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The Road #1
Rattlesnake Road
★ From bestselling and award-winning author Amanda McKinney comes her most evocative and twisted small-town Mystery Romance... ★
Everyone hits rock bottom, only the brave escape.
Welcome to 1314 Rattlesnake Road.
A quaint two-bedroom log cabin nestled deep in the woods of the small, southern town of Berry Springs—the perfect hideaway to escape your past.
Tucked inside thick, mahogany walls lay mysterious letters, forgotten and untouched for decades. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame breathtaking views of jagged cliffs, deep valleys, and endless lies. Mature oak trees, tall enough to touch the clouds, carry the whispers of the haunted, of stories untold
Inside sits Grey Dalton, emotionally battered and bruised, her only wish to pick up the broken pieces of her life. But outside, await two men, one a tattooed cowboy, the other a dashing businessman.
One will steal her heart, the other, her soul.
Rattlesnake Road is a standalone mystery romance about love, loss, hitting rock bottom, and clawing your way to the other side.
Your escape awaits…
Everyone hits rock bottom, only the brave escape.
Welcome to 1314 Rattlesnake Road.
A quaint two-bedroom log cabin nestled deep in the woods of the small, southern town of Berry Springs—the perfect hideaway to escape your past.
Tucked inside thick, mahogany walls lay mysterious letters, forgotten and untouched for decades. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame breathtaking views of jagged cliffs, deep valleys, and endless lies. Mature oak trees, tall enough to touch the clouds, carry the whispers of the haunted, of stories untold
Inside sits Grey Dalton, emotionally battered and bruised, her only wish to pick up the broken pieces of her life. But outside, await two men, one a tattooed cowboy, the other a dashing businessman.
One will steal her heart, the other, her soul.
Rattlesnake Road is a standalone mystery romance about love, loss, hitting rock bottom, and clawing your way to the other side.
Your escape awaits…
448 pages, ebook
First published May 4, 2021
513 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read
About the author
Amanda McKinney
37 books996 followersAmanda McKinney is the Amazon Charts bestselling and multi-award-winning author of more than thirty romance and thriller novels. Her books have received over fifteen literary awards and nominations, including the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence, and have been included in lists such as POPSUGAR's 12 Best Romance Books, and featured on the Today Show.
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www.amandamckinneyauthor.com
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September 17, 2021
***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am so grateful as this was one hell of a story.
Raw, gripping, real, this romantic suspense is a must-read. This book exceeded all my expectations. It's my first read by this author and let me tell you that Amanda McKinney sure knows how to tell a story. The characters are amazing, well developed and real. The writing style is compelling, with bits of mystery, witty sarcasm and Southern charm. And the title is very telling as to the conclusion of this story.
The story is told by 30 year old Grey. This is a woman lost, an alcoholic at the end of her rope, raised by an extreme alcoholic mother and that never knew her father. She rose above her condition only to lose her marriage and her job in a blink of an eye.
"What brought me here? A cheating bastard and two back-to-back losses."
Grey is struggling. She knows she needs to cope with her alcoholism but that's easier said than done. Her fight to find herself again, to start over, to stop drinking, it's beautifully told. It is overwhelming, real, painful, heartbreaking, even frustrating at times.
"I blamed myself. For him cheating on me, for the miscarriage, for losing my identity in a man I didn't love. So I drank... I thought I had it under control... until I lost my job. And now here I was, my entire life packed in the back of my car, barreling down a rutted dirt road... I was back in the childhood that I'd vowed never to return to again. In an old, dilapidated house with limited funds. I was back there."
After a miscarriage, losing her job and deciding to get a divorce, she finds herself in the small Southern town of Berry Springs, in an old house she bought off of the internet in a spur of the moment decision. She has limited savings, no life plan and her struggle with alcohol. As she starts navigating her new life, she then gets caught between 2 men although it didn't feel like a love triangle but like a fight between light and darkness.
Lucas is rich, ruthless, selfish and ambitious. He triggers Grey's bad behavior and with it an onslaught of shame, guilt and pain. Lucas is the one who makes her forget, the easy way out.
Declan is serious, brave, supportive, selfless. He is Grey's polar opposite, he challenges and understands her and helps her stay on track. He is the one that makes her face her issues, the hard way out.
There are also some elements of mystery as Grey finds some letters in the house written by a very disturbed teenager. Also, a ghost seems to be haunting her house from time to time. But all is revealed in due time, in the grand suspenseful finale.
This fabulous book is the kind that will leave an impression long after you finish it. It will make you think. It will make you feel. It will make you cry. And it will make you hope.
And the audio narration is amazing. It will drive it home.
Trigger warnings for alcoholism, miscarriage, sadism, depression.
Moving onto the next book in the series!!!
Raw, gripping, real, this romantic suspense is a must-read. This book exceeded all my expectations. It's my first read by this author and let me tell you that Amanda McKinney sure knows how to tell a story. The characters are amazing, well developed and real. The writing style is compelling, with bits of mystery, witty sarcasm and Southern charm. And the title is very telling as to the conclusion of this story.
The story is told by 30 year old Grey. This is a woman lost, an alcoholic at the end of her rope, raised by an extreme alcoholic mother and that never knew her father. She rose above her condition only to lose her marriage and her job in a blink of an eye.
"What brought me here? A cheating bastard and two back-to-back losses."
Grey is struggling. She knows she needs to cope with her alcoholism but that's easier said than done. Her fight to find herself again, to start over, to stop drinking, it's beautifully told. It is overwhelming, real, painful, heartbreaking, even frustrating at times.
"I blamed myself. For him cheating on me, for the miscarriage, for losing my identity in a man I didn't love. So I drank... I thought I had it under control... until I lost my job. And now here I was, my entire life packed in the back of my car, barreling down a rutted dirt road... I was back in the childhood that I'd vowed never to return to again. In an old, dilapidated house with limited funds. I was back there."
After a miscarriage, losing her job and deciding to get a divorce, she finds herself in the small Southern town of Berry Springs, in an old house she bought off of the internet in a spur of the moment decision. She has limited savings, no life plan and her struggle with alcohol. As she starts navigating her new life, she then gets caught between 2 men although it didn't feel like a love triangle but like a fight between light and darkness.
Lucas is rich, ruthless, selfish and ambitious. He triggers Grey's bad behavior and with it an onslaught of shame, guilt and pain. Lucas is the one who makes her forget, the easy way out.
Declan is serious, brave, supportive, selfless. He is Grey's polar opposite, he challenges and understands her and helps her stay on track. He is the one that makes her face her issues, the hard way out.
There are also some elements of mystery as Grey finds some letters in the house written by a very disturbed teenager. Also, a ghost seems to be haunting her house from time to time. But all is revealed in due time, in the grand suspenseful finale.
This fabulous book is the kind that will leave an impression long after you finish it. It will make you think. It will make you feel. It will make you cry. And it will make you hope.
And the audio narration is amazing. It will drive it home.
Trigger warnings for alcoholism, miscarriage, sadism, depression.
Moving onto the next book in the series!!!
May 13, 2021
A story of having to hit rock bottom before you can climb your way back.
Grey's life has spiraled out of control. After suffering a miscarriage and getting fired after a drunken outburst at work Grey starts to re-evaluate her life and her first step is to leave her cheating husband and her luxury life behind. She buys a rundown log cabin nestled deep in the woods in the small southern town of Berry Springs.
Rattlesnake Road is my first read by Amanda McKinney and I love her biting prose. Grey Dalton's character is fantastic; sarcastic and funny, I was drawn into her life and wanted her to succeed, anxious over her set backs
With two love interests introduced, one promising her the life she had left behind but the one she was used to and attracted to whilst the other offered her a new beginning where she would have to come to terms with her inner turmoil.
Amanda McKinney has not only written a great angsty romance the story is filled with topical issues such as; domestic abuse, self harm, alcoholism and mental illness. It did at times become quite dark and disturbing.
Through a ghost with unfinished business Grey becomes inadvertently involved in a 30 year old murder mystery.
