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  • Accidentally on Purpose: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel (Heartbreaker Bay, 3)
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Accidentally on Purpose: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel (Heartbreaker Bay, 3)

Accidentally on Purpose: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel (Heartbreaker Bay, 3)

byJill Shalvis
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Top positive review

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Marsha
VINE VOICE
5.0 out of 5 starsIntense, sexy, charming - love the book and the series
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 5, 2018
We’ve run into Archer and Elle before in the Heartbreaker Bay series. Two among several friends who are as close as family, yet these two have always had a certain spark between then… a spark that both would put down to annoyance before they’d admit to attraction. In Accidentally on Purpose we get a better understanding of their history, and perhaps why one is such a silent guardian and the others is in complete denial about feelings that have always been there, simply ignored.

Sometimes in a series with a lot of tight characters with individual and group friendships it’s easy to pick out in advance who you think will end up together eventually… in spite of all their nonsense fighting. It was obvious that Archer and Elle would make up one of the couples as early as the first story, Sweet Little Lies, Love hate relationship much? Yeah, indeed. Elle is a strong woman who has built her life from scratch herself. Self-reliant, stubborn as a woman can get she has no need for a relationship or a man to define her place in this world. Yet Archer pushes buttons that she’s constantly discovering about herself. On one hand she wants him like crazy, on the other she’s… scared. But she’ll never admit to that. Archer saved her on one of the most awful nights of her life. And while he says there’s no payback necessary she’s always felt that there could be nothing between them simply because Archer is the billboard for the strong, silent type of man. She offered once, and when he refused well she was done. Trouble is, Elle didn’t understand why he refused and it’s taken a lot of years to finally really hear his answer. When her sister, Morgan, gets in touch again… bringing trouble with her again, Elle shuts her out and it will take one strong, silent and stubborn man to get her to open up to either her sister or the man who loves her.

I’m enjoying getting to know all of the cast of characters in this series a little bit better with each book. Accidentally on Purpose is full of sass and heat, tenderness and lust, friendship and that special something that happens between the right man and the right woman. I enjoyed every moment of my time in this world – and now I’m looking forward to seeing how Elle and Archer are as an established couple in the rest of the series. Yeah, those extra bits of the lives of all of these friends is what makes this series special to me. I’d recommend Accidentally on Purpose, or any story in this series to Romance readers who enjoy a solid story line, believable characters and those extra touches that make a story a community of friends. Because relationships are formed and the group dynamic changes because of this I would recommend reading this series in order for the best flow and enjoyment.

I own a Kindle edition of this novel.
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Top critical review

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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 starsToo much, yet not enough
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 4, 2017
It was just okay. I'm not sure what it was about this book, but I wasn't a huge fan. I normally really go for the strong male AND female main characters, but this one was lacking. I think it was the lack of communication and there were too many elements to the plot (Elle's past, not talking with her family, sister showing up, attacked by sister's ex's goons, her love/lust for Archer but not wanting to admit it to herself, Archer's past, death of his mom, bad relationship with his dad, his job, his love/lust for Elle, but not wanting to admit it to himself) it just seemed like the author had a word quota and didn't know how to fill it with just Archer's and Elle's relationship and growth into love, so she had them already in love with each other, and they just had to admit it to themselves and each other. I found it a bit annoying and boring. I normally love Jill Shalvis' books and did really like the other books in the series, this one just wasn't for me. There was just too much going on, yet not enough relationship development.
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From the United States

Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Too much, yet not enough
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
It was just okay. I'm not sure what it was about this book, but I wasn't a huge fan. I normally really go for the strong male AND female main characters, but this one was lacking. I think it was the lack of communication and there were too many elements to the plot (Elle's past, not talking with her family, sister showing up, attacked by sister's ex's goons, her love/lust for Archer but not wanting to admit it to herself, Archer's past, death of his mom, bad relationship with his dad, his job, his love/lust for Elle, but not wanting to admit it to himself) it just seemed like the author had a word quota and didn't know how to fill it with just Archer's and Elle's relationship and growth into love, so she had them already in love with each other, and they just had to admit it to themselves and each other. I found it a bit annoying and boring. I normally love Jill Shalvis' books and did really like the other books in the series, this one just wasn't for me. There was just too much going on, yet not enough relationship development.
23 people found this helpful
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Midge
3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed by the way the characters were developed in this story.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 22, 2017
Verified Purchase
I have read just about all of Jill SHalvis' books and really them. This is one of 2 that I did not.
The writing didn't flow like it usually does. I was anxious to read about the dynamic duo,
Archer and Elle, but the story took too many turns and their repartee, which was the fun part,
was not as concise or sharp as it was in the previous books from the group that included their
friends, Finn and Pru, Spence, Willa, etc. It was stiff and boring. I was disappointed as I was primed to read it from the "tease," from the book released previously, Its about Mistletoe or something like
that. The other book I didn't like and actually hated was a paranormal book by J.SHalvis written
quite a while ago. I don't like to read paranormal stuff and was surprised by it, considering this cuthor.
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Trollhair
3.0 out of 5 stars Hmmmmm
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 27, 2020
Verified Purchase
It was a little no a lot cheesy. Predictable. But it had a happily ever after.

