The Rhythm of Their Souls

by L.D. Pack

I've been deprived of normalcy since the day I was born, lacking the needed essential nourishment that my starving soul yearns for.

Desperately, I've hoped that someone or something would come along and bring me back to life, but small kernels of my withered being have wanted to give up. Past and present wounds continue to surface, giving small, unwanted reminders of my fate.

This is my own personal nightmare.

How was I to know that a mysterious man would enter my presence, causing my soul to instantly react?
Why is he here? Did he come to save me from my nightmare?

The burning question
Does he hold the cure for my damaged soul?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2025

About the author

An all-romance author who doesn't just create in-depth stories; she makes you feel every single page && emotion.

Reviews

[TwinreadsandReds-Heather]

4.25 stars—This book was emotional, raw, and also full of hope. Olive and Theo’s story felt real and meaningful, and the romance had the perfect mix of heartbreak and sweetness. Theo is ♥️♥️♥️ overall it’s a beautiful, heartfelt, and yet heartbreaking read that sticks with you.

[Gianna]

Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. Although I was sobbing at the end, I am so thankful we got a happy ending.

Strong triggers of grief, death and addiction.

[Katie Boyd]

This book left me speechless 🥹

This book hit me on such a deep, emotional level — especially because so much of it felt relatable. It brought out my inner little girl, and honestly… if I could hug her, I would.

This story is beyond beautiful. It explores grief, addiction, rough upbringing, absent parents, trauma — all while showing strength, healing, and hope.

Olive is a fierce woman with the most beautiful soul. She grew up way too fast, but whatever life throws at her, she takes it and does what she can to survive and keeps going. Even despite her upbringing, she still sees the beauty in life and the little things — and that made me love her even more.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the relationship between Olive and her sister, Nora. The love and care between those two — and the hurdles they had to overcome — was so powerful. Their love for each other is fierce, and their bond truly pulled at my heartstrings.

And then along came Theo…

That man reminds me so much of my own husband — and I’m still crying writing this. The way he protected her, loved her, and showed up for her… there are no words. The love these two share is unforgettable. It was a connection from the moment they met.

There’s a scene between them in Chapter 18 that will forever be engraved in my heart.

And on the spicier side… sweet baby Jesus 😮‍🔥 The car scenes in this book will have your toes curling and reaching to find your hunnie! 🫠😮‍💨

This is infinity stars for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️

You can feel that the author poured her whole heart into this story. I loved that it shows you can go through truly difficult things and still come out stronger on the other side.

Healing isn’t easy — but it is possible.

I would recommend this book to anybody and everybody. The audiobook brings the story to life — the narration is a full five out of five stars. 🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If this isn’t on your TBR, it needs to be. And if it is… move it up. I promise you’ll thank me.

✨ TROPES ✨
• Emotional healing journey
• Found family vibes
• Protective MMC
• Trauma & growth
• Grief & addiction themes
• Strong FMC
• Sister bond

[Darkest Bellé]

5 Stars!

The debut novel by L.D. Pack is nothing short than beautiful & breathtaking, you wouldn't believe this was the authors first book ever, she truly encapsulates the highs and lows with navigating grief and finding true love in the most unexpected ways. The story is based on true events, & finding the light in the darkness, being able to overcome life's hardships without giving into the family demons.

“I can’t promise you the Universe, but I can promise you a piece, a piece that is filled with all of me.”


This is a MUST READ, make sure to have a box of tissues with you!

[Ashley R]

The moment I stepped into this book I knew this was going wreck me and heal me at the same time. It revolves around a woman named Olive who suffered traumatic childhood events that she carried into her adult life. She meets Theo who helps heal her wounded soul.
There was one word that came to mind when I started reading this book. HOPE.
Hope for those who have suffered similar upbringings and who current fight this fight.

Chapter 27 - balled my eyes out.

By the end, it was tears of happiness and awe!

This is a must read!
I hope everyone finds their Theo.

[Ashley Miller]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

I don’t even know how to fully explain what this book did to me. The Rhythm of Their Souls was so much more than a romance for me—it was healing, reassuring, emotional, raw, and honestly one of the most impactful books I’ve read in a long time.

