Earning It

(7/10) I loved this book. It was the perfect light romance read with just the right amount of yearning and tension. I finished it in a day! Although the wedding trope has been done before, I didn't mind it here. In fact, I thought that the love portrayed between the two other couples was adorable and that they were well-written side characters. At times, Rae did drive me up a wall with her refusal to listen to Van. It really irritated me that she slept with Van while simultaneously refusing to hear him out. She had some very toxic behaviors that made the book hard to read at some points; she would've greatly benefitted from a therapist. Besides that, I loved that even though it was in the third person, you knew whose point of view you saw by whether Rae was referred to as Rae or Regan. Overall, a cute read!!

I liked this romance, the beginning was a bit slow and the spicy scenes were just right, not too many and not too corny. I would do without the comical big black lady psychic, I think it could have been a different character rather than a stereotypical black character. Aside from that I think the boys banter didn't feel like a typical dude bater, but I don't know I'm not a dude. Aside from that I loved the boy and the pace of it.

Absolutely loved this book. Such a fun summer read and I couldn't stop reading! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Earning It by E.F. Dodd is everything a good romance novel should be, and the perfect summer book! Dodd's main character, Reagan Murphy, is a loveable, sarcastic, successful PR consultant that hasn't been interested in love since her failed relationship with Donavan McLeod five years ago. I appreciated the addition of a multitude of intelligent women into this story, all of these characters were properly developed. It seems that we've finally found a book in which the main character isn't "not like other girls". The book was lighthearted enough that it didn't appear to be a slog to get to the romance, but also included the right amount of tension that Van still had to grovel and pine for, which I saw to be, the appropriate amount of time. The book was decently well-paced that skillfully strayed from the pitfalls that so many romance novels are subject to. She doesn't instantly take him back but she also isn't just playing with his emotions to get back at him, she's genuinely confused about her feelings for him (as she should!) and is trying to do what's best for herself. I will say that the characters weren't super relatable and if they hadn't gotten together I wouldn't have been particularly upset, but that's more of a personal opinion on the book. There are a couple of scenes that I considered to possibly be over-explained and it felt that they were slightly being spoon-fed to us as well as a couple of jokes that seemed to fall flat with the characters and audience alike, but altogether it was a sweet novel to read over the summer.

This book was so fun to read!! I read the whole book in one day, 5/5 would recommend it. The characters were my favorite part they were all so realistic!

Book: Earning it
Author: E.F. Dodd
Rating 4,5 stars

Grovel, grovel, grovel. If you love a hero that grovels, you'll love this one.

Positive thoughts:
I enjoy a book that makes me laugh, and this one got me laughing many many times. Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and Britney Spears, now that one made me laugh so much I was crying! Now you’ll just have to read the book to know what I’m talking about!!
I loved how the hero grovelled, he did literally everything for the heroine. E.F. Dodd makes you fall in love with him in an instant by what he does to get time with the heroine and her forgiveness. She doesn’t forgive him in an instant, which was realistic, but you feel the pain and suffering from both sides.
I loved the ending as well, the epilogue was brilliant.

Negative thoughts:
The heroine was a naughty girl, but I guess that was part of who she is. Did she have to flirt with every one? I also think she gave up to easily on the first night on the island, but that’s just my opinion.

Tropes:
- second change romance
- enemies to lovers
- grovelling
- bickering

Romance 5/5
Spice: 4/5
Humour: 4/5
Foul language: 2/5

This book was super awesome! I loved it! It was inspirational, witty, charming, and just an all around amazing book!

I enjoyed this novel so much more than I thought I would, never having heard of the author! Rae is the maid of honor in her best friend's wedding, and never expecting to run into him again, it just so happens that Donovan or "Van", the man she walked (no, ran) out on 5 years ago is the best man. Being forced to face the last 5 years of heartbreak, questions, and lots of tension, the two of them are shocked to say the least. As the novel goes on, I really felt for Van in the situation, as you learn he never had the chance to explain anything before she disappeared from his life. The steamy parts of this book were to die for, Rae was a spitfire so naturally her banter between her and her friends was phenomenal, and even though the end was pretty cliché, I still loved it!

3.5 Stars (rounded up)

The tropes: Second chance romance, forced proximity, sort of miscommunication (more like lack of communication).

The bad: there were points were things felt sort of repetitive and very tell not show; this is probably a me problem but I was having trouble keeping straight whose perspective we were following as it would switch mid chapter.

The good: interesting plot, if you like steamy scenes there are plenty thrown in throughout the book, the flashbacks worked well (these were good instances of show not tell that I felt were placed right when I needed it). I felt fully invested in the couple and wanted to figure out how they would work through their issues. This was definitely entertaining and I read it in about 2 sittings.

