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caseroo7's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
All or Nothing is the third book in the Love By Design series from Kendall Ryan. This book can be read as a standalone, but is best when read after the first two books in this series. Braydon and Ellie are the best friends of Ben and Emmy, so you really get to know so much more about them by seeing them from the start. I was really excited for the chance to listen to this story, there is just something about an audiobook that can bring a book to life. I thought that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman did a great job of giving the reader more depth to each character than they would have had by simply reading the book.
Braydon doesn't do relationships, and as a top male model he has never had to limit himself when it comes to the women he can get. When his best friend Ben settles down with Emmy and gets married though, Braydon can't help but find himself drawn to Emmy's best friend Ellie. After a steamy encounter at their wedding, Ellie and Braydon realize that there is something between them and are determined to find out what it is. Though they agree to a sex only relationship, it is clear right away that there is more between them than either of them wants to admit. The closer they get, the more their feelings grow. Ellie is finally willing to admit that she wants more, but Braydon isn't ready for anything but what he stated upfront. But when Ellie decides that she can't keep going on the way they have been, will she and Braydon wind up having it all or having nothing?
I loved Braydon from the previous books, and I couldn't wait to get to know him better. He was such a sweet and fun loving guy, and he had always been one of my favorite characters. We got to see a different side of him in this book, and he had so much more to him than I expected. He had been scared of relationships because of things from his past, and though I didn't agree with his actions I did understand some of where he was coming from. I thought that it took him a really long time to come around though, and it was clear that things with Ellie were different. I wanted him to trust her more and be willing to take a chance on the connection they shared. Ellie was more of a problem for me in this book than I expected. I had really loved her in the first two books, she was always so fun and feisty. She was sassy and wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place. But this time around she was whiny and weak for the majority of the story, and it just wasn't the same character I had come to know and love. I have no idea what happened to her, but I didn't really like her in this book until she finally started to grow a bit of a backbone. Unfortunately, even when she did start to return to that character, she would still whine and end up feeling sorry for herself. I wanted to see the same girl from the beginning of the series and I just felt like she had lost some of her sparkle. The connection and chemistry between these two was obvious though, and I really did believe that they belonged together.
My other issue with this story was that a lot of the dialogue got to be repetitive at times, and I felt like the author was trying to reinforce things that should have been obvious to the reader. It was said several times that Braydon and Ellie had "off the charts chemistry", and yes it was clear they did. I didn't like that it was said so many times, like the reader had possibly forgotten. It was one of those things where I wanted to ask after awhile if they were trying to convince the reader or themselves since it seemed they couldn't stop bringing it up. I also thought that things with Braydon's past were a little less dramatic than she tried to make it, and that things were wrapped up far too easily and neatly. I didn't think that the situation would have been solved as simply as it was in real life. I did think that this was a good book, and I did enjoy it. When Ellie wasn't annoying, I loved the banter between her and Braydon. She was capable of giving as well as receiving and it was nice to see that. I wish that we had been given more of Braydon's POV, and I didn't know going in that he only did the epilogue. I kept waiting for Josh Goodman's voice throughout the story and was disappointed that we got so little of it. Elizabeth Louise did a really good job though, and I didn't find her annoying as I have other female narrators. I thought that she did a really good job of differentiating between characters. The only criticism I had is a few of the times that she was doing conversations between Ellie and Emmy, she would sometimes remain in her southern accent longer than she should have. Emmy was the one with the accent, and it would sometimes bleed into Ellie's words. I think that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman were really great choices for this story though, and I would absolutely listen to more from each of them. Though this wasn't my favorite book in this series, I really did like it and I will read more from Kendall Ryan in the future.
**Audiobook Provided by Simon & Schuster Audio**
All or Nothing is the third book in the Love By Design series from Kendall Ryan. This book can be read as a standalone, but is best when read after the first two books in this series. Braydon and Ellie are the best friends of Ben and Emmy, so you really get to know so much more about them by seeing them from the start. I was really excited for the chance to listen to this story, there is just something about an audiobook that can bring a book to life. I thought that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman did a great job of giving the reader more depth to each character than they would have had by simply reading the book.
