By: Heather Dowell
*Originally posted on Heather’s blog.
He hates me…
Jamie Daniels was never supposed to be my person.
I wasn’t supposed to hold onto him as our worlds fell apart.
Those are the rules.
Rules of friendship—even though we aren’t really friends.
Maybe friends adjacent.
He hates me not…
As the best friend of my twin brother, Jamie is always there, always ready to torment me with his smiles, smiles I see in my dreams. Every memory, every milestone, he’s there. The only thing I can ever truly count on is our rivalry.
When that’s stripped away, what is left of us?
He hates me…
The first time he kisses me, I want to run away, to take my surf board and let the saltwater wash his taste from my lips.
The second time I don’t want to stop.
He hates me not…
Nothing can last, not for two people yearning to get out of their small town.
I’ve always known my path doesn’t lead me to Jamie. Instead, it meanders through beach bonfires, an old family secret, and painful goodbyes.
What if I realize too late that Jamie doesn’t hate me at all?
I’m Callie McCoy, and I’m a screw up. My latest mess… letting that boy go.
The one who thawed the ice in my veins with his kisses.
The one walking away.
The Invincible duet contains both We Thought We Were Invincible and We Thought We Knew it All to bring you the entire story of Callie and Jamie. It is a clean romance full of soccer in the rain, snarky girls living the surfer life, and a family mystery.
REVIEW
It’s been a few months since I finished reading this duology, and it still sticks with me, whereas most books fade after a few days. This one is a unique second chance romance in that we get to see them fall in love as teens and adults. I cried so hard during both books.
In the first book, Callie is dealing with her boyfriend going off to college. She lives with her aunt because her mom is dead and she doesn’t know who her father is. Her boyfriend has been her refuge. Now that he’s gone, Jamie, his younger brother inserts himself in her life. They begin surfing together and growing close until they fall in love. Then a shocking even happens at a school dance, that forever changes them.
They’ve never been ones to plan for the future, and neither of them want to go to college. They have to do what’s best for them, which may be the worst for their relationship. This hit home for me because I made the same decision he did before falling in love. My husband and I (boyfriend at the time) made it work, but the day I left was heartbreaking.
Book 2, starts ten years later. Jamie and Callie are back in their hometown, both changed from their decisions. Jamie has PTSD, and Callie is alone once again, but now with far greater responsibilities. I’ll be vague, but the urge to spoil is great. Callie has a secret, one she’s not even sure about, and waiting for the answer killed me. I wanted it to go the other way, but I understand the author’s choice, and it was less heartbreaking for all the characters, so in the long-run it was good.
The second book introduced new characters and adult struggles. All the swoonyness from book one, and lots of humor. You also get to see some of the old side characters. I kinda want a book about them too. But yeah, this is one of those books that will break your heart them slowly mend it back together. It’s one I doubt I’ll ever be able to think about without wanting to cry. It has a happy ending that all good romances, but it’s earned. I was put through the ringer.
I really hope you’ll check this one out. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I’ve probably read 500.
Functionally Fictional 
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