Fans of friends to lovers romances are going to LOVE Brighton Walsh’s Plus One. This novella is fun, flirty and delightfully steamy. Please click
HERE to read my review in its entirety. ( )

Such a quick, fun read. A really sweet pick-me-up.
Wouldn't it be amazing if life really happened like that? You had weddings to go to and didn't have a date, and your best friend (who is secretely in love with you since forever) offered to be your plus one... and you fall madly in love?
Yeah, thank God there are talented writers out there to feed us these happily ever afters.
Brighton Walsh did an excellent job with this little story. I enjoyed it very much in between some heavier novels.
( )

Originally reviewed for These Pretty Words.

I purchased my copy of Plus One on release day yet never even loaded it onto my Nook. I wasn’t reading at the time and definitely wasn’t in the mood for any kind of romance as I was deep in the I-Have-An-Infant-And-Never-Get-To-Sleep mode. Months later, I was looking for something quick to read while on vacation and finally loaded up my copy of Brighton’s novel.

I didn’t put it down until I had hit the final page.

The book opens with the main female character, Olivia, in the middle of a ridiculously bad date, which appears to be a repetitive issue for her. At the ripe old age of thirty-two, she’s beginning to wonder if Mr. Right (or even Mr. Right-Now) is out there, while also trying to figure out how to not end up dateless for the nine upcoming weddings she has invitations for. Having passed that magical moment of “OMG How did I become a spinster already and why are all my friends getting married right now?” I totally understood the pressure and anxiety she felt in this situation. Even if I hadn’t passed (and survived, I might add) that milestone, Olivia’s voice comes through loud and clear on the page. Brighton writes a main character with spunk and sass, one who knows who she is and isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind. She’s relatable, adorable and had me laughing out loud more than once.

Now let’s talk about Ian, shall we? Olivia’s best friend’s younger brother, Ian has been one of her closest friends for most of her life. He’s funny, handsome, charming and completely, madly in love with a clueless Olivia. He also happens to be sexy and flirtatious, but we get to that a bit later. Ian left town to move beyond his childhood crush, but agreeing to be Olivia’s “plus one” for all of the weddings she needs dates for brings back all those old feelings. The longing, the confusion, the want…Ian’s unrequited love is a true gut-knotter. You can feel how much he loves Olivia through his thoughts and words, and you just want to crawl into the pages and play matchmaker for the couple. Unfortunately, he has no idea how to move their relationship from great-friends to great-in-bed…but after a few weeks of cocktails and other people’s wedding vows, he’s willing to try.

The sexual tension between these two simply skyrockets as the book progresses. Every touch, every dress, every dance…it all builds up, setting and keeping a fast pace through words so pretty, you’ll be cheering out loud for these two to get together. Every sentence, every bit of witty banter between these two, leads up to Olivia and Ian pushing their relationship so far out of the friend zone, they may never find their way back.

At least we all hope they don’t.

I gave this a five star rating on Goodreads. It’s an adorable story with a strong female lead and a swoony male counterpart. Plus One is sweet and charming and will leave you wishing this was just the beginning of a series so you could see more of Olivia and Ian as they navigate the not-just-friends-zone together. This is definitely a go, run, buy – NOW! kind of book. ( )

Adorable! ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Plus One is a sweet romantic contemporary, perfect for a weekend read.

Opening Sentence: “So, interesting fact,” the guy sitting across from her said.

The Review:

Plus One by Brighton Walsh is a sweet and delightful read. I was lucky enough to be given a chance to read this one early, and I couldn’t wait. I’ve heard from many friends that Walsh’s writing was realistic and familiar; easily allowing the reader to feel like the story belonged to a friend.

Plus One is about Olivia and the single dating scene. But during wedding season, being single isn’t always ideal. She has had her share of bad dates and along with them the interesting men they’re with. But when her best friend, Ian, offers to be her plus one, how could she pass up the chance? Ian has always been there for her, what more could she ask for? Ian’s innocent offer might backfire on him. He has had a long-time crush on Olivia, never acting for fear of possibly destroying the friendship. But the frequent wedding dates and the close proximity make it harder for him, as well as Olivia. Will their friendship grow into something more?

Olivia is someone that I quickly related to. She was a simple girl who had a romantic side to her. She’s like a lot of average women out there, looking for love when it just doesn’t want to be found. At least, it’s not anywhere she was likely to look. Olivia was someone I wanted to be friends with, and that is always a trait that I find to be good for a main character. I sympathized with her, and longed to find her a forever mate.

Ian is a familiar character to me. It’s like Walsh took him out of my memories and put him on the page. He was someone that I naturally gravitated towards. Not just by his personality and charm, but also for his actions. Ian is a gentleman, regardless of his affections for Olivia. His internal monologue was entertaining, and I want to think that that’s how it really is inside a man’s head.

Walsh’s writing comes out naturally, allowing humor to fill the pages. Her chosen words hook you into the story and her characters and plot allow you to stay. She fills the pages with meaningful content, never adding anything extra for any reason. When I read her words, I understood them and took them in, allowing me to enjoy the story even more.

Plus One is the perfect read to start your weekend or vacation. It will put you in the best mood for all the happy things to come. It has great characters and a wonderful story. It’s quick, which is sad, because I wanted to know more. But in theory, that’s awesome because Walsh is a talented writer.

I hope to read more of Walsh’s work in the near future. Plus One is a great read, and I think you will feel the same way also.

Notable Scene:

She signed as she pulled into her parking spot, then grabbed her purse before switching him back to her phone. The garage was brightly lit as she headed toward the elevator. “Okay, Knight in Shining Armor, I’m home now. Thanks for the rescue.”

“Hey, Livvy,” he said quickly, catching her before she hung up.

“Yeah?”

“I, um, I could help you, you know.”

Olivia’s eyebrows drew together. “Help me with what?”

“All the weddings,” he answered. “I could be your plus one.”

FTC Advisory: Carina Press provided me with a copy of Plus One. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )