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Summer had returned to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama. The nightlife lit up with scantily clad sun-kissed bodies, live music, the smell of freshly cooked seafood.

Taking it all in he wondered if coming back had been the best thing. He wasn’t the same man who had driven out of town a year ago on the motorcycle he’d spontaneously bought after his best friend’s wedding. From the messy blond curls he’d let grow out to the tattoos now covering his arms, part of his chest and even the side of his neck, it all represented a part of his journey.

Eli Hardy was back, but he didn’t plan on staying for long.

218 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2019

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About the author

Abbi Glines

115 books85.9k followers
Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Smoke, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but she now lives in New England and that's as close as it is going to get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, watching Netflix and all the introverted stuff.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.

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5 stars
1,133 (33%)
4 stars
1,072 (31%)
3 stars
853 (24%)
2 stars
259 (7%)
1 star
97 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
Profile Image for Christy.
4,081 reviews34.6k followers
September 20, 2020
2.5 stars

I love a lot of Abbi Glines books and I was so excited to get back to Seabreeze/Rosemary Beach. Unfortunately, this one wasn't great for me. I was told this could be read as a stand-alone but I honestly don't think it should be. I didn't read the first two books in this hybrid series and I was completely lost. It took me a while to figure out who was who and who's kid was who's, but then I was lost with so much of the story. Maybe if I read the first two I would have liked it more? Not sure. I listened to the audiobook and I thought the female narrator did a good job, but I wasn't crazy about the male's voice. I never felt connected to either of the characters and had trouble getting invested in this one. Bummed out it wasn't a win for me, but on to the next!
Profile Image for Jennifer Kyle.
2,465 reviews5,297 followers
April 18, 2019
3.5 Stars

This wasn't bad yet it wasn't great either. The story fell somewhere slightly in the good area. I liked a few quotes and the characters. The book did end quickly, areas left unexplored, and I felt like scenes and opportunity for scenes were missed, still it was a decent read.

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Profile Image for Barbie✨.
697 reviews1 follower
April 17, 2019
Goddammit. I don't know why Abbi Glines keeps on writing more of this horrible Sea Breeze/Rosemary Beach crossovers and I don't know why I keep on reading them lol
Profile Image for ✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ .
2,212 reviews1,282 followers
April 18, 2019
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Eli Hardy. We already met him in the first books - he was/is the best friend of Bliss. He was in love with her all his life. But she married someone else. And since everybody told him what an effing softie he was and how he never really lived and experienced real life - he up and went to do exactly that. But now, a year later .. he's back. And he experienced far more than he bargained for. He's no longer the sweet boy he was when he left.

Ophelia Finlay. She doesn't really know what to do with her life. She quit college and works at Lila Kate's dance studio ...

Her brother Nate has been married to Bliss for a year. That's how she met Eli. The interesting sweet and kind boy she talked to at the wedding. But he's not that boy anymore. He's all inked and sad ...

What happened to him?

What will happen with Ophelia & Eli?
Will there be a HEA for our two darlings???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺


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Ophelia & Eli.
Well ... I liked it!

I didn't really know what to expect - it didn't say who Eli was falling for in the book. And he gets Ophelia. But we have a long and difficult journey before us. It won't be easy to get that HEA!

Eli has been through something really heavy this last year and he thinks he will never be ready - or good enough - for Ophelia. But Miss Finlay is not ready to give up the best thing that ever happened to her!

I really liked reading their love story. BUT - as with all books in this series. There are just way too many people in it. And names. So many names. It's to be expected when you take the children from two series and give them their own series. There will be lots of names. Names we should all remember - but I'm a Bookalzheimer sufferer!!! At least I know who Ophelia's dad is!!! ☺ So what I'm saying is ... I loved those previous two series a lot and I really like this one too - but all those names - do we really always have to have them all in every book?

The other thing that bothered me a bit. Something happened to Eli. We got that after he mentioned something once. And okay ... he can mention it twice. No problem. But we don't find out what it is until the middle of the book - but he MENTIONS IT ON EVERY OTHER PAGE - but never exactly what actually happened! Just alluding to whatever. Ugh. I hated that.☺

Then the whole story. It should have been a bit longer, a bit more depth to everything. We don't see anything about Eli's life this last year or about his future plans. Jobwise and otherwise. We hear NOTHING about Ophelia's life. She works at the dance studio, but it's just a job. Doesn't she want to have a real job? A real career? Go back to college? Anything? We won't find out. We are being kept guessing about a lot of things. Especially the end! "I love you!" *TurnsThePage* Acknowledgements. No epilogue. Nothing. I just wanted a bit more!

