4⭐, 2.5🌶️

Okay. Im trying to gather my thoughts for this book because at times I was bored, but then at the ending I was BALLING because I was so emotionally moved. I personally was not a fan of Caitlin Kelly's voice for Kacey. It was hella sweet and just didnt fit the vibe for a "bad girl" rockstar. It took me a minute to get invested in the story for Jonah and Kacey because of the insta-love it had. Jonah's medical concerns ar obviously an incredibly moving period, and I enjoyed how they were as a couple.

With the way the book ended, I NEW I was running straight to read All In cause I have theories that may have me loving book two more than this.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an ALC (and Sourcebooks Bloom books for an eARC) in exchange for my honest review

I knew this book would destroy me. I had my defenses way way up. And yet as soon as the end came closer I broke down. And here's my partner looking at me like I'm crazy (BTW I am) for crying over "just a book" But cry I did. And I will get round to reading All In. Just not yet.

this is the most heartbreaking story i've read so far.

even though i'm at 17% left of the book, i kept waiting for the conflict (i mean, it's a non-hea book, what do you expect). so i've read the third and final part, and oh boy...

therefore, i conclude that it is INDEED a tearjerker story (and i don't know if i still continue reading the second book...)

for the audiobook, i'm glad that both narrators did it again for the re-record one. their narration is amazing. and the ending??? they put their feelings for this one (especially caitlin kelly's)

This book was so gut wrenching but in a raw beautiful way. The characters were absolutely beautiful and so flawed. It felt so realistic. This book was a fast read but it absolutely wrecked me. It was an emotional journey that broke my heart but also put it back together.

Full Tilt is part romance and part tragedy, and leans hard into both, blending swoony moments with heartbreak.

I have to admit it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. The writing felt a little stilted in places, it was a bit heavier than I expected, and the emotional intensity didn’t always hit quite right for me. Having said that, the narrative was extremely heartfelt, and the characters came across as sincere and endearing. It gave me The Fault in Our Stars vibes, but suited for a more mature audience. The pacing was just right, and the story kept my attention well throughout.

I enjoyed this in both ebook and audiobook form. I found the audiobook added to that emotional intensity in a positive way. The performances brought out the depth of the story, and the production quality was strong.

I can see the being really enjoyed by someone looking for a heartfelt romance and a good cry! 3.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!!!!
I need to be compensated for this emotional damage that was inflicted on me. 🥲 I had a book hangover for days because of this book, and don’t get me wrong it was AMAZING but dang it really killed me. lol

This is a story between Kacey & Jonah. The story starts with Jonah waking up in the hospital right after receiving a new heart 18 months before the story truly starts, with his family at his beside but his longtime girlfriend absent. His friend later tells him that she took off to Paris that morning instead of waiting to see if he was okay. We flash forward to July from Kacey’s POV, she’s a rockstar on tour with her band Rapid Confession and they’re in Las Vegas and she’s calling home. Her mom answers and shows no emotion about her calling, she tries to talk to her dad and it doesn’t take long before an argument ensues. She gets off the phone and goes onstage right after. Kaceys band starts to realize she’s having a problem with drinking and “having a different man in her bed every night.: She jokes and says not on Tuesday. Her bands bodyguard sends her home in a limo - the driver? Jonah. And so begins an epically tragic love story.

This story will be one you can never forget even months after… you may have to take a day off because of your book hangover…. I mean I definitely didn’t do that. 😉 But it is sooo worth the ride!

Thank you so much SOURCEBOOKS Bloom & NetGalley for this e-arc.

'Full Tilt' is a heartbreakingly beautiful story of two individuals who meet at the wrong time yet love each other with everything they have while they still can. Kacey is in a downward spiral when she meets Jonah, and he gives her the strength to leave her toxic life and start anew. In exchange, her love enables Jonah to know what it's really like to be loved during his lifetime. The book was affecting me in ways I wasn't prepared for. You should read this book if you want your heart to be broken. Highly recommend!!

Never has going into a book blind bite me in the ass as hard as it did with this one.

We follow struggling, alcoholic musician: Kasey. She’s the guitarist in an up and coming band and due to family issues, she finds herself getting blackout drunk nearly nightly. After destroying the green room and being carried out by a body guard while blacked out, she gets deposited back into the limo where he begs the limo driver, Jonah, to just get her away from the scene.

He can’t get into the rental house for the band because no one’s home, she’s passed out, so he takes her back to his apartment - and they start a very weird friendship.

