TO LOVE JASON THORN by ELLA MAISE

“You sure took your time”
“You’ve been waiting on me to kiss you?”
“Ever since I was a little girl.”

Hollywood romance, romantic comedy, unrequited childhood love, friends to lovers themes; they’re some of our favourites and in To Love Jason Thorn we had all these bundled into one sweet, steamy and witty story about the girl who seeks her real life fairy-tale and we happily went along for the ride, becoming swept up in this romance just as much as Olive did in the books she wrote.

 ‘She was seeing me, and maybe for the first time, I was seeing her too.’ “Do you see me, Olive?”

Olive Taylor was quite literally the girl next door. Jason Thorn was her brother’s best friend and the boy she crushed on and lost her heart to from the very first moment she met him and it never let up. After being devastated when Jason had to move away following a family tragedy, Olive kept tabs on him through his movie career. She’s never forgotten him or the feelings he elicited in her.

‘I think I’m scared. To be that close to him, to fall in deeper. He already broke my heart once when I was just a kid.’

Jason is now 26 and a famous movie star known more for his wild escapades than his acting ability, though he’s a fan favourite and a gossip columnist dream, studios are beginning to get a bit spooked by his off screen behaviour and his ability to carry a movie if his behaviour continues.

Good grief Jason Thorn. We bloody loved this man!! WOW!!! The sexy, swaggering bad boy with the dirty mouth could charm the pants off us one minute with his naughty mouth, and have us weak at the knees the next with his sweet and witty banter with Olive and the way he possessively looked after her….swooooooon!

‘Soon enough, I’ll win you over. You already loved me once; I’ll make it happen again.’

Olive and Jason’s path cross seven years later when Jason is called in to star in a movie, based on a book written by Olive. For Olive, seeing Jason again after seven years brings all her childhood feelings and insecurities to the surface.  How awkward for her, especially as she based a lot of the book on Jason himself. Will she be able to hide her feelings for him and not reveal how much in love with him she was, and is? Does he feel the same? Does he harbor thoughts for Olive too or is he that good an actor?

‘My dream boy.
My childhood crush.
My first love.
My only love.’

Olive was such a sweet and witty character, her inner monologue was giggle worthy and her friendship with Lucy was hysterical. We’d love to go to a Karaoke night with those two! They’ve be a hoot! Lucy especially had us in fits and added so much light-heartedness and fun to the story.

Jason and Olive have a chemistry that’s not lost on the paparazzi that follow and chronicle and deconstruct Jason’s every tawdry move but in Olive they see something different. Could she be ‘the one’ for Jason, could she tame him? Could it be the real thing? Well, we certainly enjoyed finding out.

‘Every time she looked into my eyes with her heart wide open, she was pulling me in deeper.’

We loved how Jason and Olive’s relationship developed. The Hollywood ‘insight’ was done especially well, making us feel a part of Jason’s world. The chemistry between Jason and Olive was off the charts and the intimate and private moments that passed between them melted our hearts. Pure entertainment, no overthinking or analysing required. Simply a fabulous way to spend the afternoon!