Another thing - I wish another editor had looked over the book again - there were so many mistakes. Missing things, redundant things. Grammar, times, et cetera.

But other than that - it was a really cute and sweet and sexy and heartbreaking love story!

I'm excited to see who we will get to read about next!
Not really sure why I keep reading Abbi's books - she seems to have Kondo'ed her life these last years. Writing - to her - doesn't seem to spark joy anymore. But I still have some hope that she'll write something really good again one day!

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Profile Image for Beatrice.
1,155 reviews1,714 followers
June 12, 2019
#Smutathon - Finish a book in a day

They say third time is a charm and I'm desperate for this series will improve. The two previous books were unsatisfactory and since this is Eli Hardy's story. My expectation is above average.

Eli has been in love with his childhood best friend, Bliss York and she's the reason he ran out of town with a broken heart. He isn't the nice guy we used to know and upon his return, he has a bad boy image. Tattooed, rebellious and brooding. I feel bad for him because he deserved someone who'll love him unconditionally.

I never expected his love interest will be Nate's younger sister, Ophelia Finlay. She inherits her mother's personality. She's strong, gentle and a total sweetheart. She has a crush on Eli and hopes she'll get his attention. However, is he ready to love again? Does she have a place in his heart and his life?

In fairness, the plot has improved though there are parts in the story I find dull. My favorite part in this book was exploring Eli's feelings. What he felt for Bliss is an infatuation and I never thought he fell in love with someone else. He needs healing and closure. It's unfair to Ophelia. I like it but I wish this book is longer. There's a lot to be explored and the ending is underwhelming.
2 reviews
April 27, 2019
It’s the same plots over and over again. Female and male instantaneously fall in love and the development on how they fall in love is so fast it doesn’t give you time to process. There’s always a twist but it’s the same thing on every other book. Honestly I get less and less excited to read her books. I fell in love with rosemary and sea breeze series so this is killing that I didn’t this book and the last couple books she’s written. 👎
Profile Image for Charlotte.
2,113 reviews81 followers
April 18, 2019
*WARNING* contains explicit adult sexual situations
Eli Hardy has always been the good guy. Eli thought he found the girl for him twice, but they fell for someone else. When Eli Hardy of Seabreeze was told to leave and live a little, get into trouble, experience life, that's just what he did. His family never thought he'd be gone a whole year, and they never thought he would come back totally different.
Ophelia Finley remembers talking to Eli at her brother's wedding and being intrigued, but he left on a harley right after. The Eli that Ophelia sees now is the same man, but damaged.
This is a true Abbi Glines book with all the feels. My heart broke for Eli, but true to the Abbi Glines style, there was a twist to Eli's story. I would have like to heard why Ophelia needs her walls, but the story was amazing without and it was an after thought for me. I love seeing Seabreeze and Rosemary Beach connect so i can see how all of the original character's children turn out. Thank you Abbi!
Profile Image for Whoo Gives A Hoot.
1,263 reviews103 followers
April 21, 2019
* Read more of my reviews at Whoo Gives A Hoot *
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Best I've Ever Had by Abbi Glines was a sweet, sexy and heartbreakingly emotional romance that captivated my heart. When I heard that Eli Hardy was FINALLY getting his happily ever after I was beyond excited because he definitely deserves one, I just was not expecting Ophelia Finlay to be his one true love! Their journey to HEA took readers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and I think my heart broke for him even more than it had in the previous two books in the Sea Breeze Meets Rosemary Beach series because of the tragedy he experienced in the year he was away.

This was almost EVERYTHING I crave from a Abbi Glines romance, except for the fact that it felt too short, but that's probably because I loved these two so much that I never wanted their story to end. Eli and Ophelia's chemistry was undeniably raw and passionate. This story was filled with witty banter, perfectly humorous moments, and just the right amount of steamy scenes that left me satisfied. I cannot freaking wait to find out the next couple to get a book in this series and I totally look forward to seeing glimpses of these two in future books because I could never get enough of them!
Profile Image for Melissa Estrada.
141 reviews3 followers
April 16, 2019
Devoured it! Loved Eli and Ophelia. The author did a fantastic job holding onto what turned Eli into the man that came back home - it made me want to continue reading to find out. Ophelia was a bit different than what I remembered her being in Nate and Bliss’ book but maybe I just need to do a reread. Can’t wait to see who comes along for Phoenix!
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,534 reviews162 followers
May 2, 2019
I enjoyed this book.

