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Southern Charmers #1
Pierced Hearts
Darby
I'm here.
Back in the same town I ran from years ago and the man I left behind.
Pierce Kendrick, the man I've never stopped loving.
The day he walked up to me with his cocky smile, everything changed.
Now, I don't recognize the cold, harsh, bitter man that stands in his place.
It's time Pierce knows why I left, and the secrets that drove me away.
Nothing could prepare me for what happens next.
The man I loved reappears. This time, he's a powerhouse, determined to get back what we lost.
Can it be that simple?
Pierce
She's home.
Darby Graham, the woman who ruined me, has returned.
She rolls back into town, stirring up memories and feelings that I buried long ago.
One look at her and I know she's been hiding something.
What I don't expect is for the truth to rock my world.
For a second time in my life, I'm helpless against the power Darby holds over me.
She's mine.
Her resistance fuels my determination.
My insistence drives her wild.
She says we're impossible.
I say she's wrong.
And I'm going to prove it.
Darby Graham thinks I'm crazy.
She's about to see how crazy things can be.
I'm here.
Back in the same town I ran from years ago and the man I left behind.
Pierce Kendrick, the man I've never stopped loving.
The day he walked up to me with his cocky smile, everything changed.
Now, I don't recognize the cold, harsh, bitter man that stands in his place.
It's time Pierce knows why I left, and the secrets that drove me away.
Nothing could prepare me for what happens next.
The man I loved reappears. This time, he's a powerhouse, determined to get back what we lost.
Can it be that simple?
Pierce
She's home.
Darby Graham, the woman who ruined me, has returned.
She rolls back into town, stirring up memories and feelings that I buried long ago.
One look at her and I know she's been hiding something.
What I don't expect is for the truth to rock my world.
For a second time in my life, I'm helpless against the power Darby holds over me.
She's mine.
Her resistance fuels my determination.
My insistence drives her wild.
She says we're impossible.
I say she's wrong.
And I'm going to prove it.
Darby Graham thinks I'm crazy.
She's about to see how crazy things can be.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2019
796 people are currently reading
1150 people want to read
About the author
Ahren Sanders
41 books1,672 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Ahren spent her formative years living in an active volcano. There her family made collectible lava art. She studied rock collecting at the Sorbonne in France. There she met the love of her life-her pet pig Sybil. She returned to the states and started writing. She is happily married to a guy who used to live under a bridge and she met while pole-dancing.
Now, meet the real me. I grew up in the south and consider myself a true “Southerner”. Most of the special locations mentioned in my books are reflections of my favorite places. Living on the Florida coast, my family spends a lot time at the beach which is where I usually can be found with a book in my hand.
Visit me online:
Facebook➜ www.facebook.com/authorahrensanders
Twitter➜ @Ahrensanders
Instagram➜/Ahrensanders
Amazon➜http://amzn.to/1eejSKy
mailing list➜ http://bit.ly/1RrWAR4
Website➜www.ahrensanders.com
FB Fan Page➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/14405...
Bookbub➜https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ahren...
Now, meet the real me. I grew up in the south and consider myself a true “Southerner”. Most of the special locations mentioned in my books are reflections of my favorite places. Living on the Florida coast, my family spends a lot time at the beach which is where I usually can be found with a book in my hand.
Visit me online:
Facebook➜ www.facebook.com/authorahrensanders
Twitter➜ @Ahrensanders
Instagram➜/Ahrensanders
Amazon➜http://amzn.to/1eejSKy
mailing list➜ http://bit.ly/1RrWAR4
Website➜www.ahrensanders.com
FB Fan Page➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/14405...
Bookbub➜https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ahren...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
November 11, 2019
He got ow pregnant only 10 months after h left whilst losing their baby. He knew h had hated that ow but still slept with her then 16 months later he sleeps with the ow again and surprise gets her pregnant again! His excuse of being down and high on drugs doesn’t get him off the hook as far as I’m concerned. If after the first time he realised how conniving ow was why would he sleep with her again the second time?! He was stupid and weak for not going after h. In my opinion he was not as in love with h as she was with him. Whilst he moved on with his life by having children and getting laid pretty frequently out of town h stayed celibate the entire 12 years because off course she love that weak arse and NO MAN could compete with him! He obviously didn’t have the same feelings for her as he was still sleeping around with no problems. I don’t know how she can live with this guy facing his kids knowing he did betray her with her worst enemy at a time she needed him the most.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
not-for-me
January 19, 2024🤦🏻♀️😐🙄 spoilers ahead
The h is celibate for 12 years??? Omg I can’t 🥴🥴🥴 why does she need to be celibate while he’s not?
The H impregnates the h’s enemy twice
And the h miscarries their baby
Whyyyyyyy??? 😐
And, of course, he sleeps with anything that moves 🙄🥴
The h is celibate for 12 years??? Omg I can’t 🥴🥴🥴 why does she need to be celibate while he’s not?
The H impregnates the h’s enemy twice
And the h miscarries their baby
Whyyyyyyy??? 😐
And, of course, he sleeps with anything that moves 🙄🥴
November 11, 2019
The man was pretty much verbally abusive with his ex and with the heroine.
This man here waited a loooong time after the heroine left him. He waited so long because so in love with her that he just couldn’t moved on. He got the heroine pregnant and when she lost the baby they got into a fight and said some horrible things to her. She left town but she was coming back to beg for his forgiveness. So he waited and waited and waited for her safely return and waited some more. 14 WEEKS! 14 weeks that’s ALL he waited until he got another girl pregnant not once but twice! Stabbing the heroine in the back with a knife. The OW made sure she sent births announcements of their two beautiful babies. Hero acts like he was soooo broke up and he couldn’t moved on. Meanwhile the heroine is a so broken up that she couldn’t even MOVED ON! She went on dates but it never passed more than the first dates.
This amazing man calls her a cunt because she can’t make herself look at the pictures of his kids. Because she flinches at the mentions of his kids names. She blames herself for losing their baby. She picked on a fight and he dropped her like a hot potato. Why? Because she heard his family talked shit about her and she was also suffering from depression so she left town to deal with her depression but still planned to come back and beg for his forgiveness when she received the birth announcements.
