Book Review: Cross the Line (A Boston Love Story) by Julie Johnson

Cross the Line is the second book in the Boston Love Story series by Julie Johnson. Each story can stand up fine on its own as a contemporary romance, but together they re even better!

Phoebe West has been head-over-heels in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember. Despite several mortifying attempts at seduction and a decade’s worth of unrequited pining, nothing Phoebe does seems to make any impact on the man she’s obsessed over since her bra-stuffing days. She knows it’s time to let him go, though just the thought is nearly enough to shatter her. Nathaniel “Nate” Knox has only ever seen Phoebe as forbidden. There’s a darkness in Nate, the kind you can’t avoid after years working in special forces and private security. He’s no good for anyone — especially not someone as sweet as his best friend’s little sister. He knows he can’t have her. Not ever. Even if she makes him feel things he barely recognizes. When an unforeseeable series of events sends Phoebe stumbling headfirst into danger, there’s only one man who can protect her. Though, in his quest to save her life, he may just break her heart.

Cross the Line is a highly entertaining romance with multi-faceted characters and a level of danger and suspense that kept me at the edge of my seat. While there is less humor in this than in Not You It’s Me, which was the first in this series, there are still great characters and some moments that made me grin despite myself. Phoebe has always loved the dark and brooding Nate, who has always treated her like a bratty little sister, at least as far as she knows. They are thrown together again and the stakes are high all around. I like that they each go through their own internal struggles, and that they do have some seriously great friends to help and hinder them in turn. I really liked the give and take, and the volatile relationship between Nate and Phoebe. It is not my favorite of the three books I have read from the author, but not every book speaks to the same people the same way. I still found it to be a great read, but not as phenomenal as the others. Of course, I am still hooked on the author and as soon as I catch up on my NetGalley reading I expect to find myself buying more of her books and continuing reading her works.


Cross the Line is another entertain contemporary romance from Johnson that has kept me turning pages well past my bedtime. Complex characters, big drama, humor, and suspense come together to make the book go by just a little too quickly. 

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