Z całego serca

by R.S. Grey

Gdyby rok temu ktoś powiedział mi, że się zakocham, wyruszę w podróż pełną przygód, będę ujeżdżać triceratopsa, śpiewać w barze i stracę dziewictwo, uznałabym, że jest niespełna rozumu.

Wszystko w moim życiu się zmieniło, kiedy spotkałam Beckhama.

To jego należy winić za moją lekkomyślność. Wspaniały, bystry i niewiarygodnie czarujący Beck wtargnął do mojego życia, zupełnie jakby musiał się upewnić, że już nigdy nie wezmę niczego za pewnik. Nauczył mnie, że nie ma czegoś takiego jak granice, że zasady są dla słabeuszy, a pocałunek powinien wydarzyć się w najmniej oczekiwanym momencie.
Beck był jak zwrot akcji, którego zupełnie się nie spodziewałam. Dwa miesiące przed naszym spotkaniem śmierć pukała do moich drzwi. Niemal całkiem opuściła mnie nadzieja, gdy nagle dostałam od życia drugą szansę. Tym razem nie zamierzałam jej zmarnować.

Wyruszyliśmy w podróż, nie mając nic do stracenia i nie wiedząc, co wydarzy się jutro.

Zakochaliśmy się młodzieńczą, nierozważną miłością.

Taką miłością, która płonie jasnym płomieniem.

Taką miłością, od której żadna mapa nie wskaże drogi powrotnej.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Road Trip, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, College

Paperback

First published March 25, 2014

About the author

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-five romantic comedies. She loves books, chocolate, reality TV, and cold weather. She lives in Texas with her husband, two daughters, and dog. Visit her at rsgrey.com.

Instagram: @AuthorRSGrey

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/RSGrey/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author...

Reviews

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!!

"John Denver was our road trip muse and I learned to trust the power of his songs."

“With This Heart” was a wonderful story about second chances at life, a story with a message I love reading about in my books – live life at the fullest. It was a story about life, finding love, self-discovery, learning to live, learning to let go and ultimately finding love. It was a story that made me smile, sigh, laugh and definitely hope and falling in love with these two fantastic characters.

“I was given this gift of life that few receive and I had to decide how I wanted to use it.”

Abby has been given a second chance at life. Two months ago she received a heart transplant and her life changed irrevocably. She wants to escape her overprotective parents and live her own life. She wants to really LIVE, to experiment everything, to enjoy everything there is to enjoy. So she plans a road trip, a road trip that is supposed to be the first chapter in her new life. But this new chapter seems to be a lot more when she meets Beck, a charming boy in a very unusual place.

“So you’re a stalker?” I asked with a hard stare.

He smirked, a knees-turning-to jelly kind of smirk. “I prefer gravitationally linked to your presence.”

Beck wants to accompany Abby on the road trip. He’s ready to be Abby’s friend and maybe more and he wants to show her how to live life in the moment.

“Love will make you reckless. It can drag out parts of you that common sense and fear usually keep hidden away. Because love is selfless and selfish.”

I truly enjoyed this one! It was a lovely, heartwarming story that made me smile and even laugh a couple of times. Both Abby and Beck were endearing, relatable characters and I have to say I enjoyed how they met. A little unbelievable IMO, but refreshing if I'm being honest. Abby’s character was well developed. It was very nice to see how she grow in a strong, capable, determined girl.



Beck was a very charming character from the beginning. Needless to say I really liked him. He was sweet and considerate and I loved his tenderness. I also enjoyed his sense of humor and how he pushed Abby out from the inside of her shell.

"He pushed me against the passenger door and pressed his lips to mine. It was a soul-stealing kiss, the kinds that lifts you off your heels and makes your spine curl."

His character’s development IMO wasn’t as good as Abby's, maybe because the entire story was told from Abby’s point-of-view. So yeah, I would have liked to know more about our main male character...maybe a dual POV?!

The witty banter between these two main characters was really enjoyable and I loved the sexual tension between them and their sweet and sexy moments together.

"Her hand wrapped around my fingers, tightening my hold on the tarnished locket. “I love you with this heart.”

I think their relationship progressed in a very natural and very realistic way. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. Their connection was palpable and really great done from the moment they met.

The ending was pretty perfect! Very sweet and emotional and just…well, perfect for this kind of story I think.

Overall, a great read!

“What?”I asked.
“Just trying to remember this moment”,he said.
“Why?”
“Because our lives will never be the same.”

[Pearl Angeli · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Love will make you reckless. It can drag out parts of you that common sense and fear usually keep hidden away. Because love is selfless and selfish."

Lately I've been reading such great contemporaries and I wanna thank the book gods for leading me to the right books. This novel is one of them! And what a journey!



With This Heart made me fall in love all over again. It's such a sweet, refreshing, and captivating read. I've never read any R.S. Grey's work prior to this and my first impression was, she writes beautifully and she plots her story uniquely.

The book starts when Abby, a 19 year-old heart transpant recipient, met the gorgeous Beck at a funeral home. (Yes, that's the place where they first met.) Sounds so creepy and not so romantic, but actually, the chemistry already became invisible the moment they met there. They immediately had the connection which eventually led them to a road trip together. Their journey, which was all kinds of sweet, became a very unforgettable event of their lives as they got to know more about each other, became bolder, and discovered everything that the world has to offer.

As a person who easily gets hooked with light and cheesy romance, this book definitely sold me. It gave me the sweet escape feel that I haven't felt in a long while. It was like watching a mushy romantic film where you just find yourself smiling and getting all ooey and gooey on the inside.