But hey, it’s more than ok because it’s all the OW’s fault anyway. The man’s dick fell deep in her vagina he couldn’t stop his dick from having a mind of its own.
The way he expressed himself about the mother of his kids were disgusting no matter what she did or didn’t do no woman deserves to be treated this poorly.
She practically told him he was right to moved on because she left him while she was frozen for 12 years.
“You are sleeping with the enemy! How can you say that?”
“There was no sleeping involved. I fucked her! I fucked her so hard and fast. She was on her knees, face to the bed so I didn’t have to look at her. Blew my load, went and sucked back a fifth or bourbon, and did it again. The second time, I made her face a wall, stick out her ass, and keep quiet. She wanted to suck my dick, so I let her. It was a way to dull the pain. No kissing, no foreplay, no feelings.
This man here waited a loooong time after the heroine left him. He waited so long because so in love with her that he just couldn’t moved on. He got the heroine pregnant and when she lost the baby they got into a fight and said some horrible things to her. She left town but she was coming back to beg for his forgiveness. So he waited and waited and waited for her safely return and waited some more. 14 WEEKS! 14 weeks that’s ALL he waited until he got another girl pregnant not once but twice! Stabbing the heroine in the back with a knife. The OW made sure she sent births announcements of their two beautiful babies. Hero acts like he was soooo broke up and he couldn’t moved on. Meanwhile the heroine is a so broken up that she couldn’t even MOVED ON! She went on dates but it never passed more than the first dates.
This amazing man calls her a cunt because she can’t make herself look at the pictures of his kids. Because she flinches at the mentions of his kids names. She blames herself for losing their baby. She picked on a fight and he dropped her like a hot potato. Why? Because she heard his family talked shit about her and she was also suffering from depression so she left town to deal with her depression but still planned to come back and beg for his forgiveness when she received the birth announcements.
But hey, it’s more than ok because it’s all the OW’s fault anyway. The man’s dick fell deep in her vagina he couldn’t stop his dick from having a mind of its own.
The way he expressed himself about the mother of his kids were disgusting no matter what she did or didn’t do no woman deserves to be treated this poorly.
She practically told him he was right to moved on because she left him while she was frozen for 12 years.
“You are sleeping with the enemy! How can you say that?”
“There was no sleeping involved. I fucked her! I fucked her so hard and fast. She was on her knees, face to the bed so I didn’t have to look at her. Blew my load, went and sucked back a fifth or bourbon, and did it again. The second time, I made her face a wall, stick out her ass, and keep quiet. She wanted to suck my dick, so I let her. It was a way to dull the pain. No kissing, no foreplay, no feelings.
nope
November 11, 2019The hero sounds like a big jerk, sleeping with her worst enemy and getting her pregnant soon after they are separated... Instead of going after the woman he supposedly loves, he just drinks and uses drugs and of course has reckless sex...
So what? What will the HEA entail? Obviously, the heroine will have to forgive him one day and take him back. How will she look at the children he had while she was away and feel OK with it all? Especially after staying stupidly celibate for 12 years herself, still loving him while he was doing all that?
Nope, nope, nope... not my cuppa at all!
Read my friend's review for more details...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So what? What will the HEA entail? Obviously, the heroine will have to forgive him one day and take him back. How will she look at the children he had while she was away and feel OK with it all? Especially after staying stupidly celibate for 12 years herself, still loving him while he was doing all that?
Nope, nope, nope... not my cuppa at all!
Read my friend's review for more details...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
not-in-this-lifetime
November 11, 2019It makes me wonder about the writer. I mean, did she sit down one day and say - yes, this is a great idea to write about. I will show women that it's okay to become a doormat for a man who betrays you with your worst enemy. I will be so brave and help women become stronger. I will make my gender proud. And then she presents us with this. Epic fail. I won't pay to read this crap. EVER.
February 26, 2025
Note to self:::
Another writer juxtaposing a spineless creature with an ill-bred, womanising controlling caveman, one that referenced the deplorable ‘C U Next Tuesday’ word.
This representation of double-standards complete with a weak, insipid female lacking self-respect is
O-L-D.
Writers are composing the WORST misrepresentation of female empowerment. Typically, more often than not, the hero enjoys a smorgasbord of sexual encounters, impregnates women, heaven forbid they invest in every birth control conceivable.
Hypothetically, why should someone be forced to step-parent❓❓❓
In a perfect world, Darby would have moved on with her life, she would not have allowed him to diminish her right to not parent his children. It is her prerogative to refuse to raise a child not biologically hers instead of the stereotypical archetype of raising another woman’s child.
Their mother is alive. Men refuse to raise children, why is it wrong for a woman to refuse being forced to continuously confront his past?
IF, they reconnected Darby should have maintained her independence and a separate dwelling from his, reserved step-parenting at a distance and ‘what’s her face’ and the ‘rat’ would co-parent their own children, leaving her out of the equation.
These writers are all writing these spineless creatures, and ruthless heroes that believe their manhood is intact as they infest the human population.
Another writer juxtaposing a spineless creature with an ill-bred, womanising controlling caveman, one that referenced the deplorable ‘C U Next Tuesday’ word.
This representation of double-standards complete with a weak, insipid female lacking self-respect is
O-L-D.
Writers are composing the WORST misrepresentation of female empowerment. Typically, more often than not, the hero enjoys a smorgasbord of sexual encounters, impregnates women, heaven forbid they invest in every birth control conceivable.
Hypothetically, why should someone be forced to step-parent❓❓❓
In a perfect world, Darby would have moved on with her life, she would not have allowed him to diminish her right to not parent his children. It is her prerogative to refuse to raise a child not biologically hers instead of the stereotypical archetype of raising another woman’s child.
Their mother is alive. Men refuse to raise children, why is it wrong for a woman to refuse being forced to continuously confront his past?
IF, they reconnected Darby should have maintained her independence and a separate dwelling from his, reserved step-parenting at a distance and ‘what’s her face’ and the ‘rat’ would co-parent their own children, leaving her out of the equation.
These writers are all writing these spineless creatures, and ruthless heroes that believe their manhood is intact as they infest the human population.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
avoid
February 21, 2023Avoid.
She remained celibate for 12 yrs.
He fucked around, even got ow - h’s worst enemy - preg twice.
The h miscarried their baby.
Another sexist author.
