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Open Door Love Story #2
Diving In
She was drowning, and he was the only one who could save her.Brynn Garrett is unsure about a lot of things. Was taking a year off between high school and college to learn the family dry cleaning business a smart move or a stall tactic? Is she maintaining a long distance relationship with her boyfriend Andy because she loves him or out of habit? And will her family of four ever be in the same room again since her older brother Liam broke their mother’s heart by simply following his own?What she does know is that ever since Gabe Riley rolled into her life with his beautiful smile and his easy confidence, Brynn is seeing herself less as a lost little girl and more as an independent woman who goes after what she wants.And what she wants is Gabe.The Open Door Love Story books can be read as standalone novels, but are best enjoyed when read in this InMy RemedyScars On Our HeartsGet the complete series in the Open Door Love Story Box Set.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2014
15 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Wallace
23 books26 followersStacey Wallace writes Contemporary Romance ranging from Sweet to Steamy, and Literary Fiction. She specializes in engaging stories that make her readers snort-laugh, ugly-cry, and fall in love with her characters.
Stacey lives in Beaverton, OR with her husband and their five children. Obviously, she drives a minivan.
Stacey lives in Beaverton, OR with her husband and their five children. Obviously, she drives a minivan.
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April 17, 2020🎁 The complete Open Door Love Story (4 book series) is FREE on Amazon today (4/17/2020)! 🎁
March 8, 2019
Buy it, borrow it - just read it!
Buy it, borrow it - just read it!
Dont wait. If you can, read #1, you don't have to, but you wont regret it.
I loved this book.
Buy it, borrow it - just read it!
Dont wait. If you can, read #1, you don't have to, but you wont regret it.
I loved this book.
July 1, 2014
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Diving In is book 2 of the Open Door Love Story and can be read as a standalone. However, I strongly suggest you read the first book in the series as it will shatter everything you thought about love. I wasn’t sure if Brynn’s story could top the first one. But the way my heart reacted to this story, I think it did. I did more than read and experience this story. I lived it. Yes. LIVE.
“This is what it means to desire someone.”
Most high schoolers go on to college after graduation. Others that do not, make plans. And then you have Brynn Garrett who isn’t sure of anything in her life at the moment. She feels a pull towards staying home and learning the family’s dry cleaners business. But what about college? She is in a long distance relationship with her boyfriend that she is simply complacent with. Her family of four is torn apart as her mother is completely broken over her brother’s decision to live a life that makes him happy. One thing she is sure of? Gabe Riley. She wants him. But there is a problem. She may be hiding something big. And Gabe has no idea.
Giving away the plot of the story would be a complete disservice of this story. Diving In is meant to be experienced by the reader. Gabe is once at the top of his game in high school. And one tragic day changes everything. Years later, he runs into Brynn. She is immediately intrigued with Gabe’s outlook on life. His circumstances are anything but ideal, but he is living. He is funny and he is still as gorgeous as he was years ago. That feeling she has? That’s what it means to yearn for someone. She’s never felt that. Until Gabe. Despite that he is now different. She wants him.
“He’s getting something he loves back, something he’d almost made peace with losing without knowing what he was denying himself.”
I loved the banter and wit of this story. It was genius. It held my attention the entire time. The characters are genuine. Their emotions, raw. You feel everything in this story. You feel the inner turmoil of all the characters. Diving In shows that we are all imperfect and that is simply OK. We are all flawed, but that is what makes us who we are. Brynn loves that Gabe is broken. She loves that he is not perfect and never once wished him to be. She never saw him as broken pieces. She only saw the pieces that would make her whole again.
“You see all of me, Brynn. I know you do and you don’t care that I am broken.”
What I love most about this series and this author is that she takes chances. She goes where many books try and fall short. This story and the first one shatters the things you think you know about love. The love in Diving In is DEEP. It is unlike anything you will probably EVER read. The kind of love that sees no obstacles. Brynn and Gabe only see each other. The heart doesn’t know boundaries. It overcomes them. It is not until you love that you truly live. This author holds nothing back. She shows us that even the most broken people are worthy and capable of love and being loved. She gives people who are seen as "different" a voice.
Diving In is definitely one of my favorite stories this year. This beautiful, heartfelt, emotional story absolutely moved me. It gave me chills. It made me fall in love with reading again. THIS. BOOK. It’s everything that I wanted to experience as a reader and more. As I said before it will shatter any idea you had about love. I laughed. I cried. I lived.
Diving In is book 2 of the Open Door Love Story and can be read as a standalone. However, I strongly suggest you read the first book in the series as it will shatter everything you thought about love. I wasn’t sure if Brynn’s story could top the first one. But the way my heart reacted to this story, I think it did. I did more than read and experience this story. I lived it. Yes. LIVE.
“This is what it means to desire someone.”
Most high schoolers go on to college after graduation. Others that do not, make plans. And then you have Brynn Garrett who isn’t sure of anything in her life at the moment. She feels a pull towards staying home and learning the family’s dry cleaners business. But what about college? She is in a long distance relationship with her boyfriend that she is simply complacent with. Her family of four is torn apart as her mother is completely broken over her brother’s decision to live a life that makes him happy. One thing she is sure of? Gabe Riley. She wants him. But there is a problem. She may be hiding something big. And Gabe has no idea.
Giving away the plot of the story would be a complete disservice of this story. Diving In is meant to be experienced by the reader. Gabe is once at the top of his game in high school. And one tragic day changes everything. Years later, he runs into Brynn. She is immediately intrigued with Gabe’s outlook on life. His circumstances are anything but ideal, but he is living. He is funny and he is still as gorgeous as he was years ago. That feeling she has? That’s what it means to yearn for someone. She’s never felt that. Until Gabe. Despite that he is now different. She wants him.
“He’s getting something he loves back, something he’d almost made peace with losing without knowing what he was denying himself.”
I loved the banter and wit of this story. It was genius. It held my attention the entire time. The characters are genuine. Their emotions, raw. You feel everything in this story. You feel the inner turmoil of all the characters. Diving In shows that we are all imperfect and that is simply OK. We are all flawed, but that is what makes us who we are. Brynn loves that Gabe is broken. She loves that he is not perfect and never once wished him to be. She never saw him as broken pieces. She only saw the pieces that would make her whole again.
“You see all of me, Brynn. I know you do and you don’t care that I am broken.”
What I love most about this series and this author is that she takes chances. She goes where many books try and fall short. This story and the first one shatters the things you think you know about love. The love in Diving In is DEEP. It is unlike anything you will probably EVER read. The kind of love that sees no obstacles. Brynn and Gabe only see each other. The heart doesn’t know boundaries. It overcomes them. It is not until you love that you truly live. This author holds nothing back. She shows us that even the most broken people are worthy and capable of love and being loved. She gives people who are seen as "different" a voice.
Diving In is definitely one of my favorite stories this year. This beautiful, heartfelt, emotional story absolutely moved me. It gave me chills. It made me fall in love with reading again. THIS. BOOK. It’s everything that I wanted to experience as a reader and more. As I said before it will shatter any idea you had about love. I laughed. I cried. I lived.
October 26, 2014
3.5 stars. A nice continuation in this Open Door series. I had just completed Crossing, so I dove right in to Diving In. This story focuses on Brynn, Liam's younger sister, who didn't let her Mother's need for constant perfection, and keeping up social appearances, hold her back from living her life her way. We start the story, getting a glimpse of a traumatic event that has a great impact on Brynn, and we learn how she tries to cope with the decisions she made that day and how they have impacted her life. Enter Gabe, whose life was changed that fateful day, yet we witness his beautiful spirit, his resilience, his joy for life and his strength of character. Brynn learns a lot from Gabe, and his strength gives her strength and eventually love; however, others are also affected by the events of 3 years prior and Brynn's silence is now ringing loud and clear. How do you respond, when the one thing that you felt would protect the one person you love, only serves to destroy everything? That in a nutshell is the beauty of this story. The author gave us a real and truthful glimpse into the life of Gabe, and it made me as a reader appreciate his plight all the more. I understand that Izzy's story is next, and I look forward to see her fight through her demons and find joy in her life. Thanks Stacey for another insightful read, and to Kindle Unlimited for another enjoyable read!
January 26, 2021
rate 3,5*
At the age of 15, Brynn watched Gabe get a hit, fall, break his neck and be thrown into the water. Even though she saves him, she never told the true story of how Gabe got into the water.
When she is 19 she sees Gabe again, in a wheelchair. His legs are paralyzed but his personality is what he was before he became paralyzed. When a former friend makes a comment about the cause of his fall, Gabe closes off on her. And if that's not all the misery she is facing, she is told that her mother has cancer and will not live long.
The story didn't work out for me. Too much drama for 1 book. Lots of words, little content.
A big plus: It is nice that you can read that a young woman chooses a relationship with a young man with a disability and the way in which he deals with and fights for a full life
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
At the age of 15, Brynn watched Gabe get a hit, fall, break his neck and be thrown into the water. Even though she saves him, she never told the true story of how Gabe got into the water.
When she is 19 she sees Gabe again, in a wheelchair. His legs are paralyzed but his personality is what he was before he became paralyzed. When a former friend makes a comment about the cause of his fall, Gabe closes off on her. And if that's not all the misery she is facing, she is told that her mother has cancer and will not live long.
The story didn't work out for me. Too much drama for 1 book. Lots of words, little content.
A big plus: It is nice that you can read that a young woman chooses a relationship with a young man with a disability and the way in which he deals with and fights for a full life
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 30, 2014
Diving In was just as memorable and risky as the first book in this series is. You hear horrifying stories of stupid actions turning into life-changing events like Gabe being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life but there is rarely any story on what their life is like afterwards. Benefiel clearly did a lot of research, or has a personal relationship with a paraplegic to be able to explain Gabe's experiences in a believable yet relatable way. Similarly to Crossing, having less in common with these characters than those in perhaps your average romance book doesn't prevent you from feeling what they feel the entire time. The book did follow a very similar rhythm to Crossing in a way that tied them together more than just the brother/sister relationship but it didn't feel cookie cutter which I appreciate as well.
November 26, 2015
This was a quick, fun read. The characters are vibrant, the tone is funny, and the voice is strong and unique. The characters jumped off the page for the most part and had good development. I felt that some aspects were rushed, particularly the big reveal of the long held secret. It seemed rushed, sloppy, and quickly glossed over. The storyline with the Mom added another element to the story that also seemed a bit rushed and glossed over at times.
I liked the ending. I felt like it was fitting and gave a strong sense of closure. It was nice to see a romance that didn't end with "we've been dating two months... Marry me!" These are young characters, to the point where this book teeters on the edge of YA and New Adult, so the marriage thing would have made it too unbelievable for me.
I liked the ending. I felt like it was fitting and gave a strong sense of closure. It was nice to see a romance that didn't end with "we've been dating two months... Marry me!" These are young characters, to the point where this book teeters on the edge of YA and New Adult, so the marriage thing would have made it too unbelievable for me.
July 18, 2017
The book starts interesting and exciting, but then it turns into a superboring story of two youngsters in a laundry shop dealing with repelent parents. I could barely finish reading it, all the thrill and suspense and emotional weight of the inicial drama fades away to dullness. It was boring, it's a shame. Perhaps I should reread it sometime in the future.
But I want to do justice to some lovely parts like Gabe is a very cute character, he's not bitter or shy about his disability at all, I love him, his gestures as a tetraplegic in different occasions are nice and natural. Brynn and Travis are great as team Gabe taking him to swimm, best friends indeed. Yeah, very nice.
But I want to do justice to some lovely parts like Gabe is a very cute character, he's not bitter or shy about his disability at all, I love him, his gestures as a tetraplegic in different occasions are nice and natural. Brynn and Travis are great as team Gabe taking him to swimm, best friends indeed. Yeah, very nice.
September 18, 2014
This book hit close to home with me. I have a member in my family who is in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, die to horrible motorcycle accident.
I was laughing, crying, happy, almost every emotion there is, I was that.
She clearly did her research, wrote the character's, and plot perfect. Not to much detail, and not to little. (which can get annoying. )
It had parents who annoyed their child (we can all relate). secret likes, (mines reading and I hid it well ).
I recommend this book to all my friends.
I was laughing, crying, happy, almost every emotion there is, I was that.
She clearly did her research, wrote the character's, and plot perfect. Not to much detail, and not to little. (which can get annoying. )
It had parents who annoyed their child (we can all relate). secret likes, (mines reading and I hid it well ).
I recommend this book to all my friends.
July 16, 2014
a nice story that flowed well. some big coincidences but they fit ok, a family relationship that seemed f***ed up, but then, families and relationships like that exist. the writing was good... yeah... nice...
June 12, 2014
Wow. I laughed til I peed a little. I cried. This one hit pretty close to home, but I loved it. As usual.
January 15, 2021
Just because something changes doesn't meant your life is over ..
by and1515
My mother wasn't your typical parent in fact she was the snubby kind who thought shoving your kid into attending some party full of boys was a good thing.
Nevertheless all she needed was to find one worthy jerk her stuck up mother would approve of.
Especially with the way she treated her older brother because
their mother was unwilling to accept him the way he truly was she preferred her imaginary version of him instead.
There are no words to even begin to explain what really happened that day but it was the threats against my older brother that kept me quiet.
I've decided I needed a gap year between the end of highschool and my first year in college.
So here I am living above my family's business hoping to figure out myself and get my so called life on the right track.
It had been along time since I'd seen Gabe in fact I hadn't seen him since that one day.
And now here he was totally different but she could see that he was still gorgeous as ever.
Trying to talk to my own mother can be nerve wracking but I wanted her to understand that our store wasn't accessible to all customers but no she just proved what a snub and horrible human begin she truly was.
Now her older brother won the lottery when he meet his girlfriend Dani they had the real deal going for them.
I keep trying to rationalize my relationship with my boyfriend he made since on so many levels but then why did she think like this.
Being around Gabe again wishing things had been different.
My mother can tear someone down with just the look and the way she scrutinized my work or the fact I'd spent time with some one like Gabe and of course my mother couldn't hide her true colors because with ever word she spoke just proved her point.
However her talk with her wonderful grandfather proved to be exactly what she needed to lift her sprits finally someone in her own family to actually show a little faith in her.
My swim class for the older generation is my pride and joy I get to help others have a healthy experience in the pool while keeping them safe.
So I should be able to help Gabe as well but some how things end with me in his lap again.
My so-called boyfriend had turned into a total nasty jerk but apparently he was working really hard at it because he had a hidden agenda.
The hardest thing in the world is trying to say goodbye to someone you've date for so long that they feel like a comfortable sweater.
Even Thanksgiving with my parents is almost to much but at least my grandfather's there helps to elevate the tension.
My mother has never been an easy person to deal with her high expectations but there are somethings in this world you never expected to hear and at this moment I clearly don't know how to handle the shock.
But all I really need is Gabe because he's had to deal with tough emotional situations and survived.
Izzy, poor girl couldn't catch a break even with all her doubts about the past her biggest problem was she couldn't stay sober.
And her unexpected Christmas gift to me probably just torpido my relationship with Gabe.
Secrets are bad for your health because they always come back one way or another.
And now he wouldn't talk to me or even tell me to my face oh no its his mother who gets the pleasure oi kicking me to the curb.
Okay so I'm totally dressed to the nines and my ex-ex boyfriend is the only one to celebrate the new year's with and oh to be so into someone else who wouldn't even talk to you.
Sometimes you have to stop and be patient and hope time will heal the hurt... Then maybe just maybe that's when your life comes full circle.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
by and1515
My mother wasn't your typical parent in fact she was the snubby kind who thought shoving your kid into attending some party full of boys was a good thing.
Nevertheless all she needed was to find one worthy jerk her stuck up mother would approve of.
Especially with the way she treated her older brother because
their mother was unwilling to accept him the way he truly was she preferred her imaginary version of him instead.
There are no words to even begin to explain what really happened that day but it was the threats against my older brother that kept me quiet.
I've decided I needed a gap year between the end of highschool and my first year in college.
So here I am living above my family's business hoping to figure out myself and get my so called life on the right track.
It had been along time since I'd seen Gabe in fact I hadn't seen him since that one day.
And now here he was totally different but she could see that he was still gorgeous as ever.
Trying to talk to my own mother can be nerve wracking but I wanted her to understand that our store wasn't accessible to all customers but no she just proved what a snub and horrible human begin she truly was.
Now her older brother won the lottery when he meet his girlfriend Dani they had the real deal going for them.
I keep trying to rationalize my relationship with my boyfriend he made since on so many levels but then why did she think like this.
Being around Gabe again wishing things had been different.
My mother can tear someone down with just the look and the way she scrutinized my work or the fact I'd spent time with some one like Gabe and of course my mother couldn't hide her true colors because with ever word she spoke just proved her point.
However her talk with her wonderful grandfather proved to be exactly what she needed to lift her sprits finally someone in her own family to actually show a little faith in her.
My swim class for the older generation is my pride and joy I get to help others have a healthy experience in the pool while keeping them safe.
So I should be able to help Gabe as well but some how things end with me in his lap again.
My so-called boyfriend had turned into a total nasty jerk but apparently he was working really hard at it because he had a hidden agenda.
The hardest thing in the world is trying to say goodbye to someone you've date for so long that they feel like a comfortable sweater.
Even Thanksgiving with my parents is almost to much but at least my grandfather's there helps to elevate the tension.
My mother has never been an easy person to deal with her high expectations but there are somethings in this world you never expected to hear and at this moment I clearly don't know how to handle the shock.
But all I really need is Gabe because he's had to deal with tough emotional situations and survived.
Izzy, poor girl couldn't catch a break even with all her doubts about the past her biggest problem was she couldn't stay sober.
And her unexpected Christmas gift to me probably just torpido my relationship with Gabe.
Secrets are bad for your health because they always come back one way or another.
And now he wouldn't talk to me or even tell me to my face oh no its his mother who gets the pleasure oi kicking me to the curb.
Okay so I'm totally dressed to the nines and my ex-ex boyfriend is the only one to celebrate the new year's with and oh to be so into someone else who wouldn't even talk to you.
Sometimes you have to stop and be patient and hope time will heal the hurt... Then maybe just maybe that's when your life comes full circle.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 5, 2020
Hidden gem
I’ve been on a mission to read all romance novels involving a disabled love interest. I’ll be first to admit I have my set of biases going into each on. For instance, when I see a wheelchair user in a book who has armrests I blanch putting my own experiences of using a lightweight manual every day chair with no handles or armrests, into the story. Society had a relatively limited understanding of the disability community, subsequently making any works of fiction written about them subject to stereotyping and trope building. I could go on and on but that isn’t fair to this book. I’m not a quadriplegic (which truthfully is what Gabe was, incomplete injury or not) but the treatment of disability interwoven with the beautiful messages of forgiveness and acceptance was perfectly accomplished. Angst was minimal and used appropriately throughout the book and I loved the conversations the couple had with each other (cripple WHOVIAN who crushed witty banter?! #relationshipgoals). This was the most real telling of the disability experience I’ve come across so far. Bravo.
I’ve been on a mission to read all romance novels involving a disabled love interest. I’ll be first to admit I have my set of biases going into each on. For instance, when I see a wheelchair user in a book who has armrests I blanch putting my own experiences of using a lightweight manual every day chair with no handles or armrests, into the story. Society had a relatively limited understanding of the disability community, subsequently making any works of fiction written about them subject to stereotyping and trope building. I could go on and on but that isn’t fair to this book. I’m not a quadriplegic (which truthfully is what Gabe was, incomplete injury or not) but the treatment of disability interwoven with the beautiful messages of forgiveness and acceptance was perfectly accomplished. Angst was minimal and used appropriately throughout the book and I loved the conversations the couple had with each other (cripple WHOVIAN who crushed witty banter?! #relationshipgoals). This was the most real telling of the disability experience I’ve come across so far. Bravo.
January 7, 2021
This is book two in The Open Door Love Story series and it is Brynn and Gabe's story. Even though this book is a standalone one I suggest that you read them in order as it gives you a better understanding of all the history surrounding these books. Brynn and Gabe are the total opposite of each other but they seem to have a connection and they work well together even though you don't expect it to. The twists and turns along the way is what makes this book a must read and it is so well written by Stacey Wallace that you feel all the struggles, read and uncertainty that they are going through and you find yourself cheering and hoping that they get there own happy ending. I couldn't put this book down and I definitely recommend you read it as it is so emotional and a must read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 19, 2021
I volunteered to read this ARC for an honest review. I enjoyed this story about Brynn and Gabe. He's three years older and on the swim team together. But a party and so bad choices leaves him in a wheelchair and her stuck on limbo. She's keeping the events of that night too herself and trying to live a normal life. When a chance encounter at her dry cleaning shop leaves her becoming friends with Gabe, it sets of a series of crazy situations. But an unexpected diagnosis in her family makes things crazy and might hurt their relationship.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 19, 2021
Brynn Garrett is unsure about a lot of things and doesn’t seem to be able to move forward with her life. But when Gabe Riley came back into her life, showing her his beautiful smile and his confidence, he seems to motivate Brynn and allows her to feel less like a lost child and more as the independent, confident woman she wants to be. His courage for life seems to take away her reason for not progressing in her own life. Is this a chance to break out of her stasis and become the person she was meant to be?
January 17, 2021
This is a well written book with strong characters and an entertaining story line. The author brings a realistic feel to her characters as well as the story along with the entertaining banter. She brings all the feels .. happy and sad with her detailed and descriptive writing and perfectly painted scenes. The story moves quickly and smoothly and is a great read.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
February 11, 2021
This book was really good and a new take on a friends to lovers romance. Brynn and Gabe knew each other in high school but become friends to lovers later in life. Brynn has a secret that could affect their relationship which is already difficult because Gabe is in a wheelchair. I love these two together. Their banter is so fun and silly but loving. These two together couldn’t be more adorable or perfect.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 19, 2021
Brynn is Liam from the previous story in this series sister. She has seen her brother assert his right to be his own person. She is learning to find out who she is and Gabe returning to her life is a good conduit through which to re-evaluate how she is living.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 20, 2021
The second book in the (Open Door Love Story series a well written story that held my interest until the end. Brynn Garrett and Gabe Riley's story of the happy and sad things they go through. This is a new Author to me and I want to read more by her. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 17, 2021
The book is a good friends to lovers second chance love story read. The story has a good story line, and well written. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 21, 2021
Diving In was way better than the first novel in this series. The author clearly knew her topic and was not afraid to create a plot and characters that connect with her readers. A marked improvement on the second book in this series.
January 26, 2021
I enjoyed Gabe & Brynn's book. It was a fun read. I received a free copy of the book. And am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
June 18, 2022
Lovely romance.
October 9, 2023
Grade A banter.
Everything about this book was just right for me.
Everything about this book was just right for me.
August 28, 2016
I literally just finished the book and was so moved that I picked up my laptop to write a review on the spot. This book really threw me into an emotional tailspin. I was happy, sad, laughing, smiling, and put my kindle down with such a sense of satisfaction that I had to share my thoughts with the internet.
This book picks up with Liam's sister, Brynn. I don't think you actually have to have read the other book to enjoy this one, but it was also really good, so you should. Brynn is skating through life trying not to make her mom too angry, but still manages to find some small ways to push her buttons. A few years ago (from when the story takes place), she witnesses a horrible accident that she is then blackmailed into keeping a secret. Maybe this event or others have guided her life choices, but where her brother left home, she never really did. She stayed with the "family business" and devoted her life to swim classes for adorable elderly folks and the dry cleaning business.
I think everyone can relate to not meeting someone's expectations, and, jeez, the dialogue in this book was just so... real. Something about how this author writes the quirky and sarcastic characters just reels me in every time. Brynn's carefully crafted (or lazily crafted) life starts to spiral when Gabe wheels into her store. The victim of the aforementioned accident, Brynn should obviously not spend time with him... but she does. Their relationship is everything you could want from a pair of wonderful misfits. I loved every second of their time together - even the struggles.
Sure, this book ultimately delivers an immensely satisfying HEA, but it really makes you work for it. There's love and loss along the way that just resonated so well for me. I hope it does for you, too. If you're looking for a quick ready (I was just going to read a few chapters and ended up devoting my night to it) and want to feel something more than passing entertainment, you should definitely pick this book up. It got 5 stars from me, which means that I'd re-read this again (and tell others to do so!).
This book picks up with Liam's sister, Brynn. I don't think you actually have to have read the other book to enjoy this one, but it was also really good, so you should. Brynn is skating through life trying not to make her mom too angry, but still manages to find some small ways to push her buttons. A few years ago (from when the story takes place), she witnesses a horrible accident that she is then blackmailed into keeping a secret. Maybe this event or others have guided her life choices, but where her brother left home, she never really did. She stayed with the "family business" and devoted her life to swim classes for adorable elderly folks and the dry cleaning business.
I think everyone can relate to not meeting someone's expectations, and, jeez, the dialogue in this book was just so... real. Something about how this author writes the quirky and sarcastic characters just reels me in every time. Brynn's carefully crafted (or lazily crafted) life starts to spiral when Gabe wheels into her store. The victim of the aforementioned accident, Brynn should obviously not spend time with him... but she does. Their relationship is everything you could want from a pair of wonderful misfits. I loved every second of their time together - even the struggles.
Sure, this book ultimately delivers an immensely satisfying HEA, but it really makes you work for it. There's love and loss along the way that just resonated so well for me. I hope it does for you, too. If you're looking for a quick ready (I was just going to read a few chapters and ended up devoting my night to it) and want to feel something more than passing entertainment, you should definitely pick this book up. It got 5 stars from me, which means that I'd re-read this again (and tell others to do so!).
July 16, 2014
While this is the second book in the series I feel pretty confident in saying you could read this out of order. Its not a sequential series more of a series where the characters inner mix. Though if you choose to read Diving In first know that theres a HUGE spoiler from Crossing in it.
Diving In is another masterpiece penned by Stacey Wallace Benifel. This series will change the way you read. Gone are all the cookie cutter characters. The characters and situations are so real! I didnt even realize that these type of characters were missing in ALL the books ive read until reading this series. Recently theres been this huge campaign on diversity in books and for the most part as far as I can tell the diversity seemed race related. Well thats not the only type of diversity our books need!
Diving In is another masterpiece penned by Stacey Wallace Benifel. This series will change the way you read. Gone are all the cookie cutter characters. The characters and situations are so real! I didnt even realize that these type of characters were missing in ALL the books ive read until reading this series. Recently theres been this huge campaign on diversity in books and for the most part as far as I can tell the diversity seemed race related. Well thats not the only type of diversity our books need!
September 23, 2016
This is Brynn's story, Liam's sister. The story starts when she witnesses tragedy at 16 and had to hide the truth of what happened. Three years later, she is managing one of her Grandfather and Mother's dry-cleaning shops. Gabe re-enters her life and she realizes she has not coped well with his accident, Travis, Izzy, and her own domineering mother. A wonderful, heartfelt read.
November 21, 2014
I truly loved this book. The story was good and solid, the characters were like a breath of fresh air. The dialogue was very funny in all the right places. The romance was so ordinary but powerful.
November 18, 2014
The writing was a bit try hard but the story was decent.
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