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Dominique Kyle
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Not Quite Eden: A kickass, enemies to lovers, coming of age romance Kindle Edition

by Dominique Kyle (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 94 ratings
Sixteen-year-old, trainee car mechanic and motorcycle rider, Eve McGinty, isn't one to take things lying down (males please note!), but she never expected to have to step in to save the life of that annoying idiot, Adam Quinn. And she only did it because she's reserving the right to kill him herself!

Eve McGinty and her flamboyant next door neighbour, Adam Quinn, have been bitter rivals for as long as they can remember, but when Eve's younger brother, Jamie, is invited to join the rock band that the irrepressible Quinn and his friends have formed, she manages to be grudgingly pleased on his behalf. Unfortunately, the members of the band have made some dubious decisions in their eagerness to get a recording deal and when things turn nasty with the local psychopathic night club bouncers and drug dealers, Eve feels she has no option but to step in to prevent her little brother from being dragged down with the rest of the boys.

And as the consequences spiral out of control, Eve is forced to spend a lot more time with the irritating Quinn than she ever really wanted to…

Contemporary, action-packed, coming-of-age romance with a strong female lead and a wanna-be alpha male. A light-hearted, fast-paced story of how one kickass teen deals with misogyny in and out of the workplace as she tries to get ahead in a traditionally male job.
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  1. Book 1 of 6
    Not Quite Eden
  2. Print length
    292 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 26, 2016
  5. Reading age
    13 - 18 years
  6. File size
    1.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

What a surprise! This is one of those books that I thought might just be a fun, quick read. It was much more than that. Wonderful growth in story. Fast paced and insightful. I love a good coming of age story. Strong characterizations. Loved that they were not perfect and made mistakes. They were flawed and it was beautiful. - InkedBookDragon blogspot

Young adult fiction at its best! I'm a sucker for a strong decisive heroine who knows herself and what she wants from the world. Probably the best thing about this novel is the main character Eve and her bold personality. She doesn't take any flack from anyone and she's independent, snarky, and full of opinions. A great book and highly recommended. - Nikki Landis - USA Today bestselling author

OH, MY DAYS! Talk about not being able to put a book down! Not Quite Eden deals with a lot of things that young adults can accidentally find themselves involved in and Eve and Adam certainly know how to mess things up for themselves and their friends. They seem to fall from one disaster to the next. I must admit, sometimes I found myself shouting, "What are you doing?" at my kindle at some of the things they did. But then that is teenagers' for you. I think this book is a marvellous addition to any young adults library. I Highly Recommend. - Mary Anne Yarde - author of the multi award-winning series 'The Du Lac Chronicles'.

Compelling and atypical. This book was a refreshing read for me, and I would highly recommend. I was so glad to see a strong, fearless female lead character in a real life setting without dipping into the fantasy realm. Factor in the action, plot twists and turns and some truly witty moments, and you've got a winner. - Clifton Kenny - teacher/biochemist/musician/linguist and award-winning author of 'Reflections'.

A wonderful start to what promises to be a great series indeed. The story revolves around Eve, a motorcycle-loving spitfire that doesn't back down from a challenge, and Adam, the boy next door and the bane of her existence. There's plenty of action, drama, suspense and more teenage snark than you can shake a spanner at. It leaves you wanting more. A wonderful story that I highly recommend! - Joshua Griffith - Native American Cherokee energy healer and author

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01HMHSU9G
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Headspace Books (June 26, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 26, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 94 ratings

About the author

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Dominique Kyle

Dominique Kyle

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I make the e-book versions of 'Not Quite Eden' and 'Purgatory is a Place Too' free on the first day of every month.

When I was a teenager, there were so few books available of the kind that I wanted to read, that I ended up having to write them for myself. There just aren't enough bolshy, kickass, trouble-magnet heroines out there! Nor novels that delve deeply into the psyche and development of the characters without sacrificing plot, tension and action.

I've worked in forensic psychiatry in a secure unit, in a psycho-therapeutic community for emotionally disturbed children, in hospice care, in a further education college for learning disabled young adults, been involved in helping survivors of sexual abuse and helped to set up a trauma counselling centre for Chechnyan refugees. So although I always aim to keep my stories light-hearted and entertaining, some of that experience is inevitably reflected in the subject matter that I tackle.

