With a Twist by Staci Hart ~ Review & Quote-tastic (@imaquirkybird)

I'm reading a lot of new-to-me authors lately, and Staci Hart is another one. I really enjoyed With a Twist, watching the characters find love in the last place you'd expect.

Title: With a Twist

Author: Staci Hart

Series: Bad Habits #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: July 16th 2015

Buy Now - Amazon | Audible

Love is somewhere near the bottom of Lily Thomas’ list of life goals, right next to competitive eating and underwater cave diving. She’s spent six years pirouetting and pliéing her way up the ranks of the New York Ballet with her eye on the prize and love in the back seat. But now that Blane Baker -- Lily’s long time crush -- is finally single, she’ll throw her rules out the window without thinking twice.

Reality with Blane isn’t as epic as the fantasy she imagined, and the truth sends her spinning straight into the arms of the man she never knew she’d always wanted.

West Williams has been friends with Lily since the day she moved into their building and he saved her armoire from a swift, sudden death by staircase. Their friendship has always been easy, the boundaries clearly defined. With neither of them willing to risk their relationship, they’ve drifted happily through the years as companions, never considering more.

That is, until they do. And that realization changes everything.

With a Twist was a bit of a fun read as Lily and West go through a few situations before realising that they have feelings for one another. Neither of them were looking for something permanent, being so focused on their jobs, but soon they realise there's something there.

Lily actually had a crush on a fellow dancer in the beginning, a guy that was suddenly available and was beginning to show interest in her. West was busy with work and had a girl on the side, but it wasn't anything serious. Both Lily and West lived in the same apartment building and shared the same group of friends so they often hung out together as a group, but there were instances when they did things as a pair.

I liked seeing Lily and West as individuals, as they learned a lot about themselves and what they wanted in life. Neither of them were perfect, and made a few mistakes trying to work their lives out.

For my first Staci Hart read, I was quite happy with it. I know absolutely nothing about ballet, but I could feel Lily's passion and love for it through the pages. I was introduced to a lot of interesting characters, and I can see them pairing up for the future books. Lily and West's relationship took a while to blossom, but seemed worth it in the end. With a Twist was a sweet, slow building romance that pulls at your heart.

That moment of realisation! 

I wanted to reach for her, pull her into my lap and hold her, kiss away her tears. The beauty of her emotion held me dead still, watching her feel. I couldn’t disturb that. And if she looked me in the eye in that moment, she’d know what I’d only just realized.
No one was good enough for Lily. But I could be. I wanted to be.
I loved her.

Kindle Page 157

Hosted by Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup

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 to 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, and her favorite word starts with f, 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, until they got a wild hair and moved to Holland. It’s the perfect place to overdose on cheese and ride bicycles, especially along the canals, and especially in summertime. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, gaming, or designing graphics.

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