This is the second in The End of the Line series. You don’t have to read The Friend Zone first but Logan and Jess have cameos so it’s nice if you know who everyone else is. 
I loved Bash and Ember’s story. They had a rocky start and quite a few obstacles to overcome but they might just make it. 
5 stars!!!

Just a Boyfriend by Sariah Wilson was such a delight to read. The first person perspective from each of the main characters was enjoyable and refreshing. I would definitely recommend this book

There was something missing in this one, in particular with Bash.  His personality was changed from what he was in the first book and he was very one dimensional. Anyway, he is now back in his home town to go to college, more as punishment after getting caught failing a drug test and getting kicked off the football team and now going to E.O.L.  This thrills his family, just not his "step" sister Ember who used to be his high school girlfriend until his dad married her mom.  They never disclosed this relationship to their family, he just moved to live with extended family instead. Now he is back and the chemistry is still just as potent.  Will they survive their family finding out?  

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Holy cow. Every time I read a book by Sariah Wilson, I think it can’t possibly be better than the last. And then I quickly learn how wrong I was. This book was amazing! The perfect amount of swoon, friendship, and problems to be fixed. All work together to make one incredible story!

Her sixteen year old younger sister was telling $Ember Bash was coming to their house for dinner. Somehow Ember thought she’d never have to see him again. Her head filled with a howling , rushing wind that made it impossible to think. Or process what was going on. Her stepfather had gone to get bash. Her mother had lured her home from college under false pretenses. She’d offered Ember a home cooked meal and she had something to tell her. Although she’d delayed it for a long time apparently today was the day of reckoning . How could  How could anyone be ready for the love of their life to walk through the door. And after three and a half years of absolute radio silence. Not a text, not an email, not a like on an insta post. Nothing. Maybe seeing Bash would be good for her. It would be the closure she’d never gotten. She’d see him, say hello, and suffer through dinner with him, than move on with her life. Than she heard men voices. Her heart dropped to the floor . How was she going to do this ? She wasn’t strong enough>Yes you are, a voice inside Ember said. You believed in the tooth fairy for the first nine years of your life. You can believe in yourself for the next two hours.” Than she came down the stairs and he  walked toward her and great butterflies formed in her stomach. Her heart felt like she had strolled into a time machine  warped back to her seventeen year old self, who loved Bash enthusiastically and wholeheartedly. A girl who couldn't imagine heartache waiting for her. He said “ Hi Ember” , she couldn’t help but close her eyes, just for a second. His voice. How had she forgotten how much she loved the deep timbre of his voice? She had all those feelings again. When he’d run away because he’d been so repulsed by her or by the idea of having a relationship with her, she had decided bash was not the holder of her confidence and self worth. That she was totally fine without him. Now all those things were being exposed for the lies that they so obviously been. All her defenses were being stripped away and all he had said was hi. She ran up to her room but than Bash knocked on the door and she knew she had to listen to what he had to say. His dad was married to her mom and they would see each other on special occasions. He asked if she remembered the last time they’d been in her room. She would never forget . He said there’s something I want to get off his chest.She hissed at her heart to be quiet. “What” He said” I’m sure you hate ne after what happened. I shouldn’t have just left like that, without any explanation.” Ember told Bash she had never hated him. Maybe what she blamed him for not being there when she needed him most. She needed him to go away. Go back to Pennsylvania and out of her life. She felt the old electrical surge spark between them. She had hoped when they seen each other again, she’d be immune enough to him. Not so much. Dash though of how #Ember had been the one he was afraid to see. The one way Bash had tried to move on from Ember was cold turkey. He had suffered some emotional and mental withdrawals that had lead to several bad decisions- smoking pot. He’d done it successfully sworn her off until he seen her again. When he saw Ember at the stairs he was stunned. He still wanted her with a fierceness  that shocked him. Than at dinner Ember found out Bash was going to college at EOL where she went. She played volleyball, he would be playing football. Both times he tried to fix things between them he’d somehow made it worse. Six months later-Staying away from Bash turned out to be easier than Ember expected it to be. 
I loved this story and didn’t want to put it down. It was an easy fun read with a lot of emotional moments. I loved Bash and Ember together. My heart broke for all the misunderstanding and pain Bash and Ember had suffered. This was a beautiful second chance romance. I loved the ending- it was great! I loved the pace and plot. I loved how close Ember was to her family and bash to his. Just an all around good book. But it also showed the effects alcoholism and a serious illness can affect a family. The author put this in the story so beautifully . I loved it. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

I've read a few of Sariah Wilson's books before (most recently the first book in this series) and typically enjoy them. I love how she writes her characters with such palpable chemistry, with love stories that are truly believable. Just a Boyfriend was no exception; Bash and Ember had chemistry from the very first page, and their love story seemed believable, if a little bit outside the norm. I did find the step-siblings aspect of their relationship weird, and it made me a little uncomfortable for them to fall in love - BUT they had already met and dated prior to becoming step-siblings (which is made very clear in the early pages of the book), which to me made it seem more acceptable. All in all, another quick, enjoyable read from Sariah Wilson!

