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Best Kept Secrets #2
What He Always Knew
Kandi Steiner delivers a power-packed and utterly unforgettable romance in this Amazon Top 10 Bestseller.
Left or right.
It's that simple, and it isn't simple at all.
If I turn left, the road will lead me back to the man I promised my life to, the one I'd imagined building a family with, the one who's done everything in his power to get me back.
If I turn right, the road will take me to the man I loved first, the man who brought me back to life, the man who would do anything to keep me.
I knew the fork in the road was inevitable; it was the decision I never wanted to make between choices I didn't know I had.
And I love them both.
My heart is destined to exist in two equal halves - one with each man. But one half beats stronger, the vein running deepest, and holds my choice in silence long before I know it for myself.
The realization of what I have to do, of the heart I have to break, just might break mine too.
Left or right.
All I have to do is take a breath and turn.
Left or right.
It's that simple, and it isn't simple at all.
If I turn left, the road will lead me back to the man I promised my life to, the one I'd imagined building a family with, the one who's done everything in his power to get me back.
If I turn right, the road will take me to the man I loved first, the man who brought me back to life, the man who would do anything to keep me.
I knew the fork in the road was inevitable; it was the decision I never wanted to make between choices I didn't know I had.
And I love them both.
My heart is destined to exist in two equal halves - one with each man. But one half beats stronger, the vein running deepest, and holds my choice in silence long before I know it for myself.
The realization of what I have to do, of the heart I have to break, just might break mine too.
Left or right.
All I have to do is take a breath and turn.
322 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2018
1793 people are currently reading
6115 people want to read
About the author
Kandi Steiner
79 books14.8k followersKandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.
When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.
CONNECT WITH KANDI:
➜ NEWSLETTER: kandisteiner.com/newsletter
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/kandisteiner
➜ FACEBOOK READER GROUP (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandilandks
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/kandisteiner
➜ TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@authorkandisteiner
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/authorkandisteiner
➜ WEBSITE: www.kandisteiner.com
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:
➜ www.kandisteiner.com/events
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.
When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.
CONNECT WITH KANDI:
➜ NEWSLETTER: kandisteiner.com/newsletter
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/kandisteiner
➜ FACEBOOK READER GROUP (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandilandks
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/kandisteiner
➜ TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@authorkandisteiner
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/authorkandisteiner
➜ WEBSITE: www.kandisteiner.com
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:
➜ www.kandisteiner.com/events
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,289 reviews
March 28, 2018
5 stars!!!
WOW! I am completely and utterly wowed by this duet. It's not very often when I read a duet where both books pack the same punch and keep me invested like both of these books did. This has to be the BEST love triangle book(s) I've read in a long time, maybe even ever. Kandi about killed me with these books, but honestly, I think it's her best work yet!
Once I finished What He Doesn't Know, I was counting down the days till What He Always Knew would appear on my kindle. Never have I read a love triangle where it took me so long to pick a 'team'. By the end of the first book, I was leaning a certain way, and the more I read the second book, the deeper my love grew for this character . The thing is, when you grow this attached to a character and really start to feel for them, you start to get nervous. I think I bit off all my nails, my stomach hurt, and I was on this roller-coaster of emotions I didn't get off of until the last page.
I want to talk about certain scenes, things I loved about these characters, things that frustrated me to no end, but I don't want to spoil a thing for potential readers, so I won't talk about the plot of the book. I will say, this book is epic. This series is epic. THIS is how you do a love triangle! It's complex, it made me feel raw, it was full of angst, ripped my heart out, but it made me FEEL. There is nothing I love more as a reader than to feel, and the feels were never ending with this duet.
What He Always Knew is a story about choices. It's a love story, but so much more than that. It's messy, hard to read a times, frustrating, heart felt, and evoked so much emotion from me. Love is messy. Love is hard. It's complicated and beautiful and this book showcased that perfectly. I have read many books by Kandi, and this one ranks high on my favorites of hers. Her writing gets better and better, it's poetic and breathtaking- out of this world good.
This book is unforgettable, unpredictable, addicting, and completely epic. If you haven't read this duet yet, don't miss out. Grab a (few) bottle(s) of wine, a box of kleenex, and a Xanax if you've got it, and be prepared for this duet to consume you!
I loved them both. My heart was forever severed, destined to exist in two equal halves —one with each man.
WOW! I am completely and utterly wowed by this duet. It's not very often when I read a duet where both books pack the same punch and keep me invested like both of these books did. This has to be the BEST love triangle book(s) I've read in a long time, maybe even ever. Kandi about killed me with these books, but honestly, I think it's her best work yet!
Once I finished What He Doesn't Know, I was counting down the days till What He Always Knew would appear on my kindle. Never have I read a love triangle where it took me so long to pick a 'team'. By the end of the first book, I was leaning a certain way, and the more I read the second book, the deeper my love grew for this character . The thing is, when you grow this attached to a character and really start to feel for them, you start to get nervous. I think I bit off all my nails, my stomach hurt, and I was on this roller-coaster of emotions I didn't get off of until the last page.
I want to talk about certain scenes, things I loved about these characters, things that frustrated me to no end, but I don't want to spoil a thing for potential readers, so I won't talk about the plot of the book. I will say, this book is epic. This series is epic. THIS is how you do a love triangle! It's complex, it made me feel raw, it was full of angst, ripped my heart out, but it made me FEEL. There is nothing I love more as a reader than to feel, and the feels were never ending with this duet.
What He Always Knew is a story about choices. It's a love story, but so much more than that. It's messy, hard to read a times, frustrating, heart felt, and evoked so much emotion from me. Love is messy. Love is hard. It's complicated and beautiful and this book showcased that perfectly. I have read many books by Kandi, and this one ranks high on my favorites of hers. Her writing gets better and better, it's poetic and breathtaking- out of this world good.
This book is unforgettable, unpredictable, addicting, and completely epic. If you haven't read this duet yet, don't miss out. Grab a (few) bottle(s) of wine, a box of kleenex, and a Xanax if you've got it, and be prepared for this duet to consume you!
December 26, 2021
i did hate who she ended up with <3
March 4, 2020
4 Stars
I don't think I am capable of reviewing this or even commenting on it without revealing some form of spoiler, so I will refrain. Besides, this has been out a while and there are tons of other reviews out there for it.
That said, I enjoyed this duet immensely. The angst was delicious.
I don't think I am capable of reviewing this or even commenting on it without revealing some form of spoiler, so I will refrain. Besides, this has been out a while and there are tons of other reviews out there for it.
That said, I enjoyed this duet immensely. The angst was delicious.
March 27, 2018
*****FIVE+++++++ STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
My heart was forever severed, destined to exist in two equal halves—one with each man. But one half beat stronger, one half had the vein that ran deepest, and one half held my choice in silence well before I ever admitted it out loud.
The other half would always be a part of me, but in a softer way—a more subdued beating, a quieter presence, a different kind of life support.
A different kind of love.
I’m still reeling from the roller coaster of emotions this story made me suffer through. This was simply one FANTASTIC series!! The angst was unbearable at times but the outcome was so worth the torture. In the first half of the duet, I thought I knew which man deserved to be with Charlie but by the end of it, a little seed of doubt had been planted in my mind. From the beginning of this second half of the duet, my mind and heart had picked the guy, and although I often felt that he was too good for Charlie, I did want him to be happy and only Charlie was going to make that happen for him! The plot development helped me decide early on how I wanted the story to end and I am thankful for that because I don’t think my heart could have taken being torn down the middle the way Charlie's was.
Reese and Cameron are each determined to win Charlie’s heart. She loves both of them but knows that in two months, she’ll have to break one of their hearts when she has to let them go. It’s a slow and painful kind of torture for her. Although during book one I had sympathy for her, in this second half of the story I thought she was selfish and even a bit cruel. If it were up to me, I would have had her lose both men.
To give any more details would definitely be considered a spoiler. All I can tell you is that I am happy with how it turned out and if my guy weren't chosen, this would have been a four instead of a five-star read. I will say that towards the end I thought Charlie was going to choose wrong and tears were streaming down my face! The author was just a little evil for throwing that curveball in there like that!!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5++++
Heroine: 4
Plot: 5+++++
Angst: 5
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
WHAT HE ALWAYS KNEW releases on March 29th! This is one series that I guarantee you will want to devour!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GNRSO1
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2IHnN3p
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
My heart was forever severed, destined to exist in two equal halves—one with each man. But one half beat stronger, one half had the vein that ran deepest, and one half held my choice in silence well before I ever admitted it out loud.
The other half would always be a part of me, but in a softer way—a more subdued beating, a quieter presence, a different kind of life support.
A different kind of love.
I’m still reeling from the roller coaster of emotions this story made me suffer through. This was simply one FANTASTIC series!! The angst was unbearable at times but the outcome was so worth the torture. In the first half of the duet, I thought I knew which man deserved to be with Charlie but by the end of it, a little seed of doubt had been planted in my mind. From the beginning of this second half of the duet, my mind and heart had picked the guy, and although I often felt that he was too good for Charlie, I did want him to be happy and only Charlie was going to make that happen for him! The plot development helped me decide early on how I wanted the story to end and I am thankful for that because I don’t think my heart could have taken being torn down the middle the way Charlie's was.
Reese and Cameron are each determined to win Charlie’s heart. She loves both of them but knows that in two months, she’ll have to break one of their hearts when she has to let them go. It’s a slow and painful kind of torture for her. Although during book one I had sympathy for her, in this second half of the story I thought she was selfish and even a bit cruel. If it were up to me, I would have had her lose both men.
To give any more details would definitely be considered a spoiler. All I can tell you is that I am happy with how it turned out and if my guy weren't chosen, this would have been a four instead of a five-star read. I will say that towards the end I thought Charlie was going to choose wrong and tears were streaming down my face! The author was just a little evil for throwing that curveball in there like that!!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5++++
Heroine: 4
Plot: 5+++++
Angst: 5
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
WHAT HE ALWAYS KNEW releases on March 29th! This is one series that I guarantee you will want to devour!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GNRSO1
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2IHnN3p
March 27, 2018
MY REVIEW can also be found on my blog:
KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
WHAT HE ALWAYS KNEW: This is BOOK#2 in the ‘What he doesn’t know Duet', and picks up right where the previous book left off.
This was one of my most highly anticipated reads after the state ‘What he doesn’t know’ left me in. My heart was split in two but my head wanted her to choose the man that was just as broken as she was, so I went into this not knowing what state I’d be at the end of this book when her decision was finalised.
Typically like the first book this hits all the feels, my heart raged and my head went at war for her to choose the one man I was holding out hope for over the other. All my stabby rage wanted to come out at full force, the angst was brought out in buckets. My emotions were raw and wrung out at the end of it.
