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Whispers of the Heart
When loss happens and grief holds you hostage, is there ever an escape? Can one person really be the answer to all your prayers and the balm to all the open wounds on your heart?
Elizabeth Wallace has always been a punk rock kind of gal, yet in high school she nabbed the golden boy and jock, Lyle Foster. These high school sweethearts, happily in love, moved away from their small town and raised two beautiful children. But on one forsaken evening, Lyle loses his life in his sleep to a heart attack. Now, Liz is forced to pick up the broken pieces of herself and her children, moving them back to the one town she thought she would never return to; Willow Brook. Now back on her family farm with her sister, she must navigate through her grief while trying to raise her children. But, what will she do when her childhood best friend, Brian, shows back up in her life? Can she heal from her wounds and move on, or will they hold her back forever?
Elizabeth Wallace has always been a punk rock kind of gal, yet in high school she nabbed the golden boy and jock, Lyle Foster. These high school sweethearts, happily in love, moved away from their small town and raised two beautiful children. But on one forsaken evening, Lyle loses his life in his sleep to a heart attack. Now, Liz is forced to pick up the broken pieces of herself and her children, moving them back to the one town she thought she would never return to; Willow Brook. Now back on her family farm with her sister, she must navigate through her grief while trying to raise her children. But, what will she do when her childhood best friend, Brian, shows back up in her life? Can she heal from her wounds and move on, or will they hold her back forever?
- GenresContemporaryRomance
ebook
Published June 25, 2024
23 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Rae Knight
11 books282 followersGrowing up as a young child Rae Knight used to hate reading, but as she grew into her adolescent years it all chnaged. It was this love of reading, mixed with her vivid imagination, that had her begin her writing career. The first books she ever wrote were at the age of fifteen scribble in the pages of a spiral notebook. Now a days, you can find her trying hard to write these bios in third person, which she doesn't even do in her books. When she's not teaching, she's mothering three small children. Her writing is mainly done once her littles have fallen asleep for the night.
Rae loves to interact with her readers the most, messaging back any who are willing to speak with her. So, be sure to follow her social media pages and reach out to her. The characters of her books are constantly living in her mind, missing them like dear friends when their stories end.
Instagram: @rae.knight.author
Facebook: Rae Knight
Reading Group: The Knightly Page Turners
Tiktok: raeknightauthor
Rae loves to interact with her readers the most, messaging back any who are willing to speak with her. So, be sure to follow her social media pages and reach out to her. The characters of her books are constantly living in her mind, missing them like dear friends when their stories end.
Instagram: @rae.knight.author
Facebook: Rae Knight
Reading Group: The Knightly Page Turners
Tiktok: raeknightauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
October 6, 2024
Books about grief over a loved one always hit hard for me. I seek them out like a parched shipwreck survivor seeking fresh water.
So when this book was presented to me, and against my better judgment because I do not read cartoon cover books, the blurb immediately hooked me in.
A woman losing her husband suddenly after 18 years of marriage of love leaving her a single mother with two children? Immediate read
and to be honest, I plowed through the beginning of the book because the story was flowing with a "PS. I Love You" kind of vibe. But an eerie feeling was creeping on me not knowing what it was until I reached the 55% mark.
I DID NOT LIKE THE MAIN LEADS AT ALL.
⚜ rating: 2 🌟🌟
⚜Genre: Drama Romance
⚜Theme: Grief/ Second-Chance Romance
⚜Targeted audience: Adults
⚜Characters: Lizzie (Elizabeth), Bryan, Lyle
⚜Side Characters: the kids Lil and Milo, the sister Elle
⚜Representation: mental disorder
⚜Pace: medium
⚜TW: death of a loved one, depression, self-harm, abandonment, Bullying, pregnancy loss
⚜ tropes: friends to lovers (double ones), small-town romance
⚜ POV: Double first person
⚜ spice 🌶🌶 🌶
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
After 18 years of marriage and 20 years being together, beloved and extraordinary husband Lyle suddenly dies in his sleep leaving already troubled Lizzie to deal alone with two kids. She, after 2 months, decides to go back to her old town, the one she and her husband swore would never come back to, and stay with her sister because of financial obligations. There, she is reunited with Bryan, her childhood best friend who cut ties with her when she got married to Lyle.
Lizzie has to deal with not only the grief of losing her husband and his ghost haunting her, figuratively, dealing with her two kids adjusting to the new life she thrust them in, but also her rekindled feelings for her childhood best friend.
We also have Bryan, on the other hand, trying desperately to gain Lizzie's love because he has been in love with her all his life. A love so great that it consumed him even when he was betrothed to someone else.
Here is what went wrong for me.
I practically Know nothing about Lizzie.
She was a rebel in school... why? how? what did she do? we don't know
She suffered from deep depression that pushed her to cut herself... why? what happened? other than she had a shaky relationship with her mother (who doesn't!!) nothing is said about this subject.
I understood the panic attacks after Lyle's death but why was she having panic attacks in highschool? and why wasn't Lyle who noticed them and not Bryan????
When she came back, Bryan immediately gave her a job as a mechanic because she is apparently a good one. When did she learn that??? she left after high school and never worked. She was a stay-at-home mom for 20 years! you mean to tell me that she learned to be a mechanic at school, stayed unemployed for 20 years, came back and suddenly she is good with modern cars????
She was not popular at school, a rebel apparently, but she manages to catch the eye of the golden good boy Lyle who goes all his way for her. At the same time, her best friend is also in love with her!!
My problem is we did not get much of her as flashbacks with Lyle or Brayn to see said GREAT LOVE blossoming!! We got a lot of Bryan/Lyle flashbacks though!
Something happens in their town that made them leave quickly, elope, and build a life away cutting ties with all their families. What happened??? I know Lyle's family did not approve of Lizzie but to cut ties with everyone! ok, no problem I can go with that! But you and your husband swore to never return but your first coherent thought after his death is I am going back to the horrible place with MY KIDS! especially after your mother-in-law was shouting at you at the funeral how you were the reason for killing her son!! Yeah, your kids are not getting bullied at all!!!
Her interaction with her kids felt lacking, every time one of them got in trouble it was Bryan to the rescue.
Lizzie was griefing, she was hallucinating her dead husband whom she deeply, truly loved but the minute her best friend confessed his love she was quick to say "I love you too" and jump into his bed because "seven months" was too long to remain celibate???????
Bryan was a decent man. He loved Lizzie so much but did not tell her until someone else snatched her away. She broke his heart when she married their friend but instead of being there for her he cowardly said to her choose either marry him or stay friends with me!!!! She marries Lyle so Bryan joins the military where he meets Sam who reminds him of Lizzie so why not marry her instead? Sadly Sam dies under fire, and Brayn is traumatized for over 8 years over a relationship that lasted months!! Meanwhile, he was getting these emails from Lyle for YEARS! FREAKING YEARS! and did not read them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I did not see this book as dealing with grief tbh. I saw it as dealing with guilt over getting over your long love quickly.
I think both Lizzie and Bry chose the other because they thought they couldn't have each other. And isn't it convenient that both of their loves died????
I thought the "Sam" plot was unnecessary
I thought the "Lyle's old friend turned bully" unnecessary
I feel so sorry for Lyle, If I were given free reign, I would make Lizzie die, Lyle comes back to reconnect with his parents, form a friendship with Elle (cause she was so much better than Lizzie) and they fall in love.
some timelines felt odd at certain points
I loved the side characters more than the main ones
I loved the kids
the spice scenes were very good
I see potential with the author for future books. I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review and this was it.
