Get The Hierarchy Of Needs (The Portland Rebels, #2) Picturized By Rebecca Grace Allen Hardcover
received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased and honest review
“When I look at you, I see that girl I knew as a kid.
Someone who was always smiling, always happy, and has stayed like that, no matter what, Youre like this one single bright fucking spot of sunshine I have in a life that pretty much sucks otherwise, so dont you dare wish you were anyone else, or think you cant have what you want.
You should have everything you want, Jamie, Everything. ”
Jamie and Dean have been friends ever since their meeting in detention in high school, When one night led them to pushing the boundaries of friendship and Dean shying away, they have now stuck to the platonic side of things, The more they hang out though, the more flirtations and buried emotions start to creep up, Jamie and Dean are both feeling lost as more grown up decisions come their way can they be each other's rock
The Hierarchy of Needs is second in the Portland Rebels series and while you could get away with starting with this book, I would recommend reading the first, sitelinkThe Duality Principle.
Jamie and Dean's tension filled flirty relationship is discussed somewhat in that book and I think would help the reader get into the flow of this story quicker if they had that background.
I thought this one started off a little slow and if you haven't read the first, you will probably feel somewhat lost as to why you should care about these two as a couple.
For most of the book, we don't really get to see Jamie and Dean fall in love so much as fight to repress those feelings, It is later on when they decide to give in a little do we see their bonding connection,
Jamie and Dean were great New Adult characters with their doubt, inexperience, and trying to find themselves, Jamie feels like the unsuccessful black sheep in her family while Dean feels trapped by his both are trying to grow into who they think they should be while secretly wanting something very different.
These internal battles gave a fuller and more authentic feel to our characters just starting to hit adulthood, Dean pushing Jamie away because he didn't feel good enough for her was sweet if not a bit of an overused plot, Jamie was great in her final refusal to put up with Dean's back and forth and demand they settle their feelings one way or another and ooh boy when they do! As with the first book, this one was punctuated by some subtly sexy scenes and then some not so subtle ones.
Due to the fact that our couple had pretty much already fallen in love, the story relied more heavily on the sexy times, Their sexual chemistry was great if you like hair pulling, you're in for a treat but I found myself missing the emotional initial sparks of newly discovered attraction.
This is a shorter read, one you can read in one sitting and will want to as you'll be anxiously anticipating Jamie and Dean finally releasing all that sexual tension.
We also get a small mention of the first The Hierarchy of Needs's couple and two possible for a third book in the series, I love how this author writes believable NA characters and stays away from making her guys abusive Dean is a sexy tattooed teddy bear I enjoy being carried away in her stories for a couple hours.
If the friendstolovers trope is your candy, like playful flirting, struggling to find yourself, and the aforementioned hair pulling, you really need to pick up a copy of this.
Sweet, sexy soul searching, Loved it! Jamie is the youngest sister of three older and very successful brothers, She has always been the free spirit, but she finds herself out of college and working in a job that she likes, but doesn't want to live her life doing.
Dean is stuck working for his father's auto business in a way he doesn't enjoy, He feels that he never had a choice, and that his life is doomed to be stagnant and uncaring of his own desires, Jamie and Dean have been very attracted to one another and had one night in high school that was very memorable for both, Dean doesn't do relationships at all, and despite how much he wants Jamie, he believes that she is capable of greatness and that he would only hold her back.
This book was sweet and the characters were easy to like and empathize with, I didn't find a lot of surprises in the story line, but it was nice to see both Jamie and Dean figuring out
that their own needs were important and worth pursuing.
I haven't read the first book in the series, but it felt like this one read easy enough as a standalone, I may have had a little more background about some of the other characters and Jamie's family, but I felt that I got a pretty clear picture of everything just from reading this.
If you are looking for a nice easy friendstolovers romance with some personal growth issues tied in, I would recommend thisI would read more by this author in the future.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review sitelinkThe Hierarchy of Needs by sitelinkRebecca Grace Allen is the second book in her Portland Rebels Series.
Although part of a series, this beautiful romantic tale CAN be read as a standalone, This is the story of Jamie and Dean, best friends since tenth grade, and secretly infatuated with each other ever since,
It's now been a few years since high school, Jamie is back in Portland with her liberal arts college degree and no major plans ahead of her, She works at the community center as a swim coach and lifeguard but secretly wants to be a fashion designer, Very secretly as no one in her life knows about her failed dreams, Not even Dean.
Dean is fulfilling his lifelong destiny of working in his fathers auto repair shop, He is third generation and will eventually take over the place, What once seemed exciting about restoring old cars and making things work again is now all about the cheapest repairs and a failing business,
When yet another "encounter" happens between Dean and Jamie they both start to wonder why they're trying so hard to remain only friends so they try a weekend away to "get it out of their system" and when they get back plan for things to get back to normal.
Yeah, right!
This story is a simple romance without all the angst and pain, has just a few misunderstandings, but is wellpaced, wellwritten, funny and sweet, and when it comes to Jamie and Dean and their little interludes it's SMOKIN' Hot!
Loved this and will DEFINITELY be reading more from this author.
Full review on fictionfare."I've been ready for six years, " Stars!
The Hierarchy of Needs is the first book I have read by Rebecca Grace Allen, and I have to say it was an absolute treat.
Teaming up one of my favourite tropes with a really likeable couple is always going to be a winner for me, and the author excelled with this bestfriendstolovers story.
It was hard to forget the best thing shed ever had,
Jamie Matthews and Dean Trescott have been best friends since meeting in detention in school, although over the years they have tried to stay within the parameters of platonic friendship, their attraction and more than friendly feelings for each other on occasion have caused them to slip into the friends with benefits category.
The last time being six years ago, when after one hot coming together Dean pulls back again, and insists that he and Jamie should stick to being best friends and nothing more.
”Were good right”
The reality is, they both want more with each other and for themselves, but sitting down and actually acknowledging to each other the truth about their feelings, as well as admitting to themselves their real hopes and dreams for the future is not something either of them has really considered as a possibility before.
The Hierarchy of Needs explores this couples coming together over what was supposed to be a weekendfling to get each other out of their systems, but as you would expect when they return to Portland, both of them know that things between them, as well as the current lives they are leading have irrevocably changed, does that mean they go forwards as a couple Or look to explore their dreams elsewhere and with other people.
I really enjoyed this book, and although book two in The Portland Rebels series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone, I havent read the first book in the series, but after enjoying Jamie and Deans story, I will definitely be looking to read The Duality Principle at some point very soon.
ARC generously provided by Rock Star PR, it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review, .