Story - 4🌟
Hero - 4🌟
Heroine - 5🌟
Plot - 3🌟
Sex scenes - 4🌟
Writing - 3🌟
Angst - 4🌟

Recommend - Yes
Profile Image for David Maher.
275 reviews9 followers
April 17, 2019
In the prologue of Best I've Ever Had, Cruz Kerrington tells Eli Hardy "You need to go and live." Advice Eli takes to heart as he rides out of Sea Breeze without any specific intention to ever return.

A year later, only because his Gran has cancer, Eli heeds the call to return home, but just one year has changed him so much that even his family and lifelong friends don't really understand who he's become. Some see the tatts that adorn his body. Some see the pain hidden behind his eyes, but none see the straight-laced good guy that left them a year before.

Ophelia Finlay though, she sees it all, but unlike everyone else, she doesn't poke and prod him like he's some strange creature that washed up on the beach, she just accepts him, and Eli finds that more attractive than he'd ever expected to see in whatever might remain of his life.

In many ways, that piece of advice from the prologue frames this entire book. Eli left thinking he'd been in love twice, but exploring the possibility that he'd never lived, and returns thinking he's done all of the loving, and living that he can bear in one lifetime. Fully believing that the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off indefinitely.

Where despair is a constant companion and hope seems the enemy, time, space, love, hard truths, and Ophelia Finlay (in no particular order) disabuse him of that notion in a story that intrigued, captivated and enthralled me before reducing me to a state where my whiskers tasted salty.

Abbi Glines at her very best.
Profile Image for Jade O'Brien.
45 reviews2 followers
April 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, just like with all of the other books in this series, it is fun, light-hearted but knows when to be serious, if you want to know all of my thoughts my full review is on my blog https://britishbookaddict.blogspot.co...

But I really did enjoy it, its quintessentially Abbi doing what she does best, and I can't wait for more.
Profile Image for Gabi.
199 reviews8 followers
June 24, 2020
Cual es la necesidad de hacer que todos los protagonistas masculinos sean "malos"? No lo comprendo, además, Eli no encaja en ese esquema, el tipo era un amor en los anteriores libros, no comprendo lo que hizo la autora, no comprendo porque no se esfuerza un poco en sus tramas, no entiendo porque siempre escribe lo mismo. Se ha convertido en una autora conformista, es lamentable.

Lei esta saga por los chicos de Rosemary, porque los conocía de hace años y me emocionaba saber que pasó con sus hijos, lo cual es... Que son aún más imbéciles de sus padres a su edad, Cruz es patético y peligroso en el mal sentido, Nate es indeciso y mediocre con su propia vida, Lila Kate es la mujer más conformista del mundo, parecía que sería fuerte pero noooo, seguía detrás del tipo que la trataba como tapete, y Ophelia es algo rescatable pero está obsesionada con Eli, así que pierde su encanto.

Este es el libro más decente de los 3, por ello creo que merece una estrella, el resto tienen media para mi, es impresionante como la autora se empeña en arruinar aquello que fue bueno en su tiempo, obviamente ahora entiendo que los personajes de Rosemary son tóxicos y jamás querría algo así para mi.

La forma de narrar las escenas de sexo también es mala, los tipos no tienen ningún tipo de consideración con sus parejas, básicamente se preocupan por su propio placer y les llega altamente lo que pase con ellas. Lo gracioso es que mágicamente ellas alcanzan el orgasmo, me pueden explicar como? Porque eso en vez de causar placer, debió provocar dolor 🙄. PATÉTICO.