Rattlesnake Road had me glued to the pages, there was plenty of fun banter between the characters, a bit of harmless snark that kept me laughing, a great twist that had my heart racing and one swoon worthy male that melted my heart.
If you love new beginnings Rattlesnake Road is worth a read.
*I received my copy from the publisher via Netgalley
Grey's life has spiraled out of control. After suffering a miscarriage and getting fired after a drunken outburst at work Grey starts to re-evaluate her life and her first step is to leave her cheating husband and her luxury life behind. She buys a rundown log cabin nestled deep in the woods in the small southern town of Berry Springs.
Rattlesnake Road is my first read by Amanda McKinney and I love her biting prose. Grey Dalton's character is fantastic; sarcastic and funny, I was drawn into her life and wanted her to succeed, anxious over her set backs
With two love interests introduced, one promising her the life she had left behind but the one she was used to and attracted to whilst the other offered her a new beginning where she would have to come to terms with her inner turmoil.
Amanda McKinney has not only written a great angsty romance the story is filled with topical issues such as; domestic abuse, self harm, alcoholism and mental illness. It did at times become quite dark and disturbing.
Through a ghost with unfinished business Grey becomes inadvertently involved in a 30 year old murder mystery.
Rattlesnake Road had me glued to the pages, there was plenty of fun banter between the characters, a bit of harmless snark that kept me laughing, a great twist that had my heart racing and one swoon worthy male that melted my heart.
If you love new beginnings Rattlesnake Road is worth a read.
*I received my copy from the publisher via Netgalley
May 2, 2021
❤️❤️❤️1/2
💋
Struggled with this one to start. It did get easier though.
It’s quite dark in places and may set off a few triggers for some people, so be warned.
Mentions of miscarriage, cheating, alcohol abuse, mental illness, are those immediately picked up.
The writing is good but at least the first half of the book is pretty slow before it picks up slightly.
The story is in depth and is interesting, but it felt too real, for me, in places. I must say this did put me off.
I’ve enjoyed many of this authors books especially the Cabin series which I loved.
So sad I didn’t feel that way for this one.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
💋
Struggled with this one to start. It did get easier though.
It’s quite dark in places and may set off a few triggers for some people, so be warned.
Mentions of miscarriage, cheating, alcohol abuse, mental illness, are those immediately picked up.
The writing is good but at least the first half of the book is pretty slow before it picks up slightly.
The story is in depth and is interesting, but it felt too real, for me, in places. I must say this did put me off.
I’ve enjoyed many of this authors books especially the Cabin series which I loved.
So sad I didn’t feel that way for this one.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
September 17, 2021
Lots of triggers going in so make sure to look them up before reading! With that said, I enjoyed this story of hitting rock bottom and climbing back up with lots of mystery and romance as well. It gets really weird and twisted and I didn't guess what was going on surprisingly! This was an all round good time
June 9, 2021
Thank you netgalley for the review copy.
The book starts with Grey's life falling apart-her husband is cheating on her, she has turned to alcohol for solace and she has flushed her career down the drain. As a means of starting over, she moves to a small town and buys a house on Rattlesnake road. Sadly the house resembles nothing like the beautiful cottage online, it's in literal shambles and while fixing the house she comes across mysterious letters that leaves her shocked and these very letters may hold answers about the mysterious man who tugs at her heartstrings.
I must say that the author nailed the mystery aspect. It gave a very spooky vibe to the story and let me tell you this book is on the darker side and there are some pretty descriptive scenes( ) that even I had to just close the book for a moment. So fair warning before going in.
I was really hooked to the story and the pacing was really good, I loved the side characters, the description of the town, it was very easy to visualise the setting of the book and I loved the vibe of this book. But midway the story kind of lost the momentum and again picked up kind of after the 80% mark.
Coming to the men in this book, I was intrigued as in where this book was headed. I do not want to spoil anything in this regard. The storyline was pretty romantic as well.
Just go in this one blind. The blurb is pretty vague and I'm trying to keep it as minimal as possible too lol. I had a good time reading this one.
TW-
The book starts with Grey's life falling apart-her husband is cheating on her, she has turned to alcohol for solace and she has flushed her career down the drain. As a means of starting over, she moves to a small town and buys a house on Rattlesnake road. Sadly the house resembles nothing like the beautiful cottage online, it's in literal shambles and while fixing the house she comes across mysterious letters that leaves her shocked and these very letters may hold answers about the mysterious man who tugs at her heartstrings.
I must say that the author nailed the mystery aspect. It gave a very spooky vibe to the story and let me tell you this book is on the darker side and there are some pretty descriptive scenes( ) that even I had to just close the book for a moment. So fair warning before going in.
I was really hooked to the story and the pacing was really good, I loved the side characters, the description of the town, it was very easy to visualise the setting of the book and I loved the vibe of this book. But midway the story kind of lost the momentum and again picked up kind of after the 80% mark.
Coming to the men in this book, I was intrigued as in where this book was headed. I do not want to spoil anything in this regard. The storyline was pretty romantic as well.
Just go in this one blind. The blurb is pretty vague and I'm trying to keep it as minimal as possible too lol. I had a good time reading this one.
TW-
May 8, 2021
TW: miscarriage, alcoholism
very disturbing descriptions of murder and like mental illness. I skim read those parts very triggering she goes into detail i wasn't a fan of it.
Okay so hopefully I can cram all my feelings into this review. It's my first time reading this author, our heroine is a hot ass mess yeah she's going through issues in her marriage and stuff but dang I didn't like her, the love triangle vibes i thought we were gonna get wasn't really there that aspect of the storyline was weak AF. The mystery part of the storyline also was so random and didn't make sense to me.
I liked the cowboy hero in this story he's not all glitter and rainbows. He's kinda a asshole, and the guy in the suit was your typical playboy. It took me days to finish this storyline. So sad.. i will say i love the cover and I did enjoy the whole living out in the woods cabin vibes.
ARC provided my Xpresso Tours in exchange for a honest review.
very disturbing descriptions of murder and like mental illness. I skim read those parts very triggering she goes into detail i wasn't a fan of it.
Okay so hopefully I can cram all my feelings into this review. It's my first time reading this author, our heroine is a hot ass mess yeah she's going through issues in her marriage and stuff but dang I didn't like her, the love triangle vibes i thought we were gonna get wasn't really there that aspect of the storyline was weak AF. The mystery part of the storyline also was so random and didn't make sense to me.
I liked the cowboy hero in this story he's not all glitter and rainbows. He's kinda a asshole, and the guy in the suit was your typical playboy. It took me days to finish this storyline. So sad.. i will say i love the cover and I did enjoy the whole living out in the woods cabin vibes.
ARC provided my Xpresso Tours in exchange for a honest review.
Want to read
March 15, 2025🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (2/12/2022)! 🎁
💝 ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 💝
💝 ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 💝
July 2, 2021
Trigger Warnings: Miscarriage, Adultery, Violence/Self Harm, Alcohol Abuse, Questionable (rape?) sexual encounter, Murder of an animal in the past ( bares no relation to the MC), & Murder of a little girl in the past, ( bares no relation to the MC).
4.5/5
I..... didn't see any of THAT coming...?!
Okay, starting from the first chapter, this book starts on a REALLY HIGH NOTE! Details and events that are displayed churned my stomach and broke my heart simultaneously. I felt for Grey.
What did I like?
- Declan. Forget like, I love him. What a freaking man. (Except for the feet fungus. That was hilarious though. )
- Engaging story. Though the first half had up and downs, the story was beautifully crafted. I loved McKinney's writing style. There was an obvious distinction between all her characters. The imagery used was just, beautiful. Starting from Grey's new house to Declan's property to the little bridge that connected their land. (So, you can imagine how Amanda was able to clench my heart through my chest when things went bad in the book.)
- Angst between Grey and Declan. Two polar opposites. I love that trope.
- Dialogues. Do I have to say more?
- The amount of research. From gardening to essential oil distillery to tornados?!
- Serenity bear. Just, ah... the back story behind that tied it all together.