Braydon doesn't do relationships, and as a top male model he has never had to limit himself when it comes to the women he can get. When his best friend Ben settles down with Emmy and gets married though, Braydon can't help but find himself drawn to Emmy's best friend Ellie. After a steamy encounter at their wedding, Ellie and Braydon realize that there is something between them and are determined to find out what it is. Though they agree to a sex only relationship, it is clear right away that there is more between them than either of them wants to admit. The closer they get, the more their feelings grow. Ellie is finally willing to admit that she wants more, but Braydon isn't ready for anything but what he stated upfront. But when Ellie decides that she can't keep going on the way they have been, will she and Braydon wind up having it all or having nothing?
I loved Braydon from the previous books, and I couldn't wait to get to know him better. He was such a sweet and fun loving guy, and he had always been one of my favorite characters. We got to see a different side of him in this book, and he had so much more to him than I expected. He had been scared of relationships because of things from his past, and though I didn't agree with his actions I did understand some of where he was coming from. I thought that it took him a really long time to come around though, and it was clear that things with Ellie were different. I wanted him to trust her more and be willing to take a chance on the connection they shared. Ellie was more of a problem for me in this book than I expected. I had really loved her in the first two books, she was always so fun and feisty. She was sassy and wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place. But this time around she was whiny and weak for the majority of the story, and it just wasn't the same character I had come to know and love. I have no idea what happened to her, but I didn't really like her in this book until she finally started to grow a bit of a backbone. Unfortunately, even when she did start to return to that character, she would still whine and end up feeling sorry for herself. I wanted to see the same girl from the beginning of the series and I just felt like she had lost some of her sparkle. The connection and chemistry between these two was obvious though, and I really did believe that they belonged together.
My other issue with this story was that a lot of the dialogue got to be repetitive at times, and I felt like the author was trying to reinforce things that should have been obvious to the reader. It was said several times that Braydon and Ellie had "off the charts chemistry", and yes it was clear they did. I didn't like that it was said so many times, like the reader had possibly forgotten. It was one of those things where I wanted to ask after awhile if they were trying to convince the reader or themselves since it seemed they couldn't stop bringing it up. I also thought that things with Braydon's past were a little less dramatic than she tried to make it, and that things were wrapped up far too easily and neatly. I didn't think that the situation would have been solved as simply as it was in real life. I did think that this was a good book, and I did enjoy it. When Ellie wasn't annoying, I loved the banter between her and Braydon. She was capable of giving as well as receiving and it was nice to see that. I wish that we had been given more of Braydon's POV, and I didn't know going in that he only did the epilogue. I kept waiting for Josh Goodman's voice throughout the story and was disappointed that we got so little of it. Elizabeth Louise did a really good job though, and I didn't find her annoying as I have other female narrators. I thought that she did a really good job of differentiating between characters. The only criticism I had is a few of the times that she was doing conversations between Ellie and Emmy, she would sometimes remain in her southern accent longer than she should have. Emmy was the one with the accent, and it would sometimes bleed into Ellie's words. I think that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman were really great choices for this story though, and I would absolutely listen to more from each of them. Though this wasn't my favorite book in this series, I really did like it and I will read more from Kendall Ryan in the future.
**Audiobook Provided by Simon & Schuster Audio**
sjwllms's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
rlp78's review against another edition
4.0
I have been looking forward to this book since the end of Ben and Emmy's book. It started off really strong. I hated putting it down. Braydon and Ellie were hot and the story was really intriguing. About halfway through the book I started to get annoyed. I missed the part when they fell in love. I didn't get any impression of Braydon struggling with his feelings. Then we get towards the end and things just wrapped up too quickly. I did LOVE the epilogue and the fact that we got to see lots of Emmy and Ben. So I would say 5 stars for the beginning and end and 3 for the middle so it averages out to be a 4.