You can find me pounding the fells of Northern England, mountaineering, climbing, ski touring, canoeing, or sailing off the west coast of Scotland - and occasionally I even manage to find some time to write or do some real work!

E-Books 1 and 5 of the Not Quite Eden series are free on the first of every month and you are welcome to pass that message on...but please consider leaving a review - authors love to hear from their readers, and reviews genuinely help new readers to judge whether the series is going to be the right fit for their personality and whether they dare risk taking the plunge...

You can message me, sign up for my monthly newsletter and read my blog on my website: www.dominiquekyle.wixsite.com/dominique-kyle

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
94 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this coming-of-age romance for its compelling plot and action-packed narrative. The book features well-developed characters, particularly strong female characters, and one customer notes how it tackles important issues facing younger readers. Customers find the book intelligent and consider it a great start to a new series.

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20 customers mention "Story quality"20 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this coming-of-age romance for its compelling plot and action-packed narrative, with one customer describing it as an edgy read for young adult readers.

"...found their constant sparring and complicated relationship real and believable. Not every ya book needs to go on endlessly about falling in love...." Read more

"...along with all of the twists and turns make for a very captivating coming of age story...." Read more

"...There's plenty of action, drama, suspense and teenage snark that you can shake a spanner at and leave you wanting more...." Read more

"More interesting characters than most of the YA stuff I read, plot moves reasonably well; the Kindle version is not divided into chapters...." Read more

17 customers mention "Character development"17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, particularly the strong female characters, with one customer noting the sixteen-year-old heroine's headstrong personality.

"Young adult fiction at its best! I'm a sucker for a strong decisive heroine who knows herself and what she wants from the world...." Read more

"Not Quite Eden was a great first book in the series! The characters are well developed, and I loved the fact that the heroine was a sixteen-year-old..." Read more

"More interesting characters than most of the YA stuff I read, plot moves reasonably well; the Kindle version is not divided into chapters...." Read more

"...Eve has a tragic past, but she is not a tragic heroine. She is resilient and resourceful, although she is also too stubborn sometimes...." Read more

5 customers mention "Intelligence"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's intelligence, with one customer noting how it tackles hard topics and addresses issues facing younger people.

"...This book tackles a lot of hard topics and is full of action and adventure...." Read more

"...She is resilient and resourceful, although she is also too stubborn sometimes...." Read more

"A fantastic coming of age tale that is intelligent and thrilling. Eve and Quinn are such complex, well-written characters...." Read more

"This book is defiantly for the YA crowd. It tackles a lot of issues facing younger people (and some that aren't as widely dealt with)...." Read more

4 customers mention "Value for money"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be worth the money.

"...A great book and highly recommended. 5 Stars!" Read more

"...Not Quite Eden is worth it. Eve isn't your typical MC. She's a headstrong smart chic, who keeps you engaged...." Read more

"...I recommend reading this book. You won't be believe some of antics." Read more

"Good but a little too much going on" Read more

3 customers mention "Book start"3 positive0 negative

Customers like the book's start, with one mentioning it's a great first book in the series.

"Not Quite Eden was a great first book in the series!..." Read more

"A wonderful start to what promises to be a great series indeed...." Read more

"Not Quite Eden by D. Kyle is a great start to a new series! I enjoyed reading about Eve and her strengths and weaknesses...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Nikki
    5.0 out of 5 stars An adventurous and fast paced young adult novel with a strong heroine!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Young adult fiction at its best! I'm a sucker for a strong decisive heroine who knows herself and what she wants from the world. Probably the best thing about this novel is the main character Eve and her bold personality. She doesn't take any flack from anyone and she's independent, snarky, and full of opinions. Eve isn't perfect and she has her faults but she's well developed and consistent throughout the book which was refreshing.

    Her love interest and neighbor, Quinn is as complicated and deep as she is and I found their constant sparring and complicated relationship real and believable. Not every ya book needs to go on endlessly about falling in love. In fact, it doesn't happen for quite some time and I felt the gradual growth of their feelings was well done. Eve took entirely too long to figure things out but aren't teenagers often indecisive?