All these 5 star reviews….🙄🙄
She remained celibate for 12 yrs.
He fucked around, even got ow - h’s worst enemy - preg twice.
The h miscarried their baby.
Another sexist author.
All these 5 star reviews….🙄🙄
nfmaa
March 6, 2021Spoilers ahead
Another Facebook rec
H/h broke up and within weeks he's having sex with her enemy, she becomes pregnant
Scumbag finds it so good he continued, knocking her up again
Meanwhile poor h was recovering from a miscarriage and the depression she sinks into because of it
Of course she doesn't have sex during the years apart
Can you say tropes that need to DIE!!!!! I'm so sick of this mess!!!!
Another Facebook rec
H/h broke up and within weeks he's having sex with her enemy, she becomes pregnant
Scumbag finds it so good he continued, knocking her up again
Meanwhile poor h was recovering from a miscarriage and the depression she sinks into because of it
Of course she doesn't have sex during the years apart
Can you say tropes that need to DIE!!!!! I'm so sick of this mess!!!!
Read
November 13, 2019Dnf 43%
Christ, what utter shite this is! The story is so stupid and contrived it made me LOL a few times. Everything is such a BIG FRICKEN DEAL with these losers. Everyone is screaming or venting long, impassioned speeches about WHAT REALLY HAPPENED, or puking because they are just so upset.
Gimme a g*ddamed break.
And you know, I really hate it when everyone is pulling the strings and manipulating the heroine's life and undermining her decisions and she's too lame and passive to stand up for herself. Aye, this isn't the first time I've seen this in a story - and I despise fragile, weak heroines.
Oh, and what's with her family welcoming that disloyal, unfaithful bag of shite hero with open arms? The guy ruined her and had not one, but TWO kids with her enemy, and all her loved ones are pushing her right to him! WTF? He's a sanctimonious, verbally abusive and too possessive douchebag with anger issues. With friends and family like hers, she doesn't need enemies.
But wait! She's got those, too...because you can't have a ridiculously bloated angst and drama fest without a big, heaping helping of OW and mean girl shenanigans.
The mentality of all these people and their theatrics reeks of hormonal teenaged girl. And the bucketloads of cringey, repetitive sex begin somewhere around the 20% mark.
Hey, way to make him suffer and grovel, love. You make all those spineless doormats out there proud with your resolve.
I admit to a good chuckle (not the intent, I'm sure) to one of the h's 1,052 orgasms being written thus:
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
😂🙄 Whatever.
Annoying, unlikable characters, eye-roll-inducing drama and unrealistic angst, with a plot that is more or less an afterthought. This book's purpose is for the h and H to fuck as often and as loudly as possible whilst telenovela type theatrics explode all around.
First and last experience with this writer.
Christ, what utter shite this is! The story is so stupid and contrived it made me LOL a few times. Everything is such a BIG FRICKEN DEAL with these losers. Everyone is screaming or venting long, impassioned speeches about WHAT REALLY HAPPENED, or puking because they are just so upset.
Gimme a g*ddamed break.
And you know, I really hate it when everyone is pulling the strings and manipulating the heroine's life and undermining her decisions and she's too lame and passive to stand up for herself. Aye, this isn't the first time I've seen this in a story - and I despise fragile, weak heroines.
Oh, and what's with her family welcoming that disloyal, unfaithful bag of shite hero with open arms? The guy ruined her and had not one, but TWO kids with her enemy, and all her loved ones are pushing her right to him! WTF? He's a sanctimonious, verbally abusive and too possessive douchebag with anger issues. With friends and family like hers, she doesn't need enemies.
But wait! She's got those, too...because you can't have a ridiculously bloated angst and drama fest without a big, heaping helping of OW and mean girl shenanigans.
The mentality of all these people and their theatrics reeks of hormonal teenaged girl. And the bucketloads of cringey, repetitive sex begin somewhere around the 20% mark.
Hey, way to make him suffer and grovel, love. You make all those spineless doormats out there proud with your resolve.
I admit to a good chuckle (not the intent, I'm sure) to one of the h's 1,052 orgasms being written thus:
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
😂🙄 Whatever.
Annoying, unlikable characters, eye-roll-inducing drama and unrealistic angst, with a plot that is more or less an afterthought. This book's purpose is for the h and H to fuck as often and as loudly as possible whilst telenovela type theatrics explode all around.
First and last experience with this writer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2025
3.5 Stars
I picked this one because I love a good second chance-romance. I didn’t notice all the negative reviews until after I started, but I only have one literary hard limit (killing the dog), so I stuck with it. This genre isn’t for everyone because someone has to fuck up the first chance to get to the second… so I rarely recommend a second-chance romance for readers that are strict with safety or prefer the swoony/perfect variety of romance most us of strive for in RL. But… if you’re like me and read to experience drama, angst, heartache, cheating, crime, red rooms, super-powers, stalkers, etc. by peeping on some pretend person’s messy life from the comfort of your stable relationship/life… you might enjoy this type of read.
I didn’t find the actual “catalyst” that terrible, but I’m pretty loosey-goosey with book relationships. I do have one complaint or plea though… can we please stop making these h’s celibate during the separations??!! I applaud the author for not having the H do the outdated obligatory matrimony, but she let Darby down BIGTIME by keeping her lady garden untended for 12 FREAKING YEARS!!
I debated whether or not to do this, but I feel like fence sitters might be conflicted on whether this is something they can tolerate or not… so, I’m spoilering the “catalyst” because I don’t think it’s a big secret and is revealed fairly early on.
I picked this one because I love a good second chance-romance. I didn’t notice all the negative reviews until after I started, but I only have one literary hard limit (killing the dog), so I stuck with it. This genre isn’t for everyone because someone has to fuck up the first chance to get to the second… so I rarely recommend a second-chance romance for readers that are strict with safety or prefer the swoony/perfect variety of romance most us of strive for in RL. But… if you’re like me and read to experience drama, angst, heartache, cheating, crime, red rooms, super-powers, stalkers, etc. by peeping on some pretend person’s messy life from the comfort of your stable relationship/life… you might enjoy this type of read.
