Unraveled - Amy Knupp

Unraveled

By Amy Knupp

  • Release Date: 2022-05-10
  • Genre: Contemporary Romance
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 752 Ratings

Description

Nothing unravels a fake relationship faster than real feelings.

Chloe

Holden Henry’s my best friend.

I’m also hopelessly in love with him. In a big, unrequited way.

So, when he offered a marriage of convenience to keep me from losing out on a career-making opportunity, I should’ve refused.

But I didn’t.

Now, I have to squash all the silly, romantic fantasies I’ve ever had about Holden. Because there’s no way a happily ever after ending is in our future…right?

Holden

A fake marriage seemed like the perfect solution to both our problems.

Chloe’s career would get the boost it needed, and I’d get funding for my own business venture. It was a win-win.

But that’s when it all started to…unravel. Because I started asking myself questions I shouldn’t.

Was Chloe always so beautiful? So sexy? So…everything?

All I know for sure if that if I can’t keep my feelings in check, there’s no way we’ll make it out of this marriage with our friendship (and my heart) intact…

Unraveled, book 1 in the Henry Brothers series, is a light, small town, friends-to-lovers contemporary romance that can be read as a standalone. It has a little humor, some spicy times, and plenty of emotional, heartwarming moments. Download today and watch Holden and Chloe stumble heart first into their HEA.  

Reviews

  • Unraveled.

    5
    By rjbor
    This was a great story. One I could red again . The main character were so good. Loved all the interaction with families and friends. Small town stories are the best, because all the residences really care about each other. Of course friendships play a big part of this story. Loved the ending. TY so much
  • Unraveled

    5
    By Ms. Redducks
    Very good story very well written. Perfect characters.
  • Fantastic Story, Narration & Intro to the Series!

    5
    By Bette H
    This is a fabulous marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, romance novel. It is my first book written by Amy Knupp, actually my second since I listened to “Untold”, a “Henry Brothers” prequel just before this and I enjoyed both immensely. “Untold" is an excellent introduction to the series and the Henry family, and it is available on the author’s website for free. “Unraveled”, the first book in the series, tells Holden Henry and Chloe Abrams’ story. Chloe Abrams left Dragonfly Lake sixteen years ago and has never looked back. She has worked her way up in the company, Marks International, and is the Executive Vice President of development. Her boss, Angelica, founded the company and built it up from the ground up to the success it has become today. However, her life circumstances have changed, and she is considering two people for her position, Chloe and another colleague. So she is putting both to the test, having Chloe finish the project at Dragonfly Lake. Chloe is a workhorse and has no time for a social life. However, Angelica thinks that is a mistake, and she needs a life outside of work. Those are the requirements she adds to be considered for the job. Without thinking, she told her she had a boyfriend and his name is Holden Henry. Now she has to explain to her friend what she did. Henry and Chloe have been friends for years and as a favor, she was his guest at his father’s wedding, so he owes her a favor. Henry took her news very well and took the plan even further by calling her his fiancée. Chloe knew Holden and his brothers wanted to open their own brewery, so she came up with an idea that would help them get the location they needed to make that happen. The two put their plan in motion, a foolproof plan that would get Chloe everything she dreamed of, but they did not take everything into consideration, especially the feelings they secretly harbored for each other. I loved how everything played out in this book, the writing and the plotting is fantastic, as is the world building and the character growth and development. The story has a perfect balance of drama, light angst, some charming and heartwarming moments, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Amy Knupp, thank you for the wonderful story and emotional rollercoaster ride. I am looking forward to my next visit to Dragonfly Lake and spending time with the Henry’s.   🎧📚🎧And for the fabulous audiobook narration, Amy Knupp chose the perfect cast to bring her characters and story to life. The wonderfully talented Teddy Hamilton and Kesey Navarro Foster are entertaining storytellers and a versatile voice artists. They understood the characters they were portraying, giving each a voice that was fitting to that character’s persona and were believable in every role they played. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the character’s emotions and projected them into performance, making you fell every one of them. These two made a great team, their voices and performances complemented each other’s and their narration enhances an already fantastic story to another level. Thank you for another amazing listen.
  • Friends to lovers

    4
    By RellimReads
    This is book 1 in Amy Knupp’s Henry Brothers series. While you can enjoy this without it – the prequel Untold is a sweet intro to Holden & Chloe as well as the Henry family. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I also thought Knupp’s approach to setting up a Fake Marriage was unique and made for a really interesting dynamic between two lifelong friends willing to help make each other’s dreams come true. I connected with Chloe growing up in a small town and how being poor can paint a constant target on your back. Holden was sweet and determined – in life and with Chloe. I loved their growth as individuals and the realization that the two of them belonged together. Awesome HEA … and I loved the epilogue. Looking forward to more of the Henry Brothers.
  • delicious details and sultry voices

    5
    By beforetheshow
    Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5 Audiobook Rating: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5) Overall Rating: 4.75/5 What I’m Starry-Eyed Over: 🤩 The sultry voices of the narrators go so well with all the sneaky tropes but with hints of love, support, and internal sweetness. 🤩 Delicious details described in Teddy Hamilton’s voice—I’m not sure it gets better than this. ❤️‍🔥🔥🌶️ 🤩 Make no mistake—Kelsey’s husky voice is quite the match. 🤤 🥵 🤩 These tropes never get old for me: small-town, fake dating, marriage of convenience, childhood friends-to-lovers, one bed, and more below. 🤩 So very punny—Chloe and Holden are the cutest. I just love their Hoppy/Hoppily Ever After!!! 🤩 Secret pining. 🤩 Let’s make a deal, where they both really just care and want to help the other person. 🤩 Frisky fake kisses & physical attraction. 🤩 Married with benefits, one bed, and steamy goodness. When they finally give in to enjoying each other in all the ways. 🤩 “Get off my wife.” 🤩 “I never got my wedding dance.” “Let’s give everyone a show.” 🤩 Dear friends (side characters) who tell you like it is. 🤩 When they let each other in, not just physically but emotionally as well. 🤩 Take me to the Rusty Anchor Brewery. I hope they learn to cider making, too. What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About: 💫 The end is adorable, but I would have liked a little officially real steam—it helps me believe in the HEA. 💫 You might need to buy some Twizzlers to get through this one. Swipe to see what it made me buy. My kids don’t ever mind my books that cause cravings.
  • Enjoyable friend-to-lovers MoC…

