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Rebel Hearts #1
Finding Abel
Abbi Cross stole my heart when we were kids and it's belonged to her ever since. I knew the moment I claimed her first kiss that I wanted to own all of them right up until her last. I was going to make all our dreams come true. Instead, I broke a lot of promises and both our hearts along the road to fame. Now, a woman I don’t love wears my ring on her finger, and I don’t know if Abbi will ever forgive me for what I’ve done. Little by little, I gave my heart to Abel McCabe, and piece by broken piece he gave it back to me. Now, he wears the face of a man I hardly recognize, but his eyes still look at me like the boy I’ve known and loved all my life. I know I’m not supposed to. I know we can’t ever be what we were, and I know what we’ve become is killing us both. But I don’t know how to stop. Until the night I sit waiting for him, only to turn on my phone and see his engagement announcement plastered all over the internet, and a text message with two words. I’m sorry. He asks me to trust him. He begs me to forgive him, but I don’t know what to believe anymore. The Rebel Hearts series is a spin off of the Ever After series, but can be read alone
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2018
39 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Hoffman McManus
24 books447 followersStephanie is a New Adult romance author who debuted her first series in Spring of 2014, but her love affair with books began at an early age. She consumed them from the moment she learned to read, loving nothing more than to get lost in the fictional worlds that came to life on the pages. Creating her own stories was something she always enjoyed but never pursued until she wrote Finding Ever After, her first novel. It has been a dream come true ever since.
She has many passions outside books, including hiking, traveling, drawing, painting, design, baking and cake decorating. Prior to the release of her first novel, she was running her own bakery and cake shop in the small coastal town where she was born and raised and returned home to after moving away for college. Becoming an author has been an incredible journey, one she hopes never ends.
She has many passions outside books, including hiking, traveling, drawing, painting, design, baking and cake decorating. Prior to the release of her first novel, she was running her own bakery and cake shop in the small coastal town where she was born and raised and returned home to after moving away for college. Becoming an author has been an incredible journey, one she hopes never ends.
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November 24, 2018
A friend gave me a copy of this that I was planning to trash pronto based on reading reviews of my GR friends, but after seeing Author’s review, well I could not leave it as is because I believe readers have the right to expect the TRUTH when making a reading purchase. By the way, it is in bad form in my personal opinion for authors to write their own review and give themselves 5 stars! Who does that people???
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
WARNING – REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS…...
H & h grew up together because their families are close friends. They are both the same age and Hero said that at 6 yrs old, he knew he was going to marry heroine. At 14 yrs old, they shared their first kiss. At 16, they were each other’s first in “everything”. At 18, hero (who claimed the heroine was the love of his life & his “whole world”), left her to go to NY for some music deal where he was caught kissing & making out with some girl. Heroine was devastated when she learned of it & confronted him. He said it was “a moment of weakness” and this was the start of the end.
“Please don’t do this, Abbi. I screwed up. I know I did. It didn’t go all the way. I swear I stopped it before it got that far, because I knew it was a mistake. A horrible mistake. It won’t ever happen again.”
“You’re going to leave again,” she said matter-of-factually. “Is this what it’s going to be like when you do? Girls throwing themselves at you? Moments of temptation and weakness that you say don’t mean anything? Am I just going to be out of sight, out of mind? Because I can’t do that, Abel. I can’t sit here and wait for you to come home, wondering if you’re missing me at all, or if you’re with someone else. I’m so jealous I feel sick right now, and I can’t be that girl, the one too stupid to know she’s being left behind,” she sniffed.
“You hooked up with someone else, Abel. On some level that must mean you want to know what else is out there.”
“It doesn’t matter what else is out there, because you’re right here. I made out with her and it got carried away, but I promise it was nothing,” I argued and grabbed her hand, squeezing it too tightly. I couldn’t help it. She couldn’t do this.
“If you really believed that, you wouldn’t have touched her.”
After this conversation, they sort of breakup but they continue to hook up periodically through the next 8 yrs because they wanted to experience life or some such shit. In other words, they became f**k buddies, all while Hero goes through other women.
“We can explore the world and still find our way back to each other. I don’t believe this is the end, Abbs. It can’t be. We won’t let it be.”
“Are you always going to be mine?” (he never answered her by the way….)
So after 8 years of screwing each other on & off, heroine decides to break things off. He then hooks up with OW (his current wife) & heroine is dating an absolutely wonderful OM who adores her!. However, after a few months, Hero returns home and tells her he is done with music & wants to work things out. (At the time, he wasn’t aware that heroine was in a relationship). Heroine then proceeds to cheat on her BF when she has sex with Hero. Two or three months pass after this and book opens to Hero going down on one knee & proposing to OW. He then marries this woman and leaves a text for heroine with the words “ Please forgive me” and no other explanation. Heroine then finds out that he married someone else and goes back to her boyfriend.
