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For Him #2
Not So Sincerely, Yours
Ethan,
About last night... I could blame the bourbon. I could say I let things get out of hand, that I should have never called you, but I'm done lying to myself—to you. I know what you're going to say. You're not very good at keeping your opinions to yourself, but this can't happen. It's inappropriate, at best. I'm your boss. Not to mention, you're clearly still hung up on him. I'm not a consolation prize.
Anders~
**
Anders,
You didn't think it was inappropriate when you had your tongue down my throat, but I digress. As for your accusation, I'm not the only one stuck in the past, but at least I'm not running from it. I can't believe I'm about to say this… Maybe you're right. You shouldn’t have called me. Especially if you never intended to own it. Own that you wanted it to happen. Admit that you wanted me.
Not so sincerely,
Yours
Not So Sincerely, Yours is a 97,000-word standalone HEA, enemies to lovers, light on angst, MM office romance, featuring southern sass, words of the day, Happy Meals, and one unforgettable weekend trip to Manhattan.
About last night... I could blame the bourbon. I could say I let things get out of hand, that I should have never called you, but I'm done lying to myself—to you. I know what you're going to say. You're not very good at keeping your opinions to yourself, but this can't happen. It's inappropriate, at best. I'm your boss. Not to mention, you're clearly still hung up on him. I'm not a consolation prize.
Anders~
**
Anders,
You didn't think it was inappropriate when you had your tongue down my throat, but I digress. As for your accusation, I'm not the only one stuck in the past, but at least I'm not running from it. I can't believe I'm about to say this… Maybe you're right. You shouldn’t have called me. Especially if you never intended to own it. Own that you wanted it to happen. Admit that you wanted me.
Not so sincerely,
Yours
Not So Sincerely, Yours is a 97,000-word standalone HEA, enemies to lovers, light on angst, MM office romance, featuring southern sass, words of the day, Happy Meals, and one unforgettable weekend trip to Manhattan.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2021
About the author
A.M. Johnson
32 books1,875 followersA.M. Johnson lives in Utah with her family where she works as a full-time nurse. If she’s not at the hockey rink with her kiddos, you’ll find her buried in a book or behind the keyboard. She loves romance and all things passionate. Amanda enjoys exploring all genres and bringing life to the human experience.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
May 29, 2021
This book was almost a five star read for me. Almost.
April 20, 2021
~4.5~
I fell for Anders and Ethan in the first book of this series. When I realized that book 2 was not just about one of them but the two of them TOGETHER, I legit screamed. And I'm happy to report that this story did not disappoint.
Not So Sincerely, Yours is every bit as romantic as the first book in this series. Most of the sexy scenes fade to black, but the feels are all there.
I don't recommend reading this book as a standalone. Anders and Ethan are introduced in Love Always, Wild, and Wild and Jax, as well as their family and friends, are very present in this story.
New characters are introduced, of course; these MCs do not exist in a vacuum. Everyone, from Anders and Ethan's colleagues to the server at Anders' favorite burger joint, feels three-dimensional and real.
Ethan's parents rejected him when his homosexuality became too real for them to deny, and Anders' mom just wants "better for him." Ethan is still smarting from a recent breakup with his boyfriend of two years who loved his causes more than he loved Ethan, while Anders doesn't want to be anybody's sloppy seconds (he already had that with Wild).
Anders and Ethan cross the line from enemies-to-lovers slowly but not cautiously. Ethan isn't the most professional personal assistant, but he loves to ruffle Anders' feathers. And Anders is prickly and defensive but can't resist Ethan and the word games they play.
The epilogue is every good thing. I want more!
I fell for Anders and Ethan in the first book of this series. When I realized that book 2 was not just about one of them but the two of them TOGETHER, I legit screamed. And I'm happy to report that this story did not disappoint.
Not So Sincerely, Yours is every bit as romantic as the first book in this series. Most of the sexy scenes fade to black, but the feels are all there.
I don't recommend reading this book as a standalone. Anders and Ethan are introduced in Love Always, Wild, and Wild and Jax, as well as their family and friends, are very present in this story.
New characters are introduced, of course; these MCs do not exist in a vacuum. Everyone, from Anders and Ethan's colleagues to the server at Anders' favorite burger joint, feels three-dimensional and real.
Ethan's parents rejected him when his homosexuality became too real for them to deny, and Anders' mom just wants "better for him." Ethan is still smarting from a recent breakup with his boyfriend of two years who loved his causes more than he loved Ethan, while Anders doesn't want to be anybody's sloppy seconds (he already had that with Wild).
Anders and Ethan cross the line from enemies-to-lovers slowly but not cautiously. Ethan isn't the most professional personal assistant, but he loves to ruffle Anders' feathers. And Anders is prickly and defensive but can't resist Ethan and the word games they play.
He was the story I chased ... He was my The End.
The epilogue is every good thing. I want more!
April 26, 2021
5 Stars
With a slight enemies-to-lovers vibe, this office romance was an all-too-easy win for me.
In truth, MCs Anders and Ethan made an early impact when they each played pivotal roles in book one, Love Always, Wild. As love interests brushed aside, and with each carrying fresh heartbreaks, these men meet at a time when neither is looking for something new, romance wise, each determined to rebuild their lives anew, putting themselves first, for once.
With good intentions and a fresh determination to make better relationship choices in the future, Anders and Ethan do not expect to be as blindsided as they are by the day-to-day presence of one another, when Ethan takes a part-time job working as Anders’ assistant at his self-run literary agency.
Anders and Ethan get off to a rocky start, after bad first impressions cloud their initial perceptions, but with prolonged interactions, mostly in the sharing of some seriously snappy banter via “work” emails, Anders and Ethan begin to crave more, opening up to one another in unexpected ways and realising that their commonalities are surprisingly more relevant than their surface differences.
Helping their emotional connection along is the fact that they share a pretty heated attraction, too. Although Anders and Ethan have been hurt before, and even fairly recently, by all accounts, they soon get to the point that playing it safe and giving each other time seems pointless, especially when compared to the overwhelming nature of the desire they feel for each other, on so many levels.
Watching these two characters fall in love made my heart happy. Their connection was so perfectly captured, and although they each had their issues to get over, it all felt genuine and was handled well. Where the angst in the first story stressed me out at times—because I personally struggle with heavy religious themes and deeply closeted characters, so it was a double-whammy—the angst here was my sugar rush, with the majority of the issues dealt with playing external to the characters growing relationship, and I loved that.
Anders and Ethan certainly had relationship baggage to sort through, while also both dealing with their own familial issues that messed with their heads and hearts, but I adored how, with each other, they were ALWAYS honest and open, choosing to dive all-in once they realized just how well-suited they were together. I respected how they went to great lengths to make one another a priority, while simultaneously giving adequate space and unyielding support to achieve their personal and professional goals without guilt or interference. How wonderfully adult they were.
But, most of all, I particularly loved how they both pushed each other to want better and be better, in life and in love, simply by being. They truly were perfectly matched in this regard.
When all was said and done, Anders and Ethan’s love story stole my heart. Undoubtedly, their story will easily take a place among my favourite books of 2021. If you haven't experienced A.M. Johnson's words yet, rectify that.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
With a slight enemies-to-lovers vibe, this office romance was an all-too-easy win for me.
In truth, MCs Anders and Ethan made an early impact when they each played pivotal roles in book one, Love Always, Wild. As love interests brushed aside, and with each carrying fresh heartbreaks, these men meet at a time when neither is looking for something new, romance wise, each determined to rebuild their lives anew, putting themselves first, for once.
With good intentions and a fresh determination to make better relationship choices in the future, Anders and Ethan do not expect to be as blindsided as they are by the day-to-day presence of one another, when Ethan takes a part-time job working as Anders’ assistant at his self-run literary agency.
