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amandanomaly's review against another edition
4.0
This one and the follow-up were hard to put down! (I read the follow-up in one day.) My only complaint for this one (and that one) is the many, many mentions of types of tables; we don't constantly need to know if a table is a four-top or six-top or high-bar or whatever table. It was distracting and like nails on a chalkboard every time.
nadine_booklover's review against another edition
4.0
”Every single one of these kisses are stolen, because I don’t belong to him.”
Another first for me this year. I’ve never read one of Shanora’s books before and again I have to ask myself how did I miss this talented author?
The Man I Can’t have is a book with many layers, but not the obvious ones. You need to pay close attention to every detail.
In an ingenious way Shanora Williams hid hint after hint between the lines, they blended flawlessly into the story so that you didn’t pay them any attention. Only at the end she does make you see. Not only does she open your eyes to the hidden things happening in the story but you can’t help make the comparison to real life. How many things do we not see because they seem “normal”? How often do we miss hints that would give us a clue about what is going on?
”This fire. This forbidden power. The ache that only he can create and take away.”
To be honest, I was quite wary of this book. I’m not into cheating in romance books (neither I am in real life) but I’m very well aware that this is a thing and you can’t avoid being confronted with it or make it disappear just because you don’t want things like that to happen. Because it does. For very different reasons and each person involved needs to deal with it their own way. And each case is different.
This book shows it clear as a blue sky that not everything is black and white. Most things are something in between, a grey zone. Feeling lonely in a marriage/relationship is a real thing. So is staying in that marriage/relationship out of convenience. Everything about this books screams: Open your eyes, THIS is also reality.
”He is so perfect – everything I’ve always wanted in a man. Too bad he can’t never be mine.”
It took me some time to get used to the characters and their connection or lack thereof. It took me some time to connect to the characters, because each of them is complex in their own ways. Even though they might come across as simple, believe me: they are not!
The vibes, why Gabby lent towards Marcel are so relatable, it shocked me a little. And even though I want to say that Gabby comes across as a woman that’s not strong enough to stand up for herself and that she hides behind the fact that she is Kyle’s wife, she is everything but. She is real, her struggle is real and in the end it totally broke me.
Marcel seems to have a six sense, I can't explain it.He's a - by his past - broken soul and his soul recognized Gabby's instantly. This connection is not only obvious but tangible. You feel his struggle to stay away from Gabby in every fiber of yours and you really do get why he's breaking. Why both are breaking, giving in.
”How can a man survive knowing that sad truth? That he fell in love with a woman he can’t even have?”
With The Man I Can't Have, Shanora Williams delivers a story that challenges your fundamental principles. This book is incredibly moving and leaves you hanging with a big bang cliffhanger.
”He isn’t the man I can’t have. He’s the man I’ve always needed.”
Another first for me this year. I’ve never read one of Shanora’s books before and again I have to ask myself how did I miss this talented author?
The Man I Can’t have is a book with many layers, but not the obvious ones. You need to pay close attention to every detail.
In an ingenious way Shanora Williams hid hint after hint between the lines, they blended flawlessly into the story so that you didn’t pay them any attention. Only at the end she does make you see. Not only does she open your eyes to the hidden things happening in the story but you can’t help make the comparison to real life. How many things do we not see because they seem “normal”? How often do we miss hints that would give us a clue about what is going on?
”This fire. This forbidden power. The ache that only he can create and take away.”
To be honest, I was quite wary of this book. I’m not into cheating in romance books (neither I am in real life) but I’m very well aware that this is a thing and you can’t avoid being confronted with it or make it disappear just because you don’t want things like that to happen. Because it does. For very different reasons and each person involved needs to deal with it their own way. And each case is different.
This book shows it clear as a blue sky that not everything is black and white. Most things are something in between, a grey zone. Feeling lonely in a marriage/relationship is a real thing. So is staying in that marriage/relationship out of convenience. Everything about this books screams: Open your eyes, THIS is also reality.
”He is so perfect – everything I’ve always wanted in a man. Too bad he can’t never be mine.”
