Some universal truths refuse to be ignored.
Peanut butter and jelly are a match made in heaven. Spaghetti and meatballs are best friends forever. And guys like Tyler Knight don’t go for girls like Cam Emerson.
She knew from the second she met him that he didn’t belong on her bookshelf, the six-foot-six ex-tight end with a face so all-American, it could have sold apple pie. So she shelved him next to the supermodels and rock stars and took her place on her own shelf — the one with the flannel-clad, pasty-faced comic book nerds. Most of her boyfriends have existed between the pages of books, but rather than worrying over her own lacking love life, she puts all her energy into playing Cupid, using her job at the book bar, Wasted Words, as her stomping ground.
Tyler Knight always looks on the bright side. His career-ending injury turned into a job as a sports agent. A horrible breakup led him to Cam, his quirky, smart roommate who is far more beautiful than she realizes. She’s made it perfectly clear she’s not interested in him — not like that at least — but if she ever changes her mind, he won’t hesitate. Because he doesn’t see the lines she’s drawn between them, as much as she insists that they’re there. Deep down he knows that despite their differences, they’re a match well made.
*A romantic comedy inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma*
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29589501-wasted-words
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Review
Words can muddle…can anger…can confuse…can frustrate…can condemn…can destroy
But wasted words seem to be more powerful than those said because unsaid words fester and consume, and the longer they remain hidden and secret, the more time they have the power to undo everything already established…everything that makes someone feel alive and whole.
Cam Emerson would rather risk other people’s hearts than her own because the hurt she went through when she put her heart on the line left her with a set of rules that allowed for very little heartache, and since that time, she’s managed to stick to her rulebook, only dating people on her shelf, but when Tyler Knight becomes her roommate, her friend, and someone she can’t live without, Tyler becomes the exception to Cam’s rules, but if she doesn’t get out of her own head and stop accepting other people’s words as truth, the man who burns for her…her perfect match despite their differences, may say the words she never wants to hear – goodbye.
Like all of Staci Hart’s heroines, I adored Cam, but she also frustrated the hell out of me; I don’t know if it’s because she reminds me so much of myself and the way I overanalyze everything or if it’s the fact that she appears to be this free spirited, quirky woman whose love for everything book related doesn’t allow her to see the reality of things as clearly as she should. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand why her views on dating and who fits whom were established, but as much as she’s able to read people and see patterns between them I question why she can’t see through Kyle’s and her own bullshit long enough to see how honest and open Tyler is and communicate her fears to him before it’s too late.
Tyler Knight is definitely book boyfriend worthy. He could have allowed his career ending injury to harden him or destroy his sense of self, but he didn’t, and even at his lowest, he worked towards something instead of giving in to the pain and depression. Tyler is an amazing person inside and out, and regardless of his movie star good looks and social status, he knows what he wants, and when he sees someone as real and as unique as Cam is, that’s what he sets his sights on, but he can only do so much when Cam’s insecurities and fears send her running away from him instead of to him, making him wonder if his words are wasted on her.
Wasted Words is another witty, quirky, and steamy read, and the friends to lovers trope is one of my favorites, so I was hooked from the start, anxiously anticipating when Cam and Tyler finally gave into their attraction and gave themselves to one another. Their road to coupledom is definitely bumpy and there’s a lot worry and doubt on Cam’s end, but finding the person who is perfect for someone regardless of differences is what every person deserves.
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
4 Poison Apples
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, even though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey. Her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.
From roots in Houston, to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s sleeping, cleaning, or designing graphics.
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