Honestamente es de lo peor que he leído.
Profile Image for shms.
1,258 reviews
July 11, 2019
I don't know why I picked this up given the first 2 in this series were a bust for me. Anyway this angst filled hero seemed a little too emo and when it's endless its boring. The noble idiot moment at the end of the book lost it a star
Profile Image for Corinna.
66 reviews5 followers
September 12, 2020
Am Anfang kam ich mit Eli überhaupt nicht klar und konnte sein Verhalten nicht nachvollziehen, da ich wusste wie er sein kann.
Profile Image for Maddie (libraryonthemoon).
168 reviews13 followers
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February 12, 2019
Clearly, I haven't read this one but I want to give this spin-off series a chance. I haven't heard the best things about the first two books in the series and I bloody hate love triangles, especially when things get physical. It's gross to me and doesn't feel like real love and romance anymore so that's why I've crossed "Because Of Lila" off my list. I've heard some pretty bad things about how the plot plays out and how the characters behave so it's a no from me on it. I will give however, give this book a shot if there's no physical or emotional cheating and I hear that the characters don't make horrible decisions.
Profile Image for Milica.
2 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2019
This has been the issue i had with the last couple of books by Abbi. They end on I love you and there the book ends. I mean it is like she just gave up, the problems her couples have are not resolved. I almost never give 1 star reviews but this is well deserved.
Profile Image for Read With Chey.
551 reviews1 follower
May 15, 2020
Living life and making wrong choices makes it easier to know when you find what’s right.

Hi friends!

Today’s review is one I’ve been sitting on for a minute because I really wanted to process my feelings for this one because this series has been a bit up and down for me, but I feel like I processed enough and I’m ready to discuss!

I hadn’t meant to fall. It wasn’t something I could have controlled.

This series has been really up and down for me, but this and the second novel have given me hope it’ll pick up and that the first, Like a Memory, was just a singular, one-time flop. This novel had a lot to live up to for me since I adored the second book, Because of Lila, and it royally screwed Marcus Hardy, the hero of this installment. After seeing Marcus experience loads of heartbreak in books one and two, I was really rooting for him and his HEA in this one.

I really loved the Ophelia and Marcus combo. Ophelia was very much a less sweet version of her mother and I loved how confident and cool-headed she was, she had this air of cool, calm, and collected that I totally loved. She felt like a different character from anyone Abbi had written before. Marcus isn’t the same as he was in the first two books; he’s harder, more tattooed, and had a tragic backstory to go along with his new bad boy image.

This was better than some of the other books Abbi’s written in terms of the character’s backstory/plot twist. She spends the whole novel building up to the big reveal about Marcus and his past and I really appreciated it. I had no idea what was going on and I was shocked with every little tidbit she gave us. It was nice because it wasn’t just thrown in at the end the way the twist was in some of her other books, almost like it was an afterthought.

I will say this one was rather short and it felt rushed, in some ways. There wasn’t a lot of character development and I felt a little wanting at the end. I don’t know, I think I was expecting a little more of that transition between single, young adult to the coupled, more adult characters. This whole book felt a little more serious than her usual work and I wanted a little more drama, maybe a good old fashioned fight scene, something to shake it up a little more.

These books are definitely popcorn reads; short, spicy, and easily read in one-sitting. Abbi’s books are a great escape in the way you can read them in like one or two days as a refresher and just have loads of fun. She has this way of writing where everything feels like a lighthearted romcom and her plots and settings always totally engulf me, in the best ways. Per usual, this isn’t a literary masterpiece and it could have really benefited from another proofread or two, but overall I really enjoyed this one. If you want a really in depth, intricate romance these aren’t for you. If you’re a big fan of NA romance, lighthearted yet angsty reads with plenty of drama and steam, these are for sure to please!

Can’t wait to see where the rest of this series goes, especially since there’s like a thousand kids between the Rosemary Bach and Sea Breeze OGs.

You can check out other full reviews, author interviews, and bookish talks at Tonkin About Books!


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Profile Image for Heather❀Kiss The Pages❀.
710 reviews296 followers
May 16, 2019
3.5 Stars

A sexy and emotional new adult book with great summer vibes that I enjoyed.

I am a huge fan of the Rosemary Beach series and I enjoyed diving back into this world. I never read the Sea Breeze series so at first all the new to me characters overwhelmed me. However, I figured out who the importatnt characters were easily enough.

I love my tortured heroes! Eli left Sea Breeze a year ago and returns a very different person. His pain and scars are palpable. His happy and friendly demeanor is now cold and broody. These are the bad boy types Ophelia is drawn to but she admits to herself that she was attracted to the former Eli as well. These two had fantastic chemistry and they set these pages on fire!

The best part of this book in my opinion were the steamy scenes. No one writes hot scenes like Abbi Glines. The tension and build up and the execution were perfection. Oh and Eli's dirty talking mouth were a nice bonus too.