Spoiler
I'm sorry I have a hard time believing Katrina just needed closure. Very unbelievable. Plus Braydon's reaction to the pregnancy seemed hard to swallow. I liked it, but I wish I had some time inside his head to help me believe how much he loved Ellie.kara_hildebrand's review against another edition
5.0
I know, I know, I say this in all of my Kendall Ryan reviews, but I love her. I love the way she writes. She is one of my go to authors; I never look I just buy! I politely (or not) stalk her on social media. I'm always amazed how she can write so many awesome books and every single one is fresh and new! All or Nothing is Brayden and Ellie's story. We've met them in the previous books, but whatever you thought about Brayden is nothing compared to the way he is here. Oh my! He's sexy, hot, sweet, funny and dirty. I love his mouth. Ellie is sweet and lovely and she wants a relationship, not a one night stand. But, one night Brayden wears her down and she gives in. She swears it was a one time thing, but he keeps coming after her. He gets her to agree to a friends with benefits arrangement and Ellie throws caution to the wind and agrees because their chemistry is outstanding. She can't fight it anymore. But, her insecurities keep whispering to her along with the reality that they don't go out in public, and she has no idea where he lives. How long can the amazing sex keep them together? How long can she pretend that she doesn't want more. She has to let him go to make him realize that he wants more from her. Will that work? Can Bray get over his past and finally admit that he wants Ellie before it's too late? Do not miss this amazing addition to the series. If you haven't read Working It or Craving Him, get to it!
"I'm a bitch to you. Why do you even like me?" I asked
"I don’t argue with my cock, sweetheart. And he seems to like you. In fact, he'd like to get to know you a lot better."
"A few sexy words and you expect me to just hand over my panties?"
"No, I'd prefer to peel those off you myself. Slowly. Savoring every delicious inch of skin I exposed."
I wanted more. I wanted to see where this could go. There was something magnetic about him. His charm. His personality. Shit, his tongue. That was surely illegal in like forty-nine states. I might as well take advantage.
My stupid vagina missed him. She's gotten me into this mess in the first place. Well, no more soup for you!
"I'm a bitch to you. Why do you even like me?" I asked
"I don’t argue with my cock, sweetheart. And he seems to like you. In fact, he'd like to get to know you a lot better."
"A few sexy words and you expect me to just hand over my panties?"
"No, I'd prefer to peel those off you myself. Slowly. Savoring every delicious inch of skin I exposed."
I wanted more. I wanted to see where this could go. There was something magnetic about him. His charm. His personality. Shit, his tongue. That was surely illegal in like forty-nine states. I might as well take advantage.
My stupid vagina missed him. She's gotten me into this mess in the first place. Well, no more soup for you!
brandiemetzger's review
4.0
The Love by Design series is my favorite by [a:Kendall Ryan|6473923|Kendall Ryan|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1397400834p2/6473923.jpg], and I was really excited to find out there was going to be a third book with Braydon's story.
At the end of [b:Craving Him|18775224|Craving Him (Love by Design, #2)|Kendall Ryan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394129364s/18775224.jpg|26680354], you knew there was something between Braydon and Ellie - just not to what extent. They started off disliking each other, but there's an attraction between them that's undeniable.
At first, I wasn't sure what to think of Braydon and his man whorish ways. But he won me over pretty quickly. It was evident that there was more to him than anyone really knew and it was holding him back from putting himself out there fully with anyone. Ellie and Braydon's views on relationships couldn't be more opposite, but they were unable to deny their burning attraction to each other, giving into a sex only arrangement. And as most arrangements like that go, when feelings start to get involved, things take an unexpected and complicated turn.
Ellie was a very likable character, strong and fiesty. But she had her insecurities, brought out by her confusion over her feelings for Braydon and how sweet he was. Although he made it clear he didn't want a relationship - it was really hard to believe because of how he treated Ellie. That was slightly frustrating, but there has to be some element of drama, or there wouldn't be a story.
This book is sexy, romantic, & tense. While we wait to find out Braydon's secrets, the suspense and build up makes the book a hard one to put down. As the title perfectly states - will these two be willing to open up and give it All or Nothing? It was worth finding out, and a perfect end to a series I adore.
ARC given by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
At the end of [b:Craving Him|18775224|Craving Him (Love by Design, #2)|Kendall Ryan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394129364s/18775224.jpg|26680354], you knew there was something between Braydon and Ellie - just not to what extent. They started off disliking each other, but there's an attraction between them that's undeniable.