I didn’t find the actual “catalyst” that terrible, but I’m pretty loosey-goosey with book relationships. I do have one complaint or plea though… can we please stop making these h’s celibate during the separations??!! I applaud the author for not having the H do the outdated obligatory matrimony, but she let Darby down BIGTIME by keeping her lady garden untended for 12 FREAKING YEARS!!
I debated whether or not to do this, but I feel like fence sitters might be conflicted on whether this is something they can tolerate or not… so, I’m spoilering the “catalyst” because I don’t think it’s a big secret and is revealed fairly early on.
November 13, 2019
I had to give at least one star to write this review but if I had a chance I would have given it 0.
The story line in this book is the one I hate the most.
H is a total jerk, sleeps with OW, makes two kids and have one night stands for 12 years, while h is celibate and depressed.
I don't know why authors still do this shit time and time again, and why people, especially us women like to read and give 5 stars to this crap. It's time we start to respect ourselves more. Why Sanders didn't give h more credit and make her move on and sleep with at least 4 men in 12 years. If she did that then I would have given this book more stars.
I'm just so angry and disappointed because I didn't expect this from her book and I have read all of them.
I also couldn't stand Pierce, what an asshole of epic proportions and Darby, what a doormat. Ugh I can't stand this shit anymore. I hope the next book in this series is much better.
I'm not going to hide my review because it has spoilers because I want others to read this and stay away from this garbage.
The story line in this book is the one I hate the most.
H is a total jerk, sleeps with OW, makes two kids and have one night stands for 12 years, while h is celibate and depressed.
I don't know why authors still do this shit time and time again, and why people, especially us women like to read and give 5 stars to this crap. It's time we start to respect ourselves more. Why Sanders didn't give h more credit and make her move on and sleep with at least 4 men in 12 years. If she did that then I would have given this book more stars.
I'm just so angry and disappointed because I didn't expect this from her book and I have read all of them.
I also couldn't stand Pierce, what an asshole of epic proportions and Darby, what a doormat. Ugh I can't stand this shit anymore. I hope the next book in this series is much better.
I'm not going to hide my review because it has spoilers because I want others to read this and stay away from this garbage.
July 21, 2020
Same old tired story a faithful h who loves the hero so much that she can’t (and doesn’t even sleep with anyone else for 12 years) move on, but H immediately moved on and slept with her enem within MONTHS. Only this author just dived strait into trash category. Once wasn’t enough, he went back for more! So he knocked ow up twice right after h while surprise surprise; the h was recovering from miscarrying their baby, and he was off being a manwhore! Yep, that’s right, she hadn’t really “left”. She was trying to get help with the depression caused by losing their baby and was coming back to him. She believed him when he said he loved her and thought he’ could actually keep it in his pants. But he’s a cheating piece of crap sooooo. And again, I have to reiterate because it’s that awful, he slept with someone within weeks and IMMEDIATELY had a child with them. Well done author! 🥳👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 You deserve the Golden douchebag award. You took a really shitty trope and made it shittier. Congrat-U-freaking -Lations Here’s your trophy 🏆🥇🎖🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
November 11, 2019
This book was so good I devoured it in one day. I have always enjoyed Ahren Sanders' books but there was just something about Darby and Pierce's story that captivated me. I will admit I was pissed at Darby for falling back into bed with Pierce so quickly but I understood why she did it even though it had no chance of ever playing out the way she thought it would. Pierce was gunning to get her back and she wanted closure, guess I don't have to tell you which way things worked out now do I, lol. I will admit that a twelve year separation is a LONG TIME but with the chemistry these two have it made not one bit of difference whatsoever. They can't be in a room together without wanting to tear each others clothes off, which isn't a bad thing but it does make things a bit uncomfortable if there are other people in the room ;)
You can see my full review here: https://nadineisobsessedwithbooks.blo...
You can see my full review here: https://nadineisobsessedwithbooks.blo...
November 15, 2019
Apparently heroine has been celibate for 12 years and of course hero has been getting his.
Are you actually serious?!
I’ll pass on the sexist double standard crap.
12 years.....
Are you actually serious?!
I’ll pass on the sexist double standard crap.
12 years.....
April 18, 2022
Oh boy, this was bad, really bad. This was a cluster, I don't even know where to begin. This was recommended to me on a Facebook group as an ultimate grovel book, but I will have to disagree. The hero and heroine dated when they were young. They broke up after she lost their baby and sank to a depression so she decides to leave town. Not only do the reasons for the breakup could've been resolved with a conversation, but the events surrounding it don't sit right. Now fourteen years later the heroine returns and the hero (who hasn't really made a single effort to communicate with her all that time) realizes she's the one and desperately wants her back. The kicker is that the hero is now a father, he had not one, but two kids with the heroine's supposed nemesis. In some weird explanations, the hero says those kids were conceived under suspect circumstances (i.e., he was trapped by the baby mama). Ok, I could understand that once, but twice? nah, get out of here. This dude is the stupidest man alive. The heroine is not far behind in the stupid department. The heroine, of course, remained celibate for 14 years (insert eyeroll, author ladies, we need to stop this non-sense once and for all) She's so hung up on the fact that he had kids with someone else that she gets physically ill every time she thinks about it, she also refuses to meet his kids, even after she started sleeping with him again, and sometimes doesn't have the best attitude towards the kids. Overall, the writing is just not good, the build up of the past relationship is just not there, which on top of the ridiculous drama, makes it super hard to understand the connection between the main characters. With second chance stories, I definitely need the author to show me, otherwise, I'll have a hard time buying the story. I could go on and on. I sadly don't recommend.
avoid
February 16, 2025Apparently another sexist and double standard shit. I wish women stopped enjoying being abused.
I know it’s difficult since men have tried to suppress woman power for ages, literally. And for women who’ve been said they’re lesser than men and that a man is a god gift to every woman even if he’s shit, I understand it’s difficult.
But please, please stop.
A woman that stays celibate for 12 years ? While he impregnates her archenemy twice?
And she takes him back?
She’s not good, she’s sick.
A woman that behaves like this needs not be praised, she needs therapy. Long and hard.
I know it’s difficult since men have tried to suppress woman power for ages, literally. And for women who’ve been said they’re lesser than men and that a man is a god gift to every woman even if he’s shit, I understand it’s difficult.
But please, please stop.
A woman that stays celibate for 12 years ? While he impregnates her archenemy twice?
And she takes him back?
