Read if you enjoyed the movie Life as We Know It staring Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl. I had completely forgotten from the previous book how this connected and it failed to draw me right back in. Just fine.

This book 2 in a connected series that follows what happens after a beloved couple passes away. Book 2 deals with what happens to the couple's daughter Mira and her appointed guardians Liam and Zoe. These two are struggling with their own grief while trying to do what is best for Mira. At first Liam is hands-off and wants nothing to do with caring for Mira but slowly comes around to the job. Forced together their mutual attraction slowly unfurls and these two give into their attraction. I really loved the scenes with Liam and Mira. He starts out so gruff about everything and once he decides to give in to Mira and Zoe his marshmallow interior is revealed. Highly recommend.

I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion but I felt like this was just missing something and it didn't hit the mark for me. I absolutely loved the premise of the story, and that's what drew me in, however, I just don't think it quite got where it was trying to be. It could very well just be a 'me' issue, rather than the book.

Bloody f#@%ing h$ll, I really enjoyed this book. I loved seeing Liam’s emotional growth. What a wonderful relationship he developed with both Zoe and Mira. Such a beautiful outcome to come out of a painful, life altering tragedy. I definitely recommend this book.

"Best of All" by Karla Sorensen is an unexpected gem in the realm of sports romance, blending the complexities of relationships with poignant themes of grief and healing. From the outset, I was curious about Zoe and Liam's relationship, first thinking that he was Zoe's ex, which was one of the only things that I didn't love (but that's on me as well).

Sorensen's masterful portrayal of grief is one of the book's standout features. Through Zoe and Liam's perspectives, we are able to see how both characters navigates the labyrinth of emotions accompanying loss, showing how the two characters move through their lives coping, and struggling, with the grief of losing their best friends. The incorporation of therapy elements adds depth to Zoe's character, illustrating her journey of self-discovery and healing alongside Liam's, as well as the later inclusion of Liam's reaction to going to therapy along with Zoe and Mira.

Throughout the whole book, I found myself laughing, tearing up, and nearly throwing the book across the room. From Zoe and Mira's interactions, Mira repeating “mommy hold you” to the duck and watching Liam's reaction to that and struggling to know what to do, everything felt so genuine and authentic. Additionally, Sorensen adeptly weaves Liam's backstory and struggles into the fabric of the story, and it's done in way that doesn't seem fake, over the top, or trauma dumping.

The evolution of Zoe and Liam's relationship is both tender and tumultuous, marked by moments of vulnerability and catharsis. Liam's willingness to allow Zoe to reframe her questions hints at his desire to open up, mirroring his own compassionate nature as evidenced by his interactions with Mira.

Sorensen's writing shines brightest in capturing the nuances of hope and longing, particularly in the way that Zoe reacts to being called "love" - the way Sorensen describes Zoe's feelings seem like something out of a Taylor Swift song and it was a highlight of the book for me. The gradual revelation of Liam's deepening feelings adds layers of anticipation and emotion, culminating in a satisfying climax that reaffirms the transformative power of love.

Best of All" is a compelling exploration of love, loss, and redemption that will resonate with fans of sports romance and contemporary fiction alike. Sorensen's deft storytelling and nuanced character development make this a standout addition to the genre.

When Karla Sorenson announced the second book in her The Best Men series, I was so happy, because I desperately want to Liam, Zoe, and Mira to get a happy ending after seeing them for a minute in The Best Laid Plans. This is a slow burn romance, when I mean slow burn I mean slow burn. But the build up was worth it and when the main couple got together, it felt absolutely right! If you love found family and slow burn, this is absolutely the book for you!

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Karla Sorensen hit it out of the park with this series. Both Best Men books were just about perfect, but Liam was absolutely The Best of All. I love a foul mouthed Brit, and the way he showed how he cared for his girls was just heart wrenching. I was especially looking forward to this one because I love forced proximity plots, but the underlying grief that flowed through this one made it difficult to look away. What a story. 5/5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

4.5 STARS

Words. Words. Words. What words do I want to say about this book? It’s part of a standalone series. I was looking forward to since I finished the last book. It didn’t disappoint, but I could have used it being a little longer. It’s a slow burn. The characters were easy to root for. It was an enjoyable journey that kept my interest.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

“Look for the ways people show their love; don’t just wait for the words.”

The Best Of All was angsty, emotional and slow-burn perfection. Liam and Zoe find themselves thrown together in the most difficult of circumstances and it forces them both to face long-buried fears and feelings. I had been waiting for their story and it absolutely did not disappoint.

“Every time I look at you, it’s like someone is ripping out my fucking heart. When you smile, I can’t bloody breathe.”

Zoe and Liam’s relationship develops from snarky banter to a slow, begrudging friendship to a wonderful coparenting relationship to a passionate affair. I loved all their different dimensions. Zoe was so full of fire and I loved how she challenged Liam. Liam had always had hidden feelings for Zoe, but he didn’t know how to reconcile them with his painful past. Watching these two fallible, vulnerable characters navigate the journey that they found themselves in was both heartwrenching and heartfelt.

“I’d only ever loved her, even if I’d refused to put a name on it for years.”

The Best Of All was a beautiful story that shows the fragility of life and how when you find love, you need to grab on with both hands because you never know what life is going to throw at you. I loved this story and it gave me all the feels.