It took me some time to get used to the characters and their connection or lack thereof. It took me some time to connect to the characters, because each of them is complex in their own ways. Even though they might come across as simple, believe me: they are not!
The vibes, why Gabby lent towards Marcel are so relatable, it shocked me a little. And even though I want to say that Gabby comes across as a woman that’s not strong enough to stand up for herself and that she hides behind the fact that she is Kyle’s wife, she is everything but. She is real, her struggle is real and in the end it totally broke me.
Marcel seems to have a six sense, I can't explain it.He's a - by his past - broken soul and his soul recognized Gabby's instantly. This connection is not only obvious but tangible. You feel his struggle to stay away from Gabby in every fiber of yours and you really do get why he's breaking. Why both are breaking, giving in.
”How can a man survive knowing that sad truth? That he fell in love with a woman he can’t even have?”
With The Man I Can't Have, Shanora Williams delivers a story that challenges your fundamental principles. This book is incredibly moving and leaves you hanging with a big bang cliffhanger.
”He isn’t the man I can’t have. He’s the man I’ve always needed.”
pattyfgd's review
5.0
This is not my typical romance, but with the narration team, and an author I love, I took the chance. Kyle and Gabby just got married and now have moved to a new house, a new town and are starting their new life together. Kyle travels a lot, so Gabby decides to take on the project of landscaping her backyard. With recommendations, she hires Marcel Ward and the chemistry between these two is palpable. It's only a matter of time before the sparks ignite. This is what bothered me I think. While I didn't like Kyle, and I know Gabby is lonely, it's hard to wrap my head around these two even thinking about getting together. Until the last chapter. Now with this ending, and I need more and want to get the rest of the story! The entire book is a huge build up to this intense cliffhanger, it's imperative to get the next book and find out the where things will lead. It's hot and steamy, it's guilt ridden and frustrating, it's loving and passionate and it's surprising and horrifying! All the things you love to have in a story and keep you on the edge wondering!
Lacy Laurel and Aiden Snow are amazing in the narration. Give these two any story and it will keep me entertained, but this one was exceptional. Lacy brings Gabby all the feelings. You can feel her loyalty and conflict, as well as the growing uncertainty and passion as the story progresses. Aiden is using that raspy growl of his, with an accent to make you swoon. He is alpha protective as Marcel, and you can feel his growing frustration and love through his voice inflections. I can't wait to hear the conclusion of their story.
Lacy Laurel and Aiden Snow are amazing in the narration. Give these two any story and it will keep me entertained, but this one was exceptional. Lacy brings Gabby all the feelings. You can feel her loyalty and conflict, as well as the growing uncertainty and passion as the story progresses. Aiden is using that raspy growl of his, with an accent to make you swoon. He is alpha protective as Marcel, and you can feel his growing frustration and love through his voice inflections. I can't wait to hear the conclusion of their story.
beckyrendon's review against another edition
4.0
Do you ever feel guilty about a book? Do you ever feel like you are betraying someone for reading said book?
I read the blurb for this book and I was so intrigued I had to have it. But as time wore on, I started to feel guilty. Irrational, yes but legitimate. I was worried about my emotions. What if?
What if I fall for the other man? What if I try to rationalize "bad behavior" ? What if...I don't? What if I love it so much? Does it make me a bad person?
I can't answer any of those questions for you but for me. I fell. I fell hard. Rationalizing doesn't help/work or change anything. And for the most part, I'm not a bad person. The Man I Can't Have is definitely going to keep my on edge. The ending left me twisting in the wind and raging out. I was contemplating Hulk Smashing stuff but since I'm on an airplane I figured I should reign it in.
I can't fully "verbalize" how this book has effected me. I know I should continue to feel guilty for being a bystander but I just want to kick some ass. I want to call Ricky ( and maybe shake him too!).
I'm the end, I'm stuck in limbo waiting. I need to know what happens.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
I read the blurb for this book and I was so intrigued I had to have it. But as time wore on, I started to feel guilty. Irrational, yes but legitimate. I was worried about my emotions. What if?
What if I fall for the other man? What if I try to rationalize "bad behavior" ? What if...I don't? What if I love it so much? Does it make me a bad person?
I can't answer any of those questions for you but for me. I fell. I fell hard. Rationalizing doesn't help/work or change anything. And for the most part, I'm not a bad person. The Man I Can't Have is definitely going to keep my on edge. The ending left me twisting in the wind and raging out. I was contemplating Hulk Smashing stuff but since I'm on an airplane I figured I should reign it in.
I can't fully "verbalize" how this book has effected me. I know I should continue to feel guilty for being a bystander but I just want to kick some ass. I want to call Ricky ( and maybe shake him too!).
I'm the end, I'm stuck in limbo waiting. I need to know what happens.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
caseroo7's review against another edition
3.0
I liked Marcel, but Gabby had her moments where she really annoyed me. I will read the next one because I need to know how it ends.
jackiemcee's review against another edition
5.0
I love reading tropes like this recently so yeah, 5 stars. Even though I don't agree with how that cliffy turned out. I mean, not all marriages are rainbow and butterflies but to counter that illicit affair for an abusive husband as a plot seems like a cop out to me.
jennyluvlitbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my god! What is this? Gah! This book just about stumped me! I don’t know what to say! Yes, I’m shouting, screaming mess when I reached the ending. I just can’t! Because- it’s- GAH!!!
You are probably thinking what has gotten into me. Believe me, I’m clueless too. I was just here, reading along, slowly getting to know the characters, living this very realistic world that the author is depicting, feeling the angst of Gabby and Marcel’s love story, thinking already that I know how this is going to end, and then suddenly, BAM! You can imagine how I look at that time: mouth hanging open, completely baffled, thinking “what the what?” because that plot twist near the end was something I didn’t see coming! Whoa!!!
I have always said that I will try and read tropes that I haven’t tried before and this book is one of those. I admit, after reading the title and blurb, I was a bit conflicted. Cheating in any form is not something I can just ignore in any book. No sir. I even said, I can already guess what was the story based on the title of this book alone (I was partly right, by the way but still…) It was a very pleasant surprise. I LOVED it. It was INSANE!
And Marcel, my man. I can say his name over and over and I will never get tired. I will go on and say this; he is my new book boyfriend. There is no way you can’t fall for this guy. His depth in character and his pain is something you can relate to. He is clearly the man that Gabby needs. You will know why when you read this story. At first, I had Gabby pegged as a naïve, sweet, weak woman but as the story progressed, I was amazed by her strong will.
With that little cliffhanger ending and questions burning in my mind, I’m surely going to read the last book in this duet.
You are probably thinking what has gotten into me. Believe me, I’m clueless too. I was just here, reading along, slowly getting to know the characters, living this very realistic world that the author is depicting, feeling the angst of Gabby and Marcel’s love story, thinking already that I know how this is going to end, and then suddenly, BAM! You can imagine how I look at that time: mouth hanging open, completely baffled, thinking “what the what?” because that plot twist near the end was something I didn’t see coming! Whoa!!!
I have always said that I will try and read tropes that I haven’t tried before and this book is one of those. I admit, after reading the title and blurb, I was a bit conflicted. Cheating in any form is not something I can just ignore in any book. No sir. I even said, I can already guess what was the story based on the title of this book alone (I was partly right, by the way but still…) It was a very pleasant surprise. I LOVED it. It was INSANE!
And Marcel, my man. I can say his name over and over and I will never get tired. I will go on and say this; he is my new book boyfriend. There is no way you can’t fall for this guy. His depth in character and his pain is something you can relate to. He is clearly the man that Gabby needs. You will know why when you read this story. At first, I had Gabby pegged as a naïve, sweet, weak woman but as the story progressed, I was amazed by her strong will.
With that little cliffhanger ending and questions burning in my mind, I’m surely going to read the last book in this duet.
muffreads42's review against another edition
5.0
First time on the kitchen table OMG!! This book blew me away. Such amazing characters, my emotions were all over the place. And that cliffhanger ending!! I look forward to reading the next book. This book is a MUST read y'all I loved it. ARC received for honest opinion.