So when this book was presented to me, and against my better judgment because I do not read cartoon cover books, the blurb immediately hooked me in.
A woman losing her husband suddenly after 18 years of marriage of love leaving her a single mother with two children? Immediate read
and to be honest, I plowed through the beginning of the book because the story was flowing with a "PS. I Love You" kind of vibe. But an eerie feeling was creeping on me not knowing what it was until I reached the 55% mark.
I DID NOT LIKE THE MAIN LEADS AT ALL.
⚜ rating: 2 🌟🌟
⚜Genre: Drama Romance
⚜Theme: Grief/ Second-Chance Romance
⚜Targeted audience: Adults
⚜Characters: Lizzie (Elizabeth), Bryan, Lyle
⚜Side Characters: the kids Lil and Milo, the sister Elle
⚜Representation: mental disorder
⚜Pace: medium
⚜TW: death of a loved one, depression, self-harm, abandonment, Bullying, pregnancy loss
⚜ tropes: friends to lovers (double ones), small-town romance
⚜ POV: Double first person
⚜ spice 🌶🌶 🌶
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
After 18 years of marriage and 20 years being together, beloved and extraordinary husband Lyle suddenly dies in his sleep leaving already troubled Lizzie to deal alone with two kids. She, after 2 months, decides to go back to her old town, the one she and her husband swore would never come back to, and stay with her sister because of financial obligations. There, she is reunited with Bryan, her childhood best friend who cut ties with her when she got married to Lyle.
Lizzie has to deal with not only the grief of losing her husband and his ghost haunting her, figuratively, dealing with her two kids adjusting to the new life she thrust them in, but also her rekindled feelings for her childhood best friend.
We also have Bryan, on the other hand, trying desperately to gain Lizzie's love because he has been in love with her all his life. A love so great that it consumed him even when he was betrothed to someone else.
Here is what went wrong for me.
I practically Know nothing about Lizzie.
She was a rebel in school... why? how? what did she do? we don't know
She suffered from deep depression that pushed her to cut herself... why? what happened? other than she had a shaky relationship with her mother (who doesn't!!) nothing is said about this subject.
I understood the panic attacks after Lyle's death but why was she having panic attacks in highschool? and why wasn't Lyle who noticed them and not Bryan????
When she came back, Bryan immediately gave her a job as a mechanic because she is apparently a good one. When did she learn that??? she left after high school and never worked. She was a stay-at-home mom for 20 years! you mean to tell me that she learned to be a mechanic at school, stayed unemployed for 20 years, came back and suddenly she is good with modern cars????
She was not popular at school, a rebel apparently, but she manages to catch the eye of the golden good boy Lyle who goes all his way for her. At the same time, her best friend is also in love with her!!
My problem is we did not get much of her as flashbacks with Lyle or Brayn to see said GREAT LOVE blossoming!! We got a lot of Bryan/Lyle flashbacks though!
Something happens in their town that made them leave quickly, elope, and build a life away cutting ties with all their families. What happened??? I know Lyle's family did not approve of Lizzie but to cut ties with everyone! ok, no problem I can go with that! But you and your husband swore to never return but your first coherent thought after his death is I am going back to the horrible place with MY KIDS! especially after your mother-in-law was shouting at you at the funeral how you were the reason for killing her son!! Yeah, your kids are not getting bullied at all!!!
Her interaction with her kids felt lacking, every time one of them got in trouble it was Bryan to the rescue.
Lizzie was griefing, she was hallucinating her dead husband whom she deeply, truly loved but the minute her best friend confessed his love she was quick to say "I love you too" and jump into his bed because "seven months" was too long to remain celibate???????
Bryan was a decent man. He loved Lizzie so much but did not tell her until someone else snatched her away. She broke his heart when she married their friend but instead of being there for her he cowardly said to her choose either marry him or stay friends with me!!!! She marries Lyle so Bryan joins the military where he meets Sam who reminds him of Lizzie so why not marry her instead? Sadly Sam dies under fire, and Brayn is traumatized for over 8 years over a relationship that lasted months!! Meanwhile, he was getting these emails from Lyle for YEARS! FREAKING YEARS! and did not read them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I did not see this book as dealing with grief tbh. I saw it as dealing with guilt over getting over your long love quickly.
I think both Lizzie and Bry chose the other because they thought they couldn't have each other. And isn't it convenient that both of their loves died????
I thought the "Sam" plot was unnecessary
I thought the "Lyle's old friend turned bully" unnecessary
I feel so sorry for Lyle, If I were given free reign, I would make Lizzie die, Lyle comes back to reconnect with his parents, form a friendship with Elle (cause she was so much better than Lizzie) and they fall in love.
some timelines felt odd at certain points
I loved the side characters more than the main ones
I loved the kids
the spice scenes were very good
I see potential with the author for future books. I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review and this was it.
June 26, 2024
This was such a good book. I finished it in one day. This is a must read.
June 24, 2024
Whispers of the Heart completely wrecked me in the best possible way. I knew from the beginning it was going to pull at my heart strings I just didn’t realize how much. Second chance love that proves you can love two people in your lifetime. Those flashbacks of Lyle and the way she grieved his loss, OMG 😭😭This was an amazing read that I couldn’t put down once I started. Please check the trigger warnings before reading. There are some heavy topics. Liz goes through so much in this, love, loss, mental health and learning it’s ok to love again. This is written so incredibly well, I swear I went through the grieving process with Liz. The support system Liz had with both Brian and Elle was everything. I highly recommend this book, just make sure to have the Kleenex ready.
June 25, 2024
Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
*Swoon*
This book is so good, that I don't know that I wanted it to end. I loved everything about Brian and Liz's second chance in this book. The writing in this story is so great, and even though I didn't cry, it definitely had me in my feels.
Liz is a mother that has recently suffered the loss of her husband, and to try and pick up the pieces, she moves back to her home town to live with her sister and niece. Though she's aware of some things she'll have to face, she knows it's better for her and her two children to be able to rebuild themselves. There she rekindles her friendship with her best friend that she stopped talking to years ago over a disagreement, and they eventually take the next step. Brian is Liz's ex-best friend. He's always been in love with her, but never got the chance to tell her, because her late husband was in the picture at the time and they ended up together. While he was happy to know that her marriage was a great one, and her husband, who was his friend as well in the past, never hurt her, he couldn't bring himself to be in their lives. When he gets a second chance with Liz, he does everything that he can to make sure she's fully aware of his feelings for her, but that he can wait for her to come around.
I loved that Brian became an integral part of Liz's children's lives based off the fact that he wanted to help make things easier for them after moving and being in a town that was cruel about their father's passing. I loved that he stepped in seamlessly, and made it clear to them that he was only trying to be their friend. I loved reading Liz's growth in the story, and how she knew that the conversations she had with her husband were all a part of her wishing that he was still there. I loved the complex emotions that she felt when she started to open up to Brian, but felt like she was letting Lyle down.
If you want a great book with feels, laughs, and some spice, this is the perfect book.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
*Swoon*
This book is so good, that I don't know that I wanted it to end. I loved everything about Brian and Liz's second chance in this book. The writing in this story is so great, and even though I didn't cry, it definitely had me in my feels.