Two months after his marriage, he goes home & runs into heroine. He tries to apologize & explain what happened. The OW manipulated him into marriage by claiming she was pregnant & that if he didn’t marry her, she would abort the baby. Feeling trapped, he agrees to marry her with the thought that after she has the baby, he would take his kid & divorce her:
“You think that’s what I wanted? That any of this is what I wanted? You think I wanted to be glorified fuck buddies?” He flinched, but I didn’t miss a beat. “Funny how I don’t remember you trying all that hard to change my mind. Seemed our arrangement suited you just fine. I was protecting myself, for all the good that it did. You’d show up here when it was convenient for you. When you were struggling. When you were feeling lost. When you missed me or needed me. And I was stupid enough to open the door for you every time.” I hadn’t been capable of telling him no. I was too weak to shut the door in his face. It was a sick sort of co-dependency we had. “And you did exactly what I expected every time. You snuck out of bed in the middle of the night, and I woke up alone. I always woke up alone, because that’s what you do. You leave. And then I’d see you on TV or on some magazine cover or online blog with whoever was next in your steady stream of actresses, models, singer, and socialites. That’s why I said no promises. And still you had to go and make them, and I believed you, because that’s what I do. I believe you even though I know better.”
“Fuck,” his eyes blinked open, and he ripped his hand from his hair. “I didn’t mean for it. I met her last year after you ended it. She was nothing more than a fling I tried to lose myself in. I used her to drown out missing you, but it didn’t work Abbi. That’s why I came back. That’s why I couldn’t let us be over. I meant every word I said to you two months ago. It was always supposed to be you. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. But it stopped being about what I want the moment Kat put that ultrasound picture in my hand. I don’t love her. I never did. I don’t even know how this happened. I thought I was careful.”
So then we have Hero & heroine running into each other with the heroine constantly pushing Hero away & his family pushing him to fight for her – even though he is married & expecting a child with someone else. This part, pissed me off. Hero then goes back to NY and to his wife - only to see his wife doing coke with his bandmate & learns that she lost his baby! He later on finds out that his wife was sleeping around with the same bandmate & that there never was a baby! His wife tells him that she will give him an annulment. He quits the band & goes home to his family where they continue to force him to patch things up with heroine, however, heroine is now engaged to her BF and he feels he lost his chance so he decides to let her go - again!
Then at the end, heroines hears Hero sing a song to/about her and decides to break up with her awesome fiancée/BF. She goes to find Hero (mind you, at that point, she was not aware he left his wife – only that he lost his baby).
“What my real mistake was. It wasn’t leaving. Choosing my music wasn’t a mistake. No, it wasn’t. Letting you break up with me was, though. Thinking I had to give you up was. Thinking I had to make a choice between you and my music at all was. Cheating on you because I was a coward, and afraid that I was going to lose you no matter what, was. Thinking we were too young to promise forever was. We would have made it work.”..
They ILY’s and The End.
So the Author to state that they were just “kids” and made many mistakes, is lie # 1. They were KIDS up to 18 years old. When you turn 18, you become an ADULT and know right from wrong! They had 8 years of screwing one another and cheating on their partners. During those years, they were NOT “kids”, they were grown up 20 something year old ADULTS!
And lie # 2. Author stated that she likes to write characters that “grow” & “redeem” themselves. Where was the growth & redemption in this story? Did Hero – or heroine for that matter, grow? They were with OP up until 95-98%. Did he redeem himself? From what I read, there was 0 redemption! He had lame-ass excuses for his cheating and he didn’t fight for heroine AT ALL! His friends & family were CONSTANTLY pushing him to go after her but he never did! It took the stupid idiot of a heroine to fight for HIM – and she did so knowing he was still married and not once asking if he was divorcing his wife!!!!
So did they “grow”? No they certainly did not because neither had any morals or decency AT ALL!
And just for the record Dear Author, there was NOTHING likable or entertaining about this book of yours. You like flawed & asshole characters? Good for you. However, please don’t lie to readers just to sell your books.
SAFETY: Besides the cheating these two do on one another from age 18-26, you have sweet & loving moments with heroine & the OM (her BF) whom she is in love with and there are scenes of them making out a bit & sleeping together but there are no detailed sex scenes. In fact, there is no sex scenes at all, not even with Hero & heroine. This was a clean PG type of read. As for Hero, though it was never mentioned, he supposedly sleeps & has sex with his wife, though that is questionable too because they were getting the marriage “annulled” – not divorcing. And since we know Hero f***ked many others during those 8 years, we are never told if heroine also was with OM – besides her BF that is…
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
WARNING – REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS…...
H & h grew up together because their families are close friends. They are both the same age and Hero said that at 6 yrs old, he knew he was going to marry heroine. At 14 yrs old, they shared their first kiss. At 16, they were each other’s first in “everything”. At 18, hero (who claimed the heroine was the love of his life & his “whole world”), left her to go to NY for some music deal where he was caught kissing & making out with some girl. Heroine was devastated when she learned of it & confronted him. He said it was “a moment of weakness” and this was the start of the end.
“Please don’t do this, Abbi. I screwed up. I know I did. It didn’t go all the way. I swear I stopped it before it got that far, because I knew it was a mistake. A horrible mistake. It won’t ever happen again.”