Then there’s Jonah, who’s struggling with heart failure after his body is rejecting the transplanted heart he was given and he’s on a timeline: 6 months left to live. So he’s putting everything into his glass work and an upcoming gallery event he has (that’s closer to his end of the life line).

This can be a very emotional read, so please make sure you read any triggers and such. I also didn’t realize it was a duet, so we don’t exactly get a happy ending with this one.

"That's my legacy: I loved you and was loved by you."

- terminally !ll artist MMC
- rockstar/broken FMC
- friends to lovers
- not a HEA
- 🌶️🌶️.5/5
- dual pov
- dual narration by Nelson Hobbs and Caitlin Kelly

Full Tilt is every bit as emotionally devastating as people say. It's officially on my "ugly cry" shelf.

It's a heartbreakingly beautiful story about two people who find each other at the wrong time, but love each other with everything they have while they can. Kacey and Jonah try to stay just friends, but their connection is too strong to ignore, even with the inevitable looming.

Their love changes them. Kacey is spiralling when she meets Jonah, and he gives her the strength to walk away from her toxic life and start over. And in return, her love lets Jonah experience what it truly means to be loved in his lifetime. The vulnerable conversations, the quiet moments—they hit deep.

Reading (or listening to) this book feels like a full-body experience. I'm not emotionally ready for All In yet, but Emma Scott set it up perfectly.

This was a tough read. Although I enjoyed it I found the MFC a bit dislikeable in the beginning. However as time went on i guess you can say she grew on me. A good romance that will have you in tears.

This novel was a bit of a tough read. It was an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. I sobbed This book was moving in ways that I wasn't ready for. If you want your heart broken, this is the book for you.

Amazing Romance, I have read the earlier version before coming with bloom, and the new edition is as beautiful.

A wonderful romance to be put forward for this summer.

This is definitely the kind of book you need to be in the right mind set to read, as it is quite an emotional ride. I knew a little before I jumped into this book, since I knew that there was a sequel, and I had heard a little of what the sequel was about, but this books still hit me hard.

The thing about this kind of books for me is that I walk away only with the e-mail response it gave me. This book broke my heart and made me ugly cry. There was something hauntingly beautiful about Kacey and Jonah’s story. And this is what I was left with when I finished this book.

And I’ll be transparent, I struggled a bit to get into the book, but once I got into it, I just devoured it (and I will say, it only took me a few chapters to get into it, not that long. It was just that knowing that I was in for an emotional ride, the first 2-3 chapters didn’t hook me right away to motivate me for the pain I knew was coming)

Do I think I’ll read the sequel, All In? Yes, I will, but I need to recover a little before I jump back into that story.

This is a beautiful story of an up and coming Rockstar who meets her knight in shining armour only to find out he's on borrowed time. Jonah was the perfect person to save her but what she didn't realize was that she was saving him instead. A chance at love, who wouldn't risk it all?

I knew the ending was coming and I still let my heart get broken. I should have read the blurb before committing but silly me, I just dived in head first. No cliffhanger thankfully but there is a sequel about what happens after the event. My heart needs to heal before I can start that journey.

Overall a great story, 4/5 stars. Not the HEA ending I'm used to but it is a part of life. 2.5/5 on the spice. It wasn't overwhelming and put in exactly where it was needed.

J'ai relu ce livre car il va ressortir chez Bloom Books et j'ai encore une fois adoré cette lecture! C'est un coup de coeur! J'avoue que j'avais un peu oublié l'intrigue (j'avais lu le livre en 2019) mais au bout de 10%, j'ai commencé à m'en souvenir mais cela n'a pas gâché ma lecture au contraire! J'ai adoré redécouvrir cette histoire, ces personnages, si touchant, puissant et attachant! Alors oui, j'ai encore pleuré mais j'ai adoré cette intrigue et toutes les émotions qu'elle m'a fait vivre!

This book wrecked me in the best way. I cried. I smiled. I laughed. Then cried some more. And I stayed up way too late letting this book wreck me further and crushing all hope things would be different. This was a raw, beautiful, emotionally intense roller coaster romance that hits you right in the heart. Kacey, a self-destructive rock star, and Jonah, a quiet artist with a secret that changes everything. Their love story is slow-burning, soul-deep, and unforgettable. I loved them individually and together. It’s not just about romance—it's about finding purpose, healing, and choosing to live fully, even when time is limited.

If you love books that makes you feel, read this.

Favorite Quotes
"We might not have months or years, but we have moments. Thousands upon thousands of them. Let's take each moment, seize it and wring it dry. Okay?"

"I would love you forever, Kacey, if I only had the chance."

“Being loved by you, Jonah…it’s the greatest honor of my life.”