Earning It has quickly stolen the place of my favorite book of summer! It was such a fun read, I couldn’t put it down. The characters had so much depth and I could picture each of them so vividly. I truly enjoyed the friendship between Rae, Kez, and V, they are so fiercely loyal and protective of each other, but equally loving and supportive. It was so great to read a romance portraying all the women involved positively and without envy for what each other has. The love between each of the couples was so sweet and just made them all more likeable both as couples and individually. The spice level was great, and there was never any cliche or cringeworthy verbiage throughout any of the scenes. It was so easy to fall in love Rae and Van, you were rooting for them to work from the moment they crossed paths again. I can’t say enough good things about it and I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy when it’s out on the shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley, E. F. Dodd, and Sugar Beaver Books for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

This book was so good! I went into it blindly, I didn’t even read the whole synopsis. But boy was it worth it! I love our main characters, and their best friends. The group dynamic is so realistic and homey, it makes me miss all my friends who live far away. I loved the idea of this plot and the execution. It was easy to believe our male MC’s motivation and longing for his “one that got away”. And our main female character, it was easy to understand what she was feeling and her justifications for being weary of his love. The characters were very well rounded and fun. There was humor, there was spice, a HEA and a wedding setting!

I thought this book would be good, but it was absolutely fantastic. A one-sit read.

5⭐️ for this rom-com. It gave me all the feels, but also had me laughing out loud.

Rae has shut herself off from love, but on the day of her best friend’s wedding, the reason suddenly shows up again and wants her back. Van is not afraid to do whatever it takes.

I adored the characters in this book. Rae is strong and witty and the banter between friends is hilarious! The three friends were so close-knit, supportive and fiercely protective over each other, they reminded me of my own friends. I felt so much for Van in this situation. E. F. Dodd not only created an amazing romantic relationship between the MCs, but put so much development into the best friend relationships as well that you couldn’t help but feel that you were a part of the group.

Read this if you love
- second chance romance
- Forced proximity
- Grovelling
- Best friend stories
- Contemporary romance
- Christina Lauren books

Pub date: August 23, 2022.

A giant thank you to @netgalley and Sugar Beaver Books for this ARC and to @efdodd for writing such a wonderful story to get lost in!

Earning it is a romantic comedy that includes a second chance romance and some banter with a little spice. There are some current pop culture references that made it more relatable and funny! It was definitely an easy summer/beach read.

Thank you to netgalley for sending me an E-arc.

Such a sweet, cute book! The book has it all! The fun sweetness to it! I enjoyed the lovely story! Five stars!

This book was so fun! I loved this "second chance at romance"
Rae and Van dated five years ago and she ran out on him when she discovered that he had been using her connections to her boss to nab him for drug smuggling. Five years later they meet again when their best friends get married and hilarity ensues.
The great-
Van was such a lovable hero and I was really pulling for him to win Rae back.
The friend group. I loved all of the friends and their relationships with one another.
The spice level was perfect and the bathroom scene was seriously hot.
The not great-
Rae was almost annoyingly stubborn about not hearing Van's side of things. In all other aspects I loved her as a heroine, but her stubbornness bordered on annoying

** I received this e-ARC from NetGalley & Sugar Beaver Books in exchange for an honest review**

4.5 stars rounded up

I enjoyed this one!! It's a perfect summer book - definitely recommend to read at the beach or by the pool!

I love second chance romances, especially ones that are done right, and this one was. Not only was the romance (and spice) really well done, but the inclusion of their friends through the development was comical. It was so fun to see the relationship between the MC, Rae, and her friends, as well as Van and his friends! I love a good group dynamic.

It was a slow in the beginning, making it a little hard to get into, which is why I deducted .5. Other than that, I think this book was a great read!

Absolutely devoured this book! I do love a good second chance romance. Strong, fierce and loyal Rae who's heart is on lockdown and only has time for quick flings and solving other people's problems runs into a blast from her past that flips her world around. Loved seeing her work through her issues while slowly opening up to the idea of love.

The title of this book was an understatement for what happened throughout it’s pages. Whew, our main characters love interest had to do a lot of soul searching and groveling from their first meet up until the very ending, within reason. If you are someone that enjoys a little feather ruffling and using any method you can to find love; you will thoroughly enjoy this novel.

We had a great cast who are full of jokes and they know how to have a good time! 4/5 stars!

3.85/5 ⭐️

Regan, or Rae, has sworn off love forever. When the ex, Van, wasn’t who she thought he was, she fled and hasn’t looked back. In fact she’s forced herself to keep her eyes on short flings and quick nights with no chance of attachments. She’s made a name for herself in her job, successfully tucked the bad times into a tiny little box, and is going to celebrate with her best friends at her best friend’s wedding. That little tiny box explodes into a million little pieces when Van shows up at the wedding and on the day celebrating love, she finally has to confront what she’s been afraid to look back on all this time, love and a whole lot of broken trust.

The opening was strong and I immediately got a sense of Regan’s wit and humor. She’s not afraid to tell it how it is and always has a comeback ready and waiting for whatever life throws at her. She loves her friends, but might just gag at any romantic love. The reasoning behind that… Van. Van is funny and matches any energy Rae gives, even when that energy is to back off or go away. His POV was fun to see the pining and wanting to do whatever he could to get her back.