“You’re going to leave again,” she said matter-of-factually. “Is this what it’s going to be like when you do? Girls throwing themselves at you? Moments of temptation and weakness that you say don’t mean anything? Am I just going to be out of sight, out of mind? Because I can’t do that, Abel. I can’t sit here and wait for you to come home, wondering if you’re missing me at all, or if you’re with someone else. I’m so jealous I feel sick right now, and I can’t be that girl, the one too stupid to know she’s being left behind,” she sniffed.
“You hooked up with someone else, Abel. On some level that must mean you want to know what else is out there.”
“It doesn’t matter what else is out there, because you’re right here. I made out with her and it got carried away, but I promise it was nothing,” I argued and grabbed her hand, squeezing it too tightly. I couldn’t help it. She couldn’t do this.
“If you really believed that, you wouldn’t have touched her.”
After this conversation, they sort of breakup but they continue to hook up periodically through the next 8 yrs because they wanted to experience life or some such shit. In other words, they became f**k buddies, all while Hero goes through other women.
“We can explore the world and still find our way back to each other. I don’t believe this is the end, Abbs. It can’t be. We won’t let it be.”
“Are you always going to be mine?” (he never answered her by the way….)
So after 8 years of screwing each other on & off, heroine decides to break things off. He then hooks up with OW (his current wife) & heroine is dating an absolutely wonderful OM who adores her!. However, after a few months, Hero returns home and tells her he is done with music & wants to work things out. (At the time, he wasn’t aware that heroine was in a relationship). Heroine then proceeds to cheat on her BF when she has sex with Hero. Two or three months pass after this and book opens to Hero going down on one knee & proposing to OW. He then marries this woman and leaves a text for heroine with the words “ Please forgive me” and no other explanation. Heroine then finds out that he married someone else and goes back to her boyfriend.
Two months after his marriage, he goes home & runs into heroine. He tries to apologize & explain what happened. The OW manipulated him into marriage by claiming she was pregnant & that if he didn’t marry her, she would abort the baby. Feeling trapped, he agrees to marry her with the thought that after she has the baby, he would take his kid & divorce her:
“You think that’s what I wanted? That any of this is what I wanted? You think I wanted to be glorified fuck buddies?” He flinched, but I didn’t miss a beat. “Funny how I don’t remember you trying all that hard to change my mind. Seemed our arrangement suited you just fine. I was protecting myself, for all the good that it did. You’d show up here when it was convenient for you. When you were struggling. When you were feeling lost. When you missed me or needed me. And I was stupid enough to open the door for you every time.” I hadn’t been capable of telling him no. I was too weak to shut the door in his face. It was a sick sort of co-dependency we had. “And you did exactly what I expected every time. You snuck out of bed in the middle of the night, and I woke up alone. I always woke up alone, because that’s what you do. You leave. And then I’d see you on TV or on some magazine cover or online blog with whoever was next in your steady stream of actresses, models, singer, and socialites. That’s why I said no promises. And still you had to go and make them, and I believed you, because that’s what I do. I believe you even though I know better.”
“Fuck,” his eyes blinked open, and he ripped his hand from his hair. “I didn’t mean for it. I met her last year after you ended it. She was nothing more than a fling I tried to lose myself in. I used her to drown out missing you, but it didn’t work Abbi. That’s why I came back. That’s why I couldn’t let us be over. I meant every word I said to you two months ago. It was always supposed to be you. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. But it stopped being about what I want the moment Kat put that ultrasound picture in my hand. I don’t love her. I never did. I don’t even know how this happened. I thought I was careful.”
So then we have Hero & heroine running into each other with the heroine constantly pushing Hero away & his family pushing him to fight for her – even though he is married & expecting a child with someone else. This part, pissed me off. Hero then goes back to NY and to his wife - only to see his wife doing coke with his bandmate & learns that she lost his baby! He later on finds out that his wife was sleeping around with the same bandmate & that there never was a baby! His wife tells him that she will give him an annulment. He quits the band & goes home to his family where they continue to force him to patch things up with heroine, however, heroine is now engaged to her BF and he feels he lost his chance so he decides to let her go - again!
Then at the end, heroines hears Hero sing a song to/about her and decides to break up with her awesome fiancée/BF. She goes to find Hero (mind you, at that point, she was not aware he left his wife – only that he lost his baby).
“What my real mistake was. It wasn’t leaving. Choosing my music wasn’t a mistake. No, it wasn’t. Letting you break up with me was, though. Thinking I had to give you up was. Thinking I had to make a choice between you and my music at all was. Cheating on you because I was a coward, and afraid that I was going to lose you no matter what, was. Thinking we were too young to promise forever was. We would have made it work.”..
They ILY’s and The End.
So the Author to state that they were just “kids” and made many mistakes, is lie # 1. They were KIDS up to 18 years old. When you turn 18, you become an ADULT and know right from wrong! They had 8 years of screwing one another and cheating on their partners. During those years, they were NOT “kids”, they were grown up 20 something year old ADULTS!
