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Bad Habits #1

With a Twist

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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.

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2015

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About the author

Staci Hart

51 books6,139 followers
I was the kid who stayed inside to read.

As a four-eyed nerd with a bad perm, I was no one’s dodgeball pick, but I had a lot of friends. Frodo and Bilbo, for instance. Kristy, Stacey, Claudia and the gang (iykyk). Once, in the third grade, I wrote a teen murder mystery inspired by Christopher Pike. On solving my mystery in twelve pages, I decided I was a terrible writer and should never, ever do that again.

Fortunately, I didn’t take my own advice.

I write romance for that feeling you get at the end, like you’re standing on top of a mountain with a backpack full of hundred dollar bills. I write romcoms because is there anything better than banter and grand gestures? I write because I love to create and I love words. I love books, and I love stretching my imagination. I love love, and if you do too, bring your coffee and have a seat. I think we’re gonna be friends.

Stay connected!
Instagram: http://instagram.com/quirkybird
Facebook: http://facebook.com/stacihartnovels
Reader Group: http://facebook.com/groups/stacihart

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 905 reviews
Profile Image for Christy.
4,081 reviews34.6k followers
April 14, 2017
4 stars!!!

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Every time I read a Staci Hart book I fall in love. The stories, the characters, the writing, I always look forward to reading her books. By the end of this year I WILL have them all read :D With a Twist is a fantastically fun, sweet and sexy friends to lovers book.
”We'd always been affectionate, always been close, but the boundaries were firmly in place we were friends.”

West and Lily are friends and neighbors. They are always there for one another and are very close. For as long as she can remember, Lily has been too busy for love. She’s a ballerina and that takes up so much of her time. A girlfriend isn’t a priority for West, either. He’s too busy trying to get into grad school.

Things change when Lily’s long time dance crush has become single, so she decides to throw caution to the wind and go for it. But Blaine isn’t all he was made out to be in Lily’s head. Then there is West. West who has always been there. West who is handsome, considerate, and kind. And who has it bad for Lily… but friends to lovers is a tricky thing. There is always the possibility of something going wrong and the friendship suffering. But that may be a risk these two are willing to take….

This book left me smiling from ear to ear. I just adored West and Lily! And all their friends, too. I’m so excited to see that Cooper, Maggie, Rose and Tricky all get books! Yay! I can’t wait to read them all. This audiobook was so much fun and addicting to listen to!
Profile Image for • Lisa •.
556 reviews1,562 followers
July 23, 2015
FOUR BAD HABIT STARS.

"Sometimes love leaves you spinning."

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If this novel is an example of a bad habit then I'll gladly take up its offer of a life of weakness and stay happily addicted, thank you very much. A Staci Hart book is what every romance lover dreams of and If this book is anything to go by I can already foresee that she will fast become one of my favourite authors. After receiving a gorgeously enthusiastic message from one of my goodreads friends about this book (thank you Angie) I quickly jumped head first into this book and didn't come up for much air from the beginning to end. If you've got a craving for a 'friends to ooooooh I just noticed how much I love you' story, with a delicious hero (complete with beard and man bun), insanely beautiful heroine and fabulous secondary characters then my fellow reader you have come to the right place. What are you waiting for? Go get your 'one click' on the go. As for my lingering thoughts I'm already in the queue for book two of this series and looking forward to seeing what Miss Hart has planned for her other characters.

What's its all about?
When Lily Thomas starts to gain attention from her long term crush nothing is left in the way of Lily finally landing the affection of the famous Blake Baker and the hope of happiness. With stars in her eyes and a bright future ahead of her Lily is grabbing onto the hope of love. As a best friend Weston Williams should be happy that Lily has finally started to date but he can't seem to shake the feeling of jealousy that comes with her happiness. As the story unfolds they both both have to come to terms with the changes to their friendship and developing feelings. Will Weston be able to grab the woman he has finally realised he has always loved or will it be too late for the twosome that have always stayed firmly in the friend zone. Crazy antics, jealousy, friendship, hopes, dreams, pizza and alcohol all play their starring role in this gorgeous contemporary romance.

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What did I love?
This book was refreshingly 'real' it had all that I love about the romance genre; the sexy hero, the lingering 'hot' looks, some unrequited love, those jealousy plots that make your heart go boom, characters that make you smile so hard your cheeks start to hurt. Yes, all of that but it was also so much more. It had that feeling of spending quality time with your group of life long friends, instead of being an onlooker into the action Staci Hart had a quirky way of making me feel a part of the unfolding story. I loved, like serious heart in mouth, galloping a million times a minute style loved the characters they were quirky and original and yes I admit as soon as I first heard the description of the hero I was 100 percent sold. The intimate scenes were sexy, flirty and quite frankly made my heart explode. The plot also had that angsty 'not sure what's around the corner' vibe to it which made for an interesting, unfolding story line. I loved how the characters all had strength of friendship and the author has certainly planted enough seeds to get her readers pumped up and ready for the next book of the series. If this book was the bait to get potential readers interested in this author's work then job well done because I'm certainly hooked (see what I did there?). Here's to celebrating the hard work of those hidden gems that we find. Staci Hart I loved your novel and I'm ready to read more.