Charlie has found herself in a love triangle, her first crush Reese who brought her back to life and her husband who she vowed to be with until death do us part. But years of neglect and missed opportunities to openly talk about their emotions has wreaked havoc on their relationship and they are barely hanging on by their fingertips. A clusterf#ck of epic proportions that will wring out every single emotion known to man as one unleashes all that he can within two months to bring his love back to him enfolds.
Left or right, she had a choice to make, she could see clearly which life each man would offer her, left would lead her back to the man she promised her life to, if she chose right she would be led to the man she loved first. Each man loved her fiercely and both had a fight on their hands to win her heart completely. Her heart was severed in equal halves, each man having claimed it through this journey they were set out on.
And then we reach the end and I for one am so happy she chose who I was rooting for all along.
"It's you," I said.
"It always has been, it always will be,
and from this moment on, I will choose you.
Every day, every minute, every second of my life."
* Teasers used are off the authors facebook page.. *
Read
March 29, 2018What He Always Knew is book 2 in the angsty, emotional What He Doesn't Know Duet.
BOTH BOOKS NOW LIVE AND FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED!
★ What He Doesn't Know ➔ amzn.to/2FCEoYp
★ What He Always Knew ➔ amzn.to/2peockX
Keep reading for a Goodreads EXCLUSIVE sneak peek at the finale!
EXCLUSIVE GOODREADS SNEAK PEEK
Chapter One
Charlie
The first thing I noticed when I came to the morning after the spring concert was the splitting headache.
My ears rang, loud and shrill, and I creaked one eye open first before the other. When I tried to sit up, a sledgehammer smacked me back down. I groaned, massaging my temples as I laid back into the pillow.
The reality of what had happened the night before filtered in slowly through the waves of my headache, seeping in like frigid ice to my veins. I pressed into my temples, and then I saw a flash of Reese in the closet at school. I pinched the bridge of my nose, and then I saw Cameron’s glossed eyes as he begged me to stay.
It was a nightmare, one I’d agreed to subject myself to for two more months.
I was giving Cameron the chance to keep me, but it was Reese who held my heart now.
“Hey.”
I opened my eyes again, finding Cameron standing in the doorway of our bedroom. He was already fully dressed for work, his jaw clean shaven, tie fastened at his neck and dark hair styled neat. He balanced a steaming cup of tea on a tiny saucer plate, and when he crossed to sit on the edge of the bed next to me, I saw two small pills next to the mug.
“Ibuprofen,” he said, handing me those first. “Figured you might need these.”
My eyes were heavy from crying, heart heavy from fighting, and I pushed to sit up as slowly as I could before tossing the coated pills in my mouth. I swallowed, shaking my head when Cameron offered me the tea to help wash them down. He set the mug on our nightstand, exactly where the cup he’d brought me the night before had gone cold.
“How are you feeling?”
Cameron’s hand reached forward for mine, cupping over my fingers, and I stared at that point of contact as another sharp pain ripped through my head.
“Tired,” I answered. It was the best word I had to wrap up everything I felt. I was exhausted — from the night, from the past couple of months, from the last five years. I wanted to sleep until my nightmare was over. I wanted to cry at just the thought of what I had yet to endure, at the fact that I couldn’t just wake up to a new, brighter day where life was simple again.
Cameron squeezed my hand.
“Maybe you should stay home today.”
I shook my head before he’d even finished his sentence, throwing the covers back. “No. I want to go.”
“I think everyone would understand after last night if you—”
“I want to go, Cameron.”
I said the words with finality, and his brows bent together. He knew why I wanted to go, or rather, whom I wanted to go to. But he didn’t let me see his heart break as that truth settled in.
“Okay,” he said with a slight nod.
He stood first, holding out his hand to help me up. I wobbled a little, my head swimming, but Cameron held onto me and kept me steady. When the dizziness passed, I opened my eyes and took him in. My husband. The man I’d promised forever to.
The promise I wasn’t sure I could keep anymore.
Cameron pulled his phone from his pocket, tapping a few buttons on the screen before setting it gently beside my tea on the nightstand. A soft, slow melody filled the room, a song I wasn’t familiar with, and Cameron pulled me into his arms just as the first verse began.
He swayed me gently, but I was stiff in his arms, my eyes catching on the clock. I needed to get ready.
“I should get dressed,” I said, but Cameron still swayed, his hand on the small of my back rubbing gently.
“Just one dance.”
“You’re going to be late for work.”
“They’ll live.”
I looked at him then, just as the chorus swept over us, and I tried to remember the last time he put me before work. When was the last time he said work could wait, and I was priority number one?
I couldn’t remember.
And now, it only felt like he was doing so because he knew he’d lost me.
It was too late, and only now was he waking up.
“Cameron, about last night…”
He shook his head firmly, pulling me closer until my head rested on his chest. He wrapped me up tighter, like that embrace would make me stay, like he could be the anchor that would keep me home.
“We don’t need to talk about that right now,” he whispered. “I know it was a lot of me to ask, and a lot for you to give. And I know it doesn’t mean anything will change.” Cameron swallowed then, stopping our dance long enough to pull back and look me in the eyes. “But I won’t waste this chance, Charlie. I won’t let you go without doing everything in my power to make you want to stay.”
He looked younger then, in that morning light. Like the man I fell in love with.
“All I’m asking is that you try, that you let me in again. Just… give me this time with your heart before you decide to give it all to him.”
The pain that had reverberated in my head all morning zipped down through my chest, and my next breath was haggard and harsh. I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to feel about the fact that he wanted me.
It wasn’t long ago that I would have fallen into his arms overwhelmed with joy at his proclamation. I would have sobbed, would have sighed with relief at him finally coming back to me.
But now, I only felt pain — and anger.
Because it wasn’t until he’d lost me, until I’d found comfort in Reese’s arms that Cameron had noticed me again.
Cameron pulled me back into him, resting his chin on my head as we swayed, my left hand in his right, my ear to his chest. I closed my eyes, listening to his heart beat, and the longer the song played, the more I felt him. My breaths came a little lighter, the pain in my chest receding, and I sighed.
I still loved him.
I knew that last night. I knew it all weekend, even when I was with Reese, even when I knew I would leave Cameron I also knew I still loved him. I wasn’t sure that would ever change, no matter what happened next.
He was the father of my children, the stealer of my heart, the comforter of my soul. He was my family. He was my home.
I just didn’t know if that was enough.
As the song ended, Cameron hugged me tight to him, and I blinked away the tears threatening to fall.
“I need to get ready,” I said after a moment, my voice low.
It must have killed him, to hear those words when I was in his arms, to know I would get dressed and go to another man. But Cameron just nodded, kissing my forehead before letting me go.
“Okay. Can I make you something for breakfast?”
I shook my head. “The tea is fine.”
Cameron’s gaze swept over our nightstand.
“I promise I’ll drink it,” I added, hoping to ease at least that part of his worry. “And I’ll eat at lunch. I just need to let my stomach stabilize a little.”
He forced a smile, but it fell quickly, and he straightened his tie with a look of resignation. “Okay. I’ll see you tonight?”
I forced a smile back. “Mm-hmm.”
“Okay.” He nodded, hands sliding in the pockets of his slacks. He looked around like he didn’t know what to do next before leaning in for a kiss.
My lips met his briefly, just a peck, and then I skirted behind him to our closet.
A few minutes later, I heard the front door close.
I ripped the first blouse I saw from the hanger, throwing it on haphazardly before pairing it with a simple navy skirt. My hair was back in a bun in the next breath, and I didn’t even check the mirror to assess my tired eyes. I knew they were puffy and underlined with deep purple skin, but it didn’t matter.
I needed to get to Reese.
As tough as the night had been for me, I knew it must have been torturous for him. He had no idea what happened when I got home, no idea what I was thinking, or feeling, or what would happen next.
He would be angry when he found out, that much I knew. He’d be hurt. I’d promised Cameron a chance. I’d given him my word that, at least for the next two months, I’d stay.
And where did that leave Reese?
That was the question he’d have for me, and I only had the ten-minute drive to school to figure out the answer.
BOTH BOOKS NOW LIVE AND FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED!
★ What He Doesn't Know ➔ amzn.to/2FCEoYp
★ What He Always Knew ➔ amzn.to/2peockX
Keep reading for a Goodreads EXCLUSIVE sneak peek at the finale!
EXCLUSIVE GOODREADS SNEAK PEEK
Chapter One
Charlie
The first thing I noticed when I came to the morning after the spring concert was the splitting headache.
My ears rang, loud and shrill, and I creaked one eye open first before the other. When I tried to sit up, a sledgehammer smacked me back down. I groaned, massaging my temples as I laid back into the pillow.
The reality of what had happened the night before filtered in slowly through the waves of my headache, seeping in like frigid ice to my veins. I pressed into my temples, and then I saw a flash of Reese in the closet at school. I pinched the bridge of my nose, and then I saw Cameron’s glossed eyes as he begged me to stay.
It was a nightmare, one I’d agreed to subject myself to for two more months.
I was giving Cameron the chance to keep me, but it was Reese who held my heart now.
“Hey.”
I opened my eyes again, finding Cameron standing in the doorway of our bedroom. He was already fully dressed for work, his jaw clean shaven, tie fastened at his neck and dark hair styled neat. He balanced a steaming cup of tea on a tiny saucer plate, and when he crossed to sit on the edge of the bed next to me, I saw two small pills next to the mug.
“Ibuprofen,” he said, handing me those first. “Figured you might need these.”
My eyes were heavy from crying, heart heavy from fighting, and I pushed to sit up as slowly as I could before tossing the coated pills in my mouth. I swallowed, shaking my head when Cameron offered me the tea to help wash them down. He set the mug on our nightstand, exactly where the cup he’d brought me the night before had gone cold.
“How are you feeling?”
Cameron’s hand reached forward for mine, cupping over my fingers, and I stared at that point of contact as another sharp pain ripped through my head.
“Tired,” I answered. It was the best word I had to wrap up everything I felt. I was exhausted — from the night, from the past couple of months, from the last five years. I wanted to sleep until my nightmare was over. I wanted to cry at just the thought of what I had yet to endure, at the fact that I couldn’t just wake up to a new, brighter day where life was simple again.
Cameron squeezed my hand.
“Maybe you should stay home today.”
I shook my head before he’d even finished his sentence, throwing the covers back. “No. I want to go.”
“I think everyone would understand after last night if you—”
“I want to go, Cameron.”
I said the words with finality, and his brows bent together. He knew why I wanted to go, or rather, whom I wanted to go to. But he didn’t let me see his heart break as that truth settled in.