All throughout the story I was also struck by how adorable the characters are. Abby showed up as a weak character but I've seen her development as the story continued. She had the inferiority complex in the beginning because of her condition and she had this trouble of facing the future and the opportunities that are laid in her hands, but later on she became a remarkable and matured character thanks to Beck who pulled her out of her shell and made her learn to face the world with so much thrill and adventure. The romance, on the other hand, was also delivered naturally.

The book was also laced with humor and smart and witty dialogues between the characters and at times I also found myself being carried away by the emotions delivered by them. And when it comes to its ending-- it totally made me smile because it was cute. Yes, it felt a little too cheesy but I found myself liking every bit of it.

Her hand wrapped around my fingers, tightening my hold on the tarnished locket. "I love you with this heart." She tipped her head forward and pressed a kiss to my lips. Then she moved her hand and pointed to her scar, to the beating heart that lay beneath, "and with this heart."

This book is now shelved on my favorites.

Rating:

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 SWEET STARS

"Her hand wrapped around my fingers, tightening my hold on the tarnished locket. “I love you with this heart.”

Oh, my God. I don’t even know where to begin when trying to describe how much I loved this story!!It was so sweet and funny!! I found myself sighing more and smiling more!!

What would you do if life gave you a second chance??

Will you change your old life??


After Abby has spend years in the hospitals. She finally receives a heart transplant and her best friend encourages her to go on a road trip! In an unusual location she meets Beck who accompanies her on the road trip! Will he show her the meaning of life?A road trip full of love,experiences and strong emotions!I loved how these two characters came together and the friendship that developed that grew into more.The journey that they took together was amazing!!



I liked that finally she had the opportunity to leave her parents and doctors shelter and go on a road trip where she could try to find out who she was and what she really wants to do in life!!! Beck *sigh* He was handsome,sweet and funny!!He encouraged Abby to do things that she will never have done!!He hasn't a dark past like the most characters of other books,the only problem he has is that he doesn't want the career he must follow and he has to deal with it!
They are so cute together!!Together they are making each other happy with their funny moments,despite the challenges and sad momments they have to deal!There are some really hot scenes *sigh*!!



"He pushed me against the passenger door and pressed his lips to mine. It was a soul-stealing kiss, the kinds that lifts you off your heels and makes your spine curl."

The ending was beautiful!I would definitely recommend this book to anyone!This book
made me want to go on a road trip :))This is my first book from R.S. Grey and I'm impressed!!I want to read more books from her!!

*ARC provided to me by author R.S. Grey in exchange for an honest review.*

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's LIVE.....

http://www.amazon.com/With-This-Heart...

GO...READ THIS BOOK...YOU'LL LOVE IT

5--Heartfelt--Stars!!

Let's take a roadtrip...

"He was a handsome guy in a baseball cap and I was a cynical girl picking out an urn."

A journey of second chances...at life and a first chance at love...

"He was a stubborn boy who weaseled his way into my roadtrip and I was a girl who learned that you can never have enough s'mores."

A trip down memory lane...for herself and in honor of another...

"Caroline was my friend that cut our trip in half and we were the ones to appreciate the indefinity of our timelines."

A jaunt to create new memories...to replace the old ones...

"He was a boy that watched me sing karaoke and I was the girl who almost got us kicked out of the bar."

A voyage of self-discovery and learning to let go...

"John Denver was our road trip muse and I learned to trust the power of his songs."

An excursion on the wild side...and living every moment as if it were your last.

"I was a girl who chose to Dare and not Drink and he was the boy that screamed he liked me into the ocean."

A trek through heartache and pain...of putting others dreams before your own so that you can one day walk together...

"He left because I forced his hand, but now I'm begging him to understand my reasons."

Take a drive with Beck and Abby...



You'll laugh...you'll cry...you'll smile...and you'll fall in love. From the moment Beck and Abby meet to the very end of their journey. The ending...I was in tears. It was one of the best endings I've ever read....





ARC kindly provided by R.S. Grey in exchange for an honest review

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars!



I didn’t just like this one, I loved it!! Yet it’s barely scraping a 4 star rating. Reason is...in order to enjoy this book like I ended up doing, I needed to cast aside my normal standards for books and that NEVER almost never happens. A good part of this book is highly unrealistic and far-fetched and I don’t react well to these kinds of stories. By the 20% mark, I realized if I didn’t suspend reality ASAP, I’d be chucking this book in the DNF pile. Point of this little spiel is: despite loving the book, I shouldn’t have to give up my usual book tastes to accommodate the book. Thus, I feel like my enjoyment is partly based off a falsity. That being said, however, this book is undeniably addictive and once I started reading I couldn’t put it down so I guess that counts as something.



Abby has been given a second chance at life – she’s one of the lucky patients to get a donor and decides to go on a road trip that marks a new chapter in her life. She meets Beck in a funeral parlor (actually he approaches her) and asks to accompany her on her road trip. This first part was shaky for me – just think about it. You’re in a funeral parlor buying an urn and out of nowhere this gorgeous, charming guy comes up to you, starts making jokes and pleads to go on this road trip with you. And then you accept! X___X I know this is fiction and that Beck is the hero so of course no harm will come to Abby, but from any other perspective this wouldn’t be condoned.

Once they went on their road trip, however, the book got interesting and I genuinely enjoyed it. The witty banter, the palpable sexual tension, and the reckless fun things they did made me smile and laugh. I felt that this part of the book was the strongest, plus it’s just hard to resist Beck’s natural charm and fun-loving personality. Though their trip only spans about 2 weeks, I thought the author did a good job with their relationship development – there is definitely more than just lust and attraction.