Anders and Ethan get off to a rocky start, after bad first impressions cloud their initial perceptions, but with prolonged interactions, mostly in the sharing of some seriously snappy banter via “work” emails, Anders and Ethan begin to crave more, opening up to one another in unexpected ways and realising that their commonalities are surprisingly more relevant than their surface differences.
Helping their emotional connection along is the fact that they share a pretty heated attraction, too. Although Anders and Ethan have been hurt before, and even fairly recently, by all accounts, they soon get to the point that playing it safe and giving each other time seems pointless, especially when compared to the overwhelming nature of the desire they feel for each other, on so many levels.
Watching these two characters fall in love made my heart happy. Their connection was so perfectly captured, and although they each had their issues to get over, it all felt genuine and was handled well. Where the angst in the first story stressed me out at times—because I personally struggle with heavy religious themes and deeply closeted characters, so it was a double-whammy—the angst here was my sugar rush, with the majority of the issues dealt with playing external to the characters growing relationship, and I loved that.
Anders and Ethan certainly had relationship baggage to sort through, while also both dealing with their own familial issues that messed with their heads and hearts, but I adored how, with each other, they were ALWAYS honest and open, choosing to dive all-in once they realized just how well-suited they were together. I respected how they went to great lengths to make one another a priority, while simultaneously giving adequate space and unyielding support to achieve their personal and professional goals without guilt or interference. How wonderfully adult they were.
But, most of all, I particularly loved how they both pushed each other to want better and be better, in life and in love, simply by being. They truly were perfectly matched in this regard.
When all was said and done, Anders and Ethan’s love story stole my heart. Undoubtedly, their story will easily take a place among my favourite books of 2021. If you haven't experienced A.M. Johnson's words yet, rectify that.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
April 25, 2021
4 Stars
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the second installment in the "For Him" series. Although it can be read as a standalone, I think if you read it in order it could be more enjoyable. Unlike book 1, this story isn’t that emotional. In fact, it has a bit of humor. I enjoyed the MCs' banter the most. Anders & Ethan have this need to rile each other up. Ethan is flippant in a way Anders envies and Anders tone is sarcastic with Ethan even when he’s sincere! They are the exact opposite of each other. Loved Ethan’s smart mouth! Loved their interaction through their emails, it was so fun reading them, made me laugh! It’s slow-burn and has an enemies-to-lovers theme but not huge on disliking-each-other though. Overall, I had fun reading it and hope you enjoy it as well!
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the second installment in the "For Him" series. Although it can be read as a standalone, I think if you read it in order it could be more enjoyable. Unlike book 1, this story isn’t that emotional. In fact, it has a bit of humor. I enjoyed the MCs' banter the most. Anders & Ethan have this need to rile each other up. Ethan is flippant in a way Anders envies and Anders tone is sarcastic with Ethan even when he’s sincere! They are the exact opposite of each other. Loved Ethan’s smart mouth! Loved their interaction through their emails, it was so fun reading them, made me laugh! It’s slow-burn and has an enemies-to-lovers theme but not huge on disliking-each-other though. Overall, I had fun reading it and hope you enjoy it as well!
May 16, 2023
Reread via audiobook, narrated by Kirt Graves and Aaron Shedlock
Still love this so much.
................................
FROM: Layla Ndn
TO: Author AM Johnson
DATE: March 10, 2021 4:48 PM
SUBJECT: Review
Amanda,
I was wondering what could be up your sleeve after Love Always, Wild. I said to myself: “That is a hard act to follow.” But being you, I was sure you’ll write a great book. I should inform you that I was not able to put this book down, even though I had work to do, and I do not in fact have a Sugar Daddy like Ethan. Thank you for writing this book, which is pretty darn perfect.
Word of the day: Impeccable - in accordance with the highest standards; faultless
P.S. I blame you for my sleepless night
P.P.S I regret nothing.
Yours ~
Layla
Ok now for the actual review….
What I loved…
The Characters:
- Anders stole my heart the moment we meet him in LAW. Despite his self-assured façade, he was actually someone vulnerable and sweet. He just needed someone who would see past all the bravado, past the suits and the material things, past his snootiness which is not really him. He needed someone who would stand up to him, not take his shit and give back as good as he got. All this came in a scruffy dimpled mouthy package called Ethan. #WellThatWasASurprise
- Ethan is just wholesome and stable. He hasn’t had it easy in life, from an intolerant family to an inattentive boyfriend, he needed a change. He needed someone who would put him first, dote on him, care for him and show him that he is worthy. He never knew that Anders would be that person, a person who wants to love and be loved. #Blindsided
The Plot:
A tale of two men who find their other half.
Ethan wants to be better person, to follow his dreams and passions.
Anders wants someone to love and build a family with.
Both of them find their missing piece and they find out that love isn’t really about sacrifice, but rather compromise, respect and understanding.
The book is purely relationship oriented, and the pace is just perfect. Their connection jumps at you from the pages. #PartnersInEverything
The Romance:
Does smiling through the whole book show how much this book is swoon worthy? My mouth hurt from smiling so much, from laughing and generally swooning so hard. Their banter is on point, the romance authentic and real. their relationship progressed fluidly and seamlessly and it was such a joy to read. After a rough bumpy ride, they found their stride and went all in. they talked, communicated loved and laughed. Their texts and emails and everything really were #ChefsKiss
Steam-o-meter: Medium Steam but #OhSoHot
Angst-o-meter: Lowish Angst, most not between the MCs #NoPlaceForSadness
The HEA: sigh…. Swoony sigh…. It was SO THEM! I just can’t with these men. They stole my heart from page 1 and never let go. #MyDreamComeTrue
#HappyReading
Still love this so much.
................................
FROM: Layla Ndn
TO: Author AM Johnson
DATE: March 10, 2021 4:48 PM
SUBJECT: Review
Amanda,
I was wondering what could be up your sleeve after Love Always, Wild. I said to myself: “That is a hard act to follow.” But being you, I was sure you’ll write a great book. I should inform you that I was not able to put this book down, even though I had work to do, and I do not in fact have a Sugar Daddy like Ethan. Thank you for writing this book, which is pretty darn perfect.
Word of the day: Impeccable - in accordance with the highest standards; faultless
P.S. I blame you for my sleepless night
P.P.S I regret nothing.
Yours ~
Layla
Ok now for the actual review….
What I loved…
The Characters:
- Anders stole my heart the moment we meet him in LAW. Despite his self-assured façade, he was actually someone vulnerable and sweet. He just needed someone who would see past all the bravado, past the suits and the material things, past his snootiness which is not really him. He needed someone who would stand up to him, not take his shit and give back as good as he got. All this came in a scruffy dimpled mouthy package called Ethan. #WellThatWasASurprise
- Ethan is just wholesome and stable. He hasn’t had it easy in life, from an intolerant family to an inattentive boyfriend, he needed a change. He needed someone who would put him first, dote on him, care for him and show him that he is worthy. He never knew that Anders would be that person, a person who wants to love and be loved. #Blindsided
The Plot:
A tale of two men who find their other half.
Ethan wants to be better person, to follow his dreams and passions.
Anders wants someone to love and build a family with.
Both of them find their missing piece and they find out that love isn’t really about sacrifice, but rather compromise, respect and understanding.
