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Contours of the Heart #3
Einfach. Wir zwei.
Liebe ist einfach: Wir zwei bis ans Ende der Welt ...
Boyce Wynn hatte es niemals ganz leicht. Nach dem Tod seines verhassten Vaters scheint endlich ein wenig Licht in sein Leben zu kommen, doch noch ahnt er nicht, dass das Schicksal bald noch etwas viel Größeres für ihn bereithalten wird. Pearl Frank steht vor der schwierigsten Entscheidung ihres Lebens. Soll sie wie immer das tun, was alle von ihr erwarten, oder sich für das entscheiden, für das ihr Herz wirklich schlägt? Auch sie weiß nicht, wie sehr sich bald wirklich alles verändern wird. Denn nach langer Zeit treffen Boyce und Pearl wieder aufeinander – eine Begegnung, die alles auf den Kopf stellt …
Boyce Wynn hatte es niemals ganz leicht. Nach dem Tod seines verhassten Vaters scheint endlich ein wenig Licht in sein Leben zu kommen, doch noch ahnt er nicht, dass das Schicksal bald noch etwas viel Größeres für ihn bereithalten wird. Pearl Frank steht vor der schwierigsten Entscheidung ihres Lebens. Soll sie wie immer das tun, was alle von ihr erwarten, oder sich für das entscheiden, für das ihr Herz wirklich schlägt? Auch sie weiß nicht, wie sehr sich bald wirklich alles verändern wird. Denn nach langer Zeit treffen Boyce und Pearl wieder aufeinander – eine Begegnung, die alles auf den Kopf stellt …
449 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2015
210 people are currently reading
13562 people want to read
About the author
Tammara Webber
11 books13.2k followersAuthor of the CONTOURS OF THE HEART series and the BETWEEN THE LINES series.
I'm a New York Times and international bestselling author of contemporary romantic fiction. My novels have been translated into twenty-five languages around the world. Gen-Xer. Feminist. Hopeful romantic. Fueled by coffee, a supportive spouse, and a never-ending feeling that I've forgotten to do something.
Please check my website for book updates. If you have questions, I have an FAQ tab there, and a contact form for anything not covered. :)
I'm a New York Times and international bestselling author of contemporary romantic fiction. My novels have been translated into twenty-five languages around the world. Gen-Xer. Feminist. Hopeful romantic. Fueled by coffee, a supportive spouse, and a never-ending feeling that I've forgotten to do something.
Please check my website for book updates. If you have questions, I have an FAQ tab there, and a contact form for anything not covered. :)
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my-books
April 16, 2016I'm the author of this New Adult novel, a spinoff, stand-alone Contours of the Heart novel. No prequel. No sequel. No need to read anything before or after. :)
April 24, 2015
4 stars!
Ever since I read Easy and then Breakable a few weeks ago, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Boyce and Pearl’s story. From the moment they were introduced, they were characters that needed a book, not just because they were important side characters and a big part of Lucas Maxfield’s (hero from Easy + Breakable) life, but because behind their tough attitudes there were hidden secrets dying to claw their way to the surface and a story demanding to be told. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and while I did run into a few things I wasn’t too fond of, it was a winner for me. I’ve always been a fan of this author’s writing and it’s fantastic as usual, the story flow was great, and the romance was heartmelting. It’s definitely one of the better NA books I’ve read this year!
One of the reasons this book worked for me was because of the heroine Pearl. Even though she was in Breakable, I still didn’t get to know much about her and wasn’t too sure of her as the heroine. But my fears about Pearl quickly disappeared because while I loved Boyce, I loved her even more. I’m in the same age group as her and could relate to her personally as I am going through the exact same self-discovery process. The obstacles she faced with her family and the pressure she shouldered, along with struggling with what she wanted to do career-wise are all troubles that resonated with me deeply, and I feel like the author has really captured and portrayed that inner turmoil well.
As for Boyce, there wasn’t anything about him I didn’t love! With an alcoholic, abusive father, an absent mother, and a dead brother, Boyce learned the hard way that the only person he can count on is himself. It was so sad to read how he struggled in school and all the taunts he got, and little Boyce ignited a maternal instinct in me I didn’t even know I had. Even though he acted like a trouble-loving bad boy, it was evident that deep down he was a good guy, and his feelings for Pearl drove that point home.
I think the romance aspect of the book is what made me love the story even more, but also made me feel like some things were missing and I needed more depth in certain areas. Pearl and Boyce have a very special but complicated relationship. They knew each other since they were little kids and didn’t really cross paths until one fateful day Boyce pulls a drowning Pearl from the water and in that crucial moment, an understanding and connection is born. They operate in totally different social circles but there’s this silent agreement between them that they’d always watch out for each other. The way the author shows these scenes made my heart melt and the little romantic in me couldn’t wait for them to get older and finally get together ;) Perhaps that’s why I was a little discouraged that the second half of the book didn’t have that much of a romance focus so there was a disconnect. However, it didn’t bother me too much because while the romance went behind the stage, the self-discovery process for Boyce and Pearl individually was developed well and I was a big fan of that. Nowadays, I read too many NA books that just throw sex and insta-love at me with no real story plot or depth to it so I appreciated and savored the scenes where Boyce and Pearl were maturing as individuals while at the same time, letting their longtime dormant feelings for each other awaken.
As mentioned before, I love this author’s writing! She writes in a descriptive and detailed way that’s never flowery or overwhelming and in this book, she breathes life into Boyce and Pearl’s sleepy little hometown. When she describes the beach and Boyce and Pearl’s special spot, I know it. I can smell the ocean air and feel the sand cushioning my feet. I love it when authors can transport me into the world of their stories and it's what this author does for me. I recommend this book for those that are fans of slow-burn romances and don’t mind the kind of deep, heartwarming character self-discovery processes that happen along the way ;)
Sweet is a NA romance standalone. While it’s connected to Easy and Breakable, you do not have to read either of those to read this book. Do I recommend reading them though? Sure! I love that I started this book already feeling a connection with the main characters because of the background knowledge I got beforehand but I promise you’ll be okay if you don’t read them.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ever since I read Easy and then Breakable a few weeks ago, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Boyce and Pearl’s story. From the moment they were introduced, they were characters that needed a book, not just because they were important side characters and a big part of Lucas Maxfield’s (hero from Easy + Breakable) life, but because behind their tough attitudes there were hidden secrets dying to claw their way to the surface and a story demanding to be told. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and while I did run into a few things I wasn’t too fond of, it was a winner for me. I’ve always been a fan of this author’s writing and it’s fantastic as usual, the story flow was great, and the romance was heartmelting. It’s definitely one of the better NA books I’ve read this year!
One of the reasons this book worked for me was because of the heroine Pearl. Even though she was in Breakable, I still didn’t get to know much about her and wasn’t too sure of her as the heroine. But my fears about Pearl quickly disappeared because while I loved Boyce, I loved her even more. I’m in the same age group as her and could relate to her personally as I am going through the exact same self-discovery process. The obstacles she faced with her family and the pressure she shouldered, along with struggling with what she wanted to do career-wise are all troubles that resonated with me deeply, and I feel like the author has really captured and portrayed that inner turmoil well.
As for Boyce, there wasn’t anything about him I didn’t love! With an alcoholic, abusive father, an absent mother, and a dead brother, Boyce learned the hard way that the only person he can count on is himself. It was so sad to read how he struggled in school and all the taunts he got, and little Boyce ignited a maternal instinct in me I didn’t even know I had. Even though he acted like a trouble-loving bad boy, it was evident that deep down he was a good guy, and his feelings for Pearl drove that point home.
I think the romance aspect of the book is what made me love the story even more, but also made me feel like some things were missing and I needed more depth in certain areas. Pearl and Boyce have a very special but complicated relationship. They knew each other since they were little kids and didn’t really cross paths until one fateful day Boyce pulls a drowning Pearl from the water and in that crucial moment, an understanding and connection is born. They operate in totally different social circles but there’s this silent agreement between them that they’d always watch out for each other. The way the author shows these scenes made my heart melt and the little romantic in me couldn’t wait for them to get older and finally get together ;) Perhaps that’s why I was a little discouraged that the second half of the book didn’t have that much of a romance focus so there was a disconnect. However, it didn’t bother me too much because while the romance went behind the stage, the self-discovery process for Boyce and Pearl individually was developed well and I was a big fan of that. Nowadays, I read too many NA books that just throw sex and insta-love at me with no real story plot or depth to it so I appreciated and savored the scenes where Boyce and Pearl were maturing as individuals while at the same time, letting their longtime dormant feelings for each other awaken.
As mentioned before, I love this author’s writing! She writes in a descriptive and detailed way that’s never flowery or overwhelming and in this book, she breathes life into Boyce and Pearl’s sleepy little hometown. When she describes the beach and Boyce and Pearl’s special spot, I know it. I can smell the ocean air and feel the sand cushioning my feet. I love it when authors can transport me into the world of their stories and it's what this author does for me. I recommend this book for those that are fans of slow-burn romances and don’t mind the kind of deep, heartwarming character self-discovery processes that happen along the way ;)
Sweet is a NA romance standalone. While it’s connected to Easy and Breakable, you do not have to read either of those to read this book. Do I recommend reading them though? Sure! I love that I started this book already feeling a connection with the main characters because of the background knowledge I got beforehand but I promise you’ll be okay if you don’t read them.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2015
The real title of this book should be:
FLASHBACKS!
The blurb should be:
Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of them!
They ruined the book for me. I hated it.
April 29, 2015
4 Stars!!
“Sweet” is a beautiful, romantic love story about two individuals who despite some obstacles in their life they find their way towards each other. It’s a wonderful story about second chances at life, at love and about self discovery. This novel was my second Tammara Webber’s book and I enjoyed it as much as the first one.
“Sweet” tells the story of Pearl and Boyce. They know each other since they were kids, when Boyce who was 7 years old saved Pearl from drowning. From that moment they form a bond, a connection is made and Boyce becomes Pearl’s protector. A connection nobody knows about it. Over the years they become friends, falling for each other, but they as kids they have insecurities and fears so they never admitted their feelings for each other.
Boyce never had an easy life. His mother walked out on him when he was just a kid, leaving him and his brother with an alcoholic, abusive father who never cared for him and who never treated him like a son. He found in his brother a role model, always having each other backs, but his life was shattered when he finds out that his brother, a soldier, died in Afghanistan. Boyce has been working for two years in his father shop as a mechanic while his father has been sick. Now his father has passed away and Bryce feels free for the first time in his life.
Pearl has been accepted into many medical schools. Medical school has been her mother’s goal all her life and all her life she believed it was hers as well. Until she realized that joining the medical profession wasn’t what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Instead, she took her GRE and applied to a graduate program in Marine Biology in her hometown. She doesn’t want to disappoint her mother, but she finally knows who she wants to be and what she wants to do with her life.
The only one who knew about her plans, the only one who always understood her, the only one who saw her and still sees her, the real Pearl is the one who saved more than 15 years ago, Bryce.
Despite the fact they have been apart for years, Pearl and Bryce's relationship never changed. They still feel the strong connection between them and as always, Bryce is the one who is there for Pearl when she needs help, supporting her and caring for her.
Four years have passed, but they never forgot one single memory they shared and they never forget how connected they were.
This was a wonderfully written story that really warmed my heart. It was really gripping from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. The story is written in dual POV, 1st person, but through many flashbacks we get to know these characters better and understand their dynamic and connection.
I mentioned before in other reviews that I’m not a fan of flashbacks. Almost every time I find myself bored with them so I really was surprised that they worked for me here. Through them we get to understand each character as an individual and also their beautiful connection. And let me tell you, I felt with all my heart this powerful, touching, palpable connection between them. It simply felt REAL! I never doubted these characters are meant to be together. As they both knew with all their hearts, they are perfect for each other. And they truly are! I felt this through every kiss, every touch and every moment they shared. They complete each other in such a wonderful way.
Tammara Webber’s main characters in this novel are endearing, real, relatable and well developed. She did a great job portraying both Pearl and Boyce as individuals and also as an item. Pearl is the good girl, focused and guarded. She’s a very sweet girl with whom I relate on some level. Her struggle with what she wants do with her life is very well done in my opinion, felt real, I understood her and I also admired for her determination. She is loyal, quiet and shy and maybe at times a little naïve, but she’s a tough cookie.
Bryce became a great young man even if he had a hard life. He’s strong, he’s a fighter and he appreciates what he has, which I really liked. The way he is with Pearl is heartwarming. He’s her protector, her confident, the one who accepts her and loves her for who she is. He’s sweet, caring, attentive and made me swoon so many times. I adored how flirtatious he is at times. He made me smile and I felt for him more and more with every chapter.
I liked Pearl and Bryce's friendship as much as I liked their romantic relationship. I loved how easily they interact with each other and how well they know each other. Pearl knows the real Bryce and Bryce knows the real Pearl. Even if they spent years apart, their friendship and they feelings for each remained the same.
I also liked how their relationship progressed and how they admit their feelings for each other. The dual POV is fantastically done and I found the storyline very interesting and captivating.
All in all, “Sweet” is a wonderful story, beautifully written with engaging characters that will steal your heart and a great, solid plot.
“Sweet” is a beautiful, romantic love story about two individuals who despite some obstacles in their life they find their way towards each other. It’s a wonderful story about second chances at life, at love and about self discovery. This novel was my second Tammara Webber’s book and I enjoyed it as much as the first one.
“Sweet” tells the story of Pearl and Boyce. They know each other since they were kids, when Boyce who was 7 years old saved Pearl from drowning. From that moment they form a bond, a connection is made and Boyce becomes Pearl’s protector. A connection nobody knows about it. Over the years they become friends, falling for each other, but they as kids they have insecurities and fears so they never admitted their feelings for each other.
Boyce never had an easy life. His mother walked out on him when he was just a kid, leaving him and his brother with an alcoholic, abusive father who never cared for him and who never treated him like a son. He found in his brother a role model, always having each other backs, but his life was shattered when he finds out that his brother, a soldier, died in Afghanistan. Boyce has been working for two years in his father shop as a mechanic while his father has been sick. Now his father has passed away and Bryce feels free for the first time in his life.
“When are you going to stop being afraid to live your life, Pearl?”
Pearl has been accepted into many medical schools. Medical school has been her mother’s goal all her life and all her life she believed it was hers as well. Until she realized that joining the medical profession wasn’t what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Instead, she took her GRE and applied to a graduate program in Marine Biology in her hometown. She doesn’t want to disappoint her mother, but she finally knows who she wants to be and what she wants to do with her life.
The only one who knew about her plans, the only one who always understood her, the only one who saw her and still sees her, the real Pearl is the one who saved more than 15 years ago, Bryce.
“...he was home to me in a way that no one else was.”
Despite the fact they have been apart for years, Pearl and Bryce's relationship never changed. They still feel the strong connection between them and as always, Bryce is the one who is there for Pearl when she needs help, supporting her and caring for her.
“In four years, nothing had erased or even dimmed my memories of Boyce. His kiss. His touch. The disorienting intensity of his gaze.”
Four years have passed, but they never forgot one single memory they shared and they never forget how connected they were.
This was a wonderfully written story that really warmed my heart. It was really gripping from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. The story is written in dual POV, 1st person, but through many flashbacks we get to know these characters better and understand their dynamic and connection.
I mentioned before in other reviews that I’m not a fan of flashbacks. Almost every time I find myself bored with them so I really was surprised that they worked for me here. Through them we get to understand each character as an individual and also their beautiful connection. And let me tell you, I felt with all my heart this powerful, touching, palpable connection between them. It simply felt REAL! I never doubted these characters are meant to be together. As they both knew with all their hearts, they are perfect for each other. And they truly are! I felt this through every kiss, every touch and every moment they shared. They complete each other in such a wonderful way.
Tammara Webber’s main characters in this novel are endearing, real, relatable and well developed. She did a great job portraying both Pearl and Boyce as individuals and also as an item. Pearl is the good girl, focused and guarded. She’s a very sweet girl with whom I relate on some level. Her struggle with what she wants do with her life is very well done in my opinion, felt real, I understood her and I also admired for her determination. She is loyal, quiet and shy and maybe at times a little naïve, but she’s a tough cookie.
Bryce became a great young man even if he had a hard life. He’s strong, he’s a fighter and he appreciates what he has, which I really liked. The way he is with Pearl is heartwarming. He’s her protector, her confident, the one who accepts her and loves her for who she is. He’s sweet, caring, attentive and made me swoon so many times. I adored how flirtatious he is at times. He made me smile and I felt for him more and more with every chapter.
I liked Pearl and Bryce's friendship as much as I liked their romantic relationship. I loved how easily they interact with each other and how well they know each other. Pearl knows the real Bryce and Bryce knows the real Pearl. Even if they spent years apart, their friendship and they feelings for each remained the same.
“I protect you, Pearl. It’s just what I do.”
I also liked how their relationship progressed and how they admit their feelings for each other. The dual POV is fantastically done and I found the storyline very interesting and captivating.
All in all, “Sweet” is a wonderful story, beautifully written with engaging characters that will steal your heart and a great, solid plot.
August 15, 2015
Sweet is a second chance romance that begins with a subtle childhood friendship.
An unlikely friendship emerges in elementary school between Boyce and Pearl. The friendship continues all through their school years and is kept on the down low from their friends and family. Boyce & Pearl are attracted to each other but neither one of them are sure the other one feels the same way.
”In life, bad things happen, good things happen, and we do what we can to encourage one and prevent the other.”
As with the author's other books this one has some equally beautiful quote worthy lines. I'm a fan of Ms. Webber's college romances.
The double troupe with friends-to-lovers and second chance romance will have readers swooning.
On a side note:
This book is on salefor $2.99 [http://amzn.to/1Eke9Ke]. You can add the audio [http://amzn.to/1Wdd02n] for $1.99! Score! For $5.00 you can to listen to Zachary Webber narrate this book.
8/14/2015
STANDALONE
An unlikely friendship emerges in elementary school between Boyce and Pearl. The friendship continues all through their school years and is kept on the down low from their friends and family. Boyce & Pearl are attracted to each other but neither one of them are sure the other one feels the same way.
”In life, bad things happen, good things happen, and we do what we can to encourage one and prevent the other.”
As with the author's other books this one has some equally beautiful quote worthy lines. I'm a fan of Ms. Webber's college romances.
The double troupe with friends-to-lovers and second chance romance will have readers swooning.
On a side note:
This book is on salefor $2.99 [http://amzn.to/1Eke9Ke]. You can add the audio [http://amzn.to/1Wdd02n] for $1.99! Score! For $5.00 you can to listen to Zachary Webber narrate this book.
8/14/2015
STANDALONE
October 17, 2017
hmmmmmm.....
This book gets a pat on the back for being unproblematic, but that's about it. There was nothing really new or interesting about this, and the book itself was pretty bland. The MC was mexican, a daughter of an immigrant, which I wasn't expecting, but I can't speak to the authenticity of its representation.
However, I CAN speak to the authenticity of the fact that this takes place in Texas. And I call bullshit. Literally no one here unless you live on a farm or somewhere rural speaks with an accent, yet everyone in this book was saying "ain't" and "I reckon" and it just pulled me out of the story soooo much. Particularly, the love interest would say these things, and I was just like UGH. Maybe this appeals to women who read books with those cowboy main characters but my pavlovian response is that any dude with a southern accent is almost always a republican, so there's this triggering of distrust and revulsion for some reason.
In general, the dialogue tended to be pretty corny. It was okay at first but slowly descended cheesier and cheesier. If it's your thing, cool. It's not mine. I made a few faces at the goopy stuff that they shared with each other. Not my fav.
This book is also so flashback heavy. Sometimes it will just give you one sentence in real time, go back in time for 20 pages, then switch back to “anyway, here I am standing by the ocean,” and it just got really slow every time that happened. Sometimes this would occur after one character asks a question, and then 10 pages later the other character will answer the question, but the flashback was so long that you forget what question was asked.
I lowkey skimmed over a ton of content that wasn't about Pearl and Boyce because I just didn't care. The side characters weren't fleshed out, the conflict with Boyce's job wasn't interesting, and I didn't miss anything ignoring those parts. I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of this book, even though it really had no problems with the characters, which is major because typically i'm finding 50+ problematic things in NA, but this had few to none.
Lastly, the characters sort of weirded me out in regards to how they navigated their relationship?? Every time they would have sex, they would do it randomly in the dead of night then pretend it nEVER HAPPENED. Like no discussion. They went back to being platonic friends, no sexual tension at all other than "mmm she looks hot in her jeans but we joke around." like ???? Idk, i'm so used to the format of NA books being like, they pine after each other for 200 pages then when they finally admit they like each other, that first scene is so powerful and cathartic. but in this it just. happened. i guess. idk.
It's not nearly as great as I remember Easy being, but i'm not mad I read it.
This book gets a pat on the back for being unproblematic, but that's about it. There was nothing really new or interesting about this, and the book itself was pretty bland. The MC was mexican, a daughter of an immigrant, which I wasn't expecting, but I can't speak to the authenticity of its representation.
However, I CAN speak to the authenticity of the fact that this takes place in Texas. And I call bullshit. Literally no one here unless you live on a farm or somewhere rural speaks with an accent, yet everyone in this book was saying "ain't" and "I reckon" and it just pulled me out of the story soooo much. Particularly, the love interest would say these things, and I was just like UGH. Maybe this appeals to women who read books with those cowboy main characters but my pavlovian response is that any dude with a southern accent is almost always a republican, so there's this triggering of distrust and revulsion for some reason.
In general, the dialogue tended to be pretty corny. It was okay at first but slowly descended cheesier and cheesier. If it's your thing, cool. It's not mine. I made a few faces at the goopy stuff that they shared with each other. Not my fav.
This book is also so flashback heavy. Sometimes it will just give you one sentence in real time, go back in time for 20 pages, then switch back to “anyway, here I am standing by the ocean,” and it just got really slow every time that happened. Sometimes this would occur after one character asks a question, and then 10 pages later the other character will answer the question, but the flashback was so long that you forget what question was asked.
I lowkey skimmed over a ton of content that wasn't about Pearl and Boyce because I just didn't care. The side characters weren't fleshed out, the conflict with Boyce's job wasn't interesting, and I didn't miss anything ignoring those parts. I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of this book, even though it really had no problems with the characters, which is major because typically i'm finding 50+ problematic things in NA, but this had few to none.
Lastly, the characters sort of weirded me out in regards to how they navigated their relationship?? Every time they would have sex, they would do it randomly in the dead of night then pretend it nEVER HAPPENED. Like no discussion. They went back to being platonic friends, no sexual tension at all other than "mmm she looks hot in her jeans but we joke around." like ???? Idk, i'm so used to the format of NA books being like, they pine after each other for 200 pages then when they finally admit they like each other, that first scene is so powerful and cathartic. but in this it just. happened. i guess. idk.
It's not nearly as great as I remember Easy being, but i'm not mad I read it.
April 28, 2015
“It’s just me, Boyce. You don’t have to do anything to impress me.”
“Because you already think I’m awesome, or because you never will?”
“You saved my life. I’ve been impressed with you since I was five years old.”
I feel like my heart is glowing like a Christmas tree from the sheer exquisiteness of this beautiful, oh-so romantic and yet very tantalizing story, a story that sneaks up on you unhurriedly, pulling you in deeper and deeper, as you lose yourself in a swirl of emotions and truly superb prose. A tale of second chances, of finding the courage to give one’s heart what it desires the most, this is a love story that spans over fifteen years, showing that even some of our most painful memories can become our most treasured ones. This book left me beaming, bursting at the seams with child-like delight, knowing I’d found a story I would never ever want to forget.
“When are you going to stop being afraid to love your life, Pearl?”
Pearl and Boyce’s lives have been gently intertwined since they were children, when a seven-year-old boy saved a little girl from drowning. But growing up in two very different families, from opposite sides of town, meant that their everyday lives had very little in common, their unlikely friendship born over the years as a secret they both guarded fiercely, rather than nurtured openly. As their story is given to us in snippets—their past and present intermingling continuously to slowly but purposefully paint the picture of their shared history before their future can truly be understood—we unravel their past through both their eyes, both their hearts.
“Boyce Wynn—my guardian angel, the imaginary best friend of my childhood, my unprofessed adolescent crush, my dirty little secret.”
We watch a young girl from a privileged upbringing fall desperately in love for the bad boy at school, because while everyone else only ever sees her façade, he sees the person she hides from the world. He understands her like no one else ever has, his bluntly honest and often cantankerous attitude spurring her to open up to him and express all her doubts, fears, and wildest dreams. He makes her feel safe to be herself, to take chances in life, and to follow her heart, their secret friendship evolving over the years into a young romance that never quite takes flight, never gets a chance to blossom. And eventually, Pearl’s education takes her far away from Boyce, leaving them both full of regrets over the many missed opportunities they had.
“In four years, nothing had erased or even dimmed my memories of Boyce. His kiss. His touch. The disorienting intensity of his gaze.”
When Pearl returns to her home town after college to pursue a childhood dream, thus giving up the one she was always expected to blindly follow, she finds herself seeking the help of the only man who has always only protected her—Boyce. As their lives become once again entwined, this time more than ever before and in ways they never even dreamed possible, every new step forward in their budding relationship stems out of a shared memory from the past. They remember it all, every kiss, every stolen smile, every moment spent in each other’s arms, as they gather the courage to finally open up their hearts to one another and confess what they’ve been hiding for so long.
“I’m gonna kiss you. Unless you tell me not to good and loud right now. I’m gonna kiss you, and I’m not gonna be sorry.”
But old insecurities and fears lurking behind them never stop making them question everything they mean to one another, everything they’ve always meant to one another, forcing them to fight, for once, for their place in the other’s life.
“I’d rather her be happy the rest of her life without me than be the thing that made her sad.”
Ms Webber is a very unique storyteller, her narrative structured in a way that not only felt new and different to me, but also utterly gripping. Through frequent flashbacks of sorts, generously dispersed all throughout the storyline, she marries her characters’ past with their future, each sliver of their shared story fitting perfectly together to form a heart-warming picture like no other. She gives us both their voices, a window into both their hearts and minds, and she makes us love them both, equally, unequivocally, leaving no gaps in their emotional growth and character development in general. I cannot believe that this is my first novel by this extraordinary author, a real shame I waited so long to experience her astonishing writing style, but it will not be my last.
“I was a man who’d loved this girl from the moment she’d come back to life and saw no one but me.”
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December 16, 2015
3.5 stars xx
September 6, 2015
Another phenomenal audiobook narrated in part by Zachary Webber!
I love this story. Pearl and Boyce are super sweet. I enjoyed them as secondary characters in Breakable ... putting them in leading roles worked wonderfully. Their backstory was not at all what I was expecting & learning all about them was actually really refreshing ... even the heartbreaking parts.
I did have an issue with the production quality of this audio. I found myself constantly adjusting my volume ... there was a large difference between the male and female voice levels.
Despite the minor flaw, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book.
Read
April 17, 2015This is just FABULOUS! There are a ton of nerdy story-construction reasons for loving this book. But readers should know that it is HOTTER than Easy, and hotter than a summer day in Texas. So pour yourself a cold drink when you sit down with this one.
The book just has such a fabulous sense of place, too. You'll feel the humid air and smell the saltwater. Boyce is such a great hero. The reader steps into the story years after they've met, and the layers of their relationship are peeled back one at a time... it's just gorgeous.
Read this one. you must.
The book just has such a fabulous sense of place, too. You'll feel the humid air and smell the saltwater. Boyce is such a great hero. The reader steps into the story years after they've met, and the layers of their relationship are peeled back one at a time... it's just gorgeous.
Read this one. you must.
April 12, 2015
For most of my life, Boyce Wynn’s smile had been three things to me: safety, warmth and home…
I’ve been anxiously awaiting whatever Tammara Webber writes next, so when Sweet popped up in my email, I dropped EVERYTHING and started it, and I’m so glad I did.
Sweet is part of the Contours of the Heart series (Easy & Breakable) but is for the most part a stand-alone. You don’t need to read either of the books in the series to read this one, but I have to tell you that if you haven’t, you should. I will say that Breakable gives you brief glimpses into the characters featured here in Sweet, and it’s definitely worth the read.
Boyce Wynn never thought he’d be considered a hero at the ripe old age of 7, but that’s exactly what he became when he pulled Pearl Torres out of the water and inexplicably tied them to each other. Boyce never had an easy life. His mother walked out on him and his brother, leaving them with his abusive father, the only thing he was focused on was ducking fists and doing whatever made him happy, but the death of his brother only wreaked move havoc on his life. But through everything, he always had Pearl’s friendship, even if it wasn’t something they shared with anyone else.
The death of his father, though expected and something he doesn’t mourn, leaves him with everything he’s worked for over the last couple of years… a place to live and his livelihood in the way of the family garage. What he never expects is the bad news that comes shortly after his father’s death in the way of his mother.
Pearl’s life wasn’t always the one of privilege she has now. She grew up with just her mother, until she turned thirteen and her life did a 180. Her mom married Thomas, a local doctor and suddenly the world was filled with possibility. Graduating with her degree and medical school on the horizon she comes to the realization that she isn’t happy… she doesn’t want to be anywhere but the one place she considers home so turning down her acceptance to Vanderbilt was easy… telling her boyfriend Mitchell and her mom… not so much.
I loved, loved, loved getting the history between these two via flashbacks… it worked wonderfully and allowed me as the reader to get to know them even better than I could have imagined. It was hard to see the back and forth of course, I kept wanting to shake each of them and tell them to just talk about their feelings already, but I understood why they continued to toe the line and yet not step over it.
Can we just talk about Boyce though… for serious, I never expected to love this boy as much as I did. I mean he actually surprised me so much. I think what I loved most about him was his love for Pearl… his vulnerability but surety about it. He was so sure about how he felt, but he wasn’t sure how to keep her or let her go. I loved that he was a survivor… he knew where his skills lie and he pushed himself to be successful at what he could do. Plus… he’s sweet!
And Pearl… I remember thinking unflattering things about her in Unbreakable, but I fell 100% different after reading this book. I loved that she was willing to give up everything just to pursue what she wanted for her life. And how amazing was the relationship between her and her mother and step-father!
These two together were exactly what I had hoped they would be. The chemistry was so wonderful and I loved that they had this history of friendship and longing behind it… it made it even better.
I think that’s all I’ll say about this book for now… I am a huge Tammara Webber fan and for good reason. She writes amazing characters who have to deal with some tough issues and she does it so wonderfully. I can’t wait to see what she gives us next!
I’ve been anxiously awaiting whatever Tammara Webber writes next, so when Sweet popped up in my email, I dropped EVERYTHING and started it, and I’m so glad I did.
Sweet is part of the Contours of the Heart series (Easy & Breakable) but is for the most part a stand-alone. You don’t need to read either of the books in the series to read this one, but I have to tell you that if you haven’t, you should. I will say that Breakable gives you brief glimpses into the characters featured here in Sweet, and it’s definitely worth the read.
Boyce Wynn never thought he’d be considered a hero at the ripe old age of 7, but that’s exactly what he became when he pulled Pearl Torres out of the water and inexplicably tied them to each other. Boyce never had an easy life. His mother walked out on him and his brother, leaving them with his abusive father, the only thing he was focused on was ducking fists and doing whatever made him happy, but the death of his brother only wreaked move havoc on his life. But through everything, he always had Pearl’s friendship, even if it wasn’t something they shared with anyone else.
The death of his father, though expected and something he doesn’t mourn, leaves him with everything he’s worked for over the last couple of years… a place to live and his livelihood in the way of the family garage. What he never expects is the bad news that comes shortly after his father’s death in the way of his mother.
Pearl’s life wasn’t always the one of privilege she has now. She grew up with just her mother, until she turned thirteen and her life did a 180. Her mom married Thomas, a local doctor and suddenly the world was filled with possibility. Graduating with her degree and medical school on the horizon she comes to the realization that she isn’t happy… she doesn’t want to be anywhere but the one place she considers home so turning down her acceptance to Vanderbilt was easy… telling her boyfriend Mitchell and her mom… not so much.
I loved, loved, loved getting the history between these two via flashbacks… it worked wonderfully and allowed me as the reader to get to know them even better than I could have imagined. It was hard to see the back and forth of course, I kept wanting to shake each of them and tell them to just talk about their feelings already, but I understood why they continued to toe the line and yet not step over it.
Can we just talk about Boyce though… for serious, I never expected to love this boy as much as I did. I mean he actually surprised me so much. I think what I loved most about him was his love for Pearl… his vulnerability but surety about it. He was so sure about how he felt, but he wasn’t sure how to keep her or let her go. I loved that he was a survivor… he knew where his skills lie and he pushed himself to be successful at what he could do. Plus… he’s sweet!
And Pearl… I remember thinking unflattering things about her in Unbreakable, but I fell 100% different after reading this book. I loved that she was willing to give up everything just to pursue what she wanted for her life. And how amazing was the relationship between her and her mother and step-father!
These two together were exactly what I had hoped they would be. The chemistry was so wonderful and I loved that they had this history of friendship and longing behind it… it made it even better.
I think that’s all I’ll say about this book for now… I am a huge Tammara Webber fan and for good reason. She writes amazing characters who have to deal with some tough issues and she does it so wonderfully. I can’t wait to see what she gives us next!
February 18, 2016
3.5 – 4 Sweet Stars
I loved Easy and I admit, I haven’t read a Tammara Webber book since. I was REALLY excited for Sweet. I did the audio version of I’m glad I did. The Southern accents and voice narrators were PERFECT.
I would describe Sweet very angsty, Sweet with a touch of romance. It took me two months to listen to this audio book because the story was very descriptive and the angst was a bit much at times. It was hard to follow because there would be flashbacks, but I didn’t realize it was flashbacks until the time period was mention. Also the flashbacks jumped different time periods so it was hard to keep track if it was before college, after college or if they were little kids, but that may be me and how I listen to audio books.
Pearl and Boyce, I don’t even know where to begin. The story is about them. From the time they were kids to the time they are adults. There’s a lot of angst, tension and drama with their relationship. From the time they were kids Pearl and Boyce have been in love with each other, the only problem, they both never realized they were. Well, Pearl loved Boyce, but Boyce didn’t know he loved her yet.
It was really hard reading a story about two people caring so much about each other, but they still dated other people. I kind of wanted to scream, do you guys not see it?! Pearl and Boyce have many encounters with each other, but all of it was tame. The steam level in this book is VERY mild and I wouldn’t even say this book has too much romance. I mean, yes it’s a love story, but Pearl and Boyce spend such a huge amount of time not together, I just didn’t feel like there was anything between them but tension.
On top of all of that, there are other problems to worry about, like Pearl and her parents and Boyce and his past. I was fine with Pearl and her parents because it added tension to the story, but towards the end I didn’t really care anymore. I liked that Pearl was strong and she stood up to her parents so she could pursue her dream, but towards Boyce I thought she was super weak and it annoyed me a bit.
Boyce has to deal with his past and how abusive his father was. I get that we needed to know that because that made Boyce the way he is and how closed off he is, but like I said with Pearl’s parents, towards the end, I didn’t care.
Also, right before the book ends, there’s all these crazy problems that come up and it seemed too much.
I know I sound like I am ranting, but I did enjoy the story. It was Sweet and angst is something I am trying to like. I understood where the author was taking the story and oh boy I did get a story. The thing I enjoyed most about this was the narrators. They read at the perfect pace. Pearl’s voice was sweet, girlie and adorable. Boyce’s voice was manly and sexy.
AMAZON KINDLE - $5.99 AUDIO - $1.99
I loved Easy and I admit, I haven’t read a Tammara Webber book since. I was REALLY excited for Sweet. I did the audio version of I’m glad I did. The Southern accents and voice narrators were PERFECT.
I would describe Sweet very angsty, Sweet with a touch of romance. It took me two months to listen to this audio book because the story was very descriptive and the angst was a bit much at times. It was hard to follow because there would be flashbacks, but I didn’t realize it was flashbacks until the time period was mention. Also the flashbacks jumped different time periods so it was hard to keep track if it was before college, after college or if they were little kids, but that may be me and how I listen to audio books.
Pearl and Boyce, I don’t even know where to begin. The story is about them. From the time they were kids to the time they are adults. There’s a lot of angst, tension and drama with their relationship. From the time they were kids Pearl and Boyce have been in love with each other, the only problem, they both never realized they were. Well, Pearl loved Boyce, but Boyce didn’t know he loved her yet.
It was really hard reading a story about two people caring so much about each other, but they still dated other people. I kind of wanted to scream, do you guys not see it?! Pearl and Boyce have many encounters with each other, but all of it was tame. The steam level in this book is VERY mild and I wouldn’t even say this book has too much romance. I mean, yes it’s a love story, but Pearl and Boyce spend such a huge amount of time not together, I just didn’t feel like there was anything between them but tension.
On top of all of that, there are other problems to worry about, like Pearl and her parents and Boyce and his past. I was fine with Pearl and her parents because it added tension to the story, but towards the end I didn’t really care anymore. I liked that Pearl was strong and she stood up to her parents so she could pursue her dream, but towards Boyce I thought she was super weak and it annoyed me a bit.
Boyce has to deal with his past and how abusive his father was. I get that we needed to know that because that made Boyce the way he is and how closed off he is, but like I said with Pearl’s parents, towards the end, I didn’t care.
Also, right before the book ends, there’s all these crazy problems that come up and it seemed too much.
I know I sound like I am ranting, but I did enjoy the story. It was Sweet and angst is something I am trying to like. I understood where the author was taking the story and oh boy I did get a story. The thing I enjoyed most about this was the narrators. They read at the perfect pace. Pearl’s voice was sweet, girlie and adorable. Boyce’s voice was manly and sexy.
AMAZON KINDLE - $5.99 AUDIO - $1.99
June 24, 2021
God! It has been forever since I picked up Miss Webber's book. Since I still remember fondly of Contours of the Heart series, I am so excited to finally finish this series with Sweet. I know that the story of Pearl and Boyd will be explosive.
Their romance and growing up story is slow burn. It started from they were kids until their adult. Boyd carries many baggage from his past. The death of this brother and his mother left him in the hand of abusive father. Not pretty story. Yet his spirit to live wild and free never dies.
Pearl who comes from strict upbrining, desperate to just breath. It is wonderful journey to see both of them finally get their HEA.
4 stars
Their romance and growing up story is slow burn. It started from they were kids until their adult. Boyd carries many baggage from his past. The death of this brother and his mother left him in the hand of abusive father. Not pretty story. Yet his spirit to live wild and free never dies.
Pearl who comes from strict upbrining, desperate to just breath. It is wonderful journey to see both of them finally get their HEA.
4 stars
April 30, 2015
Spoilers
Pretty good for a New Adult book. It was well written despite the clichés, and the characters for the most part were interesting and entertaining, and the romance between Pearl/Boyce was easy to invest into and root for. I had some minor issues with their relationship and there were a number of other things that bugged about me the story, but on the whole it was an enjoyable and distracting read.
-Even though I liked Pearl more than Boyce, I much preferred his POV over hers. He was the more engrossing character, his past/present situation (with his dad/brother/mum/business) was far more interesting to read about than anything going on in Pearl's life.
-For the majority of the book, I really liked Pearl's character, she was smart and focused on her school work and ambitions. However, there were times where I absolutely hated her, mostly when she was slagging off other girls. I couldn't stand her bitchy thoughts about Brittney, they were out of order. Brittney had been nothing but nice to her, but all Pearl did was look down at her and think she was better than her. Unlike most heroines though, Pearl did eventually realise that she was being unfair too her.
-I had mixed feelings for Boyce, even though he was sweet and supportive of Pearl, there were some things he did/said that irritated me. Like when he was a teen, he treated Pearl awfully, what with him being all over another girl a few hours after sleeping with her. Ugh, if he had truly loved and wanted her (like he insisted he did) he wouldn't have done that (no matter how high he claimed to be), he knew she was his first time yet he threw that back in her face by slobbering over some other girl less than a day after they got it on.
Also, Boyce's decades long devotion/love of Pearl was hard to believe, what with him indiscriminately shagging around. I can't quite believe he loved her that much when he happily sexed it up to such an extreme level.
-I don't know why Boyce kept bitching about Pearl keeping him a secret when he wasn't exactly shouting about their friendship/relationship to his friends or anyone for that matter. He acted like she owed him something. Why would he think that when for years he'd been happily sleeping around with all the girls in their town? She probably didn't tell anyone because she had no idea how he felt about her, it was impossible to tell that he truly wanted her when he shagged around that much.
-Boyce's comment about Brittney's sex life pissed me off, he was such a misogynistic hypocrite, he had no right to judge and snarkily comment on someone else's sex life when he himself slept around so much. Even when Pearl called him out on his double standards, he just brushed it off as a harmless joke instead of properly apologising for his misogyny. What was even more annoying was Brittany clearly respected and cared for Boyce, but he had zero respect for her. Apparently, the only girls he respected were ones who didn't have too much of an active sex life.
-I LOATHED Boyce's mum, she was absolute trash. I wanted her to suffer for what she did to Boyce and his brother, but nothing happened to the silly cow. Her greedily taking Boyce's home and business when she'd abandoned him and fucked off for 15 years was such a scummy move. I really wanted Boyce to tell her exactly what he thought of her, he was way too civil and nice to her.
-Not sure whether I liked Melody, she was a pretty rubbish friend to Pearl and was quite awful to Boyce, not that he was much nicer to her. I think she could be a decent heroine though, the fact that she went back to her rich-golden-boy-high-school-boyfriend-who-she-hated after he publicly cheated on her just showed how much pressure and guilt her stuck up family put on her. I'm not surprised Melody turned out how she did with such a controlling and manipulative family, no wonder she wanted to move hundreds of miles away from them. It was ridiculous how they expected her to get engaged straight out of college, she was only 22 and she didn't want to settle down, they shouldn't have put those kinds of expectations on her. And then there was her brother selfishly using the ring her grandma left to her so he could propose to his girlfriend. What a dick. I wouldn't mind reading a book from her POV just so she can tell her vile family to piss off.
-Mitchell showing up at the end and turning into a full on psycho ex kind of seemed out of place and unrealistic. But after thinking about it, I guess it made sense since Mitchell's action were quite crazy to begin with, and after seeing so many news stories about crazy ex boyfriends/girlfriends it ended up seeming realistic.
-Arianna and Ray? Really?! What a mismatched couple, since when was Ray seeing anyone? And them being pregnant and married on top of that?? Ugh, no. Firstly, the age gap between them was seriously off putting. And their personalities didn't fit together at all. Also, Ray getting married and having a baby with a younger woman felt like he was pissing all over the memory of his murdered wife. It seemed like he had no respect or loyalty towards Lucas's mum. Why couldn't he have just dated someone and been happy that way?! I HATE that he gets to have a brand new family/life when Lucas and his mum got nothing but utter crap. He doesn't deserve a second chance like that, he should have been working on repairing his relationship with Lucas, not shacking up and starting a new family with someone that wasn't all that older than Lucas. Ugh, hated Ray ending up with Arianna.
-Why did Boyce tell Dr Frank that he hadn't seen any of evidence of his mother's boyfriend beating her? He had. He knew that her boyfriend slapped her and was threatening her, he knew he was violent. Yet he was sincere when he told Dr Frank that his mum wasn't being abused. Why was Boyce ignoring what he witnessed? I didn't get what was going on there.
-Didn't like how fast Boyce/Pearl got married, even though they'd known each other for years they'd only been dating for less than a year, plus Pearl was still in college. I would have preferred if the epilogue had taken place a few years down the line instead of nine months.
-Loved the gulf/small town setting, especially Boyce's home/garage and how he'd build it up and made it his.
-Loved Samantha, Pearl's stepdad, Randy, and Brittney. They were such great characters.
Pretty good for a New Adult book. It was well written despite the clichés, and the characters for the most part were interesting and entertaining, and the romance between Pearl/Boyce was easy to invest into and root for. I had some minor issues with their relationship and there were a number of other things that bugged about me the story, but on the whole it was an enjoyable and distracting read.
-Even though I liked Pearl more than Boyce, I much preferred his POV over hers. He was the more engrossing character, his past/present situation (with his dad/brother/mum/business) was far more interesting to read about than anything going on in Pearl's life.
-For the majority of the book, I really liked Pearl's character, she was smart and focused on her school work and ambitions. However, there were times where I absolutely hated her, mostly when she was slagging off other girls. I couldn't stand her bitchy thoughts about Brittney, they were out of order. Brittney had been nothing but nice to her, but all Pearl did was look down at her and think she was better than her. Unlike most heroines though, Pearl did eventually realise that she was being unfair too her.
-I had mixed feelings for Boyce, even though he was sweet and supportive of Pearl, there were some things he did/said that irritated me. Like when he was a teen, he treated Pearl awfully, what with him being all over another girl a few hours after sleeping with her. Ugh, if he had truly loved and wanted her (like he insisted he did) he wouldn't have done that (no matter how high he claimed to be), he knew she was his first time yet he threw that back in her face by slobbering over some other girl less than a day after they got it on.
Also, Boyce's decades long devotion/love of Pearl was hard to believe, what with him indiscriminately shagging around. I can't quite believe he loved her that much when he happily sexed it up to such an extreme level.
-I don't know why Boyce kept bitching about Pearl keeping him a secret when he wasn't exactly shouting about their friendship/relationship to his friends or anyone for that matter. He acted like she owed him something. Why would he think that when for years he'd been happily sleeping around with all the girls in their town? She probably didn't tell anyone because she had no idea how he felt about her, it was impossible to tell that he truly wanted her when he shagged around that much.
-Boyce's comment about Brittney's sex life pissed me off, he was such a misogynistic hypocrite, he had no right to judge and snarkily comment on someone else's sex life when he himself slept around so much. Even when Pearl called him out on his double standards, he just brushed it off as a harmless joke instead of properly apologising for his misogyny. What was even more annoying was Brittany clearly respected and cared for Boyce, but he had zero respect for her. Apparently, the only girls he respected were ones who didn't have too much of an active sex life.
-I LOATHED Boyce's mum, she was absolute trash. I wanted her to suffer for what she did to Boyce and his brother, but nothing happened to the silly cow. Her greedily taking Boyce's home and business when she'd abandoned him and fucked off for 15 years was such a scummy move. I really wanted Boyce to tell her exactly what he thought of her, he was way too civil and nice to her.
-Not sure whether I liked Melody, she was a pretty rubbish friend to Pearl and was quite awful to Boyce, not that he was much nicer to her. I think she could be a decent heroine though, the fact that she went back to her rich-golden-boy-high-school-boyfriend-who-she-hated after he publicly cheated on her just showed how much pressure and guilt her stuck up family put on her. I'm not surprised Melody turned out how she did with such a controlling and manipulative family, no wonder she wanted to move hundreds of miles away from them. It was ridiculous how they expected her to get engaged straight out of college, she was only 22 and she didn't want to settle down, they shouldn't have put those kinds of expectations on her. And then there was her brother selfishly using the ring her grandma left to her so he could propose to his girlfriend. What a dick. I wouldn't mind reading a book from her POV just so she can tell her vile family to piss off.
-Mitchell showing up at the end and turning into a full on psycho ex kind of seemed out of place and unrealistic. But after thinking about it, I guess it made sense since Mitchell's action were quite crazy to begin with, and after seeing so many news stories about crazy ex boyfriends/girlfriends it ended up seeming realistic.
-Arianna and Ray? Really?! What a mismatched couple, since when was Ray seeing anyone? And them being pregnant and married on top of that?? Ugh, no. Firstly, the age gap between them was seriously off putting. And their personalities didn't fit together at all. Also, Ray getting married and having a baby with a younger woman felt like he was pissing all over the memory of his murdered wife. It seemed like he had no respect or loyalty towards Lucas's mum. Why couldn't he have just dated someone and been happy that way?! I HATE that he gets to have a brand new family/life when Lucas and his mum got nothing but utter crap. He doesn't deserve a second chance like that, he should have been working on repairing his relationship with Lucas, not shacking up and starting a new family with someone that wasn't all that older than Lucas. Ugh, hated Ray ending up with Arianna.
-Why did Boyce tell Dr Frank that he hadn't seen any of evidence of his mother's boyfriend beating her? He had. He knew that her boyfriend slapped her and was threatening her, he knew he was violent. Yet he was sincere when he told Dr Frank that his mum wasn't being abused. Why was Boyce ignoring what he witnessed? I didn't get what was going on there.
-Didn't like how fast Boyce/Pearl got married, even though they'd known each other for years they'd only been dating for less than a year, plus Pearl was still in college. I would have preferred if the epilogue had taken place a few years down the line instead of nine months.
-Loved the gulf/small town setting, especially Boyce's home/garage and how he'd build it up and made it his.
-Loved Samantha, Pearl's stepdad, Randy, and Brittney. They were such great characters.
April 6, 2016
I hardcore LOVE the books this one is a spin-off of. Easy and Breakable are on my all time favorites list. The only thing I love more than reading these books is listening to them on audio. So when I heard that Boyce Wynn was going to get his story, I was so excited.
This author gets New Adult stories. She recognizes the pivotal time this is in someones life and she uses that to make some of the best stories I've ever read. And this one is no different.
Boyce is the guy in Breakable that accepted Lucas (after a small fight, hehe). He had Lucas' back and vice versa. I thought he was funny and broken. I really wanted him to get his girl. And I knew who his girl was. Pearl. It could only ever be Pearl. She needed to go to college and figure a few things out but somehow she knew it too.
But this isn't a simple story. The important ones never are. And that's what makes this one so good. This author combines the characters I love and care about with a story that's complex and fully developed. There are little details attended to and characters I want to slap silly. There are good and bad things happening. There are sweet sexy moments that I just want to get lost in and read over and over. There is sacrifice and love in action. There is the feeling that these characters could walk off the page and fill your house with the best party you've ever had. (Except Mitchell - who I would kick out after I slapped him silly).
It's the kind of book I'd be happy to live in. It's the kind of book I want re-read on a regular basis. I'm so hoping this one makes it to audio because I really want to put it in line with Easy and Breakable on my re-read list.
Even if you haven't read Easy or Breakable, this is a great choice for your next read. But you will love these characters so much that you will want more. All of them. Every single sentence.
Romance your thing? Then don't miss this one.
April 27, 2015
★★★ 3.5 stars ★★★
Tammara Webber is an absolute gem. There is such beauty and purity to her writing, never adding unnecessary drama or extraordinary situations for shock value. She doesn't follow other writers off the cliff of what's "in the moment." It's refreshing. The title Sweet says it all.
Told from dual POVs, Sweet sucked me into an incredibly romantic story between Pearl and Boyce, and the very special connection they formed as children. It was their history that added an element to the plot that I usually seek when I'm looking for my next read. Romance, forged from the evolution of a childhood friendship, is my Nirvana. It's my crack. It's my happy place. This was my happy place.
Their story is told through flashbacks concurrently with the progression of the present story, and this is done seamlessly. It was the flashbacks that made me fall in love with their relationship; it gave the story so much depth I was in China. It was so incredibly well written that it made it hard for me to want to come back to the present. Most of the stories heartwarming romance is wrapped up into their history where the present is more focused on their journey and self discovery. Both are beautiful things, but I found myself wanting more of the past, and a little less connected with the rest of the story. Regardless, the chemistry is amazing and I love how this story provided new insight into characters we already knew, or at least we thought we did ;-)
No matter what Tammara Webber writes, her secondary characters always seem to shine (loved me some Sam). It is that talent that makes books like Sweet possible. Even though it is interwoven with the Contours of the Heart series, it CAN be read a standalone, but if you don't read Easy then that is just really unfortunate for you.
I truly love reading Tammara Webber novels. Though she does tackle some difficult situations, everything she does, she does it with class.
READ ON!!
Tammara Webber is an absolute gem. There is such beauty and purity to her writing, never adding unnecessary drama or extraordinary situations for shock value. She doesn't follow other writers off the cliff of what's "in the moment." It's refreshing. The title Sweet says it all.
Told from dual POVs, Sweet sucked me into an incredibly romantic story between Pearl and Boyce, and the very special connection they formed as children. It was their history that added an element to the plot that I usually seek when I'm looking for my next read. Romance, forged from the evolution of a childhood friendship, is my Nirvana. It's my crack. It's my happy place. This was my happy place.
Their story is told through flashbacks concurrently with the progression of the present story, and this is done seamlessly. It was the flashbacks that made me fall in love with their relationship; it gave the story so much depth I was in China. It was so incredibly well written that it made it hard for me to want to come back to the present. Most of the stories heartwarming romance is wrapped up into their history where the present is more focused on their journey and self discovery. Both are beautiful things, but I found myself wanting more of the past, and a little less connected with the rest of the story. Regardless, the chemistry is amazing and I love how this story provided new insight into characters we already knew, or at least we thought we did ;-)
No matter what Tammara Webber writes, her secondary characters always seem to shine (loved me some Sam). It is that talent that makes books like Sweet possible. Even though it is interwoven with the Contours of the Heart series, it CAN be read a standalone, but if you don't read Easy then that is just really unfortunate for you.
I truly love reading Tammara Webber novels. Though she does tackle some difficult situations, everything she does, she does it with class.
READ ON!!
April 26, 2015
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
This is one of the best books I have read in a very very long time. It’s going to be very hard for me to put the amount of love I have for this book into words. I had extremely high expectations for this book, I mean Easy and Breakable are two of my all-time favorite reads in the history of forever, and Sweet not only met those expectations but it surpassed them by a mile.
First we have Pearl who I absolutely adored. I related to Pearl in many ways and I really got where she was coming from. I loved her determination and that once she made a decision she stuck to it, no matter the consequences. She may be quiet but she is tough and she is smart. Simply put she is a force to be reckoned with, just not everyone knows that.
The one person who does know that is Boyce. Boyce and Pearl have a connection that goes way back, except nobody really knows about that connection. Boyce has had a rough upbringing, and that is putting it lightly. But even with everything he endured, he still became a great man. He took what life gave him and instead of letting it hold him down he took what he had and made something out of it. Not everyone would have been able to do that and it really shows how special Boyce is. He is strong and good and so much more than you would have thought.
Boyce and Pearl together have so much chemistry and it simmers. The anticipation in this one is killer in the best way possible. Those two together are insane. But they are much more than their attraction to one another. First and foremost they are best friends. They know each other well and have been a part of each other’s lives growing up. The two of them have been holding back for so long and it was so nice to see these two finally come together and explode.
What is even better about Sweet is that it is very much its own story. I’m sure when people saw this was a spinoff of Easy/Breakable they had their worries. Well let me assure you, Sweet is not just Easy and Breakable with new characters. Sweet is very much its own story and it's different and good and amazing and all the other words that can be used to describe something awesome. Sweet brought tears to my eyes on numerous occasions, for both happy and sad reasons. The story got under my skin and into my heart.
Sweet is an incredible read and it is going to be really hard to pick up another book after this one. This is the kind of book that stays with you and doesn’t let you go. This is the kind of book that reminds me why I fell in love with new adult in the first place and it is a stand out read. Please do not miss this one.
This is one of the best books I have read in a very very long time. It’s going to be very hard for me to put the amount of love I have for this book into words. I had extremely high expectations for this book, I mean Easy and Breakable are two of my all-time favorite reads in the history of forever, and Sweet not only met those expectations but it surpassed them by a mile.
First we have Pearl who I absolutely adored. I related to Pearl in many ways and I really got where she was coming from. I loved her determination and that once she made a decision she stuck to it, no matter the consequences. She may be quiet but she is tough and she is smart. Simply put she is a force to be reckoned with, just not everyone knows that.
The one person who does know that is Boyce. Boyce and Pearl have a connection that goes way back, except nobody really knows about that connection. Boyce has had a rough upbringing, and that is putting it lightly. But even with everything he endured, he still became a great man. He took what life gave him and instead of letting it hold him down he took what he had and made something out of it. Not everyone would have been able to do that and it really shows how special Boyce is. He is strong and good and so much more than you would have thought.
Boyce and Pearl together have so much chemistry and it simmers. The anticipation in this one is killer in the best way possible. Those two together are insane. But they are much more than their attraction to one another. First and foremost they are best friends. They know each other well and have been a part of each other’s lives growing up. The two of them have been holding back for so long and it was so nice to see these two finally come together and explode.
What is even better about Sweet is that it is very much its own story. I’m sure when people saw this was a spinoff of Easy/Breakable they had their worries. Well let me assure you, Sweet is not just Easy and Breakable with new characters. Sweet is very much its own story and it's different and good and amazing and all the other words that can be used to describe something awesome. Sweet brought tears to my eyes on numerous occasions, for both happy and sad reasons. The story got under my skin and into my heart.
Sweet is an incredible read and it is going to be really hard to pick up another book after this one. This is the kind of book that stays with you and doesn’t let you go. This is the kind of book that reminds me why I fell in love with new adult in the first place and it is a stand out read. Please do not miss this one.
August 27, 2023
This is my favorite story in the series. It is a slow burn romance centering on second chances and fate and finding your place in life.
Boyce and Pearl have a history together as friends that goes way back to their childhood. As their story unravels we get to know all the things that connect them and it's soon clear that they are fated to be together.
Boyce and Pearl have a history together as friends that goes way back to their childhood. As their story unravels we get to know all the things that connect them and it's soon clear that they are fated to be together.
April 30, 2015
Oh, FFS. The more that I ponder this novel & the more that I read about it on Twitter, the more incensed I become. The ending is absolutely asinine.
Final Rating: *2/5 stars*
Update: April 29, 2015 (24 hours after finishing Sweet)... The more that I mull things over, the more that I realize how much I HATE this novel's ending. I absolutely abhor it. The ending is so bad that it almost negates all of the good things that occurred throughout the course of the novel. I'm not sure how I'm going to rate this one. At the novel's 60% mark, I was certain that I would end up giving it 4 stars. Right after reading that horrid ending, my rating dropped to 3.5 stars.... And now, 24 hours later, I'm considering giving it 3 stars. Here's my problem: The ending to Sweet left me with a lasting image that may ruin my perception of two of my favorite novels-- Easy & Breakable. Ugh... I've found myself in quite a quandary.
Rating Still Undecided
Update: April 28, 2015...I have a lot to ponder.... I have to give author Tammara Webber credit for her ability to create interesting, unique, & flawed (yet immensely lovable) heroes. None of Webber's heroes will ever compare to Landon Lucas Maxfield. However, I found Boyce intriguing & quite entertaining, & I enjoyed reading his POV. I should also note that the author throws a HUGE surprise in there, towards the end, which blew my ever-loving mind (and NOT in a good way). :(((
Rating to come soon...
*** Thank you so much to Jeanne for the buddy read! <3
Final Rating: *2/5 stars*
Update: April 29, 2015 (24 hours after finishing Sweet)... The more that I mull things over, the more that I realize how much I HATE this novel's ending. I absolutely abhor it. The ending is so bad that it almost negates all of the good things that occurred throughout the course of the novel. I'm not sure how I'm going to rate this one. At the novel's 60% mark, I was certain that I would end up giving it 4 stars. Right after reading that horrid ending, my rating dropped to 3.5 stars.... And now, 24 hours later, I'm considering giving it 3 stars. Here's my problem: The ending to Sweet left me with a lasting image that may ruin my perception of two of my favorite novels-- Easy & Breakable. Ugh... I've found myself in quite a quandary.
Rating Still Undecided
Update: April 28, 2015...I have a lot to ponder.... I have to give author Tammara Webber credit for her ability to create interesting, unique, & flawed (yet immensely lovable) heroes. None of Webber's heroes will ever compare to Landon Lucas Maxfield. However, I found Boyce intriguing & quite entertaining, & I enjoyed reading his POV. I should also note that the author throws a HUGE surprise in there, towards the end, which blew my ever-loving mind (and NOT in a good way). :(((
Rating to come soon...
*** Thank you so much to Jeanne for the buddy read! <3
December 13, 2016
I really love this series and I can always count on a HEA.
Love love loved Pearl and Boyce. I love their history and how their lives were so tangled up together. It wasn't as angsty I was expecting, but there was a bit of drama.
Overall, a great addition to the series. I especially enjoyed seeing Lucas again.
Love love loved Pearl and Boyce. I love their history and how their lives were so tangled up together. It wasn't as angsty I was expecting, but there was a bit of drama.
Overall, a great addition to the series. I especially enjoyed seeing Lucas again.
December 11, 2015
4.5-5 stars
Sweet was so, so good! It's a refreshingly real, down to earth, and low-on-angst romance, one that had me swooning practically every page. We first met Boyce and Pearl in the "past" chapters of Breakable (companion to Easy, one of my favorite NA books, told from Lucas' perspective), but I have to admit that I skipped those chapters completely (I didn't want to read about Lucas with his high school love interest). So, this is really the first time I've gotten to know them, and wow did I adore their story. Right away, they were characters I came to care about. Pearl for her persistence to pursue her dream in marine biology, and Boyce for being that guy who's just always there and will always have your back. One of my favorite things is the way their relationship is told, with snippets of both the past and the present. Normally I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks, but they flow so seamlessly here and felt necessary to the story. Often times Boyce and Pearl will be thinking about the same memory, sometimes interpreting it differently, and I thought the whole thing was just so... sweet. You can see how much these two care about one another, but Boyce fears he's not good enough for Pearl, and Pearl isn't sure Boyce will ever want a committed relationship. Usually by this point I'm like, "TALK!", but the pacing is quite perfect. We get to see why they've fallen in love and at the same time see them fall in love all over again. It was one of the easiest happy endings I've rooted for. We also don't get enough sweetheart heroes in NA these days, but Boyce is definitely one of those - he's such a great guy, protective, caring, and selfless. I highly, highly recommend Sweet be a romance you add to your TBR.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
Sweet was so, so good! It's a refreshingly real, down to earth, and low-on-angst romance, one that had me swooning practically every page. We first met Boyce and Pearl in the "past" chapters of Breakable (companion to Easy, one of my favorite NA books, told from Lucas' perspective), but I have to admit that I skipped those chapters completely (I didn't want to read about Lucas with his high school love interest). So, this is really the first time I've gotten to know them, and wow did I adore their story. Right away, they were characters I came to care about. Pearl for her persistence to pursue her dream in marine biology, and Boyce for being that guy who's just always there and will always have your back. One of my favorite things is the way their relationship is told, with snippets of both the past and the present. Normally I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks, but they flow so seamlessly here and felt necessary to the story. Often times Boyce and Pearl will be thinking about the same memory, sometimes interpreting it differently, and I thought the whole thing was just so... sweet. You can see how much these two care about one another, but Boyce fears he's not good enough for Pearl, and Pearl isn't sure Boyce will ever want a committed relationship. Usually by this point I'm like, "TALK!", but the pacing is quite perfect. We get to see why they've fallen in love and at the same time see them fall in love all over again. It was one of the easiest happy endings I've rooted for. We also don't get enough sweetheart heroes in NA these days, but Boyce is definitely one of those - he's such a great guy, protective, caring, and selfless. I highly, highly recommend Sweet be a romance you add to your TBR.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
Want to read
January 4, 2015
March 7, 2016
Não gostei tanto quanto gostei de Easy. Achei que tentou tocar em um assunto delicado, mas não teve a completa coragem de ir até o fim para realmente fazer um impacto.
Estou aqui sentada tentando arrancar do meu cérebro mais o que falar sobre esse livro, mas nada me vem à cabeça a não ser "um romance new adulto legalzinho".
Estou aqui sentada tentando arrancar do meu cérebro mais o que falar sobre esse livro, mas nada me vem à cabeça a não ser "um romance new adulto legalzinho".
May 27, 2015
2 Stars
Sweet was well...sweet. But it formulaic and the ending was cheesy. The characters were surprisingly good but the plot didn't do any justice to them.
I liked Pearl's stepfather and more importantly her relationship with him. Landon/Lucas's book picked up the topic of random violence, this one was based on domestic violence. Although it was well portrayed, showing too many instances of it kind of spoiled it.
The progression of romance in the first half of the book was well done. Tammara Webber doesn't just throw the emotions in our face, she lets it simmer. By the second half of the book the romance turned cliched and cheesy.
Why do authors have to bring some villain from the past that will violently attack someone? And then of course the the male lead would emerge out as the big strong hero who swooped in and saved the day. It has been used a hundred times as the *climax* moment since I think Fifty Shades and I for one am tired of it.
Good concept and characters the plot could have used more work though.
Sweet was well...sweet. But it formulaic and the ending was cheesy. The characters were surprisingly good but the plot didn't do any justice to them.
I liked Pearl's stepfather and more importantly her relationship with him. Landon/Lucas's book picked up the topic of random violence, this one was based on domestic violence. Although it was well portrayed, showing too many instances of it kind of spoiled it.
The progression of romance in the first half of the book was well done. Tammara Webber doesn't just throw the emotions in our face, she lets it simmer. By the second half of the book the romance turned cliched and cheesy.
Why do authors have to bring some villain from the past that will violently attack someone? And then of course the the male lead would emerge out as the big strong hero who swooped in and saved the day. It has been used a hundred times as the *climax* moment since I think Fifty Shades and I for one am tired of it.
Good concept and characters the plot could have used more work though.
June 5, 2020
“But sometimes what seems like a gut feeling is just pride pretending to be instinct.”
April 28, 2015
Tammara Webber’s SWEET is romantic and sexy and so hot it sizzles. It has a love story that will make readers sigh and smile and swoon. It has characters they will adore, hope for, cheer for, fall for. And it reveals a backstory that will capture their hearts and make them wish for a happy ending for Pearl and Boyce.
From the moment he pulled her from an ocean that nearly claimed her and she opened her eyes and looked up at him, Boyce Wynn loved Pearl Torres Frank. And she loved him. But in the sixteen years since, he’s never had the courage to reveal his true feelings. And neither has she.
She was the one person who looked at him as if he was someone. Saving her was the one great thing he had done in his life. He just wished he was good enough to be worthy of this girl who was smart and beautiful and meant for a future he could never imagine being a part of.
He was the one person who really saw her, who knew who she was and who she wanted to be. He saved her life and she owed him everything. She just wished she was the kind of girl he wanted as more than a friend, someone to flirt with, someone to protect.
Boyce Wynn is charming, strong, and sexy as hell. He’s the good guy with a bad boy vibe. With his past, his childhood, his family, his loss, he could have easily turned out like his parents, become the stereotype. But he is honest and hard-working and couldn’t be a better man than he already is.
Pearl Frank is kind and intelligent and loyal and driven. With all that she has been given, the advantages she has, the possibilities she has, the friends she has, she could have easily been someone who pretended her past never existed. But she loves her hometown, her family, her friends and she’s not someone who could walk away from those who did so much for her.
Alternating between Boyce and Pearl’s points of view, Tammara Webber reveals a love story that has been sixteen years in the making. It’s a love story that’s sad and sweet and angst-filled and delectable, full of missed opportunities as well as stolen kisses, secret embraces and steamy encounters.
The author draws readers in by bringing together two unlikely characters – Boyce with his charm, his confidence, his flirty banter and his cheesy yet adorable lines, and Pearl with her quiet reserve, her shyness, her bookish intelligence – and making their connection one readers will want to see grow stronger. She captivates with passages that are filled with heat, others that are beautiful and moving and heartrending, others that are fun and flirty, and others that are nerve-wracking and nail-biting.
SWEET is a fantastic addition to this series that can be read in order, out of order or on its own. It checks all the boxes that readers have come to expect from a New Adult romance – well-developed characters, well-written romance, scorching hot love scenes, conflict, angst, heartbreak, and an ending that wraps things up and leaves no loose ends.
And it delivers so much more – making this a story not to be missed by fans of the genre and readers who enjoy gorgeous writing, memorable characters, breathtaking romance, and love scenes hot enough to make them melt.
Original GR comments:
HOT. So hot. Hottest of the series. And so well-written. And romantic. Sexy as all hell. Did I say hot? Well it was sizzling and smokin' hot. Loved getting to know Boyce and Pearl. Their story was exactly as the title says - sweet and and swoon-y and totally yummy. Tammara Webber is a fantastic writer and has made this new addition to her series a must read. It's positively delectable. There will be smiles and sighs and grins.
And the two other books in the series do not have to be read first in order to read and love and melt over this one. Review TK.
From the moment he pulled her from an ocean that nearly claimed her and she opened her eyes and looked up at him, Boyce Wynn loved Pearl Torres Frank. And she loved him. But in the sixteen years since, he’s never had the courage to reveal his true feelings. And neither has she.
She was the one person who looked at him as if he was someone. Saving her was the one great thing he had done in his life. He just wished he was good enough to be worthy of this girl who was smart and beautiful and meant for a future he could never imagine being a part of.
He was the one person who really saw her, who knew who she was and who she wanted to be. He saved her life and she owed him everything. She just wished she was the kind of girl he wanted as more than a friend, someone to flirt with, someone to protect.
Boyce Wynn is charming, strong, and sexy as hell. He’s the good guy with a bad boy vibe. With his past, his childhood, his family, his loss, he could have easily turned out like his parents, become the stereotype. But he is honest and hard-working and couldn’t be a better man than he already is.
Pearl Frank is kind and intelligent and loyal and driven. With all that she has been given, the advantages she has, the possibilities she has, the friends she has, she could have easily been someone who pretended her past never existed. But she loves her hometown, her family, her friends and she’s not someone who could walk away from those who did so much for her.
Alternating between Boyce and Pearl’s points of view, Tammara Webber reveals a love story that has been sixteen years in the making. It’s a love story that’s sad and sweet and angst-filled and delectable, full of missed opportunities as well as stolen kisses, secret embraces and steamy encounters.
The author draws readers in by bringing together two unlikely characters – Boyce with his charm, his confidence, his flirty banter and his cheesy yet adorable lines, and Pearl with her quiet reserve, her shyness, her bookish intelligence – and making their connection one readers will want to see grow stronger. She captivates with passages that are filled with heat, others that are beautiful and moving and heartrending, others that are fun and flirty, and others that are nerve-wracking and nail-biting.
SWEET is a fantastic addition to this series that can be read in order, out of order or on its own. It checks all the boxes that readers have come to expect from a New Adult romance – well-developed characters, well-written romance, scorching hot love scenes, conflict, angst, heartbreak, and an ending that wraps things up and leaves no loose ends.
And it delivers so much more – making this a story not to be missed by fans of the genre and readers who enjoy gorgeous writing, memorable characters, breathtaking romance, and love scenes hot enough to make them melt.
Original GR comments:
HOT. So hot. Hottest of the series. And so well-written. And romantic. Sexy as all hell. Did I say hot? Well it was sizzling and smokin' hot. Loved getting to know Boyce and Pearl. Their story was exactly as the title says - sweet and and swoon-y and totally yummy. Tammara Webber is a fantastic writer and has made this new addition to her series a must read. It's positively delectable. There will be smiles and sighs and grins.
And the two other books in the series do not have to be read first in order to read and love and melt over this one. Review TK.
April 26, 2015
The ocean brought them together. The first time, when she was 5 and he was 7, he pulled her from that water and saved her life. The ocean brought them together several times over the years at high school beach parties, two teenagers stealing glimpses across a bonfire. And the ocean brought them back together as adults when Pearl returned to her gulf coast home to pursue her dream, rather than the future that was mapped out for her. This story, the relationship between Boyce and Pearl is like that ocean, ebbing and flowing, unpredictable and powerful and always constant.
Sweet unfolds over the course of almost 20 years, allowing the reader an unencumbered view as Pearl and Boyce negotiate their lifelong friendship, a friendship that's always been just a little bit more. Strategically woven flashbacks illustrate their history from early childhood all the way to present day adulthood. This story felt so real and honest. It captured perfectly the dynamic between hometown friends, the way they fell right back into the comfortable banter they probably always had when she was home from college regardless of how much time had passed. Boyce, the guy that never left, and Pearl, the girl that left but always came home again, share an unexplainable magnetic bond. Their attraction simmers achingly slow, the gravity of the connection between them a tangible thing. I was completely swept away by it, by the quiet longing and stolen moments and all the things left unsaid. All of it just made for such an emotionally gripping storyline that I never wanted to put down.
Webber doesn't just create a simple story line here of two friends who've always felt more but, assuming those feelings were one-sided, never said a word. She's created a world with this story, an entire town of people who I feel like I know, secondary characters that all deserve their own story. Sweet shows us even more of where Lucas Landon Maxfield came from. But Sweet is truly the poignant love story of Pearl Frank and Boyce Wynn, a deeply rooted connection that has transcended time and circumstance. Webber crafted a layered story fraught with emotion, familial drama, friendship, and profound love but she executes it in such a way that the reader is not just a spectator, but an integral part of this story, feeling and longing and tasting every single facet of this journey.
This book is by far one of the best I've read this year. Sweet is everything a great love story should be. It's everything we hope to find when we open a book. It's immediately consuming. It's stellar writing and storytelling. It's phenomenal characters that make you fall in love with them, with their painful pasts and hopeful futures, with every beautiful bit of dialogue they exchange. Sweet is everything I love as a reader. It's a painstaking build, a captivating emotional plot, and it's wholly unforgettable.
Tammara Webber's writing is absolutely flawless. She's not an author that whips out a book every other month. Her stories are something to be treasured, appreciated, savored. Her meticulous crafting of each book, her superb storytelling and character development, the way she draws in the reader with her seamless words, it's just exquisite. Every single time I read a new book by this author, I'm convinced it's her very best. And now I'm saying it again. Tammara Webber has outdone herself, once again, with Sweet. I wanted to drown in this story, in Boyce and Pearl's profound romance, their lifelong friendship, their pain and joy, hope, loss and love. I never wanted this book to end.
Sweet unfolds over the course of almost 20 years, allowing the reader an unencumbered view as Pearl and Boyce negotiate their lifelong friendship, a friendship that's always been just a little bit more. Strategically woven flashbacks illustrate their history from early childhood all the way to present day adulthood. This story felt so real and honest. It captured perfectly the dynamic between hometown friends, the way they fell right back into the comfortable banter they probably always had when she was home from college regardless of how much time had passed. Boyce, the guy that never left, and Pearl, the girl that left but always came home again, share an unexplainable magnetic bond. Their attraction simmers achingly slow, the gravity of the connection between them a tangible thing. I was completely swept away by it, by the quiet longing and stolen moments and all the things left unsaid. All of it just made for such an emotionally gripping storyline that I never wanted to put down.
Webber doesn't just create a simple story line here of two friends who've always felt more but, assuming those feelings were one-sided, never said a word. She's created a world with this story, an entire town of people who I feel like I know, secondary characters that all deserve their own story. Sweet shows us even more of where Lucas Landon Maxfield came from. But Sweet is truly the poignant love story of Pearl Frank and Boyce Wynn, a deeply rooted connection that has transcended time and circumstance. Webber crafted a layered story fraught with emotion, familial drama, friendship, and profound love but she executes it in such a way that the reader is not just a spectator, but an integral part of this story, feeling and longing and tasting every single facet of this journey.
This book is by far one of the best I've read this year. Sweet is everything a great love story should be. It's everything we hope to find when we open a book. It's immediately consuming. It's stellar writing and storytelling. It's phenomenal characters that make you fall in love with them, with their painful pasts and hopeful futures, with every beautiful bit of dialogue they exchange. Sweet is everything I love as a reader. It's a painstaking build, a captivating emotional plot, and it's wholly unforgettable.
Tammara Webber's writing is absolutely flawless. She's not an author that whips out a book every other month. Her stories are something to be treasured, appreciated, savored. Her meticulous crafting of each book, her superb storytelling and character development, the way she draws in the reader with her seamless words, it's just exquisite. Every single time I read a new book by this author, I'm convinced it's her very best. And now I'm saying it again. Tammara Webber has outdone herself, once again, with Sweet. I wanted to drown in this story, in Boyce and Pearl's profound romance, their lifelong friendship, their pain and joy, hope, loss and love. I never wanted this book to end.
Want to read
January 4, 2015
This excites me!
September 7, 2015
Sweet is the third book in the Contours of the Heart series. The book is a spin-off and about different characters (than Easy and Breakable) so it can be read as a standalone. However if you are ever planning to read books 1 and 2 then I would read them before Sweet (there are some spoilers in this book).
This book is a New Adult contemporary romance and the narrators are Pearl and Boyce. Pearl and Boyce were Landon's friends from high school (although truthfully I don't remember them).
When the book starts Pearl is home for the summer. She has just graduated from college. She is supposed to start med school.
This book was very enjoyable. It is the story of two friends. Something happened when they were kids to connect them. Let me just say how happy I was when we learned this by chapter two. I am so used to reading an entire book and then at the end we find out that the couple actually met when they were children.
There is one thing that the author has done a lot in the first 100 pages that I am not super crazy about. The book is being told in the present. However, both narrators keep going back mid-chapter to remember things from their past. This would be fine if it was just a paragraph or two. But basically huge amounts of the story are the past. However instead of this being its own chapter the narrators just keep going back and forth between past and present in the same chapter. It is very interesting learning about the characters' pasts. But I'm just not sure I'm sold on the way it was done.
There was definitely a lot to like about this book. Pearl had a relatively easy life (after her mom married her step-dad who was a doctor). Boyce had a pretty horrible childhood with an abusive father.
I really enjoyed Pearl's step-dad. He was a wonderfully supportive character.
I liked seeing how Pearl and Boyce were at age 21. There was a lot of turmoil. And a lot of interesting twists at the end.
A good ending to the series.
Here are a few spoilerish comments about Sweet:
*I read the large paperback edition and it reminded me why I love my kindle. The print is so tiny it was uncomfortable for me to read.
This book is a New Adult contemporary romance and the narrators are Pearl and Boyce. Pearl and Boyce were Landon's friends from high school (although truthfully I don't remember them).
When the book starts Pearl is home for the summer. She has just graduated from college. She is supposed to start med school.
This book was very enjoyable. It is the story of two friends. Something happened when they were kids to connect them. Let me just say how happy I was when we learned this by chapter two. I am so used to reading an entire book and then at the end we find out that the couple actually met when they were children.
There is one thing that the author has done a lot in the first 100 pages that I am not super crazy about. The book is being told in the present. However, both narrators keep going back mid-chapter to remember things from their past. This would be fine if it was just a paragraph or two. But basically huge amounts of the story are the past. However instead of this being its own chapter the narrators just keep going back and forth between past and present in the same chapter. It is very interesting learning about the characters' pasts. But I'm just not sure I'm sold on the way it was done.
There was definitely a lot to like about this book. Pearl had a relatively easy life (after her mom married her step-dad who was a doctor). Boyce had a pretty horrible childhood with an abusive father.
I really enjoyed Pearl's step-dad. He was a wonderfully supportive character.
I liked seeing how Pearl and Boyce were at age 21. There was a lot of turmoil. And a lot of interesting twists at the end.
A good ending to the series.
Here are a few spoilerish comments about Sweet:
*I read the large paperback edition and it reminded me why I love my kindle. The print is so tiny it was uncomfortable for me to read.
April 27, 2015
SWEET is a book that I have been looking forward to for a long time. This is mostly because this is Boyce’s book and if you’ve followed Tammara Webber’s Contours of the Heart series then you must already be familiar with Lucas’s enemy turned best friend. There’s this one line in BREAKABLE that I still quote to this day and that’s the “Boyce of reason” one because it makes me laugh a whole lot so when I found out that he was also getting his own book, no one was more stoked than I was.
Webber is a very talented writer. She’s one that pays a great deal of attention to detail, outlining every single thing that could enhance the reading experience for the reader. That being said, this book is a little bit longer and quite wordy, but at the same time I do think it gives a very full vision of what Webber wanted to project to her readers. The book alternates between Boyce and Pearl’s POV starting way back when it all began for them. As teeny tiny innocent children, they get to know each other more when Pearl nearly drowns and Boyce saves her. Though vastly different in personality, this encounter brings them together and while it takes a very long time for them to realize their feelings for one another, their story really begins in an innocent phase and then blossoms from there.
That being said, you may need some patience to get to the good parts because Webber weaves an intricate backstory for Pearl. As she tries to figure out what she wants to do with her life, she has the added stress of her parents expectations as well. Boyce, on the other hand, has his own set of problems that he is dealing with as well.
Because of Boyce’s outgoing and friendly personality in the previous books, I thought this one would be a little bit lighter in tone. However, it stays within the New Adult angsty feel and Webber actually digs deeper, giving these two characters something really special together. I will say that while it was very different from what I expected, it was still fun to read.
SWEET is amply named, merging the tender and heartfelt moments together. I think this is one that can be read well as a standalone.
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