Liz is a mother that has recently suffered the loss of her husband, and to try and pick up the pieces, she moves back to her home town to live with her sister and niece. Though she's aware of some things she'll have to face, she knows it's better for her and her two children to be able to rebuild themselves. There she rekindles her friendship with her best friend that she stopped talking to years ago over a disagreement, and they eventually take the next step. Brian is Liz's ex-best friend. He's always been in love with her, but never got the chance to tell her, because her late husband was in the picture at the time and they ended up together. While he was happy to know that her marriage was a great one, and her husband, who was his friend as well in the past, never hurt her, he couldn't bring himself to be in their lives. When he gets a second chance with Liz, he does everything that he can to make sure she's fully aware of his feelings for her, but that he can wait for her to come around.
I loved that Brian became an integral part of Liz's children's lives based off the fact that he wanted to help make things easier for them after moving and being in a town that was cruel about their father's passing. I loved that he stepped in seamlessly, and made it clear to them that he was only trying to be their friend. I loved reading Liz's growth in the story, and how she knew that the conversations she had with her husband were all a part of her wishing that he was still there. I loved the complex emotions that she felt when she started to open up to Brian, but felt like she was letting Lyle down.
If you want a great book with feels, laughs, and some spice, this is the perfect book.
June 16, 2024
Rating: 4.5 stars
Spice levels: 3?ish
This was one of those novels you sorta wait to find? Where they tick that emotional, physical and mental desire for stimuli. It has a seamless and wonderful time hop within from past to present, the grief you experience with the main character and her children is palpable. I loved the reuniting of a past friend to lovers trope this one tangled in the pages so you’re rekindling right along with them, and the dual PoV between FMC AND MMC was 🤌🏻.
I can’t wait to read more from this author great quotes and writing style; and they’ve been so kind with excitement through their soon to be release and I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of reading their book baby.
Spice levels: 3?ish
This was one of those novels you sorta wait to find? Where they tick that emotional, physical and mental desire for stimuli. It has a seamless and wonderful time hop within from past to present, the grief you experience with the main character and her children is palpable. I loved the reuniting of a past friend to lovers trope this one tangled in the pages so you’re rekindling right along with them, and the dual PoV between FMC AND MMC was 🤌🏻.
I can’t wait to read more from this author great quotes and writing style; and they’ve been so kind with excitement through their soon to be release and I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of reading their book baby.
June 22, 2024
Rating: 5 🌟
Spice: 3.75 🌶️
Quote(s):
“I don't know that I'm ready to be an us yet. I know the kids aren't ready, and I can't do that to them. It may be asking a lot, but will you wait a little longer for me?”
“All my life, I've waited for you, Lizzie. I would wait the rest of my life if I needed to. You're everything I have ever wanted. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere.”
The story of Lizzie and Brian is both heart wrenching and a beautiful journey. Starting off as best friends, Lizzie and Bry were everything to one another. They were each other’s strength and biggest ally when the world turned upside down. As both had unrequited love for each other, words left unspoken led them down two different paths.
Lizzie’s loss of her high school sweetheart left her in a state of mourning and she returns to the one place she promised she’d never go back to. Haunting by her husband’s ghost, Lizzie struggles with navigating life without him. So in bid to be with someone to comfort her, she returns to the small town where life began. Home to her big sister. Being in her hometown, she reconnects with Brian, who stopped being friends with her and her Lyle. Life has changed them. Bry is no longer the lanky teen boy who she secretly loved, but a man with his own heartbreak. She navigated what it means to live with her loss and trusting her heart.
Brian was lost once he let go of his friendship with Lizzie. Though he moved on, he always wanted her. He goes into the military, where he meets Sam, and he finds love once again. Unfortunately, live has other plans. He looses his fiancé in the most tragic way. He returns home and begins his life over. But then Lizzie returns. In a bid to be the friend she needs, his love for her becomes more apparent. One shared kiss…
“I'll never be the same after last night, Lizzie. You're everything I imagined you would be and more. There's no turning back for me. You're it. You always have been. But don't worry. I'll be waiting until you're ready.”
My heart was pulled in so many directions reading this book. Seeing the cycle of grief, affects of childhood trauma, and dealing with life after loss. I went through it. I lived for the banter and growth between Brian and Lizzie. I knew too much of the pain both characters experienced. This was an amazing read.
Spice: 3.75 🌶️
Quote(s):
“I don't know that I'm ready to be an us yet. I know the kids aren't ready, and I can't do that to them. It may be asking a lot, but will you wait a little longer for me?”
“All my life, I've waited for you, Lizzie. I would wait the rest of my life if I needed to. You're everything I have ever wanted. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere.”
The story of Lizzie and Brian is both heart wrenching and a beautiful journey. Starting off as best friends, Lizzie and Bry were everything to one another. They were each other’s strength and biggest ally when the world turned upside down. As both had unrequited love for each other, words left unspoken led them down two different paths.
Lizzie’s loss of her high school sweetheart left her in a state of mourning and she returns to the one place she promised she’d never go back to. Haunting by her husband’s ghost, Lizzie struggles with navigating life without him. So in bid to be with someone to comfort her, she returns to the small town where life began. Home to her big sister. Being in her hometown, she reconnects with Brian, who stopped being friends with her and her Lyle. Life has changed them. Bry is no longer the lanky teen boy who she secretly loved, but a man with his own heartbreak. She navigated what it means to live with her loss and trusting her heart.
Brian was lost once he let go of his friendship with Lizzie. Though he moved on, he always wanted her. He goes into the military, where he meets Sam, and he finds love once again. Unfortunately, live has other plans. He looses his fiancé in the most tragic way. He returns home and begins his life over. But then Lizzie returns. In a bid to be the friend she needs, his love for her becomes more apparent. One shared kiss…
“I'll never be the same after last night, Lizzie. You're everything I imagined you would be and more. There's no turning back for me. You're it. You always have been. But don't worry. I'll be waiting until you're ready.”
My heart was pulled in so many directions reading this book. Seeing the cycle of grief, affects of childhood trauma, and dealing with life after loss. I went through it. I lived for the banter and growth between Brian and Lizzie. I knew too much of the pain both characters experienced. This was an amazing read.
June 25, 2024
Whispers of the heart by Rae Knight
I dont even know where to start with This one.
I will try to keep this one spoiler free as much as possible !
It’s a Dual pov contemporary romance. It’s an adult book, but adult main characters with children dealing with heavy issues but also a romance filled with smut.
We follow Liz and Brian In their thirties dealing with grief, depression, ptsd, anxiety and other heavy topics and follow them as they find their way back to a happy life. Definitely be sure to check out the trigger warnings as it will have you crying your eyes out.
This book is just all the way through amazing! It had all the feels. Leaving me crying, laughing and heart swooning throughout the entire book!
It is so well written and so real! Having gone through some mental health issues myself it hits hard, but heartwarming still. And makes you believe that someday everything will be okay, that maybe some things happens for a reason.
This book definitely reaches my top 5 of contemporary romance reads this year. I loved that the characters are in their thirties and it’s a more adult read than most contemporary romances might be. The fact that it still touches so many serious and important topics just makes me love it even more.
I cannot recommend this book enough !
Oh oh and let’s not forget the song recommendations!!! I LOOOOOVED it ! Through the book the author comes with song recommendations for some specific and it is an amazing addition to setting the mood of those scenes!