And lie # 2. Author stated that she likes to write characters that “grow” & “redeem” themselves. Where was the growth & redemption in this story? Did Hero – or heroine for that matter, grow? They were with OP up until 95-98%. Did he redeem himself? From what I read, there was 0 redemption! He had lame-ass excuses for his cheating and he didn’t fight for heroine AT ALL! His friends & family were CONSTANTLY pushing him to go after her but he never did! It took the stupid idiot of a heroine to fight for HIM – and she did so knowing he was still married and not once asking if he was divorcing his wife!!!!
So did they “grow”? No they certainly did not because neither had any morals or decency AT ALL!
And just for the record Dear Author, there was NOTHING likable or entertaining about this book of yours. You like flawed & asshole characters? Good for you. However, please don’t lie to readers just to sell your books.
SAFETY: Besides the cheating these two do on one another from age 18-26, you have sweet & loving moments with heroine & the OM (her BF) whom she is in love with and there are scenes of them making out a bit & sleeping together but there are no detailed sex scenes. In fact, there is no sex scenes at all, not even with Hero & heroine. This was a clean PG type of read. As for Hero, though it was never mentioned, he supposedly sleeps & has sex with his wife, though that is questionable too because they were getting the marriage “annulled” – not divorcing. And since we know Hero f***ked many others during those 8 years, we are never told if heroine also was with OM – besides her BF that is…
never-gonna-read
January 12, 2019Update 1/11/19
The author referred to my review in her updated “review” and stated that the h was aware that the Hs marriage to the OW was over when she went to him at the end. Well, allow me to clarify something for the author.
Unless there is a court notarized legal document stating that the marriage between the H and OW has been finalized OR annulled the H and h would be having an affair by being together. An affair is also known as: adultery or infidelity. If you’re still confused I’ll provide you with the Webster dictionary definition of the words...
infidelity noun
in·fi·del·i·ty | \ˌin-fə-ˈde-lə-tē, -(ˌ)fī-\
plural infidelities
Definition of infidelity
1a : the act or fact of having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than one's husband, wife, or partner
b : unfaithfulness to a moral obligation : DISLOYALTY
adultery noun
adul·tery | \ə-ˈdəl-t(ə-)rē \
plural adulteries
Definition of adultery
: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person's current spouse or partner
also : an act of adultery
affair noun
af·fair | \ə-ˈfer \
Definition of affair
3 or less commonly affaire
a : a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration : LIAISON sense 2b
had an affair with a coworker
H and h deserve each other....both are weak, unlikeable, horrible characters.
High school sweethearts who break up when the H leaves to pursue his dreams BUT for the next 8 years continue as fuck buddies while seeing other people when they’re not screwing each other.
To further display their lack of morals the book ends with the heroine making a grande gesture to the Hero stating that “this time” he better not leave her - indicating they were either going back to their fuck buddy status OR we’re going to try for a real relationship - while knowing he was currently MARRIED TO THE OW!! At the time of her monologue she was unaware there never was a baby and the OW was going to annul the marriage BUT STILL PLANNED ON HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH A MARRIED MAN WITH A CHILD ON THE WAY!!
Fuck all of y’all!
The author referred to my review in her updated “review” and stated that the h was aware that the Hs marriage to the OW was over when she went to him at the end. Well, allow me to clarify something for the author.
Unless there is a court notarized legal document stating that the marriage between the H and OW has been finalized OR annulled the H and h would be having an affair by being together. An affair is also known as: adultery or infidelity. If you’re still confused I’ll provide you with the Webster dictionary definition of the words...
infidelity noun
in·fi·del·i·ty | \ˌin-fə-ˈde-lə-tē, -(ˌ)fī-\
plural infidelities
Definition of infidelity
1a : the act or fact of having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than one's husband, wife, or partner
b : unfaithfulness to a moral obligation : DISLOYALTY
adultery noun
adul·tery | \ə-ˈdəl-t(ə-)rē \
plural adulteries
Definition of adultery
: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person's current spouse or partner
also : an act of adultery
affair noun
af·fair | \ə-ˈfer \
Definition of affair
3 or less commonly affaire
a : a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration : LIAISON sense 2b
had an affair with a coworker
H and h deserve each other....both are weak, unlikeable, horrible characters.
High school sweethearts who break up when the H leaves to pursue his dreams BUT for the next 8 years continue as fuck buddies while seeing other people when they’re not screwing each other.
To further display their lack of morals the book ends with the heroine making a grande gesture to the Hero stating that “this time” he better not leave her - indicating they were either going back to their fuck buddy status OR we’re going to try for a real relationship - while knowing he was currently MARRIED TO THE OW!! At the time of her monologue she was unaware there never was a baby and the OW was going to annul the marriage BUT STILL PLANNED ON HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH A MARRIED MAN WITH A CHILD ON THE WAY!!
Fuck all of y’all!
no-way-jose
November 24, 2018After a pm from GR friend this book is definitely in the PUKE category 🤢 🤮. If you think you figure something out from the blurb you’re wrong. It’s even worse.