The book is purely relationship oriented, and the pace is just perfect. Their connection jumps at you from the pages. #PartnersInEverything
The Romance:
Does smiling through the whole book show how much this book is swoon worthy? My mouth hurt from smiling so much, from laughing and generally swooning so hard. Their banter is on point, the romance authentic and real. their relationship progressed fluidly and seamlessly and it was such a joy to read. After a rough bumpy ride, they found their stride and went all in. they talked, communicated loved and laughed. Their texts and emails and everything really were #ChefsKiss
Steam-o-meter: Medium Steam but #OhSoHot
Angst-o-meter: Lowish Angst, most not between the MCs #NoPlaceForSadness
The HEA: sigh…. Swoony sigh…. It was SO THEM! I just can’t with these men. They stole my heart from page 1 and never let go. #MyDreamComeTrue
#HappyReading
November 7, 2021
Audio - 4.5 Stars
Story 3.5 Stars
If not for the very slow start and the ridiculous amount of emails between the MCs, this would have been a solid 5 Stars. The second half of the book was by far better than the first half. When these guys finally become a couple, if was packed with feels.
Story 3.5 Stars
If not for the very slow start and the ridiculous amount of emails between the MCs, this would have been a solid 5 Stars. The second half of the book was by far better than the first half. When these guys finally become a couple, if was packed with feels.
March 31, 2021
As always I don't start at the beginning of a series, I just go for the books that seem interesting to me and this one did. 🤭🤭❤
I really enjoyed the beginning of Not So Sincerely, Yours, it was fun, quirky and intriguing, the story went slow but that wasn't a problem for me and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. But I kept going and started to falter a little, you see, the relationship is built from emails with little face to face interactions, so that left me wanting
Also, this was described as a enemies to lovers kind of trope and well, didn't felt like it. Why? Because the misunderstanding that made the main characters "hate each other" was solved so quickly that I was shocked, so when you take out the whole conflict of the book so soon what is left? Boring stuff, that's what left. They got together, they went through the steps of a relationship, they had a minor problem at the end that was solved quickly too, special mentions to a lot of emails on page. So yeah, boring. 🤷🏻♀️❤
A shame because I really loved the characters, I loved Anders with his issues, his hurts and his insecurities and I loved Ethan with his snark, his embarrassment and his own insecurities, so I just think the story needed spice. I enjoyed like 70% of it so that's something. 🤷🏻♀️❤
I really enjoyed the beginning of Not So Sincerely, Yours, it was fun, quirky and intriguing, the story went slow but that wasn't a problem for me and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. But I kept going and started to falter a little, you see, the relationship is built from emails with little face to face interactions, so that left me wanting
Also, this was described as a enemies to lovers kind of trope and well, didn't felt like it. Why? Because the misunderstanding that made the main characters "hate each other" was solved so quickly that I was shocked, so when you take out the whole conflict of the book so soon what is left? Boring stuff, that's what left. They got together, they went through the steps of a relationship, they had a minor problem at the end that was solved quickly too, special mentions to a lot of emails on page. So yeah, boring. 🤷🏻♀️❤
A shame because I really loved the characters, I loved Anders with his issues, his hurts and his insecurities and I loved Ethan with his snark, his embarrassment and his own insecurities, so I just think the story needed spice. I enjoyed like 70% of it so that's something. 🤷🏻♀️❤
November 15, 2022
I loved this book so much! It was so good. I loved the emails they exchanged and seeing the snarky banter slowly turn flirty. The slow build of their feelings and relationship was so well done I loved it.
Once they got together, the book lost a lot of what I loved about it in the beginning. It was long and started to drag on without much happening. Not as much fun to read their emails when they were an established couple as it was to read their emails when they were boss/employee.
The epilogue was great though.
Once they got together, the book lost a lot of what I loved about it in the beginning. It was long and started to drag on without much happening. Not as much fun to read their emails when they were an established couple as it was to read their emails when they were boss/employee.
The epilogue was great though.
April 20, 2021
*** I received an eArc in exchange for an honest review.***
This was a fantastic slow-building frenemy to lovers story. I particularly enjoyed how the author developed each character individually first before their relationship so you can understand their hesitation at a potential relationship, while simultaneously understanding how undeniably perfect they are for each other. This was a romantic and beautiful love story that was earnestly developed and was a great continuation of the story developed in the first novel.
I loved this story and look forward to more in this universe.
This was a fantastic slow-building frenemy to lovers story. I particularly enjoyed how the author developed each character individually first before their relationship so you can understand their hesitation at a potential relationship, while simultaneously understanding how undeniably perfect they are for each other. This was a romantic and beautiful love story that was earnestly developed and was a great continuation of the story developed in the first novel.
I loved this story and look forward to more in this universe.
January 19, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧🎧
Not gonna lie, I liked Ethan and Anders better than Wilder so when I saw they were the mc’s for the following book I was little more than excited.
And these precious boys didn’t let me down.
It was a bit of enemies to lovers to begin with, they’re definitely two extremely different men. I thoroughly enjoyed when Anders grudgingly hired Ethan to be his temporary assistant. The snark while … well snarky they weren’t cruel. More funny than anything and I was living for it.
Slowly but surely they spent more time together, you knew once they were hanging outside of work, it was just a matter of time. Because the chemistry was there, even when they didn’t like each other. Everyone knew it except them apparently.
Once they both realized how inevitable they were it was beauty in motion. These two are so sweet and loving and I couldn’t get enough of them!
I’d listened to Aaron Shedlock before and he had never really been on my radar. But in this, something clicked into place and he’s managed to push himself into my top five male narrators.
I hated to see this end! I would’ve happily been a fly on the wall to witness how they further evolve and to see their love grow.
🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧🎧
Not gonna lie, I liked Ethan and Anders better than Wilder so when I saw they were the mc’s for the following book I was little more than excited.
And these precious boys didn’t let me down.
It was a bit of enemies to lovers to begin with, they’re definitely two extremely different men. I thoroughly enjoyed when Anders grudgingly hired Ethan to be his temporary assistant. The snark while … well snarky they weren’t cruel. More funny than anything and I was living for it.
Slowly but surely they spent more time together, you knew once they were hanging outside of work, it was just a matter of time. Because the chemistry was there, even when they didn’t like each other. Everyone knew it except them apparently.
Once they both realized how inevitable they were it was beauty in motion. These two are so sweet and loving and I couldn’t get enough of them!
I’d listened to Aaron Shedlock before and he had never really been on my radar. But in this, something clicked into place and he’s managed to push himself into my top five male narrators.
I hated to see this end! I would’ve happily been a fly on the wall to witness how they further evolve and to see their love grow.
July 2, 2021
I don’t know how to rate this. I loved the book. Most of it. But then at 80%, I felt the story was pretty much over and I was done. But I really wanted to give it 4 ⭐️ but how can I give a book 4 stars and say DNF at 80%? See the dilemma? In hindsight, I should have done just that. 🤷♀️
This was much lighter than the first book. There is an enemies to lovers thing going on, but that didn’t work so well for me. Why would Anders hire Ethan if he hated him? Why would Ethan work for Anders if he hated him? And then Ethan’s behaviour was so unprofessional I wanted to fire him myself.
But then the emails changed from immature to friendly and flirty and I loved it. Their friendship was so cute, the banter was fun, and the UST was crazy. It was a little too slow for my taste, but I loved it.
Why 3 stars then?
- The story was over by 80% and the last 20% bored me to death. That’s a lot of pages to be bored reading.
- Wilder. I adored Wilder in book 1, but here he was annoying and bitchy. And aren’t him and Anders supposed to be friends? I think the fact that we only saw him interacting with Ethan and not with Anders didn’t do him any favours. I just felt Wilder deserved better then the bitchy role he was given here.
- The puppy. She did it in book 1 too. Lots of authors do this and it PISSES ME OFF. So this is where I rant. Puppies are not presents. They are a terrible surprise gift. They demand time and efforts and money and are a 15 year commitment. Would you say “SURPRISE! I got us a baby!”? No. Stop already. Shelters have to put down so many dogs every year. STOP WRITING ANIMALS AS PRESENTS AS A CUTE WAY TO SHOW COMMITMENT.