The Best of All is the story of Zoe and Liam who share a history of barbs and digs, but are then thrust into a situation neither of them ever anticipated. They are appointed co-guardians of their god-daughter after the death of her parents - Zoe and Liam's best friends. I absolutely devoured this book after a ridiculously long reading slump. It kept me reading until I reached the end and I loved it. The characters, their emotional wounds, the lump-in-your-throat moments, the fan-yourself ones, the cute ones... all of it was *chef's kiss*. I'd definitely give this a re-read.

This book was super cute! Gave me total life as we know it vibes (which is one of my fave movies!) I do wish we could’ve seen more of them once they finally got together, but I really enjoyed this book!

Fans of the movie Life as We Know It will love this book. Liam being so soft for Mira made me complete mush. It was so sweet to see the three of them slowly become a family. But when I say slowly I mean slowwwwly. It almost felt like there was no romance plotline at all until the very end.

Quite possibly my favorite book yet by Karla. She wove together a beautiful story with my layers. The characters had depth that kept me continually engaged in the story. The chemistry and tension made it incredibly hard for me to get anything else done which basically meant that I devoured the story. Definitely recommend it to my book loving friends and family.

All day at work yesterday I was counting down the minutes until I get home and back to this book. Two people who have never gotten along are thrown together to raise the child of their deceased best friends. In order to prioritize the needs of the child they have to find a way to interact without fighting which means getting to know each other, building trust, and spending time with cutest child to grace pages in recent memory. This was a slow burn, which I love, but I would have appreciated more time with them as a couple. Still this book had a great balance of heat and sweet and enjoyed the heck out of it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so emotional but full of so much love. This series from book 1 is one I knew was going to kill me emotionally but nothing prepared me for book 2. Liam and Zoe….wow! If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

There isn’t a lot of spice in this book but the story and journey of our hero and heroine is what the book is about and I’m happy that the spice didn’t come till later because they had so much to learn, say and heal from. Seeing Liam step up and fight his demons for me is what makes this book so beautiful.

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Zoe and Liam because it was raw and honest. I couldn’t imagine going through what they did but they rallied around one another and were there for Mira in a way I didn’t expect.

This story is so heartfelt and it’s full of so much love. You couldn’t help but fall for the big bad British brute especially when he became an emotional mess while holding Mira. He was so strong but such a softy for the little girl. His love was wholesome and he nothing but her best interest at heart. Zoe was such a rock! That women is fierce and I love how she stood with Liam and didn’t berate him or tear him down. These two belonged together and this book is one that will stay with me long after the last word is read.

I really enjoyed reading this book! Since it's "just another romance book" I keep the review quite short because these stories all follow the same blueprint but I don't mind that! So if you're in the mood for a grumpy-sunshine-romance with some spicy in the genre of sports romance, do yourself a favor and read this!

3.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed this story more than the first book in the series. Liam and Zoe had the slowest burn ever, and I wasn’t mad about it at all.

I loved the way they became a family around their surprise guardianship of Mira, whose dad was Liam’s best friend and mom was Zoe’s. I thought the banter between the MCs was great. The side characters were a delight.

Here’s where a half star came off because as a mom, I could not for the life of me understand why Mira’s parents would make two people who on the surface hated-or at least COULD NOT BE CIVIL to-each other JOINT guardians of their child. WHAT. ON. EARTH?

While Liam had a horrible backstory that explained his “I will hate her to protect her” vibe, the love at first sight/oh no she’s engaged/therefore I will say THE SHITTIEST THING POSSIBLE start to their relationship lost another half star. Because, again, WHAT. ON. EARTH? You’re a grown man and you say “Good luck with husband number two” (implying her current fiancé and upcoming marriage won’t last)to a woman YOU LITERALLY JUST MET and then proceed for the next DECADE to annoy and piss off because YOU HAVE A CRUSH on her- ARE YOU 10?! Thus, I took away half a star.

Now, Liam maturing, stepping up with Mira, going to therapy, learning to express his feelings- ALL GOOD STUFF. Which is why I came around to him in the end.

Zoe? She’s harder for me to describe. Her marriage ended because the guy really was a jerk. She’s always wanted kids. Her mom’s a therapist so she’s good at talking things out. She’s amazing with the news she’s suddenly a guardian. But something felt like it was missing in her characterization, though I cannot articulate what that is. That’s the other half star I took away.

It was an enjoyable read, but at the end I was conflicted about what to rate it, and I also felt like the dynamic of Liam and Zoe as a couple was not fleshed out enough for me to be convinced they were in more than lust.

I don't even know where to start! A beautiful slow burn romance, with a found family and predestined love.
The couple's dynamic with little Mira is adorable.
Some themes covered, such as the importance of friendship, unconditional love, therapy, self-awareness, bring depth to the story and its characters.
Slow burn, mourning, internal struggles, pining, dirty books and fun elderly neighbors bring perfect elements to this delicious novel.

Zoe and Liam have known each other for over a decade. However, it felt like the right person at the wrong time situation. Now, both of them are the guardians of Mira after losing their best friends in an accident. They are forced to live together and get along for the well-being of the little girl. Also, they show us the stages of grief from their perspectives and how they deal with it in their own ways along with the new situation of taking care of Mira.

This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers story and does deal with a tragic loss of parents scenario, so read triggers beforehand.

Over all rating: 1.5 🌟

Short description:
-forced proximity
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn

Liam and Zoe became guardian for Mira, the daughter of their bestfriends. They need to live together and navigate their own lives for Mira.

The plot had really nice potential, unfortunately I wasn't able to connect with how the story was written.