At first, I wasn't sure what to think of Braydon and his man whorish ways. But he won me over pretty quickly. It was evident that there was more to him than anyone really knew and it was holding him back from putting himself out there fully with anyone. Ellie and Braydon's views on relationships couldn't be more opposite, but they were unable to deny their burning attraction to each other, giving into a sex only arrangement. And as most arrangements like that go, when feelings start to get involved, things take an unexpected and complicated turn.
Ellie was a very likable character, strong and fiesty. But she had her insecurities, brought out by her confusion over her feelings for Braydon and how sweet he was. Although he made it clear he didn't want a relationship - it was really hard to believe because of how he treated Ellie. That was slightly frustrating, but there has to be some element of drama, or there wouldn't be a story.
This book is sexy, romantic, & tense. While we wait to find out Braydon's secrets, the suspense and build up makes the book a hard one to put down. As the title perfectly states - will these two be willing to open up and give it All or Nothing? It was worth finding out, and a perfect end to a series I adore.
ARC given by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
kristinapernell's review
2.0
I didn't care for this story. Part of it may be because I had expected 3 books to outline Emmy and Ben's story, or if it was just the story line itself, but I was unimpressed.
lucyhargrave's review
2.0
Straight up front I found it really hard to rate All or Nothing in stars and have gone with a potentially harsh two stars, anyway, this is briefly what I thought of the book. For a more detailed review visit my blog on this book at http://bit.ly/1xNwJIf.
The Heroine:
I liked Ellie the heroine because she stood up for what she believed in and didn’t let Braydon walk all over her. Of course it isn’t a simple as all that and although she may act tough she does feel things deeply.
The Hero:
I can easily understand why fans were desperate to read Braydon’s story, he’s sweet, sexy, understanding and did I mention sexy? Braydon is initially portrayed as a typical player who’s living the fast life with his modelling career and doesn’t have time for commitment. Yet him and Ellie are clearly drawn to each other.
The Plot:
I could understand Ellie’s pain as from her perspective Braydon didn’t seem committed to their relationship; this is not a smooth road to love but instead one full of hurdles. This is book that focuses completely on our two main characters with very little world building or outside plot, it’s all about character development and this is why I was so let down by the ending. I just felt the ending to All or Nothing was extremely rushed, and that lots of things were happening without proper explanation, reason or cause. It felt to me like the author wanted to give Braydon and Ellie the HEA with all the trimmings when in fact it would have been fine to leave off the trimmings. Overall this book was really good, but I won’t be rushing to buy the others in the series due to the ending. It left a very sour taste in my mouth.
5 stars until around the 80% mark
1 star for the ending
Overall 2.5 stars, nearly three.
The Heroine:
I liked Ellie the heroine because she stood up for what she believed in and didn’t let Braydon walk all over her. Of course it isn’t a simple as all that and although she may act tough she does feel things deeply.
The Hero:
I can easily understand why fans were desperate to read Braydon’s story, he’s sweet, sexy, understanding and did I mention sexy? Braydon is initially portrayed as a typical player who’s living the fast life with his modelling career and doesn’t have time for commitment. Yet him and Ellie are clearly drawn to each other.
The Plot:
I could understand Ellie’s pain as from her perspective Braydon didn’t seem committed to their relationship; this is not a smooth road to love but instead one full of hurdles. This is book that focuses completely on our two main characters with very little world building or outside plot, it’s all about character development and this is why I was so let down by the ending. I just felt the ending to All or Nothing was extremely rushed, and that lots of things were happening without proper explanation, reason or cause. It felt to me like the author wanted to give Braydon and Ellie the HEA with all the trimmings when in fact it would have been fine to leave off the trimmings. Overall this book was really good, but I won’t be rushing to buy the others in the series due to the ending. It left a very sour taste in my mouth.
5 stars until around the 80% mark
1 star for the ending
Overall 2.5 stars, nearly three.
jbenando's review
4.0
LOVE Braydon!!! I have been wanting to read his story. Full review will be closer to release day. :)
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