“Okay,” he said with a slight nod.
He stood first, holding out his hand to help me up. I wobbled a little, my head swimming, but Cameron held onto me and kept me steady. When the dizziness passed, I opened my eyes and took him in. My husband. The man I’d promised forever to.
The promise I wasn’t sure I could keep anymore.
Cameron pulled his phone from his pocket, tapping a few buttons on the screen before setting it gently beside my tea on the nightstand. A soft, slow melody filled the room, a song I wasn’t familiar with, and Cameron pulled me into his arms just as the first verse began.
He swayed me gently, but I was stiff in his arms, my eyes catching on the clock. I needed to get ready.
“I should get dressed,” I said, but Cameron still swayed, his hand on the small of my back rubbing gently.
“Just one dance.”
“You’re going to be late for work.”
“They’ll live.”
I looked at him then, just as the chorus swept over us, and I tried to remember the last time he put me before work. When was the last time he said work could wait, and I was priority number one?
I couldn’t remember.
And now, it only felt like he was doing so because he knew he’d lost me.
It was too late, and only now was he waking up.
“Cameron, about last night…”
He shook his head firmly, pulling me closer until my head rested on his chest. He wrapped me up tighter, like that embrace would make me stay, like he could be the anchor that would keep me home.
“We don’t need to talk about that right now,” he whispered. “I know it was a lot of me to ask, and a lot for you to give. And I know it doesn’t mean anything will change.” Cameron swallowed then, stopping our dance long enough to pull back and look me in the eyes. “But I won’t waste this chance, Charlie. I won’t let you go without doing everything in my power to make you want to stay.”
He looked younger then, in that morning light. Like the man I fell in love with.
“All I’m asking is that you try, that you let me in again. Just… give me this time with your heart before you decide to give it all to him.”
The pain that had reverberated in my head all morning zipped down through my chest, and my next breath was haggard and harsh. I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to feel about the fact that he wanted me.
It wasn’t long ago that I would have fallen into his arms overwhelmed with joy at his proclamation. I would have sobbed, would have sighed with relief at him finally coming back to me.
But now, I only felt pain — and anger.
Because it wasn’t until he’d lost me, until I’d found comfort in Reese’s arms that Cameron had noticed me again.
Cameron pulled me back into him, resting his chin on my head as we swayed, my left hand in his right, my ear to his chest. I closed my eyes, listening to his heart beat, and the longer the song played, the more I felt him. My breaths came a little lighter, the pain in my chest receding, and I sighed.
I still loved him.
I knew that last night. I knew it all weekend, even when I was with Reese, even when I knew I would leave Cameron I also knew I still loved him. I wasn’t sure that would ever change, no matter what happened next.
He was the father of my children, the stealer of my heart, the comforter of my soul. He was my family. He was my home.
I just didn’t know if that was enough.
As the song ended, Cameron hugged me tight to him, and I blinked away the tears threatening to fall.
“I need to get ready,” I said after a moment, my voice low.
It must have killed him, to hear those words when I was in his arms, to know I would get dressed and go to another man. But Cameron just nodded, kissing my forehead before letting me go.
“Okay. Can I make you something for breakfast?”
I shook my head. “The tea is fine.”
Cameron’s gaze swept over our nightstand.
“I promise I’ll drink it,” I added, hoping to ease at least that part of his worry. “And I’ll eat at lunch. I just need to let my stomach stabilize a little.”
He forced a smile, but it fell quickly, and he straightened his tie with a look of resignation. “Okay. I’ll see you tonight?”
I forced a smile back. “Mm-hmm.”
“Okay.” He nodded, hands sliding in the pockets of his slacks. He looked around like he didn’t know what to do next before leaning in for a kiss.
My lips met his briefly, just a peck, and then I skirted behind him to our closet.
A few minutes later, I heard the front door close.
I ripped the first blouse I saw from the hanger, throwing it on haphazardly before pairing it with a simple navy skirt. My hair was back in a bun in the next breath, and I didn’t even check the mirror to assess my tired eyes. I knew they were puffy and underlined with deep purple skin, but it didn’t matter.
I needed to get to Reese.
As tough as the night had been for me, I knew it must have been torturous for him. He had no idea what happened when I got home, no idea what I was thinking, or feeling, or what would happen next.
He would be angry when he found out, that much I knew. He’d be hurt. I’d promised Cameron a chance. I’d given him my word that, at least for the next two months, I’d stay.
And where did that leave Reese?
That was the question he’d have for me, and I only had the ten-minute drive to school to figure out the answer.
March 31, 2018
5 stars!
Oh Kandi. My hat is off to you. Girl, you had me ugly crying by the end of this book. Granted I was happy because MY GUY WON! But the end still killed me and broke my heart. This is everything I look for in a book!
In this book we got what I had wanted to see in the first one, the other side of the story. I don't want to give anything away, but the other side is just as heartbreaking as the one we saw in the first book. Like I said, I had my guy I was rooting for already. What's funny is, I didn't mind the other guy in the first book, but in this book I thought he was scum. Like, he made me ragey with his entitlement and he was a jerkface. I was literally skimming some of his chapters in this because I really didn't like him.
I loved this book because it broke me and put me back together again. Kandi has a wonderful way with words and she delivers some of the best angst around. This is the book that you message your friends because you are dying to chat about it, and it's the one you throw at your friends to make them read because they need to suffer right along with you.
Kandi Steiner is an author who three times in a row has not failed me, and I need to get my butt in gear and read her backlist asap.
This duet was amazing and I highly recommend it! This book is going in my top reads of the year!
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Oh Kandi. My hat is off to you. Girl, you had me ugly crying by the end of this book. Granted I was happy because MY GUY WON! But the end still killed me and broke my heart. This is everything I look for in a book!
In this book we got what I had wanted to see in the first one, the other side of the story. I don't want to give anything away, but the other side is just as heartbreaking as the one we saw in the first book. Like I said, I had my guy I was rooting for already. What's funny is, I didn't mind the other guy in the first book, but in this book I thought he was scum. Like, he made me ragey with his entitlement and he was a jerkface. I was literally skimming some of his chapters in this because I really didn't like him.
I loved this book because it broke me and put me back together again. Kandi has a wonderful way with words and she delivers some of the best angst around. This is the book that you message your friends because you are dying to chat about it, and it's the one you throw at your friends to make them read because they need to suffer right along with you.
Kandi Steiner is an author who three times in a row has not failed me, and I need to get my butt in gear and read her backlist asap.
This duet was amazing and I highly recommend it! This book is going in my top reads of the year!
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May 6, 2018
The torment continues in the “Who will Charlie pick?” drama! I live for angsty reads and this one is chock full. And goodness, it is so well written!
I keep picturing Charlie with two daisies in her hands, one for each man, picking off each petal saying “he loves me, he loves me not.”
Both Cameron and Reese did backflips, jumped through hoops and would have set their hair on fire if it meant getting her attention. Each trying to prove how much they loved her.
Honestly, Charlie became the girl many love to hate, playing both these guys like a fiddle. She probably deserved to lose them both. Right??? Yet, I didn’t hate her. I truly wanted her to get her HEA. She had paid her dues which warranted happiness. Right???
Oh heck, I don’t know!! All I can tell you is I am a mess right now after just finishing this riveting ‘saga.’
I cannot encourage you enough to read it for yourself and you be the judge!
April 4, 2018
This book was frustrating to read. I don't even think I would recommend it to be honest, unless someone loves unnecessarily angsty books where you spend most of the time wanting to strangle the main character. I liked Charlie in the first book. I empathized with her situation, and could even relate to it in many ways. In this one though, she was just thoughtless and disrespectful to someone who didn't deserve it.
On the upside, at least I found a book that kept me engaged, so that's something!
On the upside, at least I found a book that kept me engaged, so that's something!
February 22, 2019
*****4.5 STARS*****
After reading What He Doesn’t Know Book 1 by Kandi Steiner, I wasn’t feeling Charlie our heroine at all. The girl was like a fucking doormat. She irritated the shit out of me. I just couldn’t understand a damn thing that was going on in this little girls head.
OMG! I had so many emotions while reading this book. By the end, I loved the Charlie from book one just as much as I love the Charlie in book two. I understood her more. Kandi Steiner wrote her story like her life depended on it. I may not have agreed with the way situations were handled but I respected the choices made by each character.
Ok. Here we go. Quick summary of book one. . . Charlie has been married to Cameron for eight years. Charlie grew up with Reese and had the worlds biggest crush on him but they couldn’t be together back then. So, fast forward to today when Reese pops up as the new teacher at the school she works at and they of course hook up because duh, this is a romance book. Charlie has been having some major issues in her marriage for the last five years and she’s broken and Reese is all to happy to put her pieces back together. But wait a hot damn minute – Cameron ain’t just handing over his woman without a fight.
Me at the end of book one – #TeamReese #ILikeCameronToo! Your girl was conflicted.
Let me tell ya, Cameron wasn’t going down without a fight. I can respect a man who not only doesn’t want to lose his woman, but also is ready to do what he needs to do to keep her. You know what they say – “Don’t forget to do the things you did to get her in order to keep her.” Cameron had forgotten what he did to keep her but he was ready to show her again.
Do I recommend this duet? Yes, I really do. I FLOVED it.
Will I read another book by this author? I sure will. It’s what I do.
Remember to follow all things messy. . .
After reading What He Doesn’t Know Book 1 by Kandi Steiner, I wasn’t feeling Charlie our heroine at all. The girl was like a fucking doormat. She irritated the shit out of me. I just couldn’t understand a damn thing that was going on in this little girls head.
OMG! I had so many emotions while reading this book. By the end, I loved the Charlie from book one just as much as I love the Charlie in book two. I understood her more. Kandi Steiner wrote her story like her life depended on it. I may not have agreed with the way situations were handled but I respected the choices made by each character.
Ok. Here we go. Quick summary of book one. . . Charlie has been married to Cameron for eight years. Charlie grew up with Reese and had the worlds biggest crush on him but they couldn’t be together back then. So, fast forward to today when Reese pops up as the new teacher at the school she works at and they of course hook up because duh, this is a romance book. Charlie has been having some major issues in her marriage for the last five years and she’s broken and Reese is all to happy to put her pieces back together. But wait a hot damn minute – Cameron ain’t just handing over his woman without a fight.
Me at the end of book one – #TeamReese #ILikeCameronToo! Your girl was conflicted.
I wanted to be the man she deserved, though I’d never be the one who deserved her, in return. – Cameron
Let me tell ya, Cameron wasn’t going down without a fight. I can respect a man who not only doesn’t want to lose his woman, but also is ready to do what he needs to do to keep her. You know what they say – “Don’t forget to do the things you did to get her in order to keep her.” Cameron had forgotten what he did to keep her but he was ready to show her again.