There is even a Spotify playlist 🤩
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️-🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Now and Then
Childhood friends to not friends to lovers
Single Mom
Second chance
Strong FMC
Protective MMC
Punks not de@d
Steamy scenes
I dont even know where to start with This one.
I will try to keep this one spoiler free as much as possible !
It’s a Dual pov contemporary romance. It’s an adult book, but adult main characters with children dealing with heavy issues but also a romance filled with smut.
We follow Liz and Brian In their thirties dealing with grief, depression, ptsd, anxiety and other heavy topics and follow them as they find their way back to a happy life. Definitely be sure to check out the trigger warnings as it will have you crying your eyes out.
This book is just all the way through amazing! It had all the feels. Leaving me crying, laughing and heart swooning throughout the entire book!
It is so well written and so real! Having gone through some mental health issues myself it hits hard, but heartwarming still. And makes you believe that someday everything will be okay, that maybe some things happens for a reason.
This book definitely reaches my top 5 of contemporary romance reads this year. I loved that the characters are in their thirties and it’s a more adult read than most contemporary romances might be. The fact that it still touches so many serious and important topics just makes me love it even more.
I cannot recommend this book enough !
Oh oh and let’s not forget the song recommendations!!! I LOOOOOVED it ! Through the book the author comes with song recommendations for some specific and it is an amazing addition to setting the mood of those scenes!
There is even a Spotify playlist 🤩
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️-🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Now and Then
Childhood friends to not friends to lovers
Single Mom
Second chance
Strong FMC
Protective MMC
Punks not de@d
Steamy scenes
June 25, 2024
Honest ARC review:
3.5 ⭐️
2.5 🌶️
This is a good story showing the grief of a widow, and moving forward in her life. The characters are likable, and writing is good. I enjoyed the spicy scenes, could’ve had more written on page for my personal liking though. The emotional connection on page is beautiful and moving. The story definitely felt heavily focused on Lyle.
I did find this book to be heavily Christian focused at points, which personally just not a fan of. I did enjoy the suggested songs, but felt the placement disrupted the flow and pulled me from the story. Would’ve preferred the song list be on its own page in the beginning. The pace is very slow, but some things felt rushed at the same time.
I wasn’t a fan of her and Brian’s first time, simply because she communicated she wasn’t ready, Brian said he’d respect that, but then they pushed forward anyway…? Also felt sad for Lily because she is the strong oldest daughter and her grief was overlooked. She had to look out for her mom while it seemed her mom just saw her as strong and already bounced back from her dad’s passing in a matter of months. My personal life may influence my feelings on that part. 🤷🏻♀️ But regardless, I think this shows how well the author personified the characters.
Also wish we would’ve seen Liz and Brian’s wedding since it was brought up so much in the book on how she should’ve had the wedding of her dreams. Instead we do see a touching moment of Lily getting married.
Overall, a decent read. If you’re looking for a story that’s more emotional, this will definitely be the book for you.
3.5 ⭐️
2.5 🌶️
This is a good story showing the grief of a widow, and moving forward in her life. The characters are likable, and writing is good. I enjoyed the spicy scenes, could’ve had more written on page for my personal liking though. The emotional connection on page is beautiful and moving. The story definitely felt heavily focused on Lyle.
I did find this book to be heavily Christian focused at points, which personally just not a fan of. I did enjoy the suggested songs, but felt the placement disrupted the flow and pulled me from the story. Would’ve preferred the song list be on its own page in the beginning. The pace is very slow, but some things felt rushed at the same time.
I wasn’t a fan of her and Brian’s first time, simply because she communicated she wasn’t ready, Brian said he’d respect that, but then they pushed forward anyway…? Also felt sad for Lily because she is the strong oldest daughter and her grief was overlooked. She had to look out for her mom while it seemed her mom just saw her as strong and already bounced back from her dad’s passing in a matter of months. My personal life may influence my feelings on that part. 🤷🏻♀️ But regardless, I think this shows how well the author personified the characters.
Also wish we would’ve seen Liz and Brian’s wedding since it was brought up so much in the book on how she should’ve had the wedding of her dreams. Instead we do see a touching moment of Lily getting married.
Overall, a decent read. If you’re looking for a story that’s more emotional, this will definitely be the book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2024
This is a well written book. It has you crying one minute to laughing the next. I will say it is not for the sensitive cry easily type. There are some triggers if you are sensitive to such things. The author does give this disclaimer. If you chose to ignore this and blow through this like I did. Have the box of tissues handy. It has some spice to the story and down right hysterical parts. I loved the story told. I would highly recommend this book along with any of the rest of Rae Knight's books. You will not be disappointed.
June 18, 2024
Best friends growing up, Liz and Brian reconnect after Liz moves back home with her children. Brian regrets losing her as his person, but he couldn’t stand by and watch her marry his best friend when he wanted her. Now, the path is clear and he wants back in her life however she will take him. This was a sweet book of reconnecting friends who had a crush on each other but never made a move. The pace moved nicely and had very believable dialogue between characters. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a book about missed chances
June 10, 2024
This book was amazing. It definitely pulled on my heart strings to know what Liz went through. She truly went through a lot of changes. It was amazing to watch her sister Elle help her and the same for Brian. He truly came back into her life when she needed him the most and he helped with Liz’s children. I highly recommend this book!
June 12, 2024
I got to read this now. So good, so emotional! Loved this one so so much! The characters seemed so real to me. While I have not lost a husband, I could empathize cause I lost my dad 2 years ago. So I could see what the kids were going through. So glad I was able to read this one. Also very very smutty!!! Detailed etc also has to deal with panic attacks by the main female character.
July 3, 2024
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It tells a heartbreaking yet heartwarming story of loss, and learning to live and love again. The emotional roller coaster it took me on made me both laugh and cry, though mostly cry. I adored witnessing the love between Lizzie and Lyle, as well as the bond between her and Brian.
June 11, 2024
Loved this book. Character development, and it had me hooked from the beginning.
June 16, 2024
First chapter and I’m crying 😢 Lizzie & Bryan are made for each other and all the sadness & heartbreak they both had to go through to come back together 💔♥️ this book does have trigger warnings.
June 24, 2024
I’m not crying, you’re crying!
Ok, so we are all crying. Whispers of the Heart will break your h eart, put it back together, and break it all over again. You will cry tears of pain and loss, tears for the teenager you used to be, the hope you ventured out into life holding onto with adventurous optimism, and tears for the hole that is burned and dug out of your soul when you experience the worst kind of heart-break. And yet, tears of happiness, of a heart overflowing with a sense of home and belonging will ultimately fall in rivers by the end.
We are all Lizzie and Brian. In some way or another. We are outsiders, clinging to our own little band of weirdos as we traverse the difficult world of growing up, losing those we love, and finding our way forward again. The relationship they have, the friendship, the camaraderie, and the love is heartwarming and so incredibly tangible. Lizzie’s grief is all-consuming…for her, and for the reader. But so is the joy that she exudes as she reconnects with Brian and finally allows herself to acknowledge the feelings which were always there, without diminishing the love she lost.
Ok, so we are all crying. Whispers of the Heart will break your h eart, put it back together, and break it all over again. You will cry tears of pain and loss, tears for the teenager you used to be, the hope you ventured out into life holding onto with adventurous optimism, and tears for the hole that is burned and dug out of your soul when you experience the worst kind of heart-break. And yet, tears of happiness, of a heart overflowing with a sense of home and belonging will ultimately fall in rivers by the end.
We are all Lizzie and Brian. In some way or another. We are outsiders, clinging to our own little band of weirdos as we traverse the difficult world of growing up, losing those we love, and finding our way forward again. The relationship they have, the friendship, the camaraderie, and the love is heartwarming and so incredibly tangible. Lizzie’s grief is all-consuming…for her, and for the reader. But so is the joy that she exudes as she reconnects with Brian and finally allows herself to acknowledge the feelings which were always there, without diminishing the love she lost.
July 11, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It pulls on your heart A LOT with grief and love and loss. I’m a big fan of “later in life” romances (established adults) so Lizzie was great having two kids. I also greatly appreciated the close sister relationship this story told. You see the kids grow into themselves, Lizzie, and her sister Elle. I definitely reccomend this book.
June 26, 2024
A duel POV second chance romance between old friends after a devastating loss. It bounces around a bit, timeline wise and will pull at your heartstrings! Lizzie is newly widowed with kids and makes the decision to return to her hometown where she reconnects with her once upon a time close friend Brian. Lizzie is navigating relentless grief and single motherhood and Brian is an absolute gem of man who is dealing with his own grief in ways.
All in all I enjoyed this one! Rae is a great writer and she pulled me in with an emotional story and good characters. I enjoyed the storyline and felt it was paced well!
All in all I enjoyed this one! Rae is a great writer and she pulled me in with an emotional story and good characters. I enjoyed the storyline and felt it was paced well!
June 25, 2024
4.5 stars!!!!! I loved this book!!!!! If a book can make me cry, automatic 4 stars. This book made me laugh, cry, tingle, and squeal!!!! I loved the duel POV. I loved the relationship of the 2 main characters before and after Lyle. I loved it all!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2024
I'm going to be gentle here, but please read and deeply consider the trigger warning. There are no dark topics in this book, but the topics here are heavy and deep, the love, the loss, mental health, and learning to love again. These are hard topics for some people, and for some, these topics are not mentally healthy.
I never knew that a single book could destroy a person, but I now know that it can happen, and this book did just that to me. And this is a great thing. From page one, I knew that this book was going to grab my heart and keep it in its grasp. And with each page, it tightened its grasp. This book proves that you can take a second chance at love and love that person just as deeply as you loved the first person.
If you haven't found this book, then let me help you find it. It's called: Whispers Of The Heart by Rae Knight. You'll find it on Amazon. This book is going to fill every emotional, physical, and mental desire you need and want. It is seamless and gives you a wonderful time.
I loved the flashbacks showing Lyle and how deeply she loved him. I felt like I knew him. I felt like I was grieving his loss. It was amazing, and I just couldn't put this down. I went through the grieving process with Liz, and I healed with her. The way that Brian and Elle helped her heal was everything I needed for her.
Please, if you are going to read this book have lots of tissue on hand, you are going to need it.
I never knew that a single book could destroy a person, but I now know that it can happen, and this book did just that to me. And this is a great thing. From page one, I knew that this book was going to grab my heart and keep it in its grasp. And with each page, it tightened its grasp. This book proves that you can take a second chance at love and love that person just as deeply as you loved the first person.
If you haven't found this book, then let me help you find it. It's called: Whispers Of The Heart by Rae Knight. You'll find it on Amazon. This book is going to fill every emotional, physical, and mental desire you need and want. It is seamless and gives you a wonderful time.
I loved the flashbacks showing Lyle and how deeply she loved him. I felt like I knew him. I felt like I was grieving his loss. It was amazing, and I just couldn't put this down. I went through the grieving process with Liz, and I healed with her. The way that Brian and Elle helped her heal was everything I needed for her.
Please, if you are going to read this book have lots of tissue on hand, you are going to need it.
June 18, 2024
Spoilers are at the end and notes ahead of time!
Whispers of the Heart is a sweet tale of working through grief and heartache, while rekindling relationships of the past. Knight navigated the delicate balance of these tricky situations in a way that felt real and believable.
When Liz’s husband and high school sweetheart dies unexpectedly, she moves back to her home town with her teen daughter and young son. Living with her sister and niece helps give her a support system during the difficult time, but no one helps quite like her estranged former best friend, Brian, who disappeared from her life when she got married. While he’s not happy about the circumstances, Brian isn’t going to let this second chance of being in Lizzie’s life pass him by, and with any luck it’ll finally be the happily ever after he’d always dreamed of for them.
The sad moments here are all balanced with happy ones, and while I wouldn’t say this story is abundantly “spicy” it is and the scenes are very well done.
If you’re looking for a modern romance that is a bit different, throws you back to the pop punk days of the early 2000s, deals with grief and second chances, give this book a shot.
I do have a couple of spoilery notes/disclaimers: As someone who has known “nice guys” who held unrequited romantic feelings towards their female friends, always believing it would be “their chance” one day and that they’d be so much better for her than their current man, Brian gave me the ick at times and I had to actively push my own feelings aside and remind myself that Lizzie actually found this behavior sweet, so that’s what it is in this context. He does have a lot of language in his POV however that details his feelings of entitlement over her that did minorly bother me.
Also, note there are a lot of religious undertones in this book. I am not religious, but I did grow up that way, so I was able to gloss over it pretty well, but it’s fairly present and something to keep in mind going in if you’re not up for religion in your books.
Whispers of the Heart is a sweet tale of working through grief and heartache, while rekindling relationships of the past. Knight navigated the delicate balance of these tricky situations in a way that felt real and believable.
When Liz’s husband and high school sweetheart dies unexpectedly, she moves back to her home town with her teen daughter and young son. Living with her sister and niece helps give her a support system during the difficult time, but no one helps quite like her estranged former best friend, Brian, who disappeared from her life when she got married. While he’s not happy about the circumstances, Brian isn’t going to let this second chance of being in Lizzie’s life pass him by, and with any luck it’ll finally be the happily ever after he’d always dreamed of for them.
The sad moments here are all balanced with happy ones, and while I wouldn’t say this story is abundantly “spicy” it is and the scenes are very well done.
If you’re looking for a modern romance that is a bit different, throws you back to the pop punk days of the early 2000s, deals with grief and second chances, give this book a shot.
I do have a couple of spoilery notes/disclaimers: As someone who has known “nice guys” who held unrequited romantic feelings towards their female friends, always believing it would be “their chance” one day and that they’d be so much better for her than their current man, Brian gave me the ick at times and I had to actively push my own feelings aside and remind myself that Lizzie actually found this behavior sweet, so that’s what it is in this context. He does have a lot of language in his POV however that details his feelings of entitlement over her that did minorly bother me.