4.25 ⭐️
Thank you to both the author and publisher for the advanced reader copy. This book is one of those books that you jump right in head first and just keeps going. It was such an emotional read, but in a good way. It makes you stop. Think and want to live life to the fullest.

The character growth and connection is amazing. You will feel completely bonded and fall in love with the characters. There’s parts of this journey that won’t be easy to read but is completely worth the ride! Emotional, heartbreaking and yet uplifting. Definitely recommend!!

The most beautiful but heartbreaking book of all time! It was hard to read book through all the tears I was shedding. This book was so good and so worth it! I can’t believe I’m just now reading it. Truly amazing.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the arc of this book.

I don't know what is harder. Finishing the story with a bleeding heart or knowing that there is the next one and gathering the courage to read it. A part of me just want to leave the story here. With heartbreak and love for Jonah. And another part of me wants to move forward, like Kacey's last promise. Emma Scott always writes such difficult stories with complex human emotions and she always show us beauty in pain. Full Tilt is no exception. These kind of love stories always leave me inspired.

Kacey ran away from home when she was just 17 and now she has almost proved her narrow minded father wrong by being the lead guitarist of up and coming all girls rock band Rapid Confessions. But she isn't happy even with all fame and money. She is drowning her depression in alcohol and that's how she meets Jonah who was the limousine driver for the band during one night. Jonah took care of her when she was unconscious and this was an eye opener for her. She feels a connection to the sweet man but his days are numbered. Truly. He is suffering from a deadly heart condition and his body is rejecting his transplanted heart. He doesn't want hurt her by falling for her but Kacey knows not loving him will hurt even more.


Well there is no easy way to read a story when the MMC dies. Since it's a pretty old series, there is no way to avoid spoilers. But it was still a remarkable read. Because the author brought so much heartwarming feels in every page. Kacey is a bright soul but she is lost. At least she was till she found Jonah. She is so strong for embracing her feelings a man who will be gone any day now. Jonah is just perfect. He is living on borrowed time but he wants to live fully. He is not just giving up. He is working hard on his glass art and he wants to leave behind a legacy through his art. He is caring and protective and charming. It's just so unfair that he couldn't enjoy life with Kacey but I loved the moments they had together. Jonah healed Kacey's broken heart and while Kacey couldn't heal his heart, she gave him the happiest days of his lives. Full of love, adventure and beauty. Now you might ask where is second book going...oh man I am not sure I am ready. It was a gut wrenching one but I smiled through the years.

I reviewed a complimentary copy voluntarily

I'm completely wrecked. Again. Still. I always thought it would be beyond hard to reread Full Tilt yet here I am a blubbering mess reliving the heartbreaking love story that is Kacey Dawson and Jonah Fletcher. Reminding me once more just how talented a wordsmith Emma Scott was and continues to be. I mean, this is the book and duet (with All In) that is mentioned anytime someone asks for a recommendation for a book that will obliterate them. With my reply always the same: "Oh yeah, that's the one that will undoubtedly do you in'. But even as I feel those same gut-wrenching emotions, the one that will forever stand out to me is gratitude. That I'm able to even read such an outstanding story and that it gives me an appreciation for all that I have in life. That we can all take a lesson from Jonah to grasp every moment, no matter how small and simply appreciate that we can.

I won't go into detail about what this race against time kind of romance is about because it's a book one must go into blindly. Yes, there might be some triggering parts for some but if you can handle the thought of a looming tragedy that will change the course of not only Kacey's life but those closest to Jonah, then please pick up this book. There are so many layers to Jonah and Kacey's stories, both together and separately. To get to find your person is truly a gift but when that person ultimately saves you in more ways than one, there is simply nothing better.

For Jonah and Kacey, they find the one person who really sees them for not just what they might have done in the past or what might plague them, but for what is right in front of them right now. And what they both see is everything. I loved their rocky beginnings. I loved their playful and not so playful banter. They each gave as good as they got but found a soft spot within the other only they could understand. They found true joy in every minute spent together and no matter how long that may have been, it always felt like forever.

Full Tilt is a beautifully written and all-encompassing book. Yes, the tissues need to be by your side but even in those tougher passages, I could always feel the love. It was such a pleasure to watch both Kacey and Jonah grow as their love did, opening up their hearts and souls like never before. Even with how the book ends and fully knowing that there is a chance for a new normal that may or may not be ideal, I felt pride for how well these characters handled everything thrown at them. Even knowing what will happen next in All In, I'm here to say that I can't wait to feel all that I know will gut me again but once again realizing just how great it feels to hurt so good.

5+++ stars.