This story follows Olive, a girl who grew up in a broken home with an addict mother, trying to survive while carrying the weight of everything that came with that kind of childhood. Watching Olive navigate adulthood, trauma, self-worth, mental health, and the pressure of breaking generational cycles felt painfully familiar in the best and hardest ways. As someone who also grew up with a parent struggling with addiction, so much of this book hit me deeply. The emotions in this story felt real, not dramatized, not romanticized, just honest.

And then there’s Theo.

THEO. This man completely wrecked me in the best way possible. He’s the kind of person who enters your life when you need saving the most, even if you don’t realize it yet. The way he loved Olive, supported her, saw her… it reminded me so much of my husband. I met my husband during one of the darkest times in my life, and reading Theo and Olive’s story felt like reliving pieces of my own healing journey. My husband is absolutely my Theo.

The sister relationship between Olive and Nora absolutely shattered me. Growing up in the environment they did, they both carried so much love, fear, and protectiveness for each other, and you could feel the weight of that in every interaction between them. As someone with a younger sister that I would do absolutely anything for, their bond hit me incredibly hard. The way Olive loved Nora—wanting so badly to protect her while also trying to navigate her own healing—felt painfully real and deeply personal to me.

And chapter 27? Absolutely destroyed me. Full ugly crying. This book will easily be one of my top reads of the year, and I already know I’ll never stop talking about it.

What I loved most is that when I finished this book, I didn’t just feel emotional—I felt reassured. Reassured that I chose the right path. Reassured that I married the right man. Reassured that I am breaking the cycle. And for a book to leave me with feelings that profound? That’s powerful.

I genuinely believe stories like this can save people. If you’ve ever struggled with family trauma, addiction in the family, self-worth, or learning how to love yourself while healing, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“You're the match, and I'm the flame. We'll burn to the ground together until there's nothing left but our ashes."

"She doesn't need your apology. She forgot your name the moment she started screaming mine."

“We are two desperate flames, flickering with intensity, each filled with the potential to ignite an entire house, consuming everything in an inferno of passion and chaos.”

“From the moment I held you as a child, you saved me in so many ways.”

This book deserves so much more hype, and I will forever recommend it.

[Tropes_and_Taboo]

Rhythm of Their Souls by L.D. Pack
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dual POV * Healing Contemporary Romance * Found Family * Strangers to Lovers * Addiction * Abandonment * Substance Abuse * Drug Overdoses * Bullying * Controlling Ex * Childhood Neglect * Suicide * Black Cat FMC x Golden Retriever MMC * Mental Health Rep * Opposites Attract * Trauma * Grief * 262 pages * 🎧8h27

When this audio landed in my inbox thanks to "High Gravity Productions", I didn’t even bother reading the blurb. The moment I saw it was narrated by Brandon Francis, I. Was. In. His voice just does something, and he’s the only male narrator so far who has managed to evoke emotions intense enough to actually make me cry, which is not an easy feat. This book didn’t quite have me shedding tears, but my emotions were lodged right in my throat the entire time. Dani Soleil was a new narrator for me and did a fantastic job maintaining the emotional rhythm of the story alongside him.

This story is absolutely stunning. I can hardly believe this is the author’s debut, it was THAT good. Healing romances are often rooted in reality, and if this one is as well, my heart truly breaks for the author. This book is raw and powerful, shattering your heart into pieces before slowly stitching it back together into something new and beautiful, much like Kintsugi (the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold).

The characters were vivid and layered, written so well that you could pluck them straight off the page and they’d stand on their own. This didn’t feel like a story filled with just pretty flowers and smiles as it gave us heartbreak, fear, grief, and ultimately, hope. I often say books take you on an emotional rollercoaster, but that doesn’t quite fit here. A rollercoaster ends where it begins; this book doesn’t. It carries you through whitewater rapids and leaves you somewhere entirely new.

For those who tend to shy away from spicy books: yes, there are spicy moments, but this story is so much more than that. If you usually skip books because of spice ratings, please ignore it for this one and give it a chance.

I highly recommend this story. Do check the trigger warnings, as it dives deep, but it is absolutely worth the read or the listen. This one will be staying with me for a long time, and I’m very much looking forward to more from L.D. Pack.

[Kyla Honey]

okay let me start off by saying I would never believe that this is your first book. this was amazingggggg. I loved every second of it, and the connection I felt to the characters 🥹 Theo is the PERFECT man, I mean PERFECT. From the very minute they locked eyes, he knew what he wanted and he wasted no time going for it. He broke down wall after wall, or onion layers as he says. She thought he would run away once he heard her life story, she never expected him to stick around but he DID & he never let her feel alone. “What are you thinking in that beautiful head” got me every single time. Theo never let her feel alone, and gave her the feeling of being loved. He took her hurt and turned it into love and showed her she was worth every single thing. And olive, my sweet sweet olive. You remind me so much of someone I know, and I wanna hold you and cry with you. You’re perfect and worthy of it all 🥹 Nora broke my heart, so damn bad. I had a feeling it was going to end up that way but I wanted to be wrong so bad. “I love you to the moon and back olive oil” ❤️ Nora saved olive and olive saved Nora. But in the end Nora couldn’t handle her grief— and it’s the reality of many people going through what she went through 💔

I would really love more Danielle and chase, I FELT THEIR LOVE from miles away. Perfection and Danielle was the best friend any girl could ever ask for.

Would highly recommend this book, if you wanna feel every emotion possible. Theo and olives story will always stick with me 🥹

P.s the spice scenes are EVERYTHING 🥵🤭

[Jessy]

If a book can bring ME to tears, automatic 5⭐️
This book is full of trauma, grief, learning, growing, healing, loss and love.

This isn’t your typical love story. Yes there’s spice (and it’s quite good), yes there’s banter, but emotionally I wasn’t ready for the feelings this would bring out of me. As someone who has went through familial issues and seen the way addiction can affect people, I resonated with this book on so many levels. So many quotes GUTTED me.

[carliereadssss]

I cannot begin to describe how much this story has impacted me. This is a story of healing, trauma, addiction, overcoming fears, learning to love, and grief.

Olive has been dealt cards no person ever should. A father who would rather walk away and a mother who is addicted to drugs and alcohol. Olive and her older sister, Nora, lean on one another and make sure each other are taken care of to make it through the trials of their childhood. Nora is fortunate enough to have found young love and moves out to live with her boyfriend, leaving Nora with her mom but NEVER leaving her behind and continuing to care for her away from the toxicity that is their home.

On Olive’s 19th birthday she meets a dreamy semi-older man (23) Theo, who was taken it among himself to prove to her she is WORTH so much more than the cards she was dealt. Their love story is one for the books and proves everyone needs a Theo.

Author L.D. Pack writes loss & grief in such a beautiful and respectful way and I believe this story can help heal SO many.

[Kristie Pope]

Solid 4.5 ⭐️ Goodreads doesn’t offer half stars. Beautifully written! I’m not good with words at all. So I’m not comfortable critiquing anyone’s work. I enjoyed their journey.

[Jen Wycech]

Duet narration - Brandon Francis & Dani Soleil
What a performance. These narrators were fabulous.

Content Warnings - Addiction, abandonment, bullying, body shaming, childhood trauma, emotional abuse, explicit death scenes, explicit sex themes, grief, mental health awareness, mental illness, neglect, night terrors, substance abuse, and mature language.

Olive and Theo are heartbreakingly sweet. Their story is deeply emotional.

A chance meeting one night at a party and they are instantly connected. “Like our souls knew each other in another life”

Olive is sweet and fiesty. A troubled childhood leaves her feeling alone. She has her sister who is dealing with her own grief, her best friend and that’s it.

Theo is a good man, he gives Olive what she needs and takes care of her. Determined to make her his.

Found family vibes, gives “fated mates” feels in modern times.

Overall, this is a deep emotional love story. I truly enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a book that will reck you emotionally this will do it.

