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Love Notes #1
Scarlett XOXO
Some stories should never be told. Others have to be—it’s the only way.
Since moving back to my hometown of Hastings, Texas, I’ve been called a whore, tramp, and homewrecker. And maybe I’m all of those things and more.
But those people don’t know me. They don’t see me. They only see my mistakes.
My little brother is my entire world, and if I can give him what I never had—love and security—then returning to the town that hates me will be worth it.
I’m prepared for the whispers and stares, but the moment a knight in a black truck crosses my path, it’s clear that I’m not ready for kindness. As he, my brother’s sexy teacher, and the town’s golden boy work to break down my walls by standing between me and the hate, I find myself beginning to hope again.
Maybe redemption is within reach...if I share my story.
**Love Notes is a series of interconnected, reverse harem standalone novels. Though cheating is a theme throughout Scarlett XOXO, there is no cheating between the main characters.
Since moving back to my hometown of Hastings, Texas, I’ve been called a whore, tramp, and homewrecker. And maybe I’m all of those things and more.
But those people don’t know me. They don’t see me. They only see my mistakes.
My little brother is my entire world, and if I can give him what I never had—love and security—then returning to the town that hates me will be worth it.
I’m prepared for the whispers and stares, but the moment a knight in a black truck crosses my path, it’s clear that I’m not ready for kindness. As he, my brother’s sexy teacher, and the town’s golden boy work to break down my walls by standing between me and the hate, I find myself beginning to hope again.
Maybe redemption is within reach...if I share my story.
**Love Notes is a series of interconnected, reverse harem standalone novels. Though cheating is a theme throughout Scarlett XOXO, there is no cheating between the main characters.
454 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2020
About the author
Autumn Reed
26 books774 followersAutumn is a lifelong bookworm with a penchant for sarcasm. She loves cloudy days, fluffy dogs, and murdering succulents. When she isn't bringing daydreams to life on the page, she can be found behind the lens of a digital camera or binge-watching Veronica Mars.
To learn more about Autumn Reed, visit www.autumnreed.com.
To learn more about Autumn Reed, visit www.autumnreed.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
December 27, 2019
Scarlett is back in her hometown. Once the daughter of the local drunk, she now has notoriety of her own. She's the other woman. And her affair wasn't just with any man but the husband of the town's golden girl. So there are stares, name-calling, shaming, and shunning. Scarlett embraces it all. She deserves it. She didn't return home for forgiveness but for love. Not out of love for a man but that of a boy. She will do whatever it takes and endure whatever she must. She deserves the worst, he doesn't. But returning home isn't exactly as Scarlett expected. Second chances are rare but they do exist. A few good men and a best friend show her the unconditional support she needs to start over, to forgive herself, to live and love.
I am a fan of Autumn Reed. I have enjoyed each book she has released as a duo and as a solo writer. Her writing is varied, intelligent, entertaining, and well-done. Her characters always capture my attention, this one captured my heart. Scarlett XOXO is my favorite book of hers to date and since I have every one of her books on my Kindle and hard copies on my bookshelf, that is saying something. Anyone who has read my reviews should be surprised with my response to this book. Cheating is a hard line for me. Scarlett is the other woman. And yet, I not only sympathized with her, I loved her. She's flawed. She's made mistakes. She's human. She lacks the ability to see her own goodness, her own self-worth. She doesn't look for forgiveness or redemption because in her eyes, she is undeserving. She is wrong.
This is a story of ordinary days. It's a story of decisions, mistakes, and small gestures. A story of regret and redemption. A story of change and those who don't want to allow you that freedom. It's a story of life in all it's glory and ugliness. Scarlett faces life's everyday hardships. Life as a single "mother". A life full of debt. A life full of self-doubt. She also faces the guilt and shame of public mistakes in a small town. Small towns have long memories and never hold back their judgement. Scarlett faces each day bravely. Her own needs, dreams, and feelings are all ignored as she focuses on creating the childhood she barely had for the most important person in her life. A chance encounter, an offer, an opening to a second chance. Again, all ordinary. But this time it leads to extraordinary. Sometimes all it takes is one person to take a chance on you, to see something in you to help you onto a new path in life. Wyatt was that person for Scarlett. A serious, brooding bar owner, Wyatt was the first of Scarlett's friends. Jill, a waitress who recognized Scarlett as her new best friend, Brady, a warm, kind-hearted schoolteacher and their friend Carter, the heir to the local oil company soon followed. Scarlett's friends all cared enough to stand beside her and force her to see her own value. As she started to forgive herself, she realized that maybe not all of the town hated her either. It was a journey of self-forgiveness, finding self-worth, and self-love. Then it became a love story. Love in every form. Beautiful.
I embraced Scarlett's story. I identified with so many of the characters' insecurities, their personal hurts, their fears, regrets, and hopes. My heart was full of raw emotion throughout this read. It was so realistic, so well-written. I hope that this author has more stories like this one floating around in her head.
I am a fan of Autumn Reed. I have enjoyed each book she has released as a duo and as a solo writer. Her writing is varied, intelligent, entertaining, and well-done. Her characters always capture my attention, this one captured my heart. Scarlett XOXO is my favorite book of hers to date and since I have every one of her books on my Kindle and hard copies on my bookshelf, that is saying something. Anyone who has read my reviews should be surprised with my response to this book. Cheating is a hard line for me. Scarlett is the other woman. And yet, I not only sympathized with her, I loved her. She's flawed. She's made mistakes. She's human. She lacks the ability to see her own goodness, her own self-worth. She doesn't look for forgiveness or redemption because in her eyes, she is undeserving. She is wrong.