I went into this book expecting a mostly wedding based book with maybe some reconnecting in their everyday lives afterwards. This book, however, delivered a split wedding and vacation romance with Van and Rae being forced onto a group honeymoon vacation for the second half of the book. Not expecting this going in, it felt rushed almost and like there were two distinct plot points shoved together to optimize the forced proximity. Eventually it made sense that they were going on a vacation together, but I wish the wedding was for a shorter portion of the book, sort of like an introduction, so that it didn’t feel so separate from one another.

I loved Rae’s character and her feelings throughout were well-explored with seeing the man who broke her heart once upon a time after so many years. In understand feelings are complex and I’ve had back-and-forth ones too, but her’s felt too fluctuating. One minute she would forgive him for a reason and the next she would hate him for that reason without acknowledging the earlier forgiveness.

This was a fun romance read with interesting characters and I loved the undercurrent of friendship throughout, Rae’s trio especially.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

On the day of her best friends wedding, Rae suddenly finds out her ex, Van, whom she hasn’t seen in years, is the best man. Not to mention this is the same ex she ran out on after finding out he had been lying to her about his true identity for the better part of a year. As per the title of the book, Van has to “Earn it” to get back into Rae’s good graces. Van is willing to do whatever it takes to win her back.

I liked the writing of this book. Very cute Rom-Com. The characters were fully developed for me. I loved the friend groups for both the girls and the guys. The friends always seemed to offer up good advice and were a support system for one another. Especially Jackson.

The groveling did go on and on for me. I felt bad for Van when Rae wouldn’t let him explain. I would have rather Rae heard Van out, instead of just sleeping with him over and over. One would think sleeping with someone would only cause more problems and confusion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Regan "Rae" Murphy has zero interest in romance and even less in love. One heartbreak in her life was quite enough, and she has no desire to get wrapped up in the sticky tendrils of love again. She thought she'd left all those messy feelings and entanglements in her past when she moved to Charlotte from Charleston, especially the devastatingly handsome portion of that past, who was wearing nothing but a towel when she walked out on him. His betrayal was the reason she left and is the reason she keeps her heart safely tucked away. But when her best friend, Kez, asks Rae to be her maid of honor, Rae reluctantly puts aside her own feelings about forever.
 Love is in the air on Kez's wedding day, and it smacks Rae right in the face when her ex, Van, appears and he looks just as good in a tux as he did in a towel. For Kez's sake, Rae agrees to bury the hatchet somewhere other than between Van's shoulder blades. He makes it his mission to get Rae to hear him out something she refused to do before she left him. The pull to listen is strong as the hope she'd buried deep within her starts to rattle its way free. Maybe everything between them hadn't been one giant, intricate lie. But to get the chance to show Rae what they had was real, Van's going to have to earn it. 
I really enjoyed this book totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Sugar Beaver Books
I just reviewed Earning It by E.F. Dodd. #EarningIt #NetGalley

I started this book with little expectations. It had been a few days since I read the synopsis, and I promptly forgot what it was about. However, from the moment I picked the book up, I couldn't put it down. It starts off at a wedding where the FMC is the maid of honor and as soon as she meets all the wedding party, her world is turned upside down. I've been planning my own wedding so maybe that's one reason I found it so good. I loved the writing style and the pace in which the novel went. The author did a fabulous job incorporating just enough flashbacks that you knew what happened without having the audience questioning whether they missed something. I sped through this book and really enjoyed the characters. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a good, quick read without too much thinking involved.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Sugar Beaver Books for giving me the amazing opportunity to review this book!

I love a good reuniting with your ex type rom com novel and this one didn’t disappoint! I spent the whole book rooting for Van and Rae to work it out. Definitely some spicy scenes as well throughout that were really great. Now I just need books on the stories of the other two couples, V and Dave and Jackson and Kez

Earning it had everything you could want... strong women, a tropical vacation, and a man who is the epitome of "if he wanted to he would." It is a quick read and it leaves you feeling satisfied.

I really enjoyed the characters. Rae was sassy in the best possible ways. She was confident and could wrap anyone around her finger. She knew how to grab attention and wasn't afraid to do so. Van brought out her sensitive side while proving himself years after heartbreak. The other friends were hilarious and supportive, only adding to the warm fuzzy feeling the book gave me. My only grievance with the book is that I wasn't in Grand Cayman with the group.

I totally recommend reading this book if you are in need of a quick, feel good second chance romance.

I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with such an apt name! My God did he grovel! And I had so much fun reading about it! This is a great second-chance romance. The main characters are lovable and you’ll find yourself rooting for them, even as Rae continuously denies Van another chance.

~Arc review~
3.75 ⭐
I'm usually not the one for second chance romances but this book was amazingg!
I definitely wouldn't say the best but this was such a cute summer read.
Rae, the main character of the book runs into her ex boyfriend who she hasn't seen from years at her friend's wedding. This is the same boyfriend she ran out on (oh and I mean she literally RAN from his life) because of something that he had done (which you'll obviously read in the book) and he is naught but the best man of this wedding.
I'm all for the grand gestures and the cute romance (and the occasional spice 😏) but honestly Van, the mmc really did our main character Rae wrong and I don't think I would've been able to forgive him if I was her.
Van had to do a lot of grovelling and convincing and according to the title of the book "earn it".


