Waiting for the Sun

Waiting for the Sun #1

by Robin Hill

A QUIRKY RAY OF SUNSHINE BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO A LONELY WIDOWER IN THIS DEBUT NOVEL BY ROBIN HILL.

Be the butterfly, Frankie…

Francesca Valentine would rather swear off chocolate than go on vacation solo, but she made a promise to her late father to come out of her shell and live a little. When her best friend bails on their annual girls’ trip, she vows to do just that, but her plan is foiled when the hotel loses her reservation. Alone and stranded in Austin, Texas during one of the world’s largest music festivals, she's rescued by a mysterious stranger, and an unexpected friendship blossoms.

Ten years after losing his family in a tragic accident, Darian Fox is finally back on his feet. The onetime rock star turned successful indie label-owner is content with the isolated life he’s created for himself and wants to keep it that way. But when he’s forced to travel to Texas on behalf of his company, he finds it’s hard to be alone in a city overrun with people. He meets the beautiful, magnetic Francesca and discovers alone is the last thing he wants to be.

The unlikely pair form a bond that elevates them from merely existing to living a life less ordinary. But the lines of friendship quickly blur, and when Francesca’s true feelings surface, Darian will have to decide between breaking her heart and breaking the promise he made to the family he lost. With his own heart ruled by guilt, does Francesca even stand a chance?

…Spread your wings and fly.

Waiting for the Sun is part one of a two-part duet. The story concludes in part two, Riders on the Storm, available now. Due to mature content, both installments are recommended for readers 18 and up.

Genres: Romance, Music, Contemporary Romance, Emotional, Contemporary, New Adult, Adult

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2018

About the author

Robin Hill spends 75% of her day writing, 30% reading, and a good 25% tweaking her Airbnb listing. She’s terrible at math. She loves wine. Coincidence? Maybe. She also loves The Doors, the Browns, cheeseburgers, and Josh Duhamel.

Robin and her beta-reading husband split their time between their Texas Hill Country compound and a 150 sq ft RV, proving love really can survive anything.

Join her Facebook group Robin Hill's Books, Boys, & Booze, sign up for her newsletter, or stalk her online: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Amazon | BookBub

Reviews

[KAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 You Had Me At “Kaput” Stars!!!

When a book hits my top three sweet spots, Angsty! Swoony! & Sexy!, I know I have just read something great! And if that same book makes me FEEL, then I have read something special. And yes indeed, this is very special! For extra good measure, it was sprinkled with humor and wit, which kept a perpetual smile on my face!

After reading the prologue, I knew I was going to be in for all the feels from “Oh, no!" to "Oh, yes!" and everything in between. I inhaled every word and didn't dare move from my 'reading recliner' as I was so totally immersed in the storyline.

Frankie and Darian are simply the most endearing characters, and I became quickly attached. Frankie’s life has become boring and secluded. She is downright tired of feeling lonely. When she got up the nerve to set her spunky personality, quick wit and amusing sense of humor free, she immediately handed me her heart for safe keeping. The sinfully gorgeous Darian had my heart pure aching and my pulse rate humming as he struggled with the demons of his past always at war with his desires for a future. His lonely life was suffocating him.

When they meet unexpectedly at a popular music festival, their mutual need to “live a little” leads them to keeping each other company for the week. They quickly discover their chemistry together is sizzling hot, but someone is going to get painfully burned.

I thought it was pure genius how one spoken word ... “kaput” ... brought two lonely individuals together and set them on a path that would change their lives forever.

This is one phenomenal debut release, and I am so thrilled to now be following another author I can place in my “favorites” column!!

[Just Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

****4 STARS****

There comes a point in people lives when they have to accept the fact that men deal with lose and heartbreak a lot different then women. When women hurt, there is a hidden strength we have that allows us to find a way to go on and for men it is not the same. Waiting For The Sun by Robin Hill is a beautiful example how a man needs a strong woman to heal.



Darian is a shell of his former self for one of the most heartbreaking reasons one could think of. His past haunts him something terrible. (If I went through what he went through, I don’t know if I ever would have healed.) For the last 10 years of Darian’s life he has lived in solitude with no escape in sight until he hears something that he never thought he would hear again – but I’m not going to tell you. You’re going to have to read it for yourself!

Francesca has forgotten the joys of life. She’s forgotten how to live for herself. She’s shy and introverted yet determined to find her place in this world. The only thing is that she didn’t plan on finding it with a broken man. But does she really? You’re going to have to read it for yourself!

Enter a different problem. . . Darian’s a lot older than Francesca. I personally don’t have a problem with the age difference but one of them do. That fact alone puts both of their hearts at risk of shattering.

“. . . I got upset with you for making me feel like a child. . .I’m alone all the time. . .being alone is so…lonely.” – Francesca

“I’m familiar with lonely.” – Darian

It was beautiful watching Darian finding himself again. Was he an asshole who did a lot of stupid shit? Yes. But what man doesn’t. Us women have to mold them because they sure can’t do it themselves.

As Francesca discovers her self worth, Darian has to figure out how to take the leap that she needs. That people is the icing on the cake for me. I love when a woman knows or learns her worth. Girl power, bitches!

Do I recommend this book? I do! I do! I do!

Will I read another book by this author? Yep! Now she needs to hurry up and give me book 2 before I go crazy over here.

Subcribe/Listen to my podcast

Remember to follow all things messy. . .

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you *KAS*

"A huge smiles spreads over my lips."
"Oh my God, Darian, You remembered.".
"I remember everything you tell me," he says."..................

A total dude book! ha!

"I can't help but grin. And it means you'll be in Texas more"...................

Part II is coming for sooooooooooooo much more fun, *guys*...............(women are allowed this much fun too)

Guilty pleasure reading --viva-la-melty!

[Malene · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing is certain. Robin Hill can write. Oh my god can she write. Her flawless prose and her eloquent words managed numerous times to knock the wind out me cause the emotion behind the story and its characters were so powerful.
Waiting For The Sun is such a life affirming story of loss, taking changes not only with your life but with your heart. Francesca and Darian snuck into my heart immediately and I never let them go cause I didn’t want to. Their story was too important. I felt I was on the sidelines with them experiencing their beginning of a friendship that would impact them both and change them forever. Irrevocably.