    4
    By DarcyLovesLiza
    Story: 4 ⭐️s Narration: 5 ⭐️s This was my first experience with an Amy Knupp novel and this first book in the Henry Bros. series, plus prequel novella (Untold), were an enjoyable introduction. Though the prequel struck as a bit unnecessary (could have been easily folded into Book 1 events), it was a sweet preview of the MCs from Unraveled, and a nice intro the Henry family dynamic; however, reading/listening to Unraveled alone is enough to get the same. Knupp has set up a cast of interesting characters - both the MCs for book 1 and the brothers who are the focus of subsequent books. There is also a call back to a previous series, so lots of trails for readers to follow into Knupp’s other books if one is inclined. The MCs in Unraveled are Holden and Chloe - longtime friends who each agree to a marriage of convenience for their own reasons. It’s hard to pull of the MoC trope in contemporary romance, but Knupp has laid the ground in a way that is plausible and appealing. Combing that trope with friends to lovers, and establishing the connection between Holden and Chloe from the jump was a great way to make it work. That they started as friends only makes their eventual romantic chemistry all the stronger and un-rushed. In terms of character dynamics and arcs, Chloe had the more developed journey; her deep-rooted lingering childhood insecurity was in a constant clash with her current professional competence and adult self-image. While she’s a very capable person at the start of the story, she is not content (though she doesn’t see that). Holden’s arc is driven by his thinking himself less than his brothers. And while there are interactions and one dramatic moment to showcase this, it’s less built up than Chloe, and kind of fizzles out. So his journey lacks a bit by comparison. However, he is such a lovable character, that any lack in development is not as much of a weakness as it might be otherwise. For me, the pacing in the third act was a clearer flaw than the unbalanced character development between the MCs. There was the inevitable third breakup, however the connection between the characters was so much stronger than the ‘conflict’, that there was no real worry then things wouldn’t work out. It felt like a hiccup rather than a true problem, and didn’t really add tension. I don’t think third act breakups are always necessary (in fact, I often find other conflicts more appealing in a third act), but if it is gong to happen, it should add tension and not feel like a box that has to be ticked. Still, this is a minor thing, and when compared to the characters and their lovely connection to each other as built over the rest of book, it does not take away too much from the experience and I’ll definitely be back for further Henry Brothers stories. The narration for this audiobook was great. I really enjoyed the performances by Teddy Hamilton and Kelsey Navarro Foster. I’ve encountered both these narrators many times before, and always enjoy their work (both separately and together). They are great fits or Holden and Chloe. Navarro Foster’s performance is fine showcase of Chole’s professional confidence, while maintaining the undercurrent of lingering adolescent insecurities that returning to her hometown brings out in Chloe. Hamilton is a joy to listen to bringing out Holden’s sweet, but also very his sexy when called for; that blend is exactly why you cast Teddy Hamilton in your audio. He’s that perfect blend of hometown hunk and smexy hearthrob. With a great narrator pairing that makes the MCs even more appealing, this hometown romance is well worth a listen. I received an ALC copy of the audiobook via Home Cooked Books. All opinions are my own.
  • UnRaveled

    5
    By bab180
    I love a good love story. This was a good love story. Friends to lovers. I like the story does not drag. I don’t like when a couple gets together and then there are so many set backs in their relationship. I sometime lose interest. We knew, in most cases, they are going to get together in the end. Yes, there is some drama but it brings them to a great ending, quickly!! Thank you for an enjoyable read.
  • Lovely story

    5
    By Skiplayer1
    Great read about priorities in life. This story puts everything into perspective. Life is too short to dedicate yourself to making money and foregoing love. Great read and lesson learned.
  • Unraveled

    5
    By 777sails
    I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am voluntarily reviewing it. What an awesome start to a series. I loved how this series is a spin off of the North Brothers and even mention of a few characters of Hale Street. All of these characters felt like old friends when I was reading their stories so I felt like I was able to get caught up with them again. Chloe is EVP working for an international boutique hotel company. She is summoned to her hometown by her boss as that is the location of a new hotel for them. Her boss has terminal cancer and tells Chloe that she wants Chloe to finish up the construction on this particular location. The boss is trying to determine who should feel her shoes when she passes. It is between workaholic Chloe and a married Gloria. Chloe doesn't have a personal life as she has lived for the company. To fool her boss, Chloe and her oldest and dearest BFF, Holden Henry, decide to marry for a year to help secure the promotion. Holden works in the family restaurant but dreams of opening a brewery with his friend. Unfortunately they are lacking an investor to help launch the new brewery. To help compensate Holden for his help, Chloe funds the brewery with enough cash to put them into business. Will this marriage of convenience, last past the due date Chloe and Holden put on it? Will Chloe get past her unease of her hometown? Can these two get past a few hurdles that crop up from time to time? This is a delightful story that will warm your heart and give a few chuckles here and there. This is a sexy read just so you know. Also this story is written in a dual POV format. Getting that glimpse into the character's thoughts, really help me to better understand and enjoy the characters. I can't wait for the next book in this series.