But in general this book was really good and I didn't really expect to like it. Amazing and a pretty chill summer read.

Earning It by E.F. Dodd is the prefect summer read. If you need a feel good, laugh out loud novel you will enjoy this one. The story is well written and the character plot is well developed. I had never heard of the author but now I am a fan I will be on the lookout for other books by this author. The story is all about Rae Murphy and her love for not being in love. She has swear it off until she meets Van. Van makes her life take a very interesting turn without giving to much away. This story is a page turner.

4 Stars!! I liked this book but just couldn’t get into the story or the main characters, Rae/Regan & Van/Donovan. He did her wrong and I don’t know that I would be a big enough person as to forgive and forget. Good beach read. Hot ‘sexy times’ with a good plot and plenty of witty banter. Would’ve liked more of a prologue about how Rae met Kez and V, her two besties. That being said, the story felt a bit drawn out at times. Still a fun, hot, and entertaining read though.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

I love a good second chance romance! It was steamy and had a lot of witty humor. Rae could be a little frustrating at times but I enjoyed this story overall! Great summer read!

I received this ARC for an honest review.
⭐️: 4/5
🌶: 2/5

⤏ What to expect:
•Dual POV (3rd person)
• second chance romance
• groveling, groveling, and more groveling
• vanilla spice

⤏ What I didn't like:
I like more complex characters and would have
liked to see who these two were as individuals
and not just their relationship. We got more
information on side characters' families than we
did the MCs.

⤏ Overall thoughts:
This was such a fun, easy read that's perfect for
summer. There was a unique twist to the second
hand romance plot that made it so much more
enjoyable to read and get to the bottom of what
happened. I had a really hard time putting this
down wanting to see what would happen next.

It was a very cute second chance romance with the super adorable main characters and highly entertaining and engaging plot line, that, I can’t seem to get out of my head. So, overall it’s a full 5 stars read for me.

I would give this 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up because I was fully on board for the ride. Overall this was a pleasant read. Most steamy scenes weren't too descriptive until the very end, and then the steam went up.

What I liked:
I truly loved the characters. I loved that each had their own distinctive personality and together they balanced out each other's extra/introvertedness. This was a fun friend's group with a great dynamic. Although the wedding portion of the book took place over several chapters, I was entertained enough that it didn't feel drawn out. I also appreciated the dual POV and second chance romance tropes are one of my faves. This is perfect for a summer read.

What I didn't love:
I know lack of communication is really common in real life, but the extreme level Rae avoided having a much needed talk with Van was frustrating in the beginning. If miscommunication or lack thereof, is a pet peeve of yours, this will likely bother you. Lastly, I'm all for partying and having a good time, but there was A LOT of drinking in this book. It didn't bother me necessarily, but it was enough that the thought of alcohol poisoning crossed my mind. The characters didn't even suffer a hangover. Maybe I'm just jealous.

I've submitted my review to Barnes and Nobles to be approved. I searched for it on BookBub to leave a review but did not find it. I submitted a request for them to add this book to their site. I will post my review on IG and Amazon on release day.

It’s no secret that we love a good rom com and this one is at the top of our favorites currently. Rae has completely given up on love until her ex of 5 years shows up as the best man at her best friend’s wedding! Not only does she have to walk down the aisle with him, but then has to spend a whole week of vacation with him. Will he earn her back?

This is a really fun second chance romance with extremely likable (and well written) side characters, beautiful friendships, and just the right amount of steam! There is some witty banter, some laugh out loud moments, and a whole lot of groveling. We would characterize Earning It as the light romantic comedy read.

What we loved:
- Wedding setting
- Second Chance romance with forced proximity
- The groveling- if you love it when the guy grovels, you’ll love this one
- Fun summer read

Overall, if you’re looking for a fun summer romance, we’d recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, E. F. Dodd, and Sugar Beaver Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A big thank you to Netgalley for this gem, loved it.

I'm not sure I am a fan of the cover, it felt amateur like there are so many things that could've been used, e.g. the infamous white bathing suit maybe with Van in the background, something anything. Also the font, not the style but rather the size may be upping it a size or two.

Now onto the review: I was soaked in. Totally on edge, what a brilliant storyline, rich with details and drama so right up my stream. I was filled with emotions, Rae hurt, Van's sadness and loss. The author did a spectacular job and I loved it. It was a quick read, perfect for holidays I envisioned myself on a beach.

Rae was quite childish but she was acting from a place of being scorned to I let it slide. And Van was wrong, she let him off the hook too easy.

— ARC review —

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Regan, better known as Rae, is the maid-of-honor at one of her best friends wedding, Kez. Last minute finding out that the best-man is no one other than her ex-boyfriend Ray Edwards… err.. Donovan McLeod. Rae is experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions. Will Rae find peace and maybe give Van another chance? Or at least let him explain?

There were some situations that really frustrated me especially in the first part of the book. One is how much ‘revenge’ Rae wanted without even listening why Van did the things he did. Just… listen already… If you don’t want to do it for him, at least do it for yourself to find closure.

