About the Book:
Crush: a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…
Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.
When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.
Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that’s inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.
My Review:
What can I say, this book was sweet and cute and sexy and unexpected! And I LOVE a quirky heroine.
“Everyone who’s ever met him wants a piece of him, because he’s the best person there is. I quickly count up all of those people. I include his dentist and doctor. Maybe he’s 1 percent mine. That has to be enough. I have to share.”
Everyone loves Tom Valeska! Including Darcy Barrett. But unfortunately for her, Tom is her brother Jamie’s best friend. That is not exactly a forbidden romance, but putting that aside for a moment, this is a sweet, heart-warming and sexy romance that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren. I still ADORE ‘The Hating Game’ but you should not expect that kind of book. While I definitely enjoyed ’99 Percent Mine,’ parts of the story felt a little forced and non-organic. There is a phrase used by the author throughout the book and I almost felt like it was more of an advertising slogan than part of the story.
With that said, there is nothing really wrong with this story. It is a light-hearted romance with a very relateable heroine and a handsome, funny and smart hero. I loved the friends-to-lovers trope and the cute banter between the characters. The story is fast-paced and there is PLENTY of sexual tension!
“I thought that having just 1 percent of Tom Valeska’s heart feels like hitting the jackpot, but I think I was wrong. It’s now not enough. I’m going to make him 2 percent mine.”
The constant back-and-forth between Tom and Darcy was adorable but it went on for just a bit too long for my tastes. This is a delicate balance in romance novels and I just wanted them to get together already. I did love their banter and this is a romance novel that ticks all the boxes but it just was not my favorite story. Many fans of Sally Thorne are going wild over this book so definitely give it a try! I just did not connect 100% with the main characters and would have loved a little more depth to Tom. When the author does give him a voice, it’s fabulous!
“Unpack the equipment,” Tom says in a bass tone I’ve never heard in my life. It’s the kind of voice that should be saying, On your knees. My joints loosen and my body replies, “Okay.”
In the end, I did enjoy this book but just felt a little disconnected from the story. If you like funny, swoony romance with a guaranteed HEA, then you will love ’99 Percent Mine.’ I still love Sally Thorne’s writing style and very much look forward to her next book.
“Once someone’s mine, they’re gonna stay mine. One hundred percent, forever.”
(With thanks to the publisher for a review copy.)