It's always a happy day with a happy dance when I get to read a new Sariah Wilson book!  And that's what this book made me- happy, happy, happy.  It was flirty and fun but not without it's more serious issues.  The characters do struggle a bit with outside issues and they also struggle between themselves but it never became greater or more oppressive  than the love and attractions swirling around them from the very beginning.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love swirling love and attractions?  Yum.  Sariah Wilson does this sort of thing very well.

I first met Bash in the previous book in this series.  I knew he was going to be a fun character to delve into.  Ember and Bash have a very interesting relationship and history.  It makes for some equally awkward and heart warming situations.  I really enjoyed reading this one- it was just what I needed.  I smiled and I swooned.  See?  Happy.

This is the second book in this series but can stand alone.  You might be happier if you read the first book (The Friend Zone) though.  The characters from that book do appear in this book.  

Content:  kissing, making out.  Some light innuendo.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Romance, clean although PG-13 for some intense kissing and situations; Second in a series but stand alone read.
Another fun romantic sports novel with a perfect romance for two step siblings. EOL, End of the Line brings back 'Bash' into his family home that includes step parent and siblings, including Ember, a high school crush who became off limits as a new step sibling 4 years prior. As these two both fight their feelings, disappointments, worries, and combustible attraction for each other and Bash trying to succeed in college and football, the story is told from alternating points of view. S.W. does a beautiful job creating tension, getting the feelings, wants, hurts, heartaches, and of course attraction from both points of view. Cute continuation of the EOL football team setting and revisiting one of the characters mentioned in the first book of this series. Another fun, clean romantic read from S.W.

3.5 stars

Second chance romance, step brother romance, and a smidgeon sports romance all rolled into one. This book was a decent enough read, I just found myself skimming some of the internal dialogue at times, mostly because if they would just communicate with each other better there wouldn't be a need for this much internal dialogue, LOL! I enjoyed both characters individually and enjoyed how easy the chemistry and dialogue between them flowed. Ember was actually quite witty with Bash and their conversations made me smile and giggle. There were many misunderstandings and assumptions and they were both pretty bad at avoiding their big issue which kept adding to the misunderstandings which got frustrating after a while...I wanted things to progress! It was also light on the physical romance, which is fine, but they did A LOT of making out for college kids, LOL. I will try this author again, just maybe not this particular series.

Ember and Bash's story is another great book in Sariah Wilson's new End of the Line sports romance series. The two's sweet high school romance comes to a screeching halt when their parents marry and Bash's dad tells him he needs to keep his distance from his new step sister. Bash does what he thinks is best and moves away, leaving Ember heart broken and feeling abandoned.

As our story picks up at the beginning of the book, Bash comes crashing back into her life when he finds himself at her college as a last ditch effort to rescue his football career. Not only does he seem to be lurking around campus, but he's also at family dinners. How can the two survive in the same space and deal with the flames of attraction that are now blazing again? 

This book is definitely worth the read! You'll enjoy the chemistry between the main characters as they overcome their past and their obstacles to discover their love is meant to last the test of time.

Just A Boyfriend is the second book in the ‘End Of The Line’ series by Sariah Wilson. It’s a sweet story with a very slow-burning time-line. 
Bash and Ember have a complicated and delicate relationship. They were once very much in love (while senior students at the same high school) but then Bash’s dad, met Ember’s mom and a new connection was made when these two single parents got married. Now Bash and Ember are stepsiblings and that’s all they are. Nearly four years later, Bash moves to Ember’s college and that’s when the lines start to get muddied. Neither has given up on the love they had felt for the other, but at the same time, they feel chained by familial and societal restrictions.
Through the following weeks, they are forced to breach the walls and answer some hard questions.
It all came together in the end, but I was slightly disappointed by the ‘fade to black’ method that Ms. Wilson employed. It came at the end however so didn’t detract from the story other than in building it up with some steamy foreplay which just never came to fruition.

Book one in this series was an EASY 5-star rating for me, so you can imagine how disappointed I was when I loaded this one up on my Kindle and... just wasn't feeling it. There's nothing explicitly wrong with the story, but I couldn't connect to our heroine. She comes across as pretty juvenile, and I found myself wishing these two would just have a real conversation and figure things out.

The story follows Bash, a college football player whose personal issues have led him to play for a school that's considered the last chance for athletes. He's excited to be closer to his family, but unfortunately that family now includes his ex-girlfriend and current stepsister, Ember. The two dated in high school but never made their parents aware, which made things complicated when they suddenly found themselves step-siblings. Bash broke things off without explanation, and now they are trying to navigate college together as just friends, when that's not what either one of them really wants.

