I would like to start by saying a massive thank you to Kelly for my ARC of this book, as without it this review would not be possible! I had an absolute blast reading this book, and am so thankful to Kelly for this copy.

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‘Divided Interests’ is the third (standalone) instalment in the Southern Bride series, following the first book, ‘Love at First Sight’, and the second, ‘Delicate Promises’. While Divided Interests is a standalone, I highly recommend that you also take the time to read the other books in the series. Especially if you’re new to this genre of southern romance, ‘Love at First Sight’ is THE perfect introduction which will lead you nicely into the other books, such as Divided Interests.

This book—like the others in the series—follows a core theme which is both evident from the title of the book and the blurb, a trait Kelly possesses in abundance, as some books often do not relate to their titles in any way. Kelly’s books do and that is one of the main reasons I always gravitate to her work. You get what you see on the cover, within the written story inside.

A lot can be learned about the book from the blurb alone, which doesn’t give too much away (which would spoil it for potential readers), while at the same time giving you enough to want to read more and discover the story in its entirety. Something I find Kelly does once more, that draws new people in and keeps hardcore fans—such as myself—coming back for more. Some blurbs fail to entice me with a lacklustre first-glance at the story within, though I am proud to say that I am thoroughly tempted and hooked with every single Kelly Elliott blurb. Divided Interests included.

Alright, down to the nitty-gritty. As close as one can get without spoiling anything.

There were several things that attracted me to this book while I was reading it, as often you can tune out while reading a chapter if it’s not gripping enough to turn the next page. The first as outlined in the blurb, was the ‘two owners, one house’ part. You can tell from reading that line alone you’re going to be in for a good time as you read and I can proudly say, that is the case with Lucas and Paige.

The second, the inability to put a bookmark at the end of the chapter. Kelly—as I’ve said in several of my reviews and is one of her best traits—has this amazingly unique ability to hook you in even at the very last word of the chapter, tempting you in to read “just one more chapter” and before you know it, you’ve read several chapters and half the night has passed right on by! If there’s one thing in this world I love, it’s an all-night Kelly Elliott binge-read session! If you’re looking for a companion for the night, Divided Interests is definitely your go-to book of choice.

Third and by no means finally, as there are TONS of other points I could cover. Emotion. Emotive connectivity. This is another point I have listed in several other reviews I’ve done for one of Kelly’s books. If you’re like me and have been a fan of Kelly for a number of years now, you would have picked up on the deeply emotional, empathetic connectivity with one or more characters, themes, story/plot points at some stage within one of her books. That is something I like to experience when reading a book, connecting. Usually its with a character and their backstory/experiences, though throughout this book in particular, I did reach for a tissue a time or two (don’t worry, it’s all good y’all!), laugh out loud and even just between you and me, blushed with tempting desire to be in Paige’s shoes.

Divided Promises much like it’s predecessor, Delicate Promises, is another gripping, page turning, charming southern romance you’ll find hard to put down no matter what format you’re reading it in. eBook or paperback, there’s no need for a bookmark with this read as you’ll be starting and finishing it in one tantalising Kelly-Elliott binge-session, a tradition for me at this point which I do not intend to ditch. Though if you do intend to take your time, which isn’t a bad thing, ladies grab yourselves a fan because those flames will be-a-burnin’, and ardour’s cooled. You can thank a certain cowboy for that.

On top of everything that I have listed so far in this review, there are several other elements to this book which are both gripping, captivating, alluring, tempting, teasing and charming, the latter a staple for this already promising series full of standalones. But you’ll have to read the book to get the full Kelly-Elliott effect, and impact of this story. As we will all find parts which resonate with us at different stages, as I found out myself. This is definitely a book well worth waiting for, if you have been waiting since the release of the first or second book in the series, and most definitely deserves a reserved spot in your kindle library or on your shelf. I myself am definitely going to be purchasing a paperback copy in the near future.

I highly and personally recommend this book to anyone and absolutely everyone who wants to have a good time with two people, or situations and circumstances you won’t forget any time soon. A friends/former friends-to-lovers story is always a winner and will never, ever grow old or mundane to read. And I’m proud to call Kelly my favourite author for reasons and reads just like this one.

You won’t have any divided interests in deciding on if you should read this book or not, because the answer is a firm and fast ‘heck yeah’. Five more brilliant stars for an even brighter star herself, Kelly Elliott.

‘Divided Interests’ releases Feb 4th! Grab your pre-order today!