As much as I liked the first half of the book, the last 50% lost a little momentum and there were two things in particular that didn’t sit well with me. First, I was disappointed that the author didn’t include more about Beck. All I know about him is his school and his major. Literally. A few extra chapters in his POV wouldn’t hurt, plus I felt like even though Beck was at a crossroads in his life in regards to his career, it wasn’t enough of a reason to warrant him taking weeks off and busting into a stranger’s road trip. But like I said in the beginning, suspend reality!!! ;) Then there was this decision Abby made near the end of the book that just placed a thundercloud on top of my head…suffice it to say I wasn’t pleased with her BUT I still understood why she did it. I just wished it was dealt with in a different way.

I adored the ending though. Laughed and got a little misty-eyed. I’d definitely recommend this book despite the number of problems I had with it – I think the first thing to remember is to go with the flo. If you’re like me and aren’t too excited about reading border-line unrealistic/far-fetched scenes, just let it go. This book is carefree, upbeat, and reckless so in order to fully grasp the beauty of the book and enjoy it, you’ll also need to approach it in a similar manner. If you’re not like me, well...I guess that means you’ll LOVE the book. Either way, win-win :D

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

If someone had told me a year ago that I was about to fall in love, go on an epic road trip, ride a Triceratops, sing on a bar, and lose my virginity, I would have assumed they were on drugs. 

Well, that is, until I met Beckham...

This book's blurb immediately caught my attention starting with that opening line that I posted up above there ^^ and when I took a peek at the first chapter, it had me smiling and laughing from the first few pages and I just had keep reading to find out what happened next.

This was the exchange that made me fall in love with the book (it's right from the first few pages) and it takes place in a funeral home which is where the book opens up with the Abby trying to pick out an urn. Then this gorgeous guy -- a total stranger -- walks in and starts talking to her...

"I'm sorry, are you here to pick out an urn or…?" I asked….

"No," he answered simply.

"No?"

He shrugged his shoulders innocently. "I like coming and checking out the latest models. Never know when you'll need one."

I gaped. "Are you serious?"

Cue a sexy smile. Damn. "No. I was getting a slurpee across the street and I saw you walk in, so I followed you on a whim."

I narrowed my eyes in confused. Of course. He's too hot to be normal.

"So you're a stalker?" I asked with a hard stare.

He smirked… "I prefer gravitationally linked by your presence."

Eventually he gets her to admit that she wants to scatter these ashes on a road trip and this guy who she has never met before in her life pretty much invites himself along on her trip... if she'll have him, that is. Their texts as she considered this crazy possibility were hilarious!

Abby: Why do you want to come on my road trip? … 

Beck: I don't like cliffhangers… Enter - girl buying an urn. She clearly lies about what it's for an then takes off into the sunset? I have to know how it ends. Murder suicide? …. 

Abby: What percentage of you wants to rape and murder me on the side of the highway? 

The whole first half of the book had smiling non stop and often laughing right out loud. Beck was all kinds of swoony and charming, and Abby was a lot of fun and almost a little cynical in way that I really liked. I loved the writing style and all the little fun references to other favorite shows and books like that "Ten points for Beckindor." line. LOL!!! The whole vibe was just... happy! Heartwarming Carefree. I loved the little jokes, one liners, and Abby's quirky but hilarious inner thoughts.

"Did they need to print the word 'Magnum' in bold, bright red letters?"

The road trip itself was a really great escape. I felt like went on one with them. These two complete strangers just headed out and enjoyed life... and along the way fell in love. It was sweet, fun, and gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. And I also enjoyed that there was a bit of mystery and intrigue woven into the story. It kept my mind questioning everything and wondering about all the things I didn't yet have answers to.

When their road trip was cut short, they were forced to face some very hard realities that took their lives in a different direction. The second half of the book had a bit of a different vibe than the first half and I have to admit that I didn't quite feel the same connection to it as I did in the beginning and I was also a little frustrated with a certain decision that was made towards the end (I guess I just didn't agree with the character's decision and wished they'd have handled it differently) but regardless, don't worry -- it's a happy ending with no cliffhanger so it does get all wrapped up. Overall, I liked this book and it was a quick read (even though it was a full length novel) that I pretty much read in one sitting and I'll admit, it has kind of tempted me to go on a road trip ;)

Rating: 4 stars

****************************


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[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 With This Heart Stars

Beck and Abby were great characters who had amazing banter and chemistry and everyone loves a good road trip story!!



Abby has been gifted a new heart and has decided to road trip with an urn. Beck approaches her and proceeds to invite himself along on her trip. The more she thinks about it, a road trip with Beck is exactly the type of living she is interested in.

”What do you possibly have to lose?” I flashed her a pointed stare. “Uh my life…my virginity…my freedom…my parent’s trust.”

The road trip was a blast and I loved hanging out with Beck and Abby. Beck for me remained mysterious, funny, sweet and swoon worthy. Some of the scenes were just fantastic along the road!

”If the excitement of the trip was modeled on an exponential curve, we’d be having sex by tonight and I’d be pregnant and married by the end of the two weeks.”



Why not a 5 Star rating? I thought there would be a huge connection or twist coming so my mind kept coming up with different scenarios. Once finished, I realized that Beck’s background and character just wasn’t explored enough. Even though the ending was very cute, it irked me. Don't read spoiler unless you've read the story... One year later… in what world does a guy who gets dumped 365 days ago come running into the girl’s arms. All is forgiven instant hea? Seriously I just don’t buy it.

Overall, this was a very good story that had a TON of beauty to found and I would definitely recommend it.

[Warda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I assumed I was going to love this story, because R.S. Grey’s books have been pretty much a win for me.

But this book did nothing for me. Once I past the half-way point, I was constantly contemplated on DNF-ing but I pulled through because I love the author.

Then a whole load of skim-reading happened and I was left feeling empty. I hate it.

I just didn’t care for our main characters. The usual flowy, fun and spontaneous writing I expected of her books was missing in this one. The characters felt... off. As was the dialogue and their relationship. I just wasn’t convinced by none of it.

