Love has no rules.
It’s been a year since Eden Munro last saw Tyler Bruce: her stepbrother…and secret love. Although they swore to ignore their feelings and put their family first, Eden can’t help but feel excited when Tyler invites her to join him in New York City for the summer.
But it’s not like anything is going to happen. Eden is happy with her boyfriend Dean, and she knows gorgeous, green-eyed Tyler must have moved on as well. But as they spend the long, hot summer in the city that never sleeps, it becomes obvious that those old feelings are still there…simmering beneath the surface. Will Tyler and Eden be able to resist temptation?
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: March 1, 2016
I was provided with an eArc from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! Also, I buddy-read it with Cristina @My Tiny Obsessions, so make sure to head over to her blog in the following days to check out her review! (It is out now, click here to read it!)
This is the second book in the DIMILY trilogy and I would advise against you reading this if you haven’t read the first book! (You can check out my previous post here.) Otherwise I am trying to make this a spoiler-free review, I can’t say the same about the comment-section.
I think I wasn’t aware how much time had actually passed between the first and the second book – 2 years is a lot! And to me it showed how much everyone can change in that amount of time. Eden, who is still dating Dean, has become so much more irritating, because she is just constantly jealous of the girls (of whom there are not that many) in Tyler’s life. I get the sting of jealousy every now and then but this girl was beyond reason in some instances. However, I am glad she realised that at some point herself.
And then there is Tyler. I wasn’t his biggest fan in the first book and he still makes some stupid decisions, but I like him so much more now. I am really rooting for him and not just with Eden either, but for him as a person in general – to actually fully heal and get better. He has become much more responsible and even there are still the anger issues, I hope that’s what he is tackling next.
There was some drinking and cheating in the first book and it’s going to happen again. The thing is that this time the cheating is a lot less excusable, because we aren’t talking about psycho Tiffani but rather about sweet and nice Dean. He’d deserve so much better and there are obviously going to consequences. Much more severe ones than the last time.
Without wanting to give away too much, you can definitely expect a couple of faces from the past beside Eden, Tyler and Dean though. None of whom I like very much by now. Then there are also some new characters and despite me being dubious of some of them at first, I think they are a great addition.
The new setting in New York City was quite cool, because of Maskame really describing the place from the eyes of an excited teen who’s never been there before. However, sometimes it was just a little too much for me. Sure, you can talk about the Central Park or Empire State Building, but if you go on about certain street numbers I have no clue where on the map we are.
In the end, I enjoyed getting back into the mess of Eden and Tyler. Their situation is a little uncommon and complicated, but I still don’t think that they were wrong to fall in love. It can happen! But it’s their surroundings that make everything so darn difficult and it’s interesting to see how they handle everything. But the last chapter – I am so not cool with the cliffhanger this ended on! It does make sense, don’t get me wrong, but it was just so harsh and raw! It’s devastating when you know that something has to happen, but everyone still gets hurt. I need to read how this is all going to come together in Did I Mention I Miss You?.
Fazit: 4/5 stars! Despite me not liking it as much as the first book, it’s still a really gripping story with a lot of emotions coursing through you while reading. I will definitely continue with the series!
Do you intend to read Did I Mention I Need You? Have you read the first book? What’s your take on step-siblings falling in love?
Cliffhangers kill me. It takes me days of thinking to try and sort it all out.
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I hear you! I hate cliffhangers too. I’m a little bit more okay with them in romance novels than I am in SciFi or Dystopian stories. With the romance stories I am not so afraid that someone will die hahaha
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Right? I can’t stand not knowing what might happen to a character I dig.
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It’s the worst!
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i love your review. you obviously know how i feel about it, because we talked 24/7 about this, but it’s interesting how some of the things that you didn’t like as much, are the ones that I did. I liked the cheating better in this book exactly because it was inexcusable. I think this book felt more real (and raw) than the first one. Eden was a bit annoying, but Tyler grew up so much, and I felt like a proud mama on the last chapter… sure, it hurt like hell, and I wish it didn’t have to happen, but it does, so I’m happy with it. Let’s see what another year will bring 😀
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Thaaaank you 😀 I think it’s hilarious that we are diverging for once on something. It happens so rarely hahaha But yes, it did feel more real this time around and like less “fake” drama, if you know what I mean. The kind of drama that is simply created by other people because they need attention for example *cough* Tiffani *cough*.
I love the transformation Tyler went through! I am really rooting for him to work everything out.
I am really excited for Did I Mention I Miss You?. Since it’s coming out in April in the UK, maybe we’ll get a copy around that time?
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hmm, isn’t it out on the UK yet? our versions are from the US, yes? Yes, I’m rooting for Tyler, so so much. should we talk about that 4h27min video? because come on… how sweet was that?
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I’ve read it on her Twitter feed that the UK one will be out in April and I think the US one in June?
THAT VIDEO WAS THE MOST ADORABLE THING ON THE PLANET!!! How can he even remember all that stuff?
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because he’s been living for her since they met. because he never had anyone else (for sure). because he’s super romantic, apparently. and he loves the hell out of her
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I knooow. I really didn’t think he was such a romantic, I kinda like it though!
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i like it too. and i thought he was patient with her during that whole time – it can’t have been easy to see her with Dean during all that time, but I liked how he said that if he couldn’t be with her, he would rather she was with someone good like Dean.
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He was really selfless then, like he really put her first. But seen as he hasn’t fully healed yet, he couldn’t do that forever. I hope he concentrates on himself now and then they can live happily ever after, after Dave and Ella get a divorce because Dave is a prick …
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you know how much I support that! Dave should end up alone! he doesn’t deserve his family. and Ella deserves better, she needs to catch a break. and oh yeah, Tyler needs to get his head in order. he needs to be happy alone, not only when Eden is with him
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Yes, yes and yes! 😀
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i just hope she finished with her next boyfriend before anything happens with tyler in third third book
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I forgot about the Chicago dude … I hope so too. If she cheats again … I don’t know … it’s just not cool.
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well, i was reading the blurb and it doesn’t mention him. where did we see him?
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Hahaha I saw him nowhere. You told me about him!
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damn, i was sure I had read it somewhere. well, maybe they’ll both the alone for the first time.
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I am in favour of that!
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me too. it would be a nice change
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btw, next one is in portland 🙂
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YAAAAAAAAS! A place I’ve actually been to!
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and I haven’t 😛
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even though Chicago would have been nice too.
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yep, it would, but it is in the summer. 😀 and tyler is doing well 😀
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I know … but I wonder why she’d be in Portland. I hope her mum doesn’t split up with her boyfriend and move back there …
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no, here:
Eden’s on her way back to Santa Monica for the summer, and she hasn’t seen Tyler since the devastating fallout of their forbidden relationship. Eden claims to have moved on—but Tyler wants to rekindle the flame.
He convinces Eden to visit his new home in Portland, Oregon, where he has set up a center for troubled teens. Eden’s proud of what he’s built, but the last time they were together, it nearly destroyed Eden and their family. Then a tragedy draws them together, and Eden must search her heart and decide if Tyler is worth the risk once and for all.
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:O WHAT IS THE TRAGEDY? Maybe it’s one of the teens from the center? What if Ty’s dad comes into play? My mind is reeling with possibilities now …
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i don’t know :(, i hope it’s not his dad though, why would he be in portland? one teen, and accident maybe? as long as neither of them is hurt, I think i can be cool about it. I hope Jamie apologizes to his brother though
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If he does apologize, I hope it was way before this book hahaha
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yes, me too. but I don’t know… =/ and rachael? I kind of hope she’s not even in Eden’s life anymore
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I hope so too! She is a crappy friend … but didn’t she have like one remaining friend in Portland? What happened to that girl?
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she never mentioned her again =/ but she also tried to be duplomatic between everyone. what’s the deal with that? i get it to some degree, but some things are not forgivable. and by the way, I was thinking in the shower today… when Eden and Emily get into the apartment and Ty is there with Tiffani, wasn’t Emily knocking for over 15 minutes? was Ty already in there with Tif? and what were they doing? they didn’t have sex (not yet), so how come he didn’t open the door? – yes, my 6a.m. shower was productive
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That’s kind of sad … but you are right … she was very Rachael-y in that regard …
LOL! The things you think about in the shower hahaha but I have no idea! I guess they were making out and he ignored the door because he was in his angry-phase. You know how he used to be, he could be a real prick.
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yes, but would they be making out for over 15 minutes and just have her blouse slightly open? I don’t know… it was weird for me. i thought that maybe Em might have stepped out or something, but she had no time =/. and I’m still mad that he made out with Tif, I mean, come on dude, she pretended to be pregnant! but I also get that he wanted to get distracted and maybe also hurt Eden a bit 😦
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I have no idea what was going on … even if he wanted to hurt Eden, which I get, I really thought he wasn’t THAT dumb. Tiffani is manipulative and straight up poison. He shut off his brain on that one.
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completely :(, that was the one time i was disappointed at him. the weed I saw coming, and I didn’t think it was so out there
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The weed I still didn’t see coming exactly, but I didn’t consider it that big a deal. It’s just so harmless in comparison to coke or heroin or whatever. Also, it’s legal in some states hahaha
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I saw it coming when she asked him if everything was fine on her first night. And then the lighter… it’s not so much for the weed itself, but addicts can’t use anything… 😕
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Yeah … I guess so.
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Great review! This series is on my TBR list. Happy to know you’re enjoying it!
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Thank you! I liked it and it’s so impressive to think that Maskame started writing this at 13 … and then also a little disconcerting at some points hahaha
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Really? You’ve got me curious!
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The only thing I wasn’t too fond of was the excessive drinking …
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Ahh…
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Okay, I haven’t read the first book, so I skipped your review, BUT I do want to know what all the hype is about with that series, so I’ll certainly check it out sometime 😀
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I like the series, apart from the excessive drinking of teenagers hahaha
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Hahaha, okay…i don’t know how to get ready for that hahaha
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It’s still fun to read lol I just wanted you to know up front.
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[…] with Kat @Life and Other Disasters, and she already posted her review of it, and you can read it here! Secondly, this is the second book in the DIMILY trilogy, which means that there will be spoilers […]
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This sounds pretty good- I’ve not read the first one though, so I should probably check that one out. Also, I’m open to step-siblings falling in love cos they’re not related, so I don’t really see the issue- I suppose it depends how they act around each other. If they act like brother and sister then it’s weird
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I don’t have a problem with the step-siblings-love either. I guess they were just too immature to handle it in the first book but I would have preferred if they had told it their parents from the beginning. It makes sense. They are good looking teens who have never met before, so I don’t think it’s wrong. As you said, they are not related.
It’s a good series!
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yeah that makes sense- it only gets weird if you make it weird! yeah exactly! awesome! I’m looking forward to checking it out
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[…] Did I Mention I Need You? by Estelle Maskame (Read with Cristina @My Tiny Obsessions) […]
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[…] the final installment in the DIMILY series. (You can read my reviews for part one here and part two here) This was a buddy read with Cristina again and you will be able to read her very own review in a […]
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