She’s not good, she’s sick.
A woman that behaves like this needs not be praised, she needs therapy. Long and hard.
November 22, 2019
Worst book of 2019 for me. Just awful. So much drama...the things the h also said about his kids...who would stay with anyone after that!! And of course the h remains celibate for 12 years...blah blah blah!! His horrid, she's terrible, the ex is satan incarnate and the story is filled with more angst and drama than a soap opera.. yeah no thanks...
February 10, 2024
I discussed the content w my good friend Lydia. I figure two birds,one stone...and share my impressions here as my review! A fairly comprehensive spoiler review ahead!
Its extremely painful for both parties,a crazy tragic scenario to start complicated by extreme ow drama manipulations and family misunderstandings atop this existing tragic loss that lead to the devastating distance(a 12 year period of separation)
So long story short,she is 3or 4 years younger ,I think .He was immediately dumb stuck by her and is waiting for her to graduate and turn 18,so they can marry.Comes out at some point that he waited 10 months for sex.She ends up preggo ,over hears his family bad mouthing her,worried she is gold digger...if she had stayed on to hear it all,they retract and self chastise.
She freaks, stresses,has miscarriage blames herself.She incites argument w H to excuse her running off.He says awful things.(Its a big kept secret exactly why and where she goes). He thinks she broke things off,never intending to return,loses it.Ow takes advantage,plies him with drugs and alcohol,gets in his ear,incites further pain and rage.They have a one off,she alters condom.
Ow sends her birth announcement, Makes it look like they are happy little.family...when they do nothing more than co-parent...with great difficulty.He is such a messed up idjiot ,that he falls prey one more time...I know😂...he ends up hate f#cking her from behind in a dirty bar bathroom stall..original tale\situation on.repeat..so yes,the biatch again mails fake happy family birth announcement!😤
Meanwhile h avoids the home front or any talk of him until she can use her mother's injury as an excuse to return.She had no interest in other men,never getting over him.He similarly never gets over her ,laments and self flagellates for years and he occasionally secrets himself away to a neighboring town to relieve sexual needs not in defence to the ow,but to make his life easier as keeping on the down low attempts to ensure she won't go ballistic.I see nothing nefarious here that a healthy young man who thought the love of his life abandoned him to seek some type of relief .To be clear, he never even attempted a relationship with any other women. I only wish the author head afforded the h the same option...ie sexual relief.
As for the level of ANGST? It's ridiculously ott, a persistent painful torment over the years...for both part parties. Both remain highly functional as an outlet....but seemingly remain on somewhat of a knife edge of sanity regarding the loss of the other.. but its appreciable how gaga he is over her and how grovely once he understands events as they truly occurred and learns that she had intended to return to him in 12 weeks ,beg his forgiveness and marry as they intended...only to discover that he had apparently moved on with her nemesis.He is single minded in his pursuit of re claiming her\their love and connection! He arranges\fights to overcome any odds that would stand in their way.
More on the Angst and Grovel.factor..did I feel it?! These essential aspects for my bestie Lydia,whose partnership made me a better ,more perceptive Romance reader as she mentored me on the essentials, speaking truth to the concept of the genre and sharing that which allowed me to maximize my enjoyment and marinate in that intensity .I understood that is not enough to simply see the words, to casually ingest them on an intellectual level but rather that there be power behind them,that they be believable and most importantly that they alter us spiritually. For ultra effective angst ,we feel\experience them right next to the character, down to a soul level.Tysm,my friend!❤
The 1st time I read it I went in blind and this time I didn't remember much. When the books starts ,you can feel the over riding tension and that these two people are terribly anxious and suffering,but you don't know exactly why.The sense of desperation and urgency is palpable.As the details are revealed, this doesn't ease until they begin to successfully reconnect. He is all about the h,desperate for her love and forgiveness...although he must balance the desperate yearning with consideration of the welfare of his kids under the influence of stalker mother. This also made me appreciate him.Given the complexities I felt the grovel was not only big,but all the more impressive I admit the lunacy of the situation was a bit to swallow,but given he was such a broken man and since the emotion was.so believable,I simply went with it.😂
Few final impressions
WOW! I forgot all the crap the other woman pulls towards the end as.she is so enraged that they're gonna get married that she goes for fabrication in court to ruin his rep ,get attempt custody of the kids.and as always the finances..The kids react,they take off,run away!😥 God,she is a disgusting biatch!
The kids are found trying to escape the conditions perpetrated by their self serving mother....of whom,I am loving the comeuppance! Everything is finally and fully discussed,laid bare...more grovel.😏It was intense and touching!
They marry close to the finale,few months after is a joyous HEA which is in part due to the knowledge that she is pregnant enough to hear a heartbeat.
.
1\15\24 Just completed re read,review soon.
I believe I am going to do a re read....I have only vague recall but believe I was appreciative of the angst.I am trying to be better about leaving reviews.
When perusing the reviews to refresh, I was reminded of an unfortunate and disturbing phenomena. Say what you will,fully express opinions, perceptions ect.However, I beg y'all to cease with personal attacks upon the authors, citing perceived deficiencies based on the fictional scenarios they craft. Its ludicrous ladies and beneath us...beneath the very moral code or feminism we purport to wish to support and or.elevate!
Or perhaps rather than make judgement calls, simply questions.. to assess motivation, rationale ...or Even why a fellow readers appreciate such device in our fiction...?
Tysm for your consideration on the matter 🙂
Its extremely painful for both parties,a crazy tragic scenario to start complicated by extreme ow drama manipulations and family misunderstandings atop this existing tragic loss that lead to the devastating distance(a 12 year period of separation)
So long story short,she is 3or 4 years younger ,I think .He was immediately dumb stuck by her and is waiting for her to graduate and turn 18,so they can marry.Comes out at some point that he waited 10 months for sex.She ends up preggo ,over hears his family bad mouthing her,worried she is gold digger...if she had stayed on to hear it all,they retract and self chastise.
She freaks, stresses,has miscarriage blames herself.She incites argument w H to excuse her running off.He says awful things.(Its a big kept secret exactly why and where she goes). He thinks she broke things off,never intending to return,loses it.Ow takes advantage,plies him with drugs and alcohol,gets in his ear,incites further pain and rage.They have a one off,she alters condom.
