by Lauren Layne
“Um, no,” she interrupted with a laugh.
“Fine, someday we’ll be old and gray, sitting on the porch in boring, old-person silence, and I’ll be just fine with that, because I’ll have everything I ever wanted. I’ll have you, Daisy Mathis.”
Daisy’s eyes watered with emotion, and then she let out a laugh as she looked over his shoulder at their ever-impatient friends. “You may have some of them too.”
“That’d be all right,” he said, sparing his friends a glance and earning a middle finger from Julie and an eyeroll from Cassidy. “Eh. From time to time.”
He glanced back at Daisy, saw her smile had slipped just a little. He reached out, took her chin in his hand. “Tell me.”
“Do you ever wonder—do you ever miss—”
He shook his head, knowing what she was talking about. Whom she was talking about. “I have everything I need right here,” he said quietly.
And even as his daughter opened her tiny mouth and let loose with a barrage of not-too-tiny screams, Lincoln knew it was true.
At long last, his heart had found its happiness.
Letter to Readers
Hi there, Lauren Layne here!
First, let me say thank you so much for spending your hard-earned money and your precious time on reading Someone Like You. My goal with every book is to leave readers with a smile on their face and a reminder that life can be lovely, and I sincerely hope I did that here.
I know some of you are coming into this book after a long, long wait for Lincoln’s story. Thank you. Thank you for your patience, thank you for understanding why this book needed to happen how and when it did, even if it was later than some of you wanted!
As you superfans know, Someone Like You has been a long time coming—the culmination not just of the Oxford series, but also of the Sex, Love & Stiletto series, which I started back in 2012, without any idea that it would explode into an eight-book phenomenon with a wonderfully enthusiastic fan base.
One of the trickiest parts of Someone Like You was figuring out a way to make sure you long-time fans got to see the whole gang back together without completely overwhelming you new readers, who perhaps picked up Someone Like You based on the gorgeous cover and weren’t as familiar with the rest of the Stiletto/Oxford world.
Ultimately, I decided to err on the side of trying to get everyone in there, at least for a little bit, and as a result, I’m aware that some of you may be scratching your heads, wondering, “Who were all those other characters?”
Well, because I’m an author, and we authors are weird, those characters feel sort of like my family! But the real answer is that it was the Stiletto/Oxford gang, in all its quippy, HEA glory.
If you loved Someone Like You, I so hope you’ll go back and read the rest of the novels in the series! Each book can be read as a standalone, but there’s plenty of overlap among characters, with little nods to previous books in each story.
So here it is: the official reading order of the Stiletto/Oxford books as well as the unofficial author description of who and what each book is about.
Note: And if you’re wondering why some are labeled as Sex, Love & Stiletto and some Oxford, Sex, Love & Stiletto came first; it focuses on the four columnists of Stiletto magazine and was meant to be a three-book series but later turned into a four-book series. Oxford is Stiletto’s “brother magazine” and is first mentioned in book two of the Sex, Love & Stiletto series. While I fully intended to wrap up the series after the fourth Stiletto book, I still had more characters, and the guys were demanding their turn, so the Oxford series was born as a spin-off!
After the Kiss (Sex, Love & Stiletto #1)
Julie Greene and Mitchell Forbes. This one involves two complete opposites who each enter the relationship for all the wrong reasons, only to find that they’ve somehow ended up with exactly the right person. Mitchell may be my favorite hero of all time.
randomhousebooks.com/books/227822/
Love the One You’re With (Sex, Love & Stiletto #2)
Grace Brighton and Jake Malone. A fun battle-of-the-sexes story about two rival columnists who are out to prove who knows more about the opposite sex: men or women. Things get delightfully personal and super sexy.
randomhousebooks.com/books/227833/
Just One Night (Sex, Love & Stiletto #3)
Riley McKenna and Sam Compton. This is my ode to the “in love with the brother’s best friend” trope that so many of us adore. Riley’s the city’s most outrageous sex expert with a pesky little secret, and Sam’s been the guy waiting quietly on the sidelines for the girl who’s always been off limits.
randomhousebooks.com/books/227834/
The Trouble With Love (Sex, Love & Stiletto #4)
Emma Sinclair and Alex Cassidy. An epic second-chance love story, if I do say so myself. The icy Emma and the editor in chief of Oxford have a very messy history, including a wedding that didn’t happen. Getting these two characters back together again is one of my favorite writing moments. I consider this the “bridge book” between the Stiletto and Oxford worlds.
randomhousebooks.com/books/248870/
Irresistibly Yours (Oxford #1)
Cole Sharpe and Penelope Pope. Perhaps the lightest of the series, and I mean that in the best way possible. This one is a straight-up romantic comedy, with two wonderfully charming characters who are utterly surprised to find themselves in love. I dare you to read this one and not smile!
randomhousebooks.com/books/251126/
I Wish You Were Mine (Oxford #2)
Jackson Burke and Mollie Carrington. A forbidden-love story, and a bit taboo, if that’s your thing! This one features a former star quarterback who finds himself falling for the one woman he can never ever have…the little sister of his ex-wife. Don’t worry, though, I promise you’ll see that Mollie was the right one for him all along!
randomhousebooks.com/books/251127/
Someone Like You (Oxford #3)
Lincoln Mathis and Daisy Sinclair. As in, the very book that’s in your hot little hands at this moment! As you likely already know by now, this is the much-demanded story where we learn that Manhattan’s favorite playboy is not at all what everyone thinks…
randomhousebooks.com/books/251129/
That’s the end, right?