This is a story of ordinary days. It's a story of decisions, mistakes, and small gestures. A story of regret and redemption. A story of change and those who don't want to allow you that freedom. It's a story of life in all it's glory and ugliness. Scarlett faces life's everyday hardships. Life as a single "mother". A life full of debt. A life full of self-doubt. She also faces the guilt and shame of public mistakes in a small town. Small towns have long memories and never hold back their judgement. Scarlett faces each day bravely. Her own needs, dreams, and feelings are all ignored as she focuses on creating the childhood she barely had for the most important person in her life. A chance encounter, an offer, an opening to a second chance. Again, all ordinary. But this time it leads to extraordinary. Sometimes all it takes is one person to take a chance on you, to see something in you to help you onto a new path in life. Wyatt was that person for Scarlett. A serious, brooding bar owner, Wyatt was the first of Scarlett's friends. Jill, a waitress who recognized Scarlett as her new best friend, Brady, a warm, kind-hearted schoolteacher and their friend Carter, the heir to the local oil company soon followed. Scarlett's friends all cared enough to stand beside her and force her to see her own value. As she started to forgive herself, she realized that maybe not all of the town hated her either. It was a journey of self-forgiveness, finding self-worth, and self-love. Then it became a love story. Love in every form. Beautiful.
I embraced Scarlett's story. I identified with so many of the characters' insecurities, their personal hurts, their fears, regrets, and hopes. My heart was full of raw emotion throughout this read. It was so realistic, so well-written. I hope that this author has more stories like this one floating around in her head.
March 11, 2020
This was a meh book for me. It is rare to find a RH novel that is not paranormal, but the mechanics of the relationship seemed too good to be true. Seemingly by magic, two "normal" (??) macho dudes are so in love with a woman that they have no issues sharing her between them? I know this happens in real life, but undoubtedly conflict was a part of the process of getting there. The only thing we read in this book is Scarlett's own conflict with herself (and self loathing...GEEEEZZZZ the self-hate with this one! Oye). I guess the guys probably argued...right? We get no inside knowledge...it's just "hey Scarlett, let's both date you. Sounds cool as long as we all get a turn." It really did make it seem like she was just being passed around between them, which grossed me out.
Let's talk about Scarlett. She's perfect: curvy. Big boobs. Hourglass waist. Looks like "the love child of Marilyn Monroe and Sydney Poitier..." And she's 21 and yet has the maturity of a 35 year old. She's endlessly kind and selfless, and yet she hates herself so much for a mistake she made at 17 years old that is pretty much not her fault (if you take into account the mental and physical abuse making her easy to manipulate). And everyone loves her or is in love with her, even though her own self-loathing makes her think the entire town hates her for her past mistakes.
Are you gagging yet?
So...yeah. Scarlett's character just grated on me. She was too perfect. Made all the right decisions (after the one really dumb one she made before the book started which sets this all into motion). I suppose the reader was meant to feel sorry for her and see her need for forgiveness/acceptance/redemption as her main struggle to overcome. I could get behind that struggle if it was well written, but it was all too surface. And her change was seen through the lens of other people's responses to her. "The guys love me so I must be lovable....the townspeople are nice to me so I must be acceptable...Caroline came to see me so she forgives me" It just seemed so messed up. Am I the only one who thought this?
So I guess this book was okay-ish. The romance scenes were pretty bland and a serious missed opportunity. The guys lacked dimension to me apart from a few differentiating attributes that were thrown at the reader repeatedly to keep us unconfused (the cowboy who glares...the hot nerd with the gamer t-shirts...the rich, charismatic goofball). In the end, they blobbed together for me.
If you want an okay contemporary RH, give this one a try. I wasn't particularly taken with it either way, hence 3-stars.
Let's talk about Scarlett. She's perfect: curvy. Big boobs. Hourglass waist. Looks like "the love child of Marilyn Monroe and Sydney Poitier..." And she's 21 and yet has the maturity of a 35 year old. She's endlessly kind and selfless, and yet she hates herself so much for a mistake she made at 17 years old that is pretty much not her fault (if you take into account the mental and physical abuse making her easy to manipulate). And everyone loves her or is in love with her, even though her own self-loathing makes her think the entire town hates her for her past mistakes.
Are you gagging yet?
So...yeah. Scarlett's character just grated on me. She was too perfect. Made all the right decisions (after the one really dumb one she made before the book started which sets this all into motion). I suppose the reader was meant to feel sorry for her and see her need for forgiveness/acceptance/redemption as her main struggle to overcome. I could get behind that struggle if it was well written, but it was all too surface. And her change was seen through the lens of other people's responses to her. "The guys love me so I must be lovable....the townspeople are nice to me so I must be acceptable...Caroline came to see me so she forgives me" It just seemed so messed up. Am I the only one who thought this?
So I guess this book was okay-ish. The romance scenes were pretty bland and a serious missed opportunity. The guys lacked dimension to me apart from a few differentiating attributes that were thrown at the reader repeatedly to keep us unconfused (the cowboy who glares...the hot nerd with the gamer t-shirts...the rich, charismatic goofball). In the end, they blobbed together for me.
If you want an okay contemporary RH, give this one a try. I wasn't particularly taken with it either way, hence 3-stars.
June 4, 2023
4.5 stars
My second Autumn Reed book and I’m now a big fan.
Honestly, this had more in common with a small-town contemporary romance, complete with an outsider/hated FMC, than a typical reverse harem romance.
A lot of the story is about Scarlett (the FMC) overcoming her guilt and self-loathing after having an “affair” with a married man, a.k.a. recovering from an emotionally abusive “relationship”. (I’m using quotation marks because it was basically grooming, although it’s never labelled that in the book.)
I think my enjoyment of the book really came down to how invested I was in Scarlett as a character. I just wanted all the MMCs (Wyatt, Brady and Carter) to love and protect her - and they all had pretty good hero moments. The MMCs were less developed characters, but I didn’t mind that so much given the focus on Scarlett’s journey.
I do wish we got more insight into the whole reverse harem set up though. All of the characters were new to having multiple partners, but they kind of sorted a lot of that out off-page.
My second Autumn Reed book and I’m now a big fan.
Honestly, this had more in common with a small-town contemporary romance, complete with an outsider/hated FMC, than a typical reverse harem romance.