I’m in a mood. So my recommendation to you is read the book. But do yourself a favour and stop at 80%. You’ll avoid the puppy storyline and being bored to death.
This was much lighter than the first book. There is an enemies to lovers thing going on, but that didn’t work so well for me. Why would Anders hire Ethan if he hated him? Why would Ethan work for Anders if he hated him? And then Ethan’s behaviour was so unprofessional I wanted to fire him myself.
But then the emails changed from immature to friendly and flirty and I loved it. Their friendship was so cute, the banter was fun, and the UST was crazy. It was a little too slow for my taste, but I loved it.
Why 3 stars then?
- The story was over by 80% and the last 20% bored me to death. That’s a lot of pages to be bored reading.
- Wilder. I adored Wilder in book 1, but here he was annoying and bitchy. And aren’t him and Anders supposed to be friends? I think the fact that we only saw him interacting with Ethan and not with Anders didn’t do him any favours. I just felt Wilder deserved better then the bitchy role he was given here.
- The puppy. She did it in book 1 too. Lots of authors do this and it PISSES ME OFF. So this is where I rant. Puppies are not presents. They are a terrible surprise gift. They demand time and efforts and money and are a 15 year commitment. Would you say “SURPRISE! I got us a baby!”? No. Stop already. Shelters have to put down so many dogs every year. STOP WRITING ANIMALS AS PRESENTS AS A CUTE WAY TO SHOW COMMITMENT.
I’m in a mood. So my recommendation to you is read the book. But do yourself a favour and stop at 80%. You’ll avoid the puppy storyline and being bored to death.
March 25, 2021
I loved Love Always, Wild by A.M. Johnson and have been eagerly awaiting Ethan and Anders's book. To the point that I've been stalking the author on social media for updates. At the same time, I was nervous. Sometimes when I get too excited, I'm afraid the book won't live up to my expectations. Well, not only did Not So Sincerely, Yours live up to them- it exceeded them!
I loved every page of this book.
Highlights:
The characters. Fuck me, but did I fall in love with Anders and Ethan. They just fit each other perfectly; they were each other's missing piece. They were so different yet so similar. They made my heart so happy.
EMAILS. I was smiling so hard during all these. They were so snarky and funny initially, and then as the story continues, they turn into so much more.
UST. A great slow burn romance must have high sexual tension, and you could cut it with a knife.
Relationship development. Communication, respect, love, no stupid, unnecessary drama. Kudos to the author here.
Romance. I was sighing, so so good!
The secondary cast was outstanding. Please write a FF romance for Nora, Ms.Johnson. My girl needs some love and her HEA. And can we talk about Jay & Mabel ♥
I won't gush anymore, and I'll leave with saying 5+ Stars!
Oh, and one last thing- am I the only one that thinks Chance needs a book, too?
March 29, 2024
*re-read in audio. Kit Graves and Aaron Shedlock narrating.
It took me some time to enjoy both narrators. I was reminded of how much I loved this story of Ethan and Anders, and though I learned to enjoy the narrating, both narrators are not on top of my list of favorites. Therefore still 5⭐️ for the story, and ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for the narrators*
Don't let the cover of this book fool you: it's not YA nor NA. Amanda Johnson wrote a sexy, awesome book about adults who do adult things and I loved it tremendously.*
I wanted to keep on reading about Ethan and Anders, and at the same time I didn't want this book to end. I wanted to relish in it's beautiful writing and wonderful story.
I fell in love with the author's writing after I read the first book in this series, Love Always, Wild and after Let There Be Light. Her poetic writing is just beautiful as it is, her capability to wave those words into exquisite sentences, telling a captivating story with real life characters and life happenings. It's something I truly admire.
In the previous book we already met Ethan and Anders, and although this book can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend you read the first book first to fully enjoy the development of their characters and this story. Also, some people from the first book make an appearance in this as well.
And though I loved Love Always, Wild, I enjoyed this one even more. This was a book that had everything I want in m/m romance, maybe even more: highly likable characters (of the kind you completely fall in love with), humor (Amanda, despite your own doubts, you did write a book with lots of LOL humor!), the banter, the push and pull between the MC's...it's all there and I loved every second of it. I loved the emails, the witty texts. I loved how both Ethan and Anders grew, dealing with their past hurt and finding themselves able to get on with life, to find someone they could trust again, love again. They needed time to get there, and they are given that time.
I loved to see Jax and Wild go on with their lives too, to see Jason finding love.
Yes, there are sad moments too. Lots of them. But isn't real life like that as well?
Once Ethan and Anders got over their own insecurities (and in Anders' case, got over the lines he drew for himself) and were able to accept the undeniable drawn they had towards each other (and act on it), there were not too many hurdles they had to overcome. No unnecessary drama to lengthen the story or to make it angstier. No, it was a story about finding love and accepting that love. Accepting that you are worthy to have that love. And what is more beautiful in life than to find your other half, your soulmate, the one you spent the rest of your life with? The one person you can be yourself with? That alone is worthy of pages and pages filled with laughter and love, with joy and banter. Humor and sex. Hot sex between Ethan and Anders, which suited them perfectly!
There's nothing but love I have for this book. It's a warm, sweet read that comforts you like a warm, soft blanket to wrap yourself around in. And I'd love to do that again and again. This is a story to pick up once in a while just because of that.
Highly recommended!!
*The graphic cover changed after I read this book. I think this one is more suitable ❤️
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, fair review.
It took me some time to enjoy both narrators. I was reminded of how much I loved this story of Ethan and Anders, and though I learned to enjoy the narrating, both narrators are not on top of my list of favorites. Therefore still 5⭐️ for the story, and ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for the narrators*
Don't let the cover of this book fool you: it's not YA nor NA. Amanda Johnson wrote a sexy, awesome book about adults who do adult things and I loved it tremendously.*
I wanted to keep on reading about Ethan and Anders, and at the same time I didn't want this book to end. I wanted to relish in it's beautiful writing and wonderful story.
I fell in love with the author's writing after I read the first book in this series, Love Always, Wild and after Let There Be Light. Her poetic writing is just beautiful as it is, her capability to wave those words into exquisite sentences, telling a captivating story with real life characters and life happenings. It's something I truly admire.
In the previous book we already met Ethan and Anders, and although this book can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend you read the first book first to fully enjoy the development of their characters and this story. Also, some people from the first book make an appearance in this as well.
And though I loved Love Always, Wild, I enjoyed this one even more. This was a book that had everything I want in m/m romance, maybe even more: highly likable characters (of the kind you completely fall in love with), humor (Amanda, despite your own doubts, you did write a book with lots of LOL humor!), the banter, the push and pull between the MC's...it's all there and I loved every second of it. I loved the emails, the witty texts. I loved how both Ethan and Anders grew, dealing with their past hurt and finding themselves able to get on with life, to find someone they could trust again, love again. They needed time to get there, and they are given that time.
I loved to see Jax and Wild go on with their lives too, to see Jason finding love.
Yes, there are sad moments too. Lots of them. But isn't real life like that as well?
Once Ethan and Anders got over their own insecurities (and in Anders' case, got over the lines he drew for himself) and were able to accept the undeniable drawn they had towards each other (and act on it), there were not too many hurdles they had to overcome. No unnecessary drama to lengthen the story or to make it angstier. No, it was a story about finding love and accepting that love. Accepting that you are worthy to have that love. And what is more beautiful in life than to find your other half, your soulmate, the one you spent the rest of your life with? The one person you can be yourself with? That alone is worthy of pages and pages filled with laughter and love, with joy and banter. Humor and sex. Hot sex between Ethan and Anders, which suited them perfectly!