He didn’t deserver her. He’d naively believed he could treat her the way he had for five years and she’d just stay. He thought she’d never leave. And then when she finally told him she was going, he begged for more time. – Reese
Do I recommend this duet? Yes, I really do. I FLOVED it.
Will I read another book by this author? I sure will. It’s what I do.
Remember to follow all things messy. . .
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March 27, 2018
“Maybe that was where our love was born….. between the lines of our scars"
OMG!! I feel like my heart has been ripped out, stomped on, and then tried to be resuscitated! I have no clue what the hell I’m feeling right now and honestly, I just need a damn drink. Vodka on the rocks preferably because what I went through while reading this book? My nerves are fucked the hell up!
After reading the final chapter in “What He Doesn't know” I thought for sure that nothing could get any worse than that one final word that I read. My brain accepted it for what it was but my heart, was torn into pieces. But still, I got over it because deep down, I KNEW that in this book, it was going to be made for redemption and also new beginnings and I was more than ok with that. Then I started reading and do you know what I got? A fucking drinking problem that’s what!!
I’m throwing back shots, making under the table deals with the devil himself, and torn between anger, frustration, joy, sadness, love and acceptance. This was a serious emotional rollercoaster ride for me and as I sit here and write this review, I’m happy that I got through it, but a huge part of me is sad that it’s over. I’ve always been a big fan of being caught in an emotional turmoil when it came to these kind of stories because they bring out a different side of you and whether you want to admit it or not, you secretly love that. You get off on the thrill, you bask in the drama, and you suffer with the loss because those feelings that you have? It showed that you FELT EVERYTHING.
If you’ve read What He Doesn’t Know, then you’re familiar with the characters of Charlie, Reese, and Cameron and what they mean to each other. This was a very complicated relationship between three people who loved each other differently, but fiercely in their own right. Some were silent, and some were louder than words but it was there. Loving two people at the same time is not an easy thing but having to destroy another person's happiness and making a decision to choose one over the other, that is what's to going to tear you apart. In this story, in order to achieve happiness, someone has to get hurt.
I cannot say how much I adore this author's writing and the emotions she manages to capture in just one simple page. During these characters darkest moments, I truly felt as if I was in that room with them. Every tear and heartbreak, I felt it as if it was my own and that is something that I don’t feel very often. Now as much as I felt those things, I also felt a crap ton of anger and frustration as well. COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY!!! I wanted to shake the hell out of these people and bang their heads together for not saying what needed to be said at the time. But despite that, and being disappointed with the chosen one, this was one hell of a duet and I’m so glad that I got to experience this.
If you’re looking for a emotionally angst driven read, then this one is for you.
*Teaser used is from the author's site.
March 31, 2018
3.5 Stars
"Where did my happiness lie – with the boy I loved as a child, one who brought me back to life, or with the man I married, one whom I built my current life with?”
I adore Kandi Steiner’s writing and I was interested to see how this love triangle would play out. However, the two men saw Charlie the heroine, as this exquisite creature and for the majority of this book they knocked themselves out trying to be worthy of her.
Let’s be honest…
Still, Reese pulls out all the stops (though it took him entirely too long to release Blake) he is so determined that Charlie is his forever. While Cameron asks for two months with his wife to show her that they belong together…
Charlie takes till about eighty percent into the story to make her decision. I was so over the way both men fawned over her but glad it ended the way it did and that the Charliefest is over.
"Where did my happiness lie – with the boy I loved as a child, one who brought me back to life, or with the man I married, one whom I built my current life with?”
I adore Kandi Steiner’s writing and I was interested to see how this love triangle would play out. However, the two men saw Charlie the heroine, as this exquisite creature and for the majority of this book they knocked themselves out trying to be worthy of her.
Let’s be honest…
Still, Reese pulls out all the stops (though it took him entirely too long to release Blake) he is so determined that Charlie is his forever. While Cameron asks for two months with his wife to show her that they belong together…
Charlie takes till about eighty percent into the story to make her decision. I was so over the way both men fawned over her but glad it ended the way it did and that the Charliefest is over.
March 26, 2018
I loved this book so much, words can’t describe how much. The chemistry between the characters just about melted my kindle it was so hot. Every character is well drawn and fully developed to the point that you become part of them and their dreams. This story is raw, your emotions go crazy and you're sucked into the story right from the beginning. Charlie finds herself being tempted by her first crush, Reese. With her marriage barely hanging on by a thread and Reese promising her everything she desires, Charlie must choose between saving her marriage or giving into temptation. Cheating is a major theme in this book and it was so hard for me. I found it really hard to choose a side and there were many moments where I had to stop reading because I could not handle what was going down. The author took a very delicate and difficult situation and handled it perfectly and beautifully. If you can accept that there is cheating then you need to read this book.
"I was caught in the flames of the fire I had started, the one I'd wanted to warm me, now slowly killing me, instead. Both Cameron and Reese were my oxygen, but as much as they cleansed my lungs, they also fueled the fire. It was a deadly circle, a never-ending cycle of torture, and to stop it, I had to jump through the hottest part of the fire."
In short:
Heroes 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 5/5 | Writing Style 5/5 | Steam 2/5 | Romance 5/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 2/5 | Humor 0/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 5/5 | Mystery 0/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pace Steady | Action 3/5
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
"I was caught in the flames of the fire I had started, the one I'd wanted to warm me, now slowly killing me, instead. Both Cameron and Reese were my oxygen, but as much as they cleansed my lungs, they also fueled the fire. It was a deadly circle, a never-ending cycle of torture, and to stop it, I had to jump through the hottest part of the fire."
In short:
Heroes 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 5/5 | Writing Style 5/5 | Steam 2/5 | Romance 5/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 2/5 | Humor 0/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 5/5 | Mystery 0/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pace Steady | Action 3/5
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2018
5 STARS
What He Always Knew has everything I wanted and even more!It was one of my most anticipated books from the moment I finished the first book!First of all I need to say that it has the perfect ending for this duet!If you asked me before what to expect from this one I would say something totally different but once I read this one everything felt so perfect!What He Always Knew was another emotional roller coaster.
I fall in love with the characters even more in this one!I loved being in Charlie's mind and I could feel everything she went through!This story and the characters were original and everything felt so realistic!This duet is one of the best I have read so far!
The writing was beautiful and the story fast paced full of emotions!I highly recommend it to everyone!I was hooked from the first pages and I couldn't put it down!
What He Always Knew has everything I wanted and even more!It was one of my most anticipated books from the moment I finished the first book!First of all I need to say that it has the perfect ending for this duet!If you asked me before what to expect from this one I would say something totally different but once I read this one everything felt so perfect!What He Always Knew was another emotional roller coaster.
I fall in love with the characters even more in this one!I loved being in Charlie's mind and I could feel everything she went through!This story and the characters were original and everything felt so realistic!This duet is one of the best I have read so far!
The writing was beautiful and the story fast paced full of emotions!I highly recommend it to everyone!I was hooked from the first pages and I couldn't put it down!
April 8, 2018
Thank you! My man won, and he was 100% the most deserving. I hated the other man for his selfishness, and I'm very torn about how I feel about Charlie too, she made some very stupid choices throughout this book.
Steiner has a huge talent, she is a fantastic story teller - unfortunately I don't think I can read another book by her, I'm always left feeling extremely sad when reading her books and this was no exception.
My heart broke many times and it still feels pretty battered, even now.
However, I'm so so happy my man got his HEA!
3.5 Stars, because it was good, but I can't say I enjoyed it :(
Steiner has a huge talent, she is a fantastic story teller - unfortunately I don't think I can read another book by her, I'm always left feeling extremely sad when reading her books and this was no exception.
My heart broke many times and it still feels pretty battered, even now.
However, I'm so so happy my man got his HEA!
3.5 Stars, because it was good, but I can't say I enjoyed it :(
March 30, 2018
“In the end,
we were like ghosts
hanging on
to the roof of the earth.
Halfway between worlds,
too afraid to let go.”
-Beau Taplin
This duet by Kandi Steiner was amazing and even though I have been a massive fan of her writing for quite some time, I do personally believe this is her best work yet. It was a total rollercoaster ride of emotions that I loved from the start of book one to the end of book two. I was desperate to find out how this story ended, especially after the state my head and heart were left in at the end of What He Doesn’t Know. I needed my questions answered and I desperately needed to know what was to come of this trio. To say What He Always Knew was a highly anticipated read for me would be a massive understatement.
I am actually really struggling with this review because nearly any meaningful piece of information I supply would be a spoiler, but… Charlie has found herself in an impossible situation; caught between two men and a love triangle she’s unsure how to get out of, with no feeling of hope that anyone will come out this situation unscathed.
“My heart was forever severed, destined to exist in two equal halves – one with each man. But one half beat stronger, one half had the vein that ran deepest, and one half held my choice in silence well before I ever admitted it out loud.”
Reese and Cameron will do just about anything to win Charlie’s heart. For both, she is the love of their life and the thought of not living with her for the rest of their respective lives is simply unimaginable. To complicate things, Charlie loves both men equally. Reese is her first love and is someone whom she has recently reconnected with. Cameron is her husband, the man she told the world that she swore she would love until death parts them. Charlie and Cameron however have not had the easiest of marriages, they have drifted apart somewhat and there is a growing disconnection between them.
The road to love is never easy, especially when it involves a love triangle. In fact it is downright messy when more than two people are involved; it can be infuriating and hurtful and this story really showcased that for me. I was on a journey of heartfelt emotion as this story consumed me in every way possible.
What He Always Knew is a poetic masterpiece by Kandi Steiner and even though I went into this one with a preconceived belief of who Charlie would choose, or should I say who I thought she should choose, I kept changing my mind and felt just as conflicted as Charlie. Kandi Steiner knows how to write the perfectly unperfect love triangle, in all its raw and messy glory. This duet is an absolute favorite of mine and could not recommend it enough.
March 28, 2018
“I hated them both.
But I loved them both, too.
And for that, I hated myself.”
I don’t know where to begin. I don’t even know how to wrap up my thoughts. Everything I thought I knew at the end of the first book shifted violently in What He Always Knew and I have so many feelings when it comes to these characters. So. friggin. many! This duet is complicated. A messy, dysfunctional, agonizingly turbulent ride that encompasses so many things! And oh my gosh, what a wicked web Kandi Steiner weaves. It is whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The first book, What He Doesn’t Know, truly destroyed me, single-handedly becoming my best reading experience of the year. But the sequel, What He Always Knew, took that and expanded on it, amplifying my already crazy feelings by 1 million. It was EVERYTHING! Everything I wasn’t expecting. In fact, this duet is wholly UNPREDICTABLE. The twists are wild and you never get a handle on them. Reese and Cameron and Charlie are dysfunctional people with a tumultuous dynamic.