Darian and Francesca are two people I could see something of myself in. I could relate with them and that’s why this story resonated so strongly with me. They’ve both experienced losing people they love. How they to chose to deal with their losses was a different matter. Their friendship and relationship was written in a fabulous pace that gave both characters time to evolve. Individually and together.
There’s so many incredible moments throughout their relationship and I loved how effortlessly the author blended romance, angst and humor into the story which gave it more depth.

It’s hard to fathom that Waiting For The Sun is Robin Hill’s debut cause it definitely didn’t read and feel like it. She blew me away with her first book. Darian and Francesca made me laugh, swoon, cry, cheer. I pretty much went through every emotion. I want more of this captivating couple, more of Robin Hill’s exquisite writing. I’ll be patiently waiting for the sequel cause this story it just that damn good.

5 Love Again Stars

[Robin Hill]

[Emma Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this novel in various stages of its evolution, but honestly, it was pretty clear it was a solid read from the start. The fact that I know this author personally doesn't change or skew my opinion of her writing, except to say that I can see so much of her in it. The precision with which she chose every word, the charm inherent in the pages, and the wit and intelligence of the dialogue are all reflections of the author, unintended though they may be.

Frankie is exactly what the blurb states: a quirky ray of sunshine. She is also authentic, with heart and sass, but realistic insecurities too. Robin captures perfectly how a star-struck, chance encounter morphs effortlessly to something deeper, hitting every level along the way. Darian is swoony and sweet, but too wrapped into his own pain to see the treasure standing right in front of him. until one heart-wrenching scene in a cemetery, perfectly paced that changes that

This is a debut novel, but leaves out no element of a romance; swoony, wit, charm, funny moments and emotional. It tells a chocolate mousse love story: fluffy and delicious on the surface and then three bites in (or fifty pages) you realize how deep and rich it really is.

[Nay · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++++ Stars!!!!

This is EVERYTHING I want in a book, and I couldn't have loved it more!

I laughed, I cried, I SWOONED, and my tummy twisted in the most delicious way!

Waiting for the Sun is the story of Frankie, who's trying to come out of her shell and build a life, but until she meets handsome yet broken, intense yet sexy Darian, she doesn't realize what she's missing.

And it's the story of Darian, who, after a tragedy in his life and years of not really living, meets young and vibrant, beautiful and charming Frankie and doesn't know what hit him.

What starts as a favor, turns into a friendship, and then becomes a romance that neither of them is prepared for, yet once it's happened, they each have to decide if they're ready to deal with their feelings and if not, whether it's too late to turn back.

Robin Hill has written a story that gripped me from the very beginning, and as I read each chapter, I never wanted it to end. Frankie and Darian became a part of me and I felt every happiness, every yearning, and every heartache deep in my soul. That's truly something special--something that only happens for me with a very few books. From the first page, I was enchanted by the story, the writing, the characters, the wit, the charm, the romance--by ALL of it!

With its wonderful writing and captivating story line, this is definitely one of my top books of the year, and I'll be waiting with bated breath for more of Frankie and Darian!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when I jump into a book, without knowing very much about it, and I am sucked into the story from the very beginning. Waiting for the Sun is a debut novel by Robin Hill, and I am so glad I read this little gem.

This story is about a young woman, Francesca Valentine, who meets and falls in love with a successful businessman in the music industry, Darian Fox. At first, it is a “friends with benefits” relationship, but when emotions get involved, everything gets complicated. Darian is struggling to come to terms with his heart wrenching past, or he may lose his chance at future happiness.

I loved both Frankie and Darian. She was quirky and her inner monologues were very realistic. Darian was a real cutie, but my heart really broke for him. Yes, there were a few times I didn’t like his actions, but he thought he was doing the right thing.

I highly recommend this book, but I should warn you that this book ends with a HFN. The cliffy isn’t huge, but I am patiently waiting for book 2.

[Lisa Aiello · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am floating on a happy, blissful cloud right now! So full confession...I read this book in pieces as it was being written and this is my first opportunity to read it in it's completed form, and it's like I'm reading a whole new story (side-eyeing Robin, because there's a lot of stuff in the finished product that I don't remember happening). I loved Frankie and Darian from the very start, but now I love them even more now, if that's possible. Frankie is simply perfection. She is smart, self-aware, charming, hilarious, genuine. I am NEVER about the heroine in my books, but Frankie is simply irresistible. I see so much of Robin's own personality interwoven into Frankie's, but not so much that it jars me from the story. And let's talk about Darian. Swoon...and a hard thud!! He is sublime. Broken by the cruelty of life's unfairness, lonely, gorgeous, romantic, quietly confident, wealthy, generous. That's like book boyfriend catnip, with a little sprinkle of crack on top.

So we have amazing characters...but we also have an amazing storyline and romance for the two of them. There are so many moments of beauty and truth and pure genuineness (is that even a word??) that tugged at my heart. Oh yes, there is angst, but not unnecessary angst. It is just a pure and honest depiction of the various crap that life throws in our path. I laughed out loud many times (as I said, Frankie is just hi. lar. ious.). My heart ached for both of them. And, yeah, there were waterworks too. And moments when my heart just sighed.

I truly cannot wait for Book 2.

[Josiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is based on a beta version of this book so the final version may be even better!

Frankie is taking a break from the doldrums of her life and stepping out of her comfort zone by going to a music festival with her best friend Jane. Nothing goes as planned and destiny takes over. That's all you'll get from me about the story LOL

Oh yeah.. and there's a guy and maybe a hot hookup.. maybe

This story is rooted in reality. While the characters and events are fictional, their actions and reactions felt very genuine which for me makes it a great read. Not a single eye roll from me.

The author is equally skilled at combining light humor and deep emotional scenes. Frankie is easy to relate to as the MC, I identified with her right away. She's not over dramatic and very self aware.

If you're looking for a great contemporary romance, pick this one up.
There's no cliff hanger per say but there's more to come and I can't wait!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking through my notes after reading this book, I'm a little surprised that I don't have much to get picky on. More than anything, I have a list of things that I liked about the book. For instance, I liked how both the hero and heroine are unintentionally connected by Annie. I liked how the hero could come off as both hot and cold. I liked that there were little texting exchanges to open each chapter. I thought this created a nice balance and gave us some insight and another angle on what was going on. I liked the occasional over reactions when the characters are getting to know each other. Overall, this is a well done book.

I think the author handled the growth and development of this relationship in an extremely smart and strategic way. It wasn't the classic boy and girl meet, date, have a problem and work it out. There were ups and downs in this relationship. Speed bumps where they needed to slow down and some roadblocks where things stopped all together. I loved how this kept me (and the characters!) guessing as to how, when, and even if things would work out for them in the end.

“I’m asking you to give me the benefit of the doubt,” he says. “I’m asking you to forgive me anyway.”

When I first started I worried that this book might be a bit long, considering I know that a lot of debut authors tend to over describe things, but it actually feels like the perfect length. I'm not left wondering, there's no holes to fill in and I never felt it drag or lagging in any areas. Plus, with all of the little road bumps that the characters had to face, it helped with the pacing.

Ultimately, there are only a couple of small reasons why I rating this book as a 4.5 instead of a 5 star is because I think there was some inconsistency in relation to Frankie's character. At the beginning she's portrayed as an introvert, loner, potentially awkward and even a little demure. Yet the second she met Darian, this all went away and was never to be seen again. Several times in the book this thought kept coming back to me and how she wasn't acting like someone with those personality traits would generally act or speak. I also didn't necessarily get those butterflies that I wanted in the beginning. It may have felt a tad forced to me but I think that was just the author working to find her stride, because everything is well rounded as a whole.

I don't know, this may just be me but there were a few times where I was getting some vibes from this that reminded me a lot of another book. Which is weird, because the storylines are only loosely similar. I think it was more so coming from Darian, but if you've read Becoming Mrs. Lockwood by KI Lynn, you might notice a little moment or two.

From the beginning until the very last page, this author did a fantastic job of portraying the character's emotions. In the prologue, I truly felt how much Darian loved his family. Then towards the ending, when problems started to arise, at one point I honestly felt like I was punched in the gut. I was distraught right along with the characters; I felt their pain. I love when a writer can make these emotions that palpable to the reader.

“Love happens when it happens. Some people fall in love; some people start out that way.”
And some people refuse to love at all.

Speaking of, come on! Was the prologue really necessary (don't worry, I know it was)? I feel like that's just cruel. That's like seeing a mouthwatering chocolate cake and then watching someone drop it down a flight of stairs. Sort of. Okay, not really, but that's all I've got right now.

I'm a sucker for scenes that have music to go with them, and it seems that this playlist is pretty damn spot on. From the songs on it that I know, they worked extremely well and I even found some new ones to listen to! Love when this happens.

And in the interest of keeping everyone happy, I'll give you a cliffhanger warning. Though it's not even bad. I'd say like 1.5/5. Or maybe my rating here is because I love cliffhangers where I'm literally dangling from the edge. Anyways, there is more of Frankie and Darian's story coming, so don't fret.

Does anyone have chocolate cake?

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

"Be the butterfly, Frankie. Spread your wings and fly."

When I started Waiting for the Sun I had no idea what was coming for me. It's a wonderful, heartbreaking, refreshing story which touched me deeply. At about 37% into the book I had to write to the author assuring me that I won't leave the book heartbroken with a cliffhanger because this is going to be a two part duet.

The first time my heart broke was with the epilogue already. We don't get the full story then, but it's obvious what tragedy is going to happen, which will leave us with a stunningly beautiful man (inside out) broken and shattered beyond repair. Or so we think... Think again, then now we'll meet Frankie. A troubled girl with her very own ghosts of the past haunting her.

The first encounter between Frankie and Darian leaves sparks of chemistry all over the upcoming pages. There is something you can't quite get a grip on, that pulls those two together and you feel it instantly. It's obvious from the beginning that they are good for each other. Getting to know each other slowly and trying to get the other out of his snail shell the story progresses with steady flow. Usually with a pounding heart and a smile on your lips. But often enough your heart will ache. Mostly for Darian.

The more Darian tries to fight falling in love with Frankie or let's say accepting he's falling for her, the faster he fell without realizing it.

"Lonely is so much lonelier when you realize what you're missing."

""For the first time in ten years, I'm not lonely," he says, "and I have a feeling you aren't either.""

The question this book tries to solve is, how can a man who suffered such a tremendous loss, come back to life and learn to love again. Darian's earth was shattered 10 years ago and he never allowed himself to live again. Until Frankie. Frankie seems to be his magical unicorn healing him while he heals her.

""Love happens when it happens. Some people fall in love, some people start out that way." And some people refuse to love at all."

Sure enough the lines blurred quickly while trying to contain a friendship course. Friends with benefits never ends well. Either one or both get hurt in the process. I fell as hard for Darian as Frankie. It was impossible not to. Besides his troubled and haunting past, he's adorable perfect. And even though he's quite rich, he's down to earth you wouldn't expect from a man in his position.

"Sometimes there is nothing we can do to help the people we love so we do what we can to make them smile."

But Darian's troubled past cracks the happy bubble soon enough. And honestly, it would have been a miracle if it hadn't. I understand his mixed feelings and that he doesn't allow himself to love again as he blames himself for the tragedy that came down on him. But how lucky must a man be finding true love twice in his life? And thank god he comes to his senses. That he deserves love and to breath again.
This was the hardest part for me. The mixed feelings, the hurt, the confusion, the denial. My heart broke for Darian.

"You know the saying sometimes love isn't enough? I used to think it was such bullshit. Love is everything."

While reading Waiting for the Sun I had always one specific song in my mind, every time Frankie and Darian were together, specially while intimate. That song is called "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran. Even though not all lines fit for this couple, a lot of them do.

Waiting for the Sun is special, deep and heartbreaking, down to earth and so full of love your heart might burst. Can't wait getting my hands on the second book!
Thank you Robin Hill for giving us this wonderful story. Your writing is exceptional captivating!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Marley Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Warning this review contains an excessive use of parentheses and stray profanity.)
The first thing I read by Robin Hill was a review of H.A. Robinson’s The Pebble Jar - and my immediate thought was: damn, this girl can write! My second thought was: gotta get The Pebble Jar (p.s. so glad I did, that book poked holes in my heart!) This is all by way of saying, when I discovered Robin Hill was an author with a book in the queue, I was all over it. (I mean shit, if you can hook a girl with a review of a book ...) Fast forward a couple months and now her words and characters are all over me - from the first page, they just crawl into your skin and live there in a beautiful way. Waiting for the Sun is a layered story where our MC’s (Darian & Frankie) are imprinted with tragedies that have come before. And I certainly felt Darian’s past; the power of his first love story was tangible in a way that juiced even more emotion out of me. I wanted him to have his happy ending - he deserved it. (Even when he was being a goddamn fucking idiot.) And then there’s Frankie. Frankie with all her jubilance and wit and quirky internal monologue - it made sense that Darian would fall for her, it made fucking sense people. This wasn’t one of those ‘let’s stretch a rubber band until it breaks’ scenarios, their attraction and their evolving love felt authentic. And their age difference was compelling to me for many reasons (which I won’t go into, if only because it will reveal just much time I spent dissecting and marinating over their story.) I will say the moment Darian looks across the table at her and says, ‘so you’re 21?’ I had to put the kindle down and stop smiling like an idiot. Like a fucking, girlie-idiot. For some reason knowing this man was crumbling for her and feeling weird about it made me giddy. I don’t know. Ask my therapist about my issues - I’m just telling you it was a yummy scene to read. Suffice to say that Darian and Frankie’s journey is a textured one that hearkens back to some of my go-to romance favs. And you can’t speak of this story without giving a shout out to the supporting ensemble: Jane (I love you Jane!), Gloria, Texas, Drew (how you manage to successfully carve a character out of texts, I don’t know - but ask Robin Hill because she fucking figured out how to do it), - and of course, there’s the music! Even though Waiting for the Sun is a duet and therefore doesn’t ‘end,’ your heart gets a full ride, and in that, there’s a sweet sense of completion. It just happens to be coupled with the sticky excitement of more angst to come. I’m relieved to know I get MORE but until then, these characters live in my kindle whenever I want to go back to them. P.s. Be prepared to crave cocktails, waffles, breakfast burritos, olive oil, sex -all kinds of goodies when you read this book. Best to just make sure you have it all on hand before you begin.

[Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The anxiety I had prior to reading this story, it was *real*. I'm talking sweaty palms, generalized nerves, pretzel tummy before I'd even cracked the proverbial cover. Speaking of, did you catch that? Pretzel tummy??? *squee, that was for me!!!* Ok, fangirling aside, I had some serious reservations going into this book. It's always difficult for me when I read a book by someone that I "know". I pride myself on always giving a 100% honest review and won't sugarcoat things or water down a review just to soothe an author's feelings... and this is my buddy Robin's book baby... I mean, she's worked on this book as long as I've known her. What if I hated it? I mean, I couldn't hate it... this is Robin's book... she wouldn't write a book that I'd hate, but still...what if it was just meh. I worried that I couldn't write a review of a meh book, you know? Gah, like I said, the struggle was *there* before I'd even opened the kindle file. Ok, but enough about me and my neuroses. Ms. Hill, in her infinite wisdom, asked me if I would take a gander at Waiting for the Sun prior to its release and see if I could spot any proofy bits that needed to be polished up prior to release day... and of course, I said I would... because... YES! Have you seen this cover? Did you read the blurb? Seriously... yes, yes, yes!

There's a playlist! *happy dance!* Courtesy of Spotify and on the author's website. It is awesome, I found myself listening to the songs even when I wasn't reading... obviously not a hardship, because The Doors. Really, no other explanation is needed, right? I always love when I can have that added bit of the author's musical inspiration with their words, it just really ties it all in for me, and this playlist was spectacular. I *felt* it...and I think when you read it (and hopefully my review will be convincing enough for you to want to pick up this book and read it) you'll understand, the correlation between the music and Ms. Hill's words. Inspired.

No spoilers, it's not my way. You all know that. I know, I know. I can hear the groans from here. I'm sorry! I can just tell you, I was sucked into the story of Darian and Frankie. I loved hearing my friend, Robin's, voice. I loved the humor, I loved the obvious intellect and wit bleed through onto the page. This did not read like a debut novel... be proud of being a butterfly!

I'm giving this 4 stars, I want more...I would have liked to see more of the friend dynamics along with our main characters but I'm ready for your next book. And I wanted to smack our hero/heroine a few times, which trust me isn't necessarily a bad thing, it means I was invested, LOL! Sign me up now! Thank you to Ms. Hill for the ARC, but I simply had to purchase a copy because it's too gorgeous not to have the cover art too!

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

***Actual rating: 2/5 to-be-continued Stars***

”But you’re drawing a line with one thing and crossing it with another. I don’t know what to think.”

I picked up this book with high expectations because the synopsis was really interesting to me and I thought this would be a swoon-worthy romance. Well, it turned out to be something totally not my cup of tea. I understand for some people, this book is exactly what they consider an unputdownable contemporary romance or at least a successful piece of story featuring second chances and finding true love. Sadly, the entire story didn’t make any sense to me and that’s why I had a hard time enjoying it.

***Spoilers Alert!***

Here are the reasons why this book didn’t work for me:

1. Darian and Frankie’s bizarre first encounter.
Honestly, this book got me confused from the very beginning. When Frankie’s friend dropped her off at this huge musical festival called South by Southwest (SXSW), she ended up not having anywhere to stay due to some sort of mistake from the hotel her friend reserved. And then, out of nowhere, Darian, the male protagonist/superstar/former lead singer in a famous band/millionaire, showed up to offer her an amazing chance to stay at his VIP hotel room and she agreed! I was like, what just happened? What did I miss? I mean, Darian kind of mentioned that he wanted to “help” her because she said a magical word his beloved mother used to say and it’s understandable that under such circumstances, he might have that specific reaction but still, I didn’t get the sudden kindness and intimacy between these two main characters.

”Because you’re kaput, and it would disappoint my mother if I abandoned you in your state of kaput-ness.” Heat colors my cheeks.
“You heard that, did you?”
“It’s a great word, but no one ever uses it.”

Oh, by “intimacy,” I mean the one-night-stand-but-not-quite type of sex.

2. On-again/off-again relationship between Darian & Frankie
I know Frankie stated pretty clearly that she was looking for a one-night stand with no strings attached when both Darian and she agreed to have sex a few days after they met; however, she always felt a pang of loneliness and heartbreak whenever Darian left without telling her where he went or when Darian apparently didn’t want to have anything more than sex to do with her. C’mon, wasn’t that the only thing you were asking for, Frankie?

Besides, the fact that Darian treated Frankie like a yo-yo ball irked me so much. He was constantly being hot and cold to her as if she was just a toy for him to play with whenever he liked; he showed serious concern about her life in general at one moment, but the next second, he put on his poker face and stood her up as he pleased. Well, I don’t know you but that’s far from the interaction I appreciate among people—couples or not—no one, not even strangers, should treat anyone with Darian’s poor attitude.

Just because he had been through a lot doesn’t make it okay to simple ignore somebody without explanation. Although he did apologize to Frankie afterwards, if I were her, I would probably still forgive him but I’d never go out with this guy again.

3. The connection between Darian and Frankie was beyond weird, in my opinion.
The plane crash that Darian’s family was involved in was what Darian and Frankie had in common in the first place. This story took place 10 years after the accident, which made Darian a 36-year-old single man and Frankie a 21-year-old student. Age gap and socioeconomic statuses aside, it weirded me out when Frankie said Darian’s daughter haunted her from the day she learnt the accident in the newspaper with that little girl’s photo. By the way, Frankie was 12 at that time. Who knew ten years later, she was sleeping with having a thing with that little girl’s DADDY! It seemed to me that no matter how unexpected this story was going to be, the entire situation and idea just couldn’t sit well with me. *Sorry, I tried…but failed miserably.*

4. TO BE CONTINUED…O_O
Seriously??? There wasn’t even a temporarily ending to this story! I would certainly appreciate more if Darian and Frankie could give the readers a little wrap-up—it didn’t necessarily have to be a perfect ending—just at least let us know what was going on with the story in this book. I literally thought they were about to figure out what was that thing between them by the end of the book but guess what? The cliffhanger only made the story unfinished, in my opinion. Perhaps that’s what the second part of this duology is for but I just don’t feel the connection. What’s worse, it’s very likely that I won’t continue reading Darian and Frankie’s story.

Despite the fact I didn’t like this book for the above reasons, the only thing I slightly enjoyed while reading was Frankie’s sense of humor. That’s really the one and only element I appreciated in this book.

If it wasn’t for the diner where I work, I could easily go weeks without seeing another human. I’m not what you’d call a social butterfly. I’m more of an antisocial caterpillar who’s yet to don a pair of wings.

Phew! Thankfully, there was something that didn’t fully disappoint me as much as the rest of the story.

Anyway, even though Waiting for the Sun isn’t the kind of Contemporary Romance I usually enjoy, it doesn’t mean it’s not for you, either! There are still a bunch of wonderfully written 5-star reviews around and I just hope mine will give you a different perspective on the book. Hopefully you’ll still give this author a chance and who knows? Maybe she’ll become one of your all-time-favorite authors!

P.S. Although I won’t be reading Part 2 of this story, I’ll surely read her future works.

***Thanks to the author for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

[Fabi NEEDS Email Notifications · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do a few beta reads each year.  I keep the number to a minimum as they are time consuming. When I asked Robin to take a peek at her WIP and she handed me the first three chapters, I FLIPPED!!!

"Robin, OMG this is so good!  Robin, OMG I love Frankie!  Robin, publish!  Robin, publish! Robin..."

*blush* Sorry Robin, I know I was a little annoying. ;-)

But now that other people are reading it, they are seeing the same thing I did.  This story is epic.  It sets the bar for every modern romance novel.

This is the story of Francesca and Darian. It is no fairy tale.  It is real and gritty and tragic, yet it is also hopeful and innocent and uplifting.  It is everything you can want in a romance novel.

It will grip you from the very first page and not let go until you reach the very end in an HFN. At which point you'll begin the ceaseless email requests to Ms. Hill for book 2 of this amazing story.

Francesca is one of the best heroines I've read.  

Darian scoots his chair closer to mine. His gaze falls to my lips, and for just a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. I want him to kiss me. I lean in…

But he takes my hand instead.

Le sigh.

...

I miss him. I know it’s crazy. It’s been, what? Five days? I’ve had zits last longer than that.

...

I don’t think my feet have been on the ground since the day we met. ~Frankie

She's brave and she's funny.  She's direct but compassionate.  She's young but has already lived through tragedy.

No matter how hard she tries to keep her feet planted on solid ground, Darian does, in fact, sweep her off her feet.  Hell!  He swept me off mine.

But...he didn't mean to.  Not my feet nor hers.

Darian has lived through a tragedy that no one should ever have to face.  One that would break anyone - everyone.  He has survived.  But he lives in a self-imposed glass box, not allowing the world to really touch him.

"I'm familiar with lonely."~Darian

It's his innate goodness and the surprising chemistry he feels with Frankie that prompts him to act one way and say something completely different than his actions convey.  It's confusing for Frankie.  It's confusing for the reader and ultimately, it's heartbreaking for everyone.  Darian has to gather his courage and confront his monsters.  For Frankie, he might just do that.

You MUST read this very real, very current romance.  I know you'll fall in love with these characters just as I did.

BTW...don't be dissuaded by the fact this is Robin Hill's debut novel.  The book is flawless!!!  Not a single typo to be found ANYWHERE.  <--- That, my friends, is nothing short of a miracle for books nowadays.  

THANK YOU ROBIN, for your meticulous care in presenting this book, and more importantly, thank you for sharing this incredible story with us, your readers.

Now...about book 2...   ;-)




Review ARC graciously provided by the author.

[Donna B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhmazing!!

Oh my heart!! So many feels right now. What an emotional journey. I love this book! Darian and Frankie’s story touched me on so many levels. I felt their connection and chemistry instantly .They are both struggling with loss, grief, guilt and uncertainty. Frankie is so relatable to me and Darian is everything 😍. The storyline is fantastic and Robin’s writing style is awesome . Incredible debut by Robin Hill❤️

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s going to be hard to keep this review spoiler-free, but I will give my best effort. This book, a debut effort from Robin Hill, has one of the most gorgeous covers I've ever seen. I hate to admit that I've chosen to read a book based on its cover, but when a cover is this unique and has obviously had so much thought and consideration put into it, you know what's inside will match, and match it did.

Frankie may be young, but she has encountered circumstances in her (nearly) 22 years of life that have matured her beyond her years. Darian's life has also been marred by tragedy. Ten years after losing his family in an accident, he encounters Frankie and is immediately drawn to her. As they quickly form a bond, feelings are muddled and the past refuses to stay in its place. Despite what seems like a potentially heavy premise, what follows is funny, beautiful, and heart-wrenching all at once.

I LOVED Frankie. Let it be said that if Frankie were to magically come to life, she would undoubtably be one of my BFFs. The majority of the story is told from her POV, and she is absolutely hilarious. Smart and introverted, stubborn and quirky, she quickly became one of my favorite characters (EVER- and I read A LOT) in chapter 1, when she introduced her best friend Jane (who is the BFF that each of us deserves, the PB to Frankie's jelly) by saying, "Jane considers herself an aspiring writer, but I consider her an aspiring finisher. She writes all the time; she just never finishes anything." Oh snap. And I could not help but wonder if the lovely author, who has been working on this book for quite a while herself, was maybe poking fun at herself with that line. Most artists and writers are this way, so she could really be talking about anyone. Regardless, Frankie's humor and wit continue throughout the book, pointing out some of the absurdities of her own feelings, such as when she realized that she missed Darian after spending a mere 5 days with him. "I know it's crazy. It's been, what? Five days? I've had zits last longer than that." I laughed out loud at that one. Frankie is just so sweet and genuine, it's hard to not fall for her, as Darian soon discovers for himself.

Poor Darian. He was sweet and sexy but often misguided and confusing without meaning to be. His actions and dialogue are mostly told from Frankie's POV; however, I found the inclusion of his text messages to his best friend (Drew) at the beginning of each chapter to be an effective way of telling the reader where his head is.

So what made this book special?: the simple, honest writing style that I lost myself in; the best friends and supporting characters (Jane and Drew, Lucy and Gloria) who lovingly encouraged the main characters and provided history, background, and context for their actions; Ms. Hill's choice to address the age difference between Frankie and Gloria (22 vs. 36) rather than gloss over or ignore it; the hot sex scenes peppered with Frankie's amusing thoughts (like trying to keep from collapsing into the sink while getting it on in the kitchen); the rapid but honest progression of feelings; Darian's backslide based upon his history; the writer's obvious adoration of music and how that was woven into the story and helped to enrich it. I could go on for a while, so I will leave it at that... for now.

This did not read like a debut work. Maybe that's because Ms. Hill has been an integral part of several other beautiful and successful books. Or maybe it's just because she is skilled and has made this a labor of love. I don't know, but I do know this... I have two minor complaints with the book. First of all, it's over. Though it was an emotional journey, the read was fast and easy for me. I didn't get to savor it properly. Secondly, it's only the first part of a duet. There is a minor cliffhanger of sorts at the end, but it's not bad or painful. It opens the way for the next portion of the story and the possibilities that it brings. That being said, I am an impatient over-thinker and miss Darian and Frankie's chemistry and company, so in a bratty Veruca Salt style, "I want it NOW!" Get writing, pretty please. I need the second half of this duet PRONTO!

A quirky, beautiful, fun ride that makes me look forward to what's to come from this writer, this 4.5 star effort warmed my cold heart and gave me a book hangover. I strongly recommend that you order while it's at the bargain price of 99 cents (or read on KU!). I plan to order a signed copy to join the other lovelies on my favorites shelf.

[Erica Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s no secret that Robin Hill is a dear friend of mine. I love her to pieces and I’m not ashamed to admit it, but that doesn’t change my thoughts on this book one tiny bit.

I’m usually not a fan of this brand of romance, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I mean, no filthy talking men running around with their testosterone on display for any and everyone? What else can there be?

And then Robin showed me.

Waiting for the Sun has so much heart. So much soul. So much beauty.

Darian has gone through gut-wrenching loss. Even though he stays busy with a successful record label, it feels like he’s kind of living his life in a very detached way. Just watching it go by rather than being in it.

Frankie is the best. I just adore her. She’s fun, sweet, and hilariously unsure of herself. I think we can all see bits of ourselves in her.

The relationship that builds between these two people is wonderful to witness. Each filling the pieces in the other that they weren’t even aware were missing.

Great job, Robin. I’m so very proud of you. <3

P.s. I can’t wait for Riders on the Storm!!!

[Melody Kimmons-Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting for the Sun

First off, I'd like to congratulate Robin Hill on her first novel. It was AMAZING! Also, today is release day, sooo congrats on that, as well. I'll be dialed into Emma's Entourage just trying to soak up some of the magic in the air. I was very surprised to learn that you not only have great taste in books, but you're also a very talented writer. Congratulations Robin!<3

WFTS is a quirky and unique love story between the beautiful and hilarious Francesca and the handsome and brooding Darian. They meet by chance when Frankie's vacation goes horribly wrong and her friend Jane bails on the music festival that they had planned. Frankie is then convinced to go alone and she meets Darian while trying to retrieve her reservations at the hotel.

I loved Frankie! She may be my favorite female lead...ever! There was just something so real about her. She was funny, down to earth and she didn't take herself too seriously. What I loved most about her though, was her mirror image of real women everywhere. Sometimes these book heroines are unrealistically perfect. Frankie kept it real. She was sassy, yet she has the same insecurities we all do. Sometimes she would read too much into something, take a gesture and make it more than intended. She could be naïve but not stupid. When she felt you wronged her or lead her on, she'd tell you. That was also one of the things I loved about Frankie. If I thought it, she was saying it!

Darian, almost got bitch slapped a few times but after really getting into his background, it was hard to hate him. He, like Frankie, also shared some very real qualities. Darian would say one thing and do another. This guy was the king of mixed signals. That was probably the most frustrating thing about him. He had no clue what he wanted. But underneath it all he was a caring and romantic guy who was trying to do the right thing and I had a soft spot for the guy.

The plot itself took on some wonderful twist and turns, that I didn't see coming. It was fresh and the pace was consistent. I felt goosebumps at times, other times I cried. A lot of the time, I was cursing and talking to myself...that's just what I do! There were some very tasteful and HOT intimate scenes. Those scenes, however, never took away from what was developing, which I also loved. It wasn't just a sexual attraction between these two. They genuinely connected on a emotional level.

Overall, I was very impressed. The writing was so easy and just wonderfully executed. There was a great playlist and some funny text exchanges that I found to be a great addition to the story. Plus, this book gave me a huge swoon hangover, right there at the end. Can't wait for part two, would love to see where she takes these characters. I wish I could truly describe how good this book really was but sometimes it gets really hard to articulate the way you feel about something without coming off like you're trying to oversell it. It was a really great read, grab a copy and see for yourself!

ARC Provided by Author

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come. Just LOVED it!

Alright, when I sat down to read this, I was hopeful but wary. New author and a person I like is usually a recipe for disaster. I mean, what if I read it and hated it? Thank God that wasn't the case.

This book has everything I love. Quirky characters, a true build into a relationship, and real feelings that don't feel forced. You can tell the author has been in the areas she spoke of, and nothing felt off. The angst was real and the humor had me snickering throughout. (Special shoutout to the boxers!) At one point, I was teary-eyed. More than once I wanted to smack the hero. No, really, he needs to be smacked for some of the crap he pulled. Yet, in the end, I was smiling from ear to ear.

My only request would be more of the secondary characters. When they were there, they dynamics were true, and I absolutely loved how they all worked together. The story didn't lend themselves to them being there much, but I would love to see more of them.

5 stars

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 💖☀️💖☀️💖☀️💖🌟🌟🌟🌟s❣️

Two lonely souls having experienced loss meet by accident or fate and their beautiful story begins!!!

Most of the story is told by Francesca’s pov, the writing is simple but absolutely captivating, the dialogues are smart and humorous, all characters are amazing and I went through a variety of emotions!!!

The author’s integration of The Doors’ songs throughout the storyline is brilliant!!!

Waiting for the sun,
waiting for you to come along... 💖💖💖

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh.....I have so much to say, but I'm going to try to keep it short and sweet!

This book.....so great! It has everything I look for in a story.....my emotions ran the gamut.....happy, sad, anxious, heartbroken, just enough angst for my heart, and yes, some sobbing too!

Frankie (Francesca). What a great h! She's someone I'd be friends with and she is looking to find her way in life after the death of her Dad. Her best friend, Jane, is a huge support to her throughout. But when Jane has to leave Frankie to fend for herself at the South By festival in Austin, TX, things start to really pick up! An intervening party helps her out when she realizes the hotel has "lost" her reservation.

Darian (said intervening party). What can I say about Darian. He is my perfect book boyfriend. He is broken, but a very strong businessman, and definitely not in the right frame of mind for a longstanding relationship. Who would be after the devastation he went through?!?! But Frankie does something to him he doesn't really want to accept or acknowledge. So as their friendship plays out, his normal reaction to run is not a surprise.

Don't want to give anyway many details or spoilers, but the scene at the end had me blubbering and trying to see through my blurry eyes the cemetery scene!!! Ugh, my heart was on the floor.

Shout out to all the references to The Doors!!! Love them! Everytime Ms. Hill referenced a Doors song, I took a minute to sing it in my head!

Here's a couple things I highlighted because I couldn't resist (and I don't normally highlight my books):

"I drop my purse on the coffee table in the living area and sit on the arm of the sofa. Then I feel stupid for not just sitting on the sofa, so I slide down the arm of the cushion, tipping over a little as I land. That was graceful. - - LOL!! This is something I could totally see any one of us doing!!

He pushed back from the table, wildly flapping his arms, and I smiled through the ache in my chest. "What have I always told you?" "Be the butterfly." "Yes. Be the butterfly, Frankie. Spread your wings." - - Sigh.

He wraps his arm around me. "I'm familiar with lonely." - - Tissues, please!

I've been waiting to help you out of this dress since the moment I helped you into it," he says, his voice gravelly and deep. - - Ummm, yeah, just need to mention those unbelievably HOT, HOT sex scenes. (And some funny sex scenes.....the whipped cream moment!) No skimming here, just a lot of fanning my face! LOL!

I loved that you included "our gang" from Maryse's Book Blog in your Acknowledgments.....actually I had tears in my eyes as I read your Acknowledgments because I know this has seemed like a long road for you and was so happy to see all the support you received! Thank you for remembering us and thank you so much for kindly supplying the ARC! *huge hugs to you* You and your family should be so proud!!

Wishing you the best and I'll try not to hound you too much for the release of book 2!!!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will contain GUSHING praise - be fairly warned! 😉

Seriously, I simply adored this book!!! Waiting For the Sun really spoke to me. It’s totally “my jam” because I love books that make me feel invested in the characters! I’m completely 100% invested in Darian and Frankie!

Darian and Frankie have each experienced tragedy in their lives. They meet by accident (or fate if you’re a romantic like me) and Darian helps Frankie out when she’s in a predicament. They become friends and then lovers. Through it all they are agreeing it’s a Friends with Benefits type arrangement. Yep! We all know that’s not gonna work, right? I’m not going to tell anything more because I don’t want to spoil it! I just have to say that y’all have to read this book! I mean it, drop whatever you’re reading and READ this book!

I also have to add that I love the cover art! It’s absolutely stunning!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

you want to read this!!!

This is what's called an unexpected gem! I wasn't sure what to expect going in but from the prologue I knew Darian's story would be distressing. I knew he was damaged, broken down by loss but watching him fall in love with Frankie against his will, fighting against his own happiness was heart breaking.

Francesca is both fiercely independent and yet vulnerable. I loved this character, she challenged herself, knowing that she has a tendency to hold back. She opens herself to possibility and is swept away by her feelings. I felt every blow to her self confidence.

This is not what you would traditionally call a slow burn, they have an instant attraction and off the charts chemistry that they do not deny, but its the development of the relationship, the falling without knowing that makes me call it that. I was willing these two to work this out.

The peripheral characters, Jane and Drew, are often seen through their messages, but it still leaves you wanting to know more about them.

There is a slight cliff hanger at the end but Darian and Frankie have found their happy so don't worry!

This is a fantastic debut, I cannot wait for more.

[Jennifer Gauthier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when I pick up a new author (to me) and I fall head over heels in love.

Robin Hill grabbed me from the start of this story, and had me looking for just one more page at the end.

Oh my heart for Darian , what he has had to go through, and live through. Francesca and her rough ride of a life. These two were meant to find each other, and put a kaput to the lonely times in their lives.

Their story had me totally invested in thier happiness. I was truly rooting for them to be together, to make it work.

Darian was totally book boyfriend dreamy, with all the little things he would do for Francesca. I adored Francesca character she was strong, even if she didn't see it.

I'm so glad Riders on the Storm is already out. I'm so excited to find out what is in store for these two.

A proposition you say eh?? Hmmmmm my interest is peaked.

[Melanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS!!

Waiting for the Sun is the very definition of what a romance novel should be! Its pages were filled with humor, feels, and good old-fashioned love. It was such a pleasure to read!

So immediately upon getting my greedy little electronic hands on this one, I read the prologue . . . and my smile slipped a bit. Not because I didn't like the writing - to the contrary, I LOVED the writing. But because the hero's backstory is not a happy one and I was going to have to psyche myself up a bit before I dived into this story.

The psyching turned out to be unnecessary though. Ms. Hill negotiated the potentially turbulent waters of grief and loss with the skill of a veteran writer. Yes, she made me cry, but the story never turned into an over-sensationalized sob fest.

In fact, if I had to chose one word to describe this book it would be heartfelt, and that's almost entirely due to our heroine, Frankie, who was an incredibly charming narrator. Her sweet, sometimes self-deprecating inner thoughts made for some really great moments.

I'm not what you'd call a social butterfly. I'm more of an anti-social caterpillar who's yet to don a pair of wings.

Despite being wise beyond her 21 years, when she meets Darian, she's more than interested in a man who's fifteen years her senior and, on the surface, seems perfect.

Darian doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who cares about unruly hair. He strikes me as the kind of guy who causes it.

I won't give away any more about the story. I'll just tell you that Darian was a great guy who made some mistakes along the way, but I suppose so did Frankie. Their journey wasn't an easy one, but it was a satisfying one that will stick with me . . . especially because there's a sequel in the works!! I can't wait!

A warm thank you to Robin Hill for allowing me to read her work.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

second read -
Recently stumbled upon this review and saw I gave it 5 stars but couldn't remember all that much about it so I decided to give it a reread! I think if I picked this up for the first time today, it would most likely be a 4ish star read but the rest of my initial view pretty much stands and I enjoyed rereading it. A hidden gem for sure!!
---
I randomly found this book scrolling through KU recommendations on Amazon, and I'm so happy I picked it up! I cannot believe it's a debut!!

This book had it all in terms of what I love in a romance. Angst, emotion, steam, swooning, great setting, well thought out/revised conflict, and lovable characters. Frankie and Darian were such well written characters with raw and real, tangible emotions. I love the backdrop in which they met, and love all the things that followed even more. I really can't say enough great things about it. What a hidden gem!

I always know something deserves 5 stars when I fly through it while hating to miss even one word. Since I read so much romance, I seem to become bored by some of the more mundane parts of the story, and *accidentally* find my self starting to skim for the next big thing to happen. I read (and loved) every word of this story, and found it all relevant to what was going on with the plot. I couldn't put it down, and became so invested in Frankie and Darian as a couple. It's always hard for me to rate duets, because they seem unfinished, but I really loved Waiting for the Sun and can't wait to pick up it's conclusion asap.

[Joanne Ragona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel by Robin Hill is a beautiful story of love, loss, grief, guilt, taking chances, and the struggles of moving on when your world is shattered. I fell IN LOVE with both main characters. Francesca is a quirky, beautiful loner and Darian is a gorgeous ex-rock star with a heartbreaking past. Francesca's wit and humor had me laughing out loud, Darian's charm and genuine sweetness had me swooning hard for him. Together, their chemistry was off the charts and their internal struggles were so real and full of angst. The story developed so beautifully, I was completely invested in these characters and the unfolding of their story.

This book made me laugh, cry, swoon and cheer for these two broken characters. And I also adored the side characters--Jane, Drew, and sweet Gloria--they all added so much to the storytelling. This book grabbed me from the very beginning and I found myself not wanting to put it down. For me, this is an instant sign that this book is a winner for me! I truly adored it--and cannot wait to see where the next book takes Francesca and Darian. 5 Brilliant, sun-shining stars from me!

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Baby, I met someone.”

I am kaput.

This book had the terrible misfortune of being next in line after one of those books. You know, the ones that make your head explode? Considering that and the fact that this book still took my breath away, tells you exactly how much I liked this.

I never would have guessed this was Robin Hill's debut novel. The writing was wonderful, I loved the storyline and the details (music references, the setting) and the characters (both MCs and SCs) were phenomenal, landing this at a solid 4 stars. The last star is thanks to the pace. After a few years packed with reading, I've come to realize that I'm somewhat pace sensitive. Not excessively sensitive, all I'm asking for is a story that won't put me to sleep and/or give me a whiplash. This did neither.

Now. I'm positive some readers will struggle with Darian at times. But I get it. Speaking from first hand experience: the land of grief is an exceptionally crazy place. So acting a bit...irrational when you're stuck there is nothing but normal. Please, stick it out, don't quit on Darian and I promise you'll be rewarded.

If I have to mention anything negative it's that I now have to wait for the second part. Which is a rather delightful problem to have, don't you think?