There were also parts in the book that I really liked. One is the vibe between the three girls Kez, V and Rae. Giving great advice, saying their own opinion but still respecting one another and being there for eachother. My most favorite part was the second half of the book when they were in the Caymans. And of course, the ending. It had me smiling from ear to ear.

And that’s I guess why this book is still worth 4 stars in my opinion.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

“You always had a way with words,” he said as he walked in the direction Ms. Williams pointed. “So did you,” said Regan. “Only your way was to twist them into lies.”

Regan Murphy's bestfriend is getting married and she is obviously the maid of honor. Regan's excitement however is short-lived when she learns that the groom's bestman is none other than her ex who deceived her and broke her heart. But Donovan McLeod is determined to prove that he still loves her and is willing to do anything to get her back. Well the plot was entertaining and I liked the side characters. The first half was really well written and I could feel the connection and chemistry between Rae & Van but towards the end, the book dragged on a lot and I started to lose interest. Rae was a strong main character who could throw some good comebacks and could hold up on her own. Van was very sweet and the way he put efforts to show her that he wanted a second chance was credible. Overall, I enjoyed this book, it is a good read to pass a few hours, so I'll go with a 3.5 star rating for this.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me the ARC

At first when I started reading I was confused because there were so many names, I was like wait. Who is who? Nonetheless I decided to go on.
Oh this book was lovely, so lovely. I was laughing so many times and I literally finished this in one night. The MC and her best friends amazing 🤣. I loved how there was so much loveeeee in this. The second chance in this book was second chancing 👏🏾.
Absolutely loved it
I feel like the redemption part was a bit quick, hell it was wayy to quick. I would have loved to see the make MC begggggggg even more, but it is what it is.

I love a laugh out loud romcom and Earning It did not disappoint.
Rae is a confidently sassy and realistic character, and watching Van attempt to explain and right the wrongs that occurred in their shared past was realistic and charming. The supporting characters felt like friends, and the setting lended a perfect vibe for this fun beach read.

3.5 ⭐
Fans of chick lit/romantic comedies will love this light tale of an unexpected encounter with an old flame. It starts out slow, but picks up and sucks you in.
When Van showed up to his best friend's wedding, he had no idea that RAE was his Reagan from his past. They didn't part on the best of terms and the memory of her had been haunting him for the past 5 years. He made some huge mistakes, but as soon as he sees her, he is determined to try for a second chance.
Rae is finally in a groove with her life and work. When she runs into Van at her best friend's wedding, she is shocked and wants to run. Or maybe scream. Or hit him. She can't decide. When she realizes they are stuck together for the next week, she has to decide what to do. Make his life a living hell (payback), or give him another chance.

Thanks to netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Earning It, written by E.F. Dodd, follows Rae, a successful PR rep, as she is ambushed by her long time ex, Van, at her best friend’s wedding (and of course she’s the maid of honor and he’s the best man). She walked out on him years ago when she discovered that her whole relationship with Van was a lie, without giving him any chance to explain. When they are reunited again, Rae discovers that parts of her are still attached to him, no matter what she believes him to have done. But as Van begs Rae for a chance to explain, Rae begins to believe that maybe what she thought happened wasn’t the real story, and agrees to give Van a chance, as long as he can prove that he deserves one.
So first of all, a huge reason I enjoyed this book is because second-chance romances and dual POV. Rae and Van had so much chemistry from the get-go of this book, and I enjoyed reading every second of it. Another thing I really loved about this book was the dedication to maintaining Rae’s character, she is definitely stubborn and not willing to give up easily, and I’m glad that she didn’t just give in to Van’s words right at the beginning. And even though we know that Van isn’t the bad guy she thinks he is, I still loved that Rae stayed true to herself. It definitely made the book more interesting and fun to read, and I’m glad that the author maintained that dedication. Finally, I just really loved that there was such a strong aspect of friendship in this book too. It was basically a found family. I just really loved the friendship that they and Rae had, it was so heartwarming to read. Overall, I really did enjoy reading this book. I’d definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a cute second-chance romance!
I received this ARC from NetGalley and reviewed it voluntarily. All opinions are my own

This was a really light and easy read! I enjoyed this book, and I did find myself caught up in the story. On a spice level I would give this a 2 out of 3 - and it was great! This had a great pace, and I loved the dynamic between the two friend groups. The guys (Dave, Jackson and Van) had some great banter. This starts with a wedding, moves to a group honeymoon, then ends up back home. I had never read a forced proximity with a group honeymoon situation before so I enjoyed this one! Reagan Murphy is such a great main character. I loved her sarcasm, and that she owned her sexuality as well. She wasn't a wallflower, but was still able to be sensitive. This was a great read, and would be a perfect summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sugar Beaver Books and Smith Publicity for the ARC.

My first Netgalley review! And how lucky am I that the first review I get to write is for a book that I enjoyed so much! This book brought a smile to my face at all the right moments, and it was such a pleasure to read.

Earning It, written by E.F. Dodd, follows Rae, a successful PR rep, as she is ambushed by her long time ex, Van, at her best friend’s wedding (and of course she’s the maid of honor and he’s the best man). She walked out on him years ago when she discovered that her whole relationship with Van was a lie, without giving him any chance to explain. When they are reunited again, Rae discovers that parts of her are still attached to him, no matter what she believes him to have done. But as Van begs Rae for a chance to explain, Rae begins to believe that maybe what she thought happened wasn’t the real story, and agrees to give Van a chance, as long as he can prove that he deserves one.

So first of all, a huge reason I enjoyed this book is because second-chance romances are some of my favorite tropes of all time. I feel like they always have the best chemistry, especially in that moment when they realize they have feelings for them again, or even better, they always did and they’re just realizing it now. And this book did that perfectly. Rae and Van had so much chemistry from the get-go of this book, and I enjoyed reading every second of it.

Another thing I really loved about this book was the dedication to maintaining Rae’s character, she is definitely stubborn and not willing to give up easily, and I’m glad that she didn’t just give in to Van’s words right at the beginning. And even though we know that Van isn’t the bad guy she thinks he is, I still loved that Rae stayed true to herself. It definitely made the book more interesting and fun to read, and I’m glad that the author maintained that dedication.

Finally, I just really loved that there was such a strong aspect of friendship in this book too. It was basically a found family, a group of three couples (well, in the beginning, two couples plus Rae and Van) that I really enjoyed reading about. Kez and V were definitely my favorite characters, and I kinda wished we had gotten to learn even more about them, even though they weren’t the focus of the book. I just really loved the friendship that they and Rae had, it was so heartwarming to read.

Overall, I really did enjoy reading this book. Sometimes romance novels can just throw me into a reading slump, but this book definitely didn’t, which is definitely a great sign! I’d give this book 4 stars, and I definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a cute second-chance romance!

This book lands at at 3.75 stars for me. I think it is the perfect summer read! Second-chance romance is one of my favorite tropes to read and overall this book delivered in ways, but was also lacking in others. About 40% of the book took place a the wedding that both main characters were attending. The wedding is important for setting up the book and knowing the background of these two characters I feel that because so much time was spent on this part of the book other parts were lacking. I wish that we got to see more of Rea and Van during their week on vacation. I feel that because we didn't see this we missed a lot of possibilities for character development and realizations. I feel the end of the book was rushed because of this as well. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend giving it a read!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of "Earning It" by E.F. Dodd!

Overall, I rated this novel a 4/5 stars!

This novel follows Rae and her best friend Kez. Kez is getting married to a man named Jackson, who happens to be friends with Rae's ex named Van. Once you're able to get past the disbelief that Rae doesn't speak about her love life at all with her friends, this book makes for a really interesting and good story. I personally tell my friends way too many details about my own life, so I wasn't able to personally relate. But once Kez finds out that the best man in her wedding is the one who did her best friend wrong, she is fierce, loyal, and offers to throw him out of it only hours before she is scheduled to get married. That's a true best friend right there!

Donovan spends the story trying to win Rae back, and you find out the reason why the two of them broke up in the first place, which is a pretty unique one that gave the story an interesting spin. :)

Earning It by E F Dodd is a light, fun read. A second chance romance told through the dual narrative of Rae and Van.

A chance encounter at her best friend's wedding has Rae reeling when she comes face to face with the man who broke her heart and ruined her life five years ago.

There is bucket loads of angst in this story as Rae gets all that hurt off her chest. Van is ever the gentleman as he works toward redemption and boy does Rae make him work for it. I give him ten points for tenacity!

This was an easy read. I enjoyed the banter between Rae and Van's friends and how they gave each other sound advice without interfering too much in each others' lives.

Even though I am not a fan of overly angst ridden romances I did enjoy this second chance romance. However, we never see how broken Rae was, only read about it in backstory, which made it hard to connect with her.

Earning It, I am sure, will be enjoyed by readers after a light romance read.

4 stars - The perfect beach read, I really enjoyed this one. Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the arc!

Earning it was a cute vacation romance that I enjoyed while travelling around Italy. Van and Rae have an original story, and their background was unexpected to me as I continued the story. Van had brutally destroyed Rae's trust in their relationship and him after a huge event 5 years ago. During Rae's best friends wedding, Van shows up and makes her reevaluate what she knew about him and their past.

After the wedding, the wedding party heads on the bride and grooms honeymoon where Rae and Van get a lot of alone time to work things out. However, the issues of why they broke up in the first place are still present and Rae and Van have to decide if they are willing to work things out or cut ties altogether.

Reagan Murphy is proudly serving as the Maid of Honor at her best friend Kesler's wedding.  Before moving to Charlotte five years ago, Reagan's life was upended from a traumatizing relationship.  Reagan found comfort and stability in her new friend group.  The last thing she was expecting is her ex to show up as the Best Man.  Donavan McLeod blew up Reagan's life, now she has to act like everything is fine between them so they don't ruin Kez's wedding.  Furthermore, Van wants a chance to redeem himself.  Reagan reluctantly gives Van a chance to earn her trust back when they are forced to be together for a week in the Cayman Islands for Kez's honeymoon. 