In this sequel the angst packs an even bigger and more powerful punch than it did in the first book. We pick up right where we left off and hit the ground running. And I’m telling you, I have never felt so twisted up, so infuriated and devastated at the very same time. There are moments that cut you, that make you bleed in ways I can’t even describe. What He Always Knew is truly a whirlwind. A knotted, mangled mess of heartbreak that BLEW ME AWAY.
And you know what? I thought I knew what I wanted to happen going in. I thought I knew EXACTLY who the characters were. But I knew NOTHING. Kandi took everything I thought I knew and added new dimensions. She peeled back layers, unearthed ugly truths that convinced me I loved characters I thought I hated in the first book. And I had to ask myself, “How did that even happen?!” In all the time I’ve been reading, I have never fallen in love with both guys in a love triangle.
NEVER.
EVER.
EVER.
EVER.
I have always had a team.
I DON’T SWAY!
Yet in this duet I swung back and forth the ENTIRE time. It’s unbelievable. My opinions on Reese and Cameron are intense, so loud and passionate, I can’t even go into them or I’ll just end up spoiling things! That said, these two drove me insane. Almost as insane as Charlie did. There were moments where I hated these men almost as much as I loved them. And man, did I cry! I cried so hard my eyes hurt. The journey is excruciating. The emotions take on a life of their own. It’s so all consuming.
Overall, I don’t know what else to say. This duet is unforgettable. It challenges you. Challenges your boundaries. And makes you uncomfortable. It definitely made me think, analyze, and obsess. And it is hands-down one of my most favorite duets I’ve ever read. I know this review says nothing about plot. That’s intentional. I can’t go into detail without making this a spoiler review, and I would never do that. So I’ll say this, read this story. It’s layered. Messy. Complicated. Unexpected. And angsty. And I’m in awe of the journey. 5 stars!
But I loved them both, too.
And for that, I hated myself.”
I don’t know where to begin. I don’t even know how to wrap up my thoughts. Everything I thought I knew at the end of the first book shifted violently in What He Always Knew and I have so many feelings when it comes to these characters. So. friggin. many! This duet is complicated. A messy, dysfunctional, agonizingly turbulent ride that encompasses so many things! And oh my gosh, what a wicked web Kandi Steiner weaves. It is whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The first book, What He Doesn’t Know, truly destroyed me, single-handedly becoming my best reading experience of the year. But the sequel, What He Always Knew, took that and expanded on it, amplifying my already crazy feelings by 1 million. It was EVERYTHING! Everything I wasn’t expecting. In fact, this duet is wholly UNPREDICTABLE. The twists are wild and you never get a handle on them. Reese and Cameron and Charlie are dysfunctional people with a tumultuous dynamic.
In this sequel the angst packs an even bigger and more powerful punch than it did in the first book. We pick up right where we left off and hit the ground running. And I’m telling you, I have never felt so twisted up, so infuriated and devastated at the very same time. There are moments that cut you, that make you bleed in ways I can’t even describe. What He Always Knew is truly a whirlwind. A knotted, mangled mess of heartbreak that BLEW ME AWAY.
And you know what? I thought I knew what I wanted to happen going in. I thought I knew EXACTLY who the characters were. But I knew NOTHING. Kandi took everything I thought I knew and added new dimensions. She peeled back layers, unearthed ugly truths that convinced me I loved characters I thought I hated in the first book. And I had to ask myself, “How did that even happen?!” In all the time I’ve been reading, I have never fallen in love with both guys in a love triangle.
NEVER.
EVER.
EVER.
EVER.
I have always had a team.
I DON’T SWAY!
Yet in this duet I swung back and forth the ENTIRE time. It’s unbelievable. My opinions on Reese and Cameron are intense, so loud and passionate, I can’t even go into them or I’ll just end up spoiling things! That said, these two drove me insane. Almost as insane as Charlie did. There were moments where I hated these men almost as much as I loved them. And man, did I cry! I cried so hard my eyes hurt. The journey is excruciating. The emotions take on a life of their own. It’s so all consuming.
Overall, I don’t know what else to say. This duet is unforgettable. It challenges you. Challenges your boundaries. And makes you uncomfortable. It definitely made me think, analyze, and obsess. And it is hands-down one of my most favorite duets I’ve ever read. I know this review says nothing about plot. That’s intentional. I can’t go into detail without making this a spoiler review, and I would never do that. So I’ll say this, read this story. It’s layered. Messy. Complicated. Unexpected. And angsty. And I’m in awe of the journey. 5 stars!
March 31, 2018
i wanted to strangle the girl. the back and forth was too much to the point it was ridiculous
April 13, 2018
“I hated them both. But I loved them both, too. And for that, I hated myself.”
I hate you more Charlie! She was so pathetic and whiny and just ughhh!
The fact that she was able to cheat on her husband while he knew about was disgusting.
And then get pregnant and not be sure who the daddy is?!?! Uh girl no
Y’all can keep loving this book but in all honest it was crap
I hate you more Charlie! She was so pathetic and whiny and just ughhh!
The fact that she was able to cheat on her husband while he knew about was disgusting.
And then get pregnant and not be sure who the daddy is?!?! Uh girl no
Y’all can keep loving this book but in all honest it was crap
March 31, 2018
It was waste of time for me
I dont want to affect anybody mybe it is only me who feels in this way. Characters werent ok
Most of it were really just mess!
I dont want to affect anybody mybe it is only me who feels in this way. Characters werent ok
Most of it were really just mess!
April 7, 2018
Wow did I hate 2/3 of the main characters. And the story was predictable and boring. 2* for book1 , 1* for book 2.
This is a review for both What He Doesn't Know and What He Always Knew as they are really one story spread over 2 books. The covers and the blurbs give away that this is about one woman and two men. And if those do not tell you it is about infidelity on her part then by the 3% mark of book 1 you will know that so I do not consider that a spoiler. So I knew that going in and accepted it as part of the book. I don't think cheating is a good thing to do but that alone would not make me hate a character or avoid a book. If all characters were saints then book choices would be dull. But it helps my enjoyment if I can like or at least respect the main couple in a romance by the end. This book failed that test by a huge margin.
One thing the author did do well was keep her characters internally consistent. Charlie, the FMC, was consistently awful. She was a truly horrible and manipulative person. Her husband Cameron was cold and distant for most of the book but it is clear that at one time he was quite loving to her. He also stays within character. And Reese, the other man, is consistently stupid and selfish.
Other than that the writing was below average at best and often severely annoying. It seemed like the author thought she was being clever and keeping the audience wondering but the opposite was true for me. At the 3% mark I had already guessed most of the outline of the first book. At the end of the first book I knew exactly who Charlie would end up with in the end of the second.
The list of things I found annoying or flat out hated is quite spoilerish so it is in tags:
I don't think this author is for me. Perhaps if someone I really trusts suggests one by her I might relent.
This is a review for both What He Doesn't Know and What He Always Knew as they are really one story spread over 2 books. The covers and the blurbs give away that this is about one woman and two men. And if those do not tell you it is about infidelity on her part then by the 3% mark of book 1 you will know that so I do not consider that a spoiler. So I knew that going in and accepted it as part of the book. I don't think cheating is a good thing to do but that alone would not make me hate a character or avoid a book. If all characters were saints then book choices would be dull. But it helps my enjoyment if I can like or at least respect the main couple in a romance by the end. This book failed that test by a huge margin.
One thing the author did do well was keep her characters internally consistent. Charlie, the FMC, was consistently awful. She was a truly horrible and manipulative person. Her husband Cameron was cold and distant for most of the book but it is clear that at one time he was quite loving to her. He also stays within character. And Reese, the other man, is consistently stupid and selfish.
Other than that the writing was below average at best and often severely annoying. It seemed like the author thought she was being clever and keeping the audience wondering but the opposite was true for me. At the 3% mark I had already guessed most of the outline of the first book. At the end of the first book I knew exactly who Charlie would end up with in the end of the second.
The list of things I found annoying or flat out hated is quite spoilerish so it is in tags:
I don't think this author is for me. Perhaps if someone I really trusts suggests one by her I might relent.
April 4, 2018
4 ★'s
~Sigh~ I don't even know how to start this review...I'm just sooo torn/frustrated/sad...the list goes on. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually happy with who she ended up with but then again, I could go either way...or no way.
All the while I was reading this, my mind was on overdrive trying to figure this thing out! It became very apparent fairly early on "who" she would end up with. It's an almost one-eighty turn around from the prior book in feel and tone. But I have to be honest, when the other unsurprising news came out, I was hoping she would go it alone.
It must be said that Kandi Steiner has become a genius at delivering angst. She does like to keep you guessing and she really pulls at the heart strings. Ugh!
So, I'm not really going to tell you about the book...but to say, there is a lot of drama and one-upmanship. I do feel that one person got the raw end of the deal and had barely any time with Charlie. But the "other" person really came through in flying colors...my heart went out to him.
The ending is a killer especially for the one that didn't get picked. And I'm not sure I liked how things were going for him. I seriously hope that Kandi Steiner does him justice by writing his book...I mean, how could she not? I'm sure there's a ton of upset people.
~Sigh~ I don't even know how to start this review...I'm just sooo torn/frustrated/sad...the list goes on. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually happy with who she ended up with but then again, I could go either way...or no way.
All the while I was reading this, my mind was on overdrive trying to figure this thing out! It became very apparent fairly early on "who" she would end up with. It's an almost one-eighty turn around from the prior book in feel and tone. But I have to be honest, when the other unsurprising news came out, I was hoping she would go it alone.
It must be said that Kandi Steiner has become a genius at delivering angst. She does like to keep you guessing and she really pulls at the heart strings. Ugh!
So, I'm not really going to tell you about the book...but to say, there is a lot of drama and one-upmanship. I do feel that one person got the raw end of the deal and had barely any time with Charlie. But the "other" person really came through in flying colors...my heart went out to him.
The ending is a killer especially for the one that didn't get picked. And I'm not sure I liked how things were going for him. I seriously hope that Kandi Steiner does him justice by writing his book...I mean, how could she not? I'm sure there's a ton of upset people.
March 26, 2018
Two books to make our hearts pitter-patter!
Two men to love Charlie completely !
Two months to choose -Reese or Cameron!
Left or right. It was as simple as that, except it wasn’t simple at all.
The truth was simple. I loved them both. My heart was forever severed, destined to exist in two equal halves — one with each man. But one half beat stronger, one half had the vein that ran deepest.
