ARC Review: And the Next Thing You Know... by Chase Taylor Hackett

From the blurb:

Not the one you’re waiting for . . . 

Jeffrey Bornic is getting over his ex. Really. So what if the rising-star attorney is angrily sleeping his way through most of Manhattan’s male population? When the time is right, the perfect partner will show up. And Jeffrey knows exactly what he’ll be like: an ambitious, polished professional who’ll make the ideal other half of a fabulous power couple. 

Theo McPherson is definitely not that guy. He’s a short, fiery red-head who works in the arts and wears sneakers held together with duct tape. If it weren’t for the fact that Theo is his best friend’s little (literally) brother, Jeff would be crossing the street to avoid him. Theo, meanwhile, has nothing but contempt for guys in suits, and seems to have deliberately set out to make Jeff’s life miserable, all while grinning at him in that exasperating way that he has. 

At least it’s hard for Jeff to keep moping over his ex when he’s butting heads with Theo—and suddenly wondering if the last guy he’d ever fall for might be exactly that . . .

Heather's rating:





I unexpectedly loved this book, even with it's flaws.

I jumped into And the next Thing You Know . . . totally blind. I've never read anything from Chase Taylor Hackett before, and I didn't realize that it was even part of a series (Where Do I Start? is the first) when I requested it. And the next Thing You Know . . . started off a little weird for me as well, with its running internal-monologue sort of style. It was rambling, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at all.

And then I did. I really, really did.

This book is for all of you out there who like prickly MCs who start off hating each other. For people who like MCs who are all piss and vinegar and who have to WORK at each other. Over and over again. If you MCs who are all snark and bite and fire.

But then, underneath, you start to see hints of vulnerability. Just hints. And they make the whole thing worthwhile.



This book is in no way perfect. I forgave the MCs for some pretty crappy things they said (some questionable thoughts about whether men could rape one another - YES- and some other stereotypical, icky other things). There is also absolutely no sex. Not even fade-to-black. Sure, sex is implied, but it is implied like in a PG movie. Like they leave and go into a room and shut the door cut to the next day. However, I didn't mind that much.

When it comes down to it, though, this book gave me oodles and oodles of feels. I LOVED the snark and banter, and I ADORED the chemistry between the two MCs. I even got that tightness in my eyes and throat at the end of the story, I was so happy, and that tightness, that emotion, usually equates to 4+ stars in my book.

And the next Thing You Know . . . won't be for everyone, but people who connect to the writing style and the MCs will love it. Oh, and although this book is part of a series, it also works well as a stand-alone so don't be afraid to dive in. I was so happy that I did.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Buy this book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo

Enjoy, friends!