Ow sends her birth announcement, Makes it look like they are happy little.family...when they do nothing more than co-parent...with great difficulty.He is such a messed up idjiot ,that he falls prey one more time...I know😂...he ends up hate f#cking her from behind in a dirty bar bathroom stall..original tale\situation on.repeat..so yes,the biatch again mails fake happy family birth announcement!😤
Meanwhile h avoids the home front or any talk of him until she can use her mother's injury as an excuse to return.She had no interest in other men,never getting over him.He similarly never gets over her ,laments and self flagellates for years and he occasionally secrets himself away to a neighboring town to relieve sexual needs not in defence to the ow,but to make his life easier as keeping on the down low attempts to ensure she won't go ballistic.I see nothing nefarious here that a healthy young man who thought the love of his life abandoned him to seek some type of relief .To be clear, he never even attempted a relationship with any other women. I only wish the author head afforded the h the same option...ie sexual relief.
As for the level of ANGST? It's ridiculously ott, a persistent painful torment over the years...for both part parties. Both remain highly functional as an outlet....but seemingly remain on somewhat of a knife edge of sanity regarding the loss of the other.. but its appreciable how gaga he is over her and how grovely once he understands events as they truly occurred and learns that she had intended to return to him in 12 weeks ,beg his forgiveness and marry as they intended...only to discover that he had apparently moved on with her nemesis.He is single minded in his pursuit of re claiming her\their love and connection! He arranges\fights to overcome any odds that would stand in their way.
More on the Angst and Grovel.factor..did I feel it?! These essential aspects for my bestie Lydia,whose partnership made me a better ,more perceptive Romance reader as she mentored me on the essentials, speaking truth to the concept of the genre and sharing that which allowed me to maximize my enjoyment and marinate in that intensity .I understood that is not enough to simply see the words, to casually ingest them on an intellectual level but rather that there be power behind them,that they be believable and most importantly that they alter us spiritually. For ultra effective angst ,we feel\experience them right next to the character, down to a soul level.Tysm,my friend!❤
The 1st time I read it I went in blind and this time I didn't remember much. When the books starts ,you can feel the over riding tension and that these two people are terribly anxious and suffering,but you don't know exactly why.The sense of desperation and urgency is palpable.As the details are revealed, this doesn't ease until they begin to successfully reconnect. He is all about the h,desperate for her love and forgiveness...although he must balance the desperate yearning with consideration of the welfare of his kids under the influence of stalker mother. This also made me appreciate him.Given the complexities I felt the grovel was not only big,but all the more impressive I admit the lunacy of the situation was a bit to swallow,but given he was such a broken man and since the emotion was.so believable,I simply went with it.😂
Few final impressions
WOW! I forgot all the crap the other woman pulls towards the end as.she is so enraged that they're gonna get married that she goes for fabrication in court to ruin his rep ,get attempt custody of the kids.and as always the finances..The kids react,they take off,run away!😥 God,she is a disgusting biatch!
The kids are found trying to escape the conditions perpetrated by their self serving mother....of whom,I am loving the comeuppance! Everything is finally and fully discussed,laid bare...more grovel.😏It was intense and touching!
They marry close to the finale,few months after is a joyous HEA which is in part due to the knowledge that she is pregnant enough to hear a heartbeat.
.
1\15\24 Just completed re read,review soon.
I believe I am going to do a re read....I have only vague recall but believe I was appreciative of the angst.I am trying to be better about leaving reviews.
When perusing the reviews to refresh, I was reminded of an unfortunate and disturbing phenomena. Say what you will,fully express opinions, perceptions ect.However, I beg y'all to cease with personal attacks upon the authors, citing perceived deficiencies based on the fictional scenarios they craft. Its ludicrous ladies and beneath us...beneath the very moral code or feminism we purport to wish to support and or.elevate!
Or perhaps rather than make judgement calls, simply questions.. to assess motivation, rationale ...or Even why a fellow readers appreciate such device in our fiction...?
Tysm for your consideration on the matter 🙂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2019
I call bullshit...
Serious spoilers!
This would have been a 4-5 star read for me if Darby had a chance to enjoy at least one other relationship or at least a friends with benefit type relationship. I can get over the fact he slept with other women and had two kids with the enemy. I can accept the fact that she will be the step mom to these kids and have to put up with the baby mama. I can even overlook his bulldozing ways for her to accept they will be a couple again. But you have got to balance the scales some. Give me some equality. She lost her baby, became so depressive she was almost to the point of thinking suicide. Make her leave town to get better and then have her soulmate father two kids to her nemesis. If you are gonna punish the heroine, at least throw her a bone or I don’t know a few orgasms inspired by someone else!!! It would not have hurt the story for her to have at least tried to move on especially after learning or believing he did with Connie. Realistically that would have happened. It is more believable that a women in her early 20s to 30s would have at least given another guy a shot in 12 years even if it didn’t work out. If the author maybe would have made the time difference maybe 2 years not 12, I can understand her not moving on. But 12 effing long years. Life changes way to much to fast to believe it would all come together like this in a matter of weeks or months after 12 long years and 2 kids.
Serious spoilers!
This would have been a 4-5 star read for me if Darby had a chance to enjoy at least one other relationship or at least a friends with benefit type relationship. I can get over the fact he slept with other women and had two kids with the enemy. I can accept the fact that she will be the step mom to these kids and have to put up with the baby mama. I can even overlook his bulldozing ways for her to accept they will be a couple again. But you have got to balance the scales some. Give me some equality. She lost her baby, became so depressive she was almost to the point of thinking suicide. Make her leave town to get better and then have her soulmate father two kids to her nemesis. If you are gonna punish the heroine, at least throw her a bone or I don’t know a few orgasms inspired by someone else!!! It would not have hurt the story for her to have at least tried to move on especially after learning or believing he did with Connie. Realistically that would have happened. It is more believable that a women in her early 20s to 30s would have at least given another guy a shot in 12 years even if it didn’t work out. If the author maybe would have made the time difference maybe 2 years not 12, I can understand her not moving on. But 12 effing long years. Life changes way to much to fast to believe it would all come together like this in a matter of weeks or months after 12 long years and 2 kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2023
I am going pass on finishing another sexist celibate heroine- fucks everything ex book. 12 years - it’s laughable not romantic. It’s a pathetic trope, and so unrealistic. Not to mention enraging as a reader.