A lot of the story is about Scarlett (the FMC) overcoming her guilt and self-loathing after having an “affair” with a married man, a.k.a. recovering from an emotionally abusive “relationship”. (I’m using quotation marks because it was basically grooming, although it’s never labelled that in the book.)
I think my enjoyment of the book really came down to how invested I was in Scarlett as a character. I just wanted all the MMCs (Wyatt, Brady and Carter) to love and protect her - and they all had pretty good hero moments. The MMCs were less developed characters, but I didn’t mind that so much given the focus on Scarlett’s journey.
I do wish we got more insight into the whole reverse harem set up though. All of the characters were new to having multiple partners, but they kind of sorted a lot of that out off-page.
April 2, 2020
I really enjoyed the this story,I found it cute fun and rather engaging. Finding out the why everyone shuns her and calls her a whore I found fascinating because as usual there are always two sides to every story. Scarlett has never been given the option of telling her story and instead is vilified by everyone. Somehow though, even her past and reputation don’t truly tarnish her spirit. Her number one goal is to take care of her brother and even if she has to suffer for him, it’ll be worth it. Of course Scarlett catches the eye of two best friends who see beyond her public image. Throughout the story I wasn’t sure if carter, the third guy in her harem was actually even a contender. This is the only awkward part I found in the story and she doesn’t actually even hook up with him to fairly close to the end, in fact the first time the two sleep together is in the epilogue. It wasn’t bad or anything I think I just personally would have loved more story about them as a growing group and working out their relationship together. Overall it was a very cute and sweet RH that dealt with some heavier topics and really likable characters.
February 26, 2020
Great Read
Wow. This was a surprisingly great read. I haven't found many standalone RH books that have been so well written. This one took me on an emotional rollercoaster for sure. I loved the additions of Scarlett's letters in each chapter. This was a truly phenomenal book. The FMC's transformation through the book from self-hatred and guilt to a flourishing confident young woman was well displayed. The only thing missing was a few more details about the guys. I would have liked to see more of their dates, time spent alone/together- it would have solidified their "chemistry" and relationship building. It wasn't quite a fast burn, maybe a medium.
Overall great read that I would definitely recommend!
Wow. This was a surprisingly great read. I haven't found many standalone RH books that have been so well written. This one took me on an emotional rollercoaster for sure. I loved the additions of Scarlett's letters in each chapter. This was a truly phenomenal book. The FMC's transformation through the book from self-hatred and guilt to a flourishing confident young woman was well displayed. The only thing missing was a few more details about the guys. I would have liked to see more of their dates, time spent alone/together- it would have solidified their "chemistry" and relationship building. It wasn't quite a fast burn, maybe a medium.
Overall great read that I would definitely recommend!
July 17, 2021
A few readers recommended me this book and I went completely blind. I didn't read the blurb. I only trusted that this story was a good one and it is.
I've been reading RH for the last few months. Usually, they are paranormal. It was a surprise for me to realize that this one is a contemporary one. But more than that, it was easy for me to wrap me up with the story and the characters. I loved Scarlett but I fell for Wyatt. This guy was everything! If he was real, I want to know him.
This is a must-read!
I've been reading RH for the last few months. Usually, they are paranormal. It was a surprise for me to realize that this one is a contemporary one. But more than that, it was easy for me to wrap me up with the story and the characters. I loved Scarlett but I fell for Wyatt. This guy was everything! If he was real, I want to know him.
This is a must-read!
April 14, 2020
Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
Scarlett XOXO is about a girl who made a huge mistake and comes back to live in her hometown. Of course, this said mistake broke up a marriage and everyone in town calls her a whore. Well, not everyone.
There's only one thing on Scarlett's mind every damn day: her little brother. He's the reason she came back to this town and the only reason she will stay. It sucks that her mom, who was completely horrendous to her, as well as every other person breathing is this town basically shun her. I still can't believe that one girl ruined her car and painted an A on her door.
It doesn't take long for some sort of romance to brew and boy did it. At first, I didn't even know this was going to be an RH until it actually happened. By the end, I was like.. uh, I need more please! Brady, Wyatt and Carter were three (sort of) perfect gentleman to her throughout the book. Carter took a while to melt the ice around his heart but I completely understood that he didn't want to upset his sister. Or that she was his main priority.
The only thing I would've wanted to change was the whole smutty stuff because we didn't even get a full on time until the very end. Then again, I could see why she waited because she didn't want to be young and naïve anymore. As long as she has these three, I'm sure she will no longer live in her past mistakes and be able to fully move on to happier times.
Speaking of the big mistake, he was a controlling douche bag. Good riddance!
Scarlett XOXO is about a girl who made a huge mistake and comes back to live in her hometown. Of course, this said mistake broke up a marriage and everyone in town calls her a whore. Well, not everyone.
There's only one thing on Scarlett's mind every damn day: her little brother. He's the reason she came back to this town and the only reason she will stay. It sucks that her mom, who was completely horrendous to her, as well as every other person breathing is this town basically shun her. I still can't believe that one girl ruined her car and painted an A on her door.
It doesn't take long for some sort of romance to brew and boy did it. At first, I didn't even know this was going to be an RH until it actually happened. By the end, I was like.. uh, I need more please! Brady, Wyatt and Carter were three (sort of) perfect gentleman to her throughout the book. Carter took a while to melt the ice around his heart but I completely understood that he didn't want to upset his sister. Or that she was his main priority.
The only thing I would've wanted to change was the whole smutty stuff because we didn't even get a full on time until the very end. Then again, I could see why she waited because she didn't want to be young and naïve anymore. As long as she has these three, I'm sure she will no longer live in her past mistakes and be able to fully move on to happier times.
Speaking of the big mistake, he was a controlling douche bag. Good riddance!
June 1, 2021
I really enjoyed this read, with great and special characters and a protagonist who we saw advance emotionally throughout the reading, gain confidence, and learn to love herself.