Wrong!
I’m so excited to announce that I’ve got one more Oxford story up my sleeve.
I’m betting some of you were reading along with Lincoln’s story wondering what was up with sexy Nick Ballantine and sassy Taylor Carr. If you’re wondering if there’s a story there…yup. And it’ll be coming out in mid-2017!
It’s called I Knew You Were Trouble, and it’s available for pre-order!
www.randomhousebooks.com/books/550761/
And don’t forget, you can get the details on all Lauren Layne books on my website!
laurenlayne.com/books/
Thanks so much for taking the time to read Someone Like You.
Cheers to Happily Ever After!
xoxo,
Lauren Layne
For Savini—the very first to recognize Lincoln’s potential and to demand his story
Acknowledgments
I’m not going to lie to you guys. I’ve been dreading writing the acknowledgments for this book for months, because I knew it would also mean that I’d come to the end of the Sex, Love & Stiletto/Oxford series.
Thankfully, that’s not quite the case! As I was writing this book, two brand-new characters wiggled their way into the Oxford world, and I’m thrilled to announce that a spin-off novel (I Knew You Were Trouble) will be released in mid-2017 featuring Nick Ballantine and Taylor Carr in all their antagonistic, oil-and-water glory.
Which means, for these acknowledgments, I don’t have to worry about saying good-bye so much as saying thank you to everyone who made Someone Like You possible!
It’s strange to think about it now, but there was a time when it didn’t really
occur to me that Lincoln’s story would be in demand. Sure, I was half in love with him, but when he made his first appearance oh so long ago, I’d planned him as a sexy secondary character.
Then I got a text from my childhood friend Shelby Savini. She professed a deep and obsessive love, not for the hero of the book she was reading, but…for Lincoln.
It got me thinking…would others feel the same? Could I talk my publisher into letting me write this book?
Spoiler alert: yes, and yes.
To those of you wondering if I always knew about Lincoln’s tragic backstory—yes. I knew from the very beginning, and it never wavered. And I kept it under wraps for soooooo long. Not even my husband knew! Neither did my agent, nor my best writer friends, nobody. It wasn’t until the book was nearly done that I finally told my editor (who loved the idea, thankfully!). It’s unlike me to be so secretive, but hey…it was Lincoln!
The heroine of this book did change a bit, though!
Originally Lincoln was going to be hooked up with a “mousy” copywriter…someone sweet and passive, used to flying under the radar, and definitely not prepared to have the full force of Lincoln’s charm directed her way.
It was a good story. It just wasn’t Lincoln’s story. I can’t remember the precise moment I realized that the love of Lincoln’s life was none other than Daisy Sinclair—Emma’s sweeter yet still sassy sister. Once the idea popped into my mind, though, it latched on hard. I knew that this was a story about two damaged but resilient souls—two people who were jaded by their pasts but who were also hopeful. I knew it was only Daisy who could convince Lincoln to love again, and only Lincoln who could coax Daisy out of her wariness.
And so, here we are, more than a year later, and it’s with a huge sigh of something like bittersweet euphoria that I offer up Lincoln and Daisy’s story to you. I hope your heart loves it as much as mine does.
As with all my books, though, I can’t just thank my muse. It was a team effort, as it always is. The following people all deserve a long-drawn-out slow clap for their role in Someone Like You:
Shelby Savini: As noted, that text from my friend sparked everything.
Sue Grimshaw: My amazing editor, who understood immediately what I was trying to do with this book and helped me polish the story into the version you’ve just read.
Kristi Yanta: A wonderful friend and amazing beta reader/editor who deserves massive amounts of credit for shaping the LL brand into what it is today, and who helped me get Daisy’s backstory to where it needed to be.
Erika Seyfried: A marketing and organizational guru like you wouldn’t believe. I’m smitten.
Madeleine Kenney: Marketing and publicity darling who ensures that books make it from author’s imaginations into your hands.
Caroline Teagle and Lynn Andreozzi: You know that fabulous cover? These ladies.
Janet Wygal and the copyediting team: A huge thank-you for taking a hot mess of a manuscript and turning it into a polished, pretty ebook!
Gina Wachtel and Matt Schwartz: I’m in awe of your ability to juggle big-picture strategy and gritty hands-on details. Respect.
Anthony LeDonne: My real-life hero, who deserves all the credit for making sure I still somehow function as a human while on deadline, and who’s wonderfully understanding of the fact that while I occasionally become obsessed with literary someones (Lincoln!), I always come back.
Lisa Filipe: Speaking of people who make sure I function…I couldn’t do half of what I do without Lisa, the world’s best assistant, who makes sure the LL world goes round while I’m in the writing cave.