December 29, 2021
12 year celibate h and a man manwh0r3 H? Thanks, but no thanks!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2019
Darby never thought she'd be back in her hometown. It's where she never wanted to come back to. For reasons. Reasons like her ex. The one who tore her heart out and stomped it into a million little pieces. She knows Pierce is here and she's doing her level best to not run into him again, but it seems fate is against her because yeah he's demanding to be in her space. He wants answers. HE wants answers?!? What about her...
Soon Darby's body (and her heart) are clamoring for her to let Pierce back in. But she's not sure she can, if she should. She knows her heart can't take another beating. But Pierce is determined af to get his Darby back. Will she give him a second chance?
Damn! Pierced Hearts is intense! I loved it though. Darby and Pierce went through a lot of difficult things during their journey. From their first love to their second chance, everything was laid out in a really entertaining, thoughtful way. And let me tell you - Pierce is mine. Talk about one hot determined alpha. I completely understand why Darby fell so hard for him.
ARC via Give Me Books Promotions for an honest review. Also purchased a digital copy via Amazon.
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November 17, 2019
After a 12 year separation, Darby and Pierce get a second chance -- one filled with a barrelful of angst and family drama. Their love story has a little twist to it that added something a bit different. It's full of emotional ups and downs, raw and passionate.
Darby is a bit of a wimp but smart and successful, and Pierce was a control freak and not my kinda alpha-hero. I tried but once he called the "love of his life" that unpardonable four-letter c-word, I was pretty much finished with him. And I found the situation between Pierce and his ex-whatever totally off-the-charts ridiculous.
I didn't hate nor love - or particularly like this story. I found it a little too far-fetched in many areas. I also didn't find Pierce's southern charm to be that appealing.
Darby is a bit of a wimp but smart and successful, and Pierce was a control freak and not my kinda alpha-hero. I tried but once he called the "love of his life" that unpardonable four-letter c-word, I was pretty much finished with him. And I found the situation between Pierce and his ex-whatever totally off-the-charts ridiculous.
I didn't hate nor love - or particularly like this story. I found it a little too far-fetched in many areas. I also didn't find Pierce's southern charm to be that appealing.
March 14, 2022
And I’m out at 27%
h spent 12 years with no men. H wasn’t a whore. But he wasn’t without. Baby mama set him up both times (alcohol gets the blame). But I just can’t with that trope. I love the angsty goodness and evil OW…even down with the babies (I can like to read what I’d never accept in my life, after all)…but I’m done with sexually martyred women. We can be sexually expressive and not fuck a ton of men. We can even like the D and ho it up. But women of this Gen (in their 20s) aren’t sitting back for 12 years and keeping their Kitty special for the man that fucked them over.
3 stars cuz it was engaging.
h spent 12 years with no men. H wasn’t a whore. But he wasn’t without. Baby mama set him up both times (alcohol gets the blame). But I just can’t with that trope. I love the angsty goodness and evil OW…even down with the babies (I can like to read what I’d never accept in my life, after all)…but I’m done with sexually martyred women. We can be sexually expressive and not fuck a ton of men. We can even like the D and ho it up. But women of this Gen (in their 20s) aren’t sitting back for 12 years and keeping their Kitty special for the man that fucked them over.
3 stars cuz it was engaging.
August 26, 2025
Re-read 8/25- don't judge me😂🙈 rating stays the same
Re-read 12/26- rating stays the same
Re-read 1/16 bumping up the rating
Re- Read 08/17 rating the same
Re- read 11/22 rating the same
What can I say? Pierce is an asshole but he's an asshole filled with remorse and obsessed with his woman😅
I actually decided to buy this book during my second reading of it. I was originally on the fence, but the second time around, the H won me over. I thoroughly enjoyed this second chance romance that had quite a bit of angst and heartbreak.
Re-read 12/26- rating stays the same
Re-read 1/16 bumping up the rating
Re- Read 08/17 rating the same
Re- read 11/22 rating the same
What can I say? Pierce is an asshole but he's an asshole filled with remorse and obsessed with his woman😅
I actually decided to buy this book during my second reading of it. I was originally on the fence, but the second time around, the H won me over. I thoroughly enjoyed this second chance romance that had quite a bit of angst and heartbreak.
November 19, 2019
I've read this author before and loved her previous books. However, this time I could barely get through it.
The H is a bully who treats women terribly. He pushes the h to do what he wants and when he wants it. It's only about him and his feelings. Don't even get me started on how his children were conceived and how he treated the female. He is verbally abusive and I can't imagine why anyone would think he is a good H. Also, his family and friends just enable his bad behavior as well.
As usual, the h is a doormat who stayed single, celibate and depressed the entire time they were apart.
Very disappointing book from this author.
The H is a bully who treats women terribly. He pushes the h to do what he wants and when he wants it. It's only about him and his feelings. Don't even get me started on how his children were conceived and how he treated the female. He is verbally abusive and I can't imagine why anyone would think he is a good H. Also, his family and friends just enable his bad behavior as well.
As usual, the h is a doormat who stayed single, celibate and depressed the entire time they were apart.
Very disappointing book from this author.
January 13, 2020
1980s romance themes
Spoilers...
Poor plot.
I could not get past the fact that he moved on within weeks of her leaving, never tried to find her, had not one but two kids with his hook up and was mad at her for leaving. But was then even more peeved with the archaic plot line that has a woman’s life suspended for 12 $&@& ing years without love or companionship while the man goes on with his life as a dad and having more causal hook ups. Why??? Because men aren’t built to abstain? And women have no desires??? Way to push these medieval stereotypes.
Spoilers...
Poor plot.