March 2, 2022
Firstly, I have to say that I'm listening to some of the songs that Ms. Reed includes at the back of the book as a playlist for the book while I'm writing this review.
For me Scarlett XOXO is not just a romance between Scarlett and the three men who ultimately end up falling in love with her. Scarlett's story is also a love story of Scarlett herself seeing a more complete picture of and loving herself. Of understanding her own self-worth and that she is more than her past mistakes. For anyone who has something in their past that they've struggled to overcome, Scarlett XOXO will probably resonate on a deep level.
I fell in love with this book almost as soon as I started reading it. Scarlett wants to be better for her brother Micah and for herself, but she also wants to do it on her own because she's just not good at accepting help. Until she finds a group of people who little by little wear her down and show her that it's ok for those who care to help. And sometimes those caring people also end up falling in love with you. Wyatt, Brady, and finally Carter just hit me in the feels so strongly and they're each perfect in their own way for Scarlett. Jill is a wonderful bestie and Micah is an adorable younger brother.
If you're wondering about timing of events in Scarlett XOXO with the affair Scarlett was involved in, there are no scenes of Scarlett romantically involved with the man she had an affair with, just in case that holds anyone back. Scarlett XOXO is a beautiful story of moving forward, finding self-worth, and falling in love. Please don't skip this.
For me Scarlett XOXO is not just a romance between Scarlett and the three men who ultimately end up falling in love with her. Scarlett's story is also a love story of Scarlett herself seeing a more complete picture of and loving herself. Of understanding her own self-worth and that she is more than her past mistakes. For anyone who has something in their past that they've struggled to overcome, Scarlett XOXO will probably resonate on a deep level.
I fell in love with this book almost as soon as I started reading it. Scarlett wants to be better for her brother Micah and for herself, but she also wants to do it on her own because she's just not good at accepting help. Until she finds a group of people who little by little wear her down and show her that it's ok for those who care to help. And sometimes those caring people also end up falling in love with you. Wyatt, Brady, and finally Carter just hit me in the feels so strongly and they're each perfect in their own way for Scarlett. Jill is a wonderful bestie and Micah is an adorable younger brother.
If you're wondering about timing of events in Scarlett XOXO with the affair Scarlett was involved in, there are no scenes of Scarlett romantically involved with the man she had an affair with, just in case that holds anyone back. Scarlett XOXO is a beautiful story of moving forward, finding self-worth, and falling in love. Please don't skip this.
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March 16, 2022Scarlett XOXO is here—https://books2read.com/scarlettxoxo
Teaser...
How many times did I have to remind myself that I was unavailable? Between Wyatt and Brady, my hormones were in overdrive today, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit. At this rate, I was going to have to strap myself into a chastity belt, lock myself in a tower, and throw away the key.
Why did they have to be so attractive and accommodating? Men were much easier to handle when they were assholes.
So, assholes they would be. At least, in my mind.
Teaser...
How many times did I have to remind myself that I was unavailable? Between Wyatt and Brady, my hormones were in overdrive today, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit. At this rate, I was going to have to strap myself into a chastity belt, lock myself in a tower, and throw away the key.
Why did they have to be so attractive and accommodating? Men were much easier to handle when they were assholes.
So, assholes they would be. At least, in my mind.
March 7, 2020
Pages: unknown
My rating: 4.5
Read other books by this author in the future: yes
This book was a suprise in a good way. Scarlett is the fmc of this book. At the beginning of the book she is 21 year old, and looking for a job. She did some mistakes in her life, after her mother threw her out of the house at the age of 17 with no where to go. But the mistakes were made in the past and today she tries to live with her past, make things right and fights for things she believes in.
It was a beautiful book, at some time fun, at others heartbreaking. Autumn told a story with many heavy topics but she did it a good way and she takes time with this, because I would say this book is longer than 400 pages but I could not find the exact number on my kindle or on a webpage. I recommended this to the #cakeeaters in the RHR group.
January 16, 2020
With a whole bunch of series out there, it's nice to read a standalone every once in a while. Standalones require some skills of the authors to put all the character development and plot development in one book. This author definitely delivered and I loved it.
Bare with me, as I tell you about my experience with this book in detail. Fair warning though, because there might be minor spoilers up ahead!
In Scarlett XOXO, we meet Scarlett Butler, from the small town of Hastings, Texas. The author starts with a letter that immediately sets the tone of this book. Scarlett was the other woman, the one a cheating husband had on the side. We don't know the entire story, but as we read the letters Scarlett writes throughout the book and through conversations with other characters, details of her relationship with a married man are slowly released.
Throughout this book, Scarlett is dealing with the aftermath of her affair. She's been called names, harassed, bullied,... but instead of fighting back, she mostly tries to ignore it, because she has one reason to hold on, one reason that keeps her in Hastings.
Slowly, Scarlett learns that not all the people in Hastings judge her by the gossip and she finds herself having some friends who stick up for her.
This book is about Scarlett and how she struggles with selfloathing and trust issues. I won't lie, I went through quite the emotional rollercoaster reading this book. There were times I wanted to smack our heroine in the head when she ran away from certain problems (I did understand it from a rational POV, because of her past), I cried (sobbed was more like it) at some point, because of how this book touched me. While Scarlett is in a vulnerable state, we see the fire and the will to fight, her strength and kindness when it comes to Micah,...
While Scarlett plays the main part in this book, she is definitely surrounded by some amazing side characters. Her men, her brother, Elsie, Jill, Dodge... I loved them al!
This was the perfect standalone, with the perfect ending. Note: while this book is about cheating, there is no cheating between the main characters.
My favorite part? The use of the letters really allows us to to get that glimpse of the past. How Scarlett ended up being the 'other woman' and how she grows past it eventually. It was masterfully executed!
Bare with me, as I tell you about my experience with this book in detail. Fair warning though, because there might be minor spoilers up ahead!