Also, note there are a lot of religious undertones in this book. I am not religious, but I did grow up that way, so I was able to gloss over it pretty well, but it’s fairly present and something to keep in mind going in if you’re not up for religion in your books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2024
*BOOK REVIEW*
BOOK: Whispers of the Heart
AUTHOR: Rae Knight
REVIEW: First I'd like to say that I can't remember the last time that I fugly cried a lot while reading a book, but this book had me in a perpetual state of fugly crying! I'm talking tears and snot running down my face type of crying (don't worry, I cleaned myself up after, I'm not that disgusting!). In this book, we follow Lizzie as she packs up her kids and moves to her hometown after the sudden death of her husband. Rumors are circulating that she's the one who caused his death, and her kids are having to be bullied by these rumors. We also follow her best friend since childhood, Brian, who is an Army veteran with deep pain caused by a tragedy that happened during one of his tours in Afghanistan. Their friendship grows stronger and they grow even closer as they learn to heal from their losses together. Brian has had a pure and beautiful love for Lizzie since they were kids and soon, that love comes to fruition. This book was absolutely heartwrenching! Like, why you gotta make me cry like that, Rae? WHY?!?!?!?!? In all seriousness, this book contains two broken people who heal together and find love along the way. This book covers some hard subjects such as bullying, mental health problems, and the loss of a spouse, so heed the trigger warnings and skip out on this one if there's something that'll trigger you. There's no shame in saying no to this book, your mental health comes first! I felt absolutely horrible for Lizzie and her kids because they had to be the center of horrible, and obviously false, rumors. They didn't deserve that, especially when they were mourning the loss of someone they loved. I wanted to give some of the characters an attitude adjustment, if you know what I mean! (🤜🤕) This book was beautiful, heartbreaking, and sweet at the same time. Brian is a new inductee to my book-husband harem. I can't wait to read more of Rae's work, I'm an instant fan! ❤
RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
BOOK: Whispers of the Heart
AUTHOR: Rae Knight
REVIEW: First I'd like to say that I can't remember the last time that I fugly cried a lot while reading a book, but this book had me in a perpetual state of fugly crying! I'm talking tears and snot running down my face type of crying (don't worry, I cleaned myself up after, I'm not that disgusting!). In this book, we follow Lizzie as she packs up her kids and moves to her hometown after the sudden death of her husband. Rumors are circulating that she's the one who caused his death, and her kids are having to be bullied by these rumors. We also follow her best friend since childhood, Brian, who is an Army veteran with deep pain caused by a tragedy that happened during one of his tours in Afghanistan. Their friendship grows stronger and they grow even closer as they learn to heal from their losses together. Brian has had a pure and beautiful love for Lizzie since they were kids and soon, that love comes to fruition. This book was absolutely heartwrenching! Like, why you gotta make me cry like that, Rae? WHY?!?!?!?!? In all seriousness, this book contains two broken people who heal together and find love along the way. This book covers some hard subjects such as bullying, mental health problems, and the loss of a spouse, so heed the trigger warnings and skip out on this one if there's something that'll trigger you. There's no shame in saying no to this book, your mental health comes first! I felt absolutely horrible for Lizzie and her kids because they had to be the center of horrible, and obviously false, rumors. They didn't deserve that, especially when they were mourning the loss of someone they loved. I wanted to give some of the characters an attitude adjustment, if you know what I mean! (🤜🤕) This book was beautiful, heartbreaking, and sweet at the same time. Brian is a new inductee to my book-husband harem. I can't wait to read more of Rae's work, I'm an instant fan! ❤
RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
June 14, 2024
TROPES:
Single Mom (widow)
Love after loss
Slow burn
Punk’s not dead
Strong FMC
Protective MMC
Second chance
Strong sister bond
No third act breakup
First off…HAVE TISSUES READY! Rae has ways of bringing the ugly cry out of you and she didn’t skip out on this one.
Lizzie’s story is heart wrenching and relatable. Having lost her husband, she’s forced to take her two kids and start over back home with her sister. Grief is hard on anyone let alone someone who has to now raise kids without their spouse; it’s a process Lizzie thinks she has to do alone. That is until her best friend (ex best friend?) show up at her sister’s house for dinner. Now, she’s battling grief but reconnecting with Brian all while dealing with being back in her small hometown that her and her dead husband said they’d never return to.
Seriously, this has Hallmark movie written all over it!
Oh and best part….my emo heart was on fire the whole time!! If you also had your “it’s not a phase” set of bands like Blink 182, Breaking Benjamin, Bowling For Soup…then this is a love story for us!!! Lizzie is the epitome of the phrase “it’s not just a phase” and while Brian did lose the Mohawk, he’s the elder emo we love.
There Is so much heart break in this book but I loved that the author took her time to let the reader know this isn’t your typical “burry him and move on” kind of story. I truly loved seeing Lizzie, and Brian, work through their grief. I loved seeing how Brian took care of Milo and Lily as well in the sweetest of ways. (Again Hallmark worthy)
Now, the love…the spice….it was years in the making and hot! It’s a slow burn, which again in real life it can be, but once Brian and Lizzie finally have their moment…YES! I loved every page of it.
This really was a great book by Rae Knight. Second one of hers I’ve read and I can’t wait to see what else this woman comes up with.
Single Mom (widow)
Love after loss
Slow burn
Punk’s not dead
Strong FMC
Protective MMC
Second chance
Strong sister bond
No third act breakup
First off…HAVE TISSUES READY! Rae has ways of bringing the ugly cry out of you and she didn’t skip out on this one.
Lizzie’s story is heart wrenching and relatable. Having lost her husband, she’s forced to take her two kids and start over back home with her sister. Grief is hard on anyone let alone someone who has to now raise kids without their spouse; it’s a process Lizzie thinks she has to do alone. That is until her best friend (ex best friend?) show up at her sister’s house for dinner. Now, she’s battling grief but reconnecting with Brian all while dealing with being back in her small hometown that her and her dead husband said they’d never return to.
Seriously, this has Hallmark movie written all over it!
Oh and best part….my emo heart was on fire the whole time!! If you also had your “it’s not a phase” set of bands like Blink 182, Breaking Benjamin, Bowling For Soup…then this is a love story for us!!! Lizzie is the epitome of the phrase “it’s not just a phase” and while Brian did lose the Mohawk, he’s the elder emo we love.
There Is so much heart break in this book but I loved that the author took her time to let the reader know this isn’t your typical “burry him and move on” kind of story. I truly loved seeing Lizzie, and Brian, work through their grief. I loved seeing how Brian took care of Milo and Lily as well in the sweetest of ways. (Again Hallmark worthy)
Now, the love…the spice….it was years in the making and hot! It’s a slow burn, which again in real life it can be, but once Brian and Lizzie finally have their moment…YES! I loved every page of it.
This really was a great book by Rae Knight. Second one of hers I’ve read and I can’t wait to see what else this woman comes up with.
June 12, 2024
This book!!!
** SPOILERS AHEAD **
Hands down one of the best books I have probably ever read. It's a roller-coaster of emotions. This book grabbed in a personal way the whole way through. It touches base heavily on grief and loss of a loved one as well as finding love after loss. The heartache that both Lizzie and Brian go through is what people go through every day. This one truly hit me in the feels, but I absolutely loved reading it. Lizzie loses her husband and has to deal with that grief as well as try and be a mother to their 2 children. I lost my mum around the same age as Lily, I was 13 going on 14 and my brother was almost Milos age, he was 8 going on 9, so this book was very close to my own personal life and what those poor kids go through as well as Lizzie is what really pulled me in, I sobbed so hard for the last 15% of this book. It broke me but also put me back together again. Brian was what they all needed and he needed them after his own grief as well in the end. He stepped back from their lives choosing to lose them because he couldn't watch them be happy because he loved Lizzie so much. Lyle knew how much Brian loved her but didnt know until many years after they stopped talking. Lyle's emails to Brian broke my heart but once Brian replied to them even though Lyle was gone, he was replying to not only Lyle but Lizzie. It's heartbreaking that Lyle passed but this was a true second chance for them to find each other.