[Amour.Rebelle.Reads (Bran.d)]

Dani Soleil did a beautiful job capturing Olive’s vulnerability, and Brandon Francis brought a calm, steady presence to Theo that balanced the story perfectly. Their narration really elevated their story.

This was a thoughtful, emotional audiobook about wounded souls finding connection and hope—and I’m really glad I listened.

[Nicole Wendland]

I received this book as an ARC and I am so thankful I was chosen to.

L D Pack tells a beautiful healing journey that is real. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies, quite frankly it usually isn’t. Trauma is real. Addiction is real. Pain is real. Far too often these things are overlooked. This story is based on things close to home for her and I am telling you this before you read it to keep in the back of your mind. Read the authors note at the end, I highly encourage you to do so even if you normally don’t.

Now for the book itself:

This book follows Olive Sage Landers (FMC) and Theo Ace Rivers (MMC), they meet at a party and when their eyes sync it’s an attraction from the start. Olive bolts. Why? Because of her history.

Olive had a very sorrowful upbringing, one I felt similarly but was lucky enough to not see up close and personal. Olives dad (or donor rather) abandoned her and her sister and mom. Her mom became an addict and chose those things over her own well being and her daughters.

Nora Ray is Olives sister and a vital part in what kept Olive on the straight and narrow. Through the ups, downs and hard times you experience both joy, heartache, love blossom, tragedy, and loving friendship. You see healing.

Embark on this journey but please do check your triggers.

For my spice lovers, there is definitely spice, it is not a sad book through and through, there is joy and spice 😉.

I highly recommend this book and encourage you to take a chance on L D Pack and her debut novel.💙

[Amanda Marie]

Wow. This book absolutely left me in awe and completely captured my heart.

Olive- my sweet, brave Olive—my heart shattered for you. This story struck such a deep chord with me, especially having lost my own sister. It brought back the rawness of that heartbreak, the long, uneven stages of grief, and the way it lingers in corners no one can truly understand unless they’ve walked through it themselves 💔

But on a lighter, beautiful note: Theo and Olive’s love story was EVERYTHING. Watching their connection grow from a genuine, tender friendship into something so full and life-changing tugged at every one of my emotions. I’m SO grateful Olive has someone like Theo to lean on through the darkest moments and even more grateful that they get a forever to look forward to 🥹

Read this. Don’t hesitate. Don’t second-guess. Just read it. Now. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Krystal Rodriguez]

From the very first chapter, I was drawn in by the lyrical writing and the emotional depth of the characters. There’s something so intimate and vulnerable about the way Pack writes; like the words are humming with truth. The characters felt real to me, flawed yet beautifully human, and I found myself rooting for them with everything I had.

What struck me most was how music and emotion were so seamlessly woven together. It’s not just a love story; it’s a story about healing, identity, and finding the courage to truly feel. I honestly teared up at a few moments, not because the scenes were overly dramatic, but because they were honest. There’s a quiet power in that kind of storytelling

[Cadie Edwards]

The most heartbreakingly beautiful story!

It will break your heart and heal it all at the same time.

LD Pack’s debut was nothing short of a masterpiece. She handled delicate topics such as addiction, mental health, grief and trauma with such tenderness and grace. Knowing this was inspired by her true life events made this story even more special and I’m so grateful she shared this with us.

I wanted to hug Olive, be besties with Danielle, climb Theo like a tree and punch Chloe and at times Olive’s mom.

Speaking of Theo 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 not only is this man so foineeeee, he has the truest heart of gold. The car scene at the abandoned construction site will live rent free in my head. 🥵

Truly, this book will stick with me for a long dang time. I can’t wait for y’all to read it on 2/14/25.

[You’ve reached Kari]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️
⚠️Check your trigger warnings⚠️

This book was an incredible experience. It made me feel truly seen, understood, and emotionally connected from beginning to end.

Olive goes through so much pain and heartbreak, yet her strength and resilience shine through every page.

Theo’s love and understanding bring a sense of healing that feels genuine and deeply moving. Their story is powerful, heartfelt, and beautifully written.

This is an easy five‑star read for me. Thank you, L.D., for creating such a meaningful and unforgettable story❤️

[Katie]

Let me in. Let me find the scattered pieces of your soul and hold them close. I can’t promise you the universe, but I can promise you a piece that is filled with all of me.

That is my favorite quote from this book.

This book! Oh my! It had love, transformation, heartbreak, grief, trauma, resiliency and so much more. I adored this book. It made me feel so many different things. I will definitely be buying anything this author writes!

[Ashley]

Oh my goodness. This book is a masterpiece, I loved it so much. I didnt finish the book, the book finished me. im at a loss for words, olive is such a stong girl. Having to go thru the things she did. And having her sister there, they had each other. Its a story thay just hits home. Sister bond is something so special in such hard times. Theo and Olives relationship is so beautiful. He is her rock and reassurance 🩷🥹

[Kaci Misun]

Listened in one sitting! What an amazing debut from L.D. Pack! The whole book had this air of tension and every time the phone rang I was ready for the other shoe to drop. And when it did.... I had to work hard to hold back the tears since I was driving. 😭😭😭

I have to talk abut the female narrator too. She did a southern accent which made sense for the character, but since I'm from the South I usually get annoyed with southern accents in books because they typically are over exaggerated, but this narrator did such a good job at not doing that!

▫️emotional
▫️strangers x lovers
▫️great banter
▫️trauma x healing
▫️grief
▫️addiction
▫️found family

[Nikki Mitchell]

I absolutely loved this story. L. D. Pack did an incredible job showing grief, love, and loss in this story. Olive and Theo were full of banter and I found myself smiling while listening to their story. The narration was done beautifully 💙👏🏻

I truly hope you read this story and fall in love, cry, and heal a little more with this story.

[Stephanie Bennett]

The author was able to beautifully write about such trauma with addiction and how to navigate life to cope with it. I believe this is a story that almost anyone can relate to. I know I did. I loved the characters and the plot flowed with great ease. I laughed and I absolutely cried. The narrators did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. Highly recommend!

[Sarah]

Oh Olive…this character is so relatable to me and her journey through this book really hit hard. I loved the relationship with her and Theo and the spice was spicing, but yeah... I cried a lot at the end. Well done LD, well done 👏🏼👏🏼

[Sara]

This was such an amazing read it had a way of pulling you in and making you beg for more so many heart felt things piled into one book

[Lacey May]

what a beautifully, heartbreaking story. One of courage,resilience,and love. this story had so much character depth which I loved. Our MMC is such a strong male figure with so much heart. Olive, a sweet soul who went thru so much but came out swinging.

[Elle]

It took me some time after finishing The Rhythm of Their Souls to fully gather my thoughts and form this review. As someone who loves supporting indie authors, I’m grateful to L.D. Pack for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy. This story includes some deeply personal elements for the author, so I wanted to take extra time reflecting before sharing my thoughts.

What I liked:
I’m a big fan of dual POV, especially in romance novels, and L.D. Pack does an excellent job. The balance between the perspectives feels natural, allowing readers to experience the protagonists’ relationship develop from the very beginning. I also appreciated how Pack developed Olive’s backstory. It gave me a better understanding of her journey and the challenges she faced, which added so much depth to her character.

What I wanted more of:
One aspect I would have liked to see more of was Olive’s relationship with her sister. While I was told that they shared a strong bond, I didn’t feel the depth of that connection as much as I would have liked, particularly in the early parts of the book. As the story progresses, the focus is around the romance (which makes sense in a healing romance), but I would have liked to see more moments between Olive and her sister to strengthen that relationship for the reader.

Lastly, I recommend checking the content warnings before diving in. I initially thought I would be fine, but I ended up being more affected by the themes than I anticipated. That’s on me. L.D. Pack does a great job of outlining these warnings and offering guidance on how to navigate them.

Thank you again, L.D. Pack, for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of your debut novel!

[Alexandria Segura]

Wow. What a heartfelt read that touches on heavy themes like trauma and addiction. I truly admire the grace with which the author handled such difficult topics, the story carried a softness even in dark moments.

I did find myself wishing for more of Olive and Nora’s relationship. Nora was introduced with such weight, but then seemed to slip away from the story too quickly.

Olive’s constant worry that Theo wouldn’t like her because of her trauma made me want to shake her and say, “Girl, look at how this man loves you!”. Theo truly was the shining star of this book. The way he loved Olive so deeply and without hesitation was beautiful, now I’m left hoping for a love as steady and wholehearted as his.

While I did feel the pacing dragged at times and not a lot happened through much of the book, I still appreciated what the story was trying to convey.

[BrooklynBookworm]

Incredible debut novel!

Meet Olive. Olive has had a rough upbringing. From having an absentee father, and an addict for a mother, she’s never really had stability. Except for her sister, Nora. Nora always made sure Olive was taken care of. But now they’re adults. Nora lives with her boyfriend Jake and his parents and Olive lives with her best friend Danielle. She’s fresh out of a breakup after her boyfriend cheated with one of her friends and she’s really not in the mood to party. But she goes with Danielle anyway and that’s when she meets Theo.

Theo is simply.. perfection. They immediately hit it off texting back and forth and she finally agrees to go on a date with him and from then on, she experiences something she’s never quite know.. happiness. But nothing good lasts forever right? Something she never expected happens on a night she’s supposed to be enjoying herself at a party and her life will never be the same again. How can she possibly move forward with life now? How can she willingly let Theo into her life of sadness, hurt, grief, and trauma. And how will she ever smile again..

Oh my god .. I honestly cannot put into words how incredibly moving this story is. First of all.. debut novel where? This book was absolutely AMAZING. The characters, the story, everything was so incredibly real. I felt such a connection to Olive. The author did such an amazing job at describing grief. This story encapsulates sadness, grief, trauma, finding hope in the darkest of days, and learning that there is true love out there. Someone can love you despite all the hardships you faced, all the hurt you bear. There is someone out there. Theo was the perfect MMC. He balanced out Olive so well and truly showed the meaning of a man. When she needed someone the most he was there. And when she was beating herself up, he showed her that it’s not her fault. Their love story was beautiful.

From a beautiful relationship between Theo & Olive to an 100% true friendship between Danielle & Olive. This story took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I highly recommend checking trigger warnings and giving this incredible book a read. You won’t be the same after.

[Dani]

First, I just want to say thank you so much L.D. Pack for allowing me to ARC read your debut novel. You should be so proud of yourself.

This book was such a beautiful, raw and real story about love and healing. I instantly connected with Olive and swooned from the moment I met Theo. I couldn't stop thinking about these characters and truly rooting for them. By the end I was so proud of Olive and ready to marry Theo for myself. Everyone deserves a Theo and a Danielle in their lives and I am so glad Olive had that.

I experienced every emotion while reading it. It's one of those books that will have you talking to yourself and maybe yelling at your kindle a time or two... L.D. touches on sensitive topics such as addiction, mental health, grief and trauma in such a way that makes you feel not so alone if you too have dealt with these subjects. I definitely cried while reading it, but it was so worth it and just goes to show how much it made me feel for these characters.

The romance was so natural and not rushed. I had butterflies while watching their love story unfold. It really just felt like fate. Theo was exactly what Olive needed. I was not expecting to be so blown away by the chemistry and passion between these two. Some of the moments were so hot and I was eating it up with a smile on my face. Who doesn't love a man that truly wants to get to know you for what's inside your head and not just for a good time. Not to mention knows what he wants and goes for it. Swoon.

I will say the book was so much more than just a romance though and I really loved the message and meaning behind it all. I do not want to go into detail on that and spoil the book because you really just need to experience it for yourself.

L.D., thank you for being so vulnerable and intertwining some of your own experiences and life story into this book. It did not go unnoticed and it's inspiring that you were able to take your hardships and create a beautiful story that is so real and can help others not feel so alone in their thoughts/experiences. I really am going to miss these characters!