99 Percent Mine Book Review

In 99 Percent Mine, Darcy Barrett’s life is a bit of a mess when she and her twin brother inherit a run down family cottage. They’re instructed to fix it up and sell, so Darcy plans to be on the run again to avoid dealing with her personal issues as soon as renovations start. However, she decides to stick around for a few days when she discovers the contractor is their childhood friend, Tom, who she’s been head over heels in love (and lust) with since she was eight. Despite her usual urge to resist any emotional connection and turn to wine for solace or flee the country, she finds herself dedicated to the home renovation…and trying to win over Tom.

After reading Sally Thorne’s first novel, The Hating Game, and falling completely for her sharp writing style and witty banter, I had ridiculously high hopes for 99 Percent Mine. That tends to be my downfall because I’m unnecessarily disappointed if the book doesn’t follow the same patterns or start off strong. It did take a little while to get interested in this novel because I was initially annoyed with Darcy and her terrible choices. I prefer reading about likable characters or those with understandable or relatable flaws. Darcy was neither. The connection between her and Tom also felt artificial and forced at first.

Thankfully, the book turned around quickly. As Darcy’s character developed and more of their backstory was introduced, I was completely hooked on their developing relationship! The sizzling banter is so much fun to read and the “will they won’t they” get together suspense kept me turning pages as fast as I could. I also appreciated getting to understand each of their insecurities and the past events that led them to their current state. It became more obvious why they cared for each other, so I became more invested in their relationship.

I flew through the last half of the book and loved the way Thorne wrapped up the story. While it doesn’t quite live up to her debut novel, 99 Percent Mine is still an exciting ride and worth a read.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About 99 Percent Mine

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (January 29, 2019)

Readers and critics alike raved over USA Today bestselling author Sally Thorne’s smash hit debut, The Hating Game, which has sold in over 20 countries. Now she’s back with an unforgettable romantic comedy about a woman who finally has a shot at her long time crush—if she dares.

Crush (n.): a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that’s inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.

This next hilarious romance includes a special PS section with two Happily Ever Afters—one for this novel featuring Darcy and Tom and the other, an epilogue featuring fan favorites Lucy Hutton and Josh Templeman from The Hating Game!

Photo by Katie Saarikko

About Sally Thorne

Sally Thorne is the USA Today-bestselling author of The Hating Game. She spends her days climbing into fictional worlds of her own creation. She lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband in a house filled with vintage toys, too many cushions, a haunted dollhouse and the world’s sweetest pug.

Find out more about Sally at her website, and connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.