I could keep going with this review, but I better wrap it up.
This book was amazing Rae, thank you for writing something about such true things that do happen and making the grief so realistic. I couldn't love this book anymore if I tried. Really wish I could read it again for the 1st time again.
Infinity stars 🌟
Spice: 🌶🌶
** SPOILERS AHEAD **
Hands down one of the best books I have probably ever read. It's a roller-coaster of emotions. This book grabbed in a personal way the whole way through. It touches base heavily on grief and loss of a loved one as well as finding love after loss. The heartache that both Lizzie and Brian go through is what people go through every day. This one truly hit me in the feels, but I absolutely loved reading it. Lizzie loses her husband and has to deal with that grief as well as try and be a mother to their 2 children. I lost my mum around the same age as Lily, I was 13 going on 14 and my brother was almost Milos age, he was 8 going on 9, so this book was very close to my own personal life and what those poor kids go through as well as Lizzie is what really pulled me in, I sobbed so hard for the last 15% of this book. It broke me but also put me back together again. Brian was what they all needed and he needed them after his own grief as well in the end. He stepped back from their lives choosing to lose them because he couldn't watch them be happy because he loved Lizzie so much. Lyle knew how much Brian loved her but didnt know until many years after they stopped talking. Lyle's emails to Brian broke my heart but once Brian replied to them even though Lyle was gone, he was replying to not only Lyle but Lizzie. It's heartbreaking that Lyle passed but this was a true second chance for them to find each other.
I could keep going with this review, but I better wrap it up.
This book was amazing Rae, thank you for writing something about such true things that do happen and making the grief so realistic. I couldn't love this book anymore if I tried. Really wish I could read it again for the 1st time again.
Infinity stars 🌟
Spice: 🌶🌶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2024
✨ 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ✨
𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
🫶🏼 childhood friends to lovers
💙 single mom
🫶🏼 sassy & feisty FMC
💙 protective & swoony MMC
🫶🏼 starting over
💙 dealing with grief
🫶🏼 open door romance
💙 dual POV
Lizzie finds herself moving back to her hometown after her husband had a heart attack while they were sleeping & passed away. Lizzie ends up connecting with her old childhood friend Brian when she moves home. Brian offers her a job at his auto shop & Lizzie takes Brian up on his offer. While Lizzie is there, Brian notices how difficult of a time Lizzie is having with the loss of her husband, who was Brian’s friend at one point as well till Brian pushed Lizzie & Lyle away since he had romantic feelings for Lizzie back then. Brian makes sure to show up for Lizzie & her kids no matter what & with Brian & Lizzie spending time together, feelings start to come back (or maybe they never went away).
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster, that’s for sure! I was crying, laughing, angry, smiling, & everything else in between. It was so heart wrenching when Lizzie would have moments where she would imagine talking to Lyle throughout moments in the book. But at the same time, you couldn’t help but root for her & Brian to take their relationship to the next level. I loved how Brian was so swoony & was saying & doing the sweetest things for Lizzie & her kids. I did feel like there were some slow parts that I found myself having to push through, but overall this was such a heartfelt romance!
𝐐𝐎𝐓𝐃: 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 & 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞!
#arcreview #whispersoftheheart #raeknight #indieauthor #romancereader
𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
🫶🏼 childhood friends to lovers
💙 single mom
🫶🏼 sassy & feisty FMC
💙 protective & swoony MMC
🫶🏼 starting over
💙 dealing with grief
🫶🏼 open door romance
💙 dual POV
Lizzie finds herself moving back to her hometown after her husband had a heart attack while they were sleeping & passed away. Lizzie ends up connecting with her old childhood friend Brian when she moves home. Brian offers her a job at his auto shop & Lizzie takes Brian up on his offer. While Lizzie is there, Brian notices how difficult of a time Lizzie is having with the loss of her husband, who was Brian’s friend at one point as well till Brian pushed Lizzie & Lyle away since he had romantic feelings for Lizzie back then. Brian makes sure to show up for Lizzie & her kids no matter what & with Brian & Lizzie spending time together, feelings start to come back (or maybe they never went away).
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster, that’s for sure! I was crying, laughing, angry, smiling, & everything else in between. It was so heart wrenching when Lizzie would have moments where she would imagine talking to Lyle throughout moments in the book. But at the same time, you couldn’t help but root for her & Brian to take their relationship to the next level. I loved how Brian was so swoony & was saying & doing the sweetest things for Lizzie & her kids. I did feel like there were some slow parts that I found myself having to push through, but overall this was such a heartfelt romance!
𝐐𝐎𝐓𝐃: 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 & 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞!
#arcreview #whispersoftheheart #raeknight #indieauthor #romancereader
June 10, 2024
I can honestly say I've cried my eyes out more then a handful of times at this master peace !
The amount of detail but especially emotion portrayed in the writing is unreal !
I really felt like I was there grieving with the chapters. The way they helped each other with grief was just so beautiful to read. I love the support system lizze actually had with everyone and how mental health was portaged as something that could be worked through even with all the ups & downs !
One of my most favourite things was the that Lyle was wrote in to the story in a way that made him feel like he was just an extra character in the story present tense. It made me see him how lizze saw him , which made me fall in love with his character more, making lizze grief feel more surreal.
Also, the way you the flashback had so much detail in them and was relevant to the current situation of what was happening instead of just being a random useless event. (I've seen alot of authors do this and it drives me crazy !)
The skip forward to 6 years later was also a nice touch that helped me feel satisfied with the ending.
Overall, I'm absolutely star struck with this book! The story and flow of the writing definitely didn't disappoint! It was such a well wrote & beautiful book that put alot of books to shame! The way lizze transformed from a grieving widow/ newly single mum just trying to survive for her kids sake and trying to protect the kids from her grief, back into the women she used to be & nailing her mothering role whilst teaching her kids that feeling emotions is just a part of life and is acceptable was just perfect.
The amount of detail but especially emotion portrayed in the writing is unreal !
I really felt like I was there grieving with the chapters. The way they helped each other with grief was just so beautiful to read. I love the support system lizze actually had with everyone and how mental health was portaged as something that could be worked through even with all the ups & downs !
One of my most favourite things was the that Lyle was wrote in to the story in a way that made him feel like he was just an extra character in the story present tense. It made me see him how lizze saw him , which made me fall in love with his character more, making lizze grief feel more surreal.
Also, the way you the flashback had so much detail in them and was relevant to the current situation of what was happening instead of just being a random useless event. (I've seen alot of authors do this and it drives me crazy !)
The skip forward to 6 years later was also a nice touch that helped me feel satisfied with the ending.
Overall, I'm absolutely star struck with this book! The story and flow of the writing definitely didn't disappoint! It was such a well wrote & beautiful book that put alot of books to shame! The way lizze transformed from a grieving widow/ newly single mum just trying to survive for her kids sake and trying to protect the kids from her grief, back into the women she used to be & nailing her mothering role whilst teaching her kids that feeling emotions is just a part of life and is acceptable was just perfect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2024
Oh, my HEART! I ADORED this book!
The characters were so real and raw, with such a well-developed plot. I was able to connect with these characters so much! I have been married for 15 years, and while I have 3 children with my husband, my oldest is just a tad younger than Lily and my youngest is the same age as Milo. My husband is the same age as Lyle was when he passed and that hit me hard; the thought of losing the love of my life.