November 24, 2018
Stupid h should have stuck to the wonderful OM instead of the cheating ( multiple times) douche idiot H (who got his fuck buddy pregnant, marry her but bemoans the fact that h was moving on with lovable, wonderful OM) - course turns out not only did OW lie about being pregnant she was sleeping around and was a druggy - seriously? I kept rolling my eyes - everyone both families and friends kept on on on about the epic love between H./h since babies yet nothing about his constant cheating and though everyone agreed OM was wonderful they (including her family) thinks the cheating douche was a better option-wtf? I think its time to switch to my PNR's take a break from contemporaries LOL, need to read about some kick ass heroines now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2020
DNF'D at 28%, but not bc of subject matter. A lot of us like cheating, angsty books. A lot of us read and enjoy them. What a lot of us don't do is read a book about a subject matter we knew we didn't like before we read the book, then leave a SCATHING review bc of that subject matter. Because, you know, adults. Reading something controversial, and enjoying it, doesn't mean we condone it or want to go through this in real life. Now, I'm not going to read a sugary sweet (by my standard, not yours), unrealistic romance, and leave a review bc I hate the thought of someone liking it; because, you know, ADULT.
Obviously, this is a protest rating.
Obviously, this is a protest rating.
September 12, 2019
I know this book has controversial content, and I knew writing it that it wasn't going to be for everyone. My books are full of flawed, broken, scarred, damaged characters who sometimes screw up and make it hard to love them at first, because that's real life. We're all only human. With this one I pushed that even further.
Two people who have literally known each other their entire lives. They grow up together, become best friends, and fall in love. They've seen the very best and worst of each other. Their love is intense, but it's immature, because they're kids, and one mistake and a bunch of doubts and fears tear them apart. That's where the story kicks off.
Abbi and Abel love each other to the point that it is destructive to themselves and those around them at times. They fight it, they give in, they struggle, but they don't know how to stop.
With this story, I wanted to take a broken relationship that was in an ugly place, characters who make some really bad choices, and redeem them, because for me there's nothing better than a good redemption story, and the heart of my stories will always be that no matter how big or bad someone screws up, there's always room for grace, and forgiveness, and growth. Everyone needs a little grace at some point, and the chance to do better.
These characters are complicated and frustrating, and sometimes their choices and mistakes will make you cringe or want to scream at them, but if you give them a chance, you might find that love can prevail, or you might hate it, and that's okay too.
Two people who have literally known each other their entire lives. They grow up together, become best friends, and fall in love. They've seen the very best and worst of each other. Their love is intense, but it's immature, because they're kids, and one mistake and a bunch of doubts and fears tear them apart. That's where the story kicks off.
Abbi and Abel love each other to the point that it is destructive to themselves and those around them at times. They fight it, they give in, they struggle, but they don't know how to stop.
With this story, I wanted to take a broken relationship that was in an ugly place, characters who make some really bad choices, and redeem them, because for me there's nothing better than a good redemption story, and the heart of my stories will always be that no matter how big or bad someone screws up, there's always room for grace, and forgiveness, and growth. Everyone needs a little grace at some point, and the chance to do better.
These characters are complicated and frustrating, and sometimes their choices and mistakes will make you cringe or want to scream at them, but if you give them a chance, you might find that love can prevail, or you might hate it, and that's okay too.
Want to read
February 13, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/13/2019)! 🎁
Blurb:
Abbi Cross stole my heart when we were kids and it's belonged to her ever since. I knew the moment I claimed her first kiss that I wanted to own all of them right up until her last. I was going to make all our dreams come true. Instead, I broke a lot of promises and both our hearts along the road to fame. Now, a woman I don’t love wears my ring on her finger, and I don’t know if Abbi will ever forgive me for what I’ve done.
Little by little, I gave my heart to Abel McCabe, and piece by broken piece he gave it back to me. Now, he wears the face of a man I hardly recognize, but his eyes still look at me like the boy I’ve known and loved all my life. I know I’m not supposed to. I know we can’t ever be what we were, and I know what we’ve become is killing us both. But I don’t know how to stop. Until the night I sit waiting for him, only to turn on my phone and see his engagement announcement plastered all over the internet, and a text message with two words. I’m sorry.
He asks me to trust him. He begs me to forgive him, but I don’t know what to believe anymore.
The Rebel Hearts series is a spin off of the Ever After series, but can be read alone.
Blurb:
Abbi Cross stole my heart when we were kids and it's belonged to her ever since. I knew the moment I claimed her first kiss that I wanted to own all of them right up until her last. I was going to make all our dreams come true. Instead, I broke a lot of promises and both our hearts along the road to fame. Now, a woman I don’t love wears my ring on her finger, and I don’t know if Abbi will ever forgive me for what I’ve done.
Little by little, I gave my heart to Abel McCabe, and piece by broken piece he gave it back to me. Now, he wears the face of a man I hardly recognize, but his eyes still look at me like the boy I’ve known and loved all my life. I know I’m not supposed to. I know we can’t ever be what we were, and I know what we’ve become is killing us both. But I don’t know how to stop. Until the night I sit waiting for him, only to turn on my phone and see his engagement announcement plastered all over the internet, and a text message with two words. I’m sorry.