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love will make you reckless.It can drag out parts of you that common sense and fear usually keep hidden away.Because love is selfless and selfish.”

An all-consuming story of second chances,first love and heartache.A story about survivor's guilt,fear,difficult decisions,death and friendship.A story that left me a smiling,sobbing mess.

“He was a handsome guy in a baseball cap and I was a cynical girl picking out an urn.”

Abby met Beck when she just got her life back.She had a new heart,she left behind the fear of dying and the uncertainty and she faced a future full of possibilities.She could start over,and what better way to do so than a road-trip?What she didn't expect was that she wouldn't be alone,that insanely handsome and charming Beck would follow her and become her guide in adventure and recklessness,that he would unlock her heart and get her out of her comfort zone.That he would make her feel alive again.

“What?”I asked.
“Just trying to remember this moment”,he said.
“Why?”
“Because our lives will never be the same.”

What you get while reading With This Heart

-Tears.Tear-stained cheeks,puffy eyes,you know the drill.The astonishing thing is,the tears aren't caused only by pain (even though that is a major factor).They are also caused by the beauty of a moment,the grandeur of a gesture,the intensity of a gaze and a kiss.You cry because of death,and you cry because of life.And it is liberating.

-Laughter.While this book deals with some serious issues,there are many light moments that will make you giggle or grin like a fool.There are even dinosaurs and gay bars involved.

-Sweet and scorching romance.

“Am I allowed to love you?”

It doesn't matter if it's a carefree scene or a steamy scene or a painful scene,it's all the same.Your heart melts,you insides turn into jelly and you dream of Beck,of handsome and funny and sexy and cute Beck who followed a stranger into a funeral home and changed her life.


(and so is Orlando Bloom.Sorry Abby.)

“The fact is, I was given a heart.I was given this gift of life that few receive and I had to decide how I wanted to use it.”

Do you know how to use With This Heart?Read it,cherish it,love it.It's effortless.And it deserves it!

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's all cheese- super hot melted cheesy romance as any romantic novel should rightfully contain and I loved it! Who doesn't love cheese, anyway? This book is going to make you smile, laugh, cry a little, grin really big and end up smiling some more even after finishing the book and writing its review.

But it's not all cheese and that's what's great about this book. The story is heart warming as well and the characters are so easy to fall in love with. The book also talks about appreciating life the way many people fail to.

Also, the ending reminds me so much of the movie Never Been Kissed just in a different way. And if you loved that movie, you will definitely love this book too.

This is a highly recommended New Adult Romantic Novel. Caution though: Not recommended to kids below 18. ;)

[Maria... · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I love you with this heart"

I really enjoyed this book although it was about serious issues that some people go though in life but it also had the bright side of things like we should appreciate every little thing without taking them for granted...

The story was sweet,funny,emotional,heartache...Beck and Abby were young,naive,lost and determind to live and enjoy every second of their lives by going in a road trip...They knew nothing about each other but took a chance by putting their trust in one anothers hands and took off exploring Texas...and hopfully finding theirselves....


Abby was a sweetheart...all the small little things she was thinking and worried about made me laugh and cry...Beck was great although I would like to read his thoughts too...he was so easy,
funny,hot with dimples...and a cute tush...

"Beckham,you are the strangest,hottest,funniest person I've ever met.I LIKE YOU!"

Abby and Beck were great together I really liked reading everything they got themselves into...their jokes, teasing and flirting...they laughed and cried and fell hard for each other...

"You drove to my house and played a song.
That is straight out of an 80's movie.You love
me,don't you?Oh my god Abby Mae MacAlister,
you can hardly keep your hands off me!"

They were so good together and laughed and teased each other
even when they were intimate...which I thought was really cute...

"I think we're being to serious about it."
"Maybe so...I mean I know your penis is meant to fit
inside of me but it just looks really...big."
"It will fit Abby."

"Jesus...oh my...God,BECK."
"Did you just included me in the Holy Trinity?"
"You freaking deserve it."

"I was the guy who should have never left and you were
the girl who should have found me earlier."

Enjoy!xxx

[Alia Ros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgg 5++++ ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ for this touching story

I admit this isn't my usual genre but because RS Grey wrote it so i just hadd to read it and omg
I thought it was gonna bore me damn i was wrong. I now crave to go on road trips w somebody special hahah
Who's up for some wild adventure? Hit me up when ur free lmao
The story of Beck and Abby just made my hopes up on finding true love, plus w realistic features... thank you for having me on these adventures. It was amazing Xx

❤

[Andie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 can't keep the smile off my face stars!!

It had been awhile since I felt so connected to a set of characters. I laughed, I cried, and it left me so fulfilled I can't even explain it. Loved this book to pieces! Full review to come.

[Jess-i-ca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Living, Laughing, and Loving Stars!

Abby has just received a new heart and a second chance at life. Her best friend, Caroline, is still stuck in the hospital and encourages her to take a road trip.



By some weird coincidence she meets Beck (at a very odd place at that) and he winds up inviting himself on her road trip.



Normally I would say this is weird as eff but it actually worked out in this book. I think Abby was blinded by his hotness and praying he wouldn't kill her. Plus road trips alone are no fun.



"Just trying to remember this moment....Because our lives will never be the same."

I think Beck was wanting a break from the pressures his dad was putting on him at MIT and wanted to of course hang out with this pretty girl.



They start to develop a friendship and head off on their road trip which takes them all across the great state of Texas with Abby's final destination in mind of Odessa, Texas.



They have a blast along the way



They get to know each other along the way and eventually fall in love. They experience many different things and grow as individuals.



Unfortunately bad things happen which send them back home and Abby send Beck back to MIT. She can't allow him to give up his dream for her.



