Review: My Best Friend's Ex by Hazel Kelly

Title: My Best Friend's Ex
Author: Hazel Kelly
Genre/Age: Contemporary Romance/NA
Series: Beta Brothers (Book One)
Publisher: Self-published
Format: ebook via Author
Rating: ✺✺✺✺✺
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis: I’ve always been good at sharing. You have to be when you grow up in a family like mine. 

But I never wanted to share Logan.

From the moment I saw him, my skin prickled and my insides burned, as if I’d found something I hadn’t realized I was looking for.

Unfortunately, I had to keep that to myself since, like all the kids my parents brought home, he was considered family from the moment he took a seat at our table. So from that day on, I did everything I could to force a familial bond.

Piper didn’t have to, though. She noticed immediately how special he was, and it wasn’t long before she was caring for him in a way I couldn’t, a way I wasn’t ready for.

A way that made me insanely jealous.

Night after night, I’d watch her leave my house and sneak over to the annex above our garage to visit him, and I’d stare at the small, curtain-covered window until my eyes burned with tears.

I wanted to be happy for them. After all, Piper and I had been best friends since I was six, and she was so content with him… at least, in the beginning. But it was hard because their relationship taught me that I wasn’t as good at sharing as I thought. I just never cared about anything enough to want it all to myself before.

Until Logan.

Not that I held it against them that they got together. I know better than anyone that you can’t help who you love. You can only help who knows about it.

And since he’ll always be off-limits, there’s no point in sharing my secret.

It doesn’t matter if my body screams for his touch whenever we cross paths.

It doesn’t matter that my heart swells to six times its normal size at the mere thought of that handsome loner’s shy smile.

It doesn’t matter if I think I could love him better than she did.

Because Logan Jones and I are never going to happen.

*This standalone contemporary romance features forbidden love, yummy fratboys, and warm fuzzies galore. Ridiculously happy ending guaranteed! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book.**

This. To me, this is what good love stories are all about.

Logan has always been off-limits to Zoey, but that didn't stop him from dating her best friend. And even though things ended badly between the couple, Zoey couldn't stop herself from pining for the boy who could never be hers. That is, until she moves away to college and runs into Logan again, causing all of the long-suppressed emotions to rush forward. And this time, she's not sure if she should hide them.

Zoey was always the girl that Logan couldn't have. After her family took him in, he could never repay their kindness by taking advantage of their daughter. And while he dated other girls, a piece of his heart always belonged to Zoey. So being near her again is making it hard to pretend that he doesn't still care for her. Because if anyone deserves a happy ending, it's her, and he's starting to wonder if he's the one who could play her Prince Charming.

This is why I love reading this author's work. Every time I pick up a book by her, I know I'm going to get a likable couple of characters and a believable storyline. And thankfully, it doesn't follow the stereotypical romance book formula. You know the one. It gets tiring to read the same thing over and over. No so with this author. In fact, the best thing about her books is how easy they are to read and enjoy. I don't have to try to like the characters, I just do. I don't have to pretend to care about the plot, I'm immediately intrigued by it. It's a gift that I'm glad she's decided to share with the world.

I think the thing that I like most about this book was how simple it was. There was no crazy and unbelievable plot, no obnoxious characters or unnecessary drama, and even the conflict was not drawn out to frustrate the reader. This love story could be anyone's story. Two people who cannot be together, suddenly seeing their future may be possible, and going for it. No over-exaggerated issues or half a dozen conflicts to overcome and no main character being a jerk for no good reason. I love how much this book was just about 'love'.

Don't get me wrong, there is some steam here too. We have to wait a bit because the heroine is inexperienced and our hero wants to make it memorable for her. That's just another reason to love Logan, of course. And I enjoyed how much that annoyed Zoey. There is another thing I liked about this book and that's the theme of overcoming a difficult past. Especially for Logan. I was proud of him for taking his skill and turning it into a business. He was also a romantic, something I don't see enough in the romance genre with so many alpha male bad boys. Logan was great.

In closing...

This is a promising start to a new series. Five suns!