In Scarlett XOXO, we meet Scarlett Butler, from the small town of Hastings, Texas. The author starts with a letter that immediately sets the tone of this book. Scarlett was the other woman, the one a cheating husband had on the side. We don't know the entire story, but as we read the letters Scarlett writes throughout the book and through conversations with other characters, details of her relationship with a married man are slowly released.
Throughout this book, Scarlett is dealing with the aftermath of her affair. She's been called names, harassed, bullied,... but instead of fighting back, she mostly tries to ignore it, because she has one reason to hold on, one reason that keeps her in Hastings.
Slowly, Scarlett learns that not all the people in Hastings judge her by the gossip and she finds herself having some friends who stick up for her.
This book is about Scarlett and how she struggles with selfloathing and trust issues. I won't lie, I went through quite the emotional rollercoaster reading this book. There were times I wanted to smack our heroine in the head when she ran away from certain problems (I did understand it from a rational POV, because of her past), I cried (sobbed was more like it) at some point, because of how this book touched me. While Scarlett is in a vulnerable state, we see the fire and the will to fight, her strength and kindness when it comes to Micah,...
While Scarlett plays the main part in this book, she is definitely surrounded by some amazing side characters. Her men, her brother, Elsie, Jill, Dodge... I loved them al!
This was the perfect standalone, with the perfect ending. Note: while this book is about cheating, there is no cheating between the main characters.
My favorite part? The use of the letters really allows us to to get that glimpse of the past. How Scarlett ended up being the 'other woman' and how she grows past it eventually. It was masterfully executed!
January 12, 2020
Scarlett is such a strong woman. Her selflessness is truly inspiring. Learning to love yourself and accepting all of yourself, were huge throughout this story. The men in this story are so swoon worthy and amazing! This story was written perfectly! It made me feel so much. I was frustrated and angry but I laughed and smiled so big my cheeks hurt multiple times. This is one to reread over and over anytime you need your heart to swell with love.
January 15, 2020
Review
You know those books that you’re looking forward to reading but once you read it, it’s somehow ten times better than you were expecting and you simultaneously want to blow through the book yet procrastinate finishing it because it’s so good, you don’t want the story to end? I used that ridiculous run-on sentence to say that this book was that book for me. It’s 100% my favorite read of the year so far.
Obviously, if you’ve read any of my reviews–particularly the Autumn Reed ones–then you know that I’m a huge fan of hers. I honestly didn’t think she would be able to top The Collectors series, but I feel like she’s truly outdone herself with this incredible story.
The Heroes
I usually have a favorite hero when I read a reverse harem, but I loved each one of these guys so much that I couldn’t choose. I was actively trying to compare the three while I was reading and I just couldn’t pick a favorite. Even while Carter was being a total jerk, I loved him, lol.
The three guys are polar opposites from each other. Wyatt is a rock; stoic, not easily amused, and pretty much the definition of broody. Brady is sensitive, a jokester, and incredibly attuned to people’s needs and emotions. Carter, at least on the surface, is the stereotypical rich snob with a huge attitude problem. The more you get to learn about him, the more you begin to understand him and where he’s coming from.
These guys are amazing. I adored reading about them and getting to know their differing personalities 🙂 And not only is the interaction between the three and Scarlett intriguing and wonderful, but the way they interact with each other is also awesome. It’s clear they’re close friends and I loved seeing the friendship between them.
The Heroine
I absolutely adore Scarlett. She’s one of my favorite heroines I’ve ever had the honor of reading. She’s beautiful, flawed, talented, badass in her own right, and she’s really trying hard to correct her past mistakes, which I find so brave and admirable. Plus, she’s become a surrogate mother to her little brother, Micah, and it’s awesome to see how she really grows into that role.
Scarlett is strong but also stubborn. Wyatt certainly gets frustrated with her stubbornness throughout the book, lol, but I honestly can’t fault her a whole lot. Even during the times when I found myself wanting to say, “girl, set aside your pride and just take advantage of the fact that these incredible men want to help you,” I couldn’t let myself get too upset. Between the way she’d grown up, how she had to essentially raise her little brother because her mom was way too unreliable and downright abusive, to the mistakes she’s made in her relationships … it was easy to see why she was so unwilling to accept help, no matter how small it appeared. My heart ached for her. Sure, she made some mistakes, but she certainly wasn’t the only one to blame. She wasn’t even mostly to blame, but people refused to look at the full situation and placed all the blame on her. I wish I could say this wasn’t the case in real life, but unfortunately, it happens all the time.
Bullet Points
*Scarlett and her little brother’s relationship. Love!
*There’s a huge music theme in this book, and as a singer/musician, I couldn’t have enjoyed it more <3
*Scarlett’s eventual best friend, Jill. She’s amazing and a huge source of comedic relief. I love the flirting between her and Scarlett, whether it’s purely platonic on one side or not 😉 Jill is so genuine and fun but is also an incredible friend. I just love her <3
*All the Dolly Parton references!
*The Office references, specifically regarding the three-hole punch Jim costume. I may have squeed when I read that part, lol.
*Wyatt’s little dog. Such an adorable and sweet addition!
Conclusion
This book is absolutely fantastic. When I heard there was a cheating theme involved, I was a little wary because that’s a pretty hard limit for me, but I needn’t have worried. The cheating is a past tense issue, and while it’s a major part of the story, it doesn’t detract from the heart of this book. Autumn seriously knocked this story out of the park and as much as I enjoyed reading it, I’m sad that I finished it and I can’t read it as a brand new story again, lol.
I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a story with multiple love interests and a heroine who doesn’t have to choose. The best part is this is a standalone novel, so you can read the book and get the characters’ whole story in one book <3
If you read this incredible book, make sure you let me know what you think!
Happy reading!
Original review: Alated Bibliophile's Review of Scarlett XOXO
You know those books that you’re looking forward to reading but once you read it, it’s somehow ten times better than you were expecting and you simultaneously want to blow through the book yet procrastinate finishing it because it’s so good, you don’t want the story to end? I used that ridiculous run-on sentence to say that this book was that book for me. It’s 100% my favorite read of the year so far.