- Murder mystery of the young girl and the letters that Grey found. It piqued my interest in the book. For a part of the book, I thought there would have been no resolution but the ending took me by surprise.
-Depiction of mental health & alcoholism. Not very easy to do justice to such deep topics.
What I didn't like?
- Grey. Her actions just pissed me off. (That could just be a compliment to how real the character was and her struggles.
- Revealing the real killer and his REASONS left a distaste in my mouth. I don't think his actions should've been justified in any way.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I would most definitely be checking out more of the author's books.
I received a complimentary advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blog: https://periwinklepens.wordpress.com/...
4.5/5
I..... didn't see any of THAT coming...?!
Okay, starting from the first chapter, this book starts on a REALLY HIGH NOTE! Details and events that are displayed churned my stomach and broke my heart simultaneously. I felt for Grey.
What did I like?
- Declan. Forget like, I love him. What a freaking man. (Except for the feet fungus. That was hilarious though. )
- Engaging story. Though the first half had up and downs, the story was beautifully crafted. I loved McKinney's writing style. There was an obvious distinction between all her characters. The imagery used was just, beautiful. Starting from Grey's new house to Declan's property to the little bridge that connected their land. (So, you can imagine how Amanda was able to clench my heart through my chest when things went bad in the book.)
- Angst between Grey and Declan. Two polar opposites. I love that trope.
- Dialogues. Do I have to say more?
- The amount of research. From gardening to essential oil distillery to tornados?!
- Serenity bear. Just, ah... the back story behind that tied it all together.
- Murder mystery of the young girl and the letters that Grey found. It piqued my interest in the book. For a part of the book, I thought there would have been no resolution but the ending took me by surprise.
-Depiction of mental health & alcoholism. Not very easy to do justice to such deep topics.
What I didn't like?
- Grey. Her actions just pissed me off. (That could just be a compliment to how real the character was and her struggles.
- Revealing the real killer and his REASONS left a distaste in my mouth. I don't think his actions should've been justified in any way.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I would most definitely be checking out more of the author's books.
I received a complimentary advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blog: https://periwinklepens.wordpress.com/...
April 18, 2021
I read this book a couple of weeks ago now but haven't had a chance to write the review now and even then, I am struggling a bit. As this book had captured my attention from the cover and also the fact it had said it would be a "romantic suspense". However, going into it - I clashed with the main female lead as I found her one of those spoiled housewives who eventually realize that she doesn't like the way she has turned out and so she packs and leaves and starts again. Our main character didn't come from money and was at a point a hard worker and then she married a rich and wealthy husband, course the next part is very cliched - she fell into the role as a rich man's wife and then one day, experienced a tragedy that caused her to wake up from her stupor and discover her whole life was a sham and then she leaves her husband and settles into a small-town where she secretly had brought a fixer-upper cottage for herself. We also learn that due to Grey's life with her husband, the bottle aka alcohol became her best friend and soon she will find herself always needing that next fix, and soon the drinking will cause her to lose everything including a job she did at one time love, but as she won't stoop to the level of the others and sleep with the boss - that was at a standstill too. Of course, while she is in town - Grey will discover a couple of potential love interests in either Lucas - the developer, and Declan- the neighbour. Rattlesnake Road is one of those slow slow-burn romances as it doesn't seem to hit any peak until about 60% through the story which personally for me is too late in the novel to pick up as normally, I would have quit within the first couple of chapters if things haven't picked up as I am more attuned to faster-paced novels. Overall, if you love books that focus more on the character development and growth than romance and action – then you will feel right at home with Rattlesnake Road by Amanda McKinney.
March 22, 2022
DNF @ 14%
I’ve heard so many things about this book and was definitely excited to get into it but unfortunately, I had hard times getting into this book.
The writing wasn’t definitely for me and couldn’t really get the appeal on it.
I honestly wanted to finish the book but I just couldn’t get passed on 14%.
Anyway, thank you NetGalley for the review copy.
I’ve heard so many things about this book and was definitely excited to get into it but unfortunately, I had hard times getting into this book.
The writing wasn’t definitely for me and couldn’t really get the appeal on it.
I honestly wanted to finish the book but I just couldn’t get passed on 14%.
Anyway, thank you NetGalley for the review copy.
October 18, 2021
The author is new to me and I have to say that Rattlesnake Road-was an unusual read.
It is a rollercoaster and you need to be ready to experience different feelings and go to the dark side.
The characters are real and raw….
I think it should come with a warning due to the numerous triggers.
It is a rollercoaster and you need to be ready to experience different feelings and go to the dark side.
The characters are real and raw….
I think it should come with a warning due to the numerous triggers.
May 29, 2021
Rattlesnake Road follows Grey, a successful editor of a fashion magazine that feels utterly alone in her marriage. After losing her job due to a drunken mistake she decides to leave everything behind (including her cheating husband) and start anew in a small town.
“Loss makes us stronger, makes us see things we might not have otherwise. Sometimes loss leads us to what we really need.”
Even though this book is labeled as a small town mystery romance, to me the biggest plot point was Grey’s journey to recovery. She’s a struggling alcoholic that has ultimately reached rock bottom. So seeing her gradually come to terms with her vice and accept help was such a beautiful journey. Even though she makes mistakes and some of her actions were irritating, Grey's character felt so raw. Her guilt and self loathing were written so well that it made me emotional while reading.
“The best things come out of nowhere, that I can promise you. Thing is, most people don’t see them."
As for the romance I loved that it wasn't obvious at first. The love interest didn't show up right away but when he did show up, I was immediately swooning over him! I loved that he saw Grey at her worst and was always there for her. Loved their romance!
This was my first book by this author but definitely not my last. Can't wait for Redemption Road!
Review in exchange for a copy via Netgalley.
TW: miscarriage, dubious consent, animal abuse, and alcohol abuse
“Loss makes us stronger, makes us see things we might not have otherwise. Sometimes loss leads us to what we really need.”
Even though this book is labeled as a small town mystery romance, to me the biggest plot point was Grey’s journey to recovery. She’s a struggling alcoholic that has ultimately reached rock bottom. So seeing her gradually come to terms with her vice and accept help was such a beautiful journey. Even though she makes mistakes and some of her actions were irritating, Grey's character felt so raw. Her guilt and self loathing were written so well that it made me emotional while reading.
“The best things come out of nowhere, that I can promise you. Thing is, most people don’t see them."
As for the romance I loved that it wasn't obvious at first. The love interest didn't show up right away but when he did show up, I was immediately swooning over him! I loved that he saw Grey at her worst and was always there for her. Loved their romance!
This was my first book by this author but definitely not my last. Can't wait for Redemption Road!
Review in exchange for a copy via Netgalley.
TW: miscarriage, dubious consent, animal abuse, and alcohol abuse
March 11, 2021
Amanda McKinney’s first book in the Small-Town Mystery Romance series, Rattlesnake Road, is one long intense ride from start to finish. Intertwined with the darkness and despair of a mystery and Grey’s stumbles of shedding of her old life and embracing a new one, is the journey of discovery and to a HEA that Grey and Declan take. With the quintessential quirky small town characters and charm, this story leaves an impact and a need for more from the series.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
April 4, 2021
What a first time book from a new author for me. Grey’s life is in shambles, definitely not easy. When she meets Declan, life might finally improve. Definitely enjoyable.
April 11, 2021
When I was first approached with this book for review, I was hesitant... based on the cover alone, it's not the type of book I usually read. But I did promise myself I'd try some new things and this small-town mystery romance was exactly what I expected.. but also a lot more.
The first chapter really hit home for me as, unfortunately, there was a lot I could relate to with what Grey was going through. Then that scene happened where she did what a lot of us would love to do - and that is to speak our very raw mind - now, maybe in not quite that public of a setting and with that much alcohol running through the veins but hey, I thoroughly enjoyed that scene to the fullest!