The other half would always be a part of me, but in a softer way
What a dilemma Kandi has put us through ! There's no solution to this web of heartstrings jumbled together. Each thread runs through all the three hearts at some point or another. Unravelling one could hurt the other. The book is seeping in angst, each word kandi pens,just makes us all gaping and surprised. It's surprising to see that though Kandi is so young, yet her acute knowledge of relationship pains and travails, far exceeds her young age. She deftly wordshops us into their lives and we get to experience their vicious circle of predicament in 3-D ! I had trouble picking the right person, making a sound decision and turning the wheel of the car , left or right. So I can't even begin to imagine what Kandi must have endured writing this story. It's very delicate balance of logic on both sides of the spectrum, but the muscled organ beating in our chests rarely listens to reason, does it.
I applaud Kandi's attempt to make sense of this maddening, frustrating, heartbreaking story.It touched my heart and is still sitting heavy, making me feel all choked up and broken.
The story is haunting, sexy, infuriating at times, and sentimental & endearing at others.
Loss and comfort walk hand-in-hand.
Fiery passion and undying love war against each other.
This or That?
Him or HIM?
Music or birds?
Home our Tent?
Passion or Love?
By this time I was exhausted trying to reason the actions and I'm thinking so was Charlie. I may not have had the dream ending , yet it made total sense and the best part is that Kandi made it very believable and inevitable.
So hats off to you Ms Steiner! The twist was fantastic, I was taken aback and so was charlie. You changed the rules now
I loved the triple POV, you could see that whatever bed of nails Charlie was tossing and turning over, was poking Cameron like needles too.
Time. It was something I’d never paid attention to before. It felt like an unlimited resource, something I had plenty of. I thought I had forever. Now, I only had weeks.
Life wasn't a bed of roses for Reese Walker either
It was like watching an entire kingdom crumble in her eyes, and I was the one holding the hammer that took down the first wall.
And in between was a sandwiched, pressurised heart of Charlie!
Was it Reese? Did he wake me up, change me, ignite an old burning flame when he came back into town?
Was it Cameron? Did we hit our breaking point, one coming all along ? Was it his lack of care, his years of apathy, that somehow transitioned me from one point to another?
Or was it me?
I was ready to tear my hair out, gouge my eyes out, out of exasperation, at this point. My irritation level at 1000°
Choose the direction FFS!!!!
The characters I must say, though not unique, were stuck in unique situations. Reese I loved/hated with equal fervour. How he treated Blake was wrong on so many levels. Charlie was very conflicted character( but I get it why). I just fell in love with stoic and staid Cameron though. He was lost and broken. I wanted to hug him and envelope him.
I liked that personalities were flawed and were not prim caricatures. Or that Kandi didn't seek and easy way out by killing one of them or totally painting any character totally black. That shows writing maturity.
If you love slow burn romances , second chances soaked in tears and angst, this book is for you . Go ahead. Read, cry, bawl your eyes out. Go on this journey to Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Where River Meets The Sea
5 Rip Tide Stars
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Two men to love Charlie completely !
Two months to choose -Reese or Cameron!
Left or right. It was as simple as that, except it wasn’t simple at all.
The truth was simple. I loved them both. My heart was forever severed, destined to exist in two equal halves — one with each man. But one half beat stronger, one half had the vein that ran deepest.
The other half would always be a part of me, but in a softer way
What a dilemma Kandi has put us through ! There's no solution to this web of heartstrings jumbled together. Each thread runs through all the three hearts at some point or another. Unravelling one could hurt the other. The book is seeping in angst, each word kandi pens,just makes us all gaping and surprised. It's surprising to see that though Kandi is so young, yet her acute knowledge of relationship pains and travails, far exceeds her young age. She deftly wordshops us into their lives and we get to experience their vicious circle of predicament in 3-D ! I had trouble picking the right person, making a sound decision and turning the wheel of the car , left or right. So I can't even begin to imagine what Kandi must have endured writing this story. It's very delicate balance of logic on both sides of the spectrum, but the muscled organ beating in our chests rarely listens to reason, does it.
I applaud Kandi's attempt to make sense of this maddening, frustrating, heartbreaking story.It touched my heart and is still sitting heavy, making me feel all choked up and broken.
The story is haunting, sexy, infuriating at times, and sentimental & endearing at others.
Loss and comfort walk hand-in-hand.
Fiery passion and undying love war against each other.
This or That?
Him or HIM?
Music or birds?
Home our Tent?
Passion or Love?
By this time I was exhausted trying to reason the actions and I'm thinking so was Charlie. I may not have had the dream ending , yet it made total sense and the best part is that Kandi made it very believable and inevitable.
So hats off to you Ms Steiner! The twist was fantastic, I was taken aback and so was charlie. You changed the rules now
I loved the triple POV, you could see that whatever bed of nails Charlie was tossing and turning over, was poking Cameron like needles too.
Time. It was something I’d never paid attention to before. It felt like an unlimited resource, something I had plenty of. I thought I had forever. Now, I only had weeks.
Life wasn't a bed of roses for Reese Walker either
It was like watching an entire kingdom crumble in her eyes, and I was the one holding the hammer that took down the first wall.
And in between was a sandwiched, pressurised heart of Charlie!
Was it Reese? Did he wake me up, change me, ignite an old burning flame when he came back into town?
Was it Cameron? Did we hit our breaking point, one coming all along ? Was it his lack of care, his years of apathy, that somehow transitioned me from one point to another?
Or was it me?
I was ready to tear my hair out, gouge my eyes out, out of exasperation, at this point. My irritation level at 1000°
Choose the direction FFS!!!!
The characters I must say, though not unique, were stuck in unique situations. Reese I loved/hated with equal fervour. How he treated Blake was wrong on so many levels. Charlie was very conflicted character( but I get it why). I just fell in love with stoic and staid Cameron though. He was lost and broken. I wanted to hug him and envelope him.
I liked that personalities were flawed and were not prim caricatures. Or that Kandi didn't seek and easy way out by killing one of them or totally painting any character totally black. That shows writing maturity.
If you love slow burn romances , second chances soaked in tears and angst, this book is for you . Go ahead. Read, cry, bawl your eyes out. Go on this journey to Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Where River Meets The Sea
5 Rip Tide Stars
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March 24, 2018
“I hated them both. But I loved them both, too. And for that, I hated myself.”
I don’t even know how to review this book adequately - my heart, feelings, and time have all been happily invested in this phenomenal duet. All I can hope to achieve is to somehow summarise my feelings in the hope that it makes some resemblance of sense. Kandi Steiner, has outdone herself in a marvellous fashion. There was no backing down from the story that she wanted to tell and from the get go regardless of the outcome for these characters this author had me well and truly addicted. This duet is nothing short of flawless - the kind of book that you know will settle in your heart for good.
What’s it all about ...
There is no way I can give justice or even attempt to wrap up all that you will be gaining from reading this duet, my advice would be to buckle up, make some time and prepare to be thrown into a world where you can expect pages of heart break, angst and earth moving love. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, but I can guarantee that you’ll be as hooked as I was.
What did I love?
Book one of this duet, stole a five star from my reading heart almost instantaneously - Kandi Steiner wrote a book so beautifully that the content settled well with me, it was easy to fall in love with and my reading heart was sold. Here in book two of the duet I was still led easily by its poetic guidance but there was also the added elements of angst, heart break and resolution to add into the mix and that’s where this author really came into her own. Steiner owned her story and left no apology for how she played out the story line and it showed in her story telling. I have no problems admitting that I was blown away from page one right up to the epilogue - this duet is utterly unforgettable. Not to say that the content was not frustrating or difficult at times but there was never a battle in my mind at the quality of this authors writing.
Final thoughts ...
I am absolutely, undeniably in love with Kandi Steiner’s writing in this duet. Admittedly my heart is feeling a little bruised and my mind is still suffering the after affects of the ‘Steiner’ angst treatment but I would not have had it any other way. This duet is designed to be devoured, loved and debated over and after falling in love with these pages and their content i’d wholeheartedly trust this author with any future releases. I’ll say it again and again - Kandi Steiner, your words are golden. Enjoy readers, kisses.
I don’t even know how to review this book adequately - my heart, feelings, and time have all been happily invested in this phenomenal duet. All I can hope to achieve is to somehow summarise my feelings in the hope that it makes some resemblance of sense. Kandi Steiner, has outdone herself in a marvellous fashion. There was no backing down from the story that she wanted to tell and from the get go regardless of the outcome for these characters this author had me well and truly addicted. This duet is nothing short of flawless - the kind of book that you know will settle in your heart for good.
What’s it all about ...
There is no way I can give justice or even attempt to wrap up all that you will be gaining from reading this duet, my advice would be to buckle up, make some time and prepare to be thrown into a world where you can expect pages of heart break, angst and earth moving love. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, but I can guarantee that you’ll be as hooked as I was.
What did I love?
Book one of this duet, stole a five star from my reading heart almost instantaneously - Kandi Steiner wrote a book so beautifully that the content settled well with me, it was easy to fall in love with and my reading heart was sold. Here in book two of the duet I was still led easily by its poetic guidance but there was also the added elements of angst, heart break and resolution to add into the mix and that’s where this author really came into her own. Steiner owned her story and left no apology for how she played out the story line and it showed in her story telling. I have no problems admitting that I was blown away from page one right up to the epilogue - this duet is utterly unforgettable. Not to say that the content was not frustrating or difficult at times but there was never a battle in my mind at the quality of this authors writing.
Final thoughts ...
I am absolutely, undeniably in love with Kandi Steiner’s writing in this duet. Admittedly my heart is feeling a little bruised and my mind is still suffering the after affects of the ‘Steiner’ angst treatment but I would not have had it any other way. This duet is designed to be devoured, loved and debated over and after falling in love with these pages and their content i’d wholeheartedly trust this author with any future releases. I’ll say it again and again - Kandi Steiner, your words are golden. Enjoy readers, kisses.
March 31, 2018
Release Date: March 29, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
This duet has taken me on an emotional roller coaster and I don't know how to get off! Wow. Who knew that a love triangle such as this one could be so gripping and intense!?! Kandi Steiner did a wonderful job at making one of the most hard limit romances into something readers will love. I seriously praise her for this feat because so many readers refuse to read these types of books.
With that, this is the second book in the What He Doesn't Know Duet and MUST be read in order. If you haven't read the books but are curious then you should know a few things about them.
1. There is a MAJOR love triangle going on. It's intense. You're going to want to rip out your own hair, throw your kindle or ipad out the window, and bit your nails to the core.