Obviously, if you’ve read any of my reviews–particularly the Autumn Reed ones–then you know that I’m a huge fan of hers. I honestly didn’t think she would be able to top The Collectors series, but I feel like she’s truly outdone herself with this incredible story.
The Heroes
I usually have a favorite hero when I read a reverse harem, but I loved each one of these guys so much that I couldn’t choose. I was actively trying to compare the three while I was reading and I just couldn’t pick a favorite. Even while Carter was being a total jerk, I loved him, lol.
The three guys are polar opposites from each other. Wyatt is a rock; stoic, not easily amused, and pretty much the definition of broody. Brady is sensitive, a jokester, and incredibly attuned to people’s needs and emotions. Carter, at least on the surface, is the stereotypical rich snob with a huge attitude problem. The more you get to learn about him, the more you begin to understand him and where he’s coming from.
These guys are amazing. I adored reading about them and getting to know their differing personalities 🙂 And not only is the interaction between the three and Scarlett intriguing and wonderful, but the way they interact with each other is also awesome. It’s clear they’re close friends and I loved seeing the friendship between them.
The Heroine
I absolutely adore Scarlett. She’s one of my favorite heroines I’ve ever had the honor of reading. She’s beautiful, flawed, talented, badass in her own right, and she’s really trying hard to correct her past mistakes, which I find so brave and admirable. Plus, she’s become a surrogate mother to her little brother, Micah, and it’s awesome to see how she really grows into that role.
Scarlett is strong but also stubborn. Wyatt certainly gets frustrated with her stubbornness throughout the book, lol, but I honestly can’t fault her a whole lot. Even during the times when I found myself wanting to say, “girl, set aside your pride and just take advantage of the fact that these incredible men want to help you,” I couldn’t let myself get too upset. Between the way she’d grown up, how she had to essentially raise her little brother because her mom was way too unreliable and downright abusive, to the mistakes she’s made in her relationships … it was easy to see why she was so unwilling to accept help, no matter how small it appeared. My heart ached for her. Sure, she made some mistakes, but she certainly wasn’t the only one to blame. She wasn’t even mostly to blame, but people refused to look at the full situation and placed all the blame on her. I wish I could say this wasn’t the case in real life, but unfortunately, it happens all the time.
Bullet Points
*Scarlett and her little brother’s relationship. Love!
*There’s a huge music theme in this book, and as a singer/musician, I couldn’t have enjoyed it more <3
*Scarlett’s eventual best friend, Jill. She’s amazing and a huge source of comedic relief. I love the flirting between her and Scarlett, whether it’s purely platonic on one side or not 😉 Jill is so genuine and fun but is also an incredible friend. I just love her <3
*All the Dolly Parton references!
*The Office references, specifically regarding the three-hole punch Jim costume. I may have squeed when I read that part, lol.
*Wyatt’s little dog. Such an adorable and sweet addition!
Conclusion
This book is absolutely fantastic. When I heard there was a cheating theme involved, I was a little wary because that’s a pretty hard limit for me, but I needn’t have worried. The cheating is a past tense issue, and while it’s a major part of the story, it doesn’t detract from the heart of this book. Autumn seriously knocked this story out of the park and as much as I enjoyed reading it, I’m sad that I finished it and I can’t read it as a brand new story again, lol.
I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a story with multiple love interests and a heroine who doesn’t have to choose. The best part is this is a standalone novel, so you can read the book and get the characters’ whole story in one book <3
If you read this incredible book, make sure you let me know what you think!
Happy reading!
Original review: Alated Bibliophile's Review of Scarlett XOXO
Want to read
May 5, 2020Easy equation:
Roxcell reads great books
+
Roxcell recommends this
=
I have to read this!
*aims*
*throws to TBR pile*
Priority!! I just can't start now, but I'll get to this.
Roxcell reads great books
+
Roxcell recommends this
=
I have to read this!
*aims*
*throws to TBR pile*
Priority!! I just can't start now, but I'll get to this.
January 24, 2020
This one grabbed me and refused to let go until the end
Wow, there's not much that keeps me away from my sleep but this did it. Once I started this I could not stop until I got to the end. The romance took time to develop and i.loved that. The MFC was not perfect but she was forgivable and I fell in love with her as much as her men. The sex scenes were steamy without being too much. Definitely one of the best contemporary reverse harem I've ever read!!!
Wow, there's not much that keeps me away from my sleep but this did it. Once I started this I could not stop until I got to the end. The romance took time to develop and i.loved that. The MFC was not perfect but she was forgivable and I fell in love with her as much as her men. The sex scenes were steamy without being too much. Definitely one of the best contemporary reverse harem I've ever read!!!
January 8, 2020
I absolutely loved this book. I read the first few pages and was hooked. I had to know more and learn her story. I had to know more of everything that had happened to her. I fell head over heels for Scarlett. She was so much wiser then her 21 years. She had it rough for a while but coming home after her scandal and raising her brother was where she was supposed to be.
We meet Wyatt right away and the chances he took on her to help her get back on her feet were awesome. I fell for him right away.
Oh Mr Cooper... so dreamy! I fell for him in the school halls as quickly as Scarlett did. I love how he left the ball in her court when she was ready.
Jill is the best friend any girl could ask for. She was what Scarlett needed in a bestie.
Carter - Oh my heart...I was waiting so long for him to come around. I needed this relationship to develop and I was not disappointed.
Micah is the best little brother ever!
I love this crew. I felt the connections and chemistry between Scarlett, Wyatt, Brady and Carter. I loved seeing her grown within herself and the changes she needed to make to be happy again and accept that she deserved the love of the people around her.
I received an ARC for a honest review.
We meet Wyatt right away and the chances he took on her to help her get back on her feet were awesome. I fell for him right away.
Oh Mr Cooper... so dreamy! I fell for him in the school halls as quickly as Scarlett did. I love how he left the ball in her court when she was ready.