Best quote:
“When you find someone who knows you’re not perfect but treats you as if you are anyway, someone whose biggest fear is losing you, it’s worth whatever you have to go through.”
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Becky Rabalais
3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of my favorite Jill Shalvis books
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
I am a big fan of Jill Shelves' novels and anxiously wait for a new book to be released. I was disappointed in Accidentally on Purpose. I read for the characters and not so much for the plot. This novel reminded me of an action novel, lots of plot. I just didn't warm-up to the main characters. It was different from the others in this series. I do plan to reread it to see if I was just not in the right mood for this novel.
5 people found this helpful
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Swendog Millionaire
3.0 out of 5 stars Not the worst, not the best
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
A lot of the banter, especially between all the secondary characters felt forced.
I get that clothes are supposed to be a big part of her character, but it also felt forced how the descriptions of her outfits were inserted into conversation.
Their relationship progressed okay, but the stakes never felt all that real. But maybe I’m just jaded.
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Riri Hanafi
3.0 out of 5 stars Love the characters..
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
I love Elle... and I also love Archer, though sometimes he just so stubborn... and also don't forget Spencer... he's adorable...
But I guess... the chemistry between Elle and Archer sometimes I felt off... and maybe it's just me, Elle and Spencer are quite a couple... ;-)
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Lenoreo @ Celebrity Readers
3.0 out of 5 stars The pacing didn't work for me or something...
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 21, 2020
3.5 stars — This one had a lot of great moments, but in the end it dragged on a bit long and I started to lose interest. I’m not sure if it was repetitive, or it was just the pacing in general that didn’t work for me? It probably didn’t help that Archer and Elle were never going to be the characters I would connect the most with in this series, and while I was curious about their past, I don’t always understand the whole fighting push and pull romance thing.

I’m not sure why, but I had a completely different theory of what happened in Elle’s past. I think from the hints in other books I’ve read in this series, I was expecting something more traumatizing…which is silly, because it’s not as though her childhood wasn’t traumatizing in its own way. I guess the little we got of “that night” just didn’t completely explain her reticence to talk about her past…but then again, she’s a completely different person to me.

She and Archer both seem to thrive on the conflict and the arguing and the making up, and while that’s entertaining, it’s not a dynamic that I would ever find myself in. As such, I grew cranky with the stubbornness and the refusal to see what was right in front of them in this book. Probably a bit more with Elle than Archer, because at least in Archer’s perspective he wasn’t completely denying his feelings.

Honestly? My favourite parts were the secondary cast parts. They’re just so much fun together, and I just love the way they interact with one another. They always make me laugh, and I feel like their friendships are genuine. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more moments, especially some heart to hearts with the girls. Spence just didn’t quite have that down.

Ms. White’s narration was solid and consistent.

Yeah. I’m sure I could have more to say, but this is probably enough. There was a super mild not body positive joke made early in the book (the usual “does this make me look fat?” nonsense where the man flounders trying to answer, assuring the woman that no OF COURSE they don’t look fat, as though fat is the worst thing they could be), and I’m wondering if that negatively impacted my enjoyment. It’s something I saw all the time in the past, but now I can’t just brush past it anymore. Anyways, regardless, this was not my fave in the series, but at least now I know the deal with these two!
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Lola
3.0 out of 5 stars Accidentally on Purpose
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 29, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through edelweiss and voluntarily reviewed it.

I really am enjoying this series so far and was excited to start this book and a bit hesitant as well as I wasn't sure if I would like Elle and Archer as much as the others as main characters. And it turns out I was right to be a bit hesitant as while this was still a very good book, these two weren't my favorite couple. The whole fight and then kiss type of relationship doesn't quite work for me.

Elle and Archer have a bit of a past, what exactly happened back then when they first met we slowly find out over the course of this book. They can't stand each other and always fight and argue when they are together. But both are very stubborn characters who hide their vulnerabilities behind a shield. Elle describes herself as a ice queen one time and that fits and Archer is a rock who never shows emotions and is very distant with Elle. But beyond the exterior they actually care about each other a lot, they just don't show it, until that slowly changes.

My main issue with this book was that I didn't care as much for Elle and Archer as the previous main characters. Elle and Archer are both were the type of characters who got on my nerves at times. They were fighting and saying mean things (mostly Elle did this) to each other and while I knew that was a shield, I just wanted them to be nice to each other for a change as well. It just isn't the type of romance that I prefer to read about. From about the halfway point things did improve a bit and we did got some touching scenes between them, but for most of the book they are in this pretend to hate each other while they love each other part.

Fighting and arguing is what they do best, but they kinda like that. I don't know it's just not my type of romance. It's a bit of an enemies to lovers type of romance, even though they never really hate each other, just pretend to do so and they do get angry at each other at times. Especially Elle at Archer and she jumps at conclusions and starts yelling and being angry at him without hearing his side of the story. She also says some pretty mean things to him at times. And yes I know she really did care about him beyond that, but she also did mean those things when she said them. At times I wondered why Archer didn't get enough from that. Well because he cared for her I guess.