2. You WILL choose sides. Many readers don't want to have to do this as they prefer everything to be neat and tidy without all the angst and emotion. Sorry, you won't get any of that with this book and you WILL love one of the guys more than the other. I had a favorite and luckily for me and my heart, she ended up with him. I won't tell you who! Sorry :(
3. The amount of angst is OFF THE FREAKIN CHARTS. I can't remember reading a book so angsty like this on- EVER. It had me feeling all sorts of ways.
4. There IS CHEATING. This is a hard limit for many and that's okay. But, looking at the real world, this type of behavior UNFORTUNATELY exists. So, while I don't like or condone cheating, it is nice to see that fictional characters are not flawless like so many romances make them out to be.
5. This book/duet is EMOTIONAL. I wanted to cry so hard at some points- in fact, I wanted to cry more than I smiled! But again, this shows the flaws and the hardships that real humans face so it was sort of a breath of fresh air.
With all of this, I hope I don't turn any readers off because this IS a good book/series. I truly love that Kandi Steiner went in another direction for this romance and brought some originality to the genre. Sure, it's hard to read at some points, and the back and forth between the heroine and these two men is hard to watch, but the romance is good.
All in all, if you are a reader who can have an open mind when reading then I would recommend this book to you. I liked it- didn't love it because there was a little too much back and forth for me- and think many will feel the same. So if you chose to read it, then happy reading!
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
This duet has taken me on an emotional roller coaster and I don't know how to get off! Wow. Who knew that a love triangle such as this one could be so gripping and intense!?! Kandi Steiner did a wonderful job at making one of the most hard limit romances into something readers will love. I seriously praise her for this feat because so many readers refuse to read these types of books.
With that, this is the second book in the What He Doesn't Know Duet and MUST be read in order. If you haven't read the books but are curious then you should know a few things about them.
1. There is a MAJOR love triangle going on. It's intense. You're going to want to rip out your own hair, throw your kindle or ipad out the window, and bit your nails to the core.
2. You WILL choose sides. Many readers don't want to have to do this as they prefer everything to be neat and tidy without all the angst and emotion. Sorry, you won't get any of that with this book and you WILL love one of the guys more than the other. I had a favorite and luckily for me and my heart, she ended up with him. I won't tell you who! Sorry :(
3. The amount of angst is OFF THE FREAKIN CHARTS. I can't remember reading a book so angsty like this on- EVER. It had me feeling all sorts of ways.
4. There IS CHEATING. This is a hard limit for many and that's okay. But, looking at the real world, this type of behavior UNFORTUNATELY exists. So, while I don't like or condone cheating, it is nice to see that fictional characters are not flawless like so many romances make them out to be.
5. This book/duet is EMOTIONAL. I wanted to cry so hard at some points- in fact, I wanted to cry more than I smiled! But again, this shows the flaws and the hardships that real humans face so it was sort of a breath of fresh air.
With all of this, I hope I don't turn any readers off because this IS a good book/series. I truly love that Kandi Steiner went in another direction for this romance and brought some originality to the genre. Sure, it's hard to read at some points, and the back and forth between the heroine and these two men is hard to watch, but the romance is good.
All in all, if you are a reader who can have an open mind when reading then I would recommend this book to you. I liked it- didn't love it because there was a little too much back and forth for me- and think many will feel the same. So if you chose to read it, then happy reading!
April 8, 2018
Cheating... (ha, see what I did there?) Copy and pasted my review from book 1... because for the most part, most of it still applies.
Alright... so I'm back, a full week later. I have had such a difficult time resolving my feelings about these books. It's almost impossible for me to separate one book from the other because they are a duet and obviously I rushed from one book directly to the next. Book crack... it's the only explanation... Ms. Steiner has laced her words with addictive substances that we, the readers, were helpless/hopeless to do nothing but succumb to. Ok, that was a bit of a cop-out for me. Where was I again? Oh yeah, the fact that I've been sitting on writing the reviews for these books for a full week because I couldn't wrap my brain around them. Or rather, I had a hard time getting my thoughts out cohesively without a lot of 4 letter words. This is my 4th attempt... LOL!
In all seriousness... People are either going to love or hate these books. Take me for example. I am going to quote myself. I actually said the words. I'll read these books with you. (to my book club buddy group that I mod, here on GR) I love shapes... (note to self- I am an absolute moron.)
Ms. Steiner is a highly skilled writer. The way these books are written are so intimately insidious that you don't even realize how deep you are, until you're drowning in the depths of your own feelings about the storyline. Hence the reason it's taken me a week to write this review. A giant cliffy at the end of book one. Thankfully, I waited until both books were out before I chose to take the leap and read them both at once. Ultimately, even though I had some issues with predictability and some repetition. And a whole helluva lot of 'dafuq??? I can't believe that happened! what did I just read?!' I still have to give this one a 4. Maybe even a 4.5 because I'm still thinking and obsessing about it a week later. One question though... did she ever say what color their eyes were? #AskingForAFriend....
Alright... so I'm back, a full week later. I have had such a difficult time resolving my feelings about these books. It's almost impossible for me to separate one book from the other because they are a duet and obviously I rushed from one book directly to the next. Book crack... it's the only explanation... Ms. Steiner has laced her words with addictive substances that we, the readers, were helpless/hopeless to do nothing but succumb to. Ok, that was a bit of a cop-out for me. Where was I again? Oh yeah, the fact that I've been sitting on writing the reviews for these books for a full week because I couldn't wrap my brain around them. Or rather, I had a hard time getting my thoughts out cohesively without a lot of 4 letter words. This is my 4th attempt... LOL!
In all seriousness... People are either going to love or hate these books. Take me for example. I am going to quote myself. I actually said the words. I'll read these books with you. (to my book club buddy group that I mod, here on GR) I love shapes... (note to self- I am an absolute moron.)
Ms. Steiner is a highly skilled writer. The way these books are written are so intimately insidious that you don't even realize how deep you are, until you're drowning in the depths of your own feelings about the storyline. Hence the reason it's taken me a week to write this review. A giant cliffy at the end of book one. Thankfully, I waited until both books were out before I chose to take the leap and read them both at once. Ultimately, even though I had some issues with predictability and some repetition. And a whole helluva lot of 'dafuq??? I can't believe that happened! what did I just read?!' I still have to give this one a 4. Maybe even a 4.5 because I'm still thinking and obsessing about it a week later. One question though... did she ever say what color their eyes were? #AskingForAFriend....
March 24, 2018
You know if I had the chance to stand in front of Kandi Steiner right now after finishing this duet, wanna know what I'd do?
I'd stand and applaud her. I would stand and applaud her until my hands hurt. Then I would cry in a sappy mess on her shoulder while I thanked her for delivering one of the most intense, passionate, memorable reads of my life.
I'm not afraid to admit I was SCARED to start the second book in this duet. Terrified even. I've never wanted to read a book so badly but FEAR it too. Honestly I didn't know where it would go, whether I'd be happy with it, with the end result I mean. I didn't know if I could deal with the highs AND lows that would surely come. I'm a total angst lover, really I am, but mannnn this one scared me.
BUT!
If you didn't already know, Kandi Steiner is INCREDIBLE. I know her books, I know that she puts every ounce of her passion and her intensity into every book and I know that I can TRUST her. And trust her I did. So I began.
There is a fine line between love & hate. It's the same kind of feeling, it illicits the same kind of deep primal surge of emotion. Some say you cannot hate without love or vice versa. I won't lie, there were times in this book when I hated what was happening. I legitimately wanted to scream and throw my phone. But, like I said, there is a fine line between love and hate and if anything, those moments where I wanted to scream and pull my hair out with rage only solidified my overall love for this book.
There were some particular chapters that were my favourite. I revelled in those chapters. Felt my heart beat and pound with every emotion possible. Again these chapters made the harder chapters worth it. The push and pull, the back and forth, the love and hate all balanced perfectly. Everything came together so seamlessly. Everything worked.
I don't think I'll ever forget this duet. Ever. It was an experience I am so blessed to have taken. I said previously that A Love Letter To Whiskey was previously my favourite book of Kandi's but this duet is on another level. The writing, the deliverance, the passion, the intensity, the love and hate all come together to create what is easily one of the best books (I'm talking about them as a whole here) ever written.
If you take anything from my review. And I'm talking to two sets of people here. Let it be this...
If you think this book isn't for you. If angst is not your thing and you can't really DO cheating and the "premise" puts you off, I urge you to JUST READ. Don't get hung up on all of that and just read. Because I swear you will not experience a fictional story like this ever again.
If you are an angst lover, if you crave the visceral reaction that comes from angst within books then read this duet. I kid you not this will be the best read of your year, probably your life, as it is mine. It's unmissable. There is nothing better than this.
To end.
Kandi. I applaud you. Thank you. No one said it would be easy but damn girl it was so very worth it.
6 incredibly intense, perfectly imperfect stars!
I'd stand and applaud her. I would stand and applaud her until my hands hurt. Then I would cry in a sappy mess on her shoulder while I thanked her for delivering one of the most intense, passionate, memorable reads of my life.
I'm not afraid to admit I was SCARED to start the second book in this duet. Terrified even. I've never wanted to read a book so badly but FEAR it too. Honestly I didn't know where it would go, whether I'd be happy with it, with the end result I mean. I didn't know if I could deal with the highs AND lows that would surely come. I'm a total angst lover, really I am, but mannnn this one scared me.
BUT!
If you didn't already know, Kandi Steiner is INCREDIBLE. I know her books, I know that she puts every ounce of her passion and her intensity into every book and I know that I can TRUST her. And trust her I did. So I began.
There is a fine line between love & hate. It's the same kind of feeling, it illicits the same kind of deep primal surge of emotion. Some say you cannot hate without love or vice versa. I won't lie, there were times in this book when I hated what was happening. I legitimately wanted to scream and throw my phone. But, like I said, there is a fine line between love and hate and if anything, those moments where I wanted to scream and pull my hair out with rage only solidified my overall love for this book.
There were some particular chapters that were my favourite. I revelled in those chapters. Felt my heart beat and pound with every emotion possible. Again these chapters made the harder chapters worth it. The push and pull, the back and forth, the love and hate all balanced perfectly. Everything came together so seamlessly. Everything worked.
I don't think I'll ever forget this duet. Ever. It was an experience I am so blessed to have taken. I said previously that A Love Letter To Whiskey was previously my favourite book of Kandi's but this duet is on another level. The writing, the deliverance, the passion, the intensity, the love and hate all come together to create what is easily one of the best books (I'm talking about them as a whole here) ever written.
If you take anything from my review. And I'm talking to two sets of people here. Let it be this...
If you think this book isn't for you. If angst is not your thing and you can't really DO cheating and the "premise" puts you off, I urge you to JUST READ. Don't get hung up on all of that and just read. Because I swear you will not experience a fictional story like this ever again.