He asks me to trust him. He begs me to forgive him, but I don’t know what to believe anymore.
The Rebel Hearts series is a spin off of the Ever After series, but can be read alone.
fck-no
November 21, 2018Ugh...sounds like a loser hero.
I wonder how he redeemed himself and what was the reason he left her 🤔
I wonder how he redeemed himself and what was the reason he left her 🤔
nope
November 24, 2018Nope... It sounds like a total mess with borderline annoying characters.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Read
November 23, 2018H/h cheat to be together. Heroine is willing to be with him even though as far as she knows Hero is married with baby on the way. BARF!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
avoid-and-run-away
November 23, 2018#Avoid and Move On!
Great Review Here
Great Review Here
Read
November 24, 2018No rating... this book made me mad. I didn’t like Abel at all.
August 12, 2020
Dragged
This was recommended and said to have a lot of drama however I have up at 29%. I was just skimming and it wasn't holding my attention.
This was recommended and said to have a lot of drama however I have up at 29%. I was just skimming and it wasn't holding my attention.
December 9, 2018
Entertaining
I would have sworn I read this book before but regardless I did find it an entertaining look at people who make mistakes, Abel and Abbi can't seem to be on the same page since becoming adults. The push and pull leads both to screwing up but alas there's an HEA. I do hope that Abel's sister Addie gets a book
I would have sworn I read this book before but regardless I did find it an entertaining look at people who make mistakes, Abel and Abbi can't seem to be on the same page since becoming adults. The push and pull leads both to screwing up but alas there's an HEA. I do hope that Abel's sister Addie gets a book
February 15, 2019
Major DNF!
Did the author watch Kelly and Ryan‘s disaster of a relationship on The Office and say to herself: „Oh, yeah! That‘s exactly the type of relationship everyone should aspire to have! I‘mma write about that.“?
Seriously people, be like Jim and Pam, and not Ryan and Kelly!
Did the author watch Kelly and Ryan‘s disaster of a relationship on The Office and say to herself: „Oh, yeah! That‘s exactly the type of relationship everyone should aspire to have! I‘mma write about that.“?
Seriously people, be like Jim and Pam, and not Ryan and Kelly!
November 21, 2018
Nopeeeee
April 27, 2019
...
There are no word for how pathetic the heroine is!
There are no word for how pathetic the heroine is!
Read
January 16, 2023Saga felt contrived ,the finale ludicrously abrupt!
September 14, 2019
Let me start my review by HOPE THE AUTHOR FINDS HER OWN ABEL because according to her, (review) we are only human and flawed weak which means we don't have a MORAL Compass and it's totally OK to cheat. You know love someone and be engaged to someone else then cheat on your sweet fiance with the love of your life who broke your trust time and again.
Till the end I didn't understand how would the h even trust this guy in future because he's a liar., a cheater, a promise breaker and All the things in between. But I guess she deserves him and it will serve her right if he cheats on her again in future and apologies for it because she too is a cheater and a doormat with no sense of right and wrong and dumped a sweet guy for a cheater like him who always left her. He should have been on his hand and knees begging for forgiveness but instead a paragraph of apology was enough for this pathetic h. These both cheater are a match made in hell and deserve each other.
I also think the author changed her review after Reading GR reviews. She mentions in her review that h knew H's Marriage was over in the end. SHE NEEDS TO READ HER DAMN BOOK ONCE AGAIN.
What leaves me wondering and slack Jawed is “HOW DID THIS BOOK GET 5 STAR RATING ?” from so many GR friends let alone from even one of them. Different people, different likes, different choices I guess. But I for one think because of such authors and novels or society is getting ruined. Sorry but not sorry.
Till the end I didn't understand how would the h even trust this guy in future because he's a liar., a cheater, a promise breaker and All the things in between. But I guess she deserves him and it will serve her right if he cheats on her again in future and apologies for it because she too is a cheater and a doormat with no sense of right and wrong and dumped a sweet guy for a cheater like him who always left her. He should have been on his hand and knees begging for forgiveness but instead a paragraph of apology was enough for this pathetic h. These both cheater are a match made in hell and deserve each other.
I also think the author changed her review after Reading GR reviews. She mentions in her review that h knew H's Marriage was over in the end. SHE NEEDS TO READ HER DAMN BOOK ONCE AGAIN.
What leaves me wondering and slack Jawed is “HOW DID THIS BOOK GET 5 STAR RATING ?” from so many GR friends let alone from even one of them. Different people, different likes, different choices I guess. But I for one think because of such authors and novels or society is getting ruined. Sorry but not sorry.
Read
November 4, 2025Nope nope nope. Cheating, he cheats first time and wants to ‘purse his dreams’ like he can do that with her. They are still sleeping together while he is also sleeping with others for 8 years on and off then when they were about to be together again a girl says she is pregnant so he married the OW.