She has to fix herself before she can be with him.

"He left because I forced his hand, but now I'm begging him to understand my reasons."



Will it be too late or will he welcome her back with open arms?



I didn't fill in the total 5 stars because I'm a picky bitch and I don't think she should have gotten the big "O" her first time let alone them coming together. There were a few small things I wish I would have gotten answers to in the end but overall I felt the story was fulfilled enough that it didn't bother me and another plus was no gray eyes. WOOT WOOT!

[R.S. Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Abby and Beck:

"His face was easy and open; a small smile dotted the side of his mouth. His default setting was happy. That’s what I loved about Beck. He looked at life like it was a journey, like we were meant to enjoy every step of the way."

After careful and sheltered life, 19 years old Abby got her heart transplant. Now the times comes to finally "live". And a secret road trip with irresistible Beck seems like the best way to fully enjoy her second chance at life...

Road-trip stories are always so much fun. I have a thing for these kind of books since I read On the Road by Jack Kerouac for the first time, and this book didn’t disappoint. With This Heart is sweet and adorable story about sexual awakening and emotional journey of young woman who found courage to live her life to the fullest.

Our heroine Abby is a cynic, an inexperienced but lovely girl. I had a little problem with her attempts for sarcasm (which felt slightly forced) at the beginnig. But as story progressed, I got used to her inner thoughts and grew to like her a lot.

On the other side, Beck was a walking ad for sarcasm and made me laugh numerous times. He was cheerful, sexy, adorable and I could totally understand why Abby wasn’t able to resist his charms. Beck is exactly the kind of boy that inexperienced and teenage girl should have for a boyfriend.

“So you’re a stalker?” I asked with a hard stare.
He smirked, a knees-turning-to jelly kind of smirk. “I prefer gravitationally linked to your presence.”

Are you asking yourself why not 5 stars since I enjoyed it so much? I just couldn’t get over the fact that Abby never really questioned why complete stranger was so adamant on going on road trip with her. I know she wanted an adventure, to do something crazy, to finally truly live. But taking on a road trip a boy she met twice for couple of minutes and not really telling anyone about it - not very wise. But it is only minor complaint and it didn’t prevent me from enjoying this book!

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing

[Plamena · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ‘Beautiful & Sweet’ stars

“...our lives will never be the same.”

Abby has been given a second chance in life. Everyone around her expect her to be responsible, careful and treat her as she will break any second now. But she doesn’t want to be afraid and to live a life without excitement. She wants to LIVE...not only exist! She decides what she needs is a road trip! And she plans to do it alone...but she meets Beck and everything changes.



This weird stranger she meets (that is also unbelievable HOT and funny) in a total weird place wants to travel with her. She is absolutely against the idea but in few days she decides maybe he won’t kill her sometime during the road trip...and she might actually enjoy spending time with him. So....the two of them start a trip...that will change their lives. They will laugh, cry, shout, dance and sing. At the end they both will find what they want to do with their lives. But like always in life...everything is a bit more complicated.

“Beck...I needed you to follow your dreams so that I could follow mine alongside you.”

Okay...it goes without saying that I absolutely LOVED this book! The story is sweet, moving and beautiful! I laugh and cried...but if I have to sum it up... With This Heart is a fun and optimistic read. It’s important to appreciate life and stories like that just remind us we need to seize the day!

“And that, future kids, is why in an old brown box tucked deep within my closet, you’ll find a photo of me attempting to mount a Triceratops.”



I loved Abby and Beck. They are such a great pair. I really enjoyed their road trip, the development of their relationship and how they try to overcome the pain and problems that follow them.

I definitely recommend it!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!



Such a beautiful story! I think this is my favorite R.S. Grey book so far. I love second chances themes in books, but this one is a second chance in a different way. A second chance at life. It's an awesome story of Abby and Beck's epic road trip that I loved!

Nineteen year old Abby McAllister has lived with congenital heart problem her whole life. She was recently given a second chance at life when she received a heart transplant. In an effort to find some closure and live her life she decides to go on a road trip spreading ashes along the way. While picking out an urn for the ashes a random guy comes up and begins talking to her, Beckham Prescott.

"I'm sorry, are you here to pick out an urn or…?" I asked….
"No," he answered simply.
"No?"
He shrugged his shoulders innocently. "I like coming and checking out the latest models. Never know when you'll need one."
I gaped. "Are you serious?"
Cue a sexy smile. Damn. "No. I was getting a slurpee across the street and I saw you walk in, so I followed you on a whim."
I narrowed my eyes in confused. Of course. He's too hot to be normal.
"So you're a stalker?" I asked with a hard stare.
He smirked… "I prefer gravitationally linked by your presence."

He's determined to find out who she is and what she's doing. When she tells him she's going on a road trip he tells her he wants to tag along. Later, all she can think about is that it could be fun to have Beck with her on the trip. It also doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous.

"Sometimes you have to trust people."

So, Abby invites Beck to join her and they set off on their road trip. These two have loads of fun camping, making s'mores, swimming in the ocean, surfing, stopping at a flea market, riding a dinosaur, looking for UFOs and it goes on and on. Throughout this whole story, it was written so well that I felt like I was on the road trip with them.



I loved these two together. The banter between them definitely made me laugh in the first half of the book. The second half of the book was more serious. Abby and Beck were forced to make some serious decisions about their future, but overall it was a beautiful story. This book made me laugh, cry and fall in love. What more can you ask for? If you are up for a journey, definitely pick this one up!

"I love you with this heart."

[Mei · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 17%

This book had already lost me at chapter one, trust me, you'll probably end up the same. Actually, I don't have to explain anything in this review. I'll let the quotes do their jobs for you and you be the judge.