I could not get past the fact that he moved on within weeks of her leaving, never tried to find her, had not one but two kids with his hook up and was mad at her for leaving. But was then even more peeved with the archaic plot line that has a woman’s life suspended for 12 $&@& ing years without love or companionship while the man goes on with his life as a dad and having more causal hook ups. Why??? Because men aren’t built to abstain? And women have no desires??? Way to push these medieval stereotypes.
avoid
January 17, 2024⚠️🚩⚠️🚩⚠️🚩⚠️🚩
Avoid
He fs her enemy - TWICE - gets her pregnant- TWICE
She stays celibate for 12 years
He fs around. Obviously
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Avoid
He fs her enemy - TWICE - gets her pregnant- TWICE
She stays celibate for 12 years
He fs around. Obviously
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 11, 2019
5 SMOOCHES!
This is the third book I’ve read by Ahren Sanders, and this is the third time she has blown me away with her incredible storytelling. Richly detailed and full of every single feel, Sanders has a way of developing her characters that enables her readers to truly get to know them. The effort and care she takes in progressing her plots and stories, in laying them out and building the anticipation, is evident on every page. It’s easy to get lost in her stories, swept right up in them and invested in her characters. Sanders always makes the journey, even the painful parts, worth every single step of the way. I devoured Pierced Hearts in a day, hushing my family when they tried to talk to me, ignoring texts and phone calls, and cooking dinner with my Kindle in one hand.
A deeply moving second-chance romance, Pierced Hearts rekindles the first-loves romance between Darby and Pierce. This couple has suffered mightily, and neither one of them has gotten over the other or moved on. I don’t want to say to much about this story, I think it is important for readers going into it to experience everything as it unfolds. But I will say that this was one of the most emotional second-chance romances I’ve ever read. My heart was in my throat when it wasn’t aching or breaking for all that this couple went through. The misunderstandings, mistakes, lapses in judgment all snapped together to build what felt like an impenetrable wall between this young couple.
Twelve years later, they’re finally hashing everything out, clearing the air, and they are gutted by the realizations they make. So much has changed, and while Darby is stronger now than she’s ever been, she still has a fragility about her. While they may have talked it all through, Darby thinks what is between them in the present is insurmountable and Pierce is determined not to let her get away again. They have so much more than their own personal demons to battle, though, and Sanders takes readers along on their journey, painstakingly detailing every single gut-wrenching and heart-healing step of the way.
Ahren Sanders may have ran me through the emotional wringer through most of Pierced Hearts, but she put me back together, too. This was no easy-to-read love story, it was raw, devastating and painful, but it was also beautiful, hopeful and romantic. Sanders filled the pages with a steamy, hard-fought-and-earned, second-chance romance, and this story that will stay with me for a long time to come. Five smooches from me for Pierced Hearts by Ahren Sanders!
~Danielle Palumbo
This is the third book I’ve read by Ahren Sanders, and this is the third time she has blown me away with her incredible storytelling. Richly detailed and full of every single feel, Sanders has a way of developing her characters that enables her readers to truly get to know them. The effort and care she takes in progressing her plots and stories, in laying them out and building the anticipation, is evident on every page. It’s easy to get lost in her stories, swept right up in them and invested in her characters. Sanders always makes the journey, even the painful parts, worth every single step of the way. I devoured Pierced Hearts in a day, hushing my family when they tried to talk to me, ignoring texts and phone calls, and cooking dinner with my Kindle in one hand.
A deeply moving second-chance romance, Pierced Hearts rekindles the first-loves romance between Darby and Pierce. This couple has suffered mightily, and neither one of them has gotten over the other or moved on. I don’t want to say to much about this story, I think it is important for readers going into it to experience everything as it unfolds. But I will say that this was one of the most emotional second-chance romances I’ve ever read. My heart was in my throat when it wasn’t aching or breaking for all that this couple went through. The misunderstandings, mistakes, lapses in judgment all snapped together to build what felt like an impenetrable wall between this young couple.
Twelve years later, they’re finally hashing everything out, clearing the air, and they are gutted by the realizations they make. So much has changed, and while Darby is stronger now than she’s ever been, she still has a fragility about her. While they may have talked it all through, Darby thinks what is between them in the present is insurmountable and Pierce is determined not to let her get away again. They have so much more than their own personal demons to battle, though, and Sanders takes readers along on their journey, painstakingly detailing every single gut-wrenching and heart-healing step of the way.
Ahren Sanders may have ran me through the emotional wringer through most of Pierced Hearts, but she put me back together, too. This was no easy-to-read love story, it was raw, devastating and painful, but it was also beautiful, hopeful and romantic. Sanders filled the pages with a steamy, hard-fought-and-earned, second-chance romance, and this story that will stay with me for a long time to come. Five smooches from me for Pierced Hearts by Ahren Sanders!
~Danielle Palumbo
July 13, 2023
My rating: 3 1/2 stars.
What I liked: I read this book for the ow drama and it did not disappoint. I really liked how Pierce(H) was all about Darby(h) and showing her how much he loves her when he found out the reason she left. I also liked how Connie(ow) was put in her place at the end.
What I didn’t like: I hated how he had not one but two kids with the chick that was horrible to Darby (why do authors away make the ow the chick that bullies the h)
How hot was it: 3 out 5
Triggers: Ow drama. h had a miscarriage and went into depression which caused the H and h to break up and h leaves town to get help. During the separation the H sleeps with ow and has two kids with her. h comes back 12 years later and h tells him how she overheard his family discussing how they thought she got pregnant on purpose to trap him, this caused her stress and anxiety that made her miscarry. Drug use off page (H started smoking weed and drinking when h leaves him)
Final thoughts: This was a good book to read if you like ow drama. I just hated the fact that not only he had one kid but two with the ow. He screwed up once so he lets her do it again :/ smh
What I liked: I read this book for the ow drama and it did not disappoint. I really liked how Pierce(H) was all about Darby(h) and showing her how much he loves her when he found out the reason she left. I also liked how Connie(ow) was put in her place at the end.
What I didn’t like: I hated how he had not one but two kids with the chick that was horrible to Darby (why do authors away make the ow the chick that bullies the h)
How hot was it: 3 out 5
Triggers: Ow drama. h had a miscarriage and went into depression which caused the H and h to break up and h leaves town to get help. During the separation the H sleeps with ow and has two kids with her. h comes back 12 years later and h tells him how she overheard his family discussing how they thought she got pregnant on purpose to trap him, this caused her stress and anxiety that made her miscarry. Drug use off page (H started smoking weed and drinking when h leaves him)
Final thoughts: This was a good book to read if you like ow drama. I just hated the fact that not only he had one kid but two with the ow. He screwed up once so he lets her do it again :/ smh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews