:

Everyone knows Miz Poppy, the vibrant reviewer whose commentary brightens the New Orleans nightlife. But no one knows Hollyn, the real face behind the media star…or the fear that keeps her isolated. When her boss tells her she needs to add video to her blog or lose her job, she’s forced to rely on an unexpected source to help her face her fears.

When aspiring actor Jasper Deares finds out the shy woman who orders coffee every day is actually Miz Poppy, he realizes he has a golden opportunity to get the media attention his acting career needs. All he has to do is help Hollyn come out of her shell…and through their growing connection, finally find her voice.

Hmm, this doesn’t quite honour the novel’s attempted complexity: Jasper is the barista in Hollyn’s work co-op. When she learns his acting expertise is improv, they strike a deal to help her prepare to do video using improv games and help him get his theatre troupe off the ground with a Miz Poppy review. In some muddled and muddy way, they also end up agreeing to a pretend-relationship/affair: something about helping Hallyn emerge from her sexual naïveté and give her amorous wings? But the heart will do what the heart will do and Hallyn’s heart, and eventually, I guess, Jasper’s, falls in love.

Therein lies my problem with Loren’s Yes & I Love You; well, one of several. Hallyn is seemingly vulnerable, because of her Tourette’s and the bullying she endured as a child. But she’s built a successful career and is stronger than she believes herself to be. Jasper is, I also believe, genuinely attracted to Hallyn. Loren keeps telling us so, certainly, but I found the love scenes, of which there are several and graphic, strangely flat and unconvincing. Frankly, the improv’s scenes’ wit was more compelling and engaging. Jasper is also coming out of a disappointing relationship, is recovering his career, trying to make a buck as a barista, and make it up to his improv group, whom he’d abandoned for Hollywood and a girlfriend who dumped him when her career took off and his didn’t. Without indulging in spoilers, Jasper is a guy who leaves and his maturity level is at nil, IMHO. (When his sister asks him to move out, for example, where he’s been freeloading, he’s pouty and needy, even though she has every right to move in with her boyfriend.) Jasper never convinced me of anything.

Hallyn is terrific: she is anxiety-ridden and self-conscious, but she’s also built, step by step, and review by review, an amazing career. Whatever she’s feeling, however difficult and triggering situations may be, Hallyn takes risks, not careless, stupid ones, but ones bringing her closer to not being defined by Tourette’s, or her past. Though Jasper helps her with the improv games to emerge from her shell, what neither realizes is that she already had. Jasper, happy-go-lucky “nice guy,” pulls several immature “dick” moves. Their hurt-o-rama factor, as far as this reader was concerned, was in unforgiveable territory. When the grovel scene comes (and admittedly, it might be worth reading the romance for its cleverness) and the HEA-epilogue a year later … I couldn’t help but feel that Hallyn was short-changing her wonderfulness. And when Hallyn concludes, “Part of her couldn’t believe that he was hers. This gorgeous, talented, kind man was hers”, all I could think was, “Oh, honey, no.”

In the end, while I loved Hallyn, I never bought her love for the fickle, immature Jasper. I also couldn’t help but feel that Loren wrote a romance-HEA-epilogue and tacked it on to what should have been, at best, a new adult romance with HFN (which would have been fitting, but is NEVER what I’m looking for when a novel is labelled romance). Moreover, while I LOVED Loren’s The Ones Who Got Away series, peopled as it was by adults, ready for love and commitment, Yes & I Love You was a romance which felt like Loren didn’t inhabit her characters. She had a plan, an idea, a theme, she had a list and she checked off the boxes. I’m not sure I’m conveying my dissatisfaction fairly, or well, and Loren is still a fine writer, so I’ll give the next book in the series a chance to win me over. With Miss Austen, we deem Yes & I Love You of “tolerable comfort,” Mansfield Park.

Roni Loren’s Yes & I Love You is published by Sourcebooks Casablanca. It was released on March 2nd and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-galley from Sourcebooks Casablanca, via Netgalley.

4.5 Stars!

What do you get when a girl with social anxiety and Tourette’s meets an outgoing guy with ADHD? An utterly delightful, completely charming story about chasing your dreams, doing hard things, and learning to love all of yourself.

“Don’t go around thinking everyone else has it together. We’re all just falling apart in different ways.”

