Being a Green Bay Packers fan, I have to always root against the Vikings. 😁I did enjoy this story, however. The characters were well described and developed. The secondary characters added depth to the book. The steamy scenes were well written. The only objection I have is the use of the eff word when referring to love making. It just cheapens the act, in my opinion. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

It was a really cute book and I loved their whole dynamic in the relationship. The way they met and everything was so adorable and I loved how they grew as characters. This book is SPICYYYYY. This man knows how to f*ck. I feel so proud of Liz for finally standing up for what she wants in life.
Thanks Netgalley for the arc.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234945812-soft-rebound

Superb read - such three dimensional characters!! Sympathetic and relatable hero and heroine, who (frank fully) don’t lack common sense and hot chemistry - and no silly plot twists or WTF moments.
So nice to discover a new (to me) author!!

Thankyou to Fiona and team for an ARC copy of this book. I haven’t been paid to leave a review and these are my own thoughts.

This is the second book within a series, however I haven’t read the first one and still very much enjoyed it so can be read as a stand alone.

The book starts with a meet-cute between Liz and Joe in a bar within Wisconsin. Joe has been divorced for 3 years while Liz has recently left her hometown after her fiancé called off their engagement. Joe and Liz seem to hit it off and have a steamy night together but Liz quickly runs away after the fact, stating she’s not ready for anything right now.

The book is in Dual POV and follows the trials and tribulations of Joe and Lizs relationship over roughly just under a year from their first meeting. This story is hot and heavy and the spice was great, and starts pretty early on.

The side characters brought just as much to the story as the main characters in my opinion, and would love to hear more about Trey and Bobbys relationship!

If you’re a fan of runaway girl, he falls first and hard, and romantic suspense then this book would be for you.

2.5 stars

I feel like the premise of the book and the concept was good, but the execution was slightly lacking for me. I appreciate the realness of the issues between the two and that the characters were layered and had a lot of depth. That being said, Joe had zero respect for Liz' boundries in a large part of the book. She kept telling him she wanted something casual at the most and he just wasn't listening at all, constantly trying to convince her of the chemistry and to 'try'. It was a constant back and forth of 'I don't want more' and 'but we have chemistry etc'. That really irked me.
Also, I don't feel like the cover doesn't match the description of the characters at all.

The review below is already posted on Goodreads and will also be posted on Amazon once the release date happens on June 27th.

Soft Rebound was a phenomenally fast paced steamy romance book. It has several funny but relatable moments. While I have not read the first one in the series, it does not seem as though they rely on one another. I do in the future wish to read the first one but I loved this particular book very much. I am not a huge fan of changing points of view but the author did really well to make it all work together and feel as though both points were needed. Would definitely recommend if this is a genre you like and reminds me of the Salacious Player's Club Series by Sara Cate.

I signed up for this arc because the blurb really intrigued me and I am so glad I did because I had such a good time reading!!

Their first encounter was cute and carefree, but also awkward in the most adorable way, two strangers who weren’t planning to spend the night with anyone else.
it felt so real and authentic!!

Liz had just come out of a seven year relationship , and Joe himself had been in a long relationship as well. She was in a relationship where she always felt like she wasn’t good enough. But this story is so much more than just a girl getting over a breakup!! It’s about a woman trying to find herself. What she likes, who she really is when she’s on her own. She learns that she doesn’t owe anyone anything, only herself. It was so nice to see her become a woman who finally knows her worth.

And Joe—the way he takes the time to learn what she likes because he puts her pleasure before his own! A real man with no expectations, who just wants her. The full package. The real package.
What I loved most about him was his vulnerability—the way he openly talks about his insecurities and what bothers him. It made my heart break for him. I also appreciated how he’s pro therapy, especially since there’s sadly still stigma around it.

I loved reading about Joe’s and Liz’s growth and development—not only in their relationship but as individuals. Seeing both of them finally let go of the past and find real happiness was everything I wanted for them, and it was so heartwarming to witness.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Fiona Embers for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sweet and spicy. Exploring the rebound after a long term relationship. Worth the read. Well written and enjoyable.

Thanks to both Netgalley and Evernight publishing for allowing me to read this ARC. I struggled with the first few chapters. I found the sentence structure particularly challenging at times, and wasn’t sure if this author’s writing style was for me. There’s a few moments I’ve found myself eye-rolling - like that wouldn’t really happen surely!? However, this settled down and I found myself really enjoying the story. I struggled with the MMC’s lack of respect for FMC’s boundaries, and I think his behaviour would’ve given a fair few women the ick to be honest. Overall, I really enjoyed the character growth throughout the book and the use of diverse characters (he doesn’t have a 6 pack hurrah!). I really loved the side characters, and I’ll be reading Fiona’s first book in this series so I can continue Roxie’s journey. This author writes characters you can easily become obsessed with. Can we have a Bobby and Mickey book please? ❤️
#softrebound #netgalley #fionaembers

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and victory editing for the opportunity to read the ARC ✨

3.5 ⭐️

This is my first Fiona Embers book and I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t know what to expect but I was quickly hooked by Liz and Joe’s characters. I won’t lie, Joe being 6’10” immediately got me to like him 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was curious on how their casual relationship would develop considering Liz wants it to be a rebound and casual relationship whilst Joe knows that she is something special from the get go and recognizes it. Miscommunication and indecision is usually something I steer away from in plots but I do believe that in her journey to self discovery and independence, Liz needs to question everything because she never has before.

If you get easily frustrated by these two tropes, this book might not be for you but if you enjoy complex characters with painful backgrounds who work on themselves to heal and grow, this will hook you.

It also helps that Joe is a very tall and dedicated man to Liz and her adventurous side quest to live for herself.

I’m glad I was able to get this arc and know this author, I’ll definitely be reading Roxie’s story. The secondary characters were also intriguing and I would like to follow Bobby’s story as he finds himself more comfortable with himself.

I went into a his book not knowing what to expect but I was wonderfully surprised. The storyline was excellent and I loved the characters. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for me, I was rooting for Joe and at the same time I was encouraging Liz to give his a chance. I love stories like this, it really just pulls you in. I would definitely recommend this book of you are a lover of short emotional romance this book is for you.

I really wanted to like this book… but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. The writing felt underdeveloped, and I couldn’t connect with the characters or their story. I kept hoping it would improve, but it never quite got there.

Let me start of by saying Soft Rebound was *Chefs kiss*
Joe is meant to meet his ex brother in law at a bar. While waiting he sees her and is captivated.
Liz is watching a game on tv when a handsome stranger approaches her.
Liz and Joe end up chatting and sparks fly.
They’re both coming out of long term relationships and don’t want anything too heavy. They decide to be Rebound Buddies. Only after a while Joe wants more. This is too much for Liz so she pushes him away.
They reconnect months later and sparks are still flying
The tension in this book is delicious.
I love how Liz is such a brave woman who knows for the first time what she wants todo with her life and takes the reins.
Joe is such a cutie pie and shows Liz how it feels to be truly loved and cherished.
Love love love this book

2.5 stars


This is my first book by this author, and it’s the first book i have read from this series. The book follows Joe and Liz who happen to meet in a bar and go in with the intention of having a casual relationship. Somehow along the way feelings change, due to the undeniable chemistry. The problems the couple face are very real issues, which I really appreciated. What made the book fall through for me was the fact that Joe was so incredibly persistent at times, that it started to annoy me. Especially if Liz expressed her issues or concerns, it would appear as if Joe didn’t hear her at all or that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. However, denial is a very real thing, which I also recognize. I appreciated that neither of the characters were described as having the perfect model body, which added into the realistic aspect of the story. Both characters are described to have a bit of a gut, despite the cover being somewhat misleading. I loved the communication Joe and Liz had towards the end of the book.


It was all in all an enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to explore more of this author’s work.

Thank you so much for the ARC,

I really enjoyed this book more than I expected. Liz and Joe felt very real and not perfect, which made their story refreshing. Both have emotional baggage from past relationships, and I liked how their connection grew naturally with all the ups and downs. Joe was a bit pushy sometimes, but his honesty and growth made him more likable later. I also liked the side story with Liz’s brother Bobby and Trey, it added depth and made me curious about their future. Overall, it was a solid read. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

this book was such a deeply layered and gorgeous read. i followed our main characters and felt totally taken in by them. they had both come to the story hurt and carrying it around with them. it was certainly managing to shape how they lived in the world and definitely shaped what they thought about love. but when they meet and expect just a little pick me up and done, they soon realise in each other there is something deeper going on here. this isnt a pick up,leave and move on. this is something thats hitting much deeper into their surface of protection they thought they had given themselves.
the characters were so thought out and layered. i felt like i could really get a grip and picture of who they were and enough to see such well rounded imagery of them and their life in my mind. i was then rooting for them and needing to read what comes next all the more. i was also rooting for them both as individuals and as a pair. what they went through, what they come together with, their interactions just felt so true. it wasnt always easy. it was sometimes raw. but it was sometimes moments that truly made my toes squiggly and my smile wide.
a brilliant book where all the characters have their place and found myself endeared to more than the two main characters throughout. and there are the type of other characters who i love, you know the ones you wish for in your own life.
great read. and so much more than i thought it was going to be going in.