Earning It is a cute and steamy lovers to enemies back to lovers romance, perfect for a beach read.  I immediately clicked with Reagan's character as a woman scorned.  She is strong, fierce and not about to let romance burn her again.  I don't blame her at all for how she acted when confronted with the person from her past that she believed lied to her and used her.  The first half of the story took place on Kez's wedding day as they prepare for the wedding and Reagan is confronted with Van's presence.  This did feel like it dragged on a little.  I do wish we had some full chapters from Reagan and Van's past together instead of just a few short flashback scenes, I think this would have brought more perspective and made the beginning feel more on pace.  The second part of the story took place in the Caymans.  I could feel the sun's rays and the steam that the group brought.  Van and Rae's antics brought the heat the entire time.  I had no trouble with Rae making Van earn her trust back, but I do wish she had heard him out earlier.   

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

First, thank you so much to the author and publisher for an ARC of this book!

Second chance romance is one of my absolute favorite tropes 💛 Rae and Van certainly didn't start off in the best way, but when a wedding forces them to see each other again, they realize how much intensity and chemistry still lives between them. Rae is certain that Van is the villain in her story, but he throws everything he has at convincing her that what they had was real, and it made for some swoon-worthy moments!

I laughed out loud at some of the banter between the characters, and found myself wanting to hang out with this friend group. I'm so excited for this book to launch this week - it's definitely worth the read!

Van messed up royally five years ago with his former love, Rae. Now she’s his partner in the wedding of,their best friends. But Rae is not in a forgiving mood. She’s in a vengeful, spiteful mood.
The sexual tension crackled in this book almost on every page.
I liked how Rae tortured Van because he deserved it so much. I do think the honeymooners inviting their friends along was very odd, but the story needed the friends’ influence and intervention.
Van suffered and that was satisfying to read, plus the smoldering looks he gives Rae anytime he’s near her.
He definitely earns it.

I really liked Earning It by E.F. Dodd. I am usually very meh about second-chance romance tropes but Earning It really pulled me in from the beginning.
The characters just pop off the pages, both main and side characters. You become invested with all of them. Rae and Van as the main characters were wonderful. I really felt the betrayal and hurt Rae had but totally understood Van’s frustration of her not being willing to listen. Van was meant to be the bad guy in the situation but he was made likable enough that you just wanted Rae to listen. The heat was spot on and just right.
There were parts where things were sort of hashed out multiple times from different angles. Loved the banter between everyone but thought that Rae sometimes tried too hard to make Van jealous. At one point I thought she was lucky that he seemed to like her a lot or else he might have just been gone.
I would recommend this and I am going to read the book prior to this featuring Rae’s best friend and the bride/groom in this book.
Thanks to NetGalley, E.F. Dodd, and Sugar Beaver Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Rae in all her petite, angry, spitefulness. And of course, Van was an excellent hero with equal parts contrite and tolerant of her antics. Yum! They have fun friends who help along this second-chance romance by providing the forced proximity in paradise. I loved the resort talent show scene. I could perfectly visualize the animated coordinator and the participants' hijinks.

What a delightful romp! A perfect amount of tension, sexiness, and teasing. If you’ve every been part of a wedding you know how much time and energy goes into the big day. While Rae is in full Maid of Honor mode making sure Kez has a perfect wedding day, her ex casually wanders in unexpectedly and her whole world turns upside-down.

I loved the whole wedding/honeymoon setting as it allows for a lot of leeway and time to build the relationship between the characters. I do find it a tiny bit farfetched that the Maid of Honor and Best Man did not know about each other at all during the whole wedding process. With all of the events, planning, and time that goes into a wedding it seems a bit silly that their names never came up. Regardless, throwing two scathing exes together at the last minute definitely added to the drama of the day.

Rae is understandably guarded when it comes to Van. His deceit upended her entire life 5 years ago and she finally feels stable. Unfortunately she never dealt with her feelings for Donovan and now she has to spend a week in paradise with the man who broke her heart and let her walk away. Van is determined to make it up to Rae and finds every opportunity he can to show her he can be trusted.

There’s great tension, funny quips, an impromptu drag show, and all kinds of hilarious shenanigans to be had. This was a fun read with a enough conflict to not be overly sweet. I definitely recommend this to romance lovers who enjoy snarky women and second chance love stories.

This is a good book. I could hardly put it down. The two main characters are Rae and Van. They once dated but broke up. Five years later they meet again at their best friends wedding as the best man and maid of honor. They have the issues that broke them up but they still love each other and work out their issues.

This was a new author for me . I never read anything from this author before but for the most part I really liked this book. I thought the whole story was amazing. I honestly didn’t want this book to end. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with on the next book they write. I usually judge a book from the cover because for me it shows if it’s going to be interesting or not and I loved the book.