Hollyn is doing her best to be involved in society after living an extremely sheltered childhood. To that end, she rents an office on the second floor of a workshare building, thus getting her out of her home every day. It also forces her to come in (limited) contact with other people. But once she reaches her office, she's perfectly happy to close the door and write her popular blog, Miz Poppy, covering the entertainment scene of New Orleans.

When Hollyn’s boss demands she add videos to her blog to keep up with competition, it sends her into a panic about losing her job. There’s no way he’ll accept videos that show the facial tics caused by her Tourette’s - even IF Hollyn was willing to make them.

But then Jasper, the new barista at the workshare building, learns of Hollyn’s plight and invites her to come to his free improv lessons. Pulling Hollyn out of her protective shell isn’t an easy task, especially when Jasper has his own dreams to chase and demons to slay, but together they both work hard to get what they want AND what they need.

“I had a counselor once tell me that we need to be careful with the stories we tell ourselves because our brains believe them. Maybe it’s time you start telling yourself a different story.”

There was so much to love about this story. The hero is swoony, supportive, and does the right thing - no matter the cost to his own dreams. Watching Hollyn let Jasper into her life was heartwarming, and seeing their relationship go from witty, cutting banter to heartfelt conversations was so incredibly lovely. The usual bane of most new adult romances is miscommunication/non-communication between the hero and heroin. But NOT here! It was refreshing to read about people in their 20s who are capable of being open and honest and do so despite significant reservations based on their life experiences.

Throw in the positive representation of using therapy to manage emotional struggles and equally compelling goals for Hollyn and Jasper, there was very little that didn’t charm me about this book (even if it did have a bit of a slow start). Despite the characters dealing with heavy issues, this book was filled with humor and hope and I couldn’t help but cheer for Hollyn and Jasper.

Yes & I Love You is going on my Best of 2021 list. It’s not even a debate.

* thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved everything about this book!

The heroine is real, sweet, and smart. The hero is funny, caring, and sexy. The fact that the characters are living with Tourette syndrome and ADHD, respectively, was handled in a matter of fact and informative way. I know more about the subject now thanks to the author.

I like that the book was told in alternating chapters so we get both Hollyn’s and Jasper’s perspectives.

This romance scenes had the right amount of steam for me (open door - about a 4 level steam)

All this and a HEA, who could ask for more?

This was my first ever Roni Loren book and it was enjoyable. I liked it. It's not the best book that I have read but a good one. I definitely enjoyed it and I would recommend it too. Also the cover is very cool. Overall enjoyable read.

This gave me Beth O leary vibes and I say that in the most positive way!
Plus diversity with the main character suffering from Turret syndrome which is something I have not encountered in books so far. Loved it all, and especially the main character who is funny, quirky and with a great view on the world that was very refreshing!

Thank you Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review!

Although not a book I would purchase in my professional role, it is one that I will be recommending in my personal life! Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc!
This is a sweet rom-com that was just the antidote for the anxiety of the world right now.
Grab a fuzzy blanket, a cup of tea, and enjoy!

Hollyn Tate is determined to take steps to change her life. Her Tourette's syndrome and social anxiety has held her back in school, with friends, and in her career...and she's just not going to let that happen anymore. She's got an office in a shared workspace where she can do her freelance writing and take baby steps to engage with people she meets there. When she first bumps into Jasper Deares at the office coffee station, her nervousness at how hot he is sets off all her tics and she retreats in shame. And though the faces she made make Jasper think she hates him, the fact that he can't figure out why intrigues him. So he hand-delivers her next coffee to try to get her know her a little better, and they strike up a friendship. When Hollyn learns that she'll soon have to start making videos to go along with her articles, she panics. Her tics on display for legions of viewers to see? No thanks. But Jasper offers to tutor her in improv (his dream is to open his own theater), and their relationship quickly turns into more. Hollyn slowly begins to see herself as he does: brave, sexy, and maybe even a little badass. Jasper has baggage of his own, though, from his life as a foster kid. He's always desperate to prove himself and make his adopted family proud. So when he gets an acting job on a Netflix series, will he leave behind that dream of a theater and his chance at love with Hollyn just for the opportunity to make it big?