But even though I had a bit of an issue with the two main characters and their romance I still mostly enjoyed this book. The way Jill Shalvis writes her books always sucks me in and I still easily read through the book. The pace was well done and I like her writing style. I also like how we get to see more of Spence in this book and I am so excited to hear he will get his own book as I really like his character so far. The other side character mostly stayed to the side. I had hoped to see a bit more of the, but the focus really is on the main couple. I also was a tad confused about how we hardly saw Haley in this book, but did saw a new character Kylie with her dog Vinnie. Or did I just not remember her from previous books? That's possible too, as the focus always has been on Pru, Will and Elle mostly.

There is a tiny bit of suspense, but I wouldn't categorize it as a romantic suspense. It's still firmly a contemporary romance book, the suspense plot line is only a very small bit and to be honest I would've liked to see it expanded a bit or not be there at all as now it just was there, but it was so small of a part that it just felt a tad off. The plot line with Morgan was interesting, although I would've liked to see more of how things ended up with her. Also sadly there was no pet in this book that played a big role like in the previous books.

To summarize: this was an another well written book in this series. I really like Shalvis her writing style and did enjoy this book despite some of the issues I had with it. I didn't really care as much for Elle and Archer as I did about the previous couples and the fight and then kiss type off relationship they had didn't quite work for me. Most of the book they pretended to hate each other to cover up their real feelings. It's armor or shield they sue to protect themselves, but I am not a big fan of those type of romances and found it hard to fully feel the romance because of that. I also felt we got to see less of the side characters in this book and the focus was more firmly on the main characters and a few new side characters. It is very well written and I easily read through this book. I also liked how we got to see more of Spence in this book as he is close to Elle. And I am so excited his book will be next as I really like his character.
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Monique D
3.0 out of 5 stars Oh that stubborn woman!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 24, 2017
When the emergency exit system fails, building manager Elle Wheaton has not choice to call the head of security, Archer Hunt, and she so didn’t want to do that. Not that Elle hates Archer, not really. She’s had a crush on him for a long time, but she feels she owes him her life, and she wants to be independent, but most of all feel secure, and Archer is everything but that. Elle and Archer had known each other for a brief moment, 11 years ago, and Elle has forever felt guilty at what had happened to Archer after that fateful night. Archer doesn’t seen things the same way, but the way he felt couldn’t be helped in the past. Archer wishes Elle would bend a little bit, but if he’s stubborn, she’s the most pig-headed woman to ever grace the face of the earth.

Sometimes I wish Ms. Shalvis wrote more serious matter, because she really excels at it, but then again the hilarious banter might be absent, and a humorous tone is Jill Shalvis’ trademark. As usual, ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE features the banter, the snark, and the giggles. Both Archer and Elle had superb backstories, which has defined their outlook on life; I felt Archer dealt better with things, because Elle is so set in her way of not wanting any help from anyone, that she is seriously aggressive towards almost anyone who tries to be kind.

I usually don’t fancy alpha heroes that much, but Archer is fabulous; he’s very protective, and it’s because what Elle’s early life had been, and he does want the best for her. He is a control freak, but so is Elle, but he’s nice, or tries to be; I really liked him, and I thought Elle was really too stubborn and determined to hate him, no matter how she really felt. I found Elle quite disagreeable; she’s proud, she feels guilty towards Archer, but it just went on a tad too long; I mean, get over it, woman! While I understood Elle’s issues and where she was coming from, enough is enough: try to live in the present, and accept what the man offers you; Archer was upfront and honest, and he really tried, but Elle was a tough nut to crack! Also, I might be accused of nitpicking here, but all the talk of wanting to strangle people, to kill people, while meant in jest, left me quite uncomfortable, because there was just too much of it. And most of the time, it was pointless. If you don’t mind a mule-headed woman who takes a long time to get around, you will enjoy ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
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wstchr
3.0 out of 5 stars REALLY POOR EDITING for this caliber of author to have in her book.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 4, 2017
I enjoyed the story although I go a bit tired of Elle's constantly being mad at Archer but still having sex.

What I found disappointing was to very poor editing of the writing. There were grammatical mistakes that should have been spotted easily by a professional editor. For example: "these ones." This is about a fifth grade English grammar lesson where someone should have learned to say/write "these" if referring to plural items or "this one" for a singular. There were word substitutions that should have been caught. For example: "of" for '"off" and "broke eye contract" for "broke eye contact." There was a scene where Elle's dress is admired by Archer to start the scene, then he unbuttons her blouse and moments later removes he dress. Strange outfit! A character's grammar errors can be overlooked if he is a rube but the characters in this book were portrayed as educated.
Another error that should have been caught by an editor worth his/her salt was the confusion of character names. Morgan and Mollie are not interchangeable.
I checked this book out from the public library. I'm glad I didn't pay for this level of editing in the writing of a top selling author like Ms. Shalvis.
I've read dozens of this author's books and I've never seen this poor excuse for editing in her books. I'll continue to read her books, but I sure hope Jill Shalvis gets a better editor!
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