My street team: I rely on these ladies more than they could possibly know. I started the street team with the hope that I could rely on superfans to help spread the word about my books, but it’s become so much more than that. I lean on them hard when I need a pick-me-up or someone to tell me what the best bits of a book are for quotes. I don’t say it often enough, but thank you! An extra-special shout-out to Christine and Margo for seeming to always know the precise moment when I need a word of encouragement.
To all the readers: Yes. You guys. I’d have written this book with or without a waiting and excited audience, but…thank you for being excited. Thank you for believing in me, and in Lincoln.
Bring it in, now. Virtual group hug, everyone!!!
If you’ve gotten this far in my ramblings, it must mean you at least somewhat like me or my books, in which case I’m going to nudge you to sign up for the LL Weekly—my Thursday newsletter where I announce new books, sneak peeks at upcoming works, behind-the-scenes glimpses of my writing, and so on (laurenlayne.com/ll-weekly).
A huge thank-you to everyone who had a hand in this book. I’m so grateful.
xoxo,
LL
BY LAUREN LAYNE
Oxford Series
Irresistibly Yours
I Wish You Were Mine
Someone Like You
I Knew You Were Trouble
Love Unexpectedly Series
Blurred Lines
Good Girl
Love Story (coming soon)
Sex, Love & Stiletto Series
After the Kiss
Love the One You’re With
Just One Night
The Trouble With Love
Redemption Series
Isn’t She Lovely
Broken
Crushed
LAUREN LAYNE is the USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedy novels. A former e-commerce and Web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated in 2011 to New York City, where she left the corporate world to pursue a full-time writing career.
Lauren’s hobbies include maintaining a designer purse addiction and observing cocktail hour. She lives with her high school sweetheart in midtown Manhattan, where she writes romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush.
laurenlayne.com
laurenlayne.com/sign-up
Facebook.com/LaurenLayneAuthor
twitter.com/_LaurenLayne
instagram.com/_laurenlayne
Read on for an excerpt from
Love Story
by Lauren Layne
Available from Loveswept
Prologue
Lucy
I was eight years old when I gave my heart to Reece Sullivan.
I was eighteen when he shattered it into a million pieces.
I wish I could tell you I was twenty-eight when I next saw him again, because that’d be sweet, right? Ten years in between each of our moments.
Alas. I was twenty-four when our paths crossed again, and they did so in the worst, most are-you-freaking-kidding-me-with-this! sort of way.
As in, my well-meaning but totally oblivious family somehow maneuvered us into taking a two-week road trip.
Together.
Yes, that’s right. Me. My ex. Two weeks. One car.
Tricky, right? You have no idea.
Did I mention that one of the first stops on the road trip was to see my boyfriend? Yeah. That.
But, see, sometimes…
Sometimes life doesn’t work out the way you planned when you were eight.
Sometimes it’s even better if the road to get there involves a couple of heartbreaks, a flat tire, an honest-to-God flood, and and one or two seedy motel rooms with only one bed.
My name is Lucy Hawkins.
His name is Reece Sullivan.
And this is our story.
Chapter 1
Lucy
CONGRATULATIONS, SPOCK!
I scratch my nose and stare at the homemade sign, where the G looks like a pube and the L looks suspiciously like a penis.
“Your handiwork?” I ask my brother.
Craig, my older brother by fourteen months, drapes an arm over my shoulder as we take in the house where we grew up. “Anything for you, Spock. You like?”
I purse my lips. “I don’t suppose there’s a statute of limitations on how long you can use that nick
name?”
“Hell, no. It’s a classic,” he says, going around to the back of his truck and hauling my suitcase out.
Now, lest you think that I—or anyone else in my family—am a Star Trek fan, I’ll stop you right there. We’re not. I mean, like most Americans, we have at least a passing knowledge of the sci-fi classic, but the oh-so-flattering nickname goes back to my first days home from the hospital as a newborn, when my camera-happy mother caught a picture of me waving my hand in a “Live long and prosper” V position. Add to that the super-straight dark hair fringing my forehead, the already dark brows, and, yeah, okay, I totally resembled a mini Leonard Nimoy (rest in peace).
So…Spock. At least to my family. I’m not going to say it’s my favorite nickname ever, but right now I find myself grinning at the ugly sign and what it represents.
Home.
“You know, in gratitude for my driving four hours round-trip to bring you home, the least you could have done is let your hot roommate tag along,” Craig says.
“Lesbian,” I counter, opening the back passenger door and pulling out my laptop bag and the overstuffed Victoria’s Secret gift-with-purchase tote that’s stuffed to the brim with makeup, flat iron, and no small amount of tampons.
“Even better,” Craig says reverently. “Her girlfriend could have come to.”
I slam the car door. “You know you’re twenty-five now, right? A little old to be lusting after cliché girl-on-girl action.”
My brother shakes his head. “Never goes out of style, Spock. Never. Also, I repeat, four-hour drive. I gave up Orioles day-game tickets.”