I laughed, cried, swooned, and said "Aww" so much throughout this book. Absolutely incredible read! I loved that Rae made the timelines very clear so there was no confusion as a reader and just the amazing realness of the characters again. She didn't hold anything back while Lizzie worked through her grief, and how stripped down that can make a person. How confusing that time can be for someone to move on from the loss of their significant other. How hard it would be to raise your kids without their parent, especially after spending 20 years of your life with them. As a wife and a mother, so many pieces of this book completely ripped my heart out, but then there was something to make me gush, just as I can imagine Lizzie's turmoil throughout this story. This is a story of grief, starting over, moving on, working through the mental health side of grief, standing up for what's right, making amends and so much more.
If you need any convincing to read this book, I read this in less than a day because I could not put it down and I refused to go to bed without completing the book and writing this review.
The characters were so real and raw, with such a well-developed plot. I was able to connect with these characters so much! I have been married for 15 years, and while I have 3 children with my husband, my oldest is just a tad younger than Lily and my youngest is the same age as Milo. My husband is the same age as Lyle was when he passed and that hit me hard; the thought of losing the love of my life.
I laughed, cried, swooned, and said "Aww" so much throughout this book. Absolutely incredible read! I loved that Rae made the timelines very clear so there was no confusion as a reader and just the amazing realness of the characters again. She didn't hold anything back while Lizzie worked through her grief, and how stripped down that can make a person. How confusing that time can be for someone to move on from the loss of their significant other. How hard it would be to raise your kids without their parent, especially after spending 20 years of your life with them. As a wife and a mother, so many pieces of this book completely ripped my heart out, but then there was something to make me gush, just as I can imagine Lizzie's turmoil throughout this story. This is a story of grief, starting over, moving on, working through the mental health side of grief, standing up for what's right, making amends and so much more.
If you need any convincing to read this book, I read this in less than a day because I could not put it down and I refused to go to bed without completing the book and writing this review.
June 18, 2024
This is a book that touches your soul. It is heartbreaking, touching, encouraging and fun read. It touches on the fact you can find love after a great loss. Liz has to deal with loosing her husband of 20 years and start back over by moving back home. She reconnects with her childhood friend, who she once loved (but never spoke about it). Liz, Brian and Lyle where three friend, both boys loved Liz but Brain never had the courage to act on it. Then it was too late and too painful to keep in touch with them. Liz heartbroken from loosing her best friend cuts all ties. Little did Liz know that Lyle knew how much she was hurting, kept Brian in the loop by emailing him for the 20 years with updates. Brian never replied and it broke him just as much as Liz. Lyle died while sleeping in the same bed as Liz and it really took its toll on her sanity that she could sleep while he was dying. She kept Lyle alive by imagining him and speaking to him like he was still alive. It took Brian showing her love and support, her family’s support and her kids to show her how to move on and let Lyle rest.
***this book will have you smiling, crying and laughing all at the same time. (Do not read at work) People will think you’re crazy. The spice level is nice 🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ if you are into heavy spice this isn’t for you. It’s not vanilla but it’s not grey.
*** I would also like to say that this author has grown so much in her writing, I love to see a indie writer make there way and grow in the pen.
***this book will have you smiling, crying and laughing all at the same time. (Do not read at work) People will think you’re crazy. The spice level is nice 🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ if you are into heavy spice this isn’t for you. It’s not vanilla but it’s not grey.
*** I would also like to say that this author has grown so much in her writing, I love to see a indie writer make there way and grow in the pen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2024
Raising two amazing kids with her high school sweetheart, Elizabeth thought she had it all.
But overnight Liz loses her husband, Lyle, and is left trying to pick up the pieces. Moving back to her small hometown to live with her sister, Liz is constantly reminded of where it all started, along with how much she truly lost.
Brian returned to Willowbrook & opened a successful mechanic shop after a stint in the Army & dealing with a loss of his own. He hasn’t seen his best friend, Lizzie, in eighteen years, not since she left town to marry their friend, Lyle. Will their friendship stand the test of time?
This novel drew me in from chapter one. It was evident early on that Rae poured her heart & soul into this novel and had a personal connection to this story. This novel resonated with me on such a deep level, I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.
The contrast of the past & present storylines, along with the dual POV, truly helped to build this story into a masterpiece. You connect with the characters, & feel the friendship & love they have built for one another, regardless of how much time has passed between them. This novel dives deep into some heavy subjects, allowing for a rich & deep story that had me in tears.
Please read the trigger warnings before beginning this novel if you are easily triggered.
Rae took this novel one step further, by adding song recommendations to match the different scenes as they unfolded, which I have never experienced before. Not only did the song selections match the story to a T, but brought me back to my junior high/high school days listening to
pop-punk on repeat. I wish I could read this story for the first time again to experience all of the raw emotions & brilliant storytelling.
A highly recommended read that I promise you will not regret.
But overnight Liz loses her husband, Lyle, and is left trying to pick up the pieces. Moving back to her small hometown to live with her sister, Liz is constantly reminded of where it all started, along with how much she truly lost.
Brian returned to Willowbrook & opened a successful mechanic shop after a stint in the Army & dealing with a loss of his own. He hasn’t seen his best friend, Lizzie, in eighteen years, not since she left town to marry their friend, Lyle. Will their friendship stand the test of time?
This novel drew me in from chapter one. It was evident early on that Rae poured her heart & soul into this novel and had a personal connection to this story. This novel resonated with me on such a deep level, I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.
The contrast of the past & present storylines, along with the dual POV, truly helped to build this story into a masterpiece. You connect with the characters, & feel the friendship & love they have built for one another, regardless of how much time has passed between them. This novel dives deep into some heavy subjects, allowing for a rich & deep story that had me in tears.
Please read the trigger warnings before beginning this novel if you are easily triggered.
Rae took this novel one step further, by adding song recommendations to match the different scenes as they unfolded, which I have never experienced before. Not only did the song selections match the story to a T, but brought me back to my junior high/high school days listening to
pop-punk on repeat. I wish I could read this story for the first time again to experience all of the raw emotions & brilliant storytelling.
A highly recommended read that I promise you will not regret.
June 26, 2024
Spice: 3/5 🌶️
Rating: 5/5
I struggled with how to put into words how much I loved this book and how much it affected me. In all honesty, I was skeptical about reading a book with kids because I have a weird thing about kids in books that aren’t in like an epilogue. But I was obsessed when I read the first few chapters and knew it was time to give it a shot. Elizabeth and Brian are absolutely amazing and written so beautifully. The grief they both have from loss in their life is so great but they manifested into something beautiful. The love that Lyle and Lizzie shared is something I hope to have one day. I hope to be so close and connected with someone that they just know. I could tell from the writing how much Lyle loved his family and it brought me to tears. Brian is such a strong character who is not afraid to show his emotions and I love that Rae wrote him like that. I love men who aren’t afraid to cry or be sad. Lily and Milo are so strong and loving and they were written so well. I remember being 16 and god it was hard. I had lost my grandfather and great grandparents and that grief was so overwhelming. I couldn’t imagine losing my father at that age. Kudos to them. Also, Lily and Milo supporting their mom every step of the way?! Absolutely fantastic.
Spoiler!!!!
When Elizabeth discovered the emails from Lyle that Brian never opened I wanted to cry and hide under the covers. I didn’t know how much it would break my heart until Brian responded to them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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