When You Least Expect It

I picked this up because it was on my library's list of no-wait books, so I expected a milquetoast romance story where the MCs just happen to be a couple of women instead of a straight couple.

I was very pleasantly surprised. The characters were well-fleshed out and made me feel invested in their story as well as their personal journeys, even if they aren't necessarily people I would like in real life. The romance was developed at a reasonable pace for the circumstances. I also enjoyed the fact that the couple faces not only external hindrances, but also problems that stem from their personalities and past experiences. Lastly, there were a couple sex scenes included that were both very steamy and very tatefully done, in my opinion.

I listened to the audio book version of the book, which I thought was excellently narrated. The speaker was able to create a unique and easy to recognise voice for each of the characters, while also performing their emotions well.

Overall this was a a very fun and enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a tasteful romance story.

This was an up and down reading experience for me. The storytelling and chemistry was so damn good. So. Damn. Good. I fell in love with Hannah and Abbie and felt for Caroline. The sexual tension was off the charts and I wanted these two women to have the best HEA ever.

So what was my problem? Grammar, writing style, and misused and overused words. My biggest pet peeves all over the pages. I didn't look to see if there was an editor mentioned but I'd be surprised if one was used. Even a good proofreader would have been helpful. And if a good editor and/or proofreader was used, the author may not have taken the advice offered. I don't know what was involved but this could have easily been a five star book - and an automatic entry on my "funk reading list" - if it hadn't been for the insanity that was randomly placed commas, possessives where plurals were intended, and paragraphs so muddled with pronouns that I literally had no idea who was doing what after several rereads.

I started out with the audio book but I couldn't figure out what was going on in too many places because the narrator (who did a fine job) had to deal with all the commas and dashes that many passages ended up word salad. I switched to the ebook and it was a better experience because I could see the punctuation and figure it out.

If these things weren't an issue, Haley Cass would move right up to one of my favorite authors. I finished the book last night and haven't been able to get the characters out of my head. I really connected with them and loved the story so much. But the proofreader in me just can't get past the issues with the writing so I don't know that I'll try another.

I know that these things don't matter to everyone but if they do to you, go into this read fully expecting to be frustrated. But even with all the troubles I had with it, When You Least Expect It still gets a pretty high rating because Ms Cass can tell a beautiful, heartfelt tale.