Why not five?
Oh readers, let's not get picky here this book was so close to a five star I'm reluctant to list my reasons for not crowning it with the full five stars. Alas, as with all my reviews if the book didn't quite hit the mark I try and explain (not quite so eloquently) my reasons why. As you can tell from my thoughts so far this book hit the nail on the romantic head for my tastes. Mostly everything about this book suited my needs to a tee. However, (and it's a small however) I had fleeting feelings of annoyance with the story telling at some points of the book. I wanted to knock, knock on my kindle and have a few words with both hero and heroine from time to time. In addition I needed to have more time with the twosome as a happy couple. The author had a well developed plot to get the characters to where she wanted them to be, but when the rubber hit the road I felt like the book was cut a little on the short side. But (and its a huge but) I really adored this book and I honestly (hand on heart) can't wait for more from this gorgeous author and her romantic imagination.

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Final thoughts ...
Weston, Weston, Weston where have you been all my romance reading life. Heroes have come (get your mind out of the gutter) and gone. There has been those that I will never forget and those that have won a place in my hero loving heart and then Staci Hart comes along with her creation of you with your man bun, beard and love of literature and quite frankly stole my heart. Oh yes readers he is THAT loveable, you are in for a real treat. 'With a twist' is the start of what I believe is going to be an unforgettable series, complete with a gorgeous cover and fantastic friendships I am already wishing away the days for when I can get my hands on more from this author. I love when I'm able to discover an author that I know will be producing the quality loved up goods and now all that is left to say is, go grab it readers. Enjoy ... Kisses.

*ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Profile Image for Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads.
689 reviews13.7k followers
July 17, 2015
OH MY LORD!!!!!
OH MY GOD.

What a great book.
What a phenomenal freaking read.

You know, going into a novel I always feel a sense of nervousness. Especially if the book's from an author I haven't read before. I'll admit, I tend to stick with authors who I trust to deliver a well written read. I don't step outside of my "go to" bubble very much. Of course, I'll pick up a book here and there, but for the most part I have a list of writers I gravitate to.

I'm so unbelievably thrilled to have found a "new to me" author who can write a kick ass novel with some serious depth. This book came out of the left field. I wasn't expecting it. I had seen some teasers that had piqued my curiosity and somehow (Thank you, sweet baby Jesus) I got the book on my kindle.

I opened it thinking I'd take a quick look, get a little taste. Well that "quick look/little taste" turned into an - I. CAN'T. STOP. READING!!! OMG. THIS. IS. SO. GREAT - binge-fest.

I didn't want it to end.

I could have lived within the pages for YEARS.
YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.


It was EPIC.

The novel starts off with a bang. Literally. LOL. On the first page I could feel my gut tingling with sweet anticipation. I was intrigued, so ready to see where this story was going.

I couldn't believe it! PAGE FREAKING ONE and I was hooked.

HOOKED!!!!

That NEVER happens to me. Typically, I have to force myself through the first 15 - 20%! In this novel, I felt taken.

I immediately adored the authors style of writing. I felt drawn to it. It's heavy in dialogue, has the perfect amount of description, and just enough inner monologue where you need it.

I laugh and cried and swooned and felt each and every word she had put down.
I can't say enough good things.

I truly ate this story like it was a chocolate souffle--all melty and delicious.

Each character's introduced with a seamless perfection that's shiver worthy. From Lily, to West, to Blaine, to Rose, to Maggie, to Cooper, to Patrick, to Astrid.... ALL of them are so unique with personalities that are simply breath taking.

I couldn't get enough.
I couldn't read fast enough.

I'm telling you, there was a point where I wanted to force myself to slow down and savor each word but I couldn't because the story was so brilliant I had the counter urge to just plow through.

God, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
My belly kept twirling in delightful pirouettes.
My heart kept tap dancing across the pages.

It was awesome. AWESOME!!!

The dialogue in this novel is absolutely superb, probably the best I've read in ages. The transitions between the characters is so fluid, the words so realistic. Many times, I felt as if I was sitting in Habits (The bar the group gravitates to) engaged in conversation with these people. It was unbelievably realistic.

I swear, this novel is alive.

The scenes are so well drawn out, the picture painted for the reader, vivid and visceral. I want to live with these characters, be apart of their day to day. I wanted to laugh with them, swoon with them, love with them. I was completely entangled in each one. I could see potential for story lines bleeding off the pages. Each character's an intriguing blend of wit, humor, and unequivocal sex appeal.

Staci Harts blown me away.

BLOWN. ME. A. FREAKING. WAY!!!

The slow building romance between West (An English Lit TA, who LOVES books **faints**) and Lily (A ballerina) brings such a refreshing and appealing view to this book. The romance progresses beautifully. It doesn't happen on the first page, there's no insta love, no insta lust. They're truly friends with a respect and admiration for each other that made me want to dance with glee.

The pacing of the plot was magnificent. At first I wondered how Lily and West would figure it out. How would they come to the conclusion that they were THE person for each other? Both seemed to live different lives, yet somehow the author melded them into one cohesive unit that flourished.

I loved the dynamic between them. It was sexy. It was heart warming. It gave me goosebumps.
Made me feel high. I was drunk on these characters. They felt so real. So authentic.

Everything was seamless.

I can honestly say that I was enchanted and addicted to the sweet, slow building, magical romance that Staci Hart created.

It was decadent, made my heart soar, and had me feeling feels I strive to find when picking up a novel.

I'm so happy I read it. I'm so happy that this book found me. I cannot wait for the next installment. I love Cooper, Maggie, Patrick and Rose. I want a book for each of them and I'm told we're getting that.

Ahhhhhhhh. I truly feel like this book--With a Twist--is an Indie Gem. One of those reads you never forget. It was EVERYTHING I love in a novel and MORE. A read that can't be rated on a 1-5 scale. It deserves an infinite amount of numbers. I LOVED it.

Gosh, I'll end it by saying, Bravo, Staci. You nailed it. You gave me one heck of a read and in the process earned one hell of a fangirl in me!

Just FANTASTIC!
Profile Image for Ashleyjo.
826 reviews468 followers
December 20, 2015
Geesh! I'll just never understand why a reader would be interested in reading a story where the MCs are screwing other people before getting a HEA together.

I've read very few books where om/ow works for me, and then only because the screwing of others has a monumental... Tastefully Written point to it for the plot and/or characters.

That monumental tact with ow/om is not the case in this book at all.

My safety gang friends, this will be a no-go for yall!

The female mc Lily is a dancer with a long-standing crush on her male dance partner. The book opens with a sex scene between the two of them. Lily is all about crushing on the Greek God dancer that can't even give her an orgasm:/ Fun times, fun times.

We go on to meet her group of friends, including the male MC, West.

West has his own POV in the book. He and Lily are close friends, and there isn't a single emotion, thought, or action to suggest otherwise for a good chunk of the book.

West is waiting to meet the one, and avoids dating, boyfriend status etc until he meets someone "who moved me." Uhm, how the hell do you meet the one if you never give anyone a date?!?

Anyway, West has one woman that he fucks on the regular because she gets his no dating "arrangement." Eyeroll city.

Just doesn't work for me...

I'm grossed out that the author is going to eventually sometime before next century turn this around to an aha moment where these two realize they are each other's 'one' and stop screwing other people. In the meantime...

I'm bored the fuck to death with TMI ballet details at nauseam in her POV and literary lectures and grading papers in his POV. At almost 50% of the book the MCs have had three brief, uneventful, meaningless scenes together. The rest of the book is a detailed account of their professional lives with the occasional sex scene thrown in with other people. No thanks:/

There are also tooooooo many mfing characters in this book. I get that the author clearly is going to have a running series featuring each secondary character. BUT, there are simply too many to keep track of and that take up way too much space in the book. It's a clusterfuck!

Bottom Line

Im'a call her quits at just short of 50%. This just doesn't work for me on any level - from om/ow, boring plot, overbearing secondary characters, Sex In The City vibe, etc.

I'll actually let West close this out for me:

"That's the beauty of books, little sister. What means nothing to one has a profound effect on another."




Profile Image for ~♡AB♡~.
974 reviews687 followers
July 15, 2015
★★★ 3 Stars ★★★

With a Twist is a sweet, friends to lovers romance that is a light and funny read.

Lily and West have been friends for quite a few years and have always friend zoned each other for various reasons.

West is a teaching assistant at Colombia and hoping to get into the doctoral programme, whilst Lily is starring in Swan Lake at the New York Ballet. They often hang out together with a larger group of friends, of which we are introduced to together they form a large part of the story.

Lily has had a crush on her male lead, Blane for years, so when he suddenly becomes single and interested in her, she jumps at the chance to take their relationship to the next level. Unfortunately, dreams don't always live up to the expectation and Lily is soon left wondering if Blane is the right man for her or not.

Meanwhile, West is starting to notice that his feelings for Lily are not necessarily purely platonic, but he has never really considered that they could become more, that is until he sees that Blane is not treating Lily like he respects her, and that leaves him food for thought.
_ _ _ _

Whilst I very much enjoyed reading about Lily, West and all the other side characters, I felt like I needed more of the both of them slowly realising that they were in love with each other, rather than a 'boom' moment where it suddenly dawned on them that they had stronger feelings. They were just friends for a good portion of the book and then BAM, they were lovers.

I am however, eager to read the stories of their friends, especially Trick & Rose and Cooper so hopefully there will be a little touch of angst in the rest of the series to satisfy my appetite.

This is a standalone contemporary romance, told in dual POV.

ARC gratefully received from the author in exchange for an honest review


Profile Image for 1-Click Addict Support Group.
3,749 reviews481 followers
July 14, 2015
Ughhhh, this book! This book is pretty much everything right now. I just finished it and I'm so flipping in love, with West, with Lily, with this crew, I can't even. <<-- Can't even what? No. Idea. I just can't, okay?

With years of friendship between them, Lily Thomas and Weston Williams aren't looking at each with love in their eyes. Nope, their friendship is based on a solid foundation of support, crappy reality TV and understanding.

They've never wanted to step outside the confines of the friend-zone. That is, until Lily's long-time crush turned potential epic fail opens both their eyes to what's been right there all along...

With A Twist is that rare book that just feels right from start to finish. From the slow burn of friends becoming more, so much more, to the quirky, easy, sassy dialogue that rebounds between this awesome group of people, this book just captured and held my attention from page one.

I loved all of these characters. West, oh, sweet baby Jesus with a man bun... This tattooed, bearded hunk of manly, literary, panty-melting perfection just became my newest book boyfriend. I adored his smarts, his passion, his manners, him.

Plus, Lily. Funny, sweet, strong, passionate Lily, who made me laugh and who I'd love to be friends with, if only she were real. Maybe more, actually. I'm totally girl-crushing on her somewhat indecisive ass right now, no lie.

And the rest of them. *Sigh* I can't wait for more of this series. If the books to come are as happily emotional -- making me laugh, cringe, swoon, fuss in equal measure -- and as well-paced and well-written as this one, I'm going to be a very happy camper. These people all need their HEAs and I want need to read them.

I still just can't right now. I don't want to pick up another book because I didn't want this one to end. So, I'll just stop and let my rating do the talking for me... ~ Beth, 6 I fucking loved this book stars
Profile Image for Sue.
781 reviews1,576 followers
February 10, 2017


I knew I was going to fall in love with this book the moment I laid my eyes on the first page.
OH, MY GOD. I CANNOT believe this is actually happening.

It was the only thought in my brain, and it echoed over and over again as I stared in the studio mirror, gripping the barre as Blane Motherfucking Baker nailed me from behind.

This opening line guarantees a hooked reader. There are no turning back.

With a Twist follows the story of Lily, a ballerina who finally has the chance to start a relationship with her long time crush, Blane Baker. But sadly, he isn’t what she had always imagined him to be.

Meet West Williams, one of Lily’s best friends. They have an easy relationship, one that clearly revolves around temptation and what ifs. No matter how hard they fight their fates, it might turn out this is out of their hands.

Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. So, with no surprises this book ended up charming me. It started on a hilarious note. I love the tone of the characters, they are delightful to read. I was snorting and cracking up so much, just what I need after reading quite heavy books. There is banter and bond between this group of friends, another trope of mine. Give me all your bands of friends, please! The plot continues to flow for the rest of the book. Meanwhile the other half, prove itself to be swoon fest.

The only thing that held me back at rating this five stars is the anticlimactic trope I usually see in New Adult books. When guys get territorial. Overall, West is a top notch hero. I like his chapters and growth, but this particularly irks me. Yes, this could be sweet, but I hate the implication that women cannot take care of themselves. There is a right time and place to be territorial, I suppose, but some books take it off too far. With a Twist isn’t worst like that, but clearly this is an issue.

Similarly some scenes are quite abrupt and rushed. But aside from that, this book is a fantastic read and fun. This is surely joining my favorites. I couldn’t wait enough for the sequel. Recommending this to all readers who want a quick, easy read with plenty of swoons and laughter.

Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
Profile Image for  Linathebookaddict  .
1,448 reviews389 followers
July 12, 2015
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LOVED it!!! This book had me curious since the first moment I saw the blurb and cover. When I was given one of the first copies, I was ecstatic! I sure wasn't disappointed.
It's been a while since I've read a best friends-turn- lovers story and I think this is one of the best I've ever read.
The book had it all; humor, love, friendship, passion and villains that you just have to hate!
Lily is a dancer and she is currently preparing for the dance of her life; Swan Lake.
West is a Teacher's Assistant and he is best friends with Lily. They have amazing, faithful friends and the only thing missing from their lives is someone to love.
Lily's dream comes true when the man she has been craving since forever finally notices her. Blane is the Godlike dancer that she covets but her hopes are destroyed when she realizes that he is not so perfect after all.
West's love life is bleak but when he realizes that Lily might be serious about someone else, he starts doubting their long friendship.
These two people will fight their way through fake people and lies in order to finally get what they want and deserve.


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I loved the writing. I think the author did a great job with this storyline. Her characters were real, human and their personalities colorful. The humor was off the charts and I seriously loved Lily's thoughts!
West was simply adorable and well, we all need a West in our lives!!!!
The pace of the book was fast and the plot was well developed. I had a blast reading this book and I must admit that it's been a while since I've enjoyed a book with this kind of storyline. The chemistry between West and Lily was so obvious that I was shocked at how late they realized that they belonged together.
Well done!!!

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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
Profile Image for Michelle.
2,082 reviews882 followers
March 24, 2017
With a Twist is the story of Lily Thomas and West Williams, not just a love story but one that also encompasses a story of friendship. When Lily gets the promotion within the New York City Ballet, the crush she’s had since high school is within her reach, but all the anticipation of wanting Blane doesn’t match the reality.

As West awaits news if he gets to progress in his academic career, it suddenly hits him that what he feels for Lily is far greater than the friendship they share. But now Blane is in the picture, just as he realizes that what he’s been searching for has been his all along. As West and Lily dance around their feelings, it seems everyone else is already clued into their attraction.

This was my first read from author Staci Hart and thank goodness that I saw a reading buddy rave about this one because It probably would have missed my radar completely. With A Twist is a sweet romance that brings two best friends together with high angst and although it was light in the steam department, the story was just so good that you barely noticed it.

I found myself so anxious for these two to see what they meant to one another, waiting for the realization to hit. I was unable to put it down once we hit the sweet spot around 75%.

Bad Habits is the first installment of this series and from the characters we get to meet in this one, I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out. Each of the characters were so easy to love and I can’t even begin to pick a favorite.
If you are seeking out a fantastic new adult romance that is heavy on the story and characters, this is one you should not pass up.
Profile Image for Nina.
833 reviews316 followers
October 14, 2017
This was a quick and fun read and I definitely enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the first half of the book was a little slow and I'm also not the biggest fan of the author's writing style which is why I'm giving this 3 out of 5 stars!
Profile Image for Mallory.
1,698 reviews132 followers
May 25, 2016
2 stars

After reading Wasted Words I felt like I needed more Staci Hart. I loved her build up to the relationship after their friendship. However, With A Twist just made me do a 180.

These two main characters were with other people for like 2/3 of the book. And they didn't really take the transition from friends to in lurve very slowly. It just was not for me. I was hoping to love this series, but I'm probably going to pass now :(
Profile Image for Donna ~ The Romance Cover.
2,798 reviews319 followers
July 16, 2015
With A Twist by Staci Hart
4 stars!!!

“Sacrificing satin and leather, one concerto at a time.”


I was first introduced to Staci Hart through her Hardcore series which I absolutely loved. I have to admit that series caught my eye because of the amazing covers and once again, I love the cover that Staci has chosen to adorn With A Twist. Once I find an author that I love I don’t tend to read blurbs, I just dive in and that was the case with this, so I was pleasantly surprised that this was a contemporary romance. This book also ticked a lot of boxes for me, I am a sucker for friends to lovers and I love romantic comedy and this was the perfect blend for me, we had the anticipation, the friends, the eureka moment, humour, heat and just that feel good factor that leaves you with the warm and fuzzies at the end.

Lily was a ballet dancer for the New York ballet and was a beautiful character inside and out. She didn’t have time for relationships due to her working and training schedule and she always felt that she was missing out, however, her dancing was her world and their was no way that she would compromise for the sake of a man.

“Your feet are the only visible sign of your love for ballet. Every mark, every callus and wound is a symbol of your pain, of thousands of hours of sweat, blood and work. You call them ugly. I call them art.”


West was a teaching assistant for a professor of English Lit, he was hoping to be accepted in the Doctorate programme. Not only was West super smart, but again, we had another beautiful character, both inside and out. West had always filled his time with meaningless relationships and I use that term lightly, more like fuck buddies. He was not interested in long term and was more intent on finishing his studies than anything else.

Lily and West had a great friendship, even though they were the opposite sex they told each other everything, watched meaningless TV together and had the most open and hilarious conversations. But even in the beginning they were like an old married couple. The only people that couldn’t see it were Lily and West.

“You make sense. Like, I see the two of you talking or touching, and it’s just right…you make your own magic, like you run on the same frequency. How is it that you haven’t been attracted to him the whole time?”


These two had firmly friend-zoned each other, both fearing the loss of their friendship over a relationship, although for the longest time, neither one of them saw the other as a potential romantic interest. It takes for Lily to find a boyfriend to drive West into actually realising and admitting his true feelings, both to himself, his friends and eventually Lily.

“…she’s blinded by his douchesparkle.”


My only niggle with this read was that for the majority of the book they were friends and were working through other relationships or their own issues, I would have liked a bit more of them as a couple. However, I see the potential for the other characters in this book to have their own and I am hoping that we will see more of Lily and West through these.

“Baby, I’ll eat brussel sprouts for you.”


The secondary characters in this book had a huge part to play and none were superfluous to the overall content and flow of the book, they were all pivotal one way or another and Lily and West’s close circle of friends were more family than friends. It was this familial friendship that really gelled these characters together and had you rooting for all of them throughout and it is also this character connection that endears them all to you.

“May your endings be happy and your habits be bad.”


As I said above, this was perfectly balanced with friendships, love, drama, a little angst but most of all a huge dose of Staci Hart humour. It is this that keeps those pages turning and for me made this a book that I read in one sitting. I really hope Staci Hart develops this series further as I want to know more about all of these characters going forward. Also, at the end of the day this man has a beard, a man-bun and he reads and watches the Notebook too, so what more could a person want…

“Part of me wants to do something horrible to pay her back, like put magnesium in her water bottle so she’ll shit her leotard during rehearsal, or at least get a solid shart in.”


www.theromancecover.com
Profile Image for ♥ℳelody.
667 reviews704 followers
November 3, 2023
I'm rating this with an extreme curve for the last 20% alone. As for the rest of the story...



I feel like the blurb is misleading. Cause the "realization" part takes too long to get to. That and I guess I was just expecting full on secret mutual pining between two friends. But that's not really what I got. This is a 275 page book where 190 pages of it the hero and heroine are with other people. The opening scene of the book is the heroine getting railed from behind by her dance partner. I should have taken that as my first red flag. I usually don't mind love triangle equations but this was a bit much even for me. It just went on for way waaay too long. The heroine Lily is hellbent on dating her douchehole sleazy dance partner who keeps using her as a bootycall and she's too stupidly oblivious and in denial to see it. It's unbearable to say the least because all her friends clearly see it and trying to gently warn her but she just keeps insisting on seeing it through and live out her fantasy cause Blane Baker has been her "dream man" since 15. Oh brother. A guy who can't even make her orgasm. 😐 Oh yes, we are shown all the horror date details of these two awkwardly flopping around like fishes in his dance studio while he fucks her raw meanwhile our hero West is just........grading papers in his apartment. For 80% of the fucking story.



I just have to ask Staci Hart why? Just why? Who was the couple here? This is supposed to be slow burn but it's not really what I would call a slow burn. More like throwing a frozen steak in the frying pan but realizing you forgot to turn the stove on 1 hour later. I'm not sure what exactly Staci Hart was trying to do here but you are working with the easiest formula: friends to lovers, Lily and West are best friends who have known each other for 4 years, living in the same building. This is where I point out that both of them are very attracted to each other since they first met but the timing was always not right or one of them assumed the other isn't interested. It's all there but the author did nothing with it. Instead we get a bunch of endless filler scenes of Lily and her friends getting drunk, West grading papers and trying to get rid of a very clingy manipulative casual hookup, and Lily's grueling dance rehearsals and catty fights with her arch nemesis Nadia. Which really showed the immature tone of this story for me, the catty bitch fights over a guy was really RME worthy. The brawl between the hero and Blane at the night club is another example why NA books and I don't mix, instead of thanking West for defending her after Blane publicly humiliates her and dumps her she rails at the hero for "ruining her perfect date". 🙄🙄🙄 The perfect date where he's barely giving you any attention and fucking another woman in the bathroom? I swear to gawd I nearly chucked my kindle out the window at that point.

But the main problem is the hero and heroine barely show any signs of feelings beyond friendship for a good majority until the very end minus 2 bouts of jealousy and a sex dream that the heroine just shrugs off. There is no follow through after those tiny moments which is the whole point of a slow burn. The slow build up is near nonexistent until suddenly near the end BAM! the hero out of nowhere realizes he's in love with his best friend after going to the opera with her. I mean....seriously? I don't want to say I didn't buy the ILYs because I did see the connection, the chemistry and the attraction were all there but it felt a little bizarre how much time and focus was spent on these 2 sleeping with others who were clearly wrong for them then suddenly realizing they love each other. The sweet moments in the end showed they clicked but I wanted to see that progression happen through the dang book. WHY DIDN'T WE GET TO SEE THAT?! Ugh I swear to gawd the next book I pick up and realize is a NA I'm dropping. I never learn. NA never works for me no matter how I try.
Profile Image for Fanny.
2,290 reviews54 followers
February 18, 2021



Añadi este libro a mi lista de lecturas futuras antes de haberle dado varias oportunidades a la autora y constatar que ella y yo no hacemos clic del todo, por eso cuando al fin tuve With A Twist en mi Kindle me lo pense mucho antes de iniciarlo.

Es curioso como siempre empiezo a leer las historias de Staci Hart muy emocionada, y sin embargo, al finalizarlas nunca quedo tan satisfecha como espero, en esta ocasion en concreto, la historia estuvo ok, no me aburrio pero tampoco me enamoro, ademas me siento bastante estafada, donde esta ese supuesto romance magnifico que todo el mundo encontro entre sus paginas? porque sinceramente, yo no di con el.

La novela como ya digo tiene un buen ritmo, no obstante, la trama en si podia haber sido mucho mas memorable de haberle pulido ciertos detalles, asimismo, debo admitir que ni Lily ni West me conquistaron, son demasiado del monton, a mi modo de ver, no destacan en lo mas minimo, sobre todo para ser los protagonistas.

Dentro de la tematica de Friends To Lovers es muy olvidable, principalmente porque apenas hay romance, literalmente ellos no se vuelven una pareja hasta el 80% del libro, y despues de eso, apenas y alcanzamos a leer un par de escenas suyas y unas cuantas de cama antes de llegar al epilogo. La verdad esperaba algo mas impresionante despues de esas reseñas que lei.

Resumiendo, With A Twist es una lectura amena, no obstante, no creo que tardes mucho en olvidarla, especialmente porque no creo que tenga algo novedoso o impactante, es un ( no ) romance tibio y muy basico.

Y en lo personal, senti que su cambio de amigos a enamorados fue muy brusco y nada creible, a parte de que sus escenas de pareja fueron un tanto impostadas, no las senti nada naturales.

P.D. : Creo que leere el siguiente ( si mi parte masoquista me obliga xDD ), no se cuando pero si pienso darle una nueva oportunidad.

2.5 Estrellas!
Profile Image for Brie.
303 reviews23 followers
July 16, 2015
Sometimes love leaves you spinning.

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Well let me tell you, With a Twist will definitely leave you twirling on your twinkle toes! This romantic comedy is a friends to lovers novel but, sweet whiskey on Weston's lips it is so much more!

Weston is an intellectual being. From his beard and man-bun to his deep thoughts and love of all things Shakespearian, I love this man. I want to make love to his mind while immersing myself into every single part of him.

“I just never saw Shakespeare that way. The women in his works held tremendous power, even though they were sometimes treated with very little respect by the other characters. They were always strong, always trying to muck through life just as well as any man. And how many men died for the love of one of those women?” I gave my head a shake. “Personally, I find it fascinating and moving. The thought that you could find someone who held the power to ruin you or rescue you. And that in the end, you could die — especially if The Bard had anything to say about it — so when you have your moment, you’ve got to take it and live it as fully as you can.”

Lily is straight comedic. Everything that comes out of her mouth, or runs through her mind is absolutely priceless, and will send you into a fit of a giggles at the most random times. She is strong, very driven and humble in the cut throat world of ballet where sometimes peers can forget their morals.

“My brain was a traitorous slut for giving me a West wet dream over a Blane one.”

I went into this story thinking the awareness of their feelings would hit me instantly, but it didn't. This was not insta love at all, in fact it was a slow build up of discovering one's feelings. For me it was like having an outer body experience. One that took me on a mystical journey, allowing me to see firsthand these two falling for each other as they fell for one another. I remember reading certain parts and thinking "Yep, this is it. This is when they realized it, this is when they fell and became more than either ever expected."

“We lay there laughing. It took me a second to realize I was lying on top of her with the blanket twisted around us and one of her legs around my waist. Our noses were inches apart. She blushed, and I could barely breathe.“

I fell in love hard with the entire dynamic of this novel. Not only do we witness the friendship between the h/H, but the connection of their tight knit group. The secondary characters were just as much part of the story as the two main leads were, yet they never stole the spotlight and outshined them.

“But Patrick had this … look that made it seem like a lost cause. It was a look that said he’d fuck you up in the best way — the way that would have you begging for more. Legitimate fuck-me eyes. He wasn’t even trying, either, just had a bad case of Resting Smolder Face.“

This book was a breathe of fresh air. It was humorously written, and the plot centers around more than just Lily and Weston, and their relationship. It focuses on their individual life's as well, making them well developed characters in every aspect. With a Twist left me giddy and dare I say spinning in the aftermath!! This new series has become my bad habit. Hi, my name is Brie and I'm officially addicted!!

“I conquered the West, complete with a cartoon cowgirl wielding a lasso.”
Profile Image for NMmomof4.
1,587 reviews4,257 followers
July 28, 2017
This is Lily and West's story. Lilly and West have been best friends for years, but when she starts showing an interest in her co-lead in the ballet company she works for, Blane, West realizes that he has stronger feelings for her than just friendship. Both of them hadn't denied their attraction to each other, but they both had put each other in the friends category and wouldn't dare to mess that up once they became best friends. After some drama with Blane, they work out their feelings and find their HFN.

POV: Alternating between Lily and West POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Slow. The couple didn't even communicate with each other about a possible romantic relationship until somewhere by the 80% mark of the book.

H rating: 3 stars. West. Protective, attractive, loyal "man bun" wearing man.

h rating: 3 stars. Lily. Talented, sweet, beautiful ballerina.

Angst level: Low...no tissues necessary.

Heat level: Low. The couple gets together so much towards the end of the book that there aren't many opportunities for steamy times (and scenes with OM and OW are not steamy but descriptive).

Descriptive sex: Yes

Sex scene with OW or OM:

Cheating:

Possible Triggers:

Closure: I thought this ended rather abruptly. That might've been because they got together so late in the story, but it didn't provide enough security in their relationship for my liking.