Spolier- OW isn’t pregnant she lied with a fake scan
FMC- Goes back to him in the end as he is her ‘first love’ like if he loved you he wouldn’t of cheated and slept around even if you broke up
Spolier- OW isn’t pregnant she lied with a fake scan
FMC- Goes back to him in the end as he is her ‘first love’ like if he loved you he wouldn’t of cheated and slept around even if you broke up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2022
Just no. Neither MCs are likeable - hero is a scumbag, heroine is an idiot. Toxic awful read.
November 8, 2025
I have read a few reviews on this novel as well as reading the novel myself. There seems to be some controversy I guess you could say with it. Yes given what happens throughout the novel, it can be understood.
I wouldn't say I have spoilers as such. Just notes of a few things in the novel.
I personally did enjoy this novel for the most part. I do feel that there could have been an Epilogue, I wish there were an Epilogue. It was a "clean" novel in the sense of no smut. Just mention of making out. However, it happens off-page but is not openly mentioned apart from the wife being pregnant. I do feel there could have been more around this. In the way of did he and his wife have intercourse after they married. And did she and the coach have any?
What they did to each other was wrong, I can understand the need to find your path separately and have the hope that they will find their way back to each other. They didn't feel they could do that while still together and partly wanted to experience others. What she did to coach was wrong too in a sense. She tried, she did love him however wasn't in love with him, and didn't love him more than she loved Abel, which was an all-consuming love. Which she explains to the coach. And I think the coach was trying to hold onto something that wasn't there, and he knew it wasn't.
I feel the novel could have and should have been longer. A few things needed to be expanded. Some things were left open and unfinished. That's me going and thinking deeply inside the novel and thinking as a beta reader. I also hope that in the future you do a Jesse and Addi novel, there is clearly something there between them.
Overall, as I said, I did enjoy the novel. As it stands I gave it 4 stars as it stands as a reader. It has the potential to make it to 5 stars. There is a review posted that has many spoilers and whatnot. She dissected the novel down also. I will say, some I agree with, and some not so much. Just remember that everyone has different styles of reading. Not all reviews need to make you read or not read a novel. I have read some that others have not enjoyed however, I have enjoyed. You can't base your opinion on what others think. The only way to form your opinion is to read for yourself to get a whole and final picture.
I wouldn't say I have spoilers as such. Just notes of a few things in the novel.
I personally did enjoy this novel for the most part. I do feel that there could have been an Epilogue, I wish there were an Epilogue. It was a "clean" novel in the sense of no smut. Just mention of making out. However, it happens off-page but is not openly mentioned apart from the wife being pregnant. I do feel there could have been more around this. In the way of did he and his wife have intercourse after they married. And did she and the coach have any?
What they did to each other was wrong, I can understand the need to find your path separately and have the hope that they will find their way back to each other. They didn't feel they could do that while still together and partly wanted to experience others. What she did to coach was wrong too in a sense. She tried, she did love him however wasn't in love with him, and didn't love him more than she loved Abel, which was an all-consuming love. Which she explains to the coach. And I think the coach was trying to hold onto something that wasn't there, and he knew it wasn't.
I feel the novel could have and should have been longer. A few things needed to be expanded. Some things were left open and unfinished. That's me going and thinking deeply inside the novel and thinking as a beta reader. I also hope that in the future you do a Jesse and Addi novel, there is clearly something there between them.
Overall, as I said, I did enjoy the novel. As it stands I gave it 4 stars as it stands as a reader. It has the potential to make it to 5 stars. There is a review posted that has many spoilers and whatnot. She dissected the novel down also. I will say, some I agree with, and some not so much. Just remember that everyone has different styles of reading. Not all reviews need to make you read or not read a novel. I have read some that others have not enjoyed however, I have enjoyed. You can't base your opinion on what others think. The only way to form your opinion is to read for yourself to get a whole and final picture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2018
Finding Abel by Stephanie Hoffman McManus Abel and Abbie said they were going to marry each other every since they were children. When they were 18 years old an incident resulted in them breaking up. Now after 8 years they are finally trying to get it together until Abel end up sending Abbie a text saying "I'm sorry." Abbie discovers he is suddenly engaged to another woman. Each is reeling from this and each is trying to survive a life they always wanted. Even though Abel is married to someone else he can't seem to let Abbie go. Abbie has had enough of Abel crushing her heart. Since they were 18 years old Abel can't seem to get his act together and she is tired. This is their story of a love that is so strong yet circumstances seem to always be in the way. Can Abel and Abbie overcome these circumstances or will they just have to go their separate ways. I really liked this story. This was my first time reading this author and I will be reading other books from her. The story had me and I was definitely interested in these two people. Would love to read more about Abel and Abbie. 4 star read for me.
November 22, 2018
I fell in love with the Ever After Series so when I heard Abel and Abbi were grown up and getting their own story, I was thrilled! And the wait was worth it! This story is about true love- soul mates- but also about growing up, making mistakes, hurting the ones you love, and second chances.
