A wonderful slow burn romance that kept me hooked from the very first page. A great engaging heartwarming story with fabulous characters, but not perfect they are relatable with issues which I loved. Absolutely loved it.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was generously provided a copy of 99% Mine’s U.K. edition and whilst I do love its cover art, I don’t feel like it really suits the characters or reflects the story - Darcy, whose POV the story is told from, is a gritty, fierce spitfire. Where Tom, Darcy’s childhood crush/family friend and all-round perfect man, is described as having an inner animal. The action revolves around the renovation of an inherited house, with a lot of sentimental value attached to it.

99% Mine fed 3 of my biggest book related addictions; it delivered angst, slow-burn and friends to lovers in one perfect little hit.

Although the premise wasn’t particularly unique, it was engaging and the story developed at a good pace. It was fairly predictable but not in a way that made me roll my eyes, more in a comfortable, easy read kind of way.

So if you’re looking for an easy-read, slow burn romantic comedy, Sally Thorne’s unique voice in 99% Mine will be 100% perfect for you.

***ARC generously provided by Little, Brown Book Group UK, via NetGally, in exchange for an honest review***

#99Mine #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Darcy Barrett has never stayed anywhere for too long. She has travelled the world and can honestly say that no man has ever measured up to Tom Valeska. Tom has been her childhood crush and dream man since she was eight years old however the one flaw with Tom is that her twin brother Jamie met him first and claimed him as his best friend. Tom is off limits and 99 percent loyal to Jamie.

When Darcy and Jamie’s grandmother dies they inherit her barely standing cottage with one instruction. The two must bring it to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy doesn’t plan to stick around long once she finds her misplaced passport however all thoughts of leaving are put on hold when the house flipper is none other then a newly single Tom.

Darcy makes the decision to stay to make sure that her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s magic with his live of grey and chrome, she’s definitely not staying because of Tom’s perfect face that has inspired her to pick up a camera properly for the first time in years. It isn’t long before Darcy realises she can’t live with just having 1 percent of Tom and she’s going to do whatever she can to make him 99 percent hers.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked this book up. On one hand I absolutely adored The Hating Game and was so excited to read another book by Sally Thorne and on the other I had heard so many mixed reviews that I was honestly scared to read it.

I am glad that I did give it a go as I found myself really enjoying it. I’m a sucker for house renovations so anything that revolves around that is always a plus in my book. I do have to admit that i had a lot of trouble connecting with Darcy. For the first half of this book she was a bit too much for me and at times I considered putting the book down. However I powered through and I honestly came to like her more as the story progressed. I liked her relationship with Tom, even if at times it had me blushing. They both needed each other and I found myself craving for more of their relationship.

None of these characters are perfect and I’m a bit upset that Jamie was painted in such a negative manner because in the end he really wasn’t anything like that. Oh and I also want to know more about this new found friendship with him and Truly! I would read a book just about them two!

Overall this was a fun, romantic read and I cannot wait for whatever Sally Thorne writes next!

*Received an Advanced Reader's Copy from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Have any of you'll read Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series? I've always loved her work, the world she has built, the sense of family and the concept of love and how the animal/man/woman/psy suffer from lack of skin contact with their loved ones...
You get the drill.

I've always connected to NS's work. It deeply moving, innovative, dark and light at the same time. For some reason, I was inexplicably reminded of these aspects of NS's books while I read 99 Percent Mine. In a good way. I was immersed into the world of a normal (mostly) girl, in a normal (sort of) situation, with an abnormal heart condition; but all I could think about is how much this read like a book about two weres fighting the connection that drew them across space and time. Which is fantastic for me.

Obsessive love stories are right up my alley. Like, walk right up to me and say "Obsessed." and I'd probably take you home and feed you cookies. *clears throat* Anyway. 

99 Percent Mine was a raw story about a family split down the middle, because of pain, miscommunication and sadness. There are so many moments of hurt, frustration and anger on the part of the reader because all we're thinking is why is this girl putting up with these people?! As readers, from the outside and from our own lives, we know how much we give for family, how much we let go and hold on for them. But I saw some of the things done/said to Darcy in the first half of this book and I was just...aggravated. Like who the hell does this brother of hers think he is?

Then, of course, Tom (this is The Boy guys *points vigorously*) walks in. And UGH, he's frustrating us too! And confusing us. And throwing us in a loop--all of which Darcy does to him too. The poor man. My heart goes out to him, I swear. There was an interesting and very realistic take on the emotions of someone who may very well remain an outsider among family simply because they are not of the same blood and the insecurities that dredge up inside of this person...Damn. It makes me empathise a lot more with someone in my life.

And of course, the pressure of that pretty and shiny word called "Perfect."