Jill is the best friend any girl could ask for. She was what Scarlett needed in a bestie.
Carter - Oh my heart...I was waiting so long for him to come around. I needed this relationship to develop and I was not disappointed.
Micah is the best little brother ever!
I love this crew. I felt the connections and chemistry between Scarlett, Wyatt, Brady and Carter. I loved seeing her grown within herself and the changes she needed to make to be happy again and accept that she deserved the love of the people around her.
I received an ARC for a honest review.
January 26, 2020
Minor spoilers
A whirlwind of emotions!!! Sadness, anger, loss, insecurities, but most of all happiness and acceptance of one self. This whole hearted read was just what I needed to binge on and I don't regret it. Scarlett has done wrong but she was also taken advantage of when she had no one. With a past like that there's only one way to get past that and it's to accept it and move on. Scarlett does that and more. She finds love and holds onto it. Her courage is defining and heartfelt. Thank you for this beautiful read!!
A whirlwind of emotions!!! Sadness, anger, loss, insecurities, but most of all happiness and acceptance of one self. This whole hearted read was just what I needed to binge on and I don't regret it. Scarlett has done wrong but she was also taken advantage of when she had no one. With a past like that there's only one way to get past that and it's to accept it and move on. Scarlett does that and more. She finds love and holds onto it. Her courage is defining and heartfelt. Thank you for this beautiful read!!
September 24, 2020
Absolutely freaking amazing, you must read this book NOW, I stayed up till 3am to finish this book in a day!! I loved everything about this book, the writing style, the FMC telling her own story, and oh men are Hot as hell.......most of all I admire Scarlett and her struggles with self worth and the fact that she fought for herself, for her sanity, and her worth and that the men just solidified everything she was learning about who she was becoming and loved her all the more!!!! All I can say is if your reading this drop deciding and buy this book NOW I promise you won't regret it.
October 6, 2021
I floved this book.
I've seen it pop up on lists for a while now, but after reading another series from this author (Phoenix), I was hesitant to give this one a shot. I'm glad I did, because I really liked Scarlett's story. It even almost made me cry a few times.
Scarlett is back in her small hometown where she is notorious for being the mistress to an influential member of their community. She has custody of her little brother and is trying to make the best life she can for them when a stranger rescues her on the side of the road after car trouble. He ends up helping her in more ways than one and she develops a relationship with him and his two best friends.
I downloaded a sample thinking I'd read a bit and see how it is, come back to it later or delete the sample and find something else. I ended up immediately downloading the book and read it in one sitting. I didn't want to put it down.
I liked that we got to watch Scarlett heal and realize her worth. She was so down and the people of Hastings kept piling it on her, making her feel worse when she didn't deserve it, at all.
I loved that each of the MMCs were different. They had distinct personalities.
I also loved that their relationship was something they had to figure out as they went, there wasn't some random reason for their propensity to share one woman, in fact they hadn't ever shared a woman between the three guys prior to Scarlett
Anyways, I could go on and on about why I loved this book, but I won't.
If you like RH with a flawed h and drool worthy MMCs, then read this.
I've seen it pop up on lists for a while now, but after reading another series from this author (Phoenix), I was hesitant to give this one a shot. I'm glad I did, because I really liked Scarlett's story. It even almost made me cry a few times.
Scarlett is back in her small hometown where she is notorious for being the mistress to an influential member of their community. She has custody of her little brother and is trying to make the best life she can for them when a stranger rescues her on the side of the road after car trouble. He ends up helping her in more ways than one and she develops a relationship with him and his two best friends.
I downloaded a sample thinking I'd read a bit and see how it is, come back to it later or delete the sample and find something else. I ended up immediately downloading the book and read it in one sitting. I didn't want to put it down.
I liked that we got to watch Scarlett heal and realize her worth. She was so down and the people of Hastings kept piling it on her, making her feel worse when she didn't deserve it, at all.
I loved that each of the MMCs were different. They had distinct personalities.
I also loved that their relationship was something they had to figure out as they went, there wasn't some random reason for their propensity to share one woman, in fact they hadn't ever shared a woman between the three guys prior to Scarlett
Anyways, I could go on and on about why I loved this book, but I won't.
If you like RH with a flawed h and drool worthy MMCs, then read this.
January 27, 2020
I'll admit that I was hesitant to read this book. I wasn't sure if it would be something I would enjoy due to the premise of the story. But I'm so glad I gave it a chance as I loved it and have already read it twice.
This is a heart warming, and at times heartbreaking read. Scarlett is the main character with an interesting back story. I'm going to address the elephant in the room here as yes, she had an affair, but this book starts off after she has ended that relationship and how she is dealing with not only the fallout of what she did but her own past and how to rebuild her life. The author has handled this subject beautifully. It's not an easy subject to deal with by any means, but the author has given us an insight into why Scarlett made the decisions she did, how there are two sides to every story and that the woman in the affair is not always the bad person (which is something society has ingrained into us that it is always the woman's fault).
This really is a fantastic read and if I could give it a hundred stars then I would. Take a chance and read this book and don't miss out on what is a great read.
This is a heart warming, and at times heartbreaking read. Scarlett is the main character with an interesting back story. I'm going to address the elephant in the room here as yes, she had an affair, but this book starts off after she has ended that relationship and how she is dealing with not only the fallout of what she did but her own past and how to rebuild her life. The author has handled this subject beautifully. It's not an easy subject to deal with by any means, but the author has given us an insight into why Scarlett made the decisions she did, how there are two sides to every story and that the woman in the affair is not always the bad person (which is something society has ingrained into us that it is always the woman's fault).
This really is a fantastic read and if I could give it a hundred stars then I would. Take a chance and read this book and don't miss out on what is a great read.