I think the issue I have with some romance heavy books are the women needing to be saved by the men storyline that drives me batty.. but I think it's not necessarily in being saved but finding that person - and most people would love to have that person who fully accepts them and their flaws and adds to their lives rather than completing them. Does that make any sense? Hahaha - Grey has been through a lot and if I could move to a small town after leaving my cheating husband just to have two gorgeous (and completely different from each other) men coming after me while finding a friend in Etta and my new feral cat named Moonshine... well, sign me up! (Also, can we just talk about Etta and how she's my favorite character!)
Yes, this was pretty predictable but I had a damn good time following Grey. We all go through our ups and downs and the downs can be pretty vicious.. it's all in how we come out the other side, isn't it? I'm honestly surprised that I enjoyed this so much - McKinney sure knows how to write and I'd be happy to read her again.
The first chapter really hit home for me as, unfortunately, there was a lot I could relate to with what Grey was going through. Then that scene happened where she did what a lot of us would love to do - and that is to speak our very raw mind - now, maybe in not quite that public of a setting and with that much alcohol running through the veins but hey, I thoroughly enjoyed that scene to the fullest!
I think the issue I have with some romance heavy books are the women needing to be saved by the men storyline that drives me batty.. but I think it's not necessarily in being saved but finding that person - and most people would love to have that person who fully accepts them and their flaws and adds to their lives rather than completing them. Does that make any sense? Hahaha - Grey has been through a lot and if I could move to a small town after leaving my cheating husband just to have two gorgeous (and completely different from each other) men coming after me while finding a friend in Etta and my new feral cat named Moonshine... well, sign me up! (Also, can we just talk about Etta and how she's my favorite character!)
Yes, this was pretty predictable but I had a damn good time following Grey. We all go through our ups and downs and the downs can be pretty vicious.. it's all in how we come out the other side, isn't it? I'm honestly surprised that I enjoyed this so much - McKinney sure knows how to write and I'd be happy to read her again.
March 12, 2022
רטלסנייק רוד / אמנדה מקיני
תרגום: טלי אלעד | טורקיז הוצאה לאור
"זה השביל. אובדן הופך אותנו לחזקים יותר, מראה לנו דברים שלא היינו רואים אחרת. לפעמים אובדן מוביל אותנו למה שאנחנו צריכים באמת."
ציטוט זה בעצם מסכם את מהות ההתרסקות בתחתית ובצורך לטפס שוב כלפי מעלה ולהגיע למקום טוב יותר מזה שאי פעם היינו בו או חלמנו עליו.
גריי דלקטון חיה חיי יוקרה בניו יורק והיא מחזיקה במשרה חלומית בתור עורכת אופנה. היא יפה, מושכת, מצליחה ונשואה לגבר שנחשב מציאה בכל קנה מידה אפשרי.
אבל עולמה של גריי אינו שלם ואינו מושלם. היא מתמודדת עם כאב עצום ואובדן קשה מנשוא. כשהיא מבינה שעולמה חרב עליה, היא אורזת את חייה ועוברת לגור בברי ספרינגס, עיירה דרומית שבה רכשה בית לפי גחמה, בית שיתגלה כרעוע ובעל מוניטין של רדוף רוחות רפאים.
טוב, בית רעוע מעניק לגריי מטרה לתקופה הקרובה. היא תשפץ אותו ואולי תוך כדי כך תשפץ את חייה שלה ותבין מה היא רוצה לעשות בעתיד. מה שאינה מנחשת זה שהבית שלה יספק לה הרבה חומרים עצובים למחשבה ועל הדרך, תמצא את עצמה חוקרת פרשת רצח בת כמה עשרות שנים.
בעיירה הקטנה הזו היא פוגשת בשני גברים השונים מאוד זה מזה. אחד מהם הוא דקלן, קאובוי הורס ומקועקע שיתברר כנכס לכל אישה ואילו השני, איש עסקים מצוחצח שאיש לא רוצה אותו בסביבה.
מהו סודן של רוחות הרפאים שרודפות את ביתה של גריי?
האם גריי תפתור את תעלומת הרצח הישנה?
האם גריי תצליח להמציא את עצמה מחדש?
מה עם הלב שלה? האם תרפא אותו או שתמצא את עצמה במעגל אכזרי בשנית?
הסיפור מובא בגוף ראשון מפיה של גריי וזה נכון בעיניי כי זה הסיפור שלה. אהבתי את המסתורין סביב עלילת הרצח וסביבי רוחות הרפאים כי זה יצר עניין. אני חולקת עם גריי את האהבה ללבנדר, כך שזה עשה לי נעים בלב והשרה רוגע.
אהבתי את דמויות המשנה ובמיוחד את אטה מיי ואת קאי.
הסופרת כנראה לקחה את המונח slow burn בתור אתגר אישי והתוצאה הייתה סיפור ארוך עם התפתחות איטית מאוד מצד, מתח מיני שנבנה יפה מצד שני ומצד שלישי, הרגשתי בשלב מסויים שאני קוראת ספר עזרה עצמית של איך להשתחרר מהעבר ואיך להזכיר לעצמך שאת מוכשרת ויכולה להצליח. מודה, זה קצת ניגן לי על כמה עצבים, אבל לא נורא, נחמד לראות שאנשים כן מקבלים השראה מאחרים ומנסים לבנות לעצמם משהו חדש שיהיו שלמים איתו.
דמותו של דקלן הייתה מושלמת מדי בעיניי. גם חתיך, גם מוסכניק, גם שיפוצניק, גם מבשל וגם מפנק. אני פונה אל ליבכן, כל המוצאת גבר כזה, שתפנה אותו אליי. תודה!
סיפורי עיירות זה קסם שתמיד ארצה להתנסות בו. סוף הסיפור היה ממש יפה בעיניי עם הרבה אופטימיות ותקווה. חיפוש בגודרידס מראה שהספר השני עוסק בזוג אחר, אז יש למה לצפות.
קריאה מהנה.
לעותק מודפס/ דיגיטלי: https://bit.ly/3Jk5Qqg
מוזמנים לעקוב אחר סקירותיי
Aya's Reviews - הסקירות של איה
תרגום: טלי אלעד | טורקיז הוצאה לאור
"זה השביל. אובדן הופך אותנו לחזקים יותר, מראה לנו דברים שלא היינו רואים אחרת. לפעמים אובדן מוביל אותנו למה שאנחנו צריכים באמת."
ציטוט זה בעצם מסכם את מהות ההתרסקות בתחתית ובצורך לטפס שוב כלפי מעלה ולהגיע למקום טוב יותר מזה שאי פעם היינו בו או חלמנו עליו.
גריי דלקטון חיה חיי יוקרה בניו יורק והיא מחזיקה במשרה חלומית בתור עורכת אופנה. היא יפה, מושכת, מצליחה ונשואה לגבר שנחשב מציאה בכל קנה מידה אפשרי.
אבל עולמה של גריי אינו שלם ואינו מושלם. היא מתמודדת עם כאב עצום ואובדן קשה מנשוא. כשהיא מבינה שעולמה חרב עליה, היא אורזת את חייה ועוברת לגור בברי ספרינגס, עיירה דרומית שבה רכשה בית לפי גחמה, בית שיתגלה כרעוע ובעל מוניטין של רדוף רוחות רפאים.
טוב, בית רעוע מעניק לגריי מטרה לתקופה הקרובה. היא תשפץ אותו ואולי תוך כדי כך תשפץ את חייה שלה ותבין מה היא רוצה לעשות בעתיד. מה שאינה מנחשת זה שהבית שלה יספק לה הרבה חומרים עצובים למחשבה ועל הדרך, תמצא את עצמה חוקרת פרשת רצח בת כמה עשרות שנים.
בעיירה הקטנה הזו היא פוגשת בשני גברים השונים מאוד זה מזה. אחד מהם הוא דקלן, קאובוי הורס ומקועקע שיתברר כנכס לכל אישה ואילו השני, איש עסקים מצוחצח שאיש לא רוצה אותו בסביבה.
מהו סודן של רוחות הרפאים שרודפות את ביתה של גריי?