This book was also quite emotional. Eli is able to escape his darkness when he is with Ophelia. She seems to drive his demons away. He thinks she deserves better than what he can offer and so they limit their relationship to just the physical. I think these two both held back from admitting their love for each other because of the pain of past relationships. Well, we get all the angst as they work through their feelings and figure it out.

Eli holds on to his secrets and we don't find out what happened to him until the last third of the book. I felt like the attempt to build an air of mystery around him fell a bit short and it did come off as a bit annoying instead of intriguing. Regardless, I loved him even if I felt he could have done some things differently.

Try this for a fast paced sexy and emotional beach read.

3.5 Stars
Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual
Heat Level: Moderate
HEA


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Profile Image for Robyn.
713 reviews41 followers
August 4, 2019
3.5 Good Man Stars

Well, I was really liking this story! Really enjoyed the h’s personality, and thought she was perfect for Eli, who’d been rebuffed more than once in his past! He was the sweetest guy, and I especially rooted for him in the last book! I really needed him to get an epic HEA, and I thought this book was headed in that direction. They did get together in the end, but it just ended SO abruptly! No epilogue or anything, more of an HFN ending...I feel kinda gypped...
Profile Image for Meegz Reads.
1,446 reviews121 followers
May 1, 2019
*4 Stars*

ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.

This was another good story from Abbi. I liked both Eli and Ophelia. At times though it was hard for me to remember who was who, and where all the family connections came in, because there are so many characters in both the Rosemary Beach and Sea Breeze worlds.

The ending seemed a little bit abrupt without enough resolution and discussion between the characters, but all in all this was another great book from Abbi and I do look forward to seeing what comes next in this series. I can never get enough of these two worlds, and its great that there is now a crossover series.


Review also on my blog - Best I've Ever Had by Abbi Glines

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May 13, 2020
Auf die Geschichte von Eli habe ich mich schon so gefreut, also habe ich sie so schnell wie möglich gelesen. Es war gut wie immer, doch es kam mir so vor als würde ich durch die Zeit fliegen und nur ein paar Ereignisse wurden genauer beschrieben. Ein paar Seiten mehr, hätten dem Buch wirklich gut getan. Bin gespannt, ob es noch einen weiteren Band geben wird.
4,5 Sterne
3 reviews
April 26, 2019
Oh Abbi, why do I keep doing this to myself? I loved the Sea Breaze and Rosemary Beach series but this crossover is not working for me at all. All of the books so far have been rushed and not thought out IMO. There is no substance here to these characters and I honestly found Eli's angst a bit overly dramatic. Ophelia has these 'walls' that make absolutely no sense when you look at her background...she seems like an ordinary girl, rich, but ordinary. And I don't buy for a second that all these guys lost interest in a beautiful rich girl. I just couldn't buy into this whole book and to be honest I think I'm done with this series now. I think Abbi needs to let this go too as I feel she is burnt out on these characters and needs to focus her considerable writing talents on something fresh and new xx
Profile Image for G. K. Malathi.
62 reviews12 followers
September 23, 2019
The Sea Breeze and Rosemary Beach series carried so much of style and standard. The stories brought so much of soundness and life with badass characters and headstrong women. The characters and plots were well maintained, kept the reader on toes.
However this series is a disaster.
It's like clumping alot of repetitive plots and giving it all a thread bare stitch for the heck of finishing it.
Eli is a goddamned wimp.
The story line is too dilute and predictable
I really feel Abbi Glines books standard has deteriorated so much after reading these books.
Profile Image for Karen.
5,386 reviews71 followers
April 19, 2019
Boring. I haven't read a book of Abbi Glines that was this boring. Eli was a sad sack and didn't deserve the girl at least when he had a huge sadness. He finally accepts his sadness for what it is....and put had set O aside while he dealt with it. Two pages to go and O puts herself out there O takes him back. Boring. Least favorite story of Abbi ever!!
Profile Image for Take Me Away To A Great Read.
502 reviews2 followers
April 26, 2019
Best I've Ever Had by Abbi Glines
(Sea Breeze Meets Rosemary Beach #3)
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Rating: 4 Stars

I would like to thank The Next Step PR and the author for providing me with an advanced reading copy for an honest review.

Best I've Ever Had is a beautiful, memorable book that will touch you and make you believe in a healing kind of love and soul mates!

FULL REVIEW TO COME
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