    This book tackles a lot of hard topics and is full of action and adventure. Motorcycles and dirty garages, nights of partying with friends at clubs, drugs and dangerous gangs, sexism, prejudice, abuse, and the dilemma of right vs. wrong. So many themes are covered and the author put her characters through the ringer often. There's also quite a bit of angst but it's a ya novel, to be expected. One final note, as an American there were quite a few instances and words I didn't recognize and had to look up. Lots of British phrasing which didn't bother me but did slow my reading down from time to time.

    A great book and highly recommended. 5 Stars!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Love2Read
    4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating coming of age story...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Not Quite Eden was a great first book in the series! The characters are well developed, and I loved the fact that the heroine was a sixteen-year-old who spoke her mind. Eve is independent and very protective of her younger brother, Jamie. Especially when the band gets a bit carried away and things get a bit rough.

    All the angst between Eve and Quinn, along with all of the twists and turns make for a very captivating coming of age story.

    It's my first book by Dominiques Kyle but I look forward to reading many more!
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  • jdgriffith78
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fun ride and a great read
    Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    A wonderful start to what promises to be a great series indeed. The story revolves around Eve, a motorcycle loving, mechanically to spitfire that doesn't back down from a challenge and Adam, the boy next door and the bane of her existence. The two are rivals in many ways, from being in the same class and having their own passion for motorcycles but things become complicated when Adam gets mixed up with the wrong crowd and in trouble with the law, dragging Eve into this He'll with him. There's plenty of action, drama, suspense and teenage snark that you can shake a spanner at and leave you wanting more. A wonderful story that I highly recommend!
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  • Ben K
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good characters, compelling plot, could really use chapters.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    More interesting characters than most of the YA stuff I read, plot moves reasonably well; the Kindle version is not divided into chapters. This can make it difficult to read / find my place / pick up the book during a break and have a good idea how much time I will be reading.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Bongi
    3.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
    Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    It is lovely and challenging, but It takes too long to put a point across . I struggled to figure out the role of other characters.
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  • Shadowswept
    5.0 out of 5 stars Strong heroine
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I can't remember the last time I read about such a decisive and headstrong heroine. Eve makes her own independent decisions instead of just reacting to what the love interest does. Such a headstrong person is bound to make some wrong decisions, but it was great to read about a girl who takes charge even if she isn't always the nicest person. Eve has a tragic past, but she is not a tragic heroine. She is resilient and resourceful, although she is also too stubborn sometimes. Her flaws make her more real, and she has a gradual character arc during which she realizes some of her faults.

    Nothing about this story was cliche. There is no insta-love nor insta-lust. Yet it also isn't a slow burn romance. That makes it pretty unique in the romance genre. It's an enemies to lovers story, but there is no simmering attraction between them, at least not on Eve's part. When she does finally feel attracted to him, it is so foreign to her that she doesn't recognize it at first. She can't comprehend why she isn't pulling away from him.

    This book is full of action, because Eve gets pulled into a frustrating situation with some bad people. She also has to deal with discrimination at work. In some ways, the story is very realistic in showing the unfairness of life, and how quick people are to judge other people. There is a lot more going on in this story than just the romance.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • kindle reader
    4.0 out of 5 stars more violence
    Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Eve, well “she’s evil” McGinty is a violent teenager. She humiliates Adam Quinn, chopping his hair off with shears, then kicking him until “the operation was completed to (her) satisfaction as he lay curled on his side groaning in foetal position,” she has shut him in a fridge leaving him “shut in that small dark space, yelling and shouting. Slowly running out of oxygen,” she’s “shut him overnight in that cupboard at school.” Eve has slapped Adam hard enough to give him a bruise. Adam has killed her rabbit with a knife. It was hard reading these passages.

    Throw in a band, drug dealers, trouble with the law…there’s more violence and criminal activity. She explodes motorbikes. She shoves a knife into someone, “under his ribs, right up to the hilt…” They commit “breaking and entering, criminal damage and arson.”