האם גריי תפתור את תעלומת הרצח הישנה?
האם גריי תצליח להמציא את עצמה מחדש?
מה עם הלב שלה? האם תרפא אותו או שתמצא את עצמה במעגל אכזרי בשנית?
הסיפור מובא בגוף ראשון מפיה של גריי וזה נכון בעיניי כי זה הסיפור שלה. אהבתי את המסתורין סביב עלילת הרצח וסביבי רוחות הרפאים כי זה יצר עניין. אני חולקת עם גריי את האהבה ללבנדר, כך שזה עשה לי נעים בלב והשרה רוגע.
אהבתי את דמויות המשנה ובמיוחד את אטה מיי ואת קאי.
הסופרת כנראה לקחה את המונח slow burn בתור אתגר אישי והתוצאה הייתה סיפור ארוך עם התפתחות איטית מאוד מצד, מתח מיני שנבנה יפה מצד שני ומצד שלישי, הרגשתי בשלב מסויים שאני קוראת ספר עזרה עצמית של איך להשתחרר מהעבר ואיך להזכיר לעצמך שאת מוכשרת ויכולה להצליח. מודה, זה קצת ניגן לי על כמה עצבים, אבל לא נורא, נחמד לראות שאנשים כן מקבלים השראה מאחרים ומנסים לבנות לעצמם משהו חדש שיהיו שלמים איתו.
דמותו של דקלן הייתה מושלמת מדי בעיניי. גם חתיך, גם מוסכניק, גם שיפוצניק, גם מבשל וגם מפנק. אני פונה אל ליבכן, כל המוצאת גבר כזה, שתפנה אותו אליי. תודה!
סיפורי עיירות זה קסם שתמיד ארצה להתנסות בו. סוף הסיפור היה ממש יפה בעיניי עם הרבה אופטימיות ותקווה. חיפוש בגודרידס מראה שהספר השני עוסק בזוג אחר, אז יש למה לצפות.
קריאה מהנה.
לעותק מודפס/ דיגיטלי: https://bit.ly/3Jk5Qqg
מוזמנים לעקוב אחר סקירותיי
Aya's Reviews - הסקירות של איה
June 14, 2021
Rattlesnake Road by Amanda McKinney
A Small Town Mystery Romance
I believe I have a new favorite author! This book was dark, gritty, gut wrenching, and dark soul destroying and yet ultimately so very positive and uplifting that I still smile thinking about this story and the future that Grey and Declan have to look forward to. I have no idea how Ms McKinney managed to draw me in, sweep me away, make me feel, care and dare to hope as I watched one horror after another occur as I wished I could sweep one character or another up and either hold them tight or lock them up.
What I liked:
* Finding a new author that impressed me and that I will look for in the future
* Grey: a woman with grit, determination, strength, creativity, big heart, a past, dreams, baggage, and addiction to alcohol
* Declan: a man with purpose, a past, anger issues, dreams, a sense of humor, a giver, a fixer, a mechanic, a man with more to give than he realizes – such a good and admirable man
* The mystery surrounding the murdered girl and how it was solved/resolved
* The haunting
* The way the “letters” appeared and the can of worms they opened up
* Etta: neighbor, older woman, gossip, baker, potential good friend
* Kai: works for/with Declan, intriguing, potential good friend, could star in her own story
* Cassidy: cousin to Grey
* The idea Grey came up with for her future
* The meet-cute between Grey and Declan – some of their dialogues were a hoot!
* The way the “hitting bottom” was dealt with/written
* The humanity of the characters and how well they were developed
* The sweet romantic bits
* That it was so REAL and drew me in and made me care and wish/feel I was there
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* That the murderer was not caught sooner and lived so many years unfettered perhaps killing others
* Knowing that people do hit rock bottom like the character in this book did…and sometimes fall even further.
* Having to say goodbye to these characters and not knowing what will happen next
Did I like this book? Definitely!
Would I read more by this author? Oh my, Yes ~ As soon as I can!
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
A Small Town Mystery Romance
I believe I have a new favorite author! This book was dark, gritty, gut wrenching, and dark soul destroying and yet ultimately so very positive and uplifting that I still smile thinking about this story and the future that Grey and Declan have to look forward to. I have no idea how Ms McKinney managed to draw me in, sweep me away, make me feel, care and dare to hope as I watched one horror after another occur as I wished I could sweep one character or another up and either hold them tight or lock them up.
What I liked:
* Finding a new author that impressed me and that I will look for in the future
* Grey: a woman with grit, determination, strength, creativity, big heart, a past, dreams, baggage, and addiction to alcohol
* Declan: a man with purpose, a past, anger issues, dreams, a sense of humor, a giver, a fixer, a mechanic, a man with more to give than he realizes – such a good and admirable man
* The mystery surrounding the murdered girl and how it was solved/resolved
* The haunting
* The way the “letters” appeared and the can of worms they opened up
* Etta: neighbor, older woman, gossip, baker, potential good friend
* Kai: works for/with Declan, intriguing, potential good friend, could star in her own story
* Cassidy: cousin to Grey
* The idea Grey came up with for her future
* The meet-cute between Grey and Declan – some of their dialogues were a hoot!
* The way the “hitting bottom” was dealt with/written
* The humanity of the characters and how well they were developed
* The sweet romantic bits
* That it was so REAL and drew me in and made me care and wish/feel I was there
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* That the murderer was not caught sooner and lived so many years unfettered perhaps killing others
* Knowing that people do hit rock bottom like the character in this book did…and sometimes fall even further.
* Having to say goodbye to these characters and not knowing what will happen next
Did I like this book? Definitely!
Would I read more by this author? Oh my, Yes ~ As soon as I can!
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
May 3, 2021
Wow. This book ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it right from the beginning, and kept squeezing until the end, when it gently healed it. It was that emotional. A fascinating story of righting some wrongs.
The past is ever present here, always weighing on the main characters. It’s a past they must overcome. I loved the real struggles they experience–nothing is easy, but it’s always worth fighting. There’s another past playing a decisive role, the one depicted in the mysterious letters. And there are those strange manifestations in Grey’s cabin…
I found it a bit manichaean to have almost every male character in Grey’s entourage to be a cheater and/or a liar, while most of the women were promiscuous. That painted the main characters in a good light, despite their horrendous flaws–like Grey’s alcoholism. Still, it worked well in the story.
The atmosphere was, in my opinion, the main quality of the book. From the beginning, the reader is forced to experience the places and events through Grey’s eyes–and her unique point of view. Because of her struggles, her personal experiences, and her state of mind, the whole story is colored a certain way that helped connecting with the character and created powerful images.
Thanks to that atmostphere, and the gripping mystery–and my serious need for a happy ending–I was swept away and couldn’t put it down.
Quickie
- Series: standalone (though there are connections with other series by the same author)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #small town romance #love triangle #age gap #opposites attract #ghost
- Triggers: alcoholism, deaths, miscarriage, violence
- Main couple: Grey Dalton & (Lucas Covington or Declan Montgomery?)
- Hotness: 3/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + a perfectly crafted mystery
- – I felt like the introduction of previous characters from the author was unnecessary
The past is ever present here, always weighing on the main characters. It’s a past they must overcome. I loved the real struggles they experience–nothing is easy, but it’s always worth fighting. There’s another past playing a decisive role, the one depicted in the mysterious letters. And there are those strange manifestations in Grey’s cabin…
I found it a bit manichaean to have almost every male character in Grey’s entourage to be a cheater and/or a liar, while most of the women were promiscuous. That painted the main characters in a good light, despite their horrendous flaws–like Grey’s alcoholism. Still, it worked well in the story.
The atmosphere was, in my opinion, the main quality of the book. From the beginning, the reader is forced to experience the places and events through Grey’s eyes–and her unique point of view. Because of her struggles, her personal experiences, and her state of mind, the whole story is colored a certain way that helped connecting with the character and created powerful images.
Thanks to that atmostphere, and the gripping mystery–and my serious need for a happy ending–I was swept away and couldn’t put it down.
Quickie
- Series: standalone (though there are connections with other series by the same author)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #small town romance #love triangle #age gap #opposites attract #ghost
- Triggers: alcoholism, deaths, miscarriage, violence
- Main couple: Grey Dalton & (Lucas Covington or Declan Montgomery?)
- Hotness: 3/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + a perfectly crafted mystery
- – I felt like the introduction of previous characters from the author was unnecessary
January 21, 2022
רטלסנייק רוד|אמנדה מקיני
הוצאת: טורקיז
ספר ראשון בסדרת מסתורין בעיירה. כל ספר על עיירה אחרת.
נושא: מתח, מסתורין.
אני אוהבת ספרים על דמויות שבורות.
גריי דלטון, שעבדה במשרה יוקרתית כעורכת אופנה, עוברת משבר אחרי שהחיים האישיים שלה מתרסקים.
היא משאירה הכל מאחור ובורחת לעיירה הדרומית הקטנה ברי ספרינגס, לרטלסנייק רוד 1314 - מקום המסתור המושלם להימלט מעבר מכאיב. היא חשבה לעצמה שזה יהיה מקום טוב לאסוף את השברים בחייה.
אבל הבית הוא לא כמו שהוא הוצג במודעה שלו,
השמועה אומרת שהוא גם רדוף רוחות.
בגלל שגריי דמות שבורה בצורה כל כך מעניינת נהנתי ממש לקרוא איך היא צומחת מהשברים בעזרת עצמה, אך מה שהיה הכי מעניין בספר היה שבעקבות השבירה שלה היא מוצאת את עצמה מושלכת לתעלומת רצח בת שלושה עשורים ולדרך לא קלה להחלמה ולגילוי עצמי.
זהו סיפור על אהבה ואובדן, על הנפילה לתחתית והיציאה ממנה.
הסופרת נתנה פה סיפור מיסתורין מעולה ונגיעות של רומנטיקה שבורה עם כתיבה מעניינת ודיאלוגים שנונים שגרמו לי לצחקק בקול וזה היה נחמד כי היו קטעים בספר שלא היו קלים לקריאה.
המתח בין הדמויות מעולה כמו המתח בסיפור עצמו.
אהבתי את הכימיה והבנייה של המשיכה שלהם אחד לשנייה.
גריי היא אחת הדמויות המעניינות שקראתי. דמות שבורה שמנסה להרים את עצמה מהקרשים ולא מתבכיינת, היא נלחמת.
אך למרות הכל, הרגשתי שהסופרת פיספסה פה.
הרגשתי שלא לקחה את סיפור המסתורין עד הסוף והוא נפתר לי מאוד מהר.
אך זה לא הפריע לי להינות מהספר, פשוט רציתי יותר.
מי שרוצה קצת משהו אחר מהז׳אנר אחלה ספר להעביר שבת גשומה.
הוצאת: טורקיז
ספר ראשון בסדרת מסתורין בעיירה. כל ספר על עיירה אחרת.
נושא: מתח, מסתורין.
אני אוהבת ספרים על דמויות שבורות.
גריי דלטון, שעבדה במשרה יוקרתית כעורכת אופנה, עוברת משבר אחרי שהחיים האישיים שלה מתרסקים.
היא משאירה הכל מאחור ובורחת לעיירה הדרומית הקטנה ברי ספרינגס, לרטלסנייק רוד 1314 - מקום המסתור המושלם להימלט מעבר מכאיב. היא חשבה לעצמה שזה יהיה מקום טוב לאסוף את השברים בחייה.
אבל הבית הוא לא כמו שהוא הוצג במודעה שלו,
השמועה אומרת שהוא גם רדוף רוחות.
בגלל שגריי דמות שבורה בצורה כל כך מעניינת נהנתי ממש לקרוא איך היא צומחת מהשברים בעזרת עצמה, אך מה שהיה הכי מעניין בספר היה שבעקבות השבירה שלה היא מוצאת את עצמה מושלכת לתעלומת רצח בת שלושה עשורים ולדרך לא קלה להחלמה ולגילוי עצמי.
זהו סיפור על אהבה ואובדן, על הנפילה לתחתית והיציאה ממנה.
הסופרת נתנה פה סיפור מיסתורין מעולה ונגיעות של רומנטיקה שבורה עם כתיבה מעניינת ודיאלוגים שנונים שגרמו לי לצחקק בקול וזה היה נחמד כי היו קטעים בספר שלא היו קלים לקריאה.
המתח בין הדמויות מעולה כמו המתח בסיפור עצמו.
אהבתי את הכימיה והבנייה של המשיכה שלהם אחד לשנייה.
גריי היא אחת הדמויות המעניינות שקראתי. דמות שבורה שמנסה להרים את עצמה מהקרשים ולא מתבכיינת, היא נלחמת.
אך למרות הכל, הרגשתי שהסופרת פיספסה פה.
הרגשתי שלא לקחה את סיפור המסתורין עד הסוף והוא נפתר לי מאוד מהר.
אך זה לא הפריע לי להינות מהספר, פשוט רציתי יותר.
מי שרוצה קצת משהו אחר מהז׳אנר אחלה ספר להעביר שבת גשומה.
July 26, 2021
4 Moonshine stats ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rattlesnake Road was something new for me. The start of the story was amazing enough to get my attention and maintain it throughout the whole book. I wasn't sure where this story was going but I still couldn't put it down.
The latter half of the story was my most favorite and I think the blurb of this story doesn't do justice to what this story is really about. Because I don't think it's a love triangle at all. I wouldn't say much because it will be a spoiler for the story but I think the blurb of the story should be changed because it gives a different vibe to the story rather than what it really is.
I just loved the H and how he has accepted his flaws and doesn't hide them but rather addresses it.🥰❤ There were few scenes in the first half of the story that don't make much sense to me and left me disappointed but the second half had done a better job.
Overall a great read and very entertaining too. There are suspense and thriller in this story that will make readers keep on reading and I enjoyed those scenes very much.
I will be definitely looking after this series and other stories by Amanda Mckinney. 😊
Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing an ARC of this story. Really appreciate it. 🙏🏾❤
Rattlesnake Road was something new for me. The start of the story was amazing enough to get my attention and maintain it throughout the whole book. I wasn't sure where this story was going but I still couldn't put it down.
The latter half of the story was my most favorite and I think the blurb of this story doesn't do justice to what this story is really about. Because I don't think it's a love triangle at all. I wouldn't say much because it will be a spoiler for the story but I think the blurb of the story should be changed because it gives a different vibe to the story rather than what it really is.
I just loved the H and how he has accepted his flaws and doesn't hide them but rather addresses it.🥰❤ There were few scenes in the first half of the story that don't make much sense to me and left me disappointed but the second half had done a better job.
Overall a great read and very entertaining too. There are suspense and thriller in this story that will make readers keep on reading and I enjoyed those scenes very much.
I will be definitely looking after this series and other stories by Amanda Mckinney. 😊
Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing an ARC of this story. Really appreciate it. 🙏🏾❤
May 5, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The mystery and romance that is Rattlesnake Road pulled me in immediately. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. It slowly unrolls giving clues. The characters of Declan and Grey experience raw, intense emotions. Written so well I was laughing and crying along with them.
The main character, Grey, is facing several life changing events. Watching her realize who she is and begin to change is gut wrenching. I love that she is able to find her own strength. Declan has a reputation as a bad boy yet he is the one who recognizes the pain and fear in Grey's eyes. He recognizes it because he also has fear. His fear stems from a similar place but manifests itself differently.
I love Amanda McKinney's books. You are taken to this idyllic town made up of people all coming together with a seemingly sad seed inside. Not that they wallow in this but it makes them the unique characters that they are. Well done!
The mystery and romance that is Rattlesnake Road pulled me in immediately. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. It slowly unrolls giving clues. The characters of Declan and Grey experience raw, intense emotions. Written so well I was laughing and crying along with them.
The main character, Grey, is facing several life changing events. Watching her realize who she is and begin to change is gut wrenching. I love that she is able to find her own strength. Declan has a reputation as a bad boy yet he is the one who recognizes the pain and fear in Grey's eyes. He recognizes it because he also has fear. His fear stems from a similar place but manifests itself differently.
I love Amanda McKinney's books. You are taken to this idyllic town made up of people all coming together with a seemingly sad seed inside. Not that they wallow in this but it makes them the unique characters that they are. Well done!
June 27, 2021
I really didn't expect to be so obsessed with this book. The author does such an incredible job pulling you in from the very beginning. Grey Dalton has had a rough childhood and now living a life where she is thoroughly miserable and needs a new path. The town of Berry Springs is interesting from the start. Southern Charm, romance, and a bit of mystery.
It was impossible not to become emotionally invested in all of the characters - Grey was someone that you would root for from day one and when she fell off the wagon, you couldn't help but want to push her back up yourself. And the romance was just so perfect. It took time to grow, but it was honest and the chemistry was there from the first moment they laid eyes on each other. I could not put this book down once I started it! This was my first book by Amanda McKinney but it definitely won't be my last!
Big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was impossible not to become emotionally invested in all of the characters - Grey was someone that you would root for from day one and when she fell off the wagon, you couldn't help but want to push her back up yourself. And the romance was just so perfect. It took time to grow, but it was honest and the chemistry was there from the first moment they laid eyes on each other. I could not put this book down once I started it! This was my first book by Amanda McKinney but it definitely won't be my last!
Big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2021
This is a beautiful second chance romance between Grey & Declan. Grey has left behind a life of luxury, and a cheating husband, she has been fired from her job and has suffered through a miscarriage which triggered her out of control drinking. Declan is a former wild child and talk of the town, now just trying to run his garage and keep out if trouble, likes to fix things. As Grey starts to renovate her newly purchased run down cabin, her new neighbour can't help but chip in advice and labour in addition to helping Grey work on herself. Instant chemistry with these two and both their characters were well written. This is a new to me author and I will be reading more of her work.
I received this ARC via Netgalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I received this ARC via Netgalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
November 17, 2021
This is an emotional book written by such a talented author. The setting is Berry Springs, a small Southern town I am quite experienced with from other intriguing books by Ms. McKinney. Though, this storyline is nothing like her past books.
Grey’s past and present isn’t similar to any other leading lady. Grey is a mess, but so enduring. She is trying to start a new life, but continues to let her past rule her. She is as dependent, as she is independent. Two men and a mystery enter her life. One appears charming but is superficial. The other is a man with a troubled past, yet so wise. Declan’s character is deep, somewhat mysterious and not patterned after other book heroes.
There are heart wrenching scenes, meaningless sex, and soul bearing conversations. Honestly, there are pages so intense, I had to skip through them. Out of the chaos, love develops, but not with many tears. There are twists, I certainly didn’t expect. This is an impassioned story worth reading.
Grey’s past and present isn’t similar to any other leading lady. Grey is a mess, but so enduring. She is trying to start a new life, but continues to let her past rule her. She is as dependent, as she is independent. Two men and a mystery enter her life. One appears charming but is superficial. The other is a man with a troubled past, yet so wise. Declan’s character is deep, somewhat mysterious and not patterned after other book heroes.
There are heart wrenching scenes, meaningless sex, and soul bearing conversations. Honestly, there are pages so intense, I had to skip through them. Out of the chaos, love develops, but not with many tears. There are twists, I certainly didn’t expect. This is an impassioned story worth reading.
April 3, 2021
This is by far the best book Amanda McKinney has written to date. In the very first chapter I found myself crying and hating Greys husband! As the book progressed I felt the absolutely rock bottom Grey hit. I actually felt every emotion of Grey. When a writer can make you feel like you are actually going through all the problems of the character they have done a brilliant job in their writing. Throughout the book I despised Grey in the reckless choices she made. When Amanda stated the characters weren't perfect she wasn't kidding. Declan and Lucas have their own issues as well. I will read this book again!
February 25, 2022
I loved this book so much. The characters were well written, the banter perfect. The romance was swoon worthy and the mystery was twisty, just like I like it! Excellent read.
April 9, 2021
I wanted to like this book but the choices our Heroine made although understandable, I just... it was frustrating. This book put me in a bit of a slump because it drained me reading about Grey's self destruction. Declan felt fishy for me. There were things about him that were a bit red flag-ish so I never fully liked him.
This story is dark and sad for the most part. Sadly it was a miss for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story is dark and sad for the most part. Sadly it was a miss for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2021
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a honest review.*
Trigger warnings: miscarriage, alcoholism, drug use, mention of murder
I thought this book was fantastic. It depected life so well and was relatable in so many ways. I also enjoyed the mystery behind what's behind the walls. It takes a new meaning of everyone having secrets behind closed doors.
Ciry girl, Grey, has hit rock bottom. She decides to leave her cheating husband after she has a miscarriage and loses herself in alcohol. She buys a fixer-upper cabin in the south and moves to the small town of Berry Springs. Everything seems to be falling apart, figuratively and physically, when she arrives at her new home. But, Grey is determined to make a new life and rehabilitate herself.
Through a downward spiral of self-reflection and battling to be sober, Grey finds herself settling down in the small southern town. She keeps her sarcasm and dry sense of humor even going through everything she is having to face.
She finds herself, friends, love and still makes mistakes being a 31-year-old woman, which I found refreshing. And don't let me forget to mention Delcan who is a fantastic character all by himself.
I loved this book's realness, sarcasm and the journey our characters took. It was an emotional Rollercoaster, but that's what life is as well. I love redemption stories and this book did just that!
Trigger warnings: miscarriage, alcoholism, drug use, mention of murder
I thought this book was fantastic. It depected life so well and was relatable in so many ways. I also enjoyed the mystery behind what's behind the walls. It takes a new meaning of everyone having secrets behind closed doors.
Ciry girl, Grey, has hit rock bottom. She decides to leave her cheating husband after she has a miscarriage and loses herself in alcohol. She buys a fixer-upper cabin in the south and moves to the small town of Berry Springs. Everything seems to be falling apart, figuratively and physically, when she arrives at her new home. But, Grey is determined to make a new life and rehabilitate herself.
Through a downward spiral of self-reflection and battling to be sober, Grey finds herself settling down in the small southern town. She keeps her sarcasm and dry sense of humor even going through everything she is having to face.
She finds herself, friends, love and still makes mistakes being a 31-year-old woman, which I found refreshing. And don't let me forget to mention Delcan who is a fantastic character all by himself.
I loved this book's realness, sarcasm and the journey our characters took. It was an emotional Rollercoaster, but that's what life is as well. I love redemption stories and this book did just that!
March 15, 2021
I received a ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This is definitely not one of your typical romances. This one actually has some substance behind it. Not something I usually get to say about a novel I picked up expecting a pure romance. Don't get me wrong, again this is a romance novel, but it's a supremely well done romance novel.
After the repeated cheating of her husband, the loss of her unborn child due to miscarriage (which she had to face alone because her soon to be ex husband is a dick), losing her job to due a drunken speech telling the truth of how all the woman around her got further along faster by sleeping their way up the career chain, and using alcohol to dull the pain of everything Grey has had enough. At 31 Grey is brave enough to start the process of divorcing her husband, leaving her whole world in New York with only 5 bags of luggage and her BMW.
She drives over 20 hours stopping only twice, while detoxing no less, to Berry Springs where she bought a fixer upper online to live in and hopefully start again because she promised her cousin she'd move there if she ever left her life in New York. There she runs into Lucas, a hottie who I can only describe as a douchebag with all sorts of warning signs for woman to stay away from. But when Grey falls off the wagon, he seems to be the one who's there to take advantage of her. Repeatedly.
So it's refreshing when Declan finally comes onto the scene (40.4% of the way through the book I might add), agreeing to fix Grey's cracked oil pan in exchange for dinner. Declan has his own checkered past and seems to recognize that Grey might need some help. Almost 10 years her senior, he seems to know what rock bottom looks and feels like. Bless the man though, he has a good set of morals he lives by. So he decides to help Grey, both with her house, her car and getting her life back together.