Abel and Abbi have loved each other their whole lives, even before they knew what love was. There was never a question that they would end up together- that is until Abels career starts to take off. Their lives are forever changed when he leaves for New York. Both make decisions that destroy what they once shared. But the love is still there. The connection is still there. You will feel it. You will cry with them and look for any sign things will work out as they experience what their life has become. It isn't easy. It will crush you. But it will make you believe in the Ever After their parents wanted years ago.
This author took the Ashes and Embers crew, along with their families, have created a family with an unbreakable bond. I can't wait to read more from this series!
Abel and Abbi have loved each other their whole lives, even before they knew what love was. There was never a question that they would end up together- that is until Abels career starts to take off. Their lives are forever changed when he leaves for New York. Both make decisions that destroy what they once shared. But the love is still there. The connection is still there. You will feel it. You will cry with them and look for any sign things will work out as they experience what their life has become. It isn't easy. It will crush you. But it will make you believe in the Ever After their parents wanted years ago.
This author took the Ashes and Embers crew, along with their families, have created a family with an unbreakable bond. I can't wait to read more from this series!
November 8, 2025
The book was fine. It was a quick read. There are some points the other reviewers missed. First, Abbi was on a break with Jason when she slept with Abel that last time. Abel had made it clear that he was divorcing after the baby came. Once he told Abbi about the "miscarriage" the next logical leap was divorce or annulment. She was not trying to have an affair with a married man with a baby on the way. She actually pushed him away up until the very end.
That said, I wish she had found her happiness with Jason. He adored her, treated her better and deserved better.
The family pushing him to leave his pregnant wife DID rub me the wrong way because WTF? Who DOES THAT? I get them expressing dislike for Kat. I would even get them encouraging him to divorce her before the baby came. What I don't get is trying to get him to get back together with his ex while he's still married.
That said, I wish she had found her happiness with Jason. He adored her, treated her better and deserved better.
The family pushing him to leave his pregnant wife DID rub me the wrong way because WTF? Who DOES THAT? I get them expressing dislike for Kat. I would even get them encouraging him to divorce her before the baby came. What I don't get is trying to get him to get back together with his ex while he's still married.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2023
Sadly this book did not work for me.
-The hero and heroine are with other people the WHOLE book. They basically get together at the 95% of the book at which point I thought she was going to go through and marry the dude she got engaged to.
- Meddling family members. The hero and heroine spent more time with their brother/sister/uncle/aunt/mom/dad/cousin, etc. telling them what to do regarding their relationship or lack thereof, than they spent with each other.
-When they FINALLY got together at the 95% it felt rather anticlimactic. It was all very quickly wrapped up. And we are to believe that these two lived happy ever after for ever and ever. There was ZERO development to their relationship the whole book.
-The hero and heroine are with other people the WHOLE book. They basically get together at the 95% of the book at which point I thought she was going to go through and marry the dude she got engaged to.
- Meddling family members. The hero and heroine spent more time with their brother/sister/uncle/aunt/mom/dad/cousin, etc. telling them what to do regarding their relationship or lack thereof, than they spent with each other.
-When they FINALLY got together at the 95% it felt rather anticlimactic. It was all very quickly wrapped up. And we are to believe that these two lived happy ever after for ever and ever. There was ZERO development to their relationship the whole book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2025
You know what? I'm going to start with the only positive thing I can dredge up from the absolute trash of this story: the main characters finally found their way back to each other. And you know why that's a good thing? Because these two are such an absolute, horrifying piece of shit pair of characters that they genuinely deserve each other. By getting them together, the author actually did a massive fucking favor to humanity because it means they won't be out there ruining the lives of decent, good people. Keep those two toxic dumpster fires locked down in their own little bubble of misery!
Otherwise, this book was an absolute piece of crap. Seriously, what in the fresh hell was the moral compass of this story?
Otherwise, this book was an absolute piece of crap. Seriously, what in the fresh hell was the moral compass of this story?
January 23, 2022
How do I rate this one! So many feelings. This for me was an emotional read. I cried a few times. Did I feel the pull between Abbie and Abel yes, did I struggle with said pull yes. Because my heart broke for Jason. I understand that you cannot compete with a forever all consuming love, but Jason was just such a sweetheart and I kinda wish he was the HEA. In saying that I’m also satisfied with the ending. I’m just a little torn.
I also hope we get more of this series from the author because so many great side characters that I want to know their story too.
I also hope we get more of this series from the author because so many great side characters that I want to know their story too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2018
I didn't like Abel but I did love Abbi and if she loved Abel, well, I guess I had to put up with him.
He makes so many mistakes in this book that his intelligence has to be questioned and his phone throwing temper!!!....not my cup of tea.
So, I got sucked into the writing of this story My liking/not liking characters is how the passion I get from the development of these characters. Nice and satisfying.
He makes so many mistakes in this book that his intelligence has to be questioned and his phone throwing temper!!!....not my cup of tea.
So, I got sucked into the writing of this story My liking/not liking characters is how the passion I get from the development of these characters. Nice and satisfying.
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