1. Stalker love interest, plus a weird and unrealistic way to meet... at a funeral parlor.
Cue a sexy smile. Damn. “No. I was getting a slurpee across the street and I saw you walk in, so I followed you on a whim.”

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. Of course. He’s too hot to be normal.

“ So you’re a stalker?” I asked with a hard stare.
-------
I went out on a limb and told her [Abby's best friend] about Beck anyway.

“ He just walked up to you at a funeral home?” she asked, thoroughly confused.

“ Yeah, it was really weird.”

The sunlight streaming in through the window highlighted her dark brown hair and hollowed cheekbones. I hadn’t remembered her looking so pale the week before.

2. And of course, since he's hot, it's totally fine.
Cont. from point 1:
“ But you said he was really hot?” She arched her eyebrows suspiciously.

“ Yes, much too good-looking for normal girls.”
-------
I stared at him in utter bafflement. Every pre-set pathway in my brain was thrown for a loop by this guy, leaving me gaping in silence. He was the most arrogant person I’d ever met, but there was something hidden beneath his jokes. I think he actually wanted to go on the road trip with me even though he didn’t know me at all.

3. Weird lines.
I ground my molars together, wondering if pieces of the calcium could chip off and get lodged in my throat. What a strange way to go.

4. Everything insta! - attraction, love and yes, sex
At Chapter two...
Beck had flitted through my thoughts roughly one trillion times since the day before. The moment I’d closed my car door I had flipped his business card over.
-------
I decided there wasn’t much left to do other than see what sort of weirdness Beck could add to my life. And yes, to be honest, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good-looking he was. There. Are you happy?

At Chapter three...
He seemed like the coolest person ever to grace my life and I didn’t want to be a disappointment to him.

At Chapter five...
I’d be lying if I said that having sex with Beck hadn’t crossed my mind since meeting him. Sorry if that shocks you. Teenage hormones are real and scary. I’d had some crazy dreams the past few nights that involved Beck and sundae toppings.
-------
I pulled a box of regular sized condoms off the shelf and a box of magnum sized as well. I’d never actually seen a penis in real life, so I had no basis of knowledge for what the average size was.

5. Overambitious/Overreacting MC.
Of course I had. Everyone thinks about going to college. I had read enough New Adult Romances to know that the moment I stepped on campus, I would surely be noticed by the mysterious loner jock or hot nerd that didn’t get noticed in high school, or maybe the off-limits TA.
-------
Mom didn’t leave me alone until late on Monday night and I told myself I was too tired to worry about the fact that I hadn’t heard from Beck all day. I mean, he had texted me that morning and I never responded, but what kind of determination was that? One text and he gave up? I thought romance was supposed to be desperate and wild.

6. The MC's sage green eyes.
A. Yet, I had light strawberry blonde hair and sage green eyes.

B. For good measure, I widened my sage green eyes and flashed her a pleading smile.

C. Could she discern something in my sage green eyes that had eluded me in the mirror that morning?

7. A best friend who supports and tolerates her stupidity.
I’m thinking about letting him come on the road trip with me…” I all but whispered, scared of what her reaction would be. Ninety-nine percent of me assumed she would throw the rest of her donut at my head as an attempt to knock some sense into me.

“ You should. If I weren’t about to freaking DIE, I would go on a road trip with a random hot guy. What do you possibly have to lose?”

Not her stupidity apparently...

I flashed her a pointed stare. “Uh, my life...my virginity…my freedom…my parent’s trust.”

“ You cannot be having second thoughts. He bought you a freaking sleeping bag and stuff. That’s practically an engagement ring.”

I ignored her blatant hyperbole. “So they’ll [her parents] understand why I went?”

“ Yes. You deserve to go, and they’ll understand later. Like when you’re fifty. I wouldn’t mention it until then.”
-------
“ I cannot believe you’re even bringing that up again. Abby, I’ve told you a million times and now it’s just annoying. I want you to go. I want you to have crazy campfire sex with this guy.”

And her best friend has cancer, lying in bed, dying.

8. Slut shaming, because a girl's gorgeous and it's perfectly fine to do that.
Seeing him like that was easily the highlight of my week until I saw that he was talking to an equally gorgeous girl. She was wearing a pocketed vest and hiking boots. She was almost as tall as Beck, which was practically a foot taller than me. Damnit. I straightened my shoulders instinctively and took a few steps closer. That’s when I saw Pretty Girl’s employee name tag. It read: Bekah. As in Rebecca shortened to Becca then morphed to Bekah. Who did she think she was having a cool, quirky name like that?
-------
“ Oh yeah sure, let me know if you need my help or anything!” she offered desperately, but she was pretty enough to where it just came off as being friendly. Damn girls like that.

9. Humor that only these two get, and I'm just here like I'm not in on an inside joke.
“ Did you know that no one knows why our bodies demand sleep?” he offered, and I sat up against my pillows.

“ What? I thought that was decided ages ago?”

“ Nope. There’s a ton of stuff that happens while we sleep, but there’s not one main reason.”
-------
“ Probably neither. I was too young to even realize what I was actually doing.”

“ I wonder what that bear is doing now...”

“ He’s probably a fat cat,” I quipped.

He laughed a deep rumbling laugh that was too good for this earth.

10. The spot-on stupidity of this MC, and yes, she just had a heart transplant two months ago. Way to take care of her health with these reckless decisions!
“ So you’re going to miss two weekly check-ups?” Her voice was harsh. I wanted to scream, YES. I’m going to miss two appointments so I can LIVE my life! What’s the point of getting a new heart if all it’s good for is watching reality TV and picking out spices with my mom?!
-------
My face was bright red at the idea of sleeping in the back of a car with him. Please don’t let him be a crazy person. Please. I turned at the sound of his voice.
-------
I knew he was kidding, and even if he wasn’t kidding, his greenish swirly eyes were almost worth taking the chance on him being a serial killer.


I don't know what could've gone on if I continued, with seeing all these early in the book, and at this point, I'd rather not know. Honestly, though, save your time and resources.

[Suzana · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 I love you with this heart stars!

First of all, I love stories about road trips and adventures that are part of it ...





Reading this story I felt like I was on the road trip myself ... traveling with Abby and Beck alongside ...
I loved them both ... Abby, a girl who got a second chance in her life and Beck, sweet, nice and hot guy ...



I was laughing, giggling, crying, I felt heartbroken, but at the end happy tears were on my face..



Really a beautiful story ... if you liked The edge of never book, you will probably like this one too ...

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute. I read it solely for something fluffy and something that makes me smile. Generally, With This Heart did that for me. There were moments during the book where I thought it was cliche and cheesy but those are things I can forgive with the NA comtemporary genre. I will say that the last paragraph of this book made me smile so big. Ah CUTE!

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story!!! I loved everything about it :)

Its hilarious and its beautiful and its sad

I definitely recommend this one. It's one that needs to be read.

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars




Abby has been given a second chance at life by being given a new heart. She embarks on a road trip with a new friend, Beck. In my opinion there was a few similarities to The Edge of Never.

Beck was a great hero and the banter they had going on was good. This book missed the 5 star because I didnt feel like I got to know Beck or his background much and maybe a few chapters in his POV would have helped. I thought the Ethan part was unneccessary.

If you are looking for a road trip type, with strong main characters and some emotional heartbreaking parts, good book to pick up. x

[Tangerine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ★s


*sigh* I did not love this book like everybody else seemed to. I hate it when that happens. I was really wanting to read this one badly too. I love road trip stories. I liked it. I did. I just wanted to more than like it.

There was just something missing. I thought there was going to be more of a road trip, they barely went anywhere. Then there was Beck, we get nothing about him. The only thing I learned about him was where he went to school. That's it. Nothing else. That doesn't mean I didn't like him, I did. But that's it, I just liked him. I didn't get the whole gay bar storyline either. It didn't make much sense to me. There was no point to it for me. Maybe I missed it. The ending was cute albeit a little cheesy. I think maybe I went into this one wanting it to be as good or better than The Edge of Never. I shouldn't have done that, it wasn't fair of me.

If you're wanting to read this, don't shy away because of my review. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't what I was expecting. I went into it thinking I was going to love it and ended it disappointed because I didn't. That doesn't mean you won't fall in love with it. Happy reading!

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: With this Heart
Series: Standalone
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: March 27th, 2014
Rating: 5 stars
Cliffhanger:No
HEA: Yes






What do a giant dinosaur statue, a drag queen, and sleeping in a teepee have in common? The epic journey that is Abby's life and road trip. This is definitely a fully packed ride with unusual experiences and life-affirming moments. I laughed out loud at the wacky bantering and deeply felt the emotional journey she went on. This book was definitely well rounded. It has fabulous humor on one side and on the other an evocative look at what a person deals with who beats a life threatening illness. The humor balances out the seriousness of the story and prevents it from being too morose and overly dramatic. I just thought it was so well written.

At 19, Abby has struggled her entire life to fix her failing heart and after finally getting a heart transplant is suddenly set adrift in this huge world of possibilities. She never made plans or accomplished many basic things that girls her age have done. She spent her time in the hospital trying to get well. Now her mind and heart is set on discovering life and all that she's been missing out on. Her first step in finding herself is an epic road trip to make peace with herself. What she wasn't planning on was a beautiful boy who would walk up to her and change her world. And what an adventure it was they had together.



So now the world is your proberbial oyster and you're finding out that maybe shucking oysters isn't quite as easy as everyone makes it out to be. Oh, and there are fewer pearls than you expected.

Beck is so wonderfully charming (dimples and all), spontaneous, and funny. He's also feeling a little lost, set on a path that other people put him on and feeling like he's lost his passion for living. Until he sees Abby for the first time, gazing up to the sky in pure appreciation of the day and he doesn't want to go another day without knowing her. Their relationship wasn't insta-love (maybe insta-lust on her part). They have a gradual and natural progression from getting to know each other and becoming friends to more. To passionate, sweet young love.

She's a little goody-two-shoes, a planner, and worrier. Together they help each other make better versions of themselves. They fit naturally, they understand each other implicitly.

Staring at each other over that bonfire, it became clear that there were one million ways to view the world, but that Beck and I saw everything in the same wavelength. Like life was one big private joke that we got to share.

At times, Abby could get a little frustrating. She's emotionally and socially stunted from her lack of the average life experiences. She's unsure of herself and awkward-but that just made me like her a little more. Everyone has gone through that awkward phase where you're gaining self confidence and assertiveness and you can really identify and sympathize with what she's going through. Her courage to push past all her insecurities and try new things despite her fears made me like her that much more. And even though she was a little naive, she also had a strength that came from going through what most people never experience in their lifetimes. She was a great character. Beautifully flawed and beautifully strong.

My sappy romantic heart battled my sober realistic side but I couldn't deny my teary eyes. It was official-against my better judgement I loved that chick flick-y, fairytale ending and my heart fluttered (just a little bit). There aren't too many books that can bring tears to my eyes but this one did it. From happiness and sadness. It was just really the perfect ending-escapism in all it's glory. What a fun and heartwarming story this is. Read it!



(My) With this Heart Playlist:

Beck-waking light

Switchfoot- meant to live

John denver-country roads

Owl City-The Real World

Neil Diamond- Sweet Caroline

Passenger- Life's for the living

Elton John- Your song

Vampire Weekend- I stand corrected

Jasmine Thompson- Run

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

[Staci Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. I can't even.



I mean, it's like...



I just...I CANT.



On a scale of one to five, this book is an eleven. I don't even know where to start.

*leaves to collect self* *blows nose super loud*

Okay, okay.

I don't even know where to start. From page one, Grey had me hooked with her quick wit and quirky perspective. I was immediately intrigued, wondering who Abby was, what happened to her in her life? WHAT goes in the urn? So many questions, but they were a gentle tug through the story, because once we met Beck, well...

Beck. Beck is my dream guy. He sees Abby and knows she needs someone to show her how to live. He's the perfect combination of charm and devotion, a beautiful, thoughtful, witty and loving guy, and the perfect match for Abby.



This is a story about Abby, though, about a girl who didn't think she would ever get a chance to live, and struggles to find a way to honor the life she's been given. I found the exploration of that so perfectly executed that I followed Abby through every step of her journey.

My absolute favorite thing about Grey's writing is the levity she brings to the page. Even when Abby is at one of her lowest points, she ends up in a gay bar called the Trancing Pranny, where Queen Bee is her surrogate fairy godmother/spirit guide and ends up dressing Abby up so she can judge a dance/stripoff.

GENIUS.



Seriously, Grey makes this writing job look like this:



The last few chapters of this book just killed me. They were so good, so sweet, SO satisfying. The absolute last chapter, I cried like a small child, and had to read the last page twice because I couldn't see.



I cannot say enough about this book, other than I apologize in advance to all my friends because I'm a pusher, and I will not rest until everyone I know has read With This Heart.

[Anja H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4 HEARTFELT STARS*

“Love will make you reckless. It can drag out parts of you that common sense and fear usually keep hidden away. Because love is selfless and selfish.”

Okay, confession time: besides pirates I also love roadtrip stories! Usually they turn out to be quite predictable, but I still love them. But, oh my, this one was unexpectedly good!
I thought this was going to be just another cute and light romance, but this was so much more than that.

[Linda ❤️ Sassy, Classy && a Little Bit of Nasty · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Road-Trip “Life-Trip” stars

I loved this swoon-worthy tale. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to say that I LOVED all of the MC’s in a book. I felt like I was on the road-trip with them, and let me tell ya, Abby and Beck are GREAT company. ;)

This story starts off with Abby McAllister. She had congenital heart disease which left her with a failing heart. Well lucky for her, she had a donor. Once Abby feels she’s steady with her new heart, she feels as if she needs to live her life to the fullest now. She was always sheltered by her parents because of her disease, and now that she’s free from her bothersome heart, she’s going to take full advantage of it. She plans a two week road trip with a destination. She has questions that need to be answered, but while she’s at it, she’s going to live it up. Before departure, she finds herself in a funeral parlor looking for an urn for her “late dog”. She wants to spread the ashes across the country while on her road trip. While in the parlor, a gorgeous guy tries to help her locate the perfect urn. He finds out that Abby is taking a road-trip and he does the unthinkable. He asks if he can accompany her, this complete stranger, on her road-trip. A couple days later, they’re on the road.



”What?” I asked.
He shook his head, but his grin never faltered.
“Nothing. Just trying to remember this moment..”
“Why?”
“Because our lives will never be the same.”


I completely loved the wittiness and teasing between the two. Beck did an awesome job of getting Abby to come out of her shell. He was cocky, funny, and gorgeous.

”So you’re a stalker?” I asked with a hard stare.
He smirked, a knees-turning-to-jelly kind of smirk. “I prefer gravitationally linked to your presence.”

”If the excitement of the trip was modeled on an exponential curve, we’d be having sex by tonight and I’d be pregnant and married by the end of the two weeks.”

They experienced laughter and tears and new beginnings.


“I needed you to follow your dreams so that I could follow mine alongside you.”




“I love you with this heart.”





~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Why not 5 stars, you ask? I really felt like I should have got more of a backdrop for Beck. I understood that he had some things he needed to figure out in his life as well, but I felt like his reasonings (or what I knew of it) weren’t strong enough to warrant a spur of the moment road-trip with a complete stranger. Yea, I understood there was a pull, but give me a little bit more of Beck so I can empathize with his position a little more. :)

Awesome read. It has become one of my top 10.

[Brittainy Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five S’more-tastic Stars!

With This Heart by RS Grey is the type of book that I crave. It’s laugh out loud funny. It’s ugly cry emotional. It’s a strange mysterious boy who meets a strange new-to-life girl and they fall in love. Yeah, you might be thinking it’s a normal romance story, but it’s so different in so many wonderful, charismatic ways.

Abby and Beck take you on a journey of discovering life, welcoming new adventures while ditching their old hurts.

Grey has a way of bringing a reader into the lives of her characters. I felt as if I were walking right next to Abby through all of her ups and downs as she traveled on her coming of age road trip. She had so much taken away from her in unfair situations, yet her thrill in life is breathtaking.

Most of that thrill of life is pulled out of Abby by Mr. Beck. Ohhhh how I want a Beck! He’s dreamy, funny, and all kinds of weird—in the best kinds of way. He has a style of understanding the world and it’s always fun to see how he pushes Abby to try new things.

They open up together and form a bond that is so strong I felt my own heart beating only for them.

If you are reading this on the edge of deciding if you should, please trust the pull of your heart and pick it up. This isn’t just a boy meets girl romance, yet it is a road trip of life that awakens something beautiful inside of you.

Thank you, RS Grey, for introducing me to Abby and Beck, and for reminding me how even in the darkest of times, life can truly be beautiful.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.5 STARS ***

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a cute read and made me laugh a lot. But there were still a few scenes that dragged on a little and were a bit boring and the writing was still flawed sometimes.

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