There's nothing but love I have for this book. It's a warm, sweet read that comforts you like a warm, soft blanket to wrap yourself around in. And I'd love to do that again and again. This is a story to pick up once in a while just because of that.
Highly recommended!!
*The graphic cover changed after I read this book. I think this one is more suitable ❤️
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, fair review.
June 2, 2021
This was my first read from this author, and I have to say that I am a fan. This one really worked for me.
And as someone who accidentally started reading this before the first in this series, I can say that I wasn't missing too much from the first by reading this one before it. It helps that this is a different couple than in the first one.
I really enjoyed this author's writing style, and the story, plot, characters and romance all worked well.
I loved both Ethan and Anders, they were fun together and apart.
Ethan is the best friend of Jax - one of the MC's from the previous book - and was in a relationship for two years, and living in Denver with him, but they recently broke up and Ethan has moved back to Atlanta, to go to nursing school.
Anders is Wilder's ex - the other MC from the last book - and is mostly over Wilder, but not entirely, but when his assistant has to go on maternity leave, Anders needs a temporary assistant. Ethan just happens to be looking for work while he waits to start his first semester in nursing school, and have a job where he could potentially work on homework while he works.
Anders and Ethan's needs converge together, and so Ethan becomes Anders' assistant, despite the fact that they met briefly 10 months before and it didn't go the best, and these two don't exactly get along.
I wouldn't say this is enemies-to-lovers, because these two were never actually enemies, or really hated each other or anything like that. They were more....adversaries, and they annoyed each other some and such. Not true enemies or hatred at first.
And they teased each other and bit back at each other, giving as good as the other got. But underneath all the "animosity" was genuine attraction and affection for each other, one that couldn't be buried beneath the surface for long.
As these two exchanged e-mails, and texts, the more the e-mails became less snarky and they started to have more serious conversations and got to know each other better.
And as any "animosity" started to disappear, their romance really started and it was a joy to read. The author did really well in establishing their romantic connection and them falling in love with each other.
And their problems or potential problems are realistic and worked through, even if there are a few bumps along the way.
I would definitely recommend this, whether you've read the first before this or not. It was really good.
Two big thumbs up from me! I definitely have a new author I want to continue to read 😁
And as someone who accidentally started reading this before the first in this series, I can say that I wasn't missing too much from the first by reading this one before it. It helps that this is a different couple than in the first one.
I really enjoyed this author's writing style, and the story, plot, characters and romance all worked well.
I loved both Ethan and Anders, they were fun together and apart.
Ethan is the best friend of Jax - one of the MC's from the previous book - and was in a relationship for two years, and living in Denver with him, but they recently broke up and Ethan has moved back to Atlanta, to go to nursing school.
Anders is Wilder's ex - the other MC from the last book - and is mostly over Wilder, but not entirely, but when his assistant has to go on maternity leave, Anders needs a temporary assistant. Ethan just happens to be looking for work while he waits to start his first semester in nursing school, and have a job where he could potentially work on homework while he works.
Anders and Ethan's needs converge together, and so Ethan becomes Anders' assistant, despite the fact that they met briefly 10 months before and it didn't go the best, and these two don't exactly get along.
I wouldn't say this is enemies-to-lovers, because these two were never actually enemies, or really hated each other or anything like that. They were more....adversaries, and they annoyed each other some and such. Not true enemies or hatred at first.
And they teased each other and bit back at each other, giving as good as the other got. But underneath all the "animosity" was genuine attraction and affection for each other, one that couldn't be buried beneath the surface for long.
As these two exchanged e-mails, and texts, the more the e-mails became less snarky and they started to have more serious conversations and got to know each other better.
And as any "animosity" started to disappear, their romance really started and it was a joy to read. The author did really well in establishing their romantic connection and them falling in love with each other.
And their problems or potential problems are realistic and worked through, even if there are a few bumps along the way.
I would definitely recommend this, whether you've read the first before this or not. It was really good.
Two big thumbs up from me! I definitely have a new author I want to continue to read 😁
April 8, 2021
Solid read by a new to me author!
Loved all of the e-mail and text exchanges!
Will definitely check out more from this author!
Loved all of the e-mail and text exchanges!
Will definitely check out more from this author!
March 26, 2021
I love her writing. her words are so pretty. Great banter. loved the email. I read with a smile on my face.
June 3, 2021
This was ok but WAY too long IMO (440p). This can absolutely be read as a standalone, I did and was not lost. I really disliked Wilder so I'm happy that I didn't read book 1 and don't intend to. I would still recommend this one.
What I liked : I really liked that it was a slow burn that they opened up gradually and communicated very well throughout. The reasons the MCs did not like each others at first were valid. Both MCs grew on me and I ended up liking them individually and as a couple. I really liked the emails especially toward the end (once they are already a couple). I found it very smart to summarize several months of their relationship this way because I could feel the longing and the love deepening. I LOVED that the story spanned over several months, that's rather rare in romance I feel, so I need to underline it. I really enjoyed the literary agent aspect, I wanted more of it. I liked the bi rep even though the biphobia was very present (but handled in a way). I liked the way the ex storyline was handled. I liked Jason!
What I didn't liked : Most of this will be too spoilery so skip it if you want to go in blind. So there were 3 reasons they did not like each other at first and one was completely forgotten and never addressed: Anders made an ableist (that's labeled as such in the book) and mean comment about Jason who is Jax's brother, Ethan (the second MC) is best friends with both. They never addressed it. I really disliked Wilder who was controlling and noisy: telling Ethan how he should dress, before Ethan and Anders start dating he is telling Ethan that they would be a cute couple and basically was pushing for them to date, once they do he is sulking because "ethan may break Anders' heart". Dude butt out. The conflict between Anders and his mother was fascinating but one aspect (the most important IMO) was dropped along the way. Anders is adopted, she was never able to have bio kids. She kept telling Anders that since he is bi, he can choose to be with a woman and have bio kids so that he can have what she never could. Anders rightfully pushes back (with his dad's support) and makes her realise that he should date whoever he wants. My pb is that he felt that she regretted not having bio kids and so that he was what she got but in the end wasn't enough. That aspect was dropped. She ended up saying that it would be fine if he adopted but he should have pushed for her to recognise that the way she talked about adoption (as the lesser/last resort choice) made him feel like shit. At first I thought the author had forgotten that Ethan's dream was to be a nurse but it was finally tackled so that was fine. The Nora storyline came out of nowhere and was pointless because it was external to the couple, I liked Nora throughout a good bi secondary character (but I can see how she grated people the wrong way).
What I liked : I really liked that it was a slow burn that they opened up gradually and communicated very well throughout. The reasons the MCs did not like each others at first were valid. Both MCs grew on me and I ended up liking them individually and as a couple. I really liked the emails especially toward the end (once they are already a couple). I found it very smart to summarize several months of their relationship this way because I could feel the longing and the love deepening. I LOVED that the story spanned over several months, that's rather rare in romance I feel, so I need to underline it. I really enjoyed the literary agent aspect, I wanted more of it. I liked the bi rep even though the biphobia was very present (but handled in a way). I liked the way the ex storyline was handled. I liked Jason!