I received this as an ARC reader via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

I'm going to give this 3.5 stars, but I will be fully transparent- I went into this book not realizing it was a traditional/contemporary romance vs a dark romance. (I don't even know how I made that mistake when I requested the ARC). So, because this is a genre I:
1- Don't read due to my dark romance preference
2- Don't know much about
my review is probably skewed vs someone who typically reads contemporary romance.

Joe and Liz are so real it might make some people uncomfortable. We are taken through events in their past relationships and see how they have affected their sense of self-worth. We see how faults in their previous partners have made them so hesitant and scared to possibly love again, that it almost taints and derails their current relationship. Internalized insecurities are examined, and hard conversations between the MCs and supporting characters make this story seem completely relatable. I appreciate that the author made the MMC 'ideal'- he sees his flaws, corrects his behavior, apologizes to others for his errors, and asks Liz repeatedly for open feedback within their blooming romance. Oh, and he sees a therapist and listens to said therapist.

Hey... maybe this IS a fantasy romance...

The spicy scenes are sweet- we see two adults who ask each other what they like, and then meet those needs with each other. Joe absolutely worships all of Liz, and who doesn't want a 6'8" (or something close to that) man who can make us feel dainty??

My one gripe in the first third of the book is that Joe doesn't take 'no' for an answer well. Liz makes it abundantly clear that she doesn't want anything serious and that she doesn't have the emotional or mental capacity for a serious relationship at that time, and for very valid reasons. But he pushes her repeatedly to see if she would change her mind. It comes off that he doesn't respect her autonomy or choices.

I really enjoyed this book! First off--the spice is a 12/1o. But, there were so many other reasons I enjoyed it. First, I really loved that this was a bit of a later in life love story. These weren't two kids all caught up in first love; both the main characters had been through their share of life and heartbreak, which I think made them more interesting. Also, Joe, the MMC, he was clearly written by a woman! His character was so wonderful. He wasn't Mr. Perfect, but, because he was more mature, he wanted to focus on the FMC's pleasure and he wasn't afraid to say how he felt. I also really liked the side stories with the supporting characters. While this book wasn't a five star read, I would definitely reccommend it!

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and
Fiona Embers for sending me a review copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. At first, I was convinced this was going to be one of those stories where two strangers hook up after a chance encounter, maybe a classic case of mistaken identity thrown in for good measure. I couldn’t tell you exactly why I thought that, but I did. However, the story took a completely unexpected turn, and I ended up enjoying it far more than I expected.

Joe and Liz are incredibly layered, emotionally complex characters who have clearly been shaped by the pain and baggage of their previous relationships. When they meet by chance at a bar, what begins as a casual hookup quickly reveals itself to be something much deeper, I really liked Joe and his character. He did come across quite persistent and didn’t know how to take no for an answer at times. However, I really liked how authentic and grounded both characters were. Their interactions were refreshingly real, full of vulnerability, tension, and moments of genuine connection.

The supporting characters were just as compelling. I was especially drawn to Liz’s older brother, Bobby, and his developing relationship with Trey. Their subplot added another engaging dimension to the story, and I found myself just as invested in their dynamic as I was in the main couple. I’m genuinely curious to see what might unfold between them in the future; whether it’ll be a second chance romance between them or not.

Overall, this story defied my expectations in the best way, and I had a fantastic time reading it.

This book was what I was hoping for when i read the description.

Joe is the typical recently-ish divorced adult male, but is larger than life (literally). And Liz is sick of living in her family’s footsteps and wants to do something for herself, hence the bar, Joe, and the beer.

My favorite part about Joe and Liz is they aren’t the typical body types. Particularly mentioning Joe had a bit “around the middle” and Liz having a big ass and curves Joe loved.

I also enjoy when a story can be read as a standalone.

I’d definitely enjoy seeing more of Trey’s story, and was a little sad by the end, but hoping for more to come!

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for access to the ARC in exchange for this honest review!