    The cast of characters also include Eve’s Dad, Eve’s brother Jamie, Eve’s best friend Jaimie, friend Beth, Kes and his sisters Kim and Kerin, Kathleen Quinn, Miss Shorney, Beck and Tino, John Holt the community bobby, Sian, Bryony, Entwistle, Steve Bolton, Dewhurst, Bowker, Luke, Beck, Syrus Davis, Hussein Malik, Daisy and Sara, Rajesh, Nasim. Plenty of action and a few surprises.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Ellie Mitchell
    5.0 out of 5 stars *Boys, Bikes & Drama for Days.*
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    *Boys, Bikes & Drama for Days.*

    Not Quite Eden is a coming of age story set in an urban area. Rebellious teen, Eve must deal with her tragic past and how it affects her everyday attitude, or risk pushing her loved ones away.

    Eve is tough, cheeky and sarcastic but in a positive, quirky way. She quickly stole my heart, her unique perspective making the story fresh and exciting.

    The fact that Eve has a motorbike at seventeen and gets a job as a mechanic made me admire her even more. To be a strong female lead in a business whose workers are mostly male made me proud of her.

    Watching the change in how the men reacted to her was fascinating and the fact that they gradually begin to accept Eve as she perseveres through her difficulties is something that truly warmed my heart.

    From there, the book picked up fast, introducing many more characters that I found easy to like.
    One of them was Adam Quinn: (Adam and Eve: Not Quite Eden ~ get it?) Adam, Eve's lifelong rival and friend (of sorts) reminded me of Nathan Young from the tv show, MISFITS.
    He just had this cocky personality that leaped off the page but deep down, seemed far more sensitive and willing to connect. It’s male characters like this that get me every time.

    While Not Quite Eden had my heart and mind racing 90% of the time, there were also some calmer, more vulnerable and, dare I say, romantic moments. I would, however, recommend that you be sixteen or over before reading this book as there is moderate reference to drug and knife crime.

    There’s plenty of action to be found in this series and Dominique Kyle has definitely set a series standard that seems hard to beat.
    At its core, I’d sum the story up like this: Two teenagers desperate to remain strong due to loss, just wishing to connect. Afraid to trust and care for each other. Until one day, someone takes that first step.

    I’m prepared to read the entire series of books if they’re even half as good as this one.
    Not Quite Eden captured my mind and literally took my breath away. The story ended with a new status-quo, with all former issues resolved…for now.

    I can’t wait to read book two.
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  • Flower lady
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended!
    Reviewed in Canada on November 16, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    It is refreshing to come across characters who aren't perfect and who make mistakes. This serves to make the story come to life in a scintillating fashion. Eve is a strong minded girl who knows what she wants and goes for it. She has distinct likes and dislikes and Quinn isn't on her list of people she'd choose to spend any time with until fate throws them together. I adored the way they had to work around and with each other. A great read!
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  • Author Elizabeth Eckert
    4.0 out of 5 stars A must-read novel!
    Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Not Quite Eden is an entertaining novel with likable characters, adventure, suspense and elicits many emotions. I loved Eve right away and many will relate to her. Well written, great dialogue, intriguing realistic situations and good editing make this a must-read book!
    Well done Dominique Kyle!
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  • caed99
    4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable read,but…..
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    A great story that explains exactly why 5 year old boys pull girls hair, before they get old enough to know about cooties!!
    True love will survive everything, especially once the other partner is on the same page!!
    However, the slang was difficult to understand at times and will put many people off 😺
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  • Trudie Collins
    4.0 out of 5 stars A must read for YAs
    Reviewed in Australia on August 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    If you have read some of my previous reviews you will know I sometimes read books that are recommended to me, even if they are not in a genre I usually read, and most of the time I enjoy them. This one is no exception. I have no idea what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t what was delivered (I mean that in a good way). I disliked the protagonist for a long while. I don’t mean she was written badly, because that is definitely not the case. She is complete, well rounded and believable. She is just a horrible person. Yet somehow the author managed to make me want good things to happen to her and I kept turning the pages to see if they did. All other characters have their own personalities which come across in what they do and how they do it, as well as what they say and how they say it, and fit in well with the story. In the end you understand why the protagonist is how she is.

    YAs will love this book as they will be able to relate to the characters and the situations they find themselves in. It does not avoid some of the topics which some might class as ‘adult only’ but which, in reality, are exactly what a lot of YAs want to read about. This book is age appropriate and covers some tough topics in a great way.
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