What I didn't liked : Most of this will be too spoilery so skip it if you want to go in blind. So there were 3 reasons they did not like each other at first and one was completely forgotten and never addressed: Anders made an ableist (that's labeled as such in the book) and mean comment about Jason who is Jax's brother, Ethan (the second MC) is best friends with both. They never addressed it. I really disliked Wilder who was controlling and noisy: telling Ethan how he should dress, before Ethan and Anders start dating he is telling Ethan that they would be a cute couple and basically was pushing for them to date, once they do he is sulking because "ethan may break Anders' heart". Dude butt out. The conflict between Anders and his mother was fascinating but one aspect (the most important IMO) was dropped along the way. Anders is adopted, she was never able to have bio kids. She kept telling Anders that since he is bi, he can choose to be with a woman and have bio kids so that he can have what she never could. Anders rightfully pushes back (with his dad's support) and makes her realise that he should date whoever he wants. My pb is that he felt that she regretted not having bio kids and so that he was what she got but in the end wasn't enough. That aspect was dropped. She ended up saying that it would be fine if he adopted but he should have pushed for her to recognise that the way she talked about adoption (as the lesser/last resort choice) made him feel like shit. At first I thought the author had forgotten that Ethan's dream was to be a nurse but it was finally tackled so that was fine. The Nora storyline came out of nowhere and was pointless because it was external to the couple, I liked Nora throughout a good bi secondary character (but I can see how she grated people the wrong way).
April 10, 2021
J was right. This was excellent. Very "real".
March 12, 2021
* 5 stars *
When I read the blurb for this book I was intrigued and excited. It's the first time I'm reading something from A.M. Johnson but I'm already captivated with the way she writes.
Anders and Ethan had a bumpy start, more reluctant acquaintances than anything else. In my opinion, the sexual chemistry between them was off the charts right from the start, they just didn't want to acknowledge it.
Their emails and texts were funny and snarky at times but also painfully honest and real. Whenever they struggled to communicate about something in person, they resorted to writing it. It worked for them and the end result was openness and communication so the way they got there was of no importance.
They both had their hang ups from the past, but at the end of the day they had to decide if the possibility of a relationship with each other was worth risking their hearts one more time.
Even though I liked both characters, I have to confess that Ethan irritated me a little bit at times before they got together. It seemed like Anders was always apologizing to him and Ethan was always throwing attitude around. The bottom line is that he accepted the job freely so he had to at least try to be professional instead of acting like Anders was owing him some kind of favor.
It all worked out in the end, though, mainly because of how mature Anders was and how much patience he had for Ethan's attitude. I think it also had something to do with the sexual chemistry I mentioned before. And after a while I came to like Ethan just as much.
Not So Sincerely, Yours is a heartwarming story with good pacing and characters that felt real. They had insecurities and they made mistakes, but they owned up to them and tried to fix them. The fact that Ethan's attraction to Anders didn't magically make him get over his ex of two years in a matter of a few days made me give extra points to the story. He had just gotten out of a relationship that ended because they had reached a dead end and not because there were no more feelings there, so of course he needed time to get over him. However, that didn't make him shy away from the potential of something more with Anders. Ethan knew his feelings, he knew what he wanted and what he was emotionally capable of as time went on and he wasn't afraid to ask for it.
The names in this story deserve an honorary mention, no doubt about that. Some were common but then there were others that were rare or maybe even unique, but at the same time didn't sound pretentious or over the top. It was nice to have so much diversity and read some new ones.
I loved Andres and Ethan's story, the last few chapters solidified their commitment and gave them their HEA. I highly recommend their book, it's a low-angst (it's there at times but it's not overwhelming) feel good story about two men who at first glance don't seem to have anything in common except for some friends. The more you get to know them you'll realize that they really are opposites in most ways, but they were pulled together from the start and somehow they made it work.
Highly recommended!
Note: it can be read as a standalone.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
When I read the blurb for this book I was intrigued and excited. It's the first time I'm reading something from A.M. Johnson but I'm already captivated with the way she writes.
Anders and Ethan had a bumpy start, more reluctant acquaintances than anything else. In my opinion, the sexual chemistry between them was off the charts right from the start, they just didn't want to acknowledge it.
Their emails and texts were funny and snarky at times but also painfully honest and real. Whenever they struggled to communicate about something in person, they resorted to writing it. It worked for them and the end result was openness and communication so the way they got there was of no importance.
They both had their hang ups from the past, but at the end of the day they had to decide if the possibility of a relationship with each other was worth risking their hearts one more time.
Even though I liked both characters, I have to confess that Ethan irritated me a little bit at times before they got together. It seemed like Anders was always apologizing to him and Ethan was always throwing attitude around. The bottom line is that he accepted the job freely so he had to at least try to be professional instead of acting like Anders was owing him some kind of favor.
It all worked out in the end, though, mainly because of how mature Anders was and how much patience he had for Ethan's attitude. I think it also had something to do with the sexual chemistry I mentioned before. And after a while I came to like Ethan just as much.
Not So Sincerely, Yours is a heartwarming story with good pacing and characters that felt real. They had insecurities and they made mistakes, but they owned up to them and tried to fix them. The fact that Ethan's attraction to Anders didn't magically make him get over his ex of two years in a matter of a few days made me give extra points to the story. He had just gotten out of a relationship that ended because they had reached a dead end and not because there were no more feelings there, so of course he needed time to get over him. However, that didn't make him shy away from the potential of something more with Anders. Ethan knew his feelings, he knew what he wanted and what he was emotionally capable of as time went on and he wasn't afraid to ask for it.
The names in this story deserve an honorary mention, no doubt about that. Some were common but then there were others that were rare or maybe even unique, but at the same time didn't sound pretentious or over the top. It was nice to have so much diversity and read some new ones.
I loved Andres and Ethan's story, the last few chapters solidified their commitment and gave them their HEA. I highly recommend their book, it's a low-angst (it's there at times but it's not overwhelming) feel good story about two men who at first glance don't seem to have anything in common except for some friends. The more you get to know them you'll realize that they really are opposites in most ways, but they were pulled together from the start and somehow they made it work.
Highly recommended!
Note: it can be read as a standalone.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
May 30, 2021
This one wasn't the "leftovers" from last book that I feared, but it wasn't as all encompassing as the last book either. Barely made me feel a twinge. Plus, not enough hot sex. :P
Writing is still good, but it's become kind of repetitive. I felt like parts dragged along.
I kinda wish someone like Ethan was Jax's first love, instead of Wild's ultra selfish self. But... to each their own.
Writing is still good, but it's become kind of repetitive. I felt like parts dragged along.
I kinda wish someone like Ethan was Jax's first love, instead of Wild's ultra selfish self. But... to each their own.
March 25, 2021
10 steamy ⭐'s for A.M. Johnson's newest book, Not So Sincerely, Yours!!
"I will either find a way or make one.’”
I'm always fascinated by how she can take a character i never even really thought about (Ethan) and make me think of no one else for DAYS!! This book has all the things I love, Enemies to Lovers, a snobby man that needs to be taken down a peg, and a wildly snarky sense of banter between two beautiful, intelligent men!
Anders is amazing in this book, and although I might have spent a little time wanting to strangle him, by the end I was completely obsessed by his heart, and his fire for the world around him.
Ethan is just such a sweet guy from the beginning, but when Anders comes at him in a snotty way, watch out!! Ethan is more than capable of giving as good as he gets, and the emails back and forth show A.M. Johnson 's depth and breadth of knowledge in the beauty of the written word.
There may have been several DM's back and forth about how she was breaking my heart, but by the end she always gives us the best ever, making sure I am head over heels for all of her gorgeous, kind characters. I'm seriously thinking of starting a petition to make sure Nora gets her book!! All 5 ⭐'s I'm allowed to give, and 5 more just for good measure! There's no way I'll ever stop looking forward to every book A.M. Johnson releases, her words are THAT beautiful!!
"I will either find a way or make one.’”
I'm always fascinated by how she can take a character i never even really thought about (Ethan) and make me think of no one else for DAYS!! This book has all the things I love, Enemies to Lovers, a snobby man that needs to be taken down a peg, and a wildly snarky sense of banter between two beautiful, intelligent men!
Anders is amazing in this book, and although I might have spent a little time wanting to strangle him, by the end I was completely obsessed by his heart, and his fire for the world around him.
Ethan is just such a sweet guy from the beginning, but when Anders comes at him in a snotty way, watch out!! Ethan is more than capable of giving as good as he gets, and the emails back and forth show A.M. Johnson 's depth and breadth of knowledge in the beauty of the written word.
There may have been several DM's back and forth about how she was breaking my heart, but by the end she always gives us the best ever, making sure I am head over heels for all of her gorgeous, kind characters. I'm seriously thinking of starting a petition to make sure Nora gets her book!! All 5 ⭐'s I'm allowed to give, and 5 more just for good measure! There's no way I'll ever stop looking forward to every book A.M. Johnson releases, her words are THAT beautiful!!
April 27, 2022
The tone of this story was a lot lighter than that of book one. It wasn't bad but since there wasn't a lot of angst the story did tend to drag in a few places and by the 80% mark it was pretty much over. By that point Anders and Ethan were officially a couple and Ethan had just met Ander's parents. Everything beyond that point should have just been summarized in an epilogue.
Their banter and increasingly flirty emails to each other were fun to read and I loved watching them slowly fall in love. I was, however, a little disappointed that I wasn't able to see Wilder interact with Anders in any meaningful way. They were supposedly really good friends and it would've been nice to see what advice he'd give Anders concerning Ethan.
If it weren't for me listening to the audiobook I most likely would have dnf-ed this a little after the 80% mark. Kirt Graves and Aaron Shedlock have great voices so I just let the story play out while I half heartedly listened to nothing of real significance taking place. Well, except for the hiring of Donovan Brody, one of the main characters of book 3.
Their banter and increasingly flirty emails to each other were fun to read and I loved watching them slowly fall in love. I was, however, a little disappointed that I wasn't able to see Wilder interact with Anders in any meaningful way. They were supposedly really good friends and it would've been nice to see what advice he'd give Anders concerning Ethan.
If it weren't for me listening to the audiobook I most likely would have dnf-ed this a little after the 80% mark. Kirt Graves and Aaron Shedlock have great voices so I just let the story play out while I half heartedly listened to nothing of real significance taking place. Well, except for the hiring of Donovan Brody, one of the main characters of book 3.
June 16, 2021
Slow burn that almost never happened
Anders and Ethan were both kind of immature brats. It took me a bit to warm to them. Do they both have tragic backstories? In a way, yes. Are they both run over by love gone wrong? Yes.
AND still I felt both were not as endearing as they could have been. Both sort of had unlikeable written all over them. So of course they are magnets pulled together. Their chemistry felt off though.
This book was unnecessarily long as well.
The slow burn was drawn out a bit too much.
The NYC stuff was cringy too. The subway is NOT that bad. I’ve been to NYC a million times and I’ve never seen a rat 🐀 in the subway or seen anyone pee on it. Seriously. Epic eye roll 🙄
All.The.Emails. It felt very Bridget Jones and not in a good way…another eye roll 🙄
The end done in text message…by then I was ugh and meh.
Not the book for me. This author might not be for me either.
Anders and Ethan were both kind of immature brats. It took me a bit to warm to them. Do they both have tragic backstories? In a way, yes. Are they both run over by love gone wrong? Yes.
AND still I felt both were not as endearing as they could have been. Both sort of had unlikeable written all over them. So of course they are magnets pulled together. Their chemistry felt off though.
This book was unnecessarily long as well.
The slow burn was drawn out a bit too much.
The NYC stuff was cringy too. The subway is NOT that bad. I’ve been to NYC a million times and I’ve never seen a rat 🐀 in the subway or seen anyone pee on it. Seriously. Epic eye roll 🙄
All.The.Emails. It felt very Bridget Jones and not in a good way…another eye roll 🙄
The end done in text message…by then I was ugh and meh.
Not the book for me. This author might not be for me either.
March 23, 2021
Not So Sincerely, Yours is a low angst, enemies-to-lovers story filled with all the romance a reader craves. A.M. Johnson builds and delivers Anders and Ethan's love story through perfectly timed snark and perfectly placed swoon. Blown away by the witty banter, and undeniable chemistry, Not So Sincerely, Yours is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads this year.
April 3, 2021
ALL THE STARS!!!
June 16, 2021
What a little gem that was. I did feel that the story dragged a bit towards the end, what with all the emails and family drama, but I still liked it.
October 13, 2022
3.5 stars
I’d say compared to book 3 and 4 this one wasn’t as good, there was a little too much email/text talk rather than in person. Normally I enjoy that but this had one chapter too many emails rather than seeing what they were talking about unfold on the page.
But still AM Johnson’s writing hooked me from the start it was hard to put the book down!
Overall cute read… not sure if book one is in my future… not a huge fan of Wilder…😬😂
I’d say compared to book 3 and 4 this one wasn’t as good, there was a little too much email/text talk rather than in person. Normally I enjoy that but this had one chapter too many emails rather than seeing what they were talking about unfold on the page.
But still AM Johnson’s writing hooked me from the start it was hard to put the book down!
Overall cute read… not sure if book one is in my future… not a huge fan of Wilder…😬😂
May 4, 2022
MM Romance
Boss/Employee Forced Proximity
2.5 Lackluster Stars ⭐️
Before I tear into this, let’s talk about the length. It says this book is over 400 pages but that’s not completely accurate. The main characters exchange a lot of emails and each has a header and subject line and that takes up a lot of space on page but thankfully, the story itself is probably only about 300 or so pages, maybe less.
As for this book, well, I was a tad underwhelmed especially compared to the first book in this series. Book one was sad and it made me cry my eyes out and even though I read it last year, I still remember parts of it vividly due to the emotion I felt reading it. This book had a whole different tone and while I didn’t need it to make me cry, I was surprised by how detached I felt towards the main characters.
This starts with these two hating each other for various reasons but after Ethan gets a job being Anders’ personal assistant while his usual is out on maternity leave, they start to see each other in a new light and ultimately fall in love. I liked how their relationship evolved to friends first and it was a slow burn despite the sexual tension humming between them. They took their time getting to know the other after both getting out of relationships in which they weren’t valued and I liked all the teasing emails between them. These emails helped them really get to know each other and made the book different from others. This was also the part I loved in book one.
But as time went on, I just lost interest in the overall storyline and their relationship. The only storyline besides the obvious romance is Anders’ strained relationship with his mother because she is not fully accepting of the fact he’s bi. She wants him to marry a nice girl and give her lots of grandchildren blah blah. Ethan also has issues with his family accepting his sexuality but it’s just sort of there in the background. Near the end there were a bunch of weird issues that had no reason to even be there like Anders employee betraying him and their coworker’s sick dad. It was just filler and made no sense to the story and by that time I was so incredibly bored, I didn’t want to read more nonsense.
I’m not sure what caused me to lose interest because there was nothing wrong with this book exactly but it didn’t have a lot going on in it either. Part of my issue was that both main characters sounded the same and I kept forgetting whose POV I was in most of the time. I usually love the slow burn with sexual tension because once the couple comes together it’s super hot but I didn’t feel that way with these two. I dont know, I feel like I’m rambling but I found this pretty lackluster at times. At 75%, I almost DNF’d this because nothing was happening and it was just so stale. I almost hoped they would have that dreaded break up at 80% just to liven it up a bit. 😂😂 Instead, I fell asleep reading this at 95% but somehow found the will to finish when I came to. It was a chore to be honest.
With all that being said, I don’t know if I’m going to keep reading this series. The latest release is about Ethan’s ex, Chance and while I may have had issues with this book, I liked Ethan and really disliked the way Chance made him feel over the two years they were together. So why would I want to read his story? 🤷🏻♀️
Boss/Employee Forced Proximity
2.5 Lackluster Stars ⭐️
Before I tear into this, let’s talk about the length. It says this book is over 400 pages but that’s not completely accurate. The main characters exchange a lot of emails and each has a header and subject line and that takes up a lot of space on page but thankfully, the story itself is probably only about 300 or so pages, maybe less.