Second chance romances can be tricky, but work best when you're rooting for the characters. My dislike of Ember started things on the wrong foot, and things went downhill when Ember and Bash set each other up with other people while still refusing to have a conversation. If you like a lot of teenage angst (as well as some serious family issues), this might work better for you because Sariah Wilson's writing style is as solid as ever and there are plenty of good things about the book. I'm still excited about the series as a whole - there's the potential for some great stories - but this one definitely wasn't my favorite. I received an ARC via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Sariah Wilson once again inserts her trademark wit and snark in this delightful story of second chances. And boy can she write a steamy kissing scene (keeping it clean)! The plot reminded me of Jennifer Peel’s My Not-So-Wicked Stepbrother, a clandestine relationship and at times it reminded me of some of Kitty Bucholtz’ work too. I found this book to be engaging and hard to put down.

Just a Boyfriend is the second book in the End of the Line series of new adult romances by Sariah Wilson. It is currently scheduled for release on January 7 2020. Each book can stand on its own, but there is character crossover than make the read more satisfying for returning readers.

Ian “Bash” Sebastian and Ember Carlson were high school sweethearts, until their single parents got married. With one thorny twist of fate, a secret young crush went from on fire to off-limits. What could a new stepbrother do but bail? Now, after almost four years, Bash has returned to Seattle, and he’s back in Ember’s orbit at End of the Line. EOL is the go-to college for second-chance scholarships. But what about love? Sure, the old hurts are there. So is the attraction—and it’s more magnetic than ever. Still, they’re adults now, levelheaded and just fine with the friend thing. If only to make family dinners less awkward. But when they agree to start dating other people, moving on threatens to bring them closer together than ever. Is it time to admit their past to their parents? Even trickier, their hope for the future? Because Ember and Bash deserve a love story of their own. With all their defenses down, can they make it a happy ever after?

Just a Boyfriend is a solid second chance romance with plenty of issues that must be dealt with by the major players. Ember is still not sure how she drove Bash away, but is sure it must be something wrong with her. Both Bash and Ember are so busy trying to be perfect and please other people that they alway seem to put their own happiness last. I loved seeing this two face their problems and find their way back together. I think the family and friends that make up their support systems play such an awesome role in this book, and even though that circle does not always say or do the 'right' thing- that love and support hit me right in the feels. If everyone had type of support system then issues that people have could be handled much more effectively. I think the personal problems like depression were handled well, with an honesty that is so often missing. I do generally like my romance with more heat, but I think that for the characters and the obstacles they faced the book might have hit the right level for realism's sake. 

Just a Boyfriend is a good new adult romance that will appeal to many readers.

The witty banter in Just a Boyfriend is a signature move of Ms. Wilson. In fact, it's one reason I continue to read her books. I love the rapid dialogue between the hero and heroine. And there are some great secondary characters that add to the humor.

Plus, I was happy to see my faves from book 1 in the series.

A great, quick romantic read.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

ARC copy kindly provided through Netgalley and voluntarily left a review 

This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed reading this book. It had a nice flow, and it was kind of a quick read for me. 

Unfortunately I couldn’t really connect with the main characters and that’s a huge aspect for me! 
3,5 stars.

Just a Boyfriend is part second chance romance, part step sibling love, and a dash of college athlete lust! I loved book 1 in the series, The Friend Zone, so I was super excited for Bash's story.

Bash and Ember had a sweet high school romance that was spoiled by her mother falling in love with Bash's father and running off to elope. Their shot at romance dies and Bash moves to PA to get away from the torture of having to live in the same house with the girl he loves. Fast forward a few years and now Bash is back and enrolling at Ember's college. They can't avoid each other any longer but they are determined to hide their feelings and just be friends.

Bash is a great guy. He is not the typical whorish jock and he cares a great deal about being the best football player he can be. Ember's teenage heart was broken when Bash literally RAN from her and she tries to put up a brave face and pretend she is over it. These two have tremendous sexual tension. Everyone around them feels it, but they just won't talk to each other and clear everything up. Both of them feel (and I get why) that the circumstances haven't changed regarding why they can't be together. I just wanted to force them both to open up though because it was making me crazy!

Just a Boyfriend was another delightful college romance from Sariah Wilson. I love the characters she creates! If you like the building of sexual tension, the slightly taboo vibe, and college kids being college kids, then Just a Boyfriend is marvelous!

3.75/5 stars

First book that I have read from this author and I liked it. Bash and Ember fell in love when they were in high school until their parents met and eloped. They were a cute couple and believable. This is a low heat story so if that is what you like, then this will be the story for you. I like my stories with a little more heat to it but it was still a good read. 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This one is tough to write because while I liked the characters, it was too much back and forth for me to be able to fully enjoy the story.  The writing was fine and the characters had depth but I had a hard time connecting with Ember for some reason. Maybe it was her situation with her mother but I often forgot she was an adult and a junior in college. Bash was great as was the rest of the siblings.

It's definitely worth reading, especially if you read the first book.

I was excited to see Just a Boyfriend on Netgalley because I have enjoyed all previous books that I have read by Sariah Wilson.  This book was no exception.  Bash and Ember fell in love in high school but their romance ended abruptly when their parents married although they both still secretly have feelings for the other.  This was definitely a PG-13 book and was a sweet romance.  Ember had me laughing out loud with some of her comments and Bash was just adorable.  If you’ve enjoyed the previous book in the End of the Line Series, you will definitely want to read this one.