Overall Opinion: Just ok. I liked their ensemble of friends, but didn't feel personally invested in their romance. They took so long to get together (as I've mentioned a few times before) and when they did get together it was really mushy. I just didn't feel it.

Profile Image for Jacqueline.
1,668 reviews152 followers
December 7, 2015
2.5 bit on the slow side stars.

This is a sweet friends to lovers story. She's a principal ballerina, he's an English Major. Oh and he has a beard and man bun. Not sure how I feel about the man bun tbh, but, details.

Normally I love the gradual realisation that goes on in a friends to lovers story, with crackling chemistry zipping around every time they're together, but this was an unusual narrative in that neither of them realises they feel anything but friendship until the 50% mark and then the story was almost finished before we got any action. It wouldn't have mattered if there'd been tension or actually any sort of spark between them before that point, but if there was, I missed it. Instead they were both seeing others and I just wasn't very interested in reading about that so I didn't get the feels and that's what I want from a story like this. So, yeah...I kind of found it a bit slow. Sweet, yes, but slow.

Complete story.
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,135 reviews911 followers
September 10, 2018
Its NA book with characters that are not mature yet. I do not love this book but i also do not hate it.
The story is good. And I think the author likes to write with flirty and fun tone.

I like Wes. He is handsome and sweet male. But Lily is just so immature. I just can not connect to her.

3 stars
Profile Image for Sara.
733 reviews352 followers
July 28, 2015
Well, had some kinda high hopes on this one. I didn't particularly care for the main characters. I found myself wanting to know more about Rose and Patrick instead since there was more drama and story there.
Weston and Lily have known each other for quite some time since she is best friends with his sister. They hang out, always staying in the friend zone. She has the hits for hottie dancer Blane and all of a sudden West becomes jealous and can't figure out why. Yet everyone else knows and just never said anything. Kinda dumb there.
There wasn't any pivotal moment that made these people endearing to me. It fell flat honestly and was a tad boring at times.
I would however love to know what really went down between rose and Patrick...
Profile Image for nick (the infinite limits of love).
2,120 reviews1,519 followers
August 3, 2015
2.5/5

The rivalries were really over the top. I hated the cattiness between Nadia and Lily. It was awful to read about. The romance was cute but so so so cheesy. Also, Lily was kind of annoying with her obsession with Blane and her inability to see what a dick he was.
I did enjoy the secondary characters though and I'll be picking up the next book if it's about Trick and Rosie.
Profile Image for Autumn Review.
1,023 reviews525 followers
August 4, 2015
I'm a huge fan of friends to lovers tropes and Hart nailed this one! As far as book boyfriend's go, West was perfection and everything I look for in a hero. If you're looking for a bad boy, he won't be your pick. But if you're looking for a truly good man with morals, respect for women, and has a good heart...West is your guy.

As for Lily, I liked her. I could relate to her ambitious nature and her kind heart. What made Lily the most likable to me though was Lily and West together. The complemented each other well and had great chemistry.

If you're looking for a book that when you finish you sigh and have a smile on your face...this is the book for you. I laughed, got a bit teary, and wasn't ready for it to end. Also, the secondary cast of characters felt like my friends. I absolutely can't wait for the rest of the series!

Favorite quotes:
~"We're just the same as we were this afternoon or a year ago, except now we're more than we were before."

~"I want to kiss you until I know the feeling by heart."

~I leaned into him, breathing the scent of spiced oranges, and met his lips. They moved against mine, telling me things I knew to be true without the complication of words or thought. Just a simple action that said he needed me just like I needed him.
Profile Image for Hannah ◇ReaderintheRough◇.
211 reviews87 followers
March 7, 2016
"The opera had just been so overwhelming, not only because of the performance, but because of West. When he showed up in that suit and looked at me like … I don’t even know what. That look hit me in a way I couldn’t sort out. All night long, I kept catching myself falling into him, into his eyes, into his words."

This is a fluffy modern story about a lumbersexual named West and a blonde ballerina named Lily. There is wit, a sweet build-up, but not much that is new.

"Her smile was soft and lovely as she picked up her clutch, and when I offered her my arm, she slipped her hand in the crook of my elbow. I tucked it into my side, a familiar feeling, something we’d done a hundred times. But this time was different, a change that was so slight, I couldn’t put my finger on it. I only knew I didn’t want to let her go."
Profile Image for Alyssa | Swept Away By Books.
227 reviews429 followers
July 17, 2015
It really took about 40% to feel like it really got going but I appreciated the build up. And the rest from there was just perfectly brilliant and ADORABLE OMG. These characters are so unreal and Hart really fleshed them out beautifully. I cannot wait to get the rest of their stores and have more about Lily and West.

The ballet and academic portion of this were brilliant as well. I always wanted to be a ballerina and I just adored all of the dance.

Read this book if you love perfect things.
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