99 Percent Mine was a very good read for me; the emotions, the struggles, the pain, the downright spiral that Darcy was portrayed experiencing, her daily conversations with her own heart... I get all of that. I relate to the talk we give ourselves each day, telling ourselves to hold on, not give in.

My issues were to do I guess with the fact that we had to unnecessarily hate Jamie because the asshole turns out to be a loveable one. It's as if the minute he enters, the tables turn over in our minds; we're slapped with his actual personality and we realise why Tom and Darcy love this mofo so much. He is as crazy about his sister and Tom as they are about him; SO WHY WAS I SO SAD AND PISSED AND UPSET OVER THIS GUY?
But THAT'S the thing! His personality was SUPPOSED to be this way. You want to hate him and you can't. It's frankly the kind of older-brother-annoying that I get. *laughs* (I hope you're not reading this, said older brother, but if you are, I'll have you know you're probably mum's favourite *waves*).

There's Truly, I think the one character that I was perhaps least frustrated with; or my quota of frustration was wrung out by the time we get to her. But she was truly my kind of spacey and smart. *sighs*

I think what I love about 99 Percent Mine was all the mistakes. The things that the characters do that make us want to strangle them and say would you just stay and talk it out? But then...think about it. Have we stayed and 'talked-it-out' that very instant? I can recall off the top of my head the two times I've walked out of an argument. The times I've called and weeped to a friend, but not addressed the issue with the actual person. The times family does something to ensure another person is included that sometimes means you have to be left out.

You hate them. You love them. It's an intertwined knotted mess.

99 Percent Mine was an intense read. It's a love story and a hate story. Because you love and hate everyone in this book. Even freaking Colin.

Four and a half stars! This was my first Sally Thorne book--(*cringes* I know, I know I haven't read The Hating Game, how can I possibly not have read The Hating Game. I BOUGHT IT. IT'S IN MY LIBRARY. DON'T HATE ME)--but I can assure you, this won't be my last. Kisses and hugs to the Lady <3

Happy Reading!

99 PERCENT MINE grabbed me in with Darcy love from the off, she's an absolute feisty female with a weakness that makes her strong. I admired her attitude, her unfiltered mouth, her inner 'oh s$$t' and her outer 'don't mess with me'. That said, it really did take 20% in for me to really get fully enmeshed into the story. The 5 star rating comes from everything that overwhelmed me and took over my life from there.

Darcy Barratt is a twin, the weaker runt and her twin Jamie, well let me say, I hated that guy and his influence on the characters in this story (even though I suspect there's a story that could come from him). Darcy and Jamie had another half to them, Tom Valeska, unofficial adoptee into the Barratt clan. Darcy has loved him forever but their life has been missed opportunities and it has always been easier for her to up and leave.

"I inhale his birthday-candle pheromones. I want to know what his goddamn bones smell like. Let me start down in his DNA structure and work my way back up."

Tom Valeska (I can't help saying his names together, forgive me) is solid in the friendship stakes, a support, a protector, a wannabe saviour. He comes to renovate Darcy's grandmother's house and therein starts the literal magnetism between these two. Holy chemistry, I cannot explain the draw between them and I felt right in the middle of it, like iron filings. This was a burn of slow proportions but the absolute furnace it created, blew me away.

"My body is taking over. Everything is boiling up out of me-years of stolen looks and tight T-shirts and that bone-deep certainty that the animal in him wants me too."

I literally shelved my Saturday, locked in my fellow arc-buddy and we read together, across the ocean, exchanging highlights, swooning alongside one another, fearing together and having a mind-blown explosion over the chemistry and banter. I could not put this book down, nor would I want to. It is very unlike me to feel drawn back to a book immediately but I just know I will have to read again on release (when I have my pretty, yellow paperback in my hand) and immerse myself once again.

Sally Thorne has followed up The Hating Game with something totally different and entirely as good. No one writes dialogue like Ms Thorne and she has amply shown her diversity and also her consistency. Sorry for the glow-y-ness but I am still riding high on feelings here and I hope you will be too.

"My stomach falls down an elevator shaft. Those words, spoken aloud in his voice, crackle through my synapses, and right now, I've never been more alive. I am heartbeat and full lungs."

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

I was desperately looking forward to Sally Thorne’s follow up to The Hating Game, one of my favourite books of last year. I’ve been counting down the days ready to dive right in and devour this delicious sweet treat.

But, unfortunately this didn’t live up to the same standard for me. Uh I wanted to love this so much. But I didn’t find Darcy likeable and I found the friends to lovers troupe was too predictable for me. The Hating Game was clever and fun... 99% Mine wasn’t.

That being said, I didn’t hate the book at all. In fact it’s probably a victim of Thorne’s previous success. I built it up to much in my bed and ended up disappointed. But it was an interesting book and had some amusing moments.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.