Now what I really like about this book is how Grey's personal struggles really come to play throughout the whole book. It's not some cheap tool to move the plotline along. It IS the plotline. This whole book is driven by Grey's internal struggle against herself and her desire to clean up her life and live it to the fullest. The poor lady has some serious issues and the author does a pretty good job having her address them and struggle against them. Relapses are a really thing.
Declan, attracted to her from the start, just wants to help her as best he knows how. He knows a fair bit too, thanks to his past experience. He's her ex deus machina, recognizing what she needs before she even realizes she needs it, like a professional to talk to about past issues. He helps her with her house, and even when they fight, he comes back when he knows she'll probably need him, without her asking.
Etta, the neighbor down the road, is a great character too, btw. She is this combination of a good friend and a cheeky grandmother that swears and provides some much needed lightness to the plot. Otherwise I would have to describe this book as borderline heavy. But Amanda McKinney strikes the perfect balance of darkness and lightness that brings a hopefully feeling to the book.
While there are a few little things that bugged me, overall this was a pretty great read.
My Conclusion
This one is definitely on my radar as something I would probably hand over to anyone who is looking for a romance with substance. This book definitely has substance.
This is definitely not one of your typical romances. This one actually has some substance behind it. Not something I usually get to say about a novel I picked up expecting a pure romance. Don't get me wrong, again this is a romance novel, but it's a supremely well done romance novel.
After the repeated cheating of her husband, the loss of her unborn child due to miscarriage (which she had to face alone because her soon to be ex husband is a dick), losing her job to due a drunken speech telling the truth of how all the woman around her got further along faster by sleeping their way up the career chain, and using alcohol to dull the pain of everything Grey has had enough. At 31 Grey is brave enough to start the process of divorcing her husband, leaving her whole world in New York with only 5 bags of luggage and her BMW.
She drives over 20 hours stopping only twice, while detoxing no less, to Berry Springs where she bought a fixer upper online to live in and hopefully start again because she promised her cousin she'd move there if she ever left her life in New York. There she runs into Lucas, a hottie who I can only describe as a douchebag with all sorts of warning signs for woman to stay away from. But when Grey falls off the wagon, he seems to be the one who's there to take advantage of her. Repeatedly.
So it's refreshing when Declan finally comes onto the scene (40.4% of the way through the book I might add), agreeing to fix Grey's cracked oil pan in exchange for dinner. Declan has his own checkered past and seems to recognize that Grey might need some help. Almost 10 years her senior, he seems to know what rock bottom looks and feels like. Bless the man though, he has a good set of morals he lives by. So he decides to help Grey, both with her house, her car and getting her life back together.
Now what I really like about this book is how Grey's personal struggles really come to play throughout the whole book. It's not some cheap tool to move the plotline along. It IS the plotline. This whole book is driven by Grey's internal struggle against herself and her desire to clean up her life and live it to the fullest. The poor lady has some serious issues and the author does a pretty good job having her address them and struggle against them. Relapses are a really thing.
Declan, attracted to her from the start, just wants to help her as best he knows how. He knows a fair bit too, thanks to his past experience. He's her ex deus machina, recognizing what she needs before she even realizes she needs it, like a professional to talk to about past issues. He helps her with her house, and even when they fight, he comes back when he knows she'll probably need him, without her asking.
Etta, the neighbor down the road, is a great character too, btw. She is this combination of a good friend and a cheeky grandmother that swears and provides some much needed lightness to the plot. Otherwise I would have to describe this book as borderline heavy. But Amanda McKinney strikes the perfect balance of darkness and lightness that brings a hopefully feeling to the book.
While there are a few little things that bugged me, overall this was a pretty great read.
My Conclusion
This one is definitely on my radar as something I would probably hand over to anyone who is looking for a romance with substance. This book definitely has substance.
March 22, 2021
To Whom This May Concern:
I would like to say that this is the first time I am a reading a product of Amanda McKinney.
The couple in this book is Grey Dalton and Declan Montgomery. Grey is going through what I would like to say as a mid-life crisis between a divorce, sobriety, and a miscarriage. Things that are completely relatable. I, myself, can deeply related to Grey’s struggle with sobriety and how it ties into her decision for everything that she does. The author eloquently wrote Grey to be somebody that the readers can sympathize and some empathize with. Grey is trying to find her footing in a small town where the last of her family is. On the other hand, Declan was not introduced into this plot line until more than 30%-40% of the story. I felt like his character could have been developed more. Declan just professed all who he was to Grey when there was so much build up to the mystery of himself. It doesn’t deter our interest as readers to him however.
The plot line of the story was not what I expected. The struggles that Grey faced when she was moving into the town as well as adjusting to her new environment was the main focused of the book alongside a small town murder mystery that didn’t really become significant until finishing the book. The “mystery” in the book was so meticulously placed that it never caused the readers to become scared to question if this book was part of the romance genre or not. I would like to give the author snaps for this amazing feat. Also, this book is written only in Grey’s point of view. Furthermore, I would like to mention that there are a lot of chapters in this book. However, there are chapters that are like only 2 to 3 pages. The book is written more descriptively than dialogue based. As a reader, we introspectively learned about the characters and plot than being told what is happening.
The “romance” scene was not very steamy. I will never judge on the amount of romance scenes in a book, but more the quality of the scenes themselves. There are about 3 sexual scenes per se in the book. However, the scenes are very brief. This is more of s l o w burn type of book than intense, grab-the-sheets- type of story.
The ending of the book was well written and ties everything together. However, it felt rushed compared to how long it took to introduce the characters and plot line. There could have been more cushioned towards the end, but still the ending sufficed to give the readers closure.
With that being said, I give the book a 5 out of 5.
With thanks.
Disclaimer: I did get this book for free through NetGalley. However, I did not get paid for a skewed review. This is an honest review with no intentions to sway readers to persuade sales.
I would like to say that this is the first time I am a reading a product of Amanda McKinney.
The couple in this book is Grey Dalton and Declan Montgomery. Grey is going through what I would like to say as a mid-life crisis between a divorce, sobriety, and a miscarriage. Things that are completely relatable. I, myself, can deeply related to Grey’s struggle with sobriety and how it ties into her decision for everything that she does. The author eloquently wrote Grey to be somebody that the readers can sympathize and some empathize with. Grey is trying to find her footing in a small town where the last of her family is. On the other hand, Declan was not introduced into this plot line until more than 30%-40% of the story. I felt like his character could have been developed more. Declan just professed all who he was to Grey when there was so much build up to the mystery of himself. It doesn’t deter our interest as readers to him however.
The plot line of the story was not what I expected. The struggles that Grey faced when she was moving into the town as well as adjusting to her new environment was the main focused of the book alongside a small town murder mystery that didn’t really become significant until finishing the book. The “mystery” in the book was so meticulously placed that it never caused the readers to become scared to question if this book was part of the romance genre or not. I would like to give the author snaps for this amazing feat. Also, this book is written only in Grey’s point of view. Furthermore, I would like to mention that there are a lot of chapters in this book. However, there are chapters that are like only 2 to 3 pages. The book is written more descriptively than dialogue based. As a reader, we introspectively learned about the characters and plot than being told what is happening.
The “romance” scene was not very steamy. I will never judge on the amount of romance scenes in a book, but more the quality of the scenes themselves. There are about 3 sexual scenes per se in the book. However, the scenes are very brief. This is more of s l o w burn type of book than intense, grab-the-sheets- type of story.
The ending of the book was well written and ties everything together. However, it felt rushed compared to how long it took to introduce the characters and plot line. There could have been more cushioned towards the end, but still the ending sufficed to give the readers closure.
With that being said, I give the book a 5 out of 5.
With thanks.
Disclaimer: I did get this book for free through NetGalley. However, I did not get paid for a skewed review. This is an honest review with no intentions to sway readers to persuade sales.
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