If you are an angst lover, if you crave the visceral reaction that comes from angst within books then read this duet. I kid you not this will be the best read of your year, probably your life, as it is mine. It's unmissable. There is nothing better than this.
To end.
Kandi. I applaud you. Thank you. No one said it would be easy but damn girl it was so very worth it.
6 incredibly intense, perfectly imperfect stars!
March 28, 2018
After finishing What He Doesn't Know, I was dying to get my hands on the final book in this duet. I had no idea who Charlie was going to pick, but I definitely had a favorite. As soon as I started this book, though, all of my previous opinions flew out the window and I was an emotional mess.
Reese or Cameron? The boy she's always loved or the man she's promised her life to? Charlie doesn't know who she is or even who she wants to be in the future, all she knows is that she has to decide. But choosing one path will break hearts and choose a destiny she can't take back.
When I read the first book in this duet, I felt like I was missing the angst everyone was raving about with these books. Nothing felt angsty to me and I felt like there was an obvious choice Charlie had to make. Um, yeah, I was SO WRONG. This book hit me so hard with the angst and I was on the verge of tears so many times. While love triangles are taboo in the book world now, the triangle in this book was done so well that I didn't even know who I wanted Charlie to choose. Seriously, I was going to be mad at her no matter which one she chose because we got to see into each of the men's minds and really fall for each of them.
Since our characters are older (in their 30s), I appreciated how mature the romance was and how the characters didn't think in the moment like a lot of young romance protagonists do. These characters have lived lives, experienced loss, and made some hard decisions that affected not only them, but everyone around them. I was hooked on Charlie's story and had no idea how she could make any decision. There were moments I gasped, moments I had tears in my eyes, and moments where I was swooning over something both men did. To say this was an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement.
If you haven't picked up this duet yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? This book takes a hard look at what it means to truly love someone and give yourself over to them. And, just like life, there is so much gray that it's impossible to know what's right or wrong, what you should do and what you shouldn't do. Kandi Steiner gets romance and she takes no reservations when it comes to ripping out your heart and putting it back together again.
Reese or Cameron? The boy she's always loved or the man she's promised her life to? Charlie doesn't know who she is or even who she wants to be in the future, all she knows is that she has to decide. But choosing one path will break hearts and choose a destiny she can't take back.
When I read the first book in this duet, I felt like I was missing the angst everyone was raving about with these books. Nothing felt angsty to me and I felt like there was an obvious choice Charlie had to make. Um, yeah, I was SO WRONG. This book hit me so hard with the angst and I was on the verge of tears so many times. While love triangles are taboo in the book world now, the triangle in this book was done so well that I didn't even know who I wanted Charlie to choose. Seriously, I was going to be mad at her no matter which one she chose because we got to see into each of the men's minds and really fall for each of them.
Since our characters are older (in their 30s), I appreciated how mature the romance was and how the characters didn't think in the moment like a lot of young romance protagonists do. These characters have lived lives, experienced loss, and made some hard decisions that affected not only them, but everyone around them. I was hooked on Charlie's story and had no idea how she could make any decision. There were moments I gasped, moments I had tears in my eyes, and moments where I was swooning over something both men did. To say this was an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement.
If you haven't picked up this duet yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? This book takes a hard look at what it means to truly love someone and give yourself over to them. And, just like life, there is so much gray that it's impossible to know what's right or wrong, what you should do and what you shouldn't do. Kandi Steiner gets romance and she takes no reservations when it comes to ripping out your heart and putting it back together again.
March 23, 2018
5 INTOXICATING, HEARTBREAKING, ANGSTY, BEAUTIFUL STARS
Romance novels are, for the most part, predictable. Let's face it, you know you're getting an HEA. You know there's going to be some conflict. You can probably gather who your hero is by the points of view the story is told from. And you can typically guess who's going to get the girl just by looking at the cover.
But this book? Oh Lord, not this book.
Kandi Steiner has broken the mold with this romance novel and it confused the hell out of me in all the best ways. There is absolutely nothing predictable about this storyline. Who gets the girl when this story is told from the points of view of ALL THREE legs of this love triangle? Who is the hero of our story when the author crafts the story in such a way that you find yourself falling desperately in love with both of them equally right along with our heroine? And who the heck is the guy on this deliberately ambiguous cover? What He Always Knew gave me whiplash, gave my heart palpitations, left my stomach in knots and had me needing a drink. The angst and uncertainty within this breathtakingly beautiful romance is ON ANOTHER LEVEL OF PHENOMENAL and I can't even tell you how much I loved it.
I've had a lot of time to obsess over who I hoped Charlie would choose after finishing What He Doesn't Know. It was impossibly hard, but, yes, I eventually chose a team. I wavered between Reese and Cameron repeatedly as I read that first book but eventually I found myself leaning in one direction even though I had no confidence that the story would play out the way I imagined. But then What He Always Knew picked up exactly where the first book left off and I immediately found myself swept away once again in Charlie's emotionally tortuous predicament. Once again, my heart was pummeled and pulled in different directions. It was IMPOSSIBLE to predict how this duet might play out. Even if you choose a team, as I did, you can still typically anticipate the path an author is leading you toward even when the characters don't know it yet. But with this duet, there was no path!! It's a relentless war we take with Charlie and the emotional uncertainty never wavers until the very end.
This is a dangerously ADDICTIVE duet. I can't tell you the last time I read something that held me so tightly in it's snare. Everything from the exquisite writing to the sharp dialogue to the wholly torturous heartache that bleeds from these pages gripped me. This is easily a top favorite storyline of the year. It's perfection and it doesn't even matter whether Charlie chose my guy or not. (I'm not telling you!) It doesn't change how much I felt as I read, how difficult this story is, how brilliantly it evolves. It doesn't change how sweet and romantic and heartfelt and hopeful this journey is. It's deliciously brutal and I couldn't stop reading.
What He Always Knew completes an unbelievably intense, spellbinding love story and, in all of its wrongness and all of its rightness, IT IS PERFECTION. I loved EVERYTHING about it. The pain, the steam, the lust, the tug of war, the fight, the heartache, the absolute joy, the blissful romance, the stunning words and the wholly satisfying finish. It's everything, this duet. It's better than anything I could've hoped for. It's Steiner's masterpiece. It's maddening and beautiful and angsty and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.
Romance novels are, for the most part, predictable. Let's face it, you know you're getting an HEA. You know there's going to be some conflict. You can probably gather who your hero is by the points of view the story is told from. And you can typically guess who's going to get the girl just by looking at the cover.
But this book? Oh Lord, not this book.
Kandi Steiner has broken the mold with this romance novel and it confused the hell out of me in all the best ways. There is absolutely nothing predictable about this storyline. Who gets the girl when this story is told from the points of view of ALL THREE legs of this love triangle? Who is the hero of our story when the author crafts the story in such a way that you find yourself falling desperately in love with both of them equally right along with our heroine? And who the heck is the guy on this deliberately ambiguous cover? What He Always Knew gave me whiplash, gave my heart palpitations, left my stomach in knots and had me needing a drink. The angst and uncertainty within this breathtakingly beautiful romance is ON ANOTHER LEVEL OF PHENOMENAL and I can't even tell you how much I loved it.
I've had a lot of time to obsess over who I hoped Charlie would choose after finishing What He Doesn't Know. It was impossibly hard, but, yes, I eventually chose a team. I wavered between Reese and Cameron repeatedly as I read that first book but eventually I found myself leaning in one direction even though I had no confidence that the story would play out the way I imagined. But then What He Always Knew picked up exactly where the first book left off and I immediately found myself swept away once again in Charlie's emotionally tortuous predicament. Once again, my heart was pummeled and pulled in different directions. It was IMPOSSIBLE to predict how this duet might play out. Even if you choose a team, as I did, you can still typically anticipate the path an author is leading you toward even when the characters don't know it yet. But with this duet, there was no path!! It's a relentless war we take with Charlie and the emotional uncertainty never wavers until the very end.
This is a dangerously ADDICTIVE duet. I can't tell you the last time I read something that held me so tightly in it's snare. Everything from the exquisite writing to the sharp dialogue to the wholly torturous heartache that bleeds from these pages gripped me. This is easily a top favorite storyline of the year. It's perfection and it doesn't even matter whether Charlie chose my guy or not. (I'm not telling you!) It doesn't change how much I felt as I read, how difficult this story is, how brilliantly it evolves. It doesn't change how sweet and romantic and heartfelt and hopeful this journey is. It's deliciously brutal and I couldn't stop reading.
What He Always Knew completes an unbelievably intense, spellbinding love story and, in all of its wrongness and all of its rightness, IT IS PERFECTION. I loved EVERYTHING about it. The pain, the steam, the lust, the tug of war, the fight, the heartache, the absolute joy, the blissful romance, the stunning words and the wholly satisfying finish. It's everything, this duet. It's better than anything I could've hoped for. It's Steiner's masterpiece. It's maddening and beautiful and angsty and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.
April 23, 2021
4,5
Charlie ama Cameron.
Charlie ama Reese.
Entrambi esisteranno dentro di lei per sempre come valvole di un cuore che non può battere senza una di loro.
Credo che scegliere la persona che vogliamo accanto a Charlie sia semplice. O Almeno così è stato per me. Ho Amato immensamente Cameron perché in ogni momento, anche quando vedeva la moglie felice tra le braccia di un altro, non ha mai smesso di metterla al primo posto. Il suo è un amore altruista che mi ha fatto commuovere diverse volte.
L'amore di Reese l'ho trovato infantile ed egoista, un provocatore che spingeva sempre verso la catastrofe.
Charlie, come quasi tutte le donne dei triangoli, ne è uscita egoista a tratti. Tenere due uomini sul filo del rasoio, ma ho capito le sue ragioni e quindi non la disprezzo.
Bella dilogia sofferta 😀
Charlie ama Cameron.
Charlie ama Reese.
Entrambi esisteranno dentro di lei per sempre come valvole di un cuore che non può battere senza una di loro.
Credo che scegliere la persona che vogliamo accanto a Charlie sia semplice. O Almeno così è stato per me. Ho Amato immensamente Cameron perché in ogni momento, anche quando vedeva la moglie felice tra le braccia di un altro, non ha mai smesso di metterla al primo posto. Il suo è un amore altruista che mi ha fatto commuovere diverse volte.
L'amore di Reese l'ho trovato infantile ed egoista, un provocatore che spingeva sempre verso la catastrofe.
Charlie, come quasi tutte le donne dei triangoli, ne è uscita egoista a tratti. Tenere due uomini sul filo del rasoio, ma ho capito le sue ragioni e quindi non la disprezzo.
Bella dilogia sofferta 😀
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