I enjoyed this summer romance, finding much to love with Rae and Van. Theirs is a story of miscommunication and withheld secrets from five years ago. With a hefty dose of steamy attraction—and above all deep feelings—I was rooting for their HEA from the get-go. The dynamic with their closeknit friend group made for a lot of fun, too. Really liked this book and would recommend to other romance readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and E. F. Dodd. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: Earning It
Author: E.F. Dodd
Release Date: August 23rd, 2022
Page Count: 325
Start Date: August 28th, 2022
Finish Date: August 30th, 2022

Review:
Story: I enjoyed this story far more than I thought I would in all honesty. I also determined that I might watch too many crime shows with law enforcement types as the main characters. Those who understand, will know exactly what I'm talking about. I was convinced it was going to be long and drawn out and that I would want to scream. I was completely wrong. Also, I'd love a short story involving Nana. The references made about her are just too cute!!!! She wasn't in the book enough.
Characters: I could imagine if this book had more viewpoints than just Van and Rae. I'd have loved to see more points of view. Especially Kez. She seems like a riot! Also, I'd love to see a book on Jackson and Kez. I really feel like I need to get to know Kez so much more.
Critiques: None
Final Thoughts: I thought I was going to walk into a cliché book that was full of predictability and angst. I was completely wrong and I'm completely okay with that. There is a bit of spice in this book. It really added well to the story. I also loved the open talk about sexual things among the group of friends. That was great!

Absolutely Fabulous! I hadn’t heard of this author before reading this amazing book, I’ll be looking for more!
I sure didn’t expect such a great storyline with strong female characters, I loved the writing style and content!
I particularly enjoyed reading the character’s interactions, the emotions and how much energy went into righting the wrongs!
The confidence and sass, the friendships, patience, loving and perseverance was a perfect mix! Highly recommended!

Thank you to Sugar Beaver Books, NetGalley and the amazing author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Earning it was an amazing fun read with just the right amount of story and quirk. It's a story of a woman named Rae who met his old flame in her best friends wedding where she's the bridesmaid. Her ex, who is super hot-delicious looking- FBI agent, who had done her wrong in the past due to his job, is also the best man. The guy is very very sorry to cause her pain but hell hath no Fury like a woman scorned and fury she showed in the entire and wedding and "group" honeymoon.
As much as i find the idea ridiculous it is actually practical. I loved all the characters, and the only thing I couldn't figure out in the beginning was why does every character need to have a pet name, but I'm glad that sticked to one pet name throughout. The ending was a little low for me but the sex scenes made up for it more than enough. The entire time I feel like this book should be made into a movie!!!
Reasons why you should read this book
• Lovers to enemies to lovers trope (essentially enemies to lovers)
• Crazy as sex scenes (yes plural!)
• Quick guide on how to be mad at your ex and torture them
• Girl friendships
• Just pure love

So get this book and assemble your squad of friends and partner cause you want to hug and kiss all of them over wine and Italian pasta. Bon appetite and bon reading!

I really enjoy second chance romance so this appealed to me.
At first I didn’t realize it was part of a series.
Risky Restoration book 1 (Kez & Jackson)
Earning it (Rae & Van)
The author brings us to Kez and Jackson’s wedding where both Raegan and her ex-boyfriend Donovan are standing up. They broke up years prior due to the lies he told her during their relationship and putting his job before her. I wish we saw more on this.
What I enjoyed was Rae is a no-nonsense heroine. She’s sharp witted and will make you laugh.
On the whole this was enjoyable and I enjoyed this group. I am looking forward to V’s story in the future.

I am a little late to review this, but I'm obsessed. I didn't expect there to be so many spicy scenes and I'm here for all of it. E.F. Dodd did such an incredible job of pulling the reader in. I have already recommended it to multiple people and can't wait to hear their opinions/reactions!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book!

What do you do when the man who you thought was the love of your life suddenly re-enters your world without warning?

I had a good time reading this book! I enjoyed slowly learning about the events that unfolded in years past. Both main characters showed real character development. Many of the events and timelines are unrealistic, but sometimes that is what makes for a good "escape from reality" beach read.
I had a hard time because all of the names were uncommon names, but they were similar enough to each other (all three letter nicknames, Van & V, gender ambiguous) that I got them mixed up.

I didn't know this was a sequel to Risky Restoration, I think it would have helped to have the background story from that book.

Thank you to Sugar Beaver books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eArc.

This book was ok. It was interesting and yes the main character did drive me a little batty at times but then she'd do something that would surprise me at times too.
I did finish this book in a day. I had to see what Rae would do next do I kept turning the pages lol.
I

Reagan and Donovan have major baggage and betrayal that most people would not be able to come back from but somehow their love is stronger than everything they've been through
A wedding, a group honeymoon, and the most meddling friends I've ever read about help keep Rae and Van's love alive.

When Reagan “Ray “Murphy attend her best friend Kess’s wedding to Jackson Jenkins, the last person she thought she would run into would be the love of her life and the man who also ruined it Donovan McCloud. Unbeknownst to relay “van“ is Jackson’s best man and best friend. Not only does she have to be in the wedding party with him but walk down the i’ll with him but oh yes he’s going on the group honeymoon as well. A whole week in a tropical getaway with the honking Donovan McLeod maybe more then she can take and how can she keep telling him no she won’t go back with him when her body is screaming yes yes yes! This book was not only funny and sweet I loved the friendships in the relationships between the married couple and her other best friend and boyfriend everything about this book is great I loved it it’s totally awesome and a definite must read. Did I say how much I loved this book!!! I received this book from Net Galley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.