The Crush

The Crush

  • Downloads:7610
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-05-17 10:51:47
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Penelope Ward
  • ISBN:1951045467
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone, second-chance story of forbidden love…

It’s natural to want the one you can’t have。 And for as long as I could remember, I’d secretly wanted my brother’s best friend, Jace。

He was six years older and always treated me like the sister he never had。

Fast forward a decade。

We were all in our twenties now。 Jace had moved in with my brother, Nathan, and me to help us make ends meet after our parents died。

It was just the three of us—an odd family dynamic。

Living under our roof, Jace was as bossy and protective as ever。

But he certainly didn’t look at me like a sister anymore。 That was what made things so complicated。

I was pretty much hot and bothered twenty-four-seven。

And he was torn。

The signs were subtle, at first。 Like on movie night, I’d casually rest my leg against his, and he wouldn’t exactly shift away。

Still, I assumed he would never…go there。

Nathan would kill us。

The knowledge of that wasn’t enough to stop the inevitable, though。

Eventually our slow burn exploded。

But more than the physical attraction, we’d developed a strong connection。

We just couldn’t get caught, right?

That sounded simple。

Until it wasn’t。

This is a story of forbidden love, broken trust, and an unexpected second chance。

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Reviews

Plainweird

29% DNF。。。。 I love slow-romances and friends-to-lovers but this was ridic。

Romy

Si pudiera le doy 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 estrellas。 Un libro hermoso como siempre Penelope Ward。

Íris

3。75 🌟

Carole Grossman

A real dilemma!Another very enjoyable read,, so far I can’t pick my favorite! I just have t read all before a decision

Inuyasha

“To family…the one you’re born into and the one you make。” The perfect book if your looking for a light read

Raksha R

Love me a good “girl loves her brother’s best friend” trope :)

eni ♕

Ever since he said “you’re way deeper than the little girl who used to chew on her hair”when she was recommending meditation to him, I gave up on this book。 Good God!And he caught her sniffing his dirty laundry。 Jeez, I will not read this。

Alicia

I absolutely loved this book! Penelope Ward is amazing at writing romance books that give you all the feels。 I listened to it on audiobook and the narrators did an amazing job。 I loved reading about both Farrah and Jace’s characters。

Reading with 2 book lovers

This was a very good story。 I liked these charaters

~Bookaholic Priya~

✨✨4。1 Stars✨✨

Skye Yanovsky

Love! This best friends little sister romance gave me all the feels。 I really enjoyed this forbidden romance that had so many ups & downs that I had in my eyes when reading。 It’s very intense and consuming in a way that this author always does and I always love。

Felicia

As always 。。。As always I stay with a smile, laugh, get emotional and end with a smile again。 I love not being able to put a book down and Penelope Ward doesn’t disappoint。

Bonnie Fenyves F

Just finished! A great read! I recommend it!

Vanessa97

3,5⭐

Robee Ng

This book had A LOT of potential, yet it did not deliver。 1。5 star ☆ I am the BIGGEST fan of the brother's-best-friend trope and I really thought this book would do it for me, but everything felt too scripted, almost as if I was reading something off of Wattpad, and trust me, I love Wattpad, but this felt like I was just reading things that would hype the audience and not really a development within the characters。 All the events were there because it felt like they needed to be。 The dialogue fe This book had A LOT of potential, yet it did not deliver。 1。5 star ☆ I am the BIGGEST fan of the brother's-best-friend trope and I really thought this book would do it for me, but everything felt too scripted, almost as if I was reading something off of Wattpad, and trust me, I love Wattpad, but this felt like I was just reading things that would hype the audience and not really a development within the characters。 All the events were there because it felt like they needed to be。 The dialogue felt unrealistic, too long, and just not smooth? Everything was cliche, in the worst possible way。 I absolutely loathed how needy and desperate the heroine was, how she was always pining after the hero throughout the storyline。 She even mentions it herself, her feelings for him were bordering on obsession。 Uhm, no thank you。 There was no build-up in their relationship, we didn't see the emotional connection between the two, it was always just the sexual intimacy that brought them together, even if they say it's more than that, as readers we never really saw what that was。 We didn't feel how Jace fell for Farrah, we just know he did despite the consequences of pursuing that relationship, even if the book was a duo POV。 The first 25% of the novel was bearable, admittedly I loved how it started– a perspective in the now that shifted to events three years ago, but the other 75% was me skimming through the story。 At some point, I really did not want to finish it because I was just over it。It was an easy read, but I don't recommend it。 。。。more

Lola

I rarely write reviews because I’m too lazy but i have to get something off my chest。 This book wasted my time。 It’s SO SO BORING。 I DNF it and don’t recommend it。

Kelly

So this is a brother's best friend romance which I love as a trope。 However, I have mixed feelings about this book。 First off the book takes place in two different times three years apart。 So we know immediately going into the book from the prologue that whatever happens between the two main characters doesn't work out。 This is also a second chance romance which I do not like as a trope。 So you have a trope I love, and a trope I dislike。 However, I did enjoy the book。 It just ended up being very So this is a brother's best friend romance which I love as a trope。 However, I have mixed feelings about this book。 First off the book takes place in two different times three years apart。 So we know immediately going into the book from the prologue that whatever happens between the two main characters doesn't work out。 This is also a second chance romance which I do not like as a trope。 So you have a trope I love, and a trope I dislike。 However, I did enjoy the book。 It just ended up being very eh for me, middle of the road。 A lot of things I typically dislike were included as plot points, but done tastefully well, where other instances felt a bit off, particularly some of the dialogue。 Overall, I liked this book but it wasn't anything amazing。 I might be biased though because I read this book immediately after reading my favorite book of the year so far, A Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L。 Armentrout。 Anyways, I might give this author another try because I've heard good things about her books, and I did enjoy this one。 。。。more

Ria

Ok but forgettableThere’s really not much to say about this book。 It took me an abnormally long time to get into this book。 Overall my final feeling on this book was good but I can’t say I can really remember what actually happened。 I felt there was a lot of unnecessary parts to this book so it was just kind of boring。 Nothing excited me or grabbed me。 The romance felt a bit “forced” to me like I didn’t feel a connection like I have with other books。 I think I had too high expectations or someth Ok but forgettableThere’s really not much to say about this book。 It took me an abnormally long time to get into this book。 Overall my final feeling on this book was good but I can’t say I can really remember what actually happened。 I felt there was a lot of unnecessary parts to this book so it was just kind of boring。 Nothing excited me or grabbed me。 The romance felt a bit “forced” to me like I didn’t feel a connection like I have with other books。 I think I had too high expectations or something because this book failed to deliver。 I spent most of my time reading this book contemplating whether or not to dnf it。 I’m not sure it’s even worth 3 stars to me but the ending got slightly better which redeemed it slightly in my eyes。 。。。more

Ashley Seymour

I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I truly like a book published solely by Penelope, I love the stuff with Vi but not books by her alone。 I skimmed through the first half of this book and by skimmed I mean didn’t read half of it。 I tried to give the second have a good chance but I felt nothing between these characters and I didn’t end up finishing it。

Tammy

Older Brother's Best Friend- the forbidden love。So well written- loved it so much Older Brother's Best Friend- the forbidden love。So well written- loved it so much 。。。more

Joy Marjyia

a phenomenal master piece book I LOVEEE IT i finished it in two days!! couldn't Stopppp literally。。。。I recommend this book sooo muchhh Thank youauthor for this amazing book ❤ can't wait to read more of your work。 a phenomenal master piece book I LOVEEE IT i finished it in two days!! couldn't Stopppp literally。。。。I recommend this book sooo muchhh Thank youauthor for this amazing book ❤ can't wait to read more of your work。 。。。more

Hannah Sydney

2。5

Katie Sue

I had a bad feeling early on when the h is basically slut shamed for wearing a sexy outfit。 H and the brother pretty much tell her she’s invititing men to sexually harass her and I’m thinking 。。。 “uh。。 it’s 2021, we don’t blame women for the actions of men。” Additionally later on the guys use the term “whore” for describing nothing but a sex positive attitude and then for women in general。 C’mon Ms。 Ward。。。 you’re better than this。

Dayang

3。5⭐️

Sarah Salvaggio

I enjoyed but was not a can't put down。 I would recommend to others。 I enjoyed but was not a can't put down。 I would recommend to others。 。。。more

Pari

So I've been in a rut, haven't read a book in about 3 weeks but this book honestly rescued me! It's a short and sweet story which gave me ALL the feels。 Jace and Farrah reminded me of Connell and Marianne from Normal People, the way that throughout their lives they always find their way back and the way that both the male character's have an overprotective, vulnerable but understanding personality。 Second chance romances aren't really my thing, I prefer meet-cutes but this has changed me! (Proba So I've been in a rut, haven't read a book in about 3 weeks but this book honestly rescued me! It's a short and sweet story which gave me ALL the feels。 Jace and Farrah reminded me of Connell and Marianne from Normal People, the way that throughout their lives they always find their way back and the way that both the male character's have an overprotective, vulnerable but understanding personality。 Second chance romances aren't really my thing, I prefer meet-cutes but this has changed me! (Probably helps with the fact that it also encompasses my favourite trope ever: brother's best friend) Looking forward to seeing what other books Penelope and Vi come out with! 。。。more

jess

brother’s best friend + second chance trope。。。。 a SERVE

Brekycia Jackson

Never disappointedThanks again as always Penelope Ward Has once again written an exhilarating,sexy,heart throbbing romantic book。 Every story that she tells I can't put it down。 Thanks again Never disappointedThanks again as always Penelope Ward Has once again written an exhilarating,sexy,heart throbbing romantic book。 Every story that she tells I can't put it down。 Thanks again 。。。more

Debbie

Relatable in too many ways。。I don't want to give spoilers but this story hit really close to home。。 my dad was shot and killed when I was only 3 years old and loosing a parent that way is something that can't be described in words but Penelope Ward came pretty darn close。。 this was an emotional roller-coaster but I enjoyed the ride。。 sexy, sweet, funny, sad, but perfect。。 thank you for writing about the messier parts of life as well as the half ones! Relatable in too many ways。。I don't want to give spoilers but this story hit really close to home。。 my dad was shot and killed when I was only 3 years old and loosing a parent that way is something that can't be described in words but Penelope Ward came pretty darn close。。 this was an emotional roller-coaster but I enjoyed the ride。。 sexy, sweet, funny, sad, but perfect。。 thank you for writing about the messier parts of life as well as the half ones! 。。。more

Melanie Atchley Robb

Loved this bookThe story was cohesive and written very well。 I felt bad for Farah, stuck between her brother and Jace。 In my opinion, though, I really didn't feel that Nathan should have had any say in the affair。 He redeems himself, however。 I wanted to give poor Farah some Zoloft。 This book has a great HEA。 This is a steamy story, sometimes sizzling。 It has all the components I like in contemporary romance。 Loved this bookThe story was cohesive and written very well。 I felt bad for Farah, stuck between her brother and Jace。 In my opinion, though, I really didn't feel that Nathan should have had any say in the affair。 He redeems himself, however。 I wanted to give poor Farah some Zoloft。 This book has a great HEA。 This is a steamy story, sometimes sizzling。 It has all the components I like in contemporary romance。 。。。more