December 12, 2020
I've been reading many reverse harem recently, mostly ones with a badass heroine (who is great at fighting or has amazing supernatural powers). What I really liked about this, is that Scarlett is badass, but in a totally relatable way. She will do anything for the wellbeing of her brother, and spends her time not thinking she's deserving of love. But she's beautiful and kind, and it takes the love of Wyatt, Brody and Carter for her to see that. I especially liked that that Scarlett is biracial and is curvy, again very relatable. The progression of the relationships were slow and heart warming. I loved that you got to know about all the guys (Brody is 100% my favourite with his nerdy style). The development of the polyamourous relationship was realistic, her reaction also (I wouldn't have hesitated having 2 hot guys into me, but I got where she came from).
October 25, 2021
Voy a separar lo que me ha gustado y lo que no tanto. Descatable el crecimiento personal de la protagonista, su aceptación y los inicios de capitulos con esas cartas de aceptación y reconciliación consigo misma.
Personaje masculino destacables Wyatt y Carter.
Lo que no ha gustado, le ha faltado el punto de vista masculino, me hubiese gustado saber lo que pensaban ellos porque la situación amorosa lo requería. Hay se me ha quedado coja la historia además de poco creíble. Le ha sobrado tanto autoflagelamiento de la protagonista. Y la autora ha pasado un poco de puntilla sobre el villano de la historia.
A pesar de todos estos comentarios me ha gustado mucho
Personaje masculino destacables Wyatt y Carter.
Lo que no ha gustado, le ha faltado el punto de vista masculino, me hubiese gustado saber lo que pensaban ellos porque la situación amorosa lo requería. Hay se me ha quedado coja la historia además de poco creíble. Le ha sobrado tanto autoflagelamiento de la protagonista. Y la autora ha pasado un poco de puntilla sobre el villano de la historia.
A pesar de todos estos comentarios me ha gustado mucho
February 6, 2020
Deep, heartfelt book
This is a deep, heartfelt book about a girl who was preyed on at 17 after escaping am abusive mother, paying for her mistakes in a small town, her love for her brother, how her past came back to haunt her, and how she learned to love herself. It also has three great men who she falls in love with. It's a reverse harem but to me it was more about a woman finding herself, learning to live herself, and coming to terms with her past and trying to make amends to the person she hurt.
Set to great soundtrack that the author links s Spotify Playlist for.
This is a deep, heartfelt book about a girl who was preyed on at 17 after escaping am abusive mother, paying for her mistakes in a small town, her love for her brother, how her past came back to haunt her, and how she learned to love herself. It also has three great men who she falls in love with. It's a reverse harem but to me it was more about a woman finding herself, learning to live herself, and coming to terms with her past and trying to make amends to the person she hurt.
Set to great soundtrack that the author links s Spotify Playlist for.
June 27, 2021
Holis. Un poco cháchara antes de pasar al quid. Hace un par de semanas terminé el libro y aún estoy en un limbo con sentimientos encontrados. Espero poder para darles coherencia, a esto que podría llamarse: Lo mismo de siempre, pero con diferentes colores.
Vengan al blog y lean la reseña recién salida del horno. 😜
Puntuación... 2,5
Vengan al blog y lean la reseña recién salida del horno. 😜
Puntuación... 2,5
June 5, 2020
2.5
Rating is hard. There's nothing wrong per se with this book, just that the whole romance happening was unreal to me. It happened so fast that I was like "woah cowboy hold ya horses!"
My favorite part where the letters for Caroline. I think that, even when short, they were written very beautifully
Rating is hard. There's nothing wrong per se with this book, just that the whole romance happening was unreal to me. It happened so fast that I was like "woah cowboy hold ya horses!"
My favorite part where the letters for Caroline. I think that, even when short, they were written very beautifully
June 19, 2020
It’s no secret that one of my favorite tropes is reverse harem. And it is so difficult to find a realistic, non-paranormal story.
This book easily was one of my all time favorite read of 2020 and dare I say, ever. There was so much heart in this story and Scarlett was one of the most powerful heroines I’ve ever encountered.
Scarlett XOXO is a must read!
This book easily was one of my all time favorite read of 2020 and dare I say, ever. There was so much heart in this story and Scarlett was one of the most powerful heroines I’ve ever encountered.
Scarlett XOXO is a must read!
January 31, 2020
4.5 Stars
This is how I imagine a real life reverse harem relationship would go like. Thanks for a realistic book. I just wish we could have had the guys’ POVs also. I would have liked to hear how the discussions went in her absence, re the relationship. Loved it!
This is how I imagine a real life reverse harem relationship would go like. Thanks for a realistic book. I just wish we could have had the guys’ POVs also. I would have liked to hear how the discussions went in her absence, re the relationship. Loved it!
February 12, 2020
So Freakin Good
This legit is one of the best books that I have read this year and i am so glad that i took the time to read it. Chop chop get to it. If you havent read this one you really should! I'm not gonna make an in depth review because the book is way too good to spoil! Go get this one now, it was amazing!
This legit is one of the best books that I have read this year and i am so glad that i took the time to read it. Chop chop get to it. If you havent read this one you really should! I'm not gonna make an in depth review because the book is way too good to spoil! Go get this one now, it was amazing!
May 2, 2020
Based around scarlets confidence
If you we’re hoping for a hot and steamy harem, this is not the book for you. There is very little in this book regarding the relationship and things moved very slow with them all. This book is based on the main character scarlet and how she is getting over low self esteem and gaining confidence. She has taken over custody of her 10 year old brother in the small town she grew up in. The town people are awful to her because of an affair she had with a married man. She is gun shy about any relationship (even just friends). She meets the men and another outcast girl and the story goes. It was very long and kind of boring.
If you we’re hoping for a hot and steamy harem, this is not the book for you. There is very little in this book regarding the relationship and things moved very slow with them all. This book is based on the main character scarlet and how she is getting over low self esteem and gaining confidence. She has taken over custody of her 10 year old brother in the small town she grew up in. The town people are awful to her because of an affair she had with a married man. She is gun shy about any relationship (even just friends). She meets the men and another outcast girl and the story goes. It was very long and kind of boring.
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