As for this book, well, I was a tad underwhelmed especially compared to the first book in this series. Book one was sad and it made me cry my eyes out and even though I read it last year, I still remember parts of it vividly due to the emotion I felt reading it. This book had a whole different tone and while I didn’t need it to make me cry, I was surprised by how detached I felt towards the main characters.
This starts with these two hating each other for various reasons but after Ethan gets a job being Anders’ personal assistant while his usual is out on maternity leave, they start to see each other in a new light and ultimately fall in love. I liked how their relationship evolved to friends first and it was a slow burn despite the sexual tension humming between them. They took their time getting to know the other after both getting out of relationships in which they weren’t valued and I liked all the teasing emails between them. These emails helped them really get to know each other and made the book different from others. This was also the part I loved in book one.
But as time went on, I just lost interest in the overall storyline and their relationship. The only storyline besides the obvious romance is Anders’ strained relationship with his mother because she is not fully accepting of the fact he’s bi. She wants him to marry a nice girl and give her lots of grandchildren blah blah. Ethan also has issues with his family accepting his sexuality but it’s just sort of there in the background. Near the end there were a bunch of weird issues that had no reason to even be there like Anders employee betraying him and their coworker’s sick dad. It was just filler and made no sense to the story and by that time I was so incredibly bored, I didn’t want to read more nonsense.
I’m not sure what caused me to lose interest because there was nothing wrong with this book exactly but it didn’t have a lot going on in it either. Part of my issue was that both main characters sounded the same and I kept forgetting whose POV I was in most of the time. I usually love the slow burn with sexual tension because once the couple comes together it’s super hot but I didn’t feel that way with these two. I dont know, I feel like I’m rambling but I found this pretty lackluster at times. At 75%, I almost DNF’d this because nothing was happening and it was just so stale. I almost hoped they would have that dreaded break up at 80% just to liven it up a bit. 😂😂 Instead, I fell asleep reading this at 95% but somehow found the will to finish when I came to. It was a chore to be honest.
With all that being said, I don’t know if I’m going to keep reading this series. The latest release is about Ethan’s ex, Chance and while I may have had issues with this book, I liked Ethan and really disliked the way Chance made him feel over the two years they were together. So why would I want to read his story? 🤷🏻♀️
Read
April 10, 20214.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enemies to lovers done so damn well! I really could not put this down once I started. When I read the blurb for this, after reading Love Always, Wild, I was like “hmm how is this going to work??” Sooooo many books in series love to overlap in timelines (i.e. book 3 will be happening during the same time period as books 1 and 2), so I started to sweat a bit thinking of some details book 1 concluded on. Well much to my surprise book 2 picks after the epilogue of book 1, and that was truly 👌🏼
Not So Sincerely, Yours follows the story of Anders (Wild’s somewhat ex/previous f-ckbuddy/book agent) and Ethan (Jax’s best friend/former crush) as their very tumultuous relationship develops into something rather lovely. Unlike book 1 this story is not riddled with angst and pain. That being said, this is not a fluff-fest. There are hardships and hurt feelings the MCs have to overcome, but it gives the characters vulnerability and the story depth which makes it all the more captivating. Also unlike book 1, I laughed quite a bit reading this. The banter between Ethan and Anders was so good! I LOVED the email and text message exchange element to this. This book also does a great job of building the tension between them. Enemies to Lovers can be hit or miss if one person is too much of an a—hole, or if it dives right into instalove. This book balanced it really well and the payoff feels very earned.
The few qualms I had about this didn’t derail my enjoyment, more so they prevented me from giving it a higher rating 🤷🏻♀️ I could’ve done without any of the parental plot points, and I think the last few chapters teetered on passing the line of making the story too long. Either way I still loved this 😊
PS- I appreciate how these books have taken a more realistic approach when it comes to past/present love. Someone can be your everything, but it doesn’t necessarily erase the feelings you may have once had for another. Honestly, I like that.
PSS - sorry this is so long ☺️
Enemies to lovers done so damn well! I really could not put this down once I started. When I read the blurb for this, after reading Love Always, Wild, I was like “hmm how is this going to work??” Sooooo many books in series love to overlap in timelines (i.e. book 3 will be happening during the same time period as books 1 and 2), so I started to sweat a bit thinking of some details book 1 concluded on. Well much to my surprise book 2 picks after the epilogue of book 1, and that was truly 👌🏼
Not So Sincerely, Yours follows the story of Anders (Wild’s somewhat ex/previous f-ckbuddy/book agent) and Ethan (Jax’s best friend/former crush) as their very tumultuous relationship develops into something rather lovely. Unlike book 1 this story is not riddled with angst and pain. That being said, this is not a fluff-fest. There are hardships and hurt feelings the MCs have to overcome, but it gives the characters vulnerability and the story depth which makes it all the more captivating. Also unlike book 1, I laughed quite a bit reading this. The banter between Ethan and Anders was so good! I LOVED the email and text message exchange element to this. This book also does a great job of building the tension between them. Enemies to Lovers can be hit or miss if one person is too much of an a—hole, or if it dives right into instalove. This book balanced it really well and the payoff feels very earned.
The few qualms I had about this didn’t derail my enjoyment, more so they prevented me from giving it a higher rating 🤷🏻♀️ I could’ve done without any of the parental plot points, and I think the last few chapters teetered on passing the line of making the story too long. Either way I still loved this 😊
PS- I appreciate how these books have taken a more realistic approach when it comes to past/present love. Someone can be your everything, but it doesn’t necessarily erase the feelings you may have once had for another. Honestly, I like that.
PSS - sorry this is so long ☺️
Shelved as 'zz-dnf'
December 22, 2021DNF @ 36% but it's all me, not the book
There's just a lot of stuff happening that I don't enjoy reading about -- both MCs dealing with estranged families, one of which is estranged because they're homophobes but the MC is hoping to reconcile (maybe my least favorite storyline ever, even though it's a very, very minor one so far in this book); a lot of talk from the other (still single at this point) bisexual MC about how much he wants kids and all that conventional picket fence bullshit, which is why his mother is always pushing him towards girlfriends over boyfriends 🤮🤮
So yeah, that's all me! It's well-written and none of it is overwhelming the plot, but I don't want it there at all. And there's also this thing where the MCs are boss/employee and the boss MC is being ridiculously immature and unprofessional while accusing the employee of being immature and unprofessional (he's not), and it goes on for days and I think it's supposed to be entertaining? He's late 30s and owns the company and is acting like a child. It's...not attractive.
If you're sensitive to any of those same things, I would skip it. If not, go for it.
There's just a lot of stuff happening that I don't enjoy reading about -- both MCs dealing with estranged families, one of which is estranged because they're homophobes but the MC is hoping to reconcile (maybe my least favorite storyline ever, even though it's a very, very minor one so far in this book); a lot of talk from the other (still single at this point) bisexual MC about how much he wants kids and all that conventional picket fence bullshit, which is why his mother is always pushing him towards girlfriends over boyfriends 🤮🤮
So yeah, that's all me! It's well-written and none of it is overwhelming the plot, but I don't want it there at all. And there's also this thing where the MCs are boss/employee and the boss MC is being ridiculously immature and unprofessional while accusing the employee of being immature and unprofessional (he's not), and it goes on for days and I think it's supposed to be entertaining? He's late 30s and owns the company and is acting like a child. It's...not attractive.
If you're sensitive to any of those same things, I would skip it. If not, go for it.
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