I love Roni Loren's books. Somehow she creates characters with complex, interesting backstories that are unlike any I've read in the romance genre before. Her series about a group of friends who survived a school shooting was heartbreaking but also inspiring, as it showed the HEAs that could be out there even, maybe especially, for those who go through such trauma. Now with Hollyn, Loren has written a character with a neurological disorder so sensitively...but not delicately, not pulling any punches or making everything all sunshine and roses. Hollyn has been through a lot but desperately wants the life she knows she deserves and is willing to do the work to get it. Her baggage makes the perfect matched set with Jasper's, even though they can't see that at first, and I really loved the two of them together. It didn't surprise me at all to learn that this author was a mental health counselor in a former life, because she clearly knows what she's talking about and crafts her characters with such believable depth.

There's also a lot of humor here, along with great banter. The improv games were hilarious, and I laughed out loud more than once. Also, this book is HOT. Whew! And the cast of supporting characters (Fitz? Andi? Maybe even Cal?) leave room for this to become a series, and I really hope it does. Roni Loren has become one of my go-to authors for romance, and I can't wait to see what she does next!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

High 4 ⭐️
I’ve never read a book like this before and I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2. This was great. The h and H we’re on fire and lots of steamy, funny, romantic moment and I always love an HEA. Jasper was dreamy and sexy as hell. I couldn’t get enough of him in or out of the the bedroom. The author really made this work for me. It was great getting awhile from all my stressful stuff and diving into this. I highly recommend it.
Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley for this ARC. I’ve voluntarily given my review.

LOVE ... Love .. LOVED this book!
OK, first off I need to tell you I'm a huge romcom lover .. and this one checked all my boxes. I've read numerous romance books and it's so refreshing to come across one who the charterers are written as real everyday people. I mean we all have read the over the top uber rich main charters who everyday lives are nothing but rainbows and unicorns. So when I come across a book who the main charters have real everyday flaws or dealing with some serious anxiety, living paycheck to paycheck and real people like you and me can relate to and they find their happy ending ... YES I'm here for it!

I will be recommending this book to all my book loving friends.

I immediately fell in love with Hollyn. Her sass and shyness and her love for movies and tv reviews , (she and I would totally be BFF's). She had been pushing herself out of her comfort zone, little by little, but when management wanted her column to include video segments, it seemed like an impossible challenge. She needed to find a way to feel more comfortable on camera, and Jasper and improv might be the answer.

Neuro-diverse characters I haven't seen represented before and the characters grew throughout the book.
The banter, the humor, the romance -- it kept me captivated from beginning to end.

4 1/2 Stars!

"Yes & I Love You" really struck a chord with me. I enjoyed it from start to finish!!

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was that it portrayed main characters that were real with conditions that affect many people. It shows that even though your experience may look a little different, you can still navigate your way through everyday experiences and find your own happily ever after.

The book has dual points of view that read in third person. Hollyn is our heroine and she suffers from tourette's, which has led to extreme social anxiety because of how she was treated when she was younger. Due to the impact of her early years, she has been living a good portion of her adult life in isolation with little contact with others. She has recently started taking small steps and is trying to adapt to being "out in the world." She's a successful reviewer in New Orleans, known as Miz Poppy. Her online persona is outgoing and witty. It's easier for her when people can't witness her facial tics or uncomfortable responses in real person.

Jasper, is an aspiring actor who does improv. He's the new barista in Hollyn's workplace, but it's only to make some extra money while pursuing his future in improv with his group. Jasper suffers from ADHD and it shows up in impulsivity and speaking before he thinks. Right off the bat, he's confused by Hollyn's actions around him and takes them personally. Once he understands her past experiences with people, he becomes her biggest advocate.

I really did love these two together. Watching their relationship gradually unfold and grow was so much fun. They start with every intent of being a "friends with benefits" relationship and it evolves into much, much more. Of course, their chemistry is off the charts, so they have that working in their favor. Of course, they do run into some roadblocks along the way that could affect a future relationship. In addition, their insecurities often come into play when they find themselves entertaining the thought of a romantic future together. Somehow, they find their way through it all and to each other.

I really was pleased with how the author developed these characters and their journey. As a person who has immediate family members with both tourette's and ADHD, I could appreciate this storyline a great deal. The ending was simply wonderful and left me with a huge smile on my face. This was definitely a much-needed "feel good" book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Hollyn and Jasper both work at an open office space, both are creative people and have a mutual interest in each other. Their story started strong and ended somewhat weak, it felt like so much was included for very little payback at the end.

Personally I always want whatever Roni Loren has written because she has amazing concepts and characters that hold your attention. This time I'm sad to say this book was just okay, which isn't what I wanted to be writing.

Jasper has ADHD which I thought could have been explored more because it seems to have been forgotten at times.
I loved the representation of Hollyn who has tourette's which for her can cause ticks and also has social anxiety.
Whether this was an accurate portrayal of tourettes or not I can't say but it was nice to see another type of representation addressed in a book with the main character being the one who is affected.

Though I will say that while improv that Jasper teaches her may help with the social anxiety I would have liked to see more of it explored and addressed outside of Hollyn and Jaspers relationship.

Desperately hoping that rockstar Cal and the wealthy Fitz each get a book.

I received a free copy of this book via netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was such a warm, unique contemporary romance! I loved Hollyn and Jasper as individuals and the ways they complimented each other as a couple. I don't think I'd ever seen Tourette's depicted in fiction, and I thought Loren's take on it was empathetic and enlightening. I was rooting for Hollyn from the start and felt like her arc was very real and relatable as she came out of her shell and into herself. I really loved Loren's The Ones Who Got Away series, and this new series started absolutely lived up to (high) expectations!

This was an incredibly uplifting book. I loved the characters and the theme. I have raised three theater-loving children in my household and it was great to see someone in the performing arts as a "hero" in this story. I adored that even though everyone in his life seemed to be pushing Jasper to "do more" with his life, he stayed true to himself and found a way to make his dream become a reality.

Hollyn was an extremely special character and I so enjoyed watching her continually step beyond her comfort zone and broaden her world to include new friends and circumstances.

My thoughts are very scattered, but I will just say that Yes & I Love You wormed its way into my heart. It quickly sucked me in and stuck with me long after I was finished reading. I am so very excited for the next book in the series. I just know it's going to be amazing.

This was an interesting read... for many reasons. I feel like the book summary didn't elude to the true premise of the story. Hollyn suffers from extreme social anxiety due in large part to her Tourette's syndrome. She exhibits facial tics that tend to increase in strength and frequency the more anxious she is. She finds success writing as an anonymous reviewer for a column, but that changes when her boss wants her to reveal her online persona IRL. Hollyn risks losing her job or losing her anonymity. Jasper is a struggling actor who is still dealing with some issues stemming from childhood. He is a talented improv performer and when he and Hollyn meet, he offers to give her some improv lessons to help alleviate and/or manage her social anxiety.

I went into the book expecting some socially awkward situations and perhaps a focus on general anxieties, but ended up reading and learning about other complex conditions, too. I thought Roni Loren did a fabulous job of normalizing differences and showing that disabilities do not have to be debilitating. I love how she wrote about everyone facing obstacles - whether personal, financial, physical, mental, etc. and that it's how we deal with them and adapt that matters. Yes & I Love You was a sweet love story, but also a story of hope, strength, and acceptance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC of this book.

This was an adorable romcom that was initially somewhat heavy in tone, but once Jasper and Hollyn's improv lessons kicked in, it lightened up and became almost joyful to read. Of course, their problems didn't just go away and the angst was still there, but these two were just so cute and sweet together. They definitely brought out each other's best selves and challenged each other to level up rather than down. Hollyn had more obvious physical challenges, with Tourette's syndrome that manifested in involuntary facial tics whenever she was nervous. At the beginning of the book, she was operating at a high level of anxiety that was almost painful to read, but once she made a connection with Jasper, as well as with Andi, a colleague at the co-work space where Hollyn worked, her severe social anxiety started to smooth out. Once Jasper understood that she had physical challenges, he was nothing but supportive, helping her to see herself as a brave risk-taker, rather than the shy young girl who was bullied as a child. As for Jasper, his challenges were more emotional that physical, but he also needed help in seeing himself as a capable person rather than stupid, immature, and unthinking, as he'd been accused of all his life due to his ADHD.

My only criticism of the book is that although Hollyn's Tourette's was treated sensitively and was clearly woven into her character, her social anxiety seemed more like a plot device that was fairly easily discarded once she started the improv lessons. IRL, I don't think an anxiety disorder of that magnitude is so easily overcome. However, overall, I loved the book, loved Jasper and Hollyn, and loved the improv mantra of always saying yes to anything and being willing to complete expose your authentic self, knowing that although some people might reject you, others would be